A not so uncommon sight on long-distance trains are the Eunuchs literally extorting money from the passengers, their specific target being youngsters. In case of beggars, people just shoo them away but that is not the case with eunuchs. They have to be paid and not just Rs.1-2. They need a minimum of 10 rupees. If you are not willing to spare that then you might well get a kiss from them. To avoid such embarrassment, you better give in to their requests(rather threats).

On my last trip, one of the passengers who was with me in the next seat, started babbling at the very sight of eunuchs.
"The train authorities should be doing something about these eunuchs",
"I think even they are abbeting this extortion",
"These eunuchs are getting money for free"
and above all he started doing some calculation as to how much they might be earning in a day.

If the eunuchs had the same opportunity that others have, their state wouldn't have been that of today. Had there been no discrimination against them in any field they wouldn't have to resort to the things they are doing now. Actually, we are the ones who are responsible for leaving them in such a crippled state and so we have no right to grumble when we have to give them some money. Begging or extorting is not the way they should be going around living their life and that we shoudln't be encouraging that way of life. We shouldnt be gushing about they extorting money; on the other hand, we should be emotive about the perception of eunuchs in the society. We should aim at changing the outlook towards eunuchs and the task would be more difficult than forcing people to accept gay marriages.

On one of my trips to Pune on the Ahimsa Express from Ahmedabad, there were only two people sitting on a three-seater bench and I was one of them. So there was a seat vacant near me. There was a bunch of eunuchs standing next to me. They had completed their rounds and were counting their money. One of them was talking on a cellular phone and they were speaking tamil. I happened to know a bit of tamil which helped me in deciphering what they were talking. One of them wanted to sit on the vacant seat next to me. Just then, another one from them muttered that you will scaring that boy if you sit next to him, so better stand.

That incident painted a picture of the way eunuchs look upon themselves. They themselves have accepted the way people treat them and even though they know they don't want to frighten somebody, it is etched in their minds that they look frightening. That underlines the fact that granting them equal rights and envisioning a society with no distinction towards eunuchs is all the more difficult, if not near impossible.

What should I do the next time a eunuch asks me money? Should I be apathetic and give in to them resigning to the conclusion that one person alone cannot bring any difference to them or try to explain to them seemingly crazy to the outside world. Hmmm...

Posted by Anish at 3:08 AM | Permalink | Comments

Recently, came across a site where u just have to click once to enter it. That would be the last time u will be clicking it. Check it out.

Posted by Anish at 3:41 AM | Permalink | Comments

His experiences have left him high and dry. He started off as a fresher in a software company, allocated to one of the R&D projects, a prestigious position to be. Then he had to fly abroad, the reason-gaining more insight into the project, the trip being for three months. But there was an issue, the whole team had to come back after 20 days, extend the visa and then go back again for about 2 months. Unfortunately or foolishly, whichever way you perceive, he(rather his whole team) did not travel to any place in the foreign land. It was just work, work and work. If you think they were too sincere, then wait. They had prepared a whole itinerary, which did not leave out any corner of the country, for their second visit . But plans are made to go wrong. By the time they reached home, the whole project was scrapped, reason-infeasible. The decision was taken when he was flying home. This is what is called as deciding on the fly. So it was a situation of been there, done nothing. This was just the beginning of his series of unfortunate events.

The next project to which he was allotted had a US client. All dream about going to the US, he was no less different. He applied for a visa and even got one. Three days before the travel, he is called for a meeting. Travel briefings are usual before the trip. But this meeting was no where near a travel briefing. The first statement is-'Your trip is cancelled'. He hadnt regained his senses completely than the next shot is fired. Your module is scrapped, the reason- the client can no longer afford the functionality so has decided against it. He hadnt imagined this in his worst nightmares. The cancellation of the trip was disappointing but more disappointing was the futility of the work he had done for the past six months. Now he had start afresh with a new module. His desperation and frustation levels had sky-rockted by now.

Now he is in the same project but a new module. Forunately or unfortunately, he is to go to US, this time for the new module. History repeats; there is a meeting three days before the trip, this time its a high level one, involving the whole team. If the earlier meeting was the worst, this one was way beyond comparison. The client was termed a defaulter and business was terminated and the whole development team dissolved.

If at all the company takes notice of his unusual ability of scrapping projects, he would dispatched immediately to its competitors. Now, he is allotted to a project which has been one of the most profitable clients of the company. But if his black magic works one more time, then he will not only be scrapping the project but will cause the death knell for the company as well. This is a caveat for his colleagues(including me).

Posted by Anish at 3:50 AM | Permalink | Comments

It was 2 at night and raining very heavily. We(myself and my friend,who was driving his bike) were returning after catching the premiere show of Sarkar, a movie inspired by The Godfather. We had reached his house and from his house it was almost 4km, if not more, to mine. So that would mean a distance of more than 8km if he were to drop me home and return.

Till his house from the cinema, we were reminiscing the moments of the film, some brutal, some dramatic. This was not the first time we were returning at 2 in the night, but because of this movie, I think, the ride back home through dark and deserted alleys did feel eerie.

At his house, we waved to a rickshaw who stopped a good 20 yards ahead with the rickshaw driver waving his hands towards us. When we reached him, he gave us a good look and reasoned that at this time of the night you only find dacoits,gundas or drunkards.

I was half way through in the rickshaw when my cell phone started to vibrate(I had changed the mode to vibration to avoid disturbance while in the cinema and had forgot to revert back). With the vibration sound, I hurriedly started tracing my phone in my pockets. Hearing that, the rickshaw driver shouted at me "What's goin on?" with an expression really frightening. On the phone was my friend. The driver was more interested in what I was talking rather than driving. My friend just wanted to check up on me as to how the driver was. I exercised utmost caution in what I was saying giving the impression to the driver that I was talking on a subject which had no relation to him. I desperately wanted to reach my colony, where I could find some security guards outside the gate.

Finally, we reached the colony gate. Mostly all would take the cab till the apartment. I just wanted to get rid of him in presence of the security guards. While he was leaving, he called me and uttered,"I am returning from the cinema after watching Sarkar. I think its the effect of the movie, I am characterizing every person to be a gunda. So I was behaving like an eccentric". With this, he left.

I immediately called up my friend to tell about the incident where both were frightened by each other, just because the movie had changed the way we perceived situations. Although this effect was short-lived, very short-lived, but surely its presence did not give a very comfortable feeling.

Posted by Anish at 4:52 AM | Permalink | Comments

Some of my friends have been to Taiwan and some others are due to go. One thing which I would advice them to try out is eating out of toilets. Check this out for the full story.

Posted by Anish at 3:53 AM | Permalink | Comments

Some of my friends have been to Taiwan and some others are planning a visit. This is one warning before you order something. You might be getting the order in a toilet bowl.

Posted by Anish at 3:43 AM | Permalink | Comments