Year in Hyderabad

Kheyyychorrreee
Deloitte
laadla
Dipanjan
bijliya
ki chaap
titliya
phaadu chicken
Soumya-Ankita
Maggi before dinner

These are just some of the words which come to my mind as soon as I think of 2012... My year in Hyderabad... When I moved here in late 2011, I was immediately engulfed in a world full of BENGALIS... lol. I remember the first party I attended. It was Dipanjan's bday. And there were like 15 people speaking jibber jabber and me not understanding a single word. It was funny. But I soon realized this would be my life here.

So I moved in with Sayantan and Dipanjan (best flatmates I think considering I did not even know Dipanjan and had only spent a few months with Sayantan in Bangalore). First few months were all about partying till late, Sayantan's antics (well they have still not finished), and fun. I remember telling Neha ("I am so cool and you are so uncool"... rofl).

 Booze flows almost every night in our premises. But these are also the times when maximum activiteez takes place. In hindsight, almost all bakar sessions have been held in our house while drinking. Dipanjan was our cook. I would like to mention here that Dipanjan's nose is special. He needs to add all the masalas in the food just so that he can smell them even if they taste horrible. We have an inside joke that one day we will have toiler cleaner also in our food. :) We used to be served maggi at 11 in the night and dinner at 4 in the early morning hours :). I do not remember ever eating so much of chicken/mutton ever in my life as the amount I have consumed in the past year. Also all this food gets cooked in a 12 liter cooker and 16 liter kadhai. And the amazing part. Everything gets finished!!! But after much thought we finally decided to keep a cook.

Not stealing the limelight from Sayantan here. He is the laadla of our house. One look at his room and everyone will understand. He has a child's heart. Myntra, fashionandyou, fetise, have had so much business from our house. As per recent estimates, total goods ordered must be more than 1 lac. Online shopping is a craze in our household. From vegetables to clothes, perfumes, shoes, anything and everything has been bought online. But Sayantan takes the cake, sorry I meant chicken :D. His fondness for chicken can be rivaled only by Dipanjan's drinking and my endless tv series shows.

Then comes to mind Soumya's culinary skills. Man he knows how to cook. And then Ankita. His better half. There marriage was as surprising to us as I guess three months before it to them :). I guess it happens in a love marriage... The food wars at their house are awesome if not legendary/epic. I have eaten some of the best home cooked food while at their place. And Soumya is a hurricane when he is in the kitchen. Some of the best intellectual discussions happen when Soumya has been around.

Ahhh I forgot about Deloitte. Well its the place to be and not to be. Work is hectic, there is pressure, you learn loads, you are appreciated (not always), loads of parties, corporate crap and in the end you somehow wishing for something more. I guess this summarizes my life here.

Had awesome trips through out the year. Attended my cousin's wedding in Mathura, met Harsh after 3 years in delhi, visited belum caves - an awesome road trip and spent new year in goa and it turned out to be a blast...

Neha and me decided to make it formal, our parents agreed (hers after much cajoling), she left for US to complete her MBA, skype chats. This sums it up.

And finally my year of gadgets... bb playbook, new laptop, bose headphones, and galaxy note II (bday gift).

 All in all I would not mind if happiness touches me all my life like it did in 2012!!!

What to do and how to go about it?

the day draws to a close
having achieved nothing i still feel as if the entire burden of the world is on my shoulders
i see people around engulfed in their thoughts as if they too are in a similar state
yet i know their reasons are as feeble as mine
the troubles people go through just for that one moment of satisfaction which might come and go away and they might not even notice it because they were already thinking about the next thing they might have to do
i for myself have mixed feelings regarding this issue.
sometimes i wish i was as ambitious as them while at other times i feel good for myself that i live such a carefree life without having any worries.
and so coming back to my original point and today i feel as if i have lost the plot and am walking through the wilderness without any aims or a destination to touch.
statements like "you should never be happy in life because that is the day when you stop working hard" seems not only plausible but surprisingly true.
So my question is will there be a time when i will feel relaxed and without any tension or is this life going to be full of twists and turns. i cannot but feel upset at the prospect that if even at the age of 60 i am thinking about settling my children or my retirement plans. Even the idea seems horrible. its sad to be in such a sad sad sad state.
But today being one of those sad days when i feel all gloomy and pathetic because i do not know what to do or how to go about it. i want to reach that satisfaction level as soon as possible else the world will come to an end before i even realize it or having lived my life to the fullest.
And here comes my friend with two pints in his hand and a bubbling smile on his face telling me to stop writing shit and come and join him. Ciao

BEAUTIFUL

the morning as beautiful as ever
with darkness on the other side
nostrils filled with her smell
the aura leaving a trail behind
her touch inspires me to think of my fortune
i wish never to leave her alone
envy and jealousy are all things of the past
as i let love only reside inside me
calmness embraces me with open arms
only time i lose it is when i am not in her arms...

Always Misunderstood

the feeling of loneliness engulfs him
emotions filled upto the brim
he thinks about doing something good
but in the end he is always misunderstood

having seen everything rise up in flame
the world crediting him all the blame
one wishes he had something else to give
but is wary of the motive

irritation and fear circle around
the problems seem to compound
it seems best to take a step back
he is tired of receiving all the flak

the world one day will come to an end
only wish not to offend
let one live the last few days blissfully
before he gets lost in the debris.

MY DOHAS :)

i) As the sun came down the sky,
Realization hit me like a bull's eye,
Winters had never been such a beautiful sight,
The crescent spreading its sweetness and light.


ii) Your smile slows down the heartbeat,
The twinkle in your eyes is like a treat,
May god always bless you,
Me being fortunate enough to have a friend like you.


iii) As night approaches I start having visions,
Its time to take some tough decisions,
Wish I had something else to say,
Alas I look towards the milky way.


iv) Your voice makes me wish I had a guitar,
That I never knew how to play one is another scar,
I always dreamt of impressing you,
But nothing I did made any breakthrough.

