Woman to give all her fortune for true love

We have, time and again, read fictions and poetry depicting the love stories of rich and the poor. Hundreds of flicks have been made to show richest heir’s love for a poor man who has to do odd jobs to make his both ends meet. Well, if you thought this can only make surrealistic stories to make your eyes brim with tears, you are wrong!

As if in a work of fiction, a young Chinese woman, who owns a villa, a luxury car and has a hefty pay package, is looking for love on the streets of China's Wuhan city, with a banner that reads "a man with a true understanding of life".

When agencies reported this story last week, I was wondering if this was true. I have this general skepticism when it comes to women in particular. But the news agency reported that "rich, beautiful overseas-returnee with a villa, a Benz and an annual salary of 300,000 yuan ($47,100) is seeking a man with a true understanding of life," as saying the banner held by the three bodyguards in a square in Wuhan, Hubei province.

There must some women, very rare, who is ready to give all what they have in return for ‘true love’. "I was born in Wuhan, and I also want to find my husband here," Yezi was quoted as saying. "I don't need him to be rich. I only ask for a better understanding of life."

But now the question that is puzzling me is if there is much of ‘true love’ left over for that Chinese woman to find! 

Sexual assaults against Kolkata women

What is wrong with Kolkata? Psychos are on the loose it seems, looking at the reports of crimes that emanate from the city.  Apart from growing number usual crimes, assault against women is on the rise too.

Three reports of sexual assault against women in a single week make many foreheads frown. First, a speech and hearing impaired teenager was raped by a neighbor, then a Mumbai girl was drugged and raped in a park, and now this daughter-in-law of a former minister was molested.

The accused snatched the victim's phone on Saturday night, but when the gutsy woman caught hold of his hand and protested, he reportedly molested her. 


One of the green police volunteers, on duty in the area, heard the woman's scream and rushed to her aid. He saw the criminal trying to flee on his bicycle and gave him a chase. Within moments, he caught hold of the criminal who was then contemplating which way to flee.

But, women in Salt Lake are a scared lot. They live in fear of an abrupt assault by an instrument of evil in the dark!

Didi, this is high time that you have to save your tribe! 

Even gods here are bribed!

In what looks like an apparent move to save his otherwise crumbling business empire, Indian liquor baron Vijaya Mallya made a huge offering to the God - a carved golden door for the sanctum sanctorum of a temple in his native Karnataka, far south of India.

The business tycoon whose aviation enterprise is on the verge of a breakdown visited the Kukke Subrahmanya temple near Sulya in South Kanara district of Karnataka and donated the golden door of the temple as a part of his Sankalpa.

When reporters asked him, Mallya reportedly said he had visited the temple to pay obeisance before the deity, humbly refusing to comment further. It is rumored that this South Indian Richie rich has plans to offer another pair of gold-plated doors to the temple if his wishes come true.

It may be remembered that another super rich minister and mining baron who gifted a huge golden corn studded with all precious stones worth several crores of rupees years ago is cooling his heels in the dark dungeon in Hyderabad!

Hope God will not take the same revenge this time. After all, the king of all good times, has been supplying liquor unlimited to the alcoholic populace of India!  

Care2 says save India's tigers...

The act-fast, mine-now attitude of India's coal industry could forfeit hundreds of thousands of forest acres--all for a coal supply that hasn't been determined. Making a hasty decision will wipe out endangered tiger habitats and devastate forest communities, which is why the coal industry needs to step back and deliberate.

Stop an impatient coal industry from mining too much, too soon! »

The biggest threat to the world's 1,700 remaining tigers is coal mining, as 35% of these tigers live in the forests that mining projects will destroy. But, the frightening aftermath of mining isn't preventing an overeager coal industry from mining without a plan, and without caution.

India's Prime Minister has the authority to protect endangered tigers, leopards, and elephants from reckless mining. Issuing a moratorium on mining projects until forests are properly assessed will save India's species, rivers, and air quality from falling victim to corrupt mining projects.

Tell India's Prime Minister to halt all new coal block allocations and forest clearances until clear boundaries are agreed upon!»

Thanks for taking action!

Kara
Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team

Height of abuse! A man insulted to the core!

These are the days of insult and abuses for him. First his personal email was hacked and conversations leaked. Then came abuses, first on phone and then one to one. Now sim cards have been removed from the phones and my handsets confiscated. Keys of both the car and the motorbike have been taken away. Credit card was removed from the wallet and dress items have been kept in a travel bag!

He walked for five kilometres and then vaguely remembered the security pin number of his debit card and managed to draw Rs.500 that was all left over. Caught an auto and reached the office!

He is thinking what to do… Hope someone will help him rent a house and get him located somewhere.  He is in dire needs… He is a living martyr of his own humility! You know him… He is the one whom you love a lot!  He needs your emotional support at least...

Lincoln & Kennedy: A history lesson!

Have a history teacher explain this if they can.

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.

John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.


Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.

John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.


Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost a child while living in the White House.


Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.

Both Presidents were shot in the head.



Now it gets really weird.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.

Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln.


Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.

Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.

Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names.

Both names are composed of fifteen letters.



Now hang on to your seat.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named "Ford."

Kennedy was shot in a car called "Lincoln" made by "Ford."

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

And here's the "kicker":

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland.

A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.

AND...................:

Lincoln was shot in a theater and the assassin ran to a warehouse...

Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and the assassin ran to a theater...

(Courtesy: www.rockinghamremembered.com) 

Love and music in the air

Lallaguda, a suburb of Secunderabad, was also known as ‘Little England’ almost a century ago as it was home for the huge Anglo-Indian community lived there. Lying close to Malkajgiri, Lallaguda is covered with railway quarters. It is divided into south and north Lallaguda by the railway track dividing it.

A few years back, nearly hundred Anglo-Indian families lived in the Railway quarters of South Lallaguda along with 10 Parsi families in one lane. Christmas used to be a carnival in this once quaint suburb, which would be decorated with lights and stars throughout Christmas and New Year. Now there are very few Anglo Indians but still there is a lot of love and music in the streets.

However, now over 60% of them have migrated elsewhere in the city and other countries such as England and Australia. The boom in real estate has made this once picturesque suburb into a concrete jungle.

It is completely a Railways area with quarters, workshops, Railway Hospital, schools, Junior and degree colleges, officers’ club, golf course, function halls, handicrafts training center for women etc. It's a very good and peaceful residential area with many facilities provided by the Railways for its employees.

