tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66202035665025716712024-03-12T19:25:24.628-07:00Rainbow of ExpressionsRitu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-67168395674940498792016-11-20T01:11:00.006-08:002016-11-21T04:36:16.381-08:00Let There be Peace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Why fight when we are one?<o:p></o:p></div>
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One thing is common in all religions – Brm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hindus call him ‘<b><i>Parampita Brahm’</i></b> (The Highest/
supreme/ ultimate father Bramh). Pay attention that we “h” is not really
pronounced as it is usually pronounced in Hindi and Sanskrit. And the ‘A’ in "Brahma" (as it is pronounced these days) is a recent addition thanks to
English because they didn’t understand that ‘a’ is inherent in the ‘ma’ and
there’s some difference in ‘ma’ and ‘maa’.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jews call him Abraham originally <b><i>Abram</i></b>. <b><i>Brhm</i></b> is common between Hinduism
and Judaism.<o:p></o:p></div>
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‘<b><i>Parampita Bramh’</i></b> is one of the “<b><i>Tridev</i></b>”
(Three Gods/ Deities/ Giants).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Also, for Jews, he is one of the “three” patriarchs. Again <b><i>Three</i></b> is common between
the two oldest religions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, <b><i>Saraswati</i></b> <b><i>is</i></b> the wife
Bramh.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And who is the wife of Abrahm? <b><i>Sarah</i></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Again common roots “<b><i>Sara</i></b>” between the two
names.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Of course there are books and articles that say that <b><i>Brahma</i></b> is not mentioned in Vedas. Now they can't say that Saraswati, too, isn't mentioned. Here's a verse from <b><i>Rigved</i></b> (the first ved according to some people) -</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--yN_0gcOoUY/WDGX_WbtRdI/AAAAAAAAEpU/v_oqvr6bOlQ7dWcJFDXaZrNW67neClh_wCK4B/s1600/Saraswati%2Bin%2BAtharvaveda_Sukta%2B3_page%2B4_Richa%2B10.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="56" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--yN_0gcOoUY/WDGX_WbtRdI/AAAAAAAAEpU/v_oqvr6bOlQ7dWcJFDXaZrNW67neClh_wCK4B/s400/Saraswati%2Bin%2BAtharvaveda_Sukta%2B3_page%2B4_Richa%2B10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It is the 10th Verse of the 3rd Sukta of Rigved and it speaks of Saraswati that makes us pure, gives "us" food, intelligence and wealth and requests her to make the Yagya successful with knowledge and karmas (deeds, works, etc.).<br />
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And here's another one with Ila, Saraswati and Mahi in Atharvaveda Sukta 3 on page 4 and is Verse 10 of Rigved.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BMyT0kmxUTo/WDGmtczP3OI/AAAAAAAAEqE/h08K2e04KEwbftmPT8NIjXtg5jtSorJvwCK4B/s1600/Ila%2BSaraswati%2Band%2BMahi%2BGoddesses_%2BSukta%2B13_Vere%2B9_Page%2B15.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="53" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BMyT0kmxUTo/WDGmtczP3OI/AAAAAAAAEqE/h08K2e04KEwbftmPT8NIjXtg5jtSorJvwCK4B/s400/Ila%2BSaraswati%2Band%2BMahi%2BGoddesses_%2BSukta%2B13_Vere%2B9_Page%2B15.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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First the alphabet "L" is not written as we write it today. I've heard that they used to write it like that in Devanagri till a few decades ago and it's with time that they actually changed it.<br />
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Also, most Hindus have never heard of a Divinity (or Goddess) called Ila and are surprised to discover that this word actually exists in... Arabic... what's even more surprising is that it means <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">illah/ ellah = God .. as in God of seas, God of Love .. etc ..; spelled (إله) in Arabic, and pronounced (e-lah).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">But it seems that 'Ila' is mentioned in Purans but the modern Hindus have forgotten that divinity.</span><br />
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And here's one in which Bramh is mentioned.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RSh_ro9iMUU/WDGb35BuSFI/AAAAAAAAEpo/BySOZexyC8UERtrRvdcrkrbEKVv61ZrqwCK4B/s1600/Brahma_%2BSukta%2B15_Verse%2B5_Page%2B17.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="55" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RSh_ro9iMUU/WDGb35BuSFI/AAAAAAAAEpo/BySOZexyC8UERtrRvdcrkrbEKVv61ZrqwCK4B/s400/Brahma_%2BSukta%2B15_Verse%2B5_Page%2B17.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
It's Brahma who's mentioned in Verse 5 of Sukta 15 on Page 17 of Rigved. Here' the prayer is for Indra who is requested to drink Somras from the vessel of a yogi who's ealised Brahma because he's a close friend that person and/ or Brahma (not clear from this Verse).<br />
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So the people who say that Brahma and Saraswati aren't mentioned in Vedas have to think again because if you have vedas you can read and find these verses and many more and that in Rigveda which is said to be the oldest Veda. Yes, both are mentioned in Vedas. All you need is some time (a lot) to read.<br />
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Hindus don’t know the time of <b><i>Parampita Bramh</i></b>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Jews, too, don’t know the exact date when <i style="font-weight: bold;">Abrahm</i> existed. It can’t be related to any specific
time. <o:p></o:p><br />
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So true for both.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And if you read carefully, you can actually see the
similarities but then one has to know things and analyse not just say to appear
as the <b><i>Supreme Being</i></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Many other faiths came later and inherited similar stories. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Christians call him – Abraham, normal because Christianism started
from the west where there were more Jews.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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And Muslims call him Ibrahim. Again, same region, the region where Jews used to live.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So what is the reason behind all these fights in this world?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why quarrel? The
reason – simple - some people want to rule and want everyone to agree with what
they are saying and do what they want.
Why agree? Why not agree to
disagree? Why not accept each other and
stop all these stupid fights and continue on the Path of <b><i>Bramh</i></b> / <b><i>Abram</i></b>
/ <b><i>Abrahm</i></b> / <b><i>Abraham</i></b> / <b><i>Ibrahim</i></b> and <b><i>Saraswati</i></b>
and <b><i>Sara</i></b>?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But think what we can achieve if we worked together? If all of us accepted each other and our
differences then wouldn’t this world be much more beautiful?<o:p></o:p></div>
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OK you are poor then work harder, use your brains and
achieve what your ancestors couldn’t. Why show that I am the biggest of ‘em all?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why not become one of everyone in this universe?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why say that my faith is the best when the beginning is the
same? It’s just that some people wanted
to rule and be better so…</div>
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<o:p></o:p>Are you really giving something to this earth, life and humanity?<o:p></o:p></div>
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If not, then why do all this?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why all these differences?</div>
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<o:p></o:p>Think. Think before
you act. Why only negative reaction all
the time? Why not proper and rational thought?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Your leader told you this… so what? Change the leader. Refuse to accept someone like that as a
leader and if no follower then no leader.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Real equality starts when you accept yourself as the leader
of your own life. You are what you
are. No one can rule over you. You decide for yourself and it’s OK as long
as you don’t hurt or harm any other living being. Why bow your heads before other “men” or “women”?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you must then bow it only in front of God (in whatever
form you think him/ her to be). When one
does Namaste, it’s in front of the soul, that’s part of God, that one bows one’s
head. The body doesn’t count. All living beings are equal. Why fight?
Why kill? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Let peace dawn on this world. Real peace comes from our acts and our inner
peace is the beginning of everything.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Reference</i></b> –<o:p></o:p></div>
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1. <a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahm%C4%81">https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahm%C4%81</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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2. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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3. <a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim">https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim</a>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">4. <a href="https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070225132039AACuMmm">https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070225132039AACuMmm</a>
</span></div>
</div>
Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-66060004221831443372016-07-10T00:07:00.002-07:002016-11-20T05:43:15.600-08:00And the circle continues...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span data-offset-key="18jro-0-0">These days people keep on talking about things without really going into the history. Oh! This family is the one that owns everything. They do everything in the world.</span></div>
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<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm3j1-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="cm3j1-0-0">But do this people who believe in all these stories full of conspiracy theories actually know ABC about the families that they are talking about?</span></div>
</div>
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Were these families not like ours to begin with? But they earned money because they worked hard and used their brains while others were busy doing God knows what. I don't believe in conspiracy theories. I know that God has given me a brain and two hands and I can win anyday.</div>
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<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="10gf0-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="10gf0-0-0">And no, I don't believe in the power of families and that oh! they are doing this etc etc.</span></div>
</div>
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<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6hejp-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
How can they do this? </div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="fslov-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fslov-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="fslov-0-0">Simply because they have money. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="4it1r-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4it1r-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
But why? </div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="6rani-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6rani-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="6rani-0-0">Well, others want part of that fortune. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="7vgck-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7vgck-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="7vgck-0-0">Why? </span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="5c3l1-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5c3l1-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="5c3l1-0-0">Well, it's easy money.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="8qt5k-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8qt5k-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="8qt5k-0-0">Whose fault is it?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="vipd-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="vipd-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="vipd-0-0">It is the fault of that family.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="1nfp-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1nfp-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="1nfp-0-0">Why?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="2dr5s-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2dr5s-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="2dr5s-0-0">Their faut because they have money.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="bejai-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bejai-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="bejai-0-0">Why do they have money?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="9f7e2-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9f7e2-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="9f7e2-0-0">It's ancestral property.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="aepo6-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aepo6-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="aepo6-0-0">How did they get that property?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="enk26-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="enk26-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="enk26-0-0">Their ancestors gave it to them.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="aq61v-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aq61v-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
How did their ancestors get it?</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="9sbr-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9sbr-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="9sbr-0-0">Their ancestors gave it to them.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="b01mb-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b01mb-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
And why don't you have that much money?</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="86obb-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="86obb-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="86obb-0-0">Our ancestors didn't give us anything.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="9atjn-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9atjn-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="9atjn-0-0">Why?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="3mjnc-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3mjnc-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="3mjnc-0-0">They didn't have anything.</span></div>
</div>
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<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="10jht-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="10jht-0-0">Why?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="297j3-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="297j3-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="297j3-0-0">....</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="bqu61-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bqu61-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="bqu61-0-0">Why?</span><br />
....</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="70o5f-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="70o5f-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
Why?</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="df133-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="df133-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="df133-0-0">....</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="csj7q-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="csj7q-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="csj7q-0-0">Yes, no reply. I am not talking about people who were tortured and were targets of genocide. They have managed to rise above that.</span></div>
</div>
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<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2882l-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="2882l-0-0">The poor of this world are those whose ancestors had the opportunity but... God knows what was more important.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="b6kmj-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b6kmj-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="b6kmj-0-0">Chandragupta Maurya was a poor boy. But he rose to found a big Kingdom. Why? Simply because he accepted and respected the teacher who found him and helped. He worked hard on that path. God had given him a brain and two hands. He used those.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="9l25j-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9l25j-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