YOU- MY SHINING SUN

Guys this is my first poem that i have posted and i know its crap but i still love it :)

i miss your voice,
your presence in my life,
it drove me away from all the despair,
yet they arrived time and again i became aware...

you made me not miss my old friends,
in turn realized my virtues hence,
i always felt that u were the one i could trust most,
yet in the end even you had me lost...

but now as i start to live my life without you,
i hope the sorrows are gulped too,
an inner deficit seems to be brewing,
wish i see the sun bright and shining...

my anger lost now in the wilderness,
waiting for some happiness
gone are those joyous days
only pray that my spirit stays...

truth and dare without the dare

you know i have seen how this game brings out many things in the open and makes things so much simpler for everyone.
first things first. letting secrets out is not everyone's cup of tea. this game is not for liars or people who have a hidden personality and are extremely wary of showing it to people whom they do not know. you need to be open hearted as well as open minded to show your true colours.

i have played this game often and every time so much dirt comes out that by the end of it you don't feel dirty at all. and thats the beauty of this game. i might think that telling a few personal questions about me might become a cause for embarrassment (and trust me it sometimes does) but there will be and there always is someone who might tell you something so weird or strange that it makes you feel better about yourself that you are not the only one who has had a peculiar experience.

you get to know so much stuff whether it is about people's sex lives, their opinions, crushes, hatreds, lies or choices in life which they made (or would make) and why.

another thing which no one notices is how it makes people come closer because there is a certain decrease in the trust deficit. you somehow develop a bonding that now this person knows so much about me that you can be relaxed in the presence of the other person's company. i can easily remember that i made a few friends after playing this game because it kind of chilled the atmosphere.

Life's a bitch...

you think you have done everything right in your life???
well guess what!!! nopes. highly unlikely. you are bound to take decisions which might feel right at that moment but later on in life you will realize that you committed foul.

there are moments in everyone's life when you are in a fit of anger, feeling depressed or maybe you are in a stage of your life where nothing is happening and everything is stagnant. you just feel idle at all moments.

its not as if you do not enjoy or have fun but then these are short lived memories. maybe you are just craving that enjoyment all the time. but at the end of the day you do kind of feel as if something is missing. not everything is perfect.

random thoughts creep into your mind. you sometimes wish how much things would have been easier if you did not exist. you could just disappear or stay hidden away in some far corner where no one can see you but you can observe everyone. narcissist people might wish for someone else's fatality.

one second you feel love for a person and the moment that person behaves or does something unpleasant you kind of think if you were not present in his/her company.

you start observing people differently. even your friends and family. for some you gain respect and long that they remain omnipresent in your life and for a select few you could not care less even if they disappeared forever.

you know sometimes the worst part is that you don't even know what you want in life. even if you do confusion creeps in regarding whether this is the correct course on which you are treading.

AS I SAID LIFE'S A BITCH. Try ignoring the bitter moments and remember the good ones. and try taking life as it comes. everything will happen the way it has to. you cannot and should not disturb what has been decided for you. and the creepy thoughts, well just try ignoring them else frankly enough life becomes miserable.

Loads of stuff took place in the last couple of months.
got released from training early and got a good enough project in SAP. again broke up and as Chandel says "SHIKHAR IS SINGLE AND READY TO MINGLE" lolzzz... made new friends and found a new apartment near office. finally life is back to normal.
our new home in lucknow is ready to move in. went for the house warming party and met almost all my relatives and family friends.
in bengaluru now and the sad home-office-home routine continues.

P.S.--- guess want something interesting and good to happen in my life :(

6 months later....

Current Job: I.T. Systems Engineer Trainee
Current Location: Bengaluru, India
Health Update: Feeling good but it can be better if I lose 10 more kilos.
Mental status: Generally fine with occasional mood swings in which life feels like crap
Day to day activity: Home-Work-Home-Talk-Sleep
Current flatmates: Gaurav, Roshan and JSSS Bharat
New subjects learned: .NET, Javascript, NCFM in Financial Markets, Securities and Derivatives.

Why no blogs for the past few months?: Had forgotten that I had one:). Also got busy in other stuff like travelling(visited andaman and nicobar islands), gym (finally lost a few kilos), and this god forsaken job which bores me to no end.

Flashback time

I joined a gym. Lost a few kilos which was quite necessary. Gave GMAT. Will be giving it again in aug-sept 2010. Went to noida and had a great time with my cousins Kshitiz and Sugandha. Got serious about the NCFM tests and started giving them. While in noida I got my TCS joining date (29th Dec) which elated me so much that I was hyper active for 2-3 days. Came back to lucknow and again went to andamans with my parents for a holiday. It turned out to be one of the most adventurous ones. Did snorkelling!!!
Then it was time for Bengaluru. Had an amazing new year in a club. For our first phase of TCS training we were sent to a place called bidadi which I initially thought I wouldn't wish even my worst enemies to come.I just wanted to run away from there. On reaching there i realized it was not even a village. And food was a big problem. But gradually I settled down. Made quite a few new friends.
In late feb left bidadi and I felt genuinely sad because there it was like we had a party everyday.
Came to the city. Hunted for a flat. Life started feeling like slow poison. Mom gifted me a car (santro). The car definitely brought cheer into my life but it was too short-lived. Life again went into routine.
As of now training ends on 25th May. Till then I doubt there will be anything to hear or say.
adios...

Respect to BOLLYWOOD

why can't people in india accept commercial masala movies as they are?

even i like watching hollywood classics like prestige, terminator, goodfellas and the list is endless. but at the same time i also enjoy movies like welcome, ghajini, wanted, etc. i mean what's wrong with these movies. infact its good that you don't have to apply your mind in such cases. just go to the theater leaving your mind at home, have popcorn and a soda, enjoy the absurdities and leave carrying a smile on your face. why is it so difficult for our so called intellectual people to give space to our cinema when the rest of the world is starting to reckon us and giving our blend of cinema along with music some respect.

the biggest example i guess is "slumdog millionaire". that movie was as bollywood in nature as any. in fact it had quite a few errors in it also; like the middle generation kids talking in english. how is it possible in this country? also it was too melodramatic. but see that is not the question. in the end it went on to win an oscar. people there thought that unlike their movies, it brought them out of the halls with a feel-good factor. even for that matter take their movie "the hangover". now some of the situations in that movie are downright ridiculous; like the tiger in the bathroom. how is it possible that no one in the entire hotel saw it. its funny and stupid. but at this moment it is one of the most highly rated movies on imdb.

another thing which people object to is the star power in bollywood. they say some movies work here because of the big stars in the industry. i say so what. that happens in every industry. even in hollywood there is curiosity regarding a warner brothers flick or a brad pitt movie. the movie "hancock" did pretty well there only because of will smith and a strong banner and it was one of the worst movies with an insanely senseless script and direction.

the one thing where i guess i can agree with the enlightened ones is in the dissimilarity between the way the hollywood awards are given and the way our awards are given. this i am in unison with because they appreciate genuine work and give recognition to folks who have done something noteworthy and outstanding. in comparison here you see that the best movie generally goes to that which made the most bucks. but this too will change with the passage of time. already the critic'c choice awards given here recognize that talent. and gradually they will be moved from the critic's choice to the main ones.

