Kahani Ghar Ghar ki !!!

Well this post is not about the soap opera by Ekta Kapoor in Star Plus, but its a tale of great anguish and reflections my experiences in searching a house for my friend in Mumbai. Mumbaikars, with their own flats intact for more than 30yrs – please don’t scold me & do forgive me!

Searching for a good place to live in Mumbai is much worse than searching for a rice weevil in a Sack of Rice..  In the case of latter, at least you know that its there. In Mumbai, there isn’t anything called a good house to live. People pay obscene amounts to live in sea facing stinking and rusted flats (really posh), or posh-locality chawl houses (not so posh), or simply put, in an 1/2/3 and a half bedroom house for a prohibitively huge amount. You will wonder if its the rent people are asking for or a hefty ransom.

One of my friends was transferred to Mumbai recently. His idea was to rent a good flat and bring his family here. Knowing about the scenario here I had explained him the regular procedure of contacting brokers. A 2 bedroom flat in a 15K rent at Andheri was his requirement.  (i know the rentals for it are anywhere upwards of 30k in Andheri) so I asked him why Andheri? He answered, he would have  to spend more than an hour just reaching the office (yeah! Mumbai traffic is another long blogpost). He thought that he is going for a house hunting but I warned him its actually a witch hunting instead. Infact few of facts had even shocked me  when i accompanied him. I must tell you about this novel concept of “26 ka package hai” meaning the rent can be 23k if you pay a deposit of 2L, or 26k if you are ready to pay a deposit of 1L. Seriously I am wondering who did the maths?

Back to the witch-hunting, better the building, better the furnishing, better the rates. Broker showed a 1RK for 14k, a chawl house for 16k i.e. a chawl is like a slum area where lots and lots of people live in small houses cramped together (I am sure a lot of Mumbaikars would be on me for using such generalized definitions). Every Chawl house has a single room and has more than 5-6 inhabitants usually.

At a certain point of time, the real estate revolution took its toll on the lively chawls and many of them got converted into what are called SRS (Slum Rehabilitation Scheme) flats. Here, the builders take up the existing chawl and convert it into a dual identity modern apartment. The nicer face and the front side of such apartments is sold to the normal buyers, while the slum dwellers get a 1 room chawl house each in the backside of the apartment. These are constructed in a primitive manner with basic amenities, maximum space utilization for the 1 room flats. Some enterprising dwellers decided to get the interiors done nicely and rent out the space to generate additional income which can be quite valuable in this blood-sucking city.

Somehow I was lucky to get a 1RK in 1 of the oldest societies (where bachelors are allowed) which I found quite nice for my appetite. After knowing the actual rates from the brokers, just a little beyond my level my friend had set the limit for himself. Had it been a SRS, he would have got a 1BHK converted building for cheaper rate on bargains. The negatives were also simple- The walk between the entrance and the flat (the minimal requirement) would be peppered with people looking at you curiously. If you say something to your landlord, most likely the whole building will know about it by the evening. And stuff like that. If you are a small towner, it doesn’t bother you that much. But yeah, your “status” does take a hit! I think  8-10 brokers  whom we contacted, had given up on our limitation of not being borne in a family which can just lock away a few lakhs rupees as security deposit, or that of not working in banks which are ready to park someone else’s money as security deposit.

Now there was no point for him fooling around with the rent. I convinced him to look out in the outskirts. Economically and practically, it made more sense to move to outskirts. If you intend to stay near your workplace with your family especially in places like Andheri or Bandra you will literally end up paying half of your monthly earning on the rental. What do you think you would do with the rest of the half. Guess what, its not all light and shining in the dark city (Andheri=darkness), but the whole process of finding a good accommodation has been a nightmare for him. Finally he is now happily staying on the outskirts with his family, renting a 2BHK for 15K. Only problem is the travelling time of 1.5hrs from his place, but he has his company bus picking/dropping near his home which has resolved his Local Train commutation too.  

People talk about the great quality of life in this great absorbing city. I guess when it comes to the three basic necessities – Food, Clothes and Shelter, this city sucks big time. My personal experience is that leaving aside Vada Pav, the food bills here run far higher than the other three original metros. Accommodation, nobody’s competing with Mumbai. Mumba Devi is in a league of her own with innovative concepts like 2.5BHK where the .5 would not be considered as a B anywhere but Mumbai. But then, the city has a night life to offer. What the need is to find a decent accommodation! You can stay out all your life and party.

Lest I am charged with saying that all is wrong with this city – hell, no! As i have already said in one of my previous post (Bombay Bombay Pa Ra Ra Rapa Ra) I do love a lot of things about this city – most importantly, its people. It’s probably the only city in this country where the concept of personal space exists. It’s one of the rare cities in India which despite having such a big organized underworld, still has its markets and restaurants open till midnight and beyond. It’s a city which is a great leveler. Every day when you board a Mumbai local, it does not matter who you are and what your upbringing is, you have to struggle for your existence. And if you don’t want luxuries, you have to make adjustments. Go to the office at 8 before anyone else, and leave after 8 (or before everyone else leaves), and such things.

But, to make life easy for the wonderful dwellers, the city needs to start thinking. It’s not just good to be a spirited sportsperson, you have to be a thinking sportsperson too if you want to win! Mumbai – you are spirited. But you aren’t thinking !!!

The Best DATE ever !!!

Amidst the current hectic lifestyle, trying to be super-human (i.e) managing work, friends, family and life, we end up losing touch with the most important person!! Don't think too much its none other than our own self.

Even the so-called ‘Me time/ My time’ on weekends/ holidays is spent with other people and we end up being tired rather than relaxed.  Like many people around me, even I too crave for that one day when I can have a date with myself. It should be easy right? There are no appointments to be made, no work to be done, no bills to be paid …wrong! haha !! It’s a hard realization that I am not that easily available to myself, not anymore. Infact there are many other things that have taken priority.

