I quite shocked Shiva when I observed that if I were in Baroda for the elections, then I would surely have voted for Narendra Modi. Not for the fact that he shares his name with my father, but for the belief that what he brings to the table as a chief minister is far more valuable than what he spills off from his table as the face of BJP in Gujarat.
First let me give you an idea of what the picture of Gujarat is, in my mind. I have lived in Gujarat for 22 years and have seen the face of Gujarat and also its ass. (pardon the language!) . Saying that Gujarat has changed would be a very obvious statement to make. Its like saying “India has progressed in the past decade”. Of course yes. Gujarat has played a major role in the splendid growth of Indian Economy.
Let us not talk here about economic growth first up. What I want to share with you is the everyday experiences that I had during my time living in the state. The perception that most who are not from the state, is that of a violent state with deep communalism and hatred for minorities. True. Very true. But I just have a request that please take the media portrayal of the state with a pinch of salt as well.
One of the most painful memories for me about my state is that of communal violence and the deep rooted aftermaths. What I can notice now is the open hatred that hindu gujaratis have for muslims. When they speak, they spit venom. I do not know how and when the singe turned into such a full fledged fire. I had a tough time defending secularist principles against them. I remember the time during riots when I was living in Anand and my exams were on. As soon as the riots broke out, exams were cancelled. But how can we go home? All the highways were burning with angry mobs assaulting anyone who dared to venture out on the roads. Trains stood cancelled and the only people out on the roads were the hate-mongers. I would have had to go hungry for three days,had it not been for my tiffin-wala who was brave enough to bring me food through some secrets streets that he only knew. I lived alone, till the time the situation was relatively better enough to return home and I only shudder with fear at the thought of my parents’ feelings during those three days when I was away from them.
I cried myself to sleep each day at the atrocities being done by the mobs on the hapless children and women who were raped and murdered. I hated being called a human being let alone a Hindu. I had never seen such ruthlessness . Even worse I had never seen people derive such pleasure out of ruthlessness.
It was a painful realization for me that anti-muslim feelings had seeped deep down into the psyche of the common Gujarati. They said, “If Muslims of India, support Pakistan so much, then why are they staying back here. Why don’t they just go to Pakistan instead of living here and taking sides with Pakistan.?” Angry words, unreasonable words but are they without any meaning? NO! It stems out of the fact that there are many among the Indian muslim community who do see Pakistan in a favourable light. There are many instances that I have personally witnessed wherein they have celebrated a Pakistan win and an Indian loss in cricket. But then again when we put on the thinking hats, the we will realize that these are just due to the Muslims giving vent to the injustice meted out to them for years together now from various quarters for being a minority and for being the living testament to the painful tragedy of human suffering called the ‘Partition’.
The Gujaratis believe that this country is not India and definitely not Hindustan. But this country is Bharat. And any citizen of Bharat is supposed to favour this country and not some other rogue neighbor, no matter what be the religion of the people in question in either of the countries. Its hard to argue with the latter statement, at least in my eyes. But the larger fact of the matter is that it’s a vicious circle where in the angst of the minority community for having been treated in a derogatory manner and falsely implicated for an offence ( partition and resultant minority of Muslims) they never were responsible for, crossing swords with the angst of the majority community that sees itself as being taken advantage of inspite of having provided shelter to the supposedly ‘outsiders’. The irony of the whole statement never ceases to amaze me – it’s ANGST vs ANGST !!! How confusing and more away from a resolution can one get? !!!!!!
I have always wondered whether it was anti-muslim factor or the Hindutva factor that won BJP the elections for the past two terms. I for one can say that, on all the occasions that I got a chance to vote, I voted for BJP and it was not for these two reasons at all. The main reason was the strong leadership of Vajpayee . I have voted for BJP because of the development work that they have done for the country and the state of Gujarat.
I for one am very secular in my thoughts. I have nothing against any community and do not even mind if I am a minority or a majority community. I have always believed that India’s two biggest vices, drawbacks and ‘worth to be hated’ and repulsive aspects/characteristics are 1) The suppression of women as an inferior entity compared to men and 2) the caste/religion based demarcation and differentiation among simple human being.
In this scenario, when the frenzy of Hindutva is being whipped up by a zealgot leader like Modi, then why do I feel like voting for him and his party? The reason for this is simple enough. I am voting for him because there is nobody as efficient and dedicated like him in the whole state. He eats,breathes and sleeps work and progress of the state. I vote for Modi, the administrator and not the political leader. I support him for being the one of the very chief ministers who have brought about a pleasant change in the economic, cultural, social and psychiological outlook of the state. There are so many beneficial projects that have been completed under his leadership. He has a vision for Gujarat and he is aggressively working towards achieving it. Would you not admire a Chief Minister who holds Kaizen classes for his administrator for learning management techniques to be implemented in the daily workings of his government. Would you not admire a CM who does not encourage any flattery and sychopancy from his party-mates and cabinet-mates. There is a feel good factor among the people of Gujarat that their state is in the right hands and that if they support this guy then he will do things for their own benefit. Talk to any common man and he/she will tell you that they are better off now and are feeling secure about their future for the past couple of years. MY father himself a communist, support Modi and BJP since they have done what all the other did not do. WORK !!!
