Black and White - Episode 2

To read the previous episode of the story Click here

"How does it make a great piece of art “, I had to change the topic.

"There's nothing like good, bad or ugly, we categorize it based on our perspectives"

"So which is your favorite painting among these?"

"I don't have any single favorite. One painting was made on a rainy day, the other was painted late night, after a fight with my friend and this painting was made just a few hours ago. Each and every work has its own significance. Few of them for the audience, few of them for the fans, few of them for me, few of them for the art and the rest for something beyond everything."

"Probably I'm not that crazy enough to understand what you said now.", I chuckled.

"I admire your honesty. In fact, I'm not 100% sure about what I said now. Painting is more like poetry, you know. I mean, all the art forms are a way to reach peace. It takes the creator to a different world and viewer to experience something surreal. We cannot describe the influence of art in words. "

“Oh my God! I can’t believe that you are having a conversation with Adithya”, Madhu intruded us.

“She is Madhu….a dear friend of mine. Madhu brought me to this exhibition”, I explained to Adithya.

“I know Madhu. She is a part of Artists Guild”, Adithya replied.

I knew that Madhu wanted to get trained under Adithya and work with him but I wasn't aware that they knew each other. Adithya and Madhu got into a serious conversation on arts. I tolerated it for some time but couldn’t take it anymore.

“Sorry to interrupt you guys. Madhu, shall we leave?”, I interrupted.

“Oh! It’s 9:30. Adithya, we’ll leave for the day. Shall I have your contact number? ”

“Ya, sure. I’m sending you my contact.”, Adithya took out his cellphone and sent his contact number.

“Thanks, Adithya”

“No problem. Sarah, can I have your contact number?”, Adithya asked me.

 This was quite unexpected from Adithya but I managed to put on a smile.

“I have sent her contact number as well”, Madhu said.

I was not sure whether sharing the contact number was the best thing to do. There are a few moments in life which leads you to something big. This meeting was an unexpected package for me. I was happy that I got to meet Adithya; he was so adorable, even Madhu felt the same. 

In the coming days, Madhu built a strong rapport with Adithya. After few hiccups, she started working with Adithya. She was very happy about it. Once in a while, Adithya talked to me and we had regular chat in WhatsApp. Conversations with Adi were endearing. We always had a good time talking to each other.

I had entered into Adithya’s life and he had made his way towards mine. 

“Wat kind of food do you like?”, He asked me mid-way through a long chat.

“I’m not a foodie….fine with anything but veg”, I replied.

“Do you like Rajasthani?”

“I don’t know…I haven’t tried anything before”

“There’s a fine Rajasthani restaurant near my place…shall v go for dinner, tomo?”

I didn't know what to reply. So I kept him waiting for a while.

To be continued....

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Black and White !

It was a fine Sunday evening. Let me think again.....Hmmm…Fine Sunday evening??? Not really. It was one of those terrible Sunday evenings that you curse your job, dream about your passion, feel homesick and miss your parents. Monster Monday had opened its claws and was inviting me for a dreadful week ahead.

I switched on the television to come out of this awful feeling. There wasn't much happening. All the channels were repeat telecasting one or the other awards show, a classic movie, songs with mindless lyrics from the latest albums and News-channels were too busy showing the wardrobe malfunction of an actress whose first film was yet to go on floors. 

My friend WhatsApped me,  "Hey Sarah, Whatsup??"

This was my opportunity to kill some time.

I replied, "Nothin much, Madhu. U tell me"

After a delay of 15minutes she sent a new message ,"was goin out for chats. U wanna join me??"

I agreed and sent a "Thumbs up" emoticon to her. 
A ladies meet-up was fixed in no time just because I was in no mood to argue or discuss.

We planned to meet up at Bluebird Café around 5:30 PM and managed to show up only by 6:20 PM. It wasn't much crowded, inside. This Café offered much needed serenity and my friend was a treat to talk to. We ordered a Hazelnut Cappucino with Chilly Cheese Toastizza and Macchiato with Double Cheese Veg Wrap. Don't worry about being so ignorant about what we ordered - These are just 2 cups of coffee with some bread, each of them costly, and sounded hi-fi. 

"I came here to attend a painting exhibition at Artist's Guild. It's right behind this Café . Just a walk of 5 minutes. Are you joining me?"

"Hmmm. I’ll join you. When does it start? ", I concurred.

I am not an ardent fan of paintings but going back to room wasn't a great option.

"It's 7:50 now. Exhibition starts around 8"

The Café bill doesn't look strange to me, these days. I know, we are not only paying for the 2 cups of coffee and chats that we had but also for the pleasure of leisure, privacy, luxury and serenity. Though it didn't make sense for the first few visits but now I'm acquainted. I know, I am sharing the cost of electricity, rent, comfortable couches, luxurious interior design and salary slips of the employees over there. 

 After swiping my friend's card, we headed towards the venue.

The hall was beautifully decorated and looked so lively with too many paintings. The theme of the exhibition was "Black and White". For someone like me, who is an illiterate when it comes to paintings, this was a refreshing experience.

We stood in-front of a painting which depicted a young beautiful woman's face.

"This is mesmerizing.  Such an amazing piece of work", I said.

"I think, the outline is a bit too dark", She disagreed with me.

"Shit! You are just jealous of his work. The painting is aesthetic!"

