SAD-RAKSHANAY KHALA-NIGRAHANAY

Two days back, in a TV programme which is basically a singing competition, a special episode was telecast. It was a tribute to all those who fought on 26/11 last year. Well, 26/11 is all over the media these days as it should be. I don't intend to go into all the latest conspiracies that are pouring in. Instead, I'll take this opportunity to write on something else.
The programme I mentioned had some 'MUMBAI POLICE' officers as special guests. They talked about a few things. Some were related to the details of 26/11. But there was also something else. While saying some things, they had tears in their eyes. Contrary to the image of policemen that is framed otherwise, isn't it? In this image, a police man is a corrupt person, always irritated and thus arrogant, with no real will to work. But that's not the entire picture.
Police Officers are one of the most overstressed people. If we take a look at their working hours(both on duty and otherwise), we may be able to infer that. How much sleep we get on an average a day? Six hours, minimum? This figure reduces down to four hours, sometimes even three hours, in case of policemen. At times, they don't get to sleep at all in a 48-hour span. With lack of man-force as compared to what there should be, they have additional work most often. Bound to be a little more irritated than what we think they should be, aren't they? Still, many manage to be very patient with the common man and try to hear them out. It is sometimes we who fail to understand them. It is we who don't co-operate with them
We sometimes tend to think that every policeman we come across is bound to be corrupt, which is not true. Yes there is a lot of 'chai-pani' involved here and there. I'm not trying to justify it. But if a thought is given as to why such things happen, we may see a different side of it. Considering the time they spend on duty and enormous responsibilty they carry on their shoulders, they get paid a little less(if not very less). An IT professional(no offense) gets paid thrice or four times of what the policeman gets. It is this policeman, because of whom an IT proffessional and every civilian as a matter of fact is able to live a relaxed, happy family life. (Family life-another thing a common policeman misses out bigtime). It is him, because of whom we are able to celebrate all the festivals throughout the year without any tension, while this policeman is engeaged here and there for our security so that we have great festivities.
Yes, there are Police Officials who create conspiracies, who fail to realize their duties, who act for their own good rather than that of a common man. But then one should never expect a stock of 100% ideal, perfect items. Imperfections are bound to be there. But as my friend Sanket says, we should look beyond these imperfections and try to realize what a policeman means to a common man. And it is at such times like 26/11, we get to see truly what most of these policemen are made of. They may not have the best weapons, they may not have the best of the technological back-up. But it is their courage, their bravado that differentiates them. We should always remember that we owe them a lot. Thus co-operate with them any time we come across such situation, be it an investigation of stealth or even a 'naka-bandi'. Even if we can't do anything directly for them, the least we can do is not letting die a person inside us who feels for them, who identifies with them. Even if it is the motto of 'Maharashtra Police Seva', it can be applied to every individual who fights for this country. Be it the police, army, navy, air-force, NSG........"SAD-RAKSHANAY KHALA-NIGRAHANAY"--"For protection of the good, For destruction of the evil"...This is what they give their life for...Salute to all these brave men...

