In the name of religion and politics…

It’s interesting how traffic snarls can sometimes give you amazing insights into life. I found myself stuck in a bad traffic jam and as I listened to my radio in my car I found my eyes looking around. To my right, across the road was this temple and as I looked at worshippers stop to pay respects to the god it made for some interesting revelations. First, I see a guy on a scooter cut through and drive towards the temple on the wrong side of the road causing huge inconveniences only to stop and fold his hands in prayer…made me wonder what the great lord thought of that and what his rational was to be god fearing and yet break the rules. The second was another vehicle that stopped in the middle of the road to pay respects and caused traffic to come to a stand still. On being reprimanded by others on the road, I could clearly see that this gentleman got into extremely abusive language…again…made me wonder whether the gods would appreciate his behavior and conduct and what this man’s principles and value systems truly were.

It is surprising that if we look around us in India, one sees this happening all the time. Politicians make fools of themselves in Parliament with their atrocious behavior yet these very people will talk about value systems and are supposed to be the architects of our country’s future…

As i sat in my car i found myself thinking about this and it made for interesting -let me have you take a moment to actually introspect to see another startling revelation for yourselves. Rewind back on the last couple of years and I would like all of you to think of Political parties in the country and the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of them. I am pretty sure most of your answers shall bend towards them competing and fighting against one another which well they are all most remembered for-its all about WHO WON LAST YEAR/TERM etc…isn’t that sad? Its NEVER about what the party actually stands for….do we even know what the Congress/BJP, Samajwadi Party etc.'s principles are today??? Look at campaigns for any of these parties…all they do is spend money promoting pictures and logos of themselves-name me a party whose banner you saw that actually campaigns and promotes with a cause in mind…I cannot think of one that I last saw where their banner did not have a visual of themselves posing for a camera like icons but instead very silently was indicative of what their party stood for and what they would like to do for the people….

What are we all coming to-what does it all come down to. Have we lost our value systems, have we lost the ability to think and be thoughtful? Have we become so greedy for power, name and fame that we forget our morals and what our culture and heritage is all about? Have all the religious people started taking their Gods for granted?

These are all just my thoughts and I am sure those who read this may differ in opinion but then again…I am only trying to think, to attempt to see that I do not become a vegetable-someone who leads his life with no thought and vision for his country and what surrounds him…

CAMARADERIE - my word for 2010

CAMARADERIE
The quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability

As every year passes by it is important we take cognizance of where we are at and introspect so as to gain wisdom from the past and become wiser as we press ahead in an effort to take ourselves to greater heights. As we grow and evolve, it becomes difficult to manage; balance and pan out what we began our journey with…camaraderie holds key to us being able to stand out from the rest. It is imperative that we join hands in this unified effort to imbibe and truly understand the responsibility all of us shoulder. We must extend the hand of ‘camaraderie’ that shall allow for those to follow to be shown the light in the tunnel and be nurtured into being mature individuals that go on to make their families proud.

LET US collectively take it upon ourselves to see that WE take the first step, WE make the first move to create for a comfort around us.

LET US extend the hand of camaraderie in an effort to see that we work towards truly what the meaning of the word means…let us see that we bridge that gap between each other so as to create fellowship and collectively work towards taking ourselves to the pinnacle of success.

Life always comes full circle…to receive camaraderie…you must give it selflessly.

LET US ALL work towards…enabling seamless communication for our world.

My world as on 9.45 AM on the 30th of July 2008!

