The cycle of Life and Death...

Few days back, I ran into this conversation with an ol' pal.

Is Life an Equation?

How nice it would have been if biological evolution, morality, ethics and human relations were governed by equations. Equations like the ones governing laws of physics and marvels of engineering.

While few mortals are worried about who said what and why, and why me ... others spend sleepless nights wondering what is happening to world and humanity ...

Why is life so mysteriously difficult to comprehend??

Al said it long ago, "Any stupid can make things complex, it takes a real genius to simplify things". I feel and wish, I could simplify the complexities surrounding me, at the very least, if not the complexities around the world! But I confess being driven to stupidity every now and then, either willfully or forcefully!

That's the beauty of life, I guess. Wish I had the wisdom to appreciate it in a better way... with some simple equation ... but life is never fair, the two sides of the equation are never equal! To find the correlation is even more difficult!!

So it continues ... the journey of exploring the mysterious equations... from unknown to the known!!! Some day perhaps I would understand...

Link to similar posts 

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'?

Social Media!

Once upon a time, every newcomer in the corporate IT world used to have fun with the most widely used communication tool - Email. And the fun was 'forwards'. Remember hitting 'Crtl+F' and 'Alt+Enter' impulsively and shooting a mail with 'FWD' in subject line, perhaps coupled with some other keywords to ensure 'safety'! ;) And then, there were blokes who used to religiously send Thought-For-The-Day or Good-Morning mails as a daily ritual! There were forwards of good-luck or bad-luck striking if one forwarded the mail to x number of recipients, or fund-raising for some sick child - for every forward 1$ will be credited, or blonde-jokes, or about some social-cause, or some product promotions.. variety of subjects.. I vividly remember same images being recirculated with different stories! While few others just plain, out-rightly fake news, stories or urban-legends! And of course, there was also the spamming on personal mail-ids. Over a period of time people could sensibly judge and decide what is true and what is not!

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?

Love All - Part 4

Someone posted this image on FB and triggered a series of comments from few 'friends'... Things went nasty after few rounds and then the inevitable happened. One guy was forced out of the discussion. One bowed away (see below). Makes me wonder sometimes what the world has turned into :(

Take Care

It is said that where science ends, religion and philosophy begins. This would essentially mean that the people of the world can be divided in two classes. Believers and Reasonable. This is a very crude classification, but let’s say this is how it is for time being, an assumption at this point of time. Now let us analyze or try to see thru these two points of view the present series of unfortunate events that are happening all around us and life in general.

The believers have very strong faith in the being of God. And believe that most of the things happening around us are controlled by God (in fact all things, not just ‘most’ of them). And, also, that our own deeds are precursor to the kind of situations that we land up in. It’s the good that we do which returns to us. The same is true with our bad deeds. There might be some delay but the justice is delivered according to our deeds. It’s our Karma.

Arre Ruk Ja Re Bande...

Right now, I am listening to this awesome track from equally hard-hitting movie 'Black Friday'(wiki-link). Accidentally played it yesterday and it has been playing in a 'single-repeat' mode. It has a line which has been haunting me since y'day. Why? Because, the thought behind this line has been haunting me since long long time and I could not 'wordify' it. It goes...

            Kise kaafir kahega (whom will you label as 'infidel'/atheist)

            Kise kaayar kahega (whom will you label as coward)

            Teri kab tak chalegi (how long will you call shots)

The context of the movie (and the song) is very different from my line of thought. The movie is about an act of terrorism. However, I won't venture in that direction - religion, hatred, killings, atrocities, injustice, organized crime, etc. I have something else in my mind.

Respect.. Free-will.. Culture..

Few days back I read this interesting post. It was about few blokes who out of respect to elders, don't smoke in their presence.

In another couple of days, saw a similar post on FB. This one had a different flavour. Few young ladies taking a puff - title went 'mulgi shikli, pragati zhali'.. now this particular title is used by Government to promote education of girl child and literally means - If girl child learns (is educated), society will flourish/develop. Obviously, with this picture its plain sarcasm - don't know towards whom.. Government or this young generation of today's progressive India. Below this 'status' were thousands of likes, hundreds of shares and people who had strong opinions also wrote some very fiery comments.. ranging from 'women in India/our culture are treated with respect - daughters, mothers', 'they should not be objects of desire but of respect', and similar sentiments on one side of the spectrum. And in the 'red corner' were champions of free will and equal rights and freedom for smokers. Some were indifferent to the fact that these smokers were females, while others felt strongly that women are being 'singled out'.

Teachers

Teachers... the most important people in a person's life after parents.

They taught us Life much beyond the scope of books. Built our Characters. Instilled Values. Challenged our limits, yet, helped us also understand , that sometimes, letting go is the best thing to do. Disciplined the Immaturity in us. Taught us that Mannerism and Finesse are as important as Truth and Faith. That Success and Failure are equally important. That Friendship and Trust are the means of winning Hearts. That with Love and Duty world will be a better place. 

Life wouldn't be as good as it is, but for you.

Sorry for all our mischievous troubles. And Thanks for all your kindness and also the thrashings.

Thank Your Dear Teacher.

The Dirty Mind!

Warning: Mature thoughts, and some links contain mature/graphic content!

“My weak flesh cost me everything”, says Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn otherwise popularly known as DSK. A French political biggie, who could have been the next President of France, if not for that unfortunate incident. Dirty old man misjudged the 'fling' and it backfired. I don't know if the French people should have forgiven this 'little' misadventure being the very open cultured society? They were the ones who did ban the burkhas in the first place! Look at India, we 'forgive' our politicians, no matter what kind of harakiri they commit! We have our share of shameless scamsters, not just in money matters but also of DSK-kinds ;)

Love all.. Part 2..

How would the world be if we all were similar. Copies of each other! If it was monochrome - no colors, just black and white - ohh does that make it bi-chrome or is it still monochrome? Nevertheless, if it was not as colorful as it is. Isn't this colorful world beautiful - with all the shades and varieties?

Why then don't we understand that having differences or being different is a good thing?

It is a fundamental thing which adds flavor to life. It's the pinch of salt which makes us appreciate the beauty err should it be taste :)

Revolutions...

Few years ago, we had a very touching Aamir Khan movie “Rang De Basanti”. Very inspiring and youth oriented. Does it have a cult status or not, is not what we are interested in. But, it certainly had ideas which were “revolutionary”. At the time when it was released, many people were motivated by it and wanted to do something to bring about a change in society, especially the youth. Others merely dismissed it as a typical Aamir Khan “masala” movie. They were the skeptics who believed that the “systems” is old enough and strong enough to be toppled by youth who are inspired by a popular media?  The idea seemed too farfetched at that point of time.

Meanwhile, the same youth was busy discovering a new media – internet more precisely the “social-networking”. The phenomenon called Facebook and Twitter had happened. The skeptics and the “system” dismissed it just as another addiction that youth is indulging into. Of course, the blogosphere had already evolved by this time. Combined with these newer tools or should we say “WMD” :) changed the world that we are now living in.

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.”

Knights!!!

Recently an animation movie called “The Tale of Despereaux” was up on HBO. Story of a un-mouse-ly mouse who reads books instead of eating them, who’s not timid or afraid of anything, even cats, and dreams to be a Knight who saves a Princess - straight out of the story book he reads!

Don’t stories of Knights and Princesses always make us feel that we are missing something in life? The closest knights we come across are Sir Sean Connery and Sir Ben Kingsley ;-) bestowed knighthood by Her Majesty. Wonder how the real knights might feel in their graves! Surely some might have tried to come out of their deep lumber to avenge this ‘insult’.