My Pug Marks

It is just past 5 am on 15th August, 2011. Heaven and Hell both know I am not an early riser. And no, I haven't risen up to listen to Mr. Manmohan Singh speak from the Red Fort on the 64th Independence Day of India. I also don't work for an organization which would want to see me working on a National Holiday. Like most Indians, I would rather skip our soft spoken PM's speech and enjoy the extended weekend, but I clearly am not doing so. It is a simple question and a profound one that bugs me and takes my sleep away. Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Woh Kahaan Hain? It means - Where are those people who are proud of India? A beautiful song from singer Rabbi Shergill  asks the same question, many a times. Where are those people? Are they the ones like me who enjoy sleeping on their nation's Independence Day which, just to remind myself and them - was won after a hard fought battle of about a 100 years? I don't think so. They definitely don't fit. Are they the ones who a...

Image Courtesy: Delhi! ‘garche hain mulq-e-dakhan mein in dinon qadr-e-sukhan kaun jaaye Zauq par dilli ki galiyaan chod kar’ - Mir Zauq These famous lines by Mir Zauq, a contemporary of Mirza Ghalib defines the quintessential nature of the city we call Delhi. Roughly translated to English, in these lines Mir Zauq is saying that although the seat of power and all the worldly comforts have shifted to the Deccan region of India but still, who can even think of leaving the by-lanes of Delhi? A true dilliwala can understand what it means. Delhi is the capital of India. Like every capital city should be – it has been painted in the colors of modernity and is a suitable representation of the growth that India has witnessed. However, unlike many cities, or cities which even weren’t cities then, Delhi has been painted in colors representing grandeur and layers and layers of them, one over the other. Delhi itself represents history. It has assimilated everyone. Mughals, Khiljis, an...

O.K. We all loved Chak De India. It definitely was a taut script and who doesn't like to see the underdogs win? It also addressed almost all women issues, regional disparity and touched a little on religion bias too. And to those observant eyes, it also was an excellent surrogate marketing move(Aaj Tak, McDonald's, Puma, Ultra Tech...and one more which I leave for you to tell me ;) ) But on this so-much-hyped 60th Independence Day, all I am doing is sitting and typing a movie review to be posted on my blog. And yea, I changed my Orkut profile colors to suit that of the nation too. That is about it. Or is it? I have been insanely patriotic, or rather, chauvinistic in approach when it comes to India. My motherland India. I love to see the uniformed men, and they still manage to generate an awe, immaculately dressed and exercise fit. I love to salute the National Tricolor whenever I can. In fact, the only thing I liked about entering my college was the fluttering National Flag. Bu...