A night at ShivajiNagar

                                                                 

Here is a story of 3 people who went slightly overboard celebrating the birthday.

Star : Ajju

Co Stars : Bankrupt Supple, Hungry Mota

Guest Appearance : Sweet Subi

This is an experience that I wish no one else has. It started off at 1 , we all were busy celebrating Ajju’s birthday ,and as usual Amrita ‘APS’ Rathore had office next morning , so it was decided that mota will drop her off at Indiranagar. Of course the birthday boy had to accompany. I ended up joining along because I had made a promise to Royal Sweetness that I will ensure, that I get her home. We were running a couple of hours late as per the initial plan.

Still No issues, Mota driving at Jet speed, we soon found ourselves outside the PG , bidding good bye to the ‘Buttery’ Amul and Subi . This is when our little adventure started. We were hungry, as we all know sometimes partying hard leaves you craving for more and more food, and for some weird reason (primarily because mota was too fast)  time was seeming slow, very slow, to matter of fact it was so slow that we didn’t think time could pass slower.We were so worng. It was only later that me and Ajju realized how slow the clock actually ticks.

We  reached Shivajinagar, it was as shady as you can imagine. Hunt for rolls began. We soon found a place and settled down. Not a great ambience , but we weren’t in a position to bargain due to time constraints (to our dislike as we found later , we were definitely not in a place to bargain)

We ordered 5 rolls, 3 for us and 2 for “Strong” Satya. We went ahead to order another Biryani, had to, with ‘Hungry’ Mota around  food would have never sufficed. It was then that we discovered a flaw in the seemingly perfect plan and so the hour began.

Mota had Rs 160, the bill would have come more than that. I and Ajju were without wallets, and Mota had Rs 0 in his account. No problem, he decided to widraw from the Atm, so he walked out, leaving me and Ajju behind. And then started, what may have been the longest wait in our lives. To add to our problems, The biryani arrived as soon as Mota left.

There we sat , the 2 of us, no money, waiting for mota to come back, resisting the food. Continuously we stared through the open door, and slowly the clock ticked. I asked ajju to message mota that biryani had come, but that too went wrong. Ajju phone went out of battery and last thing we saw on it was mota check-in into 5 different places in Shivajinagar, not even speaking to one another, we gaped at open space out of the door. In the meanwhile I asked for the bill and it was Rs 285. Mota returned , but the news was bad, he wasn’t able to widraw money. We had Rs 160 , a table full of food. We decided a full stomach will help us think clearer, so we ate , discussing future plans . It was decided that we will ask  Subi for help. Call was made, Money was requested but alas she too was bankrupt, though I think she said she would arrange the money (Surbhi you are so sweet )

So Mota took the car, and his journey began towards Surbhi who would be our rescuer, while me and ajju sat and discussed what would happen if we didn’t have the money. A bet was on, Ajju said Mota will be back by 3, I said 3:15. It’s amazing how slow the clock ticks , as we stared at the clock we considered the possible solutions.

Initially was Ajju’s fear, “bhai birthday ke din maar paregi aur bartan dhona parega”. I was slightly more practical. I decided to leave Amrita’s pen drive as mortgage , but we soon realized it was a bad plan. They didn’t look like a crowd who would enjoy a USB drive. So I changed strategy, it was Ajju’s birthday so I tried convincing him it’s high time he deserves a new phone, and we could mortgage the blackberry.

Ajju considered and said “ Bhai, Tab toh aur Roll manga sakte hain”

The fear was gone, all that remained was to wait for mota, It was 3:00, Ajju claimed that his time extends till 3:07, I agreed, the bet was least of my concerns. 3:05 the big man arrived. It was relief, which even Bit End sem results never gave us. He could not meet Subi but he got the cash, we paid the bill. We headed out had tea and headed back.

