No Cure For Common Cold

I again became a victim of 'common cold'. And like always I got irritated, Mummy asked me to visit a doctor and take some medicine. However, there are more well-wishers in my life now. Like my mother this new well-wisher I am talking about has a big say in my issues now. She is my wife.

Sana, who herself avoids medicine especially antibiotics, advised me to consume home remedy instead of antibiotics. I used to take 'a citrizine' whenever I had cold. I must admit that I am vulnerable to it, I suffer from cold every two months. This time I also decided to avoid medicine. As a result I am sneezing for last two days. But I am sticking to masala tea, coffee and Unanai medicine.

I decided to Google and what I found not only validated Sana's insistence on avoiding antibiotics but also revealed that there is actually no cure for 'common cold':

Antibiotics have no effect against viral infections or against the viruses that cause the common cold.[67] Due to their side effects, antibiotics cause overall harm but are still frequently prescribed.[67][68] Some of the reasons that antibiotics are so commonly prescribed include people's expectations for them, physicians' desire to help, and the difficulty in excluding complications that may be amenable to antibiotics.[69] There are no effective antiviral drugs for the common cold even though some preliminary research has shown benefits.

:Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold)

Mulaqaat Ki Tamanna

Image Credit

Din me mulaqaat ki tamanna ne,

Raat ka sona kyu dushwaar kiya.

Dene waley bhool gaye apni hi naseehat,

Mohabbaton ne un per jab vaar kiya.

Ishq me zakhm khane ka maza vo kya jaane,

Jisne neend gavaayi na koi teer dil ke paar kiya.

Raat bhar jo socha tha unse kahenge,

Sab bhool gaye unka jo deedar kiya.

Zamaane ne samjha meri qayfyat ka sabab,

Unhone samajhne se magar inkaar kiya,

Doosro ke aasuon ko fizool kehne waley,

Us din bhut roye jab ishq ne beemar kiya.

Jawaab me vo bas ek aansu baha gaye,

Ek roz khayalat ka jab izhaar kiya.

Us khudgarz ko ishq ne sikhaya jab saleeqa,

Apni khwahishaat ko usne darkinaar kiya.

Vo raat muqammal ibaadat me guzri,

Khuda se bas ek hi sawaal baar baar kiya.

Ye ek mojza nahi to aur kya hai,

Unhone agle din sharma kar iqraar kiya.

دن مےملاقات کی تمنا نے

رات کا سونا کیوں دشوار کیا

دینے والے بھول گۓ اپنی ہی نصیحت 

محبتوں نے جب انپر وار کیا

عسق مے زخم کھا نے کا مزہ وہ کیا جانے

جسنے نیند گوای نا کوی تیر دل کے پارکیا

رات بھر جو سوچا تھا انسے کہینگے

سب بھول گعے انکا جو دیدار کیا

زمانے نے سمجھا میری قیفیت کا سبب

انحونے مگرسمجھننے سے انکار  کیا

دوسروں کے آسوں کو فزول کہنے والے

اس دن بہت رعے جب عشق نے بیمار کیا 

جواب مے وہ بس اک آنسو بہا گعے

اک روز خیالات کا جب عزہار کیا

اس خدگرز کو عشق نے سکھایا جب سلیقہ

اپنی خواہشات کو اسنے درکنار کیا 

وہ رات مقمل عبادت مے گزری

خدا سے بس ایک حی سوال بار بار کیا

 یہ ایک معجزہ نہیں طو اور کیا ہے 

 انہونے اگلے  ہی  دن شرما کر اقرار کیا

Wedding On The Cards

It turns out that I am getting married next month. See the countdown on the right in web version.

All of my friends find this news a little difficult to digest. I think I am one of the reasons for this. I kept this news secret from most of them and when they directly receive invitation they get surprised. Many of them feel its not my decision, I am being forced by my parents. I will answer this in FAQs below. Even if I wanted to tell some of them, I could not meet them in last few months. After switching to this new company I have worked either from home (Amroha) or Bangalore office.

