When I first moved to Hyderabad, I was appalled by the red spit stains - all along the sides of roads, along staircases, any corner you can think of. When I look back and compare it with our very own Mumbai, I feel that Hyderabad is such a clean place! Here, people don't just spit on corners and roadsides, they spit everywhere!! Take last night for instance, this elderly gentleman spat noisily and gloriously on to the railway platform and happily stepped on it just a moment later. Talk about civic sense.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Ban religious ceremonies in public
Caution: Rather extreme views ahead. Those with delicate sensibilities kindly refrain from reading!
Started for work at 7:30 am and found myself caught in unnatural traffic. The reason - some religious procession. There should be a ban on all religious processions at decent hours. And that includes the much celebrated Ganesh Puja, which is just a nightmare for people trying to get home after a hard day's work. I really don't understand why people have to publicly display their religious affectations. And its even worse when some god-man comes into town and thousands of people throng to meet him. Do people have such low self confidence that they need reassurance from some guy who has turned God and religion into a money spinning racket? Having lost the emotional crutch that's faith, I really envy those who do. But please, faith is an internal expression, something so private that public display only demeans and cheapens it.
Started for work at 7:30 am and found myself caught in unnatural traffic. The reason - some religious procession. There should be a ban on all religious processions at decent hours. And that includes the much celebrated Ganesh Puja, which is just a nightmare for people trying to get home after a hard day's work. I really don't understand why people have to publicly display their religious affectations. And its even worse when some god-man comes into town and thousands of people throng to meet him. Do people have such low self confidence that they need reassurance from some guy who has turned God and religion into a money spinning racket? Having lost the emotional crutch that's faith, I really envy those who do. But please, faith is an internal expression, something so private that public display only demeans and cheapens it.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Cats & Dogs
The first thing that I noticed when I moved into my place almost 2 years ago was the abundance of cats. Browns, greys, stripes, blacks and patchy whites all crowded around the garbage collector as she went about her daily work. A shaggy, scarred tom would go about disciplining the females and the kittens, fending off younger toms who tried to encroach into his territory. Once I even caught him engaged in frenetic copulation with one of the females (a fascinating sight - like miniature lions). Those among you who have seen cats doing it in broad daylight, please raise your hands! The dogs were conspicuous by their absence.
For the past few months, a pack of stray dogs have taken over the street. The cats have dispersed, the big tom is the only one who dares to strut before the canine conquerors. Given a choice, I'd choose a dog over a cat for a pet any day, but its far less of an annoyance to have stray cats patrolling your streets than dogs. I miss the cats!
For the past few months, a pack of stray dogs have taken over the street. The cats have dispersed, the big tom is the only one who dares to strut before the canine conquerors. Given a choice, I'd choose a dog over a cat for a pet any day, but its far less of an annoyance to have stray cats patrolling your streets than dogs. I miss the cats!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Starting over
Recently, someone told me that he was surprised that I wasn't writing about Mumbai. Well, I started this for that purpose, but couldn't find the time to blog regularly. Another attempt.
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