Graffiti ...

And today when I logged-in to my FB account, my newsfeed was full of status updates/videos/thoughts shared across by many. Felt like hitting ‘LIKE’ for a few of them, didn’t feel like reciprocating many of them and when today’s updates ended, didn’t feel like signing-off before penning down this piece.

The entire Nation mourns the tragic end of a 23-year old; every news channel has the same cover story since the day this heinous incident took place and every newspaper is flooded with reports pertaining to questions on safety of the fairer sex across the length and breadth of our homeland. Youths are demonstrating their anger, senior citizens are condemning the happening, politicians are continuing with the blame-game, some are sharing their contemplation via social networking (me included) and all are eagerly waiting for justice to be bestowed upon. All fair!

Time for some retrospective thoughts:

Protestations at India Gate seeking address of President/PM/CM to the country are respectfully accepted. We, as a part of sovereign India, enjoy the right to expression. But, will Mr. Pranab Mukherjee or Mr. Manmohan Singh or Mrs. Sheila Dikshit stepping out of their offices and speaking to the agitated people of the country serve the purpose? My total agreement is with the notion of making law and order stronger and more vigilant which is the need of the hour, but will this be a solution to our concerns? History is the witness of innumerable cases still remaining opened. In some of them, the accused gets a bail; some cases plea for further proceedings to happen; some wait for justice and some cases die in the shackles of helplessness. The Pune gangrape (2010) victim’s husband is still hoping for justice to come his way. And these are cases which are fortunate to catch attention and rise up with the people fighting for righteousness. What about those which get hidden behind the home-doors (domestic assault)? What about those which take place in small villages incapable of reaching the ears of the city-air breathers? We live in a society where a political leader thinks that the reason behind increase in the rate of girl-malnutrition in his state is a self-restricted diet followed by the teenagers in view of enhancing their beauty! Damage to public property, assets and people can never pave the way to security. The armed personnels perform their duty in wake of National security following orders and midway if some unfortunate incident takes place and harm creeps in some or the other form, again the same game continues: public blame police, police blames public!

The root cause is lack of rational thinking. It’s the responsibility of EACH ONE OF US to take care that such incidences do not repeat. When a woman faces acts of disrespect in open-air, she expects the surrounding public to help her fight instead of being lip-sealed immovable objects possessing nasal pipes within their bodies! It’s not only about an Indian woman, similar cases thrive on US land; Japanese soil; African reach-outs. Hideous acts like these are being committed equally by educated people shutting doors to the conventional thought that persists. There is a huge difference between being literate and being educated! Up-brining matters the most. The man who treats his wife like a princess is a proof that he has been raised by a queen. Circumstantial differences occur in everybody’s lives but it should never interfere with one’s conscience.

Today’s protest, tomorrow’s death sentence, sighs-of-reliefs, case-closed!

Annus Mirabilis!!!

