Mumbai 26/11: The way ahead

[This is the third post in a series on Mumbai 26/11]

With the dust settling on Mumbai, it is now time for the UPA Government to swing into action mode and give a fitting response to cross-border organizations and well-networked terror outfits. Let it be known that India WILL BEAR NO MORE, and this would certainly galvanize the widely angered civilian society in the country. All-party meetings need to be converted into confidence and unity boosters and plans need to be made firmly with critical analysis and affirmative promises of action.

End political bickering and mindless analysis
When analysis and debates begin to seem meaningless in a democratic system such as ours, then it is vital for the country to realize the gravity of the situation on hand. Every situation in a democracy is wisely resolved through debate but there are times when a feeling of no-debate-please comes in and this time is one of those.

This has been the gut feeling over the past few days of outrageous national torture. Political mind games must, absolutely must, come to an end. Elections are no longer a priority in partisan sense and such a scenario is a litmus test for any politician. It is one that ultimately proves whether a politician is just a vote-hungry insensitive monster or a dedicated servant to the country.

In such times, it was hence utterly nonsensical of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to indulge in blame games as early as just two days into the terror attack. Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari responded with as much ignominy as Modi. Shut up, for once.

A case for military action
An all-out formula to eradicate terrorism from our diseased neighborhood would definitely be to engage in incisively planned military action. But it is not easy, keeping in mind the stockpile of nuclear weapons on the subcontinent. A direct attack on Pakistan can have severe repercussions, but it would be wise for India to become opportunistic of the situation as the US and other Western powers have offered complete help and have said that they stand by India in the wake of the attacks. Indian Army chief Deepak Kapoor recently claimed that at least 40 terrorist camps are in operation across the LOC, which is mind-boggling considering that Pakistan is now in the post-Musharraf era. However, it also proves that the Army and the ISI still play a vital role in Pakistan’s corridors of power. And these suspect institutions have always been confirmed patrons of Jehadi groups in Pakistan. Hence, the first measure would be a comprehensive elimination of these camps from their root.

India even has the upper hand when it comes to ceasefire violations. Ironically Pakistan has indulged in cross-border firing specifically since the last two days, breaking the 2004 armistice agreement for an umpteenth time over the last few months. India has never responded strongly, nor have we taken up the case internationally. Military action must at least be responded to, dear leaders. What say, Prime Minister? It’s high time we also learn that breaking the code of history is now more pressing than it has ever been before and our illustrious honour of never having opened attack on another country is proving to be a weigh down rather than a source of motivation.

Broadcast terror evidences
Here’s a poser - What is more routine than India suffering a terror attack? Answer to the poser -> India graciously offering the evidence like a birthday bouquet to the neighbor, who is palpably callous in handling it. Next morning, the evidence vanishes and life resumes. We have been birdbrains when it comes to presenting evidence to alleged conspirators of large-scale attacks.

It would hence be wise to broadcast essential evidence across the world and hence prove the involvement of the ISI in these attacks. Broadcasting evidence would mean open humiliation of those involved and could even provoke them as the exposure of truth generally does to us humans.

The PM’s decision to summon the ISI chief to India is hence open for debate. The fact that Pakistan had first agreed and have now disagreed seems to raise suspicions as Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Gillani had first taken the decision to send him but then there was a pullback, which is sinister as it was certainly called by a much more powerful influence in Pakistan’s rickety democratic setup. And this could most certainly be the ISI or the Army.

Finish terrorists on hand
It is certain now that the laws need to be strengthened and an un-politicized central agency to specifically handle terror and only terror is needed. It is even urgent to take action against convicted terrorists in Indian jails by engaging fast track courts to deliver verdicts.

Remember that one of the fidayeen involved in Mumbai openly shouted that they want all arrested terrorists to be released. This should serve as a warning. This gives terrorist groups yet another purpose to engage in such atrocious acts of violence. If India deals quickly with all terrorists captured, then such a problem will become non-existent and would also be a major blow to cross-border organizations.


