Of Supermen and Supervillains

Bulging muscles, Rock-hard abs,a larger than life costume, a cape fluttering away and of course the  mysterious  underwear over the psychedelic costume.As a kid this is the definition of a superhero.Who would imagine a frail,71-year-old village reformer whose only power is to suppress hunger pangs fits into the modern day definition of a superhero.He may not have a Bat mobile but he has the power to mobilize people.

Maybe a superhero is not an Adonis with the strength of Hercules belonging to the planet Krypton .He is just a layman who got tired of the system and instead of cribbing about it decided to take action .Power lies not in our sinews but our minds.It is the conviction to fight for something you believe in. Our hero does not have spidey sense but he just needs common sense.

On the other side, we have power hungry mutants,with metallic exoskeletons,spurned by soceity,  emotionless inhuman beings who want to take over the world.It's funny how a bearded fanatic ,a pint-sized Charlie Chaplin look-alike are the villains in reality.Their objective is the same to be the supreme overlord.They don't have electrical bolts ,they don't have telekinesis or the ablility to change shapes.But they are chameleons who have the power to electrify and mesmerize people.They prey on Vulnerability. On Innocence.
The good news is that like any comic book worth it's salt, villains never prosper in the real world.The bad news is that we are running out of heroes.
To Anna Hazare
Truth, Justice and the Indian Way!

THE PETER PAN COMPLEX

"If you're happy and you know it clap your hands" SILENCE Growing up is hard ,we all succumb to the occasional chocolate cravings,riding a swing (which we've outgrown) when no one's looking,a nostalgia induced game of hide and seek.But do we ever grow up or do we just pretend to move on because we think everyone else has.Isn't a Mango sweeter if you  get it after hitting yourself with the slingshot in the first few tries(don't ask). As a kid I used to play house with my friends and dream about growing up,eating chocolate in a dentist's office,buying shoes with lights on them:),and never having to do homework :(.But life surprises us with it's astonishing consistency in doing the opposite of what we want. Now I'm part of the rat race doing more work to get more work.Now I can have all the chocolate in the world but it doesnt taste the same.Now if I pick up that Enid Blyton book,I wouldn't get the same feeling of exhilaration , the joy of wandering off to the land of Topsy -Turvy.Because that rational bossy voice(mine has a British accent)goes like "Enchanted lands INDEED,stop this madness and go read the newspaper,Nicaragua has a new President".Commence eyeroll sequence.At age 8 I would have no qualms in slinging mud on my inside voice and grass on top of it for good measure.Growing up kills our imagination and that sheer unconditional euphoria in knowing it will all work out.As a kid I would try anything to get out of school,a friend suggested putting an onion underneath your armpit induces fever(It doesn't,it merely gives you a bad odour)but still I tried it. My kindergarten teacher said that magic is real only until you believe in its power.Now that the naive belief has gone so has the magic. Now ,I'm just Peter Pan trying to hold on to my childhood and trying to get out of finding like who the president of Nicaragua is.

get over it!

Right off the bat , this is not some Gawd-Awful preachy rubbish.Depression is a serious concern,especially in a competitive country like India where students don't get the counselling and support they need.
WHAT is depression ?how do you know if you or your buddy is currently grappling with it? 
1.If your mind keeps fixating on other uses for the knife than cutting vegetables i.e you find yourself trying to write a will at the ripe old age of 21.
2.You don't enjoy things like music or watching tv ,and even the sight (and sound)  of Navjot singh siddhu does not evince in you a desire to throw something heavy at him.
3.You have negative thoughts and a feeling of impending doom .
4. Food has become your best friend or your nemesis(you are gaining or losing weight too quickly)
5.You feel alone in the company of friends.
If this continues for more than a week please seek help,don't be ashamed


SOME things you can do to get over it!
1.Let there be anger!!!:its not a bad thing to let it all out if you dont have a younger sibling get a punching bag or do any sort of exercise (it releases endorphins).
2.Talk !!talk!!like a 15 year old bimbo on adderall, its hard because most people dont understand but some will, hug it out.
3 A talisman : think of the weakest ,saddest person you have ever seen and think of how they would trade lives with you in a heartbeat
4.Chocolate works like a charm
5.Do something for yourself something that is highly unlike you,go to the park and sit on a swing like old times ,go play hopscotch with the neighbourhood children.
6.SMILE
If its serious go seek help, medication helps coz like Munnabhai bole to dimaag mei kabhi kabhi chemical locha ho jata hai!tension  nahi lene ka hai!