Life seems in full swing,
People around me laugh and chuckle,
like there is no end…
Bursting in laughter and full of energy
So vibrant and colourful it seems…
But here am I sitting all by myself-
Surrounded with people, yet confined…
Hiding in a shell, deep down inside
So alone I feel-
Why can’t I define?
The smell of rose,
Burning candles and dimming lights…
The carving on the wood and some old bricks
I feel it all…
I see it all…
Yet, why do I feel this is not where I belong?
eyes rolling about..
Take me out…
I don’t want to dig in…
I plead and cry…
From within I hear someone,
Wanting to reach high…
Then why is this feeling still inside?
Oh God! Can’t I just die?
1 March 2009
28 February 2009
In response
This is in response, to a comment that I received for my post 'Political Parties' from my friend Kazim Aizaz Alam and from a response I received from another friend on my Facebook status.
I hope I do justice, presenting my view point.
I must confess, I have not read much literature about politics. But my article was based on the knowledge that I possess on the matters that have crossed my eye in recent time. Kazim's comment presents good facts but I am afraid I cannot provide any facts at the moment that proves my liking for the two-party system. But I would like to present my argument.
My support for two parties, is merely because, of the fact that I personally like this idea, of having one Party in power while the other one criticizing it. Just like the simple idea of ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Although like you mentioned, some voices may 'disappear in the propaganda filled bourgeois world of politics’; still they raise their voice to bring back their party in power.
My main aim, of the article was to draw a connection between the two-party style and our politics with many parties. I didn’t even know before writing this reponse how many parties we currently have in the Pakistani Senate. I just googled now and found out there are 15 parties at the moment, with 10 of them in the national assembly. But what do these parties do, when it comes to conflicts or disagreeing the policies of one another?
Out of the 15 parties that we have, I am not aware as a commoner, of either one of their policies. Or what they stand for, when it comes to their policies about our banks, big and small businesses, taxes, sharia law, terrorism, about their war on Iraq and Afghanistan. Off course, I am aware that at least for the sake to remain in power they would strongly oppose wars against these two countries. But what would be their take when it comes to the USA using our bases? One of the arguments could be, that we will have less choice when it comes to such decisions. But the point I am trying to make here is that, such issues should be addressed and thought before they come to power.
All we know about them right now is, that PML-N is in power because of the Shariff brothers, PPP belongs to the bhuttos MQM belongs to Altaf Hussain and so on.... but more than that, the irony is, that we also classify them as, the Sindhi's party, the Punjabi's party and the Mahajir's party.
I cannot recall any instance, where the people here would think that the labours or the conservatives would do well for only one particular area if either of them comes to power.
I must write, that I am so ashamed that even after being so much educated, and gone abroad for studies, I got a comment from a friend on facebook in response to my status on facebook
'Nousheen is utterly disgusted listening every bit of the Nawaz shariff's speech! Oh God plz save Pakistan!!!!'
The response I got was: "Well there is no need to be gutted atleast your family is safe just becuase of him right now y? coz what happened in 1998 otherwise rightnow there would have been a moneky sitting at Quaid tomb... and karachites would have been dancing around it.... any ways coming back to his potent speech which was a needed for this nation and plus you dont mess with sheer in punjab... he took mush down and now its zardari turn... respect your future PM Sheer hamara zindabad”
The reason behind my status was not because, being a Karachite, I would support MQM, or having lived in Sindh all my life I would support PPP, But, because I was just seriously ridiculed after listening to his speech. The way he spoke, the way he sort of roared, it just ridiculed me. Not once he mentioned why would we like him in power again and why should we support him, after he has been charged and even thrown out of the country.
