Why I am ANGRY!

Over the last 48 hours, I have been glued to my television set. I have never watched so much news before. When you are living abroad, everything is much more painful.

When I first heard of the news of indiscriminate firing at the Taj, I did not bother to keep track of the sequence of events since I though it could be a crazy gunman. I only realised how serious the issue was once S was home and checked the news again. What started off as random firing soon turned out to be a full-fledged terrorist attack on the city of Mumbai.

After the blasts in Delhi and Assam a few months ago, I knew such news could not affect me anymore. I think Indians are tragically used to listening such news and have unfortunately made them part of their everyday lives. But what unwrapped in Mumbai was phenomenal. You saw terrorists who were not scared to show their faces, who came well prepared, who had the ammunition and food to survive for days and the most scariest part was how old the terrorists looked…they seemed so young but yet so fearless…hell-bent on bringing terror to the city.

I was deeply saddened when I learnt that the top cops of Mumbai, Mr. Hemanth Karkare, Mr Salaskar and Mr Kamte had tragically succumbed to terrorist bullets. It is such a loss! The BJP and it’s allies like who stated that Mr. Karkare was anti-national for his revelations on the Malegaon blasts paid the ultimate price trying to save people like you and me.

There were some heroic tales of hotel staff both at the Taj and the Trident and also of the Army Men, Commandos, RAF and the Police who tried to help the guests whilst stuck at the hotel. Some of them sadly lost their lives and I hope their sacrifice won’t go in vain.

There are so many things I’d like to mention in this post…I feel like pouring my heart out…but it is just so difficult…hard to find the words. Mr. Krishna Kumar, VC of Taj group of hotels told us of how the GM of Taj Palace hotel helped rescue the guests only to find out later that his wife and two sons who were situated in one of the suites of the Taj were burnt alive. How can anyone come to terms with such loss. His grief is unimaginable. This is just one of the horrific tales that has come out of the crisis..there are many more.

I do not trust our politicians to resolve the crisis. Infact, I’ve never trusted them in anything. It is only the will power of the common man of India that has brought us to where we are economically but it is he/she that suffers the most.

But how do we move forward from here? What can we do as the citizens of India. There is alot of anger. There could be anger towards a certain community or towards our neighbour. Personally, the only way I could see a better future for India is by introducing out-reach programmes for certain communities who feel alienated. There are few questions our politicos and Intelligence bureau need to answer. How did so many terrorists enter India? Why are our borders so porous? How did the terrorists know where to attack? How did they know every inch of the Taj Palace Hotel? If 9 terrorists have so far been killed and one has been held alive….where are the remaining? Are they still freely going around the city?

There are so many questions…but no answers from the authorities. Obviously, the ‘Mumbaiker’ (and also the ‘Indian’) is tired of listening to cliched terms like ‘the spirit of mumbai’ and the ‘resilience of the city’. Please don’t take us for granted. We don’t deserve this.

And if the MNS chief Mr. Raj Thackeray does happen to read my blog…Can I just clarify, that I am not a Mumbaiker…I am a Hyderabadi…but I feel the pain of the city…and pray for the affected. So please do not try to regionalise us. Mother India is already bleeding…Mother India deserves respect. If you can contribute positively…please do…otherwise keep out!

I am writing again!! Yayyy!!!

Ahh….so finally I got myself to sit infront of my laptop and write. Moving was a real bummer!!! I hate relocating…I hate it hate it hate it!!! I am definitely not waiting for the next one. It took us more than three weeks to set things up…and since it was just S and I with occasional help from friends…it was tough.

When I really wanted to write…all I could think of was the bomb blasts in Bangalore and Ahemdabad. I was disturbed. I want to punch our politicians black and blue. The statement that got onto my nerves was our PM announcing compensation for the vicitms…like it matters!!! Our govt thinks money is the answer for everything wrong and ugly that happens in our country…No it’s not! I don’t understand what the freakin Nuclear Deal is worth when there are hundreds of Indians dying in terrorist attacks almost every other month.

The weather has been terrible. In the UK, the really hot days last for a maximum of 30 days in 365 and unluckily for us…it had to begin just after we moved…so we not only had to cope with all the unpacking and arranging…but also bear the brunt of the hot sun and no wind coming our way 👿

As it is…I have really bad mood swings and all this together just made me even more angry and somewhat crazy. The only time I enjoyed in the last few days was walking in the evening with S to a nearby restrau and enjoying a few cool summer drinks.

It’s high time and I want to get my groove back 😉 Vent out all the frustration in my blog 😈  So get ready guys and girls…hehee

Pic Courtesy: http://crazygirlclub.files.wordpress.com/2006/10/angry-face.gif

A Woman Among Warlords

…..a Woman Among Warlords follows the campaign of a woman running in Afghanistan’s first democratic parliament election in more than 30 years. 27 year-old Malalai Joya, one of the country’s most famous (and controversial) women since 2003 challenged the power of warlords in national politics. Forced to live in hiding and surrounded by armed guards, Joya conducts her parliamentary campaign in the remote desert province of Farah, the heart of poverty in Afghanistan. Despite death threats and assassination attempts, Joya continues to meet with clan leaders, opium kings, and adolescent girls pressured to marry older men. Six years after a U.S.-led coalition overthrew the Taliban, WIDE ANGLE provides unique insight into the politics and culture of a nation almost ruined by war, still ruled by fear, but desperate for change. A Woman Among Warlords is the television version of the celebrated documentary Enemies of Happiness, a film by Danish director Eva Mulvad……

Pic Courtesy of http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/graphics

I watched this documentary on More4 couple of days ago and had been wanting to write about it. We came back after watching Mongol. It was 11 PM…our bedtime. I still had some last minute stuff to sort out when I switched on the tv. I put a reminder for this particular show and was glad I didn’t miss it. The documentary finished at 12.20 AM and both of us were wide awake and S usually dozes off by 10.

