Are we there yet!!! (Part - 2)

This is year of hope in many ways. The general elections are around the corner and hopes of several individuals, groups, parties and a nation are at stakes. The glimpses of upcoming change, deeply rooted despair & splendid hope were clearly visible in the recent state elections. While in couple of states it was just exchange of power between two rivals, Delhi saw a major change when AAP made its presence felt strongly. It was, in a true sense, victory of recently awaken common man conscious. It, however, lasted for a very brief time.

The glorious start slowly turned into just another political affair with lots of media coverage. Around two months long drama at the center stage, just left the hopes of ‘Aam Adami’ shattered, unfortunately, yet again.

It is still, at least to my understanding, a deep mystery whether all the AAP’s moves are politically planned actions or result of inexperience in handling the power or just trying to apply ‘Sane’ rules in the game of ‘Insane’ politics. I would leave this dilemma on hold, for some time.

However, there are striking similarities between a start-up and AAP. And being associated with a start-up, I couldn't help noticing these similarities.

To start with, it all started with an objective to bring ‘change’ - started by veterans, enthusiasts and novice to ‘fill the gap’. As several books on start-up suggest that most of the time, founders came together first mostly without any clear idea of the future and started. The most important factor was to form a group of ‘like-minded’ people. Anna’s movement provided a perfect platform for the same.

Then the newly formed group found an objective to follow. Delhi state assembly election was the first ‘target’ to showcase the vigor and it worked well till then.  And then it exploded J Just like a start-up trying to scale by leaps & bounds without actually planning for it. The hiring spree went awfully bad and the original culture got diluted. Chaos is introduced to a systematically working small group. The original objective got different interpretation all across. Discipline suddenly became an issue. Enthusiasm turned into a mad-rash.

Most of the successful big companies have gone through this phase. They started well, struggled to get stability and once the chaos of growing-up is handled, they became a focused as well as successful group.

So let’s hope to achieve some focus from this chaos. Let this testing time be passed filtering the selfish opportunists from the genuine leaders. Let it come out in any form – a fine-tuned AAP or a branch of AAP or any other political party with an understanding of common man or a well established party acknowledging today’s issues. Let it be yet another battle of common man. And let’s hope that ‘aam adami’ wins again.

Are we there yet!

Team Anna has done something incredible for all of us. The media is celebrating high TRP ratings, intellectuals are happy about the middle-class movement and rise of Democracy, Dhoni & team are being assaulted by Brutal Brits in-front of less interested audience, Rajnikant may be slowly recovering from his illness without being questioned about his super powers :) and above all, Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms are enjoying increased activity.

Without questioning effectiveness of the Lokpal bill or Anna's methods, I would like to ask a hypothetical question. Are we truly ready to be part of a corruption free society? Before your spirit - high on Anna's movement & media hype- jump to a positive answer, let me elaborate the question.

Consider the following situations - I am pretty sure that everyone of us has been in these situations multiple times:

1. You are riding a bike without helmet or driving into a 'no-entry' zone or parked at a no-parking site. After being caught, what would be your first instinct, offer mere bribe or ask for a duly-signed fine receipt?
2. You are planning to buy a house - a common middle class dream - and the broker offers you two prices, actual price with higher tax or lower price but with significant black-money. 
3. You are traveling without a confirmed seat. Won't you try to bribe the TTE for some favors.
4. Knowingly or unknowingly teaching your kid that bribing is the only way to get work done in India.
5. Produce fake receipts, like medical bills, house rent slip etc, just to avail some extra concession while filing Income Tax Return.
6. You missed to vote. (Believe me it's not a crime yet :P)
7. etc. etc. etc.

Moral of the story is that we all have been part of this black-money & corrupt mechanism. And we continue to remain the same. While we furiously support Anna's movement on virtual and actual platforms, we are not making ourselves ready for the changed society. While we are asking the politicians, IPS/IAS officers to reveal their net asset, we intentionally hide our income from Income Tax Department India.  Is it morally correct?

Let the government look for the 'magical wand' to resolve this issue, let Mr. Anna go on fasting and let the media capitalize the situation. Shouldn't we go the extra mile and support the issue? Shouldn't we try not to bribe - if not for forever- for one year or for a month or at least for a day? Shouldn't we say no to the black money? or should we just opt for the easier option - lets just pray that the Anna's version of Lokpal bill is good enough to make this country corruption free.
Amen!

Stumped Conscience!

