Someone murdered Aarushi and Hemraj. We murdered their families.

The Aarushi-Hemraj Murder case - A gruesome murder. A tragic loss for their families respectively. May their souls rest in peace.
The Police - Not exactly Sherlock Holmes or the scotland yard. Under trained and under paid, I dont expect anything great from them. And I dont blame them for their shabby work.
The Media - A rudimentary demonic resurrection. The most evil beast lurking in our country. Who make their rupee on exploiting anything and everything. The biggest embarrassment of the country. They deserve the majority vote for everything that's wrong in India. (NDTV and CNN IBN are the saving grace.)
The People - The most gullible lot of infective creatures. Very similar to modeling clay, but much more vicious. They believe whatever the media says. They make themselves self proclaimed judges, constables and saints. They love to talk about mainstream nonsense because they seem to care, join groups on social websites to show their apathetic concern and pass their home grown judgement on things that apparently dont relate to them in any way whatsoever.

The media and the press have a very important duty. They are empowered with providing the people of the country with information and news, so that one is updated with the happenings and mishappenings of the country and the world. They provide a medium of communication to the public. They have a very strong power that it needs to be controlled and regulated. Without much surprise our Ministry of Information and Broadcasting make a feeble attempt in doing what they need to. The media not only provides irrelevant information, but they force opinions onto the public. They make a run for their money by severely exploiting news items such that their viewer-ship increases. They feed upon people's miseries and make a ruckus of the facts available. They mould the people's opinion as their own. The people, on the other hand, get hypnotized by the dramatic show put on by news channels and print media that they add fuel to the fire and invigorate the press to step up their drama. Its like an obscene strip show. The press strip bare the news as people continue to ogle and love to get more shown to them. The people love to talk about it. Make groups on Facebook and Orkut. Act like they care. And vigorously discuss such issues to the point that the press go into an ecstatic high and blow everything out of sane proportions.
We all have instigated this murder. We all have spoken so much about it and made it sensational. Encouraging the media to tear up their family into tiny little bits and pieces. The media forced the police to come out with an explanation. They mocked our law enforcers, proclaiming themselves to do better jobs. Under the sheer public pressure and lack of professionalism, the police had to come up with a suspect and make an arrest. They pinned it first on Hemraj and then on the father on pure substantial evidence. They stripped poor Aarushi's innocence. And the media went into a frenzy. The people watched and enjoyed every bit of it. The watched more as more twists materialize. They talked even more and unanimously considered her father to be the murderer. The people instigated the whole affair. Shredded their already devastated family. I am not justifying who the murderer was. But the press and the public have no right, read NO right, whatsoever to call her father a murder. We were not present at the crime scene. Save for family and friends, we are not related to the case in any way except in a pure humanitarian sense.
Aarushi and Hemraj's murder was tragic and gruesome, agreed. But it was a murder at that. If we all seem to actually care then why cant we all have candlelight vigils and communities on Facebook and Orkut about the many that die everyday and all those poor minors who get raped and killed by perverted individuals? Oh wait! They all are not from DPS, are they? They all are from a taboo section of society are they not? If you can only face one side of it and ignore the other side, then you have a major problem with reality itself. We all love to talk about the divide between the rich and the poor. But aren't we the ones instigating that divide by sensationalizing the murders and rapes of the rich while turing away from the same of the poor? This murder took up show-time on news channel for almost 20 hours a day. Several pages were covered in the newspaper. No one cared about anybody else's death. The issue was named "Aarushi murder case" and not "Aarushi - Hemraj murder case".

Here's a reality check:
- 10 yr old Nitin Nayak gets crushed under Blueline bus in Uttam Nagar. TOI - 16/05/08
- Hemraj is Aarushi's killer. TOI 17/05/08
- 6 yr old girl, a rickshaw puller's daughter, found raped and stabbed to death. The article appears on page 7 and they didn't even name her. TOI 17/05/08.
- Oh Hemraj is innocent. And dead. TOI 18/05/08
- 8 yr old killed by squall, 4yr old killed by candle fire, 18 yr old beaten up and 2 honor killings. TOI 19/05/08
- 6 yr old Shabana buried alive. Candlelight vigil for Aarushi starts. TOI 20/05/08
- 6 yr old, 14 yr old and a youth. All dead in separate incidents. TOI 21/05/08
- Aarushi makes it to front page and full of 2nd page. TOI 22/05/08
- 9 yr old electrocuted to death due to negligence. TOI 23/05/08
- Board results out. Some suicides. Page 4, 5 and 6 titles reads "TIMES CITY | AARUSHI MURDER". Headlines reads "Dad killed Aarushi". Also, an 8 yr old was molested by teacher. TOI 24/05/08
- 12 yr old raped. Page 4 titled "TIMES CITY | AARUSHI MURDER". TOI 25/05/08
- Aarushi murder pops up in "MY TIMES | MY VOICE" where several people make their baseless comments. 19 yr old girl stabbed to death. Cops now not convinced that her dad did commit the crime. TOI 26/05/08.

