An eulogy

तुम चाय की इलाइची हो,
तुम स्कोत्च एक विलायती हो ,
तुम ग़ज़ल एक दुमदार हो
तुम साथी एक यादगार हो !

संग तुम्हारे पीना सीखे ,
पैमाने से गहरा उतरना सीखे,
खूबसूरती से जीना सीखे,
दरिया में बहना सीखे !
और क्या,
यह कविता भी तुम ही से लिखना सीखे !

हम साथ तुम्हारे चले
तो ज़िन्दगी में मुकाम आये
तुम साथ हमारे रहे ,
तो मुकामों में ज़िन्दगी आई !

गुरु, तुम एक कमाल हो ,
गुरु, तुम एक मिसाल हो ,
गुरु, तुम एक धमाल हो ,
अभी तो,
मेरी ज़िन्दगी का गुलाल हो !

राहें तुम्हारी आबाद रहे,
उन राहों में हम रहे,
साथ हमारा हर दम रहे,
साल ऐसे न कम रहे !

Adios
Anuj Lakhotia

Asking for more

koi hulchul jo thehre thoda aur
kuch arrzoo jo tarsaaye thoda aur

ek mazaak jo hansaye thoda aur
ek dost jo saath chootne par rahe thoda aur

aankh jo sapne sajaye har raat
bin mausam ke ho jaaye jo barsaat

ek kahani jo le mod thode aur
ek lahu jo khaule thoda aur

ek jaam jo nasha rakhe barkarar
bade roj thoda aur; aisa ek pyaar

ek dil jo dhadke ek dhadkan tej
ek zindagi jo zinda rahe har roj

Prince of Persia

Rating : Go for it 7 -8 out of 10 . Light and Fun

Likes: Gemma Arteron screen presence, Jake Gyllenhaal character and persona, setting of various scenes, few side characters esp. the guy taking care of ostrich race, few fight scenes

Average : Storyline

Dialogue: What is right needs to be done w/o fear of consequences.
The bond of brothers is the sword that is defense of the kingdom

Particular element : The sands of time that when released reverses time hold in a dagger. The naming of the protagonist Dastan meaning Champion in Persian and the character hassasin.

It is good to have a bigger role for her than seen in The Clash of Titans where her beauty was equally majestic.

Cheers,

Talking to a loved one after a long time

तेरे इंतज़ार में जल जाता हूँ
तुझसे मिलकर पिघल जाता हूँ, बह जाता हूँ
दीवाना हूँ , परवाना हूँ
शमा तेरी दीवानगी में ज़िन्दगी जी जाता हूँ !

तू प्यास हैं , बादल हैं , बरसात हैं ,
तू पवन हैं , खुशबु हैं , सांस हैं
तू धड़कन हैं , जुबान हैं , जज्बात हैं
इस मुसाफिर और तेरी जो यह मुलाक़ात हैं
ज़िन्दगी भर की एक सौगात हैं !

आज दिल को निचोड़ना चाहा हैं
किश्ती को साहिल पार ले जाना चाहा हैं
खुद को तुझमे भूलना चाहा हैं
जैसे धरती को सावन से मिलाना चाहा हैं |

बेपनाह प्यार का एक मज़ा हैं
फनाह होने का एक मज़ा हैं
रब की यही रजा हैं
की मोहब्बत ज़िन्दगी का मज़ा हैं |

Euphoria is bad, Depression is good :)- As leading indicators

Figure: Sentiment cycle of an Investor

One of my humble opinions (OMHO) is that "Pursuit is life"- which can be seen as a timeline to seek answers to the questions that interests us. These answers or insights originate from first hand or borrowed experiences. The questions and experiences remain interesting as long as what we do and whom we are with remain interesting.

Wearing another hat (WAH) -Pursuit may be driven by fear which is driven by the need to survive instead of being driven by interests. It is also limited by capability of the person and systems of the world.

In the Big Picture (ITBP), which of the sentiment from the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is driving is (less important) < than the awareness about the sentiment and the ability to drive the driver.

Moving to the central point (MCP), the image intrigues me - specifically the denial, panic, despondency and the relief sentiments- people may not clearly identify these transitory sentiments.

