BOOKS AND BANGALORE

Friday, May 11, 2012

A Letter For A Right

Dear Chacha and Baba,

              No second thoughts, I know you would have laughed your heart out looking at this. Only you would know what it took to write the longest written constitution of this world. Strengths or flaws apart, we are grateful to you for making and bringing it into force. Very commendable considering the mayhem of those times. Coming back to today's because of this age old picture, it is a cartoon. Period. Why take it seriously ? If only our leaders felt the same disgust and despair for a hundred other issues that rock this country more than they rock the parliament. Okay we agree, you all are political icons. We respect you for that and for everything that you have given us. But tell me which one of you is spared by a cartoonist? News and newspapers wouldn't be a phenomenon otherwise. In fact cartoons are the only readable stuff  that most of us find in print. 

What about this cartoon is offending or derogatory, ain't getting it. Is it because it is in a textbook? In fact what I can relate to it is what I learnt way back in school. Slow and steady wins the race right? What better than you Baba sitting on a snail, and you Chacha with a whip to teach us that. Isn't our constitution a success? What if you took time to make that, you deserved to! Ask our leaders of today to come up with something like that. Leave alone an article, the preamble would never have had made its way out from the shell.

I do not see any caste in the picture, no Indian with the right sense in his head would. But of course there are people here and there, unfortunately even in the house who suffer from the lack of it. I wonder why anyone should get offended or anyone has to apologize for it. Politics isn't dirty, the politicians are. And we put our hands up in the air even without voting. Wish we and our leaders paid attention where it is needed. Wish we had better things to discuss. Wish I had better things to blog about.

Here is my frank opinion after the big scene. 'Right to Humour' should be the next amendment. Maybe people like you would understand this, unfortunately there aren't many around.

-R.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Dreams On The Wall





It has been a while since the crafty side of me did something. Today I had the right mood for it. Some glue, scissor, cardboard, sequences and tapes was all that I had. And this is what I came up with. This is hanging on one of the walls of my home right now. Just to make me dream, precisely make me work :-)

-R.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

When I Am Gone

Picture Courtesy

When I am gone
Do not ask me where or why
When I am gone
Do not think that I did not try
When I am gone
Do put a smile if you cannot cry
For when I am gone
My love for you shall never die

-R-

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

A Friend Called Barbie

Childhood is like your little haven, and whenever you are reminded of it you just cant stop thinking 'Wish some things stay for life'. Few days ago when I was out finding some toddler stuff in a toy shop for a nephew of mine I had a reunion of sorts with someone who kind of lived with me in my childhood. I admired her then, I admire her now. It is a normal girl thing to grow up with for most of us who have known her maybe.

I had always prayed for her on every birthday of mine and had finally got her on one such occasion only when my folks were sure that I would take care of her well. This time I saw her behind the glass pane amidst the heap of toys with the same smile and grace. When I looked at her I was reminded of my first and only one, frankly I never really got to make a collection like many girls would have. Back in those days she came in a lot of new and interesting attires, with all those family dolls like Kelly, Stacie, Nikki and many more. But Ken was someone whom I never found any handsome, I always thought she deserved much more for the princess that she was.

I always have wondered what makes every little girl yearn for her. She is convincingly pretty and therefore popular, very understandable. Ain't into some anti beauty campaign here. But isn't this a genuine question, aren't there many other dolls in the toy shops out there who are pretty and cute. The ones with rolling blue eyes who bat their eyelids, dance around and sing beautiful songs. But what makes Barbie a Barbie?:-)

To me she was always special amongst all my dolls. I plaited her hair and dressed her up in front of her dressing mirror, cooked in that dummy kitchen, folded her clothes and kept them in that tiny cupboard. Basically did what every other girl does with her dolls! And for some strange reason when I saw her again I could not believe that I did so much and all that! I know all this sounds silly right now in my twenties, but in some phase of life this was nothing but naive fun. You know where it strikes and how it feels when you miss such things. I was tempted to take her home this time too,the child in me could not resist but my folks around me did and gave me a look which almost meant in a few years down the lane you may be taking her home for your kid. Some things change, but they do happen again :-)

Tell me your Barbie stories, I am sure all of you out there have one :-)

-R.