sonia'z travelz

Traveling late in the night is unsafe for women.. be it be mumbai or delhi or chennai… if you want to be safe, be home “on time”.. …………..
The definition of “on time” depends from person 2 person.. For my mom its 7.00p.m., for my hostel warden it was 8.00p.m. for my rommies, its 10, and for myself also, its 10.. …I avoid traveling unaccompanied after 10.00… in fact I don’t…….

Yesterday however was different.. circumstances forced me to travel very late in the night….even though I was wid Anilu (aniluz a frend frm MSW)………..it was shit scary……. it may sound idiotic, but each and every guy seemed like an asshole at that time….and I felt “wrong” traveling so late….. I kept telling myself that I wont repeat this.. ……… but you know how humans are…. ….at the time of travel…... the “scarynes” kinda wore off. …..
I started “seeing” the night… ………………like ..feeling it……
It was beautiful….. beyond compare….. the stars were so bright….ive never seen so many in Mumbai…. I could make out the Orion… and the “feeling “ was so serene…. It felt so pure…… the atmosphere.. …the night sky was beautiful… and the breeze was cool….soothing.. ..it felt as if im the only one truly alive.. breathing.. feeling those moments….. it was an incomparable day…. Well, night

There was a movement by the women activists in late 1970s called “Take Back The Night” in the US. Even though the march was to bring forth the violence which women undergo in the night in public, the purpose was to talk about the violence which women face in the public sphere.

Is it not extremely relevant even today? Most women do face violence in the public sphere, especially in the night. It is almost like taking away the freedom of the person. And I also feel that “feeling scared” is also violence. I mean creation of that feeling in a woman is a kind of violence perpetrated by the society… ....

Some may argue that freedom is in the “mind” types.. .. … then why to blame “someone else” if ur a coward urself ….. however, being afraid is also because of reason….. why would the mind be afraid, if there is no reason to it… ..it is because of something…
Some may also say.. and freedom does not necessarily mean “traveling”…………that I could see the moon from my window too!!! But for me, traveling is one of the most important forms of freedom.. traveling at anytime without fear… traveling in the middle of the night just to see the moon… to run and feel the breeze.. .. and see the sun rise…… and to just sit and stare at the sea……………

Whatever said and done… I felt great yesterday .... .. I forgot my fear and I was “free”….. I wish I cud roam arnd lyk dis sometimes… alone……..without being judged…. nd without being scared…. Well, I guess im gonna do that very soon…..how abt learning karate!!!!!!!!

humanzz

Was on my way to the bus stop ..almost rushing.. I thght I wud get late….I hate being late..
And suddenly…. I see about 10-15 police men, a minutes walk away from my house.. there was dust.. and it was impossible to figure out wt was happening… And curiosity would just nt lemme go anywhere near my bus stop, so I asked this fellow abt it.. and precisely at tat moment I saw tat they were demolishing the garages near my house.. .it was so…weird.. they have always been dere…. I’d crossed that place yesterday, wen I was cumin bak frm shopping.. .. and….within 10 hours that place had changed completely.. .. its just dust….

And I could not do anything about it…. I saw another van full of police men.. .. may be they anticipated trouble.. I just wondered how quickly these guyz came.. nd wen we had dose riots in mumabi.. dey were not.. I called Monika to tel her about it.. so that shez prepared…

I was scared… and I was feeling “bad” ….I felt that its so difficult and scary to challenge state power.. i no im just trying 2 save myself frm dis, but really.. wat wud I do in fron of dose 20 policemen.. and not only I .. dere were so many ppl standing dere.. and d ppl whose garages were being broken.. all of.us.just standing dere nd loking.. I just didn’t have d gutts 2 go dere.. apart frm “feeling bad” I didn’t do anything.. and I didn’t have d gutts 2 do so.. ..

Wen I boarded d bus.. I was thinking of wat dey wud do now.. now tat all livelihood options are gonna go down d drain.. my thghts den shifted to d ipod in my bag..tat may be I shld listen to music so tat I feel a little better.. I started listening 2 songs.. nd by d time I reached office… I was thinking of “2 do list” … I completely forgot abt it.. eeverything was gone..wiped out… and this incident came back to me wen I was abt 2 leave.. I dunno how..
I wonder if its abnormal to feel sumthin, nt foget abt it, nd nt do anything abt tat feeling.. I wonder if derez anything lyk a “true” or “false” feeling…. Its so crazy.. Everything.. ..

Sorry 4 d depressing entry guyz.. bt wud lyk ur comments

Mission ‘tori’ making.. …

Get up late in the morning.. open the fridge.. and ………………………. we have tori to cook.. Shweta our banker does not know how to make it….. Monika our tea maker is too sleepy to comprehend what we are saying.. ..and im too sleepy to recollect the receipe
so I rush to the savior.. my mom.. tring tring……
Shez an angel.. she tell me d recipe…
Monika joins us.. the vegetable is cut.. onions.. green chilies..
and the dishes are cleaned….
And………………………………………………………………………………..
I again forget what my mom had told me.. L I really was sleepy.. so I call again…
She tellz me im crazy bt she tellz me d thing anyway… i luv her… I can never be so patient with anyone….really.…
So we are all brushing. N making the bhaji and rotis and then parathaz and then tea.. and then.. we all ready.. ready to leave.. I leave with The Banker.. but I don’t board the bus.. now it may sound weird.. but I just didn’t feel lyk walking at tat particular moment.. I missed a bus like that.. then finally boarded the other one J ….reached office.. on time

I enjoy reaching office a little early.. to feel “the quite”.. it so peaceful..n calm.. and then gradually everybody pours in ……….. good morningz.. n how r u.. n… its goes on nd on……..on.. nd on…
I bug my colleagues with the alien story (novel) that I read. …I tell them “The tales of Beedle the Bard” would be releasing tomoroow.. ..and of course.. they think Ive lost it J ….
That’s the way life is….. my life.. TILL NOW.. I get up..n cook n.. come to office.. go back home.. and read….. talk to friends.. time just flies.. yea.. so to change this dull routine.. ive thght of buying ludo and carom! I was crazy for both these games wen I w s a kiddo.. I hope I get the gamez.. I hope they r not expensive!!!

Hey.. and who can tell me what “tori” is in English.. I found out ‘snake gourd’ and ‘ridge gourd’……….. the confusion persists.. googlez of no help! Comments???????????????