Haider - An outside perspective from an almost Insider !!

Having read all reviews, political statements, appreciations, rejections, expert comments from many esteemed people I finally decided to watch possibly the most politically tumultuous Bollywood movie made in the recent times that made headlines for all the right and wrong reasons ( the reasons being based on different perspectives which differ all around) and write my own thoughts towards it.

The movie ‘HAIDER’ an adaption of the iconic Shakespeare play “Hamlet” and based on the city from where I actually belong to but have never seen as an adult even though I am always told that I went to a heaven named  Kashmir with my family when I was 6 months old ( obviously I don’t even have a faint sense of memory of that trip) has a cast ensemble that probably brings together the most graceful actors of Bollywood and a script that somehow brings out the better from the best.

As the expert reviewers have pointed out that the movie has put the Indian Army in a bad light , some esteemed people have said that they have only shown one side of the story neglecting the plight of Kashmiri Pandits who were displaced from their homes , that the movie missed the bad conditions in which the Indian Army had to face the wrath of the terrorists , also that they have not shown anything about the 1995 kidnappings etc but in my viewpoint I believe that all this can be summarized by the fact that “Haider is just a movie”. You read books which depict and try to decipher what happened in the heaven on earth but it’s very difficult to get your hands on some book which tells you the stories from all the ends.  Our moon has blood clots, The Curfewed night and The Meadow  all tell you stories and facts from only one or a couple of perspectives and never take into account all the thoughts and perspectives all around which are important or not is precisely based upon what you want to actually believe in.

I was brought up at a time when the daily newspaper headlines in the Daily Excelsior in Jammu city had pictures of terrorists with bloodied faces, the pictures of army officers with the arms and ammunition seized, the stories of the Ikhwanis ( the terrorists turned counter insurgents) going astray and betraying one side or the other , when encounters and bomb blasts were such common news that it was a welcome sight  to see something else as a front page news , the real time first hand account of all the close relatives who were displaced from Kashmir and everything related to violence which usually breeds a revengeful spirit in the inside of a human being. The revengeful spirit which on one side tells you that all you have to do is to avenge for what all transpired against you or your loved ones but on the other side brings in front of you many ways by which vengeance can be avoided and yet help can be provided while maintaining grace and peace all around. The spirit which makes the decision making such a conundrum that many people are lead to do something which deep inside they never wanted to.

In my view point whatever the Indian Army did in Kashmir or has been doing even now is totally apt in the situation they have been in. Even though there have been many cases of Human rights violations , fake encounters which have been reported many a times in the national dailies it is a very strong notion that every coin has two sides to it and every situation is bound to have its pros and cons. It is upon us to see what side you want to look up to. There might be many who strongly disagree to this but you need to listen first hand to the stories and the plight of the Army soldiers as well , stories of the valor they have to put up when their own families are attacked and they are bound by their duties to first save the Nation’s borders and the other innocent people who are in the same danger as their own families.

For the point of showing the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, I strongly agree that it must be showcased someday but I also believe that what is more important to be shown to the world is the impact the post migration struggle had on the lives and careers of the Kashmiri Pandits who as a matter of fact are so mighty successful right now that they wouldn't have ever dreamt about seeing such huge acclaim in such tiring and painful circumstances. The very same people who were distraught and destroyed when they were forced to leave their homes to live a life of refugees in their own country yet never gave up on the adversity and instead turned it upside down by grabbing the life by its collar and turning into a success story staring deep down into the dark tunnels that life had made them go through.

The emotions that swell up when you hear the stories of all that happened some 24 years ago does bring tears to the eyes but these tears never try to come out or dry up themselves for they shall remain there to build up in the inside of us a tenacity to achieve something against all odds and to make us never forget the fact ( quoting a line from Haider ) that revenge always gives birth to revenge …!!!

P.S Viewpoints of a Kashmiri Pandit who has never been to Kashmir !!!

Mistakes and conflict of interests/perspectives are strongly apologized for !!!

