If You Smellllll..........What the Don is Cooking

Yeah i know the title is somewhat strange but its taken from the best line i have heard in sports entertainment from the one and only The Peoples Champ and yes suitably modified for me. But yes otherwise the title stands true. Can you smell what i am cooking? Cooking is an art to say the least. The aroma of food rising in to the air and capturing the senses of everyone around is truly mesmerizing. I don't know why is it so, guess its because we all love food so much. Our bulging and now embarrassing bellies stand testament to that.

Which brings me to the point i want to talk about. I love cooking and probably that is why i love helping out in kitchen at home. I love the feeling, when you are appreciated for some thing you have done. The enjoyment you get seeing the look of fulfillment or satisfaction on the face of others, after having devoured your effort. People say that this is the ultimate gift for a chef, i agree. I know i can't cook anything. All i can do is make tea (i'm very good at that :) ) and it feels good when i get appreciated.

I have an iclination towards cooking and like listening about new recipes. When i hear the experiments people do to dishes, it generates a feeling of exciement which yearns to be fulfilled at the earliest. Sadly my memory doesn't permit me to remember things like these for long. It's all the less important stuff that i or my mind rather love to remember. But i am a fan which needs to delve a bit more into this artistic lane. Slowly but surely i have grown a liking to the field of artistry. 

It has so many avenues that i have never explored. So many things i know nothing of. So much to discover. Probably that is why i am shifting my focus to this field to try and see if i have it in me to deliver in this field. So that being said i know i'm talking big words here (big enough for me to handle :) ) , i am going to get myself a recipe book and start with the art of cooking to make the dishes that i love to listen about. Give the artist in me a chance to think and act rather than get suppressed in the melodrama of education.......

Seven

Seven items to describe me or things about me. A different approach, definitely. Let's see what I churn up.

Item #1: Girls

Never had a happy story to tell. Although i am ridiculed for chatting with girls only, fact is they are only chats and nothing more. Don't know what is the matter here but girls just don't seem to find me busy :D, I'm always free. Yet after all this I'm still single. Can it be because i consider myself the BEST Bachelor around. I don't believe that is causing a hindrance. Rest i leave to God to make me understand coz i just can't make any heads or tails of it.

Item #2: Education

Never been a top grader in anything i have ever done. Always in the rat race though for different reasons. Studied hard to get into DCE. Failed miserably as a student. Got placed after another struggle. Then thought of another innovative idea. Lets do MBA. Since i was never a technical guy, at least i have never considered myself one, it seemed like a logical choice for higher education.Been trying for 4 years now without a single convert.

Item #3: Sports

Always had a love for fats. Guess that explains my attraction to girls. PJ's are allowed so don't worry. Coming back to point. Never had an athletic build. I was the guy who could cheer his team but never be on the pitch and if i ever was then i wouldn't be doing a good job rest assured. Yes i like to watch a lot of games and have interest in quite a few but the only game i have ever played with true passion has been Football. The game where my heart truly belongs.

Item #4: Writing

Don't know if i am qualified to be called a writer or not, but i sure would like to believe that i am. Always had an inclination to writing. Started with poetry in hindi, moved to poems in english. Now i'm into blogging though i don't visit other blogs. Isn't that ironical? You can say my blog is just like an online diary. This has anyhow helped me improve my writing abilities.

Item #5: Criticism

The self proclaimed critic - my nick name at times. Yes i don't like a lot of things. I'm very hard to please no doubt about it. But that can be because i have very high expectations from people and things around me. Yes this tendency to criticize has posed problems in the past but i don't want life to be walk on rose petals. Guess that what gives me a realistic outlook to life.

Item #6: Music

Rock and metal music. The noise (thought not as loud as heavy metal music) gives me a high like nothing else can. It is the one friend that can never harm me. It engulfs my life, my being. It can cheer me up. It can push me to the upper limits. Only thing is that i need to broaden my horizons on this front. Too long i have stayed in the shadows of a select breed of bands.

Item #7: Friends

My friendship comes at a price. No this is not arrogance. I demand a lot from my friends. I expect a lot from them in my life. Simply because i rate them the highest in my life. I would do anything for my friends. That is why i demand them to be responsible and supportive. I have failed on this front a lot and as a result have been hurt a lot too. But that hasn't stopped me from being who i am. That i call the Myth of Friendship.

There are many other points that i could have raised about me here but they fall by the side as compared to these. If something important shows up well i guess i'll write another article.

I have never seen you in that way

Ahh.... that kind of feels like a stab straight into the heart. A wound inflicted upon thee by thy own longing. A result of the feeling you so wanted to express to the person infront of you. But what do you get in return? A timid but terse reply - "I have never seen you in that light." Your expression of love turned away politely. Why does this happen? After the time you spent with the person. Even after spending all your time trying to listen, handle, solve their problems. Even after being or trying deparately to become a pillar of support for them. Why is it that they can not see your emotions? This is not to suggest that you did all this for your own need. You provided the support because you actually cared. You wanted them to be happy. You would have given anything and everything for that smile to remain. 

They do acknowledge your support and care. They are thankful for that and mean it from the bottom of their heart. But.....they had never seen you in that light. Period. For them you are the friend that would be always there for them. While you the wanna be Knight in Shinning Armour had by now developed those forsaken feelings that you never thought could arise are left to the torture of the mind. The mind- the fastest animal alive. The questions and answers popping in and out every minute. What torture do they put you through. You want it all to be over so you could have some peace. You finally decide to take the plunge and pour your heart out.

"But.... I have never seen you in that light." This is when it hits you. You fool of a KNIGHT. The biggest misinterpretator of all. What made you think she would be interested? Having been there for her for some time doesn't give you a right to impose yourself on her feelings. She needed a friend and you took it too far. You betrayer. You should be slain along with all the monsters that ever existed. Okay that was taking it too far. Coming back to normality. What does all this mean then? You could never have a chance? Or you could if you just tried it slowly for some more time. Maybe she will see it later and accept it. Maybe she will realise that i am wat she is actually looking for. Maybe she will come to me one day and say, "oh my handsome prince please never leave my side for i want you to be with me always." Bravo...bravo!! where's the award damn it? 

Yes you would be thinking along the same lines. But that was brought upon thee by thy own self. Your ambitions, your expectations, your feelings. When will you ever stop thinking about yourself? Selfish son of a gun. Try thinking about others once in a while. You fool, destroyed or at least jeopardised a perfectly good friendship. Why did you have to listen to your heart? Your mind is more logical and reasonable. Listen to it for a change. Please. Well what now you think. What to do? Will things be same? Will she turn cold? Will she talk? Who will i find now that she can't be the one? What will happen to me? Will I die alone? You feel like crying. Man where is that award? 

