Incipience of 21st Century

There was so much buzz with 21st century about to begin. As the year 2000 was going to start, most of the brains were hyped by the millennium bug (Y2K) that would do wrong wonders in the world and vanish some information. A decade has almost past and everyone has moved ahead with some good or bad in life with a little or no trace of the trance they lived in. Memories have lost in the ashes of time. And as the first decade is nearing it's end, here are some of the reminiscence that I collected from my friends as to how the outset of the 21st century was special to them:

Siddhartha - I had my first major crush... and wanted to actually start going around with the girl (#1 Kamina...)

Kunal - Entered into 12th science stream

Deepak - Don't remember now... must be in school then! (Lazy ass to remember)

Umesh - My heart was broken number of times [I know how many times ;)]

Amit Sharma - I met my love and the prospective partner of life!!

Palmira - I moved to Canada

Arpit - May be I cleared my 12th

Vinod Panchal - Was on a bed rest for long time due to major illness (not a good way to start)

Ashwin - Graduated in Management with First Class

Nirav - Shifted to our new home and was in high school!!

Binny - Cleared my SSC with good grades...

Neha Kanodia - My first job :) (reason's to cheer)

Chinmaya - Passed 11th without getting failed (I don't know how many years you took to get into 11th)

Rahul - Was a child studying in 6th class and a girl proposed, which took me by a shock!! (aha, Class 6 and a girl proposing a guy)

Kailash - I had found a beautiful friend, who changed my life!! (surely must be a girl then)

Gowri - That's when I gave direction to my life.. [But still sometimes I find you direction less.... ;)]

Sarang - I fell in love!! [don't know when you would be successfull ;)- ]

Prateek - Learnt to ride a scooter (and you're left without your Pulsar these days...)

Amit Shah - I fell in love (Won't ask you more on this now)

Navneet - Scored "00" in Maths-1 and "06" in Maths-2 of the 11th class examination (Hats off to you mate!!)

Peenee - Joined the college (Days of Masti)

Kavan - I think some how I cleared my 12th Board exams :)

Radhesh - Break-up with my GF (Must be relieved then)

P.S. Got this idea from Siddhartha!!

Avatar

I had never seen a 3D movie till sometime ago. A lot of hype was created for the Avatar. Office friends planned to watch this big flick together and after watching Avatar in 3D I was just looking for the words to describe it. Avatar is created with a great vision by James Cameron. He waited for more than a decade to bring it to the audience who by time had developed a taste for technology, creativity and imagination. Cameron brought it to the audience at the right time with high end use of the technology (CGI) available. There were lots of ooohs, aaahs, vows after the movie. Creativity and imagination had beaten the bestest with superb and immense amount of detailing. Nothing, just nothing comes close to it.... You just sit hold tight and don't dare and damn to move away from ya seat.... again exponentially intensified with the technology.... Definitely one should go and watch AVATAR in 3D... its worth spending your bucks!!

