Kya Har Ek Friend Jaroori Hota Hain?

Time to block sms, fb posts, twitter accts, blogs, thanks to insanity prevailing among certain few outcasts in society. I still beleive in general goodness of human being and affinity to remain in peace and harmony barring external attacks and self defense. But religion like cricket is mass opium. And its time for those who generally have track record across most of human history to remain in conflict, to self reflect and found voice beneath. Its more of politics than religion. Religion just becomes tool to drive ones point in region where resources were scarce and my beloved country had those in ample. Thats why my country is apostle of friendship and peace throughout history suffers from foreign invaders who tried to plunder it. and now insiders have joined in capitalizing on basic anamolies within like doublespeak, divide and rule etc etc..... anyways digressing a lot when its comes to freindship and peace
Last month also had chance to interact with someone which has been eye opener on friendship front. A very close friend of mine (pls note a friend so i become an actor of this post involving friendship though strictly under oath as someone who could express) who in past had claimed to have treasured people/relations more than materialistic approach. He has been in past very militant abt same and this fact remained as fountainhead of something which he used to boast and cherish. But life as usual plays cynic and leveller.  In fact its the same people/relations above material debate which had put the protagonist of post in the hardest corner of his life, ended one of the best chapters of his life recently. Please note this is not a forum to point fingers or glorify/defame anybody. But an open forum to voice certain eternal and omnipresent truths of life. Taking a certain individual namely A from equation, i think another say B can appreciate the feelings. Thats the genesis of this post. Here is what he told me at a great location amidst rains over cup of steamed tea and onion pakodas.
"I had arrived in life after being relegated to dirty travails of self doubt and belief. And those who infliced the pain were own. I could have revolted, fought, exposed the guilts but decided to take whole blame on myself for lack of ability as shouted publicly by miscreants. Moved on, did some very hard work and regained same over short period of time. Success attracts lot of people around and opens up lot of avenues for you to express (some opened by hard cash). I felt had got great set of lifelong relations to replace older ones. Had a great time. But somehow past catches on you. Again i was outcast in society of those born with silver spoons. My ways clashed and simple recoginition in form of interpersonal respect which was lost. The values and nuances for which i stood for very ridiculed and simple issues were blown out of proportion to again take me to place where i started: selft doubt and belief. Amidst all this some friends stood by who shared similar situations in past in life and also some friends who shared same cultural upbringing and things are fine now" said the narrator.
Last year i went to a himalayan trek. i was in touch with 18-22 yrs age group. After 4 pm we had nothing to do but to play games and chat. These people also opened out. As galib would say 'aur bhi gum hain zamaney mein', 60-70 % of conversation revolved around opposite sex as natural with that age group. But other aspect revolved around friendship bonds which these kids valued more than relationship.
This took me back to kgp days when we used to feel same way. We felt we would build on that throughout. But some very lucky some were not. Distance always play role. Thanks to web 2.0 now most are in touch and warmth still exist but i would not claim those bonds mean anything more than trying to take clock back by certain number of years.
I have never worked in any organization so am not authority on those bonds but have heard that such friendships are stronger than school college ones as issues close to heart , work, money , kids are somethinhs which tick on these bonds.  I have also heard business partners turn out better friends but money acts as spoiler most of times.
I have developed some good friends at health club but those interactions are designed at making sports/ excerise more fun.
Also interest groups like trekking, drama, work but they revolve around topic as per my limited experience.
Parents of your child's friends also act as good thread but competition between kids as perceived by parents acts like dampner.
have seen very good groups across neighbourhood but one has to be lucky to match wavelength, age and income group.
Maybe all this can be termed as mid life crisis wherein existancial crisis is reflected as to find best formula to build friendship and relation. But as said by my friend who initiated the topic.
'Though interestingly friendship comes with no preconditions, prejudices and plans. It happens. But its important to identify, respect , value of common thread which binds. People tend to create expectations, calculation, bank upon these friendship bonds, take people for granted, try to score brownie points sheilding it with sense of humor ( while endangering basis of friendship unknowingly or they care least). Its really important to respect your friend for what he exists. Thats definition of friendship" . Seems like words of wisdom from someone who has seen it all.
That took me on a track as to identify those who value and respect for what i stand by and viceversa how much do i respect my friends for what they stand by. Do i have a good friends or am i good friend of others?
Just to argue with a popular ad for mobile company: Kya Har Ek friend jaroori hota Hain?

Why we need Team Anna?

Today’s most maligned word is Team Anna. And it’s not public opinion but systematic maligning done very cunningly by govt and opposition using popular media. Right from start of fast in july, main papers and channels started describing how the movement is flop and how the Team Anna is so irrelevant. It was the same media which glorified Anna after world cup 2011. Public which is gullible as usual started supporting Anna as the movement caught imagination and public felt something new about being patriotic. Even then there were armchair critics and elitist which labelled this patriotism to be fashionable and targeted the middle class who have no political messiah. Same middle class was again ridiculed by now Finance minister PC when he said that Middle class can afford 20 Rs mineral water and ice cream, and oppose 1 Rs rise in rice price. But that time media was behind Anna movement. Was it for TRP reasons or was Anna movement an investment in 2011 which they encashed from government for getting paid to crush the movement. All channels except to some extent Times Now are pro establishment. The stalwarts like Barkha dutt, rajdeep, vir sanghvi have fallen and exposed in Radia tapes. The main papers except Hindustan Times and to some extent DNA are pro establishment. The entire media has been managed.


But these media moguls will learn their lessons are slowly they are becoming irrelevant. Social media is the key. Of course opinions can be managed here as well but its about masses. Much maligned middle class had this as tool to express. This much maligned middle class who is not supported by any political party (the BJP dream has died with no show for last 9 years). Modi is distant champion but he won’t be allowed in mainstream politics by so called secular political system. And also Modi is untested at national level and where coalition is key he won’t have many supporters sadly. His development plank will be drowned by loud noises for social justice, secularism and tirade for 2002 riots. While those who killed Sikhs in 84 are going scot free, terrorists who have killed people are eating biryanis and enjoying govt hospitality. The charge sheeted corrupt politicians like A Raja, Kalmadi, Lalu, are being treated like heroes. The ones who are clever not to be charge sheeted but have taints (PC in 2 G scam, Pawar in Lavasa/other , Shinde in Adarsh are enjoying highest posts) and of course Ceaser(and his wife) is beyond doubt with clean Manmohan as a face. Incidentally Manmohan singh was once champion of middle class. But that was under a great prime minister in P V Narsinharao who again is vilified.

Coming back to Team Anna, now they have declared to join the system. Media again has criticised this for no reason. Anyone has right to join politics constitutionally. If there can an alternative then it will work towards public interest. Earlier same politicians vilified Anna for undermining constitution. They were called anarchist. Now they have decided to join system, they are called opportunist.

Public remains inactive as usual. Public is always struggling for life. Their life is also not sure as we have seen bombs blasting in Pune and thankfully no casualties by grace of almighty. They are burdened by price rise, water cuts, bad road, bad public transport, corruption (getting passport is difficult nowadays than getting an Olympic medal as pointed by a friend). And when they decide to enjoy icecream with families or chose mineral water of health safety, or decide to eat out as a weekly enjoyment they are ridiculed by politicians who enjoy high flying life thanks to public money or arm chair elitist who write their articles while sitting on balcony of a French riveria , or flat overlooking Thames or in a highrise on 45th street of New York.. This is time for Public to do something for its own good. Create a system which can be responsive to their needs and whoever can help them they should jump the bandwagon. These current politicians have plundered us for 65 years. It’s time to find an alternative. If Team Anna can deliver why not support it?