Chase Your Dreams

Blah Blah Blah…

2011-09-21T04:41:00.000-07:00

Winston Churchill had once said “If you are going through hell, keep going.” The problem is I took his words too seriously. Six Months have passed since I posted anything on my Blog. My friends & followers doubting my writing credentials, which compelled me to come with some stuff otherwise I would be termed “Hibernated” except the fact that I am alive on facebook & twitter only. Things are same as then. Nothing has changed.

I witnessed a lot of things in between, right from India winning the Cricket World Cup after a span of 28 Years to India losing Test & ODI Series in England. I can never forget me & my friends dancing & shouting on the roads of Delhi (India Gate) on that auspicious occasion. On the political front, India witnessed a revolution started by Anna Hazare to bring Lokpal Bill into action much to the sorrow & gloom of Government Babus. Scores of people were found supporting him in his noble cause.

Here I would also like to mention my first encounter with Earthquake. What an experience it was? I was laying on my bed, yawning & waiting for that moment when you are not in your senses, the world of dreams, the world which is uncontrolled by obligation or the will of another. Then a sudden trembling of bed & I was shaken. Things got haywire. All my desires for a good nap were washed-up. It took another hour to bring things to normalcy.

On work front, yes it started off well. I got promoted to Assistant Manager in August. Someone had said a person works 8 hours a day only to get promoted as a Boss so that he can work 12 hours a day. He is right. A promotion always brings with it more responsibilities, more worries, more stress & more money. I am not saying that I am not happy. I am liking it as words like “Procrastinate” and “Dilly-Dally” are not in my Dictionary. Thanks to my Mentor (Can’t mention her name here). At least it is keeping me very much occupied. A week long Excursion has turned into some 30 Minutes or an hour of Team Lunch. Life’s status has changed from Available to “Busy”. Competition looms large in the Horizon and the word “Fun” is a rare commodity. Apart from this, I have again started reading Books after a long gap. Currently laying my hands on “English August.” Going to read “Animal Farm” & “Nineteen Eighty Four.” Orwell, here I come!

Just Yapping

2011-02-25T09:17:00.001-08:00

Finally, 2011 has arrived. Although there’s nothing to cheer about as far as my life is concerned. I am still living that monotonous life. Things have been normal till now except one or two instances when my bike bumped into a divider in between the road. I don’t think I need to provide any explanation behind that. More important is that I survived. It’s sad but true; I have finally come to believe that my personal life is at the receiving end. I know it must be unanimous with most of you, reason being all of you sacrificing plethora of your time in office, just to impress your respective bosses and increase numbers. Come on Assholes! Why the hell did you opt for MBA? I wonder most of you just love the art of getting your ass busted. Ain’t it?

It won’t come as a surprise to me if you ask me the same question. Am I frustrated? Why I am venting my ire on you guys? Do I need to consult a Psychiatrist? Am I a lunatic? Do I badly need a change? Well someone has said “If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.” In other words, when we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. Change is inevitable; it’s just a matter of time. No one can even dare to predict the inconsistency and invariability of time. Patience is the right word, because it is also a form of action.

After going through all the above, don’t apprehend any wrong notions about me. Neither I am laying my hands on any philosophy book, Nor am I practicing vigilantism. I don’t write keeping in mind that writing frequently would increase the number of hits and followers for my webpage. I am least bothered about these things. And this is for your kind information that I haven’t subscribed to any “Pay Per Click” Plan too. It’s just that I was looking for an apt title and content, but ended up with a zilch. I request you all to bear with me. If all goes well, I would soon deliver “Good News” to all of you. It’s just a matter of time. Just pray religiously!!!

Things I Miss

2010-12-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

You must have realized by now that I have been very infrequent in terms of writing since six months. I don’t want to enumerate reasons for this, reason being, I don’t want to piss you off by citing insipid excuses. Time has whizzed past exponentially. It has been apparently the most horrifying experience of my life as you won’t believe what I have gone through all this time with sequence of bad events flooding up my senses. These circumstances have resulted in further inclination towards atheism in me. Now, GOD is obviously the most hated word for me in my dictionary and my life.

I have given words to some of the things I mostly miss:

1) Home – This has to be on top. I personally believe this should be unanimous with most of you.

2) Friends – With my encounter with many two-faced people recently, my quest for a true friend still persists.

3) Childhood – This again goes in complete harmony with most of you. Who will not miss those days free from anxieties, worries, stress, burdens and apprehensions?

4) Sleep – Now, this is quite a task to comprehend. I can’t remember the last time when I slept well.

5) Peace – I am still trying to figure out the reason for the absence of this word from my dictionary.

6) Zeal – As the post suggests, my passion for literature is plummeting with each passing day.

Relationships

2010-05-22T00:58:00.000-07:00

If I am not wrong, my views would be unanimous with many of you that the term ‘Relationship’ is the one of the most sophisticated one in your respective lives. And as far as I think, you would not think for a second to conclude that Yes, this is apparently true. Be it personal or professional, many of us find it quite a task to keep up with our relationships. If someone is fortunate enough to carry on with relationships either on personal or professional front, he or she really finds it onerous to retain a right balance between the two, end result being his or her life turning into hell. I personally feel that prototype relationships are those who have truth as their basis. But from my past experiences, I have come to believe that the foundation of a relationship starts with a lie from the very first day itself.

I wouldn’t like to turn my post into an insipid one by sharing my own experience with you. But the thing is I couldn’t refrain myself from saying so, reason being my own life completely entwined in between both personal & professional relationships. But I have made up my mind now. I think it’s time to move on otherwise I would be solely responsible for screwing up my life. I don’t want to piss you off by providing you the exact interval between my successive days of consuming alcohol. As far as smoking is concerned, I am habituated of smoking 12-15 Cigarettes a day. Since last three months, I have been doing things which never intrigued me. I stopped reading books & watching movies, rather I found my latest crush in the form of indolence, alcohol & cigarettes. Now I have realized what an insane I was.

The worst thing is that I have been doing these ridiculous things in memory of those who never loved me or never cared for me. Damn! What a fucking guy I was? Now I have realized that if I continue with this, that day is not far when I would be considered just another lunatic. There are certain things which I have promised to myself; I will cut short on my drinking & smoking habits, I will again start doing things which always engrossed me & of course, I will again start considering my career seriously. And above all, except for my family & my three or four friends whom I consider my best ones, I will not pay heed to others. In fact I will think thousand times before involving in a relationship with any new person, be it male or female. In other words, I just want to restart my life.

Random Thoughts of a Demented Mind

2010-04-13T06:30:00.001-07:00

After pondering on each & everything around me, I have come across nothing as such on which I can write about. So I am just highlighting some random ranting which often come across my mind when I have nothing to do either in office or at home. These thoughts may take you by surprise. So I would advise all of you to bear with me & just go through it without paying any special heed.

Warning: These thoughts are author’s personal. They have nothing to do with anyone or any incident. And if they do, it’s a mere coincidence. They aren’t intriguing at all.

Ø I wish I could have been more specific about my terms with girls. At least I could have been leading a normal life. I always think there’s more for me to suffer in the offering.
Ø Frankly speaking, I have stopped thinking about what I could have been had I seriously concentrated on my studies. It only makes me sick. Fuck!! Not again!!
Ø The next very word that comes across my mind whenever I hear words like Love & Commitment is suicide. Certainly!!!
Ø I am still entangled in between what to do next & what I have been doing till now. I think I am going nowhere.
Ø I wish I could have followed Robert Frost’s saying “Two roads diverged in a yellow river; I chose the one less traversed by.” My life could have been entirely different.
Ø After devoting plethora of my time in office daily, I still think that I am doing nothing. I think I need to consult a Psychiatrist.
Ø Paulo Coelho has said “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” It’s just the opposite in my case.
Ø Someone has said “Laughter is the best medicine.” So I laugh, but the weirdest thing is that I have no idea why. Perhaps I want to hide my emotions.
Ø The other activities which always keep me occupied include smoking & boozing. I indulge in these things just to get transferred to another world. But I think I am so much used to these that I don’t even piss off after consuming plenty of alcohol.
Ø I like to pretend that I am not concerned about money at all. I think I am slowly & steadily becoming a big time liar.

After going through all the above insipid points, I am sure you would be thinking I am a lunatic. The irony is that I myself don’t know why I have written this crap or shit. Now I think I have wasted your time. Suggestions Welcome.

Solitary Confinement

2010-03-07T21:34:00.000-08:00

I had never anticipated that I would be writing something on the lines of this. I still remember that famous line from my favourite movie “Forrest Gump.” It says “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get.” I wonder if we know that life is a box of chocolates, then why the hell can’t we know what we are gonna get. It’s apparent that we are gonna get chocolates only. But there is nothing as such as far as my boring & insipid life is considered. Whenever I wake up in the morning, I wish I could fall back asleep again. Yes, my life sucks that bad. I am peeved of this monotonous life. At this point of my life, I need a close companion with whom I can share each & everything. Yes, you got me right, I feel lonely & desolated.

