New Place, New Start

Bon Jour! My tweedle-dee-dums,

How r ya'll??

Long time no activity in dis blog.
Guess I was busy!!

Yes, actually I was.

You ppl duuno how much changes have occured in this short 10 months span of time.
I am no more located in Pune, I have shifted to Noida, which falls in the Delhi-North central region(NCR).

The reason is, I have been selected to the prestigious Amity School of Business, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh for MBA. Guess what? I have also completed my first sems in dere...!!
Good, eh?

But then again, my good lads!
I do miss my good ole pune days...my friends...the Ramakrishna Math at Pune. Those were some really wonderful days.

Noida, again is very much different. People are more open on certain categories, and conservatives on the other; just a spin around of the trend Pune. The food's good, betta than Pune wala horrible food...but then, when you have enough of the city, you get to know more and more about it...and we had found out real delicacies in pune. Biryani @ George's; Nawabi food @ Grand Durbar.....continental @ 7, bong food @ Viman nagar...so much..so much..

Life's so different here. Political. Diplomatic. Corporate.
Sometimes you feel you absolutely don't belong. But no options...

Derez many things I gotta update Ya'll about...
Keep tuned in for me.

Ciao!

Traveller's Diary-Jayrambati

It was Tuesday. Summers were as usual, at their peek level in Dhanbad, and me,
as usual at my peek irritated condition partially because of the heat and partially because I was sitting home idly. The result was such that mom was listening to my continuous banterings, “momma please chalo na…!!”
“where do you want to go?” replied my enraged mother.
“Momma I told you earlier only, J&K”
“What? Jammu and Kashmir,now?”
“Oh heck no! Jayrambati and Kamarpukur.”
“we’ll see.”

I understood this aint working. So I devised a plan. Just after the evening worship at our home shrine, when Mom finished her japam, I immediately went to her and asked her to take me to my J&K. She consented and from the Tuesday night itself, rains pelted down on the dry land. We were to leave for Jayrambati on Thursday morning, as Holy Mother was born on Thursday.

Very early next morning we rose up, completed our daily chores and packing our bags, we waited for Kanchan uncle and Soma aunty, mom’s school mates. We were to go by their car. I was extremely elated and my mind was continuously humming the beautiful Sarada-Naam Sankirtanam, “Twang me Brahma Sanatani Ma, Saradeswari Subhage Ma...”

They came at around 6. We went along, picked up Chandan Uncle and Leena aunty, another two of classmates of mom and started moving towards Asansol, taking the Grand Trunk road. We left behind Ramakrishna Mission, Asansol and the beautiful park with a huge statue of Swamiji standing in his full majestic glory. The Statue was recently unveiled by His Holiness Srimad Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj, 15th President of our order. Within an hour, we were making our way through dense forest path, which was known as “Jaypur ka jungle” This jungle falls under Bishnupur jurisdiction. Through and through, we reached Kotulpur, the jurisdiction to which Jayrambati belongs. As soon as we entered the borders of the holy village, we were amazed to see the lush greenery around. The appeal of the natural beauty was such that I stopped the car twice or so, and took a few snaps. It was clearly evident that annapurna herself resides on this holy land.

We reached the Matrimandir at 11.30am. The guardians went to check out the boarding at guest house from manager maharaj. Meanwhile I ran towards the temple to catch the glimpse of my ishwari. This was my first Jayrambati Darshan, a continuous feeling of profound anticipation thrilled me from head to toes. It felt like a river running to meet the ocean, and when you can already see it at a distance, how can you resist?

You can easily see the palatial temple building, painted in light crimson color. The metal flag with “Ma” inscribed in Bengali topped the dome. The prayer hall was elongated and rectangular shaped with beautiful pictures of Sri Sri Thakur, Swamiji, Sri Sri Ma and the Apostles. On the right side, a covered organ played during the evening vespers and a dong was placed. A few devotees were sitting and pin drop silence drowned the hall in magnified divinity. The very interiors reverberated with spirituality. Shaking with excitement, the eyes looked inside the garbhamandira (sanctum sanctorum). There she was, sitting at the end of the room, a peculiar glow emancipating from her white body. A word automatically came out of my mouth, “Sharanagatoham”.