Virtually Amicable Yet Socially Reclusive

The moment in a person's life when due to the advent of virtual technologies , messaging platforms , social networking sites and everything that ceases to exist make him wonder about his social value in this damn tough world. The value that everyone says increases by networking , socializing, the value that is inculcated in the people after they meet face to face and exchange a few words instead of sitting / standing for long hours and exchanging messages over the numerous applications , the value that wise people say also tends to increase after long telephonic conversations instead of exchanging the all so stupid smileys over the virtual world to let the other person know your so called virtual emotional self.

It is the same moment when the person starts to get jealous when all his friends are preparing plans to hang out at the coolest lounge around , planning to visit the nearest exotic hill station , chalking out stuff to meet often and all he can do is to sulk looking at all the awesome pictures that the friends share over the virtual platforms for being in a different city with different set of individuals and totally different set of responsibilities brings out the emotionally vulnerable side in the toughest individuals.

It is also the moment when the person in question is in a state of weird confusion after having been denied a hang out opportunity time and again by more than just a couple of friends who some how always have a more important task at hand , friends who are caught up in more important responsibilities , friends who more often than not are always there at the tip of a whatsapp message but some how do not manage to call up and check out the iceberg of emotions that gets stacked up with the passage of time yet are always hidden from the virtual world or in some special cases tend to remain hidden from the actual world as well mainly because of his own actions or as a matter of fact his own in actions for he just like his friends never calls them up to check on their side of life and never manages to spare some time from the monotonous life to inculcate some time to chill out with people the wise say should be kept closer to your heart and soul.

It is also a weird moment where in he puts aside all the nagging messages that keep his phone notification light running all the time and instead decides to take out all his frustration on the running track in a cool pair of recently bought shoes and to add to the woes comes across a group of all decked up similar aged youngsters ready to hop on a friend's car and go to a party but all he does is to concentrate on the task at hand and burn the track filled up of dirt with all his might and feelings that some how always manage to hide behind a veil of self induced righteousness on his face.

The track so dimly lit up at the end of dusk that the long lost shadow of his own socially reclusive self stares in his eyes and lights up a strong belief in the core of his heart that even with all the emotions running through the human heart and soul you can always look this so called dream " the human life" in its eyes , grab it by the scruff of its neck and mold it which ever way you deem fit for it was not only about failing and rising up every time , rather as they say it , life is also about standing up to the storm that can only be withered down by your own self belief and self inculcated will power.

P.S - For all those who had tried crying their pain out in the rains , do give a try to run over the same pain on a dimly lit track at the end of dusk for it not only increases your heart rate and brings out the emotional might , it also bring forth in front of your eyes a self induced belief that tends to get lost over the period of a life so monotonous that even the boring might feel bored.

Delhi Metro - Sunday Diaries

Sunday might be a normal day for the home staying or the mall frequenting Delhiites but for the metro bound people it is more of a treat rather than a weekend. Fully filled coaches with lots of luggage on them , all the chirping people who somehow never pay attention to the fashion trends and form the so called lower middle class or the upper poor class of the city visiting their relatives in all the far off corners of the city , all the love birds who cant afford theaters or malls or coffee shops and instead prefer the corners of stair cases on metro stations form a huge part of the nexus for whom Sunday in the national capital is just like any other day just that it brings with itself a lot of change in the life's priorities.
Expecting a far less number of people you tend to get surprised by the number of inhabitants of the city traversing through the System , even though its quite fair to put up that travelling to the far flung areas by the best yet the busiest transport system the city has is only possible on a Sunday for you never ever even try to imagine travelling that far on the weekdays due to magnitude of the pushes and shoves you might have to endure from the people thirsty to not even loose a second of their time.

For the last day of the week or logically the first , the week does always start from a Sunday brings to the mind not only the peace loving relaxing feelings but also the responsibilities that people do still tend to follow , people who still believe that whatsapping a relative is not a fashion trend , people who do not rely on telephones to get to know about their loved ones , people who instead tend to strongly adhere to the old principles of visiting their loved ones once in a while even though it means sparing some moments from their precious time lines.
It is these people who still tend to show to this country that there are places where you can go on a Sunday , where you can rewind , where you can chat,eat and drink without a worry in the world and yet not feel in a plastic environment of a mall or a coffee shop.
These very people make us firm in our beliefs that it is not necessary for a function or a tragedy for you to meet up your loved ones but instead it should be your conscience that should be touched once too often when you fail to adhere to the responsibilities that should fall upon you once you become an adult and are not shy anymore to at least say a hi to the people who do matter a lot in the life.

