Why faith shouldn't determine your mindset

It's that time of our lives when we'll come across stinging words on the Internet. Mostly political but driven largely by religion. And that's a deadly combination. I've witnessed how people change once they are exposed to online radiation. Some of them happen to be my childhood friends who were so freaking liberal as kids but grew up to grow ugly beard or turn into Hindutvawadi. It's not their fault. No matter how much we try, we end up becoming the product of our environment. This morning, i confronted (something i seldom do) my school friend. He has this botched viewpoint when it comes to Indian history. Again, i don't blame him because we do and feel what makes us better. I usually don't humour such conversations but today, i decided to him rant before shooting him a lengthy missive. 

I'll tell you something because i care for you. Not because i've read a lot more than you have. Try to rise above this rubbish that the right-wing has been spreading online under the disguise of Hindutva. They don't care about you. They don't represent your interests either. For your benefit, read more and rise above religion. To negate your point, let me assure you that Gandhiji was the last person to wish a divided nation. But the ones who killed him (Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS) did. However, their agents make sure you believe otherwise by peddling their doctored version of history. You know why they do that? Because they weren't freedom fighters. None of these people gave a damn about the nation. They were too busy creating a place for themselves. So, my advice to you would be, either read more to understand the political reality—because you appear stuck on religion, which is very dangerous—or just don't read whatever you're reading. Because it will only make you shallow(er). Also, stop playing the victim. Hindus are 1.1 billion strong today. And no external force can defeat them. History has tried again and again but failed every single time. If at all Hindus get defeated, it's going to be because of the shallow-minded ones who prefer to see things from only one angle. If you don't understand what i'm trying to tell you, it'd be alright. But if you continue thinking on the same line that you do today, your future is going to get affected. You'll have kids tomorrow and you'll (unknowingly) pass the poison of hatred to them. Do you want that?

The only response i ended up getting from him after a long pause was "I'll read more." which is not bad. As i mentioned in my last post, i'm planning to read a lot more too. 

Break ke baad

When a relationship fails—especially between two individuals—unexpected events unfold. This is so because when a relationship is blooming, neither of the two parties bother to prepare themselves for the period when either of them would have have to do without the other person in question. That scenario is never entertained. In fact, a mere mention of the possibility of such a happenstance is considered a jinx. The fear of a relationship breaking up at seams is so high that when it actually takes place, we are scared beyond reality and scarred beyond imagination. It's quite palpable that not both the parties would have the same inclination towards each other. One of the two would very well—like they love to say nowadays—"move on" in style although that's something i'm yet to grasp. How can people move on? Especially when you've invested time, energy and the potion called love into one person for an interesting amount of time. Especially when a piece of you is left in that person who has apparently moved on and you're supposed to move on from. Especially when it felt so real and eternal. Maybe that's why it hurts one fine afternoon when you weren't expecting the memories to flood in. Because you thought you were done. Surprise, surprise! You never were and you never will be. That's not how a human heart works. We are animals, yes, but we are not the kind that takes a life for granted. We are the ones who look into each other's eyes and synchronize heartbeat. I shudder to imagine how it'd feel like when two heartbeats are out of sync.

PS: Despite all these theories, i sincerely hope i never get to move on. And if at all that happens, i'd prefer to move on with her than from her. 

Straight walk

What do you do after reaching the summit of Mt. Everest? After you've clicked the pictures to establish posterity while inhaling the thick cold air surrounding you? Yes, what next? Do you set up a camp there and contemplate civilization? Or do you fall asleep hoping you'd never wake up because you know in the back of your head that it can't get better? So what shall you do now? Other than packing up your stuff and descent quietly with a smirk plastered on your frozen face? Isn't it ironical that you reach the top only to walk down again? And while trying hard not to give in to gravity, you reminisce the moments that garnished your ascent. Excuse moi for terrible analogy but isn't that how relationships work too? You reach a point of absolute bliss only to become a victim of vertigo? You begin to worry what if this is the high point, ain't everything that follows going to be a steady downhill? One goofup and boom! You're falling free. What if this and what if that and what if thatis (the bastard child of this and that, ladies and gentlemen)? Two many thoughts. Two many variables. Speaking of two, they shouldn't climb a mountain in the first place. They should aim for a plateau like Tibet even if the Chinese embassy refuses to staple their visa. 

Bricks and canons

Will there be any issue if you wish to destroy yourself? Not just by your words or actions but just by being. If yes, burn all those bridges—even the ones you didn't even help build—before burning your world. And once you do that, let me know how it feels. Because i'm never going to do that. There is no reason why or no about it. Just that i've come to realize that when you intend to destroy yourself—either by action or inertia—you're basically hurting everyone who ever cared for you. Those people who silently cheered for you. I've come to realise such souls are rare and aren't to be lost at any cost. They walk by seldom and when they leave, they seldom return too. The wiser and the more practical thing to do would be to not let the thought of destruction envelope you. It's no mere coincidence why building takes time and destroying doesn't. Also, why we don't have to be a qualified architect to build relationships.