The owner realized the issue, his final words as I remember them “ Cash nahi tha toh bolna tha, yahaan credit card swipe ho jaata”

Ps: Mota explained why he got delayed, whihc included getting lost (yes people, i am not the only one who loses the way) and getting fuel refilled . But the fact still lies that the guy drove to indiranagar and back in 20 minutes with all these obstacles.

                                                                         

The War

“Anna’s on a rampage”.

“The Lokpal bill needs to be passed.”

“The corrupt need to be punished.”

 “Congress has made a mess of the situation. They don’t deserve to be in power.”

Well they have made a mess of it, and Anna is the Hero of 2011. After all, getting up one fine day and deciding to rampage against corruption by supporting a bill that existed only in memory is no small feat.

Irrespective of what is proved later ( we all know someone or the other will come up with some conspiracy theory, raise doubts on true intentions maybe prove them as well ) this is no small feat. More the battle of Lokpal is prolonged, more skeptical will the people become of the intentions of Anna. It’s not uncommon for rumors to spread. On top of that people nowadays get bored easily. So if they are bored and they want to back out, they would start believing in one of the rumors and agree that Lokpal bill is a farce.

No matter what the intentions were, the important thing now is that the people should concern them only about the war against corruption and what they want to achieve of it. Of Course Anna is leading the battle, but it’s the army that has thrown government off. I doubt any of them expected a response of this magnitude from the common man, and the steps they took prove it. If you have joined this battle, than make sure you are ready to take it to the end.

But like all good things even this movement has a flaw. With all the cries over Congress misusing power, not being able to handle the situation, being corrupt left, right and centre, it is the government by the people, maybe not of the people and at this point certainly not for the people. Yet it is the government by the people. And this is the flaw with the current campaign.

You are a democracy, biggest in the world, with over a billion people, and yet the percentages of people who vote are around the 50% mark. To make the situation more grim, half the people out there on the roads raising voice in support of Lokpal bill are part of the educated middle class who don’t bother to go to vote as “lamba line hoga”, “abbey chutti hai”, “chor na, ek vote se kya hi kar lega”, and the more reasonable one “bhai, kisko vote de, yeh toh sabhi chor hai”.

A fact: After the recent election in Tamil Nadu, everyone who owns a “Rashan Card” got a free TV. Jaylalita sure knows how to tend the basic needs of people.

Let’s add some simple facts and do little math:-

In India around 30% of the population is below 15.

Suppose 50% of the people vote in election.

Literacy rate in India in latest census is 74%, and 41% of the people are currently below poverty line, fighting for daily needs.

So basically the so called government by the people is being elected by 26 % of the literate population. Of these, half of the people are working in places that are not there native. You can’t expect a person to fly down from Bangalore to Ranchi just to vote. On top of this 9% of the total 35% of the votes can be managed if one of the parties is able to influence the people, which isn’t very hard for the political parties, seeing that half the people have more important things to do today than think of future, like maybe get little food for the night, maybe little saving that can get a roof fixed. And than obviously we are guided by forces of nature, like cast, creed and above all religion. Make any of these an issue, give little incentives to the needy and they will follow, not because they believe in you, but because at that point the incentive shows them a hope of survival.

(The 9% maybe more challenging if both parties are corrupt, and can shell out cash. But in that scenario we are already screwed even before the election)

Hence most of the 9/35 % (25% of votes given) of the votes are already with the corrupt leaders you are protesting against. So among the remaining 26/35% people, the parties need to get mere 9/35% vote more. So basically a minister in our country can be elected if he manages to gain support of 18% of the entire population.

Campaigning for the Lokpal bill is required but the people need to realize one Lokpal against a million corrupt is still not the solution. You need to start using our rights properly. You have been given a choice to make a difference. You can change the way you think. You can spread awareness against the corrupt. You can guide people above social and regional barriers. Punishing the corrupt is one thing, but India still needs, capable non corrupt leaders to guide her.

Lokpal bill is a start of a long journey. The destination is a true democracy, with 0% corruption. To have a government that is truly for the people, rather than existing for the power and money that come along with their posts. So get on the bus only if you want to reach destination. It is not right that you get the bus started with your support and than say “oh I have some work, I need to get down”. If all of us make it to the end, we’ll truly be greatest nation in the world and that my friends is a pretty sight. 

