Dear Manmohan

Dear Manmohan,

9 years is a long time to hang on to the dirty seat of Prime Minister. It gets even more difficult for a person like you who doesn’t hail from a political family and has worked his ass up the ladder. I understand that these are tough times, but as said every dark cloud comes along with a silver lining. The silver lining for you is that you will soon be relieved from the post of prime minister. A repeated effort made by you through your wish of making way for Rahul Baba. Soon you will be out of the hassles of ballyhoos against you from the power hungry opposition and the TRP hungry media. Life will soon be normal and you will back to your golden faculty days.

This isn’t the place for you professor. And this is why. This country has always been a preferred choice for under qualified and under educated chiefs. Which is why, a ward boy is seen as a preferred candidate for Home minister, a peon stands a chance of being a chief minister and a chaiwala can see himself as a future prime minister of India. You on the other hand, hold a degree from Oxford, took up a job at UN, headed the planning commission and took up the financial ministry. Despite these accolades, you don’t stand a chance. You are similar to a havaldar candidate who has passed out with merit in police academy. But the sad part is that the merit is lost when he joins the police force.

You are often criticized for being weak. But rarely do we realize that you are symbolic of the helpless employee in the corporate world who is strangled and intertwined in the jumbled up hierarchy of a political organization. Someone who has tons of potential and an opportunity to prove. But is sidelined and sacrificed for the need of selfish team members and greedy bosses. The only difference is the working class can call it a quit any day. The PM can't. You were turned down by the coalition parties, bogged down by the media, knocked down by the opposition parties and nailed down by the common man.  Yet you have held on the seat for past 9 years. Kudos to you.

Your predecessors too went down the same fate. Vajpayee was criticized for Tehelka scams and Gujarat riots. Rajiv was criticized for Bofors scam and IPKF adventure. Indira was criticized for emergency and operation blue star. Jawaharlal was back stabbed by the Chinese. It's tough being a PM of a country where everyone thinks he is fit for the top job. You are also criticized for the economic policies made by your government during these volatile global economic times. The fact is your opponents have turned a blind eye on the good that you have done to this country. You saved the country's economy from crashing like a card castle in 1992. Your policies made way for Mc Veggie burger, large Coke and Mc donalds. The same place where young Indians have a bite and crack jokes on you. You opened the gates for foreign multi-nationals and made us young Indians start our careers with a five figured salary. Something that was considered as a retirement take-home salary by our elders. Not just these, today we stand as a successful case study of a country brimmed with young entrepreneurs. Needless to say, you are the VVS Laxman of Indian economy who laid the platform for us to believe that we can come back from down under and win matches against a formidable opposition.

Weak and spineless are the terms associated with you permanently. Before you could understand what was happening to you, a lot of damage has been done to your image in the last 9 years. The tainted ministers of your coalition are known for their notorious scams. Starting with the fodder scam minister, then comes the 2G scam ministers, then the coalgate ministers and then the railgate minister. You have been a mere spectator to the corruption bizarre in this country. As said you are similar to a helpless employee of political organization where the rogue team members make money through holding key positions and bosses earn goodwill by putting you in forefront. The lower house isn’t a good place to be in. Isn't it?

On the international front too, you have been criticized for being spineless. If only they could understand what we have achieved. This nation often chants peace mantras. But when it comes to ground realities, we take a dig at the man who is steadily marching towards peaceful dialogues. In your term as PM, we have opened the eyes of west in context of Pakistan backed terror. We have smartly converted the terror attacks and the bomb blasts into a power point presentation and presented it to the west against our neighboring rogue. And that too we are successful. Something that has been alien to your predecessors. Adding a feather to your cap is signing the civil nuclear agreement with the US. An advantage that your successors will use for their benefit in erasing the title of a power starved nation. You also tried to sign peace accords with the worst of your enemies. Which also backfired against you from the opposition. Believe me giving peace a chance requires guts. And in a fragile security scenario, it requires more guts than ever before. Your predecessors failed in the past to get back to peace. Nehru never returned to peace after being backstabbed by the Chinese. So did Mrs. Gandhi after the 1971 war. So did Rajiv fail after the Jaffna embarrassment. So did Vajpayee after Kargil. You don't seem to give up on the hope of a peaceful region.  Be it bomb blasts, terror attacks, or the Chinese incursions.  You have been backstabbed again and again by your rivals outside the country, yet you didn’t give up on peace. May be the people of this country don't understand that for a growing economy like India, war is too costly an option to afford. Keep aside those annoying 'BEING SOFT' comments. You did a fairly good job.

As your term nears an end, you will go down as a silent hero of 1992 who laid down the platform for us to dream a better future. So what if you kept silent for so long. So what if you couldn’t scream in parliament by banging your chest. So what if you don’t hurl jokes at your opposition. So what if you don’t have a handsome face and a public appeal. So what if you don’t sound like a chaiwala, a wardboy or a peon. You at least fulfilled the hope of being honest candidate for the top job. You will always be remembered as a professor who went on to become the prime minister of India. May be we the people need to understand the magical figure 273 in lok sabha which is more important than the 1.2 billion people of the country. We don't understand the sacrifices made by you or the qualifications earned by you. But we do understand the mike throwing tamashas, blame games, media campaigns and social media jokes. If only we could understand your despair and stand by you in these tough times, we could have proved that 1.2 billion is more than 273 rogues in parliament. May be it requires a bit of wisdom on the part of we Indians. Difficult but we are trying. 

