Life of a Soldier...

Some people are destined for greatness (Actually they inherit superhuman genes from their progenitors!!). Others write their own destiny. He is one such soldier and this is his story.

Once upon a time in the sunny month of May, God decided to send him to walk the path called life in a sleepy town somewhere in a state called Andhra Pradesh in India. That was the time when India was having a tough time dealing with China on the East and Pakistan on the West. That was also the time when Jawaharlal Nehru was criticised and banged by the media and people in general for his failure to properly deal with the arrogance and might of the Chinese. (A little digression I guess!!). 

Anyways, he grew up amidst people who were mostly illiterate and probably were of the opinion that Black Pigs are more loyal to humans than Dogs. You can’t really blame them for their ignorance as the whole town was and is still infested with lots and lots of Pigs. (I don’t know why some people still find Pigs cute!!). His father earned just enough to afford spending on his education. Mind you, at that time in India, studying in a school was a luxury only a few could afford. Spending most of his time playing in the streets, he soon grew up to an age where most of us now ask ourselves ‘What am I going to do with my life? Will I become an Engineer or a Doctor?’ After struggling to clear his Intermediate studies, he plunged into the identity crisis mode. That’s when one of his dear friends advised him to join the Indian Air Force. Despite resistance from his parents, he decided to participate in the fair – a fair where youngsters try their luck to make it into the Armed Forces as a Non Commissioned Officer.  

Now the story of how he qualified to be stamped as ‘Fit for Induction in IAF’ is by itself an interesting one. The minimum weight one ought to have to qualify was around 48. But he was only 45 then. Alarmed by the fact that he would soon be rejected, he secretly gobbled up enough Bananas (luckily available at the fair then!!) to increase his body weight to 48 and scraped through the final medical round. (If gaining weight is so easy then why am I working out so hard in the Gym??) Thus, he began his career in the IAF at the tender age of 19. His parents were unhappy with his decision, but he stuck to his guns. Now whether it was his desire to experience the real world outside, the passion to make a difference by serving his country or to land up a government job is something that is unknown. Nevertheless, he flew off. 

At the training institute, he had a tough time adopting his frail body to the physical and mental rigours that one is made to go through. So much so that he tried to escape and return back home. But life had other plans for him. He finally made it through the rigorous training period, learning to shoot with a ~3Kg 303 rifle and running around the huge dusty grounds holding the heavy rifle ‘Shoulder up’. (Reminds me of Karan in the movie Lakshya).

The transition from civil society to a life in the Military Barracks was never going to be easy, for he was gullible and trusted people easily. His first posting was in Srinagar where he was welcomed by a gang of thieves. They posed as Inspectors of the CID and on the pretext of checking his luggage, stole cash and other valuables kept in his suitcase. That was life’s way of telling him ‘Welcome to the real world dude!!’ Soon enough he married the love of his life. She was his childhood sweetheart and they first met when her family started living as tenants in his house. Soon, they began to love the time spent with each other, chatting all the way whenever they had free time after school and college. There were no mobile phones then, so they had to physically meet to catch up and enjoy sweet nothings (That is why I hate Mark Zuckerberg!!). Sweet friendship then blossomed into love and when he finally declared his love for her at home, he was chided for reasons best known to him and his parents. Nevertheless, he managed to convince them and eventually exchanged marital vows with her - the woman he knew he couldn’t live without.  

With his soul partner supporting him all the way, life in the armed forces became a smooth journey he traversed effortlessly. Hopping around places every four to five years, he became an Indian in the true sense working with dedication for his country as well as his family. Along the way, he also became a father to a son and a daughter and that made him complete. But all wasn't hunky dory yet. His dedication to his country was something his immediate family back in his hometown couldn't fathom at all. And that probably isolated him from all things and affairs happening in his hometown. It hurt him. A farmer and soldier are two people who are experts in expectation management for they are in a very thankless profession. He moved on for he was a soldier. Along the way he saw his colleagues die in air crashes and in freak inexplicable accidents for the Armed Forces were still not modernized to international standards. Working overtime to ready the majestic SU-30 MKI's, MIG-29's and Jaguar's for wartime, he witnessed the death of his seniors and colleagues from close quarters during Operation Vijay. But he also made some friends who later went on to become his ‘Friends for Life’. He educated his children in the best possible way, giving them whatever they asked for and not compromising on their education and attire. And yet also managed to save enough to later buy a flat and become a proud owner of a home. His wife went on to become the reason he managed the finances within an income that is now ‘measly’ if not anything else. 

Living life by his rules, he happily chose to retire after 20 glorious years of service to the country; because he wanted to provide his son and daughter the best possible avenues for higher education. It has been ten years since he left the armed forces. But one can still feel the discomfort with which he is constantly trying to adapt to the whims and fancies of the civil society. Transition back to the civil society was much tougher for him for he had a wife and two children to take care of as well. But he managed everything with gusto. Guess everything else is a child’s play for a soldier who has spent 20 years of his life amidst guns, bullets, jet engines and roaring fighter jets!!

In a few days from now, he is all set to complete 30 years of service which includes 20 years as a non-commissioned officer in the IAF. And whenever I have admired him for his patience, will and dedication to his work, his humility has made me realise I am being a sissy when I whine about work in a corporate setup (I am a chronic complainer nevertheless!! By the way, I am going to retire right after cutting my 45th Birthday cake). Post retirement from IAF, his life has been a relatively smoother ride compared to many other thousands of Ex-Servicemen who are still struggling to earn a little respect and dignity from the civil society. If I tell you I am lucky enough to have seen how soldiers literally work their asses off, come no matter what; then that’s an understatement!! 

This post is dedicated to him – A truly obedient son, a lover who fought for his love, a loving and loyal husband, a father who became a living hero in the eyes of his children and above all a Soldier who with the utmost sincerity dedicated 20 years of his life serving his country. This post is dedicated to all such soldiers who sing along ‘Ab toh humein, aagey badtey hi rehna....’ 

“May God bless all the Soldiers”

signing off,

taureansandy

of Passports, Chaos and Choices!!

Hii folks,

     I come from a city where every second boy is forced to become an Engineer. I am one of those engineers who is expected to make it big in the United States of America. Forget our country where unless I complete my Master's, I will not be able to make it big in life. The problem is that I am from a social background where my so called 'relatives' wouldn't consider me fit enough to be labelled as 'Successful', if I don't clear GRE or TOEFL and fly to the US of A!! 

