Cleaning the closet and more....

                                                     The heavy Rains in satara have always given me pleasure..the scenic beauty..the calm and breathtaking nature..more on that later..but recently..what this rainy season has given me..is a solitude..but in a positive sense. While the unstoppable rains cut out the rare chances of me going places...the power cut off's or low voltage situations cancel out the entertainment sources like television or my p.c..and then I am left with my little old school radio and thus I began cleaning my closet..

                                                        Starting off with the  clothes section..I realized I had lot of them (which astonished while I had nothing to wear every morning..)Some old...some brand new..Some gifted..some earned...and what not..!! That pretty little scarf woven by a far-away grand mom...the first LBD..and off course..there were my school uniforms..with badges..belts..scarfs and ropes..The day I passed out of my school..I had promised myself that i will never give my uniforms away..I had preserved them for five years by now..and yet they looked clean and laundry fresh..I wish it could have been the same with the school days..though they made me nostalgic..the memories that once were the only part of my life were gradually fading away..like a poem you learn for a recital..and then forget it after some years even though it had given you a glazing certificate...It made me think..!! Should I keep these?? these could be a dress for someone unclothed..but what about the memories associated with it ? How could I see this later on..? but the question was..would I ever feel the need to see them again?? dilemma stayed..uniforms..they stayed too..

                                                        Then I turned to a highly private section of mine..!! the cards,diaries and stuff like that..It had almost an overview of my life until now..the personal diaries you were asked to maintain in schools..they sounded so funny..the things I loved back then were the ones I totally hated now..and the ones I was cranky about were now a part of my daily routine..I was so different back then..I hated both of the ME's..and loved them at the same time..The moral education class good thought collection..the assembly papers..the hand painted Birthday cards by friends who I no longer had a touch with..made me to think what will my closet have after ten years from now...will it have the memories of the people associated with me today like this..or will it just be the same..??? Will all this matter to me? or will it just be crap..? Isn't this the same with our minds?  

                                      Somethings,some people,some incidents made a difference for a while in our lives..as time passed..it all overcame everything..but those things occupied our minds like these things occupied my closet..I didn't need to have them anymore..it meant nothing anymore..but I just couldn't get rid of them..not back the..not now..and may be never will..but isn't this fatal?? Shouldn't we learn to get over things? good or bad..they were a past..weren't they? then why should they be affecting our todays and tomorrows..!! sentimentality is good..only if we can deal with it in real terms..! The good should just be a step to do better and the bad a lesson of what not to..and the rest..is history..

                                           

Terrorism and Indian youth..

Terrorism today is the greatest problem faced by the mankind.The unending chain of international rivalry,aggression to become a world power is killing millions of non-guilty lives. And after the series of attacks since 1993..it is a crystal clear fact that youth are being transformed into terrorists.Young minds who are in a tender age of learning ways to live a good and dignified life are seen with ak 47's. The hands that would be best seen with books and balls are full of hand grenades. What an unfortunate sight..!!
                                                               India is now very familiar to terror attacks. Rather...it is now included as a familiar phenomena like rains..Transport,business,hospitality and entertainment sector is being harmed constantly. So,isn't the Indian  youth listening to the million people who have lost their lives and something even precious than a life in these attacks? Are the youth being cowards? are they getting used to this scenario so much so that it makes them stone-hearted??
                                               India is believed to be the nation of the youth. Ask them to march on roads for publicity of a film or to break down shops on linguistic issues,they are ready. It clearly suggests that the young generation is not weak or incapable..its just wrongly focused. With international crisis hitting Indian culture and well-being..isn't it a waste of time fighting within the country for interstate and inter religious issues? They are important and need to be solved,i agree..but there is something called priority..its not the need of the hour.."Divide and rule" is once again coming into force guys..! and its now an obligatory expression for all of us to not fall prey to it.!!
                                        Parents,teachers and other educational institutions have a remarkable role in this mentality creation. They expose youth towards globalization,competition and educational thrifts...why isn't it so that no college compels its students to vote like they do for submissions? why don't parents urge their kids to opt for upsc exams ? why is that young politicians are only from the families having political backgrounds? why is politics yet a dirty game for us?
                                               Terrorism is merely not an activity,it is a mentality. Mentality of destruction and evil. It can be only fought with principles of patriotism and humanity. and who else then young minds can do it?
                                                  We blame the system,the government but never ever think of changing it. 26th jan and 15th august are just public holidays for us. I am not suggesting the youth to leave their high-profile jobs and education to join politics..but this very education and qualification can be brought into a productive use for the nation. Why not vote,pay taxes on time,use your free time working for some n.g.o.? This isn't a lot i agree..but it is atleast something larger than updating Facebook status's and sending cause invitations.!! its our share in well-being of the society..
                                  Enchanted mind can ignite fires..we have seen lot of fires burning away our dear ones,homes and places of work..Now its the time to make this fire burn bricks to re-build this distorted society and the world in general..!! make India a better place to live in..!!

