I admire people who abandoned their success and ventured into something that they always wanted to do. I admire these people because:
- they know what they want
- they have the courage to risk anything and everything for their dreams
And I don't think that it is an easy path to walk on. It definitely has more downs than ups. But I think that moment,when they achieve their dreams, gives them tremendous satisfaction.
These achievers could have lived a life of ease and comfort. But they shunnned that life and chose a rugged path instead.
I find such people's lives very inspiring. I find their lives so complete. Their lives remind me that I have a long way to go. They remind me that nothing is impossible.

Chitti aayi hai

I really miss inland letters and post cards. I miss the physical aspect of letters. People might argue that emails and phones have successfully replaced letters. But then, I don't agree with them. First of all, in a rural-dominated country like ours, atleast internet (or can we say computers) is not accessible to everyone. Ok, and even in the urbane setup, I still feel that emails are not effective as letters. The tangibility and essence of the letters are definitely much more nearer to hearts. Be it love letters or letters written to your grand parents or relatives or friends or pen friends, they are always special.

I used to write lot of letters. My letters were probably my initial experiments in writing. And I think that I had lots of fun writing those letters. But now, most of the times we email people or we tend to talk to them over phone. So the necessity for letters is no more. True, that the advancement in technologies bring more comfort. But somewhere I think they take away those small pleasures of life.

I have been doing a lot of research in yoga, pranayama, dhyana, pranic healing, reiki and so on. And it is amazing how much I have been discovering in this journey. All the methods that I have mentioned are processes which utilise human mind power to promote health, peace and happiness. I have also been going through lot of ancient scriptures. The information these scriptures have are so valuable and so true. So, ultimately all these lead to one thing; human mind is the most powerful thing in the universe. But hold on, friend. Human mind is the most powerful thing when it is combined with another component- spirituality. Only then this unexhaustible power can be steered in the right direction. Only then one's mind can cure oneself of any fatal disease. It is sad that when we have the solution within ourselves, we keep searching for it outside in vain.

So my research will continue. Hopefully, in this coming year, I will be able to see some results too.

May this coming year bring lots of good health, happiness, peace and prosperity in your lives. May God give u lot of courage and confidence to face anything and everything in your lives.:)))))))

Why is it that we try to search for tear drops in the eyes of people who laugh a lot?

Boulevard of broken dreams

Yep, I saw this title of a music album- Boulevard of broken dreams. I found it very interesting. Each one of us dream. Some of us believe in them. Some of us don't. And it's a known fact that all dreams don't come true. And every time you face a broken dream, tears exude profusely. So we walk on this boulevard of broken dreams with a heavy heart. But this boulevard adds on so much of learning, so much of experience to our lives. And yes, a walk on this boulevard is inevitable.

Since a couple of days, I have been totally into solving the klueless puzzle.:) For those of you who don't know about it, check out:

http://www.iimi-iris.com/iris/irising/klueLESS/

I think the IIMI guys have done a great job in designing this puzzle. It is definitely a good way to get rid of the rusty feel from your mind. Kudos to IIMI guys.

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Why is it that when you see something beautiful, you fall short of words? You feel that just words might do injustice to that breathtaking beauty. So you become silent. Sometimes I feel that silence is more powerful than words.

It is amazing how small breakthroughs can actually bring so much of happiness and confidence in you, especially if these breakthroughs are in both your personal and professional lives.:)) Yes, I know that I have a long way to go. But atleast I have overcome the initial hiccups as of now.:)

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Watched "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" yesterday. The movie is definitely well made. But it is a very dispiriting movie. When we left the hall, our hearts were heavy. I did not like the gloomy look on the kids' faces at all. I wish there were lighter, simpler, happier films for kids.:)

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I know that lot of bloggers must have already written about Pratibha, the unfortunate HP employee who was raped and murdered by a cab driver in Bangalore. But I really felt that I should go ahead and express my condolences. I fail to understand how can someone commit such a brutal act. It is sad that such mentally sick people become the cause for innocent people like Pratibha to lose their precious lives. And I totally agree with the crowd when they say that this driver has to be given severe punishment. No, we know that won't bring Pratibha back. But atleast it might help in saving other innocent lives.

Lately I have been hearing lot of grumbling and rumbling about Bangalore. Nah, I do not react to them. But I feel extremely happy when I meet people with a positive attitude about Bangalore. There are these two friends of mine who come from different parts of India. They have settled down in Bangalore now. They absolutely love Bangalore. They are learning kannada. They have their complaints about Bangalore but then they feel that these teething problems are a part of metamorphism that a city has to go through to become a metro.

I really applaud these people. I applaud them for their attitude.

Bangalore definitely has lot of problems- infrastructure, traffic, autos and so on. But what we need to understand is that Bangalore is going through a major change. Bangalore was a garden city once upon a time. It is we IT people who have compelled Bangalore to go through this metamorphism. The quiet, silent, green city is being converted into major IT hub. So we need to give this city more time to change. Let us not forget that this city has been giving our dal-roti, kapda and makaan. I think that instead of whining, we should contribute in our own way to make this city a better place to live in.

I love Bangalore. I have spent my childhood in Bangalore. I have seen the beauty of the garden city. And so definitely I would want to give back a lot to this city.

One of my favourite quotes:
Ask not what the country can do for you, but ask what you can do for the country.
- John.F.Kennedy

It is post-lunch time and I am listening to hemant kumar's songs. There is something about his voice that captivates me. His songs are very simple. But when you try to sing them, you know that it is very tough to produce the same effect as he does. His lazy, soothing, moony voice is definitely peerless. I am in total love with his songs; to name a few- "Sunja Dil Ka Dastan", "Na Tum Humen Jaano", "Apni Dil Tho Awara".

A secret wish: I hope that his songs will never be remixed. I hope they will stay untouched.

I wonder why parties are always dominated by alcohol. I am not at all a party person. But if I have to go to a party, then I would like to go to one where fun, frolic, laughter prevails. Whenever I tell that to people, they say that I am fit to go to kids' parties. Yes, I really wish our parties could be so much like the kids' parties- pure fun and nothing more to it.:-)))

These are some of the pictures that I took at Alike.

I am back after that refreshing, rejuvenating, energizing vacation. Seven days of stay at Alike and Puttur with my aunts' families, with nature proved to be a gratifying experience.

Yep, I feel like a spoilt kid after spending these days with my aunts. They are so lovable and motherly. And the best part is that they have always been there for me during all the ups and downs of my life.

What did I do:

- Lots of reading
- Lots of classical music
- Lots of spirituality
- Lots of yapping
- Walks amidst nature
- Travelling in buses and overcrowded taxis
- Savouring delicacies that my aunts prepared with so much of love and care:-)
- Playing with my cousins

Nature, nature and nature- that was the main highlight of my vacation. Hills, rocks, greenery, the cool zephyr- they were all amazing. It was as if the mother nature rocked the cradle and sang a lullaby for one to sleep and relax. It is at such places that you feel more and more grateful for this gift of LIFE.

It is very difficult to summarize or capture such beautiful moments in these ordinary words. So I am gonna withdraw into silence now and relive those resplendent moments.

I know that I have spoken about this song already in my first post.
But this song is such a big favourite of mine that I had to post
the lyrics in this post. But I still feel that the song title
could have been better than "Big Yellow Taxi".:)


They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot SPOT
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to seem 'em
Don't it always seem to go,
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Hey farmer, farmer
Put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But LEAVE me the birds and the bees
Please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

I said
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

I will be off for a week. I am going on a vacation to Alike and Puttur, near Mangalore. My aunts stay in these places and I am really looking forward to spending some time with them.

Alike is a remote village near Mangalore. But this place is well known because of the educational institutions. In fact, this place consists of only educational institutions run by Sai Baba's devotees. These schools and colleges have boarding facilities. So you will find that all the students are from different parts of Karnataka, and sometimes outside Karnataka too. The houses that you find in Alike are mostly occupied by the school and the college staff. Yes, my uncle is a lecturer in one of these colleges and hence I get to visit Alike. The schools and colleges here are model educational institutions and their students definitely set very good examples. Their discipline and cleanliness are noteworthy.

