Sunday, October 26, 2008

A Thought II

This is not an original piece but the thought reflects mine. so here it is:

"If you love someone, Set her free... If she comes back, she's yours, If she doesn't, she never was..... "


THE NEW VERSIONS R.....


Pessimist: If you love someone, Set her free ... If she ever comes back, she's yours, If she doesn't, as expected, she never was

Optimist: If you love someone, Set her free ... Don't worry, she will come back.

Suspicious: If you love someone, Set her free ... If she ever comes back, ask her why.


Impatient: If you love someone, set her free... If she doesn't come back within some time forget her.

Patient: If you love someone, Set her free ... If she doesn't come back, continue to wait until she comes back ...

Playful: If you love someone, Set her free ... If she comes back, and if you love her still, set her free again, repeat ....

C++ Programmer: if(you-love( m_she))
m_she.free()
if(m_she == NULL)
m_she = new CShe;


Animal-Rights Activist: If you love someone, Set her free,
In fact, all living creatures deserve to be free!!

Lawyers: If you love someone, Set her free,
Clause 1a of Paragraph 13a-1 in the Second Amendment of the Matrimonial Freedom

Biologist : If you love someone, Set her free, She'll evolve.

Statisticians : If you love someone, Set her free, If she loves you, the probability of her coming back is high If she doesn't, your relation was improbable anyway.

Schwarzenegger' s fans: If you love someone, Set her free,
SHE'LL BE BACK!

Over possessive person : If you love someone don't set her free.

MBA : If you love someone set her free instantaneously and look for others simultaneously

Psychologist : If you love someone set her free If she comes back her super ego is dominant If she doesn't come back her id is supreme If she doesn't go, she must be crazy.

Somnambulist : If you love someone set her free If she comes back it's a nightmare. If she doesn't, you must be dreaming.

ERP functional expert : If you love someone set her free If she comes back, map her into your system. If she doesn't, carry out a gap-fit analysis

Finance expert : If you love someone set her free If she comes back, its time to look for fresh loans. If she doesn't, write her off as an asset gone bad.

Marketing Specialist : If you love someone set her free If she comes back she has brand loyalty If she doesn't, reposition the brand in new market .

I realised I play well with the Suspicious one and the MBA professional. Which one are you?

A Thought

This is not an original piece but I liked it so much that I have decided to include it in my blog:

True Love is when you shed a tear and still want him. It's when he ignores you and you still love him. It's when he loves another but you still smile and say "I'm happy for you". When all you really do is cry....and cry.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Teachers and Students

Finally a critical topic to talk on. Teachers and students. What exactly comes to your mind when you hear this topic? School life, punishments, those days of bunking classes (though I never bunk'd any class in school but I did make sure that classes were not taken) and of course exams!!! Now, let me ask you another question: exactly what comes to your mind when you hear of "College" Teachers and Students?

You got it right. A completely different world! Here the dominant picture is not of a teacher punishing the student due to smoking but rather a teacher smoking alongside a student. And after watching that scene, the first thought I had was I remember: If teachers are like this, then can we blame the students for smoking?

I had always been a strong critic of smoking, and I used to blame the students of JU for that killer habit. But after that day's picture, I had nothing more to say. JU has been responsible for shattering many of the myths we had about teachers in our school- for eg: they should be honest, decent chaps whose sole aim in life was to make us good human beings! Now mind you I am not saying that the teachers of JU are dishonest and indecent people. I can never dream of saying anything like that- but the culture of JU has itself been responsible for shattering many a myths about the typical teachers we faced at school. Teachers of JU are friendly, helpful, cooperative and really good at their jobs. I consider myself immensly fortunate to be able to meet such wonderful people. They have helped me to view the world differently,they have shattered certain age-old myths about teachers.

But in this process, they have also shattered some good old habits of teachers. I must point out that these are solely my views and not inclined to offend or patronise anyone. I am a bit old fashioned and I prefer to live by my virtues. As such when I see that a teacher hands out wine to the students, my old fashioned conscience can't let go of the fact that it's the 'teacher' who is handing out a drink which is not considered drinkable by many middleclass, old fashioned parents to date.I must point out that according to the old fashioned way, it's the teachers who are supposed to lead a student to the "correct" path. Now I won't go into the definition of the "correct" path- it's a general path that leads away from vices like gambling, drinking, greediness etc. But a teacher handing out wine to the students would provide a wonderful image to my overenthusiastic romantic mind of where the morals of this country are heading today. One of my intellectual friends pointed out: "You see the students study in college. They are not children. They are quite capable of taking their own decisions. And it's not as if the teacher forced them to drink..." I agree with him, it's just that morality seems absurd at a point like this where everything seems perfectly "logical". Students smoking with teachers -"big deal", students taking a sip from teachers- "big deal"-- then what is the deal all about? Are old fashioned morals no longer "viable" for the generation of today? It's funny I use the word "viable" because that's what everything has come to mean now.

A student wants to be popular, what does he do? He starts drinking and smoking beside taking one or two puffs. Who does he have to turn to for an ideal? Accomplished professors of the university who smoke despite a written document banning smoking in the university. Professors talk of social revolution and the U.S economy degrading the Indian economy but will smoking not increase the foreign revenue of multinational cigarette companies? How can not following health measures bring about a social revolution? I am just a mere student pursuing graduation but THIS is beyond my understanding. This is outrageous.


Nowadays we see that, occasionally students have "affair" with teachers. Now I don't get , how can a student have an affair with a teacher without that teacher's consent? You need two hands to clap. It's okay for students to have crushes on teachers, they are young and inexperienced but that does not mean that the wise and experienced and reverend professors will succumb to their will. Again outrageous! Where did the good old days of ethics and morality vanish?

All in all, the professors of the university have been responsible for shattering many an old myth I had of typical teachers. Some of it was good, some of it was bad. I guess no one is perfect. But when it comes to the professional sphere, Teaching is a noble profession. Not only because it deals with giving knowledge but also because there are a lot of young people who are affected by the revolutionary ways of life teachers instill in us. We learn to be proud, we learn to have no fear. But what if all this is not executed in the establishment of teaching itself and special favours are conducted only on those who rejoice in the act of buttering? There is darkness beneath the flame. And if we don't want this darkness to repel us, we have to turn towards the good old ways of morals and ethics. So my point is this: old fashioned ways of thinking are not that bad. They are worth a try.Now if one wants to indulge in "modern" ways just to be a wannabe, it is his/her problem. But this really doesn't suit the reverend teachers of a 5 star university.

Teachers mean a lot to us. Naive and childish actions from them is the last thing we expect. Dichotomy in characters can well lead to hypocrisy and it may ruin the respect a student has for a teacher for life. It may not be possible to respect a teacher any more and b'live me that is more hurting to the student than the teacher. Teachers should be friendly, they should be charming and enthusiastic but for once I will humbly request them not to forget the old fashioned morals that still govern the heart of our culture.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Waiting!

Exactly how difficult is it to wait? To constantly wait for someone, constantly hope that that person remembers you? You will know how it feels if you have ever waited for someone. Waiting for someone-this patient waiting is killing me. How pathetic!

Sometimes you have to let go of the person-give him/her their personal space. Sometimes you shouldn't show your emotions-you should just go with a happy-go-lucky attitude and let them be. Really how difficult can it be to let go of that person? Philosophically, intellectually, even logically, it is possible, but so difficult is it emotionally! Its better to let go of people, even better to get rid of emotions. It's better, then you don't get hurt. Too timid do I sound. Can't help it.

Now at the time when that person is not here, all I can think about is the moments we spent together, sometimes talking, sometimes listening. Ah! Gone are the days of blissful existence. Even so of blissful ignorance. Why did he have to come back to my life? I was happy, I was contented in my world. Why did he have to give me a few moments of joy just to make me cry all day long?

Technically, I am not crying. But a deep sense of longing, of restlessness has seized upon me. Why does this have to happen with me? Too melodramatic. I wish I could just go on living the life I have been for so long. Wish I could just forget him.

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Where is God?

It's that time of the year again....... the pujas are back- a time of celebration, enjoyment and festive fervour. People rush to view pandals and their idols- theme pujas are a hot favourite. I spent the whole Panchami night (or rather the early Sasthi day) hopping on the pandals of Kolkata. I would be lying if I said it was not fun. It was actually quite fun....... not because of the pujas and pandals but because I love the dark. I am absolutely in love with Night. Moving about in the dark is a romance, an adventure. And except the Pujas, I don't have any scope to view the mysterious Kolkata of the night.

"Raater Kolkata" or 'The Kolkata of the Night' is a lovely place. It beckons all to explore it, and is intoxicating. I hope to give some pictures of it soon in my Orkut profile. But anyways, except for romancing with the dark, I also found time for the pandals...... some were great. In some places, the art work was so heavy that the divinity of the idol was lost somewhere. However,I don't get it- why the craze to visit so many pandals when the idol is the same everywhere? My mother was praying to each of the idols when my sister pointed out:" Maa, the idols are all the same everywhere. You don't have to repeat your prayers everytime!"

I have been praying to the idols since my childhood- and frankly speaking, I don't remember any of my wishes becoming true- yes I did well in my boards, got into a good college- and all the other material stuff but whatever bad had to happen also happened- no one could stop it: my mother had an accident( but she came out well) and my four- legged brother died. Which brings me to a crucial question: Is there really a God? Or is He/She just a fragment of our imagination?

I remember reading an article in The Statesman where the contributor pointed out:" If there really is a God, He is suffering from amnesia"! I couldn't agree more. Where is God now that we need Him(Her) so much? Violence, death, poverty- when all these evils are plaguing the face of the earth where is God?

Every Ashtami we offer 'Anjali' to the Goddess.Do we really mean all that stuff? "Putrang dehi, Dhanang dehi, Gyanam dehi..... Dehi dehi..." (forgive my order). All the time we ask for things.....never does it occur to us to give something.... well, we do give money, spend loads of rupees on the pandal, theme and pujas but do we ever spare a thought to the poor boy sitting at the corner of the pandal weeping out of hunger?

But is such the pettiness of the human mind......? We rely on outward glorification more than the purity of the soul. Let's make a pact this Puja: that we will not be stifled by outward glories, rather we will look for the beauty of the mind- it shouldn't be so difficult to find..... Diwali, Kali Puja after that Christmas and finally New Year is about to come - let's all make it a New Year resolution.

Friday, October 03, 2008

I AM CYNICAL!!!

From a few days now, I have been getting my internal papers. I daresay, I have done quite well in them. Now that's a relief..... Doing well in studies relaxes my nerves and I can concentrate on more important things....... like my career and..............well love, life and all the other senti stuff....! So many things going on in life.....so many harsh things....people don't let a moment's chance fly by to hurt you.... that's why I hate human beings.... As one of my classmates says and I myself also b'live: Human beings are the most contemptible and ungrateful of all creatures. Really, why bother? I have been witness to such heart-breaking endeavours of human beings since my childhood.. So I don't let others hurt me... But this is a big bad world................... The moment you trust someone, he/she never loses a moment to hurt you- show their true colours....And after hurting you, they say one word: SORRY. As if all that they have said and done has been erased by that one five-letter word. Really, does it at all matter? I mean, relationships. What's the point of having any relationship with anyone if that person is going to hurt you? What's the point?

About love: Again,what's the point? It's all futile. We have come here alone, we'll all go alone... How can one trust someone so much as to share his/her intimate details of life with the partner? I don't trust human beings. And how do people trust each other? Really,this petty race of human beings never ceases to be a marvel to me.... We are like tiny ants...all working relentlessly, all in search of something, always running as if the world won't wait for us... always trying to catch up with time. God knows for what! Time doesn't wait for anything or anybody. What are we but minute ants in the face of Universe? And when will we realise this?

And when will we stop treating fellow humans as insects, as if they don't have a reason to live? Money,money,money... We are all running after money, hankering wildly, blindfoldedly, like a pet horse- we see only what we are asked to see- and what we are taught, conditioned and what we hold to be true-MONEY. We don't care for love, mutual respect, compassion and all that nonsense... All we care for is money. As if money will buy us love.We look down upon those who don't have money. Ha! The foolishness of the human race! As if this money will buy us love, the compassion of fellow humans!

The human race is bound to be doomed. There is nothing that can stop it from self-destruction.