What does it Really Mean To Be

15^th August, 1947

4^th July, 1776

14^th August, 1947

9^th July, 1816

And many more such dates symbolizes something deep inside for all of the world citizens in respect to their own nation.

Not to mention about the 1^st one, let me give details in brief about the rest.

2^nd: US Independence Day

3^rd: Pakistan Independence Day

4^th: Argentina Independence Day

Numerous dates like this gave each country a new face in world. It gave all of them their own much sought after victory to breathe out in the fresh air: Independence.

It made each one of them free from the atrocities of the Government they were forcefully ruled by, and we the citizens of this world are glad even today to enjoy every moment of the respective victory linked to our nation.

I do sometimes laugh out on this word ‘Freedom’. Think of your life and you will find that ‘Dependence’ is ‘Camouflaged’.

During one of the guest lecture I attended at my MBA institution, the Speaker was really a smart one who was able to keep his audience entertained while making his views very precise. He pointed out the following: Everything on this earth is dependent on something or the other.

This made me to think. And really I was astonished to find out that everything is dependent on something or the other, and then be it in a positive or a negative manner.

I am not here to list out what depends on what. I just want to point out this dependence in terms of a word which is imbibed in us by our ancestors: Freedom, and how we are fooling ourselves just by a mere thinking of us being ‘Independent’.

During pre-independence period, an atrocity of the ruling government was marked prominently by: Physical Assault. Think about this era and it would be really surprising to find out that Physical Assault is replaced by Mental Assault.

Just give a look at the place where you are working:

1) Are you given freedom enough to raise your voice against your senior’s point of view on work related issues?

2) Do you get a real free hand for your own working style to let you achieve your targets set by the company?

3) How much at ease you find out yourself in implementing a new change at your work place, which is in the good will of the company itself?

4) Or is it sensible in workplace today to point out a mistake in your senior’s working style or the mistake done on his/her part.

If we look at the personal front:

1) With due respect to our elders, are we really free enough to decide on the future course of our own life?

2) Does our saying readily get an upper hand?

3) Do we have the right to tell our parents or elders, that they are wrong in certain point of views?

The one which comprises bigger picture, Society:

1) Going individually against the norms of a Culture or Tradition is still seemed as a crime, let then the practice to make it feel the same to everyone a long distant dream.

Give it a tinge of thought and you will be astonished to find out that our actions today are not governed by the freedom we possess, but, by the freedom to act by our seniors. We are not fearful of Physical Assault anymore, but, we do give in many times for the senior’s way of thinking, because of an element inside him/her called as: Ego.

There are 2 different ways in which we respect someone:

1) To respect the person for the way he/she is; and

2) To respect the person’s Ego.

What are we doing nowadays is the question in frame of my mind for this post. If the former one forms the major part of your life, then I must say in true sense you are a person who is enjoying his/her Freedom.

If anywhere you feel like the latter one taking the front, then I must say to revise the definition of Freedom for your own self, and still it would not be able to suffice the true sense of it.

After saying this all, I do agree that to accomplish something you need to give your heart and soul. You need to go through various hurdles and a victory achieved would be sweeter than ever.

Prior to Independence people were fearful to mark the change due to their fear to Physical Atrocities, but, victory was attained at the end.

But, again a victory in long term matters than giving in for the Ego of a person only for a short term benefit.

So, every time other you feel like your acts being governed by the Ego of someone, do ask yourself a question: What does it Really Mean to Be Free?

It

For me I can’t define ‘It’

While

It makes me Smile

It makes me Cry

It gives me Pleasant Dreams

It gives me Sleepless Nights

It is there for Eternity of Life

It is there for The Only Next Moment

It shows that I am Special

It shows that I am Second to All

It flirts with My Patience

It flirts with End of My Temperament

It lends me a Shoulder to Relief

It lends me a Pain to Grief

It brings out of me The Child to Play

It brings out of me The Wisdom to Grind

It signifies in me A Life

It signifies in me A Breathless Soul

Still as Start, End would be the Same

For me I can’t define ‘It’

Can We? Part III

Remember the 1^st day at school? It would be surely full of cry and your parents pitching you inside the whole new arena of which you were utterly scared of.

With days and years, the school became an inseparable part of our life and we were given the best of the teachings under the sun. We were prepared for upcoming tomorrow and the bare necessities to which we should adhere to in our life time. A day in history makes us again cry for the same school on parting ways, for which we cried on the fear of joining. They say history repeats itself, but, the former part is not repeated in graduation days, of course the later one compensating the tears. If at all we go for PG, the history of graduation is repeated, but, this is part and parcel of our life time.

We do cherish the moments spent over there. It is strange that if we look back onto the memories: We cry for the happiest moments spent with our friends, and laugh on ourselves for the bitter fights we had during those times.

Inseparable are those friends and the learning’s also which we gather through books, consulting with experts, guest lectures, faculty, library and so on with the various avenues of learning available in front of us during that period.

But, is it really Schooling, Graduation, and PG for that matter, the whole and sole of your learning avenue throughout life time. Or is there something more under the sun which can be integral part of your learning avenue.

What is your best hang out place to be with: Your Family; Friends; Boy Friend/Girl Friend; The Special One; and the list go on with the number of people you would like to hang out with. The places are also numerous on roll: Movie; Garden; Restaurant; Fast Food Chain; A lot can happen over a Coffee; and Trust me a lot more can happen over a walk too.

Coming back to the point of learning avenue, do you really think that you can learn something when you are on a hang out with someone? Sorry, for making this sound bore, but, do believe we can learn a lot by our hang outs only, than going through the mere pages of curriculum book.

Let us talk about: Movies being part of learning avenue.

I will ask you some more questions, but, do answer only the last 1 because I am sure, to all the earlier ones your head will give a nod.