    So here I was standing in a queue beside the Regional Passport Office - Secunderabad at 4.30 am. By then there were already thirty odd people in front of me eagerly waiting to resolve their passport related issues and get their damn passport as early as possible. One of them wanted to go to Dubai where he was promised a very good 'package'; big enough for someone who only knows how to build walls. The other was facing problems in getting her passport renewed just because she didn't have a 'marriage certificate'. 'How am I supposed to get this marriage certificate now?', I heard her complain to her husband on the phone. My guess was they were married for more than 20 years now. And even as the Sun's first rays broke out, the queue was swelling exponentially. 

   Today was an unusually cold day and my fingers were already numb. I was finding it tough to type up 'Love you' and 'Missing you' messages to my girlfriend. Yes, I am supposed to have a girlfriend as well, just like many guys of my age have these days. She woke up rather early today; just to keep me motivated. Standing in a queue for more than an hour can be tiring especially when you don't know whether you will be able to accomplish the task or not. It was very sweet of her to have chatted with me till I bid her bye and wished her luck for the lab practical exam she had. She is my junior and I would like to believe that our love story is going great guns. You never know though!! Anyways thanks to her, I somehow managed to stay calm throughout. 

Finally, by the time the Police constable there signaled the gate-keeper to let us inside the passport office complex, there were more than 300 people in the line. And along with the agents who roamed like Vultures waiting to pick up their prey (read gullible people coming from the rural hinterlands of AP), the people in the queue made a perfect setting for Chaos and Mayhem to kick in. As we started moving in slowly, I thought this to be the end of everything horrible I had imagined a moment before. The queue was moving smoothly and we entered inside the complex where there were seats arranged. We settled on the seats and there was a momentary pause of complete silence. Just then, a haughty lady arrived and asked us to get up and move towards the entrance to the 'Enquiry counters'. Was it a trigger? I don't know but the queue suddenly broke up and people started running towards the hallway to the counters. It was a stampede like situation and I didn't lose a moment to realise that I had to run to escape the unruly crowd's wrath. 

There was hardly anyone to control the mob and people started hitting each other; hurling abuses at will to hold on to their positions in the new queue that emerged in front of the entrance to the 'Enquiry Counters'. I was shocked beyond belief. Was I waiting in the queue for more than 5 hours now just to feel like shit amidst an unruly and uncivilized group of people? Half of them were as educated as you and me are. Leave the Visa, I then realised that earning a passport itself wasn't going to be easy as it seemed a few days back. 

I am proud of this city; a city where I spent the decisive moments of my life. But would I like to spend the rest of my life in a city where Corruption and Lawlessness have become the norm? I have my doubts. Anyways, thankfully the next one hour that I spent there was not difficult though. After I got my token, I sat beside a guy who held a black leather file with the title 'Indian Institute of Management - Ahmedabad' on it. I immediately felt a strong urge to talk to this guy and find out why he chose to stay rather than search for greener pastures in USA, UK or Australia. And after the usual intro-talk, when I did finally ask him the question lingering on my mind, his reply was in jest. 

'Dude, I liked the movie 'Swades' so much that I chose to do an MBA from the toughest B-School to get into rather than do what you are yearning to do now'. He laughed like a half-dead motor, then looked at me seriously and said,' I had no choice buddy. I was brought up amidst jet-fighters and guns. I was brought up in an environment where 'Nation' as a concept was given the utmost priority. So even the thought of going to 'Uncle Sam's' country was not an option for me. Yes, I still have to answer questions like 'Why didn't you go to the US of A? You could have earned so much more there!!' But I always had a choice and so do you. It is up to you as to what choice you make.'

I had never seen a guy so expressive. It was rather the question I asked him that seemed to have struck his emotional chords. But he never imposed his views on me, which I thought was very prudent of him. We then had a rather lengthy discussion on why things are so wrong in this whole messed up system of issuing passports. Thanks to this particular MBA guy, I suddenly felt so much more important and enlightened. More so because I also had my chances to share some interesting snippets and insights about Hyderabad, with a guy who I thought asked a lot of questions given his qualifications.

By the time I was finished, the clock was ticking half past eleven. I had now spent 420 minutes in what I would like to call as the 'Mess-hole of Andhra Pradesh'. If you want to experience mayhem and see how the face of corruption looks like - Visit RPO Secunderabad. If you want to see frustrated faces all around - Stand in front of RPO Secunderabad. And what more!! If you want to get robbed in broad daylight, it is again the best place for the same. Yes, there are pickpocket's lurking around as well!!

I have made my choice. Once I get my Visa stamped, I will think twice before returning back to India again. That MBA graduate did say one thing correctly - 'Listen to what your heart says and stick to the decision you make. Life is all about making choices. There is no such thing as a 'Right choice' and a 'Wrong choice'. It is when you are not true to yourself that your choice ends up as a 'Wrong choice'!!

Signing off,

An Engineer

Nostalgia

Hii folks,

Having spent a good 45 days at home after passing out from IIMA, life for me has returned back to normalcy. 'Normalcy' in this context means a routine mechanical life; one in which you know what you have to do in a day and then complete what is to be done. There is neither a sense of adventure nor a hint of novelty that I would any day love to be involved in. Life has become mechanical to such an extent that I find it difficult to make time for activities like blogging that I so love doing. But thanks to some good songs from the upcoming movie 'Mausam', I finally have the good mood to indulge in some writing.

Facebook now is a 'virtual' country with a population of a billion and is fast threatening to challenge our beloved country's position as the second most populous country in the world. I hate Facebook, but I can't ignore it because there is no disputing the fact that its one of the most user friendly tools to network and be in touch with friends and acquaintances. It recently helped me get back in touch with my long lost school friends; bringing back invaluable moments of happiness and pain, ecstasy and agony back to life and in the process making me nostalgic like never before. To an extent that now I can't resist the urge to meet with old pals and relive those moments of fun.

Reliving those moments help you realize the fact that with ageing comes maturity because with ageing, you experience many things and events that have something or the other to teach you. And yes, you also want to be a child again and live life without worries and the burden of responsibility that now tend to bog us down. As a blogger, isn't it a good idea to share with you some funny moments that I would like to relive now? Yes.

Circa 1992

I was playing with 'Nippa', my first friend who was a girl. And from then on, my saga of ups and downs had begun with the opposite sex. No offence intended; its probably a fault in my wiring that I have now come to realize that I can never anticipate or understand what girls do or mean. Well coming back to what happened that day; it was my first encounter with our ancestral cousins which are often lovingly referred to as 'Monkeys'. Me and Nippa along with some of our common friends were playing on a fine Sunday evening when we saw a 6 feet long guy trotting along with his pet monkey.

Me(Addressing that guy): Bhaiyya, is this monkey yours?

