Welcome to ‘Fakeville’

Fakeville – the place where a great many articles and products ape and dupe the originals to boost their sales. In simple words, either the logos are designed such that they make a near perfect imitation of the original top-selling brands or the spelling is made out in such a way that it is intended to cheat the onlooker giving a good enough illusion of the original in a jiffy (playing a trick on the eyes).

Also, it is where a ‘Tommy Hilfiger’ is spelt as either ‘Tomi Hilfiger’ or ‘Tommy Hifigure’ or any other way the maker wishes to name. Many more examples of such fakes that create an illusion when seen casually come as no surprise these days. Fake products come in various categories starting from caps and t-shirts reaching to perfect replication of the original range of a certain popular mobile phone.

'Lacoste' watch up on sale for 200 bucks? Credit: Champion's Dialect

Interestingly, the look-alike products come at about 1/3^rd the price of the original, making it easy to sell in the down-market. One can see many a product of this kind kept on sale quite openly. Coming in at much cheaper rates than the original ones and yet the availability being abundant, the market is flooded with such products, making a glitch in the sales of the branded ones to an extent. Whether or not the makers of such products are breaching the laws, these petty manufacturers make pretty good bucks in the shadow of all popular brands.

Interestingly, it’s not just the youth, who catch up with the trend fast, but it is these people who make an even faster approach to remake the trendy originals. Works of art such as paintings by legends, reference books to titles in fiction, electronic goods to software CDs and music and movie DVDs, cosmetics to carpets – all of which, either fake or pirated but nonetheless are available aplenty. If Mobile set Moguls ‘Nokia’ haven’t come up with a dual-sim model as yet, these people did bring in the multiple-sim mobiles looking as good, if not better. The list is endless: Designer – wear, bags, belts, wrist watches, shoes, football jerseys, cricket bats, et al – all of those we see on pavements, in small kiosks and shops add to the fake commodity bandwagon. Catching on the ‘brand conscious urban youth’ has proved to be a winning point for them of late.

If the bon viviant youth don’t budge in the least to spend big bucks on the originals, there are at the same time, people who go the other way and feel that they have a better purchase option as fakes come at much cheaper prices.

A Manchester United fake jersey. Credit: Champions Dialect

“Who cares to scrutinize so closely when the logo and the styling give a near perfect impression of the original? And why spend on pricey branded-wear when you can get a fake at a third of the original price?” asks Kumar, a youngster satisfied with the ‘fakes’ he buys the most. “These fakes give a cheap look when worn at college. No matter how strong the resemblance is”, says Ravi, who has distaste for such spurious goods.

Though imitation is fraudulent and illegal, people, who patronize such merchandise have their own line of argument. “People who cannot afford the sky-high price tags of the branded ones have a chance to pick from some of these at least, which is a win-win proposition for both the customer and the seller alike. After all, the hefty price we pay the big brands is astronomically disproportionate to the real worth of the product and it is no less than loot and white-mischief, as it were.

Yes, it is we, the consumers, who contribute to the big guys the millions for their ad-spends and billions for sponsorship, all in furthering their brand-building.”

A branded football jersey, a prized possession to youth these days bearing names like ‘Ronaldo’ or ‘Messi’ or any such top player, costs no less than Rs.2500 apiece. That’s a startling price tag for a single jersey and not exactly affordable for most. But these days, thanks to the ‘fakes’ doing a good job of catching up with the trend, the fake and yet trendy jerseys are sold at a price range of Rs.200 – Rs.300 apiece. Now, that comes as a great deal for a fancied footballer here. Doesn’t it?

Adidas watch for a mere 100? Credit: Champions Dialect

“A jersey is a jersey so long as it bears the name of the football great and the logo of the club he plays for. So why be a foolish spendthrift?” reasons Rahul, who enjoys appearing in the jersey of ‘Raul’, a Spanish International and a popular Real Madrid striker.

Opinions and arguments similar to these are aplenty but it is debatable if ‘Fakeville’, though making a good business, is on the wrong side of law as imitation of logos involves copyright and trademark issues.

‘Fakeville’ remains to be an issue considering the laws related to proprietary rights and copyrights of the owning brands on one hand and the economic standards of people in these parts on the other hand.

Are the super-brands right in fixing unrealistic and prohibitive sale price for their products? Is the super fake market right in cashing in, on the brand names they ape to earn their supper? Or finally, are people right in patronizing this spurious ‘Fakeville’?

Or is it just that ‘Fakeville’ makes a good game to play unnoticed and uncared of such things in a real world?

What’s not fake?

With so many cars to choose from and so many designs to pick from,there has a been quiet a number of cars which seem to impress admirers on the roads.It is not the same, what an owner of a well modified vehicle thinks and what a passerby thinks. “It is a great thing when someone turns their head around to see my bike passing through my lane.” says Sairam, a medicine student from Gandhi medical college, Hyderabad.”The flame stickers on the car make half the college crowd turn heads.!” says Rohith, a students from CVSR college of engineering. With such growing popularity for well finished vehicle ’sticker’ing and add on’s ( God only knows what they mean), there is a busy market for such service providers. City roads at places like Ramkote, Begumpet, ESI and Abids are well known for finding workshops which give such extra, added looks to your bike or car. A wide range of designs in number plates and radium sticker writings are much commonly known accessories used apart from numerous others.The large vehicle population in the city also is fuelling this trend of show business.

Spoiler and stickers enhance the good looks of the car. Credits:Abhishek

More and more number of vehicles are being registered in the city and the statistics place the state as fourth biggest in vehicle population. The city has denser vehicle crowd than human population in a few places of the globe. This huge number obviously would not allow the vehicle owners to let their vehicle be same as many others in the city. “My kids just wont leave the car as it used to be when bought.” says Ravi Prakash, an employee who owns a four wheeler and is a resident of Hyderabad. Hemanth reddy a student of CVSR college of engineering says  “What is the point in bringing the same old car to college without atleast changing its appearance every month?” ”changing the outlook of my car every now and then is much better than buying a new one after a long time” says Karthik, a student of CVSR college of engineering. With so much of interest poured in by the youngsters in camouflaging their year old cars as brand new ones, there definitely is some competition for spraying latest looks onto your car or bike.

