It has been a long sabbatical indeed from blogging. The euphoria of marriage and honeymoon has subsided. I have come back to Bangalore along with Kuhu and rejoined office. Life has taken a new turn. Not too long ago, I used to have a heap of free time for pursuing blogging, reading and social networking sites; not anymore though.
However, marital life has been very sweet for the two of us to date. We have always enjoyed each other’s company immensely in the past, and even now, things are no different. She has been flexible in adjusting herself to the completely different lifestyle that I follow here. This has made things very simple for me. I feel that I am with my best friend also, rather than with my wife alone. We roam about and laugh around like two college kids in love; the austerity of a husband-wife relationship has not set in yet, and we would never like that to happen.
It is very refreshing to see that she is expressing thoughts so candidly, which I have always wanted. It is great that I have managed to start writing again, although this would not be too frequent. I do not complain however. I want to savor God’s most precious gift with all my heart.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Marriage looms, but things are not as exciting…
Days just pass by like anything. It seems just a few days ago that there was about 6 weeks left for marriage. Now it is just one week. ONE WEEK ONLY! The big day looms near, but the sizzling excitement is just not there. This may be because I have not reached home yet, thus not being able to gauge the excitement and anticipation out there.
A big change is also approaching my life. Probably I am engrossed in aligning myself according to those changes that I can anticipate. Hence, I guess there is no mood for excitement. Marriage has always been a big test of character, courage, mental toughness and education, and mine would be no different.
It may also be that I have been talking to Kuhu for seven months now, hence we know quite a few things about each other. Hence, that suspense factor is not there anymore between the two of us. We have seen the best and worst of each other, and hence now, it is our obligation to fit in smoothly into each other’s lives. Probably this is an advantage in today’s age where you can speak to your would-be spouse before marriage and gauge their likes and dislikes, so that you can adjust accordingly.
Once I reach Kolkata however, I am sure the fever of the occasion would take off drastically. Scores of people thronging our apartment in Hindusthan Park would enlighten the festive spirit. Till then, it’s a wait for me. After the euphoria and the ecstasy of the event subsides and the dust settles in on the 25th of November 2010, it is fingers-crossed however!
A big change is also approaching my life. Probably I am engrossed in aligning myself according to those changes that I can anticipate. Hence, I guess there is no mood for excitement. Marriage has always been a big test of character, courage, mental toughness and education, and mine would be no different.
It may also be that I have been talking to Kuhu for seven months now, hence we know quite a few things about each other. Hence, that suspense factor is not there anymore between the two of us. We have seen the best and worst of each other, and hence now, it is our obligation to fit in smoothly into each other’s lives. Probably this is an advantage in today’s age where you can speak to your would-be spouse before marriage and gauge their likes and dislikes, so that you can adjust accordingly.
Once I reach Kolkata however, I am sure the fever of the occasion would take off drastically. Scores of people thronging our apartment in Hindusthan Park would enlighten the festive spirit. Till then, it’s a wait for me. After the euphoria and the ecstasy of the event subsides and the dust settles in on the 25th of November 2010, it is fingers-crossed however!
Asian Games 2010 has been a rude shock to us……….
The euphoria that the success of the Indian athletes created at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2010, has subsided into a rude reality of Chinese dominance in the ongoing Asian Games 2010. Just a month back, India was dreaming of becoming a sporting nation by 2015. It grabbed 100 medals in the 10-day event including 38 gold medals. They had pipped England to the second spot in the overall medal standings. The shooters, wrestlers, paddlers, boxers, archers and shuttlers were as good as unbeatable.
In Guangzhou, however things have taken a dramatic turn. China has already claimed over 100 medals in only three days of competition including 62 gold medals. That shows how far India is behind this sporting giant. Even countries like Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Hongkong are ahead of us in the medals tally right now. Our sure-shot gold mines, Gagan Narang and Abhinav Bindra, have also bowed out with a silver medal only. Although our boxers, wrestlers and Saina Nehwal are yet to start their campaigns, India will in all probability fall way short of 100 medals that they managed to achieve in CWG 2010.
Hence gentlemen, it is time that we get realistic about the capabilities of our athletes on the world stage. Bagging a handful of medals in the CWG does not prove that we can challenge China. I do not think that we can do that even in the next 20 years. It is also time for some reality check in the aftermath of a thumping CWG triumph, which was our best ever performance as a country in any multi-nation sporting event. We should start the process of grooming champions immediately. We should stop going over the board with just ONE Saina Nehwal, Abhinav Bindra and Pankaj Advani. We need hundreds of them, and that too quickly.
In Guangzhou, however things have taken a dramatic turn. China has already claimed over 100 medals in only three days of competition including 62 gold medals. That shows how far India is behind this sporting giant. Even countries like Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Hongkong are ahead of us in the medals tally right now. Our sure-shot gold mines, Gagan Narang and Abhinav Bindra, have also bowed out with a silver medal only. Although our boxers, wrestlers and Saina Nehwal are yet to start their campaigns, India will in all probability fall way short of 100 medals that they managed to achieve in CWG 2010.
