Our Stolen Future!

We complain about our untidy colony premises, drainage systems and waste disposals. We hold strikes and protest for price hike of vegetables and petrol. We never bother about widespread epidemic until someone in our family gets it. Same way, we’re not bothered about the dreadful situation that thousands of people go through in our neighboring districts caused by the very harmful pesticide ‘Endosulfan’. Endosulfan is a chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide which consists of highly toxic compounds which are responsible for severe intoxication and several deaths worldwide. It is used widely for insect control in cashew crops, tea plantations, vegetables and grains but it’s absorbed by humans and animals too. Badiadukka village in Kasargod district, Muthalamada village in Palakkad district and Idukki district in Kerala are the major areas which were badly affected by this pesticide. For better yielding and pest repelling, Endosulfan was given to plants through aerial spraying in bigger plantation areas. But, it was sprayed over water in the wells which are used for drinking purposes, ponds, lakes and even on people who were outside their shelters during the time of spraying. This caused many serious illnesses for people living in those areas including Endocrine disruption, Learning and Nervous disorders, Infertility and Impotency, Early puberty in girl children and several other reproductive failures and disabilities.

As per the Govt. of Kerala health records, When Mrs. Leelavathi gave birth to a girl child, the baby’s reproductive organ was completely protruded outside and Leelavathi’s breast milk contained 46 ppm (parts per million) of Endosulfan. Not only breast milk but also blood in the umbilical cord of the babies born in the village contained blood in it. “Every time officials or journalists come here, we’ve a hope that we’ll get justice soon but we’re being disappointed for the past few years. They just come, take down what we say or capture our pictures and videos and get paid for their job and forget about us”, says Mrs. Sreekumari whose two kids have burnt and wrinkled skin all over the body.

Out of 14 countries which uses Endosulfan, India stands first in the usage and production of this deadly harmful pesticide. The Plantation Corporation Ltd., who owns all these hectares of lands doesn’t bother to take any steps to find a solution to this problem which is actually caused by them. “As per Article 21 of the Indian constitution, every citizen has got the ‘right for living’ and these victims are being denied of that. Govt. of Kerala initially tried taking steps to ban this but as per the Indian Insecticides Act, States has got no rights to ban the usage of any pesticides and the Central Government is not willing to lift a ban on this cause of their own reasons and justifications”, says Dr. C. Jayakumar, director of Thanal, an NGO that helps to find a solutions to problems of this kind. Dr. Jayakumar has been the representative from India at the Stockholm Summit to discuss the hazards caused by Endosulfan and other harmful pesticides.

Vegetables and other products produced in these districts are being consumed by us in some way or the other. This means that the day when we also start suffering cause of this pesticide is not too far. Knowingly or unknowingly we are encouraging the same by not protesting or trying to find an alternate to this issue. We should not let a pesticide to steal our future and our generations yet to come.

ഞങ്ങള്‍ക്കും കൊതിയുണ്ട്, ജീവിക്കാന്‍..!!

വിഡ്ഢികള്‍ക്ക് ഒരു ദിനം ആവാമെങ്കില്‍ ഞങ്ങള്‍ക്കും ഒരു ദിനം ആയിക്കൂടെ?? – കുടുംബത്തില്‍ നിന്നും സമൂഹത്തില്‍ നിന്നും ഒരുപാട് പീഡനങ്ങളും അവഹേളനങ്ങളും ഏറ്റു വാങ്ങേണ്ടി വന്ന ഒരു ഹിജ്‌റയുടേതാണ് ഈ ചോദ്യം. കമിതാകള്‍ക്കും, എയിഡ്സ് ബാധിതര്‍ക്കും, വികലാംഗര്‍ക്കും എല്ലാം ഒരു ദിനമുണ്ട് നമ്മുടെ നാട്ടില്‍, എന്നാല്‍ ഇവര്‍ക്ക് വിധിക്കപെട്ടത്തു മറ്റൊന്നാണ്. ഓര്‍മ വച്ച നാള്‍ മുതല്‍ ഒരു പുരുഷ ശരീരത്തില്‍ തടവിലാക്കപെട്ട സ്ത്രീ ഹൃദയത്തിന്റെ വീര്‍പ്പു മുട്ടലുകള്‍ക്ക് പുറമെയാണ് നാടിന്റെയും വീടിന്റെയും പരിഹാസങ്ങള്‍. ആണിനെയും പെണ്ണിനെയും സൃഷ്‌ടിച്ച പോലെ ദൈവം ഇവരെയും സൃഷ്ടിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ ഇവരെ അംഗീകരിക്കുന്ന ഒരു സമൂഹത്തെ സൃഷ്ടിക്കാന്‍ ഒരുപക്ഷെ അദ്ദേഹം മറന്നതാവാം. അതിനാല്‍ ചിലര്‍ക്ക് കുടുംബം നഷ്ടമായി, തങ്ങളുടെ കുറ്റമല്ല എന്നറിഞ്ഞിട്ടും പലരെയും രക്ഷിതാക്കള്‍ പോലും ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചു, ചിലര്‍ പന്ത്രണ്ടാം വയസ്സ് മുതല്‍ ബോംബയിലെയും, മറ്റു മഹാനഗരങ്ങളിലേയും തെരുവുകളില്‍ ഭിക്ഷാടകരായി. ചിലര്‍ വേശ്യകളുടെ വേഷം ധരിച്ച് നിത്യവൃത്തിക്കുള്ള മാര്‍ഗം കണ്ടെത്തി. നഷ്ടമാവാന്‍ ഒന്നുമില്ലാത്തതിനാല്‍ മാനാഭിമാനങ്ങളെപറ്റി അവര്‍ വ്യാകുലരായിരുനില്ല എന്നു തന്നെ വേണമെങ്കില്‍ പറയാം.

