Ethnic Day !

Last Christmas..!!

A lazy day..!!

The day was bright in the slightly cold weather of early winter, another lazy end to a not so busy week. The desktop of my colleague was running slow due to a lower RAM size and I was looking for something to read on the net with nothing official at hand to work on .I offered him to use my desktop and slowly slipped out of the recently packed, with more unknown faces than known, offshore development center of my workplace.

The glimpse of the nature outside was soothing and I set out on a stroll. Though the greenery out was not natural, the warmth of sun seemed original. Slow paced I walked to the other building crossing the gate. All seemed busy and happy. I could hear talks in different tones and pitches around. Nothing seemed to amuse me not even the Malayalam conversation that I heard here and there.

Slowly I walked to the ‘Oxford Book House’ in the ground floor of the Centre Court. The store was relatively empty with only the bookkeeper in his seat. It was long since I went to a book store. I decided to spend some time there ‘window-shopping’. Shobha De’s ‘Spouse’ was the one that had me hooked first. Newly married, I could relate well to many of the topics that she narrated. Read two chapters and I kept the book for a later read. A collection of Calvin and Hobbes adventures was the next to catch my attention. A quick flipping of the pages enjoyed reading few of Calvin’s pranks and I decided to keep it back. A cursory glance at the technical books section “oops..not my cup of tea anymore”. I checked the time and I had spent close to two hours with books...

My colleague would have done with the daily check activities and it was time for me to walk back… I walked out of the book store when the Greeting Card session caught my attention. Just went through few cards.. “Best Wishes on the anniversary of your Job” – yes it was the day my husband completed 9 years in work. Thought I would buy it for him but then it seemed unlikely of me to buy a greeting card, so kept it back. Decided to send him a mail insteadJ.

I slowly walked towards my tower passing the lawn where there were few nests of birds which escaped my eyes for long. Peeped in to check if there were any birds or eggs. There was none.

By then, it started drizzling and I walked back to my seat – empty for some time now.

A lazy friday afternoon.!

As absurd as it can get..!!!

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/08/16/stories/2009081655361100.htm

63rd Year of Independence – are we really independent ?

“ The woods are lovely – dark and deep
But I’ve promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”

- Robert Frost

If independence is about ending poverty, ignorance, diseases and inequality of opportunity or wiping the tears from the eyes of every Indian, we still have miles to go before we call India a truly independent nation. Sixty two years since we made the tryst with destiny and came out of the deep slumber of subjugation and slavery under foreign rule, we look back to find an ‘Emerging India’ that has made enormous economic and technological advancement –hotbed of the latest technologies and home to one of the largest technically trained workforce.

At the same time, it is highly disheartening that the progress we made is largely confined to a very small section of us. With more than 40% of Indians living below the international poverty line, there is a large cross section of our people for whom “a day’s meal” still poses the biggest question. The development that we made has largely been skewed with the rich becoming richer and the poor poorer as shown by the increasing Gini coefficient which measures income disparity. With a literacy rate of 65% we still have around 300 million illiterates which is more than the population at the time of independence. With an ever burgeoning one billion plus population we are striving to implement the numerous welfare policies conceived by the central and state governments alike. To add on to it is the red tapestry and corruption in the government and bureaucracy alike.

The national river linking project (NRLP) and unique identification (UID) number program are two such initiatives that once successfully implemented would solve many of the problems that confront us today. The NRLP is the largest water transfer project in the world and would help alleviate hunger and poverty in the agrarian Indian society. And UID would ensure that the benefits conceived by the government reach the targeted population.

Yes, it is true that the Indian sovereign is free to celebrate its national days, culture, multitude of languages and much talked about diversity but there are many millions among us for whom ‘independence’ is just another word in unknown jargon of the fortunate elite few and 'independence day' just another day with lots of tricolour fluttering around.

JAI HIND!

A Murmur in the Trees — to note —

A Murmur in the Trees — to note —
Not loud enough — for Wind —
A Star — not far enough to seek —
Nor near enough — to find —

A long — long Yellow — on the Lawn —
A Hubbub — as of feet —
Not audible — as Ours — to Us —
But dapperer — More Sweet —

A Hurrying Home of little Men
To Houses unperceived —
All this — and more — if I should tell —
Would never be believed —

Of Robins in the Trundle bed
How many I espy
Whose Nightgowns could not hide the Wings —
Although I heard them try —

But then I promised ne'er to tell —
How could I break My Word?
So go your Way — and I'll go Mine —
No fear you'll miss the Road.

Emily Dickinson