ಸಂಜೆಯ ಬಿರುಮಳೆ - Evening Rain

ಬೇಸಿಗೆಯ ಒಂದು ಸಂಜೆಯಲಿ ಬಿರುಮಳೆ,
ತಣ್ಣನೆಯ ಸುಳಿಗಾಳಿ,
ಬಿಸಿಲಲಿ ಕಾದು, ಹೊಸ ಮಳೆಹನಿಗೆ ಬೆಂದ-
ನೆಲದ ಮಣ್ಣ ವಾಸನೆ,

ಬೆಳಕು ಸತ್ತ ಒದ್ದೆ ಮುದ್ದೆ ಸಂಜೆ ಯಾಕೋ
ಅಸಹನೀಯ ಅನಿಸುತಿದೆ;
ಇಂದು ರಾತ್ರಿಗೆ ಸೆಖೆ ಇನ್ನೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗುವುದ ನೆನೆದೋ,
ಅಥವಾ ಈ ಕ್ಷಣ, ನೀನೀಗ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಇಲ್ಲವೆಂದೋ?

Summer Rain-cool breeze, sudden burst;
Smell of baked earth-quenching its thirst;

Evening-getting all damp and irritable!
Am I thinking of the sweaty night ahead,
or You not being here with me at this moment?

IF I WILL EVER BE FREE...

If I will ever be free, I would like to be freed from all those things which are unworthy of being loved; even if it is the love itself!



HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

A BIRTHDAY WISH TO MY FRIEND

All these years I have thought, many a times
'I have finally deciphered the friendship we share'
And again, I have realized all those times
that 'there's more than this, to the way we care'
All the crap we talk and all the silence;
All the little quarrels and all this distance-
has ofcourse added to our friendship, to its intensity to its growth.

So, here is a wish, a wish to my special friend,
who is unique and hard to be elsewhere found-
A very happy birthday to you,
may all your dreams come true...

HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY!!

THOUGHTS, ABSTRACTS AND THOUGHTLESS ABSTRACTS

Hmmm... Thinking too much these days, thanks to one of my friend, who visited me recently and started of this crazy thing... thinking abstractly! We spent two days together, talking, chatting, testing our theories on each other, carelessly whipping each other's sanity, screwing up each others mind, getting shot between eyes right through the brain...

Below is my share of abstractness...

I believe what I believe
I do what I do
I am not what I am not
I am what I am

I believe that every action (however spontaneous it is) has to have reason (“Whether I believe?” was his question for me). You may do some thing unknowingly/spontaneously/involuntarily and feel there was no reason for your action. But think upon what you did, and you will come across a reason (how ever big/trivial/selfless/good/bad it is) which prompted you to do the thing, you just did…

And my friend, completely trashed my idea and said that he believed some actions of us do not require any (any means ANY) reasons. And since I believed otherwise, he started feeling doubtful about me and my actions that what if, these actions were planned to fit him (trap him) into a bigger plan of me with ulterior motive. And so he became very cautious.

Huh! I never thought I would scare someone with my preachings :)

HERE I AM

I was introduced to English music very lately. Though I am a music buff, I was little bit shy/afraid to take up English, as I seldom understood the wordings. So got hooked up to international instrumentals first. And slowly upgraded myself to simple songs, working my way up to pop, rock, jazz and metalica etecetera. And thanks to some of my friends, who pushed me to do all this, now I enjoy all kind of music.

Not a long ago, one fine day, one of my friend sent me this song written by "Bryan Adams" telling that its theme suited me very much... So I listened to it and instantly fell in love with it, thanked my friend saying how true she was!

So here it is, short and sweet...

Here I am - This is me
I come into this world, so wild and free
Here I am - so young and strong
Right here in the place, where I belong!

It's a new world - it's a new start
It's alive with the beating of young hearts
It's a new day - in a new land
And it's waiting for me,
Here I am!

It's a new world - it's a new start
It's alive with the beating of young hearts
It's a new day - in a new land
And it's waiting for me,
Here I am!

I SHOULD BE...

You Should Be A Poet

You craft words well, in creative and unexpected ways. And you have a great talent for evoking beautiful imagery... Or describing the most intense heartbreak ever. You're already naturally a poet, even if you've never written a poem.

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

RESOLUTIONS

Getting down from a bus, you have bus tickets in your hand; you have come out of a movie, with crumpled tickets in your hand or you have empty carton of your favorite soft-drink/noodles, which you finished. What are you going to do? Throw the tickets/cartons away? Just few days away from a new year, let us make some MEANINGFUL resolutions. Let us start from the resolutions, which will affect the society in which we live. What counts more than anything in this life is ‘WE’, the feeling of our own self. Therefore, if we make resolutions, and try to follow them, we change ourselves, and bring upon the change in others.

First, do not throw those tickets/cartons away wherever you want. Do not try to escape by telling - there are no sufficient dustbins, if you can show off that filled carton in you hand, then you should be carrying it with you until you find a place for its proper disposal. And as far as those Movie/Bus tickets are concerned, they weigh nothing with all the stuff you have in your pockets. Keep environment pollution to the minimum. And (please boys) DO NOT use a public place/a remote place, which was not intended to be used as TOILET, to answer your nature call. Do not spit in public places.

