Social Networking site has made our life very comfortable. It has enabled communication and simplified revival of contacts facilitating us in “keeping in touch” with everyone – even with those whom we accidently met in that long queue in the bank – common friend of your company who happens to be a common friend of yours. We will not have to tell our kids about how “Once upon a time, I had a friend” or even “Once upon a time, I met this person”. Life in the future, as I see it, is much easier. But looking back at those days when social networking site was not existent, the days of our parent’s youth and our childhood, I sometimes have a feeling that these sites are nothing but parasites.
Long gone are the days when it was a pleasure to hear people call you on your birthdays and anniversaries. – “Oh my God! You remember my Birthday. Thank you so much!” and now all you have to do is just be online every day. A complete no brainer and no strings attached.
Long gone are the days when a couple staying far-far away from each other, would wait impatiently for that one hand-written monthly letter and read it a hundred times till the next one arrived – just to know what the beloved is upto – even when the letter was all about how painful the year ending balance of payment in the tax return was – they all sounded so romantic and wonderful.
Now all one needs to do is update their status message daily and he/she can tell the whole world what his/her problems are. The element of suspense in life is missing. We are all deprived of that element of Romance in our lives. Mechanical beings – we just put a “I LOVE YOU” and “I MISS YOU” in each other’s profile and eventually, it becomes just a habit.
That wait for that long distant call from near and dear ones to hear how much he/she misses you is much easier now. Facebook, twitter, Skype, GTalk – I love all of them. I can talk to my family nearly every day – watch them talk – but this easy accessibility of every person in our lives has resulted in us taking each other for granted. We know too much about everybody and therefore those precious few, you deserve that extra bit of attention from all of us – and even vice versa – i.e. we the precious person deserving that extra attention from someone – that Romance in life – that emotion of really missing someone - suddenly feels so archaic. Because the whole world now – Is Just a Click Away!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Six months in London: Facts and Experience
This note is dedicated to the completion of my six months in United Kingdom. I have penned down ten notable experience of mine in this country.
1. English: I was amazed to hear the hundred different version of the same language. For the first 4 months I refused to take the tube and travelled in busses to study the city properly. I would sit at the upper deck (if the bus had an upper deck) and carefully watch the people and listen to their accents. Sometimes it took me a whole 20 minutes to realise that the language the person was conversing in is actually English.
2. Expression incapability: They are inherently incapable of expressing any emotions. I have never seen any voice modulation and that sometimes amazes me. “I am very happy.” “I am very sad.” “I am so annoyed.” And they all sound the same to me. For someone like me who’s mannerism is extremely flamboyant (Ref: Shiladitya’s testimonial on orkut), my visit to this place seems to be God’s own plan of mellowing me down. If that is the case then He/She knows that the plan is failing.
3. Problem – Solution: The relationship between Problem and Solution is really bizarre in this country. The simpler the problem, the more complex is the solution. Similarly, complicated problems have simpler solutions. For example, if the zip of your bag stops working it is a “freak out situation” because it will cost you 6 – 8 pounds to get it repaired. You rather buy a new bag instead. However, if you have the gravest of illness, all you have to do is muster the courage and get to the hospital and your treatment is absolutely free.
4. Common Words: There are some words that I have been using here more often than I ever did in my entire life. Some of them being
• Please – Else it is deemed rude. For instance, you enter the shop and say: Can I have a pen, please? [For which I am paying an outrageous amount of money, and yet I have to say Please.]
• Indeed – It is the Indian version of “very much”. Example of its usage is Thank you, indeed. This is the maximum ability of expression of feelings, by the way!
• Stressed – Everyone here is always so stressed. It could mean anything from tiredness to mental breakdown. Example: I have an assignment. I am so stressed (meaning tensed). I had 3 bags with me in the tube and I was so stressed (meaning overburdened). I have not slept last night properly and I am so stressed (meaning tired).
• Around the corner – Every place in this city is just around-the-corner: “Can you tell me where the station is, Please?” “It is just around-the-corner.” You would walk for minutes and yet fail to trace the corner. After walking for 7 minutes when you ask another person the same question you will be surprised to hear the same response: “It is just around the corner.”
For the love of God, tell me how far is that corner? This seems to be a more polished version of Hyderabadi lingo “idharich hain!”
5. As Punctual as the Brits!: As a child, I was always told that I should be as punctual as the Brits! Look at them, they are always on time. They are, indeed, comparatively more accurate. But they don’t lead a military life where their daily life is dictated by the hands of clocks. They get late as well. You will find busses, coaches and trains running late as well. It is the proximity of delay that varies.
6. Every time is Beer Time: “We can meet at 12PM and discuss this issue over a glass of beer.” “Do you want to go to the Waterfront Bar after the 4 o clock class tomorrow?” “I finish work at 6. Let’s meet up at Leister Square at say 6: 30 and we can have a couple of shots!” “Do you want to hang out in Camden Town this Saturday? I know a really cool place where the serve awesome beer. 9 ‘o’ clock then?”
7. Work – Life Balance: I am extremely impressed by the way the people here maintain their work-life balance. They work hard the whole week. They don’t work 18hours a day. They stick to their 9 – 6 schedule and get back home. And they have equal amount of fun on weekends.
8. Fashion Statement: When I was two years old, my mother (apparently) literally struggled to teach me colours. “Repeat after me: The colour of hair is BLACK” Little did she know that in some country in some other continent, people had blue, green, red, yellow, maroon, purple hair as well. Straight, Curly, Beaded, Wavy or a mixture of more than one of these. A guy in pink pajamas and red jumper is not deemed gay! You can wear anything and you will be deemed as a person from different school of fashion and not as a fashion disaster. You may not wear nearly anything and even then people will not think that you are obscene. You can smell unadulterated recipe of Freedom here in terms of lifestyle – INDEED!