Money drives the world except for a penny population. The same or a modified sentiment cycle can also manifest in pursuit of other goals/answers/experiences.

Go drive the drivers.

Cheerio,
Anuj Lakhotia

Twenty Five and Something

ला ला ला ला , ला ला
पलकों पे
सपने ले
घर से जो चले हम
हुई एक
कहानी शुरू !

हँसते खिलते
बड़ते हम
बनते सजते
महफिलों के रंग
दोस्तों से मिलें ऐसे हम
बूंदों से बूँदें मिलकर
जैसे बारिश बनती बढती रहे !

मेहनत में हो कर गुम
पाते खुद को हम
मंजिल जाने बगैर
पानी से बहें हम
राहे यूँ ही बनती बदलती रहे !

हारें भी
जीतें भी
गिरते संभलते हम
रोयें भी
नाचें भी
खुल कर जीयें हम
सूरज की किरणों से
हर सवेरो को हम
यूँही चमकते रहे !

प्यार भी करते हम
जचें भी कुछ को हम
सितम भी सहे हम
पर साथी बने ही कम
बच्चे की तरह दिल को
बुद्धू बना कर हम
यूँही मुहब्बत लुटाते रहे !

गीतों में
यादें भर
सरगम जो गाये हम
कहानी यूँही बनती बढती रहे !

हमारी अधूरी कहानी , हा हा हा हा, हा हा

Wanted to hum something. Conscious Inspiration from Lucky Ali and Silkroute. Will be happy for suggestions to make it more hummable. Happy with this though :)

Cheerio,
Anuj Lakhotia

World GDP per capita and Life Expectancy over last 200 years

I landed on www.gapminder.org and happened to compare the world countries progression over the last 200 years.

This one presentation from Hans Roling on TED is pretty funny and summarises some of the things i saw with the tools on the website.

The world average life span is expected to rise in the coming years. But, I do not see world focusing on creating 'stuff' to give meaning and fun to those extended years. The average income is increasing, the average consumption is increasing, the average wasteful consumption is increasing and the average disillusionment with the world activities has also increased.

For, India it would take 30-40 years to have the income levels matching the developed countries The progress of countries over the years indicate that it would continue being difficult for India and China with their large populations to provide higher standards of living for their diaspora.

Chasing those income levels is possible by competing continuously or outsmarting peer population if we have decided to live in India. Sounds like a ' keep running' way to live life . This is a disillusionment with India of people who have experienced better quality of life and work life abroad for few years.

Carefully Directing consumption from the increased income levels to satisfy and grow on path of your interests, chase your passions, test your capabilities, fulfil your desires and leave a better world for your next generations can be the way to live life. Desiring international standards across the breadth of country is futile.

Thoughts

सावन हमें अकेले भिगो गया कल रात में ,
बादल एक रंग का हो गया बिछड कर बरसात से !
हँसे, खेले, नाचे हम पुरे गुजरात में ,
दूर तुझसे, तेरी निगाहों से, तेरे साथ से
हसीं लम्हे जहन में बसें बिना ही गुजर गए ऐसे हालात में !

It was raining and I was drenched wet after an hour of badminton. Continued my playful mode in the rains. Wrote a stanza after sipping the Nescafe 3 in 1 instant coffee looking at the clear skies

Marmalade, Mont Kiara

It makes my day every time I go to this place Marmalade for lunch which supposedly offers me very little for very high prices. I see these beautiful people, specifically beautiful , adorable women in their middle years lost in their worlds, their own beauty, their kids, thier food, their gossip but lost to something interesting and their worries lost in their smiles lost in the lost things they are lost in. I often pick a local newspaper, a car magazine or at times a woman magazine all of which transfers me to a different world as I relish my honey dipped chicken salad with avocados and raisins. I like the red sofas, the painting on the wall, at times the soothing music and the smile which I remember used to work over there during my initial visits.Thanks Marmalade you exist and in my perspective you offer me so much by taking something of little value.