The wanderer inside me goofs up sometimes suddenly such that I feel like packing my bags and going for a holiday just like that, to spend some time away from the maddening world around me. Ideally, I would love to switch off my phone and not check my mails/Whatsapps/Facebook/blogs. I would love to walk for hours on a beach hearing my favorite music on my ipod, dance away the evenings and tasting self cooked food for dinner before counting the stars lying directly under the sky admiring its beauty. I would love to visit some places which is full of natural landscapes and eat my favorite foods, meet new people and silently watch the sunset. I would love to sleep for a good 10 hours and do window-shopping the rest of the time. I wish I could shut out the worries of day to day life from my mind for a few days and enjoy peaceful sleep interrupted only by beautiful dreams. OMG never thought the list of events during the beautiful date with myself still continues..

I have been promising myself this date for long, where I will have my undivided attention and when I will spare no effort in pampering myself. I will listen only to myself with patience like I have never done before and I will discover things about me that I never knew existed.

Hope I get to do that soon… Keeping fingers crossed to fulfill this desire !!

I also suggest each one of you to go for a such kind of date to know yourself. Do fulfull your unfulfilled dreams. live life to the fullest. !!

Cheers !!!

Still Aliveeeeeee !!!

Hellloooo!! Whats up ???

Yes I know I have been away for a super long while and many of you may have actually forgotten me (I think I need to go knock on the proverbial doors again to say “Hi, I’m back”  :P ).

I’m still around though not been around your blogs much off late. Its been a while since i posted too. A long while infact. Kaan pakadke maafi maangtha hoon in Mumbai Style.  I shall not conveniently and truthfully pass the blame on the same old, same old – work and life keeping me busy, but ya that's the fact, life’s been awfully crazy and hectic as So much has happened since my last post that I don't quite know where to start.There are so many things i want to say and so many things which i can’t.

I have often wondered if I should just save what I have written so far and delete the blog but no really feel guilty for having the thought of the blog and you guys like that.

In a fight of nostalgia last week, i finally migrated my thoughts and resolved the issue. The first of them was to resurrect my dormant blog. The blog has ceased to be just an outlet for penning down my thoughts.

Thats it !!!  for few weeks am not gonna think what to write but when to write and getting out of my laziness that I find difficult, and I shall transform into my old avatar as a blogger and once I open the editor I shall always find something to write. Believe me I do have a lot of stuff to write which happened all these days...

Hopefully this blog will have plenty of content henceforth..

cya fellass !!

FOOTBALL FEVER !!!!

The monsoons have just started and the monotony of everyday life is slowly setting in. Just as how the first Crocus flower breaks through the blanket of snow at the break of spring, inspires the artist, nothing inspires the football fan more than the moment when the two teams walk out onto the green, proudly donning their respective colours in front of their roaring fans. It is a most indescribable feeling. Adrenaline races through the veins and the weight of expectation sets in. Breathing is suspended for a brief moment in time. A look of consternation masks the 22 on the pitch. The referee pulls out his whistle, acknowledges the crowd, and raises it to his lips and then a kick on the ball! This is the onset of a disease, and the one that is good for soul – Football Fever.

In fact, according to FIFA, there are 265 million football players around the world making it the single largest sport across the globe. Yes indeed, football is big business. As with all high profile, extraordinarily expensive events, much controversy surrounds the event. But love it or hate it, for me there is something wonderful about seeing teams from across the globe descending in a single location and playing a game that they love. Perhaps football is the great equalizer especially, the World Cup, the granddaddy of football, occurs once every four years.

Football fever has struck throughout the world and am not an exempt. And during the World Cup, it is all that everyone here is talking about. At Brazil, this Game draw mobs of often unruly spectators all rooting for their hometown team and for those who can't secure tickets like us, we watch these matches in a different time-zone only just because of the pure passion towards it. We've even joined friends and been a part of the crowd cheering on the game. It seems as though everyone is either playing or watching the sport.

From day I started  watching football I started liking GERMAN team the most and i would always say they are in fact the best in the world. Living in a mixed community of fans of different Football teams, I am feeling and seeing the sense of excitement on a daily basis. In the weeks and yes, even months leading up to the World Cup, people were talking about the big game and SPAIN/BRAZIL's chance of winning this world cup. I honestly have no idea on other team’s stands at winning but regardless of this, GERMAN support has been prominently displayed by me. I always wish to be in the crowds roaring and cheering when my Team is playing.

Facebook pages are filled with commentary about good and bad plays and calls. Even those countries without low FIFA rankings have fans and these teams really surprised their fans by awesome game and classic wins over the biggies. I must admit, it is all kind of exciting. While we haven't been staying up into the wee hours to watch the games, and we have been catching as many as we can.

Do you have any favourite team?

For all non-GERMAN matches, I have a tendency to root for the underdog but I guess it all depends upon who is actually playing at the moment. And the fact is that it really doesn't matter. Because at the end of the day it is the excitement of the game that is so contagious.

PAY IT FORWARD !!!

The blogging world has been both fascinating and overwhelming to me.  I hesitated starting a blog for years.  I had difficulty overcoming the thought that it was self-centered to assume that people would want to read what I have to say. And especially the language barrier, hindered me in expressing my thoughts. But thanks to the invention of apps that are interactive, I’m now a member of Words with Friends and one other interactive game. The first one is fun, allowing me to use my  word vocabulary to impress my friends with words along the lines of ‘some’ and ‘other’. Let me point out, I have never won with big scores though.

I am so grateful that I finally overcame my fears and entered into this arena – and a huge thank you to the friends... It has already been a wild ride. I had received comments to many of my blog from my family & friends.The comments, though not on the post itself, but by emails, text, verbally, in person, etc. truly touched me to my core..

As I read all of the comments, though, I was extremely touched by them.  The act of commenting alone, is a kindness (someone is taking time out of their busy lives to show interest in what I said); but it is also the nature of the comments.

