My 2009 resolutions reportcard!

Finally, the year 2009 is coming to an end.. looking back there are few things which come to my mind. But before I really take a deep dive into what went right and what did not, let me reflect on my resolutions for 2009:

1. Promise everyone with a small 'conditions apply' tag. <-- Yes, I did it! So am happy and safe
   
2. Stay away from girls and dogs. Both bite and bite hard! It hurts! oooh! <-- Ab-so-lutely! 10 on 10 in this as well!
   
3. Laugh often and never cry. <-- I could not keep this promise totally!
   
4. Make friendships only with boys (in a strictly non-pervert and innocent sense, NOT what you think, you *****!) <-- Hmm.. well... yeah..
   
5. Feign to be intelligent. <-- Many idiots, one intelligent.. guess who!
   
6. Whenever in trouble, speak the truth. <-- I do that! But sorry, that has landed me in more trouble!
   
7. Whenever not in trouble, also speak the truth. Oh! both sound so similar, isn't it? <-- Followed totally..
   
8. Research on how to increase the limits of blogger, so that I may never have to switch to another account and am able to write 90 years of blah blah blah.<-- This is a pending task
   
9. Make money out of everything! Am short of cash! Seriously! <-- I have spent more than I have made, well, almost... a jackpot anyone?
   

So, friends, what do you make out of all that? A mixed year for me? huh?

This year's resolutions would be different. Keep your fingers crossed till I am back with my list. And oh, by the way, have you shortlisted your top 'n' movies, shows, books, blogs, blog posts, music tracks, events and etc etc etc for the year (almost) gone by? What did you say? "Not yet" "Time kahaan!" "Forget it"??

Oh come on! Write something! Take a bit of time out of your busy schedule and prepare a list - say of music tracks. Sort in descending order of preferences. Play the tracks on the night of 31st December. Have an I-Pod handy. Watch the night sky explode with fire crackers all around and play back the songs. See if each of the songs bring back a specific incident of the year gone by! ...science calls this "associated memory".. for example, the song "hua hai tujhe jo bhi jo bhi" may bring back memories of your first (or last) kiss! (not me)! Close your eyes. Think about it.

You would feel nostalgic, feel good, rejuvenated, ready to take on the new year with new hopes and expectations... you would feel all charged up. Friends, try it for a change...

I would come back shortly with my list of resolutions for 2010 and also what went right for me and what did not..

So, (in the classic style of reality TV shows) PLEASE DO NOT GO ANYWHERE! I WILL BE RIGHT BACK!

Until next time, ciao!!


Image source: http://nnhs.newton.k12.ma.us/go/content/view/413/

The strength within...

I have seen the past...
The crowning glory to the dusk of doomsday
The ecstasy of win to the heartbreak of failure
The wreckage of hope to the most hopeful of dreams
The feeling to stand atop the most daunting of challenges
The strength to withstand any and every kind of adversity
I embody all that is good
I embody all that glorifies humanity
And yet, people ridicule me..
But then, I am controlled by the brain, managed by the heart
So you can punch me once
I shall stand up
Punch me again
I will stand up
Punch me again and again
I must stand up
I love being tested again and again
only for the sheer pleasure of seeing you punching the walls
...in anguish, in disappointment

As Swami Vivekananda said:
"When I Asked God for Strength
He Gave Me Difficult Situations to Face

When I Asked God for Brain & Brown
He Gave Me Puzzles in Life to Solve

When I Asked God for Happiness
He Showed Me Some Unhappy People

When I Asked God for Wealth
He Showed Me How to Work Hard

When I Asked God for Favors
He Showed Me Opportunities to Work Hard

When I Asked God for Peace
He Showed Me How to Help Others

God Gave Me Nothing I Wanted
He Gave Me Everything I Needed "

So God, I am thankful to you for all that you gave me.
I curse myself for not being able to glorify you enough...

Calcutta mood - Winter!

Finally, it is that time of the year - the Christmas, the New Year... festival time! Holidays!
Yeah, I know, many of you are gearing up for this season. Even Kolkata is getting ready for the "silent night, holy night...". Cakes and pastries are already out - luring people like me! :P (just in case you did not know, I love cakes).

In addition to these, there are Christmas trees, decorative lights, stars. Kolkata is an emotional city. People were mad with excitement when Maradona (with the 'hand of God' fame) arrived in the city. They cried when celebs like Princess Diana or the Pop Superstar Michael Jackson left this world. The same city did not care to have a single look at the badly injured guy who was left to his fate at night near the VIP Road. They embraced the kindness of Mother Terresa (she was an angel, really!). But they also burnt the Eden Gardens stadium when India lost a test cricket match against Pakistan. Every emotion, every mood is on display. People show what they love and they show what they hate! Strong display... nothing hush hush..

But then, no city is perfect! Kolkata is not! And yet... it is the city of hope, city of dreams.. or the "city of Joy" (as is more popularly known). I even loved the name Calcutta. Kolkata is bong, but Calcutta sounded smart! :P [But guys, please don't say Kolkotta/Kolkatta, that is nether here, nor there]... oops I don't want to sound like that authoritarian guy.. what's his name! Oh I forgot! He is not in the news nowadays! [till he decides to create a new controversy]... Forget it friends, as Shakespeare said, "What's in a name!"

So, the celebrations have begun! Although there is a strong indication that the weather would betray the mood! With temperatures hovering on and around 19-25 degree Celsius, it sometimes seems tough to believe that the season is "winter"! In any case, people would still wear jackets, well, even with the chances of perspiration! Farmville fields would still be covered with snow, even for the users from Kolkata! Hey it's winter, man!! (at least going by the calendar).. So, time for celebrations!!!

And also another year almost comes to an end. 2009 was significant for me, for us, for India and also for the world in many ways. 2010 should be interesting as well! I would shortly come up with the pros and cons of the year 2009 and new resolutions for the new year! New hopes... new expectations... new dreams... new realizations...