People barely know what stuff they inscribe on their bikes and cars. But, they never step back if the particular sign is supposed to be in fashion. ‘Predators’, ‘haunted’, ‘wanted’, ‘black birds’, ‘royals’ and ’screamers’ for starters, people even have phrases and poems on their bikes and cars! Gone are those days when people spent lots of money over the car’s interiors, music players and surround sound systems. Youngsters are now investing in changing the finishing looks rather than their unseen interiors. Most of the cars which are modified or stickered are the smaller economy cars or the luxury sedans but not the SUVs which usually, are not driven by the youngsters.

A stickered maruti swift. Credits:hemanth

Similar is the case with bikes that youngsters ride. These bikes don’t look like the ones parked outside busy offices and workplaces. They could be found easily parked at, or closer to a popular youth hangout, a  cinema theatre or a college. The  distinguishing features include handles without rear view mirrors, rear tyres with half cut mud guards and a dozen other names and quotes half which mean ‘its my dad’s road‘. Another easily available place for such well altered bikes is at the closest police check post where, students can be seen asking the inspector for returning their bike keys.”My dad always says to me that this is’nt the bike he bought me, it used to be much different.That is the way i like my bike to be identified” says Rajesh a student of Geetanjali college of engineering. The important factor determining the creativity of a guy is that how well he changes the color of his bike to make it look exactly opposite of how it used to look or how the other bikes still look.

Black bike painted white! Credits:rajesh

Apart from classifying vehicles as small ones and big ones, slower and faster ones, cheaper and expensive ones, they are also classified as modified ones and normal ones, as the most flamboyant population of the happening city considers this classification as a necessity.

The origins of the ‘water pipe’ smoking device date back to around the 16th century. It was invented in India during the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar. However, smoking tobacco was not a widespread activity in India even after it’s introduction by the Europeans. The equipment was essentially designed in order to filter the smoke from tobacco using water. This ancient smoking equipment was then famous among ambassadors and aristocrats. The Arabs call  it the ’shisha’ and are the world’s largest smokers in number, for they use it for social smoking. The Arabs have most number of cafes offering hookah in the whole world according to statistics. This smoking trend is the most happening style these days in the Hyderabad city hangouts.

There are a lot of places in the city where most of the teenagers are most expected to smoke hookah. Busiest places in the city like Himayathnagar, Sr Nagar, Jubillee hills, Vidyanagar etc. which are always full with students on the streets are one of the hot spots for hookah parlours. Hookah, in the past few months, has overthrown the craze for hangout places like gaming centers, movies theatres and even restaurants. This new trend has been very rapidly evolving in improving the tastes and flavours offered and the fun loving youth is fast accepting the changes in habits.

There are many hookah smokers who think smoking hookah does not cause as much harm as cigarettes or cigars. This makes only a few of the hookah smokers aware of the fact that it is equally harmful as smoking cigarettes and even potentially more harmful when consumed in higher amounts. The very design upon which the device is designed, smoke purification using water, is not much effective as it is thought to be by the teenagers. Due to this lack of wealthy information and hype of unhealthy fashion the young are definitely not on the right path.

“I don’t think hookah is a very harmful habit and I also feel it is much better than cigarettes.” says Kaushik, one of the frequent hookah smokers and a student from Pixelloid animation school, Hyderabad. “I actually don’t bother about the health part over the fun part.” says Shashank Maganti, another hookah smoker and student from Narayana junior college, Hyderabad. There are opinions among the youth regarding the ill effects of smoking hookah which actually convince a lot of their peers to start smoking it.However there is some resistance among the non smoking youth, who simply cut off the very thought of hookah as a fashion. “Who said hookah is fashionable.?Its bullshit and is not worth the money” says Subrahmanyam a student from GITAM university Vizag. Vijeyendra Vallam a student from CVSR college of engineering says “i dont advice the prevalent smokers but would ask the new comers to think as of what is the very purpose of smoking hookah”.Our country apart from offering wide diversity in traditions and cultures also has a very diversified bunch of opinions and attitudes among the same age group. There are a lot of places in world which use hookahs made and exported from India. Contradictorily there are reports on raids and bans on hookah smoking in a few parts of the country, especially Gujarat. The government is not so amused with the widespread popularity of hookah smoking in such places.

Several hookah parlours and cafes have been banned and their licenses have been canceled in the western countries like the U.S.A and Canada in the past, which now have been revived due to the increase in the popularity globally. The main crowd targeted for these parlour owners is reportedly the young-adult age group and people from middle eastern countries and communities. The rate of increase of the popularity has triggered many scientific research institutes to perform and analyze tests on hookah smoking. The results are not very pleasing. Doctors and scientists have confirmed the effect of smoking hookah is as genuine and as good as smoking cigarettes. Scientists say that the moisture from the water used for purification may make the smokers less irritated which falsely interprets them about its true ill effects.

So it would be very wise if every teenager smoking hookah thinks over issues relating to health and even wiser  if they make decisions which not only bring a change in their habits, but also among the others.

http://www.vidyouth.com/2009/06/22/getting-hookahed/

Celebrations In The City Credits: Engel Tatiana

“Janani Janmabhoomishch Swargaadipi Garyiyasi” goes a famous Sanskrit saying which derives itself from a strong emotion of pride which says “Mother and motherland are the most prominent of the known.”

Sixty years back, a salute of twenty one guns and unfurling of the Indian National flag by Dr. Rajendra Prasad heralded the historic birth of ‘The Indian Republic’, on 26^th January 1950 i.e. 894 days after the country became dominion following the withdrawal of ‘the British Rule’. Since then, every year we celebrate this day with great pride and happiness all over the nation. But how many of us really care about ‘country’s fests ‘like the other festivals, huh? Many can’t even differentiate the two most important words-’Republic and Independence’.

The youth of a democratic country like India lacks the spirit of belongingness towards their nation. With the increasing so called ‘trend’, they are nix finding time to even attend the country’s carnival and remember the people who brought glory to our populace.

