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| The Velvet of Nature |
Family surely brings in responsibilities, believe me a whole lot of it. Recently when I was trying to set up my new house before shifting in, I realized there are a number of small details that you need to check for a house. Because I stayed in a fully furnished apartment I never bothered to go into the details in length previously, even for the water that I was drinking.
Each time we visited a mall in search for a water purifier there were multiple options of water filters, purifiers, chemical treatments, UV filter, RO and what not. Every company having their own stories on ‘we are the best’, ‘they don’t give you this feature’, ‘we still have prize money unchallenged’, ‘our product is hassle free’, ‘no electricity we use chemical to purify’ and many more. This only made us more confused. Chemical water! We are already stressed with chemicals in food/veggies and screaming for organic food, organic vegetable… but now chemical in water also! Don’t know what that would be! How can someone take in chemicals knowingly?
I have always read Bangalore water is hard and highly chlorinated – even the water we get for bathing feels like swimming pool water. I was a regular swimmer in school and college days and have already seen the adverse effects of being in chlorinated water for long. It has already affected skin and hair but at least not from inside.
Before deciding on a perfect purifier for us I did a lot of research, read Google, on Bangalore water and best purifier available and finds were startling. Normal chlorinated tap water usage over a period of time can lead to colon cancer, bladder cancer, atherosclerosis etc. Its best I provide the link than pasting it and make my post look bigger or like a medical student’s report. You can read here. So using tap water for drinking is an absolute no no and this also made me apprehensive on using the filters directly connected to tap’s nozzle.
Back at home when I was a kid we had a 3 stage filter and later on in the 1990s we had aquaguard. So my knowledge on safe drinking water has always been packaged mineral water or aquaguard. Packaged drinking water for everyday use is definitely a costly affair. So we thought of getting an aquaguard installed. This episode again was a confusing yet enriching experience for me.
This representative came in with a water meter (not sure of the name) – a device to check the hardness of the water and suggested some types of models best suited for us. I had never seen such a thing before though have seen a lot of aquaguard installations back in Kolkata at home and at some relative’s home. My knowledge on this UV filtration, Reverse Osmosis almost felt handicapped in front of what I read and heard after that on the water treatment in Bangalore and quality of water. Only after ensuring that these will not use any chemical to purify the water could we decide on a RO purifier.
It was almost shocking to read in newspaper that at some areas in Bangalore the tap water is so highly chlorinated that they resort to packaged mineral water even for bathing!
But on a serious note, we ensure we get the best water purifier to avoid all health hazards but what about the larger section of the society (in India and many other countries) who cannot afford it? Don’t they have right to drink safe water? It’s a question that came in my mind. Hopefully one day we can invent a cheaper form of such purifiers yet having safer drinking water.
This post of mine is also an entry for Say No to Chlorine contest on Indiblogger initiated by Bejon Misra consumer activist & founder of The Healthy You Foundation in the crusade against chlorine.
You can also take active part in this crusade by blogging @ http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=35
Being completely cut off from communication for last few days (thanks to our service providers) I was completely unaware of things occurring around me for almost 2 weeks. That’s the reason why I am posting after so long [My phone only supports all fancy social networking, instant messenger, but not blogger friendly]. Yesterday as I reached office and opened the news site I was surprised to see the headline – ‘Osama Bin Laden is dead’. Such a massive incident took place and I was completely unaware! But as it sunk in I couldn’t help myself but read through almost all articles on all news portals before anything else. And yes like every other peace loving person on earth I am happy about this death.
I can still remember as a school going girl how shocked I was with the disturbing and horrifying pictures of The World Trade Centre coming down one by one and people running all across for their lives. For a long time that’s the picture which came in my nightmares and I could only curse all responsible for such a wicked event killing thousands of innocents. This happened to me sitting across thousands of miles, I can’t even imagine what people must have gone through who actually saw it right infront of their eyes. That’s one time when I read about a lot on politics and war in the Middle East, Egypt, Sudan etc relating to the big bad name Osama Bin Laden.
One terrorist dead is one terrorist less. But, today it is only a face of terror which is less. I was reading it today a caption used by a news channel – ‘End of Global Terrorism’. As I read it I thought is it? I don’t think so. Osama lately was the face of a terror outfit, yes he was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attack, but is he the only person in his terror group? NO. Is there only one such terrorist group going insane and creating ruckus? NO. They have spread faster than a virus. Al-Quida alone has sprung up in Yemen, Iraq, Algeria and god knows where all. I am sure every single terrorist attack was not masterminded by OBL. His death is an inspirational event in the context of War on terror. The extremists will be waiting to retaliate and I guess any location will be on their radar – not only US or UK or their allies.
