A Ray Of Hope

He thought there would be something left, some trace of memory, something...but looking into my dark, brown eyes that had once so mesmerized him, he could find nothing. The questing soul that had once shone from them was gone. All there now was the shallow emptiness he saw everywhere. But he just found one good thing for himself, a gleam inside my gloomy eyes and that was a Ray of Hope.

Hope is the most exciting thing in life and if you honestly believe that Happiness is out there, it will come. And even if it doesn't come straight away there is still that chance all through your life that it will.
-Josh Hartnett

When Andy Dufresne (lead character in Shawshank Redemption) was there in jail, he was different from other offenders, where the integrity is lacking. Because He had one thing present in him, even after facing the same treatment like other offenders, and that was ‘Hope’. The integrity of Andy was based on the optimism of getting away from the jail and living a life at a place which he had dreamt of. As Tim Robbins(Andy) says,"Remember, Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies"

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
-Oscar Wilde

Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know that they are happy and want us to be happy.
-Eskimo proverb

Ron (Lead Character of Ron Clark Story) wanted to achieve some heights in teaching profession. He went to a big city from a town to teach at big school. He put his soul in his work while teaching kids, who were not ready to change their way of attending schools and they lost their faith and possibility of clearing the SET exams. He never lost Hope and worked on innovative methods to teach kids, made a bond with them and their families, worked hard for the lessons which he was going to teach in class.

Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working.
-Simply Saying

So keep moving, if circumstances are making you stop, halt a bit, take back you hand and put a big punch on the face of circumstances. Because even in those conditions, you have a big weapon with you –> Hope. What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise. So we should not blame anyone for anything but should move ahead with a smile on face and hope in heart.

Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.
-Bill Cosby

For God's Sake...!!!

We first fought the heathens in the name of religion, then Communism, and now in the name of drugs and terrorism. Our excuses for global domination always change.
-Serj Tankian

These views, I am putting as eye drops, so that picture get visible to all. These came into my mind when I watched the movie "Khuda ke Liye". Something that Naseerudin (who plays the good maulana) says about religion gave a new direction about spirituality to my mind. He said that the external manifestations of religion like the way one dressed are not important. It’s the way one lives that is far more important. He said that many evil people use these external garbs that symbolize religious faith but are actually evil people. There are many things explained by him which is an education for non-Muslims like me. This movie is worth a see, particularly because it comes from Pakistan, a religious country.

One of the characters talks about the majority of Pakistanis being able to read Arabic, but not understand it. This is just same as Most of the hindus/even pandits don't know why they join their palms and use tilak while praying to God. They don't know what is the meaning of the sloks written in Geeta, but they can chant it for hours.

Lets begin a journey to the center of the matter. Origin of human being to the time we live in. How terrorism took shape and why this path of terrorism is taken by educated youths?

Civilization is a slow process of adopting the ideas and implementing them for the welfare of people.
-Simply Saying

If we look back to progress of human civilization, we find that at the initial stage for centuries man had to fight continuously with the fierce beasts in the jungle, for their survival. As a result man became aggressive, self-centered to save himself. When they learnt to live in groups, due to conflict of interest there were often fight between groups. Man did not hesitate to kill animals and also men of other groups. Then kingdoms came into existence and fight of strength and dominance spread all over world. Then countries divided boundaries which led to world wars. Thus violence and hatred became inherent in human character.

Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble.
-Ralph W. Emerson

With the dawn of religions, smell of peace and calmness developed and man learnt to worship God for their benefit and also learnt to love others. The most powerful exponent for peace was Gautam Buddha. Millions of people of many countries were inspired with the preaching of Buddha that non-violence and peace is the most valuable asset of human civilization. Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for the cause of love, justice and peace. Hazarat Mohammed Sahab, founder of Islam religion, also preached for justice, peace and love. Each religion had the core theme of spreading peace in world. All these religions play a vital role in developing ethical values in the society and sense of natural justice.