തങ്ങളെ കണ്ടാല്‍ വായ്‌ പൊത്തി ചിരിക്കുന്നവര്‍, കേട്ടാല്‍ അറക്കുന്ന കമന്റുകള്‍ അടിക്കുന്നവര്‍, തരം കിട്ടിയാല്‍ വസ്ത്രാക്ഷേപം ചെയ്യാന്‍ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നവര്‍ എന്നിങ്ങനെ പോകുന്നു ഹിജ്ര സമൂഹത്തില്‍ പെട്ടവര്‍ക്ക് പൊതു സമൂഹത്തോടുള്ള കാഴ്ചപാടുകള്‍. ഇതൊന്നും അവരെ സംബന്ധിച്ചടുത്തോളം കേട്ടുകേള്‍വികള്‍ അല്ല, മറിച്ച് അനുഭവത്തിന്റെ വെളിച്ചത്തില്‍ ഉണ്ടായവയാണ്. സമ്പൂര്‍ണ്ണ സാക്ഷരത, തികഞ്ഞ സംസ്കാര സമ്പന്നര്‍ എന്നെല്ലാം നാം സ്വയം അവകാശ പെടുന്നുവെങ്കിലും, ജീവശാസ്ത്രപരമായ വികാസങ്ങള്‍ കൊണ്ട് സാധാരണ മനുഷ്യരില്‍ നിന്നും വ്യത്യസ്തരായി തീര്‍ന്ന ഹിജരകളെ അംഗീകരിക്കാന്‍ നാം കൂട്ടാകുന്നില്ല.

നമ്മളുടെ അയല്‍ സംസ്ഥാനമായ തമിഴ്നാട്ടില്‍ സ്ഥിതി വ്യത്യസ്തമാണ്‌. അവിടെ ഈ സമൂഹത്തില്‍ പെട്ടവര്‍ക്കായി വര്‍ഷം തോറും മദ്രാസിന് അടുത്തുള്ള വില്ലുപുരം ജില്ലയില്‍ നടത്തുന്ന സൗന്ദര്യ മത്സരത്തിലും, ആഘോഷങ്ങളിലും പങ്ക് കൊള്ളാന്‍ ഇന്ത്യയില്‍ നിന്നു മാത്രമല്ല ലോകത്താകമാനം ഉള്ള ഹിജറകള്‍ എത്തി ചേരുന്നു. തങ്ങള്‍ അനുഭവിക്കുന്ന ഒട്ടപെടലുകള്‍ക്കും യാതനകള്‍ക്കും ഒരു ആശ്വാസമാണ് അവിടെ നടക്കുന്ന ഒത്തുകൂടല്‍ എന്നു അവര്‍ പറയന്നു. ഇന്ത്യയിലെ ആദ്യത്തെ ഹിജ്ര ടി.വി അവതാരികയും, ആദ്യമായി ഹിജ്ര സമൂഹത്തില്‍ നിന്നും തിരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പിന് നാമനിര്‍ദ്ദേശ പത്രിക സമര്‍പിക്കുന്നതും, ലോകത്തെ തന്നെ ആദ്യത്തെ ട്രാന്‍സ്‌-ജെന്ടെര്‍ വെല്‍ഫയര്‍ ബോര്‍ഡ്‌ രൂപം കൊണ്ടതും, ഇപ്പോ ആദ്യമായി ഏപ്രില്‍ 15 ഹിജരകളുടെ ദിനമായി ആചരിച്ച് അവരെ പൊതുജനമായി അംഗീകരിക്കാനുമുള്ള തമിഴ്നാട് സര്‍കാരിന്റെ ദൌത്യം എറേ പ്രശംസിനീയവും മാത്രികാപരവുമാണ്.

