Rendezvous with the God -Ganesh Chaturthi at Pune

Chapter 1:The Beginning

It would have been just another day for me if I was in Delhi or Chennai but I was in Pune, cultural capital of Maharashtra and to skip Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations would have been a sin.So after a lull morning, I decided to put on my traveling shoes and head towards Dagdusheth mandir.One of the most revered Ganesha shrine at Pune and the one which was bombed most recently.

I stepped out to explore the city. I walked steadily to my destination. It was drizzling at a lousy rate, but the exuberance everywhere outweighed it. The entire city was draped in Ganesha celebration .Kids and women dressed in traditional clothes, men wore white ganpati caps .Speakers shrieked praises to lord at high decibels. Every nook and corner of the city installed Ganesha altars. Swarm of devotees engrossed in singing and dancing to the Dhol beats.

“Moriyaa moriyaa moriyaa ho..bappaa moriyaa….” .And then some more -“Moriyaa moriyaa moriyaa ho..bappaa moriyaa….” Continues and fades….

The atmosphere was euphoric.

Chapter 2:The journey

 I walked further and reached Kasba pet. Another famous Ganpati mandir.It was surround by a dozen of  pandals showcasing myriad of ganesha idols in different sizes and forms. Ganesha as Krishna,ganesha as Sai and budhaa and many other avatars and postures.

I am yet to figure out whether it was just a marketing gimmick or a message that God is one.

                                  

More I walked towards my destination, density of flesh and bones grew larger and larger.Reminded me of Chandini chowk at delhi and Mamblam at Chennai.No doubt we are steadfastly moving to become most populous human species in the world.

Closeby,A Ganesha altar was being carried to its destination, surrounding it were few men and women,dressed in white with saffron bands dancing their heart out with the dhol beats. The beats were loud and strong. A dark moustached man with intense look started raising a long double triangular saffron flag. With every inch advance of flag,drum and dhol beats  flared up. Louder and stronger.

“Dham dham dham dhoo. Dhamm dhamm dhammm dhoo”

Louder and stronger! Louder and stronger!

“Dhammmm dhaammm dhammm dhammmm dhammmmm”

It was a war cry. As if the great Shivaji with a blood red tilak on his forehead was preparing to walk out for a war. As if he was unleashing his lions for the battle. Adrenaline rushed, with an imaginary sword at my hand, I felt like a warrior. The Maratha warrior.

Chapter 3: The Darshan

The warrior inside me braved the crowd and moved towards my destination. I could see the tech savvy souls clicking Ganesha pictures before their eyes could capture it.

 “Moriyaa moriyaa moriyaa ho..bappaa moriyaa….”

Slowly and effortlessly, with the crowd I moved towards the idol.A 12 x 8 feet, larger than life elephant god’s idol placed in huge altar dressed opulently with silk and gold. Yellow light illuminating from all directions creating a halo effect. Mouse,modaks and muse at his feet. Calm yet powerful look on the face.

Before I could make a wish or offer a prayer, I was thrown out of the epicentre. 

Chapter 4: The WTF!

I was greeted by smells of vadapavs,lassi and modaks.But it was intriguing to find another crowd of men,gathered at a single shop.

It read:

Ganpati Lottery store (Maharshtra government authorised)

It looked like Indian version of casino. People with meagre wages and high gambling instincts gathered to play Matka.A table with images named Gaay,geend,surya etc etc.people placed their 10rs bets on the object.Lucky one stole the show.

There were lottery tickets as well. A guy with burdened look on his face said to sky

“ganpati bappa,iss baar lottery laga dena”.

Then to the vendor

“Teen 20-20 ke tickets de re..Do Maharshtra ke aur ek Sikkim ka”

After he finished his ritual, I went to him asked: - “Bhia isme kabhi kisi ka lottery lagta bhi hain??

He said:- Aee chicknee tu in sab se duur reh re..ENJOY LIFE! ENJOY!!

And he rushed away on his bajaj scooter with the golden tip.

(Fading voice) “Moriyaa moriyaa moriyaa ho..bappaa moriyaa….”

With some time to spare ,I walked a few steps away and asked a Ganpati cap seller

“Bhia ye shanivar vaada fort aaj khulla hua hain kya??

He replied “Haa.Khulaa hua hain 5 Baje tak.Par kya karoge jaake??

I enquired “kyu bhia..?? Fort dekhunga”

 He asked “Tumharee saath mein bandi hain kya??”

I said  “Nahi…”

He replied “ To faydaa nahi hain, baaki couples ko bhi disturb karoge aur unhe dekhkar khud bhi disturb hoge”.

Tu kaha se hain?? Teri awaaz se Pune ka nahi lagta,isliye tujhe advice diya,nahi to main Marathi logo ko nahi deta.