People offer interest, sympathy,  concern,  support, encouragement and love.   And these people are not only my immediate family and core group of friends – they are my extended family, with whom I have reconnected in significant ways; they are acquaintances, with whom I have forged tighter and closer friendships; they are total strangers, with whom I want to become friends and, really, consider friends already.

It is easy to get bogged down in the depressing aspects of our world right now.  That so many people are willing to take the time to offer encouragement and support is a huge reminder to me about the basic goodness of human nature.  And also how incredibly important it is for us to reach out to one another.

It has caused me to reassess my views. I have been reading various blogs and facebook posts for years but rarely commented.

Why?

When I was in my busy and stressed out phase of my life, I think it was a time issue.  I see the absurdity of that now.  How much time does it really take to reach out and pat someone else on the back (actually or virtually)?

I also struggled with feeling as if I was an intruder.  There is a sense of voyeurism when reading people’s posts and, by commenting, you are admitting to being a voyeur (or so I thought at the time).  I realize now how wrong that is.

I am reminded of the movie ”PAY IT FORWARD” which was remade as "STALIN" in Telugu and "JAI HO" in Hindi, in which a favor for someone to be paid forward by doing a favor for three persons, rather than returning the favor to the same person.  It was a bit of an odd movie, but the concept of paying it forward is a strong one.

So please consider this my way of paying it forward in the social media arena, motivating the budding bloggers like me...

For those of you considering a blog, go ahead and try it.  It has been one of the more rewarding experiences of my life.  I feel as if I am finding my voice and living a life more authentic to me.

For those of you who read blogs, please consider commenting on posts that you enjoy.  Understand that by commenting and showing interest in a post, you are showing kindness to the author.  Now when I read blogs and posts, I make the effort to comment on ones that I find interesting.  And when I do comment, I feel very positive about it.

And then on a more personal level, for those of you who have commented on my posts or offered me encouragement on my blog, I give to you a huge and heartfelt thank you.

Is it true that you want it?

I know I have not been updating more often and I am trying harder to keep on track with it! But I am not abandoning this beautiful but awkward mind-space that I have created.

So, if you know anything about my life right now (my Facebook statuses will reveal it), you’d know that I am having a heck of a time sleeping. It continually evades me. Which is weird, because usually my relationship with sleep is usually very copacetic? But I guess I get much like an overly attached girlfriend to my sleep and sleep decides it has to be a jerk.

So, I tried to calm myself by thinking nice thoughts, but they usually get away from me too. Finally decided to use my second girlfriend "Ïnternet" to update myself on the FIFA 2014, and ended up listening to Shakira's FIFA song.

Is it true that you want it?

Then act like you mean it

With everyone watching

It's truth or dare, can you feel it?

These lines caught my attention..  and started my butterflies of the thoughts on them... This reminds me of an article which i came across, it says,

"Whatever your bigger goals are in life, what are you willing to do achieve it? Are you willing to make sacrifices? Work when others are sleeping? Eat only particular noodles? Breakup with a girlfriend/boyfriend who is holding you back?"

Many times we may think we want it so bad, but do we really? Most people aren’t willing to make sacrifices to get what they want. The successful ones do what the unsuccessful ones aren’t willing to do. Those who like the idea of doing something will quit after failing once or twice. They will say, “It’s too hard. It’s not meant to be. Oh well I tried.”  But the committed ones don’t stop.

However this commitment alone is no longer enough unless you face the Battle between making choices (Easy vs. Hard). I still remember the nursery rhyme "Inky Pinky Ponky" which we used, to make the choice during childhood (in-fact even during our university exams) to choose the answers. But this methodology will no longer work out for these situations !!! It is a tough battle when deciding between the two. They don’t get along. They’re like the angel and the devil that sits on your shoulders talking to you. Each one wants you to listen to them.

When I think back over my life, I’ve found that time and time again, the hard choices I’ve made were the ones that provided lasting positive change in my life. When I took the easy road, it didn’t have any impact – it was only the hard choices that really brought about change. I’m where I am today because I’ve had to make hard choices the past years. They weren’t the most fun at the time. I would have rather been goofing off, watching movies, whatever was on TV, reading magazines. But I knew I had taken the easy road before that and it led to a life I didn’t want.

Hehehe ... I'm pretty much guaranteed to achieve my goals and I'm actually going mad coz of that and I didn't think of it sooner. I don't really know where I was going with all of these thoughts.  LOLz.. It is probably best to stop now. No more ADVISORY INJECTIONS  !!!!!!  Catcha soon !!  Bye Byee !!!

Perfectly Cursed Life !!!

Can you just imagine this. “Chasing that dream that you’ve always longed for. Doing what makes you come alive.”

Can you feel it? The joy?  The buoyancy? Me too, as stated in my previous blogs, even am chasing my dreams. If someone tells you that they are ‘following their dreams’ what would you say to them?  Would you mock and laugh or would you encourage and support them?

One of the Motivating mentors said in his seminar which i attended, "It’s what you were put on this earth for!  Your dreams are the reason why you are here, why you live and breathe today.  For you to be happy, fulfilled and in love with life you must follow your dreams because they matter!!"

For me there are no arguments here, just facts. However, living your dreams can come at a price.  Of course it is far easier to settle with the ordinary life, not rocking the boat or challenging the ‘way things are’. These days, the phrases ‘be yourself’ or ‘be authentic’ are thrown around so carelessly, that I’m not surprised at the amount of people who feel frustrated around the whole subject. What makes it even worse, is that when people say be yourself, it is almost always accompanied with the word ‘just’. Just. “Just be yourself!” They say nonchalantly.

On a practical note, it seems like a myth, mostly propagated by people who tell you to do what you love. Doing what you love will make you feel fulfilled. But you don’t need to get paid for it. So if you are overwhelmed with the task of “doing what you love” you should recognize that you are totally normal, and maybe you should just forget it. Just do something that caters to your strengths. Do anything. Doing work and being valued in the community is important. We become realists. Whatever the hell that means, for better or worse, we value people with money.