Hence gentlemen, it is time that we get realistic about the capabilities of our athletes on the world stage. Bagging a handful of medals in the CWG does not prove that we can challenge China. I do not think that we can do that even in the next 20 years. It is also time for some reality check in the aftermath of a thumping CWG triumph, which was our best ever performance as a country in any multi-nation sporting event. We should start the process of grooming champions immediately. We should stop going over the board with just ONE Saina Nehwal, Abhinav Bindra and Pankaj Advani. We need hundreds of them, and that too quickly.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Oh God, please return to me my self…
“Oh God,
During the last year, I have tended to lose myself as an individual. I have lost self-control. I know that I should not be shouting at people. I know that I should not be using slangs, no matter how high the provocation might be. I know that I should not be insulting people. I know that I should be respecting people with dignity. For most of the time in my life I have followed every bit of these. Suddenly I have lost it.
As a result, my upbringing is being questioned; the education I have received is being treated with suspicion. Last week, one of my most treasured well-wishers aroused this realization that I had to be careful in the future, so that I could command respect. I started to understand the caveat and implement it accordingly, but again I seemed to have forgotten it today. I have always wanted to make my mom proud, but today I have bowed her head in shame once again.
I read the holy books. I know how you have defined DHARMA. I know how your esteemed devotes should carry themselves in life. I try but I cannot do it all the time. When I do follow your path, I gain admirations, adulations, praise, respect and success. When I stray, I gain nothing but brickbats and disrespect, harsh words and curses. When things calm down, the burden of repentance becomes unbearable. I feel like hiding myself forever. I lack the courage to even ask for forgiveness from the concerned persons.
God, you know what I am. Please help me to get back my true self, who would allow me to create my own dignity every time, and not just sometimes. Please help me to behave in a manner that befits my respect towards you, which befits my lineage to my respectable family and the venerated institutes that I have gained education from. Please help me to be tough, like I have been when you took away baba from me. Please help me to be independent, emotionally and materially, like I have been throughout my life. Please help me to remain a strong devotee of yours forever.
During the last year, I have tended to lose myself as an individual. I have lost self-control. I know that I should not be shouting at people. I know that I should not be using slangs, no matter how high the provocation might be. I know that I should not be insulting people. I know that I should be respecting people with dignity. For most of the time in my life I have followed every bit of these. Suddenly I have lost it.
As a result, my upbringing is being questioned; the education I have received is being treated with suspicion. Last week, one of my most treasured well-wishers aroused this realization that I had to be careful in the future, so that I could command respect. I started to understand the caveat and implement it accordingly, but again I seemed to have forgotten it today. I have always wanted to make my mom proud, but today I have bowed her head in shame once again.
I read the holy books. I know how you have defined DHARMA. I know how your esteemed devotes should carry themselves in life. I try but I cannot do it all the time. When I do follow your path, I gain admirations, adulations, praise, respect and success. When I stray, I gain nothing but brickbats and disrespect, harsh words and curses. When things calm down, the burden of repentance becomes unbearable. I feel like hiding myself forever. I lack the courage to even ask for forgiveness from the concerned persons.
God, you know what I am. Please help me to get back my true self, who would allow me to create my own dignity every time, and not just sometimes. Please help me to behave in a manner that befits my respect towards you, which befits my lineage to my respectable family and the venerated institutes that I have gained education from. Please help me to be tough, like I have been when you took away baba from me. Please help me to be independent, emotionally and materially, like I have been throughout my life. Please help me to remain a strong devotee of yours forever.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The joy of giving a pleasant surprise….
If there is one thing, which brings utmost happiness to anybody, then a “surprise pleasantry” certainly has to be a strong contender for that honor. It may be a gift pack, it may be a surprise party, or it may be a surprise holiday to a destination, which has not been previously disclosed to the recipient. The satisfaction that you get when they give you that million-dollar smile and the accompanying ecstasy, on getting that surprise, is beyond words.
The same ecstasy engulfs you when somebody else gives you a surprise that you have longed for. I have always enjoyed giving surprises to people but it is not often that you get an opportunity to do so. However, a few days back, I did manage to do it. The sudden burst of joy in a person adds a different dimension to happiness. It spreads to his/her family members as well, in no time.
In the tensed age that we live in right now, it is very satisfying indeed if you can contribute even a few hours of happiness to a group of people. You need not require an occasion to do so. Ultimately, life is about enjoying moments with small gifts and little smiles, isn’t it?
The same ecstasy engulfs you when somebody else gives you a surprise that you have longed for. I have always enjoyed giving surprises to people but it is not often that you get an opportunity to do so. However, a few days back, I did manage to do it. The sudden burst of joy in a person adds a different dimension to happiness. It spreads to his/her family members as well, in no time.
In the tensed age that we live in right now, it is very satisfying indeed if you can contribute even a few hours of happiness to a group of people. You need not require an occasion to do so. Ultimately, life is about enjoying moments with small gifts and little smiles, isn’t it?
