It has been a while since I touched by blog. But why is that? Did I not meet a very different new gen ticket collector in the Railways who was not only smart but to-the-point blunt? Did I not tell myself I will write about the interaction to highlight changing Indian Railways? I should have! :)
It has been a while since I turned into a shutterbug. But why is that? Did I not see bright lights from the fireworks during Diwali that fascinated me? Did I not see that teeny-weeny water droplet on the tip of a leaf through which I saw a red shoe flower at a distance? I should I simply pulled my 'Click' and taken these snaps! :)
It has been a while since I updated my resume. But why is that? Did I not get designation advancement recently? Did I not attend couple of leadership workshops? Did I not succeed in creating a new change management framework for project roll outs? I should have updated my resume... :)
It has been a while since I bit into a cheese-filled sinful pizza! It has been a while since I bunked work for a long drive! It has been a while since I dialed a dear dear friend to say, “Hey! Long time... No News!” It has been a while since I told my parents they make my world complete! It has been a while since I called up my grandmother and simply listened to her without interrupting. It has been a while since I gossiped! It has been a while since I had a crush! ;)
So what was I up to all this while? :)
Exactly what most of us these days are immersed in: WORK-LIFE Balance, meetings, phone calls, mails, reports, status reports, review meetings, team meetings, wishing for less or no traffic, cursing a traffic jam, eating less or nothing for lunch, anxiously watching the IPOs and stock market... being Super-Hooper-Zuper Busy! :)
And YET Being So Very Happy!
Did I hear somebody say, "Ditto"? :)
Monday, November 8, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Stop the political vandalism called ‘Hartal’ and ‘Bandh’
If you ask me how I feel today about the political parties ruling my nation and my state: My head hangs down in shame.
If you ask me if I feel proud living in a democratic nation with all-freedom and prosperity growing around me, I would pity your imagination and walk away.
If I am asked what is that ONE thing I want to change in my nation, it will be the human insensitiveness of all political parties in my nation.
They make me feel like a lifeless puppet whose arms and legs are tied to their whims and fancies. My dream to own a car or home or travel abroad or grow my own farm or buy a gold ear ring, or go and sit on the beach side, even viewing any television program will depend on the human sensitiveness or social care or education-level or culture of the political party ruling my state.
Today what I get in plentiful is loose change when I buy a small bag of vegetables for a week. I produce INR 300 and get back INR 5 for a small kitty of vegetables ... most of it will be less than 250 gms. What I get is 2 ltr of petrol for INR 108 and thanks to the very badly managed roads and well-dug potholes the 2 ltr petrol will not take me even 20 KMS around the city! What I get is stinking neighborhood with no or poorly managed garbage management by the corporation. What I get is 30% less salary for all the 198 hours of I put at office.
I really do not wish to go down the spiral thinking about the pitiful state my government is treating me. Let me feel safe and secure in my state. Let me not fear a handful of goons who in the name of political parties call for a hartal or bandh taking price-hike as an excuse. Let me not get late to work or late to reach home to my lil one with a political party holding a protest in middle of the road.
I am willing to pay tax, I will think positive that tomorrow my government will patch up all the potholes and I can drive to and back from work in less time. I am willing to believe my neighborhood will look like the clean, neat streets of Britain from next week. I am ready to see positive image of less price for gas and essentials from next quarter.
But can anybody from the political parties calling for bandh or hartal convince me that all the above will happen with two consecutive bandhs being called within a matter of 5 working days? Can they please show the worth of me participating in their hartal by staying indoors by bringing down 50 paise for fuel or cooking gas? Does my participation in hartals or bandhs not show any result? If the hartal or bandh is against price hike, from the very next day it should cost at least 50 paise less!
If not my participation is a total waste and I will lose one day's salary at work too! Total loss!
And going by the history of hartals and bandhs till date, I do not see it being any effective as a civil disobedience tool. Gone are the days when a government took any bandhs or hartals as public ire or anger. Gone are the days when sincere political leadership had an actual plan to call for a bandh or hartal. Gone are the days when civil disobedience was the most powerful tool to bring the government or political system on their knees or change their ways. Gone are the days when public was considered human and their protests taken seriously.
Today it is all for media, publicity and keeping the next general, state, municipal or even panchayath election in mind. Today it is done to give public an extended weekend, today hartals and bandhs are kept around the semi finals or finals of World sporting events, today hartals and bandhs are kept to help a few flex their muscles locally or nationally. Today hartals and bandhs are pure political vandalism.
I wish me and my nation to wake up tomorrow to a hartal-free future!
If you ask me if I feel proud living in a democratic nation with all-freedom and prosperity growing around me, I would pity your imagination and walk away.
