Why do I write?

This ain't a famous blog. There hardly is any audience to my posts. Yet, I write. And I write quite regularly, except for those moments when I am very happy or very depressed (and don't have time or don't feel like writing).

I write because I just love to see how simple sentences take form of a big paragraph. How my thoughts translate to words. And to my amazement, many-a-times, when I read my own writitings, I feel good.

I developed interest in writing in my Tenth grade. I used to love 'Interact in English' course. The notices, advertisements and memos used to be tests of my creativity. And this love for words stayed on.

So I write. Mindlessly. Aimlessly. And for no audience.

I write for myself!

Being Quintessentially Indian

Many things come to my mind when I think of the quintessential Indian way of life. Things that could happen only on this homeland of ours. Things that are a matter of pride, and things that are a matter of shame. Things that are commonplace in the so-called 'middle class'.

Did you just ask Kaun Middle Class?? Arey, They are the ones who are neither poor enough to be called lower class and nor rich enough to be termed the Upper Class. So they hang precariously somewhere in the middle!

My list follows. Feel free to make your additions.
Drying clothes on a clothesline outside your balcony
Borrowing lemons and sugar from your neighbour (but never the salt!)
Bowing down to touch the feet of elderly, even your room-mates parents when you don't even know them or are meeting them for the first time
A grand wedding
Savings under the National Savings Certificate Scheme in the Post Offfice
Small car, high on mileage (remember the kitna deti hai advertisement of Maruti)
An entire family on a two wheeler - Miya Biwi Bachon Samet
Toddlers reciting nursery rhymes to guests
Living rooms with vases full of dusty arificial flowers and souviners
A doting mother who is a housewife (and has full potential to be a corporate manager)
A penny-wise father who never shops for himself
A BSNL landline
Garib Rath
The dream to buy a sedan and a real estate property
A maid who is unreliable
A liftman and a security guard
A dhobi, doodhwala & maali
Family unions on Diwali & Holi (and may be on Christmas, New Year and Eid)
Haggling with a vegetable vendor for the best price
Haggling with a retail shop vendor for the best price
An IRCTC website login
A lohe ki kadhai and tawa
A relative in the US of A
A job in MNC
A job with the Government
A dream to be an IAS officer (or an IPS or IFS or IES)
An eye on the stock market
An arranged marriage
A Shah Rukh Khan movie
A Zeenat Aman (and a Rakhi Sawant)
A joint family
A nuclear family
A loving sister
A caring brother
A caring wife
A loving husband
A nagging wife
A questioning husband
A mister and his misus

And..... ek packet ummeed!

Where do you belong to?

Friends, interviewers, landlords and many more inquisitive souls have often asked me this question - "Where do you belong to?" And this, has been the most difficult for me to answer and am often at loss of words to explain why.

My standard answer now is - "I belong to nowhere, I belong to India". Nah! am not a patriotic guy, but this is the best that I can describe my belonging-ness.

What adds to the woes is that even my paternal family has had two bases. My late Grandfather shifted base from Allahabad to Agra after his retirement.
So, technically I am from Agra; but I have never really lived there. Even my father hasn't (Though, am not sure as to where my dad thinks he belongs to.). And, I hardly know anything about Agra apart from Taj Mahal and Swami Bagh.

I was born in Allahabd. Spent my toddler-hood there and have very faint memories. My maternal family stays in Allahabad but it stops at that. I have always been a visitor to this city. Earlier it was to spend the summer vacations at grandparent's and later on (when I started working) to attend weddings and other such family get-togethers. In all these 27 years of life, I would have ventured outside the confines of Civil Lines barely twice. So, I think I don't even qualify to be an Allahabadi.

I can say that I am from UP, but am not aware of the geography of the state. I don't even know if Muzaffarpur neighbours Mirzapur or if Firozabad is close to Muradabad.

Till about two years back, I would have said I am from Ahmedabad. But after my parents shifted their base to NCR I can't even say this, though my permanent address continues to be 34-Sona Mahal.... Alas! am no more an Amdavadi also, though my heart dwells in that city.

I thought the best answer to this question could be Delhi but that also doesn't work out for me. For my parents don't stay in Delhi (They stay in the NCR) and am as unaware of Delhi's geography as am of Uttar Prdesh's. So, if one were to tell me they stay in Pitampura, my expression would remain the same if they would have mentioned Greater Kailash or Rohini or Munirka. Ah! It is not Delhi either. Neither is it the NCR.

Thus, even though my father grew up in Allahabad, shifted to Agra later; my mother belongs to Allahabad; we have our property in Ahmedabad, and my parents are now sort of settled in the NCR, I don't belong to any of these places.

I belong to India!

Do I look as if I care??