Never ever, pay the beggars; I am not trying to be inconsiderate towards the needy. However, do not ever pay them, if you are not feeling right about it. Those women with children; a man with a grown-up daughter to be married; small children bowing to touch your feet; shoo them off with stern words. If you really want to help the poor and downtrodden you can take the help of many good NGOs. Though we have the insincerity of frowning at every social setup with cynicism, there are many good NGOs, which work hard and harder to balance the equation. If you have time, visit any of the homes for elderly, children with disabilities, etc. If you do not want to dwell into all of this, just give that old person whatever you like to give.

While speaking of paying, never ever pay tips for unworthy. Dont ever bribe anybody for your work (if you are using the right channel). Yes we know, time matters more than money, but it matters more, if WE (read that as ‘learned, educated, e-nabled’) pay knowing all the rules (of the book!). Make an issue, rightfully warn the person(s). Others in the queue will support you (!)

Speak your own language with your own people, unless you are in a company of friends who understand your language just as they understand blue ‘Fatal Error’ screen of Windows. In such cases, you can switch to Hindi or liberally to English. But speak your own language on all other occasions (except occasions like- while explaining that library function you wrote, to your friend, and etc.). Try to guess what words of your own language you used when you were younger which you have replaced now with English. English is growing fast. The words in our own languages are forgotten, almost lost. You can feel the effect even if you talk to you a kid going to kindergarten. Languages are the medium of knowledge transfer. They differed and so the cultures grew, the history, generations bloomed. Don’t you dare make earth (with your liberal ‘global’ vision) single-language-speaking, single-cultured robos factory! Life is always in Diversity. And there is always Unity in Diversity.

And about Kannadigas/Bangaloreans, they should teach others, their language. Instead of asking their friends, ‘What do you say for…. in your language,”, they should start talking like, “We call …. for this, what you call?” Really friends, you hear pukka Bhojpuri-Hindi in MG/Brigade Road, rustic Tamil, sweet Malayalam, Telugu, Marathi, etc. Don’t panic that there are no kannadigas strolling down these ‘cool’ streets; but they are talking in ‘English’ or other language than Kannada.

Do not smirk, but be a desi if you can and as much as you can. I do not want you to wear only khadis and eat only chapattis for the rest of your life. I know, we are working for those who live in US of A, but it is our money. We have earned every penny (paisa) of it. Why spend it again on those colas, foreign branded clothing & accessories. Kabhi kabhi Kurthis bhee khareedo bhai. Pizza ke place mein chaat hojaye, Cola ke badle kabhi nariyal paani bhi. But seriously, I hope all of you’ve received a mail of Indian brands vs Foreign brands a long ago, try using at least best of them.

Buy those ear-buds, kerchiefs, balloons, shoelaces, small gifts, from street vendors. Get your weight weighed by that weighing machine of the girl who sits on the pavement with her innocent smile. Get some roses from her. Sometimes we can’t help, but HELP them this way.

And there is always time to make your ‘OWN’ resolutions, getting off that extra inch around your waist, drinking/smoking less, getting a girl/boy who UNDERSTANDS you, reading everyday a bit, lazing off with friends, listening to music, trying your hand at office’s cricket, learning new technologies, looking out for better opportunities, resisting the urge to beat your team leader to death…

So be health conscious, socially conscious, loving and caring towards your family and friends, enthusiastic towards what’s there to come in your life and dedicated towards your goal, from this year onwards, every year.

THE CALL

This is not my day. Early in the morning, I got two separate calls from two of my credit card agencies, asking me if I would pay in cash, if they send their personnel to my office address; I called home and learnt that my mom was ill and as usual my brothers were not around to take her to hospital; I have a deadline today, which means I am going to be deskbound till midnight with the hateful assignment I am doing (God! How I hate this job). And after my analysis yesterday, I found out that my friend is paying me pittance for the freelance work he gave me. All of this is happening because I am not sure of myself and my abilities. I can’t change this, even though I know what’s wrong. I have always been ‘YES’ man, afraid to say ‘NO’ confidently. I am afraid of facing the situations, persons. I like to avoid those or hide from them, instead of confronting them.

At 11.00, I got another call from one of my credit card agencies, asking my consent to send their personnel. After which I call my friend Albert, asking him whether he could lend me some money…He doubted, if he had enough cash in his account (I knew this would be his answer). So I am left with only one choice… To call one of my old colleague and friend, who would surely lend me some money, but make me feel very sorry for getting it. He is the man of theories and compared to me he is a successful man, who likes show that off, by helping many others like me…

---------------------------------

I dialed the number on my mobile. Before the call routing, I got an automated message telling me that my balance is low and I have to recharge soon. When it started ringing, I suddenly realized what I just did. Instead of dialing my friend’s number, I did dial my own number… And queer thing is-It is ringing! Cursing myself, I took the mobile to cut the call, and suddenly my call got received on the other end. (Oh great, I can’t even dial my own number properly.)
“Hello…”
“Hello, who’s this?”
I started apologizing to the person on the other side and explained that I dialed his number, instead of my friend’s. He paused, before asking me, “What’s your friend’s number?”
I gave my friends number, and he asked,
“But that’s all together a different connection and different series of numbers. How you could’ve dialed my number, instead of his?” I am tired, but I explained patiently that instead of dialing my friend’s number, I dialed my number which wasn’t correct as well (Surely I must have miss-typed some digits). He again asked, “What’s your number?” I repeated my number, and he got irritated,
“No, I am asking you for my number…”
(Can’t he see on his device?) I repeated my number and he cut me off in the middle,
“No sir, that’s my number”
“What?! That can’t be!”
“Check your device screen friend…” I checked the pale yellow screen of my mobile phone and saw my own number on top in active call mode.
“No friend,” I used the same casual language he used, “there must be some network goof-up, but this is my number”
He chuckled, and I found it was odd, am I hearing my own echo?
“How can that be boss? I have been using this number for last two years…”
“Me too friend, this is my first mobile connection…” I want to end this conversation. Why make my life more complex. I cut the call abruptly and fell into my seat.

