What is secret to remain happy?

Two days ago I was with friends in Delhi, at the end of the day we decided to go Lal Quila . As we didn’t have much time and got tired, we decided to sitting beside a wall on a so called bench outside Lal Quila. So many people were also sat on that long bench. Some were sitting idle, some were talking and some were giving fake smile towards their friends who holds camera. I was also giving fake smile and when I got tired to smile, I began to watch people around me. I could watch people going here and there, looking like they are searching for some happy moments. I was watching towards right, suddenly a 7-8 years old girl came from left to right direction. She wore dirty frock. She was walking in different way, like there are little springs in her legs. She had her own little world where she was walking. In the crowd of people, she was looking like little lotus in that mud of people. While I was observing her, suddenly I thought “What she is doing here alone? Is she is a beggar, who forgot his job. Then I saw towards left to ensure this. But I saw a woman is also coming towards her, might be she is her mother. That woman sat on same long wall which was used as bench. She called that girl and that girl ran and sat beside her. I never saw a child sitting quietly for few minutes especially when somebody tell him/her to do so. That girl also did same and began to jump on little springs of her legs in circular path. Suddenly she sat near me and gave me mysterious smile. Then she again starts her jump game. While she was playing with herself, her mother was looking like tired traveler of journey of life. She was in deep thought and she may be thinking about problems of their life. She was not looking happy while his little angel has nothing to do with what is going on mind of his mother.

Both that girl and his mother were in same situation and living in same physical and psychological environment. Girl was happy but her mother wasn't  What is the secret of happiness of little girl? When I first thought about this. My mind immediately rose point that because girl didn't know about the problems of life under the shelter and care of her mother. But my eyes told to me that I had seen so many happy children with empty stomach, torn and dirty cloth, mostly barefoot. My mind becomes Manmohan Singh.

During the drought of thoughts in my mind, I realized that children know secret of happiness. Children can be happy in any situation because they have ability to forgiveness. They can easily forget something. They can easily forget quarrel with known or unknown friend, they easily forgive the people and situations who hurt them. I can say that a good memory is one of the obstacles to remain happy. But still I can’t find the all the reason of happiness of that girl.

Can you find?

Still think like a child ?

After 23 years of my life, after facing some good and bad situations, after reading few words, after visiting few place of this earth, after meeting some people of the world, I am still thinking about, what are the ultimate realities of life? When I was child the little world around me was reality for me. As I grew older I feel that there was no reality there. Whenever I see a child crying for a thing, quarrel while playing or laugh unnecessarily than I immediately see mature person around him, he/she is generally silent or react when it is necessary. Elder person around that child know that whatever that child is feeling and reacting, is not reality. That is just the blow his mind is receiving from physical things around him. That is just because child does not have knowledge regarding this world. Child is newcomer in the world. Child doesn’t know that toy for which he is crying this moment, with which he wants to, play and take in his hands, after playing with him for some time; he will be no longer excited for that toy. If a child didn’t see his mother for few moments and he become uneasy, may be start to cry. Obviously you can say this is love for his mother. But actually that child is crying because he is unable to see his mother for past few moments. Whatever he see and feel, are the colors of his painting of world around him.

As a child grows and spend more time in this world, interact with people, animals and things around him/her. As mind develops, child becomes adult. He/she left useless things that he usually did in childhood and sometime smile when remember about them. Adult people think that they are more intelligent and wise than children. They consider themselves superior than a child. But I am not fully agreed with this fact. I am not saying that children are more intelligent and wise but sometime feel that some acts of wise ‘adult’ people are comparable with acts of children.

