Alvida 2011

Finally he is going…year 2011 is leaving the party and 2012 is knocking the door. 1 more year has passed and 1 more year is approaching . Last year 2010 was a big one for me as professionally it sets the direction of my career so naturally I was expecting a lot from 2011 but in that sense 2011 was very disappointed one. Let me summarize the things (good bad or ugly) which affect me this year:

Transfer to Mumbai: last whole year I was traveling like a lost passenger with no permanent address though I always enjoy such journey but after a certain time we ask to our self that “is anybody home??”

So when I got this news that I am finally transferring to Mumbai so I was happy and very much enthusiastic. For anybody who never been in to any metro city, Mumbai is like a big jungle with lots of crowd and no-one-knows-anyone kind culture. In this way Mumbai will never disappoint you. So the new year started when I reached Mumbai on 22^nd Jan. Mumbai accepted me wholeheartedly and soon we became friends.

Cleared CCNA: In life we set some goals and one such goal was to clear CCNA certification. I was preparing for this exam from quite few months but just didn’t get the killer instinct. It was a relief when I clear it but didn’t get much chance to use my knowledge of this exam anywhere so this knowledge is fading with time now.

5^th time Jaundice: Though jaundice was never a new word for me and it always came whenever I start living freely but from quite few years I was sure that with some precautions and some awareness, I have controlled this diseases. But I was wrong and my hectic schedule for CCNA make me an easy contender for this old friend. This time it was serious and It kept me away from field for almost 1 month.

Engagement: I never had any plan for marriage as I always feel I still have some time to settle myself. But with the falling health of papa and loneliness of ma, I have to think otherwise. By the end of April, I was in a relation. Marriages in India is very beautiful thing and it is always a nice feeling to see that you will get someone with whom you can share everything.

Two trips: 2 trips to Calcutta and one to Haryana. Both the trips were tough as this time I was going in totally news areas of India .I have learned a lot on both the trips but got “food poisoning” on Haryana tour.

Shantaram: Though i didn't read much books this year but get to read shantaram and it had deep impact on me and for few days i was living shantaram.

This was the summary of 2011. Though in itself 2011 was a quite year but it has started many things for 2012. It has set the tone for 2012. With lots of changes on the card, 2012 can be make one or break one for me.

@2010: you were best…

@2011: you could have been better..

@2012: Finger crossed……

Rich Kolkata..Poor Bengal....

As part of my job I have visited many places. Few places I have already seen during my college days but most of the places were new to me and I always feel a great joy and enthusiasm while visiting ant new place.

In this series , recently added element was Calcutta or should I say Kolkata for purists. This was my first entry to east part of India. I have learn that whether you are A connoisseur of art or a naïve person, you will get plenty of things of your interest in Bengal.

So this was my first journey to the land of Tagore, to land of singur controversy, to feel the wind of Maoism, to the land of freedom fighters.

Well so let me start the verbal view of my journey to Bengal:

Just prior to my landing I was watching the lights of the city and the scenario was looking like a milky way …Different series of road lights was welcoming me from sky.

I reached to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose airport at around 11 PM. I came out of airport and took a taxi to Hotel Oberoi grand. Whatever impression you are getting by the name of hotel, you are getting it right because it was a kind of palace. During my way to hotel I had chat with auto driver who was a Bihari and he told me that 20% of total population in Bengal is from Bihar. I was amazed to hear this, I mean in Delhi or Mumbai you can expect people from all part of country but in Calcutta?

Second day in the morning I left for a nearby town, Behrampur. Behrampur is 4 hr away from Calcutta if you are in a Travera. But it took us 6 hrs to reach there, thanks to all the traffic we got . On way to Behrampur, I observing the dressing of village people and I noticed that in few villages the traditional dress for men’s were Lungi only while women had just a sari on their body that too without a blouse. Strange!!!

I was disappointed with the fact that KOLKATA IS CITY OF RICH PEOPLE while BENGAL IS STATE OF POOR PEOPLE.

I was travelling with some senior persons whose experience was more then 2/3 of my age so initially we find it difficult to talk but thanks to little bit humor I gathered in all UP-DOWN’s of life, I get along very well with them and I have understood that every man is a philosopher from heart and with experience, your humor quotient will improve.

During my trip ,I got real problem when it comes to lunch. In lunch they served rice with fish. I was searching something for me in menu but later on I have to satisfy my tummy with rice and pickle.

The journey was normal till I was coming back. On our way back, I was watching a long row of peoples with domestic animals. Initially I thought it’s a kind of fare or something but later on I realized that it’s a huge crowd. They all were going in opposite direction. When I ask my colleagues about this then he told me that Bangladesh border is very near from here and security man of both sides, will allow these man to cross border in 50 Rs per head rate. My eyes were wide open.

After 1 hour , we were crossing a forest kind area suddenly we feel some problem with our vehicle. All 4 of us came out, my colleague were trying to stop some other vehicles to get some help but no one was in mood to stop there. Later on, one colleague called police and for my surprise police came in 10 odd mins. They stopped a truck. When we were talking to police people, one Bulero was coming to us but just almost 1 km away they stopped their vehicle and took a u-turn and all of sudden they disappeared in the night. I ask my colleague about this and he said “welcome to place of Maoism”. It was enough for my small mind. When I was coming back to hotel I was thinking about all these incidents, happened in 1 day.

I was thinking that india is really a diverse country and every part of it has something to offer.

PS: Tea is still costs Rs 2 or 3 in Bengal.

अलविदा जगजीत जी.....