The large room had a semi room at its rear end. On a beautiful white marble raising, was a black marble alter. My mother was sitting on it, quietly and peacefully. In trance, yet taking notice of each of her child peeping their faces excitedly at the gates. She was wearing a red colored sari, and nothing but her beautiful hands closed in prayer and her majestic face could be seen-“Lajjapatavrita”. Her eyes spoke unfathomable compassion and love. Her lips had a beautiful and heavenly smile, which can transport you to a different plane. Her elongated nose and cheeks only added valor to her exquisite face. Behind her, a silk chandratap was elegantly attached. She was wearing a long Rajanigandha and Akanda flower Garlands and her Swa-KrorNyasta(put on her laps) hands held arghyam. Elaborate floral decorations made by Hibiscus and other flowers adorned the Alter. On her both sides, were two small doors leading to her bedroom. Two lampposts on her both sides were kept to light during evening vespers. Outside the semi-room, in a kulungi(small cutting on the wall) on her right, a picture of the Lord Himself was kept. Sri Sri Ma is Sri Ramakrisna’s power, so she sits at his left side. In her dhyana Mantram its mentioned, “Swanath Vam-Bhagastham Bhaktanugrahakarinim(sitting on her lord’s left side, she showers blessings on her devotees). On her left side, a picture of Swamiji Maharaj was decoratively kept in another kulungi. On the eastern wall of the room, Swami Saradanandaji’s picture is kept in a kulungi and at the south wall, facing mother, is Sri Baneswar Shivalingam and another Lingam which was found during the digging of Mother’s temple.

No sooner did I satisfied my eyes, and bowed down, the doors of the temple closed down for her Dwipraharik-Bhoga(Lunch). From there, I went to have darshan of Swami Ameyanandaji Maharaj, President of Matrimandir. Maharaj was extremely tender and kind, and it dawned on me that only a person with a mother’s heart can be a right head of Mother’s birthplace. Then we met Prabir Maharaj, the monk-in-charge and he made our arrangements in the elaborate guest house. After freshening ourselves, we went to the temple again. The door opened for a few minutes after Mother’s Bhoga offering was finished and then it was closed for her Vishram. Meanwhile, the bells for partaking bhoga were rung, and we proceeded towards the dining hall.

A huge dining hall which can seat at least 1000 devotees also enshrined a huge mural of Holy Mother. We sat in queues and prasadam was first served. It followed the Brahmarpanam Mantra:
“Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam,
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam Brahma Karma Samaadhinaha!!
Hari Om Tatsat! Sri Ramakrishnarpanamastu!!”

Steaming hot rice was served, followed by a very thin gravy of mixed vegetables. Initially you may not find it appealing, but I can bet that the first bite will make you fall ravenously on the prasadam. It may be noted that the preparation contains only minimum amount of spices and oil, but look at the charisma of Mother’s Bhoga, the taste grows manifold. With this context, I remember one incident that happened during her times. There was a shepherd boy who used to take the cows of Mother’s house to graze. He used to return at late afternoons to have his meal. Mother used to wait for him and only took her meal, when the shepherd boy came. One day, he came and mother asked him to get refreshed and come for lunch. He was served with his food and mother also sat at one corner with her plate. That day, there was no rice left in the pot and the boy was still hungry. So mother took the rice from her plate and put it on his plate(oh! I am so jealous). He started eating and he suddenly asked, “mother, is the rice prepared for servants like us and the rice prepared for you differ in quality?” Mother said, “no my child! You are all my children…the food I make is eaten by all”. The boy replied, “Then how come is the rice from your plate smelling so beautiful?”. Mother just smiled.

