Hostel life and the best times!

Talking to your good old pals bring back those beautiful memories. Those good times spent together come alive once again. Time might have passed as if it is very urgent. But the good thing is that it cannot take away so easily the memories of the past times. If the friend whom you talked to is from your college days and that too from your hostel life, nothing can stop you from going back in time to knock the door of memories that still lying in the same rooms and places where once lived with friends. 

I always liked my hostel life at IIT Delhi for many reasons. Few of them are as following. If you wish, you can always be surrounded by the friends who like you and whom you like. You can reach out to many of them and you can expect unconditional support from them, provided you reciprocate. Common problems are faced by all hence they can help each other very much. Even in case of any specific problem, you can open up quickly and frankly to inform about the situation to your friends. You roam around and it does not bore to visit the same places again and again. You discuss about everything under the sun and conclude nothing. You watch movies at mid-night and if it turns out to be a horror movie, you end up holding each other and scream. You can go crazy and still can sustain the weird looks if any. Birthday parties and the night outs are the awesome experiences. Celebrations of the new  year or any festival make one go crazy. You need no explain anyone why you come late from the lab. You can still walk in the middle of the streets when the temperature touches zero degrees or even if the rain is pouring down like never before and never again. You can sleep under the rajaai until either you wake up yourself or until someone knocks the door to call you for breakfast. I have to stop somewhere and hence putting a full stop here. 

I can go on writing about those days. It has been almost six years that I lived last in a hostel. All these six years have brought different experiences to me but nothing is best than those beautiful times. Food, yes, that seems to be a problem for most of the people who stay in hostel. But believe me, you start enjoying it once you start commenting the food along with your friends. Amidst all those laughter, you will never realize when you finished the whole stuff. If you can buy a chutney bottle, you will realize how fast it can get finished. It turns out to be a great fun at the end. If you recollect those moments like me after so many years, you will want to go back to the same mess with your friends and eat there again, never minding what will be served to you. Those are some of the best times of my life. 

True or false matters... Take Home #308

Not everyone is capable enough to have people around who are willing to be so. Capability is in terms of the dedication that one has for what he is doing and for the people around. Not in terms of power, need and helplessness, which are the major reasons why people come together most of the times. 

I salute all those leaders who have succeeded in generating the willingness in people to be with them. Right or wrong, does not matter. In life true or false matters.

Canal into the ocean, a first time experience...

I had been to sea shore of the Arabian ocean recently. Unexpectedly, there was a canal that was getting mingled with the ocean. That was for the first time I saw such a sight. It was far different from what I imagined it to be. River mingling might be an entirely different process. This was a small canal, in the village called 'Veli' near Trivandrum. 

It was on a full moon day we went there. The tides were on their own and to the fullest. At least, I never saw more intense waves earlier. As the canal was also getting mixed there, the beach was with full of trash. The canal carries lot of hanging tree types. So, all that comes and gets accumulated at the bank between the ocean and the canal. The narrow passage, where the water flows into the ocean, gets cleaned water after the trash is removed or side lines by the staff, probably working there. It looked very difficult for them to do that job. The result was the beach that appeared unmaintained. More staff might be needed to do the needful. The place exactly where the water gets into the ocean from the canal, water waves dark in color were obderved. Probably that was due to the mud flown from the canal most likely due to the trash which gets decomposed after floating for longer time. One more interesting thing was, at that site there was no barricade kind of a thing. The water flows into the ocean so fastly. If by any chance, or by mistake, you get into the canal there, you are directly into the ocean amidst those dirty tides as said earlier. It's dangerous. The soil at the bank was also so wet due to the tides that at any moment it can be get mixed to the water! They must do some arrangement there. 

The whole site was with full of black trash majorly. But the scene was ecstatic. Later to watching that, my desire to watch a river-ocean mingling site has been increased. I will go for it next time, probably at the east coast, where we get to see more of such sites compared to that of the west coast. 

