tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84409041442404671252024-02-19T12:35:10.366+05:30A paradise of thoughts.Emancipating the mind from the labyrinth of thoughts!Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-6994628813449099592021-06-16T07:05:00.002+05:302021-06-16T18:18:02.418+05:30Travel Diaries: Pennsylvania<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> "The best combination a person can have is to be educated and being a wanderlust. Education gives you the ability to comprehend and traveling opens up your mind to new possibilities and perspectives". ~AR</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> While COVID-19 is seeing its last leg(I wish to believe so or pray for it to be true) , I decided to start exploring my own state in the US. By far I have been traveling to different US states but never took the time to stop and think as too what is present in my own backyard. The gruesome time with self in the house(thanks for CoV-19) probably lead to this thought. While I had two trips in the recent time in Penn, I would like to focus on the most recent one i.e. to Penn's Cave and the Rothrock State forest.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnpBylnNZTgGRBPcJ5C5eI_oCgzWGUIAB_X8RGfrGBju1rocVqpwTjF1xYfoWrMq8lekV1zf6zA-7s6ou1pkLRSoCmD7bzePzCCUafUq14pPrHN0jCeI-Hso8r3nBAh5Hz8s1m8Bf2tLG/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2021-06-15+at+6.24.13+PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="777" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnpBylnNZTgGRBPcJ5C5eI_oCgzWGUIAB_X8RGfrGBju1rocVqpwTjF1xYfoWrMq8lekV1zf6zA-7s6ou1pkLRSoCmD7bzePzCCUafUq14pPrHN0jCeI-Hso8r3nBAh5Hz8s1m8Bf2tLG/w324-h187/WhatsApp+Image+2021-06-15+at+6.24.13+PM.jpeg" width="324" /></a></div><span><span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> It is said the best plans are made in the last minute without extensive planning, especially when you go solo, it is a fun experience to get up one day and think of traveling to an unknown place. This is what happened on Saturday June 12,2021; that morning I got up and was determined to break the monotony of Work From Home. A quick search of places to visit yielded these two beautiful & picturesque places.I booked tickets for the Penn's cave boat ride plus wild life tour and quickly a stay for one night in State College, PA.</span></span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-size: 14px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmZDSgff9pZ4ImwhJdquYT08ZWR9c4rqR-zwP5NjshZHlCzahTl3_mJLUnaXpVuhUqNxNwMWUV9LSica3eZfTm3e_nku7qPIyilg3TiLHuDBsh90zUHGyxG7tyO6eUqFtUiYX__K3ojYk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="1049" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmZDSgff9pZ4ImwhJdquYT08ZWR9c4rqR-zwP5NjshZHlCzahTl3_mJLUnaXpVuhUqNxNwMWUV9LSica3eZfTm3e_nku7qPIyilg3TiLHuDBsh90zUHGyxG7tyO6eUqFtUiYX__K3ojYk/w638-h157/image.png" width="638" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jo hays Vista Point, Rothrock state fores</span>t<br /><br /></i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span>With great excitement, I left for my first destination,RothRock </span></span><span style="text-align: left;">state forest.</span><span style="text-align: left;">This is located in </span><span style="text-align: left;">Centre, Huntingdon, and Mifflin Counties. Blame it on my laziness and the time constraint, I chose a Point which did not require any Hiking/Trekking. Wonderful experience out there, to get a overlook or a drone-view of State College in-person. I did nothing but sit there for around 20 minutes for this view Have you seen low flying planes at the level of your eyes? Well, this is the place (talking about enriching perspectives) - at your vision(eye's) level these planes seemed like 'flying cars'.After this first date with nature, I left for my stay for day 1. After resting for 2 Hours, I then explored the pennsylvania State University Campus in State College, PA. It was refreshing to see some students and cherish my own student life in the United States not-so-long-ago(3 years). This was followed by a relaxed stay and a sound sleep. I was just enjoying the new environment.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XBaMaVvkv7DoIjyzddNjn5rdl3d2yqOg56P57c9WMykBHCzUOHioM7JHxRhxB7XDPVifIQcWSGM-V7LOc6YQbK5lfAQUW5xIs7e8WB58jVD1Qq1ChFJhPGwSFKBG4yxcrUQjE56DP3iC/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1340" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XBaMaVvkv7DoIjyzddNjn5rdl3d2yqOg56P57c9WMykBHCzUOHioM7JHxRhxB7XDPVifIQcWSGM-V7LOc6YQbK5lfAQUW5xIs7e8WB58jVD1Qq1ChFJhPGwSFKBG4yxcrUQjE56DP3iC/w588-h380/image.png" width="588" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6q1cbC288dWTozsjRV6kB-t1FImDJPSOR6UQO0fnkhm4sZvN4VUhDTmZXWWYnh3wsU6WU4Np1G2RAXjTC96Ku3lB5ukQCH508LxH2yOAsw03r_kUF3XZCKWEJK72zn1-0zRPhCn82Ist/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="942" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6q1cbC288dWTozsjRV6kB-t1FImDJPSOR6UQO0fnkhm4sZvN4VUhDTmZXWWYnh3wsU6WU4Np1G2RAXjTC96Ku3lB5ukQCH508LxH2yOAsw03r_kUF3XZCKWEJK72zn1-0zRPhCn82Ist/w584-h222/image.png" width="584" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Penn's Cave</i></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGQBl4vWKNS8tl8f9tA6JfZpbjyD3NjdMFp9sWyBqd_Fz4YfCMZeJy87YWP4GTcDH9oFkEQPNe6b4GY2aby8tXJv8fjwGSBY61pKY4kHlHqWmOx1v_ELB2AORfqQix9X3mrzHs2bpTiTY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>The second day was something I was looking forward to even more - a boat tour of America's only all-water cavern(Penn's Cave) and a wildlife tour. Talking about the Penn's cave first, this is completely inundated with water i.e. we cannot walk in the cave. A natural spring sources around 11 million gallons of water on a daily basis into the cave(filling up 3 bathtubs of water every second). Interesting fact is that this cave and the surrounding forest land is privately owned and is not state property. They have been giving boat tours for almost a whooping 136 years!(fact check). The beauty of the cave is how structures such as Garden of Gods(Colorado,USA), Leaning Tower of Pisa(Italy) as natural imitation in the caves, also featuring are carvings with a semblance to animals such as doves and elephants. The most fascinating part there is a 'natural heart' craving where many guys have proposed to their girlfriends and also get married there. This is definitely innovative way to impress your other half(if you are looking for ideas).</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: left;"> Next was the wildlife tour(after a satiating lunch)where I got to see some <span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeY3TWneLJKZjkkvoHzRAlzEWCIgytW7QGcTjRie5wTkCFKGKYVJYB3ef5zM2XpuodTpOgEofGbQlFHWN9tyrG5aYi0cxFngCho-Yc4bMAxqAnay9HqN5Vw58QkLPNKYEXYzSMkQEboHxg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1293" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeY3TWneLJKZjkkvoHzRAlzEWCIgytW7QGcTjRie5wTkCFKGKYVJYB3ef5zM2XpuodTpOgEofGbQlFHWN9tyrG5aYi0cxFngCho-Yc4bMAxqAnay9HqN5Vw58QkLPNKYEXYzSMkQEboHxg/w605-h263/image.png" width="605" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Penn's cave wildlife tour</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>exquisite animals such as mountain lions, Bobcats, Silver Fox, white tailed deer(state animal of Pennsylvania) and Texas Longhorn. The tour guide was well versed with her facts and gave us a ton of information at each stop.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">So, at the end of your life, what matters? million dollars in your bank or million memories touching your soul?</span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div></span></div><div><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif">.</span><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><p></p></blockquote><p><span></span><span><span><span><span><br /></span><br /></span></span></span></p><br /></div></div>Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-2540589170389669562021-02-11T06:39:00.003+05:302021-02-11T06:39:56.283+05:30Good times don't last, but neither do the bad times<p> We often get so immersed into the present at times, that we forget that with a tick of a clock it becomes a past and is not eternal. In that very moment, whether we do any good or bad determines a great deal in our lives and can have far reaching consequences. We do not think so deeply when we do good because we set the path in a good way but we end up not being thoughtful equally when things turn south with a life lasting impact. Both, I would say need a stop and a thought. We forget, how fragile life is in this delusion of anything lasting for eternity. I believe that each experience in life has some lesson to teach provided you are a good person with a clean conscience. Certain events are just a way to set the record straight.</p><p> Next, who decides if your conscience is clean, certainly not you or your actions alone, but it's the goodwill of everyone surrounding you and related to you. Each one of them sends a wave into the universe praying for your goodwill and well-being and the reverse could be true if you hurt them for some reason. In good times and tough times alike, they count. One of the major areas where we go wrong is to believe we are in control of all the good happening to us and are the first ones to blame others for all the bad happening. This lopsided thought process leads to a sense of bloated satisfaction and extreme dissatisfaction in the reverse case. When you just prevent yourself from getting into a lot of trouble, its because the universe wanted you to be safe and conversely if you don't get happy its an indication to keep working to get there.</p><p> Life isn't a bed of roses they say and I certainly believe this statement because also in the bed of roses are the thorns. As we decide to sleep on the bed which is intended to take us to la-la-land, we realize how hard those thorns hit us, having not anticipated them. This can be very well related to our day-to-day lives, lets say in the event of us getting a new job as an example. While we are ecstatic at the prospect of joining a new job, which to us means a higher pay, an illusion of better people around and a new environment(bed of roses). Once we get in and the reality sets in, we observe that people are the same everywhere, environment might or might not be as good. Who controls these undetermined factors and makes you think things are so good?</p><p> Coming back to the original topic, acknowledging the two-dimensional karma-universe matrix is crucial. Your karma determines what you might face and the universe decides the extent of it. Whether it be good or bad times, it is worth noting that they won't last; bask in them; learn from them and move on as everything in life is meant to be an experience in itself. Signing off on the following thought:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>"Be Tough during tough times and humble during the good times"</b></p>Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-40571890084434316632020-04-12T23:09:00.001+05:302020-04-12T23:09:10.483+05:30Unrequited?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i> "How can one explain the rarity of finding love in 7+ billion people, and then the pain of it being unrequited"</i></div>
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Pam was 40, well settled in her career . She was a flamboyant personality who would excel at her job. She made her way to her current job in one of the top firms in US through extreme hardship; burning the midnight oil; formerly working in super-marts just so that her wages would be sufficient for her personal expenses. Being a brilliant student, paying college fees was quite easy owing to scholarships which US universities bestowed on intelligence like hers. She was a woman of her own choice and if there was something she disliked, it would be settling or accepting someone else's choices forced upon her. At work, her boss would completely trust her with the deliverables, knowing not to interfere much once assigned tasks. She had her own way to achieve those but at the end of the day, her deliverables would be of top notch quality. She came across as a very determined, strong and a goal oriented woman who would cross milestone after milestone, with an undaunting spirit to knock down the roadblocks on her path. For a goal-oriented woman like her, feelings of love and marriage remained a remote concept; or wait, had she found the one yet?<br />
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Ronit(34), who just graduated with a Phd.(Computer Science) from the top grad school in the, struggled no less being an immigrant, to complete his strenuous coursework and was among the very few who made it to Pam's team post graduation. Such were his communication skills that Pam was instantly convinced on having him in their team. He would excel at his tasks, completing each of his deliverable a day before his deadline. The quality which differentiated him from others was his drive to work was not for himself but driven by empathy. He believed that its not always about the work, it is about the people whom you work for/with which gives you a greater satisfaction. He would try to fill in where Pam would not fit well; a person who brought a fresh skillset and mind to tackle problems innovatively .Ronit not only outperformed his role but also ensured he got his leader's(Pam's) work done, without her intervention.He had a structured thought process to each problem ensuring that the solution is all rounded and work-wise he was impressive overall.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjFodO6k62jGcPg8QXjoJN0MXtCPpT5Ab1HDhUGiDOfdlpuxTQJ2bxwIjqHYCAEFg1h-twHVPTHGyawtKqZRC1N6WxoX96yvj2sXgENNDqdAD0piqvl-CgUYNjDTttWmD9Lrez-7-bUgP/s1600/unrequited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjFodO6k62jGcPg8QXjoJN0MXtCPpT5Ab1HDhUGiDOfdlpuxTQJ2bxwIjqHYCAEFg1h-twHVPTHGyawtKqZRC1N6WxoX96yvj2sXgENNDqdAD0piqvl-CgUYNjDTttWmD9Lrez-7-bUgP/s200/unrequited.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">pic credits: torange.biz</span></i></td></tr>