Another reason for their indigestion is that I am the first guy in our college group who is getting married. Everyone had this Bollywood thing in mind that weddings are some form of extravaganza lasting a few months. But it doesn't work like this in our culture. They are generally a private affair in which the family gets more involved. I must confess, in my case, because of living away from home the Groom's friends and he himself had missed even those preparations in which there was a chance to get involved.

There are a few questions which most friends asked me when they heard the news. I felt rather than giving all of them different answers I should think and create a list of answers so that I don't get confronted when they meet me/each-other on the wedding day. Below are some of the Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Are you being forced by your parents?/Are you sure you are doing this?
Ans: Yes, like all arrange marriages it was initiated by parents, they asked me the Wedding question and found the Answer for me as well. However, it was me who took the final decision.

Q: Who is she?/Where is she from?/Her education?
Ans: Her name is Sana Aziz. She lives in Delhi with her family. She has a post-graduate degree in English literature from Delhi University. I have already posted how my mother found her here.

Q: Is she a working woman?
Ans: Yes, she works. But for herself, on her hobbies and not for money.

Some awkward questions:

Q: Show me her picture?
Ans: Come to the wedding, I will make you meet her/ You know her name, you are a computer guy, go and find yourself. :P

Q: So, our friendship ends?
Ans: I am not shifting to another planet. But you have to invite one more person in your party next time. ;)

Q: Did you invite him/her?
Ans: Dua kar de jab tera bhai bada aadmi ban jayega he will throw a big party at Taj for everyone / Unfortunately, even if I want to I cannot invite everyone but we definitely remain friends. :(

Please remember us in Dua.

Two Religious Men

This morning while waiting for my train on a cold bench at Amroha railway station, I observed something strange. A man wearing a white kurta-payjama, having well trimmed clean beard and a skull cap was running towards another man. The other man was sporting a big red tilak on his forehead and a beard. He was walking in front of me towards the other end of the platform wearing knee length saffron dhoti. By their looks it was clear that the first man was a Muslim and the second was a Hindu.

When the Muslim man came closer, I observed he was having a few coins in his hand. The other man wasn't begging but he looked poor, he was probably a saint. He gave a blank expression when the Muslim man stopped him. The Muslim man smiled and offered him the coins. He accepted them and smiled back. I was watching them curiously. Later, both of them moved on to their business.

I felt good after observing this inspirational gesture by a human for another human. I also felt that this is the idea of a true secular country, a Muslim helping a Hindu, and vice versa. I regretted that I couldn't capture that moment on camera.

I also tried to analyze why such a small and normal incident stirred me so much. I realized its because of the communal tension we are facing in India now a days.

Shopping With Women

Last month, I went to shopping with mummy and Maria, my cousins. I was accompanying them to pay for their shopping and carry their stuff. I had no idea about women stuff so I had nothing to say, I only observed. I found their shopping very different from the way men shop and it was also funny.

It's not just women who make strange faces, doesn't get impressed easily and simply walk away before listening anything if they doesn't like the stuff, even the shopkeepers behave differently with women customers. They make sure to use an adjective with everything they show. They use finest, exclusive, behetreen, umda, different, latest and best, interchangeably with everything they show to customers.

At one shop, the shopkeeper said, "Baaji it is something really exclusive, it's imported stuff. It is the best item in my shop". It looked nice to me. Mummy and my sis did not even cared to look at that. While he was giving speech in praise of his stuff. They turned around and pointed at something else, "Do you have any other color in that design?"
I felt that was the worst response to someone who is showing you something with such enthusiasm. Just to keep the shopkeeper's heart I nodded and touched that cloth to unsuccessfully feel the fabric. But I observed he was not offended at all. He behaved as if it's a routine, he showed them other stuff with equal interest and enthusiasm.

Another lesson I learnt was that we men should never argue about colors with women if we don't want to get embarrassed. The color we call red is not red. Actually when you are with women do not call anything red, green or purple. Its not that simple. You better ask them because its definitely going to be some other color. Or probably learn the below chart if you really want to discuss colors with women.

