On roaming, breakfasts and hugs...

      

       After going through the so-called first phase of my wedded life, I have come across this particular campaign from J&J that goes on explaining how “care inspires care” and that this holds good for all sorts of scenarios… Whether you are a nurse/child/mother/worker/ architect/clergymen/dentist….. Care inspires care. I take it a step further and say this: Love inspires love. I realized this with my better half. This realization comes with a   simple routine of breakfast, lunch and hugs. I dunno if I am being mushy about it, but if I am, I am J. Let me list out things on the top of my head to corroborate this.

We enjoy trying out new places and experimenting with our tummies. Yes, I’m talking about food :D I have never come across someone who matches my taste in cuisine or who can so sedately be enthused at the prospect of good food. I look forward to visiting a place only to try out food there (and snap pictures of course). I realized that my wife rates a place on the basis of the food there :D. Not important if it beats cholesterol/ it is packed with fiber protein/fights cancer and slows down aging. What tastes good is good food! We fit together so perfectly. What are the odds?

We enjoy laughing together. (Yes, my I came to know that my famous PJs can arouse laughter after all). I am told that my puns inspire anger, not humor, thanks for proving them wrong! Two weeks without Internet taught us a few lessons: First, it showed me personally that too many of my hobbies take place online, so I need to work to develop other ways to relax after difficult days at work. Second, it reminded us that we take a host of things for granted in this life; I hadn’t recently thought about the blessing of Internet access until it was taken away. Third, the loss of Internet service made me thankful for you and your patience. Even in difficult, frustrating situations, you are remarkably patient and understanding.

Oh yes, I have broken one more misconception. Couple soaps need not be sitcoms or the mushy types. The first serial we enjoyed Breaking Bad :D There’s one more stereotype broken. One of my favorite things about you is your childlike joy for life. You teach me how to laugh often, at even the smallest things.Lately we have enjoyed watching animated movies together. Some would say those are just for kids, but you and I have a great time watching them. We laugh loudly, and for weeks after we end up quoting the movies back to each other (Da da da popoi).

We enjoy traveling, and it is always nice to go visit family. But after a ten-day vacation, we are glad to be back in our own home, with our own routines, at our own jobs. We are glad to be sleeping in our own bed, eating our own food. So there’s one more thing in common. I personally would stop bothering how tired I am and start getting into a frenzied clean-freak mode and start tossing things around, reorganizing stuff . But you have made sure that I don’t need to go through this…Thank you for being charitable with your time taking care of so many of the day-to-day requirements of having a peaceful, well-run home.

Among the many things I learnt in this crash course, I also learnt that being an incurable romantic doesn’t involve music, dance, art, theatre.  Aspiring to be an idealist, charitable, compassionate and innovative is enough. Even though other couples tell us that we are still in the “honeymoon” phase of marriage, we already have moments where we get frustrated with one another, and I don’t enjoy those times. But on an afterthought, I realize that things get out of hand only when values get misplaced and perfection is not met. So I thank you for being an idealist during those times. 

Love is all around us. All that it matters is for us to accept it and return the same. Not many in the world realize how blessed they are. What the world needs is really basic. Simple. Bare-boned.& often forgotten in the race to get followers, likes & status.LOVE. Pure, old-fashioned, never goes out of style Love. Fearless, bold, unstoppable love. And I want it… I know that it’s gonna be a fun ride together . I'm looking forward to enriching our lives and intellect through silliness and happiness.

Our priorities lately :-D

Holding back how I feel? Well, here it is... Read this long blog and you'll know!

“Dude, see you after our vacation….” Taunted Mahesh. Already feeling miserable, I watched my friends pack their clothes for a trip to Udupi and Gokharna while I struggled with the syllabus book. I had exams. They did not. My torture was as simple as that. “Yaar, can I borrow your cap? I don’t have a spare one” enquired my roommate Satyakaam. “Yes, yes it might rain, carry one Satya..” piped in Prithvi, their tour guide. I gave it to him, reluctantly. It was not that I was attached to it, but that I was not joining them on their jaunt. “I am coming!” I declared all out of the blue; “preparation can wait, I shall drop you guys to Majestic and come back. That’ll settle me down” I said. “OK bro,” conceded Mahesh with an I – can – understand – sort of smile across his gleeful face.

