Friday, December 13, 2013

Adventitious. Random. Chaos. . . . And Hope.

(Pre-script: This one's completely about me. A pure selfish post looking back on things that affected me. So, unless you are someone closely related to my self, brace yourself for getting utterly bored.)

Traveling on the Great Indian Railways on a 36 hour journey back home and thinking about all that's transgressed in the last few days; the passing rail side slums and ever-rising apartment compounds of Mumbai, symbolic of nostalgia and change in time gone by and yet to come;a huge Indian family with a rambling baby to complete the perfect picture Ruskin Bond would be proud of - couldn't have asked for a more conducive environment to jot down the ramblings of my mind.

To put it straight and simple- life's thrown everything, good, bad and ugly and it's been relentless in that. So, you get one and start to wonder how much more interesting can it get from here and then you get the next one... again and again. Then you start to realize - it's time to get off the comfort zone, end of the cocoon that was H4 @ IIT Bombay and time to step into the world- unfair and uncompromising. And then you hear a small voice at the back of your mind- when all is lost, there is still something...hope.

Life in meta was smooth and then placements appeared as a reality check. Shortlists after shortlists and getting it name in so few. So much for self confidence. Just when you are thinking of tagging yourself the unluckiest guy around that meet others who have had numerous shortlists n still unplaced after 15+ interview, GDS and tests. Yet four tiring days and sleepless nights later, a call from home shatters their my-son-is-a-star dream and you simply break down. There's just so much solace you can take from other's pain. In the end it's everyone for himself. And after that it was about going through the motions, wishes dying down, scrolling through '**** it is' status and sing your congrats to it. By the time you finally get your firm, you wonder- was it what you wanted to work for or was it just get out of the cycle!

Then there are academics. The last sem that matters you hit a record low of 6.5 SPI and your parents, who simply have had two concerns ever since you left home- health and acads, simply decide you are incorrigible. You scrap in with an overall 8.0 CPI, sit for placements and then you your first ever 9+ in our seven sems at college- a 9.3 grand. Yet none cares now, neither parents, nor colleagues. It's too late. That coupled with a project whose presentation went haywire and you expect a 7 yet get the feedback after a week, 'great work. Meet me post placements n will decide future work. No worry about the grade (that's a good 9)'. And never having had any enthu in metallurgy now a paper looks a real possibility in last few months at the institute.

Not that it's all about the person. You look around. Politics, always been apathetic about it. People go on marches, the youth feels all invigorated and you complain about the politicizing of social networks, staying a cynic. And then the results roll out. And you see results, not just talks, promises or adrenalin. Real results. And you think- have we really got hope in our political system? A small start it may be, may fizzle out in the end. But that's what hope means, right?

Always was the pessimist in our discussions regarding start-ups and ventures though it did appeal to me- taking responsibility and initiatives. Knew my background, where I come from, what expectations to fulfill. So, aimed at stability for few years then jump into business. Yet placed in a start-up, thrown into the fray and all those pals, with previous start up experience and enthu for having their own businesses, go to relatively established firms. Good or bad, that's for time to tell.

Then amongst it all, you get news that takes leaves you rattled. Loss of life, some mishap, someone close being hurt beyond recovery... And you realize how futile and insignificant your issues are in the greater context. Some may be gone but there will always be survivors and that's what matters. To move on, to mourn and yet not brood, to find strength and support and look at the next day with renewed hope.

Hope. That's really something least understood yet almost always quoted in the direst situations. Whether it is the angel released by Pandora after the box of miseries or it's just a mirage in the desert... That's for time to tell. But now, today, there is just a simple way forward - To believe. To hope. To live

Thursday, July 4, 2013

A New Perspective!

- inspired from the manuscript found in Accra and revealed by Paulo Coelho


Solitude is not the absence of Love, but its compliment.


Having reveled in the radiance of Love for quite some time, in fact years, things do seem bleak without it. Things lose their charm, the world loses its color.  Love is the divine condition; without it life can seem frightening. But Love need to rest, to spread and reveal itself in other forms. It can't stay caged by the definitions we set. Else it loses its essence.

Solitude is not the absence of company. It is being in the company of one's own self. Busy in the world, desperate to find something to do, someone to care for, something to judge, we rarely give our soul the moment to speak freely, to decide what we want in our life. If we are never alone, we can never know ourselves. And then we are afraid of the void.

A child from a woman's womb ALONE decides if it has to live. An artist is ALONE when he makes his greatest work. We face the most feared moment of our existence, Death...ALONE. Hence, it’s important to realize that at life's most critical moments we are always alone.

It is in solitude that we can discover the love that might have passed by unseen. It is in solitude that we can understand and respect the love that left us. It is in solitude that we can decide whether it is worth asking lost love to return or if we are destined for a new path. It is in solitude that we feel the Divine Energy and its many dimensions that we never cared exploring before.

Only when we let solitude co-exist peacefully with Love, can we begin to understand the miracle called Life!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

A Wonderful Choice!


