When you will read this blog, year 2010 will be taking its last few breaths and 2011 will be warming up. For our nation as well as for me personally year 2010 was a big one. Here I’m more concerned about my pain and gain theory rather then nation’s problems.
This year was one of the most important years of my life. If I will say it was a decisive year then I will not be wrong either. At personal, professional and emotional front it was best year till date.
There were many breathtaking moments, many memorable encounters…I am going to discuss all of them in chronological order.
There were many places where I visit.
Even the start of this year was very special as I went to visit golden temple on 1st Jan with NSN friends. That trip was brilliant. I went Wagha border and jaliyawala bagh, about which otherwise I have heard only in old stories.
At the start of this year I was in gurgaon. In gurgaon only I met Vinay and Balraj. Though I knew vinay and balraj from NSN starting days but its gurgoan days which brought us closer, So close that we have spend lots of unforgettable moments together. Both are now part of my heart and Vinay is now my best friend. Vinay is one such friend for whom I can feel proud on myself. After few memorable days of gurgaon, our training with NSN was over and we have to move our locations. I can’t forget that day (2nd Feb.) when people were crying like kids.
I got Gujarat and went to Ahmadabad. Here I got my first project (2G Uninor) and met Mr swapnil Mistry. Mistry sir was my first boss and always politically correct guy. I have learnt a lot from him. Later in Ahmadabad only I met Vaibhav and Nishant. We four (these 2, me and vinay) became room mates and spent some quality time together. I can never ever forget those funny moments in my whole life. While Vaibhav was very sophisticated and practical guy, Nishant was totally fun loving animal.
After leaving Ahmedabad, I went to Rajkot. I spend almost 5-6 months and all this time was full of loneliness apart from the time I spend with Pranav. Rajkot taught me how to live life alone and how to enjoy your loneliness. In Rajkot I came to know kathiyawadi culture and get a chance to know rural Gujarat which was pleasant. This loneliness brings a writer, blogger and traveler out of me. With Pranav and other friends I have visited many places like deev, somnath, gir, tulsi shyam and many more. In Rajkot I got friends like Jay, Heeral, Ramij, Deepak, Vivek and Rajiv.
Rajiv was a wild card entry in my life but soon we became friends. In Rajkot only I met few old friends Niraj, chandna and Abhishek. Niraj was a childhood friend and it was very special to have him near to me.Abhisehk and I was perfect partner for “best restaurant hunting mission” and together we explored many restaurants. Visit of Chanda to Rajkot was never being less memorable.
I was in “thoda hai thode ki jarurat hai” mode in Rajkot when I get a call to join CARE team and it was like miracle. It came to me as if god responds to all prayers.
I joined care team and apart from a good Profile, money and respect, it gave me a chance to re-join a losing battle. A battle which otherwise I was about to lose with a huge difference.
Anyways after coming to care I got a chance to visited few places and met few old friends which otherwise I never have even dreamt.
First I went to Bangalore and met ankit (after 1.5 yrs), smita (after 2-3 yrs), sarika(1 yr), vikrant (2.5 yrs),ashwin (3 yrs).
And ya I met and talk to Ashwini Patankar, an old friend of graduation days with whom I talk after almost 3-4 years.
I get to know Naveed which was a colleague in college and is a friend now.
After Bangalore I went to Mohali-chandigarh and Amabala. I had seen rock garden, Sukna Lake there and met Balraj there. I also patch up with avneet whom I had some arguments earlier and we were not talking from a considerable time.
I went to UP west and met some very practical people there. I had visited taj mahal and Red fort also.
For family too this year was special as construction work of my home is over this year. My sister got married this year. And in her marriage I met almost all my relatives.
In the middle of all these moments how can I forget the moment I spent with Rahul Rathore and Arti. While I got a friend and a decent human being like rahul in Gujarat, I had also spent some class moments with arti.
I am in Bangalore from last 7 days now…and its my 2nd trip to place, before this I was in agra, meerut, mohali and many other cities..After joining NSN,care Team I am a free bird, who is checking the dimensions of sky. I am visiting many cities. I am discovering new places. I am meeting friends whom actually I had given a mental farewell.
When I’m meeting with old friends I am noticing something which is bothering me…its their way of living life…when in college they were full of life, full of energy, full of jokes…now some of them are just living their life waiting for weekends. In the middle of this they are working like machines…Some people are just busy with tv, face book, laptops…that’s it….either they don’t know who they were or they don’t want know….they have lost all their energy..
Every one is depressed, tensed. Everyone is tired mentally. It seems as if they are in loop, they want to get out of this but did not have courage to break the damn door…deep in their heart they know that they are just pawns of their habits, their liking, their way of living….but they are so happy in this mirage that any knock seems intrusion to them…
When we were in college, we don’t have money but freedom….we follows our own philosophies, principles….but now where are we going??
Its like racing a gym cycle, where you are walking and running but actually you are not going anywhere….
Is this the kind of life I want for myself??
Is this the kind of life for which I work hard for 1 quarter of my life?
Is this what they called as L I F E?
I want to live my life not just want to pass it??
Will all these responsibilities and in-securities turn out me in to machine some day….??
What I suppose to do in order not to get in this trap of life??
