~ Reflections ~

Yum

2012-02-10T22:12:00.000+05:30

Good food is appetizing...
But the best kind of food is which touches all our 5 senses, to make us loose control ;)

The intoxicating aroma hits the nose even before our fingers have touched the food that is looking delectable, urging us to quickly bite into it... as we crunch the food down...

very few things can arouse similar emotions, all at once :)

yes yes... I am a foodie...

there IS hope

2012-02-09T22:51:00.000+05:30

Witnessed something on a Delhi road today... and somehow it gave me a high...
Though I was neither the subject nor the object...

Driving down a crowded road in Okhla, a group of local village 3 kids came along, with school bags... and began asking for a lift..
In today's world of sceptics, I was pleasantly surprised to spot a guy in a Corolla stop by to give these kids a lift to their desired destination...

Distant Dream

2012-01-28T22:06:00.000+05:30

There is such a wide gap between the demand and supply of basic amenities like medical services... housing... good schools.... that getting into any of them, doesn't seem to be possible.. atleast not on pure merit...

So even in places where you thought there was no possible corruption (and by that, i don't necessarily mean money)... it takes, what is called सिफरिश i.e. Recommendation...

What is even more amazing is that most of these places state it very blatantly, that you are not welcome, even if you are eligible...

When all of us, today's generation, discuss corruption, and talk about wanting a clean society, free of having to bribe anyone, we tend to forget... that discussing such issues from the comfort of our homes/offices is rather convenient...

But when recommendation (which is just a more sophisticated form of corruption) is requested for, even for basic admissions... I wonder how we can plug such things from our society...

And if a corruption free society would just remain a dream !!!

That Voice..

2012-01-05T23:07:00.002+05:30

Can you hear that sound...
Ya.. that one... the one that never seems to stop...

Some call it the voice in the head.. I call it the chatterbox..
Because no matter what is happening, it just doesn't go quiet...
It just goes on and on and on...

But have you ever paid attention to what it says...
It sometimes tells you what you don't wish to hear.. the truth !!!

Credits for the Photograph: Kosmur
http://kosmur.deviantart.com/art/Alter-ego-73280600

Reminiscence

2011-12-09T21:59:00.001+05:30

Met at the alley
Exchanged glances...

In silent agreement
We knew our chances..

If only I'd had more courage to say
What was in my heart that day...

Photo by Lyubomir Bukov, taken from

http://www.weirdomatic.com/creative-shadows.html

CWG 2010

2011-11-19T17:21:00.001+05:30

India seems to have pulled off the Commonwealth Games just in time & quite successfully at that, despite all the criticism about the leaking bathrooms and the broken bridges.

But the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that, we lacked not in organization skill.

The flaw in the scheme of things is at 2 very basic levels.

Firstly, for a developing country like India (ya ya, I know, we hate to hear it... but we definitely are still in the league of developing nations... we have miles to go before we can call ourselves developed !!!), to have budgeted INR16.2 Billion for the event, and to have finally spent an obnoxious INR 115 Billion on sports facilities and related infrastructure.

The intention is not to hurt the sentiments of any sports enthusiasts who finally have good tennis courts to play in.. But in a country where simple amenities like hospitals, schools are unavailable/too expensive for over 50% of the population; it is sheer extravagance that the government indulged in... needless to say that they also managed to fill their pockets in the process...

The other aspect, is what should have been the after effect of organizing an event... boost in tourism, and brand name called India.. However, all the people world over saw, was how the events were mismanaged... When the country invested in such a huge scale, some return is expected from the same... something that is not momentary... not just at the time of the event... something positive over and above the traffic jams & the excess police patrols on the streets of Delhi....
Neither could we control our own media, nor could we get them to focus on the more positive aspects of the same..... Neither did Kalmadi see any shame in siphoning national funds.... Nor could we extend the month of festivity and comfort for the foreigners a little longer to prove that we can be an amicable society to tourists from the west as well...

And this is where, once again, we have failed....

Sigh...

The Balancing Act

2011-10-24T08:13:00.000+05:30

Life is meant to be a balance..
between
the good and the bad
joy and gloom
good health and illness
hope and disappointment

I guess we need one, to remind us that the other exists...

So when the going gets tough, remember that things with get better...
And if things are going great already, seize the day & make the most of it....

...

2011-10-13T22:51:00.000+05:30

लोग रंग बदलते है

ज़िन्दगी भी रंग बदलती है

इन बदलते रंगों मे
कही मेरा रंग भी ना बदल जाए

Log rang badalte hai

Zindagi bhi rang badalti hai

Inn badalte rango mae

Kahi mera rang bhi naa badal jaae

Togetherness

2011-10-13T22:36:00.000+05:30

Despite all the storms we've seen together

And all the battles we've fought with ourselves & others

Sitting next to you, with your arm around me

Makes my world feel like heaven..

Steve Jobs

2011-10-08T16:36:00.000+05:30

Words will only crowd the emotion....
Only his own words can do justice !!

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heavendon't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share.No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is verylikely the single best invention of Life.

