Greetings!
Diwali is here again.. The festival of lights and sounds and more illuminating and blinding lights and more deafening and clamourous sounds.. Diwali is celebrated on the momentous occasion of the return of Lord Ram back to Ayodhya. That was when people of Ayodhya lit lamps to welcome him back home... One wonders who got the nasty idea of bursting crackers as part of celebrations, but that tradition seems to have been followed till date.. Lord Ram's credibility which is clouded and under scrutiny thanks to the Government dint seem to hamper the Diwali celebrations.. The government says that Lord Ram does not exist or he is a drunkard and many more.. but the government says many things..
Whenever asked about how one celebrated diwali, yours truly fabricates a ready-made reply.. 'I dont really appreciate the idea of bursting crackers and adding to the alarming levels of noise pollution. I simply dont encourage such childish ways of celebrations!!' leaving an impression of an environmentalist or something close to that, but the concealed truth always remains that one has never been in good terms with the crackers or rather say is a little frightened about them!!
One is wary of only the red coloured loose crackers which are wild, reckless and dont have a time sense to burst unlike the other bigger and better versions which tend to pop out in a timely and orderly fashion albeit a thunderous noise renting the air.
Rockets are the most graceful among the firecrackers as they get air borne and paint the moonless night sky with dazzling display of colours. But a slight human fallacy could even bring these graceful ones to shame. There was an instance when one misfired a rocket and it went chasing one's brave and ferocious dog all over the house and straight into its kennel shutting the poor thing inside for two days..
Diwali is the most awaited festival of the year and its fun with brilliantly illuminating diyas, sparkling fireworks, showering flower pots and sparkles, the bombs are rather deafening (part social concern and part fear) and can be downplayed. Let this diwali bring happiness and prosperity to you and your family and everything that is generally said in greeting cards, mails, notice boards..
Happy and a Safe Diwali..!!

Greetings
The festival season is round the corner, compatriots especially the married ones are out for vacations, bachelors partying every night and of all this when one encounters a monday morning, the last place one would wish to be is amidst the computer monitors burping out a beep sound now and often and the chilling spikes of the office AC, which is cooler in the winter and hot in summer (thank God it doesnt drip during the rains!!) Vis-a-vis the weather.. But as fate goes yours truly was sitting right there staring at the monitor wondering why is that we dont have an earth quake or a bomb threat and told to get out of the office or atleast an alien invasion in hyderabad city and suddenly an idea clicks followed by the beep sound giving it a shot of affirmation..

Why not go for the movie Transformers playing on the big screen in prasads!! The show is at 2:15, and one can be back by 5:30 and feel like one has never been away... And by 6, the 9 to 6 working routine is complete and one can call it a day!! How good it would be if we had time system like that of the schools. A serious issue is tackled with the onsite managers in a meeting...
'this is a high prority call we cannot meet the deadlines with the current estimate and effort, we need to put in more effort and....'
tringggggggggg
people start packing the laptops and everyone's running, some towards the lift some taking the stairs.. not a speck of life is visible in the work premises
tringgggggggg
The entire building is devoid of any breathing life, the lights are switched off and the security guard does a final check up to shoo away those lousy souls who do not wish to go home and are hiding beneath the cubicles.. Wish we had something like this.... but that could also bring a morning bell after which we get to see the latecomers kneeling infront of the reception and one would often end up being a part of the kneeling practice than mere standing witness... Everything comes in a package, good along with bad...
The package theory had more to say in the theatre when good was happening on the big screen and the bad was lingering next to one in the form of a bickering couple. The made-for-each-other couple pointing the index fingers at one another and cussing a stream of 'gammunundu's (ironically a telengana telugu word to shut up) and one only kept guessing why they were here?
Was it like 'lets get two tickets for transformers on the big screen and quarrel' or 'i wanted to go somewhere and you brought me here to this sick movie'
One feigned a look of disgust and immediately felt like trash for the feeble attempt in vain thereby seeking the attention of the pointed index fingers and scornful faces... One finally had to remain contended with the nonchalant bickering and give up the painstaking attempt to concentrate on the movie and started wondering about life...
Blessed are those who have a clear mandate about what they want in life and go all out chasing it!! And there are lot others who just keep moving about in life, who are here because they dint fit somewhere else, who are chosen but not choose to, who are inspired but seldom prosper, who live their lives the way its always lived... Chasing for jobs one or the other doesnt matter if not foreign education and dollar dreams if not management education and plenty of money and so on so forth... Success stories are like icebergs, we only know the best and visible part of it unaware of the zillion failures crushed and trampled beneath.. And then the cube is destroyed.. Goodness triumphs and once again the earth is saved... It only happens in movies.. The couple might need more tickets to continue.. or may be they have it .. Life is still moving on..!!