Weekend on an Island - Part II

Lately I'm not finding enough time to complete this one and would shortly sum up in this one. We went to the hotel from station and left for the port to catch our ferry at around 6 am after refreshing and recharging ourselves for the rest of the day. In the beginning we ended up at the wrong port and had already given some "GHOOS" (bribe) to the security guard to let our rented vehicle get in and allow to drop and dump our luggage at the nearest point to the ferry. But all in vain. We started our journey to the island from "Nava Bandar" (New Port) in a ferry which took around 1.5 hrs to reach Pirotan Island. As it was Bakri Eid and no fisherman boats (small) were available and eventually we had to jump into 3 feet deep water from our ferry to reach the shore. Started playing Volley ball and had a good time in the shallow water of the shore finding some dead corals. We're the only humans on the island and were absolutely free to roam around. Later in the afternoon we spent some time in the built-up tents on the island and had our lunch (snacks). Followed with a visit to the Light House and got a better understanding from the care taker about its working and functioning. It was around 3 pm, the water had returned back with the low tide and it was a perfect time for the Coral walk. The care taker became our guide and took us for the coral walk in the Arabian Sea. We went almost 3 kms into the sea which otherwise is not possible without the low tide. The low tide and high tide has a cycle of 12hrs and the start and end timings depend upon the lunar period. It was amazing walking in the Arabian Sea and exploring the water species. We came across some fishes like puffer and other small swarms of black fish, jelly fish, variety of Coral - star, green, finger, etc. some ocean flowers, prawns, crabs, octopus. We were not feeling to move back, but had to return back from the walk around 6 pm as the cycle of tide was getting over and high tide would soon bring the water back to shore. We also had to get onto our ferry which was landed on the ocean floor 1 km away from the shore. We got into the ferry at around 7 pm and slowly slowly the water had started filling and made the boat float. The most part of the adventure began with this. The boat was very inclined on the one side and with the water filling it had started swinging on the either side and we were struggling to keep the balance of boat by moving from one side to the other side of the ferry. It was very much dark and nothing was visible except the the lights been flashed from the Light House. The high tide was on its high which kept us on high with boat stumbling in the waves created by the high current of the water because of the high tide. All were holding onto their nerves lying on the floor of the ferry. Each and every moment made us felt sinking in the sea with the swinging of the ferry in the high tide. Only one bravo Kailash was sleeping as nothing was happening around him, the reason he gave for the sleep was the fear (none of us could understand how a man could sleep because of the fear.) It took us around 3 hrs (in comparison to 1.5 hrs in the morning) to reach to the port from where we had started. It was midnight, we got our rented vehicle to the port and reached hotel at around 2 am in the morning after having our dinner (snacks). The next day on Sunday (November 29, 2009) we left for Khijadia Bird Sanctuary which is 15 kms away from Jamanagar. A haven for the bird watchers which has many Indian and Foreign birds nesting. And on the same day night we had our train back to Ahmedabad and Baroda.

It was a great time spent with the old folks. Hope we have much more of this to relax and enjoy ourselves away from the madness and chaos of the city, undue work pressure and the conking of the managers bull shitting on our head!!

Thanks to Sarang, DG and Jignesh who organised and managed the weekend excursion!!

I'm also posting the links of the moments captured at both Pirotan Island and Khijadia Bird Sanctuary:

http://picasaweb.google.com/ashish1712/PirotanIslandNationalMarineParkJamnagar#

http://picasaweb.google.com/ashish1712/KhijadiaBirdSanctuaryJamnagar#

P.S. Pirotan Island is a wonderful place to visit. Its the only kind of National Marine Park in Asia having varieties of ocean species. It's most famous for the Coral Walk!

P.S.S. You need to have a group of at least 10-15 as ferry ride is quite costly. It's more of unexplored and deserted island with no facilities and basic amenities available. One needs to carry the food and water which lasts for the whole day. One also need to take the Permit from the forest department, customs and port officer!!

Weekend on an Island - Part I - Journey Begins

I’m just living, man and in a while would be just there, in that moment, in that special place and time. By the deep sea where silence pours into my heart, I love not madness of the man less, but naive of the nature more and more. Maybe when I get back, I would pen down about the vast abysses of time and space finding myself through the crevices of my own world!

