मेहनत का फल मीठा तभी होता है जबकि मेहनत फल देने वाले पेड़ पर हो ।

(The fruit of hard work is sweet only when hard work is done on a tree that bears fruits.)
Source-Internet

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If you act like a victim, you are likely to be treated as one.

-Paulo Coelho

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Offline - A Day Without Internet

6:00 AM

The alarm rang and while I still was half asleep one morning, as a ritual the first thing I did was to connect my cell phone to WiFi. To my surprise, I spotted that I had received no "updates" since last night!

That summer morning, a few minutes later whilst the environment was serene and filled with chirping of cuckoo bird, I stepped out to check if the hawker has dropped newspapers in our veranda (baramda). While grabbing the newspaper, I saw the headline which read - "No Internet today". My eyes went wide open and all sleep flew away. Unlike everyday, I sat reading the news article. It reported that during the midnight, the world's internet crashed! For a moment I was dumbstruck pondering whether it is really practicable. But it surely was not supposed to be fictitious, since I had no updates on my phone that morning.

---

8:30 AM

Every news channel had confirmed the unbelievable by now. The channels reported that the internet should be stable in the next 12-15 hours.

With my face drooped, I sat imagining how would I spend the rest of my day being disconnected with rest of the world... The first learning of my day was to understand the value of time. This because it was the due date for paying my phone bill online, which would otherwise have to paid with surcharge later.

---

9:00 AM

Though, as a habit, I kept checking my phone, for emails, Whatsapp and other social updates. Sooner, I engaged myself in some other activities like helping my Mom in household chores, visited the nearby temple, assisted my father in gardening, which otherwise was my time for all sorts of unproductive or partially-productive activities on my cell phone and laptop over the internet. It was a contrasting experience to me that left me with inner satisfaction.

---

6:30 PM.

I was back home early from office.

As a part of my routine, during and after the dinner I had to be stuck to my cell phone. After all, I am supposed to be updated about all that is happening around, from social networking to the news app on my phone to my favorite whatsapp to gmail and my office emails to the melodious songs on saavn. I would barely raise my head to talk to my family everyday.

But this fateful day was entirely different. I had to, rather, I got to spend time with my parents. We talked about all sort of stuff that day while having dinner. After dinner we went for a long walk. I shared my experiences of the day with them. Also, I turned into a keen listener to my mother and father about what they did the whole day, varying from my mother's complaints against the maid and my father's comments on the country's changing political scenario.

I shared with them my experiences of the day at office.

---

11:00 AM

In the absence of connectivity to the web, amusingly, office' work came to a standstill. Software Engineers can do zero work in the such a situation. We went on a team lunch, and played some team building games out in the open. This rejuvenated the child in all of us. We also got to see the sunset after a long time. We enjoyed and laughed and almost forgot that the virtual world of internet and social networking. No email popped up and no chats with fake smileys came in that day.  This should originally have been termed as "staying connected".

---

10:00 PM

Sitting idle, I pondered over how long the day was a fun filled day. And then I realized that it has been months since I spoke to some of my distant close friends. Thanks to Internet that kept us updated to such an extent that we didn't get a chance to hear each other's voices. It was the day when I made phone calls to all of them. All our college time memories were refreshed by then.

---

11:00 PM

Ideally this is the time for me to stick on the bed with mobile and typing on Whatsapp. But this time, carrying no regrets of the absence of it, I went towards my bookshelf, smelling the fragrance of what we call as unused books- my novels and journals. I chose one of my long pending novels, read it for sometime and went to bed with a smile on the face cherishing the lovely thoughts of the day.

---

6:00 AM

I was in the lap of a stress-free, quiescent sleep and a few minutes after that the alarm on my cell phone rang and I learnt that all this was a dream. Yes, this was a dream and the world's Internet is intact! :)

Thinking about life without Internet may seem like a nightmare for almost all, but this dream woke me up with a feeling that there's a lot in life than technology and that Internet is a black, frivolous hole that sucks away time in huge, horrible chunks.

Night walk with your close ones on the streets is more pacifying than travelling across the planet on Google Earth.

The euphoria of watching the radiant sunset with a loved one on an evening is better than blindly liking pictures of those who are merely "online friends".

Every untweeted observation of daily life is more sacred than retweeting the tweets that in no way correspond to your reality.

Find sometime to recharge yourself, not just your gadgets.

