Long way, I have come

Some weeks back my cousin who is still a student called me asking whether it was possible for me to transfer some money to his friend in Delhi for which he would give me in hard cash. As my account was running in few thousands, I was not comfortable answering it immediately. Uncomfortable because I lend from my friend in terms of thousands only and saying that my account is running low is something which I really didn't want to.

At dinner place of my ex-roomie, I asked my ex-roomie to help out my cousin as I was well aware that he could help him. So, I finally mustered my courage asking the amount to be transferred to his friend. He said proudly Rs 500/-. On hearing the amount, it make me little emotional. Emotional because this made me realize that I have come a lot way since the time I depend on my parents for my pocket money during the tenure of hostel.

This incident reminds me of my hostel life where every hundreds count. Borrowing was in terms of hundreds only unlike nowadays where a hundred rupee note do not last more than few hours. It was the time where we used to think that having Rs 200/- in pocket was something really something and big.

Read : Mental disorder cases pile up in Manipur

This article appeared in NDTV website. A wonderful read. Reality of Manipur in less than thousand words.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/manipur_violence_continues.php

After simmering in militancy for a quarter of a century, Manipur is a wreck.

There are at least three dozen separatist militias operating in the state. The fall-out: an average of two psychiatric cases are reported everyday, each of them stemming from conflict-related disorders, and that's just at one government mental health centre in Imphal. The state has only 13 psychiatrists. It needs at least thrice the number to attend to the growing number of patients.

Virtually every family in Manipur has at least one member who had been -or remains - abducted by militants. Every second family has lost a member or more to militancy.

We choose a house at random to find a state government officer who managed to return to safety. ''I had to escape, otherwise they would shoot me or beat me. It's because of my driver I could escape," he says on the condition that his name is not revealed.

It's also an open secret that every single family pays a monthly fee to militants. Reportedly, even the police and politicians are not exempt. Any attempt to avoid the extortion, or abandon the negotiations for how much, leads to kidnapping.

So often in Imphal, people live in half-constructed houses; a finished house would suggest a higher income, leading to a bigger amount demanded by the militants.

So Manipur tries to live quietly, hoping to not catch the attention of either the separatist groups, or the armed forces, which locals say, are often a bigger terror.

More than anyone else, they blame New Delhi for an indifference to their problems, which are now affecting not just their physical but also their mental safety.

New Delhi's indifference... and terror tactics by at least three dozen separatist militias operating in the state.

Obituary

We were together since so many years. I had known him for more than a decade or so. A friend whom I could depend during my worst and best time to be with me. Fun without him was never complete and will never be complete and same.

Your memories will be with me forever. The absence is going to make lot of difference to me for sure.

It's was only yesterday we talked on phone. It was only past few months we were together.

The news of his death has numb all senses since morning and every moment I'm hoping that it is just a dirty prank or dream. The more I tried to stop thinking the more it is dragging me into.

PS : One of my best friends since the time we were in half-pant as uniform (for more than 15 years) died in a freak road accident today morning.

Rusting Body

There was a time when I could eat only a guava and spent my day with no lunch / dinner. A maggi would suffice for the day. After a heavy dinner / lunch, I could run or walk. It was the time I was fit , very fit. Illness came very rarely then.

But, nowadays it seems my immunity has dropped very low. Eating even an apple on empty stomach in morning will bring fever though it doesn't last not more than few hours. Catching fever, headache and migraine seems to be very normal and routine now. I can't remember a week without any illness. After a dinner / lunch how light it is I want to avoid brisk walking even for a small distance - like to next room.

My body is rusting. I still wondering for the very reason because I never did anything special when I was very fit also. Perhaps, the time has come to pick the jogging shoes and do something extra to stay fit and trim.