#justice for abhaya

[desi-girll]

last night's Women Reclaim The Night: The Night Is Ours midnight protest march... turns out my father actually wasn't against me going out late, it was just that i made assumptions without asking. but anyways, me, mom, dad, and 8-10 of our neighbours went to the Garia More protest site. the turnout here was pretty great so imagine the turnout at the other, more popular sites.

anyways, we went with a candle each, and placed it in front of a poster, as the pic shows. i really hope Abhaya gets the justice she deserves and her soul rests in peace.

but people, let's not forget that the fight isn't over yet! the culprits, and by that i mean the real culprits haven't been punished yet, and are still under political protection. FORDA had called off the nationwide strike after meeting with Union Health Minister, and we all know what that means. everything is corrupted right now, and nothing can be trusted. but we as citizens should do our part in getting justice.

today, 15th Aug 2024, is the indian independence day. but do you think we're really independent yet? is independence only for men? are women supposed to stay at home, be blind to all the corruptions and illegal things happening, and just stay quiet? why is it still not safe for women to go out at night? why is it that we women have to suffer always, whether be it a nursery child or a doctor or an aged person? as Alakh Pandey said recently Girls can't go out late at night not because they are scared of other girls. Boys are what scares them. So the whole problem is not you, it's us (males). The fact that you all are not safe late at night because of us should be our (males) responsibility.

the day women can walk on the streets at any time of the day without being catcalled, stared at in creepy way, being raped, sexually assaulted, having acid thrown over their faces, be subjected to domestic violence, marital rape, tortured, murdered, etc etc etc, that will be the day india will become truly independent. but not before that. not today.

[scarletbomb]

On August 9 2024, the body of a trainee doctor was found at a seminar room at the campus of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She was raped and murdered. Her body bore injury marks, and the autopsy report confirmed that she was sexually harassed.

Her death was passed off as a suicide to her family. The bureau of Investigation declared that the crime scene was altered.

Her name was Moumita Debnath. She was 31 years old. She was a postgraduate doctor.

Up to now, thousands of doctors and students and many more people are rallying against the government to protest for better and safer conditions, to give her the justice she deserves.

Please, don't let this story pass you by. Please give your attention to the movement. India is in the middle of a movement, not just for doctors, but for basic human right. The right to be safe.

[aaal-iz-well]

BUT WHEN??

[radwitchhh]

M@le violence does not exist in isolation. It is not an individualist event. It is not just the fault of some bad m3n, whom you call animals, because no m@le rapist and murderer is an animal. HE IS A M@LE.

Violence against women is a fundamental constituent involved in the maintenance of m@le supremacy. M@les love brutalizing women, just like what a parasite does to its host.

What happened to Abhaya was also perpetrated by the same m@le-supremacist and m@le-worshiping system. And now the whole world is capitalizing over the pain of yet another woman.

It's so frustrating how p0rn searches for her name by m@les is a surprise for everyone, when in actuality, this is what the patriarchal and misogynist institution of p0rnography is. An industry built over mass sexualisation, fetishization of the female body and rape culture, where every single m@le present on this planet can easily have access to m@le-created degraded existence of women to satisfy his depraved, predatory and rapey sexuality. This includes leftists’ favorite labour class, poor and homeless m@les too.

But this emerged as a surprise and I don’t blame anyone because in this m@n’s world, a woman is either a prude or a slut. She has to always conform to these labels and if she does not, then the world does it for her.

Regardless, I as a brown woman am not surprised. We yet again face racism allegations for calling out brown m@les for who they really are. We are yet again silenced by misogynist pro w@term3lon people to focus our energy only on G@z@ more. We are yet again accused of false notion of misandry for saying “all m3n”. We are yet again debating if women’s clothes hold any responsibility while little infant baby girls and skeletons of women in their graves scream justice. We are yet again asking women to be polite and not wish de@th on m@les, because every revolution can be violent and vengeful except the one solely for the female people.

Amidst this yet again “enough is enough” event, I refuse to do my feminism over statistics because no numbers are enough for this m@n’s world to treat female people as human beings and not objects. I support women who k!ll their rapists, I approve of revenge against all m@les, I don’t want candle marches, I want blood and painful de@th of all m@les.

[ivesambrose]

Since you're from India, I am assuming that you've heard the Abhaya rape case, where a doctor was raped and murdered on duty at her workplace.

I find it weird that while Tumblr talks so much about social issues and justice, etc., I am yet to see any issues from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, etc., gain momentum.

I don't think it makes any sense to send this ask to you. But, I just wanted to say this out loud to someone.

Anyway, love your posts. And sometimes your PACs are scary accurate. ❤️❤️

I know and you're right. I live in the city this took place in and it's utterly henious out there. So much that if you join any of the peaceful protests as a female you need to be extra careful out there too. There's a constant fear in your heart. I've seen Kolkata police threaten to take down accounts on Twitter just because people chose to speak up on this and against the CM of the state. This barely scartches the surface and the ever harrowing disgust every woman feels in this country and in our neighbouring countries as well. Thank you for sending me this ask actually. Thank you for speaking up!

