February 15, 2009
Not bad at all
I am referring of course to the Consortium of Pubgoing, Loose and Forward Women that figures they would like to send pink underwear in protest against violent attacks against women in pubs and threats of moral policing on Valentine’s. Naturally, anything peaceful in protest against conservatism would gain my unflinching support, even something as perfectly obnoxious as couriering pink underwear. Not to mention going ahead with any Vday plans, knowing fully well that marriages (allegedly to be performed according to Hindu rites by priests prowling the streets with mangal sutras) where consent is obtained by force are voidable, at any rate.The threat of violence may be harder to avoid; I’ve heard that there are suggestions of taking advantage of this moral policing in order to get married where the couples’ families are uncompromising.
Did I also mention that I love Amul? They always manage to get the best ad campaigns up in context and this time round havecome up with ads in support of the pink chaddi brigade. Amul will always have my loyalty for aye (coming to think of it, I’ve always liked their products anyway.) Meanwhile, college has its own box for contributions; they’ve stated unequivocally that we could put in anything wrapped in a polythene bag, from chaddis to contraceptives, anything that right conservatives disapprove of are welcome.
Meanwhile, I’m curious. How many forced marriages will Vday see? Bangalore police stations welcomed eloping couples and married them as long as they were of a marrigeable age and registered them; what will they do when faced by right wing brigands forcing a couple to tie the knot? Indeed, what of dating teenagers? [Though I recently came across a statistic that gave the average age of marriage of Indians as the minimum age of marriage. Freaky.]
Happy Valentine’s y’all, and lots of love.
June 29, 2008
Technocrat
“My comp is slowing down”
July 12, 2007
Mooting Muse
In the last few days, I’ve been forced to visit alleyways in my mind I never knew existed. From wanting to moot for the fun of it, I’ve realized the truth in the statement (I think it was by John Grisham) that in the first year, you’re all budding lawyers trying to find your footing, but by the time you reach third year, you’re grateful if you’re not murdered in your sleep. It’s a lawyer-eat-lawyer world out here, and the biggest mouth gets to survive.
I entered law school in complete (and blissful) ignorance of what moots were. I heard about it, attended the moot orientation program, found the demos fairly exciting and decided, well, why not? So it began. I went ahead for two rounds, and then stopped short of the last round. It was, as the idolised mooters had stated, fun, the best part of it being the judges trying to prove that the counsel before them knew nothing. (I asked for an open court, knowing well that I’m more nervous in the absence of a crowd. Private interactions are never my cup of tea…) I found immense pleasure in keeping a straight face while the judges did the same in tearing my submission apart and finding every loophole in my issues. I guess I just loved arguing, and here’s the one place that the judges are opposing you merely to test your skills. That was pure heaven. To me, the frustrations of researching for the brief were worth those 12 minutes of utter bliss.
This year, I was faced with some of the snider realities of the moot. The fact that there was more time ensured that more people decided to join in the phenomenon called mooting. I’d heard that mooting could create bad blood, at times get nasty, sometimes political and sometimes just unfair, but this was the first time I’d actually lived parts of it. Hidden books were the least of our problems. Never does the section on Media Law or Sports law in the Library have more visitors than during the peak of the moot season, when people are desperately looking for hidden books or, on the other side, hiding them there. Every mooter wants that one innovative argument, that one brilliant spark of ingenuity, that one elusive case that would simply turn the entire case in their favour. A stolen case isn’t that bad either; the one who steals always presumes that they have better cases anyway. Anything sought for is given gratuitously. Never expect anything for yourself, unless you’re the one asking for help. Right now, I’ve seen some people (this includes myself) show faces I’ve not known them to possess, behave in ways that just asked for the most judgemental admonishment and at the end of it all, deny all of it. The research was nothing terrible, other than the extreme lack of books. The atmosphere before the speaking rounds, however, was unbearable.
