I choose...

So said the Other's way, for the chosen one, and why be the chosen one...

I choose to speak to you in silence,
in my silence, i fear no rejection.

I choose to be with you in my loneliness,
it's only there, that none owns you but I.

I choose to love you from the distance,
the distance shields us both from pain.

I choose to imprison you in my thoughts,
there alone, do I own all freedom.

I choose to kiss you on the wind,
the wind is gentler than my lips.

I choose to touch you through the sun,
the light of dawn is softer than my touch.

I choose to soothe you through the moon,
the caress of moonlight is pleasing much.

I choose to hold you in my dreams,
for my dreams are where I have no end,
for only there can I always be with you.

-Anon

rain, rain, come again...

A boy of about 4 or 5 years, he'd probably just learned to happily sing

"Rain rain go away, little Johnny wants to play...".

but stood at one window of their house in the quarters, sad and disappointed; punished for doing it despite having forbidden to... twice!

It was an early summer day; those days when his place had seen rain with hailstones; and this was one of them. Just as it started pouring down, and the hailstones clattered onto the streets, he'd wanted to run out of the house. He wanted to relish 'Ice'... luxury then. A cautious mother who'd already warned him against going out if and when it rained was busy washing laundry.

However, a few minutes into his hailstone-hunting, she probably realized something was out of place, and went to look outside. Summoned into the house, his head was dried and all the 'Ice' he still carried were poured down the sink. After some chiding, he was given dry clothes to wear, and Ordered (with a O) not to go back into the streets until the rain stopped.

Did she know that was exactly what he would do? For, he was back on the streets and out in the rain, in no time. This time when she found out, he was dragged in, scolded harshly, made to undress and stand waiting for dry clothes, so that he wouldn't go back to the streets. He would have to remain so, until the rain had stopped... and that was her way of keeping him from falling sick.

And there he was, standing at the window, hopelessly staring at the street as the silvery white stones melted away. Little did he know either, that he had already fallen in love with Rain.

As years rolled by, he had forgotten this story, his little love affair with rain. But he never missed a chance to get drenched when it rained. Whether it was on his way back from school, college, the library or office, or anywhere else, he found opportunities to wet himself tip to toe in rain water.

"But now, he's 'Grown-up', and has so much to take care of... a family, his work, friends, society and what not!". Such thoughts seem to have gotten into this puny little thing of his, called the brain, which sometimes works, leading to what the learned ones call 'worry'. His worries and bothering of no apparent origin are taking a toll on everything he's supposed to take care of.

Along came another day, when it rained; just before the onset of another summer. He's just got the chance to savor another shower of rain on his way back home. Again ordered to dry himself (as always, by his mother...), a cup of tea is offered. He picks it up, and walks to the gate wanting to be out there, but is stopped by her once again. 

The craving to go and stand under the bursting clouds is pushing him. Quickly finishing his cup of tea, he runs up to that attic of his house. Just about to enter, he stops, and looks up to the sky. Drops of water force him to close his eyes, but he doesn't bother anymore. He's out there; letting the rain do what it does best. As the drops hit his face, he smiles for the first time in a while. And with the smile, come back sweet memories of how he'd once done the same thing as a little boy.

He had come to peace with himself, and when rain drops trickled down the neck, they washed down all worries with them... at least, for the moment.

ye dost bhi...

ये दोस्त भी अजीब होते है, देने पे आये तो जान दे दे...
लेने पे आये तो हसी तक चीन लेते है!
कहने पे आये तो दिल के तमाम राज़ बोल दे,
छुपाने पे आये तो ये भी न बताये कि आखिर खफा क्यों है!
नाराज़ होगये तो सांस तक ना लेने दे,
मनाने के लिए अपनी साँसों को भी वो वार दे!
इसी लिए कहते है, दोस्त ज़िन्दगी में नहीं मिलते,
ज़िन्दगी दोस्तों से मिलती है।

                  -Anon

What men want... and what they get!

