So, continuing with my poems, after letting Shelley romp about in my mind & heart; the first thing that probably came out was this:

XY My Dear

by sandylief

XY my dear,

Do not adhere to the fear,

That I’ll desert you in your time severe,

Like some of your other friends-

With whom I’m familiar.

I’ll be extremely sincere,

You make my life lovlier,

How can I ever leave you?-

My greatest asset, my sympathizer;

I can’t be material- words are all I have to offer;

But I understand that my words make you feel a lot heartier.

So always expect from me a long and emotional letter,

Poem is just fine- my asset is being a good writer,

Hence I can express myself lot better

Which makes my letters even more lengthier!

But I know they’ll be the promoter,

Of my feelings and your heart’s splendorl

On my part I consider it a wonder,

To develop for you a feeling so tender,

In my heart,-

Which is of a cold blooded nature!

Terrible choice of contents & words, but that's probably my first :D. Im sure you'll find subsequent ones improving. However, you can easily see how shelley pushed me, and out came this outrageous declaration of infatuation! This is an actual poem dedicated to somebody :D, which is ofcourse history & hence, now unclassified ;)

Gandhiji's heartache

This arises from a conversation between me & my friend. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation had decided to charge a nominal entry fee for Kankaria Lake (revamped). Some people opposed it & staged protests. A popular RJ (Dhwanit) on local FM station was asking people's opinion on it. A doctor who called in had this to say: " the government creates infrastructure from our money, and how dare it charge us to use it!!! Gandhiji taught us to break laws with the Dandhi Salt march. If we can create salt from the sea without any charge, how can our own government ask us to see the waters of Kankaria!"

Note the statement regarding Gandhiji teaching us to break laws! Taken out of context, this statement would make him turn in his grave!!! I don't think he would have ever thought he would be quoted in a way so as to make law-abiding citizens lawless ones! 

I always find that people miss the larger perspective of any action, and sadly we are never taught (taught, because such habits can only be inculcated with repeated teaching) to find the truth of something. 

Somebody must never have told this gentleman two facts: 

1. Gandhiji broke the salt law because the British govt. was charging outrageous tax on salt, so as to charge the poor too, and because salt was a basic commodity, leading to large revenues.

2. The government today is charging nominal fees in order to have liquid funds for regular upkeep of the property it has created. This helps create income directly from those who use the facility. I would ask the gentleman why should govt spend a part of my income for that facility when i am never going to visit it! As he will rightfully point out, that is utter stupidity, because in our system, income tax is a way of pooling money for greater benefit. However, we cannot discount those who can afford to use the facility with general funds. Otherwise, if his logic is applied, all government services like transport, water, etc should be free. Just imagine the kind of rash & injudicious use of infrastructure that would lead to!

However, the point of this post is the lesson for any person: leader or follower -

all your actions shall be judged by history, in means you have never thought of... Hence, there are only two ways to live: 

1. the cautious (rather, over-cautious) thinking way, where you first think of all possible outcomes & judgements that your action will create, before you act

or 

2. Jun's way: since all our efforts will amount to nothing in the end, lets just enjoy life & leave the thinking to those who can afford to waste life on it! This saves you from having the responsibility of any person following you. Gandhiji would have done fine with following non-violence & making a good example of it, a great actor that he was! But, i guess his mistake lies in becoming a leader & propagating his principles. The various shady ways in which his beliefs are twisted across the society would make him take back his words!

To-

This is my favorite poem since the day i have first read it..

which would be Gulmohar reader in 8th standard if im not wrong.

i was definitely in one of my infatuations then ;), but the poem has lived in the deepest part of my mind through many years & events.. I am still elevated each time i read it..

To,-

P. B. Shelley

One word id too often profaned,

For me to profane it,

One feeling is too falsely disdained

For thee to disdain it;

One hope is too like despair

For prudence to smother,

And pity from thee more dear

Than that from another.

I can give not what men call love,

But wilt thou accept not

The worship the heart lifts above

And the heavens reject not,-

The desire of the moth for the star,

Of the night for the morrow,

The devotion to something afar,

From the sphere of our sorrow?

Why am i putting up poems that are not mine? Well, with earlier pattern you might conclude that i first show you things that have inspired / touched me poetically, and then I wish to present you my poems. I hope this provides you a perspective, and relieves me of answering many genuine concerns of my friends who think i have turned "majnoo"

As i write this, i am listening to "Unchained Melody" by Righetous brothers, another of my favorites since the same length of time (OST movie: Ghost)..

You should definitely listen to it!!

Teach India Campaign - some thoughts

My experience

I recently went to the Teach India induction session. While I was surprised by the unprofessional attitude strewn everywhere in a campaign supported by a newspaper that I hold in such high esteem, a few things made me question the concept for its true value. 

The professionals who came were treated like laypeople, which was completely appalling. Sloganeering and basic instructions are meant for general public, and not professionals. While I agree there were quite a few laypersons, the organizers should have atleast done some homework & segregated volunteers on basis of their skills.

