An evening @ Hooghly Ghat...

It’s been over one and half years since I had started working in Kolkata. Bloody hell! Time sweeps out faster than a person dying from “Avada Kedavra”. Alas, I haven’t really visited the city of glorious history (and may be an awesome future, from the point I am looking at). May be too busy with my work, may be a bit lethargic to move out of bed during weekends, or maybe I never felt like (after all what is the point in roaming around alone with no reasons). Whatever be the cause, it’s a bitter truth, I have rarely gone to places other than 8A & 8B ODC, Office cafeteria, EM By pass and a few other places, where you need to go for your survival.

Sun-Set on Hooghly river

However, today I went to meet Ankrit and we decided to go by riverside and sit on bank for some peace. In fact you can never find peace on Ghats apart from midnights (always plundered with people who never end up their rituals, one after another or the love birds or the people having an anti-social environments creating around them). Still we managed to conjure a place like that. I do have passed that place numerous times, but never felt the bamboozlement like this ever. The boys were swimming, making races with launch passing bye. Suddenly one of the boys caught hold of it and was surfing on water (lying on it). That was something. He then climbed on it, and went to the rooftop and then like a dolphin he dived…WTF…from a moving launch. Before, I could see where he has gone, he climbed again.

After a while a party launch (which is being hired for party having pubs & disc on it, pretty expensive, 15K bucks an hour) passed by….whooooooooooossssssssssshhhhhhhhh. and it emitted a simple small wave. Ankrit asked me to fold the pants and stand in the water. I did that. The wave seemed small, when approaching the shore, rose high, bigger. The nearer it came, it grew. Am I going to drown away? By the time it reached me, it wasn’t actually touching my feet rather, making me wet up to my crouch and that two with a force that could have turned the dynamo (if available there).

Gradually the sun turned down, the white sky went blood red pink and then it disappeared into the black. The only thing left were small lightings emitting from mid-river water treatment plants, Hooghly dock and at a distance Howrah Bridge was visible with its twinkling lights. We had “Litti-chokha” a typical local dish of Bihar, UP & Jharkahand, yummy enough not be procured at other localities in abundant quantity (bitter truth). I had it almost after 5-6 years, and was too good. As Ankrit was telling me about the new released “Sanghai”, my mind was thing something different. That is the problem with it. When it gets awesome demeanor, chilly environment and good food, it won’t rest rather thinks a lot (sigh!!).

It does make sense, Life gives us many chances to compete, and it’s up to us weather we surf on it or keep away from it. The small boy was enjoying a lot, in spite of pain, when he was hitting water. Still he was enjoying. If we do something that is our passion or we like to do, no matter how adverse the situation is we will be happily doing it. Sometimes the problematic wave doesn’t seems too tough than it really is. When we realize, it’s too late or in a condition from where we cannot move back. The only solution is to be firm enough not be get drowned away. Nature teaches us in many ways. All beginnings fades away, apart from ones deed that glows even in pitch black darkness, some deeds that will be praised only when there is darkness as in broad day light it won’t be easily visible.

And finally I realized…My brain thinks a lot when free…

....Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Mid Hot June…usual Power cut. This was quite often in Dumka, and none of us was surprised on it. As if, this was a routine work. It has to go and will come back, and even if not no problem. We are used to it and somewhere inside me, I was convinced that it’s their goodwill that they provide power lines and voltage (that’s the only term I knew about electricity at that time). I used to put water on the rooftops, to make it a bit chilly (God knows, that makes me sweat like hell, fetching water from well to upstairs, later replaced by motor pump).We (I and ma sis) used to sit on bamboo mattress with lamp (surrounded by infinite numbers and verity of orthopedic creatures), basically doing nothing. Sis used to scold me for doing my homework (ignoring hers) and I used to make excuses for not doing it. Literally, we both did nothing. Sometimes I imagine how the homework used to get completed!!!! And then Dad, he was something, be it simple rooftop, or garden, every where he was capable of putting up mosquito net. I am sure he would be able to put it on Mt. Everest too. I still wonder how it takes months, years or even centuries to plan, act and deliver a project with unlimited human and system resource. But ask my dad, he used to plan (how the net will be hanged), act (nails, bricks and rope work) and deliver (we used to sleep peacefully). And mind it that was a 6-Sigma Delivery. After dinner I used to have race with my sis to the roof top to occupy chiller pillow (however it doesn’t matter much as it gets warm after a while).  Dad used to fan us constantly, till I fell asleep. I used to pretend a lot, in fact that gives me shame that dad is drenched in sweat, still aiming fan to me. So, if he considers me asleep he will get some for his own. Sis used to show me different constellations in the sky. In no time I was familiar with them and used to identify them even in faint sky. The breeze used to bring fragrance of grass and plants that occupy (rather spread) the surrounding of house. In spite of hectic temperature, the sleep was so cool and sound.