Until next time......................



Image source: http://video.ilovekolkata.in/seyretfiles/uploads/thumbnails/user_62/santa_3612.jpg

A reason enough

A thorn, a prick and then, the blood
The connection is ethereal
And yet, I chose the thorn and the prick
The reason: Pain is sweeter than surrender and injustice!

Are we heading towards the dark ages?

My office was attacked by hooligans of the Bloody Jammers' Party today during the 12 hour strike!
Do we have any hope of a secure future?
Read the article here. You decide!
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Politics/Nation/BJPs-Bengal-strike-gets-partial-response-activists-run-amok/articleshow/5284933.cms

You are lucky you are only reading it. My friends faced it!

Sample these:
1) A doctor going to a hospital was not spared the agony. His car was badly damaged and he was verbally abused with the choicest of slang.
2) The DLF building (which houses my office) was attacked by bloody hooligans! Employees were not allowed to get in, even when they stressed the importance of the kind of work we do.. involving 24*7 support. Never before had the IT industry come under such an attack! Think about the kind of impression it gives to our prospective clients!
3) Patients being taken to the hospital were checked thoroughly. They almost had a 'pre-health' checkup in the hands of uneducated, brute, 'lathi' wielding 'doctors', prior to the actual medical checkup.
4) School buses were emptied of children and burnt.

At the end of the day, one of the leaders proudly announced on TV..."Ah... it was a successful strike.." So true. Isn't it?

Are we heading towards the dark ages? I am tired of criticizing politicians... Come on, someone give me a break!

A strike is supposed to be a tool to gauge voluntary people support on a particular issue. But here we saw petty hooliganism by criminals and musclemen, with no regard whatsoever for anyone. In a democratic country like ours, this sort of force and display of muscle power cannot and should not be supported.

Jago India, jago...
Rise India, rise...

Where is Peace?

One year on... remember?
Of course you remember, on this day, one year back, Mumbai was torn apart with violence, hatred, bloodshed. Today Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist captured alive is still grinning inside his cell of his, toggling between a volley of statements and enjoying the loopholes of law and order. As per unofficial estimates, an amount in excess of 31 crore Indian rupees have already been wasted on his trial!! If you ask me Ajmal will face one of the following:
1) A death after 30 years owing to old age and natural causes.
2) An escape to Pakistan, like the way Maulana Masud Azhar escaped after the Kandahar hijack!
...worst, by that time, we would have lost many more crores while facilitating his survival!

Everyone is preparing evidences against everyone. And once one set is published, another set is prepared. Years lost in preparing evidences. What about the sufferers?

None is really bothered. Innocent lives are being lost in a hurry.

Babri - Mumbai (1992) - Godhra - Gujarat - Kandahar - Kargil - Parliament - 26/11 Mumbai(2008)

...not in chronological order

Were any of these really required?

What did we gain out of these? Satisfied our bloody egos? My religion is bigger than you or vice versa? - oh really?

Pakistan and India - these two nations badly need money in order to uplift the economically backward classes and see, what we are indulging in! More and more money invested in military, in arms and ammunition...

Friends, I am an Indian. But I strongly believe there can be a solution to the historical 'problem', but somewhere the ego should be left aside! We have seen enough blood, enough dead bodies... please... we do not want to see more...

I do not understand politics. It is something that I have not specialized in. But I dislike violence. Probably, I can handle the computer games like Quake3 Arena, but only till that! Never ever in reality.

Think... why do people kill each other? What is the ulterior motive? The day we die, our souls will part our bodies. No gold, no riches, no money, no relationships will ever stay except our deeds. Our deeds will indeed stay.

Friends, never ever be remembered for a bad reason. A terrorist will not be remembered for the "fidayen".... though wrongly motivated people may think so. He will be remembered as a killer... a person who took away a baby from a wailing mother, a wife from a loving husband, a mother from a 8 year old daughter.....

And why did he do it? From a terrorists' perspective? For revenge? An eye for an eye... leaving the world blind? Blind, we are... blind are the politicians... blind is our ego... So what is the difference of a savage animal with a human being! Why do we educate ourselves? Why do we read religious scriptures? Do they teach us to ill-treat our fellow human beings? Do they teach us to beat them up?

No... I am not supporting any religion here. But yes, I do have a religion. Everyone does. But the point is we should be adaptable to others. A sin committed by a group of individuals should not be taken as that committed by the community. Am I making sense?

Temples, Mosques, Churches, Gurdwaras are all holy places. We should respect each of them. All are paths to the God - the almighty. We as children, were always taught the same as per Indian customs. But there are bloody politicians who ruined these holy thoughts.

See the result. We fight and nations who produce ammunition are laughing their way to their bank balances. Naturally... who are their customers? We... India and Pakistan!!

Kasab - a mere pawn in the whole game! The sad part is, he still has no remorse for what he did.

And finally, the personnel who laid down their lives in the service of their motherland, performing their duty... my salutes to them.. or else the attack could have taken the lives of many more!

But... is 26/11/2009 much different from 26/11/2008?

Before I end this post, listen to this song from the Colonial Cousins album, sung by Hariharan and Leslie Lewis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0gDqUvceCY





Here is the lyrics:

Krishna Ni Bhe Gha-Ni, Baroo !
Krishna Ni Bhe Gha-Ni, Baroo !

