Human expectations have no limits. They neither have directionality nor do have continuity. They are infinite and generally contradict the actually probable situation. But that doesn’t stop them from coming over. So, how much impractical they seem, expectations will always be there.
But sometimes expectations do actually give us inspirations. Indo-Pak peace, economic stability, end of terrorism, equality, end of communalism & casteism, spread of education etc etc are expectations which even though impractical right now do coerce us to work towards them.
I have also started harbouring this impractical dream of becoming a kid again. Even though time travel has been a favourite of fiction writers dating back to H.G. Wells’ Time Machine, time dimension has not been possible yet. Going back in fourth dimension one can see images {as an amateur astrophysics student, I have already done that}, but physically going back is still a matter of fiction.
But expectations are expectations! Expectations vary from person to person. My 13-year old student wants to grow up speedily so that she can get more independence. For her attaining adulthood is very important! It was so with me and all of my other friends during our adolescences.
But adulthood is not as glorious as it seemed! The grass looked greener on this side f the fence but it actually had other hues hidden behind the green border. I have not much enjoyed the adulthood. The independence is enjoyable but the exuberance & enthusiasm that childhood brought was far more exciting. The life is becoming monotonous & everyday excitations have faded. It’s more of surviving than living! And seeing my peers’ conditions, life doesn’t look to become fairer any day soon. As 3-Idiots says, “Give me another chance, I want to grow up once again!”
For the time being I like to keep the kid within me alive by doing silly things. But these just help a little.
Most of the time, a kid makes me jealous. He is carefree, has no responsibility, has no worries about career, can make friendships without thinking about the outcomes, doesn’t care about this damn world etc etc.
Whenever we do something silly and get happiness in doing that, it’s the kid, somewhere asleep inside us, kicks us t do that. The more and more adulthood we attain, the more we go on losing our innocence! I hope the kid inside me survives the tests and troubles of this vile world and continues to keep me going.
Hey God, speed up things in my life. Make me a kid again !!!!!
P.S: Humans get chances to become a kid thrice in his lifetime. Once when he is himself the kid. Next with his child and lastly with his grandchild. Some lucky people get a fourth or fifth chance as well. I am striving hard for my second chance. I want to be reborn again.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
What A Republic Day !!!
Sitabuldi fort is an off-reach destination for the civilians. It’s an army base and opens its doors for the common man only on the two national holidays of 15th August and 26th January.
When some place has a sort of secrecy shrouding it, curiosity to know about increases exponentially. Having seen quite a few Maratha forts in last two years, the interest to see the one in our own city was at its maximum. So, on this republic day we i.e. me, Santu, Prasad & Taresh decided to visit it.
All was set and we were to start at 7 for the fort. A delayed start due to Prasad made us late by a quarter of an hour. We reached Buldi and picked Taresh from there. For him a chance to go out is like finding the magnetic monopole! He was all ready and raring to go. While we had just woken and reached the venue somehow while he was all bathed, brushed and fresh.
Before the visit to the fort, we visited the famous Kasturchand Park (KP) pohewala. After having a plate of hot poha, we queued up at the fort. Although the official time to enter was 8, we were allowed 20 minutes past it. The fort is supposed to have few dungeons and tunnels. Actually one of them is supposed to run to Kamptee, some 16 kilometres away. Prasad was all eyes in search of it or at least any of them.
The fort was won by the British in 1817, in the Battle of Sitabuldi when they defeated the Maratha forces. Ever since then the British army held the fort and the surrounding tekdi as a prize trophy. The trophy passed to the Indian army when we gained independence.
Most of the fort was off-limits and numerous barriers were placed. The total tour took us no more than half an hour. The fort has some memorials inside it. There are the graves of the five British soldiers who were killed in the aforesaid battle. The fort also has a cell in which Gandhiji was imprisoned for about a month in 1923. The graves of the grandsons of Tipu Sultan are also inside the fort who were hanged for their role in the 1857 revolt. There is also a monument to commemorate the visit of the king of England in 1912. Whatever he was doing their overlooking the deep pit below is beyond me.
I, personally, was little disappointed how the tour turned out! But soon Taresh took us to a paradise. Vidhan Bhavan had a flower exhibition going on. Nature always has a soothing effect on humans & what more can be soothing than beautiful flowers! I was apprehensive at first given the location. But they just allayed all my worries. The display was majestic and fantastic. After a prolonged photo session, we moved ourselves to Taresh’s college, Institute of Science.
We met some of Taresh’s friends. We had a talkathon going on which had to be stopped as we had two non-participating members in Santu & Prasad. For the sake of convenience, we marched back home leaving Taresh with them.
During October’s Walkathon, we had walked almost this distance. But owing to the breaks that we didn’t have much fatigue this time. It also acted as a good practice to the marathon that we are to run on 31st { It will be another Walkathon, I promise at least from our side!}.
Akshita’s dad had his birthday and Nauty’s mathematics sir was giving a farewell. This meant that I had only Rushabh to teach and that too late in the evening. So, I slept peacefully and went to teach in the evening. As planned, in the evening, me, Prasad and Santu went to see a circus. This brought the kid back in me and I actually went there as a 7-year old! We, poor fellows, opted for the cheapest 30/- tickets and had to do circus ourselves to sit on the wooden plancks they gave us as seats.