Okay, but Alike is not one of my favourite places just because of these institutions. I love this place coz it is so very rich in nature, so very untouched. Yep, I am a total village belle and I am in total love with any rural place.:))

Yesterday I was watching an old movie of Rajkumar. I have always been fascinated by black and white movies, be it in hindi or kannada. Simplicity used to be such an integral part of those movies. Songs of those movies still rock. The music and the lyrics definitely had lot of intensity then. I also love the comedy in black and white movies. Narsimharaju or Johny Walker- just their appearances bring smiles on your faces. The storyline of most of the movies was very strong; maybe because they were mostly based on novels ( atleast in kannada). Nah, I am not comparing those movies with today's movies. I also enjoy the movies that are made today. But I think the black and white movies had altogether a different charm. Watching them now is a spellbinding experience for me.
Masterpieces like "Chalthi ka Naam Ghaadi" or "Sandhya Raaga" will be evergreen entertaining movies.:-)

The other day, I was having an interesting discussion with some of my friends about stress busters. People have different and unique ways of dealing with stress like:

• Watching movies ( a typical bollywood movie can work great wonders;))
  
• Listening to music (This came across as the most common stress buster)
  
• Reading ( All bibliophiles would agree to this)
  
• Gardening (A very useful stress buster, I must say. All that greenery and mechanical work should definitely get rid of any type of stress.)
  
• Singing, playing any instrument (as long as our neighbours don't find it troublesome;))
  
• Stitching (Hmmm....quite a rare one, atleast now a days)
  
• Cooking ( Well, I think our families will be very happy if we make use of this stress buster)
  
• Washing clothes and vessels (Again, the mechanical work is a sure way of beating stress)
  
• Cleaning ( After that vigorous cleaning, the satisfaction that you gain is enormous)
  
• Shopping ( I knew all you gals were waiting for this. I think this is a good one as long as it is not heavy for our pockets. Guys, are you listening?:))
• Dancing (Yep, it doesn't matter even if you have left feet)
• Yoga, Aerobic, Gyms (Amazing stress busters. And if done regularly, they are your friends for life.)

So the list goes on and on.:) And our fight against stress goes on and on.

Well, I could not resist myself from adding more quotes of Calvin and Hobbes.

Hobbes: How come we play war and not peace?
Calvin: Too few role models.

Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success... ...Flat stretches of boring routine... ...And valleys of frustration and failure.

It's not the pace of life I mind. It's the sudden stop at the end.

When I grow up, I'm not going to read the newspaper and I'm not going to follow complex issues and I'm not going to vote. That way I can complain when the government doesn't represent me. Then, when everything goes down the tubes, I can say the system doesn't work and justify my further lack of participation.

Some people are pragmatists, taking things as they come and making the best of the choices available. Some people are idealists, standing for principle and refusing to compromise. And some people just act on any whim that enters their heads. I pragmatically turn my whims into principles.

I'm just very selective about the reality I choose to accept.

"Why isn't my life like a situation comedy? Why don't I have a bunch of friends with nothing better to do but drop by and instigate wacky adventures? Why aren't my conversations peppered with spontaneous witticisms? Why don't my friends demonstrate heartfelt concern for my well being when I have problems? ...I gotta get my life some writers."

"When you get something, it's new and exciting. When you have something, you take it for granted and it's boring."

Some interesting Dilbert, Calvin and Hobbes quotes:

Reality continues to ruin my life.

That's the difference between me and the rest of the world! Happiness isn't good enough for me! I demand euphoria!

It seems like once people grow up, they have no idea what's cool.

Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.

I find my life is a lot easier the lower I keep everyone's expectations.

Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you're just a reflection of him?

I liked things better when I didn't understand them.

People are so conditioned to take sides that a balanced analysis looks to them like hatred.

* Dilbert, in Daily Dilbert, 26 March 2005

It might look like I'm standing motionless, but I'm actively waiting for my problems to go away.

The more crap you put up with, the more crap you are going to get.

No one will believe you solved this problem in one day! We've been working on it for months. Now, go act busy for a few weeks and I'll let you know when it's time to tell them.

Since childhood, I have been reading lots in both english and kannada. I just love kannada literature. I think my interest in kannada literature is a gift from mom. Her knowledge about kannada prose and poetry is very intense and she herself is also a very good writer.

"Mankuthimmana Kagga" by D.V.G. is one of the best books I have read so far. Kagga is kavya i.e poetry. It is definitely one of the masterpieces in Kannada. This book consists of 945 poems and each poem spans 4 lines. They are somewhat similar to Kabir's dohas. They are very intense but yet very simple. In fact, even today there are lot of seminars held to discuss this book, the philosophies mentioned in this book. It is a great experience to read this book. You can call "Mankuthimmana Kagga" as the common man's Bhagavad Gita.

Intha adhbhutha kruthi bareda nimage namellara hrudaya pooravaka namanagalu, DVG.

Finally, I saw "Hanuman". It was a fun movie. Lots of people raised their brows when I told them that I was going to this movie. "Why do u wanna watch a children's movie?", was all they asked. Well, did I tell you that there is a kid concealed in me ( and perhaps in everyone;-)) and that, most of the times I let that kid surface up.;)

Happy Birthday to Mom and me:)

I remember how my birthday used to be such an exciting day for me during my school days. It was a day that I would look forward to throughout the year. I would wait for my parents to get me a new dress. I would flaunt that new dress in my school that day. The whole class would then sing the Happy Birthday song. And then I would distribute chocolates to all my classmates and the teachers. Mom would pack a cake for me that day for lunch. That was my big feast I relished. After going home, I would feast on Mom's home made sweets. I felt like a princess that day 'coz I got whatever I asked for, only on that day.:-)

Slowly as I grew, the celebrations decreased. And now, I have a very quiet birthday. Yes, my friends try to get me into the blowing of candles and cutting the cake culture. But then, I don't feel like celebrating my birthday in that way. Instead, I prefer giving out gifts or sponsoring a lunch for the kids in the orphanage.

But it is a very special day for me 'coz Mom and myself share our birthdays. Yep, we celebrate our birthdays on the same day.:) So definitely it is a memorable day for both of us.:-)

Happy Birthday, Mom. And yes, thanks to all my near and dear ones for all your wishes. My phone has not stopped ringing since morning.:)

Many of us read books about personality development, positive thinking and so on. And then we try to inculcate the optimism, "feel good" attitudes that are mentioned in those books. Well, when life is smooth sailing, it is so easy to be optimistic. It is so easy to preach about positive thinking. But then the real application is during times of adversities. It is then we need oodles of optimism, positive thinking, faith and so on. It is only then our strengths are tested. And if we stick to our postive attitudes through all the abysses, then I believe that we can say that we are the real optimists. And who knows , some of us might author some postive thinking books too. ;-)

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How does a person react when hard knocks and fortune strike together?

Most of the times, as I have seen, the good news gets mislaid somewhere amidst all the anguishness and inflictions. The tragedy always has an upper hand.

I watched "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" this weekend. I liked it. It was an escape to fantasy land. It had been some time since I had watched such type of a movie. I loved the movie more when I saw the kids in the movie hall enjoying it to the core.:)

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I have been reading " The Rainmaker" again. Yes, I have read the book a couple of times before. And I really love this book. In fact, I keep telling that it was my holy book during my days of unemployment. Rudy Baylor's experiences, Insurance companies- they all make the story very interesting and pacy. The best thing about John Grishan's novels ( atleast most of them) is that every page will contain some crucial info that is required for the story. Of course, the story is predictable. But still, it is an interesting read.

For me, "The Rainmaker" is a book to which I can keep returning to, especially during low phases.

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Some of the definitions I got from web about MEDITATION:

continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature; "the habit of meditation is the basis for all real knowledge"

Meditation usually refers to a state in which the body is consciously relaxed and the mind is allowed to become calm and focused.

A practice of deep concentration of the mind.

What is meditation to me?

