Tushar Mangl

I have written in the past on rape cases and how they are lowering the mentality of Indians as well as global citizens. However, I am once again broaching up this topic for a fresh news report has arrived in, of a pilot raping an air hostess who was living with him for past some time now. Now the lady says that the guy had promised to marry her, hence she moved in with him, hence the sex was probably now a rape. This case amuses me to the core. A 22 year old woman, says that for 2 years this man was promising her marriage, and that she believed him and that probably (since rape charges have been filed) had sex with him, now says all that was a rape? How is that possible? The fact that amuses me the most is the open mockery of women empowerment in India. Liberal working Indian women, do not hesitate to slap rape charges on any guy who refuses to marry them. If the girl would have been a poor one, probably disadvantaged by illiteracy or poverty, I would have supported the w...

The question I ask to my readers here, is for a simple thing. We all live in a society, an eco - system and we naturally need a leader. The teachers of my nursery and primary classes always told me (and so did the numerous fairy tales and fables that I read) that the Lion is supposed to be the king of any jungle. So to my mind, every jungle has a Lion who is majestic and is the leader, their has to be a cunning fix and some innocent rabbits. So, where is India's Lion? I am not sure, many people would agree if I say, Dr. Manmohan Singh is the leader we are looking for. Contested elections, just once and lost, never to face the public electorate again, I somehow can not see him as the great leader. If you do, please write in your comments. Now who is next? Many of you shall say, why not Rahul Gandhi. It is a family business. Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, he has the lineage behind him. But then I am not one of the mass janta. I like to see merit more th...

18/4/2010 Am back to Ludhiana and the vacation trip to Delhi, was quite good. I visited several places, met friends, family; made new friends and had a gala time. Thanks to the Commonwealth Games 2010, the govt thr is really making some efforts to refurbish the whole place (to please the foreign guests). So in that process we have better connectivity through buses (more local AC buses I witnessed, than I ever did in Delhi), better buses, ever expanding metro, diminishing yet well paved footpaths, etc etc. But all those things like railways, which the foreigners most probably would not see, are in a pathetic condition.

While surfing news channels on TV or viewing some documentary I usually find some poor people being shown. A typical family of poor people will be always shown with one mother, holding one child in hand and a bunch of kids surrounding the mother. Whatever be the show, time, channel or location, this is what a picture generally depicts. I often wonder here, if the family is poor, is unable to feed the kids or afford their education, why are there so many kids in that family. It is a simple case of you don't go about getting things for yourself, that you cannot afford. And here, when I see 3 or 4 or 5 children to the same couple, I am astonished. Man, your economic condition is not feasible for one child and you are raising 5. The result. All 5 will eat one time of the day. I say, if you could have 2 kids then is it not possible that those 2 kids could have eaten twice a day. Even in my travels, I have noticed this. Poor families tend to have a larger flock of children. A lot of ma...

--> Serious (read "social") issues, Tushar tells me, no one is interested in. Probably yes, he is right. At the maximum, we people talk; talk a lot, for that matter. Rarely beyond that. No particular reason for choosing this title, it just came spontaneously, and can be put in the stack of those "WH" questions whose answers we don't have(or rather, don't want to face!). But yes, something ironical, which I notice many a times. In my college, in the canteen area there are four shops, Amul one, Nescafe one, Juice one and the Verka one. The former two have small kids working there. Now, also exists this program called "Pratigya" in my college, where engineers humbly contribute their bit to the society by teaching small kids. Sometimes, funny things happen. The other day a girl standing with me couldn't drink her glass of juice because she saw the kid putting crushed ice in it! She was like, "His hands were black black...

Think about it. Once upon a time, poetry was a very intrinsic part of literature. From urdu shayari to English poems , almost all languages on Earth used to boast of some memorable couplets and rhymes. In Hinduism a lot many ancient or old prayers have been written in a poetic format. Hanuman Chalisa is an example. In the western world, Wordsworth was pretty famous for his lines. But today, if you ask me of some latest very famous poet, I would not know a name. Publishers across the globe, are increasingly putting up a board on their submission guidelines that bans entry of poetry into their offices. They won't publish poetry. I find that pretty strange. No more Mirza Ghalibs, No more poets like Shiv Kumar Batalvi, Mahadevi Varma , Robert Frost etc. Opportunities are dying for poets today. Not that the poets of yesteryear used to earn a lot. At least they enjoyed a level of fame. In today's world no one wants to be a poet. You can never make a living out of it, anyway. I used t...