9. The Sun never sets on British Empire: The eighteenth century phrase that we studied when we were in school in our Social Science classes on Indian Struggle for freedom, I am amazed at how the teacher somehow failed to see the pun intended in the statement. It is true that the sun never sets here because in past six months, I never really saw it rise.
10. “It happens only in India”: Last, but not the least, no matter how high the level of income is here, how much freedom one gets here, how much facility they are provided with, it is always better to stay in one’s own country. If not for anything, for the level of comfort, for the accessibility to many non-material facilities and for the unlimited supply of varied collection of food, India is the country where I would want to live. The more developed the country, the more harsh life gets for the middle class. Life is always a luxury for the rich and place is of insignificance for the poor. It is the middle class who goes through the “stress” of adjustment.
1. English: I was amazed to hear the hundred different version of the same language. For the first 4 months I refused to take the tube and travelled in busses to study the city properly. I would sit at the upper deck (if the bus had an upper deck) and carefully watch the people and listen to their accents. Sometimes it took me a whole 20 minutes to realise that the language the person was conversing in is actually English.
2. Expression incapability: They are inherently incapable of expressing any emotions. I have never seen any voice modulation and that sometimes amazes me. “I am very happy.” “I am very sad.” “I am so annoyed.” And they all sound the same to me. For someone like me who’s mannerism is extremely flamboyant (Ref: Shiladitya’s testimonial on orkut), my visit to this place seems to be God’s own plan of mellowing me down. If that is the case then He/She knows that the plan is failing.
3. Problem – Solution: The relationship between Problem and Solution is really bizarre in this country. The simpler the problem, the more complex is the solution. Similarly, complicated problems have simpler solutions. For example, if the zip of your bag stops working it is a “freak out situation” because it will cost you 6 – 8 pounds to get it repaired. You rather buy a new bag instead. However, if you have the gravest of illness, all you have to do is muster the courage and get to the hospital and your treatment is absolutely free.
4. Common Words: There are some words that I have been using here more often than I ever did in my entire life. Some of them being
• Please – Else it is deemed rude. For instance, you enter the shop and say: Can I have a pen, please? [For which I am paying an outrageous amount of money, and yet I have to say Please.]
• Indeed – It is the Indian version of “very much”. Example of its usage is Thank you, indeed. This is the maximum ability of expression of feelings, by the way!
• Stressed – Everyone here is always so stressed. It could mean anything from tiredness to mental breakdown. Example: I have an assignment. I am so stressed (meaning tensed). I had 3 bags with me in the tube and I was so stressed (meaning overburdened). I have not slept last night properly and I am so stressed (meaning tired).
• Around the corner – Every place in this city is just around-the-corner: “Can you tell me where the station is, Please?” “It is just around-the-corner.” You would walk for minutes and yet fail to trace the corner. After walking for 7 minutes when you ask another person the same question you will be surprised to hear the same response: “It is just around the corner.”
For the love of God, tell me how far is that corner? This seems to be a more polished version of Hyderabadi lingo “idharich hain!”
5. As Punctual as the Brits!: As a child, I was always told that I should be as punctual as the Brits! Look at them, they are always on time. They are, indeed, comparatively more accurate. But they don’t lead a military life where their daily life is dictated by the hands of clocks. They get late as well. You will find busses, coaches and trains running late as well. It is the proximity of delay that varies.
6. Every time is Beer Time: “We can meet at 12PM and discuss this issue over a glass of beer.” “Do you want to go to the Waterfront Bar after the 4 o clock class tomorrow?” “I finish work at 6. Let’s meet up at Leister Square at say 6: 30 and we can have a couple of shots!” “Do you want to hang out in Camden Town this Saturday? I know a really cool place where the serve awesome beer. 9 ‘o’ clock then?”
7. Work – Life Balance: I am extremely impressed by the way the people here maintain their work-life balance. They work hard the whole week. They don’t work 18hours a day. They stick to their 9 – 6 schedule and get back home. And they have equal amount of fun on weekends.
8. Fashion Statement: When I was two years old, my mother (apparently) literally struggled to teach me colours. “Repeat after me: The colour of hair is BLACK” Little did she know that in some country in some other continent, people had blue, green, red, yellow, maroon, purple hair as well. Straight, Curly, Beaded, Wavy or a mixture of more than one of these. A guy in pink pajamas and red jumper is not deemed gay! You can wear anything and you will be deemed as a person from different school of fashion and not as a fashion disaster. You may not wear nearly anything and even then people will not think that you are obscene. You can smell unadulterated recipe of Freedom here in terms of lifestyle – INDEED!
9. The Sun never sets on British Empire: The eighteenth century phrase that we studied when we were in school in our Social Science classes on Indian Struggle for freedom, I am amazed at how the teacher somehow failed to see the pun intended in the statement. It is true that the sun never sets here because in past six months, I never really saw it rise.
10. “It happens only in India”: Last, but not the least, no matter how high the level of income is here, how much freedom one gets here, how much facility they are provided with, it is always better to stay in one’s own country. If not for anything, for the level of comfort, for the accessibility to many non-material facilities and for the unlimited supply of varied collection of food, India is the country where I would want to live. The more developed the country, the more harsh life gets for the middle class. Life is always a luxury for the rich and place is of insignificance for the poor. It is the middle class who goes through the “stress” of adjustment.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
PERCEPTION on LIFE
After Ten day struggle with one 4000 word essay *thanks to the anti-plagarism software*, and two back-to-back Departmental Parties with two Different Departments, with snow covered garden ahead, and a long vacation with festivals in your calendar, the mind does play weird game. With a huge mug of steaming tea in hand, I sat beside the window reviewing the events of my existence since birth.
Until 2004, I lived in Guwahati – woke up, went to school/college, went for tution, came back home, called up friends, picked up the book, pretended to read, ate, slept and continued.