Even the best of friends face conflicts, but that needn't mean the end of the relationship.
-Simply Saying

Who don’t have conflicts? Even feelings of injustice and discrimination give rise to conflict. Children fight over small things because of the conflicts they have on the number of pencils and toys. These feelings may have some real basis or it may be only because of some imaginary ideas. Something happens to somebody doesn’t mean it will happen with everybody. Sometimes false ego gives rise to conflict. And in that situation the egoistic person don't listen anything which can help him settle the conflicts. Conflicts are also created or imposed upon by person or groups for some evil motive to make some gain out of it. In a multi-dimension, multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-lingual, multi-cultural country like India there is always a challenge on ethnic, communal, language or cultural issues creating conflicts. The contradiction between the privileged and deprived sections of the people, educated and illiterate people, people of higher caste and lower caste within the same religion, social discrimination between men and women are the major sources of conflict. Resolution of conflict becomes easier when a sense of natural justice prevails in the society.

What our leaders never notices that the terrorists -- whichever religion they follow, how much educated they are, whichever state or country they might belong to -- might also be rational human beings; which is to say that in their own minds they have a justification for their actions. Most terrorists are people deeply effected by what they see as social, political, or religious injustice and hypocrisy.

-William Blum

If a person is mentally/economically/socially unsatisfied with society, feels boycotted by society, feels discriminated or simply feels lonely in fast moving world, then what he needs is a group of people who will offer him support. And the terror spreading groups offer them more than that, they brainwash the person to absurd levels and the victim is hooked. And religion is often used to do this because this is where all the conflicts ends and more than 95% of the population believe in some or the other super power/God.

If we go through the profiles of the offenders who have been arrested in concern with the terrorist activities are well educated and employed/established in a so called urban society. These educated youth become influenced by an Islamic activist/Hindu Extremist/Greedy Politicians. They begin to practice the extremist interpretation of Islam/Hindu/any religion, grows a beard/moustache and goes against/in favour of music.

The most ill and terrible thing about terrorism is that ultimately it destroys whoever practice it. Slowly but surely, as they try to extinguish life in others, the light within them dies.

-Terry Waite

They are educated men with loving families and therefore if they got caught as terrorist, they have to take some of the blame on them too. How can a brilliant mind take such inhuman steps. Ultimately they are not only destroying the world but themselves.

Its a great way to just say God told you to kill. But God never tell so to any of his followers.If there will be no religion to take as excuse, then these evil people of the world would find other justifications to kill. Did Hitler/world war used religion? his aim to capture the whole world was sufficient for him. Revenge is often another justification used to murder innocent people. Evil people always justify their deeds.

Thus the conclusion to curb terrorism is not to find terrorists (specially in particular community) but to find why people are taking such steps and make them come again to Life full of happiness and satisfaction. The reason, I think, why the educated people taking the path of terrorism is one word term "Falling out" (hearing or understanding what is going on around one but feeling powerless to change something, feeling alone due to discrimination which may be false impression, dissatisfaction with the way society works). All criminals need a brotherhood.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
-Galatians 5:22 Bible

Actually, no religion justifies a behavior of killing people or suicide, and Islam is no exception. Islam is not just a religion but a beautiful poetry of God which spread love, care, bonding with God, peace and harmony. Religion is there to live happily and it should not be used as counter for peace. People who use this term for their self interest should stop such evil deed because this is not only affecting them but to whole mankind.

Great Minds in Unrealistic World

When it comes to the innovation, we think of the greatest of the minds working hard, doing research, making things work. The inventors, the scientist, and the intellectuals whose ideas have moved the world since the dawn of civilization have one more thing common in them; they made complex thoeries look simple when they presented their ideas. They have shaped everyday life since ancient centuries. From the alarm clock which wake us in the morning to the sleep pills which make us go to bed, all are the result of someone's perseverance and insight. But now think of a world without these innovation, We know, we can't even imagine without these. And take more insight into the crux of the matter, a question arises, are/were these innovators really want/wanted these innovation for the betterment of the human community or they want/wanted to become immortal in this unrealistic world.(It sounds more of a critical/pessimistic but this is mind who thinks for me and not my soul.)

Unrealistic world can be: people living a virtual life (second life) or virtual social networking or living in a real world but acting different characters at different situations, like being at office-act like professional, being at home-act like family guy, being a visitor-act like tourist, etc.

