Lockdown: A blessing in disguise?

The sudden up-rise of COVID-19 pandemic has put many a plans on hold. It started in China and before we could realize, it spread so fast across the globe that most countries (who valued life more than anything else) decided to go into a lock-down. This caused the growth to come to a grinding halt and economy took a hard hit. Many industries in the manufacturing sector had to close doors and stop work completely. But then, is everything going from bad to worse? Probably no! The experts say every problem is an opportunity in disguise.

When the road ahead is blocked, it is time to look back, time to build a bridge or take a jump above the block to keep moving ahead. It is time to see what can be done better or what can be done differently. Review the policies and identify how to emerge stronger post the lock-down. This situation can be better explained through the story of the woodcutter. With a fresh axe, the woodcutter was able to chop trees at ease. As the targets increased and the blade lost its sheen, the woodcutter struggled. He toiled harder and slept less. Stress increased and so did health issues. Yet, what he kept missing was sharpening the blade. Is this lock-down the opportunity to sharpen the blade?

In terms of business, the sharpening of an axe is identifying areas of process improvement and automation. When a business is set and work is in full flow, there is a rare attempt in improving processes. Even after finding the improvement, there are challenges in implementing the change. It is easier to start afresh than to implement a change. Now that most of the task force is at rest, business stands a chance to look at processes and implement automation. That is exactly what some of our clients have done. Implemented and automated their business processes making most during this lock-down. During the phase of gradual lifting of lock-down, the team will be trained to the new processes making the business more efficient.

These businesses have most during this phase of lock-down, have you? Do reach out to us, if you are looking towards improvement and automation of your processes through ERP. We, at Indictrans Technologies, are experienced in ERP customization and implementation as well as e-gov solutions. You can also reach us on contact@indictrantech.com.

#DigitalDetox

Staying at home is not that bad as long as you know how to make good of the opportunity. I had been a regular blogger in 2010. Then life got "busy" and blogging remained a dream. I believe this is true with most of us. Running behind dreams and chasing ambitions, the work-life balance was affected and we were unable to bring ourselves to correct it. Being forced to stay at home, I consider, is that blessing in disguise, an opportunity to reclaim our hobbies. For me, it definitely is an opportunity to spend time with myself, read a book and write a blog. And on the weekend, when I am not working, it is an excellent opportunity for a #DigitalDetox.

We had taken life to be so certain that we focused on earning money and spending it without bothering much about spending quality time together. Working hours have been increasing and family time reducing. Parents are being too busy to give time to their children. Family conversations are reducing. Family times are being spent in going to malls, theatres or resorts where each one can have his own good time. Overall conversations and social skills have been diminishing by the day. And in these certain times, life again proved that "Uncertainty is Certain". Being home locked is a very good opportunity to spend time together, have good conversations and relish family times. Make the most of it. Try telling your kids some nice stories and see how they enjoy it.

When I was a kid, I was told this story of "The Lion and The Mouse" where the King of the Jungle, a mighty Lion was trapped in a net at the mercy of a tiny little Mouse to free him. Today, the ego of the most evolved creature on earth - the Human is humbled by the tiniest creature on this planet. Maybe a lesson from us to learn? The next time you feel someone is insignificant or cannot affect your life, do think "Corona". 

So now that the humans cannot move out, the planet has started reclaiming and reviving itself. There are news claiming that the pollution levels have dropped drastically, water has become cleaner across the globe and animals are now moving about freely. All this in one week. I don't know the authenticity of the news, but it is likely to be true as I am getting to hear a lot of birds chirping, the sound that was muffled earlier due to roaring machines. Probably this was nature's way of saying, "Excuse me. I know what I need to do to protect myself!" and it does know how to take care of itself.

There could be a few who are not seeing this as an opportunity. They may be frustrated with the feeling of being locked at home, unable to move anywhere. In fact, if this would have been a directive from the Government to take control of a situation, I'm sure there would be a larger chunk challenging it as well. As it is a matter of life and death, there isn't much choice. And there are some who are frustrated as their only source of entertainment was malls, theatres and outings. For them, this is an opportunity to re-think. If you are reading this blog and not sure what to do sitting at home, here are a few things that can be done.

• Deep clean your home: There is a wonderful feeling to see your home clean and crediting yourself for the effort. 
• Cook a nice meal: If you don't know cooking, try your hand at it. Eating own cooked meal is a different pleasure.
• Read a book nice and slowly: Chew through the pages and relish every moment. There is no better friend than a good book.

