Think Indian !

I recall that one fine day I was bidding goodbye to the lovely city Ahmedabad. I was waiting for the train to arrive, my eyes were staring at the feet moving by on the platform. Few people sitting and chatting amongst themselves were sipping their share of tea. A few minutes later I noticed that the plastic cups used by those people were swirling on the ground, eventually stamped by the travelers.

It was those disposable cups that made me ponder the jigsaw puzzle question: are governments only responsible for the country? Are we not? India, the largest democracy in the world with the second highest population, offers its citizens rights and duties to enjoy and follow in a democratic spirit. But in reality, 'only rights are enjoyed, duties are not followed'.

We easily blame the lawmakers but I believe we have not lived up to our responsibilities. Leaving footprints on the city, one can easily see the scale of vandalism of national assets. Spitting on the walls of buildings and roads, tearing the seats of public vehicles, throwing garbage in the locality, traveling in trains without tickets are some of the hand-picked activities that the aam aadmi (Middle-class Man) resorts to without a second thought.

We have been speaking aloud against corrupt social and political roots but have we ever done something to bring about a change? Are the policy makers only to be blamed? There would hardly be a handful of philanthropic hands rising in this count that believe and act on it. Have you never broken the traffic rules? Have we never bribed a policeman or have we never evaded tax? Have we never thrown wrappers of chocolates or Wafers on the streets? We would surely not do this if we traveled in Singapore. Where’s the difference between a poor, uneducated person and us if we do this act consciously or unconsciously?

Like small drops make up an ocean, few pages make a book; similarly small acts can make sea changes in the society. We need to learn the etiquette's of a modern world.

Almost, Just Friends!

As the cold wind of summer touches my face
Thoughts of you lingers on my head
When the times I kept myself inside a cage
I held myself back, and it's you I almost had

I almost have you every time I'm feeling down
You're almost here when I need you around
I hear your voice every time I hear a sound
Now an almost broken ME is what I found

From the day you tap my shoulders
Every star glows brighter
And in those glows I want to stay forever
Even if that means that I'll always be a dreamer

It happened so fast
I hope these good things last
You easily accepts me as your friend
I wish you'll stay that way ‘til the end

Again, I'm not asking for more
All I want is to keep you ‘til forevermore
‘Coz you're the only one that I adore
With you my soul seems to soar

You're like a star on a midnight sky
And like a wind that I cannot tie
Like a water that I cannot hold
In short, you're like a dream that I cannot mold

I know I have you
But like the earth, I cannot own you
Coz God made you similar to what I have to
So in my dreams is where I could only keep you

Though I can't always have what I wanted
With what you are giving, I am contented
Just constantly remember
That I'll always be by your side forever

From the moment that I loved you
I know chances are fewer than few
Consequences I must know
And my feelings must not show

But this secret is just so hard to hide
My heart is shouting from the inside
Once and for all, somehow I gotta to let you know
That my insane heart just can't let you go

Accept me or reject me
At least, at the very least I've made you see
Somebody's here who's better than he could be
Yet not given a chance to breathe free

Years from now whenever I will pause
While walking along the coast
I'll laugh and remember when I got hurt the most
By somebody that I had…almost!!!

My dog story..

I just got a dog named Scarlett! She is a Labrador. She brings so much joy into my life and helps me not to be so bored anymore. Scarlett keeps me so busy and is a great way for me to stop thinking about rubbish all the time and do something fun. I used to feel so lonely and bored. But now, I’m too busy to give a thought! I get lots more exercise with Scarlett.

One evening I was talking to my roommate that how dogs are! Our discussion on this went till few days. One night I started telling him about our neighbor’s dog and suddenly he said, “Damn, I need a Pet.”

I replied; Let go and see some good breed. He agreed.

On the Pet shop I found Black little cute puppy and I immediately told my friend to book this one. She connected very well with me. The minute I saw her, I knew she was the one. Once I held her, I knew she would be mine.

We had to pay for her shot that’s all. We instantly named her "Scarlett." She already felt like a good friend! Now, I had my very own dog and my very own responsibility.