About one year ago I attended a seminar on software engineering where T. V. Gopal of Anna University, Chennai was main speaker. Auditorium was full of chairs for participants expect first row where sofa was there. I was in second row just behind sofa. After 30 minutes of seminar, I feel boredom as software engineering is not my subject and I started to observe here and there. I was watching arrangements by organizer, furniture and volunteers standing at doors and in corners. Then I saw a person seat on sofa. He wore dirty clothes, hair was completely white and his shoes were old, dirty and damaged. I was bit surprised by watching that person there. He was watching constantly towards speaker and nodding his head as he is giving approval to whatever is being told by speaker. By watching his clothes, shoes and hair, I thought what he can understand that he is nodding his head. I thought that he is nodding his head so that people behind him thought that he can understand although he can’t. Later when Gopal sir was telling about relationship between computer science and mathematics, that person suddenly stood up and said, “Give me two minutes, I want to say something.” He stood up with face towards us. Then he started to speak more about mathematics and he told very interesting things. I totally got shock by the way and confidence he spoke. After five minutes he sat down and I was watching his dirty shirt and hairs from behind. I was thinking, I judged that person just by watching his clothes and shoes which have nothing to do with wisdom and nature of person. I was thinking how immature I am..! I was feeling like small and fool. Many people may think like me, they judge a person just by his/her external appearance.

Isn’t it childish?

Truth is always hidden; you can’t see that just by your two eyes.

Indore diary [4] : Paanch rupye ki fati hui note...

What first comes in your mind, whenever you hear “Indore”. Honestly when I first thought seriously about indore, I thought what is reason of name “Indore”. I found through Wikipedia that this is due to Indrashwer temple. Sand of time polish name from Indrapur to Indur and finally to indore.

At the end of my first journey through van in Indore, I gave 10 rupees note and van driver return me 5 rupees note. But when I saw the bad condition of that note, I immediately complain to driver but he gave little attention towards me. “Are bhiya, chal jayega”, after this words he accelerated van and I was watching five rupees note in little storm of dust. I thought he was mad person who wants to get rid of that note, it’s better to forget such people.

For Indori people: a rare fresh five rupee note

But next day same incident happen with me, but this time my friend was also with me. When I was about to complain, he pulled my arm and say “are yar indore me chalta hai”. I briefly look at five rupee note and reply, “really”. Whether it’s a van, auto rickshaw or any restaurant, everywhere any type of five rupee is acceptable irrespective of condition of that note. Now when anyone refuses defective note of five rupee, I immediately remember Indore. Strange but true, a torn note of five rupees reminds me of Indore.

In Indore, breakfast means poha and/or jalebi. In almost every street, one can easily find Poha shop. Just like Tom with jerry, if there is Poha, there must be ‘Sev’. In Indore, people can see Tom without jerry, but there is no possibility of Poha without Sev unless one doesn’t want to take breakfast. During the whole year when I was in Indore, I ate Poha, Poha and only Poha in breakfast. (There are very-very few exceptions) Now when I eat Poha sometime it reminds me of Poha city.

A view of sarafa market at night

Until the day I visit sarafa, I never thought Indori people are so crazy about food. Sarafa in Indore is less known for jewellery than food. During day time jewellery shop are open and in evening up to midnight jewellery shops get closed and place is full of street vendors selling different type of delicious food. If you are in Indore and your friends say that ,”Let’s go Sarafa”, this means for exploring food only and nothing to do with gold or silver. Sometime I think, may be some crazy foodies ask for food at jewellery shop during day time. An unimaginable thing for other cities. Chappan bhog near palasiya is another place in Indore for food explorers. Chapppan bhog is market having shops of many types of foods.

India invented zero and every Indian has proud of it. But everybody talks about zero who cares about one(ek). Only a true Indori understand the value of one(ek), for him/her everything is either “ek number” or “nothing”. My friends in Indore usually tell “ek number” whenever something good they hear or see. I often thought that when will they say two(do), three(teen) or something else. But they never got ahead of one(ek). Sometime I think, One(1) might be invented in Indore.

So next time when you will in Indore, don’t forget to visit Sarafa and Chppan Bhog. Don’t forget to collect your defective five rupees notes to spend at Indore….

Indore is ‘ek number’.

Flowing like water..

I was watching air at the home, thinking about nothing. Door knocked and I opened the door. My two friends, Adi and Sonu came inside. After exchanging few words, they wanted to play carom. I had to agree on their demands. We started to play carom. I was playing just to give them company. All was well for five minutes during those moments they were playing seriously. But after that, they were playing as their wish. They were putting ‘goti’ anywhere on the board, applied full force on ‘striker’ which causes the ‘goti’ fall outside, stop ‘goti’ through finger and so many like this. Initially I got angry on them although didn’t say anything to them. After few such moments, I observe that they were more enjoying the game. I also joined them after feeling their happiness. Before such moments, we were like ice bounded by some rules of god. But now we were flowing like water. Just like flowing water, nothing restricts us. We made our own way.