Tryst with Nature...

'Pussy riot' puts Russian girls behind bars...

Old habits die hard, they say. The piece of crumpled socialite empire has totalitarianism in its soil deeply rooted, it seems.  And that is why Putin did an exact Stalin where he was mocked by three bold girls. These plucky women, members of a punk band – aptly titled ‘Pussy Riot’ were sentenced to two years in jail for staging a protest against President Vladimir Putin in a church’
And that is what called Putin’s "personal revenge".
But the women wouldn’t care. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Marina Alyokhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, giggled as the judge read out the sentences one by one. “The girls' actions were sacrilegious, blasphemous and broke the church's rules,” Judge Marina Syrova was reported as telling the court as she spent three hours reading the verdict while the women stood watching in handcuffs inside a glass courtroom cage.
Pussy Riot’s supporters burst into chants of "shame" outside the Moscow courthouse and said the case showed Putin was cracking down on dissent in his new six-year term as president. Dozens were detained by police when scuffles broke out.
The judge declared the women guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, saying they had deliberately offended Russian Orthodox believers by storming the altar of Moscow's main cathedral in February to belt out a "punk prayer" deriding Putin.
Putin, who returned to the presidency for a third term on May 7 after a four-year spell as prime minister, had said the women did "nothing good".
Shame on you Putin!

Indian NGO comes for Pak girl’s help

If innumerable by-lanes of Hyderabad’s old city many a times sheltered Pakistan-funded terror modules, it also provided medical aid to hundreds of them in need in the neighboring, belligerent Pakistan.

In a moving incident, a Hyderabad-based NGO SAHI (Society to Aid the Hearing Impaired) is helping a 20-month-old girl from Pakistan to get rid of her hearing impairment.  

Little Khadija is set to undergo a cochlear implant today at Apollo Hospital here. The implant will help Khadija to hear like anybody else. She was born deaf to Adnan Adeel and Shehr Banu in the Pakistani port city of Karachi.

“We came to know of the problem four months after her birth and we were worried about her future,” a news agency quoted Shehr Banu as saying.

Khadija is the couple's second daughter. Adeel is an electrical engineer in Karachi.

‘I came to know about SAHI through the Internet. I am grateful to them for offering the device free of cost as a gesture of goodwill," Adeel was quoted.

While the device costs $20,000, the surgery expenses will around $5,000 to $6,000.

SAHI helps poor children with hearing impairment. It identifies children mainly in rural areas with little or no access to modern medical treatment.

Adeel approached 300 individuals and organisations seeking help for Khadija. “I am honored to be the first foreigner to avail charity from SAHI but I hope I will not be the last,” Adeel reportedly said.

“In a state of war all our resources are used on weapons instead of meeting the needs of poor, hungry and the needy. We need a war not against each other but against poverty and diseases," he added.

Shed clothes to support a cause!

These publicity-crazy women are real bimbos, I bet! Following the footsteps of the glamor-savvy, fame-hungry, imprudent Poonam Pandey who is ready to shed her clothes at the drop of hat, is now Tai model Huang Shih Ting, a real feast to fetish eyes.

According to an agency report, Ting was shot to fame last week when she put up a series of photos in various stages of undress.

If Pandey had first made headlines when she offered to bare all for an Indian cricket team, Ting had decided to cover her private parts using Taiwanese flag when it had been taken down from a London display at the request of Chinese embassy during the London Olympics- out of sheer anger.

Ms Ting who decided to express her anger in a different way took to a social networking site and put up a set of pictures - wearing just the flag! And lo and behold, she became a celebrity overnight.

Her striptease on the site, according to her is for a cause - to support Taiwan's athletes. God save the athletes as Ms Ting’s nude body!

Tailpiece: Want to champion a cause? Then take off your clothes!

Laugh a little!

Teacher: "Sam, you talk a lot !"

Johnny: "It`s a family tradition".

Teacher: "What do you mean?"

Johnny: "Sir, my grandpa was a street hawker, my father is a teacher".

Teacher: "What about your mother?"

Johnny: "She`s a woman...

Count her kisses to gauge her love!

Do you feel that your wife does not love you as much as she used to? Do you really want to check out how much does she love you?  Then, don’t do the folly of going to a private detective agency.

You can gauge the intensity of your wife’s love by sitting pretty at home. Unbelievable? Not really. According to a latest study at the University of Texas, if you are eager to figure out if your wife loves you or not and how much, the answers could be hidden in her hugs and kisses.

According to the study, if men really want to know how much their partners love them, they simply have to see how often their better halves hug and kiss them, a major newspaper reported.

The research admits men are not naturally romantic; their idea of affection is doing household chores or trying to get frisky in the bedroom.

But it does not mean men are less loving. They just express their feelings in different ways to women, the survey involving 168 couples found.

The study revealed that while women show love by hiding negative thoughts and feelings, men contribute to successful marriage by spending more time on shared activities or initiating sex.

Women were less likely to nag their husbands and give hugs and kisses if they were more in love, the study found.

Facebook turns fatal for 20-yr-old girl

Yet another victim of cyber debauchery ended her life in a piece of rope. Insulted and deeply hurt by obscene comments on the popular social network site – Facebook - young Raksha Sharma called it quits, forever, from the dirty game called life.

20-year-old Raksha had resorted to take the extreme step in her college hostel room in Jammu after two boys allegedly posted obscene comments on her Facebook page, according to reports.

In a suicide note left behind, the girl named two youngsters as responsible for her death, but they are still at large.

Such cases have been on the rise for the past few years, with internet and network sites easily accessible for people across the globe.

Cybercrimes are as vicious as physical and mental harassments and it is high time for the authorities to find an effective way to put an end to the menace that looms large over every household with a woman in it.

Raksha was found hanging from the ceiling fan in her room on Tuesday night. It may be remembered that her parents were killed by militants in Jammu and Kashmir, and was sent to study by an orphanage in Jammu. She was pursuing a computer course at Mehar Chand Polytechnic for two years.

According to an agency report, police station chief Balbir Singh said they had recovered a hand-written suicide note from Raksha's room in which she blamed two boys -- Lovepreeet and Deepak Saini -- for her death.

She wrote in the note that these two youths had posted obscene comments on her Facebook page and due to this, she was unable to go to college or face anyone. She said both the youths should be punished for their actions.

