I am here to live new stories...

I am here to live new stories… not to repeat any…

Desai wrote this in one of his poem. I could never forget it. And I know that I don’t want to forget it. We all are part of a big story called life; a story – with its twists and turns. Only catch here is that we are merely actors, almighty took the director’s responsibilities. How we play our parts, is something god entrusted us to do. The onus is on us, to make it a memorable story.

One day I decided to become a storyteller. I decided to narrate a story; a story of love, relation and emotions. Why love and emotions, you may ask. Simple, it’s something close to me, close to my heart. We breathe in air filled with love and compassion. We are all emotional people, sometimes even emotional fools. We can relate to emotions very easily. So there was no reason to write on some alien subject.

This story is a work of fiction. Its not my story. I repeat, I am not Samyak, although I don’t mind being in his place. May be even I would have done the same, who knows. Samyak is one amongst us, so is Neha. They are everywhere. They are within ourseves, just that we fail to recognize it.

When I took up the challenge to write the story, I had only two things in mind

• Love is not just care and compassion; it means sacrifice also.
• It is trust and respect and not love which can make a relation work.

Whatever incidents I narrated were just some moments woven around this theme. There was no start in my mind, neither had I thought about any particular end. Both the characters are close to my heart. I controlled their life and time. I, for some moments, became the almighty. I made them dance on my tunes. Sometimes I even lived them.

There were moments when I thought Samyak and Neha cannot exist in reality. Though I could relate to them, I doubted if anyone else would do the same. Sometimes you start doubting yourself, then these were just creation of my heart (mind you not my miond). It was a journey through dreams. A dream which I have been living for a long time. It was my dream and I had to live it, be it through Samyak and Neha. Some of you did relate to them, and it gave me the satisfaction. Tails of love and emotions are universal. Every person who could relate to my dream is a success of me as a storyteller.

When I started, I was very enthusiastic about it. The first part is the best of what I wrote. After third part or so, I kind of lost the zeal. It became difficult for me to concentrate more on the story. I was trying to live in a fantacy land. I was living someone else's life. The story was not written in one day, it stretched five days. Somehow, coz of encouragements from some of you, I could get back to the story and I finished it in five days. For a writer it becomes very difficult sometimes. He knows he cannot do justice to his characters anymore and he decides to quit. These are the times, when he needs to stick to his goals. If you do that, everything will be fine. Else it will remain a story untold, uncompleted.

For me the story is really close to my heart. As I have said earlier that it surely is not my life. But still its theme is really close to my heart. Artistically it may be a waste effort, but this is like a child for me. A mother can never see her child’s mistakes. For her, her child is everything. Same for me, this story is something I will be really proud of.

I am really thankful to all of you for your constant support. Your comments are really precious for me. Special thanks to Preeti, Swapna, Desai, Vatsal, Shail Aunty, Rout, Goli and all other readers. This became a reality all because of you people.

On a parting note..

End is always happy, if its not happy, it is not end.

For records I am linking all the parts here.

part 1: he could not cry...
part 2: they didn't look back...
part 3: her sacrifice...
part 4: chance he never got...
part 5: tears and smile...

the other side...

Thanks for coming here.
This is a temperory post. I shall write on this topic very soon.
For now, check out the post at Desai's blog - the other side...

joie de vivre

Have you ever tried to talk to the lift attendant, the parking attendant, the guard at the entrance of your office, your cook, the cleaners or the auto driver?

These are the people whom you see daily but almost every time you just ignore them.

Sometimes try to mingle with them. The pleasure you get after talking to them, or may be by just a smile, are immense.

I have been doing it, and recently the parking attendant strengthened my belief.

i hope...

I hope this becomes true....

confidence

With my head high towards the sky
my chest stuck out
my walk swift
my stance erect

I stand proud
With the gleam in my eyes
the sureness in my voice
an honest smile
a positive mind
I rejoice!!

and I stand proud
Conceited - never
confident - forever
no man can knock me down
faith in my creator is all I need
cause that's who planted the seed
of confidence, yes indeed

I don't have to say it
I pray it
don't have to show it
I know it
confidence radiates from the inside out
and I glow it

Self-pride is the energy that I exude
not a narcissistic attitude
I dance to the beat of my own drum
no rat-ta-tat-tat or rum-pa-pum-pum

I'm just happy to be me
plain and simply
confidently.

-By Glori Adams

tears and smile

She had been feeling uneasy since morning.
It had been more than 8 months since that dreadful day. Initial few months, each day seemed like months. She would cry, blame herself and sometime blame him too for all these. Time is the best healer. As time passed, her pain alleviated. She had taken the decision, and she became more confident about her choice. Life again became normal like before, only thing missing was Samyak. She got used to it.

But today, she felt something awkward. She knew something was about to happen. Something unexpected was coming her way. She prayed to God that everything was fine. Somehow the day passed. Evening she left office early and came home. No-one was at home. Sometimes loneliness sucks all your strength from you. But for her, sitting alone, reading some book and listening to soft music was source of her strength. She needed this strength today.

Suddenly her phone rang. A familiar tune rang in her cell phone; her heart started pounding. It was him. Thought she always waited for this call, but somehow, today the call gave her chilly nerves. She picked the call.

“Hi Neha, Samyak here,” he said.
“Hi Samyak” she could not say more. It was the same voice she wanted to hear for last 8 months.
“How have you been,” he asked.
She wanted to ask “why are you asking now?” but instead she could just say “I am fine, how are you?”
“Me too fine” came the reply.

Then there was a silence at both the ends. Both knew that they were avoiding the same question in their mind “why dint you call earlier?” Both of them could not have answered it also. So they just kept silent.

“Can we meet today, 7 o’clock at the coffee shop?” he asked.
She smiled and said “sure, I will be there”.

He had thought that she would ask “why do you want to meet?” he had thought about the answer also, but thankfully he didn’t need the answer.

“Ok then, see you at 7,” and he hung up the call.

He didn’t say his usual “take care, bye” she noticed. Things change, they do change; she thought.

