Trees take years to grow.

Rain drops on the leaves, grass and the smell of the rain soaked earth. All these are part of the excitment that rains bring. Yesterday it didn't rain, it poured. Thankfully I was @ home but enjoyed the sounds of rain water flowing from the terrace.

Finally it seems that the monsoon which almost vanished this year has finally arrived. Today morning's news article about the rains which lashed the city almost sounded prophetic. On a personal note I am also happy for the farmers who were desperate for rains, it maybe late however they can salvage something out of it.

The other thing which I wanted to mention here is the news of film actor Shahrukh Khan's questioning at the Newark airport in U.S. Indian fans have been very critical of the treatment of their star. However as many have pointed maybe we should learn a thing or two from the authorities in the U.S. We have a VIP culture here. Ordinary passengers are frisked and someone like Robert Vadra is exempted from frisking (when even the three service chiefs are not exempted) just because he happens to be the husband of the daughter of India's most powerful women politician. No prizes for guessing who it is.

Even gods are not spared. Tirupathi famous for its richest donations after the Vatican gives the red carpet treatment for politicians, ministers, industrialists and filmstars. All these @ the expense of ordinary pilgrims.

I was frisked at the Heathrow airport in UK, I took off my shoes and was body searched just like other passengers. However I didn't mind it. After all the officials are doing their job and its for our own safety. For once, someone from the film industry had the courage to swim against the tide. As film actor Salman Khan rightly said that there has been no attacks in the US after 9/11. He too has faced similar treatment and as long as a minor section from one community continue to indulge in acts which threaten national security the other innocents will continue to suffer.

We need to pick a leaf from the US and get rid of our VIP culture. Western culture may have its drawbacks but there are also certain good things like rules which are the same for everyone whether its a senator, movie star or ex-presidents.

(Image courtesy: http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?aid=266757310)
(Image courtesy: http://www.bollywoodpicturesgallery.com/pictures/shahrukh08.htm)

Its the most yuckiest job. We all use it every morning when we discharge our waste. Yes I am taking about cleaning the toilet bowl which maybe Indian or the western commode.

I had my first brush with cleaning the loo when I was doing a part-time job in New Zealand. My supervisor who was a lady gave me the broom and the liquid to clean the men's toilet. She said she will take care of the women's toilet. Now I have never done this before. I just stared at her and told her frankly that I haven't done it before.

However my Supervisor insisted that I do it. Now I was at my wits end. I didn't want to disobey my supervisor as it was also a question of my job. I went to the men's toilet, thankfully there was only one western toilet. I started the cleaning job with a heavy heart thinking what I was doing in India and what am I doing here. Now the best part is that once I finished cleaning the loo I wasn't embarrassed anymore. In fact looking at the sparking toilet bowl there was a deep sense of satisfaction.

I have come a long way since then. Now even though I am back in India, every week I clean the toilet bowl myself. Its not an easy job alright however its a great leveler. Every time I do it I just can't stop admiring the sparkling toilet bowl :)

(Image Source: http://www.darkcreek.com/toilets)