A woman who dared to...

“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water.” 
says Eleanor Roosevelt. In a situation when the entire city was at home on the BMTC and KSRTC strike day,  it was Prema Ramappa, a 33 year old lady BMTC bus driver who dared to take the bus out of her depot.

 Threats from disgruntled elements or her colleagues’ precautionary words, nothing could change her firm mind. The duty bound Prema explained that she got into the bus despite her own colleagues trying to stop her .She said “ I feel my job is service to the public. This is the reason I found it necessary to do that.

 I also know that it is from that service that I earn my daily bread. That is the reason I found it essential to do the same.” She added.

 It was at Shantinagar bus stop that people waited just to get a glimpse of the bold lady and express their appreciation. Prema, unmindful of the consequences she will have to face made her trips to and fro from majestic to kormangala depot. “I could see how relieved the people felt when they saw a bus passed by. They also offered me money as a token of appreciation and a few invited me home for lunch” added the overwhelmed lady.

  Thanking her managing director K R Srinivas, she said “He was so generous. He handed over a cheque of rupees 10,000 with no second thought.” Prema was in limelight earlier too when she became the first BMTC women driver. The lady also expressed that given a chance, she would still be happy to drive the bus.

   

Ruthless act by the uncivilized.

 

The Mangalore incident is nothing but a shamefull deed done in the name of Hindu culture. Also considering the fact that they took law into their hands, it is definitely not something that ought to be ignored.

 Hinduism is a religion, more a culture where women are treated divine. What is it that the uncivilized apes who beat those girls call culture?
 Is it holding the girl by her dress and dragging her?
Slapping her so hard that she had to cry in pain? Lifting and dumping her like a piece of garbage?

 It is also extremely sad that those men had no second thought that a woman has equal rights as them. Sidelining the religion part and considering the fact that Indian culture is one such that commands respect for women and gives her a sacred status, it is definitely not acceptable that the men behave so. If they still take it for granted that their deeds are justified, it is nothing but sheer hypocrisy.

 Having a rave party is definitely not appreciable. Whatever be the case taking law into their hands or ‘man-handling’ the women is something that is not to be excused.

 The issue also leaves a question behind. Is it that the men who support this ideology find it easy to control women from looking good than taming their pervert mind? 

A Confession hard to make 

A suppressed guilt wakes me up each day,

Reminding me to confess about it and take my way.

I know it will be for you, mere dismay:

I have no intention of hiding it, yet cannot say.

At this point in time for you, I feel,

You conventions intend to stop you from getting to the real;

Its high time we, in fact sensible strike a deal 

It’s better to think our way than see for others, what does appeal.

A promise that you made still resides in my mind,

That a friend for me you would be, still... I’m tying hard in you, to find

Our relationship of sharing the same blood puts my thoughts again on a grind,

a fake chain of emotions do nothing but help this idea rewind,

Ultimately I know not, if with my decision you will be kind,

I confess not as I doubt if our age and conceptions can ever bind.

LOTUS LIVING

Many see her in a lake’s deep,

They might feel in ignorance she is asleep...

Floating, she stays on what she lives

The breeze brings lot to her that is full of false beliefs.

A hundred buds and bloomed flowers around,

Few are those whose destination is already found

The others just form meaningless waves around

Despite the differences, they are sold on the same ground.

Her efforts to grow better go in vain,

There is indeed nothing that can be termed as gain.

For she knows, she has to undergo the same pain

It wouldn’t be as easy as to escape from the rain

 

Identity crisis 

I lay in a cradle watching two people whom I now recognize as my lovely parents .I wondered what the discussion was all about for the words sounded alien to me .One could call it a debate in its simplest form. This was something that probably went on for two days or so .Of this; one thing was certain to happen .The winner would enjoy the privilege of gifting me with my identity.

This is probably what each one of us will imagine when we are told a tale of how our name was chosen.

     Being the elder daughter, a first child, I came into the family with a voucher of excitement for all. It indeed surprised many as God had probably made a last minute change according to them. The astrologer’s prediction that my parents would have a boy baby had turned wrong. Months passed by. People addressed me by various names such as ‘eh baby!’ ‘’chinnu’ …time had then come to give me an official name.

     As per the usual custom, my parents sought advice from their elders. They were asked to give me a name starting from the letter ‘D’ .This left them a little dissatisfactory as the choice was a little less. Thus they ended up giving the name’s sake name Dolly.

Then began the actual debate .It was decided that my name would begin with the letter ‘R’ as both my parents had theirs beginning with the same. Two names struck their minds out of which one sounded alien to everyone in the family except my mom. Reshma and Rashmi .Dad preferred to keep it conventional and mom, the opposite. A lot of arguments happened about the name sounding Islamic and was not found in the Sanskrit books.

        

       A day then came when a lot of people had gathered .It was time to reveal the name. The secret was first whispered into my ear three times as if to sign the same bond three times to ensure that nothing goes wrong.

A mystery still remains unresolved .Does the name exists in Sanskrit scriptures?

All I know is that it means something silky and delicate .When people pull my leg regarding this here is what i say. “Not everyone would be lucky to be named this way. Born in a Hindu family, nicknamed a Christian and official name, Islamic .Perfect Indian .Isn’t it??”

PSYCHO-EDUCATION. Boon or bane??

 

Indented to make a recovery, it contradicts the basic principles in psychology. This widely applied strategy is psycho education. Psycho education refers to the education offered to people who live with a psychological disturbance. Frequently psycho educational training involves patients with schizophrenia, clinical depression, anxiety
disorders, psychotic illnesses, eating disorders, and personality disorders, as well as patient training courses in the context of the treatment of physical illnesses. At times family members are also asked to attend the session.

Here is my bit of opinion from about the same.

Doing an internship at Spandana re-habilitation center was of course a great experience on the whole. Of having an interaction with them and taking a close look at their schedule, one thing that drew all my attention was the Psycho-education session included in their schedule .All patients were asked to assemble in groups allotted to them in a hall where a psychologist or intern is asked to give a lecture on a disorder that they are suffering from. To put it in more straight terms it is to remind them that’ they are ill’. Such sessions are conducted once a week .Doesn‘t this frequency sound little too much?

According to one of the great psychologists, Skinner, positive re-enforcement is always advantageous over the negative.  Ironically; psycho-education which is supposed to be the most employed methods goes right against this.

 It is not less heard that a person with ailment recovers when he is told his problem is nothing major and given a boost of confidence When on one hand it serves the purpose of spreading awareness, on the other it does of course pull down the patient’s confidence. The point to think over is that  ...”Would a patient who on the first hand needs motivation than anything else show signs of recovery when he is constantly told –YOU ARE SICK? “ 

Power of Fragrance

 Vulnerable a flower, stands on that meadow’s green,

Horizon is the limit of what it has seen.

It takes no wind but just breeze for this delicate one to lean,

I wonder what this stagnant entity, to the world could mean.

The sun’s rays nurture

Yet gives no comforting feel as that of a feather

The same source, when harsh feels like it’s trying to smother.

I wonder if he is even aware, how much to the delicate being does bother.

The lost energy is what, through water she tries to re-gain

 Pouring rain stands on her laying all stress and strain,

All her efforts to refresh go in vain;

It does nothing but adds to her slain.

It takes her a year long to understand the cycle is certain to repeat,

Stands she, against all odds confident, though she doesn’t seem 

It’s her fragrance that none can destroy be it the pressure or the heat.