Yours Helplessly,

Indian Citizen.

Cold War II

Hitler's ambition of ruling the world failed miserably in 1945. The allied forces advanced into Germany by the early 1945. Much to the discontent of Germany, there was the Soviet Red Army advancing rapidly from the east. The result, Hitler shot himself and Mussolini was hanged by his own Italian people. A few months after the death of Adolf Hitler, USA dropped atomic bombs in the Japanese towns of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing the Japanese to unconditional surrender. The World War II came to an end. But what the world didn't know was it was heading towards decades that would be dominated by fear and isolation. Hitler might have been no more but his intentions of ruling the world would be substituted by his equal rival, Joseph Stalin. The uncompromising Russian leader who led the Soviet Red Army to an unmatched victory.  Little was known to the world that Uncle Joe was busy drawing lines in Europe before even the World War II saw its end.

By the time US diplomats in Moscow could send the long 8000 word telegraph to USA, Europe was already seeing walls and barricades. A continent surrounded by Alps and filled with greenery would soon be divided into two different and opposite worlds. The western half of Europe would witness the pop culture, romance, free trade and capitalism. The eastern bloc would explore the hardline socialist revolutions, political reforms, nuclear arms race and military oppressions. And soon Germany got divided into two republics. East Germany and West Germany. Thanks to the Berlin Wall which not just divided the Berlin city or Germany, but ended up drawing a line between two super powers, USSR  and USA.

The world was switching sides and choosing its allies. The choices were eminent, communism or capitalism. Little pockets of restrains emerged from Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Greece and other eastern European countries. But the seeds of change were suppressed by the USSR military might. In the meanwhile, Britain left India in 1947. Thanks to the costly World War II that left most of European 1st world countries in economic crisis. India learnt the developments in Europe and decided to join Non Aligned Movement which meant it would neither choose USA nor the USSR. A group of other countries like Yugoslavia, Egypt, Iran, Cuba and many others joined the league. The first scars of the divide between communist Soviet Union and capitalist western allies would be seen in 1949. This time it was People's Republic of China switching to communism. Mao Zedong stunned the world and the United States as the People's Liberation Army overthrew the Chinese Nationalist Party. Thus People's Republic of China was formed. India, tired of its 100 years of colonialism was the first to give recognition to China. 

The United States lost its closest ally in Asia to communism. Many in US saw it as a betrayal. But little was known that there were many more betrayals to come from China in the following decades. Meanwhile, another shock send tremors to the western world. This time by the USSR as it ended the nuclear monopoly of USA by detonating its first Atomic bomb in 1949. The west turned more cautious by the speed at which USSR developed nuclear capabilities. On the other hand, Mao Zedong was inspired by uncle Joe of Soviet Union. He rushed to Moscow to gain support but the charismatic Russian Premier was unfazed by the awe of his Chinese counterpart. Infact he was alarmed by the Chinese intentions of dominating the world by Mao Zedong. The year 1950 saw another scar between communism and capitalism. This time the battle ground shifted to Korea. The land of morning calm would see a bloody battle for the next 3 years. It was here that the first official battle between two ideologies would be fought. On 25th June 1950, the North Korean army invaded the southern country to reunify the divided country. The alarm was enough to wake up the united states which was alarmed by the rise of Communism in Asia after Europe. United States with 20 other countries of the United Nations sent in its armed forces to stop the military offensive. The gamble paid as the North Koreans were pushed back beyond the 38th Parallel by the US and UN. The conflict was to continue as this time it was the joint forces who invaded the North Korea. The forces moved swiftly towards Pyong Yang with little or no resistance from the communist mainland. On 19th October 1950, the Chinese crossed the Yalu river into North Korea to assist its North Korean forces. The UN woke up to a major shock on 25th October as the 1,00,000 men infantry of Chinese Army launched a major offensive against them. The West stood still to the undeclared aggression of the Chinese who feared that the US might step on its soil after conquering Pyong Yang. This would result into a retreat of the UN forces which would be followed by negotiations in the years to come. The war saw the first official booting of the WW II US hero Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The Korean War ended in 1953 as the two nations stay divided on 38th Parallel. However this was enough to send red signal about China to USA.

The same year saw Joseph Stalin's death due to a disease. The successor of USSR would now be Nikita Krushchev. An Anti-Stalin but Pro-communist leader reformed Soviet Union's Agricultural society. The west saw a hope in him but the hopes would be dismantled over the 50s and the early 60s by this very president. Under his leadership, USSR took a leap forward in technology. This president would trigger off an arms race. The USSR rapidly built missiles and ICBMs. They then stunned the world with Sputnik, the first ever space venture by mankind. Then it was time to send a dog in space followed by a man and a space station. The 50s saw built ups on both sides. On the opposing side, US built Colour Televisions. The West somehow criticized the Soviet Union of copying the technology from the west. The same propaganda we use against China in this era.

