I am India

I am India, the symbol of unity. 

Thrives in me each & every community. 

A country greatly gifted by nature 

The thing which makes me different is my culture. 

I have large amount of agricultural land, 

And every type of soil from regur to sand. 

Half my boundries are tickled with sea waves 

In me, lies some wonderful creations of caves. 

I have balanced duration of nights & days 

I am gifted with many great bays. 

To protect me, my men have always fought. 

My scientists have given the world a new thought. 

You heard enough of my praise & enough of my pride. 

Now make your hearts strong & hear my darker side. 

I have many shores who have lost their scenery 

They are filled with algae greenery. 

Still, there are homeless people, still, there are tribes. 

Almost , all my offices work on bribes. 

My policeman stands with an outdated gun. 

Half of my road works are left undone. 

Although, I am good in the length of rail, 

Half of my criminals are moving free on bail. 

My politicians always do a quid pro quo, 

In their pocket goes all the economic flow. 

I don’t like to invade, I don’t like to fight. 

Still there is attack on me every fortnight. 

All these things make me feel terrible, 

People call me that but am I really INCREDIBLE???

Tokyo’s flying girl

Have you ever dreamt to fly? Leaving high-pressure and tight life in campus… Japanese girl Natsumi Hayashi was a one person as like us dreaming to fly until she found a way-out. How is it possible, does she really levitate?

First of all, this cute girl is professional artist and photographer who living with two cats. One day, she happened to take a picture of man leaping, and she felt that he suspended in mid-air. She named the picture “Today’s levitation”. Soon Natsumi Hayashi started posting her levitating photos at her own photo blog and facebook, which was previously saying to viewers about ordinary girl’s ordinary life. Then, Natsumi started posting self-levitating-portraits, the results are amazing, visitors to her blog has become thousands; also bring her popularity.

I honestly hope that you did not take expectation to fly against the earth gravitational pull. And for the facts: People do not levitate. Natsumi Hayashi does not levitate. She just takes the photographs and beautiful photographs at that.

How she take these levitating pictures. It is nothing to do with invisible wires and Photoshop. It is very simple and graceful process: she leaps. She takes-out her camera in the Tokyo streets and looking for inspiration. Once she found, she starts leap until find perfect and realistic picture. Sometimes she claims to jump hundreds of times. By doing so, she manages to share a sense of mysterious wonder that made her work much appreciated to the world.

Once she said in “Japanese times” newspaper about her pictures “I wanted to express myself in the picture as someone free from earth’s gravitational pull. I also want to feel as I am not tied to many things and able to be my true self”.

Ongoing days she more posting her realistic and perfect leaping pictures, on her website. You can read of her interview from “My modern metropolis”, “Japanese times”, and visit her blog; also hopefully you will be really surprised by her levitating pictures.

About Mongolia

Have you ever heard about Mongolian People’s Republic? Mongolia is an independent which declared independence in 1921 from China, democratic and landlocked country located in North-Central-Asia between Russian Republic and People’s Republic of China. Approximately, Mongolia have 2.5 million population and 1.5 million square kilometer area. Topographically, Mongolia is a plateau averaging 1.560 meters above than sea level, which three basic mountain systems are superimposed known as Altai Massif, Gobi-Altai, and Khangai Mountains.

The climate is extremely continental modified by altitude, which a average annual temperature is -25°C to +20°C, precipitation is low, ranging from 100 to 400 mm per annum, mostly raining in July to September.

Much the most important form of land use is the raising of domestic livestock including cattle, horses, sheep, goats and camels, although settled agriculture, especially the cultivation of dwarf varieties of wheat, is gaining importance in economic. Industrial development and related activities such as coal-mining, mineral extraction and generation of power are confined mainly to the region around capital city of Ulan Bator and northwards to the Russian border. Traditional daily food is included with a soup, and grilled sheep, beef meats prepared in variety of fashions, may accompany with side dishes of carrots, cabbage, potatoes and other vegetables.

Domestic pollution like air pollution may become serious issue in certain heavily populated areas, in the Tuul River around Ulaanbaatar city.

Mongolia is a rapidly developing and mysterious country, although the population is low now, it is increasing rapidly. With this increase, there is no doubt that industrial development, mineral exploitation and intensive forms of agriculture are increasing.

