Fairytale Gone Wrong

Boy meets girl through mutual friends. Falls in love with her, they go out on their first date to watch Lion King. Boy proposes girl at Ritz Hotel with a �25,000 diamond ring. They get married in a lavish ceremony and live happily ever after. Sounds like a fairy tale, right? Well, not every fairy tale has a happy ending...and this one in particular didn't quite end the way it was meant to be. 

This is the story of Anni Dewani, a 28 yr old Swedish-born Indian woman, who was kidnapped and murdered during her honeymoon in South Africa, whilst taking a trip with her husband Shrien Dewani through Gugulethu township near Cape Town on 13 November 2010. This may sound like a usual case of kidnapping & robbery, given the fact that South Africa is infamous for such cases.

But this was a plan hatched by her husband, who wanted to get rid of her. The driver of the cab later admitted that he had been paid 15000 rand by Shrien to murder his wife. And now there are alleged reports of Mr. Shrien Dewani being a gay! For heaven's sake why on earth did he have to marry this girl if he was not interested in the first place? And what did he get by getting her killed? 

He still claims that he is innocent and that he had nothing to do with his wife's murder. Such cases just leave me without words, full of anger and disgust. The timeline & other details of the case can be found here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-13226067

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Anni_Dewani

Fairytale Gone Wrong

Boy meets girl through mutual friends. Falls in love with her, they go out on their first date to watch Lion King. Boy proposes girl at Ritz Hotel with a �25,000 diamond ring. They get married in a lavish ceremony and live happily ever after. Sounds like a fairy tale, right? Well, not every fairy tale has a happy ending...and this one in particular didn't quite end the way it was meant to be. 

This is the story of Anni Dewani, a 28 yr old Swedish-born Indian woman, who was kidnapped and murdered during her honeymoon in South Africa, whilst taking a trip with her husband Shrien Dewani through Gugulethu township near Cape Town on 13 November 2010. This may sound like a usual case of kidnapping & robbery, given the fact that South Africa is infamous for such cases.

But this was a plan hatched by her husband, who wanted to get rid of her. The driver of the cab later admitted that he had been paid 15000 rand by Shrien to murder his wife. And now there are alleged reports of Mr. Shrien Dewani being a gay! For heaven's sake why on earth did he have to marry this girl if he was not interested in the first place? And what did he get by getting her killed? 

He still claims that he is innocent and that he had nothing to do with his wife's murder. Such cases just leave me without words, full of anger and disgust. The timeline & other details of the case can be found here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-13226067

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Anni_Dewani

Where is Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki?

I know a lot of people must be wondering at the title of this post, who the hell is Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki? To cut the long story short and/or to refresh the memory of the people who might have read about this case:

Aruna Shanbhag is a nurse from Haldipur, Karnataka in India. In 1973, while working at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, she was sexually assaulted by Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki, a ward boy at the hospital. Sohanlal was motivated partly by resentment for being ordered about and castigated by Aruna.

On the fateful night of 27 November 1973, he attacked her while she was changing clothes in the hospital basement. He choked her with a dog chain and sodomized her. The asphyxiation cut off oxygen supply to her brain resulting in brain stem contusion injury and cervical cord injury apart from leaving her cortically blind.

The police case was registered as a case of robbery and attempted murder on account of the concealment of anal rape by the doctors, under the instructions of the Dean of KEM, the late Dr. Deshpande perhaps, to avoid the social rejection of the victim. Sohanlal was caught and convicted, and he served a 7 yr concurrent sentence for assault and robbery. Not for rape or sexual molestation, nor for the "unnatural sexual offence" (which could have got him a 10 yr sentence by itself).

Since the assault, she has been in a vegetative state. On 24th January 2011, the Supreme Court of India responded to the plea for Euthanasia filed by Aruna's friend journalist Pinki Virani, by setting up a medical panel to examine her. However, it turned down the mercy killing petition on 07th March, 2011. The court, in its landmark judgement, however allowed Passive Euthanasia.

Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aruna_Shanbaug 

However, this is not what i was looking for! I wanted to know about the man who did this. I wanted to find out where is he and what is he doing on today's date? I searched the internet (google) to find out what i had pretty much expected (but still left me disgusted). First of all, all that i found on the first few pages of google were articles on Aruna Shanbaug, what happened to her and blah!

