I just can't belive that I am getting married on Dec 21st. Well, yea I was kind of waiting for this day (I am being honest!!) but there were quite a few things that I wanted to do before losing my bachlors degree. The list is really big but for simplicity I would like to restrict it to only 10 things:
I wanted to do the following before losing my bachlor's:
1) Watch 4~5 movies with friends.
2) Go on a long drive and an overnight trip.
3) Bachlor's party - would have loved to get sloshed :-)
4) Freak out with my childhood buddies
5) Organize St. Micheals 1994 batch reunion
6) Lose weight :-)))
7) Watch Ghajini,Rab ne Bana di Jodi and Burn after reading
8) Re-arrange/re-organize/clean up my wardrobe
9) Sleep for long hours
10) Do something wacky/crazy - may be go on a trek or river rafting :-)
Well, I was unable to do nay of the above things - but what the hell? I can still do some of the above things after getting married :-)
Friday, December 19, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Trip to Visapur - a short story
“Vikash, you think Samar would make it for the trek today?” asked Ashutosh. “Knowing him I think he would definitely be here.” I replied. “Hmm…but we were not in touch for the past 1.5 years. I doubt if he even recollects what was discussed. I mean this is ridiculous dude, how can you not keep in touch with your best buddies?” said Ashutosh. “I agree Ashu but he is not the only one to be blamed. We too are equally responsible for not keeping in touch! We could have at least exchanged a few mails and kept in touch!” I explained. “Alright! Let’s wait for another hour or so and then leave. His number too is unreachable – at least he could have informed us about the new number.” said Ashutosh.
Ashutosh and I had come down to Mumbai after 5 years. We had plans of going on a trek to Visapur, Lonavala. During our good old college days, the three of us – Ashutosh, Samar and I were known for our trek tours. We had made this plan about 1.5 years ago when Samar had come to Cincinnati, USA to spend some time with us. Ashutosh and I had migrated to the US with our families about 10 years ago. Samar always wanted to pursue his career in India while we craved for the West. All of us were doing very well and were looking forward to a bright future. In these 1.5 years the three of us got extremely busy with our work and hardly kept in touch. Of course, Vikash and I being in the US were in constant touch but had lost contact with Samar.
Going for treks during monsoons had its own beauty. It was 6 am in the morning and we were waiting for Samar at a local tea stall in Powai. It was raining heavily and in order to beat the cold we had to go in for a hot cup of tea with fried pakodas.
Ashutosh came with two cups in his hand and a little boy followed with a plate full of hot and fried pakodas.“Here you go brother!” said Ashutosh as he gave the cup to me. “Man, nothing like a hot cup of ginger tea with fried pakodas.” I said. “How about dumping our original business plan and starting a franchise for pakodas in the US?” asked Ashutosh. “Yeah, sure go ahead!” I replied. “Let’s discuss it once we go back to the US.” replied Ashutosh. “What? You serious about this?” I asked. “Yeah, I am serious-ly joking about this!” replied Ashutosh with his typical wicked smile. “Very funny!” I said and got back to enjoying my pakodas.
We were startled by a loud knock on the window. It was Samar. “Sorry for the delay guys! I was stuck somewhere!” said Samar. “Where the fuck were you all these years!” asked Ashutosh. “I am sorry guys – I had plans of getting in touch with you about four months ago but something happened and I forgot all about it.” replied Samar. “Hey that’s alright! At least you remembered the trek and came all the way from Bangalore.” I replied. “I am sorry for being rude buddy but when did you reach Mumbai?” asked Ashutosh. “Yesterday! I am staying with my aunt.” explained Samar.
He was a changed man – he was not his usual self. The old Samar was a jovial and talkative guy – this guy was a stranger, at least that’s what I felt. “Let’s move guys!” said Ashutosh. “Guys, we will be taking the Mankhurd route via Ghatkoper and then hit the highway.” I said. “No, don’t do that!” replied Samar. “Why not?” I asked. “There has been an accident on the Mankhurd route and we may not be able to get out of that route.” explained Samar. “How do you know all this and it’s only 6:30 am in the morning we won’t get any traffic.” explained Ashutosh. “I heard it on the news and we will not be able to move out of that place because three trucks have over turned and are blocking the way.” explained Samar. We bought his explanation and took the Airoli route via Ghatkophar. It was raining cats and dogs and the foggy climate was making our journey even more interesting.