If your ancestors didn't do anything, it is not someone else's fault. Is it?</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9lkk5" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="background-color: white;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0">If you don't do anything, then you will continue this whole story till eternity. Your descendants will be in the same state in which you are. Whose fault will it be?</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0">Of course, that of others. </span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0">Why? Why not yours?</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
You complain about Rockefeller family?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0">But do you know the first man that we are talking about?</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0">His name was?</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Sorry, I didn't get it.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
....</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Oh! You don't know. Was he really rich?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
....</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
eh... again this lack of reply. Why?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
...</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
So why do you keep complaining about these people?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
They are rich and they rule the world.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
What stops you from getting rich?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
I have no money. I didn't inherit anything.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Does that mean that you can't create a paradise of your own?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
That's really difficult.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
So it was easy for the Rockfeller family?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Well, they have it.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Now, just have a look at this one -</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carlodonnell/2014/07/11/the-rockefellers-the-legacy-of-historys-richest-man/#4749aa2c60e7</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: black; direction: ltr; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; position: relative; white-space: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">The Rockefeller legacy began with a 16-year-old bookkeeper in Cleveland, Ohio, whose greatest ambitions were to earn $100,000 and live 100 years. His formal business training included a ten-week class in accounting, as well as a con-artist father who was known to say, “I cheat my boys every chance I get. I want to make ‘em sharp,” according to the biography </span><i style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 17.6px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24.64px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John D. Rockefeller: Anointed with Oil</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 24.64px;">... </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Please click the link to read more)</span></div>
</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Now think, who was the first one of this family to earn a lot of money? A man who worked as a bookkeeper at the age of 16.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Was he born rich?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Doesn't seem so. Else he wouldn't have worked as a bookkeeper. Do you think he did it just for fun?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
So please think before you start spreading stories. If Rockfellers are rich today then it's simply because they used their brains and two hands that God gave them. But God gives those to all human beings. We have the same opportunity. It depends on them.</div>
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Complaining won't get us anywhere. We must use the brain and two hands that God gave us.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
It's our turn.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Let's do it.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
No need to be violent.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Just brain and two hands. A lot of intelligence and hard-work.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Are you willing?</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Or do you just want to complain, complain and complain...</div>
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It's difficult.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
I'm sure it is. It must have been difficult for William Rockfeller too. Or was it fun?</div>
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Think before you speak. Think before you accuse.</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7l1ot-0-0" style="color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Think.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-16357843609884044472016-03-14T01:05:00.000-07:002016-03-14T01:05:40.892-07:00Jealousy Reigns in the heart of 'Modern' People<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Some people don't study hard when they
are kids. Why? God knows why. Maybe they are too lazy. Then when they are older
and can't earn the same as those who got educated they start shouting that it
is unfair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">I am not being inhuman. I am being realist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">I know some people who worked hard when they were children and
today they are leading a comfortable life just like any educated person does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">One person, of higher caste (oh it's so important for the press)
lost his father when he was 6 years' old. His parents were poor and he was not
an only child. He had no choice but to sell second/ third/ fourth hand used
books, magazines and newspapers on the road when he was a child. But he didn't
go home and sleep. He worked hard and he studied hard, too. Of course, given
his poverty he didn't have the money to go to private (called Public in India)
schools. He studied in a government school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">He worked day and night. Then he succeeded in breaking that bond
that stopped him... the bond of lack of education.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Today, he is an example. I consider him to be more successful
than I have ever been. I am proud of him (though he is not from my family but
is from my family of living beings as is taught in Hinduism). He is a human
being par excellence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">We tax-payers pay taxes. Government uses these taxes to operate
government/ municipality schools where children can study for free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">We, in India, have book banks in schools. Children can get books
from the book banks because once you pass the class, you don't need the same
text-books in the next class so donate it and other children can take and use
the same books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">These are not created by aliens but by human beings… no, not by foreigners
or by people of another religion, but by us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">But some people don't use these and then you cry foul because
some people are better off than you today. But did you work as hard as they
did?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">I remember the story of Dheerubhai Ambani. He was not from a
rich family. He was a poor man, too. But he worked hard… really hard. And thanks
to his work and intelligence and ability to risk all that he had, today, his
family, his children are rich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">So why should we feel jealous of him? Did he steal something
from our house? So many people work for Reliance industries. Of course, they
are not as rich. But where would they be had Sh. Dheerubhai Ambani not done
anything, not taken any risk?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Several years ago, they made a movie about him. Of course, it
never became a blockbuster. Maybe it's not 100% true (as it is a movie) but
still it taught me how important it is to work harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Look at today's politicians who cry unfair because Ambanis are
so rich. Your parents didn't do anything that is not Ambanis' fault. You can do
something so that your children have a better life. Of course, you are not Ambani.
Do little that you can. Don't depend on others. That's the lesson we learn. We
have to work hard. Dreaming is not enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Hard work is the key to success. Of course, you can't succeed a
lot if you are not intelligent and/ or if you don't study and work hard as a
kid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Two examples: Examples of people of different castes. But their
lives were difficult. If they succeeded, it was because they were intelligent
and hard-working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">You may say that I am lazy but I am not rich. But I am not
materialist or jealous of the two either. I am proud that in India poor people
can become rich if they are intelligent and hard-working. Of course, some
politicians and materialists will keep shouting against the Ambanis because
they are rich and those who shout are from middle class families. I won't. My
happiness doesn't lie in money. I have enough to eat. That's enough for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">My role model has never been someone like Ambani.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">My role model was and is Madame Marie Curie. She led a difficult
life but I would have loved to be at least half as good and happy as she was
with little that she had.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 13.15pt; margin: 4.5pt 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">What
about you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-15401262965092458482016-03-12T03:23:00.001-08:002016-03-12T04:02:47.300-08:00We study Indian History. Do we really?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Recently I watched a documentary about the excellence of Roman empire. A pity that none of our directors ever made such beautiful documentary about our civilisation. It is one of the most ancient places where certain things existed but no... they look at India from the point of view of those who attacked and want to teach what the attackers wanted to teach.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
This documentary speaks of a technique of heating and the technique that they show also existed in several palaces and forts in India. Only it was used to reduce the temperature in Indian forts and palaces.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
BC and AD have become BCE and CE. CE - Common Era and BCE - Becore Common Era.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
But remember that before Christ we had our own Common Eras in Asia and Indian Subcontinent.</div>
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Do you remember - Vikrami Samvat and Shak Samvat?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Of course, a country and civilisation that lost the war becomes submissive and we have remained submissive even when India has become a Free Nation.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
We are more in number. But we want to resemble the attackers. Hey, look at what they and their countries were before they came to India. How did they live? Oh, may be you think our ancestors would have loved to live the way they lived. Or may be you would.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Oh! Hinduism was so bad. Our Kshatriyas had no choice but to protect the people and be Kings. They were never so rich, that third lowest caste (as the foreigners call them) had so much power. They had all the money and were so rich that they could lend money to the Kings and Kings owed them the money.</div>
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And Brahmins! So called the highest caste! Ha ha ha</div>
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The sociologists and communists would laugh.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
How can someone who is so poor be of the highest caste, the highest class. They never had enough money, no big mansions, nothing. They were beggars for the modern people who think so highly of material world. Highest caste! Poor people who had nothing?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Even the royal priest, the Prime Minister, didn't have a palace. And you want us to believe that they were of the highest caste? Even Chanakya lived in a hut! And you respect him?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
They spoke of Mohanbhog. One would think ah delicious meal with lots of delicious dishes. But remember what they said - Mohanbhog - One must eat whatever one can have. Even boiled kaaley cholle, chickpeas, taste like Mohanbhog when one is really hungry. So that's what they ate? And they gave such a special name to this food? So stupid!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
But in India, we were different. We respected them because they were our teachers. They knew more than we did. They spent their time studying. Nothing else. Just teachers, doctors, scientists!</div>
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Strange? But that was India about which no one teaches now.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
We are impressed by Ayurveda. But do you know that Chyavanprash was discovered by a biological scientist whom they used to call a Rishi. One of the things that he discovered is sold as Chyavanprash today.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
But do we know? Do we care?</div>
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It is just a tonic.</div>
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Really, we have learnt a lot. We know our history so well. Don't we?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Of course, the conquerors write history. Let's follow what they teach us. Let's follow their orders.</div>
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They still have the paths that we Indians call 'galli'. And they are still beautiful. How many 'gallis' do you have in your village and/ or city?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636px; margin-top: 6px;">
Think.</div>
</div>
Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-46152286572669106272013-01-31T00:51:00.002-08:002013-01-31T00:51:28.473-08:00Faith and Forgiveness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I read an
excerpt from Mahabharata that set me thinking about the question of Hindu
Terrorism:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">एकवर्णं यथा दुग्धं भिन्नवर्णासु धेनुषु </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">|<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
<span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">तथैव धर्मवैचित्र्यं तत्त्वमेकं परं स्मॄतम् //</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">जिस प्रकार विभिन्न रंगों वाली गाय एक ही रंग का दूध देती
हैं उसी प्रकार सभी धर्म अलग प्रतीत होते हुए भी एक ही ईश्वर का संदेश देते हैं </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">। ------महाभारत</span> </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Meaning</u>:<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: blue;">Just as
cows of different colours give milk of same colour similarly even though all
religions appear different yet they give us message of the same God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That is
why Hindus don’t try to convert people; Hindus don’t attack people of other
religions to force them to convert to Hinduism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is the most secular religion in the world (that doesn’t denigrate
other religions and it is sad that some people try to portray otherwise simply
because of vote-bank politics. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hinduism
may have influenced other religions but never have we attacked or killed
people. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Isn’t it
evident from the fact that the Hindi/ Sanskrit word for religion also means
righteousness and duty?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, Hinduism
is not a religion in the strict sense of the word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a philosophy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now
compare it with other religions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
heard of Crusades (</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)
(</span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04543c.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04543c.htm</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)
and Jihad (</span><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jihad"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jihad</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)
(</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihad"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihad</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">).