The 3-hour show was good. Whenever we tried to leave, they would put on an exciting item forcing us to stay on. The overuse of acrobatics and less use of animals did disappoint us a little. Overall, the show was fine. And the hippopotamus was a bonus.
From there, we went for a dinner and then a sweet paan culminated the fantastic republic day celebration.
Long live the Republic of India.
When some place has a sort of secrecy shrouding it, curiosity to know about increases exponentially. Having seen quite a few Maratha forts in last two years, the interest to see the one in our own city was at its maximum. So, on this republic day we i.e. me, Santu, Prasad & Taresh decided to visit it.
All was set and we were to start at 7 for the fort. A delayed start due to Prasad made us late by a quarter of an hour. We reached Buldi and picked Taresh from there. For him a chance to go out is like finding the magnetic monopole! He was all ready and raring to go. While we had just woken and reached the venue somehow while he was all bathed, brushed and fresh.
Before the visit to the fort, we visited the famous Kasturchand Park (KP) pohewala. After having a plate of hot poha, we queued up at the fort. Although the official time to enter was 8, we were allowed 20 minutes past it. The fort is supposed to have few dungeons and tunnels. Actually one of them is supposed to run to Kamptee, some 16 kilometres away. Prasad was all eyes in search of it or at least any of them.
The fort was won by the British in 1817, in the Battle of Sitabuldi when they defeated the Maratha forces. Ever since then the British army held the fort and the surrounding tekdi as a prize trophy. The trophy passed to the Indian army when we gained independence.
Most of the fort was off-limits and numerous barriers were placed. The total tour took us no more than half an hour. The fort has some memorials inside it. There are the graves of the five British soldiers who were killed in the aforesaid battle. The fort also has a cell in which Gandhiji was imprisoned for about a month in 1923. The graves of the grandsons of Tipu Sultan are also inside the fort who were hanged for their role in the 1857 revolt. There is also a monument to commemorate the visit of the king of England in 1912. Whatever he was doing their overlooking the deep pit below is beyond me.
I, personally, was little disappointed how the tour turned out! But soon Taresh took us to a paradise. Vidhan Bhavan had a flower exhibition going on. Nature always has a soothing effect on humans & what more can be soothing than beautiful flowers! I was apprehensive at first given the location. But they just allayed all my worries. The display was majestic and fantastic. After a prolonged photo session, we moved ourselves to Taresh’s college, Institute of Science.
We met some of Taresh’s friends. We had a talkathon going on which had to be stopped as we had two non-participating members in Santu & Prasad. For the sake of convenience, we marched back home leaving Taresh with them.
During October’s Walkathon, we had walked almost this distance. But owing to the breaks that we didn’t have much fatigue this time. It also acted as a good practice to the marathon that we are to run on 31st { It will be another Walkathon, I promise at least from our side!}.
Akshita’s dad had his birthday and Nauty’s mathematics sir was giving a farewell. This meant that I had only Rushabh to teach and that too late in the evening. So, I slept peacefully and went to teach in the evening. As planned, in the evening, me, Prasad and Santu went to see a circus. This brought the kid back in me and I actually went there as a 7-year old! We, poor fellows, opted for the cheapest 30/- tickets and had to do circus ourselves to sit on the wooden plancks they gave us as seats.
The 3-hour show was good. Whenever we tried to leave, they would put on an exciting item forcing us to stay on. The overuse of acrobatics and less use of animals did disappoint us a little. Overall, the show was fine. And the hippopotamus was a bonus.
From there, we went for a dinner and then a sweet paan culminated the fantastic republic day celebration.
Long live the Republic of India.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Separate Vidarbha: Is It Really Required?
20th January, 2010, Vidarbha observed a complete strike to support for the formation of a separate state. The demand is not new but the recent outburst is provoked as a result of the Telangana uprising.
Before moving onto the demand and its validity, let’s spare some space for what exactly is Vidarbha.
According to the Nagpur gazetteer, the state of Vidarbha has been there for over 2000 years and derives its name from a king of the same name. The present day Western Vidarbha i.e. the districts of Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Wardha and Buldana were prosperous regions and had some great rulers in the Satvahanas and the Vakatakas. The eastern part i.e. the districts of Nagpur, Bhandara and Chandrapur were part of the famous forest Dandakaranya. This part later came to be known as Jhaadimandal. But after decline of the Vakatakas in late 5th century AD, the prosperity declined and Vidarbha continued to be subjugated by different rulers.
The modern city of Nagpur was established by Bakht Buland, the Muslim Gond king, who had his capital at Devgad in modern Chhindwara district. He founded the city of Nagpur by joining the twelve small hamlets formerly known as Rajapur Barsa or Barasta some 300 years ago. His death brought his empire into trouble. Claims for succession ensued bloody battles. His dowager queen, Ratankunvar, asked for help to the famed Maratha warrior, Raghuji Bhonsle. In return of his help, she gave him one-third of her empire, chiefly the area around Nagpur.
Raghuji was a formidable soldier and statesman. He was in principle a commissioner of the Chhatrapati Shahu of Satara and had the tax collection rights of areas from Vidarbha to Bengal. Throughout his lifetime he fought many wars across India from Varanasi to Tanjore & Pune to Murshidabad. His conflicts with Alivardi Khan, the Peshwas and the Nizam are well known.
