SIXTEEN | Part 4 | THE END

I told Uma’s friend Kavya to bring Uma at a place which was far from the vicinity of Uma’s residence.  All had gathered on time and were waiting for Uma to enter. I received a call from Kavya that the birthday girl is about to enter the café in next few minutes. I told everyone to hide and come out after Uma and Kavya enter the café. Soon, Uma arrived like a princess. She looked gorgeous in her one piece and her bright smile for which I already adored her was mesmerizing.

The plan was executed and a mix of laughter and surprise glittered on Uma’s face. Her eyes searched me in the crowd; I could say that because I never took my eyes off her since she entered the café. I hugged her tight and instead of saying happy birthday I finally blurted out I love You Uma. To which she instantly replied, “I love you too”. I looked at her, the tears rolling down it was indeed a sweet sixteen moment. The teenage love was pure and immature yet we decided to glide through the moment without worrying about our future.

It was past 10:30, all invited friends made their way home. I and Uma left after everyone left. It was a cold night. The city being far, I had got my scooter to the party place. We left, she held her arms around my waist and to my comfort I was happy with butterflies in the stomach. It was dark and cold. The fog on the road had made it a zero visibility zone. I was slow but steady. Suddenly, the truck lights flashed and blinded me, losing my balance we fell on the side of the road but fortunately none of us were hurt. The scooter refused to start and the headlight cracked. We were stranded. It was late, the happiness of an amazing birthday night was fading out. I was scared not because I am just sixteen. I was scared because I was stranded late night, middle of a secluded road without license and friends scooter which stopped working.

She was scared and I could sense a terror feeling in her eyes, she wanted to rush home. I spotted a car coming towards us it was my fault that I asked for a lift. A gang of few drunkards stopped with lust dripping down their mouth. I did manage to say no thank you but they insisted on dropping us till the city road. Uma and I, left with no other option, soon got into the car along with three other men. It was that moment for me and Uma.The end of our love and life. I was knocked out with a blow and tied while they took turns to rape Uma.

Next morning, I woke up in the hospital to see Uma’s Dad in anger and with a want of killing me. Being a big man he is, he managed to feed policemen with amounts desired and I was put behind bars by making me one of the culprits. This had totally shattered my Dad and Uma was no longer there to explain what happened. I couldn’t take this trauma and humiliation and rather accepted for a crime I never committed. I loved Uma, I loved her a lot. It was my teenage love and indeed a special one to remember.

I lived three years with the ones I saw raping Uma, I think you saving me has a purpose.

It’s better to go in jail committing a crime rather without one.

“What are you talking about? Are you mad?” The fisherman exclaimed.

You need some sleep, you are young take some time to think what you intend to do in future, till then you are welcomed to stay here with me.

Vitthal looks at the fisherman and utters Thank You, Dada.

SIXTEEN | Part 3

1.       I met Uma in college. It all started when our first year exams were about to begin. Uma was brilliant in studies and I like any other last bench boy was lucky enough to get her as my exam partner.  Though she was our trustee’s daughter, she never showed off her rich attitude. Kind and always helpful, Uma had the most beautiful smile on earth. Any person would go high over heels for her. I being a cartoon in the class had no chance ever to get a girl like her to fall in love with me. ‘Uma wed's Vitthal’ sounded cheap even back then, you can understand from this when our names sound awful together, imagine the reality.

I belonged from a lower middle-class family but I was content, as I was my dad’s only response to handle. It was partially embarrassing for me to visit the same college where my dad worked as a peon and having a love affair that too with trustee’s daughter was out of my own imagination.

Uma helped me a lot to cope up with studies and difficult accounting problems. My friend circle was full of scholars and knowledgeable geeks who had the answers for everything in life except academic syllabus. Sixteen and young to party, enjoy and have fun was the sole purpose of our lives. Dad was earning and I was getting my pocket money. We were riding bikes in town and spending as much as we liked to.

It’s said that a girl can turn your life upside- down and not so soon my life experienced a Hurricane. After the first semester, I and Uma were more close as friends; I had changed completely” according to my friends”. I started saving money, studying, sitting regularly for lectures and avoiding bad habits.