Around 8:30 am we reached Lonavala and decided to have our breakfast. “Guys, we are meeting tomorrow at my place for lunch and dinner. We won’t get any time today to catch up on the last 1.5 years so we can keep all of that for tomorrow and enjoy our trek. What say?” I asked. “Count me in!” replied Ashutosh. “Hmm…yeah sure!” said Samar. “What took you so long to think?” asked Ashutosh. “Samar, what is the matter with you? You are not the same old Samar we knew. What has happened in these last 1.5 years that has changed you so much? You hardly spoke in the car; you are not eating – what is the matter with you?” I asked.
I wanted my friend to open up. “All I can say is that something terrible has happened that has changed my life completely. I am fasting today hence won’t be eating anything.” explained Samar. “You are freaking us out, Samar. Can you be more specific?” asked Ashutosh. “Ashu, Vikash – whatever had to happen has happened. All is fine now except that the after effects still haunt us. Believe me when I say that things are back to normal now. I would not like to get into the details. I hope you understand.” explained Samar. “As long as things are fine we have no issues, buddy! Let’s stop this discussion and leave for Visapur. We still have to cover about 5-10 kms to reach the base of Visapur.” I said.
Around 9:30 am, we reached the Lohagad base and started our trek. Initially, it seemed to be a very easy climb but 15 minutes later, we realized that it won’t be that easy. We then reached a place where one path leads you to Lohagad and the other to Visapur Fort. Being a Saturday, it was crowded and most of the people were heading towards Lohagad. Hence, we decided to head for Visapur Fort.The scenery was beautiful but the roads were muddy and we had a tough time climbing up the hill. We lost our way twice and had to hire two kids to show us the way. There were occasional showers and the rocks were slippery so I had already started working on my will – one wrong move and I could end up falling on my head. In fact, I fell on the same knee thrice – it’s the worst thing that could happen on a trek.“Ouch!” I yelled. I was unable to put my foot in the front – the pain was unbearable. Samar asked me to sit on the nearby rock and started massaging my knee. He had a healing touch and I could bend my knee and was able to stand. “I have already started work on my will. You never know when you might face the angel of death on this trek.” I said. “You have a long life my friend. So don’t worry about it. You and Ashu have a long way to go – this is just the beginning of your life.” said Samar. “What do you mean beginning of our life? We are almost in our mid-thirties!” asked Ashutosh. “I meant that you guys are doing extremely well in your respective careers and will continue to do so for the next 30 years or so.” explained Samar. “Samar Baba ki Jai!” said Ashutosh. “Thanks Samar – feeling much better now. Let’s hope that we continue to succeed in our respective domains.” I said.
Finally, after a lot of hardship we reached the top of the fort around 1230 pm. It was a beautiful sight as we were surrounded by lush green trees and hills. We found a good place to sit where the sight was beautiful. It was drizzling and the temperature might have been around 5-6 degrees celsius. Ashutosh was carrying a bottle of port wine – we opened it and started gulping it down. Samar was on a fast so he did not taste it.I wondered when I would get to see the old Samar doing his crazy antics. I just hoped and prayed for Samar’s happiness. Ashutosh was a good cook and he was carrying some food. We gave some food to those little kids accompanying us. I wanted to break the silence and decided to start talking to Samar.
“So, Samar what about your dream house – how are things progressing on that front?” “That will remain a dream for the rest of my life?” he replied with a dejected face. I had hit the wrong chord. I knew for sure that he was facing a financial problem. “Why do you say so?” asked Ashutosh. “Forget about me guys!” said Samar with a big smile on his face. We had been dying to see that smile on his face. We knew he was hiding his pain and covering it up with his trademark smile. He continued “Don’t worry about me! I am fine. Everyone has to go through this phase of life. You guys should think about your dream venture!” We were surprised to hear that because we had never mentioned anything about our business plans to Samar. “Hey how do you know about our business plans?” I asked him. “Well, I have my own sources you see!” replied Samar. “I am just kidding!” he said with his trademark smile. “No, but how did you…?” asked Ashutosh. “Guys, about 1.5 years ago under the influence of alcohol you guys had revealed your plans to me. I am glad that you guys were serious about it and have started working on it” replied Samar.
