Happy Independence

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. – said Jawaharlal Nehru, our then Prime Minister. Little did he realize that these words would be prophetic in a way.

66 years down, when the world sleeps, India is still awake to life but not to freedom, but for working away in the night shift for some other country, some other economy. Getting trained to ensure they get the best “Service” grossly neglecting the needs of our own country, our own brethren. And mind you, this is now also hurting their economy, badly.

We will soon be celebrating (or at least pretend to celebrate) our 67^th Independence Day.  So let’s delve in understanding the true meaning of independence. Not at a political level, but in our day-to-day lives.

In the morning, we’re dependent on the alarm clock to wake us up.

We’re depending on the electricity to heat the water for a nice shower.
We depend on the water board to ensure we have water in our taps.
You’re getting the gist. These days, we’re blissfully dependent on Facebook to remind us of our “Friends’” birthdays.

Ok jokes apart, as a system, we’ve ensured we all stay dependent on each other; Family, society, community, etc. The fear of failure and the fact that we might need someone else’s help at sometime, makes us a slave to “their” expectations.

There are answers in other cultures, not in totality but if we get the essence, maybe. Let’s look at one such observation. 

In the western culture, parents ensure the kids are independent and that they fend for themselves once they turn 18 (16 in some countries). Parenting and education system will need to undergo a paradigm shift. We don't need to blindly ape it but tweak it in a meaningful way and adapt.
By the way, this is what nature’s taught us and keeps teaching. However, if any parent were to do that here, they would be brandished irresponsible and selfish. Apologize if I’m being judgemental here. After all, I’m a part of this system.

We feed dependence and the thought of freedom gives us the jitters. I’m not saying, this is the answer to our problems. But it’s time we change, one baby step at a time (pun intended).

I don’t want to list them but I’ll let you think of how we behave with our people (friends and family). Think of all the situations where you’ve felt really truly independent. I bet you can’t. Even if you do think of one such situation, it will hit you with a sense of guilt too.

Also, think of all the situations where you’ve thought maybe if you let loose, one of your kith and kin might get out of your “Control”. This is extended to our workplace as well, whatever the career/industry is. We proudly do that in the guise of responsibility.

Despite having a mass (population), despite having the push (ability), we’re unable to gather momentum / velocity for growth.  Be it in sports, be it in entrepreneurial skills or in design and innovation.

Countless historic events and personalities have all shown us, if we take adversity in our stride with determination and a rock solid attitude, we can rise like a phoenix from the ashes. We all see and smell the ashes. It’s time we all beat our wings together, break away from the shackles of old school thoughts, add to the knowledge and culture and truly rise like a phoenix.

Let’s attempt to breathe independence and freedom in its true form.

The Digital Way of Life

I don’t have a TV at home. You read it right. I don’t have a TV – period.

I stopped watching TV about 10 years ago. When she was not my wife yet, she was an avid viewer.  But then marriage happened and she had to quit watching, simply because I did not own a TV.

Seven years down the line, we are glad and extremely proud of that fact. We really have a lot of time on hand for each other.

We actually end up LISTENING to each other. (While my wife may disagree, coz I keep getting sucked by this virus commonly known as Blackberry).

As parents, we could not take the easy escape route of putting our daughter in front of the TV with some food and go about doing our things. We actually spent time with her. Talking to her and engaging with her at every step. It has yielded amazing results.

However, we’ve ensured she’s not “left out” in conversations while she is with her friends. She does get her daily dose of edutainment and introduction to all famous kid characters either through downloaded material or YouTube®.

This has also helped us develop our hobbies. For example, the habit of reading and that habit is indirectly inculcated in our daughter as well.

Newspapers and internet ensures that we are updated on all the current affairs and events. There is no dearth of information in today’s digital world.

While we may all be mildly addicted to the social media like Facebook and Twitter on our gadgets, I realized it actually helps us interact with people, who we would not have thought of in years.

Meanwhile, we do physically meet all the close friends and relatives and interact outside of Facebook too. And when we meet, there’s no distraction in the form of a TV.

For the kind of lifestyle we have, with more number of hours spent in the office, it helps to have each other’s complete attention when at home.

Well, as for work-life balance, my wife has put down certain basic rules.

This may be radical to some orthodox minds. If I reach home early, I get my cup of coffee served. If I’m late, I’ve got to fix (thankfully not cook) my own dinner. Obviously coffee’s gone – assuming that I’d have had it while sitting in late at work anyway.

Sadly, I’m completely used to the second situation these days.

So, the next time you see me with coffee at work, you know why. J

Although the way of life has changed through centuries, the number of hours in a day has not. In the past few decades, the change in life-style has occurred at a break-neck speed. We better adapt in a way that is best suitable to us.

Let’s try and ensure we all have a LIFE and not just STYLE.

Let’s value Time – Ours and others’ too.

