7/10 ?

"The court was adjourned till July 10, when the defence will be allowed to make its final arguments, a penultimate step before the verdict is declared."

So what do you think will happen on July 10?

Vying for the top post!

India recently officially announced the candidature of Shashi Tharoor, Under Secretary-General for Communication and Public Information for the post of the UN Secretary-General. Shashi Tharoor, London born Indian, is a very strong candidate, considering that he has been with the UN since 1978 with numerous achievements in his fray and is a well-known writer and diplomat.

Tharoor is a veteran at the UN and has occupied various positions since 1978. If elected Tharoor, 50, would be one of the youngest Secretary-generals of the UN. He is said to be pro-reform and committed to UN ideals. Moreover through an unwritten convention of rotation of the post, it is now Asia's turn to have a candidate in the topmost chair. The other Asians in the fray are Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Surakiart Sathirathai, South Korean Foreign Minister, Mr Ban Ki-Moon and Sri Lanka’s Mr Jayantha Dhanapala.

Surprised by the announcement and considering its impact on India's international standing, Pakistan is trying to play the spoil-sport. It is being claimed by Pakistan that there is no tradition of a large country fielding its candidate for the post or any country seeking both the top post of the world body and permanent membership of the Security Council. However India has rubbished this claim and said that as India is not yet a permanent member of the Security Council and has no veto powers, it can have its candidate for the post. According to PTI reports, reacting to this claim Tharoor said "On the contrary, the world deserves as broad a choice as possible." He is also reported to have said that the claim about no big country fielding its candidate is rubbish for there has been an Egyptian Secretary-General. Pakistan is reportedly trying to field a woman candidate, Nafis Sadik, who is the special adviser to the UN secretary-general as well as the secretary-general’s special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. She is also a member of the secretary-general’s High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. There has been no female Secretary-General till date and according to Equality Now she is one of the qualified female leaders. If this move plays off, Pakistan can gain itself not only a Secretary-General, but also the benefit of having fielded a woman candidate. Not long ago, the Pakistani President had come under strong ridicule for his views on women. This could prove to be a major diplomatic victory for Pakistan.

India can however hope to have the support of the permanent members of the Security Council. (The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Security Council. Therefore, the selection is subject to the veto of any of the five permanent members of the Security Council.) The present civil nuclear energy deal and the general cordial phase of relations with the US, augurs well of US support for India. London would not be far off, considering its relations with the US and also amiable relations with India. Russia has been an almost consistent friend of India, and therefore its support is being considered strongly possible. China's recent "commitment" to forming "more strategic and cooperative ties" with India is being interpreted positively by some analysts.

Another important country, Japan has been a supporter of India in its bid for a permanent membership of the Security Council and one can be hopeful of its support for Mr Tharoor. Though there are other countries that India would need to work upon and lobbby hard.

October would be what the Indian officials and those lobbying for Tharoor would watch out for, for it is generally then that the process starts and continues.

Considering India's growing international stature, it would serve it well to have its man in the highest chair of the UN at this juncture. The Security Council permanent membership is apparently a distant dream and so having an Indian as the Secretary-general would surely increase India's clout.

Update: Tharoor's take on his candidacy.

Tagged!!

The not-so-weird-but-hallucinating-about-being-weird Nirwa tagged me the other day. She wants me to write 5 weird things about myself!! Come on now Nirwa, you know I am not weird!

But anyways, it's impolite to not respond to tag, so here I go.

1. I don't know if I am weird or the people who do it are. But somehow it happens again and again. Many people I come across, many of them senior colleagues, or even my seniors in college tend to kinda ruffle my hair! Not always but once in a while, when you are least expecting it. Its something like you do (or want to do) to kids when they smile that cute stupid smile!!

2. This is again not exactly weird but it seems weird to people who are victims of it (I myself being one of them!). They fight, argue, debate, deny and what not, but most of the times they come back and lay down their arms and accept what I say. Well... I am talking about these 'feelings' that I get about people. I might not know them personally, they can be complete strangers like SRK would be to me, they can be my friends, people I come across in restaurants...... any human being for that matter. Somehow I get this 'feeling' about that person being in love with, or liking, or having a crush on some other particular person. I can have that feeling for both of them together and I don't need to see them together for it. Infact recently I had a 'feeling' about two bloggers and my God! there were chances of some truth being in it! (hint* hint*) It gets scary at times, because once I 'felt' about Abhishek-Ashiwarya and the next week there was a report in the papers about them being a couple!!! Weird is it?

3. When I think or talk to myself I generally talk in either German or English! Not marathi which is my mother tongue. Why?