Drift! (858)

 Tom and Jerry where standing on the same iceburg , when it suddenly cracked. As the ice sheets started flowing freely in the water, they moved away from each other. This was lucky for Jerry , of course. Because i have seen him being chased by Tom for almost 20 years and this time he most certainly would have been done for.

Try putting  ice cubes in a bucket of water and observe how they move. They drift apart from each other , even if the water is still. There is no repulsion, no attraction, no laws of physics here. They just move freely at their will. Maybe two cubes come together in due course of time, but only to separate again.

With time, I have come to see important things in life work in the same way. Be it love or friendship.

When we were together at one place, it was all too easy, but with time things have changed. We are working now, we are miles away from one another and to add to all this, our work timings and days also differ. Basically making sticking together as difficult as it can be.

Being swamped with work for most of the day, even if we are in the same city, there are times  when we don't meet one another for weeks. 

It is said good friends can pick up a conversation from where they left even after ages. but does this happen?
With time people change, maybe slowly, but they do change. So what happens to this conversation that was lost in past. When you regain it, you might be a different person and the one you are talking to might not think the same way as the one who you remember. Well this would be awkward , wouldn't it?
(Imagine me, thinking gaping at chicks is perverted !!! Don't worry not going to happen)

According to Simon and Garfunkal  "Silence like a cancer grows". As i have noticed in past couple of weeks , this is actually true. Longer you don't talk to a person harder it is to start getting back in touch again, even harder to be in touch the same way that you used to be.

Let's say there is someone who is near you and yet so busy that there is no time for the two of you to meet, or talk , whereas once upon a time you couldn't  stay apart from each other. and now suppose one of you keeps trying to put in efforts but other is just too busy, what happens than? I guess by the time other person realises what's happened you have already moved to an other place. A place where you don't feel that breaking the silence is a top priority. You still want to talk, just that now it's different, you don't know what to talk about , and when you do talk it bugs you that how come there is nothing to talk about !!!

The closer you were, once upon a time, more painful is the growth in silence. Especially if this silence has come because of a trvial reasons, and worse if one of the two person thinks that the other one is the cause of the silence.

Earlier it was a challenge to keep in touch with everyone. But now it's pretty easy. With arrival of mobile,  chats, facebook and the latest BBM people should not have any reason not to stay in touch, apart from well not wanting to. But it's amazing to see that people still manage to drift away !!!

As mota puts it " i don't see a reason why people critisize facebook" , i feel it is one thing that has slowed down the drift. We are connected , not as well as we would have liked to be, but we are still talking to one another! we still know where our friends are! and how to reach them.

But is this enough? That's something we need to figure out. From being together all the time to writing on wall once a week, will we still be the same?
 

If Tom really wanted to catch Jerry, he would have to put lot of efforts on rowing that iceberg to reach closer, also the efforts is proportional to the distance. If Jerry on the other hand kept rowing away, it would become even more difficult for Poor Tom, and sooner or later he would give up the chase and look for something alternative. Alternative wouldn't be the same as Jerry but he would have to make do, what other choice does he have?? 

We aren't Tom and Jerry here, one is not chasing the other one to kill it ( i might be an exception), but to be together. So no matter how distant you are it's high time to start rowing back. Because there is someone whose desperately trying to row towards you and you are not making things easy for him. Be back before you get too far away, before he turns around, before you loose something amazing just because you didn't have the time to reconsider, to rethink and to return !

Lonely Eater!!!

It was quite a while back, when i had heard one of my friends grumbling. I remember getting irritated about it. " I don't feel like eating alone" she said, as she continously kept skipping lunch.

