My best friend is a Muslim

And I am very sad to say this.

Because I had always thought of her as Nahida, a human being a sterling character and my favorite pillar. It never mattered to me that she was a Muslim.

It still does not. But over the last 20 years, there have been so many riots, blasts, insurgences, Babri masjid tumbling down...things that have somewhere silently frayed the fabric. The first person I always thought of during these riots was Nahida. My heart felt for her and tried to imagine what she must be going through. But while our lives have mirrored each others and we have always slipped into each other's shoes efforlessly, I recently realised that this was one thing I never could do quite the same way. I really could not feel the hurt she must have felt when she could not rent homes, when she worries about Anu. I can only imagine that it must be manytimes fold how I felt when my insurance agent did not believe me recently. And I feel that I have failed my friend.

Games I play

I play some games. Silently by myself.
When I used to walk back home from college in Bellary with the sun beating down my head, I used to play this game...cloud cover the sun. Sometimes there would be no clouds in the sky. I then used to desperately wish if a cloud appears from somewhere then this wish will come true. And most times, a tiny little bit of fluff appeared!! Promise!:))
Then I play this game of toss. I always wish on heads. Most times, heads appear. My wishes themselves may not come true but my mind is immediately calm.

Then I wish on missing items. If I find this. .....Like I lost my Nigerian beaded belt in the Continental flight when I moved from US to Canada. I nevr thougt I would find it. When I was waiting for the truck to arrive at 4815 Bloomburg Drive, and was worrying about dad, I wished I would find it. And I found it in the bag I looked in at least 10 times before.
I wish on the Magic Fortune cookie. And it mostly tells me what I want to hear. Funny isn't it?

I am a proud Indian. ARE YOU?

Sometimes there is this simmering rage inside me. Like now.
When my 'Indian-ness' is questioned by someone entirely un-Indian.
I know this sounds like a take on Sharukh's interview on NDTV.

But my anger had been triggered off from elsewhere. And watching Sharukh on NDTV fuelled it a little more

Just because I live in Canada or US I do not become a non Indian. I still invest in India, have a home in India and uphold the values of a true Indian in the global world. I am India's ambassador out in the world and a darn better one than those who spew communial hatred in India.

Am I a dollar chaser? Are you a rupee chaser? What's the difference? As long as my dollar is going into India and into Indian economy and not the fat greasy palms of the bureaucrat you may be grooming to keep your Indian business running.

To me being an Indian is tolerance, live and let live, and accepting of all cultures and beliefs. To me being an Indian is to appreciate the goodness in others while giving my best. And to treat every individual as a human being before I treat him as a Muslim, Christian, Dalit or Brahmin.

That India is holding its head high today is because of people who had similar values Gandhi, Sai Baba, Narayan Moorthy, Ratan Tata. Who focused on the best in India and the real issues. They are the Indians I relate to.

Not the petty Indian crab who tries pulling you down by deceipt, sarcasm just because he perceives you to be more successful than he. And happier than he.

And therein lies his failure and unhappiness.

I feel like ending this with a Bah!!! And those who know me will know the intensity of my feelings with just that.

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