How the Afghanistan Withdrawal May Have Contributed to US Hesitation in Entering Israel Iran War

The argument that a delay in the US entering a potential Iran war is due to a loss of confidence post-withdrawal from Afghanistan is a compelling one. There are strong arguments supporting this link.

The final days of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, including the chaotic evacuation from Kabul airport were widely criticized. This chaotic imagery, including scenes of desperation and the Abbey Gate attack, led many to question the planning and execution capabilities of the US. The swift Taliban takeover and the perceived abandonment of Afghan allies were seen as a blow to American prestige and credibility on the world stage. Adversaries like Russia, China and Iran viewed this as a sign of US weakness and an emboldening factor for their own actions.

There was also an impact of US withdrawal from Afghanistan on allies. Some allies expressed concerns about the manner of the withdrawal, questioning the reliability of US commitments. This could complicate future coalition operations and affect the willingness of partners to cooperate.

All of this can change if US navigates Iran war successfully.

US entering Israel-Iran conflict, if it were to occur, would likely differ significantly from the Afghanistan experience in terms of its potential duration and nature. There are key differences from Afghanistan that could limit its duration in Iran.

In Afghanistan, the US fought an insurgency (the Taliban) that was deeply embedded in the population, had strong ideological roots, and could melt away and reappear. It was a non-state actor with a diffuse structure. Nation-building was a core, long-term objective. But Iran is a nation with a conventional military. A conflict with Iran would involve conventional military engagements, air superiority, naval operations and targeted strikes. While Iran has proxies, the primary adversary is a state with defined borders and infrastructure.

In Iran, American focus would more likely be on specific objectives like dismantling its nuclear program, deterring regional aggression, or degrading its military capabilities. This limited objective would inherently reduce the scope for a long-term occupation.

Afghanistan's rugged, landlocked mountains aided insurgency, prolonging conventional ops. Iran's diverse terrain - deserts, coasts, and cities - offers varied tactical options allowing for more decisive conventional engagements, unlike Afghanistan.

Post-9/11 mission in Afghanistan evolved from dismantling Al-Qaeda/Taliban to nation-building/counter-insurgency, leading to a two-decade presence. Iran objectives would be narrower: preventing nukes, deterring attacks, ensuring navigation, or responding to provocations.

Bottom line:

A direct, decades-long occupation like Afghanistan is unlikely in an Iran conflict due to fundamental structural and strategic differences. A successful US campaign in the Israel-Iran war could significantly rebuild confidence in American global leadership. Such an outcome could help dispel negative perceptions from the Afghanistan withdrawal and reassure allies of the USA's reliability. Ultimately, the potential benefits of a decisive intervention could outweigh the risks.

- Rahul 

Arguments for Immediate US Intervention in the Israel-Iran Conflict

 

After 6-7 days of Israel-Iran war, recent reports suggest that Iran has achieved significant successes in its conflict with Israel, inflicting considerable damage. There is a perception that the US President is delaying intervention, perhaps to legitimize future actions, while relying on social media statements. 

The establishment of Israel as a separate nation was intended to prevent catastrophic events for the Jewish people. However, in the current conflict, Israel appears to be engaging Iran without direct support from other Western nations. Questions are being raised about the apparent passivity of the United States, United Kingdom, and France, who seem to be observing the war from a distance. 

A strategic concern highlighted is that Israel is constrained from targeting Iranian civilians, as such actions could inadvertently unify the Iranian populace with their government, contrary to the US objective of achieving regime change through popular support. Conversely, Iran is reportedly striking Israeli civilians, possibly due to the perceived ease and cost-effectiveness of such attacks, alongside existing animosity towards Israelis. This situation evokes sympathy for Israeli civilians caught in the conflict. 

Only coordinated intervention with Western backing could bring a swift end to the conflict and save Israeli lives. However, if the American objective is primarily regime change in Iran, a rapid resolution might not align with that goal. The lack of apparent concern for Israeli civilians in this context is deemed unfair. 

The US is using Israel as a proxy, similar to its perceived utilization of Ukraine against Russia, to achieve broader geopolitical objectives. This strategy places Israelis at a similar risk to that faced by Ukrainians. 

The current US President's actions are not significantly different from previous administrations, and he has been preoccupied with social media posturing while Israel faces intense conflict. 

As a bottom-line, for the sake of Israeli people, the United States must join Israel in the war against Iran without further delay. 

- Rahul

 

Reflections on “Gulaal” (2009): A Cinematic Masterpiece

 

I recently watched Gulaal (2009) on the ‘MH One’ TV channel, and I was genuinely stunned by its intricate plot and the thoughtful execution. The film stands out as a rare gem, far removed from the typical lot produced in India. Upon discovering that it was written and directed by Anurag Kashyap, everything made sense—he is a master of his craft, deserving of the highest honours and recognition.

The film lingered in my mind long after it ended. One striking observation was that nearly every character who died seemed to be actively courting their own demise. It’s an eerie pattern worth noting.

The first to fall was Rananjay Singh ‘Ransa’, portrayed brilliantly by Abhimanyu Singh. His performance was so compelling that I looked him up and learned he hails from Sonpur, Bihar. His natural and powerful acting left a lasting impression. Ransa, captured by his envious stepbrother, showed no fear. Instead of pleading for his life, he hurled insults at his armed captor, provoking him until he was shot. It felt as though Ransa invited his own death.