Then I left home for the first time, went to Gujarat – woke up, rushed to university, went to computer lab, came back, went to the mess, had dinner with Bitadru and Rajat, walked around catching up with people, came back to my room, slept off. Thereafter, I went to Hyderabad – woke up from sleep, went to office, came back home, ate, slept off. The repetitiveness of my life seemed, prima facie, quite boring to me. And then I looked at it from far away. And I realised, it is not as monotonous as I always thought it was.
Rewinding my life to 2004,did I even know that Gujarat would be such an integral part of my life and that it would be the place shaping the person I would be for the rest of my life? Did I know that I would be a lawyer?
I remember, I was in Delhi in July 2004 and I had taken admission in Satyavati College for B.Sc. in Economics when I got a call from my university asking me to report for interview asap. We cancelled our trip to Kashmir – the place we chose to take shelter to beat the summer in Guwahati, and ironically, landed in Gujarat – shelter from summer indeed. That one single decision of ours, changed my permanent residence to Gujarat for next five years. Our acquaintances and family friends made faces at our decision? GUJARAT? What was wrong with Hajra or J B Law College? My grandmother was furious. "You send your only daughter 60 hours away?" My parents continued with their explanation while I chose the easy way out – Ignored!
But did I ever want to do Law?
When I was ten years old, I had a friend in my neighbourhood whose father was an advocate. One day she had confided in me very proudly that her father bullied his landlord by not paying rent and the landlord was too scared to do anything because he was an advocate. For a ten year old child who was bullied around everywhere, I kinda thought it was cool and that year, in Christmas eve, I wrote a letter to Santa Claus which read:
“Dear Santa Claus, I want to become a lawyer when I grow up. Please fulfil my dreams for me. Love, Priyangee.”
I hid the letter under the pillow believing Santa would come and take the letter away. The letter was taken away – not by Santa but by my elder brother who ran around with it making it a family joke. We all forgot about it. I grew up and I changed my focus to Economics.
Why then did I do Law? I am still unaware of it. It seems Santa has his own way of fulfilling potentially dangerous wishes. Till date, I regret giving up Economics for Law. But I am glad I chose Gujarat over Delhi for every possible reason. And I could go on and on about it. But for a place of such importance in my life, I would prefer to dedicate another article to it.
While I was in Gujarat, I had always imagined myself, like all others, working in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Calcutta. The city Hyderabad came to my mind only when I had Biryani cravings - which is very common for non vegetarians struggling to find a proper eat-out joint in that place (sorry Krishna. but I am sure you would understand! :P). (I vehemently deny to accept the concept of veg biryani). Could I have possibly imagined living in that city for a year? NEVER! And this time, my parents made faces, whom I couldn’t possible ignore. Thanks to 1p/sec call rates !!!!!
And all of a sudden, now, I am in London! LONDON? Really? I still remember those mild-winter-November-evenings when Rajat had visited Hyderabad, both of us spend hours in the staircase of one of the least visited shopping mall ever; discussing about our philosophies of life. We both were clueless and lost in our own path and were unsure of what we actually wanted. We both wanted to help each other. We both told each other what we wished- and strangely, neither of us actually followed what we had in mind then. But it was November 2009 and I was yet to decide on what I wanted to do henceforth. And suddenly in June 2010, I was all set to come to London.
On my first day out venture in the city, I took a double decker bus, took a seat in the upper deck in order to have a better view of the city. And every second seemed like a dream. I stared outside but actually saw nothing. I kept on reassuring myself that it is LIFE and not a DREAM. It was the fag end of Autumn and the city looked beautiful – colourful. I stared at the road like an artist who had freshly painted a picture and was proudly admiring his creation. I was sleep walking through Bollywood. My London dreams since 1997 had finally come true. Did I know that I had London written in my life?
From Guwahati – Gujarat – Hyderabad – London, did I ever know what my next city of residence would be? Do I know what my next city of residence would be? With all the shifting and shuffling that I have done in past Six years, calling any place my city of residence sounds too heavy. I would rather call them My current Location.
I wake up every morning and follow the same schedule without even realising how much impact I am creating on my life in future. I have always looked at my life on a daily basis and when all of a sudden I get a aerial view of the graphwith long term analysis, it looks so dramatic.
From a developing city of a developing country to the developed city in the developed country, I thank the super natural power to have blessed with everything and everyone I have and for everything and everyone I have had in my life. Every single moment, every single day does make difference, if one has his/her senses open to welcome them in their life.
Live Live Queen Size ……
Until 2004, I lived in Guwahati – woke up, went to school/college, went for tution, came back home, called up friends, picked up the book, pretended to read, ate, slept and continued.
Then I left home for the first time, went to Gujarat – woke up, rushed to university, went to computer lab, came back, went to the mess, had dinner with Bitadru and Rajat, walked around catching up with people, came back to my room, slept off. Thereafter, I went to Hyderabad – woke up from sleep, went to office, came back home, ate, slept off. The repetitiveness of my life seemed, prima facie, quite boring to me. And then I looked at it from far away. And I realised, it is not as monotonous as I always thought it was.
Rewinding my life to 2004,did I even know that Gujarat would be such an integral part of my life and that it would be the place shaping the person I would be for the rest of my life? Did I know that I would be a lawyer?
I remember, I was in Delhi in July 2004 and I had taken admission in Satyavati College for B.Sc. in Economics when I got a call from my university asking me to report for interview asap. We cancelled our trip to Kashmir – the place we chose to take shelter to beat the summer in Guwahati, and ironically, landed in Gujarat – shelter from summer indeed. That one single decision of ours, changed my permanent residence to Gujarat for next five years. Our acquaintances and family friends made faces at our decision? GUJARAT? What was wrong with Hajra or J B Law College? My grandmother was furious. "You send your only daughter 60 hours away?" My parents continued with their explanation while I chose the easy way out – Ignored!
But did I ever want to do Law?
