Inked for life!!

5Th October,2008.The day i marked myself with the name of God.I marked myself with a strong belief.I had always wanted a tattoo and i always knew what i wanted.'Ek Omkar' is a Sikh symbolic which means 'God is one'.Yes! it might sound strange to my friends who did not know i was so religious.But,Ek Omkar to me means more than just a religious symbol.It is not only about going to gurudwaras and reading holy books.Look around and you'll notice.All your friends worship different Gods.They go to temples,mosques,churches and of course you've been there with them.You follow what they do there and with equal respect and faith.This is oneness in God and you know you believe in the same.
Well,my post is not about what Ek Omkar really means,but to express my view on what people think of tattoos and especially religious ones.I hope it doesn't sound blasphemous.According to what i have read on the Internet,getting a religious tattoo is an act against the preachings of our Gods.Sikhism is about growing inner faith for God and showing it off through a tattoo is completely going against it.According to what i think,Sikhism is definitely about growing inner faith for God but a tattoo is a conviction.If they say it is not to be 'shown off',then why are there obvious restrictions for the people of the community.Flaunting of chains,belts,bracelets and more accessories has never been given such a thought,so what's wrong with a tattoo?!A person goes through all the pain to be marked with His name and people protest against it.Mandira Bedi happens to have the same tattoo like mine and she had to officially apologise to the Sikh authority for sporting it on the back.Her apology was accepted because the letter said that she has the tattoo simply because she is proud to be a Sikh.


The bible warns us against tattoos.It says "ye shall not make any cuttings in the flesh for the dead,nor print or tattoo any marks upon you:I am the Lord".It says that one must not do anything to modify or change what our God gave us.Well, i guess hair is something which is given by our Gods,how come we cut hair?!how come we cut our nails?! Stupid,what i am saying might sound,but logical!I respect the bible and the Lord and my tattoo says 'God is one'!
A tattoo is no mistake and I am proud of mine.People have different perceptions and accept things in different ways.But,the point is,they need to accept!!

The right track

OK!..it's been a year!!that's right.one whole year since i have been writing.to start with,i would just like to say,for all those who have made this blog a success for me-the visitors,the readers and my friends,who just read it because i asked them to,thank you! if you have read my first post 'astrology-makes you or breaks you?!?!',then only,will you understand this one.so please,check out my first post and then come back to this one!


right!since you know what has happened a year back and what exactly was my,as they call it,'state of mind',this post could be taken as a sequel to the first one.but,i want to clear this to everybody,i am neither writing about astrology nor about my dad.


the year taught me a lot! i won't be saying that it was JIMS,but,it was surely my friends,my seniors and a few,i repeat,a few of my teachers who made me realise that probably i am not half as bad for mass communication,media and journalism.


in the beginning,i was very confused.so many questions in my mind-what am i doing here?!,why?!,what am i going to do?!,what about fashion?!,blah blah blah.....and of course,no answer! i was attending college just to experience a 'regular college life'.made some really good friends and was having fun with them.


i soon noticed my writing skill.won't say its the best,but i was always appreciated.one of the examples could be this very blog! in college,wrote a lot of of reports,press releases,quotes,articles etc. for a lot of events.i realised that i like to write and people like it when i do.i thought,maybe that's what has brought me here.i started taking print media as a serious career option.but,i don't know if i still do!!!


one fine day,my seniors announced that they are starting a student's theatre group.classes will be held every weekend,decent timings and will practice one play at a time.well,i thought it will be nice to come out of the house every weekend and do something i have always enjoyed doing-'nautanki!'.it seemed like a nice activity to do every weekend,so i was game for it.we,a group of 20 something people called The Creative Factory,used to meet at Father Agnel's School and practice.we had our voice modulation sessions,scream out,whisper,laugh,cry,etc. etc. and we practiced and almost completed one of the most talked about plays in the industry 'jis lahore nai vekhya,oh jamiya hi nai',by safdar hashmi.i was,since then,tagged as Hameeda Begum,one of the crucial characters of the play.got a lot of appreciations for that as well.soon,we did a lot of work professionally.street plays for Hindustan Times-i love Delhi carnival was the biggest achievement of all,which brought in popularity and success! it was a great feeling when people came to us after every show and congratulated us.i remember how people read the timings in the newspaper and showed up before time.some asked us to do it again and some said "you guys are great,i watched all your shows today!".all our collars up!we did a lot in college as well.The Creative Factory became a success! and now i can proudly say that i am a government recognised theatre artist(by the ministry of information and broadcasting).all this made me think 'how about theatre?!?!'.though,i am still crazy about it,but,making it a profession...i don't know.