“Why does he want to meet me now?” Neha asked herself many a times while getting ready for the meeting. She knew that she did not have the answer for it, but still her mind was not in her control.

He, on the other hand, was very pleased that she did not deny his request. This meeting was one thing he desperately wanted to happen. Though he did not know what he wanted this meeting for. 8 months ago, she had cut his nerve and left him bleeding. His dreams were shattered that one evening. For few days, he was totally lost. He could not think of anything but her. He asked himself many a times as to why did it happen. He thought about it, he got more confused. Day by day he was becoming miserable.

Time came to his rescue. After first few weeks of desperation and pain, he decided to move on. It was one decision forced upon him by his love. And he wanted to stick to it. He collected all his calm and composer. One last time he thought about his mistakes and then he started his search for job. His job played a crucial role in his relation with her, it was the reason for the breakup, he thought. So he set himself a goal to get a good job. He was working on it for long time now. But now it was his only love and aim in life. The big MNC he was in talk with had called him for one more interview the very next day to that dreadful day. He could not do better and got sorted out. Now he had to start from scratch. He started with the basics, and kept trying. Eventually his hard work paid dividend. He got a good post offered in one big MNC; good pay, good work, and more responsibilities. Only glitch was that he was posted in Gurgaon. Initially he thought for a moment but then decided to grab the offer. There was nothing left in this city anyway.
He had to report next week at his job.

They met at 7 pm. Both were as usual on time. She looked pretty as always. He also hadn’t changed a bit. Anyone could have passed them off as a love-stuck couple. They sat facing each other, but no one looked into each others face. For some time they talked about mundane life. They both felt the oddness. Most of the times, they behaved as if they were meeting for the first time. In their heart both of them had many questions and many answers. But none of them talked about it. They stuck to office and work related topics instead.

“It is getting late Samyak, I guess I should leave now” said Neha. She had lost her patience. She was about to get up when he opened his bag and took out some papers. He passed them towards her. Amused she looked at them. It was offer letter from the new company. She felt the same chill in her heart. Now she knew what was coming her way. He was going, going away from her; for always. Somehow she remained her composer and smiled.

“So when are you going?” she asked.
“Tonight, I have flight at 10 pm.” He told her, his eyes looking at the far corner of the room.
“oh that’s nice. That’s so good, all the best for the future” she said and rose from her seat. He paid the bill and they both came out. One last bye and they both started moving in their direction.

“It’s for you” he wanted to say. But he knew it would hurt her so he did not say. He reached his home and cried. He cried a lot. He indeed had a heart. And today he had sacrificed his love just to prove it. He had proved that he really loved her and could not let her down.

“It was my entire mistake” she thought. But she knew that whatever happened, it was good for both. She did not cry today. She was happy that she did take a good decision. Her love was not a loser. She smiled again.

chance he never got...

[This is forth post in series "my first attempt to write a story". Please refer to previous three posts for story till now]

A bolt stuck him from the blue. He could not believe his ears. It was something he could not have imagined in his weirdest of dreams also. He stood dazed, didn’t utter a single word. He didn’t even ask why she did it. He just stood there unfazed and frozen. She was going. He stood there and kept looking in her direction. She didn’t turn back. He longed for one peep into her eyes; for he knew they could not lie. But destiny didn’t mean it to be his way. For even she was afraid of her eyes; she was wearing dark glasses. She didn’t turn back, and within moments she had disappeared.

Samyak knew Neha from his first day in college. That day he had seen her in the auditorium with her parents. He found out later that day that she was in same class as his. He was so happy. He had just had his first crush, one feeling that he could cherish throughout his life.

Classes started and so did their friendship. They spent most of their time together, did their studies together. Samyak had rented an apartment close to college. Most of their free time passed there only. They would cook food, ate it while watching movie or just chatting.

This friendship was getting to something else. He was sure that he was getting attached to her more and more. Friendship soon turned into liking for each other, and finally one day came when with all his courage, he told her about his feeling for her. She just smiled. He felt as if he had won the greatest award in his life. So there they were, love stuck.

Next few years were the best times in his life. All his memories from this period had Neha in center stage. They had become center of the world for each other. Whenever she had small fight with her friends or parents, she would come to him. Whenever he felt low, she would cheer him up. They shared their smiles and tears.

They were in love. And sometimes they both feared about it. Being in a relation is always difficult than standing outside it. Everything has its plus and minuses. Expectations for each other were rising high. It is not possible to always keep someone satisfied, you just accept the things the way they are. But when you are in a relation, you try really hard for each other’s satisfaction. And sometime these expectations become the reason for weak and painful relations.

Sometime he felt the same also. He always tried hard to please her and keep her happy. But it was very difficult job. Especially after college things started to sour sometimes. They had to earn their living now. She got a good job, but he was not so lucky. He tried hard, didn’t leave any stone unturned, but a good job was elusive. Mean time he got an offer from a call center. He grabbed the opportunity. This job meant that he could stay in this city on his own expense. He would also get some time to find a better job. He started working for the call-center. He did it with all his heart. In the mean time he kept trying.

When he accepted the offer from call-center, Neha was very sad and angry. She did not want him to waste his energy and talent for a call-center job. For she knew it that he was capable for much more than this; only that his good luck was not with him right now. That even he knew, but he saw the positive side of the picture. For him, chance to be with Neha waas much more than anything else. Moreover he kept his effort to find better job running.

Only thing he did not do was tell Neha about it. He never mentioned to Neha about his work, neither had he told her about his job hunt. He wanted to give her a big surprise. He was very sure and confident of himself finding a better job soon. He dreamt of the moment when he would go and show her the new job offer. For this one moment, he was ready to face and do anything. And that’s what he did. He pretended to be not bothered and give no ears to her concerns and advise about his job. Sometimes when things got out of control and sad, he thought of telling her everything. But then next moment he again dreamt of the same happy moment and he stopped.

Today he wished he had told her everything.

