FWR - Freedom with Responsibility

FWR (Freedom with Responsibility)… the need of the hour …

MMmonths since blog 1.. from a different place ..new work and a new broad band connection later.. here I am.. Last time it was the happiness, love and the haunting memories of a great place that brought me to blogspot.. now it is anger and bewilderment .. at the state of a very powerful institution.. the Fourth Estate.. that has brought me here…While both the print and electronic media were going gaga over the heroes and villains of 2007.... and arranging mega bollywood ishtyle parties to give away the honours..I was wondering.. Who will arrange a party to give the them the award for the Worst Performers / Villains of 2007 ?? So here goes... Swe's award for the Villains of 2007 - the Media!!! <>

Sink into a chair at the end of a hard day’s work..Swith on hte telivision.. Wat do u see… An overdose of news channels endlessly beaming wat they call the BREAKING NEWS of the hour.. And of late some of these have really Broken me.. Shattered me… to think what has become of our media! Some really appalling ones given below -

Snapshots :

Morning of Sanjay Dutt’s trial: One “respected”, “award winning” channel beams “Wish Sanjay dutt luck!!!! .. Another has a poll.. Should Sanjay get a sentence? Another has an endless list of Sanjay’s friends vouching that he’s the best human being on the earth!! What are they trying ?? Help a well educated person who has knowingly committed a crime get away? Who are they to interfere in matters sub judice? And the poll! Could it get worse? The whole country might vote that Sanjay should be set free but is that right morally??? Will it not influence the judge? One more hits the baap beti sentiment.. C’mon get a life!! Don’t other accused men have daughters or a family?! Jus what is the press trying??

I was brooding over this.. when another such breaking news broke me! A well known chinkara killer cum attempted homicide accused has no pillows to sleep on in the jail! Least of my concerns!!! And they go on endlessly about it!! He had chawal and a banana.. He drank two tumblers of water,, He stood he sat he waved he walked…Whats happening?? What has become of us?? A responsible media could have used this opportunity to probe into conditions that jail kaidis face… in terms of hygiene.. humanitarian grounds.. etc.. but who cares??

Another well known short haired anchor of a 24X7 channel has in fact taken law into her own hands!! The opposition and prosecution lawyers are in the studio arguing and she is more than ready to pass the judgement on the case!!! What is the judiciary there for when the media can do all be all!!

The media has ended up glorifying people who deserve nothing of it… By endlessly beaming images of people calling them “wonderful human beings” the media has succeeded in projecting an image of “innocent souls being punished”. To an ordinary citizen who is unaware of the nature of crime or who the individual is… it will only seem like the judiciary is unduly awarding a harsh decision to an adorable innocent person.

It is nothing but a mockery of our judicial system.. And its high time the press realized this.. The plight of our neighbouring nation’s media should make our media realize that they are very fortunate to live in a country that prides on the freedom it has given to its media. High time the media realizes that freedom comes with responsibility.,. Much like the young teens who are flittering away the freedom given to them by their parents.. and falling prey to terrorism, campus shootouts, cyber crimes and what not.

This one takes the cake though… I was browsing through a popular hindi channel.. there ‘s a Breaking news scrolling at the bottom of the screen.. “ Raj Singhania is dead” I quickly called dad from the other room and asked him who this person was… Even dad dint know.. then the scroll continues.. “ watch Viruddh mon-thurs 8-9” !!

Sometimes I feel the media deserves someone like Anbumani Ramdoss

Press Reporter in search of some masala confession to create news out of:

Sir, can u tell me the names of the ministers who opposed the tobacco/smoking ban?

Ramadoss: U ppl are jus in search of some masala all the time. First u telecast the rural health mission, the community health schemes etc that the health ministry has introduced for the ppl , then u ‘ll get the story u want..

Gone are the times when the press merely “reported news”.. these days it “creates news”..