Written by a 90 year old, this is something we should all read at least once a week !!!!! Make sure you read to the end !!!!!!
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .
To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."
It's estimated 93% won't forward this. If you are one of the 7% who will, forward this with the title '7%'. I'm in the 7%. Friends are the family that we choose.
What will be your response when you got a transfer to a place and when you are mentally prepared to go you came to know that before going to that place you have to go somewhere else for few days? This was my condition when I got a transfer from Rajkot to Gurgaon. I was prepared for it then one fine day I got a call that says that I will have to join to Bombay on a fix date. Just next day I got a call that there is some emergency project is going in Bangalore so first go there. I ask when??? They said tomorrow. I booked my flight from Bhopal to Bangalore through Mumbai and reached Bangalore. I know many people just hate to travel. In fact this is a basic human tendency to resist change whether it’s in terms of city, atmosphere, food, people and your loved ones. People like to live in their own “comfort zone”, at their places, with “their kind” of people. And it’s true that why should we change something but contrary to common belief I like changes, I like travelling. Somewhere deep inside me lives a traveler, who likes to explore this world. I have wasted half of my life in getting a so called “decent” job and now when I got it, I want to live for myself. Now I am going away from topic, i was talking about travelling. I really like travelling. I like the word “musafir” and like to listens all the songs based around such situation. I believe that every city, every temple, every structure and culture has a story to tell. There are many places where you can feel nature speaking. I always keep my laptop bag and a travel bag ready. In India, every 3-4 mile their is a different language, after every 4-5 mile there is different taste of water and at every 20-30 miles there is a different culture. Why I like travelling this much, because apart from the fact that it gives me chance to explore the world but it also suits my nature. I don’t like to have attachments. It’s not that I don’t love people or I don’t have friends but I just don’t like to miss any one or anything. I don’t miss my family too. I know it sounds weird but that how I am (good or bad). Travelling gives me chance to meet new people, to witness new tradition. I always welcome changes. I know they are quite disturbing particularly when you are not willing to have one but they always bring something out of you. I remember in an interview Mr amitabh Bachchan said that “mann ka ho jaye to achcha ,na ho to aur achcha”…what a line… One more reason I like to travel or like changes is that in my whole life time I made many friends, which came from different part of country and scattered back to different places. With all this travelling I get a chance to meet old friends. Whenever I get a chance to go to a place, first I will check who is their or which place I can visit or is there anything in that place for which it is famous. I make it a habit that when I visit a place I try my best to have regional breakfast, lunch and dinner. Earlier I was in Gujarat, before that I was in MP and now I am in Karnataka and there is considerable difference between eating habits of peoples. Since I have to travel frequently (sometimes due to my job and sometimes due to my nature) so I made certain rules for myself: (1) Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers. (2) When you are talking to a new person, try to take more detail about the place he belongs i.e. stories, famous peoples, myths. (3) Always keep a camera with you so that you can keep some memories with you. (4) Always check the sunrise and sunset of every place. This is to be said that sunrise and sun set of every place has some uniqueness. (5) Always take regional breakfasts and lunch. (6) Always visit the local temples (though god is same around the world but his face are different).
Things you can find in my luggage: A laptop with photon (so that I can be connected to the world), A charger, A bed sheet, A diary, A novel and a phone full of songs and enough balance. And yes toilet soap also. For me the true life is to go one place to another, meet different kind of people, witness the small moments of life. I believe that a man is living truly only when he is helping without expectation, talking without language barriers, he is doing something not because he has to do this but because he wants to do this. It took 5 schools for me to complete my pre-college education. I was student in 2 colleges and teacher in two colleges. I visit to different cities earlier for job related interviews and now for company related meetings. I have visited many places and found many things very interesting. Despite having all the barriers of language, culture and rituals, basic problems and basic reasons to be happy are same. Doesn’t matter whether its Maharashtra or Karnataka, Parents always hold the hand of their children while crossing the road. Doesn’t matter whether its Gujarat or Kerala, initial few seats are reserved for ladies. This is the beauty of life isn’t it? I love all such small things. I noticed all this by being a silent observer. My hobby of travelling gave me a lot of satisfaction and entirely a new way to look at the world. There may be people who will not go for the words as satisfaction, joy, and pleasure and they may ask what I have got actually in life after all this travelling and so called “banjara” life so let me tell those people that now i have friends in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mohali, Rajkot, Ambala, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Pune and Mumbai . I have lots of home away from my home. Let me give you an example of real life. When I was Rajkot I met a girl in a library who was good in gujarati and bad in hindi while I was good in hindi and worst in gujartai and now we are friends despite having a strong language barrier and lack of contents. I understand one thing that it’s not the language through which you can communicate but the expression. If you are not taking risk, believe me you are losing a big part of life. If you will not talk to stranger, you will not loss anything but if you will talk you may get a friend and that’s the only thing which matters. Isn’t it? I like to end the blog with few lines of a song which really justifies the journey of life: Jindgi ka safar ajanabi ajanabi, Sanso ki rah gujar ajnabi ajnabi, Na mujhe hai khabar na tujhe hai khabar, Chal rahe hum magar ajnabi, Har najara har ishara naya naya hai, Kaun jane hai sabera kahan, Jarra jarra lamha lamha naya naya hai, Kaun jane h basera h kahan, Har shahar har dagar ajnabi ajnabi, Na tujhe hai khabar na mujhe hai khabar, Chal rahe hum magar ajnabi… Allah hafiz…..
