ONE DAY MATRAM .... :(

YOU PICKED ME OFF THE STREET
SMEARED ME ACROSS YOUR CHEEKS
PINNED ME ON YOUR SHIRT
A DAY LATER, I WAS TORN AND FORGOTTEN


----  THE TRICOLOUR

Yeah this post by Terribly Tiny Tales made me inspired to write about Independence Day.
We have gained freedom from the so called British Raj but what have we done with our independence? It has been 69 years since we have gained independence. We are a free nation now. But still after so many years, the question remains the same. 
""ARE WE REALLY INDEPENDENT??""
Are we free to do and support what is right? 
Are we independent to voice ourselves against the politicians or wrong doers without being threatened? 
Are our children free from our super imposed expectations? 
Are the labourers free to send their children to schools? 
Are the Indian women independent to walk around in the park at night? 

Wouldn’t you all agree when I say that these are all rhetorical questions?

Independence Day nowadays is no less than a one day festival like diwali or holi where we celebrate that very day and forget everything the next day and follow our old normal routine.
Like take example of Diwali or Ganesh Chaturthi where we bring one or more Gods into limelight, with all habiliments around it and performed ceremonies which apparently showed our devotion. So then, I would wonder, what about the other 364 days? 
Same is followed with Independence day where we just sing one or two songs, show respect to our national flag and anthem, pay tribute to our national fighters and then again next day life would go back to its previous old pace with no communal sense.
We would just go to our school or colleges, be a part of a patriotic program, watch the flag being hoisted by principal or director and then come home to a day filled with back to back patriotic movies, enjoy munchies and Coke and probably an afternoon nap too!  This is just bullshit. Showing to the world your patriotism just for one day wont lead you anywhere. 
We have advanced and developed more than many other countries freed from colonial masters during the same time as us. We proudly claim that we are independent from a foreign rule but we are still not free from jealousy, intolerance and hatred towards our fellow countrymen. We are full of bitterness towards other religions, traditions and always try to suppress the growth of the other. We often tend to forget that independence is not only making yourself free but making others also live freely as they desire.

We are tied in boundaries of religion, casteism, communal violence, corruption, false ideologies, class, safety and harmony, hindered development and what not. The list is endless. Safety has become a utopian word today for us. Cases and violation of women’s rights are seen in the newspaper every day. Not a single day passes without the news of a crime against women. The irony is that the country which respects itself portraying it as a woman, Bharat Mata (Mother India), is the one where the women is not safe. Living in harmony is another distant dream. Communal riots and brutal crimes have uprooted the concept of living in harmony. India is independent, yet its citizens are not independent to fly like a free bird. It has become a place where you cannot trust your neighbour. And if you are living in a metro city, I doubt if you even know who your neighbours are!
No doubt we are independent but monetarily paralyzed. We do not think independently, we often think what others make us think.

At every turn, our capabilities as a nation are being questioned. We are facing roadblocks. Not at the higher level, but at the grass root level itself. From problems like lack of proper infrastructure and our inability to move the concerned authorities, to safety of our daughters. When we think of all the bad things that have happened, they outnumber the good. Our belief that we are ‘one’, is at stake. Our forefathers who led us, often mentioned the need for us to walk together. Catch hold of the brothers who have been left behind and bring them forward. But today we have become so self centered. A high degree of superiority complex runs in our blood. My family, me and our happiness. Is this how a society exists? We fail to understand that it is the Indian humility that sets us apart. But where is it gone today?

All this really makes one think that are we really independent? Are we a free nation? Are we worthy of any praise?

These are haunting questions which we may hesitate to answer but they are standing in our way of success and have to be answered as soon as possible. A unified India should come together to answer these questions as this is not a job of one individual but the whole nation.

It would be unfair to say that that we cannot do anything because when we Indians decide to do something then nothing is impossible for us. It is just a momentary laziness and lack of encouragement that has led to such a situation. So I call upon all the people especially the youth of the nation, on this Independence Day, to come forward and break all the shackles to make the country truly independent and free.

Everyone should pledge to work towards the development of India in a true sense and make India – a place full of love and happiness and mark it as a successful nation on the world map. Only then, will we be independent in true sense of the term.