When one is lonely and lost in this fast paced world and one’s heart is squeezed with the sorrow of the dear ones not near, missing their presence and developing into a pain within the heart, growing and finally fermenting into a memory, a sweet memory of yore when their presence was not very special to one as it is now bringing forth a smile escaping one’s lips.

When one is exhausted and resigned to rest after a game of cricket under the searing sun, impervious but the clamorous pain on the hurting knee or a cramp on the shoulder muscle questioning the need to endure such pain; that pain fills one’s mind with the moments of glory and a sense of pride for the seamless effort very much appreciated and applauded.

After a refreshing work out in the gym when one carries along a tinge of sharp pain, a pain always acknowledged at a sense of touch or the slightest movement of the muscles but a sure shot reminder of muscle growth, envisioning a physique as that of the Greek Gods.

When one’s conscience is burdened with the guilt of a wrongdoing, a pain that rouses as one is reprimanded(flogged rather..!) for the sin and the guilt borne with it, filling the eyes with tears and the same time washing away the pangs of guilt freeing one’s conscience from the sin.

And the labour pains endured to bless a new life into this world, pains can certainly be painful but they leave you as a better human being. Pain is God’s way of teaching one how much one means to Him, to others, how much others mean to one, how special it is breathing every moment in this world… Pain is God’s way of blessing us…

A sweet thought like a sweet pain…

5 important lessons to learn from a humble pencil.

1. It tells you that everything you do will always leave a Mark.
2. You can always correct the mistake you make.
3. The important thing in life is what you are from inside and not from outside.
4. In life you will undergo painful sharpening which will make you better in whatever you do
5. Finally, to be the best you can be, you must allow yourself to be held and guided by the hand that holds you.
   

Where is the space for eccentricity when the mind is clogged up with mediocrity??

A mundane activity which absorbs every bit of the grey cells and don't use any of them, like a Trojan (even my thoughts are corrupted.. phew!!) sucking up all the enthusiasm, creativity( absurdity is a better word!) like a Dementor and drilling in a sense of fatigue at the end of the day.

Where is the space for new relationships when the heart is longing for the old ones??

An overflowing Nostalgia filling your heart and giving you moments of happiness and hurting at the same time. The pointed arms of time trying to empty the heart pricking some holes in it but the nostalgia is overbearing and intense like the incessant rains.

Where is the space for a purpose or meaning when the life has turned mechanical??

Life turning into a paper printing machine, printing papers everyday knowing not what they print and printing more papers, frequently oiled, occasionally repaired and finally replaced with better working ones.

The mind might be blocked, the heart filled up and life still printing papers but everything has to move on, continue trailing the path where the mediocrity might give way to creativity, it can get all bright and sunny with the nostalgia evaporated and emptied, and may be life could very well turn into a painting brush..

Life has to move on…

Greetings!

Independent India has turned 60... an age generally considered for retirement, independent India is still young and growing... barely out of the womb in the early 90s India has stepped into adolescence juvenile, vulnerable and flexible capable of being moulded into any form. The Independence day celebrations were rampant with the most spoken about friend's community 'Orkut' taking it to the fore. All the profiles were seemingly decorated with the Indian tricolor.. Decorations remind me of school where every section would compete to decorate their class rooms and the one with the most beautiful (flamboyant rather.!) decoration was adjudged the winner. Flag hoisting, march-past, drills, speeches about India and its great leaders, freedom struggle and all the social studies text book stuff, national anthem, Lata Mangeshkar's song with the discussion that this song brought Nehru to tears(we used to discuss this every august 15th)... and of course the two asha chocolates along with paper cut Indian flag and a pin to hold it onto a swelling chest gleaming with pride.. That was independence day..!! Forwarding Independence day messages (garbage in- garbage out), displaying an August born patriotism in the form of orkut profiles, cell phones, emails, blogs(this one included!!) and other stuffs... watching the repeat telecast of flag hoisting, march-past (who will want to wake up in the morning to watch that live)... This is independence day..!! Its just a holiday (which most of us prefer on friday or monday.. long weekend!!)

