The Truth About Me-self

I'm a chronic insomniac and tonight my insomnia has doubled up as it has a reason - it's hardly 32 hours since I'd get married, and that too, to a girl I couldn't have even dreamed of in my wildest dreams! She keeps repeating that she's not a beautiful girl, but to me she's the most wonderful woman I've ever come across -- she's my Wonder Woman! She's kind, helpful, realistic, accommodating, strong, no nonsense (except with me because she likes to fool around me), sensitive, careful, caring, ready to take charge if the situation calls for it, ready to call a spade a spade, strong willed yet tender, passionate and most of all as loving as loving could be... I could just keep on adding adjectives here but that still wouldn't define her completely. I know I could be mocked at for showering a girl with such praise when I've known her only for hardly three and half months. Also because in these three and half months, we've seen each

Good news. Getting married finally! The dream date is December 31!

This is going to be quite a long post and I warn anyone who is averse of long posts in Facebook to proceed any further: I'm quite saddened to see many people knowingly or unknowingly repeating the 70-year tragedy of India, which was directly and indirectly fed to them. I mean what did go wrong in all these 70 years which is now being corrected? By just highlighting the corruption of the past two terms of a corrupt Congress, how can anyone say, any of their predecessors did anything wrong? My knowledge of history of India before Rajeev Gandhi is not that strong. To be honest, I was neither interested in politics nor was I aware of the political developments in India up until lately. I was not involved in politics in my college days. I was just an amused observer and I've seen what unhealthy politics does to people involved in it. SFI was strong in our campus and the neighbouring campus was an ABVP bastion. I've seen some of

BJP has found a new hobby - trying to, but in vain, project Kerala as a state in utter communal disorder, political violence, and where people die because of malnutrition etc. etc. etc. They even once compared Kerala with Somalia! And then they paraded their Union Cabinet ministers to Kerala and made them tell us how deprived and affected we are. To a point, they became successful in trying to create a terror atmosphere in the state, I agree, but all this exercise for what? In the last Lok Sabha election, the BJP managed to secure just one seat in Kerala and that too because it was a much respected O Rajagopal contesting for it. I for one, though I punched NOTA, I did wish he won in his constituency. No Communists or the Congress men would ever talk ill of O Rajagopal because despite him being an RSS in his youth and later a BJP leader, he's a man with some basic qualities that can be appreciated. We consider him in the league with BJP's own AB Vajpayee, who once w

Recently, one of my Facebook friends was wondering how it'd be to make an Indian epic movie of the 18-day Kurukshetra War of the 'Mahabharata', after watching the Academy Award winning movie 'Troy'. Well, it's any movie maker's dream but it's nearly an impossible dream considering the fact that the Kurukshetra War cannot be separated from the epic itself and presented independently, and the 18-day event involves numerous plots and sub plots and a fleet of never ending characters that is almost impossible to be justified within the premise of a 2-hour, or say even a 3.5-hour long movie. The best you can do is make a 3-hour long trilogy series like the 'Lord of the Rings', or perhaps a series of four or five movies like the 'Star Wars', but still there are challenges more than the money involved - time and availability of the artists. For one thing, this cannot be made using artists from any one of the Indian film industry. Artists f

I think, and I pray that this is the last time I use Facebook to openly talk about anything political or religious because when I look around, majority of my friends seldom use this platform to express any of their views which are personal to them, and I think they have a point. Never the less, as the last post expressing my political and religious thoughts, I must say this: Statutory warning: People who don't have the habit of reading or are averse to long Facebook posts can stop here. I was born into a fairly religious Hindu family and my father was a huge Shiva bhakta. In fact, he used to have a Shiva Linga in our pooja room on which he'd religiously do poojas every single morning without fail for nearly two hours and I, as a child grew up plucking flowers for his poojas and worshiping my father more than the Shiva Linga in our pooja room. Now don't mistake us to be some Brahmin family. No. My father just happened to be attracted to the idea of Shiva. He used

The recent campaign to say no to all Chinese products in India because we have a border issue with them... If that has to be followed, we Indians would end up throwing all electronic goods at our home including our mobile phones, TVs, washing machines and what not? I mean, even if you have an Onida TV at home, you can disassemble it and see that one of the parts, of the TV, or the TV itself would have a sticker that says "Made in China." I can at least talk about those who own the latest, most advanced and feature-rich mobile handsets. iPhone is supposed to be American but you's see a sticker in it saying "Made in China." Samsung is Korean but you's see a sticker in it saying "Made in China." Panasonic and Sony are originally Japanese companies but you'd see the same sticker on them. Bosch and Siemens are German, Whirlpool is American, and LG -- again a Korean company, but in India, they all carry the sticker of "Made in Chi

