Bloody politicians

I hate these bunch of people called politicians.
I know its a common feeling among Indians, and Murali Deora said that he was ashamed to call himself a politician (in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks). But I feel, the day God just lost all virtues from his tank, but still had to meet some deadline of creating species, he went ahead and made the ignominious one of politicians.

Today I had to attend a training at 10 in the morning. For that, given the awesome traffic condition that Chennai boasts ( I am not passing a general comment on Chennai, but yes - I would love to spit on the face of the CM who is so occupied in grooming Stalin ( Gosh what a funny name!! ) that he has scant regard for anything else) (Parentheses ended there :) - read on ) I started from my home which is some 14 odd kms from my office at 0815 hours. Yes a good 1 hour, 45 mins ahead of schedule.

All along the road, there were pictures of the old *&^^)$ (This is what I will refer to the CM as) smiling at the gentry. Some were re-ee-aa-lly hideous smiles. I was able to reach Guindy which is kind of a middle point for me around 0915. I had 45 more minutes with me, and I was optimistic that I would be able to meet the deadline and reach the nearbies of Ramapuram by 0955 ish at the least.

Buttttt.... At Butt Road (Yea thats the name of the road :D )- there was not a but but a full stop.

All on-going traffic was halted for the Prawasi Bharatiya Diwas celebrations at Chennai Trade Centre. We were halted at Butt Road around 0925 hours. First I had no clue whether it was a traffic jam or there was some other problem. So I started my fervent prayers to Ganpati Bappa who is my friend in need. When the clock ticked to 1005 and I came to know of that traffic had been blocked for VVIPs I gave up all hopes of reaching office remotely on time and I started messaging K complaining about the way things were functioning.

Being crammed in the share auto for over 40 minutes was already cramping our legs. Finally around 1010, I asked the other two girls in the share auto, if they would be game for walking the stretch (it was still some 6-7 kms from office) The girls readily agreed since there was no clue as to when the blockage might end. There were quite a bit of people who had started alighting from their respective means of public transport and walking. After walking for say 500m we were stopped by a policeman who said that "VVIPs were supposed to come, so no one would be allowed to proceed." This irritated some people who were walking ahead. An elderly uncle standing at a bus stand retorted "These fellows are going to work, at least let them pass. What problem might you have with people who actually work". A couple of gutsy men also got into an altercation with the policeman.

Then we saw a man strut right ahead tagging a bag along. In a pretty brusque way, he reprimanded the policeman and made a gesture from which I could understand he was surging to slap the policeman. Then he shouted "I am a DELEGATE out here and you are stopping me? And why not allow these people to go? #!$$^$%^# (some profanities in English) I was like Hallejuiah!!

There was a crowd of atleast 500 people stranded in the middle of the street opposite to Madras War Cemetary, for nearly 35 minutes under the hot sun watching one or the other vehicle with a red light and screeching sound zip past. Then another funkily, but "out of placely" decorated couple who screamed "WE ARE NRIs" through their clothes passed by. By standers went ballistic and had a roaring time passing comments on the white kurta of the man with dyed blonde hair and the heavy jacket ( yeaaaa in Chennai if someone flaunts fur she has to be a NRI) of the woman he had in tow. But some 15 minutes after they passed, strangely we were allowed to walk through.

As I passed through the Chennai Trade Center, I saw the first delegate fellow who had passed us, and I really felt like thanking him because I felt he must have mobilised some support for the people who were sweltering in the heat. Then on, we walked for some 2-3 kms till we were able to board an auto and get to office.

What irked me the most was the total dis regard for the convenience of the common folks. There was the MIOT hospital on the way - what if someone needed to get there urgently. The way the police force was behaving, I am sure, they would have no regard even for human life. And if there was something planned like this, where the hell did the minimum sense go of sending out a circular that traffic might be stopped/diverterd. Does it need the brains of a rocket scientist to figure this out - or was the civic administration and political class so busy licking the boots of the fellow above him, that this completely missed him? Seriously, the politicians here are gung ho about supporting the LTTE folks which completely the problem of another independent nation and would even go to the extent of de stabilising the government in Center, but would not bat an eyelid for the people of their nation.

I somehow believe, we always have a trickle down effect - the head of an organisation should be proper to ensure the organisation is functioning properly. Any where if the person heading an institution/initiative is proper, he/she can ensure that all subordinate to him follow his path, but all the people down the runks might not be able to pull it through, if the person who heads is corrupt. Sometimes they might be able to reach success, but there are greater chances, that the dubious credential of the man heading, might mar rather than make things.

That India would actually be in a position to show the light to the world one day needs nothing short of a miracle. We do need a miracle so that we are able to succeed INSPITE of the gruesome malice called politicians.

Take control

There is one thing I sternly go by - your life is your own and you should take full charge of it.

I lately heard some instances about a close acquaintance having some problems with her in laws - mostly mother. Its the usual, but way too trivial. The mother in law seemed to me a typical mother in law straight from the movies of the genre of Lalita Pawar. Now she does not help an iota in the house work, expects daughter in law to do everything from kitchen to clothes along with juggling an IT career. She goes to the extent of not taking proper care of her little 8 month old grand child. And to add insult to injury, lady goes on to blame daughter in law for everything, accusing her of not managing the house properly and to top it all accusing her of "torturing" her.

What I felt most unbecoming of a woman is she goes ahead and talks ill about her daughter in law and the alleged ill treatments heaped on her to all her relatives.

