Bucket list

This was a list that I had compiled in 2007 after attending a session at Deloitte where we were told about a guy who had a list of 127 things to do in his list and ended up completing over a 100. I was inspired and this is what followed...This is more or less a static list. There are of course more additions and less deletions.

Do:

1. Fly a plane (learn)
2. Parasailing (Completed in Naukuchiyatal, Uttaranchal)
3. Bungee jumping
4. River rafting in India (Completed in Arunachal)
5. Make a Sky Dive
6. Do a deep sea dive for corals
7. Snorkeling for corals (Completed in Lakshadweep)
8. Complete a professional course in mountain climbing
9. Complete a professional course in Skiing from Gulmarg (2 days course done - Full pending)
10. Go Fishing (Done - Didnt enjoy it as much as I thought I would)
11. Collect currencies of 100 countries in the world (Done)
12. Watch an NBA game
13. Watch an F1 race - Live!
14. Train journeys: Trans-Siberian
15. Train journey: Jammu – Kanyakumari (No longer going to do that)
16. Train journey: Switzerland – Austria – Italy
17. Toy train – Ooty
18. Toy train - Darjeeling

See - Travel :

1. See the pyramids at Giza
2. Go to South America and see Machupichu
3. Great Wall of China
4. Go to the TajMahal 
5. Go on a world tour - Circle the world (Spend at least 4 months doing so)
6. Visit the Eiffel Tower
7. Go on a cruise to Antarctica
8. Go to Greenland to meet the Eskimos
9. Do a village tour in India, Motorcycle diaries style (Done 2 in the south)
10. Light house tour of India (See all the lighthouses)
11. Go to Newzealand for backpacking
12. Trek to the Himalayan base camp
13. Trek to Manasarovar lake and Kailash Parvat
14. Trek to the Annapurna base camp
15. Visit the hill stations of India (A few in Uttaranchal and Maharashtra remaining)
16. Bike trip to Leh and Ladakh
17. Camping for a week in Himachal / J&K / Uttaranchal
18. Experience the thrill rides of Vegas
19. Backpack across Italy
20. See the Northern lights from Norway (Aurora Borealis)
21. Go on a flight from Kathmandu to Paro – (8 of top 10 peaks in the world)

Write - Read - Learn:

1. Write a book
2. Write a second book on India (In progress)
3. Give a live magic show for 30 mins
4. Get proficient in English
5. Learn Spanish
6. Learn Tamil
7. Learn more about the Indian independence story (Books)
8. Read poems by Keats, Dickens and Shakespeare
9. Learn to play the Synthesizer
10. Learn to do professional photography (In progress)
11. Read 2000 books in life time (About 200 done)
12. Learn caricature (Started - Wont progress)
13. Research and learn of various ancient cultures such as Romans, Egyptians, Mayans and Greek

Eat - Work :

1. Eat all of "1000 things to eat before you die"
2. Try the Ribs from Texas, Chipotle in Mexico and Sushi from Japan
3. Work for yourself – Start the Oh fish and drive it successfully
4. Start an organization for the old aged
5. Support one kid
6. Pursue an MBA Degree
7. Play basketball at some professional level.

Random:

1. Experience Zero gravity
2. Run a half marathon (Completed in 2:20)
3. Do a stand-up comedy
4. Work a blue collar job
5. Study the butterflies
6. Get a dog
7. Play poker at a professional level
8. Start a shack at Goa and run it for 6 months

"Set of guiding principles" or a "medium to control masses"?

Religion for me has always been a very controversial topic. Mostly because of the contrast observed in the intended purpose and the ground reality of what religion is today. Idealogically speaking, religion is supposed to be a set of guiding principles of how a  man should lead a just life. While the principles may be different, the underlying values are the same across Hinduism, Christianity or Islam. What religion started out to be was to teach a man to live life in such manner that he becomes one with nature. One set of rules for everyone to abide so that all can coexist peacefully.

What is pitiful though, is what religion has evolved into. Though my interpretation is largely pessimistic and not a generalisation in any manner, glimpses of what I will be speaking are still widely prevalant in todays world.

