No Matter How Hard Things Get, Don’t Ever Quit!!!!

We have all heard the saying: When the going gets tough, the tough get tougher. But is it really as simple as that? There are times when the going gets so tough that all we want to do is turnover and forget all about it; we want to give up.

We want to stop pursuing the dream that we were so enthusiastic about while things were going the way that we wanted them to go. However, as soon as we are faced with problems that are difficult to overcome, most of us are ready to throw in the towel and call it quits.

Failing in this way is the only way in which failing is something to be embarrassed about. Failing is a part of learning, but giving up only comes with a price- no lesson. Don’t give up when life becomes difficult. You are capable of coping with more than you give yourself credit for.

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow–
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out–
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit–
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

WHO ARE YOU???

Sometimes a writer's job is to say what people are thinking, but say it better than they are thinking it. Watch me do that now.

Pause.

Have you ever wondered who you are? You're not your body, because living cells come and go and are generally outside of your control. You're not your location, because that can change. You aren't your DNA because that simply defines the boundaries of your playing field. You aren't your upbringing because siblings routinely go in different directions no matter how similar their start. My best answer to my own question is this:


You are what you learn.

If all you know is how to be a gang member, that's what you'll be, at least until you learn something else. If you become a marine, you'll learn to control fear. If you go to law school, you'll see the world as a competition. If you study engineering, you'll start to see the world as a complicated machine that needs tweaking.

I'm fascinated by the way a person changes at a fundamental level as he or she merges with a particular field of knowledge. People who study economics come out the other side thinking a different way from people who study nursing. And learning becomes a fairly permanent part of a person even as the cells in the body come and go and the circumstances of life change.

You can easily nitpick my definition of self by arguing that you are actually many things, including your DNA, your body, your mind, you environment and more. By that view, you're more of a soup than a single ingredient. I'll grant you the validity of that view. But I'll argue that the most powerful point of view is that you are what you learn.

It's easy to feel trapped in your own life. Circumstances can sometimes feel as if they form a jail around you. But there's almost nothing you can't learn your way out of. If you don't like who you are, you have the option of learning until you become someone else. Life is like a jail with an unlocked, heavy door. You're free the minute you realize the door will open if you simply lean into it.

Suppose you don't like your social life. You can learn how to be the sort of person that attracts better friends. Don't like your body? You can learn how to eat right and exercise until you have a new one. You can even learn how to dress better and speak in more interesting ways.

I credit my mother for my view of learning. She raised me to believe I could become whatever I bothered to learn. No single idea has served me better.

Can You Tell Black From White?

I miss the days when I could tell black from white and life came in these many shades, when I could differentiate lies from the truth & right from the wrong. Now life and people seem to come in so many shades you can hardly tell what color it is, like the swirling colors of oil spilled on water it all seems different when seen in a different light. The only litmus test left is the what you feel in your heart and that gets tougher to read day by day.

They say in the stories, you must listen to your heart to win the game of life. But all I see around me is intelligent, educated people listening to their fears and insecurity. They want to bribe fate into letting them win this game only no one is sure anymore what victory is or what's the prize.

Life now always seems to come with a catch. It's mostly kind to me giving me what I want only to show me loopholes I never thought of. Then it asks me again and again, "Is it worth it? Really? Are you sure?"
The thing is I am not and never will be. All I know is that I rather fail at things I really love, knowing that I gave it my 100% but it was never meant to be more than succeed at things I don't & make my life a living hell no amount of money will be able to buy me out of.

I will try and live the life I truly believe in. In life playing safe can sometimes be the riskiest.

 “You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.” ~ Alan Alda,

LOVE STORY-PART II

Disclaimer: The incidents or events mentioned in the blog are purely fictional. Any resemblance to living or dead is purely coincidental....

The shock of those 5 minutes had rocked my world (big Jackson fan).My weak sentimental part wanted to moan but the cerebral juices (the logical ones, I don’t care what they are!!!) prevailed to stop that momentous urge. Somehow the school hours passed. Traumatized by the events of the day I walked my way home. I gobbled my lunch and went to sleep. Three hours of sleep but the inner me was still heavy. Pure "Devdas" waali feeling thi!!!(Told you big Bollywood fan).To make the Devdas in me more realistic I decide to drink (complan nahi, daaru-desi, and suttas were complimentary!!).The heinous taste added to my internal pains (because after the heart now even the stomach was on fire).Somehow managing to reach my home, I slept and night just passed away....