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मेरी माँ

कितनी भोली कितनी प्यारी है मेरी माँ,
मुझको हर पल मीठी डांट लगाती है मेरी माँ,
मुझको जीने का ढंग सिखाती है मेरी माँ,
मुझको चोट लगे तो ख़ुद दुःख पाती है मेरी माँ,

ऊपर जिसका अंत नहीं, उसे कहते हैं आसमां,
जहान में जिसका अंत नहीं, उसे कहते हैं माँ,
उनकी ममता कि छाओं में,
जाने कब खड़ी हुई मैं अपने पांव पे,

नींद अपनी भूला कर सुलाया जिसने,
आँसू अपने गिरा कर हंसाया जिसने,
इतना दुलार कहाँ से लाती हैं मेरी माँ,
कितनी भोली कितनी प्यारी है मेरी माँ

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MUMMY

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There is only one difference between dream and aim.  Dream requires effortless sleep and aim requires sleepless efforts.
Sleep for dream and Wake Up for aim.

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You never know how strong you are until being strong is the ONLY option.
Source- Internet

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Pie in the sky

Its a state of mind,

It certainly may pass by,

If the destiny is kind,

It definitely may last without a shy,

In the gleaming moonlight,

Seldom does the thought haunt by,

In me lies the limit,

Claims the sky high

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They say, "If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck.”
Source-Internet

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People and us - Live and Let Live

*Frustration - No offenses intended*

A special thanks to all those who kept inspiring me to write such post.



They are more worried of our lives then we and our parents are! So nice of them.. Ain't they?....

It all started when we were born.

When we were toddlers, they used to ask our parents- "Which school are you getting your child admitted to?" Suggestions and concerns varying from private to public school, Hindi to English medium, co-ed or non co-ed, far or near, high budget to low budget etc.

We got into a good English medium, co-ed, CBSE school. It all went smooth until we turned 10.

Now these worrisome people now say- "co-education! are you sure you want your kids to stay in there? You know what these girls and boys studying together means? Your child would slip out of your hand? Don't delay, change the school....." Later, someone with a softer heart comes to your rescue and you are fortunate enough to stay in the same school.

Class 10th, they again enter our lives saying- "Which subject are you opting for? Make sure you opt for xyz subject. Don't choose the harder stream. After all, we are born to enjoy our lives, not to dive into books and have spectacles for the rest of our lives! Make sure to do what everyone else does, and not dare to walk the road not taken"

Anyway, we chose what we found right, and moved ahead.

They are restless and enter again in an year or two saying - "Which college..? Same city....? That college isn't good and blah blah."

We somehow succeed in shutting their mouths with cello tapes for some while and get into a suitable college.

But I tell you, they are too anxious, indeed. They dived again and said - "Didn't you get placement as yet? Poor you, your college may not be able to get you a reputed job. Do this XYZ course and you shall be selected... blah blah.... " A hell lot of advice for free.

Eventually, we bagged decent placements. Now they have a bunch of more advice about whether we should stay in our home town or go out for job.

In the meantime, they worry about how we commute, do we come home late or early, hanging out with friends of opposite gender, have an affair with that close friend, expert in household chores or not, salary package, next appraisal date, promotion! These so-called concerns would chase us till the end of the planet.

Somehow, we were spared alive out of all this and learning to breathe air of freedom. Alas! It was our misconception. Now they were worried of us getting married ASAP, along with bombardment of suggestions about the kind of spouse, city, family, love/arranged marriage, working after marriage, examples of cousins and friends of our age who are married by now. In all, they say its time to settle now and quit chasing your dreams.

To our astonishment, they would never stop peeping into our lives even now. An year after marriage, they would keep asking about the so-called "khush-khabri" (good news), followed by the scope of another "khush-khabri" later.

And the vicious cycle begins from the top again.

I wonder, they should take rest at some point of time, and let us take a sigh of relief too.

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बड़ी हठीली ये रात

बड़ी हठीली ये रात,
मधुर गजलों का है साथ,

गिराते हुए पलकों के पर्दे,
बुला रही है निंदिया रानी,
मंद मुस्कान लिए ये होँठ,
कह रहे थम जा तू ऐ रात,
बड़ी हठीली ये रात,

अंधियरे में फैला सन्नाटा,
टिक टिक करता घड़ी का काँटा,

दबे पाँव ही सही सवेरा तो आना है,
तेरी विदाई का क्षण तो आना है,
कुछ पल ठहर जा ऐ रात,
बड़ी हठीली ये रात,

एक नई रौशनी का होगा साथ,
जब बीत जायेगी तू ऐ रात,
खूबसूरत होगी वो सहर,
अनेक आशाओं को समेटे गोद में,
आ जायेगी वो सहर,
बड़ी हठीली ये रात,
मधुर गजलों का है साथ

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Today will be the best day of my life

The moment you wake up, recite the following loudly:

Today will be the best day of my life. I will be more alive, alert and grateful. I am thankful for everything that has happened to me – the good, the bad, the indifferent. All of these experiences have collectively made me richer. I know that I am not perfect today nor will I ever be. Perfection is not what I strive for. I’d rather be kind and hardworking. I came to this world with nothing and I will go back with nothing except my actions and good deeds. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to start afresh. 

