Speech by Chetan Bhagat at Symbiosis...

Don't just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful since 'Balanced' means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in that good order. 

There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions. 

"Life is one of those races in nursery school where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same is with life where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die. 

One thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. Life is not meant to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? 

It's ok, bunk a few classes, scoring low in couple of papers, goof up a few interviews, take leave from work, fall in love, little fights with your spouse. We are people, not programmed devices.

"Don't be serious, be sincere."!   

Note: This post includes extracts from the Inaugural Speech for the new batch at the Symbiosis BBA program, Pune on June 23, 2008 By Chetan Bhagat

Vrindavan - Maa Vaishnodevi Statue

Clicked this picture on a recent trip to Vrindavan. The statue is far more prettier in reality than on Camera.

The Fighter

I fight a battle every day
Against discouragement and fear;
Some foe stands always in my way,
The path ahead is never clear!
I must forever be on guard
Against the doubts that skulk along;
I get ahead by fighting hard,
But fighting keeps my spirit strong.

I hear the croakings of Despair,
The dark predictions of the weak;
I find myself pursued by Care,
No matter what the end I seek;
My victories are small and few,
It matters not how hard I strive;
Each day the fight begins anew,
But fighting keeps my hopes alive.

My dreams are spoiled by circumstance,
My plans are wrecked by Fate or Luck;
Some hour, perhaps, will bring my chance,
But that great hour has never struck;
My progress has been slow and hard,
I've had to climb and crawl and swim,
Fighting for every stubborn yard,
But I have kept in fighting trim.

I have to fight my doubts away,
And be on guard against my fears;
The feeble croaking of Dismay
Has been familiar through the years;
My dearest plans keep going wrong,
Events combine to thwart my will,
But fighting keeps my spirit strong,
And I am undefeated still!

- S.E. Kiser

What you're thinking, lady?

I came across this very funny commercial. For all you ladies who can sportingly laugh at your own gender:

The diagram demonstrates the THOUGHTS in a female and male brain during the simple question: "Shall we go for a party?"

Do your tiny bit!!

Summer is here and its going to be equally harsh to the animals around us. Kindly do your tiny bit by keeping a bowl of fresh water out side your balcony or garden.

The mantra for life!!

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.



- William Ernest Henley

Follow me if you can!!

Hi there,

Through this post, I want to shout out to all the people who do read me to PLEASE register themselves as my followers. I would love to know how many people actually do read me.

Please don't get me wrong. This is no test for you. I have already written on the blog that I write only for myself and that this blog is a medium for me to express myself. If I am able to reach out to people, make friends in the process; nothing like it. There can be no better motivation than to meet people who want to know what you think. So, for my sake, if you read me, let me know by becoming my followers.

All you have to do is open my blog and click on the "Follow" link on the top-left hand corner. And I promise you that this association is long-term, if not forever.

One more list: the songs that inspire

After listing my favourite romantic songs, I am still in the mood for yet another list. But, this time of the songs that happen to be sources of inspiration for me. These are the songs that soothe me when I am feeling low and give me strength to take the challenges head on. Then again, even if I am not feeling low, I listen to these songs for motivation – motivation to go on, to find a purpose in life, or even test my limits (must admit I am reminded every time that I haven't yet reached my limits and that I am fully capable of pushing myself still further).

The first song that comes to my mind is, but of course, "Ha raham…" from the film Aamir. Now, I wouldn't explain why it is my favourite, having devoted a full length blogpost to it; but, I will say that it puts in words what I feel for the superpower in the heaven above. "kya majaal teri marzee ke aage… bando ki chal jayegi… thaame ungli jo tu kathputli ki… chaal badal jayegi, jayegi…" The lyrics simply take my breath away and put me in awe as to how better can one describe God.

