Perceptions

Memories

2011-08-11T12:58:00.000+05:30

My future is bright
My present is neat
Yet I often travel to the past
Which was both sour and sweet!

Its not that I regret
Its not that I am very sad...
But when I think of yesterday, I wonder
What if a little more wisdom then I had!

When I look behind, I feel
So much I have grown, So much I have learnt...
I also look back and see
Part of me that was lost, that was burnt!

I look at the future
And I can see my life at its best...
And when I turn around, I see
Those wilted flowers which were once put to test!

I am so happy today when
I sit with friends and giggle...
But I also remember the time when
I sat with friends and giggled!

No matter what I do today
My mind travels back to those times of happiness and worries...
No matter how much I try
My past comes back to me in the form of Memories!

The Bridge Across Forever, by Richard Bach

2010-12-28T16:04:00.004+05:30

The book is an autobiography of Richard Bach's quest for his perfect soul mate, finding her and growing with her.

The book starts with Richard looking for his perfect soul mate. He meets many women, but finds it difficult to know who can be the woman he is looking for. He meets an actress Leslie Parrish, and gradually grows fond of her company. He realizes pretty late that Leslie is his woman. But he does not believe in marrying her since he feels his freedom may get curbed by marriage. It takes almost 4 years of staying together with her, that he is ready to get married to her!

The book gives an insight to how a human mind functions, gets confused, analyzes and finally reaches a conclusion; a conclusion which may seem obvious, but the the mind must go through these phases to be assured what it wants!

How to identify if one has met the soul mate that he has always longed for? If you ask SRK, he would say, "Dil ki ghanti bhajegi!" :) That will happen in Bollywood. In reality its difficult to know. Richard had almost considered Leslie as his sister, before he realized that he loved her differently! :)

Will your soul mate share all your hobbies, will like what you like, would dislike what you dislike? Well, no. In case of Richard and Leslie they both were different. Leslie loved music and was scared of even sitting in an airplane. And airplanes were Richard's first love! He was a dud when it came to music.

So what is it that really holds two people together in a relationship? It is the growth of the two in a relationship that actually binds the love between the two! While Richard taught Leslie to fly an airplane, Leslie taught Richard to understand and appreciate music. The differences between the two were shared such that both of them grew with each other. Thats what made them happy together.

I liked a number of ideas and thoughts that Richard wrote. The best was the concept of Richard talking to the Richard of the past and of the future! Dont you ever feel like going back in time and correcting some of the decisions of your past? Dont you ever wonder how you would be in future? Richard feels it too. And he puts down this thought so well...
When Richard went to his house with his wife, Leslie, he remembered how, as a child, he stood near the door dreaming about the lady he would love... And he spoke to that Richard! In this context, I loved this line: "I shouted wordlessly to him over 2 decades ago" :)

Dan Brown: Has he lost with The Lost Symbol?

2010-12-16T16:49:00.006+05:30

My Answer is "No"!!
The next book will decide if he has run out of ideas or he still has many :)

Having so many best sellers against Dan Brown's name, one tends to read "The Lost Symbol" with huge expectations and a pre-defined perception about what the book may contain. The climax is what most people dislike. But I liked it.

This book is so much different from his other books. The best part of this book is, the way he has highlighted the American History. It is said, America does'nt have a history. And yet he wrote over 700 pages a story about the American history!

The plot is a simple one. Not too many symbols to investigate. So the book lacks the, "Oh I never thought about it" factor. Yes, we have thought about it now, since his last few books have been telling us so much about symbols.

The book contains a lot of interesting information. It talks about Noetic Science, the almost-death experiences, about how different religions are based on common principles and a lot of other information.

Overall, the book is an interesting read.

Five Point Someone

2010-12-16T16:42:00.003+05:30

I read this book a month ago. Yes, I know I have been too late to read this book! But the point is, I finally read it. I read it after watching the lovely movie "3 idiots". And the book did not seem so much appealing! That's because, the book has been modified so well into a lovely movie with a lovely plot that the book seemed very dull. Ryan Oberoi's character in the book has been positively transformed into Rancho (Aamir Khan) in 3 idiots. That was the best change in the book. Overall, the movie was a lot better than the book.

I have also read "The 3 mistakes of my life" and "2 states". I liked the former and loved the latter! "The 3 mistakes of my life" is a simple narrative kind of a book. "2 states" is a very cute love story.

I don't plan to read "1 night at the call center" since I have already watched the movie! :)

The box-culture

2010-12-06T12:57:00.001+05:30

I liked this thought from Richard Bach's book, "The Bridge Across Forever".

"Here's how the people live here, in big house-shaped boxes to keep off 'rain' and 'snow', holes cut in the sides so they can see out. They move around in smaller boxes, painted different colors, with whleels on the corners. They need this box-culture because each person thinks of herself and himself as locked in a box called 'body', arms and legs, fingers to move pencils and tools, languages because they've forgotten how to communicate, eyes because they've forgotten how to see. Odd little planet..."

Something to ponder, right? :)

Peepli

2010-08-18T15:53:00.003+05:30

A review on the movie...

Presenting to you Peepli [Live]

Cast:
Media... Chaotic
Police... Lazy
Politicians... Political
Secretariats... Diplomatic
Farmers... Illiterate
Public... Speculators

Written by:
Destiny

Produced by:
Public

Story in brief:
What is happening in the background is a puppet show. The puppets have no idea what they are doing. The puppet controllers are just playing games. While the puppet show is depicting one story, and we are busy watching the various interpretations of it, the real story lies hidden behind.

Moral:
Jo hota hai, who nahi hota hai. Aur jo nahi hota hai who hota hai. Confused? That’s what our life is all about - confusion. You don’t know what is happening. And if you want to know the real story or if you know the real story, you need lots of guts to fight against the current to get across your point. And if you don’t have those guts, then you too are a part of the movie, you are the Rakesh and Sandeep. The only role missing in the movie is that of the person having enough guts: and we don’t have anyone like that in reality as well.

Want to know where you fit into, in the real story of this crazy world? Watch the movie and you will be able to figure it out. And while the movie touches you and you talk about it with your friends, I am sure you wont stop planning about where you would buy your next house! (Watch the movie to know what I am talking about). Yes you would say, whats in YOU buying a house? Nothing. The movie did not answer those questions. How to make a difference? Its not easy. Then what? Then just shrug it off and move on. Like everyone <else> did in the movie...

From a kid's eye

2010-02-08T17:59:00.003+05:30

Some of my friends & me were discussing about "nature". So here is what I wrote on the fly - The nature as I see from my child's eye. A simple poem, but I hope it brings out the point!

A crow. A pigeon. Any bird in the sky.
Curiously observe how they fly.
If you've forgotten how they flap their wings
Just look again from a kid's eye!

A little doggie runs down the lane
He sniffs & he puffs & he runs away.
A barking dog too, can bring much joy
Just look at the nature from a kid's eye!

A little cockroach, a tiny insect
Little ants, red & black.
Just pick up a spider & do not cry!
Look at the worm from a kid's eye!

The wind blows, the leaves hustle.
You tidy your room, but the water glass topples.
Dont clean; on the floor let it lie.
Observe how the water flows, from a kid's eye!

