My School prayer

Mind Without Fear

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;

Where knowledge is free;

Where the world has not been broken up

into fragments by narrow domestic walls;

Where words come out from the depth of truth;

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

Where the clear stream of reason

has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;

Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action---

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.


- Rabindranath Thakur

Of The Week

For about a month now I have been regularly following the online telecast of the show week that wasn't. It's a usual take on the present news, aired on IBN, anchored by Cyrus MTV Broacha. This is one show that truly is hilarious. The way it is presented, it seems like an extension of the Cyrus on MTV, and in fact it is. I love it anyway. Actually about half the jokes are not funny at all and the rest are PJs but somehow it does manage to tickle you and sometimes more than just that. The joy and enthusiasm with which Cyrus speaks is just awesome. Where it actually scores over the other cnews channel comedy shows is its 'no holds barred' approach. Unlike the other hosts, like Shekhar Suman, who always is wary not to insult the people, well, this team doesn't care one bit. An MTV approach to a news channel comedy show. Try it. It's different.

Of THE Marriage

"Ash and Abhi tie the knot"- The headlines read.
Am I interested? Well, yes I am interested. For the past few days there has been nothing more in news than the marriage of one of, now quite a few, Indian Miss World and a man, whose grandfather was as revolutionary in thoughts as with words, and whose father's movies, I, like many others, grew up watching. But this is certainly not what interested me. I was dying to see it get over. It's been quite sometime since an important 'pillar of democracy' ceased trying to peep in to 'Prateeksha'.

They didn't pay any heed to others' attempts to grab headlines. What about the 'Big Boss', huh? Now known in UK, she tried her best that people in India too start recognising her and the 'AIDS campaign' with Richard Gere provided the perfect platform,literally or otherwise, to launch herself, just as Janet Jackson had once shot to fame. Sorry dear, your timing couldn't be worse. People cast a glance at the photo and turned the page. On second thoughts, maybe she was trying to tell us, " This doesn't cause AIDS".

The gunman in the States too, though now known throughout the world, or at least wherever newspapers are published, could not convince the desi editors to grant him some credible space in the country with highest newspaper readers. Bad timing for you too, dear ummmm.... don't remember your name. Anyway, better luck next time man.

Jokes apart, my heart goes out to poor Sallu and Vicky. Have you any idea what they would be going through every time they pick up a newspaper or a magazine or switch on the TV or radio. Vicky feels sorry for the time when he blasted sallu in front of the media for trying to convince him in a not so polite manner.All he can do now isn't much, unlike sallu, who may decide to go for another ride in his car. Now since he couid not vent off like sallu, rumour has it that that he has protested against Hello mag for offering to cover the wedding and has cancelled his subscription of the same . Can the media ever comprehend the magnitude of pain and sympathy these two guys feel for shekhu? Sadly , I don't think so.

I'm sorry for other wannabes, whose name I didn't mention. Well I too, get my info from a newspaper and I could not sympathise about your failure because you did not succeed.

Cast:

Sallu: Salman Khan, the driver

Vicky: Vivek Oberoi, the actor

Big Boss: Shilpa Shetty, who the firangs abused, apologised and kissed

P.S: Thank god the marriage is over. Could not have taken any more of it.

Attended, attending & attendance

As you walk past the notice boards of your respective hostels, take a closer look. Amongst the wannabe Shaastra IPs, if you try hard enough, you may spot a circular with the Dean's stamp. You won't be allowed to stay in the hostel if your attendance falls short of a certain limit. The limit, I believe, has been set so high, that virtually half the rooms will have to be vacated. Interesting, isn't it? Apparently the instructor's too have been instructed to follow the rules strictly.

I really wonder why all this strictness all of a sudden. What good can come out of rooms vacated by 'the cream of the country'. Well of course, some beer bottles and sutta packets, along with a lot of stench surely will. Now since all of it will be empty, it isn't a very good way to get some free beer, respected sir. He may happen to be a collector of such stuff for all I know and this really is an effective way of increasing his collection manifolds.

