Simply Ankit

Blog 're'-started

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:35:43 PST

Hey my blog, it has been along time since I was here. On checking the last blog date, looks like… Oh ‘a very long time’. So what prompted me today? Believe me or not a self help book, well, not exactly a self help but close to it. It reminded me that we should do what want to do. A common theme among self help books, right! and even hypothetically if we want to do as these books says 'what ever we want' that list is always long, for example in my case it is a long list of joining Gym, learning keyboard, guitar, buying that nice entertaining PS3 game, writing a blog, my entrepreneurial initiative, calling that old friend … the list goes on. However, what prompted me today was the line in that book that says, "you need to prioritize and and the simple way to prioritize is to just figure out what is most important out of all for you and why". It just striked me, I have been longing to write a blog for some time now and recently have been even telling people that I am going to write or I should write. Plus based on my logic, it is also going to put me into a habit to take my time out of my regular stuff and start devoting some to my ulterior motive, i.s. my entrepreneurial stint :). Hence, here I am logging in and blogging on my old blog site - the place of my abstractions. Now, what should I write about??? It has been long and a lot has happened in my life and the world around me. I have moved on did some inevitable tasks like changed my job, got married (well that was a tough one ;)), have grown more professionally and so on, but to this blogging world I have actually turned back. Seeing my previous blogs I sometime feel that I was actually maturing here but just gave up in the way. For some one who is read this blog, he/she can surely figure out that how much I have lost in my blogging and writing skills. But never the less, it has been long time and I am surely going to write something here.

Life has changed a lot, lost contact with some very close friends (that I thought will never happen) and re-connected with some old ones which were lost in time, have made some new friends and a lot of new professional acquaintances, moved on from settling in US to back in India, sold my bike and moved on to buy a car, etc...

OK a lot of stuff for a revival of blog. Yes, I know a sudden and abrupt end. But well its pretty long considering the last blog i wrote was almost 2 years back.. and also what the hell.. my blog so I make rules around here, so it is a gr8 ending ;)

Leaving with the food for soul....

Life is short, make it sweet.. Do not keep all the Flowers for the grave..

Where Priest and Devil meet... with a Joker!

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:51:31 PDT

Well this is not an epic event, neither any hidden vantage point or any conspiracy theory, it's just the Halloween celebration.

During my US trip I got a chance to be a part of this unique celebration known as Halloween. Had read about it and also seen it in many Hollywood movies, but was still mesmerized when got to be a part of it (well even though I was not dressed up in costume). To be truthful, I never believed that so many adults would be celebrating it and dressed up as characters/personalities, but I was so 'beautifully' proved wrong. Lots of people had gone to some serious levels just to impersonate the 'real' feel of the character.

All in all it was a fun night to watch and enjoy. I got to meet the Pope, devil, saint, a lot fairies, kings and queens in the same day.. It really felt like I was in wonderland.

In the end, wishing all a very happy Halloween.

A nice Quote to share...

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:12:30 PDT

One thing is clear to me. You can't know everything you'd like to know. You can't do everything you'd like to do. You can't read everything you'd like to read. You must hold onto some things and let go of others. Learning to make that choice is one of the big lessons of this life...

courtesy 'real live Preacher' and iGoogle...

The Eleven Rules of Life!!!

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:31:09 PDT

Received today a forwarded mail that said 'Bill Gates' 11 Rules of Life...', just out of curiosity read it. The laid out rules were pretty common but listed in very straightforward and accurate manner. A sample of what is known as 'right at the money!!!'. The points may seem obvious today, but surely with the ongoing changes in our education system i.e. in the process of making it more 'friendly' to students, we might end up in the same position as US is because of its 'liberal' education system. I am not against making education less scary or simpler, but I am of great follower of the quote

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler"

therefore making education more simpler, by abolishing exams or the fear of failure would lead to a very fragile future. Hope these rules of life would help to fight the real world out there. Additionally a small piece of information, the rules are actually not from Bill gates (See clarification here ), It's an excerpt from the book "Dumbing Down our Kids" by educator Charles Sykes. It is a list of eleven things you did not learn in school and directed at high school and college grads.

RULE 1
Life is not fair - get used to it.

RULE 2
The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world
will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel
good about yourself.

RULE 3
You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out
of high school. You won't be a vice president with
car phone, until you earn both.

RULE 4
If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a
boss. He doesn't have tenure.

RULE 5
Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your
grandparents had a different word for burger flipping
they
called it Opportunity.

RULE 6
If you mess up,it's not your parents' fault, so don't
whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

RULE 7
Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as
they are now. They got that way from paying your bills,
cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about
how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest
from the parasites of your parent's generation, try
delousing the closet in your own room.

RULE 8
Your school may have done away with winners and losers,
but life has not. In some schools they have abolished
failing grades and they'll give you as many times as
you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the
slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

RULE 9
Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get
summers off and very few employers are interested in
helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

RULE 10
Television is NOT real life. In real life people
actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

RULE 11
Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for
one.

Where the Neighborhood is without the Filth

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:57:51 PDT

Here I present an adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's poem 'Where the mind is without fear' as 'Where the Neighborhood is without the Filth' for a beautiful and corruption free India....

Where the neighborhood is without filth and the queues short and smooth;
Where civil-service is corruption free;
Where towns have not been broken into fragments by narrow potholed streets;
Where justice is given out quickly from the profundity of the courts;
Where a tireless workforce stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream from the mountains has not lost its way into contaminated rivers of dead water;
Where the economy is led forward by thee into a rate of growth higher then six percent (real);
Into the heaven of liberalization, my father, let my country awake!!!

The lines above have been taken from my latest reading venture -- Games Indians Play by V. Raghunathan....

Before I present any of my views or reviews of the book, I would like every reader to read the above lines with compassion and try to visualize our India with all the dreams fulfilled and all goals achieved........

