Though I am not an avid newspaper reader, so as to get myself acquainted with the current affairs, I recently started reading a lot of things. The predominant ones among them were the recent CWG scam, the 2G spectrum distribution and our very own ADARSH scandal.

Now we all know that there is only one deep-rooted evil responsible for this chaos, and that is what we term as ‘corruption’.

But what exactly is the reason for this corruption? One thing we all know is man’s greed. As the saying goes ‘There is enough in this world for man’s need but not enough for his greed’. Moreover, what bolsters it is our myopia, our short sighted vision of looking at things. Today we all want to progress and are least bothered about others. And this attitude spreads like an epidemic. Like everything else, these bribes, kickbacks, corrupt practices had to originate somewhere. Once born, these required greedy minds to flourish. And what else is more craving for money and power than the human mind. Initially it was endemic, but gradually it became an epidemic. No one can trace the origin of these ideas, but what can certainly be said is that they have grown exponentially. Talking of our short-sightedness as mentioned earlier, I would like to highlight one thing. We all have this desire to live life king-size and today the only thing that can make it possible is money. To achieve it, we resort to all sorts of malpractices, and in the process don’t realise that in the long term it is we and our future generations who will have to bear the brunt of this ephemeral success. What we don’t understand is that our short term goals hamper our long term vision. Had our freedom fighters also been selfish and not thought about us, we would still be ruining under the colonial rule. They had this vision of a free India and it was this vision that motivated them to sacrifice for their motherland. Similarly, we too need to think about our future generation as our current evils augur a disaster for the future. If things are not set right and we continue this way, then I am sorry to say but our descendants won’t have anything good to say about us.

So finally my CAT is done. Now the only thing I can do is wait for the 12^th of January and keep praying that at least on that day my stars (my planets and my grahas) are with me. The past few months of my life have been really testing my spirits and anxiety levels. The reason being that this phase is the most crucial period that every individual goes through.

Before placements started and before I got serious for CAT, things were very simple. Life was all about going to college, bunking (and sleeping) during lectures, going out with friends, and living the way I wanted. However the day, the mind understands responsibility, fears competition, realises that this is the end, some different kind of hormones start playing. It all started during my summer vacations. My CAT preparation had started almost a year back but the seriousness had still not crept in. My mocks started and then I realised where I actually stand. Someone who was aiming for the IIMs was scoring 90 percentile. Merely pathetic!! It was then I realised that I had to gear up. So chalked down a plan and got into its execution. Scores improved but then everyone else also had realised the same thing and as competition is the key factor, it was always relative scoring. We all improved from where we were say a few months back, but relatively stood at almost the same level.CAT prep was going when I suddenly (sudden is a hyperbole though) realised that I was in my final year and the placement season was about to commence. Now the only thing that I hoped at that point was to get placed before my CAT.

Campus started, big names like Morgan Stanley, CISCO, Texas Instruments, and Goldman were in the air. Everyone wanted to get placed in these so called biggies, but luck favours only a few. My stars were not in my favour, so had to come back home rejected after reaching the final rounds. It was during these crucial days that I realised how important luck is! Simultaneously my mock CATs were also showing me where I stand. Though my scores were improving, they lacked consistency. My percentiles varied from 85 to 99. Now the only thought that always bothered me was ‘what if i give one of my seldom bad performances on the D day (i.e.my CAT). This thought was always there at the back of my mind and nothing could be done about it. Gradually, my life started revolving around CAT and placements. Everything else had lost importance. It was only mocks, aptitude tests, and interviews. My mood started getting modulated by my mock cat scores. It was the first time in my life that I was not easily getting the things i wanted. God probably was showing me the tough path. Defeat was something that I had never tasted before. Finally even I had to join its queue. Initially, it was very frustrating but gradually I learnt a new aspect of my life. It was probably the first time I understood that u do not get everything u want. And when u don’t just believe that there is surely something better waiting for you.

I am still on the same path, but now looking at things with equanimity, waiting for that ‘better’ thing to come. It could be anything, my cat result, some campus placement or say some other MBA exam I appear for. I don’t know what is in store for me but would like to thank GOD to show me defeat and its importance early in my career. Because now I can say that I have seen the tougher side of life as well, and can now look at things from a broader view.

Just a few days back I had a nice and a healthy discussion with my friends on our views pertaining to religion and spirituality. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it just struck me that I would like to share my thoughts on this particular topic with whoever is reading this blog.

Before starting with anything I would just like to make myself clear about a few terms

I am in no way saying that I am an atheist and that GOD doesn’t exist

I am in no way condemning one’s belief in GOD.

I am just trying to put down my opinion as any other individual would like to do.

Since birth, each one of is taught to believe in some things that we cannot see, things we cannot hear, things we cannot feel. And according to me the most predominant among these beliefs is to believe in that superpower, the one that controls everything, the one who is the creator of this universe, the one who will decide our doom.

As a child I too dwelled myself into believing this notion, but today at times a thought crops up; Why do we have faith in the existence of something that has always been so abstract? Why do we pray and hope that someone above is there to fulfil our wishes?

I am in no way denying the existence of the Almighty, but would like to present a different opinion rather a rational and more logical one.

