Records in a Journal

Reliving the GREAT old days...

2012-01-09T22:25:00.001+05:30

To come back – as alumni - to one of the most beautiful academic campuses anywhere in the world, to sit in the classrooms and walk the hostel corridors that became so much a part of our lives’ fabric not so long back, to meet professors who redefined the direction of our careers, it was a feeling that gave me goose flesh.

Spartans – the class of 2012 – played the perfect hosts to the alumni. The arrangements, from the reception desk to the allotment of accommodation, were impeccable. Crusaders, junior crusaders, pioneers, junior pioneers, patriots, champions, gladiators, there was representation from every class.

In a one year program, a class loses out on a crucial aspect of academic life – the bonds that get formed between juniors and seniors on campus. But the bonhomie evident at the alumni meet - in a matter of no time at all, all the batches were interacting with each other and with the Spartans – made for a heart-warming sight.

Professor Ashok Vasudevan’s session was thought provoking. “Industry trends descend from megatrends. The future seems to determine the present”, the professor said. He went on to dwell on the importance of having a fertile imagination, remarking, “Trend spotting involves imagination and flights of fancy”. He captivated the audience by his brilliance even as he unfurled a colourful future replete with stupendous changes in technology, agriculture and behaviour.

Professor Venkat R Krishnan addressing the alumni

Uncle Bala spoke next, elaborating on his vision for Great Lakes. As young and passionate as ever, his wit stood out. Professor Sriram admired the quality of the class of 2012 and appealed to the alumni community to support the institution in its future. Professor Venkat Krishnan, in his charming style, singled out appropriate social comparison and concern for others as reasons for happiness in life.

Lunch saw networking in full swing as it was time for all the alumni to relive shared memories. I remember feeling immensely happy sitting opposite the canteen chatting with Spartans. So many memories clouded my mind – distinct among them was sitting in the very same place a day before the market research assignment and struggling to figure out, how on earth, we were going to complete it!

Post lunch, Manik and Sitash addressed the gathering at Lake Veeranam. Their journey together post PGPM and success with Jade Magnet would certainly inspire any wannabe entrepreneur. Vivek Joseph spoke next and his passionate address would have left no one in doubt – entrepreneurship can proceed in parallel with corporate life!

The Spartans took to the stage – a video that took us down the memory lane was followed by a mimicry show by Abhilash. The music talent of the class came to the fore next with a truly incredible performance that left us hungry for more.

A fruitful session of brainstorming with Uncle Bala, Professors Sriram and TN Swaminathan resulted in actionable points to strengthen the alumni network and leverage it for the institution and its future batches.

The evening was beautiful – at the beachside, with a full moon to behold, it was a perfect finale to the day. The few minutes spent in solitude, taking in the coolness of the gentle breeze, watching the unceasing waves lit by the moon, surrounded by murmuring voices, was blissful. Floating in and out of conversations, I could catch nuggets ranging from ROI to Bharat Matrimony!

View from the hostels - At the break of dawn

During the drive back to the campus, seated next to George, I had the good fortune to listen to him talk about his school in Trivandrum for pre-school kids. The hostel corridors buzzing with activity made me wish, my great life had been a little longer!

Wish the Spartans all the very best!

Snapshots of life...an year apart

2011-12-28T22:35:00.001+05:30

Bangalore, Dec 2011 -

Deserted streets, cold winds, gloomy yellow lights, withered branches,
unsmiling couples, ugly machines, melancholic songs and a barren sky wait to devour.

Silent mornings, sleepy afternoons, uninspiring evenings and lonely nights don't help
inner turmoils, repressed emotions, hesitant steps and inchoate thoughts.

Mahabalipuram, Dec 2010 -

Bustling corridor, clean fresh air, cheerful white lights, ripe branches,
coy couples, pristine nature, nostalgic songs and a moonlit sky wait to embrace.

Pleasant mornings, busy afternoons, candor-filled evenings, garrulous nights inspire
creative flights, bold emotions, confident steps and well-rounded perspectives.

Our memories play strange games, games in which a sudden trigger unleashes a torrent of thoughts. Life over the past one month has been a roller coaster, a seesaw of emotions.

Touched, moved and inspired by her...

2011-12-27T21:13:00.000+05:30

Listening to instrumental music on this cold winter evening, my thoughts went back to her...

Unpretentious, humble, innocent, guileless, simple, childlike, pure, pristine, angelic, elegant, pretty, empathetic, straight forward, passionate and genuine, she lives life on her own terms and doesn't care two hoots about what the world thinks of her. Such unadulterated existence in a corrupted world - in a world full of shallowness, one-upmanship, buffoonery, lies, petty fights, envy and ugliness - is a rarity. No, it is not because she does not know the ways of the world. She is fully aware, yet she retains enough of a childish spirit to welcome all that the world throws at her with both hands.

About people who are ordinary mortals, one can go on and on, for their lives are multicolored. To get to their true selves in a matter of a few sentences is well nigh impossible! With her though, it is easier. She is simply an extraordinary human being. Wish her all the best in her life and pray that she stays as she is...glad that our paths crossed!

Cinnamon Gardens - Among the very best of fiction!

2011-11-20T00:00:00.000+05:30

What is the raft of "Will" and "Wont"
Against love's raging waters?
- The Tirukkural, verse 1134

Tirukkural will always remain Tamil literature's towering contribution to the world. Every chapter of Shyam Selvadurai's Cinnamon Gardens begins with one pertinent verse from Tirukkural. When I smelled and leafed through the pages of this book at the library, as I usually do, I instinctively felt I should read it.

After a long time, this novel captured my interest and held me spellbound. The amount of research that has gone into this work is admirable and deserves special mention. Set in erstwhile Ceylon in the 1920s, Shyam has managed to capture that epoch exceedingly well.

In every period in history, there are customs and traditions that are sacrosanct and inevitably in every period, there are people who dare to defy these customs. By their acts and deeds, these men and women come to exemplify the battle between the old and the new, the conservative and the liberal, the tolerant and the intolerant and the subservient and the rebellious! Cinnamon Gardens is the story of some of these men and women, how, life to them, is claustrophobic and constraining, how, they struggle to express their feelings in an environment that views them as outcast for who they are!

The caste system, woman's rights, questions of nationality, labor rights, infidelity, the Sinhalese-Tamil equation and simmering tensions, gay rights - all these - set in a upper class suburb of Colombo, with the Sea serving as the backdrop - come to life through characters sketched with the skill of a master craftsman. I kept turning the pages in feverish haste and not even a single instant, I was disappointed. One's heart would immediately warm up to the characters of Annalukshmi and Balendran.

The scale of imagination, the simple, but powerful language and the attention to minute details together result in a hugely rewarding read. A must-buy for lovers of literature, fiction and history! One review summed it up best here - " Sensual, perceptive, and wise, Cinnamon Gardens is a novel of exceptional achievement – an exquisite tapestry of lives."

Picture courtesy - http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771079566

Cold Calling Experiences

2011-11-13T10:19:00.000+05:30

This is what transpired during one of my calls -

Me: Hello, Good Morning!

Receptionist: Good morning Sir

Me: I am Sivaraman calling from company - Y

Receptionist: Okay...

Me: Can I please talk to Mr. X?

Receptionist:I would need his badge number

Me: I am sorry. What is that?

Receptionist: All our employees have a badge number Sir. You have to give me that

Me: Sorry, I don't know Mr.X's badge number. Can you look him up in the extension directory please?

Receptionist: Let me see...(a min later) Sorry Sir, I cannot find him

Me: Can you please find Mr. W then?

Receptionist: Mr. W? This is regarding?

Me: This is regarding a business meeting

Receptionist: What business Sir?

Me: Can I please talk to him directly about it? (ending with a smile)

Receptionist: Hmm...I am putting him through. Please hold

Me: Thank you!

W: Hello, W speaking, who is this?

Me: Good morning Sir! I am Sivaraman calling from Y. I got your reference from ____. Is it a good time to talk to you? Can I have 5 minutes of your time?

W: (a little hesitating) Yes...What is this regarding?

Me: Sir, this is regarding....blah blah..

This is one experience where I got to handle 3 objections and got rewarded ultimately. When making calls, it is important to handle certain objections, especially if we are calling the board number and talking to a receptionist.

Objection: Mr. X does not work here/Mr. X is in a meeting/business trip/on vacation

Counter: Can I talk to Mr. W then?

Objection: He is not available today/He is not at his desk

Counter: Is he on vacation?/Is he in a meeting?/When can I call again?/Can I have his extension number?/Can I have his email id please?

The idea is to get as much information as possible in a single call. It can get really annoying to a receptionist if we assume a rigid/matter-of-fact tone. One has to respect the time of a receptionist.
When we get to the person we want to talk to, we ideally get a maximum of 5 minutes, so, we should get to the objective of the call as quickly as possible.
Homework before calling is paramount.

The success rate of cold calling is not very high. Hence, it pays to be persistent and methodical. Cold calling should always be complemented by direct mailing and follow-ups to be effective.

Here are some articles of interest if you would want to read further -

Statistics and tips
Dilbert Comic
Mail or call

Pros and cons
Tactics
Benefits of cold calling

You are welcome to share your experiences...

PS: This is the first work related post I am making in my blog. More to come... For this post, thanks to the sales professional and friend who taught me how to handle objections...

A transformational experience!

2011-10-31T01:02:00.000+05:30

"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,Signifying nothing." - William Shakespeare, Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, 19–28.

The last 3 days of my life have been the most significant and trans-formative ever. I attended the Landmark Education Forum in Bangalore along with 220 0ther people. Though the impact of the forum is different for different people, without any shred of doubt, I can say that it leaves a person completely different. (The Landmark Forum is the first of the 3 courses of the landmark curriculum and Mahesh Nambiar, our coach was extraordinarily effective with us every moment he interacted with us)

My request to anyone reading this post is to mail me and get more details about the forum for no amount of "description" can completely communicate the real possibilities that will emerge after one does the course. Captured below are some views that would change our perspective towards life forever -

When we know the distinction between facts and opinions, we begin living

When we stop complaining to justify our current predicament, we start taking actions and our performance is directly proportional to our actions

When we stop doing things to "Look good" and instead lead a life of "integrity", we start realizing our potential

When we unravel the hidden context in our lives, we begin seeing multiple perspectives

When we listen without relating what we hear to something in our past, we are receptive

Life always happens on the court and never in the stands. Every day we keep waiting, we spend one more day in the stands!

Life is empty and meaningless. Life is nothing. Only the present moment matters, not the past, not the future. Life is "Right now"

It is possible to experience fear and be courageous in the face of fear. Many of us think, we are scared of others. What if others also think the same!

Our strengths become our identities. All of us are struck with our strengths and sometimes they can constrain our views

When we realize the various complaints we have in life, we begin seeing the costs associated with them

It is a joke that our strengths and complaints drive our lives!

When we realize what our choices in life are, we don't resist them. When we don't resist them, our career and relationships begin to operate at an entirely different plane!

All of us have lived life merely chasing one thing after the other and continuously reacting, never creating! Toys, Parents' affection, bicycles, marks/grades, vacations, engineering/medical seats, career/experience, post graduation seats, career/experience, cars, houses, international vacations, money, companionship, etc..we have chased them all and we continue to...when we see the joke, we can see the possibility of living in the current moment and being happy! When the current moment is taken care of, the subsequent moment will take care of itself!

Who am I? I am my word. I am what I commit. I am not my profession, gender, religion, caste, nationality etc

Malenaadu Magic with Cycling and More...

2011-10-27T12:47:00.000+05:30

Andrew S Grove, Co-founder and ex-CEO of Intel, writes in his memoir, ‘Swimming across’, “When my singing went well, it made me feel better about everything, even if things at school were tough. I thought I had made an important discovery. I realized that it’s good to have at least two interests in your life. If you have only one interest and that goes sour, there’s nothing to act as a counterbalance to lift your mood. But if you have more than one interest, chances are something will always go okay.” I read this book quite some time back; yet, I find that so many times in my life I have remembered it since then. In our lives, we labor and we labor hard. Some of us are fortunate enough to see those hours spent laboring bearing fruit immediately while for some others, it takes its time coming. If one has interests that are diverse, then chances are, as Grove opines, one could always find solace in any one of them and tide over testing times.

During a short break

The road, the villager, the cyclist and the poetic scenery

Cycling, trekking or for that matter any activity that is physically exerting and at the same time refreshing, unclogs the mind. In making us admire the present and the now, these activities free us from our prejudices, preoccupations and countless other inanities that cloud our minds normally. “Dude (try pronouncing it “duooode”!), during all these descents, my mind just goes completely blank”, said Sanjana when we were cycling together for a brief period on Saturday. She couldn’t have expressed the feeling better. As one turns a bend and one’s bike gathers momentum on its own, if I say that one gets to experience “nothingness”, albeit, for a few moments, I would not be exaggerating at all.

The route was Hornad – Kelaguru – Kottigehaara – Mudigere – Hanbal – Sakleshpur. What do we all long for? Serenity and beauty! It was present along the entire route for us to partake. We stopped to take short breaks numerous times and these became occasions to click pictures and exchange a few words here and there with fellow riders. Fierce determination, intensity, tiredness, happiness, bemusement, expectation and curiosity – we wore all these expressions thanks to the route and its surprises.

Whoever lives in these houses, they are blessed!

Day 1 was relatively easier compared to day 2 partly because the Sun was gentle on day 1. Special mention about the resort we had lunch at on day 1: Balur Estate – the building had class written all over with immaculate furnishing, dream interiors and an amazing ambience!

Balur Estate

Balur Estate - cozy up with a book here and one can forget the World!

Some of the sights, memories and sounds - streams of water along winding stretches, children, shy and demure waiting at a bus stop and sometimes waving to us in all fervor, women carrying firewood, insects lazily crossing the road, bike chains creaking, old men squinting to get a good view, riding alongside a fellow cyclist and listening to his/her life stories, lush green fields as far as the eye can see, mist clearing to reveal beautiful mountains and the hospitality showered on us – I’d carry from this ride would be priceless.

Any travel experience is incomplete without a few words about the people who are part of it! A soft skills trainer, my college Junior, a girl working with a NGO, a video editor, a dentist and her professor – these are some of the wonderful people, I could get acquainted with. Evidently, some of them dared take the road not taken and they were proud and passionate as they recounted their stories. Brian, Ramesh, Sanjana, Revathi, Amol, Vinay, Yashodara and Archana made for great company during the course of the ride!

Jump #1

Jump #2

My curiosity got the better of me and with some of them, I kept shooting one question after another…”TV journalism has become way too sensational whereas in documentaries, one gets to exercise more control over what one does. The content and the quality is better”, said Yashodara, who is a video editor. To me, ever curious and interested in all things to do about journalism, it was a precious nugget!

With the waterfall in the background

Return Journey - Dumb Charades in Progress

As we neared the end of the ride on day 2, Vinay found a waterfall. Hidden from view, it was a perfect full stop to an exacting morning! Our enthusiasm did not wean one bit even during the return journey. We played dumb charades with teams getting movies like Roxanne, frequently asked questions about time travel and lesbian vampire killers to act out. That all these movies could be acted out and identified by the teams says something about the whole group!

As all good things come to an end, this one too did. This, being my second ride with Cycling and More, honestly speaking, I found the whole experience more rewarding and satisfying compared to the first time. Major credit should go to Manohar and Vishy, our coordinators… Malenaadu Magic, it certainly was!