Later, Dukey Banna (played with intensity by Kay Kay Menon) orchestrates the killing of Jadwal, though the film offers no background, making it unclear whether Jadwal’s death was similarly self-inflicted.

Dukey’s elder brother, Prithvi Banna, mentally unstable after their father’s death, spirals out of control. Dukey attempts to shoot him but accidentally kills a dancer instead. Prithvi’s erratic behaviour made his fate seem inevitable.

Toward the end, Dilip, a young student, shoots Dukey Banna. Rather than trying to escape or seek help, Dukey spends his final moments revealing how Dilip’s girlfriend manipulated him to gain political power. It’s as if Dukey chose to spend his last breath enlightening a confused youth rather than saving himself.

Bhati, Dukey’s associate, is later killed by a rival gang. His decision to venture alone into a dark, isolated area is baffling. He could have eliminated Dilip earlier when he was vulnerable. Even Bhati's reaction to being shot—standing still, making no attempt to flee—felt like a silent acceptance of death.

After realizing he was used by Kiran, Dilip tries but fails to shoot her. It’s a tragic moment, reflecting how love can paralyze even in the face of betrayal. Her brother then shoots Dilip, and instead of seeking help, he runs to his empty rented room. That final run felt deeply symbolic—more a journey of heartbreak than a response to injury. It was his homecoming, his pilgrimage, his moment of maturity—tragically timed just before death.

The film’s ending, where the corrupt triumph and the idealists perish, is both ironic and fitting. Gulaal portrays a world where predators roam freely, and some characters, knowingly or not, embrace their fate.

Perhaps when life is lived on one’s own terms, death becomes less a fearsome end and more a threshold to cross.

- Rahul Tiwary

Lone Musketeer

 

On my way to the office, I noticed a young boy, around 8 to 10 years old, standing by the roadside, signaling to passing motorcyclists for a lift. I saw several bikes ahead of me ignore him, so when I approached, I decided to stop. The boy looked at me, seeking confirmation, and I nodded to let him know he could hop on.

But what happened next took me by surprise. Instead of getting on, he walked away and returned with a large sack filled with empty glass bottles—beer bottles, to be precise. It appeared he had been collecting them from the roadside along the highway. I had seen similar bottles scattered on the footpaths, likely left behind by people who drank there at night.

The boy struggled to lift the heavy sack, and I immediately told him that I couldn’t give him a ride with that load. Then I continued on my way.

For a while, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Was he a ragpicker? Or had he just started trying to earn money this way? Maybe he had done this before and was hoping someone would help him again. Or perhaps he was simply a resourceful child, finding creative ways to make a living.

The encounter made me reflect on the reality that we live in a world filled with “parallel lives”—realities that exist around us but often go unnoticed.

- Rahul Tiwary

A Dentist with Agenda

 

31st of May is celebrated as “World No Tobacco Day”. There was a health awareness session in our company that day and they had invited a dentist to speak about how tobacco has bad effect on our teeth and related issues. The dentist was from some Southern states, and she gave a good session on the actual topic, which I ignored since tobacco is not relevant for me. But then the Q&A session happened, and it shocked me.

The general questions related to teeth and dentistry were answered well by her. But after a while I started observing a clear pattern in her answers and suggestions. From her answers it seemed she and an anti-Ayurveda or anti-tradition “agenda”.

There was a question from someone about whether “tooth powders” are also fine. She asked to never use a tooth powder because it is “abrasive” and it can harm our teeth. Really? I don’t know what can harm our teeth more – rubbing our teeth with “plastic” (toothbrush is nothing but plastic) two times a day for 80 whole years; or occasionally giving our gums and teeth a “massage” with tooth powder. I do not use tooth powder regularly, but whenever I have used occasionally, I don’t hate it like she asked us to do. And I don’t think it is abrasive at all.

Later, someone asked what type of toothpaste to use, and she said, “never use anything which has “cloves” in it, because cloves can harm your teeth.” Really? I asked an AI based chatbot and it replied below about cloves and dental health”

Cloves are indeed beneficial for dental health, and their use is backed by both traditional practices and modern research. Here's how they help:

🌿 Key Benefits of Cloves for Teeth and Gums

1.        Pain Relief

Cloves contain eugenol, a natural compound with strong analgesic (pain-relieving) properties. Applying clove oil to a toothache can provide quick relief.

2.        Antibacterial Action

Eugenol also has antimicrobial effects, helping to kill bacteria that cause tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath.

3.        Reduces Inflammation

Clove oil can soothe inflamed gums and is often used to treat conditions like gingivitis and periodontitis.

4.        Freshens Breath

Its antibacterial properties help eliminate odor-causing bacteria, leaving your mouth feeling fresh.

5.        Natural Alternative

Clove oil is a chemical-free option for oral care, often used in DIY remedies like mouthwashes, toothpaste, and gels.

🧪 How to Use Cloves for Oral Health

•          Direct Application: Dab a small amount of clove oil on a cotton ball and apply it to the affected area.

•          Mouthwash: Mix a few drops of clove oil in warm water and rinse.

•          Toothpaste Additive: Add a drop of clove oil to your toothpaste.

•          Clove Tea: Drinking clove-infused tea can also support oral hygiene.

She also advised not to use Ayurvedic toothpastes but use toothpastes like Colgate which means exposing our mouth to chemicals (toothpaste = chemicals), two times a day, for our whole lifespan. I do not use an Ayurvedic toothpaste myself, but I like to twitch toothpastes and sometimes I do use Ayurvedic ones too. I did not like the way she strictly rubbished a whole category of toothpastes.

