Are we what we think??

One of the questions which always bothers me is: What exactly is our purpose to live? What exactly are we here to do? And are we doing it? And why are we doing what we are doing? And whether something called destiny is present in our lives? If not then why am i in the place i am instead of yours? And if so then who decides the destiny? What bothers me most is this scenario which i frequently imagine. Consider yourself in the position/location u are right now. Now just consider yourself from the eyes of a lizard had it been on the ceiling of the room you are in. Easy... Let me make it more difficult. Move the ceiling a little higher. Or maybe as high as you can imagine. and now look through the lizards eye again. And remember only the ceiling goes high. The walls of the room do not expand.... See how small you've gone. Well we've not reached even half of what we know. Consider the ceiling to be transparent or better if you can imagine your room without the ceiling. Consider an aeroplane which is just flying above your head. And a five year old kid is looking out of his window directly at you. Do you think you are the only thing visible to him? Just try to imagine the perspective of his gaze. Well if you are able to do so let's take a huge leap and land on the moon. The only manmade thing visible from there as they say is Great Wall of China. What happened to you? You are just one of the people whom the astronaut on the moon can't even see. Want to go further?? Your wish... You can go on to the other galaxies and much further and you'll find the worthlessness of yourself. I'm not saying you are worthless. What I'm trying to say is that when i reach such heights i find myself negligible as compared to the huge scenario in front of me. So i wonder. What exactly is my purpose of existence. I already have written an entry on it. But one of the gruesome realizations/question that comes to my mind is that...
From the eyes of the five year old kid in the aeroplane the scenario seems similar to what your eyes see when you look down at a cockroach. I didn't want to use this scenario but this is what exactly comes to my mind. So the people who have problems in coming to terms with this scenario... please do not read any further. And i apologise beforehand if i hurt someone while describing my thoughts any further. How much difference is there between the two scenarios i just mentioned? We are populating as much as i guess with the same speed as the cockroaches are or can. Most of us think that they are making a difference to the society or the world but they actually make the same kind of difference on a larger scale as an intelligent cockroach does by making an artificial leg for a leggicapped cockroach. Most of us just care about our families and relatives and their well being. In fact so do cockroaches. Most of us have just money on their mind(which after a long discussion can be equalised to food) and so do they. Can you imagine whether cockroaches can play football or not? How sure can you be that they do not build football fields hidden from us? Or that they do not have hangouts where they go on special occasions? Of course they will be special to them and not to us. Just like our sports are special to us but not to a lot of other people. And by the way i guess that i think about cockroaches instead of any other insects because i hate them a lot.
Not going into any further details but all this makes me think if i am like a cockroach to someone just like a cockroach is to me.

Why is India so....??? - II

Here I go again from the fourth question: Maman??

Don't we recognise him?? He's everywhere. Just behind the curtain waiting to be found out. He's one of us and sometimes in us. Once again the importance of money for us creeps up. We can do anything and everything for money. Ethics/Relations are nothing in front of money to us as long as those being hurt are not one of our own. So actually this is a simple depiction of "we don't care about others. What we care about is money."

And another part of the same question: "Begging as profession??"

Leave aside the children who are forced to do it. Even the adults who are capable of working go for begging as a profession. Don't believe me?? One of the popular newspapers conducted a survey/interview on beggars in Mumbai. They found out that a most of them had properties worth more than a normal worker in an industry. A few infact owned and rented houses to others as another source of income while they themselves lived in Slums. One of them boasted of coming in a well ironed dress in an auto everyday to his workplace(the place where he sits and begs) where he changes into his work clothes(tatters) and leaves the same way 10 hours later and a few hundreds richer. This is how low we can go for money. Thinking that at least you are not such. Well not exactly. But yet.. no different. How many of us are who wont do something morally wrong if they are assured of no ill consequences and high gains. If you wont then search among the people you know. You'll definitely find a lot.

Another part after the fourth question which comes is: Taj Mahal??

This part I'm sure most of us is familiar with. Even the government is not behind. We charge the foreigners insanely high for most of the things. I don't yet know the logic why the govt. does so except increasing the forex. Yet, even we people never leave a chance to mug them in way of overcharging. Something which the locals can buy at 50 Rupees the foreigners are charges 50$ or more... which when converted turns out to be 2500 Rupees. or a mug profit of 2450. So see the high gain and low risk. We are adept at doing such things. And this is true not only for foreigners but even for people within India. I remember the first time i went to my college which was within my own state, i paid 5 times the rent for an auto rickshaw after i stepped down from the bus. Only because i did not know how far my college was located.