If I am asked what is that ONE thing I want to change in my nation, it will be the human insensitiveness of all political parties in my nation.
They make me feel like a lifeless puppet whose arms and legs are tied to their whims and fancies. My dream to own a car or home or travel abroad or grow my own farm or buy a gold ear ring, or go and sit on the beach side, even viewing any television program will depend on the human sensitiveness or social care or education-level or culture of the political party ruling my state.
Today what I get in plentiful is loose change when I buy a small bag of vegetables for a week. I produce INR 300 and get back INR 5 for a small kitty of vegetables ... most of it will be less than 250 gms. What I get is 2 ltr of petrol for INR 108 and thanks to the very badly managed roads and well-dug potholes the 2 ltr petrol will not take me even 20 KMS around the city! What I get is stinking neighborhood with no or poorly managed garbage management by the corporation. What I get is 30% less salary for all the 198 hours of I put at office.
I really do not wish to go down the spiral thinking about the pitiful state my government is treating me. Let me feel safe and secure in my state. Let me not fear a handful of goons who in the name of political parties call for a hartal or bandh taking price-hike as an excuse. Let me not get late to work or late to reach home to my lil one with a political party holding a protest in middle of the road.
I am willing to pay tax, I will think positive that tomorrow my government will patch up all the potholes and I can drive to and back from work in less time. I am willing to believe my neighborhood will look like the clean, neat streets of Britain from next week. I am ready to see positive image of less price for gas and essentials from next quarter.
But can anybody from the political parties calling for bandh or hartal convince me that all the above will happen with two consecutive bandhs being called within a matter of 5 working days? Can they please show the worth of me participating in their hartal by staying indoors by bringing down 50 paise for fuel or cooking gas? Does my participation in hartals or bandhs not show any result? If the hartal or bandh is against price hike, from the very next day it should cost at least 50 paise less!
If not my participation is a total waste and I will lose one day's salary at work too! Total loss!
And going by the history of hartals and bandhs till date, I do not see it being any effective as a civil disobedience tool. Gone are the days when a government took any bandhs or hartals as public ire or anger. Gone are the days when sincere political leadership had an actual plan to call for a bandh or hartal. Gone are the days when civil disobedience was the most powerful tool to bring the government or political system on their knees or change their ways. Gone are the days when public was considered human and their protests taken seriously.
Today it is all for media, publicity and keeping the next general, state, municipal or even panchayath election in mind. Today it is done to give public an extended weekend, today hartals and bandhs are kept around the semi finals or finals of World sporting events, today hartals and bandhs are kept to help a few flex their muscles locally or nationally. Today hartals and bandhs are pure political vandalism.
I wish me and my nation to wake up tomorrow to a hartal-free future!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Apple: My new car...and he is automatic :)
I am a proud owner of a hatchback. And yes, he is automatic. I bought the automatic car as I gave up in my attempts to drive another hatchback, which was like any other car: manual. I shied away from driving because of thoughts of shifting gears in middle of traffic... having to use the clutch and accelerator with proper timing and yet ensure the car does not crank or stop as I shift between clutch, break and accelerator, watch out for traffic, pedestrians crossing roads, watch out for wrong-side over taking, the traffic light, policemen who choose the shop canopy to shield from sun or rain and of course the lavishly distributed potholes! Phew! So much for driving!
I settled for the three-wheeler India-wonder called auto-rikshaw. Yet pangs of guilt hit me when I take out my driving license only as a proof of address to establish myself as Indian citizen! I would slide it back into the valet with a sigh and an assurance "Someday I will justify the laminated license to drive".
On a very normal day at office bumped into a colleague who used to be join me at the bus stop for the company bus. She has been missing for a month or so. I assumed she must have got posted onsite. As we got talking she said she has started driving. I opened my sob story of failed battles with the gear-clutch-accelerator-break combo. And lo! Upfront she tells me of the AUTOMATIC version of a hatchback of a very reputed automobile brand. I was speechless, DELIGHTED, excited, could see my dream-to-drive flawlessly....EFFORTLESSLY come true! :)
Five months later, I drove my automatic hatchback to office.
I was looking for a name for my new car. I turned to Happiness, my invisible muse, and asked… What can I name him? In the usual breezy, casual, cool yet matured manner, Happiness said, “Apple”. I was bewildered and asked “Apple”? But why? Whistling past me, Happiness said, “ To me he looks like the shape of an Apple and so is his colour.”
