Hi all !
here's my piece, an edited version of which is published in the Indian National Daily - "The Hindustan Times" today, 25th July, 2011, under the title "HOW TO LOOK AT LIFE". it appears in their "Inner Voice" Column on page 11.
Happy reading...!!!//mg
"Your" Eiffel Tower
Manisha Gupta
I just got back from a quick tour of Europe. While on our way to Paris, the tour guide narrated a very interesting episode. On one of his tour groups to the Eiffel Tower, he took the group up to level 3 of the tower. The student group was awe struck by the mesmerizing view of the entire city of Paris below them. But one young girl was worried and sad. She questioned the guide- “But I came to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower. Where IS the Tower?”
He was amused at her ignorance as he replied -“But you are standing ON the Eiffel Tower at level 3”. The girl, still worried and hassled looked at him in dismay with her large questioning eyes –“But I can’t SEE the Tower ?”. The guide was only just more amused at her “stupid” question.
As he finished telling us his story, I wasn’t the least amused and did not think that girl to be “stupid” either. This had set me thinking. Isn’t it so true! When you are standing inside the Eiffel Tower, obviously you don’t SEE the Tower. You can see it only when you are removed from it and at a distance from it.
Simple, yet so complex! And that’s precisely what happens in your life. You don’t see the potential, the qualities, the positives in yourself simply because you are inside yourself. Therefore, to know your full potential, you need to step out of yourself and stand away to actually see what beauty, what quality lies within you. To appreciate anything, you need to observe it from far. So also for God! Since He is deep within you, you never see Him. Therefore to know either yourself or God, you need to step out of yourself and see yourself as another, from far. To view anything holistically, you have to observe it from a little distance. Seeing it from too close quarters may not give you the real idea.
Use this concept to not only take good photographs of huge, famous attractions such as the Eiffel Tower but also to get a real, proper understanding of people who matter to you and also to take a good look at life itself.
The ‘Tower of Life’ is the biggest tourist attraction for the most important tourist in the world…… MAN !!!
ManishaGupta©2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
ये ज़माना उसी का है.......
meri kavitaon ki kitaab se kuchh panne........aaj ke baare mein!!.//mg
ये ज़माना उसी का है.........
ये ज़माना उसी का है........
जो अपनी सफ़लता के लिए दूसरों के इरादों को मसलना जानता है
जो अपनी जीत का स्तम्भ दूसरों की आशाओं की कब्र पर बनाना जानता है
जो अपने स्वार्थ के लिए दूसरों को बलि का बकरा बनाना जानता है
जो दूसरों की मजबूरी का फ़ायदा बख़ूबी उठाना जानता है
जो दूसरों की शराफ़त का नाजायज़ फ़ायदा उठाना जानता है
जो दूसरों की भावनाओं के साथ खिलवाड़ करना जानता है।
ये ज़माना उसी का है.......
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए जीना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए मरना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए देना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए लेना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए करना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए करवाना जानता है
ये बेदर्द, बेरहम ज़माना उसी का है
...........सिर्फ़ उसी का।
मनीषा गुप्ता
ये ज़माना उसी का है.........
ये ज़माना उसी का है........
जो अपनी सफ़लता के लिए दूसरों के इरादों को मसलना जानता है
जो अपनी जीत का स्तम्भ दूसरों की आशाओं की कब्र पर बनाना जानता है
जो अपने स्वार्थ के लिए दूसरों को बलि का बकरा बनाना जानता है
जो दूसरों की मजबूरी का फ़ायदा बख़ूबी उठाना जानता है
जो दूसरों की शराफ़त का नाजायज़ फ़ायदा उठाना जानता है
जो दूसरों की भावनाओं के साथ खिलवाड़ करना जानता है।
ये ज़माना उसी का है.......
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए जीना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए मरना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए देना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए लेना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए करना जानता है
जो सिर्फ़ अपने लिए करवाना जानता है
ये बेदर्द, बेरहम ज़माना उसी का है
...........सिर्फ़ उसी का।
मनीषा गुप्ता
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
"Heart Breaking".... News !!
