Devastated!

Yes, I am devastated, as is every Indian by the news of the death of 'Nirbhaya'.

All of 23 years, this brave girl's life ended in a hospital with tubes jutting out of her body! Little did this girl who dreamt of a career in healing people, imagine that her untimely last breath should come in a hospital. Irony?

Countless protests, candle-light vigils and debates cannot bring back her life, dignity or for that matter restore my faith in human decency itself!

'Nirbhaya', you may be gone but everytime a girl is harassed on the street, your agony will be re-lived. Thousands of conscienceless, perverted brutes walk the streets, waiting only for an opportunity. Sadly, this will not be the last of the heinous crimes committed on a woman. Will it? 

I am dejected, hurt and deeply disturbed by your death. Words cannot express my anguish at your death.... But I would like to say  I am sorry. I am sorry, you did not deserve this painful death. You deserved a life of dignity, a chance to accomplish yourself in the society, a shot at a having family and so much more...

The least this country can do for you is punish the guilty and make the streets a safer place for  women, laud you for fighting back till the very last breath, even after facing the adversity of the magnitude that very unfortunately befell upon you. For that I salute you!

As cynical as this sounds, newspapers will find something else to write about, people will move on with their lives. But I hope that the perpetrators of the crime will get the due punishment they deserve and some more! I urge and pray that their punishment be a deterrent for any thug who thinks about unleashing himself upon a woman.

To think that you are gone saddens me...but I light up with the thought that you are in a better place now. I bid you a tearful good-bye and thank you. Thank you for inspiring women to fight back, you sent a message that, no matter what, one should not take these dastardly acts lying down. You are a fighter. You are a martyr!

----Urooj Fathima

In Switzerland....

Ages ago, the very sensuos Sridervi (Bollywood actress), crooned to a melodious song, 'Tere mere honton pe' in the film 'Chandini'. I didnt like the film, mainly because I was too young to understand what was going on there. As a kid, I watched the song and all I took from it was the image of Sridevi in a bright yellow Saree and the breathtaking backdrop of Switzerland. Of course, I didnt realize then, that this image, well, not so much of Sridevi but the lush green locale in the song would go on to become a life-long fascination with Switzerland.

The beautiful landscape with snow-covered peaks, the boistrous colours of the flowers, the crystal clear rivers and lakes, the clean roads, the beautiful trains and of course, the much talked about 'Swiss perfection', makes this country a very popular tourist destination.

For most Indians, if not all, the very mention of Switzerland makes us feel like hopeless romantics. It is synonymous with romance (not necessarily love!) or the idea of 'falling' in love. Especially so, for those who grew up watching the bubbly 'Simran' being swept off her feet by the debonair 'Raj' in the movie that epitomizes romance (strictly personal view!). 

'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'(DDLJ), may not be the greatest movie ever made, but it certainly created a notion of what romance is or should be all about. The very tag-line of this film, 'come fall in love', transports the audience into a world of love and laughter, songs and soul-mates....A world where it is OK to be vulnerable and clichéd though this may sound, love trumps all odds.

No, this blog is not an homage to DDLJ, which brings me back to the Swiss connection with romance and Indians. Switzerland has been the hotspot and the 'it' location for most of the romantic hindi songs for a long time now and for obvious reasons. But it was DDLJ that made falling in love more spectacular if it happened on a Euro rail trip, especially in this beautiful Valley. 

Ever since I watched it, I too wanted to meet someone special, fall in love and burst into song in the Alpine bliss. Well, I did meet someone, fall in love, but the 'Alpine bliss' part had to wait.

It happened last month, the Genie was out of the bottle and my wish was granted. It was time to fly to the dainty land where birds sing and the flowers croon. By now this particular blog has probably given you an idea about what a realistic person I am...I mean who amongst us hasn't had a childhood obsession to spend a fortune and run off to a fantasy land. Very real and acceptable. Right? I thought so!

