Stop Media Violence!!!

Does exposing children to violence in TV shows, movies and video games increase their odds of violent behaviour later on? That question lies inside every parent, teachers, and at the heart of the ongoing debate over gun control, mental health and the effect of violent media on our society. Mass shootings in various countries have brought renewed attention to the issue of who is responsible when a young adult with no history of violence chooses to open fire on innocent people. Is that the parents are responsible or the media or is the Government???

The games like Grand theft auto, robbery, killing, extortion etc., however, emphasize that find no connection between exposure to violent images and actual violence, and have come to widely differing conclusions depending on their subjects and methodologies. Our culture is more violent, that there is more violence in our daily lives.

Media violence has various effects on our society as it has become embedded in the cultural environment wherein children and adolescents constantly breathe. An environment full of violence, sex, profanity, crudeness, and meanness may wear away civility in society by superseding positive social values.

Some think that the viewers, not the entertainment industry, to decide what one wants to watch. Some may say, if you don't like television violence, then turn-off the television- simple as that.

It is evident that media violence has hazardous effects on children and adolescents to some extent. However, not all children are affected. There are some who are affected more than others. It all depends on how one perceives what one watches. It also depends on children’s age group, gender, background, culture, communities and on various circumstances. Children undergoing or witnessing violence in their home or surroundings are more likely to learn how to eradicate it using means as demonstrated on television, for them it may seem a right and good solution. Not everyone will replicate what they watch but they might learn some things that can be used in similar circumstances. Scenes and situations which are shown in media are dramatized and overdone with special effects using latest technology and this makes it seem real to young children who are unable to distinguish between the real and the make-look-real enacted scenes. And then they try to imitate the same.

  

Media violence cannot be pointed as the cause of any violent action. Clearly, when a tragedy occurs, it is the result of multiple unhealthy forces working together and even the parents must keep a watch. But most forms of media violence increase the probability of violent or hostile actions occurring and increase the risk that any violence that occurs will be more intense or extreme. According to me, media is responsible somewhere or the else for this ongoing debate and actions.

Let me make this clear that these programs work totally on censorship of media violence. However, the effects of media violence so that the public, the media, and the entertainment industry can be educated about the effects and take whatever actions are warranted and as soon as possible for the welfare of the society.

Inside story - The splendour of celebration

Diwali is popularly known as the “festival of lights”, the most significant spiritual meaning is “the awareness of the inner light”. Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. The celebration of Diwali as the “victory of good over evil” The word “Diwali” is a contraction of a word translating to “row of lamps,” as the holiday involves the lighting of small clay lamps to symbolize the victory of good over evil. Firecrackers are burst and, during the festival, all those celebrating wear new clothes and share sweets with family and friends.

The word “Diwali” is a contraction of a word translating to “row of lamps,” as the holiday involves the lighting of small clay lamps to symbolize the victory of good over evil. Firecrackers are burst and, during the festival, all those celebrating wear new clothes and share sweets with family and friends.

There are infinitely more worldwide celebrations that you may not have ever heard of, but taking time to learn about just a few more when possible could be invaluable to gaining a better understanding of the world. Keeping that in mind, hopefully now you can extend your holiday season even longer!

As crowds and colourful elephants, camels and horses traverse the streets, Lakshmi Sharath understands the scale of the Teej Festival

Celebrated all around the world, Christmas falls on December 25th each year to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The word “Christmas” literally means “Christ’s Mass,” and is a feast central to the Christian liturgical year. Furthermore, it is a civil holiday in many of the world’s nations and an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season. Celebratory decorations typically include “decking the halls” with holm, ivy, and other greens, and nativity scenes are popular in several countries. And of course, a Christmas tree decorated with lights and ornaments is usually a staple to the house, particularly in the United States.

 Ganesha Chaturthi is the most democratic festival in spirit. Every community – caste, religion, region notwithstanding, comes together to welcome Mumbai’s reigning deity. The songs typically start with the standard and very catchy “Tujhko phir se jalwa dikhana hi hoga, agle baras aana hai aana hi hoga,” the musical version of the Marathi phrase,“Ganpati Bappa Morya! Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Yaa!” asking Lord Ganesha to return every year.

