Where is god?

Hmm... 2009 is few hours away...

2008 is gonna go...

And I have decided to end this year on a humorous note. Hence, here is a small joke concerning two boys. It was forwarded to me by my dear friends... So here we go:

Two little boys, ages 8 and 10, were extremely mischievous. They always got into trouble and their parents knew all about it. If any mischief occurred in their town, the two boys were probably involved.
The boys' mother had heard that a preacher in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The preacher agreed, but he asked to see them individually.
So the mother sent the 8 year old first, in the morning and the elder boy was set to meet the preacher in the afternoon.
The preacher, a huge man with a booming voice, made the younger boy sit down and asked him sternly,
"Do you know where God is, son?"
The boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open.
So the preacher repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God?!"
Again, the boy made no attempt to answer. The preacher raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed,
"Where is God?!"
The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "what happened?"
The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied, "We are in BIG trouble this time."
........................................
..................................
..............................
.........................
..................
..............
"GOD is missing, and they think we did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Source: Unknown

Blogging as a concept

I started blogging seriously only one and a half years back and since then, I have been constantly babbling about a variety of stuffs, feigning to be a know-all person, which I definitely am not! But blogging gave me a kinda stage to vent out my thoughts and give it a proper channel, so that people may read the stuffs and comment on whether I am in the right direction and even I may get proper feedback on my posts. I also got a feel of connecting to the world surpassing boundaries of race, culture, creed and nationality, which I thought, was so refreshing to the mind and soul!

The main difference between blogging and social networking is, blogging goes out to the world (until and unless, you are determined to keep your world private). It is like a radio, broadcasting programmes to a wide range of audience. If you like it, tune in, else just move on! That's it! And in the process if you start liking a channel (read blog), simply bookmark it, or add to the blog roll. Social networking sites, on the other hand, are mainly there to establish rapport with people, be it personal or professional.

Unfortunately the concept of blogging has not gone down very well with several sections of the people. Many of them still confuse blogging with social networking, although the two are markedly different! There are many who feel adding a blog to a blog roll implies the blogger is trying to establish a sort of a rapport or a connection with the author, which is why I feel blogging is limited to circles of people. There are really very few dudes who have been able to break the bounds and look beyond the wall.

Today I see a blog, I like it (at least I have no reasons to not like it), but I don't add it. Why? Because if I add it, it might imply I am trying to network or establish a connection with the other blogger! I mean, what bullshit! Today if I add links to Google or Yahoo in my favorites folder, should it imply I want friendship with their CEOs??? The blogs which you see on my blog roll are there solely because of the contents of those blogs and it should be like that! I hardly know any of their authors personally. Yet, I regularly comment on their blogs! No acquaintances, no networking, selection should be based only on contents!

But typical narrow minded conservative people do not get the differences clearly enough!

Mentos, anyone?

PS. There is a specific reason why I posted this. I do not mean to offend anyone, but facts should be out of closets for everyone to see!

2008 - Top 10

As promised, here I am with my personal top 10 list of 2008. Not that you would be enjoying reading it very much but I would definitely enjoy sharing it! The list has been compiled in chronogical order and has not been ranked!
1. New year's day 2008 (1st January): In Wockhardt hospital for dad's operation.
2. 6th February 2008: Decided I needed to be more serious about my blog.
3. 14th February 2008: Dull as ever. Thought I was in love with some sweet one, not to be, as I finally found out! hehe..
4. February (I forgot the date): Did our Griha Pravesh.
5. 21st April 2008: Went to IIM campus for a 7-day campus visit and enjoyed thoroughly. Made many friends.
6. 15th September' 2008 >> Lehmann Brothers gone: People still say that the time is not right, well I agree... It all started with Lehmann Brothers. The cycle has started and does not show signs of slowing down as yet.
7. 9th October 2008 >> Durga Puja: This one had to feature here. Had a gala time with my parents as I rushed through many pandals. Specially enjoyed the smiles on their wrinkled features... priceless...
8. 26th November 2008 >> Mumbai massacre: This one hurt me the most. Felt bewildered at how and why people could kill innocent men and women at such ease, celebrating as if there was some trophy to be won! May those responsible be brought to justice!
9. 25th December'2008: Had a nice night out with my cousin brothers. Saw the movie Ghajini. "Kaise mujhe tum mil gayi..." still ringing in my ears... oops! What a contrast!
[if you know what I mean]
10. Waiting for 31st December'2008. I have decided this year I would change the dullness associated with this day. The last two years had been terrible. I WILL change it this time around!!!

Overall, I would say this year had more of salt than sweet in it for me and probably for all of us, Indians! But personally I learned a LOT!

This year taught me how to come out stronger after any and every debacle.
It taught me to fight and fight hard until the last moment.
It taught me that intention to win is more important than winning
....and when you think you are losing, you might actually be winning!


My wishes for the new year:
May the new dawn of 2009 bring peace, prosperity, happiness, well being and justice for all!
Cheers!

Merry Christmas! (belated)

Hello everyone
First of all let me wish you belated merry Christmas and happy holidays (though I had put up one Christmas poster on my blog on 24th). I hope all of you are having good fun this festive season. Santa did come to my house on 25th and he brought Ghajini with him.
Yeah... watched the film first day last show and liked it instantaneously.
Leave aside Amir's chiselled out features or controversies concerning the copyrights, but the film simply rocks owing to an engaging story line, Amir's acting, superbly coordinated and choreographed action sequences and the soulful music! Oh I forgot the comedy part! Asin as a newcomer is also quite convincing and bubbly in her role. All in all, it gets a 4.5 outta 5 from me.
Go and watch the movie. I hope you will like it! :)
Regarding criticisms about this movie, I know there are loopholes and I am not one who expects it to bag an Oscar! I would also not talk about Memento or the Tamil version! However, it still looks set to become the biggest Bollywood draw of 2008!
Away from movies, the year 2008 is finally coming to an end. It has been a very eventful year for me, both on personal and professional fronts! There have been lots of ups and downs! I am thinking about compiling a top 10 list of interesting and funny incidents concerning myself which can be shared with all of you! :)
Let me see how much can be done...
Until then cya and have a good time...

Reincarnation

I have several confusions:

* Are people reincarnated?