"When none of the poor children sell flags on the roads on independence day, then proudly say that you are independent."

My 1st day of class in Kota :)

Major throwback. Well back in Kota i never got time to write blog coz I was well too busy there. So now remembering good old days and thought of writing my experience of 1^st day of class. Well here it goes. Hitesh and Navin you both surely can relate to this :)

"No broda, IIT Delhi is better than Kharagpur. There are many side perks if you are in IIT Delhi. Behind you have AIIMS and its girl hostel is just beside IIT campus. IIT boys easily get hot girls of AIIMS. But dude its not at all easy, you have to be within AIR-100 to get there."

"That's folderol, Kanpur is the best one if anyone wants to go for research. And its campus is damn big"

"I am following ML Khanna, its the best book for Mathematics this deals with conceptual things and also teachers recommend this one, then for Physics HCV and Irodov if you really want to learn actual Physics. For Chemistry, I only follow Comprehensive and NCERT"

I was actually part of the above usual IIT aspirants boring conversation during coaching hours ,until I felt 'that' for the very first time.

“Motion” was my alma mater.

That was the first day, we (me and my 2 friends) reached our coaching class pretty early and sat down on second bench hoping to start the session very seriously.

But whom were we kidding? As soon as girls started coming inside that big hall of around 300 students capacity room,

It kind of started filling with colourful lights and we were being taken away from the concept of our hard work, determination and punctuality that we just decided.

Despite everything going on we didn't realize that we were in the vicinity of serious studious guys who started talking high stuff about cracking JEE advanced and me sitting there who scored only 88 in JEE mains and that too 7 in Physics :P. Ya it kinda scared me and at the same time bored me but we had no choice but to listen to them and involve in their conversation.

Suddenly, there was changeover in mood, environment and perhaps the world for me in about fraction of seconds.

My eyes went onto noticing a 'five foot something' girl with soft silky dark brown hair fallen over her right shoulder down to chest.

Her face being carved with utmost skills and wearing sleeveless yellowish 'kurti' with white 'duppata' on it. She was coming through door right towards me. (I thought so as every boy thinks:p) But trust me she seems morning sunrise to me. She was just beautiful and shining and glowing.

The moment got more enlightened when she sat just beside me but on different bench. During that five seconds I felt something inside me.

Heart pounding more than normal, eyes wide open without a single blink, intense and immediate sweating etc. I didn't know what that was but it was for the first time and felt really nice.

I could not took my eyes off her mesmerizing eyes. They look like water in the sunshine. Her smile was so dazzling and lively. She looked like an middle eastern exotic princess. Her hair was a rich shade of mahogany. It flowed in waves to adorn her glowing porcelain like skin. Her face made me forget all the worries of JEE. LOL

Everything around me was lost- the conversation, the class. Infact, the other way, i was lost. She was the one behind all this 'lost' magic going on. She was so stunning that my reflexes stopped working. My eyeballs got stuck on her. I couldn't listen any sound. This pleasant feeling was halted by our chemistry teacher.

There is always this thing, 'when you like something you want it more'. Same was the case with me.

The laws of Themodynamics and organic reactions couldn't tempt me for long and I got lost again in her charm. I was fully mesmerized by her.

At middle of the lecture, AC of our classroom went off due to power cut. Everyone started feeling uncomfortable and sweating like pig. I looked at her and was astonished. What is she? Made of crystals!!! She was not sweating. I know it's gross to talk about a girl's sweat but I couldn't help but notice that. Maybe my mind got there because the whole surrounding was sweaty. Anyway power came and AC was on again. Everyone got to what they were doing. I also got to my infinite syllabus subject, which was getting lost in her charm.

At very next moment I got both nervous and excited. She looked at me and our eyes met. Although it was for very few seconds but that was the best feeling of life. I always wonder what is there in girl's eyes that makes any average guy go crazy.

Class was about to end but i had not wanted it to. I wished to sit there and continuously look at her beautiful face.

I stood at corner of corridor outside the class to have a last glance of her. I didn't want her to go. I did not want to have a stop on my amazing feeling which she ignited. Now, she is going without even bothering for it. Why girls do that always? I kept looking till she was out of my sight. I was little bit cheerless but was also delightful as she gave a feeling which no girl had given me yet. I decided to preserve it for my whole life as it was my first sight stranger love.