I had heard another one exclaiming to his mom over phone " Ma, eating alone, for me, is like a punishment"

I was never really able to figure out what the big deal about eating alone was? Atleast not till last couple of weeks. It's been like 10 days( leaving weekends apart ) since i have eaten lunch at office, and being lazy is just a part of the problem. But going down 9 floors, walking another 150 m to reach a jam-packed cafeteria just to eat alone doesn't make sense at all, atleast not to me.

Initially, i used to think it was just the distance( i hate walking) but i have found myself walking long distance with flatmates for dinner, longer if i am at MG Road, with people who think shopping as the greatest sport ever invented.

I do like eating, and with the company i have had since childhood this shouldn't be a surprize. I don't eat a lot (With the company i have had since childhood, this can be surprizing). But i have been too used to eating in company of someone, and it does make a difference if you are eating in company of someone.

You eat slower (scientifically slower you eat faster you get full) , this is in exception of Buffets and you have lot more time to enjoy the taste. When you are eating alone, you more often than not generally tend to rush through the meal, and then keep feeling drowsy and uncomfortable over a long period of time. and not to forget it's very boring to eat alone :( .

Back at school, even though everyone used to take there own tiffins, sharing had become compulsary. and most of our tiffins used to get over even before the classes started. The remaining ones, while the class was going on! One particular friend of mine used to actually lock his bag , in order to save his tiffin. (Never helped his cause)

I miss college, where i never remember eating alone( never ate my own food either). We always had company, even if we did not want it. Atleast i personally made sure i go room to room and give company to everyone irrespective of what they were eating ( some of people didn't really seem to enjoy this).But left alone , on this day, i am sure most of us miss it ,atleast if you are sitting in office and hoping someone might come for lunch with you.

As i sit here wasting my time, hoping for the day to come to an end, so that i can go back to the one person ,who is waiting at home and enjoy the meal in company of  one who adores the food more than anyone else in the world.

Introducing Some terms (Suggestions are welcome) :-

Fun Eating ..... 1 moong daal halwa + 1 ice cream + 4 spoons + 10 people

Killer Eating.... Broken lock+ loads of chocholate+ missing shaleen

Imba eating ....  KFC buckets

Godlike eating ... 15 people(1/2 who smoked up) + breakfast buffet + loads of chicken sausage

Beyond God like eating.... 20 people + 15 ghee rice + 15 CTBM +10 DM + 20 moong daal halwa + 20 ice cream + 1 Jungli

Sad lonely eating...... curd/lemon/tomato rice + gobi pakoda + achar  :(

In the loving memory!!!

You can shed tears that she is gone, 

or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,

or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her,

or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, 

or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her only that she is gone,

or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, 

be empty and turn your back.

Or you can do what she'd want:

smile, open your eyes, love and go on

Dearest Shilpa (sounds so wrong to me, but can’t put your nickname)

I first came to hear about you in Fugiya first year. Apparently Mota had found some cute girl and actually given her a rose.  You once again popped up in the picture, when we were messing with Cj.  But this was first year and you were in a different section.  First time I met you , was , I guess  in PK Sharma’s Office as he was our guide.  It was almost 3 years later when I actually started speaking to you, another 4-5 months when we actually ended up being friends. To be honest , this is something I had never expected , and as I had told you I was very surprised. But there we were chatting away to glory .  Eventually chat changed to phone call. It was amazing how much we had that could be discussed. As a gossip queen , you were a perfect person to waste time with.  And it was awesome that, we never really ran out of subjects to discuss. We had indeed come far from just knowing each other. We spoke way to often, we schemed and planned things out. I got stuck in  the war being waged between you and ravish. Every bit of it ws more fun than the previous. We had discussed it , you sad we have all the time in the world and that we’ll meet for holi.  And than it all changed.

It’s been an year since I heard your voice. Something that I had got accustomed to very fast. Makes me wonder , how quickly things change. One day we are fighting over which place you should be for the valentine’s day, the next day I am traveling in a bus all alone, not understanding what just happened. You used to say way too often, “waiting is not good”  but I doubt if  you ever imagined that you were in such a hurry.

