The Half Shirt

Holi is the festival of colors and a perfect time for shoppers to do their purchases. The market is full of offers and new products. Therefore, I also went to the market to buy a shirt for my friend. He was looking for Light Colored Linen Shirt.

We started from the first shop and started choosing the colors but the shirts which we liked were half sleeve not full and the same pattern was not available in full. We moved to next shop and found the same thing and again in the next one.

I got curious as the way I saw it was that a shirt is a shirt whether it’s a full or a half sleeve. I thought it’s so simple, the company has to make the same shirt one with half and one with full sleeve. I spoke to the sales person of the shop and asked him why the patterns which we like are not available in full. He said half sleeves shirts have a market of their own; their patterns are usually different from full sleeve shirts. The company doesn’t allow the two categories to eat out each other’s sales.

After thinking for a while, I felt often in life we often think about situations and people like the full and half sleeve shirts and are often mistaken.

We see many people around us who are successful and feel down that we are not as good as them. Even though many a times despite our best efforts we are not able to achieve as much success as they got. We play down ourselves that we are not capable enough and we don’t have that spark.

We do it because we think on the same lines as I thought that whether half or full – a shirt is just a shirt and shirts are supposed to be same. But they are not – a half shirt has its own design, pattern, market and customer base just like with the full shirt.

People also should be thought of in the same way. Everyone has his own capabilities and importance. Before playing down on our failures, we should understand we are those beautiful half shirts which have their own importance and have those colors which even the other best full shirts in the market doesn’t possess.

“Each one has that spark, important is what you do with it.”

Love Story @ Golden Temple Mail

Travelling in a train is mostly a great experience unless you are not travelling alone. Recently I had to visit New Delhi, for which the plan came up at the last moment. As expected there was no ticket available so playing safe I took a waiting ticket in the Golden Temple Mail from Mumbai.

The day came when I had to leave. Luckily, I came to find out that my ticket had been confirmed. I had a Side Lower berth. Like most of the normal Indians if you get a window seat you are no less than a king and here I had two of them.

Having had a hectic schedule of work, I started dreaming of myself sleeping without any tension and the train running at a steady pace and the cold winds passing by. Excited I reached the Mumbai Central Railway station and started checking out the reservation chart. I thought God must be really kind to me that day as I saw 3 females of similar age group were also travelling together till Surat. 

(Disclaimer:  This is not to hurt any one’s sentiments :P )

Living in a metro city and single at the age of 25, you really get optimistic towards any opportunity to find a girl who can also be your friend.

Anyways I reached my berth and the train started. To my luck the girls were really pretty and especially the one in the blue dress. Her friends were calling her “Niki”. She was so pretty, I thought that finally I have found someone special.

 I lay down on my berth and started reading a book while looking at her secretly. Though quite filled with enthusiasm I was also afraid that the public will beat badly if she gets annoyed. My eyes were at the book while ears were listening to what they were discussing.  At that moment our section of the compartment was empty as people were to board from Borivali after 30 Kms. They were talking about doing something for the poor kids, I thought this is the opportunity for me to break into the discussion as I had been involved with social work now for quite long and atleast can make someone feel that I am really good at it.

So gathering courage I broke in, at first they looked at me as if I had entered a prohibited zone but then they got interested in the work we do. I introduced myself along with the Social Work I do and the conversation started, I left my berth to join them. Few minutes later we were discussing all sorts of things in the world. Now I knew their names and thought of moving ahead to ask more. However, till then Borivali came and people started rushing in a family of four came in our compartment along with an old lady.

After we broke the conversation and started moving our bags helping the fellow passengers keep their luggage. After settling down the old lady asked me “Which is you berth?” “Are you travelling alone”. I replied politely as “Yes” and then she asked me to exchange my berth with his relatives berth in the next compartment.

It struck me like a lightning bolt, My love vehicle hadn’t even started and here I was being thrown out. I wanted to say No but I thought how will the girls feel and also the lady was old. It will not leave a great impression on them. Hmmm after a deep breath “I Agreed”. I started to pick up my bag, took the berth number from the old lady. She blessed me and thanked me. I smiled at her and then waived my hands towards Niki and her friends. I thought of asking for her mobile number but thought it was too early and also din't had the courage.

I wanted to say a lot but din’t had much of an option. Unwillingly I went two coaches ahead at my new berth. The train moved ahead and I laid down thinking of her. Being tired, I slept instantly and the next thing I realised that it was Surat. I woke up at once and got down to rush towards my previous compartment in a hurry to atleast say a Good Bye to her. But they were gone and everyone else was sleeping. 

I stopped running, it was a lovely weather I bought a cup of tea, sipped it, smiled and moved back towards my berth in a hope of seeing her again if ever the luck stays with me.

Thank you Indian Railways for such wonderful memories.