* If it is so, why do we not remember it?

* It is true that many people do remember. But how?

Well, sceptics do not believe in reincarnation. It is believed to be the figment of imagination of an idle fertile mind. But over the years, there have been several reports of people being able to accurately remember what had been their previous life like!

The main objections against the reincarnation theory are:

1) If we have indeed reincarnated, why don't we remember it?

2) What is it that transpires after death, since the body is already gone!

3) Most importantly, what is the proof?

The possible explanations are:

1) Only those people who have had memorable deaths remember.

2) The soul is never destroyed and it transpires through lives.

3) Proofs are there. Otherwise how can you explain a little 3 year old baby blurting out how she had been brutally burnt alive with details which were later validated by her relatives (from previous life)?

Still there are loopholes, there are lakhs who have 'memorable' deaths each year, but how many people can you point out who have successfully remembered? Do you remember? Do I remember? But it is a belief! Take it or leave it!

Again, it is a well known fact that the world population is increasing astronomically. If everyone (or most of us) have reincarnated, how is it increasing? It should have remained stable! But this statement can somewhat be nullified by point number 1 above.

However, the concept is not new. There have already been the Jataka tales from Buddhism, where Gautam Buddha had talked about all of his previous lives and how he got into his present life. Other religions also believe in this concept and the variations are minor.
In this connection, let me tell you that the wife of a famous hot shot of Kolkata was murdered brutally by her in-laws. The man is still alive and kicking, as there were not enough proofs available to nail him. And you won't believe, a baby was born few years down the line, who was able to give a line by line account of how everything had occurred, how she suffered, how she had been strangled, how she had been killed! But there were no takers for it. Come on, how can you believe what a 3 and half year old baby has to say!
Again, there was this incident of a child prodigy who gave her board exams while being only 10 years old! The girl did not fare well in the exams, but she sat for it, which was a miracle in itself and no, she had not needed to study for it!
I came across this link. Everything did not seem perfectly logical to me there, but have a look at it. You will find it interesting!
Also, I came across this scholarly article which gives a case by case detailed account of Shanti devi and several other intriguing cases.

But, it does not seem to me that enough research is currently on in this field, at least the world wide web did not offer much, but you bet, this is as interesting as it can get! If I am able to get hold of some more resources, I would post.

Until then, ciao!

Image source: http://dawn.cbcr3.com

Nothing

Do not read this post
It has got nothing, friends. Today, I am damn bored, that's why I am writing this and the mere fact that I am writing this implies that I have nothing to do. Still, since I am writing something, I am doing something, not nothing, isn't it? Even for this crap, I need to think hard, think how not to bore you. Ask yourself, are you bored? I am sure you are not! And all of these in spite of the fact that this post has got nothing in it and in spite of me telling you not to read it, but now that you are already halfway through, why don't you go till the end? I promise, it would be as enjoyable as it can get! And tell me, how many times have you thought like this? How many times have you written a post on something that turned out to be nothing? So I decided to do something out of the box, hoped that this nothing would turn out to be something! And I would be able to entertain you! I am sure, by now, you have a mixed feeling of being happy, bored, disgusted or excited! And really, do tell me how did you feel after reading the whole of it. I always feel excited about receiving feedback and I am trying my level best to get the very best of feedback.
LOL :D

A bunch

Commentakshari

Finally I got the opportunity of being tagged. Thanks to Dineshbabu for this. The rule is pretty simple. If you can remember correctly, with the standard Antakshari, we needed to sing a song starting with the letter which had been the last letter of the previous song sung.
In Commentakshari, you need to pick the starting letter of the word same as the comment number and write 10 words, which are your favorites, starting with that letter.
Quoting Dineshbabu, " For example, if you are the 3rd commentator, you can pick the first letter of the 3rd word in your comment. If you do not have a blog, you can write your words in the comments section. If you do not like to play 'Commentakshari', you can comment on my post but you are free to reject it and move on."
In my case, I was actually the third commentator, and the first letter of the third word of my comment was "R". So, I need to give 10 words that start with "R" and the 10 words that come to my mind are:
RAIN --
Who does not love rain? It brings within me a feeling that is inexplicable!
RAINBOW--
The 7 colors of the rainbow when displayed in the blue sky is enthralling to watch.
ROCK--
I listen to 'rock' music often!
ROMANCE--
Oh so romantic! Yes, I am. This word had to feature in this list, simply!!!
RED--
The color of blood, the color of intimacy, of passion, of rose, of love and is one of my favorites.
RIVER--
It has been a long time since I last went to a river bank and believe me, it is wonderful just to sit there on the banks and watch the fishermen on their boats, with the sun preparing to set!
RAY--
Rays are vital! Be they rays of the sun or of hope or even of chemotherapy! They help people to survive! Oh I forgot, the great Satyajit "Ray"!
RAW--
Talent is raw, until it is polished and moulded. There is something smouldering in everything "raw".
RARE--
There are many stuffs which are becoming rare. The list is endless. We need to take good care of everything rare.
ROLE--
I am playing versatile roles everyday and some roles camouflage the others as well. Important word!

Huh! Finally I am through. So readers and fellow bloggers, now it's your turn!
Play on! :)

Dreaming of you

I dream of you, oh sweetheart!
Every night you come to my dreams,
Weave an aura of mist around my very eyes
Help me go to sleep
Help me relax and silently weep
It seems as if you were with me all throughout
As a friend, as a companion, as a sweetheart
I feel a soft touch on my forehead
A touch that I had craved for so long
A touch of care, of love...
I forget that I have not seen you for so many years
You have hidden beyond the curtains
You have moved into oblivion
But now that you are with me
I won't let you go
Stay with me forever and ever and ever...
But as time flies
As I open my eyes
I realize...
You are nowhere
I search for you frantically
But you are gone, gone forever
I remember, you had said, "Its all over...."
Yeah its all over...
But in dreams? Why are you still in there?

What women really want?