For those who have children, here are a few ideas

• Play with your children: Tell them your childhood stories, discuss their hobbies and make them a nice cheese toast.
• Get your children involved: Let them help you in all household chores. Teach them, guide them and make them do it. 

Do share if you have more thoughts.

This 22-March-2020 has been declared as Janata Curfew (or as someone shared on social media - it is "Care For You"). So while you can't step out, make the most of it at home. I'm taking this opportunity to go on a complete #DigitalDetox - No mobile, No laptop, No TV. Can you take up the #DigitalDetox challenge?

KGAF - A piece of Mumbai.

I have been KGAF admirer since I have known it's existence. The Rampart row is a converted into a lane of art work. Art enthusiasts admire the thought and skill behind the installations, while most of the shutter bugs are more interested in being admired for their art of capturing the installations. Over the period of years, the footfall has increased more due to word-of-mouth publicity. It is now so crowded that you are either shoved or requested to click a snap. Hence over the last couple of years, my focus has shifted from Rampart Row installations to the other schedules.

This year, KGAF had a new addition to their Heritage tours. A boat ride showcasing the ports and lighthouse. The moment I read it, it was highlighted as a "MUST SEE". The registrations were to start at 8:00 am on Saturday, 8 Feb. To be on the safer side, I had planned to reach an hour early and had planned another hour in case I wasn't able to locate the Help Desk (where the registrations were to be distributed). I must have highlighted the boat ride quite loudly, as when I reached, I had two of my office colleagues at the Help Desk. We were there at 6:15 am and we were at number 20! The queue had touched the 60 mark by 6:45 and by 8:00, it looked endless. Thanks to the counting done by a colleague in the queue, those around the 50 mark ensured that no one jumped the queue (yet we landed up at being 30 from initial 20). Eventually, we had our passes at 8:15 and it was time for a heavy breakfast.

Colaba is known of it's Irani restaurants serving Kheema pav, Irani chai and Brun-maska. When in Rome, be a Roman. We were in Colaba. So after a nice sumptuous breakfast, we headed to search for the Evelyn House (assembly point for the boat ride). Not sure why they had chosen this location, but it was quite chaotic with unregistered people turning up. Our host, Dilip Vishwanathan (Chief Mechanical Engineer with the port trust) was a very soft spoken person. So soft that the third person would not be able to hear his voice. We were then told to move to Vivekananda statue at the Gateway. Now that area was already flooded with weekend travellers to Alibaug and other tourists. Amidst all the din, we boarded the boat for the tour. With much ado and unorganised volunteers trying to organize things, the tour began. Mr Vishwanathan briefed us on what we would be seeing and that was all that the speaker could convey to us. After that the speaker system lost its battery and we were on our own identifying most of the tour. The tour covered Naval Dockyard (from far), Indira dock and Mazgaon dock. There were quite a few ships anchored along the way and it was a wonderful experience travelling the waterway, enjoying the breeze and the boat ride. As a picnic, we were served snacks followed by tea and coffee. After Mazgaon dock, we moved towards the southern tip of Mumbai where there is a light house. This tip was almost in line with the Colaba Army area (though quite far from it). From this point, we returned to Gateway after a good 3 hour ride. Getting up at 5:00 am and reaching early to get one pass for this ride was worth it.

After a blissful first leg, the next plan was to "chill-out". Destination: Cafe Mondegar. Jukebox, draught beer and fried sausages in a full-packed cafe. Just that thing needed to indicate that "the day is going better than dreamt". A round of beer and then a trip to food paradise "Bagdadi" via Gokul. Gokul served one of the freshest Bombils and prawns that I have tasted lately. As my colleagues shared similar food preferences, our food choices matched. Bagdadi experience need not be described as it has always been the exquisite Mughlai taste and the large tandoori rotis (almost double the size of a regular roti and about the same price or cheaper). After chilling and gorging, most of the better afternoon was done for. I had planned to day so far and it had been beyond expectations.

