This poem has been written by my creative better half :)
_______________________________________________
We met through a friend, at Animesh's house.
He was eating maggie, and I was obviously loud.
We din't talk much at that time.
But I liked his nature, and he perhaps liked mine :P
Met in more group outings, it was some time well spent.
There seemed to be some connection between us, which both of us felt.
Soon, we were looking for reasons to meet.
Asking commom friends for partying, or giving them a treat.
Slowly started, talking over phone, without specific reasons.
At times, it was sharing happiness, at others random discussions.
Friends were teasing, pulling our legs, as and when they got chance.
We didn't care much and enjoyed our friendship, or the so called romance.
We cared, we fought, we waited, we supported, wanted to be together all the
time.
We had found something precious, that we didn't bother to define.
We had something in comon, something different in choice.
But the feeling of being together, we always rejoiced.
Finally he said it, in a poem well composed.
And it still did not click me, that I was being proposed.
Sweet moments of fun together, rolled again in front of my eyes.
My answer was a certain yes, didn't even think twice.
We could not finish our meal, that we ordered for the night.
Still we paid a high tip to the waitor, for this defining moment of our
life.
It has been a special journey, since then till now.
With the blessings of our parents, we are going to exchange our vows.
Hope we'll have many more such moments, as we sail through in time.
Right now, love the feeling, that I'll be his, and he'll be mine :)
Saturday, April 14, 2012
The Proposal (2009)
Anyone in love may use this poem, but should not modify, redistribute or claim ownership. The content is a sole propreitery of the author :)
______________________________________
When i see the moon,
It's brighter than ever.
A voice so sweet,
pleases me like never.
I see a dream,
Can rest with forever.
When i close my eyes,
I see an image not so clear.
I try to find out what it is?
Vodka, rum or beer?
The birds come to me and say,
You are an idiot, a joker.
It's such a wonderful gift you fool,
And it happens so rare.
As i kick my brain cells harder,
It confuses me even more.
But my heart knows the answer,
And that too so sure.
It's love in my eyes,
As you can see.
All i ask now is,
Do you love me?
______________________________________
When i see the moon,
It's brighter than ever.
A voice so sweet,
pleases me like never.
I see a dream,
Can rest with forever.
When i close my eyes,
I see an image not so clear.
I try to find out what it is?
Vodka, rum or beer?
The birds come to me and say,
You are an idiot, a joker.
It's such a wonderful gift you fool,
And it happens so rare.
As i kick my brain cells harder,
It confuses me even more.
But my heart knows the answer,
And that too so sure.
It's love in my eyes,
As you can see.
All i ask now is,
Do you love me?
I am getting married !!
Once upon a time, there was a boy who was a total freak, a hardcore rationalist and an unsorted egoist. And then he met a girl who was divinely innocent, chirpy, always crafting her dreams and fantasies and still wise deep within.
They became friends and as time passed by, they felt some mutation happening to both of them . They found themselves happier than usual in each other's company. The boy proposed the girl and asked for a lifetime of togetherness. And now, they are getting married. :) Save the date ! And grace us with your presence.
They became friends and as time passed by, they felt some mutation happening to both of them . They found themselves happier than usual in each other's company. The boy proposed the girl and asked for a lifetime of togetherness. And now, they are getting married. :) Save the date ! And grace us with your presence.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Lost
The beauty of the world around,
Freedom and the nature unbound.
Serenity and the peace within,
Are Lost, in the race to Win.
Losing is a sin, a deadly crime,
So much to do in such less time
The glittering world turning me blind,
I am lost, in the illusions of mind.
All faces look the same,
No side to take in the game.
Chaos and the voices so loud,
I am lost, in a small crowd.
The craving for love and care,
Deep impressions lying everywhere;
Solving the puzzles,connecting the dots,
I am lost, in the ocean of thoughts.
Freedom and the nature unbound.
Serenity and the peace within,
Are Lost, in the race to Win.
Losing is a sin, a deadly crime,
So much to do in such less time
The glittering world turning me blind,
I am lost, in the illusions of mind.
All faces look the same,
No side to take in the game.
Chaos and the voices so loud,
I am lost, in a small crowd.
The craving for love and care,
Deep impressions lying everywhere;
Solving the puzzles,connecting the dots,
I am lost, in the ocean of thoughts.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
From one generation to another
My grand-father had passed away when my father was only ten years old. I have grown up hearing stories of how my grand-mother raised four of her kids (two daughters younger to my father) with all the grace and dignity. She sold her jewels to purchase farms which we still possess. My father and uncle (four years elder to my father) had to travel around twenty kilometers on feet every day to their school and back. They would give tuitions, work in the farms and even make and sell paper bags to support the family. We being Brahmins, my father would conduct pooja during wedding season. They had seen depravity, poverty and hardship to the extent that sometimes they had to bother about their daily meals. It would always fill me with a sense of pride when I would hear these stories. I would ask my grand-mother and my father about all these stories. There were villains in these stories and I would hate them. There were scenes and conversations in these stories that I would like to hear again and again. All of this was no less than a Bollywood melodrama to me.
There were few interesting incidents that are my favorites. My father had to go for an interview for a job in banking services. Nationalized banks at that time were the most coveted government jobs and a doorway to good life and social status. My father (19 and still an undergraduate student) and uncle (23) had both made it in the written exam and had to go to Patna for interviews. They did not have decent attire so that they could look presentable in an interview. This was an India of late 70s or early 80s, still British enough to care for these things. So, they tried to borrow clothes from friends and relatives. Till the last moment, my father did not get a shoe. And guess what, he went for the interview in a “hawai chappal”. At 19, he looked younger than his age and the interview panel was surprised. As soon as he entered the room, the head of the panel greeted him as “Welcome my little child, why do you want to enter a job at such an early age”? He was asked about Newton’s laws of motion, sanskrit shlokas, poetry and General knowledge. There is more to the story. The results would not be out for a year or so and all hopes were tied to it. My great grandfather had sponsored the application form for this particular exam and it was a big deal. My father could not afford giving too many exams too. He went to Calcutta just to enquire about the results from Banking Service Recruitment Board office. In those days, you would read the newspaper every day for news like job result and the wait could go as long as few years. He was disappointed by some clerk in that office who falsely told him that he has not made it. With heavy heart, he came back. And after few months, when he was sitting at somebody else’s place in the village, the local postman surprised him by handing over him his appointment letter which had asked him to join only few days later. At the time of joining, the bank needed some deposit as caution money. He did not have the money and could not arrange for it till the joining date. The bank manager would not let him join quoting rules. He was saddened and sat on a bench in the bank. There was another gentleman who was sitting on the same bench and he saw him disheartened and sad. He was an officer who had got transferred to this branch and was going to take over the charge as manager replacing the previous one. He asked him to sit for another hour till he took over the role, and then called him up and completed his joining process without any caution deposit.
And this is how life changed for him - from 20 kilometer walks to motor-cycle, from old clothes to nice attire and from nights with empty stomach to gulab Jamun and rasgulla. Many witness such dramatic shifts in our lives, but sometimes it’s so overwhelming that you feel the divine grace falling upon you in a limitless way.
I have seen and observed shifts in my life as well – from trains to airplanes, from stitched clothes to branded wears and from cycle to car. I would say that one whole generation like me has seen a shift in standards of living. The protagonist in a Bollywood movie has changed from a middle class, small-town unemployed graduate who has a sick mother and a younger sister (eligible to be married) to a careless, individualistic big city boy who is confused and entangled in on and off relationships and is inventing new definitions of freedom in his ways of living.
There is no doubt that we are a wealthier generation. But are we a happier generation? I am not trying to pass a judgment here. It’s debatable. All, I am trying to say is that the relative highs and lows in our lives could pretty much be the same. Let’s look at some other examples from my story -
My village is on the bank of a river and my father learnt swimming (he would swim in wells and ponds as well) in his early childhood while I learnt it only when I grew up. He would spend hours in the river and in the farms and playing outdoor games. I spent hours watching TV and playing video games. His parties would have roasted potatoes, rice and sabji and seasonal fruits like melons straight from the farm. Mine would have Pizzas. He would tune in at a particular time to a radio, and I would play the music in my phone anytime and anywhere. He would go to the temple every day to pour milk on Shivlingam, I would meditate now and then (art of living kind of courses) to achieve some peace of mind and release my toxins.
Once I walked the ten kilometer stretch my father used to walk to his school. Till then, I used to pity him. But my view changed. It was not that bad either. It was healthy and fun walking through those green paddy fields with moist and cool soil that would massage your legs if you walk bare foot. In fact, I carve for a lot of these experiences now. Many of us do. We go on treks where we pass through the farms and the rivers and experience the relaxation that nature fills in us. To bring those experiences home, we go to the so called natural spas.
I have a lot of good things about my life as well and my father has also moved on to a Facebook age (and he loves it). But, when it comes to life and about making it happier and better, it’s not about what time or era we live in. It’s about how our inner space and the experiences within are manifesting.
There were few interesting incidents that are my favorites. My father had to go for an interview for a job in banking services. Nationalized banks at that time were the most coveted government jobs and a doorway to good life and social status. My father (19 and still an undergraduate student) and uncle (23) had both made it in the written exam and had to go to Patna for interviews. They did not have decent attire so that they could look presentable in an interview. This was an India of late 70s or early 80s, still British enough to care for these things. So, they tried to borrow clothes from friends and relatives. Till the last moment, my father did not get a shoe. And guess what, he went for the interview in a “hawai chappal”. At 19, he looked younger than his age and the interview panel was surprised. As soon as he entered the room, the head of the panel greeted him as “Welcome my little child, why do you want to enter a job at such an early age”? He was asked about Newton’s laws of motion, sanskrit shlokas, poetry and General knowledge. There is more to the story. The results would not be out for a year or so and all hopes were tied to it. My great grandfather had sponsored the application form for this particular exam and it was a big deal. My father could not afford giving too many exams too. He went to Calcutta just to enquire about the results from Banking Service Recruitment Board office. In those days, you would read the newspaper every day for news like job result and the wait could go as long as few years. He was disappointed by some clerk in that office who falsely told him that he has not made it. With heavy heart, he came back. And after few months, when he was sitting at somebody else’s place in the village, the local postman surprised him by handing over him his appointment letter which had asked him to join only few days later. At the time of joining, the bank needed some deposit as caution money. He did not have the money and could not arrange for it till the joining date. The bank manager would not let him join quoting rules. He was saddened and sat on a bench in the bank. There was another gentleman who was sitting on the same bench and he saw him disheartened and sad. He was an officer who had got transferred to this branch and was going to take over the charge as manager replacing the previous one. He asked him to sit for another hour till he took over the role, and then called him up and completed his joining process without any caution deposit.
And this is how life changed for him - from 20 kilometer walks to motor-cycle, from old clothes to nice attire and from nights with empty stomach to gulab Jamun and rasgulla. Many witness such dramatic shifts in our lives, but sometimes it’s so overwhelming that you feel the divine grace falling upon you in a limitless way.
I have seen and observed shifts in my life as well – from trains to airplanes, from stitched clothes to branded wears and from cycle to car. I would say that one whole generation like me has seen a shift in standards of living. The protagonist in a Bollywood movie has changed from a middle class, small-town unemployed graduate who has a sick mother and a younger sister (eligible to be married) to a careless, individualistic big city boy who is confused and entangled in on and off relationships and is inventing new definitions of freedom in his ways of living.
There is no doubt that we are a wealthier generation. But are we a happier generation? I am not trying to pass a judgment here. It’s debatable. All, I am trying to say is that the relative highs and lows in our lives could pretty much be the same. Let’s look at some other examples from my story -
My village is on the bank of a river and my father learnt swimming (he would swim in wells and ponds as well) in his early childhood while I learnt it only when I grew up. He would spend hours in the river and in the farms and playing outdoor games. I spent hours watching TV and playing video games. His parties would have roasted potatoes, rice and sabji and seasonal fruits like melons straight from the farm. Mine would have Pizzas. He would tune in at a particular time to a radio, and I would play the music in my phone anytime and anywhere. He would go to the temple every day to pour milk on Shivlingam, I would meditate now and then (art of living kind of courses) to achieve some peace of mind and release my toxins.
Once I walked the ten kilometer stretch my father used to walk to his school. Till then, I used to pity him. But my view changed. It was not that bad either. It was healthy and fun walking through those green paddy fields with moist and cool soil that would massage your legs if you walk bare foot. In fact, I carve for a lot of these experiences now. Many of us do. We go on treks where we pass through the farms and the rivers and experience the relaxation that nature fills in us. To bring those experiences home, we go to the so called natural spas.
I have a lot of good things about my life as well and my father has also moved on to a Facebook age (and he loves it). But, when it comes to life and about making it happier and better, it’s not about what time or era we live in. It’s about how our inner space and the experiences within are manifesting.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Pudin-Hara analogy
There are a lot of funny things about my school, but recently I remembered something that I think many of us can relate to. If anyone used to fall sick during school hours, there would only be two remedies – Iodex or Pudin-Hara. Now you may have had Crocin or Disprin as well, but that does not alter or lessen the intensity of my analogy. The very fact that we used to have very few options and whosoever was your savior, either your class teacher or sports teacher, tried to solve any goddamn fever or pain with the same set of medicines holds true. He had broad classification of the problems. Muscle pain or headache – use Iodex. Any internal problem – Pudin Hara.
I am not questioning their intention or something. I am just looking at how many different options I’ve been given by whosoever managed me so far during different phases of my life for 24 years. An average human being is always managed by someone. First by his parents, then his teachers, then may be by a boss (a formal manager at work). If you are a human being living in a normal socio-economic setup, somebody always has a vested interest in managing you. A lot of times, it’s an obligation to pick up one of the remedies or solutions that this person offers you. He mostly uses his own judgment and experience of life in giving you these options. But do you ever cry foul? Like Hey! You did not give me enough choices. You do not understand my problem so well or maybe you are not a good manager and I know what’s best for me.
It may sound clichéd, but most of the middle class parents want their kids to be doctor or engineer (MBA is the latest fashion). So, they try to nurture their interest and inspire their actions on those lines. A lot of times they screw up really bad pushing the child to feel like a loser in life when his potential could have been used in numerous other better ways. Isn’t it just another example of bad management? Isn’t it something where one diagnosed the case wrong, like used Crocin to treat pneumonia and it turned disastrous?
As a grown up, I feel it’s a common management practice or rather a common management screw-up. I term this as “The Pudin Hara Analogy”. Think about it. Say, to a sample of 100 sick people suffering from different ailments, I give Pudin Hara. After 24 hours, 10 of them felt a lot better (may be they had indigestion), 30 of them felt well (may be because they took good rest and it’s not because of the pill), 40 of them did not feel much difference, and 20 of them got further sicker. Now, I am a biased person and I publish an analysis of the statistics as below:
• 10 % of the patients who adopted the precautions and advices regarding usage of the pill well, showed exceptional results.
• 70% showed average results
• 20% of the patients went bad because they did not use the pill well.
Now, look at what happens to us in schools and colleges. All of us are given the same course structure. 20% of us who fail have not studied the subjects well or have not worked hard enough. Our teachers, professors or the system itself that manages it all, boasts success quoting the top 10%. Those who failed must go through same courses again because it’s some inherent problem in them and not the system. The bottom lot is made to believe that the problem is on their part. They do not even realize that they were given the wrong treatment at the first place. Like, they were given “Pudin-hara” for a headache and now when the pain is worse, they are being forced to take the same pill again.
Look at what happens to us in corporate offices. Your manager is a wise man and his success and growth is tied to your performance. He wants you to adopt all the practices that he ever used to reach height. A lot of times, he actually tries to morph you into another copy of himself. Those of his reports, who exceeded expectations, followed his teachings well. Those who underperformed are not hard-working and need to be managed out.
The very fact that individuals are all unique and need customized solutions and treatments is not well understood in this world. Humans are emotional beings and cannot be treated in an assembly line. They are so unique that you need unique methods to harness their potential. So, if you are managing someone’s career as a manager or a father, try having better means than “Only Pudin-Hara”. And if you are a wise man, who can understand his own problems and listen to his instincts, do not settle at “Only Pudin-Hara”.
I am not questioning their intention or something. I am just looking at how many different options I’ve been given by whosoever managed me so far during different phases of my life for 24 years. An average human being is always managed by someone. First by his parents, then his teachers, then may be by a boss (a formal manager at work). If you are a human being living in a normal socio-economic setup, somebody always has a vested interest in managing you. A lot of times, it’s an obligation to pick up one of the remedies or solutions that this person offers you. He mostly uses his own judgment and experience of life in giving you these options. But do you ever cry foul? Like Hey! You did not give me enough choices. You do not understand my problem so well or maybe you are not a good manager and I know what’s best for me.
It may sound clichéd, but most of the middle class parents want their kids to be doctor or engineer (MBA is the latest fashion). So, they try to nurture their interest and inspire their actions on those lines. A lot of times they screw up really bad pushing the child to feel like a loser in life when his potential could have been used in numerous other better ways. Isn’t it just another example of bad management? Isn’t it something where one diagnosed the case wrong, like used Crocin to treat pneumonia and it turned disastrous?
As a grown up, I feel it’s a common management practice or rather a common management screw-up. I term this as “The Pudin Hara Analogy”. Think about it. Say, to a sample of 100 sick people suffering from different ailments, I give Pudin Hara. After 24 hours, 10 of them felt a lot better (may be they had indigestion), 30 of them felt well (may be because they took good rest and it’s not because of the pill), 40 of them did not feel much difference, and 20 of them got further sicker. Now, I am a biased person and I publish an analysis of the statistics as below:
• 10 % of the patients who adopted the precautions and advices regarding usage of the pill well, showed exceptional results.
• 70% showed average results
• 20% of the patients went bad because they did not use the pill well.
Now, look at what happens to us in schools and colleges. All of us are given the same course structure. 20% of us who fail have not studied the subjects well or have not worked hard enough. Our teachers, professors or the system itself that manages it all, boasts success quoting the top 10%. Those who failed must go through same courses again because it’s some inherent problem in them and not the system. The bottom lot is made to believe that the problem is on their part. They do not even realize that they were given the wrong treatment at the first place. Like, they were given “Pudin-hara” for a headache and now when the pain is worse, they are being forced to take the same pill again.
Look at what happens to us in corporate offices. Your manager is a wise man and his success and growth is tied to your performance. He wants you to adopt all the practices that he ever used to reach height. A lot of times, he actually tries to morph you into another copy of himself. Those of his reports, who exceeded expectations, followed his teachings well. Those who underperformed are not hard-working and need to be managed out.
The very fact that individuals are all unique and need customized solutions and treatments is not well understood in this world. Humans are emotional beings and cannot be treated in an assembly line. They are so unique that you need unique methods to harness their potential. So, if you are managing someone’s career as a manager or a father, try having better means than “Only Pudin-Hara”. And if you are a wise man, who can understand his own problems and listen to his instincts, do not settle at “Only Pudin-Hara”.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Rap for Jassi
This is rap written by me for my best friend Jassi. Dude ! you found space on my blog too :)
_____________________________________
Yeah, Listen up guys to the story;
about a cool friend named Jassi.
A geek,a freak and a friend in need,
a champ and a hero,so well agreed
like a bee on the flower,
And a monkey on the tower,
he's been the best, at what he did.
you better never play tricks,
coz he always got the fix,
like Neo from Matrix,
He's the army and "The One",
for a code unrun
And a project never done,
he's the man to do it right,
lot of archers, lot of knights;
All courage and no fright.
Feared for his locks
that give you real shock
his slams are not approved
and his theories never proved
He's a man with the might.
moves robos in the night
can speed up like light,
On his old red bike,
Yeah, listen up guys to the story;
about the cool dude named Jassi.
_____________________________________
Yeah, Listen up guys to the story;
about a cool friend named Jassi.
A geek,a freak and a friend in need,
a champ and a hero,so well agreed
like a bee on the flower,
And a monkey on the tower,
he's been the best, at what he did.
you better never play tricks,
coz he always got the fix,
like Neo from Matrix,
He's the army and "The One",
for a code unrun
And a project never done,
he's the man to do it right,
lot of archers, lot of knights;
All courage and no fright.
Feared for his locks
that give you real shock
his slams are not approved
and his theories never proved
He's a man with the might.
moves robos in the night
can speed up like light,
On his old red bike,
Yeah, listen up guys to the story;
about the cool dude named Jassi.
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About Me
- Animesh
- After working with Microsoft India R&D for 4+ years on products like Bing and Visual Studio, I am currently pursuing my passion for teaching with an idea named "My Code School"