The great doctor

Tara's son Girish was in great pain, but the Doctor was nowhere.Suddenly, the Doctor entered and she started,"Have you no sense of time? My son is dying of pain."Without responding, the Doctor went straight to the Operation Theater. He came out after one hour and said,"Operation is successful. The rest nurse will tell you". Tara grumbled,"An arrogant fellow!"  The nurse heard this and said,"Madam, Don't call him arrogant. He is coming direct from the burial ground.  His son died last night in an accident. He has rushed to complete the last rites! " Oh God!!


Written in response to Write Tribe 100 Words on Saturday #9

sand

sands of time
make or mar his face
cruelty of fate





Who can judge
who will be the next
all in waiting.

Theme Reveal A to Z Challenge

The  great day  has finally arrived. We have been  reading about this A to Z Challenge for the last three weeks. There was a mixed reaction....some days were full of hope that I will be able to achieve something.  Some days so many doubts cropping up.  To write or not to write, was the biggest concern!!  

Ultimately, a light, a destination, strong will power and a bright light in the end of a tunnel has motivated me  to go ahead. Move on !!  Move on!! Move on!! came a voice from the innermost cord of my heart. All doubts have disappeared.  After playing with my thought  on various themes, I have come to  a conclusion. 

My theme for the challenge will be "Festivals of India". 

Our country, being a secular State has so much diversity. Whether it is food,dress, customs,or festivals;there is unity  in this diversity.

I have decided to write on 'Festivals of India"There are  so many festivals,but  our knowledge is restricted to those which we celebrate. In this A to Z, I have made an effort to explore the purpose behind the festival, the legend behind it and how it is celebrated. 

I hope the readers will enjoy reading and will get a peek into the details of various festivals

A Big Fat Marriage

No, no, the title of the post should not be taken as a marriage of some high society wedding. Here I am referring to a marriage of a lowest of the lowest family, who are 'bargaining'  with  another family, where they are planning to 'give away' their daughter in marriage. I am referring here to a  pre marriage talks and bargains being made for my maid's daughter's marriage arrangements. The people belong to a backward  community. She has a daughter (also working in our house}supposed to be eighteen years old. Ever since she joined our house, the mother is looking for a match for the daughter. Last week there was an SOS message from her village to send the girl to the village. The girls' father is working as a cook with some family. The father and daughter reached the village, only to be told that the boy had been taken away by some other family. 

Within one week, the father found a match for his daughter. The father and his two brothers went to 'see' the boy  to another village and liked him.The boy is twenty three  years old, never attended any school, and is unemployed. I don't know what they liked in such a boy, except that he is a 'boy'!  Yesterday the boy's people came to see the girl. They were supposed to come at eight '0 clock in the morning, but they reached at four in the evening.{Only eight hours late) Only three people were to come, but forty  came. There were no females  among them and the boy is not supposed to see the girl! For all these forty, the girl's father had to arrange for food and a  place for sleeping at night. The father is staying in a jhuggi.  For dinner they demanded  'chicken' and something 'nice' to drink. After making all arrangements, the poor fellow  came and sat with the guests. Now started the 'bargains'. The boy's father demanded  a motor cycle, five gold ornaments besides  all other things useful for the house. This  one way of asking and giving of gifts will continue forever.

Just imagine, even at such a level  where the boy is illiterate,and has no source of income and lives in a jhuggi, this is the demand ! It is so shocking.The boy and the girl are not expected  see each other before  the marriage.

Such things are still happening in India. The 'bride giver'  has always  been at the lower level. He has to stand with folded hands in front of the 'bride taker'. The bride's father will  forever be the 'golden cow' ready to be milked  at one call. Even though  anti dowry laws are there, but they are being   flouted openly. The amount given as dowry  is not given to the newly wed couple, it goes to the parents. I told my maid  not to go  ahead with this alliance, but she says that such things are common  in their community. When  the cow is herself  willing to be butchered, who can say  any   thing!!

Why not a Men's Day ?

