tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13196420105358196372024-03-12T21:52:49.157-05:00The Solitary ReflectionsReflections reflect my inner feelings...hope,anguish,happiness,joys,silence and solitude...life isn't a destination to be reached...it's a journey...the most important thing is that we start enjoying it...come be a part of my world...Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-91023341436270167382023-08-27T19:20:00.003-05:002023-08-27T19:21:25.229-05:00Reading shall set you free...<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWYUhOpcE3TCGI5EuXMmwuL1LTEBW-KZv9TUJFJ3qxIISLS3y4PYCIu-u7k8YBmOeTrBj-8rr0b-Uk7Fhvk6CbUH_GLJiXd5LVQwWCM7luMfkuC2xE3bIGutK5ycg-9yrFroZGL55q4iS9Ggf4u_yVJv9ATIPVvDrNW39fNTnkzzVxHAxjl2YGxOZd7g/s700/Blog-Image-Love-For-Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWYUhOpcE3TCGI5EuXMmwuL1LTEBW-KZv9TUJFJ3qxIISLS3y4PYCIu-u7k8YBmOeTrBj-8rr0b-Uk7Fhvk6CbUH_GLJiXd5LVQwWCM7luMfkuC2xE3bIGutK5ycg-9yrFroZGL55q4iS9Ggf4u_yVJv9ATIPVvDrNW39fNTnkzzVxHAxjl2YGxOZd7g/s320/Blog-Image-Love-For-Books.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br />I love books. I think anyone who knows me, knows that much about me. However, I also have the habit of doing too many things, socializing too many times, and then scolding myself never to do so again, and doing it all over again. But this summer was a good exception, for the simple reason, that I went to my mom's house, which is in Kolkata, India, and got plenty of time to read. <p></p><p>Anyone who has ever been on a vacation knows that vacations do not go as planned, even if you plan them meticulously. Mine are always meticulously planned and never go the way I want them to go. Well, that is because I rarely stick to the plans I myself make. At this point, if I have managed to irritate you with my flightiness, dear reader, let me irritate you some more. But this time with the books I read. </p><p>So there were two books I finished over the summer. I loved both. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrqOiuvpqMC6OYulmnNzU5C5y9uDptEa5Pt8yZx23kCtfgc3FBKNbR4JV5vbTF5lgMw3g0V3dUU288iuWOhY6atUgCGDP-U3VawBCX9h7Us3Mb-2UZ6SGo_UO7b6FrsNVygrMATTsr2BEW_1m8BL4tnYuqh_GpAu8kfs2YzRs4ZGsXsF0VA8GQMyuC7I/s715/Blog-Image-All-the-broken-places.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrqOiuvpqMC6OYulmnNzU5C5y9uDptEa5Pt8yZx23kCtfgc3FBKNbR4JV5vbTF5lgMw3g0V3dUU288iuWOhY6atUgCGDP-U3VawBCX9h7Us3Mb-2UZ6SGo_UO7b6FrsNVygrMATTsr2BEW_1m8BL4tnYuqh_GpAu8kfs2YzRs4ZGsXsF0VA8GQMyuC7I/s320/Blog-Image-All-the-broken-places.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><br />The first one was "All the Broken Places" by John Boyne, author of the book, "The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas" which has been made into a movie. The second book, which I finished just yesterday, was Rebecca Makkai's "The Hundred Year House". The stories are very different as are the writing. This was my first book for both authors, (I have not read The Boy in Stripped Pajamas).<p></p><p>All the Broken Places is a story of an old English woman who is hiding a scarred past. Kindle informed me that The Broken Places is a sequel to the movie, "The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas". That much was enough for me to download it in my library to read. I was not disappointed. It's a wonderful story. It reminded me of how we humans often run from the horrors of our past only to face them in our present. The writing was articulate and I really liked the story within the story. It was a beautifully somber story. It saddened me the way evenings sometimes do. Not in a deep sad way, but sad in a way something has ended. The prose was funny too in the way that English humor can ever be. I truly enjoyed reading this book. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusXBUVP52QnBruX0ilXDBauwINw_tFS7izmsB8syCg4ivLug5rEspbLlFDC3gGyGVZbYBn3QpM0f0gWyrcgFaq9lmDFTAxE4yB0IywrLWabRpWhet5eX4oWBQJazhevwIPVGHEAXyWwOoqonwNYdOI3KPUwLd2Q4LEun8-L17gWRG_OYKx4otWhtXV04/s500/Blog-Image-The-Hundred-Year-House.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusXBUVP52QnBruX0ilXDBauwINw_tFS7izmsB8syCg4ivLug5rEspbLlFDC3gGyGVZbYBn3QpM0f0gWyrcgFaq9lmDFTAxE4yB0IywrLWabRpWhet5eX4oWBQJazhevwIPVGHEAXyWwOoqonwNYdOI3KPUwLd2Q4LEun8-L17gWRG_OYKx4otWhtXV04/s320/Blog-Image-The-Hundred-Year-House.jpeg" width="202" /></a></div><br />The second book, "The Hundred Year House" was supposed to be a haunted/ghost story only it wasn't, not in the sense I was expecting it to be. Now to my credit, I am not entirely familiar with eerie stories, save some Agatha Christie ones and some Indian authors such as Ruskin Bond. My brother and I love eerie stories, and while we were away on our vacation this year, in the Himalayas, there was a book "The Ghost Stories of the Raj" that both of us wanted to read. We compromised and read some stories and discussed them. It was wonderful. Anyhow, The Hundred Year House was billed as a ghost story on Kindle, and my interest in it spurred from that fact. However, as I have pointed out above, it wasn't a ghost story or even an eerie story. <p></p><p>The Hundred Years House is a story about an old house. It used to be an art colony and now there are four young people who have come to stay there temporarily. I did not quite understand whether the story was told from the perspective of the house or its residents. I felt it was told from the lens of the house as if the house was telling the story, but I did not sense so. </p><p>Back to the protagonists, there is Zee, a professor of English, whose family house it is, her husband Doug, an out-of-work academic trying to write a book on the poet, Edward Parafitt, Chase, Zee's stepbrother, who has lost his job in Texas and has therefore moved to live at his father's place and Chase's wife who is an artist. Oh, there is also Zee's mother and stepfather. The story is about the house though. In the first part, the story revolves around the six characters, and in the second, it revolves around the residents of the art colony, that the house used to be. I thought the storyline was a bit odd until the twist in the story was introduced. It is pretty cleverly done. I quite liked the book. It did not make me sad like "All the Broken Places" did, but it did leave me longing for the characters. I think Makkai could have done a lot with some of the characters in the second part of the book. </p><p>There it is. My two books over the summer. </p><p>Currently, I have begun this detective series, "Murder on Astor Place" by Victoria Thompson which stars two detectives- Sara Brandt a nurse turned midwife in the turn-of-the-century New York, and New York Police Officer, Sargeant Frank Malloy. The second book, I am listening to, is, Jojo Moyes' The Giver of Stars. It is a fictional story about pack-horse librarians in rural Kentucky. The pack horse librarians were non-fiction. If you want to know more about pack horse librarians, here is a link about them <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/09/13/647329067/the-pack-horse-librarians-of-eastern-kentucky" target="_blank">Pack Horse Librarians</a>. I'll be back on my two cents about these two books. </p><p>If you are interested, here is a link to buy the books I reviewed from Amazon. I don't get paid by Amazon, so you can trust this review.</p><p><a href="https://a.co/d/5ToySGA" target="_blank">All the Broken Places</a><br /></p><p><a href="https://a.co/d/1pKRDcc" target="_blank">The Hundred Year House</a><br /></p><p>Till then, keep reading, for reading shall set you free!! :) :)</p><p><br /></p>Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-74051159959947007222023-03-07T19:16:00.002-06:002023-05-08T18:22:43.526-05:00The sweet art of compromise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl07nI-KbIzD-Q70aT18nS_EKF4X-WCb1SQyIMtE_kTS-tQ7KaH_vFcAAOHyhLmAY6m9J-yuyW5Jl9tcFPCQyWs_vw6yVSK1-6wSA3Zdt1LPVTKzsoPWDv1GwLqmNWNNOdZVZBpzuzAV0hT7LpsGp0NgCjvuwfOwRdM_iImtdD5TE10YTsOTZiPVB/s1170/Compromise%20image%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1170" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl07nI-KbIzD-Q70aT18nS_EKF4X-WCb1SQyIMtE_kTS-tQ7KaH_vFcAAOHyhLmAY6m9J-yuyW5Jl9tcFPCQyWs_vw6yVSK1-6wSA3Zdt1LPVTKzsoPWDv1GwLqmNWNNOdZVZBpzuzAV0hT7LpsGp0NgCjvuwfOwRdM_iImtdD5TE10YTsOTZiPVB/s320/Compromise%20image%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I was in my therapist's office today, trying to make her understand the dynamics of an "Indian, arranged marriage". In trying to make her understand, why, in my opinion, Indian married women 'compromise' more than Indian men, I realized I was misinforming her. While I still think married Indian women compromise more than their husbands, compromises aren't so bad after all. While individualism and collaboration should be cornerstones of any relationship, compromising or negotiating one's wants and needs in tandem with others is equally important.<br />
<br />
Compromise, though, has become a dirty word nowadays, especially regarding marriages or the sacred private space that two individuals in an intimate relationship share. While this post means no disrespect to individuals who believe their wants and needs must come first, I will try showing that compromise can act as an equalizer if used with love, care, and empathy. I know that the best outcome of any communication situation is collaboration. However, collaboration can sometimes be an outcome of a compromise. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Let me explain why...<br />
<br />
Compromise can be an excellent tool in a marriage if practiced within boundaries. Those boundaries may refer to the values one holds or the ideals one holds dearly in life. In marital relationships or relationships of an intimate nature, compromises made out of choice may result in collaboration. But when compromising, one has to ensure they do not hurt the core values they believe in. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I used to hate going to rock concerts. Well, to be honest, I did not (do not) like heavy metal music. When I married Rahul, he told me he was a fan of this group called Metallica. I did not know who they were (now I do), and I was least interested in going to their concert. Some years later, in Pretoria, after many requests (from Rahul), I went to a Brit Floyd concert. And, I know they are not Metallica, but I loved the experience. So my compromise was just to go to this concert, where I discovered I quite liked going to rock concerts. Since then, we have been to several of them (the Metallica concert, though, is still outstanding...). So it wasn't necessarily a bad compromise. However, I do think, if one is forced to compromise against those boundaries (values, and ideals), that would not necessarily be a good idea. I think in those instances, it's often better to oppose and assert one's voice.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Two of my dear friends, who I value a lot because they are indeed role models when it comes to the modern superwomen, have compromised multiple times in their own marriages. To give due credit to their partners, they, too, have compromised. Whenever it comes to marriages, and successful marriages at that, I do not have to look further than my parents, who will celebrate 45 years of marital bliss this August!!! Along the way, both have made compromises and negotiated with each other for the good of their small family. While it is highly debatable, in their marriage, as to who has compromised more, I do not believe, either has gone to an extent where their original values or voices have been lost. That would be dangerous. That's what I meant when I mentioned earlier, that compromise if used cleverly, can act as a great equalizer.<br /><br />While my husband and I are still neophytes in the great world of matrimony, we regularly compromise on the restaurants to go to, vacations to take, and how we divide the household chores. I think, from my little experience of marriage, my perception of compromise as evil isn't correct. More than the act of compromise itself, the intent behind the compromise communicates a great deal. So maybe, I did not do a good job of communicating the Indian arranged marriage dynamics to my therapist today. I hope she reads this post someday... :)</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, yes, if you are getting into a relationship, where you genuinely like the other person, do not throw compromises as a relationship tool, out of the window. Compromises can sometimes lead to a great, collaborative relationship. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I always invite readers to check out scientific findings on topics that I write about. Because, please remember, no matter, who writes it, it's still their opinion. I found the following article from Psychology Today on compromise and it states the same thing that I do above.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/is-psychology-making-us-sick/201304/compromise-or-not-compromise" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">To compromise or not to compromise</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Here's to compromises and to even sweteer relationships!!! :)</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0Olathe, KS, USA38.8813958 -94.81912849999999110.571161963821154 -129.97537849999998 67.191629636178845 -59.662878499999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-73308274299400160602022-08-17T19:32:00.000-05:002022-08-17T19:32:16.948-05:00the summer, I got to be 'me'...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNgyK4CelOoMeR0gp7dp4CzKzP5oFYKLvd3tc_PHptgAMvxE3mIfrqoPqf12O3Y2Yuoe1pCHw_-VSK5BR6y0aUDdTK6kcL9ZTJa56J5K4t0Ez7SX8czir3graN6pDtHuSwgGtoxHGQok9P344vGo00uEKfMBbau-Kvdo2nM4cn_UUUkYVr-73QmZC/s474/Summer%20blog%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNgyK4CelOoMeR0gp7dp4CzKzP5oFYKLvd3tc_PHptgAMvxE3mIfrqoPqf12O3Y2Yuoe1pCHw_-VSK5BR6y0aUDdTK6kcL9ZTJa56J5K4t0Ez7SX8czir3graN6pDtHuSwgGtoxHGQok9P344vGo00uEKfMBbau-Kvdo2nM4cn_UUUkYVr-73QmZC/s320/Summer%20blog%20image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Today was the first day of my son's second grade. It was both a joy- he's growing up so fast and a tiny bit of sadness- growing up way too fast!<p></p><p>I was just supremely surprised today by how fast the summer swept by. My son's school generally indicates the beginning of the University term too. We officially begin next week, but we have already started the process of orientations and meetings... another semester, many more stories. </p><p>The 2022 summer is perhaps the one I have enjoyed the most since 2013 when we moved to South Africa. Summers are always my favorite season- not just because I have my birthday in the summer, but because of summer vacation- a long enough break that we can breathe. One of the chief reasons for this summer being special was obvious- my parents were here with us in Kansas, but another was that I had time to simply read, relax, travel, and be myself. </p><p>I was born with a lust for travel. As a kid, I dreamt of becoming a truck driver traveling with goods throughout India. A minor part of that dream was perhaps realized when I attended grad school at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. I would drive through prairie grasslands and see rural Kansas for two and half hours daily. It was crazy and one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life.</p><p>This summer, we went to the beach, and you can see the photos if you follow my social media accounts. This was my son's first visit to the beach, and we got on a road trip in between, so it was bliss. We also visited many family-friendly places in Kansas city itself. We went to the Science City and the Union Station in KC and our favorite, the KC zoo. We visited the KC plaza and the Prarie Fire Museum in Overland Park. </p><p>I saw an advertisement the other day which resonates with me. The ad is perhaps from one of the travel companies- asking viewers what they would regret more when they die- the places they did not visit or the things they did not buy? For me, it's definitely the former- the places not visited. However, I don't think it was just the travels that made this summer so special. It wasn't just my parent's visit but a culmination of small things I achieved or re-lived over this summer that made it so special. </p><p>This is why I am back at writing. This summer, the one thing I did for myself was to get back to writing my blog. I started blogging in 2006 when blogging was emerging. We had just brought a desktop computer, and my brother and I were becoming conscious of what the internet could offer. I came across a news article about how blogging and social media change the world. I became intrigued and decided to open an account on Google and started writing. </p><p>I loved the fact that through my words, I was able to reach so many people. I still remember the comment from Mongolia on my Arab Spring blog entry. Gosh, it was enthralling. A girl from Kolkata writes about revolutions in faraway Egypt and Tunisia, and someone in Ulan Bator reads that blog and comments on it. How would anyone not be giddy at the possibilities the internet could offer humankind? Alas, it seems that initial euphoria might have been a tad bit misplaced. Anyhow, life intervened, and I stopped blogging for a long time. This summer, I decided to be back again, pursuing my second love, that of writing. </p><p>I also did a whole of reading this summer. Of course, I am pursuing a doctoral degree, so I guess reading comes with the job, and I love it. But this summer, I read books like The Filter Bubble by Eli Pariser alongside The Traitor Quen- the second book in The Bridge Kingdom series. I also read two rather nice romances, and I was surprised they still wrote them clean. I also spent quite a bit of money on second-hand books- which I shall probably never read, but hoarding them feels so good. I was sad to see the Friends of Johnson County Library second-hand bookstore close, and I purchased a good amount of books to make myself feel a little less guilty. </p><p>So, yes, this summer, I did all of those, but most importantly, I took out time to be myself, to get back to the things that made my life meaningful and put zest into it. Beyond my identities as a mother, wife, daughter, and sister, I am also a reader, a traveler, and a blogger... most of the time, I get lost in embracing the former identities and losing the little bits that make me whole. This summer, I think, I have reclaimed a little bit of myself... I am glad I could still find myself in those identities, and even if for a fleeting summer, I could live again. </p><p><br /></p>Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-24832220881009412022-07-02T20:48:00.003-05:002022-07-02T20:48:55.412-05:00Taking chances...finding hope <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vCPSwcnBwr05Ma1KP8LN1S3Y5WmreeIDs6xhoiXujGTfXm-LbimBKic-D3UYm9-jNky5wU1LgtvJkbggpEZoQQjHmQTgTfQEsDh8BVTZ6xm3icbtRznVI2du1ihYDn1kE9UoQwVA1Zl8G09NJoHDJ_pkz-iY-Z0hLyCi41w-QiMkf_yRW6pKlEo2/s382/Hope-blog%20image.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="382" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vCPSwcnBwr05Ma1KP8LN1S3Y5WmreeIDs6xhoiXujGTfXm-LbimBKic-D3UYm9-jNky5wU1LgtvJkbggpEZoQQjHmQTgTfQEsDh8BVTZ6xm3icbtRznVI2du1ihYDn1kE9UoQwVA1Zl8G09NJoHDJ_pkz-iY-Z0hLyCi41w-QiMkf_yRW6pKlEo2/s320/Hope-blog%20image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In this week's post, I wanted to rant about the recent U.S. Supreme Court's decision about Roe v. Wade, but I am not going to. Instead, I am going to write a post about taking chances and finding hope. <p></p><p>So, some of you may know, that I teach at a University- University of Kansas here in Lawrence. This past semester (Spring 2022), I was teaching an online class and an in-person class. Both classes had one student each who at least in my opinion are not being treated fairly in a traditional, mainstream, University system. </p><p>The student in my in-person class had not attended a single class during the first six weeks of the semester. The other student, the one in my online class had not submitted a single assignment in the first five weeks. </p><p>Of course, I as an instructor did what I have been told to do by the University system. I wrote them three emails- the first two were polite and sympathetic to the conditions they are probably in which may be preventing them from submitting their assignments on time. The last one was somewhat rude- stating that I would be forced to fail them in the class if they did not communicate with me regarding their plans in the class. Now our University has a rule, that by a certain date if a student doesn't show up in class or doesn't do any assignments- the instructors may drop them. Honestly speaking- I was reluctant to drop these two students without hearing their side of the story. Pandemic taught me some pedagogical rules and the chief one I learned was that students do not really need traditional, mainstream classes to learn. Do not get me wrong, I still believe in learning- but learning can be done in myriad ways- something that Universities at least do not always realize. </p><p>Anyhow- so here we are getting closer to the finals week of the Spring semester and these two students are still absent- from class as well as from assignment submission. Then one day- perhaps because they hadn't received any emails from my end, or perhaps of my last somewhat rude email- they reached out to me. The student in my in-person class met me in my office- and I learned about a promising youth with tons of potential. We sat together and chalked up a plan that would grant the student a passing grade. The other student- the one in my online class- met me over Zoom- and I learned about another promising youth- we too made a plan for the semester. </p><p>Needless to state- both the students not only passed the class but both of them passed with As. They wrote to me at the end of the semester- and one sentence in both their emails stood out for me, "thank you for taking a chance on me... "</p><p>As a teacher, I think this is my greatest reward. The students whom the traditional University system dismisses- sometimes due to lack of resources, sometimes because they do not learn the way mandated by the University system- students who slip through the gaps in the system- if only someone listens to them, help them open up and encourage them- it takes time and effort but the reward is so much greater. </p><p>I know there are many teachers like me who take chances every day with similar students. I know there are many more educators who want to but cannot due to institutional failures. To me, my teachers have always been superheroes but I think, these students are real superheroes- who conquer all odds and come out shining. I felt so happy and at peace today when I upgraded their grades to As in the University grade roaster that I decided to write this blog entry. </p><p>These students reinstate my belief in humanity- with everything terrible that is going on- and the news media pouring fire on all ends inciting polarization more than ever- you never know who gives you hope. I am hopeful today. </p><p>Finally, I am sharing the link to a Ted talk that I heard recently where Kevin Kelly talks about why being an optimist is the only way to progress. </p><p>Adios, till my next post. </p><p>And yes, take chances on others- it's a beautiful feeling to be rewarded with the result. </p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Inter, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre;"><a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_kelly_the_future_will_be_shaped_by_optimists" target="_blank">Ted talk on optimism</a></span></p>Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-83459340491266182712022-06-22T16:03:00.001-05:002022-06-22T16:03:48.974-05:00The tangle of priorities<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EVKIPVWAre3dipeE9HZ40YGOKxfC759QQJl_usTUIa6N_1NULlSMmee78xrn7eLWCkdI2-GICWbx6zgGrr5iZRsUl3gP3gBd0-koWP6yeM0jzLSR_00qwYFHpHEpWShTYjvbEjhIQN3P4Pt3HMmIoNB8h_PyyWPPjbtgo3QdCbZwXz8oxIK3jzoR/s253/Priorities%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="253" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EVKIPVWAre3dipeE9HZ40YGOKxfC759QQJl_usTUIa6N_1NULlSMmee78xrn7eLWCkdI2-GICWbx6zgGrr5iZRsUl3gP3gBd0-koWP6yeM0jzLSR_00qwYFHpHEpWShTYjvbEjhIQN3P4Pt3HMmIoNB8h_PyyWPPjbtgo3QdCbZwXz8oxIK3jzoR/s1600/Priorities%202.jpg" width="253" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: medium;">The last time I updated my blog- I lamented how I haven't gone back to writing, in a long while. I decided to get back to updating this blog more often, in fact, every Saturday (hahahah). But before I could do good upon my decision, life intervened and I ended up prioritizing other things. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Which made me think: How do you prioritize? What comes first for you? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I thought of writing this week's blog on priorities. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Besides writing, my other love is reading. Lately, I found myself reading books on social media and how it is destroying or saving democratic societies. But curiously, in my library- both Kindle and actual, I also found titles such as Atomic Habits, 12 Rules For Life, and Peak. Needless to say, I still have to read any of those, but from whatever I could glean from cursory reading is that priorities matter. If we do not prioritize our tasks, then we won't get anything done. That made me ask myself- how exactly do priorities work- how do we know these tasks or jobs are really, truly important to us? I mean in ten years, would we look back and remember these tasks? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I don't know the answer to these questions but I did prioritize my tasks last week. My son's baseball routine had the top priority. I also prioritized cooking for family and seeing some episodes of Stranger Things 3, plus grading my student's assignments and writing my dissertation prospectus. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">But I did not prioritize writing my blog, reading the books I had borrowed from the library for summer, or going on a long walk with my mom. Are these not important or not as important as some of the things that I did prioritize. Would I regret not ascribing significance to these tasks ten years from now? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I also thought about the psychology behind prioritizing certain tasks over others. The jobs or tasks that I did, or thought were urgent and needed completion related to my immediate family needs, my duties as a mother, and my job and career. The tasks I neglected or put off for another day- like writing my blog- I deemed as not significant enough, or somehow not important enough to be tackled on an immediate basis. The question is why? Why did I think that the tasks that would give me more joy could be put off for another day rather than jobs/tasks that needed to be done? I do not know the answer, but I believe a lot of times, we do put off things that provide us genuine happiness. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some months ago, I was hearing this podcast- The Happiness Lab (<a href="https://www.happinesslab.fm/" target="_blank">The Happiness Lab Podcast Link</a>) and there are some episodes on "funtervention" or fun-interventions- things that the podcast host does just for fun-- things that bring joy to her. I thought, that these funtervention or fun-intervention episodes of the podcast were amazing. But, not applicable to me because I have a small kid and he needs me so I must prioritize my duties as a mother... blah, blah, blah... </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Maybe I was wrong, maybe not. Maybe I shall re-read this post in ten years and realize that my current priorities weren't priorities at all. Or maybe I shall be thankful that I did the jobs/tasks when they needed to be done. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So if you are reading this, think about your priorities- what are you prioritizing now? Would you look back at your priorities ten years later and regret them or be satisfied that you attended to the tasks that you did? And yes, if you get time to listen to a podcast, Let The Happiness Lab be it. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Adios... </span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGXcU3V48Z_UhJktHLDF1zl9px1n0zIdMRLfxARnCeZSgSnpXCJ0uoSI1XUonBVkWPCh6RzMUQDzoPIpiIz2wVDJkYyxrUWW1iHVGbZRwc1sCEFcGkeDY_aykZXQscBkQ0Lu-jzcHKIPheXd5iEPcfp7ueJstmJB_iXXlflrOKF5iwK1UeEJZ9s2H/s1024/Priorities%20image%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1015" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGXcU3V48Z_UhJktHLDF1zl9px1n0zIdMRLfxARnCeZSgSnpXCJ0uoSI1XUonBVkWPCh6RzMUQDzoPIpiIz2wVDJkYyxrUWW1iHVGbZRwc1sCEFcGkeDY_aykZXQscBkQ0Lu-jzcHKIPheXd5iEPcfp7ueJstmJB_iXXlflrOKF5iwK1UeEJZ9s2H/s320/Priorities%20image%201.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-89068454205106629662022-06-11T12:39:00.000-05:002022-06-11T12:39:03.278-05:00Reflections on writing and habits<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oSK9-HJ9Io3cU-SUpV6B4AF74PuCCyH-URwxcTS7HfqWg-JFS7M3L_n6mQFGdPtbOJTz3EqHNB45Ab9LFdhYZsdPnKiK8T6h2WqvnxUdO1FrXhg0X_4LHp_E3tmkvGOcVW_HOqBReuXZOtfkfgevMK7SuAfco9PwIRuScn25FFl8QYjAzdOZlEEE/s2880/kick-a-bad-habit.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="2880" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oSK9-HJ9Io3cU-SUpV6B4AF74PuCCyH-URwxcTS7HfqWg-JFS7M3L_n6mQFGdPtbOJTz3EqHNB45Ab9LFdhYZsdPnKiK8T6h2WqvnxUdO1FrXhg0X_4LHp_E3tmkvGOcVW_HOqBReuXZOtfkfgevMK7SuAfco9PwIRuScn25FFl8QYjAzdOZlEEE/s320/kick-a-bad-habit.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I have been thinking about getting back to writing my blog for some time now. Age, I believe, has a way of reminding one of the priorities in life. Writing was always a priority for me, not just writing journalistic or academic pieces - that's what I do for a living. But just writing, writing words that flow from me. Writing is my therapy, always has been, always will be. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Now that I turned 39 this May, I was wondering how do I tell my seven-year-old to keep following his passion when I do not follow mine? Therefore, back to writing, and back to this blog. Last year, one of my friends from college, Anna, joined the NaNoWriMo (<a href="https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo</a>) and wrote the novel, Almost Maybes (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Almost-Maybes-Love-Wildes-Book-ebook/dp/B09VQX7WZW/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Almost+Maybe&qid=1654966421&s=digital-text&sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kindle book link</a>). I have been reading it. It's really good so far, and I am enjoying it. I felt truly proud of her, that she took the plunge and actually wrote. I could never do that. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Age, I believe also shows humans what they are passionate about and what they lack. I am passionate about writing but I do lack the discipline, I believe, I am capable of eking out time for writing. So this is an attempt on my part to get back to writing- free-form writing, careless words, that just flows. This is what I envision for myself in 2022- just for me. I am going to write a post on Saturdays on this blog - every Saturday- for four Saturdays. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">However, since this blog post will be on social media, and some of you will probably read it - if you believe you have a passion you would like to take up and like me, you lack discipline, here's a TED Talk I found for you, which helped me a lot. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance?referrer=playlist-the_most_popular_talks_of_all&autoplay=true" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ted Talk on Grit</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So that's all for now, till next Saturday, adios..!!! </span></p>Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-90794423185259229722018-06-08T13:19:00.000-05:002018-06-08T13:19:14.837-05:00To that friend of mine who went over the edge.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6H_laojxBHs/Wxq3366zZhI/AAAAAAAABj8/Ar30HkFp9HsK4m2VSSQrBN-K8HTRjdnRACLcBGAs/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6H_laojxBHs/Wxq3366zZhI/AAAAAAAABj8/Ar30HkFp9HsK4m2VSSQrBN-K8HTRjdnRACLcBGAs/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Courtesy: https://www.highfaluter.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For about two weeks now, the concept of suicide has been haunting me, so much, that I decided to write a blog post on it... which in itself, is a rare event these days with my schedule and responsibilities. How or why it came to this, I do not know, but I have constructed a timeline of events, which shall probably help my readers understand as to why I am writing upon this subject.<br />
<br />
Two weeks ago, I began a subscription of Netflix, the streaming platform. The first show that I wanted to see was '13 Reasons Why'. Apart from being highly talked about and being somewhat of a controversial show, I wanted to see the portrayal of the book upon which the show is based. I had read the book earlier. I wanted to see how the show represents the book. Well, it wasn't a good experience, emotionally, which I believe was what the producers of the show were aiming for. To be fair, I liked the show much more than I had liked the book. The book had not explored in such intricacy the characters of Hannah's parents, which the show did. While I saw the show, I saw myself examining my parenting style. The show left me with a lot of questions that I have jotted down and I aim to find at least some of the answers later.<br />
<br />
Then a week back, a friend of mine wrote a post on Facebook that a mother of her childhood friend has committed suicide. Another news on suicide. For the past week, this friend of mine, kept writing about the emotional state of mind related to suicide and so on. I commented on some of her posts and some I just browsed through.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-01ppyU_wqb8/Wxq39YsweFI/AAAAAAAABkA/9MhvfMsmd-wKA6iEEvaNbe_cybCnd5-PgCLcBGAs/s1600/Suicide%2Bprevention%2Bhotline.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="127" data-original-width="401" height="100" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-01ppyU_wqb8/Wxq39YsweFI/AAAAAAAABkA/9MhvfMsmd-wKA6iEEvaNbe_cybCnd5-PgCLcBGAs/s320/Suicide%2Bprevention%2Bhotline.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Then, this week, there were two 'celebrity' suicides, those of Kate Spade's and Anthony Bourdain's. I honestly do much know much about Kate Spade except she was a designer of caliber and I mostly avoided the news but today when I read about Anthony Bourdain's suicide, I was shaken. I used to follow Bourdain's show on CNN and the man himself on Twitter and Instagram. I went to his Twitter page today... nothing, empty... He was actually quite active on Twitter, and I often retweeted or marked his Tweets as favorites. And anyone who uses Twitter knows, you form a unique relationship with someone you follow on Twitter regularly... and I am not saying this in a creepy sort of a way but, as a Twitter follower, you can actually become a small part of his/her life.<br />
<br />
And these events brought me to writing about this phenomenon today.<br />
<br />
I myself, have had a distant encounter with suicide.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-01ppyU_wqb8/Wxq39YsweFI/AAAAAAAABkA/dM5xh6SWkJ0JK4NxN8VvjIFVNhGrn5jmACEwYBhgL/s1600/Suicide%2Bprevention%2Bhotline.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="127" data-original-width="401" height="100" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-01ppyU_wqb8/Wxq39YsweFI/AAAAAAAABkA/dM5xh6SWkJ0JK4NxN8VvjIFVNhGrn5jmACEwYBhgL/s320/Suicide%2Bprevention%2Bhotline.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I was in tenth grade and a classmate of mine tried committing it. Thankfully, he didn't succeed. I still remember the day when I walked into school, this was a really small school, in a close knit community, where most kids knew each other and their families. And that morning, there were these small circles of students who were discussing something in hushed tones. When I approached my friends, they informed me that this classmate of mine had tried killing himself and was currently in hospital, undergoing treatment, failing the attempt. I remember walking to my desk, depositing my bag, and just going blank in my head. This person used to sit in the next row to my right. I kept glancing at his empty desk and wondering, what pushed him to the edge.<br />
<br />
I think he took that year off and didn't come to class, or probably did, I don't remember. I had tried blocking him off that year... But long after that I thought of him often, and my thoughts were not necessarily always empathetic. Some were out rightly cruel... You see in India, suicide is considered a crime. If one succeeds, well, there is no more to be said of it, but if one fails, one needs to be arrested for the crime committed. I do not who or how this wholly inappropriate law came up, but probably it made its way into the country's rule book during the colonial British period. I also do not know, what the current position is on the law. Either ways, it doesn't help people who are having suicidal thoughts.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sPKV9pGNVTU/Wxq4KzZvL9I/AAAAAAAABkI/xQnkdRd4fLE5iqniPXTZG7pKEnXpHiHvwCLcBGAs/s1600/Suicide_prevention-DOD-e1505251886830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1050" height="182" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sPKV9pGNVTU/Wxq4KzZvL9I/AAAAAAAABkI/xQnkdRd4fLE5iqniPXTZG7pKEnXpHiHvwCLcBGAs/s320/Suicide_prevention-DOD-e1505251886830.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Courtesy: highfaluter.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Often time, I used to think of this classmate of mine as weak, weak in the sense that I looked down upon him for not facing the challenges of life. Also, I used to feel really angry toward him, as, in the aftermath of that event, his parents and his little brother (who studied in the same school) went through a lot of emotional disturbance. I felt that he should not have done this to his family. His little brother often faced taunting remarks and jeers from people in the hall way of the school, and wherever the little boy went, there would be the gossip of his brother's attempted suicide following him. In fact, I had visited his house after he came back from the hospital and I had wanted to ask him, as to why had he done it. But I couldn't. I couldn't even look at him, so the whole time, I looked at the floor or at his parents and brother.<br />
<br />
Now when I think about it, I feel disgusted about my behavior and my thoughts. I am not fond of suicide as a method of dying. I don't think anyone is. But I am trying to become more understanding. I now know that there is possibly something very dark that crosses their minds when they take this decision. Possibly they have seen all the options and have decided that this is the sole option left for them. I have done a bit of research on the subject in the preceding days, and till date there is no conclusive reason as to why a person decides to take his/her own life. There are multiple reasons of suicides, such as mental and emotional disturbances, depression, economic and financial reasons, the lifestyle, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual assault, family problems, so on and so forth, but no one can ever pinpoint to the reason as to why a person did what he/she did.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-01ppyU_wqb8/Wxq39YsweFI/AAAAAAAABkM/fRqd6fGFdzMWdKXhUgH2jsoAjZA0y1bpwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Suicide%2Bprevention%2Bhotline.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="127" data-original-width="401" height="100" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-01ppyU_wqb8/Wxq39YsweFI/AAAAAAAABkM/fRqd6fGFdzMWdKXhUgH2jsoAjZA0y1bpwCEwYBhgL/s320/Suicide%2Bprevention%2Bhotline.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I am in no way an expert in this subject, hell, I am not even an amateur in this, but I think, if we just talked to people, if we, became less judgmental of people and of their circumstances in life, probably a lot of these people would reconsider their decision. From what I have learnt in my life, a little conversation, a small email or a text message or a telephone call actually help others. We are often scared that if we intervene and ask about others, we might be seen as being nosy, but probably we need to be nosy, at times, we need to let other's know that we are there for them.<br />
<br />
I have decided to be more involved in the lives of the people who matter to me. I know that it'll probably not solve anything, but if a friend of mine is harboring these thoughts, I want to be there for them. I want them to know, that they are wanted, they are loved and they are cared for. It might help someone not to go over the edge.<br />
<br />
Here are some helpful resources to go to in order to get information on suicides and how to help someone who probably might be having such thoughts.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qi-DhloF_Fk/Wxq4TzK7C6I/AAAAAAAABkQ/CBANktXRLOAPVHNUBbfMvJdKqcC8blPKACLcBGAs/s1600/suicide-prevention-ribbon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="804" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qi-DhloF_Fk/Wxq4TzK7C6I/AAAAAAAABkQ/CBANktXRLOAPVHNUBbfMvJdKqcC8blPKACLcBGAs/s320/suicide-prevention-ribbon.jpg" width="165" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Courtesy: GermanTown School Center District</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>National Suicide Prevention Hotline:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">1800-273-8255</span></b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" target="_blank">https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sprc.org/" target="_blank">https://www.sprc.org/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sprc.org/resources-programs/recommendations-reporting-suicide" target="_blank">https://www.sprc.org/resources-programs/recommendations-reporting-suicide</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0Olathe, KS, USA38.8813958 -94.81912849999997738.6836668 -95.141851999999972 39.0791248 -94.496404999999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-67211462572305683102016-07-27T21:12:00.002-05:002016-07-27T21:12:33.183-05:00A year into motherhood...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LNgZKEAPM9U/V5lfpdgbQwI/AAAAAAAABTE/COIXmEcVMick1fct4FgNrbc2WYJZy6l3ACLcB/s1600/blog%2Bimage%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LNgZKEAPM9U/V5lfpdgbQwI/AAAAAAAABTE/COIXmEcVMick1fct4FgNrbc2WYJZy6l3ACLcB/s200/blog%2Bimage%2B1.jpg" width="133" /></a>Motherhood... its been a year for me now... and let me tell you, nothing, basically nothing, in my life (or your's, my dear reader, if you are a mum) will ever compare with this experience.<br />
<br />
Honestly, I had never given this particular aspect of life much thought until a squiggly, red, wet and screaming human being slid out of my vagina. The recurring days are somewhat blurred to me because of an onslaught of new activities and skills that I was to learn.<br />
<br />
I learned how to change diapers, learned that sleep was a luxury to some people, learned, that when a baby screams there is nothing much I can do about it and learned that patience is indeed earned.<br />
<br />
Basically when people tell new mums how to cope, I just want to laugh out aloud... Cope... one cannot cope with the avalanche of responsibilities that swamp down upon you. What can possibly be done best is compromise... mind you that's very different from 'coping'.<br />
<br />
However, I do not want to disappoint new mums or to-be-mums.<br />
<br />
Its indeed a lot, a lot of pain... but every pain is doubly rewarded. Around 6-7 weeks when your baby learns to smile socially. Really, before that life is just a plethora of tears, tears and more tears, and do not let anyone else tell you otherwise.<br />
<br />
It's only when your baby starts to recognize you a bit around that 7 weeks time and starts smiling that toothless smile, probably you feel that, some of your earlier efforts are rewarded.<br />
<br />
Anyway, coming to why I sat down to write this article is because I wanted to share some of the stuff that I learned about motherhood in the past year. This is based on my experience and solely on my experience as a mother. All experiences of course differ, but these would be the top five takeaways from my first year of motherhood. For all new mums, and for all mums-to-be, perhaps this would be helpful.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tjsm4rGKmro/V5lgLYjJQGI/AAAAAAAABTI/ZNeqEarQcZsx87z28-yu3Ib73qQ8EWbkwCLcB/s1600/baby%2Bimage%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tjsm4rGKmro/V5lgLYjJQGI/AAAAAAAABTI/ZNeqEarQcZsx87z28-yu3Ib73qQ8EWbkwCLcB/s1600/baby%2Bimage%2B2.jpg" /></a><b>1) Do not stress about whether your child is born naturally or via procedure:</b> Many a times, our bodies require extra help in giving birth to a life. Now, more than ever before, C-Sections are becoming extremely common. Some of the literature I read prior to giving birth to my baby scared the hell out of me about C-sections. Really, whoever wrote those books are extremely stupid people, definitely they haven't experienced motherhood. Natural births are desirable but for some reason if one has to go through a procedure to bring the baby into this world, there is absolutely no problem. What matters and is of utmost importance here, is the health of the mother and the child. There is absolutely no, none, zero difference between a child who has had a normal birth and one who has had a birth via c- section.<br />
<br />
2) <b>Breast is best for babies but Formula really isn't so bad: </b>Ok, I did breastfeed my baby for a full six months and really, it does have many advantages. For example; my baby never suffered from a cold or an ear infection in the first year of his life. For the first year in fact we did not have any 'sick' visits to his pediatrician. But do not despair if you are unable to breastfeed your baby. There are several reasons why some mums cannot breastfeed their babies and its really, really alright. Before I became a mum, I had read an overwhelming amount of literature regarding the importance of breastfeeding. And some of them honestly, made mums who did not breastfeed seem like demons. Relax... there are several very good infant formula available in the market and it is meant for those mothers who cannot breastfeed their babies.<br />
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cA1ZYCUVLPw/V5lgLcT0wbI/AAAAAAAABTM/GSv979VS3M8hCK2tSLb8ixp1Z_dCmQHfgCEw/s1600/Baby%2Bimage%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cA1ZYCUVLPw/V5lgLcT0wbI/AAAAAAAABTM/GSv979VS3M8hCK2tSLb8ixp1Z_dCmQHfgCEw/s200/Baby%2Bimage%2B3.jpg" width="200" /></a>I was formula fed from week 3 and I turned out absolutely fine. As long as the baby gets the required nutrition, its ok.., There was a study that I came across which stated that breastfed babies have a higher intellect than formula fed ones. If the authors weren't high on dope while writing that study I would be seriously amazed. Trust me, the intellect of a child is dependent on well rounded nutrition, his/her upbringing and the skills that parents impart to the child. Its entirely unrelated to whether one was breastfed or not.<br />