How women and men see colors.

After checking out more than two dozen suits women simply get out of a shop and walk away without any guilt or sympathy for the shopkeeper. If they decide to be very humble they sometimes add, "pasand nahi aaya" before walking away. At times I used to whisper "thank you" to the shopkeeper while leaving. However, I observed they don't expect any courtesy. Rather, they always behave nicely and show as much variety as they can to women customers. They know a woman will never buy stuff from same shop again and again. If they want to buy three suits they will pick them from three different shops. So behaving nicely will give them a chance in future.

The Wedding Answer

It took my mother just a few days after asking me the Wedding Question to actually come up with another shocking revelation. While I was busy checking out the number of "likes" that my new facebook DP fetched, my mother interrupted and handed me a cup full of tea.
She asked me about the work I was doing. I said, "Nothing, just reading something."
She ignored me and continued, "We have found a girl."

I was still busy thinking if posting a new picture fetches more "likes" on weekdays or weekends. Within  seconds I calculated and concluded that posting on weekend is better. Then I took a sip and discovered how a perfect tea tastes like. I looked at my mother out of love. She raised her eyebrows. I realized she is waiting for my response about something she said a few seconds ago.

"What did she say", I tried to recall. "About something... a girl... she found a girl !" Suddenly, I put the cup down on the table.
I asked surprisingly, "You found a girl?"
She smiled and said, "Yes, this is what I just said."
I became nervous, "But you said it takes a lot of time to find a nice girl. Please take your time and find someone nice."
She smiled again and said, "Yes, it takes time. We had several girls in our mind and recently we heard about another girl. Your father and her father were classmates. We have known their family for years. We think she is perfect for you."

She told me about her family and education in detail. All that sounded good but I was not ready for such a news. I reminded her about the promise that they will not force me for marriage anytime soon. To which she replied that even they are not in hurry, it takes at least one year for preparation.

She called my younger brother, "Hamza, show him the pictures which they sent."
"Without my confirmation you even asked for her pictures," I was more surprised.
"You don't know anything, this is how it works. Just have a look. Isn't she beautiful. MashahAllah," her eyes lit up on seeing the pictures.
I looked at the picture with disgust, "Yes, she is. Do you want me to finalize her just by looking at this picture?"
She gave an angry look and added,"Its almost final. What else do you want to say? You know nothing. Actually, boys have no idea what to actually look for in a girl. Still you can tell me if you have any concerns."

In the next few days our parents set up a meeting and as obvious they liked each other. Few more awkward discussions, meetings and events later, everybody happily agreed.

This way I found my answer to the Wedding Question.  :)

Selfie Addiction And What Elders Think Of It

Image Source

After a recent family function, a discussion with Uncles and Aunts about the other side of family made me realize some funny things about our popular culture. I was already expecting the comments about how sleeveless and low cut dresses are indecent. There was much more to it this time.

Aunt 1, disappointingly : "I don't understand which type of people they are. The are all namuney."

Aunt 2 : "They don't even know how to get dressed for a wedding. One of the girls was wearing a dress made out of bed sheet."

Aunt 3 : "They are all mad. One girl was continuously taking her pictures herself. She was making strange faces. She even took pictures with her tongue sticking out".

I smiled. I knew she was talking about 'selfie'. It is obvious that my Aunties were unaware of the popular selfie culture like most other elders in family. Even I agree with them, taking too many selfies in the middle of so many people makes you appear insane. Especially if you are pouting, making duck face and sticking your tongue out.

Finished TV Series: Shehr-e-Zaat

Today, I finished watching a TV Series called Shehr-e-Zaat which means "The City of Self". It was just 19 episodes long, still it took me more than 2 months to finish. The series is very interesting and requires attention. The problem is with me, I cannot finish one thing before moving on. Anyway, it is based on a novel by the same name.


