Oh, I tell you. It’s all down to the bloody politicians.

What is the Government doing for us? Where are they? Look at our corrupt public officials. The system is so dirty. Yuck! Politics is single-handedly responsible for the decline of the concept of India as a nation.

While we should rightfully hold no inborn sympathy for the lack of leaders in the country today, it is high time we look at ourselves in the mirror before engaging in cliched rhetoric again and again. The above mentioned statements are one-liners you can pick up from many ongoing conversations across India, from ignorant youth to lecturing elders, from uninformed commoners to high society elites. Anyone and everyone talks, talks and talks.

The amount of complaints, regarding the system, that we dish out everyday is becoming like a hoard of filthy, piled up vomit that nobody wants to assess and clean but everybody wants to squabble about and engage in unending chit-chats. People are forgetting the essence of democracy and are engaging in blatant generalization of the system of governance. It’s high time we re-assess ourselves.

It is very convenient for people in this country to sit in their comfortable sofas, dine in multi-cuisine restaurants, engage in social gatherings, watch the latest Bollywood potboilers, go to sleep in cozy beds and then wake up the next morning to throw the “Ohs” and “Aahs” at reports of political delinquencies and national inadequacies in newspapers, while sipping a cup of tea.

It is very convenient for people in this country to rally behind a very opportunistic mass media(that shamed us with their woeful conduct during the horror days of Mumbai) and claim that everything in our system is rotten and it’s best to stay out of the mess. In the process, the majority of us do not see active involvement in society and the nation as our job or cleaning up the system as our duty. If high-end ignorance is all we can offer to the country from a position of no self-sacrifice, then expect a return punch of the kind that the politicians throw at us today.

People do not bother with results of state assembly polls, but are gaping earnestly at the previews of MTV Roadies’ new season. Discussions and debates are held across the country about deserving winners of TV reality shows, but no cause is taken up about what ails the system. People, who ordinarily do not give a fig to the state of affairs in the country, will egotistically jump at a chance to malign the men holding crucial posts of governance simply because it is way too convenient.

We squeal and screech at figures of India’s abysmal position in the Corruption Index, but willfully offer bribes at public offices to get our work done. Bureaucracy is a pain, but WE are a part of the inherent cause of that pain. We forward nationalistic mails during days of tragedy and gloat “India should do something” and “Jai Hind” because that is ALL WE CAN DO. That is all that comes in our frequency of convenience.

At the end of the day, WE are the problem. We are the inconvenience in the system. It is very true that today’s politicians are irresponsible leaders and are very responsible for the mess we are in today, but they are a part of us. They are there because we allowed them to reach there. And from a position of power, abuse is but the next thing on the list of a vehement pursuit for selfish and partisan interests.

If blame-game rhetoric is all we can engage in and personal convenience is all we can offer to the so-called “dirty system”, then stop disparaging at the state of Indian politics and engage actively in our democracy to make it more accountable and rewarding. For a start, VOTE.

People ask me what ails this democracy. I wish I could hit back with a “It’s me and you, my friend”. I wish I could tell everyone that only WE can make this work. I wish I could create a sympathy for the broken system that is crying for our help. It’s a matter of choice. It’s a matter of causing that little inconvenience to ourselves to make the system work. We can revolutionize the system. Because the system is only a by-product of how actively involved we are today.

Because what actually ails this system, and this country, is ourselves. If we won’t, who will?

Image Credit: India Special

Article Credit: Jay Maniyar

Popularity: 8%

India is labeled as the land of history, glory, diverse cultures and their values.

It is known for its people who are humane, believers of god, conventional and conservative. But, lately all this is being proven different. Indians are now not conventional and conservative but are being prone to changes. They are breaking through their limited thinking capabilities and are now adapting different lifestyles.

Western cultures wallop Indian way of lifestyle with a great deal. People are now inclined towards conforming to a very easy way of living life with no tags attached.

Live-in relationships, one night stands, dating, pubs, discos are pretty common and popular in metropolitan cities of India. The way people dress themselves has drastically changed. Sarees and kurtas which are traditional attires of India are now being worn in theme parties and fancy dress competitions. Some of us even feel hesitant to speak our mother tongue to our own natives instead we prefer international language.

There is more to this kind of lifestyle which can only be seen and experience to get into terms with. I am sure that our cultural values are being given importance in rural parts of India. While, people from rural parts of India are busy with farming and agriculture to provide us our nutrients at the background, we are the ones on the foreground representing India in a very different way to the whole world. The way which is completely adapted and neither true nor real.

As a person of present world and with modern thinking I understand that sometimes living with India’s written cultural rules is difficult. Thinking practically and blending into the ways the world is now working, is proving to be an intelligent way of living life.

While I have a comprehension of how important it is to keep up with the standards of life style of recent times, I was wondering that if we are crossing our limitations and thoroughly abridging our cultural values.

We would not prefer using Windows Version 1.0 at this time instead of Windows XP, VISTA, MAC for some people and yes yes UBUNTU (for you Linux folks). We only read about the older versions in books or get a glimpse of them on the Internet, just to have an idea but, not to use them. I am concerned and scared that even our historic and cultural values will become limited to the books/Internet. I am concerned about these values totally wearing out.

What if tomorrow my kid is interested in new game of his Xbox or YBox than the dusted history books? Will he understand the importance of Indian culture? And if this is the case with my kid, then what about my grand kids and future generations? Can India sustain this risk? Can the culture of our country be retained without fading away? I will strive hard on an individual level and will try my best to stop this from happening. I am sure you will too. Thank you.

Image Credit: CooperativeIndividualism

Popularity: 14%

India won the Chennai Test against England convincingly enough by six wickets. Sehwag once again proved that a solid start can change the course of the game and the psyche of opponents.