A Missed Call

The practice of "beeping" or "missed calling" between mobile phone users! Beeping is simple: A person calls a mobile telephone number and then hangs up before the mobile's owner can pick up the call. If the beeper's name and number have been programmed into the recipient's mobile, then the recipient will see the beeper's name on the call log as a missed call. The missed call is often intentional; the beeper has sent a signal to the recipient without saying a word or typing a character. Better yet, sending a beep is absolutely free!

Missed calls have become in some way, part of society. Most beeps are requests to call back immediately, but they can also send a pre-negotiated instrumental message as “Where are you?” or a sign such as “I’m thinking of you”, “I’m down waiting”, “Come fast”, “It's time we leave”. Sometimes it’s taken to the zenith. For example a couple madly in loves sent this message to their lover “Your missed call is the beat of my heart... so please keep my heart alive love”.

This cost-saving behaviour has blossomed so dramatically in the 21st century. People have actually mastered the art of the missed call. It’s analogous to how people have mastered the art of text messaging—they are so perfect they can type out a message with their eyes wide shut. Similarly people simply look at their cellphone screen and as soon as they understand that the call is connected they press the red button and wait for the desired response to take place. Their timing being perfect, just like that of a tennis player getting the perfect forehand winner.

So this “missed calling” thing will soon create a revolution in telecom department. The idea being to communicate without spending units to call or to send a text message. And today 25% of mobile traffic in India is due to missed calls. Yes its true. A known fact.

This phenomenon is common trend among the youth, spreading like fire. Go ahead and become a part of this soon to be revolution!

Addiction

We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Doing our ‘karma’ and attaining salvation is our ultimate goal.

But the path we tread is such-full of trickery and deceit-that one must choose wisely. The one who fails in doing so will meet the fate of “The captain who must go down with his ship.” Under the guiding light of the Lord Almighty, most will make it ashore safely, but those unfortunate beings cast in His shadow, will go astray-often advocating the Satan’s Bible-down the path of ‘No Return’.

For me, the devil has surely played his cards well when a person has fallen prey to Addiction.

It manifests itself in many ways. Drugs, alcohol and smoking are common; lust, love and gambling are the other forms; none less fatal than the other. Whatever it may be-it never creates; it only destroys.

Once in its clutches, a person seldom returns, even so never to be the same again. For the Soul, once hallowed can never be rejuvenated, but through Divine Intervention.

It has caused me heartaches in the past and today, yet again, here I stand uncertain and disillusioned, helpless before the Devil’s might, knowing well that I will lose my loved one to Addiction. ‘Take my life, but grant him redemption’- my prayer is my only hope.

That God is difficult to find and Satan even more difficult to lose- I know well. And life-my friend- is a small price to pay for that.

Humanity At Its Topmost Pedestal

A group of benevolent people proved to be good samaritans by participating in a blood donation camp organized in the STES Vadgaon campus. The camp was organized by ‘Kshitij’, the official social service group of Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pune, under the able guidance of Professor Dr. Mrs. Veena Doss. A whooping number of about a hundred turned up to donate the ‘royal elixir’ at the Sinhgad Dental College Seminar Hall. After a brief inauguration function by the chief guests of the function, the camp opened its doors for donors between 9.30 am to 2 pm. It immediately experienced a huge sea of humanity, in the guise of enthusiastic donors wanting to give their humble yet prominent share in saving a life. It is so well said - 'You need not be a doctor to save lives; donate blood, grant a needy his fair share of life!' About 23 volunteers of ‘Kshitij’ and 10 doctors reportedly present had taken the onus of the camp. The blood collected will be forwarded to Shrimati Kashibai Navale General Hospital, Narhe. The donors were thoroughly checked before donating blood, and the healthy ones were allowed to donate. Later, they were given refreshments to help them regain their strength.

‘Kshitij’ , with the co-operation of SKN General Hospital, has done a great job in organizing such events that promote a social message. The oomph and benevolence that they have put in their work is worth many accolades!

Kunte Chowk- Lakshmi Road

If you are a proper punekar, then which is the one spot thronged by people especially women of all ages, round the year? No!! It isn't a salon! It is indeed "Kunte chowk- Lakshmi Road".

The reason for the punctuation is no doubt, the grandeur this road and the chowk carries. It would be quite insubordinate to write "Kunte chowk- Lakshmi road" plainly. Nevertheless lakshmi road is embedded with many chowks, one of them being "Kunte Chowk".