You ponder on the event. You think why did it happen the way it did. You talk around. You are not the only one. Many comrades have suffered the brunt of JAF- Just A Friend. You take hope. This might not be all that bad. You have company. There many like you, thinking and wondering. You delve deep into the never ending abyss. You reach a conclusion that satisfies your ego. You love your interpretation. The self obsessed narcissist pig has reached an explanation. She is wrong. She doesn't know the difference between right and wrong. I do. Ask me. Keeping this thought in mind the Knight jumps on his steed in search of new pastures where the grass is green. Forgetting the time gone by. He enters a new land. Beauty beholds and he falls in love instantly. He cries his heart out the next week to her and waits for her response. The lips part. He looks at them. They move to say something. But he is mesmerized my their movement and the words miss his ears. The last sentence gets registered though -"But... I have never seen you in that light."

P.S. - Please pass this on to all those who have been through this like this Knight - the brave son of a gun.

Blasphemy or Ignorance

When i visit a temple i know what i am doing. whom i am worshipping and also what the figures/statues signify/denote. But when i visit any other religious monument i am totally at a loss. Why is it that i don't know what to do? I know after all they are worshipping one form or the other of god. But somehow i can't put a finger to it. Lets face it. I know a lot about hindu mythology and all the gods you can find in a temple, i am well aware of them and who all they are and what all they have done. But i also know that Christ was the son of the God and christians worship the son and the god and the virgin mary the mother of Christ. They pray to the lord keeping him in mind and the cross as the sacred symbol.Atleast that is what i believe.

Prophet brought islam to the world and though i know they don't believe in idol worship but i really don't know what they do in a mosque. Yes they pray to the Prophet Mohammad. But since they don't use any idol then what form do they give their lord when the muslims worship? So if i went to a mosque who should i be praying to? When i see images of the Mecca i see the big black building. Somehow it is connected to the devil that is what i know though i am not very sure of it.

This brings me to gurudwaras. I faced my current dilemma on my recent trip to Amritsar and as expected there were gurudwaras galore. Each having its own significance and value. Each revered by one and all. But what i didn't know was that what i am praying to. Sikhs too i believe don't believe in idol worship and though Guru Nanak Dev did certainly bring sikhism to the world, he is not the one being worshipped. Its the Guru Granth Sahib that is worshipped in gurudwaras. I came to know about it only in Amritsar. There are different levels/floors where the priests read the holy book and people come and worship. But is Guru Granth Sahib or its copies is present in all the floors? If so what is the purpose of having the same holy book kept in different rooms in the same gurudwara?

If i look at a temple then yes i can say that all temples are same. No difference what so ever. But inside a particular temple you can find different gods which ahave separate chambers. There is a semblance of normalcy atleast i believe so. People visiting a temple can associate with what they see and know what they are worshipping. But is this because i am hindu and have been brought up by learning about the different gods? As far as i remmember i have never been taught about other religions in great detail.Whatever knowledge i have is from movies and stories off the net.

Personally i can say that i am not a religious person though i am spiritual. Which simply means that i believe in god from the bottom of my heart but i don't believe in religions and communalism. I believe that all religions talk about one god and that they in essence are just different methods people use to worship god in their own way. But a very important point i want to raise is that why is it that i don't have knowledge of all the religions that are practiced in the world. Why is it that it is left to us to know about other religions and no in depth education is given on this subject which is free of prejudice. Why is it that i don't know what is worshipped in different religions? Aren't we all worshipping the one common god? Can there be two gods - one for islam and one for christianity?

I may be treading on the lines of blasphemy here by what i am writing but i sincerely believe that like me there are millions perhaps billions of lost souls out there who have no idea of what they are worshipping or who their neighbours are worshipping. Why so much of ignorance? This i believe is the premier cause of why fundamental groups of different mindsets manipulate us as puppets and make us do things which we could never have dreamed of doing otherwise. Sentiments are very easy to exploit and blind sentiments at that are simply irrestible.

Is this the way to go? Is this how we should live?I know there is lot of preaching going on here which again matches with my overall demenour but i am disappointed in myself for being so ignorant.........

Elections are coming

Elections always bring in a sense of nostalgia in me. A sense of belonging, headiness and charm. Yes they are big. Bigger than anything the world could ever see. Bigger than Obama victory. Time for India to crown its chief again. I remember how 10 years ago when as kid i would wake up early for 3 consecutive days to watch the nos. unfold. The countdown had begun already. BJP leading here, Congress there, Third Front lagging there. All the excitement. All the debates. The fights. Man those were awesome days. Politics is something important to me and yes it should be to all of us.
After all these are the very people that are going to make rules and regulations for us. They are in a sense going to influence our lives. Why shouldn't we care. We should be more active i say. Time is with us to help fight the incumbents. The nation needs change. The era of coalition politics has hampered the growth which we want to see. My plea to all my countrymen is to bring in a party that has absolute majority. A single party heading the government can do wonders which we can only dream of.
Agreed it can work the ther way round too but our political system is not so weak to let it happen. It has stood the test of time and India even after 62 years of Independence has managed to survive and grow when no body believed it could. Inspite of all the troubles we have managed to surge. We must believe in ourselves. We ought to do what is right for the country. Rise above petty politics and take the decisions that will lead India on the path to success.
Trouble is brewing across our borders and it needs to be checked. The nation needs people who can deliver the goods. Who are strong willed to take actions. Who have a spine that is rigid. India needs leaders and we as the citizens should be able to give her that. After all that has been done for us it's time we did something for the nation. I am not asking you to fight. All i ask for is to get up and VOTE. Execise the one right the govt. actually wishes us to exercise.
Like i said earlier its time to reclaim your life, only now i would like to say it's time to RECLAIM YOUR NATION......Caste your ballot. PLEASE DO VOTE.

