Questions… Reasons… Answers… Actions…

ना ख़ामोशी, ना अल्फ़ाज,

होते हैं वजह जीने कि...

वजह ढूंढ़ने वालों को,

मिलते हैं बहाने हज़ार ...

जीने के... न जीने के!!!

बेमतलब ही जी रहे हो ज़िन्दगी

अगर सिर्फ ढूंढ रहे हो,

जवाब उन सवालों के…

जिन सवालों के जवाब ही नहीं !!!

Neither silence, nor words,

Can explain the reason for existence…

Those who search for reasons,

Will find numerous excuses…

For existence… or otherwise!!!

Living a Life meaningless you are,

                If searching for answers to questions…

                                Questions which can never be answered!!!

Life is a quest, a journey, an attempt to find, discover, and explore the unknown.

Celebrations...

A couple of days back, I had been to a friend's wedding. And also turned 33. Both occasions called for a celebration by conventional traditions. While weddings are "grand affairs", birthdays are relatively personal. But, both are celebrated, and I wonder why?

Not just personal occasions, but even community/national events… every other day, we have some or the other religious holiday, or some jayanti or punyatithi or a national holiday. Just another reason to celebrate or have a holiday.

What is the reason and logic behind having these holidays, and the so called enforced celebrations?

Then there are these “Hallmark” celebrations. Mother’s day, father’s day, lover’s day, friendship day, blah blah blah… it seems we need a special day to show our love and affection to our special ones… hmmmm

What is the significance? Why at all do we celebrate? What is the meaning and symbolism of particular days?

Largest Democracy or Banana Republic?

Few days back some bafoon from the "political circles"(?) called us a Banana Republic. Which is an understatement, if I may. It is a no-brainer. The current state of affairs is much worst... but still people went "how dare he..." nobody has the gut,s to accept the problem and then move towards the solution .. they are instead more interested in playing the "naive ostrich" ..

The first step of solving a problem is acknowledging it and admitting that, yes, there is indeed a problem .. and then looking for solutions.

If people don't allow someone to speak truth, isn't it a banana republic anyways?

Sleeping Beauties...

It is one of those nights.. Neo awakened by the blinking green cursor!! No, i'm not The One, nor do I lead a dual life.. coder at day and hacker by night! However, I do face the same questions, 'Who am I?', 'Why am I?'. Did I take the wrong pill? (Thanks Samee for the last sentence). Or did I take any pill?

No doubt, my work defines me. I'm making my own little 'dent in universe', by the work I do for living. I do wake up daily at around this time for our little princess and quickly go back to sleep afterwards. However, today, Mr. Mind has lots of 'work', technical details :P. Now, I understand, why soldiers suffer from sleeping disorders - awakened by the souls they put to 'rest'(?). Luckily, I don't have such haunting ghosts. But, have my own share of different kinds.. I'm sure each one of us has our own type of ghosts too.

This also makes me appreciate the contribution of my wife in bringing up our kids. Every night is similar for her - and this is true for every mother! That's why mothers are a 'respected breed of professionals'... no no no.. don't get me wrong.. I'm not equating motherhood to some 'livelihood earning' profession! But it is a tough 'job'! And unfortunately, it is not the only role that a woman has to play.. she's also a wife, she could also be a 'real' professional, and many other shoes to fill-in. Same holds true for a man - the focus somehow may be different. The species from Mars are more focused about their works, than let's say, looking after young ones.

So we keep on switching roles, but at the end of the day.. at night.. when we are supposed to strip out of all these roles and get some rest and sleep. Precisely at that moment, another role pops up!! 'Why am I?'-role, which is keeping me up now...

Many things are going around in life.. generally and of course, in a smaller sphere of influence around me and my family and our family. Makes me wonder where we are heading, as a race? Human race.. a race of people, deprived of sleep, by the ghosts of their lives? 

When will I find my 'white-rabbit'?

Being Human...

I have nothing against Salman Khan's initiative by this very name. It does mean something good and is a good ad-line. However, every time I hear or see this 'logo' on T-shirts, I go crazy! As if we are all animals and these blokes are the only humans.. makes me want to wear a T with 'being animal' slogan!