Life seems to get more beautiful as the days are passing (touchwood). Dunno why exactly. But it’s happening. Multiple reasons attached to the same string. One of the reasons may be the fact that it was this way right from the beginning...with me…I wasn’t able to figure out. And this is true for every human being breathing on this terrain. Opportunities, responsibilities, power, growth, trust, love, gain, happiness, friendship, betrayal, weird thoughts, apprehensiveness, aggression, passive gestures, hatred, motivation, inspiration, irony, sarcasm, hesitation…all are a part of our lives. Their frequencies vary from person to person. I may not have experienced all, but yes…most of them by this point in time. It has been a couple of months I’ve been going through a very good phase of life and maybe it’s the reason behind this inscription. Some things leave an impression on us, forever (This might raise ‘some brows’, especially people who know me… cz I’m worst at remembering things: P) Jokes apart, I can visualize a ‘Yes’ from every mind reading this piece. And such stuffs occupy the most vulnerable place within us. Raison d’être: it can keep on bugging whenever it wants to ;) and mostly, it’s the jugular vein. We all aim for a great life, which should undoubtedly be the aspiration. In this expedition, we come across myriad hurdles. The peaks and valleys which come midway have an implication, direct or indirect. Some can be stamped upon easily; some require perseverance, some perspiration, some call for additional helping force, some leave us mourning and some seem invincible, no matter how hard we try. The lone solution which works on these is – ‘our inner self’. We have got one life, which is gonna gradually rest to peace some day. Why not enjoy every moment, every thunder which comes our way? Earlier I used to ponder over petty things, sob over the superfluous, find myself in dilemma every now and then, take hours to conceal my ready-to-show-up thoughts. Well, it would be a lie if I say I’ve surmounted each one of them. However, I can undeniably say it right away that I’m in a better position now to deal with things which come my way. The road to perfection is always under construction and I’m still a traveller. In this excursion I’ve won many true bonds and added uncountable generous mortals to my acquaintances, irrespective of their attributes of existence. There are some really genuine people, interacting with whom feels like the number of RBC’s and WBC’s within our body have started to realize their true efficacy. It’s not difficult to find such individuals unless and until we try to have one within us. Complexity seems dear if we possess the courage to simplify it. We can’t change the world around us if the seed is not sown in our personal fields. I’ve learnt some esteemed lessons till date: a ‘NO’ with conviction is better than a flattered ‘YES’, laughing your heart out uncontrollably may send across barmy messages to the onlookers, however, it’s never gonna cause any kinda injury to their spines as long as you have a compelling rationale for yourself, friendship is the finest gift to mankind, speaking whatever is valid/true/just/appreciable should be put forth at the desired moment since opportunity knocks only once, never lose hope in self, listen to advices but follow your heart, welcome criticisms in your lives as if they are “kuch-toh-log-kahenge.com”, aiming at the sky by keeping your feet grounded is the key to success, humility is the strongest virtue, maintaining an arm’s length from pessimists is a way to preserve a healthy heart, ‘sorry’ and ‘thanks’ are the two words seizing the entire world’s strength when uttered, clear conscience is the softest pillow, being a part of the crowd is effortless and leading the same crowd provides you with an edge over many, avoid things which may cause regression in future, sometimes your goodness may be misunderstood but every dark cloud has a silver lining, being compassionate helps being yourself, change for the good and not against it, owning up our mistakes makes us even stronger by heart and mind, place the credits right, every nut has its bolt...each one of us has his/her own share of happiness..It’s just a matter of time. Existence of an egalitarian society is still a dream, unattainable. Approaching people, articulating our thoughts, extolling others, being juxtaposition with sudden temperaments assist a lot in developing self.

It’s not a philosophical book I’ve read from and pasted stuff here; it’s just the pouring-out of my mind’s graffiti. Trust me; it’s the best way of expression. When the pleasing breeze sways away... kissing the cheeks, the stimulant achieved is priceless!!! 2011 had been a year of mixed feelings. Hoping for a pleasant 2012 as well. Having the least idea about the coming 366 days of the calendar, I’m keeping my fingers crossed and wishing for the best to come.... thanks to all those who have been with me in my ‘thick and thin’. Statutory Warning : Stay right there, we have miles to swathe along :)

Happy New Year folks!!!

A day that was..

Amidst work, there’s an unusual but valid thought knocking my grey cells. A couple of weeks back, I visited a nearby place for some function at one of my friend’s place. The destination was a merely two and a half hours journey by train.

The start itself was quite exciting. Left office in a hurry(work comes first ;)), after completion of the day's work of course!! :). Just twenty minutes remained for the train’s arrival at station and we were struggling for an Auto. That day, even the laziest fellow might not have passed by. After waiting for some time, we finally got one and started off. Kept on asking the auto-driver to increase the pace of the vehicle so that we could reach in time. Reached station and rushed to the enquiry counter for the latest updates. One of us got in the queue for the tickets of the passenger train. It was a break journey. Till a particular place (just 20 minutes away), we had to board a local and then continue in an express. Another blatant reply at the counter, as the folks are pretty infamous at that front. There was no time to spare for the behavior, so ignored it. Our friend got the tickets and we headed for the platform where the train was supposed to arrive. Meanwhile, we also paid attention to other options in case we miss this one. There was a sigh of relief when the fact dawned upon us that the train was late. Waited for it.