Another reason is to rent out thus vacated rooms to Anna University students which may provide a much needed inflow of cash because I hear that the students' debts at Taramani have shot over the roofs and the shopkeepers have hired professionals ( read goons) , who recently paid a small visit to the Dean's office to retrieve the money.They were surprised to find a queue outside the office waiting to see him, most of which were drug-pedlers who also were grieving about the students' refusal to pay for stuff they used, or rather, snuffed. Upon the realisation that this defaulter's image will hurt the Institute in long run as word spreads really fast among corporates and our placements will be effected, was this strategy formulated.By our, I do NOT mean mine. I am in Biotech. which means I won't be placed anyway.


I have a suggestion, sir. We should try hitting at the softest spots.Why not put the same rule on mess too. Like the people who don't have 75% of the meals wouldn't be allowed to eat in mess. Now we should also keep in mind the bathing trends at IITM. Is there a possibility that bogs too can be brought under this rule's domain?

P.S.- After reading out the circular to his staff, the dean reportedly said " Nobody can stop an idea whose time has come"

DazeD

'Twas 7:55 in my watch. I, Varun and Anshul are walking to the Bt building, expecting to reach by 8:10, for a lecture that begins at 8. Well that is IST. I and Varun, too busy discussing the future of IIT and the fests, completely forget the proverbial crowd in two's company.

When we did notice his absence and looked back, we saw him looking the other way. 'waiting for a lift' we assumed. Well, apparently he was feeling faint and could not walk. Shortly after that, he fell flat on the road, hit by a couple of cycles. The security guard at the crossing had to drag him off the road. After sprinkling some water on his face, he finally came to senses and ran to the class, first thing.

Our hero entered the class 20 mins late nad tried explaining it to the prof, his ragamuffin appearance testifying his story. The Prof said " since you are so desperate to attend the class, i will let you, but cannot give you attendance"

Our hero fainted again, hit by a truck this time.

P.S.- Now a lot of theories were developed as to why he suddenly felt faint.
I, personally go with the one proposed by Deepak- " too much of phone on your ear is irradiating your head"

Of people and thoughts

" you are not as important to people as you think you are"- Nagesh Kukunoor

Well he gave a lecture last Saarang. It was then that he said this. He didn't quote it, but somehow, that's the only thing I remember about his lecture. It took me some time to apprehend his gist, but when I did it made stuff easier. Just tell yourself, whatever you do, however may you mess up, you can't make the world worse.If you really go wrong, it's ok, because people expect you to, and in some cases, want you to. Do stuff what you like to, others don't care, they don't have the time to. Like I am blogging. People, I know , won't read it and even if they do, won't think about it. So if you are reading this, I have no idea why you are by the way, think about it.

P.S.: I know it's senseless but I think the treat is justified now

Of DAs n' MACHAs

I knew about the nick- tradition prevailing in IITs before coming to the city, and I could reason that a few people may share the same nick. During my 1st day, I got confused. I just could not imagine how could so many students end up having a common nick. How could the seniors do that? Did they not anticipate the confusion it may create? We are supposed to be smart, and this seemed to me, a foolish act. I figured that if I go to a small group and call out that name, at least one will respond.

I was reminded of the old Hindi film, Angoor, which has 2 pair of actors sharing the same name. It is, I know a plot 'inspired' by the 'comedy of errors' but i speak of it because I found it more hilarious than the original. However, I was enjoying the comparisons which my (oh so) ignorant mind was busy drawing. My brain said, if 2 guys sharing the same name can give a classic and a hit, I have no doubt struck gold, or platinum. Uranium maybe?

My heart told me I am going to be rich. Chuck the studies, concentrate on the namesakes. Live out the 4 years, write truckloads of comedies of error or make a garden of Angoor. As i was busy counting my chickens, I heard the name again. I looked at the direction of the source. Hell broke loose when I realised that he was addressing none other than me. Keeping my cool, and gathering some courage, I went over to the senior and told him, " I haven't been nicked yet. DA is not my nick."

I hardly need to tell you how my air-castle fell and how the eggshells cracked, leaving behind no chicken to count upon.

Though it takes a lot of neck-twisting,I have turned a deaf ear to my heart ever since.