Expressions

Zara Hatke, Zara Bachke.....

2015-04-14T02:31:00.006-07:00

Proximity of my place to work location doesn't give me ample opportunity to avail Mumbai public transport. But on a weekend, while commuting to hometown, I traverse the entire western route Dadar-Dahanu through and through. Getting the flavors of each transport mode. Every time there’s an announcement of a new road link or a new local trains add on; the city rejoices. As if it’s going to lessen the traffic jam and human jam. But then it's phenomenal to witness How Mumbai functions.

>>Blackhole Junction
The time from Saki Naka junction to Saki Naka metro station in an auto (barely walk-able distance) equals time from Saki Naka to Andheri in metro. Saki Naka junction is like a black hole of Mumbai. Much as like JVLR and Marol. Time crawls. Time is paused. Speaking of Metro, every time I get out of it, I take a deep breath. Reliance tag, you see.

>>No tantrum Cabbies

After the auto guys of Hyderabad/Pune, I did earn respect for the cabbies and autowallahs of Mumbai. They literally use their meters and charge as per the meter unlike the hyderabadi auto guy striking a bargain deal with absolutely no proportion of the distance traveled and amount charged.

>>Battle of Armies

As the clock on the indicator ticks, the army of Spartans (minus the Greek look, minus the physique) at Dadar/ Bandra /Andheri station is ready to march. They are not only going to board the train but are also going to exhibit the phenomenal play of Newton’s first law of motion. Looking at which, even Newton would have been like I am good with theoretical definition. Practical display. No.

>>Rules Baby Rules

If you have boarded a Mumbai local during evening peak hours; you can also save this story to be narrated to your grandchildren. One in many stories of your greatness. That's what you believe. But seriously it’s an achievement. The person cribbing about Mumbai is the one who couldn't do this task. But just getting in isn't enough. There are rules to be followed. So when I rushed along with my travel bag, laptop bag and DSLR, I had a moment with that lady. She snapped. Just eyes talked. Bitch please. Seriously DSLR. What are you on? Some f******* backpack trip in Mumbai local. Please O’ Please. The message was taken. Rule 1: No electronic stuff. Rule 2: The iron bar at the door isn't just an iron bar. It defines the border between people getting down at Dahisar and Borivali. If you are a Borivali getting down commuter and you are not standing on the correct side of iron bar, possibly no force in this universe can make you get down. Even LOC wouldn't have seen such precise division.

>>Game of Seats

You should look at the way they claim seats and fight for it. There audacity will put the claimant of an insurance policy to shame.

>>Intervention

Much as we all would have liked to have escalators at railway platforms; however I don't find a point of having an escalator at Dadar station where the human jam chokes the escalator. You don’t need an escalator at Dadar station; the human force begets human force and motion occurs. Having escalator at Dadar station is as pointless as Siddhu’s commentary during IPL.

>>Cheat code

If you think a first class ticket can give you little relief during peak hours. You are wrong. Wrong expectation. It is like expecting Katrina playing a movie character having both parents as Indians. The cheat code is to board the local priorly. For instance, you want to board a Dadar-Dahanu local, you board it at Andheri. The same local reaches Dadar, re-routes from Dadar and that’s how you get a seat.

>>Vent out via Fights

If you think that Candy Crush request senders are the most annoying people on the face of earth; then probably you ought to witness the female tussles in the local. So, I grab my window seat (remember cheat code), plug in earphones, take out that long time pending book (atmosphere isn't conducive for reading though) and munch along the chips. Although my ears seeps in with the November rain song, ‘So never mind the darkness, we still can find a way’, my eyes report the lisping of another song between few females. I can articulate it as ‘Dhakka kyun mara’

Randomness on a Sunday morning

2014-07-06T00:03:00.000-07:00

The random thoughts floating in the mind on a Sunday morning needs to be jotted down.

"Journey is as important as destination" Baba always say there's no point in reaching the destination, if you haven't enjoyed the Journey. So while you are busy making a living; remember to live. To smell the moist soil. To get wet in the rains. To do little things that make you happy.

"Lectures will someday make sense" Your choices and decisions gonna impact your life in the long run. so the long boring lectures from parents, teachers and friends about life were never a waste.

"Being Clear" Clarity of thoughts will always make life easier for yourself and the people surrounding you.

"Seriously over a drink" Someone who can do an elongated fake conversation over a drink; two facts are clear. a) Drink is ruined b) You are wasting your time

"illusions can be hazardous"

Cheating is bad. Cheating and still not knowing it, is illusion; a serious problem than cheating.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold'

Let Go is meant for the circumstances, when time and people weren't in your favor; however deceivers deserve a revenge.

"Check all viewpoints"

Person coming back in your life for the second time doesn't necessarily mean serendipity. No-one else likes the person.

"Thankful for the beatings"

The understanding, empathy, sanity and the rules drawn by you today; somewhere have the reference to your childhood beatings by parents. They did make you a better person today.

"Food lovers are awesomest people"

You cannot relish the best dish if you ain't having it with a foodie.

"There's lot of hurt around"

Don't believe that you have absorbed a lot of hurt in this universe; there is hurt which you haven't imagined or couldn't take. So chill.

"Death bed Study"

A study reveals that people lying on their death bed regret for not spending enough time with old friends. So stay connected.

"Random trip plans"

Do it often. It increases the acceleration of Life's wheel.

This randomness and more makes life a beautiful journey. Someday you will connect the dots and make sense; for now just stay high and stay happy :)

The RR's

2014-03-25T09:29:00.002-07:00

Warning: All characters in this note are real and any resemblance to fiction is purely coincidental:P

Woh tera Sanju Baba ka pose

Woh Swetapedia ke heavy dose

Woh tera epic eklauta dance step

Woh anokhe knowledge ki depth

Nahi Bhulenge hum Jab tak hai Jaan, Jab tak hai Jaan....

Woh tera har baat par tar tar karna

Phir badan dard ka RR hona

Woh tera sarkaar pose mein ana

Phir epic one liners marna

Nahi Bhulenge hum Jab tak hai Jaan, Jab tak hai Jaan...

Woh teri creative Kaltiya

Woh teri kamini mastiya

Woh tere Sunny ke ultimate expressions (I meant Sunny Deol :P)

Woh tere sense of humor ka fusion

Nahi Bhulenge hum Jab tak hai Jaan, Jab tak hai Jaan...

Woh tera self proclaimed statement that "I am Low maintenance" LOL

Woh tere OCD ke jalwe and kehna that cleaning is a continuous process

Woh teri unlimited capacity

Woh tere kisse of crazy intensity

Nahi Bhulenge hum Jab tak hai Jaan, Jab tak hai Jaan...

Woh tere dinning table ka mess

Woh tere fashion ke free tips

Woh tera mein apni favourite hu ka drama

Woh tere unlimited gyan ka phenomena

Nahi Bhulenge hum Jab tak hai Jaan, Jab tak hai Jaan....

Woh teri builder ki farzi kahaniya

Woh Siddhiqui kabab khate hue jhoot ki teri Ghustakiya

Woh tera honey singh ke gano par uchalna

Woh, tu kaha se hai, iss baat par tera sharmana

Nahi Bhulenge hum Jab tak hai Jaan, Jab tak hai Jaan...

Woh tera group mein mast mix hona,

jaise lemon ka mohito mein mix hona

Woh tera lemonade jaisa innocence

Woh sabke pagalpan mein bhi tera na banana koi sense

Nahi Bhulenge hum Jab tak hai Jaan, Jab tak hai Jaan...

Woh tera sabko pakad pakad kar pilana

Woh tera silent rehkar, dusro mein voilence karwana

Woh teri unlimited car drops, jo free thi :P

Woh tera cocos mein ekdum befikar hona

Nahi Bhulenge hum Jab tak hai Jaan, Jab tak hai Jaan.....

Love Note...

2014-02-14T04:22:00.005-08:00

Dear Shoe,

Ahh, I have seen you making those marks on the sand. I remember each sunshine with you, each moonlight walk with you. Remember those forest walks amidst the fireflies and the mountain treks. And yes those river crossings. It took my breath away when we were held in the hands of those unknown forces. Glad we came so far. Glad that the rains could only drench us, but couldn't wash us apart. Glad that the forest fire just burnt us a little bit but couldn't take away the warmth between us. Nomatter how many dusty roads you travel and how many sandy hills you unravel; I will be always there with you throughout the journey. Nomatter even when you are torn and your polish fades, I will be tightly held to you within your loops. Little do I know about love. But being in love for me is keeping those strings attached with you. And as you make my world upside down, I promise to be knotted around you.

Love Lace.

Ain't any Silver Lining; Ain't any Light...