Scanning through the agenda for the rest of the day, we zeroed in on "Doob dhaan", a play at House of Tales. It took us some time to locate this place. House of Tales is a small place compared to the grand KGAF locations. With a granite and marble door, the place is grand too. But where most events can house hundreds of people, House of tales can accommodate 50-55 comfortably with most sitting on the floor. It reminded me of the school times with us sitting on the carpet and stage barely a 2-3 feet away from us. The stage was a make-shift stage of 4ft x 8ft and height not more than half foot. It was so small that during the show we had to fold our legs else the actors could trip. A very unique experience. Much better was the play. Not just that it was a live performance that we could see so up-close, but the act was put up very beautifully. The whole act was performed by 3 ladies. It was primarily held by 2 of them, both depicting Ketki, a girl from village who had moved to city. The senior lady depicted Ketki of today and the younger one was the playful young girl in her. The senior lady shared sentiments, the younger one added liveliness. The third lady was village woman who had grown old in the village and carried forward traditions when the world was losing them. She added emotions. With simple acts and characters that you can relate with, the play leaves you with good theatre experience and some thoughts to chew on.

Wandering over these thoughts, we walked towards the sugarcane juice centre. This is a must have whenever I am in that region. JUMBO glass that barely fits into a hand. This seemed to be that day when things work better than you can think of. That greed drove us to attend another play at the same venue. The show was quite hyped and with the wonderful experience of the first show, we expected this to be even better as it was from the house of Babbar's (Nadira Babbar and Juhi Babbar). Probably, we have had our share of good for the day and we should have stopped at the sugarcane juice. The play named "Ji, Jaisi aapki marzi" sounded funny and the description mentioned "They make you laugh and think like never before". The story depicted lives of a female as a sister, daughter, mother and wife. Each role played by 4 different ladies, each showcasing the worst possible scenarios in life, very strongly portraying villainous males throughout their lives in all forms. In the 90 minute show, they show cased torture, inequality, sadomasochism, adultery leading to suicide, eve teasing, molestation, underage marriage, rape by husband, talaq followed by disassociation from family, polygamy, forced to live on footpath, child rape, murder. And each of these very strongly portrayed by the artists. While a saas-bahu serial lover might have admired this act, it was a bit strenuous for someone like me, especially after a beautiful day.

Overall, a memorable day, a wonderful and unique experience. Being early at the registration desk and realizing that I am not the first went to show how fast Mumbai is. In a company of many unknown on the boat and still chatting as long lost friends' showed how comfortable Mumbai is. For a 60-capacity boat ride, a crowd of about 300 standing patiently in a queue showed how hopeful Mumbai is. Mondegar and Bagdadi showed how tasty Mumbai is. Many experiences, one location: KGAF.

Memorable Matheran Mania

Saturday, July 24: an unforgettable day. A day to be remembered for all things that went wrong for good. Ten of us, most meeting each other for the first time, trekked together on an unknown route, facing adventures that we had never dreamt of.

It all started on Saturday morning. The sequence of misadventures and thrills started at Dadar station, when we were waiting on platform 4 and saw the Karjat local leaving from platform 1. That was the first time during the day that the presence of mind was needed to board the Indrayani and change to Karjat local at Kalyan. The day is as good as it begins and this day had quite an interesting start. The process of missing the plans and finding alternative had started here.
We reached Bhivpuri at 8:00 am as planned (so far on track as per schedule) and had a regular Maharashtrian breakfast: Wada-Pav and cutting chai. We asked for directions as we were having breakfast and we got more routes than we could count, including one that suggested we take a rick back to Neral and taxi thereon.

One of the routes mentioned of a dam. So we decided to take that route. An hour of walking and we were near the dam. Pali dam is dam that is currently under-construction. The canals are still to be cemented and the walls of the dam are still being built. The dam faces the Matheran mountains and the view from here was spellbinding. The magnificent mountains with lush greenery, gushing waterfalls and a crown of clouds was an absorbing view. While the view was good, there seemed to be no road ahead.
We met a couple of guys who suggested we walk to Bhekre and from here we could find the route to Matheran. As we were walking, we found a road that went around the dam. Some kids passing by told us that the road leads to Aasalgaon. Since it looked like the road went to the base of the mountains, we thought of taking that route. The route that we had planned was Garbett point via Thakurwadi. So we checked about Thakurwadi and the kids told us it is beyond the village on the hill behind. We were supposed to go via Bhekre and we were going through Aasalgaon and we were happy that we had saved a 2 km walk to Bhekre. What we did not realize was that almost every village has its own Thakurwadi and we probably weren't on the right path!
Whether we were on the correct path or not, did not bother us as the view all around was too scenic for us to be bothered about anything else. On the way to Thakurwadi, we came across some obstacles. The first rock climbing that we did on the route. Not too tough, but it required 'hand'ful of efforts. Now we were at a considerable height, we could look down upon a few waterfalls. Some breath-taking views they were! It had been raining throughout and hence the camera was in for most of the time. And every time, it stopped raining for minute, I was happy clicking.
The Thakurwadi village had quite some fields. While walking through the fields, we were wondering if we had actually climbed up a hill or were we still at the base. At a place when we had heaved to reach, the villagers there had well plowed fields with crops growing. Incredible India...what else! As we passed by the village (asking for directions), the kids gathered around as if we were some cartoon characters. It was pouring continuously with variations of heavy and medium rains. As we were walking through the treaded path, we realized that there are multiple paths, going in various directions and with the grass covering every bit of ground, it was even more confusing. Had even trekked on this same spot before, we still would not have been able to trace ourselves.