QUOTES........

Should one live in the past, present or future??? i believe one should learn from his/her past, strive relentlessly in the present and hope for the best in the future. :)

what is the similarity between a grumpy man and a pig??? both grunt... :)

loving yourself is one of the secrets to survive happily...

making a new friend everyday makes you lose all the old ones...

continuously making mistakes is a sure way of saying that you are a dork.

living life as a drunk is like having a dream. you never want to come out of it because you are always content.

challenging oneself on a daily basis results to a heart attack..

people who think that alcohol is a beverage are alcoholics..

caring about only yourself results in estrangement...

a bleak future is as good as a soul lost in wilderment...

our society is structured such that a person who has no friend is either at the zenith or at the nadir...

living life on the edge is analogous to an inebriated driver...

when you start thinking about your future too much that means your present is going nowhere.

what is the anomaly between a successful couple and a failed marriage??? the marriage itself..



DISCLAIMER--- I THINK I HAVE MADE UP THESE QUOTES BUT IF SOMEONE FINDS THAT IT IS LITERARY INFRINGEMENT KINDLY REPORT IT TO ME AND I WILL AMIABLY REMOVE THEM.

Media sensationalism

man am i sick and tired of all that the media covers. from being a petty issue it turns around and erupts like a volcano. and man most losers continue seeing it day after day until the media only stops. have a few cases in mind which transpired just recently.

shah rukh's detention at newark airport
swine flu
a not so recent case but a very important one which initiated this debate of sensationalism--- aarushi murder case

when the home minister of a country, honourable mr. chidambaram starts commenting about srk's detention and his detention gets a coverage comparable to the country's independence day celebrations then the media is actually suffering from a lack of issues. what did not happen--- debates, opinion polls, interviews with ministers and celebrities. i mean it carried on and on and on... the man in question himself said that he did not want an apology. he also agreed that they were following procedure although the incident could have been avoided. i mean when even their people like al gore who by the way is their ex-vice president and a nobel laureate is not exempt through security then is shah rukh khan more important than him. its good that america is careful and vigilant. no attacks have taken place there since 9/11 because of their precautions. the other day i read that even kennedy (do not know which one though) was not allowed to board an aircraft as someone had taken his identity. the security people got suspicious and did not let him through.
i am perturbed because this was noticed on account of one celebrity but people do not care about thousands more who go through these procedures on a daily basis.

the second issue is the swine flu one. i mean counting each and every death, reporting the cases. what is wrong. every second a person is dying due to some disease or road accident but the people dying due to swine flu get the latest coverage. yes its a pandemic and initial coverage was important to inform the people but i think they overdid it.

and i do not need to say much about the aarushi murder case. guess everyone heard about it and read about it and slept on it... the way a dead girl was butchered should be learnt from our lovely news feeders. they insulted her parents, made a mockery of the girl's life, cast aspersions on her morality and maligned the family's reputation until finally it turned out the father was innocent. i think this occurrence was one of the originating point of this huge debate about the media's role and influence. people were angry. how could they be shown such wrongful images? every day intimate details about the family came onto channels to feed the ever hungry and gossip-mongering people of this country. i think only a handful thought that what was happening had become obscene (and am proud to say that i was among those who felt the same).

just want to add that the media has to learn to respect the privacy of people, show news as it is and deliberate on topics relevant to our society in general. full stop. they need to deal with the devils of society rather than creating ones with ceaseless coverage.

Arghh....

at this point in my life am at a pretty crucial junction (a constant reminder from my father). for the last 3 months since my graduation i have done nothing except attending parties, holiday in bombay and a grand vacation in america. now am back in lucknow and its just been 10 days since my return and am again in the usual grind of the idiot-box, novels and sleep.

so what do you do when you want to do something yet not in a mood to do anything. wait-3. got confused. lots of do's and thing's. basically my point is how do i spend my vella time. and the right answer is that i don't have any answer to answer the question. arghh

P.S. or not so personal--- preparing for gmat. joined a test series and bought a book "the original guide". planning to give it in october. lets see how i fare. am not too fussed about it.

P.P.S.--- why do people write P.S.??? i mean its still a part of the letter. and why is it in the end???

THE U THE S OF A

my trip to america has been so full of surprises right from the planning stage to the execution... kind of as if i was meant to come here..
after finally finishing my engg. i came back from manipal and was getting bored at home. i was expecting a trip around june end with mom and dad to macau-hongkong-bangkok but as usual at the last moment both of them backed out.
as i was getting bored at home i was talking to my sister here in denver quite often (more than usual) and one fine day she invited me. well i dint even have a visa. so i casually mentioned it to dad and next day i was off to the HDFC bank for my visa application. within a few days it was certain that i would be going to denver if i get the visa.. but it was not as easy as it sounds. had to get all sorts of papers arranged right from invitation letters from my sister to my father and brother-in-law's bank statements to my TCS joining letter including all my previous activities academically. all these were required just to prove that people would be able to support me financially during this trip and that i would be returning to India to join TCS...
guess what.. the lady at the american embassy dint go through 90% of the papers that i had brought and my interview went as smoothly as it could. people had forewarned me as if i am applying for a job or my life's most important test.. although i will agree that the americans were pretty strict and many people were not getting visas.

and finally the good news i got a 10 year multiple trip visa..