Although rules define boundaries, but due to them, we can concentrate on a thing. In cricket, if a ball goes outside of boundary line, then there will be four runs. This rule of cricket helps to judge different batsman and a batsman will concentrate to hit ball so that ball will reach beyond boundary line. Rules help us to determine our behavior at different places. 

But when, day and night, we follow rules. Then sometime we feel that rules are bound our thinking and actions or make a virtual box beyond which we never think. When I break the rules and do whatever i want, it feels like I am on the driver seat of my car on an empty road. By break rules, just like my friends did, I feel happiness. If somebody breaking a rule again and again then that person will not feel happiness every time. Because breaking a rule itself, become a rule. As happiness is a feeling and can be felt in any situation. For some people break a rule may not be source of happiness. But for the people like me and my friends, this is always a fun. During my school time, I often open my Tiffin box during teacher taught us and eat food. At that moments I didn’t even look inside Tiffin, use my hands to find something edible. It didn’t matter what was inside Tiffin, but that was most tasty food of the world. A rule in every school defines the timings for lunch. But whenever I broke that rule so felt immense pleasure. Although it doesn’t mean that I didn’t attend classes during my school time seriously but I also enjoyed that moments. I bunk very few lectures during my college time, but whenever I bunked lecture, I felt a thrill in my body, ”oh, what will happen if teacher saw us?”.Memorable chat during that bunk moments were one reason of tears in my eyes on the last day of college. I accept sometime I didn’t follow time table (a rule to define proper timings of a lecture) but that were the moments I never forget.

Mind is like sun and thoughts are like sunlight. Sunlight cannot burn piece of paper unless a proper lens is used to concentrate power on paper. Everyone has capability to achieve success but only few can achieve them. Why? Because successful people can concentrate their thoughts on a particular thing they want to achieve. Rules and regulation are like lens through which we can concentrate sunlight of thought on particular area of life. Rules are important and essential part of everyone’s life, whether anyone want to achieve success or fun.

On roads of a city...

Few days ago, I visited my friend’s city where he lives with his family. Although, now days in most of cities, the conditions of roads are quite well but due to municipal board of same party for past four consecutive times, the situation is worse here. Almost every road was decorated by pits. When I saw a road with very less pits, I felt as I saw an Indian widow after watching so many Indian married ladies. On a few roads, small amount of asphalt was left which gives the feeling, there must be a road there, and people in delusion passing by road. Asphalt of roads thawed by heat of corruption got accumulated in bank accounts. While rainwater accumulated on road.

Well, somehow I reached at my friend’s house. After formal conversation, I told him my opinion about roads of his city. He replied with no sign of any emotion but smiling in between words, “pratik, there are already so many troubles in life and you are talking about roads. There is old friendship between road and pits in my city like the friendship between us.”

At five o’clock in the evening, we left home to go market. We were going through scooter. I was driving scooter. I was continuously facing pits on road. I was trying my best to save scooter from pits but I felt that pits move themselves to come in my way. Although I was trying but almost all my endeavors got fail. I asked to my friend,” How can people of this city drive on this road daily? “

My friend asked,” What are you watching on road?”

I immediately answer,” Pits, lots of pits.”

My friend told, “While we people drive, never watches a pit instead look for road between two pits. That’s how we go through these mazes, everyday.”

After a small countable pause, he said,” If you want to keep moving in your life, than instead of thinking of problem(pits), always think of solution(little road between pits).”

I remain silent, thinking that probably he will consider himself a good philosopher.