Have you watched ‘Chak De India’?

Have you watched ‘Iqbaal’?

How about ‘3 Idiots’? (You surely can’t miss this one)

If we talk about ‘Lakshya’? (Do you have one in your life?)

So, learnt anything from any of these movies? I had these 4 in mind, there are always a lot of them in Bollywood.

Would love to share my experiences with you from these movies:

Chak De India:

Lots of them, but, the coolest one lies in the scene: When Shahrukh Khan is meeting the ‘Indian National Women’s Hockey Team’ for the 1^st time. A gorgeous Preeti Sabharwal turns up late and a heated conversation follows on between him and her. Not to write down the whole dialogue over here, but, the best one written for this scene by Jaideep Sahni is:

‘And I am the coach of Indian National Women’s Hockey Team, mujhe states ke naam na sunaiye dete hain, na dikhaye dete hain, sirf ek mulk ka naam sunaiye deta hain: INDIA’.

Hope this much is enough for you to grab the essence of what I am trying to explain about our narrow thoughts of mind.

If require further more from this movie, check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE-kAzBhkkk

Iqbal:

A story truly inspirational in its own way. A deaf and mute boy played by Shreyas Talpade won the hearts of many. This movie would give many a moral at the end, but, for me the true learning was hiding somewhere in the middle of the film.

During one of the many training sessions, Iqbal receives from his alcoholic Coach (Naseeruddin Shah), the later one quotes a dialogue written by: Nagesh Kukunoor, which goes like this:

‘Yeh dimag ka khel hain jo dil se khela jata hain’.

Quite confusing one outright, at the end of this scene, another one is in the pipeline, giving explanation of this:

‘Dimag aur dil jab ek saath kaam karte hain na, toh farak nahi padta ke dimag kaunsa hain aur dil kaunsa hain’.

True facts, now, just ponder upon your life and ask yourself, when was the last time you thought by your heart and felt with your mind. Confusing, ok, let me make it simple one, when was the last time your heart and mind agreed in unison to do a particular work.

But, it is quite often with us that: Our mind calling us out to perform a particular task, on the other hand our heart wandering in the gardens of imagination, which is very beautiful indeed.

Just talk about this: You want Win – Win situation or Win – Lose one. Try out first one and you will be happier in your life always, than trying the later one, as in second case it is something of your own which is on the losing side, and then be it Mind or Heart.

3 Idiots:

Have the gut in you to be an Idiot in today’s Rat Race? At least no need of giving in here any dialogue from this movie, I feel it must be still afresh in your mind and heart.

Just to sum up with one liner of: Ranchhoddas Shamaldas Chanchad:

‘Bacha kabil bano kabil, kamyabi toh saali jhak marke piche bhagegi’.

So, is it that Grades running behind us, or the other way round?

Lakshya:

A brilliant performance by ‘Hrithik Roshan’ and the multi-talented ‘Farhan Akhtar’. How many of us in our lives just go through the transformation phase for the betterment, as Karan did?

Apart from this, let me share with you a good one from this movie, which emphasizes on Thinking beyond an Individual.

As Karan enters IMA, Dehradun, the very 1^st day, all of the selected candidates are given a brief speech on the Culture of IMA and Indian Military at large, which goes like this:

‘Sabse pehle Country, phir Army, phir apne Saathi, aur sabse akhir main apni Zindagi ka khayal yeh IMA se trained officer ki pehchaan hain’.

Ask yourself a question, are we prepared for this today or even the organizations which we join, do they nurture this kind of culture amongst their colleagues.

I am not here to provide any answers, as it will only confuse me a lot.

But, deep somewhere in my soul I ask myself a question: Can We shift to new learning avenues of life, Can We look forward to every moment experience of our life, as a learning curve so that we will constantly evolve ourselves as a better human being.

Can We? Part II

Great People in and around this world are made up of which ingredient, is still a question mark, to get resolved.

There are numerous examples in world today of amazingly great people who are at astounding heights of their career, and rule the heart of millions.

A lot is talked about them and their greatness, few of which I will present here:

a) Are they born with the talent, they are possessing?

b) Or is it their sheer hard work and passion, which takes them to great heights?

c) Some of them are born with Silver Spoon in mouth.

d) Individual characteristics help them out in different scenarios to climb up the ladder.

Whatever it is, no definite answer can be given to this one, of why some people are able to achieve greatness in their life?

I do believe in a common thing which I feel have always been part and parcel of the life of the many greats we have seen and heard of, around us.

That is: A Power to Think Big. A power to think beyond an individual, a passion to believe and trash the reality in front to come up with beautiful works just to amaze common people surrounding them.

Just now, ponder upon yourself and think when you had really in your life time thought something big. You thought of something which benefited the people surrounding you. Don’t tell me about the decision or a thought which you took for your family, this is done by everyone else in life.

Have you ever thought about something which is called as ‘Vision’? Were you ever passionate about something in your life, which was meant to be big and was beneficial to everyone related to it?

Let me ask you a question again: Who are you?

You would certainly like to answer this one, with your name. Some pestering from my side, would make you to call out your family name, some more would make you to say about the culture you related to, the region to which you belong, and then the country, continent, and the last would be, with bit of irritation: World Citizen.

Now, just check this out:

Do we really think as if we are citizens of this world rather than just thinking of part of some family, or region, or country for that matter?

Can we go in reverse order of thinking for my question of: Who are you? And start recognizing ourselves as part of this global community first rather than in the beginning only, start recognizing ourselves as part of few people who are associated with us.

With due to respect to an individual’s family relations, and the issues pertaining in a family, can we really think of this World as our family and then try to solve the problems surrounding it, at our own level?

