I am back again after a long self-imposed hiatus.... Well, frankly speaking I couldn't think much to write home about for the past few days.... But after biding my time for some thought-provoking topics, I could finally think of something.... Oh..yeah... I am here again to spread some "Gyan"... :-)
When I was in 4th standard, I remember my teacher saying something like this - "If you struggle hard and study now, your future will be very bright." Although I am not hardworking by any stretch of imagination, I always managed to top the school. You can call it as God's grace or may be sheer luck.... But I was always on top... But mind you, there was definitely a bit of smart effort, if not hard work... :-) I passed my 10th exams... came on top as usual... and was feeling like a PRINCE... But this was short-lived.
This is because it was now time to join college. I took up M.P.C. in my intermediate and again my lecturer said the following words: " If you struggle hard for 2 years, your future will be bright... ". Again, I took it upon myself to prove my worth and as always did exceptionally well in the Engineering entrance examination. Now, I felt like a KING.... But even this was short-lived...
Then started my engineering life... joined a decent-enough college..... Again the same old dialogue from lecturers - "If you struggle hard for 4 years, your future will be bright" . Again the same old struggle for 4 years landed me a plum job at Infosys, one of the best I.T. companies in the WORLD. This time round I felt like I was a MONARCH.... As always, this too was short-lived....
My innings as a Software Engineer started.... In the initial heydays, I was completely oblivious to the life ahead... I was feeling independent.... Like they say in Hindi movies - "Apne pairon par khada hogaya... "... (Like I was never standing on my feet before... ;-) ) .... There was the initial euphoria during my training period with 'all and sundry' asking me to work hard so that my future can be bright.... My patience started wearing out....
But I held on... joined my first project.... then came my first appraisal.... my manager was reasonably satisfied with my work and topped it off with something cliched.... Yes, you guessed it right... He too went ga ga over working hard so that my future can be bright..... I felt like screaming but then held on.... Years passed by.... After 3 and a half years of experience in the software industry, I got promoted as a Programmer Analyst..... Now I was feeling like a DICTATOR..... But as you might have guessed it, the killer blow was yet to come.... My first appraisal comments in the new role were the same as I heard in my Kindergarten.... "Work hard now so that your future can be bright... "
This time I snapped... What the hell !!!!.... I looked back at my life.... It's been 24 years of relentless struggle, hard work so that my FUTURE can be bright.... But where in the hell is my PRESENT.... Oh my God !!!... I was so entrenched in securing a bright future that I forgot to enjoy my Present.... :-( This made me delve my past.... "When was the last time that I enjoyed the first rain of the season?"... "When was the last time that I tried to hone my hobbies?"... "When was the last time I worked on something whole-heartedly?" ... "When was the last time I enjoyed the beauty of nature?"... Many more such pertinent questions came to my mind....
The entire string of events reminded me of a saying which I heard somewhere -
"Past is like an Out-dated cheque.... Future is like a Promissory Note..... Present is the Cash that you have.... Spend it wisely."
It seemed like a bolt from the blue.. But really, this saying was so simple yet so complicated to achieve... I decided to strive to change my mindset... Strive to enjoy my present more.... Do things Dil Se.... Ultimately, we need to "Work to live, not live to work". Period.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Lokhandwala mein Cheeni KUM !!!!!!!!!!!
“Hello”
“Manish… Kya karra??”
“Kuch bhi nahi re… aise hi TV dekh raha tha…”
“Arey… SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA dekhne chalenge kya??”
“Haan re chal jaayenge… bahut achha movie hai bolke suna main… Chal phir.. Will meet you in the theatre at 5…..”
This was a conversation between my friend and me a few days back. Everything was planned for a perfect Saturday evening. But what followed after this conversation was something unplanned.
I started getting ready to go to the movie. I went to the bathroom to wash my face. Suddenly, something hit me out of the blue. Why am I going to this movie? Is it really worth it to go to this movie? Why do people make such movies? Why do movies like this become box-office hits? Why do people like such movies? There was a plethora of questions that bombarded my pensive mind. It was moribund a moment ago and now it was springing in questions and thoughts which defied the usual.