The title track, Yaar Ko Hum Ne Ja Ba Ja Dekha, of the drama was sung by Abida Parveen. It is haunting, devastating and stirring. It is somehow magical. I listened it time to time for several weeks, on loop. It made me Abida's fan.

I loved the series more because unlike most Indian TV shows I can very well relate it to our culture. And the message it conveyed about love, desires and relationships somehow applies to me, maybe all of us.

 It is about a very beautiful, modern, self obsessed and spoilt girl. And how she adapts simplicity, patience, humbleness and finally manage to get rid of unnecessary worldly and hollow pursuits.

Dialogues I remember:

• Dil ajeeb shay hai....Ajeeb cheezain mangta hai....Ajeeb kaam krnay ko kehta hai.
• Allah Ki Mohabbat Ke Siwa, Har Mohabbat Ko Zawal Hai.

Something is wrong

Like all Science students, I have this habit to ask "Why?" before accepting anything. I need a reason before storing any new thought or theory in my memory. During college days, Logic, Reasoning and Calculation occupied most of my abnormal brain. For years, my brain's firewall stopped me from exploring my artistic and romantic side. As soon as I came out of college many more questions regarding religion, politics, history and culture started to stack up and attack the firewall. All this made me feel very uneducated.

Photo Credit:  Dullhunk

Education is all about knowing everything about something and something about everything.

Eventually, I decided to shift my interest more towards arts and literature. Enrolled for learning Spanish, but failed to accommodate the classes into my corporate routine. To keep going I started reading everything except science. Internet came to my rescue and the destruction began.

In a few months I found myself reading more Urdu poetry than anything and its magic started working. Although I was not very fluent in Urdu but online dictionaries made it easy to understand. I also started enjoying Qawwali, Gazals and Thumri. All my favorite singers got replaced by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Jagjit Singh, Iqbal Bano and Rekha Bhardwaj among others.

I call it destruction because I am spending lots of time listening music and reading many unrelated theories about everything. I wonder if I am really gaining anything other than confusion. Do I really know where am I going? Unlike Science, there are no limits in Arts, no boundaries, no resistance for imagination. Although brain is sending regular warnings but somehow I am enjoying this journey.

"Jo radd hue thay jahan main kai sadi pehle,

   Woh log hum pe musallat hain is zamanay main." 

 : JaunElia

2013 Analysis

Credit: http://www.lendingmemo.com/

2013 haven't brought any big change into my life. 

This happened last year:

• I kept going to same office doing similar work. 
• Got cured of an illness which took me to hospital. 
• Got more serious towards learning new things but did not took any action to proceed.
• Got much more entertained than last few years, more movies and TV. 
• Increased blogging and other online activities.
• Traveled to a new place, Jaisalmer.
• Read many blogs and few books, got more confused.
• Spent more money than ever.
• Got older not much wiser.

New year started with lots of office work. Got promoted, with no big compensation change but more responsibilities. The list of things I want to achieve this year is too long. Even if I could finish half of them, this year will be successful. Need a proper plan and a well prioritized list of actions. From where should I begin?

Jaisalmer Is a Nice Travel Destination

It takes 17 hours by train to reach Jaisalmer from Delhi. The railway station is under-crowded. If you have ever travelled to UP or Bihar you will even feel the train is vacant. The railway station is well designed like a fort with minaret and other signs of ancient architecture.

Jaisalmer Railway Station

Jaisalmer is a small city. From station it hardly takes 10 minutes to reach Gadisagar lake by an auto-rickshaw. From there, Jaisalmer fort and other Havelis are just walking distance away. Lake is serene, filled with clean water. You can enjoy boating there and spend sometime peacefully sitting on its shore.

Gadisagar Lake, Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer fort is huge like all other Indian forts. It is a living fort with people living inside. The fort is not just home to humans but many varieties of birds and animals too. Walking inside fort is like visiting an old Indian city. There were narrow lanes where children were playing with ball. While walking inside fort you can hear cooker whistling, women chatting while washing clothes, youngsters biking and other things common in an Indian small town. I even spotted a rusted abandoned scooter.