The time is ripe for our political class to set aside their personal differences and reignite our disturbed lives. The time is ripe for our leaders to show us that they do have the will to rise above partisan interests and electoral temptations and work towards chasing terrorism to its core and uprooting it from this part of the world. This is the time that we should also realize that cross-border terrorism must figure at the top of India’s priority list as it is a global phenomenon that could bring our superpower-potential crashing down to earth. This is the time. This is the NOW.

This is India. Ab, yahaan sab NAHI chalega.







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Mumbai 26/11: The least WE can do

[This is the second post in a series on Mumbai 26/11]

With the siege on Mumbai finally coming to an end after over 60 hours of constant conflict, telecasted live much to the glee of a melodramatic media that has gained immensely (in terms of money and TRPs, of course) from this attack. Oh, how they would be discussing Operation Successful-Live-Reporting of the Mumbai attacks and giving each other high-fives. CNN-IBN audaciously challenged people trying to maintain calm and vigil and attempting to drive the media away, by stating that power in the Oberoi had been cut off and hence there was no reason “not to report live”.

Enough has been said. Too much time has been wasted over petty and utterly pointless debates. Too much energy and blood has been lost in our much-maligned attempts to fight terror. We, as the people, need to step up and start making a difference. The Next Tryst with a New Destiny is upon us and if we fail to stand up and learn from history, we can never forgive ourselves or the country. As individuals, there is a lot than can be done. You do not necessarily have to be a power broker to make a difference.

End the cynicism
As Indian citizens it is our prime and foremost duty to end a cynical outlook of everything that has unfolded around us. Stop enforcing pessimistic views around you. End the “Government bekaar hai”s and “India kuch nahi kar sakti”s. Take a serious stance, be calm and spread word about the heroic acts of the bravest of us, like ATS chief Hemant Karkare and Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. Take pride in their deeds as we hardly acknowledge or credit the true heroes of our everyday lives.

Do away with “My two minutes of fame”
As responsible citizens, it is now a matter of exigency that we at least maintain silence if we can’t laud the efforts of the NSG and the Army and even the Police. Stop seeking “two minutes of fame” with churlish comments about terror in India, stop giving heed to a so-called “funny side” of this entire ordeal as most will be tempted to get back to our national pastime – ridicule authorities, the Government, politicians and everyone else from a position of no self-sacrifice. It is not a joke. It never was. If you are yet tempted to deride someone, please openly scoff at Raj Thackeray and his bunch of MNS cowards. Like chickens, they hid away in their comfortable complexes and showed their true colours to the nation in times of dire need.

Pledge to Vote
It has become more imperative than ever to realize that voting makes a difference. An individual makes a difference. YOU can bring about change. Take a pledge to vote in the Assembly polls next year and play your role in making this democracy more accountable and rewarding to its people. There are sites to help you with this, the most remarkable being the Jaagore campaign. It is time the change in us awakes and comes out in the open. Make a difference – Vote.

These are some of the things an ordinary Indian can do best. And they take up no time or energy of ours. And even if we have excuses to offer, we know deep inside that we have enough time and vigor to devote at least some part of our lives in honour of those dead protecting the country. If we choose to remain as sleepy and dull as we have been since the terror trail began almost two decades ago, we will never do justice to ourselves or our fellow Indians.

They say it's wise to return to normalcy. If being normal means being part of a soft democracy, if being normal means coming to terms with Mumbai 26/11 as soon as possible, if being normal means returning to focus on everyday work as if nothing ever happened, if being normal means being silent and ignorant, then it's time we forget about "being normal".

Wake up. It’s now or never.







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Mumbai 26/11: Eye-openers

[This is the first in a series of posts on Mumbai 26/11]

In the wake of the impudent run of terror attacks across South Mumbai, I believe there are certain eye openers in the context of the unity of the country when an attack of such proportion takes place. The intensity of the attacks has been unprecedented and the sheer outrage within cannot be expressed by oft-repeated rhetoric but only firm and affirmative action.