We teach her to go to the bathroom outside. She would wake me up really early by her light barking voice at the foot of my bed so I had to get up and let her outside. Then she climbed back to bed and snuggled with me. She is so warm and cozy and we both fell back fast asleep.

Now Scarlett is all growing up. We play outside or on terrace. I make sure Scarlett goes for walks and that's a great way to make sure that I go for walks too. So, we both win! Scarlett gets walk and so do I.
 

I make sure she gets lots of water when we come back, just like I do.

Scarlett loves to eat any kind of food that comes from a noisy bag. You can even put regular dog food in a rattly bag and she thinks it is a treat. As she is growing she needs more food. I learned from the veterinarian what to feed her and how much so I don't over feed her. Dogs are like people, they need the right amount of food and exercise to be healthy. This helps me to learn more about watching what I eat and to eat only when I am hungry.

Scarlett learns some tricks. She likes to play and run a lot. I try to teach her few tricks. She sometimes does it right and when she doesn't, I have to remember, she is only a pup. I give her extra hugs for rewards when she does a trick, not food. That way I don't over feed him.

Having Scarlett makes me feel needed and loved. I would recommend getting a pet if you are nice to them. A pet can fill up your day with lots of activity and keeps you healthier by exercising more. I feel better now and I'm just happier. I think about getting healthier and enjoying my new friend. I hope you like my story.

Note: They are our friends. They entertain us, keep us company, play with us, protect us, serve us and, in turn, they rely on us. They are loyal, caring, funny, mischievous, stubborn, adventurous, independent, athletic or maybe just lovable couch potatoes. They come in all shapes and sizes. And they are an endless source of stories. Simple stories of humor, of bravery, of caring or just of little slices of life.

If you've spent any time around dogs, you must have some stories to share and perhaps a few photos as well.

When You Travel, Relish Your Way Home

So your trip’s drawing to a close.

Does that mean it’s over?

There’s usually a blanket of resignation as you take that final dip in the water, pack up your things, and shoot one last look at the resort you’re staying in.

After having such an indulgent vacation, it’s perfectly understandable why you’re dreading the idea of returning to your life’s daily grind. And why you must be tempted to just sleep through the entire ride back to the city—the fastest route to not feel so bummed about being away from the sea.

When you travel, perhaps the most overlooked opportunity to explore your surroundings is your journey home. But any trip really isn’t over until your feet cross your doorstep. As long as you’re still on the road, you can go on setting off for adventure!

Imagine the possibilities laid out in front of you. When you put your heart into it, getting sidetracked can feel just as fulfilling as reaching your destination.

Brave the waves

Words written on books..

Words from books have that certain magic of leaping out at you, and giving you comfort. And even if they come from secondhand ones, wouldn’t you say their allure just becomes more potent over time?

In The Blink..

In the blink of an eye. That’s how fast this year has gone. My parents warned me that as you get older time goes faster.

I’m actually okay with it; I live my life thinking about the future. The faster time goes, the closer I get, if that makes sense at all. Today is the one day that I truly think about the past.

When I think about my year I keep going back to people asking me “how are you?” It is probably one of the most spoken phrases in American culture. It is usually asked in a way that's just as cursory as “Hello,” and is answered with the equally cursory “Fine, and you?”

But this year was different; when people asked me how I was I told them. This has been the hardest year of my life till now. I have been beaten down by a bad percentile, bad people and personal bad decisions. But why do I define my mood by all this?

Sometimes, when I am done with studying and working, the person inside me responds with another question: “But what about your family?” I usually feel like a total ass for not considering them in my response.

Instead of looking back on the year and viewing it as a total disaster because of work, I look back at the year as total bliss because I have the most amazing family a man could hope for: I have seen my younger brother grow into a little man, and my dad getting older with a different personality. My mom is the most caring mother I could hope for and we are blessed.

So next time someone asks how I'm doing, I'm going to reply “I am great” -- as long my family truly is great.

June 2012 bring everyone the happiness they deserve.

