Filter Coffee

It must have been around 6.30 in the evening. I had still not been assigned a cab at my newly joined office so I had to travel on my own - Don't ask me whats the big deal in it - for a person who was comfortably commuting in the company provided transport for 5 years this was surely a nightmare. 

Unfortunately for me, that day I took my car to office and very soon realized that I had committed the biggest mistake of my life as I tried to find my way through the impressively congested and irritating Bangalore peak hour traffic (No...I did not do any car pooling and that is not the discussion here so lets not go there)......Lot of honking...screaming at the annoying pedestrians walking on the road conversing over their cell phone....cursing the Auto guys for recklessly switching lanes and also blaming myself for taking the car out.......By the time I reached home with all this circus and drama, I had almost traveled for 2 hrs....energy was completely sapped....head was about to explode.

Thank god.. that day my mom had reached home before me and I politely demanded for a hot cup of coffee.....the word itself brought a sense of freshness and relief in my mind....I followed my mom to the kitchen......as she heated the water and poured it over the freshly ground coffee powder in the coffee filter the aroma it generated made me forget all that torrid time I had for the past 2 hrs.....my mom has this uncanny knack of always mixing the right quantity of ingredients to anything she prepares which makes things taste a lot lot better.....Now I watched her carefully as she used all her experience in mixing the hot black coffee with fresh milk and sugar. When I took the first sip, I could smell the aroma and simultaneously taste the hot coffee just gliding down my throat....I had just escaped into a wonderful cup of hot filter coffee.

By now you could easily sense that I am addicted to this beverage.......surely......I am so addicted that my day just refuses to kick off if I don not have coffee in the morning or it simply makes me dull and UN-enthusiastic if I miss out on my evening dose.....I drink coffee if I am out of mood....if i have headache, if I am happy, if I am sad, chatting with friends, family or relatives no matter what the occasion is :-) I am addicted to this as some people are to alcohol (now stop making weird faces)...Its a fact...I love coffee and I know my South Indian origin should take the blame for that.....!!!

If you think that I am exaggerating......just drop in to my house........and I am sure your experience will be something similar..!! - Its an Open Challenge

-Sethu-

PS - If you are someone who has aversion to caffeine and if you have not tasted coffee even once in your life (Yes, I know a handful of people).......just ignore this post and the invitation...!!!

The Rajyothsava Effect

November 1st - The day when all the kannada speaking regions of South India was unified to be called as Karnataka. It is celebrated in a huge way across the state as 'Kannada Rajyothsava'....It is a Government Holiday......... You get to listen to all the Kannada patriotic songs.....vehicles (mostly Auto Rickshaws) flaunting the Karnataka Flag and also a lot of cultural events with some supposed to be kannada patriotic people giving powerful speeches.....these are common sights on this day if you are a resident of Karnataka..!!

There are other things that you notice as well....People trying to speak only in Kannada on this day, promoting talent in Karnataka, recognizing and remembering all the great people who have excelled in Kannada Literature, book releases and concerts....Impressive....!! But why flaunt you patriotism on this single day??? when there are a lot of things that you can do on a regular basis to bring respect to the language.

Before we talk about the people from other states speaking different languages, let us concentrate on our own people....If you just go out and observe, there are a lot kannadigas who simply refuse to speak in Kannada....If not everyone, at least some feel its below their dignity to speak in their own mother tongue when in public..Isn't it ??? Next come the famous rakshaNa vedike people...they protest to give reservations for kannadigas, they protest to make Kannada compulsory in all the schools, they go and bully the radio stations to play only Kannada songs....But.....If you simply observe the way they speak the language, you feel like banging your head to some big rock.....the quality of the language is stabbed to death..!!

Now let us speak about people from outside.....with due respect to all the other languages, I feel it is necessary for them to learn at least to do the basic conversation in Kannada if not the whole language...but instead what is happening??? You see people residing in Karnataka for decades and still manage by not speaking even a single word in Kannada..!! Recently in my office I saw a girl make a huge hue and cry because the Auto driver spoke only in Kannada which made it difficult for her to converse.....sounds ridiculous doesn't it??? A message to all such people - 'I don mind talking to u in the language that you are comfortable conversing in...but it becomes your responsibility to learn at least the basic conversation in the local language of the place that you reside..!!!

