Go and take those Sweets

Recently,XYZ co. procured yet another building.And we were shifted to the new work-location.That means new cubicles,new furniture,new seating places,desks,switch-boards,pantry,coffee-machine,cafeteria,cabs,cab boarding timings etc etc etc.

Keeping in mind XYZ's well-known fascination for celebrating even the minutest of the occasions with great grandeur and splendor,we were welcomed at the respective floors by a huge crowd.That,obviously made us think that we had entered the wrong venue.In a matter of seconds we realized,that a big scale Lakshmi-Pooja was in progress.

We stood there with our heavy Laptop bags trying to figure out whether to remove our slippers or not and if Yes then,where to keep them.

It has been roughly 3 months since I have been with XYZ and this is the second time I have witnessed Pooja of such a magnanimous scale in the campus.The first-time was  a regular Pooja organized for particularly no-reason.I loved the Pooja no offence but I was glad there was a valid reason behind this one.

The remarkable thing about the prayer ceremony was the delectable Prashad that was served afterwards.Sweets made with pure cashew-nuts,dry-fruits and pure Ghee.

As any regular employee,I feel delighted when my company spends lavishly on Gifts and functions.Bangalore is a place where we meet and greet people from all parts of India and the world.Emphasizing the cultural  and religious diversity here,I already have friends  from all religions by now.

However,for the first time,I witnessed a rather eccentric situation when I refused to give my bowl of sweets to my different community friends thinking they were too lazy to get up and get their own.Only later did I realize that their reasons for not taking the eateries were different.

They didn't want to do so because they didn't consider it appropriate to take part in the Hindu-Pooja being the followers of another religion.

That led us to take part in a never ending discussion on secularism.

While accusations on PK followed by vandalization of theaters and posters in some parts of the country made no sense to me at all,this was something that had surpassed all levels of wonder.

           

                

Fist time ever in life being acquainted with something so minor yet impressionable brought us face-to-face with the problems of an orthodox mentality.

Living in a modern progressive world,when did we become so regressive?

Everyday we hear news of acrimonious war of words breaking out between political parties,restrictions being imposed on religion not just by social groups but also by political parties.

However,mere accusations of religious bias by politicians are motivated by a disinterested desire for truth.How can we blame other people when we ourselves aren't clean about secular thoughts?If we can't take sweets being distributed 20 steps away,that too not because we have diabetes or high blood pressure but because we have religionism running end to end in our veins,then God only knows who can help us.

And maybe due to that,for India,international recognition of it's free and secular society has always been hard to come by.With that mentality being imbibed in us from childhood,the question yet remains,are we ready to shun that outdated mindset and take the sweets from the stalls?

                  

Well,I am.

8 Wonderful Days @Kochi aka Cochin

On 20th September,2014,I received intimation for immediate joining for my first job with UST-Global.Generally any MNC give minimum 15 days for joining,but I was called in for an emergency project in Kochi.I found the opportunity too flattering and decided to give it a shot.

A decision like this becomes particularly hard,when you have to choose one MNC over the other.My world minuted down to apprehension,trepidation and all the more anticipation when I thought UST had more for me than Accenture.In life,one has to take risks and take up new challenges,this was one such occasion for me.

Being an unconventional and a very special project,I had to undergo a fast track Java training roughly 3000 kilometres away from Chandigarh for one week.3 days later I took off for Cochin changing 2 flights and running into Vikas Khanna and his friend on the first flight.I am sorry but I just couldn't miss mentioning this.  :P

Coming back to what's necessary,in a country like India,which has no dearth for travel destinations,Cochin is a port city located on the west coast alongside the magnificent Arabian Sea.

The 8 day training trip was no less than a life changing experience.In the midst of big challenges and an even bigger responsibility,I took out a little time to explore and visit few places inside.

1.Marine Drive-Mumbai has a very famous Marine Drive.Well,so has Kochi.The major reason I had always wanted Mumbai to be my first work location was that it is adjoined with the sea and has the Marine Drive.The training location wasn't Mumbai,but yes Kochi has a Marine Drive too.This picturesque promenade is built facing the backwaters.We took a jetty ride there that took us across the length and breadth of the visible sea.The tranquil water,unevenness of the surface,the green island and the setting Sun added more peace and beauty to the scene.You have to see it to believe it.

