December 25, 2008

Whoa! I turned 21..!?!!

Ugh... I'm sorry, I'm bit confused. 21 years. That is two decades plus one year. Can't believe it, I've spent this much time on this planet earth! Twenty-one years is not a joke! Growing old is alrite, but when will I grow up??

Three years ago, I legally became an adult as per constitution of India. Wait a minute! How can I be an adult, if I haven't watched any adult film yet! And today, as I turn 21, the constitution holds that I'm allowed to marry now. But wait, I haven't had a sinnnnngle girlfriend till now in my life! Just years are passing by, I'm getting older, but when will I grow up!!

I strictly disapprove smoking and drinking. I don't even take carbonated drinks, only milk or fruit juices. I just hate going to disco, had been there just once when an idiot friend forced. I don't use abusive language... How boring, one may say. I'm still a kiddo, yaar!

I've always believed that I haven't really grown past the age of 15-16. I guess I'm a bit immature, and highly vulnerable emotionally, my world still revolves around my friends. Hmm... Seems like I'm still in the high-school mode.

Anyways, when clean-shaven, I really look like a teenager; anyways, I don't even look like I'm, ugh, 21 now! Man, it took me so long to come to terms with the fact (after my 20th b'day, last year) that I'm no more a teenager. Now how do I tell myself that now I'm a youth!! Damn, age is just a number, I'm just a 21-years-old teenager.
 

Yeah, BA had also said (sang, actually) that age's just a number, it's how you feel inside (18 till I die, anyone?). Yeah, I love to be 15-year-old. Or 16 at most. Not more than that. Ew! I was in love for the first time when I was 17. Oh, that first love...
 

Ugh! It's still hard to believe that I'm 21 now — a young, responsible, person. Let's see what I can do about it.
 

How I Celebrated My 21st Birthday 
Will start from the scratch. The series of birthday wishes started on 24th morning at around 7:15 am, when guess who called! Pooja called!! My angel, my baby, my darling sister Pooja called me from Sydney :-) Wow! I heard her voice after almost six months. Awww... Love you, sis...

Oh sorry. Yeah, after Pooja, I started getting advance wishes on 24th night by 9pm itself! Priyam (second cousin) thought she was first to wish me, when actually she was fourth. Shivangi (friend from IMS) thought she's first, and she was eighth. Sorry, I understand this much statistics ain't required. Got calls and messages from all friends. Some idiots forgot, or didn't care to wish, I'll deal with y'all!

Had mooli ke paranthe for breakfast. As I was getting late, I just ate two rolled paranthe in hurry, before gulping my jug of milk. Then I headed for Mussoorie, with bhai. Not to just chill around, but to attend the reception at Dr. Mulkraj Dass's house, where we go for treatment. I go for treatment of heartache ;-)  Had nice lunch there, though I wish I had more of that wonderful cake!! And Sailee, I ate one Dairy Milk there! Yeah, I was back at home by around 4pm, then ate a samosa (tasty!) that chachaji had brought. Then I ordered for a Domino's Cheese Burst Pizza. Damn! I've just eaten it, but my mouth started watering the moment I wrote about it. Ok, come back, you hupsy. We ate that (mouth watering again... HELP!) pizza. By "we," I mean my two cousins, my sister and I. That one pizza was like the blood that we sharks had smelled. So immediately after eating our first pizza, we ordered two more pizzas! Oh yeah! The moment our second order arrived, we wolfed it down, after fighting amongst ourselves for larger pieces.

Yeah, everyone cuts cake, I cut pizzas this birthday! Ok, when chachaji and bhai log went, I changed into sleepwear. Then Aman (a great buddy from college) called and asked to meet up, so that we can do awaragardi like we used to do earlier. Went on bike with him, looked at girls (all were in pairs, were those boys their brothers?), ate momo. EEEHH! I didn't know it was non-veg momo that he had ordered!! It wasn't good, anyway. Then we went to Ellora's and I ate a pine-apple pastry and he ate, what is it called, dart/tard? Oh yeah, I just luvvvvvd the pastry. I love pine-apple pastry anyway. Why my mouth is salivating like anything as I mention it? Yup, then we went to McDonald's. Aman was hesitating to go there first, 'cuz his beard was all messed up today (a different tale, won't tell you) and he didn't want to look ugly in front of all those beautiful girls we anticipated to be at McD. We ordered a Happy Meal (and he took the toy), but there was no beautiful girl over there :-( Then I dropped him at where he's staying right now and said goodbye after chatting a bit about our response to heartaches (every lover has had it, seems).

