WISHLIST 2014

It wasn’t just another year that passed by. 2013 ended with lots of promises, dissatisfactions and hopes- all three in equal amounts. As we step into a grand new year now, I couldn’t help but pray for betterment in all fields of life, affecting all of us. By us, I mean the janta, the aam aadmi (no, the reference is not to the political party), hum-tum jaise log. So I prepared a wishlist 2014 that I want to share with you. (For those who have read ‘F?@k Knows’ written by Shailendra Singh, they can call this ‘The F?@k It List’).

I WISH…: BOLLYWOOD, AAMIR KHAN, RANVEER VS. RANBIR, ITEM NUMBERS

The 100cr-200cr grossing films were the worst films of Indian Cinema in 2013. So unintelligently scripted, pretentiously humorous and bogusly stylish they were that you just sit and wonder why and how did they gross so much in the box office (and you also wonder how you fell for the hype and went to watch the movie the first weekend itself, buying platinum tickets)! We go to multiplexes just for entertainment- that is undoubtedly accepted; but you sell us stupid films (first by showing nice package of luring trailers and awesome sound tracks), treating the audience like dumb brainless fools in the name of entertainment, is really humiliating. I wish Bollywood gives us intelligent and convincing films, for if it doesn’t, people like us will stop going to theatres, and wait for the movies to arrive in the box at home.

Of all the Khans, I love and adore Mr. Perfectionist-Aamir Khan the most (No offense Shahrukh, I am still your biggest fan).  But what is this in Dhoom 3? IS THAT PERFECTION? IS IT EVEN MILES CLOSE TO PERFECTION?! And you sold tickets to this movie for 1000bucks?! I am so cruelly let down, I feel ashamed. I think you have been trying too hard for too long (Delhi Belly, Talaash, Dhoom3). I wish you take a break, and bring back your biggest venture that made the whole country respect and love you…I wish you start Satymeva Jayate- Series 2.

Ranbir Kapoor, your leg movements (when you dance) are your biggest drawback. Mirgi ka daura, you understand? Your legs seem to suffer from that. And you are undoubtedly Bollywood’s most promising actor in this generation. We don’t expect you to score 100-200crores. We expect you to do good acting, and good sensible movies. 2013 is over- dump that Besharam attitude. You also don’t have to depend on the paparazzi to tell us who you are with at Ibiza- all of us know you are a stud. For 2014, I wish you a proper choreographer, mindblowing script offers and lesser controversies.

I went to watch Ram-Leela only because of Deepika (and Priyanka too), but boy, Ranveer Singh was the highlight of the film. He has grown as an actor, and he alone poses threat to the biggies of the Bollywood. He is the up-coming new superstar. I wish to see Ranbir Vs. Ranveer, in any form possible (movie release on the same day; both of them together having coffee with Karan…anything!).

Yo Yo Honey Singh, is here, Mr. Producer. You can do away with the item numbers now. They have become passé anyway. And, if you ever step out of your humongous villas and studios, or your big fat cars, you will find that songs sung by Honey Singh are played everywhere now, and those item numbers aren’t heard anymore. I wish to hear more of Yo Yo, and less of aah…aah….

I WISH…: POLITICS- DELHI, JHARKHAND, INDIA.

I have been neutral to politics all these years, silently following the updates and taking in all that media has to offer. But, I can’t stop myself from supporting Kejriwal. Yes, he seems to be a nice guy, you know. When the Anna Hazare revolution started, he was just another supporter. But when he used to speak to the media, and put forth his point of view with conviction, we were like…’whoz he’? And now, he is the CM, and as much like we saw in Nayak the movie, he is taking Delhi into a totally new level of politics. Bhak Sala had said once that AAP is the fastest growing start-up formed by an IIT-ian. True, isn’t it? People say that the calendar of 2014 is same as the calendar of 1947. I wish to celebrate the Independence Day in the same spirit too.

Meanwhile, at the national level, Narendra Modi is assumed as the undeclared future PM. Congress spokesperson have become less aggressive in the news channels, and they are trying their best to use their support to AAP as a leverage. But Mr.Modi is totally unshaken by their strategy. His unassuming confidence has an aura of winners. Why shouldn’t he? After all, he has transformed Gujarat into heaven. I wish to see him doing the same magic all over the country.

Jharkhand was declared as a state in 2000. Since then, there have been 5 CMs, and Jharkhand was thrice under Presidential Rule. Jharkhand was formed with the promise of unrestrained growth, but with such unstable governance, growth and the economy seems to have taken a backseat. My city, my state, could have been much better than it is today. I wish to see someone hold the office of CM for next five years, and fulfill the promise of growth in true sense.