And so my new car is named Apple. Apple of my eye! :)
Apple was named after his colour and the first impression he gives when you look at him. Apple was centre of attention to many colleagues who had not heard of a car without clutch and almost gearless. Though they have heard about it, it was very interesting to watch them open the door, bend down to check if not a clutch what is in its place.... and ask "what is the L for? What is the 2 for"... so how do you drive without a clutch? Do you get enough power to overtake? Does he consume too much gas? .... And yet ask again, before closing the door.... "How CAN you drive without a clutch"? :)
I smile and reply.... Driving is meant to be enjoyed and not worrying over a few pads and stick. The traffic and roads provide enough subjects to worry about!
And to ensure Apple is always seen as an "all washed shining boy", I signed up for car care service in my office. I take him for timely servicing. I need to keep him oiled and running... take care of!
When I see my lil one fall asleep as I drive her around, I take it as a certification of smooth driving and feel proud every time I drop back my parents and little one safely, back home. I feel proud to zip past any other driver who is seen sweating in traffic, complaining of clutch, as I park in the basement parking of a mall, no fear of driving out or pulling from the packed car park smoothly, I feel happy to reach my parents place on my own as and when they call me, I feel being mobile and on your own makes life so much simpler!
I am proud of my Apple! :)
I settled for the three-wheeler India-wonder called auto-rikshaw. Yet pangs of guilt hit me when I take out my driving license only as a proof of address to establish myself as Indian citizen! I would slide it back into the valet with a sigh and an assurance "Someday I will justify the laminated license to drive".
On a very normal day at office bumped into a colleague who used to be join me at the bus stop for the company bus. She has been missing for a month or so. I assumed she must have got posted onsite. As we got talking she said she has started driving. I opened my sob story of failed battles with the gear-clutch-accelerator-break combo. And lo! Upfront she tells me of the AUTOMATIC version of a hatchback of a very reputed automobile brand. I was speechless, DELIGHTED, excited, could see my dream-to-drive flawlessly....EFFORTLESSLY come true! :)
Five months later, I drove my automatic hatchback to office.
I was looking for a name for my new car. I turned to Happiness, my invisible muse, and asked… What can I name him? In the usual breezy, casual, cool yet matured manner, Happiness said, “Apple”. I was bewildered and asked “Apple”? But why? Whistling past me, Happiness said, “ To me he looks like the shape of an Apple and so is his colour.”
And so my new car is named Apple. Apple of my eye! :)
Apple was named after his colour and the first impression he gives when you look at him. Apple was centre of attention to many colleagues who had not heard of a car without clutch and almost gearless. Though they have heard about it, it was very interesting to watch them open the door, bend down to check if not a clutch what is in its place.... and ask "what is the L for? What is the 2 for"... so how do you drive without a clutch? Do you get enough power to overtake? Does he consume too much gas? .... And yet ask again, before closing the door.... "How CAN you drive without a clutch"? :)
I smile and reply.... Driving is meant to be enjoyed and not worrying over a few pads and stick. The traffic and roads provide enough subjects to worry about!
And to ensure Apple is always seen as an "all washed shining boy", I signed up for car care service in my office. I take him for timely servicing. I need to keep him oiled and running... take care of!
When I see my lil one fall asleep as I drive her around, I take it as a certification of smooth driving and feel proud every time I drop back my parents and little one safely, back home. I feel proud to zip past any other driver who is seen sweating in traffic, complaining of clutch, as I park in the basement parking of a mall, no fear of driving out or pulling from the packed car park smoothly, I feel happy to reach my parents place on my own as and when they call me, I feel being mobile and on your own makes life so much simpler!
I am proud of my Apple! :)
Saturday, January 2, 2010
20 mins: Slices of life seen in a railway waiting room
I had only 60 minutes between my arrival and departure in Trichur. In between, I had to put my not-always-consistent signature on a few papers. Though I claim to know Trichur very well, I I am not well versed with the landmarks, expect for jewelry and garment showrooms!
I managed to be back at the railway station 25 minutes before my train back home. As it was a working day, I had my loyal laptop to give me company. My status on MSN was "Working from Train"!
On this day, my laptop is My Happiness.
I sat down in the waiting room, pleased at my timing. After a few minutes, took a look around the waiting room to see who all I am sharing the room with.
It is the devotional season. I had people of all ages and from all four south India states around me.
Devotees… Pilgrims… Peaceful crowd.
My attention was drawn to an aged couple. The husband and wife were not pilgrims. They were not accompanied by their children and I recollect seeing them at the information counter where a 6-foot something, slim frame husband who was in his 70's bend low to speak to the executive at the information counter.
They were seated two rows ahead of me.
While I smiled at the perfect body language, soft conversation, how aunty listened to what uncle was saying and how well they were taking care of each other, two boys accompanied by policemen walked into the waiting room.