It is Life's change agent. It clearsout the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday nottoo long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorryto be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Taste of Life

2011-10-06T08:57:00.000+05:30

So are you the kind who likes to start with the dessert...
Or do you like ending the meal with one...
Only recently did it occur to me that even the way we eat, especially the best part of our meal, is an apt reflection of our attitude...
What I am trying to suggest is.. do we start with the best part... or like to save the best for the last....
Tell me if I am wrong.. but isn't that the way we treat most things in life.... getting over with the mundane work at hand, hoping that we'd finally do the best stuff in the end...

The only difference is that there is a defined end to a meal.... but the quantum of mundane work for a day is unlimited !!!

Fear

2011-09-28T08:11:00.000+05:30

Fear is an important component in life..
The fear of loss... the fear of gain...
The fear of being left alone... the fear of being lost in a crowd..

And all it takes is some self-confidence... and your loved ones....
To feel secure again :)

Mind on the Road

2011-09-23T08:23:00.000+05:30

Its almost a heartening sight when you see someone facilitate the movement of an ambulance on the road...

Though I've mentioned it in the past, I think most of us need re-iteration, especially when it comes to etiquette on the road...

So what kind of drivers are we...

One with the mind on the road... or is it just eyes....

What I am trying to ask is.. are we the kind who drive, with just music to enjoy... or do we believe in multi-tasking....

Lord forbid, but that multi-tasking might leave us incapable of doing any other task in the future !!!

Life.. The Gift

2011-09-14T00:01:00.005+05:30

We try and make every moment special...
By talking, loving, caring...

In that every moment is unique..
makes it even more special...

So why then, do we seek to make those days (read birthday/anniversary etc) special...

I guess we all live life as it comes...
so we like to preserve the occasion by making the day memorable...

But in our race against time...
Aren't we wasting lots of moments that go by, waiting for these special days ?!?

PS: My husband has started calling me Sigmund Fraud..
Can't think of a better gift :)
I guess that only encourages me to post more of my theories...

My Teachers

2011-09-08T08:11:00.000+05:30

Our parents are the single biggest influence in our lives...

But if we believe that they the only ones, its untrue...

We are all like sponges... observing things around us, and absorbing what we like...

The rate of absorption might reduce with age, but I doubt it ever stops...

Since our school teachers are the people we observe most, when we are kids... they are the other set of strong influence....

To all those who taught me... knowingly & unknowingly..

Thank you... for doing what you're doing.. the way you are doing it....

Because atleast I've learnt from it....

Rule Book

2011-08-29T00:32:00.000+05:30

I've heard some wise man say that a pessimist looks both sides while crossing a one way road...
What would you say if not being a pessimist turns into your worst nightmare ?!?

Taking a turn on the NH8 without looking out on both sides of the road could be fatal...
What is worse... you begin to feel stupid for not looking both sides before taking the turn (on a 1 way road !?!)

The question is not whether what is being done is right... or wrong....
It is more to do with the implications.. if you are adamant about following the rule book....

But again.. if I were to address the larger question... where should one be drawing the line ?

Guilt - Trap

2011-08-23T22:42:00.000+05:30

Most of us feel guilty once in a while... if not most of the time...
It would be interesting to dwell on the reason we feel guilty...

If we look beyond what seems like an innocent emotion...
we'll find that its a vicious thought our mind propagates in order to calm our conscience....

The inherent nature of the emotion is a cover-up.. and eyewash... for ourselves...

Dialogue with God ?!?

2011-08-11T08:18:00.000+05:30

I have a specific complaint with Indians (pardon my targeting citizens of just the subcontinent... but here is where I've witnessed it !)

Whether it is a bhajan/kirtan session.. a puja to celebrate a festival.... or a call for that day's namaaz... or a sermon being given by a famous priest.. we have learnt to use microphones to the most.... It's as if we want to tell everyone around us what we are upto...

I always thought connecting with god, or atleast attempting to, was a very personal intimate thing... which is why it amazes me when all of us attempt to advertise these dialogues with god...

I understand, that in today's world, everything needs publicity... from a tiny chewing gum to a man's ego...

But I am always left wondering if the communication would have been more effective the other way... Afterall, how will you get peace of mind, when you are disturbing the peace in other people's lives.....

PS: I am sorry if I hurt anyone's sentiments. That was definitely not the intention... This is just a way of finding my own peace !!!

Parents

2011-08-04T08:35:00.000+05:30

All of us love our parents...
But I doubt, if even once in our lifetime, we tell them how much we love them...

ya ya.. I get it... that some things are understood, and need not be said...
but once they start getting old... these are the things that keep them going... to know that they are loved... that we'll take care of them...

Afterall, life comes a full circle.. from their holding our hand to walk... to us holding theirs....

The Shor in the Mind

2011-07-23T01:10:00.000+05:30

Our mind is a funny thing..
Lapping everything up...

But then, all it takes it the tide..
to change....
and we start revealing some... concealing some...

and then... sometimes things just show up.. on the shore...

Photograph Source: Google Images

Show the World

2011-07-11T23:50:00.000+05:30

I guess all of us have noticed the recent advertising Google is doing for itself... Needless to say it's trying to reinvent itself (again) through Plus...

