Shades of Being Alive

A historic day, this. And I am proud my lifetime has been witness to this new beginning. But for me & a lot of us the most interesting fact about this historic set of events is how politics have been taken away from leaders dropped from the top, from the tangles of money, muscle, caste, religion to the general common people and their common issues. The people seem to ask for their stake in democracy. For long, political leadership or scams have been topics of discussion in our drawing rooms, but when it came to doing something about it beyond voting, every body stood with their hands up. 'This is not our job', they would say. Now look at what has happened, it all began with a Anna movement, that ignited all the fire and anger around an issue that pervades every life, corruption. The leadership divides and take different paths for the change they together envisioned. One of the group takes mainstream politics. A party is formed, aiming at a Vidhan Sabha elec...

For long, a wedding for me meant food and an outing if it was of someone not closely related; wedding in a close relation, meant family get-together, listening to the elders gossip about each other and of-course food. Lately, music, dance and taking photos was added to the list that excited me about an Indian wedding. In the latest phase, just before I went to this wedding (that is the focal point of this particular sharing) I began to be cynical about the way wedding process happened. Every ritual (reet/rasam), I believe, would have a logical reason, as per the time it must have originated. For instance, I can rationally think, what must have been the reason behind the bridegroom perched on a mare (ghodi), it would have been that with all the stuff worn by him, to walk to the venue of the wedding (that was generally bride’s home or village), it could have turned out a bit tedious, hence, the mare. Now, the bridegroom would not go alone, therefore, accompanied by dear ones. W...

Today when I am asked to join Youth Alliance, full time, I am humbled! Thank you Prakhar Bhaiya, Kishan Bhaiya, Shefali Di, Sanjeev Bhaiya, Vibhuti and all others. When I look back last 9 months or so, when I first encountered the Youth Alliance's Lead the Change link on Facebook in late February and today when this offer is made to me, iIsee a whole world getting upside down for me. Then I struggled to survive, was doing some things in college, but was largely insecure and unhappy. Then, I doubted all the ideals that I came with to Delhi, to college, frustrated with the way things worked, YA came like a breath of fresh air, I could recover those ideals that iIhad during school. And when I reflect back today, I realize things flowed quite smoothly with LTC happening very well for me, followed by Gramya Manthan which too helped improve my perspectives a lot, consciously-unconsciously i started feeling for the cause, all rational judgements aside, i was enjoying ...

Years throughout my childhood, i have grown up listening to this phrase from my parents. As i grow up, i am understanding its real meaning. Last few days, i have had an encounter with this more than ever before. i found my habit which is born out of some form of ego, of not saying No. And result is i overburden myself. Layers and layers of such acts and then finally comes a state, when the bird inside me feels enough of it and then it struggles to break free. Break free from the cage of procrastination. And when the cage is broken, it affects relationships, both work and personal. Now, i can imagine one of the many reasons of red-tapism in the country. And how it is linked to this habit of not giving straight, honest answers. By the way, in our journey last few days, we had some intriguing experiences with NDMC and its bureaucracy. The hypocrisy. The bottle necks. The policies. The rules that keep gathering dust. The files that keep travelling to-and-fro between tabl...

Why do we need numbers to prove ourselves? Why do we need marks to tell us that a student is brilliant or not? Why is it achievements in competitions only considered achievements? Numbers, marks or competitions as far as I can think were just a tool to relatively consider various items in a space. Not to make conclusions that one is superior than the other. Probably to say by the given standard, various items may be placed relatively in a particular order. But now, it seems we are obsessed with them. Until we do not have our GDP growth rate falling, we do not know that this country need policy reform. A student must have marks to prove her/his mettle. A simple application of common sense can tell us what piles of analysis of numbers can't. Every child has a genius, but when looked with different perspectives, not forcing them to go through a rigid system like in a factory. It pains me when students catch inferiority complex because they do not get good ...

There have been numerous occasions when I have felt that, Enough, I am tired . In all senses of the word, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially.   But the bliss of Tiredness came to me,  almost in an instant, while lying at a random lawns this evening under the sky in the shade of a tree. When the mind was completely at peace, no more thoughts, no more desires, no disappointments. Peace. Serene and exquisite peace. And before I knew I was asleep. It was hot, though an occasional breeze did rouse our emotion. Yet, it was the most pleasant weather to be in. This beautiful phase of freedom, I call it freedom because here we are free, like a child, of any shackles of worldly sophistication. This phase had come after an honest toil of all senses of our being. Where limits were redefined only to be redefined again. And the feeling is heavenly.  Like the resources of mind, body and soul have been utilised, for good. And for that briefe...

One very significant thing that Nature teaches us is Balance. And Timing. From the moment when this Universe came into existence, to the moment when a new life takes birth, Balance and Timing  have defined terms. What is it like when monsoons do not arrive on time, or arrive in abundance or scarcity. What it would have been like if sun did not set and rose in its usual way.What is like when lyrics do not match with the rhythm. What it would have been like if water was to freeze and ice was to melt not at a hundred degrees Celsius. To understand Nature's Balance and Timing, we do not need to go to any peak or delve deep into a forest or stay under water for hours. The miracle, The greatness of such Balance and Timing is very much with us, every day, every minute, every briefest of moments! Our Own Breath. How beautiful is it to feel ourselves breathing. How wonderfully each breath, without us knowing give us the gift of life. How serene it is to think of the bal...