Guy: Yes chote, its mine.

Me: Will the monkey hurt me if I tease him?

Guy: You wanna take a shot? Go on

I made faces and teased him like hell, fully aware of the fact that the guy had him in chains. But little did I realize that I had managed to piss him off so well that a seemingly gentle one had turned to an aggressive monkey all set to show his might. It was trying hard to jump on me. Moments later, when the guy lost grip on the chain he started chasing me. I ran for my life. Well, the reason I remember the sequence of events is because of two things:

1. Though I managed to escape, I could see Nippa laughing aloud at me while I was crying out in fear. That hurt me

2. After 5 minutes when I came out of hiding, I was told that Nippa was on the way to hospital because the mad monkey which was clearly on a rampage had bit her before being brought under control. That hurt me even more (sob sob!!)

Moral: Never mess with our ancestral cousins. Never.

Circa 2000

I was literally begging for a cool 'bike' that I could ride on and go to school. The fact was that I wanted to brag and impress girls because not many boys then had the luxury of riding a cool red Hercules MTB to school. That bicycle then was priced at 2000 bucks and that wasn't a small amount to spend for a non-commissioned technician in the IAF (my father). So when he did buy me that, I was over the moon.

Kiran was a good friend of mine back then and she had come to my home for the first time to ask for my notes, as she was absent for quite a few days in school. Our families were very close. I was just beginning to think of having a friendly chat when my mother hijacked her. They were both having the usual gossip (pun intended!!) inside the kitchen and here was me, cribbing over the fact that I lost a golden chance. After a while...

Kiran: Thanks Sandeep for these notes. I will return it to you tomorrow in the class.

Me: Oh yeah, yeah. Take your time. By the way, can I drop you home? (Looking back, that was a blunder!!)

Kiran: On your cycle? No way, I will walk home. (She was staring at me, wondering how the hell did I manage to feel as if I had a motorcycle)

Me: Oh! Its ok. You know my cycle is new. Just bought it a week back

Kiran: Nice. Bye

And she left. Two hours later, I was riding my cycle aimlessly on the road enjoying the pleasant whiff of breeze flowing even as the majestic evening sun was calling it a day off. I saw her on a distance with another girl. A stupid me was thinking of doing some stunts and I did manage to show off some quite well. Moments later, I went and greeted her.

Kiran: Sandeep, do you really want me to praise your bicycle riding abilities? I know you bought a new one

Me: Ah....hmmm...Oh no! Its not like that. I just wanted to.....(The following words never mattered as both of them were laughing at me)

Moral: Never show off when you don't know how to. Or even if you know, never be a dumb*** like me to use a bicycle. Does someone recall a similar scene in the movie 'Boys'? I won't blame you though!!

There are countless such moments that I would love to share. But am I the only one to be living with such exciting memories? No. There are people who probably have endured a myriad of painful heart wrenching experiences. There are people who inspire themselves to get up every morning and do what they are supposed to, just because they don't have any other alternative. And there are people like me who are fairly comfortable with their lives and still find waking up and going to office a routine. But isn't that a corporate life is all about?

Its all in the mind. Isn't it?

signing off,

taureansandy

Transition

Hii all,

Its been a long time since I blogged. There was a time when blogging was a regular activity for me; for which I could take out time and vent out my feelings on various issues. But from the day I made the transition from being a student to a manager, life has never been the same again.

As a student, you have less things to worry about. Its all about scoring good marks, making good friends with whom you can be yourself and dealing with the burden of expectations which your dear ones have. You do have a choice. You can either do well as a student or screw up your career, sit at home and become a zombie. But there comes the transition phase, you become a professional and things change drastically. There is a fundamental shift in your personality. There is a sudden sense of responsibility and you feel more mature than ever. Of course there are always exceptions, but I am talking about the majority of us. Or at least this is what has happened with me. The me who earlier never thought twice before spending money for his indulgence, now at least thinks twice before doing so. The me who never shied to speak his mind with his dear pals now is beginning to think of the repercussions if he does so. The me who earlier struggled to understand the subtle hints his pals used to give, now doesn't find it difficult.

In my case, the transition was smooth and the best part of it is that I realize this change happening. And it has been because of the two years I spent at IIMA, away from best friends and family. And in these two years, I have traveled like never before which I guess is also one of the driving factors behind the change/transition I was talking about earlier. Two months back, I became a manager in a big Indian conglomerate.

Its not only me that feels the change. One of my very good friend almost spoke my mind, when one fine day she sent me a rather emotional sms which I must say was very uncharacteristic of her. She was experiencing a void, something which each and everyone of us at some point of time do experience. Despite having a great set of friends and a set career in life, there is this feeling that you are missing something. And that 'something' is happiness. It was the same experience which me and my friend were going through. Now the question arises on how to tackle such kind of a conundrum. The answer I guess is very simple. Watch a beggar on the street or a struggling rickshawallah. But not many people follow this mantra and that also includes me, for we are so preoccupied with our life or rather I should say we are so egoistic that our problems are always the worst and can't be compared. Leaving aside the philosophical aspect of it (which I am so good at ;-) ), how many people would consider leaving a well paid MNC job to follow their heart's desires?? Not many; but fortunately there are some people whom I have had the good opportunity to meet with during my travails across the country.

At this point of time, I recall an incident which astounded me and made me realize the importance of being earnest and the value of staying humble. At my age, I was the champ in multiplication tables. I was having a great time with my cousin brothers and sisters at the public park at my native town. That was a Sunday evening, pleasant with birds chirping all the way and the setting Sun looking as majestic as it has been all these years. Suddenly, my uncle asked me to accompany him to a blind school where he often does some voluntary charity for the kids. The creaking door at the entrance of the school gave me the impression of the workhouses often described in Charles Dickens' novels. But to my pleasant surprise, it was well maintained. Even as I was looking at the children diligently studying through their Braille textbooks, my uncle called up Shiva.

Shiva was hardly about 4 years old. The warden said he was just three and a half. A frail looking boy who was hardly three feet tall, he straightaway identified my uncle and confidently pronounced, "Namaste sir". I was speechless. Not because he was a frail blind boy, but because I never expected such levels of maturity from a three and a half year old boy. I bent down, introduced myself and gave him a candy. He initially refused politely and that spoke volumes about the way he was being groomed in an excellent manner. But later he took it on my insistence. Then started the magic show. My uncle asked him to recite the multiplication table for the digit 19. He started off with, " 19*10, 19*9, 19*8.......and so on and ended it on 19*1=19. Incredible as it was, he was bang on target!! It was like he stupefied me. He made me look like a stupid arrogant fool. And when I challenged him to tell the table for the digit 17. He smoothly delivered the answers. I was so humbled that I was looking for something else to give him as a reward. When I couldn't find anything suitable in my pockets, I appreciated his flair for mathematics and then there was the thousand watt smile, much brighter than the "Happydent smile". That is when it struck me that nothing works more effectively than well deserved words of appreciation, something which I learnt in the first year of MBA.