In consistence with my very very realistic expectations from this trip was one very small and hardly worth mentioning request to my hubby dearest...I told him, all I wanted from this trip was 'nothing'...'nothing but perfection'! Please dont tell me it was too much to ask! For the life of me I dont know why but he seemed very tensed from then on. Et voila! all the reservations were in First class and the Hotels there had a spectacular view!  

Switzerland I did go and saw the most gorgeous mountain peaks and the pristine lakes, travelled in the most scenic trains and enjoyed the splendid cable car rides, soaked in the beauty of the serene villages and the spectacular valleys, kissed a thousand robust flowers and had fun with the flaky snow. Gosh! I really have seen it all!

From the lovely Lucern to the top of Titlis, the interesting Interlaken and the bustling Zurich, the quaint Zermatt and the the quiet St.Moritz, this place was a continuous panoramic shot, painted by 'the most talented Hand of all'.

So what if I didnt meet Raj 'there' and fall in love 'there'.... My Raj was with me and what's more and this is very important, he paid for the trip and more...
I guess its safe to say, I had it better than Simran all the while. 

This trip, apart from fulfilling my long-lasting wish to visit the Valley, taught me a great lesson in life and I hope hubby dearest is reading this, that a magic trip is just a 'request' away!

---Urooj fathima

Remembered!

What can I say that hasn’t been said before, what can I say that hasn’t been heard before and what can I say that hasn’t been written before ?

Well, it's the 11th anniversary (I do not like the word in this context!) of the dreaded 9/11 attacks. It has been a bleak decade filled with death, wars, rampant racial profiling, unemployment and recession. But today, I am not discussing the horrors or the aftermath of the attacks. I want to remember those people who died... many unawares, some prepared (the soldiers, I mean) and others just being in the wrong place at the wrong time!

My heart goes to everyone who lost their dear ones. The people in the seemingly unaware work-force, trying earn an honest day’s living, buried in their offices, the heroic firefighters who diligently answered the call of duty, dousing the billowing smoke and fire, the gallant soldiers who fought the 'war on terror’, lost their lives and limbs, exhibiting the highest spirit of nationalism. How can I forget the the unsuspecting ‘terror suspects’, the numerous men detained, tortured and mercilessly thrown into a world unknown to man and the scores of resilient civilians who saw the end of a dictatorial regime and walked right into the eye of the storm and in this case the battlefield! The proverbial ‘out of mud into the mire’ horror, that is their life today.

Images of this horrific incident are still fresh and so are the wounds inflicted by the perpetrators of terror. Numerous theories, documentaries, movies etc., debunking myths on 9/11 have occupied the centerfold of newsprint and prime-time alike. The 'Conspiracy' theory, the 'Insider trade’ theory, the ‘Fake tapes’ theory have questioned and shaken the very core of this atrocity. Whether this incident was an act of hate or tactful decision to dip into the oil wells, no one knows. Which theory is right and which is not, we may possibly never get an answer. But what is true and real, is the pain inflicted on everyone who lost their lives on that day and whose death in the years to come, can be linked back to the most dastardly act in recent history -‘9/11'. Fear of numbers anyone?

It’s 11 years today and world relations and equations with countries are more fragile than ever. Whether the ‘war on terror’ is worth the trouble is still debatable but it continues to be a difficult battle for everyone affected by the repercussions of this horrific event. Endless bloodshed, increase in crimes of hate, racial profiling, intolerance towards an entire community are all sadly, a reality.

The families have not yet recovered from their shock and loss and probably never will! Passionate discussions and debates will carry-on, new information will be discovered and the interest this topic generates, for what ever reason, will continue to grow. But today, I don’t want to take anything away and trivialize the pain of all those who are still suffering.

For, as difficult as it is to bid good-bye to those who lost their lives a little too early, on this day, all we can do is offer our sincere condolences to the of bereaving families of the victims of this tragedy.  

But for those seeking closure, it’s 11 years and still counting!

Urooj Fathima

Bored....

