Joy in Life

Ancient Egyptians used to believe that when you die, you are asked two questions at the gates of Heaven ... your answer determines whether you would admitted inside the gates or not...

1. Have you found JOY in your life?

2. Has your life bought JOY to others?

These questions popped up in the movie The Bucket List which I had longed to watch. It is a story of two old men (starring Morgan Freeman, Jack Nicholson) who have terminal cancer. While sharing the same hospital room, they create a bucket list of things they want to do before they die and they do it. In the process, they heal each other and become friends and ultimately find the joy in life.

Not that I am a serious follower of the Egyptian practices and rituals for preparing oneself for death and afterlife but I found these questions interesting .... More importantly, they made me think about the way I live and how I reciprocate.

These questions go hand in hand and in the right order in which I have written them. How is it possible to bring joy in someone else's lives when you don't have joy in your own lives? You can't give what you don't have.. isn't it? You can fake it ... yes... but what the heck you would finally get out of it? I decided to ask these questions to myself last night.

"Arihant, Have you found joy in your life?"

Arihant, "I have had a joyous life so far. My attachment to my parents, siblings, best friends have given me the feeling of being complete and motivated. There is no better joy than being with the people who love you because it is really tough to meet people who love you. My answer would be rather mixed here as I cannot say that I found total joy in everything that I have done but I want to save you from the trouble of reading all that. At the percentage level, the see-saw tilts towards YES :) "

"Arihant, Has your life bought joy to others?"

Arihant, "I can say YES I HAVE but the best way to find this out for sure is to survey those in my life i.e. parents, sisters, best friends etc. I think I have made a joyful noise in the life of everyone, okay, almost everyone. There were/are times when the joy of the Lord has fell really far away from me and like I said when you don't have it to give..."

But at this point of my life & at this moment, I say YES I have joy and the essence of my joy has left its footprints on the souls, hearts and lives of people who know me the way I am and I so much want to continue doing it for the rest of my life :)

Hum Aa Gaye

Aap ke dil ne humein awaaz di, hum aa gaye,

Humko le aayi mohabbat aapki, hum aa gaye.

Apne aane ka bahaana hum kya bataye aapko,

Baithe baithe yaad aayi aapki, hum aa gaye.

Hum hai dilwale bhala hum par kisi ka zor kya,

Jayenge apni khushi, apni khushi, hum aa gaye.

Losing directions

I am so poor with my direction sense... escpecially when it comes to areas in Bangalore like Banashankari, Basavangudi and places surounding it. Even if I have been to one place (Vidhyarthi Bhavan in Gandhibazaar 6 times before.. but still on my 7th time; I would get lost on some strange roads...

In each of the times, I have had a victim (pillion rider) who has suffered because of it.. I would like to thank them for their patience and their suggestions in telling me the possible routes which could take us back to this place and back home later. Actually, the return journey is somewhat more painful.. My experience on the last weekend was something like this :

Time: 7 a.m.

Day: Saturday

In Conversation: Didi and Me

Me (after completion of all morning chores), "Didi, Vidhyarthi Bhavan chal rahi ho?"

Didi (thinking and scratching her head once), "Chal sakte hain"

Me (with a grin) , "I think we should leave now so that we can be there by 7:30 and return by 9"

My statement above has been the opening statement to all my victims who have agreed to get up by 6:30 early morning and join me to have the best dosa in the town. I am grateful to them always :)

Didi,"Tab tak yeh (jiyaji) bhi uth jayenge. Chal Ari "

Convincing is easy but driving is tough; especially when you know that you would surely forget the route. No point memorising it...

To my surprise ( and now to victim's surprise), we reached Vidhyarthi Bhavan in one go without getting lost. Although we had to ask for some directions once we entered Basavangudi.

After having the delicious Masala Dosa, we started our return journey. As usual, I took a wrong lane and after driving a few kms, we found ourselves in Chamarajpet... I recalled of Chamarajpet Charles on Radio One ;)

The struggle continued... we saw mysore road, all the gates of Lalbagh etc...

Eventually, we reached home by 10 a.m. .. To our relief, Jiyaji was still asleep :) Even if he was awake, we had got him Kesari Bhath (Sooji ka Halwa) from Vidhyarthi Bhavan to bring a smile on his face

Missing a perfect life

"What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals." - from Act II, scene 2, of Hamlet

I was reading on WWW about the aspects of human behaviour and their psychology towards life (behavorial economics) My office work sucks now a days so I utilise my time in reading and understanding the human mind in a better manner. The quote made me wonder and think more about what amazing acts our minds and bodies are capable of doing. We learn new languages as young children. We recognise so many faces with ease without getting confused. We can identify our friend's voice over telephone etc. Sometimes I feel I am one of those supercreations by God (I broaden my chest and giggle a bit). But I miss a perfect life. I dont know yet what is it?