And lastly, thank you I'm grateful that my messages provide guidance 🤍

[theamoristwriter]

I'm a final year UG student of English Literature. Today, when I was reading "Draupadi" by Mahasweta Devi, I couldn't help but scream and cry; hysterically! From "Paanchaali" to "Dopdi" to "Nirbhaya" and to "Abhaya"... the names change, the story remains the same.

WE ARE NOT SAD ANYMORE. WE ARE ANGRY. WE DEMAND JUSTICE ✊🏻

[hyacinth-dancing-in-rain]

It's been a month since the horrifying incident at RG Kar. Today on the night of September 8, protests will be organized all over Kolkata, India, and the entire world. Many countries will be participating in the protest for Abhaya. Protest goes on from night till the dawn of 9th September.

A human chain(manab bondhon) has been formed for 14 kilometres along the main road from Jadavpur to Laketown and Sodpur to Shyambazar. People have marched with fire torches. Women are reclaiming the night once again and protests continue till morning.

Dance, songs, plays will continue throughout the night. People have stepped down on the streets with the national flag in their hands, the national anthem in their voices and patriotism in their heart demanding justice.

[anaagainstallodds]

The shit that happened in Kolkata, India is disgusting.

And yet people are still blaming the girl. I never understood why some men act like this, like they have the right to do anything they want just because they have a dick.

I just had to get this off my chest, justice for abhaya. Im so fucking tired of seeing the shit people do against women

[hadit93]

This ask might be a little silly and kind of triggering. So, i apologise in advance and please feel free to ignore if I am crossing any boundaries.

I wanted to ask you for a tarot reading on a social issue. I am not sure if you have heard about the brutal gangrape and murder of an on-duty female doctor at Kolkata, India.

The entire country is protesting but the government is trying to shield the criminals and the state CM is imprisoning the protesters.

Can you perform a reading to check if "Abhaya" (that's what we are calling the martyr, it means fearless) will get justice or is this going to be just another futile protest?

I was unaware of this event and I am saddened things like this happen, I hate the depravity of humans.

The cards suggest a drawn-out process, justice will not be swift. There will be conflict between justice and the people guilty. It will not be an easy case to prove and there will be issues in bringing these people to justice.

The cards suggest that unfortunately those guilty will not get what is coming to them, there is suggestion that this event will inspire some change on a greater level, but ultimately the outcome for those guilty is the 8 of cups which indicates quite literally 'walking away' from something. In this case it would seem they are walking away from justice.

Sorry the news could not be better. I hope on this occasion I am wrong--which always remember, can be the case. Divination is not infallible.

[writingwithcolor]

hi, I've been looking for an answer on this for a while and i couldn't find anything so i figured I'd ask here. I'm writing a visual novel about two teenagers running away and realizing they're in a different reality but the plot isn't too important to the question. one of the main character's name is Karma, and i didn't know if i should change her name or not. i know that the concept of karma is important in Hinduism and Buddhism (as well as other religions) and i think naming a character karma might be offensive and/or appropriative. do you have any insight on it?

Naming a character Karma

- Is the character written to be Hindu or Buddhist? 

- What kind of background does she have? 

I have seen Karma used as a name, but I personally wouldn’t use it because it feels odd to me. The usages I’ve seen have mostly been in Western spheres--think about what the name reflects on the character and their background.

Does her name have relevance to the narrative? If so, consider your usage, because that’s where it would probably get appropriative. Oftentimes the concept of karma is misinterpreted as poetic justice as opposed to the actions one takes affecting their future lives. If not, maybe consider other names. 

We have a South Asian naming guide if you’d like to use it. In short, think about why you chose the name and what it reflects on her character, and whether it’s really necessary or if you simply like the name. It’s up to you whether you continue with this name or not, given that we don’t have a background with which we can definitively work off of.

~ Abhaya

[desi-girll]

মেয়েরা রাত দখল করো: THE NIGHT IS OURS

WOMEN RECLAIM THE NIGHT, JUSTICE FOR RG KAR VICTIM

let's do our part in protesting against the brutal rape and murder of RG Kar PGT doctor who was on a 36 hour shift on Friday, 9th August when she was resting alone in a room. please read the entire post even though it's long.

if you don't know what happened, the 31 year old woman had been gang raped (both before and after murder), and tortured to such an extent which cannot be explained. afterwards, the authorities and police first tried to cover it up by telling her parents it's a suicide but later it was revealed not to be so. it is a case of rape and homicide.

(i) speculations are that the girl had possibly become privy to some unlawful work going on at the hospital during night shifts, and hence to silence her, all this was done.

(ii) parents were refused to be allowed to see their daughter's body until after 3 hours of their arrival. they had to beg and plead for their basic rights.

(iii) what's more is that her body was burned by the police without taking the consent of her parents, possibly to erase evidences in case a second post mortem was to be done.

(iv) the girl's father has also reported to the high court, the fact that the DGP called him up and asked him not to take matters forward and just settle it amongst themselves.

(v) the person who has been arrested for this incident is speculatively just a scapegoat who has been paid to take the blame for something done by a larger group of people, probably under the protection of the syndicate ran in West Bengal by the government.

