The Last Post- A custom!

A number of bloggers have been posting something or the other as their last blog post for the year 2011. Since I am new to blogging, I assume, this is a tradition that has to be followed. So here I am writing my last blog post for 2011. But frankly, I am too pre-occupied to write one. And I won’t be dishonest to you at least during the last hours of this year. What you are about to read here in this post might turn you against my Candid Convictions forever (in case anybody likes it!). And that’s precisely because I don’t have any idea regarding the topic.

I have been brainstorming ceaselessly for a topic and couldn’t come up with anything. I thought about scribbling about the important events of the world, good and bad, of 2011. But I really do not have the time to sum that up. My mommy washed all my clothes this morning and they haven’t dried up yet. So, the need of the hour (for me) is to come up with a suitable attire for the party that I am about to attend in a couple of hours instead of reflecting upon the bygone affairs! (I hope you agree).

I also wished to share with my readers the events that happened in my life. But soon, reality dawned upon me and I realised that that’s just my wish. Who would be interested to know about my life? I do not have even 25 followers on twitter, nobody retweets my tweets or begs me to retweet his tweets! However, without mortifying myself further, I’d like to share with you all, the biggest lesson that I learnt in 2011: Friendship is an investment of time and emotions where returns matter. Love is an investment of time and emotions where returns do not matter. I laugh out loud when I see the young ones of human beings (who barely wash their own UGs) updating their facebook status or liking a page that goes like this:

 My friends are my life (seriously man, go get a life!)

I can die for my friends (you must die for thinking that way!)

My friends are the most important part of my life (Oh! I am sorry that your parents died.)

Well, sooner than later, they shall receive enlightenment. But if any such creature is reading this, beware!

A post about New Year resolutions wouldn’t be bad either. But every one of us knows the inside story of resolutions. They are barely kept. Still bragging about them and coming up with a really good one is commendable (at least for a little while). Alright I have a good one too. My resolution would be to stick to all the commitments that I make in 2012. How’s that? ;-)

Another popular topic is to put in writing the things that I may expect to happen in 2012. Well, as I mentioned earlier, I would rather focus on the present moment (my dress) instead of pondering over the future. And because of the same reason, it’s time for me to doll up and leave for the party. So, enjoy the last night everyone and party hard. Luckily, it’s Sunday tomorrow and you all can sleep tight. But since it’s going to be the very first day of 2012, I’d rather suggest you to start it right. So, Adieu! See ya all on the other side.

Happy New Year 2012 :-)

P.S. 1. In the quest of a suitable topic, I was able to write approximately 600 words.

P.S. 2. I would really loooooove to get a feedback on this article. Let me know the extent to which you got bugged (in case you read the article completely!)

A day without internet

Like zillions other on this planet, I have a smart phone and I make sure that I utilize as much of it as I can. I have been staying at home since 5^th of Dec and by this time, my cell phone is certainly out of balance. About three days back my internet voucher expired. It was like a mini heart-attack for me! But I survived that because my mother’s phone had about 60MB of free internet usage (camouflaged angel!). Things have been pretty usual since then until this morning. I woke up in the morning and lying right where I had been the whole night, reached for my mommy’s mobile phone. Drowsily, I clicked on FACEBOOK and waited for the airtel network to make a connection via Mobile Office. Suddenly, I heard two consecutive beeps with the following two messages:

Packet data: Invalid packet data access point

Web: Unable to perform operation

It was horrifying!!

“All is well. All is well.” I consoled myself and went on with the day.

I pat myself for managing without internet for over 19 hours. But the moment I was idle, anxiety dawned upon me. It was 9.15 pm and I could not go out myself to get the recharge done on my number. I called Ravi (the shopkeeper at my hometown) but he didn’t have Vodafone vouchers. I called up a friend to get the recharge done for me (how desperate!) but it’s Tuesday and the market there is closed! Serendipity!

Ultimately, I sat down with my lappi on my lap and began writing this blog. I wondered if I received the e-mail that I have been waiting for since a few weeks or whether the semester results were out on www.du.ac.in. I longed to check out www.dublog.in for any updates and remove as well as block a person from my friend-list on Facebook urgently. I was even hopeful that Farhan Akhtar would reply to my tweets. And now when I am about to finish this entry, I long to post it on www.somya-singh.blogspot.com.

When I discovered the malfunctioning of the internet connection this morning, I thought, “A day without internet; well, how bad can that be?” Oh it’s worse than I imagined. Not all the time though. Save for the times I suffer from a fit of immense greed (not literally!). Long story short, for an addict like me it’s like gasping for air!

P.S. I finally got an internet connection after approximately 41 hours of wheezing and posted this entry about 3 hours later. 

Noble Inheritance ONLY, please!

There comes a chapter in everybody’s book or more precisely every girl’s life, where she learns to cook. While some people learn to cook willingly, others owe their skills to circumstances. In my opinion however, being able to cook is a part of being independent and hence, important. Do not worry my dear readers. I am not going to kill you by giving a lecture on “benefits of cooking”. I am jusssssssst coming to my point. Read on…

My neighbors have been trying to teach cooking to their 13 year old daughter. After a lot of efforts, she’s finally able to make tea now. She can make maggi too but well, that’s way below the standard of being able to cook (unless it involves some innovation!) My neighbors have a tendency of taking a little more sugar and salt in their food than the normal amount. Now when their daughter presented her fist cup of tea in front of me and I took the first sip, I thought: Legacy!  But my thoughts did not cease there. I continued to think and think beyond that teeny tiny sugary issue. And I deduced that it is very important to ensure a healthy influence on kids for what they see is what they learn, apart from what they are taught. If a father praises Anna Hazare on one hand and on the other, commissions a pandit for an early visit at a temple, the child finds himself in a fix. If a daughter finds her mother disrespecting her elders, she probably will tread on the same path. In other words, when you cannot respect your parents, how can you expect your child to pay reverence to you? A close associate of mine is afraid of getting married because the marital life of his parents is so full of clashes. Thus, it is also important to have a similarity between what children are taught and they see, especially till the age they gain the power to think rationally because by the time they learn to object, their mind turns into curd (Deemag ka dahi ho jata hai!!)