Now what does the above mentioned incident tell you? In plain terms, it tells you that you are nothing. It takes a lifetime for us to become something and unless you reach that stage, keep your ego in check. Of course, this is something which is difficult to follow at all situations. But, an awareness of this fact will hold us in good stead. Though I am having a tough time trying to settle down professionally, but I have got a good gang of friends who I share a great rapport with. And there are my old and very very special pals who understand me so well that sometimes I genuinely feel the need to improve my non-verbal communication skills. Hoping that this period of transition brings with it lots of happiness to look forward to; both for me as well as for my dear ones and special pals who form an integrated part of my life.

Signing off,

taureansandy

India and its colors

Hii folks,

With its rich cultural heritage and diversity in terms of people, language, flora and fauna; India ought to have been one of the biggest superpowers by now. But toxins like corruption, greed and an unending desire to quench the thirst for power have rendered it and its people handicapped, not physically but with the "Chalta Hai" attitude. But all is not bad with my country. The fact that it is the largest democracy in the world amply proves that we still have the time and the wherewithal to burnish our country and make it the next political and economic superpower in the world. It is with this optimism that I present to you - INDIA, and its various shades through my eyes.

Past Present and the Future

Hell: One of the most heart-wrenching moments I have ever faced in my life

Is the Himalayan fresh water actually pure? We found it to be otherwise

Serene Ganges: I now know what 'Serenity' is

Majestic Himalayas: Go on a trip to the Himalayas and get your ego busted for free!! You will feel so small in front of the mountains that it will do you more good than otherwise

Illuminated Helix: Louis Kahn couldn't have been more symmetrical!!

Diwali 2010 @ Dorm 13 - IIM AHMEDABAD: Though we were the joint runner-ups, but as usual there was no dearth of creativity and innovation in our presentation. Some couldn't understand, but that's ok!!

Misty Paapi Kondalu: We were cruising on the Godavari and it was very difficult holding the camera still for that perfect shot especially with the misty and chilly weather conditions around

Bhadrachalam Temple Complex: Specially decorated for the festival popularly known as "Vaikuntha Ekadashi"; a day when the gate to Lord Vishnu's inner sanctum is opened

Golden Jubilee @ IIM AHMEDABAD: Doesn't IIMA deserve those stars?

Delhi - Dilwalon ki Dilli

Hii folks,

I recently went on a trip to Delhi for about four days and returned back with mixed feelings. Delhi has just transformed totally, from a city which was reeling with floods and frequent traffic jams just before CWG to a city brightly lit with road signs promptly put in place and the Metro looking just awesome. Why does it take a CWG to transform a city from shambles to a world class city is a question only the policymakers can answer.

But the welcome I got was never friendly and pleasant, to say the least. First of all I arrive at Ajmeri Gate at precisely 8am. That is the time when almost all the metro stations in Delhi are crowded and bustling with activity. After taking the token, I have to walk in a queue which is almost 200 metres long and on top of that you get to see scenes like the kid in front of you giving you a long stare, as if he knew that I wasn't a Delhite. Then suddenly the security personnel out there ask you to put your luggage through the X-Ray scanner. He was pointing his machine gun straight to my head. I was already scared enough and on top of this, a student busy with his girlfriend (she was definitely not his sister!!) hits me with his bag trying to overtake me even when I was pondering on how to walk past the narrow queue which was moving at a painfully slow pace.

The crowd there was so scary that for once I thought I would never be able to reach the hotel. I was already calculating how much would I have to spend for the auto, when suddenly I was simply pushed into the metro. Fortunately, the doors opened that very moment or otherwise I would have crashed into the closed door. The huge backpack that I carried didn't help either. People were staring at me and just when I thought that I would survive this ordeal without being a part of any verbal duel, I was rudely proved wrong by a gentleman who generously mouthed some of the choicest expletives to me. I was chewing a spearmint Orbit gum and so probably couldn't indulge in a duel (was so dumb there!!). Or was I so shocked at the welcome I just received that I went numb? Only the almighty knows!! Nevertheless, I ignored that guy and that's the best thing you can ever do when faced with such situations in Delhi.

How can I forget the autowallahs of Delhi? Despite acting like a Delhite, showing off my Hindi speaking abilities which is decent enough for a Hyderabadi like me, the autowallahs somehow sniffed the real 'me' out and charged accordingly. I was in no mood to argue with them over the prices they were charging but nevertheless attempted a bargain sometimes. Some of them were again rude to me, but I remember my dad saying that its always wise to ignore rather than pay them back in the same coin. I might be sounding very critical of Delhi's autowallahs but my experiences weren't nice at all. So pardon me for being so judgmental!!

But when you ask me to rate Delhi as a city to live in, I would rate it as one of the best cities to live in India alongside other good cities like Jamshedpur and Ahmedabad. Roads in Delhi were always world class, but this time New Delhi was looking looking spick and span. The air quality has improved with Metro and CNG coming in. Delhites are some of the most helpful people I have ever seen. I was craving for genuine Andhra meals and I knew that Andhra Bhawan was the place to be for having it, but I was looking out for it in a wrong locality. Desperate to reach the restaurant, I casually asked a traffic constable about the same. I wasn't expecting any help from him either, but just took a chance. Just as I had thought, he didn't have any clue about the restaurant. I was just about walking back in disgust, when he asked me to wait for a moment. He went to his colleague, mumbled something over the walkie talkie, came back and gave me the instructions. I was pleasantly surprised. No wonder I dedicated the wholesome dinner I had that night to the nameless traffic constable and to the spirit of Delhi and its people.