Life is pretty boring. As always. Kya karen, kuch samajh nai aata. M does not even talk to me anymore and I had consoled myself that maybe God had sent K so that I be friends with N or M. But humse kaun baat karta hai. Rab sabka khayal rkhta hai, bas mujhse hi koi narazgi lagti hai. Samajh nai aata, when will I be free from these shackles. Mostly psychological which have mushroomed all around me. Lots of which maybe my own self - created, may be which no one could ever help resolve. What can be the solution? Problem galore and the kind of helplessness I am dealing with them is very very difficult. ___________________________________________________ That was something written several months ago. And speaking of old times and old days, I am going to recommend a blog extinct years ago. It is called Journal My Christma s . The format and presentation of the blog pulled me towards it. 30 days of Christmas, chronicled very well. Must for regular bloggers to take a sneak peak.

Let me set the record straight. Online friendships are not good. I say this from my own personal experience. You can never make close friends on the internet. That is my opinion. I am writing today on what I see as a weird attitude, people have towards online friendships. A person drops in a hello, you don't know that fellow, hence you freak out. I can recall here a number of blogs I have read on how people hate strangers eager to be friends. I feel this shows how reserved and closed we are becoming day by day. If a stranger says hi, what is the harm in it? Until and unless that particular starts stalking you, why not be friends? I am one of the those, who embraces friendships with open arms and cautious eyes. I have traveled a lot, solitary and discovered places on my own. On many occasions, I got to meet certain people, or travelers with whom you say a hello or exchange greetings. So to me, making friends on internet or in actual world is the same affair. Appear friendly, ...

A very old topic. One part of India is rich and one part poor. Happens all the time. You might be expecting me to say that real India is still in villages. But no, I don't wish to highlight the plight of poor helpless people of India. My objective today is to write about the plight of urban people of India. Comfortable incomes, cozy homes. How they have completely forgotten their countrymen in the villages. People are dying of hunger and thirst in so many regions of India and the people who are better advantaged simply don't care. One fact: India ranks amongst highest in countries where children die of hunger and malnutrition. It's appalling . The urban kids of today, know it all. From the latest soundtrack of an international band to latest gizmo models. They know it all. Then how come they are so unaware when it comes to the reality that a lot many children of their own age group are dying of hunger. And that many could not even turn teenagers for they...

Simple question. Before reading further, think about it. Government is basically a body of people, who collect money from the masses in form of taxes and perform various functions to make life smooth and simple for people. In modern day India, especially which is a socialist economy, we have a failed system. A total collapse of anything that should be called the government. Consider this. At central level, we have a government. At state level, we have state governments and then their are the zila parishads, municipal corporations etc. We vote for a body but what exactly these people do? More importantly why do we need to pay the taxes? 1) Electricity. Privatize it. That's the nation's call. After it has happened in Mumbai and Delhi, from transmission to production of electricity, private players are jumping in. 2) Water. Privatize it. Yes, shortage of water all over India is raising a call for the capitalists to take some money and provide the Goddamm water in a proper sensib...

My mother has quite an in depth knowledge of society and how it functions. Experience counts. So, once she told me, "Aurat hi doosri aurat ki sabse bade dushman hoti hai". ( A woman is another woman's greatest enemy). Fair I think. In fact, I feel a woman can be the deadliest enemy ever to any sex possible in the world (Male, female, gays, any). Almost all ancient wars in all of the lands had a woman being listed as a big reason. Think of it. You need flowers for your lady. Precious agricultural land is being used to cultivate those roses that won't even last a day. Coming back to the point of one woman versus the other. Recently, in New York, one Indian mother threw her girl in river (I think it is the Hudson) and tried to commit suicide herself, to prove a point to her husband. This happened this month. Last month, allegedly, Nirupama Pathak a journo with the Business Standard was killed by her own mother. The lady has not managed to get a bail yet. I th...

For several of us, blogging through the years, blogs become a part of not only our lives, but also a reservoir of our memories and thoughts. Not surprisingly, many bloggers choose to keep their blogs on a private mode. Where only few selected people, are invited to peep into the particular person's life and mind. I think, this is one of the most positive features on blogger as I have never seen such privacy settings on blogs hosted by other websites. Anyway, coming to the point, I caught up with a friend of mine, who also happens to be a secretive blogger. She very kindly gave away some minutes out of her busy schedule to answer questions for Blog Orangy. Read on: Tell our readers a bit about yourself: Nanki Sahota: I'm Nanki Nanki Sahota: N i have a balanced personality that best defines me Your favorite website on the internet: Nanki Sahota: facebook Nanki Sahota: if it is called a website Nanki Sahota: coz its a social networking site Bloggin...