Anyway, we finished partaking the prasadam with an extreme tasty “payesh”(rice pudding) and went off for some rest. At around four, went to the temple for some Japam. It was 6.30 when the evening vespers started. Tapan Maharaj(Pujari Maharaj) performed the aratrikam with the symbolic pancha-tattwa. After the aratrik, Stotras and hymns were sung followed by Sri Saradanaam Sankirtanam, which is held every Saturday. After the beautiful sankirtan we came out to see the adjoining areas. Just facing mother’s temple was the scenic Punyipukur where Mother used to take bath. We saw the household deity of Mother’s family, Sundarnarayan Dharma and Kali and then we visited mother’s old house, new house, kitchen, Bhanu Pisi’s home and at last went to Simhavahini, the legendary temple dedicated to Goddess Durga which became famous for the miraculous healing of Mother’s illness once. Simhavahini was a small metalled kalash with faces inscribed on its top, Sri Chandi and sri Mahamaya, another two same kalash on her both sides. There is a bigger statue of bronze, Manasa. Animal sacrifice is performed in the temple during special celebrations and its soil is said to have miraculous healing powers. People from many places come to gather the soil of Simhavahini.

We got up the next morning at around 3. After attaining the Mangalarati, we went to see Mother’s tank which was surrounded by palm trees and extremely picturesque. Then we had our breakfast, packed our bags and went off for Kamarpukur. I couldn’t resist myself but teared up a little at the thought of returning back and I went to the temple and told her to call me again very soon. Laying prostrate on the ground I offered pranam,

“यथाग्निर्दाहिका शक्ति रामकृष्णे स्थिता ही या,
सर्व विद्या स्वरूपं त्वं सरदाम प्रनामाम्यहम!!”
{As Fire and its burning power are inseperable, so are you and Sri Ramakrishna,
O mother, the form of all learnings, I bow down at your lotus feet.}

जय राम श्री राम जय जय राम

Traveller’s Diary

Part 1:Nashik-In and around

Third year Bcom exams finally done with, it was time for a well deserved trip on our own...so planned on going to Nashik, and then Kolkata and then Dhanbad..I, Tonmoy and Arpo, left for Nashik from Pune Shivajinagar ST stand by Neeta Volvo at around 11.30 pm. We were to stay at Tonmoy’s parents’ place over there.

Reached nashik at 3.36 am morning. Stepping down the bus, I couldnot control myself from humming the Ram Stotra, “Ramay Ramachandray Rambhadray Vedase, Raghunathay Nathay sitaya pataye namah!!” after all, this is the place where Lord Rama, Ma Janaki and Lakshman stayed during their exile from Ayodhya!! The very soil of this ground was holy.

Took an auto to Tonmoy’s place. It was 4.13. we were jabbering in Rapid Bengali, when the autowallah was like, “APNARA BANGALI??” { R u guys Bengalis?}...hmmm, pretty surprising to find a Bengali autowallah in Maharasthra!!anyway, reached Tonmoy’s place at 4.56 am. His mom and Dad were already awake and greeted us warmly. We planned to leave for SHIRDI, the famous temple of the mystic saint Sai Baba. So after quickly freshening up, we left for shirdi by car, which was of a colleague of Ton’s Pa...Oberoi Uncle. He was driving the car himself and taking us to Shirdi.

We were on the way to Shirdi, almost reached. Suddenly Oberoi uncle gets a call, and got news that his father had expired..he was shattered and shocked, and we were so shocked ourselves...we came back from the place to nashik... I was feeling so Sad for Oberoi uncle, he was so shattered and broken...and what determination he had, he brought us back in that condition, driving for one whole hour back to nashik.