On the last day, I visited the Akshardham Temple which is unlike all other temples I have been to. It looked more like a stellar display of the wealth that the Swaminarayan community members have earned over the years. The temple is a treat to your eyes with greenery all around and the moment you enter the 'Sanctum Sanctorum', the only thing that you notice is Gold and nothing else. Here all that glitters is indeed Gold!! But I couldn't help wondering about the absence of beggars, something which is always associated with Hindu temples in India. An interesting incident happened when I alighted at the Akshardham metro station. I just came out of the terminus and was as usual looking for an auto when to my pleasant surprise I saw a fleet of cycle rickshaws out there waiting for patrons. Two men approached me suddenly and one of them was pushing me to board his auto, whereas the other just said. "Dus rupaiye sahab". I stared at him in surprise and that is when he said, "Auto nahi sahab, rickshaw hai". I heard myself saying, "So what, its been almost 15 years since I travelled in a cycle rickshaw way back in my home town." I wanted to relive those memories and moreover a cycle rickshaw gives you the time to observe whatever is all around whereas you can't do that sitting in an auto. So, I followed that guy and in the process seemed to have pissed the autowallah who started staring at me. By that time I had had enough of this staring **it and so promptly stared back at him. "Sahab, achcha kiya aap auto nahi liye. Aajkal hamara dhandhe ka koi mol nahi, sab jaldi jaana chahte hain" His words were profound because we have indeed become so fast paced that we have even forgotten how to relax. Do we now have the time to spend on ourselves? He charged me 10 bucks which I was more than happy to spend.

I am not wrong when I say that Delhi is one of the best places to live in India. You will find the best food to eat in places like Chandni Chowk, best bargains at Palika bazar and the best roads to travel on. Delhi is one of those cities where the entire country resides. So even if you are alone, you are not because you will always meet someone from your community, just as I experienced when I went to Andhra Bhawan. For a fleeting moment, I felt as if I was back in Hyderabad and it felt good. And on top of it, Delhites are always there to help and take care of you.

Delhi - Dilwalon ki Dilli

Regards,

taureansandy

Four kinds of people

Hii folks,

He questioned me," Aap mera interview le rahe hain tab se. Ab mein aapse yeh sawaal karta hoon. Kitne type ke log hote hain duniya mein?". I wasn't expecting this bouncer from a roadside vendor. I said," Shayad teen type ke hain. Pehle jo paise ke peeche bhagte hain. Doosra jinke liye paise important nahi hai. Teesra....hmmmm...Pata nahi". At that moment he was no more a roadside vendor for me. He was speaking like someone who indeed has a keen business acumen and someone who has learnt a lot just by observations and listening to various people. He replied back," Bhai, yahaan char type ke log hote hain. Pehle jo paise ke peeche bhagte hain, doosre jo paise ko bhaav nahi dete, jinke liye shaurat zaroori hai, teesre woh hain jinke liye ethics hi maine rakhti hai aur chaute woh log hain jo paisa aur shaurat dono chahte hain." I was stunned with his response. Needless to say, he was already someone whom I will be admiring for years to come.

For those who couldn't guess the person I am talking about, he is RAMBHAI. Rambhai is not just a name, it is a brand whose equity can't be valuated. Rambhai is synonymous with IIMA; might be exaggerating a little but I can't think of any better adjectives to describe this man. He is "Khuddari" personified, one who has immense self-belief in his abilities. He mightn't be a big entrepreneur like Dhirubhai, but whatever he has achieved is purely on his merit and nothing else. Unlike other entrepreneurs who wouldn't mind resorting to slightly devious means to get things done, Rambhai is a "shield" who has endured the bullets of corruption and ridicule for many many years.

He could have been the next Abdul Kalam, had it not been for the costly fees that he couldn't afford to pursue engineering. He would have been working now as a senior technical officer in the Physical Research Laboratory, had it not been for the "Recommendation Letter" which one of his peers was carrying while waiting at the interview lounge. Did destiny had other plans for him? No, I am sorry but he made his own choices and changed his destiny. That is what I would like to believe. I should recall one particular incident that Rambhai described about how he fought with people who undermined his capabilities and ridiculed him. His plans were to setup a small "kitli" within the campus. This would have helped him expand his customer base. But for that to happen, he was asked to give a "Bottle" of booze as a "token" or bribe by one of the assistants who he reckons is still working in the campus. But Rambhai knew that the goodwill he had earned would sail him through and now look how IIMA has acknowledged his services. Provision for a small window on a huge 10 feet high wall exclusively for Rambhai so that he can do business with the residents of the campus - What more could he have asked for?

Rambhai is confidence personified. His strong will and determination is something whose vibes you can easily feel when you hear him talking about IIMA, his erstwhile competitors and his family. You will rarely come across a person who would smile fully knowing that tough times are back for him to reckon with. Recession and inflation have been the two bombs that his shield couldn't protect him from. Dents on the shield are starkly visible when he says that he is now ready to compromise on his values and accept any sort of financial help offered by the Alumni and the students of IIMA with noble intentions. You feel sorry for him when such words come from a man who has endured all the cruelty and corruption present in the society for about close to 30 years now. He used to sell cigarettes and other such stuff on credit, but people have clearly contributed in inflating the Accounts receivable section on his balance sheet. He is pinning his hopes now on the huge footfall that the Campus is going to attract for its Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Before I wound up the session with him, he mentioned that there is nothing left to achieve now in his life. He just wants to finish up completing three tasks before he retires from life:

• Marry off his daughter to a "Good" guy. He satirically stressed on the word "Good" and that very moment I felt sorry for guys like us!!
• Buy property so that those of his family who are dependent on him have a home to live in, especially after the way in which he recently had to sell off his property to sustain his family expenditures
• Ensure that his grandson who is now in the Sainik School join the Indian Army

I was clearly in awe of this man who had such a crystal clear clarity of thought; one who had set definite goals for himself and is clearly working hard to achieve those. His response to an erstwhile vendor who once competed with him was - "Yaa to mein tik jaunga ya khud hi dhandha chod doonga" best epitomizes his "Never say Never" spirit which I believe each one of us inherently has, but is something we need to be constantly reminded of.

Regards,

taureansandy

Nikon Speaks out..

DISCLAIMER: This post is a crude and an actual description of the Valmiki community's lifestyle. Nikon doesn't intend to hurt any reader sentiments and emotions.

Hii readers,

People call me Nikon D3000. I was lying inside a sealed box for about 20 days in a well known electronics retail store in Ahmedabad and was sleeping happily. One fine evening, I was dreaming about being in the hands of Atul Kasbekar in his brightly lit studio with .... and the grumpy salesman rudely woke me up from my glitzy and flashy dream . And the first thing I saw after I woke up were two guys who were staring at me as if ...Whatever!!..They were comparing me with my fierce competitor and checking which one of us was better in terms of the grip and weight. I was seething with anger. How dare these guys compare me with "***on"?? Don't they know that I am the best!!

Thankfully my owner ultimately chose me, for he had already made up his mind. In short, it was a planned purchase. My first day on the field went about helping him click some fantastic and some not so good clicks of the T-nite proceedings in his campus. It was quite a boring proposition compared to the dream I was having before I was woken up. Anyways, I never imagined that my owner would introduce me to an altogether different world on the day this country called India got its independence. From now on the use of the word "we" shall refer to both me and my Lord together!!

