Aur phir khud se zara milna

Peron mein ladkhadahat,armano mein kami si hi..

Vichlit mann tha,ankhen kuch soch mein rami sit hi..

Hawao mein yun zulfon ka bikharna,

Sooraj ki roshni mein palkon ka yun bar bar jhapakna..

Wo milna mera kuch ajnabiyon se yun ki..

Garmi aur ghabrahat se mere gale ka sookhna..

Sabki muskurahat ko dekhkar,

Khud ko bhi mehfil mein shamil karna..

Zabardasti ka hasna, aur akele mein azaad mahsoos karna..

Yun waqt ane per ek ajib si himmat ikatthi karna,

Aur phir ghar akar tasalli se letna..

Apne khokhlepan se bahar nikalna,

Aur phir khud se zara milna..

Mood Swings!!

I was smiling for no good reason..
wow! What a beautiful season..

The weather is nice..
all sweets no spice..

A smooth life of my own..
the thoughts how we have been grown..

The wonderful memories and missing those pals
a get together with you guys and gals..

And chit chat on mobile and net..
my exciting tone as if all life is set..

These mood swings..haah..i was smiling since morning..
suddenly something and it seems a bad ending.. (for the day)

I am feeling emotional and empty inside..
wish you were here with me this while..

and don’t say anything I may cry
for you would never know and ask me why

see.. the pearls rolling with precision..
and I am crying for no good reason..

Music- A part of me!

Music is such a beautiful thing. I am surprised at myself that why it took me so much long to express myself on such a thing which have played a major role for me. I have been listening to my mom’s voice ..those old beautiful lyrics all these days. And now when I repeat those numbers.. she gives me a look which says “how come you know these old time songs!” and then I remind of her own sweet voice which I have been listening to all these years..

Not a trained singer, but I managed to be a part of a song group during my school.Those practice sessions and an amazing calmness on my teacher’s face brought me all the more closer to music. We practices easy alaaps , variations. Those patriotic songs prepared specially to perform in interschool competitions are still the part of my memory.

Songs are intangible but when they get connected to a person or situation – they add all the more tangibility. They undoubtedly play a major role in transforming my mood. There have been phases in life which were a little more challenging, little more demanding, tensed situations where all I needed was hope, situations filled with romance, expression of love and celebration of friendship –Music was always there.

Music therapy is becoming popular. Music does have an effect.

I still cannot forget the time when the song “ye honsla kese rahe.. “ gave me required hope to move on.. the song “chak de “ helped me MBA Entrance preparation! “Yaron dosti” reminded of my closest friends and the friendship we share, “what goes around comes back all around” gave me the strength in my relations , “hame tumse pyaar kitna” brought this special smile , and the songs “here without you baby” , “kyon hawa aaj yun..” , “kabhi alvida na kahna” reminds me of some special people .. “In the end” brings back all the energy and reassurance, “ankhon ke sagar” takes me close to my emotions, “dil toh baccha hai ji” takes me to the world of salsa and ball dance! “d.dd..dilli dilli” helped me in daily travelling from here and there , “zoobi doobi” reminds me of my college girls gang , “ye kaali kaali ankhen” takes me years back in a dance class where I could not dance this fast so I prepared on “payaliya..ho..ho..” “sayoni” takes me directly to my manali trip from college , “hotel califronia” , “18-till I die” , the beautiful ghazals..
The list is endless. And this time seriously it is! Personally I like the people who love music, because somewhere they are nice in their hearts.

Music has given me strength. Besides, it has given me an imagination. It is just so impossible to survive without music. There has to be something which can keep you lost in yourself!

yo man!

This is certainly going to be somewhat a feminist piece of writing. It has been my destiny that I am interacting with considerably more number of males than females. Sometimes I even ponder over it! Anyway, this is something very peculiar about man that I have been noticing; the more you began to feel comfortable interacting with them, the more they try to bring you in the uncomfortable zone. I really cannot comment, if they do it intentionally or unconsciously!

There are many such instances going up in my mind right now. Bringing a girl into an uncomfortable zone here means talking about the three letter word directly or indirectly. In a local language, we call it “chance marna”. I do not know, if the zone I am referring to is uncomfortable for every girl or not, but certainly for many, it is. Just to make it clear, I am also not commenting on what is wrong or what is right – because, it is just the matter of perception and I am here just penning down my thoughts.