Being a business man in a state where the majority are involved in some business or the other, my father feels that Modi alone will ensure that the trader, business community of Gujarat can compete against the world in the near future. Modi is a great marketing person as well since he is driving the branding etc for the various festivals of Gujarat like the Navratris ( Garbas ) and the Uttarayan ( Makar Sankranti). He is a workaholic and does not hesitate in taking quick action. Also if he thinks a person is good for some specific job, then,he will not let any other issues like caste, religion, status and pedigree etc stand in the way. The face of Ahmedabad has changed but still in spite of brimming with people, it still takes only half an hour to cross from one end of the city to the other… such is the road and connectivity infrastructure. There is a financial tech city coming up on the outside of Ahmedabad. Which other state can boast of so many big cities like Ahmd, Baroda, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh etc. One visit to Gujarat and you will realize the confidence amongst the people and this precisely is the reason why I also will vote for him.
I agree that he did a lot of crimes and he should be punished suitably for that. But when I am going to vote , then I have to consider the fact that who is best suited to lead the state to prosperity and holistic development? Who is it that will not misuse my hard-earned money to pay for his daughter’s wedding bash.? Who is it that will take the competition from foreign companies head on? Who is it that will position Gujarat as an investment destination against competiton from states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu? Who is it that will build a unique positioning for Gujarat and not blindly following in Karnataka and Andhra’s footsteps of taking the help of IT? Who is it that will realistically think, plan and execute a winning strategy for progress of Gujarat without taking the easy route of attracting IT and ITeS companies? Who will prove that the investments made into developing SEZs can be double by efficient and intelligent handling of the state administrative machinery and the common resources from nature? Most of all who is it that will have a true love for the soil of Gujarat and not for the chair, who is it that will dedicate his mind, body and soul to the toughest leadership jobs of all? And in the end, who is it that has a vision to make this land of enterprising and dynamic people into a leader in its own sense, contributing to - the overall the 50 states of the USA, 9 regions of UK, and a host of other countries’ states - and say that the Republic of India has the best-run, model state in the whole wide world !
And there comes only one answer on my lips – Mr. Narendra Modi.
P.S. - Followed by a silent observation – "In the land of the blind, the half-eyed is the king !" Imperfect he may be, but Modi is the best we have. He is the best chance for us to survive in this age of cut-throat progress and economic liberalization. This brings me to ask all the detractors of Modi – “Why is it that only in Gujarat , have the concept of SEZs been successful?”
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Thank You Bangalore !!!
I entered my room and just collapsed onto the bed ! Whew.. I was dead tired !! And no, it was not a working day... it was actually was a Sunday !!
The past few weeks have been very hectic. The amount of activities that I have been involved in are just hard to believe ! The past few weeks have just zipped by and I am actually feeling so happy about them. :-)
I would not have realized this fact, unless I had the recurring feeling that I was not reading much. Actually the early few weeks of me coming to Bangalore, I had turned into a voracious reader. And now, I am struggling to finish the current book that I started at least a month back. Quite unlike the 'bangalore me'that I have become. My dissappointement at not being able to get time to finish the book led me to analyze the reasons and lo ! behold!... what came out of the analysis is completely surprising. I am not able to read the book due to my various other commitments and activities that I have been so involved in for the past many weeks.. for e.g. friends, temple, exhibitions, theatre, sports, movies, internet etc etc. LOLZ!!! :-)
I cannot remember any other time in my life, when I was involved in so many activites. And it has to be said that being in Bangalore is the sole reason for this change. The amount of time spent in talking, chatting and meeting friends has gone up considerably. I have visited all of my friends strewn across the country, been to chennai, hyderabad and delhi especially to meet them. Visited all my relatives in Kerala and elsewhere, developed a very close relationship with my relatives in Bangalore itself. So much so that I have become a regular feature in their discussions and life. I feels so nice when there are so many people around you whom you love and whom you can actually make happy by visiting them and talking to them. How much of happiness it brings to them when your actions and reactions tell them that 'you care!' and when you involve them in your own life. It was touching realization !! :-)
Then comes the 'extra-curricular' activities... first up is theatre. Well, yes I have become a regular at the theatre shows in Bangalore and it gives me joy when I know that I have acquired a very healthy and refined habit .. that of going for plays. Its such a nice feeling to go to a play and not have to pay any exhorbitant amounts for it. The other day I took my friends Shiva, Anand and Deepta for the play. And it gladdened my heart when they all enjoyed the play immensely. It felt nice !!