When some people hear you describing stuff, they turn out with their own versions of it...
here's one that says about women... of all those types that strike, sometimes a chord, in the hearts of men...

kuch ladkiyan hawa ke jhonke se hoti hai,
bas gaalo ko choom ke guzar jaati hai.
Kuch aur ko wo jhonke yaad dilaati hai,
jinhe soch dil se ek muksaan nikalti hai.

aur kuch hai jo yaado me bas jaati hai,
firaq bhi jinhe hum se door nahi kar paati hai.
par jo sapno me aake neend cheen leti hai,
rishte se wo biwi kehlaati hai.

-Anon.

Last days and a lonely ride 5

Day 3 : The lost piece...

A "Paanch Samosa Pineapple Pastry"... after an exotic snack as that, the junta disperses in bits and pieces. For the two earlybirds that left without a taste of it, parcels are prepared, but end up dumped in a bin., courtesy, the shadow on a bicycle that frightens the delivery-girl. (Aparna, I never thought I'm so frightening...):

Day 4,5,6,7 : Adventure is out there!

A 0730Hrs departure plan gets me saddled up by 0650Hrs. A wait for breakfast company till 0830Hrs, Suri is finally there, and we have breakfast till 0925Hrs. The next 35 minutes are for the Three Musketeers. All of what was spoken shall remain unspoken, and a lot that had to be spoken remains unspoken. It's 1000Hrs., finally and an adieu for the moment.

A few minutes into the journey, the cellphone and watch are dumped deep within the backpack. "Dear world, I'm not a part of you until I'm back home, and I shall live the moments that shall come by at my own pace."

A few starting glitches, loose nuts, all fixed, the journey has begun. It's a whole new world out there. Ups, downs, sweaty brows... I'm getting exhausted faster than I thought I will... packs of re-hydration stuff, quick calories, they're becoming more essential. My first pit-stop is sooner than I thought.

Barely 20km into my journey and about two and a half hours of non-stop cycling, and I'm physically giving up... there's a tree near one school, and kids playing nearby. I stop for a while, where one of them, I make friends with. He gives me the most profound lesson of the journey. "Take more short breaks instead of few long breaks."

Next, it's a stream, and the sun's blaze suggests it's around 1300Hrs. A good time to spend in the cool waters. Another break, and the journey continues.

My greatest challenge shows itself up by 1600Hrs. Agumbe-ghat takes me over four hours with three long breaks to gain the 550-odd meters of altitude. The security at the checkpoint is fancied by my adventure and lets me pass, despite his hunch that a pack of glucose could be drugs... :D

Here on, I don't want to keep track of the journey either... just to live the moment.

The eighty four hours and six minutes of cycling that take me from the MIT campus in Manipal to my home in Bangalore... those few hours of my life teach me more than I could have ever imagined... a lot of them coming from enlightened minds I meet along my journey.

"Don't just love your family! Care for them. Don't just care for the 'Green' of the Earth, learn to love it."
"Money is the last thing needed for someone to be happy."
"Don't be irreplaceable. You will be stuck in the same place forever, like a tree."
Think simple... like the school kid. Greater challenges become trifles.
I'm willing to chase a dream. A lot of people can't sleep.
Be carefree about what people think.
*wants* should come only after *needs*, and *cans*.
...

Oh! This list could go on, all the way to death. "Lectures on philosophy", I'll title the book if I write any about it.

It's 2206Hrs on Saturday, when I unlock the doors and enter 'home sweet home'.
Wow! I've actually cycled all the way back home. It's a sense of amazement about what a little frustration and *mind over matter* can do together...

I'm unable to understand what emotions I'm going through. I'm not tired, or excited, or happy... or maybe I'm experiencing all of them together... maybe, it's just those three sleepless nights and I'm hallucinating... just again, maybe, the pack of glucose was indeed drugs... :P
I leave a message for those whom I'd promised I would. I've had a long shower and the last of my left-over chocolates... staple diet in all my journeys.

I think I should be off to bed... a good sleep is what I need... I'm lying on bare ground, recalling every moment of the past week as they unfurled and decide to put it up on my blog. I'll want this recorded... just for me, and not anyone else. But I guess the mind finally gave in to the body sooner than usual.

Last days and a lonely ride 4

Day 3 : ... a bicycle story and paanch Samosa

One final get-together since most of us had decided to pack our bags the next day. At about 6PM, an SMS drops in... "Come to Crumbs by 7:30". One chunk that had gone outing, another that had gone roaming, and me... so it turns out, that I'm the only one who's to go from campus. What had been an impulse, is time to show off. That I am going alone gives me reason to ride out on my brand-new bicycle.

