SHAH RUKH KHAN – 49 YEARS OF RULING SUPREME LIVING LIFE KINGSIZE WITH A GOLDEN HEART

                          

An actor, producer, entrepreneur, a devoted husband and the king of romance who still makes a million hearts beat for him- Shah  Rukh Khan has certainly donned many hats in his lifetime.

Family Background : SRK was born on 2 November 1965 in New Delhi to Meer Taj Mohammed Khan(Father) and Lateef Fatima(Mother). Khan described himself on Twitter as “half Hyderabad (mother), half Pathan (father), some Kashmiri (grandmother)” He grew up in the Rajendra Nagar neighbourhood of Delhi. SRK attended St. Columba School .

While at St. Columba’s School, Delhi, Shah Rukh was awarded the ‘Sword of Honor’, an annual award conferred upon the student who incorporates the true spirit of the school, to try one’s hand at everything. Shah Rukh Khan excels at football, cricket and hockey, and as such has captained all these teams. He has also played cricket at zonal and national level.

In his youth, he acted in stage plays and was popular for imitating Bollywood actors. One of his childhood friends and acting partners was Amrita Singh, who later became a Bollywood actress. His favorite actors at the time were Mumtaz and Amitabh Bachan. SRK enrolled at Hansraj College(1985–1988) to earn his Bachelor’s degree in Economics, but spent much of his time at Delhi’s Theatre Action Group (TAG), where he studied acting under the mentorship of theatre director Barry John whom he credits for carving out the actor inside him but his mentor considers his pupil as being solely responsible for his greatness and glory citing Shahrukh to have the perfect combination of ‘talent, perseverance, belief in yourself, a never-give-up-attitude and of course, a bit of luck’; factors needed for success.

He started studying for a Masters Degree in Mass Communications at  Jamia Millia Islamia, but left to pursue his career. He also attended the  National School of Drama, Delhi during his early career in Bollywood. His father died of cancer when SRK was in his mid teens, and his mother died in 1991 from complications of diabetes. The death of his parents at an early age affected him greatly. He described these events as a motivator for his own work ethic.SRK has an older sister Shahnaz who was born in 1960. She never fully recovered from the shock of her parent’s deaths, and continues to live with the Khans in their Mumbai mansion named Mannat.

                 

Husband role : SRK and Gauri’s Love Story :

            

In 1984, Shahrukh for the first time laid eyes on Gauri Chibber when he was only 18 years old at a common friend’s party. He saw her dancing with another boy and due to his shy temperament he could not ask her for a dance. When he finally gathered the strength to ask her for a dance, Gauri who herself was not interested, turned him down by saying that she was waiting for her boyfriend. Shahrukh’s dreams of love shattered at that very moment.

Actually there was no ‘boyfriend’; it was her brother she was there with. Shahrukh, in an interview recalls, that later when he came to know about this, he called her and said, “mujhe bhi apna bhai samjho.” (Consider me your brother too!). This is how their beautiful relationship began.

In an interview, years later, this is what Gauri said about her parents’ reaction, “Yes, my parents were obviously not for it because we were so young and then to take a decision to get married to a person who was going to join films and also from a different religion.”

      

The couple went through a lot of struggle to be together, from keeping their relationship a secret for five years to even changing his name to impose as a Hindu boy to impress Gauri’s parents. They did all they could to convince her parents about their love and its seriousness. Shahrukh was finally able to get Gauri’s hand and her parent’s blessings. And, the couple finally got married on October 25, 1991. It was a Hindu marriage ceremony.

      

King Khan said, “I don’t know whether I am a nut but I am very intense about my love for Gauri. She’s a part of me.” While Gauri says, “He was the first person I met and went out with. And he has been the only man.”

  

Today, even after 22 years of marriage, the couple still seems deeply in love. They are the proud parents of three lovely children– Aryan, Suhana and AbRam. Both Shahrukh and Gauri respect each other’s religion and follow both at home. Their love, commitment, trust, fidelity and belief in one another, is an example to all couples within the industry and outside.

   

Shah Rukh believes that for him, there is only one girl and that is Gauri. Shah Rukh always stays amazed by the way she handles their family, his production house and her work as an interior designer. He believes that she is a complete woman in every way!

Father role : Proud father of three children Aryan, Suhana and AbRam.

   

Shah Rukh : “I love my children not because they are my children but because I have garnered a friendship with them. I am realising this… as they are getting older, they are my greatest friends. I think my mental age is between 12 to 14, so it is nice to have two friends that I can ever have.”

  

In fact, Suhana gifted her dad a beautiful friendship band on Friendship Day, prompting the actor to tweet, “Feeling friendly now.”

A liberal man, Shah Rukh keeps idols of Hindu Gods right next to his Quran. He believes that children should know about God and nothing else. He says, “I don’t teach my children what is Hindu and what is Muslim.”

Voted as the super daddy of Bollywood by a leading newspaper, SRK ensures that he makes time for small pleasures of life. He once stepped out on the streets to take Suhana for her first bike ride. It was an emotional moment for him and he tweeted, “One of those days when I go through the emotions. Cycling with Suhana was the highlight.. need to do it more.” He even attends taekwondo tournaments, whenever Suhana and Aryan participate. He gives them pep talks before their bouts and cheers the loudest when they win. He drives to airport to fetch Aryan everytime he comes to visit his parents from London.

     

Shah Rukh Khan was widely criticised for misbehaving with the guards in Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium, but he still remains unapologetic about it. He maintains, “I took little children for the match and 40 grown-up people came charging aggressively at me. I think my behaviour is absolutely correct. I would still do the same thing if they misbehaved with my kids or kids that I am taking care of.”   SRK also does not want his children to be in the media glare and it is for this reason, he sent his son Aryan to study abroad, where he will be away from the limelight.

 

 Television and Film Debut

SRK’s first starring role was in Lekh Tandon’s television series Dil Dariya, which he began shooting for in 1988. Because of its production delays, the 1989 television series Fauji became his television debut. In the critically acclaimed series, a realistic look at the training of army cadets, he played the leading role of Abhimanyu Rai, which earned him mass recognition. This led to starring roles in Aziz Mirza’s television series Circus (1989–90) and Mani Kaul’s miniseries Idiot (1991). He also played minor roles in the serials Umeed and Wagle Ki Duniya, and in the made-for-television English-language film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones. SRK’s appearances in these serials led critics to compare his look and acting style with those of film actor Dilip Kumar.