Friendship with Pakistan is a myth
First of all, yes this point is open for debate. But before you are tempted to engage in the classic version of a democractic debate that won't help in the current scenario, please realize that Jehad exists and it is being waged against India in full flow, by brainwashed youth of radical Islamist organizations in Afghanistan and Pakistan with an unforeseen determination and so-called religious pride. It is scathingly launched from the mainland of our neighbours time and again, spewn with jealousy and stitched with ammunition directly obtained from the founding fathers of cross-border terrorism worldwide, namely the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

No terrorist possesses weapons like AK-47s and MP-6 guns, unless aided by more powerful organizations. We have perenially been sceptical about the Pakistani Army, the ISI and their unstable democracy and they, all along, have been perenially envious and resentful about a flourishing, growing India. The ice has broken and maybe Shah Rukh Khan would still prefer shaking a leg with Pakistani actors on bilateral entertainment shows or the media would want to "not bring Pakistan into this so early" or Asif Ali Zardari would want to claim that "Pakistanis have a little bit of India in their hearts", but a resolute comprehension is a must and a willful, power-packed reply a necessity.

More than it has ever been.

The media is more irresponsible than we can even imagine it to be
Another eye-opener is the role of the media. The same pseudo-secular reporters "terrorizing" people across the country with their spot commentary and "latest updates". For God's sake, stop discussing the NSG movements and plans on national television. But this is not all.

Padma Bhushan Rajdeep Sardesai and fellow CNN-IBN newsreader and "analyst" Sagarika Ghose held interviews with BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad and former Armymen on CNN-IBN and started off with "communalizing" terrorism themselves. The irresponsible Ghose, who deserves an outing in a jail for her utterly shameless and senseless questions, was reprimanded by Prasad for initiating a debate such as "What is the BJP's clear stance?" when Prasad had already made it clear that the BJP will not be critical of the Government. The BJP offered full support, which is a sign of hope for politics, but Ghose and co. were hell bent on provoking Prasad and getting him to speak exactly "what the IBN team wants to hear".

Barkha Dutt, with the fakeness of a full-blooded hypocrite, interviewed two women, one of whose husbands had yet failed to emerge from the Taj. What I heard next should certainly have infuriated any rational viewer of NDTV yesterday night. "How do you feel?", "What would you do if your husband fails to make contact?", "What do you think is going on in his mind when he is out there with the terrorists?" were some stinkers directly from the mouth of a so-called celebrated journalist.

Their coverage of the attacks has been completely self-defeating and highly immoral, if nothing else. They are causing as much damage to us right now, just not in terms of lives. Shameful irreverence from such tardy mediapersons is shocking in such times. They definitely have an agenda of their own, and I can bet my entire fortune on it that the unity of the people or strict action on terrorism is not part of it. They are too happy in their petty world of pointless debates, disuniting and cynical rhetoric and brainless remarks on sensitive issues.

Get off us, you burden of ills.

True heroes will never be acknowledged on a large scale
With the kind of world we live in, where Bollywood celebrities and cricket superstars are revelled and celebrated with felicitations of the highest order, the true heroes are never acknowledged on a larger platform. The deaths of Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar and Ashok Kamte pain a few of us as the rest are hardly aware or do not bother to find out who truly protects them and ensures they sleep in peace.

False heroes become public figures and every word of theirs is blown out of proportion and felicitated in the mass media and by the largely oblivious masses. Where is Raj Thackeray? Isn't this the same Mumbai? What does the Shiv Sena now have to say about "their" Mumbai being brought to the ground? What about the Marathis killed in the attacks? Karkare, Salaskar and Kamte were all Marathis. If the Thackerays were true pioneers of the Marathi cause, they would at least speak up on their behalf.