I'm a journalist and a secular minded person, and it personally hurts me when anyone utters the new found words "Sickular" and "Presstitue." The word "Prestitute" annoys me the most because it carries with it the very core of the dastardly patriarchal tendency we all secretly hide within ourselves. Why should be a journalist whom you cannot agree with be termed a "prestitute" and not anything else? Why isn't this term used against journalists in the US or any other European countries? And why is anyone who is not against Hindu culture but against Hinduising the entire community just like what Hitler tried to do by mass massacring Jews, called, a 'Sickular'? I'm against the current trend of 'sensation mongering' journalism, as much as I'm against religious conversions -- I mean why would a Church ask a hungry man whether he'd convert to Christianity if the Church could feed him? The moment you ask for

This is one-of-a-kind of a celebrity interview. Unlike many who says this was the ultimate from-the-heart interview, I consider this the worst interview ever, and against any media ethics. I mean, the girl was on a high, though she spoke her heart out. You can even see her smoking a hokkah and she was talking in an intoxicated state of mind, and you can even see the interviewer encouraging her. I mean, is this supposed to be a media interview. I can understand if this was a personal conversation between them? I've nothing against what she said, but I'd have applauded if this was a proper interview. Thinking again, what's a proper interview? But is this an example of it? Or, as the many scripted 'reality shows' go, was this also a rehearsed one? Of course Parvathy is a good actress and I like her too!

I'm not too old to say this but I guess I'm old enough not to be able to do these things anymore. Five regrets I'll take to my grave: Not being able to learn to swim. Not being able to stand my ground and fight all adversities and take up the academic course of my choice, which was veterinary science. Not being able to train under the Indian military. Not training in music with focus. Not excelling in any sports (I think I used to be a fairly good spin bowler in my school days. At least, that's how I imagine I was then but I haven't played cricket for like ages.)

I had hate and I wanted to kill my enemy, his family, his friends, neighbours, allies and everyone who supported him. My hate for him was justified because he killed as my dear and near ones. I was looking for an opportunity to destroy him and everything that was his too but I had no means until I got the power of 'parakaya pravesham', the mystic art or the knowledge of dominating another person's soul or living in another person's body. What better way to take revenge? What better a way to destroy my enemy's life? I can wreck havoc in his day today life... I became him and waited for the right opportunity to strike but... I got a different mother who prepared meals for me with much love just like my mother used to do. I got different brothers and sisters who love me as the brothers and sisters that I had. I got a gang of friends who would hang out with me, tease me, and be with me in my hard times... Now with all the love and care I get from the kith and

Forgive my ignorance on the subject of finance and for the same reason about the true implications of GST also, but with an agro-majority India going through one of the worst agrarian crisis, and the banking sector, including the RBI still struggling to sort out the issues caused by the overnight note-ban -- was our economy actually ready for a hasty GST roll-out, no matter how brilliant an economical revolution it can unleash in days to come? I'm still referring to the note-ban crisis because the other day I was at my bank to deposit a cheque and the person in the queue in front of me was withdrawing money and I'd recreate the dialogue that happened between them: "In what what denominations should I pay you sir," asked the teller. "In 500s and 100s, please" "Can I include a few Rs. 2000 notes?" "Please don't. I can't get it changed outside." Now, as I overheard, the man was withdrawing about Rs. 15,000, and I'm sure

Biggest joke of the year, at least until now -- Yogi Adityanath's government completes 100 days in power in UP, and he himself evaluates his governance and gives 100/100 for himself! Wow! What did improve in UP than shutting down slaughter houses and stopping 'bapujis' of government offices from chewing beetle leaves and spitting around? Working in a media firm, I hear at least a couple of reports of gang rapes or someone getting killed in broad daylight in UP by cow vigilantes. I'm not saying UP has become worse after Yogi but if this was the situation even before, what did actually improve there if the women, children and some men just because they belong to Islam by faith are not safe in that state still? And one of the highlights projected by the Yogi was the success of the unofficial (maybe official) anti-Romeo squads for the protection of women in the state! REALLY? Ever since then we've had more and more YouTube videos of some unruly uncouth ga

My search for 'Siva' or 'Sivam' continues... I must tell you - among the Hindu trinity, Lord Siva has the most intriguing characteristics. It is said that the three lords viz. Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara (Siva) takes care of the three parameters of existence or mortality viz. birth, life and death respectively. No one ever talks about Brahma, the God of bringing life, and I think it's pretty much understandable because you can talk only if you're born and that purpose is already served. Then comes the constant argument, 'spiritually' scholarly debates and more as to who among the other two is the greatest of the Gods. There are people who lean towards Vishnu by worshiping him in his 10 different avatars, and then there are the clueless Siva seekers who have this gut feeling that there is more than what the senses can perceive about Siva but cannot dine out a winning argument. I'm one among the latter. I must warn you that the following is