Religion for me is the sole source of communal problems in our country which the constitution defines as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. Although it is more to do with selfish individuals who have misused the concept for their own purposes including power, vote banks and many more. Religion is probably what led India to get separated from Pakistan. Religion is what killed a few thousands in Babri, a few more in Gujrat and many other instances that I can recall. There are political parties that exist where 50% of their manifestos are based on communal development. India has seen the emergence of caste system and untouchability over the last few centuries. So what fuelled these absurd rites? Caste system started off as a way of dividing the working population based on their profession. It is scary to think of what the same caste system has become today. Religion is often used as a tool by various religious leaders and thinkers to control the masses. The sins committed on the name of god are unpardonable. So how did religion evolve into what it is today? Why was there no control over what started out on a moral high ground. How did we let some people take it over and misuse it? I am not an atheist or a cynic for religion. I am just not happy about its misuse and its evolution into what it is today. I believe that the divinity is lost to some extent somewhere along the its road to where it stands today.

Looking at things differently, religion is essential in today's life. Practically speaking, it is the primary way in which the masses can be given a moral order which all can adhere to. Religion helps controlling chaos by defining a set of rules for behaviour and conduct. But most importantly, religion is the way of life for a lot of people. There are majority of people for whom religion is sacred and sacrosanct. It is the others who malign the concept, with whom my discontent lies.

Is there a solution to this? Can we maintain the sanctity of religion?

Disclaimer: I do not understand any other religion but Hinduism. Even in Hinduism, what I know is probably just the tip of the iceberg. My general discontent is for what I have observed personally and nothing more.

Thinkers, Doers and the "Others"

These broadly are the 3 kinds of men in the world out there today. The Thinkers, the doers and the "others". Way forward would not have been possible had it not been for the first two. Progress cannot happen unless the thinkers and the doers coexist and perform together. It is the third kind, the scavengers, who have lead second hand lives all along and squeezed every penny of the more resourceful ones.

While the thinkers provides a vision, a direction and a way forward, the doer implements and takes the idea / thought to a successful and meaningful completion. Mind you that these two sets are not exactly mutually exclusive. The most effective leaders have been those who have put their thoughts to action, those who have implemented their own strategies to success. Mahatma Gandhi, Adolf Hilter, Mahendra Singh Dhoni have become what they are only because they led from the front. They were able to convert their thoughts to actions.

So why exactly this abstract topic? This is an attempt to evoke thought in you. The world would be such a better place if everyone of us resolve into becoming one of these two instead of trying to pull down someone who actually is out there adding value, instead of criticizing someone who is trying to do something different. Are we making a difference? Are we doing some good to the world out there? Are we doing good to ourself?


Think!

A Tribute

Taken from the theme song of Friends

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
'Cuz you're there for me too...

You're still in bed at ten
And work began at eight
You've burned your breakfast
So far... things are goin' great

Your mother warned you there'd be days like these
Oh but she didn't tell you when the world has brought
You down to your knees that...

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
'Cuz you're there for me too...

No one could ever know me
No one could ever see me
Seems you're the only one who knows
What it's like to be me
Someone to face the day with
Make it through all the rest with
Someone I'll always laugh with
Even at my worst I'm best with you, yeah

:)

What is happiness

I had earlier written a blog on how I defined happiness. A couple of us had a series of discussions around the same and this is a compendium of those discussions.


As we traversed quest for happiness by individuals to getting to define how one perceives happiness, there was one common string that linked them all. That at the end of the day, it is what you choose. I am happy if I choose to be so. Happiness we believe is internal. We can be happy without anything and at the same time, with everything, we may not be. The problem everyone faces today is that they define for themselves a concept of happiness, and then struggle to achieve it.

Further exploring the root cause for the so called, state of being, happiness, we had a diverse views when it came to understanding the term. Happiness is something that is a state of being, which can be controlled to remain calm and composed at all times and attaining such a state of poise is the ultimate goals of life. 

Happiness is essentially a state where one feels at bliss and in unison with the nature. On the other end of the extreme, it is defined as a result of a series of emotions and in essence, the joy felt in the journey of fulfilling dreams and creating even better ones. While some of us argued for the ultimate nirvana where one aims for a state of eternal bliss, the others looked at happiness as a series of countless infinitesimal pleasures. The debate was whether this transient nature of happiness is worth fighting for. One persistent argument was that happiness was beyond being a state of mind whereas the others took a more pragmatic view that happiness is much more of emotions that a constant state.

It is probably up to you to understand whether happiness is a string of emotions or a constant state of being.

What is God?

God - Its origins?

