PHONILICIOUS!!

Hellooo! What can I do for you? Don’t mistake this baritone for a human’s voice. Its just your Chic and elegant phone speaking to you. Your best mechanical friend at your assistance in moments of happiness as well as despair. No wonder, Bell’s invention has undergone a massive metamorphosis. After all “Change is inevitable”.

Mobile Phones, the smart ones or the ordinary, 4.7-5.3-6.40 inched screen, android-symbian-bada interface blah blah version n.1.2….∞ , multi-focused,  multi-pixels, master of zooming power (empowering the binoculars and in race with telescope, to be precise) with many more features have become an integral part of one’s life. Your companion of morning ablutions too!!!

Before I go in a pensive mode and travel across my past timeline, let me pass by my mother’s childhood memory about phone. I see, she used to call her father from a neighboring telephone booth (now almost an extinct species!!) or a Kirana shop in his office only in case of something important or urgent. The calls were meaningful and of Lilliputian duration. 

 Now passing through my memory maze, I see telephone in every house to be a rare commodity. It was a static dibba with no style statement. A few rounds of a dial present over the number strip were apt to connect to someone contrary to today’s quick hover of my fingers over the phone screen even in my slumber. Phone ring (enough to pierce deep through the ear-drum) appeared melodious to my ears (even today, I miss that vintage tone!) opposite to nowadays’ swarm of ringtones enough to confuse you.

It used to rest in my grandma’s room at an unreachable height from me. Her permission was a prerequisite even if I had to speak to my school friend (to ask homework in case I took leave!). However, now times have changed and she needs my 7 year old cousin’s consent to touch her personalized phone. Don’t believe me how children are turning into mobile freaks?? Take a small exercise. Try serving ‘the fresh fruit’, next time your kid demands an ‘Apple’ and do share the reactions!!

Coming back to present, I visualize phone to be a much more dynamic and customized entity which keeps us in contact with knowns/unknowns via various modes. It has internet access – a cloud ready to burst with multifarious entertainment and infotainment options. Also, most of the preloaded apps and games are quite engaging (Although, I disapprove of replacement of my smiling Mario by the Angry Birds!!).

Many a times we have read boards like “Pets not allowed” outside various institutes or religious places. These days we see “Phones not allowed/Keep your phones switched off”. You see! Your mobile behavior is gaining importance. Despite all this, if I give my neck a complete 360° spin, I would find at least 70% people busy with it before the mandatory separation stated. 

But if I go by my elders’ verdict, phones are facilitators of chaos and disturbance. According to them, Smart phones are furnishing me into a bubblehead. They are leading to degradation of my mind power as I purchase Tera-sized plastic memory to store everything ranging from phone no.s, Birthday/Anniversary dates, sticky notes, office work and what not! You’ll be amazed to know that one of my teachers proposed to observe a Mob—fast at least twice a week to prevent myself from turning into a telemaniac. Do you think it’s easy??

Hard to stay without smart phones and harder to stay with them!!

NOT SO RARE!!

Oxford Dictionary defines ‘rare’ as: “Something that occurs or happens not often”. “Rarest of the rare” is how everybody (courts, media and common man) defines the 16^th December gang rape case.

Is Gang rape really something that “doesn’t happen often”, especially in India? Then my dear, you need to take a look at the facts. According to a survey, a woman is raped every 27 minutes (Oh maa Gosh!!!!). Putting it differently, I can say every nook, corner, village, town, ”global” metro city in India has a dark heart away from all the glitter with a heinous crime taking place at a rate faster than that of increasing CAD or falling rupee. And conviction rate is a big shame!! Hundreds! No! thousands of lives are destroyed by unabashed animals just to show what?? Prove what??

“Rarest of the rare” death sentence has been awarded in this particular case, I marvel, why? Only because this time there was :

RAPE  !!                         REBELLION  !!               RETRIBUTION!!

Or has this “Goddess revering-nation finally come out of its slumber! Sigh!

I believe maligning a human body is a crime irrespective of the fact whether it comes under the defined category or not. Thus, the quantum of the punishment for rape should be as torturous and grotesque as the crime itself in my view.

Everybody was glued to TV screens with a bated breath waiting for the ”judgement” and rejoiced at the outcome. Then, why are there so many girls with stifled cries and silent echoing groans? Why do I still feel insecure on road? Why don’t I venture out freely in public transport after darkness sweeps the streets?

You know why?? Because In our “Rarest of rare nation”, rights are something that do come handy at the time of malefaction. Flipping through the pages of newspapers, I got to know that these hard-core criminals can appeal “SEVEN” more times for an undeserved mercy before facing the hangman's noose. Already with a backlog of millions of cases in courts (which could take multiple years for completion), a quick and a harsh verdict to ensure safety of women is a mere request, a goal without a plan as for now: just a wish, a heartfelt one.

