Child Abuse… ‘something which shall not be discussed…’

India is supposed to be a ‘sacred’ country and often the word sacred is misinterpreted as scared… we are scared…  Scared to revolt… Scared to raise our opinion… Scared to discuss about sex (but definitely not scared to rape)… Scared of god… Scared of people in power… Scared of voodoo… Scared of talking about touchy subjects like domestic violence, Child abuse, Child marriage, Dowry, Female infanticide…

Lately empowerment has resulted in stray cases being reported to the law enforcement bodies in India and in some cases they also see the light of media. In fact when I was in kerala about a month back was really astonished to find out an entire page in the local newspaper dedicated to crime.. rapes.. killing child abuse.. really astonished to see two things there..

1.       Media willing to dedicate an entire page for a non commercial social issue.. (yeah.. surprising isn’t it??)

2.       The amount of crime happening these days

Child abuse is one area where I have been exposed to in my life at different stages … aye not on me.. but to people I know - close friends and in family too.  And it sometimes makes me wonder how the priorities differ and how close ones can turn a blind eye instead of fighting your fight. And the excuse is that it will pass.. it will be over soon.. the fact they don’t realize is that how it leaves a lasting mark on somebody.. how it haunts them over and over again.. how it destroys their hope for a better life.. some even resort to violence when they grow older and stronger.. some resort to suicide.. some find solace in wrong company…. And yes some are lucky who get a brighter future…

Why does it go unnoticed.. or uninformed why?? Because it is an ewww topic… chi chi chi why would I talk about it.. and when brought to some else’s attention.. the sad response.. ‘no beta they are just being friendly…’ situation has sometimes gone to an extent where the elder sibling keeps mum to save the younger sibling.. and it just destroys the soul of that person.. Sadly they lost all the hope for a normal life and feels & believes that eventuality will be brutal and nothing good can happen in their life.. all good things need to come to an end.. if not will themselves end it before it hurts more..  Days, months , years have passed but it still makes them cry.. makes them vulnerable.. makes them heartless and make them scared..!!!

A child is the most unadulterated and purest form of a human being.. they don’t know to lie.. they don’t know to act.. all that they know is to change.. And at times change in to monsters they have seen when they grow or into worms stuck in their cocoons afraid to get out and fly because of those very same monsters... Why can’t the elders believe and help, is it because of the lack of trust in a young mind which they themselves have curtailed these children from, identifying right from wrong.. not sharing and not enlightening facets of life which are a part of Scared India more than the Incredible India that we like to talk about.

It’s come to a point where today, I feel I need to stand up for this cause and may be a minority but still a cause. Its high time we stand up against this.. stop it before it ruins.. help a friend.. help a sibling.. help any one who is put through this is.. and if already suffered please give them hope for a better future.

Mirchi Seth off to check in at the hotel California!!

Tushar .. Mirchi seth.. Paki.. Geezzz he had many names and the one major characteristic these words / names personify... Traitor.. Ha ha ha no don't conclude now and make your perception about him.. It was his trait.. But it changed, unfortunately his nick name didn't .. Why am I writing about him?? It's been exactly a week since he left for California.. For good.. Life has been really blessed for him.. Engaged to his love.. And what are the odds... She turns out to be reciprocating his love and affection.. I guess so ( both ways ).. Has multiple job offers and gets visa to all difficult locations and many more.. Sometimes I feel 'uske naseeb mein jo likha hain.. us sentence ka punctuation marks mere naseeb mein likha Hota toh I would have been happy..' anyways I will stop cribbing about it.. So coming back to Mr. Tushar he has been my room mate for more than 2.5 years.. And our friendship goes for more than 8 years.. Probably I should say friendship really kicked in the 3rd year or so after we first met on sunny afternoon of august 19th 2003... (he can't prove otherwise so I can put any date I want but it is quite close..) I still remember our final year project and how my other good friend and his bitch screwed us over.. (luckily the bitch is gone and the friend is back.. Diff person, will write about him someday) an those days before the exams when we wasted our lives playing NFS most wanted and NFS carbon.. And bitching about the system and the college.. Yeah just like the typical college rebel.. But the most interesting Thingy during that period was obviously the fact that he fell in love and he n das (DSPTR) - will explain later.. Pushed me into a grand canyon saying it was love.. Luckily it wasn't a ugly crash n burn.. Thanks a very mature girl for a change.. I am obviously not naming her she might have a nasty boy friend.. Anyways days of brain wash. And reading signs apparently I was missing to.. And inferring them for me.. The 2 were not entirely to be blamed for the fiasco.. I liked her to start with.. And when I was chickening out these guys would sow hope in my barren land.. And I float away.. Anyways I have no regrets cause each and every minute spent in his room discussing this was memorable and still brings about a smile on my face and I bet on his too and on das's face too.. moving on to life out of college I still remember the first get together sorts in Bombay... Adya.. Das.. Him n I we met at worli sea face and it rained that day... It was in may or June 2008.. I was doing my internship.. It was a beautiful day.. BMC was laying that tripods on the beach to decrease sea encroachment.. Whatever.. Memorable day.. His one of the crazy collection was the bills from places where we meet and dine.. Very seldom did he pay for it though :p Marwadi kanjoos sala.. Jk.. I guess he would probably have. Hundred slips by now.. I still remember the time he became my room mate.. He was planning to go to the US very shortly and didn't want to hire a place and leave it mid way.. He was trying to go for the same job and place eventually he left for last week.. But this was 2009 nov.. I am talking about.. I guess his time was not right at that point of time.. And his time came sept 2011... But it did help us become great friends and also the group .. Das.. Tushar and I later on robin also came to Bombay.. And the zillion times we hung out and had great fun.. Thetimee when Jyoti our common friend came to mumbai we did a night out had coffee at marine plaza and then saw znmd 8am show and came home.. The favorite has always been marine drive I have lost count the number of times we have been there.. The time when he had bought his iPod and we were shooting superbikes without realizing it was John Abraham and Shahid Kapoor who were the ones riding it.. My birthday when all of them came home cut the cake and left for marine drive.. The antakshari we played on the way.. The 5 o'clock in the morning train ride to VT and bun maska and tea from a tapri.. The ipl match and so on so forth.. Our fights over federer vs nadal and our unconditional devotion to the god of cricket and 50+ movies we have seen.. He was our pivot as he used to plan everything to the last detail.. Amras @ crystal and fruit cream at haji Ali.. Etc etc.. His engagement in udaipur.. Amras we had in his house.. ('we' in most cases mean das n I and in some cases mean das, robin and I and in some cases mean Adya, das, robin n I and not to forget at all times tushar) the view of entire udaipur from his roof top.. But we missed out on the goa trip for his bachelor's party.. Not to worry we will do it in las Vegas... And hangover part 3 will happen..
Till the next time we meet up.. Adios amigo!!! Have a great life in Americas... God speed!!!