Hey all you readers out there! Do you have any idea what women really want out of men? What are their expectations? How to convince them that really there is no bad intention? [not considering cases where men have images like Mogambo]
If you really care for them, they would say,"Why are you bothered?"
If you do not care, they would say,"What a haughty guy! What does he think he is!"
If you want friendship, they would think, 'oh! what a flirt!'
If you do not want friendship, they would think, 'am I not worth of a second look?' [expect tears]
You would think she likes you, but if you go up and propose, expect an answer like, "My God... How did you ever think like that? No, please, this is just not happening" or, "The answer is a straight NO" or, "I have told you before as well, why don't you understand?".
If you do not, she would stare at you in such an innocent manner as if you have committed a sin. Afterall, as one famous lady once commented, "The guys should advance first!"
And rejection is a piece of cake! A secret competition is going on...
Sarita: Hey Anu, how many have you rejected?
Anu: [with an air of superiority] 23
Sarita: Oops! then I have some catch up to do, jaan... last week I rejected one, thus my total is 19
Hmm.... and who are the victims? Ask that boy sitting silently in the dark corner of the park. If you notice closely, he might still be thinking what went wrong! What were his mistakes! And if there was a way to rectify! And then he finds out his ex-flame walking hand in hand with her new found crush! Amazing... isn't it? You girls simply rock!!!

PS. Girls who are reading this post might argue, but statistics won't support you. I can quote the author of a book on relationships, who says, most of the time girls are responsible for break-ups, not boys!

The weather is cold, the attitude?

Today I feel an urge to write again after few days of sketching and painting with Microsoft Paint. Winter has finally arrived in Kolkata and the days are very chilly especially in the mornings. Waking up is a menace and I feel extremely uncomfortable leaving the comfort hug of my blanket. I am sure most of you would be feeling the same (people living in similar latitudes and longitudes). And with winter, come the days of merry making, Christmas and Santa and cake and pastry (wow)... Being a foodie, I just love 'em.

Then again, there is music.
Silent night, holy night...
soothes the soul, intoxicates the mind, helps forget the pains, reminds us that we are far more privileged, far more happier, far more accomplished than some of those less privileged ones, those who sleep on the lanes throughout the night. Leave alone cakes and pastries, they are not sure of two square meals a day. They are sad, gloomy. Few of them turn towards crime, few destroy themselves.
We move around in our 'stretched limousines' and rarely glance over the other end of the glass window to see what the reality is! Do we?
"Who cares! I am happy blogging, orkutting, flirting, booing others... doing a 24*7 duty. I am busy, man! What more do I want! To hell with all those people... Let they take care of themselves... Let the Government and politicians and police be blamed..."
[sigh]

Think about it! Is there something we can do? A consolidated effort?

Shades

Love actually?

Few hard truths about love:

Love rarely exists, whatever it is, is mostly attraction, adjustment! The person's background and family always plays a pivotal role while being selected or... whatever...

The choice of a person is affected by the primitive mating behavior. If we study the mating behavior of animals, then we would see, when they select potential partners, it is most essentially unconsciously based on the other's superiority in some form or the other. The mind is trained in that manner. Say, in many species of wild animals, the males have to fight fiercely for a single female and she selects the one who wins! It has a scientific basis as well, since she wants her offsprings to be healthy, thus avoiding a weak male. Clearly, selection based on superiority! In human beings also, the same type of behaviour is observed. If we start liking someone, believe me, there is something in him/her that others lack, clearly a selection based on his/her superiority (over others)! Human society is evolved over millions of years, though males do not have to literally fight nowadays to win over a female, but the rules of the game are unchanged and do not vary markedly from other species. Another striking feature is, this trait of selection is particularly more prominent in girls than boys.So next time you get to hear stuffs like: "It was love at first sight", think about it!

It is very true that our brain is able to process an individuality of a person in the first two minutes of meeting each other. The body language gives in, and 80% of the notion is created then and there. The rest 20% notion is made or altered in subsequent meetings. But it is never Bollywood styled "pehli nazar mein..." love!
You might argue, "So what about the people who have been living happily for 20 odd years?"

My answer would be, "Yes, affecton develops over a time period. It does not happen overnight. What is being discussed here is love 'as we know it today'. A 'Harry met Sally' sort of affair!"

In a deeper context, love is a strong affection for someone, which is experienced and which is not bound by limitations of age, caste, creed, status, background, looks, wealth or whatever. But you see, it is non-existent in today's socio-cultural scenario. What we often think mistakenly as love is actually a liking, a crush and that too with a "conditions apply" tag!

PS. I am sure that I have already spurred a heated debate among people about what I have said, but these are my views based on experience as well as what I have studied till now on human behaviour and psychology. Any and every views are welcome!

Random strokes 2

The woman

==============================

==================================


Black and white
===========================

Random strokes

The grandfather

-------------------------------------------------------------

Seashore on a moonlit night

---------------------------------------------------------------

A bunch of roses
------------------------------------------------------------------

Home alone

Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding

something to live for, great enough to die for.

- Dag Hammarskjold

Shadows playing in the dark

Dark as pitch black

Shadows moving around

As the eyes slowly get accustomed

Slowly the view gets exposed

Two shadows in the dark

Trying to pacify each other,

Console one another,

Probably trying to say," We would not fight, we are friends forever..."

Then again they try to cosy up....

Again the darkness falls,

It becomes difficult to see anything more

Only the faint sound of whispers galore...

The shadows continue to play...

Continue to play...

Continue...

And suddenly I feel a pain

A lump in my throat

That chokes me...

Did I feel jealous of the shadows?

Did my eyes feel wet?

Did it take extra effort for me to take my eyes away?

And finally, did the shadows look familiar to me?

I get plagued by a gamut of questions!

Sometimes I myself want to become a shadow...

Sometimes I myself want to play...

Sometimes I myself want to whisper...

But there is a time and place for it..

For me, there is none...

What a fart!

Ohhh, its that time of my health again, when I just feel like... aahhh.. relieving myself, but the problem is people never take it too kindly! I remember taking tuition from a Mathematics teacher in Class 9 who had one of his awkward days, which made us concentrate more on vapours than theorems... the problem was how to make a straight face when you know you are dying to laugh your hearts out and he, being a very serious man would never entertain that! Finally we could have a bit of oxygen when he declared, "Please do these problems. Let me complete some work, which I suddenly remember now and I would come back!" We felt like... "hmm... yeah yeah... please... thank you so much".

