What ails the mango man??

(This blog-post was waiting to be posted for over 2-months (around May-June), and hence, reference to certain thoughts/ideas are time-bound - kindly ignore the same)

The 'mango man' (read: aam admi) is today in great dilemma!! The green, yellow, red 'aam'-s out there in the market, are beyond his arm's length! Affording these 'aam'-s is no more 'aam-baat'... and hence, the 'aam'-s find their place of glory on the tables of the not-so-aam janta (read: the people who can afford them). Huh! That's the state of affairs for almost anything in today's socio-political-economic environment in India. On one side we have the netas, trying their level best in getting everything away from the aam-admi, leaving behind the 'chilkas' and 'gutlis', while we have the civil society representatives who have made 'Bhu-hartals' an aam-affair. Luckily with Navratri on, Anna ji did find pleasant company in Jantar Mantar during his stage-show, while the Yoga Guru, Baba Ramdev ensured that no aam-admi goes to bed empty stomach, beyond 2 days of fasting (till the time the cops decided to feed the aam-admi-s at Ramdev's camp with the taste of 'danda'.)
Now, what options are left for these poor 'aam-admi'-s? Nothing much, except for them to pray hoping that  next year there will be a bumper crop - so that the aam-s can make way to their dinner tables as well (sic!)

Have a Heart!! Bring a smile on this V-Day!

Just imagine the amount of energy generated on a single day worldwide - which probably is sufficient to keep the entire world's light bulbs (more appropriately the modern CFLs) glowing years after years... Sounds confusing, eh! Well, I am referring to the warmth, that will be generated through acts of passion, through literary efforts (like the way you are reading mine indiscreet thoughts currently) and other means on Monday the 14th - aka Valentine's Day. Without getting into much details of this warmth (which if possibly stored and then converted to other forms, would create an energy bank as per my introductory reference), let's try and find a way of using it more effectively. Hmmm... so we have these 'couple' things happening at the colleges - some bold moves by the 'pretending-to-be-macho' guys, some shy flirtations by the genuinely introvert girls and some eye-to-eye contacts of the people seeking the middle path and the FMs playing their daily roster of love songs in the background - wow, we have a concoction brewing all around of ''Love is in the air''! Certainly, love is in the air, but you still cant take it lightly... it will leave a heavy heart at the end of the day for many (sigh!) - who would be termed unlucky in love or losers by their straight faced competitors... Anyways, I actually did not wish to analyse the debit or credit of love, but had to discuss this to reach a point of reference, which I now have... Love ke liye kuch bhi karega. Well said, then let's do it! You need not bleed to death. Neither do you have to eat 40 spicy and tangy gol gappas and turn upside down seeking nirvana the next 2 weeks and obviously, you need not burn your pockets (literally and symbolically) in getting your loved one the kuchee-kuchee stuffed bunny or teddy or all those voluptuous object-o-desiree... You just need to ''Have a Heart''! Even more confused! Then read on...

You love someone doesnot mean you just need to prove it on one special day... any of the 365 days can be made special for the other person, whom you genuinely feel for. With millions of couples running head over heels to express their love on one V-Day, actually doesnot give that exclusive feeling of togetherness that you guys should really enjoy. So, how else can you make 'love' work on this day. As you have already read above - Have a heart (Hey which I already do have! you may exclaim!!) and share your love with those who do not stand a chance. Visit an old age home, or an orphanage or a cancer home and try to ignite their hearts with the warmth of your love and affection. Hold out their hands and just say - I love you - and you will see a star twinkle in his eyes - you will also get the goosebumps buddy!! Love is contagious. The more you share your love with others, the more it comes back to you in some form or the other... love is ever lasting (remember the conservation of energy stuff that you read first time in your 8th grade science book?)... you lose love somewhere, you gain it elsewhere. Never feel that you are all alone this V-Day... just make your love work with someone who actually needs it, someone who is truly lonely. People say love is blind, I say love makes a blind man see. Visit a Blind School, a special school for kids, an orphanage or IIPM on 14th and share your love with all who crave for it... you will feel yourself as a superman (without the wardrobe malfunction) being hugged by people whom you never knew, being loved by people who you have never loved before... never run for love, as love will find you all by itself. So, have a great V-Day and just do it right to make this day the most memorable day of your life...Ola!