But, what amazed me was the skewed mind set of the media who happened to highlight only Aruna's plight without ever wanting to know or investigate as to where did the man who did this go? I searched a bit more and this is what i found:

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?270537

Now, what i read was not the same old article on Aruna's plight or the debate on her mercy killing petition. I read the comments section and i feel that this one comment from a gentleman in US summed up exactly what i was looking for and he couldn't have put what i had to say in better words, here it is:

If you look up Wikipedia, you should find a summary of Aruna Shanbaug's case. The examining doctors as directed by the hospital chief Dr Deshpande did not mention in their report that the victim was raped anally and bled for days, to save her fiance and his family from social rejection and ostracization, in case Aruna recovered!! This omission frustrated the police and prosecution greatly, because they could not charge the accused with the serious crime of rape, but only with the lesser crime of assault. With the assault and rape charge the accused (Sohanlal Walmiki) could have been sentenced up to life in prison. With the assault & robbery charge he served only 7 years and got out, and reportedly got another hospital job in New Delhi! Such is the twisted, bizarre & convoluted status of society and justice in India.

The attacker strangled Aruna and damaged her neck so badly she became a vegetable for the rest of her life; yet, our system could not convict him of attempted murder. Once  Dr. Deshpande decided to conceal the fact of anal rape out of his twisted sense of preventing 'social rejection' for the victim and her fiance, there was no going back. The case of robbery was proved - the attacker stole a necklace and a few rupees from Aruna. But both charges - attempt to murder and robbery - got him only 7 years. If this is not a travesty of justice, I don't know what is. Barring a complete overhaul of our justice system, this is likely to continue.

S. S. Kere
Richmond, VA, United States

I don't know what more to say, I don't wish to discuss whether Aruna's life should be ended or not bcoz frankly speaking i don't think i have the right to do so! So, should i really wish everybody a typical and customary "Happy Women's Day"....i won't coz i don't feel like.

Where is Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki?

I know a lot of people must be wondering at the title of this post, who the hell is Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki? To cut the long story short and/or to refresh the memory of the people who might have read about this case:

Aruna Shanbhag is a nurse from Haldipur, Karnataka in India. In 1973, while working at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, she was sexually assaulted by Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki, a ward boy at the hospital. Sohanlal was motivated partly by resentment for being ordered about and castigated by Aruna.

On the fateful night of 27 November 1973, he attacked her while she was changing clothes in the hospital basement. He choked her with a dog chain and sodomized her. The asphyxiation cut off oxygen supply to her brain resulting in brain stem contusion injury and cervical cord injury apart from leaving her cortically blind.

The police case was registered as a case of robbery and attempted murder on account of the concealment of anal rape by the doctors, under the instructions of the Dean of KEM, the late Dr. Deshpande perhaps, to avoid the social rejection of the victim. Sohanlal was caught and convicted, and he served a 7 yr concurrent sentence for assault and robbery. Not for rape or sexual molestation, nor for the "unnatural sexual offence" (which could have got him a 10 yr sentence by itself).

Since the assault, she has been in a vegetative state. On 24th January 2011, the Supreme Court of India responded to the plea for Euthanasia filed by Aruna's friend journalist Pinki Virani, by setting up a medical panel to examine her. However, it turned down the mercy killing petition on 07th March, 2011. The court, in its landmark judgement, however allowed Passive Euthanasia.

Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aruna_Shanbaug 

However, this is not what i was looking for! I wanted to know about the man who did this. I wanted to find out where is he and what is he doing on today's date? I searched the internet (google) to find out what i had pretty much expected (but still left me disgusted). First of all, all that i found on the first few pages of google were articles on Aruna Shanbaug, what happened to her and blah!

But, what amazed me was the skewed mind set of the media who happened to highlight only Aruna's plight without ever wanting to know or investigate as to where did the man who did this go? I searched a bit more and this is what i found:

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?270537

Now, what i read was not the same old article on Aruna's plight or the debate on her mercy killing petition. I read the comments section and i feel that this one comment from a gentleman in US summed up exactly what i was looking for and he couldn't have put what i had to say in better words, here it is:

If you look up Wikipedia, you should find a summary of Aruna Shanbaug's case. The examining doctors as directed by the hospital chief Dr Deshpande did not mention in their report that the victim was raped anally and bled for days, to save her fiance and his family from social rejection and ostracization, in case Aruna recovered!! This omission frustrated the police and prosecution greatly, because they could not charge the accused with the serious crime of rape, but only with the lesser crime of assault. With the assault and rape charge the accused (Sohanlal Walmiki) could have been sentenced up to life in prison. With the assault & robbery charge he served only 7 years and got out, and reportedly got another hospital job in New Delhi! Such is the twisted, bizarre & convoluted status of society and justice in India.