However, the youths said they had nothing to do with the obscene comments. One of them said the woman too used to write obscene comments.

Raksha's parents were shot dead by militants in Doda in Jammu and Kashmir in 1997. She was living with her siblings in an orphanage in Jammu before coming to Jalandhar to study.

The funny yogi and his standup comedy!

Like an untamed chimp, accompanied by a troop of fellow simians, a bearded ‘holy’ man made a hungama on the roads in national capital, demanding to ‘bring back the black money stashed in foreign banks’ the other day.

This morning newspapers carried front page stories while televisions beamed steamy scenes. All while Baba Ramdev was blinking with that mysterious crooked smile that ridiculed everyone and everything.

A billion Indians stood agape, some praising the guru and some making skeptical remarks. However, it is interesting to know about this ‘funny old yogi’s’ economic background.

The Indian authorities last year launched a probe into the financial dealings of whopping 11 billion-rupee (Dh903.6 million) business empire controlled by this saffron-robed yoga guru, who has been worshipped as a demigod by millions of Hindus across the country.

If you do not know, this popular yogi Ramdev, who heals "incurable diseases" through yogic practices, controls more than 200 businesses, including religious broadcasting, a university dedicated to yoga teaching and a pharmaceutical company producing Ayurvedic medicine and herbal products.

The spectacular yoga and wellness resort, located in the valleys of the Himalayas, can accommodate up to 6,000 people who pay Rs 11,000 (Dh903) for an ordinary annual membership and Rs 250,000 (Dh20,527) for a reserved stay. His assets include prime property in India worth Rs 10bn and a £2 million Scottish island, all gifted by a legion of loyal devotees.


While the investigative agencies are looking for Ramdev’s money trail, the guru orchestrated an anti-graft campaign that attracted thousands of supporters. Ramdev went further and observed on a hunger strike in New Delhi, demanding the introduction of reforms to end government corruption.

However, Ramdev was forced to end his strike after his gathering of supporters was dispersed by police in a midnight crackdown.

It was meteoric rise from virtual anonymity - he was raised by illiterate parents in a scruffy village in the northern state of Haryana - has also invited calls for scrutiny by members of his own fraternity – to a vast business empire built not just by contributions of his followers, but his own business acumen.

In April last Ramdev tied up with Tetra Pak, a multinational food processing company, to package a new range of ready-to-drink health beverages. Tetra Pak invested Rs 250m to set up two package-making machines - each capable of manufacturing 32,000 units an hour - near the guru's yoga resort.

And this man is going to save the country! SOS… SOS…

Go get your mother! (for laugh)

An Amish boy and his father were visiting a mall. They were amazed by almost everything they saw, but especially by two shiny, silver walls that could move apart and then slide back together again.

The boy asked his Father what this was and the father (never having seen an elevator) replied, "Son, I have never seen anything like this in my life, I don't know what it is."

While the boy and his father were watching with amazement, an oversized older lady in a wheel chair rolled up to the moving walls and pressed a button. The walls opened and the lady rolled between them into a small room. The walls closed and the boy and his father watched the small numbers above the walls light up sequentially. They continued to watch until it reached the last number and then the numbers began to light in the reverse order.

Finally the walls opened up again and an extremely attractive 24 year old woman stepped out. The father, not taking his eyes off the young blonde, said quietly to his son, "Go get your mother."

How to be perfect

Excerpts from "How to be Perfect"
by Ron Padgett

Get some sleep.

Eat an orange every morning.

Be friendly. It will help make you happy.

Hope for everything. Expect nothing.

Take care of things close to home first. Straighten up your room
before you save the world. Then save the world.
Be nice to people before they have a chance to behave badly.

Don't stay angry about anything for more than a week, but don't
forget what made you angry. Hold your anger out at arm's length
and look at it, as if it were a glass ball. Then add it to your glass
ball collection.

Wear comfortable shoes.

Do not spend too much time with large groups of people.

Plan your day so you never have to rush.

Show your appreciation to people who do things for you, even if
you have paid them, even if they do favors you don't want.

After dinner, wash the dishes.

Calm down.

Don't expect your children to love you, so they can, if they want
to.

Don't be too self-critical or too self-congratulatory.

Don't think that progress exists. It doesn't.

Imagine what you would like to see happen, and then don't do
anything to make it impossible.

Forgive your country every once in a while. If that is not
possible, go to another one.

If you feel tired, rest.

Don't be depressed about growing older. It will make you feel
even older. Which is depressing.

Do one thing at a time.

If you burn your finger, put ice on it immediately. If you bang
your finger with a hammer, hold your hand in the air for 20
minutes. you will be surprised by the curative powers of ice and
gravity.

Do not inhale smoke.

Take a deep breath.

Do not smart off to a policeman.

Be good.

Be honest with yourself, diplomatic with others.

Do not go crazy a lot. It's a waste of time.

Drink plenty of water. When asked what you would like to
drink, say, "Water, please."

Take out the trash.

Love life.

Use exact change.

When there's shooting in the street, don't go near the window.
Excerpts from "How to be Perfect" by Ron Padgett, from How to be Perfect. © Coffee House Press, 2007.

Wanderer

Son, my dear son….

I knew you were asking why father was not near you…

And I can understand your doubts…

Son, dear son…

I was born to be a wanderer

And I have been wandering all these years

Still I wander… and will wander for some more time

Till I die, my dearest

My wandering, my dreams and my longing for a tune

Will go on and on…

In a sunny June morning

I heard the symphony

Of an intricate, beautiful melody…

And in quest of that I set out my journey

Away, away in a world so crammed

Winding roads and narrowing lanes

Teeming conurbations and tamed hamlets

And still I go… here and there…

Son, dear son

You have a whole new world of unheard tales

Of unseen people and unsung rhythms

Be yourself, explore the planet

Get lost in the crowd, search for your roof

And be sure your father is not with you… 

Light up your dream abode!

Lighting is one of important aspects when it comes to home décor. A poor lighting can turn a beautiful room with well-balanced colours, floors and walls into a lifeless one. Proper interior lighting not only enhances the other aspects of the room but also gives an overall ambiance and pleasant look if done in the right way.

And when it comes to lighting, nothing can beat natural light. It is important to look after the lighting aspect during the planning of the structure. Opting for oversized windows and skylights are a good way to get natural light. Sometimes the need of light also depends on the position of your room. The room facing the north may get less sunlight when compared to the room facing the south. If the house faces the east, then light will be available in the morning hours and if it faces west then it will have most light during the evening hours.