Unique... Take Home #307

Every moment is unique. Every person is unique. Keeping this in mind, experiencing life to the fullest possibility with the apt level of acceptance is a wonderful bliss. It needs to be practiced. Better we maintain the learnings. 

My experiences with 'Dosa'

I thought I should write down some of my experiences with one of my favourite breakfast, Dosa. I always liked it so much. My mother, when she used to come to meet me when I was in hostel during my intermediate (plus two), would get the dosas from home along with the mirchi powder that I liked very much. That used to be the first food of the day, it used to be a Sunday. That's the mother's love and some portion of the episode was my love as well towards dosa. I prefer to order dosa if I go to any hotel. Below are some of my experiences.  

In Andhra Pradesh, the state that I belong to, dosa and chutney is the breakfast most of the people like or eat. Only in some families or in some regions one can see the sambar comning into the dosa plate. Otherwise not. My dad gets the dosa as brakefast sometimes for me from the hotel. I simply like the taste of it and also another reason is that I like the taste of the chutney what they give. I have told my mom the same many times, she prefers to order it than asking me to eat whatever she cooks. 

When I was around fifteen years old, I had been to a relatives' place in central Karnataka. We ordered a dosa in a restaurent. It came so big that we had to check back the menu card for the name of the dosa. I don't exactly remember it right now, but the name definitly suited its size. I'm not sure if it had sambar in the plate. It took ages for me to complete that. Generally I'm a slow eater. I made those waiting moments longer for those people who were with me.

When I was in Delhi, I happened to order one plate of dosa in a restaurent. We usally go for ordering dosa as breakfast outside, since that's one of the few items that come hot and prepared just then. First thing that I remember from that hotel is that dosa costed huge in Delhi. I was surprised to see the price. It was hardly believable. When the dosa was brought for serving finally, by looking at it in the server's hands itself, my mind decided of what to expect and what not to from that. There was a big sambar bowl in the plate, as if half price of the dosa is for it. Chutney came in such a small bowl that we had to cut dosa into really small pieces so that they could enter the bowl for a sip if not a dip. Similar was the experience I had in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Let me also mention here that both the times, the coffee was given in the glasses which almost looked like mugs! I was happy that I never had a habbit of drinking coffee. The way one gets attracted towards tea and coffee is that he or she cannot get away without it and if it is served in mugs like, one has no option than just consuming it. Once you know the price, you cannot even leave anything in that 'mug'. 

In most of the regions of south India, you need not check in the restaurent if dosa is available or not. But in Maharastrian restaurents you have to check for that before you fix in mind that you will eat it. Sometimes, even after they take the order, you may have to be ready to receive an answer at anytime that they are not able to prepare it as the dosa aata is made improper and it's not coming out from tawa! Once I along with my parents faced such a situation while we were on the way to Ellora-Ajantha caves. There is a hotel in dosa near my residence. It is called 'Benne Dosa centre'. You get variety of dosas there. They are named like, cut dosa, sada dosa etc. I'm not able to name more, as I did not care to order the rest of them. But these two are really good. Also, for the first time, in Pune I saw the aata getting sold with which you can prepare Idli/Utappam/Dosa at home etc. It tastes pretty different from what you make at home although it tastes good. Ocassionally I buy that but otherwise I prefer making it at home. 

As I get to know from few freinds who hail from Tamilnadu or those who stay in Tamilnadu on a job, dosa is like a basic necessity than a food item. You cannot come out of Tamilnadu without having dosa and sambar. If you do, you might either have no interest in dosa or if you have not got a chance. Once I had been to Pondicherry. But that visit did not allow me to taste dosa. I thought I will have it next time, for sure. Recently I'd been to Kanyakumari. There I had it, to the full of my stomach and mind as well. The chutney again tasted simply superb and the dosa was of course great.

