Blog@GraceJunction

This blog would be best understood if you can read it once you’ve read my last blog – “What drove him to the grave?”.
I was in Australia with one of my best friends, discussing with him and his daughter who was shattered by the suicidal death of one of her friends. She wanted to share a few questions with me, for which she was seeking answers very desperately. One of her main concern was, whether she would be able to meet her friend or talk to him any more? What exists beyond death? Would she ever have a chance to meet her friend? (more…)

 
I was visiting Australia and was at the home of one of my good friends, who since the time I meet him at the metro station, would keep telling me about his daughter and the pain she’s going thru. As the strong man drove his huge 4 x 4 truck, I could feel that he was vulnerable, all the strength and grit that I admire him for had somehow been weakened. (more…)

“We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them”. This statement is part of the Manhattan Declaration*, a manifesto which was drafted on October 20th, 2009 and released on November 20th, 2009 with the support of more than 150 American Christian leaders. The declarations website encourages supporters to sign the declaration affirming their support for the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife and the rights of conscience and religious liberty. (more…)

India, a land where we witness the confluence of almost all the major religions of the world, is a place where we wear our faith on our sleeves. Even a small friction is enough to leave two communities at loggerheads with each other. And probably that is why the country adopts secularism, which is also the concept of separating the state from the religion. The view that religious considerations should be excluded from civil affairs or public education. But the question needs to be asked whether secularism has helped in keeping the state and the religion separate? Especially when we see religious overtones to school text books, exercise of personal faith in government offices and departments, or even to the singing of a patriotic song with debatable lyrics. Why has secularism not been able to stop incidents like Babri Masjid demolition, Godhra Riots, Bombay terror attacks or the Orissa violence on religious conversion? (more…)

Few days ago I was attending an official meet from our compnay at Ahmedabad  Management Association. As usual there’s no proper parking space at the institute so there where hundred’s of car parked on the road. I along with three of my other collegues having not found any place parked our cars outside a society’s gate. In the midst of the meeting on of my collegues who’d to leave early for an appointment called me franatically saying that “all my four wheels have been punctured”. Initially I thought that he’s just joking, but it was not so as he franatically called me and texted me eventually forcing me to come down. And what do I see? All four wheels out of air. And not only mine all three cars where punctured, in all twelve tyres! (more…)

The loud music coming from inside the huge canopy, huge halogen lights all around, smell of excitement rising above the small stench of animal presence, vendors selling popcorn, wafers, cold drinks, balloons, toys etc, and anticipation and excitement of my elder daughter and even myself are some of the first few things that come to my mind when I look back to the evening a couple of days back. I had never seen a circus for real. There were huge gates to greet us and to make sure people don’t barge in. The show inside was still on and we could hear faint sounds of announcements by the ringmaster rising above the din of music and the murmur of hundreds of people.  Suddenly, they appeared. Hordes of them smiling, talking, some amused, some with a look of disbelief and most only thinking about the next chore on their list. They kept trickling out and I was surprised by the number of people that tent had accommodated! (more…)

“One life. Why so serious?”.. Goes the latest ad campaign for the much awaited hatchback from the Honda stable, Honda Jazz. Let me take you thru a small history of this car. The car was launched in the year 2001 in Japan and in Europe, US and some other markets the car is known by the name “FIT” and in singapore, and some other markets its known as “JAZZ”. (more…)