MNIK

A few years back, there was a message doing the rounds. It said:

Not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims.

It was something that truly disturbed me, because I have quite a few Muslim friends and I could see them cringe when they heard things like this. 

My Name is Khan addresses the same issue. When Rizwan Khan leaves on his journey, all he wishes to tell the President of USA is that: My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist! 

Just because a few people belonging to a certain religion have done a few wrong deeds, does not merit the classification of the entire lot as wrong. In doing so, it is we who stand wrong....simply because Hitler persecuted the Jews, does not mean that all Germans supported his deeds, hence making them Nazis??

Like I said earlier, I have quite a few friends who are Muslims, and over the years, I have come to know them as warm, generous and loving individuals. They too feel hurt when innocent people are hurt and they too feel pain of others, the way they do. 

I think it's high time, we started giving up our prejudices and began looking at people as individuals - judging them by the deeds they do and not by what people of their religion might do.......

My Name is Khan and I am not a terrorist..

Ok.....so I just got back from watching perhaps one of the most controversy ridden movies of this year.....which is pretty early, given that the year has only started. 

I have been a huge SRK fan, since the time I was a kid....so there will be quite a few blogs about this movie!!

And, yes! I did like the movie!!

Save Stripey!!

I was out of India for a few days, which meant that I was away from Indian television as well. So, quite obviously, as soon as I got home, I had to switch on the "idiot box"! 

The very first thing I saw was this advertisement about a little tiger cub. Initially, I thought that it was some trailer for another one of those Discovery/Nat Geo shows. Anyway, the adorable cub, didn't allow me to switch channels, and hence I was introduced to Stripey. 

The next day I logged onto Facebook and all I could see was about "Stripey"....I knew I had to sign up as well. I have never been the loud animal conservationist types, but I have always nurtured a love for animals (except species reptilia that is!!) And seeing that adorable furry tiger cub, made me realize that this was a cause I had to associate my name with. 

The tiger is the national animal of India.....this we have been taught since we were in school. Then why is it that almost nothing is being done to protect that very animal? Why is that there are only some 1400 of them left? Figures show that there were 3,508 tigers in India, in the year1997; but in a little over a decade that number has fallen by a staggering 60% to a mere 1,411!

There has obviously been gross neglect on the part of the government authorities as well as individuals. While we claim to be educated individuals, our true education is quite questionable. It is high time that we became aware of what is going on around us and perhaps, step in to do something. No matter how big or small your contribution, it is one nonetheless. 

The one small and immediate step you could take is by talking a little bit more about the Save Our Tigers initiative. Inform others, after you have read up about the topic yourself. And if you really want to play your part in saving our national animal, visit this site and register yourself; because every single 'roar' counts. 

http://saveourtigers.com/

The Happiest Place in the World

The Happiest Place in the World - isn't that how the Disneylands of the world are publicized? A place where you enter the world of tomorrow, yesterday, adventure and fantasy; leaving behind the present?? I guess whoever thought of the tagline was right!!

I got a chance to witness the magic and fantastical land of Walt Disney's imagination, when I set foot inside the Hongkong Disneyland.

Smaller as compared to its' American cousins, this place offers the same magic nevertheless! You enter through Main street USA, where you are welcomed by what America must have looked like in the early 1800s.

                 (This is the entrance of the HK Disneyland....and this is also the entrance to Main Street USA!)

Walk in and you will walk into a whole new world - truly a world where you forget about every single worry, and unleash the child within you! Atleast I did!! It was after a long time, that I was excited about a short train ride...one that takes you around the park. The ride is also a good way to decide where you want to head next!

As you walk through the guarded gates of Snow White's castle, you really do feel like that you are entering a world of fantasy and fairly tales. It is all that you had ever imagined when you read the stories of Cinderella and Rapunzel....perhaps a little bit more!

I mean where else can you see your dad, trying to play Prince Arthur? My dad was more than willing to pose for the camera, while holding the proverbial "sword-in-the-rock"!

                                          
Or see both your parents smile happily standing inside a make belief Astronaut's Suit? Don't believe me?? Looks at this picture then!

(Yup! My parents are all set to take a trip to Saturn!!)

Disneyland is perhaps the only place where you could do so much, in one single day.....you could witness your favorite movie in a live performance:

                    

Get your photos clicked with your favorite cartoon characters:

  

or save an alien planet from falling down!!

One trip to the Hongkong Disneyland has given me memories to last a lifetime...........unfortunately it has also given me the bug............now I want to see the American versions of this theme park as well!!

My Sojourns

So, now I have the stamp of another two countries on my passport.....Hongkong and Thailand. Both countries with incredible charm, a dash of exoticism and sights and sounds, which will remain with you forever!

Our first stop was Hongkong, which is easily one of the most stunning cities I have seen in my life - and that is something to say, because I have seen my fair share of cities. This is perhaps one of the most well managed and systematic places in the world. No where else have I seen so much methodism in the daily routine. The moment you step out of the plane, you can see how much emphasis is laid on the systems and rules.

Although, things didn't start out very smoothly for us - we were held by immigrations for almost 2 hours for a random check - things were wonderful post that slight glitch. Courtesy the wonderful staff of PNB HK, our stay was everything we could have asked for, if not a little bit more. I guess a huge thank you goes out to Joel uncle, Acharya uncle and Kazmi uncle as well as their families, who made us feel right at home!

(That's me in the corner, followed by my dad, Joel uncle, Acharya uncle and Alam Kazmi. Kazmi uncle was busy playing photographer!)

The typical touristy city tour took us to places like the "Avenue of Stars", which is HK's version of Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

(Martial Arts legend Jackie Chan was the first to have his hand-print at the Avenue of Stars)

The next stop is the gem factory and showroom, where the martial arts legend - Jackie Chan is a partner. A nice place to buy knick knacks of the slightly expensive kind! The tour will also take you to the Aberdeen fisherman's village, which is actually now the place for the rich and famous.....you should see some of the luxury yachts that are anchored here....and on the other side are the quaint houseboats, where the "fishermen" reside!

(This is how the actual fishermen live!)

(And this is how the other half lives!!)

The last stop is Victoria Peak...actually the mid point of the peak. If you want to get to the absolute top (which I seriously recommend you do), you need to take a tram ride. The tram ride itself is incredible, because the angle of ascent is almost 50*+.

But I have to admit that HK is an incredibly expensive place; which meant that shopping here was out of the question for me! :( I got to know that like other places you have to pay for water, but did you know that you also had to pay for sewage?? This is an incredible to place live in, if you have a pay package that can take care of all your needs. If not, this might not be the happiest place for you to be in!