I don’t really have much to write, just that I loved you and I miss you. And  I am only one of the many who feel the same. You should know and I am sure you would have known when you were with us, you were a friend who was greatly valued.

 From my point of view pretty, Hot and of course, a Nerd !

Rest assured, as time passes we’ll heal. Some faster than others, but one thing is certain, no one who knew you, can ever , shift + del you from their hearts.

(just so that u knw, m yet to watch twilight)


                
                                                                                                        Love,
                                                                                                            Supple

The PlayList...

Music and songs have always been a special part of college life. No matter what the occasion be, without music, it would be incomplete. During my four years there were some songs, which I will always remember more for why they were sung or played than it’s music or lyrics. The songs that take me back to the time when I heard them, to the people they were heard with, giving a reason to remember the awesome days and bringing back a smile.

With 5th Year anniversary since ragging around , this can be a playlist of our memories.

10. Now Or Never :- Song by a band called dope, after listening to which Smaran had decided to form his own band, in which he would be the LEAD VOCAL GUITARIST. Over the years he did prove his skills as a lead vocal, especially during the exam time. Now if he can only learn how to ‘pull strings’, he might actually be able to accomplish his dreams.

9. Bang Bang Bang ( Hello) :- The song came out b4 the GL party at my home, and I remember everyon had “one step” that displayed the essence of “bang “ ,and this bang was in know were related to a gun shot. The moves showed what bang actually was.

8 Masti :- It was the first HIV 2k5 dance. And credits to Ravish, Gogi and Nunz , brilliant dancers like me and Rohan also managed to pull of a show at the dance night. One of the funny things about the dance was, J being there for all three songs and getting less camera time than me. In fact poor guy was hardly seen in the video.

7. Right Na Na Na :- One of the most heard Akon song towards the ned of our college life. It was Sharad’s room where I first heard it. And I remember Gogi, Ravish and Sharad displaying some dance moves which gave the “make up” an impression of “ make love”.

6. In the End :- I am not really about the Linkin park version, though it was heard playing often in the old 2k5 lobby. This song had a yet another not so popular version. I doubt it was heard by everyone among us. But I think it was the first time I had heard anything original by Mr Gogzzz , and he had dedicated it , with lots of love to the brain of our batch , Smaran Sanadhya , during the days when the maths wiz was desperate to wake up for morning walks.

5. Billo Rani/ Paani Them Them :- This was the set of the songs for the 2nd HIV 2K5 performance as a batch on BITOTSAV Stage. Performed within the confusion of the fight between 2k3 and the profs. The song had likes of me and chabra dressed in salwar as Billo Rani to give a duet look. To be soon followed by my super slow cat walk across the stage on song Paani them them , that almost caused enough worry for ravish on the stage to have asked me to walk faster off the stage.

4. Pehla Nasha :- I used to love the song, but now I hear it and I can think of only 1 person. There was a period when this was the only song to be heard if your near Sharad. The songs spanned through our initial days of meeting each other. Playing Pranks, and me and Shrikar’s case, discovering secrets by going through an innocent Sharad’s messages. The song lasted till Sharad met the true love of his life, in form of CS.

3.Kajara Re:- If there would be one song that could define our ragging, it would be this one. And if there was one person who could bust the same moves as Aish in our batch, it would be Shalu the Chaluguy. It seemed there was no session complete without us dancing on kajra re. And Shaleen always used to be the show stealer.

2. Tarzan and Jane :- Whenever I hear the song, I can actually see Gogi jumping around the lobby. We were caught by J’s Favourite professor, chota chatri (RK Narayan) before M3[ which later all 4 of us flunked] and had a half an hour lecture on okhal and mosal, the reason to which I am yet ignorant.

Finally one song that stand apart from all the rest, primarily because of the man it was sung by accompanied by the mystical events that followed. Shrikar actually managed to blow up a tubelight just by the power of his voice while singing Saawan me lag gayi Aag. Most will say it’s unbelievable, but I was a witness to it, along with Amit. First time, when he sang the tubelight filled with smoke. Than he stopped, observed and resumed. This was too much for the tube to handle. It decided to make way for the Neon.