It just goes to show that the best of us need to showcase our abilities once in a while...

Gone are the days when people try and take the time out to "notice" different new things...
Now, one needs to showcase the different side, even if that means you take the most common way to tell the world !!

Split Personality

2011-07-08T00:17:00.000+05:30

All of us have sides..
Is it the good.. the better.. and the best...
or
Is it the good.. the bad.. and the ugly...

PS: If you haven't already guessed.. this is one of the many masterpieces created by MC Escher. If this has intrigued you enough, you'll find more of his stuff here.

The Wrong Thing The Right Way

2011-07-06T00:24:00.004+05:30

As far as I could remember, one would always wish to do things the right way...
the underlying assumption was always that the way is being sought for doing the right things :)
I guess doing things wrong doesn't need directions (unless you are seeking directions while circling the roads of delhi ;)

But as things progress from the mono-colour world of black n white to the land of grey's.... discussions about "the right way for the wrong thing" shouldn't have come as a surprise...

I mean... haven't we always known that there is only 1 unique right thing - right way combination... imagine the confusion in picking the "right" way to do the "wrong" thing...

So if I had to choose simply, isn't it easier to pick the right thing - right way option... easy on the brain you know !!!

Hit in the Face

2011-06-25T17:39:00.000+05:30

What happens if you are crossing the road and a bike suddenly rams into you....
Besides the fact that you'll probably be unconscious (or maybe you wish you are), what is the first thing that will come to your mind...

Thank god I am alive !!

But what happens if you've just witnessed someone getting rammed!

Whats your first impulse ?
Wonder what the sign means ?

Flattery or Praise

2011-06-25T17:36:00.000+05:30

There is a fine line between praise and flattery...
What sounds like music to our ears needn't always be true...

But what if the words are well meant, and you think its flattery...

What is worse... believing flattery.... or hurting someone you love...
Where do we draw the line....

Or do pessimists always assume the worst !!!

History

2011-06-10T20:27:00.000+05:30

History (from Greek ἱστορία - historia): "inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation"

If we dwell deeper in the word, it brings out the past - the good, the bad, the ugly... and so, is a strong tool to develop opinions....
Needless to say, most poeple are "taught" history as children....
I remember pouring through books of history in school to scrape through my history test.

However, almost 20 years later (goodness, its been very long !!), I realize that history should not be taught... poeple should be allowed to explore it for themselves, and the society should just provide the tools... to explore freely, whichever aspect we wish to...

Though my liking for history stems from school, it is more due to my teacher, who acted like a narrator of the events that have gone by, rather than someone trying to preach a moral outcome.... school only touches the tip of the iceberg...

History is unbound, and growing every moment... even as I write this blog...

It's just about growing with it... by dwelling into it.. not being held back.. but by understanding the reason....

Decisions

2011-05-31T06:49:00.000+05:30

Decisions are part of all our lives...
Some are taken by others on our behalf...
and for some, we manage to summon the courage to take the leap ourself...

But each and every decision taken has a bearing on our circle of influence....
So when we take the plunge (I mean when we try and decide for ourselves), do these people figure in our consideration set at all..

And having said that, didn't we always dream of being independent people, where our mind and thought was free from any other constraints...

Concentration

2011-05-25T08:19:00.000+05:30

What do you find easiest to concentrate on....
some would say god... some would say themselves...

but somehow, whenever I make an attempt to concentrate on something is precisely the moment when my mind begins to wander....

Maybe our subconscious loves playing the Devil's Advocate...
trying to challenge us to not let us do what we have set out to do :)

Isn't that the case always... for everything....
I wonder how people concentrate on anything ;)

Road Rationale

2011-05-16T08:21:00.000+05:30

In our busy lives nowadays, we seem to spend most of our time in office, and the remaining time on the roads (driving, i mean)...

Its interesting to observe how people react to different situations on the road... I've come to believe that it has a direct correlation with our actual behaviour (or maybe our closet behaviour)...

For instance, what would be your instantaneous reaction when you see an ambulance, with a blowing siren coming behind you...

don't bother clearing the passage for it - a dumb ass who doesn't bother about rules, not even when it's a matter of life and death for someone else
clear the way, and the immediately follow it - an opportunist who has found a way to beat the traffic
clear the passage, wait for it to pass by, and then proceed with wherever you were driving to - normal bahaviour (or so I thought) of a cool headed individual
clear the passage, and remained on the sidelines - laid back individual, who is not bothered about pace

Disclaimer: These are my personal views, and need not be in sync with yours... though I'm curious to hear about what you see on the road :)

...

2011-04-19T08:27:00.001+05:30

People like us, i mean those living in metros, have a tendency to seek calm and peace... we search for an environment that would soothe us...
But most of us (or maybe all of us) tend to miss such gifts of nature right in our backyard...

The early morning sunrise (though m sure all of us stake claim to having watched sunrise at a hill station :))
the twitter of birds (not celebrities!!) after sunrise
the early morning dew, and the smell of grass wet because of it
the smell of wet mud after the first rainfall in summer

where are we when all this is happening.....
neatly tucked in bed ?? or working in those concrete jungles??