When running a non-profit campaign, one needs to utilize manpower to its maximum efficiency, to the point of exploiting it. Here, everybody was on the same table, with ideas being thrown at random, and motivation being provided by sloganeering. I would hardly be encouraged, if not thoroughly discouraged to participate. That is a fact on which Im still undecided. I would very much like to contribute to the campaign, and I do not think that the organizers can afford to provide the volunteers with any support. The volunteers better own up & support the campaign with their funds / manpower. But it is higly imperative to channel resources (read volunteers) on basis of their skills.

Skilled volunteers may be utilized for planning, phasing, curriculum development, etc. while general volunteers may go on field. It is not to say that everybody shouldnt be allowed on the field. On the contrary, the planners should go to field first in order to understand WHAT to plan for.

I found quite a few highly skilled professionals who could have contributed much more in their time, if they were not simply herded into the field with no idea of what to do.

Teach India: A wiki?

The second point that i am trying to make is that while there will be documentation of the entire campaign, it will be in bits & parts. What the organizers could have pulled off as an achivement would be to pool all the collected knowledge and post it on the internet, just like Wikipedia. The experiences of volunteers, teaching methods, course / curriculum, management and umpteen other things, when collected like a wiki, by original contributors / volunteers in their own words, would create a true revolution.

In addition, the organizers would then have an ever expanding document which they could discuss with the right authorities in order to challenge / improvise / contribute to the current education system at large. This, I believe, must be the true aim of the campaign.

I felt that the ultimate aim of the entire exercise was NIL. It may be a blue-hearted campaign, but to an audience, presented in the way it is right now, it looks just like a publicity stunt, where any layperson can gain some media time by teaching a few hours here & there. The entire direction of the campaign seems lost, and skillsets are being wasted.

The campaign does have a website, which is down most of the times, and when it is working, there is hardly any activity. I would blame the organizers, for they are hardly advertising the fact that the website is not just an information source; it is a place to interct with others during the campaign. The loss of this crucial information in the advertisements renders the website  useless for the said purpose.

Focus

The third point is that every person is skilled to handle some particular exercise / knowledge. While the campaign provides freedom to choose whatever one wishes, it fails completely to provide support in order to channel that knowledge in a way that volunteers may successfully teach it. They said in the induction program: "We are here to make teachers out of you." At the end of the session, i was still struggling to understand why I had spent 2 hours, and what had come out of it. I was only told the basic set of instructions, and told I would be contacted later to be told where I have to go. I was in no way told how my specific skill may be utilized, what could i add to the pool, where would I be better suited, and so many other questions that i had.

The organizers might allege that i could have told all this to them, but i did not find any audience, simply because they were overwhelmed with the number of volunteers; and more importantly, at no point of time did they make an honest effort to let everybody be heard. The entire question answer session lasted the length of filming, and I dont have to tell you what feeling it gave me....

While i completely respect the institution and the effort, i have seen many a campaigns go awry because of incomplete / unprofessional planning. I hope this one does not go in the dumps...

Well, if you have read the poem in the earlier post, here is one that's written by me (during my teens, when I was probably in love ;) ). It's definitely inspired by the earlier one, if not plagarized outrightly! Well, I'm not unhappy about that, it was the start of my writing skills, and I wanted to get the rhymes right ;). How I pity my THEN self now ....

I hope you like it! Please do comment...

The Spirit Of Love

-by Sandyteen

Make me a promise- that you will never desert me:

I’m not asking for your help- always just remember me;

I want your support- for my greater cause inlife:

To protect you, even at the point of a knife.

To encourage you, and help you build your world,

To supervise your path, and see that your flag is unfurled.

To deal with your sorrows- earthly and spiritual:

To slay them all, completing any due ritual.

But, if I ever perish at my duty,

Or, if time ceases our unity:

Do not weep on my grave-

Only my sweet memories forever save;

‘Coz for you I will never die;

And with all my energy I will always try,-

To keep returning to you:

As rain, water and the morning dew;

As the elements of the earth,

Or as diamonds whose availability is dearth.

As the rush of your emotion,

Or as your heart’s ceaseless motion.

As daily life at its best,

Or in vacation, as energizing rest.

As a Samaritan in your need,

Or as success in your deed.

As an angel- guiding your path,

Or as the conscience- removing your wrath.

Although I may fade away as a person,

I’m apt to continue my supererogation;

Because even in God’s court

I intend to express only one desire:

To be appointed as your angel and to inspire,

My only promise in the concluding line:

My acts will speak louder than this,

Under which I sign………

I'm supposed to have signed here, but then it must be my "LOVE" reading it.. now its just you people :P

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep (a poem)

Its been some time since i have opened my poem collection. I found this poem in a Times of India a few years ago. Its written by an unknown soldier. It touches me to date. Have a read:

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep.

- by an unknown soldier.

Do not stand at my grave and weep:

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on the snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush

I am the swift uplifting rush…

Of quiet birds in circled flight,

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there. I did not die.