I said, “Main delhi se hu”

 God, gambling, racism, aggression and lovemaking co-existed in hundred meters of radius.

Chapter 5: The Enlightenment

As I walked away, I came across an old building with a runty single room house at the ground floor with tattered walls, rain water gushing inside .It was jam packed with a steel almirah , a single bed ,a stove and a newly bought clay Ganesha idol.

They were praying exuberantly with vigor. The house had as less space as a mouse hole , a small girl even stood outside the house to pray. Still they looked happy and satisfied.

It rained heavily. Shell shocked, perplexed, I was there for a long time. What has God given to them? Why are they still believers? Why do they spend a chunk of their earnings in prayers?

Sometimes god is neither found in the holiest shrines, nor he is found in richest households. he is sometimes found within the hearts of humble unattached souls.

He is found in the form of hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

When you possess nothing, he is a possession.

When nobody cares about your existence, he is a belief that at least your creator is bothered.

He is found in the form of a friend, with whom you can share your deepest troubles.

He is found in the form of love that unites you with your loved ones.

He is also found in the form of forgiveness for the wrongdoings that the world has done unto you and in the form of repentance for your mistakes.

He is also found in the form of gratitude, for whatever little you possess.

I thanked Ganesha idol in the small house and moved on !

Why I became a vegetarian?

It’s been almost six months now since I became a plant eater, but the upheaval it has created in my social circle is still afresh. My reception at home has not been a very pleasant one. Every relative or friend I meet, tries to convey me with his own unique theory to switch back to killing animals. 

“Beta,abhi to tumhaare khaane ke din hain,50 ke baad chood dena”

“Thoda thoda khaana chahiye,jyaada mat khao”

“Ye jaanvar to bane hi marne ke liye hain”

“Non veg na khaane se insaan,dheela ho jaata hain”

“Lagta hain iska kisi vegetarian tamil Brahmin se chakkar chal raha hain”

When words don’t work, they seduce me with every mouth-watering chicken dish available in this planet.  Apologetic looks from others, sometimes gives me nightmares that my hands and legs are chained and others are trying to stuff the chicken leg piece into my mouth. If such a frugal act can create such a fuss, I wonder what will be the situation if I declare celibacy or elope with an outcast girl.

So why did I quit eating non vegetarian food??In real sense, I have not quit anything. you actually never quit anything,you just move to a higher level.Suppose now you own a Maruti 800.In some time if you become financially affluent, you might buy a Honda city, and in later run you might own a BMW.Does it means you have quit Maruti? No, you bought a BMW because you are competent enough to drive maximum happiness out of your life. Similar is the case with me.

My happiness was defined and limited to chicken. Party for me was synonymous with chicken. A Paneer on the table instead of chicken would drop my endorphin and dopa-mine levels. Earlier it was my taste buds that received sensory happiness. Now I drive a better happiness.

There is a greater satisfaction that I am being compassionate towards animals, a sense of gratification that I care for my health and not knowingly imposing myself to deadly diseases, gratitude towards the mother earth and a feeling of service towards poor.

If you understand it, well and good. Otherwise, Kanna please keep calm and at least respect my constitutional “Right to eat” (If it exists)

Go green!

References:
learn about becoming a vegetarian
top ten reasons to go vegetarian
50 good-reasons to become a vegetarian

The Power-Fire ball"

                                                           The power-fire ball

Power is the ability to attract and redirect thoughts into action. The attachment to materialism and desires gives birth to the power. Thus power lust is inevitable. How we quantify power is a subject to reference frame of different societies and ecosystems. It could be quantified with money, respect, love, fame or ideas etc.

 “Power is like a fireball, if channelised precisely it is constructive energy, if misguided it is a catastrophe.”

Power like everything in the universe has both the extreme ends. It is black (+)as well as white(-).

(+)Great prophets like Jesus, Buddha and Mohammad to leaders like Gandhi and Mandela possessed the power and have shaped history, and people who possess the power will continue to mould the future. But power has repercussions and obsessions attached to it.

(-)The real test of strength and character of a man is his actions when he has been handed the power. He might subdue the weaker ones for his motive and prove his mettle. Hitler killing the Jews to corrupt politicians scavenging people’s money and life. Nuclear weapons proliferation to male dominance around the world throughout history. Horrible boss at the office to an everyday example of man killing an animal for taste buds is testimony to the fact that the power lust blindfolds the mankind.

If power is a fireball, discontentment (+/-) is a fuel to it. A handful people earn great wealth (+/-) and riches, so tremendous that they can’t spend their entire money in their lifetime, even if they wish to. But they are never satiated by their possession, because money is not just a method of exchange, it generates power.