But the theme here, I am trying to put across, is not talking about unrealistic world but exploring the great minds in this unrealistic world. How they work, how the react, how they perceive, how they conceive, how they express, how they live their life in 24 hours of each day.

''If you live in an unrealistic world then you can say everything should be a community garden''

-Mr. Giuliani

This is how, it is expressed in educated world about the world and how to live in it. knowing the fact, we are in an unrealistic world, try to be in a community and serve it. Keeping the facts at place and convincing people is the art of great minds. But ain't it that many don't know how to convince people but still they stand on the right track which can help community. But hopelessly they are not considered while implementing ideas. Great minds neednot be great speakers, great managers, great marketing gurus, great sales representatives, great PR managers, great HRs, great business makers; but they can be good at what they can do. Even a pot maker can be called a great mind based on the skill that he/she can make a pot with an innovative idea of keeping the water cool for longer hours. But in this unrealistic world if he/she can't sell his/her that pot at higher price than he/she is not a great mind at work.

I have been in touch with n number of great minds working hard and fast for 'no reason but to achieve'. They can answer the question,"What are you doing?" but can't answer,"Why are you doing this?". Then they come up with a business language reply,"We are working on this innovative approach which will bring value to customers." I guess they didn't understand my question, I asked them, "Why are you doing this?"

I can't question their great mind but the only thing that I always miss interacting them is that they don't express their own views on their individual life.

Then I guess few of the answers, on my own, which can fit best for them: they want to become immortal by doing this; they want to serve the community with this; they want to prove their knowledge to world or some individual; they want to keep themselves busy in something so that they can't face the real world; they have made comprimise with the reality in the unrealistic world and are acting as slaves to them; they want to bring a huge change in the society but are working slowly and secretly for it; they think their silence will kill the evil around.

As people become more intelligent, they care less for preaches and more for teachers

-Robert G. Ingersoll

But here the scenario seems changing, as people become more intelligent in this unrealistic world, they care less for preaches or teaches and more for reaches.

Being Artistic

Reason, Observation, and Experience - the Holy Trinity of Science.
-Robert G.

'Art to Eye' is observing things around with a long look, learning the way things work normally and bringing a new concept to make it work more appropriately.
Robert G. Ingersoll, in his quote, told about the three basic things which makes science understandable and useful for the world. The same can apply for life at large.

Reason, Observation, and Experience - The Holy Trinity of Life.

Once Alice Neel explained her artistic trait in which she said everything which can be done is artistic, even sitting idle and watching people is artistic. This quote of her give more insight into her thoughts.

Whether I'm painting or not, I have this overweening interest in humanity. Even if I'm not working, I'm still analyzing people.
-Alice Neel

Being artistic, help analyse world and minutest of its details. The observation of nature is part of an artist's life, it enlarges his/her knowledge, keeps him/her fresh, and feeds inspiration.

So I can draw a conclusion out of being artistic that: 'The only time I feel alive is when I'm observing something with full concentration.'

A Series of Unexpected Events

(I know it sounds more like the novel series for kids by Lemony Snicket-“A series of Unfortunate Events”. But from bottom of my heart I can say these incidents were not unfortunate but yes were very much unexpected)

Note: This post contains some not-to-be-discussed-openly things but wouldn't have been interesting without them.

You were sitting in front of your system in office stretching the rest time to fullest and eagerly waiting for the clock to tick 7 PM. You requested the timepiece to move the arms fast. But this disobedient chronometer was more comfortable with her egoistic walk, so rejected your so-called humble request. But after all you are an Indian software professional you know how to tackle difficult situation with wit and shortcuts, so here came the self satisfaction providing award winning Idea of changing the time in your system clock. “Hurry !!! at last I won !!”. Filled with the contentment and pleasure of completing the working hours (1 hour before), you picked your bag and left from the office.

Did You tell us that this all hassle-tassel with yourself was because of the reason that it was “TGIF” (We all know that it is Thank God Its Friday). Now after leaving from office, specially on Fridays, you used to go to your friends’ flat for get-together (It would be more appropriate if you can term it as Scheduled weekly meeting rather than get-together). These weekly get-togethers are more of a drunken yards chatterboxes sitting together for nothing. So you thought of a change in schedule this time and miss the meeting today, after all it will cost a lot attending that. So your flight landed directly from office to your flat. Hey missed the via-station, must tell, NIFT. No more details needed, you guessed, we will understand this. Yes we have.