Meanwhile civil war between me and army of pits was continuing.  Remaining vehicles went ahead of our scooter like in Olympic race group of foreign athletes are going ahead of Indian athlete. Suddenly a car which was moving ahead of our scooter applied break. I took benefit of opportunity and I drove scooter parallel to car which was not possible before due to rough driving and speed of car. While watching towards driving seat of car, I asked to driver, “Why did you apply sudden break in your car?” He replied with raising his eyebrows and some anger, “Did I ever promise you for this, then why are you asking?” I didn’t prefer to take conversation further. My friend said,” Why are you doing useless argument with him? India got independence on 1947, everybody is free now.”

After few hundred meters there was crossroads, there I saw under the shadow of tree, two traffic police constables were seated on stool, one was reading newspaper and another constable was talking on mobile. As we were going further, the road was getting narrow. I understood that we are entering into old part of city. After few distance, we need to take left turn. While I was driving scooter towards left, suddenly an auto rickshaw appeared before scooter. I applied breaks immediately and saw towards driver of auto rickshaw in perplexity. My heartbeat went high like the bank balance of road contractor after getting a road contract. But he was looking like he is sitting at photograph studio in front of camera and photographer is about take his picture. As I was watching towards him, he drove his rickshaw. I was watching him in side mirror of scooter.

Then my friend saw a famous restaurant. We went there and order two ‘samosa’. I was still in rickshaw moments. I asked to my friend,” Didn’t that auto rickshaw driver can blow horn?” I corrected my question, “Didn’t that auto rickshaw have horn?” My friend answer, “Probably not, but he must have confidence, that’s why he can drive in narrow streets so fast.” My friend was smiling. I was disappointed and surprised by his attitude. I asked him sincerely and in posture of being angry, “You were not like this, during college you complaint for anything happen in class to principal” My friendly replied with smile, “That was to impress girls in class.” After small pause, looking in my eyes he said, “Now, to whom I complaint?”

Indore diary [3]- H.T.D.

After one month of sitting together in a classroom, faces which were looking like stranger now become familiar. But still thread of friendship was no so much thick. There was Teachers day after few days. I could smell the plan of function to be organized in the air. After one day I found the source of smell (fragrance), when I saw some people were talking about function of teacher’s day. I also joined them. Later other people joined us. I took responsibility of schedule preparation and matters related to anchoring. I and Rinkesh, thought about light games for teachers to be played on that day. Everybody take its own responsibility, but actually we worked together in one team. There was just logical distribution of work but physically everybody contribute in everything.

Friendship start with interactions may be in form of talk, sharing a light moment, a smile, sharing together something and so on, list is long. When we do something together with people, during the between those moments you better know those people. Sometime we may not notice. But something in us stores the data about different people. Data about different people in mind decides relationship with different people. Let’s have a experiment, just think about any of your friend, how many things you know about him/her? Before you became friends, did you know anything about him/her? The things that you know about your friend are the data you store in your mind since you are friend with him/her. There are only two types of people in the world- known and unknown friend.

 Nobody can’t say that he/she become my friend on that day and time. Plant of friendship grows with sunlight of time but with fertilizer of interactions it grows fast. This is true with your enemies too. During the preparation of Teacher’s day function, we had those moments. Knowingly or unknowingly, we store the data about each other. That was the starting of friendship between us. Whether it was decoration of computer lab by all of us or disagreement on issue between two people and other people rescue them from each other. Whether clap together and cheer after every song sung by a teacher or small debate over the planning of function. But there was two activities that I `superlike`--Teacher’s day invitation card and preparation of play at Rinkesh’s room.

Invitation card was nicely crafted and beautiful, looking like piece of art. Many people work very hard for preparation of invitation card although unfortunately I was not part of that team. When first time, I saw complete invitation card, for a moment I can’t believe that it was made by people around me. Most of teachers were more interested in, How the card was crafted?. Vasanti mam and Aparna mam were more interested than other teachers. I notice that every teacher had a smile on face when they hold invitation card. That smile was biggest appreciation for the hard work behind invitation card.

Walt Disney said “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Same was true with play. We had a wish to do a play on teacher’s day but there was no script. But we gather just few hours before and script was written on paper of mind with pen of so many mouths. Everybody wants to apply his creative (?) mind. Everybody enjoyed those 3-4 hours. Idea of starting facebook group came into my mind during those moments. After so much mess, script was ready.