Realize, fellow countrymen, that the true heroes do not speak, do not seek fame, do not come out in the open, do not think about themselves one bit before sacrificing their lives in these circumstances.







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26/11/2008

REST IN PEACE.





To the People:
I am speechless. I have a lot to say, yet words will do no justice. In the meantime, let us UNITE. It's a war. So many people dead. So many more injured. So many heroes sacrificed, including the ATS chief.

To the Media:
Put your conspiracy theories to dust, you wicked manipulators. Shut the hell up and show a heart, a human side of you. If you have any.

To the Government:
Spineless bunch of hard-hearts, realize the seriousness of the situation. It's a bloody war. A full-scale, full-fledged war in disguise of a proxy war. Only in a war do attackers come well-prepared, from open sides of the territory being defended, with a plan in mind, with a meticulous modus operandi, with intentions to kill and spread havoc of a new kind. Street terror, hotel terror, public places terror, railway terminus terror, restaurant terror. You name it and it happened yesterday. Unite now, ghastly politicians.

To the Terrorists:
Come out and face us, bloody cowards.




Also read:
Vinod Sharma, Indian Home Maker, Shantanu, GreatBong.

My Pigg's Boss Season 2 - The Rundown

Hi, ladies and gentlemen.

This is Shrillpa Slutty, your extraordinarily beautiful host of My Pigg's Boss season 2. And today, we bring you reactions from all participants so elatedly responsible for taking millions of viewers on a prearranged amusement ride with zero comic relief, gut-wrenching emotional manipulations and high-octane albeit self-triggered drama.

First, the winner....
Aa-shoe-toast
I yam deelighted to ween the corntest. I face taff competisan from many odours, but I come out strawng. Aafter weening Roadies, I waas alreddy the Roadside Romeo of all kyuut girls and I dezerve to ween Ms. Slutty's Pigg's Boss.

Now, the runner-up....
Ra-jaa
I need to go home urgently and beat up my wife please as she is the one who is entirely reponsible for my loss.

In third....
Kulfi
I tried impressing the viewers with my yummy kulfi-like looks and haseen zulf-ein. But they saw beyond it and I still can't understand how I lost.

The others....
Ms. Asambhaavna
[screaming]
I added the oomph to the show. I made the men go mad behind me. I brought the country to a halt. I loved swimming in the pool again and again. I loved being massaged. I was better than Rakhi Sawant was last year.

Ms. Ghaayal
[screaming directly at Asambhaavna]
You b*%^&. What do you mean? I was the X-factor of this show. If it's anyone, it's me who deserves to win simply on the criteria of the number of clothes covering my body. I can count them using half the fingers of one hand. Can you? Huh!

Raafool Mahafun
[trying to calm Ghaayal down with his now-patented hand massage]
Relax, baby. Chill. It's what I do best. Chill. Of course, drugs would help me chill better. Nevertheless, chill.

Moanica
You all will be sued. Just wait. Let my boyfriend come and save me, like Superman. Then we'll make sure that all of you will suffer.

Ms. Slutty interrupts - Superman?

Moanica responds - Yes. He is from The Underweared. He has a lot of powers. He will unleash his wrath on you all soon.

Ehsaan
No comments. I was hardly there.


Thank you for watching the show and making it a huge success, folks. And finally I sign off with a shake-a-leg dance with the chief guest aka my-ex flame-and-claim-to-fame, Kingg Kumar.

See you next year, prime time TV.


Commercial Break: Mahafun Massages offers FREE massages on a first-come-first-serve basis to all women and an exclusive 0.05% discount to all men.


And now for the news that matter.....







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Don't expose CNN-IBN to your kids

The devil in CNN-IBN is very much alive as it took me only a little research on their website to yield shocking images of pure sensationalism and TRP-inspired coverage of news. These will make you wonder whether IBN employs vicious monsters and blood-thirsty vampires to do their journalism for them.