Now my question is, why are people generally so hush hush about this natural phenomena? Is it only because of the odour associated? Or because of the sound? In most cultures, it is considered "BAD MANNERS". But why? After all we are only leaving out the vapours! Anyways, let me take up the classification of various kind of farts:

The two parameters are VOLUME and ODOUR! So we have four combinations out of these two:

1) Low volume, low odour: The safest bet! Go on all of you! None will notice! Guaranteed pleasure!

2) Low volume, high odour: This is safe only when you are able to strike and leave immediately Its like an air raid. Just drop the bomb and leave. If you stay put, you are in for big time trouble!

3) High volume, low odour: Problem! Do not do it! If at all you need to, please move to the washroom and relieve yourself!

4) High volume, high odour: A strict NO NO! If you feel this would be your output, please leave the place, go to the garden, hum some nice old Hindi song and relieve yourself! And come back only when you feel you are done!

The most common among these four are:

• Low volume, high odour &


• High volume, low odour

Next time, you feel like... you know what... I am sure your output would fall into one of these classifications.

Its the same with all. Take the celebrities: Hrithik, Shahrukh, Sachin, Dada, Dhoni, Lalu... they all do it! But the media has not been able to take up their sounds as yet! Lets hope some day, we would be able to hear something about them... a loud POOOOOOO...

Recently the films have started using the hilarious power of fart to good effect. Did you see Harry Puttar? If not, go and watch it once, its hilariously farty!!!

But somehow, farts have not been utilized well uptill now. Let us see where all could the vapours be utilized more efficiently:

1) As an alternative to LPG, though it would require large scale storage to be of any good use.

2) Handy lighters

3) It could help reduce the usage of bullets in gun battle. A combination of Himesh Reshammiya's songs and foul farty smell could work like AK47 when put to good use against criminals!

4) Drive away a thug. Next time someone places a knife on your back, politely ask him, "Can I fart?" and then provide him with a stinking output.. Success guaranteed!

So next time, you feel like doing it, just do it! Just keep the code of conduct in your mind and always store excess for emergencies!

Wish all of you "Happy Farting"!!!

PS: No offence intended. This post is only intended to give a "Bajate raho" award to those who do not care about the place and occasion and decide to relieve themselves. It would also serve as a guide to those who need it most!

Image source: http://www.porcelainpoetry.faketrix.com

My spiritual number

Your Spiritual Number is Five

You bring adventure and change to people's lives. You are willing to challenge your friends and push them to grow. Right now, your life is about figuring out where to direct your energy. If you're not careful, you can become too unreliable or flighty. You need the perfect project. You live a free form life - which allows you to be very innovative and a great problem solver. Rules, schedules, and structure practically destroy you. You have to do things your own way.

What's Your Spiritual Number?

It's winter

Hey friends,

Winter is here...

The mornings are filled with mist and dew, with the migratory birds flying in from far away places. It becomes impossible to get off the bed and get on with the morning chores. Shivers are felt in the way the cold air touches us. Though we do not have snowfall in this part of the word, but the mist and intense foggy weather is enough to bring in the charm of Christmas! Santa would be coming in his cart with gifts laden to be given away only to the children who have been good throughout the year!

"Santa, Santa, have you brought something for me?"

"No my child, my warehouse does not have what you want. Actually it was destroyed in a heinous fidayen attack. I could only save a few chocolates for the poor children out there in the corner of the road. Thank Jesus, that I did not get killed."

"Santa, how can you die? You are there in our hearts. Those who live in the hearts, live on forever, forever....."

Image source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Graphology - Part 2

Hi friends,

Here are a few more traits to know individuals through handwriting...

1. Let us take determination! And Graphology helps us in identifying exactly that. There are again three shades to it: Enthusiasm, persistence and determination. If the T-bar is extra long it implies lots of enthusiasm.

2. If the T-bar is very small and / or in the left side of the stem, it implies the character of a person who loves to procrastinate.

3. Determination is much stronger in the sense that it does not merely imply a drive to achieve, but much more than that, it implies a strong will to do a task at hand, a task that MUST be done at all costs. Along with the traits described above, we need to look for heavy down strokes - for example a "t", "m" or "n" that goes far below the baseline. Refer to the pictures below:

4. If the baseline is perfectly straight it implies the person's meticulous nature.

5. The integrity or honesty of a person can also be determined through Graphology. Look for letters like "a" and "o" in the handwriting samples. The cleaner the inside of "a" and "o", the more blunt and candid the person tends to be.

6. Diplomacy is revealed by the noticeable decrease in the height of the second hump compared to the first in an "m" or "n".

That's it for now. More coming up in the next post!

Mir, you rock!

Mir Asraf Ali, or, more popularly called as MIR. Yes, I am speaking of the same Mir of Radio Mirchi fame, the same wacky Mir of Dance Bangla Dance, the absolute comedian of Mirakkel and many more popular shows in the entertainment industry. This is the first time I am writing about a personality and the mere fact that I am writing about Mir implies that he has something in him that inspires a hundred people, if not more.

For people who do not know him well enough, let me tell you he is an RJ, an actor, an anchor, a comedian and well, there may be few more hats waiting for him! But what differentiates him from the rest is his way of reaching the top. From a simple village boy of a humble background, when all of his neighbours dropped out of school to earn a living, this guy stood his ground. He continued to toil hard amidst all hardships. He did not forget his father's saying, "You are my only investment." There is something in his life that is strikingly similar to mine, which I choose not to discuss here.

Today, Mir is THE RJ of Kolkata - a top notch entertainer... and I forgot to mention that he can mimic people with awesome ease. Even if he meets you and stays with you for an hour, he would be able to pick all your mannerisms. It is hardly surprising that people like Rituparno Ghosh are disgusted at his way of imitating and has tried to malign him by taking his comedy to the cleaners.

But, at the end of all these, the one thing that matters is: Are we being entertained by you, Mir??? The answer is: YES

Carry on the good stuff, Mir! You rock!!!

Links referred to:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081207/jsp/7days/story_10216903.jsp

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070314/asp/telekids/story_7510937.asp

Nostalgia

Those meadows, those paddy fields...
The soft twitter of birds in the early morning...
Those mornings filled with mist and dew...
Those cricket matches in front of our house...
Those parathas on every Friday night...
Committing nuisance and then climbing high on the nearby Mango tree to escape punishment...
Those loud speakers buzzing with Kishore da during the Pujas...
The flowing Ganges close to my house...
The serenely beautiful scenery of my childhood...
I miss them all...