Kodachadri trek - 24, 25 Sept 2011

2011-09-30T01:20:00.000+05:30

Different moments during the trek

A vast expanse of blue, dotted with slithering flakes of white and embellished all across with shades of the purest orange; Greenery as far as the eye can see, with clouds sweeping across, as if white curtains are billowing in tandem with the direction of the wind, allowing very little sunlight to seep through - just some examples of the treat that nature bestowed on 25 odd trekkers at Kodachadri over the last weekend. For this treat, all the 25 of us are indeed indebted.

Organized by the Bangalore Mountaineering club, this trek would take its place rightfully among the best travel experiences in my life. What does a nature traveler or a trekker for that matter, seek? An escape and a communion; escape from monotony, dullness, vulgarity, trivial obsessions, watches and the whole paraphernalia that exemplifies madness; communion with beauty, clean air, variety and all the little sounds and faint smells that only the all-embracing generosity of silence can help manifest.

Kodachadri, 380 kms from Bangalore, in Shimoga district, is 1343 meters above sea level. We left Bangalore on Friday night, a little after 10 in two tempo travelers. As one by one, people boarded the tempo, my mind was engaged in feverish activity, heightened by a curiosity that every new face provoked - a curiosity that can only be fed by free flowing conversations entailing an uninhibited exchange of thoughts and carrying the instantly recognizable tone of sincerity and genuineness!

We reached Shimoga at 3.30 AM and stopped to stretch our legs; some people were in deep slumber while some others gathered outside the tempo to sip hot tea. The second tempo joined us much later and after a nearly 45 min break, we resumed. The winds had become chilly and the road ahead, winding and narrow.

We reached hallimane home stay a little before 7 AM. We had just enough time to complete our morning ablutions. Homemade coffee and rice bath awaited us for breakfast. Willem, our fellow trekker from South Africa relished the simple food and was keen to know the ingredients of every item served. I am sure he would end up finding food unpalatable back home, having had a taste of the spices here. He admitted as much.

The home stay, in typical old fashion, had a certain charm to it. The rooms with simple flooring were cozy after the long tempo journey. But soon, it was time to start the trek. Kiran, one of our two guides, briefed us. I remember Abhinav, the 6 year old kid (this was his 15^th trek!) examining all our faces during that small briefing with a scientist-like expression.

Idlumane falls - Water has never tasted so pure and so sweet or looked so welcoming before!

At the sight of Idlumane falls, like 10 year olds with no qualms and shame, almost all the guys were frolicking carelessly in the water with gay abandon in no time at all. The water was chilly but soon our bodies got acclimatized. This also gave some time for all of us to reflect on our blood donation to the leeches until then. After an exact 30 mins, as if there was a wall clock chiming somewhere nearby to remind us of the journey ahead, we changed into fresh clothes and resumed.

With fellow trekkers

To trek is to breathe clean air, cherish every step towards the horizon, share camaraderie with fellow trekkers, test the endurance levels of one's bones and muscles and above all experience a wave of thrill running through one's veins. One crosses logs, steps aside blood thirsty leeches, clears branches obstructing the path, feels pricking thorns, encounters gushing streams and listens to numerous stories from fellow trekkers. I doubt if there is a better alternative to building bonhomie and breaking ice. These extractions on the physique heightens all our senses and mentally, results in a stimulation that is hard to describe.

Nature toying with mother earth and draping herself in different attires

The trek was challenging as the terrain was unforgiving and slippery in patches. One can never predict with certainty, the flora and fauna, the next 100 meters in a typical trek would reveal and this one was no different. This readiness to embrace uncertainty and endure a pleasant hardship, perhaps, prepares the mind to be receptive unleashing creativity in the process.

As late afternoon approached, we hit the jeep track. The forest department guest house was visible in the far distance and we were surrounded on all sides by mountains draped in lush green. I found myself walking alongside fellow trekkers in groups of twos and threes, catching nuggets of conversations, sneaking in and out of them, pitching in with a few remarks, but mostly happy just listening in.

We reached the guest house around 4 PM and had a late lunch of sambar rice, rasam rice and butter milk. The facilities were basic but none of us were looking for comforts anyway. After tea, armed with torches and decked in warm clothes, we climbed further towards the sunset point. Alas, mist did not let us take in the complete beauty of the surroundings. Adi Shankaracharya is believed to have meditated at the temple near the sunset point. Philosophically and quite poignantly, the temple had a certain disquieting eeriness about it, with gentle winds ringing in darkness and dangerously plunging depths just a few feet from its perimeter.

The sole of my shoe gave away and I was beginning to get worried about the rest of the trek, but fortunately, I was able to pull on. With the torches lighting our way down to the guest house, we descended. We had more than an hour to go before dinner and so we listened to a few songs, fooled around pointing torches at one another and at the sky to spot constellations and planets.

Even in the absence of electricity, we felt perfectly happy admiring all the stars which appeared to suddenly advertise their huge numbers. In the city, one rarely has time to pause and admire the night sky and moon light, but here, far removed from the hustle and bustle, we realized how powerful even reflected light could be!

Stepping into the house, we found Pravin narrating stories of snakes, cobras in particular. In rapt attention, we listened. The room was lit by two wicks with the flames flickering slowly to the gentle breeze.

Post dinner, some chose to sleep indoors while some others (including yours truly) opted for tents. Snuggling inside the tent, loving the warmth and coziness, I listened to Hemacharan talking about work, love and the broader challenges of everyday existence. Before I realized, it was 4.45 AM and I could hear sounds outside the tent. People were waking up to catch the sunrise.

Sunrise - To catch sight of this is to experience bliss

The sunrise I was fortunate enough to behold that morning is one of the most beautiful things I have laid my eyes on. As layers of white clouds on the horizon arranged and rearranged themselves against subtle shades of blue, an orange ball propped itself up from behind the brown and green vegetation of the mountains. Such a powerful and revered thing, it looked so insignificant and powerless for a few moments! We clicked numerous pictures, unable to believe our good fortune!

Back at the base camp, we got ready for the day ahead. By 7.30 AM, we started the climb down via the jeep track. At regular intervals, we stopped to munch sundry things that each of us had. Dry fruits, buns, biscuits, energy drinks, chocolate bars, Glucon - D packets - we shared them all. Abhilash and I found ourselves interviewing Rakesh, the city editor of Bangalore mirror. He patiently answered all our questions, in the process, giving us a sneak preview into the behind-the-scenes happenings of the media industry. Reporters, stories, deadlines, common sense, networking, page 3, civic issues - the more we talked, the more I came to envy Rakesh!

As we neared our destination, We found a stream just a km before the home stay and gladly jumped in again to cavort a second time in as many days.

Shivvapanika fort @ Nagara

On the way back to Bangalore, after a late breakfast at the home stay, we reached Shivvapanika fort around 1 PM. At the entrance to the fort, we spotted a cobra and soon, we were milling around it trying to capture its each and every move on lens. Pravin patiently held it for us to click and touch. With Willem's help, we thought, he almost trapped it inside a sleeping bag but the next second, it emerged out slithering rapidly towards the village kids who had gathered about. The drama reached its zenith when Pravin ran behind it and in a flash, had it again in his control!

Tryst with a cobra at the entrance to the fort

The fort, massive in its expanse, was every bit picturesque, with a view of a lake, dense greenery, grazing cows and distant villages.

Our tempo driver drove as if there was no tomorrow and for a good 10 minutes, we raced with a two wheeler.

After a heavy lunch at Shimoga, Abhilash suggested that we play Antakshari. Sindhu kicked off the fun with her sweet rendition of a classic. Sathya, Sandeep and Sundeep, along with Kiran pitched in while Yousuf and Shantanu took part too adding to the fun quotient. When we exhausted all the typical Antakshari songs, Abhilash, Sandeep and Rakesh talked about affairs of the heart. As the others gathered around them, the tempo with its yellow light provided a perfect poetic backdrop.

A brief drama ensued with a technical problem in one of the tempos. It gave an opportunity for all of us to come together one last time to tell our goodbyes. Most of us got emotional for it is certainly rare when an intense and warm bonding in a large and diverse group develops just in 2 days.

Hoping that I keep running into all these wonderful people I met for the first time in these two days. In a socially connected world, it is quite possible for most of us to go on to become good friends...!

Cycling in nature's backyard - 2 days of ethereal experience!

2011-09-14T23:47:00.000+05:30

"Don't aim at success - the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued" - Viktor Frankl in Man's search for meaning.

In our everyday lives, we are continuously chasing something. Now, whether we admit it or not, this chase, this running around, takes its own toll on our health and mental well being. Most of us chase success or happiness, which we believe is a consequence of success. If only it were true or if only success or happiness can be chased and obtained! What this running around does to us is that it makes us preoccupied and we forget to appreciate the beauty, the present can bring can bring to our lives.

But, if we choose to remove ourselves from the context or the setting - our workplaces, the routes to our workplace, in other words, the whole routine with all its dull details around it - we are certainly able to transform ourselves into different beings altogether. What if we get onto a cycle and decide to drive for 130 odd kilometers amidst lush greenery and dense forests with intermittent showers and the perennial sound of running water? Our true, original, unblemished, childlike self breaks through, in all its curiosity to experience LIFE.

A group of 35 youngsters, thanks to cycling and more, came together over the last weekend (10th and 11th September, 2011). The purpose was to have fun whilst cycling in nature's backyard - God's own country! Spread over two days, with food and accommodation arranged by the organizers, all that the participants had to do was to enjoy cycling.

During the overnight journey from Bangalore (we started from the hockey grounds at Shanti Nagar), I was seated next to Alfonso, a Mexican. We talked of sundry things - his experience working for Wipro, living in Bangalore and Chennai, embedded software, Latin American literature...The convoy was made up of 3 vehicles - one ferrying the participants and 2 vans (canters) carrying the cycles.

Day 1 - Saturday

We reached Bhagamandala, 8 kms from Tala cauvery at a quarter-to-5 in the morning. We got a good 3 hours to get ready, have breakfast and assemble with our bikes. (some of the junta had got their own bikes while the majority, including yours truly opted for a rented one) The Great Lakes gang (Purnendu, Sakthi, Satya, Omkar, Vinod, Ashwin and me) together with Karthik soon came to be known to the other riders as the Chennai gang. Catching up with fellow gladiators as part of something like a cycling expedition - I had never even dreamed of, so I was thrilled no end!

The ride started at 8.15. It was drizzling slightly. With imported cycles, track pants/shorts/cycling shorts, T-shirts and helmets, the 35 of us - we made quite a sight to the onlookers, the locals. We had maximum fun during the first few kilometers; tiredness had not crept in, the views along the route were breathtaking and the feel of one's shoes against the pedals, blissful! There were numerous mini waterfalls dotting the route - water gushing through boulders and crevices on the mountains lining the narrow road.

Till Panathur, the cycling entailed no effort at all, except braking at the right moments during the sharp turns. The road was sloping down and there was hardly any traffic. We met a few kids on their way to school. They smiled and waved to us and we enjoyed the attention. We encountered signboards informing us that we were close to wildlife. The density of the trees and the sound of water together gave us the feeling of riding through lush greenery in a wall paper.

At Panathur, we entered the panathur-kanhangad road, SH 56 and with that, we had set foot or rather cycles in God's own country. The route became a little more challenging and demanding. A lot of autos and two-wheelers, kids in groups, all smiling and giggling, locals on foot in search of firewood, people waiting patiently at bus stops, old men with walking sticks, lone womenfolk washing, occasionally, a bus brimming with people, people reclining on comfortable chairs on house verandas overlooking the highway, bored shopkeepers manning petty shops - this is what Kerala threw at us; we lapped it up all and our hunger increased even as lunch time was drawing near. The rains that gave us company every now and then added to the fun element.

Suddenly we took a turn to behold a function right by the roadside. Men and women in traditional Kerala attire were dancing to a melodious tune that sounded otherworldly to the ears that had got used to meaningless bollywood fare. A small crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. We stopped to click pictures. I caught up with two fellow riders - Sulaiman Khwaja and Rekha Goel - whom I would religiously follow later in the day.

For lunch, we stopped at Odayanchal at 12.45 - We had covered nearly 50 kms crossing Rajapuram, another large town after Panathur. The rice bath and curd rice with pickle and dry chilli, that was our lunch, tasted delicious. At 13.15, we were back to pedaling. The first 3 kms was strenuous. It required all our effort to pedal as the altitude was on the higher side. I soon caught up with Rekha and Sulaiman and then struck to a simple goal, I set myself - trailing them. When they slowed down, I slowed down; when they stopped for short breaks, I did the same. It was sheer fun, asking for routes from locals and riding through potholes as evening approached.

Barely a few kms before Bekal fort, my chain gave away and it took 5 minutes of intense concentration to fix it. Sporting a wide smile, I made it to Bekal fort - 83 kms in 8 hours!

At the fort, I quenched my thirst with 2 glasses of butter milk and 2 glasses of lemon soda; God bless that lady! With the whereabouts of Satya and his friend remaining mysterious, there were a few tense moments. The fort, spread over a large tract of land was breathtaking and the view of the beach with the waves dashing with an astonishing ferocity against the rocks, disconcerting and awe-inspiring at the same time!

The Chennai gang decided to make its own way to Kasaragod. It was a backbreaking journey - with 8 people packed inside an auto, you can imagine very well, the state we were in, when we disembarked at speedway inn. A hot water bath after such an exhausting day resulted in a sound, deep, dreamless slumber.

Day 2 - Sunday

We started from Kasaragod at 7.30 on Sunday towards Jalsoor, 48 kms away on the border between Karnataka and Kerala. The 7.5 km stretch towards Cherakala warmed up our muscles and later, we regrouped briefly thinking we had crossed the breakfast point. After clarifications, we continued to Bovikanam. The breakfast of hot idlis and vada provided just the right amount of energy to traverse the most difficult 5 kms of the whole expedition. Very steep, we had to walk a good distance to cover that stretch.

The fact that I had company this time around too helped. Omkar, Sanjay, Aravind, Jagadeesh and Alfonso happened to lead and trail me in turns. The sun was out and with considerable effort we continued. Even though it was tiring, the dynamics of the group kept us going. A smile, a nod, a twinkle of the eye, a thumbs-up sign from a stranger - these kept us going.

5 kms before Jalsoor, we came across a most beautiful hanging bridge. Alfonso and Jagadeesh rode their bikes across the length of the bridge while we rapidly clicked pictures. In a scene straight out of a movie, two kids - a boy and a girl, must have been less than 10 years old - holding each other's hand and smiling ear-to-ear, crossed the bridge. It would be one sight that I would never forget for some time. It is a pity that I don't have that picture with me!

At Jalsoor, we waited for the other riders to arrive, clicked a lot of pictures and boarded the bus to Sulya. After lunch at Sulya, it was time to hop on for the longer journey back to Bangalore.

If it was one thing that this expedition taught me, it was not to give up. Many a time, we get so close to our goals, but give up. It is important then to forget the goal momentarily and instead enjoy the journey. The goal itself becomes a side-effect then. As Viktor Frankl said, it would ensue eventually!

PS: If my mobile had escaped the deft hands of a pick-pocket-er, I could have shared some pics that I myself took but none of them would have matched Purnendu's magic! All pics courtesy - Purnendu! You can also read his account here

Lonely existence

2011-09-06T14:44:00.000+05:30

Whoever would wish to wallow in the waves of loneliness?

