Think Tank

Last year around the same time, I had written an article presenting my analysis of whether Ahilya’s case in the Ramayana fits for a case of gender discrimination. After sharing my piece with friends I realised that this story had deeper meanings rather than as seen from the modern eye. Here is my article: 
http://blogs.rediff.com/rahulwrites/2009/02/02/ahilya-uddhar-and-gender-discrimination/  
Now I [...]

 
I was surprised to see that Srilanka underwent the Presidential Polls some days back. This has happened so soon after Srilankan victory over Tamil rebels and the LTTE.  
I feel whenever a nation or a region undergoes an exceptional and historical crisis – there should not be any immediate polls for at least one year, or [...]

The Wine Shop  
I was sitting in a restaurant waiting for my order to be served. Just in front of it was a buzzing road. And on the other side of the road there was a wine shop. I gave it a look and also noticed that it was very busy with business. Many people came [...]

 
Our office celebrated the Republic Day one day before actual 26th of January. Many games and events were carried out for us in the office. A part of the contests was a drawing competition. All of us made drawings on any of the three themes given to us. The idea was to take us back [...]

I saw a friend using the term ‘apartheid’ to describe the prevailing caste-based reservation system in India. I wondered if this term is applicable in Indian case and tried to read more into the term.  
I found the word meaning of Apartheid: (Ref: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/apartheid)  
a·part·heid (-pärtht, -ht)
n. 
1. An official policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in the [...]

Two days back, Bombay High Court made a controversial ruling.  
Marriage doesn’t change a woman’s caste, rules HC 
Hetal Vyas / DNASaturday, January 23, 2010 0:14 IST 
A woman’s caste does not change after marriage, the Bombay high court has ruled.  
The order came on Friday on the hearing of an application by Mumbai resident Rajendra Shrivastava, who had [...]

I used to wear a slim silver ring which had a pearl at its centre. I had been wearing it for around 15 years. After some years of use, it used to get loose and I would get it fixed by the silversmiths. In my hometown they would charge me only Rs 10 for the [...]

 
One evening, I was reading Madhushala by Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Many lines from the poem seemed very different to me than their plain literal meanings. For example, I pick three stanzas: 
मदिरालय जाने को घर से चलता है पीनेवला,
‘किस पथ से जाऊँ?’ असमंजस में है वह भोलाभाला,
अलग-अलग पथ बतलाते सब पर मैं यह बतलाता हूँ -
‘राह [...]

 
I had developed a boil on the skin of my leg. Within some days, it grew big and became painful. I consulted a doctor and started medication, but for initial days there was no respite. I had decided not to buy the pain-killer as was prescribed due to fear of side reactions. The boil was [...]

One day, our office witnessed a high drama because someone fell down! But there was a very useful lesson in the end…  
The time was just before lunch. There was a new person who was working since morning in a glass chamber near my cubicle. I had recently joined the company and didn’t know who he [...]

Jaisa Karoge – Waisa Bharoge: As you sow so will you reap. All of us have heard this saying. Some days back I saw it happening in front of my eyes.  
I was travelling to a locality which was not known to me. I had taken an auto-rickshaw. To my surprise that auto-driver was highly uncooperative [...]

How negative attitudes like greed are self-defeating can be seen in one of my recent experiences.  
One of my friends was stuck up in his job and was eagerly looking out for a change. I helped him with fixing an interview with one of my previous employers. I was sure that he would get through and [...]