It clearly felt as if she had an “anti-traditional” agenda; or if she was “sold-out” to commercial pharmaceutical companies. And one problem is that this remained my sole “takeaway” from that session which was supposed to be educational in nature.

- Rahul

A Tale of Two Gloves

Mother had asked me to sort out and throw away some old items from a showcase almirah. I hardened myself and started throwing away whichever items I could, in a big dustbin kept for that purpose. Whichever item felt useless and not collectible for the memory’s sake I just threw it away. After a while, I came across a pair of gloves which belonged to my father. I had some childhood memories associated with it too. It was meant for winter and was made of black leather of good quality, and it had white beautiful furs inside it. Father used to wear it while going to his bank on a motorcycle during the winter months. In childhood, we siblings used to play with it sometimes and were very much fascinated with it. But what was its use now? Hence, I threw it away.

As soon as I threw it away, father came there from some other room and saw it being thrown away. He said, “ye mera hai..” (this is mine). I asked, “par ab iska kya karna hai?” (but what to do with it now?”. Father was a bit taken aback and said, “no, I am not asking to keep it. I just said this is mine.” I remember feeling it a bit, but I was convinced that the old pair of gloves had to be sacrificed. It had no practical utility and there was no need to preserve it till eternity. The matter was forgotten.

I forgot about this incident, until one day while opening one of my almirahs which I do not open often, I came across a pair of my own old gloves.

That pair of gloves was also kept by me for sentimental value. It was a “safety glove” from my first job after engineering. After passing out of my engineering college, I had immediately joined my first job and was posted in a manufacturing plant. It was a new world for me. Whenever I went to visit a site in the plant, I used to wear safety gloves, safety googles and a safety helmet. I remember when I switched my job after two years and I had to leave, on the final day when I returned from plant, I did not know what to do with the gloves. I had left the helmet somewhere, but gloves were not supposed to be used by others and hence I just kept it along with my luggage and departed. That was my first job-switch and that was also the last time I stood on the soil of Chhattisgarh. Sometimes I remember those days fondly now.

As a memento from my first job, I kept those gloves with me somewhere, even when I changed cities and places, and years passed by. But what now?

As soon as I saw my old gloves, I remembered my father’s gloves which I had just thrown away. I felt a sense of guilt which would not go away. My pair of old gloves also did not have any practical value. How could I throw away my father’s gloves but keep mine? I could not have two sets of principles: one for myself and other for my father. Still, the attachment was deep, and I did not really want to throw it away. I had kept it safely for so many years! I knew that the gloves, which were in good shape, also contained some dust particles from the manufacturing plant. It was a time machine which could make me remember those two years of my life.

I spent a few weeks in dilemma, while knowing from the inside that I had to give it away. In order to do justice with my conscience, either I had to get my father’s gloves back, which was impossible since it went out with the trash few weeks ago, or else I had to throw away my own gloves.

Finally, after a few weeks from the day I mercilessly threw away my father’s old lovely gloves, I threw away my own memories-filled gloves too. May be in a few years, this blog post will be the only place both these gloves will find their remembrance.

- Rahul Tiwary

 

A Toy Giraffe and Happy Kids

 

On my way to the office, there's a stretch of road where many nomadic families live in makeshift tent homes along the roadside. They also run shops, mainly selling “toys”. At first, I found it interesting that they had chosen selling “toys” as their business, but after a while it became clear. They have got a little army of their own kids!

I have never cared to scrutinize them, but I see only a few of the men near their shops/tents, perhaps many go out for other vocations. And the women are not seen too, perhaps busy cooking in the backside of their tents. But the children are always jumping around that whole area.

One fine day, I noticed that a man had bought a soft toy “giraffe” from their shop and was trying to put it on his motorbike to carry it home. The “giraffe” was big: like at least two feet tall! I had never seen a giraffe as a toy, and I could never imagine why someone would buy a “giraffe” for a kid. There are all sorts of other popular animals, like elephants, tigers, lions, deer, dogs; all these are popular in the soft toys category. But the man, who was in his late 60s, had bought a giraffe! I remember imagining that a kid was going to be very happy that day, while I passed by.

Another interesting popular thing they are seen selling is “inflatable kiddie pool”. Made of PVC, these can be inflated, and after being filled with water, small kids can sit or play in it. I never saw any such interesting things in my childhood.

Coming back to those nomads. Sometimes I wonder if our world is going in the right direction or wrong. We have people like MS Dhoni or Abhishek Bachchan who got only one kid each, while they can afford to give fabulous lives to a dozen. And on the other hand, we have these nomads and poor people who got no life of their own and their children play in the dirt whole day, but they keep producing children like the world is going to end tomorrow if they don’t. Our Prime Minister wants to make India a developed country A.S.A.P., and our main opposition party wants to do “wealth redistribution” in society. All the while, these poor families keep producing armies of offsprings every year.

Well, I do not have any problem with these kids. They are always nice, and it is always nice to see kids around. It is what they are going to turn out to be after they grow up, worries me. At some level, I think our world would have been a lovely place if kids were going to only play with toy giraffes or inflatable pools. But at some point, they are going to get old and need livelihood and means to contribute to the society. I don’t know how many roadsides they will be able to keep capturing every year, for their tent-houses and toy shops.

