A Wish for 2010

I could not think of a better prayer for 2010 than this song!
What a suitable wish for here and now!

Soundtrack: Dhoop(2003)
Sung by: Jagjit Singh
Lyrics: Nida Fazali
Music: Lalit Sen



har ek ghar mein diya bhi jaley, anaaj bhi ho
agar na ho kahin aisa to, ehatjaaj bhi ho

hukumaton ko badalna to kuch muhaal nahin
hukumatein jo badalta hai, voh samaaj bhi ho

rahegi kab talak vaadon mein qaid khushaali?
har ek baar hi kal kyon, kabhi to aaj bhi ho

naa kartey shor sharaba to aur kya kartey?
tumhaarey shaher mein kuch aur kaam kaaj bhi ho

gasping for O2

Many years back, I was just hanging out by the San Joaquin River, where another man was fishing. Soon he caught one; a beautiful bright orange one about a foot long. He removed the hook and put its gasping for air body, on the rock near by. The sight was horrific for me. I asked him how long before the fish dies … he said given the size of the fish, it could suffer like that for almost three hours. I was horrified and almost in tears. The scene reminded me of an advertisement at our local mall where a little boy is quoted regarding his asthma – an asthma attack is like what a fish may feel out of water.

Generally a healthy person, the only health issue I suffer from is asthma. I have had weak lungs since I was an infant. Growing up I remember being absolutely jealous of my peers who could run longer than I could.

Given to my limitations, although I was excellent at batting in cricket, I was not good enough because I was not fast enough for making the runs. But again I was playing with chauvinistic boys who would like to believe I could never run as fast as them.

Perhaps subconsciously, I decided to find activities which would not make me miss the more strenuous ones (which I obviously had more fun at). I picked up the game of croquet and my father had a croquet set laid out on one side of the house. I also started to learn to target practice with my brother’s air gun. My father was immensely surprised and subsequently pleased with my accuracy at it. One of our favorite activities became – he would mark a dahlia in the garden for me to shoot and I had to break it just at the right spot so mum could use it in her flower arrangement. Besides these, I liked to swim. My dad also arranged for me to learn to horse ride. Horse riding – I wish I had continued to learn. It was my most favorite way to spend time. Once we migrated to the US, it was not an option since my family could no longer afford it.

Asthma became more prevalent in my mid-20s. I am still trying to understand the pattern. It can be seasonal allergy induced or triggered by some emotionally upsetting event.

I had one yesterday due to exhaustion. As I waited to be seen at the Urgent Care center, all I could think of was that beautiful orange fish. I felt my finger tips and toes going numb and feeling absolutely dizzy – but with my last iota of strength at that moment, I wanted to send a prayer for any fish gasping for air at that moment…

been TOLD!

I have been told - I take life too seriously!

Phewww!! finally someone thinks so... so far everyone close to me worries that I don't!

Good start to the upcoming year ... I am way ahead of the game!

(oh - btw - i am missing the blog stalker-lady ;)

spotless

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind!

I wonder - if even anybody just dropped it all and started all over again. I have read a story about it ... but it was a story ...

"Did he die fighting?"

Everyday a prayer goes out for those men and women who are fighting a war with faith in their heart that they are defending their country and countrymen and women. A prayer for the families of those soldiers for whom each phone ring or door bell ring could make their heart skip a beat!

Here is a story of one such soldier who will always be a role model. And here is an introduction to a father who raised such a soldier:

'Did he die fighting?'

By: Anshuman G Dutta

Date: 2009-07-22

Prof SK Nayyar enquired about his Mahavir Chakra winner son Anuj, who laid down his life at Mushkoh valley

At 9.30 in the morning, the phone rang and a restless Prof SK Nayyar hurriedly picked it up. It was from the brigade headquarters of his son Capt Anuj Nayyar. After the initial pleasantries, the man on the other side fell silent.

After more than a minute of ominous silence, Prof Nayyar asked, "Did he die fighting?"

"Not just the Indian Army but the entire nation is indebted to your son," the man replied.

Proud father, brave son: Prof SK Nayyar. The 17 Jat Regiment soldier Anuj was awarded Mahavir Chakra for his incredible bravery during Operation Vijay

But it was just the first frame of the story. Capt Anuj Nayyar went down while paving the way for his troops to take over the Pimple Complex in Kargil's Mushkoh valley with just a bayonet.

It was just plain luck that the daredevil got the job of leading his men to clear the Pimple Complex as the Charlie commander got injured and 23-year-old Anuj took over. After storming through enemy bunkers, Anuj braved heavy firing from the other side to silence the machine gun which had almost halted the Indian troops' advance.
Before being hit by a grenade shell, Anuj had cleared all the bunkers. The 17 Jat Regiment soldier was awarded Mahavir Chakra second highest gallantry award for his inspiring leadership and incredible bravery.

