Sach A wonderful performance

Sachupendous Performance

I started this blog exactly a year back and had promised that I would be talking and writing about events and stuff on a regular basis. But then as they all promises are not meant to be kept and my procrastination took controll of me and I ended just up just pondering here and there.

One year hence, I have decided not to make any more false promises and to just write whenever I can. I hope this time around the absence of pressue would help me deliver better. Talking about pressure there is one man who handles it with complete ease and calm. Infact I am sure the word pressure is not present in his lexicon.

I am talking about none other than Sir Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (Its my way of respecting the little master wonder genius). Two days back he created history by scoring a half century of centuries @ centurian (how ironical)against South Africa . While I was riding yesterday, numerous thoughts meandered my mind about writing and contributing to the genius. I wanted my peice not to sound too cliched since the entire Media- Social, online, print, radio, tv et al had programme and guests talking about just one thing...! TeNdUlKaR!!!

There`s never a better sight to see Sachin Tendulkar perform in any form of cricket. Over the last 21 years he has been relentlessly (and i must add effortlessly too) scoring runs, creating records and providing occassions to Indians to feel proud off. Be it then the century at Old Traford against England, the mamoth innings at Sydney against Australia or the famous win against England at Chennai recently.

Dull, forlorn and despondent- I could have looked for more adjectives, but that`s how I felt when South Africa ammased a total of over 600 in the first innings at centurian. India started well but then lost both sehwag and ghambir when a hope had started to build. My mood even became worse when India lost Raina and all hopes of a miracle had all but vanished. I decided to switch off the TV and head out for a walk (In a bitter, chilly and depressing winter evening).

2 hrs later an effervescent smile was all over my face. No, India had not saved the match, neither was it raining. Sachin Tendulkar was on 99 and a single away from creating history. The entire nation watched with fingers crossed, oblivious of the result. They just wanted the master to score a single and set a record which would be as impregnable as Murali`s 800 wickets. A nudge to cover of Styen meant the master had achieved which many would not even dream of. 50 centuries ...WoW..what a player, what a achievement. Soon news channels, twitter, facebook, radio had messages pouring to congragulate Sachin for his remarkable feat. Even our President sent her wishes to Sachin. For a moment the country had stopped, the cricketing fertinity stood still and the result of the match did not matter any more.

I was smiling and for me honeslty loosing to South Africa did not matter too much.(come on we still have 2 matches to go). Such is the aura of Sachin! The country was happy and the disappointment of loosing to World no 2 team had dwindled.

Next morning all newspapers were finding it tough to look for adjectives to describe Sachin`s performance. I thought its was apt time to invent some new adjectives, patented for Sachin. Sachupendous, Senchtulkar, sachsome are some of many which instanly came to my mind and I am sure a true sachin fans would surley understand its meaning.

In the end India did loose the match, but as they say, sometimes loosing is not too bad as long as you competed and had fun.

We all are greedy (After all we r all humans) and I wish Sachin scores another one on the boxing day test and icing on the cake would be, India winning the match and levelling the series.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a sachupendous...opps stupendous New Year!

Cheers

Amit

F*** the society, life moves on!

CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT

The Greek Philospher Heraclitus, preached the true meaning of the saying,"Change is the only constant", yet in real life we all grapple with the changing enviornment. Be it professional or personal, accepting change is as tough as learning a new language. The mind and body is so attuned & accustomed to the usual, that a new task or challenge, is seen as a problem rather than a opportunity. Those who overcome this inner war of mind and heart, are the one`s who go

ahead and create and re-write history.

If change has so many advantages, then way do we all try to run away from it?? Why do we try avoiding it?? What prevents us all from accepting change??

I believe change is somewhere also linked with the ability of taking risk and doing what is not expected to be done. To add to the predictment, the Indian society is framed in a such a way that change for them is like a puzzle which has just one course, which needs to be followed, practiced and preached. If someone, inadvertently or intentionally, try to tread on a different path, he is labelled as an outcast and is derelicted from the (artifical )institution we all call as "SOCIETY".

Why is to so tough to break the cliched, to mould the banal life, to re-create something new and to enjoy what we want to do. From birth to adolescence to maturity to oldage, we are dictated, ordered, summoned, instructed and sometimes coaxed (emotionally) by others to do things which we would have never done in the first place. We are under pressure to be societally correct and each move of ours is closely scrutinised. From puny things like what to wear, eat, go, do , join to serious issues such as marriage, jobs, money, cars et al , society plays a key role in deciding what we choose.

For all those, who give a F*** to society things do change and change for positive. They stand up, they not dedicted by others, they are bold individuals capable to taking their own decision, deciding their own fate and doing what they want to do. Society don`t except them easily and try to blow them away with volleys of criticism.

The recent case of Sania Mirza marrying Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik can be seen as a prime example. Both Media and society were hell bent and did not left any screw unturned to villify the couple for the sinful (according the them) crime they had committed. Everyone was concerned that the image of the India society has been tarnished!! But what did Sania do, she F***ed the society and did what she wanted to do. She stood by her decision and went for it. There are many examples like here, but then many are also turing a step back due to the artifical and non-meaningful so called society.