A violent necessity

The only person worth fighting is you. But when you're in love, you begin to fight against two. That's especially the case when you're in a long-distance relationship. You see, the reason is pretty self-evident. Love and relationship are two distinct domains but are somehow dependent on each other. Relationship is a heavy word coined by psychoanalysts who thought they knew better just because they had a beard to flaunt. Love is a lighter word coined by poets who thought they don't need to know better because they were lying anyway for rhymes' sake. Both the terms are alive today for a reason. When that person you can quite literally die for—or survive with—is close by, the equation is different. There's no bout. Neither is fighting nobody. Too busy consuming each other. However, as soon as the distance is in order, the desire to be close takes over. And your helplessness makes you fight. First against yourself. Followed by your lover. Thus resulting in an exclusive exercise on sanity. The question to be posed at such moments of desperation would be: "Why fight at all? Why not just let it be? Why the fuss?" Point. But it doesn't work that way, sweetheart. We are a species popular for a disease called boredom. In fact, a majority of our malice can be traced back to that luxury of not having anything significant to do with our time. Also, why one shouldn't give in to a farce called peace. For instance, try holding your breath under water. What do you when you're out of air? You fight. First against your lungs. Followed by water. That's how you reach the surface of life. Or love.

Better late, better ever

You meet a person and you feel complete. More than complete, in fact. And then, you do what a lot of your fellow species are known for doing. Regret baselessly. Filling your head with thoughts and case studies suggesting you should have bumped into that person earlier. A bit earlier. Say, a few years before you indeed met. Things could have been different. Time being the greatest gift, what could be more rewarding than spending it on/with someone who fulfills your otherwise miserable existence. You could have been saved and your eyes wouldn't have been so dry. Your skin might have been glower. Of course, you don't—even for a silly second—wonder what if things had gone the opposite direction. No, you don't do that. All of a sudden, you are the world champion in optimism. Had you two met earlier, y'all might have been on a higher plane. Closer. Faster perchance. Who knows? You might have settled down too by now. Like dust. Anything is possible in your mind. You two might have been traveling far and smiling wide(r). Tasting food you didn't know existed. Watching movies you always wanted to and even illegally downloaded too but never had the time. Dancing in a room like nobody's watching. No, wait. Nobody is. Listening to music that fills you with hope and madness. Wait, again. When a beautiful song is recco-ed to you, do you sit down and worry that the song should have happened to you earlier? Do you think of all the endless possibilities that might have taken place had the song happened to you earlier than it did? Nahi na? What do you do? Well, you just play the goddamn thing and let your senses soak into it while being grateful to the default in your stars.

Now they do, now they don't

Whatever is happening in Gaza, Syria and Pakistan is beyond logic and utterly inhumane. Anyway, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had to get married. Secretly, of course. This brings us to the pertinent question: why rich people get married? It's not like they give a damn about the isolated society they reside in. I can understand when poor folks need something to look forward to in their miserable existence but...richville? Besides, isn't marriage something you do once and if that burns your finger, you avoid it for good? No? Hmm. The reason why i said so is A-Jolie and B-Pitt have been involved in three marriages—combined—earlier before they got hitched in Malta. The two have been together for almost a decade now. They appear awesome together. The way she looked at him while he chugged on that pizza at Oscar was the kind of stare a loving wife will never spare. The two not only adopted kids from countries you can't locate on a map but also spawned beautiful kids of their own to keep their hands full. In such a scenario, why go ahead and commit something which is prehistoric, doesn't do much to the state of relationship and wastes money? If they love each other so much why would they ruin it by getting the priest involved? OK. They are free to do whatever they like but what's the point? OK. I'll back off now. I can't sleep at night thinking why is this happening to our species. LOLJK. On a second thought, was this Brad's way of scoring one over George Clooney (who by the way, has been a disappointment for FINALLY deciding to walk the aisle AGAIN) who is all set to tie the knot with a human rights activist. Speaking of which, whatever is happening in Gaza, Syria and Pakistan is beyond logic and utterly inhumane.

Miracles on wheels

The thing about love is it happens in the unlikeliest of places. Corners. With strangers whom you never met before or shall never meet again. It's wordless at best. Gestures. On an exhausting bus recently, love welcomed back silence in her own innocent way. A little girl, less than one year old, was crying a G7#. The only difference being her voice wasn't pleasant and was only adding to the summer toll on passengers. Her mother, let alone her father, was unable to handle the situation. The situation being the poor child's inability to cope with heat. This wailing went on for a while before an old lady dressed in Maharashtrian nauvari saree took matters into her hands—quite literally. She stood up, leaned into the seat in front of her and urged the young mom to let her hold the baby. On receiving the bundle of weeping joy, she sat down and held her close to her chest. The little girl seemed shocked in the beginning by her free transfer but she wasn't complaining. The old lady not only rocked her calmly but also took turns between blowing hair onto her cheeks and neck and gently kissing her forehead and temples. No surprise there was no more noise in the bus. All thanks to a toddler's discovery of a makeshift grandma.