There were tears rolling down my eyes. We watched the documentary in awe of the woman, Malalai Joya. Often, we are not grateful for what we have and who we are and this documentary makes us realise just how blessed we are.

It’s true…when the going gets tough…only the tough get going and Malalai Joya is a fine example of this. She is all of 29 and dreams of a better future for her country. In a male-dominated society, she is fearless, strong and out-spoken. She is the voice of thousands of Afghani women who lead a life if desperation…in search of justice and hope. Inspite of innumerable death threats…she still fights for her and the rights of other Afghani women and children. 

I RECOMMEND EVERYONE TO WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY. NOT JUST WOMEN. IT’S AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY FOR ALL.

Two Movies, A Pizza and More Packing

Hola! my dear readers. I am back after a hiatus. My last post was about 10 days ago and here is a pictorial representation of what I was upto….

Never judge a movie by its promos..that is what I sadly but thankfully learnt after after sitting through the two movies. Sad to say that Harold and Kumar did not meet my expectations. I did not watch the previous H&K movies….otherwise I’d have definately skipped this one. American Pie is much more funnier. Harold and Kumar is a ‘gross’er version of American Pie. It is funny at times but the rest of the movie will make you wonder why Kal Penn, after his brilliant performance in The Namesake signed up for this disgusting movie! 

Superhero Movie isn’t great either. S infact slept after the first half ROFL! Don’t go by the cast. Yes….it has Leslie Nielsen in it…but for only 15 mins 😛 Since it is a spin off of Spider Man – 1, you know what’s will happen next (except that the super hero here is not bit by a spider but by a dragon fly) with some of the characters of X-Men and Batman ‘thrown’ in here and there.

I am not going to elaborate on the stories ‘cuz there isn’t one. Don’t waste your money by going to the theatres. Just rent a DVD once they are out or even better….watch then online without spending a penny.

Harold and Kumar :1.5/5

Super Hero Movie: 2/5

One of the movies’ I am desperate to watch this week is Mongol…the story of the rise to power of Genghis Khan. The movie was also nominated for an oscar in the Foreign Film Category. Personally, I love epics….I am crazy about anything to do with history. I loved Troy, King Arthur, some of the Jane Austen movies and lots more…including our very own Pathala Bhairavi and Maya Bazaar. I can watch these movies a 100 times and still not be fed up. Everything about this genre of movies is so magical. It feels like you’ve been transported to a different era altogether.

Mangol is like the ‘tiramisu’ of all these movies. It is not ficitional..it is about a person who lived…it is about a person I read and heard alot…so it will be fantastic if I can put faces to the character I have made in my head.

Sarkar Raj is out aswell but I am not terribly excited about the movie. I’ll give it a miss today. Haven’t read great reviews for it.

Packing is going at a snail’s pace now. Had alot of stuff cleared out over the weekend. The To Let sign has gone up infront of our property….and grim reminder that there aren’t many days left but I am in no hurry 😀 I always leave things till the last minute anyway 😉

Njoy! Review coming up soon 🙂

 

Death and Destruction. God Help Us!

Pic Courtesy: www.watton.org

1. The first thing I saw on tele yesterday morning was NEWS of the Earthquake in China. Atleast 15,000 people are believed to be dead and thousands missing. Most of the vicitims were children who were caught unaware when their school building collapsed in a matter of seconds. Since China implements ‘one-child’ policy, a generation of children have been lost in some of the worst hit provinces.
2. Day before, I also learnt of the serial blasts in Jaipur, where alteast 60 people are believed to be dead and atleast 150+ injured. The bombs were placed bicylcles parked in busy market areas. One of the bombs placed at Hanuman Temple was defused by the bomb defusal squad. As far as I remember, it was first Bangalore, then Delhi, then Hyderabad, then Ajmer Dargah and now Jaipur. The Intelligence Bureau (IB) should be re-named ‘The World’s Most Unintelligent Bureau (TWMUB)’. My reaction was that of shock when it happened in Delhi and Hyd. Now, I have somehow got used to the NEWS. They are bound to happen in our country…if not today..then tomorrow. I am sure most of us feel this way…since we live in a country where the security system is in shambles and IB seems to be doing nothing about it! It agitates me!
3. Atleast 32,000 people are believed to be dead and scores unaccounted for due to Cyclone Nargis in Burma but the Burmese Military Junta is not accepting help from foreign authorities for food and aid…inspite of it’s people dying of starvation and illness. God, please give them some sense. First they force their power on the Burmese and now they don’t care inspite of so much suffering. If you want to help, please donate here. I read somewhere…IT IS ONLY THE POOREST THAT ARE HIT THE HARDEST BY NATURAL CALAMITIES.

My prayers are for the families who have lost their loved ones….to give them strength to cope with their irreplaceable loss. It is difficult…very difficult. But if our thoughts are with the vicitims and their families when we pray…it will be easier.

When such things happen, my faith in God is questioned. Why can’t God stop all this from happening?