Ban Child Labour!

India has no other way but to give into child labour. Child labour might be termed as 'crime', but let's face it- in a country with such a large percentage of people below the poverty line, and another large percentage very near to it, it's difficult to make ends meet for their families if the children don't work!
How would parents feed those children? Who would pay for their education?
I personally know a 15 year old girl, who works to pay for her own education because her parents cannot afford it. If she didn't work, she would've never known what school is.
People raise a hue and a cry about child labour being aweful without thinking about the root cause...which is very clearly POVERTY! No poverty, usually means no child labour.
 It's a debate similar to "No female infanticide".
Wake up people! If there were strict laws against the dowry system, the number of female infanticides would drastically reduce! But till date, dowry lies rooted as one of the social evils of the society.
Regarding child labour ,the government could have looked into the finer aspects of child labour ...dealing with child abuse in work places, insanitary conditions, no scope for growth and develepment of the child, e.t.c.
But here in India, we care to 'declare' laws.
 The lawmakers are more than happy to make laws. No one cares to implement them!

A Tribute To Our War Heroes

"Heroism is the brilliant triumph of the soul over the flesh"

-Henri Frederic Amiel

India is so greatly diverse in heritage, so rich in values and ethics, that each one of us can't help but feel a sense of pride in being called an Indian. We unite as cricket fans cheering the Indian team. We unite for rallying against corruption. We unite expressing our thoughts as the largest democracy in the world. We unite to light the lamp of happiness in the festival of lights.  
Unity is our identity inspite of the division of our country in various communities, castes, sects, and religions.
India is beautiful in ways more than one, and we owe it to  our war heroes.
We probably live in one of the most troubled neighbourhoods in the world, constantly having to defend ourselves against political issues and rivalry. Border issues and religious ones have constantly harrassed India right from 1947.
Our war heroes have stood the test of time and endured pain to protect us. .  Every year on 15th of August, when the flag is hoisted, we are reminded of their great deeds 
 Movies like Border, Rang De Basanti, Lagaan, Legend Of Bhagat Singh, etc, work so well for the audience, as a proof of the patriotism ingrained in every Indian heart.
Our war heroes to name a few, Major Sudhir Walia-winner of Ashok Chakra Award (posthumous), Major Somnath Sharma - winner of Paramvir Chakra Award, Kargil hero Captain Saurabh Kalia, Captain Vikram Batra have disregarded danger when it looked them in the eye, all for the single most important cause.....protecting mother India!
We salute you, heroes.

S I L E N C E

Silence closes by as misery and desolation,
Where hopes of a new dawn fade,
With the fading sun setting in a welter of crimson.


Where loneliness offers sole company,
As constant as the rustling leaves;
Where the grasp of solitude tightens,
And the soul cries out as it grieves.


As the sense feels void closing in,
It asks itself in a trance,
Why it is punished for an unknown sin.
But the answer as uncertain as the wind...
blowing through the mind and out...blowing far away.


Now surrounded by this scorching disdain,
Shade is needed for this heart in pain,
A speck of consolation....a soothing rain,
A ray of hope
-but all in vain.


For desperation as vast as the world,
For memories unkind,
Gnawing through the mind,
And strangling out breath,
As it winds itself around.


Silence, lies in its wretched bed;
Piercing the heart in pangs of sorrow,
Drowning in itself, the dreams spun,
Snatching away hopes for tomorrow.

Our City of Joy

Kolkata....'city of joy' ; or should I say "the land of the blind"?

Thousands of homeles people, more than 30% of the population below the poverty line, malnourised, starving, dieing diseased and hungry. Life is that worthless in...the city of joy.
It's such a misnomer isn't it.?
 Although the word "joy" is so very different for each of us.
For that little child who earns his living by begging for alms..."joy" is merely a meal that satisfies his hunger without him having to stay hungry.
For you and I, we never have to stay hungry and we will never know what it's like to starve.
And yes...I thank God for that!
Thousands die everyday...we don't care...we don't even know. And if we know....we pretend not to see.
Welcome-to Our City of Joy!

The Perfect Thing

It was just another day.
Walking through the chaos of...vendors...cars...buses....felt as normal as it did everyday.
Though somehow, nothing felt real...nothing seemed to exist.
You were there...following me everywhere I went. you blew the little raindrops on my face, beckoning me to come with you...follow you back to where we came from.
I would have....only if I could.
You had trapped me....numbed my senses.
Although you were nothing but a shadow. A very distant dream, that made me shudder.
I get tired of illusions...tired of missing you.
That's when I try looking for you in a crowd of unknown faces.