Archana Online.com

The Section 377 is making headlines these days. Recently held Gay parade had so much publicity in the news papers.

It means India too is changing, with the enormous people coming forward revealing their sexuality. Now there would be more of films dealing with this topic and that too serious ones and not like the film “Dostana”. And there would be celebrity gay and lesbian couples and their gossip in the “Bangalore Times”. Read the rest of this entry »

..::.. Have you seen the new Domex Ad? Recently, I was watching the television with a plate of beautifully cut sweet mangoes, brought from home town. They were incredibly sweet, delicious, tasty, juicy and all that you wanted in them. As soon as I placed the fork with the mango on my tongue, the screen in front of me displayed the disgusting photo of the toilet with all “those” stains all over it!!!!

Agreed, that the product is to clean the toilet and hence it maybe required to show them, but why the unclean parts? Does ads for the sanitary pads show the blood and the used pads? Or to show the comfortness of panties, do they show the private parts? I wonder why then there is no objection to the toilet ads then!! Read the rest of this entry »

Every time in February, when this day arrives, i could hear mixed emotions from different people. Some say, why they need it, some cry that they are still single, and some other cherishes the special moments they weave up on that day.  I had already penned down my thoughts on the Valentine’s day long before and they remain still true for me.

With the recent protests and campaigns the spirit has got boosted, maybe people are making plans already. And if you haven’t I guess you should. Read the rest of this entry »

The love day is about to begin within a week. But before finding love, did you consult the astrologer?

A popular debate on a TV show revealed that people , rather younger generation are now more keen towards the arranged marriage. And most of the arranged marriages happen mostly with the consultation of the astrologers. How does horoscopes affect marriages? Not only the horoscopes, but many other factors like the place and date and time of birth decides many important milestones of our lives. Should we rely on them to lead our lives? Read the rest of this entry »

It seems every Monday of this year is hitting me hard. Last month, a similar Monday, I had started off the new year. And today, I start off another month. But the situation remains the same. I did try to ward off the blues but I guess, its the hangover of yesterday’s match which made Roger Federer cry!! (Yeah, I do keep blurting out PJ’s in between to cheer up myself!)

From last night, I had so many ideas in mind, but the clouds didn’t seem to clear. I was reading whole morning of the news reports of the Australian Open Final match. Especially the interviews and photos. Not that I am such a dying hard of both the players! (I came to know about tennis and these two only very recently, thanks to RK) The outburst of feelings and emotions, and then the consolation of Rafael Nadal, had stirred my mind regarding the friendships among the rivalry. And also the common topic of men crying in public. Read the rest of this entry »

January 30. The day when the father of the nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was assassinated.

I remember this day from the school. At the assembly, on this day, we would be reminded to follow the silent standing ceremony at around 10 or 10.30 am. The bell would ring at an odd time in midst of the class period, and we would all stand for one single minute in silence to commemorate the assassination of Gandhiji. We considered this break a warm welcome to the same routine of the teaching. In those days, I don’t remember having a break in the morning session.

In the high school, we had to study full history and autobiography of Gandhiji, “My Experiments with Truth”, in the form of English-II subject. Though it was the edited or the simplified version, we had to study his whole life. It was interesting at some points, but from the point of view of exams, it was not. I even once wondered, if Gandhiji was not there, we would have escaped this subject etc!

When I was in school, I remember watching the film Gandhi, on either August 15th, January 26th or October 2nd. But I remember the school book rather than the film. Read the rest of this entry »

Today, I was just going through the archives. I feel that I have reduced penning down my thoughts and feelings. Rather the short stories, movie reviews, articles, recent happenings are the topics I have been blogging off late.

There was a time, when I used to blog, when my mind blew out of the proportion with suffocating words and rants. For me, at that time, I never cared about the number of readers, or the traffic. I blurted out all my thoughts, sometimes directly or sometimes through analogy. I used to finish the posts within half hour or so, and without spell checking or re-reading the draft, I just published.

Now looking back, I feel those posts do have a personal touch and is more readable. Like the innocent outburst of a child. It worked, because things happened at that time. The race with time, the busy life schedule with many many things, the glimpses at various nook n corner of city life which gave spark to various thoughts and views.

I do not wonder what has changed. I know what has happened. And I know what should I do to change. But then, something is pulling me back. Maybe its the fears or the various choices available. The point of time when you feel like slapping yourself for the inability. The time when heart says lovingly to wake up, and when mind pushes it down with the lame and age-old excuses of practicality. The time when you await for your heart and the soul to win over the mind battle. The time when you await the death so that you could be re-born to a fresh life.

People say, time heals everything. It answers the strangling questions you have been asking in the early ages. But then, how do we wait for time until it heals or gives me the answers? Isn’t time running away? From me and from my life?

The vortex has knocked me out into the deep darkness of unconsciousness.

PS: This post too has been completed now within half hour. You do have it in you, when it wants to surmount you.

Barack Hussain Obama has been sworn in as the new President of United States on January 20th 2009. People all over the world are considering it as a sign of hope. Is it so?

I had not planned to watch the live telecast of Barack Obama’s oath. It just happened. The energy and inspiration in his speech was remarkable. I shamefully acknowledge that I knew nothing about the politics. But the few words I could translate from his speech to my mind and the emotional tears of the crowd gave me a vision of the hope and expectations of United States civilians on the new President. And I sincerely hope that their hopes do come true.

In overall, 2008 was a dreaded year, at least for India. There were the series of bomb attacks in various cities, and the Mumbai Taj attacks, for which the rift is still on between India and Pakistan. The year marked the economic recession which accelerated the job loss of many people which still continues. The blow up of Satyam fraud, in December, added to the heat. Read the rest of this entry »