We returned, breakfasted with LUCHI-TARKARI{kind of puffed bread, also called Puri with Vegetables} and fell asleep, as we were really tired with all the travelling and stuff.... got up at around 2, had a sumptuous Bengali lunch and rested a bit. We decided on going for the sight-seeing in nashik. As per the programme, another of Tonmoys’s father’s colleague, Chaudhury uncle was called, who was to take us with him in his car. We left for the sight seeing at around 4...

Our first destination was SRI SOMESWAR TEMPLE. An ancient temple, marked by the presence of lord Rama, is a major tourist attraction in Nashik. Sri Someshwar Lingam was a big sized Purva-mukhi lingam whose Gauri-patta was renovated with brown marble. I bowed down before the lord, enveloped him with two hands and did pranam, uttering the Shiva Panchakshar stotram, “Nagendraharay Trilochanaya” and finally bowed down saying, “Namah Shivaya santaya karunatrya hetave, nivedayami chatsmanam gatistwam parameswarah”. After that, went to maruti temple, adjoining the shiva temple. A big brass image of Sri Maruti Hanuman was there, prostrated before the Lord, chanted the Hanuman Chalisa and came out. There were a couple more temples of Lakshmi-narayan and Rama-Sita-Lakshman-Hanuman. After having darshans, sat for sometime at the Someswar ghat, where river Godavari was flowing with all her scenic beauty.

Our next stoppage was Tapovan. It is the place where Lakshmana medidated. It was also the place of confluence of River Godavari and River Kapila. Also, this was the place where Lakshmana slashed off Surpanakha’s nose with a sword. We entered in the temple, where Lakshmana, the incarnation of shesh-naag, was sitting. A very old small black stoned image of Lakshmana was decorated and kept inside the temple. We bowed down and came out, saw the confluence, where the sadhus stay during kumbha mela, we saw the Sita Kunda, where mother janaki used to take bath, we saw the place where Lakshmana slashed off Surpanakha’s nose, “Birupita Surpanakha Rakshasi kamrupini.”

I was very keen on visiting the KALARAM Temple, where Sri Ramakrishna’s Spiritual son and the first president of our order, Srimad Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj or simply, “maharaj/rakhal maharaj” went into trance seeing the image of the lord. As the pattern of most of the temples in Maharasthra are, Kalaram temple was a huge structure artistically carved in black stone. Climbing a couple of steps, one will get a view of the sanctum sanctorum, where Sri Rama, Mata Janaki and Sri Lakshmana are present with all glory. The specialty of the temple is that all their lordships and their images are pitch black, which is generally not seen in other temples. Myth says, Sri Rama turned black with anger, and thus the temple stands with all glory. My mind wandered off to that time when Sri Sri Maharaj would have visited the temple......coming back I offered pranam,

“Sita sametam ajinambarampradhisyam soumitrina niyata-sevita-padpadmam!

Nilotpaladyutimanantagunam prashantam twadbhagdheyamanisham pranamami rajan!!”

{The person who is wearing deer skin, staying in jungle with Sita mata and roaming with her, Who is the life of Sumitra’s son lakshmana, having infinite gunas, and who kills humongous demons, whose complexion is like Nila-kanta-Mani, to that great King of kings, my love, I bow m head.}

Just round the corner, was the famous PANCHAVATI, this was the place where, “Tena tatraiva vasata janasthananivasini”....The place was known as Janasthan at that time. Now, the place looks anything but panchavati..Full of crowd of tourists, peddlars and hawkers, its was an extremely disturbing place....in between they had squeezed out 5 big banyan trees in some distance..This was Panchavati!!!!स्वामी विवेकानंद की एक अपूर्व मूरत भी थी.

Went to sita gumfha, where Sita was known to stay during her exile, had to lie down and crawl inside the cave which was underground....after saluting Mother there, came out quickly.