Years ago, I had my first encounter with supernatural or rather spiritual phenomena of the universe. It was a holy experience, watching a cricket match on a black-and-white television. It was some ODI cricket match between India and Sri Lanka, where India registered a close win. I don’t remember the final score, I don’t even remember who was awarded the Man of the match title, but I had the ever lasting impression that I cherish even today. Well that was not the only moment. That was just a beginning of my faith in the religion called cricket.

Like many other Asians, I have grown up worshiping the game. In school, we would play cricket in the playground. If not permitted outside, the game would come to the class room in the form of book and crushed paper-ball. Sometimes there would be only a book, where page-numbers on the right hand side serving the purpose of scores. It was a pure fascination towards the magic numbers of four, six, fifty, hundred and duck!

Back at that time, there was no cricinfo or internet to keep cricket stats. We had our little player cards with all the stats on. Some chewing gum company distributed couple of those player cards with every chewing-gum. Boy! I have had a lot of them. My first introduction to real accounting was in terms of card currency. Any Indian player would fetch me three West Indies player or six Bangladeshi players. Sachin’s card alone could fetch me 10 foreign player cards!

Everything belonging to Cricket is worshiped and discussed over and over. Let it be radio commentary, sports section in a news-paper, an article in ‘cricket-smrat’ or interview of a cricketer, it would be visited and discussed again and again.
I was attracted to cricket in pretty much the same way grannies are to a religion. Drawing parallels to Hindu mythologies, there are various ‘stars’ in cricket specializing in different fields. There are frequent clashes between ‘favorite’ side and ‘enemy’ sides, and there are ‘sacrifices’ as well as ‘out-standing’ performances. Unlike the mythologies, where the ‘good’ side wins all the time, there is much more sportsmanship. It’s not predictable. Even defeats bring a sense of satisfaction sometime.

Years later, there was a serious attack on the sanity of the game by ‘match-fixing’ scam. The precious unpredictability was on stack. It was a dark time, but the moment passed. Some goons, couldn’t uproot our faith from the religion.
But today, I saw a major downfall. It came in the form of IPL Player Auction. Back in the school, we were innocent when we bartered players’ cards, but selling and buying real players by some business orientated people, who don’t necessarily have any passion for the game. The closed room drama turned cruel as it silently witnessed gems like Boucher, Ganguly, Gayle, Gibbs and Lara go unsold. For years we have supported a team for its players, and now all of them are scrambled.
IPL has raised concerns over purity of the game. With big-money, late night IPL parties, scams, auctions, and what not. For the first time in years, my faith in cricket is shattered. I have doubts but unfortunately my religion has no answer.

Time-machine!

If a time machine is ever invented, it will be used to travel in the past more often than the future. Don’t believe me, look at the facebook status around you, we share nostalgic moments, snaps of our childhood, old college friends, the first outing, the first vehicle and what not. We have vague predictions of our future, but for our past, we are so sure. We have lived it and somehow want to live it once again, maybe over and over again. I am no different. I want a time-machine to go back in time, to relive the moments that I still cherish, and boom…. I am gone…

I stand in front of Vyas bhawan, it’s my first official day at BITS Pilani. I am quite overwhelmed by the sheer crowd around me, by the excitement for future, by the serene beauty of Pilani campus, and look there I meet my first few BITSian friends to whom I connect immediately, just to be connected for so many coming years. We share same bhawans, we go to same classes, we write same tests but get different grades, yet we live the same life, and bingo the first year is over. What a hell let of AWESOME friends I have got!

I am now in Connaught Place, Pilani. Oh! I love the smell of cold coffee from Chimpu-ji’s shop and have missed it all these years, and look I am having dinner with few of my very good friends. Our order is almost fixed, Cold Coffee and Water Melon juice. More friends are joining in, some are leaving early for the test next day. Finally I return to hostel and another lachha session starts with the wingies. The nights are so lovely in Pilani, especially in summers. Cool breeze flowing, crows singing outside and the never ending wing discussion are on, all the time. I wish, it could last a little longer, but…

Hey, here I am going to third and fourth year very quickly. Those EEE quizzes and tests scare the hell out of me, so I am on fast-forward mode here, but the lazy psenti sem is pure bliss. Waking up late, having lachha session all day and all night long, and planning for PS-2. Before I can plan properly, I am in B’lore…

B’lore is fun as always. I am playing cricket at NGV ground. I know I am not good at it, but hey, I don’t give 36 runs in an over. Over there I am going for another movie on another weekend, and yes now I am packing bags for some outside Bangalore trips. Life is never fun without friends, and some are coming with me to US…

Welcome to the land of opportunities! I am stumped at Subway. I can’t even order a proper meal for myself. I am running around profs cubicles for funding with my friend. We have hardly unpacked our stuff on US soil and the race has already begun. I meet new friends, all running in the same direction, getting lost most of the time. But we make it. Despite all obstacles we have survived and now going to Florida for spring break. What an awesome break!