Darkness coming around,
And every body fight with the brother
Every body wants control,
Don't hesitate to kill one-another

So come back as Jesus
Come back and save the world
Bless all the future of every boy and girl
Come back as Rama,
Forgive us for what we've done
Come back as Allah,
Come back as anyone


Religion is the reason,
The world is breaking up into pieces
Colour of the people,
Keeps us locked in hate please release us

So Come down and help us,
Save all the little ones
They need a teacher,
And you are the only one
We can't rely on,
To build a better world
A world that's for children,
A world that's for everyone



Time is healer, and time moves on
Time don't wait for any one
So, Tell me you'll be back
But that will take some time
I m waiting aaa I m waiting ,wating
I m waiting

I'm waiting, yeah yeah

Come back as Jesus
Come back and save the world
We need a teacher,
and You are the only one
Come back as Rama
Forgive us for what we've done
Come back as Allah
Come back for every one

Krishna Ni Bhe Gha-Ni, Baroo
Krishna Ni Bhe Gha-Ni, Baroo

Come back as Jesus
Come back and save the world
Bless all the future
OF every boy and gal

Come back as Rama
Forgive us for what we've done
Come back as Allah
Come back for every one

Govinda bolo hari Gopala bolo
Govinda bolo hari Gopala bolo
Govinda bolo hari Gopala bolo

AMAZING... ISN'T IT?


Image source: http://naturaloilcandles.com
Reference: http://www.lyricsmasti.com

The silence before...

Have a look at the article below:
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091124/jsp/sports/story_11778161.jsp

I am sad... very sad... why?

Am I sad because the iconic Sachin Tendulkar did not get any support from BCCI?
Am I sad because the separatist elements are looming large in this country?
Am I sad because the way the fundamental rights of freedom of expression, the right to free speech is being curtailed???

Come on... we are living in free India!!

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL!!

My question to you Indians, how can a group of men rule over millions? Voice your disgust!! Show your discomfort!

The last day I spoke to a friend of mine and she did not take the name as well. As if Lord Voldemort of Harry Potter fame (he who must not be named!!!).... so invincible?

I ask you people: When? When will this end?

I urge you Indians: Defeat the separatists!! These are more dangerous than the terrorists!! They can cause irreparable damage to our motherland!!

Mumbaikars: I understand many of you may be secret admirers of the "God", but take my word, all of these are for petty political gains. The day his ambitions are met, you will all bear the brunt. Believe in yourself, in your abilities, in your talents. No talent goes unrecognized. Compete and show everyone what you can do! Regional political parties have no hope of making a mark in this country until and unless they play the 'region' card. Our forefathers made a gross mistake by allowing infinite number of political parties to be floated. If you have Rs 500, you are eligible to stand in elections!!

And thus, these formed.

But friends, think about it! All of these can change! The power of the people is infinite, boundless! Show your power. Voice your opinions! In every blog, in every newspaper, in every nook and corner of this country, let the opinions flow freely.

Show the tricolor of India - the country of unity in diversity, the country which is home to people of every nationality, the largest English speaking nation.

Friends and fellow Indians - We can do it! Can't we?



PS. These are my personal views and by the universal Human Right of Freedom of Expression, I have every right to voice my opinions. If you have other views, feel free to share.

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

Pay for your deeds

Hi friends

The last couple of days had been busy times for me with my dad getting hospitalized for a long ailment. But there were a few things that just left a sour taste in my mouth. Take the instance of the taxi refusal yesterday evening.

My aunt and mom accompanied by me planned to take a taxi to Tollygunge at her place. But the cabbies seemed to have a cunning laugh as each of them whizzed past us without any regret. I got hold of one guy and here is the conversation:

Me: Hey dada, wanna go to Tollygunge, Malancha?
Cabbie: What? Malancha? No way.
Me: But why? You know you can't refuse.
Cabbie: So? I won't go. That's final. What can you do here?
Me: Really? So tell me your number.
Cabbie: [Vehemently] Yes. Take down. WB 04C 10**.
He whooshed away.

I was out of my mind literally, vouching to take the guy to task.

Did some Googling and found the following link:
http://www.kolkatatrafficpolice.org/complain.html

Registered the complaint! Lets see what happens!

Hindsight: It is necessary to instill some sort of fear in these unruly people - those who harass commuters at the drop of a hat! People are afraid of the law enforcement officials and people like these just take the illegal benefit out of the whole affair!

Article published in peacekashmir.com

Hi friends

I was just planning to wind up for the day when I found out one of my old articles used in a website called PeaceKashmir.com, and that too, alongside some very eminent authors. The link is: http://peacekashmir.com/columnist/Kashmir-anintegralpartofIndia.htm

By the way, the site is interesting. The "Contact Us" tab states that it is maintained by the youth of Jammu and Kashmir who want peace in the land. I plan to read all the articles there some day or the other.

I am glad that they gave me the credits for being the author.

You can find the original article here: http://chiranjibmazumdar.blogspot.com/2009/05/kashmir-integral-part-of-india.html

By the way, for all those who had not read this article, this is a chance to read it afresh and please, pour your comments. This is a burning issue, undoubtedly and it would be nice to have your perspectives.

2012 - The end of human race?

2012.

Guys what does this year mean to you? Just another year, 3 years later...or... something more?
One of my dear colleagues is eating my head off literally with his continuous arguments (read predictions) that the world would come to an end.

Now, now, I do not want to provide you with junk information, as the internet today is already cluttered with lots and lots of junk. So, what did I do.. well, I tried to validate how much of this is really true.

Perspectives to it:

The Mayan Calendar =>
As per the Mayan calendar, the dates end on December 21, 2012. However, the astronomer Philip Plait has stated very clearly that the Mayan calendar does not end in 2012 at all, that it is like the odometer on your car, as each section of the odometer reaches 9 and then clicks over to 0, the next number to it starts a new cycle, so that when all the numbers again reach 0 all the way across the odometer - the last number will change from 1 to 2 and the new cycle starts all over again.
So, going by it, the Mayan calendar (whether or not the dates end in 2012) alone cannot usher in the doomsday.

The Kali Yug (as per Hinduism) =>
The Kali Yug as per the ancient scriptures started 3102 BC, a mere 8 years after the advent of the current Mayan Calendar count. However, the Kali Yug is supposed to last 432,000 years, well eclipsing 2012 and far beyond.