• There are times when my mind is jumbled with stray thoughts. At that time just to re-organize my thoughts, I take some time for myself. I sit in a comfortable posture, close my eyes, and then i just let my mind free. No, when I say I let my mind free, I don't mean that I order my mind not to think and that my mind becomes totally blank. After all, I am just a commoner.:-) Ok, so I set my mind free- I just let it think anything and everything. This process goes on for about some time. And gradually my mind clears up. There is just one thought in my mind now.
• At times of stress and tension, I sit in Padmasana and chant "Om" several times. And then I contemplate on one of the forms of God. I try to become aware of each part my body. I become aware of my breathing. I start taking deep breaths. And when I am through with this process, I find my mind extraordinarily peaceful.
• Meditation can happen anytime and anywhere. It can happen when you listen to one of these soothing, melodious songs. It can happen when you are amidst nature. It can happen when you are inside an ancient, historical temple.
• Meditation can be spiritual or non-spiritual.

I enjoy meditation a lot. Everytime I do it, I come out feeling very refreshed. It is that chunk of time which I give only for myself. And believe me, it is worth it.:-)

I have heard "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica several times. And yes, it is one of my favourite songs. But then, there is something about this version of " Nothing Else Matters" by Chris Isaac and Metallica. I have been listening to it continuously for some days now and I am still not bored. And when I try to switch to some other song, I feel that it is not upto the mark and so I switch back to this version of "Nothing Else Matters" again.:-)))

I have always been a great YOGA buff. I have studied Yoga since my childhood years. But then I never seriously pursued it. Off late, I have been practising Yoga regularly and the experience has been very fulfilling. Slowly, I am getting addicted to it. Of course, yoga reminds people about the physical aspect. But I feel that it is one of those activities that gives lot of serenity, composure and concentration. I have always believed that yoga has cure for all ailments. If possible I would wanna explore the depths of Yoga sometime. So in this pursuit, I bought "Secrets of Yoga" by Osho. I have just started reading it. It has been interesting so far. Lemme read the whole book and then talk about it.:-)

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I look at people who have been dealing with tragic incidents, great personal losses and adversities. I look at their brave faces. And then I look at myself and my life. I feel ashamed at myself for brooding over small, trivial issues. I definitely get lot of courage when I look at others' lives. Well, life is a great teacher by itself, isn't it?

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Honesty rules!

I had lost my wallet in an auto last week just prior to Diwali. I had two cards and a bit of money in that wallet. I grieved over it for a day. But then I decided to go ahead and blocked my cards. All this time, my heart hoped that someone would find my wallet and return it to me. After 4 days of losing my wallet, one day I got this mail in my inbox. The mail was from this person whose mother had got my wallet in the auto. He had asked me about the address where he had to return the wallet. I could not believe it! I really could not believe my luck! Next day, I met this unknown pal of mine, thanked him and took my wallet back. I told him that it was a very nice gesture. I also thanked him for the efforts he had made to contact me. Thank God for the honest people and good samaritans. Thank God for all these people who make the world a better place to live.:-)

I have read very few books that have been penned by Indian authors. And my impressions about them were very bad. Maybe I did not choose right books. So I was a bit skeptical when I bought "The English Teacher" by R.K.Narayan a couple of days back. This was the first R.K.Narayan book that I was reading. And, man, believe me I could not just keep the book down once I started reading it. It is a wonderful book and I have no words about R.K's writing. His writing is so simple and yet it manages to touch your heart so beautifully. All his characters don't seem fictitious but they appear so real. I must say that it had been a long time since I had relished a book like this.

Now I am all set to read all his works. Also, I want to explore books by Indian authors.

Books do have this amazing capacity to take you away from all your worries and pains, don't they?

Among all the varieties of the reality shows being on hosted on different channels, I am enjoying watching "Nach Baliye" on Star One. This is actually a dance competition among 10 TV- celebrity couples. Each week, a couple gets eliminated. They have to enact different themes every week. The show is quite creative, I must say. And there is a common factor in all the couples: there is one non-dancer. And the other partner ( that is the dancer) inspires the non-dancer to perform. So each couple is performing better and better every week. Of course, lot of credit should go to the choreographers. On the whole, I think this show is a complete package.

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I can already see people getting into festive mood :-) Deepavali- festival of lights. I hope this festival will bring peace and joy to all including those who have suffered due to heavy rains.

Wishing all of you a very happy and prosperous Deepavali.:-)

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If you stuff yourself full of poems, essays, plays, stories, novels, films, comic strips, magazines, music, you automatically explode every morning like old faithful. I have never had a dry spell in my life, mainly because I feed myself well, to the point of bursting.
— Ray Bradbury

So very true.:-))))

My friend's mom passed away day before yesterday. Though I never got a chance to meet her mom, I knew that she was a very great human being. May God give my friend the courage. May her mom's soul rest in peace.

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I have never seen such heavy rains in Bangalore. Yesterday we are stuck at Hosur Road. It was so flooded and our car was almost sailing like a boat. It could be clearly seen that Bangalore was not prepared for heavy rains at all. Anyways I hope that these rains were of good help to our farmer friends.

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Yesterday we had been to a grapes' farm that belongs to a friend. By profession, he is a software engineer. But he is very interested in farming too. So he purchased a land and started cultivating grapes. And I must say that he has been very successful at it. It is truly heartening to see the educated youth venturing into agriculture. Also, we were very inspired when we got to know that he goes to his school in his village during the weekends and conducts computer classes for the kids. Man, don't we require more and more idealistic, dedicated people like him?

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I love listening to people. I love listening to them speaking about anything (no gossip, plz) and everything under the sky. And I really learn a lot by listening. I feel that I know so little when I hear people talk about the miniscule details of various fields. Wow! I feel really happy listening to them and learn new things from them. As I mentioned in my earlier post, every person that I talk to becomes my teacher.:-)

This weekend was very relaxing. Caught up with a movie. Went to Bannerghatta national park. Had gone for a safari and saw tigers and lions. Tiger- such a majestic animal- made me wonder about why lion is called the king of the jungle.:-) Saw snakes, cheetah, rabbits, crocodiles and so on. I felt good and also felt that it was much better visiting such places rather than flocking the same shopping malls every time (sighhhh...I hate shopping malls).

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Auto drivers rule Bangalore city. Ok, so if you want to catch an auto, then you need to perform the following steps:

1) Politely ask the driver about where does he wanna go. Then match your requirement with his destination. If yes, then proceed to step 2. Else, repeat this first step with another auto driver.

2) Never question the driver about the route. Just sit tight lipped and be a silent observer.

3) Enjoy the loud music if being played.

4) Meanwhile, enjoy the roller coaster ride. Aren't you lucky- you dont have to got to the amusement parks anymore for these rides?

5) Never look at the fare meters, especially if you are weak hearted.

6) Finally when you reach the destination, pay and never look back. What did you say? You want the change- Nahhhhhh, never ask for it- how dare you behave like that with the uncrowned king of Banaglore city???????

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I have been reading Nathuram Godse's biography. I also read an interview of Gopal Godse, Nathuram's brother.

I have also read Mahatma Gandhi's "My Experiments with Truth". Gandhi definitely has been one of the forefront leaders of the freedom struggle. I admire his commitment towards truth and non-violence. I also think that he had the capability to convince people to follow his way. But he had his differences with revolutionary leaders like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev as they did not believe in non-violence. There are some accusations that Gandhi could have saved the lives of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. There were also certain eccentricities of his, like experimenting his abstention or his role as a father or a husband.

Nathuram Godse was not happy with the priniciples of Gandhi. He felt that Gandhi was responsible for the partition. Hence the ultimate step. Well, I dont believe that the assasination solved any problem. Maybe a solution could have been derived in a peaceful way. But whatever it is, it cannot be denied that Godse was a patriot and that he was involved in the freedom struggle.
In his defence in the court, he says:
I now stand before the court to accept the full share of my responsibility for what I have done and the judge would, of course, pass against me such orders of sentence as may be considered proper. But I would like to add that I do not desire any mercy to be shown to me, nor do I wish that anyone else should beg for mercy on my behalf. My confidence about the moral side of my action has not been shaken even by the criticism levelled against it on all sides. I have no doubt that honest writers of history will weigh my act and find the true value thereof some day in future.