What according to you is a perfect life? Is it a life free from hassles; controversies; guilt, full of hope; luxury; pleasures ? I think that the perfect way of living a life is by being rational. I mean, won't the life be perfect when your own reasoning abilities are perfect? Won't it improve your decision making and change your life for the better?

I look at my life and see a big distance from perfection. May be I am irrational. Rather predictably irrational; because I often repeat the same mistake again and again. Perhaps that is how the human nature is supposed to be. I dont know how do the economists, policy makers come up with their findings assuming that there is perfect reasoning for everything. As of now, we human beings seem to clear defy it.

This blog would seem to be incomplete and unclear as of now because I am still searching for my basic question, "What are the hidden forces that shape our decision making?"

Ever wondered Why do we often promise ourselves to diet, and our thought vanishes when we see a dessert plate passing by? Why we are happy to do things only when we are not paid to do them?

Hairaan Pareshaan Chintu

Pareshaan thi Chintu ki wife

Non-happening thi jo uski life

Chintu ko na milta tha aaram

Office main karta kaam hi kaam

Chintu ke boss bhi the bade cool

Promotion ko har baar jate the bhul

Par bhulte nahi the wo deadline

Kaam to karwate the roz till nine

Chintu bhi banna chata tha best

Isliye to wo nahi karta tha rest

Din raat karta wo boss ki gulami

Onsite ke ummid main deta salami

Din guzre aur guzre fir saal

Bura hota gaya Chintu ka haal

Chintu ko ab kuch yaad na rehta tha

Galti se Biwi ko Behenji kehta tha

Aakhir ek din Chintu ko samjh aaya

Aur chod di usne Onsite ki moh maya

Boss se bola, "Tum kyon satate ho?"

"Onsite ke laddu se buddhu banate ho"

"Promotion do warna chala jaunga"

"Onsite dene par bhi wapis na aunga"

Boss haans ke bola "Nahi koi baat"

"Abhi aur bhi Chintus hai mere paas"

"Yeh duniya Chintuon se bhari hai"

"Sabko bas aage badhne ki padi hai"

"Tum na karoge to kisi aur se karunga"

"Tumhari tarah Ek aur Chintu banaunga"

Digging a hole

I recently came across one blog which commented on an article where 2 scientists in America have invented an aeroplane which would run on solar energy.. These scientists also claimed that this aeroplane would work in night as well.. I was amazed with the sense of humor, imagination and thought involved while this guy wrote this... His blog reads as follows :

Actually Government should use the geographical advantage of we being on the opposite side of USA.
We should dig a through hole from the center earth which will connect India and USA, so we can put wire through it.
So in India's day time sun light and solar energy can be given to USA and they can give us the same in their day time (Isnt this amazing?)
Also we can fit an train through it so that we dont have to use planes for travelling. (what???)

Similarly Finland and New Zealand can be connected using a vertical angular hole.
The best part is if we drop something from Finland it will automatically come down to New Zealand due to gravity, so lot of energy can be saved which we lose in transportation and travelling.
This saved energy can then be stored in everyday pencil cells and can be sold at Rs 14 each. This additional revenue can then be used to educate the people and the children of farmers so that they will have earning sons and they will not sucide.

I am wondering if you dig the hole right in the center of earth, what would happen to the people like engineers, excavators etc. who are actually involved in physical labour of digging it? Won't they fall out from earth to the space... hehehe..

Anyway, I would continue reading and enjoying such stuff... a good start to the day I must admit ;)

Life is a game

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit … and you’re keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends and spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for Balance in your life.

How?

Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Don’t set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

Don’t take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

Don’t let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Don’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each together.

Don’t be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be pave.

Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find time. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings!

Don’t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you’ve been, but also where you are going.

Don’t forget, a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

Don’t be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

Don’t use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way…

In conversation with Autowaala

Out of the 1000 things to do before you die as per my list, having a striking conversation with the autowaalas of Bangalore gets a higher rank than most of the others. The Autowaalas of Bangalore consider themselves no less than Rajnikant's or Quick Gun Murugan's descendent according to my keen observation about their various habits and dialogue deliveries that they possess...