Sample these:


What has the symbol OM got to do with terrorism of any form? The sensitive symbol of the Hindu faith has been shamelessly associated with terror by the IBN team. The news channel should be sued for lack of discipline in reporting.



The amount of blood displayed in the background is horrendous. This was a news item of theirs aired during the Aarushi Talwar murder case.



An image screened often by IBN in connection with murders of Indian students in the USA. The less said, the better.

When will the Supreme Court take strict action against the media as they deserve to be admonished and castigated for the irresponsibility displayed in their willful abuse of the freedom of speech?






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Rahul isn't Gandhi

CNN-IBN reports:

“Rahul is like Mahatma, doing what MK Gandhi did. Coming back to India from a foreign land to help the Indian people,” he said.

This is a very simplistic view and an unjust comparison. Maybe, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav is rationally comparing only the one aspect of both of them returning from a foreign land to "help" Indians.

Help is the word. There is a clear difference here and Lalu's comparison is hence absolutely baseless and seems more like an impromptu utterance rather than astute wisdom.

Rahul is still only a Congress worker, a servant of the Indian National Congress of today. A faithful follower of their policies. And if he truly was open-minded and ready to rise above partisan politics, we would have heard a lot from him regarding some of the Government's incapabilities, most importantly a well-structured attitude and ethic towards dealing with terrorism. He may be clean and positive in nature, but a comparison with Gandhiji is too much, too soon.

I'm not someone whose opinion or conclusions matter, but I believe Rahul now is just Rahul Gandhi - the face of dynasty politics, a progeny of a glorified surname, not assertive or ruthless in nature to lead an India of today, a backbencher, a spoon-fed Prince with a legacy behind him.

And if the nation believes that he is young and is a beacon of hope to all the young people of this country, then we should also believe that there are a thousand, if not tens of thousands, other young people with arguably more talent and gumption to serve the country than him.

They just don't have the necessary qualifications. A last name.






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PERSPECTIVE: Politically de-motivated or lack of faith?

PTI reports:

"Politics in India has always had a deep relationship with religion in this country. I, on behalf of the BJP, want to assure the seers that maligning of their name by the UPA will not be tolerated by the party," Rajnath Singh said at a Sangh Parivar conclave.

The lack of political discipline in India has been epitomized by this insufferable statement from the President of the BJP itself. How did Singh have the nerve to indulge in such blatant oversimplification of the relationship between politics and religion when it is supposed to be his moral duty to keep the two as separate as possible? Marvelous impudence, I must say.

India’s political class has shown a sheer lack of courage to embrace the secular ideals of the country that, to an extent, the people have adopted already. The BJP has shown its communal face in all respects with an almost compulsive patronage for the Malegaon blast accused in these testing times.

Singh even goes on to add:

"These investigations are inspired by political motives," said Singh.

It is a shame that pro-communal politics of this kind is deliberately leading us to a loss of complete faith in the institutions that deserve a chance to prove themselves, like the Anti-Terrorism Squad. The squad is an independent body of the Mumbai Police and it would be wise to refrain from accusations of all sorts that only go on to malign their efforts.

How can we even contemplate a terror-free India if such irresponsible statements come up from men (and women) that ultimately lead to mass influence and a complete loss of faith in the system and society in general? How can justice be delivered to victims if the people in-charge of the system are involved in rabid manipulation of investigating schemes and label anything and everything as “politically motivated”, leaving us as de-motivated as ever and them as firm as ever in pursuit of partisan interests behind such woeful rhetoric.

What do they mean by “protect the interests” of the “saints”? Is the BJP keen on providing protection for practitioners of the Hindu faith who indulge in terror attacks? Even if proven guilty by the ATS and the courts? No religion advocates killing as a means of “defending the faith”. Not Hinduism. Not Islam. But if certain anti-national elements, irrespective of whatever their faith is, indulge in mass killings then how can they be “protected”? Only because they share the same faith, is it?