"Kunte Chowk” lies right 'at' and 'in' the heart of the city and its citizens. It is proximal to tilak road, ABC, Tulshibaug, Raviwar peth, mandai and slurp also to "chitale bandhu mithaiwale'. Four roads bifurcating to four directions connect the chowk to the places mentioned. 'Kunte chowk' boasts of an array of shops and stores which provide you things right from a toddler's teeter to right upto an  octogenarian's apparel. Except for electrical appliances you get all commodities for your life-style. PNG for gems and jewellery, ‘Hy fashion’ for the name , ‘Jaihind’ for men and ‘Vama’ for women and chocolate for kids!! There are also shops on the pavements and in complexes around kunte chowk selling shoes, fabrics and cosmetics. In other words people from all walks of life and economy find their match all at one place, "Kunte chowk”.

The chowk as well as lakshmi road remains abuzz round the week except for mondays, some cricket matches of paramount importance and curfew. Frankly speaking 'curfew' is just an exaggeration for 'quiet' on lakshmi road. Believe it or not the sense of pride mixed with relief is the outcome when you find a space for your bike in the parking lots of kunte chowk.This is certainly not an exaggeration. The lakshmi road stretch measures about 1.5-2 km but yet, it falls short when flanked by shoppers.

In nature we have certain seasons eg: spring, autumn, winter etc. But to experience the spring in human habitat do visit 'Kunte Chowk-Lakshmi Road' during diwali. You do have to visit the chowk to shop for other festivals, but diwali, you could say, is the official sponsor of 'Kunte Chowk'. The shops literally bloom with discounts and goodies. Even a peddler earns a good fortune during this time of the year. The most noticeable thing during this fest are the freaked out girls on reaching the 'chowk' and then starts the phase of enormous shopping!! To top it all the traffic and the double parking add to the chaos and indirectly adds into the bustling activity of 'Kunte Chowk'. During the Ganpati festival, Kunte Chowk is one of the chowks honoured to welcome as well as bid adieu to ganapati bappa of all the organizations. In 'Kunte Chowk' you are endowed with all sorts of emotions. for eg; feeling of trepidation when you witness the RTO pick-up truck lifting your two-wheeler for wrong parking, feeling of achievement when you park successfully, feeling envious when you notice somebody already buying the article before you lay your hands on it, feeling sad when the object in the window-case of a shop is beyond your economic reach, in short you almost have a life-time experience in this legendary chowk. I don't know the history of the chowk neither do I know who the late Mr./ Mrs. Kunte is, whose name has been inherited by the chowk. But yes! One thing i know for sure that I love it and I sense a vibe of belonging!!

Kudos the the students of S.C.O.E.

The anticipation on their faces was evident by late afternoon, and as the day ended almost every household of the students of S.C.O.E. was in high spirits, for their wards had fared remarkably well in the Pune University examination conducted last year. Minutes before the results were out, you could sense an air of anxiety, but a couple of minutes later, there were people who had festooned S.C.O.E. with pride once again by performing exceptionally well at the University and the departmental level. They undoubtedly deserve a huge applause!

The college had a plethora of reasons to celebrate, for the students of S.E and T.E had gifted them with great scores. They had to juggle extra-curricular activities along with their regular curriculum, as the second semester was full of activities - Excelsior and Sinhgad Karandak to name a few - that had set all departments on the roll.

The students below are the toppers from each of the departments:

Department	S.E.		T.E.
Biotechnology	Aishwarya Pawar	74.40 %	Gargi Gupta	73.46 %
Chemical	Sameer Shingte	82.50 %	Anil Pendse	71.00 %
Civil	Farid Safi	75.46 %	Kunal Ghaisas	73.20 %
Computer Engg.	Sharad Kale	76.53 %	Abhinav Gupta	72.07 %
E & TC	Rahul Jadhav	76.86 %	Prateek Deshmukh	76.20 %
I.T.	Preksha Laddha	78.00 %	Mustafa Hussaini	73.26 %
Mechanical	Shramik Dahale	76.40 %	Sagar Desai	75.20 %
Production	Chetan Dhadiwal	67.66 %	Akshay More	75.53 %

The English Club wishes all the rankers of our college a hearty congratulations! After all, their sincere efforts have been crowned with success!