Oh sorry, I forgot to tell you, I liked the pastry so much that I had the guy pack four more for me. Mithu (my sister) had said she wanted to eat pastry, and anyways I also wanted to eat one more, so got four pastries packed. After dropping Aman and coming to home, I ate one more pastry!
 

And in total I also got Rs. 1,200 as "blessings." God, keep showering your blessings on me like this! 

What Did I Do Differently This Birthday
Well, I spent money. Hello, "I" spent money that was mine. You know the significance of this only if you're my close friend. I never spend a penny, but today I paid for that Cheese Burst Pizza (yummy), and pastries and McDonald's. Had it been last year, I'd have asked mamma to give money for pizza, after ordering it on phone, but today I chose to pay from what I had with me. I did that, and my heart didn't break when I parted with that green stuff! Likewise, when I went to see Aman, I took that Rs. 500 note with me, 'cuz I wanted to spend casually. And I did buy pastry, McD stuff with "my" money. Earlier my heart would've breaked on the very thought of it.

Another thing I did differently was that I didn't turn off my mobile phone today. On my earlier birthdays, I used to switch off my phone at midnight, or for whole day, as I didn't want to be wished. To be honest, I've never looked forward to my birthday, because of rather unpleasant past birthdays. My orkut tagline said, "Happy Birthday To Me".
 

Trivia
I had stopped celebrating my birthday very early in childhood (after class 2) as I was sick of getting only sketchpens and those with-best-wishes envelopes, which never had anything more than Rs. 21. Why couldn't people think of anything other than sketchpens, someone tell me, for God's sake! I get crazy when I think about it...

Ok, if you've read my other posts as well then you know that when I get into flair I can just go and on, and I suppose this is what's happening even now. So to not to waste any more time, I must end this post here and say Happy Birthday To Me once again :-)

And thanks to all the friends who wished me. Thaaaankkssssa lot :-) I wish the heartache-friend had wished too. It's alrite, I forgive you. There's always a next time ;-)

“I'm lost in the middle of my birthday. I want my friends, their touch with the earth's last love. I will take life's final offering, I will take the last human blessing.” — Rabindranath Tagore

December 09, 2008

My castles in the air

Just five minutes and the lab closes.. I'd hurry. This post is about other things I'd like to do in life. I'd write very briefly:

1. Modelling: Haha! Yes, modelling. I know I'm very thin, and have been nicknamed ostrich (lol!). But I hope they wouldn't mind having a good looking ostrich on ramp! Just how handsome I used to look in second year of college, when I had loooonnnnng hair.. Hehe... And I had really done some hard work in gym in first five months of this year. I had a nice body before gym went out of schedule. I'm a good looking guy. Yeah, someday, sooner rather than later, I'll walk ramp, to a loud applause.

2. Taekwondo: Oh yeah, the last time I donned the uniform, it was in class 8th. But the passion isn't lost. I know even when in Dehradun, I wanted to restart it. And even now, I want to do it. Haha, at one point of time, after graduation I was really thinking if parents would let me go to South Korea to enrol in a taekwondo course for four years. Hehe.. I'd certainly like to get black belt and win a couple of tournaments.

3. Rock star: Haha, the biggest and wildest dream perhaps. I know this is not difficult. I just need to practice consistently with guitar. But yeah, I need to work hard with my vocal chords. But I know I'm a good singer, as I've proved (after a lot of hard work) in the past. I love this rock star feeling!!

4. Break dancer: Haha, why not! With a little practice, I think I can do it. I can still do it, even right now, but not as perfectly as I'd like to be. I think I'm good at dancing, but would like to be better at it. Someday I'll do that too. I'll dance on stage, to a loud applause.
Ok, these are the burning desires. Would write about others later. Five minutes over!

**** Continuing a day later

5. Drummer: I remember clearly, I was in class 6th, when this madness of having my own drum set took over me. I really wanted to be a drummer. But in a small town like Balco there was no scope for it. It's been nine years since then. And I still want to be a drummer. The guy who taught me guitar said learning drums is so easy that one can learn it in a couple of weeks. Surely, I'd learn how to play drums.
 