Post Mortem report of the victim (which again, was conducted by RG Kar doctors themselves, and we don't know if some details are intentionally being hidden or not

The postmortem report of the trainee doctor raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital revealed that she was throttled to death. Her thyroid cartilage was broken due to strangling and a deep wound was found in her private parts, the four-page report said. Sources said the murder and rape likely took place between 3 am and 5 am on August 9.

Injuries were found on her belly, lips, fingers, and left leg. Sources said the victim's nose and mouth were clamped, and her head was pushed against a wall to prevent her from screaming.

The scratch marks on the woman's face are believed to have been caused by the accused's fingernails, indicating that the victim desperately tried to fight back.

"The mouth and throat were constantly pressed to prevent screaming. The throat was strangled to suffocate. The thyroid cartilage broke due to strangling," the postmortem report said.

The report also mentioned that the woman was bleeding from both eyes, mouth and private parts. The report said the wounds in her private parts were caused by "perverted sexuality" and "genital torture". However, the reason for her eye wound has not been determined yet.

Source of the post mortem

so today (14th August, 2024) at 11:55 PM IST, there is going to be a midnight protest held across Kolkata. women protestors have planned to hold night long agitation across multiple spots in the city. the campaign titled 'Women, Reclaim The Night: The Night Is Ours' is aimed at seeking justice for the sexual assault and murder of the woman doctor. Men have also decided to join the protest in large numbers to show their solidarity with the cause.

The protest will take place simultaneously at the Jadavpur 8B Stand, Academy of Fine Arts, College Street, Sinthee More, Dunlop, Maldah English Bazaar, Siliguri (Darjeeling More).

i know it isn't possible for many of us to attend the protest but let's do our part virtually if not physically. share posts about the incident on your social media, with your friends, relatives. take part in the online campaign going on in social media. at 11:55 PM IST (14th August, 2024) tag your posts with #womenreclaimthenight and #thenightisours.

make this tag trending on all your socials. share this post to raise awareness. share all other posts related to this incident. with the tags i wrote above.

spread the word to your friends and relatives, do your part this way. indians and non indians, both alike. male, female, non binary, all genders, all alike. raise your voice before it's too late.

because the next victim could be you or any of your loved ones.

[apenitentialprayer]

So, a couple days ago saw the end to what was a nearly three decade long murder case in Kerala, India. In 1992, a young nun named Sister Abhaya (birthname: Beena Thomas) was found dead in a well in Kottayam. Though originally ruled a suicide, a priest and a nun quickly became suspects in a murder case, with the prosecutor’s theory being that they had killed her in order to cover up an affair that the two were having. In any event, both were convicted and sentenced to a life in prison on the 23rd of this December; the priest swears his innocence, while the nun (as of Wendesday) has not made any statements. In any event, maybe pray that justice has been performed, and that things will be rectified if it hasn’t. And please pray for the soul of Sister Abhaya, who was only 21 when she died.

[historymeetsliterature]

Freedom from fear - Aung San Suu Kyi - 1990

It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. Most Burmese are familiar with the four a-gati, the four kinds of corruption. Chanda-gati, corruption induced by desire, is deviation from the right path in pursuit of bribes or for the sake of those one loves. Dosa-gati is taking the wrong path to spite those against whom one bears ill will, and moga-gati is aberration due to ignorance. But perhaps the worst of the four is bhaya-gati, for not only does bhaya, fear, stifle and slowly destroy all sense of right and wrong, it so often lies at the root of the other three kinds of corruption. Just as chanda-gati, when not the result of sheer avarice, can be caused by fear of want or fear of losing the goodwill of those one loves, so fear of being surpassed, humiliated or injured in some way can provide the impetus for ill will. And it would be difficult to dispel ignorance unless there is freedom to pursue the truth unfettered by fear. With so close a relationship between fear and corruption it is little wonder that in any society where fear is rife corruption in all forms becomes deeply entrenched.

Public dissatisfaction with economic hardships has been seen as the chief cause of the movement for democracy in Burma, sparked off by the student demonstrations 1988. It is true that years of incoherent policies, inept official measures, burgeoning inflation and falling real income had turned the country into an economic shambles. But it was more than the difficulties of eking out a barely acceptable standard of living that had eroded the patience of a traditionally good-natured, quiescent people - it was also the humiliation of a way of life disfigured by corruption and fear.

The students were protesting not just against the death of their comrades but against the denial of their right to life by a totalitarian regime which deprived the present of meaningfulness and held out no hope for the future. And because the students' protests articulated the frustrations of the people at large, the demonstrations quickly grew into a nationwide movement. Some of its keenest supporters were businessmen who had developed the skills and the contacts necessary not only to survive but to prosper within the system. But their affluence offered them no genuine sense of security or fulfilment, and they could not but see that if they and their fellow citizens, regardless of economic status, were to achieve a worthwhile existence, an accountable administration was at least a necessary if not a sufficient condition. The people of Burma had wearied of a precarious state of passive apprehension where they were 'as water in the cupped hands' of the powers that be.