England was, for once, outplayed in the game and it did when it mattered most – the last innings of the match.

Sachin was brilliant. Scoring his 41st century speaks volumes of the cricket left in him, even at this age. He along with Yuvraj paved the way for an Indian celebration.

With that being said, are we now heading for the Top Spot in Test Cricket ?

We have a Captain Cool in Dhoni, a legend in Tendulkar, a Swashbuckler in Sehwag, A wall in Dravid etc who are raring to go and achieve the unachievable.

The question is even with these stalwarts on the side, can we still make it to the top ?

In my opinion we are just a few steps away from reaching the top. As per the latest ICC Rankings, India is placed 3rd only next to South Africa and Australia.

So, what would it take India to reach the top spot in ICC Test Rankings ?

A few wins. No losses – Slam dunk, isn’t it ?!

Let’s dig a bit deeper. What would it take the team to win matches after matches ? I have given a laundry list of “To Dos” which Dhoni & co can work upon…

1. Dhoni should maintain his cool, as he always has been
2. Sehwag, Gambhir & Tendulkar should continue the way they have been performing
3. Middle Order must be consistent even if it calls for a few heads rolling (Rahul – are you listening ?)
4. Zaheer, Harbhajan, Amit & Ishant need to set higher benchmarks and consistently perform
5. Get the team’s mind off from off-the-field issues

Off-Field Issues ?

• Security Guards are meant for your Security
• Who slapped whom & why
• Bollywood Dreams and
• Of course- Of DhoniLakshmi’s Kollywood Dreams

Unnecessary attention diversion, you see..

Popularity: 18%

Mumbai is a city of vibrant dimensions and people. It is a city where all the genders live together whether male or female, but then why does Mumbai forget some people who are also a very part of the society. They have the body of a man but the soul of a woman and their claps form the symbol of their community. They are those people who are fighting for their identity as the third gender. They are known by many names like “Hijras”, “Chakkas” or most commonly known as “Eunuchs” all over the world.

Eunuchs are not a sudden discovery in the world. They have been there in the pages of many historical events. They have been shunned and boycotted by the so called “Normal people”. They are forced to beg on signals, do menial jobs or work as sex workers. They do not get good jobs even if they are highly educated because they are considered as a taboo to the society. We talk about illiteracy, poverty and other problems faced by the society, so why aren’t these people taken into consideration.

Today these individuals do not get suppressed easily. This community is finally getting out of its shell. Many of the eunuchs are surprisingly graduates from esteemed universities. The best part about this community that the whole world should learn is the “UNITY AMONGST DIVERSITY” amongst these people. They do not divide themselves on the basis of religion and they accept everyone with open arms even if one works as a sex worker or has AIDS.

In our world, we fight in the name of religion and kill each other forgetting that we belong to the highest community that is humanity.

Eunuchs are also humans and not an abnormal being. In order to prove this to the society some eunuchs have formed an NGO called “Sakhi Char Chowghi Trust” to bring reforms in this community. It is really sad to know that this is the one and only trust working for this cause.

It is a completely different experience to speak to the organizers of this trust. The determination and enthusiasm of the eunuchs is highly motivating. They just behave like normal people working for a good cause. They believe that they all are woman, but are trapped in the body of men. They want to be free from this fake identity and be what they actually are. But then why is the society ignoring them or not accepting them.

They long to be a part of the society they long to be heard they have a voice, they have opinions and demands, then why during social, political, and economic discussion regarding the city they are forgotten. That is why these people are relying on them selves to make a difference and to break the barriers around them.

The society does not accept them but they have accepted the society with due respect. One of the organizers of the NGO quoted

Ae Zindagi Gale Lagale, Hamne Bhi Tere Har Ek Gam Ko Haske Gale Se Lagaya Hai

She also said,

We have no enmity against the society inspite of all the atrocities we have faced because of them. We are also human beings and a part of this god gifted world

It’s high time that we all leave are orthodox beliefs behind and open ourselves to a wider horizon in the world.

We cannot ignore a whole community of human. Instead we should “Ban Ignorance And Not Human Rights”.

Image Credit: RahulDLucca

Popularity: 11%

Image Credit: Aalok Gaitonde

Is our nation really so divided that we have to struggle to identify that what is really important for us? The word independence no longer seems to have any meaning. In a few years we will have no more veterans who were the original freedom fighters … instead we will have hundreds of so called “freedom fighters” who will be responsible for a divided nation. A nation ravaged by caste, creed, religion, location and every other possible word that can be used to segregate us by our weakness.

This is the golden era for us – IT never had it any better … Milestones in space exploration … Stock markets booming … Network of stunning highways … Profitable railway system … Multiple Indians in the richest 100.
Or
Is it the best veil we have ever had to cover ourselves? Politicians hungry for power – Not one that people can trust … IT Companies and industries squeezing employment opportunities and dying for profits … Absolute neglect of the agrarian system … The power crisis … A few million countrymen struggling for some potable water and a square meal a day … not to mention child rights and basic healthcare services.
Why does this happen? It happens because we are “free”. Free to do whatever we want. Whatever each one thinks is right. I dare challenge that this behavior be acceptable with so much patience in any other country!

Wake up my friend! There may be a lot to be proud of, but a lot more that we should be ashamed of. There is a lot that we have to learn – it is time to go back to the basics. People are our greatest asset. Diversity is our greatest strength. Tolerance is our nature and the spirit of a free India our true religion.

There is nothing to feel proud of – nothing to cherish here. It is time not to question – but the time to act.

Let us take an oath that we shall never let this nation down. Never encourage the forces that struggle to divide us. Never to encourage corruption. Let each of us do something for the benefit of our fellow countrymen, however small it may be. And never ever to let anyone take away our spirit. Only then, we would have achieved true freedom!

Popularity: 11%