6. Pianist: Oh man, I don't know anything about notes and all that musical language, how'd I play a piano! Haha, but I want to play piano. Had I not been into guitar, I'd have given my unbiased opinion that a piano gives the most melodious sound, given you know how to play it ;-)

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost. That is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” — Henry David Thoreau

November 23, 2008

Thank you, Brent Hurd


Dear sir,

Wanted to thank you for all the strength and support you’d given me, when I needed it the most. I hadn’t been doing well in studies, you found out, and spoke to me about it, as a friend would. You told me you had great expectations from me (and got me pushing harder to meet them). You told me I could do it, you instilled faith in me. Every once in a while you’d stop by and ask me how things were going. You cared, sir. You made me feel important. Want to thank you a ton for all of this, for lifting my spirit when I was down.

You cared for all your students likewise. You treated them with love and respect. You came across as a very understanding person, to whom any of us could come and talk about anything, anytime. Your gentle smile on your kind face always welcomed us. Even during lunch and dinner time you’d invite students to discuss their academics with you. 

We look up to you for your dedication and devotion to the profession, sir. You always worked harder than any of us here, and that always pushed us harder to meet your standards. And that is what you believe in, being the example to follow. Isn’t it! I remember how, when we were talking about positive thinking and its results, you’d said that we must not preach, rather we must “be the example for others to follow.” You were the one who walked the talk in every sense. 

And just how much each one of us loved your charming, sweet and affable nature! You always cared to say a quick “How’re you doing?” and greet everyone as you hurried by (and you always hurried by, whether you were walking by or were on your bike no. 4). And just how much we loved your quick accent!

I have never seen someone with so much patience, poise and politeness. Your simplicity and down to earth nature were your outstanding traits. You were a gentleman in every sense.

Sir, in past four months that we’ve known you, you’ve made a lasting impression on all of us. You were a great teacher, a great friend, a great counsellor. To lift a quote from Red Skelton, I guess the only time you made anyone sad is when you left us. But I know, now you’re with us more than ever. You’re sitting up there in Heaven, and will always guide us even now, as you did before.

Sir, you’ll always be alive in our memories and hearts. And it’s just a matter of time before we go out as journalists and make you proud. And then you can puff up and your chest and tell your fellow angels in heaven, “Hey, these are my students!”

With deep sense of love and gratitude
Yours truly
Hemant


“Our legacy is our integiry” — Brent Hurd  

August 17, 2008

Random Thoughts

Wow, and for what am I writing this blog entry today? For no great reason at all. Maybe just because it’s been one complete month since I arrived here at IIJNM, to become a journalist. One month over of this 11-month course! So how am I doing? Hmmm… Not bad, good we can say. But am I at my best? NO sir. Why not? Ughh... If any excuse has been devised to justify complacency or reluctance then tell me. I’m still not at my best. Umm… Attribute it to lack of will power too. I want to wake up early in the morning, but cannot. This is my childhood problem. Hehe... But stop it, it’s not funny. Even though I’m not doing bad here, I’m not at my best too. It’s been too long since a potential winner has been the be-all-and-end-all of Hemant Gairola in his academic life. It’s time for a change.

And yeah it’s not just about talking big, I’m going to walk the talk here. I’ve got some great plans here, just need to implement them. It ain’t like I haven’t done anything about them as of yet, just I need to stay more motivated and proactive. Ugh, why did I write "proactive" here when I’m not sure of its exact meaning?? Maybe I’m experimenting.

Anyway, this blog post is not about anything in particular. I’m writing just because I felt like writing. Anyhow, another people in the media lab are punching the keyboard so fiercely, so much noise that I felt like showing how you can type (a lot) faster without producing least noise. Man, who’s typing there soooo harshly!! Forgive your keyboard, plz…

Anything else? Yeah, maybe I’m writing just because my last entry was two weeks ago. I’d like my blog to be active and happening. I hope it becomes popular.

Ok, enough of blabbering, let’s get to work. So what are the things on my mind right now? Academics obviously, and how to excel. Now let me try to answer this question — how to excel (my God, why do you guys punch your keyboard like this, folks!!).

So what are the things I ought to do but don’t really do on a regular basis?
1. Building vocabulary
2. Speed reading thing
3. Reading books (quotes, Chicken Soup)
4. Reading newspaper
5. Doing my other research work about my ideas
6. Social work thing
7. Wanna get better (good) at guitar, singing too
8. Should play basketball every other day
9. Some kind of workout at least
10. Learn Kannada, man
11. Surf the statistics sites
12. Complete assignments at the earliest

And what else?? I’m sure there must be other things too, just not able to recall them. Well it’s not that I had a divine enlightenment today that I’m writing up all these things, these things are always on my mind, just not able to execute them well. But WHY NOT?? That’s the question. Ahh the same old excuse, occasional complacency, reluctance, lack of will power. Hell with it! Now, today onwards, I’m going to… Ah you know what. Going to “walk the talk.” I’m going to push harder. I want to get to my best. I want to see myself at my best. After a long time.