Anna Hazare, India's crusader against corruption

Kishan Baburao Hazare, popularly known as Anna Hazare, was born on 15 June 1934. He was raised in a very poor family, his father being a labourer in an factory and his grandfather having served the country in the army. Anna was raised in a family where he had six younger siblings and his aunt to took care of him. He studied up to seventh standard before he left his studies and started selling flowers due to economic problems in his house. He was then registered in the Indian army, despite being underweight, during the emergency of 1962 Indo-Pak war. His entire troop was wiped out by tank attacks of the Pakistani army, while he was the only survivor. Once during the war, a bullet had brushed past his right side. He then realized the meaning of the life and he decided to make good use of it and returned back to his village, Ralegan Siddhi, which was in a very acute drought prone area in the Ahmednagar district. The village had many problems like drought, plague, alcoholism, fragile eco-system. It was Anna Hazare who made remarkable changes to the village like removing alcoholism, implementing water development programme, making education compulsory for children, making grain banks for the proper storage of the grains in the village and he even helped in the removal of untouchability. He even started a group called India Against Corruption. He was also awarded Padma Shri in 1990 and Padma Bhushan in 1992.

After many good deeds, Anna took up social service as his primary objective and he took an oath to abolish the problems from his country. In 2011, Anna Hazare proposed to the government to produce a stronger Jan Lokpal bill which would put a dead end to the corruption in the India. He asked the government to make a team which would consist some members from the civil society as well as the members from the government. But the government refused to comply to his demands. So he decided to fast unto death from 5th april 2011 at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.This movement attracted the media and many famous people like Kapil Dev, Swami Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal, Jayprakash Narayan, who joined him in his fight against corruption. Thousands of people all across the country also supported him in this crusade. On 8th july Anna Hazare ended his hunger strike as the government finally gave in to the demands of the Gandhian and made a new team for the Jan Lokpal bill. The team comprised of five nominees from the government and five nominees from the civil society which included Anna Hazare, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Santosh Hegde and Arvind Kejriwal. This was a major victory in the battle against the corruption. But the war was yet to be won.

The "Team Anna" faced a lot of opposition from the government over many issues. "Team Anna" decided to boycott the meeting of the joint Lokpal bill because Swami Ramdev and his supporters were beaten in the middle of the night when they were on a fast, raising the issue of black money. On July 28 2011, the union cabinet passed a draft of the Lokpal bill which excluded the ministers, lower bureaucracy and the judiciary from the scanner of the investigation of corruption. Anna Hazare highly criticized this bill and asked the government to redraft the bill. He said if the government officials and the bureaucrats are excluded from the scanner, then who are we supposed to investigate? He threatened that if the government did not comply to the needs of the people, he would start a hunger strike on the 16th August 2011.

As expected the CONgress did not pay heed to the needs of the people, and hence Anna Hazare decided to start his hunger strike on the morning of 16th August. However, the Delhi police officials arrested him four hours before the hunger strike was to start and placed him in Tihar jail. This, however, did not impede the crusader from continuing with his hunger strike and he fasted in the jail itself. At first, the police officials allowed him to fast for 7 days with conditions that he would only have the support of 5000 people and would leave Delhi immediately after being released from the jail, but Anna refused to agree. After long talks and tense negotiations between "Team Anna" and Delhi police officials, it was declared that Anna Hazare would be allowed to fast for 15 days without any restrictions at Ramlila Maidan. So did the social service man continue to fight against the biggest problem currently faced by our motherland, corruption.

As you read this blog of mine, he will still be fighting for the betterment of the country. But are you ready to fight for your country? are you supporting "Team Anna"? Are you ready to stop corruption? Are you ready to stop the bribes to the babus of the government? Next time when a traffic policeman asks you for extra money for your automobile, would you refuse to comply to his conditions? Next time when a ticket collector in the train asks you for the ticket, are you ready to pay for the ticket legally? The power is in the hands of the people and the people are the root of the country? Only the people have the power to remove the corruption from its roots; A tree vanishes only when it is uprooted, not when its branches are chopped off.

India at 64

As the country, which was formerly known as 'golden bird', turns 64, we look back at many unsolved issues and find a large hole in the dignity of the countrymen.

With many unsolved problems like population, poverty, inflation, unemployment, corruption and terrorism, politicians of India still continue to make promises which are never fulfilled and don't seem to be fulfilled in the coming future. The country still has to tackle a lot of problems and yet the billionaires and the politicians believe that the country can be the next superpower of the world. This belief of theirs raises just one question in the mind of the "aam aadmi" - 'Is the country going to be the next superpower in the virtual world or the real world?' With all the politicians looking forward to fill their pockets with thousands of crore of rupees, the country is set to crash down. As observed from the ongoing scandals, every politician from the lower level to the higher level just wants to save their future, and they don't give a damn about the country and its people for whom they have been elected. The politicians have now crossed the limit and they are corrupting the country even if it is visible to the people through the media and many reliable sources.


