Ship of Theseus

They say that the biggest gift we have is always the “Gift of Life”. This is most profound, most endearing and most priceless possession we have because our very existence in this earth is sacred. Hence across ages, cutting across the religious divides and regions there is a very strong belief that it is not just blasphemous, but outright abject to take someone’s life or for that matter one’s own. From the same argument it follows that we should do whatever it takes to preserve ones life and if that means organ donation or a recipient, so be it.

With profound development in medical sciences it has been found that by donating organs a single human being can save upto 50 lives for different ailment. Organ Donation as a concept in India is limited only to Eye or Kidney Donation and that too a very esoteric group of individuals. What we know for sure is that a lot of our bodily organs can be transplanted successfully and can save many many lives.

The movie or shall I say the revelation “Ship of Thesues” – takes this very emotive issue head on and deal with it in a very narrative way through the lives of three different individuals.

Theseus’ ship was repaired, plank-by-plank, to the point where no material from the original remained in the restored craft — a story used by Greek philosopher Plutarch to pose provocative questions about what constitutes authenticity and identity. If you dismantle a ship, plank by plank, and reassemble it, does it remain the same ship? 

Weather it is the same ship or not is for an individual to judge and I believe the audience will be smart and astute enough to come to a defining conclusion or atleast make an attempt to arrive at a conclusion.

We from the “ Rotary Club of Siliguri Green” profusely thank Mr. Gandhi, UTV, the film distributors and producers to have given us an opportunity to portray this cinematic experience to the people of siliguri. Also the funds generated from this would be used for our social project “Siksha”. We also request the people from this region to support the cause by coming in droves to watch this film and we are sure that for atleast some of them this movie would prove to be a life changing experience.

When I jumped from 10,000 feet .......

Rahul

Quoting from a friend

99% in life is fail ...

and you'll find most people stuck on to college days where passing marks is 40%.

Rahul

the cube

There's a certain happiness in solving the cube... u know the good old rubik's cube ....Six faces with as many hues.

My cube is weathered now, the colour stickers on the faces have begun to peel off from the edges ......the movement of layers not as smooth as it used to be..... countless iterations showing signs of age......but it sits smiling with all faces uniformly in order ...... Solved.

I guess thats how life presents itself ,u weather countless rounds of trials, moving around chaotic scenarios, trying tobalance out important parts, trying to solve. Its frustrating when u don't seem to find a way , coming back again and again to where you started, unable to surmount previously encountered diffculties ....sometimes u get the temptation of moving the stickers when no ones looking.....

It takes me four & quarter mins to solve my cube now, from any combination there on. But am quite far from solving the puzzle of life... no way near .. perhaps the nearest star from earth is closer than what I am to finding the solution. But what gives me confidence is that I've met and read about few individuals who are solved . Good thing I seem to gather is that , even when u've messed it up , you can start over and still place the faces the way they ought to be .

I will continue to shift planes , move edges, hoping to find the right algorithm...wanting to be solved.

Rahul

Festivity in true Spirit

Today in India begins the season of festivity and joy, with the arrival of most auspicious days in Hindu calendar the Navratras which means nine auspicious days starts the festive season which would eventually end by 20th of next month. This is the season of festivity, joy and most importantly the symbolic win of good over evil.

With the onset of navratra the first of the slew of festivity starts with Durga Puja, (reverence to goddess Durga). As we celebrate this event at home I happen to intently listen a prayer chanted quite often in goddess Durga’s reverence and I realized that the importance that the our culture gives to the female is immense even to the extent that the prowess of female overpowers any force in the universe.

Devi or the divine feminine is an equal or more then the counterpart to the divine masculine, and hence manifests herself as the Trinity herself - the Creator (Durga or the Divine Mother), Preserver (Lakshmi, Parvati & Saraswati) and Destroyer (Mahishasura-Mardini, Kali & Smashanakali ).

In the contemporary times though, the whole idea of female aspect has taken a shift and today viewed in a complete travesty of what it was traditionally. Too much adaptation of the western ways, a consumerism lifestyle devoid of means to achieve the end is what I believe has led to the shift.

The process of metamorphism has worked wonders for us and much can be attributed to this influence that has ultimately led to the eradication of Caste System, Sati and other negatives from our society but in the osmosis process of cultural exchange we have to be careful to weed out the negative influences.