"Oh! Come on. I am a huge fan of Mr. Sharma. But this painting is not that great"

We looked at different paintings in the hall. Madhu was passionate about painting and spent a lot of time watching every single art-work with a lot of interest and passion while I kept hopping from one painting to the other.

"What is this?? Two slashes and they call it art" I said to myself, looking at a painting and smirked.

The Person standing next to me overheard what I said and replied, "What's so funny about it?"

"I mean, look at it. There's nothing substantial. Even I could do that"

"May be, you aren't able to understand the painting"

"May be, the painter thinks himself as a genius. By the way, he isn't"

"May be, he really is"

"Let’s stop arguing over some unknown artist and this unwanted painting"

"He is not a stranger and this painting surely is dear to me. I'm Adithya....Adithya Sharma and I painted this", He smiled at me.

I had nothing to reply but smile at him, bluntly.

To be continued...

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Bangalore Days !

Alert: Sorry to disappoint all the film-buffs, this article is not a review of the super-awesome movie Bangalore Days. I am just sharing a story of mine with you in this post. Happy reading.

It was yet another Sunday in the city of Bangalore. I had slept for the whole Saturday, so I had to do something. My smartphone showed 11:13 AM, Sunday and Mr. Sun was all high. The body was tired to sleep any further. I had to do something for the day. My routine for the weekend had become predictable; sleep, sleep and sleep. I was not happy any more to spend the day inside my room. I needed some freedom from internet, WhatsApp, movies and myself. I took a quick bath and was all set to go out for the day.

I made my way towards bus stop and sat on the bench. I took out my smartphone and googled “places to visit in Bangalore”. A BMTC Volvo bus stood in-front of me with LEDs displaying “360B KEMPEGOWDA BUS STATION” and the conductor shouted “Silkboard…Majestic…Majestic”. My planning was interrupted. I boarded the bus with unclear plans. I had to forcefully buy a daily-pass from the conductor.

The whole bus was empty, I mean, who wants to waste Rs. 70 when they could travel the distance in Rs. 25. Weekends mark lesser traffic, they say. The bus was empty and no passengers boarded the bus in the coming stops. The bus had reached Silk Board, I could have diverted my way towards J.P.Nagar/Whitefield but I was reluctant. A pretty lady boarded the bus and occupied the seat next to me. There were umpteen empty seats but she preferred to sit next to me. She was sober and didn't care to contact eyes with me. My smartphone had started shouting “Battery Low”. Smartphone batteries are more like our savings amount; before we rejoice the “Fully-Charged” message,  there is a “Battery Low” alert. After a while, she got a call from someone. She spoke for a while and hung up. I was still in my dormant mode to eavesdrop her conversation on phone.

“Are you in a relationship?”, She asked.

This question was totally unexpected of her. It was more like a Bangladesh-Kenya World Cup finals.

“What?”, I was shocked.

“ARE YOU IN A RELATIONSHIP?”, She repeated.

“No. Why?” I replied.

“Obviously! Why would you travel all alone on a Sunday afternoon in a BMTC Volvo? You look so peaceful” , She said.

“I guess, I didn't get you. How about you? Are you in a relationship.”

“Leave me.  My answer to this question would spoil our conversation”

“Ufff! Chuck that. I wish, I had a girlfriend. My work and family commitments doesn't motivate me to have one. By the way, what's your name?”

“My name? Exchanging personal information would create prejudice. Stereotypes won't help us talk and let our heart out. Knowing someone is an indirect way of agreeing on a give-and-take policy. It creates expectation....So, you have a lot of work at office.”

“Weekdays, I work like a machine. But there are days in which I don’t have a single thing to do”

 “We, human beings, are the most complex creatures on this planet. Striving too hard to earn currencies so that one day we will attain satisfaction and be happy. In the pursuit of almost-impossible complete happiness, we spoil the present.”

I was liking this girl and her thoughts.

“I second that. We created these valuable pieces of paper which are ruling us. For me, leaving far away from my family, hometown, and friends concerns a lot. Financial stability and ambitious future plans make us do all this rubbish.”

“True that. Living a life in Bangalore where we don’t have anything that belongs to us is horrible. It’s a strange world you know.”

“What does it have to do with Bangalore?”

“I meant, a bigger city when I referred to Bangalore. I don’t have anything against this city. In fact, Bangalore is giving me rice and sambar…. I mean, bread and butter”,She giggled.

“Good one! My company helps me lead a life. It gives me a new lease in making me believe that I’m making a great difference to this world. I think, I am on my way to attain financial stability. I, kind of, like what I’m doing.”

“I’m not bothered about my work. I almost never relate to what I’m doing at office. But I’m happy that I can take care of myself, financially.”

“Hmmm. It’s amazing how we both share a common opinion. In spite of being totally unknown to each other, we have a lot to speak ”, I made my point (The flirt in me had started to come alive) 

“No, we don’t. Actually, we haven't had a long conversation as such. But we are trying to understand each other and deal without any prejudice or stereotypes. When you are dealing with a stranger with whom you have nothing to give or take, this happens."

"Agree. That's a very nice analysis"

 "It's Shantinagar. I was here to pick my parents. They are here to attend a marriage ceremony. Bye!”

She ended the conversation so abruptly. No clue at all. I was hoping for her to be with me till Majestic.

“Can I have your contact number?”

“Note it down”

“OK. Let me take out my smartphone and save your number”

The smartphone was dead by now.