2013-10-26T04:18:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a small town tarapur in a central government colony. My colony had a siren kinda of system. There was a loud siren ringing twice a day. One at 7 in the morning and the other at 7 in the evening. I don't know for what purpose it was meant. But the evening siren was a barometer for the kids to reach home by 7; after the evening play or from tuition or other classes. It was a ritual to be followed at home; to be back at 7. To be safe. It's been more than 10 years I have been staying outside home. Today also that siren rings in my mind. To reach home safely. To reach station safely when gotta catch a late train. With those crossword games played in mind. Isn't that auto guy looking lil scary? While returning from the airport from a late flight; the mind toggles whether to take a cab or airport bus. Which would be much safer? Should I walk down this dark lane? Those stares; they are not only scary. They symbolize you as some filthy object. Someone touching your body without your permission. That feeling. You cannot put it in words. If you are thinking that I am being lil pessimistic; then you are wrong. This is the story of every other women in this country. They play those crosswords in their mind while travelling. That fear rumbles on their mind. To reach home safely; it's like a luxury in a country like India. She knows that the lethargic law and the hypocrite society ain't gonna protect her. And that she has to play her own game.

They say India is a land of great culture and great mythology. What culture they are talking about; where we are celebrating the 67th Independence Day, while women in the country cannot move independently without that fear. Where an innocent girl going home after watching a movie becomes victim of ruthless beasts. Being raped to become martyr; so that media can sensationalize it in their own way, so that political parties can use it for their purpose. The kinda of culture which gave the world all those chapters of kamasutra but didn't emphasize upon the fact that each human being need to take the consent of other human being before touching him/her. Shouldn't Lord Ram have taken that Dhobi to task for asking Sita to take the Agnipariksha; thereby setting an epitome that whosoever behaves that way with women will not be spared. If Lord Krishna was so powerful, shouldn't he be killing Duryodhan, for Draupadi vastraharan in front of the assembly thereby setting an example in the history; whosoever touches another human being without his/her consent will be awarded death penalty? Why he waited for Bhim to take the oath of killing duryodhan in the battle field. In that case Draupadi waited till the battle for her justice. I always make it point to end my posts and poems with an optimistic note; but not this time. India ain’t a nation for women. Ain’t a nation for daughters. Ain’t a nation for baby girls. There ain’t any silver lining. There ain’t any light at the end of the tunnel.

Lord of wisdom deserve more sanity...

2013-09-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

Being a Maharashtrian, ganesh festival always occupied that special place in my heart. As kids, we were always excited about the Ganapati celebrations. It was a small two day event at my granny's place. Little joys came up in their own way. Decorating the Ganesh idol. Helping granny with the modak preparations. Plucking hibiscus flowers from the backyard garden. They say lord Ganesha loves red flower. Kids were given the task of making durva to be offered to the idol. Durva is made up of field grass; each grass comprising of 3 leaf strands and 21 such grass stems combined to form one durva. Prayers were simple. To give wisdom. Good health and good marks in the quarterly exam which was held a few days before the festival. Performing the quintessential aarti was my favorite part. I have always loved the rthyme of those chants. The night was spent doing Jagraan. Jagraan is to stay awake the entire night; kinda giving company to god. We were told god would be upset, that if we don't stay awake. Not the fear but the faith and belief in god kept us awake.

The next day visarjan remained simple. Some 7-8 families in the village with their ganapati idols proceeded in the procession towards the beach. We kids carried an extra set of clothes; as along with the Ganesha idol immersed, we took a dip in the water. We did carry a plastic pouch; for our little palms couldn't fit in all the prasads distributed by different families. Back home we came drenched. Although the idol is immersed but that night also aarti is being performed for the sand which is picked from the sea during immersion. I can quote many such instances of the ganesha celebrations during my childhood; not because I am a religious person or something. Bcuz those days were happy days. Small family gatherings, preparing the lunch together and distributing prasad in the neighbourhood. No loud music, no pompous sound but just the little ways of joy that brought smile on my granny's face; I remember that so very much.

Wish things remained that simple. Today my only concern was to reach home safely. Escaping the traffic. Escaping those drunkyards dancing outrageouly in the procession. What if they spill the colors over you. What if you get stuck on the way home. Celebration of this festival was started by the great freedom fighter Balgangadhar Tilak during the national struggle for independence to build peace & harmony amongst the people of different religion and caste. The communal riots in muzaffarnagar occuring few days before this festival is in itself a contradiction to the very basic foundation for which this festival is being celebrated.

Today I see the view of hussainsagar lake from my terrace. Beautifully litted with the lights for the immersion. Tommorow there would be cranes pulling the remnants of the immersed idols. And needless to say bulk of money already being spent in the 'Save hussainsagar lake campaign'. Do we have all these to offer to the lord of wisdom? Aren't there any other saner ways to celebrate this. Making clay ganesha idols at home. Coloring those with pastels. Immersion in bucket filled water at home. Collecting funds; not to play loud music or perform drunkard dancing but for a social cause. For an orphanage. For those unprivileged children. Getting little ways of joy ain't that difficult; just that we need to change our perspective with time. The lord of wisdom deserve to be celebrated with more conscience and with more saner ways.

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

2013-07-24T08:38:00.002-07:00

The air is moistened...that humid whiff is playing around...drops of rain are not settled yet...that drizzling water is dripping through the window panes...there's no clue of the sunshine since many days...the chirping birds are taking their share of sheds under the window roofs...the rope line has clothes hanging for days...even if the clothes are dried, they are cold and numb, sulking with moisture...the hotginger tea and crackled pepper chips are lying around...there is a rush of cold through the nostrils....it's much cozier to be in the velvet blanket...lethargic mind don't wanna take a step out in the mud puddles, in the showers and in the freezing breeze...it's just waiting for the sunshine to come up...It's just pondering about the beautiful lines of Alexander pope,

"How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!

The world forgetting, by the world forgot.

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!

Each prayer accepted, and each wish resigned."

Some day it is hoping toawake in the morning with this eternal sunshine..May be some daythis eternal sunshine will come up and erase the moisture in air, clean up everything and remove those dark specks on the mind...Somehow the mind is very hopeful about the eternal sunshine and believes in it what The shawshank redemption says "hope is a good thing...may be the best of good things. and no good thing ever dies"

Kuch aise hi hai hum...

2013-04-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Source: Internet

नंगे पाव जल रहे है सिसकती धूप में ,

फिर भी ओस की बूंदों के समान ख्वाबों को हथेली पर लिए चलते है हम

ज़िन्दगी कुछ ऐसी ही है, कभी गीली मिट्टी की खुशबू , कभी कच्ची अम्बियो का स्वाद

फिर भी मंज़ूर है हमें ये धुप छाव का खेल और ये खटास और मिठास

पंख थोडे घायल ज़रूर है,पर नशा आसमान का आज भी है

अरमानों की चादर लिए, आज भी हम पाँव पसारे है

थोड़ी गुस्ताखियाँ भी करते है हम, थोड़े से नादान ज़रूर है हम,

इसलिए यारियो में हसी बटोरना भुलते नहीं हम

टूटे दिल को जोड़ने का खेल जानते है हम, ज़ख्मो पर मरहम लगाना जानते है हम,

इसलिए खामोशियों में भी शोर ढूंढ़ लेते है हम

जानते है हम, ये रास्ते पथरीले ज़रूर है

पर थिरकते कदमो को हमने डगमगाने नहीं दिया है

खट्टी मिठी यादों की गठरियाँ साथ लिए चलते है हम

इस रूठी हुई ज़िन्दगी से भी खोले बाहे मिलते है हम

हम काले बादलो को देख,बारिश की बूँदें ढूँदते है

और काली रैना में चाँद देख खुश होते है

बिखरे हुए सपनो को भी सहेजकर आँखों की पुतलियों पर रखते है हम

क्योंकि सपनों की कीमत जानते है हम

कुछ ऐसे ही है हम, बेपरवाह पवन की तरह ,खाई की गहराई की तरह

सतरंगी इन्द्रधनुष की तरह ,आवारा झरने की तरह
टिमटिमाते तारों की तरह ,चमकते जुगनू की तरह

हमें टटोलने की कोशिश मत करना,कुछ ऐसे ही है हम !!!!

Nange pav jal rahe hai sisakti dhoop mein,

phir bhi aos ki boondo ke saman khawbo ko hatheli par liye chalte hai hum..

Zindagi kuch aisi hi hai, kabhi gili mitti ki khusboo, kabhi kacchi ambiyo ka swad,

phir bhi manzoor hai humein ye dhoop shav ka khel aur ye khataas aur mithas…

Pankh thode ghayal zaroor hai, par nasha aasmaan ka aaj bhi hai,

armano ki chadaar liye aaj bhi hum paav pasare hai..

Thodi gustakiya bhi karte hai hum,thode se nadaan zaroor hai hum,

isliye yariyo mein hassi batorana bhulte nahi hum

Tute dil ko jodne ka khel jante hai hum,zakhmo par marham lagana jante hai hum

isliye khamoshiyo mein bhi shor ki gunj dhund lete hai hum…

Jaante hai hum ye rasste patharile zaroor hai,

par thirakte kadamo ko humne dagmagane nahi diya hai

Khatti mitthi yaado ki gathariyo ko sath liye chalte hai hum,

Iss ruthi hui zindagi se bhi khole bahe milte hai hum…

Hum kale baadal dekh, barish ki boondein doondte hai,

aur kali raina mein chand dekh khush hote hai hum…

Bikhare hue sapno ko bhi sahejkar aakhon ki putliyo par rakhte hai hum,

kyunki sapno ki kimat jaante hai hum…

Kuch aisi hai hum, beparwah pawan ki tarah, khayi ki geharayi ki tarah,

satrangi indradhanush ki tarah, awara zarne ki tarah,
timtimate taaro ki tarah, chamakte jugnoo ki tarah,

Humein tatolne ki koshish mat karna, kuch aise hi hai hum….

