Deep Ties

  Indians can make a career out of asking embarrassing questions and making remarks that make you feel like throttling the offender!   Deepti Menon Indians can make a career out of asking embarrassing questions and making remarks that make you feel like throttling the offender! God created the art of questioning to make people enquire and acquire knowledge, to go ahead in life, all cylinders firing. Today, questions have evolved into tiny pinpricks that fester when constantly touched! Fasten your seat belts, for here are some embarrassing questions people love to ask… At large gatherings, a delicious lime-mint cooler in hand, you turn to hear an omniscient voice,  “Do you know me?” You gawk at the large lady/ old uncle, as the words stick to your roof of your mouth. You hem and haw, and finally nod in affirmation. The next question blows you away!  “Then tell me who I am!”  Man, if you don’t know who you are, how on earth do you expect me to know? Go see a memor...

  “Isn’t this what you want; isn’t this why you’ve been dressing up so provocatively for me? Those earrings drive me crazy... and your perfume!”   Deepti Menon “Isn’t this what you want; isn’t this why you’ve been dressing up so provocatively for me? Those earrings drive me crazy… and your perfume!” “Like chalk and cheese!” The two boys sat on a sidewall that overlooked the sea. The sky was overcast and little droplets fell as they commented on the girls passing by. The above comment had been made when two girls strolled past the catcalls that assailed them like a swarm of hornets. They pretended not to hear, but some of the barbs really hurt. Dolly stole a look at Amisha. “These idiotic boys have absolutely no sense, do they?” she remarked, a frown marring the perfection of her face. Amisha smiled at her. “Chill, Dolly! Let’s enjoy our stroll. Besides, they are ogling at you. I’m sure they do not see exotic, hothouse flowers like you very often.” She continued, “Didn’t you he...

  The desire to erase the Taj Mahal and other parts of our history seen by some as 'alien' points to a giant ego that wants to rubbish 'other people'.   Deepti Menon The desire to erase the Taj Mahal and other parts of our history seen by some as ‘alien’ points to a giant ego that wants to rubbish everything done by ‘other people’. If there was a prize for the largest number of motor mouths in the world, we would win it hands down, the US coming a close second, I dare say. Despite all the pollution that makes its presence felt during Diwali, there are still folks who persist in exacerbating the atmosphere with their own particular brand of hot air. Like the individual who declared that the Taj Mahal is a blot on Indian culture! He termed Babur, Akbar and Shah Jahan traitors, and declared pompously that the marble mausoleum had been built by an emperor who had targeted Hindus in his realm, and also apparently imprisoned his own father. Of course, the man had not bothered...

  Patriarchy strikes once again, with the self-styled custodians of our country’s 'honour' "questioning" Director Bhansali over Padmavati.   Deepti Menon Patriarchy strikes once again, in the form of the self-styled custodians of our country’s honour and culture, sending our nation back into the Dark Ages, via the direct intervention of the Karni Sena. What is their reason, one might ask! “The movie shows our queens in poor light. Our Queens never used to dance. Bhansali has insulted our culture and heritage!” One enlightened soul retorted, “Padmavati has many objectionable scenes that we are protesting against!” When asked about the objectionable bits, he had no idea because all he had seen, along with the entire motley Sena, was the innocuous trailer. The protests which started in Rajasthan, with the beating up of the director, the vandalising of the sets, the breaking of the mirrors in Chittorgarh Fort, and the unpardonable destruction of an exquisite rangoli of De...

  A soldier may be paid to fight as part of an army, but does that mean his death can be brushed aside so callously?   Deepti Menon A soldier may be paid to fight as part of an army, but does that mean his death can be brushed aside so callously? “A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever. ” – Jessamyn West Recently,  five brave men of the Central Reserve Police Force laid down their lives in Pulwama  after they fought off three terrorists who had been holed up in their training centre. This was post midnight, when the rest of the country was either sleeping peacefully, or busy wishing their near and dear ones. While crackers exploded at midnight to signify the joy of a new year, there were five families about to be shattered, as their loved ones, clad in uniform, were fighting three deadly terrorists. After a 36-hour gun battle, the three were dead, but five precious lives were also lost. “As long as men take oaths to achieve their goals,...

  By creating such a violent uproar about Padmaavat, the Karni Sena actually did Bhansali a favour, instead of protecting anyone's 'honour'!    Deepti Menon By creating such a violent uproar about Padmaavat, the Karni Sena actually did Bhansali a favour, instead of protecting anyone’s ‘honour’!  D Day finally arrived! Labyrinthine queues waited outside cinema halls, jostling their way in, for that moment when they could rest their eyeballs on the story of the beleaguered Padmavati, who must have assumed that once she went down the jauhar route, she would rest in peace forever. Yet centuries later, at a moment when India is at its regressive best, goons have taken over, lambasting the movie which they know nothing about, releasing venomous rants about  cutting off the nose  of the hapless heroine because she has blotted the honour of her mythical namesake, and wreaking havoc across their territories. The women of the community are as vociferous as they prote...

  "Why do the immoral survive?" asks the author, adding, "It is time to rally around and bring decency back into society, come hell or high water."   Deepti Menon “Why do the immoral survive?” asks the author, adding, “It is time to rally around and bring decency back into society, come hell or high water.” So, the worms have begun creeping out of the woodwork. (I always wondered why the noun ‘creep’ made the skin crawl. Now I know why!) The #MeToo campaign was a strong and spirited response to all those decades of sexual attacks which had been hidden under the carpet, by victims who were scared to bring the grisly details to the forefront. One cannot blame them for  wanting to remain anonymous , given the patriarchal attitude of a world that may scream itself hoarse about the equality of the sexes, but refuses to believe women when they bring up the issue of sexual harassment. One Harvey Weinstein does not a successful campaign make! The revelations that followed a...