"He was a magnificent officer. He was like a true Jat soldier who never feared anything. As soon as the initial euphoria of the victory settled down we realised the biggest loss of our lives. The man who won us the post was not there to celebrate with us," said the then Delta company commander of the unit, Col Deepak Rampal, who was awarded the Vir Chakra.

Captain Anuj Nayyar called his father for the last time on the night of July 6, 1999 to inform him about his big mission in Operation Vijay. Before putting the phone down Prof Nayyar said, "Haar ke ghar mat aana warna goli maar doonga (Don't return without winning, or I will shoot you)." Anuj knew his father meant what he was saying and he shot back a reply which still makes his father swell with pride. "He said, 'Papa aapka beta hoon. Haar ke aane ki baat soch bhi nahi sakta. (I can't even think of returning without winning.)'"

Prof Nayyar spends his days at the Kargil Heights the petrol pump he was given by the government as compensation for the martyrdom of his son. His office is decorated with the photographs and memoirs of his brave ward. "I and Anuj were like buddies. He was very close to me, I miss him every single moment," he managed a smile while saying that.

Even after 10 years people who come to get their vehicles filled at Kargil Heights ask Prof Nayyar about his son and the Kargil war.

Letterman
Anuj used to regularly write letters from the warzone and in one of the letters he had written, "I am not that irresponsible that I will die without fulfilling my duties for the country. My army and this country has put so much faith in me, it would be a mistake to think of death at this time. Till the last enemy is there I will keep breathing."

Wanted dead or alive
Anuj was known as the most notorious student of his class. Even though he was a brilliant student, tired of his regular mischief, his teacher once had written on the notice board, "I want Anuj, dead or alive." "Even though he had broken almost all the window panes of the society he was loved by everybody," said his father.

Scary Reality!

Over the weekend, I watched the finale of an Indian reality show on tv, “Pati, Patni aur Voh”, Indian version of Baby Borrowers. It follows five minor-celebrity couples as they deal with pretend-pregnancy for a few days, followed by taking care of a baby for a few days, followed by a toddler and so forth and finally a teenager.

I never watched this show before – main reason, Rakhi Sawant! I could never understand why the channels even entertain this thing but I suppose she garners TRPs. Rakhi Sawant is a nuisance who makes more nuisance until someone writes about it! Anyway, I heard or read somewhere that her previous reality show, Rakhi ka Swayamwar (Indian version or The Bachelorette) garnered ratings which surpassed Indo-Pak cricket match. Her chosen bride-groom accompanied her to “Pati, Patni aur Voh” to learn what the whole world knew --- that with her it’s all a sham! & when the sham was up, I wanted to ask him, “whatttt wereeee yoouuuu thinkingggg???!!” and say, “jaan bachi aur lakhon paaye, laut ke budhuu ghar ko aye???!!!!” … This respective fellow is a complete gentleman and seems absolutely genuine. What is truly scary is that he would have actually married it!

The farce is up, but I was glued to random episodes of the Pati Patni aur Voh show on youtube over the weekend. I always thought parenting was instinctive. Majority of us grow up watching mom taking care of a younger sibling or aunts and uncles taking care of a little cousin or older cousins/siblings handling their young ones, etc. After wasting hours – I have still not figured out what was so entertaining about self absorbed people taking care of strange kids in front of a national audience to prove their parenting skills!

Although – the abruptly ill-behaved teenagers were funny! Didn’t their PR crew/mom n dad/ sabji vaali/English Ma’am/family Pomeranian tell them that they shouldn’t be such (poor) bad-asses on national tv – it has a very high possibility of scarring them for a long time.

In the finale, Rakhi broke up with Elesh as she sited some vague reasons . . . blah! For Elesh, as he put it, blessing in disguise… Oh well, all is well that ends well.

2009: White X-mas in Cali?!!

At Altamont Pass on 12-7-2009 @ 9:30 am
Also check out: Snow hit low elevations in Bay Area

aise hi!

hairaton ke silsiley

soz e nihan tak aa gaye

Worth some thought ...

Desh asked me to think about the difference in the following statements:

Christ says, "thou shall not kill" (Sixth Commandment)

vs.

In Kurukshetra, when Arjuna gets disheartened seeing that he will have to kill his loved ones, Krishna tells Arjuna that this is his duty and he must but he also tells him, "you can't kill"

Quote: 12-1-2009

During one of my much cherished and enlightening conversations with my friend, Desh, he said something which made me think for a long time. He made this statement as he was explaining the Karma Theory to me. He believes that God is nothing more than consciousness. A God who gives and takes and intervenes is a fragment of our long held belief system. What we have on our hands today is merely a reaction to our actions of the past. Hence:

Morality has no place in Spirituality.

-Desh Kapoor