2 days later and off to new york.. reach der early morning and truth be told was not much impressed. have seen much better airports (changi in singapore and kuala lumpur). a few hours stay at newark airport and another flight to denver which people tell me is one of the biggest airports in the world in terms of area and i kind of agree. also it was much more beautiful..
the day i reached we celebrated the american independence day (don't remember the last time i celebrated india's :D).. unlike india where we take out a parade and show our culture and military might, here people just go to parks with friends and family creating a picnic sort of atmosphere and burst fire crackers...

next on my list of things to do was shopping. bought perfumes, shades, backpack, electric shaver, clothes etc etc etc... and it all came cheap bcoz of the july 4th sale.
then came my trip to las vegas which i was eagerly looking forward to. well to begin with it turned out to be every bit as exciting as i thought it would. saw all the good places, played in almost all casinos splurging money (my taxi driver there rightly said that vegas is a city built by losers), ate at all good places (including some really nice mexican restaurants) and discovered why this city is called the SIN CITY.. :P it was an awesome trip and i think one of my best holiday spots. plus everything seemed very arranged as my sister and brother in law had been there before and knew the way around the city. all in all an experience that i wont be forgetting in a hurry.

now am back in denver and will be exploring a few places in colorado and then finally will leave for new york. hopefully will be enjoying the rest of the trip also.
ciao

Stay in MUMBAI

my stay in mumbai is turning out to be quite eventful... meet new people daily and making new friends...

here its a different life all together... my friend here Anshuman works in the film industry. so most of my stay here was in the studio.. initially i thought it would be very boring but it was quite the opposite. everyone who works here suffers from insomnia. work is in abundance and there is literally no time to sleep. if you are lucky and somehow you do get the time then its only for a precious hour or so... work tensions are high but people somehow learn to maintain their cool.

time passes by too quickly... one moment its 2 in the afternoon and next its 8 or 9 in the evening and yes people here refer 8 or 9 as evening and not night.

my usual masti is going on too but it was great to spend time here and know about the work culture... its different and the experience was mind blowing..

will be visiting here again for 10 days and hope i have the same experience. next stop manipal which is going to be a riot..

NEW BEGINNINGS

for the first time in my life i realized that i had missed a great deal in my life.
recently i met my paternal cousins and came to know that i had missed a lot by not getting to know them better.

lets start from the beginning. in relations i am closer to my maternal cousins (kshitiz and sugandha) who are like my true brother and sister. from early childhood i have been hanging out with them and we visit each other often as much as possible considering our busy schedules.

but in the past few days i met my cousins from my dad's side and had a feeling that they were pretty cool too.

shubhangi (boisterous, loud, bold, idiot and wild), ishika or aditi or henna (god she is falling short of names lol) (cool and too funny), isha (serious, mature and good natured), ayush (simple, childish and innocent), rakhee ( a small teddy bear, funny with an amazing laugh) and last of all sanchita (wat can i say except ready to get married). all of them have different personalities.

till now all of them used to hang out together. i guess i never made an effort to get in touch with them because in my early years we did not meet each other that much and even if we did then it was just a case of exchanging pleasantries. also they being small girls then and talking about all the girly stuff did not attract my attention much.

but these past few weeks have been a revelation to me and knowing them has been a great pleasure. one simple game of "truth and dare" without the "dare" opened everything between us and we started behaving as pals. feels good to know that i have such fun loving people that i know of and can talk to them. i value them as friends much more then as family because family is by coincidence and friends are by choice and friendships are invaluable.

i wish i could have made it happen earlier but like they say its never late to say yes to a new beginning.

Missing manipal!!!

my time in honda siel sucks :(... wish i had not come here. missing manipal a great deal. but somehow manage it having made good friends out der. keep hanging out with them and somehow the time passes by.
keep meeting my family, cousins and old school friends. i guess the only +ve aspect of this internship.

gr. noida as a township is still developing and it will take a few years to realize its full scope. the place where i live has a small market and provides all the basic necessities. the only good news is that today a new multiplex started out ere so i wont have to travel around 25 kms to catch a movie.
the only popular landmark in this industrial city is known as pari chowk (a crossroad) with 5 mermaids. thats it.. nothing more to see and i can bet that once you see this pari chowk you will start abusing me for bringing you there... :)

nothing else to say except it sucks out ere and want to go back to manipal.

Long One

i think this is gonna be a very long blog. so many things happened in the last one month.

the attack on the financial capital of india earned everyone's wrath (yes even the pakistanis showed anguished at the incident). as has been proved this attack was orchestrated from pakistan's territory by the so called non state actors. the international community too backed india's claims as citizens from the developed world also became victims of this assault. pakistan too tried to show that it was going to take action because this time along with india, american and israeli citizens were also the targets.
now as we all know that every country fears israel (maybe not the US) and americans control the financial situation in pakistan with their on-going war on pakistan's western front along the afghan border.
now lets see what will happen in the future.
what i dont understand is why were we not able to save ourselves. its alright to say that pakistan is always involved whenever there is an attack on indian soil but it is also true that this time people from india also helped them. why cant we control these people from not acting against their own countrymen. we should arrest them asap and put them behind bars. the biggest hurdle we are facing right now is that people from india are also involved in these attacks though on a very minute scale. we first need to put our own house in order before ordering others to do so.

moving onto other things, my 7th semester finished and it was time to say farewell to manipal as i will be doing my training in gr. noida. the last few days there were very emotional for me. it was a home away from home. one had absolute freedom there and there was a sense of independence (i ain't saying that right now i am behind bars.. :)) i guess life will never be the same again. but i take away very good memories which might last my lifetime.

from manipal it was time to party with friends for one last time. and what better place to do it than GOA. what a trip!!! we stayed on 2 beaches (palolem and baga) and had the time of our lives. an enjoyable trip which knew no bounds. a few incidents will be remembered whenever and wherever we people meet in the future.

so after the trip reached back home, and was on a very strict schedule of just sleeping and eating. while relaxing i also took time off to read Arvind Adiga's "The White Tiger". a very witty novel with sarcastic humour describing corruption in india at every level of society. the village as well as the city life are depicted accurately. it was a pleasure reading it and i appreciate this book getting the Booker prize as it thoroughly deserves it.

