Mumbai Musings

I’ve always been amazed by what’s been said and written about ‘Mumbai’- The city which never sleeps. I have time and again wondered why people are walking so fast and are constantly in rush to catch a train or a bus. Why I am always looking outside the window, seeing the crowded roads filled with innumerable cars and autos. Why the roads are always choked with traffic. Why the prominent shopping destinations are never short of buyers. Why there are queues for autos and bright yellow taxis while it is opposite in other parts of the country. The city never relaxes; you’ll always find people moving in with energy and be it the people landing at the airport or the ones who are clinging on to train. It makes me wonder what is it that makes this place so radically different from other places.

Whenever you reach Mumbai, the first thing you would notice is the bustling traffic right from the dawn of the day till late into the night. It’s difficult not to like this city. There’s just something in its air, the rains which attracts people instantly. Anyone who lives in Mumbai for a substantial period of time would agree that they sooner or later fall in love with the city because of its different hues. The rains are unpredictable and many times it results into huge traffic jams. But, people react normally and within a blink of an eye umbrellas are opened, wipers are turned on and life moves on the same way as it were before. Even, the rain gods do not dampen the spirit of a ‘MumbaiKar’.

Mumbai is a land of opportunities with the presence of MNCs. Places like Nariman Point, Bandra-Kurla Complex with eye catching infrastructure, amongst many other places, can be easily called as the corporate hubs of the city. The city has some fantastic restaurants, the food which you won’t find in other parts of the country. The dabba or the tiffin system of the city is been praised all over. Their efficiency is something to imbibe in our lives. The view of the sea is majestic with nice breeze blowing around and it is perfect for a nice ‘me’ time. What’s most striking about Mumbai is that it carries the sky-scrapers and slums with equal ease. There are ‘sea facing life style apartments’, sprawling bungalows though it does not hide the dark face of the city. The city can be cruel and unforgiving at the same time if you do not find a proper place to stay on. Yet, there is something about Mumbai which is mesmerizing. People live different lives, but they all have that urgency which is almost synonymous with the city.

The streets of the city reveal a lot about life; how people work hard to earn their livelihood, how hard work is directly related to success. The traffic policemen are working as efficient as any other place to manage the flow of vehicles. There are people who are walking behind, beside and ahead of you. You will struggle to keep up. Though, the motive of everyone is almost the same; to make a mark, earn a living, live a comfortable life or simply do right things at the right time. These are the faces with dreams, hopes, and aspirations from the different parts of the country.

Why having wonderful teachers is as important as having a best friend in our life

‘A teacher is like a candle- it will burn itself to help others.’

As I write this I am filled with memories of my school and college days. I am still studying but the magic of education of those days has evaporated. There have been some wonderful moments and some embarrassing ones too but the most satisfying part has been that I’ve been blessed with some of the most wonderful human beings as my teachers, mentors, guides, friends and many times they’ve been like my parents too. In fact, it’s because of their support, appreciation and guidance that I’ve been able to start this blog.

Teachers/professors are like beacons of radiance that guide us and nurture us into becoming better human beings and in the process they easily get to know about our potential. Their direction is something which hits the bulls’ eye almost every time and they affect eternity; because their few words of veneration can create a lot of difference in the lives of us students. The profession is very noble since they have to give more by way of soul, heart and to expect less by way of material gain. And yet, we see so many wonderful human beings taking up this profession and make our formative years a joy to fall back on. They shape destinies, instill self confidence, belief in their wards and create or rather ‘formulate’ miracles in the lives of their students.

And their wisdom is not just restricted to academics; their experiences on life and living help us in many ways. Some of the most best discussions that I’ve had have always been with my teacher about a particular social issue. Those discussions have always been enriching and something which you might not get it from your ‘best friend’.

And talking about my own experience with my teacher(s) I’d like to go back in time not much though. My first day in college. As I entered the campus, it was crowded with lots of people with funky hairstyles moving in here and there, soon I got to know my classroom and very reluctantly I stepped in. School was very different in more ways than one. The environment there was comforting.