The Shivaratri festival is celebrated every year in Kathmandu in reverence of Lord Shiva with offerings of Bel leaves and fasting for the day and night during a long vigil. This festival is centred on the Pashupati Temple complex located on the Bagmati river not far away from the international airport. This area is crowded with pilgrims from Nepal and India as well as many holy men (or saddhus) who walk around naked with their bodies smeared with ash. A ritual among Saddhus is to smoke marijuana in worship of Lord Shiva and certainly lots of this drug is smoked during Shivaratri.

Holi is celebrated with fun and joy where revellers normally hold a bonfire, throw coloured powder at each other and celebrate wildly. The reason for using coloured powder is to take away sorrow and sadness and literally bring colour into everyone’s lives. People sometimes throw water balloons from roof tops of buildings so be aware if you are walking in the streets below! It is certainly a good idea to wear old clothes ones you do not mind being covered in coloured powder and getting wet.

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashmi, is a major Indian festival celebrated on the tenth day of Ashvin month according to the Hindu calendar. This day falls in the month of September or October. The day culminates a 9 day fasting period of Navratri in the Hindu culture. The day also coincides with immersion of the idol of Goddess Durga. The day is celebrated to commemorate the killing of Ravana by Lord Rama. The day also celebrates the killing of demon Mahishasur by Goddess Durga. Dussehra celebration spreads the message of the victory of good over sin.

This is how we Indians celebrate no caste no creed just unity!!!

My dream''Travel'' - Means to Explore the World

Traveling can be exhilarating and exhausting, inspiring and intimidating all at once. But with every personal connection the world gets smaller and more navigable. All it takes is one compelling tale about India, and going there suddenly seems easy.

One of the most interesting results of travelling to me was that India appears on both the list of top dream solo destinations and on the list of places where women are nervous to travel alone. This concurs with my feelings about India, that it is a challenging destination, being an Indian I have not travelled my own country.  But one that most adventurous travellers want to tackle, at least once in their lives. People who have travellers’ souls seem to instinctively understand that travel in India is magical; that it will be life-changing; and they will never see the world or themselves in quite the same way again.

And of course, Mumbai is not just all about five-star hotels, famous landmarks and saintly heroes. It is in fact a city of “foot-path poets,” Everywhere Mumbai swirls with people on the go. The dhobi wallahs (laundry men) of Dhobi Ghat, have become a tourist attraction for the way they laboriously wash and dry laundry in open pens — an urban concession to the traditional method of washing clothes in the river and beating them on rocks. Only the dhobi wallahs of Mumbai are all men, whereas laundry as a chore is traditionally done by women.

But everywhere you go in Mumbai you will see people in various stages of industry, from the prosaic and traditional Bombay wallahs to the ultra-modern Mumbaikers. And the Mumbai Local tour gives you a taste of the spectrum of life in Mumbai. I promise myself that I will keep a journal every day when I travel. I do it on the first couple of days and then lose myself in the throes of travel. And then the photographs get downloaded and a lost memory surfaces. 

Although India can be a difficult place to travel and there will be moments when being the center of attention is overwhelming, it is an experience I would redo again in a heartbeat. I hope you can mitigate the feeling of having eyes inappropriately on you and transform uncomfortable situations into positive ones.Furthermore, keep in mind that this issue of staying safe while visiting India is part of a larger issue at hand – what it means to simply be a woman in India. The threats facing female travellers are things that Indian women have been dealing with their entire life, and will still be dealing with for long after we leave.

Ultimately, there is no secret to staying safe in India. It is a continual process of being wise and keenly listening to your instincts – just as you would anywhere else in the world. Indians love to welcome foreigners into their country, so trust your gut in accepting their hospitality and learn from their kindness.India is a complicated and chaotic country, and yet it is also a place of inconceivable beauty and warmth.

“We live in a society where most people are too afraid to take that leap into the unknown, and for us especially like the Mumbaikars represents all the infinite possibility that is born by stepping outside of the normal. That doesn’t mean people have to drop everything and go live in a tent in the winter woods. “But if we can get them thinking about their own freedom and whether they’re truly happy in the life they’ve made and if we can crack open the door to an alternative possibility, another choice—then we’ve done our job. And if we can stoke them up with some incredible riding and breathtaking visuals, even better. The end result warped into a movie that’s weird and out-there and a total off-the-wall gamble in a sea of ski porn, but I hope Mumbaikar delivers on all levels.”

India Sinking - Media Criticism must be taken seriously!!!