“My phone is dead. I don’t even have pen and paper.”

 “No issues. It’s good that we remain strangers.” She smiled and walked away.

“As you wish” I said. 

I had reached the heart of the city and conductor shouted, “Majestic. Last stop! Last stop! ”

“Shit! I could have given her my contact number. Retard me!”, I said to myself after getting out of the bus.

PS: The talk ended before it actually started. Conversations like this make us feel good. The essence in this short talk was trivial and obvious but there is a sense of happiness. Few things are so simple but yet create a huge amount of joy. The human in all of us connects to others. We like to share stories. Personally I relish these moments. 

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IGNITE- 2013 !

Warning: This post is a description of preparations and after-effects of IGNITE-2013. IGNITE is a Career and Personality Development Workshop organised at JNV, Balehonnur! If you don't belong to the JNV community, you might not understand a single word in this write-up.

This blogpost goes out for all the members of JNV, Balehonnur.

Prologue:

@Electronic city on a gloomy Sunday evening

4 of  us,batch-mates at JNV, met at Electronic city and started a conversation. Of all the topics we discussed, JNV was the prime point of this talk.

One of us said, “This time, we’ll go to JNV and attend alumni meet. It’ll be a get-together for us and we can also visit JNV, meet teachers and staff. What say?”

Rest of us agreed.

20th October, 2013 @ Cubbon Park

The first call for IGNITE-2013 was through Facebook. Few of the alumni members met up in front of the Central Library, Cubbon Park. Diganth Anna spearheaded the brain-storming session. Before the discussion started I (and most of my batch-mates) was not aware of IGNITE’s significance and holiness. Here started an amazing saga. We had a fine extempore midst the drizzle. Last year's feedback from Kids was considered in the planning. We, somehow, laid the rough plan for IGNITE. (Thanks for the Lunch, Nadig Anna.)

In the coming days, through Google Group, we all discussed upon the plans and executing them in the best way possible. Conference calls, every now and then, helped us to collaborate. WhatsApp, Facebook and Gmail were all saviors for us.  It reminds me of the unbeatable chemistry and understanding that we JNVians have. It was a great learning period for me, personally. To speak up, To listen, To differ, To support and To grow – We were a great Team. From deciding upon the Title to Tag-Line, Fonts to Timings we had it all sorted out. The Blue-Print was ready (Almost)

Teaser/Short Movie

Then came the task of creating a Teaser for IGNITE. We collected the photos and videos from past 8 IGNITEs. Using the best possible tools and limited time, we started preparing the short movies to show the legacy of IGNITE. ( Thanks to Sampath Anna for the collection of photos/videos.)

Sessions/Speakers

It was really tough to finalize the topics and select the speakers for the same. Each and every thing was critically discussed. The content and it's presentation was taken care of. (Thanks a lot, Raviprakash Anna for coordinating and guiding us.)

Games/Activities

Our Batch was given the responsibility of arranging Games/Activities. We had to plan and execute activities coherent to the content of each session. Activities were supposed to keep up the tempo of students and lighten-up the sessions.

17th November, 2013
We all met up at Lal Bagh to decide upon the games. I was overwhelmed to see the enthusiasm. Many ideas were suggested and few were finalized.

It was heartening to hear, “GP, I’ll take that responsibility. We’ll do it in a proper way and let it be very useful to the kids.”

Each game had an owner and the Volunteers strength increased. The next few days went on discussing the topics for debate,buying the logistics and planning the execution.

25th November, 2013
The Promo videos were shared with the Alumni through Facebook. We received good feedback for the same.

As we were nearing to the D-Day, the excitement started increasing. We had a long list of tasks - Finalizing the sessions, selecting the speakers, getting props for games, editing the PPTs, fine-tuning the games, coordinating with JNV Staff and many more. We were racing against time. Thanks to Srikanth Anna for taking the lead.

26th November, 2013 @JP Nagar

Few days before IGNITE, I had been to our Senior’s place. (Thanks to Karthik Anna, Rudresh Anna, Shankarnag Anna, Nagraj Anna, Ramanujam Anna, Arjun Anna, Ravindra Anna). We sat the whole night to prepare slides for presentation, time table for the day etc..

I still remember what our Seniors said, “Just imagine, you are going to talk to your brother/sister about what next? What would you say? If you care for them, prepare well and convey the message properly. Plan it. Every second is important. Anyway you have spent a lot of time on this, execute it in a good way.”

IGNITE- 2013  (30th November, 2013)

IGNITE started off with an inaugural function and screening of the short-movie that we had prepared. All the sessions went off really well. We felt satisfied with the way things turned out. The reception and student’s feedback was incredible.We had sessions on Leadership, Team-building, Confidence, Communication and Presentation. A brief information on scholarship and loans was provided to students. The supplementary games/activities were awesome. Later in the day, we opened the session for questions and feedback.

We got a fine chance to inspire our juniors over there. We were stunned by the talent pool at JNV. Their knowledge levels, skills, aspirations, hunger for achieving something big made us more enthusiastic.

After-Effect:

Students expressed their views on IGNITE. We got a tremendous feedback from Kids. I could see a lot of change in them. Teachers saw a tremendous improvement in students after IGNITE and conveyed the message to us.To get inspired is good but to inspire others is something incredible. To inspire kids, guide them with all the little knowledge we have, visiting the alma mater, being selfless and to be a part of legacy makes me feel proud about myself.