Now on to the movies... well I have not got into the habit of watching all of them, but still I watch good movies. The other day I had to choose between Jab We Met and A Mighty Heart. And I chose the latter even though the former is a good movie and what I wanted to watch especially since it talked of love life etc... ha ! ha ! But still I went with the sensitive portrayal of Daniel Pearl's family and their struggles !! Psst... I did ultimately watch Jab We Met last week ( nice movie, by the way , I like Shahid Kapur. He is gem !)
Books !! My favourite !! I have now bought so many books and gifted so many to some of the most important people in my life! Wow, never thought I would do that... I enjoy scouting for some rare books and generally pick up books for myself and for my loved ones. Bookworm on M.G. Road, Crosswords, and small authentic books shops have become a regular feature in my hang out list.
Concerts - The concert scene in Bangalore is good and its a good outlet for people like me who do not have much work ! I have gone to many concerts and its awesome! We still had a bad experience with Jagjit Singh.. but still my habit has been cultivated and we are waiting for the Jazz & Blues Festival to happen again. Me and Sourabh
Then comes the cricket match - wow !! what a feeling being inside the crowd and watching the brightest stars of our country. I saw Dravid and Ganguly. What more Ganguly scored the Double century on that day and also Irfan Pathan - the Baroda boy ( my hometown ) also scored his maiden century in yours truly's presence. ( if only India take me for all their matches as a lucky mascot .. lolz!:-) ... Its such a long cherished dream !!! All fullfilled after coming here !!! THANK YOU BANGALORE!
Then of course, TEMPLE AND GOD!! Spirituality has the strange habit of befriending you when you are down and out and are facing challenges in your life. You are given the option to either embrace it and help yourself overcome the hurdles or just brush it off and self destruct. Am happy that I chose the former path and now I strictly believe in the principle that God knows what is best for each of us. Do your duty, love people and do not think too much about what the others feel for you. Only think of how you can love them.
Then there was the wonderful wonderful wonderful trip to Theni - Shiva's native place. Oh boy! what a relief it was to be with a family on the day of Diwali. I took my first off from office and it was pure Bliss. The scenic beauty of the place was so refreshing !!! Absolute delight it was to ride on the TVS Scooty over the zig-zagging roads of Theni. Mountains and rivulets, banyan trees and rabbits, meadows and bushes, caves and adivasis !! Lolz.. All were there giving attendance. :-)
On diwali night I went to Shiva’s friend’s house and there were like 5 kids all waiting for us. The love with which the friend’s mother embraced me ( a total stranger to her ) was so touching and reassuring. I could not remember any time in the past few months when a woman had touched me (pun intended ) :-)
It was a night spent bursting crackers and eating sweets and other savouries. Lovely moments that I will always treasure all my life. Then came the Meenakshi temple trip to Madurai. I got involved in my favourite activity ie. Praying. Me and shiva, visited so many temples those two days ! boy oh boy ! Temples hidden inside the mountains were real fun to discover , especially a Maha Kali temple and a Ganesha temple – hidden inside the foothills of the mountains. Peace reigned all over both of us and it showed in the kind of conversations that we had. Deep, meaningful and engrossing exchange of intellectual tit-bits !
And yes, I have started smiling more and becoming less angry. The other day in office, Pennamma madam said something that has deeply affected me. She told me, "Anup, you please do not come to me with this crying face!. Smile and come whatever be the prolem just like Sudeep here does. Then and only then will I even feel like helping you." It shook me to the core. I realized that I must follow what my best friend had told me long time back in my college. She had asked me to be less serious about things. And I had sincerely tried but failed. Only when I got into this stge of my life when I don't have anything to lose,did I realize it. The result being that I care two hoots about whatever be the problem. I just smile and try to think of the ways out rather than fret about the lack of resonse from other colleagues. I have started smiling a lot. So nowadays Pennamma madam comes forth to me and asks me if she can help me !! What a change !!!
So now I go to temple quite often on weekdays when I come back early and definitely on weekends. I do pujas for my loved ones and also pray for them. It gives me a nice feeling and a deep sense of contentment. Somewhere it makes me feel a better person considering the amount of pain and depression that I have caused to my loved ones.
Life has not come a full circle!! Definitely not !!! Neither have I found any reason to be alive or found any goal in life. No,,,, I will never be in that frame of mind again. But life certainly has become a completely different entity for me. An entity which is no more a burden on me, but a sweet responsibility.
All these things and more are keepinG me very very busy. I do not remember the last time that I was at home on a sunday or saturday for more than an hour. Either go to give clothes for ironing, or wash clothes, or go help some friend in searching for a house, or meeet the professors , meet friends, clean the house, play with the roadside kids, attend art shows, book fests, concerts, football matches, moves, or help relatives with some thing or the other... bas.. chalta rehta hai yaar... hence not a single sunday or saturday, have i been able to sit in one place and relax.. But I do not mind this...as long as there are people who need me to be around, I will be around for them. No matter what !!!