This way, I now have a fair idea about how politics functions in this country. There is a ruling Government, that apparently sells party tickets to the highest bidder making leadership a full-fledged inner-party auction and democracy a vilified punch bag, and there is an Opposition that goes beyond the dictionary definition of the word oppose and stands up to accuse independent security agencies of “being influenced” by the ruling party every now and then, in a pursuit of their faith but un-secular national commitments. In between, people die and religion is associated with politics and so-called “defenders” of their faiths resort to ridiculous accusations of all democratic institutions in the country, including the law.

So what does the average Indian do? The aam aadmi faces a complete loss of faith in the system, does not trust respectable institutions like the Army and investigating agencies, is misguided by petty politics and doubts God simply because of lack of unity and solutions. Whom to believe in, you ask? And I say, I don’t know. I don’t know whom to trust. I don’t know how to have a settled mind. I don’t know how to keep the faith. I am blank from within.

I just don't know.






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The CAT bites hard

CAT 2008 proved to be a difficult one, as usual. Although it was definitely a lot easier than last year, you can never ever rule out the rowdy exam to come up with instant surprises. And it did.

If you took it, did you manage to tame it?






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What a MNS MMS can do

He's back. No, not Sourav Ganguly.

Dear old Raj Thackeray.

CNN-IBN reports that MNS chief Raj Thackeray cut his birthday cake on June the 14th of this year with the word "Bhaiya" written on it. A MMS clip of the same has been leaked. One of their party functionaries moved to lessen the hype over the clip with this mind-boggling comment:-

“We have a lot of north Indian activists in the MNS and it must have been brought by one such activist, but we cannot recollect who,” Party Vice-President Vageesh Saraswat said.

Wow, I never knew there were north Indian "activists" in the MNS fighting against north Indians in the state and the country. And to think their activism and moral duty is to beat up other north Indians, indulge in violence and encourage regional separatism.

Ah! Public figures are responding.

Shatrughan Sinha - Why are the other celebrities keeping quiet? Why are they not speaking up against this atrocious act?

Lal Krishna Advani - If the BJP comes to power in Maharashtra, we will make sure that no birthday cakes are ever cut as they are symbolic of Western influence on young Indians. However, we will allow saffron-coloured and orange-flavoured cakes as we know how much young Indians love and cherish the BJP.

Lalu Prasad Yadav - Nitishji, Paswanji come up on the dias. Media waale, jaraa dur khade rahe pleej.

Nitish Kumar - Laluji, haath dijiye.

Ram Vilas Paswan - Wait CM sahab, main bhi aa raha hoon. Pehle paan to kha loon.

The Holy Trinity of Bihar - We condemn this act and urge the central government to take strict action against the birthday celebrations. An inquiry needs to be ordered into whether the spelling of "Bhaiya" was correct and along which angles he cut the cake. Of our earlier promise, we will try to ensure we resign from Parliament well before our term expires, but first we need a response from the government.

Abhishek Bachchan - Birthday cake? What birthday. Shut up and go watch Drona...err...Dostana.

Mayawati - If this is the kind of respect he is giving to my fellow compatriots, I order a judicial inquiry as to why he didn't have another birthday cake with the words Behenji written on it. I'm sure he has done that too. I can't wait to get my hands on him when I become the PM.

Mukesh Ambani - I'm the richest Indian in the world. Woohoo!

England cricket team - We don't think we will be in any sort of condition to celebrate our birthdays like Raj Thackeray if India whips us 7-0.







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And Now He's Gone

He came.



He saw.



He conquered.



He came back again.



He saw it all again.



He conquered it all again.



And now He's gone.



And there will be no coming back.


Be well, do good, keep in touch.






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Don't defame the Army

NDTV reports:

Lieutenant Colonel Srikant Purohit is the first serving army officer to face a terror charge, a case that's rendered a huge blow to the image of the armed force.