my friends and seniors made a lot of movies and i became a part of them as well.since i enjoy acting,i,along with my friends,worked really hard.hence,siyah khoobsurati and parasite were really appreciated.also,intersecting lines,our next project has been shot successfully and will be soon premiered in college once edited.a few friends of mine want me to consider acting seriously and do something about it.but,again,how serious am i?!?!...i don't know.


i am always surrounded by aspiring directors,writers and editors.so,it has encouraged me to innovate new ideas.and since,my brain has an active thought process,i have written down certain concepts into scripts.i plan to make these scripts into short films by putting in some effort of direction.i won't say "i am appreciated" this time (lol) because i have not yet taken any step further,neither have i discussed it with anybody.though,i will soon.but,is direction or scripting my potential career?!?!...i don't know.


so,it's been a year.2 years are still to go.i still have a lot to experience and learn.i am happy.i am enjoying.i am content.but,the decision made,a year back-how well is that going?!?!...i don't know.so many questions in my mind-what am i doing here?!,why?!,what am i going to do?! blah blah blah.....but,i know i am on the right track because the question 'what about fashion?!',just doesn't exist!if you don't understand what it means...it means i have no regrets and that's what matters!!!

An ode

it takes time to know people better and make friends.

Friends so truthful,friends so helpful,
friends who appreciate,who criticise,
friends who make you laugh and they are always there-
they make you realise!

new in college,we all were.a lot of communication gaps,attitude,misunderstandings,differences and distances.it was only possible for all of us to be together,if we worked together.i did manage to make some good friends but i was more thankful to The Creative Factory to happen.it was great to know that some of my classmates shared the same interests as i did.theme plays,stage shows,street theatre and movies,we all worked together and shared a lot of experience.if we worked fr 5 hours,it was a must for us to chill out for at least 2 hours!this was actually the time for us to bond with each other.and this was the time when i realised,or shall i say we realised,that not only was he a talent,but also a great guy!

during the practice sessions of one of our first plays,we realised,though given just a couple of lines to speak,he always did a great job!he was one of the funniest guys in our comic act 'gawahi'.very interactive and talented in street theatre.made some really good movies(proud to be one of his first actors),but more than anything else,it was always wonderful to have him around.a pure heart,principles,a great sense of humour,a positive approach towards life-he had it all!

he was one of those few who always used to appreciate my work and also...criticise.he shared some of his future plans with me.i still remember our 'khayali pulao pakao' sessions where we used to think and discuss our acting and directorial plans.he had certain principles in life that made him the guy he was.if you take a look at his orkut profile,it still says-'mujhe dosti karna pasand hai...dosto se,matlabio se nahi'.A bit filmy,and may be that's the reason we thought he would be a success in the industry one day!

31st may,2008.i was at a nearby market place with family when i came to know about what happened.two of my classmates lost their lives in a train accident.an accident we all could have never imagined of.the two were cut by a train on the tracks right behind the dhaba where we all shared some of the most funnest times together.i didn't know Manish that well personally,though i feel equally sad and sorry,but Ashar-i dedicate this post to him.he was a very talented actor,director,editor...but above all,an amazing person.i am glad that i came across such a guy and made him my friend.miss you Ashar!

'koi hass kar mujhse meri jaan bhi maang le...par dhoka dene walo ko main chhodta nahi'. -Ashar Naseeri

MAY THE BOTH REST IN PEACE!

Blueline-who's fault?!?!?!