But his response clearly meant that he had misunderstood me. He being a Punjabi thought, I would have written this status, because I would be supporting the PPP or the MQM. But I just don’t get it. Can we not for once, look beyond being a Sindhi or a Punjabi or a Mahajir? Why after being educated, we look at the fact of who belongs to our province rather than, what they as an individual and what their party stands for? I am completely aware of the killings and murders that took place during the Nawaz's tenure in Karachi, the land grabbings and so much more and I am also aware of what happened when Benazir was in power. I am aware of the facts that Zardari is the one of the most corrupted politician. He will ever gain my support, because I belong to Sindh or Nawaz would have gained my support had I belonged to Punjab!
Kazim, mentioned that he can look upto thee Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party, Labour Party of Pakistan and the International Socialists, I truly understand the reason behind his liking for them but what is the mere use when the voice of a commoner like you and me are not being heard? All I mean to say is, out of the 15 parties that we have, if we can relate to the parties, that form a minority and are ‘not’ in power, then what is the use of having 15 parties. Each of them fighting, for just one cause, just to get in power, but are eaten up by the four parties that are the most corrupt and have been in power since Pakistan is formed!
Although the two-party system might get manipulated some times, but is not ineffective like our system of 15 parties.
I hope I do justice, presenting my view point.
I must confess, I have not read much literature about politics. But my article was based on the knowledge that I possess on the matters that have crossed my eye in recent time. Kazim's comment presents good facts but I am afraid I cannot provide any facts at the moment that proves my liking for the two-party system. But I would like to present my argument.
My support for two parties, is merely because, of the fact that I personally like this idea, of having one Party in power while the other one criticizing it. Just like the simple idea of ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Although like you mentioned, some voices may 'disappear in the propaganda filled bourgeois world of politics’; still they raise their voice to bring back their party in power.
My main aim, of the article was to draw a connection between the two-party style and our politics with many parties. I didn’t even know before writing this reponse how many parties we currently have in the Pakistani Senate. I just googled now and found out there are 15 parties at the moment, with 10 of them in the national assembly. But what do these parties do, when it comes to conflicts or disagreeing the policies of one another?
Out of the 15 parties that we have, I am not aware as a commoner, of either one of their policies. Or what they stand for, when it comes to their policies about our banks, big and small businesses, taxes, sharia law, terrorism, about their war on Iraq and Afghanistan. Off course, I am aware that at least for the sake to remain in power they would strongly oppose wars against these two countries. But what would be their take when it comes to the USA using our bases? One of the arguments could be, that we will have less choice when it comes to such decisions. But the point I am trying to make here is that, such issues should be addressed and thought before they come to power.
All we know about them right now is, that PML-N is in power because of the Shariff brothers, PPP belongs to the bhuttos MQM belongs to Altaf Hussain and so on.... but more than that, the irony is, that we also classify them as, the Sindhi's party, the Punjabi's party and the Mahajir's party.
I cannot recall any instance, where the people here would think that the labours or the conservatives would do well for only one particular area if either of them comes to power.
I must write, that I am so ashamed that even after being so much educated, and gone abroad for studies, I got a comment from a friend on facebook in response to my status on facebook
'Nousheen is utterly disgusted listening every bit of the Nawaz shariff's speech! Oh God plz save Pakistan!!!!'
The response I got was: "Well there is no need to be gutted atleast your family is safe just becuase of him right now y? coz what happened in 1998 otherwise rightnow there would have been a moneky sitting at Quaid tomb... and karachites would have been dancing around it.... any ways coming back to his potent speech which was a needed for this nation and plus you dont mess with sheer in punjab... he took mush down and now its zardari turn... respect your future PM Sheer hamara zindabad”
The reason behind my status was not because, being a Karachite, I would support MQM, or having lived in Sindh all my life I would support PPP, But, because I was just seriously ridiculed after listening to his speech. The way he spoke, the way he sort of roared, it just ridiculed me. Not once he mentioned why would we like him in power again and why should we support him, after he has been charged and even thrown out of the country.