Ten years later, the mankind witnessed how close they were to a Nuclear War. A nail-biting event in Cuba would unleash a threat that we have ever witnessed till date. While Russia was building its nuclear missiles, USA was spying on its missile sites. Also it had placed its Jupiter missiles in Turkey in case of any eventuality by the Soviet Union. Cuba, a tiny country in close proximity of USA was waking up to the socialist ideology. Its leader, Fidel Castro declared Cuba a Socialist country after America's covert Bay of Pigs invasion. This gave Castro a reason to choose USSR over USA. USSR, understanding the strategic importance of Cuba, deployed nuclear missiles in Cuba. A nail biting 13 days in 1962 would see DEFCON 2 readiness of USA. And it was this 13 day Cuban missile crisis that saw another act of Chinese betrayal on Indian sovereignty. 1961 -62 is what it took to see the mankind in four walls of conservatism. The world was busy defusing the tensions between two superpowers. And a wannabe Superpower of China unleashed an unprovoked bitter war on the long Indian border. After the failure of Mao's policies in mainland China, it had annexed Tibet. This sent the spiritual leaders and the Tibetan government in exile. India welcomed the exiled government officials and Dalai Lama. This was seen as a caution by the Chinese as they felt that India was flexing its muscle to spread its territory till Tibet. In October, the Chinese troops launched a massive attack on the Indian Borders from NEFA (Arunachal Pradesh) to Aksai Chin in Ladakh. The Indian forces were caught unprepared. Further, the timing of the attack prevented India drawing attention from the Soviet Union or the West as they were busy defusing an escalating crisis. The war resulted in high Indian casualties and POWs. After 13 days, the Chinese went back to their prior positions and it was business as usual between US and USSR.

The following years would see many more tensions in the Indian Sub-Continent which fail to get attention from the west. Thanks to the ongoing Vietnam War where USA was involved directly and USSR was involved in supply of weaponry to the North Vietnamese. The late sixties and the early seventies would see battlefield Asia in action. The Chinese continued to support communism in Asia and the west continued to fight a costly and a long war in Vietnam. Amidst all these India faced a hard lined Pakistan and shifted its defense focus on its western and eastern front. India fought two wars in a span of 6 years which ended in wins but resulted in economic crisis. But the then Indian leadership was strong enough to face a bold crisis situation and test the first Nuclear detonation in 1970s. The west was surprised as the arms race was not just confined to USA and USSR, but was spreading fast in Asia. To its shock in the 1970s, the west witnessed two back to back backlashes. The first one being the loss in Vietnam. And the other one in Iran where an Islamist revolution overthrew the government and the fundamentalist captured the US embassy and took the hostages. The crisis would end for 444 days.  The oil rich nation gave a hard blow to the United States. This would be the first instance where religious fundamentalism would take a center stage in conflicts. At the same time, Afghanistan was shaping itself for a communist revolution. The hard lined Afghan leaders introduced land reforms and cultural reforms which did not go well with Islamic Radicals and the neighbouring Pakistan. A huge influx of refugees flew in to the neighbouring countries. The country was of utmost strategic influence for the super powers as the oil supply lines passed through it and it would give an edge to any of the sides to control affairs in central Asia and middle east. With the uprising of communism in Afghanistan, the afghan political leaders seeked Moscow's intervention. The Soviet Union denied initially as the economy was in a bad shape and the Warsaw Pact restricted the USSR to invade any foreign country. But seeing the situation topple down and fearing the uprising would effect the Islamic countries of Soviet Union, it agreed to send in forces to fight in Afghanistan. The US saw a perfect revenge situation in Afghanistan. It decided to give back USSR what it had done to US in Vietnam. The CIA then sponsored covert operations where it funded the guerilla forces that joined the fighting in Afghanistan. One of them being Osama Bin Laden getting benefits from USA funding. The radicals overthrew the Soviet forces in Afghanistan. Who knew it then that this defeat would be the first step in breaking down the USSR.

Meanwhile in Europe and Latin American countries saw a growing unrest against the communist satellite states. USSR was in a deep economic crisis as the cold war demanded a spending of 10 million dollars per day for each side. The little sparks in countries like Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Poland and East Germany turned into revolutions that would oust the communist regime. Mikhail Gorbachev, the then USSR President with his wisdom let the revolution blossom in the eastern bloc. He allowed protests and marches along the streets which resulted in independent nations. 1989 saw the end of the Berlin wall as the city and the nation unified in the following years. The Soviet Union collapsed and globalization rose to power. By 1991, the cold war ended with creation of Russia by its president Boris Yelstin. The 90s would see a new world in the making. The world woke up to a fact that communism is a failed ideology and opened up to change. Free trade would prosper in the Asian sub continents.

In the meanwhile, India was going through a dire economic crisis due to 40 years of closed wall operations. The crisis man of India would rescue the nation in crisis. Dr. Manmohan Singh, the then finance minister opened gates for foreign companies to set up operational centers in India. The wall collapsed and globalization took a center stage. The World has changed but there is still one exception left behind. China. The reds still rule China. This time it's even more dangerous posing threats to the global economies and its neighbours. It's on the rise now. Similar to the rise of USSR in the aftermath of World War II. Two evolving global powerhouses are now locked in arms race. Rising defense budgets is common between two growing powers. Just like the one between USA and USSR during the cold wars. Boundaries are being drawn again. This time the cost of militarization has increased way more than the eras of past. Nuclear missiles, unlike the cold war era has increased its radius to 10,000 KMs. This time it’s not between communism and capitalism but between communism and democracy.  The west is waiting and watching. Shall we say Cold War II.  