In morning he had given interview for job in one MNC. Job was good and he was sure that he would clear this round. He was so happy the whole day. In evening when she called him for coffee, he was so excited. He thought so many ways to hide his excitation. He was just one step away from most unforgettable moment of his life.

He never got that chance, he thought. He just turned and moved. Everything was over.

her sacrifice

[This is third post in series "my first attempt to write a story". Please refer to previous two posts for story till now]

She dint look back. For she was sure that tears in her eyes would break all the deceptions. Eyes can never lie; they are too pure to hide something. She wanted to cry today. Nothing could stop the tears today. But she did not want him to see these tears. She knew she could not see in those eyes again, and tears in her eyes would make her feel more guilty. For she had just shattered two hearts few moments back.

These few moments have been tougher than what she had anticipated. All her memories came flashing in front of her eyes. Within moments, she had relived her last three years again and again. She really loved him, and she did not want to deny it.

Neha was a girl from small town, who came to this metro to study. She met Samyak in her college. Samyak was from the same city as hers. On a foreign land, anything from our home feels so warm and comforting. It dint take them long before they were talking to each other the whole days and nights. Both became each others helping hand. They build a support system for each other. Anything and everything they shared with each other. When friendship turned into liking for each other and then finally in love, they could never tell. All they knew was that they were living for each other now.

There was nothing very dramatic in their love story. They would spend most of the college time and then weekend together. Nights were too busy with the all-night calls. It was normal for lovers, they both thought. Nothing wrong anyway.

After college, she got a good job in a MNC while he was not very successful in his job search. Somehow he got a job-offer from a call-center and he grabbed it. She did not like it though, but still she did not tell him that. She knew that would hurt him a lot. Somehow the life was getting settled, she with her work in the jazzy setup of MNC while him in the tiresome setup of call-center. He never complained about his job. Somehow he always seemed happy with his work. She tried hard to convince him to change his job; he did not give any ears to her advice.

She was not able to find anyway to motivate him to get more ambitious. She could not imagine him living as a loser. But his attitude was not doing it good for her. She dreamed of her future with a successful guy, and Samyak was not perfectly fitting that picture. She imagined her life with him in turmoil due to ego clashes. She had seen Abhimaan and did not want to face it in reality.

She thought about it a lot; nothing great came to her mind. She then thought of the greatest gamble of her life. She decided to bet her love. She planned to keep her love on stack so that to win her guy. It was something really unimaginable; normal love stories don’t have any such angle. But love does not have a sure shot formula either. She had to try it for a happy relationship.

“When your love wants to leave you, let him go. If he comes back then he is yours, if he dose not, he was never yours”, she decided to let him go. She loved him a lot, and she hoped that even he loved her a lot. So she decided to put this love on the agni-pariksha. He will never understand my concerns, she told herself. I will have to wake him up from his dreams, she decided. Only way out was to break his dream. Break his heart. Let him feel the pain and learn from it. Let him learn the value of life, learn her value, learn value of their love.

It was, by no means, an easy task. For, she knew she was breaking two hearts. Sometimes things become unavoidable. If not today, this will happen some time in future, she feared. So why not do it today? may be it will be less painful.

That day she collected all her courage, and went to meet him. She wore dark glasses; for she knew her eyes would spoil everything. He came, as usual with his cheerful smile. Poor guy dint know what was coming his way.

What happened after that, she dint want to think about. Some of the most difficult lines she ever told; though she had rehearsed them many times before coming here today. She finished them and turned back. He dint say a word, she thanked God. She just walked away. She dint even see if he was still there or had gone too.

She did not look back. That night she would cry her heart out. may be she might feel the satisfaction of doing what she wanted. Sometimes love also means sacrifice.

they dint look back

“Samyak, I really think you should change your job. This one does not reward your efforts properly”, said Neha,. She has been trying hard to convince him to change his job. Samyak worked in a call center; his salary was nothing great. Timings were odd and flexibility negligible. He started working for this company after passing out from college. He tried enough to get a better job, but somehow luck dint favor him. So here he was, stuck in a call center, slogging his ass for peanuts.

Neha, a very sensitive and soft-spoken girl from Samyak’s hometown, had known Samyak for last three years. There romance started in college and continued after the college got over. She was lucky to get a good job in a MNC and was happy with her work.

Both liked each other a lot. They had thought about their future plans and were convinced that they could spend their life together happily. Only glitch was that both of them wanted to settle down a bit and build a successful career.

They always fought about one issue – Samyak’s job. It was not any ego issue as far as Neha was concerned because she knew he could do much better than this. She knew he had much more caliber than just sitting in a cubicle and talking to dumb Americans. He somehow was not getting convinced for the same. She tried to do whatever she could but he was not ready to change.

For he loved her a lot. He did not like his job too. But this job meant he could live in the same city as hers and spend time with her. He dint tell her but he had already rejected two jobs coz they involved lot of travel, in and out of India. He just did not want to be away from her, even for a moment. He always thought that he would get a good job in the city; job which does not take him away from her, and then he will give her a big surprise. So he always showed disinterested attitude to her talks about the job. For him, the pleasure of giving her the surprise would be the best moment in his life.

She on the other hand, was getting desperate with the situation. She could not see him as a loser. For her, she wanted him to be on the top of world. She had dreamed so many things for him, for both of them. She was losing her hopes, more so it was hurting for her to see him not bothered about her concerns. All her trust and respect for her guy was fading. May be she was over-reacting but she was doing it.

And then she decided the ultimate. She decided to do it the hardest way. “Samyak, enough is enough. I think you are a big loser who has no aim in life,” she said to him. “I wanted to tell you this before but I thought you would change. But today I feel enough is enough.” She continued. He was awestruck. He dint utter a word. “I guess this is the last time we are meeting. All the best for your future”, she paused, turned back and left. He absolutely did not have a clue what happened. Only thing he knew was that she was gone.

Now both were moving in different directions, tears filled in their eyes. For both of them knew that they loved each other a lot. And they still did. But somehow none of them looked back.

he could not cry...