In the midst of family, friends, relatives and acquaintances,

to feel no appetite, no energy and no life around, to remain

uninspired by the pleasant weather...Indeed,

When the pleasant weather appears to revel in sadistic glee,

when the smile of the kid next door seems plastic,

when the absence of any rustle of the leaves looks

a grave premonition of an impending gloom, when all

the nice things around, appear drifting and momentary,

when no amount of running away seems to bring inner peace,

when cheerful friends are tested by an unforgiving fate,

when everyone one turns to carries a demon - silent and

lurking, bidding its time to unleash its wrath - limbs lose energy,

hunger gets bottled up, eyelids begin to droop, one begins to

yearn for a long sleep - hoping that sleep will wash away

the pangs of one's lonely existence!

Alas, sleep decides to wreak its own vengeance for all the

happy hours of yesteryear - it digs up

memories long forgotten. A dull pain takes over, numbing

the senses into inaction...the only cozy retreat is a strained silence!

Bol - disrobes reality, shocks, angers, stuns, numbs and...

2011-09-03T11:26:00.000+05:30

Bol by Shoaib Mansoor, the critically acclaimed director of Khuda Kay Liye, is brutally hard-hitting cinema. When movie makers choose to depict societal evils, they have a choice - either they can pay lip service and make the depiction an insignificant sidetrack or they can choose to take the bull by the horns - that is when they do real justice to their craft!

What is cinema without storytelling? When the story entertains, we appreciate it because we want to escape reality. In living our fantasies through our cinematic idols, we revel in their exploits, dance steps, riches, conquests and triumphs! When the story is closer home in its grounding, we tend to sometimes brush it aside, choosing to label it, 'not for the faint hearted/weak hearted'/ 'bold'/'hard-hitting'/'art cinema' etc. By categorizing movies as mass entertainers, we have started committing a grave injustice, injustice to the intellect of the masses.

Set in Pakistan, in a quasi-urban landscape,Bol is the story of a single family's travails and tribulations. Hakim Saab (Manzar Sehbai) in his quest for a male child ends up with seven daughters and a hermaphrodite. The most rebellious and vociferous in the household, the eldest daughter, Zainab (Humaima Malick) confronts her father every time his ego and male chauvinism shackles the household. Child sexual abuse, the perils of growing up as a girl child in an ultra conservative and feudal environment, corruption in police ranks, prostitution, societal attitude towards hermaphrodites, their humiliations, Shia-Sunni divide, all compounded by a single man's egoism and chauvinism - this is Bol!

Ayesha (Mahirah Khan Askari) is lucky enough to be charmed by Mustafa (Atif Aslam), the boy next door. She falls in love with him and among Zainab's many crimes in the eyes of her father, giving Ayesha's hand to Mustafa is also one. Humaima and Manzar are both excellent, the former in her restrained anger and agony, verbal barbs and jibes and the latter in his seething hatred of his eldest daughter and his inability to reconcile with his conscience. Atif gets to emote little, Mahirah is just OK and the other girls end up as helpless spectators of a charged battle. The movie disrobes reality,shocks, angers, stuns, numbs and in the end, leaves us with a flicker of hope - a hope that is beautiful in its potential to transform lives.

Cinematography in the song 'Hona tha pyar' is awesome. It manages to juxtapose the natural beauty of the landscape alongside the frail existence of Mustafa and Ayesha. Among other songs, Dil Janiya is my favorite. Mumkin hai is the very voice of hope! Shoaib Mansoor, hats off, hope this serves as an inspiration to other talented craftsmen in the sub continent.

Perhaps, it is high time, the masses too start asking themselves - do we want movies that are escapist or do we want movies that question accepted norms and ask uncomfortable questions? With the World in turmoil - debt crisis, austerity measures, Arab dissent and frustration with farcical democracies - isn't it time for cinema to become a vehicle of the collective and for the collective, in articulating their real voices for a change? The scope and potential is huge, who has the guts to take the plunge?

Sometimes...

2011-09-01T21:04:00.000+05:30

I wish I have a time machine to

go back in time and live the best days of my life all over again...
play cricket in those back alleys and large grounds...
chatter ceaselessly on topics one would forget after 5 minutes...
take those early morning walks admiring the lush fields and the rising sun...
travel by local trains standing on the foot-boards...
admire the last few girls who cross the railway tracks as the train leaves...
wait for the mother's call sharp at 7 PM as she returns from work...
rush for school right at 8.55 AM after the last bollywood song is played on DD's morning show...
cuddle up on the terrace steps with a novel...
wake up listening to devotional songs on All India Radio...
try and measure the length of one's shadows at different times of the day...
fight for trivial things with my brother...
see cricket matches with my father late into the night...

Alas, its sad that we ought to grow up at all!

Jan lok pal movement - The Poster boy of middle class India

2011-09-01T10:16:00.000+05:30

In a country as diverse as India, with a political class that has till date deftly managed to evade any accountability whatsoever, the middle class has bore the major brunt of all its failings. The rich have been able to bulldoze their way by dint of their wealth, flouting it to negotiate any hurdle on their way to more riches. The poor have always had to grapple with something more basic than corruption. Corruption begins to affect one when the basics are in place - food, clothing, shelter and water in Maslow's hierarchy. The shrewd political class realizing this, has successfully orchestrated a subsidy culture to give illusory and momentary happiness to the poor. By playing on their emotions and sentiments, they have also nurtured vote-bank politics, thereby bidding accountability goodbye.

Alas, now the real backbone behind India's growth stories - the IT engineers, the bio-technologists, the research scholars and the parents who toil hard to make sure that their sons and daughters make it to the IITs and the IIMs - they have woken up and are demanding accountability. The real taxpayer is finally standing up! This would not have been possible without an able leadership - a person who stands for middle class values - in Anna Hazare and his team.

Let us look at what is now core team Anna -

Arvind Kejriwal - Business today calls him a clean-up crusader and fittingly so! His life, his brainchild - Parivartan - the locality he lives in, exemplify a middle class upbringing, values and lifestyle. With an IIT background and a Raman Magsaysay award against his name, his experiments with grassroot level local governance models gives him a lot of credibility among the middle class.

Kiran Bedi - "Kiran's father, a talented tennis player, and her mother, a brilliant student whose schooling had been curtailed by early marriage, were determined that their daughters would have every opportunity to achieve their own life goals. One inspired her and her sisters to be tennis champions and, more importantly, to be people who had dreams and sought to achieve them. The other ensured that they would be healthy and fit to achieve those dreams." - led a life that is inspirational to this day for all middle class Indians, one in which she grabbed every opportunity to become the person she is now.

Prashant Bhushan - "On the rights of minorities and the dispossessed, on judicial accountability, on civil freedoms, on environmental concerns, he has prised open new spaces where earlier there was only opacity. He has helped keep democratic institutions responsive." - through his impeccable conduct in public life has endeared himself to the middle class by standing for what they hold dear, ethical conduct.

The middle class see themselves in these fellow citizens and are no doubt drawn into the movement in large numbers because of this fact. Anna Hazare is that figure, the middle class would love as a leader. By donning the Gandhian cap, what Anna has made possible in today's age and pace is that, practices that are deemed impractical and ineffective - peaceful protest, fasting - can actually yield results. These practices, curiously, are not ones in which action is immediately tangible. Paradoxically, in making the youth rally behind these, what Anna and team have demonstrated is the resilience of Gandhian methods.

Democracy - really?

As Santosh Desai points out in his book, Mother Pious lady (replete with insightful analysis on every attribute of India's middle class) - "It can be successfully argued that India is an election-o-cracy more than it is a democracy, in that the primary quest of the democratic process is to allocate power. The exercise of that power, once gained, is subject to much looser standards of performance. The key idea of elections in India revolves around power and not mandate, patronage not policy." He actually asks the question: "Instead of seeing ourselves as a democracy, what if we really are a distorted form of elective and distributive monarchy?" When self anointed intellectuals talk of Indian democracy and constitutional methods, they should perhaps reflect a bit more on these.

Given that we are not really a democracy in the true sense of the term and that the middle class has been ignored by the political class, the fact that have come together in staggering numbers to rally behind a cause that matters most to them, is something that should be taken notice of. Whether all the clauses of the civil society's Jan Lok Pal get accepted or not, what the movement has very successfully done is unite middle class India across caste, community and regional identities. The weight of their numbers has for once been made obvious to the political fraternity.

As the middle class gains more and more clout thanks to the opportunities that are expanding, in a globalized world, they will continue to draw inspiration from other movements and revolutions world over. A political change that is radical can only be brought by a revolution at the grassroots level. Be it the one that swept the streets of Cairo not long back or the one that is sweeping the small towns of India currently, both share a common thread - the people who ignited them are serious about it and will keep at it until they see their wants realized. If the political class cannot read the signs staring at their face, no amount of sloganeering can save them when they stand at the altar!

Chitradurga diary part 2 - 3 days of fun and adventure in nature's lap

2011-08-22T20:27:00.000+05:30

Rock climbing –

During the warm-up to rock climbing, a new word entered our lexicon – “Ji-goo-ja”. Brainchild of our instructor Prabhu, we swayed to its every syllable and laughed our lungs out in the process! The short trek to the rock - that would be our object to scale for the day - proved to be the perfect occasion for cameras and sun glasses to come out. With the Chitradurga fort and the wind mills in the distance, the scenery around us slowly and surely, like a magnet with just about the right attractive powers, drew us into its embrace.

Fears – how do we deal with them? Mostly we try to circumvent them or carefully postpone their onset by trying our best to avoid them as far as possible. There are exceptions though. Sometimes, more than our own belief in our capabilities, we might just discover that others around us may believe strongly. That is the most opportune moment to confront our fears and emerge on top.

In other words, when “I can do this” becomes a little tough, “you can do it”, heard a 100 times magnified, repeated over and over again, might just work. Rock climbing, to the majority of us, had a similar effect. In a group that had come together with the sole objective of indulging in adventure, this encouragement, which constantly floated in the air, subtly aided in bonding.

The bravehearted and the supremely confident among us took to rock climbing like fish to water (Niles bhai for example), while for the rest (the category of the lesser mortals), it took time to build that confidence thanks to the “You can do it” shouts in large measure.

Raghav – an inspiration -

Raghav, when he made the climb, stood out with his attitude. He writes in his blog space – “I have a hunger to do everything whichever is possible in this life including a space travel. I love good food, theater plays, music, adventure sports and all that where I can live the life to the fullest.” His attitude towards life is highly inspiring. He has not let his vision impair his dreams in any manner – indeed, positive attitude and optimism should have Raghav as synonym!

Exhilarating experience –

I was among the last ones to climb – to get a grip just before the summit, one had to back oneself and give one final heave – the best part of the 3 minute exercise was that single moment! Even the best experiences crystallize into some intense moments – it was such a moment.

Cave exploration -

After rock climbing, instead of heading for lunch, we decided to do some cave exploration. Led by Prabhu and armed with torches, we marched. The first few caves that we entered were all small and relatively easier to navigate. The coolness of the rocks, despite the searing sun right above, kept us going. Soon enough, we were staring at paths that were overbearing in their resolve to hinder our progress.

We had to bend, squat, squeeze through, slide, crawl and long jump – through all this, there was a buzz of slight tension in the air. A journey is thrilling when we know not where our next step will take us! This certainly was one such journey.

Luncheon –

Still marveling at the labyrinthine maze we had just traversed, we took a much needed lunch break. Rice and rotis found their way into our stomachs in almost no time. Numerous monkeys surrounded us, intently watching our every move for lapses in concentration, but alas, our focus on the task at hand was so complete for them to find any opening :)

Life king-size –

Man has, since time immemorial, tried to outdo nature and every time, fallen short. Be it the construction of dams and zoos or cloning, he has been unable to reconcile to the fact that he is simply not good enough to match up to the creator with the capital C. But, if ever, he came close to emulating His feat, it must be during the reign of kings who encouraged architecture and sculpture. Ankali cave exemplified one such piece of architecture. Undoubtedly, once a lavish abode of royalty, it is now a sad remnant of its glorious past – the Indian penchant to scribble on temple walls extending to caves! With one meticulous piece of architecture leading to the next, Prabhu briefed us patiently on what we saw– down to every minute detail.

Small town life -

With enormous effort, we dragged ourselves towards the bus. Alighting at the Chitradurga town, all around us, we found signs of life in a small town – the demurely dressed women and buses and autos moving about leisurely. There was a slow rhythm to life that made me envious of the people of the district. Living life on the less maddening slow lane, people seemed relaxed and so sure of their future – there was optimism in the air.

Camping –

Back at our accommodation, while people waited for their turns to get refreshed, some of us got down to the exciting activity of pitching tents. Me, Sayan and Dada unwrapped one and did a decent job with it – I remembered the evening after I had trekked to the top of Kumara Parvatha peak, an evening truly adventurous! Dinner was spent recounting the events of the day – tiredness that had engulfed all of us hours back had given way to incessant chatter and laughter.

Chitradurga diary part 1 - 3 days of fun and adventure in nature's lap

2011-08-17T23:25:00.000+05:30

Plans, excitement and the journey to base camp –

“Nature is not, of course, always benign and beautiful. It can be frightening and terrifying also.

Not too many generations ago, raw nature and wilderness tended to inspire fear and dread in "civilized" people.

They represented Otherness and the Unknown. That which is "wild" is also "bewildering".

Today, wilderness is usually considered to be something good and in need of preservation.

The beauty and awesomeness of it dominate our attention.

We are attracted by wilderness, the Otherness of it, the sense it is something inevitably outside of us.

Always beyond us, it is what is ultimately real.

We cannot adequately appreciate this aspect of nature if we approach it with any taint of human pretense.

It will elude us if we allow artifacts like clothing to intervene between ourselves and this Other.

To apprehend it, we cannot be naked enough.

In Wildness is the preservation of the world.” Who else but Henry David Thoreau could have expressed so beautifully mankind’s tryst with nature? He says somewhere else, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” If something can best sum up the experience of 24 adventurers in Chitradurga district (~200 kms from Bangalore) nestled in the wilderness, these quotes would come very close!

Indeed, a city with all its attractions and scope for entertainment, fails to offer its inhabitants, the opportunity to enjoy some finer pleasures of life – the pleasures of hearing the sounds winds can make or those of seeing a rusty gate leading to a battered pathway covered in dense fog!

24 people from different backgrounds and professions signed up for an adventurous event – the Jogi Matti Adventure camp organized by Nisarga. There was little else except a strong passion – a passion to explore nature and indulge in adventure – that connected all of us. At the end of 3 days though, through the course of some demanding physical activity, we found enough common interests in each other to exchange numbers.

It all started with a mail – so attractive was the itinerary that I decided to be part of it in almost no time! The journey to the base camp till the forest department guest houses at the Jogimatti hill station was infused with a lot of anticipation and excitement. As people got in and settled in their seats, the introductions and conversations slowly started. The most happening row was the last row with Nilesh alias Niles bhai, Vijetha alias Viji, Vinay, Raj and Jayalakshmi uproariously crackling with laughter.

Morning @ the camp –

Nature has its own unique way of often, exposing humanity for what we really are – almost a nonentity when compared with its combination of ferociousness and generosity. The fog and the chillness in the atmosphere, thanks to the windy conditions, were the first signs of our encounter with raw nature – unblemished, untrammeled, pristine and towering in its entire splendor.

