Jeet

Choti kashti main sawar hum samandar laanghne chale
In toofaano ke uspaar aaj mukkadar se rishta baandhne chale
Ye parvat si lehrein kya bheedeingi humare honslon se
In zaahajon se aage aaj hum iteehaas rachne chale
dubone ki har kosish to ki thi unhone lekin
Unko kya karoge barbaad jinka safar khud samandar aabaad karne chale

That first little step

I was born disabled. Not able to eat on my own, not able to move even. We all were born disabled! I was worthless, of no use for many years. Just like you all were. But love brought me up. Love transformed my disabilities into multifacade abilities. I grew to be a more lovable human, who can love back and show gratitude for all the love I got when I was a disabled, demanding lesser self. But its love who made me take that first little step geared with curiosity and fearlessness and above all hope. Years have passed, I am a able man with stronger arms, legs, wiser brain and clear eyesight. But am I a better self? I don't know. Have I compromised on the very traits that  help me sail when I was a disabled growing baby? Am I as fearless, curious and hopeful? Can I be ready yet again to stumble, fall, stand up and take that first step? I started with nothing. I will end with nothing. But I can relive the moments of growing, building myself in a stronger and better way every time I take the little first step! I was ready when I was born. Am I ready when ever life demands me to be?

Truly
Abinash

Humsafar

Mumkeen hai safar ko asaan banana
tum saath raho to mumkeen hai zindagi ko firse sajana

girke bhi honsla rahega tum sambhal logi
dard main dawa, aankon main khwaab, rukhsar main pyaar dogi

bas kuch khaas lamhon ki daastan hai zindagaani
kya banogi mera shaya, mere kalam ki kahaani

jeet si lagti hai har hansi tumhari mujhko
ek bar kehke to dekho, chunauti dedunga us jalte suraj ko

lab aur lafz kafi nahin ki koi dhun ban jaye
kya banogi mere alfaaz ki dhun hi meri awaaz ban jaye

Truly
Abinash
 

Umeedon Ke Pare

Umeedon ke pare, wo jo aasmaano pe chale
ye unka kaafilaa hai yaaron, jo aag main taer ke manzeelon se mile

Ye wo chehre hain jo khogaye the kahin bheed main jakar
dekho aaj ye nikle hain bheed se apna wajood banakar

Honslon ki buniyadon pe hai eemarat jinhone banai
yehi to hain wo, hai itihaas jinke vartamaan ki parchayi

Ye wohi hain, girke sambhala hai khudko jinhone
Mushafir ye pehle bane, fir saahas se hai apna raah banaya inhone

Jinke khwaabon pe hans padi thi ye duniya kabhi
ye unka kaafila hai yaaron,, jinke khwaabon se ye duniya zinda hai Abhi

Umeedon ke pare, wo jo aasmaano pe chale
ye unka kaafilaa hai yaaron, jinke seeno main humesha umeed ka diya jale


 Truly
Abinash

Vantage Point - Life

There are three ways to look at life. One is to look up and feel that sense of being a so so tiny spec in the grand scheme of things. Second is to look around, feel the chaos and get nervous. Other way is to look with in, deep with in and feel that sense of identity, feel the sense of equality, dead or alive, sense of mortality.

