Satyamev Jayate - Addressing the flaws in Indian society, episode by episode

Satyamev Jayate, anchored by Indian Actor Aamir Khan

"Satyamev Jayate (English: Truth Alone Prevails) is an Indian television talk show that aired on various channels within Star Network along with Doordarshan's DD National. The first season of the show premiered on 6 May 2012 and marked the television debut of popular Bollywood actor and filmmaker Aamir Khan. Work on the second season has begun and it is likely to be aired from January 2014.
The show highlights sensitive social issues prevalent in India such as female foeticides, child sexual abuse, dowry, medical malpractice, honor killings, insensitivity towards the physically disabled, domestic violence, overuse of pesticides leading to pesticide poisoning, alcoholism, untouchability, plight of senior citizens and water crisis. While Hindi is the primary language of the show, it was also dubbed and simulcast in other Indian languages such as Bengali, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu, and subtitled in English.
Satyamev Jayate received an overwhelming positive response and feedback from both the critics as well as the public. The show was widely appreciated by several film and television personalities, politicians and social activists for its research, format, presentation and content." (Wikipedia)

Each episode has left me speechless. I've learned so much. We live in a bubble, we're ignorant and oblivious to the struggles that people have to face every single day because of the flaws in our society. This show has been a great, and emotionally touching, reality check for me. The link below contains all fourteen episodes with English subtitles.

http://www.satyamevjayate.in/regionalplayer/index.php?vid=01

A Matador's Mistress

A film I'm currently watching, A Matador's Mistress, about a Spanish bullfighter and his story. I thought I'd share, since I love it.

Google Search: Reunion

This is the most brilliant and touching advertisement I have seen in a long, long time. Not only does it show the value of true friendship, but it also conveys messages on larger, more impacting issues. For one, I think Google does a great job in showing how technology, specifically it's own advancements, has brought the world closer together. How the world is at your fingertips. How old friends are just a few Google searches away. At the same time, it also hints on the political issues between India and Pakistan, an issue that many people (particularly the audience of this ad) are passionate about. I love this ad, not only because it's touches the heart, but because of the work, strategies, and creativity that have been put into it.  

Partly Cloudy

I really like this animation because, not only is it adorable, but it also tells a lot about true friendship. I recently got into an argument with my best friend, so this animation kind of seemed fitting for my situation.

This animation really shows that friends will be friends no matter what. There will always be ups and downs, but true friends will always find ways to make things work.

It's media

This is one of the most powerful images I've seen, and I think it says a lot about our society and today's generation. I feel that we, as people, have come to the point where the media is blindly trusted. We aren't educated, but instead, we are spoon-fed with what the media wants us to see. Now this is a broad generalization, and I may be completely wrong. But from what I see around me, the media uses its audience as a way to manipulate our thoughts and form our opinions on our behalf. It doesn't allow us to do our own thinking; rather, we are told what to believe and how to act.

The media glorifies certain aspects or lifestyles that affect its audience in a negative way. Channels like MTV, which is watched by thousands of teenagers all over the world, convey messages that not only misguide us, but also harm us. For starters, it displays and promotes the reckless lifestyles of music artists. A typical Li'l Wayne music video teaches teenagers to smoke weed, get drunk, disrespect women, and party. It shows us that being "bad" is "cool", that going against the rules and breaking the law will get us fame and respect. Furthermore, the existence of shows like "16 and Pregnant" teach teenagers that it's okay to be irresponsible because we won't be the only ones.

The actions of celebrities also seem to have a large impact on our lives, because of the media. I was watching the news last week, and I was surprised to see that the headlines were "Kim Kardashian embraces her pregnancy by wearing flats". Now, I'm not targeting against flats, nor Kim Kardashian, but it amazed me to see people's priorities. The same week, a "functional cure" for HIV had been discovered through French studies. Children continue to starve in Somalia. Violence and unrest continue in the Middle East. Yet, the media chooses to focus on Kim Kardashian's desired footwear. We have been channeled to focus on glamour, appearance, and fame instead of intelligence or social issues. For example, it doesn't take long to name an attractive actress, or a favorite rapper. If you ask an average person which movies won an Oscar recently, they'd be able to name a few. But if you ask an average teenager who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, or Medicine, recently, I don't think they'd be able to answer it. Media glorifies celebrities and fame to such an extent, that we become ignorant or oblivious to what is important- the discoveries being made, the people being hurt, the wars and the crimes and the ruthless murders being committed.

