Sachin: A Billion Dreams Movie Review-My heart so heavy today

 

Today, it feels as if I have lost him all over again. Towards the end of the movie, when he makes his retirement speech and I watch the entire stadium sunk in collective grief, I get a lump in my throat. Multiple lumps. I can’t swallow my saliva. I feel chocked. My eyes are fixed on the screen- huge, unblinking and hard.

I am back home and as I lunch, there is a heaviness in me that I am unable to shake off. The ending of the movie was emotional for obvious reasons, and expectedly so. You feel the effect for some minutes before you walk out of the theatre and into the road and back inside your real life. I wasn’t expecting that lump in my throat to last beyond some minutes. Obviously not beyond an hour. But nearly three hours have passed since the movie ended and as I write this, I feel so empty, so emotionally drained, I feel like a zombie. I have no sense of time and direction. I couldn’t eat much for lunch. I tried to sleep (my usual afternoon siesta) but the Sachin….Sachin chant began to play in front of me the moment I closed my eyes.

And so I decide to get up and write it down. I am writing it down just so that when I read this in the future, I am immersed in the painful nostalgia once again. And this moment, this day, when Sachin crossed my path again, it’s so personal. So hugely personal. It is a reminder that no matter how my life goes from here, no matter what giant leaps technology takes every day, watching Sachin bat has been the greatest pleasure of my life. Reading will come a close second. But second, that’s for sure. Sachin, undoubtedly, has been the highest pleasure of my life.

Growing up with him, and still growing up, growing old with him as he grows old (even though he may have stopped playing)…there’s he within me all the time. So much so that I never say or write that I am his biggest fan. Fan, ha! What a word. Fans are different. They can do extraordinary things for him. Hold prayers, write with blood, fly off to other cities or countries to watch him bat. Me, I can’t do any of these. Nah, I am not a fan. Fans are many. They revere him collectively. I am not one of them. Sachin is too personal for me to be shared with others. He is just a part of me, a part of my life, both past and present. And future. Besides, I can’t do things for him the way fans do or can do. I am too shy and too dull to take such grand actions. What I do for him, whatever I do for him, I don’t do it publicly, I do it within me, inside me. The way I sleep, dream, smile, think, reflect….. He controls the way my heart functions. The extra beat, the miss of a beat, the fast pumping of the blood, the heavy breaths. It has been like that ever since I watched him first….bat first. India versus Kenya, World Cup 1996. He scored 127 not out. For a long time, I used to think it was 126. But it was 127. Ah, how does it matter? What matters is that he has become a sublime thing…. one of the things you feel is worth being born for. I am not paying much attention to the grammatical part. I may have erred here and there. I am just making my thoughts fly off my head into these pages. Feels so good to do some writing work after a long time. I hardly read  these days, writing seems like a forgotten art. And writing with pen and paper- I am doing it after a really long time. And it’s quite clear yet again why old is gold. The joy of writing on paper is so much superior to the convenience of typing on a computer pad. Just like Sachin- the good, old thing…That has been around my childhood in its pure, computer-free TV form. Now, people don’t follow TV with so much passion, what with mobile and computer thrusting their way in. I miss those old pre-internet days when you’d watch a cricket match with family (without any constant pings and rings of phone). Today, I am missing it more. Terribly more.

Also, Sachin in the movie ‘Sachin: A Billion Dreams’ keeps reminding you of the importance of being a good person. His father had told him to be a good cricketer but to be a good person first. When Sachin tells you that, you do get the message. That’s because he himself has followed that advice so well….so wonderfully well. I know I can’t be like him- the grounded, calm and responsible man- the epitome of goodness. I may try to hold up my anger for a day or two but then I would erupt and all my efforts of being like him would go down the drain. But then even if I can be like him for one day, it would be such a bliss.

