Its Raining Sweets !

From Dussera, our house has been flooded with sweets. Everyone, right from acquaintances to close relatives, have never come empty handed in the last few weeks. At any point in time, there have been atleast 2 variety of sweets available right from the humble Kesari to the exoctic dry fruit varieties and Gullas. Keep It Coming People ! You all are Invited at all times ;) !

Not My Life ... ?

Did you know that by helping begging children, by buying products that are made by children, and by turning your faces away from child rag-pickers, that you are actually helping human trafficking and that it is a part of modern day slavery ?

I saw this documentary movie " Not My Life - Ending Modern Day Slavery " on CNN. Its about Modern day slavery in all its forms and variations. Its not just a problem existing in poor countries in Asia and Africa but in 190 countries(official figures) across the world including the USA and European countries. The movie tells us that its not just poverty which forces people to fall into this hell but a lot of other factors. Modern day slavery thrives today mainly because of the need for cheap labour, child soldiers and brothels.


The most disturbing scene in the documentary was this small hut/shack in Mumbai where
they found 25 girls hidden in a small room in enclosed spaces as small as 5*5 feet and in between false ceilings between the roof and the horrifying fact was that the ages of these girls ranged between 4 and 12 ! And they say in the documentary that the person who was responsible for finding and rescuing these children was killed in an accident within two weeks. There are many more such disturbing stories and incidents from Albania, Ghana, USA and Italy that is shown in the first part of this movie.

The director of this movie, Robert Bilheimer, clearly explains that many of us are not aware of how we indirectly help modern day slavery by thinking that we are not a part of it and hence we are not helping it to thrive.

And the film maker makes us realise that everyone is indirectly helping this slavery to exist. How many of us have helped children begging in the streets without realising that it is another form of human trafficking where children are forced to beg so that someone else can make money ?

How many of us realise that the food we eat or the clothes we wear or the crackers that we burst are often because of the labour of a child and therefore again helping in human trafficking ?


These children, after they attain a certain age, are again transferred from factories to brothels and again after a certain age back to slaving in factories. But usually these children do not live even up to 30 years of age beacause of various diseases, injuries that they get when working or because of the torture that is inflicted on them to make them work.

Did you know that in Albania, from a group of 30 children, 1 is randomly picked and burnt alive, just to show as an example to other children, the fate they will encounter if they try to run away ??

So what can we do to stop this ? How can we help ?

The first step is to understand the forms of human trafficking that exist in the world today and in what all forms it is projected.

Please go through this link and see the movie and facts about it -

http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/16/director-we-can-change-the-world/

Once you see the movie and understand what modern day slavery is, you will surely find a way and do your bit in shrinking the size of this hell and pulling people and helping people out of it.

Please do not have the attitude of its "Not My Life" !

Enid Blyton !!

Yesterday, I found all my old storybooks and novels stacked up in a huge cardboard box in the attic. The books mainly consisted of Enid Blyton's Famous Five, Secret Seven, Malory Towers, The Five Find Outers and The Adventurous Four series. The sight of these books brought back a floodgate of memories of my childhood where books played a vital role.

It all started when Dad got me the Famous Five book - "Five Go Down to the Sea". It was during the summer holidays after 5th standard exams and unable to handle my tantrums at home for more Tinkles and Amar Chithra Kathas, he got me this book thinking that it would keep me quiet and busy atleast for a month (Since this book did not have cartoons and had around 200 pages he assumed I would be slow in finishing it). But thanks to Enid Blyton's skilled writing and simple language, I was able to understand and appreciate the story plot and loved the characters in them. The book kept me hooked and I finished the book in 2 days much to the dismay of my parents.

After reading this book, my parents dreaded taking me to any book store or mall or infact any place which had a bookstore in vicinity, because I always ended up with not less than 2 of Enid Blyton's books to buy. I still remember those days when I was oblivious to hunger, sleep and time when I started reading one of Enid's books. She used to bewitch her readers and take us into her world consisting of hot,buttery scones, lemonades, sandwiches, castles, treasure chests, picnics, dogs, friends, secret notes, maps, code words etc. Sigh ! Those were the days when you had no worries, no deadlines and you could just snuggle into a cozy corner and forget the world around you !

Thanks to you Enid, my dormant bookworm gene got triggered on and Thanks for sharing your world with us ! Thanks for making me a bookworm and for being an integral part of my childhood !

I will miss you ! Adieu !

Today I lost you.
In losing you, I have lost a part of myself .

You were everything to me, be it in happiness or sorrow.
You were always there for me !
You were my wellwisher, my friend !

I got to know what grandfatherly love was through you !
I was lucky to have a godfather like you.

You accepted me without conditions and showered love on me without reservations !

I will miss your hugs and kisses !
I will miss your soothing voice which talked sense into me !
I will miss those loving eyes which read and understood my silences !
I will miss your support and guidance !
I will miss the breakfasts, lunches and dinners that we had together !
I will miss those trips where you taught me a lot of things !
I will miss the discussions and arguments that we had !
I will miss those letters and notes which you wrote me !
I will miss the birthday wishes from you !
I will miss the gifts and chocolates that you gave me !
I will miss everything about you ! Everything !

You taught me how to behave and handle every situation !
You guided me through all my important decisons !
You stood for me and by my decisions and convinced everyone !
You taught me to be independent !
You accepted me with all my faults and still loved me !

I will miss your smile of encouragement !
I will miss the words which taught me to pursue my dreams !
I will miss your presence which boosted confidence in me !
I will miss the person who made me to respect myself.

In losing you I will miss the person, who showed me how to live life !

But deep inside, I know you will always be there for me !
I know that you will hold my hand and guide me always !

If you had been present now,
You would have wiped my tears, smiled and said " Stop crying, silly child ! Death is part of life ! I will be there with you always"

But I cannot help it.
I am not able to stop it ! And I know you will forgive me ! And I know you you are still smiling down upon me !

I will miss you, a lot !