 

SRK had traveled between Delhi and Mumbai during this period, and was not interested in film acting. However, two weeks after his mother’s death in April 1991, he moved to Mumbai permanently to pursue a full-time career in Bollywood, and was quickly signed to four films. His first film offer was for Hema Malini’s directorial debut Dil Ashna Hai, and by June 1991, he had started his first shooting. However, production delays meant that his second film Deewana, in which he starred alongside Divya Bharti as the second male lead behind Rishi Kapoor, was released first in June 1992. Deewana became a box office hit and launched Khan’s career in Bollywood. He earned the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for the performance. Also released in 1992 were Chamatkar, and Khan’s first films as the male lead, Dil Aashna Hai, and the comedy Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, which was his first of many collaborations with actress Juhi Chawla.  His initial film roles saw him play characters who displayed high levels of energy and enthusiasm. According to Arnab Ray, “he came, sliding down stairs on a slab of ice, cartwheeling, somersaulting, lips trembling, eyes trembling, bringing to the screen the kind of physical energy … visceral, intense, maniacal one moment and cloyingly boyish the next.”

Filmology : SRK ‘s complete movies list 1992-2014 ( except special appearances) is as under:

                      

Movie Name	Release Dates	Heroines
Deewana	1992	Divya Bharti
Chamatkar	1992	Urmila Matondkar
Dil Ashana Hain	1992	Divya Bharti
Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman	1992	Juhi Chawla
Maya Memsaab	1993	Deepa Sahi
King Uncle	1993	Anu Agarwal
Baazigar	1993	Kajol
Darr	1993	Juhi Chawla
Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa	1994	Suchitra Krishnamoorthi
Anjaam	1994	Madhuri Dixit
Karan Arjun	1995	Kajol
Oh Darling! Yeh Hai India!	1995	Deepa Sahi
Zamaana Deewana	1995	Raveena Tandon
Guddu	1995	Manisha Koirala
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge	1995	Kajol
Ram Jaane	1995	Juhi Chawla
Trimurti	1995	Gautami
English Babu Desi Mem	1996	Sonali Bendre
Chaahat	1996	Pooja Bhatt
Army	1996	Sridevi
Koyla	1997	Madhuri Dixit
Yes Boss	1997	Juhi Chawla
Pardes	1997	Mahima Chaudhry
Dil To Pagal Hai	1997	Madhuri, Karishma
Dil Se..	1998	Manisha Koirala
Duplicate	1998	Juhi Chawla
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai	1998	Kajol,Rani
Baadshah	1999	Twinkle Khanna
Josh	2000	Aishwarya Rai
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani	2000	Juhi Chawla
Hey Ram	2000	Rani Mukherji
Mohabbatein	2000	Aishwarya Rai
One 2 Ka 4	2001	Juhi Chawla
Asoka	2001	Kareena Kapoor
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…	2001	Kajol
Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam	2002	Madhuri Dixit
Devdas	2002	Aishwarya , Madhuri
Chalte Chalte	2003	Rani Mukherjee
Kal Ho Naa Ho	2003	Preity Zinta
Main Hoon Na	2004	Sushmita Sen
Veer-Zaara	2004	Preity Zinta
Swades	2004	Gayatri Joshi
Paheli	2005	Rani Mukherji
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna	2006	Preity, Rani
Don: The Chase Begins Again	2006	Priyanka Chopra
Chak De! India	2007	Vidya Malvade
Om Shanti Om	2007	Deepika Padukone
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi	2008	Anushka Sharma
Billu Barber	2009	Lara Dutta
My Name Is Khan	2010	Kajol
Ra.One	2011	Kareena Kapoor
Don2 : The Chase Continues	2011	Priyanka Chopra
Jab Tak Hai Jaan	2012	Anushka, Katrina
Chennai Express	2013	Deepika Padukone
Happy New Year	Oct 24 2014	Deepika Padukone
Posted by : Bollymoviereviewz

   

Upcoming Projects:

In March 2014, Khan signed director Rahul Dholakia’s next film, titled Raees and co-starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He also signed Maneesh Sharma’s film Fan, which was produced by Excel Entertainment and Yash Raj Films respectively.

Awards and Citations:

Khan’s work in Bollywood films has garnered him fourteen Filmfare Awards from thirty nominations, including eight for Best Actor; tied for the most in the category with Dilip Kumar. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2005, and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France in 2007 for his contribution to films. He was honoured with the Légion d’honneur—France’s highest civilian honour—on 1 July 2014.

  

Producer role : Owns three Production Houses in India, Dreamz Unlimited, Red Chillies Entertainment and Red Chillies Idiot Box. Red Chillies Idiot Box Production house will start producing Television Serials in India.He also is the owner of IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders.

  

Trivia:

• Khan’s popularity has been documented in several Indian and international non-fiction films. In 2005, Nasreen Munni Kabir produced and directed a two-part documentary titled The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan. The film featured the Temptations 2004 concert tour and contrasted Khan’s inner world of family and daily life with the outer world of his work. Khan has also been the subject of the Danish film Larger Than Life (2003) and the German film Shah Rukh Khan: In Love with Germany (2008). In 2010, the Discovery Travel & Living channel produced a ten-part miniseries titled Living with a Superstar—Shah Rukh Khan. The same year, Discovery Channel aired a television special titled Revealed: Shah Rukh Khan, in which social anthropologists, filmmakers, scholars, critics and lifestyle commentators analysed the impact of Khan’s image in India and abroad. The actor-director Makarand Deshpande directed a feature film named Shahrukh Bola “Khoobsurat Hai Tu” (2010), which centres around an obsessive female fan of Khan.

• Several books about Khan were published in 2007. Still Reading Khan by Mushtaq Sheikh describes Khan’s family life and features rare photographs. The book was re-released in a second edition at the end of the year with the title Shah Rukh Can. Anupama Chopra published a biography of Khan titled King of Bollywood: Shahrukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema, set against the background of the Indian film industry. Also in 2007, Deepa Gahlot published SRK: King Khan, which features an analysis of Khan’s life and career. In 2012, Khan became the first Indian actor and the second Indian citizen after Sachin Tendulkar to have his biography, titled King Khan: The Official Opus of Shah Rukh Khan, published by Kraken Opus.

   

• In 2005, Khan was the subject of 20 paintings by Indian artist Anjana Kuthiala. Greatly inspired by M.F. Husain’s work with actress Madhuri Dixit, Kuthiala chose Khan to be the muse and subject of her collections. Khan and Priyanka Chopra, Kajol and Hrithik Roshan had their likenesses made into a series of miniature dolls for Hasbro and the UK-based Bollywood Legends Corporation. In 2007, Khan became the third Indian actor to have his wax statue installed at London’s Madame Tussauds museum. Additional versions of the statue were installed at Madam Tussauds’ museums in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, New York and Washington.