Most of us, spend most of our life in one of these states, oblivious to other two. How we live, how we spend our life becomes a function of which of these states we tend more to be in. Sometime we are so engrossed with the second state that we forget we are mortals, we forget we are remnant of supernovae, we forget we are nothing. We feel our weight, we cling to things so hard that we leave no space for anything, even the thought that (fact actually) we, negligibly small entities are riding on a revolving stone and we only have a limited number of rides around the sun! And its then that we collapse under our own weight, and we get hurt. In that endless struggle to accumulate dead materials, a bigger number on a digital payslip on screen, that signage with our name standing on a tiny part of this revolving rock, called earth, which was never ours, neither it will be, we trade our life. We trade "what-could-have-been" for "what-we-are-expected to". Could have been is always infinite possibilities, happiness, memories, people, emotions and realization of all three states. But then, we have traded it to get more of "what-we-are-expected-to". Best way to deal with expectation when its not coming from with in, is to ignore it. People inherently want other people to be like them! Its a bitter reality. Our brain, in the fight of survival always deceives us to believe we are smarter, right and better than others. And everyone wants us to be like them.
         why is life or what is life are meaningless questions cause the answer might not change a thing. What's important is, how is life. that's in our control. Life is a set of memories, good or bad, but just a set of memories. The choices we make creates them. The memories make more sense when we know we are a set of atoms, no different then a stone. That we do not weigh even negligibly in the universe. That we are mortals
          We have got a ticket to take a joy ride on a revolving rock. Let's make sure we have that joy, in our ride before the ticket expires!

Truly
Abinash

Brings me back to you..

I saw some shoe and each of them, brings me back to you.
I saw some colors but none of them shine with out you.
Every time I see something new, it brings me back to you..

In everything I do, it brings back the dreams I had with you.
I saw some shoe and each of them, brings me back to you.

A Pinch of Salt and a Pinch Pepper

A pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper always magnifies the taste of any food. The chef does his job, serves you steaming aromatic food, garnished with flavors to make it aesthetically appealing. But we add a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper to it, nevertheless. Life comes so close in analogy to it. The chef God (agnostics read as nature) makes life just so beautiful, positive, possessed with dreams and hope. But when we consume it, our constant thrive remains to add that pinch of salt and pepper. Never settling for how beautifully its garnished, how hot it is. Probably that's the beauty of it. You are the final chef of your life. You are always in control of the final taste! Working, exploring and content when you stand smiling at yourself. Get ready to devour it all.. your dish just got tastier. With gratitude in heart and thankful to the creator, I choose to add some salt and pepper in my life, now. 

Truly

Abinash

Rebuilding - The self

Is it really possible? That you can rebuild your self? Like they upgrade machines, rebuild bridges, re construct cities. Yes. It is vital to rebuild yourself again and again. Life takes turns and changes pace wearing out what we are. Faced with new challenges, new situations where our previous self might not suffice to get past it. We get shattered may be, some time broken. Like a tsunami destroying a city. But nothing remains being a haunted town. Its rebuilt. Rebuilt in an elegant way, stronger than ever and equipped to face the same fury of time and stand it. When you get dusted, get dirty, get muddy it brings out your strengths you were not aware of. It makes you appreciate the little things and see the silver line of dark cloud. It makes you see the positive side of everything. Cause nature wants you to rebuild yourself and these are the equipment for doing that. Its then a matter of choice, either leave it shattered and become a ghost town or rebuild it to outshine everything else. Its a great opportunity. We often tend to come in terms with our weakness and never really get over it. But when thrown out, broken we have but no choices left, either rebuild or become haunted. Later is easier. But nature created this opportunity so that we can make something of ourselves which is better than ever and stronger than before. let go of people who never belonged to you, let off things that become hurdles. Work harder, push limits, define paths and be not afraid to run alone even when no light is at sight. Pull yourself up, tighten your will and embark on the beautiful voyage of rebuilding. Trust me its worth it. 

Being Human

Life is a set of memories, good or bad but just a set of memories. Cherished in retrospection, anticipated with hope and lived with faith. What does it mean to be human after all? Is it reasoning ability? Turns out crows have very logical brains. For me its about the ability to make a choice. The ability to discern good from bad and the ability to love and understand. People lived, loved even a thousand years ago when there was no "$" invented, no glass walled furnished apartments existed. People then might have valued something else which soon perished. Every century bring new things to value, new people on old places. The land people fought and lost life for now belongs to some one who don't even know its history. Being human, is the ability to feel. Feel emotion and value it. People matter, everything else is noise. Where we stand now will be walked by many. What we boast now will be conquered by many, but what we feel now can never be felt by any. Never. Cause feelings are true. That's exactly what makes us human. I guess I am but only a human.

I want to live. More.

Its easy to loose focus. Let yourself down. Get scattered and find excuses. Its even easier to lie down there, cribbing on past, situations and people, falling apart closed eyes oblivious to the possibilities. But then life is a tough bet. A little push, hinge, a little strength to get yourself start rolling makes the difference. Lies ahead two choices: Keep thinking and let thoughts rule and other is pull yourself up gather that last 1% strength and just let yourself move one step ahead, life always wants you to win, it only tests whether you want to win or not. Just tell life loud and clear that you have that will to win, to live. Life is not abut despair, its about perseverance, believe and ability to get up.  I want to live. More. I want to surpass my expectations, I want to break free of sorrow and desires, I want to push myself a little harder. I want to live. More.

Truly
Abinash

What the futuristic sci-fi movies fail to envision ?

Recently released science fiction movie Pacific Rim caught my attention, I have not watched it though. I could just not stop myself thinking why a writer / creator of a science fiction who envisions the earth say 500 or a thousand years from now would fail to create the artificial / robotic all mighty fighters who can fly, swim and fight even on territory more realistically or appropriate way. All such creations in all such movies (well almost) imitates humanoids.

 Human evolved from apes, the day the first humanoid stood upright the evolution got faster and here I am an evolved ape writing this blog. What happened was standing upright helped the brain grow faster, creating balance as walking was done on two legs so that hands can be used for other work. Magnificent design from nature. But why we evolved that way is not for us to become better predators, but for us to have more developed brains and hence get multitasking and use brain rather force to get things done. Coming back to the robots of future who is made for battles, why such a robot be made in human form? That would lead to unnecessary problems of maintaining the balance, to move it will mean two of the most powerful parts are blocked and to fight while on the move will mean enormous energy wasted just to maintain balance. It will slow the speed down as well. why is a Cheetah more agile and powerful and not humans? I believe the future robots will be a designed in a hybrid manner, where it will imitate the ambidextrous animals who are more agile. Progression of a generation (technologically) is directly  proportional to the ability of harvesting power / energy. Given the importance of energy, engineers are less likely to create a design that have to move fast yet far from being aerodynamic. Not being upright can give a more aerodynamic structure. As its anyway a robot and it doe snot have brain in head that needs to evolve, upright structure makes it weak and vulnerable. Hence in a real world such a structure being created is very unlikely.  It might be argued that such a structure catches the fantasy of current day viewers but the logic that today's science fiction shapes future's creation is defied in this case.

Truly
Abinash

And you walk me through ....

You live in dreams and follow your heart
Chasing the illusive reality, you lose your path
you head up high but long for wing
A tune in your heart you just can’t sing

And someone comes along and walks you through…
Brings back the lyrics and whistles with you

You think of the future, its a fairy ride
you find that rhyme and take that stride
The warmth and love engulfs your spirits
You break all walls and tame your limits

And someone comes along and walks you through…
Builds the bridges and paint your blues

And someone comes along and walks you through…
Makes you see the reflection and completes you!

This will help you believe in spirituality - Science, Miracles and Cynicism

I got tagged in photos from a course, YES+, offered by AOL, Madhapur. The pictures depicted the lighter, brighter, laughter and better part of me! It fetched me a lot of attention from my friends. Attentions included cynicism, praise, questions, mockery, disapproval, acknowledgment and so on. I smiled for each. Thanked and appreciated each. Equally. The point is, they are all active (even to be reactive you have to be 'active'!), they are not indifferent, dead-dull. And not being indifferent is a great start! Even in science, the outer planets which have volcanic or atmospheric changes happening (even if its hostile and toxic) it makes scientists smile and being hopeful. Cause if its active, no matter how, some day it will probably prosper! So am happy for all the cynical, doubtful and disapproving friends of mine, you are doing great, keep moving, reacting and criticizing as well, soon you will stumble upon yourself! Criticizing is an even better start. Cause it involves your critical thinning capabilities, rationality and reasoning.  And trust me spirituality is the most logical, rational and critical entity in life! So you are on right track, happy for you.
                                  A friend asked, so the guru can fly? Be at multiple places at same time? Travel faster than light? I smiled, not cause I got nervous, but cause I knew exactly what the answer is. I can safely answer "yes" for all these questions and defend it with facts, laws, reasons - (quantum entanglement, wave particle duality, QED, singularity etc.). But I wanted not to debate neither to confuse. I said, 'I don't know'. But I can tell you how to figure that out. Here is the excerpt of it:
                                  In the macro world, there are two set of laws. One is the Laws of Physics, that govern everything and universally constant (at least in our known universe) and there is the Laws of Nature, your nature, that governs us. Unique to each of us in their manifestation yet fundamentally same! E.g. the way you react and I react to a given situation would vary (as manifestation is unique) but why we reacted and how to control them are same (as foundation is same). We can accept and appreciate the universal laws of physics. And let us agree these laws of physics are constant, no matter if you are human or a stone. They don't discern before they apply. So we can not defy the laws of physics. Who a guru is then? What miracles he can do? He is as well a mortal succumbing to the laws of physics? Yes for the last question. Lets answer the rest two.
Who is a guru?
A guru is a person who has mastered the laws of nature, can control it, influence it and use it for the benefit of just everything! He is no more governed by these laws of nature, he governs them on demand. And to do that you do not have to break the laws of physics which is constant!
What a guru can do?
A guru can be very lucky. Can be a better swimmer than you are even if he is swimming for first time, can memorize a book in 2 hours, can make you laugh, cry in a blink, can be the best athlete, can be the best orator, can ace anything that involves any of the "law of our nature". Cause he governs it! One of the manifestation of this law is emotions. So a guru is beyond these emotions of fear, happiness, sadness, excitement etc. He has one of the most optimized brain and hence can do things which to us, are possible but not probable! E.g. Driving a bike in the opposite direction in a busy one way lane at a high speed, its possible but not probable. Cause it will need a surprisingly fast brain, no fear or excitement and maneuvering skills beyond our reach. Such an event a guru can do. See again, this is like a miracle to us, but does not necessarily need the laws of physics to be broken. He can influence your thoughts, read your mind, heal a body and subside your pain. These are miracles! A miracle not necessarily be impossible, it can just be improbable. So next time  please ask a defendable question, cause there is always a difendable answer! :)

Truly
Abinash

Of Spirituality, Of Sex, Of Youth

Spirituality and I have a long standing relationship. My parents became disciples of a spiritual Guru and I got to know the difference between Guru divas (celebrated in schools back then) and Guru Purnima (celebrated in the ashram) as early as a 6 year old. I soon knew how spirituality is different from religion. And how it was similar. I saw books from Kundalini Yoga to Bhagavatam and loved turning the pages to see the pictures. When I was growing up to become 10, spirituality meant, absence of my parents for few hours and me wandering longing for my mother, sometimes with tearful eyes. I hated the Aashram for this. I have come a long way since then! I have now come in terms with spirituality. What is spirituality? Is it wearing saffron or white, be bald or have long hair and use abstract words as answer? Is it in practicing yoga and singing Bhajans? Or it is simply being a man whom a million follow? Or is it all of the above? Hard to say. But I have a say! It is about still smiling when some one "alleges" you for all of the above. It is about coming in terms with yourself. Being able to love and forgive people, being able to feel good when you buy a new camera and feeling even better when a friend asks for it and you gift it to him with heart. Its the ability to carry many opinions yet believing in one. Its the ability to judge not to judge anyone. Its your presence that makes the difference. Its about loving the whole essence of life and appreciating the fact that you are mortal. This fact of being mortal makes the whole life so precious and worthwhile! Its the ability to carry that happiness in being part of a crowd to remain seclude. It may have different essence in different sects, some say its about Kundalini awakening, its about being a Siddha and its about being the "one" with knowledge and enlightenment  I don't know. For me, from where I stand now its about being aware, everything will pass. the sad parts, the happier ones, just everything. Still being able to remain excited and happy just because you part of it once, you are of it now and you will be again!

