Life of a transgender

Hijras: The Unique Transgender Culture of India.
Hijras occupy a special place in Hinduism. But their relationship to modern Mumbai, where transgender people are legally recognized, remains fraught.

           Today hijra, who include transgender and intersex people, are hard to miss. Dressed in glittering saris, their faces heavily coated in cheap makeup, they sashay through crowded intersections knocking on car windows with the edge of a coin and offering blessings. They dance at temples. They crash fancy weddings and birth ceremonies, singing songs and leaving with fistfuls of rupees.

            These transgender are still fighting for their rights in the city ofof dreams where they have no option or way to earn for their living. They sometimes don't have shelter but still they hustle for their stomach.

             Today's generation come up with some humiliating names such as 'Hijras', ''Kinnar", "Chakka",etc. They do feel bad but there's nothing they could do in life as the people in this city are in this way. They be a part of every blessing, funerals,etc every kind of ceremony but still they are treated as beggars.

             In an interview given by Prashant, a transgender he mentioned all the problems and humiliation he faced in his day to day life and how he is still coping up. " Hume bura bhi lagta hai aur acha bhi but Kya hai na ki hum kuch nahi Kar sakte, hume ye bhagwaan ne Diya hai, Ye sab God gift hai" says Prashant when is was asked about how he feels when someone abuses or uses cheap slang on them.

          Before signing of Prashant also mentioned how the society should change their way of thinking towards transgender and should accept them the way they are, allow them to live in the society to and lead a normal life.

Restaurant review

The China Lawn

Price: 500 for two
Type: Casual Dinning
Cuisines: Chinese

             This is small place located in Mahakali,  MIDC and the food there is on another level and just amazing.

             We tried chicken lollilop and China lawn special which was just amazing  and the gravy topped on the rice made it more yummy and is totally worth a visit.

                The food there is worth and the quantity is good.
 It is a small eatery with a few tables but the taste was good and quick service.

                Who doesn't like non veg food especially chickennnnn!!!!

               What's better than this where you can get more food at less price.
It is obviously affordable for everyone one . We felt that the seating and ambience can be improved..
         Over all it was a nice experience according to the food served.

Obituary blog

Karunanidhi 'last warrior of Dravidian politics'

              Muthuvel Karunanidhi (3 June 1924 – 7 August 2018) was an Indian writer and politician who served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for almost two decades over five terms between 1969 and 2011. He was a long-standing leader of the Dravidian movement and ten-time president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam political party. Before entering politics he worked in the Tamil film industry as a screenwriter. He has also made contributions to Tamil literature, having written stories, plays, novels, and a multiple-volume memoir. He was popularly referred to as Kalaignar, meaning artist in Tamil.

          Karunanidhi became India's first Chief Minister to hoist the national flag on August 15, 1974. Earlier, only Governors hoisted the flag on Republic Day and Independence Day. He was appointed as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister on February 10, 1969, following the death of DMK founder C.N.Annadurai. Karunanidhi was the first man to bring a law that gives women equal right in the ancestral property, even before the law was passed by Indian government.

End of a great politician who had a great spirit!!

If I stay - Gayle Forman Review

If I Stay by Gayle Forman - review

             'What I loved the most was the originality of it; I mean, it takes real talent to really think outside the box like the author has'

              People think I like chick flicks, and I always have good excuses for reading books that are  apparently, chick flicks. Take The Fault In Our Stars for example. I forced my own dad to go and see the movie and he was practically in tears, and not for the right reason, sadly. He asked me, and I said the movie 'glorified the romance'. Truthfully I did. Which is why I secretly went into Waterstones and bought If I Stay, and I wasn't disappointed because it wasn't really a chick flick. Kind of.

              If I Stay is about Mia and her brother (Teddy) and her mum and dad. One day in their lovely home state in America, it snows. And they are in a car crash. Mia's Mum and Dad die at the scene, and both her and Teddy are in a critical condition. What happens next is incredibly difficult to explain, so this is what I made of it.