Driven by passion!

morning spent reading,

fiction - dreaming!

clock shows office time,

rushing - 

bathing is almost a crime...

another busy day goes by,

without understanding-

who knows why...

work so fast,

life is aghast!

tensions keep mounting-

& fervour of work

shows no sign of dismounting..

site visits,

drawing revisions-

portfolios sent -

to potential clients!

meetings & conferences..

rule my appointments.

design so endearing

yet time,

not permitting!

i run & try

to almost fly,

cover the chores

to reach the core-

when evening falls,

& light retreats

signalling an end,

of another breathless fight..

back to my novel,

keeps my mind out of daily muddle..

perhaps,

escaping my responsibilities

running from societies..

is this hobby,

an animate lesson:

man may not be an island-

but he is limited 

only by his lack of passion!

for when i read,

i forget the world;

i forget myself,

& live the life

of characters so craftily created

by persons

not unlike my demented

SELF!

PRIZE- the epic saga of oil : An Introduction

I am writing a book introduction & not a review. For the simple reason that PRiZE is not a reader’s book. It is more like an encyclopaedia (not exhaustive though) of the age of oil. It can be found readable or unreadable by different persons. Personally, I read it like a novel, at the edge of my seat (bed, rather), longing to go home after work every night, just so that I can keep reading the saga. Inspite of the humongous size of 800 pages, it is most catching, excepting a few parts, which I deem unnecessary. The history of American oil is provided in too much depth, and at times it becomes a mere log-book, recording events without any emotion. But, except the American history, the book is most interesting, maybe because it holds international politics as its stage-partner, and dances away gracefully throughout the act!

 

The act lasts for most of the book, and Americans lead it, but they are a part of the oil-men, while the politicians form another circle, mainly middle-eastern.

 

I love the descriptive lengthiness of the book, which most may despise. I would keep it as a historical encyclopaedia, and it turns out well as both for me. I cannot even start to describe the story of oil, as it leads through the discovery & inventors, to business men and the great oil men, to politics and finally nations and the world at large.

 

The book could have a new chapter on current events, and I would have devoured it readily again! Its an endless read, until the age of hydrocarbon ends!

The daily drone....

On a hot day,

i'm working away..

my life:

complete disarray,

The disorder

underlying the daily routine

of running,

not knowing where

i go

fuming-

at everyone,

no one...

road rage-

helps

let the steam out..

A country at gunpoint,

Work at deadline-

A friend in need,

Another friend paying no heed.

I try to complete my work

& stitch back-

rest of my life,

& surroundings.

Work always undone,

Life always unkempt.

TV numbs my mind at night,

Internet-

drums rest of my life.

Am i lonely?

Or am i-

too connected?

I know about everybody,

i'm "IN TOUCH"

& yet,

Im lost..

nowhere to go,

nothing to know!

A scene too common,

A life too normal-

i wish i was -

ABNORMAL!

MAHARATHI- world class theatre!

Seldom are movies made from a play... & this one goes the right way!

The last theatre i can remember off hand was AANKHEN... A Bachan & Paresh Rawal..

The movie wasnt quite catchy, but one could imagine the kind of theatrical performances it must have delivered..

Today, i saw an actual performance, only difference being, I saw it on the screen..

The way the movie was done, one felt the characters were alive on a stage in front of me!!!

The plot of the movie is very good. But the performances are mindblowing!

One couldnt have set a better cast, & while the ladies need to do much better, the quartet of Boman, Paresh, Naseer & Om Puri swept me off my feet!

While Paresh Raval dominates the movie completely, it is Boman's sharp performance that draws the curtain! I couldn't have spent my Friday night better.

It is a movie worth treasuring... Please have a look!

lucky's sketch!

i saw the movie OYE LUCKY, LUCKY OYE after reading quite a few reviews, and hearing most. I was awaiting a movie by the director of the famed KHOSLA, but the reviewers were quite put off by the show...

I had, however, made my mind & saw it tonite. In order to clarify my stand, let me start by saying that LUCKY is exactly like KHOSLA. In both cases, the director aims to create a character-sketch of a complete set of society, not just an individual. In both cases, the director succeeds completely! For those who went to see the movie for a story a.k.a. Bunty aur Babli, they were highly disappointed! Most complained that there was no story. While I agree with them, as the movie ended, i realized: a story WAS NOT needed...

The director wants to present a set of characters, and portrays their life. If he were to weave a story, i would have been aghast. The movie ends with a hint of naughtiness, which leaves us with a smile on our face. And the very way that non-relevant parts of introduction & conclusion are handled by photo-presentation, is quite ingenious!

The very simplicity of presentation struck me. There is no set-up, in order to give the movie a MOVIE feel. It is quite like a normal person's biography, just that in this case, he happens to be a thief. 

The movie does leave a lot to be explained, like why he doesn't sell what he steals, or where he gets money to live off from... But the story is so convincing, it sets the right pace, concentrating on the person & not what he does... That i believe, wouldnt have been possible to achieve, had the director tried to show details.... Its like seeing a movie adaptation of a novel before reading the book.. I wish i could get the script & discussions of the story writer & director... 

Well, to conclude, its a carefree movie, like KHOSLA, which succeeds in showing what it aims for, and not wondering why everything else happens.... I think its worth a watch :D

PS: its not a comedy...pls dont have awfully wrong expectations