Date- 25th Jan 2009
Day - Sunday
Time- Around 4.30 in the evening
Place- Bus Station,Koyambedu,Chennai

I was on my lonely excursion to Central-Northern Tamil Nadu which included former French colony Pondicherry. This trip was good as It went as per my planned schedule. Exciting thing happened in trip was I picked up every possible transport in India to travel. Now the final destination is back home (Bangalore).I decided to take city bus to Chennai via ECR (East Coast Road) and then Volvo to Bangalore.

As usual, I was pretty early to reach the place. I hardly know anybody in Chennai and almost 4 hours left to start the journey. So, I started reading then newly bought book, Mr.Tarun Tejpal's ' The Story of my Assassins’. I had read his ‘The Alchemy of Desire’ which I thought a really a nice book. I had just finished 6 pages, by then an elderly,well dressed gentleman who was in his late 60s came and sat next to me. I do have a habit of dragging strangers to conversation whenever I meet them while travelling. But, this time I was so engrossed with the book that for few minutes I didn’t realize who is sitting next to me in that iron bench. While turning pages, I just looked at the person sitting next to me and just smiled. Later I was back into reading. Few minutes Later… [Conversation was in English]

He: What book is this, [a quick question from that person with a smile on his face]
I said, it’s a novel

He: Oh ok. Novel? Very good. So you read novels haan?
I said, Yeah, I do

He: By the way, I'm MR...[I think the name is not important here] A retired teacher
Myself: Hello, I'm Manoj, I work for software company in Bangalore

He: Oh! Thats very nice. Who is this author?
Myself: Tarun Tejpal

He: Famous writer?
Myself: Yeah! he is the editor of Weekly magazine Tahelka .You must've heard about him.

He: Oh! No..I dont
Myself: Ok [I smiled; I was desperate to read the book, I was not really interested in conversation]


He: So, You are software engineer haan? You must be earning a lot then. Right Mr.manoj?

[Now that’s embarrassing. I always hated when people asked how much you earn or anything related to it. I always thought, its not how much you earn, its at the end of the day how much you save..anyways]

I just smiled and said nothing much! But its ok..,I can live

He: I know you must be earning a lot.
[I didn’t answer]

He picked some other general things and obligated me to talk. At one point of time..

He: I'm going to 'this’'[let me not mention it here] particular hospital to see my daughter. She is sick and in very serious condition. Few lacs spent on her treatment. I’m totally broke now. There is not much facility for poor people from govt.

I just looked at him. I didn’t know what to say.

He: Now I'm going to 'this' particular place and I'm short of money. Could you please give me some money Mr.Manoj?

I realized that 40 mins longer conversation has come to its end.

I told him, Sir, You said you are retired teacher, I respect you But, this is neither expected nor excusable. There must be some other way to earn money or arrange it.

It was clearly visible that he was hurt. He tried to convince me but I was unaffected for a long time. It was not that I never wanted to help him. But, the situation where you are pushed at that time is what hurts you. Later I did give him some money and he left the place. Myself or most of us never asked where the money goes when we donate a part of our earnings towards any NGOs.It may be there source of living. But, we still believe that it reaches to the concerned people.

We live in a country which has rich powerful barons, lower middle cast colonial which is further divided into communities. We have been dealing with the statuses,prestiges etc.Its not that we are facing financial crisis, Its about transparency. ‘Aam aadmi' hardly understand the 'percentage' growth which are spoken by Finance minister or any Economical Analyst. He is just bothered about his daily bread. Its not that we don’t have opportunity, it’s about how well we use it. We have more resources than any other country in the world. But, how well we are using it? At individual level, Its not about how we live here, It’s about how honest we are.

The person I met might be saying the truth, but, how can I trust him? I agree when a person keeps his self-respect on stake, you got to believe. I did. I may acted stupid, but there is no justification for everything you do. I always believed that life is a journey, its a search and we all search for happiness. Some times, its just a pursuit of 'alive'ness!

Its been really long since I found time for myself to write something down. There was lot running inside my mind yet busy with profession.I can hardly give up my passion too. So, here are quick few lines.By the way, I'm on short excursions and lot to update.Very soon..

It was always wonderful to be with you,
Remember those little steps down the street.
Walking without holding hands,
Mesmerizing myself with your fragrance


Its alright we are not together.
I'm not looking for another chance.
Its understood when you walked away,
Nobody is perfect, except the time we spent.

