The Wish & The Battle Inside

It took years of injustice and innumerable cases of rape for one incident to finally capture the public's attention. This time, people didn't need a leader to awaken them from their slumber; their repressed anger demanded an outlet. The voices that had been silenced for years coalesced into a collective outcry that could no longer be ignored or suppressed. This led to changes in the outdated laws on sexual offenses. The Justice Verma Panel identified "failure of governance" as the root cause of sexual crime, criticizing the government, police, and the public's apathy. It recommended significant changes. While many recommendations are commendable, the panel's stance on rapists remains too lenient. The key points of contention include: Rape offenders will face rigorous imprisonment of no less than seven years, potentially extending to life imprisonment. Punishment for causing death or a persistent vegetative state will be rigorous imprisonment of no less than 20...

My friend Rajush was approaching the prime age for marriage, and his parents were diligently searching for a suitable bride. I met him a week ago, and since then, I've been meaning to write this blog. This piece is not about a person, a family, or a tradition, but rather the society we live in. As I spoke with Rajush, I couldn't help but ponder the plight of a girl child in India. This plight is not limited to the girl child but extends to the entire society. Even in the context of marriage, a wonderful institution, some of the practices and traditions we've adopted or perpetuated over the ages are not just questionable but downright absurd. Rajush was entering into an arranged marriage, and as simple as it sounds, it is indeed ARRANGED from the very beginning. Everything in this arrangement is taken into account. Every arrangement involves its own set of negotiations, and Rajush, being rather naive in these matters, felt disheartened by his experiences thus far. The most s...

On November 12th, 2012, at 11:57 PM, Vyom's phone rang. He had gone upstairs to get some sleep, as he always made it a point to be home for Diwali, the most popular festival for many Indians. Some view it as the festival of lights, celebrating the triumph of good over evil, while others see it as a time to please Goddess Laxmi and seek a prosperous year. For Vyom, it was a time to reconnect with friends and family. By the time he reached the phone, the ringing had stopped. He picked it up and was heading back to his room when it rang again. It was Gautam, a dear friend of his. Vyom wondered if Gautam was planning a prank for Diwali eve, but it seemed unlikely. He answered the call, and the urgency in Gautam's voice caught his attention. Gautam asked for Vyom's blood type, explaining that his friend's grandfather was critically ill and in need of blood. Vyom agreed to donate at 7 AM the next morning. Within a minute, Gautam's friend, Manish, called Vyom and asked if ...

ये मेरा आखिरी मुकाम नहीं आगे की राह आसान नहीं लेकिन जीने की परवाह जो करते नहीं मौत से जो डरते नहीं उनके लिए कहा कोई सफ़र नामुमकिन रहा है मैंने तो ना हटाकर मुमकिन को चुना है अपने लिए तो जी ही रहा हूँ एक दिन देश के लिए जीना है दाग लगे है माँ के आँचल पर उससे अपने लहूँ से धोना है...

आज फिर तेरे दर पर खड़ा मैं मन्नतें हज़ार ले कर लेकिन तुझसे कुछ भी मांग न पाया दी तुने ज़िन्दगी मुझे मुझको तुने इंसान बनाया धरती की गोद में पला बड़ा में तेरी सृष्टि की रक्षा कर न पाया आज फिर तेरे दर पर खड़ा मैं हाथ जोड़े शीश झुकाए क्षमा प्रार्थी हूँ मैं लेकिन तुझसे क्षमा भी मांग न पाया 22-Sep-2012 @ Shirdi

इस दुनिया को समझते समझते में बहुत चकरा गया अपनों ने पराया कर दिया, परयो ने अपना लिया.. देखता हूँ की दुनिया कहा जा रही है, एक मोह जाल में फसे जा रही है| पैसे वालों की इस दुनिया में भगवान भी  बिकता है, मंदिरों में भी vip का बोल-बाला चलता है| मूरख है वो जो सबका मालिक एक समझता है, अपनों से गले लगता है और गैरो से दूर से मिलता है| वो गैर ही कभी इतना अपनापन दे जाते है, जिस प्यार को अपने पैसो में तोल आते है, जिस प्यार को अपने पैसो में तोल आते है... Life is turning out to be a battle and right now I am scarred badly but then it too offers a night and the breeze that brings comfort to my burning scars. Love and affection are the most scarce things in this practical world, and love and affection is what I get unexpectedly from people who barely know me. I often wondered when something bad happened to me, that what have I done to deserve such fate but to that I had an answer too. To something which I never had an answer was what is there in me that the people love me for, what hav...

क्या हो गया है मुझे जो इस दुनिया में मुझे भगवान नहीं दिखता त्यौहार मनाता हूँ लेकिन पूजता हूँ जिसे वो भगवान नहीं दिखता घमंड दिखता है, अहम् दिखता है, लालच और लोभ दिखता है झूठ दिखता है, बुराई दिखती है, क्रोध और काम में डूबा शैतान दिखता है सच दिखता है, अच्छाई दिखती है, दया और दान करता इंसान दिखता है क्या हो गया है मुझे जो इस दुनिया में मुझे सब दिखता है पर भगवान नहीं दिखता कभी धुप से झुलसता, कभी ठण्ड से ठिठुरता, कही बाढ़ में बहता, कही सूखे का मारा जीवन दिखता है तम दिखता है, सितम दिखता है, आम इंसान का दर्द दिखता है भूख से बिलखिलाता बचपन दिखता है, सड़क पर भटकता योवन दिखता है क्या हो गया है मुझे जो इस दुनिया में मुझे सब दिखता है पर भगवान नहीं दिखता कहते है की भगवान मन में है लेकिन जब मन देखता हूँ तो.... सब दिखता है, सब दिखता है लेकिन भगवान नहीं दिखता...