I've Said Too Much

Woahhh!!! this is heaven. This is life man. When god created us this is how he wanted us to live. Keep doing your duties your actions but don't worry about outcomes. I'll shorten it. DON'T WORRY, period. There is so much to talk about. Slumdog, exams and god knows what else.
But i am too excited too happy to write anything. I so wanted to write about slumdog. What a movie, what a story what everything. But I'm not now. First its been too long since i saw it. Secondly enough has been already said and written. I don't want to be the piggy rider.
So Slumdog i salute you. I would also like to thank Mr. Danny Boyle for making the film. Mr. A.R.Rahman for the mind blowing music. Mr. Simon for the story. Mr. Dev Patel and Freida Pinto for acting and the crew and everyone else involved for being part of the film. Is this good enough for the academy or do i need more emotion?
Coming back to my original point. I'M FREE. Free as a bird baby. Free like the river gushing out towards the sea. There is a rush of emotions. There is so much i want to do. There is so much i want to happen. But finally after 4 years my struggle is over. At least in part. No more worries and tensions over papers. No more AIMCATS, CAT, IIFT, XAT. Wow, that is amazing. Yes i have to wait for the result. Yes it won't be long in coming, 3-4 weeks maybe. But there is one thing. It doesn't matter whether i make it or not. This part of my life is over.
It feels like ATLAS has just got the globe lifted off his shoulders. Yipee.... I want to jive. I want to groove. I want to croon. I want to roam. I want to do all that i have stopped myself from doing for these 4 years. I want to reclaim my life. MAybe a TATA SAFARI would do, what say? Naah...that is some distance away. Got my santro and it runs fine. I want to learn guitar. I want a girlfriend. After all till when am i going to be a bachelor man. I need change and that is what I'm gonna do. Change myself. I was fun loving. I was wild. But guess that person got lost in all this focus on studies and MBA. If i get in nothing like it. But if luck doesn't help me out this time then all i would say is LUCK BY CHANCE, sorry Farhan i am a big fan but i guess not all people can boast of something like you.
Man i'm young, when did i turn old?When did the spark dim? I hope that this spark lasts for long this time. I wouldn't want it to die anytime soon. I, a believer in life and god can be so sobre so tense so over matured. The more i think of it the more i'm beginning to dislike my 7 hour ago self. So i guess i should stop doing that. Plus i can't rumble on anymore. I'm not drunk for christ's sake. So here's to all you guys. Make it your last man. Get in or get out. We are bigger than this. We are wasting away. Stop doing this and that. Stop worrying. Start loving and enjoying. It feels so good. Get up and RECLAIM YOUR LIFE.........................

Not a happy reading.....maybe!!!!!

Time is the biggest healer or so we have heard. But I am going a step further to suggest how the biggest force on this earth is time. How it controls our lives and dictates who the real boss is. We can wilfully waste away time or spend it judiciously but what we end up with is totally in the hands of time. The designs of our life are scripted in time. I am writing this ode to time simply because i have time and again come to realize the enormity of what time puts infront of us. How we can never control what should happen in our lives.
I would take a very vivid example. Two days ago i was all energetic and happy in the morning when i reached office. For no particular reason i was feeling elated and ready to take on the world. It was like i was finally free for some time. The day wore out and i was happy in general. Although such happiness had in the past forced me to think twice, but not this time. I had stopped given heed to all that now.
I don't know what happened but when i was returning home, i was a living ghost. A mirror image of myslef in the morning. Not speaking a word. Not enjoying the conversation. What had happened that had changed my mood so suddenly. Well there are things that you don't know or rather can't control and that is where the wheels of time roll in and change what ever that it was you had planned. Ruining your well laid out plans and leaving you bitter and sad. Now i surely don't tend to imply that all time can do is change good to bad. It can very well change bad to good too in matter of seconds if i may add.
Not getting into that i would like to ask then why are we living this monotonous life when there is nothing that we can control. When we have to live by what is being served to us and wait. Is this life worth living? Yes it is. Yes i do believe that this life is worth living for. The very anticipation of not knowing what's going to come up next is enthralling. Why do we need to be in control? Why do we need to know everything? Why can't we let things be? This is where all the answers come up. If we knew everything then what would be the fun? That would be the biggest disappointment now wouldn't it, counting down the seconds when you die....5..4..3..2...1...oops forgot to say bye.........
Looks like i have turned this one too into something that was not intended. I didn't intend this to be a phsyiological essay. I was thinking about something else but as the time passed i lost track of what i had in my mind and started writing what came to my mind and this is what i came up with. I'm not sad now. But i'm not that energetic self too. Then what am i feeling right now? What should i be feeling? Should i let time decide................

Lattoo main Lattoo.....WTF...

Its time once again for everybody to ring in the New Year.........ok i admit i'm vastly late in saying this but to be honest i didnt have any time before today to write anything. My last post about the glorified Indian voter was all about politics. The article was in response to one posted by Rajdeep Sardesai on CNN-IBN. It was an ode to how the indian voter had matured as an individual and learn to decide what is wrong and what is right. Well i for one am having some real hard time believing all that. As when you see the same people doing stuff that is so different from maturity and understanding levels, i don't know what to do.

I won't go into social problems facing the country as i don;t have the time and patience to do that. But i will talk about something that i haven't been able to fathom at all. something that everyone can be involved in - movies. Recently I saw Ghajini (in a movie hall) with my frnds and colleagues from office. I had lot of expectations from the movie. After all Aamir khan in a Memento copy. Fireworks was what i was looking for. Alas, like everything else the movie too fell short on my expectations. How could a perfectionist like aamir make a movie like this. No reason why the songs were there in the movie. It was a revisit to the 70's - 80's film industry.

Audio and video not matching for the song. Come on, Jiah Khan dancing in an ultra modern video where the lyrics are - "Lattoo main Lattoo." Can you believe that. what were the music director, producer etc. thinking when they were doing this. same case about the third grade villain picked out. I'm not doubting his acting skills but i'm doubting the skills of casting director. Had the villain been a side kick which he actually is then i wouldn't have had any problem. but this was too much to digest. To top it all of you have the highly dramatic fight scenes where a single guy takes out a whole gang of goons. Even Dharmender, Bobby or even Sunny Paaji could do that.

Where was the charm that Aamir Khan brings for the audience? The only interesting thing about the movie was Asin. The damsel who stole a million hearts with her acting and her breath taking beauty. I swear if i did ever watch the movie again it will be only to see her.Moving on, as i have said the movie was a disaster to say the least. But surprise, surprise. What are its box office collections? More than 200 crores - with in 3 weeks. It has gone on to become the highest grosser setting its sight on 25 year record of Sholay. How can the public who has matured enough to understand what is right and wrong make such blunders.

And let me remind you that Ghajini is not alone in this. There was the biggest hit of last year Singh is Kinng (or Kingg) which shook the BO but on the other hand there were movies like Wednesday, mumbai meri jaan which actually were far better movies but couldn't do well. This brings me to a question. When the Indian public can't decide what's good or bad in movies and opts for simple masala without substance how is it mature enough to decide who should rule it. How can media even dream of selling the idea? To me the Indian public still has a long way to go before they can be trully called MATURE. There is still a long way to go before we see light at the end of the tunnel...

The Glorified Indian Voter

Much has been written in press and told in media with regards to the recent assembly election poll results. The Indian voter has been hailed as great and finally mature by every section of the media. Politicians, executives alike have come out in support of the positive thinking done by the voters. Everyone is happy at this accomplishment and why shouldn’t they be? After all they are finally being praised for doing something they have ignored doing properly for the last 62 years.
Rajdeep Sardesai has come out in support and criticized the strategies of BJP for using terror plank as a poll issue rather than helping the government. He has heaped insult on the party for being opportunistic. He has gone on to say how the Indian voter has finally realised what is right and wrong and who is good and not. Acknowledging the use of same weapon by the Congress in 1984 to win the Lok Sabha elections he fails to admit the atrocities committed by the congress workers in the Sikh community yet mere mention of Gujarat/Modi definitely brings Godhra into the picture.