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As days passed, Pam began to see lines blurring between her professional and personal life when it came to Ronit. A woman who would never blink an eye at men was suddenly awestruck. She liked being around Ronit, observe him work and experience the flair with which he lived life overall. This went on to a point of no return and she began exhibiting these feelings for him in ways he couldn't fathom. Sometimes just a blank look while he spoke, sometimes not answering IM<br />
messages on purpose(so that he took note) and followed up, sometimes its just a few questions on how personal life was going.Sometimes, they would fight over the solutions to a problem which perplexed Ronit further. One day Ronit decided to have a conversation with her on these issues to understand the rationale. Did Ronit understand her feelings or did her feelings go unrequited? What do you think, let the writer in you speak....<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-13399003684478606392019-04-20T08:36:00.002+05:302019-04-20T09:06:51.044+05:30Unclarity: the root cause of stress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We all are stressed these days, some on the professional front and some on the personal one. The causes of stress can either be intrinsic or extrinsic. I firmly believe that intrinsic factors can be handled and corrected as it is in our hands. What most of us suffer, for a prolonged period of time is stress through extrinsic factors. To add to the complication, these factors are not in our control and there is hardly any action we could take on this. Despite knowing this fact, we let ourselves into the hole so deep that it affects our mind and ultimately our spiritual and mental well being.<br />
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The paramount factor of stress is due to unclear thought process or presence of undefined/misplaced entities/objects in our life. Yes, you heard it right, even inanimate objects can be a cause of stress. In my case I have observed, things which do not actually add value or unorganized/scattered things often create unclarity in thoughts and lead to stress. This is like placing a ketchup bottle in your bedroom while it should actually be placed in your kitchen. Another example is furnishing the house to such an extent that the sole purpose of having adequate free space to live is defeated. I find it stressful when I have very little room to move around in a house. Although nothing grave but it hits the subconscious. Our mind functions best when things are organized which helps prevent unnecessary depletion of energy deciphering the unusual.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNFVkr2XgjqnexBnj5605M8ciFEchLLkBOh1lxckE86NqWBrEVfIHtWpegpNWuuiyIvgHdItUCfTAFKy-wkikVYOAlmZCTPSNiTDj1EtZYzJMEIya6l5soP98-2I8SVIPh82X8AvmrXxn/s1600/stress.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="705" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNFVkr2XgjqnexBnj5605M8ciFEchLLkBOh1lxckE86NqWBrEVfIHtWpegpNWuuiyIvgHdItUCfTAFKy-wkikVYOAlmZCTPSNiTDj1EtZYzJMEIya6l5soP98-2I8SVIPh82X8AvmrXxn/s320/stress.png" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>pic credits: pintrest</i></td></tr>
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Another extrinsic factor causing stress are people with unclear thoughts. This is one of the prime factors in our day-to-day life, especially if we spend most of our time with them either at home or workplace. Clarity is not an attribute of many; most people either do not find it necessary to be clear, leading to stressing not only others but even themselves in this process. One of the examples I could think of is about people in a committed relationship(in the personal sphere). It is not uncommon for two emotionally invested people to regularly quarrel over issues. In retrospection, most of these quarrels are over petty issues but only occur as emotions and sometimes ego shroud one's thinking. For an example, if one of the individuals had a bad day at office, he/she would vent out this frustration on the other for trivial issues such criticize the food cooked or be adamant on a choice. A better and clear approach would be to be honest and direct with the other person on what they felt about a day. Such fights occur because the communication between two individuals was unclear. Most of the times, it becomes difficult to decipher the exact causes of this stress or which events were linked to it. Life is not ideal after-all, is it?<br />
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For any human being, it is an utopian situation to be stress-free. Everybody of us have varying degrees of stress; all we can do is find our individual coping mechanisms. For me reading, writing,yoga and socializing are outlets of stress. Let me know your thoughts and ways to handle stress to.<br />
Good day on that note.</div>
Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-17334195454318497502018-08-27T04:02:00.000+05:302018-08-27T04:02:16.523+05:30Ideal Life?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Scathing summers followed by torrential rains, this is something which Rick did not appreciate. Left alone, high and dry in the heat, each day would count as he struggled to earn few bucks just so that he could feed his family. His days were successful if he could feed his entire family a satiating meal. He would often look at the huge glass buildings and wonder what happened in these edifices. One thing he could not think of at his stage is getting into one such building and fending for his life there; for his lack of education. For him, this was an ideal life, he felt people wearing suits/blazers were living a life which any person would desire.<br />
Rachael on the other hand, worked in the edifice which Rick admired. She would get down from her Mercedes at 9 AM and her day would begin with a few salutes by her subordinates and a cup of tea. She was a star performer at office and folks respect her for what she is. 10 hours a day, Rachael would have a time of her life but one thing she did not look forward to is going home and spending time with self. She was 31 and a successful professional at work but one thing she could never achieve is having a company of a loved one with whom she can share her joys and sorrows. Rachael's Father passed away when she was 20 years old and she huddled her way up by hard work. Her typical day at home would be swallow a few pills to curb diabetes, cook food which does not add to her health issues and eventually get done with the day. She had a negligible social life and weekends would be just as unkempt because she would have nothing to do and wait for a Monday.<br />
Who lived an ideal life? Is it Rachael or Rick? Rick had a family to look forward to but his struggles were to feed them. He imagined that people like Rachael lived an ideal life, getting down from an expensive car, getting respect from her subordinates and being successful professionally. Little did Rick know the costs Rachael had to pay to get there, it came at a cost of not having a loved one, having lost her parents and currently, having none to look forward to.<br />
This reminds me of the adage: - 'The grass is greener on the other side of the fence'. We might objectively see one aspect of a person and feel he/she has achieved it holistically and is living a very good life. What is a good life after-all? Again it depends, for some, it is money, for some it is satisfaction through different forms which money might not bring and for others, it is as simple as having a family to look forward to. One of the greatest flaws in a human being is to look at one aspect of someone else's life, without understanding the kind of sacrifices involved. Although I would concur that Rick's basic necessities were under threat but his perspective of Rachael's life was far from reality. Nobody lives an ideal life, and everything they have currently is accounted by tremendous amount of sacrifices in various forms. As I end this article, I remember the success iceberg:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPEDGbQ0o0B3llcjmarATHG2TdmFE_SF7pZ0R96-jo8Wh84Gt0aTOxADjV6FSk3uaCKkWU01bGfSQC7Hk-gWpKK30jwDxSQ9CdNcRjGMoWKrphTAAKqRh4_EIvKb8h6YPT3b20IU0hruY/s1600/succees.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="505" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPEDGbQ0o0B3llcjmarATHG2TdmFE_SF7pZ0R96-jo8Wh84Gt0aTOxADjV6FSk3uaCKkWU01bGfSQC7Hk-gWpKK30jwDxSQ9CdNcRjGMoWKrphTAAKqRh4_EIvKb8h6YPT3b20IU0hruY/s320/succees.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-8294804418350128602018-04-19T09:32:00.003+05:302018-04-19T20:34:20.580+05:30Eternal Bond<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
" My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition."<br />
<i>-Indira Gandhi</i> <br />
UT, a young, flamboyant person is always by surrounded by people. His aura is such that people love to be with him. The inspiration behind UT's aura is his grandfather. His grandfather was a man of virtues, who would not let a mouse pass through a hole if it did not belong to it.UT would often mull about the shambolic conditions around and greatly respect his grandad for all the values imbibed in him. He realised that virtues such as honesty, integrity were more precious and valued than a diamond today.<br />
His college, a reputed institution in India for graduate education was situated away from Indore, the place his granddad resided. Not that he did not enjoy the company around in college, but for him, talks with his grandpa made him forget the passage of time. To keep up with the loss, he would come home after his semester got over."Keep your studies above anything.You know son, you will surely stand out of all the people around you not by doing anything special but by diligently following the basic principles which I taught because that is going to be valued a lot; it is something which I see fading away from this world."<br />
When he came back for his vacations, the first thing he would do is enter his grandfathers room, with his bag still on his shoulders. They would sit together and many a times have a tangible discussion. Irrespective of the nature of their discussion, there would always be something to take out of it. They would finally play a game of chess each time before UT left the house to attend his college. In a jovial mood, his grandpa would often say, "If you win, your semester would pass really well. For me, you winning this game matters more than the marks you score there. Maybe because I think chess is still a yardstick to judge one's smartness and intelligence.Education quality seems to be degrading with time and no longer seems to be a gauge for intelligence anymore." UT would be amazed and try his best to get a pat from his grandfather by winning.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTY6DEcY2MkF9l9AMQ0dhJp1iQqY12_pz_KFeRxHknQacJKRBP1h_iYSU7szYyI_9TaKVb0Dnj9IfL3b2WIhd2iXi7MpScu3i8d6JBk8qItDbrwHNajeTK_OMSGgXsrW-6PZKhjO3SLrPq/s1600/2384114427_3e605c0433_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="686" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTY6DEcY2MkF9l9AMQ0dhJp1iQqY12_pz_KFeRxHknQacJKRBP1h_iYSU7szYyI_9TaKVb0Dnj9IfL3b2WIhd2iXi7MpScu3i8d6JBk8qItDbrwHNajeTK_OMSGgXsrW-6PZKhjO3SLrPq/s320/2384114427_3e605c0433_b.jpg" width="212" /></a> In the summer of 2013, he had won the vacation-concluding chess match with his grandfather and left for college to attend his last semester. He was happy that the vacation had ended on a good note and had complete faith in his grandfather's words of his semester passing well. Seldom did his innocence know that the pat he got on his back was probably the last one. When he heard of his grandfather's demise just after a month, his consternation knew no bounds. He cried for long that day, as each memory came back to him like a flash. It was like through his memories, he was re-living each and every moment spent with his grandfather with greater glory. His grandfather's demise was a prime motivator to follow the principles of diligence and living life on his own terms. Having said this, he also had the realization that his motives were about to meet a huge resistance from the unfair world but he knew right from the start, this goal is not for the faint-hearted.<br />
As Bill Cosby rightly said,<br />
"In order to succeed, the desire for success must be greater than the fear of failure". He has been sticking to his stand till date and only does what he feels is correct. Following his grandpa's advise, he tries to diligently do his work and ensures he meets his own set expectations, in a world where every employee's expectation is set by his/her supervisor. The path to a content life he says, in words of the so-called 'employees', "be your own supervisor, exceed your expectations and take charge of your life". Through his principles, he shares an eternal bond with his grandfather.<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-27526976782413796312018-02-06T01:29:00.001+05:302018-02-06T03:00:05.297+05:30Music: A passage of time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have often re-iterated my thoughts about music on other social media platforms such as facebook, twitter; but today is a bit different. I was listening to music across a few decades and could re-live my life in those times. Time-travel for me I would say happens through good music.<br />