Image: Credit

I remember reading an old chinese proverb 'It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward'. And here is a small step. I read about this particular organisation from a piece of paper which had pasted in a bulletin board belongs to Auroshilpam, Auroville. I had visited this place to see Matrimandir.

Small Steps has started as a quite revolution against plastic bags usage in India. It is an initiative to promote environmental awareness. The project's first step is to promote a responsible alternative to throw-away plastic bags. Upasana Design Studio has helped to achieve this goal by designing a bag. These are re-usable bags.As they say, Small Steps is not about bags.Small Steps says something big: Solutions to our problems lie in every little step we take each day bag makers have aim to make 10 million bags, this in turn creates the possibility of 1000 jobs in the villages.



Its a honest effort to bring enironmentla awareness in people and creating a world for better living.It's not a promotional post,its about support for a good cause.I would like everybody to read what Economist writes about plastic usage in India. Small Steps is, perhaps, ideally suited to the gift economy distribution model because it is not so much a product as an opportunity to participate in a movement of positive social change. Upasana puts it this way: It is not only about making a better world, It is also about changing ourselves, Learning new values, Taking responsibility, Loving our mother earth. It is our love in action. Here is the story of little bag:


Be a part of this and spread the sentience..

From last 15 years, ever since we moved from Dharmasthala to near by Belthangady(Taluk HQ) to our new house, I have been visiting this temple once in a month, whenever I go home. Temples are more than a place for Gods. Its a place of peacefulness. I love temples which are spared from huge crowd. Fortunately the temple which I'm going to mention is also the one. But, Let me tell you, unfortunately this temple, which holds more than 600 year old history and yet pretermitted by historians, organization and also the people.



This temple situates just 5Km away from Belthangady. Belongs to a small village called Laila.It is a base of Jamalabad fort. This temple of Goddess Durga has said to be built in the time of Veera Ballala III.The Last Great King of Hoysala Empire.It was the beginning of Vijayanagara Empire and the architecture used to built this temple also shows Hoysala architecture.One of the stone scriptures in temple reads that, temple had once owned more than 400 acres of land. It’s like almost a village.


In the year 1996 ,after HD Devegowda sworn in as Prime Minister of India, somebody chose this particular place for 'The Maha Chandi Homa'.Hundred thousands of devotees witnessed this particular function. It was suppose to be a National News but today no history exists. Only the road which is made for this particular function almost 12years back tells you the story. The roads just as good as it was. This place is hardly known to outsiders and to a lesser extent known and visited by localities.




[View of Jamalabad Fort from Temple.Its almost 3KMs away from this place]

Temple is disintegrating with history today. Its in a village from where I have come. Belthangady Taluk is a place of highest number (81) of villages, Place of runs a risk trekking spots and water falls, witnessing an evergreen Western Ghats. If you get a time to visit this place, hope you visit this temple. It’s not a great spot, but I'm sure you can feel like a King who once stood in front of same Goddess and prayed for peace :)

Most of my friends, relatives who are urbanized including myself were pretty demoralized for couple of days after the terror incident happened in Mumbai.But,This wasn’t the case with my retired uncle living in a village who has stopped watching TV ever since he left the city. He was happy and enjoying his days as usual. Now, What made the difference between me and my uncle? It’s my direct involvement with the incident through Media. Has media done a good job? Has it done a bad job? I should've avoided it?


Till second week of December "Enough is Enough","We Shall Remember" were common lines on TV screen which was showing any news channel. Today these words are not shown and we are back in Cricket, Movies and Entertainments. Its good thing as It may bring smile on few peoples face, just to forget the past.

We, Indians are been optimistic ever since Mughals entered our country. We were Optimistic when British were ruling us. Now we are optimistic when terrorists and our own corrupt system making our country a battle ground. We are bunch of opinionated morons. We have some super talented leaders who will come out to news channels and talk about problems but never take a lead to solve it.

We have a media people who are earning money in the name of people’s misery. They don’t even leave graveyard from live telecasting. Why the attack on Taj has made world to turn around? Is it because If you stand on White house you could see only Taj in India? What about people who are dying everyday because of poverty, sexual harassments etc. Where is the protest? Where is the gesture? They are not human being?

