When morning smiles

"Last night was painful. I couldn't sleep. To divert my mind I had very few options. Food was not one of them. Nobody was online to chat. No new movie in my laptop. Had already watched the latest subbed episode of Dragon Ball Super. I was out of options. Watching random Youtube videos remained the only option", remarked Sanjay. He had come for an advice to me as he was going through a lot of emotional turbulence. I could sense his helplessness. He was a tough guy and seeing him going through such phase baffled me. But I think life is not humble towards everyone. In-spite of this, he always managed to divert attention from depressing thoughts. But that didn't spare him from exhausted mornings.

Many of us pass through similar emotional expressions. And most of us end up wasting the next day that starts from early morning. How to deal with the next day's tiredness? Leaving bed later than usual is a natural option. But not everyone is blessed with flexible office timings. But why let sleep come in between. There are people who sleep very less and still cherish cheerful days. I think the secret lies in the way they start their morning. 

So the real question is: How to construct a golden morning or in other words How to turn bad to normal mornings into a golden one? 

Wouldn't be awesome if one can turn a good morning into a golden morning by following few simple mantras? Few tips from my side:

1. Forget what were you going through last night. If you are blank, good for you.

2. Live in the present. Don't try to recall the past. In fact keep your mind blank during the early hour of the day.

3. First thing you should do when you wake up- splash water on your face. Get away from the habit of morning tea or morning coffee.

4. Stay silent for the first half hour. 

5. Exercise. There cannot be a better anti-depressant than exercise.

It's not that tough to turn a good morning into a golden morning. But the problem is our lazy attitude towards life in general. Too much concentration into lifeless stuffs which result into a vicious cycle of depression, anxiety and tiredness. The least we can do is improve our mornings. Colgate has recently launched a new mission to achieve this objective. I hope their new product will help the customers improve their mornings. #Colgate360GoldMornings

Khel Kabbaddi

Bangalore is new to me and so are the people who have become my flatmates. A body-builder sport freak guy from north working for an IT company, a normal average looking person too much engrossed into himself, a bunch of youngsters who have just completed their engineering and are enjoying their freedom out of their home town. You meet so many new characters when you stay at different places which so become a part of your memory. You stay connected to some while some meet you by accident at some random place and you fail to recognize them. These new interactions always add a new perspective to your world. Their interests and opinions make you think why the way they are. 

One such guy is a hatta-katta Punjabi munda who is hot-headed but still cool by nature. Never thought that there exists such sport enthusiast in the north. All my life I believed that only people from the East are into the hobby of following sports. He was a surprise to me. On the other hand I had never been such a sport enthusiast and hence understanding that guy was a little difficult at times. But one day he introduced me to the game 'Khel Kabbaddi'. My instant reaction was, 'Who in the world thought of commercializing such a sport. This would never work and they are only wasting their time and money'. I never could imagine that Kabaddi can be an interesting game to watch. Playing can be but certainly not watching men fighting for that few points. I started watching and to my surprise - it was intense. It was fast paced. It was quick. It was engrossing. Simply put- it was fantastico. Soon that Punjabi munda started presenting the reality to me. I realized that this sport is being hugely followed in the north. I may not be wrong about country-wide following but the aggressive following in the northern and central states of India was enough to pull it through. And it was damn interesting to watch.

Soon I had my favourite team and a favourite player. We started playing bets on which team would win which of course I lost most of the times.  

This certainly made me realize if there lies such a potential in sports other than Cricket then why are we still holding back. I am not asking to nationalize all the sports but there are clearly many sports in addition to Kabaddi that can be made cool by proper packaging. I am sure the sponsors will show interest to such new sports. And anyways cricket doesn't attract the same craze as it used to be. People are happy checking out scores on cricinfo or cricbuzz rather than watching full 50 over match, although t20 is going to stay in my opinion.

With the rise of our Desi Sports all I can cheer now is 'Khel Kabaddi'. I hope the new season will be as interesting as the last one.

