Dilip's Train Of Thoughts

Target!

2012-01-12T02:34:00.000+08:00

During my first 10K run I was feeling exhausted by the time I finished 6K. At my first Half Marathon, I was feeling exhausted and tired by the time I reached 16K, during my first Full Marathon I was down and out by the time I reached 34Km and was not able to put one step forward after 42Km! The irony was when I tried my first Ultra marathon of 75Km, I hadn’t run beyond a Full Marathon until then, and was really not sure whether I could complete it. But when I ran the Ultra, I could easily make it until 60Km and then struggled to finish the rest of the 75KM! What does it tell us?

A lot of things in life is psychological and what one thinks is achievable or doable is mostly in the minds. Really, the importance of accessing and placing a target is of utmost importance. Since we all are prone to procrastination its very much necessary to have targets that push us to achieve more. Being safe, is no longer an option if we want to achieve anything beyond the norm.

Its even more important for people like me who cant work without a target and most often than not things anyway get done at the last moment. I have come to realize that the best way to overcome this is to divide the bigger goal into smaller goals with shorter durations. That way its not only continuously calibrated but also accessed.

Like a marathon, unless we try to do something more than the norm one will never know whether that’s even a possibility. Our realm of possibilities to a major extent is a figment of our imagination. And that’s what I have learned.

What if?

2012-01-06T00:51:00.000+08:00

There are times when we ask ourselves the ever-lasting and unanswerable questions that start with ‘what if’? Times in life when you are in that contemplating mode and wonder how you would be and what you would be ‘if only ...’.

But is there any point to these questions? Should one be even entertaining such thoughts? The only positive/good thing that ‘can’ come out of it is to make sure the present and the future is not filled with instances that will rise to more ‘What if’ questions.. Though not many such instances in the past, I still have a few - enough to be vary of the next two months..

Every second we make a choice and that’s what makes our life.

The next couple of months will be a testament of things to come. Excitingly and happily looking forward to it like a child with a new toy everyday! And here I come..

Bring it on!

2011-12-21T02:07:00.000+08:00

Traveling through the years,

Overcoming doomsdays and naysayers,

Clinging onto hope,

Like an addict on dope,

Looking across space,

Finally, the gate in my gaze.

Too bright and decorated façade,

To really see through the maze,

But does it really matter?

When you know you can wade through the clutter,

Muddled in my thoughts,

Planning the next path.

A course set, that might take me years or decades,

Testing my tenacity, overcoming impuissance,

Patience and uncertainties my shortcomings,

But, first things to be conquered for this undertaking,

I know I will be there,

And one day a blog post it will make!

Happy B'day!

2011-10-06T01:35:00.000+08:00

Sands on the beach side
Rocks chiseled by the tides
Running as fast as a deer
Gaining an extra inch over your peer
Splattering sand leaving a foot mark
It was never a walk in the park
Watching friends in various combo
An unimaginable portrait not so long ago
Suddenly the realization dawns
You are just a pawn
Half a marathon gone
Her paranoia blaming the scheming faun
Another half to go
To complete the panorama

The secret of the Nagas

2011-08-30T02:34:00.000+08:00

I have never written book reviews as far as I can remember. But, there is always a first time and no better book than the “Secret of Nagas”. Amish the author of “Shiva Triology” has a unique gift of imagination, the art of storytelling and an amazing ability to blend mythology with fiction. How many authors you have read, can boast of such talents?

"The Secret of the Nagas" is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The way Amish has brought in the innumerable aspects of our mythology to bring one of the most amazingly written gripping story speaks volumes of his artistry in writing.

Growing up I had always been fascinated with Lord Ganesha. The combination of a human and Elephant made him my favorite Gods. His deformity, if you can call that, was what actually made him the most attractive. And I still remember how I used to listen to stories from my parents about his life, how he was born and how he managed to get an elephant head for himself. It always intrigued me, mesmerized me and captivated my imagination. Over time my curiosity, my thought process et al got the better of me and that’s when questioning all these concepts and stories started. It led to what I now understand about the great ‘Hindu’ culture, its practices and its way of life.

But what has that got to do with Amish’s “Shiva Triology”? It has everything to do with that. The whole assumption of Gods and their supernatural powers is thrown out and he starts with the simple concepts of how these characters were plain humans with extraordinary thought process, determination, ability to fight against all odds, but still make mistakes and correct them along the way. It talks about how Shiva is born in a remote Himalayan Mountain (Mt. Kailash) as a son of a tribal chief and had to fight mortal enemies (other tribal chiefs) just to survive and live.

The flow of events makes him to choose a path that will ultimately led him to a land called “Meluha” – a perfect society following the rules formed by Lord Rama. These people were the Suryavanshi’s and the their enemies were the Chandravanshi’s. And, they believed the only way peace can be restored in “India” was to force the people of Chandravanshi’s to follow their way of life. The whole crux of the book is that ultimately “Evil needs to be destroyed”. But the fun part is that the definition of Evil is something that changes among various people based on their perceptions.

And these perceptions within an individual change too. This is seen even in the great Shiva as he tries to find and destroy evil. The ‘Nagas’ add a third element in the entire story bringing in all facets of our community and inturn our various Gods into the story. What makes the book simply beautiful is the way Sati, Shiva, Ganesh, Kali and other Gods, are introduced in the story and how they behave, their characters and their perceptions of good and evil. And all this is brought together by a great story.

According to the author its all fiction. But who said mythology is not? But by bringing the gods to the level of humans and then making them extraordinary through their actions, thoughts and sometimes mistakes makes it much more believable than the actual/original stories of God. This story epitomizes the philosophy of a way of life. It brings in philosophy and morals in a way that no story does. It makes you believe on why there is a God in each one of us. Makes you question why we can’t be Gods and makes you ponder on your decisions and the way you lead your life.

It also shows that first one needs to believe in oneself before one can even try to succeed (Even Shiva faces this problem). One needs to learn from ones mistakes and have the humility to accept the mistakes. One needs to work hard for everything one does and nothing comes easy.

So in short, the characters in the book are all from actual mythology but the story isnt. At the end of the day it’s the aspects of philosophy, human behavior and its contradictions that makes you think. All this he does by making the story a page-turner for even a layman. And that’s the best part according to me.

It goes without saying that I highly recommend this book but would recommend that you read the first book "The Immortals of Meluha" before reading this one.

I am eagerly awaiting ‘The Oath of the Vayuputras’ - the final book in the series.

Supporting Anna Hazare..? Why?

2011-08-17T07:20:00.001+08:00

I have been following posts/opinions on Anna Hazare at FB, Blogs and other places. After reading a post from a friend of mine I thought it’s better to put my thoughts in place and come up with reasons why anyone should support Anna..:)

Before I go to my points, I want you to read this..

http://in.news.yahoo.com/blogs/opinions/where-anna-hazare-gets-wrong-20110413-224657-743.html

This was a post written by Amit Verma (whom I greatly admire for his opinions/articles) back in April and he had made very good points. Do i disagree with him on the points raised? Nope, they are perfectly valid and correct.. However, do i completely agree with him? Nope again..

There are certain aspects I beg to differ..

We are at a point where corruption is so deep rooted that something needs to be done.. Whatever that is.. Until a few months back, there was no avenue for anyone to fight back and now people have found it in Anna Hazare.. And that’s the difference..

Even though I wholeheartedly agree with "reforms" as a way to go, i have no freaking way to ensure that happens.. Now you tell me what a common man is supposed to do? Wait for next 30 years to see if anyone will start a fast on reforms and then support him? I believe inaction/no-action is worse than not trying at all..

So until there is someone out there who can take up the mantle of reforms, there is no way that will become the strategy to fight against corruption (My reasons on why i support him later).. And do you think people like Dr. Manmohan Singh doesn’t know about it? Sorry, he deserves more credit than that.. He knows but the lust for power (or whatever that makes him to continue to be PM) has made him to keep quiet.. If he had any semblance of Integrity left he would have resigned long time back..

Anyway coming back to the point, so where do 'I' go from here? Since i dont have anyone to support the right method, and since I don’t want to give up my 'lifestyle' and dedicate my life to fight corruption (this is why Sathyaghraha works – it’s a easier method than violent movement and one need not need too much capital for this kind of protest. People can relate, understand and support it without losing much) i will go ahead and support Anna on his fast, whom I credit for atleast shaking the system. This would definitely bring another powerhouse in place but then most regulatory bodies in this world can be considered as an "alternative powerhouse'. The question would then come whether it will be misused, now that I do not have an answer to... But unlike people who oppose Anna, I am optimistic about it and want to give it a try.. If it doesn’t work maybe 20 years (just an approx number) down the line people would do another Sathyaghraha to abolish it and bring in reforms..

But i am willing to give it a shot mainly because I don’t have any other option and i want to break the current shackles..What do you say to that? As an informed supporter i wish to give it a try..

Either way, i don’t want the bill to get passed in its current form.. It really doesn’t make any sense.. One more layer of bill which is not applicable to people at the top..?

You know how a organizations culture/character is built? Its ridiculous to say its just the employees who build the character...Because that’s totally wrong.. Its the character of the CEO/Leader who builds the culture in an organization... If he is lethargic and corrupt the rest will be the same.. If he is thinking out of the box and encourages entrepreneurial activity, then the organization will pick up that culture over a period of time.. Look around for any company and you will see what I mean.. So now that I have a bill that can potentially reduce the corruption at highest places then I think it might actually work.. Lets give it a shot, its better than not doing anything..