At flat, you have only 3 things to do-watch TV, eat, sleep and one more thing talk unimportant things. So you started with first 2 things, watching TV and eating but this weekend without drink, naaaa. Thus came the 1001th Edison’s idea in your mind, to bring 2 beers at home only but as everybody knows you are the king of all lazy bees. Waited for your roomies to come but for no hope because they all are the badshahs of idle buffalos. Finally you made the effort to bring and to drink the potion of weekend, so that nobody else could die of drinking. We all appreciate your helping hand because you looked just like lord Siva drinking the potion of poison. And the much awaited Friday of your week ended with nobody to accompany you while drinking, without eating, without unimportant talks. And your slept for the dreams to come to you.

You were planning to go and see a theatre drama on saturday, had booked two tickets(don't know why, when you were not aware who will accompany you as people don't have commonly uncommon likes/hobbies). So since morning you were asking (pleading) people to join you to see theatre but finally got a kid (new roomie) who came to rescue and both of you went to see the theatre but for your much undelight, you didn't know the way to theatre, searched whole egmore and ended up coming back home without watching it.

In the evening that evil kid(new roomie) in your flat who asked you to visit some places in chennai in return of the favour he did accompanying you to unwatched theatre, crying in front of you, to take him to the Sathyam Cinema, or ECR or Mammallapuram (We know it is Mahabalipuram). You cheated with him and took him to your get-together friend saying that “we all will go to Mahabalipuram”. But as always happens, plans never work for you, you three (count one of the get-together friend too) went to see few beaches nearby. You acted as his guide to let(read as make) him visit Kottivakkam and Thiruvanmiyur beaches. Kid started crying because of your humanly deeds of imposing your likes/dislikes on him. He said that he came from Vizag and is very much fed up of beaches.

.........So finally after a long debate over the place to visit and consolation to the kid, they two took you to CCD (you don’t know why people abbreviate everything but still sometimes you let them do it). All of a sudden you felt like you were not in Chennai, guess might be Mumbai/Goa/Pune/Delhi. As being an smoker, you took table in the corridor of the Café. But to your shock, you saw girls/ladies smoking cigarettes and talking in some language, was similar to English but accent was unbearable (sorry un-hearable). You thought for a while about them and came to conclusion that exceptions are always there. But when you inspected whole CCD, not even a single girl came there to have coffee (or café whatever), all of them were having the Cappuccino without sugar with classic regular smoke sticks. And after telling us about all this, you don’t want to tell us about their dressing sense (or so called designer wears). So you were very much disappointed with the new so called “YO Generation”. And finally came to another conclusion that the tea-coffee shop at each nook and corner is far better than this. (N-number of reasons to prove it right, but you don’t want to waste our time in this unnecessary debate)

Finally the Saturday night fever started with a twilight ambience of your room. Yes, your guess is very near to reality, another thirst quencher ‘get-together’ party with just 2 people attending it. And nostalgic feelings filled your room just like the cigarette smoke all over the ceiling. So you emotionally told the other guy about family-school-college-professional-etc experiences and received the same. But in such situations you always feel like telling and narrating your best and worst moments of life rather than listening other person’s boring stories. Finally went to bed listening the very infamous gazals of Jagjit singh and Pankaj Udhas. But the major impacting gazals are ‘Aaina Mujhse Meri Pehli si Surat Maange’, ‘Chitthi Na Koi Sandesh’ which make your eyes liquid bathing (but tears never come). But if There is some song which can cast a decision making or breaking on you is the one from Swadesh Movie-‘Yeh Jo Desh Hai Tera’. So you always try not to listen to this song even it is your one of the favourites. At last you became dead to the world by snoozing and having siesta of dreams.