The mountain was in front of us and the thought that was running in our mind was that we need to get on top to reach Matheran. For that we decided to take any route that leads upwards. As we were climbing up, grip was becoming difficult due to the wet out-field. At one stage, it was so slippery (there was no risk of slipping downhill, it was just difficult to climb up) that we were on all fours, pulling up ourselves. Here Akshay decided to help Komal by passing her bag to Kedar. Unfortunately, the bag landed before Kedar and out of his reach...and it went tumbling down. That was one moment all of us were glued to only one thing...the rolling bag and it landed at the bottom on the slope in a pool of water. The bag was rescued and we continued the uphill trek.

As we kept walking, we reached a point where the path lead into a waterfalls. Finding no route further, we started finding another route (guessing about which could be the route). In the finding (and guessing), we saw a route that went around the hill. Not knowing where that went to, but seeing that was the only route visible, we "thought" of taking that route. It involved crossing a waterfalls (a small stream flowing downhill its own path). As we were crossing it, we realized that it was a point-of-no-return. Essentially, if there was no route further, we could not cross this path in the reverse direction. And as fate was to happen, the route ended up at another waterfalls and all that we could see above was a rock-solid stone not suitable for climbing. Now was the challenge to find the return route.

Determination never fails and will finds its way. So it was...we found another path to cross back to where we were. Having lost our way a couple of times and the clock sounding close to 3:00 PM (already 6.5 hrs of trekking), we were wondering on "What next!" One of the options that we had kept handy (and the basis of our confidence) was Thakurwadi, from where villagers commuted to Matheran n-times a day. Eventually (and thanks to Tanvi), we met a villager and cajoled him to lead us to Matheran. The adventure of losing routes ended here, but the thrill of the trek continued as we crossed a couple of water-paths, climbed a few more rocks, walked a single-person path of which some had land-slid. None of these were very risky...so much that the regular commuters walked on slippers and with as ease as we walk on in office (rest of the places in Mumbai are not so much ease to walk on). But the thrill and adventure can only be experienced not described. And we experienced it!
Thanks to our guide (I forgot his name!), we finally made it to Matheran. After about 10 hours, the eventful trek finally ended. Along with the guide, we had another unnamed companion who deserves a mention. A black pariah dog with golden spots. He accompanied us from Bhivpuri station, all the way to Matheran. We walked with us on all the wrong routes and all the adventurous paths. After we reached Matheran, he mixed with some of the locals and disappeared.
I had never dreamt that I would do such a trek and had it not been for such a wonderful company, it would not have been possible. So just as I end this blog, a big "Thank you" to all those who made this trek such a memorable experience. For me, this trek has boosted the confidence in saying "Never say die" and I am sure it has affected all those who were with me in a positive way.

4-Day Experience

Day 1:
Flying high at the start of the week, they say, is a good sign. My week started on the same note, in a literal sense! This was my first trip to the Coimbatore office. Then there was Golmaal…on the entertainment screen of the Indian Airlines flight (and that was the only thing worth watching). So except for the delayed flight, the week seemed to have started well.

Coimbatore is a small town. From the high skies, the coconut grooves were clearly visible. Lots of open space, greenery and many small houses did give the place a typical south Indian village look of the “Malgudi days” types. My flight of thoughts were disturbed by a bumpy landing.

Language barriers are very high here and the height was understood when we could communicated to with the pick-up person via the office admin. The flight delay had ensured that we went straight to the office, instead of the guest house. We had traveled about half an hour after landing and I was still searching for some township. The place we reached looked like an Industrial area with space for huge factories to put up their units. Later we were told that the area is a SEZ and there would be many IT parks coming up there. (Cognizant and Bosch have already made a base there) Inside the office is a completely different world (as compared to the outside) but more or less the same as the interior of most offices these days. Well, there is a TT table here…with a spacious TT room (wish we have one in Goregaon office too!) and the cafeteria opens to a small and beautiful open-air gallery. There was a light breeze as we were standing there…a feel that will relieve you off stress.