All these extremists fighting under a global banner of jihad. What is it? From my knowledge after reading translations of Quran, jihad is an internal struggle to maintain faith. But where is it an internal struggle today? Why killing innocents? I am sure no god of any religion would want its supporters to go on a killing spree in the name of religion. But I will refrain from commenting on any religion, I am no one to do it, but yes I definitely take offence when innocent civilians are killed who don’t even get to know their faults.
Global Terror is a bigger chapter, may be the death of OBL is an introduction, but there is a lot folded under the lines. I am not being pessimistic but yes I can feel this is not the end. The day these people will be bold enough to question themselves about what they have been doing and weather these activities were necessary and get a true answer from within may be, that day we can hope for a safer future. I don’t know if I’ll be able to see that day though!
Image source: http://v-imagine-l.deviantart.com/art/Stop-terrorism-115490621
These days Shahid Afridi seems to be under the limelight for all wrong reasons. I keep on reading about Afridi and his comments almost every day either in newspaper or on internet. But why is he blabbering so much? I think he has lost his sanity after losing the high profile semifinal against India. But why he has to open his big mouth and blurt out non sense all the time? Shouldn’t he be happy that his team reached the semifinals even after the team’s recent losing and match fixing spree? He should be happy that he is one of the leading wicket takers in this World Cup. Instead of that he chose to brush against us the wrong way.
Below are my answers to Shahid Afridi’s stupid comments mentioned in Italics. [Read here for the original article, if you have already not heard/read about it].
“In my opinion, if I have to tell the truth, they (Indians) will never have hearts like Muslims and Pakistanis. I don’t think they have the large and clean hearts that Allah has given us.”
Who is Shahid Afridi to decide whether Indian’s are large-hearted or not? Is in not required for a national team’s captain to have some humility, or some sense? Did it just skip his mind how his brother and his girl friend were stranded at Attari without a ticket and without visa? How we ‘tiny-hearted’ Indians (according to Afridi) helped them to reach Mohali to enjoy his large-hearted brother’s team play? Did he forget it was only these ‘tiny hearted’ Indian police force who gave, him and his large-hearted boys from his large-hearted nation, a seven layered security during their stay in Mohali?
Has the god cleaned you with Dettol? What do you mean by clean hearts?? Is it because of this clean hearts of certain people in your country that your nation always comes in news for all wrong reasons? I don’t think I have to list those wrong reasons. My webpage might become too heavy to load.
“It is a very difficult thing for us to live with them (Indians) or to have long-term relationship with them. Nothing will come out of talks. See how many times in the past 60 years we have had friendship and then how many times things have gone bad.”
Why am I getting a feeling that Mr. Afridi wanted to shift the spotlight from the whole bunch of questions on their loss and drop catches to somewhere else and thus thought of coming up with this comment? Given the timing of the comment and the nature of allegation I am forced to think that this is exactly what he was thinking while making this statement. If you are a captain and a public figure are you not responsible to give answers bravely than taking such a cheap measure? If you are trying to prove that you are large hearted by dropping some half a dozen of catches then I am not complaining at allJ. Or do you want to join Politics after retirement?
Who is asking you to stay with us? You in anyways stay in another country, so where are you living with us? We are happy with ourselves and not asking you to come with us, why do you have to poke your big nose? I don’t know if everyone in your country feels like you, I am sure they don’t, so why don’t you stop bothering everyone and give us a break.
In some article I read Afridi has asked BCCI not to treat them as ‘untouchables’. [Read here]. But you already think that we are not large hearted, so why do you want to associate yourself with us? Certain large-hearted people from your nation are responsible for this, why don’t you go and ask them? Its only because our large heartedness that one of them is still alive and getting a fair trial.
A day back I read another comment by Afridi “I am not a born captain and I also make mistakes.” (sic). Who is a born captain in anyways? Did Dhoni’s mom think his son will be a World Cup winning captain the day he was born? I think neither Dhoni’s mom a Subhadra nor Dhoni any Abhimanyu. [If any one doesn’t know about them and their story please Google with ‘Mahabharat+Abhimanyu’]. Its hard work and truth which pays of ultimately, if I am not mistaking, its written in your religious book too, flip through the pages for a change.
“The Indian media has a very negative approach and very negative thoughts. The people may not be like that but I think the media had a very dirty role in spoiling relations between us and India. Our media (Pakistan Media), which is criticised by people, is hundred times better than theirs (India Media).”
If your media is better be happy with that, who is asking you to comment anything on our media? Is it your media or an Indian media which took the initiative of ‘Aman ki Asha’? I don’t know much about your media so it is better for me not to comment on those poor fellows specially when you have already mentioned that they are criticized by people.
