A Little Girl

I once knew a little girl

Who seemed to be obsessed with Pearls.

No matter how the sea would whirl

She would try to go deep with a swirl

One night when the moon was nice and bright,

But still there wasn't enough of light,

To see what the sea held at its shore,

The girl didn't know what for her was in store.

The sand on the beach, a shell it held

Ecstatic was how the girl had felt.

Another pearl for the collection she thought,

Certainly cannot leave it here to rot.

But she didn't know it really well,

how carrying herself away could unleash hell,

Because the Shell Opened for once and for all,

And engulfed the girl, she couldn't even call.

What, when ,where ,whom to tell?

There was no one to hear her yell.

She was probably turned into a churl.

That's how Once I knew a little girl,

Whose soul found fatal, her obsession with pearls.

Inspired from this lovely piece : http://cruisingalone.blogspot.in/2016/09/a-little-boy.html

-Aishwariy

The Escape through a Landscape

Sitting by the window, gazing through the diaphanous drape

Meditating on the squirrel's half-eaten grape,

Undeterred by the tree that was completely out of it's shape,

Someone was planning her great escape.

It was not as easy as it seemed to be,

Maybe it wasn't even meant to be.

But what kept the mind busy

was it's determination to be completely free

A resolution was passed with all the might

"No one would find me! Let it just for once be night

I have had enough of all this fight!!".

But howsoever small it was, there was a small plight

Because she knew that escaping was not right.

She would savour the taste of which later, It wasn't such a bite.

And it was nowhere near dark yet, the day was still bright.

A tug of war was on, between courage and fright.

The conscience's fight was brilliantly being fought.

With great conquests achieved, the heart was also not easy to be caught.

It was not at all a new agony that was brought.

Amidst all this there was a part of her that was distraught.

Claims of sanity were proving to be fake

It was all to much to be kept at stake

"What if destiny was pre-determined? and it wasn't something I could make?"

"What is going to be left for me finally to take?"

These questions had already kept her for three nights, Awake!!.

She was always taught about the final call that could make or break.

She remembered, "To make such decisions you should be placid like a lake."

She soon realized the importance of this utterance, making this choice was not a piece of cake.

Suddenly a thought came across and she felt beaten

"What if I also leave the grape like the squirrel?; half-eaten"

And suddenly the tree caused the hope to lessen 

"What if complete freedom leads me to 'something' that must not happen?"

And as quickly as these thoughts were initiated, they were in the very next moment equilibrated

All the sufferings released, all confusions gone,every doubt & all the pain abated.

The squirrel was back for the half-eaten grape, which wasn't something she had expected,

And then a bird flew back to her nest on the skew branch of that tree, she felt elated.

Although not everything is in it's place right now, but there will be a day for sure,

When all of this will seem to be a bliss and stopping is never the cure.

When the situations are compelling, it becomes easy for "lets-run-away" to lure.

And one moment of clarity, could bring back your parity, it is "lets-run-away" that you abjure.

Amidst all these thoughts when the sun gave-in for the day.

And the moon embedded itself in the dark night's drape.

Running away now felt funny to say

As she already had her escape...

through the landscape.  

-Aishwariy

आज़ादी ?

आज आज़ादी को उनहत्तर  साल पूरे हुए हैं । देश में जश्न का माहौल होना चाहिए। आज़ादी है भई ! आसानी से थोड़े  ही मिलती  है। और फिर बात भी हो रही है तो "भारत" की आज़ादी की । ऐसा देश जिसे प्रगतिशील देशों में एक युवा देश के रूप में देखा जाता है । और फिर जब युवा ही देश में बहुसंख्यक हों तो आज़ादी की बात पर जश्न मनना तो बनता है । ऐसे युवा जिन्हें देश की महानता पर कोई शक या शंका नहीं है, और न ही शंका है अपनी आज़ादी पर। फिर भी कुछ चीजें मजबूर करती हैं ये सोचने पर कि आखिर आज़ादी है क्या?

कुछ प्रश्न.....

क्या सड़क पर पान की पिचकारी मार पाना आज़ादी है? या दूसरों को पिचकारी मारने से मना करना आज़ादी है? या दूसरों की पिचकारी को विवश होकर झेलना आज़ादी है?

क्या चौराहे पर यातायात सिग्नल का पालन करना आज़ादी है ? या सिग्नल को तोड़ देना आज़ादी है? या सिग्नल का पालन कर रहे व्यक्ति के पीछे खड़े होकर बार बार हॉर्न बजा कर उसे सिग्नल तोड़ने के लिए विवश करना आज़ादी है?