With him the Maratha culture came to Vidarbha. Soon, Marathi became the language of prominence but Persian kept its presence felt. Muslim influence in Vidarbha was prominent from Mughal times. The western part of Vidrabha was under Nizam rule and was called as Berar. With the advent of the British, all the Maratha patriarchs lost their control and Nagpur was no exception. An over ambitious Appasaheb bought the Subsidiary Alliance in return for his annexation to power. The British after assuming control carved the state of Central Provinces (CP) comprising present day Chhatisgarh, present day MP sans Indore & Gwalior and Eastern Vidarbha with Nagpur as the capital. Later Berar was taken away from the Nizam and the state was duly renamed CP & Berar. This continued to be the case until the reorganization of states on linguistic lines in 1960 when Vidarbha joined the other Marathi speaking parts of erstwhile Nizam regime and Bombay presidency to form Maharashtra.
Now Vidarbha comprises of 11 districts viz. Gondia, Bhandara, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Garhchiroli, Wardha, Amravati, Akola, Buldana, Washim and Yavatmal. Along with these, the leaders of the statehood agitation want to include 4 districts of MP viz. Seoni, Balaghat, Chhindwara and Betul in the new state.
Vidarbha has traditionally been agrarian. Western Vidarbha, more known for farmers’ suicides, is still chiefly agrarian. Eastern Vidarbha is endowed with large deposits of minerals and especially coal. This has given this area a chance to industrialize. Unlike Mumbai-Pune, large scale industries are still a rarity here. But a large number of small scale and medium scale industries, mostly steel-based, are in huge numbers. The chief export of Vidarbha is Electric Power. With three power plants and one more coming up, it is the basic power provider to the entire state of Maharashtra. Even the Bhusaval plant has proximity to Vidarbha. And these power plants will form the backbone of the Vidarbha economy if the state is formed.
One thing is at least true of the agitators i.e. the step-motherly attitude of the Maharashtra leaders towards Vidarbha. Even though the region has so many natural resources, its under-development remains a reason to ponder. Same parallels can be drawn with Chhattisgarh which faced similar apathy. Even though we produce almost half the power, power cuts are regularity here. Surprisingly, under the Zero Load-Shedding (ZLS) scheme, Nagpur pays more surcharge than Pune which has no power generation facility! Recently, an Orange research institute was located to Nanded for reasons unknown to anyone (Chief Minister’s constituency). Over the years the Hiwali (Winter) session has brought only parties for the elites and road blocks for the common man in Nagpur. Every year, lots of dharnas and rallies are held for the 14 days the MLAs come for their winter holiday. But the result of these agitations has always come to a nought. Farmers’ suicides, decline in agriculture, failure to open new industries, closure of many medium and small scale industries, etc etc have plagued the whole region. The region especially in and around Nagpur have seen recent growth due to MIHAN. But, even it has not brought us into the economic map. It has at least sky-rocketed the real-estate prices.
Other chief export of Vidarbha are the engineers. We produce them in quantity without providing enough quality. And most of them are generally lost to the hungry city of Pune where they turn up as IT pros. If we could have tapped the potential and utilize, we could have developed the whole region. Arts & Sciences are slowly becoming non-existent and are dying day by day. If Pune University is among the top 5 in India, Amravati and Nagpur universities are fighting for the last spots. If the present situation continues maybe they will win it without contesting!
Culturally Vidarbha is more cosmopolitan than Western Maharashtra, Konkan and Marathwada. The region is totally peaceful and language, religion, region, caste, creed or any other kind of nonsense difference never evokes any response here. The recent Naxalite menace in the jungle areas is certainly a matter of concern. But this issue is not locally created and is more the problem across all jungles in India. A more centre high-handedness is required in this matter.
The Maharashtra government has seemed to be a government which has only belonged to the city-state of Mumbai. Whatever development the state has achieved has all been concentrated there. When Mumbai started saturating, Pune was the next beneficiary. All other regions were left out. Marathwada, the region that has provided most of the CMs, is the most backward. But South-West Maharashtra i.e. districts of Solapur, Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur took the reins of development in their own hands. They didn’t form a new state. But utilized the economic constraints in their favour and turned the region into a developed region. Now Kolhapur has more per capita Mercedes ratio than any other city (except Mumbai) in the state! And the development was done only in the agrarian front as it was the only front available there. We, having all the basic infrastructural facilities, have failed to develop. What could be the reason?
The chief reason is actually the lack of leadership. The leaders over their did actually kick ass and made prosperity happen. We have a dearth of quality leaders. Here every political leader doles out colleges which in turn dole out engineers! Even though our leaders have always said that they are sidelined, how many of them have actually tried hard to get noticed! While they get chief ministerial berths both in state and centre, we get Dairy, Animal Husbandry and Non-Conventional energy sources! And our leaders make merry on these. In the recent state government the Forest Ministry has gone to a Sanglikar. But, leaders of Vidarbha, with so much of forest cover, didn’t protest! The chief leader of the statehood agitation now was a union minister in the last cabinet. But he failed to bring a single project back home. And now when he is sidelined in the present cabinet, he is back with statehood demands. Nice way to get noticed!