Thali for lunch and dosas for dinner…coffee during the breaks, the south Indian diet had begun. Finally a cab drive to the guesthouse B/23, Shrevatsa Garden, Thudiyalur (Don’t ask me to pronounce that) at 11:00 PM and the day comes to an end.

Flying start, bumpy landing, looooong day…that’s the way the week has started. Let’s see what’s in store for tomorrow.

Day 2:
A long day had ensured a good sleep…and the morning was pleasant. Though 7:00 AM is an early start, it was probably the freshness around (due to the light drizzle last night) that had driven off the laziness. Idlis for breakfast were no surprise.

Used to the rush and hustle of Mumbai, this place was quite a different experience. The guesthouse is a 3-bedroom bungalow decently maintained by the caretakers. Though the language barriers existed, I never truly felt out-of-place here. Probably it is the hospitality of the people here.

While we were filling ourselves on the idlis, the news were rolling about the hunger strike in Mumbai, the lifeline was affected!

The office pick-up was at 10:00 AM and the day had begun. Though the day was equally long, I was in a more bearable state today. The interesting thing of the day was the dinner. Along with my colleagues (Anish and Mithun), we drove to one of the “High Class” Pure Veg (most of the Veg Restaurants here are tagged “High Class”). We reached there by 9:30, as seemingly reasonable time for dinner…not there though. By the time we reached, the “masala” of the dosas was over. Hence we settled with ghee roast (it’s not roasted ghee, but a bigger dosa made in ghee), a rawa onion roast and a tomato onion uttapam. The waiter was more of a host…always there before we could call for him. Dosas topped with filter kaafi and we were done for the day.

It drizzled today evening too, so again the weather is nice and cool. The day was good and a good night’s sleep should give me a better tomorrow.

Day 3:
The morning was a bit lazy today…rather the morning was similar, but getting late to bed must have caused the laziness. I requested for tea to drive-off the sleepiness and was soon to realize that I had asked for oranges in a banana plantation. The tea was not that bad, but then when you are accustomed to a taste, you feel the difference. So when we were told about “pohe” for breakfast, we decided to skip that and rather have some local stuff. Breakfast here, has timings and you should consider yourself lucky to get breakfast after 9:00 AM. We were lucky!

Having tried idlis and dosas, I opted for medu wada. Served on a banana leaf, the wada was one of the crispiest I have ever had. What amazes me is the variety they have in the coconut chutneys. There is a white chutney, a green chutney, a red one and all of them have a unique taste which you can’t resist. Then there is a confusion on which is your favorite. As we were finishing our breakfast, someone mentioned pongal…well, so tomorrow’s breakfast menu is set!

Talking of food, we decided to have a non-veg dinner, so the lunch was on the lighter side. The thought of getting to taste new variants of non-veg delicacies had started ringing bell since evening and to ensure that we were not late, we left for dinner at 8:30. Tried two dishes: Chettinad chicken was one and the name of the other dish was a tongue twister. Though the name was a tongue twister, the taste was relishable. Both the dishes tasted wonderful (my colleagues were saying it was not prepared as well as it was last time) Interestingly, the tandoori roti was quite the same as we have here. Enjoying roti in the land of rice in another unique experience.

Day 4:
Yesterday I missed mentioning this. Everyday we have a pick-up from the guesthouse at 10:00 am. The vehicle is a Maruti Omni. Other than TVS Luna, this is the most common vehicle plying on the roads here. The driver for yesterday’s pick-up, I guess, was a new one. As mentioned earlier, we have a communiation problem here. So the communication happened thru the only common language – the sign language. And before the communication could be understood, this guy would have passed the place. We made 5 U-turns on a route that had none.

But the problem here is not about the communication, rather it is the speed. No one seems to be in a great hurry, but still the vehicles always zoom-by. It feels like a F1 race…with two differences – there are vehicles coming from the opposite direction and the roads are not that broad. “Not that broad” would be an exaggeration…the roads are wide enough to fit in a truck and a cycle comfortably. Any vehicle traveling in the opposite direction means that both the vehicles go off the road partially. It’s the turns and twists (angling almost 90˚) and the speed at which the drivers maneuver their vehicles speeding near 80 kmph to about 40-50 on these curves, gives the ride a F1 feel.

