The moment of 2009

I remember that afternoon in Jan 99. Wasim Akram’s Team had won a Test match in Chennai. The Pakistani team was taking a round of lap at the Cheapuk and I had to see it.
Those days, watching India play was like watching a horror movie. Our team was capable of loosing against any team from any situation.
We used to win a few ODI’s here and there. But Test team was a disaster.

We were termed as lions at home. But here Pakis showed that who was better. We lost in Zimbabwe, West Indies, England, New Zealand, and could not win in Sri Lanka.
In South Africa, captain Sachin Tendulkar tried his best to win in , but Cullinan and Donald batted it out untill bad light took over.
Australia was even worse. Such was the form the Indian Batting line up that Laxmans 100 at Sydney still seems “historic”
Later that year Hansie Cronje came to India and won the test series breaking India’s record of being unbeaten at home for some 20 years.

It used to hurt. Hurt more when we used to roam around the streets of Pune in our cricket whites. People used to look at us like a bunch of looser.
Worst was when Hansie declared that he had fixed the matches in India. People like Azaruddin, Prabhakar, Chetan Sharma couldn’t keep their mouths shut.
Wearing the cricket whites was like a curse.

Things changed slowly. Under the captainship of Saurav Ganguly we got new hope. We won 1st match against Bangladesh. But the real fun was when Australia visited India. I had placed a bet on India winning. Some how, I believed in him so much that I was not willing to give up when India followed on against Australia at Eden Gardens.

That day in March changed the way India played cricket. Not only that. It changed the way India looked at cricket, the way India thought about cricket. We started winning, more than that we started believing that we can win.
The series of wins started from there. We won in Zimbabwe, West Indies, England Sri Lanka. Almost everywhere we played. The fans were getting so used to winning that there used to be disappointment when the team lost the match. The expectations were increasing.

After a good WORLD CUP, India toured down under. For the 1st time people were talking about a team beating Australia that too in Australia. Not only Indians, the whole cricketing world was backing India The Aussie domination was on a descend. When The series ended 1-1 but that was the 1st time when people started looking at India as a super power -the team that could be there at the top. Then there was a historic win in Pakistan.

India was on its way to the top. The question was “when” and not “how”? Then there seemed to be a dip. We were winning but without authority. We lost at home against Pakistan and Australia, could not win against England. Though we won a match at Durban and the series against WI the number 1 spot seemed to be far.

Kumble inducted the team with the spirit to fight.. He led his team to victory in Perth. The faith was reinstalled. People again started believing in this team. And this time, India was very much near to achieving it.

If It hadn’t been for the loss in SL and a not so good series against SA at home, We could have been number 1 much earlier. The tour to Pakistan was cancelled. too
Better late than never, though. We won against depleted Australia and Pakistan and then even the best of Sri Lanka was not good enough to match us. So, finally we reached the number 1 spot.

There were fears that all it might take was 1 match for SA to win and they would be back at the top. But we are going into the new year as number one.

For a fan who has been following this team this is the moment to cherish. Lets celebrate the performance of this team. This is one event that will make 2009 special.

Radio.

I prefer radio over the CDs when is comes to music and there is a reason to it.
Music is a must whenever I drive. It gets me in the grove. It sets my tome for the day.

Listening to my favourite song on radio is a blissful feeling. How do I explain what it feels when there is some song that I want to listen and that particular one is played on the radio? And I happen to hear it.

Today morning I woke up with a bad state. I tried to find reasons of not going anywhere and just lazing around the house. But that was not to be. So I end up getting ready to go and start my day in a rather dull way.

Somehow I realised that I haven’t heard this song for a while. And I just wonder what if it is played on a radio.

I keep switching stations and believe it or not, that song is on. You call this luck, coincidence telepathy, or whatever. But this is something stirs me up.

I think life is like a radio. There are different stations going on simultaneously and we receive so many signals from so many different frequencies. Of all these signals there are some that are truly joyous. All we have to do is to tune into the right frequency at the right time.

"CHECK" "MATE"

Just for the sake of enthusiasm I used to try different permutations and combinations with my chess pieces. Playing with whites makes me impatient. I like to move on with the game instead of developing pieces and manoeuvre things.

I wonder why I can’t attack with the pawn at the outset. Why wait until I make space for the queens and the bishops. E4 and D4 are my openings cos they give me max control over the board straight away

I wonder why we have the Rooks in the corner and the King in the centre. It is a hope less position to start with. Let's keep the king in the corner, Knight around it, Rooks, and Queens, and Bishops in the rest of the part. Why do we need one white bishop and one black bishop? We can have them the way we want.

My idea of a good chess player is the one who knows where to place which piece before the game. And attack or defend accordingly. Another thing that pricks me is that each piece has to obey some rules. Why should the pawn move only one house? Why doesn’t the king move around the way he wants? After all he is the King! Right! Let situation decide how each piece should move. This will make the game interesting also test the skill of the players.

But then it will make the game simple. The game that absorbs you for hours will be over in a couple of minutes.
The real fun is to discharge our duty even when we know there is no future. The black bishop will die but not change itself to white. Being black is his individuality. It will loose its existence but won’t compensate with its characteristics.

When I see at people, I find them similar to these pieces on the chess board. Each one comes with its own uniqueness. Each one has its own powers and has to follow a protocol. They can’t change. They won’t change. But we, as leaders should use each ones quality for our benefit and make them complement each other. The queen has to be at the forefront with all its powers but you always need a pawn to support her.

Chess is a good example of man-management. We have to understand each ones strength and weakness and act accordingly. No one has the advantage at the beginning. But it’s the way we approach the situation within our limitation that defines who survives and who doesn’t. Not one can enjoy any undue advantage.

But the most significant part of the game is the rules that the pieces have to follow. All the pieces cannot have same power. There will be differences. Hence the player has to make a strategy and implement it correctly. If every human had the same ability, things that could have happened are unimaginable. The fun part of it would have been missing for sure. It is because different people having different skills came at different time that the world has come so far till 2009 AD

Hence it’s better to have a set of rules and follow them religiously. There is no question of why, why not and why me. The pawn that reaches the other end of the board can transform into a queen. But it cannot change its course even if there is threat of life.

Dear Bhajji,

When I read the name Harbhajan Singh, I think of a young Sardar with lots of guts and who has his ass set ablaze.

You have always given 100% when on the field. Your commitment towards your team has been exemplary. You try and excel in each and every job assigned. Just the way your throw the ball back to the keeper’s gloves, illustrates you pursuit of perfection.