So there you go. Thats 10 day's worth of events following this sensational murder. The case obviously made front page every single day. We created a perfect situation for the media to feast upon this case. We further created a gap between the rich and the poor. A rickshaw puller's daughter may not be from DPS and her parents may not be dentists. Does it mean that she is extraneous? Why not create a hue and cry about that? I am not saying its wrong to pay our respects to those who have departed. But its a crime against humanity to be selective about it. Just because Aarushi's case is more mainstream does not give her a superior concern over someone from a poorer section of society (No offense to Aarushi and her family and friends). Hemraj's murder seems so insignificant even though it is part of the same case. No one did a candlelight vigil. No one cared to go meet his family. Do we not care about him? We just presented a perfect model of the rich-poor divide. And surely it was not the age difference.

We need to mourn her loss silently. Its a sacrifice we must make so it is less upsetting for her family. Honestly may her soul rest in peace. I mean peace and not a mockery as it has been made out to be. Making it sensational only makes matters worse. It just provides fuel to the sick fire ignited by the press. It has already devastated her family. Added insult to a grisly injury. Let us silence ourselves for her sake. The media and the press wont stop till we continue to fuel them.

I say again, I mean NO offense or hurt to Aarushi and Hemraj's family and friends. I only intend to dampen the public instigation. I intend to be a drop of poison for those media houses and those press agencies that exploit issues like this murder.

-Udayvir Singh Yadav

"Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. " - Rabindranath Tagore.

I learnt...

During my trip of independence to US, I learned quite a lot of things about myself and my life. Yea i learned how to fly as well. But apart from that, here's a list of random things i just put up to remind me all that i have learned.

I learnt that it is not easy making a house a home.
I learnt that money has a larger value.
I learnt that my name is Udayvir Singh Yadav. And I'm proud of it.
I learnt that my life is beautiful.
I learnt that my family is my life.
I learnt that my friends are a part of my life.
I learnt to be thankful for all that i have. I am very fortunate.
I learnt to make n drink tea.
I learnt to keep my head about myself.
I learnt to be confident in what i do.
I learnt that safety comes first.
I learnt not to open a pressure cooker until all the pressure is out.
I learnt to cook.
I learnt to do the laundry.
I learnt to clean my bathroom.
I learnt to clean up after myself.
I learnt that being selfless is good. Caring for others is even better. But one has to be selfish at times.
I learnt to keep a better track of the bank account.
I learnt to wear warmer clothes just in case.
I learnt that hard work pays. But you really have to pursue the thing you want done.
I learnt to open my eyes to different kinds of people in this world.
I learnt that everyone has a different perspective.
I learnt that the person who you least expect to be there for you is actually there.
I learnt to realise that many people care for me and many people count on me.
I learnt to do whatever it takes to keep any kind of a relationship alive and healthy.
I learnt that being full of ego is bad, being without ego is bad, but having a certain amount of ego is essential.
I learnt that honesty is the best policy. But diplomacy is even better.
I learnt to be more clean and hygienic.
I learnt to dress more sensibly.
I learnt that one might end up with someone/something we never expected to end up with.
I learnt that appreciation is always appreciated.
I learnt to be a man and to be mature. Also to keep the immature boy within alive.

-Udayvir S Yadav

Finding Utopia

A lone emotion beneath the surface hides,
Amongst the crowd of deceptive sights.
Life is calling me to come sail away,
But the anchoring emotion holds me to stay.
A nascent confusion, once lost, but found again,
Eclipses the warmth of love, leaving a stain.
Lost and blinded, not knowing what to do,
My heart and mind, both torn in two.

I lost it or it flew away,
I dont have it either way.
I realized the path i chose was wrong,
It was twisted with a journey too long.
I learnt that love resided in me,
Locked away safely, it opened with this key.
This key that pinched me as on it i fell,
I feared the world around as it broke my shell.

I wish i could play with time,
Fix all that i could to make things fine.
Seems my dreams keep me tranquillized,
Reality as i wished appears disguised.
Losing grip as moments drag me along,
Just like forgotten words of a fading song.
Need to hold on to keep me bound,
Till the time for us Utopia is found.