The attacker strangled Aruna and damaged her neck so badly she became a vegetable for the rest of her life; yet, our system could not convict him of attempted murder. Once  Dr. Deshpande decided to conceal the fact of anal rape out of his twisted sense of preventing 'social rejection' for the victim and her fiance, there was no going back. The case of robbery was proved - the attacker stole a necklace and a few rupees from Aruna. But both charges - attempt to murder and robbery - got him only 7 years. If this is not a travesty of justice, I don't know what is. Barring a complete overhaul of our justice system, this is likely to continue.

S. S. Kere
Richmond, VA, United States

I don't know what more to say, I don't wish to discuss whether Aruna's life should be ended or not bcoz frankly speaking i don't think i have the right to do so! So, should i really wish everybody a typical and customary "Happy Women's Day"....i won't coz i don't feel like.

Good Bye

Have no words to say....just a silent prayer. My dearest Grand mom is no more, she left for her heavenly abode at 6.10 p.m today. God bless your soul....will miss u lots nani. Hope you are with grand pa now, watching us from up there.

Love,

Ria

Good Bye

Have no words to say....just a silent prayer. My dearest Grand mom is no more, she left for her heavenly abode at 6.10 p.m today. God bless your soul....will miss u lots nani. Hope you are with grand pa now, watching us from up there.

Love,

Ria

The Me you do not See

I smile, I charm, I walk away
"What a happy girl", to others you say,
"She's got a great life, no worries, she's free"
Little do you know - there's a me you do not see

The me that cries, and mourns the loss
of the me I should be, the me I was
The happy person you think I am
Is lost forever, my life, a sham

A survivor indeed, that's what they would call me
What an inspiration, she lived to tell her story
Sadly I feel, a victim I'll always be
Only you'll never know�

That�s the me you do not see.

Found this poem on the Internet, couldn't help but post it here...it's dedicated to all those women who have been sexually assaulted in some way or the other during their life time.

The Me you do not See

I smile, I charm, I walk away
"What a happy girl", to others you say,
"She's got a great life, no worries, she's free"
Little do you know - there's a me you do not see

The me that cries, and mourns the loss
of the me I should be, the me I was
The happy person you think I am
Is lost forever, my life, a sham

A survivor indeed, that's what they would call me
What an inspiration, she lived to tell her story
Sadly I feel, a victim I'll always be
Only you'll never know�

That�s the me you do not see.

Found this poem on the Internet, couldn't help but post it here...it's dedicated to all those women who have been sexually assaulted in some way or the other during their life time.

Numb

I am back....but i don't know what to say about this trip. On one hand there's happiness about the fact that everything is proceeding so well on the wedding front and on the other hand is my grandma's condition that isn't very good, to say the least. She's bed ridden and can't do anything on her own, so much so that she cannot even talk to express herself. Curious to know what exactly has happened to her, i asked mamu who is a doctor and is taking care of her about it. He asked me to read on Dementia, yes i came to know that this condition is called Dementia and my granny is in the last stage of it. And the worst part is that there's no turning back....there's no cure for Dementia in the medical world. 

The only thing that i can be remotely glad about is the decision that i took. Even though it was an impulsive one, i did the right thing by going there. We really don't know how long is she going to be there....she couldn't even recognize me when i touched her feet to take her blessings. I felt like crying when i saw her in such a state....someone who used to be so active just doesn't deserve to suffer so much. I couldn't help but question god, why did you do this to her? Does she deserve to be in this state despite being such a devout woman? Questions are many and answers are none....the only thing that we can do is to pray to god that he reduces her pain and suffering. Please god don't increase her sufferings any further.

Numb

I am back....but i don't know what to say about this trip. On one hand there's happiness about the fact that everything is proceeding so well on the wedding front and on the other hand is my grandma's condition that isn't very good, to say the least. She's bed ridden and can't do anything on her own, so much so that she cannot even talk to express herself. Curious to know what exactly has happened to her, i asked mamu who is a doctor and is taking care of her about it. He asked me to read on Dementia, yes i came to know that this condition is called Dementia and my granny is in the last stage of it. And the worst part is that there's no turning back....there's no cure for Dementia in the medical world. 

The only thing that i can be remotely glad about is the decision that i took. Even though it was an impulsive one, i did the right thing by going there. We really don't know how long is she going to be there....she couldn't even recognize me when i touched her feet to take her blessings. I felt like crying when i saw her in such a state....someone who used to be so active just doesn't deserve to suffer so much. I couldn't help but question god, why did you do this to her? Does she deserve to be in this state despite being such a devout woman? Questions are many and answers are none....the only thing that we can do is to pray to god that he reduces her pain and suffering. Please god don't increase her sufferings any further.