It's OUR Choice

Let’s draw the line

                    

A small village with a few communities living together

In touch with nature and purity in their thoughts

A system that enabled them to carry-out their day-to-day tasks

With respect to each other that defined a quality of life

Along came a passerby from a nearby city

Suggested a few changes and taught them to frown

Sold them an elusive dream

Of comfort & facilities that could bring their efforts down

Soon comparison and competition had found its roots

The focus shifted from quality to style

Deadlines defined the action and subsequent reaction

And suddenly everyone had forgotten to smile

As we read through a daily newspaper

The first few pages showcase political battles

The next few will highlight the corporate battles

Finally sporting all related corruption and dope that rattles

There’s speed in delivering the information

Without a user guide to know it’s application

Did we need the information in the first place?

OR continue to be overloaded to asphyxiation

Being pushed in the race or living life at our pace

Quality, style or quite simply a smile on the face

Whether we frown, yearn or rejoice

Life has always been a matter of OUR choice

The seed is sown

15th June 2013 - Idea(s) finally taking shape. And the seed is sown.

 

For the Seed is now sown

                              ~ Srikant R Rao

A drop landed, on a barren land

It was destined to kiss the frozen sand

 

A new emotion was experienced

Transformation in some form had commenced

 

Winds of change brought in a few more droplets

The tides had begun to find new rivulets

 

Amidst the chaos, a germ of an idea had grown

Through cross-pollination, a seed is now sown

 

A path revealed for a journey unknown

The Caravan WILL grow; coz the seed is now sown

Seven Years of Awesomeness with my Wife

To the meaning of my existence - To My Life

                                                                                             ~ Srikant R Rao

It took all of seven minutes to make up my mind
Immersed in your eyes; lost myself to an immortal bind

Such honesty and simplicity which was impossible to find

Twas unbelievable, to me, life was so kind.

(Saptapadi)

Seven are the steps to matrimony 

For us to align with ourselves and the universe in harmony

(Saat samundar)
Seven are the seas of the world

1^st year of our marriage, turbulences unfurled

(Saptagiri)

Seven are the mountains of fame 

Although an uphill task, our arguments grew frivolous and excuses lame

(Satrang)
Seven are the colurs so bright

We received a courier, at the end of the tunnel, there was light

(Saptasur)
Seven are the musical notes

She played with such fervour, reinforced, hope floats

(Saptarishi)
Seven are the stars in the constellation

Our lives aligned, moving in fluidic motion

(Saat janm)
Seven are the sacred lives as mentioned in the legend 

To savour every moment with you alone, all rules, I shall break and bend

It’ll take all of seven seconds for me to re-establish

My vows, my faith and my love, on you, to embellish

Such honesty and simplicity which is still impossible to find

It is still unbelievable, to me, life is so kind.

Life is Simple - A Sriks' Poem

Random Thoughts

Strictly (R)* Rated.

Sometimes there are so many random thoughts that keep imploding, it is almost impossible to put them in a single bouquet and make any sense of it. Yet, they are thoughts, powerful thoughts.

Each incident that occurs in front of you is a data point. A lot of data assimilation happens but at the same time, there is some serious processing that happens inside which is trying to place it in some compartment of profiling, eventually leading to some distorted judgment (sometimes known as perception), which we assume is near perfect. However, the results of such a processing get better only with time (also loosely known as experience).

And yet again, there are times when there is no data collection but what we assume to be introspection. And in one such exercise, I stumbled upon this concept of contentment against ambition. Is it not true that both these words are very dangerous? I’m saying this because I know that contentment and ambition are often age related. You are expected to be ambitious when young and as you grow old, you are then expected to be content.

There is a thin line between contentment and laziness. Same is the case with ambition and greed.

One incorrect feed to someone’s data-point, and the conclusion can be damaging.

But should we bother, is the question. Mind you, I’m equally a part of this warped game. But at least I realize this. While my sub-conscious mind is active and extremely busy, I make a conscious effort to not let this processing cloud my actions and reactions. It’s just an honest attempt though. I may falter.

In another plane of thought, we live our lives alright, but for whom? We believe we are living a life for someone else – For our friends, kith and kin, for our colleagues, for our bosses or more so, for our organization. We always strive for some time with ourselves to do things we really enjoy doing.

And while we are juggling to meet everyone’s expectations, from mortgage payments to extended hours at work to kid’s education to an unexpected travel etc., we are continually blamed of being selfish and irresponsible.

As you can see, how these random thoughts have been wreaking havoc in my tiny almost non-existent brain. I still am yet to find any answers.

The only conclusion (to all the processing of data points) is that there is just too much information out there. Most of it is useless. We must train our processors to filter better. Else, our system will freeze.

PS: I now know why they call it the “Breaking News”. After all, the information is so brittle with absolutely no shelf life and no value adds to our day-to-day lives. Actually THINK about it. NEWS is better BROKEN before it FALLS on our ears.

*(R) here stands for RANDOM.