അഞ്ചു ലക്ഷത്തോളം വരുന്ന ഇന്ത്യയിലെ ഹിജ്ര സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ യാതനകള്‍ മനസിലാക്കാന്‍ ഒരു സംസ്ഥാന സര്‍ക്കാര്‍ എങ്കിലും തയ്യാറായതോടെ സമൂഹത്തെ ഭയന്ന്‍ പകല്‍ പുരുഷ വേഷം ധരിച്ചു സ്ത്രീ ഹൃദയവും പേറി നടന്നവര്‍ തമിഴ്നാട്ടിലേക്കു പലായനം ചെയ്തു തുടങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്നു. സമൂഹത്തെ ഭയക്കാതെ, സ്വന്തം വ്യക്തിത്വം മറച്ചു വയ്ക്കാതെ ജീവിക്കാനുള്ള ആഗ്രഹം കൊണ്ട്... പിന്നീട് എപ്പോഴെങ്കിലും ലോകം തങ്ങളെയും അംഗീകരിക്കും എന്ന പ്രതീക്ഷോടെ...

His Poem, His Life...!!

Have you ever dropped your jaw at a meaningful and an earth-shattering Tamil song, at its lyrics specifically? Or have you ever mumbled at it saying, “wow, what a lyrics, man!?” Well, then here’s the master-mind, the always young at heart, vibrant and the most endowed lyricist India has ever seen, Vairamuthu.

“The poet in me wasn’t born from nothingness; an impulse which was there when I was ten years old made me write until now.”- says Vairamuthu, the maker of nearly 6000 songs including the latest hits from Raavan and Enthiran. Poets like Bharathidasan, Kannadasan and Kalaignar instigated his love for the language Tamil and poems. Writing poems would be a hobby for some, but for him poem is neither a job nor a hobby but rather, his life, itself. If rap and jazz can shake your body, his lyrics sodden in wide meanings and great lexis can shake your mind!

“If a song of mine is enjoyed by illiterate or deprived people, then that song is the best, I would say. If they can enjoy it and understand it, that is when the poet in me acquires the ultimate contentment rather than any awards or accolades can do” – says he, in bliss. “Sometimes I don’t find enough words to articulate the ideas I have in my mind. But sometimes, some words accidentally come to the tip of my fingers which would be exact for the idea that I had in my mind and that is when the rhymester or the lyricist in me becomes complete; when words and thoughts meet together!”- He asserted.

If you ask him how he can write songs like “Usire poguthey”… and “Kadhal anukkal” even at the age of 50s, then he would say, “Body’s age and mind’s age doesn’t have any relation. My heart is still in the 20s, the college-goer who passionately looks at love, relationships and everything around. I keep observing the youngsters, their trends, their attitude, and almost everything which helps me to write for the present generation.”

“I am in search of a bigger and better ship to sail smooth, to cover wider distances, to catch larger fishes and to go to the depths to find pearls in the ocean of music; and when I find all that is when the lyricist in me will attain the ultimate triumph” – says the five times national award winning lyricist.

Poems have been his life for over 40 years; it has given him fame, opportunities, exposure and bliss. And that has made his life itself into a poem, embraced with love, compassion, peace and eternal euphoria…!!

Nagarjuna; an actor and beyond…!

‘Simplicity personified’ could be the best word used to describe Nagarjuna, the south Indian film luminary. Thanks to the economic recession that happened subsequently on his completion of Automobile Engineering from Louisiana University in the year 1985, the reason why he couldn’t find a job and he came back to India to join his Dad Nageshwara Rao’s film fraternity. With his first film, Vikram, he proved to be an amazing actor which resulted in hundreds of opportunities knocking at his door and he became the south Indian Idol in no time even to those who have never watched a single film of Nagarjuna.

Actors tend to confine themselves with their fame and stardom but, Nagarjuna isn’t just an actor. Beyond, an automobile engineer, he is a business person who runs hotels and many other business organizations, he works for the reinforcement of HIV/AIDS victims through the TeachAIDS campaign initiated by the Stanford University. Besides all these, he works for the Blue Cross of Hyderabad which takes care of thousands of abandoned animals in the city. “To satisfy the actor in me, I work with good roles that comes my way, but to satisfy the human being in me, I think the best way is to give care and compassion to the suffering and the down-trodden inhabitants living around me”, says Nagarjuna with his experience in acting over hundreds of films and winning many state and national awards.

Nagarjuna who is planning to a start media school in South India is looking forward to bring more number of talented youngsters to the industry in order to avoid the same old actors dealing with young roles. “I would rather stop acting completely than acting in super action and thriller movies hereafter because am very well aware that my age is 52 and if I deal with such roles it will take me nowhere”, he added. “Thought provoking and thematic movies as in the Malayalam film industry which hardly comes to the limelight should be made examples of by the other languages in order to save themselves from continuous box-office failures”, he asserted.

More than awards or accolades what can make Nagarjuna happy would be just a text message or an E-mail from someone who loves him and his movies or activities sitting in some corner of the world. “It gives me immense pleasure and nothing in the world can refuel or empower me as much as it does”, he says in bliss. Always propagating quality cinema with clean entertainment, Nagarjuna yearns to make good movies, which would not only rise above the typical commercial movies but also enhance our heritage, rich tradition and family values.

His new bilingual movie Payanam which has come out under the Prakash Raj productions that talk about a flight hijack story continues to make waves in theatres across South India.

I TOO QUIT!!