Lastly, people talk too lightly on him going fast or they take offense when this is compared to the next freedom struggle.. Please bear in mind that fasts have been a method of protest in India for many years and a lot of people go on fast on many issues (Telangana, Ganga cleansing etc).. But why is that in this case it has caused so much of a stir?!? That’s because people are fed up with what they are seeing and they want a change.. And Anna is giving them an avenue.. Without the support of the people this wouldn’t have become such a big issue (and of course not to discount our so call ‘media’)..

When Barrack Obama made all those speeches about 'Change' people thought another Jesus was born, but most see what he has done now apart from talking.. But you know what? they atleast tried and gave him a chance.. They are better because of that.. An inaction is worse than a wrong action is what i feel..

This bill may not lead us anywhere and it might even worsen it, but atleast we would have tried it rather than just ranting.. It’s a path/risk I am willing to take..

The Pains

2011-08-14T23:56:00.002+08:00

I can feel the pressure building, and can sense the steam charting its escape route, the heat creating a painful degree of smolder and the temperature is soaring. Sometimes you feel its just the beginning while other times you wish it had all ended. You are hungry for more and at the same time you really don’t want the same thing day and night. Life could have been more simpler but then it wouldn’t have been this fun, isn’t it? You ask yourself why does it take so damn long and it whistles right back at you asking you to have patience. Patience and graceful handling of uncertainties are virtues that I am yet to master and life has a tendency to always test you on things that you are yet to master on!!

Ohh, my dear pressure cooker, please finish cooking that rice. I am starving!

Days!

2011-08-05T01:17:00.001+08:00

Some days a lot gets done and yet at the end of the day instead of feeling tired, you are refreshed and you want do more. It’s not that everything goes like clockwork, it’s not that the net result is perfect (infact it will far from it!), it’s not that you have achieved success at the end of it, but still you are happier and life seems simpler. Those are the days you have tried the hardest, slept the least, worked towards a goal and made that day count!
Those are the days you wonder why can’t every day be like this? Some days are just like this.. And lately most days are becoming like this...Sign of good and hard times to come?

Path ahead?

2011-07-29T03:27:00.000+08:00

Running fever
Sweltering room
Churning stomach
Aching intestine

Spurting everything out
Washing off its existence
Yet, that fear and twinge
Falling off that crevice

Procrastinating the action
Forced to believe the thoughts
Reducing the achievement
Nullifying the impact

Clearing the throat
Serving the words
Cutting the spleen
Pushing the thoughts

Defending once stance
Trying to move the pang
Nothing is easy
But it can be done

And it will be.

The Unknown Caller

2011-05-26T00:33:00.000+08:00

Running along the sea shore
Walking through the green boulevard in the fore
Sleeping on the cozy bed
And while eating my daily bread
A ‘smart’ phone held in my hand
Waiting for it to vibrate and sing a song
Always giving a chintzy thrill
While some times dreading it’s shrill
Curious of who it might be
Cautious of what it could mean
Hoping for the best
But fearing the worst
Emotions bundled in a core
‘The distance’ causing it to manifest multifold
Ingenious and smart is what they say
But nothing could tell what the call exemplify
However smart it might be
It cannot beat the uncertainty.

Tiger Tiger burning bright, In the temple of Thailand!

2011-05-10T23:25:00.003+08:00

One of the good things about reading or researching on a country/place that you plan to visit is that you don’t miss on the best things that the place has to offer. My research on Thailand led me to what eventually turned out to be once in a lifetime experience - a visit to the ‘Tiger Temple’ at Kanchanaburi near Bangkok, Thailand, and playing with Tigers there.

The entire Thailand trip was built around this event. I had almost four and half days there to spend and the only thing I was really looking forward to was touching a tiger. I had spent so much of time and money back in India going on treks, wild-life camps and nature resorts to catch a glimpse a tiger in full flow that I had almost given up on seeing one. So when this opportunity was available I grabbed it and booked a day trip to the ‘Tiger Temple’.

This temple is located about 2.5 hours drive from Bangkok and I had a booked a Taxi and a guide for the whole trip. The guide was about 3 years younger to me and was once a volunteer to this temple too. It was very nice to hear her life’s journey, which was quite interesting and was an excellent way to spend those hours on the road. She herself was quite a traveler having spent few months in and around Europe. She had also travelled around Thailand a lot and that helped me get a good perspective of the country, its history and its current state of affairs. She had come back to her hometown to be with her ailing mother and thus completing a full circle in her life.

As we neared our destination she gave me a brief introduction on the temple. She also gave me a list of things that I am not supposed to do when I was in the company of the tigers. All set and done these animals were ‘wild animals’ and one can never be able to predict their behavior. So it was imperative to follow all the instructions bombarded on you. But the more I listened to her the more scared I was getting. From things like not standing or walking directly in front of the tiger to not showing one’s back to any tiger around I was asked to follow many instructions. Also, I was told it was considered sacred by the monks if you get hurt and blood is spilled by a tiger and in such a scenario you would have to stay in the temple for few days. That scared me even more as I saw it as a mechanism to make sure you don’t go out of the temple until you are recovered completely.

The temple in itself was never started as a Tiger temple. It was more of an abode to the Buddhists monks. But one day some villagers not knowing what to do with an injured tiger (after getting caught in a poachers trap) asked these monks to take care of it and they agreed. And so a journey began from 1 to 91 tigers now. Tigers were sent to this place from various places and soon the tigers started breeding there (which shows that the tigers must be quite happy as they apparently don’t breed unless they are happy!). I would term their facility to be better than any of the breeding program as I myself saw about 20 cubs. And this was without any effort in the direction of making these tigers breed…

On the way we (myself and my guide) stopped at a supermarket to buy some food for giving alms to the monks and that’s how my day started at the temple. I had left my hostel at around 5 AM and had reached the temple around 7.30AM. There were already a group of 10 people waiting for the monks. Once the formality of giving alms was done all of us were ushered in to the temple were we met the cubs. It was feeding time and all of us got a chance to feed the cubs, played with them and cuddled them. The whole experience was too exciting to be described in words. The first half an hour with these cubs were the scariest. Imagine someone who is scared of dogs playing with Tiger cubs! But things started improving once I gained more confidence in the volunteers there..:) (Because I had no confidence in the behavior of the tigers there..:))

By this time the monks had finished their prayers, we had breakfast with them. We were then led to a Tiger shelter where we bathed and washed few full grown tigers. I even fed one of them with Chicken. I was dead scared that the tiger would eat my hand but thankfully the hand is intact and I am typing my experience here..:)

We then moved inside a huge den that had a pond. Either the tigers should be outside the enclosed territory and we inside or the tigers inside and we outside…But in this case both we and the tigers were inside. Again, we were all asked to strictly follow the rules that were stated earlier else we were told we would be either thrown out by the volunteers or be eaten by the tigers. It was not funny in the beginning but later found the experience to be really awesome. It was great to play with them in the pool and the presence of volunteers there really helped, as they knew how to take care of these tigers when situation went out of hand. It was not just the tigers (which like all animals the play sometimes slowly turned into fights) but the people there who sometime in their over zeal didn’t follow the instructions endangering not only themselves but others around.

At the end of the trip we walked two fully grown tigers back to their den and had photographs taken with them. All along the way we were asked to never show our back to them and never go in front of them. Both the tigers marked their territory along the way and they apparently do that daily!

After a heavy lunch my guide took me to the “Bridge on the river kwai”. The bridge in itself was not too big or long but the circumstances under which it was built made it special and once again I got a very good history lesson from her. By the time I landed back at my hostel it was late evening. The rest of the trip comprised of visiting The Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of Emerald Buddha), Wat Pho - The oldest and largest temple (housing the reclining Buddha), Wat Arun - Temple of Dawn, the famous floating markets of Bangkok and of-course the beaches of Pattaya.

I had never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would play with tigers, feed them, pet them and walk them and be alive at the end of it to tell the tale. But here I am doing exactly that and it makes me feel really good and special that I could do all this. Overall it was such a great experience that the rest of my trip became a mere footnote in my post.

Some snaps can be found here...

In Vietnam!

2011-05-04T22:35:00.001+08:00

As a kid the first time I had heard about Vietnam was when I saw a movie on how American soldiers had fought a ‘brave and moral’ war at Vietnam. Though physically and technologically superior, they couldn’t defeat the peasants for more than 10 years. Later on, I read so many articles and stories on the war that Vietnam as a country always intrigued me. There was always this desire to visit the country and compare my ‘so called imagination of Vietnam’ to what in reality it is. So last weekend I took a trip to Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City or HCM (as it’s now known)…

The day before I was to leave for Saigon I converted 100 SGD (Singapore Dollar) to Vietnamese currency and I got in return 1.4 Million VND (Vietnamese Dong). I had become a millionaire in an instant. Holding couple of 500,000 notes made it a unique experience. But the feeling was nothing compared to the experience I would later have in Vietnam. Four days in this beautiful country was really revealing. The best part of the experience had been the people there. I haven’t met more hospitable and friendly people anywhere in my travels till now. I was even invited by the youth hostel owner to have dinner at home on April 30^th, which happened to be their reunification or Independence Day. I found people to be really sweet and friendly. Their hospitality made me decide to come back here again very soon.