There was a time when I used to read & write frequently. You will be surprised to know that the last time I had laid my hands on a book was in January. And concerning my posts, the duration between my successive posts says it all. I had planned to read “English August” for a long time, but I couldn’t get time to buy it. And after quite a time, I am writing something which is nothing but a zilch. I can attribute my busy & hectic work life as a reason for this. For the whole month of February, I had to do shifts of 14-16 hours on daily basis in my office (Courtesy “Dobaara Zindagi”, a new program to be aired on Pragya soon). I got infuriated getting my ass busted on the airport daily to receive the guests for this program. You won’t believe what I have gone through. You know you are nuts when you know that you are going to be fucked by doing a certain thing & still you go for it. I can’t forget the faces of those morons & assholes for which I had to blow up my ass.

That fucking shit ended on 27th February. But the very next day, I was shocked to know that the shoot will resume again from 29th of this month. What the fuck? Oh my God! Am I using this ‘F’ word too much? I think I have drawn this inspiration from Eminem who uses this word at least 100 times in his one song. It’s blatant & true that I regard mishandling of employees by their seniors as an atrocious crime. It makes no sense. My life is completely messed up right now. It starts with getting up at 9 in the morning, heading for office, working relentlessly there till 8 in the evening, returning room & then questing for a sound sleep. I am sick of this crap. I only find comfort in smoking cigarettes daily & boozing on Sundays. I tend to forget to call my family members, friends & near & dear ones regularly. I think that’s the other reason for my loneliness. Either something is missing in my life or I am missing someone badly. I need to work out a correct solution to this dilemma. Sometimes I wonder why the hell I opted for MBA. I am paying a heavy price for it. I am screwed. That’s for sure.

The Trip To Panipat

2010-01-27T21:03:00.000-08:00

I have been so much occupied with my work of late that I could not realize how the month of January has whizzed past. It’s already the month end & it seems to me as if I was waiting for the advent of the New Year yesterday only. The New Year started with a bang for me. First I got my new Nokia 5800 Xpress Music phone on 6th, and then I celebrated my birthday on 23rd with utmost alacrity. I got gifts such as a Flower Bouquet & a Mufti Casual Shirt from my Colleague (Ankita) & my Boss too. But one thing that I’ll never forget in my life is the journey to Panipat on 20th of this month to attend the marriage ceremony of Ankita’s elder sister.

I had never anticipated that I would be writing something on the lines of this. I was taught in MBA that successful planning is very necessary to accomplish a work. I wish we could have executed everything according to our plan. We had booked a Tavera as we were 7 people. Also we had decided to leave Delhi at 5 pm having known that Panipat is only a two & half hour ride from Delhi. But, it could not be carried out as planned. The result was a complete mess which resulted in hodge-podge of subsequent events. At the end we were the real sufferers. To start with, we left the office at 6:30 pm instead of 5 pm. Then we were completely entwined in between issues such as whom to pick up from home & whom to not. Finally after all these cantankerous activities, we left Delhi at 9:30 pm only to realize that we are gonna reach late. But still, we believed that we’ll be reaching by 12. We were wrong. I think it’s time to unveil the suspense. We reached at 3 in the morning only to realize that the marriage is over.

We had never expected that it’ll take a Tavera five & half hours to cover a distance of 120 Kms. But that was not the fault of either the vehicle or the driver. The reason for that huge delay was massive traffic jam on the highway due to dense fog. It was quite an experience for me. I had never traveled in zero visibility. The temperature had dropped to 4.3 degree Celsius. We were completely fucked that night hovering on that highway with a speed of 10 Km/hr in zero visibility. The arcane silence of that highway always made us apprehensive as we could not see anything. We were totally uncertain about reaching the destination. It resulted in some petrifying incidents such as scaling a wrong flyover & then reversing back up to 2 Kms in that zero visibility.

Finally we made it at 3. It seemed as if we had traversed a distance of 120 Kms & a fucking 6 hrs ride only to have late night dinner. At last, one thing put a smile on my face. That was the smiling face of Ankita. She was very happy to see all of us there as she had lost all her hope. Only that lone incident was enthralling. Certainly!!!

Advent of Yet Another Year

2009-12-22T23:59:00.000-08:00

Time has whizzed past by this year. By this time of every year, we tend to make New Year resolutions with a hope that dawning of the New Year will fill our heart with new hopes, open up new horizons and bring for us promises of brighter tomorrows. We always wait for the New Year with utmost alacrity. But this year was not remarkable for me as hoped. And it was not remarkable for India either.

I had written something on the similar lines last year hoping that journey of my life in the coming year would be fragrant with new opportunities coming my way. But it could not come off much to my chagrin. First I could not find a suitable job until August when I joined Pragya & then I was diagnosed with Jaundice. Three months have passed since then, but I have not recovered yet.

As far as India is concerned, this year was not significant for it too. My notion might not be unanimous with you people in this regard. But I can cite various examples to prove my point & I have done so in my previous post also. Be it politics or cricket, Indians have not performed up to the mark this year.

Now I am again quoting some things which I am looking forward to in 2010:

Ø I hope I would be completely ensconced in terms of my life & my career by the end of 2010.
Ø I would triumph in restituting my life to normalcy.
Ø Indian Cricket Team would have the upper hand to attain their dominance in Cricket ratings. And we would be indulging in emboldening rather than rebuking them.
Ø Politicians would successfully abdicate their myopic nature. They would put aside their expedient belief.
Ø Crimes executed by politicians & some high profile people of our society would be strongly contemplated. There would be strident laws for them in the reckoning.

November – A Month of Political Turmoil

2009-11-27T01:18:00.000-08:00

This is my second post concerning ongoing politics in India considering my extreme antagonism for it. Incidentally, neither I had found any crave to debilitate my mind over this silly & insipid topic, nor I consider myself as a politics geek. But this time, I sensed an urge to scribble something about it. This doesn’t mean that I am going to turn my blog into an almanac featuring political updates throughout the year. Anyways, November has been a month of political turmoil indeed for India. First Sachin vs. Sena controversy, then the Liberhan Report & finally 1st Anniversary of Mumbai attack (26/11). Our minds have been consistently enervated due to these incidents.

I wonder what Sena had to do with Sachin Tendulkar’s “Mumbai for all” remark. This was merely seen as a political gimmick to prove that they are not behind MNS in any case. Bal Thackeray’s remarks on Sachin blatantly expose the mindset of the politicians. They are real morons in true sense of the word. All they can do is to unveil their ardor for votes. How dare he slam the biggest icon of the country? I think he forgot that his extent is limited to Maharashtra only, while Sachin is an icon for entire India. He is a world figure. Someone must tell Thackeray that no one knows his name outside India. Then it was followed by leakage of the Liberhan Report which resulted in political parties jostling to regain their foothold in the country. Soon parties started their blame game over the leakage of the report. I think the report was complete rubbish considering the fact that Indian Government has spent 17 years & 9 Crores to come into this conclusion. And finally we came across the 1st anniversary of Mumbai attack (26/11). We have not forgotten that “Black Wednesday” yet which had wreaked havoc in the lives of the people. While we were busy in remembering the martyrs of that very incident, politicians were nowhere in the scene. I wonder, “Who is going to fight the terrorists the next time they strike?”

I totally agree with Shashi Tharoor’s statement which stated, “With Maharashtra for Maharashtrians, and Kashmir for Kashmiris, where is India for Indians?” And before I start sounding like a reveille, I am leaving you with Vir Sanghvi’s take on this, “Elections are only visible proof of our democracy. If they lose legitimacy then India is sunk. Rest of us thinks of 26/11 anniversary and worries about terrorism, Thackeray worries about Sachin instead. I am all for free speech. But should we give front-page coverage to every statement made by a publicity-hungry fascist like Bal Thackeray?”

Feeling Cheated

2009-11-19T04:26:00.000-08:00

I am feeling cheated. Not by any person be it my friends or colleagues, but by the destiny; the inevitable or necessary fate to which a particular person or thing is destined. Now I want to challenge that power or agency considered as something beyond human power or control. When I was at home lying on my bed relentlessly & of course without any work, I used to wonder when I am going to begin my normal life. Normal here means eating normal food rather than boiled, not sitting in the office miserably without any work & adhering to my basics. I have been doing nothing since the day I arrived in Delhi except going to office & marking my presence there. But the fact is that there is nothing I can do about it.