I realized that I have started to develop a crush on Uma and would often dream about her. It was during our college festival - I being the head of the managing committee, worked vigorously to accomplish the festival on a good note. I was successful and was praised for my caliber. I was amazed to know that I had such potential myself. Uma was impressed by my dedication towards particular tasks given to me and soon our chats were taking much deeper turns.

Our bonding had grown much intense. College mates had a rough clue of what we were implying emotionally towards each other. The teasing had started and to our misfortune, my Dad and her Father got a hint.

It was conveyed through expression that none of them had liked the path we were about to settle. We escaped the talks somehow but kept meeting and hanging out with each other. It was near. I had to plan something really good to impress Uma to tell her my feelings. I found no better time to express my love to Uma. It was her sixteenth birthday. I made a surprise plan. The party was planned at night, therefore I told Uma’s friend to help and convince Uma’s Dad to allow her staying out late.

Vitthal ! Why are you crying? What happened next? You need some water. Wait,’ the fisherman said’.

Vitthal replied,” Probably that is the only thing I should have never done.”

To be continued…

SIXTEEN | Part 2

At around' six-thiry in the evening, I pulled up the anchor and turned my fishing boat towards the shore. After an entire day of waiting on the creek fishing, I hardly managed to get any good amount of fish. "Bad day!", the fisherman in me murmured.

The sun went down silently, giving a hope for the next day's sunrise. I packed my fishing net and sat on the bench to row back to the shore. It was getting dark. I rowed a few miles towards the shore when I heard something falling into the water behind me. I looked up - the flyover over me shook as the cars passed over it but there was no sign of anyone throwing anything into the water below. I turned around to see a man helplessly drowning, but not uttering a cry for help. I rushed as soon as I could, grabbed him by his arms and pulled him onto the boat.

I was shaking as this man was breathing heavily and coughing out water. I had no clue what to do so asked his name. He replied in exasperation, "I did not rape Uma, I loved her" as he fainted.

I rowed back to the shore calling a few fisherfolks for help. Lodging a police complaint was out of the question for someone like me. I solely depended on days work and wasting work time for someone else's case in police station frightened me already. Selfish though, there was no other option than to take him to my place. The night passed watching him lay unconscious across me.

As the first ray of sun hit the window, he woke up and felt out of place. Scared and shattered he looked at me and soon broke into tears yelling "Why did you save me!?"
I was obviously speechless and angry but I kept calm to hear him out.

Pouring some tea in the cup, I broke my silence by asking who he was and why did he try to commit suicide.

Wiping his tears he whispered, ''Vitthal''. I gave him his time to answer as meanwhile some tea and biscuits built a sense of trust. Suddenly breaking into a puddle tears he narrated t to me what he had been through for the past three years. Vitthal was speaking the truth and I could see that in his eyes. The only emotion I could emote was grief. Furthermore, I asked him why didn't he open up before, in front of the judge. Recollecting his statement from  the previous night I asked, "Vitthal, Why did you not tell the court that you loved her and did not rape her?"

After that, what Vitthal told me was hard to believe but I had to sympathize for what he suvived and suffered.

Vitthal narrated...

To be continued...

SIXTEEN | Part 1

The damp remand room stank of sweat and urine, when he entered and saw the broken windows and a rusty iron table and chair. The scarce light coming from the window brightened up one of the men's faces. The trippy setting made him little dizzy and deaf when a tight slap from the in charge brought him back from his world of thought. "Naam bol! Vitthal. Barabar Kaala toh tu hai! Solaa saal ki umar main dosto ke saath milke rape kiya na tu!" Vitthal was speechless but managed to mutter 'yes' under his breath.

The investigation continued for next five days revealing how Vitthal, under influence of alcohol, raped the victim along with his three friends.
However, Inspector Shinde, head in-charge of the case proved in court that the offenders were in their senses while committing the crime, therefore, the plea for not guilty should not be entertained and severe punishment should be served to them.

The court battle ended six months later and the judge gave his verdict.
Vitthal being a minor was sentenced three years of custody and the rest were sentenced to lifetime imprisonment. The media uproared, "Just because Vitthal is a minor, we can't ignore the crime he committed."

