The Melancholy of a Monkey

While I was in Shimla, the one thing that really scared me were the monkeys. Shimla is home to so many monkeys and langurs. While the latter doesn't do much harm to the society, the former is known for its notorious and mischievous behavior. I have seen monkeys climb roofs of houses and jump across buildings, steal coconuts, fruits, bread from the vendors and ice creams, wafer packets, cotton candy from kids. Almost all tourists who visit Shimla every year are warned about them. They may bite you or worse slap you. I believe nothing can be more humiliating than being slapped by a monkey! I have seen a dog being a victim of the same....no it doesn't sound nice!

So I think I had pretty valid reasons to call this animal a beast for the menace it created. However, despite my hatred, I loved to observe them, look at them lazing on blocked chimneys of old style buildings, running on roof tops, the babies clinging to their mothers, swinging on trees...

One such bunch of monkeys used roam around in my neighborhood and their favorite spot was a blocked chimney on one of the bungalows there. The chimney was wide and had enough space for two large monkeys. On a bright sunny day you could see the whole monkey family, the father, the mother and the little ones lying on the chimney, soaking in the warmth of the sun, just minding their own business. This was daily routine for them. Unfortunately the people staying in that bungalow were thinking of renovating it and so in the process, the chimney was broken. Without the chimney, the favorite spot of the monkeys was gone and they were furious. they kept running on the roof making lot of noise. Well, their reaction was justified. I felt bad for them. With the chimney gone, during snowfall, they could not sit atop the roof as they would slip. Since I could not do much about the situation, I thought I would express how those monkeys would have felt through a poem.

So here it goes, the melancholy of a monkey....

 Why did you break the chimney?

 Why did you break my chimney?

It was my bed, it was my tree,

Why did you break my chimney?

I loved my lovely chimney

I used to sit upon it and look,

The setting sun, the dusk, the dawn.

Atop the roof, I looked at your lawn.

There was a time when a tree,

Stood instead your chimney.

I learned to climb it to the top,

I learned to skip and jump and hop.

I used to sit and gaze the sky,

I loved to watch the ravens fly,

But then came your chimney,

And felled was my lovely tree.

But never did I complain.

I learned to live on your chimney.

Though forgetting the tree was a pain,

But you would not have thought of me.

I learned to eat and survive on your bread,

When once I used to pick apples blood red.

I stole your bread and grainery,

But it was you who taught me robbery.

My children do not go to school,

They were to learn to swing on trees.

But with your house in place of it,

They learnt to run up the chimney.

And now you have broken it too

You broke my bed, my children's school.

Where should I sleep and where should I sit?

Tell me why shouldn't I trouble you?

Oh! My lovely chimney.

The very one, I loved to sit on.

With sweet sweet memories,

Alas! the chimney is now gone.

VALENTINE SPECIAL : Love Potion Raindrops.........

Love potion raindrops are falling,

Reminding me of you.

Drizzling from my eyes are salty tears,

Creating a saddening hue.

My locks can feel the feel of wind,

But I just feel your touch.

Your finger on my gentle skin,

I think I miss you much.

The tingle of the water drops,

Yell at me to hear,

The laughter that surrounds me

Is just like yours, my dear.

I want to grasp a piece of moon,

A petal of a flower,

Cause they all remind me of you

As the love potion raindrops are................................

Influence Of Reality Shows On Our Lives

Decades have passed and if observed we can say that even today the hot conversations between friends in schools, colleges, canteens, parties, etc. remains to concern reality shows. But what are these shows about? The totality of real happenings visualised for our entertainment are called 'reality shows'. They mostly display the protean human behavior in different circumstances. Currently these shows have become a major part of our recreation.

These shows have negative as well as positive influence on people. These shows encourage people to recognise their talents and portray them to the whole world. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Indian Idol, Dance India Dance, and others are platforms for people to step on and pursue their dreams. These shows provide money,status,popularity and fame to people who participate in them. Shows like Big Boss,Splitsvilla,teach the participants how to build up their confidence and test their skills and abilities in various fields.

As not everything in the world is good, in the same way even reality shows have negativity in them. The cruel judgement,humiliation,insults and embarrassments are responsible for a lot of changes in the Indian societies. The abusive language used in various shows such as Roadies, Truth Love and Cash, Big Boss, Dare to Date, etc. are also playing a major role in the ill-mannered behavior of the Indian youth. Sometimes public rejection and humiliation displayed in these shows makes a person emotionally weak.

But then why do we love to watch these shows? The juicy gossip of Coffee with Karan and the democratic views of Aap Ki Kachehri not forgetting the bindass dance performances of Jhalak Dikhla Ja and the melodious voices of Indian Idol draw our attention from a monotonous life to the television.

What we must do is to neglect the demerits of these shows and enjoy what they display in a optimistic sense. So grab the bowl of popcorn and much your way to the bean couch in front of your televisions.....

THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

Failures are the stepping stones to success, this is an age old saying. It means that even if we fail in achieving our goals, we must not give up, because even failures can teach us something that we remember in the long run. But this doesn't apply if one fails every time. In cases as such, it means that the person is either a pessimist or he is not trying hard enough to win.

Pursue, to follow,to go along a route, to accept a leader or a guide. We follow our elders, we follow their advice, we follow good, we follow excellence.One must have the fond for excellence in life, one must have the crave for it. If we orchestrate ourselves to get the desired effect of excellence, our failures will decrease. Excellence is directly proportional to success, if we are excellent in everything we do, then we succeed.

Always try to be the best, the no.1 in any work. Remember, failure is not in falling down but in not getting up again. But also keep in mind that , the less you fall, the less you'll have to take the trouble of getting up again. And even if you go down, there is always that age old saying to cheer you up. Do not ever give up, give it your best, pursue success, pursue excellence............

CONFUSION ALL THE WAY...........

Tenth is a difficult class. It is tough not because of its wide syllabus , but because of the tension and pressure created in the minds of the students due to boards.

Boards! that one month which makes a major difference in every student's life ; the first competitive exam that a child faces. My tenth batch (2009-2010) is the last batch to give the boards (all thanks to Kapil Sibal , our present education minister ) . I still remember the nervousness that swept over me when i went to give my first board examination . I was so frightened that I filled up the form incorrectly. But as the exams were nearing their end , I started feeling so easy and casual that i overcame the fear of writing boards .



But I also feel that , that pressure and tension is nothing in front of what I'm going through now I'm in eleventh and I'm facing the most difficult problem of choosing subjects . I guess giving boards is much easier than this . In my family all my cousins are science students , some are engineers and some doctors . I also want to take science but I don't want to be a doctor or and engineer . My dream is to become a journalist . My parents support me and some of my relatives too. Then what seems to be the problem ???? The problem is that they all think , for journalism why should one take a difficult stream like science . They think that something like this one should choose Humanities or Commerce . Here I don't agree with them . Why can't one take science and do journalism , so many people have , so why not me ???? In my family there aren't any journalists , but that doesn't mean that I can't be one . I want to do something unique . I want to achieve something that none of my cousins have achieved .



I'm proud of myself because I've decided to become a journalist and not a doctor or an engineer . I don't know whether my decision of not following the footsteps of my elders is right or not . But I'm aware that chasing our dreams is not wrong and there is nothing better than a dream come true . After all not everyone has the courage to take the road not taken .