Other day started with the most common weekend adventure of your flat, Breakfast preparation, at exact 2:00PM. Any guesses what’s on the menu, Bread sandwich-24, chili sauce with option of tomato sauce. The best part of your restaurant at flat is watching TV airing Telugu channels (and those too nobody understands in your flat) while having any meal of the day. The worst thing one can ask for after a great breakfast in lunch time was to listen to the ‘evil kid’ again with another mind numbing plan to explore Chennai. And to his excitement and will power( as he pleaded for accompanying him for at least N- number of times), you bowed down and drearily went to another place called Besant Nagar Beach. You had once been to that place in last 2 years but it is always better to brush up visits in regular intervals. So at last that was the place which that kid appreciated because of the crowd and Juhu beach like vibes all around. But to add to your dislike, this is last thing you will cry for, A-Crowded-Place. So after measuring the length and breadth of the beach, you two sat at the footpath (just like beggars) and were there for about 2 more hour before the other guy came and suggested one more irritating idea of going to the same CCD. But majority wins (or cries win). So we went again there, the same Café Frappe and blue mint cool with smokes all around and so-called ‘YO generation’ surrounding you.

You decided to leave the place as early as possible but were not getting any idea to make them move out from there (as they were enjoying the enchantment there). So you prayed to God, ‘hey Lord, order somebody to call me and ask me to come to some other place’. And to your shocking moment, God heard your voice very quickly and your phone rang. It was from your getting-married-soon roomie, he asked kid and you to join him and bhabhiji at dinner in Rainforest (there is no rain or forest there except the beautiful artificial interior). Thus you quickly left DCC (Don’t Come for Coffee) and reached Rainforest. And what more can you ask from God when everything is going against your will, A Long Waiting queue, very small in number 45 people in wait. So you decided to listen to the talks of the couple, moreover, the new family chats. Nothing new, the old story of shopaholic people in which men is in tension of losing money and women want their home fully furnished with all unnecessary needs. So you took another short break which was not sponsored by any commercial product and had your pain-and-killer smoke. As you lit it, the call from the restaurant came; ‘you can occupy the table for 4’. Wastage of 5 rupees as you hadn’t had any pleasure out of it. But stomach wants food in the end, so you joined them on table and had dinner.

Came back to your flat and went to bed telling yourself, “Another boring and misused weekend. And why this Monday is coming in next 6 hrs. I don’t want to meet it.” So the Monday was there to devastate you. We wish, you will have some meaningful and fruit nurturing weekends ahead.

JODHA-AKBAR : An Unknown Mythical Love Story

JODHA-AKBAR : An Unknown Mythical Love Story
A vast canvas movie with a royal touch ... deeply history-studied script by Ashutosh for even the minutest of the scene but lost in the big battles.....All in all; as a critic also I praise the efforts but few changes in the script, a better study on the dressing sense of Rajputs with cultural study of Rajput women and tightening the few lose scene would have made the movie to OSCARS next year......but unfortunately ....it will not ....!

Why to visit theatres to see Jodha-Akbar:
1. Big Budget, vast canvas, historical movie directed by well known Ashutosh Gowarikar after a deep study of Akbar.
2. Actors and technicians have done a great job.
3. Amazing music by A.R.Rehman, specially the background theme music.
4. Brilliant cameras work to portrait the scenes.
5. Sultan of Hindustan- Jalalludin Mohammad Akbar (Hrithik Roshan), beyond wordy appreciation.
6. Great Dialogues.
7. Royalty of Rajputana and Akbar’s reign.
8. Big sets and Battlefield scenes.
9. Huge number of junior artists dancing on the songs.
10. A large number of animals used for give a real tough to the war sequences.
11. Film showing ‘Communal Harmony’ and ‘farsighted Emperor’ in the story.
12. Film showing ‘care for animals, they need freedom and love’.
13. Jewellery and Costumes specially Emperor’s Belt.
14. Beautiful Jodha Bai (Aishwariya Rai Bachchan)
15. Courage and loyalty of Rajputana.
16. Last but not the least, how to waste your 300 bucks and 4 hrs time ..?
Few of the Facts and scenes which were indigestible being a big historical movie’s fan and ofcourse as a Rajput too......