He has classed all Vidarbhaites to be either ‘Vidarbhavaadis’ or ‘Vidarbhadrohis’. But, I would like to mention another class, the ‘Vidarbhapremis’. As a Vidarbhapremi, I would not like a separate state. The quality of leadership prompts me to say that the new state under such under-achievers will be further under-achieving. Of the new states formed, only one i.e. Chhattisgarh has sustained development. The North-Eastern states feud over cheeky matters, Goa has uncertain leaders, Jharkhand has seen 7 governments in 9 years, Uttaranchal is ok (But the chief leader was caught in a sex tape which made me forget even Tiger Woods sexcapades). Until and unless the leaders prove that they can actually develop the region, I personally don’t believe in handing them the reins of a village leave alone the state.
The two leaders who have actually worked hard for the development, one who brought infrastructural changes and other the Cargo Hub i.e. MIHAN, are not even party to this nonsense. All the leaders of the agitation are those who have been wronged by their respective parties and seem to work for their personal gains rather than the collective good. One even talks of joining hands with the Naxals! It seems a political gimmick on their part just to grab attention. Let’s condemn these actions and request the concerned leaders to relinquish the idea of the statehood and work for the region’s development.
To change the system, we have to stay in the system. The tide of development has to be turned into our favour. The demand for statehood has actually given us to get noticed and the chance to lay down our demands and get them fulfilled. Active leadership is the need of the day and this should be channelized to negate the existing apathy and convert the reluctance into reforms. We have the necessary education potential, the natural resources, the benefit of our central location which brings great transport facilities, MIHAN & Power. Now what is required are leaders of acumen who will rise above party and personal restrictions and turn these resources into weapons to destroy under-development and poverty. It should be made understood to the top brass that Vidarbha needs attention, care & love and not negligence, sympathy and apathy.
When a brother doesn’t take care of you, you don’t sever ties with him. You talk and sometimes coerce him to give you your proper dues. Maharashtra and Vidarbha are two brothers joined at the hip. Let’s not do the surgery which will cripple both of them. Let’s allow them to be united and work for the development of Vidarbha.
I’m happy to see MH-31 on my vehicle. VD-01 is neither required and nor should it be forced.
Jai Hind !!! Jai Maharashtra !!!
Before moving onto the demand and its validity, let’s spare some space for what exactly is Vidarbha.
According to the Nagpur gazetteer, the state of Vidarbha has been there for over 2000 years and derives its name from a king of the same name. The present day Western Vidarbha i.e. the districts of Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Wardha and Buldana were prosperous regions and had some great rulers in the Satvahanas and the Vakatakas. The eastern part i.e. the districts of Nagpur, Bhandara and Chandrapur were part of the famous forest Dandakaranya. This part later came to be known as Jhaadimandal. But after decline of the Vakatakas in late 5th century AD, the prosperity declined and Vidarbha continued to be subjugated by different rulers.
The modern city of Nagpur was established by Bakht Buland, the Muslim Gond king, who had his capital at Devgad in modern Chhindwara district. He founded the city of Nagpur by joining the twelve small hamlets formerly known as Rajapur Barsa or Barasta some 300 years ago. His death brought his empire into trouble. Claims for succession ensued bloody battles. His dowager queen, Ratankunvar, asked for help to the famed Maratha warrior, Raghuji Bhonsle. In return of his help, she gave him one-third of her empire, chiefly the area around Nagpur.
Raghuji was a formidable soldier and statesman. He was in principle a commissioner of the Chhatrapati Shahu of Satara and had the tax collection rights of areas from Vidarbha to Bengal. Throughout his lifetime he fought many wars across India from Varanasi to Tanjore & Pune to Murshidabad. His conflicts with Alivardi Khan, the Peshwas and the Nizam are well known.
With him the Maratha culture came to Vidarbha. Soon, Marathi became the language of prominence but Persian kept its presence felt. Muslim influence in Vidarbha was prominent from Mughal times. The western part of Vidrabha was under Nizam rule and was called as Berar. With the advent of the British, all the Maratha patriarchs lost their control and Nagpur was no exception. An over ambitious Appasaheb bought the Subsidiary Alliance in return for his annexation to power. The British after assuming control carved the state of Central Provinces (CP) comprising present day Chhatisgarh, present day MP sans Indore & Gwalior and Eastern Vidarbha with Nagpur as the capital. Later Berar was taken away from the Nizam and the state was duly renamed CP & Berar. This continued to be the case until the reorganization of states on linguistic lines in 1960 when Vidarbha joined the other Marathi speaking parts of erstwhile Nizam regime and Bombay presidency to form Maharashtra.
Now Vidarbha comprises of 11 districts viz. Gondia, Bhandara, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Garhchiroli, Wardha, Amravati, Akola, Buldana, Washim and Yavatmal. Along with these, the leaders of the statehood agitation want to include 4 districts of MP viz. Seoni, Balaghat, Chhindwara and Betul in the new state.
Vidarbha has traditionally been agrarian. Western Vidarbha, more known for farmers’ suicides, is still chiefly agrarian. Eastern Vidarbha is endowed with large deposits of minerals and especially coal. This has given this area a chance to industrialize. Unlike Mumbai-Pune, large scale industries are still a rarity here. But a large number of small scale and medium scale industries, mostly steel-based, are in huge numbers. The chief export of Vidarbha is Electric Power. With three power plants and one more coming up, it is the basic power provider to the entire state of Maharashtra. Even the Bhusaval plant has proximity to Vidarbha. And these power plants will form the backbone of the Vidarbha economy if the state is formed.
