Wanderlust - a desire to travel

Wanderlust - a desire to travel

By

Murali Murthy 

Travelling for me is therapeutic, addictive and a sense of freedom from monotony.

It makes me alive, let's me experience life beyond usual.

Travelling challenges our perspectives, and helps us evolve our perspectives towards life.

By simply standing in front of a Beach, or on top of a mountain, it makes me feel so small.

There are many who loves travelling Solo, but I want to experience every journey with my loved ones.

Be it adventurous, leisurely, spiritual, official or romantic, each journey gives invaluable life experiences about world around us.

The excitement starts with planning, packing and the night before the journey is always restless.

Each journey, each destination gives lessons that cannot be learnt in books and classrooms, it teaches how to savour every moment, to be humble, to survive in various conditions and situations.

Travelling and seeing places opens up your mind to new ideas, new culture, new traditions, new lifestyles, clothing, dialect that it makes you more tolerant towards this beautiful and diversed country and world.

Probably something that the Clapping Boys and their political lordship should experience, to realize they cannot force their religious, linguistic agendas on us, and respect the diversity.

Travelling makes us get out of the comfort of our home, known surroundings and take a leap of faith towards the unknowns, new environment, new people, expanding the horizon.

Eventually teaching us to value experience, life more than running behind materialistic pleasures and splurging lifetime savings in building that one dream home and being stuck.

Travelling makes us good storytellers, as we will be itching to share our experiences and stories!

When our routine, confined, mechanical and claustrophobic life reaches the nauseating levels, the only remedy is to pack your bags and hit the road!

Maybe someday, I reach a stage in my life and mean it when I say "Let's travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us".

Youth and Freedom

Youth and Freedom!

By

Murali Murthy 

The younger generation's mantra these days "My Life, My Rules". As they turn teen, they start to believe that they are entitled for "Freedom". Their definition of freedom is to let them do what they want to do, not worried about the consequences. They feel they are matured enough to make their own decisions, without much of life experience.

Is everything they do is to be "Cool"? Are they just being influenced by the Fad?

Nothing seems to be a Taboo these days.

Two real life examples has really kept me worried and concerned about this ghost called Freedom, which the teens harp about.

Two young girls at a Pub went out of control, didn't know when to stop Drinking and the next scenes were just ugly. With no local caretakers, the two girls staying in a PG, were sloshed and in unconscious state at 11.30 in the night.

Lying helpless, out of senses and Vulnerable at the Pub's basement!

Another recent incident in Delhi, where a Girl found a Boy on a Dating App, quickly moved with him to Delhi, from Mumbai, and she didn't even bother informing her parents about her shifting to Delhi.

The Boy, who was a psychopath killed her, cut her into 35 pieces and disposed her!

Is this the Freedom they need? In their dictionary, Freedom is to do anything and no one should stop or question them.

They just do not realize, Freedom comes with responsibility, stable mind, sensible behaviour. Freedom is a power that should have a purpose and is a privilege to be carefully carried on the shoulders.

As Parents and Elders, they are only concerned about the risks in their decisions, keeping them safe and helping them stay on track.

Family's Support and consultation must not be seen as a hindrance to their Freedom, but a support system to help them make the right decisions and protect them from judgement failures.

Not that all Teens are carefree and get into trouble. I understand the above two examples are exceptions. But the commonality in both the cases is the wrong judgement of the Teens, trying to be cool and free.

When we even write a Code, we Catch Exceptions to ensure Checks and Balances. Afterall, it is their life, it is absolute necessity to have Checks and Balances! 

Saree - Timeless Classic

Saree - Timeless Classic!

By

Murali Murthy

If women are a gift to Mankind, Sarees are the beautiful Gift Wrap.

Saree, the wonder attire for a woman.

I see my mother, grand mothers, aunts, sister, wife so proudly amass their Saree collection.

As I know, not less than 500 Sarees in their wardrobe, and their eyes light up with joy as they have memories, stories with each Saree. They know exactly when they last wore each of the Saree, when and where did they buy or who and why did they gift her.

Their collection is so vast that it has almost all Sarees - Starting from Chiffon, Kanjeevaram, Banaras, Ilkal to Mysore Silk Sarees.

And someone like my wife, who is particular on the accessories, has equal no.of matching earrings, neckwears to go with each of the Sarees!

Each Saree is unique, it's texture, colour, design, print and pattern. It's such a versatile attire that can literally be worn at any given event or situation.

Be it the Temple design, Polka dots, Huge Borders, Half n Half, dual shade, the silks, the cottons, the jutes, it's literally a never ending list.

Saree Shopping in itself is a happy event for all women. Usually avoided by Men, women usually go in groups and spend full day to buy sarees. More than the actual transaction to buy a saree, it's the overall experience of going through heaps of sarees, varied designs, budgets that makes them aroused. You should see the delight, wide bright smile and satisfaction on their face as they walk out of the huge shops carrying their shopping bags.

If any man wants to please and woo his woman, all he should do is give a good budget, book a Cab for her and her friends, and let them do some Saree Shopping. I assure you, when she is back, everything is forgiven and forgotten, and you can see love, happiness and smile back on her face.

The perfection at which a woman drapes her saree tells a lot about her taste, and how much she loves herself.