As Mahatma Gandhi had once said “I have worshipped woman as the living embodiment of the spirit of service and sacrifice” let the spirit of Durga Puja (worship) once again rekindle this emotion among all.

Sac...

Events happen everyday in our lives, some are significant, some passes by; without leaving much flutter, and some go completely unnoticed. Every event though is of relevance and some seemingly insignificant event leave a huge impact in our lives so much so that it has the power to completely transform or mutilate it.

Some action somewhere at some point of time in some unnoticed by lane of a labyrinthine road network in some discreet town and lo the repercussion may come from the most unexpected quarters. That’s life they say.

For me one such event, of huge relevance though happened and I guess it has changed my live in more then one way and yes the event was expected but the enormity of it took me by complete surprise. I became the member of the fatherhood fertinety and for me it was a momentous feeling.

I know this event is witnessed by all and each of us will have his own reason to rejoice or revile but for me it was something like a divine gift as if on a completely overcast day a small patch of cloud opens up and the only ray that comes out, falls on you.

This happened more then a month back and my last few days have been spent on God knows what, and all I could recall is that the time seems like ethereal, just when I thought I have enough of it, little did I realize that it just disappeared. I felt different and it takes time for this to sink in, and this explains why I have been absent from bogging for last so many days.

I am sure this event will leave me more positive, more responsible, more enthusiastic and a more pragmatic view of life. This also means that I should continue blogging because this is one habit that I don’t intend to give up on easily.

Would also like to thank everyone for their wishes and to the readers of our blog for staying put.

Sac..

After the hiatus

A big HI to all ... its been a while since the page has been updated... guess its been busy time for most of us , but we shall try to be regular once again ...

And to share some lovely news with you... one of our dear friend and author on " perspective "has become a papa :) . Congratulations brother ... I am sure you would become a great dad !! from "babe" ( as he was called in college ) to Dad has been quite a journey.. :) !! wish you and your family all the best from us and all the followers of this lovely page !! Godspeed to a bright future .

Cheers to Democracy !!

Democracy is a bad word in the lexicon of many. Radicals hate it, Liberals feel cheated, Minority feels that they have been let down, Majority feels deprived of their rights and Terrorist feel it is the biggest threat to their objective. Discontent and Disenchantment is the prevailing norm and no one seems to be for it. Yet if I ask any of these so called disillusioned gentlemen a more functioning alternative, they would churn in their bed, cringe their brains, bite their nails but will come up with no answers.

The more you come to think of it the more one gets convinced that this is the way to go. The Radicals have their voice here, the liberals anyways like it, Minority feels that at least they are being heard, Majority still has its say and the terrorist think that they can get away with what ever they want.

One might argue that a presidential form of government or a autocratic rule or even a monarchy or a Oligarchy could be a plausible alternative and my counter argument is a presidential form or a autocratic rule is a recipe for complete disaster, we saw what happened with Germany under Hitler, North Korea under Kim Jong II or closer home Pakistan under a slew of autocratic president. Monarchy is already an archaic concept and I am not sure whether it is being followed in any country of the world.
So; that leaves with very little to choose from. You can twig democracy a bit, make alteration, add some pepper, salt or other spices to suit your taste but have to settle for it.
I don’t see any plausible alternative and is open for any viable, enlightened suggestion but if your suggestion is remotely hinting on a form of governance based on religious lines then I would advice you to take a asylum in Afghanistan.

Now coming to our democracy, it is certainly not without flaws and a lot needs to be improved. Every country has to form the principals of democracy in its own way and have a unique way of functioning, with of course keeping the basic tenants intact. That explains why we are so different from States or other democracy of the world.
One of the many benefits of democracy is the right to opinion. I always believe that if all people thought in the same way the world will be the most boring place to live. The intellectual debate, the nerve wracking discussion, the stimulating thought flow and counter arguments all of these and many other niceties of life will be a thing of past.
In my earlier blog post I talked about opinions and its different shades. I also talked of the on homosexuality issue and that I haven’t been able to form an opinion on the same.

It was great to see so many readers expressing their view, in fact we haven’t had such an outpouring of feeling in any of our previous post, so that was clearly a high point. But among this I also found many radicals who would not consider the opinion of others. As I had said earlier, I respect differing opinion and am delighted that so many stepped out to express themselves. I hope the radicals on both side will leave aside their prejudice and try to give a more rational and humanitarian thought to the whole issue.