We have always been taught that Yin and Yang complement each other. Yet, there are some diabolic people out to disturb the balance!! Most of the time, the guilty is uneducated, unemployed, unskilled or does petty jobs for his survival. Other reason might be the male ego which could be satiated by this brutal act(how, I don’t understand). I think you would agree that parents can play a major role in saving the minds of their beloved sons from getting warped from childhood itself and instill the fear of dire consequences if they cross the Laxman Rekha.

I would be lying if I say that I hadn’t been hoping for anything less than capital punishment but for now, this momentarily jubilation feels somewhat hollow for this has not deterred or put a full stop to this anathema. Wish to raise not just any one of my itching fingers (You must be knowing!) but the whole palm to those with no conscience. Hope you agree!!

MULTI-FLAVOURED JABBER!!

India is the world’s largest democracy. True to the word, no one can stop its well-informed citizens (obsessed with Jaanta hai mera baap kaun hai attitude!!) from exercising their rights (forgetting the duties) as per convenience, of course! I believe that “the right to speech”, is the most exercised right , especially by my clan, “The women”, as we are passionate beings concerned by a plethora of topics (No offense!). Discussion about Gen X and Gen Y by the Baby boomers is something I feel everyone has been a part of.

Okay! Okay! Without concocting more stories, here I put my itchy finger on a loud spicy gossip going on between two women (Omniscient would be the adjective they would prefer I guess!) in our beloved Delhi Metro’s first car. Completely strangers yet strangely though, they blamed a pretty decent sophomore’s parents for her dressing sense and style statement giving her furtive glance. Wait! Wasn’t she wearing the same Capri pants and top that you admired onscreen!!

What’s next! Don’t push your brains too hard. Their funny concern was the would-be-moms' ‘baby bump’. Gimme a break! I think these two chatter-boxes were suggesting these delicate women to wear Sack Bags in the name of clothes. They even tried to elicit some positive affirmation by “enlightening” all those present, but were met with a polite but firm reply:”Aunty! These days women chose attire as per occasion and comfort”. Though that only got snorts and ire in response.

I checked my watch. OMG! 20 minutes more before I de-board.
1^st thought:  When will this end?
 2^nd thought: What are they saying? As the conversation was vibrant enough!

They switched over the topic and now came the turn of sons and daughter-in-laws. One of them was all praises for her four innocent and helping sons out to save dengue infected world by donating blood (applauses!!) but not for the corporate woman and home-maker daughter-in-law who took an entire day to finish the household chores that this super woman could do in a jiffy. I think “A woman can be a woman’s best friend or worst enemy” fits in well here.

Lastly, they shared their sagacious words on to how their octogenarian wealthy mother-in-law should have got the gate pass to hell (Disregarding the Yamdoot’s clock). I must say monetarily, a wise deliberation when stock markets and our dearest Rupee are on a crashing spree.

I could have got more ‘Gyaan’ for you but those ladies de-boarded. Sigh!! Of pain or relief?

Keep wondering!!

GREET ME!!!!!!

“A finger is mightier than a sword”. Okay! I have modified the adage only a little – Purani baaton mein thodi ungali toh kar hi sakte hain!! but you can’t blame me. All thanks to evolution for our tiny prized possessions but hats off to the innovative human mind for finger’s random yet so many universal definitions! 

Definitions as per my not so much updated knowledge:                                         

Index Finger:  To pin point the contents of our lives.

Middle Finger: Do I really need to elaborate??

Ring Finger: To show-off how rich and exotic one’s fiancée is.

Little Finger: Angel of pee! Oops! the pinky promises.

Thumb : Boost up/down one’s morale (as required) or ‘Like’ [y].

And not to forget all the texts and e-mails, impossible without fingers! (#Though itching tops my list.)

Times have changed the definition of fingers for me. In my childhood days, my thumb used to be my favourite snack until my mother started applying ‘Red chilli powder’ on it. (Thanks mum for saving my smile!). I still remember how I used to go to the goodie’s shop holding my father’s pyjamas. No verbal communication, only my fingers danced across the glass separating the yummies from me and I got what I wanted, always!! 

Then came the times when these fingers held crayons, pencils, pens; and yes finally a keyboard for this article. Not to forget the times when these were my sole calculator.

I do miss teachers and neighbourhood aunties pulling my cheeks crooning how ‘cute’ I was! (I mean I am). But definitely not the fingers pointing towards me accusingly, reporting my mischief to my father.

Teenage, the fatal attraction age brought its own charm with it and varied definitions from Venus and Mars. Yet, all the fours never ceased to be indistinguishable in case a plate full of chowmein appeared on table or during examinations or in case of high fives or in case when fingers were flashed in the air for those who didn’t care.

Have you ever wondered a life without fingers? They are so very integral part and yet random! How paradoxical and quizzical. 

 Let me share a secret with you. Whenever I see a Blackbird, I cross my fingers uncrossing them only when I see a pair of them to bring myself joy. It may sound childish, but it works. (My fingers have magical powers too!!)

And I write this blog with my fingers crossed (not literally silly) to weave the randomness in my life into words with the hope that I put my finger on the things that matter.