I'm in Trivandrum on a vacation rigth now. I've had a 'Ghee toast dosa'. It tasted awesome. Sambar was there but in a small bowl relatively. While I was waiting for my order to get served, I happened to see the white board which they use to write down the varities avalailable for the day. They wrote 'Plain Dosai', 'Masala Dosai' etc. I heard 'Dosai' earlier but only when a caterer told me the available breakfast items.  Now here, it got onto the display board. Whatever, dosa tasted so impressive. 

For dosa, to eat which I do not ever take a couple of minutes, I never thought I will write this big. Well, that's my dosa story, my expereices with Dosa in different states of India. 

Sunday morning it is, and its different today

Just finished a play session in the ground with some new friends in Trivandrum. 

I used to participate very actively in sports when in school and college. It used to be fun. In school days I used to play for representing our school. Everytime I practiced, I practiced to learn but every time I played I played to win. In my four years of participation, I along with my new team mate every time won at least a prize. Only in the last year, when I was in tenth standard we were winners, rest all the times we were only runners up. Those last year memories have been undoubtedly valuable so far and they will remain to be for sure.

In college, again mostly I played out of no practice and to win. But as I approached towards my graduation, sports started inspiring me. Rather, I must say I started getting inspiration from all types of sports, what I play and which I don't. I started learning more. More than the game, how it's played. I got attracted towards fair play and aggressive play over the period of years. Team games used to interest me in the begining but when I started eating tennis, I really got into the individual play. I mean, the singles. I was amused by their strength and presence of mind. At some point of time I thought even the presence of mind can be practice's too. 

It carried on a lot later on and every time in increasing manner. One can get that very easily through my previous posts too. 

Today, during the play session few things clicked to me. Now I know why the fielding team, in cricket, tends to appeal again and again. Its not the mind that does, its the subconscious one I guess. We just shout, we might know from inside that there is no point, but we just go ahead at that very moment. Henceforth I will curse the opposition team less when they appeal against the Indian players. I also learnt that you need to be quick to begin with but not just that. You need to complete the job, no relaxation until then. 

Also,I felt the following. Every time you lose you will have a strong desire for one more chance. And if you win, its nothing different , still you wish for one more chance, unless you do not aim big. When we play the game just as a game by following the rules, you need not be conscious about supporting your team mate. You will just flow with the game and it will flourish.  That makes the best teams as well. Of course, we are all humans and we tend to think many things but if the game can be played just as a game, you need not tell anyone to be with the game. He will anyway do. 

This is how my experience is as far as today's play is concerned. Enjoyed a lot, laughed to the fullest, encouraged very much, felt active and relaxed. Thanks to everyone who were present out there. That's a Sunday morning, something different. 

Listen... Take Home #306

Listen to the people. Try to understand. Its ok if you understand. But do not conclude if you have your own doubts. 

Railway stations, clean and neat

I travelled in Delhi metro six years back. So I knew how a cleaner railway track looked like. Unfortunately I could not see a cleaner railway platform, as Delhi metro used to be very rush, mainly at the main junctions. Until I visited Kerala for the first time in April this year, I could not imagine a regular railway station and the tracks in it could be so clean and neat. Although the metro was of international standard, if you visit any of the two main railway stations of Delhi, you will not believe you are in the national capital. Same is the scene with Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai etc. They are nothing much different from each other. 

When I first visited Trivandrum railway station, I could not look away from what I was seeing. They had series of dustbins next to every pillar and passenger sitting area on the platform. They are all with the decomposable dustbin bag around them. The tracks were absolutely clean, I tried hard to find out at least a piece of paper or a banana peal, but I failed miserably but that feeling was very pleasant. What they do is the authorities allocate a certain location of the tracks and platform to a set of workers. They keep cleaning them from one side to the other side continuously, at least I could see that as long as I was on the platform waiting for the train. The aptly placed dustbins do the rest of the job. People can see more dustbins than a place to through the trash. Hence the scrap gets filled up in there. 