We then changed the topic and started discussing our respective family lives. At least we got Samar talking – he was not his usual self but better than what he was in the morning. I felt the urge to ask him the exact problem but before I could say anything he got up and said “Guys, it is already 4:30 pm and we need to start climbing down. It might start raining heavily and we will find it difficult to get down.” It’s as if he had sensed what was coming. We nodded and agreed to make our way back.We assumed the journey downhill to be quick and easy. But to our surprise we were slipping and sliding our way back down. Due to the knee injury I could not keep my leg straight so I had to take help from Ashutosh while climbing down.Once we reached the base, we were surprised to see the crowd there. There were people dancing and singing. Some of them were so sloshed that they didn’t know what they were doing. It was a funny sight!
Ashutosh was in no mood to drive so I had to drive back home. We reached Powai around 8 pm. “What next?” asked Ashutosh. “Well, you guys need to come up for a cup of coffee before proceeding. My folks have gone out so we can chill out!” I replied. “Man you remind me of our college days – folks not at home so we can enjoy, huh?” said Ashutosh. “Guys, I need to be at my aunt’s place – so you will have to excuse me. I am not sure about tomorrow either.” said Samar. “C’mon buddy! We are meeting after 1.5 years and you want to be with your aunt, that’s not done!” I said. “I know that but please understand my situation. I am staying at my aunt’s place and she is very particular about punctuality. I know it sounds funny at this age but I am a guest in her house.” explained Samar. We could not stop him. “Fine buddy! When do we get to see you? How do we know that you have reached home safely? Give us some contact number.” said Ashutosh. He gave us a number and said “Just think about me and you will find me by your side. Your life is about to change for good! All the best and be good!”
After having a hot cup of coffee we decided to call up Samar’s aunt. I dialed the number and put it on the loudspeaker.
Vikash: Hello, am I speaking to Mrs. Pandey?
Mrs. Pandey: Yes, that’s right!
Vikash: Hello aunty, I am Vikash – Samar’s friend.
Mrs. Pandey: Hello beta! What can I do for you?
Vikash: We just came back from a trip and wanted to know if Samar has reached home safely.
Mrs. Pandey: What kind of a joke is this? Are you out of your mind?
Vikash: Wh-Why? What happened?
Mrs. Pandey: You call yourself his friend and don’t know what has happened?
Vikash: I beg to differ but I don’t understand what you are trying to say.
Mrs. Pandey: Samar died about 4 months ago. He and his family were on their way back when they met with an accident – they died on the spot.
Ashutosh and I were speechless when we heard what Samar’s aunt had just said. We couldn’t believe a word she was saying. How can a person spend an entire day with us when he is already dead? Now we know why he was so detached and aloof. Was he visible only to us? I remember those kids giving us crazy looks. My chain of thoughts was broken by my crazy ringtone – it was an international call. I wanted to disconnect the call but Ashutosh didn’t let me.It was a call from our business agent – “Vikash, congratulations! I was trying to get through your number since yesterday. Your business proposal has been accepted and we can go ahead with it. Being a weekend we can’t do anything as of now but will send in your papers along with Ashutosh’s on Monday and get the ball rolling. Congrats once again and hope to see you soon!”
Our life had indeed changed for the good. We were on our way to fulfill our dreams. We were in no mood to celebrate our success - we had lost a dear friend forever! Samar was a man of principles and kept his word even after his death. I hugged Ashutosh and we wept the whole night.