You might have noticed that I have used it rather than a he/she. Mankind has always been dependent. Man depends on his wife for care, for food and for sustenance of a family. Woman has depended on man for security, love and more. The early man feared most natural phenomenon such as thunder, lightning, earthquakes and floods. There were certain aspects that he did not understand about this planet and hence started 'praying' for help. He realized the existence of a greater force which had created all such natural destruction and started worshiping them. Here I believe was the origin. God as a greater force.

Evolution of a fear- Idols and Names

As time passed, due to various reasons which will be discussed further on, the idea of god was attributed with attributes like omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence and eternal existence. Man started worshiping the earth, the sky and each other phenomenon that he is scared of. He started naming each of the forces that he worshiped. Earth god was known as Gaia where as sky was worshiped as Jupiter in Greek history. 

Evolution into an idea - Religion

Religion was only a fallout of the emergence of an idea called god. Each sect had their own way of praying. Each way gradually evolved into a religion which is nothing but an amalgamation of certain ideas of how to lead lives in a just manner. Not all religions had a physical idol as god. A god here refers to a greater force that dictated the moral good in Humans. However, what the religions have today evolved into is a debate in itself.

What is God?

God means different things to different people. God has been the greatest conception of man to solve multiple purposes. God is an idea that gives hope, support and a source of faith.  Out of faith emerges belief in an idea. Early times visualized god as the guiding belief that enabled man to continue without fear of natural disasters. God today has evolved more as an source of belief owing to the values that are taught at our childhood. God is a powerful idea that dictates a moral etiquette.This

God has been created by the weak to rule over the strong (May not be in a literal sense). The Greek, Roman and Aztec histories are examples of how the priests (physically weak) had a say over the warriors class (strong). The priests portrayed themselves as the messengers of god and hence had the ultimate say in areas as diverse as defense and Administration.

Some people need a physical resemblance of the idea to guide them through their journey. Hence the concept of an Allah, A Ram, A Vishnu, A Brahma, A Jesus. Every physical figure that has ever been created by man has always been a man/woman. Virtuous men who have showed the world the way to lead a just life. So God is just a driving force, irrespective of whether you believe in a physical form or in an idea.

The important question

The question whether god exists or whether anyone has seen or if it is a male or a female is irrelevant. The more important question that we need to ask ourselves is whether we believe. Do we believe in something? Do we believe in anything? Do we believe in ourselves? 

My Opinion - I am what I am

God exists. God exists in myself. I am my god. I can. I am my source of belief. I don't agree that someone else controls the universe. There is no such thing as fate, no such thing as destiny.  I make my life. Does that make me an atheist? An Agnostic? May be not. Even I believe in god. Though its not the same as most.

Everything is explained by science. The big bang, the theory of evolution and many more such ideas explain the world I live in. However, I do acknowledge the fact that there is something superior which has started it all. The view I hold is that man has still not achieved expertise to deduce what that is. Until the day, man can explain that superior force which is the reason for all unexplainable things, I will acknowledge.

Why do I need a title?

Its 4.10 in the morning/night. After a tiring day, I hit the bed by 2, which is has been a rarity lately. It was then that a friend of mine mentioned that the 8.45 class in the morning was canceled. This is a feeling that I used to feel as a kid when I suddenly knew that school had a holiday. Be it those political bandhs or because of some problem which was inevitably morphed in the joy of a holiday. After a few rounds of scrabble with unknown ppl, I started thinking. Right from Plato to Pluto. And here are a few of those thoughts that hit me..

If any civilization is to survive, it is the morality of altruism that men have to reject ~Ayn Rand  

 Call me a cynic, call me pessimist, but I don't agree with the concept of altruism. I cannot fathom its presence in today's world. Every action by an individual has an ulterior motive. Each alm you share with a beggar, each good deed that you have done today, everything has an underlying aspect of fulfillment of ones' need. Be it the need to feel good about yourself of be it the need to show others that you are generous. This however, is something most of them deny and would hate to accept. My intention is not to judge someone's action but just to instigate a thought.


I guess its time to sleep.. Too much abstractness is injurious to health.. My interpretation and take on Ayn Rand's statement to follow..