We took an auto-rick, in a true student budget style and shared the bill among us 4. Upon reaching half way to the bus station, I get a text from our class representative: “Sarath, our exams got postponed by a month. Please intimate it to our classmates” Aha! A sudden change in winds… Snap goes my mobile, turned off and secure in my pocket. “Screw you guys, I’m going too!” I yell, to the surprise of our poor autowala. Thus began our trip to Manipal and Gokharna. The trip that was pure bliss packed in 7 days and where I brushed closely with death.

Let me skip to the part where we went to Gokharna. Manipal was fun, but nothing in comparision to the sunny beaches. We waved goodbye to Prithvi’s twin brother- awesome chap- at Tiger circle and got onto a bus. Reaching Gokharna, an autowala hailed us (pun intended) and riding over the ravine, gave us the first glimpse of our promised land. The Aum beach, adjacent to the more secluded kudle beach. Ahoy went the 4 wayfarers, with a skip in our feet, sand and salt on our faces. Aum beach was calling.

We went to one of the many exotic looking cafés’. Had a heavy continental breakfast for lunch and found our magnetic course towards the sea. Elementary physics classes of buoyancy came to our minds and we started playing ‘catches’ with a pepsi bottle that was floating in the salty waters. Bored from this mundane activity, Prithvi suggests: “whoever touched that big rock in the middle gets a free dinner!” Sport AND treat… what can stop us? Prithvi was a disadvantage here. He was new to water and beaches, hailing from Rajasthan, the official sand exporter for real estate. I on the other hand, being from coastal India had no such obstacles. My esoteric knowledge of walking in shallow waters landed me first in the race, closely followed by Mahesh and Satyakaam. We could hear Prithvi’s yells and banter but that was it.

This is where my mental notes on laws of elementary physics flipped a few pages more. Here is a note from Shri Sarath Chandra ji’s guide to unnatural observations: “If you are to put your foot in the beach waters, sand around it would erode away. Not what would happen if the same concept is to be applied to the big rock ahead of us?”

All this processing happened in no more than a flash of a second. I turned back to warn my friends of my new-found brilliance and avert their certain doom; only did I realise that it was a bit too late. Mahesh apparently registered the terror in my eyes – through my glasses, that were soggy with saline water- and warned Satyakaam and Prithvi to stay back. I was sucked into the sea.

So what actually happened was, the sand around our trophy rock got washed away, courtesy the incessant waves. I was pulled into a vortex the void has created. My awesome swimming skills that comprised of the dead man’s float in a perfectly still swimming pool came of no help. Kicked and I kicked the salty water, had it heed a guy, it would have retaliated. But no avail. The 12 foot water level was a pacific ocean for my height. The more I struggled, the farther I went away from my friends. My minimal sight impeded the situation further. I conceded with fate and stopped it all, hoping for something miraculous to happen.

And it did.

I hit the rock’s bottom. And kicked an almighty kick.

Only if my school football coach was there to watch the pressure I kicked with. I was afloat. Not so much to breathe and cheer, but to get a glimpse of my buddies. That was sufficient like a manna potion to an arcade gamer in agony. I could make out that my friends were making a human chain structure to pull me onto firm footing and eventually, ashore. I sank back.

The silence was absolute. I had never reached this state of mind, which a few claim to have reached in heights of their meditation. The roaring sea, slapping viciously over our trophy rock was suddenly put onto MUTE. My yelling friends went distant and calm. I could see bright start in the dark waters. And that was when I felt Satyakaam sharply tugging onto my hair.

Pulled out of my reverie, I surfaced, coughing and cursing. Then I realised that Satya,- with his mighty long arms- was delegated the job to pull me up. He was afloat, with his left hand reaching out to me, and the right firmly clasped to Mahesh and Prithvi. When I feel hopeful and glad for having a friend like him, the bugger takes back his hand and screams “hold onto my back”.