Camel Safari, Jaisalmer

Inside fort most people have converted their homes into temples, restaurants and hotels for attracting tourists. There are many handicraft shops and travel agencies inside fort. I tried shooting a cattle with my camera in one of those narrow lanes, it got annoyed and started chasing till I found shelter in a temple.

Sunset Point Jaisalmer

The most amazing part is watching the setting sun in desert. Desert is about 30 kilometers away from Jaisalmer. After half an hour of camel ride we reached the sunset point in the middle of desert. For us, it was really difficult to walk on sand but camels treated sand like a newly built highway. They were seamlessly running on sand. Slowly the bright golden sand turned grey after sunset. Chilliness in air started rising. The moon started glowing. Unlike the Delhi sky, stars also appeared there. I even spotted a meteor falling. Preserved all those images in my memory and now here.

Are They Really Beggars?

On hearing "Beggar". The first few images that form in my mind are of a sick differently-abled adult wearing filthy, old and torn clothes. A helpless widow with a child crying in her arms. A hungry and thin teenage boy or girl. All of them asking for food or money in the name of Allah and give you Dua in return.

However, you cannot relate these images to beggars in Zakir Nagar(My locality) during Ramzaan. During this holy month you come across a new breed of beggars. By simply looking you cannot differentiate between a beggar and a common man. There is exponential rise in their number as if someone have outsourced them to my locality for this month. Zakir Nagar and adjacent Batla House are muslim localities and as prescribed all the people here indulge into good deeds like charity in holy month of Ramzaan. This is what attracts beggars from all across Delhi and Allah better knows from what other places they arrive.

These new outsourced beggars are well trained for begging. They use very different and new tactics for attracting attention. I faced some of them:

1. The other day I was returning from office a women in burqa called me "Beta suno". I thought she knows me or she is lost and she is asking for some address.
I stopped, "hmm. Bataiye".
She replied "Beta bhook lagi hai, kuch khilva do". And pointed to the Nihari shop in the corner.
I was surprised. She didn't look like a beggar from any angle.

I started moving and she followed me for about a minute shouting "Beta suno. Beta suno". I was embarrassed.

2. I was buying pakodis today just before a few minutes to iftaar. Someone poked me from behind. I turned and found a girl standing behind. She didn't say anything just spread her hand for begging. Being already late and irritated with sudden poke. I said "Maaf karo yaar".
And I turned back expecting the girl to have gone seeing my irritation and angry look.
To my surprise she poked me again. Controlling my anger I again said, "Maaf karo", and turned back.
She again poked me and also poked the guy standing next to me at that crowded shop. He also turned and gave an angry look. Then she again poked me the fourth time. I got my stuff packed and left the very next moment. I cannot describe how irritated and helpless I felt at that time. I really hate poking.

3. One of my friend offered Biryani when a beggar came while he was eating at a shop. 

Biryaniwala asked "Bhai bade ki(Beef) biryani dun ise ya Chicken".
My friend replied, "20 Rs. ki beef biryani de de".
To this the beggar added, "Chicken dilva do bhai".
And my friend was shocked. He was himself eating Beef biryani and the beggar asked for Chicken. For your information Chicken biryani is costlier than Beef biryani.

There are many other ways they attract attention and ask for money as if you have borrowed it from them.

They are so professional I even found two beggars sitting in sun with umbrella at mosque's gate. They don't want to miss any opportunity even if they have to sit in shining sun during summer.

The most important thing to note here, Allah is no more involved in any of these transactions. They have stopped asking in the name of Allah. Don't expect Dua in return.

Romance and Realizations

After this long and tiring week, tonight I watched Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. The movie I once watched in childhood and later kept watching it in parts on TV. Everybody knows it was a blockbuster, but I felt this today after facing the magic of this movie. I think this is my age when I could give value to every scene. It really is one of the most romantic movies. Which makes me realize that there is right time and age for everything. I did not liked DDLJ in childhood that much. But its really awesome.