I thought of being 'something', dreamed of being 'someone'. But I've now realized that, am gonna be 'nothing' out here. Therefore, I TOO QUIT!!


No new posts are gonna come up in this blog in the nearest future.

Thanks to one and all...

Those Five Comrades....

They think alike, like any other youngsters who wishes to have fun in their lives. Yeah, they are my friends, who have always helped me to stay happy and forget all my worries…. They’ve made me do assignments and seminar papers for them by promising to buy me chocolates or juices from the canteen which they would never do… still, I do it for them because I never wanted them to lose their marks or get scolding from any of our faculties… I never knew that I’ll miss them so much in my life…. Once, they boozed in their hostel and were caught as one of our classmates Mr. X (Brutus) went and told this to their hostel warden. We never expected Mr. X to do like this because he uses to roam around with these five doing all the stupid things possible. I don’t know what changed him like this… X was my very good friend with whom I’ve had so much of fun. He used to tease me, bug me, make fun of me….and, what not!! But due to so many reasons he changed, a lot. Whatever the reason be, I never expected him to change like this…. Let’s forget about him because, he has got no role in our lives anymore, even as a classmate. I would like to talk about those five. Because of this X, they got suspended from the college; they were not allowed to write the final exam. They were asked to vacate the hostels and leave the campus immediately. They left, without any complaints or arguments. I’m not supporting the mistake they did, am supporting the ones those who did the mistakes because they’re MY FRIENDS! Without them, classes were really boring, when we go to the department, we felt as if we’re going for a funeral…. It was so awful…. Never felt like attending any classes or submitting any assignments… I wanted to bang my head towards some pillar or wall… we miss them a lot… a lot more than ever before. I can imagine the situation of the parents of these five. They went home heavy-hearted and ashamed for the first time. They were speechless in front of their parents tears… we were all helpless… after this mishap, we’d a day for industrial visit to the nearest radio station in our city, we never wanted to go because we were together for each and every visits and reporting that we’d before. Due to this reason, we got back to college right after the visit without roaming around or hanging around anywhere…

I know this is not the end of life or anything but still, I want them to come back as soon as possible and start rocking again. They’re frustrated so much that they’ll do anything out of their anger. But, I want them to make others realize that it is only the relationship that will last forever, not the ‘Rudraksha’!!!!

Let them laugh, I don’t care…!!!

Media plays an important role in everyone’s life. But the 39yr old Aruna, from the rural outskirts of Palakkad never thought that media can make a tremendous change in her life. Eight years back, when her husband Ponnunni (44) died of AIDS, she was left all alone in life with the HIV virus that her husband passed on to her. People stopped using the public tap which Aruna used. They drained the pond in which she bathed; the road which she used to walk was frequently disinfected by putting chlorine. Her mother Anandavalli, a school teacher was the only person who supported her. Now things have changed, nobody bothers if she takes bath in the pond or not. She goes for marriages and meetings, people find pleasure in sharing some moments with her. And now she says, “thanks to media….” With smiles..!!
“Yes, my life has changed. Now I can go anywhere I want. I’ve learned to ignore people who always ask me sit in a corner and cry as I am a widow. Now-a-days nobody has a problem in giving me shake hands or using the water cooler from which I drank water.”- Aruna says. Before, people were afraid of talking to her since they thought that HIV is a contagious virus. After media has taken its role in giving proper awareness about HIV/AIDS, its causes and mode of spreading etc…, people have started being kind and helpful to the victims. Aruna never used to go out few years back. Her mother took care of dropping and picking up her children from school. But, after joining “Prathyasha”, an organization of the HIV victims, Aruna has changed in many ways. She now works as a team to solve the issues and problems faced by the victims everywhere. If somebody asks her about her children’s blood report, she has it ready to show that they are not the carriers of the HIV virus. Aruna takes medicine twice daily and now she’s extremely healthy that she can do any job she wants to. She gives counseling to the victims and makes them overcome the situation and live like others.
In her white and white sari with her pleasing smile, she goes to everyone who need help and conduct AIDS awareness campaigns and workshops in schools and colleges. All that she’s striving hard is to eradicate the stigma towards the HIV victims in the society and to give them a chance to live.

IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM….