Epilogue: Life is not just about having a good education, a decent job and marriage. In fact all these things are part of life not the whole life. Life is to laugh uncontrollably, to hold no grievance, to forgive yourself for all mistakes you did in past. Life is not about passing every moment in fact it’s about living every moment (there is a huge difference between the two). Look at the things as if you are last time watching it, meet people in way a way as if tomorrow you will die and things will be different. PS: (1) If you had seen the movie “up in the air” then put me in place of George clooney’s character and you will understand the soul of blog. (2) This blog is sponsored by Yatra .com, which helps me find my buses, trains and flights.
Scene 1: Place: a room Time: 01:00 AM in March Situation: A teenager is reading some thing. In fact he is murmuring something. Near to him, a lady of age 40 is knitting a sweater. Lady is feeling sleepy and almost fighting to keep herself wake up. Suddenly a man of around 42, wake up and enters in the room. He asks to lady- Man: still wake up??? He can read by his own now. You need not to stay awake with him. Women: No. At this stage, he needs some motivation. He should know that we are with him. He should know that he is not reading for himself, every one is suffering with him. When he will see that everyone is sacrificing their sleep with him then only he can understand that he is doing something important. I am not much educated and I will not allow this thing to limit his dreams. His father was speechless. Later on in that exam, that kid got 81%. This is a 14 year old scene. The kid in scene was me, lady was my mother. Today after considerable years, this story came to my mind after I got 1 sms at 7 am. Usually I hate to have any message or call at this much early but that day was different and so the message. The text was “happy teacher’s day sir, thanks 2 be my teacher, guide and a mentor”. Wao…that was a perfect start of a day. It was teacher’s day. And 1year ago I joined a collage for few months. This sms belongs to a student of that college. After reading message I was thinking about “teachers of my life” .then I called my ma and wish her. She was surprised that why I am wishing her but when I told her that she never taught me any big thing but always give knowledge of small things, then she was pleased. After that I was thinking of different peoples who came in my life in different ways and give me some important lesions. This is a small list considering the fact that I never feel that I have learned anything from anyone. Without ant doubt my ma will top this list. My mother read till 7th class only but it never came as an obstacle to our (me and my sister) carrier. She taught me lots of things. I do remember the days when she taught me how to check the time in a watch. I always got confuse between a minute needle and hour needle. Later on she taught me how to write a latter. These small learning among other things like prayer before sleeping, before lunch or dinner, never hurt anybody and that small things matters most in life became an integral part of my personality. She is my first and most important teacher. My daddy is my, another teacher. I learn dedication to the job from him. He always said that if you are doing something give your best to it, don’t do anything just for the sake of doing. His passion for his work was admirable. He always told me that we didn’t have much knowledge to give you right guidance but you do whatever you like and I will give everything to make it possible. Apart from my parents I met many people in my life that came in different relations but taught me a lot. Kaushik, ankit and tushar: These 3 were my friends in m tech, which was turning point of my career and personality also. kaushik work on my confidence. When I entered in m tech degree I was a low confidence guy but he realized me, my true potential. He was the man of standard. “Follow you heart” and “do what you actually want to do” was few lines he taught me. Ankit realized me an altogether different philosophy, a different world. He taught me how to be passionate 4 your work. He showed me glimpse of a world where people love their work. Their work is their only religion. He taught me that passion for work is more toxic then any liquor. “Concentrate on bigger picture” were his words for me. Tushar told me the definition of standard in everything. He told me how to be straight forward in life. How to speak when others are keeping quit. He always chose to fight for underdogs. A biggest critic I have ever met. But this criticism work as negative motivation for me. Smita was my friend during engg days. Then close friend at PG times later on friend-sister and a respectable girl in this essentially non respectable world. “Simple living high thinking” that’s what she taught me. She posses all the talent of this world but still had calm and composed character. I learn one important lesion from her that beauty lies in simplicity. After coming to NSN I met 2 more people who make my life worth living; a friend vinay, who later became my best friend. He was a down to earth, god of humor guy. He taught me how to laugh on you. In all his jokes he was the central character. He taught me how to enjoy when people are cracking joke on you. One more thing which I learn from him was to “free your-self from all prejudices”. He was a guy with whom one can be himself. Many things which he knew about me, I never ever dared to tell anybody. All these people came in different relations in my life but none of them was formally or informally my teacher but in NSN training I met Ramesh sir. For whom I have already dedicated a full page blog so I don’t think I should write more about him. This discussion will never be completed without the introduction of Bhaskar Lakshkar sir; a senior then teacher then an elder brother like figure and always a motivator. Recently he cleared IAS. He was a guy who always motivates me. He belongs to some of those people who were there when I was having some dark time. He was a simple from outside but highly intensive from inside person. His grip over hindi language, his simplicity, down to earth nature, and his sparking and clear stand on every current issue made him my ideal. Sir, you are my ideal. I wanted to be like you. PS: these were some people whom I admire and from whom I have learn very important lessions of life. Except bhaskar sir, all other people appear in chronological order in this blog so there is no priority. These all are my teachers. Happy Teachers Day to My Teachers.