This began with a splendid weekend spent on an isolated and deserted Pirotan Island situated near Jamnagar. Planning was in place from almost a month and my gang had forgotten me to include. But somehow after few stints things went smoothly and my name was added later on the permit to enter the Pirotan Islands issued by the Forest Department. I had to attend the ring ceremony of one of my friends before catching the train which had a scheduled departure of 19.25hrs from the boarding station. I was very involved with some of my old school mates to whom I was meeting after years and had almost forgot the clock ticking on its time. I had to rush hurriedly in the mad traffic of Ahmedabad. Even though I was speeding rashly, I still missed the train from the boarding station. I was bit anxious to miss out the train and looking for more help as even auto rickshaws were not ready to drop me at the Ahmedabad Junction. As usual everything was working against my favor. Somehow one old auto rickshaw driver was ready to drop me at the Ahmedabad Junction. I was badly stuck en route. It was peak hours and roads were jammed with two wheelers honking and the people busy enough to move away to attend their conking rings of the cell phone. I was holding onto my nerves. I reached the Ahmedabad Junction at around 20.03hrs and scheduled departure was of 20.05 hrs. Train was late by one minute and it would take 5 min from the entrance gate to catch the train which was moving from platform #5. I was on the over pass railway bridge and train had already started moving, while just running as fast as I could make my way pushing and dragging my self through the rushing crowd. Finally, somehow I managed to get on the last bogey of the train. I was traveling alone in the train and rest of the group in another as they were being fooled at the end moment on the Baroda railway station. They got their tickets booked through an agent and where not aware till the end moment by which train they were supposed to travel. They had left almost an hour (though train was running late by an hour) before my train had left. Anyhow I happened to meet them at Hapa station at around 02.30hrs, just a station before our destination and as my train was on time theirs had to halt to let go the train running on time. Finally we reached at Jamnagar at around 02.45hr and had our early morning snacks and tea and coffee!

Cyclone Phyan

Sudden coolness in the breeze with the post monsoon drizzle, for sure it should have been winter, but these are just the pre effects of Cyclone Phyan! Even though some worse is going to befall, few places would be ransacked by tomorrow morning when Phyan would hit the coast of South Gujarat and Maharashtra, everyone out here is enjoying the sudden change of the environment. It has effectuated everyone at ease and make 'em laze around. I'm just sitting opposite to a window in my office feeling the coolness of the breeze on my face. Absolutely not willing to work and just indulging myself into nothingness, which I often enjoy these days with low workload. I'm enjoying the same state of silence that usually bewilders before the storm with heavy workload in pipeline for the upcoming days. Here I move downstairs for cuppa coffee and some pakodas with a stroll in the brisk windy weather and drizzles of autumn rain!!

P.S. Siddhartha just popped up in my mind as he's in Mumbai visiting a vendor. Hope he has a nice and trouble free travel back to Ahmedabad.

Terrific Tendulkar

Still at the age of 36 with a prolonged career of 20 years into the highest level of International cricket the little master blaster is completely unmoved from his basic instincts. Yesterday's ton against Australia at Hyderabad once again testified the passion and dedication of Sachin Tendulkar. Scoring 175 of 141 balls was an impeccable and phenomenal performance by the little master. The rampant 175 by Sachin recalls the reminiscence of two consecutive tons against Australia in 1997-98 Sharjah series. The way he send the ball out of the park hitting high over the head of Hauritz mesmerized the Sixes he scored against the legend leggie Warnie. The brilliant pull shot over the mid-wicket smashing the ball over the boundary reminded one of the biggest six hit in an ODI to Andrew Caddick of England in the World Cup of 2003. But still this great knock by the little master couldn't bring victory to the Indian team. Though team India was so near yet so far from the win as they continued with their legacy of snatching the defeat from the jaws of victory once again by losing the game with a very close margin of 3 runs.

Ravindra Jadeja who didn't learnt from the mistake of the last match at Mohali proved himself a culprit for the consecutive second time. He threw away his wicket in Mohali and made the mockery of the situation. His poor temperament showed the lack in his mental ability to cope up with the pressure at the do or die stage. This also doesn't justify his place in the Indian team while neglecting the presence of Yusuf Pathan who blossoms in situations like this and is handy in the spin bowling too.

It happens rarely where Man of the Match award is given to a player of the side losing. Despite of India's loss Sachin was awarded the Man of the Match and was not at all appeased. The disappointment was clearly seen in his dejected eyes, body language and speech. When he was asked what keeps him motivated; the genius, down to earth and humble person had few simple words to say "It's passion, I care about playing for India and I have been absoloutely honoured to play for India for 20 years."

Go Away!

