यह प्यार एक ऐसा जस्बात है 

जिस से रिश्तों का मौथाज बन न पडता 

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Unpaid labour

As I am writing this post, I am making a mental note to inform you that I am a liberal feminist, and therefore believe that the notion of gender is a socially constructed one. I believe that men and women are equal but have been constructed mentally to believe that men are stronger, smarter than women or that women are more sensitive, emotional than men. If this were absolutely true, then there would be no exceptions to this rule, and yet there are.

So having said my point, now I will come to the matter that has been bugging me. Well, not really bugging me but I've been thinking about it. It seemed really unfair when I came across with this statement that said that men contribute mostly to the economy, men's contributions to this and to that, etc. It seems unfair because, to think about it (as the phrase goes), 'behind every man there is a woman' helping him achieve that contribution... Be it a mother, wife, sister or aunt. Anyone!

Why is it they are 'behind' the man? Shouldn't it be beside the man? Is it always about the man? The son? The husband? If they never have had any women 'behind' then, they wouldn't have contributed this much to the economy in the first place. Women are, in short, doing unpaid labour. And it is not mostly labour of love, but of slavery, sorry to say. They are slaves to their own low self-esteems. 

But I wouldn't say the same for the females today. I think they are actually more arrogant than men in some aspects. My belief is that, if the man is a really good person, then doing all the household work for him, cooking for him, cleaning for him, would become a labour of love. But if the man is arrogant, egoistic, and conceited, then I say dish the labour and be more selfish! However, today the females are dishing their labour even when the man is really good.

And would it kill the guys to learn some cooking? I think the age of shared house-keeping is here as both the spouses are going to work... I am sick and tired of hearing and watching people constantly bickering about this.

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Random...

I don't make it a point to comment about movies extensively. Neither am I going to do this for this post. But I just want to say something here. Please go watch Neninthe telugu movie on youtube, which comes with subtitles in english.

It is a movie about cinema. It actually made me re-think my pre-conceived notions I had on cinema. A good movie overall.

On the side note, I can't wait to go to my new house!! :) Sigh...

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एहसास

इतने पास फिर भी इतनी दूर 

इतना स्पष्ट फिर भी इतना कलंक 

कैसे बताऊँ मैं

इस एहसास का मतलब?

ऐसा चमत्कार मेरे ज़िन्दगी में आया 

मेरे मन का अँधेरा को साफ़ किया

अरे मोरा कान्हा!

सिर्फ आप है इसके कारण!

हे गोविंदा!

हे कृष्णा!

हे केशवा!

आपकी आशीर्वाद सदैव हम सब पर रहे!

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Heer Ranjha

The song Ranjha Ranjha has really fascinated me. I was wondering what the name 'Ranjha' meant and did a small google search. I also found its roots in a Punjabi classical song. Just listen to this:

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The first two lines are the same from the song in Raavan. Fascinating isn't it? Also the story of Heer and Ranjha is a famous one in Punjab! Once again, it is a famous love story just like all the Romeo-Juliet, Laila-Majnu kinda stories we have heard so far:

"Heer was an extremely beautiful woman born in a wealthy family "Sayyal". Ranjha (Teedo) was the youngest of four brothers, after a confrontation with his brothers, Ranjha left home and travels around and comes to Heer's village, where he found his love, Heer, who offered him a job to take care of there cattle. Having met Ranjha, Heer became mesmerised by the way Ranjha played the flute (Wanjli) and eventually fell in love with him. They would meet each other secrectly for many years until they were caught by her jealous uncle "Kaido" and parents (Chuchak & Malki). Heer was forced to married to another man "Saida Khera", with the full permission of "Mullah" (priest), who was well-payed by Kaido.

Ranjha was left broken hearted and left to walk the quiet villages on his own until eventually met a Jogi (devoted beleiver in God). Having entering Gorak's Tilla (Shrine) Ranjha could only see his departed lover and being emotionally scared he voluntarally became a Jogi. Reciting the name of the Lord "Allakh Naranjjan" on his travels around the Punjab he found the village, where he was reunited with Heer. They escaped (also with Saida Khera's sister "Sehti", who was in love with "Murad Baluch" - an another famous love story of Punjabi Culture) but was caught by Maharajah's police. Maharajah punished him to jail but same night whole city was in flames. Maharajah freed Ranjha and permitted him to marry with Heer.

They came back to Heer's Village, where Heer's parents agreed to their marriage. On the wedding day, Heer's jealous uncle, "Kaido" poisoned her so the wedding wouldn't take place. Having heard the news Ranjha rushed to aid Heer but was too late as she died. Ranjha becoming broken hearted once again and died on her grave." 

The song is amazing and it does not bore you no matter how many times you listen to it! 

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Water from heavens above

Waves of water splashed onto me

But I didn't feel a thing at all

'Cos there was a glass between me

And the water from heavens above

A child separated from the mother

A lover separated from the beloved

A friend separated from the dear one

Such was my state

In the event of the downpour

~Priya~

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Talking to myself

I've tried imagining a world without all those man-made things. I realized simply how many things man has made up! That is a lot of things you know! Just imagine... Whatever is left behind that is not man-made would be the Earth with its trees, plants, and all other living organisms, and finally the humans who are just part of the 'other living organisms'. What is it that separates the humans from the rest of the things that are not man-made are those that are man-made; meaning the things that came out of man; out of his mind. And if you further reduce the entire universe into its basic constituents, you end up with the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and space; from the gross to the subtle.