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever wondered what are these
and from where these terms originate?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you
see the definition of Jihad in Merriam Webster, you’ll notice that the word Crusade
is used there as well: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR;">:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR;"> a holy war
waged on behalf of Islam as a religious duty; <i>also</i><b>:</b> a personal
struggle in devotion to Islam especially involving spiritual discipline <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR;">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR;">:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR;"> a crusade for
a principle or belief <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We know
how active some people have been on the name of Crusade and Jihad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve forced/ enticed/ attacked people of
other religions simply to convert them to follow their belief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why can’t (or couldn’t) they be happy with
the diversity prevalent in this world?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have you
heard that Hindus attacked other countries in order to convert them to
Hinduism?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Undoubtedly there must have
been a time when they could have done so but did they do so?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hinduism has an inbuilt check for such
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are allowed multiplicity of
beliefs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing stops us from going to
religious place of another religion (and not with an aim to destroy it) and
pray because we believe that God is everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Still those who believe in omnipresent and omniscient God try to destroy
places of worship and beliefs of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
believe that God is so powerful that he/she doesn’t need us to protect
him/her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My faith is strong enough in
that Supreme Being that I can go to a church and pray to my Krishna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t need to destroy the place or convert
others around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the poison given to
Meera could become ‘amrit’ (nectar) then why wouldn’t the wine and bread in
church be converted to ‘charnamrit’ and ‘prasad’?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that is required is faith that it’s the
same God everywhere and everyone needn’t believe in the same things in which I
believe.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am a
Hindu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t feel the need to convert
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My faith is strong enough that
external factors wouldn’t affect it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
regardless of how many temples terrorists/ missionaries of other religions
destroy, there is one temple that they can’t destroy… and that temple is in my
heart and soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My
Krishna resides there and keeps me on the right path – the path of love and
forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I am not a weakling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My faith is also my strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, only the righteous and really
strong people have the power to love and forgive eternally. On the other hand, if there really was a crusade by Hindus where will the world be today? </span></span></div>
</div>
Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-7473728851540034162012-08-13T01:53:00.002-07:002012-08-13T01:53:58.559-07:00Cherry Blossoms - Part 6 (END)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But </span><span lang="EN-GB">he had no choice but to think things
over now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was beginning to understand
how difficult it was going to be and he was in no mood to let Arnav off the
hook like others had done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
preparing himself for a long-drawn battle starting with his own family because
he was sure that they won’t agree to his approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would have preferred some other way of
getting rid of the person who had harmed their family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for Krishna it was not just a question of
ego but justice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted everyone to
know who Arnav really was.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
he prepared for the battle, he could see that Sneha was slowly fading away… he
was worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meanwhile,
Sneha felt as a mere observer of all that was happening around her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had never been a chirpy and lively
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But slowly, her smile faded
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She saw others look at her
questioningly but she had no longer the courage or force to say anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had suddenly realised how fragile she
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t want to harm anyone and
felt that by punishing Arnav she was actually going to kill her own
spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a non-violent person who
believed in forgiving and forgetting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But this was so hard to forgive or forget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arnav had taken away her childhood… he had
killed her spirit and now he was going to kill her by making her do things that
were against her nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sadness in
her eyes hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And her silence froze all
questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Krishna was too busy trying
to get Arnav punished to pay any attention to his wife for whom he was doing
all this. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sneha’s
silent and sadness pushed Krishna further and further away from her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She no longer felt attached to anything and
one day Krishna woke up to find her gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He searched everywhere like a dutiful husband but in a way he felt
relieved because this was making him feel so hollow inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had never told Sneha how he couldn’t bear
to see her sad and silent and had thought that she knew…</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And
Sneha was feeling so lonely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hadn’t
left any note, nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one knew whether
she was dead or alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever the case
might be she hadn’t used her credit cards or bank account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had searched for her for some days, some
had continued for some months, only Krishna continued to hope against hope that
she’d return to him one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt
guilty but there wasn’t much he could do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He had failed where he wanted to succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone wanted him to remarry but Sneha was
the essence of his being and he couldn’t think of leaving her even when she had
left him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His love for her grew with
every day that passed and no one could ever replace her in his heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day, fed up of being pressurised, he went
to the temple and renounced the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He had done his own last rites and no longer belonged to this
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was alive but life had gone
out of him long ago.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sneha
had always known what he was doing and had done her best to help but there was
little that she could do for him from where she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears welled up in her eyes again and as another
cherry blossom fell at her feet she saw Arnav go to another little girl… another
Sneha?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-75366841032174004942012-03-06T03:43:00.002-08:002012-03-06T03:44:15.643-08:00Cherry Blossoms - Part 5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"</span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">, I hope you know what it means to register a case of </span><stockticker><span lang="EN-GB">CSA</span></stockticker><span lang="EN-GB"> in our country, and that too against someone as rich and influential as Arnav."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Raghav, I know that it's not going to be easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But..."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Easy?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raghav interrupted, "</span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">, not only is it going to be an uphill task but extremely dangerous as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I am not talking about your, Sneha's or your families' reputation."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Reputation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you seen how Sneha is suffering?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am rich enough to silence the whole world and as they say even a bad reputation is a reputation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My family's reputation has been built during hard times and hardships will strengthen it further, if anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only middle-class or nouveau-riche people care about reputation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People like us don't give a damn about what others say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We tread on dangerous roads and continue the journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will set an example for anyone who dares play or even think of playing with us or our sentiments."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Raghav was stunned to hear these words from the scion of one of the most esteemed families of the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked doubtful but remained silent.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> broke the silence.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Raghav, all I want to know is what should I do to get Arnav behind the bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does the law say?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"</span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">, the problem is that our law, like the society, is silent about the matter."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What!"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Well, you see, in our country Child Sexual Abuse is a matter of shame just like rape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People don't want to admit that it exists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result, there is no legal framework for </span><stockticker><span lang="EN-GB">CSA</span></stockticker><span lang="EN-GB"> or victims of </span><stockticker><span lang="EN-GB">CSA</span></stockticker><span lang="EN-GB">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There have been efforts by some individuals and NGOs in this direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there's not been much progress."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> was shocked to silence.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You mean Arnav will get away with his crime?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Well, firstly, beware that it's going to be a very long war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There will be several battles that you'll have to fight before you can think of winning the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing that Arnav can't say is that Sneha gave her consent and so it was a consensual relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our law is very clear about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One can't sign any contract till one is18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So she is actually safe on that front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From what you told me, it appears that she was subjected to </span><stockticker><span lang="EN-GB">CSA</span></stockticker><span lang="EN-GB"> when she was 4-5 years old and it continued till she was 10-12 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So in no way could she give her consent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, as it will be treated as rape, they'll ask for a proof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's easy to accuse someone but how will she prove it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was just a child so she didn't understand it and so she was not ever examined by doctors for the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So all possible medical and forensic evidence, including </span><stockticker><span lang="EN-GB">DNA</span></stockticker><span lang="EN-GB">, has disappeared forever."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> was listening silently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had never thought about all this.</span></div>
</div>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-28129205228154389662012-03-02T01:35:00.000-08:002012-03-02T02:51:04.976-08:00Cherry Blossoms - Part 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> couldn't control himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shook with violence.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Arnav is in for a big shock," thought Raghav.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Of course, like most lawyers, Raghav was aware of Arnav's penchant for young children, especially girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least one couldn't accuse him of gender discrimination but this didn't make it easy to forgive or forget his deeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Legal community knew him well and he had a reputation, albeit a negative one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How he and some of his colleagues wished that one of these days he'd be killed in an accident!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And some of them had even thought of arranging one especially for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But at the same time they felt that this would mean letting him off the hook too easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet it was so difficult, nay almost impossible, to nail him for his crime as most of the victims refused to come forward to register their complaint in the first place and when some did, they were reduced to silence either with money or by their own family's sense of shame.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This was the first time a victim was going to come out in the open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the fact that the accused and the victim had been seen recently with each-other, on the occasion of Sneha and </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">'s wedding, wasn't going to make things easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arnav had known Sneha's family for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arnav and Anand Kaushal, Sneha's father, had known each other for over 20-25 years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that Sneha's story was going to come out in the open, Arnav will have to face someone whose social status was higher than his own and it won't be so easy for him to stifle the case this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time, it also meant hard time ahead for Sneha's parents we well as her in-laws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wedding of the year was about to become the nightmare of the decade for all concerned.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Raghav was glad that he had been chosen for this task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was sure to be in limelight and gain popularity, both within lawyers' community as well as among public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had heard the tales of other victims and knew how harrowing it must be for Sneha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did he have any idea what he had taken on?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His love for Sneha was taking him towards unchartered waters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But will his love withstand the difficulties that awaited him?</span></div>