It isn’t true that I have never been in this situation before. But that was a different situation altogether. I was jobless & incidentally I had nothing to do those days. I just used to live in fantasy of working in a highly reputed MNC. As usual, those dreams were also shattered. But I never complained. I always felt that I was solely responsible for my fate or destiny whatever you call it. But I am deeply saddened by how things are going lately. One by one, unfortunate news is flooding up my senses. First Jaundice & now I have nothing to do when I am on road to recovery. Even sitting in the office from 10 to 6 is not helping me out. My mind has been tranquilized due to repeated shocks coming my way. I don’t know what to do.

You must be wondering then what helps me to kill my time. Well, the answer is simple. You can always find me online while I am in my office. I have just joined ‘twitter’ & I have started enjoying this website which I feel is a helping hand for guys like me. Then I am always online on orkut, facebook, gmail, yahoo…….etcetera. While I am in my room, one can always find me either sleeping or doing something silly on my laptop. I always pretend as if I am very busy whether I am in my office or at my room. Thanks to the world of internet, otherwise life would have been nothing but a hell for me. Now I am anxiously waiting for my next appointment with the doctor as that will be a decisive factor for my well-being. If everything goes my way, then I will be able to live life to the fullest. I am desperately in pursuit of happiness.

Busy For Nothing

2009-11-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

For the past one & half months, my friends have been asking me about my whereabouts. This is not surprising for me at all considering the ordeal I have gone through during this period. Now after recovering a bit, I think the time has come to demystify their thoughts. I have been suffering from Jaundice since one & half months. It seems as if I have been in some kind of hibernation or house arrest during this duration. I have been totally cut off from the rest of the world. The only thing that has kept me busy these days is updating my status on facebook. Thanks to the insipid Champions League & ongoing series between India & Australia, otherwise spending time would have been quite a task for me during this period.

I don’t want to piss you off by telling what I have been eating & drinking during this period. The Doctor’s prescription says it all; Boiled food, Boiled water, No milk & No fry. I wondered how I am going to live with it. And I was not wrong. It has been nothing but a nightmare for me. Add to this, loads & loads of medicines prescribed by the doctor. I have been attacked thrice by this disease. It tranquilizes your mind. Nothing engrosses you anymore. You don’t mind giving a try to any movie. Even I have watched movies like All The Best, Do Knot Disturb & Main Aur Mrs. Khanna during this period & believe me, it has helped me a lot to kill time. You are not allowed to leave your bed, you can’t watch TV, you can’t work on your PC or Laptop, and of course you can’t have the pleasure of relishing good food........What the fuck? You are always on the sidelines watching your near & dear ones engulfing your favourite meal in front of you, but you can’t do anything about it. I have been busting my ass to recover fully from this disease by following each & every instruction of the doctor & of course my parents, but I have not recovered fully yet.

I think it will take another 15-20 days to recover fully, but I have decided to leave for Delhi on 13th of this month as I am fed up of these conditions. I don’t want to remain entangled in these things anymore. I want to live my normal life now. I am desperate to reach Delhi as soon as possible. And of course I want to get back at work at my newly joined office which I had left after working for one & half months only. Trust me, I had started enjoying my work there, but couldn’t get along with it. I can’t tell you how desperate I am. Hope this unrest ends soon.

An Introduction To Pragya

2009-09-01T22:06:00.000-07:00

It’s been quite a time since I had written something. One reason for this may be my busy schedule due to extra loads of work, the other being my incapability to think what to write. After busting my ass in HDFC Bank for nearly a month, I finally decided to quit. It was a horrifying experience for me. After attracting the wrath of security guards for trespassing the residential area of posh Sarita Vihar & violating the norms of Residential Welfare Associations of almost all pockets of that very area, it was very difficult for me to continue with it.

Now I am working with Pragya TV Channel as Business Development Executive. I consider myself fortuitous to make my foray into the broadcasting media sector. The office is located at Film City, Noida. Pragya Channel has been positioned as a wellness channel among public. See the irony, I had never believed in things like awareness, yoga, meditation, inner-consciousness, to name a few, but now I am associated with a channel which deals in these fields & of late, I have started believing in these things after my meetings with some high profile experts of these fields. Pragya has a very niche audience as it has a limited reach & viewership in India. It’s a part of CCL Group (Century Communications Ltd.) which also has other ventures like Pixion, Pearl Media & Mahuaa under its umbrella.

The other irony is that I have shifted to Sarita Vihar now where I used to go for door-to-door selling of accounts of HDFC Bank a few days ago. After failing in my attempts to go Office (Noida) from Rajouri Garden which is a stretch of 30 Km & a 1 hour drive by bike (I have purchased a bike) due to peak traffic, I decided to shift to Sarita Vihar as I didn’t like getting fucked in traffic every day. Now it takes only 10 minutes to reach office. I am in a better position to work now. Hope I continue with this job.

An Unforgettable Encounter

2009-07-24T04:21:00.000-07:00

Finally my wait is over considering my association with 2nd largest Private Sector Bank of India, i.e., HDFC Bank Ltd. I have been recruited as Sr. Sales Officer (Liabilities) in the bank. I can’t tell u the onus through which I had to go for getting this job. I had always dreamt of starting my career with a branded company. But this was quite a task post the economic slowdown which has wreaked havoc in India & around the world. Call this a mere coincidence, but I always wanted to make my foray into the banking sector as it is undoubtedly one of the fastest growing sector considering its substantial magnitude.

It was by chance that I met the Sales Manager of HDFC Bank in a market. He invited me for this golden opportunity. I appeared for the selection process on 13th July. But it was not easy as I had thought. 1st round of the selection process was a cakewalk as I was interviewed by the Sales Manager for only 15 minutes. But he told me that my last round of interview was with the Area Sales Manager. I felt that my ass is going to be busted in that round. I am going to be fucked. And I was not wrong. The interview started with an unusual question, “What is your blood group?” And then the questions were asked as rapid fire. One wrong sentence, “Sir, I can sell anything” and I knew I was a dead meat. The aftermath was not surprising for me as I was told to sell his Pen, the Tie & the Watch that I wore. The interview lasted for an hour. In the end, I thought that I had been gang raped as he was accompanied by the Sales Manager too.

I was curiously waiting outside the bank waiting for the Sales Manager to come & pronounce the verdict. And after 10 minutes, the wait was over with the verdict going my way. I can’t tell you how elated I was. I had read in a book that success & happiness are the progressive realization of a worthy goal. I knew this is going to be my first step towards success. I know, with this kind of job, the expectations will be high from me. There will be enormous pressure on me to perform. But I have put aside all such thoughts for the time being. I have been given golden opportunity to shape up my career. I don’t want to miss out on this. Hope I will stand up to everyone’s expectations.

Roger Federer - A Master Class

2009-07-06T23:21:00.001-07:00

Is he the greatest ever? This is the first question which strikes my mind when I think about Roger Federer. For the second year running, the men’s singles final in tennis’s most prestigious tournament produced a match of heart – stopping intensity. But this year the script saw a slightly different ending. Roger Federer sealed a sixth Wimbledon & more importantly, 15^th grand slam title, breaking Pete Sampras’s record.

It has been a remarkable summer for Federer, who won the French Open for the first time just a month ago. The year didn't begin quite so well for the Swiss great, with critics still talking about his loss to Rafael Nadal in last year's Wimbledon and speculating that Federer's reign was over. But considering that Federer's 15 titles have come in the short span of six years, it is hard to argue that he isn't the greatest player of his generation. It is enough to look on with awe at Federer's beautiful game and the way he never seems to be working too hard on court. He almost floats on the court and plays with effortless finesse and beauty.

Every great champion needs a worthy opponent, and on Sunday Andy Roddick played the part in Nadal's absence. Nobody expected him to put up much of a fight against the Swiss, but he played, perhaps, the match of his life and gave Federer a real fright. But the Swiss champion is in a league of his own now. Even if he were to put his racket up right now, he would be assured of his place in the pantheon of sporting, not just tennis, greats.

Like A Rolling Stone

2009-06-02T02:29:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favourites sung by Bob Dylan. I won’t say anything else.

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in
your prime, didn't you?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll,
you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

You've gone to the finest school
all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you
how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna
have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but know you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And say do you want to make a deal?

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

You never turned around to see
the frowns on the jugglers and
the clowns
When they all did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people
get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome
horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you'd better take your diamond
ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

10 Things That College Life Taught Me

2009-05-17T01:25:00.000-07:00

College days have eluded. And with that, my life as a student always struggling to get over with every stage of education has also concluded. My parents used to say "Study hard and get good grades and you will find a high-paying job with great benefits." This seems to be a distant dream for me right now. I didn’t get any chance of relishing college life during my graduation days given the fact that I had appeared for exams only then. But I will always cherish the two years that I have spent in AIMS. So I am going to highlight 10 things that this college life taught me which are:-

Ø Not seeing the sunrise. I still won’t be able to make it even if the Sun delays its appearance.
Ø Frequent use of profane language.
Ø New diction – Behenchod, Behen Ke Laure, Goli Dena, Chutiyapa, Haramipana.
Ø Bunking classes, Use of Proxy, Running out of class when professor is teaching.
Ø Smoking in all the intervals of 5 minutes between two periods & chewing Pan Masala in the class even if the teacher is teaching.
Ø Always arriving college late due to last night’s hangover. Hangover here means in terms of consuming alcohol & not what you are thinking.
Ø Starting preparations for the exams at the eleventh hour with my ass already busted.
Ø Getting good grades, not due to my preparations or efforts, but due to endeavour of my fellow batchmates. You can always get good grades even if you don’t deserve simply by imposing strikes & bunking classes.
Ø Frequent use of Deodorants, Face Wash & Sun Screen Lotions only to show off that I have come to college after having a bath which seems to be far from truth.
Ø Always sitting in between girls in class only to ensure that I complete my internal group assignments in time by keeping them in my group.