I repeat, it all begins with what children see and what they are taught or the distinction between the two. No doubt there will exist what we call disagreement and resentment. But once you are able to view the big picture, these micro mini arguments seem worth it. I’d like to share a few instances from my own life here. My mother got me into cooking when I was barely eight years old. My dad literally freaks out when the food gets even slightly salty and this fact makes me remain cautious, always. At about the same age or a little earlier, I was given a room of my own that comprised of a study table, chair, a bed, a cupboard and loads of lights! Unlike other girls of my age, I have been sleeping alone since then and without turning the lights on. When I stepped out of my house four years back, I met a few girls in the hostel who were afraid to sleep with the lights off because they were totally unused to seeping alone. I don’t say that there is something weird about sleeping with your parents. I do cling to my Mommy and sleep whenever I visit home but I am not dependent. My parents made me eat all sorts of vegetables. My Dad wouldn’t move until I swallowed the last bite of tomatoes or bitter gourd in my plate (I literally swallowed them with water!). I hated them for the way they tortured me. That’s how I saw it then. But when I went to hostel, I found myself way more comfortable than others who threw tantrums regarding the menu. Although I still wouldn’t choose to eat such things on my own but at least I have become smart enough to pick a couple of tomato slices from the salad section (that I hated once). When I think of those days today, I don’t think that they tortured me. They must have tried to coax me affectionately first. But when it didn’t work, they simply bent their finger to fetch the ghee! ;-)

I feel parents and children should have a friendly relation but only to an extent. If a parent starts being a friend in all respects, he should make sure that he is still able to command respect from his child. For a person, there may be many friends but there is only one mother and only one father. And I would not want to lose that. But at the same time, it is very important to listen to a child’s opinions. But remember, he may not always be right and so can’t you. Forget your ego and choose a couple of paths that are right and enjoyable at the same time as well as lead to a common goal: your child’s betterment. In my neighbor’s case mentioned at the beginning, the idea could be to tell the girl to keep the amount of sugar and salt controlled. It’s never too late for them to change but if they are so unwilling to do so, at least they can bring about a change in their kid’s lifestyle to secure her future. If you are planning to give a present to your child or your younger sibling this Christmas, in addition to giving him what he wants (candies, toys, gadgets etc), give him what he would never ask for but needs desperately- a positive influence. And let that be so optimistic that your sweetheart will always be able to what out of darkness into sunshine in every phase and every sphere of his life. Play that silent role and sooner or later, it will be recognized. :-)

Merry Christmas!!

Catching up...

The past few weeks have been the time for catching up with my life for me. This implies that I have been lagging behind in many aspects! Where in some cases I had been relatively behind schedule, in few others, the delay was absolute. It all began with covering my syllabus in the mid November for the internal exams. Now I am not a kind of person who can indulge in multiple tasks at one time. So, basically, on thing led to the other and in just a few days I found myself lagging behind in other things too. For instance, I still haven’t watched Breaking Dawn and unfortunately, because I am so damn late, I do not have a partner for the movie!

About two months back when I was checking out a few books at Jabalpur Railway Station, a girl came up to me and asked me whether my name was Somya. I nodded affirmatively and turned around to find one of my classmates from Std VI. I recognized her immediately and I was glad that she could identify me too. We hardly talked then but meeting after almost a decade felt so great. Moreover, when I reflect on how friendship used to be when we were kids, I just smile and that’s the only feeling that stays in my heart; no hatred, no jealousy, no disgust. Our hearts were so pure then. And now, in some random corner of my corrupted heart, their lies a teeny tiny place that holds those unadulterated memories of childhood just as they were, unguided by reasons.

I had a chance of meeting another very old friend yesterday. Although we first met when we were in fourth grade, our friendship doesn’t date that long. There might be several drawbacks of social networking sites like facebook but one cannot decry the angelic role it plays in bringing old buddies together. And the camouflaged seraph did help me in connecting with many old chums of mine too. It was simply wonderful catching up and laughing out loud with a friend I hardly conversed with as a toddler. No wonder, old is gold. :-)

Sometimes, lagging behind isn’t that bad. Staying in touch with something/someone and getting back together with something/someone after a span of time, both provide a uniquely special feeling in their own special way. Now that I have undertaken the task of pulling alongside all my pending works, I guess, writing a blog entry on this topic would not be so bad to start with. So, here I am, catching up with my blog too ;-)

Dil toh Bachha hai Ji...

Being dead to the world in the dead of night, waking up behind schedule and then chasing possibly everything- from a quick repast to a rapidly budging bus! Our lives have slashed to a mere rat-chase, mundane and monotonous. As a consequence, we end up pricking every single bubble of life that ever dared to glide. Amidst the hustle and bustle of one such day, I hurried towards my classroom at the eleventh-hour clutching my cellular phone, my chum. Both, anxious and afraid of being chucked out, I took a final sigh and as I was about to enter the alcove, my chum gasped for life and started vibrating. The screen flashed “Sanskrit Sir Calling…” and all my apprehension vanished in a jiffy. It suddenly clicked, “It’s Children’s Day TODAY!”

I was allowed an entry, despite being late. In my mind’s eye, I suddenly saw myself kneeling down right at the door and holding my ears for being late to the class, clad in a school uniform, my dear uniform!  The mind-numbing lecture “lulled me to sleep and sleep prolonged my dreams!” (S.T. Coleridge) This was yet another day in college. I wondered how those young lads in my school would be having the time of their life. We would all attire ourselves in blue and rush toward school, overjoyed. Apart from my birthday, this was the day I eagerly looked forward to, every single year of my childhood and now here I am, maturing with wisdom and sensibleness, with no one to celebrate the innocence I once held and perhaps traces of which still remain, not a single soul to give me a Bensia pencil of my favorite color or simply hug me with utmost affection, just to make me feel special.

Yes, I am an adult now. And alas, they don’t find us worthy enough to declare a day for us! Tapped in a cycle of materialisms, we lose out on our innocence each and every minute of our lives. But no wonder, I still crave for “Buddhi ka Baal”. Yes, I am eighteen and in spite of that, I run after balloons and carry an I-have-got-the-world expression after possessing it. At times, I circle around my Mommy and coil the pallav of her saree too. I may not jump and clap at fireworks but gazing above still makes me happy. And for all that I was and for all that remains, I, like everyone else out there, deserve to make merry on this day. After all, Dil to Bachha hai Ji..!! . ;)

PS- This write-up comes out of a frustrated mind because nobody (except the teacher I mentioned above) wished me, not even my parents, until it was dusk and I took the liberty of calling 'em up myself to "vehemently grab" greetings from them!! ;) 

A Letter to Nelly Furtado…

Dear Nelly,

When despair envelops my mind, my spirits crash and the color of my face turns blue (from red), I take refuge under your song “All Good Things Come to an End”. Without a slightest doubt, your song is beautiful. But unfortunately, since June 2006, it has been misinterpreted my millions. Until this time, I belonged to that set too. All this while, my gloomy thoughts and your libretto were in complete harmony. Akin you, I monotonously wondered, “Why do all good things come to an end?” By no means did I endeavor to hunt for an answer and thus, I kept on sinking deeper and deeper inside a bottomless pit. A short time ago, however, I accidentally stumbled on a way out to your speculations. And now I finally have an answer to your million dollar question (that literally paid you well, a million dollars!) Here it goes...

To cut a long story short, all the good things in the world come to an end simply to make room for the better ones, my dear. As simple as that! You see, I recently read a book by Dr. Spencer Johnson called “Who Moved My Cheese?” In case you haven’t read this already, I’d suggest you to glance at it. The book highlights the importance of adapting oneself to ceaseless changes; the sooner the better. For when a chunk of your favorite “cheese” turns mossy or has been “removed”, you can always look out for a “new cheese” that outshines the former “cheese”. Using cheese as a metaphor for one’s desires, job, relationship, etc, Dr. Johnson delivers a simple yet profound message. Going by the same logic, when a good thing comes to an end, sooner or later, a better one always comes into sight. And the best part is, the best ones never end!

Here’s an instance to support my argument- I know of a friend who loved this guy madly that dumped her after 2 years of relationship. She lost all her hopes and kept wondering for about a year and a half “why did this happen to her?” Few years later, she met another guy who could finally teach her to love again and now she feels thankful that she underwent such a terrible heartbreak then only to meet a guy who truly respects her feelings. So, a good thing came to an end and a better one became apparent. I am also aware of a kind of love which is “the best of all” and so will never end. It’s the love that I am blessed to receive from my parents. Come what may, it will never end. I can bet your entire million dollars on it!

Nelly, I do not intend to criticize the lyrics of your song. It conveys optimism but indirectly and thus, people with brains often fail to notice the latent and the obvious. I merely aim at sharing this little message with you and any one who reads this letter. I hope that people like you and I, instead of retreating from a dark tunnel, will try to perceive the luminosity that lies at the end of it and move ahead.

Kind Regards,

A Newly Enlightened Soul.

A heartbreaking musing.

Remember those times when you met someone and you guys just hit it off? That person made you laugh so hard that you assumed he/she would always be there to do so- in your good times and in your bad ones. No matter what, he/she would always cheer you up. It seemed impossible to even imagine that he/she would ever bring tears of sorrow in your eyes. All he would ever do is bring tears out of endless laughter. Well, some of us are lucky enough to have that person in our lives for ever. And some others, like me, are not. Amongst these ‘others’ too, there are three categories of people. The first one consists of people who lose that someone because of their mistake(s). Then there are people whom someone loses because of his/her own mistake(s). And finally, there are some who just keep wondering “what went wrong?”. I fall in the third category and believe me, it’s the worst of all. Although you are to lose the person in all the three cases, in the former two, you are at least aware of the reason for the same. The last one, on the contrary, gives you an additional matter to ponder upon, as if you didn’t have enough already! Thus, it keeps on reminding you things that you least want to.

Indubitably, you can always hunt for the latent will power inside you to drive off your emotions and be a little stern towards the same, especially, when your sentiments do not concern them. But my dilemma is, what should be done to the stuff they gave you, both abstract and in kind? The most terrible yet wonderful gift from someone is ‘memories’. You cherish them until things go well. But when they don’t work out and the ‘triple bond’ you once shared now stands broken then those memories begin to haunt you instead. I simply awe at my memory when it comes to matters that are worth forgetting. At other times, like examinations, it makes me feel awful! Moving on to materialistic things, should one throw them away, burn them down, give them back to the person they came from, preserve them or the most difficult, preserve as well as use them?? [ P.S. I am not talking w.r.t. an ‘after break-up’ scenario.] 

I too have presents from some people who were once not unknown to me like t-shirts ,a mug, show-pieces, cards etc. I am ‘brave’ enough to use the mug and preserve the rest  (or fool enough, I really have no idea). I have only one reason behind my action- These gifts were given to me with a heart that once contained only love for me and at a time when everything was perfect. No doubt, it still hurts me because every time I see or use those, I am reminded of them and probably, I won’t be able to forget them ever (bloody memory!) But despite my logic, my question still remains unanswered; When people walk out of your lives, what should you do with the ‘stuff’ they leave behind??

A way out of this maze is welcomed…

Stay Noble, Stay Blessed!

There is always at least one harsh critique associated with every concept. Never, can one find a universal acceptance of a particular issue. Even I have come up with an argument against the celebration of certain festivals in India. These include, Holi, Dussehra, Diwali and to some extent, Christmas. But basically it’s the way Diwali is celebrated or more appropriately, the way it is supposed to be “celebrated” that lays down the foundation of my following contentions.

Apart from being a fiesta of lights and joy (which almost every festival claims to spread in our lives), Diwali is also considered as one of the most apt time for family re-unions (at least this is the notion that I have been brought up with). To some extent, I agree. But most of the academic institutions and workplaces reject “The Re-union Theory” .  All they offer is a one-day holiday and hence, Har Diwali wo kisi ko khush nahi karte! My dad’s application for leave was firmly rejected and we, here in MH, shall be granted only one official holiday. Eventually one finds oneself trapped in a state of a terrible dilemma where one has to choose between one’s work and family. The festival of Diwali turns more or less into “shaadi ke laddoo” since, if you prefer work over your family, you miss family (because you are supposed to!) and if your family becomes a priority then you keep on thinking about your work (because you have to!) So, either ways, you turn out to be at a loss which is dire enough to reduce your efficiency as well as your stability.

Now let me pose the million dollar question- Does the gist of a festival remain alive only when we make merry with our family members? Well, my brother has been living abroad for over two years now and he hasn’t shown up in any of these festivals. He must be missing us all on these occasions; perhaps, he’s even used to them by now. But does he really find himself in a depressed state of mind? I am sure he doesn’t (as far as I know him). He acquires peace as long as his purpose of existence is served. For him, his work fetches him happiness, colors, light and all those stuff that these festivals assert to bring in our lives (or at least we expect them to!) There are millions like him on this planet and they do manage to manage themselves. Amidst the diversities of these gala event lies a common message- “Stay noble, stay blessed” This is my personal interpretation and as stated at the beginning of this article, is subjected to criticism! I say so because if we look closely at the history of the origin of these celebrations, we essentially find that the uprights triumph! Never would have Shri Ram thought that while people celebrate his victory all over the country, few houses would be covered under darkness and few juvenile eyes would be filled with tears because they DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH RICHES TO MATERIALIZE THE FESTIVAL! Enlightening your mind, your thoughts is way more essential than lightening your house.

This is gonna be the first time when I would be spending Diwali without my family and friends i.e. alone and I am not at all used to it. Guess, this is why I have come up with a different theory of my own. Perhaps, I needed to convince myself way more than others that I am certainly not at a loss if I choose work over spending the day with my family and won’t be tuning into “Here I feel so loooooonely” or “Lonely, I am Mr. Lonely” to aggravate my pain, if any! (Really man, some songs can turn you into a weeping fountain even if you don’t want to!) You may undergo a similar situation now or in the years to come. And when you do feel terrible about the thought of being alone on such an occasion, just remember two things…

1. Smile...because you should!
2. Stay noble, stay blessed!

IRONICALLY, these two articles on my blog may help you discover your latent righteousness. (Do not kill me if they don’t!)Moreover, a more promising idea is to furnish another concept of your own that satisfies at least one person in the world-YOU! This is applicable to almost every issue but make sure you are totally and virtuously assured by it and no other argument can change your mind. Live life not on the terms set by society but on your own stipulations. Stay noble, stay blessed!

10 Things you should NOT do when angry.

Albert Einstein said, "Anger dwells only in the bosom of fools." Well if that's the case, then the World is brimming with nincompoops! The internet is flooded with anger management tips. At times, I can get really cranky and in view of the fact that I am a terrible anger manager, such words of wisdom have no effect on me. For those of you falling in my category of people, I cannot suggest ways to control your fury but from my experience (and few others'), I can suggest few things that you should NEVER do when cross.

1.      Keep your mouth shut-  The more you speak in resentment, the more you tend to screw things up. Remember, the one who is wrong will speak the most and the worst. You need not settle the matter immediately. However, you must do it calmly later.

2.      Never leave a matter unsettled- When we lose our temper, we often come up with arguments that are related to some unresolved incidents that happened in the past. This struggle for proving oneself right simply makes the situation worse. Sorting out grudges is important provided the matter is big enough to be termed a 'grudge'. Learn to avoid little things (Nobody is perfect, not even you!) 

3.      Avoid mental abuses- Avoid abusing even in your thoughts. If you can think it, sooner or later, you can spill it out too! 

4.      Never stand in the vicinity of expensive and breakable stuff- This is the most important point and requires great care. Avoid holding cell phones, i-pods, tabs, laptops, net-books, etc. in your hands or keeping near your reach when irate. Your vexation may lead to a heavy financial loss apart from other repercussions.

5.      Avoid telephonic conversation- Eyeball to eyeball confrontation requires guts. Also, when speaking over phone, you cannot make out the tone of the person you are talking to accurately as you cannot eye his/her facial expressions. Thus, talking over phone often makes circumstances more crappy. 

6.      Never preserve the evidence- James Fallows said, "Always write angry letters to your enemies. Never mail them." Well my piece of advice is to erase any note written in anger, the question of mailing the same does not arise! Expressing your anger in a written form is not a bad idea but securing the same is insane. You never know when things begin to work out between you and the person concerned and in such a situation, the piece of crap that you wrote will simply reduce everything to rubble.

7.      Never stay alone- Avoid being a loner especially when you are heated. Talk to a friend, family member or even a stranger and express your emotions. If you feel like crying, cry!  Remember, nobody is MARD enough to lack any emotion. Moreover, this will help you avoid depending on drugs, cigarettes or alcohol.

8.      Never rely on drugs, cigarettes and alcohol- This is mainly an extension of the above point. If you have been drinking or smoking before now, it’s fine (by me; certainly, not good for your health though) But things go wrong when you START smoking/ drinking/ taking drugs because things slip out of your hand (including your anger.) It’s like investing on a scheme that gives satisfactory returns in the short-term ONLY.

9.      Never switch off your cell phone-  You may not wish to talk to anybody when you are fuming but others might try to contact you. And who knows, they may have something really good to share or something that requires your immediate attention and what not! A great personality has said(I don’t really know who; It’s a dialogue from some movie that my Dad passed on to me),”Jab insaan ka waqt kharab hota hai na, toh wo uut par bhi baitha ho toh bhi use kutta kaat leta hai” This argument may not be totally convincing but the heart of the matter is, you should not switch off your cell phone.

10.  Never become a slave of Pessimism- Never compare a present situation with an incident that took place in the past or assume anything for the future. Two state of affairs can be similar but not identical. So, be optimistic and just believe!

Everybody, at some point of time, feels that he cannot take it anymore. At this moment, anger is obvious as well as genuine. Anger is considered ‘bad’ because in 97% of the cases, it’s employed unconstructively. In my opinion, it’s not so unscrupulous if we focus on its productive maneuver. For instance, kick-boxing, gym, running, shooting and lots of others activities can make use of anger in an affirmative manner. Anger results in passion and once you get obsessed with something, nothing can stop you. Obsession, again, some may say, conveys a negative spirit. However, I would still say that it depends upon the way you bring it into play.

There's a simple rule that I follow in this regard. If the magnitude of the matter that makes you cranky is greater than the relationship you share with a person then let your anger out. On the contrary, if the issue is not big enough then do not let it overcome your bond with the person.

This article was basically an effort to share few details that you perhaps already know! I may have missed out on many more points. If you can come up with some more points, do share...

A wish come true...

Have you ever experienced a “wish-come-true” kind of a situation? As in, you spill some clauses of random thoughts out and suddenly, the following course of events seems to happen in sync with your thoughts. Well, it happened to me! I said something on a busy Sunday morning which altered the expected events of the next few weeks totally.

Day 1

On a Monday, one would usually find me wide awake and smiling at 10.30 am for Miss Namrata’s class. However, this was no monotonous Monday. At about this time, I was still in my bed, covered in 3 blankets. I had taken Crocin last night but my body temperature, instead of falling, had risen to 101F. I could not dare get off my bed as my roommate was still around. She could be a terror, you know! By evening, I had already consumed an antibiotic and a paracetamol. Still, no effect.

Day 2

My body temperature showed an increment of another  1F  today. I stayed back at home again and without anybody’s threats. My lappi and me lay beside each other for the entire day. None of us took advantage of the other! It was a rare event.  I could barely walk. I was too weak to even sit. Usually when I fall ill, I make it a point to share it with others through facebook or tweets. But this time, I received lesser sympathies in view of the fact that I could not perform a publicity stunt online. By 8.00 pm, I was hotter than Angelina Jolie and thus, needed a doctor.

Day 3

Last night, I was declared a victim of throat infection by Dr. G.S. Gupta (NEVER visit this fellow. More on this later). My body had stopped responding to any antibiotics. I was still down with fever, coughing all day long and extremely weak. I was hospitalized at NKS Hospital (NEVER refer to this hospital. More on this later). The blood suckers here took about 15 ml of blood from my body to conduct several tests. I kept praying for anything except Jaundice, Typhoid, Malaria, Dengue and Cholera. Any of these diseases reflects direct negligence of the patient and I did not wish to appear the same. The Einstein-looking fellow, Dr. Gupta diagnosed typhoid and I was treated for the same for the next two days.

I was supposed to travel back to my hometown in a train. But circumstances made me fly down to Bhubaneswar. I was about to travel in a flight for the first time in my life (YES!!) and I didn’t appear to look apt. With my out-of-shape and smelly hair (I had not washed my hair since one week), I looked hideous! Still, the journey was a delight. Wonders of Science! 

My Dad is a man of complete genius. I have never seen a man so prompt and so accurate. When I reached home, I was taken for a blood test again. And guess what, the reports were negative! All this time, I had been given injections and oral medications for Typhoid while I had nothing! Those blood suckers at NKS Hospital extracted 16,000 bucks (expenses on medicines additional) from me for absolutely nothing. I was their bakra and they had been making money out of me. Dr. Gupta, who is not at all worthy of being called a Doctor, threatened me that I would not get well if I take discharge from that  goddamn hospital.

Few years back, someone told me, “Har 24 ghante me 1 baar Maa Saraswati hamari vaani par viraajmaan hoti hain.” (Once in every 24 hours, Goddess Saraswati resides rests on our speech.) That is, on such an occasion, our mere words turn into a reality, irrespective of their positive or negative nature. A similar thing might have happened when I uttered these words on that Sunday morning, “It’s been a long time since I have been to a hospital.”

Smile... because you should!

Few days back I was sitting with my friends in the college canteen when a ‘special’ girl came by.

“Hi, Himanshi.” She said.

“Hi. How are you?” said my friend, Himanshi.

“I am very happy today”, said the girl.

“Why?” asked Himanshi.

“Because I should be!” , said the extraordinary girl with a smile as bright as the rays of the sun falling on an ice-covered land. 

I consider her unique because of two reasons. The first one is that she’s slightly atypical. Despite that, she taught us all a wonderful lesson of life and that’s my second reason for calling her ‘special’.  She was happy because she should be and didn’t need any reason to keep herself smiling.  How often do we think of our lives in such a way? We always tend to seek happiness in almost anything and everything. And if, by chance, we miss out on something, we tend to forget everything else that we already have as well. I have seen so many people (including me) getting frustrated when they don’t get their appropriate size of a pair of shoes or their desired color of a particular brand of nail paint. Out of sheer depression, these tragedy Queens and Kings of all time eventually start cursing their fate and then begins their melodrama in both

 Bollywood ishhtyle…!!

Aisa mere saath hi kyun hota hai..?? :’(

Bhagwan mujhe kis paap ki sazaa de raha hai..???

Shayad ye chappal mere naseeb me nahi… :’(

Is se toh achha hota ke main paida hi nahi hui hoti/ hua hota..!!

And the modern hollywood style…

Shit man!

Oh Crap!

F*** man!

They even start questioning the existence of God (Now this is too much!) I am sure all of us have had the experience of delivering at least one of these monologues in a similar situation (and believe me, even Rakhi Sawant doesn’t match up to our brilliant acting skills!). But not once, have we cared to think about those people who don’t even have their feet to put on shoes or those suffering from starvation or a dreadful disease like polio or leprosy that doesn’t leave any room for nail paints in their lives. The little heartbreaks that we undergo in our daily lives are nothing as compared to the catastrophic lives of such people.

Unfortunately, even I belong to the category of mournful tragedy queens.  And since I do not practise it, probably, I do not have the right to preach the same. But there’s one thing that I certainly believe in- Life is beautiful and in fact, its beauty knows no bounds. And given that, life undoubtedly deserves reverence. Each life touches many other lives in plethora of  ways and every life does make a difference. However, an affirmative association requires an optimistic approach too.

Your silence pinches, smile spreads smiles

May it be for ever, flourishing to miles…

Ever since I heard these lines ( Courtesy, Mr. Sribatsa Mishra), I haven’t been able to take them out of my mind and I guess, I never will. Even though they weren’t composed for me, I strongly feel they are meant for me and everyone else on this earth. A smile is, unquestionably, the most unadulterated use of one’s lips ;) And there’s no harm in carrying out a sanctimonious undertaking. Hence, Smile and be happy…because you should! 

Kyunki har ek "Friend" zaroori hota hai...

Few years back, while flipping various channels, I halted at Star World. It was then that I first took a glimpse of the World's most awesome show ever- F.R.I.E.N.D.S. I moved to hostel and eventually began cutting out Idiot box from my life. Whenever I came back home in my vacations, I would search for the same channel again and sit down to watch the only show which blurred the idiotic nature of TV in my mind. At that time, I had no idea what attracted me so much to that particular show. Back in February this year, I somehow managed to get all the 10 seasons of F.R.I.E.N.D.S . And once I started, nothing could stop me but my exams! I could point out a hundred reasons to love that show. But what attracted me the most was their friendship. Recently I started watching How I met your mother and I'm loving it. I keep on wondering why I have never had a group like Lilly, Marshal, Ted, Robin and Barney have? And may be, I know the answer,
Because if I were in a group, for some of us, someone like

Barney is a characterless wretch.
Robin's a selfish bitch.
Ted's so desperate to get married. What a loser!
And Lilly and Marshal are too sweet to be friends with.

Friendship is not about finding perfect friends or ridiculing them if they are not what you want them to be. It is about accepting them the way they are. They may be a wretch, a bitch or a loser but they are your FRIENDS! I have never really been a part of some group until last year. And the inference that i drew from my experiment was that Groups, sooner or later, break. Last year on Friendships' Day, I got a card with the words “For True Friends” scribbled on top of the envelope and guess what? We aren't friends anymore! Owing to all that I have been through in the past few months, I had been wondering if friendship is really as great as it is supposed to be (I even wrote a poem on that!). So basically throughout my life, I have been either alone (which was very rare, still, I brag about it!) or with one or two friends. I have never had a group like Ted's or Monica's. But I have had best friends. I was recently remarked, “You call everyone your best friend. You are supposed to have only one best friend.” After a deep thought over this remark, I ended up undercutting that statement. Yes, I do have a lot of best friends. Instead of expressing myself to a bunch of people in a “gang”, I opened up to just one or two persons in all the schools I was enrolled in and they did the same. In some cases it took years to become best friends and in others, we just hit it off. None of us, my best friends or I, is perfect. But they have accepted me the way I am and I have done the same. We talk occasionally, losing track of most of the things, but it has NEVER affected the bond that we share. I guess, that's true friendship. :) No matter where you are or what you do, friends stay. They always do. A “Friend” is a common word that should be used only for people who are uncommon to you, for the rest, “acquaintance” will do! And thus, only a friend can make the experience of friendship worthwhile, not an acquaintance.

The real purpose behind this post is not to present an analysis of friendship and friends. It is to rejoice the birth anniversary of one such friend. I truly cherish the moments we spent together and even though we are apart, (but not at heart) my love for her has increased with distance. I wrote this poem for her on her last birthday and I made this little movie this year. I hope she likes it :) 




(: Happy Birthday Alisha!! :)

I was walking quietly on my lonely way

but suddenly in the crowd I went astray.

I looked around for any familiar face

but not a single soul could give me solace.

I felt a jerk, stumbled and fell apart

people came and stepped over my heart

I tried to protect it but it was too late.

I picked up the broken pieces and cursed my fate.

I stood up and started walking again

battling with the bitter world just to sustain.

I went by a rivulet and sat over a heap

placed my head over my hands and began to weep

“Why is this world so harsh, so bitter?

I am no more a loser, I have become a quitter.

Isn't there a soul who can bring my misery to an end

Oh gimme an angel whom I can proudly call my friend.”

I burst into tears, feeling sombre.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.

The touch was not familiar,the sensation was new

I turned around and there was you.

You took my hand and sat beside

and all the worries moved aside.

You wiped my tears and made me smile

My milieu turned to pleasant from vile

You listened to every word I spoke

and laughed even on my stupidest joke

you turned my world upside down.

To make me smile, you even became a clown

we sat together in silence for long

the moment was perfect nothing was wrong

but suddenly I saw you walking away

I closed my eyes and began to pray

“Whoever she was, she has entered my heart.

O god! I beg you, please don't keep us apart.

Bring her back and I'll never let her go

don't break my heart; please don't say no.”

Tears started rolling down my cheek

my misery was at its peak

there was not a single creature around

after a long silence, I finally heard a sound.

“She is the angel that you asked for, your friend

who shall be with you till eternity's end.

She broke all the barriers and entered your heart

and now even I can't keep you two apart.

Even if she is not around, she is not away.

Unseen and unheard, she'll walk beside you everyday.

For in your heart you have erected those walls again

you may not, but in your heart she'll always remain.”

He was gone and there was silence again

the words he uttered, didn't ease my pain.

I turned around and started to walk away

pondering over his words, closed my eyes in the middle of the way.

I wondered if what he spoke was really true

but when I opened my eyes and looked beside, I found you!

A TRIBUTE TO THE PAST- Part II

Two years back we left our home and came to this cage

and added in our life's book was yet another page.

Together we laughed, together we shed tears

here's a tribute to the blissful two years.

To the empty corridors where our laughter echoed

after every mischief where we all tip-toed.

To the walls which have supported us throughout

and made sure that our secrets never leak out.

To the first floor staircase where we became friends again

after crying like a baby and fighting like an insane.

To the window beside the water cooler where we enjoyed the soft breeze

where born were many philosophers and solved were many mysteries.

To the stairs in the reception where we sang songs and passed comments

to the mess table with plethora of publicity stunts and memorable moments.

To the empty rooms of second floor where b'days were celebrated

to FG-1 where meetings were held and strategies were created.

To the terrace above library where stealthily we sneaked

to the windows and keyhole from where we peeped.

To the narrow passage behind the tennis court which shot our imagination

To the times when we were punished in the ground floor corridor & Recreation.

To the bunkers point where romeos and juliets met

to the outstanding dance performances and the new records that were set.

And now that the journey has ended and only memories remain

I long back to back in time and live those moments again.

The faces that earlier seemed strange, are now my life's major part.

We're still a family, may be at a distance, but never at heart.

Dedicated to my co-boarders of Delhi Public School, Bhilai.

 Love you all..!!

A TRIBUTE TO THE PAST- Part I

After a long gap of two and a half years, some of us were lucky enough to relive those beautiful moments again that are lost in the whirlpool of time, during the small re-union in our school on October 9, 2010. Our laughter still echoes in the corridors, the benches at the back still whisper a mischief, the black-board still portrays the images of our teachers and the holy fumes from the havan-kund still linger in the school's atmosphere. A lot has changed in the past 2 years, still everything else remains the same. Yuvraj bhaiya still smiles on seeing us, the corridor near the toilet still stinks a lot, the back-garden still has beautiful roses, the large swing still makes a creaking noise and most importantly, we still occupy prominent places in our teachers' hearts.

I still laugh my heads out when i remember Hota Sir's dialogues, “yesterday tumko bola tha na tomorrow copy lane ke lie” and “Narayan Bidyadhar Mohapatra, GET OUT!!”, which he always said pointing towards the window instead of the door!! Tripathi Sir's patriotically mathematical emotions“Tum mujhe 80 do, main tumhe 20 dunga” and frustration “20 laat maar ke bahar dunga” still set an annoyed look on my face. Saubhagya Sir's “dhundla sa....” and “ I see a beeyuuuutiiiful lady in this chalk” still shoots my imagination. Sribatsa Mishra Sir's concern for her favorite student “Pratyasha is absent today?”(Pratyasha will kill me for this!!), Sanskrit Sir's expression when he remembers something suddenly “Ishh Ishh Ishh aa raha hai”, Sanjay Sir's words of wisdom “Don't say you have forgotten. Say you cannot recollect.”and “I know that you know but you dont know that you know”, Rao Madam's way of saying, “Ae Ranjeet”, “Ae Kishore” and “Y. navin”, S.K. Bhoi Sir's “very smart” which he usually said with a grin and Chaini Madam's “Yes boys....??” are all unique, special and unforgettable in their own way. These are just a few things that i miss about this sacred institution. But there are many more things, many more instances and many more people associated with my stay in DAV. The love and care with which our teachers have nurtured us is simply pious, unworldly and selfless. I am not sure if we will ever be able to repay them for their attention, constructive criticism, their love and care and their patience and tolerance. But there's something that I can assure you dear teachers, that no matter what we become in our lives, no matter how far we go or how busy we may be, your place in our lives, in our hearts is irreplaceable. You will always be remembered and respected from the core of our hearts.Thank you dear teachers.We love you all.

                   It's been almost three years when I stepped out of my school, my D.A.V. Life has changed so much since then. We have all been too busy in our lives to take out time for each other. Truly said, "When I was a child, my friends didn't have branded watches but they had time. Now they do have branded watches but they don't have time." Despite that, a candle of remembrance still flickers in our dark yet beautiful hearts. In fact, our heart derives its beauty from millions of those candles that are associated with zillions of wonderful memories. When I called my teachers after so many months on this teachers' day, I was glad to learn that they were all waiting for my call. :-) They often think of us like we do. Whatever I am today, I owe it to my parents and teachers. All the good habits inculcated in me are the ones taught by my parents and teachers. All the bad ones are probably the ones which they never talked about. :-)

The Bomb’s ticking away… Wake up!!

In the last 18 years of my existence, I have never felt so vulnerable and insecure about the lives of my dear ones as I do now. There were rumours about bomb plantation in the metro too. And today, when one of my dear friends, who travels in metro every working day, didn’t show up in college, all the thoughts that came into my mind were immensely  negative. The evil souls have succeeded in furnishing terror in my mind and perhaps, I am not the only one. 

Since the 2001 terrorist attack on the USA, the American goverenment has been  proficient enough to avoid any other major attack in the country. The Indian Government and few others, on the other hand,  are amused by seeing the game of ‘numbers’ than being apalled by deaths and taking serious measure to curb the same. It’s a shame that glitches in the security system  have not ceased to exist yet. Living in a high-tech world, security personnels coninue to use their hands for security checks as if they were born with the ability to detect metals etc. with the same. Is the Indian Government so poor (or so corrupt) that it cannot afford a proper security system and enough CCTVs?

  A child is supposed to feel the safest inside the walls of his home but  we are at the height of vulnerability in our own nation. For our honorable government, Kasab’s life (and their own lives) is obviously  dearer than a common man’s. Why on earth is Kasab still taking breaths? It takes seconds to hang a person to death but may be our government is too ‘serious’ to take this seriously. Over the years, if the terrorists have become smarter, we have become dumber with each day. As a matter of fact, no one wishes to live in a country free of poverty, corruption, unemployment etc. as much as one wants to live! In order to witness the changes brought by various policies, say the Lokpal Bill, we first need to remain alive and the government needs to make sure that we do. 

Our lives are not secluded, there are many more lives associated with ours. A father dies with his son’s death, life stops existing for a woman who lost her husband in a bomb blast and a little girl’s world gets confined to blood and flesh that can never be washed away from her mind. Everyone has to die but no one deserves to be smashed to smithereens in a bomb blast and die. We have had enough candle light marches at the India Gate for the deceased and more than enough sympathies. What still remains inadequate is seriousness. I remember a joke that some kids in my class used to crack few years back- “If you are serious, go to a hospital..!!” Well, the scenario now is, “If you aren’t serious now, you shall die on the spot, forget the hospital..!!” The bomb is ticking away and it’s time to wake up!

MY QUEST

This poem was written in the early summers of 2010 in the interim of my IIT-JEE preparations. During that period, I was mostly on a quest to discover myself than the values of x, y, z, Relative Velocity, Resistance etc. This piece of writing reflects the thesis of my discovery... :-)

For people are known by their deeds

I've promised myself

to remain responsible for every step I undertake

every time I succeed and every time I fail.

For nothing happens for no reason

I've promised myself

to discover the truth that remains hidden behind

not to seek but find.

For I was born with an instinct to rebel

I've promised myself

to fight always for what is right

safeguarding my rights, reach to a height.

For life's not a bed of roses

I've promised myself

to beautify a few lives with my presence

and spread in their lives, the hues of love and fragrance.

For I cannot keep the entire world happy

I've promised myself

to bring a smile on the few faces around me

and remain happy for the dear ones who surround me.

For I cannot change the world

I've promised myself

to make my world a better place to live in

and get atleast something out of nothing.

for I cannot know everyone

I've decided

to know myself in the best possible way

what I really want and what keeps me gay.

For I just cant remain committed to others

I've promised myself

to fulfill every promise I've made to myself

and work towards my goal, with a control over my inner self.

But even I am a human

even i hurt others, break their heart.

I'm not perfect; I've got no art

even I back off from what I say

I'm no special; for all my sins I'll pay one day.

I am not always right,even I commit mistakes

I am not so strong, even my heart breaks.

I am not an angel, I am not God

I cannot pretend to be someone that I am not.

But I am happy, I'm contended

not for what I have achieved but for what I have

and I do love myself

not for what I have done but for who I am.