my log

Time & again we have always been allured by the 3 Ms namely:
Magic
Mystery 
& Money
While growing up we loved listening to the fairy tales. They a few common elements:
A damsel in distress
Evil lord with magical powers
A brave hero to the rescue

Looking back at my life, all these elements have played role albeit discretely. 

Today my daughter has turned 8. How time flies? Yes each time I look at her, the same question intrigues me. Earlier she used to enjoy me reading out from her story books, but today the little lady had a new set of demands.
'Papa I am bored of listening to the same set of stories.'
How about the Panchatantra tales?
Naa! I want to hear a new story. 
Which one my dear?
Hmm! The story of your life.' , chirped my little one
My life?
I was surely bamboozled.
My 8 year old had a made weird request.
Yes. why not? I am daddy's little girl
Every day I share the details of my school with you.
Now you share yours with me.
She had a point. And kids of this generation can be very adamant.
Come what may, they have their way, one way or the other.

I tried my level best to dissuade her but in vain. She just wouldn't take no for an answer.
Finally I gave in to her logic & intrigue.
Now listen Shnaira, its a long story. Each day before going to bed I am going to share a real life story with you. But you will have to listen with intent.

Before reciting, I would try & recollect my thoughts & pen them for reference. Now I had to incorporate a few Ms & tales to make it interesting and worth a read. 

Well I had arrived in the comfort of my Studio Apartment. This was going to be my home for the next 6 weeks. Gosh the building in the city are tall. I was 50th floor of 80 storey tower. Good thing that the apartment was close to the subway station. It would enable me the explore the city easily. That is if I would be able to take time out of the treacherous task that lay ahead.

Minda Industries, Robinson Road. Okay I will see you at 9 sharp. And I draped myself in the comfort of the bed. Next morning was big day. My appointment was freezed for sharp 9. Reaching a new place, finding the office & the right person would take time. But thankfully the system in Singapore is so organised I reached the 23rd floor office of Minda Industries well in time.

Good Morning Mr Gupta. We have been expecting you. Our executive from the finance department would be assisting you throughout your assignment. Said the Chinese looking woman at the visitor's counter.
Please be seated, she said extending a visitor's batch to me. You must wear this at all times.

Come on in Mr Gupta. Said a young man. Ushering the towards the door. We have created a temporary office for you in one of our conference rooms. We have deputed one of our Indian staff to help you.
Here she is.
Good Morning Meera! This our guest from India Sidhant Gupta.
What the fuck? Of all the people I have met in my life she was least I had expected to see.
Wow. This is a shocker.
My mind was wavering as we exchanged pleasantries.
You don't look surprised to see me.
I have been expecting you.
Your name & designation was made known to me for some time.
Unlike you I have been keeping in touch albeit not directly.
The first thought that came to my mind
Now this girl is gorgeous.
In college she was arguably the most beautiful girl.
And now, end of arguments.
She was wearing a blue dress with hair neatly tied behind.
Her eyes, well I have been guilty of falling for them before.
Concentrate.
I was trying hard to look at the computer screen where she was explaining the various financial statements.
Instead my eyes tilted towards her cleavage.
Were they always this big?
Oh shoot man. You are committed in a relationship for God sakes.
But does that mean......

My reverie was broken by Meera. Lets break for lunch shall we.
She escorted me to the cafeteria.
We settled as we grabbed a couple of sandwiches. You must me wondering, how did I end up here in Singapore of all places?
Yes it didn't occur to me. The shock & the delight to see her after so many years bamboozled me.
She was to be married to a rich, business family in Delhi. So I was told.
How come she is working, that too in Singapore.
Aren't in-law's supposed to be conservative?
So fill me in.

Well you know about my engagement after college. I got married in December. Initially I was very happy. But once the honeymoon period got over, the true colors started showing up.
My husband was a spineless coward.
His family was very conservative.
They didn't allow me to even step out alone.
For everything permission of my mother-in-law was essential.
She was a witch I tell you. And wanted me to her slave. Which I refused.
Sahil wouldn't leave his family so I left him.
We were separated after 2 years of marriage.
Divorce by mutual consent.

I couldn't bear to see the look in the eyes of my relatives.
Poor girl. Her husband left her. My foot. I could shut their mouths but not their eyes.
So I took a management course in Singapore. And here I am this is my home now.

I listened to her with intent. We didn't end on great terms but I would have never wished such a plight for her.

So much for me. What has been up with you?
Big executive at a MNC. Not bad Sid.

Well you did give me shock 6 years ago, as you have given now. Only difference being that was a slap on the face & this...
And this..?
Well time will tell.
Ha Ha! Well you still have your witty sense of humour.