Simple things around, worth marvel & wonder
If you have not noticed for ages together...
Listen to me, give this a try,
Just stop once and look around from a kid's eye!

Congress returning back to power...

2009-10-26T20:37:00.001+05:30

Did the Congress return to power in Maharashtra because of its strong track record as an able administrator? Or simply because it is the lesser evil?

No party is doing any great work. It is just the politics that help any party get the votes. BJP-Shiv sena failed in their political approach. Congress has been smart enough to get desired votes. They could "show" that they were making positive growth. So they won.

To be a leader, you must be able to do one of the 3 C's: convince, corrupt or confuse! :)

Doing good work is a matter of perception... Whether Congress really did good work can be judged from either of the 2 facts:
1) 145 seats out of 288 won by Congress: 50% of the people believed in the work done by Congress
2) 143 seats out of 288 not won by Congress: 50% of the people did not believe in their work!

A Big Mail. From Little Israel.

2009-09-14T10:58:00.005+05:30

My first experience of traveling abroad. The post was written on 21 June 2005, just one day after I landed in Israel.

I am mailing you from Israel, Haifa. :-)

When I left Pune for Mumbai, on 18th June evening, I felt Pune is going to miss me a lot. Yes, that is because, when I was ready to leave Pune, it started pouring. The entire Pune was crying... I was leaving for Israel, for a short training at the Haifa development center of Amdocs, followed by some assignment at Haifa. There were 8 others on the same flight with me to Tel Aviv, the working capital of Israel. 6 of them were going stay at Tel Aviv, and 3 of us were going to Haifa.

We left Mumbai at 2:40am by the “Royal Jordanian” flight. It was a 5.5 hrs flight to Amman, the capital of Jordan. We arrived Amman at 5.30am (Amman Time) and were taken to a hotel “Alia”. Jordan is an Arabic country. We saw a number of Arabs wearing their traditional dresses. The females were covered from head to toe. Many men too had their heads covered by those typical caps or that scarf tied with a rope-like cloth on their foreheads. In general, all the men were smart. Even the people like the door keepers or the security guys, had a dashing personality. There was something in the way they carried themselves. We felt, it was because of the compulsory military training that all undergo. And the females were fair and good looking too. However, the people were somewhat rude. The place was very conservative.

After a 12-hr halt at Amman we took a 45min flight to Tel Aviv. This flight flew quite low & we could see the land below change from a desert & a less inhabited ground at Jordan to a greener, more developed land, as we reached Israel.

Our first glance of Israel was the top-view, from the aeroplane which flew from the north of Israel towards Tel Aviv. We could see from above that the country was very well developed and it looked like a planned country. And when we reached the Tel Aviv airport, we were amazed at its size, grandeur and the architecture.

We took a cab from Tel Aviv to Haifa. It was for the first time that I saw a Mercedes Benz taxi, sat in one for the first time! The driver drove at a speed of 120km/hr, and we did not feel it. We were looking outside at the lovely buildings, some very well-known & big companies, the lovely roads, and the beautiful scenery around. It was 8pm, and yet there was a lot of natural light outside. I felt myself falling in love with the country! :-)

Haifa is located at the north of Israel, along the coast. It is located along the slopes of Mount Carmel; and on its west is the Mediterranean sea.
Our rooms were booked at one of the best hotels in Israel- Dan Panorama Haifa. It is a 5-star hotel. At the reception, we were given “cards” to our rooms. Yes, the hotel does not have keys. We get something that looks like a credit card. We have to swipe in, to open the room. When I entered the room, and opened the curtains, I was spell bound by what I saw outside. My room overlooked the Haifa city, that was lit with different colors of light, and there outside, I could see the Haifa bay. I saw little boats in the water, they too were lit with lights. I was mesmerized by the beautiful picture that I saw outside!

But as I was exploring the extravagant hotel room, a wave of sadness took over me. I felt lonely for some time. Santosh, Praveen & myself talked for sometime, and we all were feeling this. We felt that everything around was so beautiful, but there was no one close to share it with... I thought, something as simple as a sweet dish can be so beautiful when you have someone to share it with. And something as wonderful as what is happening to me can still be painful!!

Our breakfast at the hotel again, was grand. We took a cab for Amdocs office. It is 20mins drive from our hotel. We noticed that there were only cars on the road. No bikes. And not many people walked.

Amdocs office at Haifa is a small sweet place. Here, you will not see cubicles. You will see little rooms- and inside each, there are 1-3 people, depending upon your seniority. The office is a triangular maze, and there are about 40 such rooms. The people are very friendly. We at once were made so comfortable, that we forgot yesterday’s depression! We also met 3 other Indian guys from DVCI. From tomorrow we would be commuting to office with them in the same cab.

Lunch was good. There was a lot of variety in salads. A lot of variety in meat (which I did not eat). All the non veggies, however complained that the meat was not properly cooked- it tasted raw. There were a number of sweets. Varieties of bread. Soups. And so much to choose from! Our afternoon walk was circling around a mall opposite Amdocs, named “Cosmos”.

Today we have not been given much work. But we can see loads of it coming our way! :-( Overall, Israel is a beautiful, technically very developed & clean country. And the people here are very good & friendly!

Now and Then

2009-08-13T19:44:00.004+05:30

When I was a kid, I argued with my parents. I felt that they were always extra careful in some activities, which irritated me. They cared too much for me. Most favorite instruction from them was: "Dont stay out very late, come home before dark..!" They failed to understand that the world was changing. As I grew up, I began to ignore them. If we cannot stay out late after office to catch up with friends, then when can we?! "Dont eat too much outside, its bad for your health.." But isnt it fun? There is such a lot of variety to explore & eat! Life is about having fun, about adventure; and they failed to understand this. I felt they had some very old-fashioned ideas. They kept talking about how the world was during their young times, and how it was changing for the worse. "I have to face this changing world", I thought, "and I cannot live with a set of traditional rules". I never understood why parents made such a fuss about all this. I just kept going with the "current trend". And thought its important to keep pace with the changing times.

Gradually, my role got upgraded to a "mother". Now I have a son and I care too much about him. I feel, this world is changing for the worse! He is barely a year old, and I need to protect him from this new epidemic - swine flu. Its so sad, that the children cannot go out and enjoy their time playing around - this was not the case during our times! I imagine about the future of my son. He will have to go out in this world full of pollution - I can imagine myself instructing him to be careful when he will go out. There is so much competition outside, and his life will be so full of tension! This should not impact his health, so I will to cook good and healthy food for him and make him exercise regularly.
And with all such thoughts in my mind, I wonder if he will listen to me, if he will try to understand my point!!

Ye Re Ye Re Pavasa...

2009-06-29T12:22:00.002+05:30

... Rusalas ka?
Majhyashi gatti foo kelis ka?!!

I still wear a sun-coat when I come to office. My rain-coat is lying in the dicky, unused... :(
When will I sit in the office, completely drenched inspite of wearing the raincoat, in the A/C, shivering, and probably, cursing the rain??!!!!

Lehman's crisis: Learning

2008-10-16T16:30:00.001+05:30

An interesting article by Yogesh Chhabria.

LATELY, I have been thinking a lot about the Lehman crisis. Spending money that they didn't have and going beyond their means is one of the main reasons for their situation today. In fact that is the cause for the current economic crisis in the US.