A Scene from DDLJ

And, Its so hot outside that you cannot think of going out on weekends in Delhi now a days. This makes it best time to watch movies at home. After spending whole week in highly Air Controlled environment in Office it is more difficult to face heat now. You can imagine how people cannot live without things which are considered luxury in society. This is one of the ways to make people slave. 

This is the end of this weekend's realizations. And the search for "Mere Khaboon Me Jo Aaaye.." begins.

No Place to Die Peacefully

Death sounds like the end of everything. All thoughts, aspirations, feelings everything. But there is one thing you should not expect even after death. Peace. Especially if you have spent all your life in the middle of chaos in a modern Indian city and you die there.

You must have struggled whole life to find a decent place to live. But you will also need a place to get buried. Some space in a nearby graveyard. And if you think you will get that space easily and will sleep there till the Day of Judgement, you are wrong. Even after death you are not supposed to sleep.

If you live in one of many overpopulated localities in Delhi like Jamia Nagar. Let me tell you that there is just one graveyard which is already full. Whenever a new grave is dug now a days, its found to be already occupied by someone else's bones. So people try at some other place and even there they find bones. Then after repeating several times they find a place with no bones or maybe a place with only few bones which they hide in a corner.

Modern expectations after death:

• So even if you find a place near the boundary of the graveyard. Please expect children, from the locality next to the boundary, playing on your grave. And don't think you can scare them by making strange sounds and pretending to be a ghost from inside your grave. Now a days nobody is scared of ghosts. 

• Please expect loud music because humans are also living nearby. And if you want you can go and dance in their functions too. You can easily mix up with ladies with excessive makeup. Just make sure to take a deep bath in mud(to look similar) if you are lying in grave for more than a decade.

• Please do not mind if people dig your grave every few months and hit your old decaying bones with a hoe or shovel. Actually they are just trying to adjust one more person in the graveyard.

• And please do not get annoyed if people slowly acquire the graveyard land illegally and build their house on the top of your grave. And even I expect you to repair their sewer pipes if they pass through your grave or they are nearby. Come on! You were human once.

Next Big Event??

In last 23 years, I always had something in my mind. Something that was supposed to happen a year or two down the line. Something that was supposed to change my life, if not forever, for at-least the coming year. Something that needed preparation. In childhood it was annual exam. Later, it was admission to a good College. Then it was finding a nice job. But now I feel really strange. Now, I really miss that feeling. That feeling of some big upcoming event that can change my life.

There were new books to read and new problems to solve every year. New teachers, new classmates and new lessons. Now life is somewhat monotonous. There is nothing exciting in life for coming few years. Nothing that have potential to change my life forever. I realize I was getting everything cooked and dried till now. There were things that were already planned. School and College and all. From now on, I need to decide myself what I want to do in future. I am supposed to create those Big Events for myself.

This is strange. I never thought life can be like this. Although decisions are what make us humans different from Computers. But its really difficult. Is this freedom?? I will be responsible for my failures now. Even earlier I was, but I always have option to blame others or the system for the miseries of life. Parents and teachers were always there to decide on my behalf.

I have an option to kill few more years refusing to take a stand like others in my generation. Or, I can become socially awkward and criticize everything and everyone around. But I decide to choose the third option. Pretend to be confused. And ignore the fact that now I am responsible for my actions and even my actions can harm others.

Am I going through what they call “Quarter Life Crisis”??But I am happy. I just cannot choose. Am I turning into a Robot?? But ignoring everything is also a choice. I may be on self destruction mode but I have chosen this. Thank God! At-least I am human.

Humans cannot be happy or sad for a long time. The situation is going to change soon. Some disaster, disease or a girl (J) will strike soon. This time I will face everything unprepared. 

Republic Day Breakfast

26th January 2013, 10:50 AM

     I looked at the wall clock in my room at home. That was the third time I looked at the clock. But this time I could not ask myself to go back to sleep for ten more minutes. I remembered Walida(My Mother) shouting from the other room several times since morning.