Check out Gopal Godse's interview at http://ngodse.tripod.com/godse14feb2000.htm
In this interview, one fact that surprised me was about "Hey ram".
Also if you are interested you can check out http://www.nathuramgodse.com/index.php?playid=1

I always get carried away whenever I listen to some good songs. These songs have excellent lyrics. Above that, the lyrics are well matched by fantabulous music. And believe me, this is a very rare combination now a days. "Tere Mere Sapne" from the movie, Guide, is definitely a song of that calibre. The lyricist is Shailendra and the music dircetor is S.D.Burman. Rafi has provided full justice to the song. Such simple lyrics and soft, mellifluous music- and the song is definitely one of the most romantic numbers I have ever heard.

Read this on a website:

Fear is not your enemy. It is a compass pointing you to the areas where you need to grow. So when you encounter a new fear within yourself, celebrate it as an opportunity for growth.

Read this in a mail:

Life is a mountain.
Reaching its peak is my aim.
However trails are difficult to go through.

But the important things are-
The lessons that I have learnt,
The challenges that I have experienced,
And the people I am with in my journey.

I love my workplace. I love it 'coz I get to work( ok, I am a workoholic). I also love it 'coz it is a place where I get to listen to so much of music. My colleagues have been introducing me to different types of music, various singers and so on. So with my work knowledge, my knowledge in music has also been improving. Thanks to them.;-)

Workplace is also fun 'coz I get to meet all people- a variety of unique people. I enjoy meeting them, talking to them, interacting with them and sharing the laughter. It is fun being a part of a team- especially a team in which all of them have a great sense of humor. Yes, it does hurt when I see misunderstandings, fights. But I think these happen when you work with lot of people. All of them have their unique ways of thinking. No one is wrong. It is just that we have to respect each other's opinions and give space to one another. This is what I have learnt to be in a team. I love it when I see lot of camaraderie in the team.:-)

I have got great friends here. And I also have my headphone set that is a great companion and that keeps me going through the day.:-)

My workplace is definitely one of my favourite places.:-))))

Can you look into the eyes of the person when he/she points out your shortcoming? Can you hear the other person patiently when he/she talks about your weakness? And after listening to that, can you smile and hug that person as if nothing happened at all? Can you just stay quiet without getting back to that person? And if you say yes, then I think you are very courageous. You are courageous 'coz you are bold and patient enough to listen to those words spoken intentionally or unintentionally. In a way, patience and tolerance are also various forms of courage. And believe me, not all of them have this courage. Most of them would never believe that they have any shortcoming and even if they know about it, they would never accept it in front of anyone. I would say that they might be scared of looking at themselves bare. Or maybe they are scared to think of themselves as imperfect people.

Have you come across people who are very, very negative about everything? And no matter what happens, they only feel sad and bad about it. Yes, I have come across such people. I try sending some positive vibrations to them. But they are so much full of negativity that they refuse to see anything else. When I watch their lives as a spectator, I feel they are lucky to have so many good things in their lives. But the irony is that they are not able to see anything good. They feel that they are the most unluckiest lot. They kvetch about everything and everyone. They are in such a deplorable state 'coz they miss out all the fun in life.

Whenever I meet such a person, I try my best to show them the beauty of life. Not that it works out every time. Still I keep trying with the hope that I might convert atleast a handful of them into optimists.:-)

If I make the lashes dark
And the eyes more bright
And the lips more scarlet,
Or ask if all be right
From mirror after mirror,
No vanity's displayed:
I'm looking for the face I had
Before the world was made.
~W.B. Yeats

Dreamers, yes we are

So how are we "dreamers" different from the rest of the world?

*We believe in our dreams.
*Even though we dream, we stay firmly rooted in the ground.
*Many a times we know that some dreams are very, very imaginative and not realistic. But still we dream that those dreams might come true sometimes.;-)
*We never get bored anywhere 'coz our dreams are our constant companions.
*We never try to interpret our dreams- NEVER.
*We don't get disheartened if our dreams don't come true. We remain dreamers.;-)
*Oh yes, we persevere to make our dreams to come true 'coz we know that only dreams are not enough.
*We really don't care when people laugh at our dreams.
* Finally, we DREAM.:-)

There is nothing more refreshing than getting into water. Yep, though I am struggling with my swimming lessons yet, I just enjoy being in water. I just forget everything when I see any water body. No wonder that I nurture a dream of a house somewhere on a beach.;-)

One of my friends told me, " It is good to know that you remember your school and your school friends so well. Many people tend to forget the old memories and they replace them with new ones."

My reply, " Well, all our hard disks' capacities are the same. It is just that I retain only good memories. So there is more space in my disk." ;-))

Miss you, St.Ann's

Of late, I have been thinking about my school in Mangalore- St. Ann's. I have many beautiful memories of that place.

When I left Bangalore to Mangalore, I was very scared about the new school that I would join. My school in Bangalore was a very good one. But the school did not have a playground and there was no encouragement for the all round development of students. We were expected to study and study only. So I was a very studious student and was expecting the same atmosphere in Mangalore.

St. Ann's was not a bit of what I had anticipated. Studies, of course was the main stream. But the school ensured that all the students did something else other than studies too. There were regular sports and cultural competitions held inside and outside the school. The teachers also participated with enthusiasm. Initially I was completely lost in this environment. But gradually I started enjoying it. I fell in love with dance , music and plays. This place showed me my potential in music. I started enjoying cultural activities and became an integral part of them. In fact, this school helped me to come out of my shell. It was so much fun being a part of that school. This school taught me that study was not everything. This school taught me to love all kinds of music. On the whole, this school taught me how to enjoy life.

I am glad that I was lucky enough to find such a school. Some day I wanna go back there and thank all the people out there for changing my life in a BIG way.:-))))

Read this in a mail today:


You gotta dance like nobody's watching.

Dream like you will live forever.

Love like it is never going to hurt.

Live like you will die tomorrow.

Leave her alone!

Ok, so Sania Mirza is not supposed to wear short skirts! So what will happen if Sania starts wearing long skirts? Will hunger, poverty disappear? Will all the wars stop? Will the world become a bettter place? What did you say? No????? Ok, atleast will she win Wimbeldon? No??????????????? Damn....then what difference does it make if Sania wears short or long skirts? And anways, isn't Sania supposed to decide on that? Don't we have important issues to debate on rather than poor Sania's wardrobe? Let her play her game. Let us not lose such a good player over these trivial, not at all important issues.

I was moved when I saw our manager in tears the other day. We were at this place which offers shelter to kids of prisoners. Our manager thought that it was very touching to meet all those kids and talk to them. I never thought that a person at such a position could be a humanist too. Well, be it any nationality, any religion, any caste, any language- the basic human feelings are the same everywhere. The humane feeling and love connects all of us. As long we are aware of this fact, peace will prevail, no matter what.:-)

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We have shifted our work place. I must say that I like this change. This new place is much brighter and cheerful. The best thing is that I am closer to the window and I do get to see some greenery outside. Well, life gets better and better day by day, doesn't it?:-)

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Some lazy notes

I usually don't like lazy days. But sometimes I do enjoy doing nothing on a holiday. No time restrictions, no schedules, no work, no commitments - these define my idea of a lazy holiday. Just stretch your legs, listen to some good music, sip a cup of tea and read a good book. But then I would not want to do this every day. I would like to work hard other days and earn this lazy holiday.:-)

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Relaxation always does not have to be doing nothing. Involving yourself in some activity that you love can also mean relaxation.

Yesterday was truly a relaxing day. Went out with friends, did some bowling, had a good lunch and later went out for a movie. And the whole day, I never thought about work or family. In fact, I did not think about anything. That was very refreshing.

