Smiling in Tough Times

Jotting all the possibilities of an uncertain life and watching a shriveled golden butt of a rolling paper, I sat on a broken pave that was said to be built by a philanthropist.

Am ‘OMNI’ loaded with school kids passed by leaving dirt on the roads kissing the air around me and a little child was literally thrown out of the crowded cab. I smiled; he pondered and smiled at me again. The kids that made themselves comfortable at the back of the cab waved at me.

The little gesture relieved me of something I was rattling off my heads with. It was almost suffocating to hang out in the OMNI yet the children were happy. A child can teach a man in despair a lot of lessons. Many of the gestures these little angels make go unnoticed. I was surrounded by four children in my own house. However, I never saw what they did in their daily dose of doings. I never observed how they tackle ‘failure’ or ‘indifferent behavior’; the lexicon they might have been oblivion of.  What was next? I donned my  Sherlock hat and started looking around. 

10 minutes later…

One of my nieces came to me and then started a funny conversation:

Niece : Aley Chachu!! Mujh me naa bahut taakat agai hai

I : Kaise?

Niece : Dadi boli roti khaegi to taakat ayegi. Maine to 2 roti khali.

She showed her cute biceps and said these words in a conviction I hardly carried, with even one of the most empirical formula I remembered during my engineering. I was taken aback and I tried her to give her conviction a hard time. The conversation continued…

I : Kahan hai teri taakat?

Niece: Dikhau taakat.

I : Ha dikha.

She gasped one of my fingers in her tiny hands took me to the wooden table that was kept in the center of my room. She pushed the table hard and succeeded. Her eyes glared in victory.

Niece : Dekha chachu meri taakat!!!

I was almost blown with the simplicity in which she carried what she believed in at the age of 4. Honestly, I don’t have that mannerism in carrying off what I believe at 24.

I was feeling a little bit conscious now as the fundamental lessons of life were articulately present in kids who never knew what Algebra and Astrophysics was. And then came one of my cutest and youngest niece from the other room.She was giving her Nani a tough time by juggling things kept on the center table. She then fell and was hurt by the edge of the table. Her Nani went nuts and then started a heated conversation between two women, one of the ages 3 and 58.

Nani  (with all fire in her eyes) : Chali jaa yaha se hum nai rakhenge tujhe…!

I was startled. Had anyone would have said me this; I would have thrown my boot in front of his face and would have left the face, grumbling about never to come back.

Niece : Nai mai to tikne aayi hu yaha pe. Nai jaungi

Nani (In a higher pitch) : Nai chali jaa.

And then what my niece did was out of my worldly senses. She came close to her Nani and tried to entangle her (Nani) big tummy in her arms. She smiled and said:

Niece : Nai jaungi. Yahi rahungi…!!!

Looking at the gleam of innocence in her eyes, her Nani melted like an ice on a frying pan. She was almost in tears looking at the little kid. And I was lost in the thoughts of how easily can indifferent behavior be tackled.

Life seems tougher and is tough but some days can be made easier if we try and find reasons to smile. And yes smiling is contagious and chronic; just keep riding the virus it caused. 

It is simple to carry a smile, even in tough times…!Came across a song by Raghu Dixit. Sing with me:

“Aaj bhi tu dekhta hoga,

Kahin dur saatwan aasman,

Kaise khoya jaa raha hai apne aap me insaan,

Hey Bhagwan! Mujh ko tu zindagi dobara de de…!!!”

---Amit Purohit (The Lone Soldier)

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The Haddi Mode

2013 : Let me Lead...!

Many of us believed and thought that 2012 was one of the longest and toughest years in their lives. Some of us even took life changing decisions in the year and realized the ways to the real journey beyond the meadows and against the tides. Some of my friends were shattered in the first 10 days of the New Year and thought the 2012 cataclysm hasn’t deserted their lives.

Let’s stop winding the clocks back and ring in the New Year with some fresh pieces of music and few liters of wine.