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Silver spoons need to be nurtured so that they remain silver.

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Why is the sky blue, but not black,
Why is there a KEY to success, but no lock,
Why do birds chirp, but cannot express ,
Why do people work equally, but earn unequally,
Why do people laugh, but are not contented,
Why is the world round, but not flat.
Why is there a limit to the limitless.

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चाँद कितना ही खूबसूरत हो, धरती के ही चक्कर काटता है.

(No matter how beautiful the moon, it eventually rotates around the Earth).

 

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THE END

(Short story - a  work of fiction)

You opened your eyes and discovered something - A peaceful place, white clouds all around; a glorious white light ubiquitously spread; all hazy; someone clad in white appeared from nowhere.



"You were on your way home and you died. And that's when you met me."

"What! Where am I? I don't understand....."

"You met a fatal accident, on your way home, a truck skid and then the car accident happened. They tried to save you, all in vain."

You exclaimed, "I....I died! Where is my wife? My children, are they fine? Who will take care of them? I want to see them."

"They all shall be fine soon. Your kids will remember you always. Your wife will cry, but secretly relieved. Nevertheless, your marriage wasn't working well."

"Oh. So what happens now, I will go to hell, heaven or something?"

"Neither. You will reincarnate."

"Reincarnate.! So, the Hindus were right."

"All religions are right my son."

"What's the point, then? I will start again as a baby, a blank slate. So all my experiences of this life shall vanish."

"Yes, you are nothing but a magnificent soul. You will be born as a Chinese girl to a farmer in 592 A.D."

"592 A.D., but that has already passed. You will send me to the past! What if I meet my future self then."

"Its only you who is born and dies again. You have reincarnated numerous times. In this universe there are just you and me. You are my child, and I, your father."

"Wait.. You  mean I everyone, and everyone else is me. I am Abraham Lincoln... I am Hitler... I am Akbar.. I am Mother Teresa.. the street side beggar, and I am.... I am Jesus.. Ram......and....."

"Now you get it, my child."

"Every time you victimized someone, you were victimizing yourself. Every act of kindness you've done, you've done to yourself. Every happy and sad moment ever experienced by any human was, or will be, experienced by you."

"You mean I am god."

"No, not now. You are a fetus, still growing, getting mature."

"I am sending you on your way now."

 

 

 

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Somewhere in the Mist

She lived in Oakland; Anna, the chubby girl in her mid 20’s was gifted with dimpled cheeks, curly hair and cat eyes. She was known for carrying a lovely smile and a pretty face. Deep inside, she hid profound grief; she was an orphan who lost her parents at the age of 11 and was brought up by her grandfather who also passed away about a year ago.

After a tiring day at work, now at her plush apartment, Anna had her dinner alone, and went to bed. It was half past 10. Lying on her bed, she was feeling short of sleep due to numerous thoughts that crept her mind. She was hugging her favorite doll and her long term companion, whom she called Dolly. Turning on and off the table lamp beside her bed she was looking at the photo frame hanged on the front wall. The photograph was taken on her 11^th birthday when she and her parents were out for a holiday, where her mother – a thin lady with her brown unkempt locks of hair, dressed in a pretty white gown was standing beside her father. Her father, a tall and fair man, had dimpled cheeks; she inherited hers from him!  In the photograph, she was standing in the middle of her loving parents with Dolly in her hand. She recalled that her grandpa often told her the story of the true love of her parents.

This comely thought was soon overridden by the flashes of the life changing incident that occurred to the family that night while returning home. She always wondered whether it was her fortune or ill fate that she was the only one spared alive out of that fierce accident.

With a tear rolling down her eye, her cheeks turned pink and soon she fell asleep.

The next morning she got ready for her office in a lovely pink dress with polka dots. She took the 9:20 AM bus to her workplace.

As always, she reached the office by 9:45. Her closest friend for the last 3 years, Isabella called her to say she was waiting for her at the café`.