7:30pm, and nobody is yet there at Crumbs. A wait of over twenty minutes finally bears fruit, and we're all gathered at the stairs. I murmur into the one standing beside me pointing at one car, and

"What the #$%^. Seriously?"
"Yeah. See for yourself." ...and I hand over the keys.

Unable to understand the reaction, everyone turns towards her...

"He's bought a new bicycle it seems..." a pause until everyone digested the news...
And then, "I'm riding it to Bangalore tomorrow."

Hitesh is the first to speak. "He's cool..."
"Paagal!"
"Hucch hididaiti? Illind benglurig cycle-daag hogti?"
"Tu bangalore jaane ke liye cycle khareeda?"
"Good luck with your adventure dude."
"Haan. Issi liye to Sunday ko tum logon ko baar baar call kar raha tha..."
"Hey, give me one ride no..."
"KC, be careful. Aparna doesn't know how to brake..."
"Are Aparna, tumhare pair neeche tak pahunchte nahi hai... be careful!"
...
...
People wanting to, take turns in riding, and then we go inside.

Some pastries ordered, a couple of sandwiches...
"Why don't we celebrate?"
"Okay... How about cutting a cake?"
So we decide it is pineapple pastry, but nobody is sure what to ice it with...

In the meanwhile, Irfan comes back asking for seconds... His order is for 5 samosas, and another muffin.
Orders billed at the counter...

"So what do you want for icing?"
"Abe, koi kuch to bolo..."
after a pause, when there are no suggestions, "Jo order diya, ussi ko daal de!"
"Theek hai. You can put 5 samosas on it."

All said and done, Crumbs wasn't going to fill our stomachs, and we decide to go elsewhere.
Scirocco comes up as a suggestion, and the choice. We go there, order some mocktails, which are a literal mockery of their names... (the food was okay, though!) about ten minutes to ten, two of them girls stand to leave for hostels, when we're still waiting for the cake we'd ordered. Finally, the *Paanch Samosa* arrives at ten past ten. This is got to be the most memorable cake for all those present on that day. After all, who would ice a cake with five Samosas?

We ask the couple (Bhautik and his wife, Dipali) to cut it on our behalf, and for the first time, we all tasted a pineapple pastry with 5 Samosas on it... Try it sometime... ;)

Last days and a lonely ride 3

Day 3 : Good-byes and...

It was most certain we wouldn't be meeting again... 'cos I'd decided so. (though 'Time' had something else in store). I'm wanting to say one last goodbye to my musketeers. They've meant the world to Monsieur d'Artagnan when he was away from home... and I'm grateful to them for all that they've been.

Though I get a very short time out of their busy day., those few minutes, as they say, "Time had no meaning." in my world. Ab Lincoln has apparently said "If your biggest weakness is your friends, you are the strongest person you know". I don't know how true the second part of his saying is, but I sure realize the weight of that first part. Yet again, those whom I open doors for, are bidding goodbye.

"What is this?""Just a something for you, and this one for you" ... "You're not supposed to open them now."
"Why?"
"Just so... Please, not now. You can open it after we leave."
"Are you sure?"
"More than sure."..."And that's for you... Does that compensate for the three Roche I owe you?"
"Ya, Ya..."
"By the way, I got something more for you... I'd promised you this one..."
"Yeh to iska ************ hai. Dekh ke hi pata chalta hai."
"Seriously?"
"Yup."
"SERIOUSLY?"
"Yup. You'll have to spend about *** rupees to get it back in good shape. I can help you with it if you want me to."
...
"want to join for breakfast?"
"Nope... got other plans... and I know you want to open 'em too..."
... and then we all leave the place.

(Every so often, I spend nights at the MIT ground... replaying every moment of that day as it unfolds...)

