Such a relief...

Sweat drenched my clothes
While I walked among the bunch of blokes
Prayed to god for the clouds of relief
He had a different plan or so was the belief

Days passed on with no change
While no relief in near range
People sulked and earth parched
Ponds dried and petals cried

Yet another day Sun beamed wrath
It went west as I walked on the path
Clouds turned grey all of a sudden
Soon became the earth moisture laden

An object of a curious case..

They say success taste a lot sweeter when you had trod through the bitterness of failure and stumbled upon the carpets of thorns. May be it does. But who cares. The feeling of success would last for say an hour or so or may be a week for some. What matters to me is the change in life that is going to follow. Its like suddenly you are placed at the crossroads. You are given the choice. Your life is no more the same like it was yesterday. And come to talk of it here in civil service preparation, that I am in to, its like suddenly you raised to the level of stardom. If you could place yourself in some decent rank every competitive magazines craving for lucrative chunk of their share in the business would flash your photos and interviews for the next few months. People talk about you and they’d remember you too during the stint of their preparation.

Well, I am looking forward to that change. And you want me to talk about my failure. They call it a curious case. It’s like I’ve passed through all the stages of exams and failed at all of them too. Things have gone in a backward fashion for me. Anyways, I lived this life that I am going through right now for miserably longer years. I guess you must have seen this popular T-shirt line “I was born intelligent but education ruined me”. That is a little different in my case. I’d say,” I was born healthy education ruined me”. I had done too much of sitting staring at voluminous books that my joints and all needs to be regularly exercised. And that’s what the doctor said.

You know you need a bit of luck if you want to get what you want. But I guess luck is a gift I am yet to receive. And to pep myself up, who knows may be its in transit. One question that my conscience is asking me right now is, “ Am I working towards success?”. If I had to answer here then I would say “Not all the time”. Especially after making a brief visit home for my sister’s marriage studies has marked a downward trend on the graph of my progress. The thought that I’m the next one, in fact the last one in our generation, to get married in the family should shake me up a little to work even harder. Anyways its pleasing to meet friends and to hear them say, without going in to what lies beneath, that their studies are slow too. But whatever, there are always people making it to the success list. Ultimately it is what that counts.

Well, I am just peeping out to see if success is just around the corner. Hmmm…looks like its caught in the traffic. Ha ha ha….

oops....just figured out that this is my 50th post....That goes for a toast....clinnnnkkkkkk.......

Nature and hope….

Sometimes I wonder if the four seasons of the nature symbolizes some kind of change in our life too. Each time there is a change in season I feel my life is being ushered in to a new phase. Though my routine may remain the same but my approach to it is definitely a lot different. No time could be better than now to talk about it. The City of Delhi is slowly creeping in to its days of bright sunshine ahead after having been a witness to mist laden plants, fog shrouded clouds and spine chilling cold. And it’s people are much relieved to get out of their woolens and happy to see the break of the day unlike those cold days when most of the people were huddled in their beds. The Park in the neighborhood, I guess, would be rejoiced to receive its once regular morning joggers and walkers who went missing for a brief time. Yeah, I am back in to my jogging shoes too. But some things haven’t changed. The sight of newspaper boys gathering up and splitting papers, School children accompanied by their mothers and a bunch of Punjabi-speaking old men with immense bon-homie amongst them at the teashop are clearly some of those unchanged things that has almost become my daily scene when I sip on the hot piping tea in the morning. It’s a great pleasure to sit and watch people beginning their day.

This end of winter has infused in me a sense of urgency reminding me to keep focused on the up coming preliminary exams in May. If there is one thing I liked about summer, despite the scorching heat, it is the energy it supplies that helps me to keep working. But winter, of course, has its own share of joy. Nature, as it may seem, brings with itself these symbolic changes of this sort to break the monotony in our life. I think it is only these changes that throw new challenges and promises that keeps us looking forward in life with a new found hope. I don’t know who said hope gives us strength. But I know that it is so right.