---------------------------------

I sat silently for sometime, staring at the monitor. Then, I don't know why I did what I did; I took my mobile and started dialing my own number. My heart suddenly started beating erratically, when I heard a 'click' and my call got received.
“Hello....” Now I got the second and the most fearsome oddity about this fellow. He just sounded like me! And I knew it was crazy!
On the phone, he repeated, “Hello!”
“Ahm... Hi, hello, this is me again”, I was more embarrassed than worried.
“Tell me”
“May I know your name?”
“Okay, but you have to answer it first.” I told him my name.
He repeated it, after 2 seconds. “... That’s my name too”.
This was craziness. I thought of cutting the call, but then I continued. “You work?” “Yep, you?” “Me too, I am a software engineer”,
"Hey, me too... But don't tell me, you work for ..."

Oh... I thought I don’t want to talk to this guy. I cut the call and sat silently, thinking what to do next. ('Should I call my mobile service provider and explain the problem? But how shall I put this problem, more sanely? Or is this a real problem, or am I imagining things? If I am, then this is the limit of sanity. Maybe I will start screaming, running around, and tearing my clothes. What next? Oh wait, let me check the user guide of this mobile instrument. My roomie, my best buddy has a trick with these gadgets. He learns their ins and outs within no time, and also finds many ways to tamper them. Is this April 1st. Nope, crazy me, I went home last week for Diwali.')

I couldn't quite concentrate on my work the whole day. I went to my room in the late evening and did a thorough research on the literature that came with my mobile instrument, but no use. There was no way of changing or redirecting your own-number-dialing to some other number. But even if there was, how can my roomie talk exactly like me? Exactly like me? Nay! He sounded exactly like me, if I was content & happy with what I am today and what I am doing. Like a very happy me! Yes that was the difference. With all these worries, I started feeling this is the last pin, pinning my mind firmly on to the mounting board of mental dissection.

---------------------------------

It is 9pm and chilly outside, my roomie hasn’t returned yet. I dialed my number again. This time, it was received within the first ring. He seemed to be happy (probably, making me go insane!).
"Oh! Hi my doppelganger!”
"I am not! But you are! Yes, you are my doppelganger! You are adding to my already a never ending chain of worries!" I lost my patience at last and this time I was happy for losing it!
"Oh, come on now, cant you take a decent joke like that?" He didn't seem to be hurt."...good, you called me. I just got a deal of work from my friend and his company.” I thought why is he telling me all this, but he continued,
"…I never had the courage to say 'NO' when it was necessary. But after many years I have learnt the trick of the trade. This deal earned them a handsome amount, but I felt I was being paid in pennies for the work. I did a thorough study... and today I said I can't take up the work... And just a minute back, my friend called up and said okay to my proposition!"
I abruptly cut the phone and called my friend Albert and he too took the call with in first ring,
"Tell me..."
I told him my analysis and detailed my terms & conditions.
He just said, "Okay, done! Actually I was trying to call you, but you never picked it up. Thought you would say no! That’s good. Good deal!"
I heaved a sigh! The deal is on! I could breathe now. Let me plan out the other things that have been pending now. Let me start cooking first. My roomie will come now…

---------------------------------

I asked him, “Have you ever tried dialing your own number, trying to reach me?”
He said, without much of thinking, “Oh, yeah, but I get the busy message always, it never gets through to you, strange isn’t it?”
“Yeap… What’s for the weekend?”
“Oh, I have to study; my exams are coming nearer.”
“So?”
“So, I have asked one of my friends, a batch mate of mine last year, now my senior, to come to my place and give me some tuition on those two subjects...”
“Hmmm… Is it Sheik, you are talking about?”
“Obviously, yes, he is a bright chap you know?”

I knew what I should be doing this weekend. After the call, I called home, and told my mother, I wouldn’t be coming home this weekend, as my exams dates are drawing nearer. She agreed and asked me to study well. I started re-arranging my cupboard, searching for my books, old question papers, photocopies of notes…

---------------------------------

“Have you ever thought of meeting me?” Its been a month we have been bound by this chat.
“Meeting you? Yeah, sort of…” I was sitting in the cafeteria, talking to him. My colleagues, who were sitting along with me, started whispering among themselves and started making faces at me… They all think I’ve got a girlfriend now! Even my roomie thinks that I am hiding something from him… And he also thinks I am becoming more cheerful these days…
“So, when shall we meet?”
“Today…” I could hear my own heartbeat echoing in my ears.
I could sense, he was thinking on the other end of the connection… “Okay, we can…”
“Where?”
“Actually… I am home today, have got a cold, so how about today after your work?” Even I have a cold because of getting up early; jogging a kilometer to the gym which I joined newly, in this mid-winter morning chill.
“Oh... Sure, I can complete my work by 4:00 p.m, and come where?”
“You know my address, right?” He promptly dictated me my own address. This is silly I thought. And then again I thought, let me face this, as I started facing my worst fears these days and for my surprise, started winning over them!
He told, “But, let this be our last meeting…”
Keeping my voice, nonchalant, I asked, “Oh, why?”
“You know the answer; you don’t want to look like a psychologically challenged speaking to your own voice, dialing your own number, right? And there is even more reasons…”
My colleagues, sitting next to me oooohed aaahed, when I finally finished talking. I dared not explain this whole thing to them…

