An Ode to the Elegant Male Human Species

I have seen enough of male bashing lately.Trust me,guys aren't really as bad as the way the feminists project them to be.How can you blame the entire male species just because of one drunk male who had harassed his wife?How can you conclude all men are the same just because of testosterone-driven man who turned 'animal' and raped that minor girl?How can you stay away from all men just because that pervert who kept harassing you?

What I believe is every girl should have a group of guys she can chill with.If she's really lucky she will have a guy as a best friend.You will have all sorts of fights with your guy best friend but the beauty is- its going to be short and sweet.

You will have physical fights with them.You kick them.You hit them.You chase them.And that's going to be funny to watch for others.At the end of the day,it's going to end in peace.

If you find a man for yourself, he will have to go through a personal interview by your guy best friend first.He will ensure that he take cares of you.

Guy friends come to you for girl advice to understand the female mind.And being their lady best friend,you will have to give them the pep talk everytime they feel down about something.You will know just what to say to get them to believe in themselves again.

And when your down in the dumps,guy best friends give you a honest advice everytime.They won’t pollute your mind or fuel the fire by simply agreeing with everything you say.

They will make you see the truth. They won't care about you getting mad, they will tell you just like the way it is.They will listen to you carefully and give you real advice.They will tell you if you are being ridiculous or not, and that’s something we all need every once in a while.They give the best reality check.They will ensure you smile at the end of this pep talk.They buy you ice-creams and chocolates just to cheer you up.They will do these little caring things for you that you feel indebted for.

You will spend less money when your with them because you will hang out with them for a coffee and not end end up in shopping malls,unlike how it is when you are with your girl best friends.You may think men don't gossip.But when you have a guy best friend,you will have had the best gossip session with them.I can tell by experience that this friendship will last for a lifetime.They will be your bodyguard 24*7.

They will ensure your safety whenever you are out late till you reach home.They will be extra-protective in crowded buses and trains to guard you against perverts.

You will feel like he is a Dad, Brother and Friend at the same time.This is an ode to such beautiful male species that I've known so far!

My painting

Touched my brushes and colors after quite a long time !

Life is Beautiful

Should I say I’ve found ,
My inspiration.
Should I say I’ve smiled ever since,
God,You ‘re my crazy friend.
How I found me,they ask.
I know not.
It’s just me,amidst the world below 
And world within 
And world above.
Living a fancy life,
Penning down a mystery.
Ah! The present times I discovered,
To nurture,To persevere.
To spread love,To spread cheer.
To live,to help live.
For life without love
And life without God is unfulfilling.
My sweet coffee,My open window,
My enchanting raindrops,My peaceful night,
My home,My life,It’s just me.
And I’m loving it!
Thank you God!

Are you safe,girl?

Dear Dad ...please Hold my hand and show me the world.

Have you ever found yourself vulnerable even while walking down the lane to your home at early dusk as if an animal would just pounce on you anytime?

Have you ever got a mini-heart attack when the rickshawala happened to be constantly looking at you through the rear-view mirror ?

And then,as your last resort,did you start exploring your purse to immediately dial-up your friends or family to loudly announce your whereabouts and details of the rickshawala?

Have you seen a guy eveteasing a gal on road where passer-bys INCLUDING YOU acted like nothing happened ?

And the next day the same guy tells his younger sister,"Baale,usharu, bega bala ".(Meaning:Child,come home soon.Be careful in Tulu Dialect)

Then,well,you can assure you are in the Incredible India!

Where eveteasing and namecalling is tolerated in the name of modesty, 'ghanathe' and 'mana-maryadi'! (Meaning:Prestige and Respect in Kannada)

Where a girl walking in broad daylight is also vulnerable!

Where no girl is spared from this ill-treatment ,be it a girl in shorts or a saree or a burkha-clad girl!

Where you care about your home and the family the most and disregard your society and the country!

Will YOU be a positive catalyst to make a Safer India or will you remain a silent spectator?

Beauty of words

Fascinated by the beauty of life,

I sit to weave it's pearls into words.

Now the words have made stories

And stories have made me,

For life is a journey and not a destination !

Mumma,why did you lie to me?

Mumma ,why did you lie to me?

Why did you lie to me that everything is going to be okay when you patted me till I slept off when I was woken up by a loud thunder?

Why did you lie to me when you convinced me that if I drank a glass of milk everyday I could fight away all the monsters?

Why did you lie to me that those monsters won't come to me if I helped you to keep my room clean??

Mumma ,why did you lie to me?

Mumma,Iam afraid of this darkness around me now.There is so much of cruelty, suffering and pain around me. And I'm unable to do anything about it.I feel so powerless and weak.