The watch tower, as we climbed up to it, was inviting. With every step up, our hearts filled with fresh, unpolluted air – lots of it! Reaching the top, we wandered to the corners to have a look at the surroundings. The fog teased and lured us – it hid more than it revealed and the titillation was almost sexual in its rawness. Our instructor Prabhu -with his child like smile, he captured our hearts over the next 3 days – elaborated on the geography of the place; freezing cold winds that can topple cars and a wildlife encompassing sloth bears and leopards – it thrilled us no end!

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara – Redefining what hindi cinema stands for!

2011-08-08T20:43:00.000+05:30

Every journey of self discovery entails confronting and battling inner demons. All of us, with few exceptions, have problems in life that we prefer to paper over so that they take root deep in our subconscious and we end up carrying them like hidden badges! Often, the answers to one’s problems lie within us and not with others. If only, we have the courage to admit to ourselves that, day in and day out, the reason we are unhappy or the reason we are not able to strike successful friendships or relationships is, perhaps, we either think too far ahead or brood far too long in the past! We fail to “seize the day” as Katrina Kaif puts it aptly in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

Arjun - In some cases, the problem might be fundamental, for example, it may lie in what we seek from life. If we seek money from our work instead of challenge or fun or excitement, we can never be happy, for no amount of money will ever be enough. On the other hand, if we continue working in unhealthy environments imagining that we are addressing challenges, then too, the road might lead to a dead end. The key is to strike the right pact with work – balancing priorities at every step!

Kabir - In other cases, the problem might arise if we sacrifice our happiness and joy to see someone else happy or please someone else. While this is a little tricky based on who the “someone else” is, beyond a certain point, it is better if we acknowledge upfront that, “to me, my happiness should matter more than anything else!” While some might argue that this is a selfish stand to take, aren’t we all selfish? Why the duplicity then when it comes to admitting it?

Imran – In some other cases, we attribute to ourselves, a greater ability to discern what is right and what is bad than we can actually take credit for. A most dangerous trait, this can lead to an existence in ignorance, while putting on a confident façade. Oblivious to the good judgment and feelings of our near and dear ones, in these cases, we close our ears and fail to listen.

This movie compels the protagonists to confront these problems as it takes the viewer on a fantastic journey through the length and breadth of the Spanish landscape. Conquering one’s deep seated fears also means choosing to break barriers that we have fashioned for ourselves. During the course of a road trip, our actors realize that, the reassuring presence of close friends away from familiar surroundings can be the perfect driver to be themselves. All three shed their masks, act foolish and begin doing what they truly like.

Dotted with excellent poetry oozing the class of Javed Akhtar, the movie strikes a chord with the viewer not because it is unrealistic, but because, it convincingly conveys the message that self discovery entails a journey into the very recesses of one’s mind! Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol play characters far meatier than Saif Ali Khan, Aamir Khan and Akshay Khanna in Dil Chahta hai. Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin too get to play unconventional roles. This movie is also a complete ‘Watch with friends’ one, albeit of a slightly serious kind with the protagonists having to make far more difficult choices. Perhaps, the poetry in the movie is the ultimate hero – kudos to the genius of Javed Akhtar!

Yeh jo gehre sannate hain

Waqt ne sabko hi baante hain

Thoda ghum hai sabka qissa

Thodi dhoop hai sabka hissa

Aankh teri bekaar hi nam hai

Har pal ek naya mausam hai

Kyun tu aise pal khota hai

Dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai

Dilon me tum apni betabiyan leke chal rahe ho,to zinda ho tum

Nazar me khwaabon ki bijliyan leke chal rahe ho,to zinda ho tum

Hawa ke jhokon ke jaise aazad rehno sekho

Tum ek dariya ke jaise lehron mein behna sekho

Hr ek lamhe se tum milo khole apni baahein

Hr ek pal ek naya sama dekhe nigahein

Jo apni ankhon mein hairaniya leke chal rahe ho,to zinda ho tum

Dilon mein tum apni betabiaya leke chal rahe ho,to zinda ho tum

Mumbai - A city unparalleled in its magnanimity

2011-07-25T23:18:00.000+05:30

"Magnanimity - kind and generous, especially to someone that you have defeated"

Mumbai, a city of dreams to most Indians, a city that has been catapulted onto the World imagination thanks to its slums, the crowds in its local trains, its monsoons, bollywood movies and of late, bomb blasts! A city whose resilience and fighting spirit finds mention often in different contexts - when I set foot in it, I felt the thrill that only adventure and excitement can provoke.

"Nobody judges you here. You can do whatever you want!", my friend remarked when we were in Juhu beach. Her remark would, perhaps, best sum up the perception that an outsider would get as he lands in this city. Swarming with busy people, it is a city that deludes one into believing that the whole of humanity, especially in this particular mass of land, is constantly on the run - running in all directions imaginable! Indeed, if one just waits in a corner and starts observing people in the city, one can feel one's pulse start to throb.

11.45 PM, Friday night, Dadar railway station: We were in the Churchgate - Virar fast local. The train had not even come to a complete stop and people were trying to get in jostling each other. Such is the spirit of the city that only the strongest survive. Either the weak slowly reconcile themselves to a hopeless existence or simply give up too soon. The city is unforgiving and ruthless to people whose will is fragile. Sometimes, it is magnanimous and lets the weak eke out a living relegating them to footpaths and pavements, leaving them to the mercy of the natural elements during monsoons and just about extending a protecting arm.

Pali Hill, Bandra (W) - home for the rich and the affluent. BMWs and Skodas glide across the lanes in all their splendor. A few kilometres away on the way to Mahim railway station, there is poverty in all its gruesome form - children crawling on pavements and mothers trying to make rotis. Families living under flyovers and men cleaning themselves with hardly any privacy - some sights that I would carry with me.

Mumbai is a city that defies even the most fertile imagination. As another of my friends said, sometimes it just doesn't care. It tramples over people's souls and revels in delight even as they struggle. When everyday life is hard, it bestows in mankind a strange nature - one that is a little more caring. Thanks to this spirit, the people of the city have taken it upon themselves to resist what they perceive as the city's might. They think that if in some manner or the other, they don't care for each other, the beast that the city is, it shall swallow them up. Hence one comes across people who go out of their way to help strangers.

It is an everyday battle here - between this beast and humanity and it is this battle that is intriguing to a stranger. He is drawn to it like a magnet and the clever beast, with its lure of promises, continuously devours humanity, slowly, but surely. Mumbai is a city waiting to explode but shall never explode; it is a tightrope walk in which the person treading the rope always appears to lose, but manages to triumph in the end! The man on the rope is either very shrewd in his manoeuvrings, but on the other hand, the rope might just be teasing him without his knowing!

Diary of a single girl - What is TOI up to?

2011-06-29T22:41:00.000+05:30

Sample these for a mainstream newspaper's magazine content on a Sunday -

"I have the breasts of a Greek goddess and they are real. Just that I don’t appreciate some girl pushing her twins into my man’s face."

"My opening line to guys is, “If you fall in love with me, I will run away.” I don’t hate men. Au contraire… it’s just that I’d sooner let a man into my pants, than in my heart."

"I woke at about 9am and was just about to open the attached bathroom door, when it opened and out walked out K — stark naked — towel on his head, drying his hair. He was as shocked to find me standing there (wearing nothing but a top and my thong, having kicked off my jeans sometime during the night) as I was to see him"

Every Sunday, I look forward to TOI, relish reading it and savor every word. Over the last few weeks however, I sense if something is not wrong. What is the TOI team trying to sell with this column - Diary of a single girl?

I hate taking the moral high ground. After all, a reader need not necessarily read every column in a newspaper. However, carrying a column like this on a sunday makes me wonder if reader tastes are changing.

Are we calling ourselves liberal by setting yardsticks like this?

What role models are young women reading these columns getting?

Aren't posts like this feeding into the stereotypes associated with the female body and male libido?

Where do we draw lines to writing like this?

I know not. I only know that single girls who write diaries like this are not the kind of girls India needs right now. If this viewpoint is regressive, perhaps it is and I shall stand by it!

Boy with a suitcase - When art transcends boundaries

2011-06-19T18:45:00.010+05:30

"My father waved; the bus turned a corner; that was it; I was on my own", says Naz (played by Shrunga) in the play "Boy with a suitcase" written by British writer Mike Kenny. Uprooted by war from his home, Naz is packed off into a bus by his parents. The play weaves together Naz's experiences along his journey to find his sister at London. Throw in a universal theme (war refugee), a cast comprising Indians and Germans, exemplary music, brilliant acting and a bagful of lighthearted stories - Boy with a suitcase is a typical example of art transcending boundaries.

Directed by Andrea Gronemeyer, the play is an outcome of collaboration between Schnawwl theater, Mannheim, Germany and Arundhati Nag's Ranga Shankara in Bangalore. This play shows how fruitful and beautiful, successful collaborations in theater can be.

Naz grows up listening to his mother telling him stories of Sindbad the Sailor. Much like Sindbad, Naz sees adventures in adversities and regales his girl companion along the journey, Krysia (played by Simone Oswald) with funny stories. The two meet when Naz boards a bus which takes them along deserts, and bond closer when a few soldiers board the bus. Krysia becomes a fan of Naz's stories as they run for their lives escaping wolves and later, a man who wants Krysia to be nice with him.

Interspersed with excellent music that stands in for storms, commotions of a busy city and rough waters, the play makes the audience laugh, think and keeps them engrossed. Creative use of the stage and props also stands out. Naz and Krysia are innocent and adorable together. The narrator (played by David Benito Garcia) is vibrant and full of energy.

I should consider myself lucky to catch this play today. The audience, as is the norm at Ranga Shankara is generous in their applause for a good show. Today, we gave a standing ovation to the cast and crew when it was curtains time. I was very tempted to catch the 7.30 show also!

As a theater buff, I sincerely appreciate the effort. The hard work behind the scenes showed.

More info -

Complete Cast: Coordt Linke, David Benito Garcia, Konarak Reddy, MD Pallavi, Nikolai Jegorow, Shrunga BV and Simone Oswald
Music: Coordt Linke, Konarak Reddy and MD Pallavi
Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkaRghxbCT8

Schnawwl theater - http://www.schnawwl.de/en/index.php

Theater Partnership - Do I know You blog

TCS World 10K Marathon

2011-06-05T20:40:00.000+05:30

Shiny black and smooth, her hair kept getting tossed about by the breeze as she ran...it had a pattern that was in sync with her every step...as she slowed down, her hair would slowly and gently come to rest and as she picked up speed, it would try and keep pace, throwing tantrums and getting unruly like a young child who is woken up from a slumber he has just experienced! I admired this rhythm for a while and by the time I came to my own, realized that I had lost sight of a fellow Boschler who was running beside me.

TCS World 10K Marathon, organized on the World Environment day, was an event that I was looking forward to, ever since I registered. It did not disappoint. I got up quite early for a sunday morning and entered the Kanteerva indoor stadium in time to see the 10K runners starting their sprint.

Colorfully decked up people from all walks of life - kids, senior citizens, quite a good number of foreigners, television crews, volunteers - made for a motley and eclectic bunch to run alongside. As we waited, the excitement in the crowd was tangible...I overheard this: A girl to her boyfriend: "Click good pictures and delete the bad ones. You are not uploading anything on Face-book without asking me". Though it was said in a tone that was a little reprimanding and endearing at the same time, I could not help but ruminate on the state of the poor guy...

The weather was just perfect for running - a gentle breeze and a cloudy sky with no trace of the Sun. Along the way, lost in the multitude, I felt as if I am being swept forward by a strong tide. Without struggle, I gave in and let myself be swept. Occasionally the spell was broken by somebody brushing past me, otherwise, its hold was complete.

I am again thankful to a friend who once said, "Happiness comes in tiny packages" She was spot on. Today's package would remain fresh in my memory for some time to come. Thank you Bangalore and all fellow Bangaloreans who participated!

India against corruption - Corruption saaku, Jan Lok Pal beku

2011-05-29T00:13:00.000+05:30

It was a hot Saturday afternoon at the National College grounds in Basavanagudi, Bangalore. The Sun was unusually blazing on the crowd that was gathering fast. The huge ground was dotted with people decked up in bright white T-shirts that said "Corruption saaku, Jan Lok Pal beku", which when translated to English means, "Enough of corruption, we want Jan Lok Pal".

The atmosphere was charged...there was lot of activity...volunteers distributing T-Shirts, drinking water, butter milk, badges against corruption and some collecting donations...a band playing music on stage...public slowly milling about and finding seats. I felt as if I am being drawn by some invisible force at work, a force that was subtle but nevertheless powerful and so confident.

As the crowd waited for Anna Hazare to turn up, I got into conversation with Arpit, a young volunteer who works for Deloitte. We felt that, of all the places, the setting of Bangalore itself for this afternoon was a little ironic especially because the karnataka state Government was perceived to be one of the most corrupt state governments in the country! Or was the venue, on the contrary, very apt? For this place also boasts of one of the most cosmopolitan educated populace! I exchanged numbers with Arpit who I also learnt was part of the movement from its cubbon park days.

Kiran Bedi was the first speaker of the afternoon. In chaste Hindi, she recounted the days of the movement's inception. When Arvind Kejriwal (credited to be one of the chief brains behind the Jan Lok Pal bill draft now) came to meet Bedi in the October of last year (news of CWG, Adarsh society and 2G scams were hot then), Bedi decided to act against corruption. She, along with Sri Sri Ravishankar, Baba Ramdev, Arvind himself, Swami Agnivesh and Anna Hazare filed a FIR on 14th November against the corrupt. That was the first time, the police even accepted and registered an FIR.

She said that corruption at three levels - politics, bureaucracy and business - needs to be fought. When she said that out of every 100 rupees the Government spends, 84 gets corrupted out, it was disheartening.

Swami Agnivesh, the next to speak, hailed Anna Hazare as the symbol of this movement against corruption. He declared that, it is neither the Maoists nor the naxals that are the country's biggest internal security threat; it is the corrupt whose black money is stashed away in numerous banks outside the borders.

Arvind Kejriwal patiently and in common man's lingo, explained the salient features of the bill. He ran the crowd through some difficult times the team had to go through. Asked to declare their assets and give sources of donated money, Arvind and team swung to action and put up all the information demanded of them in no time, online. "Un ke paas paisa hai, resources hai, lekin hamare paas sirf sachaai aur irmaandari hai", he said. He then requested the crowd to investigate and come up with a list of 50 most corrupt people in every state. This list will be the first one, the Lok Pal team would act on, he promised.

Anna Hazare was the last person to address the crowd. He was not very charismatic but something about his unassuming nature and sincere words connected readily with the crowd and it lapped up all his words like a hungry animal. He reiterated that his crusade is directed only against the corrupt. "I have only a pillow and a plate; I live in a temple; I don't even remember some of my relatives' names and I don't have any bank balance; I have led a very clean life that no one can ever point any finger at me..." Drawing from his own experience, he said "Thorns are laden in the path of social work, but once that short path is traveled, there would be greenery all around"

He exhorted the gathering to practice purity in thought and word, lead clean lives and indulge in sacrifice. "Happiness comes from within. If you want to be happy, make others happy" It was reminiscent of something traditional, something rooted more in a strong sense of values. If that is what the society needs now, it is time we embrace it!

The gathering started to dissolve when one of the volunteers announced that approximately 49000 rupees was donated by the public that afternoon to the movement. It would go towards meeting the expenses of logistics involved in organizing the afternoon's gathering.