It’s all about him, the most problematic student in my class. He never dress properly in a way that people will say, “oh, he looks smart…” he will never behave in a way that people will say, “he’s a nice guy…” but those who very well know him, including I, can tell that, he’s the most wonderful friend one can ever have. He’s having his own ups and downs which everyone usually has.
A really frank person who’ll hug you tightly and say “thanks da…” if you do something right or will blow off your face if you do something against his ethics. And when I say his ethics, it doesn’t mean his selfish ideology or anything. It’s all about the right and the wrong that a true person would always think about. It’s all about the human conscience and his philosophy of, “it’s better to be hated for what you’re than being loved for what you’re not…” He is what he is always. He never tells lies to get rid of punishments. If he’s doing something, he has got fortitude to stand up and say, “yes, I did it...” he’s not a coward, he can never be so.
He smiles amidst his frustrations. He doesn’t know to put the mask of a good guy and roam around doing all the stupid things to pull others leg. He’s not a backstabber. If you’re wrong, he’ll tell it on your face. And if he’s wrong, I’ve had the rights to question him and to catch his collar and ask, “Why the hell did you do that…”
He won’t flatter you or arrange party for you. But, at times he’ll say “great job” looking at your effort and that makes it all…. He won’t always keep in touch all the friends quite often. But, in case if you need some help, he’ll be there for you. He won’t keep any grudge with in his mind. Once the issue is solved out, he forgets about it. He doesn’t boast about what he does or dream about his future. He just lives for the day and leave the rest for the future. No complaints, no arguments and no fights unless there is a proper reason to it. If he gets a marker and the white board in the class room, all that he would write on it will be, “it’s better to die standing than to live on your knees…” Many a times I’ve felt if I was him. The real coward in me is jealous of him. How many births do I have to take to live a life like him? I’ve felt that I don’t have a backbone to live like him, boldly. Kudos to him from the bottom of my heart, success will show him a way very soon.
College authorities will drop their jaw once when they know about his success later on in the future. And like the Veeru Sahasra Buddhe, the College head in the “3 Idiots” movie, some others will also nitpick themselves for all that they’ve done in their lives till then. His parents’ tears will be wiped off with his fruitful triumph and on that very day, we, those who know him and love him well, will sit on a corner and shed two drops of tears out of happiness and think about the hellish kind of days that he’d gone through in his life…!!

Hats off..!!

His lost love..!!

I don’t know who is she or how does she looks like. All I know is that, her name is “Saadhiya”, the girl whom Khaleel loved the most. To tell about Khaleel, he was the one who use to serve tea in the office where I went to do my summer internship. But he was not just an attender or a tea boy to me. He was and he’s my very good friend. I never knew that friendship could be so strong within 20 days of time. Being in the News bureau and the printing and publishing office for more than two years, he knew what is right and what is wrong. He never talks rubbish. Every Friday, he dresses well before he goes to the mosque for his prayers.

All that he’d to talk to me when no one is there in the office is all about Saadhiya. Her dream girl for whom, he’s living. She was a plus two student then. At times when I enter in to the office, I can see him looking out through the window and smiling to himself. I use to tease him asking, ‘were you with her in your dreams?’ and he just smiles with shyness with the braces fitted teeth of him. The only worry that Khaleel had about Saadhiya was that she use to get constantly admitted in the hospital for one reason or the other. Neither he nor she knew the reason. And whenever he had some illness, he packs everything and goes to meet her because, he believed that he’ll get cured when he meets her and surprisingly, it was true.

Khaleel loved Kerala more than any other place. But then, it was for her that he decided to go abroad so that, by the time Saadhiya completes her studies, he can have a good earning. As the days were nearing for him to go to Qatar, he was upset, about leaving his country and about leaving her ‘Sweet heart Saadhiya’, alone. I use to motivate telling him that, just think that you’re doing this for her and you won’t feel sad. He uses to nod his head just for my sake. But I knew that he was heavy hearted. Finally he left to Qatar, for his job in the football club of Qatar on January 26th. The moment before he check-in, he called me and said, “Am going, for her. Will come back soon and invite you for our marriage.” I bid him adieu with prayers. About after a month or so, I got a call from him. I could read the happiness in his voice as he was earning plenty enough to look after his girl. Everything was fine at his end then.

Khaleel’s happiness doesn’t last longer. Today, Friday, March 12, 2010 I again got a call from him. His sound had changed. This time he’d called me not to talk about his happy existence there, but to tell me that he has lost his love! The reason why she was frequently being admitted to the hospital came out. She was being killed day by day by ‘brain tumor’ and she’s no more! I couldn’t even utter a single word back. I don’t know how much she loved him. But I knew how much he loved her. I can say it was a hell lot! I don’t know into how many pieces would his heart have been shattered? I can’t imagine him holding her coffin nor looking at her lifeless face. I don’t know which God can give him strength. Can’t imagine him crying too… I never knew Gods can make such a twist in his life. I wish I could ask them why they had to kill her!

May her soul rest in peace!!

I never knew…

Whenever I’d a problem in my life, I kept on asking myself “why me?” Though I very well know crying won’t do any good, I’ve cried many nights with and without any particular reason. After coming to college, I always had someone to share all that I wanted to. But, I deliberately stayed away from them without telling out what my problem is, because of my brainless thought that I would be a disturbance to them. As days passed on, I started realizing the fact that, man is a social animal and we might have to depend on each other for various needs. I use to think what will my friends and relatives do if I breathe my last one day…

For the past few months, I’ve had so many changes in me. The problems that went around me made me bold and helped me to put a full stop to my ‘non-stop’ crying! Last week, I made a visit to my little cousin’s place. She loves me a lot. From the day when she was born, I’ve made her eat, play, laugh and sleep. Unlike my other relatives, she had a very special name to call me out of love and respect and I loved it a lot than my real name. I was totally worn-out when few months ago I knew that she is suffering from ‘blood cancer’. I haven’t slept for many days. I sat alone in many places, felt angry towards all the Gods on my wall. I was and I am ready to give my own life to her for her to live 100 more years. She was undergoing so many treatments at the cancer centre in our state capital and there was a tremendous change in her character. My parents and other relatives who went to visit her, came back annoyed and sad. She didn’t talk to them or even looked at them properly. I was afraid about how would she respond towards me. Though I kept calling her mom and dad in every alternative day, I won’t get to talk with her as she’s not interested to talk with anyone on phone.