Bella, as Anna called her, was a thin and tall young girl, not as pretty as Anna, had a dusky complexion and thin hair extending up to her waist. She and Anna shared a lot of similarities on one hand and evident differences on the other. Unlike Anna, Isabella had limited friends. Isabella lived in the town with her parents, grandparents and a younger brother. She belonged to a middle class family who had limited resources for their living.

She said, with an alternate appearance of irritation and smile on her face, "Bella, I bet, you'll never change. You have such a weak memory!"
And Isabella replied, hiding her laughter, “Did I make some mistake again? “

Anna’s face drooped and she said, “No you didn’t. Let’s go back, I have a lot of work to finish today.” Regaining her senses, she continued with cheer, “What are you doing this evening? How about going to go for the new movie at the mall?”

“Sorry Anna, I have to take my grandmother to the Doctor today. She isn’t recovering well. We can plan for the movie some other day. Let us get back to work. Anyway, there is nothing so special about today!”

In a low tone, Anna replied, “You are right. We can go out some other day.”

It was 5 in the evening. Anna had already left for home, at her usual time. She took the 5:10 bus, reached home at 5:35, and changed her clothes. She played some soft music and sat in front of her parents’ photograph. She was unhappy today.

It was the day when she lost her parents years ago, and also her birthday.

Soon after, her phone ringed. It was an SMS from Bella. It read – “Need your help, come home soon.” Anna was worried on reading this. She tried calling back but couldn’t reach her. Without giving a second thought, she left for Isabella’s house in the town. It was 6:30 in the evening. She reached there by around 7 PM. She tried making calls to Bella throughout her transit, but couldn’t speak to her. This increased her anxiety.

As Anna reached in front of Isabella’s house, a ramshackle cottage, the darkness of the dusk caused her difficulty in seeing the entrance. While she was rushing in, she accidentally bumped into Isabella’s pet dog. She recalled that Isabella told her the name of her pet was Rusty. Rusty began barking at her. This added to the procrastination. Within moments, she saw Isabella’s grandfather, a stooping old man with barely countable hair on his head, stepping out of the house, called Rusty towards him and directed Anna to the entrance. The door was already open, she peeped in. The lights of the hall of that small dwelling were off. A startled Anna turned back to see Grandpa and Rusty, but couldn’t find them there.

She panicked and worried about her dear friend. Soon after she heard several people singing the birthday rhyme, “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Anna…” and the lights turned on. It was Isabella’s family in the room – her mother, father, brother, grandma, grandpa and Rusty in a corner! She couldn’t find Bella anywhere. She was gratified by this surprise but resentful that she was made to wait for the whole day. A scrumptious birthday cake was kept on a simple wooden table. She was glad to see the whole family offering a candid welcome. She had been missing this for years. The absence of her parents and her loneliness was filled by affection she received from the lovely family of her friend.

A thought abruptly struck her, Bella could be seen nowhere. She asked Isabella’s mother about her. Her mother took Anna to the nearby room where Bella was lying, enervated. Anna was shocked to see her Bella in this condition, her eyes filled with tears. Isabella’s mother narrated to Anna, that her daughter had an asthmatic attack in the evening in spite of which she was desperate to celebrate the special day for her close friend, and willing to bear this ailment for her sake.

Anna hugged her and broke into tears. She had no family, but Bella had. She was rich, Bella was poor. She was beautiful, Bella wasn’t. She made everyone smile, but was unhappy deep inside. Bella was in poor health but had the urge to bring back smile to her friend. Anna hugged her and realized that it was their differences which made their bond special and that there is nothing called misfortune, but the way you interpret what occurs to you.

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A Dusk in the Garden

Just after the sunset and while the moon is about to appear, a few happy-go-lucky children with their after-Holi pink faces are playing on the garden grass. Some are rejoicing on the swings and others just talking. Alas! two little girls have started dancing. Funny though!
The mixed voices of those young girls is reaching my ears from a distance.
Some middle aged women are walking alone along the periphery of the garden, on the interlock-tiled floor in the calm breeze of this March evening. A few infants are accompanied by their parents or grandparents, supposedly for safety on the rides and swings. A secluded old couple is sitting silently on a bench. The temple door is open now. A toddler hopping with a tickle on her face just walked into the gates of the garden with her grandma. She waved goodbye to me after her grandma requested her thrice. Another lady, possibly in her sixties is standing in front of the temple, bowing to the god's idol. She must be tired through the day to walk up the staircases of the temple.

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It shall no more be a secret, once told.

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