Next morning she was all happy and gay (not the other way round) and I was quiet and distraught..

She saw through my silence.

"Kya hua”, her voice reached my eardrums but my brain didn’t respond!!!!

"Kya hua hai!!! Plz tell me".

"kuch nai", replied the lost me. It was hard to emotify the excruciating pain I was going through. Trust me, loving a very close friend can be a very humdrum affair. I needed time to make myself what i really wanted. I could not lose her friendship (she was my best friend!!!, the closest who will ever be to me)..

I decide to shut the doors of love .Promised myself, never to speak a word (It took a year and a half to break this promise).Final exams came. She passed, I passed....and the story continues .....

There is something I've been meaning to say.

I can't stop thinking about you everyday.

I have feelings for you I can't explain.

I feel that I have fallen again.

You're on my mind day and night.

Being with you feels so right.

When I'm with you I feel so great.

Meeting you I feel was fate.

I love looking deep into your eyes.

I trust you and know you don't tell me lies.

Talking to you has taught me a lot.

You've helped me cherish what I've got.

There's a lock on my heart, you hold the key.

I love how sweet you are to me.

Words can't describe how I feel about you.

I wish there was someway that you knew.

What If All I Want To Do Is Breathe?

It seems to me every decision I am required to take now will have consequences in epic proportions. How I wish to make my money, how far I want to educate myself and who I want to share the rest of my life with seems to be questions which suddenly have a deadline attached. Like you spent 25 yrs of your life preparing to answer these questions which then are supposed to decide how the next 25 will go.

There are things you want to do, and things you think you should do and then there are things which people will give you endless advice on. Now is the time when the world shall get decided into those who are settled and those who are not. The have's and the have not's.

But what if all I want to do is breathe and breathe in peace.

To read to my hearts content, new world's unfurling in my imagination;
To write, to create with words what is my own which neither be bought nor stolen away,
To cook, the smell of the spices & the colors on my chopping board intermingling in a colorful riot as I sail away on another gastronomic adventure,
To tie my laces and set off wandering by myself, exploring markets and lanes new to me in familiar cities,
Or to even be flown away or driven away to another new place, a new hill to be climbed, new beaches to watch sunsets by, new pebbles in the river under my feet,
Old friends with whom new food must be tried and old conversations continued,
New friends to be made, new lives discovered & new stories to be heard,
There is always the old stuff which you love to do like chasing kites & eating maggie at the most random places & drinking games & drenching in the rains ....
And all the new stuff which have to be tried out like acting and dance classes & all the new clubs and restaurants.
And then there is the endless learning curve of life.

Sigh, I still don't have the answers to any of the above life threatening decisions but I hope I will have the guts to do what I really want to and not give in to my fear induced decisions. I guess you can never really tell how life will turn out but it really helps when you are doing what you really believe in as opposed to doing what everyone else is doing or what everyone else believes in.

FUMBLE AT 20!!!(SUSHANT GUPTA)

Although it is been said that life after school becomes kind of free  but the reality turns out to be a greatest challenge to face. It seems “PRISONERS ARE MADE TO LIVE IN A BIGGER CAGE “but the fact is this only in today’s era.

This fumble of life mainly arises in at the age of 20 due to exposure to the reality of life which turns to be race for living, earning, career building and setting the momentum for future. This exposure is not new for every one because everyone has to face it but calibre is how eagerly one faces it.

The practicallity really looks a difficult part. The words “Patience, Resilience and Self belief “said by Shahrukh khan at an end of a match. But in reality if these are followed blindly turns to be major weapon to overcome such a fumble.

The fumble in form of hardships arises when the two paths are ahead and one has to choose for the better one so as to prove the selected path as a true worth for future. The problem is not how to choose but it is what to choose? And the selection depends on what a person dreams of his future and how much he is ready to take responsibility for the future.

Main reason for the fumble arises due to pressure of achievement of success in shorter span of time and this pressure only give ways to making of wrong decision at times and these wrong decision  only lead to confusion chaos and blunders.

