26th January, Saturday; another day in my life, Thank god! It was Saturday so don’t have to hurry for office and can lie down on my bed longer. But, once the sleep is broken, lying down is so difficult, also there was no light and hence I can’t read news paper (don’t ask me the significance of light and news paper). Finally I pulled myself out of bed by 10:15 (it’s too early for me on a weekend) and thought of doing something which does not require electricity- cant play songs on comp, cant watch TV, cant switch on geyser, can’t read anything.
zapak…the light came and we (me & two of my roommate) thought of watching India-Australia cricket match. The match was on a dead-end and it was better to surf the channels, may be to get glimpse of something interesting, suddenly the Republic day parade was there on the oldest channel of the country. Those Brahmos & Agni Missiles, that Dhanush defense system, those tableaus of different states & departments, all took me back to those good old days.
Days, when we used to get up early in morning to join Prabhat Feri, when we used to go to school to see the hoisting of Indian Flag, days when getting laddus & samosas were the best thing on the Republic & Independence Day. When we used to run to home to see this parade on DD, when clamber atop elephants (getting the Child Bravery Award) was the biggest dream we had or at least participating in that parade was a dream. No matter how ill or tired we would have been but being a part of parade was something that would have taken away all the tiredness. When the Motorcycle stunts in the parade was better than any stunts in movies and our ideal were military people (at least mine was, I always wanted to be a doctor from AFMC). Days when “Aye Watan -2”, “Vande Matram” , “Sare Jaha se Acha” and plenty other songs were not rituals to be played but were sung with heart. Days when we used to stand while playing National Anthem not because we should, but because we felt doing that.
I don’t know about others, but looks like as I have grown older, all this sentiments have either been diluted or I have started taking all this in one go, what benefits will I get out of it, by showing these emotions? I doubt about the dilution of sentiments as when I saw the Parade and air show, I was proud to be a part of this country. Whenever anything good happens out of country, I’m proud of that. Outside country, I’m proud to say that “Yes, I’m a Techie from India” But why am not ashamed of so many bad things that happens in country? Why I actually cut myself out of the ailments of the country as if I’m no one to solve it or responsible for it or at least related to it? May be because we always want ourselves to be associated with the Best, we always look for things which will bring some value addition in the life; when country is doing well, we are happily associated with it, but when something is wrong we will simply discuss it and sit over it. Or may be we are too comfortable in our cocoon that we don’t want to go through the metamorphism and simply want to remain where we are comfortably placed. How many times have we done anything out of just sentiments for country or society? After watching RDB, I felt as if I can do so much for country, but that was just a tempo for 2 days. God forbids, if again tomorrow something like kargil happens, we will simply sit in our office, discuss over our foreign policies, write some blogs, condemn lack of Intelligence information, commend the bravery of our soldiers and will forget in two months what happened. And if something like china war happens, then we will again do the same, will send some email chains around the world that what’s happening is not humanitarian, right; so please pressurize the hostile country to stop doing this. But what will we actually do?
I have been part of army culture for a year or so and I have seen many of my friends’ fathers who were posted in the border, the way they used to think about country and life is totally different from what we do. why there is such a difference? May be we have become too materialistic or we actually do what we should do practically rather than what we want to do emotionally? Many of u will say that we are doing our bit by bringing Foreign exchange to country, making it the best IT destination around the world, safest market to invest in world. But is sitting in an AC office, working when it is must or when there is a deliverable, else at other time doing time pass, making bigger bucks for the IT giants is actually all what we can do to repay our debt towards country? Ya we do repay our county by taxes, but is that all we can do? I agree that we can bring lots of changes, just politics is too bad, there is so much of red tapism, we do need to think about our future, BUT…
I don’t know why I have written this, may be because I’m myself confused and want to confuse others about what I feel or may be just some whim of the mind, frenzy of the moment. In some time, after the office will start and I’ll be again doing some work, all this will be subsided and the sentiments for the society will also be subsided along with it. But still there will always remain something which will prick not mind, brain but the subconscious mind, heart & soul.