Guys, you don't have to remind us.. we know "We're all Human Beings"!! Aren't we?? Atleast, 'social' animals for sure!!

I really wonder sometimes, does wearing clothes qualify/justify the 'social' tag? I mean.. without the clothes, we're are the same! Same anatomy, same body, same appendages, etc. Then how did this species aquire the special status of being called the 'humans'? Remove the clothes and we're all animals! Isn't it? In fact, there are many prowlers out there waiting to attack and tear someone elses clothes!

Don't the animal instincts of human beings mean anything or something?

Why then the false masks?

Why do we need to hide our feelings and emotions, similar to our bodies? Why can't we bare our immortal souls, just as we seek pleasures of mortal bodies? Or are we too human for that??

Body and Soul...

Source

It is always said that the body is temporary while soul is immortal. Have been hearing this ever since my childhood. And I always had this dilemma or question about death in humans/animals as compared to trees/vegetation. Animals supposedly have soul which at the time of death seemingly leaves the body, rendering it lifeless. What happens with trees then? Do they die at some particular instant or moment? Or they don't have soul?

Nadaan Parindey...

Trips to my native place, sometimes, remind me of what I’ve lost by moving to a bigger city for earning a ‘so called’ decent living and a better future.

Indeed there was no other option left for me. With an engineering degree in my hand, I felt at that point of time, I have to go to either Bombay or Pune to get a good job and get on with life… face the world full-on… seek challenging avenues… fulfillment through work and career… utilize the acquired ‘skill’ and education for the betterment of all…

Self Realization

When the road ends and the goal is gained, the pilgrim finds that he has traveled only from himself to himself (was the entire journey a vicious circle then?)

 You pursue a path (less traveled or more frequented) to reach a destination. To fuel your ambitions. To achieve success. To amass wealth. To gain good health. Etc, etc.

  

But at the end of the journey all you find is you, yourself. Waiting for "yourself" to show up? Perhaps... Or was it you who walked all the way thru the ups and the downs, just wanting to find who's at the end of this 'journey' called life..

The truth is, as sages say, self realization is the key. The day you find yourself is the day you are attain an eternal, peaceful bliss.

Is this task so difficult? Well... Yes... But, it's definitely worth it... For then you'll have a clarity, unknown and unimaginable, to the people around you. You'll know all you need to know. 

Kids...

Kids, we all just love them! To think of someone who hates kids is like a person who ain't living with heart and soul. Such a person is just living.. living without.. lets put it in lighter words.. just living without any fun in life..

Personally, I don't have anything against kids. But, there have been certain incidents, and they keep repeating every now and then. For instance, every time I travel by train, the adjoining seats are occupied most of the times by people having at least one kid below 2 and one in between 3 to 6. One keeps crying and other one wants the window seat which belongs to me!

The Wronged Notion of Justice!

We have been traditionally told and have been listening to this notion of justice, "It is better to free a hundred criminals than to punish one innocent". This was the topic of discussion over the lunch few days back, trigger to these rants :)

While I partially agree to this "philosophy" or "governing rule" when delivering justice in a perfect state of affairs. However, I have a strong objections to this 'rule' when it comes to real world, where hundreds misuse this premise and go scot-free and only the innocents are trapped because they have no mean to manipulate the system.

Rang De Basanti: A Generation Awakens

A generation awakens?? An exaggeration?? A marketing gimmick?? An overstatement?? Perhaps… but remember the French revolution was ignited by a non-existent piece of cake and bread! Revolutions, in classical sense, aren’t the order of the day. And most certainly don’t happen by watching a typical 3-hour bollywood-masala flick.

But this case is different!

While coming out of the dark cinema hall with other people, some with moist eyes, some with a smile and some sporting a cynic look, I wondered… how apt this analogy would portray what I felt like. And many be a few like me would feel - transiting from darkens to bright light with a momentary blur and then seeing things clearly.

“Agar tum system ko badalne jaao, to system tumhe hi badal dega” (If you want and take initiative to change or improvise system, system itself will make sure you are changed!)

