Dandruffed

Switching on the TV confirmed my apprehension about the fate of the rape victim, particularly after the discouraging news about her health which were rife a day before. A melange of emotions was what I experienced – sad for her and all other victims like her, hopeless with our system, angry with our demented political class, contempt towards the despicable mind-set... Our intellectual class thronged the news channels and kept on rotating from one studio to another. They indulged in giving platitudes over women empowerment and rape prevention while shedding their tears on this tragedy. Our inconsequential faces of government appeared one by one with their solidarity speeches – sick of those banalities! Bunch of hypocrites they are, and I will tell you why… Look a few days down the line… AP Congress leader’s callous remark faulting the victim for being outside in night, president’s brat’s “dent and paint” comment, left leader’s obscene comment on lady chief of TMC – each...

How often have you met the class of people who have an extreme level of self-esteem? Under normal circumstances, you would say – very often. The class of the people assume an air of unbridled self-pride and condescension and are popularly assessed as “assholes” or more euphemistically, egoists. They butcher team-spirit, ramrod their will through you and make you to experience a dwarfed stature of your own.  In short, they get on your nerves! Often, they hold an over-inflated pride in their potentials and achievements. So over-inflated, that criticisms or even minor feedbacks can unpack a great level of aggression among them.  The explanation for this observation lies in the fact that they perceive those innocuous feedbacks as a threat to their self-image, their ego. In your work environment they can be looked upon as a ticking bomb, even a manager would handle with care. Do anything, but don’t trifle with their ego! In most of the cases the aforesaid c...

While on my return from office, the foggy streets had a different color. The street lights, with their yellow light all scattered, expressed their inability to do their job. Traffic was in a funny bewilderment with honks and blinking indicators, supplicating each other to rely fully on common sense. The street dogs wailed for their little ones were subjected to the natural selection. I switched on the TV. Somebody was on air. But his voice was as bleak as the hoary white patch of his beard. His dull and dreary words were scattered by the monotone of his insensitive voice. And his cold mien was inviting a dense suspension of fog on his intent. The few words which he spoke became clear after the news channel started throwing them repeatedly on TV screen. And they were plane, grey and lifeless. Next morning there was more fog, more bewilderment and zero transparency. A common man was in complete disconnect with his genuine demands. Street dogs had been tired of waili...

My head is full of dandruff. They itch a lot. As I tried to write something, I felt an acute urge to scratch. And when I scratched, flakes of my dead skin scattered on my laptop keys. No matter what oil I use, no matter how frequently I shampoo, they always return. Situation worsened when one day my nails overdid it – red dandruff, have you ever seen it? And no need to say – hair loss. Dermatologist or home remedy of eggs and lime? Getting bald or special spa therapy? Choices are many. But a research on dandruff says that the males are more susceptible to dandruff because of their hormones.  So there I doubt the efficacy of the treatments.  They can deter it for a while, but dandruff is bound to come back. Because you know…male hormones. Never have I seen something as capable of producing a recalcitrant outcome as male hormones. One of its extreme outcomes is rape. A lone girl is on a lane and a loony male happens to be a coward. He rapes her, probably kills he...