---------------------------------

I dialed my number, as soon as I got down from my bus at my stop; He answered the call within three rings.
”Where are you now?”
“Actually, I lied, I am not at home.”
“What?” I knew his ways now!
“Yeap, but don’t worry, lets meet” I could here the usual noises of the city around me, and I can hear the same voices, echoing through my mobile, from the other side.
“So? Where and when?” I started getting restless and he sensed it…
“Hey, did I tell you that I went to work today, and just now got down from the bus and am walking to my room?” I looked around me, as turned into a small road of my room. There was a big lorry stood blocking entry to my first floor room…
“Where are you now, then?” I asked him.
“I am right here in front of you friend, just look straight!” I saw him, and I saw myself!

The family staying in the second floor of my building was moving out, and they were filling the lorry with their belongings. A huge steel cupboard with a full length mirror was kept next to the lorry, waiting to be lifted up into it… And I saw him…!
I saw him and I saw myself. He was smiling at me in the full length mirror… I said, “Hi” into the mobile… And he did the same, “Hi!” One of the guys from second floor apologized for blocking the staircase, and offered me a chair to sit and wait for five minutes, so that they could clear the way. But I stood there talking to him…
“Here you are!”
“Yeap, as promised!”
“You look exactly like me”
“Yeap and you know that’s because I am you!”
And now I knew, why he wanted this to be our last meeting, “Yes, that’s the exact reason…” he read my thoughts, “… you can’t be talking to yourself or your inner self in open. You’ll be treated as a mental case if you do that…” “But why did you choose me?” “Choose you? For what? For this experimentation? Nope, this was just to improve my outer self. I was always confident; I was always enabled like any other person. But as outer self, you lacked that confidence. And you didn’t even turn to me in search of support. So it was just a self-help that I did. I was correcting myself. I wanted to make ourselves confident, enabled,happy & content as a single man…” I sat down on the chair talking to him over the mobile. We talked about many things in detail. It was wonderful as well as surprising how he had solution for every problem I had, answer for every doubt I had… Then when we couldn’t find anything to talk about, he took a jovial note, "Tell you what? Now you are in a new problem!"
"How do you know?"
"Told you long before, you are my... no, I am your doppelganger!"
"Is it?” we were laughing; I looked healthier in the mirror. I got to measure my weight. I have been eating like a famished vulture these days.
"So, you want a solution for this problem also, right?" I felt my heart booming out of my chest, I felt breathless.
"No. Actually this is not a problem. This is kind of a new thing, new situation..."
"I know, I know", he said laughing, "its same here..."
"Is it? Did you tell her?"
"Oh, no way! I am lost and totally messy as you are in the matters of the heart. And this is my first time, you know?"
"How should I know? I always thought you're my other half; the happier & confident half". He laughed a lot.
"So, let’s help each other!"
"No way, let me not manipulate things here. I know, my heart will find a way"
"Exactly right", he agreed,” Even I would have said no if you had agreed to help me out". They cleared my staircase. I got up from the chair they offered me. One of them thanked me. I smiled at them, still talking over my mobile,
"Okay then, as you said, 'Bye!'"
"Adieu!”He cut the call first. The lorry started moving away and someone had already covered the mirror with some sheet of cloth. I went up the stairs to my room, trying to dial my number.... And I got a reply! "This line is busy, kindly try after sometime!"

I VISITED MY FRIEND

Just look, you will get a look back, glance and you'll be glanced back, and try a smile, surely (for your astonishment!) there is a smile back at you - this is what I liked about girls in Pune. Pune, as it boasts, an educational hub; now also becoming major IT destination of our country, is the subject of my write up this time. And let me state that, this is purely an attempt of a visitor of 3 days to this city.

In the lap of western ghats, on the Bangalore-Mumbai highway, Pune has it all. A dry, dusty and sweaty summer, monotonous rains to chilling winter. It was raining, when I visited Pune. Most of the roads of Pune are wider, wider than I thought, but only if they were devoid of potholes, and puddles.

There are rivers flowing in between Pune, slicing it in many parts. There are big bridges, over these rivers. These rivers are the main cause, may be, for the cleanliness of Pune, and also ironically the main cause of public apathy of Puneits towards general cleanliness. I suppose, all the Pune's bowels are washed down by these rivers.

Even the main streets, were full of unattended garbage-smelling and seeping into the rain waters, which would form puddles (as I said before) on the streets. Even the best of hotels and restaurants we visited ( and we could afford) had this policy of cleanliness-Your plate will be cleaner than the table on which it is set, and the table top is cleaner than the floor on which it is stood. On the floor, there is dust, mud marks of you, and also several others, who walked before you! In all the hotels, we changed thewater glasses at least once!

Food was totally different from my place, and I instantly liked it. Most of the food is wheat based, and baked. Breads, Paav Bhaji, Vada Paav, Kanda Bhaji, Misal Paav, Sweets etc. Though I liked the food here, it costs you dearly here in Pune. We spent at least 60 to 100 Rs for a stomach full of breakfast for two of us.