It was a dark night. I was coming back after dinner, Alone as usual. This was 20-50 or may be 60th time I took my dinner alone. I hate this fact. Wheather was little rainy, little in the sense that it was cloudy. I was feeling alone so decided to go in a near by park and lit a cigarette. I am not a smoker-habitually, rather I am an occasional smoker and my occasion consumes 1-2 cigarette in each 4-5 days. I rested myself on a bench in park and started a song on my mobile. The song was “maine dil se kaha dhundh lana khushi….” It seems that song was written 4 me otherwise how can it be so suited to situation. I closed my eyes. I wasn’t thinking anything. I just don’t want to think anything, not about job or family or friends. I just wanted to be with "me". I wanted to spend this moment with me. I was staring in blank with closed eyes. I didn’t know whether it was magic of every line of song or every passing smoky breathe or the wheather itself but I started feeling good. I never feel so intoxicated in my whole life even after many pegs of any alcohol. It seemed that together rain, night, song and smoke did some magic on me. I was feeling that in the darkness of night, darkness of my loneliness has dissolved somewhere. I was feeling completely harmonized with atmosphere. I was comparing my situation with that of sky. We both are alone; both have darkness around them, both wants to cry and both wants to live this particular moment. Then it started raining heavily but I didn’t want to move from there. I was getting wet and my cigarette was also over and the song too was complete. Then I feel that the moment is over and I have enjoyed one of the finest moment in last few days that too at cost of 4rs. 10 minutes of happiness at a cost of 4rs, not a bad deal. Isn’t it?
Place:Amritsar Date: 01.01.2010
what can be the great start of a new year??....obviously with family... ok now what about second best??? It must be with friends that too when you are going to visit some temple or a historical place. My trip to Amritsar provides both the things together. We were 8 people, out of which i was familiar with 3-4 only but when open minded people meet, formality hardly matters. Below I will give some snaps of things you can see in Amritsar. i am adding some videos too.
The perfect way to start a trip is to complete it in night so that you can get full day 2 njoy.
GOLDEN TEMPLE:
Golden temple; the symbol of mental peace, symbol of culture, trust and holy rituals.
forget all the bad reason (operation blue star) , and njoy its beauty.
Let me tell you the process of Swarna mandir's "darshan". First you have to take bath in a normal gusalkhana (bathroom). There you have to take common bath then you will cover your head with holy cloth and take a dip in holy water of temple.
WAGAH BORDER:
wagah border; a true symbol of patriotism. border that connect india to its rival and neighbor pakisatn. come here and automatically you will feel proud to be an indian. the feeling to be an indian is in every part of air here.
JALIYAWALA BAG:
:
Jaliyawala bag; famous rather infamous for brutal killing done by general O Dwyer was responsible of thousands of deaths. Here you can find the sign of bullets on walls even now. You can also check the well from where around 12000 bodies were found during dis accident.
Hello friends, this is Arvind. You have appreciated most of my blogs so I came with a new series but this time mood is different, so the topic is also different. You have seen different parts of my personality like philosophy, humor, romance hence its time to check a new arvind; A traveler one this time for a change. Check this series with a traveller’s eyes. Well I like to travel and though I did not get much time but still I roamed some places. So in this series I will post my own camera work. Feel free to give your feedback. I will appreciate if you add some snaps of same place.
My Parents call me [ARVIND]. And I am registered in my death certificate as..oh sorry, in my birth certificate as ARVIND.
I love to live wid my friends n for friendship I don’t consider their any previous achievements. I choose my friends by their character and socks by their color…does that sound funny for you, for me not, as I don’t make use of my sixth sense, for the things which I can do with my common sense. I like to keep a relation with my friends for long time. I love all those who feel comfortable wid me and who make me feel comfortable wid them… And I never ever go behind any person who don’t like my attitude and don’t want to be my friend..
I hate people who act over smart...I hate criticism on my back and like to keep no connection wid d person who is not comfortable wid me, not even bad memories. I zap everything of that person bt ya I keep the lessons in my mmeory.
I take some time to adjust wid anybody..might be a drawback of me
I don’t underestimate anyone. Misunderstanding has played appreciably great strocks in my life and I am crazier than that,coz I enjoy it.. I forgive people soon, as I feel this life as too short and hav no time to keep on proving others as wrong and we the only perfect!I can forgive the person who kills me, but not the one who misused me .Now I know,u r thinking, wt the hell this person might be of use?? The answer is, I also don’t know.But still I hate people who misuse me..now leave it.
I am optimistic.I always think positive–> Which have never helped me to achieve anything, but still it has become a habit.I like to turn dream into reality, but till now my biggest dreams senses for way…ha ha ha
And one thing I have observed about myself is,I don’t go behind famous people, as it would be an extra burden to them. **I don’t like to disturb anybody** I enjoy the company of people who are FREE.I too love to live freely!