Meera promised me to show around the city during the weekend.
Singapore is beautiful place.
Sentosa Island, night safari, Ocean Park......And to top it all you have a company like Meera.

It was just like old times. It had taken me a year to get over Meera. Each day I would go to bed hoping it is all a bad dream. And in the morning things will return as they were with us.
Wasting 360 odd days of my life just pondering. Living in regret.
afyer

The rebuttal from Meera had its aftermaths. It transformed from me from being a dreamer. Naive enough to paint a rosy picture of a perfect life without accounting for the thorns that accompany it. I was beginning to understand the nuances of the 'real' world. I was no longer gullible. With time I had matured. My immediate focus was on my career. Within the stipulated time period I cleared all the mandatory exams & now the suffix CA was attached to my name.

Now was the time for some serious business. I intended to open my own company soon. But before that I wanted to gain some experience under my belt. Also networking & having contacts with the right people was crucial in my line of business.

With this goal in mind, I joined a MNC consultancy firm. And in the words of our company partner, 'I was amongst the cream of the country which had been given a once in lifetime opportunity.'
After signing our offer letters. We had been called to the company head office for a tete a tete with the CEO.
He was a pleasant looking gentleman, who didn't speak much. But the remarkable thing was he knew each one of our names. And he interacted with each one of us individually.
He remarked ,''You have competed well to land up for a opening in Deloitte. Amongst the hundreds of candidates interviewed, you guys are the chosen few. For the next 6 moths, we would be assigning you under various departments. We intend to give you a taste of all our verticals before assigning you departments. All the best.''

From the next day we had a week long orientation ceremony. We were put in a training centre on the outskirts of the city. It was scenic setting with a backdrop of the Aravalis. We had been given a itinerary for the week. Departmental heads & senior associates were scheduled to come & give a presentations. The purpose was help us understand the functioning of each of their verticals. We would be rotated in the various roles during our training period in order to understand their functioning. After getting gist of it, we would be sorted out in the various departments according to our preference matched against the company requirements and the evaluator's report. So much for week of fun filled holiday.

The 1st presentation for the day was scheduled for 9:00 AM sharp. The doors would be closed by 8:50 AM, so we were told. All of us wanted to make a good impression. But that didn't prevent us from having some late night frivolities.
The result, most of us struggling to meet the deadline.
'Just grab something to eat man'
We will take the last seats and drool.
I want my sleep man.
What is up with these guys?
Early in the morning. This torture.
Sssshh
The moderator is here. Take your seats fast.

As we hustled into the seminar room, we were shocked to see it sparsely occupied.
Seating had been arranged meticulously with our name placed in front.
Take your seats gentlemen.
All of us placed in different rows.
Where is my seat
Sidhant Gupta..........Oh Shoot! 3rd row from the front middle seat.
Talk about my luck. The presenter would be staring right into my face.
Bye, bye birdie
We quickly grabbed our seats, as the first presenter made his way into the hall.
'Good Morning fellows! Early morning start haa! I share your dread.'
Now that's a witty remark. He caught our attention immediately.
We were in the process of settling the commotion, when all of a sudden a voice got our attention.
'May I come in Sir.'
'Sorry I am late Sir. Just arrived. Got delayed by incessant rain.'
She mumbled.
'No worries dear. Common in. Let me get you a warm cup of tea to get started.'
'Ram Niwas tea for all.' , he thundered.
'After all you guys need to be awake to be able listen to my blabbing.'
The whole room erupted with laughter.
The last entrant to the room gazed around. And then fixated her eyes on me.
She was the prettiest girl in the room. Infact she was most beautiful girl I had seen.
As she approached her seat, she smiled & it took my breath away literally.
For you all sins can be pardoned sweetheart.
She came up & took the seat next to me.
Lucky dog, someone sniped from behind.
I was trying to read her nameplate when she towards me.
'Have I missed out on anything.'
For a moment I was mesmerized by her looks.
But I snapped back in time and answered.
Not much, infact we have just begun.
Here this is the schedule for the day.
And this the itinerary for the rest of the week.
Thanks.
She glanced through the pages.
You can keep it, I have extra copy.
She simply smiled at me. And her smile took my heart. I knew from that moment onwards things would not be the same. I was in love.

But so was the rest of the room. All eyes were fixated on her.
The speaker was not oblivious to the whole situation. He had seen the centre of attention shift to the new girl.

Very well. Now that we are all settled & seated, let's get on with the work.
For the next 75 minutes I was mesmerized.
My eyes were fixated on the damsel seated next to me.
She had it in her to sedate the whole room.
She wore a cream colored kurta with matching salwar and blue dupatta.
Little droplets of water oozed off her hair as she swished them behind.
Some of them landing on my face. Oh yes!
How time passed I didn't know.
I kept staring at her instead of listening to the speaker.
For me it was like everything had come to a stand still.
Looking into her eyes I fell deeper & deeper inside them.