Hello Daddy - It’s been so long... (Letter)

Hello Dad

It’s been long time... 

I was never aware how world is and how fast life is, since I came here to Bangalore. I would have started living in my own way because no one was around to look but I never did. I knew my limits and believe. Imagine I would be the same child of yours who was in the same place till now; no progress. I was never a studious child and never stick to a thing and wanted to explore all. Sometimes I wonder why I'm here for and what am I doing on this earth!

I never had a best friend neither a girl friend. As you said your best friend is your books but daddy most of the time I shared my thoughts of my life on paper. But do you think humans are so strong to deal with their feelings and loneliness. I won’t say that I’m strong. The cries in a room have made me stronger to face the world till now.

It’s obvious that in teenager guys and girls fall for each other. But have you ever imagined that my son would be one of those?

Dad, I was once told that your parents love’s you the most, love them back. everybody wants love daddy. People are greedy for love. (Needless To Say: I like girls.)

I never gave a thought for my looks or spending my time combing hairs or in men’s parlor. I was in my own world. Reading novels, being in touch with the world on Twitter and Facebook, Writing blog, studying, playing, exploring world and sleep, what else I do. I want to feel, loved by someone other than my parents.

When I came here in Bangalore, “Live life today” was my motto and on the other hand I was restricted. My main focus is my health and learning. I won’t use studying because I get bored fast. Learning is the word I like because I learn new thing every day.

I thought of letting you know what was happening in my life as you know how I’m and how do I live my life. You can just see that I’m in such a inexpressive state.

Ask Mummy to take care and talk to me if she feels because she hardly speaks with me and say bills will increase.

I would love if you send me mails or a message so that I can feel you around. I really miss you. 

:)

Just What Happiness Is

No need for happiness,
when everything goes your way
No need for joy,
when the day overflows with sunshine.

No need for thanksgiving,
when there is plenty
or when there’s no decision to make
about which direction to take.

No need to tell your story,
with the happy ending–
the one where things worked out
Tell that story another day.

No need for Saturday night poetry,
when music and dance fills the air
Give thanks tonight for your loneliness,
Helping you remember just what happiness is..

Kuch yaadein unn lamhon ki

Kuch yaadein unn lamhon ki
Jin lambon mai hum sab saath rahe
Khushiyo se bhare jazbaat rahe
Ek umar guzaari hai humne
Jahan ruthe hue bhi haste the

Kuch Kehte the kuch sunte the
Hum roz subha ja milte the
Toh sab ke chahre khilte the
Kya khubsurat wo manzar hota tha
Sab mil kar baatein karte the
Hum soch ke kitna haste the

Wo gunj humari hasne ki
Ab ek purani yaad bani
Yeh baatein hai unn lamhon ki
Jin lamhon mai hum sab saath rahe.

P.S. Dedicated To All My Friends. Sorry Its In Hindi.
All Contents In My Blog Are Genuine.
Collaboration Of Thoughts Have Resulted This.

This Beginning Is New

"Lulled in the countless chambers of the brain, our thoughts are linked by many a hidden chain; awake but one, and in, what myriads rise!"
~ Alexander Pope

Our brain believes what our mind believes. Hence, using our mind in a tactical way is the key to make use of the brain so that we can enhance and enrich our lives. Our belief about our capability as individuals is often limited to our past experiences.

Consider this. A grown-up elephant can weigh more than 5 tons and it can break through anything that comes on its way. But this giant animal is controlled with a rope tied to its legs. How? Ever since its birth the baby elephant is tied to a small rope. Every time the elephant moves, the rope would restrict it. During its growing years, it can only move around as much as the rope's length. As it grows older and stronger, the rope is never changed. It looks ridiculously fragile to hold such a strong animal, but years of restricted movement have conditioned the elephant to think that the rope has the power to stop its movement. It has stopped trying to free itself long ago because it failed to do so during its early years. As a result, the elephant remains tied to the brittle rope till its death. Similarly, we often make the false hypothesis that our past occurrences equal our future prospects.

The way we work, plan and define our future depends on our mind which directs our brain.