Finally, amidst my class schedules and other stuffs, I was going to meet her. Days before I go, I bought coloring book and chocolates (which she loved a lot) for her. I was totally blank before entering into the house. After getting the feedback from my relatives about her appearance, I’d an imaginary figure in my mind before I go to meet her so that I can avoid an immediate shock and an emotional scene there. The moment I got in, she, who was playing with her water bottle smiled at me. She was bald and was wearing her mask to avoid bacterial infection. It was nothing more than what I expected. Thank god. I went in and took my seat. She left everything on the table, came and sat on my lap. What more I want. I almost cried, but controlled somehow. Till that moment I was fearful whether she won’t talk to me well and all… but again, thank God!

She had lots to talk to me. About her new way of living, about the hot climate in the city, her doctors, a junior doctor who has long hair and looks like me, her medicines, treatments and so on… I listened to her very patiently. She didn’t forget to remark that I’ve lost weight and have become dark and suggested me to use ‘fair and lovely, Ayurveda’. I don’t know any bigger words to explain what was going through my mind then. Her mother, in a secret conversation behind the kitchen door told me that it has been so long since her daughter has been so happy. I never knew that I can make someone so happy. I never knew that my little eight year old baby had so much of space for me in her heart. In my life, tears have started hosting new roles. Neither happiness nor sad! I’m not educated enough to explain that. Let the tears keep rolling down my cheeks, until the reservoir gets dried up and I attain the saturated state…!!

That was not just a shake hand…!!

I’m not getting a punch line grabber to start the sentence. Beyond sweets, savories, words of praise and fake appreciations, I got the most valuable of all compliments. As I was going on through a whole lot of mental trauma last week and I was not able to burst out or express my views, I decided to use my Pen, the weapon that I’ve to get rid of it. I wrote down everything that I wanted to. Felt so relaxed, happy and satisfied and decided to post it in my blog the next day. When I was in my class on the third day, I was going through the comments that I’ve received on that particular post. My lecturer, in fact a true friend and the owner of an amorously vibrant youthful heart who tried to understand our feeling were there in our class at that time. I called him and just asked him whether he can go through the blog. He dragged a chair, sat beside me and started reading it.

From the moment he started reading, till the end, he had a smile in his face. After he finished reading, all that he told me was just two words, “superb, fantastic…!” with a bright blaze in his eyes, a wide smile and ‘Shake hand’!! I was on the top of my happiness, felt like crying too. It was the biggest accolade I’ve ever had beyond all the certificates and mementos I’d in my show case. You’ve got the humanitarian touch in your way of writing, that spark would surely help you stay close to the reader’s heart...! So says my ‘Sir’. I really felt like patting on my own shoulder and say “Well done dude…” Oh my God, it’s such a feeling..!! I swear to God that until my last breath I’ll never forget this moment in which I went around the whole world sitting inside my classroom..!!

Thank you Sir..!!

Smoke, Drink and Enjoy!!

It was a very happy day for Mrs & Mr Krishnankutty, the day when their son Deepak was going to college for doing pursuing graduation studies at a college in Coimbatore. His parents never got a chance to complete their schooling at all. And so, their happiness knew no bounds in sending their son to college. The happiness that lasted for nearly four months ended with a shock. “Your son Deepak never attends classes properly. He roams around with his friends and spends time smoking and drinking. We’ve given him last warning. If he repeats the same, your son will be suspended and will be fined.” – The Principal told them over phone.

This is the story of one among many parents who gets terribly horrified when they know their children are drunkards and smokers. They never suspect their children when they stay out with friends with their “so called” assignments and projects. All the colleges have come up with very strict and stringent rules to avoid smoking and usage of toxic substances inside the college and college hostel. But, hardly a few becomes practical. Some people even take pride in saying that they do smoke and booze. Due to the restrictions in college hostels, some have shifted to rooms outside so that no one would question them or stop them from doing things that they want to. “First when i came here, my friends use to make fun of me telling that being a boy why don’t you smoke, just al least try taking a puff. I tried taking it once and then i had a tendency to try smoking one whole cigarette. It became a habit then. Now i smoke a minimum of four cigarettes per day. Not inside the college compound but in our rooms outside”. – Says Husain, a 2nd year Civil Engineering student.

