Shiney shining no more -- and the media too

Okay, I get it. Bollywood star Shiney Ahuja has been charged with raping his maid. And wife Anupam is saying he's innocent.

What I don't get is how the media is already assuming Ahuja is guilty.

I was shocked to hear a Delhi radio station use the news for a call-in contest.

"Anupam is defending her husband and has forgiven him," the RJ said. "We women keep forgiving our husband's mistakes and defend them. Tell us about when you covered up your husband's mistakes."

Even assuming Ahuja is guilty, the media is more obsessed with the celebrity scandal rather than the rape victim.

Author and blogger Amit Varma spoke to his friends and finds many of them surprised not because Ahuja allegedly raped someone, but because the victim was his maid.

So I guess it would have been less of a surprise for them if Ahuja had raped someone better looking and befitting his status -- a Bollywood actress perhaps.

What do you think?

India Blog Mela - May 2009

Twisted DNA is at the receiver's end.

Silverine is Hindicapped.

Nikhil is dealing in lost soles.

The Daily Tamasha finds multiplex popcorn sellers have gone on strike.

Suchitra is talking about the ying yang balance.

Whatay goes to the UK - Part II.

That's all for now. The June 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the May 2009 Blog Mela.



Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the June 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on July 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com


RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-30 June 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on July 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April

Snapshots from Ahmedabad

Here are photos from my trip to Ahmedabad last week. I keep going to the "city of my birth" every year to drop in on my cousins still living there -- and somehow the place seems hotter each time.

I am used to the summer in New Delhi but the Ahmedabad sun drains you of all energy and all I ever want to do there is lie down and sleep. There's nothing much to do any way -- for all of Modi's achievements being trumpeted, it's still a drab little place where memories of communal tensions abound.

There was little election fever actually -- except posters and Gujarati jingles on the radio. The most striking polling day image was a group of women dancing on the road apparently celebrating 'Akkha Teej'.

And the sweetest memory? A malnourished cat and her newborn kitten sought refuge in our garden. I spent most of my time feeding them milk and curd.

For the record, New Delhi does have its flaws but I wouldn't want to shift anywhere else.

The 2008 trip: A trip to Modi-land

India Blog Mela - April 2009

Sidhu is offering diplomas in shoe flinging.

Silverine thinks her boss needs therapy.

Niranjana is misplacing letters from Indian classics.

HawkEye is an expert on desi mating patterns.

Suvrat Kher has evidence that females entered India before males.



Whatay goes to the UK.

18,000 RPM finds it weird to go shopping in Indian stores in the U.S..

The Purple Cow remembers her Scottish tragedy.

Bikerdude is having Peer Sahib for lunch.

Banno is going through testing times.

That's all for now. The May 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the April 2009 Blog Mela.



Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the May 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on June 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com


RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 May 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on June 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March

Mean Little Kitty

Happy Good Friday!

K: Happy Good Friday, Tony
Me: What?
K: I said Happy Good Friday
Me: Dude, Good Friday is not Happy Good Friday
K: But it's good, right?
Me: Ya, Jesus saved us from sin so it was kinda good for the world. But he was crucified too, remember?
K: But you call it Good Friday. And confuse the heck out of people
Me: Well, it's good because Christians believe Jesus died for people's sins. And when we remember his death more than 2000 years ago, we are inspired to lead better, sin-free lives
K: But he still died. That's a sad thing, isn't it?
Me: Ya, but sometimes good stuff can come from sad things
K: So why isn't Good Friday happy too?
Me: Are you ever happy when people die? The fact that Jesus died is sad but then Christians believe that good came out of it. But people are happy on Easter, when Jesus rose from the dead
K: So you are saying I can wish you Happy Easter but not Happy Good Friday
Me: Exactly
K: Does it offend Christians if I wish them Happy Good Friday
Me: Not really. It sounds weird though. But I guess you took the trouble to remember it's an important day for us, so I should be happy
K: So you can be happy on Good Friday?
Me: Well, not really. I am fasting today and you are eating icecream. How can that make me happy?

(This post was first published on this blog on 'Good Friday' April 7, 2007)

India Blog Mela - March 2009

Ramesh Srivats is giving out the Bhaskars.

Mudra Mehta writes something for Gujjus.

Twisted DNA is having some sick fun.

eM has a quick guide to being fabulous even with a recession on.

Anjali is suffering from ...modesty.

Abodh remembers the strays he knew that passed away.

Neelakantan writes an open letter to Indian IT companies.

Great Bong reveals the new London of 2013 under Boro Didi.

Rituparna Bhowmik finds it hard being fat in an anorexic city.

Krish Ashok is explaining song lyrics with graphs.

That's all for now. The April 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the March 2009 Blog Mela.



Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the April 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on May 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com


RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-30 April 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on May 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January,February

My mom's a serial killer

Well, sort of. She doesn't really kill people. She kills mosquitos.

Each evening, armed with an electronic mosquito-killing racket, she goes from room to room swatting at any flying pest that dares to hover in the vicinity.

Her yellow battery-operated machine looks as mild as a badminton racket but is far more lethal -- several volts of electricity frying any wayward mosquito that dares to penetrate its wire mesh.

Am not really sure if my mom likes eliminating them this way. But there is this hint of a smile, almost a sense of achievement when she hits a Steffi Graf forehand, there's a spark and yet another mosquito bites the dust.

I like dogs and cats and don't really like mosquitos but even so, the sight of their carcasses stuck to the racket mesh gives me no special thrill.

I can't even watch television in peace. Mom swoops in, racket held high in her right hand, her eyes scanning the ceiling and walls for any sitting targets. She makes me get up from the couch so she can spot the enemy better -- and she does, there are always some nibbling away at my ankles.

Rest in peace, poor mosquito. Mom will not rest until she gets you, your children and your children's children all in one grave -- the kitchen dustbin.

"Aren't you scared?" I often ask her. "Think of all their souls in one place, plotting how they can avenge their deaths."

"They can send in reinforcements," says Mom. "I don't care."

And she doesn't. She's a professional killer, trained not to show any trace of emotion.

But I am still worried. What about the animal rights activists? Maneka Gandhi, please don't put my mom in prison. I promise I'll make her mend her ways.

Until then, I'll just put up a sign for all the mosquitos out there 'Don't come in here, please. My mom's gonna kill you'.

India Blog Mela - February 2009

This is about Silverine and her cousin brother Jose.

Ra has a toilet fetish.

Sujatha is hoping for some good news about Phelps soon.

IndieQuill is having breakfast.

Ramesh Srivats is hoping to get a leaner, meaner council of ministers.

Greatbong tells a Valentine Day story.

Anand Ramachandran says young couples are delighted by Muthalik.

Krish Ashok brings you the anatomy of a disastrous Indian vacation.

Jammy gives a girl a fourth free birthday gift.

Toe Knee is suffering from the damnedest cold man ever caught.

That's all for now. The March 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the February 2009 Blog Mela.



Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the March 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on April 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com


RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 March 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on April 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January