Thursday, June 25, 2009

Neighborgood?

"Hi Aunty, Good Morning!! How are you?", I said

"Hi Harish. Not very good beta! That Moron(a.k.a Mrs.Chottu, our friendly neighbor) has started watering our plants and the car too! I am surprised she has enough brains to buy a Diamond Necklace................." Mrs.Champu's voice trails off, admiring the lovely necklace. I wanted to compliment her for the glittering eyes she herself possessed, which was brimming with jealousy and contempt. Poor Mr.Champu, he was with a band aid the very next day, the reason being a mad dog bit him! Ahem ahem, the real reason is left to your own imagination!

Bad relationship with neighbors start from the grass root level, let alone with neighboring countries. In my opinion, there is cure for everything (even AIDS if your careful) except EGO! Ego is another misunderstood word(apart from love). In my opinion, this is a friendly enemy residing in you! You can be accomodative to a level until your ego doesn't get hurt. But, if your ego is going to hurt someone, it becomes your enemy.

Analogy can be brought out with the incident between Mrs.Champu and Mrs.Chottu. Both nations, read as India and Pakistan have egos to the maximum and they are countries who wear their heart on their sleeve. Of course, one might argue, two nations who pride themselves with rich culture and background, why can't they have an ego? Yes, they could until Mr.Champu, read as people of both nations, don't get hurt. They could have ego until, people like me(in the above example), also read USA, doesn't have to be the judge of the fight and laugh behind our back. Personally, every time India goes and seeks the approval and help from US, it definitely hurts the ego. Point well taken that they are the super power, but can't India and Pakistan do something the very least to stop the bloodshed for a peice of land?? Anyways, is politics this simple? If yes, educated and dedicated youths would take up politics with a vision to make India a super power rather than coding a stupid software which is making another nation stronger!!!

Where does the problem really lie? India has been in troubled waters with its neighbours for quite sometime now. If my history is right, we have had problems perennially with Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. But, there is a bigger enemy, which is a simple two letter word: US. No, I am not blaming the United States here but referring to us; we people who need to own up some responsibility towards the growth of the nation. We blame the politicians for being corrupt, don't we? But don't we play a part to it? Aren't we the first person to pay some money to the pujari in a temple to move us ahead of the line? Don't we pay the policeman lesser amount, just to reduce our fine by few hundreds, making it a habit for them to quote higher and charge lesser which is into their pocket? Don't we use influence to get things done faster, when a common man has to wait in line and is the rightful owner of our possession? I could go on and on, and I am also a part of feeding this ugly demon too. But, conscious efforts must be taken by all of us, to take the rightful path and have our foundation sturdy. Without killing enemies like corruption, religon and caste fight, female foeticide and lack of education, Mrs.Chottu vs Mrs.Champu scenario would continue and Mr.Champu would continue bleeding, with people like me enjoying the destruction of both the families. End of the day though, Mrs.Chottu must take care not to water other's house and their car, also read as terrorism and Mrs.Champu must not hurt Mr.Champu, just to satisfy its own bank balance and ego. Jai Hind!

6 comments:

  1. Ahaaa.. Orey Patriotism daan.. :) Good one again dan. Bt this champu and Chottu? I cud have suggested better names re.. :D

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  2. adhukku yenna ippo?

    this is a good one...

    historically most of the wars of the world have always been territorial - well the reason anyway, has contentious land at its underpinnings. india pakistan is a recent, bloody example. u can see several examples in history:

    1. america and mexico - huge land struggle.
    2. india and china - huge land struggle, but the crisis has been "averted" through peace (and the knowledge that china will kick our asses should we go to war with them).
    3. america and russia (struggle over alaska on the west - not a bloody one, but one to be noted).
    4. china and taiwan (ROC) - america is what stops china from bombing the hell outta taiwan.
    5. israel and palestine - contentious territory and even bloodier than india pakistan wars.

    if i may disagree, our attitudes in daily life have very little to do with any of this. this is much, much bigger than us. this is about pakistan clearly violating our space - not only by crossing the border, but by sending terrorists over to get the job done. indo-china remains the way it is, because both countries decided to label the land contentious, position troops on each side and stay in peace.

    hindus vs muslims is another big issue when it comes to indo-pak. people dont say it, but it is a big X factor.

    cutting through red tape by means of bribing and circumventing the law happens the world over - THE WORLD OVER. i believe it has little to do with the larger picture. i do agree that politicians have failed spectacularly in mitigating this situation, but the common man (no matter how imperfect) goes about his business.

    the US of A remains a catalyst in this struggle - otherwise both countries would have nuked the heck out of each other.

    on the whole - excellent article. gets the blood flowing and kills time at the office!

    a comment if i may - lets pls do away with chotu and champu..

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  3. Ha ha.. thanks for the comment. Only worry for me is, the whole thing you wrote could have been a beautiful blog ;). Anyways, I was referring to the internal enemy being corruption leading to chain of events, ultimately causing the mumbai terror attack. bribes -> corrupt officials -> fake passports ->terrorist entry -> Mumbai attack. The very first step is made by our man who is for money not knowing the repursion in the future. Thats the point. Anyways, for chottu and champu, we will keep the argument on phone.
    Anyways, thanks for your honest feedback. Keeps me going!

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  4. Brilliant ... i really liked the way u started and then made the reader go inside the text .Its comendable that how u posed such a serious topic in a very subtle but hitting manner .... i didnt imagine that the neighbours would lead us to think about our actions ....anyws brilliant imagination and a nice plot ....Rest as always brilliant use of words and analogy....

    Cheers

    nits....

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  5. Thanks shahida for your comments.

    And nitin, thanks yaar. U r always generous with ur comments!!

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  6. Great Sunny.

    Could you please change the background which makes reading a little strained. Black in white should be better rather than white in black.

    Your article brings about a great evil sitting inside us called EGO .

    Let us throw it out and make ourselves Refined. after all the charity begins at home!!

    Keep blogging..............

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