Time and again you have fought it out with the bat. Whenever you have got a chance you have proved yourself as a handy batsman. Some of your innings might make top order batsmen run for their money.

I think it all started with the surprise call for Mumbai Ranji Team while bowling at them in the nets at Mohali. You ended up playing the next match against them for Punjab. The surprises didn’t stop there. When you were planning to leave everything and find a job in US, Dada got you back in the team against Australia. You did not only end up being the highest wicket taker in the series, you also got 1st Hat-Trick as an Indian bowler.

I think the epitome was when you replaced Jumbo to lead the Indian attack in England. Though no one thought this would ever happen (cos someone actually had to replace Kumble to lead the spin attack), no one complained about it. In fact many thought that this was a positive move.

As expected, you are now the chief command of the Indian Spin Department. But Sir, Please don’t forget that you are there to bowl off spins.

I don’t understand why you are so desperate to break the stumps. As the spinner you are expected to make the batsman wait for the ball and not beat him for pace.
Spinners ball at around 90kmph when they ball a faster one. You ball at such pace normally. It hurts me to see that you are being cut through point and cover a so very often. I can’t imagine what goes through the captain’s mind when he sees the batsmen play these shots with comfort. Captains can’t afford to place a deep point when they have their strike bowler operating.

Spinners get their wickets before the ball reaches the batsman. You have to ball at around 130kmph to get the batsman out after the ball reaches to him. You have an amazing Yorker. But if you ball them @90kmph the batsman will fall in love with you.

You are not supposed to be throwing cannon balls at the batsman. You are supposed to hypnotize them to swallow the poison. They must not understand what is happening until they find themselves dead.

Last month you happened to get a bulk of Sri Lankan’s and got India the trophy. If you check the way you balled in that match you will realise what I am trying to say

Calm down mate! You are not going at Churchgate to catch the local train to your office. You are going to ball at a batsman, someone who is bemused by the skill that you posses. Slow down your run-up; loosen your grip on the ball; shorten your follow through. You will see many more balls looping towards mid-wicket and deep long on.

You shouldn’t always impose yourself. Sometimes it’s better to be patient and manoeuvre things. As a spinner you have to master the art

Throwing problems off the 'door'

Currently, we at AGSA are working to solve following 'Problems' for our customers.

Whirlpool : - The door of the refrigerator doesn’t open.
(Assembled in Bhosari; inspected in Poland)

Lucy :- The door of the MCCB doesn’t close.
(Assembled in Dubai; Inspected in UK.)

Fiat : - The door opens faster than it what is required
(Assembled in Pirangut; Inspected somewhere in France.)

GM :- The door opens more than requirement
(Assembled in Bhosari; Inspected in Talegaon.)

Indica :- The colour of the door gets peeled off
(Assembled in Bhosari; Inspected in Bhosari.)

TML :- The door works fine but still there is air leakage.
(Assembled in Bhosari; Inspected in Thailand.)

TRIVIA: WHAT INDUSTRY DO I WORK IN

Life without a "GOAL"

what happens if the goals are removed from the game of football

is the lack of a goal an opportunity to be creative?

My city under threat

I am a Punekar.
I have been born and brought up in the city of Pune and I say this with great pride.
I love every bit of this city. The vintage Pune that dwells across the lakdi pul, the peths and the British Pune that you will find in the Gymkhana area and the Contemporary Pune that you will find along the NAGAR ROAD or Katraj Bypass Road, I love every part of it.

Being Punekar is about loving the Wada Pav. It’s about those late night bike rides to Sinhagad and Pirangut. It’s about the gatherings across the bridges late in the evenings. It’s is about celebrating everything you do.

We celebrate New Year, we celebrate Christmas. We celebrate when India wins the match. We celebrate Holi. We celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi.

Lokmanya Tilak brought Ganpati Bappa out of the houses into the mandals. He wanted to give Punekars a reason to assemble, to unite for a cause. Since then Ganesh Chaturthi has been the focal part of Punekars life.

The air in the city is completely different for the 10 days of Ganesh Chaturthi. You will see everybody busy with their local mandals and trying to be the best. The decoration, the lightening, the sound system, everything becomes a vital part of the celebration. And it continues till Anant Chaturdashi or visarjan.

Preparation for procession of the visarjan is much more than that of the Ganesh Chaturthi. The wadaks are busy practising new beats. The organisers are busy planning out the logistics. The public is prepared to keep itself free on those 2 days of mirawnuk. Every one is preparing to say GOOD BYE to lord Ganesha. And on the day of Anant Chaturdashi, the whole of Pune is on the streets to see their favourite deity going back to meet his mom. Literally, the whole of Pune!

A few years ago, the local authorities thought that 2 nights of procession can be a nuisance. Hence they made a law that there will be no sound played after 11.00 pm. I feel that this is an insult to the city. This place is famous for the procession. It is one of the tourist attractions. And you want to have a ban on it for what reason. To maintain silence on the streets when everyone is down there to have a blast!!! Think about these wadaks who practice for a month and are ready to beat the dhols non stop for hours.

The even has lost a bit of charm since then. But still the crowd has not lost its fascination. Last year, even when there was a RED ALLERT in Pune due to bomb threats, the people had gathered in huge numbers to enjoy the procession.

But this year, I see a threat. A bigger threat. The swine flu. The city that never cares about such things, now seem to be susceptible all of a sudden. The city that never took a note of the communal riots and bomb blasts is getting apprehensive about the virus.

The H1N1 has made its presence felt in a treacherous manner. The media has made people to believe that it is the most dangerous thing happened to mankind. The people have responded in the manner they had to. But the question lies here is different.

How will the people react to it on the most auspicious day of a Punekar? Will the fear of the virus keep the Punekars in their homes or will the carefree Punekar come out and celebrate being a Punekar?

I appeal to everyone who lives in this city. If you have ever loved anything in this city, if you have ever felt this city has done any good for you, if you want to know what Pune actually is … do be there on the roads to watch the visarjan. Nothing gets bigger than this here.

Do it with utmost precaution. But do it. It is important.

Being ASHUTOSH

Often I have heard fables about how Arul hates to leave his mumma and papa when it comes to ninni time. I have never experienced it, though.

The 1st time I had to put him to sleep was on a February afternoon in Jaipur. When everyone around us was busy in preparation of his TAU's wedding, the two of us had quite a time away from the rush. There were many such incidences later on.