I WISH…: MEDIA AND TELEVISION

“Gaur se dekhiye, yehi hai who… jurm ki ek dehla dene waali dastaan…”…PLEASE! We are so sick of these jokes now. And if the show itself wasn’t irritating enough, they have imitated the same dialogues in a jelly (chewing gum? Toffee? What is the technical word?) ad. Baksh bhi do hamien ab!

And Mr. Arnab Goswami, would you please let your guest speakers speak as much as you do, if not more? And please stop trying to make every other issue a national debate by your sensational oratory, or by inviting 10-12 guests and letting them swear and threaten each other on national television. If you don’t have any REALLY sensational news, just don’t air the program.

The news media is becoming powerful year after year, and it is only for the good of the people. But I wish they work independently, free of any inhibitions or constraints from any strong influences.

The concept of interactive television is catching up, albeit in a different way. The live online social activity going on along with the live telecast has returned the fun of watch television. I wish more and more channels, and more and more sitcoms start using hashtags, to encourage social activity along with the show. It is just so much fun that way!

Some shows are running their 11^th season, and some shows their 7^th season. I want to see something fresh this year, for the first season.

I WISH…: ECONOMY AND GROWTH

We are moving with a lopsided growth- the rich is getting richer, the poor is getting poorer. Inflation, stagnant market, and lower consumption are hampering the economy. We need some strong impetus to push the economy back to the earlier growth rate. – side 1.

Ask any young guy what his dream start-up would be, I am sure as hell it will be related to online and retailing. See, that’s not the problem. Everyone, including the big grand companies, is moving into large scale retailing. That’s still not the problem. The problem is, nobody seems to be interested in manufacturing anymore! India, like all first world countries, has become a market for Chinese products. Had it been only to cellphones and toys, it would have been acceptable. But machineries? Home appliances? Shoes? Kitchen appliances? Furniture fittings? Everything has to be imported??! We are definitely going wrong somewhere.  - side 2.

Many companies in India import the products from China, put their logo on it, and sell it in Indian market at double the price. There is no manufacturing done here to employ Indian citizens. So we have unemployment (underemployment also) and rising prices. People are left with lesser disposable income, which results to lower consumption, which leads to stagnant market. (side 1+ side 2). I wish to see more companies entering into manufacturing, and Government supporting them with ideal infrastructure and economic support.

I WISH…:PEOPLE AND WORK

I hate people who create drama about food saying “yeh nai khana, cholesterol zyada hai; who nai khana, gas hota hai”. Fuck it yaar! Eat whatever suits your taste buds! But next morning, get your ass up early, and workout like hell! That’s it!

I used to wonder why would-be engineers and doctors get drunk so much. I think I got the answer. Yes, I did, and it occurred to me just today morning. The answer is- they are superhumans.

Laughing, are you? Well, I am serious. The thing is, we are smarter than the earlier race of humans, and we are way more capable than them. But we have bound ourselves to social norms of attending school, going to college, and getting into the highest paying desk job. What happens is, since getting into good engineering college, good MBBS College, or good MBA institute is made so damn difficult, we assume that getting into it is indeed the right thing to do. We don’t check, for once, whether our heart is in it or not. And once through the entrance, we find ourselves lost. Not only because we don’t find the subjects interesting, but also because we have 1000 times more potential to do better in different field. We are superhumans with supercapabilities, caught in the wrong place. It is like Superman doing the dishes. The result: we drown ourselves in alcohol.

I wish people, everyone in general, realize their true potentials and interests and go for it. And for those wishing to start-up a new venture, I wish they roll this year. THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW.

People doing 12-hourers in office, please note that we do not consider you hard working, we think you are just plain stupid. And people doing 12-hourers in business, please note that you are contributing to the economy and the society more than the people earning salary 10 times your revenue. I wish you more customers!

I WISH…:ME

I have lost 7 kilos last year, and I wish to lose 5 more. I want to start writing my second book (the first one is complete, but has not gone into publication yet), and finish it by this year end. And have the first book published. I want to earn like crazy (yes, I am a greedy man). I want to write more blogs for you to read. I want to get back to my glass-art work. I want to do more of photography.

I wish to have 6-pack abs; sell millions of copies of my first book; own an audi and a BMW; live in a luxurious villa in the most expensive part of the city; chased by the paparazzi wherever I go…sounds too far-fetched, eh? Impossible??!