Thank god we live in a modern society, by modern I mean adjusting, functioning, vibrant and evolving society, in some other part of the world I would have been behind bars to write such sacrilegious post(At least in the eyes of some)
Cheer to Democracy.
Sac..

Unseen side of mumbai terror

Stumbled upon this video on a friend's msgngr...... anybody connected to mumbai in any way, should watch this to get a reality check of 26/11 .

Channel 4 - Dispatches (June 2009) - Terror in Mumbai from Mskadu on Vimeo.

Opinion Galore...

(The above pic. are of some gay rallies in Sydney).

Opinions presents a queer set of quandary, it ranges from grand moral withstanding, a liberal overtone, radical to the point of no return, chameleons like, changes with every event or like a whore, ready to shift places at the most opportune time. Excuse me for using such a ignoble example to make my point, but the more I think of it the more convinced I become.

Of course people are entitled to change their opinions based on knowledge, understanding, experience and research, also changing opinions based on these activities is the sign of learned, mature and evolving society but when opinion change happens out of convenience rather then conviction, petty compulsions then out of rational judgments then it assumes a whore like character.

Opinion formation is also quite a task, for me its the collection of information, assimilating them, reading editorials and getting to know of differing views, looking into my experience on the topic, weighing the arguments in favor and against and finally coming with a kind of opinion. Of course its evolving process and can change based on reason and logic. At times opinion formation can take long and having given much thought to it, I still remain indecisive, on other occasion it comes without much effort.

One such issue that has been baffling me for some time now is the legality of Gay relationships and the acceptance of the same in society. Last few week Delhi high court passed a judgment legalizing the gay relationship among individuals. This has created quite a stir and lots of heated arguments were presented for both sides and to be honest both had quite a meaty point.

Here is my take on this, though I still haven’t been able to form opinion completely.

Homosexual relationship has always been existing in the society since the time we can trace History. I have tried to draw a parallel with mental disabilities and homosexual behavior. From what i have gathered from Shakespeare plays in school days and a quick glance at wikipedia, mental disabilities was looked upon a curse from god. People with such disabilities were treated as a social stigma, thrown in prisons, punished with hunters and treated as scum of society. Even in Indian society they were treated as a result of bad karma from past life and thus left to the fringes. With the progress of science and evolutionary process one has come to realize that its a biological disorder and just as any other disease it can be treated and cured. Today a person with such disability can live a normal life with no such stigma attached. It is also true that though we acknowledge disability although we don’t treat it as a normal behavior and try and find cure for the same.

Now coming back to homosexual relationship, this too has had a similar fate and over the years people with such tendency were ridiculed and cursed. It is only now that we have begun to acknowledge it and regard it as just another human behavior; also it has the direct co relationship with commitment to the values enshrined in the fundamental rights of the Indian Constitution that no person shall be denied the rights to equality, freedom of expression, and life, on grounds of sex.

We have to realize that such a behavior, though have been there for ages is still an aberration and does not confirm with the existing socio culture. An open espousal of such activity can only lead to more discomfort and make things more complex. Unlike mental retardation we cannot classify homosexuality as a disease and therefore i am not sure if there is a cure for the same.

I always believe that in acknowledgement likes the solution and denial can only accentuate the problem. Acknowledging homosexuality by making it legal is the first step in solving the problem, beyond this my opinion still remain indecisive...

Sac...

few days back

Pitter patter on the window and rain snakes slithered down the glass pane. Presenting a distorted view of the world outside. The engine awoke setting the wheels in motion on a damp road. Beads of water hung loosely from the window rubber frame like sentries standing in straight line... dropping and loosing their form one by one.

Still soggy , overcast skies qualifing brightness and the wind ,cool and soothing.gushing in on my face had an effect of openness, of freedom.I was heading towards town. I needed the view.

Water film stretched across the drive as the gears moved .Tyre grooves of passing vehicles sprinkled broken water droplets in every direction like the desultory conversation of the radio jockey. While i kept at it ,rain drops like a barrage of tiny harmless arrows came in heavy in at slant soaking the seat. Red tail lights streaked the fuzziness of evening and night as the car neared the queen's circle.

I was there .I was convalescing .I was glad.

Rahul

Goal Setting - II

Its the begnning of July, half year gone and half still to go. We have treaded some distance ...much more to go. I remember some one saying me long back that if you do a goal setting exercise and go public you would be compelled to take it to its rightful conclusion or at least you would make a greater effort to take it through because you become answerable to so many. Well, i thought he had a point and a very valid one. When we started this blog last year it started with a goal setting exercise. We decided on the short term measurable goal so that we can access the achievement at regular intervals and rectify the areas where we have gone wrong and decide on the next set of goals. The idea was these measurable goals will serve as a lamp post showing us the path until we stumble on newer ones. Clearly in the hindsight it seems that life without goals is like playground without goalpost you don’t know where to score and at time end up scoring for the opposite camp much to delight of the opponent or like trekking in the jungle where if one gets used to the terrain he/she can just loose the way without realizing that they are in the wrong track all this while.... 1st week of July seems to be a good time to review and revive, to analyze and revamp and to a new set of new targets and to look forward to new achievements, of course it doesn’t comes without failings.

I would not like to go into the details of targets I kept for myself but I would divide theses goals into professional and personal. On personal front I am about 90% from my target which is not bad at all, as for the professional target I am about 50% of what I had set for myself and have to re look at my efforts and the way I went about it. Obviously there has been a gap in my aspiration and my effort and also the path I took to achieve it. Another area where I would like to score some brownies is in respect to a social initiative. I have a vague plan in mind but haven’t been able to implement it or rather let me put it this way, have been reluctant to move ahead. Now that it is on papers and on record I should be able to focus on this aspect as well.

Aside to the readers: You can post ur goals in the comment section or mail us at sac2goal@gmail.com and we'll make a post out of it and you can review it yourself after six months or a year, depending on the time period you have set for urself. Even if we can be about 80% of what we had set, we can really say...yes, we have earned it.

Sac..

Scarcity in Abundance

Have you ever wondered what possibly could be the most scarce commodity in the world, gold, silver, diamonds, platinum, or it could be any other limited resources or may be even petrol. It send down a shiver just by the thought of any of these so called scares commodity would deplete completely and would be a thing of past, but sure it doesn’t threaten the existence of mankind. Now come to think of the stuff we take for granted, stuff that don’t value much and things that we use extravagantly without much thought, becomes scarce, it would be the worse holocaust that will befall the planet and the aftereffects of it are unparalleled in the history of mankind.
The situation here I am trying to create is not out of a sci-fi movie but a very likely possibility.
A quick Google search would be an eye opener and no. of web pages that open up highlighting depleting natural resources is mind boggling. The fear of such an eventuality is looming large and if it is asking for too much to wake up from the slumber it is going to be too late.
In India we are in middle of the Summer, the heat has gripped the nation and temperatures are soaring like never before. There is unexpected rise in temperature and places that once witnessed highest rainfall are in a drought like situation. There is already a lingering fear of a delayed monsoon and even if it comes it will be only about 80% of its normal quota. Most of the states are facing sever water crises and due to the depletion in water levels of major rivers and this in turn means less production of electricity, less food production, rise in inflation and many other aftereffects.

Since 1900, there has been a six-fold increase in water use for only a two-fold increase in population size. This reflects greater water usage associated with rising standards of living. In most part of the world there is no economic cost involved and so there is a tendency to splurge.

The other day watching television I saw a news item which showed that in some parts of the country the problem has become so acute that people are ready to kill each other and some incidents have already been reported where some one had to pay for water with their life.

Some of the direct fallout of water crises can be:-
Water Crises Can Lead to Outbreaks of Diseases
Water Shortages Can Cause Economic Problems
Water Crises Can Cause Political Unrest
Water Shortages Can Cause Global Outrage
Water Crises Could Happen to You

What is really lacking is a concerted effort by every individual and policy makers to solve this problem; with the recognition that there in no unlimited supply of water. If this does not happen then you would have to pay for water with the price of diamond or gold and if it gets worse, even with your life.
Sac..

The Career Venn

It’s that time of the year again when anxiety runs high, trepidation is the only feeling; temperatures soar not only in terms of mercury rising but also in the heat of the moment. The verdict is almost out, some are gearing up to fly high and ready to soar others are still licking their wounds and cursing their soothsayers whom they had disposed so much faith on. Yes, it’s that time of the year when the board results are out and every one has to make a choice. Richard Bach Says “We live by the power of our choices”. Yes choices are what we make, and we are what we are by the power of our choice.
Just like migratory birds these young, vivacious and enthusiastic students with a dream in their eyes will be flocking to the higher seats of learning. It’s like swimming in the sand praying for some holy water. What awaits them no one knows; the future is all clouded in the shades of black and grey. Just like kayaking in the ocean with waves becoming graver with every passing second, you always have the choice of coming back to the shore or keep on moving; enjoying the trill of it like an adventure junky. Of course if you were to reach the other end you need right tools and technique. Merely a courageous heart or being a junky is not good enough. Nor is it enough to have merely willpower and right attitude.
This Venn diagram may be a good tool to make the right choices and take the correct decision that can help you tide the wave and eventually reach where only a few can treed.
As very clearly depicted in the diagram, Success is the amalgamation of all the three attributes i.e. Interest, Scope and Aptitude.
Say for example, if a particular area has interest and scope but you lack aptitude for it, the result is poor performance. Similarly if an area has lots of Scope and you have right aptitude for it but you lack the interest then it results in low happiness also if there is both interest and Aptitude but the Scope is low then clearly the growth would stagnate.
So go out there, at least try and make the right choices and follow you dreams because following dream is the most important thing. It all depends how much hunger you have and if you really crave for it, all the doors will open up. Also be an adventure junky for life, enjoy the process and have fun.
They say “Fortune favors the Brave”, so be brave enough to take your chances and surely the gods will be smiling at you.

Found these lyrics from Bon Jovi to be very apt…
“Some day I’ll be Saturday night Ill be back on my feet, I’ll be doin alright
It may not be tomorrow baby, that’s ok
I ain’t going down, gonna find a way”
Sac...

I dont have much to say today ... Would like to share this piece of music ..

Take out a moment and listen .... it feels like I am 12 and home again :)



Rahul

Colour of the Skin

We have known what media can do, the power that it wields and also how irresponsible it can get. Sensationalizing is the fodder on which media lives and gossip is what it swears by. The latest talking point in Indian media is the so called "Raciest attacks" on Indian Students living abroad. In Various News Channels and Newspaper there is a constant rhetoric of racial attacks and it gets louder by the day. From the way media has been reporting this, it seems that every Australian is raciest and studying or working in Australia is clearly not the best thing you can do.

With so much of racisms in air I wonder what it is all about, also is it only about the colour of your skin or it could also be the way one looks, his income level or even sexual preference? Are we less raciest the so called raciest society? Even on a individual level haven’t we shown the tendency of racism at different point of our lives. Living in Delhi I have know how difficult it gets for a person from North East to lead a perfectly normal life without developing a feeling of hatred for anything remotely Indian, the difficulty that a resident of Bihar faces working in any part of the country and all the more in Maharastra or instances were a poor is considered entirely a different race from the so called upwardly mobile is not an exception.

So the whole talk of racism is misplaced and misconstrued, I am very much against any kind of violence; more so on students, the fact that the govt. has been a muted spectator and police grossly incapable and unwilling to act is deplorable but to brand a whole society raciest is being far too irresponsible. Also i think that the attacks have lot to do with economic downturn and job losses.

The world has made great strides in trying to curb this menace, we have come a long way from the Ku Klux Klan gang, Religious Wars, Cast System and many other religious and ethnic divide but we have a long way to go. We are still driven by religious fervor, sectarian politics, petty fights and maltreatment based on the levels of income. Any nation; be it (Australia or India) can truly come alive when each group will come over petty differences and acts as a unified entity, at the same time retain its originality. If each nation can do that only then we can call the world a truly Globalize Village and the whole talk of racism will be the thing of the past.

Sac..

INDIANS AT THE T20 WORLD CUP

These colours and sounds are uplifting ... green grass below , flags fluttering above , swinging bats, flying white ball, accelerating voice of commentators and those collective hands in the stands waving 4s ..

It has begun ... sweet echoing willow, sliding jersys , scampering boots , shies at the stumps and collective aahs from the crowd.

And it is building up ... chanting anthems , painted faces, thumping of chests , fists in air and war cries calling out boldly for a challenge.

Its the T20 world cup and its back after 2 years . This form of cricket is more about the new generation and its way of meeting life with a certain fearlessness.... the little audacity in self belief.Chancing uncertainity by backing instinct is what is new in the minds of these young players.

They say man has progressed more than other species on this planet because of its ability to understand and take calculated risk . And with passing time we've become increasingly better at it.

And thats how the young Indians think today ... perhaps thats why we are defending champions.

Rahul

Have i earned it??

Have you ever felt a sense of betrayal, someone has been cheating you all along in spite of all your commitment and best effort. You feel let down and disappointed and suddenly as if you have been transported to another world, you seem completely detached from the happenings around you. You might have been in the best of places, rocking music, great food but then nothing seems right, nothing tastes right.
Is this the betrayal in love I am talking of ?? naa…come on guys I know that’s the first thing that comes to mind but here I am trying to talk about a more serious issue not to suggest that issues pertaining to love non serious and whimsical. The issue here is related to self and not anyone else. We have always believed in our abilities and had disposed our faith to it, but there are times when this very self has let us down.
Most of you must have watched the advertisement of Cadbury Bourneville, the caption goes like "Cadbury Bourneville cannot be bought, it must be earned".
This advertisement on television really got me thinking, and I could relate this to various instances in my life where I had a lingering question that did I really earn this to have it. In such times there is invariably a feeling of detachment and disenchantment. The place, the people and plot don’t matter, and a feeling of guilt overpowers me, just like a school boy who has been caught eyeing a good looking teacher.
In other times the settings is very ordinary, but the mood is exuberant, the music is good but the spring in my step is a step ahead then the beat, and the whole atmosphere is charged up not because of the influence of alcohol but the feeling that I deserved this.
In my B-school days we were engulfed by a similar felling at the success of the maiden event called perspective. What started with just an idea developed into a full fledged event and we pulled it of magnificently. There was no monetary gain or a career enhancement nor was it about winning laurels and accolades but the trill of its success was beyond comprehension and I guess it was more so because of the honest effort all three of us had put in. No wonder we have named this blog as Perspective. Even in an everyday setting; the joy magnifies several times if I know that I have been honest to myself and that I deserved every bit of it.
So next time you really want to enjoy and be on top, just ask yourself “Have I earned it??”
Sac...

First Half is over - time for a "STRATEGIC BREAK"

Some how they managed to stick 30 candles on the same 1.5 pound cake that i have been cutting even before i knew what it was.

Counting the candles was fun and blowing them off was challenging. But every year i made sure i had enough to blow them off. Yeah I blew each one of them " year over year"

Nothing can be reversed, things already said (good/bad) can not be taken back but there are another 30 years to relive it; hour by hour day by day and year by year.

Bon Voyage!!!

NASH

INTENT , WILL & A PACK OF MARLBORO

The caption on Marlboro lights makes for string of interesting thoughts.

" SMOKING KILLS " in bold, covers almost bottom half of the packet providing information to customers on ill effects of smoking, unequivocally - though am not sure it changes intent for any of us smokers. . .lol !

Warning of disastrous consequences on health is not brand new piece of information and really, reiteration of this by the manufacturers ( obviously to meet statutory requirements) has no bearing on their intent as well.

Information is powerful , yet intent rules -for both the customers and the manufacturer.

We all are party to similar behaviour, deep down we know what we need to be doing or what is the right thing to do in most situations, despite that it is the intent which differs.

Now, lets take this and turn it around, for a positive message to all.

Can we say willingness is more powerfull then intellect . If you are willing to give it a go even though you may not have complete information or intelligence , you are more likely to get favourable results. Let me give you an example to seal the argument . Forrest Gump was not very intellectually inclined.but he did stuff - be it cross country run, table tennis - and he excelled.

While not begetting intelligence and power of knowledge , at our individual levels the power really lies in going ahead of the doubt which information can create; and charting your way into the direction of your will ,even though intelligence might be sneering the decision.

The IBM ads which go " STOP THINKING - START DOING " or the vintage nike line " JUST DO IT "is a befitting extension of this thought.

Do write in your thoughts , while i go get a smoke .... :)

Rahul.