Its been a long time since i last blogged-i think my last post was in the month of April this year. Work has kept me away and maybe the world and its balance did not require for me to be vocal. However, the recent turn of events and the agony i see around me leads me to feel i need to be vocal and express what goes through my little mind...its been a strange last month first with the entire government going ballistic in Parliment over the trust vote where you were almost given to wonder whether these people in there were really concerned about India and its people or whether it was just all about that 'seat', that position of power. It was embarassingly sad to hear the things some of the politicians who had lost the trust vote to Manmohan Singh had to say in press conferences. One politician voiced how it was because she was a Dalit that she could not come to power...i wish she had had the presence of mind to share with the world how she could have truly made a difference instead of being so petty. Whay are we this way? Why is power such a craving that most of us have truly forgotten why we chose to embark on the journey of being a politican.
Shift focus to the recent bomb scares that has the country in shambles trying to pick up the pieces of why this is happening and what do the politicians do-they try to gain political mileage by pointing fingers at each other. It takes a calamity for politicians to make ammendments and changes that should have been made ages ago...Look around you...do you feel safe....?
The Mujahideen actually believe that jihad is the way to a better life....that is not the way to go but in your own language to explain what is required is to be 'etihad' for a cause. United one can be able to create avenues for communication. We have spent decades fighting over land and over water and what is it for....to showcase how powerful we are??? It is not the amount of land one owns or possesses on the global map that defines us as being developed!!! It is the economy of the nation and its progress that highlights it's growth...when shall we understand this..?
My home town is Baroda and as i travel there this weekend from Bombay i do not feel safe for the first time in my life...i do not feel the level of easiness i have felt in the past which allows me to roam free in the city i was born...why does the Mujahideen want to take from me the one thing i have loved and thrived in which is the sanctity of peace and joy that my small city has always given me....

The Brilliance of Diversity

Imagine living in a world where every movie you see has the same story line. Imagine if the only choice of drink was water and the only flavor of ice cream was chocolate (okay maybe that one wouldn't be so bad!!). Imagine that every conversation with every person made the same point. And imagine that every day had the same ending and that every thought reflected the same idea. There's a point I'm getting to. Please stay with me...!

When i walk around at work to help inspire, develop and elevate employees so they play at world-class levels, I often see mission statements espousing a respect for diversity. "I value differences and cherish diversity." And, most of the companies I work with actually do. But here's my question: Do you?

Do you really get the brilliance of diversity? When you really think about it, it's the people who see the world through a different set of lenses that actually serve to stretch your thinking and provoke new understanding (and provoke they do). Sure they irritate you. They drive you crazy. Because they are not like you. But may I suggest that behind your irritation is the emotion of fear (big idea there). Not the terror on the darkness type of fear. It is More a fear of the unknown or a fear of having to leave the Safe Harbor of The Known (the worldview that you've had your whole life) and maybe see a new way of seeing things. No one likes to leave the shores of the home they know. It Always brings up fear. It is something that is extremely scary however for your ultimate growth-very essential. Never run away from what will help you grow and step into your greatness - no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel (that's where courage and your natural bravery needs to be called into service).

Yup-diversity helps us in ways we cannot fathom. Makes us better people. Those different people with different perspectives and different skin colors and different languages can equip you with your MILs (Most Important Lessons). The people and experiences that are different offer you the gorgeous opportunity to rethink the assumptions and closely held opinions you have lived your life under. It takes a lot of courage to open your mind - as well as your heart - and listen to what they have to say to you. It is an uncomfortable dawning to sometimes realize that you might not be right. That the way you see the world (or whatever) just might be flawed in some way. Or that there may be a better way (of thinking or behaving or working or living). But unless you are willing to empty the cup that is full, no more can enter. And you just might miss out on your greatest possibilities and best of life...

Enchanting Bhutan!

Hola World,

I just got back from a wonderful holiday and i felt this immense necessity to share with the world what a beautiful time i had. The idea had been to take a time out and travel with my mother and 3 friends to an exotic location where we could all unwind from the hectic pace of our daily lives and something we all terribly needed!




The first choice had been Thailand but then torrential rainstorms hit there and so we decided to change destinations. Bhutan was decided and i must confess initially i was pretty pissed off. Their was a tinge of curiosity since i love Ladakh but i kept it to myself and continued to show i was miffed!!!

We flew out from Bombay to Calcutta and from their Paro (Bhutan) is a 55 minute flight. The Bhutan airport is n the Guiness Book for two reasons-the shortest runway and the smallest international airport. i was fine with the second but the first (shortest runway0 seemed to scare the crap out of me!) The flight was amazing, you see the himalayan range and fly past 'Kanchenjunga'. All you see is mountains and i could see no runway anywhere.
The approach to the runway is phenomenal, you start decending and before you know it you are flying through mountains making sharp lefts and rights and then as you make a right you see this short airstrip and wonder how this boeing is gonna land it. IT WAS A PERFECT SMOOTH LANDING!!!

