Gyan Bhandar - 4

What's your Signature?

Most of the birds are colourful, bright, calming and a sight to watch them in action, with beautiful feathers, attractive colours and soothing chirping sounds.

But a Crow is considered a negative bird, not so good looking, black with an annoying Caw that it makes!

Yet, Crows are supposed to have huge brains, super smart. Afterall we have all grown up hearing the thirsty crow story.

We all just survive and live on. Can we stand out amongst the crowd? Can we master our skills?

Even Micheal Jackson had his signature Moon Walk, Dhoni had his signature Helicopter shot, a Shahrukh Khan has his signature arms stretch pose, Rajnikanth's Signature Cigarette flip!

1000s come and go, but are you remembered? What's your Signature?

Arguments

You never know when a usual, casual conversation turned into argument, afterall each of us have our own perspectives, opinion and views.

Be it on politics, sports, movies, discussions amongst a couple, parents, friends or be it professional, the conflict arises when we add emotions in our arguments.

Conflict is useful, to put across our values, core beliefs and want to be appreciated. But turns futile when the intent is to prove "I am right, you are wrong".

But end of a very interesting healthy argument, when a prospective client tells you "I don't completely agree with your point, and I might not be fully convinced, but the passion in which you delivered your point is worth believing in you" is surely a win!

It sometimes feels it's a disease, it's an addiction to keep trying to prove ourselves right in every discussion.

I like the idea of you, than the real you

We all idolize few people in our lives. We emotionally invest on these people, motivating ourselves, inspiring ourselves to be that person based on the idea we have built about him/her in our mind.

Probably we see a version of our own imagination that we wanted to see in them. And when we actually see and get to know the real person, the idea that we had on him/her could be completely disassociated from reality.

Be it the looks of actresses, models, be it the successful people, be it the godmen, successful businessmen, politicians or just anyone else, we build exaggerated ideas of some good qualities attributed to them.

This could be with the love of our lives as well. We are happy in our own world, loving a person whose idea of personality is so soothing that we eternally want to be in love. But once we start living with that person, we feel we were better off loving than living with that person.

Could it be true with God as well? Each of us have our own idea of God, and we love, respect and be scared about him.

Yet, no one knows what he really is!

God's Grace

Once there lived a King, who had a very smart minister. The king always used to take the minister's advice on almost everything and used to take him along wherever he went. The minister had only one problem, for everything he used to say "God's Grace".

One day the King was preparing to go for hunting and was checking the weapons. The King accidentally cut his finger checking a damaged knife. The minister says "God's Grace".

The king got furious that he has hurt himself and how can that be God's grace, and orders the Minister to be put in Jail.

For that also the Minister says "God's Grace".

The King goes ahead alone for hunting. Deep in the Forest, he is captured by few tribes. The tribes were looking for a Man as a sacrifice to their Goddess.

The clan leader observes that the Man has a wound and a finger is cut, he orders the Man to be freed, as they can't sacrifice a damaged body.

The King returns to his Minister and tells him the story. The Minister says "It was God's way to save you from the tribes. And it was God's grace that you put me in jail, so that I don't come with you, else they would have sacrificed me, instead of you".

Can everything that happens to us be taken on the face value and react? Or do we have the patience and trust in our God, irrespective of what's happening in our lives?

Aham Brahmasmi

It is a coincidence and by chance that we are born in a particular religion, cast and definitely not by choice.

Since it's by chance and not by choice, we are obligated to believe in the teachings, philosophy of the sect. We go ahead and defend, argue based on the blind belief in the philosophy we are told we belong to.

What if you and I were born in each other's religion, the same we would have exact opposite views. Afterall, that's why it's called "Belief".

It is a different matter that thinkers and scholars like Shankaracharya, Madhwacharya researched Vedas and gave birth to their own new Philosophies.

Unfortunately, we are not, we cannot be them.

If Vedic texts were as simple as Google Translation to say "Aham = I", "Brahmasmi = Am God", then all of us could drink up Vedas bottoms up!

Do You think what you think you are? Or Do you think what you think, I think You are?

Do we change the way we are, based on how life, people treats us? Does our mannerisms, personality, behaviour, body language change, if we start to feel more confident about ourself?

Each of us have a defined sense of selfness, we know what we are as individuals. But does this construct of "I", the definition of "Me", characteristics of "Me" change/improvise based on what others think about us?

What percentage of the image, the idea of "Me" that is impressed on others, is how you want them to see "Me", and how much they judge and ideate "Me" as an individual?

