During my trip to India, one day I had been to a village where my brother and sis-in-law work. It was a small village with a population of under 20,000 (In US it’s not small, but in India it is way too small). There I happened to meet with REDDY GAARU, the former chief of the village. After initial formalities, he asked me about my monthly salary, just in two minutes of confrontation. I feel bit embarrassed to give the details of may pay to a relatively new person. I felt, being asked about salary details itself was embarrassing, but what happened after was acme of the embarrassment. They started comparing the salary of mine with an unknown person, working in different field, in US.
One day at my work, we were having some discussions on the rules of prevailing unions in plant. During that discussion one of my colleagues, after 18 months of work at the same place, asked me about the type of position I was working there (F/T, P/T, or on Contract). I felt, so distant, even though, we have been sharing the same office and same workshop for 18 months.
In one incident, I felt as if my personal life was disturbed by an intruder, where as in the other incident, I felt as if I was living aloof in a crowded place. If I had not made it US, I would not have worried being asked about my salary details. I know it is a quiet common question asked in India. It is just the way people follow the formalities. If you do the same here, it is breaching into ones personal life. They consider these questions (so called formalities) as intrusion or offensive and it is just the way they have their laws of formalities. For people like me, who were born and raised in India for 21 years, and made their living here in US, it is hard to digest any of the above two incidents. One stage I feel offended, and I feel secluded or isolated in the other.
If you are ready to take the pain of seclusion, or ready to consider the seclusion as the formality, you can happily live in US, forever. If not, better get back to where you belong.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Freinds
The other day, I was speaking to a friend, who got married recently. The phone calls with him were always long and fascinating, but not anymore. After 5 minutes, I had nothing to speak about. For the first time, I was running short on words, with him. I have never felt this way in 8 years. What made the difference in the phone calls? Knowingly or unknowingly, there developed a barrier between us as a result of his marriage. What happens when a friend gets married? Why do we loose that past touch once our friend gets married?
When I entered engineering college, I felt whole college was my area. I was friends to everybody and vice versa. But, as the time passed by, I had that circle of friends which got smaller and smaller. I can count the number of friends; I had at my graduation, on my fingers. The familiar we got, the further we grew. As my job life started, that number squeezed in more. It got much smaller than it used to be. Previously we used to see everybody everyday. Then, we had long phone calls twice every week. But now, we just exchange information through emails, every now and then, to be accurate, once in a fortnight.
What happened there was, everybody got busy with their own life. Now everyone has their own responsibilities to take care of. Back then, we were like free birds. We just had rights, never worried about responsibilities. Even though, we don’t have that influx of emails, or long phone calls, I still believe that, I can count on him any given day, any given problem.
(to be continued..)
When I entered engineering college, I felt whole college was my area. I was friends to everybody and vice versa. But, as the time passed by, I had that circle of friends which got smaller and smaller. I can count the number of friends; I had at my graduation, on my fingers. The familiar we got, the further we grew. As my job life started, that number squeezed in more. It got much smaller than it used to be. Previously we used to see everybody everyday. Then, we had long phone calls twice every week. But now, we just exchange information through emails, every now and then, to be accurate, once in a fortnight.
What happened there was, everybody got busy with their own life. Now everyone has their own responsibilities to take care of. Back then, we were like free birds. We just had rights, never worried about responsibilities. Even though, we don’t have that influx of emails, or long phone calls, I still believe that, I can count on him any given day, any given problem.
(to be continued..)
తను
మనతోడు మన గోడు వింటే మనకు జోడు
లేదా గొంతు కోసే బ్లేడు, ఉరి తీసే తాడు
పెళ్ళి ప్రతి ఒక్కడి జీవితంలో ఒక పెద్ద మలుపు.
అన్ని నచ్చితే మిగిలేది వలపు, దక్కేది గెలుపు
లేకపోతే జీవనపంటలో మెదిలేది కలపు.
తన చెలిమి విరిసిన పూల వనం
తన లేమి ఓడిన రణం, చావని మరణం
తన రూపం గుడిలో ధూపం
తన హాసం ఆరని దీపం
తను లేని ఒక్క క్షణం, రగిలింది నా కణకణం,
కన్నుల్లొ ఆగని వరుణం, గుండెల్లొ నాటిన బాణం.
లేదా గొంతు కోసే బ్లేడు, ఉరి తీసే తాడు
పెళ్ళి ప్రతి ఒక్కడి జీవితంలో ఒక పెద్ద మలుపు.