While having a normal conversation, one of us put forth an idea. What if we behaved as if we were dumb - not able to speak, only talking via gestures. Eerie thought!! But definitely a good one. ‘Should give it a try’ was the call. Looking at people, smiling away for some time to make the mind realize that we were unable to talk, telling each other to follow the rule, no breaking of the same was allowed and finally - ‘Thumps up!’
Began the Bohemain (for us) voyage. Assimilating what is there in mind, converting it to a thought; putting them into words; thinking how to sew them together; explaining the whole thing via hand gestures, facial expressions, eye movements…Bravo!!! This recipe cake was becoming more and more delicious. The public around continued staring at us for they were clueless about what was going on and their curious eyes revealed that they believed we all were at dearth of one of the important senses. The whole journey was quite exciting.
Being in a passenger train itself is challenging and the icing on the cake was our undertaking of being the way we not ought to. Trying to make each other understand what we were wishing to convey involved many things. At some point in time, when one of us was very much desperate to convey what was there in mind, took the help of cell phone to text it down. And that surely was breaking of rules. Forgiven! Next was the best. As there was no seat available for us to sit, we all were standing(20 mins were bearable enough). One seat got vacated and one of us got seated. One gentleman beside her asked about our destination. Showing all world’s loyalty to the character she was into, continued to remain mute. Explained him via gestures that she was unable to speak. And both of us who were standing were unaware of the on-going situation. The gentleman was deeply touched at her sight. He even went to the extent of discussing this merciful state of humans with those in his vicinity. Also, he pitied my friend. The train on that day might have faced the whole year’s signals not to go further. For a journey of 20 mins, it took about an hour and a half to get to the desired stop. We were worried if we were to miss the connecting train. After some time, we all were tired and sat down calmly; our eyelashes hugging each other…..
I still remember some things which kept creeping in my mind during this small expedition. We all started this just for fun. Didn’t realize it could have a deep instinct attached to it. There is a huge difference when a person ‘WANTS’ to convey something and when ‘NEEDS’ to. As for the three of us, we knew how could we communicate without words, being acquainted with each other’s ways of understanding. What about those who really are at the other end of the line!! My mind was following the heart’s direction when the gentleman’s words struck like a naked truth. In this small exercise, it taught a big thing – realism. How difficult it must be with people who are unable to express through their vocal cords…what type of temperament they carry with themselves when people around don’t really understand what they wish to convey….how do they express their joy, sorrow, excitement, nervousness, anger, high temper, …..every thought gets associated with the words we utter!! The noise within and the silence outside must be in the battlefield every single moment trying to overpower the other. We, who are able to speak whatever we like to, wish to, want to; find ourselves saying this many a times – ‘ How should I tell this so that the person concerned understands it???’. Now I wonder, what should these souls be telling themselves!!! Many such strings attached to the same subject…. The thought itself is scary sometimes.
My thoughts came to a kit-kat break as the train reached the destination and we found ourselves struggling to get out of the messy situation around us(passengers). The connecting train started moving before we reached. Another excitement – boarded a moving train for the first time in my life!!! The following hours provided some relaxation. But the thought is still fresh….we all are lucky enough to be able to utter whatever is there in our minds…just for a moment, think about those who can’t…speech is a double-edged sword….and probably that’s why we say – “Look before you leap, Think before you speak!!”

I’ll leave you at this thought... till then…enjoy the music of your soul!!

A windy tale

A serene feeling – which grips every heart, sometime, someday; the aura of which slides along the jugular vein; increasing the velocity of flowing emotions concentrated at a particular direction; due to which the whole world seems beautiful, is - the chimerical LOVE. No sarcasm, no irony. The following lines are all about a small statement. Read along to check it out.

You must have come across atleast one Affair D’amour in your life. One such story was with our Miss. Disappointed (Ms. D). Falling in love is easy, keeping it is all that matters. Ms. D, sitting near a window, in the memory of her beloved(who left her midway), wrote on a piece of paper that sentence which had changed her life then – “I LOVE YOU”. The memoirs flashed in front of her sobbing eyes like a camera roll, tears rolled down her cheeks, and eyes finally gave up blinking settling down calmly. Ms. D fell sound asleep. The air outside had some other purport that Saturday night. The wind came in like a careless whisper, took the parch of paper along with it, kissing Ms. D cold. This parch of paper flows across many lives. How it embraces different souls, follows next.