When I was ten years old, I had a friend in my neighbourhood whose father was an advocate. One day she had confided in me very proudly that her father bullied his landlord by not paying rent and the landlord was too scared to do anything because he was an advocate. For a ten year old child who was bullied around everywhere, I kinda thought it was cool and that year, in Christmas eve, I wrote a letter to Santa Claus which read:
“Dear Santa Claus, I want to become a lawyer when I grow up. Please fulfil my dreams for me. Love, Priyangee.”
I hid the letter under the pillow believing Santa would come and take the letter away. The letter was taken away – not by Santa but by my elder brother who ran around with it making it a family joke. We all forgot about it. I grew up and I changed my focus to Economics.
Why then did I do Law? I am still unaware of it. It seems Santa has his own way of fulfilling potentially dangerous wishes. Till date, I regret giving up Economics for Law. But I am glad I chose Gujarat over Delhi for every possible reason. And I could go on and on about it. But for a place of such importance in my life, I would prefer to dedicate another article to it.
While I was in Gujarat, I had always imagined myself, like all others, working in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Calcutta. The city Hyderabad came to my mind only when I had Biryani cravings - which is very common for non vegetarians struggling to find a proper eat-out joint in that place (sorry Krishna. but I am sure you would understand! :P). (I vehemently deny to accept the concept of veg biryani). Could I have possibly imagined living in that city for a year? NEVER! And this time, my parents made faces, whom I couldn’t possible ignore. Thanks to 1p/sec call rates !!!!!
And all of a sudden, now, I am in London! LONDON? Really? I still remember those mild-winter-November-evenings when Rajat had visited Hyderabad, both of us spend hours in the staircase of one of the least visited shopping mall ever; discussing about our philosophies of life. We both were clueless and lost in our own path and were unsure of what we actually wanted. We both wanted to help each other. We both told each other what we wished- and strangely, neither of us actually followed what we had in mind then. But it was November 2009 and I was yet to decide on what I wanted to do henceforth. And suddenly in June 2010, I was all set to come to London.
On my first day out venture in the city, I took a double decker bus, took a seat in the upper deck in order to have a better view of the city. And every second seemed like a dream. I stared outside but actually saw nothing. I kept on reassuring myself that it is LIFE and not a DREAM. It was the fag end of Autumn and the city looked beautiful – colourful. I stared at the road like an artist who had freshly painted a picture and was proudly admiring his creation. I was sleep walking through Bollywood. My London dreams since 1997 had finally come true. Did I know that I had London written in my life?
From Guwahati – Gujarat – Hyderabad – London, did I ever know what my next city of residence would be? Do I know what my next city of residence would be? With all the shifting and shuffling that I have done in past Six years, calling any place my city of residence sounds too heavy. I would rather call them My current Location.
I wake up every morning and follow the same schedule without even realising how much impact I am creating on my life in future. I have always looked at my life on a daily basis and when all of a sudden I get a aerial view of the graphwith long term analysis, it looks so dramatic.
From a developing city of a developing country to the developed city in the developed country, I thank the super natural power to have blessed with everything and everyone I have and for everything and everyone I have had in my life. Every single moment, every single day does make difference, if one has his/her senses open to welcome them in their life.
Live Live Queen Size ……
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
NEW GIRL IN THE CITY
When I entered the city, I was skeptical, nervous and extremely low in morale. I had had enough of trouble in 2009 and was mentally incapable of taking any more.
When I entered the city, I had an unhappy father and a tensed mother back home. Reason - They knew no one here. When I told my father that I intended to come to Hyderabad he was shocked!
“Hyderabad?”
“Yes!”
“H-Y-D-E-R-A-B-A-D-?”
He almost spelt it out to me! I guess he was wondering whether I read the name of the city wrong! After a lot of melodrama, he agreed. Rather the circumstance made him to agree to let me come to the city for YET ANOTHER internship. If only internships were counted as work experience, I guess 90% of my batch mates would already be one year experience holder at that time!
For his own satisfaction, dad got hold of one known person who happened to be a second cousin of his friend. Acquaintance indeed! Distant but nonetheless a solace to him!
My plan was simple! Work hard and get the damn job! But simple things in life are most difficult to achieve. One month got over and I couldn’t bag it! But in that one month I made some contacts, couple of lovely acquaintance and a friend.
My last day of internship, I refused to talk to anyone in the firm. I had a train to catch at 8 30 PM and I was at office till 6 45 PM and yet refused an offer to drop me till my home. After waiting for ten fifteen minutes (which seemed like eternity), I got transport, went home, picked up my stuff, dumped it in the auto and left. I was disappointed, shocked, dismayed. Yet another failure! I was leaving the city with a heavy heart.
July 31, 2009. It was the most amazing and lovely weather. It was drizzling, soft wind and I was not enjoying it. That’s when the auto entered Hussain-sagar Lake – the place in this city; I would love to go to when it rains. The statue was shining brighter, wind was milder! I felt a lot more relaxed and I knew then, this was not IT! My stay in Hyderabad was not over and I was coming back.
I left the city with a lot of assurance and promise that they would help me get a job. And I guess not all promises are meant to be broken. I had to wait for another month. But the intezaar ka fal was definitely meetha. I did get it! I told my dad and he was disappointed, yet again! But, with a little less melodrama, he agreed! And he didn’t spell the city to confirm!
This time I entered the city excited, brimming with energy, optimist and high in spirit. I did enter with a BANG. My joining got postponed by fifteen days because my would-be-boss met with an accident and had to undergo a surgery. I reached on a bright Sunday morning only to learn that the High Court was on fire and was shut for two days. Wednesday, the chief minister died in a plane crash and the state machinery was closed for another two days!
But then finally when I began my work life, I didn’t have to turn back and crib anymore! One year! Two jobs! Two most amazing employers one could possible imagine working under! Extremely co-operating colleagues! Hyderabad gave me these and a lot more!
