When Silence Speaks...

It’s been raining since couple of weeks in Denver. A Friday evening with light rain and cold breeze! I was just back from office. I prepared a cup of hot chai, sat on a couch and started wondering what to do. I remembered Ghalib’s ghazal “ Hazaron khwahishien aisi ki har khwahish mein dum niklein ”.  Few days back a friend and I mentioned this Ghazal in our conversation. So I looked for Jagjit Singh’s version of this Ghazal; and then started a peaceful Ghazal ki sham. I cannot think of a better way to spend an evening – Rain, Chai & Ghazals. Main nashe mein hoon; Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar; Hontho se chhoo lo tum; Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho; Tum Ko Dekha To Yeh Khayal Aaya; Chhitti Na Koi Sandesh; Hosh Walon Ko khabar kya; Kiska Chehra ab mai dekhun; Koi Fariyaad mere dil mein; Ishq kya hai and so on. Sometimes, one just needs to break away from the world, and spend some time with some soulful songs like these. They refresh your mind and soul. Jagjit Singhji has a voi...

Famous Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone’s “ My Body My Choice ” video that has gone viral these days has provoked my hibernated mind to think. This video was released jointly by Deepika and director Homi Adajania in association with Vogue India as part of their campaign on women's empowerment. But I feel that the word “ Women Empowerment” has lost its real meaning amidst all the political and media attention these days. Best example is this video The video starts with Deepika saying “ My Body, My Mind , My Choice ”. This is not something that only women aspire for. Equal percentage of men also face situations questioning their decisions and even they feel like screaming out – It’s My Life, My Choice . This is a problem that the youth of India is facing – Youth of Both Genders. So how is it that we are representing injustice to only women in this tagline? “ It’s My Choice to Marry or Not to Marry. ” – To marry or not to marry is a problem that not only girls but also ...

Silence is Golden - so goes an old saying. But considering someone's silence as their weakness is the most foolish thing to do. If one comes to your house and barks at you; and you choose to ignore; that does not always mean you were scared to react. It takes a lot more courage to  remain calm throughout someones nonsense than   it takes to  react. When a dog barks at you, you can shoo it away by throwing a stone at it. But when someone close or related to you starts talking nonsense at your face you choose to remain silent out of respect for the relations you share or love towards that person. The person in front of you should be such a fool to lack basic common sense for not only acting in such a pathetic manner but also for not understanding the difference between silence and cowardice. A brave and sensible person always keeps their cool and waits for the right opportunity to react. We don't absorb negative thoughts or someones nonsense when there are better th...

Every other person in this world no matter where they belong to are scared of definitely one thing - Marriage.  We have Love vs Arranged marriage. Love marriages also have commitment issues, but its manageable and far better than Arranged marriages since the groom & bride know each other well enough to discuss and resolve issues. But even otherwise, why  is marriage so overrated? Why is a commitment to husband or wife seem life threatening? I mean we go out of our ways to help our friends, and there's absolutely no reservations there. Why cant marriage be kept as simple as that? The reason why there is so much of involvement and hype around it, is why the things go worse than imagined for most of us. I mean, there is a slight misunderstanding, and the whole world stands in front of you giving you free counselling. As if you are a 10 year old child with no knowledge of how to deal with people;or whats good or bad; or how you want your life to be. Why; between friends d...

This is my Dad's second BDay after he passed away. Sitting here in the Mumbai airport waiting for my domestic connecting flight to Mangalore, I remember that day on 17th August 2013 when I was in Bangalore waiting for the same connecting flight to Mangalore. But that wait was the longest wait of my life. All those memories rushed back into my mind as I sit here and write this blog.  The security guard questioned me that the flight is in the morning, why are you coming so early. And I said thats because I just got off from an international flight and I have to take this flight to get home. Same question was asked in Banglore on that day as well. And I remember, during the entire 20 hr journey I did not have anyone talk to me, and this was the first person to stop me and question or talk. And I had broke down in front of him. I was trembling with tears in my eyes and with choking voice I told Please let me in, my Dad has passed away and I have to get home at the earliest, I need to...

What happens when your loved ones leave this world and you are left behind to live rest of your life without them? Like I mentioned in my earlier posts, I did not know how it would feel to not have my dad around for rest of my life. But here’s a list of things that I have experienced since I lost my dad to an accident. 1.    Your heart cringes when they are referred in Past Tense.  We are so used to talking about them that we often realize at the end of the conversation that we are still using Present tense for them. I for some reason have not been still able to put myself into the habit of using past tense for my dad. But often during the conversation; I make the statements and then at the end of it correct it saying "he  used to  say that; but no longer does". 2.  Remembering them in every good and bad moment becomes a habit. We obviously cannot forget them; after all they have been part of our lives. But I think a sort of guilt also...