Monday, November 8, 2010
Never lose dignity while in romantic relationships
It is very nice indeed to get yourself totally committed to your love. You court your fiancée or lover, you give her surprises, you cajole her when required or even when it is not required, you exchange sweet nothings over phone or sms and you tend to make cozy promises for the future. However, many people, especially men, tend to lose their dignity and self respect, to a large extent, in the process.
I know of a person who has gone through this phenomenon. Before he fell in love, he was very dignified, very jovial, never asked or expected a single thing from people around, always held his head high, was tough under all circumstances, was independent and was humble. However, once the lady came into his life, he began to expect love and care. The guy who used to enjoy his free time alone suddenly started to get irritated, even if there was a ten-minute delay in an sms reply. Passing out time turned out to be a big challenge. Tempers started flying thick and fast. Insecurities about their relationship started to creep in to him.
One fine day, when both of them had a difference of opinion, the girl started shouting at him saying, “You were the one who was MORE interested in continuing with the relationship, not I. You took my mobile number so that we could talk, I did not take yours. You lack richness of character and confidence, in both our relationship as well as in yourself. I am confident of my strengths, but you are not. That is why you shout when I challenge you. You cannot live without me.” These words opened up his eyes. He woke up into a completely new realization of his lost dignity, and self esteem.
Probably the lady was right. The man forgot that he had abandoned his own strengths, which made him stand up on his own feet, which made him a champion over so many years, in the madness of love. He was a great believer in God. He did not stop loving his ladylove after that incident, but he felt that the hurt and the ignominy of those words were God’s way of arousing realization in his soul. He was thankful that he had been able to rediscover his true self, which had made the lady like him in the first place.
The moral of the story is irrespective of how deeply you fall in love, you should never lose your dignity and make yourself cheap in front of your lady. She would never respect a man who would always be willing to beg for her love, instead of commanding it. This is especially true for a man who has been a role model in the past and achieved so much. They do not ever deserve such disrespect from the opposite sex.
I know of a person who has gone through this phenomenon. Before he fell in love, he was very dignified, very jovial, never asked or expected a single thing from people around, always held his head high, was tough under all circumstances, was independent and was humble. However, once the lady came into his life, he began to expect love and care. The guy who used to enjoy his free time alone suddenly started to get irritated, even if there was a ten-minute delay in an sms reply. Passing out time turned out to be a big challenge. Tempers started flying thick and fast. Insecurities about their relationship started to creep in to him.
One fine day, when both of them had a difference of opinion, the girl started shouting at him saying, “You were the one who was MORE interested in continuing with the relationship, not I. You took my mobile number so that we could talk, I did not take yours. You lack richness of character and confidence, in both our relationship as well as in yourself. I am confident of my strengths, but you are not. That is why you shout when I challenge you. You cannot live without me.” These words opened up his eyes. He woke up into a completely new realization of his lost dignity, and self esteem.
Probably the lady was right. The man forgot that he had abandoned his own strengths, which made him stand up on his own feet, which made him a champion over so many years, in the madness of love. He was a great believer in God. He did not stop loving his ladylove after that incident, but he felt that the hurt and the ignominy of those words were God’s way of arousing realization in his soul. He was thankful that he had been able to rediscover his true self, which had made the lady like him in the first place.
The moral of the story is irrespective of how deeply you fall in love, you should never lose your dignity and make yourself cheap in front of your lady. She would never respect a man who would always be willing to beg for her love, instead of commanding it. This is especially true for a man who has been a role model in the past and achieved so much. They do not ever deserve such disrespect from the opposite sex.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Speak out to make people take note of you…
Big occasions test the best and the toughest. They have always done so. Whether it is performing on a big event, or arranging and taking responsibilities for a mega event in your household or office, it is a huge task. It is not for everyone, it is not for the weak hearted, it is not for people who cannot keep their words and it is not for people who possess a confused psyche.
There are so many trivial things to be thought about, besides the big issues, that it can drive the hell out of even an organized mind. Things can get even tougher if you tend to depend on outsiders to get your job done. If these people have a sniff that you do not have too much backing from family members, they tend to pounce on you. Absurd demands are made, illogical adjustments are expected from you and you tend to feel like a slave to their fancy whims and thoughts.
Such occasions demand a savior, who can be rude, straightforward and even shameless at times, and who can give you advice. Tough situations require tough words and these people provide you with that. Sometimes to get yourself out of a hole that others have dug for you, you need to be outspoken yourself or take help from outspoken people. They can save you a lot of pain and, at the same time show people around you that you are no pushover.
There are so many trivial things to be thought about, besides the big issues, that it can drive the hell out of even an organized mind. Things can get even tougher if you tend to depend on outsiders to get your job done. If these people have a sniff that you do not have too much backing from family members, they tend to pounce on you. Absurd demands are made, illogical adjustments are expected from you and you tend to feel like a slave to their fancy whims and thoughts.
Such occasions demand a savior, who can be rude, straightforward and even shameless at times, and who can give you advice. Tough situations require tough words and these people provide you with that. Sometimes to get yourself out of a hole that others have dug for you, you need to be outspoken yourself or take help from outspoken people. They can save you a lot of pain and, at the same time show people around you that you are no pushover.
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