Reasons for being a Role Model:

1. Even with all the success and a statue among the elite in Madame Tussaud’s, he is quoted as being one of the most humble and down to earth personalities although his wit is unmatched by even the best in business. This has led to him being a host of many television programmes, game shows and award functions including India’s version of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’
2. The King is an active philanthropist funding numerous humanitarian projects and charities as well as being personally involved in them though he prefers to keep this aspect out of the lime light.
3.  His larger than life persona continues to win hearts all over the world with a fan following going into billions. He is the    face of brands such as Pepsi, Tag Heur and has a 8 billion dirham property development project comprising multiple residential towers in the UAE named after him called ‘Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard’. He co-owns two production houses ‘Dreamz Unlimited’ and ‘Red Chillies Entertainment’ and the IPL Cricket team ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’.
4. Recipient of Padma Shri (India), Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France), Unesco Pyramide con Marni (UNESCO), L’Etoile d’Or (by King of Morroco) and the Chubb fellowship (Yale)
5. Being a Muslim man married to a Hindu woman, he and his wife combine both religious backgrounds into their children’s education.
6. His work ethics and commitment to excellence in whatever he does are the very keys to his astonishing climb from unknown to stardom .Believes in the TINA factor: There Is No Alternative to hard work. During his busy schedule, he manages with only 4 to 5 hours of sleep. Even when at his lowest during his injuries especially his spinal surgeries he always bounched back much stronger with grit and lots of guts. He faced failure too after his rise to success but he never let it affect his work and now its just an inspiration to millions worldwide.

 

 

Quotes of Shah Rukh Khan :

• I’d rather sink trying to be different, than stay afloat like everyone else.
• Yes, I do have a close circle of friends and I am very fortunate to have them as friends. I feel very close to them I think friends are everything in life after your family. You come across lots of people all the time but you only make very few friends and you have to be true to them otherwise what’s the point in life?
• I cannot repay my fans for what they have done for me, they have given me so much love and that love has taken me to the number 1 position where I am today, the only thing I can do for my fans is to never stop working, and to do films till the very end, it is the only way I can express my love for them.
• You must respect your seniors, bu never get intimidated by them. Winning should be a habit, not an option. The four Hs are important when you play to win — honesty, humor, hard work and a bit of haraamipan.
• I have no competition. Every year the names I’m pitted against keep changing. You can’t cream the competition, you have to kill it.
• I keep hearing that our films are escapist and unreal but I find our films the most real in the world. We don’t have people going up in a rocket and single-handedly blowing up a meteor. We don’t have a president on Air Force One saving the world or things coming out of people’s stomachs. Our fantasies and escapism are real. It’s just people singing and dancing in the street. If England had won the World Cup you would have seen people singing and dancing like that.
• I have no competition. Every year the names I’m pitted against keep changing. You can’t cream the competition, you have to kill it.
• The dream I chased, took me on a journey. A journey more rewarding then the goals, the achievements. When I look back it’s like facing a million mirrors. Each reflection opens a window. A window to the world I’ve just discovered. The world I want to share with all of you.
• You never win the silver, you only lose the gold.
• The collar-bone is my favorite part of the human body.
• Togetherness, passion, laughter, faith, trust and jealousy are the essential ingredients of love.
• “It’s not like Steven Spielberg is waiting with a script for me. I don’t think I’ll ever be offered a great international film in my lifetime, so I’d rather be a king here. Moreover, Indian cinema is the greatest in the world. But of course, after spending three months in LA, London, and New York I found that our cinema is a little exaggerated. To make a mark in the West we have to reach their level without losing our identity, culture or songs. I don’t want to star in a Hollywood film, but want to make a film that crosses over universally.”
• “I haven’t given up smoking. I’m very clear about it, it’s a personal choice. I want to cut down on it. It shouldn’t be made into an issue to say, damn good or damn bad. Whether I give it up or not shouldn’t be an issue.”
• I don’t like wearing dark glasses. I’m happy with the fact that people know me. I want people to scream and shout at me, I want people to trouble me when I’m having lunch, I like six bodyguards around me. I love being a star. I find it very strange when people who are famous say they don’t want to be photographed. I don’t want to be photographed first thing in the morning, I don’t want people peeping into my bedroom, but besides that, it’s a wonderful life.

SRK  said ,”If I am a role model, I must be the worst one in the world.” No Sir for me and countless others the way you live your life whether personal or professional and balance the different roles you play is a pure delight to watch and learn from. Not the least I learnt courage and persistence to do my best in whatever I undertake and its an privilege to have you as my mentor, role model and Raj from DDLJ as my all time crush ever. We both have one thing in common both losing our parents at a young age but we have them as our angels.

      -Ritu

   

Happy Birthday to SRK a small tribute to you sir.

Diwali (Deepali) the festival of lights

 

Deepawali or Diwali is certainly the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals. It’s the festival of lights (deep = light and avali = a row i.e., a row of lights) that’s marked by four days of celebration, which literally illumines the country with its brilliance, and dazzles all with its joy. Each of the five days in the festival of Diwali is separated by a different tradition, but what remains true and constant is the celebration of life, its enjoyment and goodness.

Legend and stories on why Diwali is celebrated:

Different people believe different events to be the cause behind this festival. Here are ten mythical and historical reasons that are possibly behind the Diwali (Deepavali) celebrations.

1) The most well known story behind Diwali is in the Ramayana, the great Hindu epic. According to Ramayana, Rama, the prince of Ayodhya was ordered by his father, King Dasharatha, to go away from his country and come back after living in the forest for fourteen years. So Rama went on exile with his devoted wife Sita and faithful brother, Lakshmana. When Ravana, the demon king of Lanka abducted Sita and took her away to his island kingdom of Lanka, Rama fought against and killed Ravana. He rescued Sita and returned to Ayodhya after fourteen years. The people of Ayodhya were very happy to hear of their beloved prince’s homecoming. To celebrate Rama’s return to Ayodhya, they lit up their houses with earthen lamps (diyas), burst crackers and decorated the entire city in the grandest manner. This is believed to have started the tradition of Diwali. Year after year this homecoming of Lord Rama is commemorated on Diwali with lights, fireworks, bursting of crackers and merriment. The festival gets its name Deepawali, or Diwali, from the rows (avali) of lamps (deepa) that the people of Ayodhya lit to welcome their King.