Are Sikhs not Indians like the Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Jews and people following other religions? Then why is their plight never highlighted by the media. Why is their pain ignored and no demand made for the trials of the accused to be completed swiftly? Why the accused are currently sitting at the centre and enjoying the fruits of corruption whereas the one chief minister who has actually turned his state around always harangued like a boxers punching bag. These are questions I’m sure no one will answer and move them aside as mere rhetoric but there is a lot of truth behind them and it won’t die away.

Moving on I would like to categorically state that I believe that the Indian voter has lost an opportunity this month to bring stability to the country. By voting in congress the masses have given power to one party that has never been too keen on the development, security and growth issue. Congress has forever and ever right from its inception always sought to stay in power and do nothing. Like Bhagat Singh says in the movie Legend of Bhagat Singh, “Congress sirf tike rehna chahti hai.”

Agreed terror can not be contained single handedly and we do need higher levels of communication between intelligence agencies and greater cooperation between states to counter terrorism. Yes no one party can be blamed for the attacks and failure to cope with them in a swift and effective manner. Political class on a whole is truly at fault and I mince no words when I say that all of them should be incarcerated. But there is a touch to it. I have always believed that if you are up against the BAD and the UGLY go for BAD as UGLY would really be very ugly. Like the age old adage, “Andhon mein Kana Raja.” You are caught between the devil and the cliffs. So by voting in Congress the Indian voter has brought in the UGLY, The Blind and the Devil. How would you explain the mercy plea by the government itself for the Parliament Attacks’ prime accused and maser mind Afzal Guru or the repeated inaction on the part of J&K government to arrest and prosecute the terrorists in the valley. Their more than eager willingness to release the prisoners caught so valiantly by our armed forces in hopes of getting them the necessary punishment.

Coupled with all this is the never ending theories surrounding the Batla encounter and the recent Mumbai counter attack. There might not be any proof available to prove these theories of some wrong doing having taken place but yes they do force the mind to think in a different direction. You do sit up and wonder that what if this is true. Can it be? No it can’t, nobody could create such fake encounters. But as I see it when it comes to Congress nothing is impossible. When a power hungry head of state can have her own son eliminated to retain power god knows what they are capable of and to what depths of insanity they can fall to safeguard their interests.

Yes you might have seen by now that there is a certified negative bias towards Congress in my writing but I know that it’s not completely misplaced. There is truth in all that I have written and I sure as hell don’t believe in congress’ promise of development and safety. Had it ever been so we would have seen it by now. We wouldn’t have had to deal with what we are seeing today. The Indian voter has once again failed India, keeping in tune with what has been happening ever since independence. So to end this I have to say regrettably that no the Indian voter has not grown up. He has like always fallen on the false promises dished out by the most incompetent party of the world and set the country back by another 5 years.

P.S. – I have not added economic crisis to the list as I know that it’s a global phenomena and couldn’t have been avoided by the government and hence I do recognize that no part can be blamed for these tumultuous events.

I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

Its been a long time since i last wrote something.A change has come over me i must agree as regards my commitment towards my writing.I have grown a bit lazy to say the least, preferring to do other things while online (mainly chatting) rather than writing.Today if i'm writing anything it is primarily because currently i have no one to talk too :).But on a more serious note there has been lack of motivation on my part to write anything, quite evident from my last few posts.I don't know the reason for it and it has been worrying me for the past few days where i have wanted to write something but wasn't able to put anything together.If i were to take a guess i would say that the sense of sadness around me and in my life over the past month could be a reason.But i doubt whether it would be true as during the same time i have had few really wonderful moments beginning with my cousin's wedding and culminating in my exam result.

So i am back to square one.Trying to find the reason of this dilemma and to find a way to get out of it too.But on the other hand i have to admit that i have never been so confident of myself as i have been over this past week.I have never felt so good.This surely is a positive sign.I'm happy if not excited or elated currently nad guess that is all that one can ask for in today's time.I have faith and belief in myself (what if i got one thing wrong in the project :) ).All this has spurred me on to take life more easily and try having more fun.Then why the conundrum.Why can't i write?Why a person who has always got a 'Too Talkative' remark in his report card not being able to talk?

Voila!! looks like i have struck upon the solution (I'm a genious :) ).Jokes apart, i think taking my last few years into consideration since the time i started to write this blog and sometime before that, I got more talkative-wanting to pour my feelings/frustration out of me whenever i was feeling sad or depressed.However, when i was really happy and enjoying myself i didn't bother too much to write something.So in short my writing is somehow linked with my feelings and emotion and that is the reason why most of my articles are relating to sadness and pain.Some movie reviews did go through but they were written simply because the movies were awesome.I might have missed a few movies but then again i'm not really a movie reviewer :).

So where am i now?Enjoying loud, heavy music (Hindi too :) ) writing and enjoying myself. I'm finally listening to the same music that i have been avoiding for so long now simply because i hadve gotten bored with the same collection.Guess this comes with the jolly mood that i am currently in.I must admit I'M LOVING IT.Head banging and grooving to the beats.Man i had forgotten what great collection i have.This is a journey to the past of sorts.

I am happy yet feelings of restrain do arise.Is so much happiness acceptable.Will I not be hit by the cycle of life where each phase of happiness is followed by that of sadness and vice versa.But to that I can say that I’ve quit worrying about the future.It is so uncertain so why bother thinking about it.Things will happen at their own pace.So live and enjoy the present.Move on from the past and put the future aside.Live and let live.So what I am doing for this.For one I have decided to change things in my life a bit.I have decided to pursue things I have wanted to do for so long but never had the will to do.I am going to make every day of my life count and try find something important to remember it.So when I look back I can find more than a handful of days to remember.This is for that wave of optimism sweeping inside me – I DON’T WANNA MISS A THING……………….