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Listening to songs was exactly like re-living the entire experience of those times. There is no need to stress my brain to recollect olden memories as these melodies do the needful. I am a Bollywood song aficionado and these songs are indeed soothing. Though the songs these days are not that appealing(not all though), I cherish those golden era of pre-1990's, 1990s and early 2000s era which truly produced some romantic hits.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti5SNrWxftE" target="_blank">Diye Jalte hain</a> - a song featuring Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna on the importance of friendship. Where is such simplicity these days or have we redefined and reduced the scope of the concept of friendship to produce such a song today? I remember singing this song for one of my friends in my engineering days. I feel people who understand the meaning of this song will truly value friendship over everything else because ultimately everything else is temporary in life.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK596ntCp9c" target="_blank">Na tum jaanu na hum</a> : This was from Hritik's first movie, Kaho na Pyar hai and this makes me reminisce my early school days when romance was a distant concept. I loved this song for its melody and story back then.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tiVPuLbbHg" target="_blank">Yeh jo Des hai tera</a>: One of those songs I heard when I was in seventh Grade. Too early to feel the song but it has a lot of memories associated. Now that I am in the US, the bond and understanding of this song is only getting stronger.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIAcdeG70IE" target="_blank">Chand Tare </a> : A song from Yess Boss which portrayed an ambitious Shah Rukh who dreams big but trivializes those dreams. This song inspired to never be overly serious about things and just act to achieve them, shredding worries.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS9A4PfM_n8" target="_blank">Humdum Soniyo</a>: This was, one of my favorites from Saathiya makes me go back to my pre-secondary school times. For the good, I recollect listening to these songs once back from school and just living the moment. No worries or strings attached. I also recollect the fresh sips of coffee I used to take; coffee remains even today but I doubt the freshness of the day.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuTy9KGKNbA" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuTy9KGKNbA" target="_blank">Yuhi Chala Chal Rahi</a> : This one, again from Swades, features Shah Rukh Khan and for all the seriousness he had in this movie, makes him live in the moment and enjoy the path as it unfolds. Again, a wonderful song asking to enjoy moments as they pass by and seconding the thought " The path is more beautiful than the journey".<br />
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Coming to some of the recent ones.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-YrRDlV0Gg" target="_blank">Soch na sake</a> : Such a melody. This one's really near to my heart and soul and makes me recollect my travel days from Mumbai to Pune. Throughout the journey, I would replay this song owing to the deep meaning and melody. Those journey's used to be in the late evenings making it an ideal time to listen to a slow song and relaxing thereafter. Though this song makes me think if such pure love exists in an age where temporary feelings and aspirations have taken over. Nevertheless, comforting song.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw4tT7SCmaY" target="_blank">Afreen Afreen</a> : This one's the cheery on the cake. I could never imagine the way a woman's beauty and face can be adjectivized. Something so pure woven into such a captivating melody will make you listen more and more of this. I recollect my past 3 years where this song will eternally accompany me during my work, relieving much of worries and stress on account of its meaning and music. Such a masterpiece I say!<br />
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<br />
...well, the list can get longer and longer, so many songs but less pages to write. The more I express, the lesser I feel satisfied. Perhaps, writing also doesn't suffice at times? Let me know of any memories you have associated with songs. I would be glad to hear them.<br />
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Lastly, thank you<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyyddI4ypISctUlOKyVvbHhPwdHx5geUeFrnlVZD4OtEViRodaQ6vNT6aZ3BENEHMWb5ylngw7LamehXAoAU9xfaDlDc-IHfGKjVCPdpgCwPrZbKvil_6XAEuEP7XKvKjTGwQfOsVZvbM/s1600/india-1907790_960_720.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="960" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyyddI4ypISctUlOKyVvbHhPwdHx5geUeFrnlVZD4OtEViRodaQ6vNT6aZ3BENEHMWb5ylngw7LamehXAoAU9xfaDlDc-IHfGKjVCPdpgCwPrZbKvil_6XAEuEP7XKvKjTGwQfOsVZvbM/s320/india-1907790_960_720.png" width="320" /></a></div>
and coke studio for producing such wonderful songs and adding lives to moments which otherwise wouldnt have been as memorable and meaningful.<br />
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Good day to all!</div>
Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-88447207234564833282017-10-09T03:37:00.000+05:302017-10-09T18:58:45.511+05:30Success!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Overrated", "Ultimate-goal", "Bliss", "Money" are some of the contrasting words which adjectivizes success. Success has been in a positive or negative limelight depending upon how one got there or how one is viewed by the people who judge. Let us not focus on these aspects though and lets 'try' defining it. I say 'try' because it is really not possible to generalize perspectives and probably I would project my thoughts on this topic.<br />
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Often in our journey of life, we are all left alone emotionally and feel hapless to have been trapped in that situation. During such times, will you being a accomplished entrepreneur/CEO help you get out of it? Quite simple to answer that right? We cannot use these positions to absolve ourselves of the emotional turmoil. What do you need then?who will get you out of it? The answer is quite simple, loved ones will always stand by you come what may. While what I stated was obvious, I was making up a background of my definition of success. Success, according to me is having a few people around who make your life memorable. What is the use of the professional endeavors when you have no person to share it with, to be expressive about and make yourself feel really good and confident.<br />
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The professional journey of a person might be a success on account of his own work but it never really a sinks in until he/she doesn't feel about this achievement touching another person's life. The feeling of seeing your hard-work bringing smile on yours and someone else's face doesn't have a lexical expression, it can only be felt. Success is having people who help you get where you deserve to be and make you feel valued. Behind every man who is successful, there are many people who help him mold himself/herself into the person that he/she has become. Let me give you an example, the PM or the President of a country is in the chair not only because he deserves and worked hard to get there but also because many other people had confidence in him/her and wanted to see that person in the chair.<br />
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To sum up, I would say success is all about people and for people. As we move along the journey of time, reducing the time-to-live on earth, we should more focus on increasing the count of quality people in life and less on materialistic things. Materialistic things will come and go by with time. Finally, Ask yourself this question:-<br />
"What would you remember while breathing last, the most expensive flat you bought or the person with whom you spent the most important moments of life?"</div>
Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-57606871767456175812017-07-06T22:44:00.000+05:302017-07-28T12:50:36.676+05:30Present: A treasure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/2017/07/15/best-indian-blogs-to-read-this-weekend" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="54" data-original-width="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7oskYsebrhoVZTcZRMYYQX9QUbguIqyzfYyNfCGKN7gRjf2Zh0zd7qvf_EDHhSxdKJuAYcHVtwpin4ZELq6RGABrd9C3LUvnNEg805ubA_VwqKXGYW62BIwLVZPUM0m2lZXUTixUOiKO/s1600/ssp_email.jpg" /></a></div>
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It is a gift for which breathing is the tax. It is a surprise for our senses. It brings about new experiences each time and believe it or not, it is a treat for those who know the value of it. Yes, I am talking about the treasure which is the most non-monetary expensive yet undervalued thing to possess, the present time.<br />
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Theoretically, everyone is aware of this but how many of us practically treasure the present? Some people either live in the past or the future. Unforgettable memories, planning for the future, anticipating the future events are some of the activities a man does in the present.<br />
There is nothing wrong in such behavior because that is how we are, treasuring the past as if it were present today and building a future which is till date virtual. While its not wrong to plan things, doing it excessively and forgetting that you are an entity with life meant to experience things in the present is flawed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMy8WgcDxpAilqpbfRbIzepCsuAAVwsNOb59vtRr7lZdtrNQ7T44KhE8iQNfWrfSOUasG-PW0DHIcRQ-uSe7loGRzuC9V3ewAq5sup9SRCpcxs0ttAcip4jznUEUhY3vM5SdxJFNhm_wN/s1600/ENCOGNITIVE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMy8WgcDxpAilqpbfRbIzepCsuAAVwsNOb59vtRr7lZdtrNQ7T44KhE8iQNfWrfSOUasG-PW0DHIcRQ-uSe7loGRzuC9V3ewAq5sup9SRCpcxs0ttAcip4jznUEUhY3vM5SdxJFNhm_wN/s1600/ENCOGNITIVE.jpg" /></a> All being said, the value of the present doesn't really seep in until you meet an experience which potentially limits your future plans or makes your past invalid. These experiences are once in a lifetime and get etched in your memory. Lasting for seconds at times, they teach you some invaluable lessons which sets the yardstick straight for your future life. Such experiences are in numerous forms and they, for one, make you equally refreshing as the sluggishness induced by your past. This maybe in the form of entry of a new person in one's life who changes everything drastically, with whom you can connect and erase the marks which your past shamelessly left on you. This person is all what your past wasn't and gradually without much damage, the person manages to take you away from the scars which once shone in you. It also maybe in the form of an accident which you encountered unexpectedly but fortunately managed to survive against all odds. This makes you realize your own worth and how being alert in the present can do wonders. Such shocks, I must say gets you out of the rut of circular thinking which leads nowhere. It breaks the circumference of your thoughts and lets you explore the innumerable opportunities present in the 'present'(:p).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjng8ByzngH3lnK8GQTxvR0dxNY1Y9jac2QFILv4_4CPnex8j5eLbNTrBzmWOr9x6OlxCVpA0xW_mHxuxA4PFU4BiOr5QXg8p8NH-Eghrur5zuW_Sqn7lgFZY4vCMZZybaDxHZjoksS1kQ9/s1600/Odyssey+Online.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="620" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjng8ByzngH3lnK8GQTxvR0dxNY1Y9jac2QFILv4_4CPnex8j5eLbNTrBzmWOr9x6OlxCVpA0xW_mHxuxA4PFU4BiOr5QXg8p8NH-Eghrur5zuW_Sqn7lgFZY4vCMZZybaDxHZjoksS1kQ9/s320/Odyssey+Online.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ctsy:OdysseyOnline</td></tr>
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I am very well aware about the perplexities of human mind; until one doesn't experience certain things, it will never really seep in. However, the above blog is my attempt to convince my readers of the beauty of the present and how getting out of the circular thought process is of prime importance to enjoy life to the fullest.</div>
Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-68289953011666413812017-04-26T22:25:00.000+05:302017-06-14T18:29:09.085+05:30Yours half'ly'..<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;"> </span><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "libre franklin" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">I am sharing a Half relationship story at </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.blogadda.com/&source=gmail&ust=1492766597944000&usg=AFQjCNHMPRa6k9sH29MZEOLiTfYug-X1Yw" href="http://www.blogadda.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-shadow: rgb(15, 15, 15) 0px 0px 0px inset; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Libre Franklin", "Helvetica Neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; transition: color 80ms ease-in, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out;" target="_blank">BlogAdda</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "libre franklin" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> in association with </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DKmlBnmyelHI&source=gmail&ust=1492766597944000&usg=AFQjCNFYhYou8rklksFAtXZ85scrr9dk3w" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmlBnmyelHI" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-shadow: rgb(15, 15, 15) 0px 0px 0px inset; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Libre Franklin", "Helvetica Neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; transition: color 80ms ease-in, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out;" target="_blank">#HalfGirlfriend</a></i></span></div>
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<span><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;"> How does it feel to be half committed? It seems
strange and absurd at the same time. Such was the story of Rakesh and Priya who
were neither into a relationship nor could remain friends. It all started when
they met in a camp in Kashmir trapped by their captivators. They had been told
that they have limited time till the government met their demands and would
later be slaughtered mercilessly. Priya was a happy go-lucky type while Rakesh
was a serious guy. Their hands were tied around the same pillar in that area.