Random long drives!
Late night Biryani!
Mid night Desserts!
Early morning Keema Paratha!
Aunty’s home cooked meal !
Ladies Night!
Flat mate hang outs – Fake birthday Celebrations and Real Birthday Celebrations!
Kababs !
Go-karting! – and I never held a steering or pseudo steering in my life!
Bungee Trampling! – and I am scared of heights
Late night movies – Phoonk being the worst!
Karachi Bakery!
Hi-tech City!
Mid night birthdays!
Awful awful, Bull’s Eye, Death by Chocolate and Hand made ice-cream!
Hussain Sagar Lake!
Melas and Ferris Wheel !!!
Pearl shopping and Chudi Bazaar!
Boat Rides!
Innumerable Contacts!
Contacts became Acquaintances!
Acquaintances became Friends!
Friends became Good Friends!
and, Good Friend became The Friend!
As I am leaving the city, I had the article of “New Girl in the City” ringing in my ears!
I wonder if my stay would have been this pleasant without my people!
I wonder if I could have enjoyed the city this much without their company!
I wonder if I would have been this care free without their support!
I wonder if I would have been this happy without their presence!
I went to 9 cities in 6 years! I stayed in all of them for period ranging from a month to five years! But in Hyderabad (of course, after Guwahati) it was much more than just staying!
I LIVED IT, and
I LOVED IT!
P.S.: Dedicated to all those who made my stay this pleasant and memorable! Especially, to MY FIRST FRIEND IN THE CITY
The previous time I left the city, I vowed on the Lake that I would come back. This time, when I leave, I have lot many people to vow on! My stay wouldn’t have been this pleasant without them.
And for YOU all, Hyderabad, I shall come back!
When I entered the city, I had an unhappy father and a tensed mother back home. Reason - They knew no one here. When I told my father that I intended to come to Hyderabad he was shocked!
“Hyderabad?”
“Yes!”
“H-Y-D-E-R-A-B-A-D-?”
He almost spelt it out to me! I guess he was wondering whether I read the name of the city wrong! After a lot of melodrama, he agreed. Rather the circumstance made him to agree to let me come to the city for YET ANOTHER internship. If only internships were counted as work experience, I guess 90% of my batch mates would already be one year experience holder at that time!
For his own satisfaction, dad got hold of one known person who happened to be a second cousin of his friend. Acquaintance indeed! Distant but nonetheless a solace to him!
My plan was simple! Work hard and get the damn job! But simple things in life are most difficult to achieve. One month got over and I couldn’t bag it! But in that one month I made some contacts, couple of lovely acquaintance and a friend.
My last day of internship, I refused to talk to anyone in the firm. I had a train to catch at 8 30 PM and I was at office till 6 45 PM and yet refused an offer to drop me till my home. After waiting for ten fifteen minutes (which seemed like eternity), I got transport, went home, picked up my stuff, dumped it in the auto and left. I was disappointed, shocked, dismayed. Yet another failure! I was leaving the city with a heavy heart.
July 31, 2009. It was the most amazing and lovely weather. It was drizzling, soft wind and I was not enjoying it. That’s when the auto entered Hussain-sagar Lake – the place in this city; I would love to go to when it rains. The statue was shining brighter, wind was milder! I felt a lot more relaxed and I knew then, this was not IT! My stay in Hyderabad was not over and I was coming back.
I left the city with a lot of assurance and promise that they would help me get a job. And I guess not all promises are meant to be broken. I had to wait for another month. But the intezaar ka fal was definitely meetha. I did get it! I told my dad and he was disappointed, yet again! But, with a little less melodrama, he agreed! And he didn’t spell the city to confirm!
This time I entered the city excited, brimming with energy, optimist and high in spirit. I did enter with a BANG. My joining got postponed by fifteen days because my would-be-boss met with an accident and had to undergo a surgery. I reached on a bright Sunday morning only to learn that the High Court was on fire and was shut for two days. Wednesday, the chief minister died in a plane crash and the state machinery was closed for another two days!
But then finally when I began my work life, I didn’t have to turn back and crib anymore! One year! Two jobs! Two most amazing employers one could possible imagine working under! Extremely co-operating colleagues! Hyderabad gave me these and a lot more!
Random long drives!
Late night Biryani!
Mid night Desserts!
Early morning Keema Paratha!
Aunty’s home cooked meal !
Ladies Night!
Flat mate hang outs – Fake birthday Celebrations and Real Birthday Celebrations!
Kababs !
Go-karting! – and I never held a steering or pseudo steering in my life!
Bungee Trampling! – and I am scared of heights
Late night movies – Phoonk being the worst!
Karachi Bakery!
Hi-tech City!
Mid night birthdays!
Awful awful, Bull’s Eye, Death by Chocolate and Hand made ice-cream!
Hussain Sagar Lake!
Melas and Ferris Wheel !!!
Pearl shopping and Chudi Bazaar!
Boat Rides!
Innumerable Contacts!
Contacts became Acquaintances!
Acquaintances became Friends!
Friends became Good Friends!
and, Good Friend became The Friend!
As I am leaving the city, I had the article of “New Girl in the City” ringing in my ears!
I wonder if my stay would have been this pleasant without my people!
I wonder if I could have enjoyed the city this much without their company!
I wonder if I would have been this care free without their support!
I wonder if I would have been this happy without their presence!
I went to 9 cities in 6 years! I stayed in all of them for period ranging from a month to five years! But in Hyderabad (of course, after Guwahati) it was much more than just staying!
I LIVED IT, and
I LOVED IT!
P.S.: Dedicated to all those who made my stay this pleasant and memorable! Especially, to MY FIRST FRIEND IN THE CITY
The previous time I left the city, I vowed on the Lake that I would come back. This time, when I leave, I have lot many people to vow on! My stay wouldn’t have been this pleasant without them.