One thing is at least true of the agitators i.e. the step-motherly attitude of the Maharashtra leaders towards Vidarbha. Even though the region has so many natural resources, its under-development remains a reason to ponder. Same parallels can be drawn with Chhattisgarh which faced similar apathy. Even though we produce almost half the power, power cuts are regularity here. Surprisingly, under the Zero Load-Shedding (ZLS) scheme, Nagpur pays more surcharge than Pune which has no power generation facility! Recently, an Orange research institute was located to Nanded for reasons unknown to anyone (Chief Minister’s constituency). Over the years the Hiwali (Winter) session has brought only parties for the elites and road blocks for the common man in Nagpur. Every year, lots of dharnas and rallies are held for the 14 days the MLAs come for their winter holiday. But the result of these agitations has always come to a nought. Farmers’ suicides, decline in agriculture, failure to open new industries, closure of many medium and small scale industries, etc etc have plagued the whole region. The region especially in and around Nagpur have seen recent growth due to MIHAN. But, even it has not brought us into the economic map. It has at least sky-rocketed the real-estate prices.
Other chief export of Vidarbha are the engineers. We produce them in quantity without providing enough quality. And most of them are generally lost to the hungry city of Pune where they turn up as IT pros. If we could have tapped the potential and utilize, we could have developed the whole region. Arts & Sciences are slowly becoming non-existent and are dying day by day. If Pune University is among the top 5 in India, Amravati and Nagpur universities are fighting for the last spots. If the present situation continues maybe they will win it without contesting!
Culturally Vidarbha is more cosmopolitan than Western Maharashtra, Konkan and Marathwada. The region is totally peaceful and language, religion, region, caste, creed or any other kind of nonsense difference never evokes any response here. The recent Naxalite menace in the jungle areas is certainly a matter of concern. But this issue is not locally created and is more the problem across all jungles in India. A more centre high-handedness is required in this matter.
The Maharashtra government has seemed to be a government which has only belonged to the city-state of Mumbai. Whatever development the state has achieved has all been concentrated there. When Mumbai started saturating, Pune was the next beneficiary. All other regions were left out. Marathwada, the region that has provided most of the CMs, is the most backward. But South-West Maharashtra i.e. districts of Solapur, Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur took the reins of development in their own hands. They didn’t form a new state. But utilized the economic constraints in their favour and turned the region into a developed region. Now Kolhapur has more per capita Mercedes ratio than any other city (except Mumbai) in the state! And the development was done only in the agrarian front as it was the only front available there. We, having all the basic infrastructural facilities, have failed to develop. What could be the reason?
The chief reason is actually the lack of leadership. The leaders over their did actually kick ass and made prosperity happen. We have a dearth of quality leaders. Here every political leader doles out colleges which in turn dole out engineers! Even though our leaders have always said that they are sidelined, how many of them have actually tried hard to get noticed! While they get chief ministerial berths both in state and centre, we get Dairy, Animal Husbandry and Non-Conventional energy sources! And our leaders make merry on these. In the recent state government the Forest Ministry has gone to a Sanglikar. But, leaders of Vidarbha, with so much of forest cover, didn’t protest! The chief leader of the statehood agitation now was a union minister in the last cabinet. But he failed to bring a single project back home. And now when he is sidelined in the present cabinet, he is back with statehood demands. Nice way to get noticed!
He has classed all Vidarbhaites to be either ‘Vidarbhavaadis’ or ‘Vidarbhadrohis’. But, I would like to mention another class, the ‘Vidarbhapremis’. As a Vidarbhapremi, I would not like a separate state. The quality of leadership prompts me to say that the new state under such under-achievers will be further under-achieving. Of the new states formed, only one i.e. Chhattisgarh has sustained development. The North-Eastern states feud over cheeky matters, Goa has uncertain leaders, Jharkhand has seen 7 governments in 9 years, Uttaranchal is ok (But the chief leader was caught in a sex tape which made me forget even Tiger Woods sexcapades). Until and unless the leaders prove that they can actually develop the region, I personally don’t believe in handing them the reins of a village leave alone the state.
The two leaders who have actually worked hard for the development, one who brought infrastructural changes and other the Cargo Hub i.e. MIHAN, are not even party to this nonsense. All the leaders of the agitation are those who have been wronged by their respective parties and seem to work for their personal gains rather than the collective good. One even talks of joining hands with the Naxals! It seems a political gimmick on their part just to grab attention. Let’s condemn these actions and request the concerned leaders to relinquish the idea of the statehood and work for the region’s development.
To change the system, we have to stay in the system. The tide of development has to be turned into our favour. The demand for statehood has actually given us to get noticed and the chance to lay down our demands and get them fulfilled. Active leadership is the need of the day and this should be channelized to negate the existing apathy and convert the reluctance into reforms. We have the necessary education potential, the natural resources, the benefit of our central location which brings great transport facilities, MIHAN & Power. Now what is required are leaders of acumen who will rise above party and personal restrictions and turn these resources into weapons to destroy under-development and poverty. It should be made understood to the top brass that Vidarbha needs attention, care & love and not negligence, sympathy and apathy.