Then, straightaway went to Ram Ghat where the ARDHA-KUMBHA takes place..a beautiful place where Godavari flows, we sat...we saw arati....and finally returned back to our nest, paying homage to Mother Godavari and Lord Rama.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBLITY OF YOUTH IN BUILDING UP MODERN INDIA

“I will try to present before you the secret of India, what India means. If those whose eyes have been blinded by the glamour of material things, whose whole dedication of life is to eating and drinking and enjoying, whose ideal of possession is lands and gold, whose ideal of pleasure is that of the senses, whose god is money, and whose goal is a life of ease and comfort in this world and death after that whose minds never look forward, and who rarely think of anything higher than the sense objects in the midst of which they live;- such as these go to India , what do they see? Poverty, squalor, superstition, darkness, hideousness everywhere. Why? Because in their minds enlightenment means dress, education, social politeness. Whereas, occidental nations have used every effort to improve their material position, India has done differently. There live the only men in the world, who, in the whole history of humanity, never went beyond their frontiers to conquer anyone, who never coveted that which that which belonged to anyone else, whose only fault was that their lands were so fertile, and they accumulated wealth by the hard labor of their hands, and so tempted other nations to come and despoil them. They are content to be despoiled, and to be called barbarians, and in return, they want to send to this world visions of the supreme, to lay bare for the world the secrets of human nature, to rend the veil that conceals the real man, because they know the dream, because they know that behind this materialism lives the real divine nature of man which no sin can tarnish, no crime can spoil, no lust can taint; which fire cannot burn, nor water wet, which heat cannot dry, nor death kill; and to them this true nature of man is as real as is any material to the senses of an occidental. Just as you are brave to jump at the mouth of a cannon with a hurrah; just as you are brave in the name of patriotism, to stand up and give up your lives for your country, so are they brave in the name of god. There it is that a man sits on the bank of a river, when he has known that life is eternal, and wants to give up his body just as nothing, just as you can give up a straw. Therein lies their heroism that they are ready to face death as a brother because they are convinced that there is no death for them. Therein lies the strength that has made them invincible through hundreds of years of oppression and foreign invasion and tyranny....”

--------Swami Vivekananda.

It may feel not right to pounce on today’s youth directly after reading such views of Swamiji about India. But then, sometimes we are helpless. We are going on more or less the same track of what Swamiji forbid us again and again to do. We are blindly copying the western culture, their influence has overtook our minds and hearts so much so that we have forgot to give the worthy respect to the elders or live the life which Indians should!

Once Ramakrishna Math put up its book-stall in one of the reputed colleges in pune. Incidentally, I was there to serve in the book-stall. Students passed by, students saw, most of them IGNORED. It was ok till then. But I saw few students, when they came to see the books, their friends told, “See he’s gone mad! He is looking into THESE type of books”!! If the books propagated by Swamiji( most of his books were the major collections of the stall) were termed as “THESE” books, what can we expect?

In each and every sphere of life, each and every juncture of existence, Swamiji’s words prove the truth, then also, we fail to show them the right deference we should. Maybe the reason is lack of credence on oneself. Swamiji has said, “Faith, faith,faith-faith on oneself-on God-is the only way to success...”

We need strong faith on ourselves-we can do it..why can’t we? We are sons of God-amritasya putra.

If the right faith comes, there is nothing un-executable. Swamiji said:“Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita. These are bold words; but I have to say them, for I love you. I know where the shoe pinches. I have gained a little experience. You will understand the mighty genius and the mighty strength of Krishna better with a little of strong blood in you.”

Generally an aspect is seen in youth, UNSELFISHNESS. In divergence to the conformist, the rebel in the youth makes it more magnanimous. In this context, let’s discuss on an incident which happened to an acquaintance. The whole family of that person were devoted to Ramakrishna Math. The person’s mother used to say, “ If I knew this would happen out of life, I would have never stepped in the mundane mud. Rather would I have renounced everything.” Being attracted towards the philosophy of Ramakrishna Math, he expressed a desire to join the Ramakrishna order, to serve humanity, for the motto-bahujanhitay bahujansukhay. But now, the mother was reluctant. She said, “who will support us at old age?” this is selfishness. Now slowly the mother’s bantering made him to marry. Then started a new chapter in his books. The wife and the mother would continuously quarrel and would want to show their claim on the person, so much so that now the mother says, “why did you have to marry?”. I really pitied him. The whole idea behind this incident is that the youth is unselfish, but they are always obstructed. We have to break this obstruction. The conservative never wants changes. We have to compel them to change. We have to “ be and make”.

