At the airport

What does a person do when his or her flight gets delayed and he/she has to wait agonizingly long hours at the airport? Some people start reading a book, some start working on their laptops, some go to the food court and eat something, some decide to do some shopping and some like me decide to do a bit of all this and observe other people doing whatever they are doing.

So while doing the same, I decided to start off with the people sitting just next to me. My immediate neighbour seemed to be totally engrossed in his digital camera-taking pictures and looking at the clicked pictures. His utmost interest in the same made me guess that he had recently purchased that camera. As he started to notice that I am noticing him, I looked for someone to observe, a little boy of 4-5 yrs made it easy as he came running to me, passed me a smile and offered me a sachet of tomato ketchup. I, trying to be a sport, smiled back and took forward my hand to accept the offer and he suddenly took back his hand. He again extended his hand to offer me the ketchup. I, knowing his intentions very well, decided to play on with him. As he took back his hand once again, he started laughing and ran back to him mother shouting, “Mummy,Mummy” probably hoping to recite the whole incident to her.

The next person I set my eyes on was totally immersed in his laptop. Observing a bit closely, I realised FRIENDS was the thing that was keeping his mind and his head still. He was totally unaware or rather not bothered about what all was going around him. You must be thinking that this isn’t something new. You always find people lost in FRIENDS no matter what the place is. I thought the same and couldn’t hold back a smile. In the meanwhile, I noticed a lady in her mid 40’s sitting at the back of that person staring at me in disgust. I think she was of the opinion that I trying to make a pass at her daughter sitting alongside her. To make myself clear, I wasn't!

Now I decided to move around the airport and explore some other areas. As I moved into the shopping arcade, I saw a couple of girls busy in their shopping. Moving from jewellery to clothes and back. One of them received a call from someone, I suppose, close to her. This supposition is based on the way she addressed him( I am sure about this). But the poor guy soon enough realised that nothing can come between a girl and her shopping when the girl frantically kept saying, “ Bye, Bye, Bye. Let me shop.”

I started feeling hungry and went to a eating joint inside the airport. As soon as I entered the cafe, I saw a couple trying their best to explain to their son that their flight was ready for departure and they had to leave. The son, on the other hand thought finishing his sandwich was higher on the priority list. After much persuasion, the child agreed to carry along the sandwich but not without a pout on his lips.

As I moved towards security check, I saw S. Sreesanth( Indian Cricketer) walking a few steps ahead of me. As we moved towards the escalator, Sreesanth preferred stairs over the escalator. Whether for fitness reasons or for the fear of escalators, I am wondering the same myself.

A tale of 3 cities

Over the last 3 weeks I have had the good fortune of spending one a piece in arguably the 3 most important cities of India-Mumbai, Delhi & Bangalore. All three have been the pillars of Indian economy over the last 50 years but beyond that, all three of them have a unique identity.

Mumbai, the city of dreams is a city which never sleeps. This was something I had just heard from people till I realised for myself when I visited Juhu beach at 2 am and found hundreds of people present there and enjoying the sea. Ofcourse the same thing has a downside, finding hundreds of people late at night means you will find thousands in the day. The city becomes a nightmare if you have to travel from one place to another between 7 in the morning and 10 in the night. You won't find place to drive your own vehicle and you won't find air to breathe in public transport. But then a walk at marine drive or sitting at the Bandra bandstand in the evening/night makes all the sufferings of the day worth it.

Dilwalon ki Dilli/Delhi has its own charm. Being a north indian myself, Delhi is much closer to my heart. A city which is the power centre of the country, a city which is of utmost historic importance to the nation is also a city where construction is an on going process which means dust and pollution make you sick. Delhi has that unique ability to look like the place to be and at the same time a place never to be at. Go to most of the localities in Old Delhi and you just want to get out but then driving through the Akbar roads of Delhi on a sunday morning is an experience in itself when one cant stop thinking-What do these ministers do in such big houses!

Moving down south to Bangalore was something I was circumspect about. I had never been into a southern indian city which worried me as to how I will cope up with the language barrier but Bangalore turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Bangalore seems like a bigger and a populous version of my own Chandigarh. A city which is undoubtedly the IT hub of the country has retained its Garden City status thorugh the years.Bangalore is a place where you can still breathe fresh air, something that is not very common these days. The rains and windy weather have been a fresh change after experiencing the heat in Delhi and Mumbai. Banglore has its own negatives ofcourse-the auto-wallahs are ready to drain your pockets the moment they realise you are not a local and would ask for money that would shock even a Dilli-wallah. Bangalore has its own traffic problems wherein you will be stuck in a jam and you won't move for a good 15 minutes unlike the traffic jams of a Delhi or a Mumbai where you keep crawling.Besides this, I don't have much to complain about this city as of now though spending more time might bring out a few more things to lament about.