Empathy, Self-centrism, Businessmen and The Pretenders

There are various kinds of people around us aren't there..?? But one interesting thing about them is that how differently they can act!! Even while writing this, I don't know what and exactly why I'm writing this, but here it goes..
Empathy-It is putting yourself into other's shoes and feeling,thinking from their point of view..as if you only are in that situation...Well, it's not what I say, this is what we have been taught since "Communication Skills" times..I personally agree with it though. I wonder, how hard can empathising be? I mean, if you know a person well, can't you make out what will make him happy and what is the thing he wants the least? And this is what happens. There is a person X. He has a problem with person Y with something. That time, he is very clear with his reasons, and ends up concluding that Y is wrong. X doesn't really think whether he is thinking in right sense or not. Fine upto this point. But then, X doesn't realize that a person Z has same problems with him. If told, he tries to defend himself without even giving it a thought, "Am i actually wrong?" This time, Z is wrong for him. Is this because X can't think from Z's point of view?
It's not just this. Everyone is used to think in a particular way. But then does that mean all the other ways of thinking are wrong? Is everyone always in same situation? Certainly not. But very few actually take pain and think from other's point of view..that is, "empathize"..
Can self-centrism be the answer to this question? People are so involved with themselves, that they find it totally unimportant to think about others. If someone enters a room, it takes hardly 5 seconds to greet that fellow with a smile, and then one can continue with his own work. But no, some people can't even take pain to do it. Even with the people they "call" Friends. If it is accidental, no problem. But if it is out of "Attitude", then there's a problem. This is just a small example. When doing something, why can't one think if it is affecting your close one very badly? Is it really worth doing that thing considering your closeness with that person? One doesn't really have time to think about others but about himself. Is it lack of empathy, or self-centrism? How can it be, that people expect sacrifices made for them, but they can't sacrifice even a bit for anyone?
Or is there a bit of business-like stuff involved in it? Invest only from where you can get profit, and don't care about something that can't fetch you profit? People do change parties(I'm not speaking in political sense although that can be a very good example) once they know they have got nothing to get from the current one. These are the ones who always look to take advantage of others, even if it causes uncomfort to them. "Hell, why should I care? I am getting what I want." For months, X doesn't consider Y, bad-mouths about him; but when needed something from Y, suddenly X becomes so polite and kind...It can be as simple as some help during exams and vivas...
And here come the deadlier ones--> The pretenders. It is one thing, not revealing every bit of ur intellectual, emotional self to everyone. But to project yourself as one person to X, different person to Y, still different person to Z...And that too for personal gain, or as pathetic as just to have some fun? These are the people who can never accept their mistakes and pretend to be perfect. They have explanation for every thing they do, and reasons(read excuses) for everything they can't do. It is like "what I do-fantastic, rocking...we rock..what you do-boring.."
There are some things they either can't understand or they don't want to understand. Hiding your emotions and all(that too with no intention of doing harm to someone) is but natural. But different situations, different personalities to acheive maximum gain at the cost of your "friends"-crime..Let's say, there are two groups. Group X and group Y. group X is of the normal people with some acceptable abnormalities(obviously, noone can be perfect) and group Y, filled with pretenders. Generally, when surrounded by lot of people, group Y people act very nicely, very decently. But as soon as they get a chance to outnumber people from group X, they are their real selves. Worse, if they corner one of the X lot, that too a very nice and kind of emotional one, they pounce on that chance as a wild dog does on a rabbit. Cheap man, very cheap...To add to it, next day, they are again back to their pretending mode-decent, nice, with explanations ready for their actions...Pathetic..
Does everyone belong to only one of the categories I mentioned?? No..I think everyone has a bit of all the things I said..Even I may have-no denying. Everyone has a person inside who can empathize, who wants to be self-centered, who thinks of the world as a business market and who can pretend. But which of these aspects dominate which individual-Well, personal choice, I think determines that.

P.S. Sorry for so many he, himself, someone, one, they, X, Y, Z...but didn't really know how to go about it..And also for every time mentioning he, himself..Well I am no "male chauvenist", just had to go one way for less complexity..
And again, the incidents mentioned, all need not be from personal experience. Many come from my close pals. Views are mine nevertheless.

Sardar Patel Institute of Acting

Who says that we are in engineering college? I mean, yes we are in engineering college, but the knowledge and skill that is practiced here the most is acting.
Here, almosst all the people act. Most of the students act in lectures and practicals as if they either understand what is being taught, or at least trying to comprehend the crap spoken by the prof. When lecturer's head turns around to write something on board, students either crack silly jokes, express love(read hatred) for prof very silently and carefully so that everyone but the prof gets to hear it. But as soon as the prof turns back his/her head, students straighten up their faces as if they never even moved a muscle of their face. They act as if they will remain in that state of concentration like a statue and won't move even if a hurricane comes up. They never let their actual life and thoughts(sports, gf/bf, food) interfere with their acting.
Some fail in doing so and their misbehaving(read original face hidden beneath the character) is caught by the prof. As if to punish them for not aacting properly, prof asks some stupid questions. The poor student puts all his acting experience into it(mam I wasn't doing anything, sir I was paying attention etc). Some brilliant actors even manage to phrase the dialogues (read answers) and answer the question so confidently as if they are already done with the subject. They manage to read out whatever is written on the board, get some back-stage help(read hints from other actors sitting around), use 3-4 other english words repeatatively, phrase a sentence in active voice, rephrase it in passive voice, and this goes on till the patience of the prof run out. What spontaneous acting!
After coming late for the lecture, they act out so many justifications like "outhouse project", "late trains" etc. They never show on their faces that they actually were in gymkhana or canteen. When a proxy is caught every actor like us looks here and there with expressions like "who does such shameful act?" What actually is in their mind is "saala aaj wapas pakayega ab".
But hang on! Students are not the only actors aaround here. "Chele" are like this, then "Guru's" are supposed to be better than them. Most of the profs are far better actors than us, the students. They enter the class with a body-language that commands(read demands) respect. For hours, they act as if they know everything. Their "I know it all" expressions are amazing. To stand in front of a class for hours and to keep on acting..boy it's a tough job! But they do it so well!
They can act stubborn as well. When we, the students, undergo our acting tests e.g. project prsentation, they all stick to one dialogue of their own. One keeps saying "Idea Clear nahi hai", other reiterates "Concept is very good, but how are you going to implement it?" (Had we known the answer, we would have completed the project and thrown it on their faces). The other more intelligent(read oversmart) actress, who carries the name project co-ordinator, asks such doubts that test the students very hard. What student think-"What is she asking? Is it related to my project?" What they express-"yes mam, we'll surely work on it." (of course with a straight face)
There are some exceptions though. Some of the lot, that includes some students and office-staff don't feel the need to act at all. Such students on seeing the prof, or such office-staff on seeing students, make their faces as if a pig farted on their mouths. They can act, they just don't.
But there are some rare breeds. They arre the non-actors. Either they don't know how to act or it is not at all required for them to act. This category includes some genuine students and some exceptional profs e.g. Ambavade Sir, who never act. They are what they are. We the actors are so ashamed(read proud) of them!
Rest everywhere, acting goes on and on and on.............