I know that in such moments we need to introspect instead of pointing fingers. But at some point, we are going to end both introspecting and finger pointing, and like everything else, we shall vanish in the thin air. At that point, it will not be about what we thought or did, it will be more about what happened or got done by the collective us, while we were around. In the shadow of these thoughts, I find myself feeling more powerless than I ever have before.

- Rahul

A Cat in the Park

 

Life With Background Music

 

During my teenage, once I had noticed that whenever I had a question in my mind which did not have an answer, after a while I would find the answer randomly somewhere out of the blue. I remember myself rationalizing it by thinking that when a question goes unanswered, our subconscious brain keeps searching for answers, and hence spots one when it comes across it.

Some time back, a thought came to my mind that our life would have been better and more interesting if there was ‘background music’ in it; like it happens in the movies. For example, if we were serious, an appropriate background music would be playing around us. It would help us communicate better, since the recipient would understand the context better due to the background music made for the occasion.

A few days ago, while watching a movie on TV, suddenly a dialogue appeared. A character said, “You know what? There is music in life too! It is just that not everyone can hear it!”

The depth in the dialogue stunned me. What if our world really has background music in it; but the problem is that we can’t hear it? And what if there are people who ‘can’ hear it? For example, someone said something to us, and we understood it only on its face value. But there is another person, let us say very wise and experienced, and that person could not only listen to the person but also the ‘music’; and hence got the context better?

I know this is an imaginary thought, but philosophically, the thought is magnificent.

If everyone really understood everyone else, perhaps there would be lesser conflicts and heartburns. Or maybe if everyone really understood everyone else, there would be anarchy everywhere, because at times it is better if we do not understand things too. Whatever the end results, I won’t mind a little music in life. And an ability to listen to it too.  

- Rahul Tiwary

A Little Homeless Girl

 

On my way to office, there is a portion of road besides which some homeless people live by having made a make-shift tent-house and they sell a host of items (mainly toys) to the passersby. As rains have started, today while I was passing by, I noticed half a dozen kids of around 6-7 years of age making a loud sales pitch and selling “mudguards” for motorcycles. As I ignored them and passed by, suddenly a scene captured my attention.

There was a small girl of about 6-7 who had collected a big dusty blanket on her head and she was shouting in anger. It seemed as if someone from her family had asked her to gather the blanket but had not told her where to keep it; and as she had already gathered the heavy blanket over her head, she was shouting and asking where to keep it, as she did not have the energy to keep it on ground and to pick it up again after figuring it out. This idea that such a homeless poor little girl would also shout in anger at her parents startled me a bit.

It is a whole different topic about why kids shout angrily at their parents; but the poor little girl doing the same thing in a way comforted me that she was having a normal childhood, and all was not lost. Of course, she was able to do it only if her parents had given her the right to do so, meaning she was loved by them and well taken care of. This is hardly a conclusion which could be made merely by going through the scene, but I am convinced that it is what it is.

- Rahul

 

Songs: Vishal Mishra Non-Stop Hit Songs

 

A Mother Between a Fight

 

On the way back from office, at a particular point on the roadside, I sensed there was a scuffle going on. Or it was a fight about to break out between some people. When I crossed the scene, I noticed that two auto-rickshaws had stopped and a tall dark guy in his late 20s was having a scuffle with someone, while two women were also standing by and then one of the women tried to stop and calm down the boy. From the way they were dressed, they all looked uneducated. The boy got agitated by her interruption and angrily shouted at her. It seemed she was his mother and she was stopping him from getting into physical fight with an auto-rickshaw driver.

I have read this ‘feminist’ claim many times that if women ruled the world, there won’t be any wars. While history tells a very different story, I think this claim is just another feminist propaganda made with a singular motive in mind. What I think a valid statement could be is to say that there won’t be any wars if “mothers” ruled the world. Not all women have got the mindset or character to think like a mother. Mothers, because of their God-like act of giving birth to a child, have a natural tendency to “preserve” and are naturally “anti-destruction”. One who constructs can’t be naturally inclined towards destruction. This is why; the role of “creator” is marked with a different god than the “destroyer” in Hindu Trinity (three aspects of God/Paramatman). If mothers had the power to influence events, at local or global level, it is logical to believe there won’t be any fighting, war or destructions.

Bogged down by deliberate and mindless wars, our world desperately needs everyone to think from the eyes of a mother.

- Rahul Tiwary

Cyber Fraud in the name of CCAvenue and Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan

 

I have been to Shirdi Saibaba Mandir for few times. I tried to visit recently again, and it led to a near-miss with a cyber fraud attempt.

Since I wanted to travel alone, I booked a bus ticket to Shirdi online. The bus operator’s online booking website mentioned about the terms and conditions, and they suggested to book VIP Passes in order to finish the darshan fast. In my past travels, I had always gone through the regular route, hence I thought of trying the VIP Pass this time. Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan has a website through which I booked VIP Pass for Rs 200. The next day, I got a call from the bus operator who told me that they have cancelled the trip and returning my booking amount since they have not found enough bookings for the day. Since I was not traveling now, I thought to cancel my VIP Pass too. I went to the same website and cancelled my VIP Pass booking. The website displayed a message saying they have cancelled the pass but won’t be returning any money since it was non-refundable. It sounded weird given that the temple is one of the richest in the world, but since there was no option, I decided to accept it.