Sex as a word makes ripples of current run through your spine as it does as an act. Its one of the best gifts nature has given to human. To love and to lust out of love. Every human act is closely associated with one thing, ego. Ego is the driving force of life. And sex is a man's alter ego. Its spells how you are. A philosopher knows everything in the world are fallacies. But lust of the beloved is a purest form of emotion like true prayer. Its unfiltered, unrestricted, soulfully desired and magnificently ecstatic. I have always been fascinated by it. Desiring to enact myself as the best lover the world has ever seen. Every one does. Often I get obsessed with it too. Not anymore. sex is life in compact. You start excited, you want it to never end, but only the end makes it worth it. And you forget how much you enjoy when you do it. Sex like life is a set of memory. A hundred small things make a complete act of passion. And you try to cling to each of them but you can not as a rule cause you have to rush for the end. That is the goal. And to enjoy it fully you must spend just enough amount of time doing it that your body naturally drives itself to. Otherwise soon its monotonous and you lose the whole purpose of it. Same, analogous to life. Let the mind drive itself. Don't drag it. Don't push it hard. Just remember you have to enjoy each moment of if but its enjoyable cause it has an end, a climax and that keeps you driving. In life you die and in sex you orgasm. Enjoy it, making love to your beloved is not a shameful act live living your life is never one too. The man who says so is the man who never lives. Sex is sin just in dead man's dictionary.

               My beloved's embrace is the heaven for me, I find solace only there
              From ruins I rise too, with the sense of my beloved's desire
              my enemies, the world how would they know, I am a man in love, my soul has caught fire.

Youth is all about power. These are the years you become what you remain for rest of your life. These are the years you build the character you are going to bring up your child with, Love your wife with and support your world with. But like the second law of thermodynamics says the force of entropy will always tend to make you more chaotic! Driving you to love everything, you should not. Today we don't feel "cool" about so many things. Spirituality and sex both are a taboo for us. We avoid  talking about them! We feel ashamed to in being part of a spiritual group and we feel embarrassed to address the strongest force and energy of being youth, the sex urge! We avoid, ignore if nothing works we brazen out. I have done the same so many times. Why? Cause spirituality, like sexuality is very personal. We are insecure sharing it with just anyone! But we are not aware of it. We find it uncool. We feel spirituality will make us look old and sexuality will ruin the "false" images we see of ourselves in others eyes. Its cool to be spiritual! I mean you wear that wayfarer glasses yet able to do Kriya Yoga flawlessly, that's like awesome! You do the kriya yoga, yet can talk about sexuality, its conduct, use, misuse in length before an audience of thousand, that is kick ass. Cause as Indian youth we inherit both! They make the foundation of what we are as a society. We just as youth have successfully managed to misunderstand both. So lets be cool and stop being fool! lets be young while we are young!

Truly
Abinash

Weight loss and Fitness guide for IT professionals

First thing first, IT professionals don't have time and even if they have, they are lazy, I mean mostly.
Whom this guide is for -

• You feel exhausted climbing 3 floors, or feel disgusted if the lift is not working even when you stay on the 2nd floor.
• You struggle hard to pick a pair of jeans that looks fit. You avoid sports t-shirts and of course sports too! 
• You saw your graduation picture or a year old photo in Facebook and thought, dude I "was" smart.

What this guide will help you with-

• Get started being smart soon enough, trust me its real fast!
• Choose a pair of jeans faster and wear those Nike t-shirts and think of being on the ground playing rather than seeing.
• Needless to mention, to build stamina, look brighter, weigh lighter and feel fit.