2) Another well known story related to Diwali history is narrated in the other Hindu epic, ‘Mahabharata’. Mahabharata reveals to us how the five royal brothers, the Pandavas, suffered a defeat in the hands of their brothers, the Kauravas, in a game of dice (gambling). As a rule imposed on them, the Pandavas had to serve a term of 13 years in exile. When the period was over, they returned to their birthplace Hastinapura on ‘Kartik Amavashya’ (the new moon day of the Kartik month). The five Pandava brothers, their mother and their wife Draupadi were honest, kind, gentle and caring in their ways and were loved by all their subjects. To celebrate the joyous occassion of their return to Hastinapura and to welcome back the Pandavas, the common people illuminated their state by lighting bright earthen lamps everywhere. The tradition is believed to have been kept alive through the festival of Diwali, which many believe, is held in remembrance of the Pandava brothers’ homecoming.

3) It is also believed that on this very Diwali day, the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi rose up from the ocean. The Hindu scriptures tell us that long long ago both Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons) were mortal. They had to die sometime or other, like us. But they wanted to live forever. So they churned the ocean to seek Amrita, the nectar of immortality (an event mentioned in the Hindu scriptures as “Samudra-manthan”), during which many divine objects came up. Prime among these was Goddess Lakshmi, the daughter of the king of the milky ocean, who arose on the new moon day (amaavasyaa) of the Kartik month. That very night, Lord Vishnu married her. Brilliant lamps were illuminated and placed in rows to mark this holy occassion. This event is supposed to have given rise to an annual celebration at the same time each year. Even today, Hindus celebrate the birth of the goddess Lakshmi and her marriage to Lord Vishnu on Diwali and seek her blessings for the coming year.

4) The origin of Diwali also refers to the stories narrated in the Hindu Puranas, the primary source of Hindu religious texts. According to the Bhagavata Purana (the most sacred Hindu text), it was on a Kartik day that Lord Vishnu, took on the form of a dwarf (Vaman-avtaara) and defeated King Bali. Bali, or rather King Mahabali, was a powerful demon king who ruled the earth. Once Bali got a boon from Lord Brahma that made him unconquerable. Even gods failed to defeat him in battles. Although a wise and good king otherwise, Mahabali was cruel to the Devas (gods). Finding no way to defeat Bali, the Devas went to Lord Vishnu and insisted him to find a way to stop Bali. Lord Vishnu made a plan. He disguised himself as a short Brahmin and approached Bali for some charity. A large-hearted king, Mahabali tried to help the Brahmin. But the whole thing was a trick by Lord Vishnu and ultimately the King had to give up all his kingship and wealth. Diwali celebrates this defeating of Mahabali by Lord Vishnu.

5) The Bhagavata Purana also tells us about Narakasura, an evil demon king who somehow got great powers and conquered both the heavens and earth. Narakasura was very cruel and was a terrible ruler. It is believed that Lord Vishnu killed Narakasura on the day before Diwali and rescued many women whom the demon had locked in his palace. The people of heaven and earth were greatly relieved to have got freedom from the hands of the terrible Narakasura. They celebrated the occasion with much grandeur, a tradition that is believed to be alive through the annual observance of Diwali.

6) According to another legend, long ago after the gods lost in a battle with the demons, Goddess Kali took birth from the forehead of Goddess Durga to save heaven and earth from the growing cruelty of the demons. After killing all the devils, Kali lost her control and started killing anyone who came her way which stopped only when Lord Shiva intervened. You all must have seen the well-known picture of Ma Kali, with her tongue hanging out? That actually depicts the moment when she steps on Lord Shiva and stops in horror and repentance. This memorable event has been commemorated ever since by celebrating Kali Puja, which is observed in several parts of India in about the same time as Diwali.

7) Historically it is believed that on a Diwali day in 56 BC King Vikramaditya, the legendary Hindu king of India famed for his wisdom, bravery and large-heartedness, was crowned and declared to be a king. This was marked by a grand celebration by the citizens of Vikramaditya’s kingdom celebrated the coronation of their king by lighting up small earthen lamps and that custom still prevails. Many people and even some historians say that this event gave rise to the annual observance of Diwali.

8) Diwali also marks the sacred occasion when on a new moon day of Kartik (Diwali day) Swami Dayananda Saraswati, one of the greatest reformers of Hinduism attained his nirvana (enlightenment) and became ‘Maharshi’ Dayananda, meaning the great sage Dayananda. In 1875, Maharshi Dayananda founded the Arya Samaj, “Society of Nobles”, a Hindu reform movement to purify Hinduism of the many evils it became associated with at that era. Every Diwali, this great reformer is remembered by Hindus all over India.

9) For Jains, Diwali commemorates the enlightenment of Vardhamana Mahavira(the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankaras of the Jains and the founder of modern Jainism) which is said to have occurred on Oct. 15, 527 B.C. This is one more reason to engage in Diwali celebrations for pious Jains and other than the purpose of commemoration, the festival stands for the celebration of the emancipation of human spirit from earthly desires.

10) For Sikhs, Diwali holds a special significance for it was on a Diwali day that the third Sikh Guru Amar Das institutionalized the festival of lights as an occasion when all Sikhs would gather to receive the Gurus blessings. It was also on a Diwali day in 1619 that their sixth religious leader, Guru Hargobind Ji, who was held by the Mughal Emperor Jahengir in the Gwalior fort, was freed from imprisonment along with 52 Hindu Kings (political prisoners) whom he had arranged to be released as well. And it was also on the same auspicious occasion of Diwali when the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid in 1577.

The five main days of Diwali:

First Day : Dhanteras Diwali begins with Dhanvantari Trayodashi (Dhanwantari Trayodashi), which is the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha, of the Hindu month of Kartik. Dhanvantari Trayodashi is popularly known as Dhan-teras. Legends have it that Lord Dhanwantari (Lord Dhanwantari) came out of the ocean with Ayurvedic on this day for the welfare of the mankind. The people worship Lord Yamaraj, the God of death, on this day and light a ‘Yama-Diya’ in the night to offer prayers to Him. Purchasing a new utensil by the people on this day is also a tradition related with Dhanvantari Trayodashi.

Second Day : Choti Diwali or Narak Chaturdashi After the Dhanvantari Trayodashi the second day of Diwali is Narak Chaturdashi. Legends have it that Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasur on this day to make the mankind free from his fear. It is a tradition to massage the body with oil and to bathe on this day. According to an interesting saying it is believed that those who do not bathe on this day go to the Narak (hell)

.