I know college days will not be back again. I am really gonna miss my friends. I am on the verge of starting new life now. So, it’s time to finally say ‘Bye – Bye College Days.’

Internet, Movies & IPL

2009-05-05T01:14:00.000-07:00

Time has whizzed past by last two years. I have already completed my MBA now. Truly speaking, I have no idea how time has passed so swiftly. I am on the verge of starting a new life. I am still waiting for that happy & content life. Until then, killing time is obviously going to be quite a task for me. But then, there are always some options available. In my case, I am being helped unknowingly by a gracious fellow. I don’t know who he is, but I thank him daily from the bottom of my heart.

Actually the fact is that someone has taken wifi connection for internet nearby. Since the signal being very strong, I also take the pleasure of using it without paying a single penny. My friends keep asking me about my always being online. Now I think they will be satisfied by my answer. I simply ask you a question; what will you do if you get a free internet connection with a speed of 36 Mbps & a downloading speed in between 180-230 Kbps? I wouldn’t be surprised if your answer is ‘download movies.’ Same is the case with me. There has not been a single movie which has released in the last two months that I haven’t downloaded & seen thereafter. Be it any Bollywood or Hollywood one.

And then came the live telecast of IPL matches on TV. I haven’t missed a single match yet. My favourite team is obviously Delhi Daredevils due to my close attachment with Delhi. I love Delhi. I was also supporting Kolkata Knight Riders partially, but I gave it a thought after their dismal performance in the tournament. They don’t deserve it now. My other favourites are Mumbai Indians & Deccan Chargers. Let’s see who wins IPL this time. The mystery will be unfolded on 25th May. I am anxiously waiting for that day.

On last day of the college, one of my friends had said that finding a job is more difficult than doing a job in this period of recession. For me, the wait seems to be longer.

IPL Vs Elections

2009-04-02T04:06:00.000-07:00

In the battle between the Indian Premier League and Elections 2009, Home Minister P Chidambaram has made clear that elections are a clear priority over the cricket series. With the kind of political turbulence prevailing in India right now, diverting resources is not justified. Which of the two IPLs were you voting for? The Indian Premier League or the Indian Political League? In other words, were you for the general elections, even if it meant cancelling this year's IPL, or would you have cast your ballot the other way round: never mind the polls, give first preference to cricket?

Following the attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, high-profile cricket fixtures such as the IPL matches are seen as high-risk terror targets, requiring massive security arrangements. However, with the national elections scheduled for more or less the same time-frame as the IPL events, it was felt there weren't enough security personnel to afford adequate arrangements for both the polls as well as the cricket. This has put a gloomy question mark on IPL 2009, entailing an enormous loss of revenue for the cricketing fraternity, not to mention the embarrassment of diehard fans who swear by the slogan that cricket is their birthright, and they shall have it, no matter what. The resultant controversy had virtually split the country into two: those whose first preference is the electoral process, and those who'd opt for IPL, even if it meant postponing the polls.

Put that way, the proposition sounds absurd, a confirmation of the view that India is a literally cricket-crazy nation, with an emphasis on the word crazy. Of course Indian cricket is plagued by its own politics, as everything else is in our country. Electoral politics, on the other hand, is more and more being shown up to be blatantly opportunistic, where merit counts for less than nothing and caste, connections and captive vote banks are everything. The poll dates, of course, shall not be juggled around for the sake of IPL. But, equally, why juggle around the IPL for the polls? As far as my view is concerned, having known that Indians are die-hard fans of cricket, IPL should have been given more priority or at least the same stature as Elections in India. If security personnel are a problem, why not raise a special force for the purpose, inducted from IPL-represented countries. All volunteers welcome. Except maybe from Pakistan.

13 B – An Intriguing Movie

2009-03-29T01:11:00.000-07:00

Do you believe in spirits? Have you had paranormal experiences? If the answer is in the negative, 13B would try to make you believe in them. There was a time when the horror genre monopoly was with the Ramsays who scared through shabby masks and gory facades. What eventually comes across in 13 B is that it has the stamina to win the marathon. The story goes like this.....

Manohar (R. Madhavan), an upwardly mobile middle class Indian, moves into a new apartment – 13 B on the 13th floor – with his family. From the first day in their new home, the women are hooked to a new TV show 'Sab Khairiyat'. The show is about a family eerily similar to their family, who have also just moved into a new house. As the TV show unfolds, the incidents that happen in the show start happening to Manohar and his family. Initially, a number of happy events take place and a lot of good things happen, both in the show and with Manohar's family. Then things take a turn for the worse and shocking incidents start happening in the TV show. Will the same happen to Manohar and his family? Will Manohar be able to solve the mystery in time before it consumes him and his entire family?

Writer-director Vikram K Kumar employs an innovative storytelling technique by not resorting to the antique body-possessed-by-spirit formula. Rather the horror is induced through contemporary gadgetry like cell phone, television set, elevators, electric bulb and other such elements of everyday use which the viewer can easily identify with thereby relating to the protagonist’s panic. Like is the tendency of most horror films, this one doesn’t waste time with the protagonist’s disbelief in the supernatural and the subsequent conflicts between science and superstition. The first half is devoted towards a brilliant build-up to the horror. The actual ambiguity unveils only in the second half with a multilayered flashback account. The novel narrative has sufficient strength to induce fear by itself and the film doesn’t have to blatantly rely on external elements like a spooky background score or erratic camera angles.

13B promises big entertainment while weaving a story around the small screen. The film spooks you with its (serial) killer of an idea.

Life In The Fast Lane

2009-03-13T00:16:00.000-07:00

Gone are the days when I used to relax in my room at night after attending my classes in the college & thereafter roaming in a nearby market in the evening. With the last term in progress, I don’t have time even to take the pleasure of a sound sleep despite the fact that I have not attended a single class in this term. It came as a bit surprising for me as I went to the college on 2nd & 3rd March to appear for the mid-term exams of this term after a long gap of 34 days. I had gone college on 27th Jan before that for the registration procedure for the ongoing term. Yet I went to take the mid-term tests, thanks to my batch mates for providing me slides right before the scheduled dates.

You must be wondering what is keeping me busy these days. The answer is simple. After acting swiftly for joining & then leaving the same job, I have again started searching for a better job this time. It’s not that I have not found any, but I am looking for a stable one so that I can spend at least one year on it & at the same time, it gives me pleasure & self-respect which was completely absent in the previous one. I know it’s a tough bet during this time of recession, but I still believe in God’s grace which always keeps me tickling. Except Sundays, there has not been a single day that I have spent at home. I have appeared for many interviews, even cracked some, but left due to the job nature. Many people will term me as an insane, but this is the truth. There have been situations when I had gone for the interview, but left in between just because of the meagre size or strength of the organization.

It is said that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. And of late, I have started admiring this. Rather, I have started conforming to this. I don’t want to focus on other things during this stage of my career. I have even stopped reading novels, watching movies & writing too. I only want to concentrate fully on my career for the time being. This situation will not be normal until I find a suitable job for myself. Hope my search ends soon.

A Magic Called Love

2009-03-13T00:15:00.000-07:00

This is one of the best poems I have heard or seen about Love. It goes like this......

Love is unselfish,
Understanding and kind,
For it sees with its heart,
And not with its mind.....

Love is the answer
That everyone seeks-
Love is the language
That every heart speaks.....

Love can’t be bought,
It is priceless and free,
Love like pure magic
Is a sweet mystery.........

A Date With History

2009-02-26T07:36:00.000-08:00

History was created on 23rd February. Country is on Cloud 9 as ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ swept 8 Oscars on that very day. The movie got the awards for best film, best director, best original score, best original song, best adapted screenplay, best sound mixing, best cinematography & best editing. But the day belonged to A. R. Rahman. He got 2 Oscars for best original score & best original song. He is the first Indian to achieve this feat. It seemed as India has arrived when Rahman walked on stage to sing his now famous composition ‘Jai Ho.’ Western dancers in dazzling pink Indian outfits danced to his tune, while gora men in traditional dhotis played on drums. The best moment of the event was when Rahman, in his first acceptance speech said, "Mere paas Maa hai."

