Remember the days of the diaries, the days of exploring the innermost psyche of self, the days of gawking deep into the cracked mirrors and reasoning their cause, days of retrospection, the days of constant pursuit of self, days of just pouring out experiences, good or bad, on paper? In olden times, writing with quills by means of a bottle of ink had such an unmistakable style of its own….envisage Valmiki using this tool to bring into being the epic Ramayana! One sentence on paper, off late, comes with a shivering wrist ache, thanks to the era of keyboards and electronic records!

Diaries offered an avenue for escapism, a pathway to showcase one’s real self, a channel to voice one’s opinion without having to worry about counterattacks or rejection. For those who maintained diaries (I am sure they still exist), it formed one’s secluded world outside of one’s real existence. An addiction it aroused, an irresistible need to express and to break free! No wonder the diaries were a part of many a script writers’ imagination, many a director’s fantasy…the mystery in Ghajini would have remained obscure without Sanjay Ramasamy’s outpour of daily activities into a diary...A diary kept Bridget Jones true to herself…the diary brought two-hearts-in love together forever and the diary was a means to sentence the culprit to misery in many a plots!

Maintaining diaries is such a private act, ironically though; it provokes curiosity in one and all to exactly find out what’s in those pages :) Anyways, talking about the current generation, writing is some tedious work of the past, its now all about blogs, blogging and did I already mention blogging? Atleast keeping diaries was not everyone’s cup-of-tea; however blogging is every tom, dick and harry’s pastime. Blogging has created such a sensation among the masses, it is no longer limited to personal space; it is about education, creativity, exchange, competition, business, and trust me when it is slow at work, this is a perfect medium to yell out your frustrations or deviate your idle mind to a less devilish atmosphere. People are no longer afraid to confront any opposition, people are no longer afraid of who they really are and to speak for themselves…I wonder why being yourself needs to be so tough in the first place (may be another blog….some other day) :)

From college kids to the working class, from movie stars to cooks and chefs, from commentators to political speakers, from house wives to social workers, blogging has caught up like wildfire and why not – it is such a great platform for self development at so many levels. It is interesting to see how, what we do in 2009 is inherited from centuries ago. The mediums have changed, but the essence remains! Although it is essential to practice what we preach or believe in; I feel this is a great beginning in itself. It is time for the evolution of the Homosapiens!!!

PS: Here’s a toast to all my blogger friends who keep me alive and writing!!! Cheers!

Heard this a zillion times last night, Best Supporting Actress/Actor, Best Short Film, Best X, Best Y….blah blah blah…..dude what got me jumping off my couch, dancing and whistling away like a pakka rowdy was when I heard the golden words…..And the Oscar goes to ……A.R. Rahman !!! – not once, this man decided to give us a reason to celebrate twice in a span of 10 minutes…

What a moment in Indian history…..he is the light at the end of a long lost, narrow, dark, and depressing tunnel! The song Maula Mere Maula from the movie Delhi-6 led me to believe it doesn’t matter whether you are a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or a Christian…..the mediums (MUSIC is instrumental) that connect our soul to the supreme being have no religion, don't believe in discrimination – they only comprehend the language of love and devotion!

You blurt out “Slumdog Millionaire” in India and the hypocrites who have no connection with the movie or the Mumbai slums suddenly creep out from their caves, with strong opinionated judgmental statements – Does it matter that a Britisher and not an Indian decided to direct the movie – if not Mumbai, it would have been the slums in South Africa or Philippines!!! It is imperative to read in between the lines and decipher the profound aspects of what is being depicted. Slumdog’s message from my perspective was that success comes with fearless determination, ambition, inspiration, motivation and a pinch of luck! It has nothing to do with a person’s race, religion, caste, financial status, gender and the likes! And having lived in Mumbai and passed out from a college in Bandra, I have crossed Dharavi – Asia’s largest slums more than I can imagine and have seen the filth myself! The movie is just a reflection of reality – the sooner we learn acknowledge and accept the facts, the better! This is no preaching – just my two cents!

Coming back to the Oscars – I am not surprised that Slumdog – the underdog bogged the limelight at the coveted awards ceremony! 8 Oscars – no kidding :). The cast and crew added spice to the excitement, concluding the event in style! Kudos to Resul Pookutty, whose achievement exemplifies in the true sense, the story of an underdog attaining unimaginable heights. I was euphoric to witness an Indian performance at the Oscars – Talent speaks far away from our motherland, slashing all boundaries and making us proud!
Am so proud to be an Indian – Jai Ho!!!

The Sun God decide to rest one fine day,
Leaving behind a gloomy day so gray,
Cold and bitter winds sway away,

Fetching the snow showers to our doorway!

The delicate cotton-like chilly flakes,
Feel like soft petals caressing our face.
The warmth it brings is a welcome grace,
A romantic weather that leaves its trace!

An infinite white bed takes over the earth,
Growing inch by inch, berth by berth,
A warm-chilly cushion totally worth,
Laying on it has its own mirth!

Harsh wind chills brutally slam our skin,
As snowfall gets drained and thin,
With no choice but to hold our grin,
Its now time to lift the shovel and spin!

As long as it is the damp and soft snow,
Shoveling can be as simple as a clean throw.
The ice can make you slip and flow,
Not so funny, but what a show ;)