Emerald cool we may be_As water in cupped hands_But oh that we might be_As splinters of glass_In cupped hands.

Glass splinters, the smallest with its sharp, glinting power to defend itself against hands that try to crush, could be seen as a vivid symbol of the spark of courage that is an essential attribute of those who would free themselves from the grip of oppression. Bogyoke Aung San regarded himself as a revolutionary and searched tirelessly for answers to the problems that beset Burma during her times of trial. He exhorted the people to develop courage: 'Don't just depend on the courage and intrepidity of others. Each and every one of you must make sacrifices to become a hero possessed of courage and intrepidity. Then only shall we all be able to enjoy true freedom.'

The effort necessary to remain uncorrupted in an environment where fear is an integral part of everyday existence is not immediately apparent to those fortunate enough to live in states governed by the rule of law. Just laws do not merely prevent corruption by meting out impartial punishment to offenders. They also help to create a society in which people can fulfil the basic requirements necessary for the preservation of human dignity without recourse to corrupt practices. Where there are no such laws, the burden of upholding the principles of justice and common decency falls on the ordinary people. It is the cumulative effect on their sustained effort and steady endurance which will change a nation where reason and conscience are warped by fear into one where legal rules exist to promote man's desire for harmony and justice while restraining the less desirable destructive traits in his nature.

In an age when immense technological advances have created lethal weapons which could be, and are, used by the powefful and the unprincipled to dominate the weak and the helpless, there is a compelling need for a closer relationship between politics and ethics at both the national and international levels. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations proclaims that 'every individual and every organ of society' should strive to promote the basic rights and freedoms to which all human beings regardless of race, nationality or religion are entitled. But as long as there are governments whose authority is founded on coercion rather than on the mandate of the people, and interest groups which place short-term profits above long-term peace and prosperity, concerted international action to protect and promote human rights will remain at best a partially realized struggle. There willcontinue to be arenas of struggle where victims of oppression have to draw on their own inner resources to defend their inalienable rights as members of the human family.

The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an intellectual conviction of the need for change in those mental attitudes and values which shape the course of a nation's development. A revolution which aims merely at changing official policies and institutions with a view to an improvement in material conditions has little chance of genuine success. Without a revolution of the spirit, the forces which produced the iniquities of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of reform and regeneration. It is not enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination to persevere in the struggle, to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths, to resist the corrupting influences ofdesire, ill will, ignorance and fear.

Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.

Always one to practise what he preached, Aung San himself constantly demonstrated courage - not just the physical sort but the kind that enabled him to speak the truth, to stand by his word, to accept criticism, to admit his faults, to correct his mistakes, to respect the opposition, to parley with the enemy and to let people be the judge of his worthiness as a leader. It is for such moral courage that he will always be loved and respected in Burma - not merely as a warrior hero but as the inspiration and conscience of the nation. The words used by Jawaharlal Nehru to describe Mahatma Gandhi could well be applied to Aung San:

'The essence of his teaching was fearlessness and truth, and action allied to these, always keeping the welfare of the masses in view.'

Gandhi, that great apostle of non-violence, and Aung San, the founder of a national army, were very different personalities, but as there is an inevitable sameness about the challenges ofauthoritarian rule anywhere at any time, so there is a similarity in the intrinsic qualities of those who rise up to meet the challenge. Nehru, who considered the instillation of courage in the people of India one of Gandhi's greatest achievements, was a political modernist, but as he assessed the needs for a twentieth-century movement for independence, he found himself looking back to the philosophy of ancient India: 'The greatest gift for an individual or a nation . .. was abhaya, fearlessness, not merely bodily courage but absence of fear from the mind.'

Fearlessness may be a gift but perhaps more precious is the courage acquired through endeavour, courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one's actions, courage that could be described as 'grace under pressure' - grace which is renewed repeatedly in the face of harsh, unremitting pressure.

Within a system which denies the existence of basic human rights, fear tends to be the order of the day. Fear of imprisonment, fear of torture, fear ofdeath, fear oflosing friends, family, property or means of livelihood, fear of poverty, fear of isolation, fear of failure. A most insidious form of fear is that which masquerades as common sense or even wisdom, condemning as foolish, reckless, insignificant or futile the small, daily acts of courage which help to preserve man's self-respect and inherent human dignity. It is not easy for a people conditioned by fear under the iron rule of the principle that might is right to free themselves from the enervating miasma of fear. Yet even under the most crushing state machinery courage rises up again and again, for fear is not the natural state of civilized man.

The wellspring of courage and endurance in the face of unbridled power is generally a firm belief in the sanctity of ethical principles combined with a historical sense that despite all setbacks the condition of man is set on an ultimate course for both spiritual and material advancement. It is his capacity for self-improvement and self-redemption which most distinguishes man from the mere brute. At the root of human responsibility is the concept of peffection, the urge to achieve it, the intelligence to find a path towards it, and the will to follow that path if not to the end at least the distance needed to rise above individual limitations and environmental impediments. It is man's vision of a world fit for rational, civilized humanity which leads him to dare and to suffer to build societies free from want and fear. Concepts such as truth, justice and compassion cannot be dismissed as trite when these are often the only bulwarks which stand against ruthless power.