 

UNCERTAINTY

Surely there is something unsure about this word.

Unknown. Unthought. Unimagined and unexperienced.

The 'JUST IN CASE' syndrome that looms through our mind.

Every now and then.

Might be it will happen. Might be it won't.

Uncertainty - A caution.

Uncertainty - An unhappy feeling.

Uncertainty - An unwanted 'IF'.

Uncertainty - The uncomfortable 'YOU'.

All that takes you away from present and puts you amidst the confused lanes of future.

Ever asked the self that is it necessary?

Is it worth spending a moment for something that can erase the joy?

Is it something that has to be dealt with pulling up your socks?

Is it worth doing away with your joy for something that's so unsure?

Uncertainty. It's what we live in.

On the other hand, there lives an ignored cousin, the certainty.

Often left aside, made to wait and done to death.

It comes for free and is often taken for granted.

Just because it’s so obvious.

Smile is certain. Joy is certain. Good is certain. Life is certain.

As said, always ignored, just because they are too easy to think of and even more easy to get to.

So here comes a piece of advice that you can choose to ignore.

Or you can prefer to adapt.

Leave the uncertainty behind and live the certain.

Live the smile.

Live the joy.

Live the good.

And live the life.

After all, it's worth living for something that can make you happy

than something that can take the cake away from you.

All it demands is doing away with one word that makes you so uncomfortable. UNCERTAINTY.

Who's the loser?

The first thing you love about a Sunday is the laziness. The second thing is a coffee mug with a newspaper. The third one is the morning news and the free commentary that follows it. Sundays. They were meant to be so. A happy holiday that visits us once in a week. But somehow this one was a bit different. Hurt, anger and uneasiness within. The reason: The sad Delhi Gang rape. Sunday newspapers filled with the same story. The news channels too focusing on the same story. People repeating what's said in news. You never expect a Sunday morning to be a dull one. But this time, you had to accept it. It seemed as if we are living amongst animals. Rightly so when a social animal has turned into a wild animal.

The ever increasing heinous crimes against women are nothing new to us. In past, they happened in closed rooms. Now it happens in the open. The only addition that has happened to it is the camera that is going places and capturing the stories. Just after the news of Delhi gang rape, there were 16 more incidents in just two days. The big question stands tall in front of us. Can stringent laws and strict police vigilance stop rapes and crimes against women. The answer is that it won't. But we still will go our way asking for these. Debate it in talk shows, discuss it amongst friends and then wait for another rape to happen. What else could you expect from a country where bangles that are symbolic of woman turn into a symbol of shame for men. Where a father of a girl scolds her for demanding freedom to live equal with guys. Sad but true. In India, you are never equal.

There are two types of people in the country. Good and Bad. Good ones bear the burnt, turn into victims and are often termed as losers. It’s the bad ones who make the news, get the much needed attention and turn cool in front of people. Mahatma Gandhi is a loser in his own country. The biggest examples of those who followed the rules have turned into losers in this 21st century. And we are left with a bunch of bad guys who have turned into heroes of the 21st century. They get all the desired importance from news channels, bollywood and reality shows. Thanks to bollywood that it has gone one step ahead in convincing us with a new term. Negative Role. Everyone's just loving it. Let’s love it too. Now a days, these negative roles are quite often seen in colleges, workplaces, family circles and amongst friends too. We live in an age where the bad has won over the good. How we live is not important in this 21st century. Instead it all boils down to one point. "KYA UKHAADA".

We have turned so result oriented that the only thing that matters to us is winning. Life has turned into a game, where winning or losing maters more than living and loving. Beg, borrow or steal. But come home victorious. The obsession with winning is so huge that we don't accept defeats. Be it in a cricket match or in examinations or in elections or in real life. A cricketer is not a cricketer until he has not slammed a ton. A son is not a son if he has failed in examination. A politician is not a politician until he has rigged and won an election. A man is not a man until he has won. Adding to it are the dogmas that we follow in life. It's okay to cheat sometimes. It's good to be bad. Who cares, break the rules. Everyone is at fault and in equal proportion. We all have given enough fodder for the bad to win over the good in life. The recent rape too was a triumph of bad.

The point is that we are seeing the ugly side of our very own thinking. The point is that change cannot happen until we change our mindset. You cannot demand stringent laws when you talk of breaking the rules. You cannot ask for strict police action when you lure them with bribes. You cannot think of good until you are done away with bad. Change doesn't begin in a discussion forum or in a news channel debate. Instead it begins with self. So when the discussions are over and the candle light marches are done, sit in a dark quiet room and ask yourself. Who is the loser? May be the answer to change lies in this question.

It all begins at home.