Dear Diary

Over the past few months i have seen a lot happen around me and there have been many instances when i have felt like doing something out of all the frustration that had been building up inside me.But the non-violent attitude doesn't allow me to take up cudgels and fight against the perpetrators of all this nonsense.I instead have taken all of it and more as a bitter pill and swallowed all the anger everytime that something has happened.But rest assured these instances do leave a mark on the mind.What happens certainly affects you in ways you would not know at the moment but maybe sometime later on.They tend to form your views and opinions on certain issues and regarding certain people-people you know and people you don't know.This may not look all that bad but the feelings that develop as a consequence of this may come out at the wrong time and in the wrong manner which can be harmful for a lot of people around you.
My mind has been through hell and back during this year with a wonderful beginning but a sad and depressing end that just doesn't seem to end.I have been on the high and elated and down and out within matter of weeks if not days.The upheavels i have gone through personally plus what i have seen happen across the country has send my mind for a toss.There are so many feelings that have developed inside me with a lot of ambiguity.Don't know how to react to all this as its all very confusing.I have not been able to make sense of a lot of things.Being a practical, non-violent and realist person i look for reason in everything around me.I somehow have not been able to find the reason behind terrorism.
There are so many thoughts flowing around inside my head.So much to say, so much to write about,so much to do yet whenever I try to sit down and write something meaningful and interesting i fail miserably.I was baffled initially when i was hit by this.I was not sure that when i have so much to write why i'm not able to do it.I tried and tried but couldn't write anything good. Then it dawned on me that its because i have so much to write that i fail to write coherently. What i'm trying to say is that because of the monumental block of feelings stored up inside me, i have not been able to channelise it all into one flowing paragraph.That is the reason why there is no fluency, no clear cut thought process.
I have taken out all the pent up frustration in my life on the poor and hapless readers of this blog via my sometimes sad and depressing but sometimes meaningful articles (pray that they forgive me).But this time i haven't got a clue what to do because i can't write anything substantial. Always resulting in a botched up attempt at writing an article.I don't know till when this phase of sadness and gloom will last in my life but i surely hope that it ends soon as it is getting really tiring to put up with it day in and day out.After all there is alimit to how much i can take.I know i'm strong enugh to avoid imploding but am i strong enough to prevent myself from exploding?That is the answer i'm looking for in my life.
I don't know if all the crap i have dished out here today makes any sense to anyone because i for one can't make out a thing.It can be that my mind is to restless to read through all this or it might even be the distraction of the music ringing out in my ears but whtever be it i am glad i wrote something.I was beginning to feel that i might be losing my interest in writing and music at the same time but since i'm doing both the things together right now (listening to music and writing) i guess i need not worry on that front for now. So to end this sordid saga of my unnfortunate mind and its incapabilities i would sign off for the time being with my eveready one-liner - HAVE A NICE DAY.........see ya...

I'm Asking Why...!!!!

Long time has passed and a lot has happened in the world since I last felt like writing something. The Americans have their first Black President,financial crisis have changed the world scenario,terrorism is continuously climbing that never ending ladder. Personally, there is nothing great to write home about too. All in all i would say that I am longing for even an iota of good news in and around my lfe. I don't say that I'm sad and depressed but i won't say I'm elated either. I'm held up in a situation where everywhere i look i see gloom yet people somehow taking all of it and more in their stride and moving on with their lives. They are hurt yet they can't do anything about it and hence moving on is their only option.
Fresh piece of bad news that has hit me hard although I'm miles away from the drama and the action is the recent Terror strike in Mumbai. A 60 hour long siege where the city of Mumbai was literally brought to a halt. Held at ransom by a group of 15-20 people with sophisticated weapons at their disposal. The attack left 183 dead - 22 foreigners,20 Policemen,2 NSG commandos rest innocent civilians,caught in the crossfire between the terrorists and the security personnel. So many lives lost. Some very important people died,some not so important and a lot of common people going about their daily lives.
I am proud of all the people who fought to save the city from these bastards,I pray for the people who died and left their loved ones in grief.I pray for the people who managed to come out of the ordeal alive but are still shell shocked and traumatised.But I do not pray for the decision makers of this country and instead wish for them to rot in hell for as long as the devil wants.Its their incompetence for which the people of the country have to pay with their lives while they waste public money on themselves and their so not very important lives.I didn't lose anyone in the attack.No one i knew was present yet i am so saddened like the billions around the world at witnessing such a ghastly act of cowardness.
Only few hours have passed since the chaos finally ended with a monumental loss of life and property but I'm pretty sure that those in power and those wanting to get in power won't stop from using it as their agenda in the coming polls.They will try and drive maximum mileage out of this to suit their personal agendas and fill their overspilling coffers a lot more. Having sucked out the spirit of democracy from the mind and heart of the people they have literally sold the country to the wolves. The whole political class be it Left,Congress,BJP,BSP and many others are part of the same coin.There is not one leader whom you could look up to,whom you could respect,who could represent this large and (now) not so proud nation.
My mind keeps on coming back to the same point that all this sadness in one form or the other that we have become accustomed to seeing and being a part of in our daily lives must have roots somehere else than what we are made out to believe by the politicians and the media.I mean there must be more to it than meets the eye especially if you analyse the experiences of the last century.
I think no one could have ever guessed what the follies of one nation could do to the whole world.They brought destruction in terms of warfare.They gave rise to unbriddled consumerism to suit their own fucking lifestyle while the whole world suffered.they brought the global economy to recession with their flawed policies and regulations. They gave rise to terrorism all over the world in order to combat an enemy. It's the US that gave rise to Taliban in Afghanistan in order to fight USSR.They supplied all the arms and ammunition and reared a virus.But like all other viruses this too beat back the hand that fed it.Presto - 9/11.
And since then there has been no looking back.Countries have suffered,people have died,spirits killed yet no one has dared to stand up and ask where does all of this end? When will it stop? What can we do to stop all this? I have tried my hand but never reached anywhere close to an answer. I am mentally shaken by all of this and don't know what should be done.Do we go on a killing spree and kill all those suspected of terrorism in one single swoop to send out a message that we mean business and we shouldn't be taken lightly or do we sit back and think and take some decisions and wait a bit longer to implement them while we are faced with another such situation................................................

Deja Vu

It was a revisit to the forgotten past.Another trip down the painful and forgettable memory lane.A trip i didnt want to make.I wanted to move forward and not go back down again in my life but as fate would have it there is so much that you can do and wish for.There were so many hopes, so many wishes but all came to naught when that trip though unplanned and accidental came to be.All hopes broken in matter of time.Guess the apt words that could spring to mind would be-"Chann se jo tootte koi sapna....jag soona soona lagey jag soona soona lagey koi rahe na jab apna...jag soona ou?soona lagey."Trite, sure, but you can't run away from the truth, can you?
for 4 long years it had been the most important thing in my life.Everytime running after the same thing,for the same elusive(or illusive, i don't really know) victory.The past years were different in the sense that i knew that i still had it in me to take the fight to the next year.But this year was different.From the outset i knew that it would be my last attempt to gain that victory.No more attempts after this.But what does fate had in store for me.I guess something else.Like the horror of 2005 i had to face the same result.Same scores, same rejection.
I have always believed that whatever happens, happens for the best.That is why after coming so close to getting admission to the most coveted college of all in India - IIM's and not making the final cut i was over it(albeit after some time) thinking about the struggle the current batch would go through and how things would be different next year. But what next year am i talking about when i fail to get admission in the first place.The struggle of the past 4 years has taken its toll.I knew that i wouldn't give it another shot and now here i am, not knowing what to do.Where is the best part in all this for me i can't see right now, maybe somewhere down the line thr might be but i can't see anything right now.
I don't know if the shock i have felt will ever let go of me because to me getting that one seat was the most important thing in the world.Didn't want to settle for anything else.Its like when a child sees a toy and likes it and wants that particular toy and nothing else no matter what his parents might say about the other toys being good or equally good.The child wants the particular toy at all cost.My case is pretty much similar except for the fact that in case of the child the parents oblige by buying the toy i have no such recourse now.I can't be into IIM ever, just like i never got into IIT.
This brings me to another point that has been circulating in my mind since yesterday.All my life i have never got anything that i wished for and the few times that i have, it has always been accompanied with something else being taken away.Examples galore and i would be a fool to even think of narrating any one of them, there are so many.Rest of the times i haven't got what i wished for.Seems like luck has never been on my side and never will be.I know my thoughts are depressing and sad and people think i'm crazy doubting myself, but the hurt and the pain that i'm going through won't let me be.What is to become of me now.Will i get a chance elsewhere?Even so i will have to settle for something else.It would be a compromise that i will have to accept(If at all i get 'Lucky').The feeling will linger forever and ever........IIM remained an impossible dream.

