caring helps..

"What do we live for, if not to make the world less difficult for each other"

Caring helps.
I care about your feelings, your future,
your happiness, your health.
I care about what you think and
what you wish for.
I care about who you are and
who you would like to be.

And knowing you care back,
makes the world so much less difficult for me!

Life...

ಇರುವುದೆಲ್ಲವ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಇರದುದರೆಡೆಗೆ ತುಡಿವುದೇ ಜೀವನ!!

In the name of god, religion and blind beliefs, Amen!

This Tuesday, the 22nd of July, Asia witnessed the longest solar eclipse of the 21st century. As the so-called educated modern urban young India enthusiastically got ready to watch the most spectacular phenomenon in the universe, there was this bunch of parents in a remote village in Karnataka busy digging graves (they called them pits) for their special children to make the best use of the super natural power manifesting itself during the eclipse. Children with physical and mental ailments were partially or completely buried in mud for three long hours. The parents believed that, by doing so, the kids would get rid of their disabilities.

Somehow, the news was not really shocking for me. This is not something new or unheard of, in India. This is just one of those several incidents where innocent and ignorant people perform all kind of weird rituals, thanks to millions of gods and thousands of religions/castes/communities in a truly diverse nation.

You can throw your month old baby from temple top, you can bury your kids alive for several minutes, you can offer human sacrifices in pursuit of treasure, you can walk on fire, you can build religious institutions and make money, you can become a god-man/god-woman and fool around with people, you can kill people in communal clashes, you can mass hypnotize people and make them believe what they see or hear is the ultimate truth, you can play cheap political games, you can pass an order to perform pooja at all temples in the state and pray for rains!, you have every right to hate a complete nation or race, you can throw stones at guilty, you can assault and sexually abuse women and children. All this and much more in the name of God and Religion.

When someone gets to know that I’m an atheist, first question he/she asks is, ‘oh did something happen in your life, because of which you lost faith?’ I just smile and say ‘No, nothing personal :-)’. Having been brought up by my maternal grandparents who were a pious and god-fearing family, I have played my part of being a good, religious, weekly-temple-going kid. As I started getting to know the world around me, I could see so much of hatred that I started questioning myself if it is really necessary to follow a religion or believe in something that you cannot perceive. Thanks to my dad who let me follow, rather ‘not follow’ what I did not believe in. My mom’s effort to persuade me will continue forever.

I was having this interesting conversation with Ken where I was trying to explain why I believe in what I believe. I was under the impression that he will not be able to completely understand my justification considering the place where he comes from. I thought, in his country, they followed one religion, believed in one god and most importantly valued human lives. But, I was surprised and also saddened by his response. He said, ‘It’s not just in India, my friend, it’s all over the world’

I am aware of the other side of the story too. I do understand the positive aspects. I like visiting temples and churches when they are not packed, though I don’t pray, because I like the ambience. I do respect swamijis who talk sense and who are trying to do their bit to the society. I have nothing against people who believe in God. I respect their feelings, beliefs and actions as long as they do not harm anyone around.

I'm everything I'm because...

I found this email while I was looking for something in my gmail inbox...it brought back a lot of ‘sweet’ and ‘not so sweet’ memories…..it was sent by one of my bestest friends….he had dedicated this beautiful song ‘I’m everything I’m….’ to me to make up for not calling me or writing to me for a while…it was actually quite a while ….i’m not sure if ‘I’ or ‘this song’ means anything to him now….things have changed….our lives have changed…..our worlds have changed…..we hardly talk to each other and either of us don’t feel the need to make up for it…..we still are friends and that we will remain forever no matter what….whether we meet or not….whether we call or not….whether we mail or not…….whether we chat or not……

As you are ready to enter the most beautiful phase of your life, may you be blessed with all the love and happiness .....cos you truly deserve it…..take care goobe....

Happy Second Anniversary!

I have met a lot of couples in love; I have seen a lot of relationships very closely. After having seen all that, when I ask myself what love is, even before I think about it, the first image that comes to my mind is 'Aysh and Jof sitting on the wooden bench' and then of course a slide show of all your happy moments together starts playing.