As Rahman tapped his feet to ‘O Saya’ & belted out ‘Jai Ho’ for the audience in Hollywood, the transformation was complete. The real value of Slumdog lies in its interaction between the East & the West. It’s an embrace of Hollywood & Bollywood. It testifies to the potential appeal of Asian subject matters on the global screen. It’s fresh & full of curiosity. It can discover beauty that locals take for granted. It is an old tale told in a most unusual way. The movie had a budget of $15 million only, but it has already raked in over $163 million worldwide. Slumdog Millionaire is where Hollywood & Bollywood join forces to celebrate the glory of the human spirit.

The most eye-catching moment of the Oscar night was when the whole cast of Slumdog went on stage to receive the best film award. It was a historical moment for India as the cast also included Indians such as Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, A. R. Rahman, Resul Pookutty & all the children from the slums of Mumbai who had acted in the movie. I was so excited, happy & proud. I got goose pimples watching them on stage & seeing people cheering.

The film most certainly gives us an advantage as far as collaborating with the West is concerned. They will now look for talent from our country. However, the only thing left for us is to win an Oscar for a true Indian produced film. That would be great. A gateway has opened & we must make sure the best talent from our country is let through this to conquer the world with our cinema. Slumdog’s success is set to open the floodgates for Bollywood actors & technicians to showcase their talent to the West. Little wonder, then, that everyone’s greetings of choice has suddenly become Jai Ho!

A Legend Is Born

2009-02-23T09:35:00.000-08:00

On 2nd November 1965 a normal occurrence happened at the Talwar Nursing Home in New Delhi. Just like many newborns, he was born with the umbilical cord entangled around his neck. A nurse said that it was by the blessings of Hanuman and that he would be a very lucky child. He is none other than Shahrukh Khan whom we also by other names such as King Khan, SRK, The Unofficial Badshah of Bollywood, The Tom Cruise of India, Shahrukh, The King of Romance, etc. Shahrukh started his career on a TV serial called "Fauji" (1988) that won him instant recognition. He also acted in another TV soap called "Circus" (1989). He was born and raised in Delhi, and he was equally brilliant in studies and sports. There is not a dot in Bollywood that does not carry Shahrukh Khan's name.

He married Gauri Khan on 25 October 1991. They have two children, son Aryan Khan & daughter Suhana. Khan started out his career appearing in several television serials in the late 1980s. He made his film debut with the commercially successful Deewana (1992). Since then, he has been part of numerous commercial successes, as well as having delivered a variety of critically acclaimed performances. During his years in the Indian film industry, he has won seven Film Fare Best actor awards and has had significant box office success. Some of his films includes: Darr, Baazigar, Anjaam, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil To Paagal Hai, Mohabbatein, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Om Shanti Om, Chak De India among others.

He has a mannequin of himself in Madam Tussaud's Museum in England along with Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai. As a star, he opened the gates for other actors to do ads. He brought respectability to stars doing ads by endorsing so many products: Pepsi, Mayur Suiting, Hyundai Santro, Snoodles, Cinthol Soap, Bagpiper club soda, Clinic All Clear, etc. He has done a total of 25 ad campaigns till date. And then of course, he is a brand ambassador of various brands such as Omega. He owns three Production Houses in India; Dreamz Unlimited, Red Chillies Entertainment and Idiot Box. Idiot Box Production house will start producing Television Serials in India. He has already started producing Television Serials in India. At last, I want to repeat the statement given by Neha Dhupia, “In Bollywood, only two things sell, SRK & SEX”. I think it holds true to some extent.

A Dream Come True

2009-01-31T22:50:00.000-08:00

I finally got what I was vying for the past 3 months. I got the job offer on 29th Jan in an advertising company named Promo Works located in Noida. Actually my fate had already been decided on 27th when I had appeared for 1st round of interview there. After getting shortlisted from there, I had to get my ass busted with 2 rounds of interview on 29th taken first by the Project Manager & then the Director of the Company. I admit with 97 students already placed in the college, there is nothing to boast about it. But it’s true that I can’t express the elatedness on my face then in few words.

Although the salary package is not up to what we have been getting in our college till last year, but many people say that it’s ok in this period of recession. The most important thing is that I got my favourite sector which is advertising. Moreover I am accompanied with none other than my best childhood friend ‘Amit’ in this Company. He has also got the same job offer in the Company. We have already joined the Company as Management Trainee. The best thing that I found in this Company is the growth opportunity which we can avail to achieve success. Right now, we are undergoing rigorous training in the Company. We are basically learning to be familiar with the product & of course the skills required to sell it. This is the most challenging & at the same time intriguing job for me. I am relishing every moment of it. The best part of it is that I won’t have to attend those monotonous classes in college. I will only have to appear for the final papers in April.

I had read in a book that success & happiness are the progressive realization of a worthy goal. Now I have understood the meaning of the above line. Talking about 1st day of my job, I was really confused in myself after understanding the type of work I have to accomplish. There were many unanswered questions going through in my mind. Will I be able to do it? What if I won’t? How will my boss react on my failure? What if I would be thrown out of the Company? But I have put aside all the negative thoughts for the time being & I am currently focussing on my work. Just hoping for the best future endeavours.

Hotel California

2009-01-31T22:48:00.001-08:00

I am a diehard fan of international numbers. But this one is the best song I had ever heard. The song is titled ‘Hotel California’ sung by the Eagles Band & it goes like this……

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitis, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself,
'This could be Heaven or this could be Hell'
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (Any time of year)
You can find it here

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted; she got the Mercedes Benz
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat.
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget.

So I called up the Captain,
'Please bring me my wine'
He said, 'we haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine'
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say...

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
They livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis

Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said 'We are all just prisoners here, of our own device'
And in the master's chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
'Relax,' said the night man,
'We are programmed to receive.
You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave!'

Me & Sanchit: A Formidable Jodi

2009-01-18T01:13:00.000-08:00

All of you must have acknowledged the power of friendship in your life till now. Undoubtedly, it’s one of the best relationships that an individual indulges in. I have myself experienced the best part of it through my friends of school & college. As far as AIMS (My College) is concerned, my best friend there is none other as Sanchit Khanna. Our conjunction goes way back to the first day of college, i.e., on 16th July, 2007 to be more precise. I was astonished to see this emaciated guy with a strong intent of ardour reflecting from his face. Who could have thought that the guy in front of me is going to be my best friend?

We share a very good rapport among ourselves. Call it a mere coincidence or our wish; we have been in almost all the academic groups together either to give presentations or to submit any assignment or project work. We have been successful till now in accomplishing our task way ahead of time. IMPOSSIBLE has always meant I M POSSIBLE for us. Due to our consistency & dedication towards work, we have always been in frequent demand to be a part of a particular group. Trust me; it’s really a great feeling to be at the centre of all the attention (Especially from girls). And to our utmost delight, we had received the same throughout the first year. I will always cherish those moments in my life. We have also enjoyed the courtesy of amending the grades of some of our fellow batch mates.

Sanchit is more than a friend to me. He has been a mentor for me since the first day of college. He has always appreciated my work if done perfectly & at the same time scolded me if I did something wrong. Just like all relationships, ours was also affected due to some reasons during Feb-March previous year. That was the only time during which our relationship went through a lean patch. But due to the special bond between us, we were successful in overcoming that onerous phase. We have enjoyed every bit of moment together either in college or elsewhere, flirting with girls in college or to letch over them in malls.

But it is said that no one can challenge the verdict of the destiny. Fate has already decided that we would not be together for the rest of our life. We used to fantasy earlier that both of us would be placed in the same company. But Sanchit has always been brighter than me in this regard. That’s why he got placed in Indiamart & is going to join it from 27th Jan. This means that I will have to attend classes of 6th term (Scheduled from 27th) without him. God knows how I am going to do it without him.

The Exam Fever

2009-01-05T01:55:00.000-08:00

We have already bid a warm farewell to 2008. The New Year has brought with it a hope for us to live exuberantly in future & of course a chilling winter. The best thing to do in this type of weather is sleeping for long durations. But I don’t get such a good opportunity as my classes are from 9:30 in the morning daily. To make matter worse, I came to know yesterday that my end-term exams are from 12th January. Studying for hours at night in this weather seems to be next to impossible to me.

This term has commenced in 1st week of November & to be honest, I have not read a single line from any of the six course books yet. I have wasted the whole term in reading novels. I have always faced this dilemma during exam time throughout my life. Although I have fared decently in results even after starting preparations from the eleventh hour, I am fed up with this custom now. But thinking about one thing makes me elated & that is I have to study for not more than four months in my life. After that I will bid an ecstatic bye-bye to studies forever except the fact that I can’t refrain myself from reading novels.