Some people have complained, that posts are too much philosophy, too li’l significance in reality, etc. I don’t intend to mend my ways, sorry folks! But ya- this is a bit different. I came across a personal biography kind of article by one Sushil Shintre, an IIT-B alumni, in our campus magazine n it touched my soul!
A civil engineering graduate in 2010, he is a part of Teach For India. It’s an organisation working for the education of the children in unprivileged sections of this vast country. He gets a not-so-bad pay and has a two year commitment. He gets two typical responses- ‘Are you insane?’ or ‘What a sacrifice!’. About the first, he says- just out of college, going with d herd n getting placed wasn’t so much suited 2 him, n he thought about smthng tat attracted his heart-education. So, he took d chance 2 experience. Besides he does hv all time afterwards 2 get in2 a ‘normal’ job, so it wasn’t tat big a risk And on d topic ofit being a sacrifice- salary, though nt comparable 2 IIT standards, is a notch higher tat wat fresh graduates get here. And in his own words ‘I get the most innocent and genuine colleagues to work with – the kids!.... I am going to have 60 children whose lives I may have helped change for good and who would, irrespective of what becomes of them, remember a certain Sushil Bhaiyya that taught them while in school. I would say it’s hardly a sacrifice’
Inspiring as his decision was, it makes us realize that we can always contribute to the cause of humanity in big or small ways, through our efforts. Besides, in his own words ‘it helps us to be able to find those moments that make us happy.’
P.S. You can read the entire article in Sushil on page 5 of the e-paper at http://www.iitb.ac.in/Magazine/JanuaryFebruaryMarchApril2011.pdf  n i’m sure you’ll love it.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Relationships- A Convenience?!


The other day, one of the comments of Raghu (owner of the hugely popular MTV show Roadies) caught my attention- People generally make relationships for convenience. When there is no need, there exists no relationship. I opine that though he generalized it too much, but he was also right in so many ways… Wasn’t he?
Let’s take the case of making friends when we go to a new place-college, work place or may be a short stay at a place. Honestly thinking about why we do make friends., the thoughts that run in our mind are- we have 2 adjust here, may b friends will help us later on, assist in achieving our objectives, or just plain survive. Or may b he/she is higher in stature in social terms, academics or charms and the influence will do us good. How often do we make friends just for the sake of it? This is not an accusation- just plain introspection…
Even when it is romantic love, if a girl is asked- why do u need a boyfriend, why do u love him, the answer is more often than not- I feel cared for, secure about my life n not lonely. A guy’s reply includes, she’s beautiful, she loves me, is my comfort zone and even “this is the age of having a date, all my friends have a girlfriend”. Do we not catch a hint of selfishness, of convenience enhancing measure and expectations? Why can’t one just say- I love him/her just for what she is. No demands, no expectations.
The gist is- no one’s gonna come n accuse us for what we do with our lie, whom we chose to get close to n what relations we maintain. But why not look beyond our convenience, n touch people’s lives just freely, without any motives, what so ever. N then take it as it comes. I’m sure it can b much more fun exploring it tat way!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Solitude- the Great Reveller

How often have u looked towards the heaven and admired the beauty of nature?! The other day, while chatting to one of my pals sitting on their terrace, he commented that he hasn’t seen the sunrise since a few months now. N for a moment I reflected on it- when did I see a perfect sunrise last, in fact when did anyone of us did so! Lost in the din n bustle of our hectic schedule, we rarely have time for such luxury as solitude!
             Many-a-times, when we go out with family or friends to places known for aesthetic  value, we are surprised and pleased by the view- amazed by so much that nature has to offer as gifts. But at the same time we’ve a perception that in order to see such beauty, we need to make an effort- go somewhere, create a window in our time schedule. Agreed, studies, extra-curriculars and (most importantly) plain laziness cramp our time and not all find d idea of blankly staring at the sky, so appealing. But there will b many of us who may have never thought of this-
             Get up in the morning n go look at d sunrise! Look at d clouds n the vista of colours in their wake! Get to d terrace at mid night, when most of us sit in front of d idiot box (or may b the screen, nowadays) and watch d pattern in d sky- d twinkling objects that have never failed to fascinate mankind. And while doing so, reflect on incidents that mattered to u n those that didn’t, people who touched ur life in some way- small but subtle, dreams of urs- serious or childish n how u can or cud hav made the come true. Or just let ur mind roam freely, whichever direction it may take n go along with it, as a spectator not a participant.  I bet, anyone who does this is gonna love every bit of it.
              The best idea of fun is with friends, n I perfectly agree to it. But simultaneously, I believe a personal time-out with nothing but us is also a must in our daily lifestyle. With no one but the person n his solitude all around, away from the world n looking at it from a distance (metaphorically) with just one’s own eyes n perspective- that’s is so important too! N when I do enjoy it, its really so refreshing, makes me see new things niot otherwise visible, explore new avenues and live in more than one way. Now, does not sound exciting enough?!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Eternal Craving...


Craving is part of being human. But what differentiates us from other animals is the type of stuff that we crave for. the feelings n emotions that drive us. In short, the most important thing that humans crave for is- affection, care n love…

Into college life in the true earnest since a month n its evident how important these things r in life. Only when we lose something do we realize its significance…else we tend 2 take it for granted.Be it parents, ur best pal or ur beloved. All matter, even though its not evident every moment. At those lonely times, when memories tend 2 drown u in nostalgia, if u regret not having don something that u could hav done 2 that loved one, then u hav failed!

Live every moment, but not for ur joy… for d happiness for that special one .  That’ll give u unprecedented satisfaction n joy, not only at that moment, but every time u reminiscence about those past days.  These r what makes life’s so much worth living. All of us have lived for ourselves; trying 2 achieve our dreams;  being glad of our success et al. For once, try 2 live for others, helping them achieve their aim, bringing a smile 2 their faces.I guarantee u d feeling is paradise...

Monday, August 30, 2010

Life Moves On... In Bombay!

Long time since I last wrote on my blog… N how life’s changed since then… Into and almost settled at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay , reputed to be THE best engineering insti in the country at present… N a lot seems to b different in life n lifestyle…

First few days… missed home, parents, n friends a lot… fell ill due to d incessant rainfall out here… n that brought back memories… pain n fondness… that care n concern… those ever-present affection… I realized what it means being parents…

Things got in2 place with time… as is the case always… humans move on… through darkness n light… its d rhythm of life… made new friends- some good, some not-so-good… learning 2 live alone, independent … lonely yet oneness with self…

Lets see what’s in store in d upcoming days…