So once knowing on how much natural light you need, and then you can go for additional lighting to style your room.

Types of artificial lighting:

Accent lighting: This type of lighting provides interest to a room and is extremely effective to display paintings or to accentuate plants. Accent lighting is perfect when you want to showcase a piece of art or a special piece of furniture or other item. Since light draws the eye, it will bring attention to the features in your room that you wish to highlight. Halogen spotlights and opaquely shaded table lamps both provide accent lighting.

Task lighting: This kind of lighting is used to highlight an area of daily activities like in kitchens, bathrooms, reading rooms. Effective task lighting prevents eyes strain and helps with the performance of vital activities. For example in reading rooms, it helps to avoid eyestrain when reading or working, while in the kitchen it ensures that tasks can be carried out safely. Task lighting sources should be unobtrusive and shielded to prevent glare. Task lighting can be effectively combined with accent lighting to produce lovely effects.

Recessed lighting: This type of lighting is suggested when you need more amount of light in the room throughout the day. It offers a clean, streamlined look in a home. It provides abundant light without taking up of a lot of space or interfering with other aspects of the room.

Mood Lighting: Mood lighting uses different tones and colours of light, as well as different levels of brightness, with the aim of creating atmosphere in a room. In many cases it uses soft, warm lights to induce a feeling of calm and relaxation, but at the opposite end of the spectrum it can also be used to provide a lively and invigorating effect.

Lamps and hanging light features: hanging lamps or chandeliers not only provide light but add beauty to the room if they are properly selected depending on the colour patterns of floors and walls of the room.

While decorating one also needs to look into the energy and cost saving aspects of this lighting. The lights you choose must focus on important areas but reduce over lighting. Try to remove extra and irrelevant lights from your home which will also save energy in a great way.

Being Human

Intellectuals may laugh at them for they flaunt their riches, fame and in most cases, their eight pack abs. Whatever, iconic figures from tinsel town are in a way a blessing in disguise for the children of lesser Gods, who live by the charity someone extends.

As far as Hyderabadis are concerned, Bollywood matinees’ macho man Salman Khan is a demigod. And his deeds of compassion move them to certain extent.  They may not be knowing the philanthropy involved, but craze for their dear hero makes them help children in need. 

For Sallu, his fans might be faceless people who throng cinema halls to watch his movies, gather in front of his house to get a glimpse of him on his birthday, or run behind his car and in all means keep the cash registers ringing. In their efforts to imitate their favorite ones in all possible ways, Sallu Bhai’s fans in the city have been doing a tremendous job. Help Sallu help children in need.

 ‘Being human’ t-shirts which are made and marketed by a philanthropic organisation led by Salman Khan has become a haute couture for the city youth especially in the old city. These t shirts which were first showcased by famous Bollywood hot ladies like Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and other stars at a fashion show have become very popular and saw most of the city youth embracing the new fashion.

Md Khaleel of Anwar-ul-Uloom College of Engineering says, “I like Salman Bhai (Khan) and love his idea of promoting or raising money for his organisation. This t-shirt cost is just Rs 200-300 and it looks good and suits me a lot.”

The girls too are not left behind supporting their favourite star’s cause. Manisha Khan, a student of

Sri Chaitanya Junior College, says, “I like it because it reminds us of what we are and we can do. It is simple. ‘Being human’ denotes that even in this world which hungers for power and competition there is something more to us like humanity and compassion which we almost forgot. And most of the time, it’s better than stupid nonsense tags which half of the time doesn’t make any sense.”

If some picks up the t-shirts for the love of star and some for his charity, they are a few who are choosing these t-shirts to define their style statements. “I just brought this one because it looks funky and more over I like the colour of the shirt which is blue, my favourite colur,” says Debraj Dutta, an engineering student.

These t-shirts apart from available at major apparel stores in Hyderabad are found on streets of Koti,

Sultan Bazaar and other shopping places. “Ever since the release of movie Bodyguard these t-shirts are sold like hot cakes. In the initial days of the release we used to sell at least 30-40 shirts daily but now it has fallen to 8-10 a day,” says Alam and Secunder Ali who sell their stuff at Koti.

Whatever it may be, be it love for the star or for his philanthropy, the Hyderabad youth are defining their style statements with this tag of ‘Being human’.

Courtesy: A good fellow scribe   

She is extraordinary, but she doesn't know!

I call her akka.. though she is of the age of my daughter.. I know she has high intellectual score.. I know she behaves like a typical stupid girl.. only when I am the spectator.. She has potential to make it really big.. but she doesn't know.. She is trying to be one among the ordinary whereas she is one among the extraordinary.. 

Sensual sunrise!! (repost)

Calling bell rang very early in the morning. Lalitha had anticipated the ring, but of course, not this early. When the bell rang, her eyes involuntarily moved towards the timepiece and it was only four. She got up from the computer, on which she was working for the day's article, and walked to the door. With an unusually long yarn, she opened the door.

Immanuel was standing there, keeping his right hand on the wall. He was stinking of the night's guzzle mixed with the stench of cheap tobacco.

"Hey, am I too early?" he asked.

"No. You are always on time," she pouted with sarcasm.

"Hahaha… It's a good joke," he said with a designed laugh.



She stood there looking at his red eyes which had all the signs of a deprived sleep. As she was wondering at the miserable life of this wretched soul, Immanuel went inside and threw his bag to a corner. She went to the kitchen and started searching for tea powder to make some tea for him. But, the container was empty.

"Shall I give you some milk?"  She asked.

"Me, milk, in the morning?" his voice was full of surprise as he sat near the computer and opened her day's file. Going through the incomplete article, he laughed derisively.

"Hum, a good topic indeed. The growing terrorism in the country and the factors that contribute the growth of it. Bullshit."

She got a little annoyed. Immanuel was always like that. Nobody can get along with nasty bastard, she thought.

He, in fact, phoned her the previous evening and asked her if he could come at night. Lalitha did not trust him and openly told him that. "What if you rape me?" was her reply.

"Yeah. What if I rape you?" he retorted.

She was staying alone in the flat and found pleasure working on her computer and browsing Internet. In the evenings, after the day's work was done, she even spent some time watching porn films on hundreds of such sites.