क्या उसी सिग्नल पे छोटे बच्चे को फटे हाल स्थिति में अखबार बेचते देखना आज़ादी है ? या उस बच्चे के द्वारा अखबार बेचा जाना आज़ादी है ? या उस बच्चे का पढ़ने-लिखने की उम्र में पेट भरने के लिए ऐसे काम करने को विवश होना आज़ादी है ?

क्या उसी अखबार में छपी एक बाढ़ की खबर को पढ़ना और उसे नज़रअंदाज़ कर देना आज़ादी है ? या उस बाढ़ को इसलिए नज़रअंदाज़ करना क्योंकि उसे दूरदर्शन पर नहीं दिखाया गया, आज़ादी है ? या समाचार चैनलों का उस खबर को तूल ही न देना आज़ादी है ?

क्या उसी समाचार चैनल पर, चैनल द्वारा कुछ लोगों  की चिल्ला-चोट को प्रसारित कर पाना आज़ादी है ? या उस चिल्ला-चोट में भाग लेने वालों का आपस में हाथापाई कर पाना आज़ादी है ? या उन चैनलों पर समाचारों के स्थान पर सास बहु और साज़िशों के बारे में देखना, दिखाना आज़ादी है ?

क्या उसी टी.वी. के किसी चैनल पर अंधविश्वासों से भरा कोई कार्यक्रम देखना आज़ादी है ? या उस चैनल का उस कार्यक्रम को प्रसारित कर पाना आज़ादी है ? या उस कार्यक्रम को देखकर अन्धविश्वास जाग्रत करना आज़ादी है ?

क्या उन अंधविश्वासों से प्रेरित होकर उनका पालन करना आज़ादी है ? या उन अंधविश्वासों का विरोध करने वाले किसी व्यक्ति की हत्या करना आज़ादी है ? या उस व्यक्ति की हत्या के विरोध में दिए हुए सम्मान को लौटना आज़ादी है ?

क्या सोशल मीडिया पर अपने विचार व्यक्त कर पाना आज़ादी है ? या उन विचारों से आहात होकर विचार व्यक्त करने वाले को  हवालात की सैर करवाना आज़ादी है ? या बिना किसी ताथ्यिक पुष्टि के सोशल मीडिया पर  किसी भी पोस्ट को सच मान लेना आज़ादी है ? 

क्या उसी सोशल मीडिया पर चिर-विरोधी नेताओं का एक दूसरे की भर्त्सना कर पाना आज़ादी है ? या उन नेताओं के कार्य क्षेत्र में उनका विरल ही शक्ल दिखाना आज़ादी है ? या उन नेताओं का साधारण जनता को रिश्वत देने के लिए विवश करना आज़ादी है ?

क्या उन नेताओं का संवाददाताओं द्वारा पर्दाफाश कर पाना आज़ादी है? या उन संवाददाताओं द्वारा सत्य को छुपा पाना आज़ादी है? या उन संवाददाताओं द्वारा बाढ़ पीड़ितों से संवेदनहीन होकर पूछना कि "आप कैसा महसूस कर रहे हैं ?" आज़ादी है?

क्या सेना के प्रयासों का श्रेय नेताओं के द्वारा ले लिया जाना आज़ादी है? या सेना के द्वारा मारे गए आतंकी की मौत पर जनता का मातम मनना आज़ादी है? या मातम मनाते हुए, जाना द्वारा सेना पर ही पथराव कर देना आज़ादी है?

क्या धर्म के नाम पर देश को माँ का दर्ज़ा न देना आज़ादी है? या देशभक्ति के भाव को पूर्णतया एक ही वाक्यांश से जोड़कर देखना आज़ादी है? या उसपर धार्मिक सियासत खेलना आज़ादी है ?

क्या किसी पशु विशेष का मांस खा पाना आज़ादी है ? या उस पशु विशेष के मांस को ग्रहण करने वाले को स्वायत्त होकर मृत्यु दंड दे  देना आज़ादी है ? या किसी पशु विशेष को धर्म से जोड़ना आज़ादी है ?

हम आज़ाद हैं.....  सच में ???

"हम आज़ाद हैं" बोलना आसान है, और सुनने में भी अच्छा भी लगता है।  लेकिन ये वाक्य २ प्रश्न उठता है।  जिसमे से एक के "उत्तर" में ऊपर कुछ प्रश्न आप पढ़ ही चुके हैं, और जो दूसरा प्रश्न है, वो है कि "हम" में कौन आता है?