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I have finally started doing some things that were on my to-do list for a long time. I hope to kick off more activities soon. You feel so happy when you do something that you have always longed to do. I donno how many years of life I have with me. So I wanna try to do as much as possible in this time.:-)

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I always look forward to meet my Aunts ( My Mom's sisters). Their ebullience and laughter are very infectious. I also learn so much from them every time I meet them. I feel so comfortable and relaxed in their company. It is wonderful have such simple, loving and caring people in one's life.:-)

So I am in a very philosophical mood. I am seriously thinking about life. I am ranting to my friend about how we should live life on our terms. I am also telling her that we should live for ourselves atleast sometimes. My friend is also adding her valuable inputs to this grave discussion. And then , I happen to listen to a song of a recently released Hindi movie. I find my feet tapping to the rhythm- a very catchy number. So I forget my philosophy and start searching for the song on the Web. My friend tries to continue the discussion. And I tell her- "Come on, man. Just take life as it comes and enjoy. Don't think about it too much." I finally manage to get hold of that song and I am completely lost in another world listening to it, thus leaving my friend in total chaos.

Amazing- what music does to me!!!!!!:-)))
My Dil Goes Mmmmmm....

Complicated minds:-)

P1 smiles at P2.
P2: Why are you smiling? Do I look like a joker?
P1 does not smile at P2 next time.
P2: Hey, you don't even smile at me now a days.
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P1: I don't like her at all, man. She is such a big back biter. BTW, do you know that she broke up with her boy friend today?

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P1: P2, you never point out my weaknesses. How will I improve if you don't tell them to me?
P2: Hmmm.....ok.....I think you are a bit short tempered.
P1: Hey, how can you speak like this? Just because I treat you as my pal, it doesn't mean that you can speak whatever you want.
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Why is that as luxuries increase, our life tends to become more complex? Because we do not have to bother so much about the basic amenities in life, do we start searching for some matter to think or worry? Why do the smallest of all tensions becomes our major headache and drives us to depression? Why do we start analysing every thought? Why do we start interpreting ours or others' actions? Why do we start building walls around ourselves? Why do we start concentrating on the darker side of life? Why do our demands become more and more?

Some situations: ( a destitute and a software engineer, for example)
Destitute: Will I be able to get some food today?
Software Engineer: When will I upgrade my mobile, man?
Destitute: Will I get a shelter today at least?
Software Engineer: Shit! His car is better than mine
Destitute: I need some cloth to cover my body.
Software Engineer: I hate this brand, man. They never come out with torn jeans.

Hmmmm.................................................................

Ganapathi Bappa Moreya

Ganesha, Ganapathi, Gajaanana, Ekadantha, Vinayaka- and so on- there are several names for this most loved Hindu God.

Ganesha is supposed to be the destroyer of all obstacles- hence he is worshipped at the beginning of any new venture one undertakes. I read this on one of the wesites about Ganesha:

"His association with obstacles comes from the great strength of the elephant, the intelligence of the human and the subtelty or ability to penetrate small spaces like a mouse or rat. "

Lokmanya Tilak foresaw the attraction that Lord Ganesha held over people and hence initiated the process of celebrating the mass celebration of Ganesha festival. Even today, you can see various oragnizations coming together to celebrate this festival.

For me, Ganesha Chathurthi is always a special occasion. It is a day of celebration. It is a day on which we cook and savour lots of delicacies.:-) It is a day on which people forget their differences, and come together to pray to Lord Ganesha in unison.

Vakrathunda Mahakaya Kotisurya Samaprabha
Nirvignam Kurume Deva Sarva Karyeshu Saravada

Yakshagaana

Dance+Music+Drama= Yakshagaana

Yaksha= Celestial being
Gaana= Music ( roughly)
On the whole, it is known as the music of the celestial beings.

Yakshagaana- supposed to be known as folk art of Karnataka. I do not know about how they have categorized this into folk art. But I think the reason could be that this art has been passed from generation to generation in person. There have been no books or any written material in this art.

Yakshagaana is always based on Mahabharatha and Ramayana. The costumes are one of the highlights of this art form.

The Yakshagaana artist has to be well versed not only in dance but also in music and dialogue delivery. The performance is kicked off with a prayer to Lord Ganesha. On the stage along with the artists, you can see a Bhaagavatha and instrumentalists. Bhaagavatha is a singer who narrates the story through his songs at regular intervals. The songs are mostly classical-based. The artists dance for the Bhaagavtha's songs and then expatiate the song through their dialogues. The dialogues are not written ones- so most of the times, the artists use their own dialogues. Hence the artist is supposed to have a mastery over the language also.

The Yakshagaana show goes on all through the night. It is a major entertainment for the people in villages mostly concentrated in North and South Kanara districts of Karnataka.

It is sad thing that very few people tend to learn Yakshagaana now mainly because of the financial aspect. Even though the artist puts in so much of hard work, he gets a very meagre payment. Hence most of the times, you will find that the artists hail from agricultural background families.

I do hope that this art will always be nurtured and protected. I do hope that more and more artists will be inspired and encouraged to continue Yakshagaana and keep us enthralled.

Loser, huh? Failure, huh? So what? Let the fight go on. Let the struggle go on. Let the hope rule. Let the ambition burn in your heart. Let the mind find the fortitude amidst all the contempt and ridicule. Who knows- tomorrow the victory might be yours.

A song to sing,
A poem to read,
A walk by the river,
A glimpse of the greenery,
And the loved one by my side,
They are all I need to build a heaven.

When you say nothing at all

I love this song. The music and the lyrics - they go hand in hand. One of my favourite romantic songs;-)

It’s amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word you can light up the dark
Try as I may I could never explain
What I hear when you don’t say a thing

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There’s a truth in your eyes sayin’ you’ll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you’ll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

All day long I can hear people talking out loud
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd
Old mr. webster could never define
What’s being said between your heart and mine

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There’s a truth in your eyes sayin’ you’ll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you’ll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There’s a truth in your eyes sayin’ you’ll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you’ll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

There is a book - Living Without a Goal by James Ogilvy. No, I have not read the book. But the title caught my attention.

Living without a goal- hmmmm........ Will such a life be worthwhile? I cannot go on rowing my boat endlessly. I need to reach a bank. And then, continue my journey from there. Whenever I reach these intermediate banks, I definitely feel like a winner.

I need goal in life- be it short term or long term. Someone told me that setting a goal curtails your freedom. Nope, I dont agree. In fact, I think it gives you more freedom to dream because you know that your dreams will come true if you work towards them. Setting a goal and working towards it probably brings out the best in you. It fine tunes your strengths. Your dedication, determination, perseverance- they all emerge when you work towards your goal.

Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.
-LES BROWN

Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals.
- ARISTOTLE

My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose - somehow we win out.
- RONALD REAGAN

The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get.
-JIM ROHN

This weekend, we attended a concert by two, not-very-famous but very, very talented artists. The concert featured Sitar recital by Shafiq Khan and Vocal recital by Jayateerth Mevundi. I had heard Jayateerth Mevundi a few years back and his music had left a long-lasting impression on me. So I was eagerly looking forward to this concert.

The concert commenced by the Sitar recital. Shafiq khan started off with Maru Bihag and then ended with Kalavathi. I think he is a really talented musician with lot of potential. He definitely held the audience's attention with his performance.

Jayateerth Mevundi sang Raag Marwa, Kedar and Bhairavi. His performance surpassed all my expectations. I am definitely awed by this musician. He sings with so much of involvement and ease that he makes his music very gratifying to listen. His taans are the main highlight of his music. It is sad that he has not got much of recognition here. Maybe because he does not stay in bangalore. Anyways I am looking forward to listening to more of him in future.

Here is some info I got about Jayateerth Mevundi from the WEB:

Jayateerth Mevundi hails from the land of great vocalists and maestros of Hindustani Classical Music, like Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Dr. (Mrs.) Gangubai Hangal, Pt. Mallikarjun Mansur, Pt. Basavraj Rajguru and Pt. Kumar Gandharva and so on. Born in the year 1972, Jayateerth, according to many connoisseurs and critics of Hindustani Classical Music, is considered to be a torchbearer of Kirana Gharana. Jayateerth received his initial training in music under the tutelage of Sangeet Ratna Pt. Arjunsa Nakod of Gwalior Gharana for about 10 years. Since the year 1994 on wards he has been receiving musical lessons under the able guidance of Pt. Shripati Padegar, who is a disciple of great vocalist of this country, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi of Kirana Gharana.