"Wish I were born in the current generation"

"Wish I were born in the current generation", sighed Sanjay Mama, while he was watching a bunch of teenagers funneling around. His expression depicted a sense of jealousy. Now exactly which behavior prompted him to remark in such a manner is not exactly known to me but it would be wrong to shove off that comment without giving its due importance. The impact of the y-generation's behavior over the x-generation's behavior is surprising when the fact is that all our lives we have heard lines like, "In our times, we were much better than the current generation."

Yes the current age is full of opportunities and glad that we are able to pluck the fruits of better lifestyle as far as living standard is concerned. But what about the freedom to lead a social life of one's own choice. It is the current generation and the next generation that are going to cherish the freedom. Remember when we used to hear from our older generation how hard it was for them to pass a message of love to a girl/boy they liked. Rather remember how tough it used to be to ask for a girl's number when we were in our teenage. It would sound funny almost hysterical today if getting a girl's number is considered to be a stepping stone. The current generation has grown up to remove all such redundancies. They are bold and direct. It seems like wastage of time to wait to express one's feelings. And the feelings are fresh as much as prone to the side-effects of a relationship. In other words there is an unstated commitment but still there is no commitment.

In the last 6 months I have interacted with a lot of teenagers (and those who are in early 20s) and observed their behavior. In a gap of just 5-6 years I see a remarkable difference in the thinking pattern. The heart-breaks have become more common as almost everyone had 2 exes on an average. And if they are not in a relationship it is always interesting to follow their Whatsapp DPs or facebook shares because its foolish to keep your feelings within. Damn those cheesy lines they pick up as their statuses which are more revealing than hiding. Damn those emotional quotes that make you feeling like stabbing your own heart.  But it's not a part of a drama but it is the drama itself. You are a loser if you hold back your feelings and a left out if you are not a part of that drama.

So what exactly led to this current generation the way it is. Clearly the two factors that come to the top of mind are:

• Ease of use of technology and social connectivity
• Remarks like 'Wish I were from this generation' which indirectly indicates a sense of approval and freedom to the way it is,

Now it leaves me wondering whats gonna be the teenager of the next generation be like. Whatever it may be, I'd say it will be for the good. Yes there were things better in the times of our older generation too but looking at the bigger picture I think, 'let it be'.

East is Best #MadeofGreat

Never did I imagine that the phrase 'Behta Pani Nirmala' would struck my reality so soon. The college had just ended and it was like a cue to the expeditions that were about to foster in the near future. It was pretty clear by then that exploring is something that makes me feel complete. Some may call it destiny that I joined a profession that involves extensive travelling but I feel it all comes from wishful desires. And the ultimate goal is to be recognized as the globe trotter in my social circle. 

It is by virtue of this profession that I lived and experienced the soul of so many cities. Needless to say that every city offered me a very unique experience of its own. The experiences were so unique that it was often difficult to find the common cultural thread that we, the countrymen, perceive in general.

But if you ask me about my favorite city, it is my own city- Kolkata.Yes, Kolkata is my favourite city. I can offer countless reasons. But this is a war and so let me stick to the format.

Drive
The best thing about the city in my opinion is the ease with which one can commute to the corners of the city. There is not a single mode of public transport that is possible but does not exists in the city. The city has been blessed by metro-rails, local trains, yellow taxis, autos, private buses, government buses, steamers, boats, cycle-rickshaws, hand rickshaws, tuk-tuks and what not. And I am not talking about their mere presence. Their reach is just overwhelming.

If we take drive in poetic sense, then also there is no limit to it. The most famous scholars from our country find their roots in this city. People excel in almost all the fields and the drive to excel just keeps pushing the city to achieve the impossible. And as beautifully summed up by Tata Motors (at http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/), "What drives us from within is what makes us great".

Design
Well, the city may not look like London anymore but we cannot ignore the fact that it was built as the twin city to London. The old part of the city still flaunts the beautiful architecture of pre-independence era. The boulevards in and around Esplanade speak volume of the beauty and love with which the city was built. Along the banks of the river Hooghly, it is easy to find romanticism.

If there is old architecture to embrace, there is a planned portion of the city as well- the Salt Lake and the New Town. In short the city has something to offer to multitude age groups- from youngsters to the veterans.