Adios
Anuj Lakhotia

17 Jan 2010

Apocalypse it happened
he had been waiting for it
for so so long
with his arms outstretched

Life raised its ugly pangs today
it had been good
for days, for weeks, for months and
for more than a year now

In its tsunami, it swept
Much of what he felt was good
Peace of mind was first to fall
Then blowed away his progress
his work he prided in
his money he saved
his meaningful way to work in the world

Standing naked after the tide
what was left was
a few friends who stuck by
his goodwill he had created for years
And a smiling grin which he always wears

More and Less

I laugh less
I work more
I play less
I gym more
I am angry less
Am calm more

I express less
I think more
I feel less
I reason more
I appreciate less
I want more

I am a man less
A machine more
Have Brothers less
Enemies more
I create less
I consume more
I distribute less
I accumulate more

I sleep less
Have dreams more
I fly less
I walk more
I spend less
I save more

I call less
I tweet more
I know myself less
Google world more
Am myself less
Am the world more

I love less
I hate more
I live less
I die more

Adios
-Anuj Lakhotia

Pool Side

Woke up early this morning and wrote this sitting on the pool side bench..few thoughts.

मोर पंख को लहू में डुबाता हैं,
पाटी पर निशाँ क्यों नहीं आता हैं !
कोई समझा दो उसे,
उस दिल का खून सफ़ेद हो जाता हैं,
दर्द और प्यार जहां लुप्त हो जाता हैं !

पानी को लगा चाँद उसके अन्दर हैं,
पत्थर ने प्रतिबिम्ब बेध कर सच प्रदर्शाया
चाँद को सितारों के साथ चलना हैं !
पानी को पत्थर के साथ बहना हैं !
प्रतिबिम्ब = reflection

आगे बढ़ने के ख्यालों में,
सपने पीछे छूट गयें !
ऊँचे उठने की दौड़ में ,
दोस्त नीचें छूट गयें !

Adios
-Anuj Lakhotia

Searching for the Reason Obama got Nobel Peace Prize

The deadline for nomination of the Nobel Peace Prize was February 1 when President Obama had been in office for only two weeks.Obama was chosen among 205 nominees in 2009. The other names will be known only after 50 years.

There are no real achievements to showcase currently but there is a strong intention, strong anti-Bush thinking in key areas, a world vision and several efforts to solve current problems the United States.

The prize is a symbol of motivation for his leadership, what he wants to achieve and his thoughts for a new global order. I could not find any strong reasons but happend to land on this speech of his in Cairo

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/politics/04obama.text.html

I wish Obama makes proud the Nobel Peace prize

aaj dil udaas hain

आज दिल उदास हैं,
न जाने किस की आस हैं
jack daniels तुम्हारी class हैं
पीकर उसे भी ज़िंदा यह प्यास हैं !

सोचा था तुमने,
दोस्तों का साथ होगा,
यह सफ़र खुश-गवार होगा
मुहब्बत में इकरार होगा,
तुम्हारा भी एक मुकाम होगा !

पर आज,
दर्द में सीना हैं,
सोचना हैं क्यों जीना हैं
आँखों में अँधेरा हैं,
इस रात का क्या कोई सवेरा हैं ?

क्यों सोचता हैं दिमाग
की पतंग की डोर कट गयी (emphasis)
एक बेवफा के इनकार से
तुम्हारी मुहब्बत की शमा बुझ गयी !

इस महफिल को अपनी हंसी से सजाओं,
दिल में एक तरंग बजाओं,
अपनी आसमान सी सूनी ज़िन्दगी में
तुम 'चाँद' और 'सितारे' लाओ!

जब दिल होता हैं उदास,
होती है उसे
इक तमन्ना की तलाश,
jack daniels हैं तुम्हारी क्लास,
दो peg के बाद
रहता नहीं कोई निराश,
मंजिल है तुम्हारी बहुत पास,
पूछ लो किसी हसीं साकी से
क्या बुझायेगी तुम्हारे मन की प्यास ?