P.S - Life isn't about the people whom you choose to be a part of your life but instead its about those who made you a part of their's. 

Delhi Metro- Continued !!

Away from the swanky cars , out of the plush flats and bungalows , away from the vicinity of the spacious malls lies an image of this city that is some how totally opposite to the all decked up fashionista behavior portrayed by its citizens.
An image that is so prevalent  yet so hidden , so amusing yet so surprising , so common yet so weird all at the same time. An image that can generally be associated with a Mumbaikar, "these Mumbai people and the city find an unusual mention in all my posts ( the 8 years Effect has started to Rub In i guess)".

An image that for a moment makes you become oblivious of the fact that you are present in one of the most fashion conscious cities in this whole Damn World , where people dress up and behave in a way that apparently exceeds their own dressing sense as well as their own pockets , where going out of your place is like enacting a competition with the individual standing or sitting next to you ( depends upon where you are ), where wearing bathroom slippers to a mall can invoke hate filled stares , for here looking better than others is something considered pretty cool and chic.
Examples like these in a way define the landscape of the dressing demography in this particular city yet contrary to all the written so called facts above there is another set of people who kind of set a trend of being glamorous yet laid back and who for a change as well as a sigh of relief are comfortable in whatever they are wearing and are not at least bothered about the footwear worn by that Fat rich looking brat at the corner of the Showroom or the Gown worn by a not so elegant 60 year old female.
These People form an image that can only be witnessed upon constant observation of the same set of people over and over again and what better that the System ( the Delhi Metro ) to gaze into the hearts and minds of the travelers. As a matter of utmost fact observing a person's dressing sense and behavior in a public place does give a strong insight into his/her personality , For these are those few who are least bothered about the bad crease on their trousers or the look of the so in fashion crumpled T-Shirt they wear ,  even though there are some who constantly carry off trousers and shirts with bad stains with elan but that class of people is miles apart from what the whole post is all about.
For it is more about a set of people who make Show Off's look pedestrian while giving Swag a new address , the set of people who definitely want to look good but not overdo the looking part just for the sake of it , the people who dress up for their own selves and not to please the masses.
For it is only them that makes the opposite sex take a long hard look ( a sense of admiration  , not to be confused with the stares and lewd comments of the cheap people here ) and even turn around to have a second thought that's sometimes necessary cause of the charisma and the aura these people spread around themselves.
P.S - Dress up and dress up good for only oneself for you never know what might happen tomorrow. !!

Delhi Metro- search of right moments

Travelling regularly on the metro in the national capital of rapes and not witnessing a single case of touching or molestation , or any complaint regarding the same can be surreal yet enthralling experience.
 The experience of being enthralled by the city that some how manages to cast a shadow on its true self and instead displays an amazingly pleasing to the eye mirage that feels like a reality to the non curious kind and acts as a catalyst for the quest of finding the right moment for the curious ones. To burst this city's bubble you just need to be in the right place at the right time to see a tired looking female using her whole power to grip a man's shirt collar amidst the crowd at possibly the busiest station of this system.

The right moment that can be summed up by the fact that for the first time in as many months the writer got to sit albiet for a few stations on possibly the most crowded time and the most insanely filled up metro route.

The moment when you see an old lady stand a few paces away from where you are sitting and you hold off stiff competition from the standing hungry for seat males to offer your seat to her. Doing this does't make you proud or worthy of an oscar but it does remind you that the immensely important humane values are still left back in some and need to be deeply inculcated in some individuals.

The right moment which makes a pretty woman to sit right next to you when all this while you had been just looking and admiring her from the corner of your eyes. Do take a note that this is a once in a blue moon moment and can lead to serious nervousness and speech stuttering in homo sapiens.

