Just A Call For Mom

Last weekend, I had a chance to meet Soni M Bhattathiripad’s mother. Many times I could not give any reply to her questions. I was ashamed of myself being so silent instead of consoling a mother who had missed her son a few years back. It was in a family function when my aunty introduced me to Soni’s mother, Suvarnini. Though we are relatives, I had no opportunity to speak to her. 

Click here to read my previousarticle about Soni Bhattathiripad

Away from the crowd, we found a place to talk. She started telling about her son who was a famous Malayalam journalist and a television anchor. Even though I haven’t talked to her before, I thought she was a strong woman. But like any mother, she was highly disturbed with her son’s missing. I realized that woman becomes weak when her kids are affected. After Soni’s missing, the health of Suvarnini has worsened. She now has diabetes, variation in blood pressure and also heart ailments. 

To get rid of the worries, physicians have asked her to watch TV and relax. However, when she watch news channels, memories of her son keep haunting her. Her only relief is the social activities that she does for her villagers. She is a member of local governing body at her town. Her voice trembled several times when she mentioned her son’s name. Yet she did not weep much. Because of continuous crying for some years, her tears have dried up. 

Suvarnini said the rumor that her son is a drug addict is absolutely wrong. “If he was so, why did the channel send him to report such a big event? He was leading the team of Indiavision to cover Goa International Film Festival.” -she says. Well, rumors are the easiest thing to spread. Police and media are searching for this young journalist for past many years. Yet the question of “Where is Soni M Bhattathiripad” remains unanswered! “I will not insist him to stay back home if he is happy with the place where he is now. All I need is a call from him just to confirm he is fine.” –she told me before leaving. 

I have not seen Soni directly before. Still I believe he can never leave the world of words. If he is reading this, please contact your mom! She is not asking for your comeback. She simply wants to hear your sound. Again, if he comes back there is still a world of media opened for him. The media itself has an addictive power from which journalists cannot hide. He can either get back to news world or live with his village folk. 

Suvarnini has requested me to help her with all possible ways. Writing is the best and only way I know to tell the world about an amazing journalist. Hope there will be some positive reply from readers on this post. Each of the remark will be a hope to that mom. Please do type a comment if you have any clue! Even your prayers will be a relief for her. Let us support her with our words to remain strong and healthy!

How To Be A Good Content Writer?

When I took a post graduation in Mass Communication, like any media student I thought I will be placed in either Times Of India or CNN-IBN (though there is still a chance). But the fate took me to another job which is content writing. Before entering this field, I had no knowledge about this profession. Today with an experience of almost two years, I know what the clients or boss want me to scribble. If you call this boasting, I must say you are mistaken. From lively hours at office to the role of freelance content writer, I have learned the various styles to convey ideas online. 

To be a good content writer, there are a very few simple techniques. I am not trying to give a tutorial that you could download and by heart. These are just a few informal tricks which I came to know by writing numerous articles for unknown clients.

• Worship Google:
  Never think that I received credits for praising the search engine. Even while you have many other search engines, Google is the first name that comes to your mind always.
• Trust WORD:
  More than any tool, Microsoft Word will help you to write better. I’d say that my vocabulary increased just because of using Word.
• Letter Idea:
  First have a good idea of what you are going to present. Then writing is an easy task.
• No Time Wastage For Research:
  You must analyze the matters before framing an article. However time is an important fact in this field. Take only 2-3 websites as your information source.
• No Plagiarism:
  Taking information from other websites does not mean that you can directly copy-paste from it. There are a lot of technologies to check whether you have copied. Once you are caught, it means your client will not trust you again. As a safer side, letter the ideas in your own words.
• Be Precise And Simple:
  The reading span of online readers is really low. If they cannot understand what your product offers, they have millions of other articles about countless products on internet. If you write in simple words, it can help readers to know well about your product.
• Key Word:
  The keyword is the chief element in any writing. So make sure you use the exact keyword in your article.
• Stick to Word Limit:
  Write according to the word limit asked by your client. Never exceed or cut the count of words. Yet a few words more or less are permissible.
• Painless Life:
  Even if you are sick or depressed, never let your emotions enter into your article. Every time write how beautiful is the world when you use your client’s product.