Several weeks since the mentioned episode, I got a phone call from a caller who introduced himself from ‘CCAvenue’, which I knew was a company running payment gateway. He said that I had booked an online aarti and puja at Saibaba temple, but the booking amount had got refunded to my bank account by mistake and I needed to return the money back to the company. The guy who was calling was an educated guy speaking in good English and he was well versed with the technicalities. I told him that as per my knowledge no money was refunded to me as per the policy of the booking website. But he insisted that the money was refunded by mistake to my account. He said, “otherwise, how would I know about your booking”? I replied, “because these days, each bank or financial transaction as well as KYC document is being sold to frauds in our country”. The guy’s voice saw only a small dip and he started arguing with me that it was my moral duty to return the money to the institution. He asked for permission to send me an email with details of how to transfer the money to his company. I told him in reply that first I would verify my bank statement to confirm whether I got any money refunded or not, and then I would decide on the next action. He said it was fine, and he would call me later again.

First thing I did was to report and block his number. Then I checked my bank statement online and found that no such refund had ever taken place after the VIP pass booking date. The guy was clearly a cyber fraud.

While I got saved since I did not trust the random guy calling me, not everyone is as lucky. As our economy is becoming more and more digital by the day, frauds of many kinds are also increasing. Most of the victims remain silent and most of the crimes never get reported. A few cases we hear about are only a tip of the iceberg. Government and public regulators are totally ineffective and inadequate in stopping the flood of these crimes, and the final responsibility falls on our shoulders. Many times, it feels that the non-digital world was safer, but in true sense, it was not safe too; just the modes of crime were different. I don’t know how many years it will take for the government and regulators to get a grip on the situation, but currently, it feels like we can be safe only by taking extreme precautions at our individual level.  

- Rahul  

A Little Lizard Story

 

One fine day, when I opened the main door of my flat, suddenly a little house lizard entered in. In my hometown, house lizards are a common scene, but in a residential flat in a big city, I never had a lizard around. Seeing the lizard get in, the first thought that came to my mind was, “what is she going to eat (since there are no insects in the flat)?” Panicking, I knew each moment was important, hence I rushed and brought in a broom with which I tried to guide the lizard out of the door. The lizard was trying to hide behind some objects, but she saw the open door and hence went out. I immediately closed the door. The whole thing happened within a few seconds, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

After I settled in, the thought returned to my mind that my first reaction seeing a lizard in the house was not to rush it out but a worry about what the lizard would eat? The lizard was sure to be starved if she stayed in, and hence I had to send her out before she hid. This little worry about the lizard made me understand my struggles with empathy.

A little amused, I once again opened the main door and this time, there was no lizard around. Once again, a sigh of relief.

- Rahul    

Sweet Dreams (2025): Why Should Dreams Not Be Realised?

I happened to watch ‘Sweet Dreams’ (2025 film) starring Mithila Palkar and Amol Parashar. I chose to watch it since I am a fan of both. The story clearly seemed to be ripped-off from some Hollywood movies, which is totally okay since every Indian movie, no matter how much resembles any international movie, always feels distinct, and better. What really disturbed me was the ending.

Both Mithila Palkar and Amol Parashar are unique and special, and it is really wonderful that they were made a pair in this film. Mithila Palkar appears as Mithila Palkar in every movie and yet has a mix of mystery, familiarity, and genuineness which makes the viewer want to watch her performances every time. Amol Parashar is such a natural actor that we can say that he was “born to act” (btw, he did B.Tech. from IIT Delhi before quitting his job to enter acting). He brings grace and dignity to every role he does. With such an amazing cast, the movie could have done wonders if the makers did not fall for the cliches.

The first thing I did not like was the “setup”. Dia (played by Mithila) was living with a guy without marriage and Kenny (played by Amol) was a serial dater who was so desperately looking for a girlfriend (or wife) after getting dumped by his ex, as if sky was to fall if he had to live alone any longer. We could understand his emergency if he was an old guy reaching expiry date for marriage, or an orphan who had no chance of getting a wife until he fished her out of a river. This whole setup reminded me of recent horrific murder case of a Mumbai gurl by her live-in partner. The movie makers thought that just because the film had to be released on OTT, they had to provide the right (immoral) setup, which was ridiculous.

Secondly, the movie lacked side stories and ran straight from one pillar to the other like a documentary. Songs were good but felt wasted when the makers did not even try to make the best out of this film.

The worst thing I liked about the movie was its ending. These days, it has become cliché to leave the stories “open ended”. No matter how much “open” the ends are, we can clearly see which ways the ends can go. So, why take the trouble? In this film, the writers forced Kenny (Amol) to leave Dia (Mithila) and go for Roop; another girl who was clearly very interested in Kenny without any reason. The movie did not explain why Roop was after Kenny as if he was her last chance of redemption. Whenever Roop looked at Kenny, it seemed she was both melting and burning from the inside. She so desperately wanted Kenny as if there was no other boy in the entire world. And she was so determined not to be seen desperate, that she appeared doubly desperate; and it was so insulting (for her). Kenny clearly did not like her, did not love her; all he needed was a friend, but he was getting a wife instead of a friend. It felt so unfair.

Despite tolerating whole movie and eagerly waiting for the climax, when the end finally arrived, it turned out to be anti-climax. It did not make any sense why Kenny and Dia decided to part ways with each other, just because they had got other options. Kenny was clearly feeling too sorry for Roop and hence he was looking for an escape; on the other hand Dia was just showing her lack of confidence and determination like she was showing all through the movie. After trying so hard to find each other, these two people had finally found each other, but then they started talking about unimportant things as if they were totally confused. It almost felt as if they had become content with the process to reach the goal and forgot why they were trying so hard all through.