It's 11.30 PM at night and for me the day has just ended at my office. On my way back, lot of questions keep pounding on my head regarding work. Where do I go from here? Where is my career heading? What kind of career have I chosen? Had I been in some other PSU firm, I would have enjoyed various perks and a 9 to 6 timeline. Why am I working even on holidays? Why is no proper timeline being laid out for work? Questions sometimes have no end when you let them come freely. Just when another question was seeking way to my mind, my cell phone rang. This time it was from my best pal. Aditya, a mechie techie from IIT who had found solace from a hectic Indian work schedule and found his heaven in GM, USA. I pick up the call and an uncomfortable voice of Adi greets me asking me how am I? To which I posed another question as to what happened. A 10 second silence followed and then the reply came from him saying "Kins, am coming to India tomorrow. Don't ask me any questions. I'll tell you when I arrive." I agree to it and end the call. Questions again started pounding my head. This time it was not about me but about Aditya. What might have happened? Is he laid off from job? Or is it that he has decided to come back to India out of some compulsion at home? Whatever be it, he needs me at this time. I decide to take an off the next day. Me and Adi have always been there with each other since childhood. Our friendship began when we were mere 5 year old kids. I visited my Grandma's place every year in Hyderabad during my school time vacations. Adi and family were our neighbours in Hyderabad. And thus from cricket matches to weekend movies to evening walkouts, we had been together during our vacations till we finished our junior college. After which Adi got into IIT Kanpur and my grandma shifted to Vizag with my uncle. Since then we hardly met. 2 years back, thanks to Orkut that I found him. we exchanged our numbers. Two years later, I get a call from him. Though it was worrisome, I was happy that I was meeting him after a long time. It was 1 AM at night and I had just reached home. Here comes another call from Adi. I pick the call.

Me: Yeah tell me.

Adi: Forgot to ask you. Are you available for next 4 days?

Me: I just have some work in office which I will finish by tomorrow. But why?

Adi: Listen. Take a 4 day off and pack your bags and come down to the domestic airport. Give me your email id and I will mail you your tickets.

Me: But why? Everything all right?

Adi: I'll tell you what happened when I come down tomorrow night. Just do it so. I need you badly. SMS me your Email Id.

Me: Ok

He hung up the phone leaving me puzzled. What next? How do I ask for leaves? What do i say at home? Is it necessary? For once I close my eyes and take a decision. I SMSed my e mail Id to him and told my parents that I have one of my friend's wedding in Rajasthan and so I would be going there for 4 days. As usual, parents first give you a good hearing and then ask you to come back safe. I close my eyes wondering what's in store for me now. I refuse to think anything negative and sleep for that night. The next morning, I pack my bags and leave for office. As soon as I reach office, I ask my boss that I need a two day leave and the same reason that I have to go for my cousin's wedding. I thought I will extend my leave for an additional 2 days after I reach my destination. My boss agreed and here was me finishing my work at a rocket speed. I was done for the day and left office in the evening at sharp 7 PM. Something that i dreamt of for many years was now coming true. I rush home, have a quick bath and a light dinner, pick my bag and leave for the domestic airport. 2 hours later I reach the airport. I just forgot to take a printout of my ticket. I call up Adi again telling him that I forgot to take a printout. He asked me to check my phone for an SMS of the flight ticket. I finally could take a deep breath. I proceed further with my SMS, reach the Jet Airways check in counter and produce my SMS. He gave me my boarding pass and tagged my luggage. It was then I realised that I was heading for Hyderabad. I pass through the security check and reach the passengers lobby. I saw Adi waiting for me at the nearby bar counter. A perfect welcome for a long awaited friend. I run towards him with my bag pack and hug him. He hugged me tightly and wept. I asked him, what happened?

Adi:  "Mom is no more."

I place my hand over his shoulder

Me: "I am sorry. But she was a lovely lady. When did this happen?"

Adi: "Yesterday evening. I don't know what to do."

Me: "Relax. Me there. Tell me If I can be of any help to you"

Adi: "Only you can help me out."

Me: "Sure. Tell me how"

Adi called a firang lady sitting in the passenger's lounge with her baby. She arrived with this cute soft about 1 year old baby boy of her. Adi introduced me to her.

Adi: "Meet her, she is my wife, Jemma and that's my kid, Robin"

I with my awestruck face kept on looking at both. Didn't know what to say but just managed to ask him one question. How?

Adi: "After I went to states, I met her in my office. We both liked each other and got married to each other 3 years ago."

Me: "Does uncle know this?"

Adi: "Yeah"

Me: "What did he say?"

Adi: "Me and dad don't talk to each other any more"

Me: "Since when?"

Adi: "Since past 3 years. Since I got married"

Me: "What do you want me to do now?"

Adi: "Dude, can you be an ice breaker between me and dad? I know there is no one for him now. I just want to be there for him."

Me: "Sure. I'll try. I don't know what to say at this moment and how to talk to your father. But I'll surely try."

For the first time since i met him at airport, I could see Adi smile. To give you a glimpse of Adi's family, here are some facts. Born in a traditional South Indian Brahmin family. Father a PWD engineer and mother a noble housewife. Adi was a scholar throughout his academic life. Topper in school, amongst the top 50 rankers in JEE (Joint Entrance Examination held for IITs). Done his MBA from FMS Delhi. A lovable son of a traditional Telugu Brahmin Family.

