Another memorable year archived to history…!

It's been a year of many ups and downs – a roller coaster of a ride world wide. Life has traversed almost 365 days and though at a personal level – it has been a routine, that has nothing much to write about, - things around my world of interest have seen a sea change.

In spite of the fact that I have interests in varied fields – politics, sports, music, cinema, entertainment, environment, technology and more – following sports in general has always taken up most of my time, and cricket in particular has had some phenomenal performances that I would want to record during the course of this year-end summary for my diary.

A year that I cherish for having put back on track my passion for writing, especially this blog, also will be remembered for a few sad moments too. There are quite a few things during the year that stand out; top among them would be the moment I decided to embrace vaishnavism in totality – the Samasrayanam on October 1 would, I am sure, bring more inner peace to me and my family. Growth at work place is always reckoned as recognition of the dedication and this year too saw a climb of one rung up the ladder.

Having completed 1 year at my all-new ‘Dream home’ which is also completion of 3 decades at the same address is an achievement that marks the tranquility that life brings here.

The deaths and destruction caused across the world and in India have always pained me and this year too there was a fair share of such moments - the heightened terror strikes on Mumbai – being the lowest point. Personally losing my uncle (in Chennai) gave much grief, one which my family has slowly come to terms with.

For one always aiming to lead a very simple and principled life, giving much importance to ethics and morals – the year saw many a person I am associated with, transgress the set norms, giving much heart burn – and all I could do was watch in despair – a mute spectator. I pray, the New Year would give me lesser occasions of the kind to be witness to.

For the Cricket fanatic in me, this year would be remembered for, apart from many innings, the triple hundred by Sehwag against SA at Chennai, the swashbuckling innings of my International favourites – Greame Smith, Chris Gayle, McCullum and Sangakkara and the big victories in Tests for India versus the World’s top two teams (Aus & SA) and of course for the God of them all – Sachin Tendulkar – for not just going past Brian Lara and 12000 runs but also for burying the ghost of ‘having never scored’ the “fourth innings-century-enabling India win in Tests”. Yes he shall carry on into another year the spirit of ‘many an Indian hope’, and I wish he scale many more heights in his long and illustrious career.

As I reminisce of all the people who have travelled along with me through my life of almost 4 decades and continued to be supportive in the year that is coming to an end - a special mention of the newer friends who have come along and joined as co travellers in this journey, among them a young and bubbly decade and half junior from my school.

"New Year resolutions are made to be broken", says a good techie friend of mine, so in order to subvert this notion, and to break an addiction of over 22 years, I've advanced my 'resolution' by a few days - more on this later!

My new acquisition of the year – an i10 car in May, is one of the prized possessions that will vroom along with me and my family into the New Year with the renewed hope of finding peace, prosperity and virtues to make us all good human beings…!

With the thought:

"However dark and dense the clouds may be,

Sun will shine back.

And it will shine the brightest."

I wish a very Happy New-s Year 2009

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The way We look at things

This is an interesting piece - I've saved for posterity

One day a father and his rich family took his young son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be.

They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family.

When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

"Very good, Dad!"

"Did you see how poor people can be?" The father asked. "Yeah!”    "And what did you learn?"

The son answered, “I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon.

When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless.

His son added, “Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are!”.

It all depends on the way you look at things?

You can have all the material possessions, but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing!

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A Journalistic Shame

Muntazer al-Zaidi has violated the ethics of journalism, that prescribes a reporter must only be a medium to convey news, not become The News himself.

Independently a reporter can have his own choices and prejudices, but at a Press conference - it is imperative to be unbiased and not opinionate, I as a reader don't like to be told through news columns -This is RIGHT, This is WRONG. Give me news... I'll make my own conclusion.

Iam NO journalist NOR am I a big fan of the Americans in general or the Bush Administration in particular, but then I detest the "purported heroism" of the jingoistic reporter, who has put to shame many a seasoned journalist.

I would like to know from Journalist friends - If ever they would've felt proud doing that...! If they thought it was "A Brave act" - I'd say it was just a stupid act, and the fraternity should not empathise with him.

Reason or No Reason - It's truly in POOR TASTE...!

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Hail Sachin Tendulkar

When Sachin scored the winning run, without losing concentration..

The nation celebrated the moment, giving him a standing ovation..

Scoring the winning run to reach 103 & take India to 387, an improbable victory over England in the 1st Test at M.A.Chidambaram, Chennai. December 15, 2008

FOR someone who has scored 12413* Runs in 155 Test with 41 Hundreds and 51 fifties, and 16422 Runs in 419 ODIs with 42 Centuries and 90 fifties… This may have been just another boundary…

( * Scores As on Date)

… For me it was that one blemish (as people always referred to it) that will be wiped out...!
YES! A century in the fourth innings of a Test that led India to VICTORY …!

Salute to the Maestro – The Legend

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An Inspirational Poem

I N V I C T U S

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.

- by William Ernest Henley.