Rock On...........

Writer, fighter, producer, director, singer, actor……camera man, every man..... FLOP…. Went the title song of Jaspal Bhatti’s FLOP SHOW but in this case it’s a big hit. No I’m not talking about Flop show’s success though it was a huge hit too. Here I’m talking of something else, something that has taken Bollywood to the next level. Can one man do all the things mentioned above (give and take one or two). Well, 2 months ago I would have said no way hose but I would have been made to eat my own words because there is a star on the horizon ladies and gentleman. We knew he is a good director, but a singer, actor, fighter (one punch only but he has a toned body J ) this we didn’t know and we saw all of it and more in ‘Rock On’.
Yes I’m talking about the charismatic ‘Farhan Akhtar’. Two months ago, I would have termed his entry as an actor as just keeping up with fad of becoming a Bollywood actor/actress. What with Himesh Reshammiya and the slew of models making their debuts alongside Emraan Hashmi. It was good that prior to watching the movie I had not seen any promos or heard any songs either which helped me take the movie as it was without any preconceived notions. I was skeptical to say the least of the star cast of the film. A film about music and no established face (including poor old Arjun Rampal). But not only were the performances great but also the music.
A Bollywood movie on rock music is very hard to come by. But it would create such a buzz was beyond my wildest dreams. Arjun Rampal has acted now in what about 20-30 movies, maybe more and done few good roles too but he fades in and out of the movie. Agreed his character was a slow, chill type guy but if you are performing on stage you got to move your fingers on the guitar even though you’re not actually playing it…. What he was doing is beyond me. After OSO this was a big step down for him I would say. Purab on the other hand showed a lot of character in the small role that he played.
But the star who took everyone by surprise ‘Farhan Akhtar’. He has taken Bollywood to a different level with this role. Nowhere in the movie does he make you feel that this is his first film as an actor. Such intensity and finesse is hard to see in the current crop of young actors. His performance literally blows you away. He gets so involved in the character he is essaying that it is mind boggling. Whether in a business suit as an asset manager or a rock star performing on stage, he fills both the roles completely and you are left wondering is he the same guy that we saw earlier. Much like what must be going on in Prachi Desai’s mind in the movie.
But all accolades fall on Farhan more so because this is not his usual cup of tea. To come up with such a brilliant performance on debut is truly amazing. Apart from acting, his voice too is quite good and you again tend to think that it’s a professional singer but surprise it is Farhan Akhtar. And what a dear old friend of mine would say,”Tumhare alfazon ka sahi hona lazmi hai kyunki tumhari maa Shabana Azmi hai.” All in all an electrifying performance in a very entertaining movie. Farhan has made a lot of fans and now I am one of them. From ‘Socha hai..’ to ‘Rock On’ to ‘Sinbad the sailor..’ the music has simply left me speechless. Wish to see more such movies with more such performances in the future. But tonight its all about one man, the star ‘Farhan Akhtar’.

Aur Bataa

It’s a bright sunny day and you are feeling good at office, at college or even relaxing at home. Suddenly breaking the silence around you, your phone rings. The ring tone is your favorite obviously. You know the caller, a good friend at that. You start chatting nips and bits. Small talk – how’s life, how’s work/college. Nothing major or substantial. Then you (or the caller) utter the words. If you do say/hear them, then congratulations you too have been affected by the deadly virus doing the rounds. People call it by different names but I like to call it the ‘Aur Bataa’ virus.
This is that phase of the conversation when actually you have nothing important to talk about with the other person. You can pretend to support various topics to prolong the talk, but in reality you have no idea about what you are doing. You are drifting. You called up the person just for the heck of it. After all what did you expect? He will break down in front of you with all his problems looking for comfort in return or rather start blabbering about every small thing they did or saw in the day right from brushing teeth to getting to bed.
In today’s time people keep so much to themselves it would be foolhardy to accept a very meaningful talk with someone who is not amongst your closest group. Even then there is the chance of upsetting a closed one and hence opinions and views are further curtailed. Coming back to point, we’ve grown accustomed to using this phrase that I’ve started to wonder that have we actually run out of things to talk about. I can’t remember one conversation with my friends (phone/mail) where under 5-10 minutes I hadn’t used ‘Aur Bataa’, ditto for others too.
This epidemic has brought up another question to my mind that has the new way of life of this generation led to a mass disinterest in the art of talking? Although tit seems highly unlikely, what with the subscription nos. for telecom companies hitting the roof. So what is it that is spreading this virus? A question that is more of a mystery than the most mysterious question of them al. Hell, even writing about it here has left me with very little things to talk about. I can’t seem to think up of anything new to add to what I’ve already written and I can see myself saying the same two words – “Aur Bataa.”

Sorry Bhaiya Aap Galat Aa Gaye – Take A U-Turn

A very common line spoken innumerable times a day around the globe in different dialects. I myself have said it so many times to god knows how many people. Today however I was on the receiving side. In a short span of 45 mins I heard the phrase at least 5 times. When you don’t know where you have to go and have to depend on people for directions you can’t be 100% sure whether you’re getting the right directions or not. Coupled with the other traffic moving along the whole process was in a way a nightmare.

The ‘Schumacher’ in me was tamed down to a snail. On a day when I clocked 122 km/h on my speedometer I was forced to drive at 35 km/h. The high of having driven at 122 in the morning – breaking all existing records on Delhi’s roads (even highways) was washed over by the journey later in the day. A series of U-Turns ensued where every time I got some new directions. Plus the pathetic condition of roads made it miserable under the sun. To top it all off the work we had planned to accomplish didn’t get done and here I am all broken and tired. My legs aching after having endured another 1.5 hr drive home and 3 long badminton games that were played at a stretch.

