Annie Zaidi's Blog, page 42
July 29, 2012
The Flautist - a short story
Our eyes first locked across the street but I may be
mistaken about that.
Across a street, things look different from what they are.
Like I once thought that I saw a man selling orange-pink phirkis. I had not had one since I was a boy and my father got me one
at the Gadimai fair. That phirki was yellow and green. Like
sunshine on new wheat. It was my beautiful possession and I kept it safe
mistaken about that.
Across a street, things look different from what they are.
Like I once thought that I saw a man selling orange-pink phirkis. I had not had one since I was a boy and my father got me one
at the Gadimai fair. That phirki was yellow and green. Like
sunshine on new wheat. It was my beautiful possession and I kept it safe
Chori pe chori
Remember that delicate old song ‘ajeeb dastaan hai ye’ (what a strange tale this is)? It’s a romantic sort of lyric, but I often feel an urge to hum it when I read the newspapers. For instance, I automatically began humming it when I chanced on a report of 20-odd farmers being arrested. For stealing water.
Another report said that about 30 FIRs were filed against farmers in Saurashtra. They
Another report said that about 30 FIRs were filed against farmers in Saurashtra. They
July 22, 2012
A march, a crawl
The wind was strong enough to drown out the feeble sounds of a group walking up to the tiny market in Rekong Peo. They had probably ‘marched’ to the Kinnaur district headquarters and were now returning — a few placards, a few men and women tiredly protesting the Karcham Wangtoo hydroelectric project, reminding the administration of broken promises, and so on.
I was surprised to see them. Last
I was surprised to see them. Last
The wind was strong enough to drown out the feeble sounds...
The wind was strong enough to drown out the feeble sounds of a group walking up to the tiny market in Rekong Peo. They had probably ‘marched’ to the Kinnaur district headquarters and were now returning — a few placards, a few men and women tiredly protesting the Karcham Wangtoo hydroelectric project, reminding the administration of broken promises, and so on.
I was surprised to see them. Last
I was surprised to see them. Last
July 19, 2012
What democracy means
“Earlier, people just did as they were asked. Or, they sniffed at the wind and followed its bent. Now, people note which way the wind is blowing, but sometimes, they bend the wind a little bit, bend it to their own will.”
So a woman told me. I was tempted to believe that it is too cold, simply too inconvenient to go out and vote in a winter election. Replugging this, simply because I am
So a woman told me. I was tempted to believe that it is too cold, simply too inconvenient to go out and vote in a winter election. Replugging this, simply because I am
July 18, 2012
In which I expose my maha-random musical tastes and hold ...
In which I expose my maha-random musical tastes and hold forth on eggs as a philosophy to live by.
http://cityfm89.com/annie-zaidi-on-89...
It was my first time inside a radio station/studio, and I was already over the moon at the idea of being on the same show as writers like Bapsi Sidhwa and Hanif Kureishi, talking to the beautiful Mahvesh, who is actually so wonderfully well-read it is
http://cityfm89.com/annie-zaidi-on-89...
It was my first time inside a radio station/studio, and I was already over the moon at the idea of being on the same show as writers like Bapsi Sidhwa and Hanif Kureishi, talking to the beautiful Mahvesh, who is actually so wonderfully well-read it is
Not just Pinki
I was in transit through Delhi recently when I spotted an ageing gentleman at a metro station. He stood out in the evening rush hour crowd because he was in a dhoti and short kurta, with assertive white moustaches.
Every other man — and there were thousands, of all ages — was in western-style trousers or jeans. I began to wonder what would happen to a young man in our modern metropolises if he
Every other man — and there were thousands, of all ages — was in western-style trousers or jeans. I began to wonder what would happen to a young man in our modern metropolises if he
July 9, 2012
Once upon a time
Humans discovered that seeds could be put in the soil, to get more fruits and vegetables and grain. This caused humans to settle down in one place. Professional farming led to diverse trades, which led to the world as we know it. Wars were fought; freedoms wrested; empires built and destroyed. And through it all, farmers kept growing food.
When nations like India began to worry about how they
When nations like India began to worry about how they
July 1, 2012
The kids are not alright
24 kids ‘disappear’ everyday in Madhya Pradesh alone. Between 2003 and 2011, the total figure was as high as 75,521, with the chart peaking in 2010 (the figure for 2011 was calculated only up until October, so it is safe to say that trafficking seems to be on the rise in the state). Of the ‘disappeared’ kids, 12,636 were never found. Within this ‘never found’ category, the majority — 8,108 —
June 25, 2012
Two extracts from two pieces worth reading:
"A plan to s...
Two extracts from two pieces worth reading:
"A plan to stop the destruction of the world’s oceans was blocked by the US, Canada and Russia. The final text simply says that countries should do more to prevent over-fishing and ocean acidification, without specifying what. A call to end subsidies for fossil fuels was removed from the final text, as was language emphasizing the reproductive rights
"A plan to stop the destruction of the world’s oceans was blocked by the US, Canada and Russia. The final text simply says that countries should do more to prevent over-fishing and ocean acidification, without specifying what. A call to end subsidies for fossil fuels was removed from the final text, as was language emphasizing the reproductive rights