Then, one day I was assigned to be his babysitter for 8 full hours. He used to play a funny game with me then. With a toy trash truck in one hand and a toy ambulance in another, both made from some damn hard material, he used to run in and pounce on me and throw is toys at me. I had to be ready for both, the toy attack which could injure me and his attack which could injure him. More often than not I missed one of the toys. I hate those companies who don’t use softer things to make those toys.
That evening my sis entered the house. She first checked me for any physical damage and then went on to thank her kid.

This time around, he has grown up to be 4. He understands that hurling toys could prove dangerous (he can read as well as spell this word ‘dangerous’). So he simply jumps upon me as if I am a jump-o-lene.

But the affection doesn’t end here. Today, he declared that he will be doing ninni with ASHUTOSH. Jumped out of his bed and settled into mine, with no hesitation. He has done this earlier but this time it is special.

In the night he woke up suddenly and said “ I am feeling scared, Ashu!!”
“You can come in my godi and do ninni.” I replied.

He then encircled me in a peculiar way and since then is fast asleep. I have seen a few kids go to sleep. But I bet none of them can be as weird as this fellow. I would have noted them down but I would rather prefer to observe all his postures.

I am sure his mumma – papa are missing him. They came here to check if he was asleep. He wasn’t. But yet, to my surprise, he stayed back with me.

I thought he didn't know who a mama is. A ‘mama’ has 2 ‘ma’s in it. Didn’t realise it for so many years! He made me feel it and with an overwhelming joy.

How I wish this night lasts forever.

Commemoration of reminisce.

I am supposed to be playing a cricket match tomorrow. Actually, in just 6 hrs to be precise.
Some local team here has given me an opportunity to represent them in the local league.
We are going to play with the tennis ball on some base ball ground having a thick grass cover.

Last weekend, I was with these guys, practicing.
The word “practice” means so much. It sounds almost like an attempt towards rediscovering myself!!!
Rediscovering myself within six hours over a period of two days.

It all started with the sight of a few guys practicing. I saw them when I entered the ground.
They were kind enough to give me a warm welcome. Somehow, I felt that I knew them since ages…
Of course I did. After all, don’t we share the same madhushala.

Then I was asked to bat.I felt as if my life was at stake.
Tennis Ball cricket has never been my cup of tea and here I saw myself under a scanner.
All of a sudden I saw that I had developed some bad habits. My stance was improper. Back lift was hopeless…etc … etc
Soon I realised that I was not getting my body weight right, committing myself too early and an array of things going wrong.

Slowly, I overcame those flaws and got into the rhythm. All this on my day out in practice.

But, there something more waiting for me on the next day.
We were scheduled to play a practice match against a good team.
I went on the ground with some butterflies in my tummy. Ghosh!!! Where did they come from? At the first opportunity I got, I went for a catching session.
Then came the toss and the match started.

I sat on the bench counting the number of players in the team. We were 13 of us.
So I went on with my assessments.
I must be in, This guy is not a good batsman. And, that one is not a good bowler. May be they will let me play to give me a feel.
Ok. I might open the batting or may be just do the finishing part of it.
Where will I be fielding? Point… Mid off… or deep fine leg. I hope these guys know I am good in the infield.

The few hours I spent on the ground that day were spent in anxiety. Each time the batsman got out I looked at the captain.
Each time the bowler was changed I went and had a word with him. Each time the ball came towards me I made sure it does not pass.

Since long cricket had given me just two feeling - the joyous tones after a good performance or the despair after a loss.
I had almost forgotten how things used to be when I was a newcomer. The days when I struggled to make a mark in the teams that played for.

Now that I await another opportunity of playing, these thoughts reoccur.
I might not be in the playing 11 tomorrow. But I want to be there to know how it feels to be a struggler again.

Elapsed memories are recalled when we remember that we have gone beyond them

Purani Jeans

More often than not, I wake up with some song in my mind. I recite it the whole day. The song sets the tone for the day.
Sometimes, I wake up, I realise that I am unable to remember that song, just remember the tune of it or some verse, or just the meaning of it. But cannot recall the lyrics of the song.

If this happens in the morning the whole day is spent in frustration. The anxiety increases throughout the day, each time I try to remember the song.


Rare cases occurred when I happened to reach niMBus before others. I was there sitting in the panchayat when a friend of mine walked it. That day, it was he who was struck by this frustration.

“Ashu yaar, which song is it”
(Seriously guys.. I am not a mind reader.)
“are Rajesh Khanna ka hai”
“mere sapno ki rani?”
“Nahi yaar, tanuja hai”
“are …. Raat akeli hai”
“abe RD ka hai”
“haaan !!!! roop tera mastana”
“chup yaar… saare ek saath hai”
“Are yaar .. mein picture bicture nahi dekhta yaar… subah subah aa jaate hai jaane kahan se”
“Nahi yaar, tere ko pata hai. It’s a beautiful song”
“aur koi hint de”
“it goes like this’waise to mein akela hi theek hoon but then if you are with me then I will change the world or something’ I love this line”
“Yaar, Jiyo.. subah subah kya cheej yaad dilai yaar. Aaj ka din to jam gaya”

It’s been so many years since then. But I still remember the feeling when we sang those lines together.
He wanted to sing it for his girlfriend.

Today morning I wake up with the same old strike of frustration.
That song. Rajesh Khanna sings it for Tanuja. Soft music of Panchamda and silken vocal of kishore kumar.

I spend the whole day wondering which song is it. I don’t know whom to ask and how to ask. Search my laptop, CDs here there…. Cant get a hint.

Late in the night, I happen to switch on the radio and this is what I hear…
“yun to akela hi aksar, gir ke sambhal sakta hoon mein
Tum jo pakad lo haath mera, duniya badal sakta hoon mein.
Maanga hai tumhe.. duniya ke liye, Ab khud hi sanam faisala kijie.

Oh mere dil ke chain… chain aaye mere dil ko dua kijie!!!!”

How dearly do I wish I could call him…
All I can do is look up in the sky and say..
“Thank you Ramesh”After all, I know he is watching it from up there... and might be accompanied by Kishore da and Panchamda

I got the POWER !!!!!!!

On a very chilly night we decide to go for a late night drive in our favourite Scorpio.
It has been a while since I have been to the Bhandara and hence, am eager to be there.

Hemant finally gets to drives the car all way and the difficult task of navigating him is left to me.

“What should I expect up there”
“Something like a temple of Sant Tukaram”
“*%^&% !!!!. Is it a spot you want me to be at 1.00 am?”
“Well, you actually get a lot of wind. And, its tax free. You won’t get anything of that sort in Delhi.”

This guy has now spent enough time with me and hence knows that arguing with me can be a cause of frustration.