However, these deteriorating conditions of the country have produced some superheroes. Some are real heroes like Anna Hazare, who is a gandhian and has no intention at all to launder money from people and ride imported cars. He just wants his country free from the silly politicians who are in the ministry only for their own personal interest. Anna is ready to forfeit his own food for the sake of the common man. Even the common man seems to support Anna Hazare by taking part in his fasts and sporting gandhi caps saying (in marathi) "Mi Anna Hazare". It seems that finally the common Indians have finally got a true gandhian in the form of Anna Hazare. But there are some people, especially "saints", who are pretending to be truthful leaders and gain sympathy from the common man for the sake of sale of their items and gain vote in the coming elections. Fortunately, the common man is not yet so foolish to believe in these fake leaders and are still on the right track and tend to make right decisions.

With the increasing age of our motherland, terrorism and corruption also increase day by day. The people live with a fear that a blast may occur at any place they go. Many small groups seem to terrorize people with bomb blasts and attacks which claim many innocent lives. And the government's lame take on the issue of terrorism is eye opening. The "respected" government of India is not bothered at all, by the disturbances caused because of the MVPs (most valuable prisoners). They just practice the same old drill of blame-game on the other politicians and the common man suffers due to this. Even if the real "Osama" is dead, India seems to have produced its own Osama, popularly known as "Minister". If any politician reads this blog he will have the same answer ready on his tip of the tongue, "if you think that we are wrong, then the youth should enter politics." But the main problem is that the youth is not allowed to be a part of the politics by the old ministers as they don't want to spoil their game of money. The defence personnel of our country, who keep their lives at stake so that the people can enjoy a calm and peaceful sleep, are betrayed by their own political leaders.

The problems remain in the country, and if these problem continue then the country's doomsday is certainly going to occur earlier than the actual doomsday. But still the power remains in the hands of the common man and he has the potential to tackle these problems and lead the country to a brighter future. And we can change if we believe in the change.

Happy Independence Day!! JAI HIND!!

To my dear friends

Life is a puzzle.
And who would know better than us?
We have survived the past
We are living in the present
And awaiting the magic of the future
And yet every second that ticks by
Holds something immense
3 years have gone by
But every memory is remembered
Every memory is cherished
Every minute has made a difference
To each to his own
And to each, something unique
We have loved
We have lost
Bonds have been broken
And bonds are beginning to mend
Our friendship is a model of trust
Of love, of eternity,
And yet we succumb to trivialities
Yet we bow to criticism
Yet we let our ego do the talking
Come, my friends,
This is not who we are
Not who we were
And not who we must choose to be
A personality expose is no excuse
A loss of a loved one is no remorse
An escape into a corner is no solution
I love you guys
And I would always love you
Change is good, but a bad change is always bad
Our friendship should not be a victim to that
Guys, let it go, whatever has wound you
Every person, has reasons, so very plentiful
Why I hurt you, why you hurt me, will go on
Look back at what we let go
Bring it back, and move on
Every tear lost
Every laughter found
Every movie together
Every bond reformed
We don’t need a reason to stay together
But we all know, we cannot do alone
So friends, my friends, come closer
Lets settle our disputes
And assuage our wounds
Let love be the messiah
Let trust be the soldier
I love you guys
And I wish you to be there forever
These moments may not come back
These years may desert us
It is veritable, that time is like sand
Let us put a thousand moments
In every grain of this sand
And every moment shall be filled with laughter anew
With joy boundless
With an energy so infectious
That, years later, when I see you my friend
In the distance, a light, smiling at me
I can feel euphoria in my soul
For I will know, that nowhere in the world
Will I ever find a friend so true
Friends, my dear friends, I will always love you.

Has multiculturalism and multi-pluralism lost its meaning in the new-age India?

The ever rising rural-urban divide has also led to the undeniable effect it has on religion and society at large. We, as the gen-next, have a very vital role in this rather precarious situation which is the tip of the iceberg. With war-like situations developing on the northern front as well as the north-eastern front and religious riots plaguing every state, it is time we realize our responsibility.

Throughout the advent of the human civilization, we have been at loggerheads with people who have had different ideologies than ours. However, the level of tolerance was much more as people used to address the problems head-on. The concept of multi-culturalism and multi-pluralism exists in the Indian society since time immemorial due to the wide variety of people of various class and various religions.

Today, however, the tolerance level has taken a massive hit. The fight over whether a temple existed or a mosque, whether minority rights should be given to certain people or not, etc. have all worsened the situation. As children of this society I think we need to re-define religion, re-define our perspective and our belief about the society. 