Go away gal

Don't make me fall

I ain't gonna crawl

And stop your stupid brawl

Lemme be a solitary loon

Like an ox-cart driver in a monsoon

Don't hang me in your heart like a decorative festoon

Lemme have my own fate and fortune

As your footprints tarnish so very soon!!!

Nostalgic

It's early morning walk in the brisk weather

Around the lake as we stroll together

Birds flocking of the same feather

Feeling the coolness of the breeze

which makes our breathe freeze

To be followed with birds chirping and tweeting

with some of 'em coughing and sneezing

To make or break is entirely your say

As things are balanced both the ways

All I can mesmerize "is let the winters stay

As little I want to Play"

P.S. These are nostalgic notions that awaken forgotten memories and inspire dreams . Hope I could turn back the tick-tock clock and once again cherish and nourish those carefree days...!!!

@Statistics

I was just wondering how statistics could be co-related with the bikini's and I came across something which tumbled and made me rolling on floor laughing...

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital"... LOL what a co-relation has been developed, hope I had learnt this and could have done much better with the Probability and Statistics.... :P

Out of the running race

Down there sitting on an aisle

Completely dark and so much surreal

Was so much gloom and yet so colourful

I moved on and found a face

of whom i had no trace.....

it was full of charm and grace

my heart started tumbling and rolling

like been thrown out of the race..!!!

Navaratri

Was eagerly waiting for the festival to begin and had lots of zest and zeal to enjoy Navaratri as I was back in Ahmedabad after 3 years. Was dieing like anything to celebrate Navaratri back in Ahmedabad. Unfortunately was fully loaded with undue work pressure as one of my team member was suffering from viral fever and was off for the rest of the whole week. In last 10 days I ingrained the habit of stretching myself till late hours in purview to delineate the timeline. (which turned into deadline) The days of Navaratri passed with prolonged and grueling 12-14 hours of work including weekends and festive holidays. Slowly it started turning the worst Navaratri that I had ever seen in spite of being in Ahmedabad. Day before yesterday I was returning from the office and it was almost 11 in the night, I was completely drenched and tired with the work. On the way to home from office I found several road blockages and almost forgot that it was Navaratri ongoing and folks enjoying the festive mood devoting there selves to Ambe MAA. I still remember how we used to vagabond to collect the tickets and pass of the different venues and now when I had enough contacts for direct entries to the major of the venues I couldn't find time to play garba's. Today is the last Navaratri night and standing in the balcony I see one of my friend (who has returned from UK for Navaratri) waiving me to accompany her, and I have no zest and zeal left to push myself down from the second floor to play dandiya.

Visions For INDIA - Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

I had received this email long back through a forwarding chain. Really we as a youth of this nation need to ponder upon this and make INDIA a better and a stronger nation. The article shows how easily we show our negligence towards the society and nation as a whole and pass the ball of blame game onto the government and it's associates.

"I have three visions for India. In 3000 years of our history people from all over the world have come and invaded us, captured our lands, conquered our minds. From Alexander onwards. The Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours. Yet we have not done this to any other nation. We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture, their history and tried to enforce our way of life on them. Why? Because we respect the freedom of others. That is why my first vision is that of FREEDOM. I believe that India got its first vision of this in 1857, when we started the war of independence. It is this freedom that we must protect and nurture and build on. If we are not free, no one will respect us.

My second vision for India is DEVELOPMENT. For fifty years we have been a developing nation. It is time we see ourselves as a developed nation. We are among top 5 nations of the world in terms of GDP. We have 10 percent growth rate in most areas. Our poverty levels are falling. Our achievements are being globally recognized today. Yet we lack the self-confidence to see ourselves as a developed nation, self-reliant and self-assured. Isn't this incorrect?

I have a THIRD vision. India must stand up to the world. Because I believe that unless India stands up to the world, no one will respect us. Only strength respects strength. We must be strong not only as a military power but also as an economic power. Both must go hand-in-hand. My good fortune was to have worked with three great minds. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai of the Dept. of space, Professor Satish Dhawan, who succeeded him and Dr. Brahm Prakash, father of nuclear material. I was lucky to have worked with all three of them closely and consider this the great opportunity of my life.