When I see all this happening, I can only remember the good old days. Then, karz was bad. People looked down upon those who took loans. Parents would not give their daughter's hand in marriage to a man with loans.

But of course, the times have changed now. Everyone I know has a loan. The buzz word is EMI (equated monthly installment). Today, you can buy everything on EMI - a house, a television, an i-Pod. In fact I know of someone who just bought a fancy BMW 3 series on EMI, instead of buying a cheaper car outright with cash. I mostly prefer to take public transport, but then I am an old man with old thoughts!

Anyway, coming back to what caused the crisis. Imagine having Rs 2 lakh in your bank account, no regular income, yet buying a house worth Rs 65 lakh, in the hope of selling it for a higher price. Even if the price of the house fell by just 5 per cent (that is Rs 3 lakh), you will go bankrupt.

This is what Lehman Brothers did; with around USD 20 billion they went and bought assets worth over USD 600 billion. Isn't it suicidal and simply foolish?

I am sure things would have been different, had I been the head of Lehman brothers. But who wants an old conservative man like me to head a complex financial institution.

But there are a few lessons that we can learn:

1.Live a balanced life and avoid overspending.

2.Don't buy things we don't need.

3.Don't buy Branded good's.

4.Don't buy excess Food, Cloths, Cosmetics, Footwear, electronics and Fashion accuracies........just think before you buy.

Tip: World still has a lot of growth ahead and the future holds immense opportunities for us. Let us make the most of it and save and invest it wisely instead of wasting our precious little on things we don't need.

5.Try to balance life with work (No one is happy to work in their profession).

6. Don't stress out your self, after work try to do some extra activities like swimming, yoga, walking, running where you can divert your mind from stress.

A thumb rule: Health is more important than money.

7.Try to understand each other (Wife and Husband) in financial matter's and help each other.

Tip: As soon as you get your monthly salary, set aside a fixed amount, usually 35 per cent, for insurance, savings and investments. You can then spend the rest.

8. Not all loans are bad. Loans that are 'need based' (home loans, education loans) can always find a place in your finances against those that are largely 'want based' (Credit cards, personal loans, car loans).

9. Borrow only if repayment is financially comfortable.

A thumb rule: Keep EMIs within 35 to 45 per cent of your monthly income

In that respect, there is one American who I really respect - WARREN BUFFET. He has lived in the same ordinary house for over three decades, drives his own medium sized car and leads an extremely regular 'middle class' life. If that's all it takes for the richest person on earth to be happy, why do all of us need to take extra stress just so that we can get things which aren't even essential?

Lost

2008-06-28T10:27:00.004+05:30

I feel I have lost my heart...
And yet I can hear it beat loud!
Like the sun which I know is there,
But hidden behind the cloud!

The sun is lost... And so is my heart...
And the weather seems so gay!
The tiny drops fall on the ground,
Washing all sorrows away!

My heart is lost... And so is the sun...
And my life seems so gay!
The cool breeze brushes my cheeks,
Taking my mind, miles away!

But soon the clouds will disappear
And the sun will burn again.
From dreamland to the world of reality
I will have to run again!

Increased respect towards Sir Tendulkar!

2008-03-12T18:12:00.003+05:30

In India today, cricket is a very "high valued" sport. I am not a cricket fan solely because I feel cricket is too hyped a sport.
Sachin Tendulkar has been one of the best players of cricket history. Infact, "Sachin" has become a synonym of cricket. And inspite of all this, Sachin's poise and his humility stands out.
Isnt it weird that a simple man like Sachin is the master of such a hyped up sport?! I have always felt it to be an irony that I like Sachin but not cricket!

I wonder why other sports are not given as much encouragement as for cricket? With the cricket juggernaut, all other games are getting sidelined. Some months ago, hockey players had protested about why cricketers were given so much acknowledgement after winning the Twenty20, but the Indian hockey team victory was sidelined?
Today, the Indian hockey team could not qualify for the Beijing Olympics. "Why, what went wrong": is another topic of discussion. But what I want to highlight here is, Sir Tendulkar has come up and is urging people at this time of hockey-crisis to support the hockey players!

Here is what Sachin has told the media:
“Do not run them down. This is the time all Indians must encourage and support the players. Once you fall, it’s important to get up. There will be stumbling blocks in sports. The players will get up and we must give them our helping hand. As a nation we need to be with the players. One must also recognise the fact that the players must be feeling the disappointment much more than anyone else.”

This has increased my respect towards Sir Sachin Tendulkar!

It Doesnt Interest Me

2008-02-11T23:01:00.000+05:30

A wonderful poem written by Oriah Mountain Dreamer.

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, 'Yes.'

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

The Complan Boy

2007-12-14T15:20:00.000+05:30

As a hard-core Shahid fan, I find it amusing to know that he was the same guy whom I had liked when I was a kid! ;)

I thought, Shahid was my Chocolate Hero... Just learnt that is also a Complan Boy! :)

Remember the ad in which a boy holds out a mug of Complan health drink saying, "I'm a Complan boy" and the sister nudges at him and says, "I'm a Complan girl". The boy was Shahid & the girl was Ayesha!

Have a look at the ad once again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-fysFHfBYM

And look at the pics... I am not sure though... wonder if this is real or some gossip!!

Jab We SMS-ed!

2007-10-26T10:40:00.001+05:30

Can you guess what 6 rupees & the story below can do?
Just read on…

1) There was a boy who liked a girl. So he proposed that girl. But the girl said no.

2) So he started making friendship with the girl’s best friend, so that can maro chance on that heroine, and can finally pato-fy her.

3) But then the villain came into picture. The heroine’s brother is an actual “bhai”… so he gets angry & now there is a fight sequence. Mara mari.

4) Then what happens?
a. Then the villain & the heroine’s best friend meet & fall in love.
b. Someone said that just teach that villain some gyan by doing gandhigiri.
c. The hero should win that mara mari, that’s what happens in the movies… right?

5) And then the climax…
The boy suddenly wakes up from his sleep. He realizes that all that had happened was actually a dream!! Then the boy goes & proposes the girl. She says yes. They get married and live happily ever after!!

And then Shrikant announced the climax of the story on Radio Mirchi… And he said, “Atul, woh hero-heroine happily rahe na rahe, main tumko happy banata hoon, aapko ko deta hoon Budhwar Block Buster ke couple movie tickets!!”

Atul & me had reached our home parking by then… And we were like “yeeeeeeee”!!! We had won weekend tickets for the movie “Jab We Met”! We ran upstairs to charge Atul’s mobile, because its battery had died out, just after sending the SMS to Radio Mirchi- We thought we can get a call from RM anytime now!

Yestreday Atul picked me up from office. We were in car listening to RM. Shrikant announced on RM the first 3 lines of the story above. Then he said, send an SMS for “what happens next in the story”. I sent him an sms. My SMS was read out… I sent him 4 (a). But when he announced the ticket-winners, my name was not there. Then he said, now complete the story… send us the climax of the story. I took Atul’s mobile & sent the climax.

And guess what… Today morning me too got a call from RM that even I have won the Block Buster Budhwar ke movie tickets!!!
Yahooo!!