Bechara Mard!!        

I had posted this post last year. I have upgraded it and posting it again.

 Who is a MAN?

> A man is the most beautiful part of God's creation who starts compromising at a very tender age.

> He sacrifices his chocolates for his  sister.

> He sacrifices his dreams for just a  smile on his parents' face.

> He spends his entire pocket money on buylng gifts for the girl   he loves just to see her smiling

> He sacrifices his full youth for his wife and children by working late  at night without any complaint.

> He builds their future by taking loans from banks ,and  repaylng them  for life time.

> He struggles a lot  and still has to bear scolding from his mother, wife  and  boss.

> His mother, wife and  boss all try to control him.

> His life finally ends up only by compromising for others'  happiness.

> He happily buys clothes for his wife and children, but not for himself.

>If he has a working wife,he does all sorts of work, without a word of thanks/praise.

Respect every male in your life.

You  will never know what he has sacrificed for you.

Worth reading  by  every man to make him smile and  every woman to make her

realise his worth!!

BECHARA MARD...!?

Agar Aurat par hath uthaye to BESHARAM,

Aurat se maar khae to BUZDIL,

Aurat ko kisi ke saat dekh ker ladai kare to JEALOUS,

Chup rahe to DARPOK,

Ghar se bahar rahe to AAWARA,

Ghar me rahe to NAAKARA,

Bachhon ko dante to ZALIM,

Na dante to LAPARWAH,

Aurat ko naukari karane se roke to SHAK KARNE WALA,

Aurat ko naukari karane se na rokey to BIWI KI KAMAI KHANE WALA,

Maa ki mane to CHAMCHA,

Biwi ki sune to JORU KA GULAM...

Na Jane Kab Aayega

Happy Men's Day!!

 

Courtesy Google                                            

A brave woman

 Meena Devi was sitting in her office, lost in deep thoughts. She was thinking about her past. Tears were flowing like a stream, but she did not wipe. All of a sudden a knock on the door  brought her to reality. A middle aged man was standing. Hiding behind him was a girl. She was about nine year old.  Meena Devi looked at the girl. There was something in her expression which moved Meena Devi. The man's voice brought Meena Devi to reality. He said,"this girl was found stealing  in the market, and was taken to the police station. My sahib told me to leave her in your office," Without saying any thing else, the man left.  Meena Devi stared at the girl and was lost in deep  thought. Her past came alive--------

Born in a poor family Munni was only five years old, when her mother died in child birth. Munni's father got married again soon after the mourning period was over. Her step mother was a wicked woman. All the time she cursed the innocent child.  Munni got up at 5o clock in the morning, swept the shanty, took bath and made tea for her father and step mother. The step mother started her day by beating and abusing the  poor little child. The child shrieked and called her father. But he was even worse. He took a cane and beat her mecilessly. There was no one to save her from this agony. This went on for two years. Her step mother bore a baby boy.  Her fate was sealed. Now she had to cook, wash the utensils,and the clothes. At night she had to press her step mother's legs. If  she felt sleepy , she was beaten by her father. Even he had no sympathy for her. Munni could bear this tyranny  no longer. One night she she left the house. She did not know where she was going. She ran and ran,fearing if her father followed her, she would be taken back to the same prison. She did not know how long she ran and fell asleep on the road side.

When she gained conscious, she was lying on a soft bed, in a large room. One old lady was sitting by her side. Munni got up with a shock. The old lady addressed her ,"don't fear my child. What is your name?" Munni burst into tears.Another lady came, put Munni on her lap and said," Dont fear my child. Be comfortable. Tell me your name." Hesitatingly  Munni  told her name. The old lady said, From today your name is Meena.  You call me Nani. Don't fear at all" Next day she got new clothes. Nani bought books for her. She called one girl and said, "She will teach you." All this seemed to be a dream for Munni. 