But his response clearly meant that he had misunderstood me. He being a Punjabi thought, I would have written this status, because I would be supporting the PPP or the MQM. But I just don’t get it. Can we not for once, look beyond being a Sindhi or a Punjabi or a Mahajir? Why after being educated, we look at the fact of who belongs to our province rather than, what they as an individual and what their party stands for? I am completely aware of the killings and murders that took place during the Nawaz's tenure in Karachi, the land grabbings and so much more and I am also aware of what happened when Benazir was in power. I am aware of the facts that Zardari is the one of the most corrupted politician. He will ever gain my support, because I belong to Sindh or Nawaz would have gained my support had I belonged to Punjab!
Kazim, mentioned that he can look upto thee Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party, Labour Party of Pakistan and the International Socialists, I truly understand the reason behind his liking for them but what is the mere use when the voice of a commoner like you and me are not being heard? All I mean to say is, out of the 15 parties that we have, if we can relate to the parties, that form a minority and are ‘not’ in power, then what is the use of having 15 parties. Each of them fighting, for just one cause, just to get in power, but are eaten up by the four parties that are the most corrupt and have been in power since Pakistan is formed!
Although the two-party system might get manipulated some times, but is not ineffective like our system of 15 parties.
26 February 2009
Political Parties.
I was watching a programme on BBC yesterday. It was about how The Conservative party bought David Cameron to shape the outlook of the Conservative Party. The foundations of the Conservative Party were very much the ideas of Margaret Thatcher. Her ideas were modern for that time. But she also believed in sticking to the roots. Once a journalist asked her, ‘Is there going to be a new start?’ and she replied, ‘why what is wrong with the old one?’ She was the Prime Minister of England from 1979 to 1990. After her, the Conservative Party hasn’t won any elections. The Conservative party, talked on the same lines and loss the other 2 elections in which, Tony Blair won the elections and in 2005, David Cameron was bought to light. He promised of changed and a better future. Although he was a breath of fresh air and a new change in the Conservative party but the conservative’s loss the elections again in 2005 to Gordon Brown.
While, I was watching this program, I began to wonder, how in the U.K and in the U.S.A they have just two parties. In the U.K, the Conservatives and the Labour and in the U.S.A, the Democrats and the Republicans. If one party is in power, the other party is always there to cross and balance on issues. To check if the later party is performing it’s duties correctly and also condemning and asking questions about their policies and practices. At the very core, are the values behind each party. If you ask the people here, they would either favour the Conservatives or the Labour. In the U.S.A they would be either the democrats or the Republicans. It is because; it depends on the basis of what they stand for. Their leadership styles, agendas are different. Hence, a person can relate to either party based on their own perception. They have a whole ‘motto’ ‘ideals’ ‘set principles’ behind the foundation of the party. In the book ‘the audacity of hope’ by Barack Obama, he talks about the democrats’ style. Their values, their beliefs, their leadership style and then about what he feels about those simple values and ideals. This is the core idea behind having a party. One that you could relate to, one that could stand up for your views. For the people’s view, if not all, but most of the time.
Then my mind raced towards our politics. I started to think, out of all the parties that we have in Pakistan. Not one has any set of principles, ideals, and a mission statement. They all stand for themselves; or rather for power and money. Although personally, I can’t relate to any Party. I was wondering if any one could relate to them? If yes, then on what basis? They don’t promise us any kind of a leadership style, or any ideals, or the shape of the economy is they do come to power. All they talk about is themselves. About who should we support. But why? Just because, they have a dynasty. Or that there father or mother was in politics. Is that enough? This also, brings to my mind the role of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. At the mere age of 18, he has been passed on the Kingdom from his mother. But what is his qualification? We don’t even know him. His ideas, his ideals, his principles. He has lived all his life abroad, and now he just become the Co-president and his father with all the corruption charges becomes the President of Pakistan, but on what basis?