Mumma,you say God created this world.But then,why is it so cruel? Animals eat animals to survive.Fellow human beings kill each other over border,culture and natural resource issues.There are terrible wars fought for money and power.There are petty fights.There are broken trusts.But there are no monsters ,mumma. They are all humans who are acting like monsters.

Emotions and humanity are uncared for now,mumma.

The fear of suffering is now worser than suffering itself.

Mumma,I want you beside me now.
To give me strength.To give me power.
To protect me.To guide me.

But please,don't tell me a lie again...

I just want you to hug me again and tell me it's all going to be alright soon.....

55 seconds to Death !

Had it not been for my best friend, who repeatedly tried to convince me that I should take a break out of my busy schedules and try something adventurous, I wouldn't have become the lady I am now. Writing this down makes me realize that what doesn't kill you does makes you stronger!

There's nothing that can make for an exhilarating and intense adrenaline rush than falling to the earth at 120 miles/hour after jumping from a perfectly good airplane. Oh yeah, I'm talking about Skydiving! You just got to do it!

My instructor is telling me all the technical details and a few minutes later, we are at an appropriate height and we reach the drop zone. I hold my breath for a minute, relax and make a short prayer and prepare myself for this giant leap.

The next minute, I am in a free fall. The world seems to have stopped for me. I have a 360 degree view of the beautiful Earth from about 5,000 feet above. I am rushing down to the Earth. It's like I'm hanging in the middle of the air. Yet, I feel there's something that has caught me. May be it's a realization – A realization that I am facing death! I have just 50-55 seconds to go. Either I deploy the parachute or I fall flat on earth. And then, there'll be no more of me. Life had been unfair to me sometimes and now I could end it all.

A thousand images flash before my eyes in those nanoseconds. I feel I have let free of the boundless liberated being inside me and surrendered to the Empyrean. My childhood, my parents, my siblings, my friends all seemed to tell me something. My mom is singing a lullaby to me. My best friends and I are taking a stroll at the beach. Only then I realize, I was far too occupied with my busy schedules that I have forgotten to spent good times with my family and friends .I need to buy mom her favorite sarees. I have to shop for a pretty baby dress for my best friend's new-born daughter. I have to go back and live with my parents. I have so many things to do and so many promises to keep.

Not only did I see and hear harmony, but I understood everything. A divine calm swept through my soul. I hear my heart convince by brain. The world is what we make of it. We can make for ourselves a good life here or we can make ourselves miserable.

All this happens in just about 50-55 seconds.

It dawned upon me that the most important things in my life are some of the discoveries of things from people of whom I never would have expected. And I bow my head down to them in absolute respect. Time is so precious. Trust me, it really is! Within a blink of an eye, anything can happen. Just do the best you can, there is no other meaning to life than that.

Here on, I am going to be sagacious. I will love life and I live on my own terms. I'm not going to be afraid to live because I am wise enough to know how the world works. I am going to be loud, assertive and argumentative. If I know that I'm right, I will defend my belief until I have the last say in it. If you interrupt me illogically, I will ask you to shut up .I’m content, complete and peaceful from now. Not scared, not afraid, just excited, and all bubbly inside. If I sow love in years to come, I know that is what I shall reap.

What doesn't kill you does make you stronger. These thoughts that come to me in the last few moments of flight are infinitely precious to me. I realize what is most important is to focus on an instant before it was too late. Life is indeed beautiful and I choose life. I feel a rejuvenating spirit within me. At that very second, I secure myself for a safe landing and activate my parachute. I am viewing the beauty of beautiful terrains of Mother Nature just moments before reaching the Earth's surface. I have now conquered myself and I now know what to do.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep....

Life is a journey!

When we are born ,the journey begins.

Alongside this long meandering path ,we end up seeking many things.We meet many people and make friends with a few of them.Some stay with us for a short time and some remain with us forever.

While travelling solo can help us reflect on our thoughts and rediscover our true self,travelling with an acquaintance or a loved one can be an amazing experience, so long as we respect each other. This applies to our life’s journey too. May be that’s why good old school or college buddies turn out to be the best life partners !

No journey is complete without its speed bumps.It all depends on our compatibility with the land we choose to travel to and with whom we choose to travel with.

We have all known loneliness, a dark emptiness within our soul which seems to stretch for an eternity. We feel like we are a part of nothing, just drifting aimlessly upon the sea of humanity with no destination, nor land in sight.It is at this time that someone comes along and brings light to this darkness .

It is at this time in our journey that we make friends with a stranger.With this person, we grow, learn and experience the wonders of human existence. They become part of us, as we become part of them. Eventually, our journey must end,may be because we are not meant to be together forever and even if we manage to be with them for a lifetime,we were born to die, alone. But in between these two points,we hopefully have learned, experienced and gained some wisdom with the chance to pass it on.