So, the next question gets fired: ‘Huh! What is it that you got new?’

I don’t have anything new but I would like to share with you an inside story about people management in the leading institutions and industries in my country and abroad.

It is going the ‘Haddi’ (Read: Bone) way.  

The Haddi Fight

Recently, one of my close friends and advisor to life decisions was boarding an overseas flight to his work place. Every Business Unit Leader wants him to be the lead in his team. In interesting course of events, he coined this term when I asked so what does the Big Boss (Business Head) wants you to do?

And he said nobody knows what is to be done. But everyone wants the Haddi. And I was startled and said him to repeat the lexicon. Then he said in some clearer diction. HADDI He said everyone wants him in their team but no one bothers what and where the ‘Haddi’ wishes to go. We shared a good laugh and then the flight untwined its wings and kissed the clouds to the deserts of dates where oil is cheaper than milk…!

The Haddi and the Boss

Every working guy is like a Haddi today. The top administrators wish to have a multi-toothed gear with them who can shift numbers as the terrain changes. It is same as now an engineer (or an accountant) and then a logistics guy; Now a researcher and then a procurement guy. Every second organization including the art Industry is hunting Haddi. He sings well may even act, so take him on board. Here is a B.Tech with an MBA, take him board; may solve some shop floor problems.

So, when people come to me with their logic saying Multi-tasking is the new thing on the dash board, I smirk and say, “Do hell with the domain expertise and let the fire clouds from the oil tankers of some oil company shake hands with the clouds in the skies!!!”

Let’s come out of our offices and observe the Haddi thing in some personal arena. Your own sibling or you would be the haddi of the family if you or he/she is successful and single. Every aunt, neighbor or some distant relative would come to you with marriage, business or even career proposals and would like to get the haddi on their platter and precisely in the same order…

If you are not contended with whatever state of affairs you are onto and someone is coming for you and trying to pull you in his/her business, just smile and activate the Haddi Mode in your life…!

Sing aloud and join me:

Ek rang guniyo ka nirala,

Ek rang agyani...

Rang Rang me Hod Lagi hai,

Rang Rangi Manmani…

(Song : Des Mera Rangreziya Babu, Peepli Live, Composer : Indian Ocean)

Amit Purohit

The Lone Soldier

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Meri Skirt se Unchi Meri Awaaz hai – Letter to Mr. President

Disclaimer: The writer is not a believer of religion, economy and politics (in the same order).

Dear Mr. President,

No animals were killed while I was writing this. But a girl somewhere in my country might be facing molestation, rape or some eve teaser as I write or finish this piece of writing.

I am not going to reiterate the incident that happened in a city where you live and at the time when you were having your dinner. We all were out of our minds and sight by the incident and I along with some of my friends came to meet you today morning. As expected we were not allowed to meet you. We don't wish to hear condolence messages from you; rather we claim serious belief of reinforcement of my security on the very roads where the Army, the Navy and the Air force showcase their pride every year on the Republic Day.

Sir, I have not read the Constitution of India, but I am told that if you wish, with your interference you have all the powers to call the people who can amend the Constitution of India. I request you to amend and ensure stricter enforcement of laws pertaining to attacks on the dignity of women of this country.

I wish you to act before my sister admitted to Delhi Hospital walks out and breathe the air that led her succumb.

I am not writing this letter for apathy, sympathy or empathy, favor or soothing words of praise in my honor to strive pain. I am writing this to claim what is mine.

I don’t hope for a positive response. But yes, I am expecting a prompt action.

With Best Possible Regards,

The Women of India

P.S.

I need not to teach you about the importance of women saying that they are the ones who brought Olympic Medals to the country.

Try sending water through the pipelines that your officials have laid through the city instead of smashing it in my face when I stand for my rights.

And finally, don’t let Google say ‘Do you mean rape?’ When I type India.

Amit Purohit

The Lone Soldier

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Little Do I...