I’m really lucky that I’m at such a great place. Ralph sir is just fantastic
! A journalist of such a repute... He’s so dedicated, sincere and just what do I say... dedicated! And it’s not just him, our other faculty members too! Dakshinamurthy sir is one of the founding members of Al-Jazeera English. Lucky to have Nagesh Hegde sir for my electives. Saggere sir owner of Bangalore’s biggest photo agency, Kanchan mam and everyone bring with themselves such a vast experience of quality journalism… Everyone, Brent Hurd, Nikhat mam, Surekha mam… these are all people of great stature, having worked for so long for the best media houses in the industry. I’m blessed to be at this place. Good, that I understand that. But shouldn’t I be pushing myself to the limits to get the very best out of me?

I don’t know who you are, reading my blog but I don’t care if you feel like this is all empty talk. The thing is that, I’m just getting so damn fired up ever since coming here, I want to make it really B-I-G.

Michael Phelps is making record after record at the Olympics. Stories of his heroics splashed all over the newspapers. And what did he say in one of his latest interviews? Dream big. Believe in dreams. Nothing is impossible for human kind. (I’m not putting it under inverted comma because that’s not direct quote.) And what did I read in a newspaper supplement yesterday? “Human consciousness has the potential for immense talents and the purpose of human life is to actualise it.” Man, such things inspire me a lot! You can do, be or have everything you want in life. (Remember ‘The Secret’) Think positive, be happy… Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened for you. For, everyone who asks receives, who seeks finds, and who knocks it is opened for him. Comes from The Holy Bible.

Hmm… Likhne ko to ham bahut kuch... Oops! English only. Yeah, I can write just on and on an on... But its... Ok, one more thing...

I had a crush on sooo many girls in IMS, and I was perhaps kind of expecting something while coming to Bangalore. Bangalore girls! I wasn’t really that much excited (irrespective of what you might think, I’m a gentleman) but looking forward to Bangalore girls, nevertheless. Yes, here at IIJNM there are many
beautiful girls (though we are only around 60 students here)! But you see, I don’t get that kind of feeling, like we used to have in IMS. I don’t have a crush on anyone here!! Rather I sincerely admire these girls, some because they are so sincere and hardworking, and others simply because they are so simple, sober and nice :-) Maybe it’s also because of change of place. IMS was hell of a place. IIJNM is different. Haha… I’m around a lot of beautiful girls and I don’t have a crush on anyone, rather I respect and admire them (my friends would think I've gone crazy)!! Hey, nothing like respecting women-folk is a strange phenomenon for me. What’s interesting is that I don’t have a crush on anyone!!

Hmmm... Still got three assignments due for tomorrow. Is ‘due for tomorrow’ a correct expression? Don’t know. Please leave a comment to point out grammatical mistakes. Yeah, coming to the point. Just checked the iijnm.org mail, Ralph sir is online, I’m glad he is, for now I’m going to stop blabbering and gonna get back to work. I hope to finish it sooner rather than later.

Arey, looks like I forgot to mention few of my goals and Do’s and Don’ts. Putting them up in random order:
Make your grammar flawless, you fool!
Be more fluent in speaking.
Talk sloowwwly, think fast.
Little more emphasis on workout, yaar (once upon a time, not so long ago, one could notice your bulging biceps)
Read more of that Reverse Dictionary.
Again, complete your assignments asap.
Vocabulary: Everyday use at least five words you learnt, in your blog or mails.
Blogging: And try to blog almost every alternate day, idiot.

Ahh I think I’ve already mentioned all this and am typing here just for the hell of it. Oh yes, forgot the main point, no problem will write it here:
- SAY NO TO ORKUT (will figure out a weekly time for it)
- Yahoo! Mail only once a day (15 minutes before dinner)
- Gotta figure out a perfect schedule for myself pretty soon.
- Ugh… Abe kaam kar (Work, stupid.) Ok, I’m in a great mood, just don’t want to stop typing, so let me first finish my assignments one by one then I’ll take out time for this. Are
****
Hmmm so where's the text gone I had written after 'Are,' the last word in the previous sentence. Agh I had typed out the whole text in MS Word and pasted to here. Have already closed the Word file without saving. No problem, there was never anything significant written under it. Bye bye!!