So, for any reason, if you cannot breastfeed your baby, please do not feel guilty. Your child can easily get into that Ivy League school you dreamt of. It really does not depend on whether he/she is breastfed.<br />
<br />
3) <b>Do not compare your child's growth:</b> This is one instance where I stand out a clear winner. I never, for once, compared my baby to other babies of his age in the past year and going forward will never, ever do. My mother and mother-in-law, who both have had two children each, love comparing their kids and as a result started comparing their grandson with other babies in his age bracket, the day he was born.<br />
Please do not do this, or even listen to those who do this to your baby. Remember each baby is unique, every baby will grow upto be an individual on their own. If, from the day of their birth, you start pushing them to be like others, they will forget to be themselves.<br />
When it comes to real physical growth, ask your pediatrician for a growth chart, or better yet, download it yourself from WHO's website.<br />
I am giving the WHO-CDC approved growth chart for boys and girls for mums who are interested :<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/who/grchrt_boys_24lw_100611.pdf">https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/who/grchrt_boys_24lw_100611.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/who/grchrt_girls_24lw_9210.pdf">https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/who/grchrt_girls_24lw_9210.pdf</a><br />
<br />
Try to follow this growth chart to see if your baby's growth rate is normal.<br />
One rule of thumb that most pediatricians recommend is that your baby should double his/her birth weight within six months of being born. For eg: if a baby is born 8 lbs, he/she should be 16 or closer to 16 lbs by the time of six months.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SUBoyHCI5Kk/V5lgLRWZrAI/AAAAAAAABTQ/S0WeXp3rEpoOP3LxZuDs0klDtbJJuuOaQCEw/s1600/Baby%2Bimage%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SUBoyHCI5Kk/V5lgLRWZrAI/AAAAAAAABTQ/S0WeXp3rEpoOP3LxZuDs0klDtbJJuuOaQCEw/s200/Baby%2Bimage%2B4.jpg" width="200" /></a>4) <b>Postpartum depression is real; seek help: </b>A countless number of new mums experience postpartum depression, and most ignore it as 'baby blues'. Postpartum depression is a clinical depression and is very different from baby blues. If you are a mum-to-be or a new mum experiencing any of the following, please, please consult a professional:<br />
<br />
a) You feel like crying most of the time without a valid reason.<br />
b) You feel like you are the worst mother on earth and you cannot provide for your baby.<br />
c) You lose your appetite and get no joy in seeing your newborn.<br />
d) You welcome dark thoughts about yourself and about the baby you have given birth to.<br />
e) You feel you would have been better off if you hadn't given birth to a baby.<br />
<br />
You can also take this quiz to find out, if you are suffering from postpartum depression:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://womensmentalhealth.org/quiz-are-you-suffering-from-postpartum-depression/">https://womensmentalhealth.org/quiz-are-you-suffering-from-postpartum-depression/</a><br />
<br />
The internet has a wealth of information on postpartum depression and it would do you and your baby a ton of good, if you are prepared. Please read about it and sensitize other family members about postpartum depression. If the mother is unwell, the one person who suffers most is your infant child.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-313ho8EM-xc/V5lhDP3gV_I/AAAAAAAABTg/VX4TQ9cn3vsgv428Bs7b0mByFZaPm9LpgCLcB/s1600/nany%2Bimage%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-313ho8EM-xc/V5lhDP3gV_I/AAAAAAAABTg/VX4TQ9cn3vsgv428Bs7b0mByFZaPm9LpgCLcB/s200/nany%2Bimage%2B4.jpg" width="200" /></a>5) <b>Do not try to be a super-women:</b> There was a photograph of the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine, on covers of major newspapers and tabloid magazines, appearing in a designer gown and looking fabulous just days after giving birth to little Prince George.<br />
<br />
That is not a reality.<br />
<br />
Most of us are average working, middle class women who look extremely different than Princess Catherine days after giving birth. And that is completely ok. Also when you come home after the birth of your child, make sure all hands are on deck. This is not a time to be polite and refuse help. If anyone, and I mean anyone, offers help, take it.<br />
<br />
You have just brought a new life on the planet, trust me, half of our population cannot even conceive (the half comprising men), let alone give birth. You can and you have. So now, just relax for a few days, weeks or even months (if you are lucky). Make sure all hands are on deck to help you with the few days just after the baby's arrival. Make meals and freeze them a week or so before your expected date, so that you are relived of the burden of cooking. If you have absolutely no help, consider hiring one for a few weeks.<br />
<br />
And this is a real world we live in. No one expects you to be going out to an Oscar evening days after giving birth. Be realistic in terms of what your body is capable of and make adjustments accordingly.<br />
<br />
There is though, a strong connection between looking good and feeling good, but its entirely upto you whether or not you, even want to take a bath. This of course implies that cleaning the house and doing laundry is entirely out of bounds, unless, you feel an overwhelming urge to clean things. Remember parenting was not meant to be a one person job. Nature did not intend it that way. That's why it takes two people to conceive. Take the help of the other person responsible or if that person isn't around (the moron), then take help of your parents, his parents, your siblings, grandparents, bosses (yes, some do help), colleagues, friends, just about anyone who is not a certified maniac and is good enough to offer help.<br />
<br />
So yes, motherhood is an experience, unlike any other...<br />
<br />
Do I love it?<br />
Yes, absolutely, hands down...<br />
<br />
Would I do it all over again?<br />
No... probably not in near future.<br />
<br />
All the very best to my dear ladies who are stepping into this wonderful journey. Trust me, your life will never be the same again... and what it'll be, it'll be for the better...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5EUxeneUDBM/V5li4rINdGI/AAAAAAAABTw/XVM0O2kB4qYpcDcPIygsfcORN32qDRkDwCLcB/s1600/blog%2Bimage%2B6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5EUxeneUDBM/V5li4rINdGI/AAAAAAAABTw/XVM0O2kB4qYpcDcPIygsfcORN32qDRkDwCLcB/s200/blog%2Bimage%2B6.jpg" width="154" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Picture Courtesy:<br />
<br />
https://www.google.com/search?q=new+mums+images&rlz=1C1SKPL_enIN442IN443&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&imgil=DxLlcCCUWdySKM%253A%253B2LBAoCUqFneqTM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.sudocrem.co.uk%25252Fantiseptic-healing-cream%25252Fblog%25252Fwhat-new-mums-say-about-losing-sleep%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=DxLlcCCUWdySKM%253A%252C2LBAoCUqFneqTM%252C_&usg=__xSciQAZ2MDeXfo97uhD6qs_ucnw%3D&ved=0ahUKEwi7vs7ZgZXOAhUGLSYKHV3hBLsQyjcINw&ei=qWCZV_vFI4bamAHdwpPYCw#imgrc=DxLlcCCUWdySKM%3A<br />
<br />
https://www.google.com/search?q=infant+formula+images&rlz=1C1SKPL_enIN442IN443&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&imgil=sRy-UYILGzuXfM%253A%253BJfOeWj30dYby2M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.vocativ.com%25252Funderworld%25252Fcrime%25252Fblack-market-stolen-baby-formula%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=sRy-UYILGzuXfM%253A%252CJfOeWj30dYby2M%252C_&usg=__7qUxJdvu3F8ITKAK0aImGxDvBQ8%3D&ved=0ahUKEwieptSlgpXOAhXJ8CYKHXRwCfEQyjcIRQ&ei=SWGZV97dA8nhmwH04KWIDw#imgrc=sRy-UYILGzuXfM%3A<br />
<br />
https://www.google.com/search?q=supermom+myth&rlz=1C1SKPL_enIN442IN443&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU1cC3gpXOAhXEdSYKHXOqCOkQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=6tXZDgP4e-hKyM%3A<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-14029118421022221922015-03-12T04:50:00.001-05:002020-03-11T10:29:14.081-05:00A lone woman's journey through transition...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ODji8fyhH6E/VQFf0PyZsMI/AAAAAAAAA6g/zbQSMaeer7o/s1600/blogimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ODji8fyhH6E/VQFf0PyZsMI/AAAAAAAAA6g/zbQSMaeer7o/s1600/blogimages.jpg" /></a>Sophie Mahlangu, trudges up the steep slope towards the ‘Retirement
Village’ in Silver Lakes Golf Estates in eastern Pretoria. It is 5:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning
and early morning golfers are preparing for a tee off at the nearby golf
course. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She spots a morning dog-walker and waves at her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘See you Ma’am, in the afternoon.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘See you, Sophie’, comes the jovial rejoinder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophie, 54, is amongst the numerous domestic workers working
at the Silver Lakes Golf Estates. She boasts that she is one of the oldest
domestic workers in the area.‘When I first came here, there were a few houses and the
rest were still being built. Some of the children I had known as infants have now
grown up and are in Universities.’ Though the surroundings have changed, little has in Sophie’s
life. She still works as a domestic in some of the houses in the Estate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophie’s generation witnessed the transition from the
undemocratic apartheid regime to the dawn of democracy in 1994. It had the
unique opportunity to attest the best and the worst of two completely different
governing systems. As South Africa celebrates 20 years of democratic rule, it
is Sophie’s generation, which offers the best insight into what, the future holds
for the nation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Born in Belfast (officially eMakhazeni) in 1960, her mother
was a domestic worker in a farming household. Her father worked at a shop in White
River near Nelspruit where he had another family. The mother-daughter duo seldom
traveled to Nelspruit to see her father. Sophie grew up on the farm and her childhood
memories are mostly filled with vivid colors of tulips that were farmed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Winters used to be very cold in Belfast but on a sunny day,
you could keep seeing the flowers and forget the cold.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophie studied in a school on the farm. The local pastor’s
wife taught some of the worker’s children in a small hut situated near the gates
of the farm. Unfortunately, when Sophie was six and in Grade 2, the school had
to be shut down as the hut was needed for farm purposes and thus schooling discontinued. ‘I still remember the
day clearly. Some men came in a large truck and started cleaning the room. Me
and one of my friends stood by watching. No one came to stop them or anything.
It was just a normal day at the farm.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The year was 1966 and Soweto schoolchildren’s uprising was ten
years away. Apartheid South Africa then, paid scant attention to the education
of farm worker’s children. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, Sophie did not feel bad that the school shut down.
In fact she felt extremely happy because now she could help her mother in the
kitchen.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘I wish I knew the importance of a good education then. But
I didn’t. My mother never told me how important it was to be educated.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The 6 year old Sophie went on to help her mother in household
work for the next eight years. When the farm was sold, Sophie, then 14 and her
mother went to live at her uncle’s home in Germiston. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Germiston was very different from the farm. It was very
busy. I learnt a lot from that place.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unable to find work as a domestic, Sophie’s mother joined a
group of women who specialized in bead making. Sophie and her cousin Rebecca,
who was a year older than her, took up a job at a nearby store as the store
keeper’s assistant. They were paid R 3 a week and one meal a day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was Sophie’s first paid work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The store owner and his wife held classes for under educated
children and adults every Saturday evening. Sophie joined the classes and it
was here that she came to know, of a man, who had been locked away in a far off
island near Cape Town for asking black people to stand up for their rights.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘That period of my life was filled with anger. There were
many mines situated near Germiston. Often young men from the mines would come
to our shop owner and meetings would be held in his house. I came to know of
the struggle that some people were waging for our rights in those meetings. The
men would read aloud passages from a book. Though I did not understand much, I
knew that there was something wrong going on outside.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the young men from the mines was named Ephraim. He
was particularly vocal in the meetings and he always urged those who had
gathered around to take up education. Sophie and Rebecca both came to like the
young man very much. One day, Ephraim asked Sophie to accompany him to the
farmer’s market, which was held twice a month on Sundays. She felt elated that
Ephraim had chosen her to accompany him. She remembers putting on her best
purple dress and spending two hours trying to get dressed for the
occasion. Rebecca who was clearly
jealous of her did not speak to her for two days. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Five months later on a cold Tuesday morning of July, Sophie
found out that she was going to be a mother. She was nervous as well as happy
and waited breathlessly for Saturday when she would see Ephraim. Saturday came
but Ephraim didn’t. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She frantically tried calling the number he had given her.
She says: ‘Every day, I would spend an
hour at the phone booth trying to call him. Sometimes the number kept ringing,
sometimes a man would pick up and when I asked for Ephraim, he used to say,
that there was no one of that name. Finally, I asked the other men in the
meeting what happened to Ephraim and they said he had left the work at the mine
and gone to Tanzania. They did not know why.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophie was then 19 years old. Unmarried, almost illiterate
and barely making ends meet; she was at a loss at how to deal with the
situation. Her only friend at the time was Rebecca, her cousin.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rebecca, now working at the SARS customs office at the OR
Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg says of the period: ‘We never heard
from Ephraim again. When Sophie first told me of the situation, I did not know
what to do. We held hands together and did what we had been taught to do in
times of distress. We prayed.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Praying together did not help the situation much as Sophie
was confronted with a huge dilemma; how to break the news to her mother and her
extended family.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to Rebecca, unwed mothers at that time were looked
down upon. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Our family went to Church regularly. They believed in
family, even if your husband went away later, it was a different thing. Sophie
and I were both very scared to break this news.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Going away from Germiston seemed to be the only option to
Sophie now. She and Rebecca started looking for vacancies for domestics and
household work in Pretoria when Rebecca found a cleaning job in a children’s
day care in Garfonstein in Pretoria East. Rebecca secured the position of the
cook for Sophie and the two cousins moved to Pretoria. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Sophie was almost six months pregnant with her child,
she and Rebecca decided to break the news to the family. Rebecca was Sophie’s
biggest support during that period and has been ever since. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Says Rebecca: ‘In hindsight, I believe it was a blessing
that Ephraim did not ask me out that day.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although angry at Sophie, her family nonetheless accepted
her situation and even offered to cover the cost of medical care that was
required during the period. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The year was 1985 and the political situation in South
Africa was tense. Add to it a faltering economy with economic sanctions that
were being imposed upon South Africa by the industrialized countries. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The social grant available to her mother was not enough to
bring up a child and Sophie was barely making enough money to take care of
herself. At this juncture, Rebecca again stepped in. Rebecca had meanwhile
undergone her Matric Certification (Grade 10 at that time) from the University
of South Africa through distance education. She heard of an opportunity for
Black women at the Custom’s office at the Johannesburg International Airport
(now OR Tambo International Airport) and applied. She was successful and this
additional income was a huge help to Sophie.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a hot evening of November, Sophie gave birth to a
daughter and gave Rebecca the right to name her child. Rebecca named the child
Precious.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Says Rebecca: ‘Whatever had happened was not the child’s
fault. She was just so precious to both of us.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the next six years, Precious grew up in White River
amidst her grandmother and her family while Sophie managed to secure accommodation
with her aunt’s family in Mamelodi East. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophie’s tenure in Mamelodi East from 1985-1991 was filled
with dread and fear. With political tension escalating to a peak, fights would
break out almost every evening in their area. Neighbors were scared of each
other and every day a burglary would be reported at some house or the other. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘All neighborhoods had community patrols, but they would be
of no help. Everyone was left to look after themselves. Burglary and theft
would be common occurrences. People had stopped reporting these to police. I
never understood why black men fought each other. Every day, while coming back
from work, I would see burnt tyres, shoes, belts and ashes and I would be
fearful of getting caught in one of the fights.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With the increase in crimes and internal skirmishes, came
the increase in the illegal gun trade. Almost all families bought a gun for
themselves. Some spent their entire month’s income to buy a gun. However
individual ownership of guns did not reduce the theft or the violence. It just
seemed to increase. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rebecca’s life meanwhile had taken a completely different
turn. She had moved to Johannesburg and had settled in her new job at the Customs Office. She would sometimes visit Sophie at their aunt’s place and would
mostly talk about the political changes that were coming to South Africa.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Says Sophie: ‘Rebecca would tell us of the change in
government that was happening. She would say we will now be able to vote and
have a government of our own. We heard about Mandela being freed from prison
and wept with tears at the images on television when he walked hand-in-hand
with Winnie. However, things did not change much in our neighborhood. The
images on TV seem to be from another world.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophie was desperate to escape her present neighborhood. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘I had been on a look out for household domestic positions
in some of the big estates that were coming up in Pretoria East. A lot of
young, well-to-do couples were buying houses in guarded (<i>sic</i>) estates close to the day
care that I worked in.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophie’s prayers for a new job was answered in 1992 when Dr.
Jaco Fernandez walked in at the day care with a household domestic worker’s
vacancy. Dr. Fernandez, his wife, Lorenda and their three children had arrived
in South Africa a year ago from Mexico City in the United States. Dr. Fernandez
was associated with <i>Medecins Sans Frontiers</i>
(Doctors Without Borders). Sophie moved into the domestic quarters with the
family in October 1992 and this was Sophie’s first entry into the Silver Lakes
neighborhood.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Fernandez’s twins were almost Precious’s age and the
doctor and his wife encouraged education. Precious had been enrolled into a
government school in White River and due to the ongoing political turmoil, most
of the time, the school remained closed. So Precious lagged behind in class.
Sophie asked if the family would allow her daughter to stay with her in the
domestic quarters. They not only agreed but encouraged Sophie to enroll
Precious into Pretoria Girls High where their own daughters went. Precious was
admitted to Pretoria Girls High in 1993 in Grade 1. Probably because Precious
was eldest in her class and quite matured for her age, she excelled in her
studies as well as games. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophie says: ‘I had told Precious while coming to Pretoria,
never to compare herself to other girls in class. She was always to know, that
I was both her mother and her father and that, though I shall try my best to
take care of all her needs, she has to forego luxuries.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rebecca, on the other hand, fulfilled some of the little
girl’s fantasies, like good clothes, hair do’s, the first walkman and even the
first mobile phone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophie took up two more domestic household work besides
Fernandez household to supplement her income. With the introduction of
government social security grants, Sophie’s financial turmoil eased a bit, but
as income increased so did expenditure. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Says Sophie: ‘All I remember from that period is how both of
us struggled. The only advice I remember giving Precious almost every day was
to excel in studies or she would end up like us.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jaco and Lorenda were exceptionally good employers. Almost
all costs during Precious’s school going years were borne by them. Lorenda also
took it upon herself to tutor the little girl along with her own daughters.
