Expectations

This was a pending post for many days, weeks and months. When life gives you wake-up call, you have no other choice than to run, to achieve and to go ahead. Something like that happening around me. Morning is often quick, afternoon passes in the rush, evening pings in with a list of pending tasks, and night covers the day just like that.

Expectation are around us, every time. Even you are at a signal, you expect some unknown biker just next to you, to be quick, after green light, knowingly or unknowingly. Expectations again. When we think, understand and remember the expectations others are having on us, it becomes duty, work, load or often misinterpretation too. One of the very basic fact of life, is about expecting. Something good, different and better. I was unaware about that too. 

At an awkward moment, reality strikes with one of the worst weapons. Failure to respond to expectations, fueled by misinterpretation, creates a deadly chaotic combination of emotions and reality, leaving individual clueless. 

Sometimes I feel, the concept of GOD is arrange for such situations only. When you have no-one to expect anything, you believe that there is some supernatural power of GOD, who will make 'aal izz well'. 

This is how the story goes,
In and Out
a Moment you're there,
next moment comes out,

Its the figure of speech,
or the matter of fact,
Did you ever really think,
what time you had?

Its the grain that falls,
the second that crawls,
to the minute to the hour,
as infinity recalls,

Its the barricade of twigs,
that really never there,
Did you ever really think,
That time even cares?

Even if I wanted to
but I couldn't decide
because I never really had
time on my side...


Life goes on...

* Lyrics by Entity Paradigm, track Waqt. 

Ideal Couple - II

It has been some good time after the last meeting. Days, Months, Years passed. Finally the day

13 February, 6.30 PM
Venue - a Cafe roadside, in a calm residential area.

"I am Sorry..."

"Thats alright, just 10 mins! You must be busy with your office schedule. Am I right?"

"Yes... No, not like that. Want to discuss something..."

"What would you like to have? Latte Kingsize ??"

"Still remembering..."(smile)

"One Latte Kingsize, one Aztec clean", he placed the order.

"You are still the same, same style of shirt, same coffee, everything is the same"

"Yup, Kuch chije kabhi nahi badalati"

Silence was creating a distant feel between them. Just the churping of birds, and some random vehicle passing from.

"Listen, want to ask something", finally she said.

"Wow, may be a date, on the occasion of great Valentine’s Day", he replied with a tint of sarcastic smile. "Your Latte, yes Aztec for me!"

"You might find it kiddish, but sometimes I don't relate to the logic of Valentine’s Day. A Day to celebrate Love. One cannot just compress the emotions in a single day.", She is searching for the words.

"I think the other way round. Everyone is so busy in the individual life, that one needs occasion to celebrate. This is just an occasion"

"I remember, it has been months" she said while seeping the coffee. "But today I want an evening. Evening for me, for us."

"It's all yours. No schedule from my side"

"I Love you, Love you for what you are. Love you for everything you did. and I don't believe in a day to express my emotions. When everyone is waiting for Feb the 14th, I want to ask you today, on the 13th of Feb, will you marry me?" She just said whatever she wanted to say.

"I always believe that we together form a perfect couple.", He smiled.

"It's Surprise for you as well", he kept a satin clad box on the table, opened it. It was a diamond ring.

"For the most beautiful girl on the planet!", he was on his knee's presenting the ring, typical filmy way. Stunned but she is more than happy to accept it.

Now she is searching her purse, a ring for him. Confused about how to offer that.

"Will love to have that, if it is for me... ", he smiled again.

That became the perfect evening; crafted for THE ideal couple!


Part 2 of Ideal Couple

2011 - Glories and marks

After Summing up the year 2010 this was another successful year. I am happy that I completed few of my resolutions this year. I got engaged this year. My business crossed a milestone, shifted to new city, got a job (though part-time), new clients, new ideas, new places. Everything is happening around me and I loved it.

Things I missed really are, regular blogging, regular with guitar, learning a dance-form,  my much awaited (& delayed) mobile app (now coming in March), shifting to dedicated office and foremost my (proposed) plan for buying DSLR.  This will now go for the list of new year TODO things.

This year I interacted much, much more. Participated in events, presented my startup with proud, that yes we do these things, can do it better and economical. The response was awesome. people are interested, (more in me, I may be too young to start business, for them).

Some of the best works I did, this year. I played some blind games too, touchwood they are successful till now. 

Summary of the year, a million dollar thing, "World is beautiful, its upon us to take it that way".

New Year Resolutions? oh yeah, that can be celebrating next new year at a dream location? Well, thats fair enough.

Wish you all a very happy & happening new year 2012, you are awesome and keep it up !!!

Celebrating Light

Diwali the annual festival of light is here. Markets and shops are shining to overcome the cover of darkness, atleast for sometime. Everyone is excited. Sometimes we just find reason to skip away the routines and tensions, to indulge in something different, exciting and social. Diwali is no different. From fireworks, to laterns, to sweets, to cloths, gadgets, name it and that is associated with Diwali. For sometime, these celebration try to shade the tensions, thought of routines, office, taxes and any other problems of life.

On the other hand, life becomes miserable when even Sunday carries its routine. I was experiencing the same for past few weeks.

One fine evening, I was driving from a lonely road. Passed from the group of shining shops and got in to the blanket of darkness again. Looking at the euphoria of Diwali,  I thought, "Everyone is happy and excited for the festival of light, Am I the only one who is missing beloveds and friends?' and I scribbed on the paper,

बाहर तो चाकाचौन्ध रोशनी है,
फिर भी है दिलमे अंधेरा क्यों 

घर से बिछडके खुष रहते हो,
फिर भी सबसे है गवारा क्यों

This thought fueled up my desire to celebrate diwali with parents, I came back, booked my ticket, posted vacations responder to office email, went on for a small shopping for cloths and sweets and headed to home.