Saigon as a city is the centre of the economic growth for Vietnam. So you can see a lot of immigrants there. The city houses about 9 million people and most of them are immigrants from southern parts of Vietnam migrating for work and better prospects. A motorbike is the most common means of transport for them and there are about 3.5 Million of them in the city. Most often than not buying a motorbike is a huge investment for the people there (the cheapest one being about $1000), but still you can see thousands of them on the street every second zipping by and chocking the roads. One can see that most of the so called economic growth is happening in the city and the countryside is still mostly underdeveloped. Agriculture is the occupation of most people in Vietnam, but slowly quite a few people are trying to migrate to the cities.

Majority of people, as expected, are unhappy with the way things are run there. Complaints range from lack of education, poverty, corruption to lack of employment opportunities. I met this gentleman who happens to be a marketing agent and apparently earns 7.5 Million VND but can barely survive in the city. The next generation is highly dissatisfied as most want to go abroad for work but their lack of fluency in English language is a big hindrance. So you can see loads of English teaching institutes trying to make the dreams of these youngsters come true. But they have a long way to go. I took part in one of the communication seminars held at the hostel I was staying and the eagerness with which they were listening to me was just too much to bear. All they wanted to was talk and converse as much as possible in those couple of hours to get a hang of Oral English. And at the end of it I had this sinking feeling of not being able to help them in the way I perhaps could have. So I again conducted another session the next day. But it was still disheartening because in the end many will definitely find it difficult to go to the next stage in their career/education, but I hope this perseverance of theirs will help the future generations. Also all this interest, hopefully will soon translate into the changes required in their education system.

I also found the people staying in the hostel there to be more friendly than others and made quite a few friends (maybe because of the general prevailing friendly atmosphere in Vietnam..:)). It was quite interesting to learn about their lives and how they had spent the last few months traveling. Some had taken a career break while others were managing to survive by working at a new country every few months that they traveled to…Hope we keep in touch.

Coming back to the city - the Ho Chi Minh City in itself had been at the centre of Vietnam War, mainly because the Americans had made it their base fighting the guerrilla fighters few kilometers from there. It was also housing the President of Southern Vietnam that the Americans were supporting (apparently more of a puppet). So, one can easily see the significance of this city in the war and the best place to get the complete history of the war and its effects is the ‘War Memorial Museum’. Though almost completely one sided and mainly bashes the US, it gives quite a picture of the war and is definitely worth a visit. One can also visit the Independence/Reunification Palace and take the English tour to give you another leap into the history books. One can see the multi-level war bunkers and the Presidents war rooms even now.

The best tour though would be the Cu Chi Tunnels about 60Km from HCM City. A tour to this place is a must to understand the life of the guerrilla fighters. The way they used to live in those three level tunnels is mindboggling. The way these tunnels were dug, the designs behind them, the strategy of war etc is something no book/article can explain better than the experience of being there. A 100meter of that Tunnel took me 15 minutes to navigate and I was completely drenched in sweat at the end of it. The experience gave me cramps for 2 days. I wonder how they used to do it every night (day time they used to stay put inside the tunnels as there was continuous American bombardment of bombs). The whole journey through the tunnels gives you a good experience of what life would have been to those people at that time and makes you think of all the things that had happened there in the area just 35 years back.

One of the unforgettable experiences for me at the tunnels was me firing an AK47 for the first time. It was really something. The force of the bullet and its corresponding counter reaction on the gun makes you almost fall back the first time. Holding it correctly on your shoulders really helps you balance. But still I kept wondering how those malnourished and under-weight people managed to use these weapons against the marching Americans.

A Vietnam trip isn’t complete without going to the countryside. Visiting the Mekong Delta gives one somewhat a realistic picture of the real Vietnam (or the majority of it). A bus ride and then a boat ride from HCM city will take you there. From traditional honey and toffee making to canal rides and folk music, each one was more exciting than the other.

At the end of four days at Vietnam all I could think of was when I would be back to this country. It didn’t help that my experience of teaching English to some of them left more of a hole or void than the satisfaction of helping them out. Will definitely want to meet these sweet people again very soon and maybe stay for longer to give something in return for their hospitality.

Some snaps can be found here...

The tracks

2011-04-16T21:13:00.001+08:00

There was no beginning,
Nor there seem to be an ending,
Parallel as they go,
Analogous is what they seem.

Born to weather the storms,
Smelted to carry the weight,
Bolted to follow a definite path,
Chiseled to reduce the frictions wrath.

Destined to never meet,
Designed to never quiver,
But, fate has its own free spirit,
And never follows a script.

At the first junction,
Their paths crisscross,
A few seconds is what they got,
Hitting them like a dart.

Bringing a new face to the fore
Changing lives evermore
Miles they go for the next intersection,
Eagerly waiting for new perceptions.

Singapora: The second edition – The highs and lows…

2011-04-07T00:02:00.002+08:00

Now that I have officially completed one month in Singapore I feel I have enough experience to comment on the highs and lows of this place (my perspective, of course.:)).

It has been a totally absorbing and interesting experience so far. I am still not able to completely come to terms with the fact that I am staying somewhere other than my hometown (Bangalore) and that I am here permanently (atleast for the time being..:) what an oxymoron! :)). Though that didn’t stop me from buying an iPhone, a Broadband connection and a TV connection all with 2 year contracts..:)

But the fact of the matter is I am still feeling like I am on a vacation rather than staying at a place called ‘home’. Maybe it requires some more time getting used to.

The best part of Singapore has been the Infrastructure and the way people lead their lives. It has been just amazing to experience the quality of life here. The opportunities to do new things, learn and experience them are just too much. The metro/bus can take you to any part of Singapore in an hour. The drives here are amazing mainly because the roads are excellent, the infrastructure is awesome and the surroundings are just beautiful. Despite having a space crunch there are lots of open spaces, parks etc providing enough breathing space for all. The amount of planning that went to building a city like this is immense and one would feel it’s too good to believe it’s even possible.

The people are very athletic, health conscious and spend a lot of time exercising. Makes one feel good to see so many healthy people around. One can hardly find any obese people. You are an odd man out if you go to gym in Bangalore, but here you are an odd man out if you don’t have any physical activity. And that says it all. The sheer number of activities that’s available to choose from has been heartening. I have started gymming and playing squash here. Next on my list is badminton (with my colleagues) and swimming. Its not that we don’t have these activities in Bangalore (infact I was playing badminton and also gymming regularly there too) but because of the bad infrastructure a single extra activity would tend to fill your day, which makes everything else difficult.

The work ethics here is really good. People are highly professional. I see that a lot more work gets done here in the same amount of time than in Bangalore. Though I still miss the tea sessions I used to have with my colleagues there, I sometimes feel this is for the better. Makes you utilize your time better at office and ultimately outside of it.

Singapore as a location is very ideal to travel to any South East Asian country or even to Australia and NewZeland. That’s another thing I like about being here. People travel a lot and it’s really good if you are a kind who loves traveling. I have booked my tickets to Thailand (Bangkok and Pattaya) for the Good Friday weekend and planning to go to Vietnam during the May 1^st weekend. This kind of frequent travel to other countries wouldn’t have been possible if I were in India.

Also, since Singapore is like the epicenter of South East Asia and also since it’s a major financial hub you get to meet people from various ethnicity and backgrounds. The rich diversity here is another attraction for people looking for a truly global experience.

Having said all this, there are quite a few not so good things about Singapore too. Many of the reasons I might divulge here might not be because we are talking about Singapore as a city but they might be true of any city that is not your ‘hometown’.

Anyway, the weather here is pretty fickle minded. It might rain at sunrise, bright sunshine later in the morning, heavy downpour in the noon, back to sunshine in the evening and might become cloudy and cold in the night. Irrespective of how the day goes, one thing that’s common is the humidity. It’s pretty humid all through and you end up sweating like a pig. I know one cannot get the famous Bangalore weather everywhere, though the people here try to beat the weather (or nature) by having air-conditioners everywhere.

Another thing you might miss is your own social circle. I understand that at any new place it becomes difficult to have a big social circle but I feel it might take me years to build one here. It’s never like your home country or your home town. This feeling becomes especially true if you are the type who doesn’t venture out, take part in activities like sports or even have the simple habit of going out and making new friends. So if one is not busy here with some kind of activity it can actually get quite boring or depressing especially considering your beloved family is also not there.

The other day when I left for gym early in the morning I felt severe stomach cramps. It was as if my life was being sucked out and I was in terrible pain. I had to travel about 45min in the bus to reach my Gym and the whole of the journey I just wanted to shout for help. Ultimately I landed in the gym and I puked for the first half an hour. I was in severe pain. My analysis was that it was mostly due to food poisoning and hence was more than happy to throw up. Most people in the gym that day saw that I was in severe discomfort but not one asked me whether I needed any help and these guys had seen me in the gym for 2 weeks. It was pretty bad. Ultimately with a friend of mine I went to the in resident doctor at office and he was not ready to treat me without signing all the documents and agreeing on the payment. Back in India it’s the same for surgery and accidents, but for stomach upset? And especially when the patient was visibly suffering? My first feeling was ‘a foreign country is always foreign especially when things start going bad’..:)

The other problem is the real-estate. For a crammed room and a so called kitchen and bathroom you end up paying exorbitant amount of money. Hence most people stay in shared accommodations but that has its own disadvantages. Also, unlike my earlier perceptions/assumptions sometimes I felt that the people here are racist too, though the behavior of people from India/Bangladesh/Pakistan here might have added substance to their belief/behavior. Also to be honest racism is prevalent in most countries in some form or another. So one shouldn’t be complaining too much about it..