               Mia enters a state of… 'non-death' (?) and watches over as her body is operated on and transported from ward to ward until it ends up in the ICU. She watches as people come and go, watching her body. The rest of the book is based upon Mia reflecting over her life and what she's accomplished and achieved and answering the ultimate question: Should I Stay or Should I Go? (No reference to the song intended.)

            

 This book was actually surprisingly short, or compact would be a better word, and that's my first positive. I like the fact that Gayle Forman didn't blow this topic up into a book that was 400 pages long and water down the point, and kept it to a nice amount; just over 200 pages. Short, but definitely sweet as well.

             This is a really interesting book to read as it tackles a sense of achievement and also overcomes that stereotype against musicians that they can't have boyfriends who are into modern stuff (Adam) or they have no friends or they can't achieve anything in day to day life because it's a dying art. I like that.

             I also like the fact that this wasn't a complete chick flick! This book doesn't start with 'Stephanie knew the boy next door. And he was the worst thing that ever happened…' because I find that stuff boring. Don't get me wrong, it was borderline, but it wasn't romance.

            Negative? I was quite disappointed to see Where She Went available as well. You can't serialise this book, and part of me wonders if Where She Went was just a by-product of a publishing agreement. You're welcome to prove me wrong though.

            I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, but I also fail to see how this can be sensibly adapted into a feature length film. Some production company wants to do it though, so I'll be waiting to see that eagerly.

Mulk movie review

'Mulk' movie review: Taapsee Pannu, Rishi Kapoor emerge as heroes

Starring: Rishi Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, Ashutosh Rana, Prateik Babar, Rajat Kapoor, Neena Gupta, Kumud Mishra

Directed by: Anubhav Sinha

Ratings: 3/5

                  Murad Ali Mohammed (Rishi Kapoor) is a respected lawyer and counts many Hindus among his friends, but that changes overnight when his nephew Shahid (Prateik Babar) is involved in a bomb blast.
                 The family in Benaras has no choice but to defend themselves. But how do you come clean when you are labelled a terrorist family? You fight to restore your honour and that's what Murad Ali and his defense lawyer Arti (Taapsee Pannu) embark upon.
                 Things get worse for the family when Shahid's father, Bilaal Mohammed (Manoj Pahwa), is arrested during the investigations. We have seen Manoj in many roles before, mostly comic ones, but his portrayal as an innocent father, implicated in the case because of his blood tie, might clearly be his best.
                  There have been many films in Bollywood about terrorism but hardly any have dwelled on what a family goes through once their name is involved. Director Anubhav Sinha does that bravely in 'Mulk'.
                  He lays bare the truth that might make a few of us unco  mfortable in the movie hall.Ashutosh Rana (Santosh Anand) is ruthless as the public prosecutor as all his arguments are based purely on his bias against a community. He uses provocation in his language and observation just to swing the case and does so effortlessly.
               The film belongs to Taapsee Pannu and Rishi Kapoor as they fight the predispositions of the society and those present in the court. In the intense courtroom, both get enough material to shine in the film.

            His monologue is thought provoking as he questions on why he has to prove his patriotism as an Indian. Why should he be segregated for sporting a beard? Taapsee owns the character of Arti and delivers a memorable performance in the last quarter of the film. Over time, she has established herself as a power-packed actor and further cements her position with 'Mulk'.
            In the climax, the judge played by Kumud Mishra put forth some hard-hitting questions that will make you ponder long after watching the film.
             Given the theatrics in the courtroom scenes, the film might border on being preachy, dramatic at times but it never loses the balance completely.
              'Mulk' dares to tell a story not many filmmakers might want to associate themselves with. The one who emerges as a hero is the script, strong performances, and Anubhav Sinha's conviction to tell us the story.
'Mulk' is a fearless, courageous film and deserves to be watched.

Punch lead

PIL not a governance tool: Minister

                  Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that while public interest litigation (PIL) for securing the rights of the poor, the workers and against corrupt public servants were to be supported, governance through such petitions should not be done.
                 Responding to a query during Question Hour on the pendency of cases in various courts of law, Mr. Prasad was asked by Laxmi Narayan Yadav, BJP MP from Sagar, whether an increase in number of PIL petitions had contributed to the same. Mr. Prasad owned up to filing several such petitions himself in cases challenging corrupt practices of politicians, but said “with great humility” that it was not the job of the courts to govern the country through them.