Having seen just one arguing case happening between grown up males on the topic that has lead to most wars in the history (females) while travelling in a city famous for its bad temper can be quite intriguing but seeing a lot of males keeping away from staring at those pretty females can be either mindblowing to a sane mind or can rip an insane's mind totally apart for it is the moments that make up the life and the right ones just add some flavoured spice to the life's curry.

To sum up it aint necessary to search for the moments , when we are capable enough of making our own..!!

Dreams Unplugged !!

It ain't often that the life comes a full circle but when it does it brings many amazing moments in the monotonous periodicity of a mediocre being and when it goes a full circle from a hopeful yet a dull point up to a point of no return it can bring a mesmerizing adventure in the thoughts about the life's future.
Leaving a cushioning job in an IT firm with a lot of chances of going Onsite in the upcoming months for joining the Indian Armed forces can be such an example ( the second case ), something which not only leads the person in question to dream in awe about the future the life beholds but also brings a moment of pride to all the known beings.
The pride that can not be justified by the congratulatory greetings alone but also invokes a certain inspirational moment in everyone's life for there are not many times when a human's childhood's dream is realized or to sum it in an apt manner not many have the damn guts to follow something that they have always yearned for and finally lay their hands upon it.

For Life has always been about the process of adjustments and adaptations , about falling down and realizing that we need to stand up to face all the adversities to step on the ladder defined as Success and in all these scenarios the dreams ought to take up a back seat. The dreams about which we constantly think and fantasize but do not have the wherewithal to follow and realize by tearing everything apart , owing to the responsibilities and the relations we need to take the utmost care off.

But as they say it , Life is what happens when we are busy making other plans.
For those who never had any childhood dreams , i hope this deed shall act as a catalyst for dreaming more and working towards achieving the same , for laying your hands upon the golden goose you once woke out of sleep with can actually be the most satisfying moment in the human's Life.

I firmly believe that the three years of dullness of sitting slouched in a chair staring at a computer screen shall vanish the moment you step onto the Grounds.

P.S - Your Moment of Pride has finally come up. Live it to the fullest as you always have. !!

Mumbai to Delhi A Transformation

I don't really know whether you can term shifting between two culturally different cities as Transformation but going from a life of a Male Bachelor living with friends to starting living with your Family can be definitely termed so.
It has been a complete month and yet again the time flew like a hundred meter race , the case has been same since the last eight years when i had left my small town home to study in the city of cities , Mumbai. The month i should admit hasn't been boring at all as i used to live a monotonous life of almost the same intensity at my previous place as well but yes , that place had a difference. The difference in the fact that you never faced any questions about anything , you were never bound to come until a certain time lest anyone would get worried and start calling you frantically , you could go and have a chilling night out sitting by the sea looking at the moon and contemplate about life, ( the sea and the walks in the dead of the night are something that are sorely missed) and yet not worry about being safe for that place had something in the air that made a human go carefree and live the moment in the best possible way.
But to view it as a larger picture all the rules and regulations , all the late night worries etc comes with a slightly advantageous feeling of being loved by the family , the feeling of being taken care off by everyone around , the feeling of sharing the responsibility of the house and to top it all the feeling of belonging to something abstract that goes by the name "Home".

So getting a feel of the Delhi heat instead of the Mumbai's famed humidity , a foothold in the Delhi metro instead of the long serving Mumbai local , writing about the streets and the people of the national capital instead of the intricacies of the financial capital , observing the so Famed Delhi People's attitude instead of the never interfering Mumbai people, arguing with the auto rickshaw wallas instead of sitting carefree in one of them even at the dead of the night and last but not the least doing a bit of "Bird Watching" for Mumbai , Navi Mumbai for that matter did not have even an iota of the fashionista image possessed here , all and a lot more has been a part of this so called change

Don't really know what more is gonna be a part of this process of undergoing a sea of change but as they say Hope is the bestest medicine the world has got , so lets keep up the good work and continue Hoping.

Delhi , as I see it --- Part1...