Har ek topic pe jo itna bole, sab kuch possible thodi hai! But wish karne mein kya jaata hai, hai na?! hehehe!

Oh, and one more wish- I wish you make your wishlist too! Gotta go now…btw, my name is PrasanjitSaha. Nice to meet you. J cya-tata-bbye! Aah, wait! HAPPY NEW YEAR YAAR! CHEERS!

What is on your WishList2014?

See Also:

Was it Love, or Was it Not?!

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The Truth About Tattooing, and such other Taboos

Why do some people get their bodies tainted with some permanent black ink? Why do some people damage their bodies with some metal pierced through? Why do some people ruin their hair with awful colours? Why do some guys work out so heavily just to get a pattern of muscles over their tummy?

I have asked these questions to a lot of people (only those who didn’t get any of the above done), and have got as many different answers as you can imagine. Yet the most recurring answers were:

·         Those ‘some’ people are crazy

·         It is just the passion of young people

·         Those people want to stand out of the crowd

·         They want to prove that they are different from the rest

·         They are trying to get other people’s attention.

Well, all these are only true at the superficial level. But deep within, each one of them is wrong. There is only one reason for all that. There is only one, true, valid explanation to this:

IT IS LIBERATING.

That’s it. Nothing else.

You won’t believe me? Ask a girl who just got a tattoo done. Instead of telling you how painful it was, she would tell you how ‘relieving’ it was…how happy she felt when she finally overcame the fear of getting inked. Ask the guy who just got his ear pierced. He knows you are aware of the odd comments he gets from his friends, but he boldly tells you that he feels more positive and more confident than before. Ask anyone who has done any of these things. The answers you will get will not be related to fashion, or age, or style, or craziness…it will be related to mind and heart.

My name is Prasanjit Saha. I am 26+, well settled businessman, blessed with good group of friends, and few good achievements to boast about. And, that’s not all: to top it up, let me tell you, I am perfectly sane. But:

I have a tattoo on my right arm. I had my hair coloured quiet a few times. I have developed recent fancy for six-pack-abs. I am ok with piercing, but that’s not really my thing.

Being 26+ and being into business takes away my privilege to call myself young, if I compare myself with college going kids. I am a crowd loving person- I always prefer being among aam aadmi type people because that way I feel more comfortable. I believe in individuality, and there is no need to prove the proven fact (not atleast with tattoos) that every person is different from the rest. And being blessed with such a loving family and friends, I never have to crave for attention- I already get too much of it. And, that’s not all: to top it up, let me tell you again, I am perfectly sane. So have I proved all your answers incorrect, appropriately?

Tattoo…piercing…all this is not about fashion, or style, or trying to be a rebel kinda thing. It is not about creating a personality type, or making a stand, or proving a thing. It is like…a block, a hindrance, a…a…confinement that needs to be crossed, overcome and won upon. It is like getting over your fears, fighting with it and finally conquering it to feel free. It gives you a sense of freedom. It gives you a sense of being complete. It makes you more confident. It unshackles you from the bondages that you had tied to yourself for all these years. It encourages you. It motivates you. It boosts you. It recharges you. It liberates you.

So if you are still apprehensive about tattoos, piercing, hair colouring, six-pack-abs or anything of that sort, just go for it. The feeling of getting over it is overwhelming. You have to be through it to believe it. And once you are through, it will work wonders for you in ways you cannot imagine.

Leaving you with your thoughts now, this is Prasanjit Saha, signing off.

PS: Do your thing.

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Jhuki Jhuki Yeh Nigahe (Poem In Hindi)

March 22, 2013; RedFM (Jamshedpur) Studio:

RJ Smita: So what are your hobbies...I mean apart from doing business, what are your interests?
Me: I love writing poems, stories, shayaris...(I answered impromtu)
RJ Smita: Great! You have any of them with you right now, to share with our listeners?
Me: Umm...yea... I have few of them in my cell phone...
(I took out my IPhone, opened my notes application and read the poem I had written just the previous night. Here it goes...)

Jhuki jhuki yeh nigahe,

Sehmi sehmi ye adaaye,

Koi raaz chupi hai inmein...

Koi dard hai yeh chupaye. 

Logo ke beech hai woh,

Fir bhi hai woh juda,

Khud se chahti hai kuch woh...

Aur kuch khuda se mangti hai dua.

Ishq hai usko kisi se,

Izhaar aur ikraar bhi hua.

Fir bhi kabhi kahi woh hai sochti...