Connect
Ah! What to say about connect of the city. The city is metropolitan in true sense. You will find communities from across the country living harmoniously since ever. The local language is never enforced on anyone. People prefers to interact in a language which the other person is comfortable with. And this is perhaps the reason why the non-bengalis learn the local language out of love rather than a necessity.

The city is global in true sense. There is not a single sport which is not followed in the city. Ranging from Soccer to F1 to Kabaddi, this city embraces all kind of sport. People listen to a very broad range of music than just humming Honey Singh's compositions. Fashion sense is global too.

Way to real togetherness

There are times when nothing goes our way. There are times when good thing happens when they are least expected. Life is undoubtedly a sinusoidal wave if we express it mathematically which we follow blindly from crest to trough like a child. Our worse reactions transpire when we are at the extremes. And to express our extremes we today have something which was non-existent a few years back- the virtual media. Funny but there is an extremity to the extreme virtual reaction as well- deactivating our social accounts. Now, the social media platforms has surely brought us closer (at least virtually) but where have we lost our touch to express the real reactions in the real world. The question whether we are more vulnerable to lifeless life looms large. Last weekend I went along with few of my colleagues for dinner outing. We could see a family next to our table- parents and two kids- all immersed in their smartphones. And our instant reaction was "What's the point of family dinner if they are not interacting with each other, if they are not having fun?"

The definition of togetherness has changed in today's life. You think you have done your duty if you make birthday wishes on Facebook. You feel you are in touch with your friends if you are in that Whatsapp group which is inactive most of the times. I am sorry but the virtual reality is going to hit us hard sooner or later. 

Recently I came across a video that was about discovering real togetherness. I am embedding the video in this post itself. A must watch video. I must say the video took me back to my childhood. Fortunately I grew up during a time when there was no Orkut or Facebook. 

This is in fact the right time to break the shackles of the digital world. I remember when I was adamant about not installing Whatsapp but had to install it under the pressure of my friends. But no more. The time is to get down to the roots and connect in person by sharing real emotions in the real world. 

Real togetherness to me is

• bag packing to a random trip with the best of your buddies leaving back your smartphones
• going for a cricket match in the early morning
• eating out and interacting
• asking out a girl in real and not sending random friendship requests on Facebook
• taking up a real social cause with like minded people and doing something good on ground

The list is endless. But the common string to all the items of the list is nature. Without stepping out of your home, it's impossible to experience real togetherness. The world will become a 'wall-e world' if we lose our connection with nature. Remember how everyone became a couch potato because there was too much virtual convenience. Exactly. So go out. Expedite. That's the only way towards real togetherness.

For inspiration just watch the video above once more or follow the link http://www.kissanpur.com/.

Stay connected with cricket

One sport that every Indian follows religiously is nothing but Cricket. Cricket is in our veins. Few may be not very fond of it but it's hard to stay away from the all the buzz. And especially when the nation has produced geniuses like Sachin Tendulkar, it's difficult to ignore. The fans discuss the game at random places with random people. It may be awkward sometimes to ask a random person route to a landmark but it is never weird to ask what's the current score? As such, the stories attached to cricket fan-following are myriad. I too have got mine. The story starts like this:

The 6th term has just ended and there is a gap of around 15 days before the new term starts. We have just survived the peak of academic pressure. Even though everyone is broke, it is the most opportune time to explore the outside world. We decide for Goa. The cricket world cup is also happening so it is important to schedule our plan such that it doesn't clash with any match. The next match is against South-Africa on the upcoming Sunday and so the plan is to book flight tickets for Sunday morning. This way we can enjoy our vacation to the fullest. 

Finally, Goa happened. We had fun like never before. We wanted to enjoy each and every moment till it lasted which we did quite well. As expected, this was the personal best tour for everyone in the group. 

But it rarely happens that everything goes according to the plan. And when plans are supposed to go haywire, nobody can stop it. The flight on the last day of our tour i.e. Sunday got delayed by 8 hours which meant that we had to miss the match. However some of us insisted very strongly that we plan something and not miss the game. But the problem was that we had already checked out of hotel and it was not possible to go back and turn on the TV. The only viable option that remained with us was to have breakfast at a restaurant which is broadcasting the match. Trust me we had really difficult time to find such a place. And when we finally got a restaurant, it was so expensive that we had no choice but to give it a miss. Suddenly one of us in the group suggested that why shouldn't we find a place which provides free Wi-Fi. I was carrying a laptop and this seemed like the best idea under that situation. Luckily we found a coffee house that was offering free Wi-Fi. Needless to say that we were able to watch half of the innings with no disruption.