Today, I switched on Geo. And Nawaz Shariff was addressing a crowd in Shaikhupura. He is a former Prime-Minister of Pakistan and could be the next Prime-minister of Pakistan. But what does his party stands for? I listened to him in disbelief. More than once I heard him swearing, and asking people to take out 2 or 3 weeks from their life and give it to Pakistan and the first week should be dedicated to restore the judiciary, but why and how? and what about the remaining 2 weeks? he never explained! He sweared on God wasn’t there to talk about the verdict, he mostly did! I was thinking, what is the need to bring ‘God’ in here. Is this any sort of professionalism? If you want power, why don’t you talk about your policies, basis of the foundation of your party? What you have done over the years for Pakistan. The issues that needs to be addressed. The poverty level, rules and regulations, general situations. Where are these points? I listened to it and thought, what does he as a person stands for? All I saw was a circus of people around him, and he introducing each member in that circus, telling the crowd that how close they are to him. But what about us? How would they shape our economy? What did they bring to us when they were given the power? What do they stand for; just for power and money!!
While, I was watching this program, I began to wonder, how in the U.K and in the U.S.A they have just two parties. In the U.K, the Conservatives and the Labour and in the U.S.A, the Democrats and the Republicans. If one party is in power, the other party is always there to cross and balance on issues. To check if the later party is performing it’s duties correctly and also condemning and asking questions about their policies and practices. At the very core, are the values behind each party. If you ask the people here, they would either favour the Conservatives or the Labour. In the U.S.A they would be either the democrats or the Republicans. It is because; it depends on the basis of what they stand for. Their leadership styles, agendas are different. Hence, a person can relate to either party based on their own perception. They have a whole ‘motto’ ‘ideals’ ‘set principles’ behind the foundation of the party. In the book ‘the audacity of hope’ by Barack Obama, he talks about the democrats’ style. Their values, their beliefs, their leadership style and then about what he feels about those simple values and ideals. This is the core idea behind having a party. One that you could relate to, one that could stand up for your views. For the people’s view, if not all, but most of the time.
Then my mind raced towards our politics. I started to think, out of all the parties that we have in Pakistan. Not one has any set of principles, ideals, and a mission statement. They all stand for themselves; or rather for power and money. Although personally, I can’t relate to any Party. I was wondering if any one could relate to them? If yes, then on what basis? They don’t promise us any kind of a leadership style, or any ideals, or the shape of the economy is they do come to power. All they talk about is themselves. About who should we support. But why? Just because, they have a dynasty. Or that there father or mother was in politics. Is that enough? This also, brings to my mind the role of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. At the mere age of 18, he has been passed on the Kingdom from his mother. But what is his qualification? We don’t even know him. His ideas, his ideals, his principles. He has lived all his life abroad, and now he just become the Co-president and his father with all the corruption charges becomes the President of Pakistan, but on what basis?
Today, I switched on Geo. And Nawaz Shariff was addressing a crowd in Shaikhupura. He is a former Prime-Minister of Pakistan and could be the next Prime-minister of Pakistan. But what does his party stands for? I listened to him in disbelief. More than once I heard him swearing, and asking people to take out 2 or 3 weeks from their life and give it to Pakistan and the first week should be dedicated to restore the judiciary, but why and how? and what about the remaining 2 weeks? he never explained! He sweared on God wasn’t there to talk about the verdict, he mostly did! I was thinking, what is the need to bring ‘God’ in here. Is this any sort of professionalism? If you want power, why don’t you talk about your policies, basis of the foundation of your party? What you have done over the years for Pakistan. The issues that needs to be addressed. The poverty level, rules and regulations, general situations. Where are these points? I listened to it and thought, what does he as a person stands for? All I saw was a circus of people around him, and he introducing each member in that circus, telling the crowd that how close they are to him. But what about us? How would they shape our economy? What did they bring to us when they were given the power? What do they stand for; just for power and money!!
23 February 2009
Death Will
If I get a call and have to leave
I had no choice, please believe!
Think of the times I avoided,
and told them numerous times,
this is where I need to be!
If I get a call and have to leave,
move ahead with your life….
Don't stop for me.
I will be watching you still….
Will meet you in your dreams.
If I get a call and have to leave,
stay close to me…
Think of the good memories….
sooner or later I had to leave.
If I get a call and have to leave,
please don’t cry behind me for I may see….