After what's been a wonderful adventure, Monsieur d'Artagnan is alone on his path now... 
And the musketeers...? Well, that will only be written "twenty years later"... ;)

Praful, Tübs, Buzz... just as much as I can say...
"Na saathi hai koi, na hamsafar hai koi...
Na hum kisi ke, na hamara hai koi.
Par aap ko yaad kar ke dil kehta hai...
hamara bhi is duniya mein ek pyaara dost hai koi."    -Anon

In the hope that Monsieur d'Artagnan will see his three Musketeers "Twenty Years Later"...,

Last days and a lonely ride 2

Day 2 : The Great Escape and a few quarters down

A lousy day has just gone by in a place that's slowly being devoid of its charisma. This place is wonderful when you've got friends, and students skirting around. But right now, exams finished and holidays dawned, everyone's bidding adieu to the place for the next few days. And it's just about time when it's time for all of mine to be off too... "Just one last get-together" we say, and decide to dine together.

A fair chunk sits in "Spicy n Ice" waiting for the latecomers, me being one. Just as I'm about to reach the place.,
Trrrrring Trrrrring... (my cellphone ringtone was the classic telephone ring then...)
"Hello"
"Dude, there's a change of plans... come to KMC ground, we'll decide things there."
"What the bleep! why this change of plan all of a sudden?"
"Stories when we meet."

"Okay" I say, and walk back half my way to catch-up with the rest. While the rest of the party gets back, the story goes:
"We were having some time-pass fun waiting for you people. Irfan was rocking on one of the chairs there... and he fell on his back." and they all burst out in a laugh. Only after a few minutes, when all the laughter subdued, is the reason revealed. His rocking had broken the chair's leg, and immediate evasive actions were taken to avoid a show-down. Given that an entire table of people evacuate without ordering for a thing... and without evoking suspicion from the manager., I'm sure he's cursed everyone of us for having broken his furniture and gotten away easy-peasy. I wish I were at the scene when it happened... All said and done, the owner was bluffed, one perfect escape effected, a few hundred bucks saved, and we're all back at the KMC grounds not knowing where we'll be having our dinner.

Even before the place is decided, is the host named... "KC, your treat today.". Raghu's proposition, and on public behest, we all head to Pancharatna. Over an hour and a half, it was probably one of those rare dinners where people had less to eat and more to drink, and even more to talk. Let the point be taken that most of us were full by the time we stopped ordering starters. ("What on earth did we eat then?", you may ask...) When it was time for the bill, which was worth it, Bhautik, I've honored your words (though I must accept that was the most expensive treat I ever hosted...). An extraordinary dinner and we disperse.

But since it's been begun, it has to be taken to the end. One mere pint of beer during dinner wasn't good enough. Hello to T-spirits, where  all of those of us who wanted to, had a couple more... and then, it was time to decide what next. T-spirits has some more good business, and it's Sam-n-Suri's. That's our "Adda" for the night. Our bar-tender for the night, Raghu mixes fruit pulp and drinks and coke like he's been doing it all his life. Every mix he prepares has the exact same flavor. Perfect proportions they ought to be... "Dude, you should've been a bartender at some point to do it so perfectly every time!" I say of him. By 2:30, the last of them are finally empty. Time to go to bed. Good Night!

Before I came to college, I wish I had known...

That I could change so much and barely realize it.

That you can love a lot of people in a lot of different ways.

That college kids throw chalk and airplanes too.

That if someone wears polyester he was bound to answer "why you're so dressed up?"

That almost every clock on campus shows a different time.

That if you were smart in high school--so what?(really!)

That one can know everything and fail a test.
That one can know nothing and ace a test.

That I could get used to almost anything I found.

That home is a great place to visit.

That education was meant to be outside of classes.

That friendship is more than getting drunk together.

That breakfast served until 9:30 every morning is gone by 9:20.

That Sunday is a figment of the world's imagination.

That when someone wants to 'borrow' something, they mean that they want to keep it forever.

That it's possible to be alone even when you are surrounded by friends.

That friends are what makes this place worthwhile!!

The story of two...

it was a story from once upon a time... (as narrated to me...)
In a green, romantic place, stood he near a cliff. She was beautifully robed in pristine white, and casually, walked towards him. He hadn't noticed her coming, but as she approached, his heartbeat rose in tempo. She was standing so close that he felt her in his breath. And then, she took his face in her hands, kissed the loveliest one any girl in romance would, said that this was the last that they would see of each other, and walked away into the dark...

thereafter... until the other day. This time, he was riding a bicycle along a crossroad of little significance. His princess who was sitting in the front, as soon as they approached the crossroad, got down to go home. They continued a few meters further when the soft touch of wet lips touched his cheek... the left cheek, to be precise... wondering if that was a caring one, a loving one or a romantic one, he woke up...