Thursday 31 January 2008
Monday 28 January 2008
Up Above the World So high...Like a Kite in the Sky..
Working on a Monday morning is always a pain, and especially after a week which can be described as laziest week of my whole professional life ; but I guess the reason for this being the over exuberant weekend I had a week before. Imagine a weekend full of masti with ur friends, and that also the craziest things one can do. My weekend started on last Friday itself, with the Parikrama night, the show having Strings, Parikrama and Saif Ali Khan. But this blog is for the Best thing I would have done in a group full of wacky people like me; PARASAILING.
Just think urself, being in air, like a kite, flowing smoothly all over the places (hyperbole version, as we got only 5 minutes to be in air) and seeing all ur friends down there eagerly waiting the descend so that they can share the experience. It was really a great treat, at least for the mind of a confused techie.
All this parasailing plan started with Chetan telling me about this adventure’s trip, as I guess he thinks that I’m always there to do all the craziest and distinctly wacky things. And as we devised the itinerary for the Parasailing, I remembered that I actually have a group of people who will be more than happy to do this madness along with me, so the group of two people turned in a group of 10 people. We checked all the possible parasailing clubs in Bangalore, and all the offers they give us, and we ended up with Anand, an infoscian, may be because we found our techie bond with him. So the date was decided and our troop started from our origin to the destination Hoskote, a dried lake some 12 Kms from Bangalore, in two battalions, one in Car and another on bikes. The car battalion was the wackiest lot, led by me, Nagu and Shwetha and amply supported by Chetan, and the target being Dhaval Bhaiya & second Battalion led by Sourav & Parag. Imagine if u have been asked that what will u do if a vulture attacks u when u are in parasail or what will happen if u landed on some cow or may be cattle dung?
After a journey of an hour or so we reached hoskote, but finding our way from main road to the correct spot was the trickiest part of the journey. The road afterwards being suitable only for mud racing or for some hogging sport, hence the easier way was to follow the path defined by cattle; but as people say that sometime its better to make ur own path; we needed to follow our own instinct after we were misguided by the cattle. So we reached The Spot, and were on time (IST) where we waited for the wind to give us some feather for the flight and also for our second battalion to reach. The wind didn’t disappoint us much and we started off with the flight and Nagu being the one to take initiative; it was a smooth takeoff and smoother landing, as she was aptly supported by her weight or non weight.
Then came my turn, holding all those gears and waiting for the rope to be attached to the parasail was the longest wait; and then came the moment. The wind was not bad and it pretty much supported the flight, two or three running steps and yippee me in the air. Now I understood how kite would be feeling when it’s up in the air, everything down under ur vision, those tiny spots of cattle gazing, that greenery and everything around. It was so different than sitting in the airplane, with the breeze flowing through ur hairs, ur face, u can feel the purity of the air, the smell of the green grass and smell of the blue sky above u. those 3 or 5 minutes were simply scintillating, it was more of fun then of that initial fear. Before I can experience some more of the thrill, it was over and I landed without hurting any cattle or hurting myself (which I guess was a good part).
After me Shwetha, Chetan and Dhaval bhaiya did their part and I guess everyone was quite happy except chetan who was totally confused and whose confusion we were enhancing by our non-stop nonsense. This chatting was continuous till the second battalion came and took charge from us; it gave only a brief relief to others as we were again on chat mode in the car. It was actually a day to relish, coming from totally different moods, thrill of the flight, excitement of letting ur feelings out, fun and frolic of meeting so many friends after such a long time, I wish we carry on these trips regularly and this weekend does not remain the only weekend to be urself and with ur friends.
And as Nagu has correctly put, it would have been better if we would have been in Thailand or Himalaya, I’m just picturing myself flying like a kite over forests in Thailand with elephants down, white rivers all around.
Just think urself, being in air, like a kite, flowing smoothly all over the places (hyperbole version, as we got only 5 minutes to be in air) and seeing all ur friends down there eagerly waiting the descend so that they can share the experience. It was really a great treat, at least for the mind of a confused techie.