Jean-Dominique Bauby, the author of The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (later made into a movie) was paralyzed due to a fatal accident. He could not talk and his vision was blurred. Nor could he use his hand to write. He could communicate only by blinking with his left eye. Yet in spite of all these hurdles, he succeeded in penning down one of the bestselling books which he communicated with the blinking of his left eye. His body was paralyzed, but not his mind. The negative experiences in his life were insufficient to shut the doors of his mind. In fact he opened the horizons of his mind to move and surge ahead in life.

I wish that you open the horizons of your mind to start afresh with zeal and vigour. Our mind is like the parachute, it functions only when it is opened.

Let me sign off with the words of Winston Churchill - "The empires of the future are the empires of the mind".

Tell Me One More Time

Tell me one more time,
I can’t fall in love with you
Let me, once again
Hold your hand like I do
Say you won’t forget me
and how we used to be.

So long ago, when we’d walk
our love seemed so true
Remember how we always were
you as me and me as you
In each other’s eyes
the world, grew and grew.

Sometimes I think I can’t go on
knowing you are gone
The memories leave me empty
ain't no life, without you
Give our love one last chance
that’s the least you can do.


Tell me just one more time
I can’t fall in love with you.

Walk Away With Me

Every time I see you

Reminds me…
I don’t want to walk alone
Reach out, take my hand
Walk away with me.

Can’t get past you…
No matter how hard I try
You tie my heart in knots
Impossible to untie
You linger in my thoughts
Sometimes you make me cry
Can’t shake you from my dreams
Don’t even want to try.

Just give us one more chance
To be what we can be
Let the magic of the moment
Paint our hearts, set us free
Don’t want to walk alone
Reach out, take my hand
Walk away with me, Please!

Nothing is kept secret anymore

When I was young and used to look at my dad’s mobile phone and used to curse myself for not being old enough to have one. I used to sneak out my dad’s mobile phone and play with it or make calls to my friends. I felt my life was so incomplete without a mobile, because most of my friends carried one and I didn’t… sigh!

But now that I have a mobile phone, I realized how blessed I was to not have one! Every time I look at it there’s some message or some Kevin, Nick and Joe calling me to take a loan or apply for any insurance schemes, blah blah!, or a friend calling during study hours or family time. Earlier it seems like a foolproof way to live life until the day I realized mobile phones are such a pain in the ass.

Today, we live in the age of technology where I feel everyone suffers from “information diarrhea”. Nothing is accessible without a phone or internet or the latest Blackberry Messenger or WhatsApp Messenger. People who do not have any of these above applications are considered to be dumb. And after the official opening of Facebook, nothing is kept secret, nothing is private or withheld, in fact everything is a matter of public record. What you say or do is all to be “Liked” or “Commented” on and also expected to be remembered till eternity!

The weird thing about Facebook is the rate at which they allow people to change their status; I say it should be restricted to around five times in a day or so. Why do people think others are interested in knowing about their personal lives? Twitter is another online social networking and micro blogging site where your 140 characters are seen by billions of people. People have gone crazy; they post any rubbish! How about this post saying, “The loo here stinks”. That’s so awful! Why on earth would we want to know if you are in a stinky loo or you are unwell? People will definitely go bonkers reading that… or wait, they won’t; because nowadays everyone is posting something like this. They disclose their personal life on social networking sites as if they live on these sites or should I say they live for these sites.

Adding to these problems is the friend suggestion section; even we pressed the ignore button a hundred times a day, Facebook will still keep haunting us until we… uhmm, well that’s not important.

There’s nothing wrong with using these sites, but life is not only about putting a sad smiley or <3 in the status, life is about family and loved ones who are and support each other in reality.

As I conclude I would like to say “Hello” to all the strangers who will read this and will definitely go and post something about me on their pages! I want to tell you all; think before you do things, don’t let these sites eat up your precious time because a day will come when posting and tweeting will make no difference in your life. When you stand, what you did in your life will build your future.