I believe that people wont understand the importance of the other person until that person is found dead. And I am not an important person,
can you guess Y ?
buddhu….
because……………I am still alive. Being a true Gemini, I have an extra sense for humor and I can found humor in everything. Once I make myself comfortable in an environment then I am the best man to hang around.
I respect each and every person on this earth.
For those who doesn’t like me, I don’t have any comments, because its their life and I am no one to poke my nose.. And for those who hate me….hope I am not soooo bad(Anyway, its left to you). I never think bad for anyone….etc!
One thing which I always want to tell all those people who want to hear from me is…please be original..Be how you are and never try to act as someone else. Be proud of who you are and try to be yourself in most of the times.Don’t copy things from others.
I guess, you are my friend..because you read until here, soooo long.Do you know….Friendship isn’t about…whom you have known the Longest….who came 1st or who Cares the Best…Its all about Who came and Never Left. If you still wana know more about me then either check the communities I have joined on orkut or check my writings at arvind-my-thoughts.blogspot.com As these are mirror of my mind. God bless & love u all!!!!!
In one fine morning my neighbor was sad. When I ask, he said India lost in world cup and is out of world cup. I said no as far as I remember India is doing fine in women’s cricket. Agitated by my response he said “Yar!! What nonsense are you talking, who watches women’s cricket”. That night when I was going to sleep, this thought was traveling my mind and I was forced to think that how hypocrites we Indians are. I mean its not that we like cricket, it’s that we like to watch man’s cricket only. If you ask the name of any cricketer to even a school going kid, he will tell you 20 names let alone the giants Dhoni,Yuvraj and Bhajji. If you ask somebody the name of women cricketers, you will get hardly 2-3 names. Even I (your writer) am not an exception. I know Mitali Raj, Anjum Chopra and Jhoolan Goswami (with best of my knowledge). At one side Sachin, Dhoni earning crores from the game, advertising, Indian captain Jhoolan Goswami said that their earning is 2-3 lakh per annum. It is said that cricket is a religion in India. Its true and parallely the fact is also true that this religion is eating all other sports. Should I give you the example of hockey (our national game), badminton and table tennis? I will not take the example of football as football still has large number of fans in India. But just fans no players. We are enjoying this festival by cheering for the county to whom either we can pronounce better like BRAZIL (by any other reason) or we manage to recognize a popular player with its belonging country”. In Hindi this is called “Begani shadi me Abdulla diwana”. Now if you are thinking that we Indians are hypocrite only in terms of cricket then please don’t even think of it. In India sex ratio is 933, In every 42 mins one sexual harassment case registers and abortion rate is also very high and after all this we considers girls as Durga (Indian goddess) in Navratri. It means in navratri they are devi’s and in other months they are mere sex toys. Once I was coming in a lift outside my office then a man said to another: “Have you seen that receptionist? She is such an item.” So what was the fault of that girl; she was working there. Let me give you some more examples of hypocrites Indians; few months back there was a movement in parliament to put a ban on bar dancers. They said that it increases the prostitution in our country. I couldn’t understand the analogy. These girls were working there to earn money. They were in job because many big people came to these bars. So should not we ban these people??? ….This is all politics. When some one is trying to pass some nuclear bill, people have to wait for years and MP’s salary hike bill will pass in 2 days. In some village in khargone district, few days back few high caste people beat two low caste peoples as they have entered in their temples. This is called casteism. Which allows one person to serve god while stop the other. I am confuse how come no one ask the religion of prostitutes or the caste of bar owner. It may be because caste is no bar when it comes to physical pleasure. About prostitution, our view is really strange. People hate it still they went there, in other countries it is a job for which they pay taxes but in India it is used as a slang word. When we are talking about hypocrites, how we can leave MNS (Maharashtra nav nirman sena)/ shiv sena/ ABVP who are swore to be true patriot. They will attack on peoples on Valentine’s Day or friendship day, they will fight with north Indian people and beat them in railway and bank exams but they have no answers for “Bangladeshi refugees”. I want to ask Mr. Bal Thakrey that why he is silent on Mr. Ram Jethmalani who put a board outside his home that “I left all form of official practice, enter only if you have good offer” And every now and then taking the cases of all bomb blast convicts. Politics is full of mean, narrow minded and hypocrite peoples. They slam other parties to have criminal record people while at their turn they will shake hand with such people. Latest example is of BJP in Jharkhand.
The party’s tickets are distributed not on the basis of work done by candidate but how famous or reach candidates are does not matter whether they are sport person or bollywood celebrity. Politics is mingled in the society so much that even the most prestigious awards are blamed to be biased. Take the example when Saif Ali Khan got “Padma Shri” and Kareena Kapoor got “Youth icon award”. I am unable to understand what they did for society and in their respective field. Till now they are famous for all the wrong reasons. Bollywood is the biggest home for hypocrites. Sanjay Datt, Salman Khan and Fardeen, they are still getting all the love of Indian public despite having serious criminal charges against them but when an outsider Shiney Ahuja accepts rape charges against him, no one came in his support in fact no bollywood actress or director was willing to work with him. In this same bollywood, Abhishek and Uday Chopra got several offers despite having 5-10% success record and I need not to tell you the struggle of talented actors like Priyanshu Chatterji, Jimmy Shergill, Ashish Vidyarthi, Sharad Kapoor, Ashutosh Rana, Manoj Vajpayee.