I see four milestones in my career: ONE: Twenty years I spent in ISRO. I was given the opportunity to be the project director for India's first satellite launch vehicle, SLV3. The one that launched Rohini. These years played a very important role in my life of Scientist.

TWO: After my ISRO years, I joined DRDO and got a chance to be the part of India's missile program. It was my second bliss when Agni met its mission requirements in 1994.

THREE: The Dept. of Atomic Energy and DRDO had this tremendous partnership in the recent nuclear tests, on May 11 and 13. This was the third bliss. The joy of participating with my team in these nuclear tests and proving to the world that India can make it, that we are no longer a developing nation but one of them. It made me feel very proud as an Indian. The fact that we have now developed for Agni a re-entry structure, for which we have developed this new material. A Very light material called carbon-carbon.

FOUR: One day an orthopedic surgeon from Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences visited my laboratory. He lifted the material and found it so light that he took me to his hospital and showed me his patients. There were these little girls and boys with heavy metallic calipers weighing over three kg. each, dragging their feet around. He said to me: Please remove the pain of my patients. In three weeks, we made these Floor reaction Orthosis 300 gram calipers and took them to the orthopedic centre. The children didn't believe their eyes. From dragging around a three kg. load on their legs, they could now move around! Their parents had tears in their eyes. That was my fourth bliss!

Why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why? We are the first in milk production. We are number one in Remote sensing satellites. We are the second largest producer of wheat. We are the second largest producer of rice. Look at Dr. Sudarshan, he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.

I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert land into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news. In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime. Why are we so NEGATIVE? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign TVs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology. Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance?

I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is: She replied: I want to live in a developed India. For her, you and I will have to build this developed India. You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation.

Allow me to come back with vengeance. Got 10 minutes for your country?

YOU say that our government is inefficient. YOU say that our laws are too old. YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke, the airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination. YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits. YOU say, say and say.

What do YOU do about it? Take a person on his way to Singapore. Give him a name - YOURS. Give him a face - YOURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground Links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM.

YOU comeback to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity. In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai. YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah. YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs. 650) a month to, "see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else." YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 kph) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, "Jaanta hai sala main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost." YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand. Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo? Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston? We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country why cannot you be the same here in India. Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay Mr.Tinaikar had a point to make. "Rich people's dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place," he said. "And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels? In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan. Will the Indian citizen do that here?" He's right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity. This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public. When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? "It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry." So who's going to change the system? What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbors, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr. Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand. Or we leave the country and run away. Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England. When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money."

It is really asking for the retrospection on our morale duties and responsibilities towards the society and nation.

It is rightly said "To see the change, be the change"

Samvastsari - The Last Day of Paryushan

The final and the most important day of Paryushan is Samvastsari. Samvastsari Pratikraman is done by most of the Jains in a group before the sunsets. It is a ritual of asking forgiveness from the teacher which is widened in scope to include family, friends and all other living beings present on the world. The culmination of confession is receiving forgiveness from all living beings and also granting forgiveness to all. This ritual of forgiveness is sometimes called the rite of "universal friendship". The spirit of the day is contained in the verse:

"KHAAMEMI SAVVE JEEVA

SAVVE JEEVA KHAMENTU ME

METTI ME SAVVE BHUYESU

VAIRAM MAJHAM NA KENAI"

Which means : I forgive all living beings from the bottom of my heart without any reservation who may have caused me any pain and suffering either in this life or previous lives, and I beg for the forgiveness from all living beings from the bottom of my heart without any reservation to whom I may have caused pain and suffering in this life or previous lives, knowingly or unknowingly, through my actions, talks or deeds. Let all living beings know that I have friendship with everybody and I have no revenge (enmity) towards anybody.