Thinking about things, because that's the only thing I get to do nowadays, did I get a little mixed up in my formative years? For one, I didn't have my most loved and understanding father to guide me in my teens, and all my other relatives who tried to be in his place, claiming to direct me in the right direction were all jerks. I mean, I was led to think that my own mother, a widow in her young and prime age, was a woman with bad morals and I even tried to kill her a couple of times. They even convinced me that she was the reason why my father had a heart attack and died! In my younger days (I mean, when I was in my teens), I was a person with many interests like drawing, singing, cricket, chess, stamp and coin collection, and even learning about flags! And even though I was never a voracious reader, I still loved books, library, and I even used to spend my vacation in my grandparents' house, cataloging the books in the little private library that my grandfather had.

I'm aghast at how some people are trying to paint pink on the Central government's order on ban on cattle slaughter and trade. I agree that the order given out by the Union forest and environment ministry doesn't talk about 'beef ban' per say, as is being projected by the supposedly 'Hindu' sentimentalists but... And that's a huge BUT! A few years back the BJP tried to implement beef ban across the nation and then there were criticisms of excluding the buffaloes from the ban, and now they made a blanket ban on cattle slaughter and trade, even including camels in it! Now the buffaloes and the camels in India can heave a sigh of relief. I'm intrigued why even the 'animal rights activist' Maneka Gandhi came out in support for this move by the Central government. She's supposed to be an 'animal' rights activist, and I wonder why any other animals including human beings, doesn't fall under the category of animals other than

I somehow feel more and more like the character Sheldon Cooper from the TV sitcom 'Big Bang Theory'. I don't mean, I'm a smart successful scientist. I'm rather a dull and invisible sub editor working for the English online edition of a Malayalam (read Regional) newspaper, but I'm beginning to show all the anti-social behaviour that he express. I've got my own spot on the sofa in my house, which I would wait to sit on if someone else is sitting there. I make very 'inappropriate' comments to women, even though in my mind I'm just talking plain and inoffensive, and perhaps even clinical. I show signs of intellectual arrogance even though in my mind, I'm just trying to put across my point that appeals completely logical to me. I'm getting more and more desensitised towards feelings like what others call expressions of love and affection - it's like I'm increasingly growing intolerant towards anyone touching me unless I need

I've got myself registered in a couple of matrimonial websites since the past 5 and odd years and it's nothing less than disappointing. If the horoscopes match (which is important in my community) then there's a problem with my low-paying job and the fact that I don't own a house or a car or that I'm not extremely well-off. And with people who are ok with all that, the horoscope plays the villain. 5 to 6 years in this drama and I'm loosing my patience lately. The obvious answer is for me to find a girl on my own. As easy as it may sound, and for a guy who had two heart-wrenching break-ups in his-story, I'm simply not the Romeo stuff. I cannot woo just any girl I fancy. The best I can do is stare at her, fantasise about her and maybe write a poem or a short story when the mood strikes me. Jealousy has never been a part of my nature but I guess I'm beginning to feel that emotion towards all my married friends. Now that they have all even got kids to

Loneliness... It's a friend I've been trying to avoid for ages but I guess, he's the only one interested enough to stick with me. 33 is not an old age per say, but it makes yo feel so old when all your friends have already got married and even have kids. I feel so stuck in my present and have no hope for the future that on nights like this I really wish I close my eyes for the last time. There are still desires burning in me - I want a woman in my life, kids to take care of; plan vacations with them to many of my favourite places... A trip with my friends and their family to some place like Kodaikanal or Andaman or Sikkim. I want to be in company, I need people around me. I'm thankful that I still have my mother and grandparents at my home, I love and feel very comfortable living with them but at nights, I feel my bed is terribly empty without another person - someone to talk to, just hold hands or someone stroking my hair. Someone, at least to pick up a figh

Concerning religion and faith... I'm a Hindu, not by choice but by birth, and nevertheless I'm happy (not proud 'coz there's nothing to be proud of something you never achieved. I can be proud if I had invented a new gadget that would make human toils easier) to be one to belong to a much inclusive (not the superior 'coz there logically cannot be a "superior") faith. And I'm most unhappy at what is now being projected now as 'Hinduism'. Hinduism is not about 'cow protection' while ignoring the problems of 'child marriage', 'rape', 'honour killing' and many more. Hinduism is not about hate or rebellion. Anyways, that aside, this is an incident that  happened about 10 years ago. I was travelling alone by train - from Mumbai to Kerala. It was a long journey and to get imprisoned inside a metal container rolling on metal in the Indian summer for hours together is nothing fanciful. I had already finished the Aga