Random Diaries....

2012-10-20T02:17:00.001-07:00

It’s a lazy and lonely Saturday afternoon…Both my roomies are working on Saturday.. So, I have no choice left but to spend morning and afternoon alone.. I am not a loner at all..Guess nobody is by choice…In school, when my bench partner was absent, my entire day was spent so silent…In engg hostel, when my roomies were away, I waited for them to come so that again our room wud be lively wid our noise…At my flat also, I would message my roomie frequently, when r u coming, come soon ....

These days are not nice and me not liking them in a way..They say life comes wid all kinda days..screw that thought..Have you ever felt this way, its like whenever you learn the rules of the game, the game changes..when you are close to the destination, the road map and the road itself changes..A series of such events, douse that flame of hope..But then life isn’t perfect..again screw that thought..But u know wat ders no fun in learning the rules…trust me have learnt and followed hell of them...make ur own rules..

As the life passes you will learn , there’s nothing as good or bad, right or wrong…Its just the perception of mind. But still we make our own judgements. I hate people making judgements about me..morons they are..dont know ways of life..but then even I was judgemental for some dear ones…And you know wat concept of karma works…Nowadays me and roomie often talks a lot about lives of celebrities and successful people.. we envy about the freewill, they have in life..Iknow grass is always greener on other side..But then I don’t wanna die as a common person.. I swear my soul will wander if that happens..

But whatever it is, I am not liking these days..wannna go back to those conversations, those laughs, those silly notions, those bucketlist we talked about, those movies , books we discussed, arguments with no conclusions, ways of life we wished, acts of stupidity..Ahh good old days…Again I wanna go back to my engineering days..Fun in classrooms, late night maggi, late night coffee, late night talks, waiting for someone to complete the assignment so that we could copy word to word widout giving any load to mind, watching matches and movies in TV room, we literally survived on Doordarshan, bunking classes just to watch 50 bucks show in E-square, frequent trips for Durga coffee (still remains the best and cheap cold coffee ever), playing some loud music in room and dancing like noone’s watching, rushing for last moment project submission, during exam days me , vrunda and shruti keeping our books aside and gossiping like world is gonna end tomorrow, tripsi on Kinetic wid mayu and anu…

Wanna go back to good old times in tarapur too..While in hostel, visiting tarapur was the biggest upcoming thrill in life..Me n vrunda always counted the days left for going home…People called us homesick fanatics..That day when I was talking to Sid and prady, we were talking about it’s not that old fun in tarapur now.. times have changed.. They say you should always live in present. Screw that thought again. There’s always a good thing about going back to good old memories..it is a barometer that you did good in life, an indicator that you have gathered loads of good moments in the past…toggling to these memories makes u happy and feel good…Now let me tackle this lonely Saturday afternoon..Let me learn..enjoying the music, reading a book and just cooking for urself alone…And that’s an art..spending the day lonely and still feeling happy about it.. I am wayward poor at this talent..let me try upon this too…

Woh.....

2012-10-13T03:40:00.000-07:00

वों सागर की लहरें , न जाने कितनी रेत समेट जाती है अपने साथ

वों बारिश की बूँदे , जानती है एहसास बंजर ज़मीन का

वों छोटी छोटी बातें , न जाने इतनी यादें समेटे हुए है

वों किताबों के खोए हुए पन्ने , कई कहानिया अधूरी रखे है

वों अधूरी उड़ान, जानती है मौसम की बेमानी को

वों रिश्तों की गाँठ , धागे जैसी नहीं तोड़ी जाती

वों कागज़ की नाव, नहीं जानती तूफ़ान में तैरना

वों मिटटी की खुशबू , ताज़गी सी भर देती है दिल में

वों काजल की कालीमा भी नैनों की शोभा बढाए है

वों रंग-बिरंगी चुडिया , नहीं जानती बेरंगी दुनिया का एहसास

वों गुमसुम आवाज़ , न जाने इतने शोर को महसूस करती है

वों बंद पलके , नहीं होती है हमेशा निद्रा का इशारा

वो बच्चों के आखोँ की मासूमियत हम सभी में थी , वक़्त न जाने उसे कहा ले गया

वों नंगे पाँव , जानते है कांटो की चूभन को

वों अधूरे काफ़िले , जानते है अल्फाजों की कीमत

वों दिये की लौ , जलकर भी रोशन करती है समा

वों रेत जानती है तुम्हें , जहा तुम अपने पैरों के निशान छोड़ आए हों

वों सरसराती पवन , कभी सुना करती थी हमारी बातें

वों रेल की पटरिया, गुज़रती है आज भी तुम्हारे घर से होंकर

और वों भूल -भूलैया सी ज़िन्दगी , हमेशा पहेलिया करती रहेगी तुमसे ......

woh sagar ki lehere, na jaane kitni ret samet jati hai apne sath

woh barish ki boonde, jaanti hai ehsaas banjaar zameen ka

woh choti choti baatein ,na jaane itni yaadein samete hue hai

woh kitabo ke khoye hue panne, kayi kahaniya adhuri rakhe hai

woh adhuri udaan, jaanti hai mausam ki bemani ko

woh rishto ki gaantha, dhaage jaisi nahi todi jati

woh kagaaz ki naav, nahi janti toofan mein tairana

woh mitti ki khusboo, tazagi si bhar deti hai dil mein

woh kajal ki kalima bhi naino ki shobha badhaye hai..

woh rang-birangi chudiya, nahi janti berangi duniya ka ehsaas

woh gumsum awaaz, na jane itne shor ko mehsoos karti hai

woh band palke, nahi hoti hai hamesha nidra ka ishara

woh baccho ke aakhon ki masumiyat hum sabhi mein thi, waqt na jane usse kaha le gaya

woh nange pav jaante hai kaanto ki chubhan ko

woh adhure kafile jaante hai alfazo ki kimat

woh diye ki lau, jaalkar bhi roshan karti hai sama

woh ret jaanti hai tumhe, jaha tum apne pairo ke nishaan chod aye ho

woh sarasrati pavan, kabhi sunna karti thi hamari baatein

woh rail ki patariya, guzarti hai aaj bhi tumahare ghar se hokar.

woh bhul, bhulaiya si zindagi, hamesha paheliya karti rahegi tumse

Kabhi....

2012-07-14T05:02:00.001-07:00

जिन्दगी के मायने समझने में और इतना वक़्त लगाओगे,

कभी इन् छोटे छोटे पलो की खुशियों को निचोड़ कर तो देखो...

और इतना इंतज़ार लेहरे पीछे हटने का, इन् सीपियों के लिए.

कभी लेहेरो की आहटो में खोना भी सीखों...

और इतना औरों के इशारो पर नाचोगे,

कभी अपनी मस्ती में झूमकर तो देखों..

ये कैसी आधी आधी सी हस्सी है.

कभी खुलकर हस्सी के ठहाके लगाकर तो देखो..

आखीर मोती भी सीपियों के ज़ख्मों से ही बनता है..

कभी अपने ज़ख्मो को भी मुस्कुराहाट से देखो..

और इतनी ख्वाईशो के लिए आँखे मूँद लोगे,

कभी ज़िन्दगी की टहनियों पर लगे ख्वाइशो के फलो को भी चखो..

बातों का क्या है , बस दुनिया करती ही रहेगी.

कभी अपनी दिल की बात सुनकर, दिल की खिडकियों के परदे हटाकर तो देखों.

किश्तों की इस ज़िन्दगी के और इतने बहाने बनाओगे.

कभी मुस्कुराहटें बाटने के बहाने खोजकर तो देखो.

कब तक किनारे से ही नय्या देखते रहोगे.

कभी माज़ी बनकर , खिवैया से लेहरो को चिरकर तो देखों.

मोड आने के इंतज़ार में , सारे सफ़र में ये कैसी बेचैनी ?

कभी सफ़र के हर पल को जी कर तो देखो ..

कभी नफ़रत में प्यार , कभी सच्चे प्यार में इंतकाम के छीटे...

कभी दुरियो में पास होने का एहसास , कभी क़रीबी में फासलों का आभास...

कभी नम आखोँ में ख़ुशी का इशारा , कभी मुस्कान में छुपा दर्द..

कभी भीड़ में खो जाने का डर , कभी अकेलेपन के साये का डर..

कभी में बटी हुई इस ज़िन्दगी के रंगों में अपनेआप को रंग कर तो देखों ..

Zindagi ke mayane samajhne mein aur itna waqt lagaoge,

Kabhi inn chote chote palo ki khushiyo ko neechod kar to dekho…

Aur itna intezaar lehere piche hatane ka ,inn seepiyo ke liye,

Kabhi lehero ki aahatoin mein khona bhi seekho..

Aur itna auro ke ishare par nachoge

Kabhi apni masti mein jhumkar to dekho

Ye kaisi aadhi aadhi si hassi hai

Kabhi khulkar hassi ke thahake lagakar to dekho..