Why so serious? she will come again tomorrow. My rate of reaction which became slow again started. I took a deep sigh and again thought of studying.  LMAO         

But the thing is she never came again. I even searched for her many a times but never saw her again in Motion. She was just a flow of wind which took my breathe away for once. I can never forget her face  

Love Happens!!!

Poets, authors, artists, philosophers, scientists and anthropologists have tried to define love for centuries. Love is one of the few subjects that has troubled, intrigued and fascinated everyone.

Lisa Hoffman put it beautifully "Love is like pi natural, irrational and very important." 

Bob Marley said : "Only once in your life, I truly believe you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you have never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments that life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can't wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are."

Well for me, lets start off with what love isn't.

What Is Love? It Definitely Isn't...

• Manipulation. "If you loved me, then you would..." isn't love, but rather infatuation.
• Compromising who you are. If someone asks you to do or say  something that isn't in your nature, that isn't true love. Although love  does involve compromises between partners, someone who is in love with  you will never ask you to change who you are in order to be loved.
• Violent. Passions can definitely become inflamed with someone  you love, but a relationship with physical or emotional violence isn't  true love.
• Just lust. Yes, chemistry and physical attraction are important, but true love also includes commitment, trust and respect.

So what true love is:

• true love is attached
• true love is caring
• true love is commitment
• true love is attractive
• true love is intimate
• true love is pure ecstasy

Love is ecstasy and agony, freedom and imprisonment, belonging and loneliness. Love is what holds you together when life tears you apart. Love is amongst the few things in the world that makes life worth living. It is one of the most strongest emotion that a human being is capable of feeling. Love is when other person's happiness, other person's dreams, other person's aspirations, other person's problems become your own. There is no separation between you and the other person. Love is when you see someone's face and instantly know what they are feeling. There is this telepathic connection that binds all the people that are in love. Love is the foundation of any happy relationship. 

• Love is walking hand in hands.
• Love is messing up someone's hair.
• Love is being happy knowing that she is happy.
• Love is tickling.
• Love is hating to say goodbye.
• Love is passing notes back and forth in school.

I think Robert Heinlein put it beautifully “Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” 

It seems to be only rational thing left in the universe. True love is attachment without the need of possession. Love is that special feeling in your gut, love is when you can feel your own heart beating on the sight of your lover. Love is when you spend all you time thinking about that person. Love is when you will travel all over the globe just to get a glimpse of the person you love. Love is when you stare at your smartphone all day long hoping that the person that you love will send a message that says that the person is doing okay. True love is always selfless and does not demand reciprocation from the other person.

Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that that they are a part of your life. Fall in love and experience it.....

Imagine only u and me

Imagine you & me around
And the whole world's gone
Then would you follow me,
When the world comes crashing down?

Imagine a blue sky
With not a person nearby
Then would you stay with me
As the years pass us by?

Imagine a pretty place
And a smile on your face
Then would you be with me
When I'm left behind in this maze?

Imagine each and every thought
Even those that you forgot
Then would you dream with me
And let your mind be distraught?

...You are the one I always sought
Yes, you are the one I always sought

Only For You

May the sun rise with the opening shutter of your eyes.....
May the birds start chirping, listening your yawning message.....
May the sunny day go rainy watching the water droplets on your wet face.....
May the lonely sky receive its beauty ( rainbow ) catching the glimpse of your smile..... 
May the evening sun become shy seeing the look on your innocent face putting kohl in eyes....
May the darkness of the night be of no mean in front of your dark black eyes..... 
May the twinkling of stars follow the blinking pattern of your eyes.....
May the moon's beloved increases its beauty as a dimple do with your smile.....
May the path of air flow be as straight as that of your hair.....
May the whole universe become your slave feeling the joy of the calm innocent smile.....
May all upcoming days be the most beautiful and happier days of your life......
I want you be the most happiest girl of this universe.....