Ashutosh and I had come down to Mumbai after 5 years. We had plans of going on a trek to Visapur, Lonavala. During our good old college days, the three of us – Ashutosh, Samar and I were known for our trek tours. We had made this plan about 1.5 years ago when Samar had come to Cincinnati, USA to spend some time with us. Ashutosh and I had migrated to the US with our families about 10 years ago. Samar always wanted to pursue his career in India while we craved for the West. All of us were doing very well and were looking forward to a bright future. In these 1.5 years the three of us got extremely busy with our work and hardly kept in touch. Of course, Vikash and I being in the US were in constant touch but had lost contact with Samar.
Going for treks during monsoons had its own beauty. It was 6 am in the morning and we were waiting for Samar at a local tea stall in Powai. It was raining heavily and in order to beat the cold we had to go in for a hot cup of tea with fried pakodas.
Ashutosh came with two cups in his hand and a little boy followed with a plate full of hot and fried pakodas.“Here you go brother!” said Ashutosh as he gave the cup to me. “Man, nothing like a hot cup of ginger tea with fried pakodas.” I said. “How about dumping our original business plan and starting a franchise for pakodas in the US?” asked Ashutosh. “Yeah, sure go ahead!” I replied. “Let’s discuss it once we go back to the US.” replied Ashutosh. “What? You serious about this?” I asked. “Yeah, I am serious-ly joking about this!” replied Ashutosh with his typical wicked smile. “Very funny!” I said and got back to enjoying my pakodas.
We were startled by a loud knock on the window. It was Samar. “Sorry for the delay guys! I was stuck somewhere!” said Samar. “Where the fuck were you all these years!” asked Ashutosh. “I am sorry guys – I had plans of getting in touch with you about four months ago but something happened and I forgot all about it.” replied Samar. “Hey that’s alright! At least you remembered the trek and came all the way from Bangalore.” I replied. “I am sorry for being rude buddy but when did you reach Mumbai?” asked Ashutosh. “Yesterday! I am staying with my aunt.” explained Samar.
He was a changed man – he was not his usual self. The old Samar was a jovial and talkative guy – this guy was a stranger, at least that’s what I felt. “Let’s move guys!” said Ashutosh. “Guys, we will be taking the Mankhurd route via Ghatkoper and then hit the highway.” I said. “No, don’t do that!” replied Samar. “Why not?” I asked. “There has been an accident on the Mankhurd route and we may not be able to get out of that route.” explained Samar. “How do you know all this and it’s only 6:30 am in the morning we won’t get any traffic.” explained Ashutosh. “I heard it on the news and we will not be able to move out of that place because three trucks have over turned and are blocking the way.” explained Samar. We bought his explanation and took the Airoli route via Ghatkophar. It was raining cats and dogs and the foggy climate was making our journey even more interesting.
Around 8:30 am we reached Lonavala and decided to have our breakfast. “Guys, we are meeting tomorrow at my place for lunch and dinner. We won’t get any time today to catch up on the last 1.5 years so we can keep all of that for tomorrow and enjoy our trek. What say?” I asked. “Count me in!” replied Ashutosh. “Hmm…yeah sure!” said Samar. “What took you so long to think?” asked Ashutosh. “Samar, what is the matter with you? You are not the same old Samar we knew. What has happened in these last 1.5 years that has changed you so much? You hardly spoke in the car; you are not eating – what is the matter with you?” I asked.
I wanted my friend to open up. “All I can say is that something terrible has happened that has changed my life completely. I am fasting today hence won’t be eating anything.” explained Samar. “You are freaking us out, Samar. Can you be more specific?” asked Ashutosh. “Ashu, Vikash – whatever had to happen has happened. All is fine now except that the after effects still haunt us. Believe me when I say that things are back to normal now. I would not like to get into the details. I hope you understand.” explained Samar. “As long as things are fine we have no issues, buddy! Let’s stop this discussion and leave for Visapur. We still have to cover about 5-10 kms to reach the base of Visapur.” I said.