As far as I can see, the happiest people I know of are the inhabitants of tropical islands or are under the age of 12. There is something to be said about a child’s mind- the mind that draws a line between what’s real and what’s imaginary that’s so faint, you have to question whether it’s there at all. This pulls me to one of Ernest Hemingway’s remarks, “Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”

Isn’t that the truth? The difficulty of being authentic gets lost in translation. It would be nice to live in a world where being yourself is like breathing, but that’s not where we live.

In simple terms let’s call it, a "Perfectly Cursed Life", where you can neither follow your dreams nor stay happy with what you have.

Everything is a Miracle !!

A very happy and prosperous new year to all of you!!

Somewhere I read today that, "There are days". What does that really mean??? Does it say that there are days where you are a total loser, and then there are days where "bang" you are a super dude, where everything is right for you. Or does it mean that, whatever you work for doesn't matter because there are all kinds of days. I think what it really wants to say is, that everything is relative and you take every day as it comes!! Likewise, there are days when you feel like writing and sometimes there are days when you don’t feel like writing and when you scribble something, and today is my one of those days and the first one in this year. 

Few days back we were having a small discussion among my friends; it just started with the topic "Why everyone just sees only the beauty and the happiness within”??  Well though Happiness and beauty comes in all different forms but are directly related.

Beauty is all around us. Everywhere we see. It’s omnipresent. The physical, the spiritual, the metaphysical, it was put in the lands we live in for a reason; to make us feel a certain way. It’s all about the feelings that are evoked within us, just as that feeling you get in your stomach at the sight of someone special in your life or the feeling you get when you are alone, listening to your favorite song or upon eating your mom's home cooked meal (especially when you stay away from parents like me). This feeling is none other than the so called Happiness.

Happiness is a state of mind that can only be permanent if it comes from within, it cannot be achieve through external forces. In that case happiness will only be temporary. It may be extremely helpful to remember that happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it solely depends upon what you think.  

Happiness can be got from simplest of things and not big gifts and grand gestures. Am sharing a simple thing to do which I learnt from one of my friend is, start the day by thinking of all the things you are thankful for. Not only will this give you a great perspective it will also put a smile on your face. Happy thoughts and a smile on the face will be your key here.

When coming to the memories, it can light you up or sometimes kill your mood completely. How actions, reactions, things, situations all lead to that incident!!  Replaying the past in front of your eyes like you see in the movies.  Sometimes you need to pinch yourself to remind yourself that what you see now is just a recollection of the past. And how the past can’t be forgotten yet it can always be lived via your memory. 

The magic of memories is a cinematic experience altogether, as you can relive the moment from the past in just span of few minutes. So the next time you have time take a journey through your past memories as sometimes, these very memories that will bring a big smile to your face.

This end result is beautiful to look at but what is more remarkable is the journey towards this miracle of life. Someone wise once said that "everything is a miracle". I believe in it a 100%.

 

Learning to Live again Chasing my dreams (Experience Unlimited) !!!!!!!!!!!

Off late I feel like I only return to this blog when I realize my own authenticity is dying and in a way, it's true. This place is full of my authenticity and my mind space to share all my thoughts.

Since childhood I have been reading many inspirational stories and quotes stating "Life is a journey. It is meant to be lived fearlessly." Also I have come across many saying, "I want to change. I want to rediscover my passion and reinvent my life".

I had decided that too much inspiration seeking will leave you drained, uninspired, stuck, and believing that you just can't create. In my life I wanted to be myself and I wanted to be open about how I feel. I used to waste too much time wondering if I'm going to say something stupid. I don't want to pretend I am someone, and I am not, because I don't feel comfortable. But I want to learn to live. “Oh, do I want to learn??” And ya that’s were my fear started. Later questions like "Why then do we let fear get the best of us? Why do we stand in our own way when it comes to doing what we want?" keep buzzing my mind.

Finally I found that the fear is because it is so much easier to stand to the sidelines, and let life pass us by, always holding our dreams and ambitions close to our heart. But the funny thing about life is it doesn't offer any guarantee on our dreams. Sometimes it will force us to take the big risk, the one with absolutely no promise of success. The thing we may not realize though, which is something I am still learning each and every day, is that life really does give you what we need to take those risks and chase your dreams.

My family and friends know that I have made some really bold moves along the journey, but my heart longs to make even more. By learning to fully focus on my dreams, I was able to start pushing myself further and further outside of my old comfort zone. And I have felt terrified many days along the way because I am taking risk after risk to chase my dreams. I do Feel the fear . . . and then do it anyway. No matter how many people I speak with, no matter how many books I read, no matter how much I learn or grow or achieve, the fear is always inside. That little voice of doubt is always whispering in my head to play it safe.

From my journey I learnt that nobody’s perfect. You aren't always going to win. Sometimes, you are going to fall so hard, you don’t know how you will ever get up again. But in every instance, there will be a lesson or understanding you take with you for the next time.

I personally follow the words of some unknown scholar – “Believe in yourself, think back on what you have learned before, and push through the line. You might be surprised by how far you can go.” The problem is that when you don’t push yourself to achieve more than the standards of living, you never really know how far you could have gone in this life.

The only thing stopping you from chasing your dreams right now . . . is you.

And I believe it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.

CURIOSITY UNLIMITED - Making Every Minute COUNT !!!

There are times i wish i could directly translate my thoughts into my laptop. There are these tidbits running in my mind, untethered and by the time i finish my work and get to the blog, whoos hooo (just like magicians say)...it's no longer there, buried as it must be under the analysis & calculations and a myriad other things which define my day.

Then there are times i wish i had continued with my anonymous self while blogging. I could then get away with a truly outrageous statement like '.......&___________',

"................myriad DOTS"

Don't go away, i'm thinking, i'm thinking!!!



These are disoriented thoughts finding its way here... Day in and day out that arise in my sub memory about these Q's..

Yesterday - What were you doing 20 years ago?

Today -If you build a time capsule today what would it contain?

Tomorrow - What do you see yourself doing 15 years from now?


just wondering why 20 yrs back and 15 yrs ahead?!!! not that it makes any difference but.... my

Yesterday -20 years ago My oldest memory would be a faint one of me enjoying a holiday declared by my school for a National leaders death without knowing why it was declared for!!

Today -If you build a time capsule today what would it contain?: Is there some way I can pick up all the weeds in the society and zap them back…so that there really will be a future worth waiting for?

Tomorrow - It’s been a years in slow motion…sort of makes up for previous years which was full of change and just zipped by.



This should have been easy for a dreamer like me! I see dreams when I'm awake and when i'm asleep!. Choosing THE dream was like asking me to choose only one "Dish" my favorite "Food List" !! All my dreams become THE dream at the time...

So, at any point of time...

I dream of a safe world where children can keep their innocence longer and not worry about abuse from the seen and unseen...

I dream of a tolerant world where racism and terrorism are just words, empty, dirty words...

I dream of leaving a greener Earth for our children to inherit...

I dream of peace...

I dream of goals to be accomplished...

I dream of the day when a woman, can walk down any street in any corner of the world feeling safe...

I dream of sunsets with that special someone long after the nest is empty and the birds have flown.

I've been reading blogs after a long gap when Onion prices are competing with the cost of Petrol and Beer. Don"t know who is gonna be the winner in reaching Rs.100 mark. $ has reached a new mark of Rs.65.

By and large everyone echoes the same sentiment of wanting to do something, anything ...I see determined people all around having one thing in common..they are all see things with rage...

It is the right time to guide that anger in the right direction. They need to unite and take a big first step, perhaps have a common goal... any ideas what that step could be?

The need of the hour is finding the right leadership to take our country forward...

Its time to make a big deal of showing everyone that WE do matter....

INSPIRATIONS !!!

Long time no see!


Wow, it's been a while since I posted something here. I'm sorry guys, I've just had too much fun, work and been too busy to even think about writing here. I hope you understand.. ;)

I thought to write a little bit every day rather then come back after a few days and catch up. But I write when I feel like it only :)

Off-late I noticed that I get Inspired from other people a lot. Guess I'm getting older hehe, but in a good sense.

To get Inspired from someone or something is not to copy or not have a will of your own.

One of the things is to maybe get to know yourself better, see what kind of abilities You have, see the world and things in an other perspective. Now I would like to see the true meaning of life and make a difference.

I think that's how you end up with your ideas. A lot of it is especially from other people only.

our idea shall be - "To get Inspired!" and "Not to Mimic!"

You see what people do. You like it and want to do the same thing, but then perform it in your own way.

You see what people are wearing. You like it and want to wear the same thing, but design it to your own.

Alas I desire to see the world and what it has offered. Meet and know Other people, their culture, their food. Planning to convert as a part time WANDERER.. coz i have my other dreams and goals too which fuel my thoughts forever in the longrun.



See you all soon !!!

Life without our Beloved GADGETS !!!!

Today many of us are addicted to constantly being available and reachable, mobile or online; especially for someone like me who is away from home.I admit I can’t live without my laptop, phone and the Internet, I really feel naked without them. A deep-seated feeling of a likely boredom without laptop and internet for 2 whole weeks. Now finally 2days back, only after its come back from service I realised how addicted we have been to gadgets, internet and stuff that we somehow are depriving ourselves of the real quality of life out there. I absolutely get frustrated and angry and start wondering what’s going on on the net without me and what I’m missing – an important mail or a fun message. Does that sound familiar? Yes many will definitely admit it, I bet it does!!! How long do you think we could survive without our so beloved laptop or phone?

Can you imagine a life with no laptop, no Internet, no Facebook? I can’t, sadly or not, I really can’t. But the truth is we are not dependent on our devices. We choose to be. I dont think having mobiles, laptop, tv or internet stops us from anything but many of us have slowly started revolving our lives around them and it is we who cant see anything beyond it and hamper ourselves from the real bliss of nature and the “organic living” as they say.Although not everybody thinks the same and different people have different priorities;agreed. But treating them as a means to the end and not the end itself could definitely enable one to make the best of both worlds.

However am planning to follow as psychologists say in their articles that, "Do choose to take a break from time to time! Get your mind refocused by doing something else and get away from technology for a while – go for a walk for example, get some fresh air, enjoy the sun, have coffee with friends, read a book if you want (not an e-book, but a print version); just clear your mind and you’ll be way more relaxed and ready to get back to work with full strength. Breaks do help."

Away from Home

Being away from home for studies or work are hard many times. Whether you are gone for six months, 1 year or two years, being away from your family and friends can more difficult than you imagine. Be it my current city of work "MUMBAI" or my study city of "DEHRADUN", the feeling of homesickness is something most of us get. At some point everyone craves the more familiar like friends, food, pets or family. Sometimes it just feels like it all is so far away.

The holiday’s can make it even more difficult as you remember certain traditions you used to have, family gatherings and home cooked food. It is also hard to miss all of those traditions going on at home that you have grown up with for so many years, especially during the festival days.

Many advised me, "if you’re feeling a little homesick, don’t worry, it happens to everyone. Try to take your mind off of it and hang out with some close friends, get out of your apartment and do something. The feeling doesn’t last forever and soon you will be back to normal!!! "

Finally I found out the best way to deal with homesickness and boredom is to get out and meet some people, not regular people but the needy and hurray i am into educating the needy kids. Now I can say am really occupied on all my weekends and other holidays. Visiting various orphanages keeps me busy during the initial stages and the fact to be shared here is I have got a lot more likeminded friends in this unknown city.

Since the organization is a new born baby in Mumbai, hope we will come across various challenges and hurdles in growing it. Also I have heard many interesting stories from my seniors on their experiences working with kids. In my forthcoming blogs I will share my experiences..

To be continued...

Dark Knight - The Black Beauty

We all know that life isn't sunshine and roses all the time. We live in a hostile world where all of us constantly feel the need to be loved, accepted, respected and admired. Ever since humanity invented sin(God did not create sin-We did), and evolved moral codes of conduct and slapped divine sanctions on itself, civilizations have sought to divide all actions, words, thoughts and feelings into 'good' and 'bad', 'right' and 'wrong', 'positive' and 'negative'. But different human societies have ensured that these terms are conjugational— "I am right, you are mistaken, he is wrong; we are good, you are in error, they are evil." While conflicts are continually maintained, raised to the boil and coo



led off intermittently, the fiction is sustained that Truth is one and only the paths vary.

Negative thinking appears to be more prevalent than positive thinking. It seems that with most people positive thinking requires some effort, whereas negative thinking comes easily and uninvited. The power of negative thinking, denotes that there is no such thing as negative feeling, thought or action. What one perceives as negative emotion or feeling is actually a protective feeling or emotion. The negative label, blocks us from seeing our (guilt, hatred, depression, fear and despair) protective and deeper alerting functions. Our fears, allergies, hates, outbursts, withdrawals and evasions are manifestations of our need to protect ourselves from rejection and humiliation. They are not negative; they are our shields and warning systems.

If you didn't know any better, you might say we're a country that preaches optimism. But foreigners employ a calculated form of negative thinking called defensive pessimism, that can lead to very positive results. Defensive pessimism is a strategy used in specific situations to manage anxiety, fear, and worry. Defensive pessimists, prepare for a situation by setting low expectations for themselves, then follow up with a very detailed assessment of everything that may go wrong. Once they've imagined the full range of bad outcomes, they start figuring out how they'll handle them, and that gives them a sense of control.

Many Psychotherapists encourage us to indulge our full range of emotions because each emotion has something to teach us. Each emotion thus plays a critical role in our progress and mind-body healing process.Accepting rather than rejecting a negative emotion takes the edge off its destructive power. If you live the emotion, you will be relieved of it and it may even help you. Psychotherapist Greenspan suggests we think of emotions as teachers. Sorrow teaches us about interconnectedness. Fear is a survival instinct. And anger indicates that something’s wrong that must be made right.

To this I would add, "envy teaches us that we need to better ourselves; disappointment tells us our expectations are unrealistic or that we need to increase our own efforts; frustration tells us we are bored with present circumstances and it’s time for a change". Being stressed means we need to list our priorities; loneliness tells us we need to be connected; guilt tells us we have been unjust to someone or something and need to make amends.

The value of victory is half a grain; the value of defeat is that of a diamond.That is the power of negative reasoning at its most potent and wise.Positive emotion comes from negative emotion all the time. We are all looking for reconciliation, a catharsis. This is how the darker emotions help motivate people to action and allow them to heal.

Bombay… Bombay…Pa ra ra rap pa

Bombay (Mumbai), The Economic Capital of India, definitely is not love at first sight for many. The first time I visited it in 2006; I found its extremities and contrasts, off-putting. For me, it seemed like it was an Indian city trying to be more western. Great Leaders always talked of transforming Mumbai into Shanghai but the fact is that they had not even spared Mumbai to be in its original form. When anyone walks into the street in this city, they shall only think of one thing, "Wow what a mess!”. But none cares for it. People walking from place to place, taxis stuck in horrible traffic, auto rickshaws avoiding the traffic jam by driving around the cars, and cows and other animals running across the street in the midst of pedestrians making their way across the crowded street.

I have heard many saying that life at Mumbai is too fast. I don’t understand what they really mean by that. The office timings here are the same like in any other cities and the amount of work is too the same. Then why is there a fast tag with Mumbai life alone. The only difference which I can see here is the traffic jam and narrow lanes.It’s been about 10 months in Mumbai now. If I compare my life in Chennai and in Mumbai, there I have to use my vehicle from my home to Railway Station, then Local train, again by walk to my office. It’s not only me, many people takes bus, then local train and either walk or takes auto rickshaw to reach office. It’s very rare to reach a venue by using only one mode of transport. I could see the same happening here too for many; thankfully I got an accommodation near my office in a walkable distance. Does that make this city faster than other city, since people have to travel a lot in fact very far? Only reason I would say for that is the Housing prices, which are on par with those of New York City. The other thing which I have noticed is the speed of Pedestrians. Here the people walk too fast, unlike Chennai or any other cities. I think that is only because to reach the place on time, not because they are very active.

My first few months living in Mumbai weren’t much better. I found plenty to dislike about it — the traffic and pollution, honking, crowds, and heat. The lack of space and privacy really bothered me. Not to mention how the city continually crumbles during the monsoon. Yet, as my first year of living here in Mumbai draws to a close, I have really grown to appreciate what the city has to offer. Strangely enough, I now love how its contrasts are confronting to people. It requires certain strength to live here, appreciate the city for what it is, and fall into its groove. Everything exists side by side in Mumbai. I can shop at a mall, or a simple local market. I can dine in a dhaba or a big Hotel even very late at night. I can go out alone safely at night, take a rickshaw and not get threatened and cheated. Although the city is stretched for resources, we have never had power cuts as I have never seen it.

Behind this is the blooming western culture interfacing with the traditional Mumbai culture on the street. Rapidly a western craze has come over this city. Though not severely effecting most rural areas and suburbs that badly, but the urban centre of the city have been hit very badly. Few days back I could witness a lady in a Western outfit with a cigarette in her mouth said, "Indians have spoiled their own wonderful heritage. We have no culture anymore". I didn’t know how to react on that. Wandering the streets of Mumbai now-a-days you can now rarely see the traditional salwar kameeses on teenage girls. I could see a fad of miniskirts (many times ultra mini-that’s how I call it), jeans, and even shorts/night dresses has taken over the minds of not only the teenagers but also the entire women community. The makeups and designs have altered the lifestyle making it very difficult to find the difference between 16 and 60.Bollywood has played a major role in this transformation.

Discos and pubs have opened all over the city. A few years ago, going to a disco was unheard of for teenagers, but now-a-days the opposite is true. Almost every teenager here has gone to a disco somewhere, sometime. But, surely Mumbai must have plenty in its favour for so many people to keep living there. The most frequently cited factors why people are proud of Mumbai were Bollywood, entrepreneurship, and cosmopolitanism. I’d certainly agree with that. Also, what makes Mumbai a heaven is the spirit of Mumbai which never dies. Am very sure that nothing would derail this city or Spirit of Mumbai from its tracks even if 100 Kasab's enter the city, and obviously am included in it as I am a part of Mumbai and now I am ready to live my life in Mumbai whether it is hell or heaven it doesn’t matter.

P.S. The post is not to offense any Mumbaikar. I love the city and the people here.

Bombay… Bombay ..Pa ra ra ra pa
Bombay… Bombay .. City of Dreams
Bombay… Bombay..Pa ra ra rapa ra
Bombay… Bombay…City never Sleeps

Bombay… Bombay…Pa ra ra rap pa
Bombay… Bombay…Badi hi hai dream{Cant get}
Bombay… Bombay…Pa ra ra rapa ra

How to NAME it ???

Many times I feel like writing something but I don't really have a specific thought what to write. Those days I typically don't write. Blogging less again means I am working more and that’s how you need to assume. But today I thought why not? Writing is a part of me and I always feel better once I have done it therefore I am sure it must be because I have something to say. Yes, something had to happen to keep me away from here for this long. "Blogging or not" (my mind voice says)so here I come you can't hide... Not really sure what this means but that was the reason that pulled me into this now.

I am already pretty delighted with the work am doing and felt I had come a long way from putting my skills to work for real. But now I am putting those together with a lot of excel, models, analysis which I don't think I have done in many years. It's being a lot of fun and highly challenging - the only question may be after this how do you go back to any less? But I need not worry about it right now; I guess I still have a good way to go!!!
Despite the longer working hours and dry weekends I must admit it is one of the best times since I started blogging. I could speak about the weekends - which are great weird and good all in one. Even relaxing I would dare say though that word barely comes out of my mouth when talking about a weekend. So let's make this about other than weekend and think about little later.

All that I wanted to say is, Sometimes I just feel out of place. And it is not that people put me there, but it is just me. You can't even say it is my biological clock because I always did realize when and where I am. And don't get me wrong, I am now coming from low expectations or low satisfaction. So what I feel is not that it is un-natural what is around me - I just feel the un-natural one. All seem to be living their lives and I seem stopped in some different dimension. I seem to have moved away and everyone continued life as usual, seems like I missed reality train. Infact I am unable to concentrate on my favorite pass time - Cooking.. I am typically happy in my life - challenging job, so much charity, so much happening. But in a moment like this, I can't help but wondering - why am I the odd one in the group?

Dear Sir,
Please keep thinking and come up with an answer and a solution asap.
Yours truly,
Your own mind
(Hahaha.. )

Adieus… time to Dream!!!

Anecdote- Our India Today!!!!!

The traveling time from Jail to Bail is a cakewalk!
Scam and Shame are hands-in-glove!
Price is always on the Rise!
Rains are causing Pains!
Any Small commercial center can get nicknamed as Mall!
School Fees are on forever on the upswing like the increasing Bees on a hive!
There's a method in our Madness!
There's a happiness hidden in our Sadness!

HAND FULL OF DREAMS

A specs on the eyes and the life that cries
A stick in the hand, on the drought dry land
Eyes on the clouds, with minds full of doubts
Not a single drop of rain, with the hardships in vein
The government that just consoles, on the weeping eyes Of the restless souls
Pointing fingers and challenged Democracy, but nothing suits to wake up the uninterest authority
Somewhere excess Water takes death and somewhere no water makes A threat
Is it that Life so difficult to live, it seems
As the common man is left with just "HAND FULL OF DREAMS"

விடியலை நோக்கி...

விடியலை நோக்கி பயணிக்கிறது வாழ்க்கை
இடையில் இருட்டில் இடமறியா பொழுதில்
இன்பங்களும் துன்பங்களும் மாறி மாறி
இடையூறு செய்கையில் - கிடைத்த
இடைவெளியில் கிடு கிடுவென
விரைகிறது வாழ்க்கை பயணம்!

நெடுதூர நடைபாதை நடப்பதறியா பயணம்
நினைவுகள் நிஜமாகுமா என்ற ஏக்கத்தை
நடுக்கடலில் நிறுத்துகிறது நங்கூரங்கள்
நீங்காத நினைவலைகள் கரைகிறது
நிலவின் பிறைகளாய்
நடு நடுவில் நகர்த்துகிறது
நம்பிக்கை வார்த்தைகள்!

எங்கு செல்கிறோம் என்ன செய்கிறோமென்று
எண்ணுவதற்குள் எத்தனை பிரச்சினைகள்
எத்தனை சிக்கல்கள் அத்தனையும் தாண்டி
எண்ணியதை அடைய
எண்ணம் போல் வாழ
எத்தனை எத்தனை பிரயத்தனங்கள்
எடுக்கும் முயற்சிகள் அத்தனையும்
ஏக்கத்தை நிறைவாக்கும் ஏணிப்படிகள்!

காலங்கள் சுழல, நாட்களும் நகர்கிறது
கால்களும் நடை பதிக்கிறது
கண் இமைக்கும் நேரத்தில்
காற்றாய் பறந்து போன நாட்களை
காவியங்கள் தான் கதையாய் சொல்லுமோ?
காற்றாடியை கயிறுகளால் கட்டி
கண்ணாடிக்குள் வைத்து அழகுதான் பார்க்க முடியுமா?
கவிதையாய் நாட்கள் கழிய நானும் காத்திருக்கிறேன்
காலத்தின் கைகளில்!