He pinched himself just to check if he was alive. Indeed he was alive, for he could feel the prick. Then why there was not even a single drop of tear in his eyes? Had he become emotionless, he hoped he had not. He hoped his dad had not traded his emotions for something (he read one such science fiction in his childhood).

He longed that tears flow through his eyes and cleanse everything. He just wanted someone to wake him up form his dreams and say you have been sleeping and dreaming a lot. But alas, it was not meant to be this way. He was in reality, everything indeed was real and he was in the midst of it. Of course he had never imagined it happening. He did not anticipate it too. So it stuck him as a bolt from the blue.

Then, what did he do?

He imagined himself standing alone and staring at distant horizon. He imagined himself standing on a busy crossing with every vehicle passing by him continuously; nobody stopping to ask anything, nobody saying a single word. He imagined time flying by and everything fading from his memory. He imagined himself forgetting everything.

He imagined himself running in pouring rains. He was running, and there were tears in his eyes. Nobody could see them though in the rains. He imagined himself stopping at one deserted place and shouting; asking God "why me?".

But all his imaginations were just like distant dreams. They worked only in Bollywood movies. Here in reality he was just standing stunned by the happenings around him. But he wanted to cry; he wanted to clean all his thoughts. He has been through a gamut of emotions; from feeling of dejection, misery of failure to anger of broken trust. Questions were multiplying like anything. Whatever he thought, it confused him more. Somethings were hard to believe; some he did not want to believe. For moments he just wanted his mind to shutdown for sometime. He wanted time to pause.

He had broken his heart today, but he was still alive.

PS: This is my first attempt in writing fiction. Your comments are highly appreciated.

sCRAP BOOK

Someone has cut my nerve. It is bleeding very fast. I am dying. I have never felt so miserable and helpless.

I come to office and I see that my computer has been disconnected from the network. Some crazy virus attacked my computer, so the IT helpdesk in my company decided to remove it from the main network for sometime. They need this time to fish out the virus and kill it. But without access to internet, I am feeling like killed now.

I always used to think that I had no compelling habit; there was nothing which would make me addicted. But, now I feel, it’s not true. I have become addicted to many things. Be it browsing and internet, or my wrist watch. Only when you lose something you realize how miserable you are without it. ghar ki murgi daal barabar hoti hai.

My watch
I don’t remember for how long I have been wearing a wrist watch. It all started as a child’s fantasy and grew up with time. I kept changing my watches, lost one or two, bought many new. But always there was at least one watch in my possession. My wrist never was alone. I formed a habit of looking at the watch frequently. Even if there is a big wall-clock in the rom, I would see my watch only. I was kind of addicted to it. Few weeks back, I lost my only watch and after a long time, my wrist felt lonely. Still I turn my wrist to check time and realize that it’s no more there.

Internet
This is another addiction I acquired in college days. For someone who never bothered much about mails and internet before entering college, this is a big thing. I am so addicted to it that daily I need to check my mails, visit orkut and read some articles. Last few months, I added one more task to it – read and write blog. Today when I don’t see the network connectivity, I feel so miserable. Whenever I go home, I feel this pain (there is no internet connectivity there). It becomes very difficult. But some things you really can not help. J

Ek aadat si hai mujhko, mujhe jeene do…

ps:
1. I am buying a new watch very soon.
2. I am trying to call the IT help desk but nobody is responding. Damn.
3. This blog entry is right now saved on my desktop. I hope it sees the light of the day soon.

sir... that was the finish line ...!

I got this mail from Shashank after the Bangalore Marathon. So sharing it here for the benefit of everyone. More so because I want to keep it forever in my memories. It will inspire me and many more.

You are amongst my 62 pledgers who raised Rs. 1,10,000 for Dream a Dream, by my Half Marathon run yesterday! :-)

Reading this mail may take around 5-7 minutes, please be patient! ;-)

Saturday:

I was receiving calls that made me nervous by minute. I spend my whole day at the Computer Programme on Sat and came back even more nervous.
To tell you the truth and frame it with the right words, I was LOW!
I thought of people whom I want to call at 2000 hrs, barely 10 hours before the run. The RUN I have been dreaming of for over 8 months.

I called my parents - no REPLY!
I called my Didi (elder sister) - no REPLY!
I called someone who is very dear to me - NO, it wasn't Jaya this time! :-)
It was the Hockey Coach, P Shanmugam - a person whose tips I had been using till date.
I would have never reached the stage where I am, had he not been there for me with his fitness and mental toughness tips. Not to forget the morning sacrifices of Kautuk Khare.

'I wish you all my luck, Shashank. When you will get tired, look up and let not your shoulders droop down!
Keep an eye on the trees. Keep your body disconnected from your mind. That will take you a long way.
And don't forget to dream your success! Think of the time when you complete the run and how will you feel at that time.
Remember that it's a MIND GAME!
I am sure you will complete'

I was completely taken aback by this inspirational talk.
A minute later, I got a very charging up SMS from him. That is one SMS that will always remain in my mobile phone, forever.
I felt like a super champion who felt low at the last moment and the coach pitched in to give me some magic tips. I knew this tips are gonna go a long way!

Sun: 0330
Day started with Iqbal songs, Aashayen/Mutthi mein Aasmaan. Those songs kept playing continuously till the time I left the house.

0445: At Kautuk's place
In spite of doing the practice run the Sunday before, I was wondering all the time whether I will be able to complete it or not!
We reached the Kanteerva Stadium. Quite a low turn out at 0530. As time passed, people started pouring in and by the time Full Marathon was flagged there were quite a few people lined up for the Half Marathon.
There were elderly people too. Ladies, Gents of more than 50 were also there!

It started off at 0630 and I ran, exited Kanteerva Stadium.
Down 2 km or so, I reached a place where the directions for Half/Full Marathon and Celebration bifurcated. I saw it, and kept looking at it till the time I crossed it.
Reminded me of similar hoarding of last year's Marathon-just that this time, it was different way for me :-)

It was big time fun till 7km or so. The road was divided in 2 halves. 1 half dedicated for the runners and the other one dedicated for Bangalore Traffic. There were cops all the way; securing the way for the runners.
I kept saluting most of them and saying thank you to them. They all must have been up since 0400 or so. Few responded; few were too involved in their duty! :-)
Kautuk overtook me on motorcycle and I shouted at the top of my voice; so did he!