Little do I move ahead…

                On the ways I had wished…

As the seasons blink…

                Little do I grow on the sands I stood…

Little do the clouds move in the sky…

                When the Sun ponders over its daily plan…

Little do I sing these days…

                The Songs of Summer and Spring…

The keys of my piano remain silent…

                So do I; Often the clock kicks me awake…

Little do I follow…

                The footsteps of Destiny and Time…

Keeping and Falling things in place…

                Little do I follow my life and its pace…!

 Time has its own magical pace that plays an instrumental role in human life. Be it pacifying some emotions or altering one’s plans.  Everyone keeps speeding up day in and day out to match the so called inimical pace by garnering land or paper rockets and balls (Read: Degrees & Currency Notes). Let me take some time out, take a pause for some unknown cause and let me be oblivion of any such apocryphal pace and see what was left and what more could suffice…!!!

Amit Purohit

The Lone Soldier

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'Calls' To The Dark Knight

I watched ‘The Dark Knight’ last year and waited for ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ as I heard of some news about Mr. Nolan creating the end of the trilogy. Trailing by Trailers, I waited with abated breath for ‘The Rise’. The only reason was: ‘In Nolan I believed’. Moreover, I was captivated with the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer and almost listened to it more than five times a day to get the feel of the end of the legend.

But as it goes with my life, something circus like thing happened on the day when the film rose to the theatres and I made a nasty run just to be in time. Story Time:

19^th July 2012 (The Day before ‘The Rise’)

I wanted to make sure that I watch the movie in English as soon as I let myself out of my office. I thronged almost 4 multiplexes near to my office with one of my friends Nitin but in vain. Everywhere the movie was to be released in Hindi and I never wished to see the legend speaking some vernacular. I asked Nitin to book tickets online. We succeeded and got the best seats – third from the last row to watch the spectacle. Time: 6:20 pm.

20^th July 2012 (The Day of ‘The Rise’)

5:15 pm.

I called Nitin and he said that he was stuck somewhere and I needed to go alone. I didn’t know the ways to the multiplex and I knew I needed someone as crazy as me for ‘The Rise’. There were gangs of friends around me not getting the tickets while I had one extra ticket with me – The Golden Ticket.

5 Minutes later…

I started making random calls to lots of people around in panic just to accompany me to the end of the trilogy and read along what happened:

Call 1: My Colleague – I approached my colleague and begged her to watch the movie with me. I failed. She had her own reasons and couldn’t be ignored though.

Suddenly, I started figuring out people in my phone book and their degrees of availability at the time.

Call2: My Ex-Room mate:  He had been living in his home since 9 months by now and had been ready for every party or gathering we planned for, even at the shortest notice. But the little mouse already had his cheese booked this time and that too late in the night.

Call3: My Old School friend: I knew she was engaged. But let me try and call her and ask whether she would be company. These were my thoughts when I banged her number. I knew she was all oblivious about the trilogy but she was a good friend though. She too had her own reasons of office and life.

My hairs were on fire now. I just started making some random calls again.

Call4: My Random Friend: We had just met out of coincidence. She wanted some ideas over some event and we had a discussion. I dialed her. She was in a hospital. Her father was going to be under the knife for some treatment. I was sorry. She was sorry. And then my patience spilled up.

25 Minutes Later…

5:45 pm.

I was now running nuts. I didn’t know the place and I was made to watch the movie alone. Holy Shit. My colleague shouted at me and asked me to start my ride to 15 km across the city to reach the theatre in time. It was excruciating to know that nobody wanted the golden ticket.

Call5: My Junior: I called one of my juniors and as the phone rang I made my mind to hit him hard in the face if he denied. No prizes for guessing here. He said he was stuck with his bike somewhere in the middle of the city and I am going to hit him in the face when I meet him.

Call6: My Facebook Friend: I called one of my ‘facebook’ friends. I met her online. She was far away from my age group but still managed to say ‘No’. I thought I could convince her but they say family and children make you more responsible than an empty bag with some books and dreams in it.