Next day onward a new life started for  Munni. Slowly she was accostommed to life in her new house. Time passed and she was a young girl of fifteen years old. One day she heard one lady telling Nani, ,"Meena is now grown up, why don't you send her to the office?" Nani replied,"Wait for one more year." Meena was now curious to know  what they were talking. Now she started observing every thing. Slowly she followed that  all these women were prostitutes and she was being geared for the profession. How to quit the place? Where to go? such questions started troubling her.  One day Nani told her." Beta a boy is coming to meet you.Wear your best dress and come . I will introduce him to you''. Nani took her to an adjoining building.They entered a room. A smart boy,in late twenties was sitting there. Nani came oto the point straight away. "She is a new comer. You have to teach her." and left. The boy questioned her and asked her name, how long she had been there etc. Meena started crying. She understood that Nani was pushing her into  the trade of flesh. She told him her particulars. He consoled that he will not even touch her, if she co operates. Meena's inner self believed him. She told him every thing she knew. This information was sufficient  to take action against them. He told her that his name was Rajesh and he was a CID Officer. He promised to come the next day. Next day the police  arrested all the workers under the law of human trafficking. Meena was taken away by Rajesh. After one month she and Rajesh got married. It was the month of February. Govt. of India took the particulars of Meena. On 8th March,!992, International Women's Day she was awarded a gold medal for rescuing young girls. She was now running a Sewa Ashram for the girls, and making the girls self sufficient.

She came to her present. She took the poor girl in her arms.  Meena and Rajesh  took a vow that they would not have their own child as all the girls in the Ashram were their daughters. Today, on International Women's day two more girls will be awarded  a prize for working for the upliftment of women.

Happy Women's Day.


This post is written in response to Write Tribe Festival of Words.Today is day 7 and the topic is 'Woman'.

55 fiction

After Our  MA exams the professors gave us a farewell party.  The Head of  Department gave a very moving farewell speech. There was pin drop silence. Suddenly one boy announced,"Miss Chawla  will give a vote of thanks." I was shocked. There were goosebumps in my stomach. I muttered some words. This was my first speech.

(I was Miss Chawla before marriage)




  Three men were sitting outside a house. The lady asked their names and  invited them inside.They told her they were, Wealth, Success  and Love.  She called Love,  but all  three came. " I called only  Love."  Love  replied,"They can come alone. But I will not come alone,Wealth and Success will come with me."



These two 55fiction 6,  are written in response to Write Tribe Festival of Words. Today is the sixth day.

A tribute to a great lady.

 “The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.”
― Walt Disney Company, 

The  quotation given above is applicable to a great lady who was a living example of  compassion, love  and empathy. She suffered in her early days, but she never gave up hope and aspiration.  The lady, I am referring to was my Mother in law. She was a  religious and god fearing lady who weathered  all adversities in her life with courage, strength of  character and  sagacity.

She became a widow at the age of twenty nine,with six small children to look after and no source of income.  She married at a young  age of  sixteen. Her husband was  an employee of a famous bank in Bombay(now Mumbai) He died when he was thirty six. For  some time Amma lived in her Thaddavar house( family house) in Palode, near Palghat, Kerala, But later shifted to  Tattamangalam, her husband's  house. Her only ambition in life was to give good education  to her five sons and one daughter.

She was very good looking, tall,fair complexioned and had a very imposing and majestic personality.  She was God fearing and was very well versed in scriptures and religious lore. In my first visit to Kerala,when I saw her, there was something in her captivating smile which  attracted  me instantly. She  had a large agricultural property, which she administered solely and efficiently. She looked after her workers like her own children. She gave them medicines ,when they fell ill and financial help in times of their need. They looked up to her for all their requirements.She was a true matriarch for them.

She gave good education to all her children. All of them achieved  good positions. One son was Collector in Kerala. Another son was Principal in Guruvayur  College. One Son was in Government  service in Madras. Another son was Hindi teacher in Home Ministry and my husband was placed  as Under Secretary, in Govt of India. Her son in law  was  Deputy General Manager in Canara Bank of India. All this was possible due to her encouragement and sacrifice. It was due to her encouragement and determination that her children could achieve  all this in life.

