His Royal Highness....

I have always had this mania for tigers. The great Panthera Tigris. I can still recollect - I cried at an unbearable pitch when my parents were taking me away from the tiger cage, at a local zoo. Umpteen Animal planet and NG videos showcasing the majesty still cross my memories, added to many photographs in my hard disk. Be it his royal way of strolling amidst the wild jungles, the black stripy bright yellow flexible body or just the sharp eyes, I have always loved them. If only I had a permit from PETA, his royal highness would have already been my husband. Such is my love.

This rose to an all-new level seeing a 2004 release, Two Brothers. One of the most amazing animal adventure fables ever captured on silver screen. A tale of two tiger cubs – Kumal and Sangha. The director, Jean-Jacques Annaud is cool enough to take us deep into the soul of the plot rolling on. We must have thought only about human survival when attacked by savage animals. At least that is what our evolution says, taming and taking control over them. However, have you ever empathized how hard it would be for the same animal facing hurdles literally every moment?

Plot is simple, two cubs and a mother, departed by human selfish means, surviving through tough phases and converging at last. But the flick made me think of many dimensions, which are not so often taken in. The typical nature of human dominance over nature, mother tiger’s agony when departed from cubs, their resistance against cruel circus taming and the difficulties they experience when brought far away from  nature’s lap. So natural, so convincing even for people like us, who already lost the sparkle touch of nature.

This slowly drifted me to the current scenario of tigers. 10,000 were alive a century back, leaving less than 4,000 now.  Both of us, the wild cats and we, the social animals struggle alike for survival. Yet, so much discrimination - Deprived of their basic rights. So uncivilized. 

How could the world's favorite animal be a poacher’s barbaric target? I leave it to the morals of our tech-savvy yet ethics-deprived world.

A Starlet’s Hope !

        

If I am flying like a bird,

I will glide over the skies, letting my feet touch the rainbow.

If I am urged to write a letter,

It can probably be in a book that millions read someday.

If I am dying to love you,

I laugh at your childish attempts trying to scale my unreadable depths.

Call it the Destiny or The God, who gave me this adorable present.

My  life.

I want to live to the fullest and to pamper it, with delight and concern.

This might be absurd for many, well, it is supposed to be.

Calling me crazy may titillate you, I am glad in that case too.

But watch your step, honey darling !

For I am gonna be the voice of tomorrow.

With that unflinching spirit you aspire to possess.

And with that inner beauty you would die to preserve.

This is my life, sweet like a melody. I hope you find it too.

That melody you are destined to. Maybe after a year. Or more.

But, it would be perfect, like this starry night, if you can trace it Now.

-    Dedicated to a lady, whose name is synonymous to Life. Sarah Kay !

Is Geeky the new trendy ?

(Citation: Here you = that clod of society which plays pranks at us, not you literally / figuratively. If you like geeks too or if you are a one, welcome aboard and join the club! )

With pride, I put my shoulders aloft and boast – “I am a geek, and I love being a one”. Yes, we are the new swanky. With bits and bytes of inputs from the surroundings and life’s interesting lessons, you should have already grasped this. If you know the most expecting and yet the inevitable pattern of life, witnessing trend cycles, this wouldn’t come as a surprise. Way back, it was the day of monarchs’ and dictators’. Yesterday, it’s that of the trendy and funky fellas’. But today, it is UNDOUBTEDLY ours!

Well, why are we so irresistible?

Here are the answers for those subtle questions lingering in some corner of your head. You thought we are the ones who have zero interest in worldly affairs. But we have mastery over anything we take up - mere scaling greater depths, beyond the expectations and scope. Aaron Swartz must have been tagged an oddball all his life, but after his technical break through, editorials were written lauding him all the way. Must be the same case with Bill gates or Steve jobs too. We believe in the ultimate excellence rather than impressing you, the high society.

You presumed that we are bad at maintaining relations. But, let me take you down with stats. Majority of the people in relationships wanted a person who would take care of them, not the unwanted ‘activity’ in social networking sites. That’s where we beat you dimension-less. We are caring and bear the bags of commitment if we love something.We are better lovers and the best trustables. We allot time, not pre-defined schedules. As we remember things better than anyone else, we pick out the best stuff out. Be it advice, gifts or solutions. Did we already surpass you? Take no offence, we are agile!

You also pre-defined our mindsets as not socially accepted. But we are a lot practical and know the in’s and out’s of a proposal. We may not tattoo our bodies with sport stars’ names, but we know how technically the match was played. Even our match is lost; we wait in sanity instead of pouring out illogical excitements. In short, we are a lot better than what you expect us to be. Mature and coherent. Better deal with it.

Now, this is deep within:

Fashion trends have a tendency to repeat themselves. One minute you are appreciated for your glossy dress and the next you can be totally out of date. I say it is good to stick to basics- you're never out of the loop, for basics are never boring.