Is it worth it????

Appraisal

2011-04-14T12:07:00.000+05:30

Its appraisal time... so would enjoy appraisal of the blog too...

So bring it on...

The good, the bad, the ugly....

What should be changed, what should be retained....

Or should I just stop blogging and head to the Himalayas and make peace :)

Life Struggles

2011-04-12T12:46:00.000+05:30

Interesting mail I received recently....

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck. Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily.

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled.

Mind... Timeless

2011-04-08T08:30:00.000+05:30

Wrinkled faces... young at heart...

Youth rising.... antiquated thought....

Identity of age.... tautness of skin ?!?

Beauty of age.... the spirit of the mind

Lets just hope that as our body gathers the dust of age...

our mind sheds all the age...

after all there has to be a balance !!!

Signs

2011-04-03T11:42:00.000+05:30

Most of us believe in signs...
Signs people give..
Signs life decides to show us...
So what does it mean, when in a single day, I almost ran over someone... almost fell from a staircase.... and then got jacked at work...

I guess it means that I should treasure what I have, and not take it for a ride....
Or is it that I'm living life on the edge and could fall any moment.....

Gift of Life

2011-03-22T08:31:00.002+05:30

I give you light.. I show the way..

I support you.. I melt away...

Giving... is selfless....

Getting.. is unconditional...

And it is equally important to appreciate both....

Afterall, you never know when you are on the other side...

Evolution ?!?

2011-03-17T08:16:00.000+05:30

Man evolves physically... but I've come to believe that we are slowly devolving (if such a word exists) emotionally & psycologically...

Our previous generations had blind faith... in their elders/forefathers or who ever they chose to believe....
M not saying blind faith is good... atleast they had the strength to stand by their belief...

What are all of us doing now???

In the name of experimentation, we dabble in different things, without understanding the reason/basis of it... just for the sake of experimentation, we are not only letting go what we have, but are getting into some new unknown....

Call me old fashioned, if thats what this is.. but I've always learnt to question...
I'm not averse to change or experimentation.. but not without a basis....

Remember the science experiments we used to do in school..
Aim... Apparatus... Theory.. Method....
That's the way to follow here also...

Envy & Pride

2011-03-11T08:25:00.001+05:30

Its human tendency.. to look around... compare... admire what others have... crib about what we don't...

I guess that's why, when Onida had launched the campaign "Neighbour's Envy, Owner's Pride", it was such a huge success.

But there is another catch... is the pride subject to the fact that what you have is someone's envy !?!

PS: Another thought... I wonder why it is symbolized by the Devil ;)

Split Personality

2011-03-08T08:14:00.001+05:30

All of us have another side...
a Jekyll & a Hyde...
a black swan & a white...

What matters is not that there is a split.. but what we let prevail...
Afterall, it is all in our control... or is it that we try and control too much....

Balance

2011-02-23T00:48:00.000+05:30

The anger within....The calm outside...
The anger brought out... The calm within...

Afterall, there has to be a balance

Credits for Photograph: Joshi Daniel - The Monster Within (from http://joshidaniel.com/2010/07/06/103/ )

...

2011-02-15T00:15:00.004+05:30

iss sanaate mae sab sunai deta hai
jo hum chehre se chupa lete hai
iss kadar sab saaf nazar aata hai
ke raunshni ka asar he na rahe

Leap of Faith

2011-02-13T23:59:00.003+05:30

It seems to be easiest to make decisions/judgements based on faith for a 3rd person...
slightly easy to make for oneself...
but when it comes to a loved one... somehow the faith in the bigger power reduces...
Suddenly taking that leap of faith is not all that easy...

The Very Best

2011-01-20T02:37:00.003+05:30

we all like to put in the best for the ones we love...
and as we strive towards the "best", we loose track if the person really wants all this...
I guess each of us just try to satisfy our own wishlist...
the loved ones are just an alibi :)

Choice

2011-01-11T01:09:00.002+05:30

What is easier...
to make the choice..
to take the choice...
or wait for time to show you the way...

Or maybe all this just seems easy...
there is essentially no "choice" involved...

The Best

2010-12-28T02:04:00.001+05:30

All of us love talking about the ideal... the epitome.... all of us have those images.. or should I say, Illusions...

I wonder why we fail to see that the best in the world need not necessarily be the best for us....

Silence

2010-12-14T01:16:00.006+05:30

Silences... the most versatile moments if I might say so...

The happy ones.. the sad ones...
The playful ones.. the ruthless ones...
The meaningful ones... Some with none at all....
The ones that say it all... the ones that don't say a thing...
Some meant to fill the spaces... Some meant to create them...

As much as we claim to know a person.. I often wonder if it is ever possible to understand the silences that pass a conversation.....

Hmmm.....

....

2010-12-08T01:15:00.001+05:30

the speed of time..
the lethargy of the moment..
the clock ticking by...
yet the moment not letting go...