Will soon come up with the review of the book, where the author, proves using Game theory, that how we Indians are individually very intelligent and collectively very dumb.......

The verdict: A must read for every Indian!

Are you a Managment material?

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 03:17:50 PDT

Galloping around the articles from the management blog (subscribed few months back), I came to a very interesting and light humored article. Here's what it says (points arranged in Letterman-like top ten list):

Top 10 Clues That You Are Management Material

10. You like not doing anything
9. You have no trouble telling others what to do
8. Work fascinates you - you can sit and watch it for hours
7. You like 'sweating the small stuff'
6. You have always been something of a loner
5. You don't think 'plan' is a four-letter word
4. Your favorite cocktail is milk of magnesia
3. On Halloween you dress up as Alex P. Keating
2. Your favorite horror writer is Tom Peters

And the number one clue you are management material -
You enjoy having people despise you just for doing your job.

A more serious thought can be found here

- Original article by F. John Reh, About.com

Google strikes back

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:17:01 PDT

"Google strikes back" -- Not even a month has passed since I laid my claims that Google is not yet internet and proved my point citing example that there is no browser powered by Google (for details read my previous blog), and here it is ... Google counteracting on my statement launched 'Google Chrome'!!!!! (I really didn't knew that I was so popular and Google followed my blog so closely, would have to be more careful next time :)) ). Anyways, my blog threat or not, Google once again proved its metal and advanced its internet dominance launching another flagship project (obviously as beta) i.e. Google's browser - Google Chrome.

Google chrome like all its other products is completely written a new (well at least that's what my preliminary findings show), tackling most of the present browser problem and still keeping it light. The first launch of the browser shows its still niche - minimal functionality, no jazzy settings and not much of options to fool around with, but still, the browser makes its point quite firmly, with speed, lightness and technical advancements - each tab being separate process- check your task manager for chrome, and compiled java script instead of interpreting it - to name a few.

How far and how successful this product will go only time will tell, but one thing is clear, Google is leaving no stone unturned to make its dominance felt..... A wild guess for the next product its going to launch......... Google OS - What say??

Internet means Google -- I doubt....

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:01:37 PDT

My friend says "Internet means Google" well I doubt. Knowing me and hearing this statement from me you need to read this article ..... so read on......

Well this would not be a blog to condemn Google. I like Google and in fact I am it's great follower and promoter. Simple facts that I have iGoogle as my default browser page in IE and boogle in Firefox/Mozilla, I use Google reader for any of latest knowledge update, using gmail as my official mail id and most of all using this blog space for blogging, abundantly proves my point. So why this line? ... well first of all its catchy, grabs attention ( would you have read so far if i just said 'Google and its benefits' :) ) and most of all it really talks about Google and its dominance but dominance not oneness'.

I consider myself Google literate i.e. I not only have basic Google information but I keep updated myself with the latest Google news, products, challenges etc... (just to add here that I have read 'Google story' :) which marked the beginning of this relationship with Google , so when I say Google and internet are not yet synonym well you should listen.

Yes, I accept Google's dominance on internet (well facts says so...) and Microsoft's present eagerness to buy yahoo to match Google, more then proves my point. Google is a great force on internet. Showering some of the accolades:

-- Google search made internet approachable and usable. Internet was just a vast pool of knowledge and information, a scrambled book with lots and lots of pages but all meshed up.... Google search added index to the book!!!

-- Google's model of revenue generation through adds provided much needed life line for free community i.e. where you can have products or services for free and still earn. Today Google's adword/adsense are the most successful advertising engines... yahoo switched to Google adds to block Microsoft's hostile takeover!!!

Gmail changed the rules of the mail in both space and usability, blogger brought niche people like me to blogging world, picassa changed the way we share images and Youtube (originally not Google's but now its part) changed the way we see online video. From reading books online to navigating road maps, from synchronizing calendars to organizing documents on internet and from chatting(gtalk) on net to socializing on net (orkut), Google has touched it all, changed it all, metamorphosed it all......... Google is every where! Google drivers internet! but Google is not internet, well not yet!!!!

There is a lot more to internet then google and google has lot more to look up to before it merges in to one. Well, lets start it from starting - If you don't have a dedicated line for internet switch on the internet (so you see its not yet Google - the internet provider). Now once you are online, the first thing you do to connect yourself to the universe of internet is to open an internet browser.... well look hard... you don't find any browser powered by Google, well not yet. Now go over internet and start surfing... soon exausting your known and regular sites, the urge to surf more would lead to the address bar and you type-in the inevitable 'www.google.com' - here comes first Google acquaintance in your virtual world endeavor. Well type in the hints of the things you need to search, if you are technical you might end up finding MSDN page, Code project page, or any of the technology related popular site, if not, you would end up to your favorite pass time liking (mine goes with shayari, management or case studies etc) or invariably to amazon :)..... well did you realize when you search in Google how seldom you want or get any google site/product, so the Google driver (its search) would lead you out of Google world to the much bigger and vast world of internet. There are hundreds of sites and areas that are there on internet but are not Google... well not yet... Some of the popular known ones... Amazon, Wikipedia, yahoo mail, yahoo messanger, skype, facebook etc... There are lots of more sites that lie outside Google terrietory. Google is Goliath in internet but there are many Davids that co-exist alongside with Google as sometime back it was also 'just a search engine among many' and who knows some day one of the David's may topple Google Goliath as once in this internet world where the actual strength and information lies with the users and innovators. As it is still the internet which powers Google not vice versa...

