PHOONK off in INDIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Chums,

Its that day of the year again!!!! 2nd October Gandhi Jayanti. The day when the bars go dry. The day when the national television shows Attenborough's classic epic (off late they have been showing the dubbed version which does not have the same punch!!!). The day when all the state heads and leaders remember the Mahatma and his values, principles, his greatness, his simplicity, his honesty.... and eventually forget it all.

The day when all the photo frames bearing this Great Man's visage is wiped off from the grime and dust accumulated since.... the last Gandhi Jayanti day.

To add to this, starting this year, this day will be the harbinger towards a smoke free India (or so I hope!!!). The Government of India has chosen this august day to implement a nation wide ban on public smoking of cigarettes. Well, I was going through some excerpts of Gandhi's autobiography "My Experiments with the Truth" and recollect some episodes dedicated to his youth when he had to pick up cigarette stubs thrown by his uncle and used to smoke them with a friend or a cousin it was? (a classic case of second hand smoking; I would say). He then used to go into the jungles nearby to enjoy a puff or two away to glory.

Well, for starters, the denizens of the country need not take such extreme steps. One can smoke away to glory anywhere on the streets, outside restaurants or probably... walk out of the bar with a glass in hand and enjoy your favourite stick!!!!

Not being preachy about smoking, I am of the opinion that Bapu's values or teachings should be followed, not forced. I kind of liked this sentence, it has the same phonetics as the Bond dialogue shaken, not stirred.!!!

So, let me just list down the options that smokers can exercise in the wake of a nation wide ban (if and when it is executed... not implemented, there is a world of difference between the two).

1. As mentioned earlier, just walk your way smoking. A good way to burn calories as well.
2. Come out of the bar with a glass in hand and enjoy a smoke standing outside. Some good air would do wonders to the lungs. Also, there is no law prohibiting a person to stand outside a restaurant with a glass in hand which is not meant for sale.
3. Smoke away to glory in your cars or cabs. You will feel less guilty about polluting the environment. What is your level in terms of smoke emissions compared to the monster that you are driving or sitting in???
4. Form smoking groups. Rent a place and enjoy away to glory. Orkut or other social sites can take this as an idea. Just imagine, memberships to the clubs, access to imported cigars and cigarettes, free entry to elegant smoking ghettos, beautiful and regal smoking accessories.... all for a small membership fee and annual payments!!!!! Wow.... could be a killer idea, if taken seriously.
5. Walk all the way out of your office premises (if you work at THOSE work places which have decided to deny their employees even a small amount of pleasure and comfort that a smoke provides), go to the nearest pan wala, have a smoke and come back to your desk. One of the best ways to remain fit at work!!! If you are a more than average smoker, rest assured... you will NOT die of obesity!!!!
6. All tobacco companies could come out with a smoke free cigarette..... so you do not put others lives' in hazard!!!!
7. In lieu of not finding more ideas.... why dont you just QUIT SMOKING, try snorting other things instead!!!

I always thought smoking was cool

with a cigarette dangling in my mouth,

at one end smoke and at the other, this fool;

now that Ramadoss tells me this is completely uncouth,

so should I on other vices, drool???