Being a spinster at thirties and a known columnist, Lalitha was looked as a contented soul by colleagues and the intellects. Only her father and mother, living in a seashore city somewhere down south, always worried about her marriage and even believed that she was an oddball.



Lalitha had only one friend in the whole world and that was Immanuel. He was very smutty most of the times, but was a person so lovable and understanding. Even for him, Lalitha was a silly, senseless girl in general, but a true genius who can guide him in crisis.

And that was the reason he came to meet her this time. He, after long journeys and tiring activities, used to come and spend a day with her. She too opened her heart to him and sought his advice on crucial issues that she found hard to solve.


He got up from the stool and turned to her. "Get me a towel and I'll have a bath," he said.

She gave him a towel and she took off his trousers and kurta there itself. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he moved to the bathroom.

"Soap is not in the bath. I take bath with papaya. Do you want a papaya?" she asked.

He laughed aloud. "No, I will use some detergent. Hope I'll find some…" he slammed the bathroom door.

Lalitha felt uneasy. She went again to the computer and tried to complete the article that she started writing. But, she couldn't. She typed a paragraph and then deleted it. Again she tried, but could not concentrate.

 Her mind was brimful of thoughts. She felt remorse for not getting soap for Immanuel.

Immanuel came out and opened his bag which was lying in a corner. He took out a pair of jeans and tee shirt and put on the cloths.

"Why such a big bucket in the bathroom? Do you take bath in the bucket?" he asked.

She did not answer the question. He looked at the broken mirror and adjusted his long grown hair.

She came and sat near him on the sofa. "Enough is enough, dear, I have decided to join some ashram and do some spiritual activities. I want to do some social service for the rest of my life…"

"What happened to you, you filthy female? Have you gone mad?" he seemed horrible.

"You called me filthy, didn't you?" She yelled at him and before he could realize what was going on, she slapped on his cheek with full force.

Her long fingers hit his left eye and it was hurt.

His eye was burning and cheek was swollen. She felt guilty. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"It's alright. This is not the first time you hit me. I can hit you back as well, you blackguard. But if I do, that lovely face will be damaged completely. Know that?" he said while wiping the tears that started rolling down from his left eye.

Both of them remained silent for sometime. Lalitha broke the silence. "And tell me now. I'm going to be a sanyasin…"

Shafts of sunrays have already reached inside the room through the broken window. He went to the door and picked the newspapers that were pushed inside. He came back and sat on the sofa.

As he was glancing through the papers, he said, "See dear lady, what makes you sacrifice your bodily pleasures, I know. You think you don't have suitable man in the whole earth whom you can marry…"

"I'm not a virgin. Even now I can have a companion on bed if I want to," she replied.

"No baby, you can't have, I know. Because your ego will never let you share bed with any male you know."


"May be you are right. But what's wrong in taking the way of my choice?"

He didn't say anything. He was completely absorbed in the newspaper. She felt angry with the man. She wanted to say a lot many things to Immanuel this time. She felt terribly dejected.


She thought she had a headache. A bath in the cold water might give relief, she thought. Taking a towel, she went to the bathroom.

She had an unusually long bath. She spent almost half an hour, pouring water continuously on her bare body.  Her shower stopped working three months ago and the flat owner never bothered to get it repaired.

When she came out, relieved and fresh, he was busy drinking some rum which he always carried with him.

Her hair was still wet. Immanuel called her aside and said, "Dear lady, if you want to do social service, you need not be a sanyasin. Do whatever you want by being what you are…"

Lalitha didn't understand. Immanuel came near her. For the first time, he hugged her. She didn't say anything. She felt a spiritual solace and experienced an inexplicable bliss.

They fell on the sofa and coiled into one. She was beginning to know the divine bliss.

Dear Alicia, your story is touching...

Dear Alicia, I find this one really interesting and I think everyone should read about this. So even without your permission, I'm posting it in my blog.. Sorry, if you want me to say that, feel that.....

• Alicia Graef
• 
  

Animal advocacy groups filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Natural Resources Board (NRB) this week over a new provision that will allow hunters to use dogs this upcoming hunting season that begins on October 15.

The suit, which was filed at the Dane County Circuit Court by eight organizations, is seeking an injunction to stop the DNR from issuing permits, claiming that hunting wolves with dogs will result in a number of horrible scenarios ranging from animal cruelty to what would otherwise be legalized dog fighting in violation of the state’s anti-cruelty and animal fighting laws.

“A broad range of Wisconsin citizens oppose the rules established for this season,” said Jodi Habush Sinykin, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs. “From hunters to landowners, ecologists to volunteer trackers and community humane societies, there is strong agreement that the season was set up without the restrictions needed to prevent deadly animal fighting.”

“The goal of the lawsuit is to have the DNR take a closer look at the restrictions that need to be put into place,” said Liz Pirner, Fox Valley Humane Association resource and events coordinator. “They are a predatory animal, and they are a very complex animal. That needs to be a part of the conversation when we’re talking about bringing a companion animal into the situation.”

The groups also have experts on their side who filed statements against the use of dogs, including a former DNR wolf manager, Patricia McConnell, Ph.D, a nationally-acclaimed expert in canine training and behavior; and UW-Madison Professor Adrian Treves, Ph.D, expert in wolf habitat and behavior.

“Dog packs that will be used to chase a wolf or a pack of wolves will be regarded by the wolves as a threat,” said Dick Thiel, a retired DNR wolf manager who submitted testimony. “Attacks will be swift and furious. Dogs will be seriously injured and die, and wolves will be injured and die as they both fight by slashing out with their canines and carnassial teeth.”

Supporters of the rule don’t expect there to be any problems. The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, for one, doesn’t believe there’s any basis to support the notion that dogs and wolves would fight, while hunters contend that their dogs are expensive and well trained and they don’t want to put them in harms way. However, there are no breed, training or leash restrictions in the provision.

Bill Cosh, a spokesman for the DNR said they are disappointed with the lawsuit and will be reviewing the documents.

A preliminary hearing for the case has been scheduled for Aug. 29. The plaintiffs include the Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies, Dane County Humane Society, Wisconsin Humane Society, Fox Valley Humane Association, Northwood Alliance, National Wolfwatcher Coalition, Jayne and Michael Belsky and Donna Onstott.

Meanwhile, it looks like hunters are anxious to get out there for a massacre. More than 8,400 people having applied for just 2,000 available permits being offered to kill a quota of 201 wolves.

