After driving a Hero Honda CD100SS, Yamaha RX100, Suzuki shogun and my favourite Royal Enfield Bullet a couple of times, this new bike parked in the porch of our Hostel caught my attention. A metallic blue coloured pulsar, shining in the morning sun. After few minutes came the owner, Vipin Misra, then a senior to me, now a close friend as well. He use to come to the hostel to meet his fellow classmate and friend Raman Gupta sir, that day offcourse he had come on his new Blue coloured Bajaj Pulsar. I remember, i was standing in the porch, when Vipin sir was ready to go, but i wanted some one to give me an excuse to try out the beauty. But, destiny had other plans, i had to let that wish go only to fulfilled few years later in hyderabad, when i rode the beauty. That day, in my hand, it was smiling, as if trying to say, you now are worth me.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Rani
" Throw her out", this was the first greeting i got from the world, so different from what i use to hear and dream about, during the 9 months i was in mother's womb. Suddenly, i was someone unwelcome, unwanted, suitable only to be thrown to stray dogs or strangled to death, I, was Rani, the girl child. Had it not been for mother, i would have been a history, an untold one, never to be talked or heard everafter. For the next few months, the only companion i had was mother, her untiring spirit to keep me alive against all odds, she had been through, what i was being through now. Mother was beside me all the time, feeding, cleaning and taking care of the the household chores as well. We had a big family, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother and many uncle and aunts, most of them keeping to themselves. Even on festivals we rarely celebrated them together, mother was cursed everytime by them, because she bore me and doctors now said, she can have no more childrens.
Slowly i started growing and seeing and understanding the world around me. Father earned a meagre salary as a daily wage labourer, the hard earned 30Rs or so which he use to get after working at the brick kiln, were hardly sufficient to run the household. Some days when it use to rain or otherwise the work was stopped, all we could do was to drink plain water mixed with some lemon juice from Ramu kaka's garden and salt. Father was becoming old, when i was born he was already 32, and now 10 years later, after the hard work that he did, even at 42 he resembled more older than the man in the big cloth hung on the main road. Mother told me, that guy was the local MLA, an affluent politican and around 15 years older to my father. I use to wonder and ask mother, "Maa, when will our photo displayed like this on the main road", mother use to laugh and turn her face, only to hide her tears. I was still discovering the world.
One day, when i was 14, this young man came to our house with my father. His name was Ramphal, he was also a daily wage earner and use to work in the factory nearby. But he looked more handsome and healthy, mother told me, he earned 50Rs. per day and he had a cow at home, whom he milched and earned money by selling the milk to the co-operative dairy. That day, mother gave me a new dress to wear, father too asked me to come and sit and he told the young man how talented i was, how i could cook for 100 people in 1 hour and knit designer sweaters and clean and maintain the house when my parents went to work. They even told him, i knew algebra, the name father kept on reciting for the past few days, to be able to vomit it in front of the stranger. The man, who was going to be his daughter's husband, was impressed, i think more by my physical appearance than by my skills in algebra.
Monday, the 20th day of June, was fixed for my marriage with Ramphal. I was excited and could not sleep the whole night, waiting for the morning so that i can go and disclose to my friends that in a fortnight i will be going to my prince charming, that he was going to come on a horse and take me with him, up high the mountain of love, that he will care for me and i will love him as if there was none other than him, in this world. Days and night started passing like running water from a broken pitcher, my wedding day came. I was dressed and while the local pandit recited the mantras, my eyes were filled with the dreams about future, about the new life i was going to have. Next day morning, we started in a rickshaw to my new household, Ramphal on his bicycle, which he got repaired specially for the marriage, his friends and relatives walking slowly with us.
Ramphal's house was a smaller one, although bigger than ours. At the entrance were two bamboo chairs, for visitors. Inside was a big bed, like the one i saw in a song of movie, ....m....mmm.., i forgot the name. Ramphal told me, the bed is a gift from his affluent uncle who lived in a big city, and the almirah, from his another uncle, who too lived in some big city, and those were the only two blood relatives that he had in this world. All others were co-passengers.
The first few days after marriage were filled with fun, love, caring. I loved to hear him speak, cook his food, wash his clothes, and when all done, wait for him to come back from work. Slowly time passed and i became pregnant. When i delivered this news to Ramphal, he was elated and took an appointment at the new doctor's clinic, which had opened in our village recently. I was afraid on one side and happy on the other. The pain of labour use to make me worried, but the happiness on Ramphal's face made all my worries look miniature.
I bore a child, it was a male child, we named him Ramdhan. He had a wheatish complexion, eyes big like his father and face round like mine. During daytime i always had to be there to take care of him, he had become so naughty in a few months time, that anything and everything which caught his attention, he wanted to grab it, it was the burning stove or the lighting lamp.
One day, Ramphal told me that he was in debt, the interest on the credit, he had taken to celebrate Ramdhan's birth, was mounting and he was finding it difficult to manage the household. Reluctantly, he asked me whether i would work as a house help at his factory owner's guesthouse. Initially i opposed, ramdhan was so small, but then i agreed, anyways i was supporting Ramphal. I started going for work from the very next day, leaving ramdhan at my mother's house and bringing him back while returning.