And I am thinking, wow, we are so great!! We earn even when we leave office… Every minute is precious, they say. So while we travel back home in Pune’s atrocious traffic, we utilize the time by earning some fun :))

Atlas Shrugged

2007-09-05T11:06:00.000+05:30

I completed reading Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" last week. Her ideas, her philosophy and the characters in the book set my head wondering... Here goes something what I felt about this book...

Overall, Atlas Shrugged is a good read. Unlike other novels, I took a lot of time to read the book. And it was not just because it's a huge book, but because, I felt there is something to think about in every sentence in the book.

In the book, one point that Ayn Rand has tried to convey is that a man's mind is very valuable. Infact the book suggests that if people with a "great mind" go on strike, the whole world collapses!

In the book, there are 2 sections of people: people with great mind (Atlas) and people with no mind and no purpose. The people with no purpose in their life are the cause of evil. But hey, are'nt there people in this world who fall under a third category: people who desire to have a purpose in their life, but who do not possess the great brains that will tell them what their purpose is? Such people want to be good, but cannot think on their own. Such people need guidance in thinking. Such people think what they are told to think!
What happens to such people who later realise that they were under evil influence throughout? This is answered by what happened to Cheryl Taggart, Jim taggart's wife.

Unfortunately, the book doesnt answer how these "normal" people are expected to live. It made me believe that the people who are not clever will always lie at the mercy of their rulers, who can be good or bad. And since the normal people are not clever, they will not be able to choose their leaders rightly.

Another point that Ayn Rand conveyed was John Galt's declaration: "I swear - by my life and my love of it - that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine." It means, you must not sacrifice yourself or your mind for others.

If I have a great mind and I can invent something that can benefit the whole world; The world has bad people, good people and the normal people. But if I feel that the world is currently under the influence of bad people, then what should I do? Since I have the great mind and the brain, I SHOULD be able to fight against the bad people, right? It is like the war between the Gods and the Devils. God has to win. But how? By destroying the whole world (the world which consisted of some poor guys who could not think) and then re-building the world again?

I feel, in such practical cases, the good guy needs to "sacrifice" something in order to gain that eternal happiness. One should not be forced to sacrifice himself - thats murder. But sometimes sacrifice gives immense pleasure. Sometimes it feels good to give away your food to someone else, to see him happy while you starve, doesnt it?

You cannot eliminate emotions from a man. You cannot seperate out reason and emotions. They are inter-linked. In the book, Dagny, Fransisco, Hank and John Galt too were shown to have emotions. Dagny decided to join the strike very late - after she "felt" anger due to what was being done to John. Her decision was coupled with emotions and it was not just reason. The book itself was contradicting it philosophy...

At the end of the book, what I felt was, Wesley Mouch and his lot tried to murder a man's mind. And Johh Galt and others killed the whole world by deciding not to use their minds!

And even after reading the book what I felt was, the book was "good in theory", but practically this is not possible. If one has the great brains, then he should use them and help those who cannot think. And I was talking just like those mentioned as "evils" in the book!! :)

I did not agree with Ayn rand's philosophy in the book. And yet, I liked the book!!

What I took from the book was: A country depends largely on its leaders. And most of the leaders do not have those great minds. But they know politics. They have their selfish ideas, which result into doom. Our country is in such a devastating situation. And we need some good theory and some great minds who can come up & get our country into good hands!

Circle Vs Line

2007-08-22T17:10:00.000+05:30

In "Atlas Shrugged", Ayn Rand said, "A man's life should not be a circle. It should be a straight line". And this sentence triggered some thoughts in my mind...

A circle defines a boundary. A straight line represents an arrow, it points to your goal.

Life like a circle means a secure life. You have made both ends meet and now you are living a happy life. No more struggles. Things beyond this circle are not known, and hence not disturbing. Your life is confined to the boundaries of the circle. You keep traveling round and round on the circle. You live a life called as "regular".

Life like a straight line means progression. You are constantly fighting to move ahead. Every new step is an adventure. Life for you is not just about making ends meet. It is much more. You keep setting new targets for yourself and you keep moving along a new path.

Living life in a straight line is like living with the time. You move ahead with time. Things of the past are left behind. Time also always moves ahead in a straight line.

Living life in a circle means living a closed life. Bound with some rules and regulations. People who live life in a circle are more traditional, more conservative.

If you look around, most of the people live life in a circle. It takes a lot of guts to live life in a straight line. And this is a mark of a great man.

A Different Independence Day

2007-07-26T15:07:00.000+05:30

15 August 2007. India will celebrate 60 years of independence.

Sometimes I wonder, what does Indian Independence really mean to us today? What do we do on 15th Aug? We might get up late. We will buy small tirangas with those spinning chakras attached to them. And then very efficiently we will tie them to our vehicle. All day patriotic songs will be played on Radio Mirchi. That’s it!

We crib that nothing seems to work in India. We curse our system and say “Nothing is going to happen to this country”. It’s good that we realize that there are a lot of issues with our country. And the all issues are inter-linked, forming a vicious circle. But what are we doing to break this vicious circle?

Our heroes of the past cleaned our home for us. They told us "Kar chalein hum fida jaan aur tan saathiyon, ab tumhare hawalein vatan saathiyon". They have handed us the batons. It’s our duty now to wake up and take firm steps to better our country.

This 15th August, let us all do something, anything simple, that will make this Independence Day different.

You can decide to plant a tree or make your maid servant happy by giving her a holiday too. Or you can think of doing some kind of social service. You can do that little bit to avoid pollution by not taking out your vehicle – you can cycle instead! Small things as such cannot change all our issues at an instant. But at least you can give it a start. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.

So on this Independence Day, try to do something that can make a difference. It will. And what more, you can share your experiences / episodes of the day, so as to motivate all those around you!

What If I...

2007-06-28T13:09:00.000+05:30

This was my first attempt to write a poem when I was given "half a title" for the poem! Yes, I was to write something for the section "What if I..." of our magazine and I chose to write a poem on "What if I could travel back in time?"

What If I Could Travel Back In Time?

Many a times when I look back
And stare at the “one-way” sign
I wonder what would be,
If I could travel back in time!

I would not have watched that TV serial
And instead studied a bit harder
I would not have made that “silly mistake”
And would have scored a grade higher!

I would have uttered that “sorry” word
When we had debated onto days for nigh…
I would have hugged my best friend once more,
Before I bid her a good-bye…

I would have sat beside my grandmother
As she counted her last few moments
I would keep rewinding time till that instant
Beyond which I would never let it progress.

I would have traveled back to the time,
To see the world when I was not even born,
I would then understand what our grandparents meant,
When they said “Those days have gone!”

Gradually the years would pass and
In the mirror, an old woman I’d see.
The nearing “end” wouldn’t scare me anymore,
‘Coz a child again I can be!

There are so many things that I would have done
If I could travel back in time!
But hey! Then I’d just live in the past…
And then wouldn’t my future turn grime?!

Copyright ©

I Promise!

2007-06-22T16:02:00.001+05:30

Writing was a passion for me some many years ago. And now, after living these many years, I wonder what’s happened to me. I feel I can’t write anymore. I feel like writing, but I can’t write. And do you know the reason why? I know the reason. It’s simply because I am too busy. Or at least I feel so. What a shame.

