Feared Intimacy

so many dreams, so many whispers, and so many anecdotes -
some invigorating, few inspiring, while most insanely inane.
shared, narrated, told, then retold - means ever so varied -
often through a mindless silence, or indulgences in vanity.

will they run out of them, having done so over and over again?
silence, shared in light and dark, become ever so intimidating?
will the quaint little nuances, growing into inexplicable causes
of hatred, poison the novelty in their character and stifle them?

they fear formalities and niceties turning something pretty into
a marriage of convenience. a secret paranoia and insufficiencies
ravaging the palace of cards; with it all its ideas, all its hopes.
will ambitions then be murdered at their altar of question marks?

the beauty of the moment seems tainted by this feared intimacy;
the friends and the lovers, though, still revel in their cynicism.
they give up more pieces of the puzzle than they can take back,
yet, without letting go, i fear, they would never be able to know.

Ishwar Allah

Ishwar Allah, tere jahan mein nafrat kyun hai, jung hai kyun
Tera dil toh itna bada hai, insaan ka dil tang hai kyun

Kadam kadam par sarhad kyun hai, saari zameen jo teri hai
Suraj ke phere dharti hai, phir kyun itni andheri hai
Is duniye ke daaman par insaan ke lahoo ka rang hai kyun

Goonj rahi hai itni cheekhein, pyar ki baatein kaun sunay
Toot rahe hain kitne sapne, inke tukde kaun chunay
Dil ke darwaazon par taale, taalon par ye zang hai kyun

Ishwar Allah, tere jahan mein nafrat kyun hai, jung hai kyun
Tera dil toh itna bada hai, insaan ka dil tang hai kyun

The Pink Chaddi Campaign

In response to the recent acts of moral policing by cadres belonging to Shri Ram Sene, a Consortium of Pub-Going, Loose, and Forward Women has been formed in order to send some love to Shri Ram Sene this Valentine's Day. A campaign, The Pink Chaddi Campaign, has been launched for the same reason. Here's an official version of what the campaign is all about.

What is the Pink Chaddi Campaign?
The Pink Chaddi Campaign kicked off on 5 February 2009 to oppose the Sri Ram Sene. The campaign is growing exponentially (1,300 at this point in the Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women) and that is not surprising. Most women in this country have enough curbs on their lives without a whole new franchise cashing in with their bully-boy tactics. Of course, a lot of men have joined the group as well. Here is they want you to do with the Pink Chaddi Campaign - Join in. Be imaginative, have fun and fight back!

What can you do?
Step 1: It does not matter that many of you have not thought about Valentine's Day since you were 13. If ever. This year send the Sri Ram Sene some love. Send them some PINK CHADDIS. Look in your closet or buy them cheap. Dirt-cheap. Make sure they are PINK. Send them off to the Sene.

The address to send the package is:
The Pink Chaddi Campaign,
C/O Alternate Law Forum,
122/4 Infantry Road
(opposite Infantry Wedding House)
Bangalore 560001
Contact Person: Nithin (9886081269)

If you don't want to mail it yourself, you can drop it off at the Chaddi Collection Points. They will be collecting across the country through this week and sending the packages on February 12. More information about Chaddi Collectors in your city soon on their blog: http://thepinkchaddicampaign.blogspot.com/

If you are in Delhi,
Bring your packages to
Nisha Susan
C/O Tehelka
M76, M-Block Market
Greater Kailash 2
New Delhi

LAST DATE OF COLLECTION FOR DELHI: 11 February

And If you are in Mumbai,
Ashwini Shetty (99833075013)
C-Wing, Lake Pleasant
Phase-2, Lake Homes
Powai
Mumbai
(Hand it over to the security guards in Mumbai)

LAST DATE OF COLLECTION FOR MUMBAI: 11 February

PS - In case it is very tedious to find Pink Chaddis in your closet, the guys at the campaign say any colour would do. All that is needed is the spirit!

Step 2: Send the Pink Chaddi Campaign a photograph of the package.
Tell them how many chaddis you are sending out and inspire other women in other cities. You can either mail the information to freelancehabba (at) gmail (dot) com or you can mail it at their facebook address.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49641698651&ref=mf

Step 3: On Valentine's Day do a Pub Bharo action. Go to a pub wherever you are. From Kabul to Chennai to Guwahati to Singapore to LA women have signed up. It does not matter if you are actually not a pub-goer or not even much of a drinker. Raise a toast (it can be juice) to Indian women. Take a photo or video. They will put it together (more on how later) and send this as well to the Sri Ram Sene.

What happens after Valentine's Day?
After Valentine's Day we should get some of our elected leaders to agree that beating up women is ummm... AGAINST INDIAN CULTURE.

For right now, ask not what Dr VS Acharya, Home Minister of Karnataka can do for you. Ask what you can do for him. Here is his blog. http://drvsacharya.blogspot.com