Rather than doing this, what we tend do are certain things given below:

1) After certain years of our life, when we are about to settle ourselves, we think of dividing the property among our siblings;

2) The sibling with whom our upbringing has been shared, after certain years of our marriage, we start feeling like his/her family not being part of our own. It is never about physically living of families which matter, I agree, but, do we really practice it to care and nurture our sibling’s family, as we do with our own ones.

So, I feel if we are unable to think this much big also, then we are not going to learn at any point of time in our life: A Power to Think Great, which is always beyond an individual’s benefit.

Can We? Part I

I would like to start this post with a question, which is wandering the pathways of my mind, from so many days.

May I know the basic difference between: A Human Being and An Animal?

Everyone would be smart enough to have a prompt answer of: A Human Being is having a Thinking Power, while An Animal is deprived of that by the Almighty.

Or some of you would be smarter enough to laugh out at my question, and feel that either the question being asked is stupid or the person asking the question has lost his brain somewhere.

Gone through the question above, let me pose you with another one, which most of you might feel to be more stupid a question than the earlier one.

May I know the basic difference between: 2 Human Beings living on this Planet Earth?

Again a very idiotic question and perhaps the intellectual level of mine would be questioned now, rather than answering this one.

2 Human Beings differ in a very aspect of:

Change in: Face; Colour; Height; and various other possible physical characteristics.

Rather than this now concentrate upon the traits given below:

Honesty; Patience; Love; Care; Respect for Others; Great Thinking Power; Selflessness; and many more such things which can prove beneficial at a large extent to sustain our very own existence of Human Being for generations to come.

Unlike my previous posts, I am unable to comprehend what this will turn out to be at the end, but, there are things which do bother me a lot or I myself mind them a lot, is a big question in front of me.

Let me share some of them with you:

1) We are taught to be Honest and Appreciate Honesty in very early stages of our life. Do we really adhere to it, or with the different stages of life, someone intentionally or unintentionally teaches us to be dishonest.

Practical life or Experience is the best teacher in this world, as quoted by someone. But, does it really make a sense or smartness out of us, to be practical in everyday life and to be dishonest towards our work and totally disregard the very quality.

It is said: ‘Ghee ko nikalne ke liye ungli ko theda karna hi padat hain’.

Is it the Ghee which is more important today for us, or the very basic teaching of life?

Will have a very basic instance of life here, and you would agree that it is true of its own kind:

Let us take for an example ‘You’ only:

You are very sincere at your work, dedicated to your goals and ambitions. You work out day and night to fulfill your dreams.

Now, being a Human Being it is but obvious to have a feel of Relaxation for a day from the work, which is making You a monotonous one. Or, You might be having some genuine case at your place, to attend like any Function (Marriage of Someone). But, being a sincere one and true to your heart, You are afraid of saying a lie at your work place, as no one allows in today’s world to pay You for just relaxing at the cost of work place.

This work place can be anything: Your office; Your School. And the pay you get can be in Cash (In case of Office) and Kind (In case of School, I mean Attendance, You would better understand it now).

It is called as ‘There are No Free Lunches in this World’.

Now, what we rather tend to do: Let the honesty be aside, we just want our work to be done and producing a medical certificate is not a big deal nowadays. It is not that our Inner Self is corrupted, but, the environment surrounding, makes us to behave in this particular manner. It is the system which makes us to behave in a Dishonest Manner, but, do understand it is the same system which makes us to Run for Our Life, if You are caught hold of your dishonesty.

I have never heard of until this stage of my life that someone’s parents or a teacher or a mentor teaching a child: To be Dishonest, but, still at times, we are. It is the surrounding which makes us to learn this, but, are we today weak enough just for the matter of that ‘Ghee’, which always tend to help us in a short term, but, in our own self it sow a seed of Dishonesty, which we start loving as it is solving our problem at bare minimum cost.

Action speaks louder than words, and how true this quote holds, the words printed in your school book: Be Honest, doesn’t hold true by Actions of this world.

This has to end somewhere, but, Can We start this. Being honest is a very beautiful concept, but, appreciating the same in someone would build upon someday a world full of Honest People around us, and then just think of how beautiful and honest this world would be.

An Awaited Love

The thirst of love is going dry…

Be with me or my heart will cry…

I miss you, every moment in life of my way…

Years have passed away, but, my mind asks why…

Your absence was an unknown nightmare…

And am living with it is a known fact…

Days will come and Years may go…

Am standing where we were some time ago…

Don’t feel awkward to make a comeback…

For this I am holding my breath aback…

Who is Responsible?

As I am about to write this post, numbers are crossing my mind. They are random. 2; 4.56; 7.23; 9; 10.34; 15.67; 12… They arrived simultaneously, without any kind of knock for their arrival.

Do numbers really play an important part in our life? As one of the greatest English Poet and Playwright, Shakespeare said ‘What’s there in the name?’

Likewise no such quote is made by anyone for numbers. Is it because rather than a name, a number attached to a person signifies a lot about him/her?

Let us play with these numbers. If you signify them as a:

Date and Month, it would be someone’s Birthday or it signifies someone’s Obituary;

Percentage sign, it would be someone’s Marks in Graduation or someone’s Attendance in a class round the year;

Currency sign, it would be someone’s salary for the month, or someone is deceived to the amount of that.

A 10 digit number signifies which person you are referring to.

Also, a same number would give pain and pleasure at different times.

We lend someone money, though moneylender concept is outdated, for say a interest of 12%, it is an amazing feeling for us, and we are more delighted to have interest payment rather than the loan amount.

But, if we have a bank providing us a loan at above mentioned interest rate, we would never even think of having such a bank in our region.

Big or Small, but numbers do certainly play an important role in shaping up our life.