</div>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-59149962572533799322012-02-10T03:49:00.000-08:002012-02-10T03:49:25.747-08:00Cherry Blossoms Part - 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Sneha is very ill," </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> was saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Shoplifting..." thought Raghav.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or maybe Sneha wanted to write her will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other than that he couldn't see why would </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> come to him? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a lawyer, not a doctor, for heaven's sake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he remained silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn't there to judge people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His job was to help his client to the best of his ability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was important to be attentive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a good listener but this was so unusual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So he worked hard and concentrated to listening to what </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> was saying.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Sneha is very ill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I know it's not her fault and we have found the cause but we don't know how to act on what we have found and if there is anything we can do."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"But if she is sick then you should take her to a doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not one. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you want I can suggest some good ones."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"It's not that."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Then what is it?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Well, she is sick because she has found something that happened long ago."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"..."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"When she was very young, someone took undue advantage of her innocence and took away her innocence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, she had suffered a sort of amnesia and it all came back to her recently."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Are you sure of this?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Yes, I am."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You know often some people speak like this just to make others' interested in themselves, especially people like Sneha who are simple and who haven't done anything in their lives."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Raghav!" </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> felt anger rise within, "Be careful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are talking about Sneha, my wife."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I know, </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But how can you be so sure that all this is true."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I am sure because I was with her all the time when she was going through that hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was there when the psychologist hypnotised her and made her remember all that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was there when she would sob the nights and tremble at every sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was there."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> was almost shouting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Raghav was glad that his office was sound-proof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, regardless of whether they had signed a non-disclosure agreement or not, the way </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">'s voice was reverberating in the office everyone would have known and it was serious, really serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Part 4....</span></div>
</span></span></div>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-44064236690815099152012-01-02T04:20:00.001-08:002012-01-02T04:20:52.082-08:00Seasons' Greetings and A Very Happy & Prosperous New Year 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Dear Readers,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here's wishing all of you a very happy and healthy new year 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here's to more reading & literary New Year 2012.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Happy reading.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<personname><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ritu </span><personname><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bhanot</span></personname></personname><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
</div>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-34188311875852664792011-12-13T11:12:00.000-08:002011-12-16T02:40:41.017-08:00Cherry Blossoms Part - 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He was really confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was as if he had been put in the sea and asked to cross it and he didn't even know how to swim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he was damned if he didn't give it a very good try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He decided to consult his lawyer the following day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raghav was a very experienced lawyer who had a flourishing law practice in the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He usually dealt with commercial matters of </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">'s company but he had already fought penal cases as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He passed the night with great difficulty.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Next morning he got ready early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he came downstairs there was no one around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, so good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn't want to explain to everyone what was going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, the day will come when he'll have to tell everyone but that day was not today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He arrived at Raghav's office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As expected, Raghav was already there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> didn't know how and where to start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if Raghav told about this visit to someone in his family or worse, to Arnav?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn't take that risk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As Raghav offered him a cup of tea, he continued to think things over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At last, he gathered courage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Raghav, today, I have come to discuss a very important matter with you."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I know."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You know?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Of course, anyone could understand the importance of the matter by the fact that you deemed fit to descend to my office so early in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually, you simply call me up or send me an e-mail or if it was really so important then you'd have sent one of your employees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But today you've come yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of that you've been fiddling with that pen ever since you entered my office."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Oh."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> looked down and saw that he was indeed fiddling with a pen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He forced a smile but it refused to light his eyes.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What is the matter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there something wrong with the contract that I drew for you the other day?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"No, it was perfect, as usual."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"So..."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Well, it is a very important matter and I would like to know if you can keep a secret..."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You no longer have faith in me..."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"No Raghav, it's not that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, I have faith in you but this is a very delicate matter and I want to be sure that no one will ever find out about it."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Well </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">, you are my biggest clients and your family owns almost half the businesses in this city..."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Yes, but I don't want anyone, not even my family to know about this discussion."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"OK, here's a confidentiality contract..." said Raghav handing him some papers, "but anyways, as an advocate I am already liable to be stuck-off from bar if I reveal any discussion with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But hopefully this will help you have more faith in me..."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"It's not that Raghav.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's just that the matter is very delicate," said </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> going through the contract.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seemed satisfied with the clauses, "Let's sign it."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They signed the contract.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> kept one copy of the contract in his bag and left promising to return in an hour or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He returned home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went to his room where he kept the envelope in his safe and went downstairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole family was gathered at the dining table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sat there with everyone quietly absorbed in his own world while everyone continued to chatter about mundane things.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"</span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">, is everything all right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are very silent today," asked his mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> gave a weak smile and remained silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn't know what to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loved Sneha too much to subject her to this humiliation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to get Arnav punished but he didn't want everyone to know about what had happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew what may happen if everyone knew the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sneha had always been so nice with everyone and this wasn't her fault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it was up to him to ensure that she was safe and away from harm. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He won't let anyone harm her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the first to finish his breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn't really hungry anyways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had no choice but to wait for everyone to finish and he wanted to be away from it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At last, everyone finished breakfast and he could leave.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He almost rushed out of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone looked at him in surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was he up to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But a look at him and they knew that he wasn't going to tell them anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They remained silent and continued with their daily chores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> went immediately to Raghav's office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raghav was waiting for him.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Raghav, something terrible has happened."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Raghav looked at </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> with surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had he lost all his money?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn't a gambler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had someone cheated him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had he been ruined?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or had he done something illegal?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> wasn't someone who had ever considered doing something illegal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a law-abiding citizen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the matter appeared to be serious and the way he was acting was almost as if he had committed some crime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raghav prayed fervently that may his suspicions be unfounded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he was worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">'s family was one of his best clients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His reverie broke with </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">'s voice.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"It's Sneha," he was saying, "We need your help and advice to do something about it."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Evidently Raghav had missed an episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he understood that it was Sneha who had done something illegal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sneha... sweet Sneha, obviously she wasn't what she appeared to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone had once said if something seems too good to be true then it surely is.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Continued (3)...</span></div>
</div>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-20745145541750666242011-11-04T06:54:00.000-07:002011-11-07T04:11:02.180-08:00Cherry blossoms (1)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Another cherry blossom fell at her feet and she continued to stare at it... in silence... with tears flowing down her cheeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world seemed to close in on her and she was just a prisoner, a prisoner of her own fears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no one in whom she could confide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She remained seated on her bench in the park.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She hurried aside as she saw him enter the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As usual, he was smartly dressed or dressed to kill, as someone had once said; only it was the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was as handsome as she remembered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was as if nothing had changed though she was no longer the same person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, it would be better to say that she was but a ghost of her old self.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was the same time of the year when the fragrance of cherry blossoms filled the air and she longed to move out... how she would have loved to make him suffer for all that pain, solitude... but all she could do was stare at the man who had destroyed her life.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She still remembered the young, chirpy girl that she used to be... all those years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was so long ago...</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She returned to the present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What use was it to cry over spilt milk?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was all over and she couldn't change the past.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She looked up at Arnav.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was right there in front of her laughing and playing with a group of children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to run but her feet seemed to be stuck to ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to shout, tell the children to be careful, to run away from the demon but words wouldn't come out of her mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears welled in her eyes.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">She remembered the conversation that she had had earlier with </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">"Why am I so scared all the time?" </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">"Don't worry Sneha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything will be all right."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">"How do you know?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Looking at Arnav she could feel the anger rise in her... anger for destroying her life, ruining her and closing all doors to happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therapists had tried to cure her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone told her that forgiving Arnav would heal her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the memories of his dirty hands on her made her revolt against all those platitudes... because that was all that such words meant to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only the wearer knows where the shoe bites.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How could they even pretend to understand her pain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were not the ones who had undergone all that... she felt like throwing-up... of course, several years had passed since that time... time of innocence.