So all you have to do to have a good time in any of these cities or for that matter any place in the world is to mend according to it because there was a reason when St. Ambrose said "When in Rome, do as the romans do."

Find a Way

I look at them & feel a connection
in them I see my own reflection
then why have we grown so much apart
why have we lost all regard

Its not long ago we were still one
but why now in between has come a gun
just because someone drew a line across our lands
we still could have held on to each others' hands

The sad truth is now we are two
noone knows when & due to who
dont tell me those two dates in august
sometime before must love have left us

Some of ours still live across the line
rather all across the line are like mine
then why are we reason for each others' agony
giving others' a reason to laugh at our irony

We all need to think of a solution
a solution to restore the relation
like it or not, next to each other we have to stay
so together we will have to find a way

Daughter of a Daughter

She said I want to study

To fight the world I want to be ready

But I will take care of you my child, said her mother

Soon she was married against her wish by the father



She toiled in the day, she cried in the night

Her mother couldn’t do anything about her plight

She was left alone & unequipped in her fight



Soon she was blessed with a child

Overjoyed with emotions she couldn't control her smile

But the husband seemed sad, he said, “I wanted a boy”

She said, “She is my boy & she will be my joy”



It was made sure the child went to school

The husband banished the child & acted as a fool

The mother made sure the daughter didn’t lack any tools



The child went on to be a bright child & a great daughter

She even allured her stubborn father

“Do you want a boy” asked the wife one day

He said, “No, as from me I don’t want any of her love to be taken away”

Wake Up

I look at them and feel sad
the people of my country
their situation is so bad
social or monetary

We lament the financial meltdowns
having gone tart
forgotten india in our towns
we shallow hearts

Some dying of hunger, some of biting cold
those poor souls
No water & no power putting life on hold
India shining with black holes

fighting a battle each day
my fellow citizens
making troubles turn away
these brave men & women

I am one among you all
living with a fake make up
Acting tall & being small
my friends, its time to wake up

The Panna Story

I spent the last week in Panna District of Madhya Pradesh as part of the Govt Immersion Programme started by IIM Indore. I must say the experience was amazing and I learnt a great deal. Though it was a lot of fun, it was eye opening as well. I saw how a boon can be a bain as well!

Panna can be a perfect example of how a city suffers from its own resource. Panna is a city having about 45 % area covered under forest land which includes the famous Panna tiger reserve but by admission of the people of the district and the local administration that is the biggest problem for Panna. The forest covers Panna from three sides which makes a rail link impossible as the forest authorities won’t let a rail link be brought in through the forests. This is one of the biggest reasons for Panna to be featuring among some of the most backward districts in India according to some surveys. The presence of Panna tiger reserve, Panna Diamond mines, Pandva Falls, Chaumukhnath(a 7th century old temple with the main attraction being four idols of Bhagwan Shiva in different moods) and also being only 50 km away from Khajurao makes Panna a potential tourist destination. Tourism seems to be Panna’s only hope at this time and non availability of good connectivity to the place makes industry a distant possibility with certain units having opened and closed in the past having faced transportation problems. Though it may be argued that Tourism also requires connectivity, which is true, but if we look at it from a different angle- Panna tiger resere is just 30 kms from Khajurao and the Pandva falls 10 km from there and the city 10 km further which is a sort of tourism corridor so road connectivity can do good for it. Panna is a beautiful place with beautiful people, you can admire this statement better only after you see the cleanliness in the city. All it needs is some help so that it can fully utilise its potential. This help has to be both from the government and the private sector. Spending a week with the government officials made me realise they are trying to do a lot but a bit more is desired.

As it is

In life's twists and turns
Try to make things simple
Its not tough to learn
If you try to make things simple

We cry and we complain
but cant we take it as it is
a plateau will never be a plain
so cant we take it as it is

Days will be good and bad
if only we look at the positives
life wont be sad
if only we look at the positives

It may or not be true
but do consider these views
trivial will seem life's blues
so just consider these views