A mere thought of a get-together with batch mates went on to become a memorable experience. 

I know, we are all busy with the day-to-day schedule. There are deadlines at office, you need to visit your hometown, meet your friends and several other commitments to accomplish, but why not spend some time for this noble cause. JNV has given a lot to us, its time for us to give something back to this holy institution. Bringing in a change, guiding our younger generation in a proper-path, telling the kids "We are with you!!" matters a lot. IGNITE was a great learning curve for me. I got to re-unite with my batch-mates, meet our seniors, visit JNV, talk to staff and students. Next day, we were part of Alumni meet. Played Volleyball and Football in the leisure time. We went on a small picnic to places near-by Sringeri. All in all, it was one of the best weekends. Events like this make you feel 'Life is worth Living'.

P.S: A big thanks to all those who contributed and attended IGNITE. 
A special thanks to Abhay, Archana, Ashwini, Divakar, Hemesh, Namitha, Pramod, Punith, Ramaswamy, Praveen, Sahana, Sandhya, Supriya, Vidya for always being there for me. We had a fine time.
(Sorry if I have missed any names)

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In the name of Modi !

Background:

Everyone loves talking. Majority of us would rate chit-chatting as our favorite pass time. We were about to end a long day of learning at TCS, Trivandrum. Three of us joined for a chit-chat session.We were touching upon general topics like sports, technology and current affairs etc. Somehow the focus shifted on Politics. Then came this topic on Mr.Modi. All of us were applauding his work at Gujarat. His rational, progressive and unique working style. This man had a lot to speak upon. Three of us had the same wish, "I would like to see Modi as the next PM of this country". Within few months, Mr. Narendra Modi became the PM of this country.

My father is a Journalist. Needless to say, we add to the TRPs of news channels. From TV9 to CNN-IBN, Public TV to Times Now, me and my Father irritate others in the home by watching news channels and discussing politics, in-depth. After being regarded as a rubber stamp, not-so-expressive and not-so-impressive Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh left the office with a lot of criticism.The whole country welcomed Mr. Modi as the next Prime Minister of our nation. Like many of you, even I feel that it wasn't a tough act to follow. It has been almost 6 months after being sworn in as the Prime minister of India. Here is what I feel about the Prime Minister of My country.

I was travelling in a city-bus towards Kempegowda Bus Stand to board a bus to my hometown. It was August 15th and the whole country was celebrating the Independence day. I could see tri-colors, children with white colored uniforms, automobiles sporting small flags and loudspeakers playing the patriotic songs. The bus-driver switched on the FM radio and made us listen to one of the best speeches, till date. It was our Prime Minister's speech from Red Fort. Modi's idea of "Make in India", cleaner India, Jan Dhan Yojana, Clean Ganga, Safer India, Digital India and many other progressive thoughts made me think. His encouraging words and plans for a better-India made me feel good. I know, he didn't lay out any concrete plan or mentioned a blueprint for these ideas. But as time progresses, he and his government will. As a Prime Minister he sowed the seeds of positivity in our souls. 

Modi's efforts in maintaining cordial relations with Pakistan, Japan, China, America and other countries is appreciable. With a lot of Foreign investment coming in, the good days are ahead for India. His Independence day Speech, First speech at LokSabha, Speech at Madison,Japan,Bhutan,UN, SAARC etc were above all standards. Use of social media to inform public about the government initiatives and to gather public opininion/suggestions has been tremendous. The monitoring of his cabinet members has been spectacular. Few interpret this as a dictatorship, but I feel happy about the way Ministers have been working and behaving in public. It is nice to see that no minister has come up with a bull-shit interview or a controversial statement (Very few exceptions). Modi's efforts in projecting India as a great nation is truly amazing. I am not sure about how worthy, truthful and productive Modi is, but his actions have always instilled our faith in him and his government. I can see improvements in economy, Trade markets, decrease in price-rise, increase in value of INR, various innovative development projects, SIT on black money probe and many more. I know, there are a few short-comings in this tenure. Above all, Modi has been a source of inspiration. His actions have been above any political games. 

Most of Modi's impressions are created by his public appearances and speeches. His defame of being the darling of paid media has always made me think Modi as a mystical figure. I don't see much of work happening at the ground level. I still feel there is some amount of advertising and false-hype creation. As we all know, this government is just re-packaging the policies of UPA and selling them in better packages. We're all tired of false-hopes and fake-promises. It is high time for Modi's team to work and take us towards "Acche Din". We all are with you!! I wish this government won't do the same thing that we have seen for years. The nation's hope for change brought BJP into power. Let BJP realize this and work towards growth of this country. 

Hope, we all get to see Government work on ground level to implement the ideas that have been put-forth. I would love to see them work in the same way as his manifesto and speeches reflect. Like any Indian, I want him to take up pragmatic policies and materialize all the visionary ideas he and his team has. Let us stop being over-critical and pessimistic, and be a part of this change. 

P.S :   Dear Modi & Team,
          Good Job!! But this isn't enough !!

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Shopping !!