Congratulations to the world’s cutest, sweetest, coolest, most adorable and wonderful couple in the world.
For me, you guys are the synonyms for love, commitment, loyalty and much more.

Today, when you celebrate two years of your married life and almost nine years of friendship, I wish you both many more days, months, years, decades and lives of love, happiness and togetherness.

Happy Anniversary Aysh and Jof!

Remember the first flush of love that drew you powerfully together?

It still feeds the unassailable bondthat makes your marriage so secure.

Remember all the qualities about each other you found so endearing?

They are still there, and new ones create sweet surprises.

Remember thinking that this love would last forever?

Your love has strengthened and grown into eternal affection and admiration.

Years from now, you'll look back at this anniversary and realize

you love each other more than ever.

Happy Anniversary!

Jeevada Geleya

Certain emotions and feelings that i thought can never be put into words have been so beautifully, thoughtfully and subtly presented in this wonderful song 'araluthirio jeevada geleya' from the super hit movie 'mungaru male'.....hats off to Jayanth sir for the fresh perspective he has brought into kannada songs...this song, in terms of lyrics, is the best song that I've ever heard in my life. Enjoy madi.


Araluthiro jeevada geleya, snehada sinchanadalli,
baadadiru snehada hoove, premada bandhanadalli,
manasalle irali bhavane, midiyuthirali mouna veene,
heege summane.....

Hakkiyu haadide thanna hesaranu helade,
sampige beeride kampanu yarigu kelade,
beesuva gaaliya hakkiya haadina nantige hesarina hangilla,
namageke adara yochane,
beda geleya nantige hesaru yaake summane.

Maathige meerida bhavada selethave sundara,
nalumeyu tumbida manasige baaradu besara,
baala dariyali bereyadaru, chandira baruvanu namma jothe,
kaanuvenu avanali ninnane,
irali geleya ee anubandha, heege summane....

Araluthiro jeevada geleya!

Shshsh.....

I have got this sudden urge to write……write everything that’s running in my mind….i feel restless with all the overflowing thoughts looking for a few words to rest on.....hence this blog….

what better way to start, than to talk about my friends for life…..i have always been extremely lucky with friends…..i’ve found best of friends in every phase of my life……sometimes I feel everything I’ve lost in life is compensated by the wonderful friends I have and the kind of love and affection I have received from them…..
I read this in a friend’s status message on gtalk….Everyone has a "best friend" during each stage of life-only a precious few have the same one…..i am one of those few blessed ones……if you are wondering what ‘shshsh’ is, it’s us..aysh, sush and rash :-)…..this post is for ‘us’…..nine years is a long time…..there is no way I can put everything that we have gone through together as friends in words…..i’ve tried my best……......

From classmates to benchmates to soulmates
From Zodiac to Safar to Shshsh….
From acquaintance to friends to best of friends…

From crush to love to wedding....
From NIE to Infosys….

We have come a long way…..
stood for each other in good times and bad….in smiles and tears….
seen each other lose loved ones for death and for nothing…..
all those wonderful times spent together….
rides to chamundi…..walk in the rain…..endless chats….
paradise bakery….cycle stand….aunty’s icecream parlour….
trips…outings….class bunks….night outs….
walking into YJ’s class at the end of the session…..
tweety…..OC…..obsessive compulsive disorder!….
birthdays…celebrations…surprises…gifts…..
night outs in infy hostel…. yap… yap….yap…. yap…..
all those beautiful cards with wonderful words in them….sometimes it felt like ‘Archies’ guys knew what exactly we thought….

I can’t imagine how I would have survived everything I have, without you guys in my life…..
thank you for being my guardian angels….
thanks for listening to me…..for helping me take decisions, move on, see beyond past and present, overcome my fears and insecurities, for keeping my secrets, for sharing your dreams and let me share mine…...

thanks for being what you are and for making me what I am…….

I love you both :-)