Planet Nibiru's collision with Earth=>
Yet another theory propounded discusses about a planet which will collide with the earth and abolish the entire human race. [in 2012]

Magnetic Pole Reversal=>
Magnetic polarity reversal may even cause our earth to rotate in reverse direction, thus eliminating human race [in 2012]


Now, tell me friends, are you afraid? Have you already started Googling on one or more of the word combinations, viz. doomsday, 2012, mayan calendar etc etc etc?

Ah... well even I did and that is when I came across this wonderful article. Read it friends and sleep in peace!

'The world is not enough' and it will not end in 2012.


References:
www.2012doomsday.com
www.mayancalendar2012.org
www.2012rising.com
www.npr.org

Ramblings...

The song which I am listening to right now:

...tum mile to mil gaya ye jahaan
tum mile to har pal hai naya
tum mile to jaadu chha gaya
tum mile to jeena aa gaya...

"Tum mile" is one movie I pan to catch sooner or later. The chemistry between Emraan and Soha would be interesting!

Peculiar way to start this post... isn't it? All because I am not sure what to write. But there are so many things that I want to share with you all. And yet, the pen just won't obey my orders.

...dil ibadat kar raha hai dhadkane meri sun
tujhko mai karlun haasil lagi hai yahi dhun...
zindagi ki shaakh se lun
kuchh hasin pal mai chun...

This is the second song that is playing right now. Wonderful lyrics - really! But again, see, I diverted from what I wanted to write.

Confusing... very confusing...

Am I doing it intentionally? playing with the reader's mind?...or is it just coming naturally... I wonder. Actually there's a thin line I am walking on right now. A little bit off line, this way or that way and I shall disappear forever..................

3:55 AM. I need to catch a bit of sleep.

See ya friends... soon..


Image source: http://s.chakpak.com

A wish

I give you a wish tonight
Close your eyes
Immerse yourself in peace
And make a wish
Think whatever you wish will come true
No matter how many obstacles come in the way
No matter how much pain
It will come true...
And then take a deep breath
Think of all the good things that you have ever done
Forgive those who were not good to you
Forgive yourself for those who were dealt with severely
Shed a drop of tear or two for the ones whom who lost
Make a prayer to have them live happily ever after
Now open you eyes
See the world
Feel how beautiful it is
Every creature on this earth...
What did you do today to put a smile on a stranger's face?
...to make him happy?
Its not yet late
Stand up oh lazy bloke.
Get out of the blocks and stretch yourself
Do what you have never done before..
Surprise yourself by how much you can achieve..
Be positive
Think positive
Life is short..
So make the most while it lasts..
Amen..



Image source: http://media.photobucket.com

Donate blood, save a life

Donate blood, save a life.

Few days back, I saw a video footage of the Berhampore New General Hospital aired on television which highlighted that the hospital did not have any stock for any of the blood groups, literally driving patients crazy. Any request for blood was refused bluntly with a statement on the lines of "Please bring a donor or arrange for the blood yourself."

Frankly I felt bad. Blood is such a fluid that cannot be manufactured, yet it is an essential ingredient of the life support system.

So, as soon as I received an opportunity, I said YES to blood donation. It was an initiative on the part of my organization to arrange for a voluntary blood donation camp here in Kolkata, in association with AMRI Hospitals. Not that it was my first time. In fact it was my 4th time. In college, I had donated blood on two occasions and once last year, when I did it for my dad. He was to undergo a surgery.

This time, believe me, it felt nice... really... felt as if I saved a life today!

I know there are many who are apprehensive about blood donation. Well here are a few facts which may just open your eyes. This is the eligibility criteria for voluntary donation.
Any person within the age group of 18 - 60 years with a body weight as minimum 45 kgs, and having hemoglobin content as minimum 12.5 gm% (reference) is eligible.
For more information, please visit the American Red Cross.

So, friends... what are you waiting for! Donate blood, save a life!




NOTE. Please be informed that the information listed here is for guidance purposes and during actual donation, certified medical practitioners would give final verdict on whether a person is eligible to donate blood.

Award and a tag

Hey people

Blame me for everything.
Come on. Throw all that you have. Tomatoes, potatoes, eggs, pebbles... everything!
And after you are done with all these, ask me: Why?

Simple, friends - I ignored my blog like anything... as a result, I did not write anything new. I hardly read what others wrote. My already under-nourished Google Pagerank went from a 1 to NA. The Alexa rank went from 1lakh-ish to 2,916,915!!!

Disgusting ! Ain't it?

And just when I was settling down to tear my hair apart, I received blogging awards from Preposterous Girl!



Now, now, guys and girls - no awards come cheap and this one isn't either. So I actually have to answer a few questions (properly!) before I really can accept them.

1. What is your current obsession?
Mafia Wars and Farmville on Facebook

2. What are you wearing today?
Bengali kurta and pajama..

3. What’s for dinner?
I usually have chappatis and vegetable curries and yes, boiled milk!

4. What’s the last thing you bought?
A rayban sunglass, that burnt a small hole in my pocket.

5. What are you listening to right now?
Bengali news in the next room...

6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
A great blogging friend of mine! :)
Though I do not know her personally, there is an intellectual connect. She writes really well and expresses her individualistic nature freely. In true sense a free independent girl of 21st century India - one who would not buckle under pressure and would not give in to social prejudices! :D

7. Replaced Question : Do you believe in love?
Yes.. I used to..

8. What are your must-have pieces for summer?
A bermuda

9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
My bed next to me! I am not THAT energetic! (though there are occasional surges)

10. Which language do you want to learn?
Language of girls! I really find it difficult to decipher...

11. What’s your favourite quote?
"It is amazing how much you can achieve when it does not matter who gets the credit".
Incidentally, this one is appended to my official signature as well.