India is passing through a bad phase and the present conditions of media and Government which have taken the country back a couple of decades. India is classic and unique in its own ways. India is good in international areas that it has projected a country with no Government effect, falling rupee, lots of scam and corruption. 2 members from Congress have been caught in scam and corruption. This leds to nothing but slowly and steadily eating the core of our own country. Our country is a factual statement and not a stretch of any imagination. This situation mainly takes place because Congress party has lost its touch amongst people. After Independence Congress party was given lots of importance and had full on people’s support. If Governement takes media criticism seriously then we can save our country from slipping into the muddy morass.

The political condition prevailing in the country are worrisome. People elected Manmohan Singh and things are going from bad to worse. There is lack of vision which is costing the nation other factors which the government is trying to project. Government thinks that they are tackling corruption issues head on because in most cases, its own leaders are involved. It would have moved swiftly if Opposition leaders were involved in 2G or Coalgate scams. I don’t understand why Manmohan Singh remains silent? At least his actions must speak if hes not! If he is clueless, he should resign and give way to some leader who may be able to fix the problems. 
           

A few hundred misguided individuals cannot be allowed to hold the state to ransom and deprive the larger population of the much needed power. Their fears are imaginary and stoked by vested interests. People are now saying that Mr. Narendra Modi must become the PM so that he will help in progressing the country. My question which arises here is that are people sure that if Mr. Modi gets elected then he will help in development? Each and everytime people vote to a new candidate hoping that he will make changes but ultimately they fail. Media plays a vital role in broadening the mind of the people and criticising the Government.

Mumbai local trains

Local trains are the most fascinating part of every Mumbaikar’s lives. He may crib or complain about it, but deep inside from the bottom of the heart, he knows that he shares a special Bond with the local trains especially during the peak hours.

The fascinating feature of the super dense loaded local trains is that it always offers space to every person, who wants to get inside it. The technique of getting into the trains is learned by every individual as and when he learns travelling.

Once a Mumbaikar manages to put a foot inside the train, he will shout his daily chant “Aage Badho, Aage Badho bhai”. Everyday there is a huge dispute among the ladies compartment.   
There are specific stations adjoining a Ganesh temple like Mulund where the group that mans the footboard and lets people in and out of the train chants in unison, “Ganpati Bappa Moraya, Mangal Moorati Moraya, Undir Mama ki Jai, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai.
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj rules over the minds of Mumbaikars to such exaggerated levels that you can find Chatrapati Shivaji Airport, Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Chatrapati Shivaji Museum.

Suddenly, someone’s foot will fall over another leading to patent abuses and fist fights. The others will shout in unison, “Maaro Maaro’’ thus taking sadistic pleasure out of the rivalry between the concerned persons. Instead of putting stop the fight people will make fun of that situation also.

Someone will pick up a mobile and three to four persons will crowd around him. A special video treat awaits all of them. 
Inside the compartment, there are a few people who know nothing in trains other than picking up a newspaper and reading it from the front page to the end line by line. Some people are busy sleeping.

The rest either discuss politics or films or cricket. Some play cards, while some bring dholaks and sing bhajans in a rhythm that can go several decibels higher and threaten to blow one’s eardrums away.
Earlier, the 1st class ladies compartment connecting with the gents’ compartments used to generate a lot of heat and nasty comments. Even love marriages happened between the blushing girls and the peeping Toms. The Railways put a spanner to all those fun by shutting down all open spaces and broke hearts of many.

Once we alight at the destination, we have to be careful of the speeding dabbawallahs and fishermen shouting “Machchi paani, Macchi paani”.

Several funny incidents do happen, which remain in the memories of the daily travellers for a long time.
The fourth seat in the local train is the most cursed seat. It never makes us sit with our full bottoms but still there is lot of competition for it. And the worst part of the train is that each and every passenger will ask ‘kaha utharna h’ this thing makes me go mad.

The ones who get to sit suddenly sleep as if they are put on a pill and swing to the vibrations of the train in gay abandon while the one who is awake gets frustrated by their acts.
Many a times, to the surprise of those boarding the train, the entire seat including the window happens to be empty which makes them rush to catch the seats only to notice that someone has defecated over there. They just quietly cover their noses and move towards the next compartment.

Whatever may be the case travelling in local trains gives a pleasure which each and everyone must experience. For me this is one of the best experiences since I started travelling.