Dear all
another shattering blow has been dealt to Mumbai by this recent incident.
but, more than the incident, at times it is the breaking news that breaks and destroys much more than that already broken & destroyed.
following article published in the July-issue of "Focus Global Reporter" brings to light this fact//manisha
‘Heart Breaking’ News
Manisha Gupta
Whether you switch to news channel 1 or 10 or 100 or any other number, there’s only one caption that’ll catch your eye. And that is - “Breaking News”. Whether it is about a car running without a driver or a child trapped feet under the ground in a well or crossfire between two superstars or a scandal involving some well known personality or a natural calamity or a man-made disaster like bomb blasts or heinous murders etc. It is breaking news at break neck speed and ‘break-head’ repetition that will glare at you from all news channels. And whatever be the news in question, it is brought to you with the same energy, excitement and enthusiasm.
Now ain’t this really heart breaking? Because when you are bringing out news about a juicy scandal or a word fight involving high profile people or about something as mysterious as a “car without a driver”, your enthusiasm and excitement are but natural because of the nature of the news. But when you are bringing news about a natural calamity or about a gruesome murder or killings or serial bomb blasts killing and injuring lives apart from other destruction of property, how can you even dream of delivering that news with the same enthusiasm? And every news channel wants all viewers glued to “their” channel for that news and so bring out and show repeatedly, the goriest details and the most heart rending photos or scenes from the site of the incident?
Showing the most gruesome and bloody site again and again, showing the worst hit/injured victim’s close ups and repeatedly narrating how the bombs ripped apart somebody’s body. Again and again excitedly showing how an accident occurred, how badly the victim was hurt /died and questioning his family and relatives on how they feel at the moment?
Come on somebody has just lost a family member / relative and you want to use his emotions of the moment to increase your TRPs?
Isn’t this a most insensitive way of earning TRPs? How can one even think of such an inhuman and heartless gesture? You want to earn ratings even in someone’s life shattering tragedy?
Also, like in the Arushi murder case, the news channels have literally glamourized the murder, contemplating various relationships between various characters involved, maligning and character assassinating at the first hint of a possibility and reversing their claim the very next day as per the circumstances.
I guess it is high time “somebody” do “something” about such insensitive, breaking news breaking the hearts of viewers across the nation. Shouldn’t there be a sort of a “code of conduct” for ‘news breakers’? Shouldn’t they be delivering such tragic news with a soft heart, composed tone sensitive to the item being brought to the viewers? Shouldn’t they make people feel better rather than make them feel more tense and angry? Shouldn’t they for once forget whether and how many viewers are going to be watching “their channel” news and focus more on giving the necessary details relevant and more importantly urgent for the affected ones or relatives of victims? Shouldn’t they show and feel sympathy and forget about “how well” they’re breaking the tragic news but focus on how well they can make the viewers feel comfortable in the face of such tragedy ???
another shattering blow has been dealt to Mumbai by this recent incident.
but, more than the incident, at times it is the breaking news that breaks and destroys much more than that already broken & destroyed.
following article published in the July-issue of "Focus Global Reporter" brings to light this fact//manisha
‘Heart Breaking’ News
Manisha Gupta
Whether you switch to news channel 1 or 10 or 100 or any other number, there’s only one caption that’ll catch your eye. And that is - “Breaking News”. Whether it is about a car running without a driver or a child trapped feet under the ground in a well or crossfire between two superstars or a scandal involving some well known personality or a natural calamity or a man-made disaster like bomb blasts or heinous murders etc. It is breaking news at break neck speed and ‘break-head’ repetition that will glare at you from all news channels. And whatever be the news in question, it is brought to you with the same energy, excitement and enthusiasm.
Now ain’t this really heart breaking? Because when you are bringing out news about a juicy scandal or a word fight involving high profile people or about something as mysterious as a “car without a driver”, your enthusiasm and excitement are but natural because of the nature of the news. But when you are bringing news about a natural calamity or about a gruesome murder or killings or serial bomb blasts killing and injuring lives apart from other destruction of property, how can you even dream of delivering that news with the same enthusiasm? And every news channel wants all viewers glued to “their” channel for that news and so bring out and show repeatedly, the goriest details and the most heart rending photos or scenes from the site of the incident?