That’s all for now…:) More on my thoughts in later posts…

Some snaps so far: Around Singapore…

Singapora – My First Impression!

2011-03-18T23:53:00.001+08:00

Bangalore was like ‘home’ and staying there I had setup a nice routine for myself. There was that perfect blend of work and play, an ideal mix of friends and relatives, and a wonderful combination of relaxed days and days that were studded with activities. Apart from the so called ‘work’, there were badminton outings combined with weekly parties with my colleagues, parties and get-togethers with my other friends, daily gymming, numerous marathons, biking, trekking and music concerts…I mean you get the flow right? It was never boring. In fact I really don’t know how the last few years flew by…Didn’t even have the time to think about it and I was not complaining!

But then here I am today at Singapore, which is in many ways poles apart compared to Bangalore. And combine that with my non-existent social circle here and living like an alien in a foreign place. ‘Why’ - is a standard question that many have asked and which infact I too have brooded over.

This was not something that happened because of my initiation. But when the opportunity presented itself and when I was asked whether I would like to move to Singapore it got me thinking. After some digging, the next question that kept cropping up was as to ‘Why’ I hadn’t thought of this myself and given it a shot before? There are so many reasons as to why this seemed perfect and it somehow felt the right step forward given all my aspirations and ambitions. The whole process of resigning at Bangalore and joining here hardly took anytime. I got my first taste of Singaporean efficiency at Bangalore when I got my work entry/visa done within 3 days and that too without even submitting my passport in original! These guys are so efficient, methodical and automated that they know you can’t do anything wrong coming here and if you do you cannot get away with it!

As my last post elaborately explained, February was a very hectic month and I hardly had time to think about anything. Thankfully I had couple of good friends here who said they will help me out with everything. Generally before landing at any new place I read up on a city and do some basic research, but because of the lack of time and also because my friends being here I didn’t go through the usual motions for Singapore.

I landed at Singapore around 8AM Sunday 6^th of March. There was no problem with the immigration. It went very smooth. I was not quizzed about anything. All they asked was for my passport and the IPA letter (In Principal Approval letter – A letter with which you can enter Singapore to work and then get the actual work permit later). Everything went fine. My first thoughts were on the infrastructure. It is so good that it talks volumes on the amount of planning and hardwork the government puts in here. They are continuing to build and improve and it’s done so neatly that you wouldn’t even notice if there was a huge construction project underway right next to you. Stark contrast to the way the Metro construction is happening all around Bangalore.

I hired a cab to go to my place. The cab gave me a peek of things to come. Some of the busiest streets, but hardly any haphazard traffic, such disciplined driving! Huge buildings but lots of free space everywhere, with trees and greenery all around. Just loved the surroundings!

The first shock came in the form of my apartment...It really didn’t look one bit like a 'home'..:( After all these years of being at Bangalore it was quite a fright..:) The amount of rent that I am paying is insane for this place. But that’s Singapore for you. There was one room, a small kitchen and a so called bathroom (luxury only for ultra thin people). There was of course a living room with a sofa and a glass table (which I broke when I kept my laptop bag on it. The entire thing shattered to pieces and the post-mortem revealed that the legs on which the table stood had completely rusted). My friend who was staying there had just shifted to a new house the previous night and so the entire house was quite dirty. Had to so some initial cleaning, but it still is quite dirty and i dont think i can clean it any further. But it atleast looks livable now.

After couple of days, nothing looks as bad as it had seemed…Life is like that, isn’t it? :)

Went around Singapore in the afternoon with my friends. Had a nice lunch treat in one of the Indian restaurants. Shopped at Mustafa (supposed to be a famous outlet in Singapore located at Little India. Its almost like an infamous landmark here) for groceries, fruits etc..Was back at home in the evening. Without the laptop I was extremely bored and had all the time in the world to feel homesick!

Landed at office the next day. Travelling in the MRT and public busses is quite an experience. It’s kind of very amusing and never boring. Will talk about it in my next few posts. The HP office felt like home and as soon as I entered I felt its going to be good out here :). It’s a different office atmosphere compared to Bangalore. But definitely nothing to complain about. More on office in another post.:)

Later in the day I got my broadband, landline, TV connection and the best of all my brand new iPhone 4. All this put together took like 1.5 hours. Ridiculous isn’t it? I mean it would have taken me atleast a month to setup all of this back home. I also got my Employment Pass done the same week and it was issued with the same level of efficiency (that I now expected of them..:) ).

First impression had been pretty even. Mixed feelings actually. Missed many things - my family, friends, my various activities, my colleagues, the work atmosphere, and the rest of the things that I was comfortable with back home..:)

But after that, the journey has been pretty great. Feels right to be here and more importantly I feel good. Have now setup a routine for myself here. Joined the health club at office. So I getup at 5.30 and go all the way to office for the gym, have a nice workout, freshen up and go to work directly. Reach office by 9. Have found good company here for lunch and there are quite a few food courts with an Indian outlet (which serves pretty good food). By evening I am all set to take the MRT and explore Singapore. Just waiting for my first salary here to make it a bigger exploration. Singapore is like a door to entire south-east Asia. And its waiting to be explored. I am sure this will be a very good experience for me and that I would love the time that I spend in Singapore.

Will keep my blog updated on all my experiences here, both good and not so good ones..:)

February weekends!

2011-03-17T21:27:00.002+08:00

This February has been one of the busiest months…All the weekends were booked and the weekdays were filled. Spent the first weekend at Hyderabad with my dearest niece (and ofcourse my sis and bil..:)), attended Bryan Adam show, followed it up with ‘Fireflies’ and concluded with a 650Km bike ride on a 500cc Bullet!.

How much of a music buff are you? Irrespective of the degree to which you love music, you would have loved the experience of the musical concerts that happened in those couple of weekends at Bangalore. An absolute blast!

Firstly, the much awaited Bryan Adam’s show happening after 5 years. I had been to his last show here and was really looking forward to having a great time once again. Had booked the tickets for this concert almost three months in advance. Boy! Didn’t it live upto its hype and expectation! Hearing all his songs live and simultaneously singing with thousands of people was worth it!

And then the next weekend Fireflies happened! What more can I say? It was even better than last year with some amazing new bands playing some incredible music. My favorites this time were ‘Yodhakaa’ (A fusion of Sanskrit slokas with different musical instruments), ‘Thermal and Quarter’ (An excellent no-nonsense band), and ‘Something Relevant’ (They rocked the place at 5.30 in the morning). If you can get hold of an album from any of these groups it’s worth a buy. As far as the venue goes, it was under the same banyan tree as last time which made the event even more rocking (hopefully they wont change the venue). We were a lot better prepared this time as we had made sure we had all the necessary material (including mattress!!) to sustain us through the night. The venue, the ambience and the quality of music was so good that I vowed I will be there next year too.

The last weekend of Feburary was one of the best. Went on an awesome ride with some of my best buddies on a 500cc Battle Green Bullet! Rode around 650Km covering Belur, Mullayangiri, Kemmangundi and Chikmaglur. Had hired a bullet especially for this purpose and it was worth every penny. The only sad thing was I suffered from a stomach upset on Saturday afternoon during which time we covered the best section of the ride (full bumpy roads laden with stones). Would have loved to be in good health to do such mountain kind of biking on a bullet. But unfortunately I was so down with fever and stomach pains that I couldn’t really enjoy it much. Apart from the riding, the visit to Belur temple and the stay at Chikmaglur resort were the highlights of the trip.

With that it was the end of Feburary and my stay in Bangalore for the near future. I was gearing up for another exciting month ahead. March 1^st was my official joining date at Singapore. Yep! Have joined HP Singapore and have had a fun and unique experience here so far…More on it in my next post soon!

Sach is Life!

2011-02-18T18:10:00.000+08:00

Twitter - the micro-blogging sensation has been my source of some of the most interesting material/reads for a long time now. I don’t tweet at all but I am quite an avid reader, actively reading all the tweets of people I follow. Following people who are funny, witty and who tweets articles/links that are quite interesting/resourceful has become a hobby. Like most things, twitter can be very useful if one knows how to use it.

But the topic I wanted to dwell into was not on Twitter but on icons/role-models on Twitter. In particular I wanted to talk about my experience in following the great Sachin Tendulkar on Twitter. Being in a generation where I have vividly followed, idolized, and prayed for Sachin, I had built a larger than life image of him. Like for most others, to me he is the ‘God’ - because of whom I religiously followed cricket. Apart from his cricketing skills, his down to earth conduct and the manner in which he has handled himself despite the tremendous successes made him a true role-model, a perfect ambassador to a sport and a ‘God’ worthy to follow.

After watching him play for more than 2 decades and reading thousands of articles on him I had imagined and depicted him in the most positive way. Placed him on a pedestal high enough where no one could touch him, no one could shake him or change my perception about him. What I had not envisioned was that one day the ‘God’ himself would be on Twitter talking directly (even though its pseudo!) to each of us. When I first heard about it I was one of the first few thousands who had followed him in the initial few hours. How could I have missed such an opportunity? The initial few days were as if he was talking to me directly. I was ecstatic. It’s not everyday that you get a peek into your idol’s life.