And now, I'm wondering how this story should be taken forward...

The Renaissance...

Has been ages since i've watched it for anything more than a few minutes. But today was different. Something attracted me towards this "Eternally Boring Game" of Cricket so much, that I sat before the TV for almost 2 hours (big time...)!!!

Yeah! never been a fan of this sport. My opinion - like someone has said long back, "11 Lazy lads aside, 6 twigs, and everything else talking in between is a bat and a ball". For long, I've heard only a selected few names on TV associated with the Indian Cricket Team. This was another big reason for me to ignore it. A handful of names can't rule a game! But it did seem like times are bound to change. It is no more necessary that Sachin R Tendulkar, or Rahul S Dravid or the likes are the only anchorages of the team. There were these two "Relatively inexperienced" lads, who took on a pretty hard chase. Inexperienced they might be, but never did they behave immature. Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli proved, that it is time for selectors to revisit their preferences. The calm with which these two boys played really amazed me. I'd never seen a chase of 300+ being run down with so much of calm. Of course, one possible reason being that i've not watched a proper game for ages now... Nevertheless, these boys did play wonderfully, and kept me glued to the Idiot's Box till everyting was over... The game these two lads played today... it was the best one I've seen in a long time. And Gautam certainly has learnt the ways of a Gentleman. Way to go boy. Admire your act. :) And an applaud for Virat too... for the wonderful game.

And then, like alwayz, every time I saw the Lankans drop catches, or misfield, I'd crib the lost opportunities.  And my bro even asked me if I'll ever in my life support the Indian Team.But that's me... Sorry! I'll never ever be excited if India wins a match... until the game's over. Kudos boys! It's the Renaissance of Indian Cricket. But let it not be a Crusade against the other Sports and Games. We're already shameful of most others.

realizations of a "Ridetime"

Is something wrong?? I don't know. I only realized what I'd been doing at home. I was a schoolboy riding on the city roads. Some silly things I did... absolutely silly...

Fired somebody with a double barrel at a traffic signal for being a nuisance...
winked at her when i received a friendly smile...
rode like a small kid riding on an empty road, making "wheeee"stlinging noizzes...
got my bike to a halt at another traffic signal like a "Car"toon choking to a halt...
stopped all of a sudden to thank someone for letting me pass...
caught a few raindrops after getting back home, and sipped them... They were nectarine:D
intentionally went out and drenched myself head to toe...
and the silliest!!! well, felt i should tell the world all that i did today...

Does anyone know what's happened to me???

Himachal, the Mystic Snow peaks...

No Image editors... this is as my 3.2Meg SE-K series cellphone cam captured the Himalayas in its most serene form. and as someone pointed, there was a touch of Mysticism in this photo... the top left shows the formation of "OM", which was also mentioned by one guide with us before we actually reached the camping site.

The "couple " rainbows welcomed our team of 53, as we reached the first of camps after touching a height just short of half the Highest @ 4207mtrs ASL, drenched in rain and snow...

WOW!!! i luvved the blend of green, white and maroon (from the mosses) after a stint just beneath the peak... that image was captured forever in my memories...:) unfortunately not in my cam.:(

Another memory with this trek was the encounter with a glimpse of how an avalanche begins., scarring 2. What if???

Future in your hands.

Ever wondered how the future looks like?
H G Wells has given us a glimpse of it in "Time Machine"(1895). The story of a "Time Traveller", who goes into A.D.802701, and beyond, and gives us an insight into life of the future, comes back to the present, and tries to convince his friends. When they disbelive him, he decides to go on another trip in time, this time with gadgets to bring proof back. Does he succeed? Find time, and if interested, go ahead and read it.
A blend of creativity, Sci-Tech, and Literature in one story.
Wells has thought beyond his times, in a few facts of Physics, like the 4th dimension of time, before Einstein. If only he was a mathematician too... Einstein would have been too late:P

"Kannada Barutha??"

Achtung:Readers, don't blame me for a rather long blog this time...
(btw, I've not taken long to type it all... ;) it's one I read somewhere, but felt I should publish, with some of my own spice :).