Ki kuch baki hai, aur kuch poora hua.

Woh ishq mein hai anjaan

Ki ishq ka hai apna andaaz.

Dard toh ishq ka mohabbat hai

Dard ko ishq samjho e nadaan!

Woh ishq mein roti, soti, jagti,

Ishq mein hi har din guzaarti.

Par ishq ko na samajhti, na samjhati.

Ishq toh apne dhun mein naachti.

Waqt ko woh rokna chahti hai.

Ishq ko, waqt ko, khud ko samajhna chahti hai.

Par waqt ko rok na paye khuda bhi...

Waqt bhi ishq ke dhun mein chalti hai. 

Chalte hue waqt mein har ek lamhe ko mehsoos karo.

Bheer mein chalte logo ke dhadkano ko mehsoos karo.

Chubhte hue dard ko, beette hue waqt ko,

Khush rehne ke haq ko, tum mehsoos karo. 

Tum hi se hai saare dard,

Tum se hi hai saare gamm,

Tum yeh maan lo aur jaan lo...

Sochne se hi honge yeh kam. 

Us dard ko tum nikal jane do,

Waqt ke saath beh jaane do,

Is pal ko, is dhadkan ko

Tum khud mein samaa jane do. 

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Your Gut Never Lies

Till recent years, we used to say "your gut never lies" quiet philosophically. But recent scientific research says that this is correct, in fact, literally. Yes, scientists have PROVED that your gut is the "Second Brain". Read further if you want to know more, and to understand the Indian Reference. 

WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE SCIENTISTS PROVE?!

Technically known as the enteric nervous system, the second brain consists of sheaths of neurons embedded in the walls of the long tube of our gut, or alimentary canal, which measures about nine meters end to end from the esophagus to the anus. "The second brain contains some 100 million neurons, more than in either the spinal cord or the peripheral nervous system", says Gershon. ( Who is Gershon?) 

In layman's words, neurons are responsible for thinking and decision making (almost synonymous with brain). More the neurons, smarter you are. (more about neurons)

So how much is 100 million neurons? Is it too much or too little?!

Human brain consists 86 billion - 100 billion neurons. So our gut contains 1/100th number of neurons as compared to human brain, and almost the same to the brain of cat. Click here for comparison of number of neurons of different species, follow this link. Many scientists contented that the neurons in the gut are responsible for digestion related functioning, but  Emeran Mayer says that the second brain is "is way too complicated to have evolved only to make sure things move out of your colon". Gershon also supported this view and said that the scientists were shocked to learn that about 90 percent of the fibers in the primary visceral nerve, the vagus, carry information from the gut to the brain and not the other way around.

Indian Reference: Shailendra Singh, Joint Managing Director of Precept, the name we associate with Sunburn Parties, has written a book "F?@K Knows' (I kid you not, the title is really that!) in which he explains Gut Feeling in a very user-friendly way. He has dedicated an entire chapter to it - Your Gut Is Always Right.

K. Ramkumar, Executive Director and Head of Operations & Human Resources at ICICI Bank, has written an article "Why Gut Feeling Matters"  and accepts that even in highly analytical world of banking and finance, professionals go with their gut feeling more often than revealed. 

Now that it has been scientifically proved that your gut can "think", lets move on to the lying part.

WHY DOES GUT NEVER LIE?

So we have a brain inside our tummy (sounds gross), that is not as smart as the brain in the skull, but which definitely has more free time than the brain in the head. I remember a scene from the movie 'The Dark Knight Rises':

Bruce Wayne: What's it called?

Fox: Oh, it has a long uninteresting Wayne Enterprises designation. I just took to calling it the Bat. And yes, Mr. Wayne, it does come in black.

[Bruce touches the vehicle]

Fox: Works fine, except for the autopilot. It takes a better mind than mine to fix it.

Bruce Wayne: Better mind?

Fox: Well, I was trying to be modest. A less busy mind. Yours.

Our brain inside our tummy is burdened with only the job of digestion, and some other similar functions, but is free to think for the most of the time [like the brain of Wayne]. Plus, it gets input from only two places: the intestines and the brain on top.

While its competitor, the brain in the skull is busy whole day thinking about your girlfriend, your job that you hate, your parents back in your hometown, and your slipping bank balance. Plus, it gets inputs from multiple places: vision from eyes, feel from skin, smell from nose, taste from mouth and of course, the consistent blabber of "but my sixth sense says...", "but I have a feeling..." and "but my gut says..." from our second brain. With so much inputs and processing to be done, our brain inside the head makes mistakes. The worst part- the brain chooses to ignore that blabber from the gut, because it thinks that the gut, being its competitor, is trying to deviate its focus and confusing it. (Like "Chatur" tries to deviate mind of "Rancho" and other engineers by slipping in porn magazines in each hostel room, in the movies '3 idiots').