And for all kannadigas...its never below dignity to speak in Kannada....Instead of just putting status on Facebook, bursting crackers, celebrating and encouraging the language for a single day in a year, just try to consistently uphold the dignity the language has carried for a long time now..!!!

ಕನ್ನಡವೇ ಸತ್ಯ........ಕನ್ನಡವೇ ನಿತ್ಯ :-)

-Sethu-

Life..!!! Its Awesomeness and Emptiness :-)

All these days, felt like I had hit a dead end en-route my thoughts on writing a blog post..!!! I must have started with some 10 topics and lost my way in the middle each and every time...I still have all those saved in my drafts......just hoping that I will be able to pull out some sane thoughts from my confused mind and give them a life..!!!

Now let me give this one a try :-)

How many of us would have felt that Life is just awesome and fantastic at one point of time...?? Many times....right?? Now how many of us would have felt that it is completely insane, mad and meaning less??? more or less similar number of times.......!! (I see a lot of people nodding :-P)
Some wise people have quoted it correctly..."Life is a fantastic leveler" -  at one point in time it makes you feel that you are on top of the world somewhere on cloud nine enjoying.....suddenly you see yourself crash landing on the ground screwing your ass up in a very bad way..!!

Just read this small story depicting the above words... (Now please don blame me for starting the story in an old stereotypical way, the whole feeling of narrating a story is lost otherwise :-P)

Long ago some where in the middle of some country in the heart of some city there lived a small boy with a normal intelligence level and leading a normal life as all the other boys of his age....like every one else, he wanted to steal the limelight amongst all his counterparts...be it in sports, studies, co curricular..what ever it is
and as the life moved on, the competition grew and with that his dreams.

After certain years, during the time of his 10th board exams, the peer pressure and the parent pressure got the better of him and as a result he did not get good grades. Now for a boy who wanted to be in the limelight right from a very early age, this was a jolt...he saw a lot of his friends with better grades move to better colleges for better courses and he found himself in an average college doing an average course. His self confidence took a hit, he could not get into terms with all these and had a very torrid time in proving himself to others.

As time passed by, he got used to the situation and started to feel comfortable with his lifestyle...but his desire to be popular amongst his peers was still very strong and this time he was a little more wiser....He did not allow any pressure to get to him, scored some good grades, graduated out of the college and got into a very good institution for his post graduation and later got into a good company.......At this situation, he felt life was so beautiful and just..

His professional life was perfect with some very good feed backs and very good opportunities and a decent status in the society with a fairy comfortable lifestyle......One fine day, while having a discussion with his manager, he spoke about his career aspirations and future plans and unfortunately for him, his aspiration, did not fit in the manager's future plans for the team and was ignored for all the possible opportunities that came up. All of a sudden, he saw his life take a downward trend......his subordinates went ahead of him, he could not find a job in the career line he wanted to even after a lot of attempts, some of his family members thought he was ruining his career by staying in the same place and he started feeling that life was running in slow motion and he had made a big blunder in discussing his career with his manager...!!!

He found it difficult to handle the situation....He did not have an opportunity in the current team, he was not getting any offers outside and almost went into a state of depression........But.......It had to get better somewhere, suddenly one day while having a chat with one of his old friends, he heard about a job with a reputed company which was more in line with what he wanted to do in his career, and fortunately for him, this time he was successful in getting an offer there.....he gleefully accepted this opportunity and moved on to the new role and surprisingly for him, things started to fall in place again.........In the end, he learnt that  Life has its own way of leveling things and you just have to give it some time :-)

The ending seems to be a little abrupt to me and the whole things looks a little directionless...but beg your pardon, this was the best way I could do it...I'm really bad at narrating stories :-P

What ever is the case, I guess I have conveyed the message that I had to.....