Jayateerth Mevundi has won many accolades and awards, to name a few :
Second prize in “AIR” Hindustani Classical vocal competition during 1988-89, at Ahmedabad.First prize in the competition held at Dharwad in 1989-90, organized by “Karnataka Kathak Kendra”. First prize in the competition organized by :“Sangeet Research Academy”, Calcutta.He was awarded a scholarship for 3 years (1986-88) by “Karnataka Sangeet Nrutya Academy”, Bangalore and Mrs. Yamunabai Shahane Shastreeya Gayana Shishyavrutti by “Gaanavardhan” in 1993, Pune.He is a recipient of “Pt. Jasraj Gourav Puraskar” for the year 1995. Mewati Gharana Sangeet Gourav Puraskar is also awarded to Jayateerth for the year 2000.Jayateerth has participated in several music conferences including the ones at Mysore Dasara Festival, Sawai Gandharva Music Festival at Pune in 1995 as well as Kundgol, Alladia Khan music conference, Kumar Gandharva Music conference etc. He received many accolades at the 20th Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti,Samrat Sangeet Sammelan, Goa in January 2000.

Jayateerth has several private and public performances to his credit all over India. He has also rendered classical recital (three Raagas of 25Min.each) for E-TV, Marathi Channel.Jayateerth’s sonorous and mellifluous voice has been recorded in Audio Cassettes and released by ALURKAR MUSIC HOUSE, PUNE. In April 2000, two more audio cassettes have been released by Alurkar Music House, Pune.At present, Jayateerth is working at All India Radio, Panaji, Goa, and is an “A” grade artiste.

Things work out

Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,
Because men do what they often shouldn't,
Because crops fail, and plans go wrong-
Some of us grumble all day long.
But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
It seems at last that things work out.


Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
Because we suffer a little pain,
Because we must work when we'd like to play-
Some of us whimper along life's way.
But somehow, as day always follows the night,
Most of our troubles work out all right.


Because we cannot forever smile,
Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
Because we think that the way is long-
Some of us whimper that life's all wrong.
But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
And everything seems to work out all right.


So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
But keep on working and hoping still.
For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
Somehow, it seems, all things work out.

- Edgar. A. Guest

How does a boxer feel when he is knocked out? How does he feel when he hears the spectators cheer his opponent? How does he feel when he is lying down helplessly with blood streaming down his face in the boxing ring? How does he feel when he sees the opponent rejoicing? Does he feel like a loser? Does he feel like running away? Does he feel like quitting boxing? Well, I don't know the answers for these questions. But I see boxers coming back to the boxing ring even after they have lost championships. They continue boxing regardless of victory or failure. I think this spirit is the cause of birth of great champions.

Ajja

I remember him every day. I miss him a lot. It is often difficult to believe that he is no more. He was there with me during all of my growing phase. I expected him to be there till the end of my life. But then, world doesn't work that way, does it? He passed away about one and a half years back. But he still exists in my memories, my thoughts. After all, he is my "Ajja" ( In kannada, we call grandpa as Ajja).

Ajja was a very special person. He had this magnanimous personality. He had this fierce temper too. Mom tells me that his temper was unbearable sometimes during his early days. But we grandchildren never experienced much of his temper. In fact, he used to be very, very patient with us. Ajja was multi-talented. He stayed at Kalbagh, a small neighbourhood in a village called Areangadi. His main income was from the arecanut plantations. But he did not live his life only as a farmer. He was into music, drama and yakshagana ( folk dance of North Kanara).

He invited eminent musicians home and learnt music from them. He also compelled his children to get into music. It seems that he made his children ( that included my mom) get up at 3 in the morning and practise music. He played a host to lot of musicians ( both popular and budding musicians) and organized lot of music concerts ( some of them at his house). He helped lot of new musicans in earning their bread.

He was the director of many plays. He also used to perform the key roles in those plays. Those plays that he directed were musical plays. People tell me that his role of " Sathya Harischandra" is very memorable. He was also very interested in yakshagana and encouraged the artists.

In spite of his talents, Ajja never wanted to become famous. He preferred staying in his remote village and continued his service to art. In a way, he worshipped art. He had all the primary musical instruments at home.

He was not very educated. But he knew life. He knew its depths and intricacies. He helped people in their times of distress. And he helped them without any expectations.

Personally, I was very fond of him. He too, was very fond of his grandchildren. He eagerly waited for us during every vacation.

Ajja might have left. But as I mentioned before, he still exists. He exists in music, in talents of his children ( all his nine children are talented musicians) and in memories of those people whom he helped.

It was a pain to see him in pain during his last days. He did not know that he had cancer. He believed that he would become fine very soon and nursed dreams of doing lot of things.

Thank you, Ajja, for being with us. Thank you for teaching us life. Thank you for bringing music into our lives. We will always be proud of you.

Something splendid happens to me whenever I listen to Raag Lalit Bhatiyar sung by Bhimsen Joshi. I got to know that this raag is one of his creations. No wonder that he has rendered it so, so, so beautifully. Lalit-Bhatiyar is a combination of 2 raags- Lalit and Bhatiyar- both are morning raagas. When I listen to this raag, I feel this aura of early morning and spirituality. Bhimsen Joshi renders "O kartar" in Lalit Bhatiyar very very soulfully. His taans simply astound you. He proves that he is one of the greatest musicians that Hindusthani classical music has ever seen.

"Twenty years from now
you will be more disappointed by the thing
that you didn't do
than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor
Catch the trade winds in your sails.

"Explore, Dream, Discover"

- Mark Twain

Yesterday I watched the movie, "Mangal Pandey- The Rising". There are lot of controversies going on about this movie. The reviews have not been very good. Even then I wanted to watch this movie badly.

I liked the movie. No, it is not the best movie I have ever seen. But it is a good movie. I think patriotism + Aamir Khan makes the movie worth watchable. It definitely throws light on the life of the forgotten hero. Aamir has provided full justice to this role. He does not have too many dialogues to deliver in this movie but his eyes say them all. An excellent actor, Aamir ( will blog about him some other time). I was disappointed by the music of the film though. The title song was the only one that impressed me. Rahman was too good in "The Legend of Bhagat Singh". Didn't find the same calibre of music in this film.

About the real Mangal Pandey- he started the war of independence. He sort of awakened the people of India who were in deep slumber and who were getting used to slavery in a way.
I got the following information from various sites:
" Mangal Pandey (d. 8 April 1857) also known as Shaheed Mangal Pandey, was a soldier of the 5th Company of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) regiment of the British East India Company. He was born in village Nagwa in district Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
An english scholar "Fisher" has written that Shri Mangal Pandey was having all qualities of a good soldier. He was so brave and capable to embrace his death peacefully.According to the records available in Jabalpur museum( general order books). Shri Mangal Pandey was due to be executed on 18th April but he was hanged ten days before i.e. 8th April and it was kept secret. Because english rules were well aware of the fact that if Mangal Pandey remains alive it will endanger British rule.
Thus Mangal Pandey became the first freedom fighter & and martyr of 1857. The name of Mangal Pandey became an emblem of revolt against British rule. "

Amazing! In one of his interviews, Aamir Khan said that he found it difficult to act out the scene in which Mangal pandey is hung. He kept wondering about how could people accept death so gracefully, fearlessly and selflessly.

A big salute to all those people who gave up their lives for the sake of our nation. Their bravery will always be unmatched and commendable.

Don't Quit.

Don't quit when the tide is lowest,
For it's just about to turn;
Don't Quit over doubts and questions,
For there's something you may learn.
Don't quit when the night is darkest,
For it's just a while 'til dawn;
Don't quit when you've run the farthest,
For the race is almost won.
Don't quit when the hill is steepest,
For your goal is almost nigh;
Don't quit, for you're not a failure
Until you fail to try.

~ Author unknown~

Don't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're truding seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit --
Rest if you must, but don't you quit!

