My blogging experience in 2010: Indian Muslim blog stepping into seventh year

Despite prophecies that blogging is dying and indications that netizens are now preferring facebook and twitter rather than writing blog posts, as a blogger it was a satisfying year for me.

It was the sixth year of my blogging and though I wrote considerably less compared to past, I felt that I wrote some of my best posts this year. Apart from politics, social issues, communalism, religious harmony and off-beat pieces, I also wrote about Muslim issues.

I always feel that Muslims can [and should] be more introspective and attentive towards the community affairs as they can afford to be more critical than others. Not just critical posts but also positive stories. I also did nearly half-a-dozen movie reviews.

This blog will soon be in its seventh year. I'd begun blogging in 2003-2004 but quit shortly after. Then again I started afresh in 2005 with this blog and since then it has been a terrific experience. I have written almost 600 posts so far on this blog alone.

Of course, the blogging scene is not quite hot as it was back in 2006-2007. But I enjoy it as much. On an average I wrote barely a post or so every week in 2010. Earlier I have written up to 167 posts in a year that amounted to almost one post every two days but then I realised the importance of quality and thoughtful blogging.

And I was surprised to see that for most part of the year this blog was at the top position in the category of Indian blogs in at least two categories including the personal blogs category at Indiblogger's ranking list with the highest rank of 87, ahead of those who were once considered celebrity bloggers. May be it appears kiddish excitement but I like it.

So I am not doing that badly even though I seemed to have lost steam a bit this year. There is a prophecy that blogging doesn't have much future as netizens are tweeting more or speaking their mind in facebook status messages where friends comment immediately and you get satisfaction of getting likes rather than critical and negative comments on blogs.

However, I don't buy much of it and intend to continue my blogging journey. I hope that in 2011 I will write more regularly and refine this blog further. Here is a list and links of the selected and best articles as per category which I wrote in the bygone year [2010]:

National Issues
Blame the bureaucrat for corruption and not just politician Read
Inefficient administration causing mishaps: Fix responsibility on guilty bureaucrats Read
Empowering Eves or Elites: On women's reservation at needs at ground level Read
Welfare Vs Warfare: How to tackle Naxalism Read
Is Indian police a force to safeguard the rich? Read



Indian Muslim society: Critical articles and Positive news 

Culture Vs Constitution: Now the Muslim Khaps Read
Darul Uloom turning Fatwa Factory & Triple Talaq Read
Anisa Sayyed: Ticket checker to shooting champion Read
Educational revolution among Indian Muslims Read
Triumphant Shireen steps into University without veil Read
Born in 1890, going for Haj in 2010: Munni Begam Read
Denying admission to Muslim students and other discrimination Read

Movie reviews
I watched a lot of movies this year though I couldn't review all as I saw some of them a few days after release. The movies about which I wrote included My Name Is Khan, Ishqia, Salman Khan's flop film Veer, Ajay Devgn-starrer film on the life of Haji Mastan titled Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Salman's blockbuster Dabangg and Rajinikanth's Robot.

MNIK was definitely a bold movie with an emotional message while Ishqia and Dabangg brought back heartland to Indian cinema. Robot was Southern superstar Rajinikanth's film that grossed over Rs 25 crore in North India also.

Politics and political analysis
Decline in influence of Rajputs in Indian Politics Read
Nitish Kumar's victory in Bihar: How and Why? Read
Cong responsible for Maharashtra mess, not Shiv Sena-BJP Read
Reaction of Urdu media on Babri Masjid verdict Read
Ayodhya verdict and my reflections Read

Communal Harmony
Hindu saints stand for man fasting for Batla House probe Read
Muslim youths' rally for return of Kashmiri Pandits Read
Sai-Taj Darbar: Harmony among Hindus, Muslims Read
Hoardings in Harmony Read
The mosque that briefly turns temple every year Read

Urdu poetry, Literature
Urdu's egoist poet gone: Khuda Hafiz Abdullah Kamaal Read
The Shaharyar of Urdu literature Read
The glorious tradition of Tarahi mushairas Read
Mushaira in Delhi: Famous poets regale audience Read
Urdu language in Roman script in South India Read
Mahlaqa Chanda, a pioneering and forgotten Urdu poetess Read

Communalism, Fundamentalism, Terrorism and Media criticism
21 killed but not termed Terrorist strike Read
Sangh Parivar: Cultural nationalism, hardline Hindutva or Terrorism Read
Investigation & Media's role in Terror cases Read
'Pro-Muslim' RSS irked right-wing the fanatics Read
How RSS & other right-wing outfits escape terror tag Read
Fanatic Muslim killer Sudhakar Rao's arrest ignored Read
Recruiting Hindu warriors: New radical outfit rears head in Central India Read

Caste Issues: Discrimination with Dalits
Parents protest lower caste women cooks Read
Children hit for sitting on mat reserved for Upper Caste kids Read
Man says dog untouchable after lower caste family fed it Read

Weird, off-beat and features
The Horse's grave in India: Blend of local Hindu, Muslim cultures Read
Worshipping 'Kansa' in North India Read
Rise of Urdu media: Aalami Sahara, Zee Salaam channels launched Read
Celebrating Mughal Emperor Akbar's birthday Read
'My Papa is an ice-cream seller' Read

So that was the roundup for Year 2010 on anindianmuslim.com. Hope you enjoyed it.