అన్ని నచ్చితే మిగిలేది వలపు, దక్కేది గెలుపు
లేకపోతే జీవనపంటలో మెదిలేది కలపు.
తన చెలిమి విరిసిన పూల వనం
తన లేమి ఓడిన రణం, చావని మరణం
తన రూపం గుడిలో ధూపం
తన హాసం ఆరని దీపం
తను లేని ఒక్క క్షణం, రగిలింది నా కణకణం,
కన్నుల్లొ ఆగని వరుణం, గుండెల్లొ నాటిన బాణం.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Media
The very thought of imagining Amitabh Bachchan as President of India, itself is ludicrous. Recently a poll was conducted on www.rediff.com, and responses were really encouraging in opposing the idea. It’s happy to learn that people are clever enough to draw barrier between celebrity and shrewdness.
What was ‘rediff’ trying to do here? He has the most powerful weapon in democratic country and instead of aiming at useful ways; he is making money on the glitters of film industry by leading the people into realm of stupidity. On what basis one should elect AB as President of India. We all accept him as a supreme entertainer, a remarkable performer and an articulate host of KBC. But these are not the eligibilities to become President. The vanity and fame are not the requirements for that position. What was ‘rediff’ trying to do? Trying to re-write the eligibilities of President of India or they have forgotten the present eligibilities. Do they think it (Promoting AB for Presidency) as a prudent step towards the development of modern India?
Here, I am not questioning anything about the generosity of AB. To be clear, my questions are aimed at ‘rediff’, coz, as of now we don’t know if AB has willingness to become President of India or if it was his idea of carrying out an opinion poll through ‘rediff’.
I think, entertainers are not right fit to the politics. It is not the fairyland that they show in their movies. I believe, people are bright enough to decide, whom they want to see as their leader. When you have media in your hand, it does not matter if you don’t try to wake them up from the sleep of inanity, but what matters is compelling them deep into obscure by poisoning with brainless/ dim witted thoughts. So all you media people out there think before you ink something, because one stupid thought can sink billions.
What was ‘rediff’ trying to do here? He has the most powerful weapon in democratic country and instead of aiming at useful ways; he is making money on the glitters of film industry by leading the people into realm of stupidity. On what basis one should elect AB as President of India. We all accept him as a supreme entertainer, a remarkable performer and an articulate host of KBC. But these are not the eligibilities to become President. The vanity and fame are not the requirements for that position. What was ‘rediff’ trying to do? Trying to re-write the eligibilities of President of India or they have forgotten the present eligibilities. Do they think it (Promoting AB for Presidency) as a prudent step towards the development of modern India?
Here, I am not questioning anything about the generosity of AB. To be clear, my questions are aimed at ‘rediff’, coz, as of now we don’t know if AB has willingness to become President of India or if it was his idea of carrying out an opinion poll through ‘rediff’.
I think, entertainers are not right fit to the politics. It is not the fairyland that they show in their movies. I believe, people are bright enough to decide, whom they want to see as their leader. When you have media in your hand, it does not matter if you don’t try to wake them up from the sleep of inanity, but what matters is compelling them deep into obscure by poisoning with brainless/ dim witted thoughts. So all you media people out there think before you ink something, because one stupid thought can sink billions.
Unseen Person??
My weekend was a typical, boring and a routine one. I drove up to Ruston on Friday night and came back on Saturday evening. My trips to Ruston are always fascinating ones. I always have fun in roaming on Latech roads and remembering those good old days spent with some of my ‘good friends’. Those memories are still fresh in my mind. I never want them to be erased off of my mind. I don’t know, why we always feel, gone days are better than the present ones. Is it just me or everybody has the same feeling?
Those early days in US always forced me to go back to engineering days at OU. But the same feelings I never had when I was in OU. I never wanted to go back to my Intermediate days. So, I believe, there is stupendous change in our way of thinking about human relations and there by acquiring the knowledge of social awareness, once we step out of teen-age maze. I mean, feelings were always there for friends and relations but, that adolescent age keeps us away from digging or dwelling deep into those thoughts. Once you are out of teen-age, you would come to a point where you choose to be emotional or sentimental rather than a tough innocuous person.
One has to be poignant and emotional, at times. It is just a way of expressing the feelings towards the other person. Emotional doesn’t make you an incompetent or impotent person, in any manner. Considering emotions and sentiments as weakness is preposterous. I feel, a person has to be able to express his feelings, his thoughts, his belief, and his agony atleast to one person in this world, whole heartedly. If you are able to find that person, you are at the acme of your life knoll.
Those early days in US always forced me to go back to engineering days at OU. But the same feelings I never had when I was in OU. I never wanted to go back to my Intermediate days. So, I believe, there is stupendous change in our way of thinking about human relations and there by acquiring the knowledge of social awareness, once we step out of teen-age maze. I mean, feelings were always there for friends and relations but, that adolescent age keeps us away from digging or dwelling deep into those thoughts. Once you are out of teen-age, you would come to a point where you choose to be emotional or sentimental rather than a tough innocuous person.
One has to be poignant and emotional, at times. It is just a way of expressing the feelings towards the other person. Emotional doesn’t make you an incompetent or impotent person, in any manner. Considering emotions and sentiments as weakness is preposterous. I feel, a person has to be able to express his feelings, his thoughts, his belief, and his agony atleast to one person in this world, whole heartedly. If you are able to find that person, you are at the acme of your life knoll.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Rambabu
Yesterday came to know about the demise of a friend, Rambabu Deshetti. He jumped to death from fifth floor of a building. He was my batchmate in engineering. He graduated in EEE and worked for TCS. He was the gold medalist of EEE department in our batch. He was survived by wife. He was one of the calm, quiet and bright students of our batch. Even though, I never got a chance to build intimacy with him, but still I could count him as one of my good friends. I feel sad for his family. To be honest, I really don’t know what to feel on his loss. I am distressed as well as infuriated at his (in) decision.
Why do people commit suicide? One has to be brave to commit suicide. Committing suicide is more challenging than living with those unhappy, bothering incidents. But, in my view, committing suicide is running away from problems. It means that, you no longer can handle the load and you agreed your impotency. Their (the people who commit suicide) courage is always veiled under their impotency or the other way. I believe, death is not a solution for many problems. I am not here to comment anything on my friend’s demise, as I don’t know the reasons yet. Whatever may be the reason, death is not a solution, infact it left his family with numerous questions and sea full of tears. Everybody is given a chance to live, live to the fullest. Leave a mark at the end, not a remark of incapability. Nothing is precious than ones own life. Everybody has problems; problems only make a shrew out of you. Only problems are the measure to ones success.
Anyway, as they say “Life is like riding a bicycle. You don't fall off unless you plan to stop peddling”, so keep peddling, you will find a low every time after a high. I convey my deepest condolences to my friend, Rambabu. May his soul rest in peace, atleast now.
Why do people commit suicide? One has to be brave to commit suicide. Committing suicide is more challenging than living with those unhappy, bothering incidents. But, in my view, committing suicide is running away from problems. It means that, you no longer can handle the load and you agreed your impotency. Their (the people who commit suicide) courage is always veiled under their impotency or the other way. I believe, death is not a solution for many problems. I am not here to comment anything on my friend’s demise, as I don’t know the reasons yet. Whatever may be the reason, death is not a solution, infact it left his family with numerous questions and sea full of tears. Everybody is given a chance to live, live to the fullest. Leave a mark at the end, not a remark of incapability. Nothing is precious than ones own life. Everybody has problems; problems only make a shrew out of you. Only problems are the measure to ones success.
Anyway, as they say “Life is like riding a bicycle. You don't fall off unless you plan to stop peddling”, so keep peddling, you will find a low every time after a high. I convey my deepest condolences to my friend, Rambabu. May his soul rest in peace, atleast now.
C&C
Changes are inevitable. And, year 2007 completely made it true, as any year. It’s just been a month since the beginning of 2007, and already I am witnessing some major changes. Two of my good friends are getting in married this February.
Cnu (Srinivas C. Nama) is into the wedlock on 7th. Cnu and I were roomies thru out our engineering. He is one of the sensible guys of my friends list. He did make us to prepare for GRE and TOEFL. He played instrumental role in applying to Universities for further studies. He used to calculate the required no of periods to attend to get our attendance above 65%. We were always ready to pay that fine for lack of attendance. Other than that, I still remember the fun days we had in D-Hostel room no-42. There is a long list of fun, fights and emotions, we had together, that could take days to write in here. To sum it up in one word, he is an honest and shrewd and nonchalant, sometimes, chap.
Chow (Pradeep C.Mandava) will be tying the knot on 9th. Chow was one of the slick and smart guys of our batch. Even though, he was short, but never refrained from walking tall. I am sure; he was the heart throb of many girls of our college. We both had some unforgettable moments along with Srujan and Phani. I still remember those long walks to Hilton café in the evening times. At times, he was supportive and encouraging, always. His extended support on phone calls to those, who were suffering from exam-phobia, was pleasure to eyes and melody to ears. I can not list all the fun we had, all the emotions we went thru and all the rubbish we did, as the list can be gigantic. All I can say is chow is a prefect example of beauty with brains.
I wish all the best to you guys. I hope you emerge successfully in all your endeavors. Hope to see you soon.
Cnu (Srinivas C. Nama) is into the wedlock on 7th. Cnu and I were roomies thru out our engineering. He is one of the sensible guys of my friends list. He did make us to prepare for GRE and TOEFL. He played instrumental role in applying to Universities for further studies. He used to calculate the required no of periods to attend to get our attendance above 65%. We were always ready to pay that fine for lack of attendance. Other than that, I still remember the fun days we had in D-Hostel room no-42. There is a long list of fun, fights and emotions, we had together, that could take days to write in here. To sum it up in one word, he is an honest and shrewd and nonchalant, sometimes, chap.
Chow (Pradeep C.Mandava) will be tying the knot on 9th. Chow was one of the slick and smart guys of our batch. Even though, he was short, but never refrained from walking tall. I am sure; he was the heart throb of many girls of our college. We both had some unforgettable moments along with Srujan and Phani. I still remember those long walks to Hilton café in the evening times. At times, he was supportive and encouraging, always. His extended support on phone calls to those, who were suffering from exam-phobia, was pleasure to eyes and melody to ears. I can not list all the fun we had, all the emotions we went thru and all the rubbish we did, as the list can be gigantic. All I can say is chow is a prefect example of beauty with brains.
I wish all the best to you guys. I hope you emerge successfully in all your endeavors. Hope to see you soon.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Business - Ethics
That day, I went to a bakery to buy some milk. I asked the shop keeper for milk with all the due respect. It took five minutes to get any kind of response from him, even though the store was empty and quiet. And the shop keeper was perfectly alright, physically and mentally (I was hoping so). Then what was the reason for delay? Nothing. All, I could see was shopkeeper’s face with all (UN) necessary answers, deep down shopkeeper felt as if he was saving the society from drowning with his commodities. And is his lunacy, he could not see how frown and furious I was, with irritation and impatience.
This kind of response you get most parts of the India. I used word ‘most parts’, as some of the city businesses are already in transformation towards westernization. What about the rest? Were people impatient before also? And here, by people I mean merchants. As a business man, one should provide the required customer service without fail, even if customer gets aggravated. As one of the fine business men in the world, we should learn the tact of attracting people with patience rather than with dorky face. Other than the business, one of the basic ethics of human beings is to respect and respond to fellow human beings with soft and suave. After all he/she is there to buy the goods, or in other words provide your livelihood.
This kind of response you get most parts of the India. I used word ‘most parts’, as some of the city businesses are already in transformation towards westernization. What about the rest? Were people impatient before also? And here, by people I mean merchants. As a business man, one should provide the required customer service without fail, even if customer gets aggravated. As one of the fine business men in the world, we should learn the tact of attracting people with patience rather than with dorky face. Other than the business, one of the basic ethics of human beings is to respect and respond to fellow human beings with soft and suave. After all he/she is there to buy the goods, or in other words provide your livelihood.
Missing..
My trip to India was a long lasting memory. I started off with lots of dreams, plans and with lots of luggage. Even though my itinerary was lone one, but I had no complaints of fatigue. Staring at Hyderabad up above from Boeing 747 was an amazing experience. The curiosity levels of the mind had no boundaries. I was fully in control and myself when I landed in Begumpet airport. The reception at the airport was overwhelming and mind boggling. I was ecstatic to see all my people waiting outside the airport, waiting for my arrival, without showing a speck of irritation, even after a wait time of 4hrs. On the other hand, felt so guilty and embarrassed, for making them to stand for such a long time, just to have a first glimpse of myself. And then, I had too many question to answer myself, am I really worthy enough to get all these extra attention? Am I really there, where everybody thinks I am? Do I really have the capabilities of withstanding their expectations? Or do they really bother about these facts? And so on…
What happens when a person goes away for few years? They start to miss him/her; they start to realize the fell of his/her presence. Does it happen to anybody who goes away, or the person has to be really electric and active to get that feeling of ‘missing’. Anyway, I felt they missed me, as I did feel.
What happens when a person goes away for few years? They start to miss him/her; they start to realize the fell of his/her presence. Does it happen to anybody who goes away, or the person has to be really electric and active to get that feeling of ‘missing’. Anyway, I felt they missed me, as I did feel.
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