भौतिक रूप से हर भारतवासी परतंत्र नहीं है । भारत एक स्वतंत्र देश है ।और इसी परिभाषा से हर भारतवासी स्वतंत्र देश का नागरिक है। लेकिन आज़ादी कभी भी केवल भौतिक नहीं हो सकती। आज़ादी व्यक्ति के मन से होती है, और विचारों से भी।  वैचारिक आज़ादी के बगैर यदि कोई मनुष्य स्वयं को आज़ाद मानता है, तो यह केवल एक विरोधाभास से बढ़कर और कुछ नहीं। 

परतंत्र होने के पहले हमारे पास भौतिक रूप से आज़ादी तो थी और वैचारिक रूप से भी। लेकिन इन दोनों के हनन के पश्चात और आज़ादी के लिए पुनः लड़ने के उपरांत जो आज़ादी हमारे लिए हमारे देश के बलिदानी वीरों ने जीती उसे हमने केवल भौतिकता की जंजीरों में जकड़ा हुआ छोड़ दिया है, और वैचारिक स्वतंत्रता से देश का आम नागरिक अभी भी दूर ही प्रतीत होता है।  

वैचारिक स्वतंत्रता के आने के बाद भी सब कुछ सही हो जाएगा ऐसा नहीं है। लेकिन वैचारिक स्वतंत्रता का क्रियान्वन बदलाव लाएगा, इस बदलाव के लिए महत्वपूर्ण कदम वैचारिक बंधनों की ज़ंजीरों को तोड़ना है। फिलहाल , समय की मांग है वैचारिक स्वतंत्रता से क्रांति लाने की। जब तक  स्वतंत्रता के साथ वैचारिक स्वतंत्रता का मिलाप नहीं होगा, तब तक दो ही प्रश्नों पर हम फंसे रह जाएंगे,  क्या हम आज़ाद हैं ? और अगर हैं भी तो इस आज़ादी के मायने आखिर हैं क्या? और फिर वो आज़ादी भी आज़ादी कैसी, जो चंद  प्रश्नों के भी उत्तर न दे पाए। 

और हाँ.... स्वतंत्रता दिवस की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं....... :D  

-ऐश्वर्य 

A Selfish Post

There is nothing new in this post. The thing that this post is about is something way too sensitive to just write a post about. A mere post is nothing that can change the thing that needs to be changed. This mere post cannot even be a prelude to initiate the change that needs to be initiated. It is also not sufficient to even make people remember this thing. Mostly people do remember this thing but tend to clear their buffers and fill them with stuff within their reach. No hard feelings against this tendency. It's only natural to do so. So, after mentioning of the futility of this post, you might be wondering why am I even writing this post, the title says it all. It's a selfish post to let it all out from the inside to make some space. After all there is nothing too old in this post either.

A group of people united together to call themselves "Students" in some other language, in some nation near our country, some 2-3 decades ago. This group was a fighter for the people from amongst the people against the invaders who were trying to plunder their homeland. This group was supported by other neighboring countries as well. Then there was a time when this group used to do what was right and this was intended as well. But it couldn't handle the momentum of power and swayed away from it's path. Main reason being the lack of proper EDUCATION among the students. This irony is just way too baffling. By now if you are feeling that these statements are some figment of fiction, some stories of some alien colonies from out of the world (which I know you didn't think.. I just wanted to make the post a bit "Universal" :P ), then let me take you back to the small continent of Asia (a small part of the Universe), where we can find the group of students in the country of Afghanistan, called Taliban.

Now coming to the reason of writing this thing up. Few days ago Amjad Sabri a Qawwal of the league of the great Sabri brothers was shot dead. Cause of this shooting was pertaining to blasphemy. Responsibitity of this was taken by the TTP. The Pakistani version of this group of students, which is just a duplication of the original gone wrong, like real real bad. So, singing something contextually religious and getting yourself killed for it by the alleged religious police of your place is not "Ironic" if you are the followers of different religions. But a paradox creeps in when you two follow the same religion. When a crowd is under educated and is given a gun, every thing that they can't do or they don't like becomes blasphemy for them. Apparently, they get so despised by the blasphemy of others that they kill them. And then after killing the people they get so despised by their own sins that they try yo kill everyone around them and themselves as well.

