The idea of running through profiles of numerous 20-something(goes without saying - single,intelligent,smart,pretty) ladies on orkut appeals to me well. And am not giving it up for any crap in the foreseeable future.
Wanted to write on and about this day since long.Looks like I finally have the time. There are teachers and there are teachers. But there are few who are like the ones I will soon mention.Since I find myself on the verge of ending my academic life officially(but as the wise man says,learning continues till death;I concur completely),I wish to take this opportunity to thank these people for the tremendous impact they've had on my life.I hope that none of you will read too much into the order in which the names appear.
Mr V K Bansal(Owner and Founder of Bansal Classes,Kota) - I remember how I had a dream of getting into Bansal Classes and how I thought my subsequent dream would be realized on the completion of this one. It was probably then that I had researched so much on him and on his coaching institute.I knew he was suffering from an illness that restricted his mobility and that brought an ultra-cool chair(Stephen Hawking waali,almost) - that made him even more famous with the average citizen of the lazy city of Kota.The first lecture I had from him was on Probability(he ensures he and no one else teaches this topic to all students).And later, on Co-ordinate Geometry. I found him to be a very normal teacher - explaining the same concepts,reading out the same formula and at times cracking jokes on common topics to sustain the attention span.But there were certain things about him that struck immediately.He had the knack of giving us some important lessons on life.From the legendary "Little Progress each day adds to big results" (which was probably the idea behind his unique strategy of the Daily Practice Problems) to "अगर तुम्हें ज़िन्दगी में कुछ न मिले तोह दुखी मत होना | क्यूंकि इस हार में किसी और (ऊपर वाले) की भी इच्छा शामिल है और ज़रूर उसने तुम्हारे लिए इससे भी कहीं ज्यादा अची चीज़ रखी है | " ,he I thought, gave me short courses on how to live.Mind you,his expertise did not just limit itself to being philosophical but also touched upon how to enjoy what you're doing - "Shave regularly,wear great clothes,have a spring in every step even if you're facing the most difficult challenge of your life".I can confidently say that he was the man who sparked off my interest in philosophy and life in general.
Carlyle McFarland(Lecturer at Christian College,Lucknow) - was the one whose English tuition classes I took in the X standard,to prevent my skills from deteriorating any further. I remember, he used to enter the classroom with great energy and a wide smile.Patting people's backs,pulling their cheeks while displaying the rosiness of his own, as he made his way to the podium through the narrow aisle.Immensely disciplined,all his lectures lasted for 45 minutes - not a minute less not a minute more.Within that span,he started the day with a brief revision of all that had happened in the play(we were reading the Merchant of Venice) in the previous few pages. While continuing further, he inserted some corny jokes,smart quotes while the class struggled to keep themselves from falling off their chairs laughing.It was power-packed,I tell you!! He was probably the only teacher from whose lectures I benefited the most.I still remember a few lines from MoV just because of his unique ways of pronouncing them.I just wish he could command more respect from the insincere sections of his class(it was a majority) that took his jocular nature for granted.
Mr Joseph Varkey(Lecturer at CMS,Lucknow) - My mathematics tutor in the Xth standard. A very disciplined teacher who never mocked at his students' inability to grasp a simple concept quickly.For every doubt presented he had a unique way of simplifying aspects and rephrasing it multiple times till it quietly made a place into the student's head.Always stating clearly his expectations from each student in accordance with his/her caliber,he was also very forthcoming in telling people how disappointed he felt every time they fell short with a "You can do much,much better". He became such a favourite with the entire campus that parents flocked to him regularly to convince him to start teaching Chemistry and Physics while they expressed their discontentment with the other options that were afflicted by unusual hairiness and lack of hygiene.
Mr Derek Jackson(St. Francis' College,Lucknow) - English teacher for a few years in my senior classes. The first thing that struck one about him was his immaculate dressing sense.One of the most well-dressed and confident people I have met,he tried his best to pass this on to his students as well. In class Xth,while he was my class-teacher he made us run through regular checks on nails,hair-length and the neatness of our shoes.The image of the entire class lining outside X-D sequentially raising overturned palms,turning heads,constructing expressions of I-hope-am-not-caught(it was difficult to meet Mr Jackson's standards),trying hard to conceal the back end of the shoes(that accumulated the maximum dust during 'PT periods') and the defaulters separating from the queue to receive tight cane-strokes on their butts later ,while the rest of the sections mocked at our misery with immense delight,just fails to get erased from my mind.It was during those years perhaps that I gradually developed the habit of dressing neatly and of getting pissed off by unintelligent apparel choice.
Mr JJ (Bansal Classes,Kota) - taught me Mathematics. Sported a necklace-like thing that one probably expects the youth to sport and not a mature man like him. But once you attend his lectures you will sense the sanctity with which he conducts them.Extremely professional and very understanding ,he was quick at finding chinks in a student's armour.He was the one who enlightened me about the importance of concentrating hard.I treasure the example he gave during that particular lecture - about the difference between a driver driving at a high speed(fully charged and focused on the road) and a driver who runs it slowly while engaging in waving at people outside(and not concentrating enough on driving). That day, he instantly registered himself as one of the best people I had come across.