And suddenly the land of opportunities looks different to us. Despite our best efforts we don’t get a single opportunity to show our worth. Job fairs turn into night mares. The short but sure escape comes from night cricket, long drives, cooking – movie sessions, south-park episodes, more road trips and black sparrow. Even if it’s a tough time, I don’t regret spending more time here. But… thanks to increased fuel price, I am out of fuel and going back to present. I wish I had a solar time machine.

Whatever! The point is, I was trying to be an over-smart ass and neglecting this very day to cherish friendship. But I have failed, and around midnight, I feel miserable. I should have said it earlier. ‘Happy Friendship day’, my dear friends! I know we don’t meet that often, neither do we share any common interest any more. Our lives have changed so much so as our paths. But, but, but…. Since most of us still live in our past, and considering the fact that you have touched my life in a way or another, I owe you guys a big ‘Happy Friendship days!’ wish. So have a blast, and yes, don’t forget to go on a ride on my time-machine. Who knows you may end up appreciating our friendship more than just saying these three words.

Aloha!

Save yOurself, Tiger!


'Just 1411 left. Yes just one thousand four hundred and eleven left. Isn't it shocking? Yes, it is!' If you have no clue what I am talking about, you probably are not the one killing tigers around :)

Well, since so many less tigers are left (in comparison to India's large population, or population of stray dogs we have here or number of runs Sachin has scored, 1411 is a terribly small number, a tiny-tiny fraction!) So what should we do? If we agree Aircel's new campaign, we should speak about it, blog about it and sms about it. Here, I am doing my part!

I assume that the monsters who kill tigers can't be persuaded by blogs, so why not teach tigers how to protect themselves? Precaution is the best medicine ;) So I would like to convey my message to each of the remaining tigers. 'Save yourself, tiger! You might be a furious creature in woods, but have you invented guns? or have you developed some sense of tricks or greed or material lust? No... Did I hear no? here is the news... we have, and we have done it long time back. So here is the situation, we are on a killing spree. Go save yourself..'

'Here is the list of items that you should take care of:
1. Never be alone. Even if you are going for hunting, take at least one of your family members with you. What? You don't like your family, not a problem. Ask your friends on Facebook, and you will probably get one or two mates with you.

2. When you are travelling, always follow the advice a typical Indian mom gives to her child, 'Beta... Don't accept food from strangers?', no wonder we humans are far more in numbers than you.

3. Never, ever... I would repeat, Never ever watch typical Saas-bahu drama on TV. Tigers! I assure you, that's killing. And please save yourself from these reality shows, and no more movie watching on TV since they repeat every freaking movie zillions number of times. Apparently if you strike down these three options, you would probably left with news channels. They are even more dangerous, so better away from television set.

4. Play Farmville on Facebook! That's real saver I would say. Think like this, you will be safely seated in your cave playing Farmville, hunting down others cattle, saving them from sending me requests to play these nonsense games. It's actually mutually beneficial. :P

5. Try to cover yourself with pink. I have a hunch that these hunters are gay! Always portrayed in tight shiny skinny leather jackets pretending to be extra macho! Who knows next time you run into a hunter and end-up saving your life with some extra fun ;) you know what I mean!!!

6. Always charge your iPhone before you leave for hunting. I know its battery life sucks so everytime, yes I repeat every time before you leave, make it a habit to recharge your iPhone. And as soon as you see a hunter around, dial 911. (It's little ironical that I am advising Indian tigers to dial US emergency number, but isn't it true that every time we are in deep sh*t we look for extra helping hands!)

7. And last but not the least, google 'Indian tiger + Aircel' and read more. Since Aircel is spending a lot on the campaign (hiring Dhoni, Surya and others is not a cheap affair. When it comes to brand endorsing, these guys are real tigers here), I am damn sure, concerned people like me have already started blogging about your safety. So go fishing tigers!

Finally I would reiterate my concern over your safety. So go save yourself, tiger!'