All the above points are simply written from my experience. Most of all these, the passion for writing or work and the help from your friends can truly make you an expert content writer. I must say that I am thankful to my colleagues of previous office especially Basabi Chatterjee, Ayesha Banu, Roshna Balan, Nikhil and my former boss RK for their sincere efforts in guiding me!

Busy Days For Happy Life

For the whole day

I never let me rest.

Eyes and mind

Work doubtless!

I fear quiet days

Inviting memories.

Tearful pair of eyes

Masks of smile!

I am busy living

No time to pause,

I make schedule

To hide from past!

No more gloomy

With rotten past!

Here are my days

Colorful and happy!

Let it rain or snow

Still me an admirer!

Every single breath

I live for my self!

Post For Post

Today is World Post Day… More often whenever we hear the word “post”, there is an image of a postman/woman who comes to your home with a bundle of letters. The new generation kids must not have realized much about this person visiting their homes as they have many other things to care. In my childhood days, the world of post was a matter of surprise. During those days, I check the address in all the letters which our postman gave me. I do so because:

• My grandpa and aunties used to write letters for me.
• My friends and cousins send greetings card for festivals.
• To get good stamps

I have kept one of my grandpa’s letters blessing me for my college education. His words are so powerful. Even though he died, I wrote the word “are” seeing as his letter is safe in my cupboard. He had compared educational change from school to college to the transplantation of saplings from nursery. Although I prefer typing in view of the fact that it reduces slaughter of plants, I’ve felt the power of “writing” in its true sense has its own value.

So coming back to the point, I was punctual in replying to the letters I received. May be that was the reason why people liked to mail me. Today we have online chats, emails, social media, sms and so on. Again we are not as satisfied as we were when we get a postal letter from someone. Similarly the postal greetings have become an endangered category and is replaced my e-cards. Until a few years back, I had a collection of postal greeting cards which I receive each year. While the time went on, all those cards were torn out and I’d to throw away. E-cards or sms wishes never had the color or uniqueness of postal cards. I had a stamp collection which is also safe inside my table. Today I do not worry much to add stamps in my philately album.

I belong to a generation who had seen the loveliness of letters. But I’ve not sensed the shock of getting telegrams. The only telegram I’d opened was a condolence posted from my mother’s office on account of my grandpa’s demise. That too reached one week after mailing. It was a thing to laugh when the colleagues kept calling my mom to ask, “Has the telegram arrived?” for the whole week.

Now the postmen come to deliver bills, insurance notifications, registered posts or rarely marriage invitation letters. Time has to go on! When some objects appear, others disappear. For next generations, let the postal department do not remain as a chapter in the history text. We must always remember and cherish the service of postal department in connecting the world when there was no virtual online life. At least on this post day, thank them for helping you to share your emotions so dearly.

Bhakthi – A Profitable Business

Devotion or bhakti is a sacred feeling at all times. Whether it is towards God, music, lover, nature or anything, being devotional can make you happy and relieved at least for some moments. Earlier in India, temples were the main centers of civilizations. Culture, traditions, trade and life revolved around these worship centers. Even now Bhakti is a profitable business. 

I have always wondered about the growth of tiny devotional centers into mighty organizations. Once the institution grows, it also has the power to develop its location into a major spot of worship as well as tourism. Just like antivirus companies generating toxic viruses, bhakti organizations spread words of superstitions in order to drag devotees towards them and pay huge amount for getting moksha.

When I visited a temple last weekend, I could observe many tiny businesses around it. Small temples, shops selling religious stationeries (books, pictures of gods, pooja items, etc), handicrafts and fancy ornaments, cool bars, textiles, restaurants, meditation centers, hotels and so on. These business ventures are not only confined to this temple. 

Every temple, church, mosque, ashrams and centers of human god will have such little associated trade centers. The only difference will be in number and as the fame of a spiritual center increases, the count of related businesses also go up.

In spite of all the criticism against the business of the bhakti centers, I’d appreciate the fact that they give employment to millions of people. From minister to sweepers, there are a lot of jobs associated with devotion. Every coin has two sides and it is up to the people to decide which side to choose.