Keep the Spark

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:05:20 PDT

Inaugural Speech for the new batch at the Symbiosis BBA program 2008 by Chetan Bhagat

Good Morning everyone and thank you for giving me this chance to speak to you. This day is about you. You, who have come to this college, leaving the comfort of your homes (or in some cases discomfort), to become something in your life. I am sure you are excited. There are few days in human life when one is truly elated. The first day in college is one of them. When you were getting ready today, you felt a tingling in your stomach. What would the auditorium be like, what would the teachers be like, who are my new classmates - there is so much to be curious about. I call this excitement, the spark within you that makes you feel truly alive today. Today I am going to talk about keeping the spark shining. Or to put it another way, how to be happy most, if not all the time.

Where do these sparks start? I think we are born with them. My 3-year old twin boys have a million sparks. A little Spiderman toy can make them jump on the bed. They get thrills from creaky swings in the park. A story from daddy gets them excited. They do a daily countdown for birthday party – several months in advance – just for the day they will cut their own birthday cake.

I see students like you, and I still see some sparks. But when I see older people, the spark is difficult to find. That means as we age, the spark fades. People whose spark has faded too much are dull, dejected, aimless and bitter. Remember Kareena in the first half of Jab We Met vs the second half? That is what happens when the spark is lost. So how to save the spark?

Imagine the spark to be a lamp's flame. The first aspect is nurturing - to give your spark the fuel, continuously. The second is to guard against storms.

To nurture, always have goals. It is human nature to strive, improve and achieve full potential. In fact, that is success. It is what is possible for you. It isn't any external measure - a certain cost to company pay package, a particular car or house.

Most of us are from middle class families. To us, having material landmarks is success and rightly so. When you have grown up where money constraints force everyday choices, financial freedom is a big achievement.

But it isn't the purpose of life. If that was the case, Mr Ambani would not show up for work. Shah Rukh Khan would stay at home and not dance anymore. Steve Jobs won't be working hard to make a better iPhone, as he sold Pixar for billions of dollars already. Why do they do it? What makes them come to work everyday?

They do it because it makes them happy. They do it because it makes them feel alive. Just getting better from current levels feels good. If you study hard, you can improve your rank. If you make an effort to interact with people, you will do better in interviews. If you practice, your cricket will get better. You may also know that you cannot become Tendulkar, yet. But you can get to the next level. Striving for that next level is important.

Nature designed with a random set of genes and circumstances in which we were born. To be happy, we have to accept it and make the most of nature's design. Are you? Goals will help you do that.

I must add, don't just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.

There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions.

You must have read some quotes - Life is a tough race, it is a marathon or whatever. No, from what I have seen so far, life is one of those races in nursery school. Where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same with life, where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.

One last thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. One of my yoga teachers used to make students laugh during classes. One student asked him if these jokes would take away something from the yoga practice. The teacher said - don't be serious, be sincere. This quote has defined my work ever since. Whether its my writing, my job, my relationships or any of my goals. I get thousands of opinions on my writing everyday. There is heaps of praise, there is intense criticism. If I take it all seriously, how will I write? Or rather, how will I live? Life is not to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? It's ok, bunk a few classes, goof up a few interviews, fall in love. We are people, not programmed devices.

I've told you three things - reasonable goals, balance and not taking it too seriously that will nurture the spark. However, there are four storms in life that will threaten to completely put out the flame. These must be guarded against. These are disappointment, frustration, unfairness and loneliness of purpose.

Disappointment will come when your effort does not give you the expected return. If things don't go as planned or if you face failure. Failure is extremely difficult to handle, but those that do come out stronger. What did this failure teach me? is the question you will need to ask. You will feel miserable. You will want to quit, like I wanted to when nine publishers rejected my first book. Some IITians kill themselves over low grades – how silly is that? But that is how much failure can hurt you.

But it's life. If challenges could always be overcome, they would cease to be a challenge. And remember - if you are failing at something, that means you are at your limit or potential. And that's where you want to be.

Disappointment's cousin is frustration, the second storm. Have you ever been frustrated? It happens when things are stuck. This is especially relevant in India . From traffic jams to getting that job you deserve, sometimes things take so long that you don't know if you chose the right goal. After books, I set the goal of writing for Bollywood, as I thought they needed writers. I am called extremely lucky, but it took me five years to get close to a release.

Frustration saps excitement, and turns your initial energy into something negative, making you a bitter person. How did I deal with it? A realistic assessment of the time involved – movies take a long time to make even though they are watched quickly, seeking a certain enjoyment in the process rather than the end result – at least I was learning how to write scripts , having a side plan – I had my third book to write and even something as simple as pleasurable distractions in your life - friends, food, travel can help you overcome it. Remember, nothing is to be taken seriously. Frustration is a sign somewhere, you took it too seriously.

Unfairness - this is hardest to deal with, but unfortunately that is how our country works. People with connections, rich dads, beautiful faces, pedigree find it easier to make it – not just in Bollywood, but everywhere. And sometimes it is just plain luck. There are so few opportunities in India , so many stars need to be aligned for you to make it happen. Merit and hard work is not always linked to achievement in the short term, but the long term correlation is high, and ultimately things do work out. But realize, there will be some people luckier than you.

In fact, to have an opportunity to go to college and understand this speech in English means you are pretty darn lucky by Indian standards. Let's be grateful for what we have and get the strength to accept what we don't. I have so much love from my readers that other writers cannot even imagine it. However, I don't get literary praise. It's ok. I don't look like Aishwarya Rai, but I have two boys who I think are more beautiful than her. It's ok. Don't let unfairness kill your spark.

Finally, the last point that can kill your spark is isolation. As you grow older you will realize you are unique. When you are little, all kids want Ice cream and Spiderman. As you grow older to college, you still are a lot like your friends. But ten years later and you realize you are unique. What you want, what you believe in, what makes you feel, may be different from even the people closest to you. This can create conflict as your goals may not match with others. . And you may drop some of them. Basketball captains in college invariably stop playing basketball by the time they have their second child. They give up something that meant so much to them. They do it for their family. But in doing that, the spark dies. Never, ever make that compromise. Love yourself first, and then others.