Parliamentary power
                     “Only those voted in by the people and who are accountable to Parliament have the right to govern and frame laws for the country. The High Courts and the Supreme Court do not have that right. This has been clearly stated in our Constitution,” he said.
                    Mr. Prasad said more than 5,000 posts in the lower judiciary were lying vacant and the Central government was giving emphasis on filling the posts with fair representation from the SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities so that they could occupy posts in the higher judiciary.
                     Based on the reports submitted by the arrears committee of various High Courts, it was resolved that they would assign top priority to disposal of cases pending for more than five years and priority should be given for disposal of cases pending in the district courts for more than five years. Replying to a question about the transfer of a judge, who was hearing cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Law Minister said the government could not interfere in a decision taken by the Supreme Court collegium. However, he said, he will try to ensure that all anti-Sikh riot cases are expedited so that victims get justice.

Punch lead

Jayalalithaa - A woman, a leader, an inspiration

                With her death, its the end of a great political journey of a woman leader who withstood all odds to be the one of the most charismatic leaders of all times.
                In the past two days, I have been reading and watching about the enigmatic woman leader in Indian politics – Jayalalithaa. To be honest, the kind of information that I had accessed to made me realise that here is a woman who brushed aside all the turbulences and challenges that life had thrown at her, became one of the most revered woman leader India has seen in recent times.
                Her life story itself is inspiring – inspiring enough to take challenges head on. She is a great example of how to be confident when the tides are high and you can’t swim to the shore. For every bully she had to face in her school who used to comment on her mother’s profession, she got back by being the topper of every school exam. 
                    Known for being tough, autocratic yet compassionate leader – she wielded magic on her supporters. They flocked to her calling ‘Amma’ and worshipped like a Goddess-reincarnate. Her political career was not devoid of criticisms, and being a woman politician didn’t give her any edge. In 2014, she was sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment and fined Rs 100 crore by the Special Court instituted in Bangalore for an 18-year old disproportionate assets case. Her CM candidature was automatically disqualified; the sentence was later suspended by the Supreme Court in 2014 itself and also acquitted by a special Bench of the Karnataka High Court in 2015. Jayalalithaa was again elected as CM of Tamil Nadu in the May 2016 elections.
                     In her victory speech, she commented, "Even when 10 parties allied themselves against me, I did not have a coalition and I placed my faith in God and built an alliance with the people. It is clear that the people have faith in me and I have total faith in the people." 
                   Jayalalithaa created an aura about herself in the minds of her supporters – something that any leader-aspirant needs to create in order to succeed. It’s not easy. Understanding the pulse of the masses and then acting upon their needs yet keeping your Party at the helm of every political decision is not easy. In organizations, you don’t see such democracy happening. Because organizations don’t allow employees to be the part of the policy-making body. 
                 Amma was in critical state for the past few months – she recovered and yet when she breathed her last on Monday, she left a legacy which is hard to fill. Her arch-rivals paid respect to her – not because it was a party duty, but because she commanded that respect even when passed away. It’s not easy. A lot of us have seen, when one of your close aides (parents/relatives/siblings) dies – people around you change – as if death brings with it an infinite weight of behavioural difference. 

Amma’s death reminded me of one thing – a leader is someone who not only wields power, but leadership is about the other people who look up to you for an inspiration – to be able to find a personal connect, trusting someone, to chart a path, to enlighten them with positivity yet show the light so that people get motivated to debate, discuss and remember your legacy forever. 

Human interest

She would have been Mother India

             Some news reports make you feel ashamed and guilty, wrench at your heart. And leave you wondering how any of this is going to change. From where do we begin.

