I have changed aplenty in the past one year. Much more than I had ever thought I would.

I have become a much more private person - I hardly speak to anyone

I don't travel or go out.

I don't socialize.

I don't read books

I don't watch as many movies.

The above activities used to take up most of my non-office time. Now I don't indulge in any of them.

I have also become wary of my online presence. To come to think of it, someone having access to passwords of my 3 accounts -Google, Facebook, and Amazon can know a lot more about me than I would care to divulge. 

If I were to eat beef, would I be found out by government toadies and hacked to death?

If I made a casual remark about Bal Thackrey in my private chats with a friend, would I be beaten on the streets of Mumbai?

I think online privacy is a far more important and worrisome issue than it is being heeded to. 

****

I watch a lot of Jon Stewart clips on Youtube. What an amazing guy he was!!

Why can't we have someone like him in India who can speak truth to power?

कुछ शहर के लोग भी ज़ालिम थे
कुछ हमें भी मरने का शौक़ था 

Art

is what you live for 

A Poison Tree by William Blake

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night.
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole,
When the night had veild the pole;
In the morning glad I see;
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

I first read it here 

Normalcy

should not be taken for granted

should not be undermined

might not be a reason to celebrate
but plenty to be thankful for

किताबों पर धूल जमने से कहानी कहाँ बदलती है

I would rather be stupid

and happy ..

I would rather be somewhere else

hence
I'm miserable here

?

Do you seek solace from others' misery?

एक टुकड़ा ज़िन्दगी

एक टुकड़ा आसमान
एक टुकड़ा ज़मीन

एक टुकड़ा महताब 
एक टुकड़ा आफ़ताब

एक टुकड़ा ख़ुशी
एक टुकड़ा सुकून

एक टुकड़ा हसरत
एक टुकड़ा कैफियत

एक टुकड़ा दोस्ती
एक टुकड़ा मुहब्बत

एक टुकड़ा तुम
एक टुकड़ा हम

रूह देखी है कभी?

रूह देखी है कभी?

रूह को महसूस किया है?

जागते जीते हुए दूधिया कोहरे से लिपट कर

साँस लेते हुए उस कोहरे को महसूस किया है?



या शिकारे में किसी झील पे जब रात बसर हो

और पानी के छपाकों में बजा करती हों टल्लियाँ

सुबकियाँ लेती हवाओं के वो बैन सुने हैं?


चौदहवीं-रात के बर्फ़ाब से चाँद को जब

ढेर से साए पकड़ने के लिए भागते हैं

तुम ने साहिल पे खड़े गिरजे की दीवार से लग कर

अपनी गहनाती हुई कोख को महसूस किया है?

जिस्म सौ बार जले तब भी वही मिट्टी का ढेला

रूह इक बार जलेगी तो वो कुंदन होगी

रूह देखी है कभी, रूह को महसूस किया है?

-- गुलज़ार

You Are Lucky If...

your life is not driven by fear or guilt

All things shining.

Where is it that we were together?

Who were you that I lived with? 

The brother. 

The friend. 

Darkness, light.

Strife and love. 

Are they the workings of one mind? 

The features of the same face? 

Oh, my soul. 

Let me be in you now. 

Look out through my eyes. 

Look out at the things you made. 

All things shining.

-- Thin Red Line (Movie)

Happy Birthday, Dear Friend

This blog turned 9 years old today.

2017 wasn't the best of years I've had and I could ask for some break.

Nothing significant happened on the surface, yet so much went wrong.

It was some year. Last year, I  managed 52 posts.

I write more when I'm sad - which obviously reflects in the writing.

My friends who blogged don't do it much often these days. I don't meet them up or call them often either. Not entirely their fault.

From my MNIT days, this blog continues to this day. Probably one of the very few things that hasn't changed in the past 9 years.

I hope that this blog lives, and lives well - without much sadness that I've filled it with.

?

There are things you know
And there are things you understand

Can you differentiate between the two?