All this parasailing plan started with Chetan telling me about this adventure’s trip, as I guess he thinks that I’m always there to do all the craziest and distinctly wacky things. And as we devised the itinerary for the Parasailing, I remembered that I actually have a group of people who will be more than happy to do this madness along with me, so the group of two people turned in a group of 10 people. We checked all the possible parasailing clubs in Bangalore, and all the offers they give us, and we ended up with Anand, an infoscian, may be because we found our techie bond with him. So the date was decided and our troop started from our origin to the destination Hoskote, a dried lake some 12 Kms from Bangalore, in two battalions, one in Car and another on bikes. The car battalion was the wackiest lot, led by me, Nagu and Shwetha and amply supported by Chetan, and the target being Dhaval Bhaiya & second Battalion led by Sourav & Parag. Imagine if u have been asked that what will u do if a vulture attacks u when u are in parasail or what will happen if u landed on some cow or may be cattle dung?
After a journey of an hour or so we reached hoskote, but finding our way from main road to the correct spot was the trickiest part of the journey. The road afterwards being suitable only for mud racing or for some hogging sport, hence the easier way was to follow the path defined by cattle; but as people say that sometime its better to make ur own path; we needed to follow our own instinct after we were misguided by the cattle. So we reached The Spot, and were on time (IST) where we waited for the wind to give us some feather for the flight and also for our second battalion to reach. The wind didn’t disappoint us much and we started off with the flight and Nagu being the one to take initiative; it was a smooth takeoff and smoother landing, as she was aptly supported by her weight or non weight.
Then came my turn, holding all those gears and waiting for the rope to be attached to the parasail was the longest wait; and then came the moment. The wind was not bad and it pretty much supported the flight, two or three running steps and yippee me in the air. Now I understood how kite would be feeling when it’s up in the air, everything down under ur vision, those tiny spots of cattle gazing, that greenery and everything around. It was so different than sitting in the airplane, with the breeze flowing through ur hairs, ur face, u can feel the purity of the air, the smell of the green grass and smell of the blue sky above u. those 3 or 5 minutes were simply scintillating, it was more of fun then of that initial fear. Before I can experience some more of the thrill, it was over and I landed without hurting any cattle or hurting myself (which I guess was a good part).
After me Shwetha, Chetan and Dhaval bhaiya did their part and I guess everyone was quite happy except chetan who was totally confused and whose confusion we were enhancing by our non-stop nonsense. This chatting was continuous till the second battalion came and took charge from us; it gave only a brief relief to others as we were again on chat mode in the car. It was actually a day to relish, coming from totally different moods, thrill of the flight, excitement of letting ur feelings out, fun and frolic of meeting so many friends after such a long time, I wish we carry on these trips regularly and this weekend does not remain the only weekend to be urself and with ur friends.
And as Nagu has correctly put, it would have been better if we would have been in Thailand or Himalaya, I’m just picturing myself flying like a kite over forests in Thailand with elephants down, white rivers all around.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
How I wonder What U r.
Up above the world so high.
Like a Kite in the sky.
Friday 18 January 2008
Music for the Soul
It looks that everyone I know has liked TZP, may be that’s why it is said that birds of same feather flock together. But may be even these birds have some specific tastes which define individuals, hence this the blog for something for which I have developed taste this weekend only, Carnatic Music.
It was because of one of my good friend that I was able to attend the music program, and I’m very grateful to him & his friend for providing this opportunity. I have attended so many rock/pop concerts, and the experience for this program and all those concerts are totally different…I have attended the pop/rock concerts fully drenched in rain, totally exhausted and sometime that noise is so toll taking that u feel like puking everything out after a duration; it simply exhausts u ; I’m not saying that I never enjoyed, I always do and may be I’ll end up for Parikrma & Saif ali’s concert also. But this program, may be because of the ambience or may be simply because of the soft breeze flowing, did not exhaust me but relaxed.
