Strangers. Acquaintances. Estranged.

Billions of people in the world

Some very jolly, yet others too cold

We come across strangers every single day

May not talk or guess what- we may

Those unknown faces become familiar

As you spend some time together

Chitchats and conversations as you go along

Silence in between, just to hum a song

Lots of topics to discuss, debate and gossip

Over the coffee as you take the sip

Mixed feelings and delicate emotion

Slowly enter with some confusion

Time flies by and waits for none

Need to express your love, in case you have grown

There you are, with the stick of red rose

She had never thought that you would propose

No hard feelings, but the turnout rate is low

Rejection gives you a kind of big blow

Sometimes lucky enough to continue being friend

Else you’re left with no option but be estranged

Back in the world again with lots of strange faces

To start the first conversation again, he almost dreads

No more heart-breakups and no more pain

All those ‘cherished’ moments went in vain

इतना ना मुझको तुम प्यार कर ना...

नादाँ, नटखट, भोला और प्यारा

अपने माँ-बाप का राज दुलारा

पढ़ लीखकर कुछ बन्ना मै चाहता

मानव जातीको श्रेष्ठ कहलाता

आँखोंके सामने बिल्कुल अँधेरेसी छागई

जीवन गोलियों की मोहताज बनकर रहगई

युहीं चला जाऊंगा, ऐसा सोचा न था कभी

सिर्फ दस सालका ही तोह हुआ था अभी

क्यूँ होती ये हत्या और हिंसा

क्या होता आतंक या प्रतिहिंसा

मुझे बस अपना बचपन था पता

जिसे हाँ तुमने दिया जड़से मिटा

मासूम हूँ मै, बेकसूर और अबोध हूँ

मेरी मौतका तुम्हे दोषी भी ना समझूँ

मेरी कमीसे माँबापका जीवन बंजर ना बने

आखरी साँसों दर्द बस इस बातका है मुझे

हे भगवन,

बचपन इतना असुरक्षित है अगर

मुझको तु जिंदगी दुबारा दे, मगर

माँबाप बस ये जरूर कहना:

इतना ना मुझको तुम प्यार कर ना

की मेरी अर्थी में रो-रोके पड़े तुम्हे मरना

इतना ना मुझको तुम प्यार कर ना... इतना ना मुझको तुम प्यार कर ना

#PeshwarAttack

RIP the innocent souls, Deepest Condolences to the bereaved families... 

So, what do you say, of female smokers?

Me: So you smoke once in a while or regularly?

She: Um, you know, only when I am in the mood, may be once in a week, or month or even once in two months…

Me: Hmmm, good that you are not addicted! :P

She: Oh, it is just to help me relieve some inner pressure that builds up from time to time. And, by the way, just out of curiosity, how do you perceive of a female-smoker, huh?

Me: Well, honestly speaking, I find it amusing and interesting. Not that I mean cigarettes are “boy’s toys” kinda thing, but you know, you only get to see a lady-smoker occasionally and that’s what makes it quite amusing! At least for me.

She: (laughing) That is hell of a compliment, I must say! But you know what, when people see a man smoking, the first thing that comes to their mind is “studd” but the first thing that comes to their mind when they see a female smoking is “s**t”. They will scan you from top to bottom and build up an image of the girl as if she is too easy to get. Such bigoted mind-set they have, phew!

This made me wonder, and ponder over my own comment. Was it biased? No, I still mean it because I have come across very few female smokers and thus, with no prejudice attached, and no interference on her decision of choosing to smoke, I find it amusing to see a lady-smoker. It’s sheer numbers or instances that one comes across. And just to draw some parallel, it would be something as interesting as seeing a father give a bath to the 2-year old baby.

Of course, there are enough men who understand the individuality of a human, be it male or female. They do not prejudice on matters that concern free-will or independence or good vs. evil etc. based on gender. Yet, there are more than enough people who happen to be around with the mentality of portraying a female-smoker as uncultured or “out of line”. More often than not, people tend to give an OMG look when they see a female smoking or gasp “SHE SMOKES?!” loud and clear if they hear about one. When was the last time they imposed a ban on smoking for females? Never!

Neither do I smoke nor am I applauding the female (or for that matter, even male) smokers here. Just the thought, that the lady might be very well aware of her limitations and knows the cultural boundary. It is not apt to jump to an evil conclusion about someone solely on such basis. Perception needs to be freed from biasness. It’s not ipso facto that if she smokes, she drinks or gets drunk. If you think so, then it does mean that you have a sick mentality.

PS: Statutory Directive- Smoking is injurious to health.