But here, I found myself in a decently sized room with more than hundred other students. Feeling out of sync with the atmosphere, I was getting anxious about whether I’ll be able to survive in this sort of an environment. I took a seat amongst the last few benches as I didn’t want myself to get noticed in the class.

And then, one of the economics professors, walked into the class. There was silence in the class as she started with her usual work and then proceeded with the introduction of the class. I was very shy and did as I was asked to. She taught us micro-economics in the first year starting with the discussions about basic definitions of economics by celebrated economists like Adam Smith, Marshall and others. She explained everything very easily and I understood how economics affects our day to day life. That lecture was a pure delight. She received every response with a sense of encouragement as she told us in the beginning that she wanted us to share, to engage in discussions. I felt comfortable and as the day came to a close I was very happy about my first day at college.

As the year and the term went on, economics became more and more interesting for me and I enjoyed the depth of the subject. I kept looking forward to her next class, about the topic which we will discuss. She taught us with lots of dedication and conviction. I started sitting in the front few benches from the last benches and college was all about attending lectures to me.
Over the course of my three years of undergraduate study, my bonding with my teacher grew and blossomed. I was part of the editorial team of our college magazine in which she was the editor-in-chief during the second year. She encouraged me to think positively and express with confidence. My knowledge about the subject grew by leaps and bounds. There were a lot of qualities which I admired about her but the one which I like is that she does everything with dedication and passion.

During the college, I have been extremely lucky to have some of the most amazing teachers who have all helped me to grow but this special teacher stands out. She taught to me to explore, to expand, to spread our wings and fly. I have been very blessed to have her as my teacher, guide, mentor, friend and everything which I’ve missed out writing here. It is through my experiences that I’ve realized how much teachers contribute in a life of a human being.  

Lastly, I can say with all the conviction in the world that having a wonderful teacher is crucial in life for you may not know where her influence stops. They understand us and if we seek their guidance our life becomes a lot easier. That is why I always believe that teachers are as important as any other person in our life. They can be our best friends and our parents at the same time.      

Have a little faith.!

Few days back, I was having a conversation with my mother on how quickly things change in life and I nodded in agreement when she said ‘Whatever may be the situation if we are able to maintain a little equilibrium or sanity along with a little bit of faith then we’ll able to face anything with a certain equanimity.’ I was amazed at the wisdom of this lady who has seen it all and it is worthwhile to talk to your parents and teachers about life in general and the problems which we face.

Coming back to the theme, I think it’s very important to have faith otherwise you’ll end up frustrated more often than not. We all know that life goes through different phases, sometimes it’s good, and sometimes it’s bad and then good again. There’s a constant change which does not allow us to get too comfortable in our respective lives. And, that’s the best part of it. Can you imagine how it would be like things never changed? We would not have been able to appreciate laughter if there were no tears. There would not be any celebration of success if you haven’t faced failures. How would you feel that feeling of being loved exclusively if you haven’t felt the pain of being sidelined? It’s like life’s never a straight line but one which is constantly moving in different directions.

The lows in life keep you grounded whereas the highs give insurmountable confidence. A continued success without any hiccups can make a man arrogant and over-confident. He starts feeling as if he can do anything may be even fly. And, looking at some people it might seem as if they live a life full of roses but to be honest I don’t think that is possible although exceptions might be there. They all have their good and bad days. They do not let their better times go their head nor do they get too perturbed by failures. For they know one might follow another. The key as most of the philosophers say about life is to maintain equilibrium and keep a steady head. For most of us including me, it is always a challenge to keep a calm head every time but the true strength is revealed only when we maintain calmness through the various twists and turns of life.