Sophie, in spite of her busy schedule, would never miss any of the parent-teacher
meetings that were held in Precious’s school. She says she did not always
understand what the teacher said but she never missed any because her presence
made a difference to Precious.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Throughout her growing up years, I always made sure she
knew how important education was going to be. I would not repeat the same
mistake that my mother made with me.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Precious cleared the Matric examination in 2005 with five
distinctions. She secured a place at the University of Stellenbosch and is
currently in her final year of Masters in Chemical Engineering.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stellenbosch was chosen because some of Rebecca colleagues
had recommended the University to her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Says Rebecca: ‘At that time I was posted in Cape Town and my
colleagues would often tell me that Stellenbosch University is the best when it
comes to engineering. I told Precious to try for Stellenbosch since she was in Grade
9. I wanted her to go the best school since we in our childhood had missed out
on it. Precious had both the intellect and the perseverance, that’s why I
always pushed her.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2004 was indeed a remarkable year for Sophie. Besides
Precious going to college, Jaco and Lorenda bought a small apartment for Sophie
to stay in the nearby Newmark Estate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Says Jaco: ‘It was all we could do to say thanks to Sophie.
In all her years of employment, Sophie never asked anything for herself. There
are so many domestics who keep asking for food, money, clothes, but Sophie
never asked for anything. She would silently carry out whatever we wished her
to do.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lorenda passed away last year from a prolonged illness.
During her last year of illness, Sophie left all the other households she was
working in to be at Lorenda’s side. Jaco’s eldest daughter Alexis says: ‘Sophie
was a nurse-cum-cook-cum domestic-cum gardener all at the same time. We
sisters, all of us live abroad. It was not easy for us to take care of mum and
dad could not do it all himself. We needed Sophie and fortunately Sophie was
always there for us.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After his wife’s death, Jaco sold his house in Silver Lakes
and moved to the ‘Retirement Village’ where Sophie was going to work, the
morning I caught up with her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She bid me farewell in front of House no. 19’s door and said:
‘I will tell everything I remember. Why don’t you meet me today afternoon at my
place? However, most of the difficult things, I am trying to forget. You know,
I feel tired thinking about my past. I want to forget it. Life is better now,
this is how I wish it to be.’</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-26593730357810689372014-08-28T09:48:00.001-05:002014-08-28T10:10:57.478-05:00How digital journalism changes story telling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ist_-6M1Maw/U_8_MD1Hc6I/AAAAAAAAAwk/sqNoA8SPvdA/s1600/Images%2Bfor%2Bassignment%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ist_-6M1Maw/U_8_MD1Hc6I/AAAAAAAAAwk/sqNoA8SPvdA/s1600/Images%2Bfor%2Bassignment%2B1.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture courtesy: www.fundintranslation.berkely.edu</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>On Tuesday 26 August, 2014, Stats SA released the GDP figures of the second quarter of 2014. The figures showed that South Africa has managed to stave off a recession by posting a modest growth of 0.6 per cent.</b></i><br />
<br />
The following multi media platforms may be used to tell the story.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnk_ywHKZnQ/U_9A4OrneDI/AAAAAAAAAw4/SEE-8K0XCaQ/s1600/Images%2Bfor%2Bassignment%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnk_ywHKZnQ/U_9A4OrneDI/AAAAAAAAAw4/SEE-8K0XCaQ/s1600/Images%2Bfor%2Bassignment%2B2.jpg" height="307" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture Courtesy: www.theundercovercircuit.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Social Media Platforms:</b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Google Plus Hangout</b>: G+ Hangout is a very useful tool to reach out to the readers. If I was reporting on the GDP news, I would have held G+ hangout with my readers and my newspaper's business/ economic editor and invited industry experts one or two days before the publication of the news. This would have generated interest among readers about the expected figures. In the environment of 24X7 news, it is extremely important to create a 'buzz' around the news one is reporting on so that one can draw the readers in.</li>
<li><b>Twitter:</b> News story, sensational or otherwise is now mostly 'broken' on Twitter. I would have posted the news on Twitter as soon as Stats SA made the figures public. I would have also twitted on subsequent tweets the important numbers and facts such as the key contributors to the growth and the key sectors which pulled the growth down. Twitter serves as the most useful platform for making the news reach a large audience through the means of a "#". In addition to my followers getting my tweets, there is a high chance of the tweets being re-tweeted or being marked as favorite. </li>
<li><b>News Organizations's Website:</b> After Twitter, the second most important place to report the news is of course, the news organization's website. This platform would give the journalist an opportunity to report on the story behind the numbers and analyse the 'how' and the 'why'. It also gives the reader a chance to disseminate the news on various other social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and on Google Plus and of course to be emailed to the reader's friends. The reader also gets an opportunity to comment on the news item. </li>
<li><b>News Organisation's Blog:</b> Blogging is a very useful platform to get the reader's attention and engage him/her with the news story. For the particular GDP story, an economist or an industry spokesperson could be invited to write on the blog. Blogs are usually for serious readers who are interested in analyzing the news. Therefore it would be better if an economic analyst or the Treasury spokesperson can write the blog about the consequences of such a slow growth rate and how it would affect the economy. Also a mining industry expert could be invited to write upon what impact does the negative growth rate have on the industry </li>
<li><b>Reddit.com:</b> Reddit.com is an amazing site to put the news across. Of course, a news like SA's GDP growth would not necessarily interest readers, because a lot of readers might not be from South Africa. To make the news more interesting and relevant to readers, I would link news articles on a particular sector such as mining and show how mining in SA reflected a negative growth rate. I could also post a series of articles from my organization's website about the trends of the past quarter's GDP figures and analyse what it means for the economy.</li>
<li><b>Storify:</b> Storify lets the user create stories or timelines using social media platforms. I would Storify the above news with the various tweets that my business/economic editors post and also take relevant conversation occurring on media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn on the topic and Storify them.</li>
<li><b>LinkedIn</b>: Though this platforms is mostly used to connect professionally, news like the GDP growth should definitely be on LinkedIn. I can share the link from my website onto LinkedIn and through LinkedIn to the community pages that LinkedIn hosts. LinkedIn is frequented by more serious visitors who are willing to read on subjects such as GDP growth rate.</li>
<li><b>Web Polls: </b>Though not a social media platform, polls are a very good tool to gain an insight into the readers. For this story, I could have a poll asking the readers to express their view on a certain sector of the economy or on the growth figures. Online polling sites such SurveyMonkey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/?ut_source=header_) to create questions and take surveys on the website or blog. Readers will have added initiative to read the article and respond.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HSftgRg3EMA/U_8_rYqNE3I/AAAAAAAAAws/u2JCKw9Bw5U/s1600/Blog%2Bimages%2Bfor%2Bassignment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HSftgRg3EMA/U_8_rYqNE3I/AAAAAAAAAws/u2JCKw9Bw5U/s1600/Blog%2Bimages%2Bfor%2Bassignment.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture courtesy: www.socialmediaexaminer.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Data Journalism and Visual Graphics:</b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Economic/ business news can be best told through visual graphics and through the use of pie charts and bar diagrams. Visual representation should be used to simplify the numbers and figures that many readers find daunting and most of them, therefore avoid news such as the one above. In an article from the Columbia Journalism School, the author points to Washington Post's successful digital initiative "Wonkblog" (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/) as an example to visually represent numbers.</div>
<div>
I would use an interactive visualization and exploration tool like Gephi to put across some of the important figures such as the positive growth by some sectors and why did these sectors grow. I could actually represent the GDP growth figures completely through graphics and share it on my website. It would help draw readers in and help them easily understand about the state of the economy.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Multimedia:</b> </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The use of multimedia such as videos would not really help this story. A way of incorporating videos in the story would be to focus on particular sectors of the economy to show how and why it fared, as it did. Or one can interview industry experts or economists to show how the figures would impact the economy. I feel, the Google hangout mentioned above would actually help the reader more than just videos of comments from industry experts or economists.<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-83417863010132423882014-08-08T06:11:00.000-05:002014-08-08T06:11:52.813-05:00Keys to a successful marriage (as learning from my parents)...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cfXn-0F7VWM/U-SlsKaEPWI/AAAAAAAAAuw/yMqEiQXUzCA/s1600/blogimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cfXn-0F7VWM/U-SlsKaEPWI/AAAAAAAAAuw/yMqEiQXUzCA/s1600/blogimages.jpg" /></a>Tomorrow is 9 August.<br />
<br />
No, it is not my birthday or any day of any value to humanity whatsoever.<br />
<br />
But the day has a special significance for me.<br />
<br />
On this day, in the year 1978, my parents were tied in holy matrimony.<br />
<br />
This might come as a surprise to my non-Indian readers but my parents never went through any courtship process... As far as my knowledge goes my parents had an 'arranged marriage' as in a marriage arranged by the families of the prospective bride and groom.... and they met only once before they actually got married!!!! On the said day my father had gone with his family members to my mother's house to see his 'future wife'. And the second 'date' they had was when they got married on 9 August, 1978.<br />
<br />
Since then they have been together for 35 years and will be entering their 36th year of married lives tomorrow. I myself have been married for a little over two years and needless to say I or rather we are still learning...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QgJqSPHUPrw/U-So5FR7FtI/AAAAAAAAAu8/IMdjgZh1yVY/s1600/631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QgJqSPHUPrw/U-So5FR7FtI/AAAAAAAAAu8/IMdjgZh1yVY/s1600/631.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a>For me, my parents represent a successfully stable relationship. A relationship, based on ruthless honesty, both about themselves and about their partners, tireless commitment to the cause of one's family and an absolute sacrifice (especially on my mother's end) of individual ambitions.<br />
<br />
They got married in 1978... a whole lot of things were done differently then.... for e.g. my parents had a ten year old age divide between them... my father is ten years older than my mum. I don't think I could have married a man even five years senior to me... maybe that's one of the reasons they have stayed together for so long... a whole lot of inane research shows that women's emotional ability to grow is twice that of a man... I do not know how credible the research is... but if it is true, then it makes perfect sense why husbands have to be at least a decade older than their wives. So what my mum thought when she was 35 five, my father got up to that level when was 45...!!!! It's incredibly difficult to imagine but probably this worked for them..... I also realize why Rahul (my husband) is such a kid some times and why my brother still has a 12 year old outlook towards relationships... More to girl power...!!!! yeah...<br />
<br />
Also my mum absolutely and intentionally sacrificed all her individual ambitions to take care of the family. Though I have yet to meet a more intelligent and independent woman than my mum... and I am not saying this because she is my mother but because I really haven't met anyone as intelligent as her... it strikes me to be astounding. The values she imbibed me and my brother with have saved us from many a disaster...how could someone like her completely devote herself to house-wifely duties, immerse herself in the everyday humdrum of cooking, cleaning, washing, chopping and so on and so forth and still retain a sharp mind that even at this age, is capable of giving deeply insightful solutions to both our professional and personal troubles.<br />
<br />
In the individualistic age that we live in... can women really survive by putting an hold on their ambitions and making their family the focal point in their lives? On the heels of that question, comes another one... An absence of any individual ambition on a woman's part but to raise a successful family, is it a highly selfless trait or an acceptance of personal inability to achieve anything outside the rituals of a domestic household?<br />
<br />
I really do not know, but this has actually been a key reason why my parents could have a stable relationship. My mum was always at our beck and call while my father was away in office and sometimes on official duty all over India. In my school going years, till I left home for college and my brother even now, when he has grown up to be a hot shot lawyer, we always came back home to find our Ma waiting for us, ready to lend a patient ear or a plate of hot home made food.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dega41seDAM/U-SqRWtp_7I/AAAAAAAAAvI/9jWpeZHB1V4/s1600/164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dega41seDAM/U-SqRWtp_7I/AAAAAAAAAvI/9jWpeZHB1V4/s1600/164.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a>And what about my father... My father is a self made man. An incredibly intelligent, hardworking and honest to boot kind of person... Being a retired defense estates officer, he counts punctuality to be an essential human trait... He was a bit more lenient to our childish misdeeds than my mum.... he did and still does like poetry and among my parents he was a better dreamer than my mum was (is)... My father, I do not recall ever spent a cent of his earnings on himself nor did he demand any special treatment for being the sole breadwinner in our family and for working exceptionally hard to meet his children's needs, dreams and aspirations.<br />
<br />
My father is the philosopher in the family, a position now taken by my brother... he always told us and still tells us, 'don't fill up your basket of dreams with the small ones otherwise you would not have place for the bigger ones." He lives by the phrase 'simple life, great thoughts.' I do not know whether he took up this philosophy after becoming a family man or before it... but it really worked for us. <br />
<br />
I have had the fortune of spending a part of my adult life with them and some (well most) of the things you miss out as a child especially in grave matters such as relationship, you start noticing when you are an adult and you start appreciating only when you are yourself married.<br />
<br />
A successful relationship can only be forged if two people in that relationship is committed to doing their bit towards it. I don't believe that any 'marriage' can be devoid of arguments, squabbles and debate, especially because I have seen my parents argue a lot... about not so cause worthy issues. Even I and Rahul quarrel on issues which are mostly worthless at best. But I guess that forms a part of married life...<br />
<br />
For me, my parents represent a relationship that should be aspired to. It is not the one that romantic books talk about nor what glossy lifestyle magazines preach, but a relationship that works: a relationship between two individuals grounded in strong values about respect, honesty and commitment to each other and to the the family they have.<br />
<br />
Love you Ma, Baba... you guys rock...!!!! :) :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-37049804905686313442013-12-10T09:58:00.001-06:002013-12-10T09:58:16.471-06:00What Mandela's struggle meant to me...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zAHkQyHKoes/Uqc4M2GUuBI/AAAAAAAAAmw/Ef_dIhOuSV4/s1600/blogpostimagemandela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zAHkQyHKoes/Uqc4M2GUuBI/AAAAAAAAAmw/Ef_dIhOuSV4/s320/blogpostimagemandela.jpg" width="320" /></a>Nine months ago, I was a stranger to this land, and as a stranger does so often, I only knew Nelson Mandela as a great leader and as a great Gandhian who fought against an unjust system and won after a long, hard struggle... How long or how hard the struggle was, eluded me... now nine months living in South Africa and having studied the history of the land, having talked to many of the people who inhabit this land and after visits to certain historical landmarks, I can safely say, that Nelson Mandela was not only a leader of South Africa but of all the people who seem to have lost hope.<br />
<br />
Last Thursday night when he breathed his last, South Africa not only lost it's father, but the world lost a great humanist. It's only fitting that his Memorial Service is being held today, the 10th of December, which also happens to be the International Human Rights Day... Nothing could have fitted the occasion more than the ode being paid to this great leader.<br />
<br />
Since the passing away of Madiba (as he was affectionately called here) the South African weather also seem to be mournful. The cheerful and sunny weather has given way to a rainy, gloomy and cloudy weather, though according to the local lore, it is a good sign. It means that God is now ready to accept a great soul into his kingdom and the rains are his symbol for the said event.<br />
<br />
Last Friday, when most South Africans woke up to the historic news of Madiba's passing away, I and my husband Rahul went to have coffee at a nearby coffee house... all around me were the images of the great man and news were flying thick and fast about the days to come... Beside us, there were these two white gentlemen who were equally absorbed in the news when it suddenly occurred to me that if it was not for Nelson Mandela, I and Rahul would have never been able to sit so freely beside those two white men... we would have our separate enclosure and maybe we would have been sitting outside in the rain...<br />
<br />
What Mandela taught us most importantly is that before any other considerations, we are all human beings, not a whole lot of Indians of my generation will understand it but if I told you that even nineteen years ago, I would be put be put in Jail for writing this blogpost, just because of my color, you would understand, what I mean, when I say, Nelson Mandela fought not only for South Africa, but also for you and me...and for the hope we all have...<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-56406971607038084242013-11-17T06:02:00.000-06:002013-11-17T06:02:14.510-06:00"Kruger-o-mania" : Part 2: The Elephant, The Lioness and the Road to Satara...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRzhCrATcz0/Uoin3JvUg2I/AAAAAAAAAkk/2UcfWhIPbtE/s1600/136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRzhCrATcz0/Uoin3JvUg2I/AAAAAAAAAkk/2UcfWhIPbtE/s320/136.JPG" width="320" /></a>And my adventures in the wild continues:<br />
<br />
Early in the morning, we left the Skukuza Camp for the Satara camp. All those reading this post for the first time, let me state briefly, that our first camp in Kruger National Park was Skukuza and that we had an amazing day out there.<br />
<br />
So our next destination being around 90 km away and with a little help from our GPS, we set off to the next phrase of our ongoing adventure. My husband being a wildlife enthusiast, took the wheels, while being the camera pro, I was in charge of capturing the wildlife in the lenses.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zp1oLesTVns/Uoin-CKPNyI/AAAAAAAAAks/cbc-cqysAsc/s1600/137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zp1oLesTVns/Uoin-CKPNyI/AAAAAAAAAks/cbc-cqysAsc/s320/137.JPG" width="320" /></a>There are two types of roads in the Kruger National Park. One is the paved and metaled road where the speed limit is 50 km/hour and the other is the unpaved and gravel roads where the speed limit is 40 km/hour. Now one's best chance to see the game is through the unpaved road which are easily distinguishable from the paved roads. The unpaved roads will be shown on one's GPS as "S" Roads, while the paved ones will be denominated by the letter "H". Now at this juncture, I would like to point out that, buying a road map of Kruger is a beautiful idea. It is quite inexpensive and would be your best companion while you are busy navigating the roads or watching the animals in their most natural behavior, also it is readily available in any of the numerous curio shops in all the camps.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1TcKNzYdSvA/UoioPe9qGJI/AAAAAAAAAk0/Q8IYj_Zx3jA/s1600/138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1TcKNzYdSvA/UoioPe9qGJI/AAAAAAAAAk0/Q8IYj_Zx3jA/s320/138.JPG" width="320" /></a>Now to travel on the unpaved road, it is wise to have a four wheel drive (4WD) but our experience shows that even the unpaved roads are excellent and if the weather is compatible, one can easily take their two wheel drives deep into the forest. This is what we did, since we had a two wheel drive. We took three or four secondary (unpaved) roads and it is on these roads that we were able to see most of the wild animals in their most natural behaviors.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9r82jWDW0Tc/UoipaXeEamI/AAAAAAAAAlI/z4-kG5pIwFA/s1600/146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9r82jWDW0Tc/UoipaXeEamI/AAAAAAAAAlI/z4-kG5pIwFA/s320/146.JPG" width="320" /></a>Our first sighting was a buffalo, resting in the mud, deep into the forest. It was our first sighting of the buffalo, an animal twice the size of lion and thrice more ferocious and territorial. This was the third of the Big five, that we were fortunate enough to see, having seen the Rhino and the Elephant both the previous evening at Skukuza Sunset Drive. Then we drove on only to stop to give a lone elephant it's way across the dirt tract. It was crossing onto the other side of the road in search of fresh leaves and barks. The Elephant was quite oblivious to our car and we stood silently watching it in all it's magnificence.<br />
<br />