There you go. I've told you the four thunderstorms - disappointment, frustration, unfairness and isolation. You cannot avoid them, as like the monsoon they will come into your life at regular intervals. You just need to keep the raincoat handy to not let the spark die.

I welcome you again to the most wonderful years of your life. If someone gave me the choice to go back in time, I will surely choose college. But I also hope that ten years later as well, you eyes will shine the same way as they do today. That you will Keep the Spark alive, not only through college, but through the next 2,500 weekends. And I hope not just you, but my whole country will keep that spark alive, as we really need it now more than any moment in history. And there is something cool about saying - I come from the land of a billion sparks.

Reservation - Blessing Or Curse

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:38:55 PDT

We are a nation of many nationalities, many races, many religions-bound together by a single unity, the unity of freedom and equality. Whoever seeks to set one nationality against another, seeks to degrade all nationalities.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Pick any indian from anywhere he will always have an opinion about the way our cricket is going and the way our politics/nation is going. Talking about politics, well, reservation in India is one of the most discussed topics and bit 'hot' nowdays. To begin with here are my views on these inevitable questions, cricket - India is the best team in the world and Sachin is a cricket GOD and about politics/reservation - I would say reservation is an utmost necessary for a country like India and has become imperative with the present fortunate march of the country’s growth.

Yes, I support that there should be reservation. For a nation which has found its new heaven in the IT industry and is still riding its new growth horse, it is deemed that we need to grow as a nation i.e. following the army’s quote 'No one should be left behind'. For this to happen I believe India needs reservation. Yes, a reservation with which the harvest of this tremendous and fast growth could be equally reaped by all columns of the society. A mechanism which reduces the rift between poor and the rich, a mechanism which reduces poverty and improves the quality life to each and every Indian - A mechanism which actually supports and propels the 'Great Indian Dream' i.e. A reservation based on economic status NOT on predefined caste or class.

It seems that the idea of reservation rooted by our great leaders with all good intensions, have not only let them down but has in turn engulfed and destroyed the very basics of the constitutional and human rights – The right to equality and the principle of giving the job to best suited. The idea of reservation has been upturned to a whole new dimension crossing all the limits of logic and public good.

The Idea behind reservation:
Some excerpts from an interview of Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru (the first prime minister of india):

".. help should be given on economic considerations and not on
caste."

"They deserve help but even so I dislike any kind of reservation, more
particularly in service. I react strongly against anything which leads to
inefficiency and second rate standards. I want my country to be a first class
country in everything."
"Let us help the backward castes by all means, but never
at the cost of efficiency."

--- By Pandit Nehru.

Nowdays, in India I believe that the present generation leaders are actually trying there level best to make India a third grade Country (considering the fact that we are already treated as second grade by so called developed countries).

Reservation - the provision was kept in the constitution to uplift a certain caste of people because of there long repressed past, but yet the notion of putting in reservation was not comfortable with the then leaders and visionaries and in there best of minds they decided to keep it for certain duration (initially 10 years). But Alas! Today after crossing six decades of our independence our politicians think that the reservation is required and give all the more reasons for the same. Looking at the performance a simple question pops up - Isn't the policy which was due to give returns in 10 years a failure, if still not able to provide desired results after more then 60 years? Interestingly, our politicians still believe it will provide result. Or it is actually what we all believe it is - the vote bank politics? Or are we waiting for the time when the class which is given reservation increases and the so called higher class becomes the suppressed and down trodden, so that the same reservation game can be played the other way round?

Ok, let’s leave this blame game and try to come out with a logical reservation scheme which reaches to the neediest ones. I propose (well the most obvious one, following our great leader):

reservation should be provided based on economic status of the person and the family supporting him or supported by him and the reservation should only be in education (leaving higher studies) and in government jobs only entry level.

Now let’s see its effect in current system. Considering the popular claims of most of the parties that some particular caste or class is still the poor and deprived one, now, since these people form the majority of the poor class they would automatically get the most of reservation and hence the desired effect. The only people that would be left out in this scenario would be the once which are economically well and still reap the advantages of reservation. Once, we pushed out this creamy layer these vacant places will be filled by the people who belong to upper class yet are economically backward. Well Sounds fair enough deal! Rather a complete win-win deal except for those politically strong and rich people who not only get the undue advantage of the reservation, but also induce the hatred among different class in same religion just to get there ulterior motive of money and power at any cost well the cost might come to our country itself.

In the end leaving with a thought...

barbad -e-gulistaan karne ko, bas ek hi ulloo kafi hai, har shakh pe ulloo baithe hain, anjame gulistaan kya hoga...

Proof You Don’t Exist

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Fri, 02 May 2008 04:58:50 PDT

What does it mean to exist? When we talk about a person existing, we are referring to that person being a material object in the universe.

Concepts are also said to exist. For example, patriotism exists, but you can’t hold it in your hand. For this discussion let’s agree that we are only talking about existence in the material sense.

To be material, that generally means an object has mass. But what is mass? According to Einstein, mass has an equivalence with energy. If we understand energy, we might better understand what mass is. But what is energy?

Energy is defined as a “property of objects.” In other words, it is a concept, such as patriotism, velocity, or honesty. You can’t grab a handful of a concept and put it in your pocket.
So there you have it: To exist, you must have mass. Mass is equivalent to energy. Energy is nothing but a concept. Therefore, you are nothing but a concept, probably in a computer program designed by someone else.

Atheists say God doesn’t exist. I say atheists don’t exist.

--- from The Dilbert Blog by Scott_Adams

Am I a Hindu?

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:50:01 PST

Recently read a very thought provoking and positive defination of the 'Sanatan Dharam' - Hinduism. A defination that gives an insite to what the real religon stands for not what today some rigid fenatics have made it..... Here it goes!!! --- Am I a Hindu?