As I wiped my face with the towel, I thought – We have had innumerable films made on gangsters, underworld dons et al. Particularly for the past 3-4 years, after every quarter we see a movie on a gangster made. People making that movie say that it is inspired by the life of so-and-so don. This is something which doesn’t seem to be a grave problem at first-thought. But this might have serious repercussions as we move ahead. This reminds me of some of the hit movies in not-so-distant past… Company, Gangster, Vaastav, Shoot Out At Lokhandwala.. to name a few. These kind of movies tend to give undue publicity to these people. Added to this is the media frenzy even on a small news from the underworld. I just can’t understand why there is such a race to convert these anti-socials into demi-gods. But the point of my topic here is not the media but the movie industry in particular. Young school going children would not know about someone like an Ambani but would definitely know about an underworld don.
Combing my hair, I thought – Movie industry as such does not try to make movies based on some true heroes. If recent history is anything to go by then I can remember only Guru and “the Bhagat Singh movies” which are based on the real life of visionary leaders. It doesn’t surprise me to see that it took a great thinking director like Mani Ratnam to make a film on the business legend Dhirubhai Ambani. There are lots of things which we can learn from the life of an Ambani, a Tata, a Birla or a Murthy. But then no one cares to make a movie on their ideals as it would not be commercially viable. People wont be interested to go to such movies.
Although I pulled up my socks and laced my shoes, I was still thinking about this. Is there something fundamentally wrong in the way we Indians perceive things. Or is there something wrong with how I think. It doesn’t make sense about how much crime the gangsters have done. It doesn’t make sense to know as to how they kidnap someone or kill someone. It really amazes me as to why people like such movies. But then , I too am part of this public. I need to practice what I preach. Thinking this I started towards the theatre…..
At the theatre, my friend had not yet arrived. So, I went to the ticket counter and bought two tickets for the film but the only difference being that the film was “CHEENI KUM” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Manish… Kya karra??”
“Kuch bhi nahi re… aise hi TV dekh raha tha…”
“Arey… SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA dekhne chalenge kya??”
“Haan re chal jaayenge… bahut achha movie hai bolke suna main… Chal phir.. Will meet you in the theatre at 5…..”
This was a conversation between my friend and me a few days back. Everything was planned for a perfect Saturday evening. But what followed after this conversation was something unplanned.
I started getting ready to go to the movie. I went to the bathroom to wash my face. Suddenly, something hit me out of the blue. Why am I going to this movie? Is it really worth it to go to this movie? Why do people make such movies? Why do movies like this become box-office hits? Why do people like such movies? There was a plethora of questions that bombarded my pensive mind. It was moribund a moment ago and now it was springing in questions and thoughts which defied the usual.
As I wiped my face with the towel, I thought – We have had innumerable films made on gangsters, underworld dons et al. Particularly for the past 3-4 years, after every quarter we see a movie on a gangster made. People making that movie say that it is inspired by the life of so-and-so don. This is something which doesn’t seem to be a grave problem at first-thought. But this might have serious repercussions as we move ahead. This reminds me of some of the hit movies in not-so-distant past… Company, Gangster, Vaastav, Shoot Out At Lokhandwala.. to name a few. These kind of movies tend to give undue publicity to these people. Added to this is the media frenzy even on a small news from the underworld. I just can’t understand why there is such a race to convert these anti-socials into demi-gods. But the point of my topic here is not the media but the movie industry in particular. Young school going children would not know about someone like an Ambani but would definitely know about an underworld don.
Combing my hair, I thought – Movie industry as such does not try to make movies based on some true heroes. If recent history is anything to go by then I can remember only Guru and “the Bhagat Singh movies” which are based on the real life of visionary leaders. It doesn’t surprise me to see that it took a great thinking director like Mani Ratnam to make a film on the business legend Dhirubhai Ambani. There are lots of things which we can learn from the life of an Ambani, a Tata, a Birla or a Murthy. But then no one cares to make a movie on their ideals as it would not be commercially viable. People wont be interested to go to such movies.