Ek Lau

2010-12-03T00:49:00.000+05:30

"Dhoop Ke Ujaale Si, Puns Ki Pyaale Si, Khushiyan Mile Humko.. 
Zyada Manga Hai Kahaan, Sarhadein Na Ho Jahaan, Duniya Mile Humko..
Par Khudha Kheir Kar, Uske Armaan Mein Kyun Bewaja Ho Koi Kurbaan..
Gujha Muskuratha Hai Kyun Waqth Se Pehle Kyun Chodd Chala Tera Ye Jahaan...

Ek Lau Is Tharah Kyun Bhuji Mere Maula
Ek Lau Zindagi Ki Maula.."

And the Memory Remains

2010-11-30T01:31:00.001+05:30

Moving on is simple, it's what you leave behind that makes it so difficult.

Photograph: Ahmed Shajee Aijazi & Hamza Azeem - "Escaping Birth"

Life & Nature

2010-11-25T00:18:00.001+05:30

I was high (in the air.. what did you think ;)) when it all came to me....

Clouds are like dreams... we see them give shape of our thoughts..

And when dreams collide... it rains !! Eureka!!

which then either go down the drain (literally !!) or do something more constructive...

Udaan

2010-11-19T01:18:00.002+05:30

udaan bharne ki koshish sabhi karte hai

kuch pankho ke saaath, aur kuch apne hauslo se

par udne mae mazaa tabhi aata hai
jab lage na darr, neechae aane se

Falling

2010-11-17T00:43:00.002+05:30

Everytime I'm falling down all alone,

I fall to pieces...

Energize yourself with Words

2010-10-27T23:40:00.000+05:30

So what are the different sources of energy that come to your mind...
Petrol , Gas , Nuclear Fission , Fusion , Photoelectric....

Here's a new source.. Words..
They can propel your thought.. Move you to action...
Make you realize your potential.. and if the push (read words) is strong enough, then ensure action :)

They can hold your thoughts and build your potential...
break the dam of patience and result in a flood...

Lifecycle... Vicious Circle

2010-10-19T00:40:00.001+05:30

Every thought, every emotion , every action has its own lifecycle...

From the initial kisk.. to the euphoria & the heat to accomplish.. to the joy of fulfilment... to the satisfaction that the needful has been done... to the emptiness that nothing is left to do..

till we find something new again to kick start the whole process again :)

Life

2010-10-03T02:30:00.000+05:30

Borrowed from Pravs.. couldn't find anything more apt

Rambling

2010-10-03T02:27:00.000+05:30

I like keeping it simple... or atleast that' s what I've tried so far...

Then why do I suddenly feel like I'm complicating it for myself...

Maybe because life became to mundane, and its time for some change...

....

2010-09-14T00:57:00.000+05:30

"My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."
~ Ayn Rand

Elections

2010-09-06T00:51:00.000+05:30

"... the quality of men who are selected by these modern democratic methods of adult franchise gradually deteriorates because of lack of thinking and the noise of propaganda...

He [the voter] reacts to sound and to the din, he reacts to repetition and he produces either a dictator or a dumb politician who is insensitive..."

This is what Nehru had to say about the Indian Democratic System when the Indian system was being created....and to think the description is even more apt today, where we have politicians & citizens who lack the passion that existed in those days..

Jinhe Naaz hai Hind par wo Kahaa hai..
Kahaa hai kahaa hai kahaa hai !!!

Learn... Unlearn .. Relearn

2010-08-17T01:05:00.000+05:30

We are all like Sponges... soaking up what we see / hear and assimilate around us...
but every sponge has its capacity to absorb..

So till we dry up or throw out some of the stuff we've got inside... we'll stop soaking it up...

"Habit is a second nature which prevents us from knowing the first, of which it has neither the cruelties nor the enchantments. "
~ Marcel Proust

Rambling..

2010-07-16T00:04:00.001+05:30

Thought... rumination...
Beauty... reflection...
Feelings... emotion...
Dreams.. ambition..

Night .. not a friend

2010-06-29T00:14:00.005+05:30

2 girls... nonchalantly chewing gum... casually dressed in jeans and t-shirt...
could have been anyone... who's to tell the difference...

the fact that it was the middle of the night (don't we all haunt the streets of Delhi at odd hours)..
or that they were with a pimp..

made me feel insecure... sad....

Marriage :P

2010-06-13T01:46:00.003+05:30

Here's my solution to Communal Riots & Religious strife...
The government should give incentives for...

Intercaste / Inter-religion Marriage !!!!

It will then become all in the family :D

Cinema

2010-06-02T23:59:00.000+05:30

Living in the fast paced lives that we do.. we have very few things in our live that we do outside of the circle of work...
So when we go out to watch movies, most of us go for sheer enjoyment... so the farther the movie from reality, the greater the chances of the crowd enjoying it..
Don't get me wrong, there are still few connoisseurs of good serious cinema which is closer to reality.. but the breed is fast depleting...
N why not...
Blame it on our lifestyles !!!

The End of Imagination

2010-05-27T23:07:00.001+05:30

I've been reading a collection of essay's by Arundhati Roy.. Some of the stuff she has to say makes a lot of sense.. here's a sample...

