Soldier Boy

I don't know why but this always makes me feel very emotional...so here it goes...

Leaves from the vine, Falling so slow

Like tiny fragile shells, Drifting in foam

Little soldier boy come marching home

Brave soldier boy comes marching home

Seasons changing, As life goes on

Boy turns to man, Always his son

Little soldier boy come marching home

Brave soldier boy comes marching home

Fiery embers, Starting to glow

Drumming of war, Boy wants to go

Little soldier boy come marching home

Brave soldier boy comes marching home

The battles start, Who'll win none know

Man waits patiently, He waits for one

Little soldier boy come marching home

Brave soldier boy comes marching home

Ever slowly, The months go by

No word from boy, He wonders why

Little soldier boy will you come home

Brave soldier boy won't come home

One winter day, A letter comes

Tears start to flow, Boy won't come home

Little soldier boy never came home

Brave soldier boy fly away home

~ Unknown

Literature...the art and joy of reading...illiteracy and subsequent misconceptions....the power of imagination

I am really beginning to wonder if we have forgotten all about reading. Are we really so into visual media that reading a book doesn't at all seem appealing. Just ask yourself  "when did I last feel like reading a book?". I'm sure most of us will answer "Can't seem to remember...but anyways...I never was really into reading books". When ever I try to bring up this topic when I'm with my friends, almost everyone tries to put off the topic. They just aren't interested in even talking about it. It is really saddening to listen to an 'educated' person fear/dislike 'reading' just because it takes time and concentration. But so does visual media. Just pause to think about the amount of time we spend on internet doing NOTHING productive. I'm not saying everyone SHOULD love to read. I'm just saying that we should at least give it a whole-hearted attempt. Can a movie give you wings of imagination like a book does? certainly no. Can it challenge your thought process altogether?...no!..does talking to your friend about practically nothing for hours together always help you..no! Do we ever ask ourselves these questions..possibly no.

I think the problem lies with our education system. Our parents are also to be blamed. We look at education as a 'skill set'. Most aren't bothered about really getting wiser from the acquired knowledge. All our efforts go purely into to have a successful (read a job that pays well) life. To have such a life......yes you are right... we need to score well in our exams to profess our 'proficiency' in the field!. For that...all we do is remember the course material by-heart and by word. Think about it. Aren't we just living a mechanical life by doing so?. Is enjoyment only about visual media (movies, random videos on youtube etc..) and gossiping when we are with friends?. Are we not really responsible to know how our system works? Is it not our responsibility to really spend time in a more productive way and to impart knowledge to those less informed?. Fun with friends is absolutely necessary, but is that always the only form of relaxation?...Think about it. If you really think watching a movie or talking to friends about matters of no consequence is the only source of entertainment, then its entirely up to you. But I challenge you to read a book and not find the experience exhilarating....and read the right book to start with! (not that there are bad/wrong ones..but just that some aren't suited to a first time reader).

The reason I thought of writing this blog is because of an article in 'The Hindu'. It's more of excerpts from an interview. I've always felt illiteracy is the cause of all misconceptions. That article just made me feel like writing about it in the blog. I believe that we are all 'educated illiterates'. How many of us have 'read' the Ramayana? I'm sure NONE is the answer. Yet, we are under the impression that we know all there is to know about it. Actually, many of my friends don't even know the complete story. Why? because we never cared to read!. Yet again, we have opinions about Ramayana. It is a literary epic. One of the masterpieces in effective story telling. It is not related to Hinduism as a 'religion' in anyway. Yet we see it as a religious scripture. We seem to take the Valmiki Ramayana for granted. Did we ever consider the thought that it can be a profoundly well written folklore?. We have identified ourselves with Ramayana for over 2 millenia now and still most of us don't get its underlying principles. Those who have read it  have done so mostly after retiring from their jobs to attain 'spiritual moksha'. Is that the reason to read a book?. If educated people like us can be influenced with fallacies resulting from hearsay, think about what could be done with the less privileged who don't have proper education. And we blame organizations like ABVP and RSS for their wrong propaganda. The truth is all of us believe in the same ideologies as them, only that we are less violent or we are just grossly busy with our day to day lives.

Human beings have a natural fascination for listening to stories. Over time, even though people have developed the ability to read and comprehend a material, they simply want to 'listen' to a story. Barely ever do we realize that story telling is almost always biased. Even more so when it is narrated. I urge you to develop an opinion based on some sound logic derived from reading about the issue. Don't just give into others thoughts before you even have an understanding about the matter in discussion. PLEASE DON"T BE AN EDUCATED ILLITERATE.