When the power is seized or denied, the soul cries for it. Man keeps pouring the fuel of discontentment to himself. Either he patiently (+) rubs the stones to create the spark or slips into the hollowness and accepts the state. In extreme cases it is suicidal.

The only way to control the power and save yourself from it, is to keep lighting the lamps of souls who lack it

But no matter what you do or intend to do, you always seek some kind of a power. The journey for the attainment of power will burn you the extent you desire it, question that matters is,

                       “Is the burn worth it? “ 

When Rejection meets death..

                                                         

Prologue

As I entered the cathedral, at least a dozen people were weeping profusely. What the Fuck?Its ok,I lost a six figure job and I feel dejected after the rejection but why the hell  are you people crying? –I said in a low tone to myself.

Chapter 1- The New year gift

With limited pennies in the pocket, me and my team “The Conrods” were marching towards the Dhaba Express to satiate our lust to celebrate the new year’s eve.

BEEP(my mobile rings). It’s an e-mail

“Humais I have got a mail, it’s from a company. I am not sure, what does it mean?”

Humains and promit,the two potential stalwarts of Mahindra  bounced to my mobile to have a look at it. It read:

Hi 

Wish you a very Happy & Prosperous New year 2014. 

We believe, you have received the courier from us regarding your Letter of Selection, Application form, Medical forms, Permanent Employee Number form and allied documents. 

Please send us the filled Application Form I & II, Medical report, Permanent Employee Number form and the the allied documents via courier.

Kindly confirm your last date of examination & project completion date via return email.

Kindly revert for clarifications if any. 

Thanks & Regards,

Ajay Gupta

HR, Sanmar Corporate Division

 Is it from the same company, you attended an interview?,’ Humais inquired.

Actually it was from the company in which me and some of my friends underwent three interviews, a group discussion, one written and a psychometric test ,so it will be ethically wrong to say “underwent  AN interview, but I said Yes.

“Bro,Congrats.it’s a confirmation mail. You have got a job now, you are placed. What better way to start a new year “, Humais said.

(Amused, bewildered and excited)

 “How is it possible?, I was not shortlisted “I said. Although I felt I fared really well and it was the best among my very few interviews and deep inside I could not believe how Santa clause had managed to fulfil my wish in a span of 7 days. Maybe be he has upgraded his reindeers or switched to DLF,’ I thought.

 “They might have forgotten to contact you and now they are sending the official mail.” Promit said.

Okay,  that sounds like a possibility,’ I Said.

Congrats Animesh, Just contact them tomorrow for clarifications.The job is almost in your pocket

,’Shiva said

Yes,this looks a decent idea. Thanks shiva’ I said.

Yes, the happiness was slowly seeping into my nerves .Chants of treat; treat and treat were all around. Though I effectively managed to ignore them, not because I was not willing to (fingers crossed) but because I was still not sure whether I had nailed it down.

Chapter 2 – The Good,the bad and the Ugly.

Next morning after having conversation with my father,I decided to reply them.It read

Sir,

it will be my honour to be a part of esteemed Sanmar group, and i am looking forward to this opportunity with high spirits and zeal. My project and examination will be over by 20th May,2014(Tentatively),I would also like to bring to your notice that i have not  received the courier so far.Please tell me the procedure to obtain it.

Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year!

Regards,

Animesh Shah

SRM University, Mechanical engineer

With the same high spirits and zeal, I decided to meet the HR. After having a stale breakfast at the mess, I started my expedition for Rojgar(employment).

With waves of uncertainty within my mind, I boarded the train to Marina Beach.At Tambaram,my phone rings.It was from a landline.

“Hello, I am Ajay Gupta calling from Sanmar group. Am I talking to Mr.Animesh? ‘’

“Yes sir, Animesh here”

“Animesh, I just received your  e-mail. I am really sorry that you have not been finalised for the Sanmar group.It was a human error from my side.I Am really sorry.,’Ajay said

Silence..Silence..(10 deadly seconds)

“Ok sir.(Sh) It happens,I am on my way to your office,I would like to meet you,’ I said in heavy tone.

“no need to come,that won’t make any difference” Ajay said.

“No problem sir,I would just like to meet you.” I said

It was soon followed by an e-mail,it read

Hi Animesh

Apologies. This email was sent to you mistakenly. Kindly ignore this email.

Thanks & Regards,

Ajay Gupta

HR, Sanmar Corporate Division

Whooo,it was not the first time I was handed a lemon instead of a  lemonade, but it  was possibly the most sour one handed to me Kindly.

I felt like a child, being snatched away from his favourite nipple, or like a bear awoken from his slumber or like a student handed with a fake leaked paper or like a bride with dowry mongering in laws and many more.