So we find our road, take the correct turns and reach the top of the hill.

The silence of the night is heard amidst the vintage ambhang-wani and the soothing ek-tari. The wind whirling around is loud enough to absorb us.

We find a place, near the wall away from the temple, from where Dehu Road, Talegaon, and the Express Highway are visible. The newly developed industrial part, I should say. The bonnet of the Scorpio is like a lounge.

This part is full of Street lights and Industrial Lights. Hemant seems to love it.
It is too bright. I look up at the sky. It is a full moon. This implies that not many stars will be visible. The sky, for me, looks dull.

“Now imagine,” he starts…
“You are working in Punjab Power. You bring your wife to this place and cut of the power of certain parts. Such that the lights that are switched on make the words ……….. I LOVE YOU”

I frown.

“How do you feel about it”
“Some kind of stupid bollywood stuff!!!”
“tujhame rub dikhta hai, yaara mein kya karun”
"Aaahhhh !!!! I should have known, Only SRK can do that“

There is a silence again and now it’s my time to break it.
“ What if you throw an imaginary anchor at the moon and pull it closer to you. Tie the imaginary rope to your balustrade, so that the moon stays there. Wipe of the clouds with your palm. Place a few bright stars with your finger tips... oops one too many … you have to wipe it away.
And just wait there for her to come in the veranda”

Hemant is speechless. I think he has lost his thoughts.

Hmm… only Jim Carrey that can do that!

The Circus called Cricket

The 2nd T20 World championship ended today. A Few days ago the extravaganza of IPL was unleashed in SA. Meanwhile, the countdown of Champions League has already begun. Three major international tournaments in a span of 4 months, but all in the shortest form of the game!

T20 came into existence with an intension to globalize the game. The shorter form requires less patience and dedication from a spectator. It was used to promote the game. Along with it came the additives and gradually ... more additions.

1st time when I saw a T20 telecast the player used to mention his favourite music in his introduction. Now why does anyone want to know which music he likes to listen when the player is actually coming in the centre to perform a duty towards his team?

As time passed by one could listen to the track played by some DJ in between overs or random breaks. These were followed by Dancing Cheer girls. The 2nd edition of IPL introduced strategy breaks just to allow a few more commercials to the television broadcasters.

It was so obvious that these strategy breaks were disturbing the flow of the game. It was like having a signal crossing on a F1 track. As a professional you got to adjust to these playing conditions, OK, I agree, But is it really necessary to have these interruption between a cricket match?

The worst thing that struck me was in the currently concluded T20 championship.
Before the match between India and WI, just after the toss, some random guy was asked to ball to DILIP VENGASARKAR on the pitch that was to be used for the match. To my surprise, none of the two were in their proper cricketing attire and all these at a place known as “THE LORDS”. I don’t need to explain how insulting that looked. Some random guy bowling to a man who has a record of scoring 3 centuries at the home of cricket!! He got the chance just cos he gulped a bottle of cola !!

I wonder what is all this going on? Do people come to the ground to see half dressed girls dancing? Or to let their hair loose when the DJ plays their favourite number? How can someone come in and use the match wicket just like that before the match?

I remember a day when we were playing at the POONA CLUB. The news spread that CHANDU BORDE, the then national selector, was present in his office at the Club House and watching us. We made sure that we were in the purest of whites when we entered the ground. Even our pull-over were not allowed. This was the level of discipline we follow when we play a normal club game at the POONA CLUB. And here we are talking about THE LORDS where the Englishmen love to preserve their heritage.

If all this is in search of Money then I would prefer the game to be poor than pure. But if it is just to attract attention then I am sorry…. This is the last way we should draw attention towards the game. People who want to watch DJ’s and Cheer Girls should not be on the cricket ground, whatsoever. Different places exist where one can enjoy such things. Those who get to perform on the main pitch must be the one really deserving candidate. I don’t think bottle full of cola under some lucky crown is worth a chance to make it to the centre.

I think this is killing the game more rapidly than ever before. Forget about the overload that cricketers have to go through for all this.

After making a presentation about his road trip to LADAKH, one of my friend was asked if you get liquor there… He answered in a simple sentence … If you need liquor, you need not go there.

I hope the governing body of the game understands these things. The sooner the better.
Meanwhile I am waiting for the series between India and WI and the old rivalry between England and Australia in THE ASHES. This time .. even more desperately …

GHOST MERA DOST

Ghosts are the souls of a dead people believed to be an inhabitant of the unseen world. It is not only about people. It is about things, thoughts, actions.
Everything from our pasts peeps into our present and escorts us into those ‘good old days’. Seriously .. ‘good’ old days.


It is important to burry the dead so that they don’t reappear. It is important to get done with things, get out of those thoughts and enact a new role. I could never do it.

There are a few ghosts haunting me day in and day out. And these ghosts are very friendly. They are real. No Caspers. They remind me of the wonderful things that I have been doing all these years. I did these things with a high intensity and low expectations. I did them cos I liked doing them. I chased them so hard that by the end of it I had forgotten who I was before I started chasing them.

But then, they had to die. Some were killed and some just passed away. I could not tolerate their non existence in my life. So I decided to keep them alive. Alive in my thoughts… alive in my character.

I had given them so much of importance that I just could not believe they were no more a part of me. And they deserve every bit of what I have for them. I started living with them. I knew they were present around me. I introduced them to everyone I met. And each one enjoyed their company. It was a special bonding. These ghosts around me were my new found identity. We talked. We discussed. We analysed. We studied. I got to know people around me through these ghosts and vice versa.

Even if they were a past, people in the present believed and realised they were real. Even though there was no record to prove their existence.

But then there were people who did not like them. They hated them when they were alive and hated them when they hung around me later. I carefully had to manoeuvre my way out of the vicinity of such people. I was happy with the ghosts.

As time passed by, many more things were killed; thoughts were lost… actions forgotten. And thus, many more ghosts. Almost everything I had been chasing turned up to be a ghost. Now I am encircled by ghosts.

These ghosts act as a camouflage. They protect the world outside from the true me.
Like make up man they dress me up to face any situation I am thrown into. Like body guards they protect me from any unwanted invasion. They have developed and inbuilt restructuring program. I can switch on and switch off in fraction of a second. A few moments with these ghosts and I am back to being where I was.

People who recognise the existence of these ghosts around me believe that they are the barriers to my progress. For me they are the one that make me go ahead. They are the one who give me the reason to wait for the sunrise in a cold frozen night.

I love this term… GHOST MERA DOST

a postage stamp, an envelop and the comet.