''Media'' - this word bring wonders

The common man sees journalists as powerful people. The misuse of this so-called power of the media, though on a much bigger scale.

Being a trainee in a reputed news I have heard these comments from people

“You are a journalist, can’t you get passes arranged for that concert?”, “Can I get a similar Press Card like yours?”, “It is easy to show your Press Card and tell the police you are a journalist when you are charged for a minor offence”, “Don’t you know I am from the media?”, “A PRESS sticker on the car can do wonders”.

Rajdeep Sardesai, the editor-in-chief of CNN-IBN television, tweeted after a televised debate on the subject, “I guess journalists are more feared today, but sadly less respected. We are more arrogant, less ethical”.

Questions that remain unanswered that lot of journalist and people from channels are put behind bars but there is no case against them. Even lot of journalist are paid money for the news.

Three media people, including two employees of the India TV news channel, were accused of trying to extort money from a traditional Unani healer, after apparently filming him prescribing Western medicine to patients. Lot of news channels are being  suspended after they were accused of being involved in an extortion case.

Such instances, and a bigger case that involves politician and wealthy industrialist Naveen Jindal, have reignited the debate on media regulation in India. It seems the self-regulation model has failed in India and it is time for a body that has the authority to issue and cancel a journalist’s permit to work, something that is not required in India today.

The industry doesn’t need a regulator to seek reporting approvals, or to get story ideas vetted or sources verified. In a democracy, the freedom of press is and should be paramount. What we need is a body which can come down heavily on those who misuse their position in a wrong way such as extortion, or bias.

For instance, if a journalist is found guilty in extortion case and serves the jail-term, can he be trusted to report objectively once he’s back on the job? What we need are rules with provisions to ban journalists or news organisations found guilty in such cases.

As more and more young people continue to enter the profession, strict provisions could act as a barrier or discourage. Only then will there be the possibility of journalists being feared less and respected more.

future of social media and politics - in total darkness!!

Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat and putative prime ministerial candidate of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), became the most-followed Indian politician on Twitter, with more than 1.8 million followers. When he got elected as the candidate for Prime Minister Position, the occasion was celebrated by BJP supporters across the social media, and had a growing impact on Indian politics.

Firstly when this social media was founded many politicians went against it. And now the scenario has been changed. But the pace at which the political world is embracing social media has accelerated dramatically in the last year. Aside from the BJP’s wholesale adoption of Twitter – Modi’s allies on the network include the party’s parliamentary leader, Sushma Swaraj, and a coterie of organized supporters – prominent Indian politicians from all parties have leapt in.

India’s president, Pranab Mukherjee announced that he would open a Facebook account to receive and respond to the public’s questions. Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee runs a popular and widely read Web site that traditional media outlets mine daily. Similarly, Omar Abdullah, the youthful Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, regularly interacts on Twitter, and his much older Rajasthan and Kerala counterparts, Ashok Gehlot and Oommen Chandy, respectively, have opened Facebook accounts as well. This change was not at all expected.

More than half of the members from politics are now online, and most government offices are establishing a social-media presence. Indian political issues are being raised and debated regularly – across social media. The finance minister spoke to the public about the budget, not on TV, but in a Google Hangout. The main question which arises now is that the people who are not connected via social media will how come to know about what’s going on in the world. The extent of Internet penetration today – makes the country the world’s third-largest online market, and also the fastest growing for its size.

Nonetheless, scepticism about the reach and political impact of social media in India is in order. As one of India’s first politicians to embrace social media, my view is that this conclusion is premature. I do not believe, given the numbers, that any Indian election can be won or lost on social media alone.

Only a small minority of India’s voters use social media; with electoral districts of some two million people each, Twitter is of little help in political mobilization. Unlike, Twitter would be useless for organizing a mass rally or even convening a large public meeting.

But, while social media cannot be a substitute for conventional campaigning, they can help to set the agenda of public debate, because traditional media – newspapers and television, which do reach most voters – tap into social networks for information about and from politicians. This indirect impact makes social media an indispensable communications tool for politicians.

In any case, no democratic politician should resist a new communications medium, particularly an interactive one – even if some seem to regard it mainly as a public-relations tool. Such social media is not at all suitable medium for a serious politician. But Google and Yahoo! were once silly names; both are now household words. I am convinced that a majority of politicians in 21^st century democracies – including India – will be tweeting.

But social media is surely not the future of India.