Zeroes to Heroes and vice versa in a day! Everyone is vying for their 15 mins of fame and ppl are also ready to go to any extent for that! Take for example Rakhi Sawant ..the darling of the media.. the boyfriend drama enacted in full media view on valentine’s day.. or even a commoner guy downsouth slapping his wife on a tv show! Yucky cat fights created to increase TRPs.. At one time of the day flip any channel and u ‘ll get only dance shows.. at another hour only music shows.. at another only comedy shows all with Navjot Singh laughing his heads off while we are left to wonder what the joke was! Hardly any value addition.. we should begin to use television for meaningful things.. Other channels I can forgive,,, cause they are here for entertainment… but news channels are news channels…and they shouldn try to entertain us…

Cmon guys, Time u grew up…u are not 'big' children - be more responsible!!

Reminiscences!!!

As I pack my bags to bid adieu to what has been my abode since I can remember, just thought I’ll pen down… rather type down my thoughts and feelings… after all wats a blog for..

I was on my cycle.. my “nyabagam varudhe “ journey… through customs colony.. to blue cross road… theosophical society.. beach and back… Besant Nagar.. one of the most enchanting places in chennai..most sought after… one of the few spots of green in the city’s map… it has everything.. from the bus depot to railway booking to .. the biggest aalamaram to.. a beautiful residential locality… to schools..and of course the Beach…

St.Johns school..My second home.. quite literally.. School life truly rocked… UKG to X.. and my staying right opposite to it lead to many funny incidents.. Whenever relatives used to visit us when we were kids.. obvious second question..afer “paer enna ma??” “Endha class la padikkare???” … I used take them outside..point to my classroom…”adho andha class” appave nakkal jaasthi :)

Most of my childhood was spent on the besant nagar streets.. playin..round the clock.. roaming around on the cycle… We were a huge gang then .... We had our own Chennai –90 gang wars then.. me on one side and my twin obviously the other and one such war which had escalated to beating, pinching,biting etc..led to us calling one of the passers- by to moderate.. “Uncle neengale sollunga.. avanga cheating daane!!!” We were in class I then.. 9 yrs later.. My hindi teacher in school told the entire class this incident and that that “uncle” was he.. Class was in splits…

And of course my “paatu class” .. something I’ve been “visiting” since my childhood.. A place where its music, fun and frolic go together.. Music maam stays close by as well.. Catch me loitering around lazily on the road.. and a voice from the top will say…” Dandam ma.. Vandhu rendu paatu paaditu po… indha St.Johns gang irke… Alchaatyam, ma… Manda ganam ma…” that’s my paatu miss for sure….

And of course the only people I flirt with… my “boy friends” .. the thatha s of the neighbourhood.. A “ good morning thatha “ is enough to bring a sweet smile… and they are no ordinary people.. even at this age play badminton with them.. and they give u a good run.. or they tell u that even they studied from the same ‘Milman Halkias’!!!! One thatha even remembers the topics and the yellow cover!!!

The Elliots beach.. or Bessie beach as it is widely known… it has seen me grow.. from the time I was a kid crying to put her foot in the water for the very first time….to now when I tearfully wish bangalore had a beach half as nice as this.. And I in turn have seen the beach evolve.. from a private, comparatively empty ,much cleaner place to a commercial ,crowded beach dirtied by the many shops that have come up on the sea front.. My beach…it was then.. It was a place where I saw the rich and the poor.. all religions.. a place for everyone to be just themselves.. Happy ocassion or sad.. spend it at the beach.. Stand in front of the waves.. relentlessly coming at you… enough to inspire you when the chips are down… It also made me realize how small ‘I’ am..

The Vinayaka temple ..I don’t visit it too often.. but when I do.. the pundit there will surely ask.. “enna ma exam a birthday a???” .. Spending the first moment of every new year..00:00 at the temple…a sentiment for Bessie people.. it jus gives me the positive vibration enough to take me through the rest of the year… besides that the many times I have listened to kutcherys or performed at the temple… unforgettable moments…

Every street ..every corner.. walking in the beach… cycling down blue cross road… running away from browny pup… getting scolings from school watchman…. Keeping “account” in grocery shop.. going to miss it all…

Just realized that I could walk up to the person and say.. “miss u ma” or “ miss u friend” but I needed a blog to say “Miss u Besant Nagar!!” where else do I say it!!! Swe the blogger is here to stay!!:)