Today is my last day in the Coimbatore office for this trip…back to Goregaon office tomorrow afternoon. Junior of a Sr. Manager was born today and we got a chance to meet the baby boy.

Till yesterday it was drizzling…tonight it rained, clouds clashed and Coimbatore thundered. Without exploring Coimbatore much, I gathered some nice experience here. Would surely like to visit this place again…but that would be on a vacation, so that I can explore Coimbatore.

We won the marathon!

Writing on my own blog almost after an year. Incidentally my last post on this blog was about the same event...the Mumbai Marathon. Though it is the same event, the experience definitely is a different one. And I believe, everyone who has been there year on year would reflect similar thoughts. I don't know what it is, but this is one of those rare days in the whole year when I am eager to get up early on a Sunday morning, travel to one-end of the town, walk 2-3 kms to run for 6 kms, return back in the scorching heat and still have the energy to write this blog.
Probably it is the "Spirit" of Mumbai, the enthusiasm of the Mumbaikars there where everyone is running for a cause that drives the energy levels to an unbelievable high. I have been attending this event for the past 2 years (this was my third). And this year, I had missed the registration date. It was a terrible feeling of being left out. While I had missed registering, my wife was in...she was a part of her company's corporate run. Over the last couple of weeks, after trying out all known options, I was mentally preparing myself on not being able to participate and instead being a specatator. I was joined by my friend Yogi. However we hadn't lost hopes. So when we managed to get the running bibs, the happiness was unbound! I guess that itself speaks a lot on the event and the never say die attitude of Mumbai.
For my wife, it was her first time and so was it for her friend. From Flora Fountain to Churchgate, Marine Drive to Nariman point over the Princess Street Flyover...she enjoyed every bit of it. Though we were not able to run together, we definitely are participating next year (hoping to run together). So next year again there would be new hopes, higher spirits and another wonderful experience.
And what did we win this year?? Winning is not restricted to cash prizes, trophies and shields. About me, I won a running bib...about my wife, she won a new experience, together we won some wonderful memories. And at least those who were there would echo along with me "Mumbai participated...Mumbai won! We participated, we won!"
For more pics log on to: Mumbai Marathon 2010

Where is the Spirit??

On an otherwise lazy Sunday morning in Mumbai Jan 18, 2009 was a bit different. Freshness was in the air as early as 7:00 am (and for some it was even earlier). It was the day Mumbai had chosen to run. This was my consequtive second year and for many this was their first year. So who was running??

The kids were running, the teens were running, the adults were running, even the senior citizens were running. I don't know their names but the language they were speaking were the same..."We are running, what about you??". Age knew no bar neither did religion nor language. Corporates were running, NGOs were running. But why were so many running??

Some running for fun, some for a cause...

but one reason common to all was...

Still, winning was important, someone had to win...and when so many efforts were put in, the win was a deserved one. So then who was the winner??

We won! All those who participated won, all those who supported won...the Spirit of Mumbai won!

We were running, Mumbai was running and the spirit of Mumbai was running...not in fear but in fun, not in chaos but for a cause! And like every year, this year too, "The Spirit of Mumbai" won!

Mumbai will run every year...and we will be there to say...

"Run! Mumbai Run!!!"

For more pics log on to: http://picasaweb.google.com/ash.nadkarni/DreamRun2009

Celebrated without Celebrations!

We had been to Goa this Christmas, a place known for it's Christmas celebrations. Essentially we were at the right place at the right time. Every year during this season, the roads of the capital, Panjim are flooded with lights and decorations and the whole atmosphere brings in the festive mood into anyone who visits the place.

This year was a not too different. The Christmas decorations were pretty nice. Moving around the city, we managed to capture a few decorations and it gives me a pleasure to share these with you. Beautifully crafted and soberly lighted, these were worth more than these pictures can share.

However one thing that struck me was the atmosphere. The festival looked more of an in-house affair. The streets weren't lighted, crackers weren't burst and still it was a very merry Christmas. Christmas, this year, was celebrated without the celebrations!

There was a statement behind it that said, "We have not forgotten Nov 26". Mumbai was hurt, India was hurt...and WE share the pain! We are not afraid of the anti-social elements, we dare to and we will celebrate. And in rememberance of those whom we lost, we will keep a low note.
On the same note, we, the Citizens of India will welcome the New Year in a grand style as we always do...making a clear statement, "We don't fear you!" But we will not let the celebrations extinguish the fire in us, the fire to change. Let's make a resolution this New Year to bring upon a change, a change in ourselves that says, "I can and I will!"