But do I regret it? Hell no. I have realized over the last two years that I love driving. I may not set out on a trip every other weekend but whenever I’m behind the wheel, I love it. Moving in and out of lanes and speeding (only little-wanna touch 150 someday). I simply love all of this. But sadly Delhi traffic doesn’t allow you to enjoy the drive. You will get stuck up in a jam somewhere for sure, crawling at 5 km/h. But I take it as a strong pill, swallowing it down. The fun and the excitement is there nonetheless.

How I wish I had a clear stretch with minimal traffic every time I move out, but so does everyone else too I guess. You gotta love driving when you’re sitting in that seat and no matter how tiresome or long the journey maybe, you won’t feel bad after it because you have just done something you really enjoyed. Like Dhoni says,”Padai kuch bhi ho, zindagi mein Pyaas honi chahiye.” So I can say mujhe driving ki pyaas hai (hehehe).

It wasn’t like this in the beginning when I first started driving. I was fed up of the traffic and my inexperience. There was a time when I didn’t even want to drive. But slowly I got used to the car and the feel of the wheel. I grew confident and soon it transformed into love. I know I don’t know a thing under the hood of the car but I know I love all that there is.

That’s why my heart aches whenever I hear unwanted sounds coming from the car. It’s like you hear a loved one cry and you know you can’t make him stop. If I look at it closely, I might be brought into thinking that someone doesn’t want me to drive but that’s my imagination running wild. Thus from hero (at 122) in the morning to zero (5-10) at night, I’ve surely had an eventful day……….

Happy Ending....????

Out on a moonlit night with your special someone by your side, you look deep into those mesmerizing eyes. (You are) searching for the answers to the questions haunting you for so long. Could it be? Have I found my one true love? The person I want to settle down with? Is this the love that everyone keeps talking about? You hold hands and smile. A satisfaction emerging from the knowledge that yes you have found what you have been looking for all along. No longer a simple crush, it is real and beautiful love. You believe deep inside your heart that your feelings are reciprocated.
With a sense of joy and elation, you take the plunge. The three most important words you will ever speak. The time you spent rehearsing them. Your heart is beating faster than normal today. You are nervous; bordering on the lines of terrified. You turn back from the brink. It is way too tough than you had imagined. But your strength regroups quickly. Pushing you forward again. You are worried about the outcome. What if the answer’s a no? You could lose your best friend. But if you don’t propose you might lose the love of your life.
Caught in the dilemma you are moving back and forth. The emotional backlash takes its toll on you and you give in. Throwing all inhibitions aside you make your move. Not knowing what to expect you say the three words. Five seconds pass and there is no response. You start panicking, ostracizing yourself for jeopardizing a wonderful friendship. Cursing for making the ill advised move. Ten seconds have passed by now and you break up in sweat. You turn your eyes back to your love and the expression nearly takes you out.
You see a smile, full of love and care. Your hopes rise. You see light at the end of the tunnel. You were not mistaken. You took the right step you feel, as you pat yourself on the back. The mouth opens to say something but closes right back. Choice of words at this point is very important. The lips part again, mesmerizing you with their slow movement.
Words start coming out, but you don’t understand them. It takes you some time to establish what is being said. An apology is being given, you think. Unable to make any sense of what’s going on you try hard to concentrate. Then the words sink in. Your effort, your love have been rejected. You were never looked at from that angle you hear. You were, are and always will be the best friend. Shattered to the bone you try to regroup. This has been more than a shock. You were certain that you were not alone, that your feelings were reciprocated.
But it was not to be. No amount of consoling could help you. You are stricken with grief. Friendship is intact though. You look around yourself. Ironically, all you see is couples in love. You ask why, why you were rejected. No answer could help you though and you know it. You move away taking up time to think. There was one error in your judgment that now seems pretty clear – You were expecting too much. You were expecting the same status that you had provided in your life. You were expecting love in return of love. A glaring flaw that was overlooked in the moments of excitement and anticipation.
Crestfallen you accept your fate. After all you tried. But what to do now? Do you still continue as before? Do you act as if nothing has happened? Can you? Can you stand the pain day in and day out? All the questions bombard you from everywhere. What should be your next step? You think of searching for a new person in your life. Somebody, you can have everything you had planned for with. But even while you search, you can’t figure out a way to let go of the past. It still props up to haunt you. You are sad and irritable because of it.
Then reckoning dawns and you try the formula you had always preached. You let go of the thing you love. If it comes back it’s yours, if it doesn’t it never was. You wait impatiently for that call/message. Nothing happens. You are dumbstruck. All this while it was you probably who was clinging on. You were the one making the items roll. This reality seems a harder blow than the previous one. You take it in your stride though. You move away thinking it’s for the best. Feeling betrayed you turn skeptical even hostile. You believe you will find love someday but you know you won’t fall for it as easily (as you did his time). You will be cautious. You will be ………… careful.

Worthy of Worship

"Sandese aate hain, hamein tadpate hain ki chitthi aayi hai ke puche jaati hai, ke ghar kab aaogey, likho kab aaogey, ki tum bin ye ghar suna suna hai........" Words that have stayed with me ever since i first heard them. The greiving and worried yet very very proud parents, siblings, children of every person enrolled into the Indian Armed Forces spend most of their lives in hope. They worry whether they'll see their loved ones again or not. They grieve when there is no news. They feel proud whenever the forces achieve a victory.
The devoted rendition of services rolled out by the over one million strong Indian army is something to take inspiration from. It's something that should be saluted. Working conditions are harsh (almost always) to say the least. No life security (and we crib about job security). Order driven regime (of the superiors). The hardships of bunkers and the crossfire with the enemy. These are but a few of the risks and problems our servicemen face each day with pride, dignity, love and passion. The virtues you'll find missing elsewhere in the country.
But what becomes of this cavallery? What happens to these men and women fighting the enemy day and night for us, so that we can sleep peacefully without fear at night. So that we can crib about a 10% increment but no medical increase. What becomes of them? A jawan died two weeks ago from the heavy firing from across the border. He left behind a wife and a six year old. The kid won't see his father again but he doesn't shed a tear for fear of making his mother cry. He knows and accepts that he is the man of the house now. Nobody knows how many times this story might have been repeated or what happened to these young tots (those 'lucky' enough to get highlighted - 15 seconds only though).
No one gets a mention, no memorial, no coverage, no news. Yet politicians die and get a memorial, a samadhi. People remmember their names and all the dates of their lives. What their children are saying and doing even though they might be talking about a deal only in the House. No one cares to come up and ask what the government is doing for the people, who are actually keeping it safe (neither the Left nor the Samajwadi party). What schemes (quotas) are being given to them for enabling us to live and breathe freely. Who pays condolences to the family of the deceased? Who will care for the brave men and women and their families when they are gone? A mere 500 a month pention!!!!!! You can splurge crores on the no. of sittings of the House but you can't ensure secure future of the the families of those fighting the enemy so that you can sit on your ass in the right and comfortable place.
Aren't they worthy of worship? Shouldn't they be treated equally if not more than the politicians whom we accord demi-god status and who still suck our blood for their pleasures. I am writing this feeling ashamed and saddened of what this country and its people (yes i'm also here) are doing to the persons who should be worshipped. They in essence are the givers of life after God ofcourse. But these humble souls never ask anything for their services. Acceptance and love is what they want from us. I don't know what should be done to take care of the personnels and their families but do hope that something is done so that someday we don't run out of the youth willing to join the forces.......