Getting back to present day, it is now about 1 and half years in Kolkata in a very busy, hectic life. A life full of luxuries as Air-Conditioned office etc. Lights went off few days back and I couldn’t sleep whole night. In fact I don’t remember when the last time I slept peacefully without worries was. 5years, 6 years or may be more than 10 years. I have spent countless nights a typing furiously on system, poking am knows in books equally heavier than me. That bestowed me quite comfortable life (of course not like a superstar, but commendable one). But every night when I go on bed, there are enormous issues crawling like ants in my mind.I don’t complain of them, but somewhere a question lies. What we expect from life? And again it reminds me my own theorem,

“You get everything on cost of something.”

 But is it worth? Months used to pass without a glimpse of your loved ones, but they are the same who are most happy when you get appreciation for what you are doing. They are the one who sacrifices themselves to keep us happy. Ignoring it is their insult, accepting it is mine.  The nursery rhym, though tought in nursery, has its meaning in real world.

“Twinkle Twinkle Star, How I wonder what you are. 

Up Above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky”

May be someday, I could lie back on my rooftops…staring them…..may be…

What are we Recognized for?

NB:     Before Going ahead please have a look on the both the  profiles:

These are the information displayed about two big IT-Giants on famous Wikipedia.

Now, there is a question? Who was more valuable, rather whose contribution was more notable and more precious? I am not trying to justify the deeds of any of them. But still ask a question to yourself?

Here the reader will themselves be divided into two categories: One will say Jobes and other will go for Ritchie. Because, unfortunately major population of world are unaware of Ritchie’s deed. Think about a common man (Mango People). They don’t know anything about ‘C’, ‘UNIX’ etc. But definitely, if you are reading this blog you are somehow related to Computers or Media. You sure know i-Pod/i-Pad, Mac-Book, may be reading the blog on it (I would like to thank Mr. Jobes for it). Here a question arises. When Jobes died, Almost millions of people mourned for him. Media was almost obsessed about his contribution to Modern world, and I must say they were 100% correct, but what about the other fellow? Many of us even unaware who was he? Of course, some of you might disagree with it, but showing the relative number of people as compared to Mr. Jobes, one must have to agree, Mr. Ritchie’s death went down in peace.

Looking down at the facts displayed above, what made Mr. Jobes more popular than Mr. Ritchie? As is his contribution? My dear fellows, looking at the facts, If there were No ‘C’ there won’t be any ‘Macintosh’, and consequently no Apple Inc. or i-Pod etc, because Mac is the basic OS (Operating system) of all these devices and 1^st base version was itself coded in ‘C’. Surprised?? Sorry to disappoint but it is true without Ritchie’s innovation Jobes's might have not done as good as he did. Just imagine, how it would have been if we would be texting each other in binaries, you would be reading this blog as ‘110100100100010010011…..’ and so on. For gaming geeks, you won’t be getting such a low run time control over joysticks and for gadget geeks (Because as if execution time is concerned, still no language can beat C), you might not be able to use USB’s or other interfaces to connect it with PC’s (Still 90% drivers are coded in ‘C’ because of its close communication with hardware). In fact, Windows 1^st version was coded in C++, which is an extension (OOP addition) to ‘C’.