I feel like writing so many things. Atleast twice a day some really exciting thoughts cross my mind & I decide I am going to pen down (or rather “type ‘em” or “key in”) my thoughts. But I don’t do it.

I have decided that I am going to be more serious with this passion of mine. I promise to be more regular. Yes, that’s a promise!

Basic Needs

2007-04-13T16:10:00.000+05:30

I have seen people whose life revolves around the basic needs of life. Their aim is to eat healthy food, exercise daily, sleep well and then every morning "download" the food properly! To stay healthy, fit and fine, they will set up the most ideal routine & achieve perfection in it. When they grow old, they will feel proud that they are very healthy and suffer from no illness. They have enough stamina and are content that they have lived a perfect life.

But my view differs on this point. Its good to eat healthy food daily & keep yourself fit and fine. But to keep your body in such a perfect state, you sacrifice a lot in life. To keep your health perfect, you do not travel different places, as that alters your routine for a few days. You dont taste different foods: as you are always skeptic about the quality, hygiene and nutritive contents. You need to sacrifice on your other hobbies, as they may come in the way of your perfect healthy routine. To achieve some out-of-the-ordinary things in life, you need to put in a lot of effort, which comes at the cost of your health: eg - to get good marks, one may have to study for hours, affecting his food timings & sleep timings. To be good at office, especially a software life, again you are living a "non-ideal healthy" life. You do not venture out to do the unexplored, lest it may affect your health!

I believe in the following lines:
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out & screaming 'WOO HOO - What a ride!' "

Life is not about sitting at home, doing only the basic needs to survive. It helps you maintain your body well, but hey - what have you actually achieved in life? What was your life worth? Look at life beyond the basic needs of the body. One has to die one day anyways... Isnt it important to live a "complete" life, even if it is short? What is the use of a life which has an intact splendid body, but nothing else - nothing else at all? Sometimes to build a perfect soul, one sacrifices his health. Isnt it more important to build a perfect soul than a perfect body?

The Cricket Mania

2007-03-23T16:05:00.000+05:30

Cricket World Cup 2007. Will India make it to the Super 8's? Suspense. Excitement. World cup record against Bermuda. Cheer. Fans. And a murder.
A murder?

Yesterday we had a collage-making competition in office, where we had to make a collage on "Cheer India for World Cup 2007". Cheer India... I thought, isn't all the cheering enough? Aren't we cheering too much already? Hoo-haa India. Aya India. And what not! I am not particularly a cricket fan. But I love sports: Sounds ironic, right? Thats because Cricket seems to have become an exception in the sports category. The real "spirit" of the game is lost. If India wins, you are a proud Indian. You party. You celebrate. And if India loses, you will burn effigies. You will attack the cricketers' houses. Well, thats not how a game is played!!

"When The Great Scorer comes to write against your name, you write not if you won or lost, but how you played the game!" And how is this game being played? There is so much money put in the sport that it no longer remains a sport. It is a game of poker being played by some rascals; and the cricketers are used like the cards.

How can I know that the match I will see today is not a pre-decided match? How can I be assured, that the players playing on the field are playing their true game, without surrendering to pressures & the power of money?

And now, with the murder of Bob Woolmer, the game has reached the peak of corruption. I think, the time has come to ban the game.

Live your Questions...!

2007-02-22T11:25:00.000+05:30

... Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart.

Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language.

Do not now look for the answers.

They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them.

It is a question of experiencing everything.

At present, you need to live the question.

Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer some distant day.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

Tax!!

2007-01-24T16:12:00.000+05:30

They said that you must pay your tax with a smile!
I tried it... But then they said, they wanted cash!!

As a tax payer, I want to know if I have the right to know what was done with the money I paid to the government? I do not mean the general details - but ALL the details... Where is my money going?

All of us do some kind of recording of their expenses. Some do it in their minds, while others prefer writing it down. How much you earn, how much you spend -All this is tracked in our little "finance notebooks". And there goes one entry under the title "TAX".

Currently India is experiencing a software boom. Every person - left, right & centre - works in an IT company with a hefty pay. And with this hefty pay comes a hefty tax. What is happening to this huge tax that we all are paying?

We have economists who are talking about the "economic imbalance" that is being created because of the growing software industry in India. They are talking about things like "only the software professionals are getting richer, everything else remains where it is". This maybe somewhat true... But cant our great Economists come & tell us how we can do good with the money that is flowing from the global market into India?

I am ready to pay double the tax that I am paying today - If only I can be assured that the money I am paying is going to those needy poor people... I perfectly agree about the economic imbalance. So what can be the solution? Are we expected to step down, so that everyone is equal? Or can we pull up the ones below, so that we are equal? Definitely the second option is better... But how can it be implemented? By paying our tax into the pockets of those who promise to lead our nation? Wont the rich continue to become richer in such a case?!! :)

Winner or Loser: Doest matter in the end!

2006-12-20T11:48:00.000+05:30

My favorite quote

When The Great Scorer comes to write against your name,
He writes not whether you won or lost
But how you played the game.

-Grantland Rice

When Science Speaks

2006-12-12T05:17:00.000+05:30

Yesterday I was watching a program on TV about "healthy food habits". They were telling that you must avoid meat, especially red meat. And you must eat a lot of vegetables. They also said that for "liver cleansing" you must not drink alcohol. And they gave so many other tips.

In short, they implied that one must be vegetarian and not drink alcohol. Does'nt our religion tell us the same?

Our religion only uses a different approach, it speaks in the "emotional language". Religion tells us not to kill animals, they too have the right to live and hence it says, you must be a vegetarian. But we do not listen to religion. And when science tells us the same thing, but explains in "scientific language", we are ready to accept it.

Religion also has reasoning, it has logic. But the mode to convey the thought is different. Years ago, people believed in the language of religion & followed it. Today we call it blind faith & do not follow it. Today Science is speaking the same language but with a different perspective. We believe in this language of science & follow the same path. Funny, isnt it?!

Ego

2006-10-16T13:29:00.000+05:30

Broadly cloassified, there are 2 types of egos. Ayn Rand, in her 2 books has described 2 such "egoist" personalities.

Howard Roark in "The Fountainhead":
The book's title is a reference to Ayn Rand's statement that "man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress". In the book, Howard Roark is an architect who prefers to struggle in obscurity rather than compromise his artistic and personal vision by pandering to the prevailing taste in building design. Howard Roark lives for himself and his own creativity, indifferent to the opinions of others. Thus, the character depicts ego which built in the positive direction. Here, Ayn Rand conveys that - the ego is supreme, and individualism and selfishness are virtues to be treasured.

James Taggart in "Atlas Shrugged":
In contrast to Howard Roark, James Taggart is not the hero in this this book, nor does he have any individualism. He has no ideas of his own. He is the President of Taggart Transcontinental - a leading railroad company. He is an expert influence peddler who is incapable of making decisions on his own. And he relies on his sister Dagny Taggart to actually run the railroad, but nonetheless opposes her in almost every endeavor. With his character, his egoist attitude comes to the front. He is incapable, but not willing to accept it. His remarks to Dagny, who saves him from all his incorrect decisions are really idiotic. Had James been clever but incapable, he would have let Dagny do all the work for him without opposing her; and things would have been better for himself. He is a person who would ruin himself, to save his ego.