Many guys that I have interacted with have brought it down to s** either directly or indirectly. The ways have been messages, group talks intentionally done for you, commenting on a picture and then asking your opinion, sharing their life! This is done probably to expect a positive reaction from you and get a comfort signal to take the things forward.

But it makes me all the more uncomfortable to talk, at least for the few next times. Because now I can very well know where this guy is heading to, and I certainly do not know the way to avoid it.

There is a problem with my mindset too, or rather I should call it a recent change (though not so recent- because many known buddies have pointed this in me) in me, that I do not say “NO” straightaway until I get too sick of something. It was not the same always. A direct “NO” probably turns my image into “immature”, “not grown up”, “hypocrite!” which I feel confidently, is not the case!

I am definitely okay discussing out any serious required issue. Or, obviously if the guy is close enough.

I also feel that girls have got an amazing intuitive power to find what exactly is going on in a guy’s mind (though majority of the times, they do not go by intuition but their crazy emotions!). And if I don’t say a direct NO , I end up creating a fuel inside me and finally burst out.
I wonder if God created us that way. Man and women war is always on! I hate men! (It was supposed to be a feminist post!) – But I love them too, of course not for the reasons I mentioned.

checking you out!

I hate testing! I hate it when people around me try to test me for my reactions, replies and facial expressions. The thing worsens when these people are my own friends. As they are my friends, it becomes easy for me to identify such cases. In such a case, I usually ask them directly and usually they confess. The objective is not to make them confess but to make them understand that, questioning or testing me is like questioning the friendship we share.

There have been times when people have provoked me to see my anger. Sometime they have switched off their cell phones to find if I care. And of course they have confessed it.

I still do not like it. But people do it.

With time I have realized it is so very natural. People do it naturally. There exists insecurity in them. They fear something. These days I am going through the same phase. Too much dependence on others is bad for many reasons. And I am dependent. It is far better scenario when someone depends on you, or put trust in you. You probably feel like a king! But when it is other way round, you feel helpless. I like good people (my friends, family, someone who makes me smile) to be around me. This has become a habit. And this habit is turning out to be an addiction. I used the term “addiction” because trying to come out of it is pathetic – the withdrawal symptom.

This phase is bad. I have entered into testing and questioning others. I hated it if someone does it to me. But now I do the same. I have realised that, there are people in my life whom I depend on badly but probably my absence do not even bother them.

There has been college days, when I intentionally walked slow to find if someone turns back to see if I am also coming. Such a small test, when repeated for several days gave me an almost accurate (I cannot quantify it to call it 100% true result) result. The people who always turned back are the people who still value me. I do not know if that sounds childish, but yes we do behave in a stupid way naturally whenever situation demands or rather, when our heart is in crisis!

There has been time when I used to call people regularly (not everyone), because I love hearing from them. But then someday suddenly realising that it is just me who is always doing the honour make things look dusty. In such a case, my heart demands an exam again! Immediately it orders me to cut down all my calls or any way to communicate. It certainly bothers me (as I am the dependent variable in this equation), but what affect it will have on the other person is the main thing. Resisting myself from calling is difficult (I am addicted!) but the results may bring out some level of satisfaction.

I have received no major positive results from the above test (the independent variable hardly bothers!), but to conclude a negative result is more hurting for me. So I am just trying to extend the time duration – in the hope that performance might get improved. But let us see.

One should not test his/her friends! I do it because I am addicted (or rather INSECURE! ) :) :)

Marketing - Its So Very Human!

I chose marketing not because I was inclined towards the four P’s, but because I found this subject somewhat more practical than others.

Probably the strong faculty in marketing also influenced me in making this career decision. And I have never regretted this decision. My theoretical knowledge in the classroom teaching made me observe so many things in a better way. Probably “structured way” is an apt phase.

I started connecting marketing with almost everything.

When a child is born, the event is a kind of “NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH”- a NEW PRODUCT, who is to be named. Someone who will create a different brand value altogether.

Either he will be known because of the “PARENT BRAND” or he will create his own identity and his own sub-brand. In course of time, he will interact with different people- may be the “clients, users or the competitors”.

With his actions he will be “POSITIONED” in the mind of others. Whether the marketing message he is giving, is consistent or not, would depend of types of personality he is portraying. An inconsistent message would create a “dilemma” in the decision of buyers – colleagues, friends, TRADE PARTNERS- Juniors, neighbours, bosses; sometimes even the suppliers – parents and siblings.