It must have been my fluent curses that made him proffer his left arm once more. I can’t remember. All I can remember is his stunned look after, like “dude, you can swear like a hag!”. I digress. So here we are, being pulled, one by one onto the blessed sands and we reach to safety.

Moral of the lesson? Physics is good. Remember it well, and know how to swear. A bit of swearing always comes in handy :-D

Why I keep comparing every place with Hyderabad....

Granted that my stay at the paradise city was brief. But that has never stopped me getting all nostalgic about the place. Hyderabad has been the first place I’ve freaked out to the fullest and came into touch some of the extremes of enjoyment- nothing illegal I promise you :-D Every other place I visit, I keep drawing some or the other comparison to it, be it Delhi or Bangalore.

For starters, you might think I have had good company, which made my stay there such a memorable one. Yes, I’ve been with a motley, jolly group. And no, it was not entirely due to the group; the place itself is, I feel makes you a fun loving person. You don’t group up with people, groups sort of happen. Hanging out is not occasional and fun, but a part of daily activity. Got a promotion? Hang out, have a treat. Got relatives visiting? Hang out, visit a holy place, have a treat. Got a reason to celebrate? Hang out, pick a place, have a treat. Got bored? Hang out with your gang, have a treat. You never run out of options to hang out. And the best part is, you’re never out of ideas or places to go visit.

It is the cultural hub of Andhra, a place to cherish and always will have a soft corner in my heart. No matter how less frequently I visit, memories of Paradise junction, late night rides over Madhapur, early morning irani tea, sneaky rounds around durgam cheruvu, lazy days at Ramoji and dola-ri-dhani will always be there with me, with a warm fuzzy feeling of the times I’ve spent with my brother and others.

What's in a name? A tribute to the braveheart.. Hoping for a proverbial butterfly effect ...

Protest. That is what is being named to the ongoing struggle for justice. In a land where women are revered and idolized, confusion on who is fighting whom has come in.

A nation of youth, with bodies not made for war is raising hue and cry, fighting against their protectors and esteemed allies to whom they have voted and elected to rule them. Something in the equation reeks of imbalance and assiduous effort for suppression. The real question is, suppress WHAT?

Never has the modern India seen such an uprising for a non-political cause. It is in no counts any inferior to the movements in Egypt during Mubarak’s regime, Occupy Wall Street or the one during Austerity measures. A 10,000 youngster strong crowd has stood firm ground to 7 sweeping lathi charges, 3 waves of water canon breaches and not to mention the biting Delhi cold at this time (it was 6.3 degree Celsius yesterday!) Do numbers need to say more?

The collective voice that is emerging might resort to multiple ways. Some chose protesting, some chose violent means, crying out their anguish. While some are creating awareness walking the roads, many are voicing their take online. All this is to bring forth only one thing.

Save Our Women.

BBC has taken up a survey to understand why India treats women so badly. While government furtively gets rid of the brave heart in a hasty pyre, Google lights a candle in memory of her, appreciating the fight she put up to survive. The internet is groping for a solution to urge higher ups to be more proactive rather than reactive to situations like this.

 When online bloggers share their views and views of others, some choose to scoff this as a building mass propaganda. People who are putting up the Black dot as their profile picture and sharing news and images of the poor young lady christened Nirbhaya/ Amanath are being ridiculed for their efforts. I simply question this. Does an idea have to be original to call out for awakening? Going by that premise, no movement would have taken form if everyone chose to resort to individuality, rather than collectiveness.