Prologue:

The advertisements on internet, newspapers, hoardings and too many SMSs promoted the Big Billion day by Flipkart.With Rs.1-Pen drive, Rs.600-Hard disk, Rs.1800-Tablet device etc on charts, everything seemed unreal. 06th October, 2014 saw a revolution in online shopping. With Flipkart and even Snapdeal declaring sales of over 600 crore in a day, it was marked as a red letter day in online selling. Among the billion hits that Flipkart site got, I contributed a few of them. But all I saw on it's site was "Out of Stock" "No Results Found". With manipulated discounts, cancellation of products after booking and false hype, Filpkart lost it's clean image. 

I'm neither a compulsive shopper nor hate shopping. I finish my shopping before it actually starts. I make my selections quicker and wiser. My shopping time has always been increased by my family and closest of my friends.So with all the limited experience and exposure on shopping and marketing, here goes my thoughts on this arena.

Long back, a petty shop in the street served all our needs. May it be a match box or sugar, coffee powder or a geometry box, vegetables or a tennis ball, we had it here. The shopkeeper charged us with an extra rupee or two. The perk of having a chocolate/eatable every time I had to buy something at the shop made me really happy.
If a washing soap cost Rs.15, essentially my mom would bribe me with one-rupee coin to buy the soap from the shop.
Though we bought essential household items from a wholesale retailer on a monthly-basis, we always had some need which was served by the shops near our homes. The wholesale retailer always had good discounts, sold the items on MRPs and had a reputation. We could return or replace items whenever we had an issue. Going to city market to buy vegetables, shopping for dresses before the festival-weekend was one of the delightful experiences. The act of bargaining from our parents was something to watch out for. Shopping was real fun.

Then came the era of super-stores, malls etc which gave us an unique experience of getting all the items in a single place. It almost became a weekend ritual to visit malls in big cities.The prices were high, but the shopping experience was good. The luxuries like centralized AC, posh infrastructure, and the elegant shopping experience made the customers pay a very high price for goods purchased. For me, who has always been in a sub-urban/rural setup, it seemed extravagant.Though, I visit malls very often, I am not used to purchasing here. Just like the majority of us, I prefer window-shopping inside a mall rather than lessening the weight of my wallet. There are no bargaining acts here. The price tags make us faint. Nevertheless, people adopted themselves to shopping at these Malls.

In the early days of this decade started a new trend in shopping called online retailing. The whole shopping mechanism based on internet, took some time to establish itself. It became popular and trust-worthy in the coming days. We could search for an item just from a device connected to internet. We had a mega store in our device offering items with the best prices. Though, people had insecurities with online payments, virtual-selection and other issues with this unconventional shopping, e-retailers made our shopping experience better. In the book, "One Click" by Jeff Bezos, the author explains the challenges faced in the starting days of online marketing. Even a single mistake would cost the e-retailer badly. The job done by Amazon, Flipkart, eBay and other companies in this field of online selling is truly commendable and inspiring. To a country which loves to bargain, the discounts offered here were satisfying. These companies are even having the best customer support. In case of replacement/returns the customers are taken care of. The human tendency to buy unwanted was a blessing for these stalwarts. To gaze at the new stuffs in market and to buy the needless gave a push to online selling. Big cities found this shopping a fine experience. Ordering a product and getting it delivered to your doorstep was the best thing that could have happened. 

Lately, Flipkart's Big Billion day was a debacle in itself. In an attempt to overshadow and emerge as the King of Online-selling, Flipkart lost it's esteem. I was an admirer of Flipkart's marketing, selling, delivery, customer support etc. But I was totally disappointed with the Big Billion day bait. If you aren't selling the product on such low prices, cancelling the ordered products and creating cheap publicity, I don't think you are creating a brand. The Brand Flipkart 's morale-less masquerade was hugely criticised. I agree, if Flipkart sells a product on a lesser amount than others in future, obviously customer will prefer Flipkart. Nonetheless, it's very important to have ethics in your business.

Few companies cancelled their deals with Flipkart for selling their goods on predatory prices. Indian Government has received so many complaints on Flipkart. Government is planning to formulate laws to manage online selling. They want to restrict online sellers offering items less than the cost price. I don't agree with this decision, to be very frank. I know, it creates unethical trades, wage and weird practices but as a customer I should be the one to make choices. I guess, the big-shots of retail industry, owners of big malls are stepping into the competition. Lets see how they influence Government in oppressing the online shopping. 

It's festive time and we are eagerly for a long-vacation. Time to go Shopping!! 

Thanks for your time. Drop a comment and let me know how you felt.
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The Story behind the Story

I have always wanted to write something from past few years. I write a diary, scribble nonsense on bits and pieces of paper, type something on a notepad in my laptop and compose blog posts via my Blog. These days, there is an author constantly running in my mind. Writing has given me so much of pleasure. Looking at my blogposts, my improvement in writing, reader's appreciation and wanting to write more, gives a new lead to my life.

Long back, after reading my blogposts, few of my friends had suggested me to write something real and big. At that point in time, I didn't know what 'real' and 'big' meant. Later, when I started my career, few of my colleagues advised me to write something real. They gave me an idea to write a story-series, which would enhance my writing abilities and my journey as an aspiring writer. 

I thought about it for a while, discussed few ideas but didn't start anything. I kept on postponing the plan. I was happy writing short articles, travelogues and petty posts. After a tiring and not-so-good day at office, I started writing a love story. I wasn't sure whether it was an article or a short story when I published the first episode.

Few comments:  "Shit!! Why do you want to write a lovestory?" "Nobody reads these romantic stuff, these days" "Is this your lovestory?" "Looks mediocre" "Interesting! Good start!!"