Four years ago, I was flying from JFK NY Airport to SFO to attend a meeting at Monterey, CA.An American girl was sitting on the right side, near window seat.It indeed was a long journey - it would take nearly seven hours!

I was surprised to see the young girl reading a Bible - unusual of young Americans! (Later I came to know that September 11 has changed mind-set of lot of US citizens. They suddenly turned religious, it seemed.)After some time she smiled and we had few acquaintances talk. I told her that I am from India.

Then suddenly the girl asked: "What's your faith?""What?" I didn't understand the question."I mean, what's your religion? Are you a Christian? Or a Muslim?""No!" I replied, "I am neither Christian nor Muslim".Apparently she appeared shocked to listen to that."Then who are you…?""I am a Hindu", I said.She looked at me as if she is seeing a caged animal.She could not understand what I was talking about.
A common man in Europe or US know about Christianity and Islam, as they are the leading religions of the world today.
But a Hindu, what?I explained to her - I am born to a Hindu father and Hindu mother. Therefore, I am a Hindu by birth.
"Who is your prophet?" she asked."We don't have a prophet," I replied."What's your Holy Book?""We don't have a single Holy Book, but we have hundreds and thousands of philosophical and sacred scriptures," I replied."Oh, come on…at least tell me who is your God?""What do you mean by that?"

"Like we have Yahweh and Muslims have Allah - don't you have a God?"I thought for a moment. Muslims and Christians believe one God (Male God) who created the world and takes an interest in the humans who inhabit it. Her mind is conditioned with that kind of belief.
According to her (or anybody who doesn't know about Hinduism), a religion need to have one Prophet, one Holy book and one God. The mind is so conditioned and rigidly narrowed down to such a notion that anything else is not acceptable. I understood her perception and concept about faith. You can't compare Hinduism with any of the present leading religions where you have to believe in one concept of god.
I tried to explain to her: "You can believe in one god and he can be a Hindu. You may believe in multiple deities and still you can be a Hindu. What's more - you may not believe in god at all, still you can be a Hindu. An atheist can also be a Hindu."This sounded very crazy to her.
She couldn't imagine a religion so unorganized, still surviving for thousands of years, even after onslaught from foreign forces.

"I don't understand…but it seems very interesting. Are you religious?"What can I tell to this American girl?

I said: "I do not go to temple regularly. I do not make any regular rituals. I have learned some of the rituals in my younger days. I still enjoy doing it sometimes.""Enjoy? Are you not afraid of God?"

"God is a friend. No- I am not afraid of God. Nobody has made any compulsions on me to perform these rituals regularly."

She thought for a while and then asked: "Have you ever thought of converting to any other religion?"

"Why should I? Even if I challenge some of the rituals and faith in Hinduism, nobody can convert me from Hinduism. Because, being a Hindu allows me to think independently and objectively, without conditioning… I remain as a Hindu never by force, but choice." I told her that Hinduism is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and practices. It is not a religion like Christianity or Islam because it is not founded by any one person or does not have an organized controlling body like the Church or the Order, I added. There is no institution or authority."So, you don't believe in God?" she wanted everything in black and white.

"I didn't say that. I do not discard the divine reality. Our scripture, or Sruthis or Smrithis - Vedas and Upanishads or the Gita - say God might be there or he might not be there. But we pray to that supreme abstract authority (Para Brahma) that is the creator of this universe."

"Why can't you believe in one personal God?"

"We have a concept - abstract - not a personal god. The concept or notion of a personal God, hiding behind the clouds of secrecy, telling us irrational stories through few men whom he sends as messengers, demanding us to worship him or punish us, does not make sense. I don't think that God is as silly as an autocratic emperor who wants others to respect him or fear him." I told her that such notions are just fancies of less educated human imagination and fallacies, adding that generally ethnic religious practitioners in Hinduism believe in personal gods. The entry level Hinduism has over-whelming superstitions too. The philosophical side of Hinduism negates all superstitions.

"Good that you agree God might exist. You told that you pray. What is your prayer then?""Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavantu. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti,""Funny," she laughed, "What does it mean?"

"May all the beings in all the worlds be happy. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.""Hmm…very interesting. I want to learn more about this religion. It is so democratic, broad-minded and free…" she exclaimed.

"The fact is Hinduism is a religion of the individual, for the individual and by the individual with its roots in the Vedas and the Bhagavad-Gita. It is all about an individual approaching a personal God in an individual way according to his temperament and inner evolution - it is as simple as that."

"How does anybody convert to Hinduism?"

"Nobody can convert you to Hinduism, because it is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and practices. Everything is acceptable in Hinduism because there is no single authority or organization either to accept it or to reject it or to oppose it on behalf of Hinduism."I told her - if you look for meaning in life, don't look for it in religions; don't go from one cult to another or from one guru to the next.

For a real seeker, I told her, Bible itself gives guidelines when it says "Kingdom of God is within you." I reminded her of Christ's teaching about the love that we have for each other. That is where you can find the meaning of life.

Loving each and every creation of the God is absolute and real. 'Isavasyam idam sarvam' Isam (the God) is present (inhabits) here everywhere - nothing exists separate from the God, because God is present everywhere. Respect every living being and non-living things as God. That's what

Hinduism teaches you.
Hinduism is referred to as Sanathana Dharma, the eternal faith. It is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. The most important aspect of Hinduism is being truthful to oneself. Hinduism has no monopoly on ideas. It is open to all. Hindus believe in one God (not a personal one) expressed in different forms. For them, God is timeless and formless entity.Ancestors of today's Hindus believe in eternal truths and cosmic laws and these truths are opened to anyone who seeks them. But there is a section of Hindus who are either superstitious or turned fanatic to make this an organized religion like others. The British coin the word "Hindu" and considered it as a religion. I said: "Religions have become an MLM (multi-level-marketing) industry that has been trying to expand the market share by conversion. The biggest business in today's world is Spirituality. Hinduism is no exception…"

I am a Hindu primarily because it professes Non-violence - "Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" - Non violence is the highest duty. I am a Hindu because it doesn't conditions my mind with any faith system.

