Volcano (my new poem)

Late on a Sunday evening
I decided to clear my mind
sorted out clutter and litter
expecting a calm

this couldn’t happen though as
the more I emptied,
the more it got filled
with a vast gloomy grey void

unbearable became
the dongs of silence
emanating from void
and hammering the mind

the painful moment stood stubborn
like frozen hands of a clock
no escape, no running
just the pain and the void

yes, I did ask respite from
my cluttered existence so far
where did I bargain for lava flowing
from an otherwise dormant volcano inside?

Recycling 2020

Imagine a newspaper cartoon of the cacophony of climbing humans each trying to move up while few on top are pushing the ones below them down – making it even hard for them to stabilize or climb. Sounds more like insects struggling in a Darwinian cauldron titled “survival of the fittest”.

Yes! It is difficult for anyone to reach to the top of his/her field. It does require a lot of talent, hard work, sacrifice, politicking, networking, frequent smiles from lady luck and above all a fire in the belly. Some have a seemingly unfair advantage as their parents feed them with bright shiny silver spoons!

To me this “seemingly unfair” is not “really unfair” because of my belief that the Nature can’t be unfair. How can it be as it maintains everything so beautifully –so well synchronized, despite humans trying their best to upset the cart. To my mind, there is more to this ‘seemingly unfairness” than what meets the eye. The cause of this effect could be possibly the “karma theory” – you are free to act but your actions bind to you – these actions shape your energy, your frequency, or your aura. When the body dies, the aura remains affected by your actions and when you are born – this karma-affected aura becomes the cause. The effect being where and how you begin your journey in this cacophony of climbing humans.

Coming back to the point, except for the “flash-in-the-pans” who could be as superficial as the Poonam Pandeys of the world, most successful people have had something in them.

The point I want to make is that once you have reached there, the fire in the belly subsides but a new fight begins – to sustain - somehow sustain – what you have is this brand created by you and your focus is how much you can milk it. Some keep adding value to themselves and brand grows, for others a downward spiral starts – there can only be so much milk in the udders!

I was disappointed by two biggies on their latest offerings – Chetan Bhagat & Shahrukh Khan.

Just finished reading Chetan’s “Revolution 2020” and was surprised how Hindi movie-like it was! Seemed he is only milking his brand now.




What has he done – took the story of Amitabh and Shashi starrer “Deewar”, changed the smugglers’ background to education system, swapped the character of Maa (Nirupa Roy) with a heroine Aarti who unlike the Maa has some grey shades as differentiator! The remaining story and the emotions remain amazing same with characters just changing names/professions– like the Dawar Seth becomes a politician. Even scenes are copied like – the anti-hero Gopal itching to tell the hero Raghav in Bachchan style – “dekh tere paas kya hai, mere paas bangla hai, gaadi hai..."




In the end the anti-hero has the same question – “main tera achcha beta hoon na maa?”

Sri Shahrukh created a squid in Ra.One. He even exposed his limitations as an actor by portraying a Tamilian Techy who looks and talks more like a north Indian Raj (except few times when he suddenly remembers he have to behave like a Tamilian!) ditto his robot act where the Robot suddenly starts looking and behaving like a human.




But being the King Khan, he milked his brand name like no one else can do, to make the movie a hit even before it was released. He rode his way laughing to the bank riding on more than 30 consumer brands using Ra.One ads plus the sale of overseas rights, satellite rights so on and so forth, notwithstanding the teary distributors and yawning public.

To be fair to him, he at least accepts what he does as he commented in an interview after the release that ‘yes, he made it an overnight success but it took 20 years of hard work!’

both the offerings were “hit”, I am sure both Chetan and Shahrukh would know that they would need to deposit more before withdrawing further to arrest any decline in their brand name.

Kyunki har ek friend...

Somewhere in one the frontier towns in India – just few kms away from Pakistan, existed this army unit. It wasn’t a big unit but seemed self-sufficient with few basic buildings erected amidst a mass of dry land which was covered with inches of soft, loose soil as if waiting to create dust storms out of even normal breeze. Like all unit men, he too was used to this dust cushion –the flirting of dust with his uniform didn’t bother him at all. It would have been just like another evening for him except the fact that he had an unusual guest walking besides him.

He jumped out of his car and surveyed all the tanks that were resting in their garage. As he walked, the few soldiers who haven’t gone to their barracks yet, immediately came to attention and saluted him. He instructed two of them to start and drive a tank out for him.

