Yes We Can

India is buzzing right now. All thanks to Anna Hazare who's caught the imagination of the people of India, along with the changes he wants to make, to make India a better place.

Anna Hazare is a social activist who today, is walking the Gandhian path, to try and bring about a much needed change in our corrupt political system. He's fasting till death, if need be, to bring a change in a proposed bill which just might end corruption in India forever.

Now I am not someone who understands the fine print of all this political or social jargon. But I do understand that something big is unfolding here. People are up and ready to support his cause and seem to be speaking in the same voice for a change. They all want to see the change that he is talking about.

We Indians normally have a chalta hai attitude when it comes to moving our butt. We're mostly talk, with very little action, especially when it comes down to brass tacks. But for now people seem to be really tuned in to all that he is saying, wanting a change and ready to do whatever it takes to get it.

He's making the headlines, trending on all social networking sites, is the most important piece of news. He's got the whole country talking about it.....for now!

Being a skeptic though I wonder if we Indians can sustain this crusade. In just over 36 hours the IPL will start. Will we still be concerned? Or will this be a forgotten story? Only time will tell if indeed we have what it takes to say......Yes We Can!

My One Minute Of Fame

I would not call  myself a narcissist but at times the streak surfaces and takes over. This is one such moment and I am dying to tell you all about my one minute of fame.

The Times Of India is running a campaign called A Day in the Life of India where they've invited all Indians to participate by giving their take on India in the form of a photo, video, cartoon or joke and anecdotes. The chosen entries are published on their website and the best ones are published in their newspaper.

A friend sent me a link to their website telling me to submit something from the hundreds of "rubbish" photos that I have. So I thought why not and submitted a couple of photos that I had taken in one of the categories.

And guess what? One of my photos actually got picked up and published on their website. OMG I was so thrilled walking on cloud nine the whole day. People who've read the earlier entries of this blog will be familiar with that photo since I wrote a post on it called This Happens Only In India

So please forgive my tiny streak of narcissism and check out My One Minute Of Fame where ahem ahem (collar up) I got published.

Jai Hind

Today India celebrates Independence day and I am a proud Indian. So I thought I'd share this song on the blog to mark the day. It's one of my favorite songs from the movie Purab Aur Paschim. Happy Independence Day and Jai Hind.

It’s Not Rocket Science

I am bewildered at the way this country works. Seriously. Someone, somewhere thinks (or not) in a way that's beyond me.

A few months ago the area in front of our lane was cemented. Very good.....they’re thinking of ways to make the city look cleaner. A few weeks ago the road in front of my house was re-laid. Even better. And then guess what? They start DIGGING.

They dig all the cement out (some new drain being made in order to harvest rain water) and pile all the mud on to the road. I mean forget about the fact that this is the rainy season....that’s normal coz they always dig roads during this time. The whole dug out mud washes on the newly laid road making a total mess of it.

To add insult to injury, they don’t even work on it every day. A whole stretch is out of action making it very difficult for all of us to park our cars plus traffic is a mess. In over a week they haven't done 10 yards.

Forget about our inconvenience. Can they not figure out for themselves that they just wasted all the money that went into cementing and relaying? Can they not think and plan better? I mean come on......it’s not rocket science!

This Happens Only In India

I took this picture a couple of days ago, you can guess looking at it, at a railway station. And believe you me, I was struck dumb though I should not have been. After all this is India.

Nizamuddin Railway Station, platform number 1, the train just pulling in and we have not just these two in the picture but a whole lot of donkeys strolling through the platform as though this is something that they do on a daily basis.

They probably do....but I saw it for the first time and frankly all I could do was shake my head in wonder and gape at them.....dumbfounded.

What's more, one poor donkey somehow managed to get off the platform on to the track in the path of the approaching train and was on his way to donkey heaven with all of us watching in horror when someone, probably one of the owners, came to his rescue and pushed him on to the next track.

I must say.......this happens only in India!