Need to bring a chance in this collapsing society!!!

The media approach towards the society is pathetic. The problems we face being a part of this society is unique and quite different. We have extremely over population with each one having their unique entity. Our problems are the same but the way to tackle them has changed, even the arguments’ around them have multiplied. Multiplicity of debates may not be seen as progress. The fact is that we are slowly turning into a bandwagon where the large part of wheel is in a good condition and on the other side it has been rusted. The same is the condition with our society. Instead of solving problems we have such great people like our politicians who instead of solving the problems simply argument over them. And then the arguments are carried on with the media. We need to understand that our society consists of rich and middle class people. The rich class people spend their penny over fooding, cosmetics, brands etc. Whereas on the other side we have our farmers who are committing suicide in depression. Media only covers story which profits there channel. And now media has become the almighty who decides the fate of the people. Media was not in this way few years ago. Media is paid for the news, as in the case of scams or rapes they have been paid so that they do not publish the news and then slowly and gradually the case has been hidden.

Even newspapers especially Mumbai Mirror covers 70% of the paper with advertisements instead of news which are of utmost importance. Newspapers have heavy political bias in India. We will hardly find the media who are unbiased. We read excessive news of cricket which extends far beyond the sports section. Other sports are simply not encouraged. We are served with meaningless film gossip and useless news about celebrities, which shows how much the PR agencies of these stars are paying the media. Newspapers today have turned into fashion magazines and have taken us far away
from real issues.

The growth of media has lowered the cost of perfection, ethics of journalism and honour. Media leads to inaccuracies and mistakes. Even choice of what news to cover and what to ignore. In college we were thought that in journalism the basic points which we need to remember is accuracy, rechecking, etc. But in real world the media makes such mistakes. There are serious concerns about the trivialisation of content and increasing concentration of media ownership in large corporate
groups. There is the nonstop breaking news culture. Many politicians, paying newspapers and news channels for positive coverage. Knowledge is strength. And the media is a way to get knowledge. But is this really possible with biased media? So we have to work hard here. Start asking questions. Start spreading knowledge you have.
This is how we can start for the change...Hope for the best.. !

Is CNN IBN trying to blindside the Nation? Media won’t learn from there mistakes...

The entry to Media Hall of SHAME is CNN IBN take on latest material in Wikileaks which discussed how congress will indulge in caste/religious-based politics taking reference to AR Antulays statement post 26/11, onion price rise, Delhi rape case, etc.

CNN IBN published the article matter in their site. They also highlighted a section which I guess they believed was most important section of the release.  They highlighted the entire episode which talks about the Congress Party will readily stoop to the old caste/religious-based politics if it feels it is in its interest. They just highlighted the basic point but did not even mention about the other important section which speaks about Mumbai attack and how Congress party reaction to the outrageous was correct.

But as support seemed to swell among Muslims for Antulay's unsubstantiated claims, political opportunism swayed the thinking of some Congress Party leaders. What's more, the party made the cynical political calculation to lend credence to the conspiracy even after its recent emboldening state elections victories. The party chose to pander to Muslims' fears, providing impetus for those in the Muslim community who will continue to play up the conspiracy theory.

The news published by CNN IBN talks about : Congress can stoop to old caste politics, says ex-US Ambassador to India on this regard also only give a miss to more damning section  but also missed mentioning congress playing religious politics when entire wikileak was focused on how congress played muslim card on AR Antulays statement.  This was the proper words which were published in the article.

Even the same was in the case of 26/11 Mumbai attack. I don’t understand why media simply for nothing brings caste and religion into the picture...for example, 26/11 attack on Mumbai: Kasab The Muslim Extremist! The role of the media during 26/11 and how the media had behaved during those incidents? Important criticisms were made – sometimes in a reasonable manner and sometimes with anger and hatred – by people on social media, or by other means of communication.

The first of these issues was about human dignity. Did the media feel no shame in fitting microphones into the faces of weeping relatives, in showing dead or mutilated bodies and in pains victims of the attack to hurl the usual banalities at them: “Aap to kaisa lag raha hai?” this is the idiotic question which is frequently asked during such times.

As for the victims who were lucky enough to escape alive, they were certainly not pursued by mobs of TV crews shouting, “Just one bite, please.”

Whichever way you look at it, there is no doubt that when it comes to human dignity, 26/11 was Indian TV’s real-life live moment. In contrast to 26/11 was a free-for-all with no guidelines and no rules. The media did what they wanted. Even the celebs did not think once before entering the place.