And for YOU all, Hyderabad, I shall come back!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
YOU
Thrilled!
Nervous!
Excited!
When I wait for YOU
Blank!
Confused!
Mystified!
When I see YOU!
Shy!
Chirpy!
Joyful!
When I am with YOU!
Gloomy!
Counting!
Hopeful!
When 'm away from YOU
All of the above
And a lot more
When I am in YOU
I read Love;
I knew Love;
I saw Love;
But I feel it, only
When I am beside YOU!
Nervous!
Excited!
When I wait for YOU
Blank!
Confused!
Mystified!
When I see YOU!
Shy!
Chirpy!
Joyful!
When I am with YOU!
Gloomy!
Counting!
Hopeful!
When 'm away from YOU
All of the above
And a lot more
When I am in YOU
I read Love;
I knew Love;
I saw Love;
But I feel it, only
When I am beside YOU!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
EDUCATION and IMAGINATION
As a kid, I was extremely dreamy and imaginative.
When I was three,I swallowed a seed and I thought now I would have a plant inside me and I would get free supply of watermelon throught the year.
When I was Five, I wished I could fly. ( I think everyone had this dream at some point of time.)
When I was Seven, I wondered why I had to get married to a boy. For two years, I was in co-ed school and I hated the way the bullied around. Moreover, I didn't really like the idea of me leaving my mom and dad while he got to stay with his!
When I was ten, I didn't understand why my maths teacher said if 2 men can complete the work in 4 days, 4 men could do the same in 2 days? My English teacher, on the other hand, told me a week before that apparently, TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE BROTH
When I was Twelve, I wanted a baby and I didn't understand as to why I have to wait till I get married.
When I was fourteen, I wondered why my Social Studies book was so worried about Population of India? Moral Science book says that children are gifts of god. If it is true, how could the government possibly regulate the number of gifts God wanted to give me?
I had imaginations, dreams, visions -- some remained as memory in my mind while a lot of them got lost with time! During all of these phases, I was ridiculed by my people around me and I eventually stopped sharing with them.
I was a child then. Ignorant about many facts of life. Ignorant about many realities. But then dawned on me the benefits and good effects of education. All of my above questions were answered. A lot of them which I don't remember now, also got answered. I was exposed to REALISM of life. I knew why things were happening the way it was happening.
But this blessings came with a curse. It killed the Dreamy child in me. It killed the power to imagine the impossible and make unreal things become a fact of life. Now, I am made to think like an ADULT which basically means I ought to use the Rationality that my education and my society has taught me. I ought to behave in a manner acceptable by a reasonable man in a civilised society.
REASONABLE MAN ..... One of my beloved professor defined him as "Little man down the street". I loved this definition of hers .... vague, unique and innovative.... even though it made little or no sense to me. Reasonable-ness, is the most unreasonable aspect of one's life. And who would define civilised society?
If I speak what I think, I would be deemed as DUMB and IDIOT. If I speak as you want me to think, I would call myself FAKE and DEAD because people who can't dream for themselves are nothing but Brain controlled machines operated by the society. But who could be blamed for all these? This is what Educated Society does! The Best of all writers singers poets artists are the one's who never had or never gave importance to formal education. Some people wonder how they could write or create such art without any formal education? My reply to them are ..... they could create them only because they were not formally educated.
As a child, I looked at the sea and would imagine what would happen if I crossed the Horrizon Line? Which planet I would fall in? Which alien would I meet? What should I take for them from my planet? But when my science teacher told me that the line was not the end of the world, I was extremely disappointed. I could not meet my alien friends anymore.
I looked at the mountain and I would tell myself that one day I would climb it and get my mom one of those stars. But then I was told that the mountains actually don't get to touch the stars themselves and that they are some light years away from us! I felt i had failed my family.
Now, I am a working woman. Independent. Self sufficient. Self reliant. Saving money to give gifts to my people. Material gifts. The Horizon is no longer an object of fancy (when I am sober). Stars are no longer sought after (because most of the times they are covered by the pollution of city life). I have no time to climb mountains. I need to climb up the ladder of my organisation. I could gift my promotion as gift to my dad. And they would be happy. People around them would be happy. And when I see them so proud of me, I feel satisfied, contended and relieved.
What if I couldn't give them what I wanted to when I was a Irrational Baby, now I am able to give them what the Rational Society loves. With this incentive and this reasonable thought, I shut away my book of poetry and get back to work because when you become an adult, dreaming is meant for people who are Useless, Jobless and have nothing better to do. For all others, they have bill-able work to complete, go home, eat and sleep and continue the circle till the brain gets tired controlling them and the society has had enough of them and need new machines to try on.
And that's when the new Generation step in to replace the old. And thus Education creates a new Generation of God made Machines!
When I was three,I swallowed a seed and I thought now I would have a plant inside me and I would get free supply of watermelon throught the year.
When I was Five, I wished I could fly. ( I think everyone had this dream at some point of time.)
When I was Seven, I wondered why I had to get married to a boy. For two years, I was in co-ed school and I hated the way the bullied around. Moreover, I didn't really like the idea of me leaving my mom and dad while he got to stay with his!
When I was ten, I didn't understand why my maths teacher said if 2 men can complete the work in 4 days, 4 men could do the same in 2 days? My English teacher, on the other hand, told me a week before that apparently, TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE BROTH
When I was Twelve, I wanted a baby and I didn't understand as to why I have to wait till I get married.
When I was fourteen, I wondered why my Social Studies book was so worried about Population of India? Moral Science book says that children are gifts of god. If it is true, how could the government possibly regulate the number of gifts God wanted to give me?
I had imaginations, dreams, visions -- some remained as memory in my mind while a lot of them got lost with time! During all of these phases, I was ridiculed by my people around me and I eventually stopped sharing with them.