There is an envelope lying on my desk.
Someone has sent me a mail. I am supposed to read the matter written on a piece of paper in this envelope.
I see a postage stamp at the extreme corner. It seems to be very colourful. I see a picture of a few villagers doing something. I can’t understand what exactly they are up to! The postage stamp has been stamped by the postal authority. They do it so that the postage stamp cannot be reused.
So once the postage stamp is stuck on the envelope, the sole purpose of its existence is to help the envelope reach its destination. In the process it looses its value. A stamped postage stamp is of no use to anyone else than the envelope. It also looses its identity. Once the black ink is spread over the postage stamp there is no way anyone can understand what was printed on the stamp.

It is so obvious that once the envelop reaches the destination, no one will care about the stamp. After all it is the tiniest part of the whole thing. The postman will care about the address on the envelope. The receiver will be interested only in the letter carried by the envelope. How many of them will realise the importance of the postage stamp. But if it was not for the postage stamp, the envelop would have gone back to the one who mailed it. Only the sender will then understand how important it is for an envelope to have a postage stamp.
But, the underlined part is, the postage stamp will loose everything it has just to make sure the letter reaches safely. Is it a sacrifice?
DEVOTION TO DUTY IS NOT SACRIFICE. IT IS THE SOLE PURPOSE OF YOUR EXISTANCE.
If the postage stamp was not used with a fear that it might be damaged, it would, anyway, mean that the postage stamp has been wasted. This will be an insult to the postage stamp.

Now, I look at the envelope. It is nicely decorated, very neatly printed, very stylish one. The person who typed the address took extra effort to make the receiver feel nice to receive the envelope. The postage stamp seems to have spoilt its beauty. It is obvious from the presentation that the letter seems to have a high importance to the receiver.

Ever since the letter has been put into the envelope, it is taking good care of the letter. It protected the letter from the heat, the rains and the wind. It acted as a cushion against mishandling. It also carries the postage stamp and the mailing address which are the basic requirements for the safe delivery of the letter.

But as soon as the receiver will get the envelope, the envelope will be torn into pieces. The letter inside will be carefully handled, read and preserved. But the 2 most important factors – the envelope and the postage stamp will be in pieces an in the waste basket.

But this does not make them change their minds. They will still do their job to the best of their abilities. They won’t care about the consequences.
They will still be there with the letter… till the end … performing their duties

A comet will crash into the earths crust. People will see the damage it caused to the surface. But how many of them will realise that, in doing so the comet has lost its existence. It was so obsessed about the earth that it did not care about its identity and went to meet the earth. I think the comet has lost more in the process than the earth.

These non living things perform their tasks in a very efficient manner without the fear of the price they might have to pay in doing so. They are going to be punished for discharging their duties perfectly.

To me … this is what COMMITMENT is.

NEW YEAR GREETINGS

This is going on for some time now.

The Bombay Pune Highway has a grade separator now. Once I am in the fast moving lane there is no stopping. I reach the factory in . what .. 10 mins max..

But every now and then I like to take the age old route. The one through Yamuna Nagar... HDFC colony, Kamalnayan Bajaj School, Rudra Hotel, Stone Mine, Pimpi gasses ( the turn that leads to the swimming pool).
I have traveled on this route in every possible way ... I have walked .. I have cycled ... taken a tumtum/6 seater ... bike... auto riksha ... you name and I have had it..

The most mesmerizing site for me on this road it the gate of TATA MOTORS.. That part of the road between KSB pumps and Pimpri Gases. It is the F2 block.. It is TATA MOTORS.

You have the India Car plant. Next to it is the Commercial vehicle plant established 30 years ago. One the other hand you have the Telco, the school and the yard where the vehicles ready for dispatch are parked.

A few years TELCO, as it was called then, constructed an underground tunnel to shift their finished products in the parking yard across the road.

Since past few weeks I watch those cars/ LMV, LCV, HCV lying idle in the park yard. It is full to its capacity. So the newly manufactured cars are parked alongside the roads of TML.

Every morning I watch this.. I feel horrible.
The market is down. TML is manufacturing to attain yearly targets but its not selling anything. So in the few days the production will be down. That means no business. Ahhh... the recession, they say... it is obvious. What will we be doing then ... The mind is clouded.

Then I reach the factory. There is a whole lot of things to be done.. The schedules are pending. I yell at the Production in charge to work 24 by 7. There is a material shortage. I call the Purchase In charge.. get the list of pending orders. Check their status.
' I dont want to see you in the factory premises untill I see this material ready for production"
The accountant shows me the list of over due payments. The figure is astounding .. So now I have to talk to them to get the payments.

Then I get a few calls from the customers.. Their line have been stopped cos of shortage of springs. So I sit with the PPC and reschedule all the production plans.
Some springs have a quality problem so the customer’s ‘team’ is surrounding me.

There are a number of new enquires that need my attention. A few samples are urgent.

‘Urgent’ is the word that I hear more than ‘Springs’.

Its 4.30 pm . I think I have done for the day … so let me have my lunch.
I open my lunch box and there enters the marketing man.
“ This party wants x% discount. Is it feasible”
“ Ok let me check” .. the lunch box can wait.

So finally its 5.30 … everyone has left .. I am enjoying my lunch.
The call come from the security … some visitor is waiting for me.

At 6.00 in the evening.. he needs to develop a component .. “ urgently”
So I sit with the operator and get it done. The development in charge has made his pregnant wife wait for him alone in the house.

Finally its 9.30 … I take time to go home.
On my way I see TML again.. the unsold cars are piling up..
There is recession ..
The fear is gone. Now this sight makes me feel better.
May be I will find time to relax…

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL…
I WISH THE NEW YEAR BRINGS YOU A LOT OF BUSINESS AND IN TIME PAYMENTS.

The Extravaganza

The month of March had something awesome to offer.
I had exclusive rights to select which TV channel to be viewed cos there wasn’t anyone around to watch it.

Incidentally there was live cricket being telecast all day round.

To start with India was in New Zealand. For 1st time I was receiving the signals live on my TV. In 1999 and before, I did not have a cable TV connection and in 2003 there was some TV rights issues between cable operators in Pune and STAR TV. This was the reason I got a digital TV as soon as it was in the market.

It was a delight to watch the world’s strongest batting order and hardest hitter on the small grounds of New Zealand. Nice way to start a day.

