R-Day today!

Now, 26 January cannot go unnoticed. It's not just another day, and to most known extents, it's Republic Day. Although most events today did bear a resemblance to the 26 January last year, there were some things that made it more special than the 26 January last year.

There was the usual Republic Day parade, and thus there was a guest invited to watch it, too. King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - the hereditary ruler of Saudi Arabia - paid a visit that India won't soon forget.
He not only came and saw, but also promised to "fight terrorism and extremism regardless of faith". There's a new deal coming in sight. India and Saudi Arabia also signed agreements to protect and promote investments, avoid double taxation and boost greater interaction in sports among youth. Saudis also offer business deals in the *expected* oil sector, along with infotech, biotech and medical sectors.
Now there stands a partner through the eyes of India.

And there's this best piece of information that I was saving for last. This is, perhaps, the greatest cause for celebration ever!

>>> Sania may have packed her bags early in the Australian Open, but she won't have anything to be sad about. That's right folks, Sania Mirza will become the youngest person in the whole history of forever, to receive the honourable Padma Shri award. Now I'd like to tell you all that the Padma Shri is the highest civilian award, second only to the Bharat Ratna. And she'll get that next year...heh...
A salute, and hats off to the girl who made her parents proud.

Can you see the confetti in the air?

The ghost of Quảng Ðức

Remember Thích Quảng Ðức ?
A similar protest was seen within the boundaries of Patiala, Punjab. The leader of a push-cart vendors' association - Gopal Krishnan Kashyap - went out to an act of self-immolation, to protest against the alleged failure of the Municipal Corporation to provide them a site to operate their dhabas.

As he set himself on fire, people gathered around him. They crossed their arms, and some didn't find the time to wipe the smile off their faces.
Pity. Nobody dared to stop him. No one person tried to say a word, and press, the media came following like a swarm of flies. The only effort they tried to make was to switch on their cameras and record the scene. Rewind and play, again and again on their channels.

Only when Kashyap was unable to bear the heat and fell, did I hear screams that left me disturbed. A light of hope shined though, when a few people brought in blankets to put an end to the oxygen-fed flame.
Kashyap, though alive, suffers from 85% burns, and is in a critical state. And now a case is being filed against Kashyap, for attempting suicide.

I have nothing left to say.

Mondays don't suck!

Well, I have a reason to be happy about, sort of. Pre-Boards are finally over, and now I can start biting my nails off, worrying for the Boards.
Quite a thing, eh? But I still have a month to go before the apocalypse.

Anyway, to all of you who don't have a reason to smile, here's a litte rhyme to help you enjoy your time!

Monday Mornings by abhas1

Every monday morning,
I wake up to an alarm,
look outside the window,
just gaze at the farm.
Every monday morning,
is not so bad,
after all I believe,
it's a saying of Dad.

Cause for celebration #4

Ah yes, the Sports page. The one page that most of the world wakes up to. The one segment of the newspaper, that many people enjoy with a cup of coffee. The very page, that can enrage civilians, get them fired, or make them happy. And it's the same page I open up, to celebrate Sania Mirza's victory.

For those of you who don't already know, Sania's been playing here and there, and she's reached the Australian Open. She is seeded 32, and she's already started playing, and not to forget - winning. She has already succeeded in defeating her first opponent - Viktoria Azarenga - and that too by an awesome 7-6, 6-2!
Next on her list is Michaella Krajicek (how am I spelling all this?!). Sooo, like always, best of luck to her!

And I guarantee you, there are going to be more days like this...

Far from the light...

Put yourself up for a blindfold, and look out the window. Can you see? And neither can I.
I've been made to walk with a bullet in my head, and so is the nation that aims at becoming a super-power by 2020.

At the level of being so common, we are supposed to not think about anything we do, and here, the school system poses as a definite example. Students must manage to remember every single thing they are told in class, which is very close to nothing, because every teacher has taken for granted a sad fact. The fact is, that every teacher just so knows that every person in class, especially by tenth grade, has joined an extra class centre. So in-depth details have already been bid goodbye, and just imagine subdueing your curosity just for the sake of passing.

And here, passing isn't something you can be happy about, for your best friend in class will usually stand as your finest competitor. To overtake the competitor, we will cheat in every exam. To overtake the competitor, we will take part in every scam.

And when people like this will grow taller to support their country, they'll reach the front page for taking birbes. They'll make the breaking news for turning into a criminal cop. Who will we blame then? Will we curse the system?

I've come to notice that everyone just absorbs all text in a book, no matter included. There is no questioning the book, and be it a typo, then that mistake shall also be learned, and it will stay the way it is. What we want is passing marks, just give 'em to us!

And we stand tall, as we prepare for the future collapse...

The good, the bad, and the news

The bold, black letters on a seemingly black background always manage to get the better of my attention. And now, it's like those letters were old rivals...

I open the newspaper every morning to find some sort of grim news. Someone is killed - a murder, a suicide, an accident. Someone is molested, someone raped, and another is kidnapped.
It's like we've become part of a morbid society, where those high intellectuals are busy wondering "Where our country is going".

After reading a recent story, "Why is everyone killing?" is the first big Q that strikes me. It appears that greed has surpassed all emotions, and those who once loved have become the main source of pain. It appears that money is all that they want, and they are so desperate that they would kill for it, but never dare work up to a life of pride.

Now, would that money be of any use? Every time you'd want to spend a penny of the heap you stole, you'd be reminded of how you've strangled your own soul. And when you flip to the side of honest work, you'll at least be happy and content for what you have, even if it isn't a heavy amount.

And it's not that often that you actually find some good news. But sometimes though, we are able to bust those corrupt officials, and they manage to reach the front page. And some other times, the front page is lined up with a hoaxy sex scandal, a.k.a. 'The new age Sting operation'.

And not to forget those wonderful ads we've been seeing. Placed quietly amidst the words of an article, they want you to "Buy me". No change in story there, it's always a girl in a mini-skirt, who wants you to buy something completely irrlevant to her.
So you see people? We must completely ban smoking on screen, but all other explicit content always sums up to PG.

It's the second day of the new year, and someone is killed at the corner of a road. The second day, and a faked, perverted, sick MMS being circulated. The second day, and I'm lost in a puddle of thought, thinking about where we'll reach in the rest of the 300-something days.