Martyr At 23

So much has been written and published about the great martyr Bhagat Singh. The glory of this patriot which was confined to history textbooks has been rechristened by host of movies in past few years. He is a well known entity in India now and is often remembered as a material of motivation whenever we are in a phase of revolution of some sorts like whenever a protest is suppressed.

 I remember my fellow college mates bursting into ‘sarfaroshi ki tamanna’, the poem of the revolutionaries, when we were asked to pay for the college fest arrangements in the first year! Seems childish now but the movie ‘Rang De Basanti’, which glorified the revolutionary movement of India and Bhagat Singh of course, was released that time and all the youth was in that fervor! It is unfortunate that his remembrance is limited only to such times and because he symbolizes much more than that.

Shaheed Bhagat Singh went to gallows with his zealots Sukhdev and Rajguru at a very young age of 23, with a smiling face. He hadn’t lived even half the life span of an average human. The significance of this sacrifice seems to have lost in time.

What would a man at the age of 23 want from his world around today? Would they be willing to lay down their lives for the nation? I am not talking about the jawans, the defense personnel; there is absolutely no doubt in their patriotism. But consider the common youth.  I am 23 year old too. What does a man at this age wish for? Getting a high paying job, pursuing mba, buying property, bikes, girlfriends.. Our entire effort is centered around the well being of just our self or at most the family.  Complete studies, get a job, keep switching companies to get better pay, squeeze an mba in between, marry and settle down. Very few care about people, society and nation.

The situation was no different those days. The youth was pre occupied by the same thoughts that time, except that it corresponded to the luxuries and woes of that era. But a little more than a handful of youngsters saw the wrong around them and dared to challenge their present.

What would have been in Bhagat Singh’s mind when the death sentence was around? Terrified? Petrified? No. He was expecting this as he had purposely surrendered before police after bombing the assembly along with Batukeshwar Dutt. He knew he would be hanged, but was not afraid; instead used the court trials as a platform to voice the views of the revolutionaries to the world. He wanted to set an example through his death that they are not terrorists and they value human life but as he said “it takes a loud noise to make the deaf hear”.

It hits me hard whenever I think about the age at which he went to the gallows because I am pretty much of that age now. How would I feel if I happen to die today? So many things unfinished, so many feats unaccomplished, so many dreams unfulfilled! It would seem like an unfair deal. Then I think about him and realize how great he is. Some might say he was filled with that typical madness the youth exhibit, jawani ka josh. But if that was the case he would had been frightened in the face of death.

Time and again I can’t stop thinking about this marvelous man. He has inspired me a lot. It is my die hard wish to visit Hussainiwala, the place he was cremated along with his compatriots and also the Sardar Bhagat Singh Museum at Khatkar Kalan which has preserved many of his belongings and writings.

Recession Proof Jobs

With uncertainty looming large in the job market we are on the verge of another rough phase of recession much of which is rumored or exaggerated (that’s what I want to believe!) Having experienced the 2008 pandemic for myself, couldn’t help thinking of any profession or industry in this whole wide world which is recession proof; which will always ensure a steady cash flow or at least stability come what may.  After musing over it for a while I could chalk out a few lucrative options one might consider. They may not apply to the whole of world but they certainly do for the mystery of a place called India!

Movies

Cinema has always been an obsession with Indians and the demand just doesn’t seem to diminish. Indian film industry is gaining popularity by leaps and bounds thanks to the increasing presence of Indian artists in world cinema. The exorbitant budgets with which movies are made are breaking records every year and so are the collections made by them. I remember watching movies at 50 bucks in a local theatre, which rocketed to 70, 90 and is now 110 within a span of just 6 years. But has this reduced the number of cinigoers? Not even a bit. Movies with great caliber run to packed houses. Actors make large sums, so do others associated with it. This certainly is a stuff to go for given you are talented or at least have contacts!

Cricket

Religion takes the second place on the yardstick of reverence whenever India is on a game of cricket. The country being so infectiously crazy over the game is the sole reason why cricket sells in India. I am sure each and every one in that elite squad of 11 makes enough money to last for generations. Let alone the game, they earn heavily on endorsements and social appearances as well. Cricket is never going to diminish in India, even if the entire nation is hit by famine; it is that glorified here. Consider being a cricketer if you believe you have it in you.

