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....

This poem is dedicated to all my school friends...

My life was plain and simple....

Studies were at their peak...

And frankly i was doing pretty well...

Never bothered why i needed anything else....

Until i met my good old school friends ...

We had been friends during our school days as well..

But it was different from what it is today...

I used to meet them before...

But it was not the way i did today...

Things were light and simple....

With very less opportunity to mingle...

It was an august Sunday...

And it was the time to celebrate friendships day..

So as usual i went to have fun...

Never realizing how much will i get to learn...

It was that day i realised how important these people are to me..

And the credit goes to the video ...

Thereafter i tried to gel with everyone...

And things became better than they were before..

Made some very good friends....

Had excellent times...

Moments that i will cherish forever...

In the past one year life has changed drastically...

Especially in terms of friends...

Initially i never had anyone to call my best friend...

Today...i have loads of them...

I have realised how important this phase of life is...

And will always be thankful to them...

Love you all my friends..

And hope to write similar lines even ten years later....

Dedicated to my friend Sunny and someone he loves to the core....dude don't worry..everything will be fine..it is basically something that sunny will write for her...

Dear..i don’t know...why this has happened ...

Dear ..i don’t know why things are going like this...

Dear..u know how much i care 4 u....

And also how much u care 4 me...

Whatever happened in the past few days...

Has made us both cry night and day....

But I still don’t understand one thing....it was you I liked..it was you I loved....it was you ...about whom I thought night and day...

Then why was there a need to let anyone else other than the two of us know...

Don’t you think that it was always us...

Don’t you think that we could have solved this ourselves...

Don’t you trust our love to be strong enough to surpass all this...

Then tell me one thing dear...I know ..u know....what bond the two of us share...

Why did anyone have the courage to even talk about it...

Why was there a need for them to talk abt us....it was us...and not them...

Why was it essential to let the world know abt it...i love you,,and not them....

Those comments hurt me...they tease me...they break me...i know u love me..

How could u even allow them to say so...

I don’t know why this thing took place....but i will always love u ...take care...

How many of us think that the world is made up of people wherein some are blessed and some are not....

How many of us believe that God has not given everyone equally...

How many of us have a superiority or an inferiority complex....

I know the answer is all of us (if not all then majority of us )...

But let me tell u what i think...

According to me..the world today is cultured so as to appreciate some qualities more than the other..

In very simplistic terms...

Take 2 individuals...A and B...Now let us consider a hypothetical situation..wherein these two individuals are endowed with only 5 qualities...p, q, r, s and t

Now...let A be good at p,q,r and not that good at s, t ...

While let B be good at s,t and not that good at p, q, r...

Now for the world what matters are the qualities p, q and r....because this is what is important to them...

Now though b is good at s and t...he is not appreciated just because...he is not giving the world what they want...

In terms of mundane examples..it can be elaborated as follows...

Consider two people...Dhirubai ambani, and some ordinary man...

Now we all appreciate Dhirubai's efforts...because what he did was useful to us...he was a money maker..a quality that measured his stature...accordingly...we never considered if he was kind...someone who loved his family or not...what mattered to us was the fact that he could make lots of money...

On the other hand the ordinary man though not as smart as Dhirubai..was someone endowed with kind nature...someone who showered love where ever he went...there was only one difference that he was not intelligent as Dhirubai..therefore could not make money as he did...

I agree with this human psychology...but tell me one thing ..when God created this world..he never decided as to what quality possessed by an individual will be given importance in the real world...he showered his blessings equally on everyone...just that some got more of say a quality p...and some more of q...

If tomorrow our minds were to measure one's stature not on basis of his monetary power but his kind or loving nature...(and assuming that Dhirubai did not possess these..this is just an assumption to explain what i am trying to convey..no offences)..the world would have known him and not Mr Ambani....

Thus , it basically boils down to how things around us are molded to give ranks to factors shaping our lives...

And it is these ranks that decide whether u will be Mr Ambani or that ordinary man....

CONCLUSION:- What i mean to say is that everyone is blessed equally..it is just a matter of luck of what is important when... so never say that God has given him more ...you never know when the tables turn... and the opposite person will be saying the same thing about you

so finally....after thinking so much....whether i can write a blog or not...here i am ...with my first post...rather my first attempt at writing something...

or should i say my first thought...

but before starting with it...allow me to tell you..when and why did i write this...

i have just recently shifted to kandivali...so my travelling time has increased substantially..(actually substantially is a little exaggeration because initially it took 45 mins and now it takes around 1hr 15 mins)

...so one day when i was returning home from college..as usual in a slow local...i was getting bored...got a place to sit at santacruz station...so started typing something at random which ultimately summed up to an SMS that was nine pages long..it goes as follows

A THOUGHT !!

V come alone in this hostile world...

V meet people...

Talk and interact with them...

V make friends...

Have fun..share our joys and sorrows with them...

V make enemies...

People who keep us aware of the binarity that exists in our surroundings...

V make mistakes and learn from them...

Life goes on like a continuous, flowing river..

People come around and depart..

Use the river water for their profits..

The river says nothing...it is open to all...

It keeps waiting for a true companion..a true friend..

Someone who will be there right till the end..

There are many who come...

Expectations rise...

Friendship blooms...

The river is happy to finally find the one (or ones)..

But it forgets...

That when there are storms...when there is a drought..or when the almighty is angry..

No one will be there..

It will have to face everything alone...

Friends can only comfort..

But at the end of the day it still has to tread a lonely path..

With no one by its side...

Our life is just like the river...

Ups and downs..

Pros and cons..

Profit and loss..

Pain and gain..

It is just that in spite of knowing all this..v can not do anything..

Because the river just can not stop flowing..

Similarly our lives will never stop..

So learn to deal with it...

And be happy with what u have..

We are blessed because unlike the river it is in our hands to change the flow..