It’s tough to get an answer from the youngsters if they are asked about why you do all these. Some says it’s for fun, just to know the taste of it, just to enjoy with friends.... and some even says, Mind your own business!! “We prefer smoking more than drinking because a bottle of beer costs Rs. 50 – 60 whereas a packet of cigarette costs only rupees 30 and one cigarette costs only Rs.3. which we can afford with our pocket money”, Says Nisham and friends of a leading college in Coimbatore.

Shopkeepers near colleges make a big sale out of students. According to Mr. Mayan and Ms. Kanimozhi, the two different shopkeepers near the Navakkarai bus stop, their business comes down during the college semester holidays. A minimum of 40 – 50 students comes to these shops during working days. Since public smoking was banned few months ago, there are shopkeepers who made their shops with a separate room for these students to sit and smoke so that the students won’t fall into any types of troubles.

“Some of the teenagers smoke and drink occasionally when they are in party mode. They are good at studies too. May be not in the top list but they don’t flunk in any subjects. Some students smoke and drink 24 x 7, never attends classes and finally they fail...!” says Mrs. Sandhya Balakrishnan, lecturer of Sree College of Engineering, Neelambur. Students who are not into all this seem to be very much bothered about their friends. “Not all my friends are from high class families, some are from middle-class families who studies with the help of bank loans, but then once they get into habits like smoking or drinking, they make money in many ways to satisfy all their needs. I’ve tried talking to them about stopping this, but then nothing will happen other than we fight with each other at last”, says Mithun Varma, a final year MBA student.

The situation has become so bad that tobacco and alcoholic products have taken control over our teenagers and everyone fails to make them understand. Let us hope that Deepak would no longer smoke or drink as he promised to his mother and he’ll become the future Ambani as his mother dreamt of him!!

(The names of the characters in the articles are not real. They are faked due to security reasons)

Snehajwala - The Story Of Life !!

THE STORY OF LIFE!!


God is here among the 22 inmates of “Snehajwala” – the old aged home in Kottekkad, Palakkad. They live here with joy and pleasure hiding all their sorrows inside. At times, they do cry in silence remembering their past where they lived with their children and loved ones. Now they have nothing more to do or to get. All that they expect is only one thing – their “death”!!



Thankachan, the all in all of Snehajwala is everything for them. Some calls him brother, son and even father too. He is like a cherub for all those who live here. Snehajwala is a service society that came into being on 15th August 2002. It is as an abode for all the children of God who are physically and mentally weak, in abject poverty and ailing with no roof over their head and abandoned by their parents and children.

The main inspiration to do such a service was after a visit to the isolation ward of District Government Hospital Palakkad, where 16 people, both men and women suffering from various incurable diseases where put together without providing proper food or medicines. Hardly twice or thrice in a week will the staff go to this ward and give them something to eat, when they cry aloud in hunger. People eat, drink and excrete in the same place. Dogs, cats, cows and pigs also keep coming here to eat the debris as the ward was near to a forest area and people seldom comes here. – says Thankachan.
It’s only because of the people in the city that he’s able to meet all his expenses. He doesn’t have any source of income or bank accounts to meet the expenses everyday. Per day he needs to spend about Rs 2000 to 3000 for food and medicines. Within these 6 years of service 23 people have died due to age related reasons and diseases. He himself will make arrangements to cremate the dead body as per the religion in which the person believed.


With very innocent smile they will welcome each and everyone who comes to meet them. I am happy here, I’ve nothing more to give or get, I don’t want anything, I’ve my father(Thankachan),he’ll take care of me till I die. That’s enough for me. – says Madhaviamma who is an inmate of Snehajwala and A great fan of the Malayalam film actor Mohanlal.
There have been days when I’ve cried thinking about how to feed this people the next day as there won’t be any morsel of food in the kitchen. But, solely because of the God’s grace someone will call me up early in the morning telling that they’ll sponsor that days’ food because it’s their daughter’s birthday or their father’s death anniversary or something like that. That’s the only news that can make me happy than anything else. - says Thankachan with a smile. He is unmarried and has got two brothers but, he visits his relatives once in a blue moon.


Along with Thankachan Sister Rosily of the S. D Convent (Sisters of the destitute), Kottekkad is also there at Snehajwala to take care of the inmates. She takes care of the health of these people and provides them with medicines in proper time as she’s the nursing superintended of the District Government Hospital, Palakkad.
I’m happy to take care of these people, now this is my home. I cook, wash and clean here and at times I do play with them or read out stories for them. It’s a wonderful experience. My colleagues use to ask to me why do I spend my salary here, but I’m happy to spend my salary here rather than doing anything else. - Sister Rosily said.


In short, “Snehajwala” is like a heaven for all those who have lost everything in life. It gives them a hope in life. They smile amidst tears when they are here in Snehajwala.