My thoughts of writing a triangular lovestory went on to become a quadrilateral. Sometimes it appears like a dirty mixture of few films and novels to me. 

I was amazed to see good response. Though I lost few of my readers due to my infrequent publishing of episodes. But I am happy that I could reach out to good number of readers.

Few complaints: "Dude, I forgot the whole story" "Its irritating to click on "Click Here" " " "Post episodes regularly. You know that few are waiting to read the next part of the story"
If I say, this is a fictional story, I would be lying. This is a combination of what I have seen in my close ones' lives (My friends and colleagues) and my imagination (Wild, eccentric, and cheap, at times). I have never been in a relationship but I know a lot about this experience through my dear ones. Not to forget, I watch a lot of movies and soaps, read a lot of books and write-ups in internet. It isn't anyone's story in particular. You needn't go through that experience to write about it. Nobody wants to tell his personal story to the world. It is a fictional story with a lot of real-life elements in it. I kept on improvising the story. This story had actually become a part of my life. During my loneliness, travelling and various other instants I was thinking about the next episode. After writing each part, my friend, Jagadeesh used to come up with few suggestions. He is responsible for few twists in this story. From nowhere, this story reached somewhere and made me go through a fine journey.

Few appreciations: " I think, you should take it to the next level. Make a proper draft and we will talk to a publisher" "I never read lovestories, except this one. You are quite good" "Man, you write so real. Your narration is mind blowing. It must be your story" (My reply: If you know its real, then you must be in a relationship. Pat on my back, I'm good as an author) "It makes a lot of sense. You are getting better" "Every episode, you surprise me and keep me hooked up for the next part" "Good job, dude!"

I was happy to hear all the appreciation as well as criticism. At times, I didn't like the thought of me writing some shitty love story with so many episodes. That isn't real writing. But I define Real for myself. This writing was a memorable saga. Thinking like 4 different people was amazing. To weave a story that's unseen, to explain the emotions not experienced and to narrate the incidents which i wasn't part of, was splendid.

Thank you, for making this journey more enjoyable.
I'll miss Rahul, Aditi, Shreya and Sid. 

Thanks for your time!!

A Journey To Remember - Episode 18

Here is the next episode of the story. To read the previous part Click Here

Prologue:

Its not about how long we wait, its about how well we understand why we are waiting. Sometimes our reasons seem trivial for others...but for us..those are reasons which makes us breathe one more time.

I kept staring at the clock, I tried to pack things, I imagined all the good things that had happened to me over the years but nothing seemed to make feel alive. 

Melancholy had deeply penetrated to each and every blood vessel. Will I be happy without Shreya? Will Shreya lead her life peacefully, without me? Is Aditi serious on me? Should I clear the way for Aditi and Sid? Rather than going abroad, shall i start my life brand new, with my parents? Going to US is the best thing thing for me? I was torn apart by all these thoughts. Well, human brain can come up with innumerable permutations and combinations. His enemy, human heart agrees with one option at a time and changes it's decision, the next moment. 

My mom called me and I picked the call after 5 rings, " Rahul, It's 4 am. Wake up and get ready. Give me a call, before the plane starts."
I replied, "Sure,mom"

I knew, my parents wouldn't have slept the whole night. My decision to fly abroad had disturbed them, a lot. Unlike other families, middle class parents want their kids to be with them. All they care about is relationships, not professional milestones. I informed them 2 days ago to avoid all the emotional hi-drama. I didn't want them to see me off at the airport.

I got Aditi's message, "I'm ready!"

I called her, "Taxi will be here in few minutes. I am all set. I'll pick you at your place."

She reminded me, "Get your headsets and don't forget to turn off the gas cylinder. One more thing, wash all the used utensils. I know, you would have had a lot of coffee last night"

She was damn right. My headsets were lying on bed,coffee-mug on the table and I hadn't turned off the cylinder. Aditi knew me and I knew her. We were perfect to be friends. I had no thoughts of seeing her in some other place. We were fine to be together as buddies.

Taxi arrived and I picked Aditi from her place. We were at airport in 20 minutes. 

Sid had been to his hometown. He called me to say Goodbye!!

After a few formalities at the reception, I came back to Aditi, "Aditi, I want to tell you something. If you think Sid is the best for you, stop not! You never know. There isn't any rule that first love is the best. Love is such horrible arena that there is no guarantee. You give it a shot. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But before you get into this relationship stuff, make sure you aren't fake. You are real. You stay in it only if you feel like. I'm not telling you hop on to too many guys and find  good pair. Don't beleive in people who say, "There is no perfect match. We have to perfect what we have". Life gives you soulmate. My father and mother make the best couple. Their's was an accidental pair. You make efforts and give it a try, but if it doesn't work you must be good enough to end the relationship and move on. You aren't married to him, you are just dating. If you want to keep correcting your relationship everytime; better go with your parent's choice and go with an arranged marriage. It will atleast make your parent's happy, if not you. If you take a risk, do it properly. You find the best one for you. Not finding the best one will cause a hell lot of problems to you, your guy and both the families. Love marriages just end up with a small world with only two of you; your parents aren't bothered anymore (not that much, really). When life gives you an opportunity make the best of it. Regrets and wrong choices won't help anyone"

Aditi replied, "Hmmm. I agree. But how do you realize that HE is the one? "

I replied, "You'll get to know, soon."