Finally at the day of function, everybody performs well. Play was great success. Teachers liked arrangements of function. For them our hard work was their felicitation. That day was over with tea and snacks in the evening, but there was friendship started between us and it won’t over…

Here are the two videos of those days, enjoy:

Indore diary [2]- A day at School of Electronics

I never knew I will post this pic here

In lazy mornings, I was generally first to appear in the class although sometime found Alekh is already there. After put my ‘luggage’ on table, first task was to switch on projector and computer and then to check mail. Meanwhile people with their luggage on back willingly or unwillingly drag their body into classroom. As the time steps towards 9.30 AM, I open slide of embedded system in another window. But I keep continue my task of surfing net. Sometime Alekh replaces me, sometime someone other. But one thing was sure that there must be someone with elbow on dais, struggling with keyboard and mouse, surfing internet usually check mail. Some people were standing outside; some were sitting on chair and some restless souls were going out and in from classroom, looking for chance to surf internet. Suddenly all people rush to their seats which indicates that teacher is about to come in class. I always like to seat in front row. Because whenever I sat on back benches, I have to see so many heads which start the storm of thoughts in my mind. But later after one semester I realize that sitting on back benches is wonderful way to enjoy with friends as sitting on first bench for one semester didn’t make me ‘Einstein’. Then it’s better to enjoy. During lecture, some people were more interested in water bottle.(I was one of them) When a lecture over, people rush to water cooler with their water bottles. Some people never bought their own bottle. (This time also I was one of them) But I always filled water bottle selflessly. Sometime I felt, all bottles in class were of mine. As the time passes I started to calculate how much time is remaining for lunch. When clock shows 01.00 PM, I took deep breath. Now it’s time for lunch.

I always want to have lunch like I had during those days. Not because of quality or variety of food, but because we all sat together for lunch. Menu of lunch was always surprise for us until all people open their Tiffin. I usually enjoyed so many varieties of food, whether it’s all time tasty homemade food or self made food of some Tiffin. Winter season brought together ES, MCT and SIT in garden of department under sunlight. In summer and rainy season, usually people took lunch in their respective classrooms. But if you were still hungry after lunch in your classroom, you could join other people in their classroom. Run fast may be they have completed their lunch. (This time you are wrong, I was not one of them who did that) After lunch it’s time to go canteen to take tea, cold drink, butter milk and samosa for people like me. After lunch, it’s again time for lecture/ lab. Some people like to attend lab or keenly wait for lab so that they can download ‘something’ from internet. They even didn't know about what they want to download. (This time I won’t say anything whether I was one of them or not) As time proceeds, evening spread his wings, now it’s time to leave department. People start to go for home or second home like birds go to their nest in the evening. But some birds were still there; take their steps towards canteen. Those birds like to take tea in evening together.

I always like to spend my evenings like those evening with dear friends with tea in one hand and words in mouth. Day ends until there is tea in cup.

So many things still remain to mention and some things cannot be expressed in words.

Miss those days...

Indore diary [1]- First few days

I was searching for a college where I can take admission for pursuing M Tech. Through a website I came to know about School of Electronics, DAVV Indore. I was not sure about whether I will take admission there or not, but I applied there. But as the date of counseling(7 july 2011) came near as I was getting sure about that I have to take admission there because I didn’t have another good option. Finally I left home for Indore. I spent my night at hostel of DAVV inside the campus at the room of my friend. Next day, I was praying that I would get admission in embedded system branch, unfortunately I got admission in Mobile computing. I realized that life has some limits. But still I was happy.