He knew it would take time as these old war machines needed more than cajoling to be brought into some kind of readiness. He walked with his guest to the barracks to enquire about the well being of soldiers there. He was second-in-command in the unit but there was no display of any superiority. He mingled with them with a refreshing informality asking questions or commenting on their activities here and there. He walked into the mess and demanded to taste the food for the day. He made the guest taste it too. He was so sure that food must be good. Food was just one aspect of all the improvements he had brought into the lives of these soldiers. He had worked on things like hygiene, nutrition, entertainment etc. for these soldiers who at his command would not hesitate to give their lives. Though younger than most, he seemed and was revered like a father figure.

His phone buzzed. The tank was now ready. He took his guest along and asked him to climb up the tank as he entered inside the driving pit. It took some time for the metal animal to roar as he negotiated his terms with it. Soon he was driving the tank like a wild animal ready to ravage whatever comes its way across that un-even, muddy land. The excitement of sitting atop of a real war-veteran tank was such that the guest couldn’t control himself anymore and pleaded his friend if he too could get an experience of driving this beast even if only for a fleeting moment! Hearing his friend’s request, The Officer jumped out of the driving pit and asked his friend to get in.

That was when for the first time in my life I stepped inside the tank – my heart popping out with excitement – it didn’t take long before I followed my Army -Officer friend’s instructions and was able to march the tank forward!



I hadn’t met this college friend of mine in twenty years until I had recently had lunch with him and he invited me over to his place. And here he was so happy, making my evening with him so memorable for me. That’s friendship. No wonder Airtel’s song caught up so well with masses that “har ek friend zaroori hota hai”. Least we can do is to keep in touch with some of our such good friends who are like blessings bestowed upon us by god.

God & I

The latest Sufi song from yet-to-be-released “Rockstar” is a rock star itself. It is one of the best Sufi rendition I have heard in recent times. Voices of AR Rahman, Mohit Chauhan and Javed Ali together weave some kind of ethereal magic which has power to take you to amazing depths!

In Sufi songs, Rahman’s music composition is like prayer itself. This is no exception. Here, to top it all, even the lyrics are simply awesome.
Sample this –

Mujh pe karam sarkaar tera,
arz tujhe ,
kar de mujhe
mujh se hi riha

Ab mujhko bhi ho deedar mera,
karde mujhe
mujh se hi riha

This prayer is spirituality.

I would classify songs/ bhajans /prayers in three categories –

1. Through which one seeks material gains, health, security etc.
2. These describe the virtues of gods, shower praises
3. Here the seeker is seeking one-ness with almighty aware that he himself also is a reflection of this all pervasive power (god). This seeking or the search is with-in

You might have come across Maslow’s hierarchy of needs for human beings.



The prayers are a good reflection of this hierarchy. There is nothing wrong with any of these prayers. They just reflect the stage at which one is. The lower order needs are to filled first before one moves up. Haven’t we heard “bhookhe bhajan na hoi gopala”

The rock star rendition works at that level – of self actualization!

My view of god & spirituality:

To me god is a power (for not being able to find any better word!), it is all pervasive, inside everything and everyone. We can’t see it that way because of our current paradigms. In this current state we can’t appreciate this concept. If we are willing, if we are ready, a guru or a teacher can guide us to see that “one-ness” . My belief is that is the pinnacle and meeting point of science and spirituality. No contradiction. Everything is one. You are god (aham brahmasmi).

Religion is just a means to that end. Temples are just to create that environment - to take you deep inside you. The idols are just pegs and are not god by themselves. (also that’s the basis of my poem “Temple”).

Most would believe in this as a concept but out there in the “real” world, it is a war– my god vs. your god, need to prove strength of one religion over other (even if that means dedicating a whole life to go after conversions! ). How ridiculous!

For the same reason I don’t consider those “religious” who demean other religion. For the same reason I don’t like people going after followers of one faith. For the Same reason, I don’t like what happened in Gujarat. For the same reason I don’t like Narendra Modi.

And this is just my opinion.

We had two days of Diwali Holidays. We took leave on friday and had an unprecedented 5 day off and nowhere to go! What a wonderful time it was - did bit of socializing - attended dinners, met cousins.

This break did one more good thing. I hadn't written anything for a long-long time and was thinking if I can still write a poem. As a challenge, I took up pen and the paper and fortunately something came up. Here I am submitting this simple poem "Temple" for your reading. Criticism is more than welcome!



Temple


Beautiful temple
with golden gate
almighty inside
controlling fate

people in herds
falling all over
looking for fruits
and seeking cover

the saffron brigade
managing gods
acting pricy
giving their nods

I look at the bend
in front of gods
nothing serene
men in hoards

competing hard
just to reach the bend
wonder if they’d think,
is deity means or an end?

Interesting history of Zimmer - The place I work for!