Moving on to the fifth and sixth question: Well.. I've already explained how low people can go for money and how much sense of ownership they have.

Well looks like I've covered all the scenarios from SlumDog in the first four questions. The other questions are just another representation of the things I've already listed.

However as someone mentioned in a comment in my last post:"It is written"

This shows how much we believe in luck/destiny instead of what we actually do. Infact even I, myself believe a lot in it. But actually in a way different than others. I instead of believing what is written for my future try to prove why it was written in my past. And I'll enumerate my findings some other day. The title probably would be "Plain Lucky"

Why is India so....???

This has a simple answer. Because "we" made it so.

Well one can not go back and see the history with one's own eyes. One has to rely upon the literature of that era for the information. But as much as i believe India was always a state, other empires were jealous of. So how did we become from an object of awe to an object of pity. The once "Golden Bird" of the world which foreigners looked upon in awe is now looked upon in pity?? Don't you think so... What does "SlumDog Millionaire" depict. The world thinks that it is true India. We, Indians, say it is not. But have we ever thought why exactly does the world thinks so?? They, of course, must have some basis to think so.

Well.. Here are my views on why the world thinks so. Actually this can also be summed up in one line.
Because most of us really are so.

Well... Looks like you are not able to identify with any of the characters?? Let me help with Slumdog.

The first question... How did Jamal get Amitabh's signature?
Yes.. We are that mad for our celebrities. This is why when a celeb catches cold it makes "Breaking News". This is why everyday outside the celebs Bungalows there's a horde of people waiting just for a view of the celeb. This is why when a celebrity player is left out of the team we have "Bandhs".

Continuing the first question.. What does Salim do of the signature??
Yes.. again we do not have a sense of ownership. Most of us work and care only for money. No matter how they earn it. Don't believe so?? Look at the politicians. Look at a lot of other people who are at the center of the "Power Hub" of India. Most of their assets would not have been present with the salary they declare. Even others are not exempt. If we find something we keep it or use it. We do not normally care to find the owner or return the things to the owner. In simple words we care for ourselves. Yet, if we lose something we shout a lot of abuses( openly or not is another case.. but yes... we do)

Moving on to the second question: The riots??
Do i even need to put in something for us to identify ourselves. If not religion as in the movie, then again we are divided on castes, ethnicity ,locations and now even gender biasing has arrived. We now fight as Hindus vs Muslims irrespective of the fact that the one we are fighting may be our old friend. We now fight as Mumbai vs North Indians. We now fight as caste vs caste in small cities/villages. What i mean to say is that we are always fighting.. irrespective of the reason we get. And if we don't get any reason... then we create one... but we always fight. No one has any sense left that these divisions were created by people in Power so that they remain in Power. And as the religious divisions were not enough, they created castes and are continuing to create newer and newer divides between us just so that we do not have enough power at any time to overthrow them. And these power hungry people; how they are using the power.. I don't think i need to elaborate on that.

Well.. the third question: Jamal didn't know something which even a five year old in India would know??
Check out [V] IQ on channel V. I think it has been renamed to GK. You'll be surprised at the awareness of the college goers in India. Even one of my friend who's preparing for MBA did not remember the name of the current President of India. This is how we are. We do not like to remain in touch of something we do not like. We hate politics.. Yes. So instead of doing something about it we forget about it. How convenient. Don't you think so?? If you think you are in touch of the politics around you just try to remember the names of the MLA's from the seats surrounding your district. These are the people who need to work around us. And we don't even bother to remember their names. Why?? Because we hate politics.

I think I'll continue fourth question onwards some other day... Enough for today...

Nice webcomic site

Here's a nice weblink for a webcomic on life and various irritants.. Chk it out.. It raises some nice issues through humour and satire.
http://www.flyyoufools.com

The Purpose of Existence

Lot of times have i thought about it. And this is one of the "yet unanswered" riddles for me. Why do we exist. What is the purpose of our existence. Quoting H2G2... is it so that we may find the ultimate question whose answer is 42?? Well well... no kidding. But seriously thinking. Why do we exist. Why do we live on and on. Why do we hang on to life like a desperate being. Maybe because if we die, no purpose may be fulfilled. But who knows. And this is not confined to us human beings only. What bigger purpose is fulfilled by the existence of animals, the water bodies, the Earth, other planets, our galaxy or even the whole universe.
I work in an IT Company. When i go to work i see a lot of people going to work with me. Lot of opened shops on my way in which people sit waiting for a customer. Lot of kids going to school. What for?? To become like us or better than us. But what would that fulfil. The development of human kind. But again why is it that important?? And anyways what kind of development are we talking about?? The people work for their family. I work for the survival of my family. Our next generation would be doing the same. And their kids will again follow and this would continue. Would it change anytime. When will it stop? Or if it is necessary then why is everyone's survival necessary. Ending it on a comparison which most will not find to their taste: What's the difference in us(human beings) and animals? They too work(hunt or whatever) for their food just like we go to our daily workplaces to earn our bread.
I'll be continuing in my next post. Till then: Happy Hunting