Politics

If we were to start with a rare case of honest politician in India, you still are ahead of the game. Decent paychecks, long list of allowances, vehicle, accommodation, food…and now let us get into the reality; unaccounted record of property amassed, loads of money stashed overseas, unlimited power says the story. Caught in a scandal? No problem. Our judiciary has plenty of loopholes; you will be free sooner or later. If you have an inborn talent of hiding your wrongdoings, Indian politics is for you. Education no bar, criminal background no bar. Hop in and you will be rich in no time.

Food

Food forms an integral part of culture in India. People splurge on food just like they do on cricket or movies. The only criteria for any food business to survive in India – maintain the quality. Once you are able to establish a brand, a USP in terms of taste, price becomes secondary. Be it a simple vada – pav and tea stall or a posh restaurant, taste is all that matters to Indians. Take any example; the soaring price of any dish has hardly impacted its sale in eateries which is known uniquely for it.  Come up with viable and quality recipes and you will earn a recession proof income.

Doctor

Doctors and engineers are always at loggerheads as to who among them is supreme. Though I am an engineer I would say the answer is the doc. No human body is sickness proof and the situation is much pronounced in present state India clouded with pollution and harsh climate. Doctors are literally money making machines here. Didn’t get a job in any hospital after MBBS? Set up your own clinic and watch patients line up at you doors. It is indeed an ever green profession. Be a doc if you don’t puke at the sight of dissected human parts or pitiful looking patients and of course if you are a stud.

Phew! These are the ones I could think of, enjoying the traffic sitting inside my office bus. There are more options, some of which cannot be discussed! (How about the Desi Boyz way?!). Post them in comments if you can think of any.

Note: the options given above are to be taken in good humor! Rely on your gut instincts, passion and abilities to choose a career path.

Matters that Matter

Ever wondered why we observe such a wide variety in behavioral pattern of people around us? Some are orthodox while others are just liberal; some utter only abuses while others  speak civilized; some are timid and shy while others are bold and daring; some are taciturn while others extroverts. Having pondered over it for a while, I abruptly conclude that it is the nature of a person which decides which side of the coin he is going to be in but on deeper introspection realization dawns upon me that there is a bigger factor which dominates such human behavior. It is your UPBRINGING.

I could get the rationale behind this clearer when I took the example of my own. I have been bought up in a very protective environment. My dad was so conservative about us kids that he never let us experience the harsh life outside. Our world was confined within a virtual capsule inside which everything was safe and the world was a pleasant place to live in. I grew up not knowing the ‘tricks’ to survive in this harsh world and when the time came when I had to use them, I faltered and am still learning; taking baby steps.

My dad on the contrast is the ultimate survival stuff. He has been shouldering responsibilities since he was 16, has struggled a lot, has fallen many times only to rise stronger next time and as a consequence of this has learnt how to survive in this world. Unfortunately when it came to passing those skills to me or at least letting me learn myself, he became all protective.

The way you are bought up in the family is the molding factor of your personality. Your sun sign traits may indicate that you are a shy guy but growing up in a lineage full of clamor can turn the whole story around. Parents have a great role in shaping the personality of their kids. Under proper guidance they can bloom to the fullest of their abilities but under the shadow of neglect or protectiveness they can turn outcast or even an evil to the society.

Beasts stop feeding their young ones after they grow old enough to seek food themselves. Birds push their chicks off the nest so that they learn to fly, tigress teaches her cubs to hunt soon after they are fit enough to stand. Kids who are allowed to have their way but in a controlled environment grow up to became apt candidates to survive and thrive in this world. They learn how to deal with people and problems, how to negotiate, to sense the danger; they know their way around in this world. On the contrary, the kids who have a conservative and restricted upbringing grow up without knowing essential things like socializing, expressing your views, to stand for your talk.

Ever wondered why certain people have a cheap mentality towards thing in life, why some couples are always found hurling a volley of abuses at each other? It is by the virtue of the family they are bought up in, the cultures they are taught by elders while they are on that learning curve and obviously by what they observe around in their home. A kid who is growing up witnessing only violence and petty fights around him is most likely to make that his world. For him that becomes a normal condition. Whereas a child bought up under the shade of values and discipline is likely to embrace that in his life ahead. Of course there are exceptions but former is the most likely thing to happen.