We had a cup of coffee. Aditi gave me a music CD of retro bollywood songs.
"This one is for you Rahul. To the witty, not-so-smart, hilarious, heartful, not-that-rich, sensitive, dramatic and caring person I have ever met in my life. Thanks for making my life what it is"

I controlled my tears,
"Aditi, you know how much you mean to me.Take care of yourself. Take care of Sid. Visit my place, once in a while. Then, what else?? I'll miss you!! "

I hugged her. There were tears. I took my boarding pass and made my way, towards the waiting bay.I had to wait for 30 more minutes to board the plane. Each second was so terrible to pass. 

After a few minutes, I got an announcement, "Mr.Rahul, please come to the reception. It's an emergency"

I had one more disaster waiting for me. I rushed towards the reception.

And There she was! Shreya !

I was shocked. Shreya came running towards me. We stood against each other.

There was a long silence!

Shreya went on her knees and said, "I know, this is very much unlike me. Uffff!! Me, Shreya, totally awkward, highly weird and extremely abnormal girl wants to spend my entire life with you. I have been always afraid of myself, my intentions, my parents, conventions, society,  and many other things. Today, I no longer care about you, myself, our parents, our future or anything, else. I like you and I can never get anybody better than you. You can take care of me better than I do. I've hurt you, dissappointed you, and given you so much of trouble. Probably, I'll continue doing the same in future. More than anything else, I have always seen a companion in you. With you, I can talk non-sense, sing, do rubbish, dance, be totally myself and still be loved by you. I know, I made few wrong decisions, but I'm eventually here. All I can say is, " I LOVE YOU and I'M ALL YOUR'S ".

Shreya finally got to know her Truth. She disrupted her wedding ceremony and was here.


Life comes down to a few moments, and these moments shape our lives. Well, I didn't say anything. We both hugged!

The whole airport was looking at us without blinking their eyes.
There are a few things which cannot be explained.  Sometimes we don't know the real worth of our dear ones. We make wrong choices and continue to live with them. But we don't want it that way. Without confronting the problem we can never resolve it. Accept the reality, acknowledge the love and make good choices. Quitting from the wrong thing at the right time is as important as Staying with the right thing till the end.

THE BEGINNING!!

Most of you have WhatsApped me, sent SMS, mails, talked over phone, talked in person or via others about this story. I would really appreciate if you comment your views (Good, Bad or Ugly). It feels great to know my reader. Its gonna make my day.

Whether you know me or not, if you have read this story please drop a comment !!

To know the story behind this story Click Here

Nonsense !!

This article goes out for all the insane people over there, to all the introverts who are shy to accept their absurdity, to all the "I'm-Mature" people who hide the anomalies in them and to all those who appreciate, celebrate and respect Nonsense.

Disclaimer: Read this blogpost at your own risk.

Prologue:

College life is a golden life. I truly agree ! It was my 3rd semester in B.E. and I was on a 2-day trip with my friends. We were traveling in a mini-bus towards Hogenakkal Falls from Kollegaal. There were too many talks,screams,songs and all that is considered to be happy, energetic and youthful. 

I was busy talking to my friend. It was a very long conversation when she said, "Nonsense is the only thing that has LIFE".
"Really?", I was awed.
"Ya. Nonsense keeps us alive",she replied and giggled.
"Hmmmm!!", I liked the thought.

For me, Nonsense has always made sense. Though it's kind of a paradox,i still believe that Nonsense makes too much of sense. The sense in Nonsense is more than the sense in Sensible. Nonsense is a forte of limited number of people.Not everyone can deal with nonsense. It needs enormous amount of talent, uniqueness, patience and a lot of craziness. Few may consider it as insignificant, but I regard it as the oxygen of our lives.

The charm in non-sense is it's lust for imagination, it's liking for the incorrectness and being totally absurd. To talk abnormally, to imagine beyond all the realities and sensing the craziness is an amazing feeling. Nonsense doesn't need facts, it doesn't require statistics, cheesy lines, logic and whatever that is considered to be conventional. Nonsense just requires 'The-Weird'-You, 'The-Child'-You, 'The-Crazy'-You , 'The-Innocent'-You and most importantly, "The-Real-You".

Nonsense is not an unconscious ignorance. It is a conscious behavior. May be, that is the reason why Nonsense is an eternal bliss. To discuss with a dear friend of your's (I have got few) about wage theories on life, to shed light on relationships, profession and everything that is too high is the beauty of Nonsense. To know the reality and the correctness of the context, but to continue being wrong, crazy, fun and soulful at the same instant is an unmatchable ability of Nonsense. 

Long back, I had a weird conversation with my friend (I call it Nonsense)
"Nonsense is holy! "
"Bullshit!!"
"That's what I meant. Bullshit is holy. So is Nonsense"
"Dude, that was a rotten joke"
"God is holy, because he is surreal (I call it unreal) and gives a way to escape from the reality. Same way, Nonsense is surreal (I agree) and gives you ultimate happiness. By prayers and believing in Almighty we hope for all the goodness. Similarly, Nonsense is a saga that's bound to create a joy. We aren't hoping for happiness through Nonsense but we are getting it at the same instant, unlike our prayers to God" 
"I feel like puking, listening to your conversation"
" There you go, Nonsense is giving you a salvation by helping you to throw away bad things from your body. You are loving this Nonsense. Aren't you?"