Silent Lover

My love for you keeps me alive

Day-in, day-out, in every single heartbeat

It is you whom I feel, Adorable

A true delight to the sore eye

I know, love is not a treaty

Nor does it demand reciprocity

Swear, I am in love with you

For not the body, nor the external beauty

You are the queen of my heart

Truly and entirely, for thy soul

My love might be irrational, but it’s not blind

No shame, no guilt in my feelings for you

What matters most is your happiness,

Be with me or somebody else

Eternal love is all I have to offer

Waiting for the day, before I die

When you come up to me,

My arms wide-open, to welcome you I say,

You are my love, you are my friend

You are my life, you are my soul

The reason to be, the purpose to live…

Some relived memories and some fresh ones…

When you are a college student, you so much long for it to be over and desperately wait to enter your professional life. And once you have ended your college life and a couple of months into your professional life, if you happen to relive the similar moments once again even for a day, you feel nostalgic and wish that you were still a college student!

It happened with me in my recent trip to Pune from Mumbai where I visited bro +Rajat Bajaj  to spend my last weekend. Yes, he is pursuing BBA and lives with his college friends in a flat. I was a warmly welcomed guest/big bro there. Although I had lived in a hostel during my MBA, I am well-versed with the life of a college student living in a shared flat with friends.

This visit freshly reminded me of how much we cherish our un-managed life during college-years. No schedule. No time-table for food. Jab jago tab sabera! Search for fresh clothes amidst the heap of clothes lying at a corner. The 2am ride for a cup of tea. The care-free attitude because you are away from home. And at times, wishing goodnight when the rooster does cock-a-doodle-doo and the rest of the world start their morning.

I am equally thankful to Rajat and his friends who made me a part of their daily chaos, even just for a day. Speaking in Nepali after so many days with him and his friends. Shopping for vegetables and spices for the kitchen. Indeed, I was really pleased to see their cooking skills when we started to prepare dinner at 11pm and ate our dinner at 1:30am. And then the drive to the 24x7 CCD with +Tapan Waval  and the 4 of us at 2am. (Rajat and friends will not forget the ‘gyan’ that Tapan gave while he was our audience to the 1:30 am dinner!)

And then, after my 2.5 hours of sound sleep, I woke up as excited as others for our bike trip to Lohagadh Fort. Ajay, Rabindra and Rajat were the owls that night. Nevertheless, it was almost after 2 months that I rode a bike (Rajat prefers calling it a bike, although Honda Activa is a scooty) and that too for a long ride. (Getting the scooty is altogether a different story). Now, some moments during the journey were memories afresh. For the first time, I rode a scooty, without a helmet, with the rains making it an enjoyable challenge.

It was fun after a long time. A scenic and pleasant trek after a 80 km ride. Away from work. Near to the nature. Serene and calm. Some challenging feats while climbing up the hills and reaching the Vinchukata fortification. The excitement at the top and sitting at the corner of the hill. The trip was indeed a complete package for me at least.

Grateful to you, Rajat, for planning out the weekend in a fantastic manner. Time to plan for upcoming weekends!

Express. Share. Enjoy And Keep Smiling!!!

I have been exposed to friendship since childhood. I am sure all of us have been. But yet, very few of us are still in contact with the very few “chaddi buddies” from the yesteryears. To be honest, I am afresh with just a handful of people from my school days, but indeed very special. Over the years, we make friendship with new people and carry on. It’s not the number of years that you have known someone makes him or her worthy in your life. What’s special is the plethora of memories that you have cherished with that friend. 

Certain events, instances in my life have helped me understand friendship with a close-up. Definitely, those events and instances are materialized because of the beautiful friends and I still cherish the friendship with them.

For many years, I believed that it’s better to share only the joys and happiness with friends. I would try and refrain from expressing any concerns and troubled feelings amongst friends. I was somewhat introvert or rather not so extrovert before I was friends with her. Her friendship has made me pen down a friendship motto in my life: Express. Share. Enjoy and Keep Smiling!!!

Friends are someone with whom you express your feelings, no matter how weird or outlandish they may be. They are the partners of your happiness, sorrow, achievement, trouble, not to mention the restaurant bill. You share with them your plans, secrets, pranks and of course the lunch-meals. You enjoy every moment of the togetherness, come heat, cold or rains. It’s this friendship that keeps you smiling, even in tears.

This post is dedicated to my dear friend who has helped me believe in this simple yet effective notion of happy friendly life. Cheers to our friendship!!! #ESEnKS!!!

Someday we will have coffee in this! :)

                                                   

   

Of Arranged Marriages and More...

Do you know why arranged marriages in this part of the world are successful when they are successful? Although it is neither an expert’s opinion nor an experiential comment, nonetheless, it’s my observation that puts the Wife’s humility, patience, sensibility and sacrifice at the top of the list amongst all other factors.

There is a specific reason why I chose only arranged marriages here. The love between husband and wife grows slowly (post marriage) in an arranged marriage especially when there is “jhat mangni pat vyah”. It’s the woman who has to leave her paternal home to spend the rest of her life with her newly wedded husband in a new home, with an altogether different environment. Only another married woman can understand the amount of adjustments and compromises that she has to make to enable her to lead a happily married life thereafter.