Read this--- may be it'll do a good job of removing biases and cultivating the habit of reading we once had and seem to have completely lost.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/article2574398.ece

26 Cheers to Imagination and creativity...without which we wouldn't have been where we are today.
Brijesh

How in the world do they write such beautiful lyrics...wow!

bichhṛe abhi to ham bas kal parson

jeeoongi main kaise is haal men barson

maut nah aai

maut nah aai teri, yaad kyoon aai

lambi judaai

chaar dinaan da pyaar o rabba

baṛi lambi judaai

lambi judaai

honṭon pih aai

honṭon pih aai meri jaan duhaai

lambi judaai

chaar dinaan da pyaar o rabba

baṛi lambi judaai

lambi judaai

ik to sajan mere paas naheen

dooje milan di koi aas naheen

is pih yih saawan aaya

is pih yih saawan aaya aag lagaai

hae lambi judaai

chaar dinaan da pyaar o rabba

baṛi lambi judaai

lambi judaai

ṭooṭe zamaane tere haath nigoṛe

jin se dilon ke sheeshe toṛe

hijr ki oonchi

hijr ki oonchi deewaar banaai

hae lambi judaai

chaar dinaan da pyaar o rabba

baṛi lambi judaai

lambi judaai

baagh ujaṛ gae khilne se pahle

panchhi bichaṛ gae milne se pahle

koyal ki kook

koyal ki kook ne hook uthaai

hae lambi judaai

chaar dinaan da pyaar o rabba

baṛi lambi judaai

lambi judaai

baṛi lambi judaai

lambi judaai

Focus, Realization

The one word I seem to have completely forgotten is focus. Too much waywardness cost me a lot off late. I have had to endure a lot because of that. Now after a much needed vacation, I am beginning to realize my priorities again. I had them in sight, but they were blurred. This week especially has been good in terms of realizing what I missed doing, and what I should do from now on. Also, on a personal note, I have finally understood what eluded me for months now. Now that I know, to hell with it. I have better things to do than worry over spilled milk. We only grow as a person when we realize our mistakes and don't repeat them. I don't know if I've made any mistakes, but, I've decided I won't repeat some things. So many more thoughts to share, but this time, I'll just keep them to me.

A sincere advice -- Look deep within yourselves, if your actions are at conflict with your conscience, there is something seriously wrong with you. You need to change yourself. Otherwise, just don't bother explaining your actions to others. You aren't accountable to anyone who doesn't care about you and tries to judge you.

Our life always has priorities. Lets not lose focus. Lets get back to wiggling the big toe.

Cheers
Brijesh

Memoirs of a trip long due - 1

Thursday, September 1st

Finished Ganesh pooja at home. Ate some pretty awesome masala vada. Packed my stuff for the trip in literally less than 10 mins (never done it..will never do it...left some important stuff i needed to take..phone charger for instance) and took off. Mixed feelings at the airport. I arrived early and had to wait. I generally don't like airports, but this time, it was different. I never liked St.Louis airport for the kind of stale air it presumably has (near the boarding gates). Didn't feel it this time. I can never concentrate in an airport is what I thought. This time I could read a book; and a brilliant one at that..Atlas Shrugged. btw...the girl sitting next to me had some really good looking legs.... ahem...ahem... back to concentrating on reading the book. So there I was reading about existentialism and suddenly I felt good. If you read my previous blogs, you can find a disappointment in the undertone. Didn't feel it when I was reading the book. Thanks Ayn Rand!.

5:45 pm
It was time to get to my gate and board the flight (Was sitting at another gate because there wasn't any place to sit near the gate I was supposed to board). So, as I boarded and sat and looked out of the mirror...I saw myself sitting in the window seat right on top of the wing. I dont know why, but I ALWAYS get seats near the wing. Next time, I should carefully choose my seats (something I've been telling my self for ages and never done). I developed a hatred for flight journeys for 2 reasons
1. Recycled air.
2. Recycled air!!!!

....Delta was good though. I think I will like flying once again. So then, continued with the book reading. Then after sometime, I looked out of the window and saw the small hole in between the windows. I always wondered why they had that and always told myself to go and Google it. Still haven't done it. The flight to Salt Lake city was fascinating for two reasons.

