Every time I have an encounter with the richie rich class of Delhi, I am appalled...........No no I am not jealous of their money or designer clothes and jewellery and the luxury cars but at their obvious lack of decorum and etiquette. Recently I had the pleasure of attending a special screening show of a movie with a friend, the show was especially for the elite of Delhi( read millionaires) and the first thought that came to my mind was that the regular shows I attend for the movies with the junta crowd had more decorum than this one...I guess because everyone here was rich in their own right, had come wearing the designer labels, the lobby at the theatre could masquerade for a perfume gallery ( the kind where the various fragrances could get you so lost that you just might faint if you didn’t watch it). There were accented English sounds around us that made me wonder if I was in a dream and in America.
Well, so far so good and it was amusing to look and experience. But the antics at the snack counter were disgusting. A family was fighting with the fellow behind the counter as they wanted the snack to be something other than the voucher that the sponsor had provided. When the poor fellow at the counter apologised that this could not be, they were ready to take his life as he was so stuck on the rules.............Well, standing behind them ( with my patience wearing thin), it struck me that the other snack was so affordable and if they did not want this one which was free, why won’t they just open their wallet and buy it? Strange but true, they did not want to pay and called up the people at the sponsor’s end to protest and earn their alternate snack..............to top the situation was the fact that they gave two hoots to the fact that there was a queue of people right behind them waiting their turn to get the snack.......
Now if you thought that was it, no, there was a whole pack of popcorns that had spilled on to the floor and the people just walked over the popcorn as if nothing mattered. Weren’t we all taught to respect food when we were young and especially that it was not meant to be trodden upon? Seems like these elite came from another planet. I got dirty looks when I brought this to the notice of the man behind the counter, the looks seem to suggest that I was trying to be miss goody two shoes in the elite environment and that too in my non designer clothes and the muted look. Well, I am grateful to god for my bread and have enough respect not to tread upon it atleast knowingly............
Then came the time to watch the movie and the entry door opened, and lol the sembelance of the queue suddenly broke down and there was much jostling and pushing to get it. Hello, the seats were already allotted on the tickets buddy so what’s the rush? Chalo, you were excited about the movie and wanted to get in and not miss a single bit, accepted, but trying to get in that way...phew! they would even beat the front row benchers hollow.
Then, the show begins and there are these busy people who won’t get off their mobile phones, arre bhai, itne busy ho to aaye kyon? I did manage to make some noises to shut them up ( atleast the ones around me) but the rings kept the disturbance on through out the show. There was a repeat of the jostle at the exit after the movie and I was so happy to leave the company of these so called elite of Delhi.............
I often wonder why people think that they should earn your respect because they have pots of money and fat bank accounts. To my mind respect is earned by your conduct and etiquette when dealing with others. The money ceases to matter beyond a point, I really wish that the future generation of these elite improve or else, we are all in trouble.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The Dark Side of Festivals
I know its the eve of Diwali and the Festival of Lights and everything should be sparkling and nice, but there is a darkness in my heart that I must admit is nagging my festive spirit and drive.
Do you know that our country has many who live with an income of below, one dollar a day.....that is less than what you might spend on cigarettes, treats, mints, parking and tips etc in a day and these people have to survive and provide for themselves with this in a day. It makes me shudder to think of how tough life must be for them, so while the haves are splurging these millions are looking for a means to survive. I wish that we think of them when in a festive mood ( read ready to spend on festivities) and try and adpt some souls.Charity begins at home, maybe we can adopt the children of the people who work in our houses and enlighten them through education so that they come out of the dollar a day existence.
The crass commercialisation of the festivals also upsets me no end. Remember the time we weighed the love of aunts in the family basis the goodies they made for us and not by the size and value of the gift pack they brought for us? Today, I see all around ( mostly) people wanting to woo the 'useful lot 'of relatives and friends through expensive gifts while the not so useful are given the hand me downs no one wants. Is that whta expressing your love is reduced to during festivals? Think about it
The other aspect of Diwali is the crackers - they are no good from the start. They employ poor minors who get to live a short life thanks to the affect the masala has on their lungs and the crammed working conditions. Would you want to revel with such crackers and participate in the dance of death? Crackers cause air pollutions that affect all of us in some way, and god help the asthamatics who feel it is better to die than live through another smoke filled diwali, but people just seem to ignore it. Anyone who has an asthamatic family memeber will or neighbour undrestand what one can go through. Then ofcourse the noise pollution and the penchant for being the last one to finish the bang......I have seen, sorry heard, the crackers bang till 3:30 am - with no regard to the people's sleep and comfort.
So please please do something about it, change the way you celebrate your festivals and think of the poor, the children and the environment for a happier tomorrow.