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She had been a pretty little child as fragile as these cherry blossoms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young flower whose fragrance perfumed her parents' house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A chirpy child who'd lost its smile in a few days. And no one had understood why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her parents hadn't recognised those tell-tale signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And she'd felt so guilty and ashamed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could she tell them what she'd done?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was only after years of therapy that she'd realised that it wasn't her fault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now she knew what lay behind those forgotten memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, some of it was still buried deep within her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she remembered enough to know the name of her foe.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was a pity that she'd not understood this earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How long had she hidden behind these clouds?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when she'd realised the reason behind her fears... it was too late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She'd lost everything.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yes, that sweet child had grown up to a beautiful and shy young woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then her parents had found </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">, the perfect match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was nice and gentle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was extremely happy.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They were young and life was waiting for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their marriage united the two families as well as businesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone was happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then they left for </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Europe</span></place><span lang="EN-GB">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the beginning of spring and the air was filled with fragrance of cherry blossoms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was so happy.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But it was then that darkness overshadowed their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It entered without knocking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of the two was prepared for this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One night, she woke up suddenly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had had a nightmare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn't remember much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she was too scared to return to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> had cradled her in his arms the whole night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it didn't stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It became a routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She'd hardly gone to sleep when she'd wake up, trembling, sweating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> didn't understand what was going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither did she.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was then that they decided to visit a doctor who in turn advised them to go and see a psychologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had refused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why should she go to see a psychologist?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn't mad, was she?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> had started losing patience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He just shared his name with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn't one.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Finally, they'd returned to </span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">India</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> earlier than planned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was supposed to be the best time of her life and it had proved to be a nightmare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, after much persuasion she had agreed to visit a psychologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> was back with her, supporting her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank God!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was no longer alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was getting more and more difficult... her nightmares continued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn't get better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn't understand anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why was this happening?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The psychologist insisted that she had suffered some sort of trauma in past and that was what had resurfaced in her memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she couldn't believe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had never had any negative experience in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though her life wasn't a bed of roses but the thorns weren't too sharp either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her world was full of small joys in which the big sorrows appeared like nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had had her share of pains but she was happy and satisfied.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So what trauma was the psychologist talking about? </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She wondered but had no reply till one day it all came back in form of a nightmare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew Arnav's familiar face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could it be true?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it just a fantasy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had she become so pervert?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was disgusted with herself and felt ashamed of herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt so dirty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She woke up and rushed to have a bath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the feeling wouldn't go.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She remained in the bathroom for a long, long time till </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> knocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She immediately covered herself and came out sobbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> didn't understand what was happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He simply hugged her tightly and remained silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After some time as her sobs subsided and she stopped shaking, he brought her to bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at him with eyes full of tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn't know what was going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women were so mysterious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only God knew what had happened to make her cry this time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So he remained silent and held her in his arms.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The night passed and the morning brought sunshine and the fragrance of cherry blossoms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sneha woke with a smile as if the previous night had never occurred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only as she looked at the sunny garden, full of cherry blossoms that she remembered everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She broke into tears again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> entered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evidently, he'd not really slept and was worried to death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loved her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The marriage had been arranged but Sneha had bewitched him in no time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew that they were made for each other and heavens had been really kind to him that they'd arranged that match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn't bear to see her sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it had been several weeks since he last saw her smile.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He decided to take things in his hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mysterious or not, he couldn't bear it any more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to get to the bottom of the matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time he had decided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enough was enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time he saw her cry, his heart broke in several pieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn't take it anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had to end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But he knew that she was close to breaking point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked so fragile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He entered carrying tea for both of them and forced a smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She, too, forced a smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew that he was trying to be kind in spite of himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt really bad about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sipped the tea silently, lost in their own thoughts, thinking as to how to break this wall of silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slowly, </span><place><span lang="EN-GB">Krishna</span></place><span lang="EN-GB"> put his hand on hers, looked in her eyes and smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again, she forced a smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been a long, long time since she felt this way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She somehow knew that he cared and that she could have faith in him, that he'd never let her down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So this was how amidst sobs and pain she told him the whole story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn't believe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arnav, of all the people!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could he have done this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just not possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then he had also seen the hell that Sneha had been through since the past couple of months and knew that she wasn't lying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Arnav!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now it was his turn to face the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he knew that any negligence on his part would have terrible consequences for Sneha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was no longer alone and couldn't escape the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt like killing Arnav; but knew that it wouldn't be the right thing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was such a delicate matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With whom could they talk about it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was there someone who could help them find a solution?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could he actually lodge a complaint against Arnav after all these years?</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Continued(2)</span></div>
</div>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-71622141772999187802011-10-31T01:04:00.000-07:002011-11-24T01:57:30.132-08:007 billionth Baby<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">O you, who have not yet been born and whom everyone awaits, who art thou?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Once upon a time, the world waited for </span><place><span lang="EN-GB"><place>Krishna</place>, who'd end the atrocities of his maternal uncle Kansa and deliver the world bringing a reign of love and peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there were these three wise men who went in search of a little child who'd be the king of Jews and followed the star of </span></place><span lang="EN-GB"></span><city><place><span lang="EN-GB"><city><place>Bethlehem</place></city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And today, the whole world is waiting eagerly to welcome another child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.google.co.uk/">Google</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter</a> have become the modern day versions of star of </span></place></city><span lang="EN-GB"></span><city><place><span lang="EN-GB"><city><place>Bethlehem</place></city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what is so special about this child?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it a religious figure or a miracle?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the destiny of this child?</span></place></city><span lang="EN-GB"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Click and search on <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/">Google</a> and we have the information that it may be born in either </span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB"><country-region><place>India</place></country-region> or </span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB"><country-region><place>Philippines</place></country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to United Nations Population Fund (<a href="http://www.unfpa.org/worldwide/"><span style="color: purple;">UNFPA</span></a>) </span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">Philippines</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> is the 12<sup>th</sup> most populous country in the world with 94.9 million people while <country-region><place></place></country-region></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">India</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> is the second with a population of 1,210,193,422. 1.35% of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population"><span style="color: purple;">world's population</span></a> lives in <country-region><place></place></country-region></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">Philippines</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> while <country-region><place></place></country-region></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">India</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> is home to 17.36% of world's population.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <stockticker></stockticker></span><stockticker><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)">GDP</a></span></stockticker><span lang="EN-GB"> of Philippines is 199,591 million <country-region><place></place></country-region></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">US</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB">$ while that of <country-region><place></place></country-region></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">India</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> is 1,631,970 million <country-region><place></place></country-region></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">US</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB">$.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In terms of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita"><span style="color: purple;">Per Capita Income</span></a>, Philippines ranks 125<sup>th</sup> with a PCI of 3920 International dollars and India is just a little behind at 129 with a PCI of 3408 International dollars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/14/world-happiest-countries-lifestyle-realestate-gallup-table.html"><span style="color: purple;">Forbes</span></a> </span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">India</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> ranks 115 in the list of world's happiest countries whereas <country-region><place></place></country-region></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">Philippines</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> is at 94.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_credit_rating#Standard_.26_Poor.27s">Credit Rating</a> of <country-region><place></place></country-region></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">India</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> and <country-region><place></place></country-region></span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB">Philippines</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB"> is BBB- and BB respectively. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In these circumstances what hope does this much welcomed 7 billionth baby have?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will that child be happier or healthier than the rest of its compatriots?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why are we so excited about it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have we done such an excellent job of taking care of those who are already on this planet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">O the 7 billionth amongst us, I wish we could promise you the heavens and not just to you but to each and every human being who is here among us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But unfortunately, we live in difficult times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Economic crisis has made us even more vulnerable than we used to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many people are homeless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Banks have gone bankrupt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Governments are corrupt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is going to be a cold winter... a very cold winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you'll survive the hardships and become a symbol of successful survival rather than just a number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will be here soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we always welcome all births.