Lesson for Democracy….

Who said the scourge of corruption is rampant only in public sector and mostly amongst politicians? Here’s is a case in the corporate world that shocked thousands of investors in the capital market. Satyam Computer Services Ltd , fourth largest software services company promoted by B.Ramalinga Raju, is said to have breached the trust of its investors by making a decision to invest whooping amount of Rs.6000 crores in a company in which the promoter and his family members jointly own a major stake. This is much like taking a huge sum kept under public trust and enriching the pockets of the promoters and his kith and kin. The Board of Directors of the company approved the investment decision without considering other available options. One wonders if this had been done with best of intentions. No matter how sound the decision is this was a big blow to the investor’s confidence.

Here I would like to draw to attention to the reaction that it kicked amidst investors and the analysts. Just after the controversial decision was approved by the Board and made public the investors of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) floated by the company in USA smelt the smoke in the air,. The prices of ADRs dropped owing to this very reason. Back home in India investor did not react very sharply though. But analysts and experts were outraged and up in arms against the logic of the decision. A report by Mumbai’s Dolat Capital Market Pvt Ltd called this “Satyam’s Daylight robbery”. Following this the same mood was caught on like fire by investors. As a result the Management of the company had to revert its decision. This proves that shareholder activism is alive and kicking and nothing can go wrong in a vigilant society.

This further reinforced the need for transparency in the corporate affairs and strict measures of corporate governance. Here there is a lesson that needs to be learnt and it has to be deeply pondered over.

Have we ever seen such a quick reaction to any allegations of any scams and kickback cases involving government and politicians that has very much been in our daily newspapers? Or is the functioning of the government not transparent enough? Transparency, accountability and good governance is the philosophies of every country that believes in democracy and its deep rooted values. But these are hard to come by. Not unless people of our country raise their voice in unison against wrongdoings by the government of the day. And not unless government makes its day to day affairs transparent. And not unless people realize that the money spent by government is their money too and theirs only. What we need is Citizens Activism. Their rights as citizens do not terminate in the polling booths. In fact it is only a beginning. Only this beginning would be the true beginning of the rule of the people.

Stop Bleeding Us...

Everyone called the macabre of 26th November as India’s 9/11. May be. But subsequent to 9/11 USA proved to its people that it can protect its citizens at any cost. Indeed people of Afghanistan and Iraq had to pay the heavy price. But likewise can India play USA to Pakistan? There are indications that finally the UPA government is shaken our of its slumbers. Home Minister Shivraj patil whom media and people blamed for his inefficient functioning following bomb blast at various place finally put in his papers holding himself morally responsible for the attack on Mumbai. External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, following the terror attack, announced that all options including military option against Pakistan are open proves that government is committed to put an end to this scourge of terrorism. Everyone is acting and talking, at last.

Mumbaikars who always showed their resilience after any disaster-both natural and manmade have come out of their homes and protested against the politicians for their divisive tactics and to unshackle them out of their complacency. Columnist Ramesh Ramanathan in Mint calls it a political awakening. Never have the citizens of our country whipped the politicians like this in public. And this is good for democracy as it reinforces the principle of accountability. But contrary to this one of the BJP leaders criticized the coming together of people as attack on democracy inflicted by ladies who wear lipstick and powder. What a death blow to gender equality and women empowerment. But I must say Politicians have show their true colors at a time like this.

Here is another instance coming from none other than Chief Minister of a State who is expected to inspire and act as role model to his council of Ministers. He remarked that if it was not Sandeep’s ( an officer in NSG who sacrificed his life while fighting terrorist) house not a dog would have visited. He was obviously infuriated by slain officer’s Father’s unwillingness to let him express his condolence by visiting the house. But such a remark is not expected of a public figure. He should not have taken it personally. Nonetheless no lid can be put upon the boiling emotions of general public. This was evident too amidst people who had gathered in Gateway of India to show their solidarity against terrorism. One of the protestors, a lady, showed a placard that read “ I would prefer a dog visiting my house than a politician”. This is indeed a political awakening.