None of this is to forgive the mistakes made by the media.  Because ultimately media needs to learn many things. And two things still worry me being part of CNN IBN is that, I have seen no evidence that the media have learnt from their mistakes..They are still repeating mistakes. And as for that is the Government of India, the sad truth is that if 26/11 happened again, the government would still screw up just as spectacularly as it did when the original attacks occurred.

Those who forget the lessons of history are condemned to repeat their mistakes. I hope slowly and steadily the conditions on India improves.

Plz stop teaching the girls how to behave...tel ur bastard sons to do the same!!(manliness)

Its just an initiative to fight against such shameless crimes committed against women in India. i strongly believe that the laws should be strengthened strongly so that it proves to be a good lesson for the future citizens. I hope there is achange in the world. Atleast I will see to it that I wil teach my son and can even hope from today's generations...

A dozen decades have hurtled by with such speed; it seems they have left our populace with a case of collective amnesia. I look past the creases of my curling photographs, grateful that I can still teach my son what I believe it means to be a man.

The fellows in those old photos look like they had manners, you can practically see them. Even greasy and fatigued, they never went outside without a hat to hold the hair upon their head. It is difficult to believe that they would have left behind their pleases and thank yous. If it were only manners abandoned, things might be easier to explain to my boy, but it isn’t. There is a mindset now missing, an outlook thickened by decades of languor.

If I were to stare in my brother’s eyes, and explain what it is that makes a man, I would not breath a word about how much that man might bench, or in which athletics he may excel. My inventory would be different; a list our grandfathers would surely approve.

I would tell my bro that he must never walk away from what he knows is right, and though it may be hard to stand tall against our enemies, it is even harder to reach for the sky opposite our friends. I would tell my bro that he must do both, always and without fail. A man who goes along with that which he knows is wrong, whether it is to be a part of something or simply because it is easier, will see less than he wishes when looking in the mirror.

We may not need to wear three piece suits, seven days a week to look our best, but that doesn’t mean we should leave our houses looking like slobs. Proper grooming reveals our respect. Respect for ourselves, respect for those in our company, and respect for those we happen to meet. Proper grooming is not the sole domain of the affluent. Soap is cheap and time runs in equivalence to air.

My boy will know to open the door for his wife, because every day he watches my dadda open the door for momzee. Somewhere in the midst of the feminist movement, there was a misunderstanding. Just because we are no longer required to do something by the reduced laws of society, doesn’t mean we never should.

I can only imagine how the beat of the world will be bouncing by the time my bro is teaching his boy to be a man, but I do know that by being the best father can my husband be.., I’m shaping a fraction of our collective future.

In between the large lessons learned, are the small examples set. Those things which go unspoken perhaps, but rarely unnoticed. For example, my son will know how to admit when he is wrong, because a real man does not always carry the need to be right. Being a man means recognizing when we are, and then extracting our best lesson from the experience. He will know how to play with his children, because he will use the same imagination he has always been encouraged to use.

Possibly the single most important lesson in this brave new world, where a treacherous credit line is often but a signature away, is responsibility. My son will understand that things should be bought only when needed, and that we should pay for them only with money we have.

A man, above all, recognizes his duty and therefore does not accept it lightly. He understands that his word is his bond, exercised by everyday actions and daily decisions. He will not waft through life selfish or disconnected, like someone who carries a fickle mind. A man, a real man, will not make promises he cannot keep, and chooses his words as carefully as he does his commitments. And because this man honors his words, he is in turned honored in his actions.

And while years may fall carelessly from the calendar, and the world may pass us by like a reckless wind, it is never too late to man up and mean it.

After Delhi, Mumbai is the most unsafe metro city - WOMEN

Acid thrown on woman alighting from a train! Woman stabbed while getting aboard Mumbai local! Photojournalist gang raped while on assignment! Mumbai watches as two women get slapped and kicked in public!

Unfortunately, these headlines are now a daily affair, which we are going Hindustan Times cover story today, you know that we live in a city with potential for many more such tragedies. There is enough cause for worry. But there are also other stories that need to be told. Stabbings, assaults and rapes to be prevented before they occur. I want to focus on this today. 

through. Thankfully these stories are now getting their due attention on media. If you caught

In an attempt to change the world, now often being labelled, ‘unsafe’ places in Mumbai to safe spaces, creating a crowd sourced public safety map of the city, which points out what areas people think are particularly unsafe in Mumbai, why and when they are unsafe and what could be possible solutions to make them safer.