We reached a filthy and pungent settlement located on the outskirts of this city, apparently to study the lifestyle of manhole workers belonging to a community called "Valmiki". I could observe that my lord was visibly upset and wanted to desperately cover his nose and ensure his olfactory senses don't malfunction in the future. The scene there was acrid and nauseating to say the least. Thankfully I only have eyes to see, so I was least bothered about the smell. My lord had a firm grip on me, even as he was carefully watching his steps to avoid dung and the dirty drain water while carefully crossing the muddy and slippery paths totally disoriented by the rains that had lashed this city previously.

Even while we were crossing another huge "dungy" obstacle, I overheard a woman mumbling something in their local language. Apparently she had mistook my lord to be a media reporter and was begging him to do something to uplift their present situation. My lord had already understood what she was saying, but could only nod his head to ensure she at least deserves some attention. Pangs of guilt and the realisation that he could do nothing tangible and effective for their welfare at that point of time, were the thoughts playing out loud in my lord's mind. But I was totally disoriented. The journey, in my dreams from the glitzy and flashy world of hot and pretty models posing for the fashion photographer to this isolated hell, totally cut off from the outside world was something that made me realise that I would be more useful clicking the anguish and the pain in their eyes and thus help my lord spread the awareness that India is still not independent. Ironically, no one within the settlement was aware that their country was celebrating its independence that day.

After a brief discussion with the community elders and knowing about the squalid conditions in which they were living since 40+ years, we bid goodbye to them. I was wondering why people out there were particularly enthusiastic about getting their pictures clicked. Malnourished children were following us and my lord was kind enough to oblige them by taking their pics. He was led into a lane that was extraordinarily squalid and where he took around 5 minutes to traverse about 50 feet inside that lane. Finally he reached a spot where he tried hard not to vomit. I was shocked to see a family of 6 people living out there, besides a hut which belonged to a manhole worker. "Saheb, hamari photo bhi keencho naa saheb", and that is where I clicked this photograph displayed above of a girl child who surprisingly wasn't scared of me. I am a simple DSLR camera and I only know how to click good photographs, but there at that moment I was disliking the very idea of capturing those gory inhumane living conditions. My lord was kind enough not to put me further through that horrible experience. I could see my lord walking very fast while returning back and that was understood. But on the way back, even the baby calf out there and the big huge fat goats seem to block our way, as if shouting at us and saying "Kai log aap jaise aaye aur chale bhi gaye, par hamaari kisko padi hai!!"

India's GDP is now worth more than $1trillion and is accelerating rapidly in terms of industrial and economic development. But, is internal development happening? I was manufactured in Tokyo, where I have never seen or experienced things like the caste system, exploitation and no access to primary education. So, when I describe this visit and the overall experience as heart wrenching don't say that this is nothing new in this country for because I am simply not used to all this goriness!! The huts in this settlement don't have toilets, no water supply and no power supply. People didn't dare sleep during the floods for the fear of getting washed out. Doesn't all this make this settlement a living hell??

On our journey back, I was sitting comfortably in the darkness of the camera case that protects me. I knew my lord had become totally silent after that experience; evidently he was deeply anguished. But I never expected him to scare off the auto driver when he suddenly shouted out "How can those people live in such disgusting conditions!!" even while his friend was calming him down. I then thought that even a lifeless thing like me enjoys the protection of a camera case, whereas people out there in that settlement are living a hopeless life without any protection of sorts. What an Irony!!

Regards,
taureansandy's Nikon D3000

"Raju in Bengaluru"

hii folks,

The summer this year has been a great experience for me, for I have traveled to newer places and met different people from various backgrounds. And in the process, realised that I am lucky. In plain simple terms, just lucky enough to be what I am now.

It was 4'o'clock in my watch, weather cloudy and with a soft breeze blowing through me, I was feeling very good about myself. I was doing things which I never thought would be able to do. I was going to conduct focus group interviews with two groups of people whom I have never met. And the thought of meeting new people and talking to them, asking questions and seeking answers was leading to a little bit of anxiousness and nervousness!!

I was waiting at the Nagarsandra circle, wondering why Bengaluru is full of places named with "Hallis", "Sandras", "Gudis" etc. I was utterly confused when I heard the guy on the phone saying "Nagasandra" while he was actually referring to "Nagarsandra". Incidentally both are different places, something which I realised after visiting "Nagasandra" only to find that this wasn't where I was supposed to be that evening. Finally I was at the right place, waiting for a guy who was according to what the guy on the phone described was, supposed to ride an Activa in a blue T-shirt, and coming to pick me up from the circle.

I instantly recognised that guy, and he also recognised me too. I don't know whether its your instinct or something else, but once you have a description of the one you want to meet, its amazing how you can recognise them, though you have never met each other before.

He was a tall frail looking guy, but almost scared the hell out of me with his ridiculous driving skills manoeuvering the Activa through small corners and streets. It was like the Activa was obediently following his instructions!! I heaved a sigh of relief once I reached the destination. Well the initial apprehensions I had about my ability to communicate with newbies were uncalled for as the objectives I set for myself were met. Participants were telling me more than I had asked for. After a spate of emotional outbursts and jokes apart, I was ready to leave when "Raju", the guy who had dropped me asked me where I was from.

Minutes later I was at ease talking with Raju because he was also from AP, the state where I am from. It always feels good to have someone with whom you can speak in your mother tongue in a "foreign" land. You can always learn something in life by meeting new people, and that is what precisely happened with me.

"Raju's" life has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. Born in the sleepy town of Anantapur in a peasant family, he was only expected to earn for his family as early in life as possible. As has been the case in most of the rural India, he too was a school dropout but was quite aware of the happenings around him. "Experience is the best teacher". He came to Bengaluru three years back, with dreams in his eyes, carrying his families expectations and burdens on his shoulders. Fortunately for him, the city didn't fail him. His ever smiling face had masked various emotions of pain and struggle that he and his family had to endure in his childhood, getting oppressed and exploited by the princely Zamindaars of Rayalaseema. After working as a mechanic for an year, he now is working as a Video operator recording focus group interviews and earning a decent 3000 bucks each month. His employer has been kind enough to provide him his daily share of meals and shelter to sleep. He narrated me his entire story during the 20 minute ride on the Activa, back to Basavanagudi bus stop. Though Bengaluru's traffic was noisy enough to act as an hindrance, but still I managed to hear him throughout, even as he was evading Trucks and jumping Traffic signals with ease!!

