Ashamed of being Indian

Don’t get me wrong, I am more than proud to be Indian and always will be for all my life. But when I see incidents like this happen I feel uncomfortable to call myself Indian. There are so many incidents and many of them happening recently that makes me feel ashamed of being Indian. The incident of rape on minor no she was infant then the incident when a girl was gang raped in Noida in daylight. This incidents always been happening in India and I am sure it happens all over the world as women are soft targets everywhere. I get mad every time but angers die down evntually. I am furious to the extreme today after watching this incident on the TV but I don't want my anger to die down this time. when I was watching news channel yesterday on the day of our republic day, a day when we celebrate our democracy. Which is as we know by far the largest democracy in the world? But then, a day before a republic day a same democracy has been demolished by some goons’. One organization which calls them self “Shriram sena” intrudes a pub in Manglore. They not only destroyed the pub but they attack the people in the pub. And they not only had been violent with men but even more violent with women. Which is disgusting if consider human standards. It was most shocking thing I ever seen on television. It was simply inhuman, and I would have imagined it in wildest dreams before watching it on TV.
Their reason for doing that is those girls were consuming alcohol in the pub which is against moral values of this so called “Shriram Sena”. First of all who are these people to teach others morality, how dare they to force it on others. And what morality are they talking about when they can do such a cheap thing like hitting women. That too these people are doing on the name of Lord Shriram, as being Hindu and as proud as these self proclaimed “Shriram Sena” I want government to take stringent action against them and banned this organization as soon as possible. If we don’t do that today be assure that this will be birth of another organization like the infamous Taliban in Afghanistan. And as being proud Indian I can not let Taliban like organization operate in India.
So the onus is on us we the Indian that we won’t take these thing lightly nor will we bog down by incidents like this. We have to pressurize the government to take the action as the election are nearer they has to take some action. But biggest responsibility will be of media. They have to take this issue on priority. They should not allow this die down like many other things happening in India. We can’t guys get away with this. They have to pay for what they did. But sadly I come to know that none of the girls has filed any complaint yet. They must realize that it is not only humiliation for them but for all of us. We are feeling the same anguish and anger as they must be. But these girls should come forward so that it won’t happen with anyone else in future. Only we can make our India better.
I also have big objection against operation of News Channels and Media. It is known fact that these organizations call media themselves to these places so that they can get instant publicity. It is nothing wrong on the part of media to go and cover the incidents. That’s how we will know about it but why don’t they let Police know about this every time. So that if the situation gets out of control they can immediate action unless media look at it only as business for them and not worried about their social responsibilities.

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Love Marriage

Book Review: “Love Marriage”

Author: V. V. Ganeshannathan

Language: English

Genre: Novel

Publisher: Phoenix Publication

“Love Marriage” is a debut novel by V.V. Ganeshnathan who is residing in United States but her parents are from Shri Lanka who moved to United States when trouble started in Shri Lanka. So she made and effort in this novel to describe present, past and future of Srilankan turmoil and how it is affecting people who are long moved away from the country.

This is the first ever novel I read which has absolutely inappropriate title. The name “Love Marriage” suggests the book will be romantic one. But it is not about love or marriage but it is more about political and social problems in Shri Lanka. It is the book about infamous LTTE. LTTE has been declared as terrorist group by Shrilankan Government and many other countries. It is an organization which is claiming separate country for Tamilians in the Shrilanka and fighting for welfare of them. In the process they are considered most deadly and violent organization in the world. I think they are the people who introduce the world suicide bombers and sinyde eating cadets, only Lashkare Tayeba will come close to them in recent time. But author being Shrilankan and a Tamil is trying to defend them not that she is supporting their violent and inhuman ways of operation. Instead she wants to make a point that people behind LTTE has strong motive behind whatever they are doing. So they should not be compared to other terrorist groups like Laskare Tayeba who kills innocent people just to make their point heard by the world. That must be the reason she has quoted many times in the book that “Governments all around world declared any group terrorist as they want to wipe out motive behind their motive.” This may not be her exact words but it meant something like that.

As for the book it is confused you more than anything. It happens because author is confused herself, she is not sure she should openly support LTTE or not. So book does not come out with whole hearted emotion of main protagonists. And more importantly book has not free flowing there are so many unnecessary obstructions. So many times in the book chapters are not able to occupy single page. There are so many half page chapters so that you feel like you are reading someone’s personal diary. It does not make novel reading that exciting. I prefer novels which are freer flowing. She has chosen excellent subject to write a novel on. There are many people who want to know about LTTE, about their motives, about their lives. And the purpose behind the support they get from Tamilians not only in Shri Lanka but from all over the world even from India. So much support that Tamilnadu’s Chief Minister Mr. Karunanidhi threaten the Central government of India from pulling out the support over the matter of unjustice on Shrilankan tamilians.

So I wanted to read this book to clear out mysteries around the LTTE and the war going on in Shri Lanka for decades. Although it gave me brief idea of the background of this tussle between Shrilankan Government and LTTE but there are many questions remain unanswered. I think the author should try to write this book again on the subject without any inhibitions she will surely do better. If I have to rate this book now I will give 4 out of 10.