Talking of prices, Pune is a costly city. Even the traveling in an auto costs you much higher than my place. Traveling reminds me one bad thing about Pune. The public transport is worst than any other city I suppose. The buses are clad in thick and black mud (mud pack !), the windows have a queer technique of opening and closing, conductor has the age old (and irreplaceable) tool of indicating the driver to stop: by tugging the rope, which runs from back door all the way to the driver on the inner roof, with a manual bell at the driver side. I, myself, twice tugged it while getting up. The food, the dresses, normal shopping, the accessories, shoes everything is on the higher end. I learnt, Pune is basically a city of natives who sweated their past in Mumbai, and came and lived here with their hard earned money.
Apart form all this, Pune seems to be a beautiful city. And full of girls, ladies (read the first paragraph) and young people. Though Pune gives you a conservative look, it is more open compared to my place. There are less inhibitions, I suppose, for the people from other places, who either work or study there in Pune. Cinema and shopping malls remain open till 2.00 in the morning, you see girls and boys walking, talking, and just enjoying the night. Though I couldn't find a suitable explanation why native girls from Pune wear head scarves, covering their complete face, leaving just the eyes, I couldn't think, Pune is as half conservative as my place. My friend told, it was because of the pollution, which I couldn't agree. We amusingly thought of setting up a shop, exclusively for head scarves, designer scarves, colorful scarves, models showing up different tying techniques, advertising in the local papers, fashion shows, etc. My friend kept saying, he found Marathi too sweet (though he barely understood it!). As for me, I used to fret, whenever a bus conductor or a paanwallah or an auto rickshaw driver talked me in Marathi, as couldn't understand the mood of the conversation. It used to be always in high pitch and I always thought, they are talking with rage, scolding me, for some wrong thing I did. Pune's people are generally honest; and this honesty is may be the result of affluence.

We visited Lonavla on Sunday, on the day of our Independence Celebrations. The local train was full to its brim and so the Bushi Dam we visited. There were people, and people everywhere, families, girls, boys, children, friends, lovers, filling and spanning the green hillocks of Lonavla, and exploring the woods, getting thoroughly wet in the water falls, streams, and continuously falling rain, drinking tea/coffee and other beverages, eating kanda-bhaji, Vada-pav. We joined them with our changed attire. Afterexploring the heights of a Water falls, which was mobbed by at least three hundred people, my friend suggested exploring many of the stealthy streams flowing, upwards, until we come across, a water fall or a total natural blockade. Since nobody had the time or interest to explore these we decided to go on.

This friend of mine is a real sportass. He gives me a lot of confidence. As clumsy I am in these feats, he treats me like a little child and guides me. Together, we went upstream of many streams, walking against in the flowing water, stepping, balancing on the stones, getting drenched by both stream, and incisively falling rain. We stopped whenever we came across a water fall, which had breathtaking heights, water beating on your head, making you to feel numb at brain!

In the evening we visited misty & mystic Khandala. My friend explained me how it transformed the look of a dusty National Highway into a scenic splendor. We had lots of Teas, Kanda Bhaji, Bhuttas.
We also visited Sinhaghad on the following day, ate Roti - Dal, and returning back, saw two movies back-to-back in the Pune's famous multiplex.

The next day was the day of sayin' good bye. We visited Chatushringi, a shrine nearer to my friend's office. We visited Dagadushet Halwai Ganapathi. And at last Parvathi. Inbetween we had a good maharastrian lunch, packed a load of sweets, goodies for me. On the top of Parvathi, we sat talking. There was cool breeze, and occasional showers and sunshine. Whole Pune was spanned before us, from left to right, front to back. It was totally refreshing and intimate moment. We talked, talked about future, past, old times, present...

and it was time to say GOOD BYE...

How we can expect to meet again, If we won't say Good Bye...?

TOUCH SENSE

Among all the senses that the human race is bestowed upon with, I feel touch is the most complex and important one. You can be blind, and yet see through your touch, you can be deaf and dumb, yet experience the life through touch. Have you ever thought how it would feel to be without the sense of touch? You cannot feel the heat of the sun on your face, nor the cold wind brushing through, neither the chill of the pouring rain running down your spine, nor the flowing blood from a cut on your finger.

Apart from these medical and strictly physical usage of the touch to feel the things, I think touch is also used to feel once inner self, the character of a person. Try shaking hands with your friends, and you can have the glimpse of their personalities in that touch. Cold and unmoving hand laying in your hand; quick and brisk shake of the hand; wet and sticky hands; firm and warm fisted; all depict the person we are dealing with.

Though you can feel this touch through out your body, hands play a very important role in feeling this sense. Let us say, hands are where the sense of touch is most concentrated. Ever touched the bulgy cheeks of a child; the snout of a scared rabbit? Ever felt your skin going shivery against the watery muzzle of tail-wagging dog? Touch, without any effort gives us the intention of the person touching us. Loving, caring and caressing touch, scared and fear-to-touch touch, hateful and painful touch, most hated and violating touch. The touch almost transfers the character of the person to our brain, and makes us to act accordingly. A loving friend’s assuring touch can lighten your grief when you are feeling low, Lover’s sensuous touch can start the higher notes on the harp of your heart, A doctor’s assuring touch can fill hopes in you, of speedy recovery. Your grand mother’s hands on your cheeks, giving you the most-loved-person-on-the-earth feeling, your pup licking your face, your pet cat purring in your arms, touch of lotus petals, touch of dried leaves under the your feet…. As I told in the beginning, even the blind can understand the language of touch. And children and females are more receptive to the sense of touch than our lot(In that sense, we grow senseless over the age!).