Call7: My Recent Friend: Now, this was the weirdest call of my life. I had never called her. We met recently.  And to the top of it, she lived around 30 km away from the theatre and it was exactly 30 minutes before ‘The Rise’. And to the least of my surprises in my life, she denied.

Call8: I now called to one of my best friends. I was positive. The other minute shattered my hopes. I heard a ‘beep’. She ‘rejected’ my call.

5:55 pm

It was now my colleague’s turn to go nuts when she saw me behaving like an answering machine and requesting others for the golden ticket. She just banged the head guard onto my hands and asked me to leave. Now, I never had the Batman bike that can cross the Gotham city in minutes. Still I rode at a speed of around 70 kmph and guess what. I crossed two more bridges i.e. around 3 more kms in extra to the place where I was supposed to reach.

6:15 pm

5 more minutes…

I was standing at the traffic signal and asked some one where the theatre was. He explained me and I rode the horse like my bum on fire. I reached the theatre at 6:25 pm. I hated it to start late. And to my surprise the show was 20 minutes late. I made my way to the screen and saw a great looking girl with one of her friends. I hoped she was sitting right to me. And every time you hope that you find a pop corn monger kid or a coke sipping aunt piercing your ears…! I bought some popcorn and made myself comfortable on the couch. I heard a voice hitting the left of my ear. She was around 43 requesting me to shift a row behind for her son to accommodate. I was happy to do that as that brought me to the second last row of the theatre.

3 Minutes Later…

The movie started and I heard a girl screaming. She was the one whom I saw in the room outside the screen, sitting next to me. I screamed too…! She asked me whether I was alone and I replied, “It’s a funny story and maybe I would weave a blog out of it…!”

P.S. Something about ‘The Rise’:

The story is about fear and hope, rise and revolt. The best scene in the movie was the one when the protagonist climbed out of the mercenary without the rope.

Joker, we shall all keep missing you all the time…!

Amit Purohit

The Lone Soldier

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The Parallel Lines

Recently I had a chance to spend most of my day’s time with some of the most energetic minds and souls of the country at some engineering college. My life was uncertain like a ship without the rudder left alone amidst sea storms in the middle of an ocean at the whim of the waves. But the energy showed by the people around me kept me driving.

After re-orienting my life to some other goal, I came across lots of people of my age making money, travelling around the world and getting everything I deemed of.  I at my own switched off the supply of money to my life and halved it with lots of uncertainty as an additive interest. There were moments which pierced me deep and hard; made me think to push the reverse button of my life. I revolted. It had been a couple of times I had been treading the same path and watching the power struggle between satisfaction and delight.

I think I have blown enough of my trumpet and thrown some personal metaphors around. Story Time…

The Parallel Lines: : Satisfaction and Delight:

I was passing through a road that was under construction. There was a group of workers pushing hard for their daily wages. They were in an abject state of poverty and working in a highly unsafe environment. I ordered tea and sat on the ‘tapri table’ near to them. Suddenly I heard a child’s cry, who was sleeping in a ‘make-shift’ arranged swing near the road roller. His mother threw the basket containing aggregates and cuddled him, but in vain.

10 Minutes later…

I saw one of the male workers rushing to the nearest ice-cream parlor and buying a chocolate bar worth Rs.10/- The child was over the moon. It was ‘Delight’ for him and his parents saw the scene dipped in ‘Satisfaction’. A ten rupee note bought delight and satisfaction and made the parallel lines intersect.

However these things are least evident or applicable in so called ‘corporate’ life we live in. Most of my friends working in some of the leading MNCs crib about money, job location, job profile, job culture and even loneliness.  I used to crib about my job profile and now I crib over money and uncertainty. Parallel Lines.

