Sudipta's Life

We, collectively, have become a nation of bitches. Ready to be slapped, ready to be plundered, ready to be f*** and we feel so happy about it that there is a tension and joyous build-up every time this happens. They come in hordes, kill, kidnap, murder, shoot people right in front of everyone's faces, and we go on to immortalize them by making them our idols. I am talking about the genre of Bollywood movies that have started idolizing every single gangster and hooligan who plagues the nation. I recently learned that the movie  Gangster was actually based on this dirtbag Abu Salim's life. And then started remembering Shootout at Lokhandwala , D and its sequel Company . How sick does one need to be to actually glorify someone who has come and shot your brother dead in broad daylight? And how effeminate one must be to stand in awe in front of a theater showing the life of a guy (more like hero-worshipping him) who is probably responsible for the kidnap, rape and death of your ...

I admit, I have lived in the US for just a little over three years now and probably have a very superficial knowledge of the American culture. I also admit that when I mention "us" I am counting on my experiences solely based on the places in India I've lived and at the time I've lived. There, you have the disclaimer. Now lets get to the topic: what is there in India that I think needs to be here. Nerd is cool : Look at any recent TV serial, movie, autobiographical piece here and you'll be sure to find that being nerdy or knowing more is somehow linked to being totally uncool in school/high school here in the US. The nerd in the class is always the one getting bullied, getting his school tiffin stolen. Nobody cares about his opinion beyond the teacher in the classroom: he has very limited friends (mostly the other nerds/semi-nerds), seldom plays anything on the field and is rarely included in the team for anything. Contrast this with the image of the class toppe...

I wish I had been writing about Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Instead, this post is about the euphemism for dowry that I just witnessed when I was visiting my grandparents place in Bihar. I do not wish to say that dowry is something specific to Bihar, or that the word "Tilak" is the only euphemism that exists, but the point is to make you aware that it exists by this name at this place at least: something you might be able to look out for. Let me give you a little background about how this conversation came about. Tthis lady and her daughters were visiting our place for the traditional pranam and sweets after Bijoya Dashami ( Dusshera ). The eldest of her daughters was of marriageable age and she was talking to my grandfather about how she will have to arrange for enough Tilak for her. I hadn't paid much attention to the conversation until it turned to me being the topic, and with my "phoren" credentials and all she remarked that I will definitely fetch a Tilak in ...