A student consistently making good grades is assured of a better placement or future prospect, than a student consistently making bad grades. Again the grades are composed mere of these numbers alone.

I feel rather than common names, we find out numbers being common in between us and the people we know. Like with many people around us, we share common birth year or even a birthday.

So, do they really affect our life? Are you satiated by my reasoning or should be there some serious talk now.

The number would really affect us and it has done so in the past also.

Try recalling what the below stated numbers signify:

1857; 17.56; 1930; 17.97; 1947; 16.22; 1983; 17.65; 2001; 16.49; 2008; 12.63.

You would be really smart enough to judge the big numbers over here, as they represent some of the major happenings of India as well as Globe.

1857: Uprising of 1857;

1930: Great Economic Depression;

1947: Independence of India;

1983: World Cup Win of Indian Cricket Team;

2001: Crash of Twin Towers in USA;

2008: Economic Financial Crisis.

Like these, there are number of happenings that have taken place over the years. Now, just think if you have missed the bold ones, and can you make any sense out of them. One must be surprised, as if what these numbers are doing over here with the gigantic ones. Are they really the trivial ones in front of large numbers?

1857; 1930; 1947; 1983; 2001; and 2008 were just numbers, but, as soon as a year and a happening is attached, they become momentous.

Like this the minuscule are really not to be bothered about for, or should I add a notorious word and a symbol against it, to give these numbers a real dishonorable look.

How about, ‘Food Inflation Rate’?

Yes, the numbers given here in bold reflect the rate of Food Inflation in India from January, 2010 onwards. I am sure every one of you must have already heard about it a lot and must have felt the pinch, if ever gone to market to shop for Food Items.

To give it a deep thought, reflect once again the big numbers, and think why the things attached to it happened. Who was responsible for making those numbers glorified or terrible?

1857: Would be remembered as the First Uprising of India against the Atrocities of then ruler of India. The people responsible to make this happen were: Rani Jhansibai; Tatya Tope; Mangal Pande; and many more.

1930: Would be remembered for Great Depression that preceded 2nd World War, and had the roots in USA. Also, the person responsible to large extent to get USA out of it was: Roosevelt and the economic policies of his government.

1947: Who would forget this momentous year of the Independent India? Again people responsible: Mahatma Gandhi; Bhagat Singh; Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose; and the list go on and on.

1983: First ever Cricket World Cup win of India, beating the then Champions West Indies, at the ground of Lords. The responsible people who gave the nation time to pride: Kapil Dev; Mohinder Amarnath; Sunil Gavaskar; Bishen Singh Bedi; and many more.

2001: The date 9/11; and name Osama Bin Laden were more popular than never before. Invasion of Afghanistan; and Iraq done by: George W Bush and its allied forces.

2008: A very fresh happening still lingering in the minds of people. Responsibility shared by: Financial Giants, like Goldman Sachs; Morgan Stanley; Lehmann Brothers; and many more.

These big numbers or rather now say years were made momentous by some or the other people who were part of the happening. Likewise, may I now ask you a question: Who do you feel is responsible for the numbers adjoining Food Inflation Rate?

Don’t jump on to the conclusion like:

1) Failure of Monsoon;

2) Government Policies;

3) Post Harvesting Infrastructure and many more on which we the Aam Aadmi of India don’t have the hold on.

A staggering figure comes from an estimated report which is supported by a link given here under: Rs. 58,000 Crore of Food items were wasted in India in 2008.

Link:

href="http://seekingalpha.com/article/179191-food-inflation-in-india-causes-solutions">http://seekingalpha.com/article/179191-food-inflation-in-india-causes-solutions

There are some reasons given in this link regarding the amount of food wasted. But, rather than giving these reasons, is it a time to introspect ourselves.

I do agree the reasons given in the link are responsible for the gigantic Food Inflation Rates to which we are abided by.

Don’t you think that we the Aam Aadmi of India are also responsible for the creation of Food Wastage?

Give a look at the following things given hereby:

1) I live in a fully residential campus of Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida. Doing MBA program. We have an amazing facility of Food over here and the Mess is responsible daily to put out the figures of Food Wastage for the day before. The figures are amazing: On an average 100 to 150 kg of Food is wasted daily by a population of around 800 students served in this mess.

Now, just think about this:

This is not the only mess facility in India. There would several like this, and being into hostel life for more than 7 years now, I can assure you of more than 1 Lakh such mess facilities all over India. All these facilities around the country would not be of same size, but, still they are producing waste.

2) Hotels being major source of Food Wastage.

3) Marriage Ceremony:

It holds a memory of life time for everyone in Indian Culture. Do we really take into account how much amount of Food is wasted in a Normal Marriage Ceremony in India?

Just check this out: On an average, a Hindu family wastes around 5 kg of Rice in a marriage ceremony. For such occasions, Rice is treated as a very sacred ingredient. It is used to: Throw on Bride and Groom during the very much Sacred 7 Pheras, and also used for many other rituals happening at the marriage ceremony.

So, if we take into account all the Hindu Marriages taking place over a span of 1 year, then just think of Wastage of Rice. Let the wastage of other food items, are not questioned as of now.

Being an MBA student and also from childhood, I was taught a very basic concept of Economics:

If a waste is created in an organization, then who is going to pay for that? It is, but, obvious for an organization to add the cost of Waste created to the product being sold to the customer. So, at the end it is we the People of India, who are going to pay for the waste.

If wastage is created today, then the same amount of Food is again demanded in the market tomorrow. More waste will lead to the creation of more demand of Food Items in the market.

Now, a basic Economics of life teaches us: If demand increases, then Price of an item increases.

You will say Supply can balance with demand, but, again our agriculture is mainly dependent on Monsoon, to which we are having a negative response from past several years, due to many reasons like Global Warming; Deforestation, etc.