I sometimes wonder how many times will I pick the wrong autowaala no matter where I go... Trust me, there are countless specimens existing here. I want to discuss about few ones here...

I call them Extras. These autowaalas have an habit of asking for extra money even before you board their auto... This happens mostly when the distance that you have to cover is more than 3-4 kms. They will refuse to go if you dont pay them extra.
A typical conversation would sound something like this :

Autowaala, "Sir, Rs. 20/- extra"
I ask, "Why boss?"
Autowaala, "Sir, return khaali aana padta hai sir!!!!"
I say, "Is that my fault? Do I have to pay for others?"
Autowaala (using his convincing powers)," Sir, what is Rs 20/- for you Sir? You are working in such big big companies sir. You can easily pay sir"
I speak (after a pause and slight disgust),"So this gives you a right to cheat people?"
Autowaala, "Accha Sir, only Rs 10/- extra." He will have a big grin on his face now thinking that he has almost won the battle against me.
I finally speak (nodding in agreement), "Chal Bhai, ab tu chal buss. Aur kuch mut bol"

Another category is whom I call Geographically Deficient. These autowaalas have all the time in the world to listen to you. They would not be found waiting together but they would surely keep coming to you at regular intervals and from different directions. What is irritating is they would finally keep the ball in their court and go away. I'll tell you how..

Myself (standing at Richmond Circle), "Bhaiya, Koramangala 8th Block jaoge? "
Autowaala (scratching his head and groin), "Yeh kahan hai?"
I dont look what he does and answer him point blank on his face ,"Shiva Talkies ke paas"
Autowaala, "Which route to go?"
I say, "Yahan se straight on double road, wahan se left towards wilson garden, then right towards adugodi road and then straight inside"
Autowaala (after a thought), " Nahi Sir, wahan nahi jayenge"
My fingers fold by themselves forming a tight fist to bang him on his face but I resist. I see him smiling and making a fun of me.

Yesterday I added a new variety in the lot whom I called Random Number Generators. These autowaalas dont have any idea about the time. The auto fares and time have no co- relation whatsoever. Be it 5 in the evening or 3 in the afternoon, they seem to randomly think of some figure and quote it to you randomly.
Latest random statement that you might hear soon is when you take an auto at 8:45 pm and autowaala would say Meter ka one and half lagega, sir.
This obviously demands an explaination. I ask him.
He says, " Pahuchte Pahuchte 10 baje jayenge sir"

I just laugh at this because the distance that I have to cover is exactly 5 kms (calculated on bike). I dont want to argue but perhaps his statement was one of the major reasons for me to write this blog.

Main aur autowaala aksar yeh baatein karte hain

Agar tum ek baar main maan jaate to kaisa hota

Agar tum seedha seedha chalte to aisa hota

Agar tumhe kuch pata hota to aage baat hoti

Main aur autowaala aksar yeh baatein karte hain

Heaven was once here

Its half past midnight and I am still not able to sleep... I think of lives of most of my batchmates 10 years from now... I see them put on kilos of weight distributing on various parts of the body... on their stomachs the most, butts the next... I see them having grey hair on their scalp... being more dense on the sides than the center... owing to the lifestyles we all have been living in...

10 years from now, I see them as a good spouse... a parent of 2 may be (following HUM DO HAMARE DO strictly). Getting a chance to visit the college (engineering) was one of their dream since the time they passed out..

I wait for them at the college gate... I see them coming... I hug them and walk with them inside the campus... We see the long pathways of fate lying lonely ahead with bundles of scattered leaves fallen from the tree of love... Same trees under which once friendships were made..

I reminicise my friends falling in love with someone... We walk to the lonely lecture theatres and tutorial rooms with a gentle breeze from the window of change which fills in the thought of the past... with the thought of the faces staring and smiling and waving at us... calling us towards them...

Funny, crazy pictures of my friends flash through my minds... of the hostels... of the canteen... of the posters... of the labs... of the ground.... everything vrooms through my eyes...

In such darkness of our memories, in such darkness of our thoughts.. our minds would whisper...

HEAVEN WAS ONCE HERE

A spectator on a happy weekend

Day: Saturday Night

Start Time: 8 p.m.

Weekends are always welcome for IT professionals in Bangalore. They like themselves to be in HIGH SPIRITS. It’s not the first time that I have been a mere spectator watching my friends booze. Not that I don’t have anything to say CHEERS… But I feel quite contented with the can of Coke in my hand; it has worked for me on multiple occasions like this… We are eight college friends. Today it was the reason to celebrate… Two of my best friends got a better offer from another company and are all set to move on with their new phase of life… Also, one of them is getting married, so we all felt that a better job at this time would do him good… it would do well to us only if he treats us properly.