A change of season,
Just a reason,
To find where i need to be,
To set my emotions free.
Show me a sign,
To follow a line.
That leads me where i know,
New seeds of life i can sow.

-Udayvir Singh Yadav

Surfing The Waves of Life

I remember having a very vague discussion with my uncle once. Since i loved talking about anything and everything with deep talks on life being my forte, we came on a very strange discussion. My uncle had once read somewhere that each one of us emit various waves at different intervals. And each wave affects people around. Every trough is a bad happening. And every crest is a good happening. So whenever we feel sad or something goes wrong, it is the trough of one or more waves. And whenever we are happy and things seem to be going great, we seem to be receiving the crest of one or more waves. It didn't leave that great an impression on me. But it did leave its mark on me. Is it possible that it could be? I remember asking him, "What happens if all the waves are a trough?" I didnt require an answer. That explained death. So of all the times when everything seems to be going great as we surf the crests. And sooner or later, we start sliding down to the troughs. And everything seems to get worse. That would explain why almost everything gets bad all at once. And life seems to be on an eternal high when everything seems to be going for you. So all it ends up to is that we all emit some sort of wave every time we do anything. Every moment. And all waves we get from other sources keeps us ticking in the matrix of life. These waves are interlinked to each object in this universe. As William Wordsworth once said that we are all linked through a single soul. Maybe each wave forms a link. And not only do the waves exist in the vicinity of its emission, they can travel far and wide. by using Einstein's theory of relativity and warping space and time. Maybe all these theories are just pieces of the giant puzzle: "what is life?"

Thanks...

Born alone, dead alone.
We live with ourselves in solitude.
Solitude, the worst tool for a life,
Between hell and heaven and alike.
We king ourselves to ourselves.
And as dependence breeds,
Our kingdom bleeds.

Here is an ode,
To show my gratitude.
To those who guard my reliance.
A citation of my tribute,
To the hands that feed me.
As I remain hungry.
As I remain foolish.

I thank you my father and mother.
My authors, my progenitors.
You gave me all I had and ever wanted.
But took from me nothing.
You armed my life and perceived my sight.
And awarded me an identity i'm proud to wear.

I thank you my sisters and brothers.
My sails, my wings.
I would crash n drown without you.
In this menacing storm throwing me around.
You cultivated me well, Sister.
For the world to harvest.

I thank you my friends,
My map makers, my parachutes.
Commrades we were in the quest,
For knowing who we are and will be.
Our endeavors made a beautiful journey.
It’s an honour to travel with you.

I thank you my enemies,
My contenders, my heavy barbells.
You made me fall so I could get up.
You saved me from being who i’m not.
And who I shouldn’t be.
You structured my immunity
So I could brace my resistance.

I thank you all.

-Udayvir

SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE

Meet Dream Theater:
John Petrucci - Guitars
Mike Portnoy - Drums
Jordan Rudess - Keyboards (Kevin Moore ruled the throne before him)
John Myung - Bass
James LaBrie - Vocals

Dream Theater was formed in 1985 by guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung and drummer Mike Portnoy, while all were studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Kevin Moore, a high school bandmate of Petrucci's, was recruited to play keyboards.

In 1991 a tape arrived from Canadian band Winter Rose's singer Kevin James LaBrie, who was immediately flown to New York for a proper audition. After a short jam session he was hired as full-time singer, and started using his middle name, James, as his first to avoid confusion with Kevin Moore.

After a petition from fans to EastWest, the group recorded their previously unreleased song "A Change of Seasons", which had been written in 1989 and was originally to appear on Images and Words, and distributed it as an EP with a collection of live cover tracks. After a short run of small "one-off" concerts to promote the EP, Dream Theater entered the studio once more to write their next album.

In all, almost two CDs worth of material were written during the sessions, including a 20 minute long follow-up to the Images and Words song "Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper". The label, however, did not allow the release of a double album because they felt that a 140-minute record would not be digestible by the general public, so half the songs had to be cut.

Awake was released in October 1994. It featured a distinctly heavier sound than the band's previous releases, which may have served to polarize critical and fan opinion of the album. Shortly before the album was mixed, Moore announced to the rest of the band that he wished to concentrate on his own musical interests and would be quitting Dream Theater. As a result, the band had to scramble to find a replacement keyboardist before planning its next tour.