[quaggathemighty]

Stepsister, by Jennifer Donnelly: an emotional, messy review.

Recommended For: fantasy, ya, feminist, fairy tale, coming of age stories, girl protagonist, adventure lovers

         This will be as close to a spoiler-free review as I can make it.

"It's the hunger in our hearts that kills us."

Have you ever read a book that so thoroughly encompassed everything you ever wanted to put on paper? That ripped into the deepest part of you and dragged you along by your emotions until you're raw and hopeful and shattered and fired up all at once? Because I just have.

The Summary:

“Isabelle should be blissfully happy - she's about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn't the beautiful girl who lost the slipper and captured the prince's heart. She's the ugly stepsister who cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella's shoe... which is now filling with blood.

When the prince discovers Isabelle's deception, she's turned away in shame. It's no more than she deserves. She cut away pieces of herself in order to become pretty. Sweet. More like Cinderella. But that only made her mean, jealous, and hollow. Now she has a chance to alter her destiny and prove what ugly stepsisters have always known:

It takes more than heartache to break a girl."

My Thoughts:

Isabelle is not pretty. She's jealous and she struggles and while she fiercely loves her sister she often feels lost and afraid, or angry and hateful to the world that left her behind. She cut off her toes because her absolutely mad mother demanded it, heating a knife over the fire while she berates her into obeying, and as a result Isabelle's bitterness and jealousy might even kill her. But as the story unfolds she's also breathtakingly passionate and brave and confident and fiery, and she grows a lot over the course of the story, learning to set aside what everyone else has labeled her (and indeed sometimes what she's labeled herself because of their cruelty), to become her own woman. She's strong and real and well written, and I love her. I want to be her. Goddamn I want every girl to be her. To be their own Elizabeth, Yennenga, Abhaya Rani. Strong, brave, dangerous. Beautiful in their own right, and not always on the surface like the world wants.

"Each queen was once a girl like you. Told who to be and what to do. Not pretty, not pleasing, far too rough. Til wounded subjects, anguished dead, mattered more than things the others said. Then, like a flag, her will unfurled. Go now, girl. Remake the world."

UUUGHhhh. Can we just talk about this book PLEASE? Can this get more of a following so I can scream and rave and flail and ugly cry with more people who loved this book? Oh my god. There are so many things about this book I like, from the way she fought for and protected her sister, to the way she grew to see past the jealousy her mother instilled in her against Ella, to the way it doesn't pit the girls against each other for their vastly different strengths. Well, except for one, but I'll get to that.

The book opens up on what has to be one of the most heart-wrenching, cringe-worthy scenes I've ever read in a young adult novel, and it's that scene with the cutting of the feet and the bloody shoes (yes, from the original myth, this ain't no Disney remake, y'all, it gets gory and doesn't hide from it) is what made me actually come back and buy the book. Isabelle had me by the heartstrings the whole goddamn read. For a girl who never grew up as conventionally attractive, who was always too loud or too brash or never had the right interests (witchcraft, necromancy, and vampires, anyone? No? Don't hide your cringe years from me, I know you had them too), seeing a book properly take these oddities and this 'ugliness', and teach a young woman to learn to accept and even love these things about herself, even though it doesn't get her what she's been told she has to want, but instead pushes her to find her own path? Ugh. Yes. Give me a thousand more of these stories, I could do this all day.

Also, boyfriend cries and has open, deep emotions. What?? A young man in touch with his feelings, that doesn't have to be physically strong to be a good man, that is allowed to be physically weak and emotionally open, and have his own strengths and weaknesses that don't boil down to a six pack and a brooding personality? In a YA FANTASY BOOK?! Hold me.

I rooted for Isabelle the whole way though. I cringed with her, I held my breath, I cheered, I finished the book emotionally exhausted and ready to fucking fight. I haven't felt this pumped up after consuming a story or a piece of media since I went to see Captain Marvel for the first time in theaters, and hot damn, y'all, woman-centric stories that don't revolve around the approval of a man or the need to be petty and spiteful to other women are my jam . I will absolutely be shoving this book in the face of every woman, teenage girl, and preteen female I know, all but begging them to give this book a shot. I read the whole thing in one sitting, the same day I bought it just as a way to pass the time and... mmmm.

I'm gonna try and keep this as spoiler-free as possible, just because I don't want to give anything away, but yeah. On to the genuine criticisms.

Honestly? I didn't have that many. There were a couple of places where I was kind of annoyed, like the catty girl in the village that I wanted rid of, but the way it was handled in relation to Isabelle's story makes me more forgiving, if only for the way she learns to control her temper and not goad more fights out of people that don't really need an excuse. It bothers me that she has to just sit there and take it for her sister's sake, but... maybe that's just because it hits too close to home for some of us. It's a relatively small part of the book and I'm really not too fussed in the long run.