'Life is awesome, but it always comes with its own share of emptiness...Isn't it ???



-Sethu-

'Then' & 'Now'

Today while having dinner, I had a very interesting conversation (for a change) regarding today's education system (in school I mean) with one of my cousins who is a school teacher.. and what I heard hit me like a ton of bricks..The alarming way in which the basic education has changed over the past decade...unfortunately not on the positive side

So while having the conversation, I was just trying to compare my school life I grew up with with that of the present one....What all has changed from 'then' to 'now'..

First thing that comes to my mind is the numerous amount of beatings that I took from my teachers in school....Not doing the homework correctly, not behaving well in class or getting less marks I used to get caned left right and center by my teacher...and the best part was my parents chose not to interfere...what ever happens in school never seemed to bother my parents because they knew that I was under the able guidance of a teacher....

            Today if a teacher canes a student for some mischief done, the whole fraternity turns against the poor teacher...the parents make a big issue out of it and create an ugly scene (as if they do not have any other work to do), the school management unfortunately takes action on the teachers to an extent where a teacher is asked to resign the job...and since a student knows all this he/she is hardly afraid of the teacher and never seem to give heed to their valuable advise....Is this not hindering a teacher's ability to guide a student in a right way??

The next thing I heard almost gave me a heart attack..the examination system that is currently in place. It is a government rule that no student should be failed in any of the exams until 9th Standard...that means no matter what happens..even if the student submits an empty answer sheet in the exam, it is the teacher's headache to ensure that the particular student does not fail

            I still remember where I used to be so terrified of failing in a class test (forget exams)...I used to literally shiver thinking about the consequences/punishment I would face from my teachers and this particular system instilled the fear of examinations in me...since I knew what failure was and what were the consequences I ensured that I always put my best foot forward to ensure that I prepare well in the exams so that I would at least pass. Unfortunately today, a students don't know what failing is or what it fees like, they least prepared to face it and when it eventually happens they don't know what to do...as a result - the number of increased suicide cases among the students today.

So what are the consequences of the current system in place...??weak-hearted students, highly unprofessional / unethical without a value based education and lack of respect towards wiser people....I'm not telling that everyone are like this but I am afraid that the majority of them fall under this category which is not a good sign!!! 

Looking at all this I feel...we were the lucky ones to get the type of education that we did....all the beatings and scoldings that we got..all those punishments which made us feel guilty of the mistakes we did.....in short it prepared us to face life....and I am proud of it :-) Aren't U ???

Sethu :-)

ನೆನಪುಗಳ ಮಾತು ಮಧುರ....!!!

Non Kannadigas- Its means "Memories are sweet" ...Sorry had to put the topic in Kannada...it always has that emotional touch to it...!!!

Yesterday I saw a message which read "Spending time with friends, I just thought we were having fun..never realized that we were creating memories"...so true...no sooner I read it...felt like writing something about it..So here I am..!! 

All these years, I have been really really lucky to have made a lot of friends. Some have been my school mates, some my college mates, colleagues and also a few acquaintances...they have all played a very integral part in my life....Some have become really close and some have faded away over the period of time but irrespective of how I met them or how close I was to them, each and every one have left back a sweet memory trail in my life..!!

Just sitting back and turning the pages of my memories of the good old days with friends is such a "feel Good" factor...Be it bunking the classes and going for movies or the long walk from college gate to the bus stop speaking all kinds of nonsense...clicking pics while eating watermelon on a hot summer day or a roadside bhel puri on a rainy evening........Fights for small reasons and the patch ups after that....celebrating a friend's birthday in a car's backseat......Just that second of exchanging glances when we see a hot girl pass by....

Having fun at each and every situation be it Studying in a group cramming up furiously for an upcoming exam or practicing together for an upcoming cultural event or playing cricket on a hot afternoon and drink goli soda after that......posing for a camera with the first tequila shot wit best buddies (and requesting friend not to put it up in Facebook).....Helping a friend to express his love...and getting elated when it succeeds....10 people sharing a plate of Gobi Manchurian and fighting for the last piece of it......