The loss of innumerable weekends hopefully is a fair price to pay for all the tit - bits of happiness that I have somehow managed in my life through all these activities and hopefully I can continue making up for the loss of my soul by not thinking about it. !
Chalo now its time for me remember my loved ones, say a silent prayer and then push myself into sleep. Yeah, almost forgot... sleep is still a doubtful proposition ! Still need to conquer those nightmares ! ha ! ha ! ha !
God Bless ! ! ! ( today I am again happy because I just insured my life for a huge sum. What to do with my salary yaar... better I pay EMIs, so that my parents can atleast get some money after my death ! )
The past few weeks have been very hectic. The amount of activities that I have been involved in are just hard to believe ! The past few weeks have just zipped by and I am actually feeling so happy about them. :-)
I would not have realized this fact, unless I had the recurring feeling that I was not reading much. Actually the early few weeks of me coming to Bangalore, I had turned into a voracious reader. And now, I am struggling to finish the current book that I started at least a month back. Quite unlike the 'bangalore me'that I have become. My dissappointement at not being able to get time to finish the book led me to analyze the reasons and lo ! behold!... what came out of the analysis is completely surprising. I am not able to read the book due to my various other commitments and activities that I have been so involved in for the past many weeks.. for e.g. friends, temple, exhibitions, theatre, sports, movies, internet etc etc. LOLZ!!! :-)
I cannot remember any other time in my life, when I was involved in so many activites. And it has to be said that being in Bangalore is the sole reason for this change. The amount of time spent in talking, chatting and meeting friends has gone up considerably. I have visited all of my friends strewn across the country, been to chennai, hyderabad and delhi especially to meet them. Visited all my relatives in Kerala and elsewhere, developed a very close relationship with my relatives in Bangalore itself. So much so that I have become a regular feature in their discussions and life. I feels so nice when there are so many people around you whom you love and whom you can actually make happy by visiting them and talking to them. How much of happiness it brings to them when your actions and reactions tell them that 'you care!' and when you involve them in your own life. It was touching realization !! :-)
Then comes the 'extra-curricular' activities... first up is theatre. Well, yes I have become a regular at the theatre shows in Bangalore and it gives me joy when I know that I have acquired a very healthy and refined habit .. that of going for plays. Its such a nice feeling to go to a play and not have to pay any exhorbitant amounts for it. The other day I took my friends Shiva, Anand and Deepta for the play. And it gladdened my heart when they all enjoyed the play immensely. It felt nice !!
Now on to the movies... well I have not got into the habit of watching all of them, but still I watch good movies. The other day I had to choose between Jab We Met and A Mighty Heart. And I chose the latter even though the former is a good movie and what I wanted to watch especially since it talked of love life etc... ha ! ha ! But still I went with the sensitive portrayal of Daniel Pearl's family and their struggles !! Psst... I did ultimately watch Jab We Met last week ( nice movie, by the way , I like Shahid Kapur. He is gem !)
Books !! My favourite !! I have now bought so many books and gifted so many to some of the most important people in my life! Wow, never thought I would do that... I enjoy scouting for some rare books and generally pick up books for myself and for my loved ones. Bookworm on M.G. Road, Crosswords, and small authentic books shops have become a regular feature in my hang out list.
Concerts - The concert scene in Bangalore is good and its a good outlet for people like me who do not have much work ! I have gone to many concerts and its awesome! We still had a bad experience with Jagjit Singh.. but still my habit has been cultivated and we are waiting for the Jazz & Blues Festival to happen again. Me and Sourabh
Then comes the cricket match - wow !! what a feeling being inside the crowd and watching the brightest stars of our country. I saw Dravid and Ganguly. What more Ganguly scored the Double century on that day and also Irfan Pathan - the Baroda boy ( my hometown ) also scored his maiden century in yours truly's presence. ( if only India take me for all their matches as a lucky mascot .. lolz!:-) ... Its such a long cherished dream !!! All fullfilled after coming here !!! THANK YOU BANGALORE!
Then of course, TEMPLE AND GOD!! Spirituality has the strange habit of befriending you when you are down and out and are facing challenges in your life. You are given the option to either embrace it and help yourself overcome the hurdles or just brush it off and self destruct. Am happy that I chose the former path and now I strictly believe in the principle that God knows what is best for each of us. Do your duty, love people and do not think too much about what the others feel for you. Only think of how you can love them.