     “If you don't get up now, forget breakfast”, I told myself.

    Suddenly the thought of visiting all my uncles and aunts along with other relatives struck me. I was on my monthly visit to my hometown Amroha. Even if I am there for a single day I make sure I visit at-least my close relatives. 

     My father always says, “Talluqat milne-jhulne se hi qayam rehte hain”.

Moreover, if I come to Amroha and don't visit them, everyone complains.

11:05 AM

     I finally got up from my bed and moved to the other room.

     I greeted my parents, “As salamu alaikum”.

     Walid Sahab(My father) replied, “Waleikum as salam”.

Walida also gave a reply but I could not hear her words clearly.

    “Ali, itni der me uthe ho yaar”, Walid Sb added, concentrating on T.V wearing his spectacles.

    I moved inside and sat next to my mother and covered me with her blanket. She was busy watching Republic Day parade on T.V. I kept watching for a few minutes as if I was really interested.

     “He is the King of Bhutan”, I announced just to start conversation with my mother as soon as the focus came to the ‘Guest of Honour’.

     “Magar isne itna bada dupatta kyu lapeta hai?”,Walida asked. “Its their dress I believe”, I replied.

    And suddenly, powecut..!!

    T.V screen went black.

     "Ye log 26 January ki parade bhi nahi dekhne dete”, I said, trying to shift Walida's anger to the electricity suppliers.

     “In logon ko Eid, Bakra-Eid, Diwali, 26 January se kuch farq hi nahi padta”, she added angrily. 

     Although I was happy, I would get something to eat now, still I nodded in agreement. Ten minutes later she got up and within next ten minutes my breakfast was ready.

     By that time electricity supply was back. As soon as the T.V screen came alive. I spotted almost a dozen people on a single bike. And the voice in the background announced, “These are jawans of Indian army who hold the Guinness World Record for most men on a bike”.

     “Not all the tax I pay is being wasted. Atleast some of my tax is being utilized for creating a world record. But is this what the tax is really meant for?”, I thought.

     Then I took my breakfast to the adjacent room.

     Wasted some time browsing through some old pics on my laptop as I finished my breakfast. Rest of the day was spent meeting relatives and friends.

     I celebrated Republic Day eating my favorite breakfast. Meeting people who really love me. But I still wonder if this is the way we should celebrate this day.

One of my favorite teachers once told us to celebrate Republic Day by saluting and admiring the morning sun while its rising. But getting up early for office already makes me feel like a slave.

Our Convocation @ Jamia Millia Islamia

The big day when we were awarded our degrees. The venue was same as every year, "The Ansari Auditorium Lawn". On this occasion, the University conferred the Degree of ‘Doctor of Letters’ (Honoris Causa) on Dr. Ashok Seth, a famous cardiologist. The event begun with singing Jamia's Tarana, "Dayar-e-shawk mera..".

All people who passed out in 2011 were there. Many of us were meeting after our final exams around 18 months ago. Everyone looked different. People got more handsome and beautiful with time. Everyone got photographed with everyone. Some people cleared their misunderstandings. Some patched up with old enemies. Suddenly all girls perfected in dressing sense. There were those I wish I had met earlier. Some guys even found a new crush.

Everyone wore black gown and colored hood which resembled their faculties. Some of my friends wanted to wear the square academic cap as seen in many movies. They were disappointed on being given hoods. I felt really great wearing our convocation dress. Jamia have its own unique culture. I felt really proud following that culture. I do not wanted to imitate the movie scene of throwing caps on cost of compromising our culture. However the people who complained were very few. Rest everyone enjoyed their day. Many people took a day off from work to be a part of this amazing event. For all those who were too far to reach there physically the event was live broadcasted for the first time on Jamia Website. 

Everyone shouted when the name of their course and faculties were announced. Engineering graduates were loudest. The event ended with singing our National Anthem. After the ceremony we were handed over refreshment boxes. Later we moved to our respective faculties to collect our degrees. The day was really memorable.