Your prayers will always reach me….
Will let me know u still want me!
If I get a call and leave…
Don't you forget the promises you made to me!
Remember always what you meant to me…
Pray for me that I may rest in peace…
I had no choice, please believe!
Think of the times I avoided,
and told them numerous times,
this is where I need to be!
If I get a call and have to leave,
move ahead with your life….
Don't stop for me.
I will be watching you still….
Will meet you in your dreams.
If I get a call and have to leave,
stay close to me…
Think of the good memories….
sooner or later I had to leave.
If I get a call and have to leave,
please don’t cry behind me for I may see….
Your prayers will always reach me….
Will let me know u still want me!
If I get a call and leave…
Don't you forget the promises you made to me!
Remember always what you meant to me…
Pray for me that I may rest in peace…
21 February 2009
The importance of finding the 'Authentic Source'.
I watched Delhi-6 last night. It seems like an ok movie, but I liked the concept behind it. The story revolves around a true incident that took place in Delhi in 2001. This incident depicted in the film, is about a Black-monkey, in contrast to the original ‘Monkey-man’. It just tells, of how a rumour probably a true one off incident can float and take many faces. How it can take lives, the terror and the superstitions can survive, how some religious and political leaders can take a role and manipulate the people.
The idea behind it is very simple, I wasn’t aware that it was a true incident that took place. I googled it today, to find out that it was actually true. It is amazing to see, how in our society, people just build on to things that never exist. The fact that we never think about ‘the source’ it is coming from. But just that someone said it somewhere, and someone might have seen it somewhere. Without even thinking if ‘it is actually true’. Such news are so easy to float around, but then it is scary to think about the consequences it then makes and the shape it takes with each one, adding a new part to it.
We are constantly involved in this habit to forward emails and news around to everyone without checking their source. I keep receiving forwarded emails that have no authentic source attached to the news. And if we just look at the news itself, we instantly believe it and then base our thinking on it, pass it on without checking what lies behind actually exists or not. I received a forwarded email from a group. I am pasting the forwarded "news" for your interest:
Nasa - Sunrise from the West
The science of astronomy states that the speed of planet Mars has been decreasing in its course toward the eastern direction in the past few weeks to the level we notice the "waver" between the east and the west..and on Wednesday the 30th of July the planet movement stopped going toward the eastern direction.. Then in the months of August and September...Mars changed its course in the opposite direction to the West- and that until the end of September..which means the sun will rise now from the west on Mars!! And this weird phenomena of the opposite movement called "Retrograde Motion" Most scientist state that all the planets will go through the same once at least and our planet Earth is one of them. Planet Earth will move in the opposite direction some day and the sun will rise from the west!!
This might occur soon and we are unaware! The rise of the sun from the west is mentioned in the hadith and this is the major sign of the day of judgment, most if not All, the minor signs have occurred. Wake up.
Our beloved messenger Mohamed (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "One of the signs of the hour..the sun will rise from the west, where no longer tauba(forgiveness) will be granted" !!And the strange thing..most of our Shariah scholars mentioned that the rise of the sun from the west occurs only once..on that day..the sun will rise from the west..then again from the east..and continues until Allah wishes..and this is similar to what is happening to Mars..it stops, then it changes its course of direction for a short period of time..then returns to way once it was.
And Abdullah Bin Amro (R.A.) said: (I memorized from the messenger (SAW) a hadith I will never forget..I heard the messenger of Allah (SAW) say: The first aya to come the rise of the sun from the west) [Ahmad]
And the messenger SAW "Allah (SWT) places HIS hand at night to forgive his morning sinners, and places in the morning to forgive his night sinners until the sun rises from the west" [Muslim]
This piece of news is very important as it brings with it a great sign of warning and remembrance of the coming of a new WORLD - the world of he Hereafter When we show this hadith that was told 1400 years ago about this miracle..you will see InshaALLAH, a lot will rivert to right path...And the muslims if they see this phenomena happening in
Mars..who knows maybe it would bring them closer to our CREATOR.