Nonsense is not always being wrong, crazy and being abnormal. Nonsense can be challenging the accepted truths, to laugh at the hard realities of life, accepting the weird part of the story, emphasizing the false in Truth or finding the truth in False. It is all about breaking all the boundaries and ignoring the norms. You don't agree? Well, that is not my problem. May be, Nonsense isn't your cup of tea.

Nonsense is an escape vehicle to get rid of sad things, heartbreaks, failures, dissatisfaction and all the earthly existence. You get into this vehicle and take a joy ride. Make sure you have got few like-minded (I mean, Nonsense) passengers with you, it's gonna be much more fun. No need to worry about the fuel or the destination (I mean, Sense). It's a trip that'll be short but enjoyable.

No matter what, you aren't going to stay alive forever. It's time to stimulate your brain cells with some Nonsense. Let the child in you do all the crazy stuffs he wants to do. Think beyond the conventions. Let go! Ignore all the inhibitions and enjoy the ride.

Long Live Nonsense!!

Thanks for your time. Drop a comment and let me know how you felt.
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A Journey To Remember - Episode 17

Here is the next episode of the story. To read the previous part Click Here

Things were going fine at Office. Every single day was a challenge. I had to work smarter and harder to get things done. Though my schedule was too busy, there was Sid and Aditi for the relief.

One fine day, my Manager came to my cubicle and said, " Hi Rahul, I have nominated you as the Module Lead for our next project. You need to join our Onsite counterparts within few days."

I told him that I'm not willing to shift from Mumbai. Yes !! I didn't want to lessen my chances by moving abroad. I wanted Shreya at any cost. It may sound too silly for most of you, but I said "NO".

Manager: " Rahul, Its a great oppurtunity. USA is a land of opportunities. Your career will take a leap over there"

Rahul: "Thank you, so much for the opportunity. But I have my own priorities."

Manager: " I am not sure about your priorities, but you are a man of ultimate conviction. I know, you would have made the best decisions. Before I look for an alternative, I'll wait for your final decision till next monday."

I always make the best decisions. But it won't get executed in the same manner, because there is someone else who is a part of my decision.

All the colleagues got to know about this news. Few already started lobbying for this opportunity.

Aditi took me to the office cafeteria, one evening.

" Why did you say "NO" to that US offer? You are rejecting the onsite oppurtunity for the second time in a row. Are you crazy? "

"No, Aditi. I am fine. I don't want to go abroad. I like where I am and what I am doing."

"Don't tell me that shit again. You are waiting for that girl. You are hurting yourself and doing no good to anyone"

"I know, what I am doing. Everytime I ask myself, "Is it really worth it?" my heart has never said "NO" in these years. Going to US, professional achievements and exploring life isn't going to make me happy. That girl is what i want. Most of us don't know what makes us happy, but I'm damn sure. The only thing I wish is "Shreya", nothing else"

" That girl is stupid and you are crazy. I'm leaving. Catch you tomorrow."

Aditi was pissed off by what I said.She didn't speak to me for the next few days. She was disappointed by my actions. I liked Aditi for caring me and being always there. Aditi was a friend that everyone wishes for !

I was on an online meeting when I got a call from Shreya, " Hi Rahul, how are you?"

"I am fine. How are you?"

"I'm OK. I called you to say something...I mean, I don't know how to....(After a long pause) Well, my marriage is on 17th of this month. I am not even forcing you to come to my marriage, but I want you to forget me and lead a peaceful life ahead. I don't deserve you, by any means.You should always be happy."

"Hmmm..." I couldn't speak anything. I was cursing God and myself for what was happening. I was dumbstruck!

"Well, I knew you would be waiting for me. Accept the reality and live your life. Stop being too good for those who aren't worth it.Wish you all the goodness in this world. Bye! "

I had no reason to live anymore. My only wish was thrashed by the almighty. Just a phone call turned my life upside down. All my love, care and concern from past so many years had no meaning. My dreams went on a long walk to an unknown place, crying!

I went outside the office, ran harder and harder, for a long distance till I had lost all energy. My tears had dried. My wishes didn't work. My goodness didn't yield me anything. I was lost.

Next day, I went to my manager's room and expressed my acceptance to the onsite offer.

"You are leaving on 17th. For more information contact Admin Team. All the best, Rahul", My Manager said.

Life has few cruel coincidences and this one was ultimate. Shreya's marriage and my departure was on the same date. I made my mind, chose to dive into an unknown world. I knew, it wasn't the best thing but this option looked good.

Should I go to Shreya and convince her for the one last time? Should I choose Aditi over Shreya and live peacefully? Should I go away, far away from this world and forget everything for a while? 
Well, few questions have no answers!!

I dropped an sms to Aditi:
"I know you are angry on me. I'll be expecting you at the airport. I want to speak to you before I leave."

Aditi replied, 
"Will b at airport at sharp 6 o clock. Happy packing. GN."

To my suprise, I got a text from Shreya which read,
 "Happy journey. All the best. Thanks for everything. Good Bye!!"

With my laptop, old movie tickets, boring novels, unpacked clothes, "Ye Dooriyan" song on loop, untidy sneakers, air tickets...there I was sitting and watching the wallclock which showed 1:25AM.

Hard choices are hard because there is no best option.

Drop a comment and let me know your feedback!

Next and the final episode coming soon. Keep waiting !