The announcement is made for our flight and I pick up Adi's baby and all 3 of us leave to board our flight. For the next one hour, Adi recited his entire journey till now. How Jemma has added a new meaning to his life. Our childhood memories and many more memories of him and his mother gets shared during the one hour flight. Off course his son liked me a lot so gave me a taste of his urine in our first meet in flight.

We land in Hyderabad and book a cab to our home. On our way back in cab, me and Adi recalled many of the instances and shared it with Jemma. The ground where we played cricket together is now a home to residential complex. The steel factory that often made noises has now been modernised. The terrace where we spent our evenings watching flights landings has now added one more floor. The airport has now been shifted to the outskirts. Rose buds high school where Adi completed his 10th standard has now added higher secondary education. It took 1 hour for us to reach home. I paid the Taxi fare and we four had just reached our home. Adi had a mixed reaction when he saw his home after 3 long years. He didn't know how to react. While I was opening the gate, Adi's father and uncle came out running towards the gate. They asked us to wait. I was holding Adi's son. His uncle said, "You are not allowed in here. Go find a hotel and stay there until the funeral is over." I held Adi's shoulder and controlled him before he could break down. I intervened and asked his uncle, "Then why did you call him here?" To which his uncle replied, "We just informed him and never expected him here. Anyways we will tell you the address of the funeral that will happen tomorrow morning and your friend can reach there directly and stand far and see the funeral." Adi took me aside for a moment and told me to stay at his place and look after the requirements of the funeral as I was still considered as a brahmin. I went ahead and asked Adi's father that if i could stay here and if I could be of any help to them. His father stood still like a rock and said nothing. In the meanwhile his uncle intervened and said "No need. We have people here to help us." I was shattered after hearing this. Why should I come for this humiliation and why should a person come all the way from other country just to hear this. We had no answers. Adi kept on looking at his father with a sorry face and his father kept on avoiding eye contact. After 15 minutes of discussion, we were heading nowhere. Adi said, "Let's leave and find a hotel for ourselves." I agreed to it.

On our way back in the same cab, Adi sat beside jemma and wept like a baby. Jemma consoled him, just like Adi's mother. I, on the other hand, sat in the front and kept on wondering that Adi has made the right choice. Once in our talks, he said that he wants to marry a woman who understands a family and takes care of it just like his mother. Now, I was seeing his wish turn true. I was happy for him. Also on the other hand things kept on pounding my head. We keep on talking change in election rallies, in leadership summits, in local trains and in office hours. Everything around us is changing rapidly. The world has changed. Times have changed. Berlin wall no more exists. India has opened its gates to globalisation. Pay scales have changed. Education has changed. Ministers too change every day. Even Poonam pandey has changed. But what hasn't changed is an Indian home. We still live in 18th century and proudly claim that this is our lifestyle. For one moment, I felt ashamed of my caste and stupid religious beliefs. Something that couldn't unite a father and son at the toughest time doesn't mean anything to me. But it was the stupidity that the elder generations chose to practice and live in. And the legacy passed on from generations to generations. Maybe things here are meant to be this way. In the meanwhile, we reach Hotel Ramada Palace. We check in to our room. Jemma went into freshen up. I and Adi went out for a smoke with his baby. While smoking, Adi asked me to call up his home and ask for the funeral venue. It was already 12.30 PM at night. I somehow dared to call his father on his cell. Adi asked me to keep the phone on speaker. His father picked up my call.

Me: "Uncle, it's Kiran here. I just wanted to know where is the funeral."

Adi's uncle snatched the phone from his father and said "It's at Sanathnagar and in the morning at 6 AM. Ask your friend to be away from the crowd. We are still brahmins. And ask his wife to stay at hotel. Women are not allowed at funerals."

He said this and hung up the phone. I could see tears dropping from Adi's eyes. I stubbed my cigarette and took his baby on my shoulders. He placed his hand on my back and said "Sorry mate." I just looked at him and winked and smiled. He felt much lighter after the wink. Jemma called us in. No one was in mood to have food. Jemma fed the baby with some milk in a bottle and we kept on talking the whole night. I came to know about Jemma. She was an abandoned child of divorced parents. She brought herself up after her parents left her. No wonder, why she knows so much about the true family values. I felt sorry for the elders of Adi's family. They couldn't see an ideal couple and the best family ever. All they chose to see was the past they lived in. Not the future that we live in. It was morning 4 AM. We all had a quick bath. I called up one of my friend and asked him for a vehicle. He agreed to it. Adi and I got dressed up in white kurta pyjamas. Jemma got dressed up in white salwar kameez. The little boy had his share of colourful dress. In the meanwhile, the car was awaiting us at the gate. We got down and reached the vehicle. It was 5 30 AM. I sat on the driver's seat. Adi and family sat behind as I drove to our destination. I stopped the car 100 meters away from the funeral venue and asked Jemma and kid to stay in the car. I and Adi stood at the gate waiting for the body to arrive. We were not allowed in. But Adi wanted to see his mother for the last time. And the only place where it could happen was at the gate. 10 minutes later the body arrived. Adi kept on looking at his father. His father, for the first time since Adi arrived in India looked at him. Adi tried to get close to the body and touch her mother's feet. His uncle denied the permission. Adi, helplessly looked at me and hugged me. He broke down. I could feel the pain. Tears rolled down on my cheeks too. He said, "I couldn't even do the last rites for my mother. What good am I doing to my family?" I didn't know what to say. I just hugged him again and he wept like a baby. Unusual to see a young man cry. Soon we saw the pyre lit up and Adi's father broke down as the body was burnt. An emotional moment that couldn't be held back by anyone. We saw everybody leaving except Adi's father. He sat down near the ash, collecting the bones and ash of her mother. After this, his father started walking towards the gate to leave home. We didn't expect him to talk to us and we too started leaving. His father called me. As I went near him he said, "Relatives will be leaving today by afternoon. Ask your friend and his family to come down home in the evening. I need to tell him something." He told this and left. I asked him if i could drop him home. He denied pointing towards his scooter parked by the gate. I reached the car and told him this. He was happy.