Why not to visit theatre to see Jodha-Akbar:
a) AG(Ashutosh Gowarikar) should have visited all the museums and forts of each district in Rajasthan to provide a better look to the RAJPUTANA and Ofcourse the KINGS’ royalty.

b) The Fashion designer (Costume) should have visited the museum showcasing the dresses worn by the females and particularly the queens and princesses of Rajputana of that time, because they dresses shown in the movie don’t reflect real dressing sense of Rajputs.

c) While introducing kings from different royal families of Rajputana, most of them were made known dressed in same type of attire with same-a-like royal turbans, while in Rajasthan each district is having different typical turbans completely different from other.

d) The Jewellery Designer has done a great job and has revealed the true golden age of Rajputana with the type of ornaments but missed most of the archetypal classics of Rajaputana ornaments worn on the Arms of the ladies called “Bajuband” in Rajasthan and “Shishphool” worn on the front head below the “Rakhri”, specially the “Aad” which is worn as big necklace. And a special ornament having a feather worn on the turban by the rajputs was also missing.

e) The way, interaction of the Rajput females is shown with the males was impossible even 10 years back while it is a story of 16th century. So AG should have visited an emblematic village to see the illustrative culture.

f) From the historic books which we have been reading since childhood, it is revealed that Akbar asked the King of Amber(read as Amer) to reign under his regime and the king of Amber accepted the offer in favour of the citizens of Rajputana. When Akbar came to know about that Ajmer is under Amber’s king and it is one of the sacred place for Muslims with the holy blessings of Khwaja Saheb, and is also in route for saintly places of Mecca-Medina, he thought of taking a harmonious decision in favour of both the communities by marrying a Hindu princess of King of Amber which was completely cordial-in-agreement. And after a lot of disputes with the neighboring states of Amber, King finally took the decision of marrying her daughter with the then Sultan of India who the country sociable. While in the flick, it is shown that king of Amber went with the proposal of her daughter’s marriage, which in all sense, impossible as a normal Rajput can never do such thing then it is impossible being a king to do so. And he had no reason to do this, at the same time, even AG has shown two contradictory things of King’s proposal and then Akbar’s proposal. Here the story starts failing.

g) Now comes the main point, there is no such love story of JODHA-AKBAR even in the Historic books(of which AG is talking about while clarifying that he made it after a deep study).

h) The movie could have been a great success if AG would have made the AKBAR as the royal ruler with his regime and success story of winning India with a small essence of his love for his wife. But the love story portrayed him as a emotional fellow who ruled from someone else help, getting all decisions from army head, Khan baba(the prime minister) and his babysitter whom he treated just like mother. AG experimented with the facts and flick ended up with the bundle of 3hr45min packages of unknown history (or creativity of his mind) which no one want to even know, as out of total movie time only 1hr was worth watching and other time AG was bitten by Sanjay Leela Bhansali virus of spreading his own virtual imagination on spectators mind which is unacceptable in the current scenario where people are quite intelligent to decide what to accept and reject as movie input.

i) The length of the movie could have been shortened as there were n numbers of unwanted lengthy scenes in it.

j) Akbar is shown as an illiterate Sultan, which historical book has revealed till this end?(one of my friend has said that it is true as written in NCERT 8th class book, chapter-Mughal Emperors)

k) Emperor’s wrestling is indigestible as it was just director’s creativity.

Time 2 Time Ourselves

When some time back, I look myself and feel like one of the kind….which makes me feel a little bit of honored and a little bit of gloomy which is a feeling more of a poignant person but what exactly matter here is about oneself who is willing to do something.Then came the time of experiments based on what was read in the books…..and more to be read later on….using the knowledge gained was the aim of that period but was not finding the real world where to implement. And finally came the time to use it, in real scenario, but useful information was not still stored in the memory, may be lost somewhere in the leisure time.Well still is the time to do something, more specific. During the upbringing, heard an adage (saying), Time is money-Don’t waste it.Now I’m feeling the importance of that proverb. Because everything that is being done is for money in the starting and then power, when money doesn’t matter much. And all this can be achieved only by utilizing the precious time. But are we doing enough to utilize it?

There are n numbers of axioms stating the importance of time, but we never felt the real meaning of them. It is just like, we practice hard without knowing the real scenario what is going to be in the real match and finally it looks like all in vain and different from what was done before the fight. This reminds me of the Linkin Park song- I tried real hard and got so far…… In the End….It doesn’t even matter….!