Brothers and sisters, “give peace a chance” is no more a cliché dialogue, rather it has become the punchline.

The Parking Saga....

Shaurya was waiting for his friends in front of Vaishali, when he saw her for the first time.

Now well, to the uninitiated, Vaishali is arguably Pune’s most famous South-Indian restaurant, located at the heart of F.C. road. Go on any weekend at any time of year and you will find a waiting of at least fifty minutes (that has been my experience).

It was a Saturday evening, and so as expected parking was almost full. Shaurya watched with amusement as the girl, across the road, was having difficulty in finding a spot to park her Dio. The girl was all covered up, you know the works- Scarf on the face to go along with an oversized helmet, just like every other woman driver on the road. (It has always confused me why the females in the city ignore the popular fashion magazines and take tips from Al-Qaeda weekly. I guess it’s just a way to be different. I have never understood fashion, anyways).

After searching for ten minutes or so, she parked her Dio outside the white rectangle (apparently a major traffic rule violation in the city) and headed towards the British Library. Shaurya’s gaze followed her to the library, fascinated by her appearance.

His trance was broken by the menacing tow truck making its way up the road, swallowing its preys that had just so slightly crossed the line. He tensed. The girl’s Dio was in danger.

He shouted, trying to catch her attention but the girl continued on her route, ignorant about the approaching danger.

“Damn you, earphones! Why do people listen so much music”, cursed Shaurya as he started running towards her.

Realizing he won’t make it, he ran back towards the Dio hoping to squeeze it into the box somehow.

He just made it but the tow-truck had arrived and two guys had already started to lift the moppet.

“Bhaiya ruko”, he cried.

“Kay Zaala?”

He started explaining to them that it was his Dio and he had just gone to the nearest shop to buy some gum. What followed was a long argument, which eventually after a lot of pleading from Shaurya, saw him sail through.

Exhausted, Shaurya turned towards the Dio to see her already sitting on the Dio, easing the vehicle out of the parking spot.

Pleased with himself, he smiled at her. After all, he had just saved his damsel in distress from the fire-breathing dragon, (Movies do this to young minds) and now expected her to jump into his arms.

He was already thinking about the song they would dance to........

The girl gave him a sheepish smile, before wearing her helmet and scooting down the one-way lane.

Forget dancing, his efforts didn't even earn him a thanks.

Shaurya kept staring after her, even though she had long gone out of sight.

"Life's a bitch!", he cursed!

Frustrated and embarrassed, he slowly turned to see his Pulsar being towed away as he had parked in P1 instead of P2.

Friends....

Sunday night at 1am when I was sitting on my bed to write an article on “friendship”, I had no wonderful idea to be translated into an article. No memories galore to be sung. All I had was a 300 word limit and a deadline to keep. Just then a friend of mine, let’s call her Ms “X” (for the sake of privacy and confidence) , set my phone ringing. A call this late in the night meant only one thing that I was going to face a damsel in distress who just needs “someone to support her” through the difficult period which most probably would be a hostel mate not offering her maggi. I knew that the next 2 hours of my life would be spend listening to the agonizing details of how much attitude some unknown person has. I ignored the call. The next few minute I worried about the gods of loyalty questioning me and burning me in purgatory. So I returned Ms X’s call. Of course I was right about all my premonitions but it might still be worth it because not only was I being a good friend but I also got a seed idea for my article.

A train of thoughts whistled its way through my already tired brain. I found myself recollecting a long forgotten SMS which said “girls often start talking where a boy ends his conversation”. Scientific studies show that women tend to discuss everything possible whereas a guy has lesser no of close friends (read BFFs followed by those little irritating heart symbols) and fewer “let’s talk” sessions. A problem at hand in a man’s life is often solved by a few thumps on the back and “chal re Apache” attitude. In case of a disagreement where a woman takes the “fight” route, a man generally takes the “flight” route. Anyone who has seen a guy return to bed at 4am after talking to his girl friend, looking like he has undergone the holocaust all over again, will agree with me on this 1.

Ms X is still talking. But I am getting messages in the background from Mr. “Y” whose dog killed a pigeon on the new carpet and how proud he is of the feat… no comments!! Back to my thoughts, there is of course no saying on the comparative depth of friendship among the two genders but a few disparities scream out loud. They exist since the beginning of time. For example, the categories of friends. While a guy tends to categorize his friends into categories like class, tuition, pool, flat or bike etc, a girl has good or best friends. A very elaborate procedure of testing and scrutiny is followed before induction into her friends group. That is just the way it is..