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a person turns about
When they might have won had they stuck it out,
Don't give up though the pace seems slow --
You may succeed with another blow,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victors cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown!

Success is failure turned inside out!
So stick to the fight when you are hardest hit!
Its when things seem worst that you mustn't quit!

written by
Author Unknown

You are contemplating a problem since many days. It has been on your mind all the time. And then one day when you are working, a solution hits you. All of a sudden, the fog clears. The mountain reduces to a mole hill. You feel like running out and shouting " Eureka, Eureka".

On the eve of Raksha Bandhan, I thought I would write about someone special, my bro.

He is 7 years younger to me. So he has always been a kid to me. We fought, fight and will fight a lot always.:-) Because of the age gap between us, either I became a kid or he grew up to my age many a times. We are very different from each other but have lot of common interests, especially in music. So somewhere along the line, a beautiful friendship has nurtured between us. He listens to my woes and I listen to his teenage worries. He is the biggest critic of whatever I do. But at the same time, he has been one of my pillars of strength.

Bro, I love u for whatever u are. You might have confiscated my room, my belongings, my books , my cassettes and so on.:-) But you have also encouraged me in my new ventures, supported me in my moments of crisis and pointed my mistakes to me. Thanks for all these. Thanks for helping me out to become a better person. Thanks for everything. Thanks for being my bro. U rock:-) No doubt about that.

Ahem! Bro, just because I wrote this blog, don't ever think I will stop fighting with u. Hehehehe.

A long weekend. Thanks to independence day.

I always buy a small flag on independence day every year( this time, I bought a cloth flag instead of a plastic one). I think of people who gave up their lives for our freedom. I hum patriotic songs. That is my way of celebrating independence.:-)

But I think Independence day is best celebrated in schools. In school, we started our day early on August 15th. We had to stand for hours listening to all the speeches before the flag hoisting ceremony. Pride swept over me when the flag was hoisted. We then performed march fast and saluted our flag.. At the end of the function, sweets were distributed. So we used to celebrate Independence day in a true sense.

But now, indepedence day is just another holiday. Most of us don't even think of the spirit behind this day. Probably we don't realize the value of freedom because we never had to fight for it. We were all born free.:-)

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Speaking about freedom, isn't it true that most of the times, we shackle ourselves with all these customs and traditions in such a way that our freedom is curtailed? These customs, these traditions, that were made for the betterment of life, become suffocating when they become rules. Instead of understanding the meaning behind such customs, we tend to follow the procedures blindly.

Ashaji rocks

I was listening to "Bheeni Bheeni Bhor" by Asha Bhonsle. She has rendered this song so beautifully. No one else could provide full justice to this song as she did. I have always been a great fan of hers. I have heard lot of debates about who is better- Lata or Asha. I dont think it would be fair to compare both of them. Both of them have their unique voices and styles.

But, yes, I always feel that Asha has not been given full credit for her achievements. Most of the people tend to associate asha with seductive, cabaret, disco songs. But I think she has given her best in ghazals and semi classical songs. Be it "Jhoote Naina Bole", "Dil cheez kya hai" or "Bheeni Bheeni Bhor" or "Mera kuch samaan" or any marathi abhang. My mom always tells me that no one can sing a marathi abhang like Asha Bhonsle. The main thing about Asha is her versatility and adaptability. She can provide complete justice to any song she sings- be it a foot tapping number or a ghazal.

When R.D.Burman passed away, I thought that was the end of Asha's singing career. But I was wrong. She came back with a different image- an image that appealed to the youngsters. She tried Pop, remixes and also experimented with western boy bands. Her ebullience is amazing. No one can beat her at it.

Thanks, Ashaji. Please never stop giving us these beautiful songs, especially the semi classical ones.:-)

Are smiles expensive?

In my neighbourhood: I see this lady everyday when I come to office. She also probably knows where my house is exactly located. She takes her dog for a walk everyday at the same time when I start to office. So today when I saw her, I smiled at her. She looked at me and walked away as if she had never even seen me. I felt as if I was smiling at some lacuna.

At my office: I know that this person works on the same floor as I do. We almost bump into each other everyday. So I smiled at him when I saw him today. He looked at me very suspiciously and turned away. I felt like an idiot.

Well, I have mentioned only 2 situations here. But this happens almost everyday and in most of the places. Somehow when it comes to a smile, people become very ungenerous. I have seen this trait especially in Indians. Many a times, the foreigners who are total strangers greet us with a smile. Anyways, it is not the question of nationalities. It is just that, maybe smiles are expensive now a days.:-)

Whatever it is, I shall continue my efforts in smiling and making others' smile. Who knows, one day they might finally take out their masks and smile at me!!!:-)))

Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,
Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani

How true! Only when you think about the results, you feel disappointed, frustrated. In this process of worrying about the result, we forget to enjoy our work or duties. Good result will follow automatically if a good job is done.

The above shloka from Bhagavad Gita has always been my motto in whatever I do. I hope to follow it regularly in my life.

Addicted to music

No preconceptions. No analysis. No judgements. I close my eyes. I listen to the music. I feel the mood of the Raag being played. I become one with it. At that moment, my mind is blank. No thoughts, no tensions. My mind is absolutely free. And only music can do this to me. No wonder, I am addicted to it.

Lot of stochastic thoughts coming in. About life, friends, achievements, dreams............and so on.

Heard many people cribbing about life. Well, what shall I say? I think we are the lucky ones chosen to live. We make or mar our lives. Let us be happy what we have got and lead our lives with a smile. What is the use of cribbing about things that never happenned, that will never happen and that have already happenned? Let us make the best of what we have.:-)

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One's mind always feels destressed when it is in present. Stress is mainly the result of primarily thinking about past and future. I completely concur. Most of the times our minds are running behind our past failures and future apprehensions. Instead maybe we need to stop for a while to feel the fresh air (ok, u dont get it everywhere), look at the pleasant colors around, admire the smiles on faces around, sip your tea and listen to ghazals ( especially Jagjit Singh's "Aahistha aahistha";-)) and feel alive.

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It was friendship day yesterday. Life has given me lot of valuable friendships. Many people have stood by me through all the good and bad times. I have been very fortunate to have met all kinds of good people. Be it my school mate, college mate, ex-colleague, present colleague, bus stop friend, train friend- all these friendships have been very very valuable. I have learnt and am still learning a lot from them. Life would be really bland without these people. Thank God for all of them in my life. Feel like humming KK's "yaaron" today.

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I never miss any opportunity of attending a classical music concert. And it is really nice to see that many hindusthani classical musical concerts are happenning in the city. These concerts make u feel so grateful, so thankful for living this life.:-)))

I wanna do lots of things....I have lots of dreams.........But then, just dreams or desires won't help. I need to put them into action. I will have to start planning to make those dreams come true. And I better make those plans fast 'coz time will sped up and I might never get chance to exceute the plans.

EGO

What is Ego?

I got some of the following definitions from the Web:

• In yoga, the limited sense of "I" that is identified with the body, mind, and senses; sometimes described as "the veil of suffering."
• The mistaken notion of "I", a separate self, from which all confusion and suffering arises.
• The self, especially as distinct from the world and other selves.
• Appropriate pride in oneself; self-esteem.

Well, I just wanted to understand this word that has been the root of most of the problems, troubles or hassles everywhere. Even though one of the definitions say that ego is self esteem, this word is mostly used in a very negative way. It is normally referred to as "I". So is ego a weakness? Or is it one's strength?

"I" is a very complicated concept. Too much of "I" have led to wars and destructions. But then I think it is very, very rare that you find someone with no "I" at all. The measure of "I" will definitely differ from one individual to another. So is it really bad to have this "I"? From spiritual perspective, only when "I" is NIL, one can achieve moksha.

Anyways, I shall keep researching on this "ego" until I find a satisfactory answer.

A little bit tired, but refreshed after the trip to
Pondicherry and Ooty.The best part of the trip was that we drove all the way to these places. I have always noticed that we enjoy the journey more when we take our vehicle coz then we can take some small liberties like stopping at all beautiful, untouched places, drinking chai at all the smallest dhabas that we come across and so on. We also get to experience the real feel of the place or the state in which we travel.