Being a big fan of Sufi music and Qawwali personally, it feels strange when someone who was just expressing his feelings of gratitude and faith in his Lord gets killed, just because his prayers were awesomely musical. It is futile to try and find logic in these activities, because there isn't any. The root cause for all this seems to be only one. "MISINTERPRETATION". When you are not capable enough to understand what meaning has to be taken up from whatever is written in whichever holy book, you shouldn't be expected to not pick up a gun or not be a suicide bomber or not kill innocent children in a school just because they were kids of some army officials, who were stopping you to do stupid things and killing the ones of your own kind. Or maybe on some other day you shouldn't be expected to just  not start firing in some place full of people because you are a trained homophobe and others present there are not, and justify the act in the name of God. The instances to name are many.

All in all the point is that a bad seed can never bear a tree with good fruits. And, it's nobody's fault as well. But, to check this prevailing ignorance among people, the need is to make the understanding and interpretation of the right meaning of whatever is wrongly understood by them. But to do that could again be blasphemy, and maybe some other crime as well in the "Misinterpreted Dictionaries" that are already there. 

There is only one solution again.. Quality Education. 

That's it.. Everything's pretty much out for now.. Thanks for reaching till the end :P

-Aishwariy

Insomnia

Completely random thoughts surround the mind under the cover of a deep sleep.The sleep may neither be sound, nor be fulfilling, because of numerous factors. Be it the situation in which sleep was attained, or because of the thoughts that surrounded and sabotaged the sleep, disguised under the masks of the gentle soothers, stabbing in the back with the knives of vulnerabilities and insecurities. The sleep may sure as hell be sound and normal as well. (discussing that would defeat the purpose of this blog. :P)

It could be a small memory, (not quantitatively, explained later), that decreases the randomness of the thoughts, applying constraints over the wild sea of the synaptic misfires that are making the (mis)connections, leading to a feeling of detachment from the senses, completely making you let go of the petty situation in which the sleep was attained, and taking you away from the very surroundings of the dim lit space in which you found yourselves just after you slithered into the sleep, completely unaware of what memories are going to create a web of constraints into your gullible head that you are going to interpret as a dream. But it is the lack of sleep that leads to the misfiring neurons. The sole reason for why sometimes the real world and your dreams seem to combine together to form a hybrid and delusional world for you. May be the concept of Deja Vu is also in some way related to this hybrid world, where nanoseconds start making the difference and you can't even realize that what you just saw and feel that it had happened earlier but it didn't really happen earlier.

When I woke up in the train, all of a sudden, travelling all alone in a train for the first time, frankly speaking I was rattled. I do have various theories for that(Most of the times I do.. :P), one of them being the sleeplessness from the last two nights. The day of the first night, was taken away by the Minor Project Report. And then the partial night by mulling over the project. The rest of the night was still a part where I don't understand the decision I made completely. On the surface, staying the night at the Hostel was to avoid sleeping while driving back home (Believe me!! I really could.. :P) on the advice of some wise friends.(Guys!! Comment if you read this :P). Then the next day, after submission of the project in the morning, there was something dragging me away from home, it could have been the usual procrastinative surge, but actually it wasn't. It was some other mechanism, trying to avoid anything that could turn into anything overwhelming. The mechanism backfired anyways, because two almost full days in the College which you are about to leave in less than another year can't be less overwhelming than anything. The true reasons were actually quite surprising. Anyway, being rattled no more appeared to be just some co-incidence, but it seemed more like a choice that I had made, maybe because I tried running away, as staying could have been "overwhelming"(yeah right :P).

Suddenly a man passed and I tried to match his face in the databases. But the query returned a tuple of NULL values. And that was the moment I got the connection to my senses back, which made me realize, this null value phenomenon was going to be a substantial part for the next few days. After being awoke when I went to wash my face, It was probably for the first time, when I was happy to see a face that was familiar. So happy that I had a smile on my face (No kidding). It was something I couldn't comprehend then and right now as well. But maybe somethings are better when left unexplained and kept safe in the repositories of unmatched experiences.

-Aishwariy

The Strange Choice

For Every break through You were broken thorough.
With every big blow, you were taken down deep below.
Because all the assaults were below the knees,
And there wasn't anyone to listen to your pleas.
Because messing up everything was an art you mastered.
Because you sought more than what you could foster.
For you crossed so many lines that you apparently lost the count.
You could only wish you could set a recovery point just before the unmount.

