"The reluctant fundamentalist"

After a longtime last night I was not able to set aside a book I was reading. I wish I had written it or write something to that effect in the future. "The reluctant fundamentalist" by Mohsin Hamid. I don't want to get in to much detail about the book because I want whoever reads this blog today, to pick or borrow a copy of the same.

There were many aspects of the book that I could relate to, for starters the constant guilt someone experiences about leaving behind a developing country for a developed country in search of better opportunities. I'm not much of a story teller right now but some day I'd like to write about this constant pain. The pain comes from a guilt that seems to en-wraps me most days and makes me think very hard about my identity. It's tough to lead a near perfect life when you think a lot.When basic necessities of life like clean water, food, shelter and electricity in our country are still a challenge, it seems to me rather indulgent to be sitting in my comfortable heated house, sometimes sipping that JD and watching news of back home, which seems like nothing less than a soap opera.

Most of us who blog today are pretty well to do or belong to a service class where we are able to meet our basic needs and sometimes even more. But even so, we are almost always talking or writing about the corruption in our country. It is not just the basic needs that are lacking but also a social character today. We produce more people in the country to be "sharks" of tomorrow rather than be the "ants" of today, which build up their own society.

Do write in with a few comments on your thoughts about the same.

I also wish whoever reads in today a happy new year in advance. I hope that in times to come, our country builds a high social character than just a high GDP number.

Cheers

Back to the pin drop silence

Yeah after all the colors, the parties, the beautiful people and all the love I received in Delhi comes the silence. A good time for introspection and new beginnings.

My trip this time as all my times in Delhi would be described as wild and wicked. Going to a shadi drunk, dancing merrily to Hindi numbers on a mehendi, the crazy house parties and TC ofcourse has left me with all the smiles I'll need to get by for the next six months. As per my sisters check list, we managed all the evenings together..I'll only have to go back for smoke house grill I guess...there should always be a reason to go back..right sis??

I also learnt something at the immigration this time, I have become a NRI. Damn, that hurt..after all my love for the city of lights and dreams..I am nothing but a non resident Indian as per my passport now. Also, NRIs are always treated as the non reliable Indians..humph...n balls to whoever created that term!

So I entered Germany back with an identity crisis this time. Yeah, I'm no longer the typical Indian, bargaining, mean, sarcastic, or with a shortage of time at hand rather I am the calm, spendthrift and jovial desi gal at heart. Also, since I wasn't born in Germany, I am definitely not the sporty, adventurous or righteous person. I am just some where in between. I have an advantage of only one aspect here and there: Time.

Yes, and in all this time, I will have to figure out who I really am and what is it that I really like. Not all the people in the world have this privilege today. But since I do, I have to know what to do with myself since my rebellion phase has been left behind in my walls at the IIT Campus. I had everything to do in the world since I was a rebel of sorts. But today defining my identity as against a rebel..I look to make a new ground.

Cheers to all the discovery and more!!