Dengue Dengue Hai Rabba!

Your ears have been used to the word ’Dengue’ for quite some time now. It’s usually been the mosquito repellent promos so far. Suddenly the word has become so common these days. You hear more of dengue than goofy politicians or Sourav Ganguly’s inability to make it to the cricket team. Dengue is official now. People are falling sick to the disease. The numbers are increasing day by day and it’s scary. You’re probably thinking how big a damage can a small mosquito do. Think again. It’s as scary as your ex boyfriend or girlfriend but it’s true. Let’s spread some facts.

According to WHO (That’s not who the heck that’s World Health Organization);

Dengue is an acute fever caused by a virus. It occurs in two forms:

1. Dengue Fever

2. Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever

Dengue fever is marked by the onset of sudden high fever, severe headache and pain behind the eyes, muscles and joints.

Dengue Haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a more severe form, in which bleeding and sometimes shock occurs – leading to death. It is most serious in children. Symptoms of bleeding usually occur after 3-5 days of fever.

The high fever continues for five to six days (103 – 105 OF or 39- 40 OC). It comes down on the third or the fourth day but rises again. The patient feels much discomfort and is very weak after the illness.

Dengue spreads rapidly and may affect large number of people during an epidemic resulting in reduced work productivity, but most importantly causing the loss of lives.

When students strike…

It’s a season of strikes. We’ve had the full taste of everything from dirty campus politics to masala chic fights and even spiders in meals (not mine!). To start with the beautiful MCM Chandigarh girls went on a total strike after one of their students was slapped after being found using a cell phone in college. The outrage was tremendous amongst the girls, which makes me wonder why they call girls ‘hot’. Mercury rising and the girls took to the streets. Dressed in sexy black it was more of a fashion parade than a protest (that’s for the guys!). The girls have demanded that cell phones be allowed in college, professors to apologize again and rules be amended to let them escape the college gates before noon. Now the last one simply came in from nowhere! But then why wouldn’t you want to fly away from those chains of continuos boring lectures and freak out!

The guys have their own way. Some student leaders down there in Ujjain had all the guts to beat a professor to death. Armed with heavy political support and all the muscles they built up while growing up, they certainly used their power to the height of stupidity. They went totally out of hand and cases like these must be fully condemned.

Meanwhile somewhere up here in Punjab, there were some other issues. Uncooked meals, spiders in rice (wonder if anyone had those and became Spiderman!), lack of basic facilities in the mess as well as very strict rules made the hostlers very angry. To add to the masala some first year students got together and beat up their seniors who tried to rag them. The hostelers finally got in a fit of rage and that’s when all hell broke loose!

Overheard! The Great UK Bombing Plot

I’ve had a great experience overhearing other’s conversations. Sometimes these conversations are way too much of a secret. Being a woman it’s my duty to spread the gossip around, I really can’t help myself much with that. So here’s a part of the latest conversation I overheard sometime last week. The American president was woken up from one of his sweetest dreams by a sudden call from his langotia friend.

The person on the other line is scared and terrified. His voice is low and his tone is very calm. He speaks in a slow manner. Bush tries to locate his cell phone but he can’t remember where he left it before going to bed. He can still hear the phone ringing to a Linkin Park ring tone in his huge bedroom but he’s still helpless. He calls up Condoleezza and asks her about his cell phone’s whereabouts. She offers to put her entire staff on the job when Bush recalls he left the phone in the bathroom. He rushes to the bathroom to answer the call.

Bush: Hello, this is the President of the United States!

Blair: aside (yeah like I care). Hello Hello!

Happy Birthday—– INDIA !!!

Freedom—so, so, so many meanings. Over-hyped or under-rated, this word is the basis of Indian history. India turns 60 this year and I say so because I believe that you are born when you are free. Surpass those “as a result of freedom” developmental and political terms and come to define freedom. Trust me, you wont be able to convince yourself easily.

I tried and ended up confused.

So is freedom about giving voice to your opinions or is it about expressing your emotions? If the case is so—then our society will end up in chaos. And where did the freedom go, I don’t know. Is it about going on a vacation whenever you want or sleeping till 10 in the morning—oh! Come over it— you selfish folks. Is it about economic independence or inner confidence—Gosh! Big terms, not for me! Is it about having your own space or living your dreams—hey! Why are you asking me?

Mah! Color me basanti!

As the clock strikes twelve tonight the nation goes on a 24 hour long rampage of a day we call the Independence Day. It’s a day of uttermost historical importance. We may spend the entire year cursing the pathetic state of the country but we don’t shy away from enjoying patriotic movies on tv, humming Vande Mataram and watching the Independence Day celebrations on national television. After all we’re the same citizens who curse the politics pickle each time a scam unearths, reluctantly pay taxes (sometimes evading them too!), make the most of public toilets and feel proud and inspired after watching Rang De Basanti.

Somehow we have become the worst critics of our own country. While there are several negative points, there are positive as well. The past couple of years have seen the country evolve into a better developing nation. I agree we still have jobs to run after, markets crashing at times but then things have never been any better as well! It’s not the politicians who make our nation an neither the dirt lying all around. It’s you and me who make it a nation, a country. Yes, it’s time to color yourself Basanti and make the country proud.

So how do you and I make our country proud, a better place to live? How do we make it a safe heaven? How we keep it from the brain drain?