As I closed to 8km mark, I saw runners from the opposite directions running like mad!
Yes, you are right!
They were the professionals who actually ran to win the race.
I don't know, but I was high and I kept clapping and saying,' come on... faster'
Around 9 km or so, Satyajit crossed me. I yelled at him, 'I hope you didn't jump the circuit somewhere'. We shouted, smiled and crossed. Too good a runner he is!

Mekhri Circle passed; I was nearing the Hebbal Flyover. MASSIVE pile up of traffic because the traffic was completely stopped for the runners!
I climbed the flyover, tapped a few who were walking,' Run man RUN', reached the top of the flyover and it felt as if I have reached the summit. Descended down and there was the half way marking. They were putting wet color of the chest, marking the completion of the half way mark.
That guy missed me and I said,' Here I am... put it on me' ;-)
(see that pink mark on my t-shirt!)

The run was getting tougher after that. Mekhri Circle underpass was back again. This time it was even more dreadful. Steep climb, as always, is a disaster for Runners. I kept it as slow as possible, waited for 15 km mark which never showed up, eventually to find 16km.

I told myself, ‘If I cross 18km, I will be able to drag another 3, for sure’

'Look up.
Don't let your shoulders go down.
Observe the trees.
Think of the time when you complete the run
It’s a mind game.'

The words were all around me. The coach's words had clicked.
I cleared 18 and kept running. I told myself, 'By your speed, you will take at least 21 minutes from here'. 2 hours 03 minutes had gone.
There were mile stones after that. I entered Cubbon Park and a few old ladies cheered me. I speeded up. A few kids from Basketball Court shouted. I speeded up even further-Got on to Kasturba Road to see the entrance to Kanteerva Stadium.
Pritesh and Ritesh were there to welcome me! :-). They shouted and my speed increased. ( DSCN3379.jpg for taken at that time )

I entered the athletic stadium. I kept running where one guy told me,' sir... that was the finish line ...!'

I recorded 2 hours 18 minutes by my watch. I wasn't convinced with the last 3km distance but still I had Kautuk waving at me from the stands! :-)

P.S.:
1) A special thanks to Shanu and Kautuk without whom this wouldn't have been possible.
2) A even more special thanks to EACH ONE of you, who wished me luck on Sat evening and Sun morning!
3) A different, but yet special, thanks to all you pledgers of mine! Hadn’t you been there, I would have climbed my bike with Kautuk at 13 km mark! J
4) Next LAKSHAYA (TARGET): Hutch Delhi Half Marathon on 15^th October.

kuch bhi ho sakta hai

“Expect the unexpected” is one thing I learnt from the Dream Computer Program. Though I still am not able to totally incorporate it into my nature but I don’t doubt the validity of this statement anymore.

The same was theme for the monologue by Anupam Kher. The play, named Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, was staged in the NIMHANS auditorium as the concluding event for the Times of India Refresh Bangalore Festival. This play is about Anupam Kher’s life through his own eyes. He narrates his whole life and it’s up and downs by the means of stage. It’s his autobiography written in language of theatre.

He is a successful actor today. But when we look at his past, we realize that all the success has come only because of his hard work. There are numerous stories of struggle and failure. Hearts breaking, dreams shattering, hopes getting doomed, everything is presen in his past. Nothing can be earned without suffering. You try and you fail. But you again try and keep trying till you pass. That’s the success formula for life.

Like an innocent child, Anupam narrates to us some of the most heart-touching incidents of his life. He does not make it dramatic, pure and truthful. He does not try to be critical. He just shows colors of life and tells us that these things happen with everyone, I am no Superman. He does not preach anything but just shows what he did every time he was faced with some problem. It’s totally up to the audience to relate to him or to agree to him.

He has great sense of humor and is a perfect actor. Only actors like him can keep the audience awake for more than 2 hours in a monologue (or for that matter any play). Crowd enjoyed each of his joke and his actions. He had spell bound the whole auditorium. Superb experience indeed.

The play ends on a positive note with a nice one liners from Anupam Kher “Nothing in this world can be all wrong, even the clock which has stopped working shows correct time twice a day”.

Overall the play was a memorable experience. The kind of energy he showed is really great. He did not slow down for even a moment. Audience was totally mesmerized by his sheer presence and enthusiasm. He gets 100% for his performance. The play also incorporated some of the most memorable scene from his movies and some of the rare photos. Great direction and productioin. The venue is not the best of choice for plays but seeing the size of the crowd, it looked absolutely perfect. The arrangement could have been better, specially the entry and timings. Play started around 7 and stretched onto 9:20. Most importantly, as it was free entry event, a varied kind of audience was present. Not the best of the crowd for a play but still manageable.

Some of the memorable lines from the play:

• Bheega aadmi kabhi bearish se nahi darata hai.
• There is no need of going through a problem twice, once thinking about it and secondly actually going through it.

ps: photo taken from TOI Bangalore Edn, dated 18th Sept,2006

the great bangalore spirit

Baba dauda,
Baby bhi daudi,
Bhatiya uncle bhi daude,
Parvati aunti bhi daudi,
Military wale sipahi bhi daude,
Kuch firangi bhi daude.

Some ran for 21 kms; some ran for 42 kms while some ran for just 7 kms.

Some ran to win the prize; some ran to win hearts. Some ran to prove themselves; some ran just coz they liked to run, some ran for a cause.

Where was Bangalore? Unfortuanately nowhere to be seen. That’s what I felt yesterday morning. So many of them run, but where were all the great Bangalorians? Sleeping in our cozy comfortable beds. None of them came out to cheer the runners. Those people ran just for themselves, all alone. Absolutely no one came out to cheer them, no one to encourage them. No one showed that "yes we are with you".