If you go for UNIX, world is obsessed with it, when it comes in terms of security and server issue. Be it OEL (Unbreakable Linux), Solaris or even MAC, all are following UNIX. So, you see the contribution of Ritchie is so minute and remarkable that we ignored it (matter of laugh). As per Apple is concerned, many of its applications are steeled from Xerox and IBM (if you have got any doubt, watch The Pirates of Silicon Valley), of course in turns cheated by Mr. Gates. But for one thing I must credit Mr. Jobes, his imagination to attract the customer by reading their requirements before they come. Be it the 1^st GUI, or i-Pod, i-Phone, i-Pad or anything. Both of the guys are equally makeable and notable, still one got preference over other. My question is still unanswered?

Again give a look on the stats. What is extra in Jobes’s Profile?

      Occupation      : Co-founder, Chairman and CEO, Apple Inc., CEO, Pixar,

            Net Worth        : $7.0 billion USD

    Board Member : The Walt Disney Company, Apple Inc.

These are the three promising thing that connected him to the general public. Almost all of us knew about Apple Inc. Money (Sounds delicious) attracts 99% people (and that too in USD) and who is not aware of Walt Disney Company.

So, is it so the thing that displays is more saleable? Talent always surpassed by money? Perhaps yes. This is what happened with our dear Mr. Ritchie. I could remember during my recent trip to home my dad said (watching a village boy who had attached motor to ‘THELA’ and turned into an all new vehicle), “If my son would be a mechanical engineer, he too could have created something like this”. I explained him what I do and how general people are benefited by it. But, at a point of time the doubt prevailed in his mind, which is but obvious as what we do can be recognized by the person who knows about the subject matter. To a third person we are still same freaks who waste our time on computers and earn a lot (sounds disappointing but true). My dad was convinced but this is the answer of my question. 

There is a famous marketing quote, “Jo Dikhta hai, wahi Bikta hai”

So, ideally, we are not recognized for what we do, we are not known for what talent we posses. Rather we are known for how salable we are what benefit we can give to others, what is the monetary and social status and to whom we are associated to.

Results sounds so depressing (at least to me, as it contradicts the ideology in which I have been pedagogue), but the recent happenings shows this. Finally I would like to pay tribute two both the icons, as they are really a big loss to technical and modern world. They changed the life-style of common man.

So Hats-off two both of them.

Into......

(PS: Don't read this blog if you wanna have some serious thing, its an absolute Nonsense)

This is a strange topic to write a blog. In fact, this isn't my style at all to write anything. Maybe because, I haven't given enough thought process to write it. It is just the sudden outburst of the mind that was not bearable for me .
Into...
It is a strange word. Why is it so? Why does it happens? Why "Into"?
I read in childhood, multiplication as 'into'. something like, 2 INTO 2 =4, 4 INTO 6 = 24 and so on. Even in this simple context,  when 2 fells for twice it becomes four. It is a mad idea, rather a vague one, we all fall for our self. Sometimes to maintain  prestige, at times to get some benefits or may be just for fun. We even don't imagine what we had done. Confused? Sorry buddy, even I am.
Deep INTO the ocean there leave a serenity, a peace, but that encapsulates the enormous entropy within itself. My mind is also a sea of Tranquility,  of course not where 'Neil Armstrong' landed (and that too in debate). I don't know why, it is a bit clumsy now-a-days. It is giving out random thoughts, as you can see in this blog too.
Expectation is something that I never used to have from anyone , not even from myself. Why is it so that it comes dramatically, even if you don't want. A part of your brain wants to do a job a part against you. The duel INTO the mind reflects the diversities and complexities of a personality. They say some are simple some are complex. I say all are complex. Only some are smart enough to hide it.
What happens when you try your best, still fails. It is not so simple?
Oh my God!! Enough of it....
I am gonna dive again INTO.........

Workaholic….Passionate….Option less !!!

“What to do man? It is the only Option that I have got!!!”

“Wow! I just Love doing it”

“I won’t rest until this is done.”