Swamiji has given three criterions for a person or a nation to be strong:

1. Belief in purity.

2. Ultimate dearth of malice and jealousy.

3. Helping those who do or want to do true work.

He said, “remember! Human is needed, not animal”

For the motto-Atmano Mokshartham Jagadhitaya cha, Swamiji created the Ramakrishna Mission, to make a band of people who have given up everything in the name of Thakur(Sri Ramakrishna). Some senior monks call it the Ramakrishna machine. A machine which crushes human ego. The grinding starts with joining the order. When the process is over, the finished products are highly polished, well rounded personalities to serve the naranarayana.

The process of building has to be changed. Rather than building after destruction, building with whatever is there has to be opted. To make one’s own God sit on throne and direct people to do this and that, one should prefer to be the squirrel of Lord Rama and be obliged by giving a handful of sand in the bridge building. Swamiji has always said to fight back. “Rather than running away, face the brutes”, he said.

Most of us are like a tiger-cub in the herd of sheep. Rather than being a person without backbones, ROAR!

They say, India is illiterate. Merely saying will never do. Work for it. Swamiji once told to bring the light of wisdom to the illiterate mass and more light to the literate mass, as they are more darkened with the arrogance of literacy. Bring to all the light of wisdom-rest is all for the Lord to do. Had he not said, ‘ work fruitless.”

There are numerous words of Swamiji. Each awe-inspiring and each carrying sparks of fire in them. But there has to be fuel in our hearts which would be ignited with the contact. Problem is that the fuels these days are becoming increasingly costlier due to inflation!!

To make India grow, ideal youth, should have six characteristics imbibed in them:

1. No miracle-mongerin

2. Modern outlook

3. Non-sectarian approach

4. No connection with politics

5. Selfless love

6. Believe all religions are true

Swamiji once wrote to one of his brother disciples: “Throw away all the bells and cymbals in ganges, worship God in man...this is what is wanted.”

He says that our method of success in reaching India to her zenith is very simple. “Renunciation” is the way. Gautama Buddha taught India renunciation and within six hundred years of following it then, India was in summit. Renunciation and service are the ideals of Indian culture. Our systems are not made for simply enjoying the world. Had it been so, India would have been so much different.

Most important cause for our downfall is hatred towards other religions. This aspect has been imbibed into the roots since thousands of years!! “my god is better, yours is not”-As if God is their fiancée!!

The most shocking thing I have seen is that this practise is seen among youth too!! But it is expected from us, to stand up against it, to fight against the year-old prejudices. If the hatred and the continuing conflicts had to continue, why did we make a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic? India is the land where many religions are born, the country whose very soil is holy! And, we are stampeding it with our attitude. Youth’s role here is a significant one; to break the age-old shackles of hatred, to bring light to the darkness which is has crippled into its own demeanour.

A person always has some positive as well as some negative traits in himself. No one can be solely good, neither is it possible to be bad singularly. But the goal should be to bring the positivity to the forefront. The effective qualities which we, the youth possesses is open mind, free will and courage. Maybe some of us have forgot it, but we have it. Writing on it, pages and pages would not give any effect, just like reading about Swamiji would not do any benefit, till we inculcate them in our life. So I would request to all my fellows with the same words Swamiji used for us-“Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached.”

!!ॐ तत् सत् ॐ!!

We ROCK!!