Independent India, my emphasis on the word Independent is only to showcase India post independence though there wasnt any significant impact on India post and pre independence barring the fact that British Raj suddenly decided to leave its hold on this then chaotic nation to rule on its own and the partition as an aftermath.. It took 60 years for this nation to reach where it is now. A union of chaos (like the unity in diversity my social teacher use to say!!), this nation is an example of the true definition of diversity. Diversity in religion, region, language, cast, class, creed amassed and engulfed, this nation had survived its way along here.. I can assert that any other nation with the diversity and population density such as this would have crumbled into smaller unions. India survived as a single nation. India has maintained its integrity where religious strife is prevalent now and then, here and there so as to maintain the status quo, where sex is still a taboo and any kind of sexual liaison is deemed to be an act of treason, where horrendous acts like sati and child marriages are still practised in the remotest villages, where the metros are booming and the villages pushed into the oblivion, where corruption co-exists with cricket and bureaucracy befriends bollywood, where the billion people are always ready to cheer the Indian Cricket Team and have no regard for the national sport or any other game for that matter (chak de effect!!)... with all this traits and frails India has survived.. Now India is hoping at a sprinter's pace.. It has to learn to live not just survive..!!
Happy Independence day..!!

5:45 AM when the world does not exist for more than 80% of the people, the alarm goes off... the alarm tone is a melodious suprabatham musical composed by A.R. Rehman which is pleasant to hear under normal and conscious circumstances, but 5:45 Am!!! the euphonious turns cacophonous and all that matters is the way to turn that thing off... The day has begun with jogging on a vast school ground doing rounds, more rounds till I sweat out and then a set of push-ups with every push-up making my tummy flatter and muscles forming under my belly like a row of speed bumps on the road... and then I hang onto something and start pulling my body up with my arms. A bulge starts to develop at the front of my upper arm and gets protuberant and solid with every ascend. I have done 49 of them and this is the 50th one, I look up from the lowest end and I can see my arms on the whole, bulged at the appropriate places and ready to take me up and suddenly.....
"Wake up you Lazy Ass!!!"
The bulge is all gone, the speed bumps have disappeared and the belly road turns convex.. I shake my head and find myself on bed with A.R Rehman still playing the tune with an honest intention to wake me up.What a dream it was... Who says we are scientifically advanced when we dont have the technology to exercise in our dreams and enjoy those fruits in reality!! The day this happens is when we can truly say 'Dreams come true!!'
"Cut the crap and get out of the bed!!"
Oh yeah.. This is Rocky Balboa, the boxing champ with six movies... He is now retired and living in my mind as an inspiration..!! I get out of my bed finally, get dressed and meet my companion in this auroral activity. I wonder if he goes through all this as I do or much worse? We reach the school ground and start our jogging....
Round 1: Rocky starts his theme song and I sense a rush of adrenaline spurting me into action.. I feel my blood rushing through all the body parts, the cool breeze brushing through my silky (not so silky, somewhat silky.. debatable!? whatever!! ) hair setting it into a rhythmic movement. It feels so nice and good...
Round 2: Rocky is still with me and now I am aware of a beating in the chest coming from my reticent heart. It still feels nice and good thanks to Rocky...
Round 3: The theme song is barely audible, Rocky is there somewhere.! My breathe gets faster and short and I start using my mouth for respiration. My legs feel heavy but its good becomes I am still going...
Round 4: Rocky must have gone to wake up some other lazy ass.. lots of responsibilities you know!! The music is gone, I hear a monotonic sound probing through my ears. I look at my partner, he is still with me calm and relaxed, unaware and impervious to everything thats happening to me. This is just a passing phase, everything will be back to normal Rocky will be here anytime and I trudge along...
Round 5: No sign of Rocky, no music, no adrenaline rush, its just the ground-breaking, heart-thumping, muscle-aching reality. I am panting and every step forward is like a milestone dragging me closer to the end point. Just when we are a few meters away from the destination, my friends says one more round... I am astonished and develop a burning rage to choke him to death, in spite of all the pains I say yes!!
Round 6: Nothing happens. My mind is blacked out..!! I just keep tottering ahead and finally we collapse on a heap of sand finishing a remarkable six rounds...
I am in a state of eternal bliss lying on that cool sand catching my breath watching people, all kinds of people... some playing football, some athletic built running continually some heavily built walking at a brisk pace reminiscent of the old motion pictures, some lazy ones sitting and gossiping promising their wives and kids at home to be sweating out here... After a few minutes we start our next course in the hyper activity, pull-ups and push-ups... I start with hanging onto an outward branch of a neem tree tall enough to keep me off the ground and start pulling my body up.. I do it four times with great difficulty and try for the 5th one, but it doesnt happen.. Newton's gravity wasnt ready to allow me pull myself up... I give up and go for push-ups... I do 15 of them at a stretch and stop immediately knowing well that anymore of those would give me a broken nose... we call it a day and head back home.. At home I feel my body aching and happy at the same time that I have done it, I have accomplished the task for today..
But again tomorrow is another day....