We both saw his father sitting on his scooter and riding back home. The same scooter on which me and Adi played on when we were 5 years old. I was the pillion and he sat on the rider's seat and we both sung "HUMARA BAJAJ" jingle on it. We got back to the hotel and freshened ourselves up again. Our breakfast was awaiting for us. We shared some light moments. Adi and his wife shared some funny incidents that happened with them in the past 3 years. Adi was excited about the evening meet with his father. Even Jemma was. We took a nap in the meanwhile and it was 4 PM. All of us got dressed up. The highlight here was Jemma's dressing sense. She wore a peacock blue pattu saaree with jhumkas in her ears and bindi on her forehead. Her long hair was left untied. Adi kissed her on the forehead and said, "you never looked so gorgeous." In fact she was looking very gorgeous. A firang dressed up in a desi attire. The gap between India and USA was bridged up by Jemma. But the gap between a father and son who lived in the same home was still left uncovered. We booked a cab to his home at 6 PM. Amidst the traffic snarls, honking and polluted streets, the cab crawled on roads. Finally after 1 1/2 hours we reached Adi's home. I opened the gate and rang the doorbell. His father in lungi opened the door and asked me to come in. I passed on the same message to him. His father then said, "Ask you friend and his wife to feel comfortable on sofa." I looked at Adi and he got the message. His father then left the living room and went into his bedroom. We all looked at each other and made some puzzled faces. Uncle arrived with a Jack Daniels bottle and placed it on the dining table. He said, "Ask your friend if he can join me?" I looked at him and he nodded in negative. He stood up and said, "Paa, Why do you want to drink today? What will Maa think?" He took two glasses from the showcase, poured in 60 ML of scotch whisky and added some ice to it. He said, "Had she been alive today, she wouldn't have allowed me to have a drink. I had kept this bottle for your marriage. I thought I’ll sneak a permission from your mother to have a drink for the first and last time on the night of your marriage. You never gave me that chance."  He then raised the glass towards Adi's mother's photograph and said "Your son has come." Adi looked at his dad as he gulped in the scotch. Adi then said, "I am your son too." His father poured in another 60 ML and repeated the ice and replied, "No you are not. I need to tell you something."

"3 years. That's the time we waited for you to be born. You arrived with your first cry. I smiled with my first tears, holding you in my hands. The first time ever, I felt complete. The first time ever I felt as a father. Your cry made me realise that am a father."

"You won't remember your first steps. You tried to walk, holding the walls. Your mom scolded me for not buying a camera. I shed off some of the savings. Just to buy a camera and capture your first steps and show you when you turn big. Your growth made me realise that am a father."

"You remember your first day of school. You were reluctant to go to school, until I dropped you till school. I again shed my savings and postponed my plans to buy a big home. I bought a scooter, just to say good bye to you at your school gate. Your smile made me realise that I am a father."

"You remember the ranks you scored in your school time. Your teachers called me to school and told me that you have a very talented son. I was proud. Your success made me realise that I am a father."

"You remember the stubborn self who never gave up his wish of riding a cycle. It was this that made me search for the best cycle in town and buy you one. And every time you rode that cycle pressing that cycle bell, I saw my childhood in it. That childishness made me realise that I am a father."

"You remember the cricket match that you lost because of your friend's damaged bat. You came back home throwing away that school bag in a corner. You also kicked the TV stand. I bought a new Kokaburra bat for you. Your anger made me realise that I am a father."

"Even your hard work to get into IIT Kanpur. The days when I was awake with you making Tea for you at midnight. So that you shouldn't miss the best college in the country. Your hard work, your pain, your gain, your happiness and many more instances related to you made me feel that I am a father."

"Each time you were successful, it made me feel that I have done my job as a father. It was you who made me a father and it was me who always wanted to give you the best. Even the day when you left for US, made me feel that I have accomplished my job. But there was something pending that you didn't know. Your marriage. For any father, his job is not done until he has given his son the best life partner. You never gave me that chance. There is some gap left somewhere. I feel so incomplete. The last and the best responsibility as a father has been left incomplete. Had she lived this day, she would have known how much you mean to me and why didn't I talk to you since last 3 years. You won't understand the past we lived in."