The only song that follows close to "Ha raham…" would be "Tere Ishq mein…" from Rekha Bhardwaj's soulful album Ishqa Ishqa. Gulzar sa'ab's soothing lyrics meshed with Rekha's mesmerizing voice simply transport me to another world. Best way to listen to the song: put on your earphones and put the song on repeat mode. You are sure to fall peacefully asleep by the third play no matter how restless you were when you started listening to it. Try it out.

Another song I really like is "Khudi ko kar buland itna…" by the Pakistani band Junoon. It's an aggressive song that recharges you to be strong against all odds. By the way, I also like a few other Junoon songs like "Sayonee" and "Zamaane ke andaaz…"; only if Junoon could have publicized the former as much as they marketed the latter.

One good song is "Saiyaan ve…" from the film Tara Rum Pum. I did not really like the film but I adore the song. It truly inspires you to hold on in the time of distress, and work bit-by-bit to achieve your goal. "Boond-boond hai banta saagar… dhaaga-dhaaga banti chaadar… tinka-tinka tu bhi jod apna ghironda bana…"

There are some songs which you do not really understand – say if the language is not known to you; but you still connect to it. The song "Bandeya" from the Pakistani film Khuda ke liye is one such song. I don't really get the essence of the lyrics. But, somehow it rejuvenates me none the less.

Now, it seems like I am actually getting into Sufi stuff. I really have to scratch my head to think of the non-Sufi songs that inspire me (except one which I'll mention last). Yes, I now remember a song that I really liked till a couple of years ago. After all, when we talk of motivational songs, how can one forget "Chale chalo…" from Lagaan. It's not a song. It's your way to victory. In your mind, keep chanting to yourself, "Koi hamse jeet naa paye, chale chalo, chale chalo… Ruk jaye jo takraye, chale chalo, chale chalo… Toot gayi jo ungli utthi… Paanch ungli to ban gayi mutthi…"

Then again, the title track of the film Lakshya is a fireball. "Lakshya to har haal mein pana hai…". Actually, that's how I think about my goals. I usually don't give myself options once I am decided that I want to do something. And, more often than not, I end up achieving those goals because I tell myself again and again, "Yeh to har haal mein karna hai."

On similar lines as the Lagaan song is the song "Chak de India" from the famous SRK starrer. It inspires you to work in the best interest of your country. Although, it is of little help when it comes to seeking inspiration for life in general, nevertheless, it's the call to wear your Patriotism on your sleeve and put your best foot forward in the services of the country.


Of course, I cannot miss "Allah ke bande" from the movie Waisa bhi hota hai part 2. Even despite the strange movie title, there seems to be no flaw with this song and it can easily be touted as the "Keep going on..." anthem.

"Yun hi chala chal rahi…" from Swades is another of my favourites. Kailash Kher rose to stardom with this song and surely not without reason. It was a beautiful song and all the people associated with it did absolute justice to it, be it AR Rahman, the lyricist Javed Akhtar or the three singers, Kailash Kher, Udit Narayan or Hariharan. I also like Javed sa'ab's lines from another Swades song. "Raam hi toh karuna mein hai, shaanti mein Raam hai… Raam hi hai ekta mein, pragati mein Raam hai… Raam bhakton hi nahin shatru ke bhi chintan hai… Dekh taj ke paap Raavan, Raam tere mann mein hai… Raam tere mann mein hai, Raam mere mann mein hai… Raam toh ghar ghar mein har, Raam har aangan mein hai… Mann se Raavan jo nikaale, Raam uske mann mein hai…" This truly summarizes that God resides in the purest and humblest hearts. What better way to say it than this!

Last song that I mentioned above is "Bhool jaa…" by singer with the beautiful voice, Shaan. It is an awesome song that tells you that "the past is the past for a reason and if someone in the past wanted to be in your present or future they would have fought harder for it." It tells you that the people who did not value you in your life did not really deserve to be a part of your life and now is the time to get over the relationships gone sour; to take lesson from the same so as to not make the same mistakes again; and finally, to move on. This song has helped me a lot in my life and I am sure it has touched many more lives in the same fashion.