Sometimes,we may lose a loved one on this journey, due to accidents or incidents or actions,which are beyond our control.Do not remain in trauma.It’s okay to grieve but not for eternity.Trust me,you will survive. Your life will never be the same, but given enough time,you will survive.In that moment, you are not able to see it that way. But once you do survive, the choices, good or bad, are your responsibility and life will be what YOU make of it.

Mark my words,you need to focus on the journey and not on the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it. Experience is the greatest teacher of all.May be you will get it right in your next lifetime.

At the end of of the day,I want you to realise that life comes with just a one-way ticket !There’s no return journey,whatsoever.So,do remember,to make your journey memorable with your loved ones as long as they choose to be with you.

The Tree Story

I am a tree,aged atleast 20 years old.I am tall and imposing, standing all alone in the campus MITE.Once upon a time I was a seed that sprout into a young sapling, when it started raining here on the hillside.I began a new life.I was fresh and I flourished.Now, I stand on the ground,proud and firm,on My Mother,the fertile earth.I’ve grown very tall now, and I am the first in this area to feel the rain drops on my leaves when it rains. My life is very interesting now, I see a huge spectrum of youngsters flocking in and out of their college,their funny gestures, and hear all kinds of conversation of the students who pass by me.

A few years ago,the college authorities put a concrete wall like boundary around me. This was done to beautify the campus.But I almost became alone because my very next tree friend lives 50 m away from me. We would have a great time before,when the wind blowed,we would swing and enjoy. When it rained, we would get wet and have lots of fun in the cold water. But when I was cut off from my tree friends ,I felt very sad but now,I am happy as I am in a college campus,I have always had the pleasure of a lot of company daily and, the great honour of being able to provide shade for these youngsters here every day.And once a year,I have this great opportunity to get decorated with beautiful and colourful miniature lightings during this college fest called Sentia.I enjoy the sounds and rustle-bustle during this time of the year. And,this time I am eagerly waiting for the basketball matches of these kids,as the court is ready,other then the cricket matches that I witness daily evening and sometimes ,even throwball and volleyball matches.

Ever since this college started functioning, I remember several students coming near my root and sit on the broad platform-like wall around me,they chit-chat,have fun,some have their snacks sitting in the platform built around me .I enjoy listening to their talks but what I don’t like is they throw the plastic wrappers and covers around me.If this continues my roots can’t breathe well and I wont get enough water to drink.I have heard this is a Engineering college,so I know these kids are smart and responsible,so they should know about how am suffering because of these plastics,and of course,-Kids,its your campus, so make it a plastic –free zone to help us all living beings and help yourselves too.

But, true,as I stand here, near a temple, I never ever feel lonely I get all sorts of company from you kids throughout the day, so, where is the scope of feeling lonely. Early in the morning the campus is opened at 9 a.m. It is cleaned everyday,so I get the company of people who clean the premises too. They come to me also and broom the area around me,and I am all set to welcome my guests for the day. After the college siren makes its call , at 5 p.m. students start pouring in and around me, with some sitting and waiting for their college bus to leave,some chit-chatting,it continues till 7 p.m.until all the kids go back to their home and hostels.I stand alone for the night except for the birds that break the silence of the night.

Students continue sitting around me in the platform right from afternoon till they leave. These long hours of the day, there is no chance of me getting bored as, I have the company of so many people moving around the area. Even though I am alone, a lonely tree but, my life is full of thrill and excitement, as I get lots of, and variety of company. I love to hear the laughters and giggles of these youngsters.This in turn is an added honour for me that, while my friends have the company of trees only, I have the company of human beings who talk and walk and discuss matters to make my life more lively and enjoyable.Every year new students come here and I am the one who sees and knows them all.

My life is just wonderful looking at the aims,aspirations and eagerness filled in the eyes and smiles of these youngsters, I pray to God that HE grant such a wonderful and eventful life to all humans.

One thing I forgot to tell you all, about my life. When people come and sit on the platform around me, I also get a lot of information about man’s world.Other than the T.V serial stories and gossips and discussion of their class and subjects, I also hear evils that exist in this man’s world. At times I also get to hear two best friends sharing their joys and sorrows. I feel what a beautiful life men have.

Thus to add to my experience of life, I have come to know a lot about human beings and their lives. Their lives are also full of pleasures and disappointments. It is not that men only enjoy, as we,the lesser being’s seem to feel. Men also have their own problems. So, to end up I’d say my life is a pleasure and a rich experience with the hopes that I share . People think we trees don’t have any feelings but they don’t understand that we too feel happy and miserable at times. I don’t know how many days more I will survive but I know one thing that one day,these kids will recognise my existence here ...

- Manisha Devashya

*This tree is located in the MITE,Mudbidri Campus
(Published in Spectrum 2013 - MITE Annual Magazine)