I was a child then. Ignorant about many facts of life. Ignorant about many realities. But then dawned on me the benefits and good effects of education. All of my above questions were answered. A lot of them which I don't remember now, also got answered. I was exposed to REALISM of life. I knew why things were happening the way it was happening.
But this blessings came with a curse. It killed the Dreamy child in me. It killed the power to imagine the impossible and make unreal things become a fact of life. Now, I am made to think like an ADULT which basically means I ought to use the Rationality that my education and my society has taught me. I ought to behave in a manner acceptable by a reasonable man in a civilised society.
REASONABLE MAN ..... One of my beloved professor defined him as "Little man down the street". I loved this definition of hers .... vague, unique and innovative.... even though it made little or no sense to me. Reasonable-ness, is the most unreasonable aspect of one's life. And who would define civilised society?
If I speak what I think, I would be deemed as DUMB and IDIOT. If I speak as you want me to think, I would call myself FAKE and DEAD because people who can't dream for themselves are nothing but Brain controlled machines operated by the society. But who could be blamed for all these? This is what Educated Society does! The Best of all writers singers poets artists are the one's who never had or never gave importance to formal education. Some people wonder how they could write or create such art without any formal education? My reply to them are ..... they could create them only because they were not formally educated.
As a child, I looked at the sea and would imagine what would happen if I crossed the Horrizon Line? Which planet I would fall in? Which alien would I meet? What should I take for them from my planet? But when my science teacher told me that the line was not the end of the world, I was extremely disappointed. I could not meet my alien friends anymore.
I looked at the mountain and I would tell myself that one day I would climb it and get my mom one of those stars. But then I was told that the mountains actually don't get to touch the stars themselves and that they are some light years away from us! I felt i had failed my family.
Now, I am a working woman. Independent. Self sufficient. Self reliant. Saving money to give gifts to my people. Material gifts. The Horizon is no longer an object of fancy (when I am sober). Stars are no longer sought after (because most of the times they are covered by the pollution of city life). I have no time to climb mountains. I need to climb up the ladder of my organisation. I could gift my promotion as gift to my dad. And they would be happy. People around them would be happy. And when I see them so proud of me, I feel satisfied, contended and relieved.
What if I couldn't give them what I wanted to when I was a Irrational Baby, now I am able to give them what the Rational Society loves. With this incentive and this reasonable thought, I shut away my book of poetry and get back to work because when you become an adult, dreaming is meant for people who are Useless, Jobless and have nothing better to do. For all others, they have bill-able work to complete, go home, eat and sleep and continue the circle till the brain gets tired controlling them and the society has had enough of them and need new machines to try on.
And that's when the new Generation step in to replace the old. And thus Education creates a new Generation of God made Machines!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
2010
I was eagerly waiting for the dawn of 2010 for reason more than one. Ranging from the most genuine reason : 2009 had been one of the most dreaded year I have ever lived! and the weirdest of all reason being ... i like numbers which are multiples of 10 and 100. They usually give me a feeling of completeness and whole-ness and brings in a hope of beginning of something new! If you ask me to justify, I guarantee, that I shall vehemently fail. So, for my sake, take it as a matter of fact !!!!!
The year not only began with a bang! but I have almost completed one month out of the 12 golden months and I am amazed at the speed in which time flies. Some noble man had indeed rightly said "Time and Tide waits for none.
In this one month, I had a bon fire party, a marriage in family, a family get together, catching up with school friends and a trip around my current city of residence with my mom and dad who came to visit me -- a fun filled month indeed !!!!!
I wish to wrap up this month with ISHQIYA and RANN and I am eagerly waiting forward to My Name is Khan - the much awaited on screen best chemistry pair - SRK and Kajol. And I shouldn't forget Karthik calling Karthik. Thereafter would start the IPL - I wish the Knightriders would have something better to display this time, especially after spending a fortune on Shane Bond, i am sure SRK and DADA wouldn't mind entertaining us with some real game instead of juvenile politics.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Aftermath of KURBAN!
After spending my weekend, detaining myself in front of the Idiot Box, I woke up on Monday morning and told myself that I had better get my ass out of the house! After all, how many times do you get an opportunity to get up late in a Monday morning with no office to go to? Holiday for whatsoever reason! I planned for a movie. I had to go to the chamber for a brief period of time and thereafter I planned to head for the movie! I had absolutely no idea what I would be watching. We had decided to plan in promtu. After we reached, we figured at 1600 hrs, there were tickets available for Kurban. We took it!
The movie was well made, except for the initial 15 minutes. Karina was at her best and Saif and Vivek were good too. But the movie had a very heavy impact in my mind because of series of events that happened before and after the movie.
SUNDAY MORNING:
I woke up late because I had no chamber work. (Yes, I work on Sundays.) And as my normal routine, I switched on the TV and tuned it to CNN Live. And much to my dismay, I was welcomed with the news of serial blast in Assam, suspected to be an act of the ULFA! The reporter enlightened with another interesting piece of information. They are expecting more blasts in the event of November 27/28 (I am not sure!) being the date when ULFA was declared a terrorist organization. I changed the channel Zee Studios! “Vantage Point!” “Now is this some sort of sign?” I asked myself!
Bomb blasts is a regular affair in Assam. My house is situated at a strategic location and 80% of the blasts in Guwahati take place within 1 km radius! Emmergency siren from station is frequent. And believe it or not, the only place where the Independence Day Parade and Republic Day parade takes place is also 0.5 km from my house. For me, it has always been a weeklong celebration.
14th August: Assam Bandh
15th August: Assam Bandh
16th August: Assam Bandh
Now, if 14th happens to be Wednesday, we get leave for Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun! And no sane person living in Assam comes out of the house on 11, 12 and 13th of August. So Independence Day and Republic Day have always been a mini vacation for us. But there was no reason to be happy! We would, mostly, be house captive because of general apprehension of blasts and explosions and frisking harassment by officials!