Corruption saaku, Jan Lok Pal beku

Do we really know best??

2011-05-26T23:09:00.002+05:30

"One can only know one's strengths when one is dead and people get chances to write obituaries", a senior HR manager said in the course of a get together arranged today, addressing all the junior managers working for the Bosch group in India.

This got me thinking... In life, many a time, we tend to think that, when we decide, we decide best. It is borne out of the desire within each one of us to exercise control over our destinies in some small measure or the other. But, the moot point is, do we really know what is best for us? If yes, why do we think that something that is decided for us by others won't be good in the long term?

This senior manager also alluded to the Johari Window, seeming to suggest that there is a "blind spot" in all of us. Its only that in some of us, this window is small and the "arena" is large. In this case, there is a concurrence of sorts -We seem to appreciate the decisions of others since we think, we would have taken the same decisions! When the "blind spot" is large, alas, we get deceived by believeing that, since we only know ourselves best, we alone are entitled to chart our future.

Now comes the larger question of identity! When we ask ourselves who we are, what is the answer that we get. Depending on every individuals Johari mapping, the answer might be slightly different. Most of us would agree however with the fact that what we are is more often nothing but what we are perceived to be. It is from others' perceptions that we infer our own identities. If others perceive me to be a good listener, then I stand vindicated by thinking high of my own listening abilities. Vice versa, there is cognitive dissonance!

By crediting ourselves with superior abilities of discernment, we hinder our own prospects of being open to accept negative feedback. So, when somebody else appears even remotely to chart our careers, we instinctively revolt. The first thought is, how can he/she do that? What right does he/she have to do that? It is revolt, resistance and loss of control that we feel. We desire putting our feet down and respond in a stubborn manner.

Every step that we take in life, can be looked at, from two perspectives. The first perspective is that if we are in a position, where we can exercise control over our steps, instead of just blindly believeing that we know best, it is prudent to consult others (relatives, friends and well wishers) whether they concur with what we think. The other perspective comes in, when we are not in control of these steps. In such a case, it is important to look at the long term - if, in the long term, there is a possibility of things working out to our satisfaction, it is better to suppress the rebel in us and learn to love the direction in which the steps lead us! As they say, one might as well enjoy sitting through a traffic jam if it is eventually going to lead us to our destinations!! The journey might be arduous, but it might well be worth it!!

Jumbled thoughts

2011-05-18T07:04:00.002+05:30

Darkness gathers,

voices cease.

Memory unwinds,

pain flushes up.

Nostalgia torments,

heart flutters.

The sea beckons,

moonlight guides.

Familiar smells,

unfamiliar faces.

Untrodden pathways,

shattered dreams.

New responsibilities,

lingering self-doubts.

Lonely evenings,

jealousy pangs.

Faraway lights,

phantom companions.

Lost opportunities,

unrequited love.

Attributed motives,

blurred vision.

Casual goodbyes,

misty eyes.

Long tunnels,

flickering companions.

Future vistas,

impressionable canvas.

Another day,

another hope!

Ragini MMS - Spooky, scary and taut!

2011-05-15T13:48:00.001+05:30

"They don't know it yet. It's a threesome", says the trailers of Ragini MMS. I wonder if such a campaign was necessary, because, even without getting cheesy like this, there was scope to create an interest among the audiences before release.

Bollywood badly needs someone who is bold to experiment on offbeat themes otherwise it runs the risk of churning out mundane stuff. Of late, there is a serious dearth of good cinema, instead, what we get to see is either a popular star cast or just fancily packaged glamor! In the midst of this, if a movie that predominantly targets urban youth and makes no bones about its bold theme comes out, it can certainly grab attention. Based partly on a real life incident, this movie, Ekta Kapoor claims, is largely a work of imagination.

Horror is also one genre in which good movies are hard to come by, either because most of them take the cliched route or because they are too loud. Ragini MMS works; it manages to occupy a space that is very niche; it succeeds in building up enough suspense that when the background score gets dramatic for effect, the viewer really feels the jolt.

The jerky camera movements (Tribhuvan Babu) remind one of Love, Sex and Dhoka. The fresh pair (Kainaz Motivala and Raj Kumar Yadav), especially their thirst for adventure exemplified by the possibility of an exclusive weekend works in the beginning of the movie. There is a parallel moral angle that runs along the length of the movie which is perhaps the distinguishing factor - kudos to the lead pair and the director for treading that line carefully. In order not to hasten the shock component, the initial encounters with the spooky third inhabitant of the bungalow only serve to prepare the viewers for what is in store.

As the movie proceeds, helplessness, anguish, mystery, incomprehension alternate in good measure and make for a heady cocktail!! Worth a watch to get the adrenaline really pumping!

PS: Watched the movie on a single screen (REX cinema) and after a long time, it was an experience that I loved. With all the rows before us almost empty and being able to hear the screams of a bunch of girls sitting behind - 80 rupees was worth every penny!

Customer service as redefined by our leading telecom operators

2011-05-13T23:40:00.000+05:30

Most of us like the Vodafone Zoozoos and the Airtel tune - signature elements of two of our leading telecom operators' advertising campaigns! Yet, how I wish these giants know how to spell "customer service"!

Sample my experience -

Vodafone -

I had a Vodafone number in Bangalore until April 2010. So, When I came back to the city exactly an year later, decided to get the same number back. I approached the Vodafone store in Koramangala to see if it was possible. A "Customer care" executive with a badge that read "Happy to help you" took down my request and said, there was a technical issue with the old SIM but I shall get my old number in a day's time. Exactly a day later, I went to the same guy. He said, "The IT department have not mailed me back" as if it matters to me! Another day passed by, still no progress! I decided to get a new number, perhaps that was a mistake I did...!

Now the story with my new number - I got this number again at the same Vodafone store in Koramangala submitting documents for ID and Address proof that were verified by the staff there. One week after this new SIM was activated, I got a message that said, I needed to submit documents at the nearest store, else my outgoing calls would be barred. I ignored it since I thought, I had submitted my documents right the first time around. But, true to the message, outgoing calls stopped going through. Upon calling customer care, I was asked to "resubmit" my documents. When I asked the "agent" to give an explanation, his stoic gentlemanly response was, he can't help!

I made another visit to the store, submitted my documents, was told that outgoing calls would be restored within 24 hours. Again, another instance of building false expectations! The calls were restored after a little less than 48 hours only. I thought my tryst with this store was done once and for all but I was sadly mistaken for I lost my SIM on the night of May 10. So, I had to make another visit yesterday morning for a duplicate one.

This time, even after 36 long hours, outgoing calls are still not going through and I know not what documents I need to "resubmit". If this is the "customer care" demonstrated by Vodafone, its competitor Airtel is no better as you will read below...

Airtel -

It is a well known fact in Bangalore that the broadband connections of BSNL and Airtel are reasonably good. Since BSNL still operates in an old fashioned manner taking its own sweet time, I decided to try Airtel. Seeing their advertisement on top of one "Microcomp solutions" in Jayanagar, I went in, gave my address and contact number. The very next day, I was called by their "sales executive" and to my surprise, he visited me at the house, got the application filled, took the rent for the first month and gave an acknowledgment.

Then the wait started. When nobody visited for the next 3 days to give the connection, I called them and was told that there was a "technical issue". When probed, the response was "Feasibility is there, but ports are currently not available. We are waiting for cancellations". A week passed and nothing happened. I called again and this time, I was told that I had to wait for 3 more days. I decided that I have had enough and called up customer care. To my shock, the "agent" informed me that my application had been canceled a few days back! When I narrated my experience of waiting for port availability until then, he said that, I had taken a wrong channel - "you have made the mistake of not going through customer care and have contacted the sales executive directly! You will be refunded the rent amount in a week's time!"

4 days passed and I prayed that at least the refund comes on time! Instead, I got a message on my mobile that said, "You will receive the broadband installation soon" Flabbergasted, I waited. On Saturday morning, a person visited just to get the cable in, followed by another guy in the evening who said, there is a problem with the cable - effectively meaning that the guy who had visited earlier in the day had done a shoddy job! Surprising thing was he had got a used modem with him and he tried to sell it to me for 500 rupees, his reasoning being, a new one would cost me 250 more. Fortunately, he couldn't activate the connection that day!

If two of the country's apparently leading telecom operators "serve" customers in this manner, I am sorry to say that, all of us are being taken for a ride! If we keep quiet, all these customer care executives, sales executives and customer care agents will get a field day!!

Conversation with Mohammed Rafi, Auto Driver, Bangalore

2011-05-10T20:43:00.000+05:30

It is not every day that one runs into a Mohammed Rafi. But I happened to run into one around 7.30 PM last Friday after work and here is what that transpired…

Me: Sanjay Gandhi Hospital?

Rafi: (with a smile) get in…

Me: (Looked at the ID, the first thing that I do after getting inside any auto is look at the ID for the name and address of the driver) Your name is Mohammed Rafi?

Rafi: Yes Sir. He was my parents’ favorite singer and so I became a way for them to remember him.

Me: Do you sing too?

Rafi: No Sir, I can’t, tried though for a while before giving up… (After a few mins of silence) Are you from here?

Me: No, I am from Chennai.

Rafi: How are you able to converse well in Hindi then? (This is something that I am repeatedly asked!!) The south Indian language scripts look like they are constructed from jalebis…all these letters…!!

Me: (couldn’t resist a laugh) Yes, strangely my father has exactly the same opinion but only Telugu and Kannada scripts are like that, in fact both share the script. Where are you from?

Rafi: I was in Kuwait Sir…for a year

Me: Then, why did you come here? Did not like it there?

Rafi: No Sir, I couldn’t get used to the water there at all. I had never visited a doctor in my life until I landed in Kuwait. I got Jaundice followed by Malaria…so decided to return…

Me: Oh! That’s bad. What do your parents do?

Rafi: My father passed away when I was so young I don’t even remember his face. My mother died a year back due to cancer. She had kidney problems, but cancer got her life… (Goes silent)

Me: (feeling sorry) hmm…

Rafi: (after a few mins regains his jolly manner) Sir, why don’t you get a bike to commute?

Me: I don’t fancy bikes much. I have got a cycle. Generally use it to commute, today is an exception…

Rafi: Cycle? Where do you work?

Me: I work for Robert Bosch. Heard of it?

Rafi: No Sir…Is it a club?

Me: (Wondering what made him think that!) It isn’t. It is right opposite forum…

Rafi: OK. If I can ask, what is your salary? 25k??

Me: Yes, around that.

Rafi: Sir, you get so much and commute by cycle! I know people who get 10-12 K only but won’t settle for anything less than a bike once they start earning.

Me: Hmm…How does it matter how one commutes to office?

Rafi: You are right Sir. I wouldn’t forget this statement of yours ever!!

Me: Haha..! So how did you land up here?

Rafi: I was in Bombay sir before I went to Kuwait. Then, I came here, it’s been only six months now. This is the native for my mother’s side. She lived all her life here before she got married and moved to Bombay.

Me: Hmm…liking it here?

Rafi: It is OK sir. Life moves on for me…

Me: (ruing the fact that I had to alight then) Thanks Rafi. Hope we meet again…

Rafi: (Returning the 2 rupee change to me, which auto drivers don’t normally unless we demand) Thank you Sir.

This is one conversation that I relished and would remember for some time. Here is a Mohammed Rafi plying an auto in Bangalore, living alone in an alien city and yet managing to greet a customer with a warm smile. That says something about the human spirit and its resilience in the face of extreme hardship. Something to remember when we run into hard times in the future…

A sad goodbye and homecoming!

2011-04-22T15:23:00.000+05:30

I turn a street corner and this is what I see -

I am in another long broad street with tall tress lining both sides. Cars are parked outside almost every house. It is raining a little. The street is deserted except for one tall girl, her silken smooth hair let loose, running in search of an elusive shelter...such a romantic scene caught my breath for a few seconds before I recovered to realize that I am also getting drenched.

This scene played out at around 6 PM - bang on twilight time, with no trace of the setting sun and the light rain fashioning its own rhythm that was like a sweet music on the ear. I had got myself a new cycle - Hercules Atom with 18 Shimono gear combinations - a few days back. As I entered the gates to park it carefully, I could not help thanking my stars for finding myself back in the city I had grown to love so much in my last stint of 3 years.

When I landed in the city in the first week of April, it was like a homecoming of sorts. I could feel the change in me, the spring in my step and a heightened sense of anticipation as to what new adventures, the city would hold for me this time around. When I got a 1 BHK bang in the middle of good old Jayanagar, my joy knew no bounds! The first sunday morning, with Sunday Times in hand, I spent in the quiet environs of a park nearby and it was sheer bliss. The air had a "traditional" unsullied smell to it and the atmosphere, serene.

There are hardly any changes and everything appears as I saw them an year ago, when I was making plans to pack my bags to Chennai. I had only a few wishes then - to stay disciplined during the year, make a few good friends and land a job again in Bangalore. Looking back at the one year experience that Great Lakes offered me, I guess, I shall always remain indebted!

The last week in Great Lakes was an emotional roller coaster. We tried to do as many things as possible to clutch close to our hearts, as many memories as possible. A few memories that make me teary eyed -

She was one of my best friends through the year. I came out to say goodbye. I just couldn't hold back my tears."What if I won't see her ever again later? How can she do this - just climb into a cab and move on?" - these were precisely the thoughts I was grappling with!

The last time, we went to the beach in Mahabalipuram- Another one of my good friends suggested it well into the afternoon when I was hours away from saying goodbye to the campus. My memory blurs as I struggle to recall the conversation we had that evening but the sights, sounds and smells, all of them, I can painfully recall in vivid clarity and detail. On the way back, I heard the words, "I shall be missing you" and since nobody had ever told me that in as many words, I was a little taken aback to react. That was another painful goodbye!

Earlier in the day, another very good friend packed her bags and left. The very personification of confidence that she is, with a calm sense of assurance, she said that we'll meet soon. I knew we would, for she would be joining work in Chennai, but then...

Another good friend of mine, he made it so easy for me- He asked me to come over to the volleyball court, looked me in the eye and invited me to Hyderabad where he shall be working. Neatly done!

All these memories tug at my heart every once in a while, sudden in their appearance, always catching me unaware. I guess, time would again prove to be the best healer!

Walk the talk

2011-03-16T20:36:00.000+05:30

Oh, how I love walking! I have been told by all and sundry that I am thin and bony and that I shouldn't love walking too much. I always chose to ignore when people tell me that. With an excellent, well planned locality near by (Anupuram township) and the beautiful sunrise and sunset near the coastline to take in, walking acquires a whole new adventurous and enjoyable clout.

Here, in Great Lakes, over the last few months, walking has become almost everyone's routine. I obviously don't walk for the sake of burning excess calories though most people here walk precisely to achieve that.

There are some simple pleasures in life that one should enjoy when one can, and walking with a like minded person or rather, with somebody who takes an interest in what you talk about and contributes too, is an irresistible proposition to me.

I would always remember, years down the line -

The manner in which the round orange sun suddenly fell sharply down and disappeared into the west, beyond the gaps between thickly grown trees
The awesome taste of ginger tea we sometimes had on the way back from one of our walks
How, the mist slowly cleared on lazy mornings, only to reveal tree leaves with dew drops on them
The chirping of the birds as they woke up and looked around in all curiosity
The myriad expressions on my friend's face as we discussed some sundry topic that suddenly interested both of us
The manner in which conversation easily flowed between us, jumping from one topic to the next, almost akin to a clear flowing stream with nothing hindering its way
The ease with which we exchanged views, agreeing here, slightly disagreeing there, assimilating here, rejecting there...
The pervasive innocence of the whole experience that cannot be easily explained - the locality, the quietness, the topics we discussed, the weather all combining to give a poetic touch overall...