            A 12-year-old child committed suicide in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh because she was disappointed and heartbroken that her parents did not buy her a pair of silver anklets that she so deeply desired.
             Anusha had wanted to dress up as Mother India for Republic Day celebrations at her school. She asked her father for a new dress, a lehenga and half saree, and a pair of silver anklets to go with it. The father, Gogurat Lachchu, a cotton farmer who worked as labourer along with her mother round the year to feed his family, told her he couldn’t afford to buy her the dress and anklets as of now. The mother, not wanting to disappoint the child, bought her daughter bangles and a pair of slippers. After the parents left for work, the child bolted the door of their house from the inside and hanged to death.
            A child who had ironically wanted to be Mother India but ended up killing herself. Is this what we are promising young India? That in this society, if you belong to the most vulnerable and deprived sections, you don’t have a right to dream. You must give up on your right to demand and enjoy even small joys. Opportunity is not yours for the taking.

                Anusha’s teachers say she was easily one of the most brilliant students in the school. Always first in class, she was also very good at sport. She had only recently won three medals in kabbadi and carrom just the other day. They say she was a well-behaved, well-adjusted child who was the pride of the school. How come such a child did something as shocking as this, was the question everyone was asking.
                In the urban, more well-off world, parents are often told, don’t buy everything your child asks for. Don’t give in to every whim and demand. He or she is unable to take rejection, a `no’, or a failure and fails to develop the coping skills.
                I would have thought Anusha, even at her young age, would have seen enough deprivation not to give up because she could not have a pair of silver anklets. Must be so heartbreaking for her parents to think, that they couldn’t fulfil a small desire of their child, and lost the child forever. I can’t help feeling the sadness and pain as a parent myself. There is a even a streak of anger for what the young girl chose to do. May be she was forced to realise and accept realities that the child in her did not want to confront and live with.
               The larger takeaway for me from this story was not only that a child full of potential has been lost in such unfortunate, tragic circumstances. It is also important to realise that it is as criminal to kill childhood joys as it is for the child herself to die. All of us have a responsibility towards the children of our world to ensure their little joys don’t die a premature death. In our own little ways, can’t each one of us take the responsibility of one little dream?

Entertainment

John Abraham: Justice should be speedy and strict to deter crime.

In Satyameva Jayate John Abraham plays a vigilante delivering justice to those whose grievances to the system go unheard. He doesn’t hide his anger directed at criminals and those committing crimes against women. “I think we need to come down hard on people who misbehave with women, animals and other living beings,” he says adding, “Let me ask you a question, ‘Why are you afraid of the ISIS?’ You’re afraid because they send videos of beheadings. When you think of going into their area, you are scared. As a government, if we don’t instill fear in perpetrators — if we don’t give them capital punishment or life imprisonment — they won’t be deterred. In Middle Eastern countries, there is no drug trafficking because anyone who is caught is given death penalty. So, when it comes to crime against women and other people in our society, you hope for people like Veer (my character in the film) who are needed to fight that. Whatever it is, the problem is the system.” 

                  When we point out that we also have activists fighting to save the criminals from strictest punishment,  John reiterates, “Everyone has their point of view, so human rights activists may be justified in their space.” The actor sums up asserting that justice should be speedy and strict to deter crime

Nostalgia

                                Nostalgia
                      Sometimes we long for the past: for moments we want to remember or recapture. The good times. The golden years. Or perhaps we’re homesick, or longing for something — or someone — that might have been. In past 6 months I visited my native place after more than 6years and I've noticed change in not only people's behavior but their livelihood, dressing style,etc. The changes not has a good impact but a bad impact too. As all of my cousins were somewhere dependent on either their smartphone or the television. As compared to the city and the village life most of the time people prefer village life in which they can easily be  dependent on each other, it also in villages it takes time to adapt all the changes that are happening in the city.

                                 As for example, few decades ago kids and teenagers we're interested in playing on the ground , indoor sports,etc but now every kid and teenagers are into games like Pubg, Pokemon Go, Counterstrike,etc. These games not only affect the teenagers but is also addictive to the kids these days. Not only the games but also the social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat,etc has affected the livelihood of not only the people in the city but all the villages. This shows how people are ready to adapt all type of changes that are happening  in the world whether it's good or bad. Period

                                     These addictions not only have drawbacks but also have some advantages, using of smartphone gives a clear idea about what's happening around the world without being present at the particular place and the bad thing about this is that these smartphones are so addictive that the people forget about their personal lives. But these drastic changes somewhere influences on everyone's life no matter what...