“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be.” — James Allen

August 04, 2008

It's IMS Again!

Today is the first day of the new academic year in IMS — Institute of Management Studies, Dehradun. My college. Ugh! I never thought I’d address IMS as ‘my college.’ But well, as the things turned out in the end, I miss my college and my peers.

Let’s analyse. What exactly do I miss about being a part of IMS? Undoubtedly, it’s the fun factor that I’m missing. Wow, what a college it was! And what a life we lived… Never bothered to take along a pen or paper, but always made sure before leaving home that the cell phone and the headset were in my pocket. Once in the college, there it was, our balcony seat! Classrooms in IMS are built in theater-style, i.e. staircase type. Ours was the laaast seat (we named it balcony seat). And our balcony seat was just next to the window. Imagine, last seat next to window in second floor classroom, and at such a location from where you could see everyone’s movement in college. From our window we could see the entrance gate of the college, the main building, way to cafeteria, the tree we made famous.. Wow.. How we proudly used to occupy our enviable position on our balcony seat and used to look at those beautiful girls of my college!
 

Man I always said it that no matter wherever you go you’d never find sooo many beautiful girls who happen to be sooo beautiful! Yes folks, IMS Dehradun girls are really beautiful, even in uniform. (We had a waiter-like uniform – white shirt, black pant, blue tie.) I had soooo many crushes. If one went out of sight, another two used to walk in from somewhere. Those two went, another three used to walk in! Wow.. There was beauty all around… I really miss you girls... And I’m sure one particular group will be missing us too! Your first two years in IMS were pretty eventful, thank us dumbos!
 

And studies.. Aha.. Just don’t ask. No one ever gave a damn what the teacher is saying, never noted down anything in class. My friends and I never gave assignments and presentations, never sat for internal exams for more than 10 minutes, hardly sat for external exams for more than two hours. Aptly put by Tufi, that dear tree of ours was our correspondence address in the college. Our default hangout place. The tree under whose shade we used to chill out, listening to silly ringtones and laughing, or me imitating our teachers, or Rohit playing guitar. Yeah, one sir had even complimented me, “Hemant you don’t bring pen and paper but you always bring your guitar!”
 

Then our small walk to DIT canteen, it used to be so colourful, thanks to all those beautiful girls of DIT, and the rule that casual dress was allowed on Wednesday. Man I really like that girl – coin slot, and meri wali. Hehe.. I’m proud of myself that at least I gathered enough courage to dare talk to a girl and tell her that I have a crush on her! Thanks to a female cousin, it wouldn't have been possible had she not suggested that wonderful technique.
 

This article is not going anywhere. And this is not even an article as such, in the real sense. Damn! I’m a journalism student now and am supposed to be mindful of all the nuances of grammar. Yeah that’s true, but ‘this’ article is about IMS, so heck with any rule! In IMS I never did what I was supposed to do! I lived life on my own terms – messed with the director, had some friction with hard-boiled teacher, came sooo close to a fight situation, then solved it tactfully, became Mr. Farewell…!!
 

Man can’t you simply guess I had a fun-filled life, all these past three years. IMS — Institute of Mismanagement Studies actually — was our abode for fun. We used to go to college everyday because it was so much fun! Those beautiful girls, we friends, our gang, our hangouts, the time we spent together… Heck I miss it! And especially today, which marks the beginning of a new session. I wonder how many beautiful girls are there in this batch! Upon seeing them, on how many of them I’d have got a crush? Ah I’m really curious to know yaar. Last year’s batch brought Arjun ( a beautiful girl with boy-cut, thus the masculine name), black beauty, her whole group (all are soooo ……), bomb, my dear Kangana, then many girls whom we hadn’t given any nickname cuz we were very busy with their seniors. Yaar but last year’s batch was also a good one.
 

Sheh…. I miss being there. Arey kuch rutba tha hamara, dhaak thi IMS me. Khair, my stint is over there. Hmmm.. But let me think, I suppose this is the last time I’m writing for IMS. What really bonds us together? Do we love the college? Hell no! We absolutely hate it. We hate the director, that bloody (I won’t say anything but people understand what I want to say), their stupid, good-for-nothing, baseless rules that we never followed, those useless fines we had to give for damage we hadn’t done, that silly pattern of internal marking that drowned most of us, their.. just every damn thing about them. Ugh we hate college administration. We never had any function that gave us a chance to unite and hangout, no sports, nothing. Oh IMS people you are the world’s biggest losers! But hey, if this college is so bad, then why do people miss it?
 