While I was wishing him all the best for his future endeavours, he pulled out his cell phone from the pocket and asked for my number. I was shocked, but then realised that the Telecom boom had already empowered the masses. I realised that at such a young age, "Raju " has seen and experienced much more in life than I have and so here was a guy whom I admired for his courage and conviction. His family is now somewhat in a better condition because he sends half of his monthly salary back home.

The "thousand watt" smile that he had while he bid me farewell left a strong and indelible impression on me. Something which will always remain memorable for a long time to come.

Regards,

taureansandy

Sandy Sandy!!

Hii folks,

Last weekend we (me with my roomies) went to visit one of the cleanest beaches seen ever in a long time. Don't be surprised because even this wasn't clean in the true sense, but certainly clean when you compare it with most of the beaches on the eastern coastline of India. I was in a trance when I felt the sand slipping beneath my foot. But the journey from Mumbai to the Island beach of Gorai, brought some stark and bitter truths out. Gorai is a fairly big island to the west of Borivali, where the Essel Group has already set up Asia's biggest water theme park.

A small channel of sea separates Gorai from the mainland. The tide plays havoc with the sea and its surroundings out there especially, when the visiting tourists throw out the litter in the sea. The mangroves are submerged under water during the day and once the Sun begins to set, the water level begins to recede fast, thus uncovering a huge muddy stinking dumpyard. No wonder for a nature lover like me, I couldn't spot a single sea bird except for Crows. By the way, when you find an unusually high number of Crows congregating at a single place, you can be assured that the soil and the surroundings there is either not fit for wildlife habitation or is littered with all kinds of Garbage possible.

And then there's an unfinished overbridge there, supposedly meant for the tourists to cross over the channel. You have wooden mechanised boats always overloaded with passengers and a disaster waiting to happen. Once you cross the channel, you are welcomed by the stink of Horse dung littered all over the road. Courtesy, the Tangas there. From there, its a 10 minute ride in an autorickshaw to the Gorai Beach. The coast is lined with Coconut trees that make the beach that much more scenic. But then again, you can't help but notice that the Hawkers and Vendors there who don't hesitate to dump the waste in the open.

But the beach soil is awesome and hard enough to act as a cricket pitch and a racing track. I took hardly 5 minutes to change into the swimming costume and threw myself in the sea. Swimming here is that much more easy than in a swimming pool, because of the sea water's high density. And for the next one hour, we spent clicking photographs and in the process tasting what real salt is!!

A beach is a place where you forget all the things in your life, and surrender yourself to the calm and serene yet the mighty and powerful sea. And suddenly when I was back to my usual self I realised, Was it me who swam and swam his heart out and enjoyed jumping in the sea?No, it wasn't ME. He was someone else. He was a part of ME. He, who had no worries in life and only knew how to swim and swim all the way to a place, elusive to many of the people in the world called HAPPINESS!!

Regards,

taureansandy

The year that was.....

Hii folks,

With only a few days to go before the first year ends at IIMA, I don't know how it is going to end for me. This period has been full of many downs and very few ups for me. A rare experience for a guy who has been used to achievements all his academic life. But this year has been a great learning experience for me. Though grades have been low, but learning has been good.
This was also the year where I revisited the actor in me when I did about 4 skits, and learnt how difficult it is to merely reproduce your lines in front of the CAMERA, leave alone showing your expressions.
I never imagined, that a transition to this great institute would affect my existing relationships, the bad way. When you become busy, then no matter what, misunderstandings are bound to crop up. This is what hurts you the most especially when you know that you always wanted to be yourself with others, but then comes the HALO effect into picture. You are now considered to be a great man because you are a student at IIMA and people start seeing a HALO around you instead of looking at you as who you were and who you are; a good friend and well wisher which I always aspire to be. And in the process, people fail to understand the physical and emotional stress that a student here can face. And that is what precisely has happened with me.
But as they say, every coin has two sides to it. There were also moments of pure fun, madness and joy at the campus. It all began with the T-nite when I bonded with the entire class and made new friends. Then came Diwali, when my dorm won the best decorated dorm contest. Enjoyed some wonderful moments with my tuchchas, hitting fours on their difficult balls and in the process hitting it off with them. The camaraderie for once certainly acted as a stress buster, amidst innumerable surprise quizzes and assignments. Then came Sonu Nigam who unarguably had one of his best concerts @ IIMA. I can still vividly remember the entire night full of ecstasy and sheer joy, especially when you see a less than a year old infant baby dance to his songs.
Stress was something which I experienced in full force at two distinct occasions. One during the various term examinations and then during my summers. But my mental strength sure could have become robust. There were internal debates within the campus about the workload we were facing, that it never decreased as was promised by the authorities.
Nevertheless, amidst the stress, there were those little moments of laughter when we cracked jokes on each other. Doing group assignments can be very boring, but it wasn't for me when you have a guy in your group who doesn't know how to be angry. This guy has an awesome sense of humour and its pure fun and a privilege to be with him.
And then there is your family, which is a constant pillar of support no matter where you are. Even as my group is still working on WAC, one of the most famously infamous courses here, am I writing this blog, fully knowing that my mind is past its processing period with the time now being 03.10 am!!

PS: The blogger is going to face the toughest ever fortnight in his life beginning today!!

regards,
taureansandy

Yes we can...!!

hii folks,

18th December 2009, is one date which will remain memorable throughout my life, not exactly a pleasant moment though but for an entirely different reason altogether. That was the day when I saw the real India. I am able to write this blog, because I am in a position to write so. Didn't understand? You will understand when you see bonded labour writhing in pain while separating out raw cotton from dried cotton flowers, when you see farmers eating onions with thick bajre ki rotis, all this while ensuring good food for you and me. Believe me I had a hard time having bajre ki rotis during my field visit to a small village somewhere in rural Gujarat. You will understand when you see women stamping dung with their naked legs, when you see that children there chase stray dogs and cats instead of playing "Age of the empires" [read video games].

I saw desperation, but more than that I saw hope. Thats what made my field trip somewhat a pleasant than a ghastly experience. We saw how self help groups there run by women help each other by providing loans and insurance to the needy families. I understood why people say often that "Manav seva is Madhav seva". I was forced to question myselves" What am I doing for my country?". Living in the comfort of our homes we often don't realise that we have more than we require. On that trip, we actually saw how people were living happily in huts without TV, Computer, Refrigerator etc etc.. I was left wondering whether what these people do for entertainment!! Well I would like to give illustrations which I hope stimulate you to think of Nation and Family before yourself.

