शाळा -मिलिंद बोकील एप्रिल 29, 2009

……..त्या दिवशी मला कळलं की शाळेची मजा कशात आहे ते. वर्ग आहेत,बाकं आहेत, पोरंपोरी आहेत,सर आहेत,गणित आहे, भूगोल आहे,नागरिकशास्त्रसुध्दा; पण आपण त्यात कशातच नाही. आपण त्या गाईंच्या पाठीवर बसणार्‍या पांढर्‍या पक्ष्यांसारखे मुक्त आहोत.त्यांच्या शाळेत बसलेलो असलो तरी आपल्या मनात एक वेगळीच शाळा भरते.खास एकट्याचीच . त्या शाळेला वर्ग नाहीत,भिंती नाहीत,फ़ळा नाही,शिक्षक नाहीत; पण त्यातलं शिकणं फार सुंदर आहे.

Well Shala in marathi means School. This book is about our good old school days. It reminds me of my school days where we spend almost 15-16 years together.This books takes a route from the childhood to adloscent. There are many characters which as friends, teachers, principal, parents, siblings. In all itsa rainbow of people of different characters and thought process. Then there is president rule ,the opposition for the same. You get so involved in all of them that you feel its happening all around you.There different teachers for different subjects, their nicknames kept by the students,the evaesteasing, the teenage love and the heart break as well….Though the end is bit tragic…. i cried all the way……

A good read and very good novel to remind you of your school days……

Women in pakistan एप्रिल 7, 2009

I am terribly terribly upset for past three days. Actually ever since i saw that video on AAJ TAk channel. A woman(age 17 yrs) been brutally beaten with a hunter on her bump and 2 people holding her tightly so that she doesnt escape. If she screams or tries to escape, then the punishment starts from one again. She was sentenced 34 hunter no reason that so simple. This happened in Swat of Pakistan.
The girl whose name is Chand is married with one kid and lives in Swat of Pakistan. Since Taliban has started ruling this province of Pakistan, hell has broken loose on poor people. There are many restrictions on women itself. Some neighbour complained to thr commander of Taliban that Chands character is doubtfull and she has affair with her father in law. what else would Taliban want??? Without prope rinvestigation, Chand was sentenced 34 hunter chops in chowk. She was been beaten brutally and that too publically.Many so called ” mard” lookingat the drama however no one came forward to rescue. The drama went on for an hour and then she was summomed to her residence.
The pakistan govt came to know about this only afte the video uploaded on internet. Some criticised and some said thats the way it is……

I wonder sometimes which centuries are we living in… A month ago we talked about womens liberation, her empowered etc and look at this people which world are they living in….. do beating up a women in front of ten thousand people make you a real man…… is it the religion you want to propogate in 21st century. Today women are leading pioneers in world be it any field. True we not be equal as men but we no less. Studie sand research show women excel in their filed and look at Taliban – they stopped the girls from going to school most of the schools are caprtured by Taliban, there are many impositions on women about burkha, clothes , they cannot move out freely in bazaars etc why do Pakistan govt help against it…? Thats the question that comes to my mind these days? Is this Islam? Is this what Islam teaches you….?

Also I feel lucky i have born in country where i am free. There are no restictions about the way i dress, the way i walk. wth whom i have to shopping. Sometimes we take this all for granted so easily.
The incident i remember a friend of mine visting India after so many years.She has flown from UK after her marriage to meet her husbanc. The only wish she had was to wattch a movie in theater. We hwere agahst at this demand. Then she explained we have restrictions in our religion we cannot go out and see movie in theater…. I mean its such a silly thing to watch a movie in theater… you dont have to take speacial permission from your religion or your husband for that… isnt it?????????????????????????????????

If this can happen in UK surely pakistan is 1000 centuries behind…….