Simply because its poor, irresponsible behaviour never prompted us to study, placed a complacent attitude in us, no one was motivated or enthusiastic. Like I wrote in the previous article, our life at IMS was a three-year picnic. I loved this picnic. I miss that feeling, that casual, complacent, laidback feeling rooted deep down inside us, when we used to stare outside window as the lecturer used to bore us, used to obediently go out of the classroom when told so...

Oh, man, I miss my college 'education' ;-)

“College is the best time of your life. When else are your parents going to spend several thousand dollars a year just for you to go to a strange town and get drunk every night? ” — David Wood

June 25, 2008

3 years of precious memories: Goodbye IMS

How come! Kal hi to college shuru hua tha yaar… Achhe se yaad hai, 1st of August 2005, our first day at college! It was raining, we were standing in long queues to submit some useless form, silently observing the proceedings around us, trying to get the feel of the place, observing new faces around. Everything was new! The building, the place, the teachers, the peers…

3rd of August: Classes started. Some initial confusion regarding section allotment. We were seated amid strangers, who were soon to become our bestest pals, with whom we were going to spend three most wonderful years of our life! Haha… I feel funny when I recall how we were introducing ourselves to each other in tooti-footi Engilsh! SSHHH… Teacher comes in, first class! And then started the tiresome procedure of coming up and introducing ourselves to the class, one-by-one, in each and every period! The first day got over with just formal introduction.

Studies quickly gained momentum. And so did the bond, the friendship between us. Innocent, young people, just stepped out of the school, out of their home in a different city, for the first time in hostel, alone! Sometimes we used to feel homesick and miss mom and dad, and always found our roommate’s shoulder to cry upon. We started becoming each other’s comforter, sharing deepest of sorrows and stupidest of joys. All this, while unknowingly forging a bond, developing a relation called friendship, which would last forever.

Friendship was in full swing. So was the hostel life, isn’t it guys? Hostel life was F-U-N, to say the least! Oh sure there were seniors, ragging! But hey, that was fun too. No rok-tok, no paabandi… Din-raat fullllll masti! Man you were like king of the world. Raat bhar jaagna, ek doosre ke room me masti maarna, seniors se chhupna…

Lo! Pata hi nahi chala 2 mahine beet gaye, internal exams aa gaye.
You sincerely studied hard for the exam, and were pleasantly surprised to discover how damn easy the 10–marks paper was—just two bloody simple questions! Time flew by rather fast… Kab 1st internal se ham 1st semester exam tak pahunch gaye aur kab 1st year se phir 3rd year me, hawa bhi nahi lagi!

Hmm… Where did the time go? Someone great has said, “No matter how long and arduous the journey is, it seems rather easy when you have some great friends to walk with.” And just how true it is! In these three years, we have been through lots of ups and downs. Someone close passed away, something terrible happened. There have been moments that’d have broken us, had you, my dear friend, not been there for me, to stand by my side to share your love, warmth and affection…

Man! No doubt it is because of our great friends, whom we love so much, that we didn’t realise just where the bloody hell these three years went! This life with friends, day in and day out, it was like a three–year–long, fun-filled vacation. And at end of a vacation you liked, you always think it went by rather quickly. This is it pals—great friends, great time, great journey, unforgettable moments, priceless memories… Sad that it’s over now, and we have to part ways.

And it’s not just our friends that we’re gonna miss, but also our classmates with whom we hardly spoke. These are the faces we’ve been seeing every day, theirs are the voices we’ve been hearing for the past three years. It has become a habit to see them. We’re used to it, man. I gotta admit, when in final year our sections were reshuffled, I started missing people I had not talked to much! There ‘is’ a bond. We all will miss each other. We’ll miss our daily routine, our habit of coming to college and chilling with our superb friends, bunking classes, sitting in Nescafe, Monu dhaba ke parathe, marking proxy attendance, sleeping in class, sitting under the tree and having good time. Damn! Ek Sunday toh jhela nahi jaata tha, sem breaks seemed like waaaaay tooooo long; how we used to crave for college to reopen soon! Heck, now this college won’t reopen for us. Life at IMS is over. We’ll sorely miss this life. UGHHH I’m already missing it!!!