 These hurdles are also necessary because only these shows the true testing of one’s patience, self devotion and dedication towards future and life and when one develops all these aromas in life all the problems for life get resolved with minimum efforts. These hurdles also show true fusion of practicality reality problems and the most important how to overcome these.

Now the question arises what are weapons to overcome such hardships so that a proper and rightful decision can be taken and experiences in form of decision taken can be earned.

if anyone is made to think from the beginning what he wants to do then only he dedicates himself for the future and select the path for life although it’s a tuff task but it is only the sure weapon to overcome such a fumble because it creates a mind set for future as a result of its kind and planned thinking takes place which ultimately proves worthy and proper justification is done to one’s life.

This weapon proves worthy because its success mainly depends on the base which is laid down from the earlier age “STRONGER THE BASE ,STRONGER THE BUILDING “and this only come into action thus leading to “REFINED, MATUERED AND TRUE SUCCESS....................”

LOVE STORY(CLASS IX):(Anurag Omer)

She was the new girl in our section at that time. I was just an ordinary boy among other boys, who unlike me were more handsome and dashing. The only gift I received from god was my brain and that too I spoiled myself. Anyways, i was fifteen at that time and had never thought of falling on love with anyone(recently caught by 8th grade class teacher when i fell in love with a classgirl). But I don't know how it all happened.


The bell for the start of first period was about to ring when she entered.First glimpse of her and i knew my heart had skipped a beat.I dont know if there is any connection between the heart and the eardrums because then i could hear guitars and violins play in the background(big fan of romantic bollywood movies).I checked her out from the corner of my eye.She was Dreamlike.Angelic, Gorgeous, Delicate,Delightful, Eccentric, perfect and last of all "beyond words"(though i used a lot of words).Her smile was like a sunshine.Somehow the feeling waslike life would never be the same again.At that time, I saw her eyes(i still wonder how did i see her eyes through her spectacles) – the most beautiful eyes I could have ever seen. And, I was just lost into them for a while.Suddenly, the bell rang. I was back from those heavenly eyes, back in that hell – my class, my school.


Everything was still usual. Days went by, but nothing happened between us.Always tried not to look upon her that way,but she was like a magnet attracting every drop of my attention.Every time i looked at her there was an automatic sheepish(basicallly lame) smile on my face.She had a lunatic charm that was quite engaging.I couldnt sleep in the nights.Romantic songs were the new craze!!.seemed like the sad songs were written for me only.It was all melodramatic.I was dying to talk to her.




A month passed and my train was standing at the same platform haulted by the red signal of my own timidity....
Trying to find a way to talk to her,i tried out the lamest one(project work).Though our first talk was quite cold,I was just trying ways to talk to her, all the while.Gradually things picked up.Slowly we became friends and then best of friends.Sitting at the back-benches,chatting the entire day,periods came and went(never knew what was going on),playing games at the back pages of our notebooks,laughing and crying together,sharing our lunch,sharing our deepest secrets(except one),even punished together.She liked my company(i guess) and i died for her company.She could see through my face,if i was in a bad mood and i could do the same.I liked her attention and she liked helping me.With her being around i felt that life was so easy and happy.It was like i could face any challenge in this world.I lived in a world where it was just me and her. (quite melodramatic again).


Two months passed.Class-mates had started talking about us.But we were clear(not me) that we were only good friends and made it clear to everyone.Then came the school-trip to Lucknow.Of all her friends she chose to sit with me.Most of the trip we were together..and when we weren't my eyes kept searching for her.At the end of the trip,i could see the sadness on her face.I went to her.I had an eerie feeling she wanted to say something.I asked her what the matter was .After a little hesiancy,she thanked me for my company and shaking my hands said "Friends Forever".My heart skipped a beat.Those two words crushed my entire hopes.my heart sank like a boat with a hole.I stood there staring into those captivating brown eyes thinking to myself, will you ever know, and if so, will you ever love me the way I love you".I turned away to hide my numb eyes and went back home..

All this made me love her even more than before. I could not sleep. I could not concentrate on my studies. Neither I liked to play games, nor I was interested in eating my meals.
Few weeks passed.All this time i had decided every day to tell her about what i felt.But our friendship stood in the way....tHough i loved her she was my Best friend and i was afraid i might lose that.I had turned quiet and she saw through it again.All of a sudden one day she asked me if i liked some girl.Hesitantly i replied "no'.But she saw through my hesistancy and kept on bugging me for the truth.To escape out i asked her if she liked some boy.She too became hesitant but then she replied "Yes".My heart was beating at the rate of knots.I asked her the name of the boy.she replied"You know him well.He was in eight grade with you".I was shocked. The school bell rang and she told me that tomorrow she will tell his name on one condition if i tell the name of my girl.The deal was set.