But the joy didn’t last long. Its not that he said/did anything wrong but its just that I had imagined him to be a very different, compared to the person I was seeing on twitter. Maybe I was expecting his tweets to be as good as his cricketing skills or maybe I was expecting him to discuss issues on twitter that otherwise he wouldn’t delve into or maybe tweet anything that’s as interesting or as exciting as his antics on the cricket field. I am not sure of the reasoning but I really felt let down. And after a few weeks I un-followed him.

Again, its not that he did anything wrong, infact he was actually being his normal down-to-earth self, but it just somehow didn’t fit my image of him. It’s interesting how we imagine and hypothesize on the lives of people whom we have hardly met or known. And when we start actually get to know them a little better we react in different ways. This incident is just one such example.

Mistakes and experiments!

2011-02-16T16:44:00.000+08:00

It was very funny. My friend had gifted me an iPod Shuffle about 4 years back and after all these years of consistently using it I just found a new feature on it! Obviously by mistake! If you are an iPod user you would know that there is no need to read up on any documentation as it’s all intuitive (as is the case with most Apple products) and so you tend to use the product straightaway after some initial exploration. But today, by mistake I found out something that I had not known was possible on a shuffle. Because after all these years, does one really go out of routine to try anything different? But there it was a new thing observed and learned.

It made me smile. How aptly this experience could be applied to ‘life’. Imagine a life with no mistakes, how pathetic and routine could that be? Most things we learn, experience, and become wiser are because of the mistakes that we make and not because of the successes. Maybe that’s why in corporate world ‘mistakes’ are always termed as ‘learnings’…

But sometimes we reach a stage where one stops making mistakes, one starts to follow a routine that one is comfortable with. This might fetch rich dividends, but in the long term he/she is the loser. So continuing to experiment is the key, as that would mean breaking the shackles. I have had my share of mistakes in the past, which I like to believe were because of my experiments, and I have not regretted them one bit. Hope the future is as dynamic and would lead me to unexplored territories and unchartered waters!

The year that was and that wasn’t!

2011-01-18T04:14:00.000+08:00

A whole year has passed and we are in the start of a brand new year. January is the month in which one generally contemplates on the year that passed by, pass judgements on it and then call for new resolutions. Here I am, definitely not trying to do that but only briefly touching on the subject so that I have a new post to publish..:)

Well it had been one of the most topsy-turvy years that I have ever been in. Had some of the greatest moments, but by far it has also been one of the most disappointing years. There are some outstanding things that I am really happy about - One is my new travel/backpacking venture http://backpackingtoeurope.com/ that really took off right from the day it was launched. I still remember how happy I was when I logged into my Citibank account to see the payment that was made by my first customer! Since then there has been a constant stream of customers, thanks mainly to my friends who have spread the word and popularized it. I can’t express in words what this venture means to me!

The other thing I am extremely happy or proud about was my completion of the 75Kilometer Bangalore Ultra Marathon. A feat that I never thought I would even attempt let alone finish one. It was one of those amazing moments that give you the confidence that anything can be achievable in this world. There are moments in life when one feels whether the thing one aspires for is really achievable? There are moments when one feels whether even trying or pursuing a goal is even worth the attempt? Goals that you somehow thought were beyond your reach…During those moments I think of this experience and I smile, I smile thinking what if I had given up half way? What if I had not crossed the finish line? What if I hadn’t even registered for it or even attempted it? ‘There’, I get my answer and I continue…It is these experiences that really makes life worth living and I just hope this year and the coming years I will have more such stories to tell..

Apart from these there have been several others exceptional moments and phases that I don’t want to dwell into here. I have also lost the count of the number of trips, treks etc that I have taken this year. Each one has a story to tell and an experience to live. A phenomenal year on several counts!

However that’s not even half the story. As fate has it I feel the year 2010 will be remembered not for these things but for some of the greatest disappointments I have had to face in my life. A very heavy setback in the first quarter of the year to start with, ultimately finishing off with one of the biggest ever disappointment towards the end of the year. And this when I don’t even consider me missing the Athens Marathon and the subsequent backpacking trip to Europe as a disappointment! Now that sums it up!

The dawn

2010-12-09T17:04:00.001+08:00

Winds churning at great speed,
Lightening adding to the aura of creed,
The rain camouflaging the tears,
The cold freezing the fears.

One thought to just let go,
Guzzle salty water in full flow,
Sinking to the bottom of the ocean,
Troubles evanesce through the motion.

The ambitious future flashing in a trice,
Hope brightening up the eyes,
But ends up descrying the vast ocean near and beyond,
Making current location an obvious end point.

Spots of life boats now and then,
Obvious to thee but not to them,
The latest one few meters at best,
But no one on board to throw the Mae West.

The rise of the new day,
Should have brought new sanguinity and gay,
But reminiscence of past unfair days,
Leading to nothing but despair to face.

The last of the options gone long ago,
Forcing you to finally let go,
Spiraling down the epicenter in a rapid plummet,
No time to regret, nothing to lament.

Suddenly a hand bends down offering help,
No life left to grab, due to vanishing pep,
Series of splashes heard at a distant,
The noises waking me up in an instant.

Jazz my day!

2010-12-07T00:38:00.001+08:00

Jazz - A genre of popular music that originated in New Orleans around 1900 and developed through increasingly complex styles. Jazz, as we know, has been evolving over the last century and continues to mesmerize people.

‘Fireflies’ introduced me to my first live Jazz music and that was the night when I got totally engrossed in its music style. HFT, a jazz trio from Delhi performed live on that day and left the crowd spell bound. So when I heard about the Jazz Utsav festival, I was all ready to go!

The event at Bangalore was held at the Chowdiah Memorial hall. The expectations were sky high. The build up and anticipation was at its peak. It was a three hour event and the first one and a half hour was one of the most boring music I had ever heard. Not that it was completely bad, but just that the expectations were high and the music was too monotonous for comfort. Murcof, Talvin & Truffaz were the performers and Talvin behind tubla atleast made the performance bearable.

After the break it was the turn of Larry Carlton to take the centre stage. Eighteen-time Grammy nominee, three-time Grammy winner, Larry Carlton played wonderfully. It compensated for the first half of the concert. Added to his great guitar skills, the co-guitarist were too good while the drummer was just plain awesome. Overall the team delivered a beautiful performance and made sure people don’t go back home disappointed.

The concert has made me gear up for two of the most eagerly awaited events – Bryan Adams Concert and Fireflies-2011, both of which is happening on consecutive weekends in February! Now that week would be really something!

Demanding Gratification!

2010-12-04T05:13:00.001+08:00

After dropping my friend back home, I saw this person tapping the window of my car begging for money. I am not the kind who donates money, especially to people who begs at junctions, but that day was different. I removed a 10 rupee note and gave it to his extended hand.

I don’t know what I was expecting from the gesture but to be honest I didn’t feel anything. Why is ‘no feeling’ disappointing?

Why do people give alms? Isn’t it some kind of a trade or a transaction between two people? The person giving alms expects gratitude, expects happiness in helping someone, or expects that smile/reaction from the other person, while the person receiving alms expects money for showing that reaction, for making the giver feel happy about it. But why was it that I felt indifferent to the entire process?

Why is it that we do what we do? What do our actions speak about us? Where does it all lead us? What is the end goal? - Gratification! The actions, reactions, non-actions all in one way or other searching in its own unique way for ‘gratification’.

At what point of time do we expect gratification? Do we indulge in short-term ones or long-term ones? One which involves a short cut or a longer definite path? Should one expect gratification when one initiates a task or an action, or while executing it or when one completes it?

Completion? When does one decide a task is completed or not?

It’s the intention that matters? It’s the participation that matters? It’s the journey that matters? Whom are we fooling?

Wilderness…

2010-11-26T14:36:00.001+08:00

In the middle of the grasslands,
The bench stands,
Providing a wonderful sight,
To those who want to sit day and night,
Sitting alone, the sights gave her glee,
But most times all she wanted to do was flee.

To discover new lands and seas,
She was ever ready to discard the tranquility and peace,
After years of attempts,
All she managed was trails of discontent,
Breaking new grounds,
A profound truth she found,
‘Jumping boundaries and overcoming situations in crunch,
Unfortunately, always led her back to the same bench’.

Opening both its arms,
The ‘wilderness’ cast its charms,
Enticing her with more dreams and delusions,
Working on her fantasies and illusions,
She threw her watch, preparing for a long haul,
Shattering chimera, she felt the time crawl.

Mind over Matter – Finishing Bangalore Ultra 75KM Marathon! (Updated)

2010-11-17T02:45:00.002+08:00

A 75Km Ultra Marathon proved to be one of the biggest challenges I had encountered till date. The physical and mental exhaustion and the pain were indeed beyond comprehension and nowhere near what I had ever imagined. The trail was demanding; the route with multiple uphills and downhills was uneven, and adding to the misery the sun was out in full force. A killer muddy trail that made sure I drew on that last ounce of energy and will power to complete it. But the finish was sweeter because of the fact that I had hardly prepared for it - absolutely no practise, and also the fact that I proved to myself that I had the determination to finish it no matter what. Persevering relentlessly for 11 hours to finish it gives me the utmost satisfaction and the confidence to overcome obstacles. A feeling of ‘ecstasy’ has engulfed me: a feeling that cannot be described in words - just has to be experienced.

Couple of years back when I registered for my first half marathon I thought that was the longest distance I would ever run. But like everything else in life you always want to look ahead and achieve the next bigger thing. That’s what made me attempt my first Full Marathon (42.2Km). But never in my wildest dreams had I ever contemplated on running an Ultra marathon (distances greater than 42.2Km).