People ask me how does it feel to stay home, alone for most part of the day...The answer is bored of course! Finding the ‘right thing’ to do can be a lot more challenging than doing the thing ‘right’! One stays at home for a lot of reasons like taking care of the household, kids,  dislike of commute (to workplace) and I can go on...

I stayed at home after moving to a new place, quitting a job that was challenging and lovable at the same time! Thinking that after all the hard-work, I deserved a break from the rut of it all and more importantly to adapt to the new environment.

I do enjoy my ‘alone’ time, doing things that I never had the time to do before, be it as simple as catching up with friends I had lost contact with. Then there are the never ending chores of the day that need to be taken care of. But I also miss getting ready to a new challenge for the day, the fear of not being prepared well enough, getting caught off-guard, the rush every morning and the stress at the end of each day...I am certainly not the first person and surely not the last one to have this love-hate relationship with my job!

At the end of the day when my head doesn’t hurt with a throbbing pain and stress of the day, when I dont have to worry about who said what about whom, how much of it is true and more importantly not being conveniently dumped on or 'delegated’ with the work that is not remotely mine, I don’t know whether to be happy or sad...And here I thought the answer to that question is obvious!

Can work really be fun? Fun I am choosing to deprive myself of? Is it the only identity? I dont have answers for these questions yet but when I think of the extra hour of sleep on a rainy day, curled in my blanket when the whole world rushes through the traffic and all, I think I am not totally out of line to think that it is a privilege to stay back and take a break!

Let me for a while ‘work from home’...no not through the schemes that promise you ‘so many dollars’ for ‘so many hours’. Let me enjoy the time as a vacation well earned. Because sooner or later I will have to go back and be a part of the rut and when the extra work is dumped on me let me not curse myself for not enjoying today!


---Still bored
Urooj Fathima

29!

What comes to your mind when I say ‘Turning 30’? 'Old’ ? Painful’? ‘End of an era’?

Sounds complicated? God Yes! Honestly, I don’t know. I might be a while before I turn 30, but I really want to know what the big deal is! Will I be stepping in to old age? Become ancient? Boring? As I said earlier, I don’t know but I really want to know! It is a fear and a real one at that! I know I sound paranoid....but time is ticking and I am looking hither-dither for answers. Is it just me or everyone on the wrong side of 20 feeling the same?

The last time I checked, no one wants to get old. I am no exception and the last time I was hoping that time comes to halt was when I was a 'sweet’ 16 year old! I just did NOT want to turn 17. Period! Everyday (well not literally!) I knew it was an 'uphill’ journey spiraling downwards on the calendar inching closer and closer to the dreaded date that will change something very dear to me.

But I am trying to stay calm, hoping that the ‘dreaded’ birthday just comes and goes like a giant tidal wave and I will hopefully remain like a rock on the shore, strong and unperturbed!
But is it really possible to remain calm and composed when such a major change awaits you? Is it really possible to look at age as just a number? Can I make peace with the fact that whenever and wherever I mention my age, the number will no long be '20 something'? The very thought of all this is a little unnerving.

So, what is the big deal? My age, instead of starting with a ‘2' it will be ‘3’. Is it so bad? Can a 'slight’ change in the number drive me up the wall? It does not drive me mad but still does ‘something’...It bothers me! After-all, I was used to being in my 20s for the last 10 years and that is not a small time. I have definitely gotten used to it and more importantly attached to it!

All this hullabaloo over aging might sound vain and superficial but I am sure I am not the first person and will certainly not be the last one to think this way! I don’t know if there will be a physiological change or not. I am not sure what the rules are but I am definitely going to miss my 20s.

I will remember them fondly as the time I made great friends, graduated and got my first job and of course, the highpoint in life when I got married, as the journey that transformed me from a little girl into a matured individual that I am today...

Love you my 20s and its not good-bye yet!

Well, I hope to enjoy the remainder of ‘life before 30’ and ease into my 30s and rock on! I wish to create fabulous memories and live life to the fullest and hopefully when time comes to bid adieu to my 30s, the transition into 40s will make me reminisce my 30s, as fondly as I am remembering my 20s today!