May Allah (swt) keep all of us in the Right path and provide us with
success in this world as well as in the hereafter.
When I read it first, I thought, well, this is very important news. But why have I not read about any such news in any of the local or international newspapers? Nor I have seen any such news on T.V. So I googled it, by simply typing: Nasa - Sunrise from the West. All I found in the search results was, the forums, where this news was being posted and the people’s commenting on it. I did not find, any newspaper revealing such a story. It is interesting to read the discussions on the chat forums. They actually believe that this is a true story and are actually building facts and false theories around it. Without even finding out the actual source. It is also interesting to note, how such a story is then linked to Hadith and the revelations in the Quran. Apart from this, the above pasted article has got so many, spelling mistakes and errors that it, in no way looks like a published piece.
One of the things that is the most interesting is that, whenever we hear a news and there is a course of religion or a reference of Hadiths attached at the end of it, we do not think beyond that. Rather we think, this had to happen to this is happening. I am not denying the fact that the revelations made by the Quran and as described by the Hadiths are not happening. But I am strictly against the rotation of false news and then linking it to the Quran and the Hadiths.
We don’t realize, but this is a very important issue. It is time, that we all must try and find the real sources behind all the rumours and the news that we are surrounded with. Otherwise, as a result we face consequences as depicted in the movie Delhi-6 and so many more that still lay unrevealed!
Also read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey-man_of_New_Delhi#Last_sightings
http://www.paklinks.com/gs/all-views/159958-nasa-sunrise-west.html
http://my.opera.com/mailmurshed/blog/index.dml/tag/Nasa%20-%20Sunrise%20from%20the%20West
http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3430
The idea behind it is very simple, I wasn’t aware that it was a true incident that took place. I googled it today, to find out that it was actually true. It is amazing to see, how in our society, people just build on to things that never exist. The fact that we never think about ‘the source’ it is coming from. But just that someone said it somewhere, and someone might have seen it somewhere. Without even thinking if ‘it is actually true’. Such news are so easy to float around, but then it is scary to think about the consequences it then makes and the shape it takes with each one, adding a new part to it.
We are constantly involved in this habit to forward emails and news around to everyone without checking their source. I keep receiving forwarded emails that have no authentic source attached to the news. And if we just look at the news itself, we instantly believe it and then base our thinking on it, pass it on without checking what lies behind actually exists or not. I received a forwarded email from a group. I am pasting the forwarded "news" for your interest:
Nasa - Sunrise from the West
The science of astronomy states that the speed of planet Mars has been decreasing in its course toward the eastern direction in the past few weeks to the level we notice the "waver" between the east and the west..and on Wednesday the 30th of July the planet movement stopped going toward the eastern direction.. Then in the months of August and September...Mars changed its course in the opposite direction to the West- and that until the end of September..which means the sun will rise now from the west on Mars!! And this weird phenomena of the opposite movement called "Retrograde Motion" Most scientist state that all the planets will go through the same once at least and our planet Earth is one of them. Planet Earth will move in the opposite direction some day and the sun will rise from the west!!
This might occur soon and we are unaware! The rise of the sun from the west is mentioned in the hadith and this is the major sign of the day of judgment, most if not All, the minor signs have occurred. Wake up.
Our beloved messenger Mohamed (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "One of the signs of the hour..the sun will rise from the west, where no longer tauba(forgiveness) will be granted" !!And the strange thing..most of our Shariah scholars mentioned that the rise of the sun from the west occurs only once..on that day..the sun will rise from the west..then again from the east..and continues until Allah wishes..and this is similar to what is happening to Mars..it stops, then it changes its course of direction for a short period of time..then returns to way once it was.