Aakhir moti bhi seepiyo ke zakhmo se hi banta hai

Kabhi apne zakhmo ko bhi muskurahaat se dekho…

Aur itni khwaisho ke liye aankhe moond loge

Kabhi zindagi ki tehniyo par lage khwaisho ke phalo ko bhi chakho..

Baaton ka kya hai, bas duniya karti hi rahegi

Kabhi apni dil ki baat sunkar, dil ki khidkiyo ke parde hatakar to dekho…

Kishto ki iss zindagi ke aur itne bahane banaoge,

Kabhi Muskurahate battane ke bahane dhunkar to dekho..

Kab tak kinare se hi nayya dekhte rahoge,

Kabhi mazi banaker, khewayya se leharo ko chirkar to dekho..

Modd Ane ke intezaar mein, saare safar mein ye kaisi bechaini,

Kabhi safar ke har pal ko jeekar to dekho..

Kabhi nafarat mein pyar, kabhi sachhe pyar mein intkaam ke sheete,

Kabhi duriyo mein pass hone ka ehsaas, kabhi karibi mein faslo ka abhaas,

Kabhi namm aakhon mein khushi ka ishara, Kabhi muskaan mein chupa dard,

Kabhi bheed mein kho jane ka darr, Kabhi akelepan ke saaye ka darr,

Kabhi mein bati hui iss zindagi ke rango mein apneaap ko kabhi rangkar to dekho...

Birthday Wishes/Confessions/Lectures....

2012-07-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Chotu,

You threatened me to write something for you on your birthday....But do you have any idea, that all my life I have been lecturing you on life, its rules and blah blah and you have been hating it from the core of your heart…So sweetie even this post has traces of lectures, confessions and wishes too and you gotta read it, no matter you like it or not :)..

You as a Kiddo

It’s gotta be your 22nd birthday…As a Kid you were always choosy about your birthday’s, but wid time the birthday’s are getting more saner…As a kid, I always hated you for many reasons..Firstly, you were a useless pig when it came to completing your class work and thus lil part of my evening playtime was snatched in completing your class work…When I screamed at you for not completing the class work, with a poor fish face, you replied, the next teacher comes and rubs off the blackboard before I could copy the entire blackboard..But then mom was your super supporter..She always asked me to complete your incomplete class work; for you were a small kiddo for her…Also, the report card analysis was different for you..It was wayward liberal…We were questioned for all the ups and down in our marks, while not much questions were raised when you didn’t perform well.. And oh lord don’t ask about the wrestling’s we had…You kicking me was perfectly fine but myself kicking you was like a wicked act…I remember, once I hit you so hard that my entire palm-print was clearly visible on your arm as a humongous red mark…And before you would approach the supreme-court (mom) with your loud and annoying cry, I silenced you, by tightly shutting your mouth..Don’t try to gather sympathy..Bcuz, even I was victim of your domestic violence..Once you had hit me hard on my head, with some object..For days, I had that pain..Our hatred feeling was mutual:)..And you know what, in the evening games you were always a kaccha limbu (weak player who’s a virtual part of game)..So you were always running around, thinking that you were in the game and you were a good player, but nobody bothered about you :).. And remember, whenever you arrived, there was an awkward silence..Bcuz you leaked all our secrets to mom, we didn’t talk about anything in front of you :).. And I never took you out with my friends.. I always made the excuse to mom, that you act super dumb and rude with my friends..

Shades of Chotu

Time has passed and changed too, and hopefully with the passing time, we have grown up..Back then, no matter how much ever class works I have completed for you, but now, for all my home work notes of life, I need you, to discuss..No matter, I kept you a weak player in the evening games, but in life’s game you are a real strong player..And no matter I never took you out with my friends, but you are always there to hang out with me, when I am not left with many friends around..No matter, we called you chotu, for we thought you would always remain that irresponsible pig, but the way you take the responsibilities now proves us wrong..And I know; dare anyone say anything to me, you would take that person to task..Also, I must say that you are a very good liar or maybe I am an easy hit to fool around.. But sweetie, always remember lies are of two types..The first type are the one’s widout which no human can survive..And the second type are the ones that break the trust with people around you..Always stay away from this hazardous second type..Mistakes, you really gotta do that, else how you gonna learn..But repeating your mistakes..Don’t do that.. That’s what fools do..Temperament, you gotta control that bcuz after all, a cooler breeze can make the atmosphere pleasant..

You And Me

And don’t worry despite of so many confessions and lectures, I remember it’s your birthday…Many many happy returns of the day sweetie..My best wishes always remain with you..Please, keep asking for pocket money and money to shop..That makes me feel responsible..Don’t you ever stop making fun of me..That makes me feel we are still the same kiddos..Don’t you stop, doing those elongated conversations wid me at night wid louder laughs and giggles…That gives me a high on life feel..And don’t forget to give that helping hand of yours, when someone needs it..That’s the best quality you possess..The way you raise your voice against anything wrong and say it on face to the person..Don’t lose that attitude, trust me very few people have it in today’s manipulative world…Through the turbulent waves and the opposing breeze, across which you sailed and came towards the shore..Not everyone is that good swimmer..And remember, you still remain the best rider for me..So rush through the maps, find your own roads and go chase your destination..And while doing all these, if they still hand over you hurt, hatred, disgust and failure..Don’t worry; I will be standing there, just besides you…

Love Maii..

Childhood Summers with the Sunshine gal....

2012-05-19T05:11:00.000-07:00

Summers, sometimes they are annoying.. Annoying bcuz the scorching heat bakes the body like earthen pots and the sweat flows through the body like tributaries of the river.. Annoying bcuz you don’t feel like going out during weekends and annoying bcuz it doesn't allow you to go out for a vacation.. All travel plan sites indicate, all the destinations not to be visited preferably during April-May and hill-stations are all the more crowded, which would never give you the solace..But as Emily Dickenson Says, “ ..To see the Summer Sky is Poetry..”

Summer Sky - Monali's Photography

So this summer I would take the sunshine gal Kyra to the journey of my childhood summer vacation, to the stories that I have lived, to the other side of summer vacation, to a place where fun and frolic rolled .. To a place unheard, place unseen, to a place where there are no exotic beaches but still the serene water and tranquil sky gives the peace of life, place where there are no expensive spas but the solacing effect of breeze, calms your mind. .Place that is away from the crowd, away from the commotions, away from those complexities, that have twitched life...Place where, there’s music humming with the waves and fun rolls with the sand..

Summers of my childhood is some 15 years ago, when summer use to come along with School summer vacations..All my summer vacations were spent at my Nani’s place..It's a place called Shirgaon, 100 Kms from Mumbai and at a drive of 45 minutes from my home in Tarapur..We kids, submitted the last paper of Annual exams and waited for my dad to come from office, so that he could drop us to my Nani’s place...My Nani, she's the most beautiful lady with the most lovely eyes, I have ever come across..Today also when I meet her, she gives the same smile and the same hug, I used to get as a kid...My Nani’s place, it’s a place, surrounded by orchards of coconut and supari (coming to the details later on), house from where beach is at a walk of 10 minutes, and there’s a pond at a walk of some 15 minutes..It's a lonely house, with no neighborhood..When there’s no neighborhood, you can shout, scream and laugh aloud, that’s the best part..Apart from coconut and supari orchards, the house was also surrounded by Mango, Jamun, Jackfruit and Cashew nut trees all being the fruits of summer season and so I can somehow manage to remember them...

Nani's House - Monali's Photography

Shoreline near the place - Monali's Photography

Our mornings started with the amazing tea and rice rotis made by Nani. Also, sometimes we had omelets and rice rotis for breakfast..For omelets, each kid had their own variety be it half-fry, beaten omelets or onion omelets and Nani made it according to each one's preference..After our breakfast, we plunged into the water tank..Yes, there was a water-tank in the premises, which was meant for the irrigation purpose in the fields, but we kids assumed it as our mini-swimming pool. Today when we look at it, we wonder, how come so many kids were accommodated in it....Everyday my Nanaji used to switch on the water-pump sharp at 8 O' clock in the morning and the water pump was off by 12 O' clock in the afternoon..We played a game of splashing water outside, and whoever jumped into the tank by splashing maximum water was the winner...

Pond near the place - Monali's Photography

Nanaji and Nani - old pic

My Nanaji, he was a really strict and short tempered person…He used to yell at us for splashing the water out of water tank, for it disturbs the irrigation process. But we made those fish faces in front of him, and when he left we laughed like shameless pigs and again do what we wanted to do..Sometimes, he switched off the water pump, so that we get out of the water tank.. But then we kids had our Nani as our superhero, so we complained her and she declared it aloud; let the kids do whatever they want and that nobody would intervene in their summer vacations. And so happy faces we were again: D..But no matter, how much ever strict my Nanaji acted with us, he always kept basket full of ripened Mangoes and Jamuns for us and sliced the ripened Jackfruit (cutting Jackfruit stands the most tedious task)

After our lunch, afternoons were pretty boring bcuz we were asked, not to roam around during afternoons and take a siesta. So while everyone took a nap, we kids sat across the fence-side, waiting for the ice candy man.. And thus; waiting for the candy man was like a daily siesta routine for us, and by the time summer vacation ended, candy man was our friend and we played some cheap bargain tricks with him to get free candies.. It was a place by beach side, but we kids were never allowed to go alone on beach..Nani was a master in narrating those threatening fake stories. She threatened us that those kids’ snatchers roam on the beach, and that they would put the kids in the gunny bags and take them along..So we always waited for our uncle to come over, so that we could go to the beach...