Trying to be nerdy and portray that attitude is not always successfully carried out by everyone, nor is it an easy task for anyone. It is an art and art can express one’s self in a myriad of ways such as: emotionally, mentally, culturally, religiously, and in ways that help us to understand things in deeper meaning. However, this is not to say that you must entirely revamp your life style. It is okay folks; don’t worry now. Simply do whatever you feel you are most comfortable doing and if you eventually do plan to look trendier, add a blob of the unbeatable *geek soup*. Because having a geek’s mindset is an essential survival skill and bedrock for many in today’s world. Accept it, even though it is tough to take in.

Suggestion, if you want to take: Remember that pimply, spectacles studded old- fashioned lad/lass in your school/college, who was made fun of/ bullied by everyone? Better be nice to them, at least from now on. Chances are that he/she might end up being the headlines of the newspaper or the bearer of a 1st class magazine’s guest column. Even worse, you might work for him.

Hero of the day !

Ever felt a thank you - hand shake filling tonnes of satisfaction and inspiration? Experienced it today as I scribed English exam for a boy who is blind by fate, but impregnable and strong by choice. When I got a chance to write his exam, neither he nor did I expect it would turn out to be such a great day in our lives.

“Hi akka, here you are. I never had a scribe who came this early to write my exam”, greeted the smiling Varun kumar, today’s lead role.

“Shall we begin?”; I pushed, worrying if we could complete the exam on time or not. 

Took a minute to breathe and he started reading the question paper through my eyes. The question paper was of 12-pages. long. It all began with the Stalin’s and Leo Tolstoy’s contrast versions from the book - Animal farm (George Orwell). Having read that novel, I really knew how good and analytical his answers were. I was reading the comprehension- he listened to all those lengthy para’s just for once, answered all with astute accuracy. As I was writing, we slowly moved to our life lines. 

Showing me a recorder + player, he told that is the only source of his exam preparation - also shared by 4 of his friends. How he lost his eyes might be an normal accident, but the way he transformed and took life serious is not ordinary. Its beyond our senses, I have seen it. Born to a son of an electrician, the way he challenged life is a face slap to many of us. Fate beat him in the most sensitive issues, but he kept the fight going. Never gave up. 92 % current aggregate. 95% + is his target. Is there anything that could stop him?

Economics was his heart throb, he said as he blushes. I blushed when he said I was the best scribe he ever got, as I dint want to tell any answers. He understood that mere helping in such domains is not an aid, but a slow paced betrayal. Guess what, we are done with the exam before an hour. Reason – keenness at peaks, he feels bad about the crises not the disability. He strongly cares about reforms that are to be done in those areas.

I told him a few inspirational anecdotes and stories that moved me. They just add fuel to the fire of his Will - that will take him to the peaks. Of perfection and exaltation. When I asked how good his friends study? the answer came, “Talent and hard work can be compared, but sincerity and determination? How? The only thing that worries us is that our hard work is scaled up by scribes, who are often not so serious. They are good, charity stuff they feel. They need to empathize with our feelings. I always wonder how and why these mere numbers decide our destiny” 

With a great degree of happiness, I submitted the answer sheet, vicariously. We departed with a bond of I scribing for his final exams. I don't know if he will beat 95 this time. But LIFE. No compromise. 

He will just do it. 

When was your last letter posted ?

“Take care dear, Aunt Rohini”

By then tears rolling down my cheek were palpable. Yes, I was crying, reading a letter that was sent to me ages back by a person who no longer exists. It was a small letter, yet spoke thousand emotions. I always wondered if anything apart from in-person communication or counseling could bring upon a striking impact on other lives. I neither did have an answer then, nor did I respond to that short note. Now I know.

Letters are the personified sheets of pulp that verbalize one’s heart. They are the songs of immense deliverance giving endurance to face life’s biggest challenges. Consider Indira Gandhi as an example. Letters, hundreds of them, written to her by Nehru, made her see the world in her palms.

Later on I sensed how these actually work. Words, often written than spoken make a deeper impact, for they never fade away. Sadly, our days are numbered and trapped under the mercy of social networking sites and technological innovations. We are organized by reason and logic. Is emotional quotient missing?

Receiving a hand-written note wishing good luck, coupled with strands of blessings is the best thing that can ever happen to the habitants of the concrete jungle, who are lost in a disarray of things. Writing is a dying culture which would be too late to stop before we realize what we might miss. Rejuvenation is in our hands, take out a sheet of paper and jot down what comes to your heart and drop in a post box.

Conceiving of the number of letters I ought to write, and the sparks in the receiver’s eyes when they would behold, I resigned. I know I am late, but there is always a first time.

If letters are the articulation of love, let them be recognized so.

Yeh Dosthi.....