If the movie makers had just played straight and united Kenny and Dia in the end, I won’t be feeling so upset and blaming the film so much. And Kenny and Dia would be living together, happily ever after. Now that the movie makers totally destroyed their friendship, their only hope is to find each other again, in dreams. Dreams are not so bad after all.

- Rahul

Travelogue: Blue Ridge, Hinjawadi, Pune

 

Travelogue: Ryewood Park, Lonavala, Maharashtra, Bharat

 

Travelogue: Lonavala Railway Station, Lonavala, Maharashtra, Bharat

 

Travelogue: Some Pictures from Lonavala, Maharashtra

 

Travelogue: Public Statues in Lonavala, Maharashtra

 

Travelogue: Sunil's Celebrity Wax Museum, Lonavala, Maharashtra, India

 

Travelogue: Hotel Ara Grand Sagun Banquet Hall, Ara, Bihar

 

Travelogue: Royal Mansion Banquet Hall, P&T Chowk, Goshala Road, Muzaffarpur, Bihar

 

Travelogue: Hyderabad Airport (RGIA), Telangana, India

 

Nature: Trees with yellow flowers in office

 

- Rahul 

Travelogue: Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue, Malavli, Maharashtra

 

- Rahul 

Travelogue: Bhaje Caves, Near Malavli, Maharashtra

 

"Sir, Abhi Naya Hun", and the Future of Quick Commerce

I am sure we all have faced many types of problems with quick-commerce deliveries and the most annoying problem happens when the delivery person is not able to navigate to the location despite guidance over phone. I have had many instances which put me at wit's end. Once we had to travel in the morning and my wife was doing packing all evening and also into the night, and I said I would order food from my favorite restaurant at Swiggy where my past experiences were great. The delivery guy left the restaurant and took very long time to reach my address and finally brought cold food in a packaging which was totally un-marked with any brands of either the restaurant or Swiggy. I was furious, but now I don't remember if I complained to the customer care or not. 

Last month, I faced a similar annoying delivery boy who took ages to reach my place. He called me 3-4 times to ask for the way while he was showing just 3 minutes away from my place. I tried to cancel the order but since the delivery was out, the platform did not allow me to cancel. I decided to wait till I get the package before I make a complaint. He finally arrived an hour late after multiple phone calls. When he handed me the carry-bag and turned to go back, after a moment he turned and came back to me and said, "Sir, Abhi Naya Bharti Hua Na, To Samajh Nahi Aya, Late Ho Gaya". I was touched and my anger vanished instantly. I even felt guilty of planning to raise a complaint, and I decided to forget the incident. 

Although I do not always feel guilty in such cases where the blame lies on the other person, but I have forgiven these delivery guys for their poor service as a rule. After some experiences, I had realized that these guys are many times new recruits with little training or experience, and many would be from nearby villages, working in a big city for the first time. Many of them are not used to the technology too and also not aware of the localities they have to travel to. Hence, as a practice I try to forgive and move on. 

I have never seen any food delivery company claiming to be excellent in delivery experience, but I am sure there is a hidden mess within their services. Their poor services are hidden behind the shiny colorful brand logos and tiny tapes binding the food packages to keep those intact. Quick commerce is not new by now and we have been using it for years, and it is a miracle that their processes and service still feel like in "year one". A major reason for this would be huge churning of delivery talent, as this job does not provide them with a stable and sustainable career. Over last couple of years I have seen many students and young men into delivering items in the evening, as a part-time job for a couple of hours to fund their expenses. We also see a few women who are working as delivery personnel. If we think of how these people are trying to earn their livelihood, 20 rupees at a time, it is something worth empathizing with. May be just like we collect some of the bad experiences into our memory with time, these delivery people are also collecting their own bad memories. All customers are not well behaved and do not always forgive. Many customers are rude, and they shout and treat them badly too. Therefore, whenever possible for us, we customers can choose to forgive and forget too, for the sake of our overall society. 

These days I am trying to avoid or order less from the quick commerce, and it is a constant struggle. But over last couple of days I have noticed a strange pattern. While handing over the items, the delivery boys who are of younger age, are trying to look inside the house, as if trying to ascertain the wealth, and it felt scary. This has prompted me to take my "avoid quick commerce" and "walk to the shops" initiative more seriously. Only time can tell how successful I am, but sometimes this whole quick commerce model feels so inconvenient for both the customers and the delivery guys both. We can ignore convenience even if it goes against our natural "habit formation", but when it comes to "risks", it is an entirely different thing. 

I think the final word has not been said yet in the success or failure of the quick commerce model. But is it really necessary to push an unsustainable, unhealthy, bad for the environment, stressful and many times inconvenient and risky adventure into making it "the next big thing"? 

- Rahul Tiwary 

Nature: Tree with yellow flowers in India

 

Valentine's Day 2025: Five Love Quotes from Sawla Sitara by Anumita Sharma

Love is around the corner, as they say, since Valentine's Day has come. While you get prepared for the ‘V-day’, here are some interesting ‘love quotes’ from recently launched ‘Sawla Sitara’, a Hindi romance-novel by author Anumita Sharma. You can read more about the book on my blog here. 