Greetings

I somehow have a strange feeling that my blog is being closely monitored by my manager, because a couple of days after my previous post where I mentioned about my productivity (confused?? go read my previous post, even I had to do it before starting this!!) I see myself slogging for long hours... My nose was to the grindstone last week with work and long time pending java certification exam (this is something which every other software developer, programmer, tester or whatever with little exposure to java takes. I dint want to be an outcast in that respect so decided to join the herd..) I got through the exam and also managed to put my work aside (you dont finish your work, the moment you finish it you find more of it rushing towards you!!)

Competition is omnipresent.. We see it everywhere, in our work, play and of late I see that in myself. A cutthroat competition between my 'chest' and 'belly', the chest slowly losing the battle to my protruding belly as its stanch supporter my 'back' has started a non-cooperation movement owing to a lot of pressure.. Dreaming about 6 pack like that of Brad Pitt and calling them abs than tummy sounds good but reality is so cruel that able to call it a tummy than paunch finds so much satisfaction!!

Choice a gift to the humankind is a very interesting thing. Sometimes its good, sometimes I tell you its really bad.. when you have too many choices you never come up with a clear mandate. For instance consider our political scenario, if coalition government wasnt enough we cant take a decision on who should be our next president?? The polls and vote war for the next president is all over the internet... while this debate is on, elsewhere there is another vote war on a grand scale happening, a different kind of war; the war for 'new' wonders of the world!! Some cranky billionaire wanted to have new wonders for the new world and started an online poll, the biggest of its kind (though half of the world is not voting) to decide on this. India's entry to this list is still its only wonder The Taj Mahal - a tomb built by a long dead king for his dead queen near a dying river and left to crumble. I feel India's entry to the wondrous list must be the world's most preferred Bollywood personality - Shilpa Shetty ( I heard even Mike Tyson is interested in meeting her when he comes down to India!! ) But that is too much of skin show, very unindian (kissing and all) and dearth of talent. when it comes to real talent there is no better entry than the hyper-talented singer and now superstar - Himmesh-'OO'-Reshammiya. The cap wearing star caps them all, the wondrous wonders!! We also have The Boss, the south Indian superstar who is not only famous in India but places to east of India, who at this age is breaking box office records. A baron of the box-office, he can be India's entry or his movies can surely make it to the top 7. Then there is Amitabh Bachchan ancient enough to be called a wonder and ubiquitous to win all the online and sms polls, he can be a worthy contender too.. Finally its a matter of choice.

The results will be announced on 07.07.07... On the same day we also have "Live Earth" a 24 hour 7 continent concert series bringing together musicians all across the globe to bring awareness and to engage people on a mass scale to combat our climate crisis. This is a noble cause to make us realize the seriousness of global warming and climatic changes. There are several practical and day-to-day tips on climate crisis solutions like switching off our computer monitors (or shutting them down) when we leave the office as it can eliminate upto 45,000 tons of CO2 per year (if 1 million people do that). The world is in danger and this is the least we can do to protect our planet and save our selves(SOS) ... Good Day!!