But our gut is more honest than we can ever be. In its free time, it processes all the latent data and input the brain had collected over time, analyzes it, and stores it for further reference. It deciphers subtle hints that our mind, being busy, had overlooked (like the voice cracking of your girlfriend who is lying to you, or the new appointment letter from a different company that your coworker is hiding inside her bag, but is partly visible, or that folded five hundred rupee note you had seen in your friend's wallet earlier that day, but when you asked him to lend you some money, he said he doesn't have a penny on him). Our mind forgets not only the stimulus of the gut feelings, but also the responses and inferences of our second brain.

Our second brain is like a better processor of data, only slower than the brain in the skull. The gut thinks as analytically as our brain- the only problem is that since we have forgotten the source (or input data) of the output, we consider it invalid. 

Indian Reference: Anik Singhal says about how he followed his gut feeling and he averted a major business loss. Read the full story here: http://aniksingal.com/general/follow-your-gut/ .
Vineet Nayar, Vice Chairman of HCL Technologies discusses how gut feeling is more important than logic, in his blog: http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/05/listening-to-your-inner-voice/

So, next time you have gut feeling about anything at all, pay heed to it. Your gut never lies. With that enlightening insight of humans, this is Prasanjit Saha wishing you a better decision-making and a happier, healthier life ahead. Ciao!

Have you ever felt your gut warning you, and saved you from an impending problem? Or have you ever followed your gut, and got into a mess? Lets see how much this theory of "Your Gut Never Lies" is actually true!!!

People:

Emeran Mayer: professor of physiology, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.),

Michael Gershon: Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at New York–Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, an expert in the nascent field of neurogastroenterology.

References:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=gut-second-brain

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/cells.html

http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2012/feb/28/how-many-neurons-human-brain

http://positivelybeautiful.com/the-science-of-a-gut-feeling/

See Also:

Poem: Mujhe Jeena Hai (Hindi)

Was it Love, or was it not?!

10 Places You Must Visit in Jamshedpur

                                       

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Was it Love, or Was it Not?!

In this ultra modern era, no real love story has a happy ending. On an average, every man and woman goes through at least 2-5 relationships (serious or not, that depends) before ending up in marriage. I have no idea the number of relationships they get into after that ;) . So, for every one successful love story, there must be 2 to 5 not-so-successful love stories. All the movies, novels and songs highlight and praise that one love story that finally materializes into marriage. But what about the love stories that doesn’t work out? Just because those relationships didn’t work out, they don’t qualify to be called love?

They say that if it is not forever, it is not love. But I think the concept is totally stupid. It is same as saying that if you didn’t come first, you have not studied well; or like if it is not sweet, there is no sugar; or like if there is no sun in the sky, it is not day; or like if it is not flooded, it is not raining, or like if it is not forever, it is not hatred. C’mon, get real dude! Life is not a binary choice- either-or types. There are things in between. Love is one of them.

You got to agree with this. When you fell in love for the first time and every time, didn’t you feel like that person was the person you always wanted, that person is the ‘Love of Life’? Didn’t you give your hundred percent, doing crazy and stupid things to impress him or her? Didn’t you feel that excitement and that frenzy inside your heart all that time? Didn’t you feel ‘Love’? Yes, indeed you did. But just because it didn’t work out properly and ended abruptly possibly hurling abuses at each other, it couldn’t be called ‘Love’?

You have to face it- the reality and the practicality. Sometimes, while working through the files in office, or while cooking dishes at home, or while making presentations for the seminar, or while writing essays during exams, or while partying late night in the disc, you think of those moments, the moments of love, and miss them. And then, you end up being confused- Was that love, or was it nothing?

Let me clear out your dilemma. It was love. Yes, it sure was. You have to accept it and let it sink in your system. You have to understand that all that was, was nothing less than love. And it wasn’t for nothing. It was for that moment, that time that became so precious and memorable simply because you were in love. That moment and that time might have passed, but in your mind it lies so fresh. It was for that moment of love.

You have to cherish that moment of love, and you have to keep it safe within you. Because not only it defines you, it makes your present worth living. Once you start cherishing those moments, you will let go the feeling of regret and guilt that had occupied your heart and had made your present miserable. Then you will realize that it was all for that moment, that precise moment of togetherness.