Amazing ‘Love Quotes’ from Anumita Sharma in Sawla Sitara (2025):

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“अगर दुःख एक साथ नहीं झेला तो प्यार का क्या मतलब है?” - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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“केवल प्रेम ही संचित दर्द से मुक्ति दे सकता है।” - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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“प्यार लेना नहीं बल्कि देना है। अंत में प्यार के बदले हमेशा प्यार मिलता है।” - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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“क्या यह अजीब नहीं है कि हम सभी, जो जीवन के इस सागर में बह रहे हैं, यह मानते हैं कि हम भविष्य में तट पर पहुँच जायेंगे?” - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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“लेकिन क्या सभी लड़कियाँ दुष्ट प्रभावों से आकर्षित नहीं होतीं?” - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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Let us know how do you like these quotes? And if you find these interesting, search for the book on popular online book selling sites like Amazon and Padhega India, and get your own copy now! 

- Rahul   

Book Review: साँवला सितारा (लेखिका - अनुमिता शर्मा)

 

'साँवला सितारा' हाल ही में प्रकाशित एक 'रोमांटिक उपन्यास' है जिसे अनुमिता शर्मा ने लिखा है। यह हिंदी उपन्यास अंजुमन प्रकाशन द्वारा पाठकों के लिए उपलब्ध कराया गया है और ऑनलाइन पोर्टल्स पर पसंद किया जा रहा है। एक बेहद सुन्दर कवर के साथ प्रकाशित यह पुस्तक 'जेन-ज़ी' को खासकर अपील करती है और 'वैलेंटाइन डे' के उपलक्ष में अत्यधिक प्रासंगिक है।

अगर आपने लेखिका अनुमिता शर्मा की अन्य पुस्तकें पढ़ी हैं तो आप उनके पूर्णतावादी (पर्फेक्शनलिस्ट), कल्पनाशील (इमैजिनेटिव), अनूठे (यूनिक) और सशक्त (पावरफुल) लेखन से परिचित होंगे। वे वर्त्तमान समय के उन महानतम लेखकों में शामिल हैं जिन्हे समाज अभी भी जानने की प्रक्रिया में है और जिनकी प्रतिभा को उचित पहचान मिलना शेष है। उनकी रचनाएँ वास्तविकता और अलौकिकता की सीमाओं से परे, भावनाओं और प्रेक्षणों के एक अद्भुत संसार का सृजन करती हैं। लेखिका भाषा पर सटीक पकड़ और अपनी एक अनूठी अवलोकन शक्ति के सहारे लिखी हुई रचनाओं से पाठकों को निरंतर आश्चर्यचकित करती हैं।

'साँवला सितारा' विषयवस्तु में एक 'रोमांटिक उपन्यास' ही है और आजकल युवावर्ग में लोकप्रिय हो रहे मास-सेलिंग रोमांटिक नोवेल्स के दौर में, जहाँ अधिकांशतः अंग्रेजी नोवेल्स का बोलबाला है, अपनी पहचान बनाने योग्य है।

मैं लेखिका की अवलोकन शक्ति का बहुत बड़ा प्रशंसक हूँ और यहाँ इस उपन्यास से चुने हुए अपने पसंदीदा कुछ उद्धरण पेश कर रहा हूँ।

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"उसने लाल पगड़ी और क्रीम कलर की शेरवानी पहनी थी, मगर उसके ज़र्द चेहरे पर अजीबोगरीब भाव थे, जैसे वह उस उन्मादित सैलाब के हर कोने से किसी आपदा की उम्मीद कर रहा हो, लेकिन अगर वह किसी तरह अपने स्थान पर चिपका रहा, तो वह खतरनाक समय बीत जायेगा।" - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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"यही फ़र्क़ है शादी करने और प्यार करने में।" मैंने अजीब सी आवाज में कहा, जो मेरी अपनी नहीं थी, और मेरी आखों में आँसू आ गये। - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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"सूरज गोधूलि की चाँद की तरह लग रहा था। दूर आसमान से पक्षियों और मवेशियों की आवाजें आ रही थीं। बादलों के मध्य से निकलता सर्दी का शांतिपूर्ण प्रकाश मेरे साथ चल रहा था। मैं जंगली फूलों, पौधों, घास और मेरे कपड़ों में उलझे कोहरे के इत्र को सूंघ सकती थी।" - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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"हाँ", मैंने निराश होकर उत्तर दिया। बाहर का फलता-फूलता अँधेरा भीतर फैल गया और अंदर की बेसुरी धुन में मिल गया। कटलरी का शोर, संगीत के बीच का ठहराव, सन्नाटे को भरने की असफल कोशिश कर रहे थे। इस दौरान मैंने हैरानी से उसके मक्खन जैसे सफ़ेद और चमकदार चेहरे को बारी-बारी से पिघलते और लौटते देखा। वह चेहरा किसी मरे हुए आदमी जैसा था।

"देर हो रही है। मुझे जाना है। मैंने बिल दे दिया है।" और वह उठकर चला गया। ऐसे ही।

उसका उग्र व्यक्तित्व आँधी की तरह निकल गया। मुझे लगा जैसे उसने मुझे शारीरिक चोट पहुँचायी हो। - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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"मैंने एक टिश्यू उठाया और अपने होठों पर ऐसे फिराया, जैसे कि मैं उन शब्दों को मिटा सकती हूँ, जो मैं बोलने वाली थी।" - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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"वह ऐसा व्यक्ति लगता जो हर चीज से ख़फ़ा था। मैंने सोचा, उसके पास एक मौलिकता थी।" - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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"समय-समय पर वह मुझे हैरान कर देता था जैसे कि वह एक रहस्य को सुलझाने की कोशिश कर रहा था या मैं कोई समझ से बाहर चुड़ैल थी और उसे नहीं पता था कि मेरे बारे में क्या करना है।" - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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"चोट बारह इंच गहरी होनी चाहिए।" - अनुमिता शर्मा, साँवला सितारा