Do we remodel ourselves based on how others think we are - be it the expectations on us, or the overconfidence/underconfidence they have on us?

All these lead to THE question - Do You think what you think you are? Or Do you think what you think, I think You are?

Deriving Inspiration - 3

Boarding Blues

Air travel is no more for the elite. With plenty of flight options, fast paced life and ease of travel, "taking a flight" is no more glamorous.

There's no difference between a Railway Station, Bus Stand or an Airport - Similar chaos, confusions and excessively populous.

While half the crowd confidently move around going through entry, security, reaching the Gate and boarding, other half literally run around, panic struck, asking for help from almost every staff and co-passengers.

Language is another challenge, as they struggle to get right instructions. It's not that confusing after all. Probably the massive areas, sheer size and elaborate security, poses to be intriguing.

The regular business travelers wearing the ego cap, feeling entitled and demanding.

The long queues at entry, security stresses people so much, that they act they are the only ones who are in a hurry, amidst a sea of people.

And those calls to the loved ones..I have boarded, I have landed!

Hospitality

In one of the Ted Talks that I heard, a gentleman had a very interesting advise, which most of us can surely relate - The focus of companies on Product, Service, Support is not enough these days, hospitality should be the focal point.

I totally concur. It is not enough to have a good Product, it is not enough to provide efficient service, hospitality is part of the offering that is both expected by the Client and Offered by the companies.

Probably all of us have always been offering this to our customers, but we just didn't realize it, just didn't give it a name.

As my partner says "Massaging their ego" is part of his job. In one other article, I had written how everyone in the organization have to be Salesmen, irrespective of the role you play, be it a CEO or a L1 Support Engineer.

Afterall, hospitality is no more limited to Hospitality industry. Who will not feel happy to be treated like Kings, and when especially they are giving you business.

Travel Romance

Hey You! Am Missing you. I am spending each day thinking of you, waiting to be with you, again.

Come to me, take me in your arms.

No matter how much I earn, if I don't spend on you, every penny seems worthless.

Life seems hollow when am not with you.

The pleasure, peace of mind I get when I am with you, is unmatched.

I find myself when I am with you, I find true purpose of life when I am with you.

I write so much about you, when I am with you, or after the wonderful moments I spend with you, I write about you and the experience you give me..

I am your prisoner, do not let me go...please...waiting to unite with you again soon...you give me the same pleasure if I do Solo, with my wife, with family or friends - Travel, the love of my life!

That Face!

That Face...That one face I can never forget. I don't know when and where I saw that face. I don't remember the name, yet that face is pictured in my memory.

The innocent face, very pleasing smile, silky smooth hairs, the soft skin and calmness on that face. That face had perfect symmetry of facial features and had that Golden ratio. It's as if the Morning sun rays are always on that face, making it bright and shining.

I randomly see that face in the crowd, I used to see that face in Aishwarya Rai, Emma Stone, Salma Hayek and these days I see in Ashika, Jahnvi, Raashi Khanna.

I saw that face in all my teen days crush, in the women I loved, I see the same face in my Wife.

Sometimes when I hear a good soothing music, that face suddenly flashes in front of me. The face that brings out the poet in me, the face that I see in everyone I love, and the same face that I see when I am standing with folded hands in front of Udupi Krishna!

The face I saw in my niece when she was a small baby, the face I see when my mom calls my name fondly.

Looking for that face amidst all the known faces. Do you know whose face is it?

The TV Advs

I have always been fascinated by the TV Advertisements, many of them are extremely creative and funny.

Be it Vodafone, Limca, Happydent, Cred, Men Will Be Men series, Fevkwik and the list goes on.

I saw one such another Kurkure Adv today, where a Ghost appears in a Man's room and he is petrified, literally shivering and asks her "Who are you? Why are you here?" The ghost answers "I live here". That man takes a bite of Kurkure and shakes hands with the Ghost "If we both stay in the same house, we are roommates, we should share the Rent".

The last scene was even more funny, as he is using the Ghost to walk up the roof and clean the Fans!

Some of them are not only funny, creative, but becomes legendary and gets etched in our memory for a very long time.

What's your favourite TV Adv?

The Funnier Side - Part 2

The Alien Subbarao

Subbarao sits alone on the old wooden chair, staring at the window all day, in his decades old small house. An extreme introvert, doesn't have friends and doesn't get along with relatives and neighbours.

He has a fixed routine of morning walk, has one idli vada at the Darshini, come back home and water the plants. Prepare lunch for himself and go back to the chair and stare at the window.