Sorry, but is this the great Bangalore spirit? Bangalore is a dead city. Or I should say a city of dead. I reached the stadium around 7 am and I could not feel if the marathon was happening. There were not many people around. No one on the road was bothered as to what was happening. They were just too involved in their mundane life.

I remember seeing pictures and videos from Mumabi Marathon last year. My friends who ran there told methat they could not have finished if the crowd was not there. Just small cheer from the crowd gave them the strength to finish the race. Roads were flooded with runners and sidewalks with the supporters. Everyone came out. Just to show the great Mumbai spirit. That we are all together and we will rise when needed. And that’s what we saw everytime any problem came to the Mumbai.

What happened in Bangalore is really saddening. I saw the happiness and content feeling on the face of each and every runner. I saw the smile on their face when we clapped for them. They were not expecting it but we did it nonetheless. We felt so motivated to see them doing something. Still we were really few. People were absolutely merciless sometimes. Many of them were not giving pass to the runners. They behaved as if there was not spirit in them. Indeed they were all dead people. People who just want to live their own life and die one day. History will never ever bother about such people.

Bangalore, I am really ashamed of you today.

Photos from marathon: Check on flickr.com or chek this out behind the lens

PS: These are the thoughts that came to my mind when I was watching the marathon. May be I am too emotional here but that’s the way it was (is). They are my personal views. I did not stay for the Celebrity marathon (coz my celebrities had already achieved their goals) so I dont know what happened there. May be Great Bangalore woke up late and everyone went for last phase of the run (for whatever reasons). I hope it did happen. I don’t want to be a part of a dead city.

DON'T QUIT

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt -
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

- Unknown -

the path less traveled

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

calvin stole my brain

ps: Thanks Pradeep for the title for the post. Sorry dude, I took "inspiration" from your blog :)
For now, nothing much to tell. You can visit some of my old post or may be try some of these:
Rout - http://imzeitgeist.blogspot.com/
Goli - http://nonstopgoli.blogspot.com/
Shashank - My 21 kilometer run for a CAUSE

I will be back with some new stories.

The cigarette story

There was a guy, full of energy and enthusiasm. He had only one passion in life – cigarette. Sometime in his college, his friends introduced him to this addicting companion. Very soon, he forgot all his friend and cigarette became his buddy. In few years to come, his whole life involved this new friend in every moment. He smoked when he was happy, he smoked when he was sad. It gave him pleasure as well relief. He smoked even when he was alone. Sometimes he smoked just because he had nothing else to do. Cigarette became his girl friend. He became addicted to it. He could not stay without it.

Day be day, cigarette was affecting his health. One day he realized that he needed to quit this habit, else he will lose a lot in his life. But this was not an easy task. Many a times he decided to quit and within hours cigarette was next to his lips again. It just dint work that way.

One day, he collected all his courage and strength and just quit it. It was his sheer determination that this time he did not try to reason it out. Without cigarette Each passing moment were like years for him. Whatever he did, there were some memories associated with the cigarette. every damn thing in world reminded him of his love for cigarette. It seemed like whole world wanted him to go back to his lover. But he had decided this time. He tried and tried harder. He faced worst of his fears. He confronted trickiest of the situation. Somehow one day passed without her. Same thing happened the next day. Like this many days passed. Slowly he was getting used to absence of cigarette. He became happy that he could finally do it. But still in some lonely corners of his heart, there are memories associated with his love for cigarette, which haunt him regularly. It’s the greatest test he ever faces.

Everyday he just lives with them, keeping his determination intact. Someday he will be able to get over this feeling also.

Now that was only smoker’s side of the story.
What about the cigarette? Does not she (it) have her (its) own version. Did she ever tell about it? She always kept silent. Most of the time she just fumed (may be in anger) but she did not utter a single world. Is her love not true? What did she feel when her love dumped her just like that? Will she ever think that it was good for both of them that he left her? Now she will not have to burn and he will not have to cough. These are those questions, which only time can answer. Iff (remember from mathematics: iff=if and only if) cigarette was not voiceless, may be these answers could be found earlier.

Bruce: What if I need you? What if I have questions?
God: That's your problem, Bruce. That's everybody's problem. You keep looking up.

ps: The story was told to me by one gyaani. Some parts of the story have been added, edited by me to make them simple.

Illogical logic

How many of us really apply in logic in everything we do or say? Not many. This is so sad that how we are wasting the boon of almighty to humans. It is logic that separates us from other living creatures. Still we don’t want to behave like a human.

More sadly there are some who try to apply logic to every damn thing in life. Every moment in their life should be logical. There is no scope for surprises. More over they do not respect the unexpected. For them, everything should be as planned and should have well defined meaning. Half their life they spend in thinking about “what if”.

This “what if” ka chakkar is really bad. We try to anticipate everything, hoping that when it happens we will be equipped with the ways to face it. Their life goes in fining solution of nonexistent problems and they forget to enjoy the present. One gyani told me once that most of the bugs in code comes because decision making if-else statements. Try to avoid them as much as you can and you will be a happy soul. Sometimes it can be applied on the life also. Let the life come and do what intends to do. Sometimes let others take the decisions.

Why and when we try to overkill using logic? First and foremost when we are in emotional turbulence. In reality this is the time we should not pressure our mind much, but we do exactly the otherwise. Many a times when faced with dilemma, logic looks like a logical shelter. Every time it may not be true, but still there are some odds. And these things come in everyones life, so if you are facing this, dont think there is something wrong with you.

ps: “what if”, I have been doing it a lot last few days. This entry today is the essence of learning from a gyaani on the same tendency. Solution is embedded in above few paragraphs.

time for some reflection

This one is one of my favorite lines. It’s from Remember the Titans.

Coach Yoast: I think this is a very good time for prayer and reflection...
Gerry Bertier: Coach, I'm hurt. I'm not dead.

This one is from Bruce Almighty

Bruce: What if I need you? What if I have questions?
God: That's your problem, Bruce. That's everybody's problem. You keep looking up.