Many a times, in life, we create notions. About things, people and situations. Often there is no logic(or perhaps there is!) and we don't give a D*** to what others think of them.
Here goes my list, read on...
1) Gujarat is the best state (and Ahmedabad the best city) to live in. No, any amount of arguments (not even the Godhra Kaand) will not change my stand.
2) Branded doesn't mean it's always worth it. I don't think highly of Provogue as a shoe company or of Woodlands as an apparel company; nor is a 1000 rupees worth backpack from Adidas (after discount, of course) any better than the 200 rupees worth bag I bought from Bandra (it has lasted me over two years now). Titan is a good enough watch brand for me. I had never heard of "Police" and "Davidoff" before I came to Mumbai.
3) I don't need to change my phone every two years. No, I don't think I need a swanky cell phone to cast a lasting impression on a client.
4) I don't have an overstock of shirts. Yes, I have over 50 shirts and No, am not going to not buy any more!!
5) I am okay with the shades I bought from a street-side stall. No, I don't trust the claims of UV protection being made by most branded eyewears!
6) Yes, I love my green belt. And my Red shoes. And no, by no means are they a fashion disaster.
7) No, my jeans is not a li'l too slim. I like it this way. It's my jeans anyway, why would you care!!
8) Yes, these are cowboy shoes that I wear to my office. And my office is in the Arabian Ranches!!!
9) Maroon or Purple is a (shirt) colour to be worn to office. As is blue, beige, white and grey!
10) I look around in a zillion shops for that perfect bargain. It is fine if you won't accompany me for my shopping. I take a lot of time to choose. I may not choose anything, as a matter of fact!
11) Lemon soda is a waste of money at a fine dining restaurant. Now you know what not to order when I throw a birthday party!
12) No, I don't get tired of going to South Bombay. And Yes! I like to call it Bombay. South Mumbai sounds pretty shady!!
13) Yes, I remember each penny that goes out of my pocket. And I won't mind if you walked up to me to ask for what I owe you. It's your money afterall!
14) Yes, I like gossip. And no, I don't beleive that you don't.
15) Mughal-e-Azam is a great movie. And Madhubala is the most beautiful actress of all times.
16) Yes I watch Utran, Na anaa... and any other daily soap that you can think of. No, I did not follow IPL.
17) I hate it when you ask me if I remember you. I may not call you or mail you often. I may not even keep you updated of the latest happenings in my life (read my engagement), but If you were ever friends with me, I remember you with all my heart and warmth.
18) No, you cannot borrow all my things. Am attached to many of my belongings and would not like you to use them without me knowing about it. No, I don't trust your material handling skills!
19) No, I don't go home too often. Once in two months is pretty normal. What else do you earn for if you cannot be with them on festivities!
20) Yes, that is a chikaankari kurta that I wear. And no, its not too transparent!

Am sure this list can be endless... Do let me know if you know something about me which I don't. I never had a good score on my Johari Window excercise!

With regrets to the President!!

The other day, I was just casually browsing through the website of all the president of the nation when I happened to come across a section that read:
"Located on the hill top of the Mashobra, the building was taken over during 1895 by the Viceroy. The president visits The Retreat at least once a year and his core office shifts to that place during his stay in The Retreat. Thousand feet higher than the Shimla Ridge Top, The Retreat is located in a picturesque surrounding. The architectural pattern and the natural beauty of the place have made The Retreat a tourist attraction in Shimla.”

“Located at Bolarum, Rashtrapati Nilayam building was taken over from the Nizam of Hyderabad after India attained independence and handed it over to the President's Secretariat. Constructed during 1860, this building has a total land area of 90 acres. A single storied building, it contains in its premises 11 rooms. It also has a Dining Hall, Cinema Hall, Darbar Hall, Morning room, ADC's dining room etc. The President of India visits the Rashtrapati Nilayam and stays there at least once a year and conducts his official business from this Nilayam."

Now, me being me, thought to take a shot and wrote a mail to the lady at Rashtrapati (agreed it could not be Rashtrapatni, but may be something else!!) Bhawan. I wrote:
Respected Madam,
It is a pleasure to see a lady chair the seat of the highest authority in the country but it is of utmost regret to see that the Indian system is not yet ready to accept this fact.

How would the society awake to the fact of woman empowerment when the country's politics is marred by a male oriented approach to things?

The following paragraph taken from the official website of the President of India is a sad example of how we never ever in the history of 60 years of independence thought that a President could be a lady. The use of masculine gender in the statements below is such an irony to the very vision of woman empowerment that you embody.
Hope you would direct your secretariat to rectify this social, political and grammatical blunder as soon as possible.

I never expected a reply from them, let alone any action. However, I was surprised the day after when I saw a mail in my mailbox from some S G Sharma, which read:

Dear Shri Sudeep Dube,

This is to acknowledge the receipt of your e-mail dated 1st December 2008 addressed to the President of India. Your concern is appreciated and necessary step has been taken in this regards.
Regards

S G Sharma
Technical Director

I immediately checked the website and the error stood rectified! I was amazed at the promptness of response!
This made me realise that we, just the common people of this country, can bring about a change in the system. I am not saying that to get a small grammatical error rectified is the same as to be able to manage the mess in which our country seems to be currently, instead what I am saying is that no step, however small it may be is going to be a waste, especially in times like these.

धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय ।

माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ॠतु आए फल होय ॥