4. This might be happening to quite a few people, but at times I think its really weird that people think this about me. And also really weird that it happens or I do it. Well....ummm...it's like.... I blush a lot! I say I smile, but people think I am blushing. It's just that being fair enough I get red whenever I smile or laugh, its not blushing, is it? But I get smiled and teased because I blush so much. (Of course there are people who love my smile *blush* *blush*)

5. And again not exactly weird but weird. Probably you might have thought of it by now. You might be saying to yourself right now, get to the point girl, itni sari backgrounding or base kyu de rahi ho. But people, that's how it is. I am weirdly addicted to adding a lot of prefixes, prefaces, introductory remarks vagera vagera whenever I have to make a point. I jsut can say... "I have a weird habit of doing XYZ". This sentence will come last or somewhere in between, but never first. It will have a long prefixing sentences or words.

Phew! That's a lot of embarrassment for one day. I think I will pass on the buck to some more and feel happy that I am not the only one who's embarrassed. So...

1. Chetan(if that's the only way you can be made to update your blog, I wont skip the chance ;)),

2. Gaurav (if you belong to COEP you got to be weird!),

3. Ashuthosh(who's reportedly so brilliant, I am sure he must have streaks of weirdness)

4. ?! Dubious Moves (becuase the name itself is so weird)

5. Of course the one and only "he who should not be named"! ;)

"Kyun na is dosti ko..."

One of my friends is all set to marry her 'best friend' next week. Both of them are very excited, impatient and hoping the D-Day arrives immediately! Having known both of them since college, I know they make a lovely compatible couple. However there is something that keeps nagging me.

Both of them started out as friends and in due course of time were deeply in love. Their courtship was full of fun, coffees and fights too [being friends keeps you aware of the other’s love life ;)] In time the wedding was fixed, and since then things have nagged me. Now, both are normal rational people madly in love. And they are also ‘friends’. This ‘claim’ nags me. I mean over the years I have seen both of them change distinctly and the relationship turning into more of a love relationship. The ‘friend’ factor seems to have diminished. During conversations with my friend I have noticed initially subtle and now increasingly pronounced traces of the friendship receding. Even when in a group the difference is evident; not in terms of coochicooing and stuff – as such they are against ‘public display’ and there have never been any embarrassing situations when in a group. But still one could make out that the ‘friend’ factor in their behavior, their conversations, their body language had changed. They were friends only because they were girlfriend-boyfriend and not husband-wife.

There are many couples who start out as friends and claim to be friends all through their lives. Sometimes even the best of friends! Films also promote this theme – college friends falling in love, “dosti ko rishtedari mein badal de” etc etc. Lines like “I want to make friendship with you” (that’s horrible English!!) with an intention of nothing else but flirting or dating are common. It’s a routine for friends to fall in love. My only concern is do they continue to be friends all their life? The words ‘girlfriend’ or ‘boyfriend’ imply that the couple are friends to each other, but are they? Do the sweet nothings and intimacies make the ‘couple’ factor dominate? Is then the ‘friendship’ hibernating only to blossom later? Even when after a few years the initial attraction and love is lost, is the friendship alive?

And then what is this being ‘friends’ all about? Does it mean that you share a wavelength, understand each other considerably and enjoy each other’s company? Or is it all about a good dialogue about varied issues of interest to them together or individually? Is it about going out, having similar experiences, sharing them and having fun? What exactly is it to be friends when being a couple?

Many people I have come across usually end up being engrossed in trying to be the best partner, a good lover, a good spouse. I have hardly ever seen people taking efforts at trying to be good friends. Most want to be politically correct. Many are scared of instability and the relationship going sour, so they end up playing it safe. Try to please the other. According to me between friends these things do not matter. You might never want the friendship to go sour but you are usually frank about your thoughts, don’t necessarily play it politically correct, diplomatic at all times. You don’t necessarily try to please the other; don’t forgo your desires for them.

And so I wonder if my friend is really marrying her ‘best friend’ or her ‘erstwhile best friend’!?!

All for the 'Vansh'

I have nothing against film lyrics. I firmly believe that it's a skill, an art to actually be able to churn out 'prose-on-demand'. I really do appreciate our film lyricists' hardwork. But at times they do work a bit too hard.

I recently came across one such song from the film Vansh.