However, at the end of the day, media plays a large role in our life. It brings us closer to the rest of the world, and gives us access to information and what we deserve to know. All in all, I'm not saying that we need to eliminate the use of media. I'm just saying that it's our responsibility as people to make the right decisions, focus on the important aspects, form our own opinions, and to be a well-informed global citizen of the world. The media has a great potential, and it's our duty to use it the right way.

Indian-American? American-Indian? Or something in between..

Someone once told me, "If you don't know where you're from, you don't know where you're going."

Victoria Memorial- Kolkata

I have been wanting to write about this topic for years now. I've often imagined myself as an author whose book about her hyphenated-culture has become a New York Times Bestseller. But the truth is, no matter how many times I try to write about this, I will never be able to put into words how beautiful it is to be an Indian-American.

I was born in India, Calcutta to be specific. Calcutta, or Kolkata, how Bengalis pronounce it, is my second home. I go there every alternate year during the summer time, and each time I go there, I learn something new. I also get the opportunity to spend time with my extended family. I look forward to that all the time because I know how much they love me, how much I mean to them, and how much I love them too. Every time I go to Kolkata, I wish I didn't have to come back.

I can't describe how beautiful my city is. It's very different than the Bay Area, which is a given obvious. From the outside, it doesn't look very appealing. The traffic is crazy, the heat is unbearable, and the mosquitos....they suck, literally. The bathrooms are different too, which had always been an issue when I was younger. But there are things about Kolkata that you will never be able to forget.

For a simple beginning, the food. Wow. Every time I go to Kolkata, I make sure to always get biriyani from Arsalaan. And it's not only restaurant food. The food cooked at home is amazing too. Bengali people love their fish, which isn't my personal favorite. But there's a great variety to our food that sets it apart from the typical American BigMac and fries. And even more than the amazing taste of Bengali food, it's the way it is cherished. When I go to India, my grandmas, aunts... everyone puts in an effort to cook for me. We, Bengali people, celebrate with food, it's a way of expressing ourselves. There's different foods for different occasions, like payesh for birthdays and khichdi for religious ceremonies. The mangoes my grandpa brings me from the local bazaar celebrate the season. And even everyday meals are special, like my grandmas' occasional posto or chhana. And at the end of every meal, a sweet mishti. There's probably infinite types of sweets in India. Different sweets stores have their own style, and they're famous all over the world. Even though food might not seem that important, I think our food really brings us together as a family and closer to our culture.

Secondly, what I love about Kolkata is my opportunity to see and go places. There's lots of places I've been to from Kolkata, like the beaches Digha  and Mondarmoni. But the city itself is a great beauty to me. The winding roads, thousands of little shops and markets, the rickshaws and autos that fill the streets, they're all so very different from everything I'm used to. When I go to Kolkata, I barely spend any time in the house. I'm usually out with my uncles, and they drive me anywhere and everywhere. Sometimes even without a destination. And on those drives, I've seen things that change my life. Many of them are beautiful sights, like the Victoria Memorial lit up with green and red lights at night. Or the sunset from Howrah Bridge over the Ganga river. But I've also learned a lot from the things I've seen. I've seen miles of villages that have no electricity or running water, where people live in straw and mud huts. I've had beggars pull at my feet for money, and seen little children sleeping on rugs on the streets. These images are powerful; I can't convey their message through words. I've learnt from them how lucky I am to be living the life I am.