Adversity = Opportunity

A few days back, I had attended a seminar as a part of "management conclave" by CPLC. There was a lecture by Mr. Ajay Piramal, a successful entrepreneur. In that speech of his, one of the things he mentioned really caught my attention and triggered my thought process-
"Adversity = Opportunity"
What a brilliant comparison it was! Often, adversity leads to unhappiness, depression. And yes, it's normal. We are humans with emotions after all. But should things stop here only? Absolutely not.
One can also look at such unfortunate incident as an opportunity. An opportunity to explore yourself. To explore huge amount of possibilities that surround us. A student who has got a drop in his engineering (man angineering is so close to me-1st example that crops up in my mind and engineering is there..), he/she may have the potential to achieve much greater success in some other field, say music or acting or even a race jockey to go to an extent. Who knows, maybe engineering was holding him behind, and the drop could make him understand his/her own self!
We find a number of stories around us, of some famous and successful people. Many of them have had encountered really bad situations in their lives. Perhaps that was the reason, they say, that they are so successful today. Others, if not famous, at least are very much satisfied in their lives.
And hell, this is what differentiates an optimist from a pessimist. Does misfortune stop one's life? No, it actually opens many doors for one. It brings out talents amd qualities in one, of which, he himself may not be aware of till that point of time. Explore such opportunities, explore yourself, look beyond adversities, and you'll be happy-that is what i tell to myself...

Friendship Rocks!!

When I thought, what would be the first thing about which I'll write, I had an answer immediately. It's the thing that makes life interesting. The thing that mkes life fun. the thing that prevents life from getting monotonous. It's-"Friendship".
I call myself lucky. Why? Because over the years, I have been blessed with great friends. Right from the school days. And wait, I'm not talking about people with whom we only do timepass and hangout and all. There are plenty of such people. But I'm talking about friends who mean more than that.
One of the turning points in my life was my friendship with 2-3 fellows back in school who completely changed my attitude towarde my friends. Friendship with them gave birth to a new "me". I sort of got out of a box- a box that made me think only in a particular direction. My ways of thinking started to find new dimensions.
After that, be it Junior College, Classes or the great great SPIT, I have had wonderful people as my friends and I have much of a respect for them. Why do these people mean so much to me?
These friends are the people with whom I can speak literally on anything. The most important part of any relation is the love, care and value one has for another. And luckily enough, these friends of mine have all these things "in-built" in them.
Why is friendship one of the most beautiful things on earth? I think, it is the purest form of a relation. In a sense that, family relations are there because they are there. One doesn't really have an option to "choose" relatives. But there is such option as far as friends are concerned. Friendship is based on no compulsion, but only on one's own wish.
Whenever I am in trouble or I have any sorrow, my friends have always been there to help me out. They can make out if I'm not alright without me even telling them so. Even if they sometimes can't really do anything to help me out, it's their support that does the trick. My friends, just being there with me is a great boost in itself.
The time spent with such friends has been very much cherishable. Those hangouts at Vazira Ganpati Mandir(odd place for hangouts, isn't it?), those late night talks at Haridas Nagar corner, those "sessions" at Andheri Bus-stop, those times working with them for some activities, those songs sung with them, those trips and travels with them, those sports played with them, those times in Quad and Canteen, those hugs from them when they were needed the most........These are the memories that can last for the lifetime.
I just want to thank all my friends for being there.
Friendship really rocks!!!

Start of something new

Last semester, many asked me, "What are you planning to do in B.E.?" I had an answer, although I did not disclose it at that time. I thought of starting my blog. Not because many have one, not because it's cool to have one.
The reason is, I always thought that sometimes a communicaation that is not face to face but with the help of text can be more effective. I have been reading blogs of my classmaates for some time now and that belief has been strengthened. So i decided to have a blog myself.
I'm not sure as to how frequently I can update. But whenever I'll feel like writing or sharing, I will do so. Hope you all accept me in the world of blogs.