Showing the most gruesome and bloody site again and again, showing the worst hit/injured victim’s close ups and repeatedly narrating how the bombs ripped apart somebody’s body. Again and again excitedly showing how an accident occurred, how badly the victim was hurt /died and questioning his family and relatives on how they feel at the moment?
Come on somebody has just lost a family member / relative and you want to use his emotions of the moment to increase your TRPs?
Isn’t this a most insensitive way of earning TRPs? How can one even think of such an inhuman and heartless gesture? You want to earn ratings even in someone’s life shattering tragedy?
Also, like in the Arushi murder case, the news channels have literally glamourized the murder, contemplating various relationships between various characters involved, maligning and character assassinating at the first hint of a possibility and reversing their claim the very next day as per the circumstances.
I guess it is high time “somebody” do “something” about such insensitive, breaking news breaking the hearts of viewers across the nation. Shouldn’t there be a sort of a “code of conduct” for ‘news breakers’? Shouldn’t they be delivering such tragic news with a soft heart, composed tone sensitive to the item being brought to the viewers? Shouldn’t they make people feel better rather than make them feel more tense and angry? Shouldn’t they for once forget whether and how many viewers are going to be watching “their channel” news and focus more on giving the necessary details relevant and more importantly urgent for the affected ones or relatives of victims? Shouldn’t they show and feel sympathy and forget about “how well” they’re breaking the tragic news but focus on how well they can make the viewers feel comfortable in the face of such tragedy ???
THUNDERSTORM.....Within...or.. without..???
hi!
here's another heart touching creation from an anonymous reader.should i call it " The Anonymous Thunderstorm "....????
ANONYMOUS 3
Thunderstorm !!
A powerful storm in the sky
ripping though a calm, peaceful night
Only, I am not sure
if it is outside in the night ..
or deep inside within me
Heaps and heaps of clouds
which were probably calm a few moments before
Though who knew
what they were carrying within them
a quiet, serene look from outside
or a real big storm inside
Lightening, ripping through the universe
time and again, and then again
sudden, unannounced, unpredictable, powerful,
but I am again not sure
if it is outside
or ripping through, inside my whole system
Thunder
Loud, very loud
Very, very loud
Shaking the entire neighborhood
Or, probably, just about every cell in my body
Blinding rains
pouring down through the skies
making the night so very wet
though, is it really outside my window
or fully inside my chest
Tipper, tapper, tipper, tapper
Raindrops and flowing water
who knows, though, whether it is outside our house
or deep within me, probably unstoppable tears
Wet, very wet surroundings
Pools of water
Flowing and gushing
or, is it just those several million
random thoughts and feelings within me
Cool, very cool breeze
smashing windows,
tearing the coconut trees
or, only my whole system within
And finally
When calm descends
When everything is quiet again
Rains have stopped, clouds have gone
Can we say the same thing
for my storm within
****
here's another heart touching creation from an anonymous reader.should i call it " The Anonymous Thunderstorm "....????
ANONYMOUS 3
Thunderstorm !!
A powerful storm in the sky
ripping though a calm, peaceful night
Only, I am not sure
if it is outside in the night ..
or deep inside within me
Heaps and heaps of clouds
which were probably calm a few moments before
Though who knew
what they were carrying within them
a quiet, serene look from outside
or a real big storm inside
Lightening, ripping through the universe
time and again, and then again
sudden, unannounced, unpredictable, powerful,
but I am again not sure
if it is outside
or ripping through, inside my whole system
Thunder
Loud, very loud
Very, very loud
Shaking the entire neighborhood
Or, probably, just about every cell in my body
Blinding rains
pouring down through the skies
making the night so very wet
though, is it really outside my window
or fully inside my chest
Tipper, tapper, tipper, tapper
Raindrops and flowing water
who knows, though, whether it is outside our house
or deep within me, probably unstoppable tears
Wet, very wet surroundings
Pools of water
Flowing and gushing
or, is it just those several million
random thoughts and feelings within me
Cool, very cool breeze
smashing windows,
tearing the coconut trees
or, only my whole system within
And finally
When calm descends
When everything is quiet again
Rains have stopped, clouds have gone
Can we say the same thing
for my storm within
****
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