But, despite the stereotypes, India isn't covered in poor villages and hungry children. In fact, there are many big cities and industries in India. Kolkata itself is a huge city, and it is being industrialized even further everyday with tall office and flat buildings. There's great malls there, like Mani Square and the City Centres. Which brings me to my next topic- Shopping! On every holiday, it's always a must to wear new clothes. And Indian clothes are beautiful, the majestic women's saris, salwar kameezes, and the men's panjabis and sherwanis. Whether you're at a small marketplace, or a big shopping mall, the clothes will always dazzle you. On my trips to Kolkata, each of my family members buy me new clothes. For me, Indian clothes are another way for me to show my desi pride, and to be closer to my culture.

The last thing, maybe the most important thing I'd like to write about Kolkata would be the people. Like I said before, I go to India to spend time with my family. We're closely knit together. Some of my family members live in joint-families, while others live separately. Either way, the family bonds play a huge role in every day life. Our family is our everything; it is our support, our pride, our traditions, everything. No matter what, I know that I will always have my family with me. And that's what I love about Indian culture. Our family is such a big part of our life, we are never alone. For me, there is no such things as an "extended family". Each member is as close to me as the others; we are all bonded together, despite the fact that we are across the world from each other.

What I love about the people in Kolkata even more is their ability to build relations with others, even past families. The bonds between neighbors, friends, schoolmates are unbreakable. Everyone in the neighborhood seem to be friends. People gather all over the streets to chat in the evenings, and neighbors always drop by unexpectedly. Gatherings take place every weekend. In simple words, people love people. They love to be with people, to share their happiness, as well as their sorrows. Bonds are created easily and last forever. That's what I love about Kolkata.

Golden Gate Bridge- San Francisco
Photo Taken By Shirsha Basu

The Bay Area. San Francisco. My Home. I won't go into much detail about living in America, because that's probably something my audience (???) is familiar with. But I will briefly say that, I consider myself extremely fortunate to be living in a place like this. Everyone knows California, The Bay, West Coast represent, etc. etc. etc. Yeah, there's famous beaches, Hollywood, the Golden Gate Bridge, and much much more. But there's even more to that. Growing up here (and thanks to my wonderful parents), I've always had a great place to live, access to education, and everything I need. If I didn't live here, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I wouldn't speak English like I do, I wouldn't dress this way, act this way. I wouldn't have my wonderful school, or the friends that I can't live without. I wouldn't have the beautiful city-skyline view from the Bay Bridge, or the "Wild 94.9 The Bay's Hit Hop-Hop Music Station" that I'm always listening to.  I wouldn't be living in The Silicon Valley, and I wouldn't be inspired to try to become a software engineer someday.

If I didn't bore you with all this, I'm hoping I was able to show you how my hyphenated-culture has shaped me as a person. I am, who I am today, because of my Indian-American background. There's probably a thousand things I could/should/would have written about in here, but like I said before, I can never find the right words.

In response to the quote from the very beginning of this post, I'd like to say- I am proud of who I am. I am proud of where I come from. I am proud to be Shirsha Basu, a hyphenated Indian-American. 

Introduction

I made this blog because I was inspired by a certain individual. I can't name him because we are no longer on good terms, and I haven't heard from him in years. However, he still continues to inspire me. He has taught me the importance of communicating, the importance of telling the world what I'm thinking. He taught me about passion, what it means to be passionate about something. He has taught me to be proud of who I am, and where I come from. Most importantly, he has taught me to discover and express myself. Chances are, he doesn't even remember me. But I still want to meet him again some day, just to thank him for guiding me and being the big brother that I've always wanted.

I haven't told anyone about this blog, nor do I plan on spamming the link on my Facebook friends' walls. This blog isn't for the world to read, although I wouldn't mind that. This blog is more for myself. I've been looking for an outlet, a place where I can express what I'm feeling. Sometimes I need to let out my thoughts, but there isn't always a person to turn to. I made this blog to let myself out. It's the voice to my inside thoughts. It's what I'm feeling, what I'm doing, how I'm reacting to the things happening around me.

I don't know how successful I will be in maintaining this blog, although I do hope it'll be more successful than my second grade diary. I don't know how long I'll be posting here, or whether I want anyone to know about it. But here's the beginning of Who I Am.