A situation like this popped up in ATRI College, where a handful of the students attended 2010’s Republic Day Celebrations. When asked about his absence, a student replied,”Attending the celebrations is not a compulsion, right? I respect my country and I guess it’s enough to keep me going, then what’s the need?” Now when such important days are not given importance, then who would worry to think about Gandhi Jayanthi or the birthday of Bhagat Singh to name a few?

Unfurling The National Flag Credits: Engel Tatiana

It’s important for people to know that 26^th January 2010 and the coming 15^th August marks the completion of six decades of working, striving and all along being guided by the principles and objectives of the Indian Constitution that was framed and adopted in 1950. The very opening words of our Constitution are “We the people of India” is a very strong affirmation that the impulses of the nation and its future would be guided by its own people. This day is a reminder that upholding the values, determining the direction and propelling the growth of our Nation is a task that must be fulfilled by ‘Us’, being the citizens of the country.

Sadhana from ACE College of Engineering says, “On 26^th January and 15^th August, I get an unusual sense of patriotism, God knows from where. The surprising thing is that I feel it only on those two days.”Like Sadhana, there are many others who share the same opinion.

Maram Indu of ATRI says, “I want to serve my nation, but that doesn’t mean that I would like to join any of the defense services because that work is too tedious for me to handle. All I promise is that I would definitely lay down my life for INDIA in case of any offense.”

To be on a philosophical note, there are two India’s in this country. ‘One is training at the leash eager to spring forth and live up to all the adjectives the world has recently showered upon us. The other India is the ‘Leash’ itself. One India says give me a chance and I will prove myself. The other India says prove yourself and then, maybe then you will have a chance. One India lives in the optimism of our hearts. The other India conceals itself in the rear end of our minds. One India wants, the other India hopes. One India leads and the other India follows. These conversions are on the rise and with each passing day more and more people are coming over to this side and quietly while the world is not looking, a pulsating dynamic new India is emerging. ‘

The Tricolor Beauty Credits: Engel Tatiana

“I love my country and I used to attend the celebrations every year when I was in India. I am settled in Texas presently, but luckily I’ve found an Indian organization with whom I spend these occasions so that I wouldn’t miss my country much!”grins Chaya.

The citizens of India, mainly the youth of the Nation should focus on building an India whose faith and success is far greater than its fear, an India that no longer boycotts foreign made goods but buys companies that make this place a better place for dwelling.

It’s we who have to clench our country in the near future. So why not take a step now itself? Let’s begin with being a chauvinist…

Jai Hind!!!

Yes! This is what today’s youth are on. Music, chatting, calls, games and what not does a cell phone today offers. It’s true that students are expected to find new ways over the older ones. Well, the purpose of having a phone for making calls has almost become aged today with messages and games being the younger generations of the mobile family. “My dad gave me this phone so that he can easily talk to me but for me, this is my pastime honestly,” says Katragadda Kishore from MNR.

Technically, its approximately a 3 inch long, one and a half inch wide slim metal or a plastic made piece with digital display that has room for a battery and a sim card, fitting easily in the front pocket of a trouser. But actually, to a student it means a lot more. Few can even forget to carry their class notes but not a cell phone that day. “One day I started for my bus stop, suddenly on my way I realized I had forgotten my cell phone. I rushed back home 5 minutes prior to the bus timing, this is a little beauty,” quotes Sneha Joshi from MRIET.

It all starts in the morning sending good morning messages to all the names in the phonebook. Then suddenly it turns into an mp3 player in the bus, thanks to colleges for being in the outskirts of the city. Also thanks to the latest softwares and applications for giving cell phones a new dimension. With the advent of Bluetooth, students started transferring songs and media stuff to pass time while they travel. One hardly looks at his watch almost sunk in this chore. But the fact happens to be the bus stopping in front of the college gate. “The other day the music of a popular telugu movie was out, one of the guys in my bus downloaded the songs. As soon as he got in the music spread to every mobile, no wonder with the help of Bluetooth. Isn’t it great? I love my phone!” exclaims Shiva Varma from DVRCET.

If you think its college, classes, faculty, and how could phone be kept away, it’s wrong! Unfortunately classrooms offer the best place to use a cell phone for a student. This might just sound a little astounding but definitely not unusual. First bench or the last bench doesn’t really matter, but a bench with completely covered desk helps the best. Soon after this part concludes the movie begins.

Mobiles @ class room, CREDIT: RAGHU

Lecture starts rolling and fingers start moving over the keypad under the desk. Eyes on the board, focus on the phone. In a lighter view while theory of communications is going on above the desk level, practical sessions of communication go on below the desk level. “No wonder we can’t make comments while a professor is teaching out there. Thanks to cell phones! At least now we can share them with our classmates in a very convenient way. Class time is the best time,” shares Karthik Chava from Chilkur Balaji Institute.

In the midst of all this, the lecturer suspects him and throws a question. How does he counter it? Well, he is smart enough to catch the prompts from his friends. Poor professor trusts him and even compliments him for his attention towards the class, which basically is on what might be the next reply for his message. This goes on and on.

Chatting during the class hours. CREDIT:Raghu

“It’s easy, in fact very easy, when you get used to the keypad, you don’t need to look at the phone every time to use it, so its rather easy to look at the lecturer while you message,” meeds Rubella Vijay when asked about how tough it is to text during the class hours.

Classroom messaging is like driving a bike without license and then evenings is just storming away on the same bike at 100mph with license, the freedom of using a phone sitting next to a teacher. “Cell phone and bus is the best combination, perhaps because it is the only place where you can listen to your favorite music with no objections unlike at home. I miss it a lot, if I forget my headset for a single day,” says Rucksar Begum from SSJ.

In addition to this, leading cell phone networks and companies seem to have caught the pulse of youth with the introduction of offers like the pulse, message offers and more for many latest handsets. Just about 50 bucks every month and have the luxury of using a cell phone has been the case today. “I think cell phone is to sms friends, and that too at Rs.49 per month is just wow,” retorts Kavya Pidaparthi from MREC.