War has been happening around us for years now and well educated patriot middle class Indians form a majority of those Indians who know little about the naxal issue plaguing our country. It all happened from naxalbari in West Bengal, as usual with a dash of political rivalry and a means to garner more power. As it happens with most uprisings, the politicians soon lose control over the rebels who now run wild. Same happened here, with naxals donning a new sinister avtar of Maoists. Their sole agenda today is to capture as much power as they can. All thanks to public of India and republic of India, the Maoists have spread over to almost half of the country and are quite active in Orissa, Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. We Indians, failed to look after our brothers and sisters in less developed parts of the eastern coast (although India is our mother land, that does not mean we have to be nice to our siblings too). Our attitude of, we don't give a damm, or we don't care created ...

Stampede has finally happened at the New Delhi Railway Station and it feels to me like the volcano that was bursting to come out for sooo long and has finally spewed out some of it's fire. The New Delhi railway station, the main rail station of the Capital of our country is symbolic of how careless and unsympathetic we Indians are. It has two entrances. One is from Paharganj side and the other is the Ajmeri Gate side. I have been in and out of both the gates on many occasions I have visited Delhi through train. I have grown up but the station has not. It is as chaotic today, than through so many years of my visit. Last time I was their was incidentally the longest I ever have been to the New Delhi Station ( NDLS). On 12th April, I had to come back to Ludhiana from Delhi and had booked my ticket for a train called Gareeb Rath. It was 3-4 hours late. Pathetic conditions on the station literally depressed me. I think each and every long distance train was late. Only the rajdhanis and...

Shubh Gupta is a teenager, who loves his coke with plenty of ice. Mrs. Geetika is a housewife, who likes to entertain her friends and family. One of her specialties is Jaljeera, which she prepares with loads of ice to make it refreshing and cool. Pritam Singh is a farmer, who works in his fields the whole day and likes to unwind with a glass full of lassi containing at least 3-4 ice cubes. Now, you might have heard about and seen, experienced a lot many people, enjoying their beverages with generous quantities of ice. From Scotch to Shinkwanji, ice is a common ingredient in all. So I say, why throw the left over ice in the sink? Why not throw it in the soil where plants grow? The ice will soon melt way and plants will get some irrigation too. ________________________________________________ Blogger Shruti , when asked about one simple idea to save water, actually gave me two (She is quite generous by nature) 1) Make sure that u have a bath in just one bucket of water 2) Use a crusher t...

At some point of life, I think we all just fantasize about how a retired life could be. Especially in our young days. For some it could be an Island setting, a house overlooking the ocean, watching the sunset with the loved one. Their exist a vast majority of people who wish to travel once they are done with their worldly duties. My point here is, why do people wish and dream for that future. Why not run away today to that mountain where you wished for a log house with your companion. Why wait for 50 or 60 to come, so that you retire and open up a business today. Sure thing, you can say that fantasies remain fantasies or that these are things that you do when you are old. Why is that I fail to understand...

Helloz everyone. Welcome to Sashaland. Also at times called the Shashaland. No, we don't sell all those sashes worn by sexc babes at beauty contests. We are, well an agrarian community and we grow it all from rice to mice. What did you say? Who am I? Well, I am King Shasha, who rules this place in a dictorial manner. No, No, I don't gas up people like Hitler, nor do I have an army of bodyguards like most of the rulers of today's peaceful lands have. People of my land love me and women folk adore me. * Blushing * Now, you must be wondering, why am I writing this or more importantly what the hell am I doing here. You see, I am a king, which literally means that I have to enjoy luxuries of life, fight wars and keep women. But that was a very medieval definition. Now, no war has to be fought, for Americans have monopolized that job. Women, well that is my little secret. And luxury; with so many thieves and con men around display of wealth is strongly inadvisable. So what sho...

Its been years since I attempted any tag or passed around any. In the afternoon found a very interesting on a blog titled A rose is a rose is a rose!( rose being one of my favorite plants; explains why I landed up there) All I got to do ( and you too after you read this) is attempt these If I were(s) If I were a month , I would be April ( for it marks the start of a new year according to our lunar Hindu calendar and hence reminds us of fresh beginnings and new starts.) If I were a day of the week , Sunday ( for it symbolizes to me, a day to relax, to cook, not to go out anywhere and spend some quality family time) I f I were a time of day , I would be afternoon ( Always bright and over bearing :P ) If I were a season , I would be spring ( for bygone is now bygone and it is time to act and do everything afresh and fresh ) If I were a planet , I would have options like Mars ( Mangal is my surname so they are akin) or Pluto (My friend Khus always loved that planet) or Jupiter (Sabu of Ch...