These are 3 most common lines which I could listen at regular conversation that I come across almost every day. I was unable to understand why the same work falls in three different categories for three different people. In fact, according to answer, we can divide the people in three categories. I just gave it a thought process a long time back and started analyzing it. I guess I was in my 12^th standard when it cropped up in my mind. 2005 to 2011, it took 6 long years to conclude something. I was surprised to know that only 35% of person, I met know what passion is there, rest were unaware of it. As I can’t believe that any one can be there without a passion. Only problem is that he/she doesn’t know and even don’t want to know. Precisely speaking about statistical figures, out of 3834 persons 2489 was indifferent towards their passion. They do what they get and carry on. You will be more surprised about the in-depth details of them. Let us have a look on the figures below:

Amazing isn’t it? Nearly 40% of them lost their hope, and 44% changed their passion. It is like going with the winds rather than making own path. So we have left with 16%, out of which, 5.35% people are really trying to attain it. So we left with only 133 person who live there passion.

Now, leaving the statistical figures apart, I concentrated on the reason for this particular scenario. Why is it so? I found there are three main reasons for it. Firstly, we in India have got a mind set about certain portions and career prospects. We consider them superior over another. So, normally what happens, it passes along generation to generation. As a result, most of us try to get stuck to it and never let our mind imagine what we actually want to do. I am thankful to my parents that they let me choose mine and all them who let their offspring the same. But, even if we have to choose, we choose what we see. It is quite natural, typical human behavior. Unless and until we come across the different aspects of a particular career how come we decide it to be our fate? What lacks here is proper exposure. Even if we decide, still we need some guidance. And this is the most important reason, why 84% person doesn’t live their passion. They build one, go with it, search for path and either lose hope or change it.

The Red Portion in the Venn diagram reflects the area of success. The three circles are the parameters that determine the success. What is Success? To me there are certain short term milestones in life that may lead you towards the attainment of Life time Goal. Reaching each milestone is a success. For instance, if a person wants to be ‘Sachin Tendulkar’, selection in school cricket team is a milestone, hitting big scores in regional cricket team another and so on. But to set these milestones, Proper counseling is required. Otherwise our stats show the result.

No one is by nature categorized to a particular group. It is the behavior that is trying to recognizing itself. The one in Red zone becomes PASSIONATE. The one who changed its passion and merged deep into its new world becomes WORKAHOLIC. He is the one who tries to forget about passion and proof him that actually he is leaving his passion. And rest just spends life because they have to live. They can’t opt to die. They are OPTIONLESS. There is no well defined boundary. So it is on us to decide who we want to be?? But think first who you are now?

Workaholic….Passionate…or...Option less !!!

N.B : The Statistical Analysis might suffer from TYPE-I error, as it is a personal analysis.

In the end it doesn't even matter....

“How far have you gone to attain anything?

What have you done to get, what you want?”

I often ask this stupid question to nobody else but myself, and that too almost twice a thrice a day. Many of them say I a nomad, a maniac, a person that have got nothing to do but just think and think. Yes that is true to some extent but not 100% I must say.It is something like trying to prove something, not to other but myself. Every day, I try to prove myself, and whenever I look into the mirror at night, it seems I failed. Let me tell you a story. A true story of two boys, and I am really sorry I won’t tell you the names. Let us, give them a fake identity, say X & Y. Now this boy X was very conscious about his career studies and all. His parents also tried to give him best as far as possible. He worked harder and harder. Y was a sycophantic personality, enjoyed the life as much as he can. Both of them sat for some sort of exam. X didn’t got selected but Y did. Now what the public said. Look at Y, he made it in-spite of his mischievous acts and X always seems so studious, but actually he was not concentrated on his career. No matter, how wrong the interpretation is no matter how convinced X’s parents are, in the end of the day what matters is X failed.

It happens with everyone, and not only with career but also other spheres of life. Even when you try to dedicate yourself in a relationship or you try to give effort in your social welfare. One tries his or her best to maintain it, improve it, but then nothing is perfect. Ideal substances can’t be synthesized in reality so did human beings. One mistake ruins all your good deeds. Everyone forgets what have you done for them and what remains back a black spot on your character, a blame that never leaves you just like a shadow. That deed becomes your synonym. It is not the fact that the person is not honest, but our society is something like this that it focuses on (-) ve thoughts more often and quick than the (+) ve ones and unfortunately prevails much longer period of time. It surprises me, if a substance is incomplete without equal (+)ve or (-)ve ions, how can be a human (of course I am talking about neutral substances). But as it is electrons that are responsible for most reactions and at the same time most important factor towards the stability of matter, so did our negative shades. It motivates us by reminding our mistakes and drives us towards the stability. Of course I have met a number of people that don’t want to be stable, but then what for radioactive elements are? They decay and decay, until a phase comes when they stabilizes and realize they have lost a lot.