For more such rants Add me as Friend on Facebook (www.facebook.com/HarshOnRocks) or Follow me on Tweeter @singhharsh_7

...LOL

Being a blogger

Lack of work in hand, lots of free time, easy accessibility to internet or an urge to share your ideas with the world, What does it take to be a blogger? The first two reasons as manifestations of vexed minds meant to ridicule people whom they don’t like. Easy accessibility to internet is a contributing factor to blogging becoming a habit. However, the defining factor to be a blogger is an urge to share ones ideas with the world.

One need not be a born writer to blog. Like learning to ride a car or to swim, you can also learn to blog. Just have a pocket diary and make a single line note of all the ideas that may come to your mind throughout the day. At the end of the day, instead of spending your time in front of the television set, get in front of the system and key down your ideas. To begin with blog in quantity, quality will come by itself. Read the blogs of others, this will also give you ideas how to refine your blogging skill and also make new friends. Never be disappointed if your blog goes unnoticed, it happens to everybody and even to the best.

Other than an urge to share my ideas with the world at large, blogging was the safest way out for me to get away from the emotional dump I found myself in a couple of years ago. I could have taken to pleasurable vices of life but choose blogging. Today blogging is an obsession with me, but one which enriches me and not enslaves me. I am forced to think objectively and subjectively on issues which previously did not even come to my attention. I don’t restrict to one aspect of blogging but try my hands in all the spheres. Close to my heart are tribute and general writing but that does not restrict me from dabbling in poetry, satire and creative writing no matter how unconvincing they are.

When you blog, write in the way which is most suited to your personality and thought process, never ape anybody’s style because you will never able to sustain it. Be inspired by other ideas and use of language but not by their style because no two persons are the same. I have a very unconventional way of expressing my thoughts in writing and I have never tried to fiddle with it. My attempts at poetry have been ridiculed as forced rhyming but that does not deter me because that is the only way I know to write poetry. If I have to borrow on a cricketing parallel, Sehwag and Dravid should stick to their styles of batting and not copy each other.

Never believe you have conquered grammar. There is always scope for improvement. Keep the language straight and simple. Use of flowery words is going to turn away most readers. Anybody can blog and to a certain extent that makes it a double edged sword. You don’t have an editor who will do the job of refining the sentence or chopping out the superfluous. You are your own editor in a blog. If you want your blog to be successful, be your own merciless editor. Write on topics which are very close to your heart be it on any personality, society, values, etc. Make some research on the topic you want to write especially if it involves major topics like global warming, bio-fuel, inflation, etc but don’t make it look like an exercise in cut and paste of others works. Add your own touch and ideas to it.

I have found that when you write on serious topics in life, the blog does not become popular. It is quite understandable; people are saddled with enough problems in real life and would not like to carry it to the net also. Express your views in a balanced method and most importantly on topics which interest a larger section of people. This does not mean that I am urging you to write candy floss stuff. Write in a manner which interests, entertains and inspires people. You can choose to write a blog on the grim realities of global warming quoting innumerable statistics and future projections or just write in simple words why you appreciate the contribution of Al Gore, ex-US Vice President towards global warming and how he has successfully demystified the entire issue.

Can blogging be profitable? Yes, Google Adsense does pay for ad clicks on your blog page but the conditions are so hazy that you would love to add the alphabet M before the word ad sense. Blog to appreciate the numbers of views on your blog, the comments you have received and the debate it has generated on your blog site. Blog for the sheer joy of it, other rewards will come in the near future.

IPL Handlers'

IPL has created its own handlers. Here are some of them:-

Duration - Marginally longer than an Indian movie.

Spectators - Not all have come to the stadium to see the match and most importantly everyone does not know cricket.

Viewers - Advertisers spend crazy amounts to catch their eyeball attention for 10 seconds but they prefer to surf channels during ad break.

Pitch - A rectangular piece made of soil but expected to be more flat than a table top.

Batsman - A gladiator whose purpose of existence is to send the ball across or over the boundary as many times as possible.

Bowler - A gladiator who is paid handsomely to get beaten like a henchman in Indian films.

