Sounds of Solitude

This post is especially written for all the men who ask: 1. Why women need a separate compartment in local trains when they demand gender equality? 2. Why women have around 12 seats reserved in a bus (A lot of men ask it, especially in Mumbai, where about 12 seats are reserved for women in each bus.)? And the gentlemen who understand the reasons for the above situations, I request you to kindly share this post so that it reaches every man who has the above mentioned questions. August 2006, aged 15: An afternoon, at around 11, I was going to my school. I was in Grade 10 then. On my way I met someone who I had known for a long time. He'd been a family friend and was hence in a "position of trust". Another reason why I could trust him was because he was at least 30 years elder to me. Even his children were older than me. So, when he offered to drop me to school in his car, I agreed. Back in those days, it was permissible to have tinted car windows. On our way to sch

The mystic poetry, The broken glass, The brittle iron And the damaged vase The wandering eyes, The deep gaze, The thorny rose Lost in a maze The clutter of silence, The stillness of noise, The smartness of ears, And the dumbness of voice The stagnant crowd, The mad solitude, The feeble might Around impavid fortitude The elegance of furor, The poise in brawls, The beauty of scars And the love for flaws Light in the night, Darkness in the day, Unconventionally conventional Is a rebel's way!

And the child was born! A girl. Attempts were made to keep her in the well that was considered to be the "ideal" place to raise an "ideal" Indian woman/daughter. The well! It was a deep, dark well where right from a tender age, she was subjected to various degrees and types of gender discrimination; where the guardians of culture made every effort to program her mind and make her believe that "silent suffering is a matter of pride" and that being a women, it is her duty to protect the honour of her people even at the cost of her own honour and chastity! She was programmed to have no self-esteem, to believe that existence of men is a favors on her and that she is unwanted and worthless. Worst of all, the "well" forced her to be a witness of horrific crimes of violence and abuse in her formative years and then, the guardians expected her to silently accept it all as an integral part of her future; because apparently, that is what that makes a

Friction and/or problems between two people are common, not just as lovers, but even as friends, parent-children and many other bonds that exist without labels. All these bonds are some or the other form of relationship. Problems between two people can sometimes be so intense that it might end up crumbling the bond in to tiny pieces. And what gives rise to such dissonance? Misunderstandings. Surprised? Don't be, if you sit and reflect, you would realize that misunderstandings are indeed the single most effective factor that can manifest itself into several other issues and lead to a relationship failure. If I have to simplify, I would say: When it comes to dissonance between two people,  The main cause is: Misunderstandings Major cause to misunderstandings is: "We don't see the world as it is, we see it as a reflection of who we are." (Thanks to our fears, insecurities, ego etc) Most suitable solution: Having an attitude of listening with an empty mind

On the composed exterior: In my capacity, I know I have given the best that I could have. Now, it is up to people if they really want to understand "my heart". If they don't want to, its not my problem, its the problem with their understanding. I have tried my best, with utmost dignity and compassion, to make people see the reality, but if they still choose to live with illusions, then its their decision. But yes, when-and if-the wall of their illusions will break and they will realize their fault, I will be gone, taking care of people who understand my heart and value me. In the insecure interior: I did the best I could have. I genuinely have but I still don't understand why people fail to see that!Where did I go wrong? What is it that I should have done, but I did not do? Why people I care about are not ready to understand me and stand by me? Am i that wrong? But I never wanted to be that way. I genuinely wanted to do the best I could for the people I love, I t

1. I like being alone :) Strange, but true. I LOVE being alone. Yes, I do go to movies alone, I roam around the entire Mumbai alone, I have meals alone etc. and I don't see anything wrong with it. Not that i don't like people or I have attitude issues or anything like that. Its just that, being alone and introspective is a very crucial and integral part of my personality....its like my "me" time that keeps me going. I enjoy my company but that doesn't mean I don't like people. I love people. For me the biggest success ever, would be to make a positive difference in the lives of people around me. But again, to keep myself going, I need my "me" time and moreover, this "me" time is sometimes the best option to keep all the unnecessary drama, non-sense and negativity out of my life. 2. Friendly with all, but friends with few :) Yes, i have few friends and they are family. I am selective about people I open up to, I share my life with and o

Stumbling over and again, I somehow begin to stand. All what I shared with you, now seems a flowing sand. We might not survive, I might not see you again. But the memories that we made, Will shine bright admist pain. Your arms were my heaven, Your smile; my hope. In these moments of ambiguity, I wonder how will I cope. On one side I see hope, On another I see fear. Uncertainty grips me tight, And a mask of calmness I wear.