Snap she looked at me.
She must be thinking, what a pervert?
I quickly looked the other way & pretended to make notes.
Well gentlemen, let us take short break now.
Thank god, I sighed. Time to escape.

I got up from my seat to leave the hall suddenly a voice beckoned me.
'Excuse me'
I turned back.
It was her.
Crap! She would surely give me a mouthful.
But she simply smiled at me & introduced herself,' Hi! I am Nishi Malhotra.'
'Sidhant Gupta.' I replied without wasting time
We shook on it.
Thanks for updating me. I was delayed.
No problem.

Hey wanna grab something to eat.
Yaah! sure. I am starving.

We got talking. She was from Sydenham College Mumbai.
I love that place. It has got a unique charm about itself.
No one pokes their nose into your business.
We got talking on & on.

Within a matter of days Nishi &; I became the best of friends.
Man she was really cool. I never felt awkward speaking in front of her.
She was sweet, sensible, charming & infectious.
The day I didn't see her, I became restless & fidgety.


team lunch
presentation
client side
our first kiss
confession
separation
Wind is to fire what distance is to love. It vanquishes the weak & enkindles the great.
Singapore calling
Brush with the past
Reliving the old times
The Choice
Saach mere yaar hai, bas wahi pyar hai, jiske badle mein  koi to pyar de, baki beekar hai yaar mere, ha yaar mere
Mystery Unfolds

Hurrah! Exams are officially over. This marks the end of a torrid and testing time. The last exam brings together a twin  sense of excitement and relief. There is lot of anticipation. But we all feel a bit sad and nostalgic. Our friends, college and life will no longer be the same. From kids to adolescents, we are now finally adults. The tag which going to stick with us for very long time.

I am Sidharth Malhotra and this is my tale. Like any middle class family my family and parents have a lot of expectations from me. Many a times it feels scary, what if I fail to live up to them? But having supportive parents helps. I have just taken my final year B.Com(H) papers. The results are to be announced today. We have all gathered in the college foyer eagerly awaiting the results.

'I am have butterflies in my stomach', quipped Ashish.
'I couldn't eat anything since yesterday', Meera said.
'Everyone just calm down. We are going to do fine', concluded Raghu.
The tension was gripping everyone.

Strangely enough, I was quite relaxed. The confidence of having successfully completed my summer internship followed by a job offer from a reputed MNC had soothed my nerves. It felt I could do no wrong. The timing was perfect, the moment apt. It is the time to strike.

In my 3 years in college I was smitten by Meghna Sharma. The most amazing girl I had ever met. Perfect combination of beauty and brains. She has been my guiding light throughout. One of the reasons I had done so well during my college. A part of me wanted to make an impression on her for sure. I loved spending time with each other. We would spend hours talking and never get bored. During the course of our friendship we got to know each other well. Though I never said it aloud, Meghna was well aware of my feelings for her. And it was not that I was scared to bare my heart and propose. But I knew Meghna was a very practical girl. She understood the nuances of life. Love alone would not be suffice. I needed to work on finer things in life as well. This was the primary reason I wanted to get a job immediately after graduation. It would sit pretty on the list of my credentials and strengthen my case.

My reverie was suddenly broken by hysteric screams.
''The list is out....'' shouted one of my friends. And everyone surrounded the notice board.
The sudden commotion was followed by bag of mixed emotions. While some had sullen faces, others having fared well were dancing and making merry.
'Oh yes' I had scored 1st division. A merit necessary for securing the job. I wanted to jump for joy, kiss the sky and share the news with my beloved Meghna. But where is she? I hadn't seen her since morning.
My eyes looked in all directions. It  was a mad house. People crying, laughing, dancing and hugging all at the same time. Amongst the hustle bustle I saw her, smiling vividly at me. She trying hard to pierce the crowd and make her way towards me.

'Hi', I said.
'Hi' She replied.
We could hardly hear each other.
' I got the job', I shouted.
'What? I can't hear you.'
Our conversation was interrupted by Nidhi.
'Double congrats yaar', she said.
I was bemused. How does she know?
That misunderstanding was cleared when she hugged Meghana. It was for her?
'Aunty just told me the good news. So has any date been fixed yet?'

A chill ran in my spine. What the fuck? Which date is she referring to? I can't be!! This is all a bad dream.
I gave Meghana a frosty nosed stare. What the hell is happening?

'Only the roka ceremony has been done. No date finalised as of now'
Meghna's answer meant my worst fears had come true.
She had ditched me for greener pastures.
What a bitch? All this while she played with my feelings.
She bloody well knew, the sacrifices I made for her.
Don't do this to me Meghna. with you beside me, I can fight the whole world.
I love you.