Legendary Wada-Pav - Monali's Photography

Going to the beach without wada-pav and coke was like a sin, even when we were kids and now, even when we are grown ups..Beaches, sometimes they teach us so many things...Those waves..They come back with a high tide again.. That breeze. It knows story of you and me..It touches everyone's soul without marking any difference..That sand on which, we left our footprints..Those sea-shells, for whom we waited for the waves to go back..The horizons, that paints our lives. Shoreline, it has a beautiful relationship with the ocean and as Sarah Kay says “….There’s nothing more beautiful than the way ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline no matter how many times it’s sent away..”

Ecstasy at beach - Monali's Photography

Beaches were always fun, making those tiny sand hills, carving your name upon the sand, running around the Suru trees, going behind the fisherman and asking them to show the catch for their day, jumping across the high tides and getting all wet...Besides the beach, there was a beautiful sand hill, it was carved out by the construction people for the sand required for construction purpose...

Sunset - Monali's Photography

We climbed the sand hill from one end, and had a freefall from the other carved end. There's nothing more exciting than falling down from the sand hill, rolling all over the sand, with the sand going into your boots, your hairs, your fingernails and your pockets.. By the time we reached home from the beach, it would be dinner time. And fish fry and fish curry made by Nani, still remains the best one's I ever had.

Suru trees near the beach side - Monali's Photography

And yes about the coconut and supari orchards. Every summer, a coconut vendor visited Nani’’s place along with a truck, to upload the coconuts and along with a crew of the 8-9 people to pluck the coconuts..Chacha, that's what we called this coconut vendor, he was kid’s favorite..He was a tamilian and he had this amazing skill of making stuff with coconut leaves..Like origami makes those beautiful swans and roses with paper, he made a cricket ball and a bird out of coconut leaves..Whenever it was coconut plucking time, we kids were told not to roam around in the orchards, and that we would be hit by the falling coconuts..But who cared and we roamed around..

Coconut Orchards - Monali's Photography

Supari's - Monali's Photography

For supari, things were quite different. Supari is an orange fruit initially; it needs to be dried and peeled, to get the nut inside. This nut is used in paans, gutkas and all that stuff which spoils your mouth. Once dried, they are sealed in gunny bags and are bought by the vendors.. And I thank god that there was this entire process of supari drying; else we kids would never had the fun of playing cricket in suparis..Yes, playing in suparis. Usually suparis were spread over the terrace for drying in the sun, so we played cricket on the surface of suparis...The rules were pretty clear, the ball shouldn't go beyond the terrace boundary, and if does so, the one who hit it, ought to get it..There’s nothing more fun than hitting a ball and running over the suparis, at other end of the so called supari pitch, to get runs..

Supari Trees - Monali's Photography

Background is the dried Supari field for cricket :D - old pic

And yes about the dragonfly story...Back then, there was a huge rose garden besides the coconut orchards..Now it's a bare land..No more pink roses with huge petals and yellowish pistils, no more butterflies and no more dragonflies..Yup dragonflies, during evening time the rose garden was flooded with the butterflies of all colors and dragonflies with a golden tail and sharp transparent wings..We kids were little evil and coward too..Coward bcuz we attacked butterflies and dragonfly from the back, while they landed upon the roses..And evil bcuz we catched those dragonflies and tied its tail with a thread and when the dragonfly made an attempt to fly, we pulled the thread..When my mom witnessed these evil activities, she called us and told us that imagine somebody snatching your freedom by tieing strings to your feet, and also god would really punish us for doing this heinous act..And so we released the dragonfly and that’s why, today when something bad happens to me, I feel it's the curse of the dragonfly, may be it was hurt that time and may be the concept of karma really works...

It's not just this but there are lot more stories other than this, stories of weaving mats from coconut leaves, stories of visiting bazaars with Nani, story of the huge shoe-flower plant, which we kids assumed as airplane, story of making clay toys, story of that Doberman doggie, who literally chased me till the air knocked out of my lungs and built the fear of dogs inside me and many more..

So the then good summers use to pass by, through the beaches, backwaters, roaming around in sun without the fear of getting tan, rolling over the sand hill without worrying about sand dispersing everywhere, riding over the high tides without the fear of getting drowned, biting tamarind and raw mangoes and making those sour expression faces, jumping on the heap of hay without the fear of getting any hay-particle allergy, taking a high ride on the swing with the feel of rising above the sky..Where's that insanity slipped down suddenly, where's that fearlessness and temerity disappeared, where those imaginations evaporated, where’s that carefree feel vanished suddenly…And that's why growing up is no fun…And that's why keeping that little kid alive in us is no wrong. I did really thank my grandparents for those priceless summer vacations, and so I indeed owe them a super vacation..Sometimes, we really ought to do a reverse engineering of life, just to figure out how many apologies are still pending, how many thanks are still to say, how many return gifts still we ought to give and how many vacations still we owe….

P.S: This post has been written for Indiblogger's ‘Lakme Diva Blogger Contest' - Tell us how will you live it up this summer with Kyra, have fun and enjoy sunshine like never before

Please click on the image below for details

If you like my post, you can vote for it here: Click on the image below

Being Happy

2012-04-17T23:30:00.017-07:00

Being Happy..Really, is it that difficult? Not actually..
When those tiny miny little fingers of the newborn hold your palm tightly, that's called being happy..When a friend hugs you and says that everything would be fine, that's also a version of being happy..When that caramel toast with a thick topping of chocolate sauce melts in your mouth, yeah you got lil smarter, that's gotta be a reason to be happy..When a friend picks up your call at 2 in the morning, wakes up from his sleep and listens to your conundrum, and gives a solution to the same, there you go ,it's one of the many reasons to be happy that you have such kinda friend in your list. Standing across the blue ocean, with the winds knocking out you. Climbing the hill and getting the feel of, on top of the world, when you reach the hilltop. When you overcome a tough situation..When the recipe exactly turns out the way you wanted it to be..Meeting an old friend after ages and finding that time didn't alter your strings of friendship..Taking your grandparents to a vacation..Gifting your loved ones, something they wanted to possess since a long time..Conversations with people, at the end of which discovering that the person is also going through the same phase as you..Winning a debate by giving some illogical and annoying arguments, just to irritate the opposite person...Laughing on some crazy stuff till tears trickle down your eyes and stomach starts aching..Clicking indefinitely while you are on a road trip and discovering that each click is just the way you wanted it to be..Spotting that expensive apparel for wayward discount, on which your eyes stared every time you looked at it hanging...Mixing the shades of poster colors, and getting that perfect shade for your painting..Doing those activities and lil hobbies that makes u elated...Kicking the football hard enough, making a perfect goal...Coming across a nice face, while you are hitting the gym..Yes, all of these indeed come under the league of reasons for being happy..And as Sarah Kay says there's nothing more beautiful than the way ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away...Yup watching the same is all the more reason to be happy...
Being happy, just two plain words yet so important for us and for the people around us...Being happy is a simple calculation, just that you need to figure out that the reasons to be happy are more than the reasons to be sad...There is a little bit of discontent in everyone of us..And this bit of discontent is neither gonna change the world nor our life, but slowly gonna kill us bit by bit..Things will fall in place as in when they are destined to, so stop cribbing and catch that little evil in the form of discontent, and murder it and there you enter the pathway to being happy :D

Sometimes...

2012-02-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, words just click flawlessly to form a crisp poem,

And sometimes you just don’t find words even after digging all your brain nerves.

Sometimes your little palms can’t hold all the pain you have,

And sometimes just a warm shoulder puts behind all the pain you have.

Sometimes, you don’t know the person after a long distance traveled,

And sometimes you know the person in just a stroll.

Sometimes a mere sorry isn’t enough to mend the damage done

And sometimes just a smile is enough to fix all the differences

Sometimes those humongous things can’t bring along even tinge of happiness

And sometimes those tiny moments are filled with so much of happiness

Sometimes we ignore the unconditional love of our lives

And sometimes we just cry upon the love which was never ours.

Sometimes we fear about losing every tiny bit in life.

And sometimes that fear just dies, when you don’t have anything to lose anymore.

And remember not always you gonna get a click, an opportunity, an idea and a perfect plan in life

It‘s just that Sometimes you gonna get it and make sure you don’t ever miss it :)

Welcome 2012!!!!!

2012-01-01T09:08:00.000-08:00

Huh it’s over, 2011…If somebody would ask me to rate 2011 on a scale on 1-5, I would ask, for a negative rating scale. I know that’s how it turned out for me, nothing happened the way I wanted it to happen. And when I was in school, backstreet boys , I want it that way song was my fav one. I used to wait for it , o play on MTV select. Didn’t know that time as I would grow up, this song gonna contradict big time.

Anyhow, 2011 was a loss making year. We lost many of the living legend, Dev Anand Sahab, Shammi kapoor, Jagjit singh, Bhupen hazarika, Steve jobs and Dennis Ritchie (he’s gotta be the founder of C language, Irony being that no one paid tribute to a person without whom there would have been no OS, no iphones and no ipads)….And one more irony being, while we lost these legends, bastards like kasab are still alive…

Bollywood front also, wasn’t that shining with the humongous breakup of John-Bipasha and also we didn’t have those great movies, thus we ended up paying bugs for senseless movies. Although, Dirty picture was an exception, not because of the story, but bcuz of the audacity with which Vidya Balan exposed fatty celluloid on screen. Vidya Balan has discovered that good maintenance can give you a career in bollywood, but good acting can surely increase lifetime of your quality career. But personally I love such comebacks, especially after SRK made his disastrous sense of humor upon the dressing sense of Vidya Balan in one of the award function. SRK, Dirty picture is the answer to that disaster. And from SRK, it reminds me that possibly some marketing bug might have bitten him in 2011. He was featured everywhere for promotions of Ra-1.He even did one pathetic advertisement for toothpaste, just keep your fingers crossed that he doesn’t appear in kachava chap agarbatti advertisement in 2012.

And yeah on political front, we are still fighting for passing of a strong Jan lokpal bill. I suppose it’s time to apply the Mahabharata principles of lord Krishna to achieve the bill, i.e. twisting the principles to the greater extent to achieve the path of dharma. But still we witnessed a mind-blowing revolution for lokpal bill, which possibly our generation would have never get to see. And I suppose it was the year in which government changed the petrol prices for the maximum number of times, thereby creating intermittent gathering of crowd near the petrol pump during odd hours and also giving all the more great reasons to the autowallahs, not to follow the meter reading and fight with the commuters.

And now again coming back to me, 2011 has been the year in which the statistics of the legendry question, so when are you planning to settle down and blah blah…, has hit the maximum record. And the stats are so obvious, when you are nearing close to your 30’s. But this legendry question stands little annoying, yes the kind of annoyance you feel when Kareena mentions 3 idiots and bodyguard as her blockbusters movies (those movies were anyways gonna be a blockbuster, irrespective of the fact whichever actress was been casted in it), the kind of annoyance you feel when you are having some bad food, while watching Nigella’s Kitchen on TLC and the kind of annoyance which Vijay mallya would be feeling while Rajdeep Sardesai questions him in the interview, “Yes Mr. Mallya, so are you going to change the way of your lifestyle, while Kingfisher airlines is not doing well”. But is there any perfect 10 on 10 answer for this legendry question. May be you can say, of course I am an ordinary person and I will settle down sometime bcuz by not marrying or something I am not gonna be the next Ratan Tata who’s gonna give India a huge business empire. But the sad part is that you are not even an average celebrity, who can anytime give this as answer that as in for now I wanna focus on my career.

But 2011 was a great year when it comes to meeting new people. Met many new people..One good thing about meeting new people is that you get to know there are so many ways of living life and you can pick the best amongst them. Also, I gotta spend time with my school friends after almost a decade. The best part in life is when you meet old friends and find that things haven’t changed to that greater extend. It’s just that, then our laughs were kiddish and now the laughs are little matured, but glad that laughs still exist. Then we had spontaneous fun in classrooms, now we plan to have fun. Nevertheless, no matter howmuchever fun we have, it’s never gonna remotely even match the classroom fun we had. But some things in life remain static, the fact that school friends use to bear me earlier also and now also they ought to bear with me, with the same levels. Although by end of 2011, they almost had traces to disown me, but somehow with 2012, those traces swept off :D

And yes how can a New Year post miss out the term resolutions. That would be a sin...Yeah there are loads of them.. Most important being I wanna be saner, more organized and more stable. Also, kick that flashback lil bit hard working Monali to get going the same way in the coming year…Also, to learn new activities, like to learn some kinda dance, not the one done on dance floor, the kinda which is being performed J…Also, to strike guitar chords correctly, bcuz there’s nothing more embarrassing than owing a guitar for 3.5 years and not able to play at least one song smoothly, considering the fact that the guitar was being possessed for 2 years by one of my friend who’s got to be an amazing guitarist and now one kiddo in my building is owing it.. Every time when I complete my basics of chords and my guitar tutor says that I am gonna hit the song soon; I quit the class…So this year I am gonna cross that so close barrier. And ya on reading front, I am not the kind of reader who finishes the book as in it comes in hand, I wanna become that kind of reader; bcuz people say books are your best friends. But while reading, only books speak and I have to be mum, that’s difficult…But will try to build those conversations with books in the coming year.. Also I believe source of inspiration and humor are two important aspects we ought to have, so I promise to write more on the same.. And also, I am gonna be a book reviewer for one of my friend’s poem book, which I assured him that we would publish it this year. Huh, writing is so easy, but taking it to target audience is so difficult..Someday I am too gonna publish my book, at least I would be having something to show to my grandchildren…But for now I am just the reviewer. And also I wanna gain those fatty acids which I lost over the years, bcuz I really miss people calling up and saying moti kaisi hai? And lastly I hope to mark maximum ticks on the word doc named wish list in my folder, which has lot of adventurous activities to be done and lot of places to be visited.

Finally, no matter it was a negatively rated year for me, but amidst of these highs and lows, ups and downs, fear and anger, tears and laughs, insanity and maturity, friends have been there to hold, to scold, to party, to laugh, to laugh with me, laugh on me and to tell that there would be days like this….So be glad at least you have people going your way if not the things, someday things would also go your way…..

Let the new year bring fun, happiness and merry moments for all of us…Let’s hope we have lot of good movies in this coming year which does something more than making money at box-office…Let the series of Big-Bang get extended, and again there was a talk about next season of Prison Break coming up…Let that happen in the coming year bcuz sitcoms are the best thing that happened to mankind..I know it’s lil over expectation, but lets hope we have some sane politics in 2012. Let the Jan lokpal bill get passed in the coming year. Let love triumphs hatred, let peace triumphs war and let light covers up the darkness in the coming year..

Wishing everyone a very happy new year!!!!!!!!

You

2011-12-16T23:59:00.000-08:00

Ahh dear you got that crossword wrong there, Love isn't that blind.
It does come along with a package of If and Else.

And you don't try holding that sand in your clenched fingers,
Bcuz some things in life are meant to let go.

And Sweetie you don't just define those self-proclaimed and overrated little things of yours as problems or as pain.
The day when you understand, the predicament of a mother who ought to tell her little children’s that today is the day when they need to sleep empty stomachs as they don’t' have food to cook.
That day I will listen to your problems and to your pain as well.

And you know this world needs more of sweetness than that of sulkiness
So stop shading those salty teardrops, Bcuz your smile is really sweet

And sweetheart, no matter even they remain incomplete or no matter they are broken, don't you ever stop dreaming.
Bcuz that’s what makes life get going.

And it's alright if you make a mistake, that’s one of the attributes that define a human being.
But don't you ever make those mistakes which slides down a heartache

And also you ought to believe this, that the dark clouds of despair would disappear soon,
Bcuz seasons do change and so shall you will get your share of sunshine.

And you heard it right, you won't be satisfied no matter how much ever you earn
But the truth is you were more happy when you earned less and had more content.

And trust me the game is gonna get dirtier, you are gonna get more wounds and the rules are gonna be all the more molded
But don't you ever give up upon your sportsman spirit and the zeal to appeal to the umpire.

And you would be lost at times,
But don't worry at least you know you ought to get one magnetic needle to get the directions.

And then there would be those days of loneliness,
But you know, the star away from the cluster, shines the most.

And don't you dare giving that, take a chill pill attitude to your mom, She was more cool before you were born
The day you discover logic behind her uncool notions, you gonna hit the hard wall of reality.

And I know that you know that the society is a hypocrite and so you don't wanna give a damn to it
But still you give, Bcuz dad says that you ought to follow the rules of the fields on which you play.

And if you don’t have it in you, try to learn empathy
Bcuz that’s how you can get your toes into the shoes of other person and can know how it feels to have a shoe bite.

And remember it’s only you who knows the you in you.
You may have fear and agonies but you do have the strength and perseverance and thus you is never gonna give up:)

Happy Birthday Baba !!!!!!!

2011-11-25T11:13:00.000-08:00

For you believed, there’s a sane mind behind my insanity,
I could fill the way which was full of vanity.
For you said its okay for my failures,
I could sail through the rough sailings.
For you held my hand, when I fell during the race,
I could get up again, and score an ace.
For you said to value people more than object,
I believed in humanity as a subject.
For you said life is much more than what I thought of,
I changed the lens through which I view life.
For you taught happiness also lies in small things,
I never missed a single moment of minuscule happiness.
For you give that impeccable smile,
I wanna do all that to stretch the same to a mile.

Happy birthday Baba!!!!!

It's gotta be Dad’s 61th birthday and also the time when he’s getting retired from his job…Ahhh, time just flies..Still remember those days when he used to yell at me, when I used to be late for school, call me to ensure whether I am safe while I was traveling, whether I reached my hostel, ensured whether I had enough money for my expenses, ensured whether I am alright or not…and the list goes on..I know; ask any daughter to praise her dad and she goes on and on and on…Even dad’s follow this biased theory towards his daughters.. No matter how much ever bad your recipe turns out and how much ever bad your academic performance goes, he will say its good, at least you tried the recipe and don’t worry at least you scored this much. And that’s why Dad remains the only superhero in every daughter’s life, because deep down she knows that nobody is ever gonna love her and care for her, the way her Dad does.....This birthday is a reminder to me, of taking up the responsibilities, give up my unruly ways and grow up; not just a little bit, but grow up to a greater extent :)

tions of life...