-- will keep updating… PritS

amrut vachan

This post I am copying from Goli. I hope he does not mind it. See the original post here.
He called it "Early Morning Gyan", I will call it "Amrut Vachan".
Here they are ...

• Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.
• Have a firm handshake.
• Look people in the eye.
• Sing in the shower.
• Own a great stereo system.
• If ina a fight, hit first and hit hard.
• Keep secrets.
• Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.
• Always accept an outstretched hand.
• Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
• Whistle.
• Avoid sarcastic remarks.
• Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 per cent of all your happiness or misery.
• Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.
• Lend only those books you never care to see again.
• Never deprive someone of hope;it might be all they have.
• When playing games with children, let them win.
• Give people a second chance, but not a third.
• Be romantic.
• Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
• Dont allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for your convenience, not the caller's.
• Be a good loser.
• Be a good winner.
• Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
• When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
• Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.
• Keep it simple.
• Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.
• Dont burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
• Live your life so that your epitaph could read, " No Regrets".
• Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more tahn the one's you did.
• Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
• Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you.
• Take charge of your attitude. Dont let someone else choose it for you.
• Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.
• Begin each day with some of your favourite music.
• Once in a while,take the scenic route.
• Send a lot of Valentine cards. Sign them, 'Someone who thinks you're terrific.'
• Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in your voice.
• Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m.
• Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.
• Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.
• Make someone's day by paying the toll for the person in the car behind you.
• Become someone's hero.
• Marry only for love.
• Count your blessings.
• Compliment the meal when you're a guest in someone's home.
• Wave at children on school buses.
• Remember that 80 per cent of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.
• Dont expect life to be fair.

I have marked my favorite points in bold. Hope you will like them too.
Thanks a lot again to Goli for sharing these with me.

storyteller

Good morning life…

Its seven am in my watch and you are here with me the storyteller.

I am here to tell you new stories; not to repeat old ones. (Vaise Desai said this, but I follow this one from my heart too). After all this is what I got my life for. Every moment of life brings with it a new aspect; a story full of every emotion and feeling. Winning and losing, love and hate, respect and disgust, help and fight, anything and everything. Every day brings with it new opportunities (Ravi says – “Everyday is a new beginning; a new breakfast, new lunch and new dinner…”)

I share my experience lf life at this place. Sometime I share my feelings. I am not a magician of words (if I say that I don’t want to be, I would be lying to you). I am not good in expressing myself (many of my friends would agree with it). But still, I want to write all the stories. I want to write them, so that sometimes in my future I can look back and cherish these moments. Shashank says "You will laugh at your mistakes when you will read these stories in your future. Every mistake will seem so silly and you would cherish each one of them." Again I repeat, there is no learning without mistake.

What else can I tell you about? I try to write my views about politics. But this is one area, I had my heart broken long time back. Looking at the disgusting world of politics, I feel the same way as Laxman Pandey felt at India Gate (remember Rang De Basanti). He was seeing his ideals (or more correctly ideas) falling like dominos. I too feel the same way. I generally avoid writing about politics, so. I am running away from the mess, but for now I don’t have any other option.

There are some incidences of life I want to share with everyone. But then this place will become like a diary. Some are better left just in memories. So these things just reach the draft stage and then get lost in the imaginary world.

Sometimes I refrain from writing on many topics coz it might affect someone else. What if that person reads it or feels bad about it. I am not here to hurt anyone. Again these things just reach the draft stage and never see the face of world. Someday they will live their due life.

“Dreams” is another of my favorites topic. I have and will always share my dreams here. Desai says it truly

“We may stay on here but these dreams may not,
so hold on to them because we have got nothing else…”

My stories can be just a simple interpretations of my dreams. If you want, you can judge my character through them, though I don’t prefer to do that.

Technology is not my forte so this is one thing you will never fins here. I am very sure about it.

So people, here I thank one and all. For reading all my stories, sometimes sharing yours with me. Life can be boring sometimes. Places and modes like this bring the colors back in life.

ps: this is supposed to be my terstimonial for my blogging at this place. I am not sure what all crap I have scribbled here.

to forgive is divine

Bapu asks Munna to ask for forgiveness from Circuit. He sasy accepting your mistake is a very difficult job. He also says that all of us mistake but only people with strong willpower can accept their mistake and then ask for its forgiveness.

Munna goes and starts talking to Circuit. He tells Circuit to turn around and not see in his eyes. He knows that because of his guilt he will not be able to tell his feeling, looking into Circuit’s eyes. He speaks his heart out, asks his apologies and then both hug each other. This is one of the very heart-touching moments of the film.

Why did Bapu say that “accepting your mistake and asking for its forgiveness is a very difficult task?”

We all commit mistakes; and this one hard truth of life. We all are human. We learn only by doing it wrong first time and correcting ourselves. In this learning process, many a times our action, thoughts or words affect other lives also. What do we do about it?

We just need to make sure that we take the responsibilities for all our deeds. There is no escape. If you did it, have the courage to accept it. Just accepting a mistake is not the end of it. We have to learn from it. If the mistake affects someone else also, then this learning is a must. We should try to do it ASAP, so that we don’t affect any more people.

Accepting your mistakes and apologizing for the same, is the next step of salvation. Now this is tricky part. Many a times we fail to recognize our mistakes, and at others we simply could not gather courage to face a problem. Accepting it is even harder. The apology part comes in the end. Many a times, our ignorance is the hindrance while some time ego plays the spoilsport. Both of them block our conscience and affect our learning process.

Today we face one more very peculiar problem. In the age of sms and email, sorry and thanks have become meaningless. Even if we really meant from heart, people think we are being formal. Sometimes the overuse of these words nullifies the rue spirit. Overall effect, your apology does not carry much weight. You might not be heard at many a times.

But you still do it.