Now lets move to small bollywood i.e. television. On orkut you will find many members in a community “I hate ekta kapoor”. Here let me make one thing clear that I am not a fan of Ekta kapoor or nor of her serials. Ekta kapoor is same girl who is ruling so called “chhota parda” from last 7-8 years. From the ground, she built an empire of millions. People blame that she works for TRP and modifies her serials for that. But question is that isn’t Indian public liked her serials. Some of her serials are topping the TRP from 3-4 years. The surprise part was that more women’s then mans join such communities. I can understand man’s stand over ekta as in this male dominating society how they can like a girl ruling them but what about women’s?? This is the same audience who love to watch “kuch kuch hota hai” and “dilwale dulhnaiya le jayenge” but when their daughters fall in love with somebody they killed the couples on the name of “honor killing”.
People are of dual mentality as they hate all so called ‘moh maya’ when they went to “shamshan ghat” but after they took bath they forget everything and started behaving normally. Our society is so male dominated that we kept one fix day in week for lord hanuman, shiva and ganehsa but for laxmi and saraswati we have 1 day in whole year. Since I am in Gujrat so how can I leave this state, Gujrat is said to be DRY state. Dry because people are good and they do not want to have liquor. But if by chance you visit DAMAN and DIU, you will get 99% vehicle of Gujrat. I mean people are doing everything they just don’t want to do it in their home town. Isn’t it strange? Alcohol is ban in gujrat and there is heavy fine on its import but in last 2 months I purchased alcohol 4 times. Now you can understand the situation.
Few days back one sms was circulating which was like:
Ques: what is India?
Ans: 1. a nation where pizza reaches home faster then ambulance or police.
2. a nation where you get car loan @ 5% but education loan @ 12%.
3. a nation where rice is Rs. 40 but sim card is Rs. 10.
4. a nation where people standing at tea stall reading an article about child labor and say “yar bachcho se kaam karwane walo ko to fansi pe chada dena chahiye” and then they shout “oye chhotu 3 chay la.”
This is India, incredible india isn’t it?
Lets conclude this blog with some lines:
EK DIN MAIN SAIR KO NIKLA AWARA,
TABHI DIKHA FOOTPATH PE PADA THA EK BECHARA,
BHOOKH, PYAS, THAND AUR GARIBI KA LAGTA THA WO MAARA,
TEJ HAWA SE UDTA THA BADAN KA CHEETHDA SARA,
TABHI HAME DIKHA PEETH PE LIKHA THA YE NAARA,
SARE JAHAN SE ACHCHA HINDSOTAN HAMARA…
PS: This blog is my anger. You can take it the way you want.
Epilogue Well friends so its again your host and friend arvind . Finally the story is over. So how was the story??? It is always tough to maintain one common flow in a long story like this. I will love to have your feedback. This series of blog was very important for me as this story was very close to my heart. Many people write blogs 2 express their views about events; some write to impress other peoples, some write to show their anger and frustration and for some it is just a way to express their views. I to have more or less same intention to write blogs in past but this particular blog I write 2 satisfy myself. I put my whole heart in this. You know guys; it is always difficult to describe a long story into few chapters. Now let us come back to the story. Most of the incidents, places are mentioned truly. Few things I have added to make story line interesting. Most of names used in the story are true to their sense. Introduction of characters: Vivek: False name. He is working in a MNC. Still a big flirt, drunk guy. Still every now and then he started thinking about shikha. Shikha: False name. She is in Bhopal, living in ashoka garden. She did a course in fashion designing. I cant give you the actual name of shikha. Diwakar: real name. He is still best friend of shikha. Sonali: Her actual name is bharti. She is in sagar with her husband. Ashish: name is true. Anjali: Working in a MNC. Still love vivek very much, despite knowing his past. Cookie: real name. The whole story is true except the prologue and there is no such character like arvind. When I was writing this story, few questions were coming in mind. Like is it possible to fall in love with two persons at the same time??? Is there anything like complete love story??? If you are with some person from few years, and then you are feeling that it wasn’t love then what you suppose to do?? What is the blurred line between love, crush, attraction, ego and self respect??? And in last one more question; out of all these characters who did the true love i.e. vivek, shikha, anjali, diwakar or Cookie?? Please help me to find the answers. Your feedbacks, both good and bad will help me to overcome pitfalls. Thanks for patiently listening the whole story. In particular, i want to thanks tushar, sneha and pratiksha. Without your support I will not be able to do it.
When I was thinking all these things, I found a gal smiling at me…it wasn’t her smile but something else that made me feel strange…it was some softness on my cheeks…so here I was a macho kind man(self proclaimed) ,I was weeping. See the side effect of being emotional. So with these thoughts and my emotions, I reached 2 her home…
Usually I don’t like 2 ask anything 2 god as I feel I am self capable to do anything but 2day in was praying 2 god 2 let her meet me. I just want 30 min alone with her so that i can clear all the things of past, all the misunderstandings, I want some time so that I can give her some happiness, to talk to her.
