The Rape of India's Daughters

The story of rape is not something new to the soul of India or her daughters , It is a story enacted over and over again over many centuries and millenia .
The woes of a Draupadi being dishonoured in the midst of  five warrior husbands and an entire royal family or the kidnapping of a Sita by a desperate Ravan ,  or the rape of an unsuspecting Ahalya by a disguised Indira are all stories we have heard of whilst we still sat in our grandmothers lap . How big a lie is it then for people sitting in high office to blame the influence of the western world and its culture for the rape , molestations and dishonour of modern day  Indian women ?
The Sita of the treta Yuga silently bore her sorrow , dispite having proved her chastity by way of an agni pariksha and retired to Sage Valmiki's ashram . The voice of a common man thus becoming more powerful than the purity of an agnipariksha .
The Draupadi of the dwapara yuga was no silent spectator and did not take injustice with silence . She let her hair loose and vowed that she would only tie it up on the day she had stained her palms with the blood of her molesters .
In todays kaliyuga modern day Indian men and  women have  taken to the streets with protests , candle light vigils and hunger strikes to fight the cancerous increase of  gender bias , eve teasing and rape . Even worse still  the rape and abuse of children as young as 4 and 5 .
In the meantime our so called leaders have shamed themselves with many a careless , illogical and obnoxious comment on the reasons as to why a women in todays India is not safe ,and Kaap panchayats are busy dishing out dikkats which stop women from wearing western clothing , using cell phones and going out alone .
How hypocritical can some people get when they want to use all the modern amenities of the world , but will stop a woman from using  the same modern amenities stating them to be the cause of immorality and rape .
The same men and women who pray with bowed heads to a lakshmi , saraswati and Kali will terminate a pregnancy when they know that the unborn fetus is a girl .
The same men and women who recite stories about a Sita swayamvar and a Shakuntala ghandharva style marriage to Dushyanth will ban love marriages when it comes to their daughters and sons .
The rape and subjugation of Indias daughters will end only on the day that every mother decides to bring up her son's and daughters in the same way , with the same rules, opportunities , education and freedom .
The rape and subjugation of Indias daughters will end only when a man realises  that by dishonouring a women he is also  dishonouring himself  . It would also  do society good to realise that if it considers a women less virtious and a shame if she has been raped , then can it consider a rapist more virtious and a pride to society ?

Climbing Mount Snowdon

My three previous visits to Wales had only left me looking up at Mount Snowdon and thinking .....
Oh i wish i can climb up some day . So finally on the 17th of April i was thrilled to bits when hubby proclaimed " chammoo, i have booked ourselves a B&B in Wales " , I said " I am only going to Wales on condition that we climb the mountain" and off we went .
We reached our lovely B&B a few miles out of the Welsh village of Betws-Y-Coed in Snowdonia and camped out on our bed feasting on our take away meal that we had picked up for our dinner . Well fed and some TV later , we had a good nights sleep .
We woke up to a blissfull morning , with the rays of the sun streaming through our window , changed into comfortable clothes for our climb and enthusiastically marched downstairs for a full English breakfast complete with fruit , cereal , toast , ham , sausage , eggs , grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and washed it down with a cup of good English tea . The breakfast left us feeling like a million bucks .
Our drive to Pen-Y-Pass felt really short as i was waiting eagerly to get out of the car and begin climbing , but as we reached the car park , a feeling of dissapointment on being told that the car park was full . We began driving up the mountain road again in search of a parking spot , a few hundred metres away my husband decided to make a U turn and turned back . Lo and behold , just as we reached the road opposite the car park , a vehicle backed out and we got our free car park for the day . What amazing timing ! i say .. that free car park was surely destined for us .
At 10.20 we set off the good old Miners path . The Miners' Track begins at the car park at Pen-y-Pass  which is at an  altitude of around 350 metres (1,150 ft), and is the most popular route to the summit of Snowdon. It begins by skirting  llyn Teyrn  before climbing slightly  It follows the lake's shoreline before climbing to Glaslyn , from where it ascends steeply zig zagging its way up to meet up with  the Pyg Track, and on reaching the summit ridge, is united with the Llanberis Path and Snowdon Ranger Path. Old  Derelict copper  mine buildings are encountered along several parts of the climb . Our full to the brim tummies had us a little breathless by the time we reached the 1st lake , but once we warmed up things got better and we began to feel lighter . The views got better with every few feet that we climbed and so did the wind . There were times at higher levals that we had to hold on to the rocks , in order not to get blown off . Much to my shock i did get thrown off my feet once  by a strong gust of wind and decided that i wasen't too big after all .
Parts of the climb were quite steep for us as we are not by any way regular climbers  , but we took the climb one step at a time and refused to look at our watches .... I remembered my Reiki master and went about climbing up like i did my So- hum meditation ... it felt easier for sure . We stopped for a minute or two many a time , to breathe in the crispy fresh air and absorb the heavenly views of Wales .  We reached about 400 metres in line from the summit when i had the worst ever cramps i have ever had . My entire right leg felt completely numb and like a lifeless tree trunk . I sat there calm , smiling and taking long  and deep breaths and hoping that if ever a rescue helicoptor had to fly in ... let it be Prince William .... LOL :-) . A few minutes later i could feel my veins loosening up and my tree began feeling like a leg again , with that melted away my thoughts of Prince William and we trudged along twords the summit . A good 3 hours and 30 minutes from the time we had started we sat perched on the busy summit like two happy sea gulls .
In our eagerness to climb Mount Snowdon our mountain boots were left at home and we reached the top with our walking shoes . We therefore took the decesion to decend the summit by way of the Llanberis Path an easier but longer route . We were also told that we could find a bus at the village of Llanberis that would take us back to the Pen-y-pass where our car stood waiting for us . Our 2 bottles of water finished , we filled up our bottles with snow and stayed hyderated on the way down . Our decent took us a good 3 hours and 30 mts  and i had fulfilled my dream to climb Mount Snowdon which is 3560 feet . My aches and pains are now worth a million bucks . My first hand heavenly views and experiance is worth a couple of a million .
I have a new dream now and that is to climb  Ben Nevis in Scotland which is 4409 feet ! One has to fulfill old dreams to have new ones ... Ben Nevis .. here i come !   