"The nuclear bomb is the most anti-democratic, anti-national, anti-human, outright evil thing that man has ever made.

If you are religious, then remember that this bomb is Man's challenge to God.
It's worded quite simply: We have the power to destroy everything that You have created.

If you're not (religious), then look at it this way. This world of ours is four thousand, six hundred million years old.
It could end in an afternoon."

For anyone who wants to atttempt reading them, here is one of them, titled "The End of Imagination", which featured both in Frontline & Outlook.

Present v/s Future

2010-05-24T00:49:00.000+05:30

The more I see my grandparents and parents, more I feel that it is important to live in the present, for the present.
But the more we live just for the present, more complicated our future seems to be getting.

Quenching Thirst

2010-05-23T23:32:00.003+05:30

Ever watered plants in the summer heat...
Not only is it a satisfying experience (because the plants suddenly seem alive ! ), the smell of wet mud is intoxicating.

It somehow isn't important whether the plants thanked me in words.. what I gave led to the satisfaction, that of good use, and that's all that matters.

Virtual Reality

2010-04-28T00:45:00.001+05:30

Ayn Rand's world of perfect competition is one in which I'd love to live in.... where everything is as per my capability and capacity, the fruit I get it what I've earnt..

and I have no family to satisfy...

and I have absolute health... no worry of diseases (I'm not talking about a diseased thought though)..

Passing the buck

2010-04-21T00:20:00.001+05:30

We all have the tendency to blame our parentage for most things.. for our habits, opinions, things we do wrong...
We do learn quite a lot from our parents, but then blaming it all on them, and simply passing the buck (for not doing something the right way) is just escapism..

Its about time (considering we've spent about a quater of a century on this planet) that we stake claim to our actions and doings.

:)

2010-04-02T00:29:00.000+05:30

Here's my friend's status message... liked it a lot...

Main logon se mulaqaton ke lamhe yaad rakhti hoon,
Main baatein bhool bhi jaon, toh lehje yaad rakhti hoon,
Sar-e-mehfil nigahein mujh pe jin logon ki parti hai,
Nigahon ke hawale se main chehre yaad rakhti hoon,
Zara sa hut ke chalti hoon zamane ki riwayat se,
Ke jin pe bhoj main daloon woh kandhe yaad rakhti hoon!

One More Time

2010-03-24T02:26:00.000+05:30

The fastest judgements we make are about others.
And the ones we accept the slowest are about ourselves.

So by the time we realise the judgement is right, more often than not, we've already made the mistake again.

No wonder they say that History repeats itself :) :)

Onions.. All of us

2010-03-17T23:57:00.003+05:30

We are all like onions...

We need to peel the layers, to finally reach the core...

But we weep so much in the process, that we give up midway...

An Exchange Offer

2010-03-17T23:01:00.002+05:30

The basis of everything in life seems to be Exchange...

A favour for another.. some help for some more...

Give and take...

Maybe I'm stupid... to think that its not about what you give or take.. its just what you wish to do... unconditional.. without compulsion or guilt...

The Human Touch

2010-02-15T01:17:00.003+05:30

There is something about the human touch that's reassuring..
Maybe because that's our first tryst with reality.. the touch of our parents..Or our first understanding of support... holding your finger I walk..
So whenever I'm afraid.. I need assure.. I try to reach out.. for that warm touch....

Burnt Norton

2010-02-05T01:06:00.002+05:30

Recently discovered TS Eliot... Awesome stuff... found it difficult to pick the part I like the best... But couldn't resist giving a glimpse...
Enjoy !!!

Extract from Burnt Norton ~ T S Eliot

At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,
But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,
Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,
Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point,
There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.
I can only say, there we have been: but I cannot say where.
And I cannot say, how long, for that is to place it in time.

Life as we live it

2010-01-31T01:43:00.000+05:30

Life is a funny thing... atleast most of the times..

We get what we don't want,

Not what we expect..

Love the ideal,

Miss the real...

See what we want to,

And ignore what we have...

And then, on one of those depressing nights, regret doing it all..

True Identity

2010-01-09T00:34:00.007+05:30

We all see good times... and witness some bad times too...

As long as we are not the subject of all this emotional seesaw, we seem to handle it well... But unfortunately, the true test, which most of us fail, is the way we handle it all...

It's not about whether those tears finally trickle down your cheek after you reach the finish line.. or that you simply shrug your shoulders without any change...

It's about how you were through the race, if you can call it that..
whether you can be happy, with others, even though the fruit is still forbidden... and face it all without finding faults..

My only conclusion is this..
Adversity shows us the worst.. only to bring out the best.. if we really try :)

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T11:55:00.002+05:30

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
~ Tennyson

A Window in the Wall

2009-12-26T23:56:00.005+05:30

We like walls.. barriers.. boundaries...
Not for others benefit, but our own..
Not that anyone would cross them..
But so that our thoughts don't cross them...

And then we open a small window..
For those special few...
Without realising, that the window will open you to all...

Ward off the Reward

2009-11-29T23:01:00.003+05:30

We all work.. and like to be rewarded when we feel we've done something worthy of appraisal.