Entire day i kept thinking who was he.i kept recalling my eigth grade class mates and none of them seemed to be the one(except one) because i never saw her talking to them ...i was her only good friend from my eigth grade section.Questions kept popping up.May be its me,may be its someone else.What will i do if its someone else.. no its not possible i am the only one very close to her.Did she play a word game,may be to know my feelings first.Was she going with the same dilemma as me(No.absolutely wrong was I)...the night felt like an endless nightmare....

The morning came...there she stood right infront of me...dont know how it was decided but she spoke first,"i love ________"(it wasn't me).My heart tore apart.Tears were about to make their way out when she asked about my girl.controlling myself i said "no one".She didnt enquire further and left.Those 5 minutes were like hell.Throat choked,eyes soaked in tears i sat down at my desk with my world shattered into pieces..I never knew until that moment how bad it could hurt to lose something you never really had. It hurts when you have someone in your heart but cannot have them in your arms......The imaginary,unlived story had ended....

Sometimes the cards we are dealt are not always fair. However you must keep smiling & move on.......

FRESHER(ANURAG OMER)

The joy of joining a prestigious college(hard to digest the fact ) ; the sorrow of leaving home, family and friends; the thrill of going to a new place; the uncertainty about hostel life and the fear and excitement of what's to come, those were some of the countless emotions that kept swirling in my head, like any other fellow freshie, on the day I joined MIT!!!!!
THE only thing i heard about manipal before coming here were hot chicks(no offence intended) and the immense fee structure,though i was intersted more in the former part.Seeing the brochures and the website one of my friends commented "bhai,tu to ab five star hotel main rahega",felt good to hear but deep inside i knew the setback my dad's bank balance went through for all this.All said and done the first day started with the Orientation lecture by the Director (dont even remember the name,who cares) and many other management guys.After the orientation the only thing i could remember was "MIGHTY MIGHTY YUMIT"(in south india 'm' is 'yum' and once again no offence intended).
As the evening sun faded it was time to bid adieu to my dad!!with numb eyes i accompanied my dad to k.c and soon in the darkness of the dusk was lost the assuring figure of my dad.You never no with tears they may pop out anytime.Deserted and alone i turned my back to see the glowing F.C.Everything seemed philosphical that day. 


I returned to my hostel (16th block,which according to my friends if MIT was India,is built in PAkistan). With expectations soaring high and inspired by the events of the day, I planned a daily schedule to work towards my goals! The schedule included things like getting up early, taking a bath regularly, studying for minimum 4 hours, etc.Little did I know that in the days to come, the entire exercise would be rendered futile, not to mention ridiculous!
Soon bonding with room mates and others started.I was quiet in the initial days(home-sickness).My roomate used to tell  his friends"saala mera roomie to dulhan ki tarah hai,shant sharif and all" (Though in a month to his utter shock i showed him my true colours).The best place to bond with new people was F.C and the best way was to curse the quality of food there(maa ke haath ke khaane ka asli importance pata chala).Soon there were groups made and dinner was the time to come up with your class stories (hot chicks,boring professors,sleepy lectures).Studies took a back seat(though they never were at the front seat).Soon, things caught pace. Visits to the Central Workshop in a ridiculous Workshop Uniform became a pain. Considering the vastness of the campus, attending classes looked like an arduous task in itself. After just two days of following the timetable, I had made, I gave up and it remained a theoretical concept, henceforth!!! front seat pe the "rummie or poker ke lambe rounds" or "late night chit chat with your new made groups"or "the brand new interests in t.v series".Perm time was limited so didnt get much time to go out .Soon "saiba","C.C.D"and "dominoes" became the new hangout points(daaru ke adde to baad main pata chale).Sundays were reserved for malpe beach ,turtle bay,MANgalore visits and all.Sessionals aye aur gaye.kuch ki phati,kuch ki bahut jyada phati  lekin kuch*****acha kar gaye.Depression main aa kar socha"ab to padhenge" aur papers ki"***-*****"ek kar denge.Do din ka josh, then back to our normalself and since then ye kahaani har semester ki ho gayi.EXamS ki raat padhte and somehow saved our asses from the most dreadful word of college life"back".Attendance was alwyas at stake.8 bje ki class ke liye 1 bje uthana was the new fashion.Students with more than 80%attendance had to face a lot of abuses(they deserve it though,saalon ko neend nai aati kya).