One of the golden rule of seeking game in the park is being observant and quiet. If you spot one animal, be patient, soon you will find tens of similar game around, hiding in bushes. So while the Elephant crossed the road and vanished into the other side of the bush, we waited silently, only to discover an entire herd hiding into the forest and munching on leaves and barks of trees. That's the beauty of Kruger. The fun part is not in just seeing the animals. That, one can easily see in a caged zoo. The actual part where the excitement kicks in, is to silently seek the animals, camouflaged in their surroundings in their most natural behavior.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FYdvtKhZCNc/Uoiqdv2uKAI/AAAAAAAAAlU/kb5MUqNREIo/s1600/151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FYdvtKhZCNc/Uoiqdv2uKAI/AAAAAAAAAlU/kb5MUqNREIo/s320/151.JPG" width="320" /></a>For example, it is extremely interesting to see how elephants behave in a herd. It is to be noted that a herd of elephants consists only of female elephants and babies of both genders and only those male elephants who have not yet reached puberty. As soon as a male elephant reaches adolescence, it is left alone by the herd, to seek a mate and also to seek it's own livelihood. The largest female elephant (and almost always the eldest one) becomes the matriarch and she is primarily responsible for the herd's safety.<br />
<br />
A while down the road (this time, the main, paved road), we came across a herd of elephants intent on crossing the road to the other side. This time, when our car approached, the other members of the herd had already crossed over and the sole elephant was observing the traffic on the both ends of the road, waiting for the right time to cross. Now when the elephants cross, the first adult elephant <br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sVGkSttcfoA/Uoiq9b0AmsI/AAAAAAAAAlo/0Xs-mdYnwqM/s1600/165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sVGkSttcfoA/Uoiq9b0AmsI/AAAAAAAAAlo/0Xs-mdYnwqM/s320/165.JPG" width="320" /></a>will keep a watch on the other side of the road, one adult will be responsible for each of member crossing the road safely, and the last adult elephant will remain on the other side of the road, till all the other members have safely crossed. This represents highly intelligent thinking and management skills. In fact after seeing the elephants of Kruger, I am of the opinion, that not lions but elephants should have been the "king of the jungle". They are one of the most civilized, intelligent and sophisticated of all the animals that I saw. So, this elephant which was standing on the other side, watched for a long while, until all the cars came to a halt, and observing keenly that no immediate danger in the form of steel vehicles are approaching, it first folded it's trunk on it's own tusk, so as not to put it into immediate danger and slowly crossed the road. She was barely seven feet away from my car, and I got an excellent opportunity to capture her in my lens.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BwbMNWmI1tU/UoiqeGRmnOI/AAAAAAAAAlY/fvXf-gpYZoU/s1600/152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BwbMNWmI1tU/UoiqeGRmnOI/AAAAAAAAAlY/fvXf-gpYZoU/s320/152.JPG" width="320" /></a>Just as the herd of elephants receded onto the other side of the forest, a lady driving another jeep which had also stopped to give way to the elephants, informed us that some two kilometers up the road, a lioness and her cub were resting under a shady tree. We were thrilled and my husband put the accelerators in order to see the lioness. But in Kruger, it's not at all possible to drive without stopping to gaze at the sheer number of animals and plants. So what was supposed to be a mere hour's journey turned out to be two and a half hours long. We stopped by to see a family of giraffes, a huge group of impalas, a baboon, quite intent on photographing itself, some wild zebras also extremely keen to get photographed, some amazingly colorful birds, a family of blue wildebees<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sVGkSttcfoA/Uoiq9b0AmsI/AAAAAAAAAlk/jLSKbLevHzA/s1600/165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">ts... now here is an interesting fact about wildebeests...the females again consist of the herd, as soon as the male wildebeest reach their maturity, they detach themselves from the herd and roam around scanning for females to mate, unfortunately they roam around in the same territory as lions do and therefore are most easily preyed...</span></span></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gNnCA68ZRW8/UoisNaB39-I/AAAAAAAAAlw/2b2P3jLDdtE/s1600/172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gNnCA68ZRW8/UoisNaB39-I/AAAAAAAAAlw/2b2P3jLDdtE/s320/172.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NrLZcs0e6yA/UoisQFH1FWI/AAAAAAAAAl4/TJRBPHwXqUI/s1600/173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NrLZcs0e6yA/UoisQFH1FWI/AAAAAAAAAl4/TJRBPHwXqUI/s320/173.JPG" width="320" /></a>Then we traveled on to find a long queue of cars lined up on one side of the road... we eagerly joined the queue to find the object of attraction, the lioness and her cub resting under a shade of a big tree... it was around twenty-twenty five feet from us... one car moved out of the queue heading onto it's way and we immediately filled up the vacant spot... to get a good look at the awesome sight. I have never in my life thought I would see a wild lioness with her cub sitting this close to us and that too in broad afternoon light... I wonder how many people in my family or friends circle have had this awesome opportunity. I thank God for making me see this beautiful sight. There was a car behind us making a movie on the lioness. They had their camera on a tripod and intent on filming the entire scenery.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rCSFPrW9DQI/UoitDpgScRI/AAAAAAAAAmE/ToH5vYeYT1Q/s1600/181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rCSFPrW9DQI/UoitDpgScRI/AAAAAAAAAmE/ToH5vYeYT1Q/s320/181.JPG" width="320" /></a>We waited and observed the lioness and her cub for around an hour. I have never seen an animal more gorgeous and stately than this. She probably just had her meal/lunch and was quietly lying under the tree. I believe she was also quite aware of all the cars and the interest being taken in her and her cub, and she was so uninterested, as if this was a daily occurrence. There were a few other animals also in the vicinity, but no one was coming quite close to the duo. I later heard from our Guide, that if a lion had, had her feed, she would not disturb any animal or even look for hunt till again she's hungry. Our guide told us that it is a common sight in Kruger to have a pride of lions gathered around a waterhole and a family of impalas and baboons roaming around them quite freely unafraid... Unfortunately we weren't able to see the sight...<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BkOK6BUCNpE/UoitEpwsYRI/AAAAAAAAAmM/zGLyWWvnw-w/s1600/182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BkOK6BUCNpE/UoitEpwsYRI/AAAAAAAAAmM/zGLyWWvnw-w/s320/182.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Our sighting over, we traveled onto the Satara camp to begin our next phrase of adventure... Life didn't get any better than this...</div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-55372466903134683522013-11-13T09:55:00.000-06:002013-11-13T09:55:20.931-06:00"Kruger-o-mania"... My adventures in the wild... Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klmXf-CKdhU/UoOZ4B1bksI/AAAAAAAAAjY/qn6eN_81qjo/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klmXf-CKdhU/UoOZ4B1bksI/AAAAAAAAAjY/qn6eN_81qjo/s320/032.JPG" width="320" /></a>I recently visited the Kruger National Park here in South Africa... Oh my god, it was an awesome, awesome adventure. Not being a wildlife fan myself, even I found myself engrossed in seeking game (as they call the animals in Kruger).<br />
<br />
The basic story behind writing this article is if anyone wants to travel to Kruger, then they can refer to this blog post for some basic information. However all the important information one needs is available in the SANParks site : <a href="http://www.sanparks.org/">http://www.sanparks.org/</a><br />
<br />
This is the site one can use for all information.<br />
<br />
The first thing one needs to know before visiting Kruger is planning the trip. It is very important to plan one's trip beforehand. If one has planned one's trip, everything will go perfectly.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2wxb7KFzKA/UoOZQq83arI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/RhFxgAHLuAQ/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w2wxb7KFzKA/UoOZQq83arI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/RhFxgAHLuAQ/s320/033.JPG" width="320" /></a>The first thing one needs to book is the accommodation. There are 2.2 million visitors to Kruger National Park each year, so it's sufficient to say, that accommodations are hard to come by. Kruger National Park has eight rest camps : Berg-en-dal, Crocodile Bridge, Pretoriuskop, Lower Sabie, Skukuza, Orpen, Satara, Olifants, Letaba, Mopani, Shingwedzi and Punda Maria. Punda Maria is the northernmost camp of KNP and falls in Zimbabwe. One needs a visa to visit this camp. These camps are like small towns. The camps that we stayed in had restaurants, take away stores, medicinal facilities and Skukuza also has a Post Office!!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8bo4tAJVJGU/UoOZM6IBr2I/AAAAAAAAAjI/HtHbtWziUgY/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8bo4tAJVJGU/UoOZM6IBr2I/AAAAAAAAAjI/HtHbtWziUgY/s320/034.JPG" width="320" /></a>In addition to these main rest camps, one can also stay in one of the satellite camps known as bushveld camps. Bushveld camps are a recommended option if one wants more of a wilderness experience than are possible at the rest camps, and these are equipped for self catering too.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_SblARTtyrM/UoOaGoLp_sI/AAAAAAAAAjg/vZUUVNLxgJo/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_SblARTtyrM/UoOaGoLp_sI/AAAAAAAAAjg/vZUUVNLxgJo/s320/035.JPG" width="320" /></a>At the Rest Camps, one has a choice of various types of accommodations. One can choose to stay in a safari tent (we stayed in one), a bungalow, a guest cottage (these two options are luxurious accommodations and can fit upto 10 people). One also has the option of camping and there are designated space for camps. Skukuza is the headquarters of the Kruger National Park and as such is the busiest and the largest camp of all.<br />
<br />
The cost of all types of accommodations can be known from the San parks site that is given above. All the accommodations need to be booked in advance as one has to show the reservation confirmation at the respective gates.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KuJRm6lplYQ/UoOaHrvYGmI/AAAAAAAAAjk/W3F9rY7sKgA/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KuJRm6lplYQ/UoOaHrvYGmI/AAAAAAAAAjk/W3F9rY7sKgA/s320/036.JPG" width="320" /></a>We entered the Paul Kruger Gate as our first camp was Skukuza. Here, we stayed in a safari camp that was equipped with electricity, had a fan, fridge, Braai facilities, beds and linen were provided which I have to say were new and met our expectations. There are glasses and a jug also present in the tent, but the tent does not have any power point, so if one is hoping to charge one's cellphone or camera batteries, one will be disappointed. The kitchen and the ablution facilities were common but were very clean, hygienic and were well provided for.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_rf0oY0RAVY/UoOb-D4aPrI/AAAAAAAAAj8/FvqmPGUYcy8/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_rf0oY0RAVY/UoOb-D4aPrI/AAAAAAAAAj8/FvqmPGUYcy8/s320/042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The safari tent can house two, four or six people. The minimum number of people, one safari tent can accommodate is known as the base rate. For example, if your group has five people, then you can book a tent for four and take one bed extra. So the base rate you'll be paying is for four people, and you will need to pay for the extra bed that has been provided for. The tent for four people costs around R 700.00<br />
<br />
Needless to say, staying in the safari camp is an adventure in itself. It's best if one is lucky enough to grab a tent near the perimeter as all wild animals like hyenas and jackals come upto the perimeter at night.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-otcHwS84Frs/UoObtc0kCXI/AAAAAAAAAj0/F_FU2PhyUfg/s1600/043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-otcHwS84Frs/UoObtc0kCXI/AAAAAAAAAj0/F_FU2PhyUfg/s320/043.JPG" width="320" /></a>There are different ways to see the game in KNP. The most recommended are the guided drives and walks that are available in all the camps. The drives are done in open jeeps and are driven by experienced rangers who communicate with each other via radio. So the best chance of seeing game are these drives. There are three types of guided drives available: Sunrise Drive, Sunset Drive and Night Drives. All the big cats including the lions, leopards, cheetahs etc are nocturnal creatures and are most active during night and during dusk and dawn. The drivers, as mentioned above are experienced rangers and therefore provide an endless and precious information about wildlife, trees and bird species of the Kruger National Park. It is indeed extremely informative and enjoyable to listen to their running commentary while seeking hidden animals.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4EFmZdCBWjE/UoOclD5Ws2I/AAAAAAAAAkI/itszWroTtE8/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4EFmZdCBWjE/UoOclD5Ws2I/AAAAAAAAAkI/itszWroTtE8/s320/044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
At the Skukuza camp, we took a Sunset Drive which costs around R 230 per person. The Sunset Drives are for three hours duration and starts at 4:30 pm and lasts till about 8 pm. One has to report at least half an hour earlier from the departure time. We were fortunate enough to see many species of birds, trees, and insects. We also saw elephants, giraffes, rhinos, probably a thousand impalas and one rare specie of baboon... it was breathtaking... as the sun sunk down the horizon, while returning, we suddenly heard a terrible noise and I flashed the flash light provided in the jeep towards the noise only to find out two adult elephants fighting each other. It was incredible. As soon as the lights shone in their eyes, they moved away from the light and receded deeper into the jungle. As the flash light was not falling directly onto their eyes, we could see them fighting each other. It looked quite ferocious but our guide explained that these two elephants were just playing with each other. I wonder what would it have been like when they seriously fought each other. Supposedly it is an extremely rare sighting.<br />
<br />
There was one time during the drive, when the jeep stopped completely, the driver cut the engine and told us to switch off all the flash lights. The Guide asked us just to be patient and listen to the sounds of the forests. It was one of those moments, when one realizes how insignificant one is as there are so many other sounds hidden and they come alive only when we try to listen carefully. It was one of the awe-inspiring moment in my life.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cRmC9BF8Gwo/UoOdIpuDpmI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/7KfhLhjhBxo/s1600/111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cRmC9BF8Gwo/UoOdIpuDpmI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/7KfhLhjhBxo/s320/111.JPG" width="320" /></a>Fortunately the night we had taken the drive in Skukuza was a moonlit night and the forest looked beautiful bathed in the silvery light of the moon. It was one of those moments when you really don't want the drive to end but unfortunately it does.<br />
<br />
We came back to the Camp after an incredible three hour drive with hunger in our bellies and awe in our minds. I remember, the only discussion at the dinner table that night was about wildlife and the forest. We went to sleep with the sounds of the forest filling up our hearts and making us realize that beyond our ordinary existence lay an extraordinary world.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-12066003110812920512013-10-03T09:47:00.003-05:002017-09-17T13:18:24.807-05:00Understanding Hinduism: Part 1: The Emergence...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lbjXVQZNBo0/Uk2BZ1f8SjI/AAAAAAAAAdU/VnnJfa6XIwY/s1600/blogimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lbjXVQZNBo0/Uk2BZ1f8SjI/AAAAAAAAAdU/VnnJfa6XIwY/s1600/blogimages.jpg" /></a>For a long time, about a month approximately, I have been pondering on whether to write upon Hinduism and it's discourses as I understand it... There were too many hazards to writing this post and if I were to write on it, I would have to jack up my courage...<br />
<br />
Firstly, it is a subject that could at once make a pariah out of me... secondly, there have been far greater, far more learned, far more educated and informed people who have propounded upon the subject... Thirdly, my own belief in God is rather agnostic... that is I believe, that there is a God , I mean a super conscious entity, a cosmic power that definitely exceeds my humble limits of imagination, but I do not believe that whatever that power is, possesses a 'religion', at least, not in the sense that we, now know of it... Therefore I do not believe in any religion... but at the same time, I am a practicing Hindu... oxymoronic, right? These were exactly the reasons I was so far delaying and pondering upon whether to write this post or not...<br />
<br />
So why did I set out to write this post?<br />
<br />
The answer is basically because I believe in Hinduism, not as a religion, but as a way of life.<br />
<br />
So what is it that has helped Hinduism survive throughout the ages... the faith has seen the advent of many world religions such as Jainism and Buddhism, Christianity and lastly Islam. Why is Hinduism still the world's third largest religion and why does it still have a billion followers?<br />
<br />
I set out to find answers to these questions. I began to study the history of the religion and to study the history of the religion is to study the history of the land where this belief system emerged... Hinduism as a religion or a philosophy, (I like to call it a philosophy), is innately connected with the social and political history of the land, we now called India. Hinduism is one of the world's oldest surviving religions... many other faiths and beliefs which were contemporary to this faith have entirely disappeared.<br />
<br />
<b>What is Hinduism ? Emergence</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mz1i1zh3oM4/Uk2BrKrFOAI/AAAAAAAAAdk/6Jbo_Cyy_IM/s1600/Hindu+symbol+OM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mz1i1zh3oM4/Uk2BrKrFOAI/AAAAAAAAAdk/6Jbo_Cyy_IM/s200/Hindu+symbol+OM.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>
The first proto Hinduism was probably practiced by the natives of the Indus Valley civilization which emerged on the banks of the river Indus from the period 3300-1300 BC... The other civilizations contemporary to the Indus Valley Civilization, were the Nile Valley Civilization and the Mesopotamian Civilization, the beliefs of the people of the two later civilizations having disappeared with the collapse and decline of the civilizations themselves. The religious practices and beliefs of the Harappan people, however endured and after the decline of the Indus Valley civilization were merged in the oncoming Aryan beliefs and re-emerged as the Vedic religion.<br />
<br />
It should be noted at this point that the word denoting, the religion, as we know of today, "Hinduism" is essentially a 13th century invention... The Persians or the Arab merchants who had trade relations with India, could not pronounce the alphabet "S" , therefore they called the river "Sindhu" (modern day Indus) "Hindu" and the land beyond this river, Hind... The term 'Hinduism' was later used occasionally in some Sanskrit texts such as the later 'Rajtaranginis' (lore of the kings) of Kashmir. It was only towards the end of 18th century that European merchants and colonists began to refer to the general beliefs of the people living in this land as Hinduism.<br />
<br />
It is thus of utmost importance to note, that the religion is named after a mighty river and like a river, has ingrained in itself a plethora of belief, faiths, and cultures.<br />
<br />
Thus, our first understanding of Hinduism starts at the understanding of the history of India.<br />
<br />
<b>The Harappan Civilization: Proto Hinduism :</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fvvMEmJOlVc/Uk2BrK36TiI/AAAAAAAAAdc/lwLy5bF_huM/s1600/Harappan+seal+pashupati.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fvvMEmJOlVc/Uk2BrK36TiI/AAAAAAAAAdc/lwLy5bF_huM/s1600/Harappan+seal+pashupati.jpg" /></a>The Harappan or the Indus Valley Civilization emerged on the banks of the Indus river basin and was one of the earliest urban civilization to have emerged during the time. The other civilizations which arose approximately around this time frame were the Mesopotamian civilization and the Nile Valley or the Egyptian civilization.<br />
<br />
The inhabitants of the Indus Valley civilization, (it is also called the Harappan civilization because one of the largest and the earliest towns to be excavated was called 'Harappa') largely worshiped animals and plants and believed in amulets. The Harappan seals carry many of the animals such as buffaloes and bulls, stamped on them. There is much debate on a symbol on a seal which has been excavated, depicting a three headed God, surrounded by animals, who according to the historian John Marshall depicts a form of proto 'Shiva' or 'Pashupati' (lord of animals). The historian Romila Thapar contends, that Shiva, as a Hindu God emerged only in the later Vedic age some 2000 years later and hence the description of this symbol as proto Shiva or 'Pashupati' is wholly misleading. It might be that there was some kind of 'shaman' or medical man that existed during that time who had the unique characteristic of domesticating animals. Maybe that, the later god Shiva or Pashupati has been designed on this Harappan deity.<br />
<br />
Harappans also believed in a number of symbols such as Swastika drawn on their seals. The Swastika symbol has been much maligned because of its heinous and wrongful use as the symbol of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party, but the symbol has roots deep in human civilization. The word 'Swastika' comes from the Sanskrit word 'Shuvastika' 'shuva' meaning good, 'astika' meaning mark, "Shuvastika" meaning "the mark of the good", and represents the peaceful alignment of the four elements of nature, the air, the wind, the earth and the water with the four phrases of Human life, the childhood, the adolescence, the mature age and the old age... It is indeed sad, how a symbol so pure in it's origin was so maligned in it's use.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XYLlKkrk97Q/Uk2BrBV-kSI/AAAAAAAAAdg/Ru7secujHR8/s1600/Harappan+Seals+Swastika.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XYLlKkrk97Q/Uk2BrBV-kSI/AAAAAAAAAdg/Ru7secujHR8/s200/Harappan+Seals+Swastika.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
However, the earliest forms of Swastika's can be found on the Harappan seals.<br />
<br />
There does not exist any temple or structures of spiritual endevour among the Harappan people but the early use of fire as a religious symbol has been found in some of the cities that belonged to the Late Harappan phrase.<br />
<br />
The language of the Indus Valley, unfortunately still remains a mystery, whatever conclusions have been made regarding the civilization has been based on archaeological finds. If we were to know the language of the Harappan people, more light could have been shed on their religious and spiritual beliefs.<br />
<br />
Thus, it is noteworthy that, the first basis of Hinduism lay in naturalistic and animalistic forces. We shall see in the second part, how it developed from a mere scattered belief system into a system of texts and how it began to usher in a more rigid form.<br />
<br />
The coming of the Aryans did much to contextualize the religion as well to give it a firmer shape and direction.<br />
<br />
Image Courtsey:<br />
<br />
http:/en.wikipedia.org<br />
http;/indianetzone.com<br />
http:/commons.wikimedia.org<br />
http:/counter-currents.com<br />
http:/muktinath.org<br />
<br />
References:<br />
<br />
Romlia Thapar : Ancient India<br />
<br />
Mazumdar,Raychaudhari & Datta : An Advanced History of India<br />
<br />
Krishna Reddy: TataMcGraw Hill Publications: Indian History<br />
<br />
Indus Civilization: IGNOU Booklet 2<br />
<br />