I have read somewhere, “Mathematics is Music and Music is Mathematics”; I understood the part of Math being music, as it makes lots of people dance on its tune; but music as math? Well after seeing the intricacies involved in the Carnatic music, I was simply amazed. Does any one of u actually know about the mutual exclusion of the instruments like ghata, kanjira and morsing? Or that unlike western counterpart, Carnatic music is like a full 5-6 course menu, with Varnam or an invocatory be the appetizer, then the kritis or ragamalika, which is built over particular ragas, as side drinks, then the kalpanaswaram of the raga with the beat specific to the octave of the pitch or Shruti. And then the main course of raga alapana which will explore the raga then will build itself slowly giving way for tani avartanam, percussion for the solo performance by each artist. Based on the concert and the performers, it also includes tillanas or thukkadas. And at last the sweet desert of mangalam or the thankful prayer.
Please don’t kill me for all this Greek and Latin; but somehow this program took me back to the days when I used to do bharatnatyam and kathak and I was totally enchanted by so many intricacies & calculations that I bothered everyone around me and have come up these details... Me & my friend were totally out of place, place full of musicians & families where music would have been religion, and we both, in fact we three, totally aliens, who are not able to even grasp the notes. But as Elvis Presley has said
The vibrations caused by the notes, the zephyr caressing body, soothing music caressing & healing the soul, the spiritual atmosphere of the place as if it is cleansing all the sorrows and sadness…all was too great. And now I understand that when they say Music for the soul, it is this music which satisfies the senses, which help in attaining the freedom by losing ur self in the universe, when u feel that u and universe is one. I’ll quote Mr. Copland here
It was because of one of my good friend that I was able to attend the music program, and I’m very grateful to him & his friend for providing this opportunity. I have attended so many rock/pop concerts, and the experience for this program and all those concerts are totally different…I have attended the pop/rock concerts fully drenched in rain, totally exhausted and sometime that noise is so toll taking that u feel like puking everything out after a duration; it simply exhausts u ; I’m not saying that I never enjoyed, I always do and may be I’ll end up for Parikrma & Saif ali’s concert also. But this program, may be because of the ambience or may be simply because of the soft breeze flowing, did not exhaust me but relaxed.
I have read somewhere, “Mathematics is Music and Music is Mathematics”; I understood the part of Math being music, as it makes lots of people dance on its tune; but music as math? Well after seeing the intricacies involved in the Carnatic music, I was simply amazed. Does any one of u actually know about the mutual exclusion of the instruments like ghata, kanjira and morsing? Or that unlike western counterpart, Carnatic music is like a full 5-6 course menu, with Varnam or an invocatory be the appetizer, then the kritis or ragamalika, which is built over particular ragas, as side drinks, then the kalpanaswaram of the raga with the beat specific to the octave of the pitch or Shruti. And then the main course of raga alapana which will explore the raga then will build itself slowly giving way for tani avartanam, percussion for the solo performance by each artist. Based on the concert and the performers, it also includes tillanas or thukkadas. And at last the sweet desert of mangalam or the thankful prayer.
Please don’t kill me for all this Greek and Latin; but somehow this program took me back to the days when I used to do bharatnatyam and kathak and I was totally enchanted by so many intricacies & calculations that I bothered everyone around me and have come up these details... Me & my friend were totally out of place, place full of musicians & families where music would have been religion, and we both, in fact we three, totally aliens, who are not able to even grasp the notes. But as Elvis Presley has said
I don't know anything about music. In my knowledge you don't have to.There was a girl sitting beside me, she was so good in this, believe me, that she used to start singing the raga and the song before the performers started to do, just by listening to the notes of the violin.
The vibrations caused by the notes, the zephyr caressing body, soothing music caressing & healing the soul, the spiritual atmosphere of the place as if it is cleansing all the sorrows and sadness…all was too great. And now I understand that when they say Music for the soul, it is this music which satisfies the senses, which help in attaining the freedom by losing ur self in the universe, when u feel that u and universe is one. I’ll quote Mr. Copland here
As now I have become a part of the Carnatic Music group and somehow will be able to access lots of MP3 regarding the same, I guess u can soon see me as a trained vocal singer…just kidding… but believe me listening all this once in a while do make things better. And as a friendly advice, do sometime play music for the soul. Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.“The whole problem can be stated quite simply by asking, "Is there a meaning to
music?" My answer would be, "Yes." And "Can you state in so many words what the
meaning is?" My answer to that would be, "No."