The rape case had caught national interest. Thousands came out in support of the victim, and candle march took place. Inspector Shinde was promoted but the judgment stood. The fire slowly turned out and Vitthal was serving his term in jail.
The guilt had capsulated him. The jail was no place for a sixteen-year-old Vitthal. Weekly torture by in charge and fellow under trial prisoners had led few incidents where the fractured bones, the facial bruise was common.

But something terrible was coming his way. After the completion of the first term in jail, Vitthal was shifted to a new cell with criminals who had committed heinous crimes. The new place soon started showing its true colors. One night when Vitthal was asleep, few men covered his face with a jute bag pulling his hands behind the back, which immediately locked him from moving and making any noise. The official prisoner pants were torn into pieces. Vitthal, choking, tried to resist the power load over him by kicking his way out but unfortunately was forcefully raped, turn by turn. Devastated Vitthal lost all his hope when the in charge next day taunted 'Jaise ko taisa'(tit for tat).These creepy men revolved around Vitthal for the next two years but to his dismay, he could just see them hovering around with hungry lust. Nothing to do and no one to go for help Vitthal was tired of resisting anymore, his body had given up and turned him into a piece of lifeless wood.

The term of three years was finally over, Vitthal was released but today he had nowhere to go. Promoted Senior Inspector Shinde escorted Vitthal to the gate.Collecting his old clothes that no longer fit him, Vitthal wore his pair of shoe and started walking towards his freedom.
The sights and sounds of the city which he once called home now seemed alien and blinded him.

He had turned into a corpse
Depressed and lost Vitthal tried to commit suicide when I saved him from drowning and just before he lost his consciousness he whispered, "I did not rape Uma, I loved her."

NaMo NaMo!