But this conversation happened only in my head.
From her expression, I knew this was it. She had made up her mind. No amount of persuasion or discussion would make her change her decision.

I took her to corner.
'So you are getting married'
'Yes. It was not planned. One of Papa's friend came over to visit us from Australia. One thing led to another. And before I knew it they had solemnised everything'
'You mean you were not even asked about your opinion'
'I couldn't have asked for more Sid. Avinash is well settled in Melbourne. I have always wanted to stay in world city. Live life like a queen. And I am being offered a chance to live my dreams, I couldn't say no to that.'

'I mean how many of us get that chance'

I stood up and shaked her hands.
'I only wish you would have given us a chance'

I wouldn't let her dent my self esteem. Love has to be mutual, not forceful.
It wasn't worth another thought, I was on my way out.

We have only heard stories about the charismatic leaders of the days gone by. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel to name a few. They had enigma and passion to ignite and forge people into uniting for a cause. Post independence it was only perhaps Lal Bahadur Shastri who inspired such emotions. Sadly enough no party or leader could reach their stature or benchmark post his demise.

Its been a very, very long time since we have had a political leader with a mass following and cult. With the verdict for 2014 out, Narender Damodar Modi has emerged as the unrivalled numero uno. Not only has he silenced his critics for good measure but also his opponents and detractors have taken a serious beating.

 Now it is interesting how Mr Modi gained such a stature at the national level. Until 2000 he was ordinary Sangh pracharak. Though renowned for his managerial and leadership skills, he was relatively untested in the political battle field. The main two political parties in India namely the BJP and Congress had a very legible ideology. BJP was seen a pro hindu party, basically an extension of the RSS while Congress wore a cloak of secularity and was seen as pro Muslim.

None of them had the developement of the country at the heart of their agenda. They were consumed by their own petty differences and lacked a inspiration figure. This was an era of coalition politics where the regional parties played the king maker. During this time Mr Modi was elevated to being the Chief Minister of Gujarat by the then BJP supremo and stalwart, LK Advani. He mentored Modi into politics.

Narendra Modi introduced a new type of politics in the Indian system. Something the common man had yearned for long. 'Development' became the buzz word. Religion and caste took a backseat as Modi stream rolled ahead with his Gujarat model. With the right kind of backing and environment, growth took precedence over mindless politics. But not many liked Modi's increasing popularity and growing stature.
He was now above the mandir-masjid barb. On his ascendancy he took everyone along. His rivals were dumbfounded, they tried to hog wash the people with barbs and swipes at Modi.

In the end Modi reigned supreme and for the 1st time in 30 years we have a majority government. But the real challenge for Modi Sarkar is to deliver and be the change the people of India for long awaited.

It was a typical summer morning. With the mercury soaring, so was our anxiety. The Doctor finally announced, 'Its time.' With the prayer on our lips, I held my wife's sweaty palms as we ventured into the delivery room. The pain a woman endures to give birth to a child is something we men can only contemplate never bear.

7th May 2013, 10:11 AM marked the birth of my child. My immediate feeling was that of relief. The ordeal of delivery was now over. Now was time to relish the joy of birth. Both the mother and child were hail and hearty.

'Wow, this is really a miracle. And he is so tiny' I thought, holding the baby in my arms.
I must confess while I was overjoyed to become a father, my true affection came only a later stage.
During the first few months the baby is very delicate. Only after 3-4 months does he start responding. Then its activities ascend every few weeks. His smile would make my heart flutter. His divine touch enthralling my senses , his antics leaving us in peals of laughter

It took me a while to connect with my son. I have now come to love him deeply. And understood the real terms of fatherhood. It is not all smooth sailing though, you run into rough weather often. But its all a part of the journey













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ingcrawling,
With its tiny hands laced with pericalously small

TjAs I held
 time for the joy that my wife had been . Then I felt
he The temperatures souring 

Its ironical that in the fast pace of our lives we have lost track of the most soothing and incredible creations of nature. Sometimes you just need to take time out, lay back and relax in order enjoy such moments of life. It is amazing what you may discover about yourself in those precious seconds. Many of us strive to create our own philosophies about how lead our lives. Get married at 25, have kids at 30, retire at 50 and enjoy till you call it a day.

So much for the planning.The only thing that is for sure, life never turns out the way you plan it. And some how that is its most fascinating facet. It is filled with uncertainities, you never know what lies ahead. A wise man once commented, '' learn from the past, live in the present and plan for the future.''
What's behind you, there is no way you can undo it. Leave it there and move ahead. But strive to learn from the mistakes. This will equip you for the future challanges. Enjoy the life without fretting too much about the what will happen tommorrow. You might not even live to see the daylight, so well you might as well enjoy the night.