I might have got some details wrong. Please people feel free to correct me. I know there have been other memorable songs, but these are the ones that came to my head. Please add the ones you remember as comments

They'll call me Freedom.......

When I get older
I will be stronger
They will call me freedom
Just like a waving flag.

Simple 4 stanzas from the Fifa World cup theme song, those describe the irony of life.

How many times, we have found ourselves thinking that in future, life will be different, better. I think Mota will remember this; we had to wear half pants till class 5th. In class 5th we kept waiting for the year to get over, because full pants seemed cooler. Once we reached class 6th pants were least of the concern. We had become juniors, yet again.

From that time, the last 2 years of school looked the best. We again found ourselves waiting to be older, free from basic rules like doing homework on time and bringing notebooks for all subjects. And slowly we reached class 11th. We had always seen our seniors bunking classes, having a ball, bullying others. We had no intention, of being anything different. But once we reached 11th we came to know the truth. 11th, 12th came as a disappointment to our expectation. There was too much to study for, and too less time. Not that it stopped us from partying, but it always ended up creating a guilt factor.

We entered college, Freedom at last. Freedom from wearing a uniform. Freedom from subjects we didn't need.(It is now that i realize we never need any subject to do the work i am doing right now.)Freedom from being continously told what to do.Freedom from returning home after a fixed time. But from day 1 school seemed so much better. Probably it was because of initial ragging.Freedom was yet another illusion. Dress code existed as formals 24/7. Not only we ended up taking care of things like cleaning room and doing work for ourselves, but we were doing the same for the rest of the hostel. From the start of ragging people kept waiting for the day it would end and we would be free from all troubles. Well once it ended, for some of us it still remains, the most memorable time of our college.

The 2nd Year, the much awaited time to rag came .Freedom from doing our own work. We were finally seniors. But ragging brought along its own set of problems. And it ended up rather painfully. “The bat incident”. All the risky times, when guards showed up. The complain. We had to be careful,cautious.General reminders everyday from home not to be involved in any such activity. And we always had our seniors, monitoring our ways of ragging. Though it was fun, we couldn’t do exactly as we pleased. Freedom always had a line of control, which was not supposed to be treaded past. 2k5 will remember , the objection 2k4 had when we assigned 'Guard duty' to 2k6. Or how Yasir didn't want us to call of ragging.

We waited for reaching the final year. When there would be no one to question us. We would be the authority. But freedom yet walked away from us. It started with Tension of placements (yet another hope of bringing freedom).Followed by a world of problems.(The only freedom i got was when it was decided to free him from my room, and it wasn't pleasent) . Soon we found ourselves waiting for the day, when we would no longer have to get up to go for attending lectures.

As the end of college drew closer, the freedom didn’t seem as pretty as it had looked before. We had almost achieved the freedom we wanted. We were not attending classes. Spending all the time, together. Vellagiri had reached its max. But such a thing was not meant to last. College got over. We separated.

Most got their wish. Joining came. We were placed. Independent from home (Poor Niyati). Somehow the older we grew, the further the freedom went. As of now the cost to meet friends is minimum 6k. For saving that 6k, we work 48 hours a week. Cut down expenditures. It would have been much better to stay back in college meet the same people for free and attend lectures with them , partying all the time, rather than being in the place where most of us are right now. Atleast at that time we had the freedom to bunk if we didn’t like a lecture.

We constantly find ourselves hoping as the future changes, as we grow old, things will get better. We will be more independent. But more we traverse in future, the better past seems. If only we had realised the value of present during that time, rather then putting high hopes on future.

By growing older, we are supposed to be independent, but independence brings responsibility which in turns obstructs freedom. The more independent we get, lesser time we get to cherish and enjoy life.

Maybe it's time we stop singing...

When I get older
I will be stronger
They will call me freedom
Just like a waving flag.