Then there was the wonderful wonderful wonderful trip to Theni - Shiva's native place. Oh boy! what a relief it was to be with a family on the day of Diwali. I took my first off from office and it was pure Bliss. The scenic beauty of the place was so refreshing !!! Absolute delight it was to ride on the TVS Scooty over the zig-zagging roads of Theni. Mountains and rivulets, banyan trees and rabbits, meadows and bushes, caves and adivasis !! Lolz.. All were there giving attendance. :-)
On diwali night I went to Shiva’s friend’s house and there were like 5 kids all waiting for us. The love with which the friend’s mother embraced me ( a total stranger to her ) was so touching and reassuring. I could not remember any time in the past few months when a woman had touched me (pun intended ) :-)
It was a night spent bursting crackers and eating sweets and other savouries. Lovely moments that I will always treasure all my life. Then came the Meenakshi temple trip to Madurai. I got involved in my favourite activity ie. Praying. Me and shiva, visited so many temples those two days ! boy oh boy ! Temples hidden inside the mountains were real fun to discover , especially a Maha Kali temple and a Ganesha temple – hidden inside the foothills of the mountains. Peace reigned all over both of us and it showed in the kind of conversations that we had. Deep, meaningful and engrossing exchange of intellectual tit-bits !
And yes, I have started smiling more and becoming less angry. The other day in office, Pennamma madam said something that has deeply affected me. She told me, "Anup, you please do not come to me with this crying face!. Smile and come whatever be the prolem just like Sudeep here does. Then and only then will I even feel like helping you." It shook me to the core. I realized that I must follow what my best friend had told me long time back in my college. She had asked me to be less serious about things. And I had sincerely tried but failed. Only when I got into this stge of my life when I don't have anything to lose,did I realize it. The result being that I care two hoots about whatever be the problem. I just smile and try to think of the ways out rather than fret about the lack of resonse from other colleagues. I have started smiling a lot. So nowadays Pennamma madam comes forth to me and asks me if she can help me !! What a change !!!
So now I go to temple quite often on weekdays when I come back early and definitely on weekends. I do pujas for my loved ones and also pray for them. It gives me a nice feeling and a deep sense of contentment. Somewhere it makes me feel a better person considering the amount of pain and depression that I have caused to my loved ones.
Life has not come a full circle!! Definitely not !!! Neither have I found any reason to be alive or found any goal in life. No,,,, I will never be in that frame of mind again. But life certainly has become a completely different entity for me. An entity which is no more a burden on me, but a sweet responsibility.
All these things and more are keepinG me very very busy. I do not remember the last time that I was at home on a sunday or saturday for more than an hour. Either go to give clothes for ironing, or wash clothes, or go help some friend in searching for a house, or meeet the professors , meet friends, clean the house, play with the roadside kids, attend art shows, book fests, concerts, football matches, moves, or help relatives with some thing or the other... bas.. chalta rehta hai yaar... hence not a single sunday or saturday, have i been able to sit in one place and relax.. But I do not mind this...as long as there are people who need me to be around, I will be around for them. No matter what !!!
The loss of innumerable weekends hopefully is a fair price to pay for all the tit - bits of happiness that I have somehow managed in my life through all these activities and hopefully I can continue making up for the loss of my soul by not thinking about it. !
Chalo now its time for me remember my loved ones, say a silent prayer and then push myself into sleep. Yeah, almost forgot... sleep is still a doubtful proposition ! Still need to conquer those nightmares ! ha ! ha ! ha !
God Bless ! ! ! ( today I am again happy because I just insured my life for a huge sum. What to do with my salary yaar... better I pay EMIs, so that my parents can atleast get some money after my death ! )
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Vote of Narendra Modi
I want to go back to Baroda and exercise my right to vote in the forthcoming assembly elections to be held in Gujarat. And I want to vote for Narendra Modi. Yes, you heard it right, I want to vote for the 'Hitler'/'zealgot' Mr. Modi.
I almost broke shiva's heart when i said this to him the other day.
.... to be continued... editing going on... reader discretion required.. so ...
I almost broke shiva's heart when i said this to him the other day.
.... to be continued... editing going on... reader discretion required.. so ...
Post with no beginning, no end, no content - What the *$#@? Who cares !!!!
Started a new post and then abandoned it mid way. Why? Well ... there are many questions that are not answered immediately and this is also one among them. There are certain times when you think that what you are doing is not feeling exactly correct. But then you have only two choices... either continue doing it or stop it immediately.
My friend recently decided to stop doing something that had been doing for quite some time. The friend was convinced that what was doing is correct.. still is... but poor thing, thinks that has lost out on many things due to decision to stop doing that thing. Well, when rot sets in our system, we need to throw it away and stem the decay. So why feel sad for it when you have done the right thing.
We all assume that someone will think or is thinking about me in such and such a manner. Hence we restrict ourselves from thinking of them as people who would understand us. You have thrown out the decay inside you, not your other healthy parts!!! So why degrade the other nice parts as also a part of that decay? What wrong did those parts do to you ?
Also when you are knowing from inside that what you are doing is the right thing, then, there is no need to think of yourself as some victim. You must be able to face God and yourself. If you can do that and justify your actions as being in the larger interests, then you do not need to feel sorry for yourself. I do not feel sorry for myself but I do blame myself for many things that have happened to me. So what? You cannot think that what you did, although it felt right to you, but at the same time felt wrong to the whole of this world is bad! No , that is a wrong assumption.