I am right now reading Paulo Coelho’s “The Devil & Miss Prym” & probably finish it today. This will be obviously my last book before exams & of this term. As far as my preparations for exams are concerned, I don’t even know the name of the subjects being taught in the class as I have not attended classes seriously this time. A good excuse for this can be the incapability of the college to place us which has led to frustrations amongst students. But it’s true that none of the students is paying heed to attend classes seriously. Believe me; students are saying in unison, “Fuck the college administration & Fuck MBA”. I don’t know whether it holds true in this period of recession, but I also support my friends to express solidarity. We even had a spat with the Programme Director recently regarding this matter.

But I am mostly concerned with my exams right now. I am going to start my preparations from tomorrow otherwise I will be solely responsible for screwing my grades. May be, I will not be able to write for a long time now (Till 18th January), so please forgive me for that. As far as my placement is concerned, it has turned out to be a “Wait & Watch” game for me.

2008: A Year of Blows

2008-12-23T22:34:00.000-08:00

We are on the verge of welcoming the year ‘2009’. There are only 7 days left & we are already making New Year resolutions & preparations to embrace the coming year. We did see a lot of highs & lows this year. But undoubtedly, this year will be marked as a ‘Black Year’ by me & of course many Indians. Except for few accomplishments such as Mission Chandrayaan, winning gold medal in Olympics & defeating Australia in cricket (To name a few), this year has not been quite phenomenal for us. Instead we had to tackle with two dreaded issues of Terrorism & Recession this year.

Global Terror has become one of the most perturbed issues worldwide & its impact was also felt in India with attacks on Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Guwahati, Mumbai & of course saadi Delhi. Many people lost their lives & many were left injured. The most brutal of them all was the attack on Mumbai on 26th November in which 2 heritage hotels (Taj & Oberoi) were targeted by terrorists. Politicians keep promising & showing solidarity among people that we (Indians) are united & such cheap acts of terrorists of targeting common man cannot divide the nation, but they always fail to assure safety of the people. It was really horrifying & at the same time dejecting to see 10 assholes reaching Mumbai through sea & then creating havoc there.

Global Recession which started with the downsizing of the US economy has also influenced Indian economy a lot. SENSEX plunged dramatically creating panic in the Indian economy. Many Companies were forced to curtail their staff to survive in this vulnerable market. It has been a bad experience for the freshers who were going to be placed in Companies after completing their academics. Even I have not been placed anywhere as Companies are not ready to come for campus placements. I am really concerned for my future.

With the advent of New Year, there are many aspects to be taken care of in future. I hope we (Indians) all stand up to it. The passing year has given a lot of agonies to us which need to be overlooked as soon as possible so that we hope for a better future in the days to come. So let us say in chorus, "BYE-BYE 2008 & WELCOME 2009".

A Thousand Splendid Suns

2008-12-04T23:41:00.000-08:00

I have read many books (Especially Fictions) this year. But the one, which I finished reading today, was clearly the best of them all. I was really surprised by its title (A Thousand Splendid Suns) the day when my cousin (Rajeev) told me to read it. I finished the book in 2 days. I have always liked reading the books of Paulo Coelho. Actually I am a big fan of Paulo Coelho so much so that I have read almost all his books starting from ‘The Pilgrimage’ to his latest ‘Brida’. I have always liked his splendid way of writing especially in ‘The Alchemist’ which was truly an epic. I found reading the books of other authors not so intriguing. Believe me, I had to make up my mind for reading this book, but I don’t regret now.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is an unforgettable portrait of Afghanistan. It’s a story about 2 girls (Mariam & Laila) who are from different backgrounds & how does fate unite them due to which they find consolation in each other. I am not going to tell you the whole story; otherwise it will steal the charisma of this book. The narration of this book by Khaled Hosseini is truly masterful. Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love that is often the key to survival. It’s a story that touches the heart & after reading it, only the hardest of hearts could fail to be moved. It is a beautiful, heart-wrenching story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely bond & an indestructible love.

I recommend this book to those who love to read fictions. You should read it at least once. As far as I am concerned, my first priority would be to read Khaled Hosseini’s first book ‘The Kite Runner’. I have heard that it was also an epic & an international bestseller. I am looking forward to read it in next few days.

My Room-Mate

2008-11-18T02:54:00.001-08:00

It has been five years since I left my home for further studies after completing my boards. I pursued my graduation from a sleepy town of Jharkhand (Hazaribag) in 2006. To spend three years in such a handicapped town was a complete nightmare for me. Then I came to Delhi in 2006 for further studies & finally ended-up at AIMS. Throughout my life, I had been fond of making friends. I have five good friends of Hazaribag who are still in touch with me, although they are not in Delhi. I met Sunil (My Room-mate) on the first day of the college. I was sitting beside him in the class. I desperately needed a room & so he allowed me to share his room with me.

I have seen many people in life, but had never seen before such an interesting person like him. After living with him for a few days, I came to know that he comes in the category of those who show ignoble fear in the face of danger towards anything. In other words, he is a coward. As far as I know, he shows signs of a namby-pamby as he had lost his 2 cell phones in the bus; one in Bangalore from where he pursued his graduation & the other in Delhi. He is the most confused & sluggish person I had ever seen in my life. He always struggles to find a balance between his relationships & his desire to transform himself. His friends call him Bihari due to his Bihari tone. I wonder why he couldn’t change his tone in Bangalore specially after spending three years there. Some of his ignoble habits are:

Ø Putting cell phone & wallet in the college bag while in way to college. If he is not going college, he puts them in the under-pocket (Which he calls chor pocket) of his shirt.
Ø Keeping not more than 50 bucks in his wallet. If he is not carrying college bag, he puts all the things (Including pen & pen-drive) in the under-pocket of his shirt.
Ø Sleeping with all the doors locked in the room even in daylight, especially when he is alone.
Ø Checking that he is giving/receiving the right amount of money at least 5 times to/from the shopkeeper.
Ø Keeping distance from girls. He doesn’t even reply to the hiiiiis & helloooos from the girls.
Ø Planning in advance about the preparations of the exams, but starting preparations from the eleventh hour with his ass already busted.
Ø Assuring that all the doors are perfectly locked at least 5 times before leaving the room. He doesn’t ever forget to lock the doors of kitchen & bathroom before sleeping at night.

Due to above facts, I call him a Fattu, but I would like to tell you one thing that he is the best guy around. He doesn’t believe in political moves, he is transparent by nature, he doesn’t harm you by committing any misdeeds, he is free from profanity, and he is just like an open book. That’s what I like in him & so it doesn’t bother me to share my room with him.

Back To Delhi

2008-11-08T23:39:00.000-08:00

I returned Delhi on 3rd November by Jharkhand Express. It was a journey that I will never forget in my life. As usual, the train was late by 4 hours, but for many passengers it was not too late as according to them it is habituated of running late since its inception in way back 2000. The compartments of the train were in pathetic condition & as I had my reservation in the last compartment of the train, it turned out to be a nightmare for me. None of the lights & fans was working in the entire compartment. It hardly mattered in the night as the weather was cool, but the whole compartment was boiling during day time, especially when the train halted unnecessarily for hours near open fields. To make matters worse, none of the members of Pantry Car came in our compartment with food or water. I thanked God after reaching Delhi safely.

I had gone Bokaro (My Home Town) on 20th October & I stayed there for 12 days. For me it was a journey marked by both pleasure & sorrow. It was a moment of ecstasy as I met my whole family after a long spell of 4 months. Even my cousin (Rajeev) took out 2 days from his busy schedule to meet us. I was elated to celebrate two festivals, i.e., Diwali & Bhai-Duj with my family after a long span of 3 years. I spent most of the time surfing net in my home & watching movies. But at the same time, I was concerned for my ailing mother’s health. According to Doctors, her both Kidneys have been damaged by nearly 80%. Adding to this, she has been suffering from high BP since last 4 years. Her condition is deteriorating day by day. I don’t know what to do.

Sometimes I regret for not being selected in any reputed engineering college after completing my boards. I could have helped my family financially. But it is said that it is better planning for the future than recalling the past. So now I have decided not to feel disappointed after recalling the misdeeds that I had committed in the past. Rather I have decided to get placed in a good company with handsome salary from my college so that I can help my ailing mother.

Trust me; it was really difficult for me to leave my mother in such condition while departing for Delhi. But before leaving, I promised myself that I will help her overcome this formidable phase. And as the placement process has started in my college, I will see to it that I give my 100% to get a good job & keep my promise in future. Hope I prevail in doing so.

My T - Shirt Says....

2008-10-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

It’s quite amazing to see absurd sayings on T-Shirts nowadays. With the advent of skimpy outfits, fashion has undergone a tremendous change in the recent past. It’s a common perception among the younger generation that a person wearing Jeans & T-Shirts seems to be smarter than the one in formals. And I know, it’s a quite a task to change it. You can find most of the younger generation in these casual outfits, either you go to Malls or Multiplexes or any other market in Delhi. Even in my college, where being in formals is mandatory; you will find most of the students in casual attires.