Paryushan Parva - 2

Beginning on the fourth day of Paryushan, it is customary for Murtipujak Shwetambar to read the Kalpa Sutra, a scripture which recounts the life of Lord Mahavira - the 24th Tirthankar of the Jains. On the fifth day Mahavir Janam Vanchan (Birth reading of Lord Mahavir) is read out by the monks, which says the 14 dreams of his mother before his birth,

• Dream of an elephant
• Dream of a Bull
• Dream of a Lion
• Dream of Laxmi
• Dream of Flowers
• Dream of a Full Moon
• Dream of the Sun
• Dream of a large Banner
• Dream of a Silver Urn
• Dream of a Lake filled with Lotuses
• Dream of a Milky-White Sea
• Dream of a Celestial Vehical
• Dream of a heap of Gems
• Dream of a Fire without Smoke

followed by the story of his birth, life and liberation (Nirvana). It also recounts the lives of other Tirthankara and the rules of Paryushan.

Derasar's (Jain Temples) are decorated with flowers, leaves, candles, sandalwood and rangolis (which is called as Aangi) during all days of Paryshun. The fifth day of Paryushan during which Mahavir Janam Vanchan is read from the Kalpa Sutra, Derasar's are specially decorated with great Aangi's in the evening.

I'm posting some of the snaps of Aangi decorated in a near by Derasar from my home that I took today (Fifth Day of Paryushan)

Paryushan Parva

Paryushan - The festivals of Jains meaning "abiding" or "coming together" starts somewhere in the mid of the rainy season from Shravan Vad 12 till Bhadrapad Shudh 4 which lasts for 8 days (shwetamber). It is also a time when the laity take on vows of study and fasting with a spiritual intensity similar to temporary monasticism. Paryushan concludes with a time of confession and forgiveness for the transgressions of the previous year.

These 8 days are said to be the most auspicious days for the Jains. Unlike the festivals of other religion where it is celebrated with fun and flare, the festival of Paryushan ordains the jains to observe the universal supreme virtues in daily practical life with meditation and prayer which provides an opportunity for looking within and towards the teachings of the Tirthankars for the guidance. Besides assuring a blissful existence in this world and the other world for every living being, it aims at the attainment of salvation - the supreme ideal for mundane soul. The devotees observe the 8 days of Paryushan with different kinds of "Tapasya" and "Upasana". One cannot consume any fruits or even a grain in our upvaas. The upvaas can be of any numbers depending upon the will power of the person. They may be of a day or two or 8 days, 16 days, and even for 31 days. To live without food for such a long time seems to be difficult. But the person who observes fasts for so many days feels like living in a sea of energy. Our body gains energy indirectly from the food we eat, while we gain direct energy from the cosmic energy that flow into us through the medulla oblongata at the bottom of the brain. But as I earlier mentioned this kind of acceptance of energy depends upon the will of the person and the mental set-up. The greater the will, the greater would be the flow of energy.

During the days of Paryushan Jains often take time off from work and eat a much simpler diet in addition to their routine diet. They avoid eating roots like potatoes, onions, garlic, green vegetables, etc. which entails killing the entire plant. People become conscious, rather I would say extra conscious while observing all these so as they commit as minimum sins as possible. We forbid ourself to abide to things like eating and drinking during the day time as nothing is allowed after the sunset. It's a perfect time to reflect and retrospect on the way I breathe my life. Hope we continue this way for the rest of 357 days of the year and respect the lives of other living beings as much as we do for ours....

@ wise

Yesterday I was Clever and I tried to change the Inevitable,

Today I am Wise and I changed myself.

Disappointment

When we wish something or

try to achieve something,

Life gives us a gift called

DISAPPOINTMENT.....

Hallucination

I tried before I stay put down in history

If I had won, it was like a victory

If I lose, it's still a mystery

Wasn't ever given a choice

Never between a virtue or vice

No more gilding of the illumination

who is refrained from the reverie of rejuvenation

and now, I am all out of the enamored Hallucination

At exigency, my heart now sings....

a cacophony of "TATTERED ROOTS AND WOOING WINGS"....