Yet we take so much effort to beautify our lives, which if you think in comparison to the grander scheme of events, is utterly insignificant. We make so much fuss about all the problems in life, which will seem silly if you just make a small comparison with that problem and the wider scheme of things. This kinda reminder would always serve its purpose in case our ego gets inflated and blinds our discriminative capacity. Instead of getting too entangled into the problems in life, just think of where you stand with reference to the universe, then your problems become insignificant. The 'heck care' attitude is the best!

But that doesn't mean that you disregard your 'to-be-done' duties. Life should be lived according to your wishes but if certain things are to be done then then they have to be done! Just go on with your life, enjoy it, and then later forget it. Probably that is why we end up with Alzheimer's in old age...

(This blog post is for myself. Me talking to me. I didn't mean it for anyone else.)

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The making of a graduate

Life seems to be free and open from where I stand now. I have completed my university education and I'm not thinking of what to do in life next. Of course, I have to go and find a job and start working. I will do just that. But I've come to realize that research is not something that I would want to do for the rest of my life. I have other interests to pursue. With God's blessings, I hope I will be able to achieve what I set out for. 

I wouldn't say that the struggle for life begins now that I have graduated. Instead, I see my whole life ahead of me, inviting me with open hands, for me to go and achieve whatever I want to! I feel that I have been empowered to seek whatever I want in life and achieve it. Was it the university education, or my friends, or the books I read, I don't know. But I feel like I've grown so much and yet still not grown fully. There is lots more in life to learn, I realize!

Neither am I scared of my future prospects. Whatever it is, I will have to face it. All I have to do is never to loose sight of my individuality. Easier said than done... Sigh. 

Wish me luck!

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That I am

I am not a daughter.
I have never been one.

I am not a woman.
I have never been one.

I am not a human.
I have never been one.

I am not my thoughts
I am not my feelings
I am not my memories
Neither am I my mind

I am not my values
I am not my opinions
I am not morality personified
Neither of these I am.

Who, then, am I?

I am birthless.
I am immortal.
I am infinity.
That I am.

I am existence.
I am consciousness.
I am bliss.
That I am.

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Random...

Hi everyone! I'm posting after a long long time! Nope! I've not forgotten my child, that is my blog... :) I wanted to start this new chapter in my life, cos I'll be graduating soon from NUS, with an article review. Basically, I'm just gonna respond to an article I came across, which hurt me a little. You can read it here.

This article, in summary, is written by an Indian Poly student. He is not happy with the increasing influx of foreigners, especially Indians from India. The following are the reasons he quotes, and my responses along with them:

1) Many Singaporean students felt they were being denied the chance to be the first in the subjects and tests. Shouldn’t public schools be focusing on nurturing our own talents?

-  Denying the chance to be the first? You will be the first, if you deserve the place. You are never behind in any race. All the students, regardless of whether they are from China or India or any other country, have the same brain, the same functioning capability, and the same fundamental concepts taught to them. Eventhough they come from another country, they undergo the same education under our system as all of us. But they can perform better because of their individual skills and not because they have come from China or India. 

- Scholarships are also provided to the locals, mind you. Meritocracy rules here in Singapore! Nothing else!

2) Similar to the situation between PRCs and Singaporean Chinese, there is very little in common between Indian PRs and us. Little India has been all but overrun by them. Local Indians now try to stay away as far as possible. We have been crowded out from the restaurants, markets and temples.

- If "foreign" Indians have not at all been allowed into Singapore, then there would be no Little India, there would not be this many temples as they would all have to be closed down due to low incomers, as of the markets no need to say anything at all. Foreigners form an integrate part of our land. Infact, to think of it, all of us were initially foreigners. Because we had never always been in Singapore. Most of us have come from either India, Malaysia, Burma, China, etc. a few generations back. So in that case, ALL of us are foreigners...

3) Most PRs who come from India are not Tamil-speakers and generally look down on South Indians, who Tamils belong to.

- I agree to this statement to an extent only. Because this happens in India as well. Not just in Singapore. Northerners do have a certain condescendence regarding their skin colour being akin to Westerners. However, we cannot generalise and say this is true of all non-Tamil speaking Indians.

4) There is a belief among Indian PRs that they are in demand to work in Singapore because the local Indians are not as good as they are, and therefore they behave with a sense of superiority and snobbishness.

- This one, I'm not entirely sure of. Again a sweeping statement is made about the foreign Indian PRs. I am not defending anyone here. But only telling you not to speak of it, without showing proper evidence. Even if this might be true in the initial stages, Indian PRs do learn to accept and live with the rules and regulations set by fellow Singaporeans.

5) The scourge of castes has completely disappeared in Singapore. We see each other as Indians and nothing else. But these PRs are bringing in their prejudices from India and corrupting our local culture.

- Hello! Have you forgotten that you are an Indian too?? Remember that you are an Indian with a close or distant Indian origin! The caste system will never disappear completely, not in India and not in Singapore. It is a fact of life and part of life, it will exist. Nothing can be done about it. In what way are they corrupting our local culture? So are you telling that the Chettiar Temples in Tank road and the Sithi Vinayagar one have corrupted our local culture?? Please think before you pen down your thoughts to a newspaper for publication!

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