Time: 10:30 p.m.

I see my friends enjoy and relax while gulping RED LABEL and VAT 69 and BLACK DOG; peg-by-peg. This is where I don’t seem to enjoy much except my pegs of coke. My enjoyment phase is about to come soon… lets say in another half an hour.

Time: 11 p.m.

A drunken guy would always be true and honest if you ask him anything. He will pour his heart out and get emotional even if you take his mobile from his hand or talk about his love affair or ask him what he wants to do in his life. I didn’t have to imagine any of it as I could see striking conversations already started between REC and Pandit.

REC: “Yaar, aaj to mazaa aa gaya. This scotch is quite smooth. Pass me the cigarette Pandit”

Pandit (taking a puff and then passing the cigarette): “True, after all choice kiski hai”

Longy: “REC, tell us about your new job”

Gujju: “Before that, just have a look at REC’s new Ray Ban L.A. sunglasses. Looks real to me :P”

REC (wears Ray Ban): “Ofcourse, these are real. I have spent 5000 bucks on it. I thought it makes more sense to roam around on the streets of Bangalore with them rather than staying secluded in Mysore”

Pandit: “Let me try them and see how I look”

REC (sentimental drama begins): “No, I just bought them yesterday. Let me wear them first. I love it so much (Ray Ban gets a kiss) “

Verma (with a sip): “Itna khaas bhi nahi hai”

I would like to interrupt here and say something. You must know that you don’t realize that you can hurt someone deep down with your single proclamation in these circumstances. Verma has just done that to REC. The topic of discussion is sure to divert now. If you are following this blog properly then the first question asked to REC was about his job.

REC (starts crying): “Bastard, these are for 5000 bucks. Have you ever seen 5000 bucks at a time before?”

Beti: “REC!!! Relax bhai… don’t take it to heart… he is just joking …. Tu jaanta hai na woh kaisa hai… Chill… shall I make another peg for you? “

REC (still crying): “No yaar, this is a limit. These glasses are for 5000 bucks (4th time, you get to hear the price of the sunglasses). I have been broke since last years as I am repaying my education loan. Meri sacrifice ki value hi nahi hai”

The scene is getting better and better. I get up immediately to get my digital camera. This needs to be recorded. I return to see that REC is sitting in one corner of the hall looking at the fused tube light. NOT BAD!!!!

REC (wiping his tears): “I am lying so much to my parents.” (Now, what was that? Where did that come from? ) “I love my mom. She doesn’t know that I booze. She will feel so heartbroken if she comes to know about it”

Pandit: “But who is going to tell your mom that you are drinking?” (Valid question I must say)

Longy: “Abbe, pata chal jaata hai”

Gujju: “Arey, koi batayega hi nahi to kaise pata chalega”

Longy: “Tu nahi samjhega, pata chal jayega”

Beti: “Tujhe chhad gayi hai REC!!! Aisa kuch nahi hoga… Tujhe hum par vishwas nahi hai?“

REC: “Tum kisi ko mere 5000 ke Ray Ban ki kadar nahi hai (5th Time) to main tum par kaise vishwas karun”

Interrupting again. In these situations, REC would only trust the guy who is in stable condition…. And that would be ME.

Myself: “REC!! I assure your mom will not come to know about what you are doing tonight”

REC (smile on his face): “Arihant, tu mera sabse accha dost hai, baaki sab bekaar hain. I want to sing a song for you”

Nahiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii (a silent scream)

Tere jaisa yaar kahaan - 2

Kahan aisa yaarana

Yaad karegi duniya

Tera mera afsaana

It is followed by Chorus and repetition by the rest. I am almost strangled by everyone. They suddenly have the happiest feeling that I am their best friend. I am lovin it. They all have forgotten the first question; I remember but I don’t want to get into it again. I click pictures. I love each one of them for the way they are and for the way I know them. Rest of the night goes on discussing about the college days and past memories. I edit lot of other stuff that was discussed and limit my blog.

My heart sings -

Yeh tumhari meri baatein

Hamesha yuhi chalti rahein

Yeh hamari mulaqaatein

Hamesha yuhi chalti rahein

Beetey yuhi saare apne din raat

Baaton se nikalti rahe nayi baat

Phir wohi baatein leke geet koi hum likhein

Jo sabke dil ko choo le