August 25, 2008

Memoirs Of Bomb Blast




SAME DAY SAME time last year - I was sitting at an Indian restaurant in Brussels enjoying the delicacies of Indian cuisine made by Belgium chefs. For the firs time in years since I had my cell phone – I switched it off. Completely cut off from the world. It was me and my holiday mood – which didn't want any intruders to spoil the ambience, which was dipped and brightened in the ink pot of happiness.

Rajbir Singh, if I remember correctly was one of the waiters in the restaurant – who was trying to be friendly with me. Cracking some stupid Internet jokes on Indians and Europeans. I didn't blame him. Seeing a fellow countryman in alien place gives a feel of being among known people.

Why I am reminiscing about what I did last year? Same year same day and same time….. Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh – where I stay suffered two bomb blasts killing many people. And I had no clue about it and no information of news. It was Rajbir who told me about it when he came to know that I was from Hyderabad.

The information shocked me. I rushed to the hotel to check news on internet. It was not the first time when blast shook Hyderabad. A blast in Mecca Masjid also claimed many lives the same year. I was sad. Many innocent people died in twin blasts- Lumbini Park where people went to watch the sound and light show and other one at famous Gokul chat Bandar – a shop which is usually crowded for its well-known gol gappas (gup chup) and chat.

Today its first anniversary – of the twin blasts. While on way to office I passed through Lumbini Park – it wore a deserted look. No one was there. For a while I stopped my car and closed my eyes to pay deference to those who lost their lives of no fault of them. Most of them were engineering students from Maharashtra who came to this city on a study tour.

I left the place wondering why in the name of terrorism – do people take live of innocent. Don't they feel even for a moment what the family members of the deceased would feel. Don't they have heart? When will all this end. Killing of innocent people in the name of jihad and whatever reasons the killers spell out.

This small write up is my tribute to those who were killed in Hyderabad – last year. I pray such incident do not happen again.

August 15, 2008

Proud to be an Indian

I am so proud to be an Indian. The freedom we enjoy is unbeleiveable. Jai hind, Here is the translation of the national antheme.......i still wonder why we use the word Sindh when we do not have in our possession...anyways - one day we might re capture it. Hopeful and patience.......i am ......



O! Dispenser of India's destiny,
thou art the ruler of the minds of all people
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat,
the Maratha country, in the Dravida country, Utkala and Bengal;
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
it mingles in the rhapsodies of the pure waters of Yamuna and the Ganges.
They chant only thy name.
They seek only thy auspicious blessings.
They sing only the glory of thy victory.
The salvation of all people waits in thy hands,
O! Dispenser of India's destiny,
thou art the ruler of the minds of all people
Victory to thee, Victory to thee, Victory to thee,
Victory, Victory, Victory, Victory to thee!.