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International day for violence against women

It's only words

Once, God in His infinite wisdom, uttered the word. It reverberated across the world. Gaining velocity and momentum, the word cut through matter, like a hot knife through butter. The word attained form and colour and became a character. It developed further, adding layers of meaning. It mellowed, aged, became richer with experience.

God in His scheme of things, had a place for the word. It seemed fair and just, that the word be honoured in such a manner. So the word sat on the shoulder of visual. Now, visual was the first thing God created. She is everywhere. And no where in particular. You can spot her in the sensuousness of the mildewed grass.
The enormity of a mountain. Or within the veiled mystery of pre-dawn mist.

Thus the word and the visual lived, married to each other by God's decree. But soon, a time came when visual began feeling the weight of word on her shoulders. Until finally, visual became oppressed with the weight of word. And she decided to sever ties with word. Her enormous ego, made her believe that she could exist without word. After all, word was so puny and thin. To her, word was only an after thought that she displayed, out of compulsion, than from necessity.

Saddened, the word withdrew into his own shell. A delicate 9 point garamond, looking like an apology.
Word couldn't help thinking of happier days. Times when he decided the tenor and manner of what visual should look like. Times when he ruled over the family. Ah, how kind and thoughtful was word, treating visual with infinite warmth and care, making sure that what he articulated elevated visual to a different level. Word used his power with unrivalled subtlety. Word used his power judiciously, sometimes dominating visual, sometimes letting visual become the center of attraction.

Those were the days when he and visual enjoyed a passionate relationship. So engrossed with each other that nobody ever thought that they would one day fall apart. Alas, for word.

Visual is now on her own. Directionless. Listless. Lifeless. Shallow. Nursing her injured pride and trying to convince herself that she can find her own joy, alone.

Just to breakaway from the monotony of visuals

In a blog that features visuals, a few words will definitely help to create an aura of seriousness around it, unless of course, what is written falls short of expectations. I thought of this title because more often than not, it is visuals that are used to break the monotony of words. Magazines, newspapers, tabloids, online, advertising...everywhere visuals create that much needed break from the monotony of words. The theory is that words, people do not read. Period. They browse, glance and hover through matter. But they never read. Hence, the glitz and glamour of magazines that feature beautiful people, with matter laid in such a manner that it almost looks like an apology. I guess that it is acceptable in the case of certain magazines. However, it is lamentable to know that advertising too is treated like this. That is, if at all, words are featured. In most advertisng today, it is the visual that plays the key role, the selling part. Visuals sell more than words. Visuals persuade more than words. Visuals excite more than words. Visuals. Worth more than a thousand...

Is this really a dangerous precedent or is this the way things are going to be? Whatever happened to the craft of writing? The allusions, the word play, the double entendre...the sheer pleasure of being able to use words to create a vibrant picture in the mind? All of it now replaced with glossy, life like, jaw-dropping pictures.

Indra Sinha argued in favour of the 'bon mot', convincingly through a book he wrote called 'the last word' the sale proceeds of which went to the Bhopal gas victims. The attempt, however brave, fell on deaf ears. Or perhaps, he was afer all fighting a losing battle. The last of the copywriters who belonged to a rare breed. Neil French, Bernbach, McCabe, McElligott, Levenson, Delaney...including our very own Suresh Mullick, Freddy Birdy,... Who made advertising fun, lovable, entertaining, hilarious, worth looking at...