Also Most of us feel unsteady when we cannot touch anything worth transacting. We can feel the actual softness of a velvet cloth, the smoothness of the silks and make sure that the sales-person is not just blabbering off his well manipulated dialect. Don’t you think, where eyes can deceive you; touch can really hold you onto the best of the choices?

There are divine touch and healing touches which heal your body and soul. You are very touchy if you can’t control your emotions, You are also a touch-me-not if you cannot mingle with fellow human beings and on the extreme levels you can also be touch-me-and-you’re-dead persons. Touch stone can transform all that glitters into the real gold. Lastly don’t you think this is one touching story about the sense of touch?

TELLING THE TRUTH (Collected)

Telling the truth is a very good habit. If you always speak the truth, you can save yourself from a lot of trouble! Here is a story of a man who did a lot of bad things, but his promise to tell the truth saved him.
Once a man came to the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and said, "Oh prophet of God, I have many bad habits. Which one of them should I give up first?" The prophet said, "Give up telling lies first and always speak the truth." The man promised to do so and went home.

At night the man was about to go out to steal. Before setting out, he thought for a moment about the promise he made with the prophet. "If tomorrow the prophet asks me where have I been, what shall I say? Shall I say that I went out stealing? No, I cannot say that. But nor can I lie. If I tell the truth, everyone will start hating me and call me a thief. I would be punished for stealing."

So the man decided not to steal that night, and gave up this bad habit. Next day, he felt like drinking wine, when he was about to do so, he said to himself, "What shall I say to the prophet if he asks me what did I do during the day? I cannot tell a lie, and if I speak the truth people will hate me, because a Muslim is not allowed to drink wine." And so he gave up the idea of drinking wine.

In this way, whenever the man thought of doing something bad, he remembered his promise to tell the truth at all times. One by one, he gave up all his bad habits and became a good Muslim and a very good person.
If you always speak the truth, you can be a good person, a good human whom God likes and favors. If God - our Creator - is pleased with us, He will reward us with HEAVEN, which is a place of happiness and joy.
Make a promise: I shall always speak the truth.

COMPANY

Questions and doubts always bug inquisitive minds. Once Narada got a doubt, “Why they say we should be in the company of good people? What benefit we get from just being in their company? How it will change our lives?”

So without wasting any time pondering, Narada went to Vaikunta (abode of Sri Vishnu, the Operator of the universe and one among the Trinity), met the Lord himself (who is Know-all) and asked the question. God always has innovative ways of resolving your doubts, answering your questions. Instead of answering Narada, he smiled and said to him, “ There is one bed-bug in the Earth, whose eggs started hatching just now, just go to Earth and ask this question to the last hatched child of this bedbug.”

Now with confusion, Narada went to Earth. There was this family of bedbug. As he saw the last bedbug out of its egg, Narada asked the question. But instead of answering his question, the child-bug died once it saw Narada. He went back straight to Vaikunta and told Vishnu what happened. So the Lord gave him another solution - “There is this pig on the earth, which is delivering its babies. Just go and ask this question to the last piglet.”

Narada gingerly descended back to earth and went to meet this mother pig. As soon as he reached, the last piglet was delivered. He asked the same question to the piglet. But again, without answering his question, the piglet died instantly. Though it was just a pig, Narada thought he had ‘Pashu-Hatya Dosha’ (sin of killing animals). Sadly he went back to the Lord who said, “Don’t worry Narada, this time go and meet this young calf, which is just out its mother’s womb. It will give you the answer.”

Narada went back again to earth to meet the calf. Newly born calf was happily sucking on mother’s milk. He asked the same question again to the calf. But again to his horror, the calf, upon seeing Narada’s face, died. Narada was totally distraught and sad now.

He went to Vaikunta and pleaded the Lord, “I had ‘Go-Hatya Dosha’ now, oh Lord. I don’t know why you are making me a sinner.” Sri Vishnu, smiling said to Narada, “For the last time Narada, go and meet this child, who is born to the King of Shravanthi, and he will surely answer your question.” Narada begged, “ No my Lord, I don’t want to be a sinner with ‘Shishu-Hatya Dosha’. I don’t want the answer for my question.” The Lord insisted, “No Narada, there are many ways of gaining knowledge. You need to be strong to pursue the path to knowledge. I promise, nothing will happen to the child, just go and ask him the question”

The king of Shravanthi was overjoyed to see Narada. He had had a boy-child after many years and he wanted Narada to bless the child. Narada very cautious this time, went to see the child. He didn’t ask the question and just looked at the child. Child looked him and to his surprise, started talking, “Oh Narada, I want to thank you for all the blessing you did. I was a bedbug and you visited me. Your darshan cleansed me and I was reborn as a piglet. Again I saw you and just by your darshan, I was able to end that life and took birth as a calf. I was lucky enough that you visited me again and all my previous births’ sins were cleansed and I got this birth (which is most superior) as a human being. So just by seeing a mahathma (good person) like you, I was able to break the shackles of my old Karmas (deeds). Then think of the advantages we get by constantly being in the company of good people, how their thoughts and deeds will transform our life, how we get elated and become good people ourselves?” And Narada finally got his answer.