While we are at the topic of the Delhi rape incident, I actually would like to admire the fact that the victim’s name has been withheld. The police seem to have been efficient in it. The family chose to give a statement once she has passed away, they voiced their grief and that they are glad the entire nation’s up in arms and fighting for the cause. I say I’m glad that her name is suppressed because once the name is lain out; the cause for which she is being immortalized will be given a backbench. There are women being abused across the country who need justice. Some say that it is because the incident happened in the nation’s capital, it is hogging lime light. I personally feel that they are wrong and it was the brutality of the incidence that is grabbing peoples’ attention. All the same, if this is case, I would prefer that the name not come out, as it would serve a larger purpose. Women subjected to adversity in Haryana,  Sikkim, Madhyapradesh, Kerala or Tamilnadu deserve no less. Keeping it strictly to the cause (action against sexual offenders) I believe will bring across reforms and subsequent protection for women everywhere in the nation.

The direction in which this is going is somewhat unclear to me. While civilians are demanding swift and stringent measures for the culprits and fortified judicial reforms, government is considering on making sex offenders names out in the public. It might lead them to public humiliation and act as a deterrent. Speculation is rife that if capital punishment comes into play, it would only jeopardize the possible victim’s life as the vandal would resort to extreme means to cover his deed.

 Either ways, what the government is proposing seems to be a valid option too. I mean a publicly accessible database of sex offenders would help know who one employs for their daily help, as drivers for their loved ones, to escort their children and to some extent feel safer. Concerned parents do dig into details before trusting someone. Doing a background check is only going a step ahead.

There is much to be spoken about this and much more to be done about it. We first need to start with implementing it at micro level. With us. Hate and rage can give the purpose some mileage, but that cannot sustain the test of time. Making this a mission to improve our place our homes for women around us is only sensitizing people to be more compassionate, to be a bit less reluctant to help others. When you see a gang of kids misbehaving, it is not fair to walk your way, minding your own business, as it will only encourage such behavior in future. The tiny things we have been taught in our lives need to be employed by us in each step we take. Everywhere. Be kind, rewind J

In the wise words of Dr. A.P.J.Kalam, 

“Where there is righteousness in the heart

There is beauty in the character.

When there is beauty in the character,

There is harmony in the home.

When there is harmony in the home.

There is an order in the nation.

When there is order in the nation,

There is peace in the world.”

Peace. And love. That is all there is to matter. A random act of kindness not only gives us instant gratification, but also helps people loosen up and discover the dormant good side they possess.

Evolve or die: figure it on your own :-)

“If I were the rain, that binds together the heavens and the earth, whom in all eternity will never mingle, would I be able to bind two hearts together?”

The thought of wishing to be more than what is commonly described what one is easily derived to be. This mindset longer happens to be a common thing. I do not say that there is an increasing scarcity of young, confident individuals with fire in their belly and killer instinct to excel. I am pointing at the same swarm’s inclination to grow. Grow in areas that need working. Sophistication of the soul needs evolution in the emotional tangent. For a person to grow, grow they must in three dimensions, not two.

 Physical, intellectual and emotional.

  In times where escapism is the common way to tackle conflicts, Emotional growth is only becoming a farce. Escapisms thrown at us by the modern life can be so mundane and so cleverly disguised that we even fail to observe them. A person facing an emotional conflict now wishes to broadcast his thoughts and derive sympathy, rather than tackle it in his or her own way. Choosing to not discuss of an ailing topic was once a way to contemplate and reach the solution of their own. It is now way a to escape the emotional conflict that entails it and the unique opportunity life presents at us.

A smooth sea never makes a sailor skillful. When one finds himself in a fix, if they choose to share what’s in their mind to someone near and dear, it might seem quite common place. But think of it this way. What if there was no such person to share your situation with? What would you do? Tackle it yourself or, let the matter aside and let life go on? That is the escapism I intend to make my point with. It needn’t be a person. It could be something as mundane as the internet or a drinking binge. A quick fix.  A temporary relief from a growing gangrene.  Tackling the unrest mind’s concern is difficult but important. This is what helps one evolve truly and nurture them to succeed wholly. If we let the unrest grow, it will only mutate and turn into a monster that would not allow you to be sufficient for yourself. Imagine you needing another’s company when you have yourself to be with.

A wise Japanese scholar once said:”When you are young, learn to work, not to earn. Money will come with emotional growth that fuels success”Fight with all you’ve got. Limit life to what it has to offer. Let not tiny obstacles cripple you. Falter not till the goal is met. Make your own luck J

Movies are fun. Or are they any more?