Two railroad lines crossed on the plains of Indiana, and the world would never be the same

The town of Warsaw, Indiana was officially established in 1836. It was named for the capital of Poland, in tribute to Thaddeus Kosciusko, the Polish engineer hero of the American Revolution. Originally it was an outpost where traders and trappers would sell their wares to farmers who had established homesteads in the area. But then, in 1854, the Pennsylvania Railroad reached Warsaw, bringing with it hundreds of visitors who came to enjoy the area’s fresh air and pristine lakes. Many of these visitors stayed on to become full-time residents, and Warsaw grew.

In 1870, a second rail line - the Big Four Railroad - arrived, bringing with it the modern world. Gas lights were installed in 1880. The telephone arrived in 1882, with the first line strung to the office of the town physician, Dr. Eggleston (that would be a harbinger of things to come.) Lines for water, gas, and electricity were installed by the end of the century, and Warsaw was thriving. It became known throughout the area as the “Lake City.”

But the rail lines had a second effect that would propel Warsaw to an entirely new level of renown. By being situated in the middle of the country, at the junction of two major rail systems, Warsaw had all the makings of the perfect sales and distribution center. A salesman could hop a train in Warsaw and be anywhere in the country in just a few days. All he would need is a small, high-quality product which he could carry and sell.

That product turned out to be a medical splint. In 1895, an inventor named Revra Dupuy designed a new fiber splint for setting bone fractures, to replace the unwieldy wooden splints that had been in use up to that time. It was huge improvement that would have a transformative effect on the medical industry. Working out of a small office located in the Hayes Hotel in Warsaw, Dupuy built a sales force and sent it out across the country, selling the benefits of this new product to doctors in large city hospitals and in small-town private practices. Everywhere these salesmen went with their new product, they were successful.

Perhaps the most successful salesman of them all was a Warsaw native named J.O. Zimmer. After working odd jobs and as a telegraph operator, Zimmer joined the splint company in 1905. He quickly rose through the ranks to become national sales manager. But he had a greater ambition and thought he could make products that were even better. Together with his partner J.J. Ettinger, he established a new firm, Zimmer Manufacturing Company, on North Detroit Street. Their first design was a new and better kind of splint, made from lightweight aluminum.

Equipped with only a punch press, sheet metal forming equipment, a welding torch and various small tools, Zimmer and Ettinger set out to work. In May of 1927, they completed a prototype set of fifty samples which they brought to the American Medical Association meeting in Washington. To their delight, the industry response was positively overwhelming. Zimmer took dozens of orders. And that was just the beginning. Within the first year of operation, Zimmer was selling so many aluminum splints that they had surpassed the competition.

And that’s when the little town of Warsaw really began to heat up, with two companies battling for control of this rapidly developing medical market. Even with the coming of the Great Depression, there were no signs of slowing down. Warsaw hummed with new innovations, new products, and an ever-expanding workforce. Over the next fifty years, the population doubled. As other competitors entered the market, Warsaw grew to become a thriving medical metropolis, home to several of the largest medical device companies in the world.

Today, Zimmer is a global enterprise. It makes and sells products in the Americas, across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and throughout the Asia Pacific region.

But it all started in Warsaw. Where, thanks to the crossing of rail lines and the application of fiber and aluminum, the little trading post on the plains quickly grew up to become, “The Orthopaedics Capital of the World.”

Living the Dream!

This is the reason why we watch cricket matches, follow scores, stop doing what we are doing to have a peek at the nearest available TV set – doesn’t matter whether it is a shop selling TV sets or a TV at airport, a pan-cigarette shop or even a hospital where we accompany our seriously ill kin– we don’t feel bad about it and everyone around us understands.

This is the reason why we call home from offices to check “score kya hai?”

This is the reason why a common Indian man bogged down by a game of day-to day survival forgets his woes and keeps fast, performs puja, yagna. Some go to the extent of promising a free-auto-rides to all citizens for a day and even an extra month of salary as incentive and what you have!

This is the reason why we have subjected ourselves to so many emotional roller-coasters over many years-often ending up with gut-wrenching pain and a screwed week-end as the men-in-blue collapse.

In a hope hope - to be world beaters!
And here now we are living the dream!

A special reason:



Not only the team, most of us – the Indians – wanted this to happen for him – the one whom we all love – the one who as he rose to heights perhaps none would, has became more humble, more humane. Who is a real hero who demonstrates day-in and-day out what hard work means, what determination means, what it means to be able to write your own destiny!

Seeing him being carried on shoulders by his team-mates waving tricolor and a broad smile reflecting joy in its purest form ; the joy so contagious that even we can feel that in our heart and in our eyes as well!

Missing someone dear:



As we celebrate, am missing my dad – who has been an ardent cricket fan and one who even while fighting a losing battle against cancer wouldn’t forget to ask, “score kya hai?”