12. Who do you want to meet right now?
None

13. What is your favourite colour?
Blue

14. What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?
Sherwani

15. What is your dream job?
Rockstar

16. What’s your favourite magazine?
I don't read mags..

17. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
Save it in a bank. I need cash - thick and fast.

18. What do you consider a fashion faux pas?
Sorry.. wrong question for me

19. Who are your style icons?
Again..I hardly care...

20. What kind of haircut do you prefer?
Short conventional male hair cut

21. What are you going to do after this?
Go for a bath and then, a sumptuous lunch.

22. What are your favorite movies?
Too many..

24. What are three cosmetic/makeup/perfume products that you can't live without?
I do not use.. except a deodorant.

23. What inspires you?
Quotes and life stories

24. Give us three styling tips that always work for you:
Only one tip (if you ever consider that as a tip)
Do not follow the trend blindly, stand out from the crowd, be different from others - in a decent manner.

25. What do you do when you “have nothing to wear” (even though your closet’s packed)?
I usually have 'something'

26. Coffee or tea?
Coffee

27. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?
I find out the root cause

28. What is the meaning of your name?
A man who lives after his death through his actions and deeds... [tough ask living upto my name]

29. Which other blogs you love visiting?
Too many to list here..

30. Favorite Dessert/Sweet?
Malai kulfi, misti doi, rabri, chocolate pastry, khir.............. list goes on..

31. Favorite Season ?
Winter

32. If I come to your house now, what would u cook for me?
Sorry madam, if there's none else around, you may have to do that yourself. I can't cook AT ALL! :(


Rules for those who are tagged:
Respond and rework – answer these questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own, and add one more question to the list. Then tag eight or ten other new set of people.

Ah... I can't tag many more, but this time, I would go with the 10, who I know are livid by now with my absence from their pages. Hopefully this would bring some smiles on their faces:

Vimmu
Oorja
Pawan
Indyeah
Varun
Piyu
Valerine
Alice
Ashwathy
Smita

People, congrats on your awards! :D

And yes, anyone who views this post is free to take this tag forward...

As of now...

Hello!

This was by far my longest vacation away from my favorite blog. Not that I had disappeared into oblivion, but there was nothing worthwhile to write, or perhaps, I was more engrossed in my own world and wished to keep things to myself - be secluded from the hustle and bustle of the blogworld. But then, a fish cannot stay out of water and I cannot stay out of my blog.

What did I do all these days! Well, I tried a lot of things, succeeded, took important decisions, kept myself and others entertained and even sorted out a few disputes. Now now, I can testify to each of these, so, please do not think, I am making stories.

Lets follow a LIFO structure (last in, first out). Few days back I saw the beautiful 3D movie - Sea Monsters at IMAX, Mani Square, Kolkata. Apart from the fact that the movie lasted only 45 minutes, I liked every bit of it. The narration, the technique, the story line... all kept us deeply glued to the screen. Time and again there were big prehistoric underwater animals (sorry I don't remember their long names) who would gobble us and it occurred to me more than once, that I had literally ducked under to spare myself from the agony! All in all, it was pure fun. Let me not go into any more details about this movie. Go and catch it in a 3D theater near you and come back and tell me, how you liked it.

Next there was this impatient soul of mine who wanted 'change' badly, so tried out my luck (and my profile) at an MNC and cracked the all important interview. However, although the overall offer was pretty good, I declined to join on an important ground. I don't know whether I would regret my decision later, but a decision taken is taken and I really did have a valid reason. I would wait to see how the future unfolds.

There were a few disputes as well and people misunderstood me. Thankfully, I hope, this has been sorted out.

So, you can understand, it was indeed an eventful month for me. The one thing that I did was to validate my potential - that was really vital.

Finally, I lost one of my ex-colleagues and a dear friend. I still feel lost seeing his active profile on social networking sites and as an offline contact in gtalk. The same guy, the same smile.... the only harsh fact is: He is no more!

Rest in peace, Saroj. We will miss you always. God bless you!

Subho Bijoya - belated

Hi friends

It was a period of silence. But then, what is light without darkness! What is success without failures! What is vibrancy without silence! Never mind, even if the words seem a bit out of place, the meaning is clear - isn't it?

I had a good time by the way. The 4 days of Durga Puja in Kolkata just came and went by. The days, henceforth referred to me as Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dasami were the most enjoyable for me. Lots of pandal hopping, so many prayers to the divine Mother, lots of junk food, adda, hanging out with friends, with family. It was pure fun.

People who have never seen Durga Puja celebrations in Kolkata, I invite you to my city during the Pujas. I assure you guys - Fun and frolic cannot be any better than during this time of the year. If you are the type, who would rather have a few pegs of Vodka, feel free to do so, with so many bars open. However, mind it - you would be truly mesmerized with your senses on. I clicked some photos with my family. Here they are. Check them out guys (slide show on the right hand pane). I am sure, you would love every bit, as much as I did while capturing the moments. In case you thought, "Oh, I missed out on the fun!", mark next year's calender for a short trip to Kolkata during the Pujas....

Before I sign off, a very Subho Bijoya to each one of you! God bless you!

Untouchables

Drops of dew on the leaves

Blue bubbles in the air

Do not touch either

As that would end their existence

Let them be as they are

Let them float unabashed

Unscathed

Unobstructed

Let the dews sparkle beautifully on the sunny mornings

Let the bubbles render an aura of bliss to the air

Look at them from a distance

Do not touch either

See that child playfully prick a bubble

Or touch a dew

And there it vanishes

There it drops off

The child looks on... sad...

It was there... but now it's no more...

And oh, look there's another one...

Wonderful, thinks the kid!

Goes after yet again

And history repeats itself

And one day, the child realises....