I was C-o-m-p-l-e-t-e-l-y appalled by all this happening even today. I was shocked and felt very shaken. One thing that struck me was - what is the son of the house doing? Yes point taken the lady on one side is your mother, but cant you see the person being victimized is your wife? Yes it is but obvious to not notice the minor mistakes of your own mother, but come on is nt there a thing called conscience which says - Woman you are wrong there. I seriously wonder if the guy (and I feel many guys) is bereft of this sense because of the loyalty towards the mother. But I personally feel, if the guy chooses to turn a blind eye to something that is so blatantly wrong, he is a complete wuss. (Excuse my language, but I guess I am way too angered)

Even if not the son, at least the father in law should curtail his wife and speak out when she over steps the border. But no, I wonder what made this "educated" retired man take cover under a newspaper. I wish a lightning would strike him.

If not any of them, then I feel the girl should stand up - for her, for her child. Shes got a career, got independence, and got a life of her. Its mandatory for her to respect elders and in laws, but its not written any where to take allegations lying down. I am not sure why some girls agree to some things when their heart is not into it. I feel its your own responsibility to lay things straight from the beginning. My mother always advised me, never treat your mother in law any different from me, else you will always feel the difference. And never be a different person there, else it will never be a home for you.

Every one should be aware of a daughter in laws individuality and respect that. I hear complains from some of Ks friends who are girls, that their mother in laws don't help at all and they find it real tough to handle house and work. I feel, ya feeling drained is ok, but if you are not able to take it then say it. Unless you tell there is a problem no one will get into ur psyche and pump it out. If cooking twice a day for husband and in laws is taking a toll on you, either ask your mother in law to help a bit, and if she is not in a position - GET help. Hire a domestic help. Do something. What good is coming out of bitching about your mother in law and complaining. End of day, you go tired to an unhappy domesticity.

This is not the adi manav age that girls dont have an existence. No asked you to follow the rules of Manu Smriti which says a girl should be depended on her father in childhood, a husband when married and a son in widowhood. If we choose to have such a life, we have no one but ourselves to blame. Seriously, if you dont assert you have a backbone, people will assume you have none and walk right over you. Take control gurll.

Ps. I am not sure if I am writing a politically correct post, so the views I hold in this post are entirely personal one. I am not being judgmental. But I welcome the views of other, if they can help me see the issue in a different light.

Sh*t happens

Sh*t happens. And sometimes it happens a lot.
The weekend that went by was a typical example of that.

We had a lot of things on the to-do list for the weekend. One major thing was a bed which we were getting for mom in law. Since one of my uncles has a furniture factory of his own, we had decided to get the cot from my place. It seemed an easy job, all we needed to do was to book a packers and movers, pick the stuff from the cargo dept at the train station and get it home. Fix a call with a local carpenter to assemble the bed again and voila! We had confirmed with a mover and packer nearby. K was on a compensatory off on Friday and had decided to finish off this task that very day. He placed a call to the movers and packers and asked them to come over some time later in the day so that they could pick the cargo. But they did not show up even till the evening. A very irate K said that they better show up the next day else he would be forced to cancel the reservation.

The next day also till 9:30 in spite of numerous calls, they responded only by 10:30ish. In the meanwhile we were frantically looking over the telephone directory to find a replacement. But no one was willing to do it on such close notice. Finally when K went all ballistic, the truck reached home at 11:30. That was not the end of the stumbling blocks. There was a political rally by an actor who was turning into politician and launching his new party. K called me around 12 noon and said, there's a proper standstill out here, don't think I can make it before 4 in the afternoon. I was really restless at this news and just hoped for the best. Mercifully, they were able to reach the station an hour later as the traffic budged. K came back with the bed around 1430. He had his own struggle saga to tell about the very corrupt officials at the cargo section. Thanks to Diwali coming up, they took a bribe of 250 bucks. Sometimes some pests are to be endured I suppose, there is not cure for this rot.

Once K was refreshed we had a sumptuous lunch of aloo parathe and onion raita. After that we started on our appointments to a coupla docs, for the general coughs and sneezes that come with changing weathers. Since the houses of a couple of relatives was on the way, we made a pit stop at each of them. Then there was some itsy bitsy grocery shopping and when we came in home, we realised that it was some 5 hours that we had spent just like that loitering on the streets :)

The next day, started on a low key. We had to get some stuff for K for the diwali. Cos of the dull and cloudy weather, we were generally lazy and did not get started till 1400. The first few shops were duds but then we ended up shopping a lot from one into which we had ventured just to check out the stuff! They happened to have such a good collection that my joy knew no bounds :) Pepped up by this, we ventured to go on a bit further to pick up some shoes for me from a showroom. We were close to destination X, but - the bike had a flat tyre all of a sudden. ARGH!! Luckily for us, K s grannys place was nearby. We reached there, managed to get a mechanic and within 30 minutes were raring to go! Another road block - it started to rain cats and dogs and mice and what not! After a good 75 minutes the rain showed some signs of abating.

We thought rather than wait for a dry spell, it was better to speed off and get home in the light drizzle. The drops were like snow flakes. But a few kms from our home, it turned into a downpour. I hate rains from the bottom of my heart. I simply loathe them. I detest each and every aspect of a rainy season - the dampness, the not so crisp feeling on the clothes, the inconvenience. Ok ok rain lovers, I understand your feelings - K is one! So we have daily arguments on the pros and cons of the rains. But yesterday once it was raining like there is no tomorrow, I just gave in. And I loved it when we splashed through the puddles and gave a wash to some cars :D , the vacant road with us being probably the only people in a two wheeler :D , the blinding rains which fogged Ks spectacles, but he would nt stop to clean them but somehow managed to do so while driving itself and the chill in the winds which gave one goose flesh :) When we came home, we were given a dressing down by the geriatric watchman and we felt like errant kids being reprimanded by a senior.

Back home - with steaming cups of ginger tea, some savorioes and Ice Age 2 on TV - I felt yea sh*t happens but the rains come in soon to wash it off :D