But what happens when you see the same reward being given to a mediocre performance and one which was par excellence.

I guess we all need to learn to refuse... not just what we don't deserve.. but also when mediocrity is rewarded in the same breath and with equal gaiety as good work.

Life... an Oxymoron

2009-10-31T01:08:00.004+05:30

I actually got inspired by a blog-post I read.. so here's an attempt at a different form of expression...
just humour me..

Beauty... seen through other's eyes..
Vision.. seen through my own...
Wind.. blowing in my face..
Rain.. beating against it...

Things... with names..
Relationships.. without...
Secrets.. bottled up inside..
Truth.. staring at me..

Structured thoughts... randomly expressed..
My life.. an oxymoron...

Conversations

2009-10-26T23:43:00.001+05:30

Conversations.. atleast the long ones... always leave me with the longing for more...
Needless to say that the realisation of how few of them I've had in the past really gives me a sinking feeling.. of how it will be in the future, when all of us will get busier, trying to fight our way to our professional goals...
It all sounds good in books and movies that relationships are a thing of the heart, and they are never lost... blah blah blah... but in reality, it is essential to keep in touch...

So here's to all my friends... I hope we all stay in touch...
"Someone remembers, someone cares;
Your name is whispered in someone’s prayers."

Celebrations

2009-10-19T23:39:00.002+05:30

There is some kind of jinx...

I'm not a celebration kind of person... I don't attach too much importance to birthdays etc....

I guess this is life's way of teaching me a lesson...
The one time I really felt like celebrating... when I thought I had finally earnt it.. I am unable to...

I deserve it !!!
Damn !!!

Time

2009-09-20T01:16:00.002+05:30

We all give importance to different things in life...
And for me, time is the essence...
I dont mind reaching early.. but i detest being late...
So now, when I am on the other side, makiing people wait for me..
I really don't know what to do/say to make it better...

Where Do We Draw the Line

2009-09-16T23:57:00.000+05:30

This seems to be the eternal dilema we face all the time... Where do we draw the line..

On your palm an endless wonder
Lines that speak the truth without a sound
In your eyes awaits the tireless hunger
Already looks for prey to run down

So why do we keep up this charade
How do we tell apart the time to leave from the time to wait

What does tomorrow want with me
What does it matter what I see
If it can't be my design
Tell me where do we draw the line

The dance of flames and shadows in the street
Make poetry nobody's ever heard
The weight of loneliness stands on your feet
The cage already there around the bird

So why don't we join the masquerade
Before it all falls apart before our love becomes insatiate

What does tomorrow want with me
What does it matter what I see
If I can't choose my own design
Tell me where do we draw the line

Where's the cooling wind
Where's the evergreen field
Where's my mother's open arms
Where's my father lionheart
S'like the sun's gone down
Sleeps in the hallowed ground now
With the autumn's browns leaves
With the one who never grieves

What does tomorrow want with me
What does it matter what I see
If we all walk behind the blind
Tell me where do we draw the line

Whatever tomorrow wants from me
At least I'm here, at least I'm free
Free to choose to see the signs
This is my line

Just Another Rainy Day !

2009-08-31T00:23:00.003+05:30

There seem to be two ways of living life...

(and since it seems to be raining in most parts of the country, thats the parallel I shall use)

Some enjoy watching the rain .. maybe from a safe distance.. without getting wet...

The others enjoy getting drenched in the rain.. like the feel of the raindrops on their head and body...

Quote:
"One must learn by doing the thing,
for though you think you know it,
you have no certainty until you try."

Understanding Myself

2009-08-18T23:56:00.000+05:30

What happens when you are suddenly let down.. not by someone else, but yourself...
I'm yet to learn to cope with the feeling.. the sadness...
It suddenly makes me feel weak.. or maybe I deserve it..
Maybe I had become overconfident.. and this was just a touch of reality...

:)

2009-08-10T00:05:00.000+05:30

This was a friend's gtalk status.... Really liked it..

No one will ever win the battle of the sexes;
there's too much fraternizing with the enemy.

Appreciation

2009-08-06T00:09:00.001+05:30

Sometimes simple appreciation from people who matter can make your day...
It doesn't really matter how big or small the task was...

Just the sweet after taste of the compliment stays...
And the memory remains..

Doubt

2009-07-30T00:28:00.005+05:30

I walked in stealthily... tip toed into your life.. your thoughts... your mind.. and now you cannot think beyond me.. live without me...

They call me doubt.. I call it insecurity..

Fights

2009-07-20T00:35:00.000+05:30

Have you ever felt happy if you've had a fight with a person close to you...
You might think I've become senile.... but that's how I felt recently... It's not that I enjoyed the moment of miscommunication...

It's just that the relationship suddenly seemed more real... As if there was still life in it...

Relationships having life :)

:)

2009-07-09T17:41:00.002+05:30

Read this somewhere...

"Bheegi hui cigarette jal nahi sakti…..
Aur yeh tay hai ki meri maut ki taarikh tal nahi sakti...."