As Priya was blabbering some words, Rakesh grew curious and heard this, </span><em><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;">"I have so
many unfulfilled wishes to travel around the world, to meet new people and
enjoy life". This caught Rakesh's attention and he asked facing the other
side, "What is your name, you seem to be more worried about
fulfilling your wishes than about an instant death that awaits us". Rakesh
was unable to see her face but he fell in love with the girl's attitude and
voice.</span></em><em><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;"> </span></em></span></div>
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<span><em><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;"> Fortunately, the government and the
captivators reached an agreement and they were released. Rakesh, being an
enthusiastic person decided to take the conversation forward and asked her
phone number, residence and broached up a casual conversation. To Rakesh's
pleasure, Priya and he lived in the same locality just a few kilometers away.
They started talking and Priya too started liking Rakesh for some of qualities
like immense caring, respect for women and they had a common interest;
travelling.</span></em><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span><em><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;"> Their conversations would endlessly
continue crossing barriers of time and it seemed like this relationship was to
be shaped like no other. Not that Priya did not know that Rakesh was to ask her
out one day; it only struck her mind that her family would never accept Rakesh
because he belonged to a different caste. Priya knew that her family would be
unaccepting to Rakesh's proposal. Keeping this in mind, after intense talks for
about 2 months, Priya one day showed the red flag to Rakesh. Rakesh was stumped
and was curious to know about the reason. Priya simply started ignoring him
thinking that this will absolve her of hurting his expectations. Little did she
know that this was killing her from inside too.</span></em><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;"> </span><em><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;"> </span></em></span></div>
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<em><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; font-style: normal;"> Finally one fine day, after desperate
attempts by Rakesh to get in touch with her, she picked up the call much to
Rakesh's surprise. There was a surge of emotions for Rakesh who was left in the
dark about her sudden ignorance of his presence. The first lines he asked
were, "What do I mean to you? Tell me if you can live peacefully in
my absence? Why are you ignoring me?" His sincere attempts solicited some
sincere response from her too. She replied, "Look Rakesh, I too feel
for you and these days have been very difficult for me. I never have felt so
vulnerable in life from anyone. But you should know that my folks at home here
wont accept our relationship. Its not just a bond between you and me but also
between families and I, for one, cannot afford to go against their wishes
completely. I think we should call it off." Rakesh said, " What
is this unnamed relationship we shared, we were never committed nor just
friends, i think it was more than that". Priya replied, " I was
yours at one point of time, only restricted by societal norms and an urge to
not hurt my parents. We are breaking off a relationship in which I was your
half girlfriend, you can say."</span></em></div>
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<span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;"> What happened later on is a different story altogether. Priya got married to a boy of her caste and Rakesh to another girl of his choice. Their conversations would continue though and this unnamed relationship made its presence felt later on too. Although not bound by any formal relationship in the past, Priya and Rakesh had something in their heart for each other, a brewing unrealized relationship started complicating each other's life. Finally, they mutually decided to stop talking too for the betterment of their lives with respective spouses. Their half-girlfriend-half-boyfriend relationship was definitely troubling them constantly but they learnt to suppress it and live in their present life. It remained an unrealized dream for both; perhaps to be realised in the next life?</span></span></span></div>
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-10511180234420156272017-04-09T23:12:00.000+05:302017-04-09T23:16:35.780+05:30The fault in the Stars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
[<em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Despite the light around us in cities, we cannot see the most beautiful wonders of all- A glittered night sky. What are your views on light pollution, and memories of those wonderful starry nights? #DarknessForStars</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17.85px;"> ]</span><br />
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Yes, it's the fault in the stars for them to not attract our attention. Quite truly, in this hustle-bustle, the simple things which attracted us once upon a time are no longer attractive. Perhaps, it is our cell phones and i-pods and so many other indispensable gadgets which have taken over from a simplistic thing such as the night sky. Sitting in a room lit by artificial bulbs and being happy by the flickering screen is all the more attractive.<br />
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The stars cannot form the queen's necklace type of arrangement in Mumbai, for that matter the stars in the sky isn't fanciful at all. Why will then we be attracted to something that's so random, which doesn't entertain us or is pleasant looking. We are so used to observing a set pattern like the city lights. A set pattern makes us feel comfortable because they don't change. The stars on the other hand represent randomness and irregularity. The current times are so stressful that we love a set pattern be it a 9 to 5 job or something which is constant as it gives an apparent sense of stability. Everybody wants to settle down and have a stable life except a few who go against a wind. The stars represent curiosity regarding the unknown while the city lights represents stability using the known. Seeing the same thing again and again majority of us feel that we are where we belong and we know where we are heading. This is the sense of security most of us need these days and the city lights represent this.<br />
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The reason why we no longer even think of seeing the stars is because we have become what the stars do not represent. We have become like those beings who cling to the known for security, those who fear the unknown, fear randomness and also fear the uncertain. How can we, with these attributes then peacefully see the stars above which portray a different message altogether?<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17.85px;">In response to </span><a href="https://www.indiblogger.in/indispire/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ca2017; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Indispire </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17.85px;">Edition #164. Topic suggested by </span><a href="https://www.indiblogger.in/thecosmogasmicperson" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ca2017; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; margin-bottom: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Shantanu Ashima Gaur</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17.85px;"> .</span></div>
Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-49332756988254104632017-04-08T12:18:00.000+05:302017-04-08T12:30:35.643+05:30Wings of destruction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
While we humans are born with a pair of hands and legs for living our life, wings develop later on when a man understands just more than what he/she deserves. These are the wings which causes the descent of the person, a descent from the imaginary world he/she lives in. While whatever I stated might be a bit confusing, it is clear nevertheless; talking about a person who is staring an imaginary world which his imaginary wings developed to satisfy his greed for success take him in. What is this 'success' which makes you develop imaginary wings?<br />
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In the recent wake of events around me, this question kept me pondering and I decided to dig deeper. The taste of success is so sweet that one keeps craving for even more. Let me ask you one question, what happens to your body when you increase sugar intake and don't exercise? Your body is unable to metabolize the excess sugar. Blood sugar increases which is very unhealthy. Similarly, when this thirst for success/material things never end and surpasses one's capacity to achieve, a pair of wings are developed. These wings represent deceit, treachery and blatant disregard for relationships(especially the ones who helped the person succeed). So, the person becomes an iconoclast not because he was always like that but because he/she wants to disregard the ones in power to claim his own. Going against the higher echelon then becomes his/her identity but on what basis is quite questionable. He/She then tries to clip the hands of those who made him/her to surpass them.<br />
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When does this all end? It all ends when he/she is stopped being given undue importance and is left for retrospection and void of support. This bird which has developed imaginary wings to fly then becomes a bird with no base, nowhere to land and finally realizes the mistake it made. The point I make is that there are a group of humble people who are responsible for the ascent of a person. These people should always be respected as they have been your base/nest from where you flew. This self realization brings a person back on track by clipping the imaginary wings. The signature of success is humbleness and often it is those who fail to succeed make more noise. This is to fill the gap between their ambition and shortcomings in a way convincing not to oneself but to others. Such people often seek the approval of others for their existence. Happiness and other positive emotions for them are in the hands of some other person who provides approval(second-hand person). When they don't get this approval, they start making noise and then the imaginary wings are developed to claim their supremacy.<br />
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Next question is how to prevent someone from developing the wings of destruction? It is by avoiding a fundamental mistake made by humble and successful people. They exaggerate the other persons importance and skills and make him/her feel very special. These people then develop an air of over-confidence followed by developing wings of destruction. They then try to clip the hands which made them and taught them to stand on their own feet. Over-praising any person does more harm than good.<br />
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What do you think?<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-91417114527174820662017-02-12T20:52:00.000+05:302017-02-12T21:40:12.875+05:30 A Roadtrip to Kutch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It all began on 30th December when I finally agreed to go on my first long road trip with friends who are nothing less my brothers. The prospect of it being a long trip made me a bit anxious and also think about the logistics(stay etc) as it was not completely planned. We roughly knew where we need to head to but did not follow an itinerary.<br />