We have to give explanation to the police every time we enter our lane and tell them that we have no other possible route of communication but this cause we have our home here! This is because of the security reasons for the strategic location of the field in which they would celebrate the day while the whole state remains locked up in their residence! Helicopter surveillance is also a very common thing! After all the precautions and care, there would still be blasts and people would die on these days!
Independence Day and Republic Day! 1947 and 1950! And even in 2009, there is no change in situation, in the State!
BACK TO MONDAY:
After watching Kurban. I came back and tuned in to CNN Live yet again! And they were showing a documentary on the 26/11 Attack and they were interviewing Kasab!
Kasab, the sole attacker whom they captured alive and repeatedly called the prize!
Even after so many blasts that I happened to hear, I still don’t understand how they happen to fulfill the demands of all those people who participate in the same. But the main problem lies with US – you and I! We tend to forgive and forget everything! Whenever, there is any news of blast in Assam, I pick up the cell phone dial my home number and enquire about the safety of each one of them and of all our friends and acquaintances and when everyone is safe and secure, I give a sigh of relief, and continue with the daily chores! “How many blasts do you think I can sit and care about?” I ask my alter ego, if it gives me guilt conscience! “They happen too frequently for me to waste time caring for them!”
And that is the attitude which is the hurdle! I can’t blame the government! I have never utilized my fundamental right to vote!
Assam Blast, Kurban and Documentary had messed up my mind, I decided to sleep it off! Woke up the next morning and continued with the usual chores, with the hope of a better future for me and my future generation!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
FINALLY !!!!!
It had been quite sometime that I had created my profile but i never really got the incentive to write something here. Not that I had pausity of time! Nor did I lack in topics to share .... I was just procrastinating! and One October evening, when I heard two of my very close pals discussing their blog with so much of enthusiasm, I knew that was IT! I would join the bandwagon of Bloggers too!!!!!
Anything that we do for the first time is always special .... being my first blog, this is special to me too .... in more ways than one .... I dedicate this blog to my painful yet eventful phase from a student to a lawyer and then to an Advocate and thereafter to a Standing Counsel ....
It was a monday morning and my third week in this city and so far it had been fairly fair to me. Except the initial hiccups, nothing had been weird. But there was something peculiar in that monday morning that made me feel awkward. "Just the usual monday blues", I told myself .But i knew I was just comforting myself. "Whats wrong in it?" , I asked myself . "if that makes me happy!"
I came out of my building and I felt something warm in my left arm! "Damn you , you disgusting crow!", I sighed! My cleanly washed and ironed white shirt was no longer clean!
"Normal monday blues ... normal monday blues!!!" , I kept mumbling!
I went back to my room, changed and left again ... this time taking the different stairs! "No more mess ups!" , I told the tree with my angry eyes!
I had to walk a few metres to reach the bus stop. It had rained early morning and the road was clogged and was muddy! and I am sure u wouldnot be surprised if i say the car came and splased the mud on my feet. Thankfully it missed the trousers! "Normal monday blues ... normal monday blues!!!" , I kept on chanting!
Rain and Mud and Shit Bullet !!!!! I had already had enuf for the day. But the good lord had some other plans! The bus was overly stuffed and unlike other days, I was late and I couldnt let this bus go away! Three months back, at this time, I had buses lined up for me right under my room and all I had to do was run down and scream at the driver! and if he didnt stop, I could go and complain straight to the authority! Those were the days!!!
A college bus crossed my bus and I could see the smirk and the look of pity they gave. "Damn you! Wait for some years and you would be here too!", I mumbled!
My mind went back to the bus of my university.
April 2009, 11 AM , barely after an hour and half of commencement of the day, our classes got over! I went to the gate and told the guard ,
"Bhaiya, hostel ke liye bus chahiye". (I want a bus to go to the hostel)
"Abhi?" (Now?)
"Haan kyun?" (Yeah! Why?)
"Humein 10 bacche chahiye bus chalu karne ke liye" (There must be atleast 10 kids for the bus to start.)
10 out of 150 is not a large number and bang on! we had a bus always at our service! Now that I think of it, I am amazed! He actually gave us the Bus ride with JUST 10 students! and now 10 people were standing on the footboard! Student to lawyer to Advocate Phase!!!!
I reached my office and the internet was not working! "Madam, it will come after 1 hour! There is some problem with the Server! It is getting repaired" My memory went back to the computer laboratory
"Santosh bhai, Net kyun nahi chal raha! humesha weekdays me hi kyun server out of order hota hai. Sunday ko repair kyun nahi karte. Kal submission hai. We need the net!"
"Normal monday blues ... normal monday blues!!!" the chanting continued!
After one hour of no work, the net got connected! "Alls well that ends well", I had just thought when my seniour colleague, talking on phone in full volume, entered my room for more privacy!
"Richa, dheere baat karo! Mujhe sone Do!"
"Sab theek to hain na? Mood off hai? Kuch chahiye?"
"Normal monday blues ... normal monday blues!!!"
I knew this monday is not the same old monday! It was weird! I had suddenly entered into my phase of "MISSING MY OLD PLACE AND FRIENDS" mode! I kept my mind as calm as possible! I couldnt possibly infect anyone with my temper tantrum.
And there rang my phone!
"Hello"
"Hey! busy?"
"No! Tell me. Whats up!"
"Is everything alright?You sound weird"
This was the person who had mostly compensated my vacumn in life from solitude after my university days! Consoling and Helping me at every step and solving problems for the last 4 months- small and big, important and unimportant, significant and insignificant! and I spoke and spoke till Monday got over and Blues were done away with and Tuesday dawned! and I began a new day devoid of Shit Bullet, Mud splash and Rush in Bus with perfect net connection!
Alls well that Ends Well
and Alls perfect that Begins Perfect too!!!!!
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