One fine day, as he continues to stare at the sky through the window, a bright light flashes, as Subbarao stands up with folded hands and tears in his eyes and happiness on his face.

His life time wait has finally ended, as the flying saucer lands in front of his house, as Subbarao walks closer to the saucer, his skin sheds and his true form takes over. His planet mates welcome him, as the saucer flies away and disappears in the skies.

Did we grow up too fast?

It feels like yesterday I was going to College with my buddies, having a gala time in the College grounds, life filled with fun and laughter.

Don't know when the niece, nephew, cousin's and friend's children who were just yesterday small infants we loved playing with, the baby giggles, the baby talks are grown men and women.

Don't know when we started saying "attending cousin's daughter's wedding" from "Cousin's wedding".

Don't know when we transformed from our first job trying to prove ourselves, to now deciding on other's future, from 9:00 to 6:00 easy job to a top Management role, responsible for everything in the company.

Don't know when my hairs fell off, don't know when the friends catchup conversation over a Beer, changed from "Fun, Goa Trip planning, Technology, Sports, Figures" to "Retirement plan, investment, health issues".

Don't know when the actresses we use to letch has now wrinkles on their faces, playing mother's role!

70s Model

I think our generation has seen the most transitions, progress, advancement and changes.

We 75-85 born kids have literally seen the world, lifestyle and norms change right in front of us.

From Video cassettes to VCD to OTT.

From Audio Cassettes to MP3s to online Music Players.

From Floppy disks to CDs to Pen Drives.

From Sangam, Urvashi theatres to PVR, Cinepolis.

From the dial based landline to Smart Phones.

From that Telephone line Modem making awful noice with 100KBPS to High speed internet.

From huge Computer boxes with bulky monitors to sleek and compact Laptops.

From the Dyanora TV with shutters to Smart TVs.

From DD1,DD2 to Cable TV to OTT.

From Titan steel watches to Smart Watches.

From Yahoo Chats to WhatsApp.

From Cuticura Powder to Axe Deodorant.

From Torino, Gold Spot to Coke, Pepsi.

From Inland Letters to Emails.

From PSUs to MNCs to Start Ups.

From News reading aunties to Opinion spreading Uncles.

From Autograph to Selfies.

We have seen the Pub, Resort culture bloom, Social Media taking over our lives.

All these makes us the most matured generation, as we have experienced and adapted two different worlds. Our previous generations were never part of this transition and they are still stuck in their days. The next generation is already born into the Modernity and they will only see advances not transitions.

3 cheers to us -70s/80s kids!!

The Male Nipple

The evident feminine characteristics including grace, emotional, sensitive, compassionate, empathetic, warmth are all personification of feminity.

Not stereotyping women, but certain qualities defines feminity. Be it the kindness, sweetness, gentleness marks the traits of the women we want to idealize.

We have come across few Men, whom we find funny and call them feminine, and few Women whom we find them to be masculine.

"Why do men have nipples??". It's something that is useless, doesn't serve any purpose. A typical candidate that usually is made redundant in the evolutionary process, but isn't the case!

As I explored answer to this question, I found the answer, which is the reason of this prelude that I wrote!

So, when the new life is formed, the initial 4 weeks is just a common templated embryo and Nipples are part of the default template!

As Y chromosomes induces the embryo, the embryo starts developing Male organs. If not, the embryo continues to develop as a Female!!

So, by default all life is formed as a Female!!

That Struggle every morning!

That struggle...that struggle each of us go through every single day of our lives. We fight with our own inner conscious, it's a battle we have to fight on our own and no one to help.

It's a struggle that a school going kid till an adult goes through....waking up in the morning!! I bet lifting a 20 KG weight in the Gym is much easier than lifting those eye lids.

Waking up is a snail paced ritual each of us practice...from snoozing the alarm 2 times, rolling on the bed, sitting on the bed, open the eye lids just enough to get a glimpse of our favourite God, then continuing the "meditation" on the Toilet Commode!

Especially when you had disturbed sleep through out the night, and could only get good sleep early in the morning.

The body clock also is wickedly intelligent. During the daily office/school days, it just does not trigger at all!

But when we have to catch an early morning flight or an early start for a trip, the body clock triggers 15 minutes before the Alarm and we keep staring at the Alarm just to turn it off and wake up!

Frustrations & Disappointments - Part 4

How safe are we?

A techie was stabbed in broad daylight when few men tried to rob him of money, as the bystanders stood and didn't try to save him.