One thing that did throw me at first was the inclusion of the other points of view, like the skip from Isabelle's first chapter in the beginning to the introduction of "Chance," whose band of miscreants and misfits is a little distracting at first, but ultimately entertaining once you figure out how they're involved, and who serves as a sort of 'greater story' framing device for the real world conflicts taking place in the background. "Chance" and "Fate's" cat and mouse game ended up being one of my favorite parts of the underlying tensions in the story, and really helped drive home how make or break Isabelle's ultimate path was, even after she ended up going in a direction no one, not even herself, expected in the end. But it really added to the whole "we make our own path and only we can tell our story" message that ended up getting told as the underlying themes for the whole book. And I can thank it for that.

Right. Now. The big block quote I used up above. Chance decides he needs to tip the scales somewhat, and his whole part of the narrative so far as Isabelle can tell is as a rich eccentric trying to get his misfits and servants to help him put on a play. The play ends up... less a play, and more an inspirational third act speech meant to give Isabelle the push she needs to go and 'do the thing!', and as such it's... kind of cheesy, in hindsight. But at the same time while wrapped up in the story I didn't really notice it save to get super emotional and flaily about how many names were on that list that weren't centered around white western history, and I'm totally here for it. I am absolutely down with the cheese if it brings about the good feels, and the bolster to Isabelle's courage it gave delivered.

I also really like that one of the men driving the story kept pushing that love was what she needed, and automatically brought in a boy to do the job, but it ended up being Isabelle's love for her horse, herself, and her family, and the forgiveness of her step-sister, that really did the trick. Thank you so much Jennifer Donnelly, for not making this be about a man.

I really wish this review could do it more justice, but I'm pushing the limits of my word count as it is, and I don't want to risk repeating the ugly, happy blubbering I was doing at the end of the story. Suffice it to say I ABSOLUTELY recommend this book to anyone who likes fairy tales, feminist stories, girl-centered stories, coming of age stories, fantasies, everyone, really. I can't sum it up any better than Jennifer Donnelly herself in the forward of this book: "To everyone who's ever felt like they're not enough."

SNIIIIFFF. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat a pint of ice cream and watch Xena: Warrior Princess reruns with my puppy. Peace!

[abhayaamrit]

Blog of Brahma B - Day 4964

Many Happy Returns of the Day Mira Desai..

I think though not very sure you were present in the very first EF meeting at some place in Andheri.. I am afraid I do not remember the place so well now.. but that day some of the Bombay based EF and Renate and Valorie from US had joined .. Kalpana ji and Viswanath Kakade.. Nandita Kao and late Shri Devkishin Vyas were all present.. it was probably on October 09 2010 a couple of days before the first ever meeting of Blogjan with Brother Amitabh Harivansh Rai Bachchan.. Please do correct me if you were not present at the particular meeting it is quite OK.. *************** Respected Brother Amitabh Harivansh Rai Bachchan (BrAmHa B) Sadar Charan Sparsh You have given us so many friends and brothers and sisters..

I have reconnected with quite a few.. and in the process of reconnecting with some new faces too.. beyond 2008-2012 innings..

Our friend ND Patil is someone with whomI had spent a night at his Nashik residence during a Summer National tournament at Nashik .. I was quite thrilled to see that he had kept the printed record of the blog in a bound form.. I think like me he was also very fond of Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan.. He did play cricket at Inter college level and we had known quite a few cricketers between us .. inspite of the fact that he was 5 years junior t me and I was myself only a follower of the game.. unlike him who represented along side of Raman Lamba, Rajesh Peter and few others

There is one friend whom I hold a great respect and yet we have not met so far inspite of beig in the same city.. Anil Kumar Sharma is someone I have a great liking for .. yet we have not met so far..

Now to tell you the truth.. my primary reason to return to the blog is to get in touch with some of the great friends and persons I had known at the blog..

Divya Solgama and Mayur Sejpal were close contacts during heydays.. and I had really loved Late Devkishin Vyas ji.. I remember some of us had visited his residence after his death to meet his family.. I believe Divya and Mayur have carved a great successful path for themselves .. Ravi Malhotra and Sharmila Ravinder are two other persons I had met BHTB preview ..

Kishore Bhatt and Deepak Taunk are another set of persons I had great rapport with during all these years..

The list is too long and I am nt going to do justice to all the friends esp. Manoj Ojha Kalpana Di, Jasmine and Moha Di and Anu Big B from London whom we met because of our association with you.. such is the bonding that I would love to meet Bhaijaan (Arshad Khan) someday if it were possible.. and it is a secret desire to meet him in niether India nor US but in Lahore.. (jokes apart, I would simply love to meet him anywhere any given day.. the fact is I do not have a passport to go to Lahore.. or US)

There are hundreds of others including Kashmira Grewal Meenu Gupta Poonam Di and Vijayalakshmi..

I believe it would be injustice to Kankana, Tumpa and Moushumi the three younger sisters (Bon) from Bengal..