Rahul Dravid: The Wall prepared for building walls again

At the core of the great athlete often resides a self-centred animal. Lit up by the spotlight, the rest of the world falls into his shadow. Qualityand gentleness is ever hated. Rahul Dravid is a quality cricketer on the field and a great gentleman off  the field - Anonymous

Excerpts from a conversation between Harsha Bhogle and Rahul Dravid

Harsha: You made a very good hundred in Headingley in 2002. Tell us about that.
Dravid: Yeah that was a good innings but Sanjay Bangar played well too. He was asked to open on a tough pitch and fought very well. It's not easy to do that.
Harsha: You were brilliant for India in test cricket from 2002 to 2005
Dravid: Yes, but we won test matches because of our brilliant spinners. Harbhajan and Kumble who used to take heaps of wickets on Day 4/5 of the test match.
Harsha: That is how Rahul Dravid is. You tell him he played well and he will tell you that somebody else played well too! This is who Dravid is!

“Ask him to walk on water for his team and he will ask you how many miles”  -Harsha Bhogle

A fortified wall that stood impregnable while everything collapsed.
Salute to one of the greatest legends of all the time. An indefatigable fighter and a true gentleman !!

Rahul Dravid

*No.1 overseas batsman in Indian cricket (with avg of 65)
*No.1 batsman at no. 3 (with 10524 runs)
*No. 2 Indian batsman after Tendulkar with most runs in tests won by India
*No. 2 batsman with highest balls per dismissal in test (123)
  batsman with most century partnership stands (88)
*No.1 fielder with record 210 catches

"I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride." - Rahul Dravid

THANK YOU FOR BEING RAHUL DRAVID

Sportspersons retire every day, but legends retire only to achieve immortality. On Friday, 9th March, 2012, the greatest example of sincerity, dedication and humility decided to call it a day. Sachin Tendulkar aptly described the man-“There was and is only one Rahul Dravid.”
It was in 1996 when this gaunt, lanky gentleman from Karnataka had walked to the crease at Lords. 16 years and more than 24000 international runs later, this unsung hero of Indian cricket is still the same. He doesn’t have a swagger, doesn’t have exaggerated emotions, doesn’t flash the middle finger and still doesn’t cuss. But that doesn’t even remotely imply that he wasn’t aggressive. To quote Matthew Hayden, “All this going around is not aggression; if you want to see aggression on cricket field, look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes”. Enough said.
I feel for the coming generations for they shall never experience the feelings I’ve experienced. The nervousness of seeing India time and again slump to 0/1 and then 3/2. Fretfully chewing away at my nails, cussing the Indian openers, only to see a calm, composed, but an intense Dravid walk out to the crease. Watching him was reassuring. One could relax hearing those four banal words- Dravid abhi baaki hai!!
As I sit today on my chair trying to pen something of a Thank You note to this legend, motley memories of a multitude of cricket grounds flash by. Calcutta. Adelaide. Lords. Georgetown. Headingley.  Many losses, a few draws and a handful of victories. And in most of these joyous moments of victories there was only one constant. Rahul Dravid and his unfaltering defense. Non strikers came, showcased their fluid cover drives, elegant leg glances, languid caresses and got out. But one man slowly chipped away, run by run, ball by ball, session by session, match by match, and year on year. He got his hundreds. People applauded.  All he managed was a restrained fist pump, sometimes not even that. He then cleared his helmet of the sweat and put it back on to face the next ball. There were seldom any pulls that went for sixes, no dance down the tracks that sent the balls sailing out of the parks in his meticulously constructed career. There were only hard earned runs which aided him to yet another milestone, yet another landmark and yet another victory for India.
Where the Tendulkars, Gangulys and the Laxmans overshadowed his watertight defense with their graceful strokes, he always went by unnoticed. But he never complained. He was the Dark Knight since he was there when the team needed him. Always. The shadows would lengthen, the sun would set behind the scoreboard, the bails would be flicked off the stumps when the day was called and more often than not, only one warrior had withstood the onslaught.
The bowlers would frustrate, but the concentration in his eyes did not as much as waver. That’s Rahul Dravid for you.
To sum it up, he was one of the most dignified men the game has ever seen. . At 39, in his penultimate series, the man notched up three centuries in four tests, a testimony to the talent and the amount of cricket still left in him. But isn’t that what champions do? Leave on a high. His last series was a one off aberration in his otherwise sparkling career.
Sir, we will always remember you for the teammate you were, for your fiery eyed concentration, for your picture perfect defense and for your ability of befriend everyone you ever played with. Really, there isn’t a greater man than the one who can garner the respect of his contemporaries.
“If you can’t get along with Dravid, you are struggling in life.” -Brett Lee