These lines have been written for a friend from IIM Lucknow Navneet Arora, dedicated to his Google talk status message on 7th October 2009

Adios,
Anuj Lakhotia

Cheers

(Chorus)
La la la
la la la
La la la la (a lil faster than other three lines)
la la la

Cheers mate
Cheers mate
The table goes
Cheers mate

La la la
la la la
La la la la
la la la

This gives life
Takes the pain
Drinking never
goes in vain

La la la
la la la
La la la la
la la la

Friendships blossom
People droll
Soul sings with
Rock n Roll

(louder)
La la la
la la la
La la la la
la la la

Love the beats
Love the bar
Love your beer
In the jar

La la la
la la la
La la la la
la la la

Rock the dance
Enjoy the talk
Do not drive back
U'l Luv da walk

La la la
la la la
La la la la
la la la

Friendships blossom
People droll
Soul sings with
Rock n Roll

(stretched)
La la la
la la la
La la la la
la la la


Adios
-Anuj Lakhotia

Few words from Last Pages of Am-Be-Yeah !

They and the grey car were crossing the Lucknow 16km milepost. It was an  exhilarating night for both of them. They had decided to check out the end of  the road after the ' only non veg starters, dessert and Red Label' dinner at  Barbeque Nation,Lucknow. The road had taken them through villages,unknown nooks and corners, uninhabited patches towards Kanpur. 90 km was the writing on the first overhead blue panel across the width of the road.

The fleeting grey Maruti resuscitated the spirit of the biker Bharat Satija to make the digital speedometer display the three digit mark again. The car raced ahead , the red lights changing intensity for the pillion as they played a catch-me -if-you -can game. The bike swerved sharply behind the car across the turn with an Abhishek Bachchan hoarding. 'An IDEA can change your life' ,it read . Very true for the two of them. 2 years back they had taken the plunge to do their MBA. Today was the culmination of it all - they had written their last examination in the noon. "It is a great day." he had said to Bharat in the morning and had added "Need to be celebrated in a special way". A big acknowledging smile is what he had received back.

 The bike had left many a vehicles behind to conquer the road and then felt a no-one-to-chase void. This car driver was different, skilled,maneuvring through the trucks fast. The night sky looked brilliant. The stars shone brightly above the 'stars' tonight. The ever indolent Bharat was dreaming about 'a scrambled egg and beer'  holiday in Goa. And then the digital display went from 108 to 26 in split-seconds.The car raced far away as the bike slowed behind a disobliging trailer truck. 'Stil there, stil alive . Can't be dead before I see  Malaysia' shouted the pillion,as they laughed. 

It had been a bit of chase now. The hands rolled over the race and the wind started enjoying its touch with the jacket again.A blue overhead panel read "Lucknow Zila Panchayat welcomes you".The biker raised his right fist to the imaginary chequered flag and the sexy babes in red as the pillion waved a bye to the grey car.

The Boondock Saints- Every city needs them ?

Ok. This is a movie which would be loved for multiple reasons. It can be the two Irish Brothers who look so good in their roles, the sound theme , the throughout entertaining , hilarious yet meaningful plot, the use of expletives , the non linear story telling, the dialogues and infact the overall message the art-piece tries to convey.

I saw it again recently after the Mumbai terror attacks. My personal favorites from the movie

Favorite Scene (s)
1. Joke Scene - When the Funny Man tells the joke about a Mexican , African and American.
So the genie says to the white guy, uh, um, "What's you're one wish?" And the white guy goes, "You mean to tell me all the niggers and spics are out of America?" Genie goes, "Yeah." He says, "Well, um, I'll have a Coke, then."

2. The prayer in the church reminds me of my school days
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.

3. The shooting of Russian Mafia, the whole of the scene..the brothers hanging from the rope , the funny man coming to kill 9 people with 6 bullets, the reference to bad television ...everything

Favorite Dialogue (s)
1. We're sorta like 7-Eleven. We're not always doing business, but we're always open.

This one appealed to me instantly ..
2. D'you know what I think is psycho, Roc? It's decent men with loving families. They go home every day after work and they turn on the news. You know what they see? They see rapists, and murderers and child molesters. They're all getting out of prison. Mafiosos. Gettin' caught with twenty kilos. Gettin' out on bail the same fuckin' day.
Everywhere, everyone thinks the same thing: that someone should just go kill those motherfuckers.