When a brother doesn’t take care of you, you don’t sever ties with him. You talk and sometimes coerce him to give you your proper dues. Maharashtra and Vidarbha are two brothers joined at the hip. Let’s not do the surgery which will cripple both of them. Let’s allow them to be united and work for the development of Vidarbha.
I’m happy to see MH-31 on my vehicle. VD-01 is neither required and nor should it be forced.
Jai Hind !!! Jai Maharashtra !!!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Why I Failed To Have A Girlfriend
Girlfriend is almost the most important word (maybe next only to career) in any young man’s lexicon. Long hours and words are spent discussing this special topic whether it be the lack of one or the availability of one with someone else. The ones who luckily manage one are generally barred from such communions.
I still belong to the category of the non-achievers and always have the company of other fellow mates.
As I’ve mentioned ago in a previous blog ( http://subbudaadda.blogspot.com/2009/02/feminine-my-misconceptions.html), I hated girls. Those were the सुखी days. There was no need to think of them. But as I grew, affinity towards girls increased. FLAMES and LOVE PERCENTAGES became an important passtime. Those were the days full of adolescent thoughts and we were trying to equate us with our screen idols. Love, girlfriend, affair were gaining prominence in our day to day talks. It would be untrue to say that the idea never crossed my mind. But I could never gain courage to do anything and also expectations from my parents and teachers chained me down.
Holy-Home was a nice school. Here stags were really a rare breed. Within the first few months all the “Fill in the blanks” and “Match the followings” were completed. The extra options like me were left out. They were actually never picked. Baishishtha and me bored the cupid strickens trying to gain some inside information. Many obliged and we decided that it was not our cup of tea! (Baishishtha did get one proposal, but then it ended violently!)
I escaped from there unscathed. In graduation, the feminine eluded me again. In PG I tried once but to no avail.
Still whenever we meet, the conversation always tilts towards this direction usually taking the form:
अबे लड़की पटाया क्या ?
कहाँ यार, तू सुना, तू तो हीरो है, दो चार होगी ही !
नहीं यार, अपने से कहाँ पटती, तू पहले पटा फिर हम तो है ही !
And the life goes on.
What can be the necessary requirements to catch a girl’s attention? This question has always gone unanswered atleast for me. Good looks, Rich Father, Intelligence, Flashy Bike, Humour, Good by Nature, ............. seems to be sufficient (as shown in multiple films and books all across the world). Anyone of these or a potent mixture of these qualities in varied proportion seems to be the criteria. I possess none of them and hence never dared to try!
But in last few years, I have seen love stories in which the guy possessed none of these virtues and sometimes was endowed with lot of vices as well. The girl on the other hand was सर्वगुणसम्पन्न. God knows what made these jodis.
But these contradictions actually flared my interest again. If these mismatches happened, maybe I possibly had a minute probability. और आशा पे तो ज़िन्दगी कायम है. This is what propelled me to do that misadventure. But I have returned back deflated.
This actually prompts me to ask why it’s so difficult for me or the others to get a girl while others do it very easily.
I can’t comment on others but at least I can have an insight into my problem. The reasons that I think are:
Search for that elusive perfect girl. I want a girl who should be decently beautiful, intelligent, shock absorber, anger controller, caring, have respect for elders (especially my parents), sociable, …………… The only way to get such a girl maybe is to place an order to God.
Look down upon every girl by finding some mistake in her in one or the other way.
Unable to unshackle the ifs and buts, elders have put down.
Lack of courage to talk to a girl properly in a chivalrous way.
Not enough control on the excitation when a girl is around.
Lack of commitment.
Uncertain behaviour.
Unattractive physically as well as emotionally.
Unsolicited language.
Rudeness.
???????
In short I lack the courage to go and say someone that I like you. I generally think over the whole situation in my mind, right from the proposal and the ensuing events leading to her refusal. (Uday Chopra is not the only guy!) And then the story ends there itself!
जाने वो कैसे लोग थे जिनके प्यार को प्यार मिला
Hope to get a solution soon!
P.S.:
All Desperate Stags are requested to share their grievances.
All Lucky Bastards are requested to share their knowledge with us so that the world can become a happy place. Please suggest the corrective methods to enhance our performances.
All others are requested to do what they were doing prior to reading this. I am sorry for the inconvenience I caused to your nerdic life.
I still belong to the category of the non-achievers and always have the company of other fellow mates.
As I’ve mentioned ago in a previous blog ( http://subbudaadda.blogspot.com/2009/02/feminine-my-misconceptions.html), I hated girls. Those were the सुखी days. There was no need to think of them. But as I grew, affinity towards girls increased. FLAMES and LOVE PERCENTAGES became an important passtime. Those were the days full of adolescent thoughts and we were trying to equate us with our screen idols. Love, girlfriend, affair were gaining prominence in our day to day talks. It would be untrue to say that the idea never crossed my mind. But I could never gain courage to do anything and also expectations from my parents and teachers chained me down.
Holy-Home was a nice school. Here stags were really a rare breed. Within the first few months all the “Fill in the blanks” and “Match the followings” were completed. The extra options like me were left out. They were actually never picked. Baishishtha and me bored the cupid strickens trying to gain some inside information. Many obliged and we decided that it was not our cup of tea! (Baishishtha did get one proposal, but then it ended violently!)
I escaped from there unscathed. In graduation, the feminine eluded me again. In PG I tried once but to no avail.