Change

2009-07-08T10:29:00.008+05:30

More often than not, we resist change, and our overactive (or should i say over-reactive) brain starts concocting reasons to abstain from changing... but what we miss all the while is the newness and the excitement that change brings with it...
Every new step looks like a giant leap, till taken.. and then it looks like a thing too small to talk about... All the same, every step is movement.. a change... and any change takes courage...

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."
~ Nelson Mandela

Change

2009-06-17T23:19:00.004+05:30

Change is a funny thing...
Its perhaps life's way of playing tricks on us..
The moment of comfort is when things decide to change..
and when we long for a twist in life is when it all becomes static...

Small Joys in Life

2009-06-10T11:25:00.003+05:30

Maybe its that time of the year.. or just that I had the time, but i recently rediscovered some of the small joys of life...
So I thought I should share some of them.. here goes...
Fresh blades of grass on my palm...
My fingers moving through running water...
The feel of the strawberry seeds while eating it..
The smell of freshly ground coffee..
The intoxicating smell of the first rain beating the soil...

We encounter most of these things regularly... but do we ever notice them....

Small joys come, not once in a while.. but quite regularly..
its just that we never recognise them...

A New day.. a new dawn

2009-05-28T15:08:00.003+05:30

"Finish each day and be done with it.
You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank You Friend

2009-05-26T14:37:00.003+05:30

Friendship is a funny thing.
We put it through all the tests possible... all the fun, the fights..
But the moment you actually realise its importance, is when you are so close to losing it.

Thanks for always being here...

Life's Ways 2

2009-05-20T14:11:00.004+05:30

Our life is a summation of the many relationships we create and then forge as per our liking... and they are THE reason most of us enjoy living our lives.

But in each phase, we give importance to a different relationship..
our parents are our lives when we are young... we move on to school and friends move into our lives... their relative importance increasing as we move towards adolescence and adulthood... and so at each stage, we have different people by whom we get gravitated....
and its all good, because each of these relationships come of age, and we outgrow them when the time comes...

What I'm trying to say, everything has a time, purpose, reason, season... and so does every relationship....

Or am I just looking for a reason to sever my ties with people !!

मे मरासिम बनते है , लम्हों मे भला क्या टूटेंगे
तू मुझ से बिचादना चाहे तो , दीवार उठा धीरे धीरे
~ ललित कॉल

Life's Ways

2009-05-14T12:13:00.002+05:30

"All my bags are packed
Im ready to go
Im standin here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
.....
Already Im so lonesome
I could die"

All of us have a time of entry and exit.. not just in this world, but also interms of each others lives..
So even though its good to treasure sweet memories, it isn't a good idea to cling on to them.. or you won't let new people enter your life..

Chauvinism and Chivalry

2009-05-12T16:33:00.002+05:30

There is also the debate on whether chivalry is good or bad...
whether a man should take pride in being chivalrous.. and a woman should happily accept...
or does it become a battle of egos between the two genders...

The bigger problem of course is when the thin line of difference between chauvinism and chivalry is lost. Again, I m sure many people of the fairer sex (keep guessing whether I'm referring to the males or the females) tend to enjoy it all... but is it right..
Isn't giving help to the other sex irrespective of whether it is required, an attempt to show their superiority.I've met many men :) who take pride in not just being chivalrous but also chauvinistic.
I really don't know if there is one right answer to this one... there are lots of people who enjoy the attention and help, and lots who detest it...

The point is that the guy needs to be smart enough to understand what women want !!!

Bavra Mann

2009-04-17T11:18:00.003+05:30

I know this not a very origional way of expressing my thoughts, but at this point in time, these seem to be the most appropriate...
This song featured in Hazaaron Khwahishae Aisi.. sung by Shubha Mudgal....

Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna
Bavre Se Mann, Ki Dekho Bavri Hain Baatein
Bavri Se Dhadkaane Hain, Bavri Hain Saansen

Bavre Se Is Jahan Main Bavra Ek Saath Ho
Is Sayani Bheed Main Bas Haathon Mein Tera Haath Ho
Bavri Si Dhun Ho Koi, Bavra Ek Raag Ho
Bavre Se Pair Chahen, Baavron Tarano Ke, Bavre Se Bol Pe Thirakna.
Bavra Mann, Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna...

Bavra Sa Ho Andhera, Bavri Khamoshiyan
Thartharati Low Ho Maddham, Bavri Madhoshiyan
Bavra Ek Ghooghta Chahe, Haule Haule Bin Bataye, Bavre Se Mukhde Se Sarakana
Bavra Mann, Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna....

A Time for Every Purpose

2009-04-14T11:34:00.002+05:30

Life has its own way of getting back at you...
I don’t believe in fate, but I do believe that whatever happens is for the good...
Like Steve Jobs said, in one of his famous speech, that we might not understand the significance of all that we are doing... but somewhere down the line, if we look backwards, we are able to join the dots, and then, it all makes sense...
I guess I’ve successfully confused you n myself with my thoughts, so I’ll let the lyrics of the song by Byrd’s do the talking, or rather, explain :)

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
......
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
....
A time of war, a time of peace
A time of love, a time of hate
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing
.....
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time of peace, I swear it's not too late!