Favorite Expletive(s) [ Category specially created for the film]
1. Fuck -Ass

2. I'd like to thank whichever one of you donut-munching, barrel-assed, pud-pulling sissies leaked this to the press.

To each of these I can add many more which are equally good or even better. Insert on a DVD and have fun !!

Cheers
Anuj Lakhotia

शिकायत

रूठ कर तुझसे मैं रहा नहीं पाता
यादें वो में मिटा नहीं पाता
लम्हे वो में भूला नहीं पाता
शिकायत हैं मुझे खुदा से
मिले तुझसे बगैर क्या मैं जी नहीं पाता !

देखकर तुझे लगा तुम चाहने के लिए हो
चाहकर तुम्हे लगा आजमाने के लिए हो
आजमां कर लगा अपना बनाने के लिए हो
शिकायत हैं हमें इस दिल से
हर आरजू पूरी होने पर नयी आरजू क्यूँ बन जाती !

एक हंसी से तुम्हारी, मुश्किलें चली हैं जाती
खुशबु से तुम्हारी बागों में बहार हैं आती
देख तुझे तो सागर में हलचल मच जाती
शिकायत करता हैं चाँद तुम्हारी हमसे
चांदनी भी तुम्हारे आगे यूँ ही फीकी पड़ जाती !

तुझे चाहने वाले हज़ार बनाएं
हंसी पर मर मिटने वाले तमाम बनाएं
हमारे जैसे भी बहुत कदरदान बनाएं
शिकायत हैं हमें इस जहां से
हसीन तेर जैसे ही सिर्फ क्यूँ दो चार बनाए !

शिकायत हैं धडकनों से अभी भी धड़क हैं जाती
शिकायत हैं साँसों से अभी भी चली हैं जाती
शिकायत हैं जिंदगी से, थम क्यूँ नहीं जाती
शिकायत हैं इस शिकायत से
शिकयत करके भी, तेरी याद नहीं जाती !

अनुज लखोटिया

This is the second time I wrote few lines in Hindi...absolutely enjoyed it !!

You and I

You are the cherry on the cake,
The sunlight shining on the lake.
You are the innocence of the daisies;
The freshness of the babies.
You are the smile that vanishes all pain,
The air after a rain.
You are the nectar which gets the butterfly,
The blue of the summer sky.
Daa Da Da Da Da Daa, Daa Da Da Da Da Daa

I wanna be the cake,
Wanna be the lake.
I wanna be the scarf to protect you from cold,
Wanna be the child to care when you are old.
I wanna be the rouge in your kiss;
Wanna be the laugh that gives you a bliss.
I wanna be the dream you have in the night;
Wanna be the light to make your day bright.
I wanna be your friend; I wanna be whom you love.
Daa Da Da Da Da Daa, Daa Da Da Da Da Daa

You are the reason I survive
Wanna be the why of your life.
You are the world to me,
Wanna be the eyes from which you see.
You are a god to me,
Wanna be a flower in your heels.
You are the blood that runs in me,
Wanna be the air you breathe.
You are a rainbow in the Beskids,
Wanna be the colors it needs.
You are the nectar which gets the butterfly,the blue of the summer sky.
I wanna be your friend;I wanna be whom you love.

I know I am having a laugh, Hope you are getting the bliss.
Daa Da Da Da Da Daa ,Daa Da Da Da Da Daa

Adios
-Anuj Lakhotia

Werfen

No arrows for direction, No measures for distance
The roads I can ask; the skies I can talk.
Rays of sun to tell me the time
And winds to sing story of older times.
The little girl speaks words so polite
Alas, for the language I am naive.

Mountains to give me a high
And castles, if only one, I could buy;
Sit on swings of leaves when the legs get tired;
Drink from the river when the throat gets dry.
Take company with edelweiss and hyacinths
Holstein and Simmental to bid me good bye

Oh tram, take me to my ElDorado
Terra firma where i am Incognito

Adios
-Anuj Lakhotia

This is written after visiting Salzburg, Innsbruck and Werfen in Austria.