this is KALYUG

26/11 in mumbai!! a national tragedy. and the entire nation goes through a range of emotions, some unprecedented, and rightly so. next i hear caring friends say to me.. "be careful in delhi.. some new threats we hear.."

and we all wonder, what has this world come to! what a race we humans are. hatred seems to be there everywhere.. people killing people.. and no regrets! no qualms! innocent lives being lost.. savage-like, barbaric torture of the hostages.. unexplainable unjustifiable acts.. it is just so meaningless.. so damn unfortunate. what do people achieve. do people really believe such a path can get them what they want? isn't the answer obvious!

there was this interesting article in the TOI the other day.. the speaking tree section, which was trying to look at this "disease" from a different perspective.. not gandhigiri, but just a more from-the-top, might i say, saintly view, the buddhist way. it spoke about what one would say to a terrorist if one came face-to-face with her/him. it was a different take. it spoke about us, the clueless lot, trying to understand why anyone can stoop to such levels and commit such unspeakable, unthinkable crimes without so much as a hint of regret. it spoke about first trying to undertand the "why" of it, and then for it to be addressed by first addressing the reasons for misled youth taking to such acts. it wasnt a simplistic way of looking at a complex problem. it also wasnt patronizing. it was just a peace-loving view, a view that could truly address issues from the root. it was a thought, a perspective, a worthy one, i'd say.

i was talking to a friend recently who had taken time off from a busy work schedule when this happened to a meditation center. and this is what he had to say "i just came from a beautiful world where people serve others selflessly. these guys need to be made to connect with their inner selves. they are brain washed."

and i couldn't agree more. the energies of these people have gone all wrong. completely. totally. their circumstances peobably being used to the hilt to push them off the edge.

things are going from bad to worse. these attacks are happening too often. it feels so unsafe... to live in costant fear of terror. even smaller towns are no longer safe. it is real. it could happen to anyone anytime anywhere. wot a way to live!

but there has to be a way out. why can't people live and let live..! is that so tough..

the optimistic me wants to see a ray of hope here too..

but my friend quickly brings me back to reality by saying "there is a way out.. but our so called blo*** leaders don't want a sane world. they want us to be in fear."

and I have to agree - this is true. the %^&* politicians across the world, the powers that be, have sold our freedom, our peace. politics is a way to become rich and powerful in today's day and age. it has nothing to do with the nation. nothing to do with selfless work for the nation's progress and development. god, how selfish can people be.. this is KALYUG.

there is so much pain around.. it hurts.. it is bad enuff to lose one's loved ones.. but like this..!?

it is not done.

two recent movies, "aamir" and "wednesday", both excellent films, reflect the age we are in.

there is a range of emotions bursting through my mind. i feel our jobs, our work, or our lives as we live them, for that matter, have become so meaningless if we were to look at so much that needs to be done. these new challenges. everyone is saying, and i fully agree, that all youth will need to get involved in correcting this situation. if the politicians and bureaucrats can't do their jobs properly, a new system will have to emerge. like an african leader (i forget the name) once very rightly said - things go wrong for them to go right. it is profound.

my heart says a little prayer.. may god free our world of its negative forces....... may there be peace...

*amen* *insha allah*