Then came the women’s world cup of cricket. I had heard and read a lot about girls like MITHALI RAJ, ANJUM CHOPRA, JHULAN GOSWAMI. Now was a chance to watch them live. The girls played the way the boys played in 1980s and 1990s. Light bats, long handles and slog sweeps. After 25 overs 85/2 seemed to be a good score. 230 was a difficult target. This is the cricket I studied as a starter. The fielder standing at the boundary behind the slips was still called the THRID ‘MAN’.. that was funny..

There was an interesting incidence that occurred in India vs England match. Jhulan Goswami – India skipper – was in middle of a quiet spell when nothing much was happening. Suddenly, a ball bumped up from a full length spot and hit the bats’woman’. Wasim Akram was on air then and during the replays he yelled all of a sudden “ why is the bowler apologizing”.

Jhulan Goswami – the spearhead of the Indian attack – apologised to the batsman cos the ball misbehaved off the pitch. No wonder this irritated the pace bowlers club. You know what .. after all these girls were a “BHARATIYA NARI” first and foremost.

I used to watch this before leaving for work and then follow the scores online.

As soon as this ended, it was time for SA vs AUS.
Then there were two best test sides competing for the top slot. SA trying to prove the the victory in Aus was not a fluke and AUS fighting for pride.
Fast Forward to modern cricket. Run Rate in the test was better than the Run Rate in the World Cup match I watched a few hrs earlier. I difference was to be seen. The players playing for life.. Each run been scored as if life depended on it. The fielders throwing themselves around the ball as it they were at a water park. So after vintage cricket, came the new age cricket.
I used to see this telecast while having my dinner.

For the late night show there was England vs WI test series. England in WI and Lara was not part of the WI team. Boy .. what a record Lara has vs England.
But this WI under Cris Gayle is a good team. They know how to win. They know how to fight.
There is something nostalgic about the way cricket is played in the West Indian islands. Those passionate fans dancing on calypso beats and cheering every little thing that their team achieves.

The attendance was much better here than when Australia played in India. So this was refreshing.

WI has some amazing batsman, a crazy Gayle, a sedate Sarwan and a boring Chanderpaul. Fiddel Edwards reminded people of the old WI pace bowlers.
England team on the other had is very predictable. I am at me betting best when England is playing. This timer around too, I won a few good ones … and after a long time.

England lost control of the match for a few hrs on the 4th day of the 1st test and that cost them the series. For all the remaining sessions were fearsome battles. No side giving an inch.

It looked boring but this is the way test cricket is too be played. I can watch such matches with my eyes stuck on the TV.

So after the WI vs ENG again came INDIA in NZ … and the whole cycle repeated itself.

Then again there was Deodhar Trophy super league to fill the gaps as substitute.

Now .. as the 2 test series are over and womens world cup has been done… I am watching AUS vs SA T20 and then will be watching WI vs ENG.
What an anticlimax …

1o'clock, in my house, there is no cat, but there is a mouse…

TOM AND JERRY SHOW .. LIVE

1.00 a.m. – I realise there is something banging underneath my bed. I neglect it. There is so much stuffed under my bed that I can’t even think about it.

2.00 a.m. – Finally I decide to logoff and switch off the laptop. There is nothing left to do so lets get some sleep.

2.15 a.m. – This stage is called the delta sleep. I like it. I feel like I am meditating. Insulated from everything but thinking about just one thing. Incidentally, I am thinking about the TOM & JERRY pics that a friend of mine emailed me to wish Happy Friendship Day. TOM AND JERRY on a friendship day!!! Anyway, who cares?

2.20 a.m. – My toes are touching something soft and fleshy. Let me thing what is it? Pillow … Cell phone … ipod …Laptop … dictionary ... novel ... What is it? I push it. It crawls over my legs and passes by. Ooops.. this was something moving and living.

2.22 a.m. – I decide to switch on the lights and have a look.

2.23 a.m. – There he is. A sweet little mouse happily perched on the chair, underneath my uniform. For a moment, this site gives me a sense of gratification. At least someone found a place, a reason and time to ‘sit’ on my chair. It sees me and jumps. Passes under the bed into the closet. CRACK !!!!

The bottom most part of my closet is full of antique things. A lot of CD’s, cassettes, and books and magazines that I liked when I read them but never touched them later. I have preserved them and I don’t know why. Happy hunting ground for rodents. Now, I have a reason to open it.

I use my grandfather’s walking stick to have better control over the situation. In better times, I use it to practice my hand to eye co-ordination

2.30 a.m. – There is no sign of any movement. Yeah, the lights are on. That creature won’t move until it is dark. But I want to keep an eye on him so can’s switch off the lights. I open the door of the room. I hope that it sees the darker side of the house and rushes towards it. Again a long wait for it to emerge… So I am waiting. I wonder if TOM & JERRY could ever be friends.

2.32 a.m. – No signs of movement. Now, here is a dilemma. Should I let it be in there or should I take pains to get it out of that place. What is the right thing to do at this time of the day? The answer is that I decide to blog.

2.45 a.m. – I use the stick to disturb his comfort level inside my close. I see that Ricky Ponting has developed a moustache. No, it’s actually his tail. Rodent’s not Ricky’s.
It vanishes in the flash. Now this fellow seems to be kissing John Wright. I push the stick hard. He jumps out and again finds a camouflage under my bed. This is a red alert area.

2.46 a.m. – There is a bag in which I have preserved every thing that I once used on a cricket ground. My 1st pair of keeping gloves, a dozens of inners, a few caps and yeah a lot of memories. The memories are safe .. What about the other things? Then there are a few meters of cables. It is such a mess that even my electrician doesn’t bother touching them. He calls it my Laboratory. And now, my new found roomy is in the lab. RAF needed.
1st things 1st. I safely remove the bag which has all near and dear things of mine. I wonder why the cutie hasn’t entered it. The answer is right. Those things have never been cleaned. The sweat still remains. Look Angad.. the medicine still works. No one can enter this bag until he decides to stop breathing.

But my friend is still hidden somewhere. I try to infuriate him but, no reaction. Hurrah .. In the process I find Chandrashekhar Gokhale’s Me Maza…. Thankooooo

2.49 a.m. – No sign of any movement as yet. Well the poor creature must be tired…
I decide to leave him alone .. its too late for him to leave my cozy room and find a place else where.
So finally, I will leave the room and let the mouse be here. I won’t switch of the lights cos he might again disturb himself. I will leave the fan on cos .. common it too hot. May be the noise of the fan will make him feel that I am still around and he doesn’t mess with my belongings.

So I will be going downstairs and sleeping in the guest room so that the guest can have a sound sleep.

