A Little-Known Heaven

Just as 2019 was about to end, my significant other and I thought it would be a great idea to visit a hill station to challenge our already frigid bearings here at Panipat at the peak of winter with the mercury dipping to a shivery 2 degC, and ended up discovering a little-known heaven, Morni Hills! I dedicate an entire article to this gem of a place not due to its enormity or popularity, both of which it isn’t, but due to the feelings associated with it.

From the dense fog hanging in between the mountain tops blocking out any view of the valley we had just traversed, to the breath-taking Tikkar Taal, surrounded by lush green slopes peeping out of the haze, as we serenely relaxed on a boat in the middle of the lake, the entire image of the place seems to have formed a wallpaper on my retina, that randomly floats around my head every time I close my eyes.

These are the times when I get philosophical about life, planning a peaceful retirement with my loved ones at a secluded locality surrounded by nature, neither too close nor too far from the rest of humanity... Hehe... And while future planning is good and definitely needed, I realized something important that day, as my wifey, waiting for our lunch gazing dreamily into the great yonder, casually mentioned that: “We spend so much time thinking about what’s ahead, but there’ll soon come a time when we’ll be pondering on our past looking upon our glory days as we age...”

When we’re at the beginning of our life’s number line, most times we just look forward, and as we near its end, we usually look backward, but what is missing in this equation is our present, which is our constant companion. I've seen professionals brooding over an elusive elevation, couples panicking to conceive, elderly Samaritans at wits end over their health, and a lot else. But the fact remains that when one has done everything there is to be done in his faculty, mulling over the outcome is utterly ineffectual. As the popular saying goes: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift”... So enjoy it! 

With our new found enlightenment at Morni Hills, we have started to pay more attention to our current bearings, treasuring the smallest moments of togetherness even more, and fully living even the simplest activities like driving down the freeway hand-in-hand into the setting sun or making a home fountain together with some bottles, plaster, paint and a pump, as the only component bought off the market. Gotta say my belle is quite the craftsman in spite of her busy schedule, designing complex 3D birthday cards, fancy newspaper holders and what not with nothing but scraps.

Oh well!... Enough said! It is the last 'teen-year' day of the 21st century...

WISHING A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR & WELCOMING YOU ALL TO THE TWENTIES!

2019: At Full Tilt

Ever experienced the thrill of skiing down an avalanche? Although I haven't had the opportunity yet, but that's exactly what 2019 felt like! From the commissioning of my first BS-VI unit, to my wifey's successful enrollment in the Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana, to my father's superannuation at long last, after nearly thirty six years of devoted service, and finally to the commencement of our family's apparel line, this year has been speeding down the freeway, affording us very little time only for a few short respites.

On the official front, after nearly three months of doggedness and endless perseverance, working thirteen to fourteen hours each day, every day, having rightfully earned a free pass to countless lectures on 'work-life balance' from my better half, I must still admit that the feeling you get after having played such an integral role in the completion and startup of the BS-VI unit for petrol upgradation at Indian Oil's flagship Panipat Refinery, falls short of words. Presently, engaged in the diesel upgradation unit's commissioning, there really are very few avenues where you can contribute directly, albeit in a very humble way in the larger scheme of things, to the betterment of your country and mankind at large.

On the other hand, the day my soul mate went from being Mrs. Priya to Advocate Priya, was a real proud moment for me. I must say there's a certain gravity attached with the newly acquired moniker that is unlike most other professions. That black suit with the white neck-band has an unparalleled appeal, and with an 'advocate' logo on our car, the traffic police too seem to be more reluctant to stop us unnecessarily. Wearing so many hats and juggling between the roles of a lawyer, a homemaker and the primary initiator behind Devs Boutique, with such apparent ease, I wish I could lend more than a hand to my unbelievable wifey, but alas I'm stuck with twelve hour shifts at work more often than not.

On the personal front, with our plates more than full, we somehow managed a few weekend getaways including a revisit of Amritsar, and a trip to the former Colonial hill station, Kasauli, which I would definitely recommend if not for anything else, then at least for an overnight stay in the multitude of resorts that dot its slopes, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the entire valley and the clear blue sky, seamlessly merging in the horizon. Never mind the friendly monkeys who might enter your field of vision though... Who would've thought there would be such an angelic place lurking amidst the polluted plains of North India?!

Then, following our customary hometown visit during the festive season of Durga Puja and taking a diversion to another gem of a place, Lavasa near Pune, with its Venice-like design, it was the hour to get serious about my forthcoming GMAT. Although I hadn't had much time to practice, the biggest shock I received a couple of days prior to the test, was the compulsory requirement of passport as the only acceptable identification for GMAT takers in India. After already having spent a whopping 250$ simply to register for the exam, I had to spend another 150$ on an overnight round trip by air to Panipat, just to obtain my passport, which my wife and I had coincidently obtained very recently for our nearing Europe trip. Although the Premium Plaza Lounge at the Delhi Airport, did manage to take out some of my fatigue, the fate of my already under-prepared attempt at cracking GMAT was sealed. Oh well, all in all I scored a 680, which I'd say wasn't too shabby for the circumstances I was presented. So, GMAT aspirers... Please beware!