And lastly India won!!!!!!!!! yes yes yes india scripted a fairy tale ending to the chennai test and chased down a score of 387 against england with sehwag and tendulkar's help. this team is on its way to the top and the man because of whom this is happening is M.S. Dhoni. he is the luckiest captain india could have asked for. i also would like to congratulate england for agreeing to play in india after what happened in mumbai. to put up such a performance after such traumatic 2 weeks before the test is indeed a valiant effort and needs to be applauded.
the indian government has also cancelled india's tour to pakistan in january because of the recent terror strikes and mostly people agree with it. no point sending our cricketers there when the situation is so volatile. let it cool down and then when the opportunity comes we can decide. otherwise also people were getting bored of it as too much cricket between the neighbours had brought down the excitement levels.

Loads of stuff has taken place in the last few days... My tonsils got infected by some sort of bug or something and put me in bed for about a week. even then when they did not heal (after taking a pile of medicines) i had to finally go to the hospital and get admitted. it was a weird experience and my first one.
don't know whether i felt happy that all my friends crowded me day and night or the pain associated with all the drugs and injections which made me look groggy. either ways i was happy to come out of that disgusting place. it actually made me feel sick.

So all this was not even over and i was facing the daunting task of taking the CAT examination. needless to say it would have been better had i not appeared only. total waste of time. Because for these type of tests one needs to be prepared fully. totally lacked in the time management part and hence could not finish the entire paper. only good part was the trip to bangalore which was fun.

And now the last end sem examinations of my engineering life are about to begin in 3 days and i don't feel like picking up a book. just want to lie in my bed watching some movie or other random stuff.

God should help me but i guess He is busy helping out other souls who have got much depressing things to worry about than yours truly.

US Prez's character.... Why do Indians care????

So with the US presidential elections around the corner i see a great deal of hype being created about it as if some history is going to be made (remember they take place every 4 years). why are people so obsessed with them. ok i understand that US is today's superpower and whatever decisions they take whether political or economical has ramifications for the entire world.
but what is happening right now is nothing short of madness. i mean every day you can find a news article in the newspapers or some news report on our jobless tv channels.

and this has been going on for the past one year. i can bet right now that people in India might know who Obama and McCain are but might not be aware who Pratibha Patil is...
To be informative of what is happening around the world is good but excess footage gets to you.

i mean this much amount of information is suffice that
Obama(black) defeated Clinton(first lady in US who actually had a chance of becoming the Prez), became democratic presidential nominee and that McCain is the republican presidential nominee. also for someone who has a very keen interest in politics (I do) it might me good to know about their foreign policies vis-a-vis India.

However, is it necessary for Indians to know what happens in their everyday lives and how they trade charges on each other. i mean its as if the Indian print and electronic media have got nothing on their plates to offer us. they are acting like gossip mongers. Who cares that Obama had a friend (William Ayers) who had indulged in radical activities when Obama himself was an eight year old. How does it affect us??? i can understand that maybe the Americans might be interested in knowing the character of their next president but why do Indians care about his persona. Why do we need to read or hear about all this nonsensical stuff??
To hear debates among Indian people on tv channels about "who do you think should win the US elections" is worse than the debates about aarushi's murder case ,although in this case too the Indian media went overboard. At least this was related to India and talked about something relevant to our society, media role and police investigations.

I really think its high time that we remain interested in our own affairs. India being a major developing country, whoever becomes the US Prez, he will have to take into account India's emerging economy and global influence. Therefore we need not worry about the American people's future and should let them decide their own fate.

BLOGGING.......WHY?????????

so why does a person initiate blogging????

Want to show your literary side?
Is it to vent out your frustration (anger, sorrow)?
Is it because you had great ideas but some how never expressed them and its only now that you are interested in making them public?
Not a big fan of writing in a diary? :)
Never got them into a magazine or book and found an easy forum (damn those editors)?
Joining the bandwagon?
Or is it just for the heck of it? (vellapanti)

I am curious about the answers i might get but its true that its a combination of all these reasons for a motley group of people who blog. Its a great medium for anyone and everyone to express their thoughts, actions, opinions, etc and get comments from friends and other sundry people who visit their blog. I myself never thought that I had so many opinions on world affairs which I could pen down.

And I also believe that it truly brings out the best in some (worst in few who express too many negative thoughts, opinions, blah blah blah).

For example i recently realized that a friend of mine is a real good poet. Now i could not have noticed this as she lives far away and i had no access to her diary :). But another friend of mine just writes to show the world how good his english is. If you ever happen to come across his penmanship all you will notice is, words from GRE's high frequency word list and little content.

Anyways creativity is the best form of expression of thoughts and encouragement is what only one needs to get to start his own blog. So next time if any friend of yours asks you to post a comment on his first blog do motivate him (however pathetic it is) as he might just be on the verge of unveiling his literary genius.

GOOG'S CHROME- Review

have been using Google's new Chrome web browser for the past couple of days... its pretty good since they have combined the address and search boxes to let people search for information and websites by entering keywords into the same bar.. maybe the luks are better... speed is also somewhat faster although i am not sure... its consuming almost same amount of ram as Mozilla's Firefox and Internet Explorer. I could not scrutinize the security features but my guess is that its pretty safe. one thing more which my friend made me notice is that in Chrome if a web page hangs then u only have to close that page and the web browser still functions. that is not the case in others like IE and firefox. there you have to close the entire browser and then restart again.
I also feel that it's somehow very streamlined and simple to use.

Right now its an open source project and developers will be allowed to build new features for the browser. It is available for download in almost 100 countries. Although initially it is working only on computers which have Windows as their operating system but versions for MAC and LINUX operating systems are being developed.

Let's see what happens in the race for the world's best web browser. Chrome is entering a very challenging and competitive market which Microsoft has dominated for years with its Internet Explorer (72%). Second in the race is Firefox with around 20% share.

P.S. : My laptop being very old, the ram is very less (768 MB). Also my internet connection speed is just 256 kbps. So i might have missed a few tricks of GOOG.

HARI PUTTAR - Shortcomings

Well you can guess why i chose this heading. its bcoz of the legal suit which was filed by WARNER BROTHERS against some Indian company (Mirchi Movies) which was going to release a movie by this name. Hilarious.. Ain't it???
They claim that the Indian company is using this name so that the movie gains popularity and can rope in HP fans. Little did they know that "Hari" is a common name in India and "Puttar" means son in Punjabi and HP fans in India can differentiate between the two.
Anyways hope the matter gets sorted out. While on the subject of the movie i would like to inform you that it is a rip off of HOME ALONE series.