As investigators try to piece together his role, what's emerged is that he could have played a key role in the Malegaon blast, advising the group behind the terror strike.

Since evidence has been found against Lieutenant Colonel Purohit, a serving officer, of his alleged involvement in the Malegaon blasts, the mainstream media has unnecessarily pointed fingers at the Army and created a ruckus regarding the integrity of the same.

There is no reason to attack the reputation of the Army, one of the few credible and honourable institutions in the country, for the ideological stagnation of one serving officer. Of course, it is a serious situation that deserves to be heavily scrutinized by the ATS and even the media, but there is no reason to castigate the Army and damage it's reputation.

The Army is a shining ray of hope for the realization of a corruption-free and concretely secular India. Damage to its reputation will lead misguided youth to disrespect its contributions to the country.

And there are plenty.






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Make A Difference

It is a moment of immense pride for us Indians that a NGO has been nominated for the International Youth Social Entrepreneur Award, a prestigious award handed out by the Ashoka Group.

Make A Difference, a youth volunteer network, is the only Indian entry in this competition where 15 finalists have been chosen. 521 nominations from 60 odd countries have been cast and MAD is the only Indian entry.

It operates in three cities - Kochi, Pune and Chennai - with 321 volunteers educating over 1200 underpriveleged kids in English and computer skills. Such noble work deserves acknowledgement of the highest order.



So let's VOTE and Make A Difference.

The end of Kyunki…and other things

What is as significant to the nation’s everyday life, that is comparable to Anil Kumble’s priceless Test career or Sadhvi Pragya’s “How did so few die in Malegaon” and other taped mumbles? You guessed right. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.

India’s most loved (and hated) daily soap comes to a close on November 6th, bringing an abrupt (what am I saying?!) end to a tumultuous saga of science-defying survival (read Baa), the 20-year leaps (which essentially kept the soap alive as viewers huffed and puffed for new faces), the timeless love story of the protagonists Mihir and Tulsi which is now television’s official reply to Romeo and Juliet, with focused family responsibilities in this case (as they never found the time to actually hang out in parks, cinema halls or daaru addas) and the warring sons who were competing for not just the bragging rights to be the numero uno recipients of Tulsi’s eternal motherhood, but also longer hair and tactically motivated piercings among other things.

The loving bahus (who were apparently oozing enough sex appeal to make Mallika Sherawat take notice and Kareena Kapoor take some more Ponds Body Lotion), the insanely provocative sounds of agitated thunder during a potential “key moment” that had the power to scare off Mother Nature herself, followed up with split-second screenshots of all characters present in the scene, dutifully dallying away at the shock revelation of either a hidden fact or a historically unproven conundrum was quintessential of Kyunki. Oh, those days.

Along with these, certain sights in households across the country will also come to a close unless and until a new Mihir-Tulsi appear on the horizon. The dumbstruck spoonful-of-food-in-hand scene, the mercilessly overcooked chapattis that would make you hurl abuses at Tulsi and gang wholeheartedly (and also make you wonder whether her troubles in the following episode, or every episode for that matter, were a resultant of your black magic skills in retaliation of freshly-cooked black chapattis), the husband-at-doorstep scenes where the wife would give an understandably logical excuse of “Arey baba, break ho tab darwaza kholoon, na?”and the actual in-fighting over the undervalued TV remote. Feel free to add your own.

So here’s a heartfelt goodbye to the cast and crew of Kyunki and while I can confidently state that you have been an immense inspiration to all Indians, young and old, there is no guarantee that you will be missed.

Kyunki...we’ve had enough.



Image courtesy: Bollywood Pictures Online






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Goodbye Jumbo

One of the all-time greats of Indian cricket has retired. Anil Kumble, I thank you for some great memories and excellent moments. But most of all, thank you for being a true gentleman, a great cricketer and an inspiring leader. You will be missed.






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