"Drops of dew on the leaves

Blue bubbles in the air

Do not touch either

As that would end their existence

Let them be as they are

Let them float unabashed

Unscathed

Unobstructed

Let the dews sparkle beautifully on the sunny mornings

Let the bubbles render an aura of bliss to the air

Look at them from a distance

Do not touch either"

Food is good? :)

Hello guys and gals

Ahhh.. people have started complaining that I am bunking my blogging classes! But believe me, I am so busy these days that it really is not possible to keep up with the blogging pace of some of my more esteemed blogger buddies. Also, there should be something worthwhile to blog!

So, after a few days of hibernation, here I come again! :P

I took my mom to a well known cardiologist in the city today and he told me thrice that I should take care of my diet! [Although, I was not the patient here]. It was a very sincere attempt on his part to disarm me from the regular junks that I find so enticing! Tell me friends, how can one stay away from Biryanis and Pulaos and Butter stuffed Pizzas and chocolates and ohh.. [I am hungry mentioning the names].

The choice lies between staying fit and healthy till 100 years and enjoying life to the fullest and live till, err, say 60 years! Now tell me friends which option would you prefer?

[If any doctor is reading this post, please do not get me wrong. PEOPLE SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF THEIR HEALTH. As goes the saying, HEALTH IS WEALTH.]

Here is a poll that I created. Vote for your choice. This is only intended for fun. Please do take care of your health. Stay healthy, keep fit, be happy.



I shall catch you again...

My khichdi life

Has been quite some time since I last scribbled on this blog. Thanks to my poor BSNL broadband connectivity, thanks to my mood swings and also, thanks to my new addiction, this blog felt neglected. The blogs which find me as a regular visitor missed me as well and I am sorry for that.
But, all said and done, I am back! ...as promised. :)

By now many of you must be thinking over... mmm... addiction??

Don't worry! It's just a game - the mafia wars! For those who are wondering what it is - it's simple to explain.
1. Get an account on facebook
2. Check out the applications available under the category 'Games'
3. Find 'Mafia Wars' and start playing!

I am sure, many of you know about it. For those, who do not, check out once! :)

On a separate level, I am over my emotional downswing at the moment and back at my lively best.

In the meantime, there were few incidents I really felt bad about.

1. In Kolkata, few days ago, three people lost their arms while jutting them out of the window of a running bus. Overtaking is a syndrome that Kolkata drivers will forever embrace, notwithstanding the amount of accidents their reckless behavior cause each year. They are fearless in a true sense and whom should they fear when they have so many dadas and union leaders and the who's who of politics at their arm's length! Pity those people who lost.... I even shudder to think...
But, lesson for all of us, "PLEASE DO NOT EXPOSE YOUR HANDS (OR HEADS) OUT OF THE WINDOW OF A RUNNING BUS" until and unless, you plan for a suicide!

2. A friend of mine lost his elder sister. It was a 'suicide', as per the note available. It was an 'accident', others say. But only the poor girl's relatives know what it was! It was sad... very sad...
Powerful people always tend to get away, don't they! That is one thing, that has not changed over the years.

3. I am reading Linda Goodman's "Love Signs" at the moment. A very interesting book - I must say. I am not a bookworm by any remote stretch of imagination, but even a guy like me has got hooked on to it. No plans to write a review any soon - until of course I am through with reading the whole of it.

That more or less sums up what I have been doing in the secret chamber of mine! ;)

Chao guys and gals. See you some other time... Gosh, I have a lot of other blogs to read and comment on...

***am coming friends...am coming***

Until next time..

Back to the drawing boards

jeevan ke din chhote sahi
hum bhi bade dilwale
kal ki humein fursat kahaan
soche jo hum matwale

Remember this famous song of kishore da? If you do not, well, here it is on youtube!



The last few days were disappointing for me. Expectations! Hopes! Dreams! Aspirations! and then, folly! Disgust! Disappointment!

No, am not down and out, no way! It's just a temporary setback, to which I do not want to give a permanent status!


I was listening to a wonderful song this evening on 104 Fever FM, courtesy RJ Arvind! Superb lyrics... another classic from Kishore da... Check this:


aaye tum yaad mujhe gaane lagi dhadkan
khushbu layi pawan, mehka chandan
jis pal naino mein sapna tera aaye
us pal mausam par mehendi rach jaaye
aur tu ban jaaye jaise dulhan
aaye tum yaad mujhe gaane lagi har dhadkan
jab main raaton mein taare ginta hun
aur tere kadmon ki aahat sunta hun
lage mujhe har tara tera darpan
aaye tum yaad mujhe
gaane lagi har dhadkan
har pal man mera, mujhse kehta hai
jiski dhun mein tu khoyaa rehta hai
bhar de fulon se uska daman
aaye tum yaad mujhe
gaane lagi har dhadkan
khushbu laayi pawan
mehka chandan
aaye tum yaad mujhe
gaane lagi har dhadkan


I became nostalgic again, thinking of the ever fresh morning dews on the leaves, the mist on the winter mornings, the flowing ganges.............. and so many other memories....


However, life happens just like that!


My take away:
Life gives you setbacks, disappointments! But have a 'never say die' attitude. Failures are the pillars to success.


ps. This post was a whole mumbo jumbo for many, but that's exactly how my thought processes are working at the moment! I would be back in my normal self.. yes.. pretty soon!

Rejoicing our freedom...

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom - said Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru (1947)

A billion population

A billion ideas

A thousand languages

A hundred religions

A hundred rivers

ONE NATION

ONE DREAM

INDIA !!!

kar chalein hum fida jan o tan saathiyon

ab tumhare hawale watan saathiyon

- sang the soldier in his death bed...

His wish translated in english -"We leave this land forever after giving our everything, now this motherland is yours" (...respect her the way you respect your mother!)

True - there are differences, there are conflicts, there are challenges, there are diversities, but the reason we stand together to this day is our unity in integrity.

Friends - Let us not compromise the dignity of our motherland on any pretext. You cannot see you mom bleed. Can you? So, we should not let anyone hurt our motherland!