But I wonder if all the politicians read the newspapers. If only they had been receptive to public criticism and corrected their ways India would not be made to bleed by outside forces like what we just witnessed now.

Vaaranam aayiram...

Finally the movie that had kept us waiting for a long time is here. Vaaranam aayiram starring Surya, Sameera Reddy, Simran, et all directed by the Kaaka kaaka fame Gautam Menon. Following Patchaikili Muthucharam belonging to genre of drama one would have expected a action filled flick from the Director who believes in making movies with a style and urbane touch. Vaaranam aayiram is a depiction of the connection between father and son. Most of the Tamil movies, especially Dhanush’s ,caricatured father as a villain in son’s life. But this one embraces every child’s unspoken belief in taking father as the first hero. Surya has given an impeccable performance in both the roles of Father and Son.

The story opens up with the father taking his last breath. On hearing this news Surya (son), while he is away on Army mission, narrates his life and his closeness with his father .But this narrative style of presenting a movie has had one disadvantage. Just for the reason that the movie has a foregone conclusion. Son finally comes to father’s funeral. And that’s the end. The director could have won over the audiences had he tried to unravel some new elements at the end. And the rescue operation that Surya heads looks patched up and disconnected though it explains that something of an urgent nature had taken the son away from seriously ill father. These are few flaws.

But ,by and large the movie touches you. It definitely does connect with some part of your life. The meeting between Surya and Sameera Reddy and the way surya courts her love is every man’s fantasy and a dream that we aspire to realize one day. It looks cute and convincing on the screen. But real life is hard all around. Love between Father Surya and mother (Simran) is aesthetically picturized . It reminds us of MGR-Saroja Devi on screen and it looks as though colour is added to those black and white pictures. But I may not call this a new idea.

Harris Jeyaraj like always for Gautam’s movies has composed music for this one too. The song “Mundhinam parthenae” and “ Nenjukkul peidhidum” would definitely steal your heart . This movie is definitely going to take Surya places. He has proved as a capable actor. His hard work and dedication is written all over the movie.

Watch this if you really the one who appreciate good cinemas.

Society,Who?

Freedom, baby... is never having to say you're sorry.. This is a line from the movie The devil’s advocate. And that kind of freedom is available in abundance in our country. One has the freedom to urinate in public. Facing the wall, of course. You have all the rights to litter all across the road. And commit petty crime with impunity like breaking traffic law, smoking in a public place when its actually banned. You never have to feel or say sorry to the society at large. In fact these bunch of law breakers and nuisance creators are very much the society. He could be your neighbour, your friends and your own folks at family. But all of them hoping that someday this country would change and look spic and span. Distant dream, though. But what pains me more is the image you see on the pictures here. I captured them on one fine chilly morning at a road which used to make me feel oh god! at least this stretch of road is clean. The cause of my pain is not the dump that is lying there. It was just that it was heaped right outside the FICCI auditorium in Barakhamba road. The make-shift arrangements for the dinner the previous night in the open space of the auditorium premises was visible from outside. Yes, FICCI – Association of some of the largest companies in the country.

This happens at a time when the concept of corporate social responsibility is gaining prominence. Of course credits must be given to several Indian companies that have taken up the social cause zealously. But this kind of callousness evokes a bad image of the organization, at least in this regard. I know it is only a auditorium, run by FICCI , let out on rental basis. May be. But is it not the responsibility of the FICCI or whosoever in charge of the auditorium to refrain their users of the auditorium from causing any inconvenience to the society by committing any such act. And that is not all . On the other side of the wall along side the Tansen Marg our men folks attend to their nature’s call without any sense of guilt nor shame. This is indeed everyday sight. I wonder why such thing has been overlooked by the administration of the auditorium.

Cleanliness is one thing that needs to be taken seriously by all. Would we?