We all make this mistake of assuming. I make it all the time and I am always ashamed of it. I am trying to improve but in vain. But then why do all other intelligent people also make the same mistake of assuming things and then makin life miserable for themselves. The world is waiting with open arms to embrace the person inside of us. Lets also go ahead and embrace it.... and not waste our time thinking that the world is not supporting us.
As someone said...
"The World Makes Way For The Man/Woman, Who Knows Where He/She is going"
So if you know from inside that what you have done is correct and will benefit all involved .. and will not harm anybody for no fault of theirs, then go ahead and feel happy about it.. God will always be with you... People are all nice... we just need to look at them in a different way... all of us are nice persons... we just need to let our heart see through our eyes and not our brains!!!
My friend recently decided to stop doing something that had been doing for quite some time. The friend was convinced that what was doing is correct.. still is... but poor thing, thinks that has lost out on many things due to decision to stop doing that thing. Well, when rot sets in our system, we need to throw it away and stem the decay. So why feel sad for it when you have done the right thing.
We all assume that someone will think or is thinking about me in such and such a manner. Hence we restrict ourselves from thinking of them as people who would understand us. You have thrown out the decay inside you, not your other healthy parts!!! So why degrade the other nice parts as also a part of that decay? What wrong did those parts do to you ?
Also when you are knowing from inside that what you are doing is the right thing, then, there is no need to think of yourself as some victim. You must be able to face God and yourself. If you can do that and justify your actions as being in the larger interests, then you do not need to feel sorry for yourself. I do not feel sorry for myself but I do blame myself for many things that have happened to me. So what? You cannot think that what you did, although it felt right to you, but at the same time felt wrong to the whole of this world is bad! No , that is a wrong assumption.
We all make this mistake of assuming. I make it all the time and I am always ashamed of it. I am trying to improve but in vain. But then why do all other intelligent people also make the same mistake of assuming things and then makin life miserable for themselves. The world is waiting with open arms to embrace the person inside of us. Lets also go ahead and embrace it.... and not waste our time thinking that the world is not supporting us.
As someone said...
"The World Makes Way For The Man/Woman, Who Knows Where He/She is going"
So if you know from inside that what you have done is correct and will benefit all involved .. and will not harm anybody for no fault of theirs, then go ahead and feel happy about it.. God will always be with you... People are all nice... we just need to look at them in a different way... all of us are nice persons... we just need to let our heart see through our eyes and not our brains!!!
Stuck into it , Lips in Synch with the Mind???
Just heard the song "yeh aakhri alvid na ho..." by the Pakistani band Strings. Actually had heard it when it was released, but never really gave it a thought. Now I was just browsing through all my music collection and suddenly found this. Boy oh boy, what a song! The words just hit me.
All of us must have experienced that on some days, we just keep on singing/humming one particular song. sometimes it irritates us that we are just not able to shake it off our own lips. It may be a pathetic song but still we keep humming it for no reason.. Lolz...
That is what happened to me when I was going to another city to meet a very important person. I kept singing this song time and again while preparing to meet that person. Even when the person was walking towards me, I, instead of thinking about what I was going to say or do, I was busy singing this song. I was so irritated with myself ... but still I could not help myself.
After that I suddenly lost touch with this song
All of us must have experienced that on some days, we just keep on singing/humming one particular song. sometimes it irritates us that we are just not able to shake it off our own lips. It may be a pathetic song but still we keep humming it for no reason.. Lolz...
That is what happened to me when I was going to another city to meet a very important person. I kept singing this song time and again while preparing to meet that person. Even when the person was walking towards me, I, instead of thinking about what I was going to say or do, I was busy singing this song. I was so irritated with myself ... but still I could not help myself.
After that I suddenly lost touch with this song
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Now, Thats The Spirit :-)
" All your life you are told things you cannot do.
All your life they will say you are not good enough or strong enough or talented enough;
They will say you are the wrong height, or the wrong weight or
the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this.
All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly!!
THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until..
All the no's become meaningless.
AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES !!! "
--- Spirit of Nike
My football coach told me this when I was 16 years old and was recovering from a bad ankle injury that threathened my footballing ambitions. I was known for my pace and reading of the game. My whole game was based upon my sudden bursts of pace and the now famous sprint. The injury took away the very same weapon from my armoury. That was a time when I was written off by the football fraternity of Baroda. They were saying you cannot play again as you did before and that my career is over. Only my coach and manager stood by side. Slowly I went on to play football for my club, university and zone. My coach told me these words, not knowing that it will become famous as the nike spirit slogan.
Today also when I am faced with a similar situation, I remember these words again and I wonder.... Does our spirit ever die?