So coming to my mania about the Potter world. Now all of my friends know how big a fan i am of HP books. The excitement and euphoria every time JKR released a new book can never be there for any other. The press coverage, tv footage, critic's views and huge gatherings don't accompany usual book releases. In India itself which does not have a large english reading population 200K books were sold in the first 2 days.

Today, after having read the Deathly Hallows for the umpteenth time (i lost the count after 15) i somehow realized that sometimes even great writers do commit errors and found a few shortcomings which, if not present, would have made the book look more pragmatic and appreciable.

*S P O I L E R.......A L E R T*

These are

1. Why did Harry have to survive in the end? Or maybe he could have received a permanent injury. So what if a few people would have cried. Somehow it would have looked logical. I mean Rowling made it look as if Voldi had no extraordinary powers.
2. Why did the ending had to be so farcical? Harry taunting Voldi in the end and telling him to feel remorse. i mean is he kidding. Or for that matter Molly Weasley killing Bellatrix just bcoz she was angry that her son had died..(I was like wtf)
3. Also the scene between Dudley and Harry when Dursley's are about to leave is amusing to say the least. How can Dudley who dislikes Harry to the core (the miscellaneous grievances he and his parents had given to Harry) can suddenly feel remorse and say thank you to him.(Especially since he was thick headed)

Reading this novel made me realize one thing. Sometimes even the authors come under pressure. They give in. Rowling was under huge expectations (from her legions of die hard fans) to somehow keep Harry alive and script a fairy tale ending and because of this had to sacrifice on the writing part.

Leaving aside all these negatives which i found in the book, i think it will be suffice to say that HP books pioneered and revolutionized the writing of good books for children and adults alike. They won't be forgotten easily and may influence others to write more innovative stuff. Authors like her come once in a century and she has to be credited for that. I personally believe that apart from being among the few billionaire writers J.K.Rowling also joins the esteemed company of people like Shapepeare, Dickens, Tolstoy who had an impact on their generations in English Literature...

Goals

SO i guess there are 3 kinds of people while considering goals in life:-

1) for whom there is no goal or no necessity of a goal. these people are sometimes the "ultimate chilled out kind" or those whose parents have enough bank balance to keep their next five generations happy. if you are not one among them, then you should at least try and befriend one. because these kind of people have no worries and you can enjoy your life to the extreme with them.

2) the next one is those who are extremely focussed and determined (not to mention studious). they set on a path and irrespective of the results try achieving their goal.
in this category also their are many sub-categories

i) there are those who don't talk to anyone and just mind their own business (or simply use the word "nerd" or "bookworm"). these kinds are generally introvert and talk to a few people. you generally hear about them when they do something spectacular.
ii) then we have the ones who are very friendly and help out others also. they work hard towards their aim in life but in the process also take care of his/her friends. again you should befriend people of this kind (they help you out a lot and best part is that they don't expect anything in return)
iii) those who are ill-tempered and don't like mixing with anyone. (its better to stay away from them. irritate them at your own risk).
iv) ones who have no knowledge of the outside world. for them their course material is BIBLE.

3) lastly, the ones who are clueless about their aims in life. they are mostly people whom you come across most often and they form a mixed breed. they could be very intellectual, thick-headed or simply moderate. they just want to go with the flow of wind and are least bothered or sometimes not bothered at all. they can be friendly, lost in space kind, jerks, losers, quirky, a nobody or are "jack of all trades and master of none" kind.

would like you to elaborate other kinds, if you happen to know any.

P.S.:- As I am doing my graduation in engg., so have written it from that point of view.

Confused, Bored, Frustrated

I want to do MBA...
maybe!!! really!!! not sure!!! job first!!! don't know whether i want to study more!!!
These are just some of the questions which venture into my mind every second 24x7 these days. I feel like sitting idle and or taking a sabbatical. My parents often profess that these thoughts are dangerous. Very very dangerous!!! Leading to the path of doom.
But what can I do??? Is it wrong if i feel like that. I have already got a job. But since so many of my batch mates (the exact number is 322) got into this company people say "So what??? Everyone got into it!!!" They treat it as "Kuch nahi hua to ye to hai hee" [If nothing happens at least I have got something in hand!] . I mean I went for this company interview because I wanted to and genuinely liked the company. But being a person with ears and eyes, I can't help and show my indifference. These things do bother me.
Then there are the expectations!!! From family, friends, relatives...
It kind of gets to you. I don't want to decide right now. Maybe i just want to leave it to the future. Go along with the wave. Maybe its too difficult for me to decide right now. Or is it that I am waiting for some golden opportunity???
When i sit idle i feel bored... When am studying I feel bored... Whatever I do I always end up with the same feeling...Its like a disease that has infected me and i don't know how to get rid of it.
I know I am mentally tough and i don't succumb to pressure [I know I sometimes do:)]. Its just that I don't want these thoughts to plague my mind right now. A life full of bliss is what i desire!!! But it ain't gonna be easy and I know that.

P.S.: Please don't be worried about me :). I am as sane as you are. Was just venting out my frustration!!!

Vote Of Confidence

hi, I am back in manipal with vacations getting over along with my summer training which went really well.
Today (21st july) is an important day for the UPA government as it strives to prove that the decision to implement the nuclear deal is in the best interests of the people of India, by bringing in a Confidence Motion. Although i cannot claim on having thorough knowledge about this deal but i do believe that it is really going to help this energy hungry country in the long run.
But the way this is being settled is what shocks me the most. Bribes are being paid left, right and center. Loyalties are changing or challenged. Betting mafia is on the rampage with MPs being paid to the tune of 50 crores to vote for a particular side. MPs about whom we would never even have heard about are coming into the limelight because of their all-too-important votes. Factionalisms within the parties are all coming out in the open making them lose face in front of everyone.
These happenings seriously jeopardize our integrity and democracy and makes the politicians look a laughing stock in front of their own people and the whole world.
One cannot fathom why didn't the UPA government could have gone ahead with the deal last year itself when the Left had already made it clear that they won't budge from their position. I guess the real reason being that they wanted to stay in the office for a while longer. Congress also thought that by not giving their views on Nandigram and Taslima Nasrin, the Left parties might soften their stand and might give in. But as soon as these issues were buried under the carpet, the Left showed its true colours and intentions. Congress party knew that the Left parties will never support an agreement of this scale with the United States (owing to their opposition to capitalism) but still they played this waiting game with the result that today Congress's condition is high and dry.
Lets hope these few petty politicians get through this murky phase and actually do something for the benefit of this country. Because an ordinary person on the road cares a damn about nuclear deal.
And the funny part is that even the Left parties know this. They know that the aam junta will not buy their theory.