There are many people like James Taggart around us. But to be Howard Roark, it very difficult!

Convince a Fool

2006-09-20T16:35:00.000+05:30

I read this somewhere: "The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his own way."
But I disagree.

If you let a fool behave like a fool, he will get back to you and say, "You are another fool, you agreed with me." So the fool is convinced that he is smarter than you.
But, if you argue with the fool, and if you argue like a wise man, you will be able to convince him that he is a fool.

Now, to argue with a fool what you require is a lot of confidence within you. Patience is a must. No place for politeness. Be shrewd. Be blunt - this is most efficient.
Most important, act wise. Give proofs. Reject all his ideas. Argue. Dont get angry, keep your patience maintained. It should be reflected in your voice, and you must smile. If not your composure, the fool will get irritated by your smile, thinking that you are mocking at him.
Give examples. Listen. Argue. Convince.

In the end, he will let you have your way. If the fool was not convinced that he really is a fool, atleast you will be content that the fool agreed with you and that you are smarter than him!

Still...

2006-07-21T17:09:00.000+05:30

I feel I have lost my heart,
And still I can hear it beat...
There is silence all around,
And still I can hear a song sweet...

You aren't beside me,
And still you, I everywhere see...
You aren't talking just now,
But your voice is reaching me...

You aren't looking at me,
But I can still feel your glance...
I think about you quietly,
But I feel my heart dance...

You aren't sitting behind me,
But still I turn around to see you...
You aren't calling me,
But I go out to look for you...

I keep your thoughts aside for sometime,
And decide to work for a while...
But you come back in my thoughts,
And you quietly make me smile...

Din Hua Begin!

2006-06-21T11:56:00.000+05:30

My day today started on an exciting note. This blog is to share today morning's happenings with you! :)

Getting up early morning is really challenging for me. Today when I got up at 6.30am, it was an accomplishment for me! Then, I was once again content, with the "lunch-dabba" that I prepared, which included one "raita" in addition to the "bhaaji". I also had time to have breakfast, before I ran to catch my bus at 8.15am.

Today was "palakhi day". Our office had revised the bus routes and timings. But unfortunately, they had sent a mail, after I had left office the previous day. I relied on a friend's comment that a different bus would be expected on my bus stop at 8.20am. So I was at the stop from 8.15am and I waited and waited and waited. But my bus did not come! :(

But then a PMT bus going to Hadapsar (thats where my office is) arrived. I was about to climb, but the conductor said that the bus will not go to Hadapsar, since all the roads there are blocked! I left the bus. Then another private bus came. I waved out my hand, and it stopped! I asked the driver which bus it was. He replied "Hadapsar"! "Wow, I thought... Wherever this bus is going, I can atleast reach Hadapsar"! When I got into the bus, I realised that it belonged to another company at Hadapsar! :)

So far so good. This bus now almost reaches the Solapur Road, which leads to Hadapsar. But then, there is diversion. The roads are blocked. The driver is confused. And he drives round and round. Even he doesnt know where we are going. But he doesnt lose hope. Nor did I! And then, after 30mins we land up somewhere on Solapur Road.

But hey! I have to get down here. This bus must go to its company. And I have to go in the opposite direction. So I get down.

And I look at this Solapur Road... On one side of the road, "warkaris" are walking. Huge number! The other half of the road, there is traffic jam. And there are giant wheels. And bangle-sellers, cheap plastic and metal items being sold, water puddles, humid heat of the monsoons, lots of people- all dressed in their best attire- they had come to see "palakhi" & enjoy the festive atmosphere!

What was not there on that half-road was, transport to reach my company which was about 5kms from there. Should I walk? No wait, I thought. I found a rick. But realised that the rick had moved only 0.5 km in 0.5 hrs! So I began walking!

I was so furious. The obvious choice of venting out anger on, was the travel-organisers at my office. I was cursing them, for I dont know what! Just when my anger was at its peak, I actually saw "Dnyaneshwar Palakhi". And I began to feel my anger subside!

I took palakhi-darshan. And then, once again with a content heart, I began to trod towards my office.

Soon I reached a point from where I could take a rick. In another 30mins, I was in my cubicle narrating today's "Din-Hua-Begin-Episode" to my colleagues! :)

The Void

2006-06-15T13:57:00.000+05:30

I wrote this poem exactly 1 year back!

Floating in the vacuum...
Searching in the void...
Living in the present,
With emotions devoid.

I dont remember the past
I've forgotten its demise.
I dont worry about the future
I'm not waiting for any surprise.

Taking one moment at a time,
I'm living in the present.
I'm searching for something unknown,
In the hollow of each moment.

I'm just sailing with the time
Counting hours, couting days.
I am unable to comprehend
Destiny's bateful ways.

Silence

2006-06-08T12:41:00.000+05:30

I read this article as a forward. I liked it a lot! So posting it for all of you to read. Its lovely! :)

Have you ever experienced a moment in your life when you just ran out of words and you go...
s i l e n t ???

Let me assist you in recalling...
.. the moment when you left your home for the first time and you look back at your parents who are worried that their son/daughter are leaving them yet happy that their child took the first step towards independence.

... the moment when the girl/boy you like most.. smiled back at you! You don't say anything.. you just smile back..

... the moment when you get better marks than you expected... those "numb" moments of ecstasy n surprise "is that true?"...

... the moment when you are parting with your old friend(s) and the train has just started... and you are standing on the door of the wagon.. waving "bye-bye" with your heart beating fast...

... the moment after the HR manager has just called you and told you,"You are through! Congrats!"

... the moment when you sit alone in your room after having told everyone that you cleared that exam you prepared for 6 months!!

You can go on remembering your "special" moments!

I had always wondered why I never said anything to myself at those moments.. as if it was "understood"... happiness, joy, pain.. all feelings just flowed ceaselessly in the 'years' that passed in those flash moments!

They say.. the best way to communicate is through "silence". Love. Joy. Grief. Surprise. Anger. Hope. Expectations. Support. Non-cooperation...

Can you imagine the importance of a silent moment in a song?? When Bryan Adams stops for a while along with music, before he goes on in his husky voice...
... Please forgive me. I can't stop loving you!

Ever had those moments when you thought you were tired enough that you reach for your bed after dinner.. but find yourself wide awake looking at the roof of your room silently...

But you sure are 'thinking'... those moments of self-talk are the most important in our lives. Those moments when we listen to our own hearts! Those promises... those decisions... those are the moments when we make our destinies!

Next time you go silent... listen carefully to what your heart is saying.. listen to its joy...listen to its pain.. listen to its fears.. listen to its desires..

Don't make it shut up and go off to sleep... LISTEN TO THAT VOICE and ACCEPT EVERYTHING IT SAYS! That voice alone can lead you to the abode of peace that your sleep lacks... peace that awaits you!

Be in touch with your true self... be silent once a day, every day !

A Right Decision

2006-06-05T18:19:00.000+05:30

What is a "correct decision"? What is a "wrong decision"? Who has defined these terms?

I believe that the idea of being correct and being wrong varies drastically from person to person, from family to family, from one society to another, varies across religions, across countries.