The list is simple endless....

Each and every instance above was absolute fun..the days which I can never ever forget through out my life  and when all these happened, I just thought we were having fun.....the very fact that we were creating lifetime memories never crossed my mind...!!


Signing off

Sethu 

Dreams which are "Just Dreams....."

It is always said..."you need to dream something big and strive to make it happen"..."To Dream is to lay the foundation stone for a big achievement".....But can all your dreams come true??? or let me put it in another way.."Do you always Dream to achieve something"??....Go back and read the title of this post again and ask yourself the questions I posed just now..!!!

'My' answer to the above question would be a big NO.....Yes I want all my dreams to come true... but I have to be a bit realistic here and say "Some Dreams are Just Dreams"...those are the dreams which makes you feel good...and may be running behind them would mean no sense.....If it really happens......then it is just luck...!!! Let me dig a bit deeper into what I wanna convey here...Take some of the below Instances..!!!

Personally I am fascinated by good Love Stories......there is something in them that makes me feel good...Today I saw a movie in which a beautiful girl conveys her love to a guy by wishing him on his birthday with 12 gifts (one for each month till his next birthday)...On seeing this I felt " God!! what a lucky guy...I wish it happens to me some day"...Now this is just a dream......I would consider myself really lucky if it happens...But can I make it happen??? Never..!!!

Another one.....when ever I listen to our 'National Anthem'...I just dream of standing beside M S Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar before a match.. representing India in the World Cup Final in front of my proud parents and people who thought I would never make it big in life...Now when I imagine this..the feeling is simply out of this world....But on a realistic note...Will that happen??.....or can I run behind it now to make it happen??? I would be ROFL if you said YES...!!!

I was in love with a girl....Don't ask me if she loved me too...Obviously no..she had other preferences...but sometimes I crazily dream of that girl coming and telling me that she always wanted to be with me...Now this is something that makes me feel good momentarily....even though my mind clearly knows that this is not gonna happen..!!!...

All these are "Dreams"....which are "Just Dreams"..!!!

off to sleep now...

Good Night...
Dream big....
and Dream Sweet..!!!

Signing off

Whisper of Heart to the Peeping drop of Tear...!!

Long, Hectic and tiring day at work, sitting in the cab listening to a favorite tune..A drop of tear peeps out of my eyes reminding me of my inability to pursue my dreams......at that moment small voice in my heart whispers to the tear...."Don worry..not everything is lost...the dream is still there and it can still be pursued"

A long trip with best buddies..having the time of life..forgetting all the pain and difficulties.....A drop of tear peeps out of my eyes asking me if this time will ever comeback......?? to which my heart whispers "Always make time for friends in life then such moments will automatically come back...and more frequently too"

On a business trip.....feeling really sick and low......I suddenly see my mom's number flashing on my phone...that moment..A drop of tear peeps out of my eyes remembering and thanking each and every sacrifice that she has made in life to bring me up to this level....Then I hear my heart whisper..."Don worry brother.....you will get a chance to show your gratitude to all those sacrifices made by her"


Meeting up with old friends after a long long time.....sitting around a table pulling each others' legs and snatching each others' food...A Drop  of tear peeps out of my eyes..telling me to live the moment to the fullest.....to which my heart whispers..."yes yes enjoy the moment.. all these will surely make some sweet memories when you get old"


A really good friend...stops talking all of a sudden and starts to Ignore leaving a small sense of loneliness behind..A drop of tear peeps out of my eyes shouting "Why me always??" and my heart whispers "Calm Down....may be that person is busy...Just give some time..you will get that person back"

Message of the post:
Recognize that voice of your heart and listen to it.....you will never go wrong


Signing off...!!!!


Sethu

Celebration....!!!

Hey...I got Promoted today - Lets Celebrate....
Its is my Birthday today - My treat - Lets Celebrate....
I'm flying to the states next week..come over for a small party this weekend - Lets Celebrate

These are some common statements that come to our mind when we think about the word "Celebration". And if you are living in a busy and bustling city as Bangalore, where people don't have the time even to chat for a while.....celebration is most of the times just an occasion........A Birthday, An Anniversary, A promotion and so on...