She came to Delhi and lived with us for about seven months. She did not understand Hindi or English and  I  had no knowledge of Malayalam, but both of us got on very well. I learnt some  words of Malyalam.  Her last days she lived like a 
Queen.  Her life is a  source of inspiration not only for her children but for everyone who knew her. Hats off to her.


This prompt  is written in response to Write Tribe Festival of Words  day 5. The topic for today is  An inspiring life.

What teachers make a review

 

 Recently I read a book titled 'What teachers make' written by Taylor Mali.  It is a very  inspiring book for the teaching community.  Mali, himself a teacher and a poet, is unable to tolerate  criticism against the teachers. People generally believe that the teachers are not paid good salary. He says that it is a false notion that teaching as a profession is a last  alternative for the young men. Mr. Mali  has written about the conditions prevalent  in USA ,but his views are are universally  applicable. 

Mali, himself a teacher, was inspired to write the book, after he heard a sneering comments on the  profession by a rich man in a  party. He refutes them and his sharp intellect pays  a tribute to the joys of teaching. He goes on to write that teachers are so vital to the society. In the very beginning of the book  the author says that children spend more time with the teacher than the parents. His advice to the parents is  'let the child be' and see what wonders the child can  achieve. In class eight, when he speaks of writing a poem, he finds that initially the boys seem lost, but by encouragement and  inspiration the children  create such poems that even he is  surprised to see the  perfection in their work.

He has made another valid point. Some people  look down on the teacher when they take up some part time  jobs. His contention is that the teacher has to support a family. At least the teacher is not cheating the society like  those who indulge in  tactics to earn money through  illegal means. 

All most every chapter starts with an inspiring quote by gems  of society. Take for example a quote by George Bernard Shaw,"I am not a teacher, only a fellow traveler of whom you asked the way. I pointed ahead------ ahead  of myself  as well as of you."  Such inspiring quotations are helpful for the students.  He  feels very upset when people call the teachers greedy and lazy. A teacher has to teach in the class, at the same time , he has  to spend  time at home preparing what he has to teach the children the next day.  The teachers must let the whole world  know how important and difficult is their job. He says that he would prefer that his students leave his class with some doubt, so that they  may make an effort to clear their doubt by applying their brain.

Taylor Mali's book is like a treasure which can be shared by all the teachers. It is a valentine to the teachers. It is the right book at the right time in defense of teachers,as to why we need them now and forever.

This prompt is written in response to Write Tribe Festival of Words 3 about a book 'What Teachers Make'.

Free write

I have two brothers. Even though  the age difference between them is  six years, they got  married within a gap of ten days. The elder one , Vijay's marriage took place on 12th February 1977, and the younger one, Anil's was performed on 20th February in the same year.  Two marriages in the family in such a little gap!! Everybody was excited.  Both  weddings were memorable. 

Vijay's marriage was scheduled for 12th Feb. at the Constitution Club, New Delhi. As luck would have  it, President of India Fakhruddin Ahmed died on 11 February. All the shops were closed. There was great pandemonium in the family. Last minute shopping  in our house and the bride's house was left incomplete.  The groom's wedding suit was with the tailor and bride's footwear and  some cosmetics were to be purchased on the last day. The only alternative was to borrow from each other. Every body had a good laugh.The couple left for the honeymoon the next day.

Anil's marriage was to be conducted at Nainital. All the preparations  started for the second wedding. A bus was hired.  Everybody was thrilled to go to Nainital. It would  be a marriage and sightseeing, two in one! We started the journey on the 19th.  One of  the relatives  took their pet dog, Lucky Boy, with them. It was fun watching him. The fellow was very uneasy  in the beginning, but settled down. Every one was in a festive mood . All through the journey  every body  enjoyed singing, and playing games such as antarakshi.  We were carrying lots  of knick knacks for munching. The bride's parents had organised lunch at Muzzufar Nagar and evening  tea at Haldwani. It was  all like a picnic.  