So, next time you see media flashing up the Breaking News of: Food Inflation Rate, just stop blaming others and ask yourself a question:

Who is Responsible? And you will find an answer to this, into your own self.

As My Spirits are Low Today

River of dream seem remote today.

Am I feeling it?

Or has it lost flow today?

Was the direction right?

Or is it the goal in fright?

As my spirits are low today.

Journey was never blocked till the day.

Or have I reached destiny in the day?

‘Of course’, won’t be the response.

As my spirits are low today.

The wait has been long.

But, it never strengthens to weaken me.

Has the vigor assembled today?

As my spirits are low today.

My weakness never tolerates me to drop.

Does it have its own muscle today?

Flaw was hiding through the wait.

Is it naked in the world now?

As my spirits are low today.

Are We Really Literate? Part I

As I ponder upon the topic of this post, a question arises in my mind, which I would like to ask hereby:

What do you define a Literate as?

As always we would like to give an answer from a well known dictionary ‘Oxford’ or from an online portal.

Definition: To be able to read and write.

Only change is the constant thing in this world. I think most of you must have read this quote somewhere or heard it from someone or experienced it in your lifetime for that matter. Do you think now the time has arrived to change this definition given above of being ‘Literate’?

Most of you might not agree, as we all are educated with this definition in mind.

To give an example of Change, I would like to go off the track.

A decade or two back, how we defined basic necessities of a human being? I think as famously depicted by Manoj Kumar in his super hit film ‘Roti, Kapda aur Makaan’. In a sophisticated language let us call it as and also defined in our education system as: Food; Clothing; and Shelter. But, with changing face of times, basic necessity of a person’s life was redefined as: Food; Clothing; Shelter; Education; and Health.

Thanks to the advent of Liberalization (By Dr. Manmohan Singh in India for that matter) and Globalization, if you give it a thought, then you might think of again redefining the indispensable requisite of life as: Food; Clothing; Shelter; Education; Health; Electricity; Entertainment (Thanks to Bollywood, Hollywood, IPL, TV Serials and Gossip Material provided by Newspaper and News Channel also); Transportation (Including Public and Private both); and Communication (It includes: Internet, Mobile, and many more such devices or technologies which have made extremely difficult task seem as a child’s play).

So, we have made changes in the definition of the basic necessity of a person’s life.

Go back to the period of 50’s or for that matter even 80’s and 90’s. What were the relations between two persons in India prevalent at that time?

An answer to this would be: Husband – Wife; Brother – Sister; Father/Mother – Son/Daughter; Brother in law – Sister in law; Uncle/Aunt – Nephew/Niece; Grandfather/Grandmother – Grandson/Granddaughter; Friends and many more such sacred relations were shared between two people.

With times we have come across various new relationships or have defined them with the changing face of an era. To name a few: Girl Friend; Boy Friend; Ex – Girl Friend; Ex – Boy Friend; One Night Stand; Live in Relationships; Gay; and Lesbian.

I do agree with a quote ‘Old is Gold’. So, still the basic necessity of a person’s life would never misplace: Food; Clothing; and Shelter as the priority. Or for that matter, still the sanctity of relationships defined by our ancestors would never be diluted. But, evolution of a mankind is necessary for betterment and living a good life.

Coming back to point, let me describe with few examples, why I feel there should be change in the definition of: Literate.

Before giving these examples, I would like to be sincere with few things:

1) Whatever I am writing here are my personalized views; and opinions;

2) It is not at all meant to point someone’s or the other’s behavior, in the person who is related to me by some or the other mean;

3) The writing here equally applies to me also, as I am applying to generalized population of this country or world for that matter;

4) You are always welcome to criticize upon or comment upon any of my views over here.

We are a country which is manufacturing Engineers; Doctors; MBAs; Graduates; Post – Graduates or for that matter ‘Gadhe’ (As famously said by: Aamir Khan in his all time favorite movie: 3 Idiots).

To start with, let us ponder upon some basic learning’s of life and what we really do with them:

1) Respect Elders.

We do Respect our Parents; Grandparents; and Relatives. But, what about an elderly person whom we meet in a Metro; Bus; and Train? Do we readily agree to offer him/her our seat? On the other hand, we would like to make a good laugh of a person who is kind enough to offer his/her seat to the person who is requiring it more than him/her.

2) Respect; and Tolerate all Religions and Castes.

Do we allow or accept as a society: Love Marriages; Inter Caste Marriages; and Inter Religion Marriages, with an open mind?

I don’t think that there is any other better way of understanding new Culture; Traditions; Philosophies; and Values.

A perfect relationship doesn’t exist between persons having great similarities; it exists between those having a better understanding about their differences.

Do we make it a try to stop violence or division created on the grounds of Religion; and Caste?

3) Don’t throw Garbage on the road.

Imagine a fine evening with your friend. You just feel like having a Dairy Milk for him or her. The best ever food stuff, you can ever have in this world (I feel it).

After enjoying its heavenly taste, do we make a sincere effort for looking out a dust bin somewhere near of the shop, from where we bought it, to throw the wrapper. Can we think of keeping the wrapper in our pocket and throw it in a dust bin after reaching home?

Like this there are many things, for which we can make a sincere effort to throw them in a dust bin itself: Chocolate Wrapper; Use and Throw Paper materials; Plastic Bags; Use and Throw Plastic Bottles; etc.

Can we think of making mess in our home like this, I am sure we would not dare to.

4) Don’t Bribe.

Arey, bhaiya dekh lo na jara woh. File aage badha do, aapka kaam karta hoon na main.

Arey, parchi kyun phad rahe ho de raha hoon na main, kitne main ho jayega bolo.

These are the common tone of language we hear in Government Offices; Court Cases; Traffic Police; and many such other places.

