Tanha

Bemasraf si lagti hai yeh duniya mujhe

Jaise koi apna mujhse kho gaya

Na jeene ki tamanna hai, na marne ka junoon

Aftaab bhi akela kahin so gaya

Kuch khaali sa, kuch khokhla sa seene mein hai

Dil hi ghut ke jaise khamosh ho gaya

Ubal ke nikal aaya hai aankhon se toofaan

Par yeh jag hi saara mujhse beparwah ho gaya

Established sexual relationship equals to marriage

 

While there might be a debate on whether marriage is a civil contract or a sacrament or something in between, under the present legal scenario, marriage is a form of legalised sexual relationship that establishes paternity and inheritance. In certain tribes, living together constitutes a valid marriage and for every region there is a different set of formalities constituting marriage, some may have pheras while for others just exchanging rings or garlands is sufficient. In short, the ceremony of marriage is just the recognition by society of the beginning of a relationship and it may or may not constitute of ceremonies. While the Supreme Court has laid down what constitutes a valid Hindu marriage, Muslim marriage is offer and acceptance and Christian marriage, a public declaration along with exchange of rings. A civil marriage is also a consensual acceptance of the relationship in a court of law. The importance of sex in marriage has already been pointed out in 2012 by the Supreme Court while stating that it is the primary condition. However, the recent judgement of Madras High Court stating that consensual sex between competent parties (parties who have come of legal age for sex) is equivalent to marriage and either party can get it registered is not altogether a solution. While on one hand it raises a doubtful condition regarding adultery, bigamy and incest on the other, it will incite moral police. Further, it is not sure what documentary evidence can be provided for such relationship. Still, it raises an important issue especially at the time when brides were subjected to virginity and pregnancy tests in the state of Madhya Pradesh, even though premarital sex is not taboo in certain tribes of that region.

Worried

Not knowing what to do and where to go
Not having an answer to life's queries
Not having the courage to go ahead or to turn back
Am I alright or have lost touch with the reality?
How to go on I know not
To leave all and move in another direction?
Having lost the desire, the hope, the passion
I don't know if I even want to go on

Stark realities

One of the most disturbing experiences in my life is witnessing the social divide that has engulfed our community. Even in an old age home I saw that the inmates were not ready to share their room with a woman who was supposedly from a lower class with some even saying that this is for officers and not for sweepers. The same thing I had witnessed while teaching slum children. Even kids under the age of 10 were unwilling to share their seating place with others who came from families of beggars or rag-pickers. With such social prejudices being rampant it is not an easy task to ensure 100% literacy or a just development. Before ensuring the economic development of this country, it is essential that the mindset is changed first.

Privacy in cyber space

The freedom of speech and expression as well as the right to privacy in cyber space is subject to same restrictions as outside it. The gravity of the situation lies on the fact that the data in cyber world is not bound to geographical boundaries but is shared across the globe. The threats of cyber terrorism and incidents of citizens’ protests of their governments on social networking platforms has led to the governments taking the cyber world seriously and also imposed certain surveillance measures as well. However, the fact that one country is using e-surveillance to monitor data from all other countries is outrageous. Privacy and security are both basic rights but which at the cost of the other is the question. And also the question remains, how much privacy should be curtailed to ensure security?

The Earth and earthlings

One of the biggest environmental concerns is the pressure of growing population on the environmental quality. Mahatma Gandhi had said that this Earth has enough for each man's need but not for any man's greed. In this consumeralist society, the earth is paying the price of man's greed. Where on one hand there is need to provide food security, on the other, sustainable modes of agriculture have to be developed to avoid environmental damage. The pressure of providing food to the growing population of men and livestock should not result in degradation of the quality of the environment.

Alone

I feel so lonely
As if there is no tomorrow
As the air stands still
And the song of birds seems distant
The sun casts mellow shadows
No sights no sounds give pleasure
And from a distance your face appears
But I cannot touch you
I cannot go near you
And I feel so lonely
With you gone so far away
I feel all is lost