This blog entry is not an eristic way to just pen down words and have a conversation going, but is a way for me to express my thoughts . To some extent, I too am grappling with the society syndrome. I am trying to find ways to come out of this quandry and quagmire of living life for others. I need to further ponder, re-think and take steps. The start has been made, have joined my favourite gym, I was yearing to join for years and yes, the first thing I said post joining was," F*** the opinionated Society". But this is just a beginning and there are many miles to go before I sleep, before I sleep.

Miracles do happen- The Omnipresent Yellow Taxi Wala

Kolkata is not only known for its Misthi Doi, Rosagulla, Eden Garden, Metro and Rabindranath Tagore but also an ideal city for Photographers especially for those who love and relish street photography, like me. So when my company asked for a volunteer to visit Kolkata for some urgent assignment, I was the first one to raise hand. (Oblivious of the scorching heat, humidity and what lied in store for me)

Carrying my new canon 1000D, I reached the Dum Dum Airport and soon sat in the omnipresent yellow taxi to begin my one hour journey to Hotel. I quickly downed the window and started instantly clicking pictures (As if, I was on a photo shoot). Soon, I was draped in the curiosity of capturing the city of joy on my camera and one hour passed by like a whisker.

The next two days were pretty busy (albeit I did watch the KKR Vs RC match at Eden Garden; Company was one of the sponsors) and unfortunately I could not utilize my camera to greater extent (few clicks here and there!). But then I had one last chance to capture the city of joy, once again though, through the windows of the yellow taxi. I took out my prized possession and geared up to start rolling, when suddenly I realized that an important equipment of my camera was missing. How could I be so careless? Why didn’t I notice it before? Will I find it or not? Such negative thoughts started meandering through my mind. My effervescent smiled vanished and despondency loomed all over me. My biggest nightmare was coming true!!

Confused by my faux pa, I packed my luggage and reached the Airport (all I could think during the one hour journey was about the camera quipment). Two days before I was a sight to stare but today I was like the Indian cricket team after losing to Bangladesh in the 2007 World Cup. As I was about to enter, a brilliant Einstein like idea stuck my mind. The only place I could have left the equipment other than the room (which i did search) has to be the YELLOW TAXI. I quickly searched my wallet and took out the taxi receipt. A ray of hope was still there, as it was for India against Sri Lanka in the world cup. After frantic search I found the receipt and prayed that that the end result would not be similar to what had happened to our cricket team in the Caribbean. (India lost to Sri Lanka and were out in the priliminary round itself)

My luggage was falling all over and the heat was killing me, still I gather some strength and ran towards the taxi stand. I met the president (i think so, he looked like one) of the Airport Taxi stand and narrated my story. He made frantic calls here and there and reassured incase the equipment was found he would intimate me. But then I was not residing in Kolkata and I had a flight to catch (what was he thinking??). With lost hope I thanked him and dragged myself towards the airport (Now I could start empathizing with the cricket team). I got my boarding card and was moving towards the security counter, when suddenly my phone rang!

With lackadaisical voice I picked up the phone; on hearing the voice from the other side I suddenly shouted with joy (as if India had miraculously won the World Cup and the Bangladesh defeat was a dream). It was the taxi driver!!. They have found the equipment. I could not believe my luck and thanked God for it (and off course the Yellow Taxi Guy). I rushed towards the exit gate and requested the guard to let me go. He was not convinced by my story and asked me the talk to his seniors. The same process continued till I finally approached the head of security. After narrating my story with a melancholy tone and fake tears, I convinced him to let me go.

As soon as I came out, I ran towards the taxi stand as I was competing against time. A group of taxi drivers were standing including the one I had met two days back. They all looked at me as a prospective client, but soon they realized that I was the lost goods guy (ala the lost guy). With a reassuring smile they handed me my camera equipment. I was speechless and could not believe that I had my equipment back. I had lost all hope but as they say, "Mircales do happen", and this was no less than a miracle.

I thought of giving him some money for his honesty but then the Citibank card advertisement flashed my mind and instead, I gave home something more priceless, I hugged him (I am sure he would have wanted the same:-)). Never before I had felt so contended and happy to hug a stranger. My effervescent smile was back and I quickly did a Usain bolt 100 m dash and made on time to board my flight.

Looking out of the plane window I pondered; Even in today`s materialistic world honesty still exists and that MIRACLES do happen…..but not in cricket world cup though!

Its time to starting blogging again!

Dear Friends,

After a brief hiatus I am back with my new blog 2010- Here I Come ! My previous blogs were all on cricket but this time I plan to write, dicuss and share something besides the gentleman game of cricket.

During the entire year I would be talking about my new passion Photography (watch out for that classy pictures), share with you the books & articles I read and offcourse talk about the industry I love to work - Beer (eg- Why do women drink less than men?) Send me your answers via comments.

Why 2010- To make the nu yr interesting, to keep reminding me of my new year resolutions and add a bit of excitment of the monotomous life, off latley (Somebody rightly said, winters @ times do get booring)

So focks I am back..not particularly with a bang, but yes with some sort of gusto and enthusiasm. So watch out my new blog for my exciting journey into 2010.

Cheers and have Fun!

Amit
fb- nanchahal- passion photography

PS: Upcoming events
- Trip to Pune- SIIB Annual Festival
- Visit to 10th Auto Expo
- My new office!
- Republic Day !