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A sustained peaceful outrage

---------------- A Week After it all began ----------------

That last 7 days have been spent with an overdose of media coverage of the Mumbai terror events, however the fall out has been stupendous, there is a mass uprising sort happening here across the country. People are up against the Politicians and the bureaucratic system, where there has been no accountability - people are up against the same.

There are street meetings, public rallies, candle light vigils, slogans - on television, in print, online, blogs, articles, posts on sites, text messages, emails - there seems to be no end to the public response that is one of the most non violent, but at the same time angry, protests ever seen in recent times in India.

If there was any thing close to this, was the Anti ‘Mandal Commission’ revolt of 1990s, which was targeted at the then PM VP Singh's policies - Ironically V.P. Singh passed away, amidst all the suspense that the nation was witnessing in Mumbai, with next-to-nothing coverage in the media.

The politicians for their part, of both the ruling Congress led UPA and the Opposition - the BJP and its allies in the NDA and the Communists have tried with varied consequences to reap mileage of the Mumbai Terror events.

Even as the politicians were facing scathing attack, for their lackadaisical approach to safeguarding the lives of the citizens and the non-responsiveness to intelligence alerts (if there were actually any), comes their foot-in-mouth comments that added insult to injury.

The issue whether India may or may not attack Pakistani Terror camps may be debated across the television studios, political board-rooms, diplomatic meetings and summits, with obvious political overtones and ramifications before any conclusive decision is taken.

In a way the prospective “war” may not serve the purpose of the people who lost their lives in the Mumbai carnage, their grieving families and the millions who seethed in anger across the country.

The point that the people of India are trying to drive through the sustained peaceful outrage is – “We Want Permanent Peace”, the clichés are flying thick and fast – “Enough is enough”, “Quit India”, “Stop terrorism”, “Awakening India”, "We want actions not words" … the list is endless, but the sentiment is the same, we want :

A Peaceful India

A Nation struggling with lawlessness

The siege of Mumbai has ended finally. The nation heaves a sigh of relief, but the scars are indelible. That these are not the first scars and will not be the last either (hope I am proved wrong on this last count) is a fact that every one of us have started to live with.

60 hours later and after the loss of over 200 lives, many questions have cropped up after the sustained terror attack on Mumbai. Some unanswered questions need to be answered.

How many terrorists were there? Who was responsible? How long have they been planning - months, weeks and days before the attacks? How could they have carried so much ammunition with them? How did they have such an intimate knowledge of the terrain? Were there locals? The terrorists are said to have done extensive reconnaissance of the city. If they are Pakistanis, how did they get earlier entry to the city unnoticed? How did they come in by boat? Or did they use other routes to escape notice?
These are just a few questions, these and more will have to be answered and addressed by the Government!

But one question that rankles me to no end is: Were there locals involved?

The terrorists seem to have had extensive training and preparation, possibly on models of the places of attack and on enduring a long drawn battle with the military forces – this gets me to have an emphatic YES as an answer to the question – Were there locals? For they could not have succeeded in the suicide mission with out local ground support.

But then Why? Why would locals get involved in killing innocent countrymen? Hunger? Unemployment? Lack of opportunity? Jingoistic strife?

It could be anything – what drives these youth to get involved. I tried deliberating and found no particular answer.

We are a nation of lawlessness; I am not referring just to the governments and politicians in power, but to every single citizen who takes ample pride in breaking the law.

In NO way I am being cynical about the state of affairs when I say “the administrators of this country have for ages have been breeding corruption in all walks of life.” The corruption has percolated deeply into the very roots of society that was once known to be the most simplistic and god fearing about a century ago (we continue to be god fearing – more for the CURE than as prevention). The levels of corruption wary with need and the need grows with every opportunity. There ceases to be no reason for the want to lessen.

As the initial fear of doing wrong subsides, the pattern turns an avocation, a habit that slowly gains in momentum and turns into an addiction. An addiction that brings with it fruits of long lasting pleasures. Thus is born a way of life – that which has its foundation laid on unlawfulness.

The Society is NOW in a ROTTEN state. A state of NO return, we are witness to corruption, from simple road rules to the complex laws, the loopholes are first studied and exploited. Here laws are THE exception. Responsibility towards the nation is unheard of, towards the self is waning, and towards the society comes with a price. A price laid down by the corrupt law-makers.

Almost every individual gets into the blame game, blame the civic authorities, the government, the employers, the society at large and the recklessness of life – the basic fact is, each one of us are equally to be blamed – for we have contributed our might to the growth of the current filth.

Self introspection is the key – No amount of debates and discussions, blaming the media, the politicians, the law, the law enforcement agencies, the booming population can bring solution to this rut.

As the search for the answers continue – more seemingly gullible youth will fall prey to easy money unaware of the consequences, and even if aware – fall prey to the luster that brings with it presumptive prosperity - This malady needs a permenant cure.

A silent prayer for the innocent victims and a Salute to the scores of policemen, commandos and the unsung firemen.