I am BACK!!!

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 08:13:35 PDT

This is just to certify that I am still alive and living life upwards. Although with the last blog entry on 24 Aug most of my readers (I home I have at least on ;) ) would have assumed me wiped out of the face of earth..... But People I am alive and more importantly back .... back to where I belong and back to my blog..... Last few days have been traumatic (shayad spelling galat hain but who cares, I wont check ...so dost logon bhawnaoon ko samjo).... and now I am back to life, at least for now, so would try my best to keep my blog alive and kicking!!!!

-- That's all folks, Obviously for now....will soon strike again...

Kismat....

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 02:50:34 PDT

My Orkut fortune today said ...

You will be unusually successful in business

Well to read that is very good and seems very motivating but the problem is today is SUNDAY and technically speaking almost (read as most of..) businesses are closed... that's something for that 'unusual success' and on that I am still not in my business (although have plans (or can be said as dream) to open one someday!!). Well if this a general statement for my whole life or the future coming life then I seem poised to be a multi billionaire (don't be jealous :) ), however if that's for a day then alas!! today doesn't seem to be that day!!! But I think I have reason to believe that this is long term 'bhavishvani' (well, reason here is easy to think.... :) ).

Recently read Vinit's blog regarding orkut predicting his future success in winter (I wish whole heartedly for that..) but his still is time bound...i.e. winters :) mine it seems is left open ended i.e. its for always..so any day I start a business this is going to be true. So people if you believe in fortune telling or astrology or something like that (as I don't..), So you all now know whom to look out for and also, you can now give me enough monetry support without much fear as I will pay once the 'unusual success' arrives!

Hamko malum hai jannat ki haqeekat lekin

dil ke khush rakhne ko galib yeh khayal aacha hai

Good Bye ....... Nostalgia!!

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 02:41:27 PDT

Ab ke bichade to shayad khawaboon main mile

jese sukhe hue phool kitaboon main mile

It seems a long time since I have written in my blog about myself, my feelings and nonsense, so today seems to be a poised day for that :). Most of all, as this marks the beginning of the last week of my current stay in Germany.... Those who read my blog already know that it was this trip that marked the birth of my interest and active participation in blogging ...... so end of this trip marks a special mention (although the blog will carry on....).

No, I am in not at all in the mood of agony or sadness that I have to leave this developed country, its benefits and go back ... on the contrary... I am happy and eager to go back and looking forward to it. But the fact is I am not all that rejoicing.... there are still some feelings for this place right in the small center corner of my heart (where ever that is ...). I think that is the bond you develop once you have stayed and settled at some place for sometime. You start linking with the regular places you visit, people you meet regularly and obviously the food you eat. Its like departing a complete life altogether. It flashes the memories of small things that add up.. those small incidents that accumulate .... small aquintances that were made up in this trip. It is really amazing to realize that these small bits and bytes would now always reserve a special sector in the hard disk of your mind and heart...

But most of all..... the felling of the missing your own country inside you. A realization that the change has occurred to the things that just always existed....were always there .... from small things like no-body speaking your language, no common jokes to huge realization that there are no friends or understading that people are not like yourself, they don't even think as you do ..... I really think that now I have some idea why the people living abroad respect there country more then the people who live there. You just have to remember and reassure (to your own self) your identity every day, every hour and you are really glad that you have one!! (Isn't that's what the freedom fighters were fighting for....). However, nowadays being an Indian is really more to proud of as it means to be a part of country which is growing very fast..... 3rd fastest growing economy... and 2nd fastest developing country...

Anyway........ there is still the last week left and I believe that the nostalgia would keep growing!!! but one very good thing is that, while coming back you just start realizing how many people want to say you 'bye bye'.... i.e. Farewell parties!!!! ... we already had 1 this week and have 2 planned for the next (last) week ...

Hope we would have a joyous farewell !!!! So until I get senti again and start writing for this 'feeling' again this is the adieus !!!!

Adieus Freiburg!
Adieus Germany!

Or should I say

Tschuess Freiburg!
Tschuess Germany!

-- Obviously my favorite departing line

Zinda rahe to phir milenge!!!!!

ThOsE WeRe ThE BeSt DaYs Of My LiFe

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:50:02 PST

I Never thougth that I would look back and say 'Those were the best days of my life', but here I am admiting rather happily and with profound satisfaction ...............

Those were the best days of my life..................

The days in my collage...my B-Tech at GNDU computer science - batch 2000-2004.............

I always believe that you should always live life as of today and should never look back to have regrets that the best time has passed... I suppose I was wrong...although I still firmly believe that you should live life fully today... but looking back does not give regrets rather fill you with an awhful amount of energy that you want to live up to it.......

Now, back to best days..... It is really amazing and seems almost impossible today the way we used to live and go on with life. The simple questions of where to eat today (obviously out of univ. mess) seems so important and had discussions and even friendly fights for that........

The days when you got up in the morning to go to department and then reaching there one lecture late and getting bored in the 3rd, collecting 10 Rs/each to get chole-bhature for lunch, that cricket in hostel parking area and also even insde the hostel building, those tense last days before the exam, those whole night studies and also whole night gossiping along with playing cards, That guice bar, that UT market and ...and...... the whole list from freashers party (or shall I say from ragging) to the farewell party .....can go on and on and on........... and the list would never end... But its not only about the events but also about people....people I met...pleople who are no longer people but friends...

The bestest thing that came out of golden days is a circle of friends. A bond cherished and strengthend by 4 years of truth and understading, a relationship feeded by love, fight, good time, bad time and most of all trust!! Its one thing that still stand tall and strong.