          On 26th May 2014 Narendra Modi took an oath as the 15th Prime Minister of India. The journey from a tea vendor to Rashtrapati Bhavan Oath taking ceremony was tough but not even slightly impossible for a man like Modi. Swaying the world with his unmatched public speaking ability Modi roared his presence and rose to fame in a matter of months. The results were out and as the Lok Sabha Elections 2014 closed down to a notable historic close, the BJP-drove NDA guaranteed an avalanche triumph, winning everywhere across the nation. As results for each of the 543 Lok Sabha seats were reported, the NDA looked set to win 336 seats, not just a long ways in front of the midway stamp yet in addition savoring a triumph whose scale they had not themselves foreseen. For, amazingly, the BJP crossed the 272 check serenely individually, without any alliance, winning 282 seats.
This was the greatest triumph since the 1984 election that Rajiv Gandhi won with 414 Lok Sabha seats. It is likewise the first run through ever in the 67-year history of democratic India that a non-Congress party has won a basic lion's share without anyone else. Furthermore, the explanation for such enormous achievement was BJP's monstrous Advertising and PR battle which was driven by promotion making stalwarts and there is a phenomenal group of men behind it.
Though everything was set and Modi was elected to be the BJP’s face as prime ministerial candidate in September 2013. The BJP election campaign had three major targets to achieve in the upcoming year and that was: 1) Veteran Chief Minister of Gujarat had to become a symbol of National importance. 2) To connect with the youth of this densely populated country. 3) To change Modi’s 2002 anti-Muslim riot image.
The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)’s two senior members - Piyush Goyal and Ajay Singh mutually set the creative and media strategy technique for the party campaign. On one hand, while they got Soho Square to make the TV, print and radio commercials, they took help of Prasoon Joshi to compose the Party's anthem and produced it into a music video. They additionally selected a Delhi based advertising kingpin, Sushil Goswami, to make promotional radio commercials and procured three Pune-based graphic designers to make cricket advertisements around Twenty20 World Cup.
Shri Narendra Modi was already a huge brand in Gujarat, to make it national along with clearing his tainted past image the advertising campaign hammered people of the country with continuous and repetitive ads of how Modi is the right person and the only hope for this countries development. To do so the BJP had Prasoon Joshi, Piyush Pandey, Sam Balsara and Ajay Singh. The team’s research found that the popularity rating of BJP was around 35 percent while Modi’s was 57 percent. So, they made Modi central to the campaign with the catchphrase: ”Abki Baar, Modi Sarkar”.
They flagged issues like corruption, paralysis of governance and price rise to be tagged with an emotive line: “Mehengai badhane walo, Janata maaf nahi karegi”.And after drumming this into the Indian psyche, they build hope with the slogan: “Achche din aane waale hai”.
Prasoon Joshi penned the BJP anthem – “Saugandh is mitti ki, main desh nahin jhukne dunga”, to be narrated by Modi with Sukhvinder Singh singing the interludes. It packed in a great deal of passion, patriotism, and commitment to show how Modi was ready to invest his sweat and look into reviving India’s fortunes. Especially, the last line gave a feel- good line,”Har Bharatvasi Jeetega.”
The campaign was growing stronger by day, with ads during the T-20 Cricket World Cup took pot-shots at the Congress by sarcastically hinting that the party did not have a captain! Channel V ads persuaded the young to change the government. Modi’s speeches started making rounds on mobile phones with clips of him talking about inflation, development, and corruption. The online media was used to its maximum potential by the advertising and PR team. The year with 437 rallies, 5827 events and journey of 3 lakh kilometers Modi and his  BJP workers were no less than warriors on the field.
To connect more with the country, the BJP launched a NaMo number where an SMS, Whatsapp message or even a missed call would add you to the BJP database as a volunteer. The number got 13 crore calls. The craze for Modi was so much that over three million people heard his speeches by dialing a given number.
The NaMo effect was so powerful that people actually started forgetting about Modi’s past and instead started accepting him positively. During the entire campaign, Modi never spoke of Hindutva, construction of the Ram temple, the imposition of the uniform civil code and the special autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir. Instead, he spoke of development, economic progress, the Gujarat model, restoring national pride, root out corruption, empower women, engage the bureaucracy, creating employment for the young. All this sounded like music to first-time voters.
The power of marketing, advertising, and PR (public relation) strategies soon started showing results in favor of the BJP government. Grabbing each opportunity was crucial and the BJP did play well by using opposition’s taunt as their gain. When Congress leader  Mani Shankar Aiyar commented that Modi can distribute Tea but never become a Prime Minister, BJP reacted by starting informal tea shops calling “Chai Pe Charcha” in 4000 locations which reached out to 50 lakh people. It mainly focused on Bihar and UP talking about how someone from the backward class selling tea could aspire to become a Prime Minister of the country. This turned out to be a major political gain fading Congress image to struggle more.
The research team found that there were 19,000 villages in UP and 11,000 in Bihar with small populations without any media. The team soon started sending video vans to each of them numerous times talking of MODI and the BJP which made 1,38,900 trips!
SHRI NARENDRA MODI also called NaMo had an upper hand over Congress as Rahul Gandhi was constantly failing to make its mark and convince the people. Dark memes and funny Jokes were getting viral on the internet regarding Rahul Gandhi – Prime Ministerial candidate from Congress and were often bullied for his incapability to address the audience. Thus, sweeping the votes one sided NaMo gathered all from youth to senior citizens to rope for him and vote for BJP.
Interacting with the youth of this country through Facebook and Twitter proved beneficial. Almost 1.97 thousand people started talking about Narendra Modi every month. He even became the most searched political personality on the internet.
“AB KI BAAR MODI SARKAR”, “MODIJI AARAHE HAI”, “JANTA MAAF NAHI KAREGI”, ”DESH KO UPDATE KARO”  to finally “ACHCHE DIN AANEWAALE HAI” were some of the biggest inputs to create  NaMo as PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI by the advertising agencies that worked for BJP. It did launch Modi as a brand and the results clearly show how it worked. Till date, this has been the most expensive political campaigns where BJP has spent around Rs714.28 crore ($115 million) on the 2014 general election campaign, according to the contribution report it filed with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Jan 12.
The campaign sets a record in itself and belongs to golden history now, It’s been three years since Modi held the chair, few developments are visible but India still has a long way to go. Till then it's NaMo NaMo.
Thank you.

NAMASKAR in MASJID

Namaste, Sasriyakal, Adab! 

There are so many more languages we can use to greet, aren’t there? Out of approximately estimated 4200 religions in the world which bind the world as one, it's said to be that 9 religions hold up the entire India. A country with 29 states has successfully existed to be called as INDIA but never lived, as it has been struggling a lot to improve its shine as one nation yet. Though our pledge and preamble constantly nurture a positive thought of being one and united, for time being it does hit the patriotic chord inside you but the very next morning our systems run on discriminating Caste, Gender, Colour, and Religion.  It has butchered its foundation reason that led us to its freedom.