As they say अतिथि देव भावः

Hello.. Mr Mouse Uncle .. the window is left open I don’t want to see you here in the after the sunrise.

GOOD NIGHT
SWEET DREAMS …

Did the MAHATMA ever cry ?

We tend to look at the personality rather than their character of any individual.
Personality defines the existence of the individual but it’s the character that defines the uniqueness.

The 'personality' will determine how the individual can be related to the group. The 'character' will defy any relation. It will define the difference between any two individuals.

Our personality is what we portray... and our character is what we think.

What do we see when we come across the statue of Mr. M.K. Gandhi? An old, weak man, with a dandi.

What do we think of him? The Father of the Nation... The man responsible for Indian Independence... The man who was termed as superhero .. or the MAHATMA

Too much information is laden upon us about GANDHIJI. I know more things about Gandhiji than I know (or even intend to know) about my grandfather. But should we believe in those things. I doubt even if a fiercest of Gandhi Devotee will speak the truth while speaking about Gandhiji.

Nathuram Ghodse had just one claim before he was hanged. “Gandhiji’s last words were not ‘hey-ram’. It was a mere ‘aah’ - that too, a very weak one. If people want to propagate that Gandhiji said ‘hey ram’, then they will be falsifying the image of a man who spent his life for the truth”

This, coming from the Nathuram Ghodse, receives a lot of respect because he was the only person who was aware of what was going around when the bullet hit Gandhiji.

And people have proved this time and again. What happened after 30 Jan 1948. Strong supporters to Gandhiji went on a mission to massacre all the Bramhins. People who believed in Gandhiji were involved in ‘anti-Gandhi’ activities.

So who was at fault?

Gandhiji? Well .. How can he be at a fault? He was termed as “THE MAHATMA”, right? Did he deserve to be the MAHATMA even if he wanted to be?

To me Gandhiji was just a normal person who did what he felt was right. Many of us do. I think he too was a victim of the media propaganda.

Gandhiji is responsible for Gandhism. To me Gandhiism is as strong as any other weapon in the world. But this weapon should be used by people with strong characters. Feeble minded people don’t deserve to know what Gandhism is.

Just one question - Did Gandhiji understand what Gandhism was?

He was so plagued by the attention that he forgot that the attention was supposed to be for Gandhism and not Gandhi. He was not the sole culprit. The sons of the soil are involved in this misinterpretation too. We don’t see the character. We see the person.

At a certain point of time, Gandhiji thought that he was bigger than the nation. His personal views were more important than the welfare of masses. This happens with celebrities. They are made to believe that they are larger than life just because their follower wanted him to be so.

He was wrong. But equally wrong were the followers. If we had seen the character of Gandhiji we could have stopped him from doing anything that was unlike Gandhi. Yes. There were better ways to stop FATHER OF THE NATION than the way Nathuram Ghodse did. Gandhiji could have been stopped if there were to be a believer of GANDHISM. Alas !!! there was none.

Nathuram had to enter the picture because no one was ready to accept Gandhism. And the one who was leading them away from Gandhism was M.K.Gandhi.

Gandhiji had to do it. He had to do it because people don’t listen what is being said, they are more interested in who says it. For him to make people listen, Gandhiji had to become a MAHATMA. MAHATMA for those who never really knew what a MAHATMA really means.
MAHATMA for blind and deaf people.

I am grateful to Gandhiji cos he showed us the power of GANDHISM. But he himself failed to follow Gandhism. He preached and taught to people who could not differentiate between Gandhi and Gandhiism.

The PERSONALITY got more importance than the CHARACTER.

No point if crying, Sir. The sons of the soil just aren’t worth it.

The Accolades ...

I don’t exactly know how it feels to play cricket at the Eden Gardens. But believe me, it should not be much bigger than running the MUMBAI MARATHON.
There is an excitement of being part of the biggest marathon in ASIA.
The city of MUMBAI is enchanting. Especially the VT station ( I still cant come to terms with CST), the Nariman Point, the Marine Drive, Haji Ali. I have some fond memories with these places in Mumbai.



Its is so fitting that the marathon happens on these roads.


I started this marathon with a pain in my legs. This was purely psychological. It was more because I could remember how it was when I finished the marathon last time.

I walked into Dadar station to catch a train to VT. As soon as I boarded the train I could feel the pain in my calves. I was worried if I could complete the marathon this time.


I got down at VT and didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to go and when to go. Last time around, I had Ninad and to follow. This time I was lazy enough to not do my homework. I waited outside the VT and let the atmosphere soak in. Then I went to the AZAD MAIDAN. There were these practice wickets and the nets. The morning dew on the grass on the wickets made me feel at home. After spending almost half an hour around them, I decided to go into the hold-up area.

It was as crowded as any other street in Mumbai. I was hoping that there be no stampede. It would have been a disaster.

Waiting there for another 30 minutes made me more anxious about everything. Then there was a buzz and the marathon had started.

By the time reached the starting point the clock had ticked 13 mins.
Ghoshh !!! I should have been there at the hold up area earlier. I wasted 13 mins.
Then the run started.

The crowd was amazing. There were DJ’s, Bhangra, Nasik Dhol, and people from all walks of life stating on the footpath and cheering. These guys don’t let you stop.



I wished Kasab watches this. Shoot as many as you want Kasab. The rest will keep running the marathon.

The race was amazing, I completed it in 2hrs 04 mins. Not far away from the winner who did it in an hour or so. But if you consider that I lost lot of time stuck up in the crowd, you might give me the benefit of the doubt.

I was in an ocean of thoughts throughout these 2 hrs 04 mins. I thought of some people. And here I would like to thank them.

My grandfather, at 90 he manages everything by himself. Some day I would like to be like him. He has shown me the importance of being fit right from my childhood.

Rahul Kad my neighbour and childhood friend who has been a sport frenetic. I would not have taken up to any kind of sport if he had not been around me then.

My parents. Especially my dad who has always talked about taking good care of the body. He hates it when he sees me in any kind of pain.

My sister. I happened to be with her on a 4 miles trail at Yosemite. That gave me the boost in confidence.

My coaches and team mates at the club. They have seen it and been with me when my body was in total give up state. Each of them made sure that they gave me some inputs, however useless though, and hoped that I get back in shape someday.

Rahul Giramkar, the man who introduced me to this wonderful thing called running. He has pushed me to extremes time and again and cursed at me when I gave up.

Mahendra Gokhale, my fitness trainer, Giramkar introduced me to him. I was fortunate to be around him for a few months. He explained me about the importance of legs and lower body. The tips that he gave me 5 yrs ago helped me to practice for the marathon.

