Bangalore Diaries

On 6th August 2013, i.e., the day I landed at Jammu Airport, I knew I had to jot down some things about my Bangalore trip but the delay in this post was made due to two specific reasons: first that I am lazy enough to transfer my random thoughts I had scribbled on my notepad to my computer, and second that the reluctant writer in me dictates me, at times, not to share the banalities. With time, I realized that those one and half months gave me new experiences and memories I could cherish for a lifetime. So here I talk of Bangalore – I went there for my Summer Internship as part of my MBA, along with three of my friends – Rahul, Isha and Suman. It looks like a wholly different country, everything was so different here. This city is huge, both in square miles and possibilities. Our initial hunting for a shelter turned out to be not only a physical exercise but also a taxation to the mind. Though Aman and Suhail helped but it still took us five days to find something that we could call our ‘Home Sweet Home’. (For those of you who don’t know Aman and Suhail, they are one of my best friends from engineering and if it wasn’t for them, our 48 day stay at Bangalore would not have been possible). Isha and Suman transformed the house into “a home”. Things went on smoothly thereafter, we got caught in our new daily routine. Me, Rahul, Suman, Isha: we were all gelling well together. Getting used to the corporate culture at office and Kannada Culture out in the city was something new and challenging.

Then came July 10, when something bit me. Our blood got mixed and I was a changed man, so hot, not the seductively hot, but literally hot. I got the worst fever of my life, bloody mosquito ! I didn’t know what 104° F felt like, until then. My doctor said I might have got dengue. The low Blood Platelet Count in my initial reports got my heart pumping even faster. I didn’t know the gravity of the situation until July 12, when I stopped healing. It felt like THE WOLVERINE in last movie of the series.

Blood platelet count fell from 150k to 90k to 80k and it raised tensions back home as well. Family you know, that’s what they do. Well, the NSI Antigen Test Report came out ‘-ve’. I was feeling better after two weeks, thanks to the care of my compassionate flat mates.

Let’s fast forward to July 27, My Birthday, as I have been told. Never wanted to celebrate, I feel averse to all the public attention – that’s also the reason you don’t get my birthday notifications on your Facebook News Feed. I was thrown surprise parties by my Sphere Travelmedia co-workers at KTPO, Whitefield and by friends back home later that night. Wearing goofy birthday hats and blowing off burning candles were new for me. Overall, it was fun and I thank everyone who made it, for me, a night to remember.

Talking of hanging around in the city, ISKCON Temple was the only attraction we could manage to see (blame it on the corporate culture). It’s a visual treat for the eyes, a place where people can put their faith and experience Krishna consciousness. But what disheartens me is that the temple has become more like a commercial super market, than a place of worship. During my stay at Bangalore, I did some occasional cooking as well. Although girls were the real in-charge of F&B department, not allowing me to sneak into the kitchen, I still managed to show off my cooking skills a couple of times with my Soya Masala Rice.

Like all good things, our time at Bangalore came to an end. The picture perfect climax prior to our departure was orchasterated by ’Rab Jee’ on August 6, with me and Rahul being chased by nearly 20 dogs on the streets of Krishna Palya in the middle of the night. Knocking at a stranger’s door at 0130 hrs is now the craziest thing I’ve done in my life.

Would I like to visit Bangalore one more time if given a chance? The answer is ‘NO’. Why so ? Well, I think I need to see something newer, to grow into more of a global citizen, for whom there can be a home in every city, and every country.

Until next time folks, Hasta la vista !

Need of the Hour

Once again I see
The shadows of bitter memories
Eyes filled with anger and vengeance
For those who were once brothers
Embracing hatred, rejoicing revenge
Their faces have a look of pride and content
After burning houses and taking lives
With hands drenched in color of animosity
They unashamedly serve the foes of prosperity
Convinced by politics of saffron n’ green
Following rules of the cunning n’ mean
They forget to do the right thing:
Respecting lives, promoting well-being.
Need of the hour is to have a vision
Rising above, starting a revolution
To bring about a positive transformation
For creating a stronger and prosperous nation.

A Loss of Innocence

She’s walking at the roadside
With those worrisome eyes
It’s late, she’s alone
She’s heading towards her home
But can’t feel safe & sound
From a potential rapist
Who is wandering around
She walks hurriedly, so eager to get away
The ravager follows & catches her like a prey
She tries to breathe, frozen with fear
Screams out aloud but no one’s near
The perpetrator is gone as she lies in pain
Her innocence is stolen, she’s suffocating in shame
She’s hurt, she’s bleeding, but still alive
Hoping to live for a little while.
That’s the story of a random Indian girl
Who lived in a troubled nation
Once hailed as the golden sparrow
Now best known for rapes and molestation.

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Me

A personal blog is intended to reflect your experiences, thoughts and beliefs to everyone out there in the sphere, essentially depicting – who you are. It’s always nice to get an idea of what the person behind a blog is like. So, tonight I’m going to actually tell everyone a little about myself which will help you realize why I do things the way I do!

• I only want to be remembered as honest, trustworthy and kind.

  My biggest fear is not  being a good person.

• I enjoy spending time alone, however it doesn’t mean I want to be alone all the time.

• I don’t trust easily. Never have, never will. But with each passing day, I’m a little more closer to you.

• If you owe me money or some of my stuff, and I am not asking for it, doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten. I never forget things (or incidents).

• I don’t buy new clothes unless I really want to (or if the old ones stop fitting). I am not a  shopomaniac for clothing.

• I don’t believe in the idea of ‘bf-gf’ love, but at the same time, I am very romantic at heart. Unfortunately, my romantic principles are applicable in a parallel universe, non-existent in the real world.