Although I pulled up my socks and laced my shoes, I was still thinking about this. Is there something fundamentally wrong in the way we Indians perceive things. Or is there something wrong with how I think. It doesn’t make sense about how much crime the gangsters have done. It doesn’t make sense to know as to how they kidnap someone or kill someone. It really amazes me as to why people like such movies. But then , I too am part of this public. I need to practice what I preach. Thinking this I started towards the theatre…..
At the theatre, my friend had not yet arrived. So, I went to the ticket counter and bought two tickets for the film but the only difference being that the film was “CHEENI KUM” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Mannubhai Embraces Gandhigiri.....
My tryst with patriotism started 15 years ago on a chilly December morning in 1991. West Indies were chasing a modest target of 126 set by India in the World Series Cup in Australia. Miraculously, India managed to tie that match. This, really, was the day when I was introduced to professional cricket and one more term known as “Patriotism”. This was, consciously, the first time that I came head-to-head with the term “My country”. It was a time of my life when I didn’t know much about our national leaders. I was one among those innumerable people in my age group who thought Mahatma Gandhi was the father of Indira Gandhi. J
It was precisely this time that I left Raina’s Kindergarten school and joined Om Vidyalaya High School. I was a regular in the weekly elocution/debate competitions in the new school. I am sure my school friends remember that. Impressed by my ability to speak on stage, the headmistress of my school asked me if I would be interested to enact the role of a national leader on Independence Day. I was more than happy to take that up. When she asked who my favorite leader was, I said it was Jawaharlal Nehru, unhesitatingly. Nehru and Subhashchandra Bose were my favorites then. I liked Nehru because he sported a ROSE on his Kurta and I liked Bose because he wore Police dress. (Later on I came to know that in fact he wore military dress J )
My Maternal Grandfather was a freedom fighter during the days of the Raj. He was and is a staunch supporter of Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhian principles. As a kid, I always used to irritate him with my illogical logic. ( All my friends know about the type of logic I have J ). Just to irritate him, I used to indulge in Gandhi-bashing. This would spur him up and we would continue arguing. Giving me company would be my cousin. In fact, it was my cousin who embedded some theory in my mind regarding Gandhi’s assassination. He said that Gandhi had some family feuds with Godse and Godse assassinated him in retaliation. I believed this theory for so many years. It was so foolish of me.
Then came a period when there was a lot of frenzy about Bhagat Singh. A lot of movies were made based on his life which increased my confusion to newer levels. Most of the movies showed that if Gandhi had willed then Bhagat Singh’s execution could have been averted. This really made my Anti-Gandhi feelings reach its pinnacle. But somewhere inside me there was something which used to say that my prejudice regarding Gandhi is uncalled for. But to be on the safer side and to be in synchronization with the feelings of my friends I too resigned to the fact that after all my feelings towards Gandhi are justified.
All this changed on the fateful evening of 21st September 2006. I went to watch the movie ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ with my project mates just to watch the histrionics of Munna and Circuit. But fate had something else in store. I was touched to the innermost core of my heart by the portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi and his principles in that movie. The principles are pretty simple but very difficult to follow. Take for example the terse principle : Speak truth. I have been trying to follow this for the past few days and I tell you this is very very difficult to implement, at least for me. I am not saying that I have become a complete Gandhi vaadi but still I am trying with some simple things initially. This movie has flustered many of the misconceptions that I had regarding Gandhiji. Now I think my mind is more stable than it was some time ago. I also like Bhagat Singh a lot for his great deeds towards our country. I think both these leaders are inherently of different mindsets but a great vision. Both had a vision to see a glorious India. It is upto us the youth to take it forward. We need to inculcate the patience of Gandhiji. We need to imbibe the courage of Bhagat Singhji …. The resoluteness of Gandhiji…. The fearlessness of Bhagat Singhji….. The patriotism of these two great souls which India is fortunate to have been blessed with.