Third Day : Badi Diwali or Lakshmi Puja The third day of DIWALI also called Badi Diwali is the main day of celebrations of the festival of Diwali. People perform Lakshmi Pujan (worship of divine Goddess Lakshmi) on this day and offer prayers to her to bless them with wealth and prosperity. On this day people clean their homes and decorate it with various colorful lights and fire crackers to express their joy.

Fourth Day : Gowardan Puja (Gowardhan Puja) or Padwa As the name itself suggests the fourth day of diwali is devoted to Govardhan Pooja (worship of Lord Govardhan Parvat). Legends have it that Lord Shri Krishna once performed the Govardhan Pooja along with the people of Vraja for their protection from heavy rains. Since then it became a tradition for Hindus to worship Govardhan Parvat to honour that first Pooja on this day.

Fifth Day : Bhai Duj (Bhaiya Dooj) or Bhratri Dooj The fifth day of the diwali is Bhai Dooj, the time to honour the brother-sister relationship. Legends have it that in the Vedic era, Lord Yamaraj (the God of death) visited his sister Yamuna on this day and blessed her with a boon that if brothers visit their sisters on this day then they will be liberated from all their sins. Since then it is a tradition that brothers visit their sisters on this day and the sisters sweeten their mouths with variety of sweets. In the Bengali culture this day is celebrated as ‘Bhai Fota’. The celebration of the Bhai Dooj marks the end of the five days long festivities of Diwali.

Pyari Deepawali Hai Aayi

“Bachchon khushiyan khoob manaao rang birange deep jalaao,

dene fir khush haali aai pyari deepawali hai aayi.

Ghar-ghar deep jalaana hai khoob mithaai khana hai.

pataakhe nahin bajaana hai.

paryavaran ko bachaana hai.

Mat karna bachchon manmaani pataakhon se nahin chhedkhaani.,

sabhi ke cheharon par hai laali “Jatan” sabhi ko subh Diwali.”

                                                                           By Ashwani Kumar Jatan

“The clear blue sky,

The scent of flowers,

The colours of Rangoli,

And the sound of crackers.

The gifts and sweets from dear ones,

And the getting of their love,

The light of the candles below,

And the dazzling fireworks up above.

Lighting lamps at our homes,

Making the less fortunate smile,

Putting on new apparels,

Show our friends some style.

Paying respects to the gods,

And decorating for them the thali,

This is what the occasion is all about,

This is the spirit of Deepavali.”

Essence of Diwali : Diwali is made of many aspects as below. Many add to the enjoyment and add happiness in our lives but few have adverse effects as well.

• Diya: Diya is a small earthen lamp primarily lit during Diwali, the festival of lights. Also, known as ‘deep’, diya is traditionally made of clay. During Diwali, the earthen lamps are used for illuminating the entire home and premises.   Lights: All the houses and shops are decked up with lights and is a sight to behold.   
• Crackers: Fireworks are one of the major attractions of Diwali. People of all ages – from children to the old one – enjoy bursting crackers on the occasion. Crackers are burst during the night time in northern parts of India, while in southern parts of the country Diwali is celebrated early in the morning. Crackers are traditionally burst to ward off the evil spirits. he best way to ensure that you do not do much harm to your environment is to use crackers that do not make much noise and are safe to use. Children should burst crackers only under the guidance of adults. 
• Maha-Laxmi Aarti Pooja is one of the most important features of Diwali celebrations. Lakshmi, who is considered the goddess of light, beauty, good fortune and wealth, is worshipped on the occasion of Diwali to bring prosperity in the family. She is also worshiped to achieve success and fortune. It is however said that she does not reside long with anyone who is lazy and untidy or desire her only as wealth. That is why before the Lakshmi Pooja, people actively clean their home and worship her with immense devotion.
• Dresses: Diwali time is incomplete without traditional Indian attire like sarees, lehengas, kurtas and salwar suits. New clothes are bought and wore with enthusiasm especially children. 

   

• Cleaning: The home is scrub cleaned few days prior to the festival, in order to welcome Goddess Lakshmi – the Goddess of Wealth. People ensure that every nook and corner of their home and premises is cleaned. Apart from cleaning, they would decorate their place with flower garlands, torans, wall hangings, embellishments made of bells and mirrors etc. 

• Giving Gifts: The festive season is the perfect time to revive your emotional and personal relationships as well as the social bond. Exchanging gifts is a lovely tradition of Diwali, which helps you make your personal, social and business ties stronger. The custom of exchanging gifts on Diwali is followed to show love, respect, thankfulness, appreciation and togetherness.
   
• Rangoli: Rangoli is the art of drawing images and figures on the floor, at the doorstep of one’s home. With the beautiful combination of colors, rangoli makes a magnificent piece of art. It has been a tradition in culturally rich India, to draw rangoli on festivals and other auspicious occasions, as it is considered a holy ritual. It makes a part of Diwali celebrations too. The main purpose of making rangoli at the doorstep, on Diwali, is to welcome Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth.  
• Playing Games Playing cards is a good old tradition of Diwali. It is the one of the best pastimes for the occasion. While playing cards, be sure not to keep a lot of money on stake. You may play cards without gambling as well. Rummy is a popular game of cards. Apart from card games, you can utilize the time in playing indoor games such as ‘dumb charades’, ‘pass the parcel’, ‘musical chair’, and outdoor games such as ‘scavenger hunt’, ‘hide and seek’ etc.
• Diwali House Parties: Diwali is a festival when people feast on lavish meal. Delicious sweets are prepared by the women, to serve on sumptuous dinner and lunch. You may call upon and host a dinner or lunch. Although feasting is not mandatory for Diwali, many households take immense pleasure in hosting lunch or dinner, because they get a chance to strengthen their social ties, through the get-together.
• Decorated Markets and melas are a common sight and good for businesses. Shopping is on a large scale on this festive occasion but extravagant spending beyond budgets should be avoided as there are enough variety of stuff available at all price ranges.

• Just as there are drawbacks in every festival Diwali is no exception. Security threats because of crowded markets, Fire hazards due to improper storage and misuse of firecrackers, Pollution at alarming levels because of uncontrolled bursting of large crackers causing harm to environment and disturbing animals and old ad young, Traffic jams due to everyone trying to reach a particular destination and people addicted to reckless drinking and gambling using the festival as an excuse.

  

“May lights triumph over darkness May peace transcend the earth May the spirit of light illuminate the world May you celebrate a wonderful Diwali this year! Happy Diwali”

Women 10 tips to protect yourself from rape and assault

The spur in the amount of rape cases and sexual crimes against women in our country has brought into light the need for women to take up safety measures themselves too .Studies have shown that most of these occur within the victims known circles at home or work .