“Emotion” is such a wide concept, that generally we structure extremely off beam ideas about it....Emotions are different!! They are not normal “you” and “me”; they are what “you” and “me” are made of, a miasmic part of our existence. Indians are known as emotional fools......the imprudent who term us as emotional fools, are so much aggravated that they cannot channelize their emotions and call us so..... Anyway, I am an emotional person myself and as it comes, can’t keep in my emotions for a long period......and so, with the end of my final year of college, I can’t help it but become a little edgy with my sentiments.

The religious person I am, I thank my dear sweet ole God,मेरा भग्गू ,for gifting me with an assemblage of the most beautiful people on this earth....whom I proudly call...MY NUTTY GROUP....in short, “F.R.I.E.N.D.S”.
Writing a post on them, in my blog, would be really a sweet, TRIBUTE kinda affair...so let me continue with A little Thanksgiving to each of them.

SNEHA/CHANPREET/SARDARNI/Ms.EXPLANATION---- oh!! What a garrulous person you have been...our fulltoo tally attitude, your continous overflowing blubbering gibberish, your mode of explanation......and our care for all of us, the concern, the paranthas, I will miss you Sneha!!हुन एक गाल दस.....तोआड्डाexplanation कब रुकेगी??!!

DOLLY/WIERDO---Though would would never confess yourself to be dumb, believe me you are (he hehe).... your nursery rhymes, HOW MANY COLORS, AEROPLANE AEROPLANE......brought tears in our eyes, you are a very pure and innocent gal, as it comes.....

FILZA/SABSE BADA MARD/FIL---- Though It was height of irritativeness, your being such a MOM, but it felt good.....cuz it always feels nice, when someone cares for you....Truth and helpfulness have always been your own subject, so be it.....Be always the same, we are all behind you(PUN UN-INTENDED)....

MIZBA/MIZZ---I remember once I told you, “You are just an extension of our group”...but trust me dear, it was one of my rude dialogues i keep on showering on anyone and everyone. You are very much IN our group...a part of it..that is the reason that whenever we visit you Sister cum Brother, we ask.. “hey where is Mizz?”.....

AVANI/CONTRI-QUEEN---I can never forget the lovely theplas your mom made for us and the warmth she had for us....you have been very friendly and helpful to us, being a little hyper sometimes....Please donot get out on roads wearing a HIT ME on your body..ok?
MAHENDRA/MAAHI--- GOSSIP GOSSIP GOSSIP!!! This is our Mahi......somewhat like the “du kya?” character from MP3. A really good friend, a nice company....and a brilliant competitive exam cracker...this guy had all the potentials....but that’s a different story, not now....now only Thanksgiving.....yes, you have been a real sweet friend...all those hangouts had to be incomplete without your Non-Veg Interviews.

ARPO/ARCHA---- there is nothing more to say about you other than that you have been an inseparable part of my life...11 long years of friendship is not a joke....and you have been always been a sweetheart, irrespective of the innumerable times we fought amongst ourselves. Thanks to be there for me!!

SUJAY/TSU/SUJJI---It has been Indira when we met, and our friendship continues over two colleges, eh?! Quite a lady-killer yourself, you always have and had the rare quality to make people feel special their own way.....Cheers to you...

NIRAV/HELLO HELLO---Have any difficulty? Have any problems? Just a call and your problem will be solved in no time....this is Nirav....the most helping guy around ...and a true friend, fulfilling the meaning of the statement, a Friend in need is a friend indeed.

HARSHAD/HRD---Your weird sense of humor, your apparently serious but hilarious conversations have always been a happy mode of memory in my mind....

AMIT/AMY/SPICY(!)---The most mature and understandable person in our group, you have always kept your cool and tried to make us stop when we crossed our limits in places(where didn’t we?) but alas, couldn’t do much!! He he he...But you have been a very special person to all of us....
SUFI/SUFS---You have always been the BABY of our group....the youngest member, you are like a baby brother to all of us....and your sweetness will always be etched in all our minds...