If music be the food of love, play on;Give me excess of it that, surfeiting,The
appetite may sicken and so die.At last, After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible
is music.
Wednesday 9 January 2008
Dedicated to all my Teachers...
Finally I saw “Tare Zameen Par”, a nice movie and I will say a must watch, even though if u don’t like sentimental stories, one can go for the technical aspects. In the end of movie, there was no cacophony or hustle bustle; everything was so calm, as if everyone was trying to control the emotions which came running after watching the movie. How I watched this movie is itself an amusing story, but what made me write this blog is the typhoon of the memories which came along with this movie. This blog is dedicated to all those who have helped me, taught me and given me a side when I needed some one beside me.
Nikumbh Sir, well I also had some one, with the same importance in my life what Nikumbh sir would have been in the Ishaan’s life, in my school days who has actually made me the person I’m today. Sir “James K”- my class teacher in 9th class- I owe all my studies and career to him. I don’t know where he is now and what he is doing, but what he has taught me will always be with me. he taught me that
Then the most important teacher of my life- my father -who was every time there when I needed someone, whether to cry after failing first time in my life or to celebrate my success no matter how trivial it has been. Who encouraged me and patted me for making my first oil painting (it was a disaster, believe me. But still we use those pillow covers), or on winning the inter school skating championship or even on getting sometimes good marks by chance. Who has taught me differentiation and surds, organic nomenclature and hindi kavita. Who has written the speeches for me to be given on functions and who has helped me in learning so many things in life. He has always given me the liberty of being myself, being an individual without aping some one else or without proving some one else what I’m. I have learnt lots of things from my father, and I have actually inherited lots of things from him, whether they are bad or good for me but I’m proud of having those things. I can never express myself, and all who know me well, know it. But I’ll say just one thing that in next life, please God, give me my papa as my father.
Another fatherly figure in my life, Mr R.C.Srivastava- my class 8th SST teacher- Who has always provided me the guidance and love similar to my father. Who had lots of hopes from me, and I’m really very sorry that I have actually failed on most of them. I know sir, I’m not worthy of asking any thing from u, but please always be a part of my life.
K. Singh, teacher I was most dread of but the one who gave me the self confidence what I’m today. She has worked over my soft skills and English like anything and if some how people think that I have some soft skills and literary aptitude, it’s because of her. Thanks a lot maam, for telling me that
In my professional life I owe my technology to Sateesh, he is the one who has been a friend, a mentor and a consultant whenever I needed any help. Thanks sateesh, won’t be writing much about u, but believe me u really have a special place in my career. There are few people in my professional life about whom I won’t be listening a single bad thing and u come in those.
Who says that only elders can be the one to give lessons of life? I have some of the friends who have always been there whenever I faltered and I needed some one to be with me. Richa, Mohit …I really owe my sanity to u people. U have tolerated all my temper losses, my insanity, my stupidity and my hypocrisy. Thanks a lot friends…u have actually shown me what true friendship is. People say that if u have 2 best friends, it’s the best thing; I’m lucky enough to have 4 best friends and loads of other friends whom I can trust my life and my self. I know I’m not writing about many of my friends, but may be because somehow there comes a fine line between friendship and mentoring, so please don’t feel that I’ve not learnt any lessons from u, I’ve learnt everyday a new thing from each one in my life. and I ‘m really glad that God has given me opportunities in form of so many individuals in my life, I know I’m no one to be a mentor or to add value to any one’s life and I can never repay this debt of knowledge what other people have given to me.
I’m writing this blog, not for the sake of writing something, but for actually telling the world that I’m proud of being associated with these people and if some how some day something happens to me, I don’t feel bad that I have never told these people & the World, what they meant to me.