Do you know that our country has many who live with an income of below, one dollar a day.....that is less than what you might spend on cigarettes, treats, mints, parking and tips etc in a day and these people have to survive and provide for themselves with this in a day. It makes me shudder to think of how tough life must be for them, so while the haves are splurging these millions are looking for a means to survive. I wish that we think of them when in a festive mood ( read ready to spend on festivities) and try and adpt some souls.Charity begins at home, maybe we can adopt the children of the people who work in our houses and enlighten them through education so that they come out of the dollar a day existence.
The crass commercialisation of the festivals also upsets me no end. Remember the time we weighed the love of aunts in the family basis the goodies they made for us and not by the size and value of the gift pack they brought for us? Today, I see all around ( mostly) people wanting to woo the 'useful lot 'of relatives and friends through expensive gifts while the not so useful are given the hand me downs no one wants. Is that whta expressing your love is reduced to during festivals? Think about it
The other aspect of Diwali is the crackers - they are no good from the start. They employ poor minors who get to live a short life thanks to the affect the masala has on their lungs and the crammed working conditions. Would you want to revel with such crackers and participate in the dance of death? Crackers cause air pollutions that affect all of us in some way, and god help the asthamatics who feel it is better to die than live through another smoke filled diwali, but people just seem to ignore it. Anyone who has an asthamatic family memeber will or neighbour undrestand what one can go through. Then ofcourse the noise pollution and the penchant for being the last one to finish the bang......I have seen, sorry heard, the crackers bang till 3:30 am - with no regard to the people's sleep and comfort.
So please please do something about it, change the way you celebrate your festivals and think of the poor, the children and the environment for a happier tomorrow.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Tell your children the story of Dhanteras
Tomorrow is the festival of Dhanteras.....my daugther was very keen to know the story why Dhanteras is celebrated, I thought we should all know so have downloaded it here.....Wishing the festival of light has lots of happiness and prosperity in store for you all...Shubh Labh and Happy Diwali.
Dhanteras marks the first day of five-days-long Diwali Festival. Dhanteras falls on the auspicious thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the Hindu month of Kartik (October/November). In the word Dhanteras, "Dhan" stands for wealth. On Dhanteras Goddess Laxmi is worshiped to provide prosperity and well being. Hence Dhan Teras holds a lot more significance for the business community.
A very interesting story about Dhanteras Festival says that once the sixteen year old son of King Hima was doomed to die by a snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage as per his horoscope. On that particular fourth day of his marriage his young wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a big heap at the entrance of her husband's boudoir and lighted innumerable lamps all over the place. And she went on telling stories and singing songs.
When Yama, the god of Death arrived there in the guise of a Serpent his eyes got blinded by that dazzle of those brilliant lights and he could not enter the Prince's chamber. So he climbed on top of the heap of the ornaments and coins and sat there whole night listening to the melodious songs. In the morning he quietly went away. Thus the young wife saved her husband from the clutches of death. Since then this day of Dhanteras came to be known as the day of "Yamadeepdaan" and lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverential adoration to Yam, the god of Death. .......Make sure you have the Diyas ready......
According to another popular legend, when the gods and demons churned the ocean for Amrit or nectar, Dhanavantri (the physician of the gods and an incarnation of Vishnu) emerged carrying a jar of the elixir on the day of Dhanteras. Dhanteras PreparationsTo mark the auspicious day, houses and business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the nights.
Dhanteras marks the first day of five-days-long Diwali Festival. Dhanteras falls on the auspicious thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the Hindu month of Kartik (October/November). In the word Dhanteras, "Dhan" stands for wealth. On Dhanteras Goddess Laxmi is worshiped to provide prosperity and well being. Hence Dhan Teras holds a lot more significance for the business community.
A very interesting story about Dhanteras Festival says that once the sixteen year old son of King Hima was doomed to die by a snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage as per his horoscope. On that particular fourth day of his marriage his young wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a big heap at the entrance of her husband's boudoir and lighted innumerable lamps all over the place. And she went on telling stories and singing songs.
When Yama, the god of Death arrived there in the guise of a Serpent his eyes got blinded by that dazzle of those brilliant lights and he could not enter the Prince's chamber. So he climbed on top of the heap of the ornaments and coins and sat there whole night listening to the melodious songs. In the morning he quietly went away. Thus the young wife saved her husband from the clutches of death. Since then this day of Dhanteras came to be known as the day of "Yamadeepdaan" and lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverential adoration to Yam, the god of Death. .......Make sure you have the Diyas ready......
According to another popular legend, when the gods and demons churned the ocean for Amrit or nectar, Dhanavantri (the physician of the gods and an incarnation of Vishnu) emerged carrying a jar of the elixir on the day of Dhanteras. Dhanteras PreparationsTo mark the auspicious day, houses and business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the nights.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)