Couple of weeks back when I came to know that I was not going to Athens to run the ‘Athens Marathon’, one of my friends suggested me to participate in this Bangalore Ultra event. It so happened that it was the last day for registration and the adrenaline push that came by looking at the distance made me go ahead and register for it (despite the high Rs1700 registration fee!). I had not even prepared for a Marathon let alone an Ultra Marathon. But it didn’t matter because I hardly knew what it would take to run Ultra distances! People supposedly train 3 to 6 months for Ultras. But I didn’t worry too much as my plan was pretty simple - the idea was to keep running.

The event was held this Sunday - 14^th November, and the start time for 75km/100km was 5AM. One of the best things that happened was my friend Karthik volunteered to accompany me for the event. I couldn’t have asked for better moral support. As the race drew longer his presence throughout those 11 excruciating hours was a major motivating factor and at the end of it he even ran the last lap with me. He was the support system, chauffer and photographer all rolled into one. Just goes to show the importance of having proper support system to achieve success, especially when you are trying something out of ordinary.

We got up at 3AM, got ready and were off to Hesserghatta (location of the resort where the marathon was held). After some difficulty in finding the resort we managed to reach the venue at 4.55. So I had to literally sprint to the start line. Sharp 5AM the event started and I was off without having an iota of idea till when I would run. I knew I could finish 42km without much fuss but I took special care not to run fast. Conserving energy and maintaining the body so that there are no cramps was the key to sustain oneself for those long arduous hours.

Each lap was about 12.5km around the resort that was mainly grasslands with hardly any tree cover. The trail was muddy and had multiple slopes. The route would have been excellent to cover had it not been for the fact that I was running and the sun was blazing. My timings for each lap gradually reduced from 1.25 hours the first lap to about two hours by the time I finished the last lap.

The middle laps were the most painful as it was in the afternoon with the sun at its peak, and your mind playing games with you and asking you all sorts of questions. Your legs stop obeying you, the pain becomes unbearable and the communication between the brain and the leg becomes non-existent. You decide to run for 120 seconds before the next break (read walking), but by the time the countdown reaches 90 you would be already walking. After another couple of laps you will reach a stage where even though the brain decides that its time to run the rest of the body would be on strike and would fail to just takeoff. Overcoming these things is what makes a true marathon runner and what gives you true happiness at the end of it.

The 6 laps of 12.5Km each totaling to 75Km took me about 10Hours 57Minutes at a rate of approximately 7Kmph.

Running the distance of my life and tasting success while doing so makes this experience truly overwhelming, the pain worthwhile, and my determination, will power and persevering abilities stronger. An experience of a lifetime compressed in those 11 hours.

PS: Rest of the photos can be found here… Photos courtesy Karthik.

Update: My official timings is as below..Ranked 6th with an over all timings of 10 hours, 54 minutes...

Bib Name Gender Category Rank Category-Rank Net-Time

7001 Dilip Adiga G V Male Open 6 5 10:54:08:85

The Ultra Calling – My greatest Marathon challenge!

2010-11-04T17:36:00.001+08:00

Until a few years back I thought only crazy people ran the Marathons (You must be kidding me - full 42.2 km?!? I used to say) and until a few days back I thought only lunatics ran the Ultra marathons (distances greater than 42.2Km). But here I am on the verge of participating in one!

The Bangalore Ultra Marathon is being held on 14^th of November, 2010 and I have registered for the 75Km event! The Bangalore Ultra – conducted by ‘Runners For Life’ gives one an opportunity to test oneself at the ultimate challenge for any marathon runner. And since the Athens Marathon didn’t really work out I felt I had the time to take part in this one. One can participate in any of the 50Km / 75Km / 100Km runs and they give upto 13 hours to complete your run.

The event starts at 5AM and goes on till 6PM in the evening. I couldn’t even properly practice for the Athens Marathon and now I am staring at the Ultra. To be honest I don’t even know what it takes to go beyond 42Km. And considering that a full marathon in itself a big stretch, it will be great fun to push myself beyond my known limits and see how long I can sustain myself. So the idea is to run as long as possible and see whether I can exceed a full marathon distance and if so by how many kilometers.

It’s going to be fun (and ofcourse painful!). My cousins and one my friend are expected to accompany me and give me that moral support...:) But, if any of you are interested to join and check out the venue (or check out a bunch of crazy folks running hours at length) you are free to join..:)

A dream – Vaporized…

2010-11-04T17:21:00.002+08:00

Firstly, I really would like to thank each and every one you who are still reading / checking out this blog despite the long hibernation. The blog has been more to me than just a medium to chronicle events of my life. It has given me much more than the efforts I have put into it. So neglecting something that has given me so much is really a crime…I cant believe that its been 3 months since my last post…So here I am trying to make amends…

Last Sunday was the Athens Marathon and sadly I wasn’t there!

If you didn’t know about my Athens Marathon Plan then you can read about it here. That was about 8 months back and unfortunately after all the planning for all these months, the entire trip had to be cancelled about two days before the marathon. The reason being - my passport was held up by the Greek Embassy who took eternity to issue me a Tourist Visa. They sat on my application for 25 days and few days back they tell me to come for an interview at Delhi on Nov 1^st. But, by then the Athens marathon would have been over...

Even if I had gone for the visa, most likely they would have taken another 2-5 days after the interview to give back my passport. So that would mean I would miss the entire Greece trip and would have to go to Spain directly (My next country based on my itinerary)...Anyway because of all the uncertainties and because I was totally frustrated by then (trying to get my visa by contacting the Embassy, vfs office and my agent etc), I decided to cancel my trip...Last couple of days I have been trying to recoup my losses. But since I had booked all non-refundable tickets, I am all set for a huge hole in my pocket without actually going on a vacation..!! Generally the embassy doesn’t call someone for an interview if one is visiting the Schengen region the second time (I had been there last yr). So it was very unfortunate…

My backup plan was to travel to Delhi last Wednesday for the Visa so that I can either come back to Bangalore and travel to Athens as scheduled on Thursday, or travel to Athens from Delhi directly (incase I got my Visa on Friday). But as it turns out both the vfs office and Greece Embassy was off on Thursday (Greek republic day apparently - Not sure what kind of republic they are running!!! :|). Further, later in the evening on Wednesday I got a call asking me to come for an interview on Nov 1st. Considering that they can take 1-5 days after the interview to return my passport and also considering that the marathon will be over by then I decided to cancel my trip.

Atleast my other friends (my fellow runners) all got their visa and finished the Marathon. Anyway there goes a dream of running the Athens Marathon on its 2500^th Anniversary! People who contributed to my Sponsorship fund, I really want to thank you for your support. Your contribution meant more than just money, it was really an inspiration! Shortly I will contact you for ways to return back the amount.

Some positive out of the entire thing is that now I have become an expert in not only planning and arranging backpacking trips but also have experience in canceling an entire 3 week itinerary incase some problems crop up. Now, isn’t that good for my backpacking venture?

To all my prospective customers – You can’t find a better experienced backpacker out there who will give you an all-round service…

The Journey…

2010-07-29T04:46:00.002+08:00

Walking along a alleyway,

Making her own pathway,

Crammed with stones and fire,

Covered entirely by barbed wire,

Preventing passage to either side,

People staring from inside,

Indifferent to anyone outside,

Thwarting her entrée, to the elite.

She sensed people on the right to be scornful,

And those on the left to be merciful,

Choosing the left option was not exciting,

While, the right option was never ending.

Seeking Sponsorship…

2010-07-13T09:09:00.001+08:00

As you guys might be aware, I am planning to take part in the Athens Marathon happening on Oct 31st 2010. I am looking out for any kind of sponsorship deal that would assist me in travelling to Greece and take part in the historic event.

Please let me know if you or anyone whom you might know be interested in sponsoring my participation in this event.

Your contact can be anyone from the print media or online papers/magazines/websites. Preferably from marketing otherwise anyone in that area is fine. I am ready to meet/talk to him/her. Also contacts in sports apparels / energy drink manufactures / Pepsi / Coke / Telecom companies like Vodafone / NGOs will also be very helpful.

Do let me know if you know someone.

You can reach me at:

Email: dilipadiga82@gmail.com

ph: +91-9845254694

Thanks for your time!

A Venture - ‘Backpacking To Europe’

2010-07-11T00:33:00.002+08:00

Hello!

I have started a website catering to people who want to go backpacking to Europe! I hope to provide them with services that will enable them to go backpacking anywhere in Europe seamlessly and effortlessly with as minimal budget as possible!

Here is the actual Website: http://backpackingtoeurope.com/

I am really hoping you will not only tell your friends about this but also someday use my services!
Thanks!

A ‘Classic’ Ride!

2010-07-09T09:27:00.000+08:00

This weekend I rode the ‘Royal Enfield - Classic’ for about 700Km and every minute of it reminded me as to why people go all the way to Himalayas to ride in their ‘bullets’. The ride to Coorg and back was one of the best biking trips I ever had.

Two of my colleagues (Vamsi & Mani) and me decided to go on a biking trip to Coorg. Thanks to my friend Srini, I was able to take his ‘almost brand new’ Classic on this trip. It was totally an unplanned trip - the only thing we had decided was the time of departure…Generally the best trips are those which have no specific destination or an appointment to keep. You are free to go where you like and do what you like.