Passing Clouds !

I sit peacefully , watching the ocean .......
Perched high in the verandah of this beautiful beach front home .
A gentle breeze , combing through my wet shampooed hair .
My thoughts ......... swimming in , one after the other ,
Like the waves frolicking into shore and flirting with the sands ..... happily .
What a perfect picture ; solace to the eye's of my soul ... and .... the ears of my heart .
Across the limitless canvas of the skies , strokes of painted clouds , passing by .... lazily ,
Sluggishly watching the world go by , with gay abandon .
Down below sitting hand in hand , whispering sweet nothings , a couple !
Enveloped in a cocoon of love , in a world of their own ,
Promises ...... like footprints in the sand , washed away with the next outbound surf .
Far away sits a net , next to a catamaran .... both tied together , for life !
Waiting to go out , with the next tide .
Their promise ..... lies in the bounty of their next catch .
Dashing across the sands , a group of dogs , playfully growling .
No words to keep , no home to go back to ......... but .........
Man's most faithful and trustworthy friend .
Across the skies , they fly back to their nests , A formation of birds .
No maps , no air traffic control ....... but ....... always on track ... homebound .
As the sun goes down , i watch the fading colours and the creeping shadows ...... but .......
I am sure of his promise to rise again tomorrow morning .
I think to myself ........... In this beauitiful picture ,
In this perfection in chaos ,
Man ..... ?? Are'nt you just a kaleidoscope of life ,
Just another passing cloud , in all creation ??
Just another stepping stone to perfection ??

Love

Why do people " Fall in Love " ??...........
Shouldn't two people rise in love , Grow in love .........
What an irony that something as beauitiful as love , should make one fall.
The sea has its own intoxicating agent ,
Its mass expance and undiscovered depths ,
The moon is amazing tonight , and
Romance is always linked to the moon.
A walk in the moonlight by the sands of the sea ,
is far more romantic than a walk in the park by day .
Though the rustle of the leaves of the trees, can't be compared ,
to the kiss of the waves at your feet ..........
LOVE is everything , that Love is not .
Whatever is not love , is love .........
If you know , what is NOT !
THEN , YOu know what IS .
Love is just , Love !
Absorbing , Giving & More ..........

Feelings of a neglected DRESS :-)

Its dark inside here , so claustrophobic and stuffy .
I haven't moved since the last time she took us all out , to put some order .
I was hoping so much , that she would put me some place up front , where i would be seen . But ......
I said to the salwaars the other day ' she just does not seem to like us anymore ' does she ?
They too seemed in agreement !
The ones in front , keep going out to office and outings , then , pay a visit to the drycleaners and come back smelling so good and nice .
And , have you seen the way that black trouser behaves ? As if he rules the world :-(
Well well i said to him " just you wait and see , the last guy whose place you took , showed off for 10 months and dissappeared "
He must be in bits now , cleaning the kitchen slab ........ or God , knows where ....
Whenever , i feel low and down , I think of the lovely place i used to live in ............
It was a well lit beauitiful place , airy and cool , and i could see through the shelf where i was placed .
People came in , took us out , felt us , held us close to them , looked into the mirror ...... smiled ...... thought ..... then went on to another one , but there was hope ....
I always thought life outside of this place was better , and kept hoping to be picked up .
But , kept getting folded up and put in again , they all said i was too bright .........
I remember that day like just now , when she came in with a friend , saw me and in one second clutched on to me and said " wow , look at this , isent it beauitiful " .
Her friend said " well its a lil bright , but with your colour , you will carry off anything .
and she took me home .... Then i went to this lady's place where i got embroidered and measured and cut up and sewed ......... painful but it gave me shape .
They at least folded me with care now , did'nt roll me up like they did at the store .........
mmmmm...... she raved about me as soon as she saw me , and wore me out a few times ........ then ...........
I wonder what happened ?? someone told her , she looked much better in trousers ........ and ...... since then , i only see the back of the shelf .
I wonder ....... is my life over ? does she like me still ?
will i too get to go out and hear " wow , thats a nice dress " ..........
I think of my days in the glass shelf ...... i thought life outside was better . ....
I'm here and i'm thinking " maybe there still is hope " .