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Our first stop was in Ankleshwar, Gujarat(India). We reached here at about 2 AM morning on 31st December. The luxurious hotel(APEX) ensured that we had a sound sleep. Next day was all set for the long car drive; starting at 8 AM we set our Accelerator to Kutch, near to India's western border with Pakistan. The major attraction in Kutch is the Rann of kutch which is a salt laden white marshy surface. Kutch not only hosted the white Rann(white Desert) but also the vivacious Kutch Utsav.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZzR0diAk3haSIuHFS02jotVXpigkgczwhLxDfgoe2yz4RHwS8Rtg4UgiXdVlARS2BruCwRYx61wWcHg39CEaOCn6rdRWUfuaMFWTDssRZ4Jxc7av3GZF6i5fuPBomDaaYtD-F7AE1mrp/s1600/rann+utsav.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZzR0diAk3haSIuHFS02jotVXpigkgczwhLxDfgoe2yz4RHwS8Rtg4UgiXdVlARS2BruCwRYx61wWcHg39CEaOCn6rdRWUfuaMFWTDssRZ4Jxc7av3GZF6i5fuPBomDaaYtD-F7AE1mrp/s320/rann+utsav.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rann utsav, Kutch,Gujarat</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3kx6Zs4RVZ3mpTRnFTN2jvjVQT3rns_aXbrhswf7dQ4iOVRbkhyEw30zU_He7OEegPwWp8kTCuiJn0VQovSP663Q85zmj0zhbOpQtmUJ0R4aSp2PNcxl60Ffv7nJOzfVuxUiN69-JrP_/s1600/IMG_20170105_130605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3kx6Zs4RVZ3mpTRnFTN2jvjVQT3rns_aXbrhswf7dQ4iOVRbkhyEw30zU_He7OEegPwWp8kTCuiJn0VQovSP663Q85zmj0zhbOpQtmUJ0R4aSp2PNcxl60Ffv7nJOzfVuxUiN69-JrP_/s200/IMG_20170105_130605.jpg" width="76" /></a>The kutch Utsav depicts the Kutch culture at its best. With people from the local attire performing stage shows as also exquisite items from kutch are out for sale. I got a exquisite bell enclosed in a heart shaped structure from the utsav as a gift to my parents. We then moved on towards the White Rann, the focus of the trip at somewhere around 11:30 pm on 31st December, 2016. While I was going towards the gate to this one-of-a-type place, I met a Border Security Force(BSF) Jawan whose warmth and patience in talking was surprisingly overwhelming for me. Despite handling an hostile border under strenuous conditions at the border, I was spoken to with care and politeness and asked to come the next day morning at about 6 am. This further increased my respect for our Paramilitary and Military(their silent sacrifices which at times do not get the highlight they deserve). From when did sleeping in the car turn out to be an option for me? Well, this was the first time and a good experience in the chilling cold and windows shut completely. I was busy with making and receiving calls for the new years greetings. The following morning, we were the first ones to get into the Rann of kutch, accompanied by nothing but pitch black darkness enroute to the white rann which is just a walking distance from the place we were stationed in. An apparent fear of getting too near the border was always ingrained in us and it came to the fore when we saw BSF jawans coming back from their duty. As we couldn't identify him in the darkness, we were a bit scared and sat by the bench nearby to let the convoy pass.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9-EA5ac8CIMEReg8XaTPYKsVNB4TObcDaiYS0vuZgX9Ww925PtA-HXC0dSbvhwAxYIm6xR5rYys912w1iDhNLGPwEGsj8s_DGD40ExJPpeGVMNJQNpYp409xFKDzD8D27MH5qLHBIBRQ/s1600/White_rann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9-EA5ac8CIMEReg8XaTPYKsVNB4TObcDaiYS0vuZgX9Ww925PtA-HXC0dSbvhwAxYIm6xR5rYys912w1iDhNLGPwEGsj8s_DGD40ExJPpeGVMNJQNpYp409xFKDzD8D27MH5qLHBIBRQ/s200/White_rann.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Rann</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GU-7jvxyyP_vC061pF3ml77xcPmuGCOmdlSLt42csg9mZ9dgdojlDKzWeRJ102Cr-ewPA688_-PcemlPJAOpjnj0X3IO9gviSU0Q-tUAOS5zts5PuY4nFjXqnyp2Hayucr6irBby4gNf/s1600/white_rann_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GU-7jvxyyP_vC061pF3ml77xcPmuGCOmdlSLt42csg9mZ9dgdojlDKzWeRJ102Cr-ewPA688_-PcemlPJAOpjnj0X3IO9gviSU0Q-tUAOS5zts5PuY4nFjXqnyp2Hayucr6irBby4gNf/s200/white_rann_1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Rann</td></tr>
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As mentioned earlier, the white Rann is a seasonal salt marsh in kutch. The experience got even more amazing when we were the first ones to climb the small tower at the mouth of the white desert and awaited to experience the sunrise.This was a first time experience for me to walk on this unique landscape. The food reflecting the culture of the place; the taste of Bhakri, bhaji and a special chatni in one of the stalls left my taste buds tickling and wanting for more! We also had a camel ride there, to add to the experiences.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx7Rer74TF1bU52nalKp5140QIEiyZ0ZKAM0qJFr_zJYfCoCgN3lREuEGPT8xhwBkglQVuOFudzdhF71takzACnJbKwdvdlhokYY0aQjijt5Z4LXvJUhYV3ux1n5iKsNW-7qgBfv_UNpS/s1600/jalebi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx7Rer74TF1bU52nalKp5140QIEiyZ0ZKAM0qJFr_zJYfCoCgN3lREuEGPT8xhwBkglQVuOFudzdhF71takzACnJbKwdvdlhokYY0aQjijt5Z4LXvJUhYV3ux1n5iKsNW-7qgBfv_UNpS/s200/jalebi.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jalebi-fafda brunch</td></tr>
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We then stopped near a place called Bachau in Kutch where my taste buds were tickled again by the Jalebi-Fafda brunch. This is the specialty of the state and needless to say, we enjoyed the taste.Our next stop was Ahmedabad, a city which welcomed us with a very gloomy climate(blame it on the time of the day- evening). We rented a hotel here and visited a few places around. Though I don't remember the place names, it helped me with some good memories and moments to remember. By now, I was tired and wanted to sleep even more(most unfavourable thing to do during trips-SLEEP). We just went back to the room and dozed off. The next morning our journey onward Mumbai began. We had kathiawadi Thali at Ankleshwar(en route Mumbai) followed by experiencing tea at a local stall near the connecting road to Surat.The last memorable stopover was at the Tapi riverfront in Surat, a well maintained bay area with all amenities to spend peaceful time with friends. Once we left Surat, we began to sense the normalcy and routine life we were about to resume and were counting each moment spent in the journey henceforth. The exact following day, I had to resume working so I did not even have time to sit down and reminisce on the wonderful time spent.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Il1-quWTq5LYeI-BpbBeTTPdyGZv8Ws3aosk88gXWzguIk8YR3y-FzRYe2rUKz02dNeYgvSH6bWdc4Llqm8tWOdn_jnZufkNZeHVexi99sdF__A8o34ZETyY-4pW-XsFes8bVYtWafS5/s1600/surat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Il1-quWTq5LYeI-BpbBeTTPdyGZv8Ws3aosk88gXWzguIk8YR3y-FzRYe2rUKz02dNeYgvSH6bWdc4Llqm8tWOdn_jnZufkNZeHVexi99sdF__A8o34ZETyY-4pW-XsFes8bVYtWafS5/s320/surat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tapi riverfront,Surat</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZgIz-ptV-5cGPDE6ON8Elh4DAmxPOFXNt7ti4Vhy0q2GCMpHqnu_0_VVwZIpNSo3lc0OndyOctiK7E-ME_KQA6EtyOL1MR5Q7PFCFXoaBbrvpMGfVYIXEYb1JIIxut8olBD6IrrNL66L/s1600/IMG_20170101_154420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZgIz-ptV-5cGPDE6ON8Elh4DAmxPOFXNt7ti4Vhy0q2GCMpHqnu_0_VVwZIpNSo3lc0OndyOctiK7E-ME_KQA6EtyOL1MR5Q7PFCFXoaBbrvpMGfVYIXEYb1JIIxut8olBD6IrrNL66L/s200/IMG_20170101_154420.jpg" width="200" /></a>One of the important observations made by me during the road trip is that India is largely an agricultural country with vast expanses of land under cultivation. Having lived in the confines of cities around India, I was not able to understand the importance of agriculture in India(I learnt it in the textbook but this experience made me understand it). I also realised that cities are just a small part of the whole state but constitute the most action politically and economy-wise. This made my vision limited. I was able to overcome this illusion of mine after this trip. Besides, from a political perspective too, I came to understand the difficulties in governing a state and on a larger scale India because of the diverse landscapes and cultures, each having different wants and needs which are contrasting at times. This trip indeed expanded my horizon and outlook on so many issues.<br />
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One thing I was determined about was writing on this. More than a month has passed and as I write this, I am experiencing the same thrill as I did whilst in the Journey with my brothers. We also agreed that this is just the first road trip we have experienced and we should plan out for many more. With this agreement and enthusiasm, we left for our respective homes.<br />
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...and then needless to mention, the next day was work as usual for all...(but hey, wait there was a sense of refreshment)<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-244283221661146782016-12-04T20:59:00.001+05:302017-02-13T20:28:32.140+05:30Leadership<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/2016/12/06/tangy-tuesday-picks-indian-marriages" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6LHvo-bDSlWE8kCdCKiQhxw2xMJ5UStoFZw2mVTby-JTuqDFSIFn5kORIGLxpIWOSKPL2OxEraGkVN4HwlJXLLuu5zhtmr7BPJUT9R82zir85xDgYWlPxFVjGWoVCl_4n-4CEb-6lUWn/s1600/ttp.jpg" /></a></div>
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One of the prime pillars of any organisation on the basis of which an organisation thrives is its leadership. A leader is a visionary who is the podium on which his associates perform. This, my dear friends, this is the reason why some organisations sustain and certain institutions fail before they blossom.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouYwFO-25BazpRG3Abat_vCtiV-Cs02xRQJ4RzVmmFIVrA1XJxOyC7R6YYVTP5JkkA3OFMIBkF1_X-G0fEVVvCOiwV1pBL2z_n_27Jj1P2OyVO3cJTQipQ1dM-Ce1qQHI_n9syq-Kg_JR/s1600/leader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouYwFO-25BazpRG3Abat_vCtiV-Cs02xRQJ4RzVmmFIVrA1XJxOyC7R6YYVTP5JkkA3OFMIBkF1_X-G0fEVVvCOiwV1pBL2z_n_27Jj1P2OyVO3cJTQipQ1dM-Ce1qQHI_n9syq-Kg_JR/s320/leader.jpg" width="320" /></a> The true importance of leadership is misunderstood by people or I would rather say the power which a leader has blinds him/her greatly to the qualities to be possessed. I have seen numerous methodologies of leadership. Some leaders choose to be dominant and bossy over their associates to get things done while some choose to be friendly.In the first method of leadership, people often throw barbs at the leader and work unwillingly. Some introspection led me to believe that getting things done is an attribute of having good personal ties with the subordinate . A leader is the one who understands his employee at an emotional level and makes him work accordingly. You cannot be extremely strict with an associate/employee who is emotionally sensitive. This will often lead to hatred for the leader and on a larger scale decrease in productivity of that employee. In myriad cases, the employee who might be adept at work finally leaves the organisation due to the ineffective leadership he works under. I have seen people who haven't scored good grades in college but have performed exceptionally well at their work and the ones who scored good grades have failed to perform in accordance with their grades. This also made me wonder if the performer might be inspired by his/her leader?</div>
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<i> </i>While I find <span style="text-align: left;">emotional touch a quintessential leadership quality, I have also seen cases where certain leaders get too attached to their employees and this attachment then creates a negative environment for others. Leaders who were excellent have a blot on their names due to such incessant attachments with particular employees. A leader must know to draw the line between his attachments and the duties he is bound to. When a leader fails to realise this, he not only loses credibility but comes across as a person who is biased and emotionally immature. A leader I feel must understand the personal issues of his employees and empathize with them but should not take it far and make their problems his/her own to the extent of being biased towards them.</span></div>
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<i>A true leader is the one whose vision becomes the inspiration for his followers; whose action sets the threshold for excellence for his associates; whose free will nature inspires one's mind to act without manacles and provide innovative solutions; whose superior qualities thus makes an employee submit his loyalty and make his goal aligned with the ones of his leader.</i></div>
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-12310972556742490732016-10-09T22:54:00.000+05:302016-10-18T13:12:15.167+05:30Book review: The Calling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><u>Details</u></b></div>
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Title: The Calling</div>
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Author: Priya Kumar (Motivational Speaker, Author)</div>
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Genre: Philosophy</div>
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Web site: http://priya-kumar.com/</div>
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<b><u>Background</u></b></div>
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While I was busy with dodging numerous issues in corporate about a month ago, I was approached by the author to review this book. While Indian authors by far did not play a very convincing game, this book was the turning point in my perception of Indian authors after I have reviewed a 2 books by Ravi Subramanian(which was the entry point and which convinced me to a great extent).</div>
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<b><u>Plot:</u></b></div>
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Arjun is a corporate employee who is trapped in a vortex of confusions in personal and professional life. Due to the imbalance he creates for better growth in corporate, he was on the brink of a divorce with his wife who was hardworking and smart. Arjun came accross as a person who had common traits like jealousy, pulling others down for one's own growth in his workplace which did make him successful there but always kept the greed unsatiated and craving for even more. This greed led him to do a lot of unjust things at home and office costing his relationships dearly.</div>
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To get out of this confusion and trouble, Arjun took a trip into the heart of Himalayas, on insistence of a Sadhu who predicted that the journey up to Hemkund Sahib would align him to his purpose and change his life forever.</div>
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The plot is all about how Arjun realises his true purpose of his life. The way the mysterious sadhu whom he encounters in his journey plays a vital role by making him self-realise by his own actions.</div>
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<b><u>My verdict:</u></b></div>
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<b> "<u>Real sophistication lies in utmost simplicity</u>".</b></div>
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While reading the whole book;the above quote struck my mind regularly. The language and vocabulary is balanced and a smooth read. The author has conveyed the message so lucidly while managing to keep the reader engrossed in the plot. While going to Himalaya's has now become the talk of IT-town, there wasn't much of a exciting experience I was looking forward to. This lack of excitement can be attributed to my inability to go there and experience the beauty of those mountains. My perspective hence changed after reading this book as I was beginning to relate to everything written there.<br />
