Ringing in the new year 2012 - Timeline 2011

Once again, its that time of the year, when you are in the holiday mood, party hard, have fun with friends and at some point, sit back and reminiscence about the 365 (or 366) days of your life and the world. I love watching the news channels (ofcourse now through the online streaming) and recapitulating the best and worst of the year (2011). 

My year has been full of highs, professionally and personally. Just one deep trough, the weight loss plan which never seems to work. I can do nothing more, just thank god for the blessings bestowed on me and my family. 

A timeline with events impacting my thoughts: 

January 24 – Bharat Ratna Bhimsen Joshi dies: A legendary singer of Hindustani classical music, Pandit Joshi died in Pune, aged 89.

 March 30 - India and Pakistan PMs watched cricket: PM Manmohan Singh and his counterpart in Pakistan, Yousuf Raza Gilani watched the Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final and hold bilateral talks. India won the match!! 

 April 2 – India wins the 2011 Cricket World Cup: On April 2nd, India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, defeating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the final, played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in presence of 33,000 spectators. India got world cup after 27 years. India lived Sachin's dream come true!! 

April 4 - Anna Hazare initiated anti-corruption movement from Jantar Mantar in Delhi. It gripped the whole nation during the 12-day hunger strike. The movement has been named among the top 10 news stories in the world for the year 2011 by Time magazine.

June 9 - M. F. Hussain, one of India's best-known artists, died in Royal Brompton Hospital in London, of a heart attack at the age of 95 in exile from his homeland in India.

July 27 - Harish Hande and Nileema Mishra win Magsaysay Award: Two Indians Harish Hande and Neelima Mishra made the country proud by winning the prestigious Magsaysay Award. The award is considered as Asia's Nobel Prize.

October 10 - Renowned ghazal singer Jagjit Singh died at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai after he suffered a brain hemorrhage at the age of 70. Golden voice, Jagjit Singh made his mark with hits like Hontho se chhoo lo tum, Tum ko dekha toh ye khayal aaya. 

http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/top-3-jagjit-singh-ghazals-picked-by-ndtv-com-surfers/213215

October 26 - Sushil Kumar, a computer operator and tutor who earns Rs.6,000 per month, went on to win the top jackpot prize of Rs 5 crore rupees in ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.

October 30 – For the first time Indian Grand Prix, the 17th race of the 2011 Formula One season took place at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Germany’s Sebastian Vettel from Red Bull won the race.

November 5 - Bhupen Hazarika died: Padmashree Bhupen Hazarika, who was on the ventilator for four months passed away at 4.37 p.m.at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai. Lyricist, musician, singer, poet and film-maker from Assam Bhupen ji  is acknowledged widely in the Hindi film industry for introducing Hindi film to the sounds and folk music of Assam and Northeast India.

 November 9 - Har Gobind Khurana, the first India-born person to win the Nobel Prize after Independence, died of natural causes in Concord, Massachusetts, on 9th November morning. He was 89 and is survived by his daughter Julia and son Dave.

December 4 – Padma Bhusan Dev Anand Died: Dev Anand died at The Washington Mayfair Hotel in London at the age of 88 on 3 December 2011 (4 December 2011 by IST) of a cardiac arrest. Indian film actor, writer, director and producer Dev have acted in 140 films and is a national award winner. He was considered as the top romantic hero of his time. He was my first crush as any Bollywood Hero. 

Apart from these, the year gone by has been very eventful, happy and unhappy moments have adorned India and our lives. I pray the balance tilts towards joyous moments in 2012, and all my family (special mention to Mansi and Karan as they begin their new chapter in life, to Adhishree who will begin her professional life this year, to Arnav who is going to give the final round of Olympiad this year) and friends enjoy the best days in their lives in 2012!! 

All the best wishes and Welcome 2012!! 

Whorling in the Storm

My heart is heavy, my mind is weak
Both carry the strong ocean storm,
The floods rush and whorl in
The shells and pearls all are gone.