சந்தோஷமும் சலிப்பும் சரிசமமாய்
சுற்றம் வாழ்த்த சராசரியாய்
சொந்தம் போற்ற செயற்கையாய்
சுயத்திற்காய் சமாளிப்புக்கள் எத்தனை எத்தனை
சீராய் செல்லும் ஒருவழி பாதையில்
சிந்தனைக்கெட்டாத சுதந்திரம் கிடைத்தாற்போல்
சீக்கிரமாய் நடைகள் இடையில்
சிறு சிறு இடறல்கள், சிந்தித்துப்பார்த்தால்
சில்லரைகளை செலவழித்துப் பெற்ற
சலவை நோட்டு தான் வாழ்க்கை!

உழவர் காத்த பூமியை ஊடகங்கள் காக்கிறது
உண்மையை அறிந்தும் உமிழ் விழுங்கி
ஊமையனாகி போனது அவலம்
உண்ண உணவு, உடுக்க உடை, இருக்க இடம்
உனக்கெதற்கு ஊர்வம்பு என்று
உள்ளத்தில் உள்ளதை உரைக்க முடியாமல்
உணர்ச்சிகளை உண்டியலில் சேமிக்கிறேன்
உடைந்த சில்லுகளாய்
உள்ளக்குமுறல்கள் உப்பாய் கரைகிறது ஊருக்காக
உயிர்வளர்த்த உறவுகளுக்காக என் உழைப்பும்
உருளும் உலகில் உழல்கிறது என் பயணமும்!

பண்பும் பாசமும் இங்கு பாதி விலையில்
பண்பாடு எங்கோ பாடத்தில் படித்த ஞாபகம்
பண்பை பறைசாற்றிய பாரதத்தை
பங்கு போட பங்காளிகள் தயார்
பாரதமாதாவை படுக்க வைத்து படையலிட்டு
பாட்டுப்பாடி பாடையில் ஏத்துகிறார்கள்..
பதறுகளே, நம் பாரதத்தின் பெருமையை
புரிந்து கொள்ள உனக்கு புத்தியில்லையடா என்று
புலம்ப தான் முடிகிறது என்னால்
பதறுகிறேன் பறைசாற்ற முடியாத
பரிதாப நிலையில் நானும் பயணிக்கிறேன்
பிறந்த மண்ணில் பரதேசியாய்!

வானளவிற்கு உயர வேண்டும் என்று
வாய் கிழிய பேசி பேசி
வீணடித்த நிமிடங்கள் எத்தனை எத்தனை
விரயமாக்கிய பணங்கள் எத்தனை எத்தனை
விடுதலை பெற விரும்பும் மனமும்
விடுவிக்க மனமில்லாத சமுதாயமும்
வியர்வையின் பரிசாய் வீடு வாசலும்
விண்ணப்பிக்காமல் எனக்கு கிடைத்த குடும்பமும்
விலைமதியா சொத்தாகிய என் குழந்தைகளையும்
விட்டு விட்டு விடைபெற்று செல்லும் போது
விண்ணும் மண்ணும் கேட்கும் டேய் மனிதா!
விருந்தாளியாய் வந்த நீ எதை
விதைத்து விட்டுச் சென்றாய் என...

மனிதா!
மண்ணுக்குள் மறையும் முன்
மனிதத்தையாவது விட்டு விட்டுச் செல்!

My PG Life @ UPES!!!

Gulping down breakfast without taking shower, wear my uniform with my untied TIE and some deodorant and leave for university, speeding downstairs from my room to catch my last bus. At the parking questioning my roomies about locking my room door giving myself a final look and set your hair in the rear-view mirror, then enter my class after meeting some friends, 15 minutes after the lecture has begun, trying to select the last bench but end up sadly in middle row as it will already be full (tight competition for the best seat of the class haha) and patiently wait only to sign the attendance sheet.

Almost all of us keep gazing at the professor but with our minds somewhere down in the cafeteria Green bench(as we call it) or at the door, waiting for `that someone' to come or thinking of that special appointment we have on that day. There are a handful of sincere (pretending) first-bench-students, who attend each and every lecture and have all the detailed notes(neva minded to have one), which the outstanding guys like me, (who are always standing out) can photocopy a few days before the examinations. Joking and gossiping from behind or playing cross and knots in the most boring lecture during which half the class is already snoring, were some of the methods adopted to kill time. By the end of the lecture, everyone is restless and keeps glancing at their watches. The professor mercilessly continues teaching.

Submissions is the only time I get to see all my classmates, who are those familiar faces that we often saw inside the campus but not inside the classes.

Being a great CR of my class i was the most irregular student in entire batch. During winter (nearly 2 deg) it's fun , to sip a nice hot cup of soup, hiding out inside our blazers, exchanging secret smiles and then telling my friends about latest campus gossips. We had a favourite quote written on the walls transliterated in Tamil
“ஹிந்தி ஹிந்தி எவெரீ வேர் நாட் அ வர்ட் டு அஂடர்ஸ்டண்ட்” .

The thrill of bunking lectures, the fun of partying or going for trips and picnics, the joy when my friends receive the long desired `yes' from the one they have always loved, or the embarrassment of facing the person we were talking about, who all the while was standing just beside us, are truly unforgettable.

The Freshers day, the Uurja days (culturals) and gathering(like spl Holi celebrations), are the most awaited days in the college when every boy and girl `dress-to-kill' and have a gala time. Hey! cant forget Friendship day, Valentines day and other days for expressing our feelings.

I will never forget my college years(Both my UG and PG), they have been the best years in my life till now. I have seen, learnt and experienced so much.

I have found friends, some didn't care and drifted apart. I will always remember my favourite place in college, my professors, all my friends, those innocent and decent faces of people who turned out to be devils in disguise. All the twists in the kaleidoscope of life are experiences that have helped me mature. I will cherish them forever.

Gona miss u all... !!!!!!!!!