Hats off to the maintenance. As soon as I got down the train back in Pune, I realized that I was again amidst the papers, banana peals, empty water bottles and you name them. It must be learnt from the Kerala railway station authorities of how to keep the so rushy public places so clean. Yes, Kerala's income is mostly from tourism hence they take that extra step to keep areas clean. But tourism need not be a reason for you to keep the surroundings clean. Health matters as well. Comfort matters as well. Pleasantness matters as well. A very impressive way of maintenance that these people have here. Truly appreciable and worth practicing as well. 

Away from home, friends are the family!

It's been since very long that this post is lying in the drafts. Somehow, I could never put enough stuff into it so that I will be able to post it. I thought I must do this post as part of my writing spree of these days. Here it goes.

Most of us stay away from home these days. By home, I mean the houses which once we felt as our homes, where either they or their memories stay. Its always a wonderful feeling to stay home, get relaxed, have mom-made food and enjoy flipping through the TV channels however bore they may be. Its blissful to be surrounded by the family. No matter what, they are there to support you or you are there around in need for them. Once you leave your home, be it for work or for your career whichever is its type, it's one and the same if you are just few kilometers away or if you are millions of miles away. You can reach out to them or they can attend to you quickly if you stay near by and in the other case it just a matter of time. Sometimes the time is not sufficient but most of the times its good enough I guess. 

Well, we reach out to each other, there is no doubt about it. But the fact is that you need not do so every time and in case of every need. You may just have to reach out to your friends. Anyway, these days, as much as I'm aware of, the understanding that friends have to help each other while they stay away from home is getting more and more correct among people. I have many friends who help me, whom I help and who help each other, as if they are the family. In fact, it might be proper to say that they are the extended part of your family. Its not just for the fact that you can be carefree, your parents can also stay free and away from and concerned thoughts about you and your partner, kids etc. Parents are parents. You may be are surrounded by thousands of friends, but they keep thinking of you. There is a difference between thinking and being concerned. You can avoid their concern by having and by maintaining your friends' circle in the city where you stay. Parents as well have to maintain their own friends circle such that their sons and daughters can be free of anxiety. One need not worry that he or she is helpless. The feeling that the friends are there to look after at least until you reach there in case of emergency gives immense peace to heart and hence the goodness. 

Having been staying away from home from past fourteen years, I think I can say the above based on my experience. Its not easy to stay away from mom when you are ill. Most of the times, that news does not even reaches her. It can be done only if you have someone playing an important role, although not as mom which is impossible too. Same is the case with her. She cares for you more than she cares for herself and she is quiet most of the times of her sickness, unless you get the news from someone else or she decides to share with you, as she takes you as her best friend. 

Friends play an important role and hence its important that they are cared for. Away from home, they are your family. Realize as early as possible. Choose them as wisely as possible. 

A walk alongside the road and railway track...

You can learn a lot if you can observe your surroundings, people, nature etc is what they say. This is true as far as my experience goes. Observing the surroundings is nothing but the involvement we have into our lives, after all we are also surroundings to someone else. If we feel we are doing good and people learn from us, we must also believe that we can learn from anyone too.

I roamed around a little today. I walked alongside a main road. I could do two things things for myself while I was going through the street. One, ATM, it does not change you go anywhere, except the prompt for the local language, you anyway choose 'English' as option. I doubt if I ever choose my local language, will I be able to go through the transaction cycle with same ease as that of it by choosing the 'English' option. Two, I had coconut water. If you have not yet visited Kerala, you must believe me, You can see hundreds of coconut trees in your surroundings, you have to search a lot for the shop where you can get coconut water. I have been told that here people get more profit by exporting them than by selling them road side. Fair enough. But good that at least some shop keepers, by chance or choice, have their shops. Having said that, I'd like to share one more recent learning of me about the coconut water. That is, you can actually prepare coconut water at home. There is a power in the market these days, it costs nine rupees and you can make a coconut water. I didn't try it but my friends did. I'm yet to check for feedback from them.