A Saree can be draped in many styles, depending if she wants to look majestic, subtle and sophisticated, elegant and simple, ethnic and traditional.

Wearing just a Bindi and an earring along with crispy pleats and neatly draped Saree, a woman can literally be presentable anywhere...be it to temples, to outings, to events, to work or functions, she will look so presentable.

While, the accessory that actually makes the difference is her smile!

When a woman arrives with a well draped Saree, forget Men, even other women admire the grace and beauty. It exudes elegance.

It's an open challenge. Young women these days who always wear dresses, wear a Saree one fine day. You will see the world stopping to admire your grace and beauty. I bet you will say "आज में साड़ी क्या पेहेन ली, मुझे खुद से इश्क होरहा हैं"

No one will be able to resist the charm and the feminine essence of a Saree clad woman.

If Girls wants the characteristics, mannerisms and traits of her Father in their life partner, a young man will have similar expectations derived from his mother. And when his woman wears a Saree, it helps him associate her with his mother.

A woman in a Saree is respected and admired.

The beauty of this wonder clothing is, that it covers everything, yet a small peep even of an ankle can be a huge turn on for Men!

In the words of Vidya Balan "Saree is the sexiest garment ever. It shows the right amount, it covers the right amount. Its extremely versatile, it suits any body type, any face".

Gyan Bhandar - 3

3 Fucks a day

With only so many hours in a day, most of the days it feels we are running short of time in a day.

Is it that we are really racing against time with our "perceived" rubbing our ass off everyday, or are we wasting our time taking shit and dealing with nonsense?

What if we have the choice to use 3 fucks a day! What will happen the most if you give a fuck to few things each day..

- Quit that boring job!

- Say No to that nagging client!

- Get out of that toxic relation!

- Shut the Laptop after 07:00 PM and go for a Drink in the middle of the Week!

- Stop massaging Ego of a swollen-headed Customer/Manager!

- Get out of the Car and Slap that unruly driver!

- Show middle finger to the Cops waiting like Hyenas on the Streets!

- Ask that noisy neighbour to stop being a pain in the ass!

- Take No Bullshit!

Despite all irritants, when we choose to give a fuck about everything, then we feel as though we are perpetually entitled to feel comfortable and happy at all times, that’s when life fucks us.

Karma

Read somewhere of an example of Karma...A Bird when alive eats Ants, when the Bird is dead, Ants eat the Bird.

How is this Karma for the Bird? The Ants are eating a dead meat.

Karma is something that gets back to you for your deeds, the Bird is already dead, so it doesn't really matter!

A couple having a special child in our apartment, and that child constantly screams through out the day...the young parents few times handle the kid with patience, and most of the other times violently silence him.

Is it their Karma to take care of the Child and they also suffer along with the child for life time? Or is it morally ok for them to leave the Kid at a Care Center?

There are approximately 10 Crores children globally with special needs!

Deja Vu

Have come across number of movies and stories, where storytellers are found playing with the idea and concept of Deja Vu.

In those stories, people relive a moment multiple times. A particular episode just repeats itself, the protagonist feels he / she just saw this happening a moment ago.

This french word "Deja Vu" literally means "already seen".

Have you ever experienced Deja vu?

What if we know what is coming, not the gut feeling, but you have already seen it happening for real.

Though it can be attributed as a fantasy, if experienced for real, is it scarier to precisely know what's happening around, by scene? Will it do any good to predict a future event and help in course correction?

What could happen if we were to have this gift of knowing the next scene of your life, or already lived that moment?

Avoid road accidents, save lives, win bids, bet on sports...

The best part, we could avoid that fight/argument with spouse!

Length of Life or Quality of Life?

"Babumushai, Zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahin."

An iconic dialog, very simple yet extremely powerful.

We all are by default wired to plan long term, plan for retirement, plan for future, plan funds for health issues in old age, compromising health today, as we slog almost all day.

It is futile to argue if long term planning, stability, earning for tomorrow is important OR living in the present, living the moment is important.

There are no right or wrong answers, it's just our perspectives:

- Savings or Investment?

- Linear Growth or Exponential Growth?

- Stability or Change?

- Start-up or Stable Job?

- Farm House or Pent House?

- 4 days (12 hrs a day) or 5 days (10 hrs a day) working days in a week?

- Gym or Yoga?

- Building that dream home draining life savings or Travelling the world and visiting places every 6 months?

The art of Communication

While we in Corporate world stress on the art of communication, and harp on the art of listening being extremely important for effective communication, I see elders around me giving two hoots to this.

Especially when my mom and my aunts engage in conversations, it is usually monologues from both sides. Both constantly speak on their own with continuous overlaps, without bothering to listen, comprehend what the other person is saying.

Yet, they both happily come out with satisfaction in their faces that they had a good time catching up and sharing!

It's probably more to do with the language and voice that's falling on their ears that's making them comfortable, than the actual content. The oldies just need a pair of ears to share and an outlet.

Good music, kind words soothes our mood. Spritual chants and sounds helps us connect with divine. Bad, sad and chocking news makes us disturbed and scared.

Our ears unfortunately doesn't have any lids that can stop us consuming negative words, hurful, hateful conversations.

We should only feel lucky we can't hear what other's have in their mind!

All of us yearn for that voice/sound/music, that is tranquillizing, what's yours?