Don’t  wait till  you’ve  a garden

To   grow  life’s  favorite  flowers.

True  friendship  blossom,

Not  in  soil,

But  happy,  well  spent  hours.    --   Anne  Kreer

It all started when I began reading – The Friendship Book (Francis Gay, 1989). It is of £ 2.55 ,but I bought it for  Rs. 20. Thanks to the Sunday market of Hyderabad. 

It is a diary evincing a thought for each day, with tiny crumbles of anthology and super pixilated photographs carrying the mood throughout. Mediocore, but, it’s the voice of an optimist, who truly lives life. Soon, I began dreaming the author’s dreams, only to fall in love with it, bit by bit.

Potential lowering of ego levels.

That’s my definition for friendship, only then any two people can get along, frictionless. But my point is can they ever minify their levels to an absolute zero? What are the hurdles for it? Had my thinking cap on - the only answer popped up - Supremacy of Ego. Self.

Dictionaries define them more precisely than I could do. So, no enthu to outbeat them. And also, let’s confine it's area to friendship. Ego’s in other domains is out of my scope  :P 

You see, Ego - being selfish – these are all relative terms. You can never claim that – “This is my action which came out of a selfless divine heart”. Never. Example – You do some charity, you empathize with the situations and make some efforts to efface them. In this process, you feel elated, which can be implied that you are being selfish for your happiness – reason is not the criteria here. By the way, Ego isn’t a bad word. It’s you. Your soul’s state of happiness or sorrow.

So, when ego is almost a non-negotiable factor, let’s disguise it in the name of friendship. That’s how it works !

Throw a compliment for your friend who looks stunning today. Apologize for your wrong doings. Don’t let a microbe called ego follow you, whenever you climb. Stay humble and be a free-float. Friends can never be replaced, roger that.

# wanna go to those times where I could have been a lot better.

Wish I have a time machine !! 

Banality of teaching

We request students who have an aggregate of 68 or below, not to attend our campus recruitment processes.

91.3… 97.5….75…. What happened in B.Tech ?

Why did you choose to be an Engineer ?

Now that the phenomenal “Campus recruitment Season” started in my college, I started experiencing different modes of mindsets – recruiters and the budding engineers. (That’s what they call us, can’t you see, we ain’t budding !). These instances took me through my beautifully decorated hall called Academic life’ where there were quite a good number of dusty windows called ‘examinations, through which my creativity and innovation might have escaped some day. That’s how I see myself and many other such souls amongst us.

Education – this is the term I would suggest anyone to end any misery – directly or whatsoever. But, I failed to realize that the mere definition in our system for it is different. It’s somewhere far away from our imagination, and most importantly, our sensibility.

Stupid Numbers

Grades, CGPA’s and marks - created a vacuum in both quantity and quality of confident and charismatic youth coming outside and henceforth, revamping the very masquerade of an ‘EDUCATIONALIST. In the earlier days, if you had boasted among your friends that you are a topper, a stoic shrug is what you could have been answered with. But now, THAT tag – be it IIT, IIM or a Gold medalist, is making that geek loftier than the rest. Even that is okay, why are the rest looked down? Education – is it a tiny marble to be locked and stored in a pouch of numbers? Or was Einstein / Feyman a topper ?

Institutions – brand and nothing else

I know there are institutions whose methodology towards teaching is different and humanely innovative. That’s not my concern is about. The rest 100000 of them survive because of the BRAND. It’s a toxic jelly I tell you, we are the prime victims of it. They offer direct and disguised pressure that imbibes all the confidence one can manage to keep at his heart. How many of our Indian institutions exactly adopt when they mean – “World class facilities at research and the all-round development of the student”? Countable with fingers, or even fewer.

Engineering/Medicine. No? Err…

It’s evident that the world isn’t under the mercy of them. You will be successful, beta. Engineering assures you of a bright future. Understand, it’s going to be great. Thank god, this bug ain’t passing from parent generation to its progeny. Where did the liberal arts, humanities and the rest of the awesome studies go? Can’t we just see them? May be they failed to impress us as they can’t draw a 6 digit pay check. Lets fill this gap, else, as in most of the keyboards – delete button is next to pause.

Where do we begin then?

With innovative syllabi and re-framed textbooks – please erase those methods adopted by primitive man. Let’s look at the future, how long can we keep adulating our freedom heroes and past victories. Time for us to crusade against the problems we confront now and learn the latest technologies. Efface all the ignorant notions and let every art and skill of human prevail, not being curtailed by anything.

Giving back “Teaching” that noble place it had earlier. At least a few organizations are striving for it. Relieved. Tune the mindsets that have been accustomed to the traditional means of living. After all, life is not divided into semesters of relative grading. Step out of that mob appreciation. Because its only then education can finally say

And, yes ! I am the bosom that will shelter you.