 Note: If this story hurts anyone’s sentiments and it’s not intended and I am sorry in advance.

Are we Independent?

Today we celebrate the 68^th Independence day of our country, A day whose importance in unmatched in our lives – try to imagine a life if we wouldn't have gained independence in 1947 and you will come to know why I said “unmatched importance.”

However, are we really independent? – How many of us are satisfied with our lives and what we are doing?

I bet most of us are not and if we think why and why can’t we improve it? We have many reasons – I am not that good? What If I fail? What If I lose what I have? How will I sustain? etc. etc. , the list is long.

If our ancestors 70 – 80 years ago would have had these questions in their mind, they wouldn't have got us freedom. They risked everything they had – their lives, their family – to focus on the thing they wanted badly – our independence.

And why did they want independence so badly? Well, they wanted our generation not to be slaves but builders of their own destiny.

It’s time we realize that we are not doing justice to their sacrifice, think and start focusing again, If you feel you haven’t got what you are destined for – keep trying and attempt with you full might, don’t lose faith in yourself. One day you will surely make it and then you shall attain your independence.

Most of us live a life on unrealized potential, don’t fall in that category, start moving before it too late.

Happy Independence Day - 2014

“Rise above the storm and you will see sunshine”

Value of a 5 Rupee Coin?

The days have become so repetitive, the same getting up at 7 in the morning, rushing like usain bolt to catch the local on time, same office, same routine and then getting back and having dinner at the same restaurant everyday has made me sick. To add to that, the troubles of work life, having lost a social circle and career opportunities have become a headache.

                     It was a similar day when after office having all the same repetitive questions in my mind i was returning home from office. Of-course I had a bad day, the typical " Why does it happen to me? When will i be happy? Why everyone is enjoying and i am not?" questions were giving flames to the burning kettle "My Brain", i wish the brain could have a whistle like a cooker to ease out the pressure.

                    I then realized i have to get my pass renewed, so i go there and stand in a long queue of the pass. The railway counter needed a maintenance badly as the plaster from the walls had almost fell down.

While waiting I noticed small kid around 5 yrs fiddling with a small matchstick in between the wall where the plaster had fallen down.

                    It made me really curious as to what he was doing? I got my pass and then stood there to see what was he up to, he was small kid with dirty clothes but an angel like smile. I felt like asking him but then stood there to see further, few minutes later i saw a man coming towards him and scolding him. I wanted to step in but hesitated as i din't knew what was happening. The man even slapped him and snatched few coins from his pocket. The man was then quick enough to move away from there and in the busy city of mumbai no one even noticed this event.

                    However, to my surprise, this kid was laughing. I really couldn't stop myself and went up to him to ask why was he laughing even after being slapped? He told me he will tell me on one condition that i have to help him. I was confused, he asked me if i have a refill of a pen, I agreed and gave it to him. He immediately took the refill and put it in the wall plaster crack between the joint of the bricks. He then pulled out something and came to and showed me what he had.

                  He had a 5 Rupee coin and said "I was trying to get this out, I had kept it hidden from my father, who i know would come to snatch whatever i had earned all the day by begging, now i will have a chocolate with it"

                  That smile on his face said it all, I am troubled because of N number of issues of my life and here this kid who lives in such a miserable condition knows how to smile. I never thought a 5 Rupee Coin could be so precious. I understood that i am in a much much better position than many others who deserve more and yes, it doesn't always happen to me. 

Who is Richer?

It's a typical rainy evening, after successfully facing the war of umbrella's in the Mumbai Local, it calls for a "Cutting Chai". I reached a roadside tea stall and ordered a cutting. While waiting i saw two gentlemen sipping tea beside me, one was smart looking metro man and one was Autowala. The metro man had his company ID hanging ( which was of a big firm ) and i was instantly impressed. My mind started calculating his CTC and i concluded he must be a rich dude. Ahh then i got my cutting too, my mind then turned towards the other guy, the autowala, he was also the same age as the metro man ( around 35 yrs ), he looked tired, clothes dirty and hair all becoming white at this early age. I thought he works so hard but still makes so less, barely earning his living.
                                   Anyways the cutting got over and we all left almost together, I started walking towards the main road when I saw the metro man rushing towards me in his Hyundai Elantra on a road full of water. He din't even care about anyone on the road and splashed all the water on me and the fellow pedestrians while passing by, i felt like shouting but then left it. Meanwhile after about 15 seconds I saw the other guy the autowala coming towards me but there was something different, he was driving slowly with a smile looking both sides at every one there to avoid any splashing of water on any one. He looked at me, smiled and calmly went away.
                                  I thought in my mind, however rich the metro man was he lacked empathy for people around him while the autowala however poor he was was very much concerned about people around him. I learnt today that "Richness in not just having money in you pocket."

  Now its up to you to decide who is richer for you?