I personally always tried to do the best, give my maximum effort but it never happens. There is only one thing that measures you, your success. Earn it or snatch it. I prefer 1^st one, and may be one of the reasons why I fails. The path is appreciated by all, but in the end it doesn’t even matter. I never feel ashamed of me, but in the end it doesn’t even matter. I never get what I desire, given sympathy by all, but in the end it doesn’t even matter. There are a lot of person may be more capable or maybe not, but they are in better conditions. So whatever you know, in the end it doesn’t even matter. I give dedication in my every relationship, family friends but in the end it doesn’t even matter.

 

The pic here is from one of my famous songs, by Linkin Park and so did the title of blog.

However, in-spite of all adversities, I survive to get it matter for at least someone. This is a simple RULE OF LIFE. One can’t escape nor can win. One has to keep trying rather than going with winds.

This is what I do. But…..In the end…it doesn’t even matter….

The Race....

“I always wanted to be someone,
I just wish I had’ve been more specific”
Lily Tomlin

I don't know at all, who is 'Lily Tomlin'? But the words are certainly self-descriptive.

There are three reasons for which a person do, what so ever in his/her life: Money, respect and Power.

I asked myself, “Why three only three?”  The answer is so simple. All other needs, requirements lead to any one of three. And these three lead to self- contempt. Hey, that makes sense. Satisfaction is the only word for which every one race. They race against time, race among themselves and race with fate, to prove them superior over other.  I can remember the Mc Law’s Need Hierarchy Pyramid from my Industrial management book. Physiological, Security, social, self-esteem and then self-actualization need. I am not going to elaborate them as they could be found anywhere, but yes his research do make sense.

There is a famous tale of Akbar-Birbal. Once, Akbar drew a line on board and asked his gems to make it small without rubbing it. Some said to cut the board, some gave other suggestion. But, Birbal drew a longer line than the original. That is the true spirit of race. Project yourself better than other.

Unfortunately, there are two ways to win a race. Either run faster or pull the leg of other. As Dumbledore says in ‘Goblet of Fire’, “Harry, you will always find two paths in your life, one will be correct and other one will be easy”. Quite apt, wrong path is always easy to follow. May be that is the reason, why the second way to win the race is more prevailed now a days.

Yesterday, I was just roaming in the ‘Mani-Square’ looking for any new arrival in the book section. I bought two of them. When I came out Shirshendu was waiting with his friends. One of them knew me well. He asked,  “Which book did you purchased?? Management ka hai kya”? I gave a shaggy look at his face.  I said, dude management is an art. It cannot be learnt from book but from life. Look around yourself; the best managers, CEO’s etc. are not MBA qualified. But, yes they are good managers.

Personally I think, a person that can manage time can manage anything. So, basically it is a race against time. Some says, “One should see ahead of time”. But I think we should walk with time, neither behind it, nor ahead of it. Correct step at correct decision in correct time is the key for success.

Of course, we don’t have time machines so that we can go back and change what has happened (Even though, I am a hard-core admirer of Time-Dilation theories, can’t deny the fact). Living in present, giving your best is the only method to participate with an extra advantage in race. I love a movie, titled “Kungfu Panda”. The master turtle made a statement,

“Yesterday is history and tomorrow is a mystery

But, today is a gift. That is why it is called Present”.

One can have short term benefits by shortcuts but to achieve real success and enjoy the effervescence emitting from it one need to go via process. What does success means? One can easily find a lot of definition in famous dictionaries and philosophy books by famous writers, in front of whom I am a (-) ve entity. But for me, it is a highly relative term. Depends and varies from person to person. In general, Success is the achievements of all those small milestones that in long term will lead you to your bigger dream, your ambition.

Play to your strength, give your best. I can’t say anything more than it. After all, I myself am the part of same race.