My Interpretation of GOD

“People break down into two groups:

When they experience something lucky, group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence, that there is someone up there, watching out for them.

Group number two sees it as just pure luck. Just a happy turn of chance, I'm sure the people in group number two are looking at those fourteen lights in a very suspicious way. For them, the situation is a fifty-fifty. Could be bad, could be good. But deep down, they feel that whatever happens, they're on their own. And that fills them with fear.

Yeah, there are those people. But there's a whole lot of people in group number one. When they see those fourteen lights, they're looking at a miracle. And deep down, they feel that whatever's going to happen, there will be someone there to help them. And that fills them with hope.

See what you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you? Are you the kind that sees signs, that sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky?”

— Mel Gibson in the movie Signs

When somebody shows blind faith in GOD, it really makes me wonder from where he/she had so much belief when they have not even see him.

Growing up, I was one of the early ones who found himself praying and doing “aarti” every morning before going to school. I guess for me it was a kind of a friendship where I talked to GOD and he listened and I hoped that he will be there when I need him.

Life changed and I wondered why GOD whom I considered my friend choose to do nothing. I stopped talking to him but that did not mean that I did not visited his place, my family did not know about our fight.

I would find myself intrigued looking at the faces of people around me who seemed so lost in his devotion during aarti in temple. I wondered what makes them different when we were listening to the same aarti.

I was done with my days of doing the “aarti” and was of the opinion that one does not need GOD if they are going after what they needed and work for it. After all the only reason we pray to him so that he could take care of us. If we are able to take care of ourselves then do we need him?

During this “phase” I tried to understand the origin of GOD. I came to the conclusion of one possibility that GOD could be man-made so that we could believe in a higher form of life that would take care of us and protect us when we need him. The books of GOD written by ancient men who were great novel writers and knew how to keep their readers interested for ages.

I believe GOD represents the “hope” that we look for when we lose ourselves to the circumstances/situations of our lives.

Believing in him gives us the courage that we can overcome this “difficult phase”. The truth is when we believe in GOD, we actually believe in ourselves which gives us the strength to face the “difficult situation” before us.

In a way GOD is inside every one of us waiting to be discovered when our trials put us to test.

P.S.: This post was on my mind for a very long time, the right words never came in and just a few days back, I found myself flowing with everything right that I needed to complete this.

The Non-Veg Factor

It really struck me odd that a girl prefers to stop eating non-vegetarian food just because her lover belongs to a vegetarian family. While the same is not true for the male who eats non-veg and marries one who does not.

He is either expected to eat outside or order them instead of giving the trouble to his wife who does not eat them. So why is a girl, who eats non-veg prefers to stop eating them when the male does not do so?

I know two such people who gave up eating non-veg as they were getting married into a family which considers eating non-veg unholy. One of them simply loved non-veg, she used to tell how they tasted and how her Mom makes the best prawns dish.

I was surprised when I saw her skipping the non-veg dish and taking everything vegetarian. Later I came to know that she is trying to give up non-veg for the sake of her boyfriend whom she plans to get married.

My contention is why does a girl thinks that just because she is getting married into a family which is vegetarian she should give up her habit of eating non-veg? Would the guy had done the same? The answer is a 99 percent “NO”.

Instead of giving up completely on Non-veg, she could have just avoided eating non-veg at her in-laws house and could have them outside or whenever she visits her mother’s place. If her partner understands, I am sure he would allow that after all she has grown up eating them and such habits die a very painful death!!

It amazes me the kind of “small” sacrifices a girl makes just to keep her boyfriend appease. No wonder people end up doing silly things when they are in love.

I had a small encounter on the same issue with her boyfriend when we were on a picnic and before all this took place. He was standing behind me in our self-service style dinner. As I carried the plate with two empty bowls and filled with a few of every dish that was being kept there. I happened to have put the non-veg dish into one of the bowls and as I moved forward to take the vegetarian dish in the other bowl, her boyfriend standing behind me made sure to tell me that I take care that I do not touch the spoon to the bowl.