Since I have done my part, I would like Aircel to appreciate my concern and send me the 'save our tiger' campaign's goodies. I seriously want that t-shirt.

Of Smoking & Graduating!

Mouth still filled with acrid bitterness and last puffs of smoke quickly slipping out of my lungs, for some moments, I felt nothing, and then my hands mechanically reached for another cigarette and kept the bitterness alive. The fading smoke got new life. The lights around, however, were fading gradually. Everyone around me seemed to enjoy the party, I felt nothing. Not any bust of excitement, neither a pinch of despair. The emotions had deserted me long time back. I saw people dancing, smoking, cracking jokes and enjoying, and then I suddenly observed the blankness that appeared not promptly though, but in bits and pieces, flashing for fractions of seconds, and then vanishing. I felt relaxed. Unlike all other emotions, jealousy stayed loyal to me.

The cigarette, clutched tightly between my index and middle fingers, was burning out slowly or rather unceremoniously. Its only sparkling moments were the ones with my lips, I sucking life out of it and feeding its soul to my lungs. For those instances, my entire focus shifted towards my right hand, lips and the pair of slowly dying lungs. In those short moments, I actually enjoyed the life. The life with smoke stuffed lungs and vacuum conscience. The moment I released the smoke, several thoughts emerged into my mind. Career, job, family, academia, recession – though colors were different, yet they shared the same shade of uncertainty. Indecision increased their brightness and there was no contrasting solution. I restlessly moved the cigarette up for an escape- short but sure. I puffed again.

The bitterness, that started from my lips and conquered my tongue and mouths in span of few cigarettes, was now extending its territory to my throat. I decided not to smoke another cigarette, and the decision fetched soothing happiness to my otherwise confused persona. I wished that I could hold the happiness for long, but it died out with the cigarette and buried with the crushing of the cigarette butt. The void prevailed. Everyone else surrendered – music, people, dance, lights, smoke, jokes, thoughts, worries, indecision, happiness and regrets. The vicious cycle began with no warning and I was lighting another cigarette.

Amidst another round of a thoughtful inhaling-exhaling session, I realized that completion of my under-graduation was very similar to burning of a cigarette. There were busts of excitement-and-fear as well as celebration-and-determination, at that time. The world seemed eager to accept us, the friends rejoiced the completion and we looked forward for an exciting career. The graduation, on the other hand, is analogous to the transition from one cigarette to another, occurred in void - with no emotions.

Under the spell of intense numbness and the company of a regularly reincarnating cigarette, I witnessed rest of my graduation party.

PS: This piece is dedicated to graduating class of 2009!

Philosophical Wandering!

Even the well explored and much traveled path reveals new truths time to time. Faded, most of the time slightly and sometimes completely, foot-prints of yours and others manifest its trite existence. The existence that offered excitement long time back, and now merely reduced to a banal necessity of your routine. Fortunately or unfortunately, it's not even a necessity of your routine since you have discovered alternate paths and you can pick any path you wish. But is it really a matter of choice, convenience or custom, that brings you back to the same peculiar path again and again?


The path, analogous to your day to day routine, blossomed with spring and depleted with winter, has added nothing to your life but a series of uneventful events and a list of unobserved objects. Do they really accumulate to attain a larger meaning in your life or just vanish as insignificantly as they appear?












Acquaintances were made and friends were discovered. Every-time you missed the bus and found someone to share the mild misery, the path became pleasant. Is it a bare coincidence to bump into the same person repeatedly? If so, how is the fate not involved in making friends? Whatever makes it possible, a parallel process ensures that people come in and go out of your life, leaving different shades of memories behind.













Technically a path is a connection between a source and a destination, and if the same path is traversed bi-directionally these source and destination interchange their roles regularly. The beginning becomes the new end and the end becomes the new beginning. When the process executed indefinitely the path looses its identity and two locations coin into one. Is it a good time to call Heisenberg?



















However, the lonely paths are never silent. Resolutions are made,



Philosophies are coined,




Beauty is admired,




And plans are worked-out.



But the bigger picture remains the same.

And moral of the story is, it's all crap. I was just playing with my new camera. Isn't it funny that people acquire a different level of philosophical maturity with possession of advanced mode of expressions? I have never seen a person, I-am-not-an-exception, with a new camera, but no new album. The creative juices start flowing, the vision is developed and the artist comes out of everyone. May be every-one is an artist :)