Then how would you define what is a right decision and a wrong decision? What is your "right" way to take "right" decisions during challenging situations? Do you follows the rules of the society? Do you follow your instincts?

Have you ever wondered over the statement you read in history, "...and Buddha achieved enlightenment..." What enlightenment was this? Way back during those times, there was the need for people to stay in harmony with each other. They had to form a society which has certains principles and rules. All the leaders of each religion came up with norms and thoughts, which they spread across the people. They taught people how to distinguish between right and wrong. They had to teach people that "telling lies is incorrect", that "if you steal other's share you should be punished".

But the world is constantly changing. Today we have new set of problems. How do we tackle these issues? Do we always find definite answers to certain problems?

Have you ever thought about what you really want in life? Does it comply with the norms of the society? And what if your ideas do not match the definitions of "right" and "wrong" as defined by the society?
In such a case, you must listen to your heart and do what YOU feel is correct. As long as your intentions and your actions do not harm anyone else, or they do not clash with someone else's actions, you must follow your heart.

I believe that every person has the right to his life. As long as he is not disturbing someone else's right to life, he should proceed with his decisions...

The only constant factor in this world is CHANGE! A change is what we all desire. Dont you get bored by the same old routine? So will you, if you dont change the way your life proceeds. A change begins when you do something thats different. Listen to your heart. It will guide you and tell you how to take just the "right decision"! Break-free from the norms of the society. And follow your heart!

Feeling Lonely

2006-05-26T17:13:00.000+05:30

What do you mean by feeling lonely?
Is it that, physically there is no one around you? There is no one to talk to, or to share some nice moments with? Or is it that, there are many people around you and yet you feel all alone?

Consider someone who has an outgoing nature. He makes a lot of friends. So when he "feels lonely", he can call just any of his friends. So logically, he will never feel lonely.
Consider someone who is an introvert. He likes to be by himself. He doesnt like being much with people. So why will he feel lonely? He will be content with himself.

And yet people talk that they feel lonely. They say loneliness haunts! Some even think about an abstract-someone and then they miss him!!

Is'nt feeling lonely all in the head? I believe, no one in this world is lonely. There is no feeling such as loneliness. What you actually get is the "missing-someone-syndrome". And because you miss someone, be it your best friend, your parents, or just anyone, you feel his empty place beside you. The situation is like- the person is in your heart, in your mind, but physically away from you. And you simply miss him.

Do you agree with me? Can I conclude: Feeling lonely is nothing but missing someone?

Rules Don't Work On Me

2006-05-05T11:12:00.000+05:30

Dont you think everyone around you observes you, scrutinizes you? Dont you ever get get irritated by the inferences people draw from your actions? Well one day I did get irritated...!!

If my mood changed from sad to bright today
By listening to a romantic tune,
Don’t conclude that I love music.
This music can bring back nostalgia.

If I plucked a rose on my way daily,
Don’t say I am fond of roses.
Sometimes they prick me.

If I dropped a few pennies on the hands of a needy
When I saw his hungry face and tired eyes,
Don’t think I have a soft heart.
I can be very mean at times.

If I prayed to God daily
And thanked him for all that he has given me...
Don’t believe that I am His worshipper.
I also blame him for all my failures.

If your first assumption about me was correct
And so was the second.
Don’t assume you would always be right about me.
Rules don’t work on me.

Expressing Emotions

2006-05-02T17:43:00.001+05:30

I came across an article by Amita Shah, a practicing psychotherapist, which inpired me to write the essay below.

We all are filled with various emotions at any point of time. It is important that we understand these emotions and act upon them.

It is important that we express our feelings. The expression of feelings is a search for understanding. If we suppress them, then they are not acted upon, and hence it may sometimes lead to out of control blow-ups, depression or irritation.

However if we express our feelings outright, then it may hurt the receiver. If you just shout at your colleague, or get wild with your friend, or talk harshly with your elders, definitely they will be disappointed with you.

You should accept your feelings, process them and then express them. The expression of your feelings should be conscious.

If you suppress your feelings, you disconnect with the power to create what you want in life. If you dwell in your emotions, you block the power to get what you want in life. Hence you must process your emotions: Processing your emotions means you feel, manage and release them and get what you want in life.

In order to express yourself correctly, you need to understand and manage your emotions. You need to work on the following 3 "personal competencies":
1) Self-Awareness: Knowing one’s internal states, preferences, resources, and intuitions.
2) Self-Regulation: Managing one’s internal states, impulses, and resources.
3) Motivation: Emotional tendencies that guide or facilitate reaching goals.

Also, when you express your emotions, you should think about the receiver of your emotions. You need to work on "social competencies":
1) Empathy: Awareness of others’ feelings, needs, and concerns.
2) Social Skills: Adeptness at inducing desirable responses in others.

Divisions

2006-04-17T12:15:00.000+05:30

Once upon a time, when the world began, God created 2 divisions: "Male" and "Female". He divided all his creations in these 2 sections.

Then man developed wisdom. And he began creating several divisions.

He divided God and created religions. He divided religions and created castes. He decided some people are more priviledged than others. Man built societies and developed rules to stay in every society.

Let us consider one such section of people: the Indians. We have divisions based on caste, creed, sex, religions... and what not! I have a question here: Is'nt it important to give every division the right it deserves? Yes, I know you all will agree to this.

So someone comes up and puts forth the need for 49.5% reservations in some top shools in India. Reservations that are based on castes and creed.

I believe we should have 60% reservations in all fields. There should be 60% reservations in schools, colleges and offices... But this should be reserved to a different division of people- "The Economically Backward Class".

Think about today. And think about tomorrow. Do we really need divisions in our society based on "upper caste" and "lower caste"? Do we still live the life we lived some thousand years back?

The section of people who really need help today, are the economically backward people. Some of these people wish to study, but cant do so because of lack of finance. Some dont even realise the need for education. We talk about educating such people, right? Then why dont we give them enough resources for the same? Do this, and most of India's problems would be tackled...

Girivan

2006-03-23T09:58:00.000+05:30

Have a look at some of my clicks on a trip to Girivan. Girivan is a private hill station near Mulshi.

Where flowers bloom, so does hope...!

Early bright morning, I step out of the house to see a beautiful 'Rangoli' drawn by Mr. Sun!

He is running behind the mountain... But I caught him with a click!

Hey, this is real, not fake...!
The pink sky,
The blue mountains,
The green trees,
And the silver, shining lake!

Beauty in simplicity... This is a playground at Girivan, bordered by "lolli-pop" trees, wrapped with mountains on all sides!

Imagination

2006-03-07T11:56:00.000+05:30

I have written this poem long time back. It is one of my favorite poems. The poem describes how a "poem" was written during one of the lull periods in the day... But the effect of the poem, the satisfaction of expressing thoughts into lovely words, lasted only for a while. The last line of this poem suggests the need to keep your imagination, your creativity alive forever!

My heart was barren
It felt the sun's hot glare
It longed for colorful life
So i threw words into air.

The words rose like a song loud
With great pomp and band.
They fell as a soft whisper
Like the snowflakes on sand.

The white snow on the brown sand
Made the bells of joy ring
I was transported to another world
And a dreamy song i did sing.

But in no time, the snow melted
And it vanished with evaporation...
But it left behind dry patches
To be filled in by new imagination...