When your decision was clouded you made a strange choice,
A choice that no one could ever accept and rejoice.
The assault was planned but was still spontaneous,
The arrow could have been blunt but it was mordacious
Twas A choice you repent and shouldn't have made
Twas A choice you know, did cut through like a blade
And you are left with memories which you never want to fade

Was there really a need to come up with a reason?
A reason that everyone else thought as a treason!!
For breaking the trust of the few who trusted you
For making them believe it wasn't a wise choice they made "for" you
Now the only Knight who can fight for yourself is you.
The only fight you have to win is inside of you.
When the chips are down, it melts down to what should have been done by you

Silence is voracious, It engulfs all the peace
The head starts to spin and all of a sudden does freeze
The thoughtless void inside generated the devil in the first place
But you made the choice to not control it, and fell sorely from grace
The "could be"s are an infinite possibility,
You need to move ahead to maintain the continuity.
A continuity which will never be the same,
Because you will remember you lost something that wasn't just a game

You were given all the chances to take a stand
But you didn't stand by them and took an errand
Because the timidity that infiltrated you could never leave
And you still wonder from where you got it up your sleeve
Now it's hard even for yourself to decide what exactly you do believe
You knew it all and made a wrong move, was it on purpose?
Because you knew you were jumping the gun and you knew it was dangerous.

They call it Deja Vu when they see it all happen again
But there isn't any time to remain blinded and be in pain
For the best healer is time, it has it's strange ways
The unsaid will be understood. It's just a matter of days
But it doesn't mean you shouldn't ever give it your best try,
The only thing to give into your vacillating mind to fry
Is to keep a track of things how you could've made right,
Because there will always be a day, however long be the night.

-Aishwariy

Juvenile ?

There is a buzz about India these days, that India is a country of the youth. The young population being very large in numbers and promising at the same time is considered to denote energy, and novel thoughts and perceptions for the country. A whole new horizon is in sight and with everyone being so enthusiastic, a new dawn awaits. This phase comes and goes for every country and may also be called one of the most efficient times for a country. Although it's a surety that this phase will pass, apparently for India this phase will pass much more quickly. Why? just for a simple reason. That is the increase in the mental maturity of the youth. Or at least what the Youth thinks as "Maturity". It seems the youth is in the 'self- destruct' mode of "Development". (pun intended)

Two quick facts:
The rate of suicide among senior secondary students has increased. Crimes committed by "Juveniles" are increasing, which has even led the Court to pass a verdict on the trial of a Juvenile as an adult as per how heinous the crime was. These are some highly depressing things. Anyhow, lets dig a little deeper for a reason as there usually is one(at least :P) behind something most of the times.

Some days back, a kid was drilled in the head(Yes! Literally drilled) by another, reason being allegedly the drilled one liked someone the driller didn't want him to like. And as I say "a kid" I am referring to a "6th Grader". (Shocked?) . On some another day in a different bunch of kids, A scratch on the ego of a kid proved to be fatal for his friend. Let's say that whatever these kids thought they were doing was mature, but isn't is naive to think that you are mature when you are not actually?(food for thought :P) So where from are these kids getting a notion of what is mature and what not and what is to be done to satisfy the ego issues?

The Know It All Paradox:
This is a feat of the modern day kids. (Depth Alert! Take a deep breath before continuing :P )The Know it all paradox simply states that if a person claims to know at least something about everything, then he must also know something about anything that he doesn't know. But then if he knows nothing about what he doesn't know, then he doesn't know something about everything. Moreover if he knows something about the things he doesn't know, then again he doesn't know something about everything. (Yeah right! take a moment :P )

Then there are suicide cases where kids say they are under severe pressure and can't handle it. To kid that I would say, you almost did a great job assessing the pressure. And that's all what was required of you. Nothing else that you did was actually necessary. It was not a life and death situation and was made up completely by your mind and no one else. 

And what is even worse is what they are doing is a 'mature' thing, leaving everyone alone(including themselves), escaping from the alleged pressures that they have to face every time they are doing something. However, the way they choose to do this isn't something that should be acceptable. Well to be fair enough, after being in a similar situation some day or the other, I personally feel that we can't say that everything was the kids' fault. 

The Blame Game:
Lets play a little blame game.(Yeah Like you didn't see it coming :P). Everyone (almost :P) agrees that the system, the school students are subjected to, these days is not flawless which it must be, mustn't it? I mean you are a developing country relying on the youth and are not even able to educate the youth in a proper way then what in the heaven's name will your future be? Another 45 year old Youth icon ? or another 28 year old student who claims he is poor and apparently is not doing anything for that? (Apart from sensationalizing of course :P). Or some other bunch of people who find being in their own country so 'shameful' that they shout out things about mincing of the country into pieces? 