At that very moment, I realized what he meant and the only thought that came to my mind was how can an educated man speak like an illiterate!!

So, Gals (who love their non-veg food), beware if you are looking for a relationship or are into one with a veggie boyfriend, take care of the “Non-Veg” factor or else you might end up losing your taste buds for the non-veg food you loved so badly :)))

Parents: The Guilty Ones

I often put myself into their shoes and think whether I will do the same what they are doing. When it’s proved that their children were responsible for the crimes they have committed, still they choose to protect them and say their children are innocent and are been framed.

It’s hard to imagine on how they would have reacted if there kids were not the accused but the victims of such tragedies.

To come, think of it, are the parents doing the right thing in protecting their child when they are guilty and what kind of a message are they sending across?

It is such an irony that when a child growing up make mistakes, the parents reprimand them but when they commit bigger mistakes, they are shielded by the same parents who make sure that their child escape the punishment.

It makes me wonder on what goes through their minds when they are aware of their children’s misdeeds and still let them go scot-free. What compels them to take such a decision when they have all the evidence in front of them?

Guess, the parents too needs to be educated on how helping there children go scot-free of the crimes they committed make them the part of the crime too!!

Rahul's Resilience

I really admired the way he hit back at his detractors not with words but with his bat, who thought he is not good enough for the shorter version of the game.

The way Rahul's have been playing in the ongoing IPL league must have silenced his critics who keep writing him off as a "Test" player.

I was annoyed with Vijay Mallya for removing Dravid from the captaincy because his team fail to performed and was dubbed as a “Test Team” in the IPL I. I think Mallya should stick to only doing business and understand that sport is different from running a company.

One cannot expect to win even if it has the best players in the side. There are a lot of other factors that go into winning a match. No wonder Vijay Mallya is doing so poorly in his sporting adventure, his formula one team is yet to make a serious dent, his cricket team has again resided to be on the losing side (though I would like to see Dravid score no matter his team wins or losses).

Rahul Dravid truly is a class player who can play in all forms of the game. His statistics speaks for the same still he is been stereotyped as a test player. I liked the way he said during his MOM (Man of the Match) speeches that players like “me” are given a fair chance to perform in these conditions.

I thought that was an indirect hit on his critics who keep cribbing about his performance in the ODI and 20:20 matches.

I am happy to see Dravid perform and hope that he continues to do so…

Money: The Problem Without a Solution

“It's good to have money
and the things that money can buy,
but it's good, too, to check up once in a while
and make sure that
you haven't lost the things that money can't buy.”

— George Lorimer

One of the ironies of life is some people who have enough of it are still not satisfied, while there are a bunch of people who are praying to God so that they could be blessed with a windfall and get rid of their misery.

One cannot have less of it and more of it too. Money is something that we chase all our lives becomes the motto of some and causes sadness to some.

There are no answers why the rich people keep getting richer, while the poor getting poorer. When I meet people who have enough money and still show their hunger instead of helping others, I wonder if they are planning to take the money with them on their way to heaven/hell.

People keep hopping their jobs because the other company is offering two to five grand more than the company that they have recently joined. Having lots of money can bring a lot of people closer to you. Finding people with real feelings is a tough one. While those who don’t have too much of money often find themselves alone, with little help coming on their way.

The ones you played with grew up and fought, shared everything are turned into sworn enemies because they could not get enough of the money that was divided among them.

One wonders how people in miserable conditions still find happiness while loneliness looms in the corners of the palatial homes where they have no one to talk to.

Many are fooled into thinking that all that has happened was because of money. The truth is that it brings out the real colors of an individual and the importance they give to money and relationships.

Temple, Mosque & Church

One of my friends asked me, about places where one can go for sightseeing in Bombay. I told him about Gateway of India and then I moved on Siddhivinayak temple, Mahalaxmi temple, Haji Ali, Mount Mary, etc.

As I said that, I realized my friend is a Protestant and he would not visit the temple, mosque and the church I mentioned. Out of the blue I asked him a question, would he ever visit a temple or a mosque?

He said he would but he would not pray. I found it surprising considering the fact that we are taught that God is one, so why do we forget them when we grow up?

I am glad that at least he agreed that he won’t mind visiting one, unlike one of my colleagues who years back decided to stand outside a temple as he belonged to a different religion.

I think I am among the few lucky ones to be born in a family where there were no issues on religions. Our temple journey started with Siddhivinayak temple would be followed by Mahalaxmi and ended with Haji Ali. We even visited the Mount Mary Church during the novenas. I prayed in every one of them considered to be the holy places where God resides.

I am not sure what thoughts compelled them to think the way they do, but I guess it has a lot to do the way one has been brought up and how you accept certain things without questioning them. This happens to be one of them.

Nar Mukti Morcha??

How would you react if someone suggested you that the men too need a support group that they are also been abused by women? Ministries need to be set up to look into their concerns. I came across two idiots who were hell bent on saying that it was men who were abused and oppressed by the female gender!!!

These idiots (especially one of them) from Bangalore started commenting on everyone 's comments and trying to make them aware about men’s oppression with regard to an article (Insensitivity of the Society) I posted on a citizen journalism site talking about the abuse that a women go through at men’s hand.

It kind of reminded me of a Shiv Sena/ Shri Ram Sena kind of vandalism but carried out online. These were the first kind of women haters I have seen who would go on such an extent which showcased their anger and hatred.

I am aware that there are instances where some women have taken advantage of the laws which were meant to protect the abused women from the torture of their husband and in-laws. Apart from that I am not aware of any other instances but if one compares them against the abuse against women, the number is relatively less.

There are always exceptions in both the genders who will try to take advantage of the loopholes in the system for personal gain but should that divert your mind for the real issues that genuine people face?

All they were talking was gibberish without stating any facts. One even went to the extent saying that I wrote the article so that I could impress women. How lame one could get? When asked to tell about the atrocities on men, the idiot went on to say that it was hidden and the media did not highlighted these issues as they were not saleable something that I don’t agree as I read about the law misuse by women in the papers.

I am pretty clear with one thing, that being educated does not make you better than those who are illiterates unless you follow your moral values and listen to your conscience. They proved that right!!

My take on the Nar Mukti Morcha: I don’t see any reason for creating one except to make changes in laws that treats women more than equal. Men support group are okay if they help you deal with issues and does not go on an offensive against women.

At first, I thought may be they have a point but the way they went in circles just made me sit back and laugh. They should be invited to be comedy clubs where they can rant about men’s oppression. I am sure people will find them entertaining.

A Giver, Not A Receiver

Ever wondered what you are, A Giver or a Receiver. A Giver who makes it possible for others to realize their dreams, make them feel special, help them when they really need it. The Receiver who is someone at the receiving end of the gifts by the Giver..

I know it is said that when you do something for others, don't expect that they should also do the same for you. Coz that changes the whole definition of the Giver and the relationship changes to that of give and take.

What should the Giver do when they are not reciprocated by others (including & excluding the Receiver). Should they cease to be the Giver and give up when they don't receive the help when they needed when they had problems or some one did not make them feel special the way they want to be. What should they do?

My advise to them is to be what they are, coz the Givers are special people for whom making others feel better about themselves is important especially if they are close. There is word of caution though, don't forget yourself in the process and do take good care of yourself. Don't take the bad experiences to the heart, it only makes you wiser, so go back to your old self and spread the joy around.

BTW, who are you, a Giver or Receiver??

Sport Loans Something to think about................

Today, when I read the papers there was an article on how most of the medals that India won in the individual category at the Olympics was mostly due to the individuals ability for funding for their own training rather depending on the government for providing the facilities. Though there have been exceptions but mostly its been their own making.

This kind of hit me when I was thinking how a sports person can get the funds one requires for their training. Why not banks give loans to sports persons? This would really change the whole scenario of sports in India, the one which is seen today. We have lot of talent here, but the problem is not every one has the moolah to make it to the top. By giving loans to sports person at concessional rates, they will be able to avail the amenities that they were being denied.

Having said this, I know this is not a very easy task, but if we can work on it then definetly things can work out for better. One of things about getting loans is you need to prove to the banks you have enough money and you don't need the money in the first place!!

The banks can give loans at lower rates for a longer duration and on the other hand they stand to gain, if the sport person they have given loan to is winning events. This would give them a brand ambassador and would mean more business. It can also happen that they did not win any events, at least they were able to give them the facilities which was required for their improvement. This can also be dubbed as a corporate effort to develop sports in India and making their contribution towards the same.

I do hope they are reading this and make a note of it.

India's Quest to Olympics

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part;
the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well"

— Pierre de Coubertin (founder of modern Olympic Games)

It was heartening to see the Indian flag rising at the top of the podium when Abhinav Bindra clinched the only individual gold medal in the 10m shooting competition in the recent Beijing Olympics 2008. This was a proud day for India and the Indians to cheer about.

Abhinav really needs to be complimented for the way he held his nerve to hit the bulls eye in the last round which made all the difference.

This happens to be the first individual gold medal to be won by India and that too after 28 long years. India's populations stands at about one billion approximately. This very much says a lot about the sorry state of affairs about sports excluding cricket which has the players raking in lots of moolah.

Though we have sport organizations formed to take care of the development of sports in India, we hardly get to see the results. It is very sad to see that we are not doing much for the development of sports, though we have athletes who overcame all these obstacles to win medals for India.

We need to learn a lot from our neighbor China which starts working on its athletes from a young age. No wonder they have bagged so many gold medals at the Olympics. I surely hope this we take a leaf out of China to change the face of the dismal state of sports in India.

Though Abhinav had the money to fund his training, others are not so lucky. Hope the sports authority takes a note of this and starts working on it soon as the 2010 Common Wealth Games is to be held in Delhi.

I hope to see us winning more medals at the Olympics and the coming Commonwealth Games in 2010.

Making A Difference!!!

"There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world;
Those who are afraid to try themselves, and those who are afraid that you will succeed."

— Ray Goforth

This got me thinking when I saw one of them in the local trains going about their work few years back. Today when I saw one of them again, I decided to share this thought with you.

You must be wondering what I am talking about, who I saw and all the fuss about. Relax, you see them everyday if you happen to travel in the Mumbai local trains and yet they remain invisible to us as we try to make our journey and for some a nuisance. I am talking about the individuals who are trying to make a living by selling accessories or singing in trains. For most of you they may appear as ordinary people who rob you of your peace when in transit. They do that as they are trying to make a living.

They are the real heroes who try to make a decent living even when the grim realities of their lives make it easier for them to get into illegal activities.

I often hear people saying they hate their lives. Even I do that. When I think of them, all my problems gets vanishes in thin air. If I am down, then I say to myself if they can do it so can I.

Life gives us lot of opportunities and options for solving the problems of our life, but they don't have that many options to make their problems go away. The only way they can do it is by making a decent living and hoping that they can give their children the kind of life they dreamed of.

It was the singing of a young girl accompanied by her father perhaps which are still fresh in my mind. The girl sang so beautifully the song and was moving towards people asking for money. My friend took out a 5 rupee coin and handed over to her. While I was indecisive about whether I should give it or not. Though I enjoyed her singing, I was in a dilemma as I have a strict policy of not giving money to kids who most of the time happen to be beggars as I wanted them to stop doing it. I thought if everyone did this, may be there won't be any kid begging in and around the streets. I did not offer the girl the money though I kind of regretted not doing it and kind of made it a point that instead of turning them away, we should encourage them of making as they are trying to make a decent living by singing or through selling items. Living life at their level is not that easy.

I would like to make a humble request, in case you come across them, do make a point to buy from them. There are times when we waste our money on useless things, only this time you would be making a difference!!

We all wish that we make a difference. How many of you have been able to do that? or have made an attempt to do it?

The most common answer would be that it is something that you only thought about but did nothing. While some even made an attempt to do so, some succeed some don't. Some even made the difference and feel great about it.

Where do you stand among them??

Gandhigiri

“War seems to be part of the history of humanity. As we look at the situation of our planet in the past, countries, regions and even villages were economically independent of one another. Under those circumstances, the destruction of our enemy might have been a victory for us. There was a a relevance to violence and war. However, today we are so interdependent that the concept of war has become out dated. When we face problems or disagreements today, we have to arrive at solutions through dialogue. Dialogue is the only appropriate method. One-sided victory is no longer relevant. We must work to resolve conflicts in a spirit of reconciliation and always keep in mind the interests of others. We cannot destroy our neighbors! We cannot ignore their interests! Doing so would ultimately cause us to suffer. I therefore think that the concept of violence is now unsuitable. Nonviolence is the appropriate method.”

— Dalai Lama

Recently “Lage Raho Munnabhai” won the National Award for Best Popular Movie for the year. If you think about it, the movie belonged to a different genre all together. The movie brought back something from the past that we had forgotten about. It repackaged it and named it “Gandhigiri”.

The movie theme was based on Gandhigiri. The way they highlighted the use of Gandhi’s ideals was commendable. A lot of credit for this goes to the writers Raju Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra & Dr. Abhijat Joshi who happened to come up with such a good movie with a social message.

We all seem to have forgotten the “Mahatma” the Father of our Nation who seem non-existent in our today’s life. Except that we see his face on the hundred rupee note, his statues in parks and portraits in government’ offices under which officials take bribes.

His teachings of non-violence seems to have lost in history, as we stood ground to more than 50 years of independence of a country he fought for and died. The country now is in turmoil of corruption and violence. The movie happened to have brought back the Gandhi to life as people started to read more about his teachings and resorting to Gandhigiri.

The movie has its moments where a pensioner has to strip himself to get the government official to approve the grant of his pension fund as he does not have enough money to give bribe to him. Then there was this scene where a boy happened to lost all his father’s money and was contemplating suicide. Telling the truth to his father takes a lot of courage.

After the movie was released, there was news of people taking up Gandhigiri all around the country. There was news that flowers were being sent to the HRD minister Arjun Singh who seemed to be hell-bend on increasing the reservation quotas in IIT, IIMs where merit should be given a priority. Around 2000 debt-stricken farmers in India’s cotton growing Vidarbha region resorted to protest with flowers pursuing a bank to disperse loans.

Gandhigiri seems to be a hit with the youngsters who seemed intrigued with his teachings and simple living. You will find that there over 840 communities created on the Orkut site for Gandhigiri. If that is not enough, one can also do a search on google to find websites formed to spread the Gandhigiri and the teachings of the Bapu.

It is really fascinating to see how a movie can have its effect on the people. Let’s hope that this helps in eradicating the corruption and violence which has become rampant in the Mahatma’s nation. For now,

“GANDHIGIRI ROCKS”

PETA & Nudity

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an animal rights organization which keeps demonstrating its protest against the treatment meted out to animals. It is good that someone has decided to stand for the animals who have to suffer at the hands of us (humans).

Though they are doing good work at making people realize that animals also need to being taken care of and look after. They way they make their protest sometime amuses me. There were so many instance when I had seen pictures in newspapers of PETA activists going nude while they protest against the unethical treatment to animals. I can understand their protest, but fail to understand them going nude in more than one instance.

Why does anyone has to go nude when they are protesting? Do they think people wont take notice of such protest unless they show some skin. I appreciate the work that they are doing, but the nudity that comes along turns me off. Come on, you guys are dealing with such a delicate issue, how can one let things go this way as if they are part of promoting a product through commercial gimmicks.

There are ways where one can really make people take notice of the highlighted issues. I believe the best example would be Mahatma Gandhi who happened to toppled the British rule with non-violence and his stayagraha movement. I guess the PETA should learn from this man on how to make people aware of the issues. Showing skin would only attract people who are merely interested in seeing it. This would do no good to the cause. Its time that they get their act together or else people who are really interested in the cause would get disillusioned with it.