In school we had a fable about two brothers who got separated in their infancy in a mishap. One went on to become a king and other was bought up by animals in a jungle. Years later while hunting, the king happens to capture this strange creature that has the looks of a human but behaves like an animal. They cut his hair, clean him up and are surprised to find striking resemblance of the creature with the king. The story then goes on to describe the difference between the behavioral traits of the king and his brother. The king was civilized, talked human language and had all hominal features while his brother had the beastly attributes. It thus portrays the effect of upbringing in different conditions. One of the brothers was molded into the personality of a king while the other was bought up among beasts in the jungle and accordingly imbibed their behavioral traits.

The environment in which you are brought up plays a pivotal role in deciding your future traits; parents and family have a lion’s share in shaping their kid’s personality.

How Do They Do It?

What does it take to be happy all the time? What do these people eat or thrive on to exhibit a smiling face and a carefree personality all the time? It can’t be that they have no problems. We all have problems; no living creature has a life devoid of that. Then how is that a handful of them manage to don a happy hat all the time?

I am an avid movie watcher and have always derived many aspects of life from them.  If one were to introspect on the characters that have illustrated this vivacious and mirthful personality in movies, we can very much fall in love with many of them.

The other day I was watching the 1992 American comedy flick Sister Act. The humorous story of a lounge singer who disguises like a nun to protect herself from her boyfriend, a mobster, when she witnesses him killing a chauffeur. Let alone the humor part, the movie  also teach you how to bring about a change in the way things already are. Apart from role of the protagonist essayed by Whoopi Goldberg, I loved the character played by the American actress Kathy Najimy. Sister Mary Patrick is a bubbly nun who knows no other thing than smiling and talking care free all the time. She is not a person who has cultivated or knows positive and optimist thinking, but it is something found naturally in her. She has found contentment in the life of a nun and never even once winces about the sacrificial life they lead. Instead she jokes and stays joyous all the time.

Sister Mary Patrick

I like animated movies a lot because they set no limits on your creativity and vision. Any emotion, no matter how complicated can be seamlessly conveyed through them. Imagine a fish staying cool even while been chased by a shark! That’s Dory for you; a Pacific Regal Blue Tang voiced by Ellen DeGeneres in the movie Finding Nemo. Ever had someone around who comforts you unknowingly whenever you are feeling low and helps you no matter what the situation is? Someone who brings a smile to your face by their mere actions when all you want to do is cry? Dory becomes that someone for Marlin, the clown fish in search of his lost son, Nemo who gets captivated by a sea diver. She suffers from short term memory loss, but does not complain, instead just ignores it and leaves it to her companions to worry! She seems naïve at times, but guess we all are a little dimwit inside.

As a kid I loved watching the Disney’s cute cartoon series Winnie the Pooh. It portrays the adventures of Winne, the bear with his friends. I have always loved the episodes where Tigger shared more screen time than other characters. Tigger is a young tiger voiced by late Paul Winchell. He is funny, cheerful, confident and vivacious among all the characters. The way he spirals his tail into a spring and jumps around is indeed a delightful sight. He is very competitive, in a healthy way and wants to outdo his mates in all chores. He seldom succeeds but never runs out of steam due to this. He is great motivator and ever energetic.

Coming back to animated movies, I am reminded of the hilarious 2002 flick Ice Age. The jocund group of three, Manfred, the mammoth, Diego, a saber-toothed feline and of course my favorite Sid the sloth, are on a mission to find the kin of a lost infant. Sid is voiced by John Leguizamo. The best thing I like about Sid is his acceptance of the fact that he looks ugly. He lives with it but ignores it ironically. He is like all other characters mentioned before, ever joyful and very talkative. He has a knack of getting into trouble and is often ridiculed and bullied by other beasts.  But he acts cool and takes it in light spirit every single time; maybe because he has no other choice! He is kind hearted but at the same time has a mischievous innocence about him. He is surely a thing to lift your damp spirits.

Siddy boy

I am not a big fan of Kareena Kapoor, but her one performance closely outdoes the definition of ‘acting by getting into the character’. The bubbly role of Geet portrayed by her in the movie Jab We Met is simply commendable. It is one of those movies I never get tired watching repeatedly, much due to the persona of Geet. She is, as she describes herself, a Punjabi Sikhni, very talkative, cheerfully optimistic and lives life to the fullest. She likes to do things in a crazy style of hers and takes whole responsibility for her actions. You can’t help smile seeing her mumble in sleep, miss a train while arguing with a stall keeper, her ignorance while booking room in a cheap hotel.

Such personalities are sparsely found in real life and I admire dearly those who I have come across. Being happy comes naturally when we are feeling good but it takes a lot of courage to smile or even stay composed in adversities.