Bhutan does not encourage tourism and you have to have it all worked out before you enter the country with prior permissions from the Government all arranged. Though it is a visa on entry, if you do not have the paper work ready they will very politely have you board back the same flight to India!!

We had finally landed and the first thing i was struck by was the architecture. Bhutan sets you back about 200 years in the way it is. Rooted to maintaining its rich heritage and tradition they are more than content to preserve the way they are today with no desire for modernisation of any kind.

We travelled through Bhutan starting off in Paro and then covering Thimpu, Punakha, Bumthang and Gangtey all by road. The road etiquette was a learning lesson for all indians and where ever we went we were greeted with warmth and affection. We had a wonderful Prado which was amazingly comfortable for the terrain and all in all must have driven a total of 3 and a half days to cover Bhutan.

We visited Dzongs and Monasteries and were treated to some exquisite food. One of my favorites was the Taktsang Monastery (an 8 hour climb!) in the mountains which is one of the holiest places for all Buddhists and Bhutanese. It is a place they must visit once in their life time. The Taktsang to Buddhists is like what the Mecca is to Islam. It was a mind blowing experience.

Bhutan is a must see for those who love nature and want to be in a country far away from the hustle and bustle of life. For peace go to the Gangtey Valley which visually looks like an 18 hole golf course set between two mountains. It is a famous place where the endangered Black Cranes come to rest. A MUST SEE....

There is so much to say but i shall end this article for now....

An important note for Indians when travelling to Bhutan:

Please carry a lot of cash with you. There are no ATMs in Bhutan and they do not accept Debit or Credit Cards. They also do not accept 500 or 1000 rupee notes. The currency equivalent is the same as that of the rupee.

The Musketeers Rock

Hola World,
Am in a great mood and feeling very very happy (sitting at work and its 8.00 PM)!!! One would wonder what makes me so happy well its my group that just rocks my life and i would be so incomplete without them.....Well who are these elite special people that can never ever be substituted....Ajay A.K.A Aju, Hitesh A.K.A Hi-Tech, Vaibhav A.K.A Dada and Chitra A.K.A Chits.

These are for me the bestest people in the whole world who i would love to take a holiday with, hang out with ,travel with and LOVE WORKING WITH.
What is very special about the friendship is that it ain't just a group that came together but one that found a zone within each other, a chord that was so unique. The specialness is that we are a group and yet at the same time share individual relationships with each other. We have seen each other's highs and lows and i have blind faith in them.

It is so amazing at this juncture in life to know that there are people that can give you so much pleasure and joy and you know will always stand by you. I love the feeling. We have worked very hard on each other and know that well when we are forty we shall still be chilling out and doing the things we do. (Dada would have got chutneyed by a cyclist by then!!!)

The world must wonder why i share this with you and why its on my blog but the reason i do so is because True friendships do exist out there and what is even more amazing is Friendship minus competition and egos is rare to find and we have as a group found it and i think it is pretty commendable.

So world don't give up and keep looking and you will find true friendships like we have and they will be an extension of your families.....

Love always Me.....

W3C Standards (An Important Read)

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and tools) to lead the Web to its full potential. W3C is a forum for information, commerce, communication, and collective understanding. You will find below URLS to the guidelines that need to be followed when working with the very same things.

I think it is important that in our free time we read up on this because it is extremely important and relevant to what we do as designers or developers and is slowly becoming a must to have to know when interacting with our international clientele. My buddy Hi-tech felt that its important i post this up on my blog when i shared it with him and so here it is...

Happy reading people!

http://www.w3.org/ On this page look up W3c A to Z on the bottom left corner.

http://web.uvic.ca/webcoor/guidelines/design.html this is self explanatory.

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/e-government/resources/handbook/html/2-4.asp self explanatory


Lots of love,
Meee...