Many people have been doing there bit like simple survey that every Mumbaikar can fill and share information. This information will be collected from all over Mumbai and then analysed, studied and results shared with the citizens and authorities. They have also initiated a petition urging the Chief Minister to take the results of this survey seriously and hear the citizens’ voices. With survey hitting 425 responses and the petition officially crossing 500 signatures in the first one week, they hopes to collect this important information soon, analyse it and present it to the authorities to demand change. "Due to the recent spate of crime against women, the national capital has gained notoriety with 84 per cent women claiming it to be the most unsafe metro," the solo women traveller survey 2013 conducted by travel portal TripAdvisor, said. It also brought to light the disturbing fact that 94 per cent of female respondents worry about their safety, always or at least sometimes, when they travel alone in India but not when they travel to international destinations.

I like to think Mumbai is a relatively safe city but yes, there have been moments when I have felt very unsafe. I feel particularly unsafe while walking in dimly lit and deserted roads, bridges as well as in empty railway stations.If you believe we can do better than disrespecting our women, then please, read and share unabashedly with friends and family, so that together we can be the change we want to see. I am already doing my bit to spread the message to the word. I hope you will too Mumbai!

I Want so Much to Be as Good as My Mother, but It's Hard to Be Such a Great Lady!

When you think of your mother, does your heart open with compassion or tighten with resentment? Do you allow yourself to feel her tenderness and care? The way you take in her love can be similar to how you experience love from a partner.

What’s unresolved with your parents doesn’t automatically disappear. It serves as a template that forges your later relationships.

Maybe you’ve experienced this with a partner. If you felt you didn’t get enough from your mother, perhaps you also feel that you don’t get “enough” from your partner. It’s a harsh reality, but it’s true more often than not. The same holds true with your father: Your unresolved relationship with your father will also show up in your love life.

 My mother is the first person I call if absolutely anything is going on in my life. I spent way too much time being a rebellious and often resentful brat of a teen, but my mom is the single most non-judgmental person on the planet, so we managed to remain close through it all. When I was a kid she never said, "Because I said so." She would always kneel down and take the time to explain things to me. My mom definitely has a hard time saying no to people, because she doesn't like to hurt or disappoint anyone.

She has influenced everything that makes me who I am -- the type of friend, that I turned out to be.

A woman, for example, who rejects her father, can repeat the fate of her mother by attracting a partner who behaves similarly to the father she rejects…coz this thing has happened with me! In this way, she brings what she dislikes about her father back into her life. Not only that, but by reliving her mother’s experience, she joins her mother in her discontent.

A man who rejects his father might not have the resources to commit to his partner. Let’s say he was extremely close with his mother and not so close with his father — a common dynamic for many men. A man in this situation is likely to experience resistance when he bonds with his partner. He might find himself shutting down emotionally or physically, fearing that his partner, like his mother, will want or need too much from him. The remedy is a closer bond with his father.

Conversely, a woman who’s closer to her father than her mother is likely to feel unsatisfied with the partners she selects. The root of the problem is not them. It is the distance she feels toward her mother. A woman’s relationship with her mother can be an indicator of how fulfilling her relationship will be with her partner.

Rejecting our parents only brings us suffering. The emotions, traits and behaviors we reject in our parents often live on in us. It’s our unconscious way of loving them, a way to bring them back into our lives. Even our bodies will feel some degree of unrest until our parents are experienced inside us in a loving way.

Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that when you’re angry with your parents, “You get angry with yourself. Suppose the plant of corn got angry at the grain of corn.” He tells us: “If we’re angry with our father or mother, we have to breathe in and out and find reconciliation. This is the only path to happiness.”

The path toward peace is to make peace with your parents, even if they are deceased. I am the daughter, sister, friend, beloved that I am today because of the love and encouragement of the best mom a girl could ask for.

Confused 2 LIFE!!!

I started working with a news channel recently and they asked me a very important question about my future: “What is your intention?”

What’s so funny is that I teach this all the time. I mean ALL the time.

This is one of the guiding principles of my life. Intention.

Intention is basically an aim or purpose, based on how you want to FEEL rather than what you want to get.