Bike Trip to Mt. Abu

An excursion after a very long period of time....

It was weekend, and had to freak out. There was a cricket match organized from our office. I was bugged off and wanted to stay away from the madness of the city and it had been a long while I had an outing and that too a biking trip. We were planning to have from last month and hopefully managed with this one. Four of us Gowri, Sarang, Abhinav and Me (on two bikes) were emphatic to have a bike trip and planned one for Mt. Abu. It was almost 250 kms from Ahmedabad. Three of them started from Baroda on Saturday morning. As per the plan they were supposed to reach Ahmedabad by 7 am from where I was joining them. But just at the time of expedition Gowri's bike had a Flat tyre and our trip was delayed by almost 3 hours. They reached ahmedabad at around 9.30 am and after a break we started for Mt. Abu at 10.20 am.

We went through Mehasana, Siddhpur, Palanpur and to Abu. It was great time riding our bike's at a top speed of 110 kms/hr. Speeding up at the maximum and racing between the two was awesome. Where Gowri used to play some hide and seek on the highway. The highway was beautiful especially from Palanpur to Abu. A grand scenery could be easily viewed from the highway with fog covering the Aravalies.

We reached Mt. Abu at around 5.30 pm. Brisk of wind in weather made us relaxed and full with zest on the way from Abu road to Mt. Abu. It was great riding our bikes in the Ghat areas of the Mt. Abu

After having some rest we directly went to the sunset point and had a splendid view climbing to one of the secluded rocks, thanks to the pop-corn boy who showed us the isolated place. None of us was willing to get down after the sunset as we all were enjoying the calmness and serenity of the place away from the unharmonious and grisly sights of the city. Especially away from the workplace, I still remember Gowri saying "kitna accha hai yha, na koi target, na koi deadlines, na koi project aur na koi manager". Atleast we had nothing for mutiny at the weekend against the resistance of undue workload and pressure especially during the regression and recession days... :)

Returned from the sunset and it was already dark, people were turning back from different sight seeing spots and building traffic along the streets and honking of horns from the vehicles once again resembling to the madness of the city which made the cool and calm atmosphere unharmonious and noisy. The streets were all lit up with people wandering around the shops and restaurants fully packed with huge queue's awaiting their turn to grab some edible food after a nice outing at different spots around the Mountains.

After having some sweet delicacies at different restaurants we turned back to our rooms and had a good sleep for the rest of the night. The next day we started moving to two other beautiful spots. One being the pilgrimage of Delwada Jain Temples and other one Gurushikar, an another religious place having a temple of Dattatraya which is located at one of the highest peak around the mountains. The sculpture of Delwada Jain Temples was simply amazing and awesome. It took 14 years to build the temples at a cost of 18 millions and 53 lacs in the year 1031 A.D. with 1400 masons and 1200 labours.

Finally we started moving back at 12.30 pm on Sunday for Ahmedabad. We made it to Ahmedabad at 6.00 pm with an hour and half break at Palanpur for lunch. It was bit risky riding our bikes against the winds blowing at almost 40 kms/hr drifting our bikes on the highway. But that didn't impede our passion from riding at almost 95-100 kms/hr and reached Ahmedabad effectively in 4.30 hours covering 250 kms. And from Ahmedabad Gowri, Sarang and Abhinav left for Baroda.

Overall it was a great trip and all four of us enjoyed it. In hindsight awaiting in frisson for much more trips coming up with the rainy days ahead and I (hopefully all of us) would not rebuff the idea of organising such wonderful trips.

