Silence

As the bus approached the traffic signal, the light turned red. The bus gradually came to a stop. It would be a long wait. Most traffic signals these days in Bangalore do not change lights up to 3 full minutes. The driver cut the engine. The noise now was one that of the neighbouring oncoming traffic who got the green.

I looked inside the bus at my co-passengers. We all were heading towards office. It was about 8ish and I knew many would have boarded the bus at about 7. It was still an hour’s journey, and hence more than half of the people were dozing. To catch up on the lost sleep; to be fresh to tackle the day’s work when they reach the office; to just avoid being a part of the annoying traffic.

Strangely, like a vacuum, or like being within a sound-proof bus, the noise within the bus itself was next to nothing. Pin-drop silence, as they say. Not a single person was talking on the phone, not a single cell was ringing, not one person talking. Everyone was immersed and involved in his or her own world. Sleeping, or listening to radio or reading a novel or just blindly staring at the traffic. Although we all worked for the same company, at that instant, none knew their neighbour. For all practical purposes, each one was a stranger to the other. This is what big companies do. One’s identity gets restricted to one’s project team.

For some reason, this scene reminded me of a number of instances which I had experienced in my life. There was this first week of my engineering college, when we used to travel in college bus. None knew one another and awkward, pregnant silence prevailed everywhere. Each wanted to do better in the course. There is always the desire to do better during studies.

There was this time when I was sitting in an interview room with my peers – all unknown to me. Each one wanted to do the interview well to get a job. We were all strangers. There was an expectant silence. Expecting to get their name called for the dreaded interview. There is always is an expectant silence in the waiting room prior to undergoing interviews.

There is the hospital waiting room. All are strangers with their near and dear one’s struggling for life in the ward. There is nothing to talk, but there is hope that things will get well. There is always hope in a hospital waiting room.

And then there is this bus. They are all my colleagues. But I know none of them. Hence there is no conversation. No idle talk. Just people. I am just one among the crowd. All hoping to have a good day at office. All wanting to do better. All wanting to achieve something.

The light turned green. The driver started the engine. The bus filled with the noise of the engine. It was like oxygen filling the vacuum. People almost sighed with thankfulness. Perhaps because it was our turn to go.

But I felt the thankfulness because it evaporated the silence. Silence was weird. Uncanny. Uncomfortable. Lonely. Noise was so much better...

Thought for the day

Should I laugh or should I cry?!!

Thought for the day

No one will be happy if they are told that they are not doing a good job, right?

Neutral Vision

"What is neutral?" My wife asked. We were discussing about the gears in the car.
"Neutral means neither here nor there." I replied, referring to neutral not being any gear per se. And added spontaneously, "Neutral is Narada." Then we both burst out laughing. What I said was so true! I mean, with so many mythiological references to English words, who knows, the word 'Neuter' came out of Narada's character!!

It wasnt long after that that I suspected 'Vision' to be borne out of the Hindu God 'Vishnu'. Vision for organisations in most cases remain asymptotic; always tending to reach its destination or goal but never doing so eventually - which is the same in an orthodox Hindu life, trying to follow the norms set forth by Vishnu so as to attain Him in the form of Moksha but never really being able to do so in reality...

Phew. Me and my thoughts...!
:-)

"munde daari kaaNade..."

One sack o'er my left shoulder...
One sack o'er my right shoulder...

Trodding on the mud road...
In the middle of the dense forest...

Not knowing where I am...
Not knowing where I am going...

I chance upon these three roads...
Forking away from the road I am on...

One on the left, one straight on and one on the right...
Each being the same muddy road as the one I am on...

Each lacking in knowledge as to its destination...
Just as the same road I am on...

With two heavy sacks on my back...
I know not which one to choose...

Should I choose the right...
Or should I choose the left...

Should I go straight on...
Or is there some other path that I am not seeing...

I am reminded of Lowell's words-
"Once to every man and nation there comes a moment to decide..."

I am reminded of Sri Raghavendra Swamy's words-
"munde daari kaaNade kundide jagadoLu..."

12000 and counting...

"It is perhaps the first time in the history of cricket that a batsman waved to the crowd thrice in an innings and raised his bat in acknowledgement to the standing ovation each time, and still had not completed a century..."

Sachin's became the highest run getter in Test Cricket.
Sachin got his fiftieth fifty in Test Cricket.
Sachin crossed 12000 runs in Test Cricket Cricket.

French Beard!

Well, I guess there is a first time for everything!

:-)

Thought for the day

Pappu cant dance saala....

Contentment

In this everlasting universe of turbulence and high seas, there are occasions when all is at peace and there is absolute contentment and bliss. Its like those good ole golden days which most of us would have experienced when we were aged one month or so, comfortably snuggled in mother's lap, with stomach filled to the brim and our legs pedalling an imaginary cycle and enjoying the virtual ride of our life...

The day is just perfect after a fitful good night's sleep. The weather is not too hot nor too chilly. The sky is blue. The children are playing cricket on the road. Its a holiday. People are relaxed and in a festive mood. There are no planned agenda. No tension whatsoever. No deadlines to meet. Nothing bothering the mind. The mind is just plain empty, free of all worries. Nothing to think of. Not bored either. One needs such days where you just wind up and rejuvenate yourself. Just take it easy...!

I am reminded of the novel Swami and Friends by R K Narayan. So refreshingly plain and innocent.

Life, too, is so simple.

Sleep!

Monday: Got up just before my stop...

Tuesday: Got up at my stop...

Wednesday: Got up one stop after my stop!

Thursday: Got up two stops after my stop!!

Friday: The conductor woke me up!!!