And Abdullah Bin Amro (R.A.) said: (I memorized from the messenger (SAW) a hadith I will never forget..I heard the messenger of Allah (SAW) say: The first aya to come the rise of the sun from the west) [Ahmad]
And the messenger SAW "Allah (SWT) places HIS hand at night to forgive his morning sinners, and places in the morning to forgive his night sinners until the sun rises from the west" [Muslim]
This piece of news is very important as it brings with it a great sign of warning and remembrance of the coming of a new WORLD - the world of he Hereafter When we show this hadith that was told 1400 years ago about this miracle..you will see InshaALLAH, a lot will rivert to right path...And the muslims if they see this phenomena happening in
Mars..who knows maybe it would bring them closer to our CREATOR.
May Allah (swt) keep all of us in the Right path and provide us with
success in this world as well as in the hereafter.
When I read it first, I thought, well, this is very important news. But why have I not read about any such news in any of the local or international newspapers? Nor I have seen any such news on T.V. So I googled it, by simply typing: Nasa - Sunrise from the West. All I found in the search results was, the forums, where this news was being posted and the people’s commenting on it. I did not find, any newspaper revealing such a story. It is interesting to read the discussions on the chat forums. They actually believe that this is a true story and are actually building facts and false theories around it. Without even finding out the actual source. It is also interesting to note, how such a story is then linked to Hadith and the revelations in the Quran. Apart from this, the above pasted article has got so many, spelling mistakes and errors that it, in no way looks like a published piece.
One of the things that is the most interesting is that, whenever we hear a news and there is a course of religion or a reference of Hadiths attached at the end of it, we do not think beyond that. Rather we think, this had to happen to this is happening. I am not denying the fact that the revelations made by the Quran and as described by the Hadiths are not happening. But I am strictly against the rotation of false news and then linking it to the Quran and the Hadiths.
We don’t realize, but this is a very important issue. It is time, that we all must try and find the real sources behind all the rumours and the news that we are surrounded with. Otherwise, as a result we face consequences as depicted in the movie Delhi-6 and so many more that still lay unrevealed!
Also read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey-man_of_New_Delhi#Last_sightings
http://www.paklinks.com/gs/all-views/159958-nasa-sunrise-west.html
http://my.opera.com/mailmurshed/blog/index.dml/tag/Nasa%20-%20Sunrise%20from%20the%20West
http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3430
20 February 2009
Gasping for air
Dark night…
Silence-loneliness,
Breathlessness-dizziness,
Palpitations and heaviness!
Awakening of a new dawn...
with some old feelings for long!
Crunching of the chest,
gasping for air,
fading breath...
This might be it!
This might be the end!
So soon, not known,
Heart is racing and I am falling numb.
Shall I stay?
Or travel to the other place?
What is here seems to still hold…
So many things left untold….
Scared to death or for death?
What is this feeling?
I don’t know…!
Silence-loneliness,
Breathlessness-dizziness,
Palpitations and heaviness!
Awakening of a new dawn...
with some old feelings for long!
Crunching of the chest,
gasping for air,
fading breath...
This might be it!
This might be the end!
So soon, not known,
Heart is racing and I am falling numb.
Shall I stay?
Or travel to the other place?
What is here seems to still hold…
So many things left untold….
Scared to death or for death?
What is this feeling?
I don’t know…!
17 February 2009
The role of 'Maids' in our society.
A couple of weeks back, I was looking at an album on my friend’s profile on Facebook. It was a Birthday album of a little girl. What really struck me was, not the lavish birthday party, which was thrown for a little girl aged 4 but the fact that the mom’s were busy socializing, where the kids were shown in the other picture with their maids. So much so, that in one of the pictures which was the cake-cutting picture, I did not see the mom’s around but all the maids with the kids.
It made me at unease. I began to wonder, in our society, we actively put the burden of our work on others. Well one of the arguments is that, these people (the maids and the servants) are there to work and we provide them with employment. But then, it has also become a social symbol. We very proudly say, the number of servants and maids we have. Besides, all this, the main issue that struck me was, that the kids were being handled by the maids and not their mothers. So their mothers were at the time of the birthday party busy socializing their kids were with someone else.
