'True Form of Work'

Most of us believe in God and do our best to please him .Many do it in the form of various offerings like fruits, flowers, Candles and so forth. While doing so, we also ensure it’s the best quality and he is happy with what we give him .However when we delve into it, we know these things are given to us by him and in turn it goes back to him.  When we pray, the very breath is his gift. So what is it that we give, that is not given by him?  This very question was put forth to God.

God replied “I gave you every resource you needed .In (my) case, Food, Shelter, Clothing and so much more. How best you utilize these and how you do your duties in the best possible manner is the best offering you can give me “. This whole episode was narrated to us by our mentor in the midst of an office meeting. This came up when we were discussing quality controls with context to work/processes. The episode implied that we can give God nothing, but when we offer our work to God /higher self, the best comes out with ease and quality simply follows as it leaves it no choice. And this is all he expects and wants.

This very aspect, my mom drilled into me since my childhood and Of course I have had my share of experiences. Although it is consciously never practiced .When our mentor , quoted the very same thing , it just reinforced the thought and how true it must be ,if  he had to say that with confidence backed  by the immense experience he has had himself. When we perform our duties /work with no vested interest and dedicate it to the higher self, it just results into the best and one gets that absolute sense of fulfillment. More than fulfillment, it leads on to working with passion and absolute integrity……………………………..

Tryst with 'Wankhede'

Everything should be experienced once in a lifetime they say .And being An Indian, it is an atrocious crime if you dint like Cricket -1 and 2 – If you dint go see a match Live. I personally never was into this game, but curiosity always kills the mice & ME. So when my office colleagues (All Cricket fanatics) asked me if I would like to come, I complied. The ticket cost a good 1500 bucks (In my head at least 2 tops or 1 bag or 1 shoe equivalent or 3 visits to the Comedy Store).

Speaking about the match, it was the T-20 format against England. The T-20 made me wonder of its transitions across years from the good old Test Matches to the ODI’s and now this .Cricket seems to have adapted well to blend with the Gen Next. I must say if Cricket were to be personified, he would have been an amazing husband adapting to all needs.

The match started at 7 pm and trust me if you have never been for any of these matches, leave at least like by noon (doesn’t matter which area of Mumbai you reside) cause the organizers would have ensured to create some hell for you. We booked our tickets online and so we have to collect our tickets, obviously prior to standing in the queue. Mindlessly, you would expect that the entry to the venue and this ticket collection counter would be in the same area (by that I mean at least 100 – 200 meters distance).  But it isn’t as simple as the Cricket Game in itself. They manage to place it in Cross Maidan which is a good 2 kms away from Marine Line & Gate NO 5 that we were to enter from.  By the time I collected my ticket, I felt like I played a game of Mini- Scotland Yard.

Wankhede Stadium – The name is funny and so are its entrances. A friend said Chinaswamy stadium in Bangalarooo has 18 entrances, then what happened to this one, why just two? Another very pertinent question to the architect .Did you just not like Mumbai or the people here. The miles of line waiting to get in are worse than the lines at the passport offices. (Organizers please fix that soon), i.e.  if you think Cricket will continue to rule, with Sachin ‘No more ‘ in the picture as the ‘ Cricket GOD ‘ chose to retire.

Well, this is just the start. If you do get stuck outside and wish to communicate with anybody inside, forget about it. No chance that Vodafone or Airtel will help you. The Vodafone dog is not permitted inside. But if there is some hope, then it’s the Aircel users .Yes you heard me right. Always keep an Aircel sim handy incase you go there; it may just not let you down.

The sight as you enter is amazing .That view from the fourth level height does look good.  This one thing is worth it undoubtedly. But as time passes, all you need to see is some constant action like hits or wickets. Mind you it is very different from what you see on TV. The view on television is hundred times extrapolated. You catch on every emotion and everything about it seems euphoric. This game was more of the 1-2‘s and seemed less exciting than the test match unfortunately. To feel excited, we did all the screaming we could for Sidhu Paajis Yellow Turban, the Arrogant Dada (Saurav Ganguly) who chose not to wave at us and the flying paper rockets that landed well near the fielders. Also mandatory do’s are the (flag painted on your face , a India jersey with your name on it , annoying whistles and trumpets that blow into peoples ears ) . These factors get you into the groove and perhaps / maybe get you the camera footage.  Or carry a shirtless kid and wave it around. This too manages to give you some camera footage.