In Trivandrum, auto riksha costs less, relatively when compared to Pune. In the Pune city, yes it costs similar but in the area where I stay, it appears as if they are charging for one sitting into it instead of the distance of travel. I got down the auto and I was walking in the same direction where the auto was heading when I was in it. The auto driver who came next to me and stopped the auto to ask me if I wanted to get dropped after some more distance. I nodded but I could not stop myself from thanking him. Here I do not want to generalize. May be that particular person would have behaved the same if he is somewhere else in the world or some other person might have not said what he said. Anyway, the point is he offered me a ride for free of cost. 

After sometime, I found myself walking next to a railway track and the other side of it were the coconut trees and many other trees in green color with colorful flowers. I think it was due to the rain, they were afresh. I walked long and after I was approached the end of the road I thought, only things missing in the entire walk were the train on the track as I was walking and rain. As a last step, I stepped into the rain water on the road as that was the only way to cross it, I took it positively and thought, ok, now my new rainy season sandals have been tested for the first time. 

I enjoyed it all throughout. It is feeling great as I share my experiences here at my blog. Looking forward for few more. 

The best that you can do... Take Home #305

Acceptance is the best that you can do about your present. Desire and work out is the best that you can do about your future. Past carries a lot of value in every person's life, after all we are what we are is because of our past to a greater extent. Being thankful to it and to the people, incidents involved is the best that you can do about your past. 

Not just love, shopping too has no language limits!

When I was in school, it was taught in social studies that Kerala was the state with highest literacy rate in India. The literacy percentage was also very good, around ninety eight or so, if I remember it correctly. The same was given as an answer in the examinations that time. I was unaware then that this will be helpful to me in future to carry out a short shopping spree without knowing the local language, Malayalam. 

I had been to a shop to buy mainly two things. One, a pair of sandals which can be used in rain. Two, an umbrella, of course to use in rain, although it is used under the sun in the northern states of India. It was simple to start with. I had to look around for a footwear shop. I got one and entered. I said three English words, here they follow: 'Sandles', 'rainy season' and 'size ok'. My shopping of sandals was done. At the bill counted I got a bill which I paid. Fortunately I needed not to bargain, there was a fifteen percent discount offer already. Then I looked around in the shop. I could locate the umbrellas. Again I had to utter few English words to buy one. 

The words I mentioned above or the word 'Umbrella' might appear very common as you read through this. But to buy an umbrella, I along with some of my colleagues suffered a lot in one of the shops in the capital city of India. Its called as 'Chaatha' in Hindi and we were unaware that time. Couple of shop keepers were unaware of the English word. They kept showing us their questioning faces. We had to literally pick a shop in which umbrellas were displayed for sale to show the shop owner that we wanted to buy 'that one'. It happened eight years before, back in 2006. There has been a lot of change in the awareness level in people for education. But we must appreciate the government of Kerala to be able to maintain a literacy rate of just short of hundred during the last decade of twentieth century. 

Now I can state that shopping has no language limits, as of now here in Kerala. Of course, you must be able to express yourself to your partner or the other person if its in the case of  shopping, but you need not be fluent in expression. You just have to utter all the simple words. The rest will happen your way. Most of the people know English, if not the complete language but a few words which are sufficient for a person from other state with English knowledge to live on. As I said that, why just shopping, even if you travel in an Auto or you buy some vegetables at the Mandi, you will be said the cost in English numbers, without any change in the price between the shopping by an Malayali or you. That has impressed me too. 

A green bed sheet?

In continuation to one of my just previous posts, I'd like to mention something that amused me very recently on a flight journey.