He also talks of dreams and how not to stop dreaming. Seeing him fail at the World Cups for close to 20 years (that’s five failed World Cups), who would have dared to continue dreaming? Who else but he? He did fulfil his big dream and the discipline he shows towards the evening of his career is something truly exemplary. This is something I cannot imbibe by just watching him or by reading about him or even by listening to him talk about it. This will come from within, when I totally insert him within me. When I embody him. It’s hard, it’s hard. Life keeps moving, changing, challenging us. And my alarm bell rings there. I’ll need to go now. Students (whom I teach) will come. Need to stop writing here. But it’s still there…..in me…..within me….the chant-

Sachin…..Sachin

 

 

-Ritesh Agarwal

26^th May, 2017.   5:38 pm

CONFUSED- A guest post

 

There is something I am unable to say, something very weird, something so much difficult that it doesn’t let me sleep. I don’t know what actually it is but whatever it is, it is weird…sometimes hanging around with buddies! I thought- is this the weirdest  thing that a boy like me made  so many friends, a boy who was seen as a dumbo, had got above 80% in boards. Wow, who ever would believe this fact….well some may….but no, this was not the thing. But then what was it?? was it love that made me change my style- a boy who was arrogant & selfish changed to a humble & kind boy…may be…don’t know or was it that I had become so humble that even in a fight I think of backing off…i guess no….weird because this was the life’s rule…may be carrier planning had become a weird thing because some years ago I believe I was born for cricket- may be as the boy like me had got a chance for playing at the district level within a few months..because of his ability to swung in and around…and now I got engrossed in studies just to get some professional degree….don’t know but something has got changed inside me, something very weird…the boy who was once offensive is slowly changing into the boy whom everybody thought of as dumbo but now finds knowledegable…the boy bad at humor now cracked jokes..the boy whom his parents use to be proud of now scold him…but why- why is it so that people change??Is it the condition or time or what is it actually………DON’T know but one thing is for sure- nothing is still it will have to change whatever may be the reason …….may be scientific or natural….I have to change under such weird circumstances.  I also doubt sometimes that is this really the reason for changing?? Don’t know…maybe if I ask lord he might be able to reply satisfactorily to such weird questions…

 

[This philosophical-self post has been written Vineet Shroff who blogs at Vineet’s Thoughts. You can read more about his views (honest and straightforward) here at his blog http://vineetthought.blogspot.com/]

 

Coffins in my eyes

 

It is only when you arrive on the verge of losing something or someone that you horrifically realize how priceless that something or someone is. Today (on 4^th March, 2016), I lost my Bunny for an hour before it could be finally traced down, having sought refuge in an elderly lady’s dog-infested flat. Unlike cats, the dogs (both the strays and the pet ones) bear a streak of strong affection and protectiveness for rabbits. (I have noticed this on multiple occasions during my two-year stint with rabbits) and so I felt the two pomelians vehemently guarding my nervous Bunny as I bent down to pick it up from a dark, pitiable corner under the table. The relief that washed over me on spotting my Gori (Gori is the name with which we address Bunny at home) was immense.

After the fruitless hour-long search around my locality, my heart was stripped of all hope. It was upsetting to peer inside the underside of cars and look for signs of recognition of a rabbit-leftover amidst a gang of unusually animated dogs. I felt, at that point, the agonizing dilemma of a father’s heart when he is summoned to the morgue to identify his child’s probable body.

But the more pressing fear was the stronger likelihood of some passerby having scooped up my adventurous rabbit from the street and having walked away with it. I looked at all possible and impossible places where she could be found loitering, but after the sun burnt me for an hour and every corner had been scanned and re-scanned (and every man/passerby/vendor quizzed), I felt the searing wave of the wind of death raging past my heart’s meadow. Within minutes, my heart was a graveyard, my eyes drizzling in a sense of deep loss and guilt. Her memories crowded over my mind from all sides, like unwanted people crowding on a child when he is lost in a fair.

Memories are happy memories as long as the people in these memories are with you. But when they have left or are lost, the same memories become stained with sadness. So, as I trudged back towards my home with heavy legs and empty hands, my mind was torturing my heart with an overdose of memories all of which were delightful at one time but seemed to terrify me now.