Valentine's Day Celebrations

Once again the time of proposals and heartbreaks is here. This weekend is the much hyped(due to many reasons) Valentine's Day.
Forget about what it actually stands for or how it got started. Today in India this is the most hyped day. Even more than Republic Day, Independence Day or any other such day. The reason is not actually that people in India have started celebrating it in larger numbers than other days. But the actual reason this day is famous is for the number of people who act as moral police on this day. Taking moral policing to a new height one particular group has announced that it will marry any two people who will be seen with each other on that particular day.. I'm just imagining that if someone's sister has a birthday on 14th would he dare to give her flowers, cards, chocolates or take her to dinner after such an announcement. :p

Valentine's Day actually is just a day to express your love for someone. Someone whom you love more than anything in the world. Someone who is your inspiration during dark times. Someone who shares your happiness more than you actually do. Someone who is by your side when you are down.

A lot of people raise a question on Valentine's Day saying that love should not be expressed only on one single day. I have another question for them. Why do we remember Jesus only during Christmas season. Why do we do the Lakshmi Poojan only on Diwali. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, should be remembered everyday. But not everyone does that everyday. Not everyone remembers God everyday. Similarly not everyone can express their love everyday. And similarly this day is the one when they have to find time for the one they love. Just like they find time for Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali. Mind you.. I'm not equating both of them. Diwali has a very high place in the hearts of Hindus. And most of the people who oppose Valentine's Day are Hindus. I'm just trying to point out that as Diwali is important for those people this day can also be important for some people.

Another objection is that Valentine's Day is part of western culture and we should not allow other culture to mix with ours. But if these people lookout any of the history books they'll find that it has always been India, who has accepted whatever cultures have come to them. Only we have been strong enough to mix with people of different cultures and to own them as our own. All the religions that can be found in India have their own culture. And the Indian culture is the mix of all those. We celebrate Id, Diwali, Christmas, Guru Parab. Though the importance of each festival varies for different religions. But Holi, that is one festival that is celebrated throughout India without any distinction. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains, Buddhists .... all of them celebrate Holi. Does anyone complain that Holi is part of Hindu culture only so we will not celebrate it. No one does. Simply because they have respect for each others' religions. Though Valentine's Day is not part of any religion but still we should accept it as a part simply because a lot of people like celebrating it.

Another set of people want to ban it because (as per them) on this day the companies like Archies, Coke , Pepsi, McD, KFC etc. make more profits and send them to US. For such people I just have to say one thing. Have they ever thought why is this happening. It's not because the adolescents are doing it. It's more because there's no option apart from these companies. Is there any such retail chain in India which gives such quality and service. There are a few. But all of them which i know are as full on this( or any other day) as the KFCs, McDs are.

Finally, the last objection which i hear on this day is that this day( or specially this western culture) is corrupting the young minds. No one bothers to describe how. This is the most preposterous claim I've ever heard. If the people think that the adolescents are going on the wrong path why don't they try to correct them. I know their is peer pressure and all those things. But they are also able to think. And they do think well. Take yourself for example. During that period of time were you not able to think correctly. So why are you concerned that today' youth cannot. In fact today's youth is much more experienced and educated. So have some faith in them. Hope someone among the moral police would have enough brains to understand the true meaning of Valentine's Day and may someday we, Indians, will stop fighting among ourselves over such petty issues.

My First Post

Finally i'm writing my first blog entry. I'm not exactly sure why i created this blog, what i'm going to put in it or who'll be reading it. I just wanted to have a place where i can put in my thoughts. And this prompted me to create this blog. I used to have a diary too... But sometimes i'm too lazy to put something down. But as i'm online everyday i thought maybe this blog will do it for me. Not sure whether i'll be writing the same things as i used to write in my personal diary... I'll still be using it... But anyways i can put in some parts atleast which dont concern me personally but which go on in my mind and i think on them for hours.
I am thinking of putting down my views on various topics.. On whatever i think on and about.... But they may change with passage of time as i come to know newer things and gain some more insight regarding the topic. i guess u people who read my thoughts can also put in their comments to help me know better.....Plus it will be refreshing to know an alternate view on all those things..... Let's see.... Atleast i've started today by this first entry.... Hope this wont die out like the diary...