So teachers,you might not be reading this but you've played a massive part in my small life and made it much richer than was expected.
On this day,for that and so much more,I remain grateful. Forever grateful.
क्यूँ आज,इस तन्हैयी में धुन्दू मैं तुझे | क्यूँ आज,मेरे अन्दर का खौफ्फ़ सिमटाए मुझे | क्यूँ आज,उन्ही घुंघरू के साथ बजने का मन करे मुझे | क्यूँ आज,तेरे केशों की सुगंध फिर तरसाइए मुझे | क्यूँ आज,तेरे होंठों से निकले हुए शब्द मदहोश करे मुझे | क्यूँ आज,तेरी वोह बरसो पुरानी लचक लगे नवीनसी मुझे | क्यूँ आज,तेरी हंसी की वोह आवाज़ फिर खीचना चाहे मुझे | क्यूँ आज,उस बीते हुए कल की ओर भागने का मन् करे मुझे | क्यूँ आज,फिर तू मुढ़कर न देखे मुझे | क्यूँ आज,तू बरसों बाद फिर छोड़ कर जाए मुझे |
Been very busy sleeping today. But even then,managed to open my eyes to observe the lethargy with which the world moves during weekends. A few things that you might have missed fighting your weekend boredom :
Dr.Manmohan Singh's (spotted delivering his Independence Day address from atop the Lal Quila) hindi sounded as if he was dutifully tutored by Mrs Sonia Gandhi for the occasion.Not that his accent was appropriate earlier,but even then.
News of Shah Rukh Khanbeing detained at the Newark Airport for two hours of mindless questioning reached Indian shores and the print media queued up to get his version of the incident(ofcourse,to give a spike to the TRPs).This particular anchor from NDTV 24x7,succeeds in asking him the dumbest set of questions heard in recent times.They were : Do you think[that by this unreasonable detention]they are trying to bring your popularity levels down given the fact that a google search on your name throws up far more number of results than some of the biggest starts in Hollywood? What impact will this incident have on your children? NDTV,don't worry you will do well but it's just that Aaj Tak and India TV are seasoned players,beating them shall not be easy.
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is THE MAN. You should hop to his blog (without of course,severing your connections with this one) and read the way his rips apart everyone except his market. Am the latest entrant in his long list of fans,even though at times I agree, he resorts to obscenity.
For some men food is not the only delight at Barbeque Nation. They also draw immense pleasure from mischievous dresses of the ladies present.
That's it folks! Hope you're loving the weekday-weekend cycle as much as I am.
Hypocrisy,arrogance,pride,anger,harshness and ignorance ; these are the marks of those who are born with demonic qualities.
One who has control over the mind is tranquil in heat and cold, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and dishonor; and is ever steadfast with the Supreme Self.
Perform your obligatory duty, because action is indeed better than inaction.
A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return.
In battle, in the forest, at the precipice in the mountains, On the dark great sea, in the midst of javelins and arrows, In sleep, in confusion, in the depths of shame, The good deeds a man has done before defend him
There is nothing lost or wasted in this life.
Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is.
People will talk about your disgrace forever. To the honored, dishonor is worse than death.
To the illumined man or woman, a clod of dirt, a stone, and gold are the same.
One can become whatever one wants to be [if one constantly contemplates on the object of desire with faith].
Fear not what is not real, never was and never will be. What is real, always was and cannot be destroyed.
Whatever you do, make it an offering to me -- the food you eat, the sacrifices you make, the help you give, even your suffering.
The power of God is with you at all times; through the activities of mind, senses, breathing, and emotions; and is constantly doing all the work using you as a mere instrument.
You have the power to act only,you do not have the power to influence the result ; therefore you must act without the anticipation of the result,without succumbing to inaction.
Action is the product of the qualities inherent in nature.
Even as a tortoise draws in its limbs, the wise can draw in their senses at will.
It is better to do thine own duty, however lacking in merit, than to do that of another, even though efficiently. It is better to die doing one's own duty, for to do the duty of another is fraught with danger.
The non permanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of summer and winter seasons.
Michael Vaughan(the then captain of the English Cricket team) met a nervous Kevin Pietersen who was on his way to play his first innings against the mighty Proteas well supported by over 60,000 wildly shrieking fans inside the gigantic Wanderers. To prevent the young lad from getting initimidated by the massive vocal support of the opponents,Vaughan deployed the following words
“The ball is white the ball is round, you know what you’ve done to get here, just watch it as hard as you can.”
It is difficult to put in words how badly this place fares when compared to its numerous competitors - like this one. Generations will come and generations will go but few will realise the suffering it has shed upon this innocent soul all these months. I can predict, with high accuracy and considerable ease that when it is finally reduced into slitherings by shrewd bloggers around the world it will not die a peaceful death.