If some one is accepting moral responsibility, then he is no lesser than the criminal. Don’t you think they should be sent to jail? Will resignations of politicians solve the problem? Media is not less than Politicians. They know the peoples weakness just like a politicians. Common man's memory! Now everything is back on individual. We need to change. 2 options. Remember and crib all your life. Forget and stay happily.

Let me be a little optimistic and as Oprah Winfrey said, "Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right". Now as a common man who respects and expects peace in his country has some expectations from the Media. Before I go with the points, Let me quote few lines from recent interview happened between Arun Jaitley and Karan Thapar in CNN IBN's Devils Advocate .It was role reversal.

Arun Jaitley: Karan, lets set aside that how and why you have this aggressive posturing, at least the image of a very aggressive interviewer. I come to somewhat a connected issue, yours is still one of the most serious political discussion programmers on Indian television. Are you now, as an experienced political commentator and an anchor, very concerned about the present state of the political television on the news media?

Karan Thapar: If you are suggesting that political discourse and television is becoming shallow, populist rather than popular and therefore it is aiming for catch eyeballs at the cost of rigorous analysis and informed discussion, I would agree with you and I think it is particularly sad. I think the root cause lies in the fact that independent television in India is commercially driven, it survives on advertising and advertising comes for the highest eyeballs which means ratings become important.

Arun Jaitley: Survive to do what? Five-year ago if a television carried a programme which was critical about my party, I will be deeply concerned but today the credibility is going down. There are such a large number of channels these days that an individual channel doesn’t matter, what really matters in news content of a large number of channels is - cinema, cricket, crime, occasionally some crisis and even in those crisis there will some shallow tangential news which will be passed off as a breaking news and therefore the credibility of that news even of that survived or commercially driven channel is not very high.

Karan Thapar: You are talking about the credibility marks of the different sections of the society because of the reasons you mentioned to you and me may have diminished very much but the credibility with the mass audience for the very same reasons may have increased. They like cricket, they like crisis, they like cinema, they like stars and may probably watch a lot of more of a lighter form and shade of news to the type that you and I may prefer. So, the credibility may be low for you and me but it is huge for them.

Arun Jaitley: Are we rushing to instant conclusions because they make more attractive headlines, I think politicians have conventionally went for this kind of populism, but is media also going for it?

Karan Thapar: Or, are we doing it because it is lazy journalism or it can be a combination of both.


- We follow US election but we don’t come out for Voting in our own country. Neither have we educated our people about it. So stop complaining about the system. I hope media will this take this a chance to bring a change in a system.

- Everybody has thoughts, let the thoughts be constructive rather than destructive. We have hundreds of channels to know about movies and cricket. If you are showing celebrity talk for over 30 minutes in News Channel, Why can’t you show Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Addressing politicians for at least 15 minutes? Don’t you think it will help?

- A National News Channel moves from Political Media to Entertainment Media very easily as per the situation.

- If you think a politician is unfit to lead, why don’t the media suggest them the right way?

- I have seen hundreds of debates happened over the year.
1. How many debates will really listen to what audience wanted to say.(They are concerned about the Time)
2. It looks like another program to compete with other channels
3. How many debates resulted in success? Same debates happened over and again on same issue (best example, kids falling into open tube wells)

- Without a doubt media considers politicians as dumb. Media has provoked politicians to come up with controversial statements. Now is this the way of journalism? We need truth but not the gossip or weird controversies.

- I have seen some lousy sting operations rotting whole day in all the channels. But the question here is, what is the motto? What Media wants to prove? Shall we see the follow-up in coming days?( Let me remind you the death of one of the journalists in recent days.).

- Media should stop making a common man to a celebrity. All famous people in Today’s India are good for nothing. They can only give lecture and can’t do anything

- We have some award winning authors who sit in the corner of some park in London or Australia and write about India, Its problems to reach the glory. They haven't done nothing than a giving an option for world to look at India with weird look. It’s not expected from Media to entertain such souls.

- Will Media asks to Ban all the organizations in India. No Fundamentalisms, No human rights activity?

- Will Media urges Leaders to stop talking about policies and find a way to work on it?

- Media should look out for positive things happening in the world. We are already having lots of Problems in India. Its the time Media should stop creating more problems.