So Mr. Afridi, why do you come up with foolish comments and make yourself look like a jerk each time? Who are you to decide anything on the nature of Indians? Don’t you think we are large hearted enough to keep shut even after the countless number of negative activities [I am trying to be too humble, could have written other words] that certain people of your nation has done in our country? So it is better that you and your team concentrates on cricket than think about petty politics. By the way have you been large hearted enough to update your date of birth? Or you are still eighteen?
I thought i have written enough on the World Cup in my last few posts, but these statements almost forced me to write one more.
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| Shut your big mouth for a change |
45 days of mayhem…14 teams battling out… billions of eyes hooked to the television – some high voltage action in the sub continent had kept every one busy for the last few days. A World Cup of extremes- if I may say- saw some nerve wrecking matches, saw some superstars in making from new teams, saw stones being thrown at after being all out for 58 and saw some great matches in cricketing history. Ultimately it was the best team winning the battle and lifting the coveted trophy.
As an Indian and a cricket fan it is not only a matter of joy for me to see my team as the champions, but a matter of pride – we are now the WORLD CHAMPIONS – for the next four years I can always be happy thinking we are best from the rest. It’s a week now from the historic night but the feeling is still fresh for me. In a fast pace life these days we overcome everything very fast. But this is one feeling which I am still rejoicing as if I was one of the players of the squad! I can only imagine what our players must have felt.
Thinking back – D day went tensioned filled, I woke up feeling tensed on what will happen? Who will win the world cup? What will happen if we don’t win the world cup? This is probably the last chance for Sachin to make his dream come true.. and I even thought of what he will go through if they didn’t win the cup! It almost felt similar to nights before the exams when I was never prepared and didn’t know what will happen the next day! I remember I dint feel like having breakfast or lunch.. didn’t feel like doing anything and only waited for the clock to struck 2 so that we can watch the toss. My tension only heightened with the confusion at the toss. I bet every other Indian was as tensed as me till the last ball. All throughout the Lankan innings I kept on praying that they should score as less as possible.
But my blood pressure started rising within the first few overs of our batting. Indro, got so tensed that he shifted to another room and started following the match in cricinfo! And me being me couldn’t leave my lucky corner and kept watching with hopes in heart. My friend started messaging India had no chance and how she had stopped watching the game. But the optimistic side of me replied her not to lose hope so fast. One of the channels was telecasting the matching 5 seconds before Star cricket. So each time my neighbors erupted in cheers there was a twinkle in my eyes as I knew next ball would be a boundary. I was finding it so comforting that I chose not to watch the match in the other channel! What cricket does to us!
Last 30 minutes of the match I spent in the kitchen walking up and down and only praying ‘God please help us win this match, in no situation should we lose this match’. I even ended up threatening Him that He can’t play deaf to prayers of 1.2 billion Indians. And my already tensed husband peeped into the TV at times and smiled looking at me walking up n down my kitchen in tension! When the colony almost erupted in screams I came running knowing that would be the final blow. I knew no bounds and just kept on shouting in joy god knows for how long. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt so happy before. Not even after ranking in class or being first in some dance or animation competition. Every single Indian must have experienced the same, few for the first time and some for the second time. A team winning the World Cup after 28 years, by all fair means…winning a battle like soldiers… I don’t know if I can ask for more. God did answer to all our prayers. [Suddenly it reminded me of a forwarded text message -Pakistan asked God,’Please help us in the match against India’ and he replied ‘Sorry I can’t. I open the batting for India’. That came in my mind each time Sachin’s catch was dropped, he was adjudged not out via UDRS and by the Third Umpire. I am sure God had come in his dreams and bestowed His blessings on him telling for some time of the day no force on earth can uproot you from the crease. J ]
For me Team India has played almost three finals starting with their quarterfinal match against the Oz. Even under an Everest of pressure, our Indian team fought like the Tigers first by hunting the kangaroos, then leaping over the moon and stars and finally beating the lions, to keep everyone out of their territory for the next four years.
I still don’t know how to express my gratitude towards Dhoni & company, I feel every word, and every gesture is falling short in contrast to the joy and pride they have brought to us. Many might think this is being over emotional, but I don’t know about that, I just know I am too happy… I am happy for the Team…I am happy for Sachin… I am happy for India… I am happy for all Indian cricket fans… I am very very happy for myself to have been lucky to watch this match and experience what it feels to be the ultimate winner. No controversy over fake or real cup, land allotment, prizes that are being showered on them matters to me now. No celebration seems to be enough for this feat. I am yet to celebrate it in a BIIIGGGG way. I thank Team India to put every Indian across the globe on cloud nine.