Still whenever we meet, the conversation always tilts towards this direction usually taking the form:
अबे लड़की पटाया क्या ?
कहाँ यार, तू सुना, तू तो हीरो है, दो चार होगी ही !
नहीं यार, अपने से कहाँ पटती, तू पहले पटा फिर हम तो है ही !
And the life goes on.
What can be the necessary requirements to catch a girl’s attention? This question has always gone unanswered atleast for me. Good looks, Rich Father, Intelligence, Flashy Bike, Humour, Good by Nature, ............. seems to be sufficient (as shown in multiple films and books all across the world). Anyone of these or a potent mixture of these qualities in varied proportion seems to be the criteria. I possess none of them and hence never dared to try!
But in last few years, I have seen love stories in which the guy possessed none of these virtues and sometimes was endowed with lot of vices as well. The girl on the other hand was सर्वगुणसम्पन्न. God knows what made these jodis.
But these contradictions actually flared my interest again. If these mismatches happened, maybe I possibly had a minute probability. और आशा पे तो ज़िन्दगी कायम है. This is what propelled me to do that misadventure. But I have returned back deflated.
This actually prompts me to ask why it’s so difficult for me or the others to get a girl while others do it very easily.
I can’t comment on others but at least I can have an insight into my problem. The reasons that I think are:
Search for that elusive perfect girl. I want a girl who should be decently beautiful, intelligent, shock absorber, anger controller, caring, have respect for elders (especially my parents), sociable, …………… The only way to get such a girl maybe is to place an order to God.
Look down upon every girl by finding some mistake in her in one or the other way.
Unable to unshackle the ifs and buts, elders have put down.
Lack of courage to talk to a girl properly in a chivalrous way.
Not enough control on the excitation when a girl is around.
Lack of commitment.
Uncertain behaviour.
Unattractive physically as well as emotionally.
Unsolicited language.
Rudeness.
???????
In short I lack the courage to go and say someone that I like you. I generally think over the whole situation in my mind, right from the proposal and the ensuing events leading to her refusal. (Uday Chopra is not the only guy!) And then the story ends there itself!
जाने वो कैसे लोग थे जिनके प्यार को प्यार मिला
Hope to get a solution soon!
P.S.:
All Desperate Stags are requested to share their grievances.
All Lucky Bastards are requested to share their knowledge with us so that the world can become a happy place. Please suggest the corrective methods to enhance our performances.
All others are requested to do what they were doing prior to reading this. I am sorry for the inconvenience I caused to your nerdic life.
Friday, January 1, 2010
The Lost Decade
The last decade I lost my childhood, dependence, school days, innocence, carefree attitude, home, taste buds, television …. Of the ten years, I spent 9 in hostels in 3 different cities of India. Many more years of this ordeal is still in the pipeline.
The months leading to April’00 were spent in studies and reading Hardy Boys with the days inching towards Class Xth. I was a proud fellow and pride comes before the fall. I got my first sub-80 mark that also in mathematics. I came 4th in my class. That’s another low. Luckily, I had got the jolt in time. I sprang back and gave a good Xth and secured a healthy 85% in boards next year. This was my first lesson of how vanity leads you to disaster. I have tried to stay put on the firm ground ever since.
My father was transferred in June’00 and we started living alone for the first time. Frequent fights occurred when I tried to be the boss unsuccessfully. I learnt early that I was bad in anything except studies. Just before my boards, I lost my beloved grandfather. He is the one from whom I learnt so many things and it was really sad for me that I couldn’t be near him at his last time.
All my friends, as well as me, decided not to attend SNS for our high-secondary. My parents consulted my uncle and sent me to Holy Home, Serampore, West Bengal. That was the worst decision I ever took. My studies dipped like anything. I enjoyed my life like anything and put on studies on hold until it was too late. The only favourable outcomes were friends like Arijit and Sanjay and the worldly wisdom I got. I grew up mentally and declined academically.
I immediately decided not to attend college in West Bengal. I came back home. My all aims of becoming an engineer had evaporated. I tried to study for entrances to IIT and AIEEE but to no avail. My interest in engineering had decreased and I was actually developing interest in basic sciences. The environs of Dharampeth Science College were not buzzing with science but somehow my interest just went on increasing. By the end of 3rd year, I had two jobs in MBT (now TechMahindra) and Progeon (now Infosys-BPO). With a brief stint of 2 days at Progeon, I bade goodbye to IT forever. I couldn’t secure admission to Pune University in the first try and hence I tried hard and secured the next time. I joined Pune not only because Physics was at best here but also because of Astrophysics course being taught at IUCAA.
In the graduation days I slowly lost all my school friends. Only Amoni and Kaustubh somehow stayed afloat. Others found it convenient to detach themselves. Good for me. I learnt my lessons in friendship. I was insulted and sad but slowly I forgot their existence. शायद पुराने वस्त्र बदलने का समय आ गया था |
I may have lost these fellows but I gained two valuable friends in Aniket and Prasad, loving and caring teachers in Likhite Maam, Dhule Sir, Shende Sir and others. My student Nauty is another gain as is my room owner Sathe Aajoba. When I look back it seems not a bad deal to bargain the so-called friends with these lifelines.