Then one day something happened that changed my college life completely.one of my friend(i dont remember who he was) came to my room and said"chal be aaj DEETEE chalte hai",didnt know what it was.ek woh din tha aur aaj ek din hai.Deetee became my temple. To this day Venugopal temple doesnt even have 1/3 of my visits to "DEETEE".visits to places like T-spirits,BigBoss,China Valley,opium became frequent.Nights passed in semi-conscious states and frequent passouts.Still remember the "legend (wait-for-it) daaarrryyy" night when i performed "Sheila ki jawani"with a pole outside DeeTee(drunk as a skunk).Standing on the floor of my room telling my frnds"saala mera room kho gaya".those moments were fun(for my friends).i wiil drop in some knowledge here,it is easier to make friends over a beer ora cigarette(true story).


Soon lan gaming became a new addiction.counter strike,fifa ,AOE were the new words.The entire floor could listen the game being played.Mothers and Sisters were mentioned in intervals of few seconds(but in this case offence used to be intended from their side).Second sessionals came,the story was same but no more hard-work promises made.The day the sessionals end marks a revolution named"DeeTEE bharo andolan".


Sharing and inheritance are amazing characteristics of hostel life.dusre ke room main sone ka mazaa hi alag hai.Gone were the days when clothes,shoes,perfumes and deos were a private property.The motto was"aaj jo uska hai,kal woh mera hoga, parson kisi aur ka hoga and jiska tha uska to ab kabhi nahi hoga".


Being a first year and not being ragged ,highly improbable.The ragging procedure was very monotonuos ,lack of innovation(yeah ,i was cool about ragging).basically included your intro in hindi,saying few lines about something with an addition of a slaang at the end,singing songs and dances.Ragged few times,i kind of remember the one which i went through in "MANGLA EXPRESS",coming back after the winter break when i bumped into an entire compartment full of seniors with exception of but one.I was made to sing and dance simultaneously on"munni badnam hui".That was quite humiliating but i guess i nailed it.That night taught me that unless you are friends with a senior:
Rule 1: A senior is always right. 
Rule 2: A Freshie can never be right. 
Rule 3: If you are confused, refer to Rule 1.


The Publicity Team,how can i forget,which gave my college life a new dimension around which my life at manipal revolves,something which brought me to the most amazing and caring seniors,gave me friends to cherish for the lifetime.......all the fun n stupidity that anyone  can imagine,the  all-night perms, road paintings, banners(climbing n clinging on to the most peculiar locations,here also sisters and mothers were thoroughly remembered ), entry into MIT girls hostels(something which people were ready to pay me if they can go on my behalf), late night dinners at opium,tasty bites and all,and above all the most happening parties, the boat party was amazing.Never in my wildest dreams i could have imagined drinking a vodka in the middle of the sea.In the words of Bryan Adams.....THOSE WERE THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE.(this is a stolen line via surya bedi).


Time really flies past us fast.The first and the most beautiful year of college life thus passed away.

ANURAG OMER: I NEED YOU!!! (ANURAG OMER)

ANURAG OMER: I NEED YOU!!! (ANURAG OMER): I need you like grass needs water like the sun needs to be hotter I need you like clouds need the rain like the mental house need...

I NEED YOU!!! (ANURAG OMER)

I need you like
grass needs water
like the sun
needs to be hotter


I need you like
clouds need the rain
like the mental house
needs the insane


I need you like
a sweet tooth needs candy
like a beach
needs to be sandy


I need you like
a heart needs a beat
likes hot cars
need the street


I need you like
people need church
like a map
needs you to search


i need you like
the rich need cash
like a druggie
needs the hash


I need you like
a criminal needs jail
like a boat
needs a sail.


I need you like
a car needs gas
like a girl
needs sass


I need you!!!!