Pondicherry - most of the people associate it immediately with french architecture. But actually speaking, one half of the town is adorned with french buildings and the other half is just like any other town in Tamilnadu. Beaches, french windows and doors, french restaurants and lot of foreigner tourists- these are some things that u can expect to find in Pondicherry. It is a beautiful experience to walk down the lanes that have french buildings.

Ooty- hill station and once upon a time a favourite haunt for the newly wed couple:-))( Now, Munnar has replaced Ooty for the favourite honeymoon spot). The weather at Ooty was beautiful. There was a light drizzle throughout and one came across all sorts of mist, fog and so on. Tea gardens, green-clad towering mountains, sweaters and shawls, hair pin bends and heaters in your rooms- some things that u can find in Ooty. On the whole it is a place with lots and lots of greenery around. Any nature freak will fall in love with the place. (except that you will find that u and ur sweater are inseparable in that place:-)))

When we were on the way back home and when I thought that the vacation was over, we had the best experience of the holiday. Near Bandipur, there was this wild elephant grazing at the road side. We just stopped the car next to it. Initially I was petrified thinking about the "wild" part of it but then the next moment I was awed by its majestic presence. I managed to take a snap of this royal creature. Indeed, it was a memorable experience.

The experiences one gains during travelling are very enriching. U get to see and learn so much. For me , each trip brings out various facets of life. It breaks down all the barriers, frees one's mind and makes u realize that life is so beautiful, so worth living.:-))

Bomb blasts everywhere! What do the so called terrorists achieve by these blasts? How do these blasts help them to attain their goal? What are they trying to prove to the world? Are they trying to terrorize people? Or do they get any sadistic pleasure by taking others' lives? Whatever it is, the saddest part is that the innocent ones are the victims. But I am sure how much ever they may try to spread terror or to achieve their illegal goals, they will never succeed. They will never be able to shake our faith in peace, in a peaceful and beautiful world and in life.

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

I have no time at all. I have no time to pick on others' mistakes. I have no time to accuse others. I have no time to fight. I have no time to gossip. I have no time to mock or ridicule others. I have no time at all 'coz I have so much of cleansing to do. There are so many negativities in me. I need to discard them. I have so much to improve. I need to work hard on them. I have so many dreams and aspirations. I need to work to fulfill them. There are so many things to be done in this short span of life. Lemme not waste it by doing all those trivial things.

I have been doing this for some time now. I have started doing things that I used to fear the most. I force myself to do them. Yep, I am trying to conquer my fear. And, man, I feel so good when I do them.. The feeling is awesome.:-)) I feel like an achiever.:-)

How much ever the technology may advance, my faith in pen and paper will always be strong. Nothing can beat pen and paper when it comes to:
1) love letters ( preserving them in your voluminous books and then taking a look at them whenever u have fits of nostalgia)
2) hate mail ( most of the times, these letters probably never reach the person to whom u had addressed)
3) resignation letters ( U always think that u have the luxury of throwing these letters on your boss's table and say,"That's it. I had enough of u."-filmi style)
4) diaries ( A place where u can rave and rant about anything and everything- I think it is a place where ur writing bourgeons)

So no matter what, I shall stick to my pen and paper even if I hear distant shouts of me being old fashioned.:-)))))

The other day we had gone to a friend's house. He is this American Desi who is here with his family on a vacation. During the chit-chat, he started telling us about the social work he and his wife were doing at US. He said that they would occasionally go in groups and serve food to the downtown people. He said that their condition was really bad and they were in need of help.

As I sat listening to this, I must say I was dumbfounded. As he described the conditions of the downtown people, I felt that they were in much, much better condition than the people here who stay in slums. The slum people here, most of the times, are not able to satisfy their basic needs. They are in such a pathetic condition. I found it extremely funny that these American Desis are so blind to the happennings over here and extra-sensitive to whatever they see in US. They could have done atleast a bit of service in the land where they were born. They could have atleast offered their services to people who needed the most. Is it that they are trying to prove that they are loyal US citizens? Or is that they feel that people out here do not need any help from them?

I have lot of NRI friends. I am not at all against them. It is their lives and they can live however , wherever they want. But I sympathize with people who really donno what they want from their lives and who donno what to do with their lives. And maybe they live under a false impression all through. And finally , a day will come and realisation will dawn on them. I hope it wont be too late by then.......

:-) Okies, that was some harsh criticism. Some things provoke me to go for it. And honestly, I dont like to be criticial about anyone 'coz I know all of them have their own lives and they lead them in their own ways. But then observations are always made and what better place than this blog to register those observations!

Our temples

There are so many temples here. Every street, you can find atleast two temples. Most of them have been constructed recently; some of them came up coz some people wanted money; some came up coz some people did not know what to do with their money!! Frankly speaking, even though these temples are very well adorned, I never experience any devotion there.

I love secluded, ancient temples. These are the temples where I really feel the presence of God. I sit in front of God's idol and close my eyes. That is a moment when I am in absolute peace. Nothing disturbs me at that moment. There is total silence around me and within me then. Therefore I love going to such temples often.

Some of the ancient temples that I have seen are in a very bad shape. They do not have the glitter of the modern temples and hence do not attract much of attention. People who work there are also not well paid. But still I have seen so many dedicated people who work there loyally without expecting anything in return. Maybe they too feel the presence of God there.

I feel that we should pay more attention towards such temples becaue they represent history, heritage and culture. Instead of constructing more and more temples, we should take care of what we have and protect them. May the future generations be privileged to enjoy the beauty and peace of these historical places.

Gurudev

I am soooooo happy today. And the reason for me being sooo happy today is that I stumbled upon something that I have been searching like crazy. I have been a member of a spiritual mailing list but I rarely look into those mails. But today for a change, I thought I will have a look at some of the mails. And as I was going through, I saw this thing. I could not believe my luck and I was almost jumping with joy. Yep, I found the recordings of Swami Vivekananda's speeches at Chicago. That was something I never thought I would find.

Right from my childhood, I have been influenced by Gurudev ( that is how I call Swami Vivekananda). His determination, courage, selfless service- they have always inspired me. I have read all his writings and speeches and man, aren't they amazing? In such a short span ( 1863-1902), he achieved so much. He was so passionate about his motherland. He was so anxious to strengthen this land. I have wondered many a times if another Vivekananda will ever come into being.

I was astounded when I heard the recordings of his speeches. His english is impeccable and his voice is such that it wakes you up from your slumber. So effortlessly he has rendered the speeches! One cannot help noticing the courage and the confidence that comes across his speeches. How I really wish that our politicians, who are so busy with the power game, could take a leaf out of Gurudev's life!!!!!!!!!(Ok, I know I am hopelessly optimistic:-))

Champions do one thing better than everyone else. FAIL!! When a champion has a bad race they not only use this failure for feedback ("What did I do wrong ... How can I improve") But just as important, they let it go quickly. In other words, they don't dwell on the past. When you hang onto your bad races and mistakes in a meet, the one thing you can count on happening is that you'll get more of them!

That is sooooo true! I always feel that I should let go of my mistake and go ahead. But everytime I make one, I start blaming myself and tend to brood over it. Instead, probably I must stop for a while, check out where I have erred and then continue without repeating it. Well, I am learning it....slowly.......

Last few days have been really very hectic. We shifted to another house and believe me, this shifting saps all your energy. But it has also been fun moving to this house. We are cleaning up all the stuff, throwing things that were never used for years and trying to accomodate the stuff we have. Disposing things is the toughest job 'coz every time we wanna throw that some thing away, we feel that it may be of use in future. So we end up keeping most of the things.:-) Anyways shifting has been a refreshing change for us.

I wish we could do the same with our mind- refresh it now and then, clean it up, throw away the unwanted things and rearrange our thoughts in a new way.

And as an after thought, many people whom I know are ready to set off on various ventures- be it a new job, pregnancy or new relationships. So wishing them all the good luck and hoping that they find whatever they have been looking for.:-)