THE BEST DEVOTEE

Our Puranas are full of stories which depict simplest is greatest. Below is one such story.
Once Narada (the messenger of Lord Vishnu, the Operator of the world among the trinity) felt that he was the most ardent devotee of Vishnu. He prided on the fact that he continuously chanted 'Narayana. Narayana' (holy name of Vishnu) and always had Vishnu in his mind. So he went to Vaikunta (abode of Lord Vishnu) and met Lord himself. He eagerly asked the lord, who was his most ardent devotee.

He knew that Vishnu would take his name. But for his great disappointment, the lord answered, "There is one man on the earth, who is a poor peasant. And you know Narada, He is the Best of all my devotees".

Curious to meet this peasant, Narada quickly left Vaikunta and descended to earth to observe this best devotee and to check what made him the best over Narada himself.

The poor peasant lived in a hut with his family. Every day morning he gets up, washes and stands for a minute with hands folded; eyes closed and prays "Narayana, give me the strength to look after my family, to perform my duties". Then after the food, he goes to field to work. He toils without thinking anything else till evening. In the late evening, he comes home, washes, and just before eating his food, he prays again, "Narayana, thank you for enabling me to perform my duties". And afterwards before going to sleep, he remembers "Narayana, please make the tomorrow as it was today”, and sleeps.

Narada was confused to see this peasant's routine. Barely thrice in a day this fellow thought of the Lord and Lord Vishnu says he is the best of his devotee? He rushed back to Vaikunta with this question.

Lord Vishnu smiling, said, "I will prove my point. Do take this bowl of oil. Hold it straight since it is filled to the brim. Do not handover this to anybody. Just travel around all the seven worlds with this and come back to me, and I will give you the answer."

Narada, totally curious, accepted the bowl of the oil and started his journey. He felt that he should win this test. Whatsoever the reason, he thought he should never spill even a drop of oil from the bowl. He kept his total concentration on the bowl of oil and traveled all the seven worlds and came back to Vaikunta.

Lord was smiling at him. He asked if Narada has spilled any oil from the bowl. Narada said no. Lord asked how was the journey, to which Narada replied that it was tough, as he had to put all his concentration on the bowl of oil. And then the Lord finally asked, "Tell me Narada, in your journey - how many times you remembered me, said my name?"

Narada was baffled. He was totally shocked to learn that he never took Lord's name even once during his journey. He felt ashamed. Lord explained with a smile, "This is the difference Narada. With all his worldly duties, hectic life and poverty, the peasant prayed to me, thanked me at least thrice a day. And you had this little task and you totally forgot me? You never thought that taking my name would help you to make the journey easier! Now you tell me, who is my best devotee?"

RELATIVE VALUES

Mother of one particular Anandarao went to see him in US. He was studying there and had an apartment. He was sharing his apartment with a Margaret. Mother was suspicious that her son and Margaret have an affair. Anandarao tried to convince his mother there was nothing like that and it was common in US to share rooms of an apartment.

After a week or two, Anandarao's mother returned to India. After few days, Margaret lodged a complaint with the police that a very precious silver spoon is missing from her room and that Anandarao's mother has stolen it. Anandarao wrote to his mother saying he was ashamed of what his mother has done. He never thought that his mother would do such a thing.

Mother replied back saying, "Dear son, Even I don't know why I did it. Now I feel I shouldn't have done it. I have kept Margaret's silver spoon under the sheets on her bed in her room. After my returning, at least once if she had slept on her bed, she would have discovered her spoon"

[Translated from a short story portrayed in Yendamoori Veerendranath's 'How to be Successful']

MIND MUSINGS

Once we two boarded a bus, which was full to its brim. I took a change of two one-rupee coins to buy ticket for myself as he had bus pass. Usually for our destination from this stop, it costs two rupees. Some bus conductors used to accept just one rupee without tearing any ticket. Some of the commuters used to take the advantage of this and give the conductor one-rupee before he could ask for buying tickets. We never encouraged this and always irked those conductors, asking for tickets, giving them the stipulated charge – two rupees.

I was jumbling on to get hold of something to stand firmly, and in the meantime trying to keep these coins in hand until the conductor came. He asked me if he could help me with one two-rupee coin. I said no. Because, I said, if I give these two one-rupee coins to conductor, there was no need for me to say anything to get a ticket. He asked how. I explained him, I am giving him two one-rupee coins, and he would understand that I need a ticket. How, he wanted me to elaborate. I explained: If I gave the conductor one two-rupee coin, he has the choice of tearing a ticket, or with an understanding, giving me back one-rupee change without tearing the ticket. Therefore, by giving two one-rupee coins, I am explicitly asking him to tear me a ticket (though I had the choice, and change, to pay him only one rupee). He, with a smile, asked what if, even now the conductor gave me back a one-rupee coin. I said, “Then I will explicitly ask for a ticket, giving back the coin.”

Conductor came along. I handed him over two one-rupee coins. He simply took those coins and tore me a ticket of two rupees.

MIND MATTERS

MIND MATTERS - 1

Once two Buddhist monks were walking on the road to the monastery. It was just after a heavy downpour and the water was gushing on the road, and there was slush of mud everywhere. They saw a very beautiful young lady, dressed in finest linen and silk and with costliest jewellery and shoes, standing on the pavement helplessly, unable to cross the road. One of the monks, without hesitation, went upto the lady, lifted her on his shoulders like a delicate flower, and left her on the opposite pavement.