Ok. It’s hard to say goodbye, we’ll miss each other terribly. We’ll miss this place terribly. Damn! This is where you found your first crush, some lucky ones found their true love, we made great friends, we learned what life is. Boy! This is where we lived, we laughed, we cried, we loved, we lost, we comforted, we flirted, we sang, we teased… This is where we grew up!! We’re gonna miss this place a lot, for sure…

Hey, it’s alright! Human beings are emotional creatures. Go ahead, cry out a tear for your friends, for the priceless moments you’ve shared. It’s completely worth it! Do remember your friends and miss them, and when you do so, let them know it. College is over, now we won’t get to see each other every day, but whenever we’ll feel low, we’ll remember that there’s a friend who cares for us, loves us, understands us and will always be there by our side, no matter what. And that would bring out our most innocent smile! What a great feeling it is…

Cheers to life! Cheers to our friendship! Cheers to the BBA 2005-2008 batch! And I had never thought I’d say it, but cheers to IMS (ewww)!! We rule!! To bhaiyon, aur ladkiyon… Love you all, miss you all (seriously yaar). Kuch kaha-suna maaf kar dena. Keep in touch, scrap karte rehna, and keep bugging each other! Love you!

“...You wanna make a memory
You wanna steal a piece of time...”
— Bon Jovi in You Wanna Make A Memory

May 24, 2008

Shame on our police, shame on us

Shame on us. Shame on the bureaucracy that has its roots so deep in our society that a policeman doesn’t even hesitate in asking for bribe or under-the-table commission and we don’t even mind sparing that 500 rupee note!

Philosophy set apart, now let me come to the point. I had applied for passport a couple of months ago. To get the approval for passport a police officer visits the residence of the applicant to verify the details. This past Sunday I too had this gentleman, or so I thought, from the police department to complete the formalities. While pitashri was making photocopies of high school marksheet, I along with my friend was discussing corruption and despising the under-the-table income practice of policemen. We gave him an example of how when we went to our local police station to file an FRI for lost SIM card, he wasn’t doing our work but was constantly asking us to "repair his fan". To this, the ‘gentleman’ said what we were saying was right but the practice was so prevalent that no one cared if it existed. It’s simple, he said, if you don’t please the policeman, the policeman won’t please you. Even though it’s wrong, that’s how it’s been going on in our society and no one’s cross with it. Five per cent people object, but who cares for them when 95% are cool with losing some big bucks when it means getting their work done promptly. We chatted a while about all this stuff and he didn’t seem to defend this habit of under-the-table income but just held it as something bad that happens.

Ok, now everyone knows for such things as passport, policemen do ask for some ‘mithai’. After all this discussion my friend and I had with this cop, we didn’t expect him to ask for anything. Even his appearance didn’t suggest he’s that kind of cheap man. But well, a policeman is a policeman. I asked him if my job was done and I could go. I went. Later I learnt, he just wasn’t leaving his seat, until pitashri asked him “How much?” he said “500-700.” Pitashri handed him a 500 note, he ticked mark on ‘Verified’ and immediately went his way.

How shameless are you, Mr. Whosoever-you-are! Don’t you have anything called conscience? After having so much discussion about corruption, with boys less than half your age, you still have guts to ask for money for doing your duty! Doesn’t government pay you? Shameless creature. That policeman. No morals, no ethics, no conscience… What do you teach your children? Can you ask for bribe in front of them? How pathetic man!

And, why am I singling him out! My dad, first he gave him the money, then when I asked why he did so, he’s justifying, “Sometimes you have to do, nahi to aise nahi banta hai passport.” Every adult in my house is saying that you have to pay, else they won’t do your work. What crap! I say no need to give a single penny. If you don’t get your passport in due time, complain to the respective authority. I know you’ll be saying that office ke chakkar kaatte reh jaoge. Man… Raise hell over it! How dare he ask you for money, haan? And when you refused how dare he not do his work? I know it’s not easy, but who said it’s easy to be right? I know only one thing — do only that what is right, hell and high water may come!

There are people who pretend to be very idealistic, you’ll find them complaining about corruption very passionately, lamenting upon the decline in moral standards, blaming government and everything, saying this should change, that should change… I say shut up, you hypocrites! When it comes to you, when it’s your turn to take on corruption or bureaucracy or bribery, you give up without fighting, opting for the easy way out. You sigh and say this is how the system is. Giving up without fighting, how cowardly! You might call yourself practical, but I’ll call you a hypocrite and a loser. If there’s something you complain about then why the heck do you yourself become partner in crime, thereby promoting the system you complain about? Hell with all the excuses, losers!