But, “No nation is perfect. You have to make it a better one.”

Inspire

Necessity is indeed mother of all inventions.. But many a times, it’s a motivating factor or a few inspiring words that make the difference...

In this world, there are many who exist, but a few amongst the crowd live... These few living people often do things which all of us want to do, but are unable to do. Some don't have enough time, some don't have the means, while few others find such an act just unimaginable to their limited vision..

We often find ourselves lost in this crowd... it’s a frightening thought... it’s okay to feel the fear, that's perfectly normal and human... but don't be afraid to such an extent that it (fear) overshadows your capabilities.. Finding the insurmountable human spirit will take you to the avenues, heights where others would look at you and wish they were in your shoes...

Migration

Migration is a phenomenon that’s as old as the human existence, perhaps even older. Almost all of the living beings migrate either for sustenance, shelter, better environment to flourish or simply to avoid unfavorable conditions. Human beings are no different. Since prehistoric times we can find many instances wherein people in huge numbers have migrated for atleast one of these reasons, quite often for a combination.

Modern times are no different. The underlying reasons essentially remain same. However we play around with fancy words and label them as brain drain, big American dream, refugee-camps, displacements, etc, etc. We have been witnessing this in many forms and have at times realized that such population redistribution brings along with them many changes, both good and bad.

Dynamics of Success

Success, acknowledgment, appreciation.

These are few words that you’d typically associate or come across reading inspirational stuff. Be it Habits-of-Successful-kind-of book or some forward about leaders or biography of a great person.

Below is an actual lunch-time conversation between two 3D-guys.

“What is success?”

“It’s simply acknowledgment by others of what you’ve achieved.”

“What about self-satisfaction then? Does a genius really care for appreciation of his masterpiece?”

Thoda hai... Thode ki... Zaroorat hai...

It’s a dog’s-life and everyone’s competing in this rat-race to leave others behind to rot and find that cutting edge over them. Avoiding the mouse-traps and fighting the odds till the very end. Look what have we reduced ourselves to?

Whatever happened to the philosophy of “Thoda hai… thode ki… zaroorat hai…”? these days no one seems to be content with little. Everyone wants it big, no matter what! Seems like “big is beautiful” mantra, for whatever reasons applies to everything in life. Right from the obvious ‘thing’ to homes, incomes, TVs, holidays, luxuries, necessities, people, support (mental, physical, financial or otherwise), kid’s report cards, chocolates, and the list goes on… you name it… and we want it to be as big as possible.

Where are we heading with all these biggies? Perhaps to bigger problems? ‘Perhaps’ or ‘For sure’?? You the mature reader decide.

Have's and have not's...

The world has always been divided into these 2 categories. The have's and the have not's. The blessed one's and the cursed one's. This is an eternal divide and has always been in existence since the earliest times...

Talking of the fortunate people, one can infer that their lives are better than most others since they have the means. They usually have all the enviable luxuries making their life desirable. Some are born with the silver spoon in their mouths while other carve their way to the top. In either case, it's a widely accepted notion that these are the 'successful' people in their own worlds. Few might even be kings and queens of their tiny fiefdoms. Success and happiness could be bought by the resources they have. This is the outside view, an external perspective, a bird's eye-view... However, the view from within may be completely different... Or it isn't...

Passion

• This is what I do for living…
• This is what I live for…

2 statements, very distinct, with meanings such deep that one could spend an eternity exploring the various interpretations.

First one is a set of actions that we enact to spend our lifetime, may be in a more comfortable and desired way. We are forced either by circumstances to adapt them or it’s our conscious and willing choice. Either ways we work, we work hard, toil harder and smarter to meet the ends (or is it just an ‘end’ and not ‘ends’ as it may seem to be?). It is a path we happen to travel on this journey of life. We pick up convocation, a profession, a skill or a skill-set (in our very own IT lingo) and devote our time and efforts to acquire a certain level of expertise. This level of expertise determines how good or bad we are at ‘the job’ (implying not the actual job but the domain or area of knowledge/skill).