They give the excuse of Indian culture. Is it Indian culture to slap, push and manhandle women? Does Indian “culture” give them (read men) the right to use violence to whatever they believe is incorrect behavior? I, up till now, never heard of anyone slapping a man smoking in public although it is banned by the law of the country.

What happens when India is attacked by outsiders? In spite of media’s repeated efforts to unify the nation calling for “unity”, what we see, what the facts show, are huge cracks. Deadly cracks of dishonesty, self-love, power politics and exploitation that gulp up innocent lives.

It all started with one tiny sperm and an ovum, and bang! Our life changed, yes, forever. Little Enya fluttered out of me on Aug 22, 2008. She actually fluttered out. Her tiny hands and legs were moving so fast while coming out of me that I looked down. What I saw was an incredibly small and white creature shaking her limbs. And I also saw the umbilical cord, a thin, pipe-like thing smeared with blood. I don’t know when the doctor cut it. I also didn’t know when the placenta was delivered. I think it must have come out immediately after Enya’s birth because it must have been only 20 seconds after Enya’s birth that I asked the doctor about the delivery of the placenta. She told me that it had been delivered. I didn’t feel a thing when it was delivered. (That tip is for to-be-mothers) I wanted to see it, but alas.

(Warning: Any logical thinking on the part of the viewer is totally prohibited. Reader discretion is forbidden.) Saas bahu aur saazish. Sounds familiar? A bit too familiar. After all, what can beat the surprising (unbelievable?) twists and turns, the constant battle (everlasting? I mean 500 episodes marathon) between good and evil, and the dramatic buildup to innumerable climaxes? You’ve guessed it right. Indian Politics!

After the bomb blasts when saw the police everywhere I felt threatened and safe. Threatened by the possibility of a sudden death; and safe because I saw that those people were making sure that I don’t die a violent death. More than that what troubles my mind is that in spite of all the advancement that mankind has made, which makes us boast that we are civilized, cultured; we demonstrate through our actions (fights, killings) that we as a race are essentially evil.