5) Conserve Electricity and Water.

Do we really make an effort to even think about this?

To switch off light and fan at the place where it is not required at all.

I have personally seen many people, leaving the tap of water running wide open, while shaving beard or brushing teeth.

For this an excuse is given:

Arey, jitna use kar rahe hain, uska paise de rahe hain na toh kya problem hain. But, is it not wise to implement this quote over here: A penny saved is a penny gained.

(A post on this: A Question to be asked, 2nd June, 2010).

6) Be Patient.

Every day we are surrounded with worries; time bounded results; and many more such things which take our health to an extreme condition.

But, are we tolerant enough to understand one’s Emotions; and Feelings. To at least give it a try to listen to one’s Happiness or Sorrow’s of life.

Are we enduring enough today, to make others realize or get ourselves an understanding of the: Good and Bad things of the world.

We always feel it proud to quote to ourselves and others about: Thomas Alva Edison, who was successful in the invention of a bulb only after making 999 mistakes. But, are we patient enough to listen to our near and dear ones problems for a few second on that note.

7) Be Punctual.

This is the best learning which we do get at the right time of our molding years in childhood, and we are always late to adhere to this one. Kehte hain bhagwan ke ghar der hain andher nahi.

We always feel it proud to keep waiting someone for our arrival as if we are some celebrity who can never be on time because of his/her other priorities of life. But, if we are on the waiting side, we expect the other party to be on time.

This has become our habit to not to follow this learning of life and now the time has come in which our MBA classes teach about cultural aspects of various communities and countries, in which they write about INDIA as:

Indians are never on time.

Aren’t we ashamed of this, can’t we give it a try on our own personal front to write off this bad conception about us from the minds of the people around the world.

Are We Really Literate? Part II

8) Gender Equality.

As I am writing about this, most of the male readers might get annoyed with me, but, female readers, I can think of them becoming my fan.

Jokes apart, are we really interested even to know or think about this? I do agree with the fact, girls are now making out their way in a globalized world to work along with boys on every professional front possible.

A person is educated, so that he/she should be able to take own decisions of his/her life.

But, do they still have become an integral part in taking decisions on family matters? Are they even free enough today, to take their own decisions of life?

Why a girl after marriage has to bind herself with the customs, traditions, ways and rituals performed at her husband’s place? Why can’t we think of, to give her a chance to teach us a different and a better manner in which a ritual or an occasion is celebrated, which she has learnt for past around 24 – 25 years at her place? Why she has to leave her family name, only to get attached with our one?

I always feel proud then about a girl, who has that strength enough to leave behind her a surrounding in which she has been brought up. She has to part ways with her parents; friends; relatives only for a cause of marriage.

I don’t say ‘Ghar Jamai’ ban jao, but, can we for that matter show some support; respect; and love for a girl who has left behind her own family to make ours an integral part of her life.

Also, what about the aspirations of a girl, after her education? I don’t think today also there are people around who will allow their daughter – in – law or for that matter a husband would support a wife, to aspire for her dreams after marriage. Or is the education of a girl child limited only to get her married in a well settled family.

This trend is moving south in direction, but, that too only because of high standard of living conditions; and to manage the household expenses in metropolitan cities. Still a girl only has to live up to her in laws expectations, along with a job. Why can’t a guy think of helping out a girl in daily chores of a married life, to make it a perfect one?

Sacrifice of a career is always due on a girl, can a guy ever think of it, if a wife is having better career prospects than a husband. Killing of someone’s aspiration is a sin and it should not happen in anyone’s case, be it a girl or a guy.

9) Blind follow up of Traditions and Rituals.

This is not meant at all to hurt anyone’s emotions or feelings, which people have for their customs and traditions, around which a person’s life revolve from the day he/she starts to breath, till the end of journey on earth.

A person is pure in its form only at the instance he/she arrives in the world, making its way out of the womb of a mother. After that a name is attached to the person.

A name of a: Country; Region; Religion; Caste; Sub Caste; Family. A child who is not even aware of his/her existence, is bound to all the Traditions; Rituals; and Customs attached to the name with which it has to start life only to end with the same given name.

Every coin has two sides attached to it, goes a very old proverb. So, every given name must be having something Good and something Bad as an integral part of it. Do we then give an enough freedom to our highly qualified children to praise the Good and at the same time criticize the Bad things attached to the name, with which they are living?

It is said that: An education is imparted to a child for enabling him/her to think and understand the Good and Bad things of life. Do we really give that chance even, to a child for him/her to take the decision upon accepting the Excellent and discarding the Appalling attached to the given name of him/her (Then be it, Name of: Family; Sub Caste; Caste; Religion; Region; and Country)?

I would like to share herewith 2 instances of my life regarding this heading I am writing about:

1st Instance:

I was in 1st year of engineering, and my cousin’s wedding was scheduled in the same year.

Everything was going around smoothly in the marriage. When I saw a ritual, which really perturbed me and still it gives me a shiver in my body; about how can one think about it also, though it being a tradition.

It was about: Girl’s parents have to wash the feet of to be Son – in – Law.

I asked my Dad about this, when he told me, it being part of some ritual. I was plainly taken aback by this. I asked him a very simple question to which, I think every person in this world will be unanswerable if he/she agrees with this tradition or any such similar kind of custom happening in their Caste; Religion; likewise same happened with my Dad:

Can you ever in your weirdest dream also think of: Allowing your parents to wash your feet? Then how can in the name of tradition alone, a person can think of allowing someone else’s parents to wash one’s feet?

I had once a very good debate on this with one of my friend, who told me something like this:

Aisi kuch manyata (Belief) hain ke, aisa kuch karne se Swarag ki prapti hoti hain.

