Honor!

What is more important? Meeting the intention behind the rules/laws/rights for which they are set up or merely following them, being bounded?

There is a sense of honor in following the rules, isn't it? 

Withdrawing from personal gains, making sacrifices, following the path of adversary - does generate honour, not many do it!

Be it minute rules like following traffic signal, always reaching office on time, doing what the boss says, always being honest or to be at the line of duty and defending your country at the stake of your life. There is a sense of honor and pride that carries along. 

But what if the rules do not serve the intention or purpose behind setting them? Let's say some smarties twist the rules in a way that they seem right at their position, however the overall outcome or impact is a disaster for others. What would a wise man do in this situation?

One way is to use your wisdom to counter the smarties and find loopholes in their plan so that you can breakaway from their chains in a way that the rules are not broken. But what if one couldn't? The smarties win the battle as they are smarter. 

Rules cannot guarantee that the outcome meets expectation. 

That day in that court, Pandavs, Bhishm, Dronacharya and many others were less smart than Shakuni and the gang. But these were honorable people. Being less smart is not a crime! Valuing your honor more than avoiding a disaster in front of you is! Or what about Draupadi's honour? Defending her honour should had taken precedence to any rules or laws. 

An honourable person may not be smart but shouldn't be a fool to sink in their own honor.

What honor a policeman can have while following orders if he can't protect innocent lives?

What honour an entrepreneur can have if he/she can make money but can't create value for people?

What honor an employee can have following orders of the boss if he/she cannot contribute to the organisation?

French Burqa!

When I see a woman in burqa, my whole attention shifts to her eyes. Beautiful, innocent, serene… and it lets a lot to desire. Generally, these women have glowing skin and when they are entirely wrapped in black, that glowing forehead with beautiful eyes seems to be a deadly combination.

But I know burqa isn't an outfit designed for fashion. My society is full of people who follow Holy books and perform traditions; Burqa is just one of them. Now, I haven't read Quran and don't want to talk about Fatwa or Hijab. I just want to say what I feel. We all have rights to wear what we like but I doubt if any woman likes to wear a burqa. History says that women had faced miserable conditions through ages. There was a time, if a man found a woman beautiful, he would simply abduct her. That could be just one of the reasons for the designing of burqa. However, the French have other designs!

France – the country which created 'The Statue of Liberty' values freedom and equality. Liberty and Equality are the best gifts human can have. But can you impose your gifts on anyone? There are things we do not like but we do follow. I have even asked few Muslim girls the reason for wearing burqa. Their replies were “it's our traditional costume and we have to wear it”. Some even felt proud to wear it. Of course some disliked it as they were made to wear it. There's a very thin line between following your tradition and following your wants. Sometimes, it's difficult to understand and prioritize. But what's the fuss with French?

Time is a great healer to all problems but only if it is allowed to. People who firmly hold their religious values don't allow it to happen. So here comes a French government who wants to act on this. Neither I know their motives behind this nor do I want to. I have my own ideas. I feel burqa is a symbol of untrustworthy. The woman who is wearing it in front of a man doesn't trust that man. The costume we wear depicts our thinking, our nature. Burqa doesn't allow this. It takes away freedom of speech and I doubt if any woman wearing burqa can express her views and messages precisely. Some Analysts say that it contributes to a predisposition for hypovitaminosis D, which can lead to rickets or Osteoporosis and may increase the risk of seizures in infants born to affected mothers.

It's a burden and no woman should welcome it.

lazy journey

I was taking a train from virar to dadar to reach my new ghatkopar office. I saw these two beggar girls singing and playing their instrument. Their comprised age won't be greater than 13. Everyone tried to avoid them. For once, I thought to lend a coin but felt lazy to get my wallet out and also since we just follow the crowd!

As soon as they left our row, my conscience started fighting me. I had to find an excuse to cover my laziness. I started playing thoughts in my mind.

I thought about our society and the processes laid down by humans. Being a kid, we are forced to go to school; we are not allowed to go outside the house. Then we are forced to visit our relatives, forced to be in office everyday. Even if we try to avoid these processes, we would be hit back and forced to follow them. The reason behind this is there’s no other alternative.

In nature’s term, we may avoid our hunger and thirst for few days but since there’s no other source to be alive, we would do everything possible to quench them.

If we don't pay these beggars irrespective of their age, their conditions, there wont be any other alternative left for them besides work. These small kids may be forced to do what they are doing but let us shut this alternative. Let them feel that they can't get anything this way. It may make them fight their masters, who force them to choose this method & sooner or later they may find the natures way.

Hey! Two excuses out of my shear laziness.