After all the joie de vivre, it was finally time to get back to business. But birthdays and anniversaries aside, 2019 wasn't done revealing its bagful of gifts yet. My father, after a long and storied career with Steel Authority of India Ltd., spanning more than three and a half decades, finally bid adieu to his workplace on the 30th of November this year. Having left his mark on countless departments from Marketing to Vigilance to Commercial and lastly retiring as General Manager, Internal Audit, the SAIL stockyard in Mumbai won back to back awards of 'Best Managed Warehouse' in the country, under my father's leadership. Relentless in his personal and professional contributions, my father has always held true to his values even in today's day and age! Wishing my parents for their most golden inning that has just begun, I hope the stylus of the HP Pavilion x360 is serving a better purpose than writing my name over and over for handwriting practice... LOL!

Now, batting in the death overs of the year, it feels strange to think that this will probably be the last 'teen' year many of us will be witnessing in this life. Wrapping up 2019 with some work and definitely some fun, it was good to finally get to know some of the blood-stained history of the place that I've so casually been residing in, since the past four years, finding the leisure to visit the Panipat Museum and Kala Amb, and getting to corelate the same with the movie Panipat just a few days later. Oh! On a side note, the Chokhi Dhani at Panipat is very similar to the one in Jaipur. Having visited both, locals interested to get a unique taste of Rajasthani culture, are highly recommended at least a one-time visit here.

Well... Adios 2019... And welcome 2020...!

Corruption: A Different Outlook

Corruption can come in many forms viz. political, religious, philosophical, etc. But whatever facia it might assume, we know that it plagues not only individuals, institutions, organizations and countries, but society as a whole. This subject has been going round my mind since a long time, but I had decided against penning it down, due to one reason only... People say that corruption is wrong and should be erased, but as I pointed out in one of my previous articles, right and wrong are nonobjective terms, with varying degrees of acceptance for different people. So the only way corruption can be eliminated or at least reduced, is if systems themselves are made infallible.

Just like in the Indian constitution, where the Government and Judiciary have been kept as two independent entities, there should be similar counter measures in every body at every level, if we want to get a handle on the disease of corruption. For example, almost all companies have a system wherein performance of subordinates are rated by their bosses, but the reverse is poppycock at best! What if all team members are allowed to evaluate their leaders too in all fairness without career peril? Wouldn't the process become less one-sided and more productive for the entire firm as a whole?

Let's consider another commonly encountered issue and something around which corruption revolves... Bribes! Whether it is contractors simply trying to get past plant security without much fuss, offering some chai-pani (cash for titbits), or the average joe trying to obtain some urgently required document on priority in an under handed way, or trying to bribe your way out of a speeding ticket, I'm pretty sure almost all of us have been witness or even subject to this type of blatant blackmail. So, what if parties with conflicting interests are made to invigilate one another?

Last but not the least, automation has already become a major part of today's day to day activity in almost all walks of life. So, why can't machines replace humans wherever possible? Such steps even though initially cost intensive, must be made compulsory wherever practically feasible. Imagine the benefits... Documents will only be processed in chronological order... Parking fines will be auto-generated based on captured data... The list is endless...

Basically, what I'm trying to emphasize is a shift in focus from change of mentalities of parties involved in corruption to a change in the systems that govern these parties, because at the end of the day you will be left to someone else's mercy in case of the former, but no single party will be in control in case of the latter. Most articles you'll come across on this subject, will probably conclude by saying that it is everyone's responsibility to lend a hand in abolishing the epidemic of corruption, but I say that none of us should have to be dependent on whether someone is acting upon the aforesaid thought or not... And that, my friends, is precisely why it is of the utmost importance to make systems incorruptible rather than the masses.

A Sublime Few Months

It seems just yesterday that we welcomed the brand-new year, as we realize that the first quarter of 2019 is already at its end. The past few months have rung a bell in me, that the sensation of time can be greatly altered based on your outlook. Some people say that time flies when you enjoy, whereas it slows down when you are bored. Well… While the roots of the aforesaid saying can be traced to the notion that you look at the clock more often when you are trying to kill time, we must realize that every moment lived to the fullest provides a more enriching experience, thereby occupying a greater portion of your mind and lasting longer, than an entire hour spent counting minutes. So, I guess I perceive time a bit differently than most…

Such was the allure of Agra, that kicked off the past few sublime months. The grandeur of the Taj Mahal, in sparkling white is literally something out of a story book, its controversial history only adding to its beguile. Witnessing the Agra Fort, Jama Masjid and other monuments in Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s capital back in the day, takes you back in time to the Mughal era. You don’t need to be a history buff to imagine what the walls, that we so casually cling to and take pictures of, might have witnessed back in the day! Folks just like us, but probably with starkly different lifestyles, aims, ambitions and day to day goals, walked those halls just a few centuries back… Goosebumps all round!