I believe I must end it on a high note that I am frtunate enoigh to have seen everyone from your immediate family except the yongest member and the two most respected members who are not with us.. Yes I had seen jaya ji from a distance at Bachchan Sandhya entrance.. not as close as Abhishek and Aishwarya (Whom I had also met at Janak on your 68th birthday .. )

Mujhe aur kuchh nahi chahiye.. main chahata hoon ki aap adhik se adhik EF se mil saken..I believe Vikas Bansal Suresh Jumani and their team are doing some fine preparations for your upcoming birthday.. I wish them a huge success..

to end the conversation I recount

' Main Chhupana Janta to Jug Mujhe Sadhu Samajhata Shatru Mera Ban Gaya Hai Chhal Rahit Vyavhaar mera''

Though I would have loved to quote from Madhushala - the ultimate work of Dr. Bachchan .. On this Pitru Paksh times I quote

प्राण प्रिये यदि श्राद्ध करो तुम मेरा तो ऐसे करना पीने वालों को बुलवा कऱ खुलवा देना मधुशाला।।84।

Here Madhushala The Tavern is only symbolic, he probably meant he would have loved everyone whom he knew to be invited to the occasion..

For me 'Rach Do Ab nai Madhushala' equates madhushala to a Granthala.. more of that some other day..

With Love Affection and Respect Abhaya Sharma (Bharti) Post Script : Sir I must not hide my unhappiness with KBC 13 for the set of questions that came forward to one of the contestant just before Sarabjeet Singh.. I know it is not deliberate but then to ask what does F on a keyboard first row as second or third question was gross injustice.. Though I must also add here that barring this unhappiness I am very very happy with all the episodes .. aaj to apne kamaal hi kar diya.. you were simply too good with the Nainital Spinster.. Jaya Ji se agar thodi bahut Daant Vaant bhi pad jaaye to kya gam hai.. aapne contestant ko to jeevan bhar ki khushi de di .. aap vaastav mei Mahaan hain .. Mai aapke triple role film ki baat nahi kar raha aap KBC ke madhyam se kisi Maseeha se kam nahi Hain.. Yah to hum log dekh rahe hain jaan bhi rahe hain aur mahsoos bhi kar rahen hain..

[ambresanjay2016]

Suryadatta Lifetime Achievement & National Awards 2021 announced on the occasion of 23rd Foundation Day

Pune: Suryadatta Group of Institutes has been conferring Suryadatta National Awards for the last 19th years. This year we are pleased to announce the 19th edition of our coveted ‘Suryadatta Lifetime Achievement Awards & Suryadatta National Awards',

 Every year, on 7th February, on the occasion of the Suryadatta Group’s Foundation Day Celebration. Suryadatta Group of Institutes confers Suryadatta National Awards to the eminent personalities in outstanding personalities in various fields such as Education, Science & Technology, Medical and Social Services, Indian Cinema, Social Service, Art and Culture, Fine Arts etc. These stalwarts would have immensely contributed to the growth of the nation or rendered their selfless services for the enrichment of the society.

 This year Suryadatta National Awards will be conferred on Sunday 7th February 2021, on the auspicious occasion of 23rd Foundation Day at Suryadatta Group of Institutes, Bavdhan Campus, Pune to the following distinguished personalities.

 Suryadatta National Life Time Achievement Awards 2021 will be conferred upon Late Dr T B Solabakkanav - – posthumous (for Excellence in the field of Art & Culture) ), Shri Kiran Kumar (for Excellence in the field of Indian Cinema), Shri Abhaya Srisrimal Jain (for Excellence in the field of Global Entrepreneurship, ), Dr. Mukund Gurjar (for Excellence in the Science and Technology),  Dr Anil Bhandari (for Excellence in the field of Social Service, Shri Vikram Razdan (for Excellence in the field of Director and Producer), Dr R M Agrawal (for Excellence in the field of Medical Social Service), Shri Krishna Prakash (for excellence in the field of Public Service, Health and Fitness)

 Suryadatta National Awards 2021 will be conferred upon Padma Shri Pt Vijay Ghate (for Excellence in the field of Indian Classical Music), Dr. Adyasha Das (for Excellence in the field of tourism and Indian Heritage), Shri Ajinkya Deo (for Excellence in the field of Indian Cinema, Shri Sajan Shah (for Excellence in the field of Motivation Speaker) Ms Lavanya Raja (for Excellence in the field of Global Entrepreneurship), Ms. Riya Jain (for Excellence in the field of Fine Arts- Painting) & Ms. Radhika AJ (for Excellence in the field of Creative Arts)

These awards will be given at the hands of Chief Guest : Governor of Maharashtra state, HE Hon’ble Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Chairperson: Padma Bhushan Shri Vijay Bhatkar (Chancellor, Nalanda University), Guest of Honor will be HH Acharya Dr Lokesh Muni, Founder President : Ahmisa Vishwa Bharati and Padma Shri Shri Anup Jalota : Renowned Bhajan Samrat, Key Note Speaker : Shri Raza Murad Renowned Hindi Cinema Actor, Professor Dr Sanjay Chordiya Founder President and Chairman Suryadatta Group of Institutes and Mrs. Sushama S Chordiya Vice President Suryadatta Group of Institutes.

 The Award Ceremony will be on Sunday, 7th February 2021 at 5:45 pm onwards at Suryadatta Group of Institutes, Bavdhan Campus, Pune,

  The Suryadatta National Awards are a platform for saluting the leading lights of the society who are acclaimed nationally and globally for their peerless accomplishments and for their life-long passion and mission of contribution towards the enrichment of society.

