What happened??

I was going through some of the blogs today..or shall we say tonight. I saw a trend, I felt more connected to posts which were more towards the practical side of life, like the one with a mention about practical problems a girl faces in periods, or the one which mentioned about boons and banes of living a nomadic life or more commonly known as being in transferable job. Offcourse love still appealed, but it was more on realistic grounds of companionship, needs and benefits of it. Posts which were highly creative (honestly), but based on unrealistic grounds hardly seemed to catch my attention..I don't believe its me who wrote the last post,(looks like a romantic poem to me and yes.... I wrote it) so what happened??? Is my job taking over me, or its like that movie "Aparichit" talking about multiple personality disorder...I guess its job, I am not sure though. During my sales training at TVS the fact came out that I am a mix of "Panther"& "Peacock"...Panthers are practical, result oriented, believe in order and discipline, they are no-nonsense people. Peacocks on the other hand are creative, fun loving party animals, they love shows and show offs....what a contradiction and I am both of them...God help my wife, who so ever she be...
So I guess the nature of my job (which is sales) is strengthening only one part of my persona.. So what, practical people can be bloggers too, what if I am more on result orientation side now.My next post will be on dealer sales person training and the differences between retail and billing targets, but is it good?? ....and would someone ever read it??....I am really doubtful...may be I should revisit this post to remind myself that somewhere inside me lies a peacock too, the one who used to dance at LBS parties from start till end, one who was given the title of Mr Tansen, the one which never gave a damn about results and concentrated more on efforts, and was contented with it, the one who once was made to drink deceitfully and people could not find the difference between pre drunk and post drunk state as both were like post drunk state only, the one who wrote the last post, "I wish"...

I wish...

I had a wish, not a very great one
I wish that I had you,
you my life, you the one,
I wish you existed, so that I could hold you in my arms
kissed you, fondled you and relished your charm.

I wish we comforted each other in summers, and celebrated winters
I wish together we dwelt in some serenity
and together we would have sailed distances beyond any dreams.
I look for you like a ship searches for a beacon light
tries to clear a mist that spreads around it and end its plight.
I do not show my loneliness,
I hide it behind the arrogance of a man
but the fact remains, behind that jovial face
hides a lonely man
I wish I could be the shoulder, you search to rest your head
I wish I wish, I wish this was true
turned into reality , all that I said
I wish that I was loved
and I wish that I loved you....

Obituary to Mr. K.K Khosla

(Based on true incident, the names have been changed for personal reasons)

Few months back I saw a fantastic movie called khosla ka ghosla, a movie about the plight of a typical Indian middle class person. The first scene of the movie shows Mr Khosla dreaming that he is dead and lying in front of his house, and all of his family and friends are ‘supposedly’ mourning over his dead body. The younger son, a scholar, and a private company employee, rushes to his office like a normal day. 0ffcourse his father death is of less significance for him, and it seems normal to everybody mourning there. The older son is busy asking one mourner about his watch and inquires about the whereabouts of the shop, and also for people references, repeats the incident of his father death like a tape in a typical ‘jat’ style. Khosla sahab’s partner in office looks more concerned about, “ pata nahi kaun be#$@*#od inki jagah aayega” and finally our dear Mr. Khosla wakes up from his dream.

The purpose of this long story was to justify my title. Something happened on very similar lines sadly not in my dreams but reality. I had to witness the sad demise of an extremely nice & caring person. For personal reasons I’d call him Mr khosla. I got a call that Mr khosla has passed away, and it really stirred me from within, not that it was totally unexpected (he was suffering from brain cancer) but still it was hard to believe that a good person like him was no more with us. I went his home and had to rush out of the house after looking at the person lying there like that, because it was impossible to keep myself in control. After standing there for some minutes, I found there was nothing much I could do as everything was being taken care of by his friend and family. So I went back home to return back at night when he was about to start his last journey to crematorium.