If you do read this, you may not see too much of the ‘real’ cricket. .Well honestly there is nothing worth mentioning. If Yuvraj Singh was the only bowler who could do some damage and the other bowlers included Piyush Chawla, Dinda and Ashwin, who were chilling around the boundary line leaving catches, you truly know my plight.

And mind you, hunger will happen and thirst will come on account of the cumbersome exercising you would have done to get in. But don’t you dare get tempted. The samossas will mess your stomach, the cold drinks is just ice water and all this for 50 bucks each. The dominos mini- mini pizza (i.e. size of my palm) is 150 bucks. What will save you this wrath are those waves that keep happening in the stadium. Its simple .All you got to do is get up with hands up and move like the wave .This will keep happening alternately across all segments in the stadium and you should scream.  That sight will fill you up.

Criticism apart, I must say the match got exciting in the last over and we lost at the very last ball which got hit for a six. I would go again, maybe for IPL .The energy levels is possibly more and the experience could be different. The feeling when you catch hold of the sight from the top is certainly ethereal. And all those looking out for a crash course in weight loss, this is more than ideal. Television is good, but stadium once in a blue moon with friends is fabulous.

‘Not Phony’

Well writing a blog at this time at night may just seem gibberish. But I seem to have the intense urge to tell you what it’s possibly like to live without a mobile phone for like the last five whole days.

I was a ‘phoneaholic ‘like most people nowadays as my eyes yearned for the sight of the phone every few seconds. I had to reply to every whatsapp message spontaneously. Saying this I recollect a lot of people warning me about my phone addiction and how it could perhaps just disorient me. But that’s obviously something I chose not to take seriously. Then finally life chose to teach me to live without it.

In the beginning when I left my precious thing in the cab I cursed my luck to no extent. Filed an ‘FIR’, checked on the new phone models and the constant ‘feelers’ of me wanting to check on my phone. No focus at work. Felt completely entrapped and compelled to feel recluse .For a day I felt like the wild animal trapped in the cage, nowhere to go. I felt completely isolated and lost cause that was my only access to mobile information. However the more I thought about it, I realized something very essential just happened. Life just asked me to shut up and take that needed break.

 Slowly and gradually it felt nice. It gave me the space and time to introspect and know what’s actually happening in my life. I was so caught in the maze of the phone that I lost out on so much precious time. It gave me the time to read or spend more time with family. It actually helped me eliminate some amount of clutter in the head.

While reminiscing, I recollect my childhood days when we were so technology deprived .However we managed to be more active and connected. I still managed to be way closer to my friends. The relationships were deeper and more meaningful .Today even with the best of technology kids have become more petty , trivial and fragile in their relationships .My conclusion being you don’t necessarily need technology to maintain or have beautiful relationships if the intent behind is positive.

I still don’t have a phone as I write this, however I certainly know it has taught me to be more judicious in the future. However enamored you may be with the recent technology, it is bound to lose its novelty.

Currently I am in a consolidated period, wherein I’m grateful for the loss of my phone .It has taught me how to save up on so many things more precious and valuable. If people did survive once upon a time happily without the luxury of this technology, we too can. Not that I’m against any of it, but the balance usage of it becomes imperative.

Pointers to mull over:-

*mobile phones are a luxury not the dictator of your life*.

*Simplicity today is rare. But I’m positive in times to come it’ll be a more valued entity*.

*Everything is a cycle. What happened in the past is destined to repeat in the future*

(Cause we come from nature and we will merge back with it).

I really hope that you all validate the same and perhaps let me know if you have experienced the same ever.

Mental Web

                                                                                                                           

It is a deterrent;

A mental calamity;                 

Unknown to few, known to many;

Kills for certainty.

It knows no freedom;

Knows no joy;

You remain in a shell;

And mind is not productively deployed.

Shun the notions;

Kill the tumor;

Usher in fresh air;

And stick to humor.

The worlds massive;

With loads to explore;

Time is precious;

So let’s not waste any more.

Abandon it,

Loathe it;

Cause we have one life to live;

Let that ‘it’ not be ‘FEAR’.