Blog@GraceJunction

Every morning I approach the news papers with the fear of getting de-sensitized. Today for instance, The Times of India, Ahmedabad Edition carried news about an act of unnatural proportions – Man having sex with a calf! The matter was brought in to light due to the animal protection activists you may read the entire article here.

Thank God, there are at least some people in the society (People for Animal) who think that there is something called as evil / wrong and the matter was brought to light. A voiceless animal found some one who could fight for its cause; unfortunately our big mouthed society has none! (more…)

There is a magnificent story in Marie Chapian’s book “Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy”. The book told of the sufferings of the true church in Yugoslavia, where so much wrong has been perpetrated by the politicized ecclesiastical hierarchy. That which has gone on in the name of Christ for the enriching and empowering of corrupt church officials has been a terrible affront to decency.

One day an evangelist by the name of Jakov arrived in a certain village. He commiserated with an elderly man named Cimmerman on the tragedies he had experienced and talked to him of the love of Christ. Cimmerman abruptly interrupted Jakov and told him that he wished to have nothing to do with Christianity. He reminded Jakov of the dreadful history of the church in his town, a history replete with plundering, exploiting, and indeed with killing innocent people. (more…)

Its just too hard for me to conceal the giggles and smiles, when I look back at all those teenage and single years, when you are the most curious to know everything about Love, Relationships, Sex, Marriage etc.. Those who have married and are enjoying a deep relationship, I am sure will share these giggles however those who are still in their teens or are single will have their curious eyes brighten up…

We often don’t get it right, that thing called love – and as someone who has been through this route in life, I can tell you that it’s not a pretty sight to be crying your eyes out while being left alone, confused, hurt and bleeding with tissues and napkins mixed in mucous and salty tears. (more…)

Usain Bolt is “too” tall to be a world class sprinter, Mike Friedman “too” fat to be an elite world class cyclist, Stefan Holm is “too” short to be a champion high jumper, and Erin Donohue is “too” short and stocky to be a star middle-distance runner. Yet all of them are Olympians, athletic anomlies, bucking conventional wisdom and somehow rising to the same arenas as Michael Phelps and Dara Torres.

Its amazing, how much man relies on statistics to make decisions, be it the vital or the numerical kind. But these wonderful people have attained that which has made experts revolve in their chairs and just confess, “It’s a mystery“!! (more…)

Ahsaas Channa, 9 year old, and having just finished working on Phoonk, the much awaited Ram Gopal Verma horror flick, insists that she’s a regular kid who likes to go out shopping with her mom and throws tantrums so that her mom buys her a doll. But as soon as cameras roll, she becomes a professional!

I would like to work with Aamir sir and Amithabh(ji). No more suffixes like ‘uncle’ intended. She praises Darsheel’s work in Taare Zameen Par but feels that she would have done that role better! She goes on to say that Aamir Sir and Yash Chopra are the best movie makers in the industry and that they can bring out the best in her! Ramuji is an amazing director, she adds. She has found that she likes challenges and she would like to do a role that challenges her skills, like Rani Mukherjee in Black. She has concluded that boys are big time losers and that she can easily bully them around. (more…)

This August 15th we as a nation will complete 61 years of independence. Independence from British imperialism and a period of exploitation of the country, its resources and therefore its psyche. The Indian Psyche was crushed under the fierce desire of the English empire to colonize the whole world.

The British Empire started its Raj after the Battle of Plassey, in 1757 when the Nawab of Bengal surrendered his dominions to the Company by granting the ‘Diwani’ or the right to collect revenue. The Indian sub continent saw many upheavals since then, violent and non violent, but not much inroad was made till the entry of Mahatma Gandhi. (more…)

Doctor,

It’s been a long time since I spoke to you. I remember when I first met you during a counseling session at my college. Well, I have been greatly helped by you in getting rid of some of my addictions. Your techniques to counter them helped me to come out of it easily. My parents were really happy to hear about my de-addiction.

I wanted to invite you for my marriage, but circumstances were such that I could not. You know Reema who was my junior in college and you have been our common friend for a long time. Even now when we talk, we do remember you. Well after those good days when we met, both Reema and I took a liking for each other. We loved each others company and things just worked out. (more…)

Dear Sis,

Am writing this letter at a time in life, where I have been overwhelmed by a sudden turn of events. Somethings which I never expected in my life, things that I thought were innocent have come back to haunt me. I need help.

I know, you would say ‘I told you’ but it is now too late to dwell on those issues. I am ready to take your counsel. All my life, you were the one who guided me and I was the one who always spurned the good advice thinking you were from the old school of thought, narrow minded.

Remember, Raj who used to be my research partner. Yes, one of the many boyfriends I used to date and the one you hated the most. Well, I liked the guy for his lavish spending and deep pockets. The relationship was just a way for me to enjoy life, the added advantage that he was a good student just helped. I always knew that none of these guys would be my life partner, I knew that marriage needed somebody who was more dependable, mature and understanding. (more…)

The credit cards and easily available loans made almost everything available to the common man. When the generation of the 50s-70s worked a good 25 plus years to buy a decent house with minimum facilties and bought a car after the age of 40, the new generation is buying a much costlier and better equipped (loaded) or rather luxurious house at a much earlier age (early 30s) and this generation is also buying a car much earlier too. Of course the myriad professional options have resulted in greater opportunities for earning, but the thrust has mainly come in from easier funding - credit. However, there are still things out there that even credit will not allow many of the big dreamers to acquire.

Satiated at a much earlier age, it takes much more to now challenge and satisfy these young turks. High ticket paraphrenalia, available at the malls and exclusive shops, or even in the high-end shops don’t catch their attention at all. They are aiming much higher, at things not even in the luxury list of the average citizen (muggles!). The boundaries have been pushed much higher (monetarily). Now, what’s enabling these proponents of “dare-to-dream” to fulfil their dreams and desires has nothing to do with wizarding, but its the age old business of ‘Hiring’ and ‘Renting’! (more…)

Every other Saturday, Joshua Haedelt leaves his home in Westchester County, NY, and makes the hour-long drive to Shotsie’s tattoo studio in Haledon, NJ. There, Joshua, a 28-year-old record executive, prostrates himself on a table for three hours while tattooist Juno Vassi pricks his back thousands of times with inky needles. For the next week, Joshua is miserable, bandaged, and sore. He won’t fully heal for two weeks and then it’s back to the drawing board.

It’s the most painful trend since whalebone corsets. Tattooing, the art of the primitive and the outlaw, has been moving steadily into mainstream. No longer are tattoos for the exclusive decoration of sailors, marines, and bikers. Tattoos are leaving a permanent mark on arms, legs, chests and other body parts of a growing number of celebrities and even normal people. (more…)