Sin

There is a thin line between luxury and sin; the former after a point turns into the latter. An item is purchased as a necessity, then a better one for more utility, then another version for style and aesthetic aspects. Next follows a bigger brand for status and then an even expensive one for luxury, but beyond that, our repeated purchase of that item becomes a sin and sinful wastage. This amount wasted on vanity can be easily used for charity, education or saving for rainy days. 

I know many people who are always under debt and loans for purchasing luxury possessions beyond their means, just for the sole purpose of flaunting. To me, longing for approval and applause from others betrays a lack of sense of self worth.

HENCE PROVED!!!

For past one month I was eagerly waiting for something, as I counted days I myself wondered “shucks! I am actually waiting, man!” I was in a strange dilemma, I could not openly declare that I was rather dying to see him nor I could hide my feelings. Finally that moment came. No! I was not waiting for my pardesi boyfriend on the Airport with a bunch of roses and about-to-slip kisses, but (it sounds so silly!) I was dying to watch ‘Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega’ on NDTV Imagine….eheheh and before you all start to taunt on my ‘taste’ of TV shows, let me be very clear about my purpose to watch this much ‘awaited show’. I wanted to see how far can girls go for him.

This is a very modern show, we have full (tann aur mann se!) participation of all the girls as young as a 19 years old who wish to marry Rahul Mahajan, in fact a one time cocaine addict but it doesn’t matter naa, not even his failed first marriage with his pilot wife Shweta, because Rahul is a celebrity somehow. Ya I am using the word ‘somehow’ because he was in the news mostly for wrong reasons and more the media coverage, more fame you gather ‘somehow’ thus all these somehow-Celebes include Rahul as well. They all gathered with gifts in their hands and crammed shayari (Rahul hymns) on their lips. One brave lady claimed she was in love with him since past 10 years and now her tapasya has paid off! The outfits of some were quite interesting and are sure to keep the males glued to the TV sets.

The first episode (scene 2): All the suitors... (hehehe!) gather inside a party hall and are vying with each other so as to attract the attention of the ultimate lady killer! (My jokes are not that bad yaar!) Some are pulling him this side, some that, some are singing in loud voices, and some are simply fuming because he isn’t paying them attention and while some simply walked up to him and begged for his attention! See, I told you naa India is full of modern and confident ladies! They are storming and demanding.

They ooze out a chutzpah that can even embarrass the person watching the show. Now I can understand Rahul when he said in its Ad “aap meri haalat to samajh hi sakte hain naa!” haan Rahul bilkul! And we can even understand and imagine poor you after marriage with one of these firebrands.

The first episode (scene 3): (Aha! Pyar ka nazraana! All the girls stand in a row and Rahul inspects them) 2 bangles were given by the lady killer to two girls who beamed with joy as others fumed and tried hard to control tears. And more catfights and dirty politics to come that’s gonna decide who will have the lady killer finally!

Well, coming to the point I, as an audience found it shameful to watch the ladies fight for a stupid pest. Its drooping below the last threshold of dignity. This is their insolent attitude at work. I frankly feel sorry for all the suitors fighting out there for Rahul … it’s a shame on the educated and dignified girls.

“When money speaks, no one checks the grammar” …. Hence proved!!

Gol Gappe ......& Success..... :)

I am a big fan of golgappas (pani puris). I go to my favorite chaatwala... Well I am too loyal to this particular fellow. I saw people coming in big swanky cars and actually queuing up! There are many reasons for this like popularity like good PR (he never gets irritated), quality and service as well as a unique taste. So I can easily conclude that this particular chaatwala is famous in his catchment area and a little beyond too. He is excellent at making golgappas and that’s also his profession; he is doing his work diligently and sincerely. So, is he successful?? I asked one of my friends. Pat came the reply: a big NO, because he is a poor chaatwala, uneducated and ‘dehati’. But I disagree.

Mr Shiv Khera says he who does his work sincerely and with honesty is successful... That is why the chaatwala is no less then a mini celebrity in our colony. And yes, the most important- I feel he is free, running his own venture, not subservient to anyone, not doing anyone’s job. His hard work is going to pay ‘him’ and his negligence is also going to cost ‘him’, no one else. He can hold his head high, decide on his own when to open shop, whom to or not to serve, etc… now how many of us in jobs can enjoy this type of freedom??

One of my teachers (a sweet Anglo-Indian lady from Mussouri with an amazing smile and overall personality..:) one day shared with us the story of her senior school friend who failed thrice and yet joined her first job at the same level as hers. My teacher feels that the girl is successful because of her amazing self confidence, and I agree. How many of us will not get depressed or can gather guts to apply for a good job after failing thrice?? Now that girl is doing very well and is in UK currently.

So finally what is the definition or measure of success? Is it a journey or a destination? I feel its means different things to different people but we widely tend to measure it by the preset and outdated academic benchmarks which themselves are yearning for improvement. Kids inclined towards thinking, arts, literature etc are labeled as duffers and failures in schools. I feel a semiliterate housewife efficiently managing a big family in a modest budget, or a student (like u, my dear Bindu..:) topping his/her exams on a tight budget is successful. Women who have sacrificed their personal lives to bring up young siblings are successful because they have perfectly played their roles as sisters, mothers, wives, daughters, etc, all at the same time.

Having a job in a Fortune 500 company but with tearful eyes and pocket full of money, to me, is no success at all. Certainly not better than my favorite golgappa man! What say ???