Sullen Skies

Doesn't this thought pop up in our mind so often?? It is indeed difficult to do what's right most of the times, at times it's a matter of choice between 2 or more options where u got to choose the right one. Life can spring up ugly surprises when u least expect it to and u got to make the most of what u have.

This weekend has been quite an eventful one for me. Saturday was a happy day for all of us as the date of wedding got fixed, finally. People who don't know what am i talking about plz read the 3 rd post on this page. Anyways, coming back to the weekend, Saturday was truly good, also coz i gave my lehenga choli for stitching...its being custom made for me. Everything from the color to the design is being done as per my preference.

Just when i was beginning to relish the feeling of a bride to be....Sunday morning started with a jolt. My mom's maasi called up and asked my mom to rush to our native place coz nani's serious and that if she doesn't go now it might get too late. We were totally shaken up by this news. We were planning to leave for Goa on Wednesday morning and come back on Sunday night but with this news coming in, everything changed. The to and fro tickets to Goa had to be cancelled in order to book fresh tickets for mom, who flew down to bbsr yesterday.

My nani has not been keeping well from the past one yr, she had fallen down an yr ago due to which she had to undergo a hip surgery. The recovery had been painfully slow and as she's in her late 70's, things are all the more difficult. She's been mostly bed ridden since then and her condition seems to be worsening with passing time. The worst thing is that the docs have given up saying that her brain cells are degenerating so fast that medicines can only help in slowing down the process to a certain extent.  

Why does god have to do this.....why can't he see me happy? I was so looking forward to this last trip to Goa with my parents. But i guess it was just not meant to be! I really want my grand ma to be around to shower her blessings on me for my wedding coz she's the only grand parent that i have. I'll be flying to bbsr on Wednesday, am on leave till Monday so i will try to make the most of the time that i have with her, until Sunday....It's heart breaking to realize what's happening to her and i don't know what will i do when i see her. I will be away from this space till Sunday...and i m not too sure what will i write once i am back. So till next time, this is me signing off.

Sullen Skies

Doesn't this thought pop up in our mind so often?? It is indeed difficult to do what's right most of the times, at times it's a matter of choice between 2 or more options where u got to choose the right one. Life can spring up ugly surprises when u least expect it to and u got to make the most of what u have.

This weekend has been quite an eventful one for me. Saturday was a happy day for all of us as the date of wedding got fixed, finally. People who don't know what am i talking about plz read the 3 rd post on this page. Anyways, coming back to the weekend, Saturday was truly good, also coz i gave my lehenga choli for stitching...its being custom made for me. Everything from the color to the design is being done as per my preference.

Just when i was beginning to relish the feeling of a bride to be....Sunday morning started with a jolt. My mom's maasi called up and asked my mom to rush to our native place coz nani's serious and that if she doesn't go now it might get too late. We were totally shaken up by this news. We were planning to leave for Goa on Wednesday morning and come back on Sunday night but with this news coming in, everything changed. The to and fro tickets to Goa had to be cancelled in order to book fresh tickets for mom, who flew down to bbsr yesterday.

My nani has not been keeping well from the past one yr, she had fallen down an yr ago due to which she had to undergo a hip surgery. The recovery had been painfully slow and as she's in her late 70's, things are all the more difficult. She's been mostly bed ridden since then and her condition seems to be worsening with passing time. The worst thing is that the docs have given up saying that her brain cells are degenerating so fast that medicines can only help in slowing down the process to a certain extent.  

Why does god have to do this.....why can't he see me happy? I was so looking forward to this last trip to Goa with my parents. But i guess it was just not meant to be! I really want my grand ma to be around to shower her blessings on me for my wedding coz she's the only grand parent that i have. I'll be flying to bbsr on Wednesday, am on leave till Monday so i will try to make the most of the time that i have with her, until Sunday....It's heart breaking to realize what's happening to her and i don't know what will i do when i see her. I will be away from this space till Sunday...and i m not too sure what will i write once i am back. So till next time, this is me signing off.

Intransigent Life

Hope all of you are having a gr8 weekend, mine isn't going as expected. Hope things will take care of themselves coz it's beyond my will to do so.

Peace,

Intransigent Life

Hope all of you are having a gr8 weekend, mine isn't going as expected. Hope things will take care of themselves coz it's beyond my will to do so.

Peace,

The Forbidden Fruit

I know everybody must be busy with festivities and celebrations at their place. But amidst all this there's a strange thing that's been going on, in my mind. It's actually a series of questions which have popped up, out of no where:

Why is it that we feel like experiencing or doing what is supposed to be forbidden?