Other monk was shocked by his fellow's act. Actually they had restrictions, not to talk, or even lookup or think of ladies, leave alone touching them. He kept quite. But as they reached Monastery, he couldn't keep quite and asked the first monk. "I am wondering about that act of yours?"
"Act? Which act?"
"That, knowing, we had to maintain a distance from ladies, you touched that lady, took her on your shoulders and left her on the opposite pavement?"
Laughing the first monk replied, "Yeah, I took her on the shoulders and left on the opposite pavement. But look at you, you are still taking her with you in your mind !!!"

MIND MATTERS - 2

There were two friends, one of them was very pious. One evening the first fellow asked the other to accompany him to a temple, where there was religious discourse. Second friend told, he couldn't accompany him, as he was going to see a dance of a famous danseuse.

So the first fellow went to the discourse, and while he was attending it, he thought of his friend in the dance program. Thought how he would have enjoyed, if he accompanied his friend rather coming to the discourse.

Meanwhile, in the dance program, the second friend was thinking of his friend. He thought how foolish was he to deny going to a holy place for eternal matters and coming to this unholy place to see this dance. He was thinking how lucky his friend would be, for attending the discourse and knowing more about love, life and god. He was filled with repentance.

The two friends died instantly. First friend was sent to hell while the other was shown the Heaven gates. Upon asking, the voice above answered, "Though you were in the religious discourse, you were thinking of the dance program and the danseuse. You were missing those worldly matters and became sinner. While your friend, though was with the danseuse thought of you and the blessings you would be getting and so he is pure in his thoughts "

(These are the stories I read/heard somewhere, I don't know when, and thought of sharing with you all)

SEE THE SEA

Try this tongue twister : 'She sells sea shells on the sea shore'. Sea - That vast blue cover on the earth's most valuable hidden treasures, which is, by most part, has been unconquered by Man. They say at least 72% of the earth's surface is covered with water, among which the most is constituted by these salty water bodies. I remember a saying 'Water, water everywhere; but not a drop to drink!' Taste it, you will feel the scratching saltiness on your tongue, drink it, surely it will cleanse your alimentary canal! They say love is like ocean! How true! Like love, you can always see/experience a small part of sea. You cannot have whole of both!



Of all the five elements, I was very afraid of the Water. Because it is easy to get won by it. It can easily take off your breath, filling each of your air cavities with itself and making you to choke for life. But when I saw the sea, after many years, with a new perspective, I was at the loss of words to explain it; I just fell in love! Just a few yards away from my friend's room, it roared, it soared, wriggled, called day and night. When I went nearer to its waves, which splashed and tried to get me into the waters by loosening up the sand, I felt like a child in front of a giant creation of God. A living thing which can understand everything, your wrath, indifference, fear, love and emotions, and act accordingly. It bows against the rocks, which it cannot move, drenches those, it grabs all the small materials, waste etc to its stomach, gets hold of you when you are unaware and topples you off the feat and makes to gasp for that last breath. The blue-green water produced waves which came rushing, adding up more water and strength and wasted themselves hitting the sand shores, stones, living things. They took everything back which get washed away easily, shake the things, which cannot be washed away and just drenched those which cannot be shaken a bit.

Know the usage 'Sugary Sand'? You should see the sand on the sea shore, to understand what does it mean. Take a handful of it, allow it to flow freely from your fingers, you wonder, how each grain of it is carved to perfection, sized, polished and made translucent by the waters. The long beach filled with this sugary sand, shimmers in the hot sun, like a hot oven, sparkles with mystic glow in the full moon light. And you can hear mermaids singing in the distant islands with the movement of their hair producing the breeze, which reaches you and mesmerizes you.

We played, splashed the water and slurp sand on each other, gasped for the breath when the waves hit us, I toppled down from a rock and sprained some muscles, we had excellent sun bathing by laying down on the 'sugary sand' and letting the waves to soak us and sun to burn us. There was a small boy from a near village, who came to see what we were up to. Hesitantly he also joined the ritual and enjoyed thoroughly. I sculptured a human face, and a very impressive car with the sand. We took lots of photos.

Sea is different in different locations. When I visited the port, with lots of fishing boats, it was dark green, gloomy, smelly and unwelcoming. When I went to an island to visit the same sea, it was devoid of those fiery waves, crystal clear(which makes you to drink it a mouthful!). It was like a small and lovable child who wants us to hug and caress it. Here the island had coconut grove and the sea was full of sea shells. We collected sea shells; climbed up and down the hexagonally carved rocks; treaded the path, which was never before treaded with the sea observing our all activities.

Returning back, the sea was dancing in the early evening, with hallow depressions producing huge waves, which hit our boat and splashed the water and froth. Our boat was shaking and jostling. We felt like we are some kind of pirates, riding away on the sea to distant island, waiting for some ship to appear filled with treasures, for us to attack.

We were a happy lot of friends who made joke of everything and everyone; took photos of small children, the boat drivers, beautiful girls; pushed each others into the water; took away the eatables from each others hands; did foolish things which entertained others. Sea was the reason for us to meet there, become friends, know each other in a short time of three days. Apart from being with sea, we played shuttle, swam in the swimming pool of our friends' college, participated and enjoyed the rain dance of their tech fest, saw a movie on the big screen in their amphi theatre, had a party with hottest currys, fishes, just dozed off the whole afternoon, saw TV. But Sitting back in the bus, to go away from the sea to my work, I sighed as I felt and realised! YOU CANNOT HAVE WHOLE OF THE SEA! and now I feel : YOU CANNOT FINISH WRITING EVERYTHING ABOUT SEA!