When we look back we always talk about our plan not being fool proof. We didn't have any contingency plan. It was our luck that we were at a place where we could find a restaurant with Wi-Fi. But this would not be the case every time. I would not be carrying laptop everywhere. And we won't have access to TV or live streaming all the time. For example when I am at work it's almost impossible to stream a sports channel. I have to rely on my dear smartphone for all the cricketing updates. But again how reliable are those mobile networks. Thankfully I recently came across UC browser (more here: http://www.ucweb.com/), a convenient way to get match updates even at 2G speed. It also features UC Cricket, a space dedicated for cricket fans like me to connect us to the match wherever we are. [If you are unable to locate, simply open UC Browser - Home Screen and find "UC Cricket" with blue icon]. This ensures that I don't miss out on other important things, at least not because of Cricket. 

For more, check out the video,

How people behave on facebook after marriage?

The after effects of marriage has always been an interesting topic of discussion. But did you notice how the after effects have transformed over the years. With people getting more and more active on virtual platforms, the transformation has too gone digital. The maximum toll of marriage can be observed on Facebook, particularly in the manner in which couples conduct themselves. For example: 

• It would become an unstated rule that the couple has to mutually like each others' post irrespective of whether the post is likable or not. I have often seen couples liking silly posts just because it has been posted by his/her better half. It's like you have suddenly lost your sense of judgement or have lost the idea of having an opinion.

• Men suddenly become too conscious before liking a picture posted by a female colleague/friend. While this might not be true for many of the couples, I think for most of them this is also more of an unstated rule. 

• The number of posts suddenly goes down. So a young girl who had been very regular on Facebook updating all her selfies would suddenly reduce the number of posts. Whom to blame? Sanskar, eh?

• Their DP will be one of the picture that was clicked during their marriage reception and the cover photo will be of the dance that they performed during the sangeet ceremony. In most of the cases DP will remain unchanged till they have a child. 

• Hashtags like #feelingloved, #hubbylove, will be more prominent than any other tags.

• Too much PDA as if they are trying to prove something. Your reaction is often like

• Suddenly the number of likes on their pics will go down. Or even if the number of likes remain the same, the participants will change. The likes would mostly come from in-laws and new relatives.

These are some of the many examples which are so visible on Facebook. I am sure you must have noticed the change too. Share yours in the comments.

Into the memory lane #HugYourDad

The relationship between a father and a son is always tough to express. Unlike mothers' love which is visible, there is always a gap when it comes to expressing your love to your father. The expression remains inconspicuous. In most of the cases he is a silent guardian who gives his all but while remaining behind the scene. Sometimes he is more worried about the son than the mother. But giving a hug to your dad is as uncommon as finding treasure under non-historical monuments. If you ask me when was the last time I hugged my Dad. I would have to put a lot of stress on my brain to find the answer. So it may be difficult to my hug dad all of a sudden to express back my love, as a small gesture the least I can do is dedicate few lines that explains his unconditional love:

   He stayed awake late at nights so that I can sleep well

   He understood all my feelings even when I was unable to tell

   He walked long distances so that I can afford a cab

   He maintained a basic cell phone for years only so that I can sport a tab

   When the pain of mathematics was getting too tough to bear,

   He made it absolutely simple to learn and then it was all clear

   When the principal himself was getting wary of my reticence

   He made sure that all the teachers get acquainted with my innocence

   When choosing between different career options was becoming a nuance

   He supported me with proper guidance and helped me take a clear stance

   I did all sort of crazy things but he never lost his cool

   He broke his deposit account only to make sure that I study in a good B school

   When his business was not doing good he’d never let me know

   But he’d turned the sky up-down if I ever felt a little low

   He is the reason why I still wake up after eight

   While he takes care of all my meals and set everything straight

   Finally, his love for me is inexpressible and beyond these simple pair

   This post is a mark of my salute to his selfless and unconditional care

In the end all I can say that my love for him is not limited to words. It’s father’s day coming near but I sincerely believe that there cannot be just one day dedicated to him. For everything he has done for me the least but still the best thing I can do for him is give him a hug .