A woman waiting for Bus after office, was offered lift by a School Bus driver, who eventually raped her.

A young woman in the wee hours fully drunk, called for a bike taxi to go to a friend's place, and the woman ends up being raped.

A middle aged man walking on the side of the road, when a two wheeler guy honked madly asking him to walk on the foot path. Altercations soon turned ugly and the guy on the two wheeler kicked the pedestrian, who ended up with a broken hand.

There are many such incidents that happen everyday. There are equal no.of cases with natives and migrants being victims or aggressors.

How safe are our cities? The culprits doesn't seem to care for the consequences or they know the flaws and workarounds in our system.

As long as there is no fear of law, there is no hope for safer cities.

Cleaning the political system, Firm Policing and getting people out of poverty will make the difference. Any guesses on which of the 3 is impossible?

The Border fight

Not sure why politicians across the globe fight for that tiny piece of land along the borders.

Almost every country, every state fight for that small town / village along the borders.

No one cares for the aspirations and wants of the people living there. This gross, obsessed patriotic set of people including politicians keep the conflict alive for their own kick.

If Kashmir rightfully belongs to India, so does every village and town belonging to the States. If Pak is wrong in claiming Kashmir as theirs, so does MH to claim Belgaum, so does KL to claim Kasargod.

When the States Reorganization act was enforced, the boundaries had to be drawn somewhere and each state would have surely been unhappy with some piece of land.

If Pak is seen as a villain to grab our piece of land, why not the same yardstick if MH is doing the same with KA!

The same yardstick also applies if KA is trying to claim any piece of land from any of it's neighbouring States.

Easen her burden

Life isn't fair for everyone. A young mother giving up her fight taking care of her specially abled child, is a tough scene to imagine.

Her pent up frustrations, pain, agony explodes every night, as she sobs and cries loudly expressing her desperation to lead a normal life. A young woman of that age having mountain of dreams on how she wanted to lead a happy life, but is holed up in the house 24/7, taking care of her erratic son.

Why few of them are punished so much? What's her Sin that she deserves so much suffering?

Is it Karma? Some philosophical answers could point at previous birth's Karma!! Which is an easy answer to escape in defense of the unfair situation given to her by God.

I only pray to easen her burden.

Deepika & her Dressing

Since the early days of civilizations, women have always been seen as a source of entertainment only and were denied rights to live a life.

Take any civilizations or later settlements in Greeks, Spartans, Middle east nations or India. Women have always been restrained, constrained and limited to 4 walls.

Marriage itself was a sham, and multiple partners for males were always found legal across the globe.

The world has come a long way, men have evolved and many such prohibitions are no more in practice. Women lead a very independent and free life, though some practices such as Ghunghat and Burkha system are still a Bane.

We now have a Star couple who are competing with each other on who will get more naked in front of the Camera.

It is a different matter that the color of that small piece of cloth, (which is hardly seen) is a cause of concern for few!

Covid & Avatar

Avatar 2 is released! It's a visual spectacle, a continuation from its prequel. Bit dragged and gets boring at times, yet a good watch if you were Avatar fan.

There is something else also that's coming in newer Avatar - Covid!

On one hand if the paranoia seems to be back in form of WhatsApp forwards of how more deadly the new variant is, such people who have this phobia of being scared are already preparing to be scared.

On the other side, the media was itching for some Masala, seems so happy that Covid could be back soon. All their choicest of words, their "expert" opinion on how people and Govt should react are already the prime time highlight.

Media and the people were probably so used to being paranoid but missing it from an year or so, it's probably a sigh of relief for them now.

Nasha Chadha Jo Sharifi Ka

The Clapping boys continue to find newer reasons to malign Pathan movie, by targetting a particular Song.

Not that I am an SRK fan nor waiting to watch Pathan, just a cause of concern in this rhetoric filled days.

After the color of the piece of cloth Deepika wore, now the skimpy clothes she wore or the seductive dance moves is supposed to be hurting our culture and all girls are feeling unsafe just because of this one song.

Deepika is not the first nor last to do such a seductive item number. There has been more vulgar/errotic songs where actresses have enacted and surely not elegant, Starting from the days of Helen, Mandakini or Zeenat Aman.

And Porn these days are so freely available, as Men who supposedly get motivated to involve in heinous crimes need not watch a movie song!

As the song itself says "Nasha Chadha Jo Sharifi Ka"...The Clapping Boys are intoxicated to take higher moral ground!