I studied Physics first time in Pune. Till then it was only notes. I fell in love with the subject and have decided to dedicate my life to it both as a livelihood and as a passion. Panat sir’s theory of 10+2+3=0 is not a fallacy. It’s a truth which even ‘3 Idiots’ is propagating. Apart from a lifelong association with Physics, Department of Physics gave me wonderful teachers and friends both in the department and in IUCAA. Aradhana, Avdhoot, Kaushalya, Anustuv and Barrel will always remain special in my life. It also provided me the opportunities to come across real physics, allowed me to see Jayant Narlikar face to face, allowed me to visit TIFR, GMRT, IUCAA, PRL and now IIA. It has provided me with an identity which was in doldrums during my graduation days. I had lost self-belief and purpose for the life. It all was reinstated thanks to them. Now I can look into anybody’s eyes and won’t give a damn to their bull-shit. Let anybody suggest anything, I’ll do what I want.
Mobiles and Orkut are the revolutionary ideas of the last decade. They have made the world a small village and all of us its citizens. They helped me to gain access to all my Holy Home friends who were all but lost. Communication was the most important thing of the last decade. It’s the next after the computers and genetic research of last century.
With the hope that all goes well in decades to come for the whole mankind and December 21, 2012 just remains another date in the history of mankind, I finish this piece.
P.S: My New Year wish to the almighty is that apart from bringing peace and prosperity to the entire universe; please do me a personal favour. Please don’t call me before I see the Halley’s Comet!
The months leading to April’00 were spent in studies and reading Hardy Boys with the days inching towards Class Xth. I was a proud fellow and pride comes before the fall. I got my first sub-80 mark that also in mathematics. I came 4th in my class. That’s another low. Luckily, I had got the jolt in time. I sprang back and gave a good Xth and secured a healthy 85% in boards next year. This was my first lesson of how vanity leads you to disaster. I have tried to stay put on the firm ground ever since.
My father was transferred in June’00 and we started living alone for the first time. Frequent fights occurred when I tried to be the boss unsuccessfully. I learnt early that I was bad in anything except studies. Just before my boards, I lost my beloved grandfather. He is the one from whom I learnt so many things and it was really sad for me that I couldn’t be near him at his last time.
All my friends, as well as me, decided not to attend SNS for our high-secondary. My parents consulted my uncle and sent me to Holy Home, Serampore, West Bengal. That was the worst decision I ever took. My studies dipped like anything. I enjoyed my life like anything and put on studies on hold until it was too late. The only favourable outcomes were friends like Arijit and Sanjay and the worldly wisdom I got. I grew up mentally and declined academically.
I immediately decided not to attend college in West Bengal. I came back home. My all aims of becoming an engineer had evaporated. I tried to study for entrances to IIT and AIEEE but to no avail. My interest in engineering had decreased and I was actually developing interest in basic sciences. The environs of Dharampeth Science College were not buzzing with science but somehow my interest just went on increasing. By the end of 3rd year, I had two jobs in MBT (now TechMahindra) and Progeon (now Infosys-BPO). With a brief stint of 2 days at Progeon, I bade goodbye to IT forever. I couldn’t secure admission to Pune University in the first try and hence I tried hard and secured the next time. I joined Pune not only because Physics was at best here but also because of Astrophysics course being taught at IUCAA.
In the graduation days I slowly lost all my school friends. Only Amoni and Kaustubh somehow stayed afloat. Others found it convenient to detach themselves. Good for me. I learnt my lessons in friendship. I was insulted and sad but slowly I forgot their existence. शायद पुराने वस्त्र बदलने का समय आ गया था |
I may have lost these fellows but I gained two valuable friends in Aniket and Prasad, loving and caring teachers in Likhite Maam, Dhule Sir, Shende Sir and others. My student Nauty is another gain as is my room owner Sathe Aajoba. When I look back it seems not a bad deal to bargain the so-called friends with these lifelines.
I studied Physics first time in Pune. Till then it was only notes. I fell in love with the subject and have decided to dedicate my life to it both as a livelihood and as a passion. Panat sir’s theory of 10+2+3=0 is not a fallacy. It’s a truth which even ‘3 Idiots’ is propagating. Apart from a lifelong association with Physics, Department of Physics gave me wonderful teachers and friends both in the department and in IUCAA. Aradhana, Avdhoot, Kaushalya, Anustuv and Barrel will always remain special in my life. It also provided me the opportunities to come across real physics, allowed me to see Jayant Narlikar face to face, allowed me to visit TIFR, GMRT, IUCAA, PRL and now IIA. It has provided me with an identity which was in doldrums during my graduation days. I had lost self-belief and purpose for the life. It all was reinstated thanks to them. Now I can look into anybody’s eyes and won’t give a damn to their bull-shit. Let anybody suggest anything, I’ll do what I want.
Mobiles and Orkut are the revolutionary ideas of the last decade. They have made the world a small village and all of us its citizens. They helped me to gain access to all my Holy Home friends who were all but lost. Communication was the most important thing of the last decade. It’s the next after the computers and genetic research of last century.
With the hope that all goes well in decades to come for the whole mankind and December 21, 2012 just remains another date in the history of mankind, I finish this piece.
P.S: My New Year wish to the almighty is that apart from bringing peace and prosperity to the entire universe; please do me a personal favour. Please don’t call me before I see the Halley’s Comet!
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