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We'll welcome you even if we don't have anything but a few drops of holy water from the Ganges and this even if you missed being the 7 billionth baby by a couple of numbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We, those who are already here today, welcome you with love and blessings and not just because you are a number but because you are a beautiful gift of a mother to the humanity and have come with the promise that despite of all difficulties, the humanity can and will survive.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Regardless of who you are, where you will be born, which will be your religion, remember, you'll be first and foremost a human being, a citizen of world because today the whole world is waiting for you as its seven billionth child.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div></div>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-46746108882401823242011-10-24T02:24:00.001-07:002011-10-24T02:24:50.909-07:00Autumn: Time to share warmth and sunshine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB">As leaves change colour and drop paving my path with yellow, orange, rust and red coloured rainbow that challenges the flowers of spring, I remember the cherished spring that was on my doorsteps just a few months ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Autumn is as beautiful as any other season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While some people go into depression, I can't help but marvel at the beauty that unfolds slowly in front of me.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The great painter that God, or nature or whatever you call it, is has once again managed to surpass itself and surprise us all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I see people running all over the place shouting and crying, I can't help but pity them because all that they are searching for is right there, in front of their eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And on top of that it is free.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I feel too many people are ignoring it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, I am going to share all that I see with my readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the beauty that is in your reach... and you don't need to do anything to see it... simply open your eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still so many of us ignore it or can't see it through their glasses tinted with so many other negative feelings... I'll share some of it with you because it is there and you, my readers, deserve to enjoy it.</span></div>
</div>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-42690000481780961452011-08-18T09:10:00.000-07:002011-08-23T02:53:04.975-07:00Accuweather – No more unpredictable weatherI have been planning to go on a vacation for some time now, but it is really difficult to plan one because of unpredictable weather. At times I carry loads of clothes just to be on the safe-side while at others I am not as equipped as I should be.<br />
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Take the example of something that happened just a few days ago. I had an appointment at my parlour. All of us know that Delhi is a big city where weather changes within 5 minutes as well as within a mile. As I walked outside in the sun, I thought of taking an umbrella but decided against it. After all it was burning hot and I was going by metro. I offered a silent prayer for rain and nice weather and continued on my way.<br />
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Looking back, how I wish I'd prayed for something else! Guess God was feeling particularly kind towards me that day. The moment I got out of the metro, I noticed that the floor appeared wet. I muttered something about careless people and continued on my way. Just as I was going to walk out of the station, I saw a crowd standing near the stairs. One look outside was enough to understand the reason. It was raining cats and dogs. I love rains per se. But I was not prepared. I waited for about 15 – 20 minutes hoping that it will stop. I was getting late so I decided to continue on my way. By the time I arrived for my appointment I was completely drenched. It was really embarrassing. How I wish I could predict the unpredictable Delhi weather?<br />
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And can you believe my luck? I found an application that can help me plan my day, weekend as well as vacation and help avoid such inconvenient situations. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OGM3ONd5Ajk/Tk03oMhG1rI/AAAAAAAAAF8/DBOKummXXCQ/s1600/Accuweather_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OGM3ONd5Ajk/Tk03oMhG1rI/AAAAAAAAAF8/DBOKummXXCQ/s320/Accuweather_1.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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It's called accuweather - an Intel application. Just choose any location in the world and you can see the weather forecast for 15 days and this for every hour. Simply check out the map of an area to find out what the weather is going to be like.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J2TWcp_LdNc/Tk032U95rjI/AAAAAAAAAGE/rmw29DxPQRk/s1600/Accuweather_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J2TWcp_LdNc/Tk032U95rjI/AAAAAAAAAGE/rmw29DxPQRk/s320/Accuweather_2.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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You can even see the lifestyle you'll have at a given place.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oh5wF2H4_sM/Tk04FkRXdpI/AAAAAAAAAGM/rMswRnzNoXY/s1600/Accuweather_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oh5wF2H4_sM/Tk04FkRXdpI/AAAAAAAAAGM/rMswRnzNoXY/s320/Accuweather_3.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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If you plan to go out either for just a few hours in the neighbourhood or for a week abroad, I suggest that you give it a try. At least you won't end up over or under prepared. Enjoy your trip and wish that the weather-gods will be kind with you... and stop worrying because even if they're not, it's not impossible to plan for it ;-)<br />
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This blog is an entry to the "<a href="http://bit.ly/MyFavPCapp">My Favorite PC App</a>" contest. Check out numerous apps for PC/Netbooks available at the <a href="http://bit.ly/Indi-AppUp">Intel AppUp Center</a>. If you are looking for an opportunity to build and monetize your applications, check out the <a href="http://intel.ly/Indi-IADP">Intel® Atom™ Developer Program</a>.<br />
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If you like this post then please go and <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/indipost.php?post=73184">vote for it</a> on <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/indipost.php?post=73184">indiblogger</a>.<br />
Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-9353818244959439922011-08-16T11:19:00.000-07:002011-08-23T02:55:13.289-07:00NOOK – Don't look back Readaholics, it's time to take the plungeWhich is the best application for a bookaholic and readaholic? Of course, one that lets one read without going bankrupt, which is one of the biggest risks of being a readaholic. Though I manage to control my urge to buy books most of the time, I inevitably end up buying several while traveling. That's one of my biggest weaknesses (I think).<br />
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Recently I discovered an Intel application – <a href="http://www.appup.com/applications/applications-NOOK+for+PC">Nook</a> by <a href="http://www.appup.com/applications/applications-NOOK+for+PC">Barnes and Noble</a> – that made me really feel on top of the world. I can read as much as I want... including several classics at very low rates. And then there are so many free e-books that I can choose from.<br />
I loved the fact that I could adjust the page and font size to avoid getting too tired. I only see the page I'm reading but a simple click helps open the left menu. I can bookmark, annotate, highlight text... do everything that I can do with a real book. And simply by selecting words I can actually highlight the selected text, add notes, and look up the word on dictionary.com (a monolingual on-line dictionary site) as well as on wikipedia.<br />
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Here is a comparative list of advantages and disadvantages of NOOK:<br />
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">Advantages</td> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">Disadvantages</td> </tr>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">1000s of books at your <br />
fingertips.</td> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">You can't feel the book in <br />
your hands.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Free application and several <br />
free and inexpensive books.</td> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Strain on eyes.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">These days solar chargers are <br />
available for laptops and cell-phones; therefore, one can limit the impact <br />
on environment and still recharge these tools.</td> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">One needs electricity to <br />
operate/ charge notebook, laptop, and mobile phone. What if there's a power <br />
failure? </td> </tr>
<tr> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"> Ecological: Paper-less so <br />
helps save trees.</td> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Though the application per <br />
se is free and one can get lots of books for free or at a very low rate but <br />
one has to make a one time investment on one or more tools such as PC, <br />
laptop, notebook, IPhone, etc.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">No need to re-read the whole <br />
book if you forget where a sentence/ phrase is. Simple search feature.</td> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">You have to give your credit <br />
card number even if you download a free book.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">One can change font, <br />
font-size, display area, etc. and thus limit the strain on eyes.</td> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"> </td> </tr>
<tr> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Portability: How many books <br />
can one carry if one is traveling? With NOOK you can have as many as you <br />
want.</td> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"> </td> </tr>
<tr> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Your credit card isn't <br />
charged for Free books and you get receipts by e-mail.</td> <td width="369" valign="top" style="width: 221.4pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm"><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"> </td> </tr>
</table></body> </html><br />
From a readaholic's point of view, the advantages largely outshine the disadvantages. So in short, I think that it is an excellent application or readaholics, bookworms, students, researchers as well as everyone else. Want to read a book on the move? No need to carry heavy suitcases. Now you can do so on your laptop as well as on your phone! What else can a readaholic ask for? <br />
<br />
Guess, there's one more thing that a readaholic can ask for: more books for free... So here's the icing on the cake: the unique LendMe(TM) Technology helps one exchange books with friends and family. <br />
<br />
I can talk about it for hours but am busy reading a new book today. So check it out for yourself and happy reading! :-)<br />
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<br />
This blog is an entry to the "<a href="http://bit.ly/MyFavPCapp">My Favorite PC App</a>" contest. Check out numerous apps for PC/Netbooks available at the <a href="http://bit.ly/Indi-AppUp">Intel AppUp Center</a>. If you are looking for an opportunity to build and monetize your applications, check out the <a href="http://intel.ly/Indi-IADP">Intel® Atom™ Developer Program</a>.<br />
Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-64432621720227521602011-01-03T02:04:00.000-08:002011-01-03T04:32:55.252-08:00Interview of author Ashwin SanghiA very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2011 to the readers of <a href="http://rainbowofexpressions.blogspot.com/">Rainbow of Expressions</a>. I'd like to start this new year under the sign of literature with an interview of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashwin_Sanghi">Ashwin Sanghi</a>, author of bestseller <b><i>The Rozabal Line</i></b> who has recently published another interesting novel - <i><b>Chanakya’s Chant</b></i>. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ohwCHUCVq0M/TSGhj3VDPpI/AAAAAAAAADY/SQVUV5beNuU/s1600/63611_479545146505_335393956505_5805752_1743091_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ohwCHUCVq0M/TSGhj3VDPpI/AAAAAAAAADY/SQVUV5beNuU/s320/63611_479545146505_335393956505_5805752_1743091_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<br />
<b><i>In your twitter profile you introduce yourself as "entrepreneur by day, novelist by night". How do you explain that?<br />
</i></b><br />
I was born in Mumbai in a business family that has interests in manufacturing, real estate, retail and exports. Upon completing high school from Cathedral & John Connon School in 1985, I joined St. Xavier’s College where I pursued a BA in Economics. Parallel to my college years, I had already started working for the family business and by the time that I left for my MBA at Yale in 1991, I had over five years’ worth of work experience behind me. I returned in 1993 and immediately joined the group’s board and did not consider doing anything else besides managing the family’s business interests. It was only in 2004 that I began considering penning a novel by which time I had been involved in the business world for over 15 years. I had reached a point in my life where I felt that I needed an outlet for my creativity and that this necessarily needed to be outside the realm of business innovation. Today, six years later, I have two novels published and a third in the pipeline. Writing novels is no longer a hobby for me but a parallel career. But I’m well aware of the fact that I’m able to pursue my passion for writing because of the financial independence that my business gives me, hence the description “entrepreneur by day, novelist by night.”<br />
<br />
<b><i>Don't you find it difficult to combine the world of business with that of arts i.e. writing, given that both are so different? Was it a deliberate choice?<br />
</i></b><br />
Not really. There are many traits from my business life that I have carried over into my writing life. For example, planning is an essential ingredient in writing thrillers or mysteries. As an entrepreneur I would prepare business plans whereas in my author’s avatar I prepare plot outlines. Increasingly, authors not only need to write but also need to be involved in the marketing of their own books and many of the selling skills that I picked up in my business career have been of use to me in my literary career. The process is not a one-way street though. The literary world and the publishing industry move at a rather leisurely pace and my exposure to this dimension of the industry have made me much more patient in my entrepreneurial life!<br />
<br />
<b><i>You are married and have a son; and writing, as you've rightly said somewhere, is a very lonely activity. How do you combine the two?<br />
</i></b><br />
I have simply learnt to compartmentalize. Writing is an ideal outlet for someone who is introvert—someone like me. My family has learned to respect my privacy when I’m in my study working on a novel. Usually this happens either late in the night or early in the morning. For the rest of my time, I love being a husband and a father. In fact many of my best ideas come from discussing my stories with my wife. Even my seven year old son has definite opinions on cover designs.<br />
<br />
<b><i>How and when did you start writing? When did you first discover the writer in you?<br />
</i></b><br />
I was always very fond of reading having been exposed from a very early age to the best of books by my mother and my maternal grandfather. If you read the first page of any of my novels you will see the line “I am fortunate to be the grandson of the late Shri Ram Prasad Gupta and grandnephew of his brother, the late Shri Ram Gopal Gupta. Their blessings move the fingers that hold my pen.” Both these men were avid readers and were also occasionally inspired to write Urdu and Persian poetry. Both of them encouraged me to read books that I would otherwise never have read. It was my grandfather who told me that simply being a successful businessman was of no use if one was unable to give time to a creative pursuit. His view was that business can feed your stomach, but what will feed your soul? When I went to Yale in 1991, I started writing a few articles for the university’s publications. Upon my return to India, I also started contributing a few business related articles to a select newspapers and magazines, but at this point of time I had no idea that I would ever write fiction.<br />
<br />
