सबका खुशीसे फासला एक कदम है
हर घरमे बस एकही कमरा कम है
-- जावेद अख्तर

So Sunday morning Breaking News was hogged by both - Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. One wonders why these spiritual gurus - who ideally shouldn't have anything to do with mundane everyday life - are getting riled about the black money. If they have to improve the lot of the common people, there are plenty of issues to choose from. Why, for starters, don't they tell all their followers to keep their neighborhoods clean? How about saying 'No' to female infanticide? No Dowry? No smoking? No killing in the name of religion? Sending the girl child to school?

Shouldn't tackling corruption be a bottom-up approach rather than a top-down one? It's common people like you and me who should stop giving and receiving bribe - even if it means facing delays in getting our work done or the possibility that the work will not be done at all. Are we prepared to bear the pain? It is rather like the 'Prisoner's Dilemma'. We all know it is in our best interest to do so but none of us will do it.

Plenty of reasons will be put forward as to why people take bribes. I had read an interesting article that said that it is ingrained in our culture because most of us would not think twice about bribing our favorite deity with sweets or money if our wish is fulfilled. Then there is the simple thing called 'Greed'. But then there are also things like insufficient salaries, rising cost of education, the practice of dowry and so on and so forth. Each of these is a wrong in itself that somebody needs to set right. No legislation is going to do the magic trick. This change has to come from within us. If we decide for ourselves that we will not take bribe, we will not pay bribe and we will encourage those who will do work without taking a bribe, corruption will start getting rooted out from the bottom and this change will surely make its way to the top.

But can we root out corruption altogether? Well, I think that's wishful thinking because, sadly, there is no medicine as yet for the malady called greed! :-(

A sanitary napkin! Most of us urban women don't think much about it. We buy the usual packet during one of our supermarket trips, tuck a few away in the office drawer and forget about it until the period starts. That's why the Mint article about the poor state of women's personal hygiene in Indian villages came as a huge shock. All the talks of GDP, the sizzling pace of economy, Sensex highs and lows are a waste, a total waste, if we are unable to provide basic hygiene to all the women in the country even 60+ years after gaining independence, isn't it?

Sometimes I just wonder where will we all have to start if we have to right all the wrongs in this country? :-(

Can someone please do something about this utterly inane and ridiculous ad that is stars Kajol as a female monkey? I would have told you the name of the product but, for the life of me, I cannot remember it. That's because every time the ad is aired, I am busy fuming and fretting about the sheer lack of creativity. :-(

I cannot help it, I really can't. Every time I see Sushama Swaraj, I remember her dancing merrily away in this party or conclave or whatever that these political parties have once in a while. Oh, I am not saying she should not dance. What I am utterly unable to fathom is why that should be a Breaking News?

If the intention was to demonstrate that these politicians don't give a damn about the plight of the common man, I am not sure it was needed. We all know that, don't we?

Why can't the Media, for one week at least, try giving more footage to what ordinary Indians are doing to improve their and others' lot in life? Try it once and see how the populace reacts to it. Sure the politicians will feel rejected and will be up to their dirt-digging tricks again. Just plain ignore them. They are not important. What is important is this country and her people. Do it for them and see how the country responds!

I am rather confused about this recent spate of people going on fast. First it was Anna Hazare. There were some who said that he is a selfless person while some others said that he also has some corruption charges pending against him. So there you go, who should one believe?

Then came Baba Ramdev. From what I read, he had made 5-star arrangements at the venue where he was supposed to fast. Add to that the crores of rupees of his net worth. To be fair to him, I have always been hugely skeptical about these babas, sadhus and maharajs in saffron robes. I neither condone assault on women and children nor am I a fan of the ruling party. But still I think that the government did right by breaking up his little party. If he so badly wanted to demonstrate against corruption, why in the hell didn't he let himself get arrested and then fasted in the prison? Now he is saying, oh so magnanimously, that he forgives the government. What a farce!

Now it seems to be Hazare's turn again! I wouldn't be surprised if this weapon - which Gandhiji so effectively used against the British - loses its potency in the near future. After all, common people like you and me do have a life to live and our own problems to solve. Who has got time to keep track of who is fasting today?

But above all this, there is one question nagging me. Will all this help to root out the corruption that is happening at the level of common man? If not, what is the use of it all?

Wanna adopt a dog?

Dr. Zarin Patel who had been caring for a number of stray and abandoned dogs in Pune passed away recently. She has left behind about 140 dogs. As of now, the dogs are being cared for by an NGO called RESQ and its volunteers are looking for loving homes for them.

For more information and links to photos, visit this page.