My first train journey from Udaipur to Indore

At the day of counseling, first time I met Punit. When I first saw him I never thought that he will be my roommate for next one year. There was formal conversation between us.I went home. After few days, I left shelter of my home in search of new shelter at Indore. For 15 days, I stayed at another friend’s place. When I got fail to admission in hostel, I decided to rent a room with Punit

Abhay sir’s battle ground

First lecture delivered by Abhay sir. I still remember his words: “Whatever I will teach in class, will be my syllabus”. He taught DSP. I never attended lectures so attentive except those lectures of DSP. For first few days I attended MCT classes as after that I luckily got admission in embedded system. At MCT class, first time I met to Rinkesh, Lokesh, Priyanka, Ashish and so many other people. I was very happy after got admission in embedded system. I even accept non-stipend seat of embedded system and left stipend seat of mobile computing technology. I was so excited to attend lectures of Rajkamal sir. I even attended two lectures of Rajkamal sir before I secure admission in embedded system. Thanks to satish for support me during those moments. How can I forget slides having dark blue background? The moment I first time entered in classroom after secure my admission in embedded system, I was feeling as I am entering unknown sacred place. I still remember the faces of Alekh, Priyank, Pradeep, Khushbu and Kavita, to whom i saw when i was entering classroom. Obviously I didn’t know their names at that moment but I store their faces in my mind.  Later I tag them. 

Life in tears..

Few days ago when I was at office. As a human, I was going towards washroom, but suddenly, I heard that someone was crying inside female washroom, obviously she was a woman. She was crying loudly. For a moment, I thought “I should go inside and ask her ‘Why are you crying?’ but due to some unwritten and undeclared rules of human society”, I could not do that. Although during these moments, I pretend as if there is a mute sound. I keep continue my steps towards my destination. In return, I again passed through female washroom and that woman was still crying. On the distance of few steps, there was a coffee machine. Although I want to help that woman but I don’t know why, I went to coffee machine and took coffee. I sat there and start listening to sounds that woman made. I heard and analyze her crying sound for two-three minutes. Suddenly, few people from housekeeping staff came there and take her on wheelchair.

I predict there was nothing serious with that woman. While I analyze crying sound of that woman, I found that woman was actually communicate with me, without saying even a single word and even I couldn’t see her. She was wave the message that “I am in trouble, call someone to help me”, again and again. As a human, I could understand her ‘unspoken words’. Until that moment I never thought crying is also important part of life.

A baby often cries to keep his/her mother busy. When a baby cries, people don’t take it seriously as they know the reason of cry which may be thirst or hunger or to attract other people. A baby cries with whole heart and as loudly as he/she can. I can’t understand where they store so many tears in their small body. Heart and body of a baby are pure as they recently came from god’s home. That’s why their tears are also pure. Why a baby cries when he/she born? May be he/she didn’t want to give pain to his/her mother, but he/she is giving. Crying is way to apologize to his/her mother. But after few days, most of babies forgot the pain his/her mother bear during time of birth. Parents, family members and all others become happy when a baby can walk on his/her feet. But later they realize that now the child has more reason to cry. Now child may be cry due to fell down on floor, strike with furniture or anything like this.

Our childhood pass while we were crying for something and laughing after got that thing or until tears become empty. Until childhood, most of the people have same kind of reasons to cry. But as time pass, reason changes. Reason gets complex as life getting complex.

Some people can cry without tears. Crying is not a physical act, its emotional state of a person. We never cry, actually our heart cry. Heart is a link between body and soul. While crying it feels like some fluid from heart come out from eyes in form of tears. Those who can absorb or burn that fluid into their body can cry without tears. Those people cry for longer time, say for hours, days, months, years or sometime for whole lifetime. They are crying even while it seems that they are laughing. Not everyone can understand their tears.

How long one cannot cry? Everyone has to cry in his/her life. Crying is as necessary as laughing; this is one of the peculiar truths of life. Most of the people feel much relaxed after losing their tears. May be, sacred fluid from soul through the heart clean ‘dirt’ inside them. Oh! That’s why tears are salty.

Crying should not be consider as the physical act, this the way by which soul express itself.

Always remember, without soul we are just piece of meat and bones.

Always cry truly.

Don’t forget to smile.

Garden of the night

Welcome to the garden of the night,

On the grass of your bed, with wine of the sleep,

Here you can see without open your eyes, the world of your dreams,

Here you can forget all your pain and feel the pleasure,

Here you forget your body like a yogi,

Here you meet with inner self,

A garden without flower yet you can feel the fragrance,

A garden without sun but you can feel the light,

Welcome to garden of infinite hope,

Welcome to the garden full of miracle.......