Trials and Tribulations by Fire

This is the story of Sita, a 20-something woman who badly wants to get married. She works in a software company as some bla bla designer. Her occupation actually adds nothing to the story. The main idea is the fact that she is willing to be married and is waiting for the guy who would actually get down to it. Sita could not remember since when she wanted to get married. Actually, the very idea of leading a married life had nothing to do with her wish to get married. She simply wanted to go through the motions of getting married. Thats all.

Manju woke up to the shrill ring of the alarm and sat up, rubbing her eyes. She was not sleep-deprived today. It was a new day and she was excited about it. The Flower Manju literally ran into the kitchen and opened the window. The pot was still there. A single flower peered back at her with a startling intensity as if daring her to pluck it. Manju let the flower be and turned away, as if to respect the flower's destiny. It would dry out and fall. She was not in a mood to wear a flower on her plait that day, anyway. New Soap Manju had a streak of perfection and wanted everything in her kitchen to sparkle, always. Her husband of 20 years, Ashok, called her sick. she bothered not, because, seeing a clean sparkling shelf gave her a thrill, no other could give. She was very excited about the new washing soap she had bought from the new corner shop.  After taking bath and doing the regular activities, Manju, took out the soap from the shelf and carefully, oh so very carefully,...

The house was not small by any standards, but to Maya, it seemed cramped, almost tiny. Well, after having lived in palatial bungalows, the 1000 sq ft flat would seem small. But, for many, it would be a dream home. Some would cough up their life savings for such a house. But, not Maya. She hated the house from the day she stepped in. In fact she was not clear if she hated the house more or her cramped room more. Or was it a combination of factors that affected her deep dislike. She had never bothered to think more about it. She didnt care much either. There were other issues that fanned her hatred for the house. Maya was a woman who had grown up in sheer luxury and had no inkling what the future had in store. A small house with medium luxuries and an old couple for company, Maya felt lonely and hopeless on her first day in the house. It was a dreary feeling. After a Few Years Maya thought she heard a ring. Yes, the bloody telephone was shrieking like hell. Wonder, who had die...

Its a rainy, dreamy day here, in Chennai. Usually, hot and humid, Chennai is looking greener. I love the weather. On my way to work, I kept ogling at the green leaves on brown trees and the miniscule saplings planted near the footpaths. I wonder at God's ability to create such beauty. Well, a higher being like God can only create such beauty. No man can attain such perfection. After marveling at the perfection and beauty on my way, I began thinking about the reason why a human being is incapable of attaining such perfection. Is it the genetic coding or simply the thought process that stops an average man from reaching the pinnacle? I wonder. Usually, human beings are goal-oriented and strive to achieve something in their short lives. There should be something that would give an impetus to them to reach the pinnacle sooner. Is it the mind or destiny? Or a combination of factors? I am chewing on this... The human mind, they say is capable of innumerable achievements and thought...

People usually form habits by seeing their parents, relatives, teachers, and friends repeat certain actions. These actions can be anything, combing hair from left to right, wearing striped shirts with striped trousers (uh! fashion disaster), wearing fluorescent colors, using certain words or abuses, using a particular dialect, preferring a cuisine, or using jasmine oil for the hair. Sigh! There are countless examples I can quote and still would not have covered even an inch. These are normal, ordinary people. They are people on the roads, in buses, in trains, in offices, and in the bus stops. They do everything out of habit. They never stop to think of a newer way to do a certain task or pause to look for a better option. A to-be-wedded girl in Tamil Nadu would certainly want to buy her trousseau from a certain shop. All these habits are deeply engrained in the psyche of a Tamilian. These habits have slowly become part of the religious rituals. Typically, a to-be-wedded girl alway...

I strive to stand when the wind pushes me, I want to smile when sorrow threatens me, I strive to say no when I am forced to say yes, I fill my heart with love when it gets filled with ire, I strive, they strive, Life goes on between my want and your command Life goes on, and on, and on...

Music Academy: T T K Road, Alwarpet, Chennai Time: 7:45 - 8:55 p.m. Sashi and I went to watch this play, last evening. The Blue Mug. The cast is very impressive. Konkona, Rajat Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Sheeba, and Munish. My View: Awesome. Am simply floored by the actors. This was the 1st time I went to watch a play and have become an ardent follower of plays. Rating: 5 stars

I saw Silence of the Lambs for the nth time last night. I was small when I saw the movie for the first time. Didn't obviosuly sit through it, switched channels and sat glued to some toon program.I love the movie.

I am not sure how effective the remedy described in this article is, but is worth a read... Cancer Update from John Hopkins 1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size. 2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime. 3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors. 4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies . These could be due to genetic, environmental, food, and lifestyle factors. 5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengt...

Thousand questions and zero answers, i ask, why is this so? Is this how a Kamla, Rama, Mohana, Radha lead their lives? So what if my anatomy differs from you? Am I not free to be sad? Why should I forsake my right to sorrow and tears? Now that I am bound, do I cease to exist? Do I not care for each cell on your hair? Do I not wipe those little nicks while you sleep? Why, then, is the disparity between the care for me and Shyama? Why, does every word I utter mean something else, entirely? Why does every action demand a detailed explanation? Why should I curb my lust and live like a saint? Am I not free to free myself? Why should I talk about saints, when all I want is to cuddle? What happens to the whimpers that surge out, why should I curb and turn them into smiles? Do my joys matter to anyone? Who cares if I smile 'coz I am happy or to feed your ego? Why, I ask, should I go on like this? Why...