Just 30 mins, that’s all I want today god. So with all these thoughts i found myself knocking at her gate. Her younger brother came and gave me a high five (thank god I made some friends here)…
I entered in her home with crossed fingers. Found her ma, other brother. Her home was same as I left almost 3 year ago, when I last visited her…
wao what an atmosphere here, I was feeling her smell…her hand maid paintings , her photos in different weird poses hanging on the wall…the novels she reads were in the bookshelf…but where is she??? My eyes were searching for her..
i almost passed 30 mins there observing her home and chatting with her mother. With every passing second, I was getting an unusual feeling….then I left all the hopes and decided to leave. Then his brother said, I will give drop you to station while going to hospital.
Hospital!!!!
Then I came to know that shikha met an accident, and is in hospital. And FUCK I was wasting my time here.
Now I was on my way to go to hospital with her brother and was thinking what I will talk 2 her now. It is after 2-3 yrs that I was gonna face her. What I suppose to do now??? Should I ask for her feelings about me? I dropped the idea and was cursing myself to think selfishly…
I was thinking on which basis, I am asking for her love. I mean My world is entirely different then her world. In last few years I met her just for few minutes. We are not even friends. She is in hospital from last 1 month and now I got the news. I did nothing for her. What is my right to love her.??? Is the meaning of love is to get some one physically??? To love somebody, first you have to be their friend, that’s the basic rule??? And certainly I knew I wasn’t a friend of shikha… and I have a girlfriend anjali…Then why I am thinking all this…God I messed up everything….So wats up now??? What I suppose to do??/ I have decided that this may be my last time, I was meeting her (as I have decided I will not meet her now on.) so will try my best to make this meeting as memorable as possible (Memorable for her or for me that I don’t know).
So with a heavy heart I entered in the hospital.
When I entered in hospital she was sleeping. And after a long time, I was watching her. This is to be said that doesn’t matter how a person looks, one always looks good while sleeping. She was looking as if some mermaid or some fairy is sleeping there. A few bandages on head, few bandages were covering her hands. Scene was enough to make anybody cry. How I was controlling me I can’t describe. Suddenly she opened her eyes.
Shikha: ohho bade log. Now I can see the brighter side of accidents.
Me: ya I came 2 know that you were bored with aunt’s food so shifted here??
Shikha: na actually I just wanted 2 give chance to everybody to meet me or else people didn’t have time now a days.
Me: so how are things here??
Shikha: pretty cool as compare to outside world. Have a crush on an old man lying next to my bed. Though we are not yet talking to each other but still sleeping together (on different beds obviously).
Me: so that’s what you are doing here??
I have also heard that you are doing part time nursing here. All the time roaming here and there, talking to people, taking care of them??.
Shikha: Yes so that I can talk to at most people as possible. But unfortunately I am getting all oldies here not even a young person. Even my visitors are just old people.
(Smiling and pointing at me)
Me: but I don’t think ashish (her brother) is that much old (I changed the strike)…
(Don’t get amuse guys. We always love to “pull each other’s leg” like this)
(Suddenly I look at some thing and started smiling)
Me: ohhk ohhk now I can understand, to whom you were pointing in that “oldies” remark. Mr. Dookie is here (her tortoise).
Shikha: it is cookie. I hate peoples who can’t respect ….
(I interrupted her)
Me: animals….(hehehe)
Shikha: cookie is not animal. He is my best friend. He is with me from last few years.
Me: so u r planning to marry with him???
Shikha: shut up. He is like my brother.
Me: ohhho look at his eyes. He is pleasing 2 let him go. Let him have his own wife and children.
Shikha: wife and children!! Hehehe…
(She was smiling and I was thinking all these jokes are going in right directions)
(When I was playing all these tricks, I found a snake-ladder game in her cabinet)
Me: I was wondering if today you are strong enough to have some defeats then we cam play snake and ladder.
Shikha: I think you forget that in last 5 years you are continuously loosing (0-8 score) from me.
Me: let’s settle all our scores today.
(I know she will never say no to a challenge, even if it is from a pig like me and for a game like snake-ladder.)
I lost first few games. And with every passing game I was shouted mockingly that now I am about to win, I will finish this girl here. And first time in my life, I was praying to god to loose.
After some hours, peoples around me were clapping and cheering as I was about to lost my 7th game in a row in 1 single day. Shikha was delighted, I was happy but pretending sad. I was cursing god mockingly, Then suddenly happened the unexpected. Though shikha was also smiling with my defeats but suddenly she started laughing….laughing…first slowly then openly….she was looking at me and laughing like maids. She was laughing on her wins or may be the way I was acting. I was thinking that for few seconds that I won.
This is then ashish got a call and went to outside and we were alone in that room. I have decided that this is the moment for which I was waiting from years. .
Me: I am sorry.
Shikha: for what?
Me: for all the pain and suffering, you got because of me, because of our relation.
Shikha: Pain and suffering are part of this game called life. No one gets any pain because of other people; it is your own control over your mind and heart that causes pain. And as far as the relation concerns, no good relation can hurt anybody.
Me: I want to ask you something?
Shikha: (she interrupts me) how is anjali (my girlfriend from last 3 years)??
Me: how do you…..
Sshikha: I came to know that she is very cute and caring girl. You people must be sweet couple. Touchwood (she touches the wood.)