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"Jumanji"

Movie Review: “Jumanji” (1995 - English)

Director: Joe Johnston

Writers: Jonathan Hensleigh, Greg Taylor

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Thriller

Cast: Robin Williams, Jonathan Hyde, Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Bonnie Hunt, Bebe Neuwirth, David Alan Grier and Others.

“Jumanji” is a name of a Board game which is at the centre of the film so the movie is called by its name “Jumanji”. The movie is based on a picture book story of the same name written by Chris Van Allsberg. Movie will easily rank in top 20 entertaining movie I watched ever in my life so far. It has everything contents of Adventure and Action, bit of Comedy, Fantasy, Thriller, lot of Special Effects. But most of all it will be classified a movie for children. But I enjoy the movie every time I watch it although I am all grown up now.

Movie start with two kids burying the “Jumanji”(a board game) in ancient time. Then movie skips forward when Alan digs out the game outside his father’s shoe factory. And he decides to try his hand with his friend Sarah. And after that as the tagline of the movie says “Roll the dice and unleash the excitement”. That’s what we get, as Sarah rolls the dice thousands of Bats flies out of the game. And if that wasn’t scary enough when Alan rolls the dice, he gets sucked in the game itself. And he has to be there for next twenty six years of his life. Sarah needs treatment for her insanity.

The story again skips forward by twenty six year when two kids Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter come to live in Alan’s home with their aunt. They also found out that the game is calling for them, when they get to the game they also decide to try their hands on the game. And they also discover the fun of the game when Judy rolls the dice Mosquitoes attack them, next roll some crazy monkeys come out of the game, next roll the lion comes out and when they roll again Alan himself comes out of the game. But this time he is all grown up. But real action starts when Alan and kids realized that they are playing the same game which Alan started twenty six earlier. And if they want to undo everything done by the game they had to finish the game. So they need all the four participants including Sarah. They make Sarah to participate in the game once again. After that movie gets even more adventures because as they roll the dice they encounter even more scary things like a Hunter with big gun, wild man eating trees, Animal stampede, big deadly spiders, crocodiles and crazy jungle monsoon.

So story takes you to the end how they manage to overcome every obstacle and manage to finish the game. And eventually able to undo all the disaster created by the game.

After watching the movie the person who should be admired is Director of the movie Joe Johnson. Because in Special effect movies like this it is very easy to overdo the special effect to make it more glamorous. But in the process story might lost which didn’t happen with “Jumanji”. The special effects may be at par with the time when the movie released but we can see movies are coming out with better special effect. In the movies like Jurassic Park, Twister, Godzilla, Narnia. But I really enjoyed the sequence of stampede and the cute hippo lagging behind them. On the whole all the actors did brilliant job. Movie will surely be enlisted in my Must watch movies before you die.

If I have to rate the movie I will give 9 out of 10 for this pure entertainment movie.

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"Little Angels - Sa Re Ga Ma Pa"

Little Angels

Last time I wrote article about “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little champ– Marathi”, I pleaded with fans of this show to request Zee TV Marathi to release a DVD for all the episodes. Or if it not possible they can at least release best songs performed on the show by these little angels. And I am hoping all the other fans like me will make Zee Marathi to release the DVD as early as possible.

After they declared that all five little champs are going to final I can’t wait to watch the finale. The finale is expected to be huge. I heard that people are calling Zee Marathi Chanel’s office for passes already. As I also don’t want to miss out on watching these guys performing live. I tried to call the channel for the passes too but I found them busy all the time. Still I won’t lose hope and keep on trying. And I suggest you guys should try it too.

Although I am eagerly waiting for the results, I also don’t want this show to end. It should go on and on. Now when there are no worries of results till the finale, the champs are giving some divine performances. I think the finale is still two weeks away, till that time champs and their fans should enjoy this brief period just for the sake of music. One thing I noticed while watching the show is that every week the public in the auditorium increasing in number. In fact for last two week they are using bigger auditorium just to accommodate more people. That’s tells us about popularity of this show.

Sometimes I really envy these guys because they can meet some of the greats. Not only had they met people like Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Yashvant Dev, Shridhar Phadke, Suresh wadkar, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, Devaki Pandit and many others who came on the show to judge them. But also people like Shrinivas Khale, Aasha Bhosale, Nilu Phule and others. Nilu Phule himself called them to meet him. I don’t think these guys can ask anything more at this age these are the biggest awards for them that they are appreciated by these great artists.

Nilu Phule is always been one of my most favorite artist. He isn’t just an actor but an amazing artist. Unfortunately he never gets enough recognition as Marathi film industry is not as big as Bollywood or South film industry. Irrespective of movie, movie subject or movie content the only thing stands out from the movie enacted by Nilu Phule is performance of Nilu Phule. He worked with some biggest actors of Marathi Film Industry but he made his presence felt in all his movies with even smallest of roles. He is acted in one recent movie called “Gav Tasa Changal”, I am eager to watch it just for him.

Coming back to little champ, the measure impact made by the “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa – Little Champ” is on the sale of Marathi Music. The day people hear new song from the little champs they rush to the music store next day and ask for the same audio CD. So Audio CD makers and retailers should thank Zee Marathi channel and most importantly little champs. I also bought some Marathi audio CD’s after watching the show but I found that the recording on these CD’s are not up to the mark, especially for older songs. So music company should work on that because there is going to be big demand for Marathi Music in coming days if it is not already there.

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