2 is a company!

Yesterday while on my way to work, I was talking to myself. I was quite engrossed rather we were quite engrossed. Now who is We? I realised whilst in the conversation that my voice said,  'tera kya jaata hai?'  I stopped. Who asked this? Who said to whom?

That's when I understood the concept of being two in a body. Now this is how I framed it. There are two people living within us. One is the body and the other is soul. Many a times, when we are talking with ourselves, we tend to address ourselves as if we are some 2nd person. Ever imagined why? Well I think its because the two people within our talking.

Now out of these two people, one is a mortal and another is an immortal. No prizes for guessing who is who? Both these people are attached to each other for a certain time period. Then they depart. The immortal just moves on.

I also realized one more philosophy. All the relations that we make in life, from parents to friends to life-partner. All these are relations made by the body. Of course, the soul wouldn't allow a relation to happen if its not happy about it.

Let's take parents for an example. We love our parents, don't we? We don't get to choose parents. Neither do they get a choice. Our parents are called biological parents. Bio is related to the body which means they have a claim of parenthood only on the body. The soul is still completely free by itself.

When the soul and body depart, may be the soul feels a little bad to leave behind a companion of so long. But then it knows that it must move ahead. I hope to attach more with both of these beings.
I hope to have conveyed what I feel I have understood.

Complexions

Whatever the complexion of people be, we know how to make our lives complex. Why is it so complicated to choose right from wrong? Or rather how come is it so simple to choose the wrong from right?

For that matter, let's take an example of students. They very well know the importance of being attentive but majority of them do the exact opposite, don't they? After observing a great number of students, I feel that any child beyond ten years knows what's good and what's bad. They are even smart enough to understand the benefit of doubt they get being children. Where does this attitude come from? Why is it that we humans like whatever is wrong? Or may be we like it for it's easy.

Telling lies for an example, it's obviously foolish to imagine a Raja Harishchandra today but we have got into a habit of lying even for petty issues. For example, answer this honestly, how many times have you answered your mobile phone telling your friend that you would reach in five minutes when actually you are at least fifteen to twenty minutes away. Think about it, was it necessary to lie? What difference would it make if one told the truth. This habit, I must tell you accompanies all age groups.

Once when I was in grade four, our class monitor wrote Ajeet's name and my name on board for talking. Revathi ma'am our Maths teacher entered the class. She asked both of us if we were talking, and to her surprise both of us agreed without a word of argument. She didn't punish us, rather appreciated us in front of the whole class. We felt great. Thanks to Revathi ma'am, I never lied for petty issues since that day.

Today when I see people lying for issues wherein even the penalty is negligible, I feel a sense of pity for them. It's not the small penalty that they have avoided, but it's that feeling of pride, feeling of joy, that they completely miss by being dishonest.

I earnestly suggest to all my readers, being honest is a good feeling. It's just that some of us have absolutely forgotten the possibility of being honest. Out of ten times that you lie in a day at least six times are easily avoidable. At the most, we may face a bit of punitive action from others but the feeling of having done the right thing is much greater. Just try.

It's not only the feeling of being honest but there's more to it. It's a good habit. Once it is developed, there are many difficulties that a person would easily avoid. Moreover, every human enjoys to the maximum, when he proves someone guilty. Why should one enjoy our mistakes? On the other hand, if one just honestly and bravely admits his errors then more than half of the torture is avoided. All the drama, glamor, that people enjoy while proving us guilty is taken away. The guilty is spared from the humiliation.

Reservations - My Perspective!

In one of my past classes, my students initiated a discussion about Reservation system in India. The latest inclusion of Jains being included in the reservation by the central government. The discussion was obviously about whether it is right or wrong.

They posed questions to me as to why should there be reservation? and do Jains need it? etc. Overall the gist of their questions, statement and arguments was that reservation is an achievement. Every one wants to get under that umbrella. This forced me to think whether it is really an achievement. I think otherwise. I feel getting under the quota means your clan is in the category which cannot develop itself on its own. Your people are not self-sufficient, neither are they capable enough to move ahead inn life. Isn't it belittling your intellect, your capacity, YOURSELF?

So while talking to students I got some ideas about how should reservation be. Reservation was for the under-priviledged, for the poor. Initially an entire class "Shudra" came under this poor category.Reservation at that time, was justified. But shouldn't there be some liimit to the number of reserved category people in the country? I can explain this better with an example.

Suppose there's a Mr.X who comes under quota because he is literally poor and has very less privileges. He gets education at cheaper fees. Admission in higher education even with lesser grades. He gets a job even though there are other general category candidates with better merit. Now this Mr.X gets a government job with sixth pay commission (soon to be seventh). He starts earning a handsome five-six figure salary per month. Now isn't the purpose of bringing up Mr. X's family,solved?

With such good income and immense job security, he can admit his children in a better school. He can provide his children with better infrastructure at home. Shouldn't these children now apply for competitive exams from the general category? Do they? Most of them don't. So even they get all those benefits which actually should have gone to someone like Mr.X who may still be very poor. Mr.X didn't have the exposure, he went through all the hardships of living a minority life. Did his children go through the same?

Every Mr.X must understand that when he asks his son/daughter to appear under quota, he is doing two blunders. First, he is belittling their intellect. He is making his own daughter/son feel, believe, and understand that they are lesser than the general category students. Second, he is taking away the chance of another really needy student who needs that quota seat because he is facing all those difficulties that Mr. X once faced.

Wouldn't Mr.X be proud, if his children cracked competitive exams from the general category? And if every such Mr.X doesn't understand his moral duty, isn't it time for the leaders to think?