By now I am almost nearing the end of my friend’s call. A few last minute sympathy sentences need to be dispatched. “Of course you are right. Oh god, you do put up with a lot. I am glad you spoke to me.” And closure…!!!

Leaves of Autumn

As the sun dives to sleep and the nocturnal shadow falls

The wild wind stops and resurrects the creatures of the night, which crawl

Under the white light of the two face moon, slowly the leaves fall down

Still it stands its ground with no complaints and never returns a frown

He knew sooner or later he would face his nemesis

It’s a hard part of his life but there is no catharsis

Twig by twig he watches the nature’s conspiracy unfold

An obstinate idea haunts him which would leave him stone cold

A spark of life is required to make him blossom again

Maybe a feeling so similar of that last November rain

A rosy dawn that would light up every thing

An enchanting symphony that each bird would sing

Once more the mystic breeze will encompass the fragrance

Once more the serene horizon will prove its existence

Lord has been a little bit harsh on him but he’s kind

Its autumn today but he knows spring is not far behind.

IT’S A GIRLS’ WORLD!!!

DISCLAIMER:

The author of this article is not a male chauvinist. He holds the fairer sex in the highest regards. It’s just the circumstances and some common observations that got him thinking.

“I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical reasoner.”

- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Just think about it. Girls are far more superior to us men.

Men are always high on adrenaline – always on a lookout for a fight, ready to flex some muscle; egoistic fools who are always craving for the pat on the back for the job well done, world’s best tall tellers.

Girls – well, they are a mysterious lot – God’s most challenging puzzle to mankind (Big Bangs and E.T's are all secondary).

They are the best manipulators, having the whole plan chalked out well in advance and then working according to it. They will let us take all the credit, while will themselves remain in the shadows, away from the limelight, away from the glare of public. That’s why, they say, behind every successful man is a woman. Always, behind!!

Also, the girls have far greater Emotional Quotient (EQ) than men, who are emotionally incapable, always getting tongue tied when confronted by the opposite sex.

{That’s why even the Almighty made them mothers. We men would have simply gone mad, had we had to go through such an ordeal.}

And even our conservative society agrees.

Guys are expected to be chivalrous. We should open the door for a lady (car doors have a really complex opening mechanism), pull out that chair for her (yeah, restaurant chairs are really very heavy), carry their shopping bags (which always have to be more than five, always), and are required to act as their punching bags (gosh! thanks for considering us worthy enough).

But we do it all happily, without a complaint, just to win her appreciation, going weak in our knees every time she smiles.

Food for thought-

If a girl laughs loudly, she is cheerful but if a boy laughs loudly he’s manner less; girls’ are charming if they speak sweetly while guys.... well they are a flirt; a girl, shopping, is trendy whereas a guy, well, he’s just wasting money; a girl maintaining silence is sad while a silent boy is being rude; girls always walk in a group but boys has to move in a gang!!

The latest Women’ Reservation Bill passed by the Rajya Sabha proves that even the government agrees with me!

India Today

India is supposed to be a democratic republic, where popular will is king. But since childhood we have seen so much of corruption, politics and unjust actions that we have become tolerant to these flaws. /*There was a time when we thought we could change it, but that has far gone. There was a time when we dint have faith in the government, but now we have learnt to live with it. Freedom of press has become a joke, and our political leaders have become glorified artists.*/ I have learnt to accept this as a part of the system, a universal truth.

Today it’s not a question about faith in the government, it’s like the government is not only looting the common man, they also are showing us the finger. We are going to make thousands of crores, we are going to resign for from our duties after we have made enough and then we shall spend a nice vacation in hawai. There is nothing you can do about it. (Any question you ask is totally irrelevant cause) I have already given an explanation to high command. High command has temporarily sacked him from his post.( cause there are three more politicians who have to fill their pockets waiting in turn).When I read the paper this is all I see.

Ratan tata: “Hey you can’t use my tapes as evidence against me”(The money I have made is for personal use and you have no right to interfere in my personal life), Kalmadi: “I am clean you can check my office any time”(Yeah right I am still going to keep documents that prove I have made millions), Manmohan singh:”Yes I have told the CBI to probe into the scams”(Where the hell is Sonia she is never there when I need her the most), Ashok Chavhan:”No comments”(Man not again I need to take a break to get my head in the game), Sharad Pawar:”Production is low, there is nothing I can do about the inflation”(Hey I am the king of money making all these rookies have mode so much I cant just watch them)

Ignorance is bliss, I don’t mind living in the dark. At least as we will work towards a better future and one day hopefully the politician’s conscious will prick them and India shall emerge from its shackles.