Now the so called “child”, who has reasonably grown will not like to be associated with cheaper brands because that can “DILUTE” his “BRAND VALUE”.

While reaching to the peak, he will suddenly add to his ego, attitude and rude behaviour – such a sudden increase in his “PRICE” value will affect his buyers in a negative way.

There will be a sudden fall in the number of well wishers. Some will switch to other brands – the people who can provide better benefits. Some will stay forever – The family, best of friends – The set of “LOYAL CUSTOMERS”.

The so called “child”, who is no more a child is tested and tried by a number of people in his life – “THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE”.

In a competitive world like this, where everyone is fighting to make a brand out of him; “HE” tries to find a feature that can help him “DIFFRENTIATE" and provide a “COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE”. He starts focussing on his “CORE COMPETENCY”.

He promotes himself through “PACKAGING” – following the latest fashion trends. He “CUSTOMIZE” himself according to the customer’s demand – May be he wants to get into IT industry, so he learns C++ and JAVA!

Then sometime in life, he reaches to the stage of “MATURITY” – he becomes more or less stable now. He starts focussing on the “TARGET AUDIENCE”.

The only thing he focuses upon is “RETAINING CUSTOMERS”. The customers who still make him feel important and worth something – The respect, recognition, care etc.

Then comes the “FINAL STAGE” of product life cycle. At this stage, “new spectacles” is the only investment a company can make for the dying product. The other expenses also happen – on medicines, treatment etc. According to the BCG matrix – it brings the product to the quadrant named “DOG”.

Will he ever die or live forever, is up to him. It depends on the “FORMULATION” of the “STRATEGIC PLAN”, the way of “IMPLEMENTATION, “MONITORING” and “CONTROL”.

A special day has hardly made her days special..

“What do you want to become in your next life?” – The question which we all must have answered. Ask a woman, if she still wishes to be a woman in her next life and the reaction would be a considerable amount of pondering and then probably a NO! Ask a man, and he proudly says “Yes! A man again”. A time pass question which has so much to say.

No specific day for a man – they have all the days with them unlike woman with just one day!

It is still a male dominated society; however the metro cities have shown a major change. Women are becoming powerful by expressing themselves more but societal mentality is still a problem.

Ask an urban woman, if she wants to visit her grandmother who resides in a village. A strange worry can easily be seen on her forehead. You have to change it all – those fully covered dresses; preferably suits, staying at home all the time, hesitation in picking up a male friend’s phone, talking nice and so on.

Our society is designed in such a way, that not just man but even the ladies of old times have contributed so much in suppressing the position of women.

“Feminism” exists but more of it is still required. There are so many things written on women.

People read on to them, sympathize and move on the very same way. Let me not make it just another writing piece mentioning women’s sacrifices, her deep love, her contributions to the society, and what she gets in return – the female infanticide, dowry murders, forced sex, eve-teasing, domestic violence and so on. These things are so much common that the women have started taking the things as normal. Nobody wants to fight or question a man and the society. I wish to see a world where a man is turned into woman to understand what she goes throughout her life.

Sometime back, someone asked me the same question – “what I want to be in my next life – a man or a woman”. Without much thinking I answered “man”; not because I am not proud to be a woman but I want to know a man’s mind, his hard heart, how eve-teasing can give him pleasure, does he turn robot when he force a lady for sex, doesn’t his heart cry when his wife is tortured for money, does he feel proud with the amount of dowry he gets, what fun does it give to cheat on to his girl, and of course I want to understand that damn Man’s Ego.

Women’s day – 8th march

She smiles when somebody wishes her. She smiles when she gets a gift on the day. Sometime a man decides to cook for her this special day to give her respect and thank for the things she does for him and the family. She might get a beautiful dress. Go out on this day, and just see how the malls and brands make the day so very obvious. I wish the things done on this special day become a usual affair. Respect throughout her life.

Though the celebrations on the particular day at least makes the things noticed. It would be a great time when the day will be celebrated even in the remotest of areas. I am taking it as a positive start. But this start should achieve a right finish too.

For all the companies making the best use of the day – lets make it happen all over the places, not just for marketing your own product but changing the positioning of women among the target audience called man and the society – because you have the resources to make it happen.