I was fortunate to get the cleaner window that I much desired. As I chose a seat on the western side of the plane and since the journey was in the morning, I could greatly escape the sun light shade in the photos as expected. I was travelling to the beautiful state, Kerala. When you are in a domestic plane, you may never know where you are flying at the moment unless the pilot or the crew discloses. But here, as and when the plane entered Kerala, I was pretty sure that it was it. It appeared as if the nature was enjoying its rainy season's sleep under the green  bed sheet. Everywhere, literally everywhere it was green. Houses appeared to be placed in between the greenery, as if the seeds of the watermelon were placed amidst the red carpet. I specifically noticed and also clicked a play ground, probably a school's or a college's. It was with red soil and the scene appeared just perfect. 

The only time when I wondered why I had chosen a seat that side was when the plane took its turn to land. Because, the otherside of the plane was the sea view. You cannot afford to miss viewing it in a monsoon season! Well, I could not do more than just remain seated and buckle up. Nonetheless, I could witness it prior to the flight's turn for landing. Immensly exciting it was. You fly all the way from the middle-west of the country to the south-western tip and when a sea view welcomes you to the city along with the total greenery, you never mind if no one waits for you in the airport. Once you come out of the airport in a cab and you are on your way to your place, if your cab passes by the beach road, whatelse can be a perfect finish? Awesome trip I had. I loved it and it was worth the expenditure. 

I'm going to enjoy the season in here. I'm sure the nature will inspire me again and again to write from here. 

The limitless more!

Limit is what a human being dislike in general. Limitlessness is the most desired. If its about good that happens to you, or a happy situation, or the enjoyment or a celebration, its quite general that we want it more. Fair enough. But if its about misery, debacle, losing someone so close, hurting the ego etc, scene gets quite reversed. Enough is enough is what most of us say. Well, this is fair enough too. 

When it comes to money matters, we do not go for any kind of limited wish. Its always to earn more and more. If you have some money, you need more. And if you do not have money, you wish for it much more. Unless you are facing problems because of the money you have, you never get convinced to say enough is enough. Still, its doubtful if you wish to get rid of the money or you try to get rid off the problem using the same money. This is how the culture that we have been brought in. Earn money irrespective of the needs. Fortunately or unfortunately, there is no specific way to teach someone how to and how not to spend it. If we are still experiencing a few cases of generousness, it is because someone is not taught that he should spend money for something profitable investment.

The way we are heading with every person's deep wish, we might end up in a situation where money matters and only it matters. Today at least we are in a situation where we can claim that some of us are still sensible to the problems in society and we spend not just efforts but also money to sort out some. We must ensure this thinking gets perculated to our next generation as well. Otherwise, we might have to together step into the darkness of the money and world.

Reason to be proud... Take Home #304

Try your best to find a reason to be proud of what you are doing. You will be optimistic yourself. Positive nature will surround you. 

Have more, live more... Take Home #303

Life is all about experiences. Have more to live more.

Desire... Take Home #302

Do not kill your desires. Rather, attactk everything that comes between you and your desire fulfilment. 

A ride, above the clouds and below the sky

Not sure why the flight journey sits on my head and gets to me all possible fearful thoughts. May be its because I have not yet travelled enough to get used to all such thoughts, wherein they appear very normal and I become thoughtful about something else irrespective of the planned journey. 

Today I had an early morning flight for an hour or so. I realised or  I must say I discovered as soon as the flight took off, that the sun exists behind the clouds even if its not the sun rise time what you witness everyday. The light becomes much brighter as you reach the height of the feets just short of forty thousands. If you are a photography lover, you must wish that you get a window seat on the eastern side. One more thing you must wish for, which I have also learnt today, is a cleaned window next to you. 

The ride at tens of kilometres from the ground and between the white clouds and bluish skies has of course made my day today. I could manage to click some of the shots from there although I had to look back and side occasionally to see if anyone was noticing me to understand that it was one of my first few hours of flying experience.

Well, I have another flight now. This time I ensured a window seat on the western side of the flight so that I can click the beautiful greenery of the southern most part of India, without the shad due to sun-light on the window. Hope to see a relatively cleaner window this time.

Post:1000 - Work it out...