It was my intense curiosity for the Jesus in India story that got me to write. My parents used to regularly take us for holidays to Kashmir during the seventies and during these visits, we would do all the touristy stuff—including visiting Rozabal. As a child, however, I did not fully understand the significance of the tomb. It was only in 1999 that the very notion that Jesus may have left behind a bloodline came to my attention when I read <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holy_Blood_and_the_Holy_Grail">Holy Blood Holy Grail</a></i> by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln. A couple of years later, I read Holger Kersten's <i><a href="http://www.vedicbooks.net/jesus-lived-in-india-his-unknown-life-before-and-after-the-crucifixion-p-14034.html">Jesus Lived in India</a></i> and was fascinated with the idea that Jesus could have been inspired by Buddhism and that he may have drawn much of his spiritual learning from India. I began to wonder whether I could marry the two theories i.e. that he survived the crucifixion and traveled to India and that he left behind a bloodline. I spent the next two years reading each and every book that I could acquire on topics that I wanted to explore viz. the possibility of Jesus having spent his missing years as a youth studying in India, the theory that Jesus did not die on the cross and that he was whisked away to safety, and the notion that Jesus traveled to India to reunite with the lost tribes of Israel who had settled in Kashmir. In all, I read around forty books during this time besides scouring the Internet for any information that I could possibly find. Having amassed this wealth of information in my head, I began wondering why no one had brought this subject into the realm of popular fiction and soon realized that this was a book that I simply had to write.<br />
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<b><i>You published your first novel The Rozabal Line under the pseudonym of Shawn Haigins. Why did you do so?<br />
</i></b><br />
As stated earlier, I am not a writer by profession. I was born and brought up in a business environment. I started working when I was 16 and completed my MBA when I was 22. By the time that I completed writing <i><a href="http://is.gd/iSY2H">The Rozabal Line</a></i> in 2006 I had already been in business for over 20 years. The decision to use a pen name was nothing more than a desire to compartmentalize my life so that my entrepreneurial dimension would remain distinct and separate from my literary one. However, I had not thought about an appropriate pseudonym to use until I actually completed the novel. As you know, there’s an abundance of anagrams in my first novel and the idea struck me: why not use an anagram of my real name as a pseudonym? I had always been a fan of Jack Higgins, the master of thrillers who began his career with <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eagle_Has_Landed">The Eagle Has Landed</a></i>. I tried shaping my pseudonym in his likeness. What I did not realize at that time was that I had not written just any other book but a book that was trying to coalesce different religions by connecting the dots. A close friend sent my self-published book to a reputed journalist in Kashmir who loved the book but she commented that “writers and authors ought to use their real names and not take refuge behind some sort of a camouflage. For, then, where's the connectivity, where's the bonding?” By then Tata-Westland had already decided to publish <i>The Rozabal Line</i> as an Indian edition and their management team had concerns about the difficulties in promoting the book under a pen name. Hence, the Indian edition was directly published under my real name rather than my pseudonym. This meant that all my future novels, too, would be under my own name and not under my pen name.<br />
<br />
<i><b>We've heard that your second novel is a political thriller with a historical backdrop. Could you please tell us a bit more about it? How long did it take you to write this novel?<br />
</b></i><br />
After <i>The Rozabal Line</i> had become a bestseller, I began thinking about my next book. An aunt threw the idea of Chanakya at me and I spent the next couple of weeks watching all 47 episodes of the TV series that had been produced by Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi in the early nineties. As I watched the series, I began to realize that many of the political games being played in 340 BC were not too different from the political machinations of the present day. I asked myself: What would a modern-day Chanakya look like? What strategies would he adopt? I spent the next few months reading several books on Chanakya including his own treatise, the <i>Arthashastra</i>. I was convinced that it was possible to spin a historical tale that traced the strategy of Chanakya in ancient India and linked it to the present day. And that is precisely what the novel—<a href="http://is.gd/iSWSQ">Chanakya’s Chant</a>—is about. I took around a year to write it, which included the research.<br />
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<i><b>Some people are of the view that cover is the most important strategic tool to sell a book. Do you agree? Did you pay special attention to the cover design?<br />
</b></i><br />
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I remember reading somewhere that the images and words you place on the cover of your book are those that will either walk your book right up to the cash register or march it back to the shelves. The book’s cover is the final billboard, a point-of-sale advertisement, and the last piece of promotional material that hits potential purchasers on their way to pay. Therefore, I do agree with the view that it is an important strategic tool to sell. But even more important than the cover is word-of-mouth recommendation, and this only happens if your writing appeals to the reader. Your cover can get you initial sales but future momentum is driven by reader recommendations and no one recommends a book on the strength of its cover aesthetics!<br />
<br />
<b><i>Who is your target audience?<br />
</i></b><br />
I don’t have a target audience. My view is that in order to be sure of hitting the target, it’s better to shoot first and subsequently draw circles around whatever one happens to hit! <i>The Rozabal Line</i> was written as a thriller that would appeal to men whereas I seem to have more women appreciating the book than men. The approach that I have taken is that it’s better to write from the heart and let the market dynamics sort itself out.<br />
<br />
<b><i>On your <a href="http://shawnhaigins.blogspot.com/">blog</a> you've put an impressive video, which reminds one (at least a generation of Indians) of the serial Chanakya. Was it a deliberate choice?<br />
</i></b><br />
Not really. The <a href="http://is.gd/iuvk6">book trailer</a> was influenced by two key decisions. The first decision was that the background score necessarily had to be a recitation of the <a href="http://is.gd/iuwzZ">Shakti mantra</a> that appears in various places within the novel—hence the name of the title, Chanakya’s Chant. The second decision was that the visuals needed to represent all the elements of nature i.e. fire, water, air, and earth.<br />
<br />
<b><i>There's no doubt that Chanakya's name still evokes a feeling of respect among Indians and many of us still remember that series. How would you compare it with the series?<br />
</i></b><br />
There is very little in common given the fact that the series was purely historical whereas my novel straddles two eras, the ancient period (covered by the series) and the modern day.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Do you think your novel will benefit from the Chanakya factor?<br />
</i></b><br />
There are hundreds of books written about Chanakya, the Arthashastra, and Chanakya Neeti. If the Chanakya factor could help a book become a bestseller, all the books written so far on the subject should have become bestsellers. No, I do not think that readers will buy the novel for the Chanakya factor. They will buy it in the hope of reading a juicy historical mystery that ties into a modern day political drama.<br />
<br />
<b><i>From The Rozabal Line to Chanakya’s Chant, how have you evolved as a writer? Do you see any change in your writing process, style and thoughts? How has your writing style evolved down the line?<br />
</i></b><br />
Writing a second novel is the easiest difficult thing that one ever does. It’s easy because you don’t have to prove yourself as a writer, assuming that your first book has done well. It’s difficult, because your audience has built up expectations from you. Often these expectations relate to the genre and subject. As a writer, I wish to leave myself completely free to explore any and every subject that piques my curiosity without having to wonder whether it will appeal to my readers. Partly, this is the reason why I said that I do not have a target audience. A target audience implies that one is putting limitations on one’s ability to be flexible in choice of subjects and styles. Having said that, however, I do believe that a second novel is much like having a second child. It’s much easier than the first. For one thing, you already have a good idea of the sort of edits that were required on your first work. This means that you try and foresee the pitfalls. By the time that you write your second novel, you also have lots of reader feedback regarding your first. This means that you can take corrective steps.<br />
<br />
<b><i>In earlier interviews you've referred to writing as your "jug of wine" (a sort of Madhushala, if I may say so). Do you think there'll be a day when you'll actually become a drunkard and leave the business-world to drown yourself in your "jug of wine"?<br />
</i></b><br />
I’m currently 41 years old. I don’t see myself retiring from business till I’m 55. So the next fourteen years will continue to see me drowning myself in my jug of wine by night and sobering up for business in the morning, notwithstanding the hangover!<br />
<br />
<i><b>Ashwin, thank you for spending your precious time with the readers of this blog. May your hangover last for an eternity and keep intoxicating others as well!</b></i>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-31670155797785833482010-11-13T07:23:00.000-08:002016-05-05T01:40:10.513-07:00Sati<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(practice)">Sati</a> – a word that evokes the image of a woman being forced to immolate herself on her husband's funeral pyre – an image that evokes horror and a system that has been abolished by law. But have you ever wondered what it actually means?<br />
<br />
Sati means a woman who has the power of truth (sat) in her. <br />
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Of course, all of us are aware how we humans can use everything for our personal profit. Give us technology to improve our lives and we use it to make bombs, give us money to buy food and we spend it on wine and woman. But this doesn't mean that technology and money are bad. It is simply that we can use any harmless thing in such a way that it becomes a volatile substance that can harm others around us. So no wonder Sati-a harmless word and epitome of women's power was misused in such a way that it became the worst ailment for mankind and woman was reduced to a secondary position.<br />
<br />
The first woman who is known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakshayani">Sati</a> was Shiva's wife who went uninvited to her father, Daksha's place, to attend a yagya and when her father insulted her husband she cursed her father, sat in a yogic position and underwent auto-immolation using her powers. This angered <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva">Shiva</a> who beheaded <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daksha">Daksha</a>.<br />
<br />
It is important to remember that Shiva's spouse is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakti">Shakti</a>. Sati was an incarnation of Shakti.<br />
<br />
If you think that the fact that Sati burnt to death supports the Sati practice then remember her husband was still alive and he loved her so much that he refused to part with her body and wandered with it around the universe and when it was later disintegrated by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu">Vishnu</a>, Shiva gets angry with him and later leaves to meditate alone and refuses to meet anyone for years.<br />
<br />
And it is this disintegrated body of Sati that gave us Seats of Cosmic Power or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakti_Peethas">Shakti peeths</a> where woman's power reigns supreme and millions of pilgrims visit these Shakti-peeths every year.<br />
<br />
Legend has it that Gods pray to Shakti requesting her to be born again so that the Shiva would return to the world and Sati is reborn as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvati">Parvati</a> who later kills several demons.<br />
<br />
Another woman whom we call Sati is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sita">Sita</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Rama">Ram</a>'s wife (Ramayan) and no she is not called Sati because she passed the fire-test but because she was alone surrounded by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakshas">rakshasa</a> and away from Ram still she remained true to her love and her husband in spite of all threats and promises - a woman who was true to herself and to her own standards and on whom all the carrots and brickbats of the world didn't have any effect.<br />
<br />
And Sita was not just a devote wife but a complete woman who knew how to assert herself as is evident from the fact that in the end she refuses to bow to the man she loved so much and quits him, crowned by the glory of being true daughter of mother earth. She was no meek and weak woman but a woman of substance who knew how to love, cherish and who had the courage of conviction.<br />
<br />
Of course, Ram, too, was faithful to her and madly in love with her. Remember, how he searched her like a weak, love-sick man asking trees and other creatures about her whereabouts when she was kidnapped by Ravan. When Sita was exiled to forest, Ram, the King, lives like a pauper in his sumptuous palace and sleeps on the floor. He refuses to remarry. So there is a balance and a shared love that has few parallels.<br />
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Another woman who is called Sati is <a href="http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/006.html">Savitri</a> – Satyavan's wife, who marries him of her own free will while she is fully aware that he has only one more year to live. But she is so sure of her love and her intelligence that she refuses to hear anyone else. They marry and lead a happy life and when he dies, she forces <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yama">Yama</a> (the death God) to return his soul. And they lived happily ever after.<br />
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So do these three women evoke the image of a weak woman being drugged and forced to sit on their husband's pyre and burnt alive? Were they just instruments in man's hands?<br />
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I don't think so. For me Sati is Shakti, the cosmic power - woman's power - power of a woman to destroy (like Shiva's wife Sati) or create (like Savitri). And even when she, like Sita, refuses to return to her beloved husband (who, too, loves her), it doesn't diminish her glory in any way. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism">Hinduism</a> doesn't tell you go and obey your husband but to live life as you deem correct according to your own principles, your <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma">dharma</a>. None of the three Satis took their husband's permission before committing the ultimate act. And their husbands are shown as epitome of love and fidelity. So when I say glory to Sati, I glorify the powerful womanhood that can create, preserve and destroy.</div>
Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-39122897113942013712010-11-01T23:16:00.000-07:002010-11-02T05:13:50.262-07:00Hinduism and forced marriagesThese days we hear so much about forced marriages and so many movies have been made about these. If you ask me: Are forced marriages Hindu?<br />
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My reply would be:<br />
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No, they aren't. How can they be?<br />
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If you read our ancient texts, including Vedas, it was a woman's prerogative, nay <i><b>birthright</b></i>, to choose her own husband. Rich people and kings organised big <b><i>swayamvar</i></b> <i>('swayam' i.e. own + 'var' i.e. groom)</i> ceremonies during which their daughters chose from one of the eligible men who wanted to marry them. And it was not limited to kings or rich people.<br />
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We have stories in which rich princesses chose poor aspirants and poor women married rich aspirants and caste system didn't play a major role in it. Parshuram was son of a Brahmin father and Kshatriya mother (a princess).<br />
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Raavan was son of a Brahmin father and a Rakshasi mother. Still he was one of the aspirants who wanted to marry Sita and Janak had accepted him in the ceremony. Karn, regarded as a charioteer, attended Draupadi's swayamvar implying that her father had invited him/ accepted his presence.<br />
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And here is one of the rare examples that show how a woman used her birthright (according to Hinduism) of choosing her life-partner. Karn actually succeeded the test set by Draupadi's father (another version says that Draupadi refused him before he had a chance because she feared that he'd succeed given that he'd already beaten Arjun once).<br />