Hi guys. I am just back home, having watched the movie "Gabar singh" and thought of sharing a few thoughts on the same. This post might draw some criticism, but I feel expression of thought is important, lest it too should die along with the already diminishing creative urge in the movies.

I admit I went to the movie with no high expectations set and was not disappointed that I have not. I would have been disappointed at the movie had I set any. There is this video clip on Facebook doing the rounds from the movie and I found it quite entertaining. Having heard that  Pawan Kalyan has scored success on account of the movie being a hit, I had hoped to see another entertainer in the lines of "Khushi". But half way through the movie, I started to realize that this was not my cup of tea

I was lost to point in a direction where the movie was troubling my conscience. Fact be said, the movie has so architecturally unsound that I didn't actually know what to find a fault with; ESPECIALLY the people's audacity in suggesting me to watch the movie and that it was a good one. With the response the movie is receiving, I am flabbergasted at the public's insincerity with themselves. Are they so convinced that they would be ostracized if they begged to differ from the other's opinion? Are they so stubborn in the belief that the creative minds of our film industry don't have much to offer and all that is flung at them in the name of a "mass entertainer" or a movie that matches the "market pulse" must be hogged down with gluttony? I can vividly remember when audiences expected movies to do better than the earlier in terms of humor and thought provoking story line. The viewership had evolved from the village humor from Jandhyala's "Aaha naa pellanta" , to Trivikram Srinivas's sensible narration in "Athadu";From the systematic and thuggish movies such as "Kshana Kshanam" to the coarse and hilarious movies Vamsi had to offer, evolution was forward... People looked forward to movies that exceeded the previous one in bringing contentment in their own merit rather than in terms of Greedy collection figures.

My stance towards the movie is firm, and I reiterate my indignation. The highly intellectual audience deserves better than some non-creative piece of work that tries to live on the glory of another namesake trend setter. I  speaking not of this movie alone but of all those "successful works" that are plagiarized and force-fed into the public's throat. Public reaction too suggests that movie makers can have their way and they need not put in any thought or creative effort, but just showcase the cliched movie requirements - a heroine for enacting the  lead actor's love interest, a hero whose machismo in unparalleled and a gory villain who does not have any noticeable characteristic traits than inhuman cruelty and a appalling lack of conscience -. We are being stereotyped.

Enhancing the image that a movie's collections are the sole indicator of the picture's merit,  people are being mocked by the so called creative heads with the treatment they are being rendered. Patting ourselves on the back today that we are doing good by actually killing real merit would only lower people's expectations for intellect and true art; in a nation that loves and watches movies excessively, this  regressing trend of shunning higher forms of action stunts and sci-fi effects to choose crude brute strength portrayals over screen would only reduce the general public's intellect and exposure to real time cinematic capabilities available in the technologically advanced film industry today.It will no wonder if in due course of time Telugu films -which are respected and adored by a majority of the nation's citizens - will be deemed ones with lackluster.Creativity and entrepreneurial instincts are being given a back bench.

If you think I am disenchanted to Indian Cinema by all this, I would say you are misguided. I too am one of the general population who watch, cheer, enjoy and adore movies all the time. They are a significant part of my entertainment and routine. They are and will remain to be one of one our ways of socializing with kith and kin. Expecting better out of something good and best out of something better is always nice right? It must, at the end of the day be our call on getting our money's worth :-)

A sun kissed tale :-)

It was on a shady evening they met. Neither knew each other well but were seasonal neighbors. It was infatuation at first sight. The boy was shy, the girl was charming, the weather was good, the conversation better.They both had love for literature and an ear for music. Time flew by without difficulty.