1. In a town here in Gujarat with about a lakh people living there are no domestic toilets. And there's only one public toilet which stinks. Quoting one of my able classmate here who said during his field trip presentation,"I want you to use all your 5 senses and imagine the stink out there in that *******" Manual scavengers here make a living by cleaning out the shit with their bare hands.

2. The Gujarat government doesn't hold Panchayat elections in villages out here. Instead a system of "Samras" is followed where Behen's [women] are elected to the Panchayat on mass consensus. But what we saw goes otherwise. Officially women are elected, but it's the Man who holds and runs the Panchayat. And these men either are the minions of BJP or Congress. So no development happens and the measly annual grant of Three lakhs released by the Government to the panchayat for development finally ends up in the accounts of the BJP/Congress or for smuggling illicit liquor.

3. Industrial sewage is dumped in the canals which end up in the Sabarmati affecting villages downstream.

4. In the Little Rann of Kutch, bonded salt workers toil hard to produce Salt and end up having severely frosted legs and hands which are later amputated to prevent infection. Try rubbing salt on your hands and legs and live a whole day without cleaning the hands or legs. You will realise that Salt is toxic to the skin!!

5. People who suffered in Godhra Riots still live on somebody else's mercy. Muslims there are referred to as "Refugees" by the so called Hindu Samaj sevaks!! One sex worker there describes how she ended up in a brothel because her own family refused to accept her. Her mistake was she was at the wrong place at the wrong time, so ended up being raped even while she was pregnant. The final result, dumping the still born foetus in the Trash.

But while I have been too frank in describing the reality of Apna Bharat Mahaan, there's still hope and there are saviours too. Miss Sonal, an M.Com graduate is the General Secretary of a women Self-help group which has in the last 15 years uplifted many families from the brink of extreme poverty to prosperity. I was in awe of her commitment and dedication to serve the society. Women members of that group now have in them what they didn't have previously- Self-belief and the Will. Each of them is a leader now and travels to cities alone, which previously was considered taboo in such areas. Each of them can boldly speak up to the the Revenue Mandal Officer and confront him for his inaction and callousness. What more does India require than this??

I realised there's no point making big promises which you can't fulfill. Do small things which meaningfully contributes to the society. I realise that my writing skills are my biggest asset, though still there's a lot of scope for improvement. And I intend to use this skill to make a difference. What do you want to do? If you have never thought about this, then think and act because its better late than never.

PS: I am proud to be the photographer who captured that pic above. "The older generation which is content and happy with the small things it has and the next generation that is eagerly looking forward to a bright future for itself"

regards,

taureansandy

Was I a thief ??

hi folks,

This standard greeting will follow you in all my posts much the same way as thefts and thieves have followed me all these while. My tryst with thieves have been funnily painful, as in the way that I couldn't do anything about them, let alone report those thefts to the much feared POOOLEES THANA!! Allow me to describe the three encounters that I had with thieves whom I have never seen till date.

16th June 2003: In spite of mom saying that I should take the seven seater to the school, I took out my bike [ read bicycle ] which was shining as if new. I had cleaned it the day before and so it was ready to take me to the school where I had to complete my admission formalities to join eleventh standard. I parked it outside the school gate and went inside. After one hour I came back outside and needless to say the rest is history. It was very hard for me to forget this loss, as I often used to dream riding the bike to school on seeing others do the same.

25th May 2006: In november 2003, I won a bicycle as a consolation audience prize in 'The Hindu Quiz'. And again after enjoying it for three years, one fateful day I parked it inside my enginering college campus. Later in the evening, I found it missing. Rather I must say it was stolen. I couldn't even shed tears as it was raining. Drenched fully, I was left recalling the same experience I had precisely three years ago.

14/15 November 2009: I boarded the Navjeevan express from Warangal at 2015 hrs on my way back to IIM A. Dad wanted me to take the flight but I insisted on the train taking the cost factor into account. Never ever did I knew that this trip would cost me more than the flight ticket. The dates are ambiguous because the theft happened around midnight when I was fast asleep on the top berth. After having dinner, I slept at 2200 hrs. At around 0300 hrs, I woke up and came down to check my luggage. I had chained my two suitcases earlier. The one which had my laptop,passport and my new jeans along with some clothes was .... The other one was safe. I don't know whether the thief had any X-ray glasses with him or what, but he got it right. The chain was broken with the lock intact. Within a few minutes the railway police came, and the rest 17 hrs that I spent in the train was no less than hell for me. I could neither cry nor remain depressed for there were other passengers in the coach who knew about the theft. But fortunately not many were aware that I was the one. I experienced first hand how the police officials start their investigations. They do nothing but write a report and wash their hands off the matter.

And my life goes on... I wonder sometimes whether I was a thief in my pichley janm mein. And there's a pattern to these thefts. They have occurred right after three years and the value stolen physically and emotionally has only increased. And the funny part is, in all these thefts I had with me the keys to the locks which are now useless. I hope like the movie 2012 which depicts the destruction of earth in the year 2012, the same year which is 3 years from now doesn't bring with it yet another theft in my adventurous life!!

regards,

taureansandy

Woh beete pal....!!!

hi folks,

Before I start studying 'again' for the exam tomorrow morning, I just wanted to share this with you all. By the way, though the exam is an open book one, it sucks!!

I am sure you all must have experienced sweet and cherished childhood moments in the past. Now whenever I am stressed out, I wonder how carefree and tensionless life was when I was a child. Alas!, that's not the case now with even a UKG student now carrying a bag which is much bigger than his size!! The point is that the friends you make when you are a child, the sweet moments you enjoy together are somethings which never come back. But what happens when you by a strange quirk of fate are no longer with your close and sweet friend(s). That's what happened with me 8 years back when my Dad got transferred honouring IAF's orders. I could never recover from that sudden twist in the story and it took me another 3 years to again make such good friends who are now close to my heart.

I am forever indebted to Mr Orkut Buyukkokten for creating such a wonderful socialising network. I was always under the impression that it was meant to only find new friends or establish contact with existing friends, until I found my classmates from my earlier school 8 yrs back and finally I got in touch with the same close and sweet friend about who I was talking about before. I was so happy, I mean genuinely happy talking with her and reliving those old memories and learning about new developments in her life. 8 years is a long time but not long enough to change the dynamics between us as we instantly bonded with each other, as if I spoke to her just yesterday only. I experienced such a feeling for the first time and was excited beyond measure. Hoping that such instances happen with me more often.

"Aakhir duniya 'Hope' pe hi tho chalthi hai!!"

regards,

taureansandy