The work at the guesthouse wasn't very hectic, at least i thought so. I had to broom and mop the 5 odd rooms and clean the clothes. As everyday the guesthouse wasn't occupied, i took time off and watched television, when no one use to be there, sometimes practicising the dance steps in some song. Life was going on smoothly, until the houseowner Ramesh told me one day that some people are going to stay in the guesthouse and i had to clean there clothes and look after them too.I was a bit perturbed, but considered it part of the job and agreed. Next day, the five visitors arrived, all in their mid 20's. They wore designer clothes, smoked and dranked during the night and use to wake up late in the morning. The obnoxious smell, from their rooms and clothes use to make me give vomiting sensation, but somehow i managed.
One day, while i was working alone, i noticed something peeping through the crack in the window pane. I immediately got up and opened the window, it was Sanjay, one of ramesh's close friend who use to visit the guesthouse occassionally. I got angry and banged the window on his face, he turning back just in time, before his nose was smashed by the window pane. This took him to surprise but he got over it and came back for me, before i could knew he had held his hand on my neck, strangulating me, choking me. He had a long rope in his hand and with that he tied me by the neck to the window grills, i was shouting for help but none was so near or preferred to be near to hear my cries. The day reminded me of the day i was born, i wasn't considered worth then and here i was tied by the neck, my only fault, that i was trying to save myself. For the next two hours i was tied like this, in the afternoon sun, my whole skin burnt. After such torture, i had started feeling dizzy and could no longer bear the heat. When i woke up, i was in a bed, with no clothes and scratch marks on my whole body, i was raped, not by 1 but 9 men, all accomplices of sanjay. My hands tied behind my back, as if i was a slave, who was brought into this world only to be used, at the hands of men. I was helped by one of the boys, who came back from their day's work, who choose to lend me their t-shirts but who kept mum on coming with me to the polcie station. I was simply told to remain quiet and go home, and i did. Reaching home, i narrated this whole incident to Ramphal, initially he was angry but when he heard Sanjay's name, he pacified and told me to forget it. I was outraged, did i not have a value, was i too be used and thrown away like this. Did my insult, my injury made no difference to anyone. I was assaulted in braod daylight, by people older enough to be my uncles, and yet none was ready to help me, not even the prince charming who had vowed to protect me against all odds. I was aghast, shattered by the sheer lack of care, lack of respect and will to fight for my rights. No body was ready to help me, because i was a women, physically weaker and mentally fragile. I felt the world crumble in front of me, the women who gives birth, who is considered so pure was treated some inhuamenly and no body was coming to her rescue.
At dawn, i decided i wanted to die. I started to move swiftly towards the ridge, i will jump from it and end this pain, this agony, for ever. As i was moving, i suddenly saw something lying, it was an abandoned child, it was a girl. Soaked in mud and water, it was lying in a pool of blood and scars all around. I had just come on time and saved it from being devoured from the stray dogs. I took the baby in my arms and cried loudly, is there someone in this world who would save us. I cried my heart full, the idea of jumping down the ridge too passed. I held her in my lap, i knew i had a job to do, i vowed, i would not let the same happen to her. That day, we left the village.
Slowly i started growing and seeing and understanding the world around me. Father earned a meagre salary as a daily wage labourer, the hard earned 30Rs or so which he use to get after working at the brick kiln, were hardly sufficient to run the household. Some days when it use to rain or otherwise the work was stopped, all we could do was to drink plain water mixed with some lemon juice from Ramu kaka's garden and salt. Father was becoming old, when i was born he was already 32, and now 10 years later, after the hard work that he did, even at 42 he resembled more older than the man in the big cloth hung on the main road. Mother told me, that guy was the local MLA, an affluent politican and around 15 years older to my father. I use to wonder and ask mother, "Maa, when will our photo displayed like this on the main road", mother use to laugh and turn her face, only to hide her tears. I was still discovering the world.
One day, when i was 14, this young man came to our house with my father. His name was Ramphal, he was also a daily wage earner and use to work in the factory nearby. But he looked more handsome and healthy, mother told me, he earned 50Rs. per day and he had a cow at home, whom he milched and earned money by selling the milk to the co-operative dairy. That day, mother gave me a new dress to wear, father too asked me to come and sit and he told the young man how talented i was, how i could cook for 100 people in 1 hour and knit designer sweaters and clean and maintain the house when my parents went to work. They even told him, i knew algebra, the name father kept on reciting for the past few days, to be able to vomit it in front of the stranger. The man, who was going to be his daughter's husband, was impressed, i think more by my physical appearance than by my skills in algebra.
Monday, the 20th day of June, was fixed for my marriage with Ramphal. I was excited and could not sleep the whole night, waiting for the morning so that i can go and disclose to my friends that in a fortnight i will be going to my prince charming, that he was going to come on a horse and take me with him, up high the mountain of love, that he will care for me and i will love him as if there was none other than him, in this world. Days and night started passing like running water from a broken pitcher, my wedding day came. I was dressed and while the local pandit recited the mantras, my eyes were filled with the dreams about future, about the new life i was going to have. Next day morning, we started in a rickshaw to my new household, Ramphal on his bicycle, which he got repaired specially for the marriage, his friends and relatives walking slowly with us.
Ramphal's house was a smaller one, although bigger than ours. At the entrance were two bamboo chairs, for visitors. Inside was a big bed, like the one i saw in a song of movie, ....m....mmm.., i forgot the name. Ramphal told me, the bed is a gift from his affluent uncle who lived in a big city, and the almirah, from his another uncle, who too lived in some big city, and those were the only two blood relatives that he had in this world. All others were co-passengers.
The first few days after marriage were filled with fun, love, caring. I loved to hear him speak, cook his food, wash his clothes, and when all done, wait for him to come back from work. Slowly time passed and i became pregnant. When i delivered this news to Ramphal, he was elated and took an appointment at the new doctor's clinic, which had opened in our village recently. I was afraid on one side and happy on the other. The pain of labour use to make me worried, but the happiness on Ramphal's face made all my worries look miniature.
I bore a child, it was a male child, we named him Ramdhan. He had a wheatish complexion, eyes big like his father and face round like mine. During daytime i always had to be there to take care of him, he had become so naughty in a few months time, that anything and everything which caught his attention, he wanted to grab it, it was the burning stove or the lighting lamp.
One day, Ramphal told me that he was in debt, the interest on the credit, he had taken to celebrate Ramdhan's birth, was mounting and he was finding it difficult to manage the household. Reluctantly, he asked me whether i would work as a house help at his factory owner's guesthouse. Initially i opposed, ramdhan was so small, but then i agreed, anyways i was supporting Ramphal. I started going for work from the very next day, leaving ramdhan at my mother's house and bringing him back while returning.
The work at the guesthouse wasn't very hectic, at least i thought so. I had to broom and mop the 5 odd rooms and clean the clothes. As everyday the guesthouse wasn't occupied, i took time off and watched television, when no one use to be there, sometimes practicising the dance steps in some song. Life was going on smoothly, until the houseowner Ramesh told me one day that some people are going to stay in the guesthouse and i had to clean there clothes and look after them too.I was a bit perturbed, but considered it part of the job and agreed. Next day, the five visitors arrived, all in their mid 20's. They wore designer clothes, smoked and dranked during the night and use to wake up late in the morning. The obnoxious smell, from their rooms and clothes use to make me give vomiting sensation, but somehow i managed.
One day, while i was working alone, i noticed something peeping through the crack in the window pane. I immediately got up and opened the window, it was Sanjay, one of ramesh's close friend who use to visit the guesthouse occassionally. I got angry and banged the window on his face, he turning back just in time, before his nose was smashed by the window pane. This took him to surprise but he got over it and came back for me, before i could knew he had held his hand on my neck, strangulating me, choking me. He had a long rope in his hand and with that he tied me by the neck to the window grills, i was shouting for help but none was so near or preferred to be near to hear my cries. The day reminded me of the day i was born, i wasn't considered worth then and here i was tied by the neck, my only fault, that i was trying to save myself. For the next two hours i was tied like this, in the afternoon sun, my whole skin burnt. After such torture, i had started feeling dizzy and could no longer bear the heat. When i woke up, i was in a bed, with no clothes and scratch marks on my whole body, i was raped, not by 1 but 9 men, all accomplices of sanjay. My hands tied behind my back, as if i was a slave, who was brought into this world only to be used, at the hands of men. I was helped by one of the boys, who came back from their day's work, who choose to lend me their t-shirts but who kept mum on coming with me to the polcie station. I was simply told to remain quiet and go home, and i did. Reaching home, i narrated this whole incident to Ramphal, initially he was angry but when he heard Sanjay's name, he pacified and told me to forget it. I was outraged, did i not have a value, was i too be used and thrown away like this. Did my insult, my injury made no difference to anyone. I was assaulted in braod daylight, by people older enough to be my uncles, and yet none was ready to help me, not even the prince charming who had vowed to protect me against all odds. I was aghast, shattered by the sheer lack of care, lack of respect and will to fight for my rights. No body was ready to help me, because i was a women, physically weaker and mentally fragile. I felt the world crumble in front of me, the women who gives birth, who is considered so pure was treated some inhuamenly and no body was coming to her rescue.
At dawn, i decided i wanted to die. I started to move swiftly towards the ridge, i will jump from it and end this pain, this agony, for ever. As i was moving, i suddenly saw something lying, it was an abandoned child, it was a girl. Soaked in mud and water, it was lying in a pool of blood and scars all around. I had just come on time and saved it from being devoured from the stray dogs. I took the baby in my arms and cried loudly, is there someone in this world who would save us. I cried my heart full, the idea of jumping down the ridge too passed. I held her in my lap, i knew i had a job to do, i vowed, i would not let the same happen to her. That day, we left the village.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Memoirs - 1
Initial days at bhopal weren't very pleasant, atleast, when the past was present. We were into our introduction days with the seniors, remembering their names and doing small errrands for them, apart from the schedule at college. It was almost mid september and the seniors were expecting the semester exams in december, max. The day use to start around 6 AM, all the first year students getting ready before it was 7, the time around which seniors use to get up, and then use to rush to get ready for college. The juniors did minor errands for them, all conventional and nothing which could hurt the modesty or be derogatory for an individual. Classes use to start at 8 AM and continue till 2 PM with a 30 minutes break in between. Physics lab on alternate monday (i think so !) had both its share of blessing and swearing. Blessing, because the lab was beside a pond, which after the rains, was full of water, and the serene garden opposite to the Indira Kanya Chatravaas, the lab inside was also cooler, somehow. Swearing, because we had to walk all the way from the hostel to the lab, a distance of around 1.2 km, in the burning sun, the rays like the mythological MAYA, trying hard to stop us from reaching our goal, sometime feigning itself as sleep, sometimes as fatigue and a host of others.
Suddenly, one day, like the sudden rain on a otherwise hot day, like a drop of water for the thirsty throat, our seniors announced that the preparations for the Durga Pooja festival will start soon and they need active participation from us as well. We, students from different part of the country, felt, for the first time, our power, the sense of unity, the first lesson in organising an event on a large scale, even if i was just a link in the chain. We collected chanda from all the university departments, satya bhawan, and among ourselves too, decorated the hostel, cleaned our rooms and the Devi Bhawan opposite to the mess. Finally, on the due date, we all went in trucks to bring our Devi and venerate her for the next 9 days, seeking her blessings and asking forgiveness for our sins. These festivities continued, bringing a slight morning chill with them as well, the season was changing, so was our lives, we were no more new to the place, we were slowly getting acclimatized, like a new born, feeling the care and warmth and in the mother's lap. We were going home too, for the next 20 days or so, for diwali vacations, although not official, but a first hand example of mass bunk, not knowing then, what irreparable damage we were going to do for ourselves, shattering our image in front of the teachers. Going home, first time from Bhopal, had a different charm, i no longer had to think about getting admission somewhere, i was free to enjoy the time, the real vacations after 2 long years of struggle to get into a good engineering college. Time flew fast and i was back to the hostel, rules back in place, the air outside was chilly but my inside was burning like a bonfire, young but wild. But this fire did not last long and we had our freshers party on 6th December 2001, and we were free birds, seniors now allowed us entry into their fold, we liked them and they too, slowly appreciating our efforts and breaking the ice.
I have become old, remembering those good old days which seem as if they happened yesterday, bring back memories of the people i met, the relationship we shared. May GOD bless them.
Suddenly, one day, like the sudden rain on a otherwise hot day, like a drop of water for the thirsty throat, our seniors announced that the preparations for the Durga Pooja festival will start soon and they need active participation from us as well. We, students from different part of the country, felt, for the first time, our power, the sense of unity, the first lesson in organising an event on a large scale, even if i was just a link in the chain. We collected chanda from all the university departments, satya bhawan, and among ourselves too, decorated the hostel, cleaned our rooms and the Devi Bhawan opposite to the mess. Finally, on the due date, we all went in trucks to bring our Devi and venerate her for the next 9 days, seeking her blessings and asking forgiveness for our sins. These festivities continued, bringing a slight morning chill with them as well, the season was changing, so was our lives, we were no more new to the place, we were slowly getting acclimatized, like a new born, feeling the care and warmth and in the mother's lap. We were going home too, for the next 20 days or so, for diwali vacations, although not official, but a first hand example of mass bunk, not knowing then, what irreparable damage we were going to do for ourselves, shattering our image in front of the teachers. Going home, first time from Bhopal, had a different charm, i no longer had to think about getting admission somewhere, i was free to enjoy the time, the real vacations after 2 long years of struggle to get into a good engineering college. Time flew fast and i was back to the hostel, rules back in place, the air outside was chilly but my inside was burning like a bonfire, young but wild. But this fire did not last long and we had our freshers party on 6th December 2001, and we were free birds, seniors now allowed us entry into their fold, we liked them and they too, slowly appreciating our efforts and breaking the ice.
I have become old, remembering those good old days which seem as if they happened yesterday, bring back memories of the people i met, the relationship we shared. May GOD bless them.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
University Institute of Technology, Barkatullah University Campus, Bhopal
10th September, 2001, my first day in college, and Dinesh Agarwal sir came for the first lecture. I was amused why my other classmates were wearing some sort of a dress, the girls with bright red ribbons in their hairs and the guys had the same red coloured socks. Only after the first 2 lectures i realised why i wasn't dressed like them, because i belonged to the hostel and the others were either localites or people who chose not to live in the hostel and live elsewhere, either rented apartments or PG accomodation. Sometimes i wonder, how parents too had to bend in front of the seniors of the college, just to make sure their kid is safe and nothing out of place happens to their wards, strange case, unheard atleast in the place where i came from, a small town of Uttar Pradesh. Anyways, coming back to the college, after the 3rd lecture, we, the hostlers were told to come to the pharmacy department and stand with other seniors and stop the roads leading to the deaprtments, including our own for getting PCI recognition for the Department of Pharmacy, BU. While it was a source of entertainment for a few, i was already cursing as to why were we there, when we should be in college. But there was no answer, infact a group of 3rd year B.E. senior girls were passing and they wanted an introduction from the 1st year juniors at the hostel. Someone among us, may have tried to look how the seniors girls looked like, and another moment, we all heard this loud chorus, 'Eyes Down'. I was amused, a small town guy, and girls telling him to keep his eyes down, ha ha ha ha ha......
I will continue the story....an abend in Production is forcing me to call off for the day. Take care !!
I will continue the story....an abend in Production is forcing me to call off for the day. Take care !!
Bhopal - the city of lakes
A cool and cloudy morning greeted us, the day we landed in Bhopal. My first look outside the window and it was Nishatpura, and BHopal in brackets which caught my attention and like a sailor seeing the first sight of land after wandering into the sea of thoughts, thoughts about the course life was taking, about near and dear ones, friends, i exclaimed, " Is Bhopal district so vast, that for the next 4 hours or so, we are going to move within the boundaries?" It was 7 AM and Malwa express from New Delhi was slowly crouching towards its destination. Unknown to both of us, the train and me, I thought the train would reach Bhopal at 11AM and the train whistling romantically as if to signal, here my boy, this is your land of deeds, for the next 4 years, you will not only live but enjoy the most memorable 4 years of your life. May GOD bless you. The lady beside us gave a curious look and told, it will stop after another 2 minutes and welcome to Bhopal - the city of lakes. With a sudden sense of urgency myself and papa started packing our small yet essential beddings and i started looking out for Mamaji, who would be coming to pick us from the railway station, and there he was, with his head high and hands open to welcome the visitors, from a distant land, yet so much his own relatives. Out of station, we took bus no. 9 to Jawahar Chowk and i had a view of the city, sometimes which seemed to me like Meerut, with the Muslim areas, but then it unfolded as if two lovers ready to hug each other. Right after the Police headquarters, the slope started, we climbing on it, with small, yet significant turns, i could see the Shymla hills on one side and the other side had the Birla temple and Vidhan Sabha one, a light drizzle was like the icing on the cake. Once into the house and after the usual greetings and breakfast, we moved to the Polytechnic hostel where the counselling was taking place, mine was scheduled the next day and i was quite confident i would select LNCT with electronics and communications branch. The statistics available there was hinting that i may get my desired college with the desired branch and i was simply grateful that i came to Bhopal and would be getting into a good college and branch, but destiny had other plans and for good, for sure. That evening passes peacefully and the next day i was there at the session. Without much difficulty and the advice of my father i took a seat in Electronics and Communications engineering at University Institute of Technology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal. I was so happy. That day, 27th August, 2001, i had my first glimpse of the university, with bhaiyya, glimpses of my alma matter, a place where my heart and mind would reside, the mind trained for the world outside and the heart caressed. Surendra Place (SP), Habibganj naka, M P Nagar, Sargam talkies, Chota talab, hill top Birla temple and Vidhan Sabha, all seemed to be welcoming me, bring me in their fold, lovingly.
This was my introduction to Bhopal, the place i love.
This was my introduction to Bhopal, the place i love.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Prashant
Prashant is derived from the word "shant" which means quiet, or tranquil. There are two theories as to the origin of the name. The first is simply that adding "pra" creates a superlative of "shant", so it can be thought of as meaning "Great Peace". The other is that it is a combination of two words: "Param" + "Shant" = Prashant. Of note, the Pacific Ocean is called the Prashant Mahasagar (प्रशान्त महासागर) in Hindi and Nepali, with the term "Prashant" being used to translate the English word "pacific.One more meaning that can be associated to name "Prashant" is Serious. Where "kant" means Light or aura.
Hillarious scraps
Saap Ne Piya Bakri Ka Khoon .....
Waah! Waah!..
Saap Ne Piya Bakri Ka Khoon .....
Waah! Waah!...
Good Afternoon! Good Afternoon! Good Afternoon!!
Tere Pyaar Mein Paagal Ho Gaya Peter .....
Waah! Waah!..
Tere Pyaar Mein Paagal Ho Gaya Peter .....
Waah! Waah!...
Ab Hero Honda Splendor, 80 km Prati Litre .. !!
Bahaar Aane Se Pehle Fizaa Aa Gayii .....
Waah! Waah!....
Bahaar Aane Se Pehle Fizaa Aa Gayii .....
Waah! Waah!....
Phool Ko Khilne Se Pehle Bakri Kha Gayii .. !!
Waah! Waah!..
Saap Ne Piya Bakri Ka Khoon .....
Waah! Waah!...
Good Afternoon! Good Afternoon! Good Afternoon!!
Tere Pyaar Mein Paagal Ho Gaya Peter .....
Waah! Waah!..
Tere Pyaar Mein Paagal Ho Gaya Peter .....
Waah! Waah!...
Ab Hero Honda Splendor, 80 km Prati Litre .. !!
Bahaar Aane Se Pehle Fizaa Aa Gayii .....
Waah! Waah!....
Bahaar Aane Se Pehle Fizaa Aa Gayii .....
Waah! Waah!....
Phool Ko Khilne Se Pehle Bakri Kha Gayii .. !!
Friday, July 17, 2009
sharaab
The day i become famous enough that writing a autobiography becomes a profitable venture, among others i would mention Jawahar Hostel, Cheppu/ Cheppandy, hyderabad and last but not the least beautiful girls। There was a scene in the movie, MAIN HOON NA, wherein songs started playing as soon as Shahrukh use to see Sushmita, same thing happened to me today।
Ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga, jaisa khilta gulaab, jaise shayar ka khab, jaise ujli kiran, jaise van mein hiran, jaise mandir mein ho koi jalta diyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....ho ooooo
I had seen this girl in the cafeteria with a guy and i was so mesmerised that i took my sandwich and sat at a place where i could comfortably look at her and praise the Almighty for this lovely creation, a MASTER STROKE। After that day, i saw her again in the lift and today, after nearly २ months she was here, २ cubicle far from me। Came to meet someone, pink top and blue jeans, she was like an angel, who had come to brighten my day, to prove that love at first sight did exist in our own world, that Ranjha was not a buffoon and that Romeo was done away because of a reason। Bells started ringing in my head, my system seemed like a devil who was pulling me away from her,betraying me for my fellow cubiclemate, as if yelling that i won't let you be her's. And she, soft as wool, clear as the shining glass, her lips like the petals of rose, eyes - dark and big, as if a pearl shining in the sand, the aura around her ready to suck my energy as if comforting me, i am your ONLY desire, after me, you see none, feel none, need none.
Sometimes i think of destiny, why did this alarm ring only when she was about to be mine !!
Ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga, jaisa khilta gulaab, jaise shayar ka khab, jaise ujli kiran, jaise van mein hiran, jaise mandir mein ho koi jalta diyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....ho ooooo
I had seen this girl in the cafeteria with a guy and i was so mesmerised that i took my sandwich and sat at a place where i could comfortably look at her and praise the Almighty for this lovely creation, a MASTER STROKE। After that day, i saw her again in the lift and today, after nearly २ months she was here, २ cubicle far from me। Came to meet someone, pink top and blue jeans, she was like an angel, who had come to brighten my day, to prove that love at first sight did exist in our own world, that Ranjha was not a buffoon and that Romeo was done away because of a reason। Bells started ringing in my head, my system seemed like a devil who was pulling me away from her,betraying me for my fellow cubiclemate, as if yelling that i won't let you be her's. And she, soft as wool, clear as the shining glass, her lips like the petals of rose, eyes - dark and big, as if a pearl shining in the sand, the aura around her ready to suck my energy as if comforting me, i am your ONLY desire, after me, you see none, feel none, need none.
Sometimes i think of destiny, why did this alarm ring only when she was about to be mine !!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
OSO and Tare Zameen par
I know it has been long since OSO - Om Shanti Om and TZP - Taare Zamin Par, hit the theatres. But, i always wanted to write why i preferred OSO over TZP. If i recall the days from my childhood when going to movies with parents was a rare event, i always preferred movies which had songs i could sing later, watch with awe how the hero could fight 10 people at the same time and still remain unscathed and how in the end the heroine went to her hero. Later when i started going out with my friends, i started liking so called art movies or based on some real life incidents. After watching these movies, i had one sentiment for sure, pessimism. Life did seem hard from the newspapers and now the 24*7 news channels not leaving any stone unturned to be the first one to report some event. It seems as if we were born to hear people bickering with each other, someone who goes to some other country in search of better opportunities and uplifting his standard of living and his peers, getting bogged down and pressurised to come back after certain years of success, the saas-bahut sops, slowly changing the way women were portrayed in Indian television and film industry.
OSO - among the movies to be released around Diwali 2007 was a welcome respite. I found all the elements of cinema i had so much wanted to see all these years. It had song and dance, a beautiful actress, and equal suitor in the form of Shah Rukh Khan and other co actors. The plot, a pure fiction, was so set that even before the audience could contemplate what was about to happen, the whole story moved around 20 years ahead. But then, still all the song, dance, action was not missing and the film ended on a happier note. I am happy. I got all what i expected from cinema, atleast there was a difference between a news channel and a movie.
TZP - although normally, i appreciate any effort by an individual or society to try and bring socially/financially/physically or otherwise backward people into the mainstream, this one where people boasted they had wanted to cry out loud while watching the movie, put me on the defensive. Why should i go and put in my 3 hours and 150 rs just to watch someone weep or get myself pulled in some emotion which our cinema is capable of, BUT, forget the moment i step out of the theatre. If cinema can make me compassionate about something, i have no issues, BUT, if it was so capable, things may have changed a bit more. And what happened after the movie, what is being done for the type of kids shown in the movie, by the general public or some gov agencies, how far have they come, is worth debatable.
Till then, i am singing, 'Aankhon mein teri ajab si ajab se adayein hai'
OSO - among the movies to be released around Diwali 2007 was a welcome respite. I found all the elements of cinema i had so much wanted to see all these years. It had song and dance, a beautiful actress, and equal suitor in the form of Shah Rukh Khan and other co actors. The plot, a pure fiction, was so set that even before the audience could contemplate what was about to happen, the whole story moved around 20 years ahead. But then, still all the song, dance, action was not missing and the film ended on a happier note. I am happy. I got all what i expected from cinema, atleast there was a difference between a news channel and a movie.
TZP - although normally, i appreciate any effort by an individual or society to try and bring socially/financially/physically or otherwise backward people into the mainstream, this one where people boasted they had wanted to cry out loud while watching the movie, put me on the defensive. Why should i go and put in my 3 hours and 150 rs just to watch someone weep or get myself pulled in some emotion which our cinema is capable of, BUT, forget the moment i step out of the theatre. If cinema can make me compassionate about something, i have no issues, BUT, if it was so capable, things may have changed a bit more. And what happened after the movie, what is being done for the type of kids shown in the movie, by the general public or some gov agencies, how far have they come, is worth debatable.
Till then, i am singing, 'Aankhon mein teri ajab si ajab se adayein hai'
continued................
Now let me recollect the special moments of my stay in hyderabad.
1. Varun sir took me out for lunch, the day i got my offer letter. We ordered more than we could eat and by the time we left, i could see my bed and varun sir dragged his feet for office.
2. Me and Suresh sir went to take delivery of his Unicorn (AP29 H 3456, right sirji ??) and we met his bhaiyya too and as the bike was getting ready, bhaiyya treated us with Mirchi bhajji (pakora) .
3. Varun sir use to wake me up once he came from office and use to say, 'padh lo nahi to assessment mein back lag jayegi'. Caring [:)]
4. Vipin sir told a simple and true story to Vidhur boss, and at a later stage had to create a false story to stop Vidhur from discussing it with anyone else. And guess, Vidhur was terrified. ha ha ha ha aha..............
5. Chilakur and Balaji - discussion on them should be left for the future....
6. Me and Suresh sir, both with a regular pizza and coke in hand, sitting on the seats beside the lake at EAT STREET, eyeing other pretty girls, a modern day DOSTANA.
7. Sweet pongal was cooked by suresh sir, we both got all the ingredients from outside and suresh sir promised me it would be too tasty to resist. It finally landed in the sink, we both had our dinner at Prasadz. Vipin sir and Varun sir were in bhopal.
8. Priyesh Kokje initially varun sir's replacement but could survive only a month. He was advised by me to do some testing which he did not do perhaps. What testing, is better kept to myself...
9. Bonalu festival and the drum beats, they infact seemed to be at their peak just when we wanted to pull our sheets and off to sleep.
10. Vipin sir was going home, me and suresh sir came to drop him at the railway station. While returning back, the kick of his bike broke and i was alone to fend off the pulsar. Somehow i reached home with a kick in my hand, and anguish in my mind. I never knew getting a new kick was that easy..
12. Prashant sir and my numerous trips with him, sometime to prasadz, sometimes to his establishment and others at our Sri Sai Residency.
In all i really enjoyed my stay there. Sometimes i feel, only when i was not there, made it so special.
1. Varun sir took me out for lunch, the day i got my offer letter. We ordered more than we could eat and by the time we left, i could see my bed and varun sir dragged his feet for office.
2. Me and Suresh sir went to take delivery of his Unicorn (AP29 H 3456, right sirji ??) and we met his bhaiyya too and as the bike was getting ready, bhaiyya treated us with Mirchi bhajji (pakora) .
3. Varun sir use to wake me up once he came from office and use to say, 'padh lo nahi to assessment mein back lag jayegi'. Caring [:)]
4. Vipin sir told a simple and true story to Vidhur boss, and at a later stage had to create a false story to stop Vidhur from discussing it with anyone else. And guess, Vidhur was terrified. ha ha ha ha aha..............
5. Chilakur and Balaji - discussion on them should be left for the future....
6. Me and Suresh sir, both with a regular pizza and coke in hand, sitting on the seats beside the lake at EAT STREET, eyeing other pretty girls, a modern day DOSTANA.
7. Sweet pongal was cooked by suresh sir, we both got all the ingredients from outside and suresh sir promised me it would be too tasty to resist. It finally landed in the sink, we both had our dinner at Prasadz. Vipin sir and Varun sir were in bhopal.
8. Priyesh Kokje initially varun sir's replacement but could survive only a month. He was advised by me to do some testing which he did not do perhaps. What testing, is better kept to myself...
9. Bonalu festival and the drum beats, they infact seemed to be at their peak just when we wanted to pull our sheets and off to sleep.
10. Vipin sir was going home, me and suresh sir came to drop him at the railway station. While returning back, the kick of his bike broke and i was alone to fend off the pulsar. Somehow i reached home with a kick in my hand, and anguish in my mind. I never knew getting a new kick was that easy..
12. Prashant sir and my numerous trips with him, sometime to prasadz, sometimes to his establishment and others at our Sri Sai Residency.
In all i really enjoyed my stay there. Sometimes i feel, only when i was not there, made it so special.
From Bhopal to Hyderabad
Four years before, these days i was collecting all the documents relevant to my joining at Satyam Computer Services Limited at Hyderabad on 25 July 2005. I was so happy, i would be flying the first time in my life, on a early morning Indian Airlines flight from Delhi to Hyderabad. I had been to hyderabad a fortnight back to collect my offer letter from the Mayfair Centre and had made friends with the erstwhile dayscholar seniors, Vipin Mishra and Varun Joshi (henceforth addressed as Vipin sir and Varun sir) and the friend indeed Suresh Vishwanath (henceforth Suresh Sir).
After completing the joining formalities, i had my induction at Satyam Technology Centre (STC) and that was the day when the training started formally. During the initial training days i did not have many friends from satyam training but back home i had wonderful time with my friends, we visited Hussain sagar lake, watched movies at Prasadz and had fun filled dinner at Vidhur's mess. In due time, my training finished and we got a 2 week vacation to go home for Diwali, that too paid leaves. That diwali was very special, i was a software engineer with India's 4th largest IT company of those times and people showered their praises on me, called up their relations for a suitable girl for me and the likes, slowly the vacation came to an end and i returned back to Hyderabad. Once back from vacation, i was on bench, virtually a period to enjoy your day to the maximum, not knowing when a call to a project may change your life, reduced to the 4 * 4 periphery of the office cubicle and occasional chat/coffee with colleagues. A week later a bombshell called CHENNAI dropped on me and 8 more training mates and we were instructed to report for a training for 2 weeks and it was assumed that end of those two weeks we have to move to Chennai. Never in my thoughts i had thought of leaving hyderabad and going to some other city. The quintessential charm of the city, my friends at room and the ones i got at Satyam were air and water for me, without them i no longer thought to be alive. Such was our bonding, after having a chat with my room mates i use to take Suresh sir's bike and move to the flats of my friends in the neighbourhood, chat and have fun till 1 or 2 AM and then return back to my flat and sleep like a log, only to wake up after one and all had gone to office. Coming back to the training part, during those 2 weeks i realised that i would spend these 2 weeks in the most beautiful way, partying and enjoying with friends rather then on thinking what would become of me once i move to chennai, with almost all new faces and environment. Luckliy the training went of well and we were told that we will not be going before december end (training was held during the 2nd and 3rd week of November 2005). During those training days, much to our astonishement and happiness, a college senior whom i jelled well with, Lt Prashant Trivedi( henceforth Prashant Sir) got his first posting as hyderabad and the erstwhile establishment quite near to our place. Two incidents during that phase changed our lives, 1st was when one evening Varun sir told he is going to join a company in Mumbai and may move out around the first week of December and another was the arrival of Prashant sir. None of us wanted Varun sir to go, we had so much to celebrate and enjoy, his going created a void in the house, but finally he had to go.
After completing the joining formalities, i had my induction at Satyam Technology Centre (STC) and that was the day when the training started formally. During the initial training days i did not have many friends from satyam training but back home i had wonderful time with my friends, we visited Hussain sagar lake, watched movies at Prasadz and had fun filled dinner at Vidhur's mess. In due time, my training finished and we got a 2 week vacation to go home for Diwali, that too paid leaves. That diwali was very special, i was a software engineer with India's 4th largest IT company of those times and people showered their praises on me, called up their relations for a suitable girl for me and the likes, slowly the vacation came to an end and i returned back to Hyderabad. Once back from vacation, i was on bench, virtually a period to enjoy your day to the maximum, not knowing when a call to a project may change your life, reduced to the 4 * 4 periphery of the office cubicle and occasional chat/coffee with colleagues. A week later a bombshell called CHENNAI dropped on me and 8 more training mates and we were instructed to report for a training for 2 weeks and it was assumed that end of those two weeks we have to move to Chennai. Never in my thoughts i had thought of leaving hyderabad and going to some other city. The quintessential charm of the city, my friends at room and the ones i got at Satyam were air and water for me, without them i no longer thought to be alive. Such was our bonding, after having a chat with my room mates i use to take Suresh sir's bike and move to the flats of my friends in the neighbourhood, chat and have fun till 1 or 2 AM and then return back to my flat and sleep like a log, only to wake up after one and all had gone to office. Coming back to the training part, during those 2 weeks i realised that i would spend these 2 weeks in the most beautiful way, partying and enjoying with friends rather then on thinking what would become of me once i move to chennai, with almost all new faces and environment. Luckliy the training went of well and we were told that we will not be going before december end (training was held during the 2nd and 3rd week of November 2005). During those training days, much to our astonishement and happiness, a college senior whom i jelled well with, Lt Prashant Trivedi( henceforth Prashant Sir) got his first posting as hyderabad and the erstwhile establishment quite near to our place. Two incidents during that phase changed our lives, 1st was when one evening Varun sir told he is going to join a company in Mumbai and may move out around the first week of December and another was the arrival of Prashant sir. None of us wanted Varun sir to go, we had so much to celebrate and enjoy, his going created a void in the house, but finally he had to go.
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