"I have always loved Sidney sheldon" said the girl with a smile "He leans towards the empowerment of women in his novels"

"I don't know... I read quite a few of them but at times felt them a bit too sleazy for my taste. And it usually is the same old routine story, there was a girl, faced difficult times, became a a hot shot, then fell in love,was betrayed or gets widowed and against all odds emerges victorious" he said

"Hmm... that's true though. It does sometimes get predictable sometimes. What books do u prefer? Chetan Bhagat?" she asked

"Sometimes..." He said with a smile, wondering in what sense she asked it "But mostly I love books with intellect. Ayn rand and Rabindra nath tagore... and Kushwanth singh" he added for a safe measure

"Thats good.. I always envied people who read philosophy. There is a good friend of mine who reads such books"

"Friend?" He asked, with a twinge of an unknown curiosity

"Yeah. My school buddy. Lots of brains and wit... He's like a walking encyclopedia! :-D"

"Oh...I was called that during my +2 days" said the guy, not to be undone

"And you are proud of it" the girl observed it, and being cautious at the same time, not to offend him

"Ha ha...nothing like that re... It just feels good to be dependable for friends whenever they want to know something.. I'm not the know-it-all bossy types, mind you!" he guffawed
"So what plans for the future?"

"Not much," she answered "Just appearing for MBBS. I am our University's topper"
"Oh?" said the guy, impressed "none of our cousins told me that there's a gem in our family?"

"Wasim? Did you have your medicine? And what are you doing out at this time? It is cold out there" came his mother's voice from the terrace
"It's Ok ammi! Its not so cold..." he hollered obediently, a little irritated
"Hello Nazia beti.. how are you? How are your parents?"
"They are doing good aunty" she replied "Are you too coming to brother's house warming party?"
"I dont know dear.. I cant stay away from Wasim for long" and hastily added "He is preparing hard for his IAS exams, and just in case he gets hungry. Chalo, I shall come and meet you later, I have some chores to attend" and disappeared with a laden tub of freshly laundered clothes
"Ok aunty" "Ok ammi" they answered in unison

"So IAS huh?" said Nazia clearly impressed "And I thought you were impressed that I was some brianiac he he he"
"Its nothing like that re... I just cleared my prelims. An I HAVE to make it through this time, no matter what" he said with a steely glint in his eye
"I'm sure you'll make it.. I can see it in you", she said admiringly
"Chalo then, I have to get preparing... It was nice catching up with you. Enjoy the function" he said warmly
"Oh? you are not going to come?" she said, slightly disappointed.
She wanted to urge him into coming to the function. But she stopped at it, thinking it would be inappropriate to ask a guy such a thing.It was quite a lovely time they were having and he was such a nice guy. She was actually surprised that he put her at such ease and impressed her with her own intellect, by telling her she was a brianiac, when he himself was on the verge of clearing India's most privileged exam.
"No, I cant... The exam is in a few days... Maybe we can catch up some other time" he answered evasively.
"Yeah sure" she said, smiling "I'll be here for the coming summer holidays at chacha's place"
"Yeah." he said, unsure for the first time that evening "That would be nice," he resumed, gaining composure and made his departure

The next summer

Wasim had cleared his IAS exams and was jubilant.. It was a lovely evening, and the universe too seemed to sync with his mood. It reminded of the pleasant conversation he had on a similar evening the previous year..He suddenly wanted to talk to Nazia and know how her MBBS was going.
"Ammi? How is Nazia? Any news about her?" he enquired her mother
"OH her? yeah, I remember her... The last I heard, she's sick.. some viral fever I think.."
"Really?" he asked, slightly distressed. It worried him that it might keep her away in her home town itself. He was looking forward for a good time with the bright girl and get to know her better
"Its ok, she will be visiting her Chacha's home... like she does every year" his mother said, with a knowing smile
His heart leapt with joy but maintained a non-commital expression and gave his mom a 'what-do-you-mean' look. "I know, I know... I'm your mom..." she said and left waving her hand into the air and chortling silently

He was not disappointed.
Nazia came the next week. With a box of sweets and a news paper
"Congratulations on clearing your IAS exams" she said

The sound of her voice, the sight of her - hale and hearty- with the box of sweets and happy for him. The picture was complete.
He was one happy guy.
The evening too decided to approve.
The golden sunset seemed was back in place :-)