10 ways to protect yourself from sexual assault or be a victim of rape :

1> Be alert of your surroundings at all times. Most assaults happen in isolated places like Parking lots, garages, lonely dark roads, less used shortcuts, etc. Even if it is daytime, late hours or at night, avoid risk areas such as dark places, dimly lit areas, lonely places, and being alone in a room with a stranger or someone you don’t know well. If you have a sense of being followed then scream talk loudly to yourself or someone imaginary, talk over the phone, go to a crowded public place or scream loudly. Make any kind of noise which will freeze the attacker as usually they are looking for a quick getaway after committing the offense. Yell, shout and draw attention to yourself. Attackers usually have an idea of how the attack will happen. Disrupt that idea. Fight like a psychotic cat, and yell loudly and strongly.

2> Carry anything which can be used to attack the assailant and defend yourself like an umbrella, large handbag, pepper spray, chilly powder and even a gun if you have a license. If the location has mud or sand then bend down and scoop some and splash in his eyes to temporarily blind him or poke his eyes with your fingers and escape. Invest in self defense classes if available in your city. Keep the emergency helplines on your phone in order to call immediately in case of need. Always keep your family and trusted friends informed of your whereabouts at all times.

Umbrella as a weapon

friends or co workers

3> Stay careful at parties and bars. Don’t let anyone hold your drink. Do not leave your drink anywhere. Avoid anything that somebody gives you. It could be “counterfeited.” Always hold, keep and get your own drinks. Never leave a drink unattended for even a moment. Keep your hand over the top of your drink because it’s easy to drop something into it. If accepting a bottle then examine the seal carefully for tampering. Be aware of public bathrooms in clubs and bars. Women have been attacked in the ladies room if it is deserted.

Be alert not drugged and raped.

4> Practice being careful when going into your house or car because someone could easily push you in and lock the door behind you. Be aware of your surroundings; carry your keys ready in your hand and look around you before opening the door. If the attacker is already in the car then he will give you directions to a isolated lonely spot where he can commit the crime and force you at gunpoint or any weapon sitting behind you. I n this case stay calm and surprise the attacker. Do not obey the instructions but put on your seat belt and drive into some stationary object like a lamp post or signal or water hydrant. the safety belt and air bag will save you and it is better to be in an accident rather than being raped.

5> Do not accept lifts from people you do not know, these could be cars, bikes or motor bikes. If at your home alone then never allow strangers especially those claiming to be from maintenance or services like electrical department, water department, taxes without examining their original credentials and talking to their superiors on the phone. Do not even allow your watchman access at dark hours. Keep the porch or front of house adequately lighted in case you return home in dark hours.

Mind of a rapist

6> Learn to trust your instincts the voice in your head which tells you something is wrong. If you feel uneasy or unsure in anyway, it is in your best interest to get away and get help. Use your instincts and be aware of your freeze instinct. Move quickly … fight, flight or freeze are our natural instincts, so be aware that all 3 exist. Most of victims when questioned said they had an instinct that something was wrong but they ignored it. If there is a hint of danger about the person or surroundings, do not ignore it.

Trust your instincts always.

7> Learn “SING”. This means Solar Plexus-Instep-Nose-Groin, the four attack points you should focus on if grabbed from behind. Elbow them in the solar plexus, stomp on the foot as hard as you can, and when they let go, turn around and jam the palm of your hand into their nose in an upward motion, then finish with a knee to the groin. This may disable your assailant long enough for you to get away. Don’t worry about hurting them, because they intend to do something much worse to you.

Solar plexus

Nose

Groin

8> Rape can and does strike anyone at anytime. Age, social class, ethnic group and has no bearing on the person a rapist chooses to attack. Research data clearly proves that a way a person dresses and/or acts does not influence the rapist’s choice of victims. His/her decision to rape is based on how easily he/she perceives his/her target can be intimidated. Rapists are looking for available and vulnerable targets. So walk straight with confidence and hold your chin up, fake it if necessary. This may sound silly, but it can help boost confidence. Attackers are more likely to go for those who they think cannot defend themselves.

9> In case of taking an auto or taxi while getting in talk loudly on the phone or pretend that you are taking auto or taxi to so and so destination and an approximate time of arrival. Even state the name of the driver or badge number mentioned near the meter or say the number. In case of suspicions on the shortcut or different route taken by the driver then make a call to the police or issue an alert on your safety apps you pre decided.

Taxi

10> Use the advantage of technology to download safety apps on your phone easily available nowadays and keep a list of family and friends you can call upon in case of emergency. They must know where you are and how to locate you in case anything goes wrong.

technology

technology

Technology

There is a lot of change to be brought about in the mindset of why society condones rapists but blames the victims as if they are responsible. There are so many instances where simply the bystanders to the crime just stood there imbecile so the onus is upon women to protect themselves. Do share your comments and your tips to safeguard.

Long term solution

Boys vs Girls : Gender stereotyping a fiction or distorted reality !!!

 

“Men who cry are sissies ; Women who don’t cry are heartless”

“Women love gossip and shopping ; Men love sports and are obsessed about sex”

“Men are commitment phobic and bad at science ; Women are bad in driving and at math “

“Women with glasses are nerds ; Men with glasses are smart and intelligent “

These are just few of the comments which mostly are taken for the truth and accepted by many in the society. Some get enraged, some take it in the lighter sense, and others just take it on face value. In short these have been passed down many generations and even in 21st century still governing the society.

From the moment all hear “It’s a boy!” on birth of the child they go berserk. There are celebrations galore throughout and no one gives a thought as to how the baby looks. He gets clothed in preferably blues and his room is painted a blue colour while his room decorated by super hero themes. Most of the toys he gets are guns and cars. Then the initiation to being a boy begins by slowly telling him not to cry a lot and the male attributes like acting strong by suppressing his emotions, act brave always, learn to fix things around the house, manage finances, and learn tasks to be performed outside the house.Speed and action toys and games are all good for him, gets to play outside without any restrictions, encouraged to be aggressive, focus on sports and get educated as per needs of any male preferred career like engineer, doctor, architect, pilot. armed forces, civil services. etc. He is discouraged from taking up any profession like nursing, teaching, counseling, considered to be soft enough for girls. He gets set for a life of being pampered by all his female relatives and waited hand on foot. He is seen as a potential breadwinner and thus not given any mundane tasks within the house but outside ones like paying bills, buying electronic stuff and furniture etc. Teasing girls, flirting, dating and casual relationships are no taboo for him but considered to be masculine .