Amdavad - A hungry city

The UNLIMITED Mania

Ahmedabad or Amdavad, as it is popularly known amongst locals, is a place of foodies. At any point of time, be it any nook or corner of the city, be rest assured that good food is nearby. The entrepreneur has to keep two things in mind for success in food business in Amdavad. One is good taste and the second-reasonable pricing.

One might feel, that Amdavad must be an easy market for any  restaurateur. But that's not so. Amdavadi is known for his understanding of the value for money. This is a place where Jasuben Pizza competes Dominos and Pizza Hut. A city where Papa John's and Smokin' Joes had to close down. A place where Jay Bhavani better known as J.B. gives a tough fight to McDonald's.

Amdavadi is more interested to have a full unlimited platter at a certain (reasonable) rate. Combos, fixed meals at discounted rates are appreciated more. This is a place where even Pizza Hut had to give combos to attract customers. 

One glimpse at any classifieds page gives you an idea of the number of restaurants promoting unlimited offers. Any restaurant which does not offer fix meals, combos, or unlimited buffets is bound to struggle for existence.

The Amdavadi psychology is " charge me once, give me all, let me choose." Any restaurant which best satisfies this psychology with lip-smacking food is entitled to do great business.

The trend actually started some years back with some Gujarati speciality restaurants serving unlimited fixed meals (eat as much as you can) at pre-determined rates. Every local (almost) here has a set mind that fixed meals are economical. The trend had to be accepted by other Indian cuisine restaurants. The psychology is so strong that even multi-national companies had to bow down.

In short, Amdavadis love food but they love and respect money as well. Serve them value for money and they will see to it that you earn high revenue.

Time Please

Tell me, all you time pieces,
Why are you so discriminating  species?
The good times pass like a rock song,
The bad times, seem to last very long.

You run fast, when we are happily asleep,
And make the alarm quickly beep.
Your hands race when we are at play,
They rest, when we have a boring day.

The day seems half, when we picnic
It doubles, when we feel sick.
Bright days seem to quickly fade,
Darkness seems to grow instead.

Good times simply go unnoticed,
Bad times, don't get out of notice.
Times should be happy than of sorrow,
As good times, we can't even borrow.

All time pieces, I request to you!
Give us bad times but very few!
Let us have lots of fun
Make us enjoy, the sea, the beach and the sun.

Style Statement

           Today in the morning, while driving to work, I had to stop at a red signal. I was on my two wheeler observing others who had to stop in the rat race. There were many others on two wheelers, three wheelers and four wheelers. Almost all faces looked quite bored with the same routine life of going to work in the morning, getting stuck in traffic and deep breathing polluted air.
         
           But there was one guy (a rikshawalla) who looked in complete contrast to the occasion. Neither did he look bored, nor  frustrated with the traffic. He had an attitude of his own. He looked like some Bollywood hero who looks cool even in the most dull jobs. The reason he grabbed my attention was the way he had dressed and the way his body language was. He was wearing a bright red T-shirt and light blue jeans. He had a stylish black cap on and cool blue aviators (all this in an auto). Most stunning of all, he sported a pony which came out of the strap of his cap and a stubble to go along this dude look.

           All of this happened in a matter of thirty seconds, until the signal permitted us to go. But I discovered in those thirty seconds, that when a person has that attitude to look cool and stylish, he can do it no matter what work he does. Even that ricksawalla looked much more impressive than many of us wearing formals and going to work. 

Squirrels

I saw a squirrel,
Playing on a tree.
Envy crept in my heart,
Watching her so free.

She had a friend,
who was a complete freak.
They played beautifully together,
Seemed to be Hide and seek.

They were so cute and agile,
When they merrily played.
My lips gave out a smile,
When their tails happily swayed.

I wonder how happy they must be,
As they have so much time.
They communicate excellently together,
Though it seems almost mime.

I saw the fluffy fur,
Covering the long tail.
Sight of their play and fun,
Reminded me of Chip and Dale.

I feel a little sad,
As I have to go.
Like every ambitious human being,
Time and work pressure force me to bow.

So I pray and wish for humans,
That they should also be free,
Have selfless friends forever,
Playing around a tree.

Share Magic

It's the market of shares

Winner is the one who dares.

It's a place of practical tips,

Analyst say buy on dips.

It's like a roller-coaster ride,

Opportunities lie on either side.

Bazaar demands a lot of discipline,

Or it pushes you down on your chin.

Buy at bottom, sell at peak,

Brokers say, with a dimple in their cheek.

At times it becomes the luck game,

Many, don't give it the deserved fame.

Nifty, Sensex are broader indices,

They act like the real spices.

You may earn profit or make some loss,

But at least, you become your own boss.

Money is usually at risk,

But it multiplies very brisk.

Not only multiply, money may divide,

At such times, stop-loss is the guide.

Everyone must try their fate,

You may open your fortune gate.

I wish us all, Best of luck!

May we earn, a lot of buck.

Break Free

                                   Break Free

From the shackles and bonds of life,

I want to break free.

From the never ending grinds of life,

I want to break free.

I want to have my own mansions,

But I hate the ensuing tensions.

Qualities I have are truth and honesty,

Still I want to be rich and learn modesty.

I can depend upon the heredity,

But then it won't be fair

I won't then be able to look up,
Into the mirror and stare.

Sometimes I find it really funny,
Man running only after money.
Today, man has become nothing,
But a carrot chasing bunny.

Essence of life is satisfaction,
But today man is full of wrong action.
Satisfaction has gone miles away,
Desperation to be happy is here to stay.

Thus, from the shackles and bonds of life,
I want to break free.