Vande Mataram

Inquilab Zindabad.. Sarfoaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai.. Dekhna hai zor kitna bazuey katil main hai. Mere words to some, passion to many and life to rest. Whatever they mean to different people today, three quarters of a century ago they were golden words engraved across the hearts of the millions and millions of people across the landscape of the country. Like fire smoking through a forest, like river water cutting stone. A beautiful song sung by many in as many movies made on the pre-independence era, these words carry lot of weight age when it comes to patriotism.
Every nation which has sacrificed a lot to gain independence from someone else whether external or internal has a theme which each generation adhere to and follow. I don’t know how patriotic India is today but I have reason to believe that these words instill some sense of belonging, of faith and dignity even in the unpatriotic of hearts. These and the other outcries of the independence from British indeed move one to tears. These were written and spoken by one and all from every region and religion in the country. Perhaps this is why they are so sacred because they don’t have any communal overtones to them.
India has fought a long and hard battle against independence from the British rule. Many lives were lost. Many atrocities were suffered. But it was not enough to deter the faithful and the believers. Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Chandrasekhar Azad-revolutionaries in there own respect were instrumental in arousing the youth at that time to stand and fight for the country. In their short but eventful life they did more than many who worked on different ideologies. It was their love and passion for country that has today accorded them cult status amongst the youth of the nation.
The Indian National Congress was formed in 1875 to mark the beginning of an organized struggle against the rule. But quickly under unassuming leadership the focus was lost. Independence got demoted and being n power (somewhat) gained precedence. The political class of the Congress was content with being handed out assurances while at the same time doling out innumerable speeches to the naïve public. With no body to oppose him and everybody willing to follow him, Gandhi saw an impassable opportunity. Something no one had ever done before and no one could ever repeat.
He had a commanding voice, shrewdness, knowledge-all the ingredients of a motivator. At his helm were congress leaders who had the support of the masses. He was intelligent enough to work with people’s feelings. Shrewd enough to know what is best and what needs to be done. Gandhi was just as opportunistic as any of the current breed of politicians. If it hadn’t been for Bhagat Singh and his call for ‘Purna Swaraj’ Congress would have continued to run the rant of Dominion status for another 20 years. Bhagat Singh in his short stint as revolutionary did what Gandhi couldn’t do in two decades.
His popularity grew quickly, rivaling that of Gandhi in less than 3 years. After centuries of exploitation and atrocities the Indians were fighting for something that was actually theirs-Independence.
Bhagat was not caught in a police raid. He surrendered willingly to gain a platform to reach out to the masses. He called upon the young generation to rise against the suppression and fight for independence. Gandhi worried at seeing his popularity slip had to do something. If he wanted he could have had Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru pardoned by the viceroy, but he didn’t. Any guesses why? Gandhi wanted to leave behind his legacy, of which he wanted no partners. Had the Bhagat Singh wave continued, he would have lost out and with it his legacy, his dream.
Bhagat Singh was thus hanged while Gandhi pressed on his feeble efforts for independence. To Gandhi, leadership was easily available. He could have easily become the PM of independent India. But he had other ideas. He knew that if he got involved in power politics he would lose his sheen. He wanted something else. Something that would make him stand out. What better title than ‘Father of the Nation’, having control over the new government and yet remain the ascetic he pretended to be in the eyes of the millions for centuries to come……..

Criticizing the Critic

It begins with a simple no. Ambling around to a small disapproval until the head rears and the whole idea/concept is utterly rejected/disregarded. Devoid of any taste it was, says the head. To the utter dismay of the hapless victim, he realizes, he’s just been harshly criticized. The victim with his head hung low, trudges away, mourning the loss and wondering where he had faltered. The onlookers, having got nothing else to do in their lives, these pitiful souls, they run up to the grieving victim, offer him their condolences and in a typical fashion denigrate the critic for his words. After all, critics are useless people and nobody really needs them anyways, isn’t it?
In this world where everyone has an opinion on everything under the sun, it becomes important as to whose opinion would you listen to along with whether the opinion makes any sense to you or not. Criticism in some sense can be taken as an individual’s opinion. What is absent though amongst all the opinions floating freely in the upper atmosphere is sound logic. This is what separates criticism from general opinion. Criticism is always accompanied by logic and reasoning. The whole thought process behind the judgment is clearly enunciated. Like everywhere else here too there are two sides of the coin. On one hand there is healthy criticism and on the other destructive criticism.
While the former appreciates the topic at hand and uses a mild tone to highlight the negatives, the latter uses a harsh tone and focuses mainly on the negatives. Magnifying the faults while completely ignoring the positives, Destructive Criticism takes shape out of circumstances. Sometimes warranted and sometimes not, it forms an integral part of a critic’s arsenal. To many critics it sometimes becomes a savior, an assertive call to let the prey know who the real king is.
But where lies the fun/excitement? One might wonder why critics do what they do. Can it be all that fun to poke fingers at others and highlight their shortcomings? Good questions i.e. if you don’t know what criticism is all about. Criticism is not about highlighting the faults. It’s also not about talking down to others. Criticism is an art. It takes time and a lot of thinking goes into it. You have to delve deep into the individual’s mind and come up with a theory, a theory which supplements your judgment. A critic has to analyze the thought process of the individual involved by taking clues from his work. Criticism without the logical theory backing it is as bland and phony as a toy phone placed in a phone booth.
Not only does the theory provides credence to the critic’s judgment but also eliminates the basis for counterarguments. Any good critic, worth his words, will always put up an unbiased/impartial view to his readers. He delves into positives along with negatives of the issue at hand. Critics can be harsh and blunt at times but that is the need of the hour. Critics recognize the importance they hold and what weightage do their comments carry amongst the general public. Their continuous efforts make everyone around them perform at his level best by projecting the faults as possible scope of improvements.
At a time when even a small disagreement can lead to acrimony in some cases enmity, being a critic takes a hell lot of courage. Being a critic is no walk in the park, critics are ironically the guys who get the most criticism for their work. But often, it is borne out of sheer resentment rather than sound logic. Nevertheless it’s something they expect out of others too, whom they criticize to take it on the chin and work to remove the inadequacies. All the victims of criticism should thus instead of grieving sit up and analyze the faults and rectify them to earn the praise of everyone….. even the critic.