Thursday, September 30, 2010

The 'positives' of my childhood

The incessant and untimely rains during this month have taken everyone by a pleasant surprise. Organising Committee of the Commonwealth games was most surprised and called it the God’s fury. But, the common man is happy to wake up in the drizzle and drench on the way to office. I too am delighted; each day is so beautiful than yesterday. On one such rainy day, I sat in my verandah with a cup of coffee in my right hand and a bunch of old photo albums. I wanted to do something constructive and didn’t have any better task to do than to scan all the pictures. I had a better reason to do it because it had been years I had flipped through them.
The chair was all wet with the flying droplets of rain; it was like dew on the plastic chair. I made myself comfortable with a couch for backrest and surrounded by around fifty photo albums. Some album with half covers, some with torn flaps, loose pictures and some without even covers.  All positives from camera surrounding me with anxiously looking females on the cover page looking straight into my eye as if they’ll come out and say, “I am tired of that pose, open the album fast.” I asked myself before tossing through the albums, if it was worth the effort or just a time waste. But the weather acted as the driving force and forced me to peep into the first album with an old dark blue cover having 4”x6” pictures.
The first picture snapped with the four generations of the family from my maternal side. It was a treat to the eyes, me-my mother-my grandmother-great grandmother, all sitting in the ascending order. The next few pictures were equivalent to the lightening in the sky. I was at the echelon of my naughty spirits, sitting in front of the wooden dressing table and playing with my mother’s sindoor (vermilion) and kaajal (kohl). It was amazing to know the way society changes your mischievous instincts into sobriety. 
Some pictures took me to the late eighties while the others kept me swinging in the nineties. Different trips with family to religious places, hill stations, beaches and plains were there in a haphazard manner. The best part of each picture of my childhood the natural emotion was kept intact and the deliberate smile was missing. Most pictures clicked with me being unaware of the presence of the lens around me. I wonder as I take another sip of the coffee and speculate the manner life changes you. Times have changed drastically; the change is attributed to the advancement in the technology. Now even the trial room or the washroom in the mall scares me, there could be a hidden camera somewhere. The nature of capturing the object is similar but the cameraperson is the one who makes the difference.
All my emotions and feelings were changing dramatically with each second flip of the album. I chose the albums randomly; another one was with my brother. Small little creature with baggy shorts, vests and curly hair combing my hair, the picture was cuteness personified. The picture was animated but it exuded so much softness and love. I wondered if my brother could be as soft, tender and cute as he was then. That’s the test of time, we have to move, grow old and accept everyone around us. I picked that picture with a few more from that album for scanning.
The rain stopped for some moments, I stood up to have a glance at the drenched apartment. Every building, car and the park radiated freshness. Even I was feeling fresh after going back in time and forgetting every other assignment or project that was due for submission. It was like sitting in a time machine and rewinding my whole life page by page. The slight wind bought tiny little droplets on my face and I again adjusted myself to start again.
Album by album, I went on, smiling, giggling, laughing, remembering and cherishing all those clips. I found so many unknown faces, many who are not around me anymore and enjoying my tryst with my childhood.
After that flipping exercise, I looked at the pictures I had kept aside for scanning; it was a full bundle of infinite clips each picture having its distinctiveness. I thanked my parents to have been so agile to have captured my each moment of life, that too with a flash and click camera and getting the rolls washed each time. It was an outstanding pleasure I got after this exercise. But, I dropped the idea of scanning them, as they felt better when you can feel these pictures in your hand and with your fingers. These pictures are called positives because they really turn you positive towards your life. So, I picked all the albums and kept safely in the almirah and admired the beauty of pictures with unparallel sentiments which touch your soul.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Volun-‘Tearing’ at CWG 2010