Whats with the government???

You know life is such a piss off, you work your ass off to make the money and then a part of your hard earned cash is taken away because it is TAXED. Chalo i would imagine my money shall be put to good use but what does one see around us....politicians in a lexus suv470 (btw, that cost around 40 lakhs).

Look around you mumbaikars, show me one road that is perfect. Shanghai toh dur ki baat hai i have seen villages with better roads. And we have a government set up what the f*&#k are they doing???

First its road widening so ok, they dig the road up, they take months to ever get it back together again but when they finally do it up (which by the way is never a perfect job), a week later it is dug up again.....by whom....reliance (cable dalna hai na!). How about some organisation and coordination between departments people. It is our money after all that you are f^*king around with and WE DO NOT APPRECIATE IT. And guess what Mr.Politician its our votes that gave you your seat.

I am so sick and tired of suffering the drive to work everyday with bad roads. And i wish everyday that someone would just realise but then one day i see the dividers being painted and i am like 'oh wow may be i was wrong' but before the happiness sets in i hear the near by cab driver saying to his passenger, 'koi politician aah raha hai, rally hai'.

DO a lot of you feel this and share my thoughts......think about it.

Entertainment Tax

Hola people,
the city of mumbai continues to amaze me...have you all ever wondered why over thas few years mumbai is dying when it comes to being the showbiz mecca of India.

Well guess who is to blame?
The Entertainment Tax Department.

And if you thought that having the law in place and doing things by the book would cut you some slack-YOU ARE SO WRONG!

So how does it all work....
Lets say you wanna do a show and call xyz band to come and play at a concert you are organizing for 10000 people.
You price the tickets at 2500 rupees each.
SO the rule in place courtesy our wonderful government is you need to pay 25% of the ticket value + a10% security deposit on the price of every ticket you sell (unlike earlier where it was dealt with after the show was completed). So well if you don't sell 10000 tickets-your bad luck, you still need to pay a tax on all the tickets AND they in turn stamp every ticket.

Now you would think that this will allow for a successful event- YOU ARE SO WRONG!!!

Guess what even before the event starts, they will have their men come by your show-pot bellys that boast of corruption and try to create a racket by having you sign paperwork which binnds you to pay them more money. You are expected at this time to do the under table thingie (you know like the police who raid your party and say stop the music and u hush them away with a crate of fosters....you know what i mean?). The long and the short is they just never stop eating.

Honestly i mean it is so sad.....we are just so messed up. And then we wonder why no performers want to perform here.....YOU KNOW NOW......JAAGO INDIA JAAGO.

World AIDS Day

On World AIDS Day which was the 1st of December I wanted to share this visual with the world...

HOW BLIND ARE WE???

Its so strange the way we think, we look at life. I was reading the Mumbai Mirror today and was horrified to read page 14 - 'Delhi gets its own Akshardham'.

Here are the highlights of this little clipping.

Temple Talk

The 100-acre temple complex has been built at a cost of around 200 CRORES {I am amazed at our ignorance-don't know what i mean-look up our economy-our poverty-the homeless-NEED I SAY MORE}

The monument rises on 148 stone elephants depicting ancient tales from the Indian scriptures. {I AM SO IMPRESSED...WOW!}

The monument has a statue of Lord Swaminarayan, an 18th-century social reformer whose disciples formed the Swaminarayan sect. {HOW WILD IS THAT!}

The complex also has a 60-acre thematically landscaped garden, Bharat Upvan

An IMAX theatre will screen a 45-minute documentary titled 'Mystic India' {WHO ARE U FOOLING-MYSTIC INDIA???}

I am sure this will make the people you see in the images above really very happy and completely change their worlds.

This post has nothing to do with religion, what I do want people to see is the way we spend our money and what our priorities really are.

WAKE UP INDIA.

engagement....marriage...children....so easy!