-Will each Print or Audio-Visual Media stop looking at others for news and will help common man to live peacefully with basic needs?

- As last quotes from Arun Jaitley and Karan Thapar say, it’s a lazy journalism looking for more attractive headlines. Now Media should also think that,this may effect A Country's relationship with world, with its own people. Let’s not break ourselves into pieces.

Be Responsible and Be Good.

Thank god for successful year which is just moved on.Some goals are achieved, some dreams are alive.Let me wish you all a wonderful year ahead! :)

Thank you for being there!

Is it ok if I confess?
You are my Mexican mistress.
One of those men is out here,
Talking to wind and waiting to hear.

Life of Ishmael is left behind
I find you more sweet and kind
Here is a hug waiting for you mistress
For today,tomorrow and always

Let me make a mistake,
Without any regret.
Come home tonight. I’m
Waiting near gate.


Credit:Image

Here goes few lines for someone awesome!

Smirk on your face and
you walk away
A lonely lane and
you turn to say,
I will come again to
meet you half way
Now I'm here,waiting for you
A touch away.

Adios:)

I have been watching movies ever since I started identifying the faces. People say, Movies create destructive thoughts and where as Books create constructive thoughts in human brain. I don’t know how does it work with others, but for me both are sources of inspiration and knowledge.I don’t deny the entertainment part of it.But, it doesn’t come under top priority. If it is a movie worth watching, language is not a bar.

Here are some of those movies which I really wanted to mention for more than one reason. These are more than characters in Western Cinema. These are the inspirations. These personalities project their culture to the world.Most importantly, they have positive things to show to the world.

Homer Hickam in October Sky.
Howard Hughes in The Aviator.
John Forbes Nash, Jr in A Beautiful Mind.
Ray Charles in Ray.
Malcom X in Malcom X.
Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List.
Jake Lamotta in Raging Bull.
Frank Serpico in Serpico.
Che Guevara in Motorcycle Diaries.

Now, Lets look at our cinema. We have seen Bhagath Singh and Netaji Subhash Chandra bose on screen. Thanks to Mr.Richard Attenborough for the movie Gandhi. I don’t remember any other movie made on real life character. If at all made, it wouldn't been successful. Have we ever tried to ask why? Why art movies are made only for awards? Before the next generation wonder who is Dadabhai Naoroji somebody should at least make a documentary about'The grand old man of India'.Is our own Dhyan Chand is any lesser than Jake Lamotta?In 1936 summer Olympics, Impressed by his performance, Adolf Hitler supposedly offered to make Dhyan Chand a Field Marshal in the German army, but the latter refused. (From wiki) Don’t you think there should be a movie made on this person which may inspire coming generation?. Why not a motion picture on Bharat Ratna, India's Missile Man Dr.Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam

This is the time we should stop being hypocrites. Why can’t we get inspired by best things from the west? We hardly realize our own strength. We are still crying about our culture, ethnicity. Have we learned anything from it? What do we have today in Cinema? In the name of reality, creating more problems, controversies. In the name of comedy, badly ripped B grade cinema from west.Producers are out to make money and audiences are taken for granted.

I agree we have problems. But, Let the related people to solve it. Bring some positive energy in country. Inspire people to be good. Mr.Naseeruddin Shah says a line in a movie ‘A Wednesday’, “we are resilient by force but not by choice”. Now we have choice to make things right.May be this is a part of it too.This is the time we should proud about our own country.

Sayonara..

Here are two songs which indeed bring all those emotions out whenever I heed to it.

Do You Feel Me
Soulful voice of Anthony Hamilton for 'Do You Feel Me'is one of his best.This one was featured in the soundtrack of 'American Gangster' where Anthony did a cameo as a soul singer.Few lines which I loved in the song...

..And don't keep me hanging on the line baby
tell me you want me and if you don't then let me know
just answer one question
don't keep me here guessin
tell me now



It Must Have Been Love
One more is from Swedish pop duo Roxette.Their number one soundtrack is 'It Must Have Been Love'and is also featured in the soundtrack of popular movie Pretty Woman.Love the simple composition,moving lyrics and amazing vocal from Marie Fredriksson.Few lines which really touched me in the song...

..Make believing we're together
That I'm sheltered by your heart
But in and outside I turn to water
Like a teardrop in your palm