My interview with the Member of Parliament

INTERVIEW
With Adv. M.B. Rajesh, Member of Parliament



Adv. M. B Rajesh is the M. P of Palakkad, he’s a very familiar person to the people of Palakkad as he was born and brought up here. Even though he’s an advocate by profession, he is more into politics. He joined the Students Federation of India (S. F. I) during his college days and he became the state president also. He has done many notable services during that time. While he was doing his L. L. M, he became the state president of Democratic Youth Federation of India (D. Y. F. I) and dropped his studies. Later, he became the Communist Party candidate of Palakkad during the 15th Lok Sabha elections and won the election with the second lowest margin.
A chat with him about his two months of experiences at the Parliament and as an M. P and much more....



1. How is your experience so far as an M.P?
I had two types of experiences. One is that am getting more prominence everywhere. I’ve been to Delhi many times before but, after becoming an M. P, when i get down at the airport, am getting warm welcome. I need not carry my brief case or i need not open my car door, things have changed a lot. This was not the case before and i know this is not going to be the same always.
The second experience is that, so many people are approaching me every day, a minimum of 100 people. Most of them are coming to get the Prime minister’s Relief Fund (P. M. R. F) issued. There are so many people, in very pathetic situation. Not even having a shelter and proper water facilities. I could do something for them at least with my M. P fund.
2. How do you differentiate between your profession as an advocate, a student activist, a youth leader and now as an M. P?
I have chosen the profession of a lawyer to be against corruption and to social service. But, later when i joined the party, i couldn’t continue all the time with my profession even then, through S.F.I and D.Y.F.I i was able to many things. Now, I’ve become an M.P and I’ve got power, so i am becoming more answerable. I might lose this power at any time but, till the last moment I’ll be aware of my social responsibility and I’ll do the best of what i can to help the people.
3. We know that Parliament is entirely different from any other government offices, how did you feel while you got into the Parliament for the first time?

I’ve read A.K.G’s (a communist leader) auto biography, in that he has told that, ‘Indian Parliament is a mesmeric World. Its beauty and elegance might change you a lot. So never forget about what you are and how did you get over there’. I’d kept this in mind when i enter into the parliament for the first time. There are about 300 crorepati’s in the parliament this time, for them, their job as an M.P is just a side-business. But, for me this is my main duty, to work among the people.

4. How about your agenda for the development of Palakkad and for solving the problems?

Palakkad is my own place and so i very well know about every nook and corner and the problems of the district. This will help me to make my work easier. The first problem i introduced in the sabha was that of bank merger. Ie, 7 small banks are going to get merged with the State Bank of India (S.B.I), State Bank of Travancore(S.B.T) is also going to get merged like this. We can’t allow this because S.B.T is Kerala’s own bank and if it gets merged, many people will lose their jobs. Then, i was able to attend the railway budget and got a good result out of it. Now, we are trying our level best to bring ‘coach factory’ to Palakkad as early as possible.
5. The election manifesto of the Communist Party for the 15th Lok Sabha elections said that, more importance will be given to increase the standard of education and for the goodness of students. As a person who started the political life as a student activist, what do you have in store for students?
As Lenin (former communist leader) said, there are three things that every student should do, ‘Study, study and study’. That is duty of every student. Best education system with very finest technologies will be provided for them. Everybody says that politics makes students worse, but politics doesn’t mean to hold a flag and go for a rally alone. It’s meant for good reasons. In my case, politics have brought me to this position.

6. Do you have any family background as a politician?
No, In fact, my parents are anti-communists. I had strong oppositions from my family. As i was the eldest son, father expected a lot from me. He wanted me to become a successful lawyer and at last a judge. But, i hardly did practise only for just two years. There have been days when I was not allowed to get in to my home. I’d my own decisions for everything. I’ll do whatever i feel is right; i did the same in case of my marriage also.
7. A lawyer and a politician, both are more or less related to social service. How do you get satisfied for the services rendered to the public?
As i said earlier, now as an M.P, I’ve become more responsible. Other than being in the sabha, i need to be among the people. I’ve to take part in marriages, inaugurations and even at the funerals. Even if I’m not an M.P I’ll continue with my services. Anyways, I’ve decided not to go back to the court again. After my tenure gets finished, I’ll get more time to read and write and to bring about people’s needs. Economics is my favourite subject which i always love to read and write about.
M.P is an M.A Economics degree holder along with L.L.B and he’s the author of three books. In his busy political life, he has Mrs. Ninitha as his life partner and daughter Niranjana.

Life's beautiful !!

For me, life's so beautiful that it has taught me almost all the feelings...
The feeling of love,care,affection,sorrows,missing etc... I feel happy when I'm around my loved ones no matter where the place is. To me,beauty of a person is one's heart that contains the essence of love and care along with the mentality to help and serve people. I love finding happiness in small things like toffees and shake hands and that's the secret behind making our life worth living.
Within my 18 years of experience in this world, I learned many things from many people. I knew that life's not that easy as we find in Novels. There has been many people around me to wipe of my tears when am crying and to clap both the hands together when am laughing; to me that's the biggest asset in life. My Father is the greatest person whom I admire the most. His life itself was a lesson for me in many ways.
Smile at everyone you see,even if you are seeing them for the first time because that's the only gift that you can give even to the strangers.

Life's beautiful only when we try to make it so.