The girl in the mirror

There she was
flowing in pink
jumping with joy
the girl in the mirror

the wind stopped for her
the earth stood still
the birds stopped chirping
the clock stopped ticking

she waited there
for her love, her life
she waited for this day
for it was all she ever dreamed of

There she stood
as colorful as the flapping wings of a butterfly
as beautiful as the rain drop on the lotus leaf
the girl in the mirror

That thing they call HAPPINESS

As I woke up with a smile in the morning, I noticed that I was visibly happy most part of the day. I sat wondering what is it that makes me happy, makes me smile. Often do I feel this way, but its not everyday that i feel this bliss, not everyday that I feel so much at peace with myself. Such a simple question and yet an nonexistent answer. The day I end up answering it, My life would be Utopian!

Come to think of it, I find my happiness in the watching the rising sun along the sea shore, watching the setting sun, the waves! I find it in silence, in solitude, in loneliness, in my freedom to say no and more importantly to say yes! I find happiness in my will, my resolve, in good food, in a country song or in a good book.

I find it in a warm smile, a passionate kiss, a hot cup of coffee, a heartfelt compliment from someone, in watching the stars, deciphering the full moon, staring at the crescent, on a cold winter morning or the unusual showers. I find happiness in a cup of vanilla icecream, the sleep after a hard day work or with the newspaper in the loo :)

At the end of the day, it is what you choose. I am happy if I choose to be so. Happiness comprises of such minute fractions and memories of joy. A kind look or a forgotten act of charity and other such countless infinitesimal pleasurable feelings constitute my happiness.!

As I look back at the happiest moments of my life, strangely its not the cracking the IITs and IIMs that I remember. Its the memories of my family, my friends, the games i played as a kid, time spent with my family that hit me back! Am I surprised? No!!

A smile on someones face because of me is what gives me the greatest joy...

Another year come and gone..

As a principle, I hate Newyears and Bdays and any other so called days that attract too much attention and hype. I somehow fail to share the same joy with which others prepare, plan and proceed to execute the 'Most important day of my life' every new years eve.

So whats the big deal?

You get an year older..
You get together and drink with your friends (after paying 1500 for the couple entry) which otherwise you would normally do at home anyway..
Contrary to my opinions, You have an unnecessary pressure and being good and doing good on the first day of the year
You have resolutions to take and mull over those that you have broken
There is this notion that you have to smile, look good and most importantly, Look Happy!
You notice extraordinary amounts of attention by papers, media and people in general. Guess its just good business

For me all these days are just another day that has come and gone
I rather have fun when there is no pressure to have fun
This pressure and this expectation is probably what causes my indifference

P.S. My MBA is not to be blamed

The life at Hell

3 months into the place and finally free time. Time to watch movies, to do nothing explore the city and most importantly SLEEP.

Now a little bit more about my life:
From the day I entered Hell, I chose to keep myself busy.
committees, clubs, index, projects, proposals, CVs, Disha, HR Forms, Schols, Sports, Classes, Quizzes, KFC, Dominoes, Competitions were the only thing that I could hear.
Everyone here has got be an A++ personality. Now that means is -

• You run to your classes every day because you inevitably get up 4 minutes late
• You get up 4 minutes late because of you slept 30 mins late last night trying to meet the deadline for the economics project.
• You run to the mess so that you can finish food ultra fast so as not to waste time. Of course there are time when you manage to miss it all together because there is 'no time'.
• You always wash your clothes a week late because there was something or the other
• You miss your road trip as you were busy with meetings last week
• You try to do as much as possible in as little time

What I have essentially done after reaching this place is that I have shut myself from the world out there. I stopped thinking about anything else. About the world out there, about others, about those I love, about myself. Now this technique worked so long as I was busy. For the last one week, I was free, free enough to sleep 8 hours a day, free enough to let my mind wander beyond horizons, free enough to think of all those that I constantly endeavored to push out of my mind.

I know I am safe so long as I am here. But what next. I see no life. Not one which I associate with the word Happiness!! :)

Thought for the day - March 21

Solitude shows us what should be; society shows us what we are ~RobertCecil

It is only in solitude that one can think clearly. Think without the influence of others thoughts, others opinions, others biases. That is when you will know what is right for you according you. It is in solitude that you can envision the utopian world as per your ideas and thoughts. Despite the general opinion, solitude is the best gift you can give yourself. The only way you can know self, the only way to know what you want.

The thoughts in solitude arise from self thinking, from within. These are the pristine thoughts without influences and biases, a truest way for self discovery. Solitude shows us our way of the world.