Mobile during the practicals, Credit:Divina Eileen

“Cell phone is merely to serve the purpose of communicating with dear ones. Unlike this, I find people precisely of my age group ruining their lives by spending their most valuable time pushing off their exams aside, on this small stupid piece,” says Deepthi Pandulkar, a UG student from Hyderabad Central University.

On the flip side what does a parent think of his child and his cell phone?  Well thank the colleges again. If not for their location outside the city not many students may have experienced the pleasure of using a phone. While few are really worried about their child getting addicted to a mobile phone and try and take those important steps against it, there is another grade of parents who know the ill effects but still are helpless. If this stands as such, it’s a pity that the third class of parents is unmindful of the negative impact of a mobile.

“A parent always has to carry the responsibility of observing his child more vitally considering the age in which they are in.  I think this is where our personal experience plays a crucial part. Parents and children may have different opinions on a single thing, but a parent is always in charge of his child” opines Mr. K.S. Murthy a BHEL employee.

“My phone is the best. It hides all my secrets and so it’s my most priced possession,” says Nandita Masetty a second year graduate from Osmania Women’s college.

students sharing messages. CREDIT: Raghu

“It’s a wonderful piece that allows you to connect to people instantly through messages and at low cost too. But it must be used for the very purpose of communicating when needed and not to waste time on it,” remarks Sameer Sirwani from TKR.

“My child is always with his phone, he can even change his dinner time but can’t change his chat timings,” admits a parent Mr.Gudipati Chari, a bank employee. “I wonder what my daughter does with her phone all the time. I tried explaining several times but failed. I even tried taking off her mobile but found her maintaining one in secret. What’s so happening there that children instead of avoiding things we warned about, start finding new ways to have them?” questions Mr. Bhaskar Chalasani, a Bsnl employee. When the same question, what do your parents think about you using a cell phone was put across students they came up with different replies. “It’s simple parents do take care of their children and they have to, but that doesn’t mean that they got to control them hard few issues like mobiles and internet. The faster you hit the ball to the wall, the harder it bounces,” answers Tania Shah from Guru Nanak College of engineering.

Though many have distributed views over using a cell phone, it’s essentially to connect people. It’s advancement to letters and land phones. But this boon should not turn to be a bane to a student’s life with the way he uses it. What about internal question papers being forwarded in messages before the exam? When there is nothing wrong using these mobiles then why do students have to cover their phones and put a security lock over their phones? On the other scale when parents say that they trust their child, why do they have to secretly open his inbox?

Well, its time not only to answer these questions but also to look for the remedy, effectively through a student mind. After all, it’s a student’s thing.

The personal diary is one such quintessential colourful chronicler of the past but fast fading out and falling prey to the scorching pace of the modern day world with no space left for anything personal.

The Chronicle Credit: Champion's Dialect

‘Never judge a book by its cover’ is apt in its literal sense for something like a personal Diary!

Diary - The one that may not have the same glossy vibrant cover page of a magazine or novel on display at the book-store, but yet could contain all that can make it as colourful as any one’s life could be, during the year that just passed by. It’s for some, the first gift received on the eve of a new-year from someone near and dear, that brings about a promising zeal to record the events of each day and express with fervor all feelings intimate to the heart. It is perhaps the one and only place where one could be honest to one’s own self. As it happens with most people, the diary may very soon get haplessly dumped alongside other untouched books. If it ends up as a rough-work-book for solved and unsolved math or other such stuff for many, it can also be the precious one treasured for ever for those few who realize its value.

And then, there are Diaries of great men like Mahatma Gandhi which are historical. The Diary not only throws light on the different facets of the personality of its author, but could also provide a mirror image of the life and social circumstances that prevailed during the period it was penned. ‘My Dateless Diary’ authored by R.K.Narayan, besides giving a glimpse into the funny side of his personality, is quite an entertainer too. Anne Frank’s ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ is a chronicle of the kind of inhuman repression the Jewish community underwent during the Nazi invasion of the 2^nd world war times.

Solved and Unsolved math in the diary! Credit: Champion's Dialect

On the flipside, “It may contain the names or details of yesteryear crushes as well!” quips Abhinay Thimmaraju, a student of CSIIT, with a mischievous wink.

From The Writer’s Desk:

This is the league of people who are eloquent at patient writing to maintain the diary on a near regular basis.  To make notes of accomplishments and goals, to give vent to the day’s anger and frustration, to open up thoughts and emotions close to the heart… a sheer writer’s paradise affording a very personal platform for free and unrestrained self-expression! And yes, it’s a purely personal domain, trespassing/peeping into which is ‘Strictly Prohibited’!

Here’s what a few had to say when asked of whether they were in the habit of maintaining a personal diary..

“I’ve been keeping a diary since the time I was a seven year old. Earlier I used to be quite regular, which of late, I’m not. Usually I put in writing all happenings of the day, of things I liked or disliked, and I also vent out my frustrations. The idea of maintaining a diary is a good stress-buster and often a reliever of emotions!” says, Sampoorna Gonella, a student of Osmania University College of Engineering.

Sweet memories sweetly preserved Credit: Champion's Dialect

Samson Joseph, a student of Bharat Institute of Engineering and Technology says, “It has been long since I kept my last diary. I used to maintain a diary to analyze things at a later day as to where my mistakes lay, which usually helped me to focus on getting the better of my shortcomings. Most people frown at failures. But ideally, bitter failures can turn into sweet triumphs if only one can spot ‘where’ the mistake lied instead of worrying ‘why’ something had gone wrong. Diary is such a thing to look at where one may possibly find a solution, as it is where one is at peace with oneself!”

The Blame Gamers:

These people vent out their frustrations interestingly not by writing on the pages of the diary, but cite their hectic lifestyle and busy academic schedule as cause enough for not doing so.

Trudging through the vast syllabi and completing the records (in record time!) are reasons enough that play the spoilsport for anybody to spare time on a Diary is what the youth nowadays lament of!