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year 2009!

An Unplanned Weekend!

When at times, plan something and all of a sudden the plan falls crumbling messily, it does leave us hunting in nowhere with a sour taste. But what happens when the opposite of this whole episode takes place?? There is nothing planned till the last minute (make it till the last second), you don’t even know what’s going to happen in the next few minutes and at the end of it, its just a very well worked out plan that leaves you with a sweet taste, wishing for more. And that is what we experienced on a Saturday evening.

We were never a group before; we met on Saturday evening (it was rather night till then) and plans never were made, they just happened and we were enjoying and enjoying like may be we were “singles, ready to mingle”. Not to exaggerate, but if this is not the best that we have enjoyed, it was not anything less than the best either. The only thing that was common to all of us was probably that we were married in 2008. Other than that, probably it was the atmosphere that was created that made the “Saturday night” a wonderful dream.

Now for the cherry on the cream. What happens when you try and try to plan something and nothing gets planned?? So you just go out and hit something and that happens to be the best plan you could have had! After some sweet Saturday memories, we were left with more to wish for, so we met up on Sunday evening. We tried to workout plans but the decisions were just not happening. Then we took a call and went by instincts and Sunday evening turned out to be another sweet happening…and we are still wanting for more!

At such times, it is not the plan neither the place nor something that you do that matters, it is company that you have and the simplest attitude to enjoy at your best that matters. Now that we have both, we definitely are looking forward for more!

“WE are responsible!”

Though this statement may sound very controversial, I stand by it and say, “We are responsible”. Here “we” do not belong to any religion neither to any region; “we” are just the “stupid common man”. We crib at every security check and every nakabandi and when the attack happens, we crib about the security in the country.

Dear friends, please do not feel offended, but it is we who are responsible. We are being targeted and hence it is we who would have to retaliate. We say that the government we elected has done nothing. Then do we believe that the government that we elect again will do anything better? Let us revisit the latest attack. The terrorists attacked, they killed and got killed. In all the mayhem, we had politicians coming to take-out the political mileage out of the issue for the upcoming elections. In a situation where every security person’s value becomes immense, these politicians come around a consume some of the resources that are needed elsewhere. The promise huge compensations, which comes from the taxes we pay and not from their own pockets! Has there been any politician who has reduced his own security for this cause or has there been anyone who has said “I’ll train my men and ensure such attacks don’t happen?” Today, the Home Minister, Maharashtra CM and Deputy CM resign. They will be replaced by someone else. The attacks will still happen and there will be resignations again happening. This is like a musical chair where the terrorists play the music of death blindly and the politicians exchange seats. We demand resignations and get a new face on the chair…to be replaced after another set of attacks??

If we look into who is affected…is it the country’s economy? Or is it the “common man”? Yes, it is the common man who is majorly affected and he is being attacked as he runs the country, he elects the leaders and he is the economy of the country. And time and time again, it will be the common man who will be attacked. It is said that if the government was more proactive in calling the NSG, then the number of casualties would have been lesser. Well, the attack would still have happened! And it will keep happening as long as the “common man” does not answer.

So now the question arises is “what do we do?” We cannot be trained like militants in weapon handling and killing. So the most common of all questions “what can I do?” As a common man, we can take on self-defense tactics. We currently hesitate participating in mock drills and evacuation practices terming them as waste of time. We need to change this! We rush to the attacked site to pat the commandos...little do we realize that we are hampering their execution. We expect the news channels to provide the latest of information "live", not realizing that the same information would be used by someone with a different intention. All I can say here is we (and that includes me as well) need to change.

“There can be another attack anytime…let’s be prepared! Let’s learn to save ourself and save our country. And terrorism will die its own death!”

LEAP: Unbound

When you have a busy week and eagerly looking forward for the weekend to have some relaxing time with your loved ones, how does it feel to know that you have to attend an offsite training program thru the whole week? And then when you do not get a chance to sleep much on Friday, you also get to know that the training on Saturday would start when you reach and would continue till dinner time? May be like this?