SRIKANT/SIRI---Though you have stopped joining us now, your mad fit of giggles and always the “kya item hai” attitude will always make you bright in my memoirs.

This was my group.....you can’t describe these guys in few words....you can’t express your judgement for them. They are and were an internal part of the chamber of memoirs, taking most of its part...the golden time passed with these guys can’t be expressed in few words..and hence I will not try also. Just wanted to tell you guys, You are, were and will be MY LIFE......

Just promise each other, that we will not FORGET each other. Due to the peer pressure and hectic work schedules, we may not be able to keep in contact recurrently, but for that reason, do not FORGET each other.....That is what will be expected..that will be something truly anticipated, will be a mode of habileté.

All the very best for a Shimmering Future.

MADINAH-For food lovers!!

MADINAH – IF YOU WANT GOOD AS WELL AS CHEAP FOOD!!


Generally I thought that I would do away with writing only poems on this blog...then I realised that they can’t be frequently added, as they are not of the SWIFT gene....they have to be verbalised and unravelled from this muddled up state in which they loll in your brains.
So I thought, why not progress with the everyday conducts which are, apparently, of no consequence...but as you come to contemplate on it, one fine day, threading your memory lane, you say....WOW!! That was fun!!
So here’s my first attempt to plot one remarkable afternoon. We were to have lunch together- I, Tanmoy and Arpo. As it came, we stumbled on the idea of having lunch in MADINAH RESTAURANT- a peculiar Muslim food serving restaurant. Many Hindus may detest the idea of having food in a restaurant where they serve beef...but what the hell!! Why wouldn’t I visit someplace where the food is excellent??
So...as planned, we went to this place....which was very crowdy, as the general public places in India are. We were joined by two more of Tanmoy’s friends....don’t remember their names actually. We ordered food according to our temperaments and enjoyed every bit of it. As such, the heat inside the restaurant and the heat the spicy food was creating, was enough to make us go all sloppy and sniffing.
Though we couldn’t have much....one of Tanmoy’s friends eased our agony....he cleared up all that was there...and I, personally, loved to see him eat...as I love to eat and see people eating.
During the utsavs at Ramakrishna Math, I love to serve cooked Prasad to the devotees..and it really gives me immense pleasure to see them all beamed up and happy, enjoying the lord’s Prasadam!!
The thing is, Sri Ramakrishna never abhorred anyone for eating something they liked, never did he have any second feeling for other religions, other than love and respect. I cannot really find reference to any other prophet’s life, who has practised and realised God through all religions!!
Anyways, after the spicy lunch and the totally unexpected bill, which was extremely squat, in comparison to pune standards, we went to KARACHI SWEETS as I wanted to have sweets, myself being such a sweet person.
Then what? Came back to Koregaon park, had some coffee with our college group, and endeavoured to have a group study, which was in reality, unfeasible, with those barmies around.
All in all, it was a lovely afternoon. One of the last few rendezvous of our last few days in Pune.

RAINS

Through the steamy window panes of my portentous residence,
I stare at the cloudy ambiguous cityscape.
The rain seemingly clears the blur for a moment or two, but exteriors only.

Rains don’t clear our acidic inner recesses,
But turn acidic with the contamination.
The vitriolic contents annihilate the huts and meagre shelters,
Keeping bungalows and apartments intact.

I taste the acerbic contents of the rain, smell its acrid vapours,
And laugh at the sardonic mankind, myself being a part of it.
As the mordant fumes of my cigar twist in the air,
I feel sad thinking of the poets who praised the rains.

Again and again I prostrate my brains and contemplate on the situation,
Does praising suits better than censuring?
Or is it a mere catch-22?
Which will diminish the predicament?
At times, some questions are never answered, some files always remain closed.
But will someone flummox us with a flabbergasting riposte?
Let’s hope this time rain brings the response.