Let me tell you, I am not against these outfits as I always wear them wherever I go in Delhi (Except College). And I find myself more comfortable in these outfits than being in formals. But I hate those T-Shirts which carry ridiculous sayings. It has become a common sight in Delhi, especially in areas having low profile. Some of the common sayings that I have seen on T-Shirts are:-

Ø MBA stands for Master of Bad Activities
Ø Why these kids are looking at me, I am not their Dad
Ø My Dad is an ATM
Ø My girlfriend says I need to be more affectionate, so now I have two girlfriends
Ø Why drink & drive, while you can smoke & fly
Ø I wanna f*ck U; All I need is U
Ø Not all men are fools; Some stay bachelors

To make matters worse, you can find some famous brands name such as Reebok, Adidas, Nike & Levi’s Strauss, on T-Shirts nowadays. To the utmost delight of many, these T-Shirts are available at very cheap rates (Rs. 100 – 150) in markets such as Palika Bazaar (CP), NFC, Jan path & of course at every footpath of Delhi. I always wonder what makes those insane people so exuberant that they wear these outfits. Whom they want to impress? Do boys want to impress girls or vice versa? Or do they want to show the other people that they are so smart & rich that they can wear branded clothes? What’s the point of wearing T-Shirts having ludicrous sayings? I always find myself baffled in finding the answers to the above questions. But now, I have given up as it’s almost impossible to extract thoughts from an empty mind. But I would seek an answer from everyone who reads this post. So, please help me out.

Fresher's Party

2008-10-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Fresher’s party concluded on 29th September in my college. It ended on a high note as the Chairman said that he had never seen such a party ever in the history of Asia – Pacific. It was really the best compliment that we could get. And I, being the member of cultural committee, was really happy to hear such a statement from none other than the Chairman. Although I had got my ass busted till the end of the Party, I was happy that we got good reviews from the juniors also. This means we are also going to get the best from juniors when they will bid fare-well to us in the near future.

But it was not so easy for us. The most arduous task for us was to collect 300 bucks from each student of our batch. It was very onerous to persuade them to lend some helping hand for the noble cause. I refer it noble because had we not given Fresher’s party to the juniors, they would also not give fare-well party to us in future. And of course, they would also not show any respect to us. I swear I seem to be on cloud 9 when they call me sir. It is truly said that to get respect, you have to give respect.

The party started at 5 pm, but I had to go at 12 pm with all the members of the cultural committee. I was in the committee of Multi Task Job (MTJ). We all were destined with different jobs according to our capability. The venue of the party was in Faridabad. We had booked a farm house for the same. It was an open & green lawn with the capacity of around 1000 people. The party started with enlightening of lamp by the Chairman followed by Director’s speech & then many events such as singing, dancing, laughter show, etc. But the most arresting part was the Fashion show by juniors for the selection of Mr. & Mrs. Fresher. It concluded at 8 pm after which we declared dinner.

It was really astonishing to see management students (Girls) in saris. They were all looking glamorous damsels in saris. It was really hard to keep my eyes off from them. We had prepared the best menu for the dinner. One can only guess about the size of the party after knowing the budget (Rs. 2, 50, 000) of the party. At last, the students (The drunkards) ended their tiredness with alcoholic drinks & cigarettes. It was the most refreshing part for them. We saw one or two incidents of brawl too after some juniors dared to use slangs in an abbreviated state against us. But they were soon controlled with the help of faculties. All in all, the party was a good one & its memories will be in my mind for years. Thumbs up AIMS!!!!

Delhi Blasts

2008-09-17T03:49:00.001-07:00

I recently read in a newspaper article that “We are at war”. The string of blasts in Delhi on Saturday, which killed 24 people and injured over 90, is the fourth attack by terrorists on a major Indian city in the span of four months. The attacks began with Jaipur on May 13, followed by Bangalore and Ahmedabad in consecutive days in July. If we leave out countries like Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, which are at the epicentre of the war on terror, India has suffered the most at the hands of terrorists in the past few years.

I have been living in Delhi for the past two & half years, but I have witnessed such a tragedy first time here. This is not the time to blame the government in power and point fingers. The two main political parties in India, the Congress and BJP, must be mature enough to realize that at this time the nation must be united. It is imperative, therefore, that they stop making political capital out of a national crisis; instead, they would do well to put their heads together to figure out a counter-strategy for which consensus will be essential. I strongly condemn the statement given by L. K. Advani that the Government has become a curse for the people. At this moment of crisis, some of the liberties that we take for granted might have to be curbed to ensure that those mother-fuckers, who follow no norms and rules, are effectively restrained.

It is evident that India possesses no effective defence against soft target terrorist attacks, and the Delhi bombings will certainly not be the last in the ongoing sequence. It is crucial, in this context, to expose the dishonest and diversionary political debate on strong anti-terror laws and pseudo-solution. The reality is that, unless effective machinery for implementation exists, no laws, strong or weak, have any relevance whatsoever & India’s Justice system is on the verge of collapse. We are Indians first and stop blaming Muslims & others for terror. Indians can fight each other on a hundred issues of political programming or power grab. But on the question of our sovereignty and security, we must stand united.

I was completely shattered after seeing the footage of blasts in the newspaper & on TV. But at the same time, I was astonished after seeing the spirits of Delhiites. Nothing can dampen the spirit of Delhiites. Even as the city strived to come to terms with Saturday's blasts, Good Samaritan stories flew in thick and fast. From hospitals which could not handle the inflow of blood donors and were forced to return many, to traders who did their own bit of community policing, it is clear that this is a city which has learnt to survive the odds.

तुझसे नाराज़ नहीं ज़िन्दगी.......

2008-09-13T05:04:00.000-07:00

Check out my all time favorite song from the movie Masoom:

तुझसे नाराज़ नहीं ज़िन्दगी
हैरान हूँ मैं
हो हैरान हूँ मैं
तेरे मासूम सवालों से
परेशां हूँ मैं
हो परेशां हूँ मैं

तुझसे नाराज़ नहीं ज़िन्दगी
हैरान हूँ मैं
हो हैरान हूँ मैं
तेरे मासूम सवालों से
परेशां हूँ मैं
हो परेशां हूँ मैं

जीने के लिए सोचा ही नहीं
दर्द सँभालने होंगे

जीने के लिए सोचा ही नहीं
दर्द सँभालने होंगे
मुस्कुराए तो मुस्कुराने के
क़र्ज उतारने होंगे
मुस्कुराऊं कभी तो लगता है
जैसे होठों पे क़र्ज़ रखा है

हो तुझसे नाराज़ नहीं ज़िन्दगी
हैरान हूँ मैं
हो हैरान हूँ मैं
तेरे मासूम सवालों से
परेशां हूँ मैं
हो परेशां हूँ मैं

ज़िन्दगी तेरे ग़म ने
हमें रिश्ते नए समझाए

ज़िन्दगी तेरे ग़म ने
हमें रिश्ते नए समझाए
मिले जो हमें धुप में मिले
छाँव के ठंडे साए

हो तुझसे नाराज़ नहीं ज़िन्दगी
हैरान हूँ मैं
हो हैरान हूँ मैं
तेरे मासूम सवालों से
परेशां हूँ मैं
हो परेशां हूँ मैं

आज अगर भर आई है
बूंदे बरस जायेंगी

आज अगर भर आई है
बूंदे बरस जायेंगी
कल क्या पता इनके लिए
आँखे तरस जायेंगी
हो जाने कब गम हुआ कहाँ खोया
एक आंसू छुपा के रखा था

हो तुझसे नाराज़ नहीं ज़िन्दगी
हैरान हूँ मैं
हो हैरान हूँ मैं
तेरे मासूम सवालों से
परेशां हूँ मैं
हो परेशां हूँ मैं

हो परेशां हूँ मैं
हो परेशां हूँ मैं

Life Sucks

2008-09-07T04:46:00.000-07:00

It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. I had read this line in The Alchemist (10th page, Last Para). When I was going through the novel, I found that it holds true. But now, as my life is going through a lot of juggernauts, I find nothing provocative in it. It’s not that I don’t have a dream, in fact I dream big, but nothing is going that way. To be honest, it has become an inane or a vacuous statement for me now. And before everyone gives a second thought to this, I know I have to demystify myself.

It all started with the commencement of 2nd year of my Academics at AIMS. I had thought that this year would also be the same, as intriguing as the 1st year. But all my hopes were pulverized as soon as the classes began. I had to bear the brunt for taking admission in this college again. There were same nagging teachers looking ominously at us & ready to devour us with their insipid lectures. It seems totally incoherent when someone tells you to complete eight subjects in two & a half months time with two terms in between. But I am used to this as I had suffered the same situation last year too.