Indians should strive to respect every guest in this country on the lines of "atithi devo bhava..."(Guests are as good as God). But given a challenge, where our unity, integrity, sovereignty and freedom is threatened, we should be powerful enough to retaliate strongly!
Terrorism in all forms, in all names, in all pretexts should never be let to grow. We are a free nation and we have every right to lead our lives in our own ways.

No nation is perfect. India is also not. But, we have the onus on us to make it perfect. We fail to understand the meaning of freedom simply because we were fortunate enough not to experience what slavery meant.

India is a land of great men and women!

Stop! Think! Ask yourself - are you carrying the legacy forward? Are we upholding our values and principles?

All is well! Partying, catching movies, playing pranks, working like work horses - all come and go! At the end of the day, what is it that we are giving back to our motherland?

I loved Gandhiji's talisman.

It reads - “I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny ? In other words, will it lead to Swaraj (i.e. self-rule) for the hungry and spiritually starving millions ?
Then you will find your doubts and your self melting away.”

Please try to follow this, so wonderful that this can be applicable for everyone, irrespective of nationality!

Finally, today is 15th August! Happy Independence Day, India! May the flag keep fluttering for thousands and thousands of years! Amen!

Image source: Google image search

Swine Flu alert!

With the Swine flu threatening to attain a larger scale in India, it is very important for us to stay ever alert. The death rate has increased enormously in the last few days and people are literally panic stricken.



Check this link on wikipedia. It shows the toll on a world map!

In this respect I also came across this site:
http://www.swinefluindia.com/index.html
Please go through it. It has a rich resource of information of dos and don'ts.


In any case, I share with you all of these and hope that this would benefit you and your near and dear ones.
Main symptoms:

How to prevent the spread of H1N1 Flu?

Wash Your Hands:

• Before eating or preparing food


• After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose


• After using the washroom
  

Hand washing technique:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Rinse well, with hands held downward.


• Dry with a paper towel, then use the towel to turn off the faucet


• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand cleanser. Alcohol-based hand cleansers significantly reduce the number of germs

Spread of germs:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs often spread when a person touches something contaminated and then touches their eyes, nose or mouth


• Avoid close contact with people who are sick


• Attempt to keep at least three (3) feet or one (1) meter away from ill individuals
  

When sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick.

• Practice respiratory etiquette.


• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, use tissues and dispose them properly.


• Wash your hands afterwards.
  
  
  

The more I think of it, the more it seems to attain a gigantic hold on this billion population.

Friends, take care, stay healthy, keep fit, practice safety norms and hope for the best!

Source: Company advisory

Number 4 - tagged

Hi all

Tagged once more. This time by preposterous girl. Without wasting much time, let me get into the basics. Somehow the tag creator has a fascination for the number 4 and he/she has explored it thoroughly:

Four places I have lived:
I have lived only in three places till now - all in West Bengal!

• Kolkata
• Berhampore
• Farakka

Four T.V shows that I love(d) to watch:
All in past tense, since I hardly watch any nowadays. Here they are:

• Chandrakanta
• Alif Laila
• Mowgli
• Tom and Jerry

Four places that I have been on vacation:

• Delhi - in class 8
• Puri - in class 9
• Digha - also in class 9 and last year 15th August
• Kolkata - during the Durga Pujas...

Four of my favorite food items:

• Rabri
• Biryani
• Pizza
• Chocolates

There are many more, but these are my top 4 favs!

Four websites that I visit daily:

• Google
• My blog
• My company web page
• Yahoo

Four places I would rather be:

• Talsari
• Ooty

I would like to keep the last two options open...

Four things I hope to do before I die:

• Become an artist
• Explore the whole world
• Love and be loved
• Leave a legacy

Four novels I wish I was reading for the first time:
Question not very clear

Four movies that I can watch over and over again:

• Pushpak (hindi)
• Agniswar (bengali)
• Sabyasachi (bengali)
• Hirok Rajar Deshe (bengali)

Four people I believe will respond to this tag:

• Valerine
• Vimmuuu
• Indyeah
• Alice

Hey, people please do it! :D

The tremor

It was 1:30 AM tonight. As I was finishing up a few of the leftover office chores, I experienced a faint sway of my bed. Right then, I noticed the window of my 2nd floor apartment swaying to and fro, without as much as a wink of wind! I figured out, it has to be an earthquake! And it definitely was! I would keep a keen watch on the news tomorrow to see, what was the richter scale reading! Of course, it was very mild, but you know, I am keen to know the epicenter of it! I hope, not too many people live near that point!

What is Friendship?

Back from an intermittent exile, here I am. First of all, let me wish all you readers out there a very happy friendship day. No matter which part of the world you belong to, today is the day to glorify friendship! If everyone could have regarded everyone as friends, the world would have been a different place to live in - no quarrels, no fights, no wars, no bloodshed... think about it!
That has been my dream for so long now, and yet to be realized and I am not sure, if ever that will be realized. *sigh*

Never mind , I thought what constitutes friendship. Is it about mutual trust and respect? Is it about alliance? partnership? In a recent study on friends and best friends, this is what Professor Kuezban had to say with respect to the newly coined Alliance Hypothesis for Human Friendship

"Friendships are about alliances. We live in a world where conflict can arise and allies must be in position beforehand. This new hypothesis takes into account how we value those alliances. In a way, one of the main predictors of friendship is the value of the alliance. The value of an ally, or friend, drops with every additional alliance they must make, so the best alliance is one in which your ally ranks you above everyone else as well."

The study also revealed that our mind subconsciously reads what our prospective partner (read friend) thinks about us. So, if we consider someone as our best friend, inherently we want to know if it is the other way round. So, a sort of mutual alliance is set up.