I do remember the day, I was in class 8th. I went to a neighbor’s home whose son was in 10th. He was listening some different kind music. I like the music and listen for words carefully and immediately like the song. The song was “ये दौलत भी ले लो...”. I told him that I like this song and ask who is singer and from which movie this song belongs. He said it doesn’t belongs to any movie rather it’s called ghazals and singer is Jagjit Singh. My curious expression suggest him that I want further explanation. He then told me that there is a different class of music called ghazals that is altogether different from conventional movie music. So It was my first introduction with ghazals. Later on I heard few more ghazals from Pankaj Udhas and from Abida Parveen but I always like jagjit sahib’s ghazal very much. When I came to engg, me and my roommate has same taste in ghazals. I do remember the time, when we were in final year at that time we neither have computer’s to listen ghazals nor have such high storage capacity mobile phones (basically our phones of that time were just able to provide basic function of a cell phone: calling and listening… anyways….) so to listen ghazals we were largely dependent on “radio mirchi 98.4 FM” on which every night from 10:00-11:00 they used to play ghazals. Doesn’t matter how we roommates live whole day but during this time we did nothing except to listen music. Later on I mentioned it (listening ghazals)as a hobby in my cv too. That time I read about jagjit sahib and became a diehard fan of him.
The thing which I like most about his songs was that I was able to relate myself to many of his songs or if I say that for every situation of my life he has a song for me, it will also be not wrong.
I do remember one of his song “जब सामने तुम आ जाते हो....”. I simply love the video of this song and had a huge crush for Riya Sen those days. I know very few people will like for acting or for any other reason but thanks to this song I was in love with her. When I bought a computer first thing I did was to collect all jagjit sahib’s ghazals. I still have all his filmy-non filmy songs collection. Whenever I feel low I listen some of the chosen ghazals and it works like medicine for me.
When I met my “would be” life partner I feel we are very much different from each other . all our hobbies were different and it was tough for us to imagine that how will be our future life but then again jagjit sahib came in the picture. While discussing something ,one day we realize that we both have same taste for music and for ghazals we were almost on the same plate form.
I promised my fiancée that together some day we will attend his live concert. We both are still here , just jagjit sahib left us. Sorry Poonam..i couldn’t keep my words…His death is really a personal loss and I am feeling as if I have lost a close relative . a friend who always has something to make my mood.
Just want to say 1 line to you jagjit sahib: बड़े शौक से सुन रहा था जमाना , तुम्ही सो गए दास्तान कहते कहते ... …

मेरी दिवाली

हर तरफ दिवाली का शोर था , जिसे देखकर हमारे रूम पार्टनर ने पूछा क्या प्लान है दिवाली का । हमने सोचा की ये दिवाली कुछ अलग किया जाये । तो इस दिवाली का प्लान ये है की हम पटाखे नहीं जलाएंगे , बचपन में काफी पटाखे , फुलझड़ी ,अनार जला लिए और काफी नुकसान पंहुचा लिया पर्यावरण को अब और नहीं । तो इस दिवाली हम पटाखे नहीं जलाएंगे और इस तरह ध्वनि प्रदुषण से भी बचेंगे और पर्यावरण को भी प्रदुषण से बचा लेंगे। अगला काम हम ये करेंगे इस दिवाली की दिए जलाएंगे । हम उन सभी दोस्तों से भी बात करेंगे जिनसे काफी समय से बात नहीं हुयी । अब चूँकि हम इस दिवाली घर नहीं जा रहे हैं तो कोशिश करेंगे किसी और मित्र के परिवार के साथ समय बिताएंगे । काफी समय हो गया है किसी नए जगह घूम हुए तो कोशिश करेंगे कोई नयी जगह देखने की। कोशिश करेंगे की किसी और की दिवाली अच्छी कर सके ।

I was fortunate....

I was holding a glass filled partially with water and was looking at it and thinking whether its half empty or half filled.

I was thinking that same way my life is going; don’t know whether I am just a letdown of a promising start or a fighter who fight for a better future till last breath….

I have several regrets in life, had few complains too but on a larger scale I think I am fortunate one…

I am fortunate to read Shantaram, The kite runner, Kane and Able, Atlus shrugged, Fountain head of foreign authors in one life time….

I was fortunate to read kitne Pakistan, Madhushala, mahatma vs gandhi by Indian writer…

I was fortunate to read work of premchand ji, Nida Fazli, kamleshwar, Harishankar Parsayi…

I was fortunate to read small poems of subhadrakumari chauhan…..

I was fortunate to hear Jagjit singh, Pankaj Udhas, Aabida begum in one life time….

I was fortunate to visit Taj Mahal, haji ali, omkareshwar, Mahakaleshwar in one life time only…

I was fortunate to met many unforgettable peoples in my life…

I was fortunate to survive many crucial and breathtaking moments in life….

Thanks god….thank to choose me….thank to make me feel that my glass is half filled….

My collection of Nida Fazli-2

देखा गया हूँ मैं कभी सोचा गया हूँ मैं
अपनी नज़र में आप तमाशा रहा हूँ मैं

मुझसे मुझे निकाल के पत्थर बना दिया
जब मैं नहीं रहा हूँ तो पूजा गया हूँ मैं

मैं मौसमों के जाल में जकड़ा हुआ दरख़्त
उगने के साथ-साथ बिखरता रहा हूँ मैं

ऊपर के चेहरे-मोहरे से धोखा न खाइए
मेरी तलाश कीजिए, गुम हो गया हूँ मैं

My collection of Nida Fazli-1

सिखा देती है चलना ठोकरें भी राहगीरों को
कोई रास्ता सदा दुशवार हो ऐसा नहीं होता

कहीं तो कोई होगा जिसको अपनी भी ज़रूरत हो
हरेक बाज़ी में दिल की हार हो ऐसा नहीं होता