Nevertheless, the whole team of trainees put on a smile, pulled up their spirits and with an attitude that says "We'll do it, no matter what comes!", left for the off-site training center. It had been a strenuous week and since the whole team was of the same designation level, the week would have been equally strenuous (with a little variation) to everyone. The difference, may be, was that some had no sleep while the others had gotten up early...so there was sleep residing somewhere within everyone. Yet when the camera rolled-on, the shining teeth and bright faces were captured!
A two-hour drive got us to Khandala and then thru the ups and downs (of the hills and missing the route), we finally reached the destination! Far-away from the world...in a world of our own, that was our destination, the Northpoint training academy. Hunger had struck long ago...so breakfast was the first thing to happen. A heavy breakfast led to sleepy heads and we all were pondering how would we stay awake thru the training sessions...but more important was to at least stay awake TILL that time! There were colleagues whom we knew, some whom we had seen but not interacted and some whom we were seeing for the first time, but as the interactions started, we started gelling with each other and in no time the strangers had vanished!
It was the learning time then and our experience tells us (except those who have been studious) how boring "learning" could be and with the fatigue all over us, we feared that the trainer would definitely catch some of us dozing. However it seemed that the trainer was well prepared for us. The sessions included learning games as well as theory part and we got in so involved in all that was happening and all that we reached the lunch break without feeling stressed out...feeling bored was completely out of question. The break was truly relaxing, but not the path to our rooms. That was literally an uphill task! The post-lunch session was noting different...engrossing, entertaining, interesting are a few words that could go with this session that was equally a learning experience.

By the time the day ended, we too were drained out and as the lights went off, we were off to a good night's sleep. The morning was fresh and a view from our room was something like this:
This was 7:00 am on a Sunday morning. Frankly speaking, I haven't seen much of Sunday mornings at home...definitely not so early, but still I am sure that they don't look so pretty. Fresh morning make you feel fresh...some still need the daily dose of their morning beverage.
All of us had a different experience about the Sunday morning; the feel however was the same "refreshing!" This was our second day of training and being recharged after a nice dinner, a wonderful sleep and pleasant morning, we were all ready for the shoot!
Our trainers and facilitators were equally prepared. Involving sessions and interesting discussions continued till the lunch break. While the pre-lunch session involved brain taxing, the second was more physical work. The most amazing part of this session was the undeterred enthusiasm and the never-say-die attitude of all the trainees. It was the "SkateBoard" event. It was good to see that everyone kept putting in their best till the end of the event and never ever for even a split second said "I cant do this". It was also nice to see the no-ego environment; it was never that "this is not my work", instead there was breaking of rules to help other teams finish. Whatever be the shape of the skateboard, the resultant of this exercise gave a very pleasant experience (except for the cuts that a couple of us had).
With the wonderful time that we had, we never knew how the weekend passed by. The training weekend was completely action packed. Each and every person involved displayed a remarkable zeal of enthusiasm. The trainers were kept busy counting scores to find the winners within equal competitors.
The energy levels were so high that the cameras and the photographers started reeling too! (just kidding!!!)
Well, finally it was big LEAP!


And finally a few more that my camera had captured...

In the interim...

After a dozen of blogs last year, I was not able to push for more. There has always been a lot to write about and as usual laziness had its excuse of not being able to find time. Now there is so much to write that I do not know where do I start from.

In the period that I was not writing blogs, there was a lady who was impressed by the blogs I have been writing. She complimented me on my blogs and that is when we started chatting. We became friends and as time passed, we realized that we could hold hands forever. In a period of couple of months, things happened faster than I could imagine and in December, I was officially committed to this sweet lady. That moment was an unforgettable moment. It was the first time that I had seen her after an year (except when we had met to finalize the D-date) and it was the first time that I had held her hand. I had always wished something unique to happen about my marriage and this was just about the thing that I had expected.

Well it was not just about me and her, it was about our families too. They say marriage is a bond, not just between two individuals, but also between two families. Our cousins could not have exemplified this point better. All cousins (most of them) came together on the day before Christmas with a clear motto of enjoying to the fullest. They (my cousins and her cousins) then met for the first time and then they gelled as though they were together since birth and now they are just cousins...no difference...nothing at all! We did wish the families bond together, and what we got was more than we expected. Celebrations were in the air and merriness all around...happiness was glowing on the faces and the couple in making were basking in its glory!

Now as the the D-day is apporaching, we are obviously getting excited...so are our parents, our families...and a group that displays amazing resource of energy: our cousins and friends. Our parents have always been there to back us when we needed. Blessings from parents and wishes from cousins & friends, the D-day is going to be a day to cherish for lifetime! And we take this oppurtunity to thank all those who have been there for us. Saying this, we invite you to our wedding...to witness LOVE being CELEBTRATED!

Do visit our wedding site: http://ash-n-ash.weddingannouncer.com/