Life really is never ending...and challenges never seize to stop perculating. Especially in India where everything is age and time bound. You have to be in a good job before u reach a marriageable age!! And when I think of the amount of break ups I see around me I think part of it is because of the way youngsters are pushed into getting married when they aren't quite prepared for what it entails...the question therefore is what does an engagement, a marriage really entail...? tough question...well to begin with I think one needs to be mentally prepared and well aware of what these relationships really mean.

You know one works very hard in life to find stability....that perfect balance and all that follows in life needs to fit into that very balance.

I see so many couples walk into engagements and marriages when they aren't even ready yet to be able to take care of themselves. Financial independance is extremely important, to be happy at work is very essential. You see when you plan to tie the knot you need to know that you have the ability to be able to 'provide' when required and to be able to nurture each other and grow minus the stress and anxiety that we see all around us.

The person you choose to live with should epitomize life and what it embodies....someone you can grow old with and still not ever shy away from, someone you want to build your world with....its a very special place. That somebody is meant to take on an importance that is even bigger than your own parents...someone you will always hold fort for....And believe me when you are ready....YOU JUST KNOW....I used to always wonder what it would feel like....When would I know.....And it comes with the confidence you get when you are independant, supporting yourself, fighting that battle of life in the big bad world called the 'INDUSTRY' and most importantly....WINNING THE BATTLE.

As I have stated in my earlier posts, it isn't just a process of doing, but a process of self learning where one has to teach one's own self how to not just adapt but really mould one's self to be able to create for a world that you can share yourself with. We are so caught up in our work, in our life, in our problems that we never have the time for the other.

A partner is an extension of your life, why then do we look at her with such bewilderment? This is because when you are not prepared you are not transparent, you do not have the ability to be transparent and that is extremely unfair to your partner.

One must plan one's life, every step of the way. the engagement, the marriage, the child, the lifestyle...it all requires planning. Never jump into the river if you cannot swim....you will drown.
Approach life with care and compassion not just for yourself but for those around you. Be selfless and have the ability to look at the larger picture called life. Be loving and compassionate to those around you fore you will yearn and wish you had when they are gone...

Till I blog again....

Wanna chuckle....READ THIS!

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

(Hardly seems worth it.)

If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.

(Now that's more like it!)

The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.

(Oh My God!)

A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes.

(In my next life, I want to be a pig.)

A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death.

(Creepy.)

(I'm still not over the pig.)

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

(Do not try this at home. Maybe give it a shot at work.)

The male pray mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.

("Honey, I'm home. What the....?!")

The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.

(30 minutes... lucky pig. can you imagine??)

The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.

(What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)

Some lions mate over 50 times a day.

(I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)

Butterflies taste with their feet.

(Something I always wanted to know.)

The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

(Hmmmmmm........)

Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.

(If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)

Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.

(OK, so that would be a good thing....................)

A cat's urine glows under a black light.

(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

(I know some people like that.)

Starfish have no brains.

(I know some people like that too.)

Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.

(What about that pig??)

Smiles always people....in my constant pursuit to have the best blog in the world.

In true 'ONE LINERS' tradition. Crack Up time people!!

Marriage is one of the chief causes of divorce.

Work is fine if it doesn't take too much time.

When everyone comes in your way, you're in the wrong lane.

The light at the end of the tunnel may be an incoming train.

Born free, TAXED TO DEATH.

Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don't have film.

Life is unsure; always eat your dessert first.

If you keep your feet firmly on the ground, you'll have trouble putting on your pants.

I love being a writer...what i can't stand is the paperwork.

A printer consists of 3 main parts: the case, the jammed paper tray and the blinking red light.

The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three was the genius.

The trouble with being punctual is that no one is there to appreciate it.

In a country of free speech, why are there phone bills?

If you cannot change your mind, are you sure you have one?

If you can't convince them, CONFUSE THEM!

It's not the fall that kills you. It's the sudden stop at the end.

I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.

Hot glass looks the same as cold glass - Cunino's Law of Burnt Fingers.

The cigarette does the smoking you are just the sucker.

Love you all..........!

ipod nano...what more do u need.

Take everything you love about iPod and shrink it. Now shrink it again. With 2GB (500 songs) and 4GB (1,000 songs) models starting at $199, the pencil-thin iPod nano packs the entire iPod experience into an impossibly small design. So small, it will take your music places you never dreamed of.