Around 9:30 am, we reached the Lohagad base and started our trek. Initially, it seemed to be a very easy climb but 15 minutes later, we realized that it won’t be that easy. We then reached a place where one path leads you to Lohagad and the other to Visapur Fort. Being a Saturday, it was crowded and most of the people were heading towards Lohagad. Hence, we decided to head for Visapur Fort.The scenery was beautiful but the roads were muddy and we had a tough time climbing up the hill. We lost our way twice and had to hire two kids to show us the way. There were occasional showers and the rocks were slippery so I had already started working on my will – one wrong move and I could end up falling on my head. In fact, I fell on the same knee thrice – it’s the worst thing that could happen on a trek.“Ouch!” I yelled. I was unable to put my foot in the front – the pain was unbearable. Samar asked me to sit on the nearby rock and started massaging my knee. He had a healing touch and I could bend my knee and was able to stand. “I have already started work on my will. You never know when you might face the angel of death on this trek.” I said. “You have a long life my friend. So don’t worry about it. You and Ashu have a long way to go – this is just the beginning of your life.” said Samar. “What do you mean beginning of our life? We are almost in our mid-thirties!” asked Ashutosh. “I meant that you guys are doing extremely well in your respective careers and will continue to do so for the next 30 years or so.” explained Samar. “Samar Baba ki Jai!” said Ashutosh. “Thanks Samar – feeling much better now. Let’s hope that we continue to succeed in our respective domains.” I said.
Finally, after a lot of hardship we reached the top of the fort around 1230 pm. It was a beautiful sight as we were surrounded by lush green trees and hills. We found a good place to sit where the sight was beautiful. It was drizzling and the temperature might have been around 5-6 degrees celsius. Ashutosh was carrying a bottle of port wine – we opened it and started gulping it down. Samar was on a fast so he did not taste it.I wondered when I would get to see the old Samar doing his crazy antics. I just hoped and prayed for Samar’s happiness. Ashutosh was a good cook and he was carrying some food. We gave some food to those little kids accompanying us. I wanted to break the silence and decided to start talking to Samar.
“So, Samar what about your dream house – how are things progressing on that front?” “That will remain a dream for the rest of my life?” he replied with a dejected face. I had hit the wrong chord. I knew for sure that he was facing a financial problem. “Why do you say so?” asked Ashutosh. “Forget about me guys!” said Samar with a big smile on his face. We had been dying to see that smile on his face. We knew he was hiding his pain and covering it up with his trademark smile. He continued “Don’t worry about me! I am fine. Everyone has to go through this phase of life. You guys should think about your dream venture!” We were surprised to hear that because we had never mentioned anything about our business plans to Samar. “Hey how do you know about our business plans?” I asked him. “Well, I have my own sources you see!” replied Samar. “I am just kidding!” he said with his trademark smile. “No, but how did you…?” asked Ashutosh. “Guys, about 1.5 years ago under the influence of alcohol you guys had revealed your plans to me. I am glad that you guys were serious about it and have started working on it” replied Samar.
We then changed the topic and started discussing our respective family lives. At least we got Samar talking – he was not his usual self but better than what he was in the morning. I felt the urge to ask him the exact problem but before I could say anything he got up and said “Guys, it is already 4:30 pm and we need to start climbing down. It might start raining heavily and we will find it difficult to get down.” It’s as if he had sensed what was coming. We nodded and agreed to make our way back.We assumed the journey downhill to be quick and easy. But to our surprise we were slipping and sliding our way back down. Due to the knee injury I could not keep my leg straight so I had to take help from Ashutosh while climbing down.Once we reached the base, we were surprised to see the crowd there. There were people dancing and singing. Some of them were so sloshed that they didn’t know what they were doing. It was a funny sight!
Ashutosh was in no mood to drive so I had to drive back home. We reached Powai around 8 pm. “What next?” asked Ashutosh. “Well, you guys need to come up for a cup of coffee before proceeding. My folks have gone out so we can chill out!” I replied. “Man you remind me of our college days – folks not at home so we can enjoy, huh?” said Ashutosh. “Guys, I need to be at my aunt’s place – so you will have to excuse me. I am not sure about tomorrow either.” said Samar. “C’mon buddy! We are meeting after 1.5 years and you want to be with your aunt, that’s not done!” I said. “I know that but please understand my situation. I am staying at my aunt’s place and she is very particular about punctuality. I know it sounds funny at this age but I am a guest in her house.” explained Samar. We could not stop him. “Fine buddy! When do we get to see you? How do we know that you have reached home safely? Give us some contact number.” said Ashutosh. He gave us a number and said “Just think about me and you will find me by your side. Your life is about to change for good! All the best and be good!”