Collage life and specially hostel life constitutes the golden part of my memories ... It taught me to live by own self, how to trust others and also the truth that you do get betrayed/deceived and that not everyone is trust worthy.. It taught me to share things and to live in luxary (well at hostel level :D) and in crisis (I believe all levels)... to help others and also, to standup for youself and for your friends and your believes... The life taught me great many things and caused a real transition in my life, in my thinking and I am proud to say played a major role in making me what I am and what I stand for today...

Those days still tickel in my stomach, still one simple remeberance of those days gives my any down day/my bad day a real boost and cheers me up....

I don't feel sorry for them to have past but rather feel happy and cheerful that it is not a dream but I actually once live in those days and that I really enjoed it out ... Well Still do enjoy them.....

To put my heart out ---

THOSE WERE THE BEST DAYS OF My LIFE

-- Ankit

Fer ik din collage de nazare yaad aaun ge,

Har ik dil nu apne pyaare yaad aun ge.....

POORI and Aloo Ki Sabji

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:50:02 PST

I hereby certify that the pic is not the piece downloaded from the internet or borrowed/received from anyone and what the pic shows is exactly as it is.....a delicious food -- Poori and Aloo ki sabji........

Well yes, that's the food we (me and my roommate) prepared...Although hard to believe for many (and that population includes me ), but Its true. Those poories might not be the best in market but I tell you they were really good considering any standards.......

It was an attempt which came out of sheer nothing. Well the try (as we thought) was for the aloo ki sabji and that also dry...'jeera aloo'. Anyhow, I suggested for a aloo ki sabji with gravy and as obvious that suits best with poori. This was the exact point my roomate actually got senti on that (fass gayi uuski -- for my friends understanding). We actually knew nothing about how to prepare for poori, so logged on net..went online for anyhelp from any friend -- who knew (good thinking you ought to consider here:) )....well, least of all I found Rahul (least of all coz I was looking for some female ones for more certinity and although Rahul is pretty well informed about buisness and shares and has done well in getting into MBA, but to tell the truth I don't trust his cooking abilities, already had some 'not so good' experiences with his cooking while he was my roommate)....well never-the-less he convinced me for the type of 'atta' we would require and after that we got confirmation on that when my roommate called his parents (yes!!! long distant call for poori, and yes, Rahul next time i'll believe you in cooking also ;) ). The next steps seemed easy ... prepare the 'atta', find something to deep-fry, but alongcame the next hurdle.......Not enough oil.....(we came to know about it when we actually tried one - two poories and they were not even soacked properly).....and more to it.. it was late and it was raining .... but the 'senti' pana helped and he (sandeep (my roommate)) went out to buy oil and that also without umberella!!!!!!!! The course after he got oil was easy -- we tried to make first few, failed miserably ... and then one came out perfetly .... well shaped, 'poori fooli hui'......and that was it ..... the truth was unveiled before us..........we Got it!!!!!

The final result is on display.... and I honestly testify that it was really delicious.... The fact that we made poories twice after that in following days would support my claim ..................................

And now I think I am really good at making them :D.......

Who Is John Galt?

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:07:31 PDT

Who Is John Galt?

That’s the question you would ask once you have dived into the depths of Atlus Shrugged. Yes, that’s anybody’s guess, my latest reading venture:

Atlus Shrugged
by Ayn Rand.

Well after reading one book (fountainhead) on Objectivism and by the same author I never thought that I would go for the second one. Anyways, started it out of enthusiasm and curiosity. Although, this time it was in pdf format, so I had to read it on my laptop which I inherently don’t like. So with so much of negatives favoring this venture it seems to be heading towards a glorious failure or at least linger much much longer to finish (i.e. in my long list of started but not ended books). But well, writing here today with 200 pages finished in 4 days (with 60 in first 2) and the end seems approaching at the speed of tornado, simply explains the whole story. Yes, I am not joking, and believe me I have not counted wrong as I depend on Adobe reader for that. So all I can just say is the book is gr8. One of the review which I read for the book says that

“you have to read it again and again just to live the world as Ayn Rand presents to you”

Now, been there (and hopefully done that) I totally agree of it, this is the exact feeling I have while reading the book. If now you ask me, what is so good about the book? Or what is the fuss about? Or even why read it? Well the answer is:

‘Who is John Galt?’

Ha ha ha, yes, that’s what I am after, that goofy look on your face. To even understand the context of this answer you have to read this book…. So happy reading…..

And yes, don’t forget to look at ‘my view’ of the book, once I am over with the book. Cheers!!!

दिल का हाल

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 05:14:40 PDT

Dil dard wo kise bataein, Haste huye ye Zakhm kise dikhayen,

Kehti hai yeh duniya hume khush neseeb,Magar is Naseeb ki Dastaan kise bataein.

----------------

Paane se khone ka mazza kuch aur hai, band aankho me rone ka maza kuch aurhai,
aansu bane lafz aur lafz bane ghazal, aur us ghazal me tere hone ka mazakuch aur hai!!!!!!!!!!
---------------------------------------

रफ्ता रफ्ता उन्हें भूलने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं
किश्तो मे ख़ुदकुशी का mazaa koi humse poochhe
-----------------------------

BENAM SA YE DARD THEHAR KYO NAHI JATA, JO BEET GAYA WO GUJAR KYON NAHI JATA,
WO EK HI CHEHRA TO NAHI SARE JAHAN MAIN,JO DUR HAI WO DIL SE UTAR KYON NAHI
JATA......
--------------------------------------------

jaise chahte the hum unhe, voh bi humein chahte to kya baat hoti.
paane ka armaan toh tha, bin maange mil jaate to kya baat hoti,
is dil main pyar tha kitna, vo jaan lete to kya baat hoti.
humne maanga tha unhe khuda se, vo bi maang lete to kya baat hoti.
--------------------------------

और आंत मैं :::

Kagaz pe humne zindagi likh di, Ashkon se seench har khushi likh di,
Dard jab humne ubhara lafzon pe, Logon ne kaha wah kya ghazal likh di.