The paper reaches a children’s park and lands on a playing swing the following Sunday morning. A kid rests his hand on it and gazes at it. No idea as to what’s written, bothers least, his playful heart remains untouched by the most powerful emotion of this universe. Unknowingly, he tucks it in his pocket and forgets.

One – Done!

The paper finds itself in the hands, which have a daily feast with water and detergent. The maid at the boy’s place ignores it as something extremely unimportant coz it’s completely non-understandable to her. Quite fair. Throws it away in the dustbin.

Two – Shoo!

Next Monday morning, the paper struggled itself to get out of the garbage and the gentle wind takes it to its next destination – a construction site. The toiling hands didn’t notice this bit of paper.

Three – lee!


The breeze flew it by the roadside on Tuesday. A school-going girl(teenager) sees it. Picks it up, reads it. Gets lost in the memory of her classmate whom she had a crush on. But the pensive exam makes her rush towards the bus-stop while the paper slips from her hand in dismay.

Four – sore!

The winking Wednesday finds the parch of paper among the creative people. A dance teacher, while coming to her class happens to put a glance over this paper. The written matter instigates a beautiful story in her mind. The mudras in combination with abhinaya put up a great show for her.

Five – Life!


The clever wind took the paper down the streets on the thundering Thursday. A lovely couple finds it nearby, however, it doesn’t get any attention as the two souls were already experiencing the magic of it.

Six – Fix!

The un-futuristic paper then reaches a table by which a beautiful girl was sitting deep in her thoughts. Her lonely heart had no effect of the three mesmerising words.

Seven – Raven!

The freaking Friday found its solitaire with a 75 year old heart along with the paper by a shore side. The old man, who was thinking of his better-half, was cajoled to rewind his happier times. He was wondering why she left him alone in this world 50 years back. Flashes of his entire life came in front of his eyes. Wished if she were alive. The settling sun indicated his leaving time. Giving his weak bones enough strength to carry his soul to the destination house, he grabbed the stick and strolled away, leaving the bit of paper aside.

Passing through so many genre of people, touching many hearts, alike, the small bit of paper with three whimsical words “I LOVE YOU” was lying beside the shore exactly one week later, same day. After some time, the note slipped into water...got wet.....
Love is everywhere. The essence is felt every moment. Just it needs is – a pure heart to feel it and a pure mind to spread it.

The Inexplicable

Sitting calmly; before sleep; thinking about self, people around who matter in life, things which add meaning to my existence ...etc,etc. Feels good to be back. It’s been long since I held a pen and paper to express my thoughts. A feeling of deja vu creeps in at this moment. Such an abstraction of human mind creates a sense of belongingness to everything. Strange, but true!
Life has changed a lot. There was a time when I didn’t feel the need to explain myself to people. Everything used to be self-explanatory. There used to be a plain talk, that talk used to go manifolds and end up with a feel-good factor having a hidden message saying – Enjoy this moment, it won’t return. This is it! At that point in time, never gave a thought about how would life be after this, without such things, people, situations. May be, never felt the need to.
And now I am. Altogether in a different environment. New people, surroundings, way of reciprocating. World is very different. Coming out of one’s shell makes the person realize the reality. The outside world is not as I perceived it to be. Reason may be hidden in the fact that I was never exposed to it earlier. People are different, the way each person thinks is different. It becomes difficult to make a consensus. Showing dislikeness is acceptable. Every individual has the right to expression. If it tends to create rift among people, it’s better to keep it to self. This applies to certain situations as well wherein clearing out matters is not possible. And where there is a hope of doing so, people take it otherwise. Also, there is no dearth of “Doubting Thomas’s” around, either.
That was all about natural behaviour of people which is invincible.
Next comes self analysis.
Change of state of mind has become frequent these days. Thinking about a thing links to another one which sometimes brings a curve across my face. It makes me feel good walking down the memory lane. It even happened once when I was supposed to call someone and after placing the call I suddenly realized that it was a wrong dial. Happens. It’s also difficult to make people understand what you think. If it’s not properly conveyed, the whole thing gets messy. People who are sycophant are a challenge to handle. I simply hate those who don’t even care if a known person is passing by(it’s taken if you haven’t noticed the person). An acknowledgement always makes you aware of the fact that a certain person is connected to you in some way. Body-language plays a key role in passing the right message. No offence to people who don’t agree with the above.
Now comes the generalisation of the whole story.
A man is all alone. Friends, acquaintances, business-connections are attributes which/who help us lead our lives in a simpler way. Of course, priorities differ and they should, in fact. Facing the obstacles boldly and finding a solution is the real test. Expect little, give much. Care a damn about the person who feels the same for you(there is hardly anyone if you are genuine ;) conditions apply...). Try to avoid negative thoughts, people. Feel the dextrous. Think rational, be real. That’s the key. I’m still trying to explore the mystries of the world. I’m glad that I’ve come across some good souls in this expedition. Meeting them, adds flavour to life. This journey is becoming interesting day-by-day. Hope it continues likewise. Feel free to share and add more if you’ve experienced such things in your lives too. Now, it feels great being myself. Back in ation. Watch out this space for more!!! Till then, keep smiling.