I wish I can go on and on talking about this...such are the simple pleasures of life. They are so simple, that, we rarely bother about them, but their space in our subconscious is so significant that, once we make an effort to recollect/relive them, they make for some of the most vivid remembrances!

What is beauty?

2011-03-15T00:36:00.000+05:30

14-03-2011, 10.45 PM, a group of 8 young men and women after a sumptuous dinner at Radisson temple bay, Mahabalipuram, walk to the beach. There is no sound except that of the waves. Pure foamy white in parts and colorless otherwise, like a beautiful slithering animal, the waves ceaselessly and with a certain ferocity, grace the coastline. The sight in the half moon light is breathtakingly beautiful.

A feast for the eyes - the unending waves ahead and heavenward, clouds billowing, revealing the moon, every now and then.

A constant roar to the ears, at once soothing and a little frightening, as if, a gentle domesticated monster is singing a lullaby.

The smell, taste and feeling, all, a little salty, with the wind carrying the salt from the sea and spraying it all along the shore.

This is the very definition of beauty. If someone asks me now, I can say, I experienced beauty for a whole 15 minutes, albeit very briefly, but highly intoxicating.

What is beauty?

An exaltation of the spirit when it is in communion with nature...

A priceless experience when all the senses are heightened in a sweet anticipation...

An enormous void, just lying beyond a high precipice, falling into which, one experiences nothingness!

A brief period when every thought gets clouded out, when the mind forgets to think and enters a suspended state, just observing, without any judgment!

A poetic interlude when art reaches its zenith before it regains its pitiful ordinariness...

A short time, when happiness reigns supreme and the soul rejoices and dances to an internal rhythm...

Beauty begins to fade the moment, we try to hold on to it, for, precisely, at that very moment, it eludes us. It is not something that can be possessed; rather, it is the one that possesses us. Instead of enjoying and reveling in each of those brief encounters, we commit the mistake of trying to latch on to them. In our eagerness to possess, we dread its loss. We don't want to let it go and hence, enter a cycle that frustrates us.

Why is it that, we just cannot let beauty be? We want to lord over it, be its master and intend holding its reins...when we develop the capacity to appreciate it without trying to hold on to it, we can experience it in every moment. This, to me, is a huge learning, made possible by one of the most wonderful evenings in my life.

An appeal to Women on International Woman's day

2011-03-08T11:30:00.001+05:30

Over the last few days, dailies have been abuzz with articles on International Woman's day. Quoting a psychologist and relationship therapist, one of the articles in Times Life, said, "I think Women have to fight an internal battle to ensure that they gain victory over their own tendency to misuse and abuse the concept of feminism. We need to fight against gender inequality and that includes women's reservations too. To ask for special privileges is to concede that we are a weaker gender. This is against the very spirit of feminism."

There can be a debate on what feminism exactly is and whether men can be labeled feminists at all! Well, any movement that promotes rights for women and gender equality needs to involve men too as stakeholders and participants. However, the key lies in achieving a balance where men feel comfortable espousing equal rights for women and the concept of equality, per se, is defined correctly. Men of today are for the most part, used to the fact that a woman can be independent and professionally, achieve the laurels that they truly deserve.

However, here is an appeal to women to introspect -

If a guy says, "I am a guy, hence I deserve it/I have a right to it", he is termed a MCP. (I don't need to expand this, it is apparently quite a popular abbreviation) So, please think before saying, "I am a girl, hence I need it/deserve it/am entitled to it" It doesn't harbor pleasant feelings in Men.
Don't stereotype Men. While men can be lechers, molesters, rapists, please understand that not all men are. By perpetuating a narrow stereotype of men, women don't do any good either to fellow women or to the larger society of which men are also a part of! If men are getting used to the fact that women can perform certain tasks equally well, women should not, depending on convenience, get away by saying, "You are a man, hence please take more responsibility/plan/arrange etc" That is so old fashioned and believe me, can get some guys, incensed!
Don't support gender reservations of any color. Unless it is a contest for "The most beautiful person" or "The most strongest person", most contests in life can be won by either gender. (Here, we mean physical beauty and physical strength alone, not beauty of the soul or emotional strength, though there can be exceptions here too!) Unless women themselves are confident about this fact, it is difficult to proceed far.
Get used to less chivalry from men - don't expect them to open the door, pull the chair and the like. A man can do it occasionally to bring a smile to a woman's face, but expecting it as a norm is simply not in! I am not trying to say, all women expect either!

Wishing all women, a happy international woman's day!! Comments are most welcome.

Dhobi Ghat - Of yearning and frustrations

2011-02-16T12:37:00.000+05:30

A song in the movie Namastey London goes like this -

Kehne Ko Saath Apane Ek Duniya Chalti Hai
Per Chhupke Is Dil Mein Tanhaayi Palti Hai

In Dhobi Ghat, the lives of 4 characters - Arun (Aamir Khan), a painter who plays by his own rules, Shai (Monica Dogra), an investment banker on sabbatical and in love with photography, Munna (Prateik), a Dhobi, whose everyday objective is to make ends meet and Yasmin (Kirti Malhotra), leading an unhappy family life - come together on canvas to make for a commentary on human yearning and frustrations.

The encompassing spirit of the city as an abode to millions that throng its shores, some aspirational and looking to make a mark, some, just running away from their unpleasant past, while, some others, just wanting to embrace its hustle and bustle, is brilliantly brought out through the 4 lead characters. The introductions just stand out in their simple to-the-point style.

Yasmin tells a taxi driver, "I have been in the city for five months now, but still it feels strange". Shai tells Arun, "I have moved here for a bit, because, I guess, I needed a break from things to get new perspectives and some fresh air...". Arun lives out of "boxes" and moves often as leases run out. Munna tells Shai that he came to Mumbai to "fill his belly"

In carving out their own identities amidst a teeming microcosm, these characters try to find meaning in what they do, in an attempt to confirm to themselves, that, their mundane existence has a purpose. Their pangs of loneliness, their yearning for love and attendant frustration makes for a kaleidoscope of intense emotions. Even as they find nuggets of happiness, the viewer always experiences a taut rope, a feeling that the fragility of their lives would ultimately triumph.

Shai is exceptional - As a person hunting for realistic pictures in a city that thrives on dark realism, she impresses. Her accent just about qualifies for an outsider - accentuated words, pronounced intonation and a subtle hint of unfamiliarity with the language. Munna, unaffected by his surroundings, retains an innocence that is heart warming and immediately attracts Shai. Shai's natural curiosity is piqued by the eccentric behavior of Arun, even as he is tormented by a few videos left by Yasmin. Yasmin, always in the background, befriends her video camera and through the medium, engages in an outpouring with her brother that is sheer melancholic poetry. Kirti Malhotra has done a remarkable job!

The background music deserves an encore. It is, simply put, excellent. The sounds almost become a character in the movie. As scene after scene, in rapid succession, delves into the lives of these 4 characters, the effect, at first, a little disjointed, creates a definite impact that only random juxtaposition can achieve. Credit to Kiran Rao for achieving that! There are many unanswered questions; each character evokes enough intrigue and all along, the city provides a fitting background.

This is a 9/10 movie that deserves applause.

Happiness - A state of mind!

2011-02-14T22:53:00.000+05:30

We and we alone are responsible for our happiness. People find a 1000 ways to be complex when it is so easy to be simple. There are a 1000 reasons to be happy about, but many people manage to find some reason or the other to be unhappy about. People who always have problems tend to suck out positive energy from us.

These are just some snippets of gyaan that I received of late from a friend in the course of a long discussion. After some pondering, I realize that, these are axioms that we find hard to assimilate, but in themselves, quite elegant in their obvious simplicity. Quite often in life, we worry and fret ourselves to tiredness about mundane things. At these times, if we remember this gyaan, it would do us a lot of good. To begin with, we would ask ourselves, is what we are worrying about worth worrying about in the first place?

A few years back, after a most memorable outing - when we had went to a village in the outskirts of Bangalore- another friend had said, on the way back, "Nobody in this world is an altruist". Every now and then, I remember this remark too, though, when it was said so casually then, I was a little jolted. To each, his own interest comes first and it is only natural that, when given free rein, each one of us would try to maximize our own happiness first. In the process, if others feel happy, then, fine, else, how does it matter? On very few occasions, we do endure some agony and unease, but, hardly without a future expectation of reciprocity. Thus, selfless nature seems, at best, a holy myth!

Enjoying the present moment in the best possible manner with the people one feels comfortable with - this is simplicity. As I read in somebody's status message, "Speak your mind because those who matter will always understand and those who don't matter, won't bother".

As we age, the people who matter to us are very few and hard to find. The worst part is, it is difficult to hold on to them. Any person-person relationship becomes much more complex and fragile...it can break so very easily especially when it takes so much effort to build them.

All of this brings me to the topic. Happiness is just a state of mind. If we resolve to feel happy, no matter what shit happens around us, we can beat the living daylights out of the demons that try to engulf and cloud our thoughts! The rambling post comes to an end here...its highly unorganized, an outcome of a clouded thinking process...as I read the first paragraph, I don't even know what made me write this post.

The IPL was well marketed?

2011-01-31T18:50:00.000+05:30

This is a report that I wrote for the course 'Consumer Behavior', one that I am quite proud of, so, thought of recording here. The report had to incorporate consumer behavior concepts to answer the question - The IPL was well marketed?

Introduction:

Cricket, pre IPL era was a little staid and long, appealing mostly to young men primarily in the sub continent. It had lost its appeal to the Englishmen and the West Indians except for some iconic series like the Ashes. But post IPL, we have an entirely new breed of supporters who have embraced the game, its many differences with the more athletic counterparts still notwithstanding.

How has IPL managed to do it? It managed to bring together cricketers from different nationalities, lured them with fat pay cheques, roped in big advertisers who do not think twice before splurging on their brands for prime time eye space, got cheer leaders to shake their hips and bulldozed its way into ICC’s calendar. Thus, by a judicious mixture of managing the environment nearly perfectly and staging fantastic experiences every time a match was played, value creation was no more, the prerogative of a single entity. Instead, multiple stakeholders came together on a mutually rewarding platform and lavished the cricket loving crowds with some truly memorable fare.

Cashing in on the need for change:

Any product, service or even an experience cannot have a sustaining appeal in the market place unless it addresses some specific needs of the consumer. IPL was able to gauge that the large number of cricket fans no longer wanted to spend a day in front of the television for an ODI encounter not to forget five days for a test match. When the target customers are busy, it is better to cater to their lifestyle change by shortening the game innovatively. The twenty over format already existed. IPL brought the model of clubs as in the EPL and by deft packaging created a customer experience that was too tempting for the customer to resist. The business was not one of selling twenty over cricket matches to cricket fans; rather it was selling an experience of 3.5 to 4 hours to a much larger entertainment deprived public.

This was one of the reasons why IPL attracted viewers of every age and in young women and house wives brought to cricket, a whole new swathe of followers. The adrenalin rush inherent in the shortened version of the game was exploited by roping in celebrities, cheer leaders, glamorous hosts and a hint of CSR while all along, sending out the right impressions – encouraging small town cricket players to dream big and providing them a chance to interact with acclaimed super stars. The result was that whole families came together every evening to cheer for their favourite teams, emotions ran high and the advertisers almost got a captive audience (of course, at a very high price) since the excitement in a twenty twenty format was too high for anyone to switch channels during over breaks.

The IPL Experience:

In ‘Welcome to the experience economy’ by B Joseph Pine and James H Gilmore, the authors emphatically declare that we have arrived into the experience economy after crossing agrarian, goods-based industrial and services economy eras. In the authors’ opinion, “to realize the full benefit of staging experiences, however, businesses must deliberately design engaging experiences that command a fee”.

As opposed to commodities, goods and services, experiences are deeply personal and reside in the minds of the individual who has been engaged as a memorable remnant. IPL has been able to leverage this to its benefit by throwing in something into the experience that everyone who sees the match can relate to and find joy in. Be it the celebrity stars, foreign players, post match fashion shows, social initiatives, favourable commentaries from experts of the game, Bollywood superstars, attractively packaged memorabilia – everyone had something to look forward to and precisely because of this, everyone’s individual experience and joy was starkly different from another person’s. Thus IPL challenged its competitors at a completely different plane by successfully staging memorable experiences.

By adopting the model of movie theatres that have begun to charge for consumer experiences instead of simply for the ticket, IPL also managed to include in its ticket price and in its advertising slot rates, value for experience thus creating a very high anchor successfully right from the very first edition. Once the initial anchor is set, it is not very difficult to incrementally hike fares and still remain credible in the eyes of the consumer from the pricing point of view.

Along two dimensions of experiences – customer participation and connection – IPL would fit into the quadrant where both active participation and immersion are high. As viewers, people hold the belief that their loud cheering and appreciation for their teams can sway results. They are also completely immersed in the proceedings right from the first over of the first innings.

Customers also have an idea of what to expect from an IPL encounter – high adrenalin action. Basing the whole experience on the theme of enjoying cricket has given IPL a focal point around which to organise its other activities. By providing ample positive cues to reinforce indelibly, the first impressions in the form of blaring music between overs and media focus and sound bites from foreign players, IPL has managed to ensure that even the smallest cues are paid attention to.

The popularity of the IPL can be gauged from the number of people who routinely wear t-Shirts and jerseys that espouse their support to favourite teams even during non season times. This is in large measure due to the array of attractive memorabilia that are sold in shops through the year. Once a city based loyalty is induced in a customer, it is very hard to be shaken by subsequent editions for in sport, there is a joy in rooting for the underdog. It gives the consumer of the experience, the joy of feeling belonged in a group. Peer approval and social norms as dictated by a person’s neighbour, for example, influence him/her to spend on these memorabilia and sport them proudly as a badge of his/her support to a particular team.

“The more senses an experience engages, the more effective and memorable it can be.” Blaring crowds undulating to the sounds of drum music by a Sivamani, the sight of huge swathes of people decked in attractive jerseys and the almost palpable smell of thrill/victory/defeat combine together to produce the right balance of sensations.

Innovation as the mantra:

Business standard in an article titled “IPL: The $2 bn brand”, refers to IPL occupying the 22^nd position in the list of most innovative companies compiled by Fast company, a magazine that reports on innovation and digital media, ahead of giants like Samsung and Microsoft.

Some elements of IPL’s marketing strategy can be said to revolutionize the field of marketing experiences and entertainment -

Screening of IPL matches in movie halls
Complete use of all social media channels – this helped strike the right chord with the youth who normally take the first steps to know more about any format and who tend to book tickets online.