© Mukta Arankalle-Aphale

When Things Go Wrong

2006-02-27T16:36:00.000+05:30

A nice, motivational poem, that I came across on a website.

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you are trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.

When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but do not quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.

And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Drenched

2006-02-16T11:51:00.000+05:30

It was my first Valentine’s Day after marriage. Its barely a month that I have been married... So I was really looking forward to a great day. Here’s an account of how we spent our day.

It was a typical day, where I had to get up and go for work. But we had planned a nice dinner in the evening. Atul had a *conference-call in the evening, so he was going to be late. Knowing all this, I decided to go home early & present Atul a surprise by making the house all tidy & clean. (Yes, that’s indeed a great gift to present to your spouse, especially when it’s just the two of you trying to clean the house day in and day out... There are so many chores to be done! I must mention here that my husband does help me with the daily chores!)

So I began tidying the house. I put this in place and put that in place. Cleaned this and cleaned that. Then finally I started the washing machine. There is some problem with our washing machine drainage and we usually direct the outlet to the bathroom, where it needs to be fixed properly as it’s a little clumsy and unstable. I ensured that I had done everything necessary and decided that that’s enough of work. So I sat with the laptop making playlists, listening to good music... And waiting for Atul, expecting a nice surprise from him.

Eventually I got bored of making the playlists and got out of the bedroom... And lo behold! The washing machine outlet had fallen and the entire house was submerged in water! There was water in the kitchen. There was water in the living room. Water, water, everywhere! And my mind stopped functioning completely. I was forcing myself to think, “Think Mukta, where to start cleaning? How to clean? What to do? Think Mukta, think”... And the doorbell rang. It was our neighbor. The water had flowed outside the house!! And my neighbor was worried if there was any problem. She saw me in that shocked state and offered help. But what could she do? I could not think of anyway she could help me. I felt like a flood-affected victim. Totally helpless!!

You would not believe what I started doing. I took a bucket, and started picking up the water on the floor with my hands and started filling the bucket. I thought, slowly and steadily I would succeed...

Again the doorbell rang. It was Atul standing at the door with a beautiful bouquet in his hands. And the song running on the laptop was “Nadiya kinaare...” It was an amusing scene.

The calm smile on my husband’s face, that bouquet, and that wishing “Happy Valentine’s Day” amidst a calamity, really helped me regain my senses! In 15 minutes we had cleared the house from the flood waters... We put the fans on high speed and were out for a wonderful dinner!

The dinner and the surprises: It made my day! It made up for the tragedy that I had created!

When I wiped the floors clean the following day, I noticed that the floor tiles were shining. All thanks to the soapy waters that was thrown out of the washing machine!
I thought, “All that happens, does happen for the good”. :)

*A typical “task” of a software engineer, most of the times: terribly boring!

Marriage

2006-02-13T17:24:00.000+05:30

Getting married is such a big change in one's life! I got married to Atul on 11 Jan 2006. Everyday after 11th Jan is an adventure, a fun-filled wonder to me! :)

I am experiencing a miracle for the past one month. The entire world seems to have changed its course. My heart is filled with exhileration when I remember the aura, the ecstasy, the perfectness of my wedding day. The state of numbness that day, due to an all-time high level of happiness ever attained. That stimulating time in Goa... Nothing can ever alter the thrill of this hallowed occasion!

George Bernard Shaw described marriage as the time "when two people are under the influence of the most violent, most insane, most delusive, and most transient of passions. They are required to swear that they will remain in that excited, abnormal, and exhausting condition continuously until death do them part."

Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love; and they blossom when we love the ones we marry. Maybe it is difficult to maintain this love all throughout our lives. Today, however, I am not able to see anything that can lessen this love. We have already had some tiffs that opened our eyes wide! But it is through such tiffs that you get to know your spouse even better. It is when you fight, that you realise the worth of your friend... The depth in the relationship grows stronger.

"The middle years of marriage are the most crucial. In the early years, spouses want each other and in late years, they need each other." -Rebecca Tilly. I totally agree with the part of wanting & needing your partner. Within a month's time, both of us have started growing used to each other. There isnt a single thing that we dont do together! This has started increasing the dependency. I am so sure that in the late years, this need for each other will grow much more. At this moment though, I am unable to imagine the middle years, which people call as challenging...

I believe that the kind of marriage you make depends upon the kind of person you are. If you are a happy, well-adjusted person, the chances are your marriage will be a happy one. If you have made adjustments so far with more satisfaction than distress, you are likely to make your marriage and family adjustments satisfactorily. If you are discontented and bitter about your lot in life, you will have to change before you can expect to live happily ever after.

A Revolution

2006-02-03T17:45:00.000+05:30

I watched "Rang De Basanti" last weekend. I loved the movie and the message that it conveyed made me write my thoughts on this topic.

The Republic day was over. That day I wondered "why are we celebrating this day?". What significance does this day have after 55+ years? What constitution are we talking about?
All day patriotic songs were played on Radio Mirchi. And I wondered what the "freedom fighters" had fought for. They had laid down their lives. And our Mother India got freedom. But freedom from what?

I just shrugged off my thoughts... What use it is to think of all this anyway? What difference is it going to make? But I got a holiday from office. That was all that pleased me.

And then I watched Rang De Basanti.

The movie too showed how we, common citizens, crib about all the problems in our country. But we are ready to do nothing. I liked the way Amir and Madhavan debated on this topic. Amir pointed out that we are unable to move ahead as we all are tied to our past. And yet we think about our future and are trying to run somewhere. He said:
"Humara ek paiir past mein hai, aur ek paiir future mein hai...
Isiliye hum aaj mein moot rahe hain!"
How true!
But what Madhavan replied was equally true. He said, "Everyone wants his home to be clean, tidy and perfect. But no one wants to dirty their hands to clean his house!"

And I agreed completely...

We crib that nothing seems to work correctly in India. We curse our systems and opt to run to the US. But the need of today is to wait here and clean the mess that we are in.
We can identify the problems. And we suggest solutions. What we dont do is, try to implement the solutions. Its difficult, I agree. But now we must fight. Fight like how our freedom-fighters fought. They gave up their lives for a cause. We also have a cause. "No country is perfect. We, the youth must come up and take efforts to make our country perfect", said Madhavan.

Our heros of the past cleaned our home for us. They told us "Kar chalein hum fida jaan aur tan saathiyon, ab tumhare hawalein vatan saathiyon". They have handed us the batons. Its our duty now to wake up and take firm steps to better our country.

Today we are more educated, have more exposure to media, have the mind and the right to express our thoughts, our opinions. The fight to clean India should not be as hard as it was before. Let us not wait for another Bhagatsingh to lay down his life to realise " the start of a revolution".

If you give me...

2006-02-02T13:08:00.000+05:30

I have written this poem to inaugrate my blog!
It conveys simple feelings... But what makes this poem special is simply, feelings!

If you give me your love
I will cherish it.

If you give me a wound
I will forget it.

If you give me your word
I will keep it.

If you give me a smile
I will return it.

If you give me a brush
I will paint a rainbow.

If you give me a pen
I will write a poem.

If you give me your heart
I will tend it.

If you give me your dream
I will live it.