I wanted to write something else for the 1000th post. But the below is on my mind at this very moment and I never like to get compromised on what I choose to write here. 

Work it out with yourself to develop your personality in such a way that you get inspired very easily and you get hardly demotivated. Hence, make it easy for your well wishers and difficult for the rest.

Thank you everyone for being with me during this journey towards 1000th post. 

Post-999: Punishing yourself is easier than forgiving yourself

Mistakes are committed by everyone. That's not the excuse itself but that helps us in making ourselves understand that everyone can go wrong at some point of time. And that you had gone wrong as well. Whatever you tell yourself, at times, it becomes definitely difficult convince yourself. At those times, what might help is to punish yourself. 

Punishing yourself is easier than forgiving yourself. Yes, it is definitely so. It also helps in getting down that regret feeling which otherwise pinches you at every possible occasion. Choose some reasonable punishment for yourself in case you strongly believe you deserve one. It need not be so demanding. It need not be so tough. It can be so which can get some peace of mind for you for the moment. At least until the moment when you get yourself involved in something else, more cautiously this time. After all you better know what you have done and you know how it could have been different with you thinking better about it in the given moment. This realization must go in the next immediate task you do, whatever it might be and however easier it could be. 

Choose punishments wisely, thoughtfully and rightly. There is no point in paining yourself too much, for the fact that there might come a chance to you to do and contribute your best next time. Believe in such opportunities. Wait for one and prefer to prove yourself to your innerself first. And hence try to reduce the tough feelings you have for yourself. It keeps you happy, motivated, energetic and confident. 

You may just try it out and observe what happens! 

PS: This post is written on a lighter note! Nothing in specific as such has probed me to say the above at this point of time. I thought the post number 999 at my blog shall be of my trademarks, what people say as 'thought provoking'.  

Less than the best... Take Home #301

At no point of time one must choose to play less than his best! Its for the simple reason that you never know how things can keep you up and let you fall down. Try to give your best all the time. 

Everyone can win...

Wars need to be fought not just for the sake of winning them but also with a motive that even if you lose, your fighting spirit must keep alive the belief of people, that there will come a day when even the strongest opponent can get defeated.

Win and loss never remain with one. But the belief that everyone can win remains. 

My blog, one of the top ones @2013-14

As I march towards the post number thousand at my blog, I never thought I would be writing this as one of those last few posts. This is to convey my sincere thanks to www.indiantopblogs.com for choosing my blog as one of the best blogs for the years 2013-14. I learnt the news a week late as I've not been that much regular lately in operating my gmail account. It's all in pleasure I'm writing this note. Whatever was the selection criteria, I'm happy that I could get through all that. Also, congratulations to my fellow bloggers whose blogs have also been listed out there. Keep up the good work.

For any writer, one of the most motivating factors is recognition. For that matter, to do any job, the recognition is important for us to believe that what's being done is one of the important tasks. Blogging is one of my passions. I've always been fast in writing down my thoughts here. There were times when I stayed long during the night after a tiresome day's work. I remember all those moments now and thanks to all the readers and fellow bloggers for being an inspiration. 

Thank you! I will definitely try my best to keep up my passion towards writing. 

French Open 2014 - All the best, Rafa!

French open this time around has been very unpredictable. Most of the women top players were sent packed by the new comers or rather by their fellow but young players. As I write this, it's known now that Maria Sharapova has won the women's singles title for this year. Congratulations to her and her team. Her opponent in the final, the young Halep has come long way in this tournament. Congratulations to her as well. Hope to see more fight from this young lady.

Road was ended long back for the former champion, Roger Federer. Good that he has got more time to spend with his twin kids. Although he might be enjoying his time with them, I'm sure at the back of his mind his game must be played on. Champion players don't leave the defeats easily. I wish his all the very best to cope up and come back fighting. Andy Murray has done a good job until the Semifinal clash with the title favorite and reigning champion, Rafael Nadal. Rafa proved too good to him. Djokovic to meet the too proven Rafa in the men's singles final clash today. It might be Rafa's play field, having been a champion here for eight times, but knowing Djokovic, I'm sure he will fight till his last effort and the opponent's championship point. 