He gulped in 60 ML of scotch, on the rocks. Actually he rocked with his speech. For the first time, I was the audience and I liked a 60 year old man speak his heart out. This was rare. There was a pin drop silence at the dining table. Adi's father again gulped in another peg. Looking his father fumble, Adi rushed and held his dad. His father asked him to stay away. Adi was shattered now.

He said, "Paa, you still angry with me?"

Uncle: "You still didn't understand. Bloody generation X"

Adi: "There is something that I need to say. Something that you haven't heard for years. Something that I kept with myself."

"3 years. That's the time we waited for you to call. Your call arrived finally. But only to inform me that mom is no more. There was a sense of hidden care in your voice. Your voice made me realise that I am a son of a proud father."

"You remember the first photographs you clicked of mine while I fumbled to walk? Mom showed me the photographs. And I often showed it to my friends every time they came home. There was a sense of pride, whenever people praised you. Your love made me realise that I am a son of a great father."

"You remember the days when you dropped me at the school gate waving me good bye? All my friends saw you and were jealous of me. I stood proud because of your care. It was your care that made me realise that I am a son of a great father."

"You remember the cycle that you baught for me with gears? I rode that in our compound and made everyone see what my dad got for me. I always had it in me that you are the best father in the world. And each time I fulfilled my joy riding the cycle, it made me realise that I am a son to a great father."

"You remember the bat I kissed and raised towards you in audience when I won the cricket match for my team? I told the world that it is because of my dad that I have won the match. And if he stays with me, I can win the world. That sense of winning made me realise that I am a son of a great father."

"You woke me up at midnights, stayed awake for me, prepared tea for me and made me be amongst the best students in India. I always shared these stories with my friends at IIT Kanpur. I even share it with my wife till date. And every time someone says that I have a great father, it makes me realise that I am a son of a great father."

"Each time I made you smile and made you feel proud, I realised that I am a son. It was because of you that I came to know that I am a son. Even on the day when I left for US, that pride of having a great father besides me, was there in me. But there is something that I need to tell you. Which I have kept it to myself. My marriage. A son is incomplete without the feeling of making a father feel proud with his choice of life partner. You always wanted to give me the best life partner. I always wanted to give you the best daughter-in-law. You never gave me a chance. There is some gap left somewhere. Even I feel incomplete. Had mom lived today, she would have known what you meant for me all these years. Even I feel incomplete without you. I couldn't understand the past you lived in and you couldn't understand the future that we live in."

This time the son rocked. And that too without an on the rocks drink. Adi's father was in tears. He came near to Adi and hugged him tightly. By this time Jemma too was in tears. Jemma went down to Adi's father and said, "Uncle, I don't know what is a family. I never had one. I brought myself up, financed my studies, earned my livelihood and I never knew what made me chose Adi as a life partner. Now I have the answer. God took away my childhood joys and the parental love. Only to return it after my marriage. I feel so lucky with you and your son on my side. I have a father, have my husband, have my son. I feel complete with all you people around me. May be our generation is not as your generation. But we share the same blood and the same emotions as you do. Just because we take our own decisions, doesn't mean that we don't need elders. It's with you people that we can see what's a complete life. I request you to please come along with us."

I was mere audience to a fantastic family bonding. What stood as a gap between two generations was now a thing of past. All three of them joined for a family huddle. Uncle took them towards aunty's photograph and said, "You enjoy up there. I will rock the show down here." Adi's kid smiled without even one tooth in his mouth. The cute moment shall stay for a lifetime for them. Adi came to me and said "Thanks dude." To which I replied, "I should say thanks to you. Now can I leave tomorrow." Adi was reluctant to send me back. But I somehow managed to convince him. The plan to extend my holiday no more remains the same. Two days it is. The next day when I left, the entire family came down to say good bye. For once the gaps vanished and the two generations came closer. 5 days later, I get a call from Adi again. This time its a good news. He said that his father is flying back with him and will be staying with them for the rest of life. Kudos to him and his family. Often, we follow the mind and forget our heart. Change of society doesn't begin in a political rally or on a TV show. It begins at home. That's what Adi and family proved. A clap is unheard until the two hands come together. And a change is impossible, until the two generations come together. Breaking the silence is what it takes to break a jinx. And it all begins at home.

Smile. All it takes is you.

Not for the people who hate but for those who love you.
Not for the pain it takes but for gain it makes.
Not for the world that knows you but for the world that you know.
Not for the toughest of the times but for the toughest in you.

Smile. All it takes is you.


For the world might leave you alone.
For you might be the ugliest face in the world.
For the ends might not be as convincing as you thought.
For there can be nothing worse than the current situation.
For all it takes is one smile to leave the rest and bring out the best.

Smile. All it takes is you.

You are the blunder and you are the wonder.
You are the worst and you are the best.
You are the reason why the world exists.
You are the one to make it or break it.
For all it takes is smile on your face, that makes you forget even the toughest of the times.

Smile. All it takes is you.

For I was born crying and spreading smiles all around.
For I have always found a quiet corner in a washroom to weep.
For there have been times where I chose to close my eyes.
For there is a promise that I have to make this day.
That I shall die with a smile.
All it takes is me.

Smile. All it takes is you.