Shame on the policeman; on that policeman and all those who ask for ‘chai-pani’ before doing their duty. Shame on ‘us’ who don’t even have the courage to say no to them. Shame on us who go for the easy way out and then call ourselves practical. Practical my foot! Bloody cowards. Losers! And that policeman who came to my house, beta tune sign karne ke liye pen maanga tha, mera Cello Gripper bhi le uda 500 ki patti ke saath!

Be the change you wish to see in the world. — Mahatma Gandhi

May 05, 2008

A Pleasant Summer Morning

Best things in the world are free. Whoever said that must surely have said it on such a beautiful morning. After days of merciless heat and humidity, when it started to drizzle last night everyone here in Doon could predict how the next day was going to be. Clouds could have been seen as cotton buds in the sky for past two days but it was last night when they chose to break their silence and speak in the language of mild thunders, with gentle lightning decorating the sky frequently. I was on the terrace, relaxing — earphones plugged in, listening to Boyzone, as cool breeze ruffled my hair. Such a cool night in hot summer is like… I don’t know how to describe, but it definitely is very pleasant! I prayed, like many in Doon must have, for rain to pour down on the summer and heat and humidity. And God was kind. And prompt! It started drizzling, man! Everything seemed so right, just the right mix, in right proportions — occasional thunder of clouds, the moon playing hide–n–seek, the cooool, soothing breeze, beautiful lightning (even lightning seemed beautiful) plus sound of water droplets striking the earth, the fresh scent of wet earth (a smell muchhh better than costliest of perfumes)… Wow! Is there anything more cheerful than a perfect, pleasant weather?

Well yeah, woke up at 5 am, it was still drizzling, but it stopped. When the
birds start chirping after a long rain, it means the rain is over now. Ah, how beautiful is that sound too — sweet chirps of little birds early in the morning! Hey, all that beauty of the night — clouds, smell of earth (less strong though), the cooool wind is still here.. And my six–month–old kitten too is in a very playful mood! Pets, they’re such a source of pleasure! How could I resist taking a walk outside in such a nice weather! So quickly got ready and stepped out in my black t–shirt and blue jeans, after combing my hair (I expected to cross path with beautiful girls!). Earphones plugged in, still listening to Boyzone. It doesn’t take even 10 steps to realize that a walk outside in such a wonderful weather is worth giving up the leisure of sleeping till late. It’s so damn cool outside! Unexpected at this time of the year. A change is always welcome when it is pleasant. Isn’t it? Ground is still wet from the rain that has just stopped. Rain has washed all that heat and dust that typify a summer morning. That night-long gentle shower has washed down the earth! Rejuvenated life into tired and complaining souls!

Old uncles are walking their dogs, aunties are religiously walking fast with their walking shoes on to reduce (which they hardly do), some tired guys jogging, pushing for that extra mile, stray dogs playfully fighting with each other, cows just standing there aimlessly amid green grass, birds’ chirps still a prominent sound, sun behind the clouds, no sign of ‘heat’ as such! Everything is just so cool, so pleasant, so so so cheerful..! And the wonderful, melodious sound of Boyzone seems even more wonderful in such a pleasant morning where everything seems just perfect, the best you can ask for!

Haha, I don’t think any of us would like to attend the usual boring, sleepy lectures today. I’ve sent SMSs to all friends, asking if they’re interested in bunking today and go to Mussoorie. A couple of replies came (obviously in affirmative), rest of the idiots are sill sleeping ;-) If the sun doesn’t come out and it remains cool (I pray so), we’ll definitely go uphill and have fun! Hmm... Gotta fuel the bike then, man!

It’s really such a beautiful morning, I wish that’s how it remains here this whole summer. Dehradun is a valley, ceiling fans were a needless entity in olden days. People in other parts of India still think Dehradun is a ‘cold’ place. Cold, did you say? Man, temperature here goes really high! In such a climate, the cool, pleasant weather that this overnight
rain has brought is just amazingly refreshing! Hell with college, I’ve enough attendance! Above 90% in all :-D Haha… Mussoorie, we’re coming!

“In the morning a man walks with his whole body; in the evening, only with his legs.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson