The real risk in consulting is not if your clients are relevant for you. The question is, how relevant are you for your clients?"
#conversations-with-mentors
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Metaphorically Yours...
Maybe you should open up more...", I tell a friend.
"You should help yourself first...", the friend replies.
I chuckle.
I think to myself. I am holed up inside a fortress. I dig a hole inside, bury myself deep and close my eyes.
Its worth a chuckle :-D Indeed!
(c) Chala Denominator, Numerator Ban-ne
"You should help yourself first...", the friend replies.
I chuckle.
I think to myself. I am holed up inside a fortress. I dig a hole inside, bury myself deep and close my eyes.
Its worth a chuckle :-D Indeed!
(c) Chala Denominator, Numerator Ban-ne
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
kaise bataaoon
It is exactly a year now.
Standing inside Subway, I listen to Kailash Kher's rendition of "Kaise bataaoon". Serendipity- its the same song.
There is a smile on my lips now :-)
(C) Chala Denominator, Numerator Ban-ne
Standing inside Subway, I listen to Kailash Kher's rendition of "Kaise bataaoon". Serendipity- its the same song.
There is a smile on my lips now :-)
(C) Chala Denominator, Numerator Ban-ne
Monday, October 24, 2011
Goa, Dosti etc...
Ma’am, take this please- just 50 rupees. You take it and I will be happy and I will go away.” This kid was probably 10 years old. She carried with her a whole lot of women’s accessories- the arbit things women wear around their neck and their ankles, I guess.
My friend, with the gentlest smile on her face told her that she was not interested.
The kid persisted- “only 50 rupees, you take it and I go away”- the most innocent of tones, but still persistent and determined.
The innocence of childhood and the street-smartness of a childhood lost.
“Do you go to a school?”- My friend asked. The kid nodded in the negative and almost appeared indifferent to the question.
My friend took one accessory, put it on and gave her a 50 rupee note.
“No ma’am, I can’t give you this for Rs. 50. This is much bigger than the others”.
“I don’t want this- I was taking it just for you”, my friend said to the kid.
No impact.
Some negotiations later, the kid and my friend settled at a price, the kid walked away and my friend had this “thing” around the neck.
This scene on the shores of the Baga beach would remain one of my most cherished memories from my visit to Goa.
Goa- the land of those beaches and bikini clad women sun bathing on the sea shores, of those immensely stylish looking locals, of bikes and gypsies, of sea food and feni, of discs, alcohol and chillum, and most importantly of lethargy and relaxation. I have never felt a more relaxed air in a long time.
So we arrived on Thursday for this offsite of the company. For a 50 day old baby in the company that I was, on Thursday, this was almost a slightly deferred induction. I have heard somewhere that people may or may not remember the content of an experience, but never ever forget how they felt during an experience.
Never is it truer than during the banter and the chatter that one does during such times. One may or not remember the jokes that one cracked, but one shall not forget the way one laughed at such times. The butt of jokes would change, the laughter was consistent though.
There is something about such sessions. People you have hardly known for a day or sometimes, an hour, appear as though you have known them forever.
Conversations… there is something about them- especially by the seaside. On a starry night (sadly, minus the moon), when you sing around with friends, it is a very nice feeling- especially when you have at least one sureeli singer amidst us besure. The icing on the cake is the pulling of legs- attributing songs to people, mimicking people and their styles…
Driving around in Goa… visiting a desolate fort late in the night… sitting in the shacks by the sea, watching the tides, uninhibited conversations… shaking legs at a shady disc…lazing around at a mast Café by the creek… super experiences…
As I sign off… this entry is dedicated to some new friends…
This person with a deadly combo-an amazing sense of humour and super high maturity and clarity... This classic character who reminds me of my college days in Delhi University- fulltoo fun and masti… This “wall” of a friend who so reminds me of myself- confused, clear and unadulterated fun- all at the same time (yeah peoples, I know- I know you don’t associate unadulterated fun with me)… And yes, I instinctively like it when somebody is from Trivandrum and if I actually connect with the person- that’s sone pe suhaaga- never enjoyed ES’ing and IS’ing more with anybody in quite some time now…
Cheers to friendship!!!
Closing this with these immortal lines- Kaheen toh ye dil kabhi mil nahi paate, kaheen se nikal aaye janmon ke naate...
My friend, with the gentlest smile on her face told her that she was not interested.
The kid persisted- “only 50 rupees, you take it and I go away”- the most innocent of tones, but still persistent and determined.
The innocence of childhood and the street-smartness of a childhood lost.
“Do you go to a school?”- My friend asked. The kid nodded in the negative and almost appeared indifferent to the question.
My friend took one accessory, put it on and gave her a 50 rupee note.
“No ma’am, I can’t give you this for Rs. 50. This is much bigger than the others”.
“I don’t want this- I was taking it just for you”, my friend said to the kid.
No impact.
Some negotiations later, the kid and my friend settled at a price, the kid walked away and my friend had this “thing” around the neck.
This scene on the shores of the Baga beach would remain one of my most cherished memories from my visit to Goa.
Goa- the land of those beaches and bikini clad women sun bathing on the sea shores, of those immensely stylish looking locals, of bikes and gypsies, of sea food and feni, of discs, alcohol and chillum, and most importantly of lethargy and relaxation. I have never felt a more relaxed air in a long time.
So we arrived on Thursday for this offsite of the company. For a 50 day old baby in the company that I was, on Thursday, this was almost a slightly deferred induction. I have heard somewhere that people may or may not remember the content of an experience, but never ever forget how they felt during an experience.
Never is it truer than during the banter and the chatter that one does during such times. One may or not remember the jokes that one cracked, but one shall not forget the way one laughed at such times. The butt of jokes would change, the laughter was consistent though.
There is something about such sessions. People you have hardly known for a day or sometimes, an hour, appear as though you have known them forever.
Conversations… there is something about them- especially by the seaside. On a starry night (sadly, minus the moon), when you sing around with friends, it is a very nice feeling- especially when you have at least one sureeli singer amidst us besure. The icing on the cake is the pulling of legs- attributing songs to people, mimicking people and their styles…
Driving around in Goa… visiting a desolate fort late in the night… sitting in the shacks by the sea, watching the tides, uninhibited conversations… shaking legs at a shady disc…lazing around at a mast Café by the creek… super experiences…
As I sign off… this entry is dedicated to some new friends…
This person with a deadly combo-an amazing sense of humour and super high maturity and clarity... This classic character who reminds me of my college days in Delhi University- fulltoo fun and masti… This “wall” of a friend who so reminds me of myself- confused, clear and unadulterated fun- all at the same time (yeah peoples, I know- I know you don’t associate unadulterated fun with me)… And yes, I instinctively like it when somebody is from Trivandrum and if I actually connect with the person- that’s sone pe suhaaga- never enjoyed ES’ing and IS’ing more with anybody in quite some time now…
Cheers to friendship!!!
Closing this with these immortal lines- Kaheen toh ye dil kabhi mil nahi paate, kaheen se nikal aaye janmon ke naate...
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
woh jo kal guzar gaya, ajnabee na thha..
On the 3rd of September, i.e., a few weeks back, my friend Sonal and I had a rare honour of watching Jagjit Singh and Ghulam Ali together. To the Ghazal connoisseur, it cannot get better. Well, so it was that evening too- a concert we will never forget.
When Jagjit sang "Hoshwalon ko", I remember thinking to myself that once Renjini moves to Delhi, we should go to a live performance of Jagjit together. That live performance again, alas, will never be.
Yesterday, the world woke up less melodious than ever (as a friend puts it). As another puts it, alcohol won't be the same, heartbreaks won't be the same.
Jagjit Singh- I got introduced to his music through a friend in KMC. Tolerance to ghazals turned into curiosity and then into admiration and at one stage, even addiction. When I heard his rendition of Ghalib's "Hazaron Khwahishein", I thought I had heard the most complete song ever- I hold on this thought even today.
The memories are many. And many of them flashed back in front of my eyes y'day when I heard of his death. When I was driving back, I heard his "Chitthi na koi sandes" on FM. I was in tears. That song has always brought tears to my eyes, but my heart was never as heavy as y'day. The tragedy was well reflected in this tweet- "zamaana bade shauk se sun raha tha.. Jagjit so gaye daastan kahte kahte!"
The ultimate heartbreak song, "Baat niklegi toh door talak jaayegi" gives me goosebumps everytime I listen to it. The last few lines of the jilted one, and I present them here-
Log Zaalim Hain Har Ek Baat Kaa Taanaa Denge
Baaton Baaton Mein Meraa Zikr Bhee Le Aayenge
Unkee Baaton Kaa Zaraa Saa Bhee Asar Mat Lenaa
Warnaa Chehre Ke Taasur Se Samajh Jaayenge
Chaahe Kuchh Bhi Ho... Sawaalaat Naa Karnaa Unse
Mere Baare Mein Koi Baat Na Karnaa Unse
Baat Nikalegii To Phir Door Talak Jaayegee
No other voice could reflect the pain as well. Same goes for the song "Mitthi da bawa", the song of the childless woman who makes a baby from sand/ soil and complains that the baby doesn't speak to her or respond to her.
Sing a "Tera chehra kitna suhaana lagta hai" to a woman and see her reaction. That Amar song, "Honthon se chho lo tum" or a "Tumko Dekha toh yeh khayaal aaya". The repository of Jagjit's love songs is a treasure-house.
That all time song that makes you drown in nostalgia- "Woh kaagaz ki kashti". Or the emotions in "Hum toh hain pardes mein, des mein nikla hoga chaand".
That naughtiness while singing "Kal chaudhvi ki raat tthi"...
The transition from one ghazal to another during live performances and then coming back to the 1st ghazal. The unwillingness to wait for the applause to end while starting to sing a new ghazal. The contemplation in "kya khoya kya paaya jag mein"...
Those conversations with friends around which of these was his best...or just around a ghazal apt to a situation...those will continue...
The voice will continue to live on... Hope you have a great next life, Jagjit Singh...
Afterglow: This appeared on the net. Somebody remarking about Steve Jobs' death followed by Jagjit- "Pehle ooparwale ke mann mein iPod ki chaah samaayi... ab woh usme ghazal sun-na chaahta hai"...
When Jagjit sang "Hoshwalon ko", I remember thinking to myself that once Renjini moves to Delhi, we should go to a live performance of Jagjit together. That live performance again, alas, will never be.
Yesterday, the world woke up less melodious than ever (as a friend puts it). As another puts it, alcohol won't be the same, heartbreaks won't be the same.
Jagjit Singh- I got introduced to his music through a friend in KMC. Tolerance to ghazals turned into curiosity and then into admiration and at one stage, even addiction. When I heard his rendition of Ghalib's "Hazaron Khwahishein", I thought I had heard the most complete song ever- I hold on this thought even today.
The memories are many. And many of them flashed back in front of my eyes y'day when I heard of his death. When I was driving back, I heard his "Chitthi na koi sandes" on FM. I was in tears. That song has always brought tears to my eyes, but my heart was never as heavy as y'day. The tragedy was well reflected in this tweet- "zamaana bade shauk se sun raha tha.. Jagjit so gaye daastan kahte kahte!"
The ultimate heartbreak song, "Baat niklegi toh door talak jaayegi" gives me goosebumps everytime I listen to it. The last few lines of the jilted one, and I present them here-
Log Zaalim Hain Har Ek Baat Kaa Taanaa Denge
Baaton Baaton Mein Meraa Zikr Bhee Le Aayenge
Unkee Baaton Kaa Zaraa Saa Bhee Asar Mat Lenaa
Warnaa Chehre Ke Taasur Se Samajh Jaayenge
Chaahe Kuchh Bhi Ho... Sawaalaat Naa Karnaa Unse
Mere Baare Mein Koi Baat Na Karnaa Unse
Baat Nikalegii To Phir Door Talak Jaayegee
No other voice could reflect the pain as well. Same goes for the song "Mitthi da bawa", the song of the childless woman who makes a baby from sand/ soil and complains that the baby doesn't speak to her or respond to her.
Sing a "Tera chehra kitna suhaana lagta hai" to a woman and see her reaction. That Amar song, "Honthon se chho lo tum" or a "Tumko Dekha toh yeh khayaal aaya". The repository of Jagjit's love songs is a treasure-house.
That all time song that makes you drown in nostalgia- "Woh kaagaz ki kashti". Or the emotions in "Hum toh hain pardes mein, des mein nikla hoga chaand".
That naughtiness while singing "Kal chaudhvi ki raat tthi"...
The transition from one ghazal to another during live performances and then coming back to the 1st ghazal. The unwillingness to wait for the applause to end while starting to sing a new ghazal. The contemplation in "kya khoya kya paaya jag mein"...
Those conversations with friends around which of these was his best...or just around a ghazal apt to a situation...those will continue...
The voice will continue to live on... Hope you have a great next life, Jagjit Singh...
Afterglow: This appeared on the net. Somebody remarking about Steve Jobs' death followed by Jagjit- "Pehle ooparwale ke mann mein iPod ki chaah samaayi... ab woh usme ghazal sun-na chaahta hai"...
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