October was supposed to be a month of cash inflow, but it seems the flow is just there in the Yamuna River. Around February, many of my friends were lured by the money they would get to sweat out in Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi. They had pre-planned their disposal of that petty amount in shopping and savings, but to their surprise and shock, they are only a part of the un-paid staff. Well afterall, ‘volunteer’ means a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task, according to Oxford Dictionary. So, the organizers are just referring to their dictionary to save themselves from being screwed once again.
All plans swept, all tears shed but these volunteers are left with no choice but to exert themselves in the venues. Long training hours, a huge manual and unlisted rules and regulations – they have to keep in mind all of it. In return of the hectic schedule, they’ll just get awarded a certificate—I hope my friends don’t have to wait for years to get the piece of paper. They get a travel allowance, thank you OC – Organising Committee. Free travel in the DTC buses and reimbursement of metro fare, finally they get something in return.  
Being at CWG doesn’t mean they are safe and sound. You never know when the next ceiling will fall down. Assurance regarding the security is what I expect atleast. I would have been happier, if my friends would have been promised their due. After all volunteering is not easy; the work is equivalent to the paid staff.
Disappointment is at its peak this time. Any lapse in the politics was earlier sorted out internally or we dealt with it somehow or forget it. But, this time the height of distress is unparallel and has gone above the danger mark. I know I’m being rude but I never wished to see my country in a light of disgust and anguish around the globe. My dear politicians would never learn a lesson of honesty and humanity. There is a saying ‘Beggars are not the choosers’ but in India, ‘Beggars are the choosers’. The poor decides the Government because most of us enjoy this 'Voting holiday'.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

LOVING the WORKPLACE

People are falling in love with their work. They are dying to go to their workplace each morning. They wait eagerly for their clock to strike nine in the morning. Isn’t this odd? No, it’s not. Professionals are falling in love at their workplaces, obviously not with their work but the working people around.

Hectic hours of organisations leave no time for personal grooming and expanding the social circle. Professionals find it easier to find their match at their office only. They feel it’s better to have a life partner who understands the demands of the field of work. Each person tries to avoid interference and wants personal space also called ‘ME time’. Mind rules the heart and thus, most people choose their partners radically. Practicality of a relationship has become more important than the feeling of togetherness or love.


Spouses at the same workplace however, sometimes find it difficult to cope with the situation. Demands increase which might lead to suffoctaion of desires at home and workplace. Social obligation also force them to be around each other else people suspect a foul play in the relationship. This doesn’t allow them to widen their social circle and they remain stuck with their spouses, whether at the time of lunch or any office outing. Even friendly talks with a colleague of opposite sex might induce unwarranted suspicion. Many couples also feel a lack of spark in their personal lives as they don’t have anything to share as they are around each other the whole day. Seeing the same person 24*7 also surfaces boredom.

There are couples who are able to survive all these pressures and challenges. Some partners understand each other quite well and cope with the situation brilliantly. It is rightly said that marriage is a sacred union of two souls and understanding each other keeps alive this heavenly relationship.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Turning Brains

Born and bought up in corruption, bureaucracy, dishonesty, and all similar synonyms. All philosophies and idealistic thoughts flush at once when you face the world. The society teaches to you to only disown your ideals. Your expectations take a beating when you see the cruel, bad world trying to smother you at once. These Commomnwealth Games around the corner have unearthed such broken links and made us realize the foundation of our upbringing. Parents try their best to save their children from the unhealthy elements but one day we have to deal with it on our face. CWG have openly taught us to be dishonest to work. Money is God for all the officials, but God still exists. Money can’t buy God, thus here it is- rain, rain come again.




Hoping against the hope, does this work? I don’t hope that the Games would be a success, I just hope that the money minting legacy people leave behind doesn’t stay like a hole in the heart. There should have been a surgery which could remove corruption from their minds forever. Yes! I believe I’m being swept away by the feeling of country’s welfare. I agree I’m talking something out of the world, but Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Like in that movie, I sincerely hope there is a doctor who could remove that part of the memory which deals with corruption. I don’t want politics to be Pollute-Ticks, these ticks stick to the nation and the youth must be doctored to remove them. We must be brilliant at making this nation the best.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Connecting to the real world

It was a deliberate break from the web world not because I didn’t have an access rather I wanted to feel the missing link in my life. Two days I was cut off from the cyberspace but couldn’t manage to stay away from my phone. I sensed the real people around me instead of the virtual ones. My life was so much simpler and uncomplicated during my school days. But, now it is tangled around the NET. It was a holiday from the daily routine of sitting for hours in front of the PC till the eyes water.

 Yes! This break was truly refreshing. I realised that I have this spontaneous urge to go back and switch on the system but to hold it back and make myself busy offline was a task in itself. Self-control is a real lesson learnt from this voluntary exercise. My parents had always been sceptical about this whole computer scenario ruling the society by a storm but I was always positive about it as I felt I reunited and reconnected people. But, it disconnected me from the real world, it is more important to value the live people around you and not bother about the people thousand miles away.

I would certainly take such mini breaks from the internet and meditate about my life offline. It is difficult but satisfactory experience.