www.wikipedia.com<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-9867747664204977702013-09-27T07:47:00.000-05:002014-09-14T08:56:31.268-05:00My Life as a "wanderlust" : Sophie and Me... The unique relationship between me and my South African domestic...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oQvN4pY9OnE/UkV8Ia8yRKI/AAAAAAAAAc8/bMgk37YDOPY/s1600/blogimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oQvN4pY9OnE/UkV8Ia8yRKI/AAAAAAAAAc8/bMgk37YDOPY/s320/blogimages.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a>Sophie is my domestic helper... no, I think that definition is a very narrow one...<br />
<br />
Sophie, for me, is a doorway to know the culture of the land, I now inhabit... she is my mirror to the larger society that I am a part of, and yet I am quite aloof from it all... being an expat from the United States and an Indian national, we largely have American and Indian friends, who are all expatriates. We stay in gated communities, quite away from the humdrum, the joviality and the color of an ordinary South African life. We are fortunate enough to have a car at our disposal, wherever we wish to go... I have no idea how the "bucckies" (taxis, here in South Africa) are and I am quite unfortunately unaware of the problems that are faced by ordinary South Africans, in their ways of life... because as I said before, I live in a shell like existence...<br />
<br />
That is the prime reason, why Sophie is important to me...<br />
<br />
Not only she helps me keep my house clean, she also serves as a window to the larger, ordinary South African life...<br />
<br />
Will Julius Malema make it to the elections next year..??? Is Robert Mugabe really as bad as portrayed in the world media? How were the days for her, as a "black domestic" working in a predominantly "white neighborhood" in the days of apartheid? Do the tribes here, really keep Cheetahs as pets and how does one conform to the dual identity of being a Christian and a proud Tribal landlord...<br />
<br />
These are some of the questions that Sophie unknowingly answers in our everyday conversations...<br />
<br />
The first day, she came to work in my house, the second thing she said, after a big smile and a "thank you" ; is that she has never worked for "this color before", touching my arm to show that she has never worked with an Indian native before... Honestly, I was surprised and to tell the least I was shocked... I had never given any thought to my skin color before, at least not in the sense that Sophie implied, and then I realized that the skin color issue goes so deep in their psyche, that she just can't help but point it out...<br />
<br />
I justified my skin color and the country of my origin by stating the one name, I thought she might be familiar with, Mahatma Gandhi... I asked her, "do you know of Mahatma Gandhi? He lived here in South Africa. I am from his country... same color, and same country, you see"... she responded with a huge smile, "yes Gandhi, I know Gandhi", "good man, very good man".... he fought for us...." I really wished some of our Indian Leaders could hear it... especially now, when the only day we remember the great man, is on his birth anniversary, and that too because it's a public holiday.<br />
<br />
It's now been almost five months since I have known Sophie, and it seems to me, that she, through her stories, open up an incredible world for me... it's a world inhabited by proud African chieftains, of the glorious wars the kings fought for cattle, the days of oppression, of Apartheid, of an entire nation suppressed by a minority government and of 1994, when Sophie who was 38 years of age and her mother 80 years old, went to vote for the first time in their lives...<br />
<br />
Sophie belongs to the Ndebele (pronounced "debele", the N is silent) tribe who live mostly in the province of Mpumalanga (the M is silent)... her family is related to a tribal warlord who at one time had accumulated millions of cattle and were trading partners with the Boer settlers when they first came in... her mother still lives in a small village in a wattle and daub house and her only brother, was shot by the Apartheid Police when he was 22 and was working as an electrician for a white businessman, his crime, he was out in the "white neighborhood" without his "identity pass" at 7 pm in the evening... he was the only bread earner in the family of four... after which Sophie took on the responsibility of the household and set off to eMahlaleni (Witbank), an industrial town some seven kilometers away from her village to find work as a domestic...<br />
<br />
She has one daughter, Precious, who studies Chemical Engineering in Stellenbosch University near Cape Town. When Precious was small, she could not get admitted to a school near Sophie's then employer's home, because it was reserved for "white kids only" , her then employer, a White doctor called Jaco, (who still live in Silver Lakes, one of the biggest gated Estates in Pretoria East) introduced Precious as their own adopted daughter in order to secure admission for her in a school a short distance away where his children also studied. He and his wife, used to take Precious with their own girls to the school in their car... something that was unthinkable in the Apartheid ridden South Africa...<br />
<br />
When she speaks of Nelson Mandela, her eyes fill with tears... Mandela, also known as 'Madiba' here, is the father of the nation. What Mandela and the African National Congress did for the majority of Black South Africans can be gauged from Sophie's life. Sophie belongs to the lowermost strata of the society, a strata long oppressed first by the white minority and then by the elite black minority. Sophie's daughter who is hopefully going to enter the growing middle class is her only hope of having a better life, one in which she hopes, to no longer work as a domestic helper.<br />
<br />
As I grow more familiar with her, her life seems so richly filled with experiences, that my own struggles seem puny. She looks much more than 57 years of age, a face wrinkled and creased by experiences, age and struggles. As a woman, Sophie has had to struggle on many levels, a single mother trying to eke a living for herself and her daughter, a black domestic worker, working for white employers, a dutiful daughter whom circumstances forced to become the sole breadwinner for the family, a devoted Christian, and an ANC Card holding member, who with millions of her countrymen are engaged in a long battle to elevate and gain an equal standing in the land of their birth.<br />
<br />
The one thing that never ceases to amaze me about Sophie, is this woman, whom life has handed out probably the harshest of the terms, never ever blames life for her destiny. She always has a smile on her face when I open the door in the mornings that she comes to my house. She is always grateful to god, that he has given her a life and enough to eat to maintain her strength so that she can work and earn her livelihood...<br />
<br />
Nowadays, very often, a small quote by Gandhi (yes, again, back to him)... comes to my mind, it goes something like this, "when you are in a difficulty, when your ability to decide is being challenged and you are confused about the path to take, think about the most poorest and the most courageous man or woman you have ever met, and think, how the path(s) you are about to take, will effect him or her. You'll see it becomes easy and something that seem complicated, resolves smoothly".<br />
<br />
Before this I could not think of any one till I met Sophie...</div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-17313976505912702502013-08-27T09:26:00.000-05:002013-08-27T10:14:37.880-05:00In Defense of "The Indian Gentleman"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YLVwRrMR0R8/UhytaIG-VrI/AAAAAAAAAYk/fn1kqQnp9UM/s1600/images+for+the+recent+post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YLVwRrMR0R8/UhytaIG-VrI/AAAAAAAAAYk/fn1kqQnp9UM/s1600/images+for+the+recent+post.jpg" /></a>I am an Indian woman, liberal, educated and very much vocal about women's rights.<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
I am also the daughter of, a sister to, and the wife of, extremely decent, responsible and caring Indian men and I have many male friends whom I am proud to call "friend".<br />
<br />
I am also a woman who deeply cares and is very aware about the pathetic condition in which Indian women are treated and the endless harassments they face at home, at work and generally everywhere, almost at each step in their lives.<br />
<br />
I am writing this post because, there recently has been another incident of Rape in India and this time in the financial capital of Mumbai and it has shaken the entire country once more. There has been much said in the popular as well as the social media about the attitude and the mindset of Indian men and about how, we should, as a society try and change it.<br />
<br />
It is true that Indian men, a large enough portion of them have rather medieval attitude towards women, in fact almost all our social laws, tradition and customs have been designed in such a way so as to keep our women languishing at the bottom of the social hierarchy.<br />
<br />
Have you noticed how women are scrutinized before marriage, even now, when most of the women are independent and earning (sometimes even more or equal as their male counterparts) and how much emphasis does being "fair", "slender", "convent educated" etc play in arranged marriages ? The matrimonial adverts are teeming with these words and it's disgusting.<br />
<br />
<b>But the greater question is: Are only "Indian Men" responsible for such attitudes?</b><br />
<br />
A society as a whole always reflect the attitudes and perceptions of the people who "make up" the society and this includes both men and women.<br />
<br />
I would go as far to say that our Indian women are equal or more than responsible for how the Indian society treats its women. In fact, the other day, I was talking to my brother and he remarked that he's really tired of being generalized as the common Indian "man" who leches and assaults and rapes women, as if all men in India are such. The way our popular and social media goes about asking to change Indian men's perception is really disgusting and moreover it is utterly false. True, we have some of the most harshest and unequal traditions and customs in place to keep Indian women down and out... but are solely Indian men responsible for that ?<br />
<br />
Whenever a woman is mistreated, raped or harassed, the first claim of innocence from the accused comes from the mother... has anyone noticed that ? Even in the Mumbai rape case, the mother of the accused has stood up for the accused and has claimed that "her son", the rapist, is actually "an extremely innocent boy and is also underage"... whenever there are domestic violent acts perpetrated, there is always a "mother-in-law", a "sister-in-law" or at least an "aunt" involved.... recently a petty Bollywood actor was accused of raping his domestic, and the first claim of innocence came from the actor's wife, who went as far as saying that the charges were fabricated, when there had already been medical proof to the contrary.<br />
<br />
Attitudes such as this, strengthens and emboldens the attitude of the society as a whole and then, when the society perpetrates that perception, we call it wrong, disgusting and unjustified.<br />
<br />
Most of the soaps in Indian mainstream television focus on either a housewife getting ill treated at her in-laws hands, or a daughter who is striving very hard to uplift her family from distress, facing embarrassments and overcoming them or an "all sacrificing" daughter-in-law who despite being treated harshly, repents, forgives and gets harshly treated again by her in-laws. Some of these soaps even focus on how a "dark", or "fat", or an otherwise "not so beautiful girl" not getting suitable suitors for marriage. And in ALL OF THEM, the main negative protagonist is also A WOMAN....<br />
<br />
And what's worse, there are millions of women, housewives or otherwise, watching these soaps who get influenced by these moronic ideas.<br />
<br />
I have grown up in a family where I have three brothers, and all of them are as decent as men could possibly be. My brother, who is also my best friend, is one of the most decent ,man I have till date seen in my life. In fact Indian men are rather, far better, if you compare them to men from other communities and classes such as Blacks or Hispanics. They are far more protective and caring of their family and far less prone to abandoning their duties and responsibilities. I have had several uncles, who has never, in anyway tried to impede on my dignity and I have worked with some of the best male colleagues that one could ever get and my Boss, who incidentally was a man was one of the best bosses ever... I have had male friends who have been extremely decent, not only towards me but also to all the girls/ladies in their life. I have married an extremely decent and an admirable Indian man, who has never once pressured me to do anything, that I haven't wanted to do. I have known some of my girl friend's husbands and they too have been really decent.<br />
<br />
Contrary to this, I have also known many a groping men in public buses and strangers, of course, male, on the roads who eyes first travel from my chest area upto my face and then downwards again.<br />
<br />
I have also known mother-in-laws who talk about their daughter-in-laws with contempt and ridicule and I have known mothers who have been beset with woes because of their daughter's failure to find a suitable match. I have known " family aunts" and "neighborhood aunties", whose interest in someone's daughter's marriage exceeds her own parent's enthusiasm... I have known female colleagues bitching about other female colleagues and I have also known a female Boss giving less than deserving appraisals to her female juniors.<br />
<br />
So my dear readers, there are millions of decent, nice, caring and respectful men in India. These men are considerate, they respect your identity as a woman, and they are freethinking enough to respect your liberty.<br />
<br />
As opposed to a hundred lecherous, morally degenerated, abusive, Indian men, there are also several hundreds, nice, decent and caring Indian men and as opposed to many thousands oppressed, ill treated, and abused Indian women, there are also several hundred oppressive, abusive and rather cruel Indian women...<br />
<br />
It is a rather sad truth, but it is a truth.<br />
<br />
Till the day, we women do not support our own, till the day, we do not do not look into a man's or a woman's eyes if they are treading on our women's rights, we should not blame the Indian male solely for the atrocities permeated on the Indian women. Till the day, women will keep shielding their male relatives for their ill treatment to other women, and till the day we do not impart the same teachings to our daughters and sons regarding women rights and dignities, blaming Indian men and their attitudes, would not help Indian women better their position in the society in any way.<br />
<br />
It's best to remember the very famous words, "if men are the heads, women are the necks, whichever way the neck turns, the head too has to turn in the same way"... So let's be responsible "necks", <br />
my dear women, let's turn the "heads" the right way...<br />
<br />
Image Courtesy: www.someecards.com<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-84199226508515881442013-08-18T10:16:00.001-05:002013-08-18T10:18:31.000-05:00My Life as a "Wanderlust" : The Cradle of Humankind and back...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n1hqgt_IkG0/UhDdD759CBI/AAAAAAAAAWY/-SCENhoymfo/s1600/blogimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n1hqgt_IkG0/UhDdD759CBI/AAAAAAAAAWY/-SCENhoymfo/s1600/blogimages.jpg" /></a>Recently we had a long weekend holiday in South Africa. The "true wanderlusts" (unfortunately, which I claim to be...ahem...ahem...) don't miss out opportunities like this to wander around and absorb the local culture... but partly due to ineffective planning and partly due to laziness, my aim of going out on a long weekend was effectively shelved. The wanderlust in me was not going to give up..ah ha...not so easily, so I sat down with the internet and scoured for places to go on a day trip from Pretoria.<br />
<br />
My criteria was simple. One I did not want to spend overnight on a trip, and two, it should be something interesting, culturally, or otherwise.<br />
<br />
I decided to go to the Cradle of Humankind and the Sterkfontein caves in Maropeng just one and half hours' drive from Pretoria. Buoyant with the adventure ahead of us, me and my hubby slept off early and woke up to a gloomy, cloudy Pretoria morning.Now in South Africa, the sun shines 360 days out of 365 days a year, and today had to be a day when it would rain...!!! I constantly kept telling myself, and my husband constantly kept telling me, that all would be ok, once we were out on the roads. So anyhow, armed with three bottles of drinking water and a few oranges for snacks, we set off...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-txjSEC02TN4/UhDd2HVF7-I/AAAAAAAAAWo/CKeTc8RM_AM/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-txjSEC02TN4/UhDd2HVF7-I/AAAAAAAAAWo/CKeTc8RM_AM/s200/008.JPG" width="200" /></a>The total journey took us about two and a quarter hours, a little more time because, the route wasn't known to us, we didn't really trust the GPS ( which actually was showing the correct route) and it was raining torentially. On our way we made two wrong turns and had to rewind our way, if any of you do not have these encumbrances, you would make it to the Sterkfontein Caves within the stipulated time of one and half hours.<br />
<br />
Now a little about the Caves. Sterkfontein Caves and the adjacent Cradle of Humankind traces the journey of human civilization over millions of years to the present. It is the site of the richest fossil finds in southern Africa and one of the fossils, named Little Foot, an early ancestor of Homo Sapiens was found in the Sterkfontein caves in it's totality. It was the rarest of the rare cases where such a fossil was found in its entirety and it was this find which ultimately made Cradle of Humankind and Sterkfontein Caves to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.<br />
<br />
If you want to know a little more about the Sterkfontein caves and the Cradle here's a site that you could visit.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_dQ2felMfHA/UhDeEqoQjcI/AAAAAAAAAWw/ev_hKYR_ClU/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_dQ2felMfHA/UhDeEqoQjcI/AAAAAAAAAWw/ev_hKYR_ClU/s200/015.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.gauteng.net/cradleofhumankind">http://www.gauteng.net/cradleofhumankind</a><br />
<br />
It is one of the world's richest hominid sites and about 40 percent of human ancestor's fossils have been discovered here. (Source: Cradle of Humankind website)<br />
<br />
To the people who would be going there for the first time, it's a better idea to first visit the Cradle Museum and then the caves for whatever you'll be seeing in the museum, you would easily relate to them in the caves. The Museum is half an hour's journey from the Caves, but in case you are travelling from Pretoria or Joburg, the Caves will come first and then you'll have to drive another half an hour to get to the Museum. Since we didn't really know where the Museum was located, we did the caves first and then went to the Museum.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0A9a6z9As1o/UhDeUXHAJ_I/AAAAAAAAAW4/b3hP393CvNo/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0A9a6z9As1o/UhDeUXHAJ_I/AAAAAAAAAW4/b3hP393CvNo/s200/017.JPG" width="133" /></a>At the caves, one can purchase tickets both for the entry to the Museum and to the caves. However if you are claustrophobic, or suffer from back pain or knee pain or joint pain of any kind, I would not advise you to go for the cave tour, because it does involve some real exercise. You can still visit the Cave Museum (that's separate from the Cradle Museum) and check out some very interesting exhibits.<br />
<br />
After you purchase a ticket fo-<br />
-r the Cave and the Museum tour, you join a queue for the cave tour. A tour departs every half an hour with a knowledgeable guide, who are sometimes archaeology students themselves. Our Guide called Themba, was very informative and she had a wide knowledge on fossils and dinosaurs and all sorts of ancient animal and plant life. She was both informative and fun. There will be plenty of time to ask questions and the guides will patiently answer them to your satisfaction.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-32w42SHoxoY/UhDfAO88hoI/AAAAAAAAAXE/HDaYgkprxzw/s1600/048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-32w42SHoxoY/UhDfAO88hoI/AAAAAAAAAXE/HDaYgkprxzw/s200/048.JPG" width="200" /></a>When one is descending into the caves, please be aware that you are travelling into some 600 feet deep underground and deeper still. It's best to listen to your tour guide and hold the handrails and descend with utmost caution.<br />
<br />
Inside the caves, its a different world all together. There were "Stalactites" and "Stalagmites" so varied and distinct in shape and size that it took our breadth away. Oh, an important distinction that one learns here and throughout my school life, I always got it wrong, is that "Stalactites" hang from the "ceiling", there's a C there for a reason after all...!!! and the "stalagmites" rise up from the ground, the "G" in Stalagmites...!!! Only if I had come here some years earlier, I would have been so much better at the subject.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UsCWTl04-Tc/UhDfYuQFiRI/AAAAAAAAAXM/lHReWWskXJE/s1600/072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UsCWTl04-Tc/UhDfYuQFiRI/AAAAAAAAAXM/lHReWWskXJE/s200/072.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
Then there were the fossil sites themselves. The general public aren't allowed into the excavation sites but one gets a fair idea of what's happening... although we went on a public holiday, but if one goes on a weekday, one can actually see paleontologists working and history being made on the site... being a history buff myself, I found the prospect extremely exciting.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aXovm5n6PHU/UhDgWHxqyEI/AAAAAAAAAXY/3-5-xBCDC9Y/s1600/081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aXovm5n6PHU/UhDgWHxqyEI/AAAAAAAAAXY/3-5-xBCDC9Y/s200/081.JPG" width="200" /></a>The journey through the caves is an awesome adventure in itself. There was a life fossil of an ancient antelope which for some reason hasn't being excavated yet. One can actually touch it and the folklore goes that touching the antelope fossil brings in good luck and helps you emerge unscathed from the cave itself. I don't know whether the folklore is true or not but touching a million year old antelope fossil is a huge increment. The Fossil upon touch appears smooth and cold (of course, it's been underground for millions of years) but touching which had once been alive and moving and breathing, and existed about two million years ago was pretty much awesome.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5PSqcjBNDRI/UhDiJ6CPRLI/AAAAAAAAAXs/EGmnacXguQ0/s1600/096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5PSqcjBNDRI/UhDiJ6CPRLI/AAAAAAAAAXs/EGmnacXguQ0/s200/096.JPG" width="200" /></a>There were places inside the cave where one had to crouch and crawl on all fours, there was also another place where we had to sit and crawl. It was brilliant. When you come out in the light, there is a statue of Prof. Phillip Valentine Tobias and whose bronze nose<br />
you are supposed to rub for "good luck" or if you want wisdom you rub his left hand, but if you are greedy and rub both, you'll be visited by bad luck...!!!<br />
<br />
When you emerge out of the cave, you feel, as if you have come a long way and it's true. Human ancestors have been travelling a long time through evolution to become what we are today.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7N2xgjzUQl8/UhDh3QrA0vI/AAAAAAAAAXk/XjPjTr2BWnQ/s1600/086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7N2xgjzUQl8/UhDh3QrA0vI/AAAAAAAAAXk/XjPjTr2BWnQ/s200/086.JPG" width="200" /></a>After half an hour's drive, one finally reaches the Cradle of Humankind. Very honestly speaking, if you have already been to the caves, this Museum pales a bit in comparison, but it is interesting nonetheless. The Museum building itself is a unique experience in architecture. It is called "the Tumulus" and is an unique example of the marriage of environment and architecture.<br />
<br />