But what is the gain for you in this situation? By accepting your mistake, learning from it and then asking for apology, you can be sure in your conscience. If your efforts were truthful, you will feel the burden off your heart. Your soul will become free of the guilt. Its not escapism but actually the best what you could do. More than anyone else, it’s your inner voice that gets hurt with your wrongdoings. Once that finds peace, all the other things become less important. It’s not selfishness, but the ability to adjust to the situation. Just make sure that the efforts were not halfhearted.

ps: after my last post I got many messages asking if everything is fine with me? I appreciate their concern. But truth is that, the intention for the previous post was to apologies to every soul I have hurt. It was not for someone special or anything like that. It is a genuine attempt. I have committed mistakes (or I should say crimes) in past, and I do take the responsibility for them. I am trying to learn from them. So the last post was for the salvation.

Also it was Kshamavani Parv from Jain Calender. So I thought it was best chance to do so. I hope that I am successful in my attempt.

Amen

Uttam Kshama

I ask for your kind forgiveness, if knowingly or unknowingly I have hurt you (directly or inderctly) by any of my words, thoughts or actions in the past one year.

To forgive is divine.

"vigat varsh me mere dwara yadi man, vachan ya kay ke madhyam se aapko pratyaksh ya apratyaksh roop se koi bhi chot pahoonchi ho, to mein haath jodkar aapse uske liye kshma yachna akarta hoon."

Kshama Parmodharma

iteration

Movie: DIL CHAHTA HAI

Iteration 0: Just watched the trailer on the TV. Music sounds fresh and funky. Should be a good movie. Have to watch it on first day. Start making plan and book the tickets.

Iteration 1: Just watched the movie on Friday night. Music is superb. Goatee and cropped haircut look pretty funky. Should go and try for the same asap. Australia is so beautiful. Hope that I can go there sometime.

Iteration 2: Just finished watching it second time with friends. Goa looks such a nice place. We should go there while in college. Should have all the fun, don’t forget the photo in same pose as Akash, Samir and Sid.

Iteration 3: One more time watched the movie with friends. What friendship Akash, Sid and Samir had!! Friends should be like them only. People who can have fun, share pain and pleasure together.

Iteration 4: Was getting bored so watched it once more. Shalini and Aksah ki love life kitni mast hai. So sweet and romantic. Hope even I get such love.

Iteration 5: Too much, absolutely no way to pass time so watched it once more. Can Sid exist in reality? Naa, it’s too unrealistic. How can anyone be like him?

Iteration 6: Just watched it before sleeping. Akash tells Rohit “this you people should ask yourself” [remember the scene after dinner on evening before Shalini is heading back to India] how meaningful. True emotions!!

Iteration 7: Still to come...

if -- Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

This was my first post here on blogspot. Just felt like sharing it again. - PritS

munna bhai v/s mahatma

For those of you who don’t follow much of Bollywood news let me give you some trivia. "munna bhai v/s mahatma" was the planned title for sequel of "munna bhai mbbs". But somehow the producer and director were not convinced totally and they opted for more bubbly "lage raho munnabhai".

Munna and Circuit are back with a bang. And this time they have one more friend, Bapu. Yes Bapu, none other than our Bapu. What is Bapu doing in life of a tapori from Mumbai? How can he ever be attached with such a person? Answer is pretty simple. Gandhi is inside each one of us. The extent of his attachment with us depends on the extent we believe in his ideology. Its like the existence of God, if you believe him, he is everywhere. Else he is just a myth. This is the theme of the movie.

I won’t share any story or scene from the movie here, coz I don’t want to spoil anyone’s interest. This movie is a must watch and I recommend that you go and watch it in theatre only.

Only one thing about the movie, it should not be compared to Munna Bhai MBBS. Simple reason being that only common between the two movies is the central characters and the theme. Story has different color in the two versions. Director could have made a movie on this story without Munna and Circuit. But then to bring out the central theme of Gabdhigiri would not have been so easy. So he chose to use the popular Munna and circuit to tell a new story.

Hats off to Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani. Great work guys.

silence -kill

When faced with some personal issue, most of us take refuge in silence's lap. Some of us drink or smoke, just to divert the thought process. Does it really help?

There are two ways to look at it. Silence can help you only when you are in anger's spell. Anger kills are your logic, so its better to be silent and give your conscience some time to gain its full strength. If you dont do that, then there are real high odds against you solving the issue. You will end up screwing it up. Never ever hurry onto something, anger is devil's advocate.

On the other hand, when anger is not the main culprit, you should not keep silent. Everything and anything can be sorted out by speaking it out. Be it personal or professional issue, what you really need is a good, meaningful and honest attempt to sort it out. What you think does not really matter if the other party is not aware about it. Without speaking nobody can come to know about the real issue. So give yourself some time, think about it and then speak it out. If you are truthful about your urge to solve the issue, you will surely be successful.

the truth

If I am who I am because I am who I am,
and You are who You are because You are who You are,
then I am who I am and You are who You are.

But, on the other hand,
If I am who I am, because You are who You are,
and You are who You are, because I am who I am,
then You are not who You are, and I am not who I am.

limitless sky

Sky has absolutely no limits. You can reach unexpected heights. Similar ways oceans have no limts too. The depth you see depends on how much deep you WANT to go. You and only you define the limits.

Imagination and dreams follow the same suit. You decide the extent of their reach. You control their path and direction. You can run wild with colors in your dream, or you can picture everything grey. In one sense, your imagination gives an indication about your mind.

Positive and Negative energies can be accumulated using them. You action can get powered up by the same energy. Life has given you all the tools, its upto you to use them wisely. SO wakeup and use your mind.

vande mataram

BJP has been pushing the Vande Mataram controversy inside and outside the parliament. Last few months I have stopped following their politics. But still I cant stop myself from writing about this senseless controvery.

Star News aired a report where they showed that many of the ministers from BJP ruling states have absolutely no knowledge about National Anthem. They dint know the full lyrics of Vande Mataram, neither did they know about its origin. Many of them were reluctant to sing it in front of camera. One was shown it singin while sitting in his chair.
Such shameful picture these people are presenting. How can they ever expect someone else to follow their footstep? What do these people expect from the others. Whom they want to show their patriotism. You learn it first and then tell us what to do.

For BJP: grow up from these shitty politics. Give the National Anthem its due respect.