To keep a steady head is no easy task and it comes from a willingness to change as according to the times. There is a time for everything. Time to attack. Time to just sit back and go defensive. Time to go with the flow and not think too much. A person who is wise enough to recognize the response which a particular situation demands then he is sure to succeed in his endeavors. One of the most glaring examples of dramatic ups and downs in life is actor Anupam Kher. Entered the industry with a bang and then reached the lows during his stint in business. He was back again. He believes that there are thorns too in life but it is how well we keep ourselves during those times is what defines us as a person. There will always be some hurdles to deal with.

I feel it is this knowledge, this sense of self-attainment which helps people like him or any other person maintain sanity and peace with themselves. It all depends on us what we do with either good times or the bad times. Some people will make the best of the opportunities while others might not utilize it the way they should. You might be complaining about your luck or poor fortunes during bad times, others would use it to their advantage by learning lessons of wisdom, grit and determination.

The basic underlying fact is that life is moves inexplicably; a journey of self-discovery but it is up to us to keep learning, what it offers at every level. May be we should look more at opportunities than constraints (easy to say, hard to implement). The good and the bad times follow each other; this is what I have learnt till date.

The crucial thing here is to keep the faith alive. With emotions like hope and faith, there’s always some positive energy involved which will galvanize us. All we need to fix in our minds is that each and every situation has its place in life. If you feel you are at the low point of life then be sure that the high awaits you and vice versa. But, that is no reason to start a slide yourself by becoming lazy and direction-less.

Reservation Policy; The need for change

Ask your heart what thoughts come to your mind, when you hear the word ‘reservation’. For all general category students, a big frowning face filled with anger and somewhat hatred towards the system and for those who benefit from it, just a smile would do to reflect their state of mind.

Reservation policy has a long standing history in our country ever since the pre-independence era and it has continued before finally being introduced in 1990 after going through the recommendations of Mandal Commission. The basis for bringing in such a policy was to ensure that the perceived backward castes get equal opportunities for growth and development.  And, since India was a country in which social problems like ‘untouchability’ were deeply rooted, it was introduced to bring the people belonging to backward castes into national picture by giving them ample opportunities as claimed by the government back then. As decades went by this reservation policy was used by political parties to appease minorities by giving them reservations which is quite evident with the fact  that, as of 2006 number of castes in backward castes have gone up to 2297 which is an increase of 60% from the list originally drafted by the Mandal Commission.

There were quite a few decisions by courts which were upturned by the ruling government through the amendment of laws and constitution in favor of a reservation system which in turn paved the way for vote bank politics. And, today if we say that Reservations scheme has worked wonders for masses till now, it obviously means that they and their families do not need reservation any more. And, if we say that our country is still poor in spite of reservations, then it is very evident that the scheme has failed to achieve its purpose and needs to be reconsidered or redesigned.

And to further analyze this scheme, it is questionable whether the people who benefit from it actually deserve that position or a seat. And in case of prestigious educational institutes which require a certain degree of excellence these people just do not belong there. This is why meritocracy should always be preferred over reservation. If people get what they deserve then it is definitely a step in the right direction. Quotas and special scholarships in education for backward groups have caused a lot of resentment amongst the general applicants who toil hard for extremely competitive spots in colleges cutting across different branches. This has hampered the growth of our institutions and students as in spite of their talent and ability there are unable to gain the desired results.

India has lost its’ pace for the development only because of the reservation as more competent people were not offered the places which they deserved and many still feel that reservation has divided people on the caste lines. Another flaw of this caste based reservations is that it will endanger animosity toward backward groups as well as on the part of backward groups themselves, whose main problem in some cases has been their own inadequacy combined with their resentment of non-backward groups who without preferences, consistently outperform them.    

In 2014, I feel there’s no place for a caste based reservation system. For a country which thrives on its secular credentials, this system is an aberration to that widely accepted notion. The overall benefits from this sort of an arrangement are probably limited and a very negligible minority has benefitted from it according to a study of income data by caste in 2005-06. If a very small group succeeds within a predominantly disadvantaged group should it continue to enjoy quotas from the state? Rather than discussing the better implementation of the existing system, politicians focus on extending this benefit to a new set of people thereby enhancing their vote bank.