I'd live to watch this match but my bad luck, Tata Sky and Neo Prime are not in good terms. It's not getting telecasted on Tata Sky! I might opt for the live stream of the last set, I hope there will be a decider set played today on the clay. 

As always, my support is for Rafael Nadal. Ever since I read his autobiography, I stopped expecting his win, for that matter any player's win. A lot goes around them and without knowing an inch of it, we keep our expectations high. That's not fair I feel. Well, nonetheless, I wish him all the best to give his best  possible performance. May the best win. 

Movie: Queen

Having been recently married, I understand how it feels two days before marriage. You are all surrounded by your relatives. You always see your parents running with both the legs with work in both the hands. You can hardly find your face wash and tooth brush. If there are kids at home and you have just purchased a new mobile, you never know where to hide it, at times forgetting the location which you chose to hide it, you end up roaming around for that. A lot goes in bride's mind. That everything is happening so quickly. That she has to leave this place soon and comes back only as someone's wife and not as a full-fledged daughter of her house. Amidst all this, if her fiancee, who once proposed her and she eventually loved, comes to her to say that he would not be able to marry her just because her life style does not suit to his as he has changed over the years, it does not just spoil her bride-mood but it actually kills her from inside. If the very thought that she has been left out pinches her from inside, doubts from her innerself like what people think and how her parents will be able to cope up with all that stress, etc ruin her further. 

With all this going inside her, if the bride, a girl can take a decision of going on her pre-booked honeymoon, it's the ultimate thought a movie director or the story writer can get in the contemporary world. With this start, the way the movie has been run is a fantastic example of the thoughtfulness of the director and co. Kangana Ranaut is the best suited for the role, Rani, meaning the Queen.

A lot might happen to you, good or bad, there is always a lot more goes on around the world. A lot can happen, a lot bad can happen to the people around the world whom you might never be aware of their existence. While you sink in the misery about your unfortunate self, you tend to shut the doors of your thoughts about what goes around. In this situation, if the life stories and miseries of your fellow human beings come your way, you tend to think for them and hence realize how similar are your experience to that of your fellow mates. You start realizing the fact that there is a lot more than tears and depression in the world. A lot that you can actually do, contribute to the world. That there are many ways you can live your life in an inspiring way. That you can actually handle a lot more misery that you have even thought of. 

The script of this movie is written in too many languages, but still it makes you comfortable in understanding the very meaning of it. You witness every emotion of a girl, including her unbreakable confidence towards the end of the movie. A relief, a satisfaction, a realization and happiness are the emotions that you witness and go through during the last few reels of the movie. The care that the movie crew have taken to ensure nothing other than the story that dominates the show has mesmerized me and in fact it taught me the focus that one must have about what to convey and how to do it crystal clear.

The basic necessity of anyone to live is to love his or her own self. Once you do that you are more satisfied from inside that you will be able to accept the fact that there are better people than you. You then know that you have to help someone and you have to follow someone. You will also realize that you will have to inspire someone and to do which you will put your best effort. Life is not just about marrying someone. If you get marriage there is a lot life and for any reason, if your marriage breaks up, there is still a lot to live for and strive for. 

It felt great to see the Queen, Rani, realizing her way of life. All throughout the movie, it's only her waves that surrounded me. I was actually watching the movie on a small screen, which before the start of the movie jumped a lot in mute mode, that the script and the emotional content of the movie never allowed me to realize the dimensions of the screen after the start. At the end, there was a feeling of satisfaction that I got, it felt so peaceful from inside. 

Don't just sit back thinking the bad that you think that has happened to you. Go out and see what's going on. You might just realize that the bad that has happened to you is for good. The 'bad' is actually something else or there is nothing of that sort!