2.Lulu Mall-No way ever on Earth,could have  I visited a new city and not visited any mall.And when one is in Kochi,that has the India's biggest mall,one can't stop,stopping by and having a look.(i.e. buying all what one can from there :P).They say all malls are similar,which is kind-of true,but that doesn't mean that you stop visiting them.And if strolling in the malls ever becomes a crime,everyone inside would be arrested.

3.Cherai Beach-This beach is gorgeous and is saturated by visitors all times of the day or the night.It lures people with the promise of a great view of nature.Kerala is famous for it's beaches and backwaters.National Geographic Travleller's magazine names Kerala as one of the "top ten paradises of the world" and "50 must see destinations of a lifetime".On top of that,Kochi ranks @numero uno in domestic and international tourists in Kerala.Last year,I went to the Wayanad Falls in the state.This year it guided me to stretch my eyes over the vast expanse of the sea.

4.Fort Kochi-is also known as Old Kochi or West Kochi.I couldn't visit this place but my Dad did.So,I do have a little bit to share with you.This place too has a promenade oozing fresh sea breeze.It is known for the Chinese fishing nets and an island located nearby.Also,it has an ancient tree with branches entangled peculiarly inside the land and out.This time again,you have to see it to believe it.

5.Kochi,also has very famous Churches and a 3 hour far hill-station called Munnar.I couldn't go there because of the time constraint and the ongoing training,but if you ever plan to go there,I hope my post would help.One hour journey from here would take you to Alleppey known worldwide for houseboats and it's mesmerizing charm. 

Though my stay in Cochin was precisely for 8 days or roughly for a week,the scenic panorama of the landscape will remain in my heart forever.Also,as I have already mentioned two times before,"YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT".Period.

Thank-You for reading.

5 Youtube LOL Junctions

Amusing by inducing laughter is not an easy task.India has been keen on expanding comedy through digital platforms like Television,Radio etc.Comic industry is flourishing simultaneously through the Internet.The growing demand for funny content has created a buzz paving way for creativity and humor to reach among the masses through Youtube.Comedy buffs have a reason to rejoice for,5 all time jocular channels are listed below:-

1.Superwoman : She is definitely the best and probably the most original Youtuber you would come across.She has an eye for detail which she transforms into creativity in her vlogs.Her parents are even more hilarious with their over-hyper,extra possessive care found typically in Indian parents.While she plays all these roles herself,other Youtubers like Connor Franta,Grace,Miranda Sings have also done collaboration videos with our supergirl 'Lily Singh'.'My kids do this' is my personal favorite video of her.Do check out.It assures to get you in splits.

2.Pretentious Movie Reviews:-

by Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath is relatively a new channel.These 2 guys pick up an absolutely random movie and convert it into a totally pretentious/ostentatious delight.They do this by highlighting the flaws in Bollywood movie making.Be it the lame dialogues,poor acting,surreal direction or copied VFX mentions,they don't spare anything.

3.AIB-They tickle your funny bone in new ways each time.They come up with new parodies,spoofs and concepts.The latest video by AIB portraying an attempt of self-deprecating humor by Alia features Karan Johar,Parineeti,Arjun along with Alia, making us believe that they undertake tasks,flaunting big budgets at the same time.

4.TVF : The task of spoofing Arnab Goswamy's Newshour debate has been conquered by the genius minds working for TVF in the best way possible .Wonderful actors/members like Nidhi ensure that the future of the channel is in worthy hands.'Gaana vala Song' video parody based on 'Ishq vala Love' and 'Suron ke Sasur' from 'Indian Idol' make you go from 'Lol' to 'Rofl'.

5.Bollywood Classroom - 'Sal nahi pata sal'.When somebody uses this lingo,it's not hard to find out that the reference is being made to 'Mania ki Duniya's' - Bollywood Classroom.The genre being funny takes a u-turn from the road to common concepts.It's a powerful and dynamic display of humor by 2d animations.The teacher asks his class a silly question which he answers himself later in a flamboyant style pairing it up with a Bollywood song.Creative and brilliant at the same time.

If you think i forgot to add your favorite Youtube channel to the list,tell me in the comments and i'll add it. 

Life is half comedy and half tragedy.Make sure you are laughing right now.For life is better when you are laughing.

Have a great day . 