The fact is India is a society in dynamic transition, where community identities are blurring and individual consciousness is on the rise. And so, there is a need to structurally change this reservation policy. A reservation based on a financial position of an individual is a much better option especially when poverty has been an issue for our country for the last many decades. Poverty is deeply infested in our country cutting across all caste lines. It would benefit poor from the upper caste. This will make sure that all poor people benefit, instead of people of just certain castes or religion or gender, some of whom might actually be from a non-poor background.

Experiences at a polling booth

This is an election season and only two phases of the General Elections are remaining now. This election, unlike most others has generated a lot of interest in the nation with almost record turn outs in states. The main reason for this is that people see their roles in politics as very significant and it’s the poor who are the most enthusiastic voters more often than not. Gujarat, my home state voted on 30^th April and I voted as well. A lot of buzz was there in the air with many social organizations encouraging people to vote. All political parties campaigned hard and it was a day for the electorate to exercise their franchise.  

An old woman being taken to a polling booth for voting.

I reached the voting booth quite early at 7.15 am and was surprised to see a lot of rush of the people at that hour, people are up earlier than usual and you can hear the sound of vehicles going down the streets which usually remains sombre. The policemen were ensuring whether all the security arrangements are in place or not. Many people came in as early as 6.45 am in their jogging gear. There were long queues and I had to wait for almost an hour before getting a chance to vote. During that time I interacted with few senior citizens and while we discussed about politics (which was on the expected lines), I was quite taken aback by their enthusiasm and energy to contribute towards building a strong nation. They had a strong sense of nationalism in them which was visible during the course of our discourse. While, they were all retired from their professional lives, they still kept themselves busy by doing some social work and helping their family members in some way or the other. And one of those uncles (as I would fondly call them) told me that to succeed in life it requires hard work, perseverance and basic honesty; all the talk on innovation and big ideas are required no doubt, but you cannot compensate hard work with that. These lines made me think about a puzzle called life and certainly inspired me bringing instantly a smile filled with adulation. I felt good hearing those nuggets of wisdom from them.

During the time at the booth, I saw people coming on wheel chairs being accompanied by their family members, people with all sorts of physical disabilities. It just made me more responsible. A friend also saw 7-8 months pregnant women coming in to vote, people who could not manage two meals a day were there too. I stayed at polling booth for some more time hoping to observe different shades of our diverse democracy. Some came in big cars, others by walking or through different modes but they all were equal only for few minutes though. It is during elections you are judged as a voter along with everyone else as a voter. Caste, religion don’t matter on that day what matters is only one thing ‘Vote’. There were some youngsters like me who were excited to vote. I saw ‘selfies’ being clicked outside the booth and imagined that those pictures will be soon uploaded on social networking sites.

Over and above, I was impressed with the majority of the people I saw that day. It was a day which I enjoyed.    

The moment.

Life is made up of moments. Isn’t it? Some bring in joy, pleasure, happiness and some of them causing pain, agony, regret, resentment and some passing by almost unnoticeably but still helping us to become better human beings.

Sometimes, it takes just a moment to experience that feeling called ‘love. It takes only a moment to lose all the respect that you’ve earned with a mindless thought or an immature action/behavior. You can apologize but it will take a long time to forget. The wounds do not heal that fast especially when you utter something in moment of madness.  

Sometimes it takes only a moment to react or else you’ll end up regretting it for life. It takes a moment to say something nice. You might have said it and forgotten later but the person to whom you’ve said that will not forget. Kindness is usually not forgotten.

I have had my own moments of sheer joy, and my moments of grief as well. The former still bring smiles, sometimes laughter as well and those are invaluable moments. And the latter are all about accepting what has happened in the past. We should not carry any grudges against anyone. Forgiveness is the sweetest form of revenge. It would be far easier for us to ‘forgive’ if we understand that the forgiveness is for us and not for the perpetrator of that pain.  

Life is all about creating moments which bring in joy, happiness, laughter and then reminiscing them as and when we feel like doing so.