But does Celebration mean only that much?? Then what do you think about the below incidents ???

A Rainy evening, going for a long drive with friends...You see a small tea shop in the outskirts of the city....
Sitting on a wooden bench having tea in a slight drizzle pulling each others legs..!!

Best friend proposes a girl...she accepts..!! Celebrating the success by smearing cake all over his face..and pouring soft drink all over his head..!!

Family get together....having fun screaming, playing and talking with cousins....time for dinner.

ಆವಾಗ.....ಅಮ್ಮನ ಕೈ ತುತ್ತು.......super ಮಜಾ ಇರುತ್ತೆ.

Feeling a bit low....sitting and listening to radio thinking about something.......suddenly a favorite song gets played in the radio.....a small sense of happiness for a fraction of a second...worth a celebration

A clear and pleasant evening......walking hand in hand with your loved one on the sea shore with her head resting on your shoulders....!!

I'm sure most of us would have come across these small small celebrations at every instance of our lives. But most of us fail to pick the amazing sense of enjoyment and satisfaction these small things bring in with them

Running behind our goals, many times..... lot of small things fail to get our attention...

So at least for a brief while take some time of your busy schedule and try to enjoy that special feeling all these instances bring in your life which makes your world a special place to live in..!! And you'll say...Indeed

"Life is a Celebration"

šēţħũ

Misty Mornings..!!!

Waking up early in the Morning is always a pain....And I get to know the pain everyday Morning 6.30 when the loud alarm in my phone wakes me up. Negligently pulling myself up from my bed, I lazily strode over to the atrociously huge balcony in my house (a good 20 kms away from the city) and the moment I m there, all the pain of waking up early just vanishes.

The feel of freshness with the cool breeze and the sight of a small temple surrounded with a lot of trees, with a slight mist in the background sipping on a hot cup of strong filter coffee truly makes the effort of waking up early worth it.....gives a me kick start for a hectic day ahead.....and with that encourages me to wake up early again the next day...!!

And more so when you are in a city like Bengaluru, it encourages you even more to wake up early...atleast when you are at leisure...Doesn't make sense???

Try this out then.....

If you are in Bangalore, and if you are at leisure, Just try waking up early, take a ride in the cool breeze on the way to Lal Bagh..take a lazy walk by the lake side there and just feel the beautiful calm atmosphere take you over...and on the way back have hot Rava Idly and filter coffee in the nearby MTR....and see how your day goes from there...!!! (let me know if I was wrong)

Signing off

*****

šēţħũ****

*****

ಕನಸಿನ ಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ಸುಸ್ವಾಗತ..!!!!

Just loved the Title..!!!

For all readers who don't know Kannada, "Welcome to the world of Dreams" is what I meant.

Its been a long time since I thought of writing a blog. A blog which was a mirror image of my soul. A blog which would clearly reflect my thoughts and a blog through which I could let my thoughts flow without any obstacles..!!! And after a lot of thought and some loss of hair I could finally come up with this one.

One Song in kannada which always comes to my mind when I think about dreams. The Lines go like this...

 "ಬೆಳಕೇ ಇಲ್ಲದ ದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ನಡೆಯಬಲ್ಲೆ...ಕನಸೇ ಇಲ್ಲದ ದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಾ ಹೇಗೆ ನಡೆಯಲಿ ???..ಈ ನನ್ನ ಹಾಡು ನನ್ನ ಕನಸು ಕೇಳಮ್ಮ...!!!" 

(I can suceed walking in a path with no light but it is not possible to walk in a path where there is no Dreams) 

I was always searching for a medium where I could give my dreams some shape and after a long wait, I found this to be a suitable one..!!

I am writing if for all of you to read.....your feedback will be very important to me...!!

Because..... ಇದು ಕನಸುಗಾರನ ಒಂದು ಕನಸು .........!!!!

Sethu