Anatomy Of The Alia Bhatt Brain

Life can be hard when one doesn't have a brain.Life can be even harder when one has it,but nobody else thinks the same.This fortunate day,we bring to you the anatomy of the most talked about brain of Bollywood,Alia Bhatt's brain.While the audiences worldwide are busy churning out jokes commonly trolls/memes on her,we help you try & find out why the antithesis of the concept holds more veracity. 

Multi-Talented:-Alia rocks each arena she steps in.Be it dancing like Radha,acting like Kareena or singing like Shreya,she is adept at all .

Scheduling:-While every new girl in the industry dies to work with the Khans,ignoring the large age-gap,Alia has set her priorities straight.She has no secret ambitions to work with the oldies even if it means loosing a 300 crore plus box-office film.

Apologetically Correct:-"In this life,when you deny someone an apology,you remember it at a time when you beg for forgiveness."Alia takes these wise Toba Beta words seriously and says sorry to Parineeti Chopra for calling her ill-fashioned.She gets into a tiff with Kareena Kapoor Khan on being compared with her on Twitter,only to apologize soon after,patch-up and play an Ambala girl in HSKD who wants a Kareena Lahenga for her wedding.

Versatile:-She mutes the critics/skeptics with new portrayals in movies.She plays a lovely teenage girl who suffers from Stockholm Syndrome after being abducted in 'Highway'.Her character is highly acclaimed while the movie itself,is more of a concept than a tale.She presents herself as a rich spoilt attention seeker in SOTY and a girl next door in 2 States.

Audacity:-Alia is audacious when it comes to doing unconventional scenes.She is eccentric,zany and idiosyncratically quirky.For her,bold,definitely is beautiful.

Health Consciousness:-She has been plump & chubby till teenage.Her nickname was 'Aloo'.After loosing 16 kgs for her debut film,there has been no looking back for her.She grows more petite and fit with her every new Friday release.The journey from 'Aloo' to 'Alia' has been traversed by the star spectacularly.

Fashionista-She shares that Karan Johar put her on the path to becoming the fasionista.When asked,she praises Sonam Kapoor for her impeccable dressing sense.Though,she candidly praises deserving contemporaries,she is very competitive and a visual delight.She spells elegance,poise and glamour all over the place.

Confession:-While Alia is efficiently self-aware,she accepts graciously how bad her GK is.She laughs at her own memes and gives critics a hard time doing that.After revealing her poor IQ on KWK,she makes a swaying attempt at self-aimed criticism by being a part of the AIB parody.

The video explains her voyage from 'Dolce and Gabbana' to 'Smart like Shabana':- 

From the eyes of a Boss

This article is dedicated to probably the most contentious relationship one holds-the one with your Boss.Today is the fourth Friday of August and henceforth,the 'Hug Your Boss' day too.

Barring few intrepid souls,most people tend to hate their boss.They harbor fantasies of the perfect crime they would want to do to their superior.While there are more pros to being a boss,the cons are not any less.It is a challenge to be one and the woes,though hard to capitulate,can be sub-headed as:-

Not playing the Blame-Game:-

When the project output goes wrong,even due to a junior's mistake,the boss is held accountable and a question mark is put on his leadership skills.He is made to take the blame full-fledged on his shoulders.

Awkward Squabbles:-

In case of a trivial fight,the boss has to go down in the mud.He has to take charge and confront small issues like an employee's unhealthy lifestyle.No matter how awkward,the Boss has to do it.

More foes,Less Friends:-

You can't value friendships and relationships inside the office.You have to draw necessary boundaries and highlight them when the need arises.Let's say if your boss happens to be your better half,then she would only remind you how your role fits into the greater mission at hand.Work comes first.

Demotions/Suspensions:-

The most awful situation arises when the boss has to demote or fire an employee who is not pulling off the weight of the job assigned well.During recession,layoffs are common and the latter has to bear the brunt of worker's anger.It's unnerving that people hate you because you do your job,but it is still unavoidable.

Scrutiny:-

You have to beware of the scrutiny you are being subjected to 24*7.Besides your superiors,your juniors also evaluate your personality.While being rude,can label you as a meanie,being sweet can also raise a few eyebrows in the wrong way.

Compromise:-

You have to enforce the policy that you have been asked to implement by your superiors.You might not agree with the terms and conditions but you have to profess the plan for the larger good of the organization.A compromise a day,might help your pay.

Paradoxically,the employees hate the boss,but the boss's  life is also not so simple.He always lives under the pressure of not spoiling the camaraderie.