Sometime it feels great to pack last minute.

Happy Diwali everyone...
May the festival of light enlighten your life!!!

Woh choti si raatein woh lambi kahani

10-10-2011, Sun has risen with a grey shade.
Something which is supposed to be eternal, lost its charm.

The mastero, Jagjit Singh, passed away.

My first memory of Jagjit singh, was a song, Woh kagaz ki kashti, often played on our cassatte player. I can remember the countless itarations of Jagjit & Chitra, Live at Royal Albert Hall, Listening to Hum to hai parades me, Des me nikala hoga chand, when I was away from home, and many more.

The person who defined the peak for music, still managed to remain down to earth, a very very talented music director, singer and a human being.

It was 2000-01 I guess, There was a concert some 80kms from my hometown. I was keen about it and grabbed a pass worth 500 Rs. It was the first time I carried so much cash with me (those were my  school days). Jagjit Singh came to stage, started introducing the collegues and suddenly there was an electricity short circuit, and all the lights, mics, speakers everything went off. It was merely 7.30 in the evening. Any other singer might have reacted furiously but Jagjit saab, started singing even without mic. It took some two hours to rectify the fault and power resumed, more than half of the audience left meanwhile. When Jagjit saab took mic in the hand again it was around 9.45 PM. First sentence he said was, "Yeh concert muze Zindagi bhar yaad rahega; ki pahli baar maine live audience ke saamne rehearsal kiya! Aisa mauka mushkil se milta hai. Mai aap sabka shukrgujar hoon ki itna sab hone ke baad bhi aap log mere liye baithe rahe. Ek fankar ko isase jyada aur kya chahiye." That concert was on till 1.30 in the night, and that was out of the world experience.

Gulzarji, and Jagjit saab, together gave few of the masterpieces to the hindi music. Let it be Marasim or Gulzar's triveni composed and sung by Jagjitsingh, it was a treat to every follower of shayari, gazal, gulzar or jagjit. Many many songs are there just because of this great singer. Not just gazals but film songs like Koi Fariyaad, Hosh walong ko khabar kya or Badi Najuk hai yeh manzil are engraved on thousand of minds.

I wish just once, I could have got a chance to meet him in person, I could have seen him live once again, may be just one more album or composition... wishes are many, now no one is there to fulfill them.

The soulful voice who supported powerful words like,

Ujale apani yaadon ke ab hamare saath rahne do
Na jane kis gali me zindagi ki shaam ho aaye

suddenly went off leaving behind only the memories!

May his soul rest in peace...
What else we can do for him, than offering prayers!!!

New boy in the city

Finally I am in Pune. After three postponed plans and numerous one day visits, I am now here atleast for 10 more months, and I will find a new flat meanwhile.

I, myself very skeptical about this move, as this means starting from groud zero again. A new place, new people, old business and increase in expenses. Nothing was in favor for my decision, except, something which is pinning me up to relocate to this city. Again renting 2BHK for a single person, looking at future, is waste of money for most of us and somehow I am convinced that it is my requirement. And now I am here, there is no return road, no escape.

Bas chalate jaana.

I consider myself very fortunate that I have THE ideal parents. They support few of the crazy decisions of me, they pinpointed possible problems without keeping me down. The celebrated my every smallest success and they were there with me for few of my biggest failures. Even this decision, It couldn't be possible without their active support. They always supported & motivated me to "MAKE MEANING, MONEY WILL FOLLOW..." If I am not making meaning, then there is no point in doing that thing. Money is a part of transaction, and even if you stop transaction, world will continue without you. But if you can make meaning, make something different, something differenly, something unique or something which will be the easiest, fastest or most innovative, even the world will stop to appreciate.

I got some good suggestions, offers like, why don't you sell our products, we are a brand and you will get levarage,     or       I will tell you this is not the way to do it, You should do n1, n2, n3.......n.

If I am here to make money, I can be just another reseller, who earns and Pune is full of such resellers. Either I have to stand apart from the crowd or I have to mix with them.

and I made a choice...

The happiest person on the planet, because of my relocation was my fiancée.
My landlord is the next happiest person :) though! Sometimes I get confused with the level of trust she has in me. When I am not sure about how I am going to do, and she ignites the confidence. Its really her unique skill.

With the support of some real near once, I have started this journey on the endless road. Now the day starts with a plan & ends with a stress.

Might be in similar situation Gulzar wrote,

आसमान का रंग बदल रहा था।
रात कच्ची पड़ रही थी।
कोई पंच्छी पास के पेड़ से उड़ा,
और सुबह को लाने आसमान की तरफ़ निकल गया।

अरे! ताल से पानी सुखा है,
आसमान तो नहीं सुख गया?
फिर मेघ आएगा,
फिर जल भरेगा,
चल …

Dreams Pearls etc.

Since childhood, I was curious about pearls, and the legend associated with it. At that time I was too immature to understand the meaning of costly and the reasons behind it. But it started a habit, whenever I went to beach; I always look out for shells, to check whether there is pearl inside. Years passed, still somewhere in the corner of my mind, I am still searching for the pearl. Though I know it very well, that there will not be any.

Years passed, references changed and but the pearls are still there, and the enigma.

The dreams are like pearls. Still we chase it. And it becomes a journey. A journey called life.

What we live, and what we want,

there shouldn't be much distance,

just the dreams within.

I think the success of life is all about keeping that distance minimum, and filled with the dreams.

(Original Marathi triveni is by Sandeep Mashoor taken with thanks, from his blog 'Darmyaan')