 They have been illuminating paths of glory for several others to emulate and are a role model for shaping the minds and aspirations of youngsters.

 The awardees are an epitome of professional excellence with an envious trackrecord of seminal contribution to various fields such as Education, Science & Technology, Healthcare & Medicine, Music, Social Service, Sports, Economics, Banking & Finance, etc. and have thus done their bit for the growth of the nation or exemplified their selfless services for the enrichment of the society. To name a few previous awardees are Bharat Ratna Pandit BhimSen Joshi, Padma Vibhushan Dr Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, Padma Bhushan Anupam Kher,  Padma Bhushan Udit Narayan,  Justice Shri Parshuram Swant (Retd), Padma Bhushan Indu Jain, Padma Shri Ms Shital Mahajan, Padma Shri Kuman Ketkar, Shri Dilip Chhabria and many more.

 Over 300+ towering personalities have been honored by the prestigious Suryadatta National Awards.

 Every year we received the nomination from the previous awardees, our advisory board members, trustee, senior professionals who have been associated with the Suryadatta family and various stalwarts from all walks of life. The nominations for Suryadatta National Award 2022 will be accepted from April 2021 to November 2021 and can fill the form online from our website www.suryadatta.org

 After receiving the nomination, Suryadatta National Award Committee member scrutinize and finalize the name of the awardees on receipt of all the relevant documents along with the detailed profile and consent letter duly signed by the prospective awardee.

 The Suryadatta Education Foundation, SEF, is a charitable trust registered with the Registrar of Societies, Government of Maharashtra. The Suryadatta Group of Institutes was established in the year 1999, with the blessing of Late Smt. Ratanbai & Shri Bansilalji Chordiya in Pune - The Oxford of East.

Over the years, Suryadatta family has blossomed into a bouquet of academic institutions in varied disciplines such as School, Management, Travel & Tourism, Hotel Management, Media & Mass Communication, Interior Design, Fashion Design, Event Management, Multimedia Graphics & Animation, Cyber and Digital Science, Creative Arts, Visual Arts, Fine Arts, Performing Arts, Media Arts, Aviation, Health & Fitness, Self Defence, Beauty & Wellness, Vocational & Advanced Studies, Media and Entertainment Skill Council courses etc. Students from several foreign nations and from all parts of India are pursuing education at various Suryadatta Institutions.

 In line with our spirit of continuously searching for opportunities to contribute to the socio‑ economic development of the nation. Suryadatta Education Foundation conceptualized, during the lockdown, 50 voluntary organizations and 50 academic units which are being made functional in a phased manner.

 Suryadatta Group of Institutes (SGI) Pune aspires and continuously strives to deliver world class education from Play Group to Ph.D. and ensure holistic development of the learners. The flagship institutes of SGI are accredited by NAAC and are ranked amongst India’s premier B Schools and colleges. We have a pan India presence and students from all parts of the country and foreign nations are pursuing education with us. Suryadatta has over 60,000 alumni from all states of the nation and abroad.

 Suryadatta Group of Institutes feel proud to announce that Suryadatta Institute of

Management & Mass Communication (SIMMC) & Suryadatta Institute of Business Management & Technology (SIBMT) ranked under Platinum Category by AICTE–CII Survey of Industry-Linked Technical Institutes 2020. Suryadatta Institute of Management & Mass Communication (SIMMC) won the coveted ranking for 6 consecutive years, while SIBMT applied first time for ranking and it is ranked under platinum category.

 SGI has made a mark overseas as well and students of multiple nationalities fulfill their career aspirations at SGI. Experiential learning happens at Suryadatta through initiatives such as events, exchange programs, study tours in India & abroad.

 SGI also has tie ups with major Indian & International education centers like IIMBx , Harvard Business Online, Harvard Business Publication, Lincoln University College Malaysia, TCS-ion, AIMA, InnovationNext, Cambridge English, UNGCNI Swissam Russia, etc. to provide the best educational experience to our students.

 With the objective of being in sync with the emerging national priorities, social realties and demands of the digital and globalized society, Suryadatta Education Foundation has a refind and reoriented its activities around the unique seven pillar philosophy which revolves around 7 learning outcome pathways for our students and the foundations core values which form the bedrock on which these 7 pillars firmly stand. The seven learning pillars pathways are :  

 1.    Higher Education & Life Long Learning,

2.    Corporate Careers in National & MNCs,

3.    Innovation, startup and freelancing

4.    Intrapreneur and Family Managed Business

5.    Careers in Training, Research Consulting and Education

6.    Careers in CSR, Social Entrepreneurship and NGOs

7.    Service for the Nation and World

 Enclosed

1.       Soft copy of Invitation Card of “Suryadatta National Awards 2021” ceremony held on Sunday, 7th February, 2021 at  SURYABHAVAN”, Suryadatta Group of Institutes, Bavdhan  Campus, Pune, India.

 2.       Suryadatta National Award Brochure for previous years  awardees 2003 to 2020