With the economic conditions getting tougher and the parents staying out most of  the time to earn bread, it's a huge responsibility for a school to work on the moral aspect of the character of the students. But what are the schools providing? A recent case was of a Final Practical Exam where the external asked the kids to sing and dance in lieu of the viva. This was a 'reputed' so called "Urban school" from the Country Capital. Let's better not talk about what the situation in the rural areas is. Just believe me it is much more frightening.It is alleged that the isolation of the kids from their parents and the things that matter is because of the advent of technology. Kids use so much of smart things that they end up believing they are smart themselves, but sadly enough the reality is not as it appears to them.

Added to this is what is served on the Televisions and the Media these days. Agreed to the point that the kids are not forced to watch whatever is shown on the TV they can always change the channel (Of Course :P ). I prefer to bring to light the fact that after bearing with a blue cat from a Japanese TV show that teaches (yeah right ! ) stuff to the kids, the kids watch stuff which isn't even meant for them to comprehend. Crime shows do not always make them think on how will they get away from being murdered. But every time when in the end the criminal is caught, it may challenge their wit on how to get away with murder (pun intended :P ).

Where do we Go now?:
The need of the hour is to understand the disguised truth behind this depressing situation and if at all it raises your eyebrows for even a single millisecond, try thinking something that will make things better. And at the least, whenever you find an opportunity, just try to talk through the situation of a kid in distress. Because it's the future of the country we are dealing with.

-Aishwariy

India and Trypophobia.

Disclaimer: Following is a blog post based on too many "could be"s. Definitely, most of the possibilities are absurd, and are open for interpretation as well as discussion.


So, lets begin with a buzzword in the field of biological sciences from last year "Trypophobia". Trypophobia is claimed as the phenomenon of  having a phobia of regular/irregularly shaped and spaced clustered patterns. It was more commonly promoted as the fear of holes among those, who were really busy most the time (pun intended.) checking their facebook news feeds for something new. Rather lets call it on "Social Media" ... sounds official(kind of.. :P).

Trypophobia " not a phobia officially " is indeed quite absurd, Reasons being the strange hype created for it, the usage of photoshop to disguise disgust as fear, and the biggest one of all, circulating it all over the Social media to make even the narcissistic ones think for a while if they "suffer" from this phobia. This was mostly all about the issues from abroad. However, Trypophobia seems a bit more relevant to India.

In India, we have some(I understand this word is an understatement. :P ) roads that may rattle up (in either of the meanings.) any driver from the inside as well as outside. The fear can be seen on the face of the person driving the cars on such roads. The sounds of the internals of the passengers are a story that only the passengers can tell. So, this fear is quite justified, in terms of it's version in India the fear of "great Hol(e)y Roads". Its being called "trypophobia" that is close to '"trip"ophobia'(Just Assuming) fears of trips or voyages.. and the other way, fear of tripping over a hole. :P...

Having stated that, now a days, road travelers face strange kind of issues while driving. Like bloody red fluids floating around their personal spaces and on the roads, special stunts by the local biking "professionals" (pun intended.). And expert comments like "drive while looking behind.." etc.. etc... We'll come to that some other day.

Coming back to India and Trypophobia, India observes it's National flower as Lotus. This could make us call Lotus Seeds as the National Seeds.(Just Assuming.)  Trypophobia has a special relation with India in this sense as well. Lotus Pods have some sort of holes that can be described as "regularly spaced". Moreover, most of the horrifying photoshopped images making people wonder about this phobia were based on these pods, making these holes appear out of no where on strange places. This makes a really strong bond between India and Trypophobia. It could be declared as a national phobia. Although, the phobias of corruption, starvation and proper running of the parliament give it a really tough competition.

There is a very fine line between disgust and fear. You could be disgusted by the things that the people intend to show you in the name of a test for trypophobia and may even feel like throwing up. But the point is that are you really afraid? Or is it just the mind game of some notorious braggadocio that is bothering you. Its just a matter of time and thought that you give to the legitimacy of anything that you see on the Social Media. These things can simply shape up your opinions and challenge the open-mindedness, which becomes a point of vulnerability here.
So just before thinking about being scared of "holes"... just think don't you have something better to be afraid of ?

-Aishwariy.