He came and he went.. like an apparition...

He made a sudden entry.. He asked me for food, and I served it.. and then, he spoke to me about things I never heard of, thought of, imagined of.. and then he just left.. like that..

I didn't know why he came to me.. that too at a time when I have a lot of other things to be worried about..
Fuck him..! or what should I say..? 

Village revisited...

It was unexpected.. I had to go to a village that was marooned in heavy rains in what they say God's Own Country.. I just watched the morning mist.. and then, heavy downpour.. roads were the same, so were people.. houses of course were duplex and looked a lot refined.. most of the palatial bungalows were locked from outside.. yes, someone said all of them were in Middle Eastern countries.. working in the deserts to make more money.. Here are some pictures that made me feel that strange pang of nostalgia..  

Let’s fight back war on women

Yes, it is high time to fight this War on Woman. I request all of you to join Care2 in its efforts to fight back the menace that is all over the globe.

It is everywhere, in offices, public places, roads, buses, bazaars and even at homes. They are in politics, world of fashion, entertainment, film and television industry and sports. We have heard innumerable stories of atrocities against women from every nook and cranny of the world.

The London Olympics have demonstrated how much women have achieved in the world of sports and how far our culture has to come before accepting these accomplishments outright.

In an article on care2 website, Meghan Lewis highlights the accomplishments of five women while exposing the poverty some female Olympians live in because endorsement dollars only go to certain kinds of female athletes. Yellow papers have been writing nasty things about women.

There’s a massive sexual assault scandal unfolding in the United States Air Force and the potential of this 20 year prison sentence is just the tip of the iceberg.

Mitt Romney’s remarks on access to contraception are still a topic of debate. Mississippi is already facing a teen pregnancy crisis, while the anti-choice community starts training their activists early.

Breastfeeding moms and their supporters descended on the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington DC for the Great Nurse-In. The goal of the Great Nurse-In is to normalize breastfeeding, remove the stigma and misunderstandings surrounding nursing.
Issues are aplenty, the time is ripened to unite and fight.

Biggest conspiracy of the century unfolds

It has been a hot topic of debate among literary and academic circles about the author who actually wrote Shakespeare’s works. And now, a television show is exploring the same.
In what they claim as one of the most exciting on-screen literary rows, Anonymous - to be telecast in PIX - not only questions Shakespeare's identity, but also that of Queen Elizabeth, the 'Virgin Queen'. Anonymous starring the brilliant Rhys Ifans and veteran English actress Vanessa Redgrave will be premiered as this month’s Hand PIX on August 09, 2012 at 9pm on PIX.

Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds ranging from Mark Twain and Charles Dickens to Henry James and Sigmund Freud, namely: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare?

The tale of Anonymous spans decades of the late 16th/early 17th centuries, a framework densely adorned by a love affair between young De Vere and cougar Queen Elizabeth I, a succession scheme guided by wicked royal counselors William and Robert Cecil, and the scandalous dramatic output from De Vere's own quill -- handed off to disapproving London playwright Ben Jonson before finding a willing adopter in the roguish Shakespeare.
 
Rhys Ifans (Edward De Vere)

The Duke of Oxford long considered a front-runner for having authored many (if not all) of the plays attributed to William Shakespeare.

Vanessa Redgrave (Queen Elizabeth)

Forever fighting the conflicting forces of head and heart, she transits from flighty, fiery young woman to old, embittered ruler.

An Indian village of twins!

People who visit Kodinhi, a small village in Kerala, India, are bamboozled at the number of lookalikes in the hamlet. Some call it miracle!

This Indian village has more than a whopping 220 sets of twins born to just 2,000 families. And ironically, this is six times as many twins born than the global average.

According to the local residents, the phenomenon started occurring just three generations ago.  Doctors are wracking their brains over the mystery as they are unable to decipher due to lack of access to detailed biochemical analysis equipment.

Some doctors categorized the twin phenomenon as a naturally occurring anomaly. They ruled out genetic factors as the cause due to the localized nature of the village. The number of twins per thousand in the sleepy little village surrounded by lush greenery is around 45 per 1,000 births.

The residents of Kodinhi, have even gone as far as to set up the Twins and Kin Association (TAKA). TAKA has been set up to register and provide support for the twins of Kodinhi and their families.

Counting more than 220 pairs of twins ranging from 65 years to one month as registered members - with another 30 applications pending - TAKA's total membership exceeds 600 when parents are included.

Immigrant Muslims are more devout

The majority of Muslims living and working overseas practice cultural and religious traditions during the Holy Month of Ramadan even more devoutly than they did in their home countries, a newly released Western Union-sponsored study has found.

Specifically, Muslims living and working overseas said that their actions during Ramadan had changed after arriving in their new host countries, with half of respondents (50%) saying they fasted more and two in five (41%) sharing and giving more.

The Western Union study, “Traditions of Ramadan by global citizens of Muslim faith”, was conducted in July by The Nielsen Company and covered Muslims of 11 nationalities including Non-resident Indians (NRIs) living in 12 countries in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, the United States and Western Europe.

Overall, fasting (96%), sharing and giving (94%) are the most widely practiced of all traditions observed during Ramadan. Two out of five surveyed said that the love of family and friends, along with dedication to work, were the key factors motivating more fasting, praying, sharing and giving.

“Living in another country often brings different cultural influences along with new work and personal pressures. Global citizens of Muslim faith are upholding Islamic traditions and are even more devout during the Holy Month of Ramadan,” Drina Yue, Managing Director and Senior Vice President,\ Western Union, Asia Pacific.

“Western Union has been moving money for better, for more than 135 years.  We know people move away from their home countries for many reasons, but a common factor is creating a better life for their families and loved ones through work opportunities,” she said.

 “It is difficult for people of any faith or nationality to be away from home during traditional cultural and religious events and holidays. It is not surprising to see that family, loved ones and friends, along with commitment to work, are even more influential when people live overseas.”

Key highlights of the survey

•         Different traditions are observed during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Despite being away from family and loved ones, 96 percent practiced fasting, 89 percent prayed, 78 percent engaged in iftar, or evening meals to break the day’s fast, and 75 percent read the Qur’an.

•         The majority of Muslims (94%) share during the month of Ramadan, by giving money, known as Zakat (89%) while the remaining 5% share by gifting items such as food and clothing.