So much so, the Diary gets relegated from the top drawer of the writing table to one of its unused corners and then hidden underneath a pile of other books, wherefrom it disappears altogether.

Abiding By The Action Plan? Credit: Champion's Dialect

“People feel better and find it more consoling to receive a concerned-kind-of message or comment in response to a message posted on a social networking site rather than to discuss it with a friend or to write elaborately on the subject of concern in the personal Diary” opines Ghanashyam Pai, a student of Geethanjali College of Engineering and Technology. There is a debate going on over the virtues or otherwise on this recent induction of virtual world into our lives.

However, there are quite a few who still prefer to keep and feel attached to the personal Diary of the real world rather than to open out themselves in the virtual world!

Beware!

A Diary doesn’t contain just the events but a vivid demonstration of emotions too, some being very personal, concerned not to self alone but to those others involved. So the risk of keeping one is directly proportional to the flow of emotions recorded, multiplied by the degree of secrecy involved!

“It feels good to keep a record of everything in the diary. All personal matters are written in there, some of which cannot be shared with anybody, not even with your best friend. This is what makes keeping a diary rather risky. Things could be embarrassing when the tiniest bit of its contents is seen by a wrong pair of eyes,” cautions Archana Patalay, a student of Bhavan’s Degree College.

The Bottom line:

Internet blogging and networking has brought in a new form of sharing emotions both good and bad with a virtual community of friends, effectively taking over the role of real-world friends and the personal diary. Yet, the diary is often kept and loved for what it is.

Remember, life is but a ‘page-less diary of endless memories’. This is what makes the Diary worth reading all over again! Won’t you love to re-live your past?

Simple, Beautiful and yet Eloquent Credits: Pens Eve

“Falling in love consists merely in uncorking the imagination and bottling the common-sense”-Helen Rowland

Into February and the entire world is decked up in the hues of red. As a new tradition, new days like Rose Day, Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Bear Day, Promise Day, Hug Day, Kiss day are being celebrated beginning from the 7^th February and culminating on the 14^th February with Valentine’s Day to mark the end of the coveted ‘love week’.   The status messages cloud the walls and even the games on facebook are altered, new stuff comes into it with regard to this lovey dovey day. “It’s a cute thing!” exclaims Azra Fatima of O.U.C.W, an avid pet society fan. The various comments and posters that get updated through the week are amusing to note.

“Aishwarya Muralidhar: really pities all the guys who’ve been forced to empty their wallets to buy gifts for girlfriends this past week…what’s with the ‘Rose Day’ and ‘Teddy Day’ and ‘Propose Day’? Sheesh…the poor chaps…

Aishwarya Muralidhar : Valentine’s Day=April Fool’s Day…for me, at least. 10th year running. Happy? Good, we’ve finally got things straightened out ”

Love in Pet Society, Facebook Credits: Marianne Tulia

Flowers say it all...don't they??!! Credits: Pens Eve

The fanfare in shops Credits: Pens Eve

Love is in the Balloons =P Credits: Pens Eve

Khizer Ahmed, a student of VIF Enggineering and Technology seconds the above status message by calling it “Independence Day for singles!” It is to be known that Valentines’s Day has also been reffered to as the ‘Singles Awareness Day’ in jest.  Karthik Katara from Osmania University has a more serious view, “The idea of valentines day is utter rubbish. It’s being celebrated as an elaborate thing, from almost 7th february to 21st from what I’ve heard. youngsters get influenced by such things and have trouble with their parents.”

The shops going gung ho, the rapid increase in sales of cards, soft toys, cakes, confectionary, flowers bouquets, balloons, gift wraps, jewellery, accessories…you name it. All have one thing in common ‘A BIG RED HEART’. Why?? Its Valentine’s Day coming up..!! A time to tell your loved one that you love them and care for them or more appropriately expressing the commercial aspect of it..!! The whole drama behind the festive spirit is so judiciously planned and put into action, that it evokes marvelous disgust. Manas Krishna from K.M.I.T has been quite eloquent on his take about this much hyped day, “Valentine’s Day means nothing to me. In the true patriotic sense and as an Indian fanatic, V’day is definitely not my festival! Maybe I could love someone more than Valentino did…so I’ve no reason to spread the word….moreover Valentino’s story has not been validated till date. Just coz some Pope declared sainthood to an imprisoned moron, I wouldn’t wanna celebrate it…And I’m completely disgusted by the way youth project it and exploit it…!!!”

It is indeed necessary to observe the fact that Valentine’s Day’s origin is still being debated but the various traditions and customs that mark this day around the world is worth being noticed. In Portugal this day is  more commonly referred to as ‘Dia dos Namorados’ meaning Boy/Girlfriend’s Day. In Slovenia it is known as the day which marks the beginning of spring. A proverb says that ‘St. Valentine brings the keys of roots’, so on that day the plants and flowers begin to grow. In South Korea, women give chocolate to men on February 14, and men give non-chocolate candy to women on March 14 (White Day). On April 14 (Black Day), those who did not receive anything on the 14th of Feb or March go to a Chinese restaurant to eat black noodles and “mourn” their single life. Similarly in Japan, many women feel obliged to give chocolates to all male co-workers, except when the 14th falls on a Sunday, a holiday. This is known as giri-choko from giri ‘obligation’ and choko, ‘chocolate’, with unpopular co-workers receiving only ‘ultra-obligatory’ chō-giri choko cheap chocolate. This contrasts with honmei-choko, Favorite chocolate; chocolate given to a loved one. Friends, especially girls, may exchange chocolate referred to as tomo-choko from tomo meaning ‘friend’.

In India however, the matters have been more serious. Orthodox political party activists have often created chaos and commented that this day was being used as a guise to convert people to Christianity. Nonetheless, “Valentines Day is a day for love and celebration. It is the sharing of great moments with a ’special someone’. It’s that one day in the year, when one who loves someone dearly can express his or her love” says Prachi Srimal of St. Francis. “I don’t think we need a special day to express our love to others! We have 365 days in the year to do so”, counters Divjot Chawla from St. Francis.