I once wrote about the glory of mother. But this post is a salute to all those married women who have accepted their mother-in-laws as their mother, father-in-laws as their father and their husbands as the one next to God. The sacrifices that you do, the selflessness that you demonstrate and the patience that you carry on just the peace, wellness and happiness of both the families (paternal and husband) is simply unbeatable and unmatched with everything else in the world.

No matter how much we modernize and advance, some things do not change. Still, there are differences in the way daughters and daughter-in-laws are treated in our society. Very few mother-in-laws have bestowed their motherly nurture and care to their daughter-in-laws. Those who truly understand “kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi” can relate to this. Nevertheless, the wife accepts any differential treatment because it is overpowered by the love for her husband. Once again, an instance of her glory for the love of her family.

A sincere salute to her sacrifices, compromises, duties and responsibilities.

PS:

My motivation to write this piece comes from 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/quora/2014/05/03/how_successful_are_arranged_marriages.html :

We can never really know if arranged marriages work. One, because people, understandably so, find it hard to admit that outsourcing what was possibly the biggest decision in their lives turned out to be a disaster. I have never come across many men or women in their 40s to 50s who would readily admit that they have spent decades with someone they couldn't find love for. Add to that the exhausting inertia one feels after having expended a tremendous amount of energy in trying to find some beauty in a loveless bond, day after day. A lot of people just stick with it because it's tiring to even think of a solution in light of the deluge of family disapproval they'll be faced with. In light of how they feel, it's just too late. To an outsider, they might have just celebrated a silver jubilee, and to them, it could be the 25 years they lost.

My Salute to the Two years at FMS

This post comes after a long gap, but the motivation behind writing this blog is simply inexplicable. It's for those two golden years of my life which has made me, my parents, my friends take pride in. I dedicate this to everyone who made it possible for me first join FMS in the first place, and then to those who made the journey afterwards full of memories to cherish for the rest of my life.

For the “all-supportive” Faculty at FMS :

The love and support bestowed by the faculty members at FMS will always be something that I will cherish throughout my life. Your inspiration and guidance have helped all of us and especially me, achieve treasured milestones in these two years at FMS. You have not just remained as a teacher but as thoughtful guardians to help us shape our future in the best possible ways.  I also want to thank you for all your support during my tenure as the General Secretary.

For my “rocking” section- Sec C and We know It :

I am not the one who can comment on how I did my tenure as the Class Representative (Of course, I know I was awesome :P ;)), but you guys have been amazing class-mates through-out the two years at FMS. I am being selfish here in stating that it did more good to me than probably to you all. I would have never explored myself further if it weren’t for your support and hope. Probably, I would have never enjoyed my two years of FMS as I did in these two years with you all. After a hitherto education from Nepal, the post of CR was much needed for me to open up in this new space.

For the “awesome” Batch of 2014 :

As much as I owe my first year at FMS to Section C, I owe my second year at FMS to the Batch of 2014. It was indeed one of greatest achievements in my life when you elected me to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the post of General Secretary. 

Wish you success and growth in your careers with the strongest hope and intense desire to stay in touch.

For the “mentee” Batch of 2015 :

[The adjective mentee comes from the statement made during the Induction, “… the entire batch is our mentee!” ;)]

<Tak Tak Tak> 2015, Settle down!

To those who could not catch me smiling during the Induction days: Ya missed it!!! :P and to those who wondered if I was really a sadist: Hell! No!!!

I am sure you will make some of the best memories during the Internship months and prove your mettle as an FMSite. And soon, it’s time to be mentor, to the Batch of 2016! 

 

Finally, Just wanted to confess one thing: Whatever said and done throughout the year had always meant to be for your best interest.

For the “always quarreling” Executive Board 2014 :

We may have changed our Whatsapp group’s subject line many a times to the recent one “EB 2014: It’s over now…” but I know for sure it must be hard to say good-bye for each one of us. The societies, cells and the activities have been so intimately attached to us; you have nurtured it and parented it all along for the past one year. The least I can say is You all deserve the #respect Salute from my side. It was indeed an awesome experience managing and coordinating the MSA Activities with you guys!

For the “brilliant” Senior and Junior Placement Team :

First to the Senior Team: You deserve salute not just from me but the entire Batch of 2014 and 2015 for your sincere efforts and restless days, in fact months, for the wonderful Summers Placement. The email wars and the verbal confrontations shall always be remembered, in a positive light :P

Now to the Junior Team: A successful 100% Placements for the Batch of 2014, given the time-constraint and pressure that you had, says it all. Your relentless pursuit and patience to make it happen deserves a huge hug because that’s one of the reasons why we had Farewell 2.0 and also the upcoming Farewell 3.0 ;)

For the “Mentor” Batch of 2013:

2013, you had left us some the legacies to follow. Some we continued, and few new ones are added. I am sure you always believed in us as the #BesteverJuniorBatch and I feel pride is sharing that we have also been the #BesteverSeniorBatch! :P. I hope you wouldn’t mind it ;). Nevertheless, instances of those one year together shall always be cherished.

I think I am tired of writing. Aren't you tired of reading?!?