And that too, alone Girl’s parents are bound to abide this tradition. I am not here to play ‘Tit for Tat’, but, then Boy’s parents are not supposed to behave the same with to be Daughter – in – Law. Kya ladke ke Maa Baap ko swarag ki prapti nahi chahiye hoti hain kya? Then I will always pray for a Girl child, as I don’t want myself to land up into hell.

Aur shayad isi ko kehte hain: 100 chuhe khakar billi chali Haj ko.

By doing this alone we are assured of going to Heaven after end of our breath. Let alone then whatever might be the number of Sin we perform, which assures our entry to Hell.

2nd Instance:

I had a good discussion with a very great friend cum elder brother of mine, Rajesh Hendge. He explained me the blind follow up of traditions, in a very simple and subtle manner with a help of a story, which I would like to narrate hereby (In Hindi):

Ek gaon main, ek pujari raha karta tha. Uska naam tha: Harkishan. Harkishan ka kaam gaon ke Mandir main roj shaam ko havan karvana hota tha. Uske paas ek pyari billi bhi thi, jo usne bade laad pyaar se apne saath rakhi hui thi. Par uske saath ek dikat hua karti, woh jab bhi havan par baith ne jata, uski billi uske aas paas mandarane lagti. Pujari ko darr tha, ki kahi billi uchlte kudte hue kisi din havan main na gir jaye. Isliye usne is par upay dhundha aur us din ke baad se woh har roj havan ke samay billi ko rassi se ek kone main bandhkar, bade sukun se puja karne laga.

Din mahine saal bite, pujari ka ek din swarg waas ho gaya. Uske baad gaon ke mandir main havan karne ki jimedari, uske shishya: Raghu, par aa gayi. Raghu ko bhi pujari ki billi se bada lagav tha, aur woh uska har samay khayal rakhta. Par billi ke nathkat svabhav ke chalte, woh bhi use rassi se ek kone main bandhkar, sukun se puja karta.

Aise hi phir aur din mahine saal bite, billi ka bhi dehant ho gaya. Raghu ke budhepan ke chalte uski jagah ab uske bete: Chandan, ne le li.

Jab pehli baar Chandan mandir main havan karne baitha toh aas paas khade logon ne usse kaha: ‘Arey, tumne havan ko shuruvat kaise ki, pehle kisi billi ko rassi se toh bandhkar ek kone main khada karo, phir hi havan ho payega sahi dhang se’.

I think this story tells a lot about the topic I am discussing herewith, and no further explanation would be needed on.

To name a few more, prevalent in Indian society:

1) Manglik

A concept beautifully presented in: Munna Bhai Lage Raho.

2) Dowry

Today also, in Indian Matrimony Market, dissimilar degree holders are having different price tags.

Engineer: Rs. 10, 00,000;

MBA: Rs. 25 to 30, 00,000;

Doctor: Rs. 30 to 50, 00,000.

Again these degrees fetch more if you are an IIT/IIM/AIIMS pass out.

Parents of to be husband takes pride in these issues, but, my sincere opinion in this regard goes like this: A guy is getting sold in the market and I think a human value is always much more than this, right? So, the amount of Dowry you take will fix up a husband’s cost in the marriage market and will a husband get resold if any other daughter’s parent offers more than the initial investment cost or the valuation should be based upon depreciation cost analysis?

Like this there are many beliefs which are always in queue to arrive at specific time in a person’s life. Do we give enough freedom to a person, to use his/her reasoning power to accept or deny the practice?

Or is our analytical power now limited to only:

Writing Software Programs? Or

Making Business Deals? Or

Designing and Running a Machine with a 100% Efficiency? Or

Operating on a Bed Ridden Person?

Now a very basic question:

Were you able to read the matter written over here? I am very much sure; it would have taken less than 10 minutes of your very precious life. If I ask you to write the same stuff again (Don’t copy paste), I am pretty sure, many great thinkers would be living out there, who can script this in a more graceful approach.

So, by a very basic definition defined earlier, everyone is a Literate.

Now, just give it a reflection: Is really the reading and writing which matters to be called as Literate? Or is it the implementation of our learning with a sincere effort makes us a Literate in real sense?

It is not Reading and Writing of a Computer Manual which makes a person Computer Literate. It is only after he/she can practically work on Microsoft Office or for that matter at least can start and run computer for this or the other work.

A mere Reading and Writing of Examination papers won’t allow an engineer to be a Technical Literate about his/her subject. It is only when he/she is able to Read; Write; Design and; Understand the logic behind the structure built.

I personally feel then to define ‘Literate’ in a fresh approach as:

A person who is able to: Read; Write; Understand and Implement.

So, if next time you see someone or feel yourself disrespecting any basic learning of life, do ask yourself a question:

Are we really Literate?

A Question to be Asked

Saturday, 31st March, 2007: 7.30 PM to 8.30 PM;

Saturday, 29th March, 2008: 8 PM to 9 PM;

Saturday, 28th March, 2009: 8.30 PM to 9.30 PM;

Saturday, 27th March, 2010: 8.30 PM to 9.30 PM;

Saturday, 26th March, 2011: 8.30 PM to 9.30 PM (A Futuristic View).

Can you search out any similarity between these dates? You can find out one, if you’re good enough in analytical reasoning. These dates are similar in a kind of being on last Saturday of every March.

You can find out a relationship if you are an ardent environmentalist.

From 2007 onwards, on every last Saturday of March, every year an occasion is celebrated for the cause of global community. The concept idealized by WWF Australia and Leo Burnett Sydney, an advertising agency, spread out its wings to promote and unite world community for a common purpose, by providing a global platform and a cause.

It was named ‘The Big Flick’ earlier, but, thanks to Leo Burnett for renaming it to a simple one, for the world to grace its appearance every year and remember the celebration till its arrival the next time:

An Earth Hour.