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From the perspective of a '<i>modern</i>' person, one would think that Draupadi didn't have much choice but to marry Karn, whom her father had accepted as an aspirant and eligible life partner for his daughter. But Draupadi wanted to marry Arjun (or had been born to marry Arjun). She was sure that he would pass the test. She hadn't anticipated that another man could pass the test. So she finds a way out of this sticky situation though it is not appropriate and evidently discriminatory by today's standards.<br />
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She goes against her father's wishes and refuses to marry Karn on the pretext that he is of a low birth.<br />
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She willingly marries Arjun, disguised as a poor Brahmin (so neither Kshatriya nor Prince or King), when he passes the test. It is made explicit that she'd recognised him though everyone considered him to have died, burnt in the Lakshagrah incident.<br />
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Rukmini marries Krishna in spite of the fact that her brother Rukmi had arranged her marriage with Krishna's cousin, Shishupal and states that it is her birthright as a woman. And we still respect both Rukmini and Krishna while people often forget or abhor Rukmi and Shishupal who are regarded as low-beings (though both were born princes).<br />
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And this is a tradition that was still in vogue as late as in the 12th century as is evident from the story of Prithviraj Chauhan (1149-1192 A.D.) and Samyukta in which Samyukta marries Prithviraj Chauhan against her father's wishes in her swayamvar and is supposed to have spoken of her birthright to choose her own husband. <br />
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As we have seen above, women like Draupadi and Samyukta went against their father's wishes and chose another man. And we still respect them as women.<br />
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In fact, what was essential was that the woman gave her heart to a man (what is called <i>man se patI dhAraN karnaa</i> in Hindi) i.e. considered someone as her husband from her heart and soul.<br />
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Yes, that is Hinduism. Forced marriages aren't Hindu if you consider that a woman has to consider a man as her husband from her heart and soul which is impossible if you force a girl to marry a boy chosen by her parents or someone else (of course, it's always easier when parents search for a suitable match and the girl can choose one of the eligible boys/ men chosen by her parents).<br />
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And we still honour this tradition of '<i>swayamvar</i>' in our wedding ceremonies in the form of '<i>jaymaalaa</i>' (the garland of victory) during which the girl puts a garland around the boy's neck implying that the boy has won over her heart and she accepts him as husband and then the boy honours her wishes by putting a garland of flowers around her neck.<br />
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This ceremony is the only one required for gandharva-vivah (a valid Hindu marriage) that is done without the presence of a third person i.e. only the bride and groom are present. But given the way boys breach a girl's trust (and opposite, too, happens at times), gandharva vivah has gone out of mode. But this doesn't make it unacceptable from religious point of view. Yet, it is not advisable because of lack of security as there is no proof of such marriages and any of the two may later refuse to acknowledge that it actually took place.<br />
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Sita is considered as a worthy example that a Hindu girl/ woman is supposed to follow. And Sita chose her own husband whom she'd seen, by chance, in a garden and this before the 'swayamvar' ceremony. She's supposed to have fallen in love with Ram at first sight and accepted her as her husband by heart and soul and this before the ceremony. Ramayan is incomplete without Sita's swayamvar. Do you think Sita would have been the exemplary wife that she's portrayed to be if she had been forced to marry Ram?<br />
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Marriage according to Hindu tradition is a sacred bond of love and mutual respect, for eternity, in which it is the girl who chooses her own husband whom she accepts as such from the depths of her heart and soul, a bond that is as beautiful, fragrant, sacred and delicate as the flowers in the wedding garland, flowers that we offer to God. This is the Hinduism in which I believe, Hinduism where women are free to choose in spite of political constraints. And forced marriages don't lead to any happiness and lead only to a woman's fury that killed Bhishma Pitamah, in the form of Shikhandi, in spite of the fact that he had the boon that he'd die only when he wanted to.Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-2729526217588747552010-11-01T23:13:00.000-07:002010-11-17T01:25:25.989-08:00Hindu and Proud to be oneYes, I am a Hindu and am proud of being one.<br />
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An assertion that quite a few would find strange in this day and age when you see honour killings, forced marriages, dowry deaths, just to state a few of the ailments from which this ancient philosophy suffers.<br />
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Yes, I used the word philosophy instead of religion because Hinduism is a philosophy, a sort of complete water-cycle in which several different clouds of water arise from the same great ocean only to return to the ocean, which is why you see certain basic similarities and beliefs in all the paths that have started from this philosophy.<br />
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But it has been centuries since people actually forgot the ocean and started thinking that their little clouds were the origin and the end. I am Hindu. But I don't belong to one of the small clouds but to the ocean. I believe in God and sacred ancient Hindu texts including Vedas. So this is a series of articles in which I'll try to answer some questions that I often ask myself, as a Hindu, and the answers that I found after thinking for a long time, reading and as a result of some long winded discussions with some learned men and women.Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-2598278231346760002010-10-14T11:08:00.000-07:002010-10-14T11:29:22.822-07:00Unruly RulesRules – they are my bête noire. Why? Well simply because I've often observed that in our attempt to make everyone uniform, ensure that they act the same way and create a sort of equality among unequal at times, we, as people and part of institutions, go so far that we cross that fine line that differentiates strict from ridiculous and our rules appear funny, to say the least.<br />
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Here are a few examples:<br />
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1) <i><b>Inform before you take a leave</b></i> - Quite a reasonable requirement one'd think. Now consider this: I've heard of some 'bosses' who penalised their subordinates who took 'sick-leave' without prior notice! Or who considered it inappropriate when an employee took leave without prior notice because of a near one's demise? And of course, there's the case of the jealous co-worker who complained when the 'star employee' took a 'leave' without telling him when he (the star employee, that is) was actually out on an important official mission.<br />
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2) <b><i>Do your home-work on time</i></b> – All of us know this rule and have followed it in school. But have you ever heard of the class-teacher who punished a new student who'd just been admitted to the school and whom he had allocated a seat less than 10 minutes ago? Why? Simply because the student hadn't finished homework that was due that day.<br />
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3) <i><b>Same post – same pay</b></i> – Why would the 'star employee' work harder and contribute more to the organisation if he didn't gain anything 'extra' out of it? Don't expect me to work more if you pay me the same as my co-worker simply because we have the same post.<br />
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4) <b><i>One man – One post</i></b> – I agree on the principle and consider that it's OK for the government or political bodies, etc. but I hope that it won't be applied on people like you and me. I'd have to choose among the many things that I love to do. I guess I'll have no choice but to stop writing.<br />
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5) <b><i>Rules are subject to change at any time without any prior notice</i></b> – Now that is the funniest and most ridiculous one that I've ever heard. How do you want people to follow the rules if they don't even know what they are? Imagine you come to office on day D and the rules have changed without any prior notice!<br />
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Of course, we need rules but don't ever forget why God gave us brains (if you believe in God that is) and if you don't believe in God remember to use common sense before following the rules next time. I know, common sense is very uncommon but it can be quite useful.<br />
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And don't forget the <b>golden rule</b>: <b><i>Rules are made to be broken!</i></b> <br />
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<b>[It's just a take at those who follow rules without applying common sense. Personally, I do follow rules but at the same time I also use common sense, or whatever I have of it.]</b>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-22840960845195871792010-10-14T07:09:00.000-07:002010-10-28T07:35:57.599-07:00A Ray of Hope...Once again, it's that time of the year when everything is grey and cold... dead. When I look out of my window all I see is the fast fading image of lush green trees. I wish I lived in one of those countries where sun shines all-through the year, where birds chirp with joy every morning. Instead here I am in this dead world.<br />
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Everyone says that I need to go out but the world seems like a cold, dreary place. At least, I'm warm inside. If this cold doesn't kill me, the sadness will definitely finish the job. But I can't help it. It's not as if I don't have any friends but I don't feel like talking with anyone.<br />
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Just a minute, someone is knocking at my door.<br />
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"Hi Meena."<br />
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"How are you?"<br />
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"I'm fine, di. And you?"<br />
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"Excellent. It's been a long time since you called."<br />
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"Ummm... yeah. I've been a bit busy."<br />
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"Ah... OK. You look sick."<br />
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"Thanks. Just the thing to make me feel better!"<br />
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"Hey, don't look at me as if I was a monster! You do look sick. You need to go out more often. Have fun. Life is too short to be spent in this dark closet. By the way when was the last time you looked around you? Even I'd fall sick if I lived here."<br />
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"As if that was possible," I muttered under my breath, hating her for her cheerful chatter. Did she have any idea as to what silence meant? How could she be so cheerful all the time? Even in this dark, gloomy weather.<br />
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"Meena... Meena, are you listening?"<br />
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"Yes, di." I said just like an obedient little child that she expected me to be.<br />
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"Here. Take it. It's a gift for you."<br />
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"For me? It's not my birthday."<br />
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"I know. But I felt like giving you a gift."<br />
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"Thanks di." I said unwillingly taking that box wrapped in colourful gift wrap. She always managed to come with something and of course, I didn't have much say in what it was. She was a sort of weird Santa who never had a look at the list of things one had prepared but who brought gifts that he thought one needed. I know I'm being mean. But it was so irritating... I rarely, if ever, liked her gifts.<br />
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"Now, will you please open it?"<br />
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She seemed more eager than I was. <br />
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"She was such a child! At her age..." I thought opening the gift-wrap. I didn't feel half as excited as she was. I'm sure she would have torn the gift-wrap, while chattering and shrieking at the same time. And there it lay...<br />
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I looked at the little <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/images/indivine/campaigns/docomo1/mainbanner.jpg">mobile phone</a> that peeped out of the box. I stood still – thunder-struck. What a rude way to remind me to call! I didn't know what to say. Felt like throwing it back at her. But it looked so sweet and innocent... just like that proverbial apple.<br />
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I forced a smile. "Thanks di. It's beautiful."<br />
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"No need to be so delirious," she winked, "Here, I bought the same for myself. Just have a look. You can do everything you want. Talk with me, for example," she continued laughing, "take pictures, surf the web, chat, tweet, everything you want."<br />
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"I want tea."<br />
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"She bowed her head down. And I heard my new phone ring. Surprised, I picked it up. And couldn't help smiling... She knew exactly what it took to force that smile out of me. It'd just taken her a few seconds to send me a chat message with the <b>image of a steaming cup</b> followed by the words "<b>T 4 U</b>".<br />
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"Thanks di. Would you like some too?" I asked going towards the kitchen.<br />
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"Of course, have I ever refused a cup of tea? And please get me something to eat, something spicy. I'm famished."<br />
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By the time I returned with tea and some '<i>namkeen</i>', my new phone was furiously emitting small rings. And di was smiling naughtily. I looked at the small instrument and...<br />
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"Di, how does everyone know the number?"<br />
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"Oh nothing, I gave your number to everyone and created chat and twitter ids for you and of course, I had to tell everyone, otherwise, what's the use of having all this?"<br />
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"Of course." Somehow I no longer felt so lonely and sad. It was still that time of the year but colours were back in my life.<br />
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I replied to all my friends. And soon, I got lots of pictures and music on my mobile. Di had taken liberty with my life. And once again, she'd succeeded.<br />
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I hate her for it but I love her a lot too because she always knows how to make me feel good. She expresses her love in so many different ways and is so alive just like this little wonder of a phone that she gifted. I keep it with me all the time and always in touch with those who love me. I love taking photographs and am ever-ready. I no longer lose any opportunity to capture life and am as alive as my loving Di...Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620203566502571671.post-78220314260294397172010-08-15T02:37:00.000-07:002010-08-15T02:39:59.453-07:00I read, therefore, I amAll of us have a vice and mine is a very serious one: I am a compulsive reader. I simply can't help it. Mine is a case fit for <b><i>Readers Anonymous</i></b>, if such a body exists. I read and I read all that I can lay my hands on. If I can't find a book or a magazine then I read billboards and advertisements. I've always been like that, as far as I can remember.<br />
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The <i>hidden aura of the written word</i>, the <i>magnetism of alphabets</i>, all this is too strong for me to resist. I am the helpless being who is trapped in the whorl of words. I have tried everything: from keeping my head bowed down to asking my friends to pull me away if they find that I am helplessly attracted towards a bookshop or a billboard. Nothing seems to work.<br />
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But I think that somewhere deep within I lack the will to end this strange stronghold of words. I am a <i>willing prisoner</i> and I love being trapped by words. Only now I've decided to give it all back to the world and trap others in the same trap that imprisons me. So those who kept me behind the words, it's your turn now.<br />
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I may not write words that are impressive and meaningful but then who cares? For obsessive, compulsive readers like me, anything is worth reading. We drink words and are intoxicated forever...<br />
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With these words, I declare this bar of words open... for all those who are attracted by the power of words and love being imprisoned by words. <b><i>It's fiesta time!</i></b>Ritu Bhanothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08380555616585570261noreply@blogger.com2