There is a small canteen inside and you can order all sorts of food like hotdogs to sandwiches. I can vouch the chocolate milkshake is just heavenly.<br />
<br />
The exhibits are actually situated underground, and there is also an underground boat ride, which can be quite a thrill for kids and teenagers. It showcases the four elements of nature : Air, Water, Fire and Earth and has an interesting light and sound show. There is also a "room of illusion" and that too is quite interesting. The Museum also has original fossils of ancient hominids and paleo-mammals and birds. It also showcases different types of innovative games, I particularly liked the one which shows how your DNA was formed and what characteristics would your offspring inherit.<br />
<br />
There are other interesting exhibits as well. The Museum is so designed that when you start your journey, you begin with the formation of our galaxy and our planet, going to the formation of the single cell organisms to the ancient plants and animals and finally journey to the formation of hominids and to the emergence of homo sapiens of today. It also goes on to showcase, the human journey throughout ages and where we are presently heading. It also has a small exhibition of South Africa's history and concludes with a World Population Clock and of course Nelson Mandela's original wax hand prints. When one comes out, one can see beautiful, breathtaking view of the Maliesberg Mountains.<br />
<br />
A visit here is truly worthy and intoxicating. You won't have a single boring moment while you study the journey from our past to our present.<br />
<br />
Source :<a href="http://www.gauteng.net/cradleofhumankind">http://www.gauteng.net/cradleofhumankind</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-52490559513953356782013-08-11T15:10:00.000-05:002013-08-11T15:15:14.244-05:00Fire: A Hand of Kali : A Review : Imagination writ large...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zHt-RuXstZg/UgfuJecJ17I/AAAAAAAAAVs/VEznP6e5sLo/s1600/Fire+Covercover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zHt-RuXstZg/UgfuJecJ17I/AAAAAAAAAVs/VEznP6e5sLo/s320/Fire+Covercover.jpg" width="201" /></a>Fire : A Hand of Kali is author T. G Ayer's first novel in the Kali Series and it is a riveting novel indeed. Without giving away the entire plot, the story revolves around a young Indian born NRI girl, who suddenly discovers divine powers within her... is it a bane or a boon? To find out, one has to read the novel for oneself.<br />
<br />
Firstly kudos to the author for trying to delve into the Indian mythology and history for the concept. The Indian mythology and History is so rich and diverse, that if exploited fully, it could give the Potter's and the Eragons a run for their money. Unfortunately, there is an utter dearth of authors who take up the challenge of writing fiction based on these. The fact that this author has, is a very great achievement indeed.<br />
<br />
When I started reading this story ( I had read the book blurb before), honestly, till Chapter 5, I was really irritated, NOTHING WAS HAPPENING... but once you reach Chapter 5, the book, literally comes alive with action and adventure, after that the journey of the rest 400 odd pages seem to be a blur...<br />
<br />
I give credit to the author, for correctly assigning the Indian deities along with their respective "powers" and their strengths and weaknesses. Also the way the plot builds up, is brilliant. The story seem to start slowly, but it then takes a rapid pace as events keep unfolding in quick succession keeping the readers on edge and hungering for more.<br />
<br />
The language is lucid and easily understood, also the dialogues that the characters use, especially the major characters, are in keeping with the lingo of the youth. To read this book, one need not have any fore knowledge of Indian mythology. The characters are really well developed and the reader connects with them. Also, one is not kept in dark about any events which could spring a nasty surprise on the readers. The author does a very good job of building suspense and then solving it. No nasty or hasty surprises spring up upon the reader.<br />
<br />
The only problem, I found with the book, is that there are several action sequences, which could have been handled better. The author seems to have been in a hurry or must not have given much thought to them while building up the main plot. But some action sequences, and there are some really good ones, are worth imagining...!! The different ancient weapons discussed in the book are also extremely exciting. Having grown up on a diet of Indian mythology myself, even I didn't know there were so many interesting weapons that our deities are in possession of...<br />
<br />
In conclusion, I would say, that, this books targets the teens, not the older readers, but whoever the reader is, he or she would find the book an unforgettable journey. As we journey with Maya, the protagonist, we enter a world, where there are rights and wrongs, the demons and the gods collide and faith is reasserted.<br />
This book is not just a book, it's imagination writ large...<br />
<br />
Image Courtesy : T G Ayer<br />
Fire: A Hand of Kali Novel: ARC Copy<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-42474861528989791872013-08-06T10:42:00.002-05:002013-08-06T11:24:14.857-05:00My Life as a "wanderlust" ... The Miracle on the Train...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jswuHjWhmUU/Uc82O-Ci8kI/AAAAAAAAARk/z4Ne7tKcPlA/s1600/blogimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jswuHjWhmUU/Uc82O-Ci8kI/AAAAAAAAARk/z4Ne7tKcPlA/s1600/blogimages.jpg" /></a>Again back with another story from the days of my travelling... not that it has stopped... the travelling that is...not at all...<br />
<br />
This one dates back to my college days... people who have passed those days can remember them with fondness and a peculiar smile on their faces... life in the college gives you wings, literally, one has a host of new ideas, new imaginations, concepts never thought of, could be entertained and debated... and the entire world seems to be within one's grasp...<br />
<br />
Anyways, those were heady days for me... I had started scorning my parents ideas, ideas, which I may point out, I had grown up with, ideas that seem to me, too constricting, conservative and irrational... I was charting out my dream, and my aspirations seem way too broad minded and liberal than my middle class parents could handle. I can still remember that summer when I went home, I had a huge debate with my dad, on the existence of god... slowly, but surely, I was turning into an atheist... and my parents feared that with my believe in a "godless" world, my moorings with my traditions and customs would also vanish...<br />
<br />
I had been raised a Hindu, and as long as I could remember, my mum, used to teach me the names of the thousands of gods and goddesses that constituted the Hindu pantheon, their stories, how the "asuras" (demons) and the gods fought, and countless other mythologies... At school though, I was growing up following Christianity because anyone who wanted a good "English medium education" in India, in those days had to go to a convent school, and one of the essential requirements of the students were that they pray and follow the words of Christ. Hence I knew the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Ten Commandments and numerous stories about Christ and his followers... whenever I prayed, I prayed to the Trinity of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit in school and at home I was required to pray to another completely different set of gods... this was my "religious education" while growing up...<br />
<br />
So this "religious paradox" that I was growing up with, led me to believe that there couldn't be a god who existed, and even if he did, understanding him or her wouldn't be so confusing and complicated. So that summer, I refused to pray, to take part in any religious ceremonies that required my participation and worse, returned all the small, bright pictures of Hindu gods and goddesses that my parents had given me, while going away to college, including a beautiful silver cross... I told them straightaway, that if there was a god, and he/she didn't like the ideas that I was entertaining, he/she could tell me themselves... my parents were stunned and deeply hurt... I felt bad, yes I did, because, whether you believe or not, religion and religious beliefs are often time very sensitive issues... but I was too stubborn in my beliefs, too vain to even entertain the thought that I could be wrong...<br />
<br />
And yes, I was going to be proved wrong soon enough...<br />
<br />
While returning to Mumbai (a very big metropolitan in India, where I attended College) that summer, I was travelling in the Mumbai-Howrah Mail, an express train that the Indian Government claimed could outrun the wind... well, that still remains a vain propaganda on the part of the Indian government and anyone who has traveled on that dratted train would tell you that speed is not one of its forte...<br />
<br />
In the days, when I was in College, there hadn't been an advent of cheap air travel, as there is now in India... trains were the most common form of long distance transportation, and as students, who lived in the college hostel, we would get Travel Compensation, another program on the part of the Indian government to lure girls in far-flung areas to study... we would get a fifty percent discount on our train tickets both to and from home, thus the need never arose that we would spend money on air travel...<br />
<br />
The Mumbai-Howrah Mail, completed the journey from Kolkata to Mumbai in two nights and three days... a journey which is now covered by low cost air companies in a mere two and half hours... thus the train was not merely a method of transportation, for many, it was a way of life... you met many different types of people, from different regions of India, many languages were spoken, and different ideas exchanged... I have even known of a young boy and girl from neighboring states who met on the train, fell in love in the course of those "three days and two nights" and eventually got married to each other...!!<br />
<br />
So anyhow, here I was, after bidding tearful farewells to my parents (although I am not sure, I cried so much that summer, but of course my mum did), she still does, wherever she comes to leave me at the airport... there were five passengers travelling with me and being extremely talkative and congenial by nature, I soon knew their respective destinations. That night after securing our luggage under our respective berths, all my co-passengers, including me went off to sleep...<br />
<br />
It was 3 am when I suddenly woke up. The train was standing in a rather forlorn station called Gaya (Budh Gaya, some call it, it was the place, where Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, found his Enlightenment), nowadays, though it is notorious for petty theft. The rule of the book, whenever you wake up in the middle of the night during your train journey in India is to<br />
<br />
1. Check your luggage<br />
2. Check your footwear is not missing<br />
<br />
Those two done and being satisfied by the result, I went to lie down again, anxious to get my sleep back.<br />
<br />
It was then, that I noticed.<br />
<br />
The window in front of my seat was open, just a few inches and the hand bag that I was carrying, which I had most conveniently positioned just near the window, and which held some of the most important and basic things, a person needs on the journey, sliced wide open, as if someone had taken special time and care to slice through the bag with an extremely sharp knife.<br />
<br />
I was stunned... a cold feeling crept up from somewhere in my stomach to my heart and finally to my hands...a clammy sweat formed on my forehead, and I reached to check the lost contents of my bag... my keys to the luggage were gone, my money was gone, along with my pretty pink purse, my College Identity card was gone and gone were my train tickets....the one proof that I was a valid passenger in this train.<br />
<br />
I have no memory of how the rest of the night passed except that my co-passengers soon woke up and the Ticket Checker was called and a hundred rebukes and consolations followed. The next two days, I was on a virtual exhibition, people from different ends of the train, kept coming to visit me, my story of how I was robbed had indeed traveled throughout the train... sometimes, they came with consolation, sometimes with inquiries and sometimes with rebukes...whatever it was, they always felt, I had been hugely irresponsible and that these days parents and teachers weren't teaching the stuff that they really needed to teach to kids.<br />
<br />
Unlike these days, when all of us are connected through the miracle called cellular phones, we did not have those back then, and once you were on a train, you could only get in touch with your loved ones when you reached your destination.<br />
<br />
One of my co-passengers had the sense enough to contact the Railway Police and file an FIR (First Information Report)... any theft that had taken place on the train, were to be reported to the Indian Railway Police, these guys had Police Stations stationed in all the train stations and you could contact them on the platform itself. It wasn't much help though... the young Police Constable, noted down with sincerity all that I had to tell, and then rebuked me on my carelessness, taking the time point out that "Gaya" was an extremely unsafe station and his final conclusion was that my parents shouldn't have left me to travel alone... which in a word, did absolutely nothing to help my situation.<br />
<br />
Soon it was the end of our journey, with hours left for the train to reach Mumbai, I was in a bad state... I had lost my Identity card, I had no money to get a cab at the station and to get to my hostel... I had some money in my suitcase, which was locked and the keys had already been stolen... it was a Sunday, and I would not find any locksmith in Mumbai station who would help me in my peril... I was finding no way out... every solution I thought of, needed money, which was safely lying at the bottom of the now "locked" suitcase.<br />
<br />
Sensing my discomfiture, some of my co-passengers tried to lend me money, so that I can at least get to my hostel safely, but where would I again meet them to give the money back... travelers in the train met only once and as one steps off at one's destination, they become a mere memory like the journey, one is undertaking.<br />
<br />
I desperately wanted my suitcase opened, if someone, by any chance could open my suitcase, I would be able to retrieve the money needed, get a taxi back to my hostel, from where I could call up my parents and tell them the whole sorry tale... but all these would be achieved if someone could break the Lock on my suitcase and get the money out... I was desperate, and it is in desperation, always that man turns to pray... no matter, how much I had belittled god that summer, I was desperate for his help now, I prayed feverishly, that somehow, someway, something would happen which could end this sorry situation of mine...<br />
<br />
Now we were only three stations away from Mumbai, a mere hour... I was beyond fear and prayers had long stopped, I had reached a state of "thoughtlessness", if anything such exists, all thoughts, rational and irrational were obliterated from my mind and I stared blankly out of the windows at the passing trees, shrubs and the scenery.<br />
<br />
Suddenly, a young man came into our compartment.<br />
<br />
"Yesterday, I heard, that a robbery had taken place here, who was robbed"? He asked settling himself down at the end of my seat, a little distance away from me...<br />
<br />
"Not a robbery, you could call it a theft", answered the old man seated in front of me.<br />
<br />
I looked at him bitterly, for he had not spoken a single word of consolation and had the gall to rebuke me continuously for the past two days, as if just being senior in age gave him some form of dominance over me.<br />
<br />
" It could have easily been avoided, had she (pointing a bonny index finger towards me) been a little more careful..."<br />
<br />
"How so?", my new enquirer asked<br />
<br />
" Only, she should have kept that bag of her's away from the train windows... nowadays, children seem to have little common sense left in them... studying in such big-big colleges and not an inch of common sense"...<br />
<br />
Again I looked bitterly at him and scowled... this had been his continuous rejoinder, how I did not posses "a single common sense".<br />
<br />
" So what are going to do, when you get to Mumbai ? " the young man asked me now...<br />
<br />
I turned to him, and answered, "I have no clue"... and I really did not... I could hear the old man in front me give a long sigh.<br />
<br />
" Can you suggest any idea ?"<br />
<br />
He looked at me a bit longer and said he could give me some money to get a taxi till my Hostel. I told him plainly, that it was not a solution and there had been others who had pointed out the same.<br />
<br />
"Then what are you going to do?"<br />
<br />
"If only I could get someone to open this suitcase for me, I could take out the money myself "", I said...<br />
<br />
The old man "tch-tched" under his tongue...<br />
<br />
"Why don't you take the money, now, who can open a suitcase in a train ? " came the steady rejoinder.<br />
<br />
" I think I can help you out with that ", the young man replied<br />
<br />
"You can ? " I asked, almost willing to believe him... "Can you open the suitcase for me ?"<br />
<br />
"Yes, why not, I can open it with a safety pin..."<br />
<br />
"A safety pin, where can you get that in a train", the old man snorted. Probably, he was again thinking of rebuking the fellow.<br />
<br />
" Oh I have it, right in my pocket"... and he took it out.<br />
<br />
I stared at him incredulously, I had never before seen any man carry safety pins in his pockets.<br />
<br />
Whatever...<br />
<br />
We heaved up the suitcase, and for some minutes, he fiddled with the lock... after some tense minutes, there was a little "click" and lo and behold, the lock was unlocked and the suitcase lay open in front of me...<br />
<br />
" Here's the lock, I don't think you'll be again able to use it"... he said as he handed me the now broken lock...<br />
<br />
I looked at him and at that moment, I could have hugged him tight... the old man in front of me, was profusely thanking him, and I, in my relief, seemed wordless...<br />
<br />
I just continued to stare at him...<br />
<br />
" All the best for the journey ahead ", he smiled and and left... it was only for an instant, that I noticed piercing blue eyes in his face... then he was gone.<br />
<br />
I fervently opened my suitcase and took out the money and flopped back on my seat...<br />
<br />
Then it occurred to me, I hadn't even thanked him...<br />
<br />
" You could at least have thanked him... he deserved that much... today's girls...!!!" The old man seem now really annoyed with me...<br />
<br />
"Yes I should have... I think I'll find him in the next compartment"...<br />
<br />
I left my suitcase there, in the care of the old man, and snaked through the rows of the compartment, nowhere was my "savior" seated... I even got down at the next station, but he was to be seen nowhere...<br />
<br />
Mumbai came and I alighted, took the taxi back to my hostel, and everything turned out normal...<br />
<br />
But from that day onward, I started believing in God, and also in miracles...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-88835970396423005612013-07-19T08:14:00.000-05:002013-07-19T08:14:19.728-05:00My Life as a Wanderlust... Atheism, Racism, Gandhi and a Writer's Block...!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzN6-ZRjvPI/UekyNZP-bXI/AAAAAAAAAT0/p0ejnmQun8E/s1600/blogimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzN6-ZRjvPI/UekyNZP-bXI/AAAAAAAAAT0/p0ejnmQun8E/s1600/blogimages.jpg" /></a>I have been suffering from an overload of ideas... ok I do know the reason for this though... I have been reading and commenting on too many blogs, too many people are giving me ideas and the true Gemini girl that I am all these ideas are inter playing in my little grey cells... I really do not know which ones to concentrate upon and which ones to leave out.<br />
<br />
Probably this in itself is a kind of Writer's Block. I know the Wikipedia definition of a Writer's Block and that definition mostly blames anxiety and chaos as the top reasons for having writer's block... but what if the writer has too many ideas clogging her grey cells ?<br />
<br />
What then ?<br />
<br />
Anxiety or Chaos...?<br />
<br />
Take for instance, the other day, I came across a webpage on Atheism, and there was this post, a young boy of sixteen had written... the post noted, how, he was an Atheist and how his mother and sister found this particular trait of his to be an oddity and as such a shameful behavior. That post set me thinking... Of course I did my best to console the child and told him that it's best not to discuss ideas that others find appalling, even if, as a human being, you are entitled to have your own ideas... to get his thoughts on paper, to write them down... that had always helped me, and even today, when I am faced with a terrible, situation which is confounding me, like this one, I find it best to put them in words...<br />
<br />
But the post set me thinking... Am I an Atheist ? Does everyone of us have an Atheist in themselves or are we so devoted to our faith that we cannot even grasp the idea of a Godless world ? And then it came to me...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tyZKINFFpyk/UekzjUUwyqI/AAAAAAAAAUI/iHP6hj8Oc8U/s1600/Blog+Images+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tyZKINFFpyk/UekzjUUwyqI/AAAAAAAAAUI/iHP6hj8Oc8U/s1600/Blog+Images+3.jpg" /></a>Probably each of us carry an Atheist and a Believer in us, yes the same two contradicting forces find themselves manifested in the same person. Human beings have developed too much, intellectually and socially, to blindly follow any notion that's forced into them. If we were all devoted, blind, believers of our respective faiths, then science would not have made the advancement that it has made since the invention of fire.<br />
<br />
And if we were so strictly Atheist, religion would not have been an integral part of our lives, hell, sometimes it even rules us... So the incredible truth is Human beings are both believers and atheists at the same time. We are a clever specie... of course the way we have "evolved" is a testament to the fact, we use faith when it suits us and reason, when it does so.<br />
<br />
So think about it, are you strictly an atheist or strictly a believer ?<br />
<br />
In my case I think I am agnostic... I believe in God, but my "god" is made up of all the good deeds and principles, mainly, which I sometimes strive to follow, and sometimes I fail to... Truth, Generosity, Trust, Help, Belief and my parents, these are my GOD... and I do not, never have believed, that there is some big great man or woman sitting up in heaven beyond the skies who's looking after us...<br />
<br />
But anyhow, this post was about my Writer's Block, not about Atheism...<br />
<br />
The second idea that entered my head and troubled my grey cells was one of Racism... actually while growing up in India, I never bothered about this particular ideology until I came to South Africa... I mean this concept actually blew off my mind, when I came here...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4n6A71oM7CU/UekzjY0_wQI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/6tBpLVp7bsI/s1600/Blog+Image+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4n6A71oM7CU/UekzjY0_wQI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/6tBpLVp7bsI/s1600/Blog+Image+1.jpg" /></a>In India, we generally never talk about Race... we talk about Poverty, GDP, Corruption, Education, Rape... (oh my god that IS a big topic), Women's Liberation, and many more, but never about racial inequalities...<br />
<br />
That is a topic, that the western media makes a big hue and cry about... but when I came to South Africa... it was the first time, I was confronted with this notion and how this very vague idea is slowly transforming into a living, breathing reality for me.<br />
<br />