As per wikipedia, there are so many dimensions of friendships today, some of which are:

• Soulmate - This is the ultimate form. Soulmates, sort of, die for each other. The ideal friendship - rarely found these days. Tell me people, do you have a friend who could die for you (I am not talking about love), or you could die for him(or her).
• Penpal - You write to me, I shall write to you. We will exchange ideas and thus, we will know each other better and gather knowledge. Remember the days of postcards and inland letters? ...and of newspaper advertisements asking for penfriends (or penpals) [in the pre-internet boom era]? Why- even the day before, I came across a newspaper advertisement looking for penfriends, so it is very much there today.
• Internet friendship - This is very much in place today. With hundreds of social networking sites, keeping in touch is really easy notwithstanding which part of the earth you belong to - only condition is you should have access to the internet. Some of the most popular networking sites today are Orkut, Facebook, Twitter, Zorpia, Fropper, Ning and Linkedin.
• Comrade - This is a term very much use by the leftists in West Bengal when they refer to fellow political party workers. Mainly used to denote an ally, someone with a similar objective. Also used in military to denote team spirit and high esteem.
• Casual relationship - This is considered to be a fling in the US. No expectations from either party - just for the sake of having a 'good time', whatever that means!
• Boston marriage - Same as the legalization of Indian Penal Code 377। Do I need to say more?
• Blood brother - Denotes blood relationships, , 'खून का रिश्ता' (in Hindi)
• Open relationship - A relationship where the partners are free to choose others for fulfilment of physical desires. When this happens in marriage, it is called "Open marriage".
• Roommate - The person who has lived with you at one point in time, generally in a hostel or a PG accommodation and do not share a family or romantic relationship.
• Imaginary friend - General imagery created by a child when he or she considers someone as a friend - could be a living (example: a butterfly) or a non-living object (example: a doll).
• Spiritual friendship - This refers to the kind of friendship with a higher purpose, as in Buddhist ideology. One of the friends can have more knowledge than the other and the relationship sweetens when the flow of knowledge enlightens both.
• Inter species friendship - This is so common. Millions of us have pets in their households - be it cats, dogs, cows, goats, sheeps or something as weird as a venomous snakes! But when the creatures stay with us for a long time, a kind of friendship develops. Personally I had a cat who lived for 5 years and I loved it. We would play in the evenings and I used to be thrilled with all its antics. I am sure, many of you must have had similar experiences.

So, the word FRIENDSHIP is vast and used in a very wide range of scenarios. There are also theories that suggest factors which have an effect on friendship, some of which are:

• Similarity - We instantaneously like people who are similar to us.
• Proximity - "Out of sight, out of mind" is much more than a mere phrase. So, seeing each other often counts in a BIG way!
• Reciprocity - This was discussed at the start. We tend to like people who like us and dislike those who dislike us.
• Beauty - Looks kill. So, if you are beautiful, if you are good looking, if you are handsome, you definitely have an edge in making friends. People would fall flat to your charisma without you trying too much.
• Competence - Last, but not the least: Nobody wants to make friends with idiots and duffers. So, if you have the skills, the competence, if you are sharp, demonstrate knowledge and intellect, there are hundreds who would be turned on!

Think about the people who are your friends (or whom you regard your friends). I am sure one or more of the above factors would be at play.

As the saying goes, "Great minds think alike", similarly, friendship develops among like minded individuals. You can probably empathize or sympathize with all. But while making friends, there would be more factors to count on. It's more than just a click on the button "Accept as a friend" on a social networking site!

Image source: http://www.quotesarcade.com/graphics/friendship

A legend lives on - Uttam Kumar

This is a tribute to my screen hero, the ever green Uttam Kumar - the first and only true Superstar that Bengal cinema has ever seen. He had expired on 24th of July' 1980. I share with you some of the very best on-screen melodies that this screen god had featured in. Transcending boundaries of culture, language, region and religion, these songs are said to touch the hearts of millions. Let me know if they touched a soft corner of your heart as well.

1.
Song: Ei poth jodi na sesh hoy
Movie: Saptapadi
Singers: Hemanta Mukherjee, Sandhya Mukherjee


2.
Song: Ami je jolshaghore
Movie: Antony Firingi
Singer: Manna Dey


3.
Song: Saono raate jodi
Movie: Devdaas
Singer: Manna Dey


4.
Song: Boro eka laagey
Movie: Chowringhee
Singer: Manna De


5.
Song: Surer akashe
Movie: Saap mochon
Singer: Hemanta Mukherjee


6.
Song: Gaane bhubon bhoriye debe
Movie: Deya neya
Singer: Shyamal Mitra


7.

Song: Jhor uthechhe baaul batas
Movie: Saap mochon
Singer: Hemanta Mukherjee


8.

Song: Dole dodul dole jhulona
Movie: Deya neya
Singer: Shyamal Mitra, Manabendra Mukhopadhyay


9.

Song: Jibon khatar proti patai
Movie: Deya neya
Singer: Shyamal Mitra


10.

Song: Amar sopne dekha rajkonya thaake
Movie: Sagarika
Singer: Shyamal Mitra


11.

Song: Nir chhoto khoti nei
Movie: Indrani
Singer: Hemanta Mukherjee, Sandhya Mukherjee



12.

Song: E ki holo keno holo
Movie: Rajkumari
Singer: Kishore Kumar



13.

Song: Champa chameli golaper i baage
Movie: Antony firingi
Singer: Manna Dey, Sandhya Mukherjee


14.

Song: Surjo dobaar pala
Movie: Indrani
Singer: Hemanta Mukheree



15.

Song: Jai chole jaai (Adieu!)
Movie: Kal tumi aaleya
Singer: Hemanta Mukheree
Music: Uttam Kumar



Friends, there are hundreds of other tracks featuring him, but these are the selected best based on popularity as well as availability. Enjoy the tracks! Never mind if you do not happen to know bengali. I hope the tunes will catch your fancy.

Image source: http://nphoto-media-1.cdn.mobshare.in