1. I was reading Atlas Shrugged
2. I looked at perhaps the most amazing sunset i would ever see.

...And there the plane was flying on top of the Rockys. I really wish I was brilliant with words to describe exactly how I felt when I saw them in fading sunlight. The reddish orange of the sun's rays illuminated the snow patches of the Rocky mountains. It looked as if the mountain ranges suddenly became snow erupting volcanoes. Then as the sun began to set, it was as if time was going backwards. Imagine a large blob of magma going back into volcano, diminishing as it does so. When the sun set completely, suddenly the mountain range looked very cold again with the snow patches. Then as we started our descent, it appeared as if the mountains had hidden diamonds obscured by the sunlight. The city lights in the twilight, the city itself in between the mountains. In one simple expression---WOW!

The flight back to Seattle was pretty ordinary. But then when I reached there, I felt at peace. Being in the company of my friends itself was such an exhilarating experience (especially with the prospect of a wonderful trip). We had a delightful dinner, spoke for some time decided on the plan for the trip and slept.

Amidst all this, I couldn't keep my mind off the wonderful sight I was treated to.

If only.......

Cheers
Brijesh

Random post - 1

I just read the "sleepless nights" blog and I was like... "What the hell did I write?????? read LAME. And yes it does. Reads like a 5th grader trying to write a poem by deliberately rhyming the words. So, I told myself "Don't ever do that!!". How I wish I was a much better writer!!. Now then, last weekend was tumultuous to start with, fun in the middle and then uncertainty filled to the end. I think I'll blog about the fun part first. Went to Meramec State park, enjoyed the stay at the cabins. Met all of my friends barring one after 2 years. Yeah! It was FUN. Went trailing the next morning, swam in the river, came back exhausted, went for a brief walk again, set up campfire at night, got drunk, played poker and slept. When it was time to come back, didn't feel like coming back. Monday was grim. Had a meeting with my advisor. I didn't pass the qualifiers. This is one of the reasons I really feel hurt. I'm just hiding it. I probably won't show any emotions (actually I am in this blog), but boy it hurts. It hurts as much as the other thing that I don't want to blog about. I don't know how much of this I can take anymore, but if anything, it definitely has made me into a better person. I've always treated failure as success' equal. Without each other, they don't have any value what so ever. In geek/nerd talk when you put it in the words of a control engineer "deliberately include noise in the system, if there is no such thing, as, a pure system is faulty and will fail eventually. Here, the noise being failure and the pure system being absolute success. All said and done, it still bloody hurts.

I heard a story about a gang of serial murderers and the punishment handed to them. Then there is all this talk about capital punishment in the news. Read a really good article/editorial about capital punishment. So now I have one more topic to write a serious blog on. Which reminds me...I never wrote that blog on Economics I've been postponing for 2 years now. I will when I have enough knowledge and relevant stuff to write on it.

I'm off on a long long awaited trip tomorrow. I hope I have fun again. Until then...

Sayonara
Kashyap

Because today I want to listen to poetry

Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai

Yeh Mehlon,Yeh Takhton,Yeh Taajon Ki Duniya,
Yeh Insaan Key Dushman Samaajon Ki Duniya,
Yeh Doulat Key Bhookhey Riwajon Ki Duniya,
Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai.

Har Ek Jism Ghayal, Har Ek Rooh Pyaasi,
Nigahon Mein Uljhan, Dilon Mein Udaasi,
Yeh Duniya Hai Ya Aalam-e-Badhawasi,
Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai.

Yahaan Eik Khilona Hai Insaan Ki Hasti,
Yeh Basti Hai Murda Paraston Ki Basti,
Yahaan To Jeevan Sey Hai Maut Sasti,
Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai.

Jawaani Bhatakti Hai Badkaar Ban Kar,
Jawaan Jism Sajtey Hein Bazaar Ban Kar,
Yahaan Pyaar Hota Hai Byopaar Ban Kar,
Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai.

Yeh Duniya Jahaan Aadmi Kuch Nahi Hai,
Wafa Kuch Nahi, Dosti Kuch Nahi Hai,
Yahaan Pyaar Ki Qadr Hi Kuch Nahi Hai,
Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai.

Jala Do Isey, Phoonk Dalo Yeh Duniya.
Mere Saamne Se Hata Lo Yeh Duniya,
Tumhari Hai Tum Hi Sambhalo Yeh Duniya,
Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai?

Hats off Mr. Sahir Ludianvi

Cheers

Kashyap