For the first time, I was facing a moot court with displeasure. I knew my own issues, but the whole place had got onto my nerves enough. I entered the court, and then realised why I had tortured myself. There was the judge looking at me with a grin that spoke louder than his reputation that he was going to make mincemeat of me and have me right there for his lunch. I wasn’t disappointed. They did strip me of my best cases and whip me with their counters, but at the end of it all, I walked out of the court knowing that the entire process was worth those few minutes. I wasn’t pleased or anywhere satisfied with my own performance, I just loved the court. At the end of it all, the process might kill me, but the final showdown is always a worthy cause.
Bring it on!!!!!
February 23, 2007
Lost
Not too pleased with the situation at hand- The prospect of leaving a comfort zone carved for me yet again. I’m going Home in less than 3 weeks for over two months. I don’t seem to be too excited. I do look forward to it- How can I not like the idea of running back to the bliss of my family’s warm embrace? It’s just that I’m not counting down the days till we leave, not thinking of packing up, not planning the vacation- nothing. I’m just content with the idea of going back. Fact is that I’ve learnt to love this corner of Kolkata – A place I lost in a dream and found in reality. I don’t mean that this is the land of milk and honey that I needed to reach- (I still doubt any place comes close to Bangalore in that respect) what I do mean is that I’ve taken root here, so to speak. The word ‘home’ now means the thought of my room in the hostel (when in class) or the comfort of the hundred familiar faces that support life without choking it. I have got used to it, and getting me used to better comforts all over again seems just as frightening as getting used to lesser ones. I would now refer to this as ‘home’ and that of Bangalore as ‘Home’. Of course I prefer Bangalore to college; familiarity never has bred contempt as far as I’m concerned. All I’m saying is that I’m going to miss home when I’m Home. Kudos, Kolkata.
September 20, 2006
Noplace Else!
After all, its here that life began, and its here that I breathe myself in the cool weather- oh all right, seemingly cold weather after a 33 Celcius, but its still worth it (that’s highly understatedd). Its worth the craziness, the extravagance, the laziness, the simplicity of the complications… everything. Besides a brilliantly warm blanket of starved affections, Life has suddenly started playin in slow motion, encompassing all those lovely items I missed on my headlong dive out. perhaps after the swim I may reach the banks, perhaps new streams, but the roots of a tree are firmly in place , though the branches may spread for eternity…
Home at last.
August 13, 2006
Rainy weather Friends…
Looking back, the pleasure of having no work would not be enjoyable without the presence of these brilliant people around a girl shivering in the rain… A big thank you to ye all. To those that sheltered me from the rain, those that unberdened the huddled shoulders, those that laughed in the rain to wink at me, those that helped me crib, those that ensured I got good sense knocked in, and last but not least- those that ensured that I didn’t try eatin ice creams in the cold. To those that were there, I take a bow.
After a gruelling session of projects and vivas, I finally decide that a break is the last thing to miss out on, so here I am, enjoying the pleasures of internet without work… the worst is yet to come, but the calm before the storm is to be enjpyed while it lasts… 
July 23, 2006
Ah well… here I am sittin at a cyber wasting time doing nothing. Why would I do so? Simply because I can. Its quite perfect, the excuse of the lack of resources and the want to do nothing… as different from the lack of the want to do something, it is the want to do nothing that drives one in a chaotic maze of work to be done for an indescribable end that is too obvious to be ignored. Despite the nonsense that gets penned, there are certain undeniably sane thoughts that do go unmentioned- but thats restricted to the days of hangovers. (Did ye know, by the way, that every hour of sleep missed can be equated to a pint of alcohol? Drunk??? indeed, thats most of my life here 
) Perhaps some old case or the other will soon catch my attention before the day is done, or some sociologically objective observation that no one would have missed to take a stance on. Until then, this object of the universal conspiracy against itself remains
Uncontrolled.
June 25, 2006
Kolkata…
The mist on the path of life has cleared up slightly… atleast I know where I will be for the next few years, Kolkata. The heat takes getting used to, though- I think I have, considering 32 degrees seems chilly now. The workload has started, and so the party ends… atleast I have my path set, my eyes focussed upon a faded light through the mist… I shall run. It may tire me, but the inertia will keep me running for all I’m worth. The marathon has begun, the exercise exhilerates, and the company is infectious- Bliss? no- Merely fun. but that is what life lands up being in the end- despite the not-so-amusing parts, the end summation can be nothing less.