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यदि आप रोमांटिक उपन्यास शैली को पसंद करते हैं तो आप 'साँवला सितारा' जरूर पढ़ें।

- राहुल

Travelogue: Lonavala

 

- Rahul 

Travelogue: Pune Metro Rail

 

Travelogue: Chhatrapati Shivaji Memorial in a Public Park at Lonavala

 

- Rahul 

Thoughts: Making India Europe Again

A neighbor shared a picture of a housing society in his WhatsApp status, and it was surprising how European it was looking. I have been to Europe and this building looked like a modern European building in all aspects. It reminded me of how Indian builders love to give their projects a European sounding name. A large percentage of housing societies in India have English or French names these days. Even schools have such sounding names. Pretending to be European has become gold-standard in modern India. And it is so sad. 

While visiting places, I notice the housing and architecture of the buildings and the speed at which our places are becoming bland and standard, is sad. At my hometown, at some distance from our home, someone has made a four storey building and each corner of the roof has a Hindu temple like structure. The peaks are painted in gold and the while rest of the building looks pretty standard, roof has been made to resemble part of some Hindu temple or Indian palace. I really liked it. 

It is not difficult to make buildings and housing societies on the theme of Indian palaces (Raj mahals), forts or temples. It depends on how much efforts go towards which motive. It seems that currently, our entire nation’s building and construction professionals are trying hard to make India “Europe again”. If they spent similar efforts in making India “Bharat again”, we would be seeing more beautiful native landmarks we could be proud of. 

I have seen the Legislative House in Bengaluru, which looks like a palace, and also read the inspiration behind it. It is designed in neo-Dravidian architectural style and includes elements of from various dynasties such as Chalukyas, Hoysalas and Vijayanagara. It is a wonderful building and it is Indian. 

I hope people of our country stop this weird madness of trying to make India look like Europe again and give attention to our native architectural styles and use their creativity to make us all proud of ourselves. 

- Rahul 

Life: Simple Honesty

During my last job, I had kept a picture in my Microsoft Office profile, which was about 6 years old. I kept the same picture after I joined my current job and one day I noticed it and felt that I needed to update my profile picture. I tried to take few selfies and realized a magical fact that our photographs turn out to be worse along with time. After struggling to take a good enough selfie, and selfie was a bad idea for a formal looking picture anyway, one fine morning I just took few selfies after taking a bath and wearing my favorite tshirt, and I felt it was good enough. I resized it to make it smaller, cropped it, blurred it just enough, and uploaded it on my MS Office profile picture. 

My colleages immediately took note of it and spoke about it in the team meeting. I told them that my earlier picture was about 6 years old and hence I changed it. They seemed to like the new picture. During another call, my manager joined and other team members told him about my new profile picture and he mentioned a few words trying to be polite and happy, but including something like “at least some of us are getting old”. From that, I realized that I was looking older in this new picture; and it was completely fine for me since I was indeed getting older with time and there is nothing wrong in it. I remembered one manager from one of my previous jobs and she had loaded her college picture in her profile picture and never updated it despite completing 10 years on the job; and she said her inspiration was to keep looking like her college picture! Did she actually look like her 10-year-old picture?  In her 10-year-old picture, she was laughing cheerfully like young people do, and perhaps the picture was cropped from a large group photograph from her college days. Everyone is happy in college days, even the bad people. In her current age, she was not really like her old days, but who was going to tell her that?  

Coming back to my story; I was aware that the picture was not very good, and I was fine with it. Then one day while talking to my niece who was looking at how I was working on my laptop, she noticed my profile picture and said, “this is bad”. I was taken aback for a moment with her blunt honesty, but since she was right about it and I am not too touchy about my looks anyway, I just took it as honest feedback. I am planning to change my profile picture now. 

End of the story is that I was touched with my niece’s raw honesty. 

There is something very good about “simple honesty”. 

- Rahul 

New Year Resolutions

Over last few years, I have tried to think of “new year resolutions”, and as it typically happens, not much of those have been achieved as exactly planned. Last to last year, I wanted to start my old habit of reading again and I indeed did well in that year. Last year I wanted to improve upon it and totally failed. I would like to catch up again and I need to finish all the books I have already purchased over the past. 

Last year in 2024, I also wanted to catch up with my old practice of visiting temples and although I totally forgot about this resolution later, I think I did well on this account during the year. 

I also planned to post at least 100 blog posts in the year, and I indeed have posted exactly 100 posts during year 2024. I wanted to stop traveling much, and I have done drastically bad on this goal, and thank God for that. All through the year, I have travelled, and I loved it. 

For 2025, I want to keep up with my habits of reading, writing and visiting places – few things I love. Apart from that, my major focus will be to bring routine to my daily life, with disciplined eating and taking care of health. 

These days, I am trying to reduce my carbon footprint and to keep old world alive away from modern humdrum as much as possible. I have realized how modern lifestyle and modern businesses are destroying our nation’s health and wealth both, and we are largely unaware of it. When I visit smaller places, I realize how life there is still saner as compared to the cities. While returning to the old world may not be possible, to the extent possible, we can still “resist” the mad rush of soulless modern world. I would like to continue these explorations during this year too. 

- Rahul 

Happy New Year 2025

 

- Rahul