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Some points and quotes have been wonderfully put down:<br />
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<i><b>You respond to your name and therefore you limit your responsibility</b>(on being nameless and not limiting responsibility according to name/title)</i><br />
<i><b>If you dont know the people in your world, they will be a liability in your purpose</b>(on knowing the purpose of each person in life so that their relationship is not a load to carry on your shoulders)</i><br />
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We need to ponder on the above lines; in this hustle bustle we have actually forgotten the basics or rather kept our mind shut to these thoughts.The second quote is regarding a person who the protagonist(Arjun) thinks just as a guide and never discovers his strengths and looks him down for his profession.<br />
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The description of the two tests given by the sadhu is really commendable and reflects the human tendency to copy himself/herself others if the situations are similar. Arjun fails in the first test and after knowing the way to pass it, tries to copy the same strategy in the second one. Will the same strategy give him success?(I was remembering my University exams where there were repeat questions which helped us somehow pass but never score a distinction).<br />
Through the tests, the author primarily wanted to highlight that we humans yield under pressure and fail to perform as per expectations. The only thing in Arjun's mind during the sadhu's test was avoiding sitting on the rock which Sadhu was seated on for Sadhana. This fear never really got the best of him but finally he got the message loud and clear.<br />
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<b><u>Suggestion:</u></b><br />
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I only felt that the mess Arjun was in could have been elaborated a bit more on as it was something which most of us in corporate experience. If his problems could have had a greater mention, it would have been much of a read knowing the exact background.<br />
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<b><u>Final word:</u></b><br />
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I would give it a 4.5/5 as it has broadened my perspectives while not being too boring to read.<br />
Keep up the good work Priya (Paulo Coelho of India I would say), the positivity in the book just cannot be ignored!<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-18281000073630203942016-09-05T23:04:00.000+05:302016-09-05T23:46:25.870+05:30Equality:a state of mind<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The recent events of shameless rape incidents in a few parts of the country have disturbed me. Time and again I feel I have highlighted that women should be stopped being considered as objects of pleasure and sex should be stopped being considered as an act comprising of only pleasure.<br />
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I recently heard that a 6 year old girl was raped and was so shaken by this activity. I really could not understand what transpired in the mind of that beast to have committed this atrocity that too with a child. Today when I speak of equality, I am confronted on two fronts and both are extremes. On one hand we have a few men shameless and dastardly committing this sinful act of raping minor girls and on the other hand I find a few women who misuse the power given to them. This puts me in a quandary as to which side is correct and can there ever be an agreement in one aspect. The argument is always stuck in a never ending deadlock where I and the women activists are stuck eternally with the above points which rightly prove each others point but not leading to a consensus.<br />
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On a larger note, what actions can we take apart from brutally punishing such guys? Will the problem of rape will ever be resolved merely by punishing the person after he has indulged himself in this sinful activity? How will we change first the patriarchal mindset of a few men? The answer is with education and iconoclasts rising in the society, such belief's will be eradicated but not so early. Any change in the mindset of a billion people takes years to form with generations being under the umbrella of change.<br />
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It is said that there was a time when men dominated the society by imposing restrictions on women. I might never understand their pain having absolved them of pursuing their desires. I sincerely feel now that times have changed and that women thinking the same about today's men especially generalising would be a grave fault. I find today's men to be compensating, pure at heart and also no control freaks(with exceptions as they exist both sides). India is such a huge country and men and women living in much developed cities and under developed villages are having diametrically different lifestyles. Devising gender specific laws leads to mass misuse in cities where people are excessively aware of them while hardly used by those who should be using it(rural areas). My point is devising laws defeats the true purpose for what they were devised for in some cases.<br />
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The only solution apart from devising laws is to educate both the genders and induce an attitude of progressive thought in the minds of people. Rather than having gender specific reservations, we can as well ignore the gender of the person seated for an interview and judge him/her purely on the basis of merit.I sincerely believe that respect and equality should come from our heart rather than being imposed by someone/some organisation. Hence I say, equality is a state of mind and let it gradually seep in rather than enforcing it on us.<br />
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To all those women/men who believe that men are at fault in every case, here is a video by a Deepika Bharadwaj you should watch:<br />
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So, will imposition of principles really lead to equality and justice?<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-12343894656357638612016-07-03T23:27:00.000+05:302016-07-03T23:27:18.490+05:30Boxicular life!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So finally after a long vacation, I am resuming blogging. The 'vacation' I am referring to is not as rosy as sitting in an island and looking at the stars in peace/enjoying water sports in a resort. This vacation involved living in a box and being totally drenched in that environment which almost isolated me from all of my other activities. It was obviously unpleasant and involved tons of monotonous moments even though the work wasn't the same over time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51mhd_oCfxS9S3y8Cuq6bL0VZyj67jdH2jj4HadL644DWAAIWhZYnuT390dJKjT14lGibygfFSnCa1NGda55xJbucuhvCjiTjLtyQbNZl4tX5t3G07xasDEvApwkChXM0XpHNF31CQEOO/s1600/box.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51mhd_oCfxS9S3y8Cuq6bL0VZyj67jdH2jj4HadL644DWAAIWhZYnuT390dJKjT14lGibygfFSnCa1NGda55xJbucuhvCjiTjLtyQbNZl4tX5t3G07xasDEvApwkChXM0XpHNF31CQEOO/s320/box.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ctsy:wikimedia</td></tr>
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One of the major observations in my IT life has been regarding the innovation expectations from their end. IT industry expects us to be innovative by themselves restricting us in a box. What they fail to understand that being innovative involves opening up the shackles of mind which cannot happen in an enclosed building. Wherever you see is the same monotonous color of the walls around; how can you then expect people to be innovative at all. Innovation isn't a trait which can be thought of and come up with; it involves rigorous observation of one's surroundings and its phenomenon. Observing a slow paced snail teaches you to be silent and work constantly if you have sufficient time to complete your work. On the other hand, you need to be like a cheetah who is quick and unforgiving when it comes to deliver in tight timelines. There are Lions who want to be the king of the jungle and want submissive associates.Then there foxes, cunning in behavior with two faces to show; one to the Lion and one to his associates/coworkers. So basically, every situation and behavior can be deciphered by keen observation of the environment.<br />
More than the kind of work we are involved in, its living in a box that is tiring and energy-sapping. Even though there are so many things which are not so pleasant, leaving this life becomes equally difficult as it creates a comfort zone which one doesn't want to leave. Hefty pay packages, an inherent feeling of'settled life' and some ability of buying what you want. This additionally makes us materialistic and leads to a creation of a false status quo. This is such a negative cycle which one gets trapped in that even the best talent in town is blinded and trapped. He/she then crushes his/her innovative capabilities to lead a cozy but unfruitful life. For intelligent people, the work becomes very easy and leaving hence becomes difficult. For others who are just managing hold the rope somehow by creating false relationships/attachments<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4XZKWHSaOMZt6QC-oQxnoEwUQOVcnEU95rRdC_wzb_NOmbNuRtrsPuDQNbLm1g-q3gPCO1Mbl1ClxceeqSd1eeCuqLhibKVTRTavjMEqWueUu_8cq2GKPt9VXoIEceS50zUQn9oDpYqW7/s1600/box1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4XZKWHSaOMZt6QC-oQxnoEwUQOVcnEU95rRdC_wzb_NOmbNuRtrsPuDQNbLm1g-q3gPCO1Mbl1ClxceeqSd1eeCuqLhibKVTRTavjMEqWueUu_8cq2GKPt9VXoIEceS50zUQn9oDpYqW7/s320/box1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ctsy:youtube</td></tr>
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The frustration arising out of all the above is vented out by living a non-social and isolationist life, troubled emotions coming out on unrelated people and under unwarranted circumstances. It's no so uncommon these days to see short tempered parents scolding their children for very small mistakes they do. Its also not uncommon to see we criticising each and every situation around even though it might not need our attention. If you have traveled in a local train first class in Mumbai, you will find a bunch of intolerant people who start ranting at the slightest discomfort in an overcrowded train. Our emotions, ambition and probably even our own values are at times sacrificed for the apparent success this life offers. People tend to flatter other people even though they might not like him/her(fox and lion above). Well, life in this mirage obviously doesn't seem really good.<br />
So, the million dollar question: Is this boxicular life really worth it?<br />
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GOOD DAY TO ALL!<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-14968070331764375242016-05-06T17:40:00.000+05:302016-05-06T17:40:15.456+05:30Time: An Enigma<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6FBysPMMqT4q4yZ9oRjXPGrbKECoqB63SxWQKlrZkQoCOqyAbRuzQB8SE1RveNVkE_wHqy5ijrRIxO6y0u-Qazj7N4uolDbbs7JrbxNREfp9OTu2ySNjIeC-gpTZD0VoKLm8wyEytJLi/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6FBysPMMqT4q4yZ9oRjXPGrbKECoqB63SxWQKlrZkQoCOqyAbRuzQB8SE1RveNVkE_wHqy5ijrRIxO6y0u-Qazj7N4uolDbbs7JrbxNREfp9OTu2ySNjIeC-gpTZD0VoKLm8wyEytJLi/s1600/download.jpg" /></a> I have been recently pondering on the mysterious nature of time. All of you might have come across the quotes, "Life is too short", "Have patience, only patience will yield results". I find contradictions in these adages by the same people who quote both according to circumstances. Really, time has an enigmatic nature.<br />
One of the pillar of success is patience. I feel patience is a relative concept which implies that there is no defined measure or benchmark. Sometimes, people carelessly say that just wait for a year more as if it were just a seconds time. So many things can happen over a span of a year. How can people so carelessly dismiss one year in a scale of a few minutes? The one year wait which people so carelessly degrade in comparison then becomes a painful wait for the associated endeavor to bear fruit. When I was in my third year of undergraduate college, people often told me just one more year dear and everything concludes. Only I knew how I felt each day of that one year. So a request to people not not inappropriately scale time. Time becomes a manacle during such times<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhhOxiuYwKkqclOnWVl2TBgVpwLNcAzpVyYNrz6Gg-KpkRILVkMtZ_CYAqT58ntq53Q6m3mh2IylXs2VOnsRsWyspUUODYtZwa9kiR42YGNUl-QKfz0MzdEOzoocCMDzX4-sRojxaA2bD/s1600/time+enigma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhhOxiuYwKkqclOnWVl2TBgVpwLNcAzpVyYNrz6Gg-KpkRILVkMtZ_CYAqT58ntq53Q6m3mh2IylXs2VOnsRsWyspUUODYtZwa9kiR42YGNUl-QKfz0MzdEOzoocCMDzX4-sRojxaA2bD/s1600/time+enigma.jpg" /></a> On the other hand we get to hear that life is short. If life is so short dear friends how come then living for one year becomes such a task. We are asked to forget the grudges and strike truce with everyone. Does holding grudges prolong life? Does it make each moment count as if it required tremendous efforts to breathe with the load of grudge we carry inside? All these factors seem so intertwined and complicated that only experience can unveil its veracity to each individual.<br />
I write this article with great heaviness. With paradoxical and contradictory thoughts, time is the most tantalizing enigma to decode. Let time only decode time!<br />