The minute the realm of solitude is broken, influences, restrictions and constraints automatically spring up. In the society most of us live as per the society demands. There are many instances where we do things because it is expected of us. It is almost impossible to break away from its clasps. There is a defined way to live as per the society and unfortunately, to be a part of it, to be accepted by it, we have to adhere to the norms set forward by the society.

So who sets these norms? Who dictates how we should conduct ourselves? Strangely, the answer to this is our own self. People have been following and so we follow too. No body tries to break away. When they do, they are considered to be maverick and unfit to live in. It is very difficult to actually do what we want. Society in general lays shackles to that freedom. Freedom to be what we could be, freedom to say no and more importantly, freedom to say yes!

At the end of the day each of us have subdued to the bonds set by the society and let it dictate our lives. It did show us what we are. What does it take to break free? What is the cost of that freedom?

Thought for the day - Feb 11th

Personality and personal identity are in some ways like co-ordinates on a street map drawn by our intersecting relationships - Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Personality is something that defines what we are. It is the collection of qualities that defines us. This statement took me quite some time to grasp and a lot more time to understand it in completeness. After a lot of thinking, I am still not sure of what Personal Identity is, and how it differs from Personality.

As far as Personality is concerned, this is a partially true statement as what we are, is definitely shaped by the relationships we have at least in the beginning stages of our life. At a time when we are young, we learn the ways of the world through various relationships that we have with parents, teachers, friends and many more. As we grow up, as we mature, we develop the ability to think on our own, attain the ability to differentiate good from bad, act on our own, take decisions on our own and also achieve the capability to make a choice. Hence we develop individuality and personality is shaped also by our actions. Relationships though still play a major role as we learn from the world around, its no longer the only guiding influence they once were.

Personality varies over time. It changes as we keep learning new things and learning and change are the only things that are always there. The extent to which a relationship influences a person also varies from person to person. It depends on the receptivity of a person.

Latenight Perceptions

Day:2 Jan 09! Time : 1.00 AM Mode: SMS Place: Does it matter?

It started when the word truth came up in the discussion and suddenly it all took a 90 degree philosophical turn.

Me: Truth is a very abstract topic... It’s more of a perspective and mostly an adjustment or a self forced belief... Never absolute

Taruna: I disagree… perspective and truth are 2 different things all together.

Me: Some issues yes! But think closely.. What you think now that the earth is round was once thought of as squared a few years back. In your respective terms, both are right.. but the absolute truth is one.

Taruna: Truth is an end in itself where as perspective is a means to reach there

Me: Perspective is the vision of the truth as per YOU! when YOU come into the picture.. its definitely not the end as there are a million more YOUs

Taruna: truth may have multiple dimensions say time and perspective. But in the end it is still absolute. As in all complex perspectives can be broken down to the simplest absolute truth.

Me: That I completely agree.. But u know where the difficulty lies in this world? Its in finding the absolute truth and more importantly knowing that that’s the one! Agree?

Taruna: I agree that’s what is the complexity. Arent we all trying to find if not the same, at least similar answers?

Me: we begin with the pursuit of the absolute truth/answer and more often end up adjusting with something that we think is close/similar! Not every case of such pursuit is fought till the end. And the ones that are.. are remembered for ever!

Taruna: I totally agree but adjustments, time and perspectives are all variables. Whats constant is just the truth.

Me: perfectly said and I couldn’t agree more.. my only contention is that discovering that constant is the toughest part! Wait now i almost forgot what we are arguing on!

Taruna: I said truth and perspective are 2 different things. you said truth is nothing but a perspective

Me: even I agree they are obviously different.. but did you understand why I said that in a lots of cases its perspective.. because the absolute can never be ascertained easily.

That was one of the most abstract discussions I have ever had and more so because it was at 2 in the middle of the night!

Life as we Know it!

It all started off as another one of those regular Teen Soaps where the only conceivable problem to their pea brains was how to get chicks -- Life as they knew it. Come to think of it, the same is the case with most of the youth. Rarely do you find a soul who knows what he wants to do with his life even at 20.

A few days ago I have read about some guy who made a list of 150 things he wanted to do in his life time of which he ended up doing 126. These included things like riding an elephant, building a snowman, Constructing a wooden cabin. Its not that everyone has to make a list, but that you should not repent that you could have done more with your life.

If there is something that you want to see, something that you want to do... Just do it( Nike tag does come in handy ;) ) . There is never a better time than now. Its easy to go along with life. Whats more difficult is to swim against it and do what you really want to do!!

Pursue your passions. Live life king size!