Three days before BCCI announced that Rahul dravid is selected as the new A and U19 coach. This is one of the finest decision BCCI has ever taken. This decision is lauded not just in our country but also far away in other countries. Pitersen in an interview described thisdecision of BCCI as an “absolutely brilliant move”. Dravid  himself is very keen to take this job of shaping the new generations. Our Crcket future is surely in good hands or rather i sould say God hands. His deep dedication towards success will definitely make our young cricketers shine.. THE WALL STANDS TALL

Some famous quotes on Dravid :

Glenn McGrath
"Dravid has been a class player for a long time now and we know his ability better than anyone. He's not like the other guys who love scoring off every ball, and there's no real weakness in his game either."

Shoaib Akhtar
"Even though Sachin is great, I have always found Rahul more solid and hard to get out. He has a solid defense and plays less shots than others. When a batsman plays less shots then it is tough to get him as he makes less mistakes."

Javagal Srinath
"I have also not seen him lose his temper. He has that uncanny skill of keeping his frustrations to himself. He hates to get out though and you can see the restlessness in him till he gets his act together in the next outing. He is the most hard-working guy in the side."

Allan Border
"Everyone has already exhausted superlatives so I would not bother myself with any additional praise but you could be sure my admiration for him has grown tremendously."



Shane Warne
"Rahul Dravid being known as 'The Wall' is pretty much spot on. 'The fortress' could also describe Rahul. Because once, Dravid was set, you needed the bowling equivalent of a dozen cannon firing all at once to blast him down,""

Chris Gayle:
"Dravid Could play attacking cricket like me but i could never play like him"

Shahid Afridi :
Once Shahid Afridi was asked for his Favourite Player and He says "Rahul Dravid"

Brian Lara :
"If I have to put anyone to bat for my life, it’ll be Kallis or Dravid".

Navjot Singh Sidhu:
"Rahul Dravid is a player who would walk on broken glass if his team asks him to"

Brad Hogg :
"Nothing can beat experience"

Matthew Hayden:
"All this going around is not aggression. If you want to see aggression on cricket field, look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes"

Peter O’ Toole (Legendary Irish Actor):
“Everyone praises Sachin Tendulkar. He may be a genius in his own right but in my book, Rahul Dravid is the artist. Dravid’s defence tactics, his strokes, his cuts, his grace are truly amazing. I’d like to meet the chap sometime and take my hat off to him.”

Mahesh Bhupati:
“He deserves his success as he has worked hard for it. He is one of the most down to earth and disciplined professionals I’ve met.”

Ian Chappell
“Team in trouble? Whom do you turn to? Rahul Dravid!”

Steve Waugh
"Rahul is the kind of person who young cricketers can look up to; not only because of his success but also because of the way he conducts himself."

Gaurav Kapur
“Ask any bowler and he will tell you that all the greats will give you a half chance early in their innings, except Dravid.”


“The people back home deserve a fighting team” – By The Man Himself

WAVES OF THOUGHTS!!!!

Faith lost, Trust broken, Love unnnoticed
Staring at the beautiful sea, I was left awestruck
A thought striked my mind
Just as waves, thoughts flowing
too much real
And this pain hurt, only time would heal

By the seaside, standing on the sand
Watching the soul walk away form my hand
In search of life beyond an escapist or a dreamer 
Till it come back to as an enlightened stranger

Just like the shadow of hope that life threw
Time and again this continued my first grew
Hoping the waves would wash away my tear
And give me the courage to defeat my fears

Yet the waves fell withdrew and fell again
But never did they give up or let go in vain
Embracing the wave a new life bestowed upon me
A light of harmony hit me as far as i could see

The waves and i then became one at peace
Just as i surrendered all my pain did cease
I deceided to simply turn my life around
Within me an everlasting light i found