I miss my school...
Those early morning prayers...
Trying hard to stop a giggle in the assembly line...
The children running around at the recess...
The first ever crush...
The angry teacher slapping a close friend...
And myself feeling the pain...
Crying over differences in marks in the half yearly examinations...
Calculating the ranks of individuals manually, before the report card is handed..
Coaxing a teacher to increase a half mark...
Hiding the copy of a classmate...
Savouring on his tiffin when some guy is not around...
Missing the school bus and crying hearts out with the attendants trying to pacify...
Fighting hard with a tough guy, trying to impress a cutie...
All flash in black and white...

Looking back at what went right, what went wrong...
At each of my wins and my defeats...
At every gesture that brought a smile...
Or at a few which brought tears...
I feel a silent smile escape my lips...

Nostalgia it is......that silently engulfs me

Wish I could go back to those days...
Start few of the things afresh...
May be, correct a few mistakes...
Do a few things better...
Soothe a few souls...
But, its all in the past...
Life does not give a second chance...

Although, I am unsure if it would have mattered anyways...

Image source: http://www.sarahbaingallery.com

Vande Mataram

Friends,
The last few days had been intense. However, now that situations are under control, we can possibly let out a sigh of relief. But patriotism is what I have in mind right now. Was checking out this video in Youtube and felt a lot emotional. Check it out. Every Indian should feel proud watching this and kudos to A.R.Rahman for the genius that he is.

Here is the link to YouTube, just in case the video does not work out as expected.

Terrorists, rest in peace

Finally the war on Mumbai has been won. Kudos to our security forces who dealt with the challenge with awe inspiring precision and technique. However, in the process, we lost top cops like: Hemant Karkare, Salaskar, Kamte. We lost commandos like: Major Unnikrishnan, Gajendra. And we lost many more martyrs from the security forces. But believe me, these people who gave away their lives for the cause of the motherland will inspire every Indian mother to give birth to their clones. Any jehadis reading this post? Come and kill us. How many will you kill? We are more than a billion. Do you have those many bullets? And if you faulter, you know what is in store for you. Don't you? So, come hypocrites. We welcome you to the Indian soil! Come only if you want to die. Remember, Indians are courteous, they treat their guests well, but that is only their mannerism, their ritual, custom, NOT weakness!

The intentions of the separatists are pretty clear:

1. Drive away foreign investors, so that India does not get share of the mullah.
2. Encourage anti-national sentiments among minority groups.
3. Instigate communal disharmony.
4. Make the economy weak.
5. Target top cops and kill them, so that our very own gangsters can do whatever they wish to and also the ongoing investigations are hampered!
6. Enough evidence that our good old neighbours have been very helpful in this regard, not withstanding the trust that we Indians have in them.

I have much pity for the young innocent boys who fall into the trap. They are taught to hate Indians, they are told that minorities out here are ill treated. I welcome them to my courtyard. Come and see their status. See that they not only enjoy equal fundamental rights, but much more than that! Don't be misled by what the brainwashers teach you.

I am lost for words at this juncture. I don't know what do they gain out of all these. If they are so worried about their brothers, why don't they invest in education, hospitals, relief and all ways of charity. Why use up all the resources in destruction of large scale? What's the use? What do they think they are gaining out of all these?

Any jehadi there??? Speak up! Answer me!

I know they won't. They are basically psycho, suffering from intense inferiority complex. They are jealous of the progress that India and the developed world are making. So they want to cripple us.

But they would never be successful in their overtures. You know why?

Coz, always GOOD WINS OVER EVIL.

Image source: http://sify.com/news/

Aye ganpat...

Mumbaaiiiiiiiii...

Aye ganpat chal daru la...

Aye ganpat, ganpat....

Gone are the days when the roadside taporis would have a sip at their glasses after a hard day at work and murmur songs like these. It's all so tense now. People huddle together behind close doors lest a stray bullet finds its way into their frame.

As the counter insurgency operations continue for two long days, the situation is still not under control. Security agencies are trying their level best to curb the threat posed, but owing to hostages who are trapped in the middle, they cannot go for a full-blown attack. Only time will tell, how many more civilians and brave officers would sacrifice their life. The retards have left no stone unturned to ensure that the peaceful life of the Mumbaikars is distorted. But India cannot lose to petty threats like this. Hypocrites, like what these people are, who kill innocent people, take them as hostages and fire indiscriminately at unsuspecting officers CANNOT ruin the dream of a billion people. India stands tall amidst all these and we Indians, will ensure that terrorism in all its forms, is wiped out with no trace whatsoever.

We will again sing, "Aye ganpat....."

Image source: http://www.photoatlas.com/

To be pardoned till we die

I was just going through a post by Vishesh. The post was really very special as it probably succeeded in reducing my frustration and anger and also, taught me to think logically in these hours of crisis. The questions were obvious.

1) Why do few people turn so violent?

2) What are their needs?

3) Do they have some sort of complications?

4) Are they blackmailed?

5) Are they deprived of happiness?

6) Why do they get brainwashed starting from a tender age?

7) Why do they kill innocent people mercilessly? How can they?

8) Are they on some sort of sedatives or drugs, that they lose all common sense?

9) If it is indeed religion they are fighting for, then does it teach them to kill innocent people?

Once I get bored of anger as an emotion, it is grief that encompasses me.

Someone had told that a small child is like a mould of clay. Whatever shape you give to him, he takes it. I feel it is ditto with these guys. From a tender age they learn to hate and only hate. They are born and brought up in such a way that they have never looked at us as fellow brothers and sisters. They have only one word for us, ENEMIES and to teach us a lesson they would go to any extent, any, even if that means blowing themselves up! Pity, that they did not get to learn what the sages have taught for years.

"Live and let live" is not for them.

I totally agree with Vishesh that hatred gives rise to hatred. But, a tricky question that crops up in my mind is: If someone kills your mother with an AK47 in the middle of the highway, will you chant hymns of peace? But Vishesh, in spite of so many doubts in my mind, I have put your picture on my blog post as well.