Satisfied Saturday

It was fifth saturday of the month and we were working (Generally we have off on fifth saturday of the month). We all were in no mood of working today. And anyhow we were just passing the time by doing some important technical discussions related to some projects. Meanwhile around we got a news from our Manager that our Director is going to give a party to everyone in batches. We were bit shocked and elated too. Just sometime before lunch we were asked to assemble for some announcements. Everyone was talking as of what's going to take place. The lunch time started and everyone assembled. We saw the Director was enraptured with a big smile on his face and started his speech on a happy note saying today is a landmark day in the history of the company one being we are working on the fifth saturday and the most prominent news was we were doing good business in last two months and achieving the target in this recession making some good profits for the company. Said few other things on the company doing good business and announced a half day off (which we all deserved). All were in gay and rejuvenated and started celebrating the weekend.

Distinct Approach

Dedicating this to few of my friends and ex-colleagues.

I had always cherished myself being in the technical field. I had met some IITians and admired them for their distinct approach. I always wondered why I myself feel their approach to be distinct.

Few months back, when I changed my job, I got chance to work with an IITian, Amresh a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Kanpur. After meeting him and sharing the same workplace, I got to learn many more things and that really increased my admiration. Few days back, while having a casual chit-chat, our discussion moved to “how the IITians think and approach”. And he was sharing few of the traits that are taught to them during their course of study. The first and foremost came as the attitude what IITians are made to believe on the very first day of their joining IIT (when they are just out of the school) is that "They are the best of the best." This attitude starts brimming from thereon. There is no looking back since then. And this belief gives them the motive that they can’t deliver something lesser than the best. They have a very straight, centered and a systematic approach. They believe in never taking things as they are dictated or directed by anyone and everyone without knowing the nitty-gritty of the smallest matter. It's always hard for them to approach a particular problem or thing without knowing or aligning them to the overall picture. The habit of “always think big with every minute detail” is profoundly incarnated in them. The same is reflected whenever you need some help or suggestion from them, be it technical or non-technical.

There’s a lot to be added in this list, but what I felt to be important was that a mere collection of what they feel will not do any good. It's rightly said "If you aim for MOON, then only you would reach at the top of the TREE." If we can change our thinking as they have done over a period, then for sure sky is the only limit.

Elections

An interesting article today in a gujarati daily newspaper encouraging the people to vote for the upcoming LOKSHABHA ELECTIONS. It seems to be a good initiative to encourage people to go out and vote to choose their right leaders. The article says "The parents of those students who will go and vote during these elections will be given 2 marks additional in the subject of CIVICS." This step is taken by the principal Shivraj Pimpurde of a school named "GYAN PRABHODHINI SAIKSHANIK SANSTHA" in Pune, MAHARASHTRA. And on the other hand there are few youths saying "I ABSTAIN TO VOTE AGAINST THE INCOMPETENT AND SELF-CENTERED POLITICIANS, SHAME ON INDIAN DEMOCRACY." I don't understand how much fare is it? Is it the shame on the INDIAN DEMOCRACY by abstaining to vote or  making INDIAN DEMOCRACY feel SHAME by refraining to vote?

Intoxicating Desire... Perhaps Unknown to ME...!!!

Well, the thought of desire seems to me like an endless journey, which is perhaps unknown and unveiled. Getting more and more materialistic rather than unable to relinquish the grip of bondages      that we hold on. It is about capturing the significance of life, in every bit of a moment. A bit in moment that may have lasted for a day, a week, a month, an year or for ages. It is the anticipation of being with it for every moment, the thoughts that have crossed our mind intermittently and yet you have to feel it deep within. It is a taste of a passion - a hunger - a burning which is placed in soul. It is the prerequisite to experience you again and again. It is the longing to feel again and again for what you have achieved and what you want to achieve.

lost in the vast abysses of space and time

I don't know what is inspiring me and forcing me from inside to write here. Alot confused and don't know from where to begin. There's so much to pen down, but don't know what impedes me to do so and still keeps me in a dilemma. Feeling like I have lost in the vast abysses of space and time and finding myself through the crevices of my own world where I am walking on the boulevard of broken dreams. Don't know what are those dreams and yet running behind them to have a glimpse. Will add on further as I discover farther.