At first, I thought it such a simple question – of COURSE I know what my intention is, I know this stuff.

But, when I thought about it, I realized that I don’t have an intention currently.

In fact, I haven’t had a guiding intention for a while now.

Why? Well, I looked back and I couldn’t believe what had happened. I created a life where all my previous intentions had come true. In short, I had “made” it.

I am with the Love of my Life – my family. The Daily Love is real and global. I make a living doing what I Love. I had lived in my “dream” apartment, which turned out to be a nightmare.

It was all there.

I don’t know what my current intention is. I’m out beyond the vision that I had seen for myself, I didn’t realize that life could be this cool when you over deliver and dedicate yourself to an outcome every single day.

So, I get to really think about it. What is my intention? What is my goal?

I think I am going to live in the curious mystery of that question for a while. I don’t want an ego goal. I don’t want a goal to set out to be the most “significant” person in my field, I don’t want a goal just to have a goal.

I am going to take some time and really ask – what do I want, why do I want it and most importantly – how do I want to FEEL when I get there?

I don’t want to chase empty goals. And I don’t really care too much for being on the top of any pile. I want to create change. I want to inspire folks. I want to bring practical and experiential modalities to the world to help uplift humanity.

Maybe, just maybe I can help someone break free from their hypnosis of fear and realize that they have a huge gift to give to the world.

I want all my intentions and goals from now on to be based in service and contribution and Love.

Do you have an intention for your life? I’d love to know. Maybe I can borrow it! or it can help me to create something in my borrowing life!

Why The Love You Give Is Not Always the Love You Receive???

I have heard, on more than one occasion, a certain piece of advice about deciding who to settle down with in life. With what I’m sure are the best intentions, various women have told me, in so many words, “If you marry someone who loves you more than you love them, you’ll always be happy.” They tell me this with a kind of sage, “it sucks but it’s true” reassurance. They know better, they seem to say, and even if my idealistic visions of what long-term commitment really means won’t accept it right now, one day I will come to understand it. I, too, will partner up with someone who needs me emotionally in a way I don’t and never will quite need them.

What makes me sad about this, though, is not so much the implication of “settling” for someone with whom you always have the upper hand in the emotional power structure, but rather a sense of empathy for what it means to be the person who is loved in return slightly (or profoundly) less. To live the constant, quiet humiliation that comes with being dependent on someone in a way that is not reciprocated erodes the self-esteem like little else can. I know this, of course, because I have been the one who loves more.

Whenever loyalty rises to the top, something has to sink to the bottom. Unfortunately, happiness is always at the bottom, overshadowed and forgotten. The idea that we stuck by someone through thick and thin trumps everything and everyone.

Loyalty seems to be most important for people who exist on a continuum that can include anything from being ignored as child to abandonment, abuse, feeling unwanted, or being neglected. It stems from a subconscious belief in the boomerang effect: that doling out the type of love and care that we want will mean that it will be returned. What happens is that the people we choose to bestow our love upon don't share that same belief. They feed on our love and loyalty for breakfast; expect even more for dinner, but without the appreciation or gratitude.

We sometimes learn the hard way not to give our love to someone who feeds on hearts. But some of us never learn and continue to lay our hearts on the table, day after day, year after year.  The real question for that facebook quote becomes, what is the void within that enables you to not pay attention to signs? If no one else is there for him, maybe there is a reason.  

And the treatment that you will accept from them knows almost no boundaries. Nothing, to you, is wholly inexcusable or something you don’t in some way deserve. Even if being loved by them comes with a thousand asterisks, or is accompanied by put-downs or bouts of complete apathy, it is better than not being loved at all. Slowly you begin to adjust yourself to what you imagine they are looking for, uninterested in pleasing yourself so much as getting that residual pleasure from making them happy, if only for a minute. By the time they leave you — and they almost always will — you will look around and realize just how much of yourself you had given away. Your interests, your style, your loud laugh, your crazy friends: they were all collateral damage in the face of wanting to make them love you as you love them.

So perhaps it does make for a better marriage to be with someone who loves me more than I do them. Maybe it would make my life easier, more secure, more malleable to my whims and desires. But it would also mean that, for an entire lifetime, someone would be living out a pantomime of what they think I want them to be. I want to be just as enamored with someone as they are with me — even if we need each other for different things — because no one should ever doing another person a favor by spending their life with them.