•         Breaking fast is popular with other people instead of alone, with family (75%) being the most favored companions, closely followed by friends (65%).

•         Accessibility to facilities for religious purposes (62%) and the influence of family, loved ones and friends (52%) are the most important influencers in fasting more during Ramadan.

•         A vast majority (94%) uphold sharing and giving traditions during Ramadan.

o   The zakat obligation is most commonly fulfilled through sharing with people who are known to the giver locally or overseas (65%). Arab Muslims are more likely to share with people they know locally (42%) than overseas (29%), while the reverse is true for non-Arab Muslims (49% local; 56% overseas).

o   Muslims from the Middle East and the United States are more likely to fulfill zakat through donations to charity (53% and 54% respectively).

o   Overall, the most common gift during Ramadan was cash (92%), followed by clothes (40%), food (36%) and other products (21%). Outside the Middle East, clothing was more popular (53%).

 “Cash is very versatile and convenient to give, either locally or when helping people abroad, which explains its popularity,” Ms. Yue said. “However, the important finding is that the vast majority of Muslims continue to help meet real needs, both in their home and adoptive communities, by fulfilling their duty of zakat.”

The findings of the study were based on a survey of close to 550 Muslims emigrants originally from the Middle Eastern and North African countries of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia and the South Asian countries of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

They resided in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East; Malaysia and Singapore in Asia; the United Kingdom, Germany and France in Europe; and the United States.

In support of Indo-Americans in need...

Offering mammoth services to the Indian-American community in Chicago, Metropolitan Asian Family Service/ Universal Metro Asian Family Service (MAFS/UMAS), is standing tall, helping thousands of people in distress. This multicultural, multilingual organization with eight impressive facilities has actually began in a one room office on the second floor of a Des Plaines commercial building years ago.

It may sound incredible, but the fact is its founding director, Ms. Santhosh Kumar, worked with no staff and no funding in the initial days because she saw the need among the growing population of Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis.

She began extending services from immigration assistance to support services, including educating, counseling, assisting and empowering individuals and families to become productive members in their new home.

It was in 1993 that the new organization received its first contract under the Universal Industries banner from the Illinois Department on Aging, to provide the Community Care Program/homemaker services. They started with five clients and three homemakers, and today they are serving over 8000 clients and have over 2000 homemakers.

Currently MAFS/UMAS is a pioneer social welfare community center that provides senior services and customer interaction.  It helps immigrants with varied programs such as Community Care Program to assist the elderly with daily-chores such as cleaning, cooking, shopping, personal grooming and escorting them to medical appointments, when necessary. ADS provides opportunity for the elderly to get involved in structured and fun-filled activities, it is funded by the Illinois Department on Aging. MAFS also helps the community members obtain OCI Card & VISA from the Indian Consulate and is now working for cancellation of Indian Passport for those who have attained US citizenship. Other such programs of MAFS are nutrition programs (Golden Diner Program, Hot Meal Program and Dupage Senior Council Hot Meal Program) that conduct health screenings and health education seminars in Chicago, Niles, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates and the Village of Palatine. It also provides education and computer training programs for seniors and new immigrants.

MAFS has recently added yet another feather in its cap. At its Chicago and Naperville locations, MAFS has started Medical Assistance Program, where an in-house doctor assists seniors and other immigrants with their health issue. Dr. Madhu Gopal a well-known doctor of Indian community is helping seniors in solving their health related problems at Chicago.

With committed staff and an able management, MAFS has earned its name for its accuracy, depth of functionality and high customer satisfaction.
The senior center is fortunate to have Ms. Santosh Kumar, founder and executive director of MAFS/UMAS. She has earned accomplishment in front of her peers, family and friends.
It has been an eventful journey for Ms. Santosh for over decades. And now, after being recently included in America’s Registry of Outstanding Professionals for her exceptional contributions and achievements in the field of community services, Ms Kumar working day in and day out to extend community services to more and more people.

Undeterred by several hurdles, Ms Kumar has been extending yeomen service to the Indian-American community in Chicago, Illinois since 1985, when she migrated to the USA with her husband.

Rave parties: The new cult!

It has become a cult of sorts in this part of the world, these rave parties.  Only a few weeks ago, a rave party was raided in a farmhouse on the outskirts of the city, followed by arrests of scores of youngsters in a city pub.
The shocking images of girls being manhandled by moral police in Mangalore are still fresh in our memories.  And here comes yet another one.
At least 10 members at a rave party, attended mainly by foreigners, were detained in the picturesque Manikaran Valley of Himachal Pradesh, according to reports.
A news agency quoted Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar as saying that blood and urine samples of 10 people were taken after the raid in Kullu district Saturday.
Police suspect there were 300 people at the party held close to Kasol village, 42 km from Kullu town. Cigarettes, bottles of alcohol and tracks of trance music were seized, a police official was quoted as saying.
The Manikaran Valley, some 275 km from state capital Shimla, is notorious for poppy cultivation and rave parties.
High income and a morbid tendency of doing all things bad and ugly are driving more and more youngsters to rave parties. Sex, booze and dopes have become the order of the day.
Oh Lord, forgive them, they do not know what they do!

Mother Theresa of Chicago

She is the embodiment of compassion. She is the one who always stands by the people in need. And that is why, she is popularly known as “Mother Teresa of Chicago.” She is Ms. Santosh Kulshrestha Kumar, the poplar voice of hapless immigrant population of Illinois.

It has been an eventful journey for Indian-American Ms. Santosh Kulshrestha Kumar for over decades. And now, after being recently included in America’s Registry of Outstanding Professionals for her exceptional contributions and achievements in the field of community services, Ms Kumar is all smiles. Smiles of satisfaction.

Undeterred by several hurdles, Ms Kumar has been extending yeomen service to the Indian-American community in Chicago, Illinois since 1985, when she migrated to the USA with her husband.

Years ago, when she set out on a journey to make a difference in the lives of the poor, needy and elderly, she was unwavering. What she initiated with a small group of people and a little resources, is now a growing organization (Metropolitan Asian Family Services) with eight facilities for seniors, and full spectrum of services with a pool of hardworking individuals lending a helping hand to the community.