We left Bangalore at 5 in the morning and reached Virajpet at around 11. The road was excellent. But the best part of the journey was riding from Virajpet to Madekeri. The route was very scenic. Further, the sights, the scenery, the fresh wind and the smell of nature are unparalleled when one is riding a bike. No words will be able to explain the feeling. One just has to ride in that route to get that experience. All through the journey the rain was playing hide and seek – the drizzle adding to the aura of the entire experience.

It’s very different when one is travelling by a bike. The places you visit, the route you take and the kind of stops you make is very different. For example very near to Virajpet we made an unscheduled stop as it started to rain heavily. Next to where we stood was a ‘hotel’ if you can call it one. We just decided to step into it and have our lunch. It was one of those places that looks very unhygienic and where you wouldn’t have stopped if you were in your car. But we did and we had awesome rotis and curries all for 66 bucks!!

The rain never seemed to give way, so we carried on and were totally drenched by the time we reached Coorg. The initial euphoria of riding in the rain gave way to cursing myself for having chosen this route for the biking trip..;) Trembling in the cold and having a fully wet attire right from wet shoes, made me think of all the hot soups, masala chats, spicy food that I could have had right at that point of time instead of riding in that rain.

But reaching Coorg was worth it and we had a gala time going around the place, first for finding the right accommodation (we had only two requirements – hot water facility and ESPN on TV for the football match later in the night) and then for shopping for all the chips and food that we could buy for our evening snacks.

After an awesome evening of fun, the next day we left for one of our colleague’s estate at Coorg. After some wonderful snacks and a cup of coffee we headed back to Bangalore via Kushalnagar.

Overall a wonderful trip – the highlight being the ride through the lush green scenic surroundings, stopping at multiple places having ‘chai’, getting drenched in rain and of course the joy you feel when people come to you and comment about how good your bike is (even though its not your bike..:)), how they always wanted to buy one and how they wished they were also doing such a trip – A phenomenon that happened at multiple places involving multiple people.

The rest of the snaps can be found here...

A Safari drive!

2010-07-06T08:33:00.000+08:00

Driving a Tata Safari is like riding a mammoth and when this mammoth moves - people give way. A few hours drive on a safari was sufficient for me to realize that you need an SUV to drive like a King (ok, if not a king maybe like a Don!). Also those few hours were sufficient for my friends to comment on my driving skills, which is what this post initially was all about…But then as the post dragged on the main theme changed…Now the post really doesn’t have a theme…:)

Last weekend I was on a trip to Chikmagalur (a 5 hour drive from Bangalore. Further that’s not ChikmaNgalur! My friend gets pissed off if you make that mistake…). We had booked a homestay that was worthy to be called “home”. A total retro looking home renovated in such taste that it made us exclaim ‘wow’ in unison as soon as we landed there. I have been to many homestays and this one takes the cake for its location, style, hospitality and of course the hosts.

It could be seen that a lot of effort, time and money went in renovating a ‘few generations old’ home to look like the way it looked. Also the hosts were magnificent when it came to greeting us and talking to us. Topping all this was the fact that the weather was perfect. The only negative point, if you can call it one, is the lack of activities around the place. But since we mainly went there to chit-chat and relax, it was a perfect locale. In all, a beautiful place to sit outside in the garden, listen to music, read your favorite book and sip that strong cup of coffee.

The main part of the trip of course was to attend one of my friends wedding at Kukke and hence by 12 the next day we had to leave. Though I am sure my friend and his would-be wife would have loved to come to this place rather than get married in that humid Kukke..:).

With 3 days well spent and having driven a good part of the distance on my friends Safari while returning, I have realized it’s so simple to comment on someone else driving skills. I have been guilty of that before and I am sure I will continue to be guilty of that in future. But there are other factors like first time driving a diesel car, driving a mammoth, and adjusting to the condition of the car itself which needs to be considered before giving a verdict on anyone. But if you yourself are a driver you will never spare a second before commenting on someone’s driving skills.

Like many things that people comment about you, any ‘not-so-good’ feedback is always treated with a tinge of “Who cares” or “As if you know better”. But when the initial rebel attitude wears out the calm open mind actually can assimilate the various comments and analyze to reach a proper conclusion - and that’s where I am right now.

The ‘Gymming’ Business..

2010-06-11T03:03:00.001+08:00

Looking at the number of Gyms and fitness centers that have mushroomed recently in Bangalore one would feel its one of those profitable business. But they too are dogged by many hindrances that are seen in many businesses today - the most common being Competition and Attrition.

One just has to visit a gym to understand their business model and the troubles they face. To the naive, it might seem a very profitable business given the number of fitness sensitive people one finds everywhere today. The sheer number of people who sign up for these fitness centers is astonishing. But how many actually continue to attend after the first month is unfortunately a very small number. The gym I visit is frequently thronged with new faces everyday and many of them do enroll the very first day itself. But hardly any of them continue after the first few days/weeks. “Customer Attrition” at a different league! But how does one motivate people? - and that too for something as strenuous and boring as a gym? Even a discount in the rates doesn’t suffice to entice people.

The other problem is the competition. In my area alone I see some 4-5 full fledged modern gyms (price ranging from Rs. 800-3000 per month) and many assorted smaller gyms (prices ranging from Rs. 250 – 500). Even though its early days and half of these might close within a year there is still the problem of plenty, considering that the majority of their target audience is in the age group of 15-35. Because of the competition the prices too comes down. The other day after my quarterly payment was due I was offered an Rs.6500 annual fee if I could pay immediately (and of-course I didn’t miss the golden opportunity as it amounted to an annual saving of Rs.3700). But for how long these guys can sustain if they continue like this?

The investment costs for such gyms runs in lakhs (my estimate came up to approx. 10-15 lakhs for a decent establishment – equipment, music systems, AC etc) and of course there is the operational cost (cost of trainers, electricity and maintenance costs). Also there is the infrastructure cost of setting up the whole setup and paying monthly rentals. It will atleast take 1-2 years for them to break even.

One should not only have lots of patience but also the right business acumen to turn it profitable. Many things like renting out the space for aerobics/Yoga during afternoons (when the strength for actual gym is very low), offering family packages, offering special programs for reducing or increasing one’s weight, selling accessories like deodorants, energy drinks, and appropriate food items should be taken up. I hardly see these in many gyms. Also one should even try becoming an agent or distributor for the gym equipments in one’s area. Many people don’t like to go to gyms but would like to buy equipments and use it at home (atleast that’s what they hope for when they buy!) and so there is tremendous potential there. Considering the amount of competition and the problems of sustaining the customer base, one really needs to constantly innovate if one doesn’t want to shut shop.

Times Green Championship!

2010-06-08T02:45:00.001+08:00

The day started at around 4:40 AM. I had to get up that early to reach the venue by 6AM. The event was the “Times Green Championship” and the venue was Vaishnavi Group, Sarjapur Road.

A lot of effort had been put in from my side to get here. The previous day I had to take my car to office, so that I could go to my friend - Rajiv’s house to collect his 30K cycle!!. Had to drive all the way from Whitefield to BTM layout to collect the bike and then to Madivala to get it serviced and repaired. Reached home pretty late and by then I had driven about 80Km in peak city hour traffic with a cycle in the boot. I hit the bed as soon as I landed home.

It took me almost 45min on that morning to reach the venue. Looking at the parking lot gave me the first taste of how well this event was organized. The entire parking lot was full of slush mud and there was already a Qualis sliding and struggling to get to the parking lot. The organizers were desperately trying to put saw dust and crushed stones to make it more tolerable. I didn’t want to take any risk so parked at one of the side roads. It took me about 15 min to get the cycle ready (had removed the front wheel to get it to fit into the car). I was all set by around 6:10 for the 60Km event which was scheduled to start at 6:30. However it got delayed and eventually started around 7:10. Another example of how well the event was organized.

I was joined by my cycle enthusiastic friends Babu, Harish and Nalla. There were quite a few participants, but the best attraction was watching the Indian team contingent for Commonwealth games participate in this event. Just goes to show how many such events happen in India - for them to participate in such small events. They were just awesome and the pace at which they rode was a treat to watch. Anyway we were off to a good start with no crashes anywhere. That’s when my troubles began.

With a cycle that costly and reputed to help you go fast I was struggling big time. I had to really pedal with all my strength to go forward. But I pedaled on and on and it felt like one of those herculean tasks that never gets you anywhere. It took me almost 3 hours to finish the 63 Odd Kilometers. The time really didn’t do justice to the reputed bike. Only later when I showed the cycle to my friends, who are more regular cyclists, did I realize that the brakes of my front wheel were actually touching the rim of the frame. It actually was slowing me down big time and I was like not only going against the road friction but also against the brakes. The only thing that saved me I think was my marathon experiences as otherwise I would have given up long time back. Many actually didn’t finish the race but there is always something that makes one feel like dirt if one doesn’t finish the race so there I was pedaling even after I was beyond the allotted time limit of 2.5 hours.

The organizing itself was pathetic to the core. There was no water available all through the race. As an amateur in cycling I had totally forgotten to carry water bottles and I struggled right from the beginning. Instead of spending so much on hoardings and advertisements, the organizers could have kept some water spots at couple of places along the route. In the third leg of the race I had to resort to buying Tender coconuts from one of the villagers to quench my thirst and reduce the dehydration which was causing me to cramp up.

At the end of the race I was dog tired and had about 3 bananas, biscuits and couple of bottles of water to get back my energy. I returned the cycle to friend the same day and reached home with the utmost satisfaction of completing the race and enjoying the ride despite all the hiccups and troubles. Maybe that’s what makes these events so much more interesting. It’s the surprise elements and your reaction to them that pushes you to keep repeatedly trying.