Twitter – www.twitter.com/ipl
Facebook - www.facebook.com/IPL
YouTube live streaming channel - www.youtube.com/user/IPL
Online fan club - www.thecricfanclub.com
Banner ads
Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Premier_League
Official site - www.iplt20.com
Online booking for all matches

A mind boggling number of tie ups – To name a few, yatra.com with Delhi Daredevils, EBay with Kings XI Punjab...
The leveraging of immense unpaid publicity by word-of-mouth and other means
Adopting a well tried model of international clubs and auctions to the Indian environment and making it a grand success
Innovative deals with a number of companies where the structure of the deal includes a onetime licensing fee as well as royalties on the merchandise sold. Other examples: Deals with Google for people to watch matches online and with television channels for IPL related shows.
The sheer number of brands that were associated with IPL (In edition 3, the number is expected to touch 80)! Brands that had multiple associations and were involved with cricket through the year gained more out of IPL lending credence to the standard marketing thought that “more the presence, more the impact”
Launch of several new and innovative campaigns by advertisers through IPL. Examples: Idea (Oongli cricket) and Vodafone (Zoozoos)

Learning perspective:

In ‘Managing what consumers learn from experience’ by Stephen J Hoch and John Deighton, the authors propose a framework of four stages – hypothesizing->Exposure->encoding->Integration – with three moderating factors – familiarity to learn, motivation to learn and the ambiguity of the information environment – to capture what consumers learn from experiences.

IPL by virtue of its gripping nature and a high value based price offered a high-involvement experience for the consumer. Since “consumers tend to grant special status to conclusions drawn from experience” and experience also “promotes better memory because information is more vivid and concrete”, any consumer who watches a IPL match either on television or on the playing field by paying for the tickets experiences entertainment that reinforces the outcome he intended in the first place. IPL managed to do this with a deft and balanced packaging of the different elements on offer as part of the experience.

Consumers in post purchase situations tend to avoid dissonance inducing information. After spending a good deal of money on the cricket field or worse still, a large amount of time in front of the television set, the human behaviour is to rationalise the money or time spent by justifying it as worthwhile. Hence consumers consciously avoid situations in which they might potentially receive negative feedback about IPL and instead surround themselves with people who “confirm a good buy” by lavishing praise on the concept.

A contrarian viewpoint:

IPL, for sure, managed to bring in more audiences to a game that was increasingly bemoaned as a sport out of tune with the changing and evolving times. In the process however, it alienated a section of cricket loving population that was rooted in the traditional/classical school to whom, the sport best evokes memories of a “gentleman’s game”. The aggressive marketing strategies followed by the different clubs, the muscle power that BCCI brought to the centre with its rich and wealthy line-up and the induction of glamour as an associated activity in the form of fashion shows and cheer leaders were not received well by this traditional and puritan section of the population.

The strategies employed were at times seen even by supporters of the format as harming the interests of the players resulting in more injuries. The outcome of many of these games were driven by chance many a time leading some to cast aspersions on the extent of skill required to come out on top. To this section, the marketing efforts expended by popular brands was symbolic of aligning with interests contravening the larger right direction, the game should be taken in.

Conclusion:

Examining both sides of the coin, one comes to the conclusion that the IPL was extremely well marketed. Right from the choice of the name – Indian premier league – having a streak of nationalism to countless secondary associations that were successfully leveraged, IPL as an annual calendar event is extremely well marketed. The increasing crowds in the stadium, the cross border popularity of the T20 format, the numerous foreign players who are willing to sign up, the increasing auction amounts, the rise in the number of franchises catering to more cities and the craze for IPL memorabilia are all pointers to the ever increasing popularity standing testimonies to shrewd marketing strategies.

Business Standard in an article way back in 2008 termed IPL as “The new marketing cocktail”. To quote from the article, “on a jingoistic note, it (IPL) could be an Indian "brand" export to the world”.

A date with Pondy

2011-01-24T23:08:00.000+05:30

On the seafront, cement paved streets lead to the shopping area of the city. Streets named Rue Manakula Vinayakar Covil and Rue Saint Giles stand adjacent lined by colonial remnants of french style buildings rendering the atmosphere with a mystique quality. Foreign tourists in cycles and two wheelers are a common sight while out of nowhere emerges an elephant in a regale fashion led gently by a mahout. This is a picture of Pondy's beach face. It has three other faces - a rural face, an urban face and a french face.

Our (Me, Ritam and Aditi) date with Pondy was not a well planned out one. We decided to go to Pondy instead of Chennai for a difference because Pondy was just half an hour more distant than Chennai by road. Early morning, near the campus, as we waited for public transport, we had no clue how the day would pan out. Luckily we got seats and reached Pondy at 9.30 AM with our stomachs yearning for food.

After bargaining with an auto driver, we set forth for Auroville, touted to be a universal township in the making. As we enter the deviation in the highway leading to Auroville, the change in the surroundings is just about pronounced. It could be any other deviation leading to a nondescript village. Bad roads and a bumpy ride later, we are suddenly in Auroville. Being a sunday morning, there are a lot of visitors.

We enter the exhibition area and find people in groups viewing a video about Auroville and Matrimandir. After a small breakfast of omelet and dosa, we follow the other visitors to the Matrimandir visiting area. The path to the structure is dusty with the sun shining bright on us. Near the structure, we find some people intent on clicking pictures, some simply enjoying the view around, some trying to read the stories behind the construction and some others, sitting in silence.

On the way back, Aditi, her usual self, becomes camera loving and we oblige. There are 3 boutiques - all of them having a mixture of clothes, home accessories and handicrafts. We decide to have pizzas for lunch and take an auto direct to the Pizza-hut at the seafront, thanks to Aditi's memory. We gorge on pizzas, garlic bread and pasta (All selections by Ritam) and run up a fat bill.

At around 2.30 PM, we are back on the streets. We walk up to the sea shore, find people lazing around in the sunshine in the cute, small shades. The city's many faces merge on the seafront to create a small microcosm - Ritam calls the city, a melting pot of culture. Aditi, having been here once before leads us to a church she remembers visiting.

We walk aimlessly for a while observing the city's sunday afternoon life - as people go about after their weekend siestas. The main shopping street is JN road. Brands of all hues and colors are available. Found some interesting names next to each other, perhaps, something that is unique to the place: Saravana bhavan, Shalimar gift shop, Bina Bazar and Aristo restaurant sit comfortably next to each other. Nadi diagnosis and Shruti Anglo French textiles showroom are some other strange names for shops that we found. We chance upon one shop - Casablanca - in which we like everything on display. How I wish we had more money to splurge on!

This was one of the most funniest things -

We wrap up a long, fun and eventful day with a light dinner at Daily Bread and head back to the Pondy bus stand to return to our hostels. Like all good things unplanned, it turned out to be a beautiful day - one that made me forget all that was clouding my head and helped me unwind...

On 'Predictably Irrational' by Dan Ariely

2011-01-15T19:51:00.000+05:30

This year has got off to a good start because after a prolonged limbo in which I stayed away from non academic books, I am finally back to reading! The book I just finished - Predictably Irrational, the hidden forces that shape our decisions - by Dan Ariely (a renowned behavioral economist, James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University and a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight) is a master piece if a master piece ought to be judged in terms of how many myths it can bust!

The book cannot be slotted into any genre very easily. It is not purely academic; not a summary of findings and neither is it a paean to the discipline of behavioral economics. It is rather a mix of all this in small measures with a large emphasis on insights into irrational aspects of human behavior brought out by means of smart experiments conducted by Dan and his several colleagues.

Product pricing, reference prices, self - control, decision making when sexually aroused, dishonest behavior, the advantages and disadvantages of having too many options - Dan talks about all of these things based on empirical findings. The book is priceless for the sheer number of surprising facets of human behavior it manages to reveal. A plethora of terms - Ikea effect, price decoy, arbitrary coherence, anchoring, herding, self - herding - and their explanations emerge in a very clear fashion.

As Dan says,

Life is complex, with multiple forces simultaneously exerting their influences on us, and this complexity makes it difficult to figure out exactly how each of these forces shapes our behavior.

Everyone who has an interest in marketing, consumer behavior and human psychology should definitely read this one. It would be time well spent.

Also check out some of his videos on youtube.

The audacity to be bad mannered!

2011-01-12T11:17:00.000+05:30

This period at Great Lakes has taught me a lot of things and continues to- both inside and outside the class rooms - but if I have to cull out a few of those things, it would be my learning from observing the behavior of people. This post is crudely judgmental and hence a deviation from one of my cardinal principles of life - "Never to judge other people's behavior". The fact is being bad mannered, impolite, insensitive, rude and obnoxious is so pervasive here that it makes me wonder whether good manners were meant only for the generation of our parents!

Take these for example -

Some people don't know the meaning of "please" and don't know how to request things. If they need to get their work done, (purely selfish reasons), they won't mind calling you at any time of the day and demand your bike keys as if you are under some obligation to give them the keys. The most audacious part is that they call you only if they want your bike keys; otherwise you are a "nobody" to them. The proportion of these kind of people is simply astounding and mind boggling. It defeats me how easily they can taken others for a ride...!
Some people behave in 10 different ways with 10 different people. Perhaps, they think, everyone is different and should not be treated with the same level of courtesy and politeness. But what about some basic good manners? To the same question, depending on who poses it, a person is either brash (impolitely expresses his rigid stance on the matter) or sweetly indifferent wriggling his way out of it altogether. Strange! Whatever happened to the manners we were taught when we were young! I suppose, they have gone out of fashion or have become too flexible to lose all meaning.
Some people consider it their birthright to demand of others, what they want. Even if they do it with their friends, shouldn't they just put themselves for a minute in the other person's shoes and think if the same behavior or demand (in this case) would have been acceptable if they had been the recipient party? Odds are less they would agree but then, do they bother to think that far?
Some people are just too proud of their charms and if they get to spend time with an equally charming person, they don't mind ignoring a less charming third person. The amount of importance they give to looks is sickening and disgusting.
Beyond a certain point in any relationship between two people, one gets so used to the other that he/she might be willing to overlook the other person's faults and accept them as they are. But, in the long run, is it good? Shouldn't we instead try to tell them that their behavior is a little arrogant and they should try to change it? Isn't that doing more to strengthen the relationship? Anybody who cannot accept negative feedback patiently from a friend who has done enough to show them that he cares or cannot even give an ear to him, is not worth spending time with!
The word "cool" has lost its meaning if it had one in the first place. If you don't conform to your peers, you are simply not "cool"

Well, I can write volumes on this, will save more for later. One thing to ponder about - basic good manners is on a rapid decline.

On Personal Influence

2011-01-02T20:10:00.000+05:30

Oscar Wilde writes in his stellar work - The Picture of Dorian Gray -

'All influence is immoral - immoral from the scientific point of view.'
'Why?'
'Because to influence a person is to give him one's own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. His virtues are not real to him. His sins, if there are any such things as sins, are borrowed....The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature perfectly - that is what each of us are here for.'

This is one excerpt that comes to my mind whenever I come across any situation in which an urge to influence someone overwhelms me. Influence like power has lost its real meaning and instead has come to be associated with a negative context. The longman definition reads : "to affect the way someone or something develops, behaves, thinks etc without directly forcing or ordering them" which is not how we understand the above excerpt.

Coming to the topic of personal influence, (as different from professional influence which is a completely different topic) is it per se, good or bad? I guess, the answer is neither. It is somewhere in between and depends to a large extent on context and each person's experience set. By experience set, I mean the sum total of his/her experiences in life that shape a person's character and thinking.

Failing to read the context and failing to view every person's experience set as unique will get us into numerous conflicts. Life unfortunately does not present us with answers in black and white. There are countless shades of grey. Some people can very quickly put themselves in another person's shoes and hence they are, by definition, the malleable and receptive types. Others, rigid and firm, stick to their world views. As we see, multiple factors are at play here when it comes to exercise and impact of influence.

Literally speaking, should one exert influence? (because the definition excludes direct ordering and forcing) I suppose, the answer is no. One can at best, put forth one's view point as a means to make sure that the other party knows it. Beyond that, if there is a disagreement, it gets complex. The conclusion is, influence cannot be exerted! It just happens when the other party comes to accept our world view.

Some things are universal - the issue of corruption or bribing or cheating for example. There is a clear sense of right and wrong involved whereas some things, as observed earlier, are largely affected by one's own personal experiences. It is important to objectively separate these two. As adults, this involves two things -

Accepting the other person for what he/she is with all their attendant positives and negatives. Loving them for what they are, while simultaneously, being aware of their faults. Never getting into the realm of judgment!
At all points, expressing our views - it is up to the other person to agree/disagree. Never imposing, perhaps imposing is misunderstood as equivalent to influencing!

It is easy to write about, but eminently difficult to practice. To rephrase and summarize, We should simply let our fellow human beings make their choices while making sure that they are intelligent enough to discern the consequences of those choices.

This ends the rambling for now...

Communication woes!

2010-12-27T22:11:00.000+05:30

The World today has seen tremendous advancements in communication technologies but when it comes to humans communicating with each other, no amount of technology advancement is going to compensate if we make wrong assumptions.

Virginia Woolf said in The Waves, one of her widely appreciated works and a literary master piece written based on the technique, Stream of consciousness - "We are difficult to read and we read others badly, either blinded by Sun or misled by shadows". How true it is! Alongside that, my most favorite quote is by Iris Murdoch who says, "Human beings prefer the distraction of confrontation to the difficult effort of communicating openly and honestly"

Just thinking about these quotes takes me back to my engineering college days when British Council Library in Chennai used to be my second home. But for all the books that I have read, I have come to realize that reading these novels, taking down these nice quotes and remembering them is one thing and following them is completely another! In the heat of the moment, when we are "actually blinded by the sun" or "misled by the shadows", we don't realize that we as human beings are "difficult to read" and worse, we "read others badly"!

I have always, after any misunderstanding with friends, never shied away from confronting the person and asking him/her, what the fault is. In the process, I have ignored my ego, its bloated nature and put people before its size. Sometimes, it has worked and sometimes, it hasn't. The other person's ego should also come down by some notches for reconciliation to take place.

To cut this rambling short, all I can think of saying is, among friends, it is OK to fight but not OK to have bloated egos. With age, the size of our egos also increases and our ability to listen diminishes. We close our ears and fail to put ourselves in the other person's shoes. The results can be quite devastating for friendships and relationships. A friendship takes an investment of huge time and effort but in one instance of misunderstanding, it can be broken to shards and destroyed - all because somebody did not have the courage and the humility to apologize and clarify.

As human beings, we tend to commit the same mistakes again and again and never learn from them. For a change, we should strive to be sensitive to the feelings of others and listen to them with open minds especially if it is one's friend. This is possible only if we communicate - F2F and with eye contact.

Making a case for fairer and speedier justice

2010-12-20T09:14:00.000+05:30

This is an essay I wrote for the course 'Ethics in Governance in Business and Society'. At Great Lakes, it is taught by two eminent crusaders against corruption - Mr. Vittal, Ex CVC and Mr. Seshan, Ex CEC.

Making a case for fairer and speedier justice

Erosion of faith in judiciary

Judiciary, considered one of the three constitutional pillars of Indian democracy, is of late sullied by a stream of unpleasant news reports. Questions have been raised on the integrity of senior judges and their track records. People have long reconciled to the fact that politicians and bureaucrats are corrupt and have always looked up to the judiciary and the Supreme Court in particular for deliverance. But reports about Justice Soumitra Sen, YK Sabharwal, Dinakaran and many others in the media point to a deep seated rot in the judiciary that is slowly eroding this confidence of the Indian public.

Need for urgent reform

Reams have been written about corruption in the legislature and measures to address it. For argument’s sake, if we do assume that all legislators come clean, where does this leave the corrupt judges? There is an urgent need to clean up the judiciary by means of radical reforms. Piecemeal changes won’t do. Considering the backlog of cases in the Indian courts and the lack of accountability of the judges, to be able to enforce law and order, justice should be seen to be fairly and speedily delivered.