2011-10-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

The title sounds little weird and so does the blog. It can be a source of annoyance too, so better read this when you are high and trust me you will agree upon it..So here it goes...

Reaction: Reaction, that’s important, to make you feel that you are alive and to make others feel that you do care.

Preservation, it’s necessary to keep the good memories alive.. Always preserve the photographs, videos and notes of good times..

Assumptions, can be hazardous at times if made about life and people.. It’s something that has to be made in the theorems, theories and research work ..

Calculation: Some things in life doesn’t need any calculation..some things doesn’t have to be put into is equal to equation..Some things doesn’t actually have a give and take criteria..Calculation has to be done about how much time is left out with you and whats the size of your wish list..

Example of calculation:If you are approaching late 20’s, then approximately you have 1400 weekends left out with you, out of which some 600 weekends would be spent with your kids, their traveling, their education, their summer vacations etc etc, some 300 weekends would be devoted to your spouse, 300 weekends, if your spouse is understanding , it adds to total of 500 weekends with spouse in case, your spouse is not understanding, you can take the additional 200 weekends in sorting out the fights..With this, you are left out with a bunch of 300 weekends only meant for you…Now jot down your bucket list and figure out whether 300 weekends could do justice to your bucket list..

Result of calculation : Life is too short to spend time in hating someone, clinging over the same things, taking too long in letting go, procrastination and ego tussles.

Resolution, something which comes after failures, when tears stop, when something good has to happen over bad, when determination awakes. Resolution needs to be made, breaking of the same are reminders of how lethargic you have turned?

Manipulation, Yes we all manipulate our heart and mind with our own little games of manipulations to be happy. And being happy is not a crime and so is not manipulation.

Liberation, Its something which all of us need, Its something which a father gives to his daughter, citizens have it in a free nation, couples ought to have it in a relationship. But with liberation, comes drawing our own boundary lines. Boundary lines needs to be drawn to keep the quintessence of liberation

Temptations are a must in life, but the kinda temptations for blueberry muffins, temptations for walnut brownie, temptations for KFC bucket, temptations for some extra sleep before waking up..Not the kinda temptations which Tiger woods had..

Irritation, something which you would be feeling after reading this in normal state..Although I warned you in the beginning :)

It’s indeed a turning Point

2011-08-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Yes it’s a triumph, not of India winning world cup match, neither it’s triumph at Tahrir Square , it’s triumph of India’s democracy, it’s triumph of a new ideology over the ideology that the system cannot be changed , ideology that India cannot run without corruption. Yes its an important moment for our generation, who have studied democracy as a definition, of the people, for the people and by the people in their civics textbook and actually witnessing it happen , who have studied Gandhian era in their history textbooks but are fortunate enough to witness the Anna’s era. Let me quickly take you through the phases of this fantabulous revolution. Yes revolution, which is inscribed in our hearts and minds, and revolution which we would narrate to our grandchildren (finally our generation has something to narrate to our grandchildren)

India mein sab chalta hai types attitude

When the demands regarding drafting of a strong Lokpal bill came forward for uprooting corruption from the country, I have heard many of friends actually concluding that India mein sab chalta hai and India cannot run without corruption. But it’s not our fault, we have been imbibed these things in our inner self’s that if a person tries to change the system, the entire system changes the person. Unity is strength is something we have studied in moral lesson stories in school. We never thought that it would actually work.

Only our hearts are with you

And then it started with drafting of a strong Jan Lokpal bill and opposition to the government form of Lokpal bill with massive support from people all over the country. But when CNN IBN conducted a poll to know actually how many people knew the difference between the government lokpal bill and Jan Lokpal version, more then 70% of the respondents didn’t know the difference between them. Just look at the irony of the situation, people blindly opposing the government, this itself shows how the government has failed to represent the nation as a whole. It was later on that through distribution of pamphlets and speeches in the organized protests, the differences between the bills were made clear.

Anna’s arrest

When a person is drowning in quicksand, he would rather take the help of other person trying to pull him out of the quicksand rather than pulling the same person into the quicksand. But government failed to understand this fact .Anna’s arrest further ignited the anger amongst people, thereby drowning the government into quicksand. Anna’s arrest gave a turning point to the revolution.

And then there were some good cover-ups by the politicians stating reason for Anna’s arrest. One of those were given by Renuka Chawdary, stating that Anna was been arrested on security grounds, as around 15^th August the country was on high alert. When asked by Times now, “Why in god’s name in entire Delhi, did they find only Tihar jail to arrest and keep Anna”. She replied, that in that case we would be consulting Times Now henceforth for the same...Nobody knew what she wanted to convey finally, may be the message was that the government is naked already but they want the people to change their vision and look at them with virtual clothes on them..

We all were always ready, just that we needed a leader

A common man always thought that he has to live in this system with its ways, until a ray of hope came in their lives in the form of Anna and they started to believe that Yes a change can be brought about. This revolution is a result of anger, frustration and disgust that was filled amongst the people since ages...It’s just that they needed a lamp in the form of Anna to burn this anger into ashes...And Yes the anger burned and the ashes gave rise to Phoenix, a new turning point to our democracy...

Ways of fashion Change & Brand Anna

For me, I have always associated the Anna cap, with my Nanaji as it’s a part of his dress code. Not even me but I guess everyone of my generation in their remotest part of their mind would have never thought of this that the Anna cap with “I am Anna hazare” written on it would become a fashion icon. Also, in our remotest dreams we never imagined inkfruit and Tantras coming up with T-shirts with taglines “I am Anna Hazara and I am against Corruption”. The prices of the caps and T-shirts went up because of surge in its demand. Also, for us, buying and selling of tricolor was meant only on days like 26^th Jan and 15^th August, but we never witnessed so many tricolors waving for a national cause.

Also, case studies named Brand-Anna have been published in B-school, stating that Anna created a Product called Janlokpal bill by sensing the latent need of people who were frustrated with corruption. Well it’s only a B-school which can convert a revolution for a national cause into a case study highlighting it with marketing jargons.

We support the ends and Not the Means

And with huge mass of people supporting for the ends and means, there was a bunch not supporting the means of the revolution. This is how the markets work with two kind of people. But the people, who opposed to the means of this revolution, neither gave a solution to achieve to the ends. A strong argument should always be supported by a definite solution and if you fail to do so, then go and join I like Arundhati Roy page on FB. Arundhati Roy demonstrated the freedom of expression, by writing all the cons of this movement, finding faults with Anna Hazare and team, shifting the focus towards all other national issues and again diplomatically supporting the cause to uproot corruption. But she gave not even a single solution to tackle the issue. So she’s a cribber and not a problem solver.

Everyone’s wearing a white cap, so I want to wear a black one

And then there was another set of people who believed in making a point of difference, that’s how I would look different. When all media channels were supporting the cause of Anna Hazare movement and made him a national hero, Times Now came up with a video against Anna Hazare with his fellow mates talking against him. Media playing with white and black caps can be understood but what made Nandan Nilekani to talk against this movement. In his interview he did mentioned that it’s an unnecessarily hyped movement, stating that not all politicians are corrupt and the entire matter should be viewed with a strategic and holistic approach. He further stated that he has seen the government and framework of France, UK and the USA and things don’t work like this. An experienced corporate honcho like Mr. Nilekani making such comments would surely disappoint the youngsters. Yes we agree not all politicians are corrupt and we were okay with it till the time they were only pickpocketers. This revolution was actually ignited when they started to rob our wardrobes. Also, in UK the 2G spectrum allocation was done by a professor of game theory unlike in India it was done by A raja and his group of ministers who would define 2G spectrum allocation as zero risk and high profit business.

And finally with all the stages of movement, with all the hue and cry, its triumph of People’s power. With clash of so many ideas, tug of war of ideologies, the resolution to pass the bill has come over. The point is not about who’s wining the man of the match, it’s about are we going to win the match or not. This bill is not going to uproot the corruption completely, but yes it’s the first step in the marathon, first step towards making a transparent and clean India. This bill comes to seal the loophole in the system where CVC is for recommendation purpose, CAG is for auditing purpose and above all CBI itself is handcuffed as even for registering FIR against any minister it needs to take permission from the department of that particular minister. Let this bill materialize and let it be the first step in the making of, India of our dreams.

Jai Hind

Bas Waqt hai, ye bhi guzar jayega.......

2011-07-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

Dil ki gaharayio mein chupa dard bhi bhar jayega,

Aasuo ka sailaab bhi kabhi sukh jayega

Ye khamoshiyon ka kohra bhi haat jayega

Iss Dil ke rone ki aahat bhi tham jayegi

Bas Waqt hai, ye bhi guzar jayega....

Hassi ki khidakiya aakhir kab tak bandh rahengi

Muskaan ki aandhi, usse kabhi to khol hi dengi

Gum ka saaya aakhir kab tak rahega

Khushiyo ki dhoop se usse kabhi to takrana hi hoga

Bas Waqt hai, ye bhi guzar jayega.....

