Acts of benevolence

“WHEN YOU ROW ANOTHER PERSON ACROSS A RIVER, YOU GET THERE YOURSELF”
Call it Freak coincidence or a planned self actualization– but this is the first thing I read in the morning when I opened the news paper today (*TOI, dt : April 25, 2010, The speaking tree supplement ). You see, a person is compelled to think in this direction when something of this sort happens.
Out of nowhere, when I had no expectations from any angle, one of my gregarious acts of the past to help someone out came back in my aid! And that too when I wanted some kind of positive intervention the most. To be very frank, I did start off to help out this person back then, but had I given my 100%? I think not – even though what was set out for was achieved, I am sure I could have fast tracked it if I had given my 100% back then.
We all have read about it somewhere or the other about how important it is for us to b good human beings and how our actions will come back to us someday, one way or the other. Some call it - “what goes around, comes around” and others “ the great karmic cycle”, but I would prefer to call it my first unadulterated and conscious experience to karma. I call it firsthand not because I have not experienced karma before, but because it has never impacted me so much that I sat back to think about it.
What this also compels me to think is this – if my unconscious and non focused approach t help someone gives out such an outcome, imagine what a channelized and focused approach would? It would definitely help those who are looking out for that help and some way or the other it is bound to come back to me tomorrow. This might sound a little bit bookish and “but of course!”, but it’s nevertheless a revelation. It’s somewhat like this – at school we get to read a lot about how things are and how the world is in theory, but it’s a different ballgame all together when you experience it practically – and this is my first conscious practical experience . . . .

On ISRO

ISRO (That’s Indian Space Research Organization) was recently in the news as one of its prestigious experiment / research went down the drain as a failure – it was something related to the cryogenic engine (the only place where I have heard the word cryogenic before was the cryogenic deep freeze – thanks to Austin Powers and terminator 2) Not that I am not aware about the fact that it is something to do with sub sub zero temperatures , but I have no idea what the ISRO guys were doing meddling with it. Nevertheless, the experiment went down as a failure but it did put India on the map again. India is now one of 5 countries to have ever tested this technology. before us it was the soviets, the Americans, the Germans, the French. A great WOW factor for us? At the face of it yes, but think again. Was it necessary in the first place? Does India have better areas to concentrate on – to divert funds into things which can make this a better place for us? If you need a space age experience, just come visit some of the roads that I usually take to work – I guarantee you that you will experience everything from the zero gravity effect to the joy of relating these roads to the surfaces of mars and moon. A simple logic, what’s the GDP of the countries who have tested this experiment as compared to that of India? I am sure that you would not need the exact figures, but I sure do hope that you get the point.

Like every other Indian (not all) crying out loud, even I am a honest tax paying citizen of my country. But it hurts for me to see when my government funds into a space age projects when half of the population is fighting for its daily needs – DAILY. It hurts when news like that of the IPL scam and the much publicized Sania – Shoaib wedding ruckus takes precedence as compared to our PM’s visit to the US for talks on nuclear security. It was astounding when the news papers actually headlined this jibberish over news that needed attention. Half the roads in the city are dug up, some almost for over a year now as we have the new METRO RAIL starting up in the city. In a city where space is a rare commodity and traffic jams are a way of life – where do you think the spending of the money will be more appreciated?

My First Blog

What is a BLOG? - I am Clueless - All I know is that it is something similar to a Diary that you maintain - just a bit more fancier way to dump all of your thoughts and ideas that culminate in your head along with the option that you will be able to publish these very same thoughts to the entire world -
Now why on earth would someone what to do that? - I have been brought up all this time making me think that this is the worst thing you could ever do. What that literally translates to, is you letting the world see what’s written in your diary - Not that i have maintained one , but i have my share of friends and cousins who maintain their diaries so religiously and regularly , and that too maintaining the same as if they were one of our nation’s best kept secrets- something "for your eyes only" - something which if you lay your hands on, they go jumping around the house chasing you and begging you to hand it over to them.
I could never maintain a diary - It takes a fair amount of discipline to maintain one and discipline and me, well that's a discussion for later (My wife would like to contribute a couple of pages on this matter).
But here is where BLOG tends to be different - one of the main purpose of you writing here is so that the world can see - and comment - and share their thoughts - Is that not so? Now that Interests me (Plus you don’t NEED to have the discipline to maintain one and update it everyday!).
The next thing is - what do you write about?
Here is where i will introduce you to one of the main person who inspired me to start this rather “net”worthy exercise - My colleague and friend for many years - Amit Raje.
You see, he is a rather interesting person who reads a lot and maintains a good solid database on many things . He opens the can of worms for discussion and we discuss - and that is exactly the essence of what I would like to get into this blog.
We usually do this over a cup of coffee – usually at some coffee house where we pay in 3 digits for 2 cups of coffee –something that I feel is completely unnecessary. (I am sure the coffee house conglomerates would be smiling at the thought of their cash registers ringing for such causes) – But as Amit say – “It’s for the ambience Yaar” –“ lets manifest the high life to come as we would have to do a lot more of this in the future” he says (manifest being a very popular word these days after the release of the SECRET, LAWS OF ATTRACTION- ask my wife and her best friend Nikky - I love you both and I swear I believe in it, no jokes! ).

Having said that, I am leaving you with the anticipation of these discussions to come – right now I don’t have the discipline to put them in this blog today – as I have learnt, a blog may continue over a considerable period of time and I am going to use time towards my advantage at this point.
I am eager to know what’s your thought on this – (as I type this , I feel a sudden sense of excitement that I am sure I would never have experience if I had ever maintained a diary) – so feel free to drop in a line or 2 – not more than that as I am the main originator of this blog, not you – if you intend to write more, please start your own blog and make sure to include me in your credits for the inspiration –
Till then : sign off!!