The livewires on the stage #MaxFreshMove

Grilled under the pressure of releasing the IPO in the market, Sunny has no time to even break the breath. He is aware that projects like these come in rarity and a very few fortunate souls can bank such experience. He is expected to come out a winner but his physical limits have already been breached. He has slept for just 4 hours in the last 72 hours. His sleep deprived brain is struggling to collate different entities of his project without which it is impossible to ensure successful launch of the IPO in the capital market. Tired, he decides to take a stroll down the 10 floor tall office building. He is trying very hard to divert the attention from the work. But alas! Even this is turning out to be some task. The elevator is spelling out loud ‘the name & the brand’ of its manufacturing company. And it takes no time for Sunny's mind to start wondering ‘At what price was the IPO of this company launched? What was the reaction from the subscribers? How is the company currently performing in the stock market?’ Then suddenly the attention shifts towards the ceiling fan from another electrical giant and his mind starts jumbling across similar set of questions. He certainly needs a different dose of freshness, a different perspective. He needs to throw himself out from the painful chatter that is playing with his mind. 

Soon the elevator hits the ground floor. The shiny tiles of the ground floor are boasting of the pride and richness of the company with which it has been built. Sunny is expecting some refreshing scenery as he is getting farther from his work, at least in physical sense. But no view is enough to comfort him. Even the beautiful garden built outside the building to sooth weary souls like him is not helping. On the contrary, the sight of people sitting in pairs and giggling and chatting is adding to his pain. But in the midst of all these something good happens. A visual succeeds in taking him away from the work-load by pushing him down to his own flashback- ‘the wonderful moments he spent during his engineering days with his gang and his love.’ 

The preparation of the cultural fest is at the peak. Tonight is the much awaited performance of Vishal Dadlani and his band Pentagram. The organizers are feeling all the heat. Sunny is very eager to watch his favorite musician performing live in the campus. Plus he has recently started dating Neha, the girl who’s too good to be part of the fraternity that is full of nerds. She is undoubtedly among the most desirable girls in the campus. And tonight is going to be a wonderful night for Sunny as she is giving him company. Well! The stage is set. The Pentagram team has finished tuning their instruments. The crowd has started making it impossible to chat. The speakers are loud enough to thump heart beats. The couples have started pumping their fists in the air. The band is ready to play the first song. As soon as the guitarist strikes the cords for the first song, he returns back from flashback. His eyes are stuck to the board that is advertising “Live concert of Allu Arjun and Anushka Manchanda” scheduled to happen this Sunday. 'What a relief!', he thinks. The concert starts at 8 O’clock in the night and his work is supposed to be closed by Sunday evening. This is the perfect chance for him to rejuvenate before the actual launch of the IPO. This is the best way to bring freshness into his life. At this moment or any moment, there cannot be a better way to relish the hard work that has been put by him to make the project go smoothly. He can comfortably unwind himself after dropping all his work on this Sunday evening.

Sunny is thinking of the synergistic energy that will spark the atmosphere when Allu Arjun’s sensational moves and Anushka Manchanda’s magical voice would come together. The live performance will be nothing less than a carnival. The girls would lose control on the ‘Dum Maaro Dum’ number and would start moving like ‘Dance Basanti’. Allu’s moves on the Golmaal Song while Anushka singing in her crispy voice would be some sight. The ‘Dhatad Tatad’ number would make the crowd burst into craziness. And only god knows what would happen when Allu would start dancing on the ‘AA ANTE AMLAPURAM’ song. 

The rocking music would certainly extract away all the pain he has been enduring since the last few weeks. Dancing on the groovy musical numbers will give him back his previous fun and adventurous life. And that will be the opportunity to break all his frustrations by singing aloud at the top of his voice.  