Vaari and me..

                                                            I have always been a believer of god..a strong one...though I never forgot to pray every night to the almighty..I always skipped the temples when I was on sight seeing...never fasted..didn't do any of the pooja's and stuff...and yet..I believed that god existed. I believed in the energy that made the universe work...and that fixed things right..that gave justice to the good people..and punished the bad...!!

                                                          Now...I had read,heard about the vaari since I was a child. it didn't interest me at all...I didn't get the point why people..young and old..men and women,walked so many miles for 15 long days..in that scorching sun and unpredictable weather...I never found out what made this process going for so many centuries...until I myself was a part of it...

                                                            I went to the vaari..first time..last year..on 15th of july..it was merciless sunny day..with tremendous heat and not a single breeze flowing in..I began my quest for the paalkhi.I was stunned to see the bright colors flowing through the roads...people so enthusiastic and carefree about all the odds..Intially given up..I didn't even realise when I began pacing in the direction with hundreds and thousands of other people..in the only search for the paalkhi..Didn't even remembering what life I had back home..what crisis I went through..what problems I faced..I became one among the innumerable vaarkari's..cherishing the unbound and selfless happiness..It was something that was very hard to feel or express,but at the same time..very lucid and simple..The rythmic sounds in the praise of the god were the best background music my life ever had. It was like having a long lost cousin back at your place. Everything seemed so familiar. I was astonished to find myself..so very stubborn usually..to be among the people I never knew..and would probably never meet again all my life...Everyone was a "Mauli" for everone else. There hardly existed any prejudices and hence personality,looks,gender,proffesion didn't matter at all. All that mattered was the uncontaminated expression of gratitude.Everyone had it in plenty..!!

                                                      These people stayed together,ate together,lived together. Wonder how many of them knew each other's names..!! The huge pan's toasting crisp huge-sized bhaakris.The tea stalls.The police men.The n.g.o. organised medical teams. The philanthropical associations providing anything right from mineral water to mobile charging centres..vaari is not just a phenomena..it is a way of living..a culture..in a broader sense..a religion.That religion which believes in spirituality and humanity.The one which has no discrimination and will never have..I wish the international religious crisis makers ever realise what following a religion means..

                                                                      And then came the ultimate point..when the paalkhi arrived..Until then then I never beleived in Idol worship.I just didn't find it right to trap the enormous energy into a single word-singular structured object..But when I saw paalkhi..and the way people flooded towards it..I realised something. Believing in idolatry wasn't a bad either...If it granted the immense strength and energy for infinite lives..why not..!! and I let myself in the crowd.Just for one whole hearted darshan.And I saw hundreds of eyes watered and smiling at the same time,all filled with emotions..finding their own almighty in the paalkhi..I looked at them with immense pleasure and gratitude for letting me be a part of this...and didn't even realise when tiny teardrops flowed through my cheeks.The myth says..You don't decide whether you be in the vaari or you don't. Its a calling..from "mauli"  itself..and trust me..I went for it once again..and will always go...indeed..once a vaarkari..a believer for ever..!!! :) :)