 After the whole nation revolted as one against the British, they left. Then came the Politicians. Unfortunately, we say it fell in wrong hands. Why? Many looted us, misused their power, and distributed us in terms to get their desired vote bank. Wait a minute! That statement up there gives such a relief as if we are clean and did nothing wrong. Sab gande kaam in netaao ne kiya! My foot! Were we sleeping? Yes, we did give them an opportunity to lead us and show the right way but as fools, we calmly accepted what they preached.

We started killing humans from another religion, cast or creed.

We as People of this nation started dividing ourselves into categories of traditionally significant ducks.

On the rise was Hinduism and Islam, we murdered, raped, looted each other for the sake of beliefs and society. Who gives such a right to cut someone into pieces? Is it the human beings fault what religion he takes birth in? God is one. He made us, to a fact GEETA is a 5 letter word, BIBLE 5 letter word, QURAN 5 letter word, MANDIR 6 letter, CHURCH 6 letter, MASJID  6 letter word and all teach love and peace.

On a personal note, while going through a rough patch in life, I visited a mosque with a friend of mine. My preoccupied mind made me completely unaware of the surrounding and as usual, I Prayed with my hands closed together. Yes, I did a Namaskar in MASJID. To my surprise my prayer was heard by the ONE and since I started believing that God is ONE. He stands Undivided.

INDIA  is bit funny and the irony is our tricolor denotes The saffron for strength and courage, white for peace and truth with dharma chakra and green shows the fertility,

growth, and auspiciousness of the land.

What have we learned till now that Kesariya (saffron) huaa Hindu kaa aur haraa(green) huaa Musalmano ka and the middle safed (white) is indeed keeping the peace!

Let’s not create internal disputes any further. I love my country and I am proud of it. I am not anti-national. I am social and a loving child of my family please don't barge in my residence and threaten me or kill me. Peace out!

IT'S OK TO NOT BE ONE OF THEM.

Who was the first President of India? Huh! JAWAHARLAAA…oops. Who is the mother of Dragons? Daenerys Targaryen!! Today the moment you fail to answer this, you are an alien in the crowd. It does not matter that your IQ is higher than combined of theirs, now you have to fit in like a missing piece of a jigsaw. Not that anyone is forcing you to watch but who likes being a left out. The look you get after you confess of never watching any famous foreign TV series is like a Brahmin not knowing his verses.
Similarly, many of the times we lose our way in accepting something hazardous due to peer pressure. It’s not necessary that the things which others try and boast about would suit you always and no it doesn’t make you a “bailya" or girly.

The foolish part would be you trying the things which never go your way. This might lead to many ruinous possibilities. India has been seeing a number of drug abuse cases rising every year and it has been a major reason for suicide reports as well. As per the National Crime Records Bureau, there were 3,647 such suicide cases in India in 2014, of which Maharashtra detailed the most astounding, at 1,372. This was trailed by Tamil Nadu, with 552 cases and Kerala, with 475. Presently, it is evaluated that around 7.21 crore individuals are influenced because of drugs.

As THE INDIAN EXPRESS covered the latest story on how the youth out of curiosity for fun and kick are involved in substance abuse. As an eye opener, this story did move me.
This young lady was incredible all through her school years, had dependably been a topper and was great at tennis as well. When she was 15 and in junior college, she began to look all starry eyed at a 19-year-old from the same college who was into substance mishandle. Before long she was dependent as well. In spite of the fact that she was from a well-to-do family, when she began missing the mark she started stealing money to purchase pot(marijuana). Afterward, she became a regular user as well as started pitching them to her friends. Six months back she was hospitalized at a rehabilitation center.

An individual should realize his responsibility towards himself and later parents. The choice plays an upper hand and grit determination to make the right choice helps a lot. There is a thin line in enjoying the fun. It’s high time we see it and keep ourselves sane.
Changing for good is definitely worth, but changing for a group where one does not fit in can go wrong. Accept the difference, stand out, be unique let people deal with your choice. It’s OK TO NOT BE ONE OF THEM.