The nest, the perch, the sweet singing
All I remember fresh and green,
The eyes, the voice, shining, tinkling
All have lost the golden sheen.


Mt heart drios down, my eyes drop low
When i remember all gresh and green,
The sweet memorable memories flow
Bitter and devastating all have been.


My Lord made me, created me why
Regardless I have always been,
Am I proud, do I always lie
Maybe, but the inner white none has seen.


I see myself with the inward eye
Yet never have understood the heart,
For all the gifts I always cry
Although all have been my part.


Happiness whence thou wilt come to my door
I pray to God every day,
Let me out of the storm, on shore
Make me worthy and lovable each day. 


Penned on 17th August 1996. 

When you're not around!!

Sun gleams, raindrops form a stream,
Sure the Vibgyor should be seen;
Colors are obscure, the bow not found
Because my sunshine, you are not around!!

Winds rustles green of the pine,
Clouds hover, the weather is just fine;
But I don't feel the breeze ruffle my hair,
Because my darling, you are not there!!

The Koel sings a lovely song,
All around me are humming along;
Music creates a magical glee
But I am quiet because you're not with me!!

Come tomorrow I will dance in the rain,
Will feel the droplets in my mane;
The sun will shine so very bright
To let the Vibgyor show alright!!....

The world will sing again with me,
Because my love, you will be with me!!

The Anna - hazaron effect

To begin with, Thank you Anna!!

We needed you to enlighten our minds, and our souls. 

When the media started flashing news about Lokpal bill versus Janlokpal bill, the first thought which came across our mind was, now what is this?? Thanks to google, some information could be gathered and some enlightenment attained. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Lokpal_Bill)

Next came the name, Anna Hazare!! Thankfully, I was aware who Anna is, thanks to my uncle, Dr B Mishra, who had worked with Anna on the Watershed Development programme. But for many, google came to the rescue  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Hazare)

And then started the many point program of dharna's, arrests, peaceful protests, anshan etc etc.. And finally we see some outcome. 

But unlike all others who are celebrating "Diwali", I am not, because the bill hasn't been passed as yet. And Anna sitting on another anshan cannot be ruled out yet. 

The whole movement, "THE ANNA HAZARON MOVEMENT" startles me. When did India mature so much? It is simply WOW the way India (never forgetting the NRIs) acted and reacted. Gandhi's non violence prevailed and the countrymen responded to the appeals of silent protests. This seems a very positive and progressive path which India is treading. There are my friends who say that India unites only on emotional level. I say, what's the harm? If a 74 year old Gandhian calls out for support for a cause which will help "us",I am happy to be tagged an emotional fool. This is a historic era, the Indian renaissance, the movement where we wake up and free ourselves from the bonds of our thoughts and ideas, our own principles, our own system, our own parliament and our judiciary. May this enlightenment for thousands of Anna's hazaron... live long!!

Angry Arpita

When it is said that counting 1 to 100 reduces the anger, is it realized that there is no time for the counting.. anger bursts, it doesnt wait for you to start counting and then subsides...

In the past few months, I have been advised by several people to read and follow some anger management techniques. 

Some Psychologists recommend a balanced approach to anger, which both controls the emotion and allows the emotion to express itself in a healthy way. Some descriptions of actions of anger management are:

• Direct This would include making behavior visible and making communication clear. The end result is to not become resentful, but rather, be honest about the feeling of anger and what is causing it.
• Honorable This includes identifying the moral basis for the anger, and being willing to dialog around the reason for the anger. In short, this includes taking responsibility for actions.
• Focused This means staying with the issue of concern, and not bringing up irrelevant material.
• Courageous This implies careful and thoughtful self-examination. Additionally, this means being willing to admit when one is wrong or when a reaction is inappropriate.
• Humility This means seeking the truth instead of merely being defensive, and self-justifying.
• Forgiveness This means acknowledging the wrong in someone else's behavior or words and then letting go of bitterness and resentment associated with that wrong.
• Listen This means hearing the other person out, asking questions around their feelings and their reasons for their action.
• Thankfulness This means finding elements related to the situation where one is genuinely appreciative and expressing that.