आज फिर दिल गुज़रा यादों की गलियों से  ज़रा सी दस्तबरदारी का एहसास हुआ था इन्हें शायद   इसलिए ज़ेहन में इनका ज़िक्र आज हुआ फिर से  चंद लम्हों की ख्वाहिश हमसे अभ भी इन्हे है शायद ... अश्कों के ज़ुबान नहीं होते कौन कहता है  अगर गौर करें तो ज़िन्दगी की दास्ताँ सुना दे शायद  ख़ामोशी शोर नहीं मचाती कौन कहता है  अगर ध्यान दे तो इनकी चीकों में दिल का आलम महसूस हो शायद ... दिल के दरीचे से झांक के देखो तो  ख्वाबों के टुकड़े नज़र आएंगे शायद  क्या हुआ अगर ज़िन्दगी का मंज़र आज है हसीं तो  बीते किस्सों के रंजिश आज भी ताज़ा है कहीं शायद ... अगर वक़्त भुला पाता हर वो एहसास ए गम  तो कोई फिर यादों का इख्तेयार ही ना करता शायद  हकीकत की मक़बूलियत से अगर होता दर्द कुछ कम   तो होते ना इतने शायर ना होती ग़ज़लों की मेहफिल शायद ... - सरिता  ३ मार्च २०१५ 

Today I am here to make a much interesting comparison of our current Indian TV industry with our neighboring country’s television industry. Interesting because I never thought I would ever engage in watching any of the Pakistan TV series/movies or listening to their music. My disinterest in Pakistan entertainment was not because of the tensed relationship with the country. But I myself am not a big fan of TV serials. The kind of drama that is filled in Indian TV Channels today is just exhausting and tiring to watch. I hardly follow any Indian TV series. When I visit home on vacation, I join my family in watching the program they watch and that’s how I keep myself updated with what is trending in the TV industry. I love listening to music and I listen to all genres of music. I did start listening to Pakistani music since last few years and have admired their music. Strings, Fuzon,  Kaavish, Jal, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ghulam Ali, Parveen Abida, Quratulain Baloch and many ...

I was heading back from office with a friend, and we were listening to  Manzilien apni jagah  song. And my friend started saying "What a relief Amitabh Bachchan would have had when he started to prosper in acting; a feeling of ' This is it. I am getting paid for something that I am not only good at but also enjoy doing.' ” Isn't it true? I mean imagine the satisfaction he would have got when he realized that he needn't hunt for what he needs to do in life anymore. He finally knew this was where his future lied and all he had to do was focus on it. There are some of us who believe that it's always good to keep passion away from money; because the moment you start doing it for money you will lose the interest in doing it; you will not put in your heart and soul into it. I partially agree with it.  I love painting, but if I am asked to create a painting by end of the month,I might not do justice to that painting. I paint when I feel like painting. There ar...

I was watching a Pakistani TV serial " Zindagi Gulzar hai"   which is a romantic and social drama revolving around 2 people (Kashaf Murtaza the lead actress and Zaroon Junaid the lead actor), how different their views about life is, their family & financial background, the attitude they carry etc... A quite subtle series focusing on various aspects of their society. In one of the scene, where Kashaf gets admission into one of the premium MBA institutes; and she shares her dream with her mom of becoming successful and taking care of the family. Her mom replies " Main kya chahti hoon tum janti ho. Main chahti hoon ki tum jaldi jaldi apni taleem khatam karo aur kisi achi jagah pe main tumhara rrishta tayy kar doon. Zindagi mein agar acha sathi mil jaye toh zindagi ka raasta phoolon se bhara rasta bann jata hai ". To which Kashaf replies " Aur agar bura sathi ho toh fir, wohi rasta Kanton se bhar jata hai. Behter nahi ke na phool na kaante mangey. Bus kacc...

It's a perfect weather outside. Bright, sunny, cool wind, blue skies clear of clouds. And I did not want to miss the feel of this nature's bliss staying inside the house. Why is it we think doing normal household chores are more important than taking a break and escaping into the nature? View of the Park  My friends had made plans for cooking some delicious food in the afternoon and a movie in the evening. I did try to go with the plan but a guilt kept growing in me for missing the feel of this beautiful day. I just took a break at 2 in the afternoon and walked into the park.  Yesterday, I walked for about 20 mins in this park and sat on a bench for over 40 mins. 40 mins doing absolutely nothing; just listening to music and watching the sky. I wasn't really thinking anything. A blank mind free from thoughts. Just a self time; no talking, no listening, no thinking, no processing of any kind of data. Just a relaxed time on a bench under the shadow of a tree watching ...

Its been a while since I wrote something. Not because I could not find anything interesting to write about; just because I got too busy catching up with life ; the so called worldly affairs. I kind of piled up a list of things in my mind; thinking that when I get free I should write about these. But like someone said; you will never get time. It's always 24 hrs; you need to make time for things you like.  So here I am, forcing myself to stop doing the things I have been busy with for last couple of months; sitting down with my laptop, on the first Saturday morning of 2015 year; watching the snowfall outside my room, typing out this blog. There are a bunch of things that I wanted to write; some strong social issues; a movie that I watched; couple of life changing events etc...But not today.  I am not a big fan of celebrating New year; or rather my New year night has always been simple at home relaxed one; nothing special. I don't make New years resolution either; ...