I would tap at its ribs repeatedly until she steps inside the tub and pees there- when she would snarl at me, showering anger like a peeved toddler does upon its parents- when she leapt on my breakfast plate during that hilarious December morning and found its foreleg sheepishly drowned in my mug of green tea. The expression on her face at that time was one of a child who has committed a blunder and is now guiltily wanting his parents to bail him out of the trouble.

There are plenty such memories sleeping behind my eyelid. It’s good that I found my Bunny in the end, or else my eyes would have too many coffins for the day.

 

What Is It With Salesforce? Why The Big Hue And Cry?

Out there in the technology platform exists a commotion when trying to answer the question – “what is Salesforce?” A complete answer takes hours of explanation. In short, it is a Customer Relationship Management Application, which is delivered through the cloud for a fee on a monthly basis. It is an easy to use, flexible system.

It can be used via various platforms like PC, Smartphone, Tablet and Web Browser, whenever there is the availability of internet service. Salesforce provides a username and password to be entered in its login page. It permits the users to place certain level of information locally on the device. This is for the conditions when the user remains outside the limits of internet.

Commonly, the configured applications give pop-ups with the update notification, which annoys the users. Salesforce is quite a different application, which comes up with the latest version of the solution just when the user login to the system.  Therefore, it is an issue free base and the users need not worry for upgrades, internet problems and hardware issues. Immediately, when login to Salesforce, the user will have instant access to the detailed information of the customers, their contact details, activity record on the account and further steps.

Capabilities of Salesforce

 The complete suite of products is made available once the user gets into Salesforce. The notable products of Salesforce are

• Sales Cloud,
• Service Cloud,
• Salesforce Chatter and
• Third Party Apps.

 

The Sales Cloud is meant to be the sales component, which holds complete sales information for the utility of sales team. It is provided through the cloud. It facilitates the sales team and the management team to look more appropriately into the happenings inside their pipeline and let them forecast perfect results.

The Service Cloud concentrates on the customers. It is the main element which deals with the service and support issues of the customers. It enables the support team to track all the pending issues. It makes possible to ponder on the escalation rules based on the passed time and to stress upon the importance of the specific customer.

Salesforce provides an instant messaging system which functions internally. It is known as Chatter. It replaces the email conversation. It enables the employees to collaborate within themselves by chatter communication.

The abilities of the system are extended by various third party applications. The biggest strength of Salesforce is the suppleness and custom-made solutions that are made available to tailor it to suit any type of business. It is because it creates the way how the people work. Salesforce enhances the satisfaction level of both the internal and external customers and promotes sales, which is in the true soul of CRM system.

Functions of Salesforce

Salesforce is a set of CRM components that combines together and well-balances the functions of the companies to give efficient output and increased revenue. Salesforce touches various functional areas in the corporations.

Salesforce for the Sales Team

 Wherever the sales reps have physically been, their works are carried out in an effective manner because of the flexibility in synchronizing the contacts and pipelines. It co-ordinates with the email clients like outlook and sync the calendars. It keeps track of the available opportunities, leads, competitors, accounts and business partners. It helps in associating the appropriate contact with the relevant emails.

It maintains track record so that it becomes easier to look into the contacts that the users already touched. There are provisions to integrate Salesforce with the user’s company website. It makes the sales teams’ work pretty easier and allows them to work majority of their time within the application.

Salesforce for the Support Team

Salesforce keeps trail on the issues of the customer support. It concentrates on escalation rules and the significance of each and every customer.  It makes sure in achieving higher customer satisfaction by not letting the problems fall through the crevice.  It is built in such a way that the unresolved problems are escalated to the view of next higher level support in the organizational hierarchy. The management can note the issues in their products and solve them as needed by using the extensive reporting process.

Salesforce for Marketing Team

Salesforce look after the marketing campaigns which helps the team to design, develop, deploy and implement its campaign goals. Mass emails can be sent through Salesforce for being in touch with the means of revenue. It also offers Web-to-lead service.

Salesforce on Training

The Salesforce CRM Application possesses the strongest training capability. The queries of the users are solved instantly online. There are indeed many Salesforce Training Centers providing formal up-front training. There are online User groups and Salesforce Communities to provide best tips and tricks.

Salesforce as a Priceless Asset

Salesforce helps the management on the whole. It provides visual dashboards to post the updates of all the teams. This helps the management team to take quick and appropriate decisions on what is to be taken care and what is to be expelled. It boosts the productivity of every user.

 

A gem in your trove

 

We often scour amongst cricket stars and Bollywood celebs to look for a stable source of inspiration. Alternatively, we seek inspiration in an unprivileged but unordinary man/woman who has defied all odds to win a personal race. But it is how surreptitiously strange to note that we often overlook figures who are such an intimate part of our routine lives but so unassumingly rooted and calm that they are no less inspiring. They, in spite of their apparent ordinariness, stand tall and unperturbed even when we collapse into rubles of melancholy when a gravely upsetting incident occurs in our lives. It can be a great learning experience to just be present by the side of such people during their own lean phases, not to put a comforting arm on their shoulders but simply to witness the magnitude of their calmness and to make this disturbing discovery that they don’t need an arm at all. At a juncture when you may find it impossible to maintain a calm composure, they can absorb their disappointments and agonies into their system brilliantly well and get along with their life as if nothing significant has transpired. Even if the incident keeps playing at the back of their minds, they are audacious enough to feign happiness, concealing their inner turmoil and still managing to radiate joy in a monk-like sincerity.

That inspiring figure in my life is my everyday friend and batchmate Soumyodeb Bose. A man of great modesty and humble background, he hails from a small hamlet called Dankuni and commutes to Kolkata everyday to pursue a postgraduate degree from JU. Barely in his mid-twenties, he has the tranquility that is fast becoming a rarity in today’s urban-bred youth. In our internet-driven, breakneck-paced life, we have (perhaps unconsciously) internalized the habit of yelling and frowning at almost every animate and inanimate thing- right from a wireless mouse that has slowed down on its battery to our ageing parents who don’t even know the meaning of LOL.

But this guy, like I said despite all his seeming ordinariness (and academic mediocrity) shines like a Taj amidst black fragmented rubles. Of course, he lives his life almost like a shadow with not much academic or professional repute to boast of and entailed only by his handful intimate friends, but anyone who has spent a few months with him is bound to get infected by his ebullient and high-spirited nature.

No, he is neither an alms-begging mendicant nor a muscle-flaunting model or star. He is just a middle-class nobody. But even his story, no matter how insignificant and commonplace it may sound, deserves to be chronicled. He may never make it to headlines, having done no ‘miracle’ to warrant a place in the coveted list of “inspiring Indians”. But to those who are blessed enough to share his acquaintance, he serves as a philosopher who silently inspires; sometimes without our own knowledge.

So, when I face an odd situation in my personal life, I ask myself- “what Soumyodeb would have done in my place”- and finding my call answered by an inner voice, I act accordingly.

I write this because such people often exist in each of your daily lives. You only need to discover these gems in your own cellar. There is really no need to go looking for a diamond in some far-away treasure trove.

 

[This post has been written for http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/ as a part of a project organized by https://www.indiblogger.in/ ]

 

-Ritesh Agarwal

Email: ritzy182000@gmail.com

Ritesh’s top 5 films of 2015

 

I went through two such lists of ‘best films of 2015’ in today’s t2 and at an online magazine. So, I thought why not script a quick post on the films that I felt were the most watch-worthy. Such a non-academic, non-professional post would come with no heavy baggage and would help me brush off some rust that has settled on my pen (as you can perhaps see). However, I haven’t watched all the films that were declared hits or earned the so-called critical acclaim. So, this post is just a list of the best films out of the ones I have watched. So, here we go:

 

1] Bahubali: There are a few areas where this film was overrated (for instance, the shivling-lifting scene) but more than the plot and the story what worked for me was the treatment, especially in the background score. The pulsating music that would precede the crucial moments singlehandedly had that hair-raising capacity. The war sequences definitely upped the general Bollywood level; the climax came like a jolt out of nowhere, and the Tamannah strip-tease act was that rare kind of a non-vulgar erotic scene that a man can comfortably watch in front of his mother. Bahubali, therefore, deservingly gets the top rank in this list.

Best moment: That slicing-of-the-head scene under the lightning-strewn sky with that bone-chilling music totally had me.

 

2] Pyar ka Punchnama 2: My date with Pyar ka Punchnama 2 clashed with Durga Puja’s Ponchomi (or was it Shashti) and my best friend’s birthday. This total paisa-vasool movie was not just rib-tickling but was driven by a taut plot with unoriginal but freshly presented story. What worked in favor of this film is its high RQ (relatability quotient) as every man and woman inside the theatre could relate to the nyakami of Chiku and the let-us-commercialize-love theorem by that second heroine (the one that had the best body). My former classmate (from my South Point days) Sonali Sehgall as the third heroine gave me an additional reason to root for this movie.

Best moment: While many may instantly point out the commendable 7-minute monologue, I personally found the highly creative, extremely relatable and hilarious anti-smoking-mimicry scene just at the close of interval as the best moment.

 

3] Bajrangi Bhaijaan: If Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo felt like a feelingless film, Bajrangi had me nearly choking at the end. The good Samaritan Salman, riding on a painfully sweet plot and teamed with a fail-safe child artist came, saw and conquered (the box office, that is). And our hearts too. The supporting actors including Kareena and that veteran actor who played her father didn’t allow the film to slip even for a minute. And that song ‘tu chahiye.. tu chahiye…shaamo subah tu chahiye’ became my new favorite number. Oh, and the pure, unadulterated, saccharine smile of the child  ❤

Best moment: The climactic scene when Munni is desperately banging on the iron-steel barricade to catch the departing Salman’s attention, only to find her own voice with that ‘maaaa ma’. It gave me a lump in the throat even during repeat watch.

 

4] Piku: As the t2 reviewer remarked, the film presents poop to the point of romanticizing it. The father-daughter latrine talk that forms the fulcrum of this lighthearted movie wasn’t a laughathon as some may think it to be. What worked in favor of the film was the strong spice of emotion that peppered the potty talk. The bitter-sweet father-daughter banter, bolstered by impeccable acting, lifted the film to new commode-ian heights. Also, not to forget the layered romance between Deepika and Irfan. It really lent the movie that extra edge. And yes, the Calcutta connect!

Best moment: Hard to choose one but I really liked that scene when Deepika almost in a ‘hatke’ proposal asks, “kyun, karoge shaadi mujhse” and an amused Irfan quips, “maatha kharab nahi hai mera.”

 

 

Btw, what’s common between Amitabh Bacchan and my rabbit Bunny?

Answer: Their daughter’s name is Piku   (yea, a lame joke    )

 

5] Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon: No, don’t listen to the critics. They only critique films. So, they give high stars to films that have unseen kind of violence or an NH-10 like audacity or to women-centric or politics-centric movies. Sure enough, KKPK has a banal script with nothing new to offer, but it is a highly watchable film due to the highly likeable Kapil Sharma and his innocent brand of comedy. The other actor Varun (who later stars in Shahrukh Khan’s Dilwale) is another likeable baby-faced actor who complements Kapil well in the role of his advocate friend-cum-advisor.

Best moment: Again, difficult to choose one. But that was a great punchline when Kapil’s wife says, “bhagwaan aisa pati sabko de” and an agitated Kapil retorts with “aisa mat bola karo. Kabhi kabhi bhagwaan sun bhi leta hai”.

PS- Not many people know that the actress who essayed the role of the peeping-tom kaamwali is Johnny Lever’s daughter.

 

So, what are your best films and best moments? Do comment below!

 

-Ritesh Agarwal

Email: ritzy182000@gmail.com

 

[All images courtesy Google Images]

 

 

The paradox of over-socialization

 

The paradox of over-socialization works just like Hindi film promotions work these days. You promote too much and you erode the element of mystery. You don’t promote at all and your film will tank without a trace. Likewise, too much socialization saps us of the time (and zeal) to devote ourselves to more productive work.

On a personal front, I am guilty of indulging in over-socialization ever since I joined JU. In my pursuit of a formal degree in literature (Comparative Literature, to be precise), I have totally cut down on my reading (and writing) time which in itself is an embarrassing paradox. I became a part of a disturbing number of facebook pages, whatsapp groups and what not. So much so that a ravenous chunk of my time gets lost in simply tracking the plethoric posts they post there, and with FOMO syndrome (Fear of Missing Out) being an inescapable chronic disorder of our present-day life, it is a Herculean task to live a day incommunicado.

Not socializing at all in this app-ridden world would isolate me completely from everyone, almost to the point of alienation. Too much socialization, on the other hand, results in a persistent decline in meaningful conversations, eliminates the much-needed element of suspense from our relationships and brings our intimate friends too close, making them too accessible; too accessible to the point of redundancy.

A recent survey revealed that those who lead a Facebook-free life extract greater “happiness” out of their daily lives. The survey is not surprising, and merely a formal legitimization of what is known by some, feared by many and denied by all (well, almost all especially those who still swear by the joys of social apps).

Facebook, when it started off, promised everyone a happier and a more fulfilling life by connecting each one of us. What it failed to foresee is that the same thread with which it proposed to bind us in amorous harmony would, before long, metamorphose into a poisonous noose and choke us to asphyxiation.

Perhaps, even you too would acknowledge (to your own self if not admit it aloud) that the bold act of wiping out Facebook completely would entail personal happiness for you in the long run. But no matter what your underlying impulses tell you, you know that you are most unlikely to press the ‘deactivate’ and ‘uninstall’ buttons (permanently). This I attribute to the hegemonic influence of Facebook, social apps and technology in general. And this, my dear friend, is the paradox of oversocialization.

 

PS- Rhett Butler’s words appear so relevant and beautiful today. Only if we could address them to Facebook!

Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn……

 

 

-Ritesh Agarwal, Kolkata, India

Email: ritzy182000@gmail.com

 

Which cracker is your fav Bollywood star?

If some of our Bollywood stars were turned into firecrackers, then who would become what?

Here’s a quick trailblazing list (all in fun):

1. Alu bomb (alias hand bomb): Vivek Oberoi-

The bomb every girl would want to have in their hands used to be colourful and hassle-free but afer a brief and glamorous career fizzled out of existence.

2. Sasta rockets: Abhishek Bacchan

These sasta rockets travel into the market and into our homes primarily due to the sky-high reputation of their proven predecessors , but when put to the fire test themselves they struggle to inch even 50 metres above the ground. Before you can run for cover, their disgraced half-burnt dandaa falls over your head like a box office dud.

3. Siren: Mallika Sherawat-

The sex siren of Bollywood [even hollywood 😉 ] has done little else than to ‘scream’ her way to stardom.

4. Butterfly: Ranbir Kapoor-

The problem with ‘Butterfly’ is that you never know which way will it spin and which direction it will take. It may veer towards you or get under the skirt of that other woman. But no matter what, it is guaranteed to brew some butterflies in your stomach.

5. Fuljhari: Shahrukh Khan-

Amongst all crackers, fuljhari is the safest bet. It can be enjoyed by everybody from kids to adults to septuagenerians. At times plain, at times sparkling and occasionally a loud red, it enjoys universal appeal and is found in every corner. And irrespective of the economy and firecracker norms, fuljhari always ‘sells’.

6. Chocolate bomb: Sunny Leone-

Everybody from the opportunistic shopkeeper to the sordid customer, all want to see it, hold it and watch it explode. But it all happens in super secrecy. Nobody wants to get caught with a chocolate bomb.

7. Chakri: Hrithik Roshan-

Chakri clearly is the mass favourite with giggling kids and squeaky girls. Safe, delightful and reliable- a chakri spins vigorously (Krrish style), gives you some adrenaline moments and leaves you spinning (craving) for more. However, cracker critics always give it a thumbs down for being a silly no-brainer head-churner.

8. Anar: Salman Khan-

Anar has that ageless, timeless charm that when set off grabs the attention of the entire paara (locality). Everybody hearts an anar for its opulent, larger-than-life persona. At times, it does disappoint when it’s all style sans substance, but you can’t contest the fact that when a ‘fuljhari’ hugs an ‘anar’ setting off sparks, the entire mohalla comes to a standstill.

9. Train: Ashutosh Gowariker-

It takes almost five solar eclipses just to get this train cracker ready. But once the hard job is done, it ensures that the length and breadth (and history) of your entire terrace is covered in just a few gasps.

10. Star: Farida jalal

Quiet, unassuming and bright. Nobody remembers its presence at the end but its absence would make the present seem absent.

-Ritesh Agarwal

Kolkata

email: ritzy182000@gmail.com

Understanding Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Cave’ through my rabbits

My Bunny- (Rabbit Y)

I am not entirely clear as to how does one relate the philosophy of ‘Allegory of the Cave’ to literature and I am going to ask KC sir about it tomorrow. But for a layman (or woman) or for a rabbit-keeper (or any pet-keeper for that matter), here is what I deduce of it:

I have two rabbits at my place and they stay cooped up inside my humble 2-BHK flat most of the time. Even if I push them out of the door and place them beside the staircase, they would run back inside the house instead of running away to freedom. This is contrary to what people usually think. They think that if you keep the door of the cage open, the animal is going to escape. But that’s rarely the case since for that animal, the cage becomes a reality and it does not realize that it is living a life of imprisonment. [The theory was also explained in Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi” by the novel’s protagonist whose father ran a zoo].

So, getting my focus back on the rabbits, the point I am trying to make here is that my rabbits have spent so many months inside the house away from the open sky that it has become their reality. Now, if I drag one of them (say, Rabbit X) out into the light and under the open sky of the wild, it will undergo trepidation, confusion and an impulsive reluctance to accept the reality the way it is. Remember, for the rabbit, the enclosure of the house is reality and the openness of a wall-free and ceiling-free space will seem unreal to it. However, at length, it will acknowledge the openness of the wilderness to be the real thing and accept that the life it had been living inside the fenced house was the delusional life instead of it being the other way round.

Once this realization sets in, it will remember its old friend (the other rabbit, say Rabbit Y) and return to the house to enlighten him. But (and here comes the travesty of life), the other rabbit will see only absurdity in the enlightened rabbit’s statements. For the rabbit Y, the enclosure and gloom of the house is the real and comforting thing. So, it will continue to see the unreality of life as the reality which, to be fair to the poor rabbit, is his personal reality. Hence, no amount of convincing and pleading by Rabbit X is going to push Rabbit Y out of the house.

This philosophy is deep yet simple as each one of us can relate to it in some way or the other.

-Ritesh Agarwal

I love/hate being single because. . .

Single and happy or single and sad
Committing is snazzy or committing is bad ?

I love being single because you don’t have to act all grown-up and lend shoulders to a girl who will use you as her napkin everytime she thinks it essential to weep. Also because the only phone bills you have to bear are yours, and of course, you can watch Ragini Mms 2 without making your hormones feel guilty of betrayal.

But then there are those solitary evenings and you happily decide to go for a stroll only for the sky to do the crying this time and for a PDA couple to totter two yards in front of your eyes and under a single umbrella so small that their DNAs seem to be all over each other. And you sigh and tell God, “If you could loan me a gf just for an evening,” and then you sigh again, realizing that God himself is single and alone this time. Or may be always.