Me without u is like
a camera without flash
a car without gas
a stripper without an a**
a pimp with no cash .

Its d beginning of the end....at Manipal....(SURYA BEDI,E.E.E,MIT)

Its 4am in the morning, n d feelin is, i got placed 2day, not in my dream company yet, still im happy and suddenly i realize....its my last 90 days in manipal.....n a shiver goes straight through my spine......its all gonna cum to an end very soon.....

d hostel frnz grp dat i made in d first yr, d goa trips, road trips, movies, birthdays, cricket, d unlimited non stop fun......n how v stuck 2gethr in difficult circumstances, all dese years in rooms next to each other from 6th to 17th to 15th n to 6th block back again. Undoubtedly v hav been much more than a family for each other, n d real meaning of a lifetime relation vich is not blood relation, i learnt wid u guys. To call ourselves as best friends wud belittle our bond.....d memories of time spent wid u guys will last more than a lifetime...cuz d tales of our frnshp will b passed on to atleast our grandkids.....!!!  For d past 3 yrs v hav seen each other thru happy n sad times, sessional n non sessional times, rich n poor times, I'm so used to seeing u guys every morning n spending d day wid u.....the very thought of being in different cities in a span of 90 days, just doesnt seem real to me....

frm d 1st yr J section(d most lively n amazin n notorious class in first yr, vich cud only b tamed by Phaniraj) to section B, EEE 2nd yr onwards(d most silent class ever, vich improvd upon communication as time went by, but still d most disciplined n liked n most appreciated by all d teachers)......i dont remembr if i made soo many frnz soo fast in my lyf b4.....wid whom i studied, partied, had end less all night sessions....planned trips dat cud never happn......d journey from CR to SCR(thnks to Power Electronics) of d class has been truly fantastic.....2day almost every1 is lyk a desk away, i text every1 almost everyday.....but in time to come.....who knows wat.....?

The Publicity Team, now Publicity n Printing team, sumthn around vich my life at manipal revolved, sumthn dat introduced me to d most amazin n caring seniors, d most innovative, respectful n full of life juniors, n of course d always fighting but no less dan brothers n sisters lyk batchmates.......all d fun n stupidity dat any1 can imagine v did it.....d all night perms, road paintings, banners(climbing n clinging on to d most peculiar locations), entry into MIT gals hostels(sumthn no 1 othr dan us has had d privilege to do), dinners inside ATMs, flooding d restaurants wid our stuff, bikes inside d campus n wat not......n above all d most happening parties.....!!! in d words of Bryan Adams.....THOSE WERE THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE....OH YEAH......!!!

n all d other people i met and made frnz wid, in d college, outside d college, in d mess, during fests, during random events, sum whose names i dont evn knw till date, but v smile everytim v cross each other.....havin to live widout d very sight of MITians around, feels soo eerie......

time really flies past us fast......feels as if it was just yesterday ven my parents left me in manipal helped me settle my room.....n soon it will be time to pack up n leave.....

its 5am now, n i sadly wonder.....its almost time to bid adieu to d rains, d campus, d annas, akkas n bosses, late night oreo shakes, d sun sand n beaches, the dude-ism....these 90 days will pass in a blink....

One thing that i now have to cherish my entire life is that, I've been lucky enough to be a part of a culture called MANIPAL....!

THE CAGED ORNITH-the best policy(BY UDIT SRIVASTAVA H.B.T.I,KANPUR)

As they say: "Don't judge a book by its cover" .Please don't be mistaken that I am a snake oil salesman trying to sell you an insurance policy.Let the salesmen fraternity not be offended.I am writing about the best policy in life(and not life insurance).No prizes for guessing."Honesty is the best policy" the quote that you often see in children's story books in the moral of the story column after the story 'The Honest Woodcutter'

The first story  I am going to share with you is about honesty(No please don’t grump .This is not about the woodcutter who lost his axe).It is  a rather mundane one and is based on real life incidents which, in a way, transformed the life of the person who went through the incident . I hope you too find it inspiring.

This is the story of Vibhu. This Incident helped him to understand the meaning of honesty and the inexplicable  joy that one derives from an act of honesty which blossoms right from the heart(Not the heart they teach in the circulatory system ,which I could never understand).Today he is a successful working professional and a man who abides by simple ethics of life. He considers his father as his hero and his guide in the tough journey called ‘life’.