Nikumbh Sir, well I also had some one, with the same importance in my life what Nikumbh sir would have been in the Ishaan’s life, in my school days who has actually made me the person I’m today. Sir “James K”- my class teacher in 9th class- I owe all my studies and career to him. I don’t know where he is now and what he is doing, but what he has taught me will always be with me. he taught me that
I was in the midst of a new life, when we were no longer kids & had a long time to mature as adults; he was the counselor for each one of us. A true teacher who not only made me work on my studies but also who induced the basic theories needed for the outside world- competitive, harsh & unfair- where every time we have totally new equations. I really owe my career and life to u Sir.life is not fair at every moment, we have to get used to it and one failure is
not the end of the road; if u got failure, be strong enough to accept it and go
ahead with a dream to make it a success & if u got success, be modest &
humble enough to share the credit with everyone.
Then the most important teacher of my life- my father -who was every time there when I needed someone, whether to cry after failing first time in my life or to celebrate my success no matter how trivial it has been. Who encouraged me and patted me for making my first oil painting (it was a disaster, believe me. But still we use those pillow covers), or on winning the inter school skating championship or even on getting sometimes good marks by chance. Who has taught me differentiation and surds, organic nomenclature and hindi kavita. Who has written the speeches for me to be given on functions and who has helped me in learning so many things in life. He has always given me the liberty of being myself, being an individual without aping some one else or without proving some one else what I’m. I have learnt lots of things from my father, and I have actually inherited lots of things from him, whether they are bad or good for me but I’m proud of having those things. I can never express myself, and all who know me well, know it. But I’ll say just one thing that in next life, please God, give me my papa as my father.
Another fatherly figure in my life, Mr R.C.Srivastava- my class 8th SST teacher- Who has always provided me the guidance and love similar to my father. Who had lots of hopes from me, and I’m really very sorry that I have actually failed on most of them. I know sir, I’m not worthy of asking any thing from u, but please always be a part of my life.
K. Singh, teacher I was most dread of but the one who gave me the self confidence what I’m today. She has worked over my soft skills and English like anything and if some how people think that I have some soft skills and literary aptitude, it’s because of her. Thanks a lot maam, for telling me that
no one will actually cry with u, but there will be plenty of people who willIn fact I guess in my case, people run away after being with me for a longer time. Also for the same I want to thank Priyanka & Nisha, my class mate, very good friends of mine; you have actually given your time to make me at par with urselves. I know I can never be that, but thanks a lot for sharing so many tricks and adding value to my life.
laugh at u. so if u want people to smile, u have to smile. People don’t have
time to stay and look for the intelligence or ur inner beauty, what you show is
what u get.
In my professional life I owe my technology to Sateesh, he is the one who has been a friend, a mentor and a consultant whenever I needed any help. Thanks sateesh, won’t be writing much about u, but believe me u really have a special place in my career. There are few people in my professional life about whom I won’t be listening a single bad thing and u come in those.
Who says that only elders can be the one to give lessons of life? I have some of the friends who have always been there whenever I faltered and I needed some one to be with me. Richa, Mohit …I really owe my sanity to u people. U have tolerated all my temper losses, my insanity, my stupidity and my hypocrisy. Thanks a lot friends…u have actually shown me what true friendship is. People say that if u have 2 best friends, it’s the best thing; I’m lucky enough to have 4 best friends and loads of other friends whom I can trust my life and my self. I know I’m not writing about many of my friends, but may be because somehow there comes a fine line between friendship and mentoring, so please don’t feel that I’ve not learnt any lessons from u, I’ve learnt everyday a new thing from each one in my life. and I ‘m really glad that God has given me opportunities in form of so many individuals in my life, I know I’m no one to be a mentor or to add value to any one’s life and I can never repay this debt of knowledge what other people have given to me.
I’m writing this blog, not for the sake of writing something, but for actually telling the world that I’m proud of being associated with these people and if some how some day something happens to me, I don’t feel bad that I have never told these people & the World, what they meant to me.
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