My first interaction with this topic came from my domestic. She is a really nice lady, might I say, a black lady... it is important that I point this out, because, the first day when she and I were indulging in our first introductions, she touched my hand and said to me " I have never worked for this people "... her exact words... first, honestly I didn't understand, and then it came to me, actually it thundered onto me, SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE COLOR OF MY SKIN.... wow... it was the first time, in my 30 years of life that someone has actually commented on my SKIN COLOR...in a way that made me really THINK about it... Actually I should have taken offense, but after saying this, she was smiling at me, and I couldn't help but reply, " This color is of Gandhi, you know Gandhi "... and she nodded her head in enthusiasm... "Oh a great man, great man, he did a lot for us..."<br />
<br />
The most odd thing about this entire conversation was, when she pointed me my color, the first person that came to my mind was the one that my countrymen have generally forgotten, and when I did mention Gandhi, she said, he was indeed a great, great man... my domestic, might I say, is an extremely poor South African Lady....and she knew that Gandhi had done great things for her country...something Indian young men and women have comfortably chosen to forget...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BqzKluZblQ/UekzjOg4qZI/AAAAAAAAAUE/uGMLXNvMH40/s1600/Blog+Image+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BqzKluZblQ/UekzjOg4qZI/AAAAAAAAAUE/uGMLXNvMH40/s1600/Blog+Image+2.jpg" /></a></div>
Anyhow, so these issue are there in my mind and I do not know which one to concentrate upon, Atheism, Racism, India's relationship to Gandhi and his ideals, (well which most Indians think are dead now)... and therefore I am suffering from a Writer's Block...<br />
<br />
Or am I ??<br />
<br />
I really need to find out...<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-80994125928486370122013-07-16T11:49:00.000-05:002013-07-16T11:49:03.612-05:00Taking the control in your hands, a necessary read for all types of women...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-70uiuBP3qww/UeVyQnZDkNI/AAAAAAAAATY/zhv_fQB1m5g/s1600/emergency+contraceptive+pill+image+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-70uiuBP3qww/UeVyQnZDkNI/AAAAAAAAATY/zhv_fQB1m5g/s1600/emergency+contraceptive+pill+image+1.jpg" /></a></div>
I have been thinking about whether to upload this post or not for some time, and then I thought maybe someone in my position would probably find it useful.<br />
<br />
Ok, first of all, this post isn't at all for kids, so if you, my dear reader, is not above 18 please do not read further, ( of course, if you are below 18 and sexually active, then please ignore the former sentence and do read on). Second of all, this post isn't for those who blindly and devotedly believe in religion, whatever faith that might be, if you are a blind follower and believe in your respective religion or faith keeping aside common sense, this post isn't for you. So now that I have given out my mandatory warnings, let me begin...<br />
<br />
I am writing this post primarily for women, for women like me... wherever you are and whatever you do, I hope if you were ever or would be in my position in the foreseeable future, you would find this post helpful.<br />
<br />
I am 30 years old, married (very happy too..!!!) and have just completed a year and two months of marital bliss. As like many other couple who take steps to ensure that extension of the family is well planned, we too have taken some such measures and we follow them scrupulously... not that we don't like children, or we don't want to have them... we love kids, and we would love a family of our own... but not now, not unless we are ready for them... so anyway, one fine night our method of contraception didn't work out as it should have and I faced the terrible consequence of being pregnant with a child. The morning after the beautiful night, both me and my husband realized the gravity of the situation and we started discussing, whether or not to take the "morning-after pill"... now let me tell you straight away, I scoured the internet and numerous blogs, for more information on emergency contraceptive pills, and though I found a lot of information, I did not get a single article or post of a woman, who might have taken the pill herself. No real life account of real women who have taken the pill. That is one of my most important reason of writing this post so that, if someone is in my position, they can come across this blog post and learn about a real life incident, because this is what happened to me.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aEAXSwcimAg/UeVyVB6teKI/AAAAAAAAATg/x3tqCp34Mvc/s1600/Emergency+Contraceptive+Pill+image+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aEAXSwcimAg/UeVyVB6teKI/AAAAAAAAATg/x3tqCp34Mvc/s1600/Emergency+Contraceptive+Pill+image+2.jpg" /></a><br />
Also, please allow me to state here, in my defense, that I am an average healthy woman (touchwood...!!) and I really do not believe in medication of any kind... I was extremely reluctant to take the pill, educated and learned as we were, there were some lingering doubts. Also, although we are followers of the Hindu faith, our religion does not say anything about this... or probably we are not aware of it... anyhow, we really went over every single internet article we could find on the Emergency Contraceptive Pill and its after effects. When we were somewhat sure, that the pill is not life-threatening, I decided to take it.<br />
<br />
I took the Plan B One Step, an Emergency Contraceptive, that can be obtained over the counter in most drug stores in USA, I really don't have much idea, which Emergency Contraceptive Pills are available in other countries, but I am sure, some kind of pill is definitely available.<br />
<br />
I was also extremely doubtful of it's working and wasn't even sure that it'll work... but work it did, and I am extremely glad to say that I did take it and also at the right time.<br />
<br />
I know a lot of women, conceive when they are not ready, or not mentally prepared. Ladies, it's fine, it's not something wrong not to be prepared for a child. And even if it does happen, you still can control it... I am giving below some sites that I had searched when deciding whether or not to take this particular medicine.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://ec.princeton.edu/info/ecp.html">http://ec.princeton.edu/info/ecp.html</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_contraception">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_contraception</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.safersex.co.za/family-planning-Emergency-Contraceptives.htm">http://www.safersex.co.za/family-planning-Emergency-Contraceptives.htm</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/emergency-contraception-morning-after-pill-4363.asp">http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/emergency-contraception-morning-after-pill-4363.asp</a><br />
<br />
These are the sites I visited before I took the "morning-after pill"... it is essentially a very safe medicine. I did not experience any side effects... of course I drank a lot of water for about a week daily after taking the medication and these are not "abortion pills"... If you have the pills, within 72 hours of unprotected physical intimacy, they work absolutely fine. I took them within 48 hours, of course, all the sites I visited said the earlier you take it the better.<br />
<br />
So please, if any of you are in my situation and are confused and you don't know what to do and you are not ready to bring a child into this world, think about this pill... it's supposed to be absolutely safe and does not harm you or your reproductive ability. If you have already conceived, then the pill does not hurt the unborn foetus.<br />
<br />
There are a huge number of unintended or mistimed pregnancies happening all over the world. According to Wikipedia, about 38 percent of all pregnancies in the world are unintended or mistimed. This also results in a large number of maternal deaths and infant deaths. Also the health of the mother and the child could be gravely affected.<br />
<br />
Bringing a child into this world is a huge responsibility, and a lot of educated women like me know this. We all want to give the best of everything to our child, and we should also. Therefore it's even more important to bring a child into this world, when and if you are ready for it. To me, personally, motherhood is the greatest gift nature has endowed on women, and therefore it's a huge and life changing decision for me and I can say, that I am not ready as of yet. All I can say, that if you are not ready to bring a child in this world, take precautions to prevent it. Again, let me stress, that I do not advocate abortion in any case and thus knowing about the options available makes us powerful.<br />
<br />
Also, as this issue is quite sensitive, a lot of you may not be comfortable talking about it to your parents or even friends, I know, for one, I would not have been able to talk about this to my parents... I actually haven't. I don't think these measures were available during their time, and even if they were available, probably it was a sin to even put them into practice.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M9B_kgwibzc/UeVyP_pwwSI/AAAAAAAAATQ/1HJ6OjdLVt0/s1600/Emergency+Contraceptive+Pill+Image+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M9B_kgwibzc/UeVyP_pwwSI/AAAAAAAAATQ/1HJ6OjdLVt0/s1600/Emergency+Contraceptive+Pill+Image+3.jpg" /></a><br />
But times have changed now, now we can really take control of our lives, the way we want to, and that's why I wrote this post. I really hope that this post helps someone who's in need, because trust me, having a real life account helps tremendously... I didn't have it, I hope you do...please if you come across this, do share it because it is only information that makes us powerful.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-61908857621554153272013-07-10T09:11:00.000-05:002013-07-10T09:14:26.361-05:00My Life as a Wanderlust : The Black, The Grey and The White...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1ojzBNG-Vgg/Ud1nluWNdeI/AAAAAAAAAR8/_ZkX6rywgEE/s1600/blogimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1ojzBNG-Vgg/Ud1nluWNdeI/AAAAAAAAAR8/_ZkX6rywgEE/s1600/blogimages.jpg" /></a>It's almost been three months of stay for me and my husband here in South Africa.<br />
Before taking a trip down here, there are two things which we searched about the most.<br />
<br />
First, of course, the places to visit and secondly, Indian Restaurants ( as I mentioned in an earlier blog post, we are foodies of the greatest nature).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCenfXPq_qY/Ud1oiuwSuyI/AAAAAAAAASo/z_qB28Hk2mk/s1600/photo+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCenfXPq_qY/Ud1oiuwSuyI/AAAAAAAAASo/z_qB28Hk2mk/s320/photo+6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
About the first, we haven't been to any of the famous places that one would normally come across while Goggling "South Africa", but I managed to go to the one place that I was hell bent on and which really shook us, it instilled a feeling in us about the place where we are living and the legacy it carried for all of us.<br />
<br />
The place I am talking about is the Apartheid Museum. Anybody who has been to South Africa or plan to visit South Africa, trust me, your journey would remain half complete if you don't visit this place. I am a huge history buff so wherever I go, I make sure that I read some of the nations' history, otherwise not knowing about the country, about it's people, about the legacy, makes me feel incomplete.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BIc-AD-ZLzg/Ud1oh8eHfSI/AAAAAAAAASQ/eIVa4Ibzc7w/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BIc-AD-ZLzg/Ud1oh8eHfSI/AAAAAAAAASQ/eIVa4Ibzc7w/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a>We have all heard of the heinous practice of Apartheid which was taken and practiced as a State Policy here in South Africa and the practice ended only in 1991. A lot of my friends of Facebook, didn't know that Apartheid ended only in 1991, this is extremely recent for people of our age... I mean we were all in school at the time... Anyhow when I had first heard of the place, I made sure, that this was a "must see" on my list.<br />
<br />
I am giving below the link of the Museum's site, if anyone is interested in finding out more, and really the more you know, the more will you be surprised.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/">http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0cWzUvPQAfg/Ud1oiYMJ7rI/AAAAAAAAASk/jyLxfkJm6lI/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0cWzUvPQAfg/Ud1oiYMJ7rI/AAAAAAAAASk/jyLxfkJm6lI/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="320" /></a>The first thing that strikes you is that the tickets that are given randomly distinguish people into Whites and Non-Whites... no there is nothing racial about it, me and my husband are both Asian, we got two tickets, one labelled "White" (Blanke in Afrikaans) and "Non-White" ( Nie-Blanke) and then we had to go through separate doors titled the same, into a tunnel kind of exhibition... this act in itself strikes you as extremely discriminating... it did to me, but that's exactly what used to happen down here. Then there is a passageway and an exhibition showing us enlarged posters of the "Identity cards" that people carried. The thing that felt strange to me was, besides name, and gender, there was the "Ethnic" grouping. Also there was a group called "the chameleons" well, surprising as it may sound, the Apartheid Government termed the Citizens of the country so in 1985. This group of people officially changed their Ethnicity from either "Indians" to Coloured, Coloureds to Indians, Malays to Coloured and so on...<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wLl3sVxXSo8/Ud1oiyVvoVI/AAAAAAAAASw/PYt90BP3LgE/s1600/photo+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wLl3sVxXSo8/Ud1oiyVvoVI/AAAAAAAAASw/PYt90BP3LgE/s320/photo+7.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
When we emerge from this horrendous passage, we are re-united with our co-passengers, who had been passing through another similar tunnel... We emerged into an open courtyard where the Johannesburg sun was shinning down... it felt like a breadth of fresh air... the sensation after passing through a tunnel, the exhibits of which keep reminding you of your Ethnicity, to say the least, is not at all pleasant. I just imagined, what might have been the situation for this country's citizens who had to carry those evil cards at all times which shrieked out distinction and you could do nothing about it...<br />
<br />
There were many, many similar exhibits stating the history of South Africa. The settlement of the Dutch colonists on the western capes of the country, who first trekked up the Highvelds into the interior to set up cities such as Johannesburg and Pretoria, how the English came later and the beginning of the Apartheid ideology which started as an innocent idea to preserve the culture, tradition and the history of the first "Afrikaan" people and then turned into an heinous practice and later into a hated state policy.<br />
<br />
As one passes through the museum, one is time and again reminded of the differences that exist among us, and also reminds us, that it is these differences which unites us rather than divide us... Sure we are different, each and every individual is different, but it is this, that makes us "humans" , if we were all same, we would rather have been machines...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C--DDklKERs/Ud1ohYuRAYI/AAAAAAAAASY/Qej_0g1D1DY/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C--DDklKERs/Ud1ohYuRAYI/AAAAAAAAASY/Qej_0g1D1DY/s320/photo+(6).JPG" width="320" /></a>At the end of all the exhibitions, there is a place, a kind of forest with a huge man-made lake, the clear waters of the lake reflect back at you and you realize whatever our race may be, whatever our color, whatever our language may be, and whatever our religion, we still are "human beings" and that's the only thing that's worthy about us.<br />
<br />
A visit to this place actually makes you evaluate your humanity. It drills into you that no matter how bad the conditions may be, there can still be hope for better...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-29288734484574034192013-06-29T14:58:00.000-05:002013-06-29T15:34:24.269-05:00My Life As A Wanderlust : The Story of a Bong Gastro-Enthusiast !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jswuHjWhmUU/Uc82O-Ci8kI/AAAAAAAAARg/gZEJSg0I4rQ/s275/blogimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jswuHjWhmUU/Uc82O-Ci8kI/AAAAAAAAARg/gZEJSg0I4rQ/s275/blogimages.jpg" /></a>Bengalis have certain typical characteristics to define them... Food, Travel, "Adda" (meaning discussions, yes Bongs discuss everything from communists to capitalists and from socialists to psychoanalysts...), and of course "Kaalture" (culture... for a Bengali, "kaalture kora" (meaning propagating one's culture, is as essential as breathing)...<br />
<br />
So, my husband, an extremely enthusiastic specie of the Bengali clan, who has been long away from the irresistible charms of "rolls", "muglai porota", "puchka", "jhaalmuris" , all of which make up the famous street food of Kolkata.... and of course his favorite Indo-Chinese cuisine consisting of "chowmein and chilly chicken"... even the mention of these, sends my husband into a nostalgic emotional roller-coaster... imagine his wonder and joy, when we discovered an Indian Restaurant, here in Pretoria, which serves authentic Indo-Chinese cuisine.<br />
<br />
Before I go a little further, let me tell you a bit about what an Indo-Chinese cuisine is...<br />
<br />
According to Wikipedia, Indo- Chinese cuisine is the adaptation of Chinese seasonings and cooking techniques into Indian tastes. This cuisine is said to have been developed by the small Chinese community that lived in Kolkata (Eastern Bengal) for over a century. Today it's one of the most well loved and famous cuisines of Kolkata and has become an integral part of every Bengali's food dictionary.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iSAa7YtVldY/Uc82hFA6g7I/AAAAAAAAARo/FRgPSXo5x9g/s225/indo+chinese+cuisine+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iSAa7YtVldY/Uc82hFA6g7I/AAAAAAAAARo/FRgPSXo5x9g/s225/indo+chinese+cuisine+image.jpg" /></a>My Husband is an untiring lover of Chinese cuisine... not the authentic Chinese but the Indo-Chinese cuisine, that I have described above... in his own words, he can have Chinese, day in and day out every single day for his entire lifetime, and never be tired of it... of course, I highly suspect his devotion, but nobody ever comes between a Bong and his food...!!<br />
<br />
So when, we, by mistake, discovered an Indian Restaurant and lo and behold... there was an Indo- Chinese menu, not just separate dishes on the main Menu, but a menu in itself... our joys knew no bound, especially, when I looked at Rahul's glowing face, I knew, this discovery meant a lot, lot more to us than anybody could ever imagine...<br />
<br />
We had traveled almost over almost three continents, Asia, America and Africa, and no where except Kolkata, had we found this particular cuisine... of course we had searched... searched every Indian Restaurant and even the Chinese ones. We ordered with great enthusiasm and waited apprehensively, hoping, almost praying, that our dishes would meet our expectations. We had tried hard, and come far indeed...<br />
<br />
And then they came...<br />
<br />
Our feverish expectations were answered... the dishes were marvelous... we were overjoyed...<br />
<br />
So if any of you gastro-enthusiastics are out there, and any of you want to taste what "Indo-Chinese" cuisine is all about, here in Pretoria (which, sadly does not have a decent Chinese restaurant), please try this restaurant called "Namaskar Restaurant" at Hatfield Corner... the ambiance is beautiful and sophisticated and the food is as I just said marvelous... trust me all those who live near Silver Stream and it's surroundings, it beats any Indian restaurants around...<br />
<br />
So the "foodie" in us is fully satisfied now... we are a couple who love anything related to food, making it, eating it, making others eat it and even seeing shows about it... if you are a foodie like us... try new places, have new cuisines and discover a world where your tongue rules your heart...<br />
<br />
Next on our platter is authentic African cuisine...!!!</div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1319642010535819637.post-26302021469320783192013-06-27T08:31:00.000-05:002013-06-27T08:31:08.508-05:00Me Before You... A Review : Innocence Writ Large...!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a long, long while, I read an out and out love story... and what's more I really liked it... I think it's been over one and a half years, that I have touched anything remotely romantic not even touching the occasional Mills and Boons romance...!!! In terms of reading , I had divulged deeply into autobiographies and non-fiction... a endevour to challenge myself into reading what is "boring" (my words) and "un-engrossing" ( again my words)... well I was doing pretty well and even reversed my thinking about autobiographies and non--fiction, which I now think are deeply engrossing and very interesting, I would go so much in saying that non-fiction actually makes you think, long after you have kept the book down.<div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gGFITeeiESU/Ucw9R9QLFvI/AAAAAAAAARQ/B9e_vbHcWdk/s276/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gGFITeeiESU/Ucw9R9QLFvI/AAAAAAAAARQ/B9e_vbHcWdk/s276/images.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
Anyways, coming back to Me Before You, a novel, that I read recently for our book club, is written by Jojo Moyes, a British author. This is the second novel. Before reading, me and my partners at the book club, we all scrutinize the Amazon reviews... if you see the reviews of the book, the average rating that readers have provided is 4.5 stars... that was intriguing enough... Though a word of caution here... please do not read a book, simply based on the reader's review and definitely not just the reviews of the Amazon readers. They have given an average rating of 3 stars to "A Hundred Years of Solitude"... !!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, coming back to Me Before You... it's a love story... yes, an out and out love story... yes I can already visualize a few yawns, especially in the male readers of this post. But before you think it's just another "girl meets boy romance" (well it is one), it also address a very deep issue of our society : Euthanasia or Mercy Killing... I really loved the way the author has integrated this much debatable topic in the book and it so seamlessly goes with the story.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A brilliant narrative, all of the book is in first person narrative, with the female protagonist's voice writ large. I could not understand why the author chose not to showcase the male protagonist's voice. It would have been quite interesting. The story runs lucidly and the humor is dark, but subtle. I really liked the portrayal of the two main characters and how their relationship shapes up. The other characters in the book are also very interesting. Without giving the story up, I can say this much, that the book, does not mean to preach, nor does it take a judgmental view. The author tells a simple story and leaves it upon the reader to reach their respective conclusion. The story is short but very, very engaging. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I, as a reader, really felt like being in the shoes of the characters. I give due credit to the author, for including the voices of the vital characters apart from the Protagonist... and yes, for a very practical ending... sometimes, when the conclusion does not match the expectation, I really hate the book... but here, it did, and I am grateful to the author for that.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A beautiful story, it's simple, elegant, and innocent. After a long while, I came across such an innocent romance, and I loved every bit of it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Sreerupa Sanyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278902039140858819noreply@blogger.com0