Vacations

hi,
Finally am over with my sixth semester and now am going to enter my 4th and final year. i am here in Lucknow on my two month long vacation. so am taking rest, reading books and newspapers, meeting friends.
but am also missing the hectic schedule of college life. at home its like i am on a slow mode or something. time seems to pass by at a snail's pace. evenings are spent sometimes watching the idiot box which seems to become more idiotic the more you see it ( was watching the euro but have stopped now as the team i was supporting i.e. Italy has been thrown out by Spain ) or hanging out with friends.
i also went on a holiday trip to Shimla which was amazing to say the least. had loads of fun there and enjoyed the cool and wet weather( it appeared as the heavens were really upset that we had landed there as it rained there uninterruptedly :D ). the scenery was breathtaking and walking on the streets of Shimla was a divine experience.
Also much to my initial displeasure i am doing my training in Tata Motors for 4 weeks. although i must admit that this exposure is proving to be really beneficial to me in terms of both knowledge and practical growth. its a really huge plant where assembly of trucks and buses takes place. but as i said its also very tiring as i have to be constantly on the move collecting random data and witnessing things. but i have made a few friends out there so its not all that boring.
my semester results came and i must say that i have even shocked myself with this performance which was pretty moderate. but i can forgive myself for this as i got a job so it kinda cancels the whole thing. :)
i guess that's it for now. i doubt anything exciting is going to take place while i am here. if it does will surely let everybody know.

TCS, THE WORLD IS FLAT & GOD

all right so am back after a long hiatus.
first of all let me inform all my well wishers that i got through TCS after clearing one written test and 3 interviews...bowing down... :) its a good company but i still wish for better things to come... although it is a nice morale booster, right when i was thinking that i had wasted 3 years of my life studying crap... but i guess some knowledge came in handy..
if i remember correctly i told you in my last post about the book THE WORLD IS FLAT that i was reading at that point of time. well i finished reading it and as it turns out i was simply flabbergasted by the amount of research this guy (THOMAS FRIEDMAN) must have done to get all the facts and figures. although the book deals with a variety of subjects about which i wont be able to comment owing shortage of time, am really impressed about a few specific topics he deals with encompassing from why india and china are going to be the next superpowers to why the growth of arab world is restricted. he warns his countrymen (USA) to be on their toes else countries like ours and many other developing countries would soon have the potential to take away every job from them as the world becomes more and more flat... he uses the word flat to symbolize the shortening of distances with the advent of internet. today we no longer have to be in the same room to discuss a particular problem or to initiate a discussion. while i can be in india the other people might be from a blend of countries like states to russia to china to honolulu. he also tells us about today's scenario in which many countries are collaborating on projects to find solutions to the problems being faced by them. similarly many MNCs are setting up their shop wherever they can find the cheapest resources and maximum talent.
no wonder the FORTUNE magazine counted T. FRIEDMAN among the 100 most intellectual people of the world...
this novel is highly recommended for all those people who have interest in world affairs and want to know the intricacies involved in it.
this comes as my second best read. the first i guess will always remain HP series.
another thing totally unrelated to my prior discussion is about a very serious subject...GOD... now as most of my friends know that i do not frequent temples and as such dont believe in praying. recently a friend of mine asked "do u believe in God?". surprisingly i had no answer. i mean i am a little selfish and always remember Him before an exam or whenever i am nervous. but i guess that is because of my upbringing and inherent culture or seeing everyone do it ever since i was a kiddo. i also emphasize that i am a little superstitious but on pondering further that does not construe whether i believe in God or not.
i guess i still have a few years to find all the answers. if you can help me out here then it would at least solve one of my problems although i can assure you that its not something that is giving me sleepless nights. :)
broaching the subject of sleepless nights, my end semester exams are about to begin in a few days and am hoping to score some good passing grades.

UPDATES

so heres the latest news ...
well i had a gr8 time during the holi weekend as i was away having a blast in OOTY with my college mates. will remember that place for its tea gardens (tasted chocolate tea. real good!!!) and loads of chocolate shops which u could spot every now and then. although the weather played a bit of a spoilsport with constant rains and chilly winds. also i believe that i kinda missed playing holi (one of my favorite festivals).
next the indo-south africa test series started in which SEHWAG slammed a triple hundred. way to go boy!!! although am not in very high spirits right now as india is on the verge of losing the second test as i am writing this blog. how can they get out for 76??? man!!! seriously cant believe it. anyway thats india. they maintain the equation. whenever the goings good they bring us back to reality that no matter what, indian cricket will remain unpredictable.
and yes the placement fever has reached the highest pitch (am in my sixth semester of engg.) with we people being asked to give the dream companies and filling up forms and and and...u can guess the crap we have to do (please keep your fingers crossed for my success).
we are also bearing the high inflation rates (hovering around 7%) due to which everything is becoming way too expensive for the comman man. really cant believe dad when he tells me that my grandfather used to buy him ice-cream for 1 paisa :o :o (for all those new generation people who dont know what paisa is well it is Rs. 0.01\- :D)
also wanted to write about tibet and olympics. but i guess we have already heard so much about it that it will be an exercise in vain. hail the DALAI LAMA and boos for the chinese government. how can a government keep its people ignorant in this internet age with all this censorship. although i must agree that this authoritarian style of governance has really helped their economy and kept the population in check. but these are only a few positives which we can garner. political and individual freedom is every human being's right.
and lastly am reading a book THE WORLD IS FLAT by THOMAS FRIEDMAN. a very interesting read dealing with the topics of globalisation, outsourcing and offshoring. more on these issues and the book when i finish reading it.