See, you can counsel people like us, but can you counsel them????? Howsoever I wish, you could... even for that matter, if at all somebody could...

PS. Vishesh, hope you read my post. :)

To be hanged till death

The integrity, freedom and sovereignty of India has again been threatened. Read the story here. How long? How long will these cowards hit from the back. They are damn hypocrites who do not have the minimum common sense so as to spare even a five year old baby. They do not deserve our kindness. Enough has been said and done. It's time we act sternly. They need to be battered and left for hungry dogs to tear away their flesh. They are inhuman. If not dogs, let they be hanged until death. And please, for all those people who cry for human rights, these bastards are not human by any remote stretch of imagination.

"We would never hit you. If if you hit us, you are finished."

Let this be our slogan. Jai Hind!

Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V

Hi friends,

Hope all of you are at the pink of your health (not payslips!). Given the situation we are all in, it's not really a joke!
Nevertheless, let me not go into the detailed analysis of what is going right or wrong at the moment, not to say that I am not the right person for that. Hopefully, the situation would change.
Forget it! Last night I had a dream and I could not resist the urge of sharing with all of you out there. You know about copy and paste, right? They are arguably the most popular key combinations in use for Windows machines. I would like to refer to them as Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V.
Now the dream:
I had a vision that all of us human beings are copy pasting food items. As a result of which, if I have one burgar ready, in seconds I have 25 more, at zero cost and effort. Trust me, for the duration, I was in a trance, I enjoyed every bit of it. Imagine, there would be no problems, had such a technology arrived. No dearth of food, no poverty, no anger, no resentment, no need for employment, no fighting and ..... the list goes on. It could be a viscious circle though as people are never satisfied with whatever they have got. They want more and more and more... which probably would give rise to problems. But a Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V in the hands of the right people would have solved so many problems!

Graphology - Part 1

Hi friends,
On public demand, I have returned with Graphology. I am still learning it. Be careful, while analyzing someone, always insist that they write a cursive handwriting, if you know what I mean. BLOCK handwritings do not reveal much. Anyways, here are few other traits to judge people:

1. "Go to hell K":

This trait applies for people who use a typically large 'K' instead of small 'k', even when the requirement is for the small 'k'. These people are typically arrogant, defiant and have a "do not care" attitude. These people move on their own and are very likely to become successful entrepreneurs and independent businessmen. Notice the 'k' in 'Jack'!

2. Handwriting slanting upwards:

Many people have this trait. Try writing on a white paper and see if this trait appears. Don't worry, it merely implies you are very optimistic.

3. One stroke T-crossing:

Implies your persistent nature. If you start off with a job, you do not end it unless its over and done. A very good trait to have. Notice the 'T' in 'To'.

4. Long downstrokes:

Next time you write a 'g' or 'y', note your downstrokes. Consistent low downstrokes indicate determination.

5. T-bars crossed at the top of the stem:

This trait is very important. I have seen innumerable number of people with T-bars crossed at the bottom or middle. But raising the T-bar cross actually helps in bringing more of self-confidence, high goals, good self image and a drive to achieve and succeed. If you don't have a high T-bar, change it now! Notce the T in 'self esteem'.

6. Signature size:

A very tiny signature implies a lack of confidence, whereas, a signature that is very big indicates a tremendous need to be noticed and also, a bit of arrogance.

Thats it for now. Hopefully, I would add more, soon. Cya.

Love Equations

Hi friends,

I am back with another post. Well, the topic this time is "Love Equations".
Not that I am going to write a romantic love story set on the lines of Laila-Majnu or Romeo-Juliet, neither any poem. Rather, I would try and assemble some of my thoughts scattered helter skelter till now.
Tell me something, have you ever fallen in love? Come on, you must have! There's hardly an individual in the civilized world who has not ever fallen in love. Now, has it ever happened to you, that a person whom you love does not like you. Quite possible, isn't it? The classical case of "Unrequited love"! But has something occurred like, someone loves you and you have got no clue!!! Hmm... I tell you thats equally possible. So barring the standard case of both-way traffic, how about a twisted one like:
A loves B loves C loves D.......

It might as well be a full circle, or even one with more than one loop. The tragedy in the above scenario is neither A, nor B, nor C, nor D is happy. But why is it so?
Only because, they don't know what is there in the other person's mind!
People do not usually tell because of numerous fears:
1) Fear of rejection
2) Fear of stigma in a conservative orthodox society
3) Fear of repurcussions
4) Fear of losing friendship

But had it occurred, like each was free to voice his/her views in front of all, then?
So let us have the declarations:
A -> I love B
B -> I love C
C -> I love D
....

Here, if C finds out that D is not interested in him/her, he/she might revert towards B. That way, as you understand, we have at least been able to make one pair out of the four individuals, which was impossible before. But this happens rarely!

I read about one other scenario in one of the management case studies which spoke about a situation in which, if men and women are allowed to openly disclose their preferences/likings for individuals, then the probability of effective pairing is enhanced.
Let me assume, there are 3 girls A, B and C
and 3 boys: X, Y and Z.
Suppose X and Y propose A
Z proposes C
B proposes Y.
The situation is quite possible. Please note that this should be an open declaration and each should know about the other person's intentions. In this scenario, all are locked with some dilemma or the other. So how to find the way out?
First take the case of A. She has been proposed by two guys and she can't decide whom to pick. So she keeps both on hold. B has proposed Y and Y keeps it on hold coz, A's decision is pending. The scenario where Z has proposed C is the easiest because there are no rivals and eventually, this would be successful, if Z persists. So we take Z and C out of the total equation.
Now, we are left with X,Y and A,B.
The plan is to periodically let X and Y propose A. There would be a time when one of them would get bored of the situation, or be disheartened. If Y drops out, which is quite likely, since he knows there's someone waiting for him and even if he leaves, he would have B for company, the situation is perfectly matched. Then the couples would look like:
A-X
B-Y
C-Z
In the less likely case, if X drops out, we have a problem, in the sense that both X and B become singular then. Then the situation is like:
A-Y
B -----
C-Z
X -----
Then either B and X will have to look for individual avenues or have to patch up together. Patching up together would be an issue, because they never had any feelings for each other.