Love will happen many times in one’s life. And each time it will only get better, till it finally works out properly and you end up in marriage. (This includes arranged marriages too). But that doesn’t give you the authority to call the rest of the previous relationships as trash. Those relationships were full of love- THEY JUST DIDN’T WORK OUT.

So stay happy, enjoy falling in love, and respect the relationships you had. Be strong enough to live with the fact that it didn’t work out just because it wasn’t meant to be, and no one is responsible for it. Be mature enough to honestly accept that you made mistakes and similar mistakes were reciprocated. Be humble enough to learn from your mistakes. Be bold enough to admit that it was love.

And, most importantly be grateful that you were blessed with love so damn many times!

With that wonderful overwhelming feeling of love, this is Prasanjit Saha signing off. Have a great day ahead! Ciao!

See Also: Mujhe Jeena Hai

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I. ME. MYSELF.

It may sound like that, but this little poem is not about me. It is about YOU. Your spirit, your courage, your determination of not giving up. Almost everyone of us sometimes look into mirror and talk to ourselves, albeit subconsciously...especially during worst times of life. 

This is a straight salute to all of you, for not giving up.

"I saw myself, looking at me, with utmost expectations. I realised that I depended totally on me, and there was no other person who could support me and help me, besides myself.

There was no other, and there will be none.

It was always me, alone in my prison.

Locked away from the entire world while I was alone with my thoughts mundane

I realised that no one could take me out of my grief, and this unendurable pain.

While, I, besides myself, totally depended on me,

“Me” being the master of my fate, had to decide what it would be.

I decided I would never rely on others,

And I would be bold when I face life’s trials and tribulations.

When I myself would depend on me,

No one else would become my priority.

I would never look down upon myself,

Supporting myself, I would never expect any stranger’s help.

Besides myself, I would always be there;

Be the weather rough, be the weather fair.

I won’t let anyone tell me I cannot.

I know I can do it, no matter what.

If I love myself and trust myself, and no one else but me

In spite of all my drawbacks, shortcomings and idiosyncrasy,

I have a strange gut feeling inside me deep

That, then, Victory will come to me and kiss my feet."

-Prasanjit Saha

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Mujhe Jeena Hai

(This is one of those poems which I have written, and is closest to my heart. It is an expression of a soul who is frustrated with relationships- love and its limitations, friendship and its fallacies, society and its social-norms. Yet, the soul believes in herself, and believes firmly on a better future) 

Apne jhoothe waado se,

Pyaar ke saste fasano se,

Befizul ilzaamo se,

Dosti ke bandisho se,

Apne gham ke mehfilo se,

Na ishq se maar mujhe,

Mujhe jeena hai.

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Is spending on higher education really wise thing to do?

Ever since I left studies and started pursuing business, I started considering every penny spent to be either an investment or expenditure. That’s the lesson we businessmen are taught first: to understand the nature of every cash outflow. Thanks to my friends who are pursuing higher studies and are in the field of education, I have been thinking of late that whether spending on education is an investment or expenditure.

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The Lake (Another excerpt from another long story that I have written)

Sitting by the lake, along with a friend, I realized that our life, we rather, are similar to a lake. On one side we have mammoth mountains of problems, and on the other side, there is a plateau of happiness and bliss. But we are stuck in between the both, like the lake, to fill the void in between the both. Sometimes the winds of time make the water hit towards the problem-mountain, and break into million droplets of water, just as we break on the face of trials and tribulations. And sometimes the tides of time overflow the water of the lake to let it enjoy the vastness and enormity of happiness-plateau, and the water runs over it, free of any obstacles, here and there-everywhere, running around in happiness and glee. But neither the winds nor the tides stay long enough, and before we realize, we have to return back to square one- from where it all started. You can’t prevent yourself from breaking on the face of problems, and you should not prevent yourself from enjoying happiness.

Then how can you find peace? How can you find satisfaction? How can you live your life oscillating between happiness and sorrow everytime? 

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Chapter 9 - Part III

(This is an excerpt from a long story that I have written. If you guys are interested, I will put ALL of it! Hope you enjoy reading it... :)

“12:10 AM. 76 missed calls, 49 messages”, I read the cellphone screen. Soon after I left the farewell party in haste, Pooh had been calling me up. I didn’t take any of the calls, yet inside, I was dying to talk to her. I was unable to sleep, and the monstrous thunder and lightning only made it all the more difficult.

“Hello”, I said, finally picking up the phone.

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