If you are a Delhiite,then you will very well understand this post.You must have very well understood(by the headline)-what made me and why,write this as I am sure everybody must be having something to say regarding the trend of killing made by the blueline buses.First,what's making me write this?As I said,everybody,for sure,must be having some comment or thought over this subject and I think its best to convey it this way.Secondly,why?Because I am the public,I am the blueline user and I am one of the responsibles!

Blueline!What comes to your mind when I say blueline?Media and the public gave it many names-killer,killer on wheels,brutal murderer,blood line,strikers and many.A few days ago,everybody knows,blueline made a schoolboy its 100Th victim of the year.100Th victim!!!And a day after that,the series continued.Such drivers,irresponsible and insensitive.Irresponsible for how and the way they drive,always in a hush and breaking traffic rules is what their chart says.Insensitive for the way they react after striking.They know they are in a BIG trouble!Runaway shamelessly,leaving victims helpless.

It is,undoubtedly,necessary for all such drivers to be taken under consideration,but by whom?The government?Why not?But then,whats wrong?Why hasn't any action been taken against people responsible?They say blueline is one of the greatest strength of the ruling party.Is that the reason?If so,we should rather be shameful than being sorry.Destructing human lives is one of the biggest criminal activities that can be done on this earth,but when I read such a much-repetitive news on the newspapers,one thing surely comes in my mind-ain't the government aware of it?Are they not reading the newspapers?Of course they are!And they are taking certain steps,but not sufficient and neither satisfying.Bluelines must permanently be forced to leave the roads of Delhi.The drivers must be given new employment opportunities and jobs but driving,as their skills have already been tested and they are continuing to fail.Why only bluelines?Is it because the drivers know that they have a back-up from the ruling party?Or is it just a mere co-incidence!

All talked about these drivers,lets talk about the public.What happens to the people sitting inside a blueline when one strikes?It is very important for us to speak up as we witness the panoramic.But we don't really do so.Why there are no FRIs or any statement is not given by the witnesses,as they have all the required details about the driver and the bus?I think most of the people who use these buses as their only mode to commute are in a fear that once these buses are banned,it could be the worst thing for them.If we see an undesirable act,we must speak against it.Realise that we could be next!

There are times,in fact most of the times the public is responsible for it.I don't understand,why hang on the doors and stairs of these buses?Why even think of getting on such jam-packed buses?Keeping our own lives on stake and later make our close-ones crib and complain,certainly makes no sense!I was waiting for my college's charted bus on the bus stop when I saw four schoolboys standing right next to me,waiting for their bus.Their bus came(blueline),and it waited for a while there,as these buses generally don't tend to move ahead till the time they collect maximum passengers!Anyway,the bus started,people rushed into the bus,but the four were still waiting,don't know for what.When the bus moved and got a little away from the boys,I noticed them saying"go"and rush to catch the bus!I couldn't believe my eyes.I wondered,what in this world possibly makes such people complain that it's all blueline's fault?

Love dont cost a thing!

i love the guy i am in love with
he understands me,he cares me
they say love don't cost a thing
then how come it does

he says what u want,i'll get you whatever
i said i just need the love,that you already giving me
my love don't cost a thing
he said i don't agree,it so does

i couldn't understand,confused
he said wait..let me tell you
your love costs me many things
let me tell you..how it does

he took a tissue paper,sitting in the cafe
writing and saying "flowers and chocolates in every meeting for you
and if they are absent..its hard to see your face
thrice a month movies,once a month five star food
you say your love don't cost a thing
but other than these...nothing sooths your mood
lets not forget,i call you every night
you don't want me to hang up,till early morning
and if i don't agree,you just wanna start a fight
i pick you almost everyday from your place
you just don't realise that my car drinks petrol
instead of all,you want me to drop you
sitting in the cafe,sipping and eating..oh baby you
you just don't know how much that coffee will cost me
but still looking into my eyes
you say my love don't cost a thing!"

me,sitting just the way i was
embarrassed,upset,angry,guilty,agreeing yet smiling
wow!..oh boy you made me think!
i don't know whether you want me to pay from now
or what is it that made you say,whatever it was
all i know is that my love is unconditional
you-such a materialist!..but my love don't cost a thing

all you gave me is sleepless nights

and fear of losing you,day by day

but i never thought you would take things the other way!

your male ego hurts... never let me
pay or drive or call,now if you want me,
imagine,getting you chocolates and flowers!
is it all that matters to you,cant you see my love
now i know,my love don't cost a thing
but you my baby,were never in love!

astrology-makes you or breaks you??