Love on Sale Credits: Pens Eve

It cannot be denied that this ocassion has gained as much popularity as the other festivals. The sales in malls, stores and bakeries ececetera have been on a consistent rise. “I feel that the day is hyped, by hotels, pubs and shopping malls for their benefit. Love is a very beautiful emotion  and it doesn’t require any special day,” asserts Sushma Nanduri from St. Francis. ”It’s a silly tradition; shown in movies as a day that makes people realise that they are alone. It’s a money-making day for various companies. It’s stupid because you don’t need a specific day to celebrate love. The recent build up to Valentines day like rose day, chocolate day, teddy bear day and god knows what day are all extremely superficial. It’s no festival even though it’s treated like that with all the hulabaloo and the one week build up,”adds Zainab Rangoonwala from St. Francis.  Despite the fanfare surrounding this day the moblie service providers like Vodafone, Idea, Airtel and the others don’t seem to treat it with the same partiality that they do to other regular festivals.“Why does my message offer plan  apply on Diwali and not on V’day”, questions M. Krish from K.M.I.T.

The myriad conjectures about the day would never cease but the crux of the issue, Love is validated by Fatema Basith of  NALSAR, “I’m not really a fan of Valentines day. I mean, I don’t think you need a day to celebrate love. True love is something that life gives us  a chance to experience, show, nurture, cherish and celebrate with each new day! A lot of things go into making a strong relationship and expressing a little love everyday is more important that making a display of it one one particular day!”

Believers or not…just Goof up and Have fun..!!

Rose day organised by college students Credit: Alternate Self

Love ‘aaj kal’ is no more veer-zaara types. One changing his/her partner is as normal as changing their cell phone model. One moment a person logs into social networking sites like facebook, myspace or orkut, he/she finds that his/her friend is in a relationship. But the very next moment that person gets the shocking news of his/her fallout. All of us are living fast track lives, all are in a hurry to just hook-up with someone, no matter how that person is, not realizing if he/she is actually made for us or not. Is that the insecurity of ending up single, that forces us to get into a relationship?

Let’s find out what do the youngsters within the age group of 15-23 years have to say about relationships. How important is being in a relationship? Aarti Sharma, a medical student says, “The feeling of being in a relationship is unique. Who doesn’t want to be pampered? But yeah! It has become a trend of ‘on and off relationships’ these days”. Hadiya Majid, a BDS final year student says, ”Well, it’s not very important to have someone in your life. There is a certain age at which you can think of getting into a relationship. Breaking up and making up is a sign of immaturity. When you are not sure about your relationship, then why get into one?” Sakshi Singh, an intermediate student says, “It’s very fine for any two people in love, to be in a relationship. It’s standing up and saying to the world, ‘Hey that’s my love!’ It’s all about being there for each other, no matter what the world says”. Rahul, a Mass Communication student says, “I always had a girlfriend since my seventh grade. In fact I always waited for a new girlfriend before breaking up with the old one. For the past eight months I have been single and I am having a blast right now. You don’t need a girlfriend to stay happy”. Kalyani. A says, “Relationships are special moments together. You share your secrets, laugh together, cry together, make promises and say ’sorry’ a million times. These moments bring up smile on one’s face and make one feel loved”.

Single Ladies Credit: Alternate Self

Alisha Merchant, a BDS 3^rd year, says, “Commitment is very important in a relationship. Few people get into relationships just because they think it’s cool to be in one.”
“Being single is all the more fun. You have all the freedom, and you can always hangout and have fun with your girl friends. Being in a relationship gives you a secure feeling and makes you feel loved and cared, and makes you more confident as an individual. Personally I do not like break-ups, nobody does. One can always handle the relationship with maturity instead of ending it there”, says Adhiraj Singh, a B.Tech multimedia student. Balaji says, “Relationships change your perspective towards the world. They make you feel special and everything around you more beautiful”. Here is what Akhila Sagar, a dental student, has to say, “A relationship means loving your partner. Some people just love the whole idea of being in love.  If two people understand each other, then they should go ahead and be in a relationship. It’s ‘hip’ to be in a relationship. Break-ups are sad, but it’s okay if there is no love and respect left for each other in the relationship.”

In today’s fast paced life, what one needs is a stable relationship, a reliable partner to fall back upon. But because of lack of time, one does not give enough attention to working on the relationship. It’s very common for youngsters to get into a relationship, be it a serious one or not. Everybody likes it initially, as it is exciting, but with time the excitement fades away and reality comes into play. That’s where one gets to know if their partner really loves them or not.

Our hectic schedules also play a major role in hampering our relationships. One becomes more frustrated and vents out his/her anger on his/her partner. Mood swings, low tolerance levels, fast paced lives and the desire of trying out newer things are the reasons for most of the break-ups. Its cool to tell others how many ex’s one has had. A person gets into a relationship when he/she feels the need for the special care and concern and once their partner fails to give the same amount of love and importance, they decide to end it there. Sometimes youngsters are so indecisive that they make up after breaking up. There is a rise in the number of ‘on and off relationships’ these days. Such relationships are termed ‘unhealthy’. Love isn’t a switch that one switches on when they want to enjoy the beauty of the relationship and switches off when he/she thinks it’s just not the same feeling anymore.

Gang of girls having a good time Credit: Bhagyashree Deoda

Why can’t one face one’s status of being single? Is it peer pressure? Events like rose day and prom nights organized in colleges mainly for couples build up pressure in college goers to have a boyfriend/girlfriend, because all their friends have a boyfriend/girlfriend except them. Break-ups are saddening and depressing. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to let go as certain memories stay longer, even after the relationship has ended. Break-ups remind an individual of his/her shortcomings, make one feel uncertain about future and give him/her a ‘loser’ kind of a feeling for failing to maintain the relationship. Sometimes it’s no control upon oneself or rather, getting attracted to every new person you meet, that makes one head towards a break-up and switch their partners.

Every relation has its ups and downs. Relationships are a roller coaster ride of emotions. All of us like being in love. It’s always nice to have someone who loves you, cares for you and believes in you. Believing in fairytales isn’t wrong, but expecting your life to turn out into one is. What matters is whether you are commited or single, enjoy the moment and life will surely rock!