Aaaah! I am sure most of you in Bangalore would have heard this, but what is "kannada barutha?" here it goes. Bangalore the IT capital of India , the silicon city and now a Metro city opened its gates to almost all kinds of people. Very evidently the recent poll census proved that there are only 47% of original inhabitants in Bangalore/bengaluru. The life style of the city has seen a gradual change with Pizza Corners replacing MTR's, classy eat out's replacing "Vidyarthi Bhavans" and flashy pub's replacing all the "Mahalakshmi wine shops".

"Change is inevitable" from the days of HMT, BEML, HAL and BHEL to INFOSYS and WIPRO; Bangalore has a new look now on the world map. Gone are the days where a typical Sunday for any bangalorean was a nice romantic walk on the pavements of "LALBAGH...", "rave idli and coffee.." at the nearest yet old looking MTR and a wonderful Annavra film either at Santosh or central 'talkies'. Today's Bangalore is deluged in traffic, stress and pressure, Saturday nights without beer is desolate and a Sunday without a visit to either a nearest spa or health clinic is schlocky!! The gandhibazar's are now AC cooled super markets, majestic is now replaced by an ultra modern and diversified Brigade road, "Sri cauvery coffee joint" is now Coffee day... and "Bhagyalakshmi coffee adda"... is now Barista. With globalisation and more retail market the city will definitely see more forceful changes.

Have all these changed our language? Kannada the local language of Bangalore is supposed to be one of the most meaningful of languages; it also has an unique script as compared to many of its other counterparts; but what percentage of people really use Kannada in Bangalore now? The figures are staggering, only 37% of people speak kannada in the state's capital as i read somwhere. for rest it is only "Kannada barutha?"

Any normal guy starts with this sentence "Kannada barutha?" while talking to another person. people confirm before they speak the language. You want to ask an address in Bangalore? or reply to a question... then English is the most preferred language with Hindi. It's a fact that two kannidagas in an IT company always talk in a neutral language!! even the vendors and shop keepers are channeled to this new wave, the moment when you step in any shop in Bangalore , you are always asked "Kannada barutha?" or the entire conversation takes place in non kannada languages. People have lost the confidence of speaking in the local language and more over speaking Kannada on the streets of "M.G road "or "kormangala" is substandard.

Shopping malls in the city have been completely banned from using Kannada, not a forced one but definitely an adapted one. One has to confirm that the other person knows the language before he starts using any language. "ondu glass beer" is a insult when it comes to any decorous pub in Bangalore. "Swalpa menu card kodthira..??" has been replaced by "Can I have the menu card please...?"

Just to hit some facts, marathi is still the largest and common speaking language in mumbai even though mumbai has the highest no of inhabitants. Telugu is a practised ritual in yet another IT HUB Hyderabad. When it comes to tamil nadu, beware you can be alive either if you are a fan of rajnikanth or you know tamil. Malyalam runs in the blood of every mallu be it Kuwait , dubai or any hospital; but when it comes to kannada it isalways "kannada barutha?" and next is "namaskara."

I am neither a Kannada activist nor do I run any Kannada supporting organization, I am just a plebeian who just loves the language. Globalisation is the trend and modernisation is the mantra. but at the cost of a language? Sounds no logic.. Is speaking kannada down market? The answer has to be found within oneself. Next time when you hear "kannada barutha?"., just remember that "kannada runs in your blood.."

Untitled.

Two lines of his, one friend wanted me to publish...

Why?? Well... for him, blogging is rather childish...

मजबूत यह दिल तुम्हारे इनकार से ऐसे खोखला हो गया।

मानो सावन न आया तो पत्थर जैसे डोख्ला बन गया॥

For those, who don't know डोख्ला, it's a Gujju Special, soft n spongy, swwweet n sour dumpling,

our canteen cooks prepare to the best of their abilities, never to match even a Gujju fledgling...

All these words are his, including this line...

all that I can claim, is that the blog is mine...

-Anon

(P.S: name not published:( , for that's what's asked of.)

I also don't know, what inspired to make a dhokla out of stones now:P

do it, or dont. Don't try to...

