The Smoke and Mirror that is no more

If you know how I used to look 4 years ago, you would definitely follow my grief on this huge, yet small piece of life which has gone missing. Have you ever seen the character on 7UP's bottle? Fido Dido, that is exactly how I looked ;) and having said that I was never depressed because I still felt good about myself and the people around me. May be it is my attitude that saved me from getting bullied or picked on by the "good-looking" people. I always felt splendid as I didn't have to think twice before I eat or read the calories per serving on everything I eat. Not that I do now, but just saying! And weirdly, I never felt like going to a gym or working out to put some mass on; just like I ignore warming up before I play.

I don't know why I was smitten by the act of hitting the gym after I came to Lawrence, but it had become a part of my daily lineup, later in 2010. To avoid being a typical workout newbie,  I avoided the mirrors in the gym so that I can get the job done and get out. I hate gaping myself at the mirror for hours together but I couldn't escape the wrath of this monster who came into Madhuri's bedroom in August 2010. I'm not very good in dimensions but it was half the size of the Table-tennis table. It was hung in such a fashion that anybody passing by that room canot resist looking at themselves in the mirror.

It all started with random sojourns and soon I realized I started admiring those tiny little curvaceous bumps on those once-decumbent arms. I very well knew that I was not building that fast but the mirror has been serving as the Smoke and Mirror in my life and was showing me what I was not. Even though, I knew that I was looking at the fabricated me, I was feeling good about myself which kept me motivated to go to the gym, come rain or shine. It was aberrant, but it was my friend because it was doing no harm, rather it was doing good by propelling my determination.

I gradually befriended it and made my stop overs count. I shared my muses with Madhuri but she smiled it away considering it to be kiddish. Last month, I had to sell it away to someone as Madhuri moved out and it was too huge to be carried along with me.  Even after she left, I have been working out but never did anything motivate me as much as it did. Now I have noone who could tell me how well the dumbbells have been working one me. I still eat, play, workout and sleep but nothing feels as good as it tickled my inner, falser but bigger me ;)

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A letter of probe

Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh,

I am Vishnu Kamisetty, a 26 year old citizen of the Republic of India who is smitten by grief, seeing Mumbai bleeding through its roots. I was one of those numerous people who read and circulated those emails which read 'Most eligible Prime Minister' and had all your achievements listed. I believed in you so much that whenever someone criticized you of not commenting on several issues or not taking actions against the fraudulent cabinet ministers, I laughed at the people for their ignorance. But today, I sense that I am one among those fools who still believe in your capabilities.

While I write the next few lines, I still understand that you are in a 'Easier said than done' position. I was really glad when you accepted to serve the country as the Prime Minister because I was under the delusion that a person of your caliber, a personality of your experience and a scholar of your abilities could mould the future of this nation. Time and again, there have been flaws in the administration and I, just like several fellow citizens, vindicated those assuming that we have a better day ahead. Today, I stand in a day of agony, holding none other than you responsible for it.

Why You? Just as a parent is responsible for safeguarding his / her family, you are the one we turn to if we have any problems. I'm growing apprehensive day after day, about my family, friends and colleagues across India. For that matter, I'm concerned about my future too. No one would like to closely follow the scrolling news to see if their dear ones are alive or not. Innocent lives are being lost at the cost of your negligence. Had you pressurized on getting leads from Ajmal Kasab's case or had you devoted some amount of the scandalized resources towards National security, we would have saved atleast a few lives if not all.

I totally understand how valuable human life is and so should several others, for everyone of us to live in harmony. If they don't, it is our responsibility to scourge the wrong-doers. How long do you plan on feeding Ajmal Kasab and keep him alive? I reluctantly think that a few lives could have been saved if there was action taken on him. Do you need someone to pierce through your heart and walk away to remind you that you are hapless? These words might be spears of anguish but they come after they have been patiently tamed for several years. You'd know what I'm talking if you walk in the streets without any security ties. How would you feel, yes that is how secure an average Indian citizen feels.

I do not want to be just another person who criticizes the government, I want you feel responsible and take action. If a small group of dysfunctional heads can target a huge nation like us, how should a 64 year old Democratic, Secular and Socialist Sovereignty react to them? What would you do if some vandal hurts someone in your family? I don't know about you but I'd rather die striking back teaching them a lesson so that they don't hurt anyone else rather than consoling myself to get compromised with the situation. It is not just you that should feel guilty for all this, all your cabinet ministers who have been busy nourishing their bank accounts from the scammed money and all the indirect leaders who have been affecting the functioning of the government ought to feel guilty.

With all due respect, I believe that you'll live up to our expectations.

Thank you,
Vishnu Kamisetty.

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Who is D.K. Bose?

Ever since I watched the promo, I wanted to see what the song was all about and after I saw the movie, I wonder who is D.K. Bose and why is he running.

Is it Shiney Ahuja running after his maid servants or is it Swamy Nithyananda running after his female devotees?
Is it Anna and Co., running after the Lok Pal bill or is it Baba Ramdev fleeing from his camp in a Salwar kameez?
Is it Rahul Dravid running and scoring elegantly in Test Cricket or Sania mirza running hard to exit from the 2nd round of Wimbledon?
Is it our Honorable Prime Minister running away from the media avoiding facing questions or is it the media itself running after useless coverage.
Is it the Telangana leaders who are trying hard to make the best profits out of the worst situations or is it the  other group of politicians competing to gather in Tihar jail?
Is it Julian Assange trying to save Wikileaks from falling into the hands of the faulty governments or is it the common man revolting against Anarchies?
Is it the U.S Navy seals who were chasing Osama or is it the Indian Govt. who are still hunting for leads on the 26/11 attacks?
Is it the Delhi women who are trying to save themselves from getting abused or is it someone warning the Bachelors from getting hitched?
Or, or, or, may be it is just me trying to run away from Kansas.

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