Is it true that the forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest? If yes then does it last?

What is the most forbidden thing that you have been tempted to do till date?

Please don't give me vague/confusing answers. Hope to get some closure on these thoughts asap. Enjoy the extended weekend & stay safe!! ;)

Love,

The Forbidden Fruit

I know everybody must be busy with festivities and celebrations at their place. But amidst all this there's a strange thing that's been going on, in my mind. It's actually a series of questions which have popped up, out of no where:

Why is it that we feel like experiencing or doing what is supposed to be forbidden?

Is it true that the forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest? If yes then does it last?

What is the most forbidden thing that you have been tempted to do till date?

Please don't give me vague/confusing answers. Hope to get some closure on these thoughts asap. Enjoy the extended weekend & stay safe!! ;)

Love,

Of Murky Mondays....

Little do men perceive what solitude is, and how far it extendeth.
For a crowd is not company, and faces are but a gallery of pictures,
and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love.

- Francis Bacon

Of Murky Mondays....

Little do men perceive what solitude is, and how far it extendeth.
For a crowd is not company, and faces are but a gallery of pictures,
and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love.

- Francis Bacon

An early morning episode with an irritating colleague has lead me to write this post. No no, this is not going to be a post where i will be ranting or venting out my anger. I am just going to write down a list of things that put me off! So here it is:

1. People who think others are dumb, and behave as if they are the only smart one around. Its strange that they do not realise that they are the dumbest of the lot!

2. People who brag about their possessions or how much they work and how great they are, makes me pity them coz i believe that one should let their actions do the talking.

3. People who are superficial/shallow and vain irk me to no end! The sad part is that they don't even realise this, talk about "Ignorance is Bliss".

4. People who say something and do something else, the ones who believe that what applies to others doesn't apply to them are such hypocrites! I hate people with double standards.

5. People who lie, i know sometimes it becomes necessary to lie in order to save a situation, but then there are these set of people who perpetually lie about everything! Now that's a bit too much to tolerate.

6. People who talk in fake accents and behave as if they were never born or raised here. Why can't we embrace who we are? I don't feel the need to talk or behave like someone who i am not! I am proud of who i am & where i belong to.

7. People who are too selfish/self-centered and just can't think anything beyond themselves. They don't realise that if you don't think about others then tomorrow nobody will think for you.

8. I know some people who are so jealous of others that they totally forget to appreciate what they have in life. I really feel sorry for them coz they waste their whole life in being jealous and dissatisfied.

9. People who are disorganized/clumsy and always manage to make a mess of themselves and things around them totally turn me off. I don't think i need to say any more on this.

10. People who are evil and who will go to any extent to let someone down or harm somebody are the ones i absolutely detest. Makes me wonder, don't they have better things to do in life!

P.S. My day ended pretty fine and hope you all have a gr8 week ahead!!

An early morning episode with an irritating colleague has lead me to write this post. No no, this is not going to be a post where i will be ranting or venting out my anger. I am just going to write down a list of things that put me off! So here it is:

1. People who think others are dumb, and behave as if they are the only smart one around. Its strange that they do not realise that they are the dumbest of the lot!

2. People who brag about their possessions or how much they work and how great they are, makes me pity them coz i believe that one should let their actions do the talking.

3. People who are superficial/shallow and vain irk me to no end! The sad part is that they don't even realise this, talk about "Ignorance is Bliss".

4. People who say something and do something else, the ones who believe that what applies to others doesn't apply to them are such hypocrites! I hate people with double standards.

5. People who lie, i know sometimes it becomes necessary to lie in order to save a situation, but then there are these set of people who perpetually lie about everything! Now that's a bit too much to tolerate.

6. People who talk in fake accents and behave as if they were never born or raised here. Why can't we embrace who we are? I don't feel the need to talk or behave like someone who i am not! I am proud of who i am & where i belong to.

7. People who are too selfish/self-centered and just can't think anything beyond themselves. They don't realise that if you don't think about others then tomorrow nobody will think for you.

8. I know some people who are so jealous of others that they totally forget to appreciate what they have in life. I really feel sorry for them coz they waste their whole life in being jealous and dissatisfied.

9. People who are disorganized/clumsy and always manage to make a mess of themselves and things around them totally turn me off. I don't think i need to say any more on this.

10. People who are evil and who will go to any extent to let someone down or harm somebody are the ones i absolutely detest. Makes me wonder, don't they have better things to do in life!

P.S. My day ended pretty fine and hope you all have a gr8 week ahead!!