Everything is logical, isn't it?
However practical things seldom work out like this, simply because we are most essentially driven by heart, ego, sentiments and to a much lesser extent by brain!

Image source: http://www.lovefatedestiny.com/

Have you ever?

Have you ever faced a situation?
When you have been stretched by imagination
To a point, where sense has no function?

Have you ever done something?
Thinking it would do good to kith and kin?
To a point of desperation...

And found to your dismay
Its all a mistake?

If you have, you are not alone...

Life gives opportunities of deeds
Where you can sow seeds, of several complexions..

Yet, sometimes, they do not sprout
Water them
And yet, they do not grow..
Instead, they quiver, decay and die.....

So are our thoughts, hopes, dreams
They are born, they grow, struggle to live
But how often...
They die a premature painful death....

If you think you are alone,
let me tell you, you are not...


Image source: www.voidexpression.net

Dreams

Hi friends

Its early morning here in Kolkata, the time being 3:55 AM, Saturday, November 1st' 2008, kinda foolish, you know, jotting down the date and time, even though it would be visible in the post. However, it doesn't matter. For the last half an hour or so, I thought about various topics - Which one to take up for this post...hmm..yeah, ultimately decided to take up "dreams". We all dream, right. Why few days back only I dreamt about being in the thick of an exam in school and striving hard to finish the paper on time, only to find out that there were 5 questions left at the end and the teacher was almost on the verge of snatching my answer sheet. The classroom was filled with people who constituted my school friends, my college mates as well as my colleagues from my current organization. The teacher collecting the papers was none other than my Team Lead! Well.. well... There have been others, where I have dreamt about my superficial girlfriends (some of whom I don't have contact with any more, some of whom are married, some of whom are engaged and others are all not available). But the point is: What are dreams? For generations, there have been various explanations on them. Let us take a look at some of the most-widely prophessed theories on dreams:

1. Dreams are the remnants of whatever we think about, day in and day out. They constitute our sub-conscious thoughts, our inner fears, or inner experiences, desires and blah blah blah.

2. However, dreams often come true as well and can be pretty accurate as well! Our grandfathers have taught us that depending upon the 'paksh' (15days interval before and after Full Moon, if you understand what I mean), whether it is the Suklapaksh or Krishnapaksh, dreams have greater or lesser probability of being true. Often meanings have been attributed on the kind of likely outcomes for specific kinds of dreams.

But whatever might be the truth, it remains that we are still in the dark on why we dream.

Let me quote Wikipedia on this:

Dreams are sequence images, sounds and feelings experienced while sleeping, particularly strongly associated with rapid eye movement sleep. The
contents and biological purposes of dreams are not fully understood, though they have been a topic of speculation and interest throughout recorded history. The scientific study of dreams is known as oneirology.

Let me not go into details of the wikipedia, you can always follow the link and know more. A lot of research has been going on this. However, I would like to concentrate on only one aspect: Why do dreams come true? Can the subconscious infer events which the conscious cannot? Is it something related to para-psychology? Are there any psychic abilities involved? These are the questions which plague me, but since, these are not familiar waters for me, I prefer not to venture at this point. Friends, if you know something, do let me know.

References:
en.wikipedia.org
www.auroville.org

It's Diwali time

Friends,

Although, the market is down with the bull reeling with high fever, yet we would celebrate Deepavali (or Diwali) with full pomp and show. The festival of lights brings about a feeling of happiness which is inexplicable.
So, I take this opportunity to wish all of you a very happy Diwali.
Enjoy the festivities. May all darkness be abolished from the earth. May there be light.

Image courtesy: http://www.su-web.nottingham.ac.uk

0.5 Molar solution?

"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!"

You are surprised? You must be... It's me screaming at the top of my voice. You know why? It's because I have lost something. What? Friends, love, valuables.....
No... It's my tooth... my beloved molar in the lower right jaw! He died a painful death the other day, when I was thinking about savouring a delicious piece of chicken at a small party.
Poor me... I was hurt... For a minute or two I was dumbfounded. I could not make out whether it was my tooth or a leftover of the piece... But I observed that a hollow cavity had appeared in my gum... Immediately I went to the washroom and thoroughly washed my mouth, just to check if any more remnants remained. But, poor me... It was only half gone... The upper visible part was gone, but the root was very much present! The days that followed were not very pleasant either... The part swelled out of proportions and I could not chew anything. There was very little time, so I could not visit a dentist either! All these compounded problems for me... what irritated me most was the fact that all the parties were scheduled on subsequent days, one after the other... and I did not stand a chance to enjoy any of them...
All of these in 'past' tense! So what's the present like?
Well, finally I visited a dentist and had medicines... I am using one end of my mouth to chew, the left jaw to be exact... but you know, overload causes breakdown! And now, I have started fearing about my left molars as well...

Friends, do you have a solution to this? (apart from surgery)

Image courtesy: http://images.elfwood.com

Ma abar esho!

The end of Durga Puja' 2008 is near. Today is Bijoya Dashami or Dussehra. The oh-so-beautiful idols would be immersed and the 'bisorjon' would be carried out shortly whereby the idols would be immersed in the Ganges. The City of Joy thus moves into a state of melancholy. The divine Mother would be leaving for her heavenly abode soon enough with her children, only to return again next year. Dussehra celebrates the win of 'Good' against 'Evil', but it also brings an end to the five day long Puja and the eagerly awaited festivities.
As always, this year too saw some brilliant displays of art and culture in the Puja pandals. The craftsmanship was of pretty high standards and one was awe-struck at the sheer brilliance of the artists involved. There were several Pandals which carried out themes to depict a special incident or an event or even a page from history and also related it to the ritual. There were also others who stuck to the age old traditions and culture and carried out the Puja, just as it has been done throughout in the entire history. Nevertheless, each exuded a kind of devotion for the Mother which was unique.
The biggest plus was the unity of the people irrespective of the status, class, caste, creed, religion or nationality. Each and every individual enjoyed in his or her own ways. The Mother's doors were open for all and sundry.
In the midst of it all, one could not help but wonder, how could people kill each other in the name of religion. There is one God and we are all his children, regardless of the path we choose to offer our prayers!
Alas! Few people do not understand this!
Sorry, friends, I do not intend to end this post on such a gloomy note. Rather, I would like to wish all of you my sincerest greetings on the occasion of Dussehra and Bijoya. Whichever part of the world, you might hail from, may God bless you and your families with His choicest blessings!