Moderately pithy title here

"Give a man a fish; you feed him for a day,

Teach him to catch one and he is bound to steal your boat…"

Queer...? Take some time, look around; you will be convinced that this statement is in-fact true; in most cases, be it the Government officials or the Ministers themselves. After the ‘2G Scam’ and the infamous ‘Adarsh Scandal’ I guess we all realized the fact – ‘from invisible signals to acres of land…. They will never stop; they will not falter’.

Who gave them the power?

- We did…

If the people we elect have the nerve to jostle a dagger in our backs, it would indeed be futile to dispute over Crime-Rates and the coercing presence of criminal warlords roaming the streets like they own them - but who knows, bearing in mind the current state of our “Democracy” they might just be owning them… It's not like our government wants us to know.

I guess we can breathe a sigh of relief, it’s not like they own the sea-routes or the oil that comes through it…

Do they?!

They are pilfering, smuggling, adulterating and making under-the-table deals; hiding their tracks with the ever-so-useful money laundering schemes and off-shore accounts while the government officials deflect the controversy. The day was bound to dawn when someone exploited the government’s incompetence while here we are, caught in the quick-sand of economic turmoil.

This is the 21st Century – ‘He who controls the oil, controls the world’.

What if I told you that a bunch of despicable goons have taken advantage of the system so corrupt; that they infiltrated almost every level of it? Bribing that cop seems like such a menial task now, doesn’t it?

With these delinquents running free and the politicians backing them - like any other individual - it gets on my nerve too. But as the “Little People” what can we do?

I believe there is only one way to deal with this menace, political reform.

After all –

“When you trust your television

What you get is what you got

‘Cause when they own the information

They can bend it all they want…”

Adieu

Writing this brings a lot of memories back to me…it was early in my first year when I heard of The English Club and that it was accepting new members at a meeting on the same day. I went to the meeting without expecting anything and came to know that the club had merely opened a year back and that it was looking for new minds to carry it further. It gave me an excellent opportunity to interact with people, specially my seniors at a time which looked inactive being the first year of engineering. The club gave me a very homely feeling and I felt as if I belonged somewhere even when being away from home. It gave me a platform where only the aptness of my thoughts mattered and not the seniority in the college. In no time I was sure that I am in it to stay…

As time went by, I took up different roles within the club; sometimes by choice and sometimes as needed by the club. There was no place for ego to step in because after all, we were a family. During the three years of my active involvement with the club I traversed from being a writer to the sponsorship head and the event manager for the club. The journey has made me grow both in terms of skills and as a person in general. Being the sponsorship head enabled me to interact with various companies’ officials and literally lure them for their sponsorship. It was like getting the money from the money minters themselves. The experience was highly enriching.

We have had our share of fights and the hang outs, the endless hours of work and then the TTMM parties (Tu Tera Main Mera), but in the end, the time I have spent with the club will remain with me forever. Last but not the least, I am really glad that the club is in the realm of such passionate and dedicated members who are both visionary and have it in them to bring their dreams to reality…So this is me Roopal Garg, signing off and wishing everyone at the club “all the best”…

Inspiration is within us

Inspiration has its many ways to grasp us and we are inspired for various aspects of life. Have you ever put a thought to recognize who or what inspires you? We all love and respect ourselves very much, so doesn’t inspiration take birth in the deep unconsciousness of our own mind. We only look up to others around us because we wish the same characteristics in us but we inspire our mind that some good has to be done or change has to be brought. Then it’s up to our will and motivation to bring about that change.

Inspiration is within us. Talking to oneself, some say is a sign of madness, but isn’t it also the time when we are letting our deep desires stored inside come out on our lips and let be known to ourselves. We could be saying it out loud and allow our ears to hear and our brain to understand, or we could just silently let it creep into our conscious. We realize exactly what we want from ourselves and others around us. This realization is what inspires us to do truly what our heart desires. You can be impressed and inspired by others, but unless and until you want that attribute, you wont be motivated enough to do it.

It is hard to realize and recognize exactly who we are, who we want to be, but when we do, that’s inspiration and that’s when we do what our oblivious mind wishes us to do. We are inspired by ourselves to do better in life, to become a better person, to live as we wish to truly.