Cathy has voiced her views. Have you?! Credit: Shaila

On the 2^nd of July, 2009, India witnessed a completely new dimension with respect to law. That which actually gave a totally new meaning to “Equality”, as per defined by Article 14 of the Constitution. For some it was a bitter surprise, while for some, it was a break free movement. It was that day that the Indian Law defined the legality of HOMOSEXUALITY. “Until a few years back, Homosexuality was considered a stigma in our country. Any affinity towards the same sex seemed glaringly unusual and was condescended in our society. But globalization and its concomitant i.e., accompanying consequences brought about a sea change in the Indian scenario. People around the globe are today more connected to each other than ever before in the history of mankind. Ideas and information flow more quickly than ever. Our outlook has broadened by leaps and bounds and we have become more accepting unlike earlier. The traditional values rooted in us are slowly but surely fading as we tend to develop an identity that gives us a sense of belonging to a world wide culture which includes an awareness of events, practices and lifestyle that are a part of the global culture. Not to overlook the role that media plays in portraying this transition. Increasing number of Bollywood flicks including Dostana, Girlfriend, and Fashion among many others have projected homosexuality as a common way of lifestyle. The result- the youth begin to mock these “reel heroes” and practice the western culture and living with greater ease. And here we are- Now legalizing the Illegal- Celebrating Homosexuality- which while to some is a right move by our Legal system but for many others, it is no more than opening a Pandora’s box.”, says Sana Ajuha, a law student.

Not only this, like most of us have gone through papers, Article 377 which has become Legal today, was introduced way back as an illegal practice from the time of British Raj(1860) in India. It was considered as an offense as it was ‘against the order of the nature’. It has evoked mixed reactions in India. Arthika, a student of Commerce, says “Just take a look around. We (India) have distinguished ourselves from the westerns. It is just so sad to see India in this state. We have boosted our country to be a land myriad cultures and traditions, didn’t we?! And now it is all gay-ism personified.” On asking Chirag(name changed), a gay, “Finally it is a relief, now that things are legalized. I thank the Courts of India to have been able to understand us. We are no different from you guys, we are just the same. Then why were we ignored!? We do have the same kind of rights; dreams like you all, thus this was ought to be read down. If it wasn’t now, it would have been some other time in this era.”

There was huge debate by the people which was aired on NDTV-“A BIG FIGHT” (some time in mid 2008), where it had all the eminent personalities from politics, health department, Film industry among many more. Will it break the cliches? Will the Indian society be able to accept their children as they are? Will the child have a secured future? What would essentially be the voice of India? : These were some of the questions asked by parents. Not only the parents, but any rational being would pose those questions. For people like Cathy, she says, “Whatever is my answer. No, it really won’t make a difference. My motto is and always will remain unchanged-Live and let live. I’m okay with it. Now that doesn’t make me go against my sexual orientation. Ha-ha!”. But on the other side, people reason it out especially the Doctors and even the Human rights. Dr. Madan says, “It is not the opposition of what you are, which caste, creed are you from that has led to this bias. Every act against nature will have its own adverse reaction. It is the same in this case too. By practicing sodomy, buggery or whatever you term it as, it will increase the risks of HIV/AIDS, which will turn down the efforts done till date. Also, this disables the risk of inheritance and even if the couple would like to adopt a child, it would essentially lead to emotional intolerance of the adopted kid.”

Not many countries have really welcomed this idea. But surprisingly, in a latest survey, in the USA, it was noted that

The adopted child of a couple will affect their mental and emotinal balance. Credit: Ms.Radha

gay relationships last longer than those with opposite sexual orientation! “Wow!”(*point noted my lord!*). Many eminent personalities like Mark Feehily (musician-West life), Elton John (musician), Phil Jimenez (comic writer), Harvey Milk (politician) etc., have been in continuous spot light. Thus, concluding this in a nut shell is not going to stop the country’s Voices and energy to end. Will it? The debate continues.

(Statistics and examples credit: Wikipedia; books credit: IPC, Wadhwa co.)

Every invention since the early Iron Age has changed the face of the world and made human life more convenient and luxurious. The Television is the primary source of entertainment for a majority of the population today. Television programmes have various genres and therefore different target audiences. Due to the varied content, presentation style and unique plot line, these accordingly appeal to people of different ages, thought processes, lifestyles and even cultures. Youngsters between the age group of 16-24 form the largest number and quite understandably are much sought after by the creators of television shows.

Increasing westernization and signs of Indian youngsters aping the west, not just in regular habits of food and lifestyle, but also in their mannerisms, attitudes and mind frames account for this trend of western shows being popular even in India. In just a century, Rudyard Kipling’s famous quote “East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet”, stands to be contradicted. For today, the twain are meeting and in more ways than one. A great number of the urban Indian youth is glued to channels like Star World and Zee Café, for their much-deserved quota of entertainment.

“I like western shows because I’m done with this over-the-top unrealistic set-up of Indian dramas. I guess I need a much more convincing storyline and a realistic outlook. Indian shows tend to lack a bit of freshness and the idea of sacrificing your life to make someone else happy seems pretentious and far-fetched,” voices Zehra Zahur, a final year student of Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Technology. “Shows like ‘Lost’ have a very interesting storyline. Like who would have ever thought that 5 seasons of being stranded on an island would have worked? But it did. And the popular 90s show ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, in which the main protagonist was able to connect with the audience despite being from the fantasy genre, was because it had elements of reality in it,” she adds.

“Western shows are different from the regular ‘saas-bahu stuff’. The story of such shows is written, keeping in mind the younger generation. They have the right amount of humour and seriousness, acting and presentation,” opines Idya Apoorva, a second year student of International Academy of Computer Graphics. Her friend Madhuri Maram from the same college quips, “We search for something that is just like us. We relate to shows like these and require that ‘relating’ to fuel our imagination.”