Don’t you all agree?


Urooj Fathima

Obsessed with an accent!

‘English is a funny language’....is perhaps one of the most memorable and hilarious dialogues in Indian cinema. I often notice in pleasant situations like watching a sitcom or the not so pleasant situations like racial slurs being hurled ( not necessarily on me) invariably closing with a mockery of the English accent of the non-white person. The French, Italians, Germans, Australians, Irish all have an accent which is made fun of but the accent of the Asians like Indians or Chinese is mocked. Right there is the difference!

First of all, English is NOT the ‘mother tongue’ of these countries. With the population of over a billion people in each, the zest in people to learn English is also high. The past two decades especially, have seen a rise in the number of people who want to or have learn the language in these States for business, education and employment opportunities to name a few. 

The Indian accent that people find so ‘hilarious’ is different, yes. How can it be the same as it is in the U.S or U.K or any other nation for that matter, when it is taught by people who have learnt the language in India? Enthusiasm and necessity have driven the populace to acquire the communication skill set of a foreign language. Naturally, there will be the ‘mother-tongue’ influence! And what is this ‘perfect’ accent that people seem to ‘lack’ everywhere except the U.S and U.K? The Americans seem to make fun of the British accent, and even in U.S itself there is the ‘Southern’ accent, the ‘Jersey’ accent and the midland accent.

I know that it is the ‘neutral’ accent that is correct, acceptable and ‘ought to be’ form of spoken English. I agree that as is the case with any aspect of life, we should constantly strive for improvement and we should aspire to come closer to the correct if not the perfect accent.

With so many different dialects and accents, its important to celebrate the versatility and adaptability of the language. Accent is an inherent part of a people. What I find absolutely unacceptable is the mockery of the so called 'less-than-perfect’ styles of speech. Placing undue importance on the accent rather than the speech itself is sign of a conceited and a messed up mindset. 

The search for sameness in the present world is futile and disappointing. Each time you encounter a ‘different’ accent don’t jump up and mock that. Hurling racial slurs is abusive, inhuman, sinful and plain wrong and mocking the accent tantamounts to racism! Using something as superficial as an accent as the criteria for emphasizing a sense of superiority is petty, stupid and like scraping the bottom of the barrel!

Urooj Fathima

Bright and Sunny!

Ah! the ‘summer exuberance’ is here. Its time to celebrate, rejoice and bask in the glory of the summer sun. Open the windows and let the summer breeze in! Time to enjoy the abundance of foliage, long and warm days, the uninhibited sunshine, and even the mad rush on streets. After the pitch-dark winter this is just the ‘doctor-ordered’ sliver of gleam! 

Spring retreats and heralds the arrival of the glorious sunny days ahead. The former lays the ground work for the visual treat, the picturesque blossom, the resurrection of life itself that is the summer months. There is a spirit of joy in the air! The trees dancing as the gentle breeze naughtily hazes them, the flowers in their full bloom beckon the onlookers, as if to reach out to them, to stop them and coerce them to just look at them. Beauty, vigour and sparkle seem to be the flavour of the season.

The endless supply of sunshine translates itself as opportunity, hope and joy of life itself. Summer comes as the harbinger of love, laughter, growth and all the goodness of life. The continuous chirping of the birds, the animals grazing the lush green grass and people sunbathing, taking time to travel, kids scooting on their bicycles are a few of the fabulous gifts of summer. In fact, even in the places where summer is synonymous with heat it comes as a welcome break and a time to ‘getaway’, unwind and enjoy the many wonders of the season. 

Above all the joys that summer brings along is its enchanting warmth. This warmth gives us strength to carry on. It is a reassurance that even the bleakest of winters is not faraway from the gleeful radiance of summer. So go and ‘sweat it out’. Enjoy the summer splendour before its time to hang up the sandals and take out the duffel boots!

--Urooj Fathima