Apart from this, I sensed an untold feeling, a fear an emotion in the pictures. I saw a kind of helplessness on the faces of the maids was, that the poor maids, who were carrying those little ones, and actively involved in managing them. They might have wondered, or fancied coming to such parties, dreamed of having such birthday’s for their kids but, these kids who they were with were not their own. I was wondering if they were wishing at that point of time that they were with their kids and if their kids were there to see and celebrate such an event. On the other hand, the fortunate ones the elite mom’s who were there with their kids, were obviously not there with them. So the kids might be wishing if their mom’s could spend sometime with them rather than chitchatting.
This is the dilemma of our society. I am not against, employing maids. But those pictures just raised a number of questions in my mind. Why, the mother’s could not spare sometime, keep the maids at home and be with their kids. Or if the maids were there, they could still be actively engaged with the kids.
Parents in the west work, full or part-time, based on the understanding and law that one of parent/adult/grandparents have to be home to be with the kids. In some of the cases, they hire a nanny or a baby sitter, but that is just for some special occasions and not always. One of the reasons is off course that a babysitter or a nanny is not affordable for all households. Apart from this, single parents do get compensation to be with their kids at home. But we don’t have any such issues in our society. That one of the partner has to work, to make ends meet. I am aware of the issues that the kids do face later in the west. But that is when they go for their schooling but during their early ages, they are very much in contact with their parents unlike the social structure in our society. Our society is socially rich, our culture is deep and relations are tied up together. The pictures that I saw were not of all working mothers but those belonging to the elite, showing their status to carry maids.
I felt after looking at those pictures, the sadness, when you have something, a blessing, that you are in the position to be with your kids, and you leave them to be handled by someone else. And on the other side, the maids, who wants to be with their kids and there they are, because of circumstances handling someone else’s.
It made me at unease. I began to wonder, in our society, we actively put the burden of our work on others. Well one of the arguments is that, these people (the maids and the servants) are there to work and we provide them with employment. But then, it has also become a social symbol. We very proudly say, the number of servants and maids we have. Besides, all this, the main issue that struck me was, that the kids were being handled by the maids and not their mothers. So their mothers were at the time of the birthday party busy socializing their kids were with someone else.
Apart from this, I sensed an untold feeling, a fear an emotion in the pictures. I saw a kind of helplessness on the faces of the maids was, that the poor maids, who were carrying those little ones, and actively involved in managing them. They might have wondered, or fancied coming to such parties, dreamed of having such birthday’s for their kids but, these kids who they were with were not their own. I was wondering if they were wishing at that point of time that they were with their kids and if their kids were there to see and celebrate such an event. On the other hand, the fortunate ones the elite mom’s who were there with their kids, were obviously not there with them. So the kids might be wishing if their mom’s could spend sometime with them rather than chitchatting.
This is the dilemma of our society. I am not against, employing maids. But those pictures just raised a number of questions in my mind. Why, the mother’s could not spare sometime, keep the maids at home and be with their kids. Or if the maids were there, they could still be actively engaged with the kids.
Parents in the west work, full or part-time, based on the understanding and law that one of parent/adult/grandparents have to be home to be with the kids. In some of the cases, they hire a nanny or a baby sitter, but that is just for some special occasions and not always. One of the reasons is off course that a babysitter or a nanny is not affordable for all households. Apart from this, single parents do get compensation to be with their kids at home. But we don’t have any such issues in our society. That one of the partner has to work, to make ends meet. I am aware of the issues that the kids do face later in the west. But that is when they go for their schooling but during their early ages, they are very much in contact with their parents unlike the social structure in our society. Our society is socially rich, our culture is deep and relations are tied up together. The pictures that I saw were not of all working mothers but those belonging to the elite, showing their status to carry maids.
I felt after looking at those pictures, the sadness, when you have something, a blessing, that you are in the position to be with your kids, and you leave them to be handled by someone else. And on the other side, the maids, who wants to be with their kids and there they are, because of circumstances handling someone else’s.
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