Abolition of Jury trials in India

In this article, I propose a change which would, in my opinion, make the process of justice more fair, democratic and quick. It is something, that democracies world over have embraced, but India abolished way back in 1960 after the landmark KM Nanavati V State of Maharashtra case – jury trials. The argument put forth during abolition was that the opinion of the jury is often biased by social norms, morality, ethics and values and an objective judgement based on set statutes is rarely possible. It was also believed that juries would be influenced by media and public opinion.

Changing times

Fast forward to today’s age – there is a gaping void in the number of judges we have to address the scores of cases pending in all the courts put together. The rich keep appealing and the poor keep waiting. It is a patently unfair system that visibly rewards the wealthy and gives the poor, only a distant and illusory hope. Very few judges have made their sources of income public even though there is a RTI act and few have surprisingly come out openly and admitted that, corruption at all levels is a fact. In this age of 24*7 live televisions, no judgment is immune to the influences of the electronic media and its commentators.

We now have a thriving public society and laws that increasingly appear out of tune with the times. Laws on land reforms (SEZ issues), sexual rights (rapes and gay issues), organised labour and environmental concerns need to be constantly revisited in this dynamically changing scenario.

Proposal

In this context, I propose that we establish a system of trial by juries drawn from eminent members of the civil society. We should have a set number of juries for every district and a judge can appeal only once against the decision of the jury and he can decide only the quantum of punishment.

Argument against institutional rigidity

Amartya Sen in his work, ‘The idea of Justice’, says, “Institutional fundamentalism may not only ride roughshod over the complexity of societies, but quite often the self-satisfaction that goes with the alleged institutional wisdom even prevents critical examination of the actual consequences of having the recommended institutions. Indeed, in the purely institutional view, there is, at least formally, no story of justice beyond establishing the ‘just institutions’” This argument can be interpreted to mean that justice should move beyond a mere interpretation of rigid age old statutes. Indeed, in other parts of the book, with sufficient examples to boot, he mounts an attack on the ‘Rawlsian principles of Justice’.

Need for citizen participation

In the context of human rights, Amartya Sen writes, “Active public agitation, news commentary and open discussion are among the ways in which global democracy can be pursued, even without waiting for the global state.” In the desire to interpret laws and accommodate appeals, there is simply a search for a “supreme alternative” and no ranking based on a “social point of view” This obviates the checks and balances, a participatory mechanism can bring in - a sad state of affairs for a culture built on the edifice of dialectics. When a jury decides, the sheer number of decision makers is more, humane aspects are given due attention and there is an alignment with the morals and values of the society.

Addressing corruption, knowledge and trial by media

It is very difficult to sway the decision of a jury by influencing its members. The nexus between criminals and juries is again difficult to establish. So, chances of corruption are lessened by inbuilt mechanisms. Coming to the knowledge of the jury members, perhaps there might be technical limitations but the basic premises of what is fair and what is just remain eminently universal and can be hardly disputed. Regarding trial by media, one can never completely eliminate it in this age of information abundance. Let us learn to live with it instead of decrying the messenger.

Conclusion

The example of recent adoption of the jury system by South Korea is a case in point. As we have successful democracies embracing this system, it is time we rethink the abolition and give the jury system, a chance. With the system in place, we might end up building a society where corruption free service becomes a fundamental right of its citizenry (Mr. Vittal’s proposal) even without the constitution explicitly saying so.

Abnormal

2010-12-17T21:29:00.000+05:30

Why is the winter morning so heavy with sadness?
Why do the dew ridden leaves appear to be shedding copious tears?

Why does my friend shut himself to the external World?
What is going on in the girl's mind as she cries for attention?

What scary ghosts are the dogs trying to silence by barking their lungs out?
Why does the frog appear to be possessed by fear?

What are the foreign tourists doing in this remote coastal town?
Why is this fair skinned shop keeper lost to his surroundings?

Why is there a deathly silence in place of chirpy greetings?
Why are the trees not whispering to each other?

Where are all the stars hiding?
Why is the twinkle missing in the crescent of the moon?

Where is the normalcy? Has somebody stolen it?

Nothingness

2010-12-16T12:29:00.000+05:30

I just want to lie down and stare straight ahead

into the unending depths of oblivion,

into the vast abyss of vacuum and void.

I am tired, bored and frustrated with all the

masks, veils, make ups, gloss, sheen and fake smiles

I demand real faces, real beauty, real character and real

intentions. But everything is a farce, a sham and a facade.

I just want to lie down and stare straight ahead

into the unending depths of oblivion,

into the vast abyss of vacuum and void.

Opportunism, rank dishonesty, fake sincerity and

a truck load of lies - these are the layers that cloth

us, that make up the skin, the muscles and the bones.

Once the limelight is on, we swagger in pride, put on

a grand show and delude ourselves...but it can't last long...

For now,

I just want to lie down and stare straight ahead

into the unending depths of oblivion,

into the vast abyss of vacuum and void, looking for

answers that evade me, tease me and mock me.

Thank you Deepak!

2010-11-19T14:40:00.000+05:30

This post is inspired by Amar's post here...

Amar is my friend and batch mate at Great Lakes...he has an aura about him that is a little difficult to place - no airs, humble, playfully chiding and at times, displaying a childish nature that belies his age.

Well, this post is about my mentor at Intel, Deepak. Thanks in large part to him, my 33 months at Intel from July 2007 until April 2010 were the best months of my life and am not exaggerating at all. I am extremely glad that we still stay in touch.

Deepak is the epitome of charm, a humble, helpful and caring nature. His manner of working, interpersonal skills, ability to strike working relationships across teams in no time, manage stakeholders - all of this have given me numerous lessons and here, during this PGPM program, hardly any day passes by without me remembering him and thinking, how his behavior still has a great deal of impact and influence on me.

Never once has he told me "You should do this only in this manner"/"You must complete this within this hour"/"Stay back and complete this testing"/"Don't take up that additional assignment as it is not related to your project". The freedom that he gave to a fresher like me is, in retrospect, a huge reason for my happiness.

Those numerous hours of working together, time spent in the smoking zone, chatting about everything under the sun including the prettiest girls, the latest books and the most scenic tourist spots - if I say that, he personally took a deep interest in my learning and development and did everything in his capacity towards that, it would be a fitting tribute to his interpersonal skills. I owe my technical and process skills as well as my immense confidence at work to him. Courses here talk about idealized influence and individulized attention under the head -transformational leadership. Well, words remain words - a little lofty, a touch verbose and well-nigh idealistic. But I have the pleasure of having seen them in action...

I learnt a lot of things from him - seeing things in perspective, the philosphy of "If you see a white crow, you should not be surprised", (which I am tempted to term as an axiom), the importance of making people happy and good about what they do and more than anything else, to thank them for what they have done...

Deepak, I would always remain indebted to you, whichever offer I take up at the end of this program and wherever I work. Thank You!

Political scenario in India

2010-11-12T20:11:00.001+05:30

We were asked to write on this for a contest - 300 words was the limit.

From the days of scrupulously clean politicians like Lal Bahadur Shastri, Kamaraj and Moraji Desai to the days of everyday scandals, Indian politics has come to be synonymous with corruption, appeasement and inaction.

Across the length and breadth of the country, there is reluctance on the part of politicians to wield power with responsibility and accountability. There is no harm per se in acquiring power but exercising it with impunity for the wrong ends is a rot of the system. A political career is viewed as a means to acquire the maximum possible wealth in the shortest possible time or as a means to pander to one’s regional and caste groups. As a result, youth community is deeply sceptical about politics.

People have been duped into believing that short term solutions are what they need. Any political leader should be a visionary and sadly, among the current crop of leaders, except for a select few like our Prime Minister, hardly any politician has a vision for the country. Under the guise of action, all that our politicians do is form committees and task forces. Direct action that addresses people’s real needs is virtually absent. Vote banks are created and the flames of radicalism and casteism are fanned. This leads to a vicious cycle culminating in appalling mediocrity. Politicians appease their pet constituencies and the people who vote get lured by short term fixes and perpetuate inefficiency.

What India needs today is a redefinition of the word politics to encompass the larger public good. We also need politicians who can practise honesty and sincerity visibly - since role modelling good behaviour will in itself be an incentive for others - and a mobilisation of the country’s youth behind those who do that. Any radical change has its seeds in a revolution.

PS: This couldn't make it to the next round...perhaps, wasn't upto the mark!

Human beings and the underlying subconscious

2010-11-09T16:51:00.000+05:30

This is an essay I wrote in Term 1 as part of the course - "Intelligently interacting with others" - Read it after a long time and felt, this deserved a space here...

The online Longman dictionary definition of the word says “subconscious feelings, desires etc are hidden in your mind and affect your behaviour, but you do not know that you have them”. A course in ‘Intelligently interacting with others’ encompassing Karma Yoga and ‘Group Processes’ right at the beginning of the term, all said and done, helped us understand the significance of the “subconscious” in our daily lives – how every act of ours is influenced by the subconscious without our knowing it and how in turn, every act plays a small part in moulding the “subconscious”.

The first part of the course was a series of challenges to conventional modern assumptions - beliefs that have got so ingrained at the subconscious level- that, to be able to challenge them, the effort taken should be commensurate enough to achieve a transformation at the subconscious level. Far removed from the world of introspection and contemplation, in the midst of constant flux, caught in the centre of a vortex having little control, we have been zombies, moving about in a preoccupied and dazed fashion, rarely pausing and thinking about what we are doing. From such a state to a state where we have been able to assimilate some of the tenets of Karma Yoga, it is a long journey indeed – a journey marked by several reflections, explorations and unanswered questions.

Materialism and individualism, marked by an enhanced perception of the self and in some cases, characterised by a scant disrespect of others, have pervaded the intellectual space of the modern World so much so that any mention of spirituality, collectivism and moderation is brushed aside as a weak attempt to digress and deviate from the immediate concerns. However, any attempt at self-discovery involves an earnest exploration of the subconscious. We started doing that when we examined selfishness, freedom, duty, love and work. At the outset, all these entities seem disparate but nothing can be more further from the truth as we learned.

Work for work’s sake, work without attachment to results and without any selfish motive in mind, do your duty through love and freedom, strive to do good and resist evil – can we in today’s world practise this? I am tempted to say “No”, but then, after serious thought, if happiness and contentment is needed out of life, instead of a perennial struggle marked by frustration, then, the answer is a big and resounding “Yes”. Shorn of all mumbo-jumbo, this list of 5 can be illuminating. Intimidating to merit attention at first, gradually, with practise, they would result in ‘peace of mind’ and harmony because they are in line with a pure conscience – an ideal at best.

The second part of the course on ‘Group Processes’ breached a wall in the “subconscious” – the wall between the individual and the collective space. With the help of scientific evidence, numerous experiments and theories, human behaviour in groups was examined. The joy of learning is enhanced when it can be achieved through association to something we already knew. Existing aside from the hard wired world of other sciences, here, nothing is set in stone. Therein lays the difficulty too. We are used to capturing rigid formulas and theories and storing them away in our minds, but in any dimension involving human behaviour and groups, there is no clearly demarcated line that anybody can tread on!

In unravelling several layers of the “subconscious”, I realised that many of my assumptions in life had no real basis at all. That

Minority groups can influence – When somebody like the lone jury member in ‘Eleven Angry Men’ can turn the tables around and convince the rest of the jury members to pore over the evidence in detail several times in succession, each of us can influence too!

Biology and systems have something to do with group theories – Any field of study or science is not an isolated entity. Rather every field draws from and gives to other fields, something of significance that can be omitted or ignored only at a huge loss

An individual’s self esteem draws a lot of its strength from the group the individual belongs to – If a person can get a higher sense of self-esteem, simply by helping other group members’ cope with their miseries and agonies, then unselfish work can yield high personal rewards.

Human beings at times seek out miserable company and don’t always get drawn to similar people -

Comparison can actually sometimes aid in personal development – When the word comparison has only less-than-good connotations, to realise that it can actually aid in a personal advancement is heartening.

Groups can actually acquire a mind of their own – Similar to human beings, groups can also acquire a mind of their own though this can prove to be both advantageous and disadvantageous depending on context.

Leadership is not all about Power – With leadership tied to politics in our heads, realising that it is actually “helping people see a different set of possibilities” was a revelation.

Cooperation can result in greater returns in the longer term than competition – In a few cases, though competition is cutthroat, both parties can be well off if both of them cooperate.

Our judgement of another person’s character can be as faulty as a conclusion drawn from a simple and unthoughful interpretation owing to our own prejudices and the person’s membership outside our own groups.

Physical spaces and seating can enhance productivity manifold – Just the manner of arrangement of physical spaces can enhance or bring down productivity.

Being part of likeminded groups can be a source of succour to many – Therapy and self group groups can offer hope and mutual learning respectively.

These are some of the many things that my “subconscious” was wired to dismiss without due consideration. But on reflection, this has been my takeaway. My subconscious has definitely got moulded and my actions henceforth will draw from a new set of altered assumptions and beliefs. That is a remarkable feat to accomplish in such a short time and I am proud as a consequence.

The course was something I would never ever forget!

Fading imprints

2010-11-05T19:32:00.000+05:30

The dynamics of human memory is very strange - it is able to accommodate an astonishing number of moments in stark detail within its folds and crevices. When we walk on the beach, the foot prints that we leave on the sand fade into nothingness, washed away by the mighty waves. There is not even the slightest trace that gets left behind. Yet, it is not hard to imagine, how surprised we would feel, if, by a stroke of fortune, we were able to see those foot prints again. Precisely, this was the thought running through my mind as I was talking to my child hood friend today. Every word that he spoke seemed to touch some chord deep within and reveal it in a stark fashion. Having known each other since primary school, conversation flowed easily.

The topic under discussion was our mutual acquaintances. As we reminisced, I realized that I had no clue what these people were doing now. The feeling was a little unnerving; these were the same people I used to meet every day, day in and day out, during my school days. Yet, I had no idea, what paths destiny had in store for them and in which nook and corner of the world, they are in! I came to know that somebody is in Ethiopia, some body is in NZ, some body else is happily married...

How does this happen? We get so caught up in our mundane routine that we forget the very people who were once, so much an integral part of our lives! The people who live 2 doors away, with whom, I used to play cricket in my school days, what do they do now? My school teachers, are they still teaching the same classes? That silent guy who used to sit next to me in class 4, what is he doing now? Perhaps, we should refrain from straining our memories too much. Perhaps, we should cease to think about these people, for they serve no purpose in our lives now. Perhaps, their utility in our lives, their presence, that was once so vivid, their unique attributes, the qualities by which we used to remember them, all of these have ceased to matter.

No, certainly, that is a very crude way to look at it. It is not how, we should look at life. What about the present? I almost shuddered. Will I, some 7-8 years from now, talk about my college friends in the same manner? Am I now getting confused between friends and acquaintances? Has this boundary ever been clear to me? It is simply unthinkable and too scary to contemplate. Yet, it is not a proposition that can be dismissed at the outset. It is quite possible, if not probable. Why did I not think about these boys and girls when I was in Bangalore? It is not possible to answer that question without feeling a little guilty.

Yes, I admit it. I am feeling guilty today. Guilt - it is so easy to acknowledge this feeling now. Once acknowledged, it makes redemption possible. I hope, I don't write a similar post some 7-8 years from now. That would be too hard to stomach. That would be, to repeat myself, totally unthinkable!