Sunny is now getting restless as now he is too excited to go to that concert. Even the mere dream of being in that concert has filled him with immense enthusiasm. All his weariness has gone away. He is now fresh again and ready to finish his work way before the deadline. Now that is something I wish to call a #MaxFreshMove.

Getting a better deal

Recently I successfully sold a sofa on Quikr. I was ready to dispose that off for free. But to my surprise someone was willing to pay Rs. 5000 for the item. I was really impressed. No doubt Quikr is a great way to sell your stuffs. But how can we replace our existing car with something better using Quikr NXT? That's the topic I am going to explore through this post.

With the new features introduced through the chat application of Quikr, I would use it in the following way to get a better car:

1. Compare and contrast the features: When we discuss over phone about something as complex as selling a car, it is difficult to get the bigger picture of the deal. So whether we are on the right side or wrong side of the deal is difficult to judge. By using the chat feature I'd be able to check each of the specification parameters and then based on my priority parameters (make, model, year of manufacture, kilometres driven, etc), I can make a decision whether the deal is acceptable to me or not.

2. Compare different deals with different people: Not only would I be able to analyze the worth of a deal with a single seller, I would also be able to compare different deals with different persons. It will become relatively easier if I have the repository of all the previous chats with different parties. The records will help me push the data into MS Excel where I'd be able to make a one-to-one comparison between the deals. 

3. Easy exchange of images: If I am not satisfied with the images posted by the seller, I can request for better images. In that case I would not have to wait for the seller to upload the images in the Website, he/she can easily send the images to my chat window. The reverse is also true. If the counter-party is looking for more images I can easily send the same in moments.

4. Avoiding the typical pushy sales people: In various transactions you would always find people who are very pushy. So even if you don't like the deal and say no for the transaction, they will keep on pushing till you succumb to their arguments. It often becomes difficult to block those people. With the use of chat application I can now block those pushy sales people. I would not care how better deal they are offering, if I am not getting a car of my choice I would not accept the deal and if required even block the counter-party through the chat feature.

5. Negotiate: Finally when I will be satisfied with the deal details, I will share my private number and discuss the final details of transaction. Till then I can keep my phone number private. There will be no need to negotiate with a multitude of sellers and one final negotiation would help me closing the deal in an effective manner.

I must say Quikr has helped a lot of people in getting better deals and I hope it keep doing so in the future. The additional chat feature would only help the dealers. And so I'd suggest to those who are not registered explore the site http://www.quikr.com/ quickly and make better deals.

Wish comes true

And it tried to pull the netizens harder as the concept of e-shopping went epidemic. The competition was tough for the new e-commerce portals while they tried to grab the desired market share. From sign-up discounts to free vouchers, they offered everything to lure in the online customers. Meanwhile, the old e-commercial portals kept on the fight to keep their share of pie. In-spite of all the competition, almost every business entity was able to book an optimistic top-line. But in the midst of such beautifully carved episodes someone was feeling left out, perplexed and lost. The online shopping experience was becoming a nightmare for many of the e-shoppers.

It was yesterday when one of my colleague showed his new wallet which he had bought just 2 days back.

Aru: "How did you like my new wallet? Isn't it cool? Guess the price of this amazing stuff. I was able to get it at a price you wouldn't believe"
Me : (surprised and happy) "Wonderful choice, my friend. I am quite amazed to see that "we two" sport very similar taste."
Aru: "What do you mean?"
Me: "I've bought the same wallet few days back. Now I am pretty sure that I've bought the right product"
Aru: Oh!! Is it? Then our price must have been same. But still tell me how much did u pay for this product?
Me: Rs. 450/- only. Value for money. Isn't it?
Aru: "Bang! I knew it. I knew you must have bought at a higher price."
Me: "What are you saying? You can't bargain online. It's the same price for everyone. What are you trying to say? You found a better e-commerce site? Give me the link if that's the case."
Aru: "No, dumbo! I think you haven't heard about sites that offer good deals. It's a separate world altogether.

So for those who are new at it: Try to be bit more cognizant of various discounts. Whether you buying a flight ticket or a movie ticket or planning to visit a spa or a restaurant. There is no harm in availing the best deal. The current period is the golden period for the consumers. Make the best out of it before it gets over.