 Vibhu had a modest upbringing. His father was a Government employee. His earning was sufficient to satisfy the basic needs of his family. He was highly regarded among his colleagues as a man of principles. In his workplace(which was notoriously famous for being one of the most corrupt government departments),he never compromised with his principles. He was like a lotus in the marsh.He was a humble man who believed in the age old principle of “simple living and high thinking.”

It was the last week of march. In Northern part of India, sun had already started to shine brightly in the plains and the knocks of the sultry summers was audible as the spring was  gradually  transmuting into summers. Ten days back, The results of the final in home examinations of the school  were announced and  Vibhu had secured third rank in his class. He was happy but at the same time, he felt disappointed for having missed the second spot by 3 and first rank by 8 marks. The sixth grade student vowed to secure the first position in the next class.( we all do that!! J )

With the report card, the academic calendar for the upcoming session was also handed over to the parents. The school had set up the book  purchase stall within the premises for the convenience of the students for a duration of three days, starting April 1^st. The bookseller had a monopoly in the city as far as the business of school books was concerned. He was the official bookseller of almost every school in the town and so he charged very high prices. The books were sold at M.R.P.s with no discount and the notebooks with the school logo were priced more than double the price of similar notebooks in the market. Since, the price of the notebooks was unreasonably high(wrongly),vibhu’s father decided to buy only books from the school stall and notebooks from the market. The books were available only  at the stall so they had to get them from school.

Vibhu went to his school to purchase new books for the upcoming session with his father. As they had decided, they went to the counter and asked for a set of “only textbooks for class 7”.His father paid the amount and handed over the receipt to the person who was delivering the packed ‘sets’. He handed  over a big packet to his father and  the transaction was over. They started moving towards the gate. Father was holding the packet and Vibhu was supporting it from bottom.

As  they were moving out of the school, Vibhu felt a sudden rush of joy. He realized that the packet was heavier than what it should have actually been. It took him no time to realize that the bookseller had mistakenly handed them a set of books as well as notebooks. The small boy made some calculations in his mind and smiled thinking “A profit of Rs. 800.Wow!! “

He softly said” Papa,move fast.I think he has handed us the notebooks too by mistake”. On hearing this, his father’s face fell. He thought “This is not what I want my child to learn.”

He suddenly about turned and started moving towards the counter. Vibhu was surprised and didn’t understand what was going on. He said ”Papa!why are you going back ?”

Father didn’t reply and went straight to the counter and said “Mister, your delivery assistant has mistakenly handed us the notebooks along with books and we had paid only for a set of books. Please take the notebooks back”

Vibhu was enraged at this action of his father. He decided to stay quiet then and as they both moved out of the gate he couldn’t control his tears and started crying at this apparent loss. He scowled at his father and shouted” why did you do that? The bookseller is himself dishonest. What do you think you are doing? Trying to be the greatest of the great”. Vibhu was weeping uncontrollably and at the same time he was furiously yelling at his father. Father had a calm expression on his face. The subtle smile on his face could be noticed.

He took Vibhu to a nearby confectionary shop and bought him a Coca-Cola, Vibhu’s favourite soft drink. His tears stopped but the anger was still visible on his face. In a voice affected by the retreating tears he angrily said “What you have done cannot be compensated with this soft drink. I am not a small child”(children always think they are big enough to take on the world)

Now it was the father’s turn to speak. He said “ My dear child. It was wrong on our part to take the notebooks for which we have not paid. I have lived my life with honesty and I would not like my children going on the wrong path. Today you may think I am wrong but someday you will realize that I was right that day. At this moment you will think that I am talking about idealities and trying to be Yudhishthira, but it will take you some time to realize the importance of being truthful and honest. As far as the bookseller charging monopolistic rates is concerned, let us leave him to God and moreover,  if he is being dishonest, why should we come down to his level. If the other person does wrong, it doesn’t mean that we should also start to follow him. Somewhere in your heart, you know that you are doing wrong but you are trying to justify it by convincing yourself that if the bookseller is dishonest, there is nothing wrong in taking the notebooks(acting dishonestly).Isn’t it what you are trying to tell me?”

Vibhu nodded his head in the affirmative. He had agreed some of his father’s words but was still not convinced.