Bengal Politics: The Black Days are just there

"Those CPM goons will kill me!" the voice of a tempestuous lady blazed out from the loud-speakers. All the 100 odd minimally clad and parched skinned citizenry who had gathered at the weekly convention of the Trinamool Congress's Save Bengal campaign at the village centre broke into a hushed discussion. "Cholbe na... cholbe na, eta howa cholbe na!" barked another husky voice on the loud-speaker. This time it was that of the local Trinamool dada, who was desperately trying to put forward a resolute intent to show his proximity to the DIDI of the masses. "Amader DIDI amar rahey... pashchim bangla-r DIDI chirojibi hon..." another gush of fanatic cry from the same local political chieftain.

Circa 2010, August 9. Place: Lalgarh - the Maoist war-zone (as referred to by the state and centre government) or the only independent land in West Bengal (independent from what? the atrocities of the ruling Left Front?). Clad in her typical white saree, stood a stone cold 5 ft 1 inch figurine facing a sea of well wishers and poor tribals - most of them ignorant of the great DIDI's purpose of visit in their village but forced to sit there by the "Didi sevaks" - the local level henchmen who have volunteered to "take care" of the law and order situation of the gathering.

"Oi sharkar apnader khun korte chai," a sudden outburst with some dramatized hand and fist movement and the DIDI knew very well she has attracted the attention of the crowd.

"Hain hain... ai sharkar apnader khun korte chai. Aar shudhu apnaderi noy, amakeo khun korte chai."

A section of the poor villagers, unfazed by the remarks suddenly bursted in applause.

"Ai ki holo, haat tali marish kan?" barked a one of the Didi Sevaks nudging at the ribs of two of the village elders.

"Aare, ki shundar jukti dilo DIDI, jemon jatray hoy... bah bah bah... "

"Ai chup chup... tora jatra dekchis naki? Orey murkho dekhe rakh, toder shamne dariye ache banglar bhabi mukhyo mantri... pennam kor bolchi."

"Pennam korbo? kade pennam korbo... oi magi tare? to kan pennom korbo? shono halar katha, je keu amar loge chillai katha bolbo, ki bhagban hoye gelo?? Hala ami pennam kormu ni... ja ki kore nibi?"

"Tobe re buro?? khub shak hoyeche na jamer bari jaoar... ai shon, ai burota nischai lal jhandar lok, niye chal shala-take... aaji buro-ke bhoger bari pathai"

The next few moments went by tugging and pulling at the poor old man, who desperately tried to evade getting pulled out of the hoard of the other old men, sitting in the crowd watching an animated display of insanity on stage and an equally appalling act of barbarism going on alongside. The old man, tried a last desperate attempt to break away from the clutches of the two Didi Sevaks but failing to cut lose, started going limp and finally, with one sudden thump, ended falling on the ground with his face down. He lied there cold, with no movement. The crowd, sitting towards the side where all these actions were going on were too afraid to even look at one of their own men, one of their own - who had been an elderly brother to some or a master-da to some other... they somehow looked away, trying to concentrate on the histrionics going on infront of them.

"Ami shapath niyechi apnader shakaler muktir... ha, ami apnader chiro diner jonno mukti debo!"

The show went on. There were several thousands present that day. Some to see the person who had dared to challenge the 33 year old left fortress in Bengal, some to enjoy an afternoon out from the monotone of life, while some to lament on what lay ahead of them... mukti - or independence. Yes, like the way the 73 year old Karim Chacha got mukti that day for defying the orders of the Didi Bahini...

Author's note: The poor villagers in Bengal cannot see through what is coming, as they are not appropriately educated to analyse and understand the relevance of political power shifts. But what about the so called Bengal intelligentsia? Are they genuinely satisfied to see a new force round the corner, as an alternative to the left rule? If they blindly rest their faith on the Mamata regime, which most likely will find its way to the helm of power in Bengal, days are not far when the state will really break into severe atrocity and political murderings. Mamata, for sure is the only person in the opposition to have a will and some extent of consciousness for the poor - although it is yet to prove how genuine is her feelings. But everything said and done, there is not a single genuine individual in her lines who is ready to make a similar commitment for the people. The congress and the TMC are all waiting to have their say against the Left leaders in avenging everything that they lost in the past 33 years... no one, not a single soul is there in the current opposition to be a torch bearer of change - a true paribartaner kandari. They all want to bask in the glory of their victory - coming to them after 3 decades of wait and once it is there, why should they let go the cream? They will churn the cream out of milk at the cost of the poor citizenry in Bengal and will raise a toast of victory. So just wait and see... the real black days of Bengal is coming our way.