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THESE CHANGES ARE A BLESSING OR A CURSE?

Kerala flood toll rises to 29, red alert in 8 districts

     Kerala flood toll rises to 29, red alert in 8 districts  

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The flood situation in Kerala worsened on Friday as all five sluice gates of the Idukki dam were opened and shutters of over two dozen other dams were lifted, submerging vast areas in the state which has been reeling under unprecedented downpour in decades. The death toll in the last 48 hours has touched 29 — six deaths were reported in the past 24 hours — and four are reported missing.

            Twenty-five people died in landslides while four drowned. Twelve deaths were reported from Idukki, six from Malappuram, four from Wayanad, two from Palakkad
and one from Kannur. Three drowning deaths were reported from Ernakulam and one from  Thiruvananthapuram. As many as 57 tourists, including 22 foreigners, who were trapped inside a resort at Pallivasal in Idukki were rescued by the Army by constructing a parallel path that led them to the main road.
     

 As many as 439 relief camps have been opened, where 53,502 people have taken shelter. The discharge of water from all five shutters of Idukki dam reached 8 lakh litres per second on Friday, submerging most parts of Cheruthoni town and raising the water level at the downstream Bhoothathankettu dam by 1.2 metres. Shutters of 25 dams in the state remain open, resulting in considerable rise of water level in most rivers.IMD has forecast heavy rains for the next 48 hours and the state has issued a red alert in Wayanad, Idukki, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Malappuram and Kozhikode districts.
          The alert will be in force at Wayanad till August 14 and in Idukki till August 13; other districts will be on alert till Sunday morning. After reviewing the situation late on Friday, CM  Pinarayi Vijayan deputed two IAS officers to coordinate relief measures in Ernakulam.With chances of Cochin International Airport Ltd suspending operations in the event of a flood, the Thiruvananthapuram international airport has been kept ready to handle flights diverted from Kochi.

Ekadashi

 Ekadashi

                             Sadhguru tells us about the significance of Ekadashi, and how not eating food on certain days can bring health and vibrance to the body, and create the right situation for a human being to turn inwards.

           Ekadashi in Sanskrit means 'the Eleventh Day,' which occurs twice in a lunar month - once each on the 11th days of the bright and dark fortnight respectively. Known as the 'Day of Lord Vishnu,' it is a very auspicious time in the Hindu calendar and an important day to fast.

WHY FAST ON EKADASHI
According to the Hindu scriptures, Ekadasi and the movement of the moon has a direct correlation with the human mind. It is believed that during Ekadasi, our mind attains maximum efficiency giving the brain a better capacity to concentrate. Spiritual seekers are said to devote the two monthly days of Ekadasi in extreme worship and meditation owing to its favourable influence on the mind. Religious reasons aside, these fortnightly fasts helps the body and its organs get respite from dietary irregularities and over indulgences. Lord Krishna says that if a person fasts on Ekadasi, "I shall burn all sins. This day is the most meritorious day to kill all sins." 

CELEBRATION
This is celebrated on a grand scale in Maharashtra and Goa.
This day, a huge yatra or religious procession of pilgrims known as Pandharpur Ashadi Ekadasi Waari Yatra culminates at Pandharpur, in Solapur district in south Maharashtra, situated on the banks of the ChandraBhaga River.
Pandharpur is main center of worship of the deityVithoba, a local form of Vishnu. lacs of pilgrims come to Pandharpur on this day from different parts of Maharashtra.

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Some of them carry Palkhis(palanquins) with the images of the saints of Maharashtra. Dnyaneshwar‘s image is carried from Alandi, Tukaram‘s from Dehu, Eknath‘s fromPaithan, Nivruttinath‘s from Trimbakeshwar, Muktabai‘s from Muktainagar, Sopan‘s from Sasvad and Saint Gajanan Maharaj from Shegaon.
These pilgrims are referred to as Warkaris. They sing Abhangas (chanting hymns) of Saint Tukaram and Saint Dnyaneshwar, dedicated to Vithoba.
Yogini Ekadasi.