Sapne tutkar, phir naye boon jayenge

Bhule hue raaste phir yaad aa jayenge

Phir ek nayi roshni bhara din bhi aayega

Dhire dhire ye dil bhi jeena sikh jayega

Bas Waqt hai, ye bhi guzar jayega.....

Just Like That!!!!!

2011-05-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking of writing so many things since a long while, but haven’t penned down them. Not that I don’t have time. I have lot of it, because firstly I have normal working hours, secondly I have got an efficient maid at home and thirdly I am single. But as soon as some thought strikes my mind, it escapes to an uncanny vacuum, leaving behind so many incomplete articles and poems in my D drive’s folder, Blog. But today I am gonna write, no matter the thoughts escape to any vacuum or to any universe. I wanna write bcuz yesterday I read one article in the newspaper stating that writing keep levels of serotonin hormone up in your body and keeps you going, that’s why I ought to write today, that’s why I need to pen down something to kill this unusual anxiety. The same kinda anxiety I had in my school days, When I was heading towards the closing school gate, anxiety that I would be late, anxiety that I would be punished for being late, kind of Anxiety when your best friend is upset with you, kind of anxiety before the mechanics paper in engineering. So it’s Just Like That, to vent out myself.. And here’s a warning before you go ahead..Personally I don’t prefer reading blogs that are related to one’s personal happenings. I read such blogs that of my close pals, to know what’s rumbling beneath their neurons. So if you are disinterested in such blogs and you ain’t my close friend don’t take the risk of reading ahead and if you do so, drive at your own risk and follow your own roads..
Ahh Just Like That is not that cool and take it easy kind of word as we take it...It forms the answer to many unanswered questions that leads to nowhere. Why autowalas in Hyderabad don’t agree upon this that there is a correlation between distance traveled and amount charged. They charge so haphazardly...Its Just like That. Why their meter ain’t working half of the time? Just Like That. Why people pee upon the wall of a nice residential building? Just Like That…How come some people manage to incredibly irritate you so much...Why sometimes you feel like banging the person, you hate the most..Its Just Like…Why is it so that dopers don’t agree upon this that they are addicted..Its Just Like That...Why is it so that Stupid, silly questions of Sid have ended? Why Neha hits the negative chord first before the right positive chord is being struck? Why Sam has all of a sudden started talking sense because I always associated Sam with non-sense..Its’ Just Like that…Why mayu hasn’t called up me since a long time..Why I am unable to meet Anuli for the past three years, and while leaving college we thought that we would be meeting at least once in a year...It’s Just Like That…Why I feel that Samby, nuts, sadu, vidyaji , sablok , sippy, matt, sethji are residing on some other planet…Yeah you got it right It’s Just Like That…
Just Like That is a way of life...There's no specific definition to it..It's something which has so many may be's and so many possibly..And So my serotonin levels are up…Writing is such a relief, I am alive again…Hoping to complete those half written poems soon..Previously, I used to speak out, now I prefer to put it on paper….That’s why the people who knew me earlier think of me as a nonstop chit chatter and the one’s that know me now, believes me to be a silent soul..May be listeners have changed, may be there is no target audience or may be idiosyncrasies change or may be It’s just Like that…..

Happy Birthday Sachin!!!!!

2011-04-24T00:15:00.000-07:00

For those impeccable innings of yours,

We believed in cricket as a religion.

For those outstanding centuries,

We crossed our fingers every time you neared the one.

For the virtue of your honesty,

We regarded you as the God of cricket.

For witnessing your impeccable game,

We hated the bowler who took your wicket

For those magnificent strokes,

We made those loud screams.

For those seamless boundaries,

We shared with our friends, those hi-phi’s.

For those modest words and eyes,

We loved you all these years.

For the victories, for the game, for the passion,

We will continue loving you years on years……

Here’s wishing the master blaster SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

May the godfather of cricket continue to play on and on. May those eyes that rise in the sky after every century to thank the almighty remain the same. May those eyes thanking Ramesh Tendulkar remain the same. May the virtue of that honesty in this world of lies remain the same. May no controversy ever surrounds this legend. May cricket remain as clean as Sachin. May it remain the game, the religion and the passion that unites India......

Facebooking

2010-12-19T02:11:00.000-08:00

I keep on refreshing this page every now and then, looking out for status messages, looking out for comments and people getting tagged. Unlike Robert Frost’s Mending wall, the facebook wall is a mode of connecting people, giving rise to a buzzword what we call Socialnetworking.But when I look into the facebook wall, deep down I can find different characters, different attitudes, and different faces of human behavior. Yes we can categorize the facebookers based on their status messages, their likings and the frequency with which they login. Following are the prestigious categories of facebookers:

High Networking Individuals (HNI’s):

Like the HNI’s (High net worth Individuals) in capital markets, there are high networking individuals on facebook.These individuals are found with large digit in their friends tab.Moreover, these HNI’s keep on sending friend’s request to unknown people, thereby acquiring more and more space for social networking. If you check out their face book wall, each and every minuscule detail of the day is being recorded i.e. feeling sleepy in office, lunch was superb etc.etc Except for going to loo, all the daily activities are mentioned on FB wall. Nevertheless, these individuals are precious bcuz they have driven the valuation of FB to 25 billion dollar and made Mark Zukenburg an accidental billionaire.

Informative & Humorous facebookers:

These kinda facebookers ought to provide the links with latest happenings pertaining to either technology or some political news. They also keep you updated with the recent happenings in sports be it soccer or be it cricket. But this segment of facebookers is a niche segment. We can find that the people commenting upon their status messages or link also belong to this niche segment.

Humorous facebookers deserves a sure shot like for the best, original one liner status messages which ought to draw an impeccable smile on your face.

Communication gap facebookers:

This species of facebookers is a different variety, different because they communicate through facebook, even though they are sitting besides eachother, different because they convey their feelings through facebook.To substantiate this fact a conversation between two room partners on FB wall in the same room:

Roomie1: u lookin cool in this pic

Roomie2: Thanks…whr r d other pics of the trip..i suppose u have it..

XYZ: WTF, u r roomies rgt..turn around and talk..

Not only roommates, even couples use FB to convey their expressions. A girl joined this group in her activities after a strong fight with her boyfriend, "While studying I keep looking at my cell phone if any messages have come!!”.And guess what she gotta message..So it actually works for these communication gap facebookers.

Health Updating facebookers :

These facebookers are pretty pathetic and irritating, because they would mention the malfunctioning of their body physiology on FB. Their status messages are kinda , “Caught by a cold”, “Sneeeeeeezzzzzz,,, not feeling well” and “down with fever”. I wonder what would be their status message, if they had constipation or loose motion. Would it be “Constipation is killing me” or “loose motions bringing me down”. Anyhow, what is their expectancy theory with regard to this? Obviously we won’t give a like to such kinda status message and in comment we can’t write more than get well soon. I wish FB had a WTF button..

Show Off facebookers:

Last but not the least Show off facebookers, the most interesting category of facebookers.They have a unique way of showing off stuff through their status messages. For instance, status message of a normal facebooker, “Banglore calling” is a information being conveyed to the friends that you are heading to banglore, but the status message of a showoff facebooker “banglore flying” connotes that, you are not only heading towards Banglore but also you don’t come in that category, that rely upon Indian railways for travelling. Again one more to go, “US calling or US flying” is a information passing status message by a normal facebooker, but the status message by a showoff facebooker goes something like this, “@Starbucks in Dubai, and one more flight to go, to reach NY” sounds outrageously showoff.If you decode the ASCII characters of this message, it states to the reader that, asshole you are good for nothing, you better just read this message and envy about it:)

Unfortunately we don’t have any category known as Genuine facebooker.So lets assume a hypothetical genuine facebooker. What would be his status message pertaining to the travelling plan? It would be something like “Booked ticket for Sampark Kranti Express in sleeper coach for next week, but its 100 waiting, just hoping to get the waitlist cleared”

Now jokes apart and on a serious note, its true that, social networking sites are acting like the chlorophyll of our life, like the oxygen we intake to breath in and out. But lets not forget, that bonding is although more important than networking. Having thousand friends on FB is of no use, if not even one can understand you, read your mind, run for you when you are in trouble.

Grow Up.....

2010-12-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

Walking down through the lanes in the flashback times,

When immaturity was as fresh as thymes.

Precisely measuring the chocolate bar before sharing.

Kicking and punching with siblings resembling pigs fighting.

And there arrives the referee, mom to make things upright.

Her anger filled voice and words scream loudly Grow Up….

Through the valley of backbenches, where frolic was set up.

Away from the teacher’s proximity, place to start up.

Red pen marks stating very poor, homework incomplete to round up,

Mam yelling at the peak of her voice Grow Up….

Roaming around the beaches of teenage,

When the sea shells are at their vantage.

Heart is being damaged and spirit goes down in the trash dump.

Calmly the Best friend explains, get over it and Grow Up….

Heading towards that blurred turning point,

Inquisitive to know, if at all it has some resting joint.

Way to those unanswered questions, does marriage needs to be sign up?

Softly, dad’s eyes conveyed Grow Up…