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GOOD DAY TO ALL on that note!<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-43257291961556251982016-02-16T16:20:00.002+05:302017-11-11T01:23:07.396+05:30Fury<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Fury can do wonders, fury can change one's life, fury can make a person go up to his maximum limit of tolerance, fury can bring about the best in a person, fury can destroy a person. The fury I am talking about is following something in such extreme passion that it may lead to success or even failure but at least not keep you hanging in the middle.It will drag you to a phenomenal level of activity/dedication that you maybe extremely focused.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcsZYBJfpDn2GUFiQmxdDowHG5plV3P25ZTwKltNb1403DiKslcwOprpJ_dBTKiOYhG1FfLjPmc5mePQF98btJWJipMJOzCwUq8_UAtojsy_JocGzvHOaZK9etEsId2BCtfwwrMeAoa6z/s1600/fury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcsZYBJfpDn2GUFiQmxdDowHG5plV3P25ZTwKltNb1403DiKslcwOprpJ_dBTKiOYhG1FfLjPmc5mePQF98btJWJipMJOzCwUq8_UAtojsy_JocGzvHOaZK9etEsId2BCtfwwrMeAoa6z/s1600/fury.jpg" /></a> What is this fury all about after all? It is a driving force, a force which drives your lethargy away and pumps in the energy which compels you to achieve something. I sternly believe that a stoic person is incapable of achieving anything because his reaction to all things is the same.In this regard, it is strongly advised to have an opinion on things which one has to achieve. This approach may often lead to criticism from people who will pull you down from the ladder stating prejudiced opinions/goals.Fury provides you a protective shield which actually blinds you in a way from external resistance. It is dangerous as it may blind you to realities and may lead to failures as well. I must say that once upon a time travelling to a Mars was deemed impossible but today its as possible as it might have got.Failures(a branch of fury) are those milestones in life which will make one realize the true taste of success and will drive one to work harder and harder.The worst fear I have encountered till date is to not be afraid of failures. When you feel that you are no longer afraid of any failures either of the two things maybe true in this case: You have overcome that fear or you no longer care about the outcome because there isn't enough motivation. The latter case is a benign feeling which is actually poisonous for one professionally/personally in which he/she may not even realize the gains/losses. This again makes me reminisce the point that we need to be passionate about something and that passion must be unique; you cannot love everything at the same time or be passionate equally for all activities.It is equivalent to stating that one cannot love everyone equally.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRtpT7SaR7Hz7XoaNH00-L9CpK7qgseM0Kg5m1inPAK2PGAjbx-7KWgZoqEdf6l2SpO4A5ECIIeUYJfYSTDg-b-bL0hYljlmLt3ZIhY19m2lxnZrqV7k6lFho_4dchXUA9TzLJSYM6kNq/s1600/fury2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRtpT7SaR7Hz7XoaNH00-L9CpK7qgseM0Kg5m1inPAK2PGAjbx-7KWgZoqEdf6l2SpO4A5ECIIeUYJfYSTDg-b-bL0hYljlmLt3ZIhY19m2lxnZrqV7k6lFho_4dchXUA9TzLJSYM6kNq/s1600/fury2.jpg" /></a> So guys, it's time we have our preferences/choices very clear and feel for it strongly as only "Fury" coupled with hard work will help you accomplish your goal.I do not advocate hatred/anger in any way but one must have his preferences/choices in certain things especially professionally. The shield which "Fury" provides will provide resistance from all the negativity and 'impossibility barbs' which people throw at you.Embrace this fury for all the right reasons to take yourself and this world to a next level altogether.<br />
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Harsha Bhogle's video adds a new dimension to my argument i.e presence of talent in this endeavour.<br />
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<i>Talent without passion is best described by the state of dormancy.</i><br />
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<i>Be passionate</i><i>(another word for Fury)</i><i> to adjectivize your name as excellent</i><i>!</i><br />
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GOOD DAY TO ALL ON THE ABOVE TWO QUOTES!<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-70704071807934369052015-12-31T14:14:00.001+05:302016-01-07T15:08:59.940+05:30Book Review: The Bestseller She Wrote<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well, I wont divide this review into logical divisions as done earlier for a change. To give you all a background, I was reading 'The Fountainhead' by Ayn Rand which is quite deep and a heavy read and I was desperately looking forward to read a thriller/suspense to lighten things up. Through Blogadda, I caught hold of this review copy which kept me enthralled for hours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUp7ey5_9HjWgqRebJe4P0XqkNgEwKLUT3gdrjVzKjNOEbfwW894s4Vv_KlvnYCw-t92s_zDOrQEn5DIMmNR8BK2eb-BjYuJ2njm40obn7agkaz0pG-eLdEFpO3gqJvNnlUHu6i-T-I4C/s1600/41OMsGXJHML._SX338_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUp7ey5_9HjWgqRebJe4P0XqkNgEwKLUT3gdrjVzKjNOEbfwW894s4Vv_KlvnYCw-t92s_zDOrQEn5DIMmNR8BK2eb-BjYuJ2njm40obn7agkaz0pG-eLdEFpO3gqJvNnlUHu6i-T-I4C/s320/41OMsGXJHML._SX338_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="218" /></a> Getting to the storyline, it all starts with projecting Aditya as a successful author coming to IIM as an alumni speaker.He is married to Maya, an elegant woman with all the ideal qualities a man might desire in his wife. While promoting his book, he crosses horns with a girl named Shreya who raises objection at him calling a book as a 'product' to be sold. It never started well with them; but Shreya, who was an opportunist wanted to be an successful author and Aditya was the bridge. An inchoate relationship which once began on unfavorable conditions and terms develops into something murky, transactional and later on complicated with emotions.To make it more interesting, the character of Sanjay, who is Aditya's close friend doles out a lot of surprises at the end.<br />
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Ravi has given all the ingredients required for a book to be a bestseller in the book through the fictional character Aditya and it seemed to be too realistic for it to be classified as fiction. The overall story seems to be quite predictable after reading the prologue but still the suspense quotient is retained owing to the characters. Mention of known characters such as Anurag Kashyap, Nirav Sanghvi takes it further towards reality and away from fiction.However, the fact of Aditya not reading books but still able to write lucidly and be able to become a stellar author is something strange as I feel for effective and powerful writing, reading is a must.<br />
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A very good attempt made at description of erotic scenes. This makes it murkier. Each encounter Aditya and Shreya had, I felt was backed by guilt, discomfort all overshadowed by pleasure nevertheless. It was like any other transaction of debit and credit until it got too personal. I couldnt really get if Shreya really loved Aditya or was it just his fame she wanted to inherit, it was really confusing till the end when the truth was out! In fact I still couldnt believe the genuity of emotions at the end!This part of the book, I felt was a bit puzzling as the love seemed to be only because of Aditya's stature and emotions couldn't have been genuine in any case.<br />
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The roles played by Sanjay and Diana, I felt could have been elaborated a bit more. Sanjay did have a history to throw in the whole story.This history could have been elaborated a bit more as a separate chapter keeping him anonymous in that chapter. This would have added suspense and kept the reader wondering on the culprit half way through the book.A short trail would have been better.<br />
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What a wonderful masterpiece, Ravi Subramanian, this is by far the best novel you have come up with. Throughout the book I was wondering if you have been through this situation/have seen a close person in this situation which you put Aditya in. For me, I could only imagine you in Aditya's place whilst playing the story in my mind like a movie. All in all, it is a perfect blend of suspense with quite a bit of romance.<br />
The book briefly quotes its own review from my angle. Here it goes:<br />
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<i>I loved it because a)it is a great story b) it's brilliantly paced c) it ends very well d) the language is simple and easy and e) the characters are relatable"</i><br />
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<i>- The bestseller She Wrote, page 117</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I am reviewing </span><a href="http://dl.flipkart.com/dl/bestseller-she-wrote-english/p/itmeca2xhvfmtdmf?affid=contactblo&pid=9789385152382" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest </span><a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/2011/05/04/indian-bloggers-book-reviews" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Book Review Program </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">for</span><a href="http://www.blogadda.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Indian Bloggers</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">. Participate now to get free books!</span></div>
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-12943735126353598962015-11-03T19:37:00.000+05:302015-11-03T19:39:02.519+05:30Forced Interest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Do you love the job you are doing? "Ohh yes, why not, I mean I don't understand how I pass time when I am seated in office", says my colleague. He is drenched in the screen of the computer and is reluctant to even talk to me when I try to broach a conversation with him. What makes him interested or is it forced? yes guys, you read it right, there is a new trend going on whereby people force upon interests on themselves so as to at least try to love what they are doing.<br />
It is generally said that one must not sustain much in their current field if that is not what they want to become in life.Expressions to convey this feeling of boredom used to be in the form of nonchalance,disinterest. Nowadays, its even more dangerous, false enthusiasm and a shallow sense of contentment. People are tied in their own manacles, in a real prison they have their own false mirage which tells them this is what they always wanted. it is very evident in the companies which do not let you choose their stream and force it upon you after your engineering under-graduation studies. I have seen scores of people who were always interested in Java but got some area like Testing and today they are happily working there thinking the pickle served to them as a sweet delicacy.<br />
Such behaviour of being in a false mirage should be avoided. I would never suggest one looses his/her passion in the quest of helping someone else make money. If there are any financial implications, do work in your current place but make sure that you do not stray from your life's ambition. The world is working in half of its efficiency because we ask a fish to walk on land and a man to breathe in water. Each one of us have different roles and I believe one must be courageous enough to pursue his/her dreams at some point in life.<br />
There is another category of people who are not interested and are rotting in the job they do. These people are lively and they enjoy the most but out of office. They act as an inspiration to the people but they compromise in professional life. They forget that apart from enjoying they have come here to enhance their professional lives as well. These category of people also seriously compromise in their goals. The problem with us is that we are actually seem to be forgetting the line between personal satisfaction and professional one. When we are satisfied personally, we feel we are doing a job of our passion and when we are only satisfied professionally, we feel that we are personally content as well.<br />
For others who are actually aware of their interest realise how valuable their interest was and then make plans to switch. It is not so uncommon to see people waiting to leave their jobs for an MBA or Masters in a field different from their profession. This is a sorry state of affairs and shows our inability to match our talent with appropriate jobs. This is the reason we experience brain drain. The quality of our so called "innovative" companies promising balance between work and personal life and those equating work and play is not so good. India has one more demand and a threat to cater to; it has to generate jobs, invest in research and make it a suitable destination for "reverse brain drain now". It's high time we stop speaking big and start doing big.<br />
I wish to appeal to all my readers to define a set of objectives, define boundaries and keep your focus.<br />
Good luck!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1olHcJqrpdhOeJ7NKg4TmOI6Na9l0l39eQSsSoaGd0Q1g-9oPNHfDprZj64jkeW79J3cW5M_MtkPwcBWDo6KZTQJCjCFGuiBPLUoMwymOd8m_zzbfEzgBhP2IF-63ZjbvVriCCMSYyhOe/s1600/survey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1olHcJqrpdhOeJ7NKg4TmOI6Na9l0l39eQSsSoaGd0Q1g-9oPNHfDprZj64jkeW79J3cW5M_MtkPwcBWDo6KZTQJCjCFGuiBPLUoMwymOd8m_zzbfEzgBhP2IF-63ZjbvVriCCMSYyhOe/s320/survey.png" width="320" /></a><br />
P.S: Salute to those people who have managed to choose their profession according to their interests</div>
Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-5439446781086857472015-09-23T18:26:00.003+05:302015-09-23T18:26:57.988+05:30Eyes..<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>She had pitched her eyes on him right from the time he entered the hall. What was in her mind?was it admiration or infatuation or was it just an exchange of expressions? probably only she could answer.......</i><br />
It was a rainy day outside and Sagar was to attend a public gathering for bloggers. It was probably an event he was looking forward to, meeting people with the same passion. The mundaneness of the world had probably bogged him down to a great extent. Work-Home-Work was a perpetual train which could never seem to end for him. It all started after his engineering where he got trapped in a larger net than he thought of. He was a wanderer in the world of his own creations which kept the reality from bay. He always felt work was all about the fancy concepts one studies in engineering but the truth was far from that. Work was all about delivering somehow even if one knows nothing(here lies the true art of survival).<br />
Love had now ramified into two branches for him 'love' and 'corporate love'. The relationships forged in corporate were generally shallow. Guys there were attracted to the plaster women put up on their face. Amidst all these things, he was looking towards something refreshing.<br />
As he entered the hall, a Five star plush hotel in the finest areas of Mumbai, he could see people with diverse interests.Some wrote about delicacies, some shared about the experiences of travelling(wander-lusts) while others took blogging professionally.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzYlRuzyhGU_nXYrItKg4wCDsVoUOY3BBjySeEcX1PCAyBDhnycBQ1vWHcR1ff9bT9p4kd40gdp_QIqduYAuHB2v-80NsA5zAM0Ntqn12EVgoIUn6TJYjOLFYNR_yytn65EmyZ9VTnr2O/s1600/Motion-Sensors-In-Eyes-Identified.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzYlRuzyhGU_nXYrItKg4wCDsVoUOY3BBjySeEcX1PCAyBDhnycBQ1vWHcR1ff9bT9p4kd40gdp_QIqduYAuHB2v-80NsA5zAM0Ntqn12EVgoIUn6TJYjOLFYNR_yytn65EmyZ9VTnr2O/s200/Motion-Sensors-In-Eyes-Identified.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Decipher my emotions</i></td></tr>
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An elegant woman with short and curly hair, eyes as dark as a black cat and skin as white as snow was accompanied by solitude. Her eyes contracted the moment their eyes locked, in reaction he upped his eyebrows. <br />
She responded by dilating her eyes while he gently blinked an eye at her. She later displayed stress by narrowing her eyebrows once again and he was still relaxed. She wanted him to respond but he did not as his expression was the same throughout. In the rage of disappointment, she just left the place and disappeared into the crowd.<br />
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<i>She had pitched her eyes on him right from the time he entered the hall. What was in her mind?was it admiration or infatuation or was it just an exchange of expressions? probably only she could answer.......</i><br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-35325918936235314792015-08-29T17:08:00.002+05:302015-08-29T17:47:26.630+05:30Its all in your intentions!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
'A content Life' is a thing to wonder on, a thing which differs from person to person. So what is it that brings you contentment? Is it having your coffers filled with money or is it making someone stand on their own feet because of your assistance. A bounty in your coffers will do very little to make your life successful. However, all you be successful in is boosting your ego, which will only fade away with your body after death.<br />
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The greatest irony of this world is that people whose definition of content life is correct are clipped by monetary constraints and some of those who have their coffers filled do not play their part. Even if they do, is it intentional so as to increase their popularity or does it come straight from the heart. These are the questions I encounter myriad times when I think of these stalwarts who get into the business of philanthropy.If one looks for boosting ones ego and public image here as well, little will their inner self be ever happy. Karma only when done with the pure heart will bear real fruits. "Short term gains" and instant fame are the motivating factors behind the people who actually are in the lookout for image-boost. Better to leave such shallowness behind which serves no good.<br />
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It's Rakshabandhan here in India, a festival where a brother reinstates his duty to protect his sister(s). Lets take a pure and unintentional(one expecting nothing in return)oath to protect not only one's sisters but every woman on the road from the devilish atrocities committed by a few of us. On a lighter note, sisters, don't expect a lot of gifts coming your way because pure intentions is the greatest gift you can get :p<br />
Have a good day guys!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">This Rakshabandhan, I am supporting </span><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/bhojansurakshabandhan?source=feed_text&story_id=10205526130446688" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-decoration: none;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl" style="color: #627aad;">#</span><span class="_58cm">BhojanSurakshaBandhan</span></a><br />
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P.S: I really hope that no-one falls in the image booster category and that I am proved wrong by all means.<br />
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-27548884122955455912015-07-31T16:55:00.000+05:302015-07-31T16:55:26.795+05:30The Best Tribute<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello Guys, it has been a long time since I posted. Got a bit busy with numerous tasks. One thing I observed in this long break is that I cannot distance myself much from writing. Having lost my dear grandpa and Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam with not much gap between the two events, I am feeling extremely heavy from inside.<br />
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My Grandpa and Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam were two stalwarts in their respective fields. One was the missile man of the country and the other one was the missile man of our family. Both have set an ideal example of how life is to be lived. Both have undergone inevitable pain, sailed through most difficult turfs in their lives and sometimes I feel that only selectively looking at their successes would be a mistake.<br />
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Back then at that time, both my grandpa and Dr A.P.J have been victims of "budding age and unbudding country". This categorically means they had desires and ambitions as high as the sky but resources were extremely as scarce as they could get. In a country just managing to free its clutches from colonisation, even basic necessities such as electricity was a challenge keep aside other amenities. In such adverse circumstances, they managed to study and get themselves a job which today has got a lot easier as compared to those times. I so wonder as to how Dr APJ Kalam had garnered so much of knowledge as to build missiles. Today, even after the prolific relevance of internet, no "Missile Man" of India has arisen. I think his dedication is unmatched and he never had to prove himself and his position w.r.t the country. I am not able to find any other missile man today,why?<br />
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My Grandpa, on the other hand had always been a "missile man"of our family. He had a widespread relevance and was known to even the most remote relatives. He was intransigent when it came to breaking rules for ones own benefits. Life had presented him with many opportunites to desert people and leave them struggling for themselves but he, undauntingly faced the hardships of supporting everyone and ensured even they are settled in life.I call him missile man because he ensured the launch of independent individuals(missiles).<br />
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Obviously, they both have seen terrible flipsides of life, facing resistance from people, criticisms and those things cannot be described because words cannot match up to those feelings at any point of time. The best tribute we can pay to these esteemed souls is by following their principles rather than admiring them for a day or two and going back to worthless mundaneness. I would like to end this blog by dedicating a short writeup(eulogy) for both:<br />
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<i>Dearest Grandpa, it is said that the true value of people is realised only when we have lost them. In this hustle-bustle, I really feel that I had forgotten to cater to the innocent emotions which you had for me. I really curse the debilitating Alzeimers which snatched you away from my life.You had to go, as every mortal has to shed his/her body. I consider your body only a medium to forge ties between our souls and I sincerely wish that an esteemed soul like yours comes back and broaches up a coversation with me. I still remember the times when you went to the pedagogic state explaining me basic principles of life which I must follow. It is indeed those values which have let the undying spirit in me never fade and loose its sheen come what may. You have helped innumerable souls out there and what more could a person have asked for, when all he gets is goodwill from scores of people even after his death for the grand benevolence he portrayed when he was alive.</i></div>
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<i>I would consider myself as blessed if I could even follow a percent of ethics you have always followed in life.</i></div>
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<i>There were surely many things to learn for me from your life and I shall always have you in my heart for all that you have given me till date, including my pet name which many still utter.</i></div>
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<i> With Loads of Love from your grandson</i>. </div>
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<i>A.P.J Abdul Kalam Sir, the best and the only tribute we can pay you is by engendering the creation of another diligent,selfless,grounded and a good hearted missile man of India.(Am I asking for too much?)</i> </div>
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8440904144240467125.post-27916961828708410842015-06-02T20:27:00.001+05:302015-06-02T20:27:28.495+05:30Dear God..<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello Almighty,<br />
How are you doing?Hope things are fine with you. What should I call you?Manager,Senior Manager or Delivery Lead of the Universe(as they designate in corporate ladder).Firstly thank you for making me experience this topsy-turvy world. Today I am writing this letter addressed to you since certain aspects makes me wonder the anomalies which you have created here. So shall I begin?<br />
First, why have you created all this? Just imagine, absence of anything would mean that no hassles,no problems, no pain and nothing.This state is not even called nothingness since nothingness is the absence of 'something' and that something would have never existed. So null and void would have been apt? Fine, let us for once accept that you have created the whole universe, the whole grandiose scheme of matter which has led to a grandiloquent branch of science/astronomy, a bunch of intelligent people who are running behind something called infinity, something which has no end. Each year, they come up with interesting statistics to spice up the lives of others with some earthly-looking planet spotted yyy light years away.Please answer as to are there any other people like us you have spawned anywhere else? Look, my life is hardly 60-70 years on an average so Let this proposition be corroborated so that we are able to quench our unreasonable thirst to bond with extraterrestrials(but living inharmoniously with people on the same planet).<br />
Second, love, you have created the pure feeling of love for humans to experience. Since it is pure, it doesnt take into account the caste, creed or religion of the other person. Still, we are made to believe that the system of caste, creed was created in your presence and that it was for a reason. So tell me one thing, why did you create the feeling of love and then you made us restrict this pure thing with such principles which you yourself have condoned at one point of time?Isn't this behaviour self- contradictory?Please answer this.<br />
Third,you say you are good and invincible, so why haven't you destroyed evil souls/force. Are you insinuating that the devils are insurmountable. What is the use of being invincible/immortal then? Why don't you let justice prevail everywhere?<br />
Lastly, the concept of death, you make us devise these theories that death brings about peace to humans. If you ever wished for peace then why did you broach upon this concept of death and birth? First, you make us experience cherish able moments with our beloved ones and then suddenly you take them away from us?<br />
I would be elated if I got answers to these questions because behind these eternal questions leading nowhere lies the mystery of life! <br />
Thanking you<br />
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<span style="text-align: right;"> Yours Lovingly,</span></div>
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(Just)A mortal. </div>
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Anirudh Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04588774930155276625noreply@blogger.com0