 But there are some moments when and where these parallel lines intersect. Rare though. Some of them are: a boy reciting his deceased father’s poetry, an old priest offering his first prayers, a young girl making some street child write ABC, a young boy giving his first salary to his mother and lots more around you, with you…!

Lastly, one of my life’s moments when the parallel lines meet is the time when I write something, share and ‘You’ smile at the end after reading it. We live in a weird and wonderful world. Isn’t it?

It’s about to rain. Now listening to a track from 21^st Century Breakdown by GreenDay:

Hey Gloria, are you standing close to the edge?

Look out to the setting sun, the brink of your vision...

Eternal youth is a landscape of a lie

The cracks of my skin can prove, as the years will testify...

Amit Purohit 

The Lone Soldier

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The Lost Child

I always feel I am doing nothing on this planet except growing old whenever my birthday is around the corner. Every birthday I promise myself that I shall find the reason to live or the reason to write a book. The former never gets formulated and the latter keeps on dealing with the subject matter.

Carefree Childhood days

So I decided to travel to places to remember what I was made of and visited the people who crafted a man out of a toddler. This led me to Udaipur, my birth place. The city of lakes that taught me change is inevitable and it kills if you don’t accept it in life. The second stop was my kindergarten that taught me the faller is destined to succeed. The third was my college which once taught me love and success can go in hand.  And out of everything I grounded one fact: Needless to say, the fact bearer told me all life what I have spent was in vain as I had been running after things that my parents, teachers and some of my friends asked me to chase for.

I still remember the days of my childhood when jalebi was sweeter and reminded me of the advertisement wherein a boy is convinced to return to his home when he was promised ‘jalebi’. I was so care free and ready to tell people what I knew forgetting the fact how much they know or what they wished to know.

My favorite color was the one that my English teacher wore and it changed around four times in a week.

There were no paychecks but the two rupee note and a ‘Poppins’ in my hand made me felt like a king.

The time when Batman and Spiderman looked great on paper rather than making me wait for the sequels that come every season to bore.

There were no mobile phones and my parents knew wherever I would be in this world I would return in a ‘single piece’ with my bicycle by 7 pm in the evening.

There was no Google still I knew what to search for and where the answers were hidden.

I had smiling faces around me not a book of faces saying where they are spending their honeymoons or which college they are studying in…!!!

I had a pencil and a rubber that lasted for a week and now I never see my pencil’s final notch sharpened up or changing my roller pen’s refill.

There were sparrows and squirrels I used to run after and spent my time watching clouds changing their shapes from elephants to horses.

The crayons that colored my life and made it look vibrant not the blunt bank’s SMS in my smart phone saying about my purchases and meager bank balance.

 I had love and the only thing that broke my heart was the moment when she said to me that her frock is brighter than my pants.

I never had the feeling of losing somebody or something except my new compass that I got free with ‘Bournvita’.

The months when I waited for the school to reopen and wished to see her with a new water bottle rather than the appraisals that I now carve and crib for.

Let me tell you a true story. When I was in 4^th grade we had a surprise drawing exam. And it really ‘surprised’ me. The teacher told us to draw a free hand sketch and the white sheets that looked like dinner table napkins came to my bench. I read the words ‘free’ and ‘hand’ and traced my hand on the sheet, colored it with the color of the skin and wrote in the centre ‘Free Hand’ and left the class room within 15 minutes. The teacher laughed and I got a ‘D’. But the lesson learnt was my shelling out what I knew.

I failed the Ph.D interview at some IIT last fortnight. After passing 3 rounds, I feared to express what I knew in the interview. And once again life placed me on the crossroads that say where to go with a lot of sign boards luring me to them.

Closing my eyes, remembering what ‘Into the Wild’ meant and now finding a reason to live because this life can’t be a reason to die.

Now Listening:

Wo Kagaaz Ki Kashti;  Wo Baarish Ka Paani…

The reason why my calendar days pass is a mystery and I am on the way to my answers…!!!

Amit Purohit

The Lone Soldier

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