What was strange about them was that they were handcuffed together. The boys were around 16 or 17 years old. They looked calm and not worried about the fact that they were handcuffed.
I was disturbed to see how young these boys were. How early in life have they got on the wrong side of law! What made them get arrested is immaterial at that moment, as it has already happened. I am not nosy for scoop but very disturbed at the sight of two young men, handcuffed and brought into the waiting room that had people, pilgrims, successful people, aspirants, men, and women but not charged nor handcuffed.
A dead silence blanketed the waiting room as policemen, with guns and the boys walked in. They were seated politely by the policemen accompanying them. The boys were aware of the silence and curious looks.
After a few seconds, like how a cloud cover the sun moves away, the room was back with the buzz, glances, straight looks at the boys but all done very subtly. Nobody wanted to be seen looking with curiosity at them.
Going by the profile of the people in the room, we had a mix of businessmen, professionals, housewives, working women and students.
My thoughts bounced between the three stages of life I saw in front of me. The two young boys; handcuffed. The aged couple who still found lots to talk between themselves and wife confident of husband leading her where they wanted to go. In between, the two stages was I. I had passed the age of the boys were in, I am yet to reach where the couple were.
I am with my Happiness, my laptop (Whatever makes me connect with my office and friends on a day of travel is my Happiness). I am waiting for a train to take me back home. I don’t have anybody to get information for me but myself. I am not handcuffed by law or society as I sit there. I wonder what extent of support I will be eligible for by the time age catches up with my movements.
Do they boys know, what awaits them in my age or as they see days pass by? Will they come across anybody else in this room on a later stage at some other phase in life? They have such a long way to go....so much more to see!
Uncle and Aunty, you have helped me set a very sweet aspiration for old age. Be with and support who you can hold a conversation at length even when in your 70's! :-)
I am still waiting for my train but the train of thoughts in my mind is running on time, no delay.
Happiness, are you there? I need you every day...even when we are in our 70's!
I managed to be back at the railway station 25 minutes before my train back home. As it was a working day, I had my loyal laptop to give me company. My status on MSN was "Working from Train"!
On this day, my laptop is My Happiness.
I sat down in the waiting room, pleased at my timing. After a few minutes, took a look around the waiting room to see who all I am sharing the room with.
It is the devotional season. I had people of all ages and from all four south India states around me.
Devotees… Pilgrims… Peaceful crowd.
My attention was drawn to an aged couple. The husband and wife were not pilgrims. They were not accompanied by their children and I recollect seeing them at the information counter where a 6-foot something, slim frame husband who was in his 70's bend low to speak to the executive at the information counter.
They were seated two rows ahead of me.
While I smiled at the perfect body language, soft conversation, how aunty listened to what uncle was saying and how well they were taking care of each other, two boys accompanied by policemen walked into the waiting room.
What was strange about them was that they were handcuffed together. The boys were around 16 or 17 years old. They looked calm and not worried about the fact that they were handcuffed.
I was disturbed to see how young these boys were. How early in life have they got on the wrong side of law! What made them get arrested is immaterial at that moment, as it has already happened. I am not nosy for scoop but very disturbed at the sight of two young men, handcuffed and brought into the waiting room that had people, pilgrims, successful people, aspirants, men, and women but not charged nor handcuffed.
A dead silence blanketed the waiting room as policemen, with guns and the boys walked in. They were seated politely by the policemen accompanying them. The boys were aware of the silence and curious looks.
After a few seconds, like how a cloud cover the sun moves away, the room was back with the buzz, glances, straight looks at the boys but all done very subtly. Nobody wanted to be seen looking with curiosity at them.
Going by the profile of the people in the room, we had a mix of businessmen, professionals, housewives, working women and students.
My thoughts bounced between the three stages of life I saw in front of me. The two young boys; handcuffed. The aged couple who still found lots to talk between themselves and wife confident of husband leading her where they wanted to go. In between, the two stages was I. I had passed the age of the boys were in, I am yet to reach where the couple were.
I am with my Happiness, my laptop (Whatever makes me connect with my office and friends on a day of travel is my Happiness). I am waiting for a train to take me back home. I don’t have anybody to get information for me but myself. I am not handcuffed by law or society as I sit there. I wonder what extent of support I will be eligible for by the time age catches up with my movements.
Do they boys know, what awaits them in my age or as they see days pass by? Will they come across anybody else in this room on a later stage at some other phase in life? They have such a long way to go....so much more to see!
Uncle and Aunty, you have helped me set a very sweet aspiration for old age. Be with and support who you can hold a conversation at length even when in your 70's! :-)
I am still waiting for my train but the train of thoughts in my mind is running on time, no delay.
Happiness, are you there? I need you every day...even when we are in our 70's!
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