Before coming to MBA, I was aware of this concept, but, how it gives the very cause of ‘Saving Earth’ a real time effect every year was an unknown fact to me.

I witnessed it for the 1st time on, 27th March, 2010, from 8.30 PM to 9.30 PM. I was staying in ‘GN Hostel’ the one provided for accommodation during 1st year tenure by my MBA institution ‘Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida’.

Lot of enthusiasm for this was instilled in us by a very invigorating message on mail by our Institute’s Deputy Director regarding:

Effects of Global Warming;

Event Earth Hour;

How our college will also be supporting this cause of ‘Saving Mother Earth’.

We were instructed to switch off all the lights and fans during the 1 hour period. We were encouraged to use as much minimum electricity as possible during this episode.

Every single mind living in the hostel or for that matter you can say every other person living on this planet was ready to relive this dream episode conceptualized by WWF and Leo Burnett.

A formality of just switching off the lights and fans was carried out at exact 8.30 PM and suddenly the world around me seemed to be in darkness which I never before witnessed. It was really a great feeling to be a part of a global cause and reliving the dream with tens of thousands of people across the 5 continents.

For an hour or so, it was really an amazing mood to be back into the days which our ancestors lived: No Electricity. An hour episode, in true sense made me realize the value of electricity in our life. I was getting impatient to switch on the TV set to watch IPL match, being a great fan of it, but, was not allowed to do so.

At 9.30 PM exact, the much awaited IPL match was set on along with the lights and fans all over the hostel. It took some minute to realize that we have been back from a really beautiful experience, which was shared across the world.

But, a thing perturbed me after around half an hour of this chapter, as I was walking alone with my thoughts in the garden:

For that much celebrated 1 hour, we were very much aware of the causes of: Global Warming and Its Consequences. We were very much passionate about: Proper utilization of Electricity and No Wastage of it. We were a part of a celebration and a cause of global community without even being related to WWF or Leo Burnett.

But, what happened after 1 hour: We were again into our usual mode of switching on lights and fans in the premises of where it is not even required. It happened in our hostel and I think it must have all over the world. Lights and Fans were switched on in the common rooms of our hostel where the presence of a human being would have been a question mark. We were in the period of our 3rd Trimester exams at that time; TV sets were just switched on in the common rooms with full volume, so as to make the commentary reach in the nearby rooms, to get the glimpse of an ever exciting cricket match conceptualized by Lalit Modi.

This wastage of electricity made me to think on some points, which I would like to present here:

1) Is it really the Earth Hour, which will save our Mother Earth, from the basic consequences of Global Warming?

Or is it the sustained efforts of each one of us for the every other second we are living on this beautiful planet, which will save it from ill effects of Global Warming?

2) Then this episode is just like: Zindgai bhar jitne chahe paap chadha lo, baad main toh pavitra Ganga nadi hain hi apne paapon ko dhone ke liye.

It is not that Sachin Tendulkar played only 1 One Day inning every year in his 20 years of illustrious career, to make 20 innings in the whole career, and score 500+ runs in each inning so as to reach the mark of 10,000+ runs. It is the consistency for every single second of those 20 years which is now paying him a lot in terms of: Money; Recognition; and Respect.

We as a human being require constant: Love to care for us; Food to energize us for our works; Respect to stand with pride in the crowd; and Recognition to praise the work beautifully crafted by us.

Or are we satisfied if:

We are loved by our parents and near and dear ones only once a week and for rest of the time they hate us;

We get food to energize ourselves once a week and for rest of the coming 7 days we keep ourselves starving;

We are respected only once in a month from someone and then we are torn apart from the world till the next coming period of respect for us and meanwhile we are disrespected;

We are recognized for our work done only once in a year and that too for the single recent that has happened and rest all are forgotten.

I do bet, if this would happen with anyone of us, it would be unbearable and we won’t be able to survive.

Then how can we think of surviving our Mother Earth only through a 1 hour period along the year.

It is not at all about criticizing the event: An Earth Hour. I do respect in a passionate manner, the whole reasoning with which it was started.

We love and respect our parents’ whole round the year, or do we really need a special occasion only to show our affection and admiration for them. But, just to mark the occasion and show our gratitude to them (which no one can ever show), we celebrate ‘Mother’s Day’; ‘Father’s Day’.

We are fond of our friends and are waiting to meet them the every other day at: School; College; Office, or do we really need an extraordinary event to meet them. But, a celebration is always due on: ‘Friendship Day’ itself.

We love ourselves a lot and it is the same from our parents and friends for us, but, we are always special on our: Birthday. We are the same ones on this day, nothing changes expect the age of ours, but, the birth of ours in a mankind is celebrated in the most perfect manner, we can.

Like this there are many such occasions we celebrate all round the year to mark the exquisiteness of the day. But, our Love; Respect; and Recognition for these relations remain the same or it grows inside us with every other passing day, spent with our loved one and we don’t really need a day to: Care for someone; Value someone; or for that matter to Distinguish someone’s work done for us.

So, why can’t it be the same in our relationship with: Mother Earth?

We can always give from our side a sustained and a passionate attempt to: Save Electricity and Water, which now serves as the basic necessities of the mankind. As we celebrate our occasion, we can always be a part of and celebrate the cause of: An Earth Hour, every year. But, can we love our Earth whole round the year in the cause which is given by this episode.

To achieve Perfection is a task, which is not accomplished by a day or two. It a result of: Consistency; Perseverance; and Hard work day after day; hour after hour; and seconds after seconds of our breath.

But, this would be really achieved only after we start perplexing ourselves with a basic question:

‘Do we really need An Earth Hour to Save Our Planet Earth?’