• I dislike those people who call me only when they need me. But nonetheless, I do help them.

• The majority of my beverage consumption consists of Black Coffee.

• I am a technologic-buff having significant interests in computers & stuff related to it (excluding gaming). My closest friends prefer visiting me instead of their their Laptop/PC vendors for hardware/software troubles because ‘Linux waale baba sab jaante hain’.

• I have so many interests, things I want to do, learn, and discover but there are simply not enough hours in a day for me to be able to do all that I want to do.

So that was a little insight into my ‘real’ world. Whoever’s out there, If you have any questions about me, let em’ fly. Thanks for stopping by guys!

Until next time,

Tarun Vashishat

In Search of Truth

“Who Am I?”. Three simple words asking us to examine our very own existence on the face of this planet. A question that we, knowingly or unknowingly, don’t bother to ask ourselves hence the quest for the ultimate truth remains incomplete. Life as we know it is pretty much complex. We need to look at it with a different perspective than we usually do. Thinking of it as a beautiful world that we are yet to explore and as a journey on which we are yet to set our foot. Accepting each breath of life as a blessing which God Almighty has bestowed upon us. The answers shall come, sooner or later.

So Long Has This Waited

It’s been a while now since I decided to write anytime. I was lost in the usual trivialities of life and couldn’t jot down notes about the experiences that I’ve had recently. It’s been almost 10 months since my last blog post and while I stayed at home after completion of my Bachelor’s Degree, the usual mediums like Facebook have helped me stay in touch with, or in some cases, stay aware of the happenings with some of the junta. Each day I log on, being bombarded with feeds about what people are doing in the form of their usual status agonies, besides some stuff like the scores of Farmville, Fishville, Sh*tville, etc., to which I never really gave a damn. Anyways, no more nonsense. Why have I not been writing much lately? You can assume that I had nothing to write about. No, it’s not exactly the laziness. When someone calls for a movie or simply to go out of station for a small picnic, I don’t really feel butterflies in my stomach, just the thought of having to get my a** off the chair and going out in the sun is kind of agonizing. As far as watching the movie is concerned, I could comfortably watch it online (Yes, that’s for you Mr. UD) and also, I am not exactly a ‘let’s-go-picnic’ kind of a guy. There’s nothing much really to report for the long periods of absentia. I’ve learnt a lot about the current political scenario in India though; the learning process is still on. I was in Delhi for about a month and I still remember the priceless expressions on my Big B’s face at 6 am in the morning when me and mom paid a surprise visit, last November. I am, once again, looking forward to being there with my Big B, hopefully during the next Puja Holidays. Oh and yes, I am now an MBA student studying Tourism at CUJ. There have been some dramatic shifts in personality as well, a complete revamp of social skills & dressing sense, thanks to the Business Communication professor at CUJ. I haven’t really been in touch with the best of my buddies lately. I wish to go back in time and catch up with Sumit, Maddy, Babbu, Yo Yo Honey Singh and Bau – who are currently not in J&K. Sorry about that guys, wishing you all a successful life and pleasant happenings. 🙂

I’ll try my best to get back here as much as possible.

Thanks for reading, Stay Blessed Amigos !!

Mademoiselle

A bright, sunshiny day of July 1988, I opened my eyes for the very first time, to witness this splash of supernova. Unaware of the uncanny world around, I grew up in the solicitous hands of the most beautiful woman on the planet. For those who do not know me, I am Tarun, your typical average guy, with a rather twisted tale. Devoured by my own sensitivity to the world, I struggle at times, but in spite of the intensity of life, I have an optimistic point of view. A few years back, I preferred being a self-centered & reserved boy. But they say time changes everything, college life brought around some unique pals, and now I feel like being the upgraded version of myself, ‘2.0’.

Anyways, here I am, strolling through the streets of the old ‘J’ City, in search of a Damsel. Deep down in my heart, I feel there’s a secret feeling that tells me that she’s somewhere nearby. Her mystic aura has already casted a spell that sets a strange romantic frenzy to run through my spine, making me admire her enigmatic beauty even more which is a class apart. I think I might be in a state of trance. I see her every day. She is someone whose gingerly smile I could cherish, whose eminence I could admire and whose simplicity I could adore. Although, this is something I am always unwilling to admit, but the heart screams what the mind denies, isn’t it? I blow kisses in the wind hoping that one day the Fairymon finds her lips when she’s probably thinking about the love of her life.

Yes, I love her, and she loves me. But you know what the real problem is? She lives in my dreams (yeah, you can say I’m a bit crazy about that, but who cares, world is full of crazy people). I wish one day I could just hold her in my arms. I am still alive. I am enjoying. Reveling in the glory of every moment, waiting for the day she meets me, so I can say “Tu es pour moi la plus belle ma mademoiselle”, To me you are the most beautiful.

My Death

A strange idea, isn’t it? To eulogize my own death. To write about something which is inevitable and a decisive event in my life. A phenomenon that I’ve never experienced. One Day, it’s all going to end, no matter where I am. At a disputed barricade, a scarred slope of battered hill, a lush green farm or sweet home. So, it’s better to prepare myself to accept it in a manner worthy of it and to see my death from the perspective of eternity. I stand facing my death which is within me. I must prepare myself for the death of my own unique personality, for the death of my emotions and the materialistic bonds that keep on holding me. My death intrigues me to know, How I will die? Will it be a good death? Above all, will it be painful? Speaking of which, I would like to avoid panic, anxiety and excessive terror. In speaking of my demise, there are many things which will remain hidden inside of me. In spite of this, I will confront my death as it is the integral part of my life. There’s a feeling in my soul that presents death as the final destination of my life. But Is it possible to write about a good death, the way one writes about the good life? The answer is unknown.