The Sri Lankan Cricket board says it's ready to send its team to Pakistan, if India refuses to tour the world's new found punching bag.

Not surprising! having borne the brunt of LTTE for decades, Pakistan could well be like a second home to the Lankans!

Divided it stood, a United made it fall

Today is the anniversary of a great tragedy. Today is 9/11. I happened to note the date a few minutes back and was surprised to realize how obscured the day has been this year. Time, apparently, cleans even the toughest of stains. I clearly remember the day it happened. I was at my native place. We had all assembled to perform the traditional rites for my Grandfather who had then, recently left us. While preparations were going on in the house, i was watching tv in the drawing room. Incidentally i was watching the news. And then it was brought on. I took a few seconds to digest the breaking news. I still couldn't fathom the gravity of the incident. It looked bad, but never as bad as it turned out to be. I rushed to inform the others. People started trickling into the room. Surprisingly i don't recall much thereafter. It would have to be what would be expected. some shock! some disbelief, widespread curiosity, sporadic judgments and so on!

The world trade centre is no more, but nothing daunts the human spirit from resurgence. Ground zero is yet again a buzz of activity as thousands of men work towards erecting the freedom tower. With the anniversary in mind i googled for some information and this is what i have. Rather nice i say!

samjhauta blasts...hand of God?

it was saddening to read about the samjhauta express blasts that killed several people. Among the several people who lost their dear ones is shaukat ali. i was touched by the quote on the front page of today's TOI. it read, " chacha, ayesha bach gayi". It is hard to express how much those words mean to a parent who is ruing the loss of 5 of his 6 children. 6 children...6 children...its not a normal number...its high, abnormally high... so high that i'm forced to think that god is involved in these blasts

yes, i'm being highly insensitive...yes, the blast could happen to my family too...so i specify now that when i speak, i speak in general...for everyone...for india.

i somehow am forced to see this event as part of a bigger scheme of things...something that is under the control of a superior power...well, it can also be reasoned beyond doubt to be the error-correcting manifestation of a master algorithm that governs life on earth. the former is beyond the scope of everyone;
think about the latter, its just like a dense forest burning itself in a forest fire; friction....nature's corrective measure