"Aake teri bahonmein har sham lage sinduri
Mere man ko mehekaye tere man ki kastuuurieee... (sung by both the artists one after the other, each sentence repeated twice... thrice)
Meheki havaye udata achal
Lat ghungarali kale badal ..... aaaaaa......(twice)(male)
Premsudha nainose barse
Pi lenneeko jeevan tarse (female)
Bahonme kass lene de
Prit ka chumban dene de (fast! I mean the speed of the song!!)(twice)
In adharonse chalak na jaayee
Yauvanras angooriieeee.... (twice)(male)
Aake teri........ (duet)......aaaaaaa.......
Sundartaka beheta sagar
Tereliye hai rupaki ghagar......oooooo....(twice)(female)
Indradhanush ke ranga churau
Teri suuni mang sajau (male)
Do pholonke khilneka
Waqt yahi hai milneka (fast!)(twice)
Aaja milke aaj mitaaadeeee
Thodisiye duuuuuriiieeee... (twice)(female)
Aake teri...... (duet)(repeated till death!!)

Granted that the song is supposed to be a love song, something intimate between the lovers in the film. I haven't seen the picturisation, but the typical Kamal Hasan - S P Balasubramanyam songswala music and the tune and intonations etc are sufficient for me to picturise enough. I can see them on a hill in the typical "traditional" dhoti and sari-worn-like-a-dhoti attire with smoke envloping them at strategic words in the song. If it were to be remixed and picturised I am sure our item girls would search for "cover".

Today there are numerous (or is it all?) songs that would put this song to shame with their vulgarity and lewedity. Songs that give elaborate lessons in human (read female) anatomy and ensure that no mortal is ignorant to its "rights and needs." However to me this song is supreme! The creeps it gave me........ no Mallika Sherawat has ever been that far!! Sometimes euphemism can be worse than the strongest of words!

And so now I have a mission. The mission of my life. An investement for the 'birds and bees'. I am going to create a library of all such songs, songs that give me the creeps (songs that give me everything else can wait)... so that tomorrow my kids can have the greatest 16th birthday gift ever!

P.S. This post is not meant to offend or cast aspersions on any'body'.

Thinking aloud

It's been two years since 'he' shifted base and we began this phase of being in a long distance relationship. Two years since 'he' became a voice, a photograph. Having seen and heard of long distance relationships collapsing within the first few months, I take it as a big moral booster that 'we' are going stronger than ever before. There have been the ups and downs, innumerable debates and lots of tears, but each time I feel it adds to the relationship, to our understanding of each other, to the trust and love that binds us.

And yet now that the judai is nearing its end, I find myself scared of the entire prospect of meeting 'him' in person. The seven seas do not restrict or dampen our daily communications. If we are to meet tomorrow the conversation would be a continuation from where we left off yesterday. But then I am mighty scared of meeting 'him' in person.

I fear I have fallen for the distance. The fact that an email or phone call though capable of conveying everything also gives me a chance to veil and shield uncomfortable and disturbing facts, feelings and thoughts is very comforting. The feeling of being in a relationship and yet having your own space (lots of it!) is enticing. Two years is a long time for anyone to fall in love with that feeling.

And most importantly the fact that after two years each one of us must have changed in ways that cannot be conveyed through phone calls and emails. Things that might not have been anticipated, that the other could never have even dreamt of, matters of habit, changes in thought processes due to cultural differences…. lots of things that could surprise and shock. In such a situation when you meet the person with the old image in mind, and also the understanding that things might have changed, how do you react? A restrained reaction could be interpreted for lack of love? A fear, some awkwardness due to years of distance... how does one count for it? How does one assure oneself that such differences are minor and would not harm the relationship? How does one stop worrying and wondering about various scenarios that might arise, that one might rather avoid?

I fear all this and so I communicate. 'We' talk ceaselessly about all our fears, apprehensions and plans. Nothing is left unsaid. But we know it's humanly impossible to communicate everything one thinks of. The probability of things a human mind can conceive out of things left unsaid is immense. It could be subconscious, but it's there. It impacts our behaviour, our interpretations. It impacts the relationship.

Add to it leaving behind your family, your city, everything you have grown up with and shifting base to a completely new country, a new culture; what are the repercussions of it on the relationship? Do you channelise your energies towards adjusting and adapting to the new environment or do you worry about your relationship more? Do you try to overcome the homesickness, the loneliness, the unprotectedness or do you worry about what you are saying to your partner, your choice of words, your choice of actions? Do you try and be pleasing to him/her because he/she's been away for so long, away from you and family and friends and so has naturally suffered a lot emotionally; or do you concentrate on the apprehensions of your parents about sending you so far off, their concerns for your safety, their expectations about your conduct there? What do you do when you suddenly find yourself in a new country with your parents', your partner's and your own expectations piling up on all sides? Who do you turn to? Yourself? Do you expect your parents to understand? Do you expect your partner to stand by you, guide you because he/she has been through some of it and so could give you time to sort out things for yourself? Do you be a bystander and let things take their own course? Who takes the onus for anything that goes wrong? What do you do?!!