Well, "I might as well be GOD"!!!!

Anyways, my life has quite a bit of anger offlate, thanks to my busy schedule. But for me the anger managemnet tecniques are supposed to be very different. A few examples may be

• Shoppppinnng
• Shopppppiingggggg
• Shhhhooooooopppppppiiiiiiiiinggggggggggggggg

Ok, let me state a few more...

• Researching the market
• Writing some verses
• Reading a nice book which is not a thriller or any detective series or any non fiction... it should be a fiction with romance and friendship... and love... in short, should bring a few tears to my eyes...
• Relishing my momz culinary skills..
• Cooking something weird..
• Blogging
• Losing myself in memories...

Well, if these techniques are to be used, let me be angry forever!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rainbow of my life!! Monsoon in Stockholm, September 2010

Source of definitions: Wikipedia

From Arrays to Binary Trees!!

As I write down this peculiar thought which were clouding my mind in the train this morning, I wonder where are these words going. In the array, queue, linked lists or binary trees. Where are the analog signals heading to and where are the digital signals formed. How does this sleek box (read laptop) shares my brain and processes half of what I think.

Well, recalling what all I studied in my graduation, I do not know whether I have ever applied it anywhere in my work. Morover apart from BCG matrix, I have not applied any of my management lessons in my work too. Then why did we study so much?

Ahh, I know the answer. To make a disarray of friends. That is what the first 20 odd years are meant for, to make friends. To have the real fun of life. To enjoy. And await the worse to come. The Tsunami hits with a thud as I received my joining letter from my first job. And then there was no looking back. Everyday facing the torrents, the storm. Hitting my face and ripping me apart. I keep pulling myself back, and somehow keep going everyday. And then has come the binary tree. And here I spread the disarray, queue and linked lists to the genext and here I complete the binary tree.

But is this all what life is meant for? Struggle and achieve? But on what cost? On the cost of your happiness? On the cost of your satisfaction? On the cost of love? It is like the chicken and egg story. It depend on my choice, I choose the chicken or I choose the egg. If you have the extra potential you may choose an omelette or a chicken biryani too!!

So this is what I write on the valentine’s day today. I have to stop being a array with no connections. Instead I should be a binary tree, with branches touching the ground, laden with fruits which my kin will cherish, with shade which my fellows will love. I should spread and not dissipate. I should smile and not grieve. 

Basant Panchmi!!

Hello world!!

Have you ever gone through my blog completely? If yes, then you can see my love for the holy city of Varanasi.. today I found this picture of the eternal ghats of my very own Varanasi, and decided to put it on my blog!! Simply loved it!!

Today is Basant Panchami... This day marks the beginning of spring and also Holi, the festival of colors. Goddess Saraswati is worshiped. She's the goddess of knowledge. Ever since I was born, I have been a dutiful devotee of Saraswati ma. My mom had kept a picture of her, a very serene calm painting by some very talented and blessed artist. I had the picture till I was married, and now mom has it in her puja room. I have memories of Basant Panchami. This festival belongs to West Bengal. The vigor with which they celebrate this day is incomparable. In my early childhood days, we used to be a part of the celebration, and I remember the late night musical celebrations, and the delicious khichdi "yellow rice with lentils"... I miss the festival and nanaji, my grandpa... He used to be the head of the organizing committee for this celebration. Alas, on the fateful day in 1991, he organized but did not wait to witness it, he expired a night before.. Love you nanaji, miss you, your love, your solar system stories and ice creams. 

Varansi has a east india influence, so this festival is celebrated more of less like Bengal. Idols of Ma Saraswati are put up in huge Pandals. Music, food and colors (gulal) are the predominant features of this day... 

I miss the fun and gaiety and laughter and colors.. I pray to god to give me back those fun filled days and to bless my son with the power of knowledge!!

Var de Veena Vadini..Var de!!