On the other hand If hear “Its a Girl ” the reactions are varied. She will be dressed in pink mostly and here the focus will be on her appearance : her color, features,etc. Her room will be painted pink and decorated with Barbie themes and soft toys and dolls will be most of her toys. Many people will even despair thinking of future when they have to give he away in marriage and have to start saving for her dowry. She will be encouraged to express her emotions, instructed in manners like talking softly, walking gracefully, not fight with boys, be submissive to elders, not laugh too loudly, dress smartly, and take up feminine interests like cooking, singing, dancing, and caring for others. She has many restrictions on going outside the house and also the kind of education she wants to pursue. She also is discouraged from taking up male dominated careers like Armed forces, Driving, physical tasks oriented like machinery and design, construction, etc. She is groomed to be homemaker or if working then has to manage a balance between work and home duties and also a future mother.

Whatever the gender but the nature of boys and girls cannot be entirely separated since they do overlap at times . The adage ” Men are from Mars and Women from Venus” is often used to generalize although actually implies that although they do have natural gender differences physically individually there are enough similarities which is a testimony in the willingness to coexist and accelerate the human race.In the book of same name the author JG challenges stereotypes and proves that there are more similarities than differences between men & women, even anatomically. Men & women have the same desires, wants, dreams and fears.

In the above picture look at the similarity and disparity though in a humorous vein still correlates doesn’t it ? It is ok for boys to be messy but they can also be neat and organized while even if girls are expected to be all neat and tidy can be messy at times.

On a serious note even psychologists agree that there is a feminine side in every male and masculine side in every female. Individually when the person understands and balances both it leads to psychological well being and happiness. Who can say Men are insensitive when they watch them around their daughters . Women are setting new trends in all fields today considered traditionally a male domain being brave inspite all odds. A gradual change in the mindset of society needs to be brought about so that any person can choose to live the way he or she wants instead of conforming to society norms and losing a part of self in the process. Total Isolation is not possible or healthy too : “what a mess it would be ! just imagine a total chaos …. meaningless existence”

Here are few pictures on the lighter side :

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Note :

Right from the time a baby is conceived there are mixed reactions among family members. Different reactions greet a boy or a girl :elations ,celebrations, disappointment, worries. even anger. In many parts female infanticide is rampant where the girl baby is killed for no fault other than its sex. The boy child is seen as the heir apparent and the joy and pride of the family has to be seen to be believed. This has lead to so many imbalances in our society where there is skewed sex ratio , desertion of wives for inability to conceive a male progeny, the poor treatment of girl child ignoring her rights to education and nutrition and the rampant rise in crimes against women. Many will counter that scenario has changed now Indian women are modern and flourishing in work and education but though true such percentage is still low to make a difference to the plight of their neglected peers. There is a need to spread awareness and bring about a change in mindset of society which will take many efforts and lot of time so that future generations will be safe to live their lives as they want to ; not as a prison of their sex.

“Destined to meet …. a match made in heaven.”

Characters ( to be added on as the story progresses) :
Abhram : the main lead of the story .a laidback attitude from childhood enjoying all the activities any guy from a typical upper class background will –adventures, pranks, girls, speed-fast cars, fast bikes ,etc, hanging out with friends favorite pass time ,no sense of responsibility.
Shristi : the female lead of the story . average gal with a middle class upbringing having focus on her future an introvert , very kind so much that often her good nature gets misused by people, Intelligent, passion for creating her own identity in the world ,mature beyond years still childish in some ways.
Farah : College mate of Abhram whom he is in a relationship with. A vivacious girl from a rich family who is the college beauty madly in love with Abhram.
Shishir : A perky lad in the fourth standard whom Abhram befriends on a train journey.
Rohit : Bosom buddy of Abhram who was his companion in all his ups and downs and so close that people assumed to be real brothers.H e is an renowned Industrialist worldwide famous for his chain of boutique hotels “ The Mystique “

First Chapter:

Abhram was standing in the airport lounge watching the hustle bustle of the busy Bangalore airport. The man with the red cap was trying to get his attention for quite some time now. But Abhram was re collecting his past with a smile he was thinking about the incident when he first came into contact with Shristi .

12 years ago when Abhram had gone on a trip to Kolkatta with his classmates for a study tour. They were so bored of the train journey it had been days they had been cooped up in each others‘company. He had fought with his then girlfriend Farah and was standing near the compartment entrance letting wind blow on his face enjoying a smoke. Suddenly he heard a sweet voice someone saying “Excuse me please” and turned .
A long-haired gal in a white cotton top and long red skirt with bangles zingling and large looped earrings wearing anklets was standing there .He stood there as if in a trance and she again said” Excuse me please are you deaf dude? Or on second thoughts stand there and get splattered all over. What do I care?”

It was then he saw she was holding a small boy who was looking as if he might puke any minute and jumped out-of-the-way without a word. The gal then took the boy to the sink and held him while he discharged all his dinner into the sink. The gal was rubbing his back and giving him water. Abhram was touched by her care.

After some time the boy was finished and after freshening up he asked her for water but the bottle was empty. The gal told him that their water was over and she will get it at the next station. Abhram heard her and told her if she didn’t mind he had a bottle should he get it. The boy said yes I want some water bhaiya and despite the gal’s protests went away with Abhram to his berth for water.

On the way he went on chatting and told Abhram that he and his family were going on summer holidays to his nani’s place in Kharagpur .They lived in Bangalore and in this way Abhram came to know the gal was his elder sister .Then they reached his berth and he gave him water bottle.The boy drank it and gave it back to Abhram and said “Thank you bhaiya” and turned to go but Abhram stopped him and asked what is his name? The boy said that his didi had told him not to reveal his details to strangers and said since bhaiya you are so nice I will tell you .My name is Shishir and I am in the fourth standard.Abhram was just about to ask his sister’s name when Shishir said bye and ran off to meet his sister who was approaching them.

After he stood watching them both go he felt Farah’s hand on his shoulders and forgot all about the girl and Shishir.Then the two went off to join their classmates for lunch. That night all of them had planned a birthday surprise for Ankush one of their classmates.So they took a packet of bread spread jam and butter on it and prepared a sort of cake and put a candle in the centre. They all had already purchased a gift for him .All of them were waiting for the clock to turn 12 so they could start the party.