Jordan Rudess, an up-and-coming keyboardist who was relatively unknown in rock music circles to that point, was invited to play a trial performance with Dream Theater in the hopes that he would join the band. The gig, in Burbank, California, went well but Rudess decided to accept an invitation from The Dixie Dregs to perform with them instead. Derek Sherinian was brought on as a hired gun, and by the conclusion of the Awake promotional tour Sherinian was Dream Theater's new full-time keyboardist.

They decided to rewrite and expand the 20-minute song with a fresh, new band member into a complete concept album, with the story revolving around themes such as reincarnation, murder and betrayal. A shroud of secrecy enveloped the writing and recording process. The only things fans knew before its release were a track list that had been leaked against the band's wishes, as well as a release date. They knew nothing of the title, the music, or even the fact that it would be a concept album. In 1999, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory was released; it was cited as Dream Theater's best album by many fans.

Dream Theater once again entered BearTracks Studios to record its sixth studio album. Four years after they first petitioned EastWest to allow them to release a double album, they finally got their chance with Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. The first disc consisted of five tracks of 6-14 minutes in length, and the second disc was devoted entirely to the 42-minute title track, split into 8 sections, which is to date the longest song Dream Theater has written.

Dream Theater has performed with a diverse range of acts. Some of their more notable touring partners include Deep Purple, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Iron Maiden, Joe Satriani, King's X, Marillion, Megadeth, In Flames, Pain of Salvation, Porcupine Tree, Queensrÿche, Spock's Beard, Fear Factory, Enchant, Symphony X, and Yes. In 2005, Dream Theater toured North America with the Gigantour festival, co-headlining with Megadeth.


AWARDS:


RIAA Gold and Platinum certification
* Images and Words (Gold) - February 2, 1995
* Metropolis 2000: Live Scenes From New York (Gold) - November 8, 2002
* Live at Budokan (DVD) (Platinum) - January 26, 2005
* Live in Tokyo/5 Years in a Livetime (Platinum) - March 22, 2006
* Score (DVD) (Platinum) - October 11, 2006

Keyboard Magazine
Jordan Rudess was awarded the following Keyboard Magazine Reader's Poll award:
* Best New Talent (1994)


Modern Drummer
Mike Portnoy won the following Modern Drummer magazine Reader's Poll awards;

* Best Up & Coming Talent (1994)
* Best Progressive Rock Drummer (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)
* Best Recorded Performance (1995 for Awake, 1996 for A Change of Seasons, 1998 for Falling Into Infinity, 2000 for Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory, 2002 for Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence)
* Best Clinician (2000, 2002)
* Best Educational Video/DVD (2000, 2002)
* Hall of Fame Inductee (2004)

Guitar World
The album Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory was ranked #95 on the magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time.

Reality... An Illusion?

In the hit movie, The Matrix, Morpheus says "If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain."

He stole my thoughts...

Think about it... If someone asks you, "What's the biggest thing?" You could answer by saying elephants, mountains, earth, planets, sun and even to the extent of the universe. But i would say that all those answers are wrong. And with good reason too. Everything in this world exists within another world inside our mind. All we see from our eyes are transmitted as electrical signals to our brain. This is where the brain re-creates those signals and shows us what we are actually seeing. Similarly what we taste, touch, hear and smell are again just electrical signals transmitted to our brain through our interlinked nervous system and recreated there. So the answer to the question, "what's the biggest thing", is the mind itself...

Now comes the variant conclusions. Suppose our mind is like a mirror, reflecting the whole world. Then the mind can be fooled and just maybe, the world as we know it, does not really exist. Reality would then just be an illusion. Maybe there is no computer screen you are looking at. No hands and body, no planets, no ground, no sky, no people, no animals and plants, no music, no sounds, no smells, no taste... The list goes on. So if everything is in our mind then the whole world is run and manipulated by our minds or an external force that governs (or fools) the mind. That is to say, our mind tests our reasoning abilities, to how we realise things. Can you imagine? how minutely every detail has been sculptured by our minds. Maybe the celebrities that we see aren't really there. Just "ghosts" created by our minds.

Maybe Matrix's view is correct. That we are prisoners of our own mind. That our mind is a solitary shell. Going to watch movies and enjoying good things in life are just petty things that keep us busy, fooled and blinded to oblivious facts. We are so blinded that any reasoning to life would sound absurd. Maybe what i am saying is true. Maybe not. But we are so deeply blinded by our minds and its manipulating agents that we continue to live this life in monotonous unison and are completely oblivious to any change in thinking and reasoning.

Maybe its time that we not really open our eyes, but instead, OPEN OUR MINDS!!!