How a poem is born - Gulzar.. (english translation by Pawan K Verma)

Sampooran Singh Kalra (born 18 August 1936), better known by his pen name Gulzar is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. He primarily writes in Hindi-Urdu, but has also written in Punjabi, several dialects of Hindi such as Braj Bhasha, Khadiboli, Haryanvi and Marwari.

Gulzar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2004 for his contribution to the arts, and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002. He has also won a number of National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards in various categories. In 2009, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Jai Ho" in the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). On 31 January 2010, the same song won him a Grammy Award in the category of Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=19102039

Sources: 
Facebook page, Gulzar ji
www.wikipedia.com

Diaries!!

If you open my study table in Mayur Vihar (my momz place), you will find stacks of diaries. I started writing them when I was in standard 8th. Since then till a couple of years ago, i used to write regularly. All my thoughts, my dreams, my experiences, good and bad memories, my sad moments, my tears, my joy... This time when I went to India, I started going through a few of them. What a rush of memories came flowing down my mind. School, college, early years of work. Everything...
I found a few good poems, which I will put in the blog as soon as I get time. 

Today, I promise, I will start writing again. I cannot be bigB and start a blog of my daily thoughts and happening, which thousands of people will read everyday. Morover what a pen can write, a keyboard can never!!

I believe in angels, Something good in everything I see...

ABBA was a music group which I have grown listening to. The lovely songs have always touched my heart... listen to this one...
I believe in angels and Mamma mia are the ones whoz lyrics i still remember singing as a lil girl in frock.. and dancing like pop stars in my room.. 
ABBA was a Swedish pop music group formed in Stockholm in 1972, consisting of Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog. They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1972 to 1982. (Source: wikipedia)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG4XiqvDX9Y

Sabrimala Tragedy

Tweeted by Shri Amitabh Bachhan:

 "Sabrimalai - up in the hills of Kerala, estimated 2nd largest pilgrimage after Vatican in World.. need to do penance for 45 days before undertaking the ... journey ... abstinence, veg food only one meal a day, sleep on floor, be bare feet, wear saffron or black, carry offering on head for the last final climb, difficult terrain ... and then witness the light across the mountain in distance on particular day of Sankranti ... no one has been able to decipher its origin ... a most fascinating , cleansing and godly experience, women above 60 only allowed .. I di the whole routine, soon after my 1982 accident !! before reaching the deity, to climb18 perpendicular steps to the God .. every tough .."

AND THEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED YESTERDAY!!  JEEP ACCIDENT, STAMPEDE, 104 DEAD, 5 INJURED (source TOI website)..

The State government will also disburse Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the pilgrims who were killed in the accident Those with serious injuries will be given a relief of Rs 50,000 each and Rs 25,000 each will be given to those with less serious injuries. (WHO WILL DECIDE THE LEVEL OF INJURIES?)  The Prime Minister has already announced that the Centre would give another Rs 1 lakh each to the families of deceased and Rs 50,000 each to injured. THANKS PM!!

 WHERE WAS THE SECURITY? WHERE WERE THE HELPMEN? WHERE WAS THE AUTHORITY? WHERE WAS THE POLICE? NO AMBULANCE ANYWHERE? NO TEAM FOR SUCH UNEXPECTED DISASTER RECOVERY? 

WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CAN PLAY POLITICS ON SUCH RELIGOUS BEWILDERMENTS, WHY CANT IT PROTECT THE PEOPLE FROM SUCH UNFORTUNATE TRAGEDIES? (A minister was heard saying that its a hilly terrain, hence the help and police could not reach on time!!!)

Time to think!!

Light to lighten

Light your mind, enlighten your soul,
Strive hard and reach your goal
Laugh aloud and have fun,
Win the life's long run..
Carry the aura of love and peace..
Welcome the new year with joy increase!!

Writing a verse is nirvana for me... I resolute that I will write more and more this year... and populate my blog with my amateur skills...
happy new year friends.. love u all!!!