Since there was still an hour left Abraham told Farah since it was the last night on the train they should make it more special. They both went to a far away compartment where all were asleep and stood in a corner. They were just getting intimate with each other and Abhram pulled Farah closer and was kissing her pushing her back against the wall for few minutes when Farah heard someone swearing and suddenly broke free and pushed him .He collided with someone and grabbed hold to get his balance but he got kicked in the stomach with heels and collapsed out of pain on the floor.

When he came to his senses he saw Farah and the girl standing there trying hard to hold their laughter but failing miserably. He then got up and said to Farah if she was done laughing they could proceed to the party since it was almost 12. Farah glanced towards the girl and mimed that she would call her later and waved her goodbye. On the way Farah told Abhram that it wasn’t Shristi’s fault just an accident and he should not get upset. Abhram told her to shut up and not to say anything to anyone and then Farah sulked and pouted that hardly seems likely she would gossip about it and become the laughing-stock of the college.

Second Chapter :

Suddenly Abhram felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and was jolted back to his present and found himself standing in the Airport. He took it out of his pocket and saw it was a SMS from his wife reminding him to pick up gifts for the kids or they wouldn’t let him in peace. Rohit his best friend asked him,” Its Zebbie isn’t it? I cannot believe you still have that grin on your face whenever you think about her after all these years ; come on dude you guys been together for years now “ nudged Abhram and burst out laughing.
They both got out of the Airport through the back or they would be besieged by the media and fans out front waiting to speak to their favorite celebrity who had returned after ages from abroad. It was a long drive to the beautiful dwelling called “ Nivriti ” their own lovenest fondingly built with lots of love and care , painstakingly each brick put in place. On the way they stopped at the Mall to get gifts for kids and while he shopped Rohit told him he had to take a client call and would be at the café. Abhram lovingly selected gifts and was thinking as to how much Adriana and Suhas would go crazy on opening them. He then gave the gifts to his driver and went to the café to join Rohit. Rohit waved to him and he went and joined him. Rohit was still busy on his phone so Abhram relaxed leaned back and enjoyed his cuppa. He then saw a couple engrossed in each other and remembered meeting her for the second time.

After a rigorous match practice Abhram and some of his teammates went to their usual coffee joint but it was closed that day for maintenance.T hey were about to go home when Rahul one of the gang told that there was a new CCD opened in the vicinity. They went there and sat for some time discussing the final cricket match when the waitress approached their table and placed menus and water and then went away to take orders from another table. After deciding what they all wanted they again continued discussing the tactics and Kishore started mimicking their strict coach they called hitler behind his back .They all started laughing and encouraging him when they heard a soft “Can I take your orders please ?” Abhram for the first time lifted his head and looked at the waitress while Krish gave their orders to her. Abhram felt as if he had seen her before but couldn’t recall. Then their orders arrived and he forgot all and they all enjoyed their coffees and were so famished that they devoured all the sandwiches and pastries within no time. They then called for the bill and paid it and left.
Abhram gave the waitress a second glance and then left when everyone started teasing him about the same.

Abhram was now a right-handed batsman playing cricket ever since he could remember. Apart from completing graduation on the behest of his Parents who felt an education was very important in any circumstance cricket was his passion. His daily routine consisted of waking up at the crack of dawn no matter what time he got into bed and working out in his gym for an hour.Then he had breakfast and left for his practice sessions at the Chinnaswamy stadium where he practiced his batting skills and fielding drills either with his teammates or alone .From there he went to his regular hangouts with his friends and had lunch with them often. Later in afternoon he went to his father’s Legal firm and loved helping out with the briefs and random jobs around the office besides flirting with the pretty secretaries. He was sharp and had indepth knowledge of law in his blood since both his parents were famous law practitioners in the city. But he never took it seriously. Early evening he again left for practice before hitting the nightlife in the city with his friends.

Abhram and his friends had a hell of a blast drinking and flirting with the hot chicks over there. Suddenly there was alarm and the bar owner started shutting the shop down. The bartender stopped serving drinks and closed the bar counter. The regular clientele knew it was the deadline and started leaving. Abrham and his group too left and said goodbye to each other and left in their own vehicles. Abhram told his driver to take him home. The driver told him that they would have to take the longer route than the usual since the regular one was closed due to some construction work.Abhram agreed and after reaching home went to bed.

The next morning Abhram slept till late since it was his day off from the gym. However he woke up late and had to take a quick shower and got ready. He grabbed an apple for breakfast and his usual protein shakes and juices packed by his cook and rushed out to his car. He was driving the car at top speed and hurried through the signal before it turned red but just at the last moment the signal turned red and he had to brake all of a sudden. He nearly hit a girl crossing the road but stopped in the nick of time. The girl gestured to him was he blind and something about her seemed familiar to him. Just then a line of cute little chubby kids in school uniforms led by their teachers started crossing the road and Abhram forgot his anger and smiled and waved at some who were waving to all. Then signal turned green and he reached the grounds for practice. He found that none of his team mates had turned up for practice and proceeded to net practice and had some quality time with the coach.

After practicing hard for couple of hours Abhram saw his idol none other than Kapil Dev ji and went up to him greeting him. Kapil Dev asked him whether he was a batsman or a bowler and when he replied he was an all-rounder the legend told him he would like to bowl to him. Abhram couldn’t believe his luck and went to his nets and took his stance.Kapil Dev bowled to him and he was so nervous that he missed out a couple of deliveries and ten calmed down focused and connected all after that. Then Kapil ji asked him to bowl a variety of pace and spin of varied lengths into the nets and observed him closely. After some time Kapil Dev told him ifhe practiced and worked on his techniques diligently he had the talent to make into the national team in future and went to have a word with Abhram’s coach.

Abhram was on cloud nine after leaving the ground and decided to stop at the CCD they had been before. After he sat there for some time he felt being ignored by the waitress inspite of beckoning her few times. He finally was about to walk out when the manager came and asked for his order. He ordered his favorite cappuccino and then asked why the service was so late in taking an order even. The manager apologized and assured him that there would be no further delay. After some time Abhram saw the waitress walk away from the café almost in tears and he called for the bill and asked the manager what was the issue. The manager replied that he had fired her so she was upset and then made a sarcastic remark that it was what the bitch deserved. Abhram would have retaliated but he saw the waitress leaning against his car and talking to someone on the phone. He then went out of the café.

The girl was making animated gestures with her hands in the air while talking and Abhram stood there for a moment observing her flick off the hair falling on her face often and observed for the first time that she looked so innocent and felt bad that she had lost her job because of him. Just then the girl ended her call and suddenly caught him staring at her red handed. She then walked to him and before he could react slapped him across the face.