According to me, the concept of GOD was created to give man hope; hope in situations where he has lost everything, where he has nothing in his hands, so that he doesn’t break down and still has the optimism that the Almighty is there to help him; that he will be his saviour. Had there been no such belief the very existence of Hope would have vanished. My viewpoint is simple; that possibly ages ago, a group of learned, wise men would have foreseen man’s weakness and would have built upon this concept of GOD. Those sages would have then written stories so as to teach mankind the importance of certain core values.

Let us consider for example the ‘Mahabharata’. Every character in the story symbolises a distinguishing feature of man’s character. Putting it forward in the form of an epic makes it easy for us to absorb things and understand facts that we would have not, had it not been demonstrated in this form. There is a very nice saying. ‘Do not try and find the Krishna in your life, Be the Arjun, Krishna will himself always be there to direct you’. What it basically means is that don’t try to work only to achieve success, keep working and success will follow you.

Similarly there are many such maxims that different epics and other small stories related to GOD teach us. Possibly, all of them were crafted by some individuals and have been passed down through ages to be believed as true stories.

Basically, what I want to say is that GOD might exist but there is this possibility as well.

People say that I think very practical. I do agree with them to some extent, but I don’t know, this is how I am. People say I am a pessimist, but I have reasons for thinking so. People say that I try and think a lot about the future, but I say I just try to prepare myself for the worst.

I have many friends very optimistic in their thinking and behaviour. I appreciate it, because I know that thinking positive influences your actions in the future. I am no where against this, but I just have a point to put forward.

People, who believe they will get whatever they think about, try to be very optimistic in their approach. They think that if they want something and if they think about getting it, they will surely end up getting whatever they want. I say it is good to think so, but when we want something so dearly, we build expectations. The positive attitude foments these expectations. As long as they are getting fulfilled, we are happy, but the day we do not get what we want, there are chances that we might break down. I say so because we are expecting a lot. And when it does not work out, we get demotivated. I would just like to say that when we are thinking optimistic we should also prepare ourselves for the worst. What if we do not get what we want!! Someone prepared with this approach will never get shattered because one had prepared himself in prior. Moreover, when things don’t work out with a very positive attitude, one tends to lose complete faith.

I say so because when we want something, we are not the only ones with that desire. In today’s world of competition there are many others who want the same thing. Now, however positive we think, we get only what we deserve. Also when we get something there are hundreds of them out there who wanted the same thing but did not get it. Had everyone built expectations and then failed at the end, there are many who would have lost faith. What I am saying is not for the one who wins but for those who could not. And we can never expect to win always, because everyone gets his share of wins.

Basically, what I want to say is that try and think positive, but always prepare yourself for the worst as well. I am in no way contradicting my statements; I just want people to have this dual approach so that they can handle any situation in life and never break down.

This one is for my little brother Akshay

I know I fight with you a lot

I know I don’t appreciate your efforts

I know I keep irritating you

I know you hate me for my behaviour at times

But I also know that deep within I love u a lot

That I care for u

Something that I cannot show, I don’t know why

And I also know that I will be there for you my bro

That I love it when you call me ‘BHAI’

I love u a lot Akshay. It is just that i am not someone who can express it easily.

I have thought of this umpteen number of times, but always kept pondering over this thought of mine. Let me just share it with everyone who is reading this post.

On what basis do we justify any action? According to me every action has its own pros and cons. And this is when we look at it from a very broad aspect. Any act committed by any individual on this planet will result in someone’s loss and someone else’s gain.

To explain this let us take two very extreme examples

· Giving birth - Now when say a mother gives birth to a child, the child’s family is happy, but that is when we look at it from a very narrow point of view. No one at that point of time will bother about the population growth and the harmful effects in the country’s development. None of us think that there are thousands of mothers giving birth to a child on the very same day, not bothering whether its their third or fourth child. Each family is rejoicing individually but who will think from a wider spectrum. I am in no way condemning this act. I just want to convey my message taking an example where in I want to depict that even a noble act like this has its own advantages and disadvantages when thought from a global aspect.

· Death - Similarly, even an act like terrorism or say a natural calamity, things that we pray should never take place, when seen from the world’s eye, has a two way picture. We all agree that deaths are something that none of us want, because none of us will like to lose a loved one. But this is the nature’s way of maintaining balance. Had it not been terrorism or say a natural calamity, it would have been something else.

Thus basically what I am trying to convey is that no act can be defined as right or wrong. Its nature will vary with an individual’s perception. For me when I abuse or I hit someone, the act is justified but for the opposite person it is not. Similar concept suits everyone in this world.

Frankly speaking, I do not know how many of us will agree to what I m saying, but I just wanted to put down what I felt. Thus for me every action has its own definition and cannot be defined as right or wrong.

This is for my best friend

Before i met you..i was lonely....

Had friends....but not someone like you...

Was happy from above....

But inside me i was waiting for someone ..

Someone who could understand me...

Someone who could read my mind...

Someone who could say when i am lying...

Someone who could be there for me ...

You were always near my friend...

But i don’t know when i got that opportunity to add the tag ‘best friend’ ...

I must say god is happy with me...

I don’t know how will i be able to thank him ..

He has gifted me with one of the most beautiful things of my life...

Right at the time when i required it the most...

Its only u who knows me from within....

Its only you who can cheer me up when i m gloomy..

Its only you whom i trust more than myself...

And when i think of my best friend..its only you and you...

So thanks for being there..

Thanks for knowing me the way even i don’t know myself...

Thanks for all that you have done to make me feel good...

It is not possible to thank god ...

So i thank his beautiful creation....