Utopia 1

As I sit down to write this piece, there’s a mesmerizing scene outside – I’m witnessing a heavy downpour!! After a break of one whole week, again the mighty blow of monsoon. Feels great!! But it makes me think of the fact that it’s June end. There are myriad examples from our day-to-day lives which, I believe, are of utmost importance and need to be taken care of but unfortunately are left behind. We all imagine of a world which would get better as days pass, a world free from sins and atrocities. If you don’t imagine likewise, I appreciate you for being realistic but pity you for not being rational. So now, there are two things you can do: either skip reading further coz we’ll be going through a journey involving small things which make huge differences (not for REALS) or, go through it and decide for yourself.
Some instances of our lives follow which I really can’t understand why can’t they be the other way round…
1. We see many kids playing around our homes, in apartment lobbies, playgrounds etc. (especially outdoor activities considered). They enjoy playing & are engrossed in themselves. When they play on streets ,where there are more chances of hindrances, if by any way their playing gets disturbed, just lend an ear to their conversation. It’s a perfect blend of arrogance, disobedience, anger, attitude and vigilance. All we can do is – ignore!! (bachche hai..) I agree that not all fit into this bracket but what about those who fit in? This definitely is not a good behavior to carry f/w. Who’s to be blamed?? Dunno?!?!? Let there be peace…….
2. A pure & subtle relationship – between parents & children. No need to discuss about its purity but due to some wild reasons, has become messy. Peer pressure & mishandled children. Why can’t parents understand what their child needs & why can’t the children make their parents proud by enjoying the just?? Let there be peace……….
3. Well, this point of mine is not at all an objection but a wonderment at how some things and people can make one go crazy… I’m talking about the Bollywood actress – Katrina Kaif. She can’t read, write and speak Hindi still she is a superstar with her fan list increasing infinitely so also is her charge per movie ;-) Oh, come on!! It’s a big game misunderstood by many. Let there be peace…….
4. The least bothered but the most important part of our homes – the dustbin, is not made the right use of at many places. If u reside in a flat, it’s not a regular sight. But for those who have independent establishments would have come across a problem – garbage getting collected near the entrance gate. I can’t make out why people don’t think of the right ways! Morally, to keep the surroundings clean one should collect the garbage & put in the dustbin. Many people have the good habit of collecting the garbage from their area but the worst habit of dumping it at the boundary line of their neighbors!! Ridiculous!! I guess none of the 206 bones gets affected if the garbage is properly dumped in the respective dustbins. Let there be peace………
5. When a person does something wrong & anyone witnesses the wrong doing, the accused is in a state of guilt. The lone feeling of committing a sin is enough for the accused to confess. But some blatant creatures are there on this planet who are unbelievable! I’m talking about Ajmal Kasab. I wonder, at such an age how can a person unite all his energies to work against humanity! Circumstances make one lame but there’s always a way out. This also makes me think of all those who destroy mankind for other men. Absolute pity for the brains which can work wonders. Let there be peace………
6. Another small happening, least bothered – our street-lights working in the daylight & remaining blind during nights!! I was listening to a Radio Station at which the RJ was discussing the same problem & he was out with a suggestion. The Corporation authorities can provide switches at suitable places for the street-lights. We have so many old people coming out of their homes for morning &evening walks. Why can’t they be given the responsibility of operating the switches to avoid wastage of valuable energy? After all , they are the most reliable and responsible!! This implementation will take ages to digest. Lack of faith, I guess. Huh…….Let there be peace………..
7. Recent happenings in towns & cities found a place as my seventh point – Honour Killings! I feel ashamed of such people. What type of pleasure are they seeking for their families by killing those whom they loved their entire lives?!?!? Clueless about the mentality of gentlemen and ladies!! Truly….Let there be peace……….