Regard all these points and go ahead to give your boss a gift or at-least a warm 'Big-Hug'.Happy 'Hug Your Boss Day'.

And yes,we have a day for every occasion .

Ice Bucket Challenge (ALS)

Recently,my Facebook account was flooded by videos of crazy people dumping buckets of water on their head.Much to my surprise,none of my friends were those people.The maniacs i am referring to are the renowned and eminent personalities like Bill Gates,Ronaldo,Mark Zuckerberg,Sonakshi Sinha,Superwoman,Satya Nadela etc.It was a matter of seconds that i realized that there was more to the story than met the eye.

A few browses later,i got to know about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and i have no plans of 'not' sharing my findings with you :-

CHALLENGE:-

The challenge aims to raise awareness about ALS,in which one has to take a bucket of ice cold water and pour it on his/her head while being filmed.In the 15 second video,you are also supposed to nominate/dare three of your friends to take up the same challenge.If they can't do so in the next 24 hours,they are supposed to donate $100 to the ALS fund.

ALS:-

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis abbreviated as ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal chord.It is characterised by muscle spasticity,weakness,difficulty in speaking,swallowing and breathing.

HISTORY:-

The Ice Bucket challenge is not new,particularly to the west.Earlier,it has been used to raise funds and awareness regarding diseases like Cancer & has been taken up by celebrities like Selena Gomez and many more.

ORIGIN THIS TIME:-

This time around,the idea for the ALS challenge was proposed by Pete Frates,US Baseball player and ALS patient.The campaign has led to a sudden surge in the charity funds which have been soaring to an all time high.Also,a lot of awareness regarding this fatal disease is being spread around the globe through this initiative.

Also, to be noted ,my super favourite Shah-Rukh Khan and semi-favourite Salman Khan have also been nominated for this challenge.Waiting for them to upload their videos .Stay tuned.

Good day people :)

Acid attackers deserve the acid

A few days back,the logical Indian webpage posted the pictures of the victims of acid attacks.I scrolled the screen to the next story after quickly glancing through those pics.Well,as of now,when i am unable to sleep during the night,i attribute that story to be the reason behind this insomnia.Writing about this issue might make me feel better.

Imagine one day, while you are busy searching an auto that could drop you to college ,two random guys on a bike come and splash a liquid on your face.The liquid produces a burning sensation and you start writhing in excruciating pain.You are rushed to the hospital where doctors perform several operations trying to save your face .Needless to say ,the pain would aggravate till you discover that the lakhs you spent on operations and the sleepless nights you spent under the dim bulb light of the hospital have been of no use.Your bodyparts seem diseased,burnt and mutilated.You can never go back to your previous self.You feel ugly and are traumatized till the last breath.

Quite aware of the tragedy,the attackers have escaped with no chances of being identified.You are discharged from the hospital.Your family is ready to support you in all ways possible.You want to re-start your life again but the next-day,after you you put on your new clothes,when you are just leaving,you decide to have a look at your pretty self,your shattered soul curses you for everything.You try to love yourself every day,but your story won't let you.

Such a life can be called nothing short of a curse.Life which confronts you in the worst form each day reminding you of your inabilities and misfortune.What if i had not gone to the college that day?What if i had a stomach-ache that day?What if i had gone by my car?What if i had agreed to reach college one-hour late?What if it had not been me?What if life had been better?

Wikepedia calls Acid Attack as a form of violent assault defined as the act of throwing acid or a similar corrosive substance onto the body of another "with the intention to disfigure,maim,torture or kill".

The maximum incidents are reported from Bangladesh-mostly as a form of domestic violence.In India,72% of the victims turn out to be females. 

The Indian Penal Court recognizes acid attack as a separate offence and imposes a punishment varying from a minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment.It does not mention anything regarding insurance or medical support to the victims.Activists demand a proper rehabilitation policy such as specialized medical care for burns and surgery.We also don't have any strict regulations regarding the selling & purchasing of acids or corrosive substances.

Plastic surgery costs from 15 lakhs to more.Such exorbitant compensations are not generally provided to the victims.They suffer not only from psychological scars but also social ostracization .Recovering from this trauma is a very big challenge because it affects the victim at many different levels.It also leads to depression,higher anxiety levels and despondency.The depth and gravity of their situation can't be understood by merely reading this article.Stop violence at your own end and spread only love.Issued in public interest.

Photo courtesy:www.stopacidattacks.org