After having a hot cup of coffee we decided to call up Samar’s aunt. I dialed the number and put it on the loudspeaker.
Vikash: Hello, am I speaking to Mrs. Pandey?
Mrs. Pandey: Yes, that’s right!
Vikash: Hello aunty, I am Vikash – Samar’s friend.
Mrs. Pandey: Hello beta! What can I do for you?
Vikash: We just came back from a trip and wanted to know if Samar has reached home safely.
Mrs. Pandey: What kind of a joke is this? Are you out of your mind?
Vikash: Wh-Why? What happened?
Mrs. Pandey: You call yourself his friend and don’t know what has happened?
Vikash: I beg to differ but I don’t understand what you are trying to say.
Mrs. Pandey: Samar died about 4 months ago. He and his family were on their way back when they met with an accident – they died on the spot.
Ashutosh and I were speechless when we heard what Samar’s aunt had just said. We couldn’t believe a word she was saying. How can a person spend an entire day with us when he is already dead? Now we know why he was so detached and aloof. Was he visible only to us? I remember those kids giving us crazy looks. My chain of thoughts was broken by my crazy ringtone – it was an international call. I wanted to disconnect the call but Ashutosh didn’t let me.It was a call from our business agent – “Vikash, congratulations! I was trying to get through your number since yesterday. Your business proposal has been accepted and we can go ahead with it. Being a weekend we can’t do anything as of now but will send in your papers along with Ashutosh’s on Monday and get the ball rolling. Congrats once again and hope to see you soon!”
Our life had indeed changed for the good. We were on our way to fulfill our dreams. We were in no mood to celebrate our success - we had lost a dear friend forever! Samar was a man of principles and kept his word even after his death. I hugged Ashutosh and we wept the whole night.
Graphology
(****After a gap of 4 months I finally decided to get back to blogging. Writing has been a passion but have no time to write. I will make it a point to write few things on my blog - either daily or once a week***).
Last week, I completed my course in graphology - I am now a professional graphologist. I need to analyze as many samples as possible in order to become proficient and then go for the advanced course in March/May.
Why did I learn Graphology?
I was always intrigued by human psychology - though graphology doesn't deal with that subject directly, it does have some relation to it. Self-improvement too was one of the reasons why I went in for this course. I wish to change myself and also help the HR department of my company in their recruitment decisions.
Where did I learn it from?
I learnt it from the Institute of Graphological Studies, Prabhadevi. Our faculty, Mr. Anal Pandit (Sir) had an in-depth knowledge f the subject and made it very interesting for all of us (students). His sense of humor combined with beautifully woven stories made it easier for me to grasp the subject.
Will I recommend this institute to others?
I would definitely recommend Anal sir and his institute. No-no I am not getting any cut for recommending him :-) Seriously guys, if you wih to learn graphology then it has to be from IGS that too under the able guidance of Anal Sir.
Last week, I completed my course in graphology - I am now a professional graphologist. I need to analyze as many samples as possible in order to become proficient and then go for the advanced course in March/May.
Why did I learn Graphology?
I was always intrigued by human psychology - though graphology doesn't deal with that subject directly, it does have some relation to it. Self-improvement too was one of the reasons why I went in for this course. I wish to change myself and also help the HR department of my company in their recruitment decisions.
Where did I learn it from?
I learnt it from the Institute of Graphological Studies, Prabhadevi. Our faculty, Mr. Anal Pandit (Sir) had an in-depth knowledge f the subject and made it very interesting for all of us (students). His sense of humor combined with beautifully woven stories made it easier for me to grasp the subject.
Will I recommend this institute to others?
I would definitely recommend Anal sir and his institute. No-no I am not getting any cut for recommending him :-) Seriously guys, if you wih to learn graphology then it has to be from IGS that too under the able guidance of Anal Sir.
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