All your life they will say you are not good enough or strong enough or talented enough;
They will say you are the wrong height, or the wrong weight or
the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this.
All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly!!
THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until..
All the no's become meaningless.
AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES !!! "
--- Spirit of Nike
My football coach told me this when I was 16 years old and was recovering from a bad ankle injury that threathened my footballing ambitions. I was known for my pace and reading of the game. My whole game was based upon my sudden bursts of pace and the now famous sprint. The injury took away the very same weapon from my armoury. That was a time when I was written off by the football fraternity of Baroda. They were saying you cannot play again as you did before and that my career is over. Only my coach and manager stood by side. Slowly I went on to play football for my club, university and zone. My coach told me these words, not knowing that it will become famous as the nike spirit slogan.
Today also when I am faced with a similar situation, I remember these words again and I wonder.... Does our spirit ever die?
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Language doesn't Matter - Words of Love still Touch you !!!
Its Gujarati and its beautiful. Enjoy if you understand the language. I am somehow not ready to translate it myself as I am not confident of doing justice to it. But these are straight from the heart of someone for no one in particular.
Sapno ne ashru me bhinjata joya che,
Gam ma pan hotho ne hasta joya che,
Armaano toh roj ubhraine tuti jaay che,
Chata pan,
Umeedo na sahare, loko ne jivta joya che !
Haji aankhon ma jane farke che koi,
haji meethu sharmai marke che koi,
vikhuta padya toy lage che ghayal,
haji pan rage rag ma sarke che koi!
Ame zindagi ne savari betha,
Tame aavso evu dhari ne beetha,
Fakt tamara ek dil ne jitva,
Ame aakho sansar haari ne betha !
Vishwaas ni ek dori che aa prem,
Yauvan haiyani majburi che aa prem,
Na mano toh kai nathi,
Pan maano toh, Dwarkadhish ni pan kamjori, che aa prem !
This post is not for all of you to read... its just for my own satisfaction... satisfaction that I put my thoughts on paper. ( virtual paper :-)
Sapno ne ashru me bhinjata joya che,
Gam ma pan hotho ne hasta joya che,
Armaano toh roj ubhraine tuti jaay che,
Chata pan,
Umeedo na sahare, loko ne jivta joya che !
Haji aankhon ma jane farke che koi,
haji meethu sharmai marke che koi,
vikhuta padya toy lage che ghayal,
haji pan rage rag ma sarke che koi!
Ame zindagi ne savari betha,
Tame aavso evu dhari ne beetha,
Fakt tamara ek dil ne jitva,
Ame aakho sansar haari ne betha !
Vishwaas ni ek dori che aa prem,
Yauvan haiyani majburi che aa prem,
Na mano toh kai nathi,
Pan maano toh, Dwarkadhish ni pan kamjori, che aa prem !
This post is not for all of you to read... its just for my own satisfaction... satisfaction that I put my thoughts on paper. ( virtual paper :-)
Monday, December 3, 2007
... of ducks & eagles - A Metaphorical Similie
With reference to my previous post....and all other previous posts... I came across this small quote today, so putting it up here in case you ppl have not read this.
"Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd ."
Nice quote na ... I must implement the learning from this. Though I must admit, I just quack and complain only on my blog. :-) seriously !!!! In real life I have started smiling a lot more and joking about all these small issues that I am faced with. Yes they are all small issues only. I am not that sad a person .. Lolz !!! As if anybody cares... lol... ok ok think about the quote.
"Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd ."
Nice quote na ... I must implement the learning from this. Though I must admit, I just quack and complain only on my blog. :-) seriously !!!! In real life I have started smiling a lot more and joking about all these small issues that I am faced with. Yes they are all small issues only. I am not that sad a person .. Lolz !!! As if anybody cares... lol... ok ok think about the quote.
Search for my EQ - Search failed !
My amma is coming to meet me, to Bangalore !!! Great news for a person who has been longing for her for such a long long time…I have not seen her for 6 months now.
But why am I not going “Yahoo!!!!!... My amma is coming “ Why?
Somehow I think I do not want her to see me in this shape. I do not want her to meet me like this. She says that she will come and set up my kitchen , so that I do not have to face any trouble setting it up. Why is she doing this to me? Why do all mothers have to be so loving and caring… I do not deserve her love yaar !!! I am sure I will spill out everything I have inside of me to her and she will feel deep sadness at my misery. I am somehow going along this life , recovering and starting to be a bit more happy each day at a time… sometimes sidelining the hurt , sometimes burying it deep inside, sometimes brushing it off with shake of my head and shrug of my shoulders.
In between this process of healing, there she comes, my only solace but ironically also a catalyst to my pain. I do not want to make her stay here miserable by talking to her about my wretched mistakes and hurt. But even if I do not tell her, she will find the melancholy in my eyes.
The whole of the night yesterday and day before I could not sleep thinking of the heavenly figure descending to my city. I have not been able to think of anything that I can do with her here … its also a month of great pressure for meeting our sales targets and already I have a big presentation coming up on Saturday – the day when amma will be leaving Bangalore.
Why did I not call her up for the past two day? Why ? surprising considering the fact that I call her everyday. She has made Gajar ka halwa for me… I could not stop my eyes from shedding a tear when I heard her over phone saying that she will make my favourite dishes and carry with her for me. She woke up early in the morning to make the halwa, while I was twisting and turning in my bed to catch my forty winks…. Why did I have to get into such a mess? Good parents deserve good sons… why am such an incompetent fool. Why do I share the love that I have in my heart with people who do not even care a shit about true love? Could I not have given that same love to my parents and made them even more happier?
Amma please do not come to this son of yours who has proved to be a disgrace. I am afraid if you come , then I will just leave all this that I have here and come along with you… in short I am afraid that I am becoming a coward !!!
But why am I not going “Yahoo!!!!!... My amma is coming “ Why?
Somehow I think I do not want her to see me in this shape. I do not want her to meet me like this. She says that she will come and set up my kitchen , so that I do not have to face any trouble setting it up. Why is she doing this to me? Why do all mothers have to be so loving and caring… I do not deserve her love yaar !!! I am sure I will spill out everything I have inside of me to her and she will feel deep sadness at my misery. I am somehow going along this life , recovering and starting to be a bit more happy each day at a time… sometimes sidelining the hurt , sometimes burying it deep inside, sometimes brushing it off with shake of my head and shrug of my shoulders.
In between this process of healing, there she comes, my only solace but ironically also a catalyst to my pain. I do not want to make her stay here miserable by talking to her about my wretched mistakes and hurt. But even if I do not tell her, she will find the melancholy in my eyes.
The whole of the night yesterday and day before I could not sleep thinking of the heavenly figure descending to my city. I have not been able to think of anything that I can do with her here … its also a month of great pressure for meeting our sales targets and already I have a big presentation coming up on Saturday – the day when amma will be leaving Bangalore.
Why did I not call her up for the past two day? Why ? surprising considering the fact that I call her everyday. She has made Gajar ka halwa for me… I could not stop my eyes from shedding a tear when I heard her over phone saying that she will make my favourite dishes and carry with her for me. She woke up early in the morning to make the halwa, while I was twisting and turning in my bed to catch my forty winks…. Why did I have to get into such a mess? Good parents deserve good sons… why am such an incompetent fool. Why do I share the love that I have in my heart with people who do not even care a shit about true love? Could I not have given that same love to my parents and made them even more happier?
Amma please do not come to this son of yours who has proved to be a disgrace. I am afraid if you come , then I will just leave all this that I have here and come along with you… in short I am afraid that I am becoming a coward !!!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Longfellow -
From the first time that I read Longfellow, he has left an impression on me. The Village Blacksmith was his first poem that I read in my school text book and like it instantly. What attracts me to Longfellow is the simplicity of the flow of his thoughts. He does not consciously use 'big' words but somehow these 'big' words seem to fit into his poems comfortably. The ideas that he writes about are appealing to me somehow.
The last two stanzas of The Village Blacksmith are the best and that is what I can till date recite by-heart. It goes like this...
"Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.
Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought."
Since then I have read many of his peoms and there is another that is also nice...which again i am reproducing because I simply feel so( I know most of you must have read this).... Today has been a session for reading peoms and so this impulse to post some of the good ones here for all of you nice people to read, appreciate and maybe get hooked to :-)
So here comes from ChutKutWorld, another of his classics... "The Arrow and The Song"
"I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?
Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend."
Now if you are already a fan of Longfellow then please do share your views here on ChutKut World. If you were not but are liking the above two peoms of his, then again write to me, so that I know that atleast I did something for 'the great poet'. And if you think this is crap and you wasted your time.... well.... your choice of blogs is really refined !! Congratulations !!!( Naaahhhh...!!! Simbbblllllyyyy joking yaar ) :-)
The last two stanzas of The Village Blacksmith are the best and that is what I can till date recite by-heart. It goes like this...
"Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.
Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought."
Since then I have read many of his peoms and there is another that is also nice...which again i am reproducing because I simply feel so( I know most of you must have read this).... Today has been a session for reading peoms and so this impulse to post some of the good ones here for all of you nice people to read, appreciate and maybe get hooked to :-)
So here comes from ChutKutWorld, another of his classics... "The Arrow and The Song"
"I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?
Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend."
Now if you are already a fan of Longfellow then please do share your views here on ChutKut World. If you were not but are liking the above two peoms of his, then again write to me, so that I know that atleast I did something for 'the great poet'. And if you think this is crap and you wasted your time.... well.... your choice of blogs is really refined !! Congratulations !!!( Naaahhhh...!!! Simbbblllllyyyy joking yaar ) :-)
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