Shot – A verb whose ends justify the means. Simply read as long as you get a boundary does not matter if you executed a late cut over the middle stump.

Umpire - An individual on field whose popularity goes up every time he lifts both the hands vertically upwards.

Score – In India like sensex preferred only when it progresses in geometric progression.

Run Rate – A Jurassic age concept which should be replaced with runs per ball which again is respectable only if it is 1.5 runs per ball.

Economy Rate – Anything which is less than our inflation figures is preferable.

Boundary – The batsman’s capability to frequently strike it, directly increases his endorsements.

Dot Ball – One of the few on-field perks for a bowler.

Maiden – An on-field event whose occurrence is as rare as a total solar eclipse.

Dull Moments – Time taken between over’s.

Average – Considered respectable if it is in double digits for batsmen and single digits for bowlers.

Team Loyalty: - The match itself is a blind date, so who cares.

Spirit of the game – Displayed at the end of a game in form of a handshake sometimes through a slapface.

Cheerleader – What did the poor bar girls do differently to be banned?

Commentators – Rehabilitated cricketers who are paid to dub as talented every guy who can with result swipe the bat/ hurl the ball powerfully.

Sponsors – A set of guys who are desperate to ensure that their name appears on every cricketing gear. Wonders whose logo appears on the most important but least displayed cricket (no prizes for guessing it). A steel or cement company would be an ideal choice with words “keeping family/ friends (either girl or boy) happy” or “protecting the future” or “ensuring continued home entertainment”.

Owners – Individuals who have invested heavily but not allowed to grunt or grumble when their team performs badly.

Last, but not the least, Lalit Modi – Magician. C’mon guys, he should be the Prime Minister of this country. Definitely would come up with an idea how to market petroleum products so that we don’t have to pay every time the rate goes up.

Superstitions Are Not Bad But Don't Cling On Them

Superstition as defined by the Oxford Dictionary means “Excessively credulous belief in and reverence for the super natural. A widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences, especially as bringing good or bad luck”.

I don’t think there is anybody on this earth, living or dead; who does not have his/her own set of superstitions. Even the most sworn atheist would have superstitions because they transcend the barriers of religion and are more often subconscious.

Superstitions make an individual undesirable in society when it hurts the being of another. A popular superstition is the black cat crossing. I find this superstition most amusing because the black cat never stops its journey because you crossed its path. An inhuman superstition would be elders saying don’t go when a particular person is standing outside the house. An equally ridiculous one is “don’t ask where you are going?” when someone is stepping out of the house. Most of these superstitions have vanished from urban areas because of compulsions to reach our jobs in time. As it is we are not able to reach our jobs on time because of the never ending traffic jams, wonder what would happen if we had to studiously follow these superstitions.

There are many non-hindering superstitions like lucky shirt, color, number, etc. The famous umpire David Shepherd used to hop whenever the score board used to read nelson i.e. 111 or its multiples. The number 13 is dreaded by most westerners as is the day Friday the 13th. These are not desirable because a number does not make or break an individual. People pay huge amounts to get certain fancy numbers for their vehicles. This is very desirable because it means additional revenue for the Government.

Cricketers have their own superstitions. Jimmy Amarnath used to always ensure that a red tag hung out of his back pocket every time he went out to bat; A famous Australian opening batsman used to not change any part of his clothing, if he was not out overnight (actually I think it was a ploy to keep away close in fielders); Sunny Gavaskar always used to go out to bat on the right side of his partner. Even politicians have their own sets of superstitions. The most famous one being Pandit Nehru wearing a red rose on his suit. All the above superstitions are okay (except that of the Australian) because they are personal to individuals.

Coming to myself, I am phobic to the number 3 but that does not mean I would turn away a bag containing 3 bundles of Rs. 1000 notes or a pouch containing 3 diamonds. It is true not only of me but of most. As the famous saying “Baap Bada na bhaiya, sabse bada rupiya”. Even superstitions take a back seat when it comes to money. Superstitions are not bad if they don’t hinder any individual’s freedom, but don’t cling on to them if it means material benefits.