Friends in manipal (just some pics)

FRIENDS FOREVER

hey guys!!!
its been a long time since my 2 back to back blogs. i must admit that i have been a little busy with my mid-sems, the college fest, coaching classes for MBA prep and the list goes on...
now it so happened that a couple of days ago i was chatting with a few of my old friends about our school days and reminiscing the happy memories. later i felt a real nostalgia for school and wished i could go back to those heavenly days when there were lesser worries and more fun.
i cant believe that it has been 4 years since i left school. mind you in the last 2-3 years of school we had to work hard for all of us wanted to get into respectable engineering colleges. so that period was a little tough on us. nevertheless we found time to have our share of enjoyment.
i can bring to mind the P.T. periods in which the whole class used to run after one football. or the lunch boxes which used to be over and done with in the first period itself. those fights over trivial matters. bunking periods with the apprehension of being caught. or those parent teacher meetings in which i used to be caricatured in front of everyone(i felt like poisoning the bloody teachers on those instances). school report cards. white dresses on saturday. getting punishments like "sit without a chair" or "5 boys standing in a circle and slapping each other"(I find it amusing now). or me and my friends fancying every girl we met(ours was a boy’s school). and even having crushes on our teachers :D. the cricket matches on weekends. or getting together at one of my friend's house for lunch and some activity like playing cricket or video games or watching a movie (don’t want to mention the kind of movies we used to see). those birthday parties in which there used to be games (god i find them so ridiculous now). standing and chatting at apollo bakery in front of school. apollo also reminds me of that fateful evening when we all were having some snack and a friend of mine offered his half eaten burger to a girl on which he had a crush...:) no prizes for guessing what the girl had to say...:D
gosh i miss school. i can still recall my farewell. everyone was teary eyed.
as i see college turns out to be poles apart considering everything. you are independent and there's no one to keep a check on you. if you feel like bunking classes then go ahead. getting to know people from sundry places, making new pals, hostel life. its a new adventure altogether. And i am loving it too.
I would like to dedicate this blog to my best friends in school Anshu, Taru, Raju, Utkarsh, Champu, Rishabh, Ripun, Yagnik, Tande, Rameez, Ayush (I know that we all will remain FRIENDS FOREVER) and my alma matar ST.FRANCIS' COLLEGE without whom i would not have been the person that i am today.
As usual i welcome you to put forth your experiences...

Farmers plight

First of all i must say that i am overwhelmed by the comments i have received over my previous post... Alright yes i saw the Oscars:) Thats why this melodrama.
Today i have decided to discuss a sensitive subject. I would now like to let you people know my opinion on the plight of the farmers in India.
Now lets consider the tragic incidents which have happened in the recent past.
In Vidarbha region of Maharashtra farmers are committing suicide due to crop failures and insufficient rains in that region.Similar incidents like Vidarbha are happening in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh(one of the largest and poorer states of India with a population of approximately 190 million). The land there is totally dry and no rainfall has been observed in the region for the past 5 years. Yes you heard me right, 5 years. The farmers there are either committing suicide or leaving their families in search of work to earn a living. On the other hand the farmers in Singur district of West Bengal are protesting against the car plant which the Tatas are setting up there. The farmers claim that firstly they do not want to part with their land and secondly those who are ready to have not been given adequate compensation.
Some people are calling it a genocide on the part of the government while others blame the region and environment for the farmer's distress. They say that the suicides are a result of debt and the debts are a result of rising cost of production. And regarding the Singur case, the opinion is divided. Its unclear whether industrialization should be favored or land should be left to the farmers for cultivation.
Now for farmers who are suffering in regions where there are recurrences of drought-like conditions should be introduced to the latest technology which is being applied in countries like Japan(a country where there is a huge scarcity of land). The government should pull all the plugs to ensure that our farmers are able to make maximum utilization of their land. Also they should be encouraged to switch to different crops during different times of the year depending on the climate and soil properties. This way they wont be dependent on one crop and will earn a living throughout the year. We also need to make sure that they all know how to conserve water which becomes very important during the dry spells. The government must try to cut down or waiver the debts in these regions so that the farmers can live a life without fear.
On the land encroachment front i guess i prefer industrialization. We all know the success story of China and it happened because of this phenomenon. Formation of industries helps the local economy. It provides job to many people depending upon the scale of the operations. Everyone benefits from it. Schools are opened, shops and markets are developed, hospitals are made and indirect employment is provided to many a people. But it has to be ensured that farmers who were displaced are made a part of the process and are not left out. Also if possible, arable land should not be utilized for this purpose. A few successful examples in India are Bhilai in Chattisgarh (Bhilai Steel Plant), Noida in Uttar Pradesh among others.
I know the solutions which i have discussed are not so easy to implement and are not the sole answers to the problems. But if the implementation of these proposals prevents even one farmer from committing suicide or sitting on an agitation then i consider this worth the effort.

T20-History in the making

Hellllo people, this is my first attempt at blogging so please show some mercy before throwing all the brickbats and abuses at me... :)
So here it goes..
Now i can discuss a lot of things in the arena but lets start with cricket. Recently the launch of the IPL has taken the so called gentlemanly game into different territories. While some are against it there are others including yours truly who believe that this will not only greatly benefit the game but also make it global in its appeal. I mean if people are spending millions on buying franchises then they must have also thought about the way to recover all the money. After all they are looking at it as a venture and u become a venture capitalist only to make profit.
This game can go global only if there is sufficient money in it to attract other countries. Right now as we all know the game is not that popular in countries like US, France, China, Russia, Germany, Japan, and many others. If we want these countries to take to cricket then it should be promoted like the IPL which made some heads turn worldwide. We know that if countries like the US enter the fray then it will not only be good for competition but revenues from the game will touch sky high. We can look for examples like the major league baseball in US or for that matter the english premier league in England. these leagues have not only turned the respective sport into a billion dollar industry but also helped in generating competition and interest among the game's followers.
On the other hand we have to make sure that the other forms of cricket (Tests and ODIs) are not axed from the yearly calendar and regional support does not harm the national team. We also have to protect young players so that they understand the nuances of the game properly and establish themselves as good cricketers rather than good entertainers.
Am happy that all those people who thought that cricket was boring will now get a befitting reply. And for others for whom spending 7 hours in front of the tv was too tiring will now have another option.
I know T20 cricket is for keeps and i really pray that the IPL is as successful as the recent auctions of the players turned out to be.
I guess thats it for today. Expect my next blog shortly. For now i have to deal with my tests which are approaching fast.