****
It was something unusual for Science graduates to opt for Law for higher studies, but when she was graduated in Bachelor of Science (BSC) in 1969, Ms. Kumar decided to pursue Law. She completed LL.B honors in 1972 and LL.M in 1974 from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Ms. Kumar was born to Shambu Dayal Kulshrestha and Satyawati  Kulshrestha in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, in 1949. Growing up watching the atrocities meted out on the lesser fortunate, Ms. Kumar got a sense of social justice and perhaps that was what later prompted her to pursue legal studies.
After four decades of her untiring services to those who are in distress, Ms. Kumar’s life and works in India and the USA make her a living legend. At the young age of 22, in 1972, Ms. Kumar was practicing law in the Aligarh Session’s Court as a Criminal Defense Lawyer. She continued to sport the advocate’s gown from 1972 to 1977, while simultaneously working as a Professor in Law in VS Law College Aligarh.
In 1978 she joined Jaipur University, Rajasthan and worked as a professor till 1985 and practiced law concurrently.
While she was busy practicing and teaching law, she found enough time to fight for the rights of children and women of Rajasthan.
In 1985 Ms. Kumar migrated to the USA with her husband. She is today a counselor, attorney, professor, community leader and businesswoman in the Chicagoland area.

Ms. Kumar decided to dedicate her life to those who do not have a voice. It may be recalled that she was instrumental in making many major breakthroughs in the Indian Judicial system.  Due to her strong advocacy, the government of India has passed Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (order for maintenance of wives, children and parents.). Ms. Kumar gave a voice to the voiceless and fought for Indian women who were harassed by their partners, parents or in-laws and continues to support the South- Asian community in Chicago, Illinois with her work with Metropolitan Asian Family (MAFS).

Dirty politicians’ sleazy side!

Yet another politician has been accused of driving a young woman to suicide. The accusation comes in the form of a very long suicide note left behind by the victim who wrote: "I am ending my life today because I am shattered from inside. My trust has been broken, and I have been cheated."
This is not the first time politicians are accused of rape, outraging modesty, confinement and sexual harassment, intimidation, murder and other crimes of heinous kind.  It’s shocking to see that people who are supposed to fight for the rights and welfare of the public, themselves are involving in this kind of criminal activities.
In this latest case, the victim, a former airhostess of the domestic MDLR airline, Geetika Sharma, committed suicide by hanging herself recently, leaving behind a note accusing the airline's owner and Minister of State (MoS) in the Haryana government, Gopal Kanda, of harassing her and forcing her to take the extreme step.
There have been innumerable reports on such acts by political leaders from across the country. Unfortunately the law of the land could not do anything concrete to wipe out the evil. Always, using their clouts, these wily politicians escaped unharmed.
It is sad to see the plight of our society.  It is shame for all of us!

Gay sex is their problem, not yours!

If you hate having sex with the same gender, hate it. Don’t ever allow one with such a trait come near to you. But if your neighbor loves to have sex with the same gender, like-minded partner, what is your problem? After all they are not doing it public.
I am of the opinion that sexual preferences are individual and it does not need to be a topic of international debate. Live and let live is what I say.
Whenever I see hullabaloo over lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender relations and see them coming out in the street to fight for their rights, I ask this question myself. Do I have any issue with someone having a peculiar sexual inclination? The answer is instant. No, not at all.
I am brooding over this topic just because I happened to read a report on the ‘novel’ protest by gay rights activists and their supporters observing a national "Kiss In" at Chick-fil-A restaurants in Atlanta on Friday. They were protesting the fast-food chain owners' opposition to same-sex unions, abclocal.go.com reported.
The report says that participants are encouraged to come to the fast-food chains and kiss a fellow demonstrator of the same sex. One organizer, Carly McGehee of Dallas, was quoted as saying that she “hopes the event helps gay youths "who feel isolated and are victims of bullying."
"Without question, Dan Cathy has every right to voice his opinions and beliefs," Herndon Graddick, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said in a statement.
"But he should meet and get to know the people that he's speaking out against - the people who are harmed by his company's multi-million dollar donations to anti-gay hate groups working to hurt everyday LGBT Americans and break apart loving families," Graddick reportedly said.
The company said in a statement the turnout Wednesday made for "an unprecedented day," although it says it doesn't release exact sales numbers.
"The Chick-fil-A culture and 66-year-old service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect - regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender," the report quoted the statement.

Mecca Masjid: A shrine that calls you back

The Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad is one of the largest mosques in the world, noted for its capacity of over 10,000 worshippers. The construction of the mosque began in 1614 when Quli Qutub Shah ruled the state. But it was in 1687 when Aurangzeb annexed the Golconda kingdom and finished the construction of the Mecca Masjid it became one of the most popular and beautiful mosques in the world. This Masjid is also said to contain some sacred relics, one of which is the hair of Muhammed. It is listed as a heritage building.

The Mecca Masjid is an architectural marvel and a majestic and imposing structure. The hall is massive measuring about 67 meters by 54 meters with a height of about 23 meters. There are 15 beautiful arches supporting the roof. The grand structure, with its granite finishing and huge courtyard wears a Mughul look more than that of Qutub Shah dynasty. The Mihrab is said to contain a brick that had been brought from Mecca.

The octagonal columns on either side are built from single piece of granite with an arched gallery above it. The large pond in the courtyard has slab seats on the sides. According to the legend, a visitor who sits on one of these seats will definitely come back again.

Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah started the construction of the Mecca Masjid in 1617. It was built under the supervision of Mir Faizullah Baig and Rangiah Choudhary. Till the reign of Abdullah Qutub Shah and Tana Shah, the construction continued till in 1694, it was finally completed by the Mughul emperor Aurangzeb. History says that during the time when the foundation stone for the Mecca Masjid was laid down, the elder religious leaders were invited and it was stated that only the one who had never missed his prayers had the privilege to lay the stone. And finally it was the Sultan himself who did the honor. 

The urge within

The urge within is to fight like a bull

But all around are cheeky, haughty simians

Scratching their own backs

And swinging on frail twigs

The urge within is to take forward the legion

But all I see is a chirpy little bird

That tweets from its nest

And staring at the world

The urge within is to fire the cannons

But all I find is a raw of crackers

Waiting for kids to spark the blaze

And go up in smoke with much ado

The urge within is to scale the Everest

And how sad! I’m lying in a range of sand dunes

That may go up in whirls

With a gale from the vales

The urge within is to laugh out loud

But lo and behold!

There goes a funeral rally

Of a man died of over-living!