I know some of you might not be in agreement with whatever I have said but please do understand that every person has good as well as not so good qualities and so did Gandhiji. One of the greatest qualities of Gandhiji was that he had a lot of charm and charisma. It is pretty difficult to get the entire country follow you without some good qualities and indeed Gandhiji had those. I would like to quote Abraham Lincoln’s famous saying here – “One can fool some of the people all the time. One can fool all the people some of the time. But one cannot fool all the people all of the time.” One of the qualities I learnt from the movie is to SPEAK OUT YOUR MIND and this is what I am doing through this blog.
It was precisely this time that I left Raina’s Kindergarten school and joined Om Vidyalaya High School. I was a regular in the weekly elocution/debate competitions in the new school. I am sure my school friends remember that. Impressed by my ability to speak on stage, the headmistress of my school asked me if I would be interested to enact the role of a national leader on Independence Day. I was more than happy to take that up. When she asked who my favorite leader was, I said it was Jawaharlal Nehru, unhesitatingly. Nehru and Subhashchandra Bose were my favorites then. I liked Nehru because he sported a ROSE on his Kurta and I liked Bose because he wore Police dress. (Later on I came to know that in fact he wore military dress J )
My Maternal Grandfather was a freedom fighter during the days of the Raj. He was and is a staunch supporter of Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhian principles. As a kid, I always used to irritate him with my illogical logic. ( All my friends know about the type of logic I have J ). Just to irritate him, I used to indulge in Gandhi-bashing. This would spur him up and we would continue arguing. Giving me company would be my cousin. In fact, it was my cousin who embedded some theory in my mind regarding Gandhi’s assassination. He said that Gandhi had some family feuds with Godse and Godse assassinated him in retaliation. I believed this theory for so many years. It was so foolish of me.
Then came a period when there was a lot of frenzy about Bhagat Singh. A lot of movies were made based on his life which increased my confusion to newer levels. Most of the movies showed that if Gandhi had willed then Bhagat Singh’s execution could have been averted. This really made my Anti-Gandhi feelings reach its pinnacle. But somewhere inside me there was something which used to say that my prejudice regarding Gandhi is uncalled for. But to be on the safer side and to be in synchronization with the feelings of my friends I too resigned to the fact that after all my feelings towards Gandhi are justified.
All this changed on the fateful evening of 21st September 2006. I went to watch the movie ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ with my project mates just to watch the histrionics of Munna and Circuit. But fate had something else in store. I was touched to the innermost core of my heart by the portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi and his principles in that movie. The principles are pretty simple but very difficult to follow. Take for example the terse principle : Speak truth. I have been trying to follow this for the past few days and I tell you this is very very difficult to implement, at least for me. I am not saying that I have become a complete Gandhi vaadi but still I am trying with some simple things initially. This movie has flustered many of the misconceptions that I had regarding Gandhiji. Now I think my mind is more stable than it was some time ago. I also like Bhagat Singh a lot for his great deeds towards our country. I think both these leaders are inherently of different mindsets but a great vision. Both had a vision to see a glorious India. It is upto us the youth to take it forward. We need to inculcate the patience of Gandhiji. We need to imbibe the courage of Bhagat Singhji …. The resoluteness of Gandhiji…. The fearlessness of Bhagat Singhji….. The patriotism of these two great souls which India is fortunate to have been blessed with.
I know some of you might not be in agreement with whatever I have said but please do understand that every person has good as well as not so good qualities and so did Gandhiji. One of the greatest qualities of Gandhiji was that he had a lot of charm and charisma. It is pretty difficult to get the entire country follow you without some good qualities and indeed Gandhiji had those. I would like to quote Abraham Lincoln’s famous saying here – “One can fool some of the people all the time. One can fool all the people some of the time. But one cannot fool all the people all of the time.” One of the qualities I learnt from the movie is to SPEAK OUT YOUR MIND and this is what I am doing through this blog.
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