Wish you all "Happy Dussehra" and "Subha Bijoya" !!!

...and for the Mother, "Ma abar esho!"

Photograph courtesy: http://www.bangalinet.com

Singur Puja

Hello friends

Sorry for the delay in writing a new post. All this while, I was busy doing nothing! hehe.. :D Forget it!

Now that I have returned, I have two HOT topics with me. Don't be baffled by the title of the post. It's not for a 'Puja in Singur' or '(Media) Worship of the Singur issue'! I will discuss the incidents separately, which are mainly related to West Bengal but having an impact not only on India, but worldwide.



The first is obviously the Singur controversy. As far the latest update is concerned, Mr Ratan Tata is moving away in search of greener pastures (here it was grey, not even green, those who know would understand). So the much awaited Tata Nano factory would not be built in Singur. Lets not get into, who was responsible for what! Politics is not my cup of tea and am least bothered about it! The concerning factor is that, this would be a big jolt towards projecting West Bengal (and for that matter, even India) as an investment-friendly destination for the big corporates. Questions are already being raised about if Mr Tata could face these kinds of reaction on his home turf, what would be the plight of overseas investors. I would not dare answer these. There are others, much older than me, much more adept at gauging industry trends, much more people friendly (read 'janta ke sevak')and much more concerned about whether the country's youth should have a right to change their fortunes, it's for them to answer. Much print has already been used up on this grim issue, so let’s move over to something more soothing and happier.


Yes! The festival times have begun all over India with the 'Navratris' starting from 30th September'2008 all over India as well as the Durga Puja (mainly, but not limited to) in West Bengal. Today is 'Shashthi'. The Durga Puja starts from today itself. Next come 'Saptami', 'Ashtami', 'Nabami', 'Dashami'. I would not go into the details (frankly I do not know that much!), but being a Kolkattan, for me, the pleasure lies in the sheer enjoyment that people indulge in throughout all these days. There is the tradition of buying clothes and dress materials for near and dear ones before the festival begins, which they put on during the festival time and go out 'pandal hopping' (For those who do not know the term, let me tell you, it simply implies you go from one pandal to another offering your prayers to Devi Durga and admiring the wonderful craftsmanship on display). With this, eating and merry making play an important part as well with food courts catering 24*7 throughout these 4-5 days. Children have ample fun with the 'Phuchkas', 'Alu kablis', 'Bhelpuris' and good old ice creams. Overall, for many, this is the time of the year when enjoyment is at its peak! If you are an atheist, do not worry, you still have access to pubs and nightclubs to chill yourself, and even high end restaurants with all the delicacies that you can dream of! Only, your pocket needs to be heavy, else you miss out on the fun. As far as pure devotion is concerned, simply watching a Puja in progress is enough to purify the soul and to bring about peace of mind!

References:
http://www.durga-puja.org
http://www.indoryoko.net
http://www.dancewithshadows.com

Lovers categories

Hey people out there

In one of my last posts, I had mentioned that I am currently carrying out a study on the types of lovers that I see daily on the streets, buses, cabs, parks, tubes, restaurants, office, theatres and even social networking sites. So here are my findings. I hope you would find it interesting!

Types of lovers:

1. Lover kids


With the advent of romantic films in each and every household which are viewed by children, this category is on the rise. Typically, these children see a certain Shahrukh or Hrithik in themselves (or even Genelia or Preity). They dance to their heart's content in front of the mirrors and assume they have fallen in deep love. Romance at this age is very innocent and usually develops while exchanging notes or playing a bit of kabaddi. Girls, as always, are tempted by the boys, but being more mature, they play hard to get! [They know that funda from an early age] lolz... :D


2. Adolescent lovers

These are the more of the die-hard types. They are even ready to cut their wrists and risk their lives, while trying to show how much they care about their loved
ones, but sadly for them, it never happens that way! They dare walking down the streets with their loved ones hand in hand, though few of them would say things like, "We are just friends" or "No uncle, we are only brother and sister" when asked straight on the face. A short-lived type of romance and usually ends in tears!






3. College goers

Boys tend to be more daring and girls like to be bolder. They don't care for the elders any more. "Hey uncle, if we are making out, who are you to shout?" kinda stuffs... Things might go terribly wrong if people are not mature enough. Love triangles are mostly seen in this genre. And for some specific couples, they should think of Bula di before they think of something else! [Caution: I am only following the law of averages, so do not beat me up in the dark]



4. Office darlings

I am still a firm believer that office romance is all nonsense, simply because when any kind of business comes in the way of love, it usually suffers. But still
there are ample instances. What I have observed among these types is typically like: Romance develops while attending training sessions, helping each others out with problems and stuffs and during the lunch breaks. Most people involved here are already experienced, so they are mature, thus a somewhat greater chance for it to blossom. But beware: Keep out of the boss's eyes, else you are in big trouble! :P



5. Mid-age romance

There are few unfortunate ones, who could not get someone throughout their prime. They feel alone, bored and look out for like-minded partners. They feel at this age it is sort of a taboo, so they try to remain undercover. Next time you browse Orkut, look out for a "sexy Tina" or "Mohit alone" sort of profile and you would know what I mean!



6. Old-age illusions

Nope, I am not talking about the likes of Big B as in Nishabd. But these people are often terribly alone, many of them having had lost their life partners. These people search for their late spouses in young guys (or girls, as applicable). They love to see a spark similar to their long lost friends, but usually get disappointed on not
finding anyone, similar! Unfortunate instances, doubtless!
However, there are more fortunate ones, who are still coupled up and try to find their own spark in their children, they try to live their long lost romance through them!

Friends, as I feel, these are all cases with the law of averages and based upon the Indian scenario. These are all generalized and might be totally wrong. Nevertheless,
these are my views based on experience (I mean what I have seen). Any and every comment is welcome. :))

Photograph courtesy:
http://www.desicomments.com
http://www.kazuya-akimoto.com
http://www.british-filipino.com
http://i.l.cnn.net
http://www.psychologicalscience.org
http://www.jewishjournal.com