There are a lot many situations in our living scenarios which make us think opposite. This is gonna become lengthier so I’ll put them in parts. When I’ll get another set of seven, it’ll be UTOPIA 2. An appeal – think of the right way, follow the just. Till then………..Let there be peace!!

An illimitable gift

It’s not the usual way of opening a write-up but being rhetoric doesn’t always mean a jargon! So here comes the query : Have you been friends with anyone? As I said earlier, it’s a rhetoric. It’s a lovely feeling when u get to know people around you, get woven into a tangible fabric called friendship, enjoy every moment, everything seems magical…. The reason behind sharing such an immaculate part of our lives is not to put an end to its aura but to enliven the spirit.

Just ponder for a while – you are alone, you find no other soul to share your feelings with, no company to be with, no conversations to get involved in, no celebrations….leading an eerie life!! Sounds ridiculous! After all, each one of us requires a mate who will always be there, no matter what may come. Having your family with you is incomparable to the fact that you have myriad friends. They are two different worlds.

Though this frenzy journey begins from childhood, the ordeal comes later. Friendship can be true, mean, short-lived, everlasting. Will he/she be a good friend of mine? Can I trust him/her? Such questions do arise but not at the advent of it. Or should I put it this way – are they needed at all? How can a person be judged in the first meeting itself? And on top of all, the rumours about an individual makes him/her an imperfect company to be with. These are the actual happenings and no exaggerations. I’ve experienced such instances and learnt a lot, so sharing them is never a loss!

It’s true that we can’t have Samaritans all our way but we do have some of them. There are so many genre of individuals around us – sycophants, incredulous, sordid, apposite, mediocre… finding friends from this pool is not an easy task. But why to think so much when what we need is so little – an impregnable bond. This is where most of us fail. A person’s identity is neither written on his/her face nor it is in need of recommendations. Why can’t a true friendship be built on a true foundation?!? Again, ‘friendship’ is mostly misunderstood as a ‘relationship’ which gives rise to yet another question : can’t boys and girls be ‘friends’ ? (A good topic to debate upon…..some other time though ;-)) A friend is one with whom we can spend our lifetime, fearlessly. It is the richest gift of nature. A real and true friendship is free from the clutches of tenterhooks. Meeting people, knowing them, getting closer, sharing joys and sorrows makes every day count. While handling such a tender string new beads are bound to get involved. That does never mean one should forget the starting beads which made it stronger. It really hurts when old ones get sidelined due to new entrantsL

Repercussions are many but the strongest is – veracity. As it’s said : bring-in new ones but keep the old coz new ones are silver and old ones are gold. (I never expected myself to have been through this. Thanks to some… experience is a gr8 teacher) So friends, value every soul that makes you smile even for a moment, forgive those who hurt you for they helped you learn a lesson, spread your love and never cry in friendship cz for whom you cry may not deserve it and who deserves it, will never let you cry. There’s no other thing as important as that of returning thanks, so here I go… A true and big “THANKS” to all my pals who made me realize what life is and helped me grow as a person. Cheers!!