That’s not enough. To make matters worse, you also have to give one presentation, submit two assignments & carry out a project work for each subject in each term (That’s an interesting stuff). Sometimes I wonder if I did something wrong earlier so that I am reimbursing for that now. Ok, it’s going to be fruitful in the end if I get placed somewhere, but it’s too much for now. Maybe till then, I would get my ass fucked so much so that I might lose my potential & audacity to survive in the organisation. I remember that day when the faculty of Advertising & Sales Management referred us as assholes & morons while comparing us with the IIM & FMS grads. A simple thought had hit me then; had I been in IIMs or FMS (Of course, by mistake), then what would have been my condition there?

But we should live in present, and at this moment, nothing seems to be ok for me. I have lost my interest in studies & if this continues for a long time, I would screw my grades this time, which have been decent till now (I like to mention this). Everything related to the act of reading & writing seems as a crap or a shit to me. I keep on dawdling over completion of an assignment or a project. Even I have given up reading Fictions & Novels at this stage. These things have failed to engross me anymore.

I am still confused why I am experiencing this, but one thing’s for sure, I know I have to mend my ways as soon as possible, otherwise my future is going to be screwed. I can’t say anything now except the fact that I am trying my best to overcome this formidable phase of my life. Let’s hope that I prevail in doing so.

An Indecent Proposal

2008-09-01T22:44:00.000-07:00

It is said that Love is unselfish, understanding & kind, Love is the answer that everyone seeks, Love is the language that every heart speaks, Love can’t be bought as it is priceless & free, Love is like a pure magic & it is a sweet mystery. You must be wondering why I am uttering these words. Well, the story goes like this.................

I still remember the date; it was 16th July, 2007. I had entered into a new world after completing my Graduation. I had taken admission in Asia – Pacific Institute of Management Studies for pursuing MBA. It was the first day of college & as usual all the faculties were busy in taking our introduction before starting to teach & making us habituated of their humdrum classes. It was then that I saw her first time. She had a perfect blue-eyed Mary looks in her eyes & I felt for her, which is referred as Love at first sight. Due to my flirting nature, it wasn’t difficult for me to strike a friendship chord with her. I realise now that it was the biggest mistake of my life.

We started meeting frequently. We often visited Malls, Restaurants & Multiplexes together. We started dining & watching movies together. And I always helped her in completing her assignments in the college. Needless to say, we had become close comrades. It was the fateful night of 13th April, 2008. To our utmost surprise, we had completed our 1st year. I was celebrating this fleet by dining with her in a Restaurant. Then, she suddenly said to me, “I Love You Sanjeev & I am ready to sacrifice my 8 year relationship for you”. I went into deep freeze after hearing this. You will be dazed after hearing my answer. I simply rejected her proposal & emphasized her for being in friendship only (I hate this sentence). Her face became pale & she left the Restaurant in a furious mood.

I don’t why I did this to her. She was already engaged to someone for the past 8 years. I thought that if she can dump him for me, she can ditch me for anyone else as ours was a short-term relationship as compared to her previous one. I narrated the whole story to my best friend later. He termed me as an insane person. He told that people always wait for their first fling with Love for their whole life, but when you got it, you screwed the opportunity. But later, I confessed to him & he took my side & inspired my decision.

We haven’t talked since then. I always find a “Fuck You Asshole” type of look in her eyes. Maybe I have done something wrong. I was unable to concentrate on my studies for a long time. It all seemed as a complete crap or a shit to me. It wasn’t easy for me to forget her at once. But now, I have moved on & I am waiting for new opportunities to come in my life......................................

MBA FROM AIMS

2008-08-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

Here I am again, but with more vivaciousness & zeal than even before & there is a valid reason for that as many Companies are ready to throng my college (Asia – Pacific Institute of Management Studies) for campus placements. This implies that sooner or later, I might call myself a self – employed person & trust me; it feels really great just to think about it now. My friends keep telling me that more or less you should concentrate on your communication skills as subject knowledge doesn’t matter nowadays & I, as always, believe in them without any repudiation.

Everyone knows that MBA stands for Master of Business administration, but I had read on a T-shirt that it stands for Master of Bad Activities, as also referred by my faculty of Advertising & sales Management. If you reckon me to comment on the above fact, then to be honest, I can’t admit that it is a false statement considering my college & my experience as a MBA student for past one year. My college has everything; Centralized AC, WIFI enabled campus, Nice Classrooms with LCD Projectors, Computer Labs, Digital Library with scores of books & a nice Cafeteria to hang around..................Can someone ask for more?

There are many rules & regulations to be followed too, one of them being in formals & with an Identity card, but rules are meant to be broken (I had heard it in a Bollywood movie). If you give a surprise vigil to the college, you ought to believe what I mean; you can see students hanging around in Jeans & T-shirt & of course with no Identity card. The most beneficial part is that you can still get attendance in a particular subject even if you have not attended the class by telling your friends to mark a proxy for you & thus you can fulfil the criteria of 75% attendance. As ours is an autonomous college, you get decent grades in exams even if you don’t deserve it simply by imposing strikes & bunking classes.

There are many gals in my college (Huh, that sounds good) & so you can see many couples (I mean unmarried ones) hanging around all over the campus during breaks. To the delight of many students (Especially smokers), many small shops are also outside the campus to meet their needs & wants (Which can’t be fulfilled inside) & these shops are also the best place to flock around during bunking of classes. Anyway it is a nice place for studies with all sort of facilities & we feel really proud to call ourselves Management students with good attributes. I won’t say anything about Management attributes as you can read about them anywhere. And finally, with placements around the corner, I can’t refrain myself from saying these two words; MBA ROCKS!!!!

Sting Is King

2008-08-06T23:54:00.000-07:00

It refers to an article published in Times Of India recently. The article says it all.

Imitating a popular song, it goes, ‘Sting is King, Sting is King, Sting is King’. Consider the sting that left Lok Sabha representatives red-faced for a variety of reasons during the recent trust vote debate. Interrupting a largely desultory proceeding, three members of a Parliament (MPs) from the BJP sprung into action flourishing bags full of cash to show they had been bribed to go against their party line & vote in favour of UPA government. The MPs told the world ‘This is a revolution, we have taken over the government’ & that this was a sting operation in progress. A sting operation which would unfold on television screens shortly.

But this was a sting in reverse motion! The players in the frame had upstaged the media by alerting the world to a sting in the typically spectacular fashion of the electronic media. The players had become the media; the news channel was a shadowy presence yet. It goes without saying that the BJP took this unconventional step driven by an unselfish aim – to expose the corruptible practices the Indian political class has nurtured so lovingly. If that is not courage, what is?

So, here they were, the sting players in Parliament, their job done, awaiting the channel’s telecast of the sting. The sting music had been put in a marvellous performance. Except, the TV channel did not oblige. Instead it decided to hand over the tapes to the speaker of the Lok Sabha. But the question still remains – who stung whom and, ultimately, who was stung? Was it the political parties, the Parliament, the news channel or you & me?

Delhi Rocks

2008-08-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

First let me introduce myself to you. My name is Sanjeev n I m doing MBA (Master of Bad Activities) from Delhi. I have been living in Delhi for almost two n half years. One thing I like about Delhi is that it is a place where u will find people from all classes, right from rags to riches. I find myself to be lucky to do MBA from Delhi, although I know there is nothing to boast about it. You will find everything in Delhi such as Temples, Malls, Shopping Complexes, Eateries, Multiplexes, Bars, Discos, etc. Delhi boasts of good food joints such as KFC for its finger-licking chicken, Mc Donald's, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Not Just Paranthas, Republic Of Chicken, Yo China, Punjabi By Nature, etc. You can relish the different types of cuisines here if you have got enough bucks in your wallet.

Considering the transport facilities in Delhi, the cheapest mode of transport in Delhi are the blue line buses which were earlier referred as lifeline of Delhi, but now they are termed as killer lines. One thing's for sure, if u travel at least once in those buses, you will say what the f**k is this. Believe me or not, it is hell of a ride. But one gets to know the importance of these buses if they are kept off the roads for just 1 day. And there are DTC (Dauroge To Chadhoge) buses run by the govt of Delhi too. They don’t pay heed for the waiting passengers as they know they are going to be paid even if they ply empty buses. But the most comfortable transport in Delhi is the Delhi Metro which is the pride of Delhi n I assure you if you get a chance to travel in it, you will definitely agree with me. Even if you don’t get a seat in it, you can still relish the situation either by peeping outside through the window or you can letch over hot damsels inside. Last but not the least, there are Auto-Wallas of Delhi who charge hefty amount from the commuters.

Anyways, Delhi is a nice place to live in and if you have been here once, you will certainly believe me. And I will always cherish the moments that I have lived here. All in all, DELHI ROCKS!!!!!