Fountainhead - My View

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:07:31 PDT

Fountainhead : A Remarkable and a Gem of a book

(R and G are intentionally kept capital :) )

The line above describes the book, but I have more to say, simply because there is much more to this book then a normal book.

Before I present my view, I completely ensure that I do read books a lot and consider myself as a good reader. Moreover, I choose books by myself i.e. by instincts because most of the time I have found that the popular classics (as recommended commonly) are not 'my type'. I have tried some of the very popular books, but was unable to finish them off. So it was one of the reasons of my so late venture into 'Ayn Rand' zone. Now, the next question would be why 'Fountainhead' ? The book has been here for more then 25 years and there has been a lot of reviews from very popular critics. Well, for that I can just say, this is not the review of the book. The book itself is a legend. This is just 'my view of the book'.

So, I can simply say that Fountainhead is one book for which I am really thankful to the person who recommended it. This book presents a mirror to your own self and raises questions to things commonly accepted as good things. It challenges the very basic philosophy i.e. What is good for society is good for you and presents objectivism as the core of human growth.

'Objectivism' - A philosophy so well explained and presented in the book that you really see the wrongs of 'collectivism'. The Author presents a new face of 'Selfishness' and explains the fact that to be happy one should be actually selfish (though not in the sense as known popularly).

The books throws a direct question on what we want of our life? what should be our criteria for our decision? The book actually makes you believe that the thinking of common good is a lie and the person who preaches is a liar to himself..

'The visionary lies to himself, the liar only to others.'

Conclusion: This is one book that is a must read for each and every one. Read it to despise it, read it to curse it, read it to admire it, read it to honour it.......but do read it once.

hyper-elusive state of mind

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:09:35 PDT

Well this is what happens when you are more free then required. You start thinking yourself as a good thinker (the sense might reach to being 'great'....) and open you blog site and want to wright something really good and important for the world....So here I am trapped in same situation and doing similar thing :). Anyhow, first let me tell the readers how I reached to this eloped (deserted) state.

It all began from the flight from India->Germany, and in Germany to Freiburg...Well this is the same place I visited last year as my first on-site trip, somehow last year it was unique and this year there's nothing unique... Seems obvious but not to me.. Now you don't feel people speaking German around you as wiered and you speaking hindi loudly as bad, although I still don't understand German and I believe they don't understand hindi, coz if they do then it could be a real problem with the kind of things I say. Anyhow, the client office is also same. So, the life start getting normal (bore....I believe the word normal life or regular life itself indicate a boring life and you can use them interchangeably) and to add to my agony this time I brought a Novel along - Fountainhead...... and within the last 2 days finished around 300 pages.

Now I believe anybody can understand my current state of mind... So on my ardent aim to provide something good to this world today is because of the hyper-elusive state of my mind because of the circumstances as described above....

Anyways, here are some of the enlightened words from an enlightened Man (if you are looking around here the 'enlightened Man' is used for 'ME') who just had a self-realization that one should not be so selfish to restrain the vast wealth of knowledge to himself (Oh!! I am so selfless :)) ) so here I am trying to open the doors of this infinite knowledge.... However, more hard I think more I get only one line which should describe the core of all the innovations and success achived by mankind and it is....

BE SELFISH....

Selfish - not in the sense as popularly and not in the way as used above but in the exact and complete manner as described by 'Ayn Rand' . For all those who have read him, this is simple to understand, for all those whose who have not well I heavily recommend FOUNTAINHEAD.

Why? for this watch out my next blog.... my view of the book :)

Nothing Sensible

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:09:35 PDT

One more drafter blog if nothing else but well neede some place to write and what better then this 'my own blog spot'.......so what if nobody comes and check this. Well this is one hell of a spot for me to be my own self....

So what to write here, well obviously watever I wish and can think of (which generally are Wiered thoughts)...but hey!!! who cares :)

So I am writing here without much of the thinking and realizing...Going opposite to the popular believe that when you are not thinking properly and reasonably cool off and dont make decisions, I am here by writing a new post which I might just make public, hey! lets end this boring stuff of tokaing abt nothing here and let me try to write something better.....
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Just read what I have written above .... Well I sould say I can write good only if I get topic ;)

So this would be my second blog taking about nothing (confused..... I have one in draft before this and man the first published blog had the topic and that was 'Myself' )

Well I think thats all for nows ..... Its really difficult to keep on taking nothing ........

But I promise that now the new blogs would have some topic.(For nothing I can always come back and edit this one and yes I have one in draft too......)

Thank you folks!!!!!

Ankit

First Attempt

noreply@blogger.com (ankit kukreja) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:09:35 PDT

Hi All,

Well here I am putting forward one of my initial effort to write something. Although an ardent reader and very outspoken it seems a bit stange to enter into this area of writing a bit late....well anyways as they say 'Der aaye par durust aaye' .... So what should be the first topic....Well I choose the obvious one to start with 'Me Myself and Ankit'.

In most of my conditions I describe my attitude towards live in a line that goes...

'Kyon Darain Zindagi ke Kya Hoga, Kuch na hoga to tajurba hoga.......'

Now comming on straight forward about me :

Big Dreamer, Sharp Thinker, Slow Starter but robust carrier, Easy on life with a smile on the face

And here comes an abrupt end (However....the space above is left intensionally blank to fill it with something more usefull :)) )

'Zindagi Zinda dili ka naam hai murda dil bhi kya khaak jiya karte hain....'

Well Thats all folks for know ..... but keep checking more to come.........

-- Ankit -
If you don't believe in yourself, chances are nobody else would