Who are we?

Estee Martin had written, "Identity is the theft of the self"
Regular blog readers (i know of none) will all agree that they disagree. Identity, however is a complex business. I was reading a TOI edit-piece. It talked about how in the West a whole industry of race is built. Obama's armpit hair would have stood up when the Italian PM called him "suntanned". Call a man 'coloured' and you will end up losing those millions, if you have it. If you dont-you are still screwed.

People, families migrate and their identity gets fractured. But again a choice of cultures is available for you to adapt. To fracture your identity may be painful; but it can be profoundly rewarding as well. Now you no longer think of yourself as a single, unified object, but as multiple, sometimes conflicting perspectives.

So who are we? We, Young India do not see race as a defining characteristic. Its just one of the factors that make Him/Her. We do not downgrade the importance of culture and ethnicity-we simply play it down.
So are we? A colour? A gender? Whoever or Whatever we are-I can proudly say that we (minus the leaders harping on saffron politics) are dignified people. Even the Dalit that doesnt have anything to eat tonite is better-off than the blonde who spends a grand on toe-nails. Literally.

Diwali

Allahabad is the most rocking place, all across the world. (I'm trying to be at my sarcastic best). Super HOT babes (Mutated frogs actually). Awesomely intelligent pan-waalas (ask for a Classic Milds and you are handed over a pan). Supremely helpful animals (the cow's horn is always points towards your behind)

But this is not what im talking about. This Diwali I had a reason to get away from this AWESOME place. 2 days of respite from mutated frogs, dumbasses, and horny cows.

I had gone to meet Dadaji in Rajasthan. A small village, 100 kms from Jaipur. Im not telling you the name of the place coz it just doesnt matter.

I normally am a non-cracker guy. (Im not fattu at all). Eco-friendly guy you know.
But this time ideologies were changing, i brought with me a huge collection of Allahabadi crackers. (Finally 1 nice thing about this place)

The pic on the right indicates that I had distributed all of it to the kids. Joy. I call it. Pure smoky Joy.