How the body works -

Lets start with a brief understanding of how body works-

• The body has evolved to keep you fit for survival, make your muscles work and keep you going to cope with fight and flight situations. 
• Our body is not trained enough to burn fat all by itself if we keep using elevators, automobiles. Eat junk food, think negative and keep lying on those cushions. Why? Cause the genes we inherit, have code from time that has got training for physical work, mental fitness, correct food and a scheduled lifestyle. 
• Body has an awesome feature called metabolism, and muscle repair. Keep the metabolism rate high and tear muscles with physical work. And see the results.

The Diet Part and Plan -

• Eat frequently, not necessarily every two our, it can be 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours duration.
• Eat as soon as you brush, eat a fruit, drink some water. What ever but eat. 
• Never skip breakfast, have a wholesome breakfast and drink water up to 0.5 liter in the morning.
• Don't give up eating what you like, like sweets, parathas or ice cream, but eat them in moderation.
• Prefer whole fruit over juices, if drinking juice do NOT add sugar to it. (Fruits already contain enough sugar)
• Take some milk after gyming / working out and a banana or a small piece of chocolate. (Body glucose is used while working out and hence the body starts craving for sugar, to mitigate this a small supply of it soon after gym will do the trick)
• Eat Egg whites ONLY (not the yolk)
• Prefer Grill or Tandoori chicken over deep fried one.
• Eat red meat (e.g. mutton) only occasionally and only consume the meaty / flesh parts avoiding the fatty portions. (The layer that covers the meat is made up of fat, it feels tender, rubbery and sticky to hand. Remove that and eat the meat.)
• Don't eat big suppers. Eat modestly in night and at least 2 hours before sleep. 
• Most importantly always feel good, positive, happy, thankful and confident. (Trust me this catalyzes the process exponentially)

Sample diet of a day (non veg) : - (assuming you wake up at 9 and reach office at 10:30)
This is a sample diet for a day, this can be mixed and matched with similar items for other days.

Time	Food	Why?
with in 30 mins of waking up	0.5 liters of water, An apple	Water will hydrate the body, help in cleansing, and apple will keep the sugar demand in check and give something to the body to start with.
Around - 10:30	Idly + egg whites OR poha / upma + egg white etc.	Egg white provides protein, albumin and helps in burning fat. Idly will give carbs and energy for the day.
12:30	Grilled chicken / chicken curry, 2 chapatis, A full cup daal and some veggies.	Chicken and daal will give protein and veggies gives vitamins.
3:30	peanuts + curd / a sandwich +  a fruit	To keep the enegy up and metabolism going
5:50	A plate of fruit cut / a oil less roll / pongal / a small piece of cake / 2 paratha	gives energy, keeps metabolism going and does not make you feel hungry
Dinner	2/3 chapati + daal + sabji	If you work out in evening, should take milk immediately after working out.

Work outs -
Do not intend to be a body builder. It does not help neither it lasts.
Instead build stamina, muscle strength and toned body.
Stamina building: - 
Stamina is about VO2, stretching your self for prolonged period and getting back the energy level fast.
Run run and run. Play play play. Out door sports are amazing stamina builder. Should be able to run 5k in say 30 mins in 2-3 months of starting your fitness regime.
Start with slower speed and longer duration. Do variations and elevations.
Cycling in gym is not of much help but on road its amazing.
Muscle strength:
Resistance exercise, one or two body parts a day, start with lighter weights and higher repetitions.  Do as per your body permits and time you have. Do not punish your body neither push it too hard.
Toned looks:
Toned looks come once you have strong muscles with above exercise and have burnt enough fat to have
~ 8-10% body fat composition. Fat is essential for body and you should consume good fats like home made ghee, peanuts etc. Its saturated fat that creates problem.

Good diet is say 70% of your solution and work out is 30%. (personal experience).
So don't excuse saying release chal raha hai time nahin hai yaar!
Remember the key is to feel good, positive, happy and confident. Rest is automatic!

P.S. All these are from my personal experience and experiments. Few may sound contrary to usual notion and few might feel like cliche but be assured it worked for me. It may differ from person to person. So understand your body and feel it's needs. Soon you will see you know what it takes, automatically!

Truly
Abinash