I've heard of this word "Try" from many people. I used it at one time too... maybe as a school boy. Then I learnt something. Someone asked me to try and drop a pencil; and made me realize what the state of someone's mind is, when (s)he "tries to"...

It's not just words that speak. I've learnt from life, that there are many other things that speak.

I once saw joy in my father's eyes as a small boy, (aged about 6 years.), though his words were as calm and composed as always... That was my first lesson to understand this.

As i grew up, I learnt... there are many other things that speak. the way someone smiles, the way someone reacts to your talk... even the way someone walks...

Even the composure of this blog speaks a million things... only for those who can understand though... wondering why I blog all this??

Only a few hours ago, I saw someone "trying to hide". It was so clear and evident that somethings were not acceptable. Still, the make-believe was that everything was ok. Accepting if something is not ok is always acceptable. But then... some people understand some things too soon... just be so very careful when you "Try" to pretend before such people...

Heads and Tails...

Whenever I need to make a quick decesion, I toss a coin. "Heads, positive, Tails, Negative". I suggest many that this is the simplest way of deciding. I know, they would think I'm a moron or a Psycho of some kind, or something else, anything but normal. But there's a further secret step to be taken. This, I've only told those who've tossed a coin on my suggestion. Time to reveal it to everyone who wants to know too...

The moment I toss the coin, I also have a decision. A decision to toss the coin again, until it ends up in the affirmative. A few days ago, when I read Q&A by Vikas Swarup, I realized, how similar I was to the hero of the novel in making decisions., who had already decided what it was going to be. Heads, Positive, Tails, Negative... and he would never go with the tails for a Positive call... and would always win, for the fact that his coin was "Double Headed";)

"Decisions are already made..."

Recession... no better explanation

Yet again, but after one experience I had with a security guard, this time it was a traffic cop. Now, this time, it is not for me to think if we are worth... rather, this guy made me admire how even such "Jargons" of the "Civilized world" are so simply understood by these"People from the Small Towns" (छोटे शेहेर के लोग as they are commonly known across the बड़े शेहेर के लोग। ).

The beauty of their life makes me admire the छोटे शेहेर way of life. As always, like it's more out of habit (the habit of chattering too much;) ) than something else, I started talking to this guy too. The moment he realized my Engg. background, and that I work for a sw firma, the first thought that hit him was about recession. I was sure it was his first thought, because he took no time in asking how SW engineers made a living with this recession. Now, as I started explaining how less the impact of Recession in India was, and the hype that the media has created, he interrupted me. He said, ಬಿಡಿ ಸಾರ್ ಗೊತ್ತು ಈ Recessionಉ. (Meaning, leave it sir, We know what this recession means, and its menace too...). I thought it's time to close my mouth, and open my ears. so, continued hearing what he was saying...

This is how he explained "Recession" to me...

"There is a situation, where tomatoes cost 40rupees a kilo. wondering about the profit they would make if they grew tomatoes, everyone kicked off with tomato cropping at the same time. Now, a while later, when it was time to harvest, everyone was waiting for a shock. With all the crop harvested at the same time, the market was so full of tomatoes, that it became hard for the farmers to sell it at even 50paise a kilo, and the harvest was going down the gutter. Now, you people are the tomatoes, and all the SW firms, the farmers, who thought you tomatoes would be the best bet in a market so full of vegetables, to make the best profits."

Yes, he was so very simple. The way this छोटे शेहेर का आदमी spoke.. actually, had I been given an explanation like this at the first instance, I would not have taken so long as I actually did, to understand recession. How simple, and practical the lives of these people are. If only... I were from a place like where he was from... Life would have been so simple to understand... and so, would be the meaning of life...

Hats off to the simplicity of these people. Civilized earthlings, learn something from them. Recession would ceretainly not have hit us as hard as it has, had we understood life their way.

ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು

ಪ್ರಿಯ ಓದುಗರೇ,,
ವಿರೋಧಿ ನಾಮ ಸಂವತ್ಸರದ belated ಹಾರ್ದಿಕ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು.

ಇದೇನಿದು ಇದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ಇದ್ದ ಹಾಗೆ, ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ blog ಕುಟ್ಟುತ್ತ ಇದ್ದೀನಿ ಅಂತ confusionಆ?