Father said” Then tell me, If you too act dishonestly, then what difference will remain between you and him?”

Vibhu had no answer.He had got his lesson. He sat silently with a calm expression and looked at the road outside. He saw a cyclist whistling and pedaling swiftly. In a minute the cyclist disappeared into the horizon.

THE CAGED ORNITH-Heaveno(BY :UDIT SRIVASTAVA H.B.T.I)

The introductory post is titled Heaveno!!Sounds bizarre(It does!!).Before even reading the first line some of you might have futilely consulted the dictionary's F section only to find out that the word doesn't exist and exasperatingly grumbled some 'F' words for me.But the intent was not to irritate you.It's just a healthy way to say Hello by avoiding Hell(at least verbally) in our lives. La vita è bella(Italian:Life is beautiful) so why be bothered by trifles and spoil our lives.The journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step.So our first small step towards a happier life would be Heaveno!! ( Heaveno=Avoid hell :) )


The unconventional title that I chose for this Blog is just because I didn't get a username by the title 'The caged Bird'.It was already taken.This doesn't mean that I am an adept at Latin or Greek ('Ornith' literally means Bird in Greek) and moreover this confession bears testimony to the fact that the writer is Honest. :)




The Caged Ornith is an account of the arduous journey of a tormented soul seeking a quantum of Solace(Oh! you just can't escape Bond).Sometimes we use a single word 'LIFE' to describe the last 'hefty' sentence.In this blog I will try to share some experiences of the aforementioned 'soul(s)'.The stories/experiences that I will share with you, left an indelible impression on the lives of the people who went through them.


As an old saying goes "Experience is the best teacher",these experiences helped them to learn some rudimentary things about life which you don't find in books .This Will be a Spiritual,Motivational and Educational odyssey encompassing delectable stories of their adventures.Its best if you learn from other's mistakes because you won't have chance to commit all of them yourself.From as much as I have heard from people,read and experienced myself ,I can infer that you are going to relish them and moreover they will strike the chords of your heart (somewhere down the corner at least).

ANURAG OMER: moving on!!!!!

ANURAG OMER: moving on!!!!!: They had been together for many a year, Now all he can feel is fear. he gave all that he could give, It just wasn't the way she wanted to l...

moving on!!!!!

They had been together for many a year,
Now all he can feel is fear.
he gave all that he could give,
It just wasn't the way she wanted to live.

SHe left without a backward glance,
Not even giving their love a chance.
he often wonders what he could have done,
To keep her from going on the run.

Now he is living all alone,
With nothing he can call her own.
he can barely make himself eat,
Wondering if his life will again be complete.

This man is now moving along,
Building his courage, and becoming strong.
Time will heal his broken pride,
Toward the sunrise his heart will glide.

ANSHUMAN SINGH (MIT-CSE FOURTH YEAR)

Kitabon k panne palat k sochte h,

yu palat jaye Zindagi to kya baat hai....

Tamanna jo puri ho khwabon me,

haqiqat ban jaye to kya baat hai....

Kuch log matlab k lie dhundte h mjhe,

bin matlab koi aye to kya baat hai...

Katl krke to sab le jaenge dil mera,

koi baton se le jaye to kya baat hai....

Jo sharifon ki sharafat me baat na ho,

Ek sharabi keh jaye to kya baat hai....

Zinda rehne tak to khushi denge sabko,

kisi ko meri maut pe khushi mil jaye,

to kya baat hai...to kya baat hai....!!!

WHERE DO I GO?

Where do I go?
When I'm feeling so lost and I don't want to be found.
When I'm looking and listening for that peace in my heart.
But I know I'll never hear that sound.
Where do I go?
Where do I go when I'm trying to laugh but all I can do I cry?
I'm trying to keep on living because I'm not ready to die.
Where do I go because the sun never seems to shine?
Can you give me my life back it's not yours it's mine?
How do I keep going, how do I fight this fight?
I'm tired of feeling beat down, but I'm trying with all my might!
Where do I go when my head hangs so low?
Please give me an answer because I just don't know!
Where do I go?
For me to find that peace and a place where I belong.For me to find that peace and a place where I belong.

As the night passes away,
Your memories fade away,
Lost in the days pace,
Has dimmered your smiling face,
You look at me and i cnt feel you,
Guess its coz i am over with you!!!!!!!