When I came back it was hours Mr. Khosla was dead, and the pain and shock of his death already seemed to fade out in his friend and distant relatives, now it was mere formality and a business like affair for people standing there. One Mr. Old saw me standing alone and started full fledged inquiry on me. Who are you? How do you know Mr Khosla? What do you do? Which all companies come to your campus? I felt as if Mr. Old was looking for a perfect match for some girl he knew, thankfully the last query was, “what is your cast?” and when he came to know I was kayastha and not Brahmin, instantly he shifted his attention, away from me. Cast is still a very important in our nation especially for arranged marriage. Soon Mr. Old found another “Brahmin, foreign return software engineer” in the vicinity so he had his new prospect anyway. Next was Mr. X, whose common question to all was”Kitne din tak allowed hai government quarter mein rehna inki family ka” after all the location was on prime land of Delhi. Amidst all these, Mr. Khosla’s last ride was ready with all garlands and flower followed by a brief photographic session by some young lads, may be for some memento purposes (thanks to the latest mobicams which they successfully swanked). “Thora baju hatna please”, “thora upar se angle le, puri body aa jaayegi”. Anyways we all left for the crematorium and it was cold night river side place of Delhi, the chandaal arrived and all the last rites were done properly and the deceased was handed over to the all accepting fire god and Mr. Khosla mixed in the five elements where he came from. The fire was increasing over the pyre gradually and some common comments around were “kitna time lagega yaar pura jalne mein” “kafi late hoga lagta hai” ”hum zara pehle minibus mein nikal lenge”“kyaa achhi aag lagai hai” ”ye banda expert hai body jalane mein ha ha ha ha” for a moment I felt like saying, ok man why don’t you book him (the chandaal) for yourself in advance?? It was 2 AM by now and all those who are unaware of the winter nights of Delhi, let me tell you, they can really run shivers in your spine. Within a moment everybody was shivering as it was damn cold and soon everyone’s attention shifted to the huge source of heat nearby, soon survival instincts took over the social etiquettes and everybody stood around the pyre to get rid of the cold. It was 3 AM and now everyone started enquiring hush hush about the private mini bus and very soon the people including me left the place, people left behind were immediate family of Mr. Khosla and his son’s very good friends. Anyways I had to leave; I had my paper very next day. Some more comments in the bus were “yaar ye electric wala funeral system kaise kaam karta hai” the reply, “tu apna heater rakh ke dekh hoo haaa haaa haa” and our dear Mr X was still inquiring about the duration left for Khosla family in the flat, adding to it “kitna hoga GPF mein” “ladka pass hua inka” “arre inka to apna ghar bhi hai kahi”……. Dude this person was alive and a colleague of yours only some hours ago, what the…..

Mr khosla was one the best person I knew. He and his family brought me back from a very serious condition last year. I will always be indebted to him and his family, I owe my life to them, and they were like my family when I was away from home. Mr. Khosla was a very helping, far sighted and extremely good human being. The person was helping people even after his death to get rid of the cold. I think the creator could not stay away, for long form one of his best creation, so he called back Mr. Khosla so early. When my father broke the news of his sad demise, he told me, that I should not make a difference between him (my father) and Mr. Khosla and thats very true, Mr. Khosla was like my father. I and all those who truly liked and loved him will miss him for sure

Lastly a request from the core of my heart, have some heart…..you may not feel the same as the other person, but there are times when you can watch out for your actions and statements. If I, a total outsider felt so enraged, think about the good friends and family of Mr. Khosla who were shocked and sad then, how could have they felt hearing all these statements. Death is not a happy social gathering; there are people around who have genuine feelings for the deceased and if you cannot console them, atleast please stay quite….

Gospels of shri Saurabhananda---Learnings of an Ordinary Man

• 
• 1. Don’t let the target make you short sighted...always think big and beyond
• 2. People always stay away from a negative, pessimistic and complaining person.
• 3. Never shy off to take a stand if needed, some times being diplomatic is weakness and you end up with nothing and nobody…
• 4. With great power come great responsibilities (courtesy Spiderman…but true).
• 5. Never shy off from claiming your money, if not reminded, it will no longer be yours.
• 6. Those who do not change either lie or perish.
• 7. Putting yourself in someone’s shoe is one of the toughest tasks but if done even with partial success will give you fame and friends.
• 8. A man’s biggest friend and most dangerous enemy is he himself.
• 9. The saying ‘match action with words’ has gone old, apply it conditionally.(eg. Politics)
• 10. Behave with others in a manner, you want others to behave with you…refer to gospel 7 for further assistance
• 11. You certainly miss a old place, thing or person…..only till the time you get old with a new one

P.s-- This post is subject to constant modification. Owing to the fact that I was only a student till now, and there are many gospels I seemed to have forgotten :)
Thanks for your patient reading
Tinu..

Feminism or pseudo of it..

Recently many things I saw and I felt prompted me to write this. Feminism, the word literally means "A doctrine that advocates equal rights for women", this is something we should term as the need of the hour, thanks to the age old practices of our self appointed social pundits. Infact knowledge of history will tell you that treating women as unequal, was not a practice confined to SAARC nations only, it was rampant across the globe. For examples women were not allowed to compete in many events of Olympics like 400 mts 10000 mts race etc. The list is quite long enough to tell that why feminism is the need of hour. But I don't intend to advocate for it further as we have enough people to do it.
Actually there is a question in my mind which I feel hard to answer, does being feminist means being a men hater. I thing the focus now, is not on standing equal to men, but on standing against them, its merely a manifestation of hate, an extension of eye for an eye theory. "We are better" "we don't need you, you need us" sort of slogans are in vogue. Isn't it kinda funny?? Some centuries ago men must have thought the same way, and created an unequal world, which the creator himself never did.
The idea being propagated is women are all good and men are all bastards... How illogical?? The argument is that if its women, she was forced into this and men, they are all born rascals and criminals they can't be forced into anything. This thought process is very dangerous since now its taking legal shape, and some people are making full use of this disparity. Punishment for crime against women must be more harsh, but the judgment should be unbiased, without any assumptions and everyone must get equal chance to put his/her point. Talking of legal aspects, the government should pass the women reservation bill to give equal representation to women. Sadly the much deserved bill is bouncing like football in the corners of our parliament, and even if it is passed what is the guarantee that its benefits will not confine to wives and daughters of existing men leaders only resulting in a pseudo feminist parliament. Also what is the guarantee that all these women will usher a corruption free era in our nation?? All we have is an illogical belief that women parliamentarians will be corruption free and nationalists, unlike their men counterparts, how easily we ignore the examples of jayalalita(alleged for million rs corruption charges), Indira gandhi(alleged for imposing 10 years emergency) mayawati(countless scams), Rabri devi (has bihar changed??) and many more..
One more aspect of this feminism, being modern wave is "glamour", a word which is often used to sophisticate and justify nudity and shamelessness. No, I am not saying that girls should wear burka, they should wear what they are comfortable in, be it shorts, jeans whatever, but more than often , the underlying idea of dress up is to show off or 'reveal' and not comfort. Even the media is emphasizing on the 'glamour' part of women, thats why you see rakhi sawant more in news rather than nafisa ali..Girls now take proud to be a sex kitten and hate the idea of admitting it. The drive towards modernization and the urge to be like west have brought us to a dire status, where we have forgotten who we are and what is our own entity. What else you think causes lakhs and lakhs of unwanted pregnancy cases among teens, in Delhi alone, and the study also shows mostly its mutual consent and prevalent in educated class. The idea of 'being bold' now implies to be being cloths free, being bold according to me is standing up to your point, standing for your career, even if it is against standing against your own family, standing against disparity in society, standing for your likings your love..Women are not only pretty, but they are intelligent, strong and daring too,they are something more than the 'glamour' part. Its time we understand feminism in its true sense and demand right things for right people and give it to them.
Thanks for your patient reading..
Tinu..

Interesting debate (which hasn't ended by the way)

Following is the debate between me and some people in a particular news flash of rediff.com. I really indulged in these "practically no meaning and addabaaj" types of debate afterall a long time, thanks to the ample of free time b4 joining my new job, and the fact that I am Bengali(born debaters )... thought to store it. The debate raised over my reaction to the news by rediff, depicting a letter by former army chief and kargil war hero, General N.C.Vij to the PM Manmohan singh raising concerns over the alleged misappropriate compensation of armed forces in the latest Pay commission report.The news link is below and the posts are below it

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/apr/27letter.htm

Posts--
Shame UPA govt.
by saurabh roy on Apr 28, 2008 12:09 AM | Hide replies

A govt which has no control over rising costs, has done nothing significant for the infrastructural growth of the nation, rather closed or curbed the steps taken by previous govt., has now lost control over its bureaucrats too. Th proof is this biased pay commission report which fails to recognize the profession which often requires the highest sacrifice of life , that is the life itself. Our honorable govt. is busy with other issues of vote bank and caste based politics, its ministers are busy licking asses of a particular clan. They don't give a damn to the poor jawans who are bravely guarding the frontiers of this country, without any proper motivation from the govt side.The sane people of this nation should wake up and overthrow this government in next elections

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RE:Shame UPA govt.
by Loan Shark on Apr 28, 2008 12:17 AM | Hide message
Dude, the govt. cannot make everyone happy ... even govt. dept. and employees want more ... whether it is BJP/NDA or UPA, you have to undertsand the limitations that they have. Higher salaries mean more recovery from taxes or deficit financing or less money for developmental projects.

These guys were expecting more money for themselves, but the govt. has not given what they were expecting. UPA govt. is being fair.

RE:Shame UPA govt.
by Magnum Opus on Apr 28, 2008 12:27 AM
You obviously have any exposure to the defence forces. As a soldier wit 28 years of service (and three gallantry awards) let me assure you that we are not merely 'expecting' more money. If you think soldiers can be equated with 'everyone' then all the best!

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RE:Shame UPA govt.
by Loan Shark on Apr 28, 2008 12:35 AM | Hide message
First, thanks for your great service to our nation. I mean it.

Yes, soldiers are like anyone else. They (soldiers) have chosen to be in military, there is no forcible draft in India. No one put a gun to their head to join the military. They have chosen to fight for their motherland for which they deserve our gratitude. But, when you are in it just for the money, you are like everyone else.

Similarly, police officers put their life on line. Is there contribution less than that of soldiers? Now, teachers are also building this nation. Aren't they? so is their contribution any less? how about engineers and doctors? the list is long.

RE:Shame UPA govt.
by rushil noronha on Apr 28, 2008 12:46 AM
The UPA government is being fair?????try telling that to a jawan who risks his life everyday (so that you have enough time and peace of mind to sit and write nonsense here)for a partly Rs7000 a month.And even after that if you feel that the 6th pay commision is justified, perhaps you should consider hanging yourself because clearly, you lack all shame requiste in a human being.

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RE:Shame UPA govt.
by Loan Shark on Apr 28, 2008 12:51 AM
LOL .. you haven't seen those queues of people lining up in front of army recruitment offices everyday ... if pay in army were lower than what people can conveniently make otherwise, those lines would be missing.

7,000 is not a small amount when most of your living expenses are borne by the govt. If the soldiers are in the army for money, they are in the wrong place. They better stay away and work in farm or factories ... but then most like the cushy army lifestyle.

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RE:Shame UPA govt.
by Loan Shark on Apr 28, 2008 12:18 AM
costs are rising all over the world ... In India salaries are rising too. People are reposting salary increases of 20-30% every year in India, so why complain when inflation is at 7%

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RE:Shame UPA govt.
by saurabh roy on Apr 28, 2008 12:36 AM
Dude, the prise are rising all over the world but in case u haven't noticed hoarding is creating artificial price as well, (it was in news recently)and also there is something known as subsidy, and before u start crying foul over taxes or deficit financing or less money for developmental projects, lemme tell you, national security is of supreme importance and no compromise should be made on that account, especially in a country like ours which has so hostile neighborhood. What if a massive insurgency operation is launched in kashmir valley rt now, do u expect the jawans to fight with this level of motivation. Things like tax, burden on Reserve bank etc do not pacify the person who goes out on a job without knowing that he would return home or not, I don't see anything wrong if they expected more from the govt. Justify ur tax and capital crap to a jawan posted in siachin where the temperature goes as horrible as -40 degrees

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RE:RE:Shame UPA govt.
by Loan Shark on Apr 28, 2008 12:43 AM | Hide message
LOL ... national security will not improve just because soldiers are being paid more. The soldiers will still to their best of abilities at the current pay levels .... if the soldiers are in the army for the money and perks, then they are in the wrong place.

already, Indian army officers and jawans get a lot of perks ... like tax free purchases, orderlies for their kitchen and yard work, flexible working hours ... all this with no real schedules or deadlines to meet.

don't be under the impression that national security is under threat because jawans/officers will not give their best because they are under paid.

This message has been reported for abuse. The moderator's final decision is awaited.

RE:Shame UPA govt.
by saurabh roy on Apr 28, 2008 12:52 AM
You don't get it, do you?? Its not merely about getting paid or money or perks,human life is beyond any compensation...its about motivation, the report has given an impression as if that we don't respect the work done by them, and consider them non important. A soldier risk his life not only because he has a flare or the profession but because he thinks that he command respect in the nation for the job he is doing. The report has taken away tht impression from them, and the recent downfall in the army intake as well as rising VRS application only highlight the disappointment and de-motivation for the forces

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RE:RE:Shame UPA govt.
by Loan Shark on Apr 28, 2008 12:57 AM
there is risk in every job ... you work in electricity department on power grids, there is risk to life. you work as cop, there is risk to life. you work as a vigilance officer in govt., there is risk to life. you work as forest ranger, there is risk to life. you go out to work in your car or mobike, there is risk to life.

rising VRS application is because the govt. is liberal on the VRS payout and these officers think that they can move to private sector, as administrative officers, security incharge or something else and make more money ... these people are looking for way out so they can make more money ... not because they are disappointed with the system.

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RE:Shame UPA govt.
by saurabh roy on Apr 28, 2008 01:08 AM
What u say would look good in a school debate, but kindly be logical, our concern is not the reason for the current downward scenario in terms of affinity and attraction in armed forces, but its about its consequences. Say that "risk is everywhere" (so we don't give u a damn) thing to a army officer, what if he says "ok Mr I leave this job for better private offers, its bad ethicaly , but my life and I need money"?? who will guard the frontiers then, offcourse ppl will still join army, and make long queues, (owing to our mighty unemployed population )but that would be compromised and substandard personnel, who is here just becoz he has nowhere else to go

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An evening in wonderland......'Sanjha safar'

It was the evening of 6'th November 2007 when we three friends were returning from the much hyped and important event of our b-school, the national summit 07.It was blah blah blah...and blah. For more details contact the other saurabh....saurabh kapoor the student body president. I am not writing about it , its about something much much more enticing and enchanting then that.
The phrase, 'blessing in disguise' came into life for us when we failed to find an auto rickshaw to back home and were too properly dressed to board a bus(suit shuit and all). Oh by we, I mean me , santosh and girdhari by the way.
I called for a walk to India gate nearby and three of us settled for that, santy bit reluctantly though. Little did we knew that we were up for a very pleasant surprise. In the lush green lawns of India gate a awesome experience was waiting for us. It was the 4th International Conference on Federalism being held in the capital, the five-day parallel 'Sanjha Safar'. It seemed that we have entered a different land , a dreamland, a land where a diverse and culturally rich nation was exhibiting all its colors under the sky. The event was hosting delicacies from various nook and corner of India, art and artifacts from places as interior as bastar of chattisgarh, uttranchal, karnatka etc. Every footstep was a harbinger of a enthralling experience. Various stalls from different states exhibiting their native crafts. Food stalls where one could savor everything famous in India. To name a few, parathas from parathe wali gali, chicken from karim's of jama masjid, sondesh from streets of bengal, jhangora ki kheer & mandua ki roti from the hills of uttranchal, what else a food junkie like me asks for.
As if this was not enough, there was musical and dance performance at practically every step, honestly it was hard to decide where to stop. The odisi nitya by kids of orissa, the astounding folk song performance by kids of rajasthan, the awesome folk dance by teenagers from Gujarat, the baul gaan from bengal and not to forget the fakir who was just loitering around everywhere singing praise for allah-o-akbar.
We three then decided to board a ride in the giant wheel, honestly I was bit nervous, but it also proved to be a extension of the mood of the evening. On the top of it I could see the national capital, the giant India gate and below my feet was the conglomeration of art, culture and history. It felt as if the fair was saluting the epitome of national pride, India Gate, reaching out to the world and shouting the best way it could saying that India is not merely a land of snake charmers and beggars, it is the land of strength, of art, of culture, of people with hearts, a nation which was, is and will be a paradigm of civilization.
The mood after we came out can neatly be summed in words of my friends. Santosh said,"abe sapne sa lag raha hai be" and Girdhari lal commented, "If national summits are meant to end like this I am ready to pay for the summit and tolerate it once more "

P.S -The fee for two day national summit-07 at le meridian was Rs 4000 per head :(