ಏನಿಲ್ಲ. ಸುಮ್ಮನೆ ಹಾಗೆ for a change ಅಷ್ಟೆ. ನಮ್ಮ್ ಭಾಷೆ, ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರಗಳನ್ನ ಬಿಡಕ್ಕಾಗತ್ತಾ?

ಆದ್ರೂ ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಏನೋ ಬಿಟ್ಟುಹೋಗಿದೆ ಅನ್ನಿಸತ್ತೆ ಈ ದೊಡ್ಡ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಸಿಟಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ.

for example, ನಮ್ಮ ಹಬ್ಬಗಳ ಆಚರಣೆಗಳನ್ನೇ ನೋಡಿ... ಆಗ ಒಂದು ಕಾಲ ಇತ್ತು. ಮನೆ ಮಂದಿ ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಸೇರಿ ಹಬ್ಬಗಳನ್ನ ಆಚರಿಸೋ ಕಾಲ... ಆದ್ರೆ ಈಗ, phone ಮೂಲಕನೇ ಅಜ್ಜಿ ತಾತ, ಅತ್ತೆ ಮಾವ, ದೊಡ್ಡಪ್ಪ ದೊಡ್ಡಮ್ಮ, ಚಿಕ್ಕಪ್ಪ ಚಿಕ್ಕಮ್ಮ, ಅಣ್ಣ ಅತ್ತಿಗೆ, ಅಕ್ಕ ಭಾವ, and so on... ಎಲ್ಲರ ಆಶೀರ್ವಾದ ಸಿಕ್ಕು ಹೋಗತ್ತೆ. ಅವರ ಮುಖಗಳನ್ನ ನೋಡಿ ಅದೆಷ್ಟು ಕಾಲ ಆಗಿರತ್ತೆ ಅಂತ ಕೂಡ ಗೊತ್ತಿರಲ್ಲ ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ.

ಆ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ, ಹಬ್ಬದ ಸಂಭ್ರಮ ಒಂದೆರಡು ದಿನ ಮುಂಚೇನೇ ಶುರು ಆಗಿರ್ತಿತ್ತು. city market, ಮಲ್ಲೇಶ್ವರಂ ಎಲ್ಲ ತುಂಬಿ ಹೋಗಿರೋದು family shoppingಗೆ. ಇವಾಗ ನೋಡಿದ್ರೆ, ಏನೂ difference ಕಾಣಲ್ಲ. ವರ್ಷವೆಲ್ಲಾ ಅಷ್ಟೇ ಜನ ಜಂಗುಳಿ ಇರತ್ತೆ. ಬೀದಿ ಬೀದಿಗೂ ರಾಶಿ ಮಾವಿನ ಸೊಪ್ಪು, ಬೇವಿನ ಸೊಪ್ಪು, ಹಾಕಿ ಮಾರಟಕ್ಕೆ ಕೂತಿರೋರು. ಇವಾಗ ಇಲ್ಲ ಅಂತಲ್ಲ, ಆದ್ರೆ, ಆವಾಗಿನ ಸಂಭ್ರಮ ಇವತ್ತು ಕಾಣೋಲ್ಲ.

ಈ IT ಬೂಮ್ ಯಾವಾಗ ಬಂದು ನಮ್ಮ ಊರಿಗೆ ತಟ್ಟಿತೋ ಅವಾಗ್ಲೇ change ಶುರು ಆಗಿಹೋಯ್ತು. ಇವತ್ತು ಜೀವನದ ರೀತಿ ಕೂಡ change ಆಗಿಹೋಗಿದೆ. But, ಕಾಲನ ಮಹಿಮೆ ಯಾರಿಗೆ ತಿಳಿಯತ್ತೆ ಹೇಳಿ?

ಹೊಸ ವರ್ಷದ ಬೇವು ಬೆಲ್ಲ ಬೆರೆತ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ, ಹೊಸತು ಹಳೆತುಗಳನ್ನ ಕೂಡ ಬೆರೆಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಜೀವನವೆಂಬ ಸುಂದರ ಪಯಣ ಮುಂದುವರೆಸೋಣ... ಸಂತಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಗೋಣ...

ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ, ಹೊಸ ಸಂವತ್ತಿನ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು.