Precious Pearls

If you want to check out how practical and realistic you are, try to answer this question honestly. What difference does your absence make to the world? Everyone knows the world doesn’t stop, as it has to move on. The answer doesn’t matter; what’s more important is how much you take it in your stride. This delicate question was raised by one of my closest kin who had dropped in with her wedding invitation. Unfortunately, an important meeting was lined up on the day of her wedding and I told her I wouldn’t be able attend the event. She was adamant on my making it. “Will your wedding stop if I don’t attend?” I was just pulling her leg but she was serious. She counter-questioned, “You know your office work too wouldn’t wait for you. Well, my wedding will take place but still I would be glad if you attend.”   Time comes where we feel that we are needed everywhere. It’s a nice feeling yet, it’s the truth that the world doesn’t stop for us and this is the universal rule applicable ...

This magical number, 100, mysteriously got synonymous to the master blaster. While the whole cricketing world is celebrating the milestone, it remains just a number for Sachin Tendulkar. Wait, this is not another piece praising ‘Sach’ to the skies, singing his glory or unfolding a statistical analysis proving his greatness! Since his 99 th hundred against South Africa over a year ago, speculations about the 100 th were rife. From experts to laymen, everyone had something to opine. Doesn’t matter if one understands the game or not but yes, everybody not only holds an opinion but also has advice to offer to arguably the best batsman ever. While all sorts of opinions are in the air, here is Richie Benaud, one of the most respected Australian captains, saying “I don’t find myself competent enough to talk about his game”. This is self-explanatory. Cricket and this magical figure apart, what unfolds in his interviews post-century of centuries is more intriguing, isn’t it? Silencing criti...

It feels nice to return after a long gap; a month to be precise. I consciously avoid calling it a break, as it wasn’t mean to unwind. I was fortunate to take out 30 days off from the professional life and pursue my heart’s call. After a lot of deliberation and contemplation, I joined the Yoga Instructor’s Course. However, yoga-Asanas could be the last thing I was looking at training myself in. As I expected, it turned out an excellent opportunity to observe myriad shades of life. Visiting a place on mission and studying people and cultures is more than intriguing. Open to every experience, I was convinced that life never ceases to surprise us. Located amid sylvan surroundings away from the hustle and bustle, the venue I stayed was an island in itself with no connection to the world outside. No newspapers, no emails and measured use of mobile phones (after a gap, they automatically stop ringing) yet I was happy. It was altogether a different world for me with neither work deadlines to ...

Are you an upright person? Give yourself a small test. How many times can you say ‘no’ with conviction? It’s tough. Inability to pronounce this word has spelt trouble for me several times. And the inability of making this dignified denial seems to have gifted me with a recurring cough pattern! For over a month I was unable to tackle my cough in spite of medication. After a little introspection, I realised diet was the problem. I avoided eating everything that could have caused cough. In came a loud ‘no’ to all sorts of cold and oily stuff, rice and curd. At my level, I succeeded but when it came to saying ‘no’ to people, I fumbled. At office, home or a relative’s place, people could find a soft target in me. They would find all ways to convince me to eat ‘restricted’ stuff. If I refused to have vadapav, they would say “ At least eat these two small bhajis, they wouldn’t harm.” If I put my foot down and say no to cold drink, someone would ‘request’ me to have a sip. “ Arre it’s not ch...

A few are gifted with the art of being happy. They can be cheerful no matter how sad things around are. Beautiful within, little does one need an external kick to burst with joy. Happiness quotient determines such luck ones’ course of life. This is what I felt reading a story in an American tabloid about this fattish, average looking girl chosen as the ‘best model’ at a fashion show. Amid many size-zero dazzling damsels, judges zeroed in on her, thanks to her innocence and cheerfulness. Her smile was more genuine and natural than better looking lasses, the judges opined. Later on, she modeled for an international body-care brand. The model succeeded in making women believe that the secret of her beauty was in her happiness. However, not always such happy people are smiling and goody-goody. What I feel special about my friend, who is easy-going but brutally honest and surprisingly straightforward. She makes no bones about talking out the shortcomings of people in professional, personal...

Reading a lot about our country’s prosperous heritage, foreigners tread India with high expectations. What greets them in this land may be as strange as its people, if not more … Turn the pages of any history book glorifying historical places. The description is enchanting enough to make you proud. Visit them and see if you can still maintain the same pride. What we experienced at Murud Janjira fort, located on a tiny island in the Arabian Sea, was no different. Haling from Konkan, seaside forts weren’t a novelty for me. However, this visit opened my eyes to the facts I was oblivious of.  It was a daylong excursion with my colleagues, who had hardly seen Konkan and I was happy to give them a glimpse of the Western Cost of Maharashtra. We headed for Murud Janjira but what unfolded wasn’t all that impressive. “How’s the fort?” I was asked assuming I had been there before and I said it was worth visiting. We went to catch a boat. The place that lacked good tourist facilities, of cour...

It could well be called a no argument day. People swear to talk sweet on this festival. Sugary promises, some of us might have made on Makarsankranti, should be still fresh. It’s a Hindu festival when people exchange a sweet called Tilgul and resolve to talk cordially. Niceties need to be maintained to shun bitterness. You need to be nice to avoid arguments. We understand the spirit of the fest yet I wonder how far can we conceal the truth — that is often bitter — in sugarcoated wraps? I find it tough to correlate to the logic of being sweet all the time. It’s easy to be, actually. You are liked as long as you stay goody-goody. Talk the truth and you are bound to become unpopular. Hence comes a choice: talk sweet no matter if it’s a lie or put the facts plain, which may not go down well with others. Majority chooses sweetness and a few who beg to differ seem inviting wrath… This is what seems to have happened with the ace tennis-star Rafael Nadal when he openly criticised the authorit...