Our brain is such a powerful tool, imagine if we could communicate using nothing but our thoughts. We would be able to understand everyone’s perspective without having to utter a single word. The secret to true peace? Who knows? Though speaking of peace, takes me back to our Nepal trip during the festive season of Holi this year. And what a trip it was… Our first small step on the ‘roof of the world’ proved to be worth every penny!

Incredible Nepal!

On our way to Kathmandu, the first thing that enthralled me was the complete absence of noise from honking vehicles zigzagging the winding roads. It was only later that I came to know that the use of horns was banned by the Nepalese Govt. What a move! A short detour from our set path took us to the Manakamna Temple near Nepal’s capital, which could only be reached by cable car, offering breathtaking views of our surroundings and kick starting our memorabilia. Spending the following day visiting the famed Pashupatinath and Swayambhunath Temples, with a stop at the infamous Narayanhiti Palace, where Nepal’s royal family was tragically slaughtered around two decades back, we explored the streets of Thamel, with its colourful nightlife, in the evening, which set the stage for an even more exciting tomorrow.

Next on our bucket list was the tourism capital of Nepal, Pokhara. Nestled in the arms of the ice-capped Himalayan range, Annapurna, with the gorgeous Phewa Lake in the backdrop, our hotel room balcony overlooked three out of the top ten highest mountains in the world, viz. Manaslu, Annapurna-I and Dhaulagiri! Our time spent in this dreamy land ranged from watching the magical sun rise, gradually illuminate the snow covered peaks from Sarangkot, to rowing our way to the sacred Tal Barahi Temple, centered in the Phewa Lake, from which the majestic World Peace Pagoda was visible on the mountain top. Its hard to get more picturesque than this! The Devi’s Falls, Gupteshwor Mahadev Caves and the International Mountain Museum also contributed to the mystique of the place... With our evening supper lit up by a local folk dance, it was sadly time to bid farewell to this enchanting place. Gazing out of the car window on our way back, our minds were serenely filled with every little wondrous detail of our journey, with leafless trees adorned by bright flowers and flimsy walkways across deep cliffs, at every bend.

Using the little time we had left, celebrating the craziest Holi I’ve ever seen, at Gorakhpur, we attended the newly inaugurated light and sound show at the famous Gorakhnath Temple. Buddhia Mai, a shrine in the midst of the verdant Kushmi Forest, was another anima-augmenting delight! With souls rejuvenated and minds refreshed, I guess its time to work hard and play hard, looking forward to an amazing future together with our entire family! Riding the tide of my career’s first promotion, I hope my upcoming GMAT offers a smooth passage into the world of executive MBA, as the next natural step of my academic quest. Wishing everyone the best of health and success, lets see how much gas we have left in the tank...

BE THE FORCE!!!...

The Festival of Colours!

One Year Down!

Commemorating our first year of togetherness post marriage, this past month my wife and I felt something far-reaching. My parents had come over for the occasion and we realized that there’s hardly anything more gratifying than spending some cherished time with your loved ones. One year down! And truly what a while it has been... Time seems to have whizzed past like a gale-force wind, bringing with it new hopes, challenges and rewards.

Although I’ve written several articles on one’s personal and professional life, those have almost always focused on the individual’s outlook. But the truth is that hardly anyone succeeds on his own. It is a team game... A soccer team may have a couple of top goal scorers, but with no team there’s no win! The homemakers in your family play just as important a role as the breadwinners, similar to the front and back ends of an operation. So, your success is not just yours alone, but your entire family’s too.

So, our first proper trip to the country’s capital was not only a 1^st marriage anniversary treat, but also a much deserved break for Team Family! The Red Fort, Qutab Minar and other popularities of New Delhi seemed so much more magnificent in person, than portrayed by media or word of mouth, which truly do no justice to their presence and enormity. Driving past the Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhavan, shown so often on news channels and movies alike, was surreal to say the least.

Well, so much for the past year... Welcoming the brand new year with a family picnic on the second last day of 2018, immediately followed by a blast on new year’s eve with new Bollywood playback singer Yakoob Ali Khan's performance here at our township in Panipat, taking center stage, 2019 has finally arrived in all its glory! It is time to embrace the promises of the brand new year on all fronts with arms outstretched. And as for me... The first year since I started my professional career, where my transfer / promotion is officially due... The year when my father finally retires from his long and illustrious career in SAIL at the end of this November... The year when we commence our holidaying on an international scale... It is all here! 

So, without further adue, I’d like to wish everyone a very happy and prosperous new year, and conclude with a message which struck a chord with me some time back:-

“THINK A LITTLE LESS, LIVE A LITTLE MORE!”