Prabandhdha Bheese because he labelled me as the RoadRunner.

Various instructors and doctors who have attended me and never lost hope in me.




Abhijit Dada, Ninad and Ameya, my cousins who got this idea of running a marathon into my head.

Hemant Luthra… who once happened to make me believe that I could easily complete the full marathon. Yes Hemant… I plan to do it soon.

Rupesh Singh.. somehow he could not get into Indian Defence Academy. But I wish someday he too participates in the marathon.

The DJ, the navy band, the cheer leaders and the people of Mumbai. They kept of cheering and we kept on going

Dr Roy. This old man was running with us. His T shirt said “ Dr ROY – born in 1923”

Another old man, running with us, whom I met at the half way mark. I was thinking of taking a break.. I saw him jumping over the cones with full enthusiasm. I never again thought about taking a break until I finished the marathon.

Mr Jibu Soren.. he ran the marathon with the tricolour. People cheered him and that pushed me even further.



My legs. They belong to a wicket keeper. This is not the first time I have put them on test and surely will not be the last time.

I ran for all those dumb-heads who believed that I could do it. I had to prove that they are not that dumb

I ran for all those pundits who advised me not to be so stupid. I ran cos I wanted to know if they were right.

And last but not the least.. I ran cos I wanted to blog so you could comment.

A set of people asked me why I run. Sorry guys, I could not find an answer this time. May be I will be able to get the reason next time around.. hold on…

The best part of the marathon was that when I did complete it .. I could sit at the nets of AZAD MAIDAN and could contact many if not all these people whom I was thinking of.

A date with memories ...

Along with the new year comes the month of January.
A month which brings a promise. A promise of a change.
A month with a perfect stance but no substance.

This month lasts for just 31 days. But these 31 days are enough to bring our aspirations down to earth. A month that takes away with itself, all the desires of bringing a change. A month that makes us realize that this is going to be another long year. Just hang on .. don't think much.

In January comes the marathon. A marathon of thoughts, a marathon of actions...

The run is a complete test. A test of our stamina, a test of our strength. A test of perseverance. So many of them have asked me the reason I run. I am yet to figure out the answer.

Last time around I participated cos I wanted to see how far I could go. I knew I could go up to 7 km mark. But actually I completed the 21 km half marathon. Even I wonder how I managed. Just waking up one day and running 21 km without a single day of practice. It was unbelievable.

I remember I was jogging when I reached 16 km mark. Then came the 18 km marks. My ankles had given away. Yet I went on. After some time I realized that I had nothing to go on. I wanted to stop, rest ,quit. But the legs were not ready to stop. They were moving on. They didn't stop until I reached the finish line. They didn't stop when I had to line up in the queue to collect the certificate. They took me from Azad Maidan to Church Gate. They carried me in the heavy rush of Mumbai local upto Andheri.

It was like they had conquered the pain. They were dedicated to the job assigned and nothing in the world could stop them. Like Murarbaji, fighting the war even after being beheaded.

I take a lot of pride when see them.

A few days ago, I happened to be there for that.

I had to collect the bib and bag for my marathon. I took a local from Mulund to CST.

This was the 1st time that I was at CST after 26 Nov. As soon as reached the station I started imagining things. What exactly happened that day? From where did the 2 gunmen enter? How come no one detected them from the Gateway to CST? At the CST where did they start shooting... Where were the bodies lying?


First thing that cam to my mind was what if I have an AK-47 with me right now?
Who will stop me? There are metal detectors at CST but nothing of that sort at Mulund station. I can easily attack the CST from Mulund now. A day after the massacre at CST, news papers had shown photographs of the barricade set by the Railway Poilce. Surprisingly, these were absent now.

I visited that spot from where Mr Jillu Yadav attacked the terrorist. I searched for the camera which captured those moments later to be seen on youtube. It was not seen. May be it has been set at a position which only the railway police know.

But the fact is nothing had changed here. There was same ever existing lethargy in the system and a give up look in the eyes of the passengers.
We talk about Proactive Management. This one is not ever reactive. This is bloody insensitiveness. Come what may ... we won’t change. This city runs on goodwill.

Then I followed my way to Azad Maidan. As I reached the Maindan I saw the organisers busy preparing for the event. Here is where it ended last year. Here is where it will end this year.

Unwillingly though, I could visualize myself entering these Maidans after the run last year. I was in a mixed state of mind. Physically less, mentally more. My legs were in bad shape … but my mind was in worst state. All those thoughts that erupt when I am all by myself were there covering my brain. Like autumn leaves. I wanted to find the answer to them by the end of the year. I haven’t. And hence these thoughts will be there with me this year too. Some of them have reached soaring heights…

There was a sense of satisfaction that I had completed it. Along with it came a million dollar question … “ SO WHAT”

A part of me wanted to celebrate…. Others wondered HOW !!!

Last year, those heavy thoughts helped me in moving on … The burden of the distance did not bog me down. I hope this happens this year too.

So nothing has changed here too. I am now what I was then. The excitement about the marathon is lost. And now it feels like just another event.

On my way back home I was damn frustrated. Is there anything that can be done? Will everyone live just cos they were born a few years ago and have to survive the next few years?

I got the answer to this question on my way back home. In the heavy Mumbai Traffic.

On Peddar Road, my bus was stuck in this traffic. I looked at the buildings. The last time was here ... I was running on this road. On other days u cant even think about crossing it. This is one major change. WOW

Why did this happen. Because, 6 years ago, someone thought of organising a marathon, here. What ever his intensions be… people responded to it.

People are ready to spare one day of theirs to do something for everyone, to do something for the society, to something for a common cause. People are ready to change. For a few hours they are ready to forget their personal grudges and look at the bigger picture. The Picture of unity.

There I got my answer. I run marathon to celebrate UNITY.
The bond is so strong that people are ready to part away with their luxuries cos a few athletes will be enjoying themselves. They will gain nothing by gaining this. But still they will be doing it. They will be doing it cos they need the CHANGE.

This is the beauty of the event. It is going to start at the CST. It is going to go around the TRIDENT where most of the foreign athletes are staying. 35000 participants will be running.

I will be running too.
I will be running cos I love to run.
I will be running cos I want to be a part of those 35000.
I will be running cos there cheer leaders will be cheering me.
I will be running cos the public will be watching me.
I will be running cos I want to be proud of my legs again
I will be running cos its New Year, I will be running cos its January, I will be running cos its marathon …again.
I will be running cos I want to see the CHANGE.