We reached Nainital around 9o clock. Many relatives of the  bride were there to welcome us. We were lodged at Naintal Club. It was spread over a large area. There were separate rooms for each family. The honeymoon couple had also arrived.  When all the luggage was removed, my mother  wanted Anil's suitcase in her room.  Lo, his suitcase could not be seen any where. Some one went to the bus and checked but it was not there. The bride's jewellery  was also in that suitcase. Every one was panicky, We called our servant in Delhi. He informed that the suitcase was lying on the sofa in the living room.There was peace,but it was short lived. The next problem was what would Anil wear  the next morning! His wedding suit was also in that suitcase!!  Mr. Tandon, the bride,s father called a tailor and some samples for a woolen suit. The cloth was selected and his measurement was taken. Next day morning by 10 o clock the suit was ready to wear!! Incidentally, Anil's father in law was the owner of a famous wool shop,  Ramlal Brothers, of Nainital.  Both brothers  could not wear the suits stitched for their wedding. 

Most of the relatives went for sight seeing in the morning. We went to the bride's place to partake in some  ceremonies.  The marriage was performed in the evening. It was also Anil's birthday. He got a sweet and beautiful bride as a birthday gift.
The next morning we started our return journey to Delhi. This was more enjoyable than the journey to Nainital, because we had two new additions in the family, the two brides.
 
The post is written in response to Write Tribe, Festival of Words,day 3. The prompt for today is Free Write. This post took me 14 minutes  to write.

Blogs that I like

 

I am not a very experienced blog writer. I started writing on my blog in September 2012  There are  some writers who write outstanding posts, which leave an impact on the mind and  linger on for quite some time. Today I am penning down blogs of two writers which leave a stamp on the mind for a long period of time. The first one is that of  Madam Asha. She writes  her blogs under the name 'Asha's Musings' and the URL of her blog is'http://shreshar.blogspot.in. The salient feature of her blog is that she writes in a simple language,with no frills , and no exaggerated words.

I was introduced to this blog neither by a friend nor by  any recommendation. I am a regular reader of a blog 'A rose is a rose is a rose'.  In the comments section I generally noticed  comments by  Asha. Out of curiosity, one day I clicked into her site. I was so much impressed by her writing style, the subjects she chose for writing and the depth of her knowledge, that I read many of her blogs in one sitting. There after I have visited and liked all the blogs written by her.  She has been writing blogs  since 2009.

Some of her blogs which I found  of great interest are 'the making of the nest', 'Some precious moments with my friends', ' Connecting to my roots' and her latest, 'On  Mahashivratri. Her blogs have been appreciated extensively. Five of her blogs were chosen for 'Saturday Spicy Picks'. She is a recipient  Liebster Award, The ersatile Blogger, WOW and many  more awards. I am sure she will get many more accolades for her blogs in the years  to come. 

The other  blog which I appreciate is 'Change India'. It is authored by  Sh. BK Chowla.  Mr Chowla is a dreamer.  He  is against  corruption in politics. His hopes and ideals are for a bright future of India. He vehemently  criticizes the politics of present.

He is blogging since 2008 and has  achieved many accolades, as Best Blogger, I love your Blog Award,  Beautiful Blogger and many  more.  I wish him all the best in future.

This post is written in response  to Write Tribe Festival of words--3. We have to write about the blogs we like.

9 sentence fiction A new sim card

Mary bought a new sim card for her smart phone.

She thought that she would give her husband, David, a 

surprise.

On reaching home she  saw her husband engrossed in reading a

 news paper.

She put her hand into her bag to take out the phone.

Without lifting his eyes from the paper, David, asked her to

 prepare a cup of coffee for him. 

Mary was disappointed, but she proceeded   to the kitchen.

She kept  water for boiling on the gas.

She  then  dialed her husband and said, “Hi, darling, how are

 you?”

David replied in a whisper, “Hi  Honey, I will call you later, that stupid woman is in the kitchen.”

 This post is written in response to Write Tribe Festival of Words  3.