You have to see it to believe it

I can be totally creative now coz I wanna talk about some of the most creative things of this world. These species is the most interesting species to study. They are the most complicated; they are "yucks" and "wow" at the same time. Although I have spent a quarter of my life with them I still cant get the basics right of how to handle them. What makes them happy, what makes them sad, what makes them stand out andat makes them interfere in our dreams so much?

Mumbai-The fashion capital seemed to make the situation more complicated. Here you are spoilt for choices even though each feels a burden on the small time you can dream. With the fishes you see on the sides they can make you just look at them and admire them but the moment you try to catch them either they slip away or you feel you are not a lucky one to catch hold of them.

They are shaopaholics, mall freaks, movie freaks, Fashion freaks, and whatever still you cant call them freaks..

But the evenings here are really beautiful and the weekends are even better as the visibility of such species increases. Mumbai allows them the space to show off their creativity and for us to enjoy the art. The age do not seem to have any effect on them and the makeup makes up for all anguishes- it workks so well that if you are gazing them with wide open eyes, you may have forgotten to see a 3 year old kid walking side by side.

The best part of all this is most of the time you see them inside beautiful machines and get into a major trouble of where you should concentrate.

My imagination is going places now but end of the day one of the major questions that come to mind is

"Why god has been so linient to Mumbai to give the city all the things to be a dream city to get a dream life?"

The story continues-The Mumbai Local Train

With the initial fears coming into manageable terms it was time to dive down to the core of the city. It not only allows the city its distinct feature; what i feel is, it gave Mumbai its existence. With a interval of 3 mins between each of the chariots of life; still the city does not seem to slow down and wants to go faster and faster. The red-black-blue-yellow-pink colored bogies seem to rush past you as if the only thing they care about is the destination to reach. I learnt a lesson the very first day- If you wanna live in Mumbai embrace the local trains. The santacruz, the ville parle ,the khar ,the thane ,the Vashi ,the Andheri all seem to fly past at breakneck speed. The first day when i visualized the spectacle the enormous size of it took me by its arms. People jostling around, Clothes being sold at 20 Bucks, Sea fish being sold and 10-12 boards showing train times which changes every minute. The observation swept me off my feet as that was the first time i felt i was watching the population of India. It is not an spectacle it’s a catastrophe which can turn pretty aggressive soon.

I made my way into the train (2nd Class); without finding any trace of differentiation factor between the classes. What welcomed me was a crowd from various factions of life- An IT guy carrying his laptop on his head, a carpenter with his tools and a lady with her son in her lap. This was not all coz if i need to describe one and all the entire segment of population of India could have been evident. My nasal equipment stopped recognizing any smell as the mixture of pure human odor along with various artificial ones laid the foundation for a gas tragedy. The train chugged on and slowly and slowly I started feeling the changes in me. The shirt was fully wet with perspiration; my bag was worn in the opposite way, my shoes have been trampled a thousand times but still a beautiful feeling held me. I was one of the common people-I saw life open up before me. The strengths and weakness required to keep you on and on in such environment deserves a salute. People from various factions’ embarrassed life the way it is and in the local train platform all became same. All pay the same amount of money for the space to stand nevertheless keeping the fact in mind that after you get down one may go into an AC room earning dollars and another go the market to sell vegetables: a beautiful way to bring the people back to the roots of life. I had a feeling of desperation for a few days but the day I felt that here is the platform where your social and financial status do not work, I felt a good feeling sweeping over me that yes “I am LUCKY”. One thing which strikes more is if you can peek out of the window or the doors of the train you see structures that takes your breath away and on the other side of the track their would be a line of shacks with naked children dozing off near a gutter.

I got a chance to even see the city one day when the hardworking motormen said that they gonna take a decisive step of stopping trains to get a good bet for their life. Half of Mumbai stopped. Buses plied on the roads on extra number, Autos became half as the drivers cold not reach their locations. Half of the offices closed and something which cost Rs6/- now was Rs 60/-. The local trains seem to be the heartbeat of Mumbai.

Now as the days are coming to an end when I still get people falling over me I feel that the ordeal is gonna get over but if this is an ordeal for me, for many people a journey in the local trains is a way to get out of their ordeals of their life. The train of Mumbai has seen all- Bomb blasts, financial meltdown, poverty, rains, kasab, growth and a thousand things you can add- But it still remains true to its dedication: KEEP MUMBAI ALIVE.

Mumbai- A Place of Mixed Emotions

The days do not seem to come to an end. Let me recall what i did in the last two months of the Summer internship.

A search for an abode

Me and shanks had a piece of paper in our hand which was supposed to be our ticket to a stay in Mumbai but really unfortunate that the piece of paper was very true to its conscience and stuck to its value; the letters scribbled on it hardly mattered now as the guy who was supposed to be the incharge of or so called "pre-decided abode" calmly let us know that we do not belong there. The paper in our hands could be thrown out of the train's window but it was better to use it as a toilet paper to atleast keep it satisfied taht it was of some value. The train chugged on. It was me and my ipod (crying for some charge) and the dark stills outside. Finally MUMBAI- Dadar Station but the question "Where do we go in MUMBAI?

A roof and nothing else

First impression is the last it seems and i prayed so much that it be true so that i do not have dual feelings: If Mumbai seemed Shit; it had to be shit and the days to come would prove me the true nature of the city which has woven dreams of so many. We take help of our friendsand reach a place in Andheri East. But before that on the way to the place we were sitting comfortably in taxi looking at the structures and the lights. Beautiful dreams sitting on the back seats of cool machines. Speeding vehicles pointing the fact we are still far away from civilization. I had mixed feelings: I was happy to be somewhere else but the city seemed to point its middle finger and say "You have to prove yourself to be a part of mumbai". Anyways i reached my abode and to me it looked like a 5th floor shack.All negatives terminology wont justice to the place. It showed me Mumbai has no water; Mumbai is all about money; Mumbai is poverty striken and what not. No point in grumbling about it.. Coz i made my way out of it..

I have a lot still...

The Mumbai Local

The Dreamgirls

The Tattoo

The Food

The Internship

The Marine Drive

The Parties..

Will get back at the earliest..............

A letter dear to me...

Sorry for the "ALL CAPS". this is a letter that i found in my drafts written on 25th february 2009.

I still felt good reading it.

RESPECTED SIR,

"IMAGINATION AND REALIZATION"- BOTH WORDS SEEM TO OWN A WORLD IN ITSELF BUT HOW MUCH THEY INFLUENCE PEOPLE IN THEMSELVES HAS ALWAYS BEEN A QUESTION MARK. WHAT, WHY, WHERE AND HOW HAS BEEN A INTEGRAL PART OF OUR LIVES AND THIS HAS ACTUALLY LED TO THE WORLD WHERE IT IS NOW. THROUGH THE AGES A LOT OF “CHANGE” HAS BEEN INVOKED AND PROVOKED, AND SERIOUSLY TRUE TO MYSELF I AM NOT INFLUENCED BY OBAMA, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE WORD CHANGE WAS WHAT HE BROUGHT INTO THE FORE, BUT NOT INVENTED.

WHEN YOU SEE A VOLATILE ECONOMY , A RAMALINGA RAJU CLIMAX, AND A BUYONT SMILE IN THE FACE OF BOLLY-HOLLY OSCAR WINNERS WITHIN A SPAN OF A FEW DAYS YOU ARE BOUND TO THINK WHATS HAPPENING AND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS IN STORE! A CORPORATE HONCHO SPENDING A MORE THAN A MONTH IN JAIL WHILE A SLUM GIRL WITH HER FATHER WALKING THE RED CARPET AT KODAK THEATRE !THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME ALL THIS IS HAPPENING BUT WHAT ACTUALLY HITS ME DOWN IN THE SPINE IS HOW WE ALL ARE TOUCHED BECAUSE OF ALL THE EVENTS OF DAILY UBIQUITOUS LIFE.

I STARTED WITH REALIZATION AND IMAGINATION COZ A PINCH OF KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM SOME WELL KNOWN AUTHORS IN LAST FEW MOMENTS GIVES ME A FEELING THAT THE FORCE OF GRAVITY IS LESS ON MY MIND NOW. TRUE TO MYSELF AND TRUE TO MY CONSCEINCE WHAT I WRITE FURTHER HAS NOT BEEN CREATED COZ OF MY ABILITY TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY BUT BCOZ OF THE PATH SHOWN TO ME, NOT THROUGH THE TUNNEL OF DARKNESS BUT THAT OF CONVICTION, PERCEPTION AND MOBILITY TO CREATE THINGS.

OKAY CUTTING THE CRAP AND COMING TO THE POINT, FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS SOME SERIOUS GOOD PAGES HAVE RESTED ON MY PALM, EVEN THROUGH THE SO PLANNED BUSY SCHEDULE AND WHAT I REALIZED FROM THEM WAS IT IS A TREAURE ENVELOPE AND, IF I KEEP THE THINGS WITHIN ME THEN I DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO READ THOSE AGAIN. THOMAS L FRIEDMAN IN “THE WORLD IS FLAT” AND “HOT, FLAT AND CROWDED”, MALCOLM GLADWELL IN “THE TIPPING POINT” AND “OUTLIERS”, JEFF HOWE IN “CROWDSOURCING” CUT ACROSS ALL LEVELS OF DEFINING MANKIND IN A WAY WHICH SHOWS THE FRONTIERS CAN BE BROKEN AND ARE BEING BROKEN. ALL WHAT COMES OUT OF ALL THESE PAGES LISTED ABOVE IS NOT MAN ALONE BUT MANKIND WHOSE INTRINSIC QUALITY QUALIFIES HIM TO BREAK ALL BOUNDARIES, BUT ESTABLISHMENT OF SELF CLAIMED BARRIERS STAND ON THE WAY.

“A VISION WITHOUT RESOURCES IS ONLY A HALLUCINATION WITHOUT FEAR” , “IT IS A WORLD OF COMMUNITY NOT A WORLD OF CORPORATION ANYMORE”, “ALL THE SMARTEST PEOPLE IN THESE WORLD WORK FOR SOMEBODY ELSE”- I SERIOUSLY DON’T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO CREATE SUCH LINES BUT I TRIED AND I TRIED REAL HARD TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY MEAN AND WHERE I CAN THINK TO PUT ALL THESE IN PLACE. IF YOU SEE THROUGH THE CAMOUFLAGE WHAT I FOUND OUT THAT IT HAS NEVER BEEN “I,ME” WHO HAVE WON HEARTS, MIND AND SOUL, BUT ALWAYS “WE,US”. MALCOLM SAYS EFFORT ALWAYS PAYS OFF BUT COMBINED EFFORT AND FOCUS IN RIGHT DIRECTION TOGETHER NOT ONLY STARTS A REVOLUTION BUT CAN CREATE A TIPPING POINT. IF YOU LOOK NOT EVEN IN THE DISTANT PAST BUT THE NEAR PAST, YOU WOULD SEE THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR LIVES. SOME OF THE GREAT MIND SYAS THE WORLD IS GETTING FLATTER, I SAY IT DIFFERENTLY, I SAY FROM “I” IT IS “WE”, FROM “ME” IT IS “US”.A HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR DIRECTING A GROUP OF SLUM DEWELLERS AND TAKING THEM TO THE RED CARPET,OR A GROUP OF EXCEPTIONAL CRICKETERS BRINGING ANOTHER DAWN OF CRICKET IN A DEVELOPING NATION ARE NOT EXAMPLES BUT SCENES BEING ENACTED TO MAKE US REALIZE TO LOOK INT THE FUTURE. FUNNY, HOW WE CREATE RELATIONS, COMMIT, DISTINGUISH PEOPLE BASED ON CASTE CREED RELIGION FINANCE ETC AND YET WE MEET AT THE CRAZIEST PLACES SHARE THE BEST OF TIMES, EXPERIENCE LIFE AT SUCH WEIRD MOMENTS DEFYING ALL RULES OF SOCIETY. WHO SCRIPTS ALL THISAND DO WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SCRIPT OR CREATE OUR OWN SCRIPT?

NOW I KNOW AFTER READING SO MUCH YOU WOULD HAVE ALREADY STARTED THINKING, WHY IS THIS GUY TELLING ALL THIS TO ME? WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO WITH ALL THIS? COMING TO THE POINT, WHAT I WANT TO TELL IS “LET’S BREAK THE ICE AND USE THE SAME ICE FOR RAISING A TOAST TO OUR SUCCESS”. NOW I AM LOOKING UP. RIGHT!

WE AS INDIVIDUALS ARE CREATIONS THAT EVERYBODY OF US SHOULD BE PROUD OFF! ARE WE DIFFERENT FROM BILL JOY OR STEVE JOBS? OR SAY MARTIN LUTHER KING AND GANDHIJI? OR SAY MALCOLM OR THOMAS L FRIEDMAN. THE ANSWER THAT I ALWAYS GET TO THIS QUESTION IS “NO”, AND THEN WHAT IS DIFFERENT? THE ANSWER I BELIEVE IS ACCUMULATION OF IDEAS IN MIND AND DYING WITH IT SO THAT OUR NEXT GENERATION ALSO DOES WHAT WE ARE DOING. INTERNET, WEB, BLOGS, COMMUNITIES HAVE CREATED A BELIEF IN PEOPLE MIND THAT EVERYBODY IS INDISPENSABLE. THAT REALIZATION DAWNED ON SOME INDIVIDUAL REALLY EARLY AND SO YOU HAVE “SUN MICROSYSTEMS, MICROSOFT , APPLE “ OR FORGET ALL, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD “ INFOSYS, WIPRO..”. AND WHAT MORE, THE COMPANY WE ARE WORKING FOR IS ALSO A REALIZED DREAM TRING TO SPREAD ITS WINGS. SO WHAT MORE CAN WE DO TO ENHANCE THE WE FEELING BECAUSE THESE “WE” FEELING BRINGS “CHANGE”. HOWEVER HUNDRED TIMES BARACK OBAMA WOULD HAVE SAID THE WORD “CHANGE” WOULD NOT HAVE MATTER, UNTIL HE HAD A BILLION PEOPLE CHANTING “CHANGE” WITH HIM AND MORE BILLION LOOKING AT HIM TO SHOW THE PATH, AND WHAT MORE A BILLION MORE WILL BE JOINING US SOON IN THE NEXT DECADE AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO COLLABORATE FROM THE FIRST SECOND ON EARTH.

WE AS AN COUNTRY HAVE MOVED, AND NOT ONLY MOVED BUT HAVE MAINTAINED A NICE FORMIDABLE ACCELARATION BUT AT CERTAIN POINT WE SHOULD TIP. YES THE “TIPPING POINT” IS WHAT EVERYBODY AWAITS- SAY IN PERSONAL OR PROFFESIONAL FRONT. AND THE SOLUTION IS JEFF HOWE’S “CROWDSOURCING”. WHAT I WANT AT THE END OF ALL THESE WORDS IS AN INITIATIVE WHICH ATLEAST ALLOWS FREE FLOW OF IDEAS-STARTING WITH TECHNICAL ISSUES MAY BE. I REASON WHAT IS BELIEVED FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE INTERNET IS YOU DON’T KNOW WHO IS ON THE OTHER SIDE- HIS FACE,RACE,RELIGION,CASTE,HEIRCHY.EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS MORE THAN ONE MODE THAT HE CAN SWITCH ON TO AND I WANT TO CASH ON IT. LINUX, IBM, PLUG, ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF A STRONG “WE, US”

LET IDEAS FLOW, LET MINDSETS CHANGE, LET KNOWLEDGE MOVE, LET CHANGE HAPPEN. HOW MANY TIMES ARE WE FACED WITH FORDISM “THE SPECIALIST CONCEPT”, WHEN THE MULTISKILL CONCEPT IS TAKING PEOPLE AND COUNTRIES ALONG WITH IT PLACES. WHY DO WE TRY TO SPEND TIME FOR SOLVING QUERIES, WHEN MAY BE ALREADY A SOLUTION EXIST FOR IT? IT IS ONLY THAT THE ONE WHO HAS A SOLUTION HAS NEVER BEEN ASKED FOR SOLUTION. IT IS NOT A STEP IN A RIGHT DIRECTION; IT IS TRYING TO MAKE A CONCRETE CASTLE RATHER THAN MAKING IT WITH SAND, SO THAT THE FLAGS WHEN YOU PUT ON TOP CAN HAVE A FREE FLIGHT IN THE WIND OF SUCCESS. THIS WILL LEAD TO LOT MANY INITIATIVES THAT MAY PROPEL US TO THE TIPPING POINT. “AN UTOPIAN WORLD IS A DREAM BUT LETS MOVE CLOSER TO THAT DREAM”