(I was speechless.)
Me: but I want to be with you.
Shikha: don’t make things so complicated for everybody.
Me: we know each other from 10 years.
Shikha: Yes that’s true and I respect the fact that we were first ‘crush’ of each other. And we will always be. But let’s not be selfish.
Me: If I will not get you I will destroy everything.
Shikha: and that will be an insult of me and my relation with you. I knew lots of things about you. You are a big flirt, a drunk but I know you are not bad just angry with yourself, with me, with this world because you never got what you want. I know from last 10-11 years you are trying to meet, me just to make me laugh, to make me feel good, you are helping people and this is your way of compensating your so called “ mistakes done in past” but believe me you did nothing wrong. You need not to feel bad for anything. Be happy. There are many people who admire you, consider you as their ideal. It’s time to think about those people. It’s times to think about family.
Me: If you know everything then why you are behaving this way??
Shikha: Because I don’t want to think selfishly. I don’t wana hurt anjali and diwakar.
Me: diwakar??
Shikha: yes. Diwakar is a friend of mine from 8 years now. He helps me in every odd situation. He never ever asks for anything. He never asks me “what he wants”. I don’t know what is my feeling for you but these people are innocent, They are with us despite knowing all our past. And no good thing should hurt good people.
Me: you love diwakar?
Shikha: don’t know but I respect him a lot and I am happy to have him in my life.
Me: what is relation between us?
Shikha: Is it necessary to give a name to every relation?? Why we human beings are so mean???
Me: hmmm…an unknown relation. Isn’t it??
Shikha: hmmm “un-known” really. Yes in this way we can be free from all copyright troubles also. (She started smiling).
Me: now tell me how to live without you??
Shikha: are!! I am not dying???
(She started grinning.)
(Though I was in serious mood but this comment make me smile.)
Shikha: You have enormous potential that I know. Don’t waste it chasing un-important things. You have to go ahead. Find your destiny. You have to set example for others. You have to achieve so much in life that I feel proud on you and regrets over my decision not to choose you.
Me: shut up. (Idiot)
Me: I will accept all your points, just tell me one thing that in all those 11 years, were there a single moment when you think about me??/
Shikha: don’t ask such questions which have no answers. Does not matter what I will answer it will hurt either me or you. My ‘yes’ or ‘no’ both will make one of us emotionally weak.
Suddenly ashish entered. (What a time to enter!!)
My job was over. I have to go. I have got all my answers today. Till then some more family members were gathered. Suddenly a young, smart (important to mention) guy enters, with a pack of something.
Shikha said to me: hey meet him. He is my best friend (?????) diwakar.
Me: ohh..Yes i had heard about him.
(Just few moments ago shikha told that diwakar is her good friend but when this good friend becomes best friend I don’t know.)
Shikha: And what is in your hand diwakar??
Diwakar opened the gift: it was a hand made sketch of shikha. And it was so beautiful.
Now I understood that its time to go. Game was over.
Me: So shikha now you can’t blame that no smart people are coming to visit you.
(I was pointing to diwakar)
She was grinning.
I said bye to every one, hug to ashish and shake hand with shikha just to take her body odor in my hand. Diwakar was looking at me with some anger in his eyes. I know the meaning of all this. I made her doll cry many times.
I left. Ashish drop me at station and midway he was saying something but I was unable to concentrate. Just saying hmm-ya-hmmm. I was altogether in 1 different world. Whatever was this; a crush, love, attraction was over. Someone rightly says that every relation have an expiry date. The game was over. Diwakar won everything. Shikha with few khushi and few gum, scored 0 and I lost everything. Anyway I was happy that best man got what they deserve and even for few moments I made her smiling. I want to cry with full of my volume. I dialed a number. Somewhere else in the world arvind takes the call. And you know the rest.
Few lines of my favorite song:
Tune jo na kaha, main wo suntan raha…
Khamkhwah bewajah khwab bunta raha..
PS: So this was the end of story. So how was it?? I don’t know whether I should call it love or just crush or just attraction that you will tell me but whatever it was, I put it in front of you.
I know it is difficult to handle different emotions in 1-2-3-4 chapters but it is always tough to describe a 10 year old story in 4-5 chapters. From next blog arvind will take charge and will discuss some final things about characters and will tell you the truth and fictional part of story.
When you will read this blog, year 2010 will be taking its last few breaths and 2011 will be warming up. For our nation as well as for me personally year 2010 was a big one. Here I’m more concerned about my pain and gain theory rather then nation’s problems. 
start of this year I was in gurgaon. In gurgaon only I met Vinay and Balraj. Though I knew vinay and balraj from NSN starting days but its gurgoan days which brought us closer, So close that we have spend lots of unforgettable moments together. Both are now part of my heart and Vinay is now my best friend. Vinay is one such friend for whom I can feel proud on myself. After few memorable days of gurgaon, our training with NSN was over and we have to move our locations. I can’t forget that day (2nd Feb.) when people were crying like kids.
guy, Nishant was totally fun loving animal.
care team and apart from a good Profile, money and respect, it gave me a chance to re-join a losing battle. A battle which otherwise I was about to lose with a huge difference.