People for more on this amazing little gadget please go check the site out at http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/

Doesn't it AMAZE you...

We call ourselves a democratic country...a country for the people but look around you and what do you find...nothing that defines that word. We work so hard everyday to be better people, we work hard to acquire degrees that would elevate our status, we constantly look for what lies beyond that HORIZON....however OUR nation, OUR governement....THATS ANOTHER COUNTRY. We have a government that is so caught up with fighting for A SEAT and POWER that they have forgotten what they are there for in the first place. We have people who sit in parliament who make decisions in our supposed best interests who have criminal records to their names. Well one tells oneself "no problem, lets hope the system does not collapse...". You look further and well in life what does one hope for? A little security? Well guess what, you won't find that either. Ask a woman if she will in dire distress walk into a police staion at 12 at night and i can assure you 9 times out of 10 the answer will be without a thought, an immediate NO. Well you may just think that i am over reacting....look at Mumbai....need i say more. You cannot rely on the police, for police in India Khaki symbolizes power and a short cut to making money. I see everyday where i work and am stunned. You have the innocent man who is not well off and starts a small stall and what does he get....the beat marshall, the constable, the inspector...all demanding a cut if the man does not want to have any problems...and you think the man is fine but hell no EVEN THE Muncipal Corporation takes a cut to not tow away his stall!!!
HOW WILD IS THAT???
This little note is not in many way meant to point a finger or make a generalisation, its meant to be an eye-opener. We all know it exists so LETS NOT MAKE A HUE AND CRY ABOUT-OH MY GOD HOW CAN YOU WRITE THIS DOWN? Lets do something, lets try to be better citizens, lets try to correct our country not just by reprimanding but by truly educating and enhancing the system. We all pay tax....where is all this money we pay going?
There are so many potholes in the sytem....so many whys and hows...
This is one more of those posts where my mind has been thinking about the atrocities i see and i just had to voice them...
I hope people in India do stand up for what they truly believe in and desire from this nation and the system does chnage...Till i blog again.

ecube management...

Hola World,
Its been a while since i last blogged. We all desire making it on our own however in true reality there are very few of us who really possess both the conviction and belief multiplied with the courage to go ahead with what we envision for ourselves...This friend of mine is an inspiration that i thought i needed to share with all those who dream and want to live life 'their' way. Ecube Management Pvt. Ltd. is her baby, a company she started along with some fellow partners. I shan't tell you more about it since i want you all to go check it out. However of the lady in question well....i could write a book on her. Shall keep this post short with the promise to bring you more on ecube and on how it is changing the face of mumbai....
till i blog again..

Its been a while

Hola world,
it has been a long time since i blogged and thought that today had to be that day. The last few months have been an eye opener into life and have in many ways made me more 'zen' in life. What is it really that we look for in our lives.....i would imagine a balance between happiness at work and financial security. I think one of the most important choices i made which helped me discover myself was when i started supporting myself. It gave me an independance aand fear which made me realise how i needed to look at life. The fear of not living well, the fear of not having and achieving became my drive to excel and to have what i had always yearned for.
It wasn't easy but i was determined to see myself through.
Is life really that tough? Is it that tough to live well? Is it that tough to live a dream? I don't think so. I look all around me and find friends, colleagues, people who well are working professionals and work so hard-day and night but have no life outside of work. I wonder whether they realise that what they have chosen to do is what they will do for the rest of their lives and LIFE IS GONNA PASS THEM BY. It is so important to have a life outside of work. As we move away from home we are thrust with a new sense of accountability and responsibility to our own selves.
We become our own parents, guides teaching ourselves how best to go about life, nurturing the person in us and to decide what is best for ourselves.
Life though is i believe like a jig-saw puzzle and eventually it all fits into place. I just hope that when that happens i can look back and smile and feel happy and content with what i did and have at that point.
Te Amor world...till i blog again...

Merc enthusiasts-IN CHROME!!! 

Talk about X-treme...