If we open The Oxford dictionary,the word astrology is explained as the study of positions and movement of the stars and planets and the way that some people believe they affect people and events.This is just a definition which does explain astrology,but in the last 5 months I realised that astrology is much more than what the dictionary explains.It is one thing that if you indulge in,might make you or break you.but what I have gone through,I might not be very sure about the statement 'makes you or breaks you'.The right way I should put it is 'makes you or breaks you?'.I never really believed in stars,planets,astrology,etc.and i am not sure if i still do.So whats making me write this?The reason behind me writing a post(note:-my first post)on astrology is perhaps my dad and his belief in astrology.No,I am not trying to write anything against my father's belief,instead I am thinking whether the decisions made under the influence of an astrologer take you to the right track or not?even when you are not sure about it.

Since the 8Th grade,when kids are actually kids and have no idea of what they want from life or what life wants from them,I am sure I knew of what I wanted from my life and what I wanted to be.I always knew I wanted to do fashion designing and that too from the best-NIFT(National Institute of Fashion Design).Still I think of it,being a student of NIFT(wow!).My dad from the very first day was not too sure about it,but he never stopped me from doing something that I always wanted to do.So I did my 12Th,got the form,took classes(from IMS,again the best),gave the examination and even got selected for the second level.What could have made me more proud?!I heard that once cleared the first level,admission's not too difficult.I did not really prepare for the second level as I was not too sure of what it actually was.Anyhow,gave it but unfortunately,could not clear.Unfortunately.The reason why I am laying emphasis on this word is the reason why I am writing this post.The same happened when I gave my entrance for the Pearl Institute of Fashion,I could not clear the second level.

It was now time for my dad to finally react.As he believes in astrology,asked me to consult an astrologer.The first thing I asked myself and my dad was"why?".And I am still not sure if I have got the answer.Anyway,we consulted an astrologer.According to my 'kundali',as the astrologer said,fashion design or anything related to it,is not meant for me.My reaction-'WTF?what is he saying?'.Believing my art of good sketching and sense of fashion(hope not sounding pompous) and the appreciations I usually get,the astrologer did not make sense to me at all.He also said law or administrative jobs would do good for me,or I could say-I would do good in these.Again,how is that possible?being not too argumentative and loud,what makes him say that?Me,a lawyer,no way!My dad was quite surprised too and I thought consulting does not necessarily mean following,but within a day or two,while I was thinking and making preferences for some good fashion schools,my dad consulted at least two more astrologers!And to my surprise and bad luck,they suggested the same as the first astrologer did.

There was no chance I could escape out of it now,especially with my dad,who can quite easily believe to what one astrologer says,there was no point I could make him believe that I can do well in the fashion industry,after consulting 3.I never wanted to read those heavy and boring books,but I could not help my dad understand that.But with the help of my elder sister,who has worked as a consultant with the Chopra's,I managed to make my dad understand and agree that PR i.e.public relations could be a good administrative job,a white collar job.But my idea was not actually to study and do PR,but was to do mass communication where there is not much of a need to study hard and read heavy books.Well,this is what I initially thought.Hence,Bachelor of Mass Communication(BMC),JIMS-Jagannath Institute of Management Sciences.My dad's belief in astrology has changed my path completely.Its hardly been two months since I have joined and I have already started to participate and take interest(a little though) in the course.But there is a little part of me that always thinks-what if I was doing fashion?Something that I would have really enjoyed doin,infact loved it.That is the reason why I am still thinking whether astrology makes you or breaks you?I think being a BMC student and a habitual of report writing of almost everything you go through daily,has made me write my first ever blog!The question remains and I think the answer will only be known after three years of this course,astrology makes you or breaks you?