Happy birthday to me !!!!

First of all, I admit never ever i thought that a day would come like this - spending my birthday away from my family and closest friends. A kind of new experience for me, hopefully for the first and last time.

As of now, i dont know what will i be doing tomorrow - no celebrations or anything planned.  Ironically an important work in office tomorrow will keep me busy for the first half of day which in a way is good, will see how second half shapes up.

Last year a close friend's marriage in kolkata ensured that i ended up spending my bday with my school friends, and as expected that bday turned out to be memorable. The only other time i was not with family on my bday was when i was in infy campus (oh yeah everything new  in my life happened when i was in mysore), but then again it was memorable. My closest friend came there to meet me and couple of other close friends ensured i didnt miss love and affection of my family.

The last one year has been a decent year both professionally and personally. I feel proud of myself that i have been strong enough to live away from my family. I know for many its not a big deal, but those who know me well will understand why its such a big deal for me.

The coming year - i am all excited for it. It will definitely be a life changer for me and for good i hope. Oh no, am not at all refering to marriage. Am still as refered by some  'too centric' about my career to think about something else.

 I hope to take the next step towards my professional dream sometime next year and i wish my personal dream takes the next step towards me.

Oh by the way its my dog's birthday today - happy birthday dugdug :)

The hanged man

The news that is flashing in all the news channels and online newspapers is related to the hanging of kasab, the terrorist who was involved in the Mumbai attacks in Nov-08. Some are claiming it to be a victory for India, some claiming it as justice for the dead in those attacks. The importance of this event can be judged from the fact that even the opposition political party is also praising this execution. Ironically a terrorist has for a day united the whole country - the last time this happened was when India won the cricket world cup in 2011. 

Am sure the entire India including me hated the sight of Kasab firing all guns in Mumbai. Everyone wanted that person to be hanged, I myself felt that he deserves no right to live. Am glad it happened finally as he was living on the taxes paid by we common Indians.

But hang on, was he actually the real culprit ? Or he was just a Pawn ? 

For a minute, forget that he was a terrorist. The guy who got hanged was of our age group - 25 years, was not a born terrorist, had not seen the 1947 massacres when indo-pak separated. He was born to a poor family- dad a vada pav seller. Deprived of the basic necessities of life- food, education, he was born with a bad destiny in a poor village where jihad was on everyone's mind. And to make money (am sure he had no personal animosity against Indians) he got on the jihadis side. One point everyone is forgetting is that he did not come for this mission with a thought of going back alive - he knew he would be killed, and all the days he spent post the attacks were actually bonus for him. He did it for money - which would have gone to his family and helped them live a decent life.

Why are we celebrating his death? He in reality was never our enemy. Our enemy are those people who entice young poor people to follow this wrong path. Our enemy is illiteracy, poverty - not in just our country but world. Our enemy is the bad situation where people dont get a chance to rise in the society. Our enemy is that educated section of the society which is not allowing the past of india-pak issue to bury. 

Kasab the reason you died was because you fell to the above trap, hope there is a bit of good for you in this if you are not born in that poor environment again,hope you are not reborn as kasab- because if you are, then you will die early again...

Swades

There is a sweet memory attached with this film. I did not like this movie, the first time i watched it in theatre. Sounds strange now even to me. I along with my Btech friends went to watch this movie straight after the final exam of a tough semester and the movie theme was not apt to our mood that time.

But after that i saw this movie again at home and again and again. I saw it even today and loved it again. Watching it today was all the more special, it made me relate it to my life - the question that is always in my mind, am i doing right by staying away from home. Ofcourse for me swades is not india, its delhi :) .

Couple of lines from the song ' ye jo des hai tera' are still echoing in my ears. I guess one more reason other than being touched with this song is that i have heard the version played by A R Rahman  in mtv unplugged around 10 times in last two days. Here are those lines :

" yu to saare sukh hai barse

Par dur hai tu apne ghar se,

Aa laut chal tu ab deewane

Jaha koi ton tujhe apna maane"

Am really feeling home sick. Has been the case since last three weeks or so. Been tough out here, and to add to it each passing day its getting more tougher now and all of sudden i do fear the worst is getting near at a pace which i dont want. Watching swades has compounded the feeling. Lucky for me am going home for a diwali break. It has been three months since i went home.  Hope to come back rejuvenated.

Wish you all a happy diwali in advance.