StartupCity - Entrepreneurs meet, B'lore 2010

2010-06-03T02:45:00.002+08:00

The last weekend there was an Entrepreneurs meet – SiliconIndia StartupCity, at Bangalore, conducted by SilionIndia. It was their 3^rd event in Bangalore and 5^th overall (the other two events were in Chennai and Mumbai). The sheer number of people who thronged the event made it seem more like a fest or an expo rather than a forum for entrepreneurs. Apparently there are about 1000 startups in Bangalore alone. Just goes to show how many people lately have thought about entrepreneurship as a career option. It was quite an experience for me as it was the first time I even had a chance to look at so many entrepreneurs and so many Venture Capitalists (VC’s) at the same time.

When I first registered for this event I was very skeptical about what I would encounter, but like many things that you do for the first time, you later start questioning as to why you hadn’t done it before! The event was an amazing way of getting to know the pulse of entrepreneurs in India, especially in Bangalore. It was a great forum to understand what it takes to become an entrepreneur, the effort involved, the amount of patience required and ofcourse the ability to sell your idea. It was also heartening to see so many VC’s lending their ears to people who were pitching their products or ideas for some seed money.

The forum was also an excellent opportunity; to not only meet the VCs but also to get an understanding from them as to what they expect from future entrepreneurs. Insights about the way one should go about choosing a VC, how one should prepare for meeting them and also how one should try to sell their idea/product.

The best part of the entire event was the stalls that were put up by budding entrepreneurs to showcase their products/portfolio. There were some very cool/amazing ideas mixed among many ideas/products that I thought would never click or soon be redundant. One of the major drawback or disadvantage that I saw was most of the stalls were all websites/Apps/Technology related, but again coming from Bangalore one cant expect too much more than that!

If ‘YOU’ are a budding entrepreneur or have aspirations of becoming one (even if its anytime in the next few decades!), then my honest suggestion is never to miss such meets. They not only enrich your experience but also give a nice understanding of the kind of ideas floating around. It also is one of the best places to network. It’s an excellent opportunity to mingle and get to know many of the future entrepreneurs whose help/advice/services one might use in future and the icing on the cake is the opportunity to meet the VCs. If one has an idea/product/any sort of offerings, one could have preregistered and presented in front of the VCs or even do a cold call on them (though may not be a preferred method of approach). The entire experience was worth the time and I suggest you to not miss the next event happening around you.

The day I was declared dead – Part 2.

2010-06-01T08:51:00.002+08:00

Like I said in my previous post, it was an exciting day and I couldn’t have asked for better results. It was like a dream sequence being played. But, by the time I reached home I was dead exhausted. And that’s when all hell broke loose.

The first set of calls to enquire about my ‘death’ came in around 9 PM when we were having dinner at home. I still remember the first call from one of my ‘then’ best friend to find out whether I was still alive. It was bizarre.

The news had spread among some of the students, teachers and the principal of our school that a boy had died later in the evening after the sports day and somehow it was universally believed that the boy was me. It was a relieved voice on the other side when my friend heard my voice. Thankfully he didn’t think he was talking to the dead. Multiple calls came in that night and by the time another hour had passed, we realized there was indeed a tragedy wherein one of my classmates had died. Now, I don’t want to ponder or dwell over the cause of his death but lets just say it was an unnatural death. So there we were a bunch of 15-16 year olds many of us witnessing death in close quarters for the first time. Atleast it was quite an experience for me!

Anyway the next day the school had declared a holiday and many of us went to our friend’s home to pay our last respects. It was like a big adventure. We didn’t know how to reach his home (it was quite a distance from school), how to react in such situations, how to behave and what to do. But still all of us went. Only when I reached my friends house I realized what death means to the person’s immediate family. My friend was all at peace on his deathbed, but the madness and hysteria surrounding his body was a sight I will never forget. It was indeed painful.

It was at his home that I realized the sheer number of people who thought I was the one who had died the previous night. My principal came to me and said that, after he had heard about a student’s death, he was cursing himself the previous night for allowing me to take part in the long distance running. He straight away had assumed that I was the one who had died. Many of my teachers also said the same thing. Somehow they just plainly concluded that after my adventure that day, it just had to be me who had died. All of us had a hearty laugh about it later.

So many things happened on those two days that it’s etched in my memory. I still remember each moment, each conversation and the feelings associated with the sad demise of my friend. And to be honest more than the loss of my friend, it was even more painful to watch his near and dear ones go through the pains!

The day I was declared dead – Part 1.

2010-05-27T09:09:00.000+08:00

It was the year 1997-98 and I was in my 10^th. And as everyone who comes from a middle class family would know it was ‘supposed’ to be the defining moment of my academic career (or so everyone made me believe it by repeatedly saying ‘You just have to do well in your 10^th board exam and your life is made’. How many times have we not heard that after 10^th? :)). Anyway the point is, it was the year in which I was supposed to make sacrifices in other areas of interests so that I could get that coveted rank for the state. So that year, everything else was put on hold.

One fine day I get up in the morning and I realize that it was the school sports day and given the fact that I was supposed to be studiously studying to shape the defining moment of my life I thought I will bunk school that day. Under normal circumstances my mom would have been very happy to see me studying instead of playing, but like most moms my mom too has a tendency to surprise one and all. She said, I quote, “You better get out of the house and take part in that sports competition. You will never ever have another sports day in your life!” and I was like staring at her dumbfounded. Even though I was a sports freak playing most of my time during schooling, I hardly took part in any serious sports events. Don’t ask me why but I was totally indifferent then (One of the things I do regret now, is not to have taken more active interests in sports competitions involving events such as badminton and TT which I was very good at).

So coming back to that day, I was in a dilemma whether to go, but such opportunities of playing guilt free were hard to come by. So that fateful day I was in school taking part is activities I had never taken part before.

It was one of those defining moments of my life.

I was never a runner and the little bit of running that I had done was while ‘running between the wickets’ in cricket. So you can imagine! But that day was different and I took part in all the athletic events especially running. I was very thin and apparently looked fragile too, so when I said I would be taking part in the 1500mts running race people started advising me against it. Right from my principal and teachers to other batch mates, everyone was against the idea. Some gave friendly advice while others mocked.

But it was a different day and I felt like there was a Kenyan or an Ethiopian soul residing inside me and so I didn’t care. When the time came to actually run, I did really feel intimidated by others around me who towered 6 feet and looked all athletic in their outlook. But having enrolled I couldn’t have just quit especially in front of all my friends. So I started running and to my surprise I was among the people in the front most of the time. In the last 500mts I could feel myself getting tired but many things around me made me continue (Before I digress, more about the motivation behind running and actually completing these events in a different post). And so in the last 100mts I actually ran faster, sprinted, overtook atleast a dozen other competitors and finished 1^st!! FIRST!! I couldn’t really believe what I had achieved. It was one of those moments when you are the happiest kid in the world. I was congratulated all around. The same people, who made fun of me, now were praising me big time. It was especially gratifying to beat the ‘professionals’ out there. After this I was inducted into the 4x100 relay team and won the first place there too. At the end of that day I had two other prizes to boast of and this was from a person who didn’t even want to go there in the first place and didn’t even know he had the ability to run!

But the euphoria was short lived and the day really didn’t end there…

PS: I didn’t realize it then, but now when I look back at this event, it was really one of those moments that change your confidence level, your outlook and your life in general. Thanks to my mom for this!

Few years down the line when I started running marathons, I was again told I was crazy and that it’s really difficult and a different ball game. But all I did was to look back at this incident and I just smiled. There are things in this world which even we wouldn’t know about ourselves until we actually go there and try. Now running marathons has become a passion and each one gives a different experience in itself. The thoughts, the will and the desire to succeed beyond your normal comfort zone is a thrill or a high that one can never explain. One just has to experience it! The euphoria is worth it and addiction to such moments is worth your time and effort.

PPS: The last weekend was the Sunfeast 10K run in Bangalore and I clocked my personal best of ~46 min (- according to the official timings, though I thought it was more like ~44 min..:)). It was the first time I had run complete 10K without stopping. Like I said it’s a kick that cannot be explained…Especially everytime you better yourself…And marathons/running is one extra avenue for me to achieve that feeling..:)

The last rites. Really?

2010-04-23T14:36:00.001+08:00

Burning in the hallow of fire,

Priests chanting around the pyre,

Flowers adorning, covering the big attire,

Marking the end of life, or beginning of a satire?

Under the shadow of time, filled with life’s maze,

Recalling the animated video with a haze,

Helping in bringing out the new face,

For the eudaemonia of the next phase.

A phoenix born on that day,

Sparked by a matchstick from her tray,

Made her to sway, losing the fray,

And now, nothing could stop it from being mirthful and gay.

Restiveness!!

2010-04-16T01:55:00.000+08:00

At the crossroads of time,

Life seemed all worked up, but fine,

Illusion broken like dribbling china,

Shrieking like a proud Hyena,

Forced away from freeways,

Testing the forbidden lanes and oneways,

The agitated neurons, never in denial,

Makes the summer heat seem genial,

Frustrations, reminisce of the yore,

Are flying down to haunt me to the core.

Kicking off a Campaign!

2010-04-15T00:38:00.002+08:00

When I heard from my friend Sunil about IISc Science and Technology run to be held inside