Being the exhaustive medium of communication that television is, the genres of television shows are many. Some of the most popular ones are:

Comedy. Also called ‘sitcoms’ or ‘situational comedies’. This genre is popular not just among teenagers, but among adults and elders as well. ‘Friends’, ‘How I met your Mother’, ‘Desperate Housewives’. ‘Office’, ’30 Rock’ are some commonly watched shows. Starting in 1994, ‘Friends’ featured in ten seasons for a decade. It is about a group of six friends, who live, love and struggle through their dreams in New York City.

Friends - A decade of pure entertainment. Credits : Pens Eve

“Even though ‘Friends’ reflects a culture which is much more forward than the one we have in India, it is very warming to watch because universal values such as friendship, compassion, honesty and love are displayed. That’s why it’s such a popular series. The humour is very effective as well. I’m totally addicted to it,” says Mrs. Urmila Mahajan, a parent of two youngsters and a teacher at International School of Hyderabad. “Aside from the fact that they’re so funny, these shows are also very relevant to us as teens. They also, for that half hour make us forget all the stress of the day and we have a great time watching them, especially with Friends,” opines Urvi Desai, a student from Jai Hind College, Mumbai.

Mystery/Drama is another popular genre that has the audience on their toes. Shows under this genre generate oodles of thrill and excitement among the viewers. ‘Lost’, ‘House’, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, ‘Prison Break’ are a few shows that fall under this category. ‘Lost’ premiered in 2004 and has been running in its 6th season. The show falls under the genre ‘Island Fiction’; it is about a group of people from different walks of life, stranded on an uninhabited island. The show deals with their struggle for survival in the wild and from the fundamental barbaric instincts of human nature. “All of them have a secret, all of them are lost!” – the tag line of the show is enough to get anyone hooked!

Entertainment Reinvented. Credits : Pens Eve

“Tele series not only provide entertainment, but also pass on useful knowledge to the viewers, like in the case of medical and crime series. Being a student of Psychology, I like to watch shows related to my field of interest such as ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘Psych’. I also like to watch ‘Lost’, ‘Bones’ and ‘How I met your Mother’. The degree of entertainment on shows like ‘Lost’ and ‘Heroes’ is extremely high, due to the suspense created by good content – which is why they are extremely popular. There’s a lot of variety in the shows which is good for the viewer. So being addicted to series is not as harmful as many think,” observes Zainab Rangoonwala, a second year student from St. Francis College for Women. “The blend of CGI and natural locations make ‘Lost’ more realistic. The excellent and gripping storyline adds to the impact,” shares Divya Teja, a final year student from Indira Gandhi National Open University.

“When my friends were going gaga about a certain tele-series, I wondered why they were being so stupid. It was just a ‘show’! But ever since I watched the first episode of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, I have been hooked on to it. I saw 35 episodes of one hour each, in a span of 48 hours – if that defines ‘addiction’,” reveals Megha Agarwal, a second year student from Government Law College, Mumbai.

Various Shows. Credits : Pens Eve

While youngsters may take the ‘tele-obsession’ in their stride, not all parents are happy about it. “My daughter was in town for her study holidays; however, all she did for two whole days was to watch ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. It’s a good thing if youngsters like a show and follow it, but continuous watching is unacceptable and irresponsible,” states her mother, Mrs. Sangeeta Agarwal.

Crime being an inseparable part of human history and behaviour, naturally tends to be a popular genre in the television shows. These shows are thought-provoking and gripping, and can be consequently exceedingly addictive. ‘Criminal Minds’, ‘Bones’ and ‘Psych’ are some shows that explore this genre. Premiering in 2005, ‘Bones’ with the tagline, “To unravel a murder, you have to strip it to the bone,” has created waves and is showing in its 5th season.

“These shows are very addictive and consume a lot of one’s time. It depends from person to person actually; if you watch them in a proper way, like one or two episodes a day, then it’s okay.. But most people usually end up watching many episodes at once. And if you’re doing engineering, don’t watch them!” suggests Syed Ali Mohammad, a second year student from Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal.

Western shows like their Indian counterparts, provide the urban youth with the right amount of ‘funtertainment’, which accounts for their popularity. The high attractiveness quotient of the main protagonist (like Dr. Shepherd from Grey’s Anatomy, Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth from Bones and Michael from Prison Break to name a few) is also a contributing factor in determining the viewer’s reception to the show. However, that is not always the case. As Tripti Gupta, a second year Multimedia student from International Academy of Computer Graphics puts it, “Western shows are popular because the characters are very real! We can relate to them.”

Catch them on DVD. Credits : Pens Eve

Despite the wide cultural gap between the philosophy of western shows and the mindset of Indian youngsters, the two are quite inseparable. “Television shows that showcase a free, independent and liberal way of living, away from the maze of conservative Indian Society catalyze the GenX of India to imbibe the culture prescribed by the shows. Indian society is embedded with various control and the thought of breaking free, encourages youngsters to at the least watch western drama which tells them, ‘You think of it, we DO it’,” explains Isaac Prince Jeffrey, a youngster from Bangalore, who works with HP.

“TV series like ‘Friends’ , ‘Southpark’ and ‘Lost’ are extremely popular with our generation. They can be thrilling and entertaining, and are a great pastime. However, some people get addicted and sit for hours on end watching episode after episode. We should all remember that television series are merely a source of entertainment, not a substitute for real life,” sums up Nandita Mahajan, a student of Mass Communication, from St. Francis College for Women.

With all the hysteria surrounding these shows, everyone seems to be satisfied – the creators because their work is being appreciated, the viewers because their appetite for continuous dosage of entertainment is being satiated and even the distributors, who bank in on the obsession and make good profits. “Television shows from the West are popular among the young and the old alike in Hyderabad. And to promote them, we keep having new and exciting offers most of the time,” says Sai Kishore, Salesman at Landmark, Banjara Hills.

Exciting Offers. Credits : Pens Eve

For good or for worse, the tele series obsession is here to stay.

Here’s hoping that the tele-obsession does not distract you from the noble path of books and good marks this exam season. Wishing you all the best for exams and a very pleasant summer!

To find out more about television shows, log on to:
http://www.imdb.com/