PS: i am sure each one of us sometime or the other feels like the neglected dress in the shelf and can identify with its feelings but lets remember that " there is always HOPE "

Relationships !

Its been a long and short , super fast and snaily slow , introspective and paint the town red , 15 days .
So many new feelings , emotions , reversals , fast forwards ..... realisations ..... acceptances !!
So many new ideas , inputs , discoveries .............. from outside .... and ........ within .
Like the chugging of the train on rails ....... sometimes slow and sometimes fast .
After a snail moving , slow , long , first week of may , bag's packed and ready to leave .....
cosily tucked into my 3rd a/c coach in the " west coast express " i sit .........
Watching the world go by , like a picture post card in motion ...... smiling ...... thoughtful !
People get in ..... get out , at different stations ...... so much like life ?????
stations of happiness , sadness , euphoria , contentment , trust , deceit ...........
In and out of my thoughts , the train rocks me to sleep , the rock and roll on rails .........
Fond memories of a pleasent journey ......
Mangalore it is ! red tiles , coconut palms , winding roads ......... and inbound family !
All , happy to be together again , a wedding in the family ......... after 15 yrs .
After blessings in plenty , during the "roce " ( a function on the previous day of the wedding , bride dressed in her mothers wedding saree , and anointed with coconut milk and oil , and blessed by the whole family, amid songs about her childhood , a mixture of tears and smiles ).
The couple took their vows , till death do we part !
The bride beauitiful and serene , the groom handsome and regal !
I sit next to mom ......in Bijai church ..... built a hundred years back ... this is where she and dad said "i do " in 1951 .
After 56 years of togetherness in 2006 , he departed .... saying " I did " .
We sit together .......... A generation apart .
For them it was " till death do we part "
For me it was " Part or you will die " everyday , ever moment . " i too did ".
The only constant in time ....... Change !
An hour of ceremonies and two signatures later , two are joined for life , saying " i do " .
17 yrs of marriage , 2 children and 3 years of seperation later , i wait for a signature to say " I Don't " .
A system that considered me adult enough at 18 to say " i do " ,
Doesen't consider me adult enough at 40 to say " i Don't " ........ ironical ....... yet true !
The melody of the final hymn , brings me back to track .....
The happiness of the moment , brings a beauitiful smile back ......
It hardly matters to the scenery outside , as to which train is passing by ...... but .....
It surely matters to the passenger inside to look out with eyes open wide .............
In this destination called life , its the journey that matters ...........
Doesen't matter if one gets off at the first stop or last ..... May it be an eventful ride !
In a fairytale movie setting , strings of music reverberating ..... we danced away the night !!!

oasis or mirage ??

I sit in a green oasis , palm trees swaying in the breeze , memories of the past , beauitiful and sad .
Firmly grounded to the present , and
The future but a speck in time .........
How much is a speck in time worth ?
Can time set a price , to buy that speck in time ?
If time had a personality to itself , would it be happy with the things it's done ?
Changes ! the very history of nations , lives of millions, relationships , memories , heartbreaks , upheavels , surprises .
What is that moment worth ?
The moment when the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ,
The moment when the planes crashed into the pentagon and the WTC ,
The moment when innocent children lost limbs in mindless mines planted ,
The moment when loved ones leave , for this lifetime or just for now .
Worth ?
The ANGUISH of a smothered population !
The SHOCK of a striken nation !
The PAIN of a dismembered child !
The HEARTACHE of a grieving soul !
That is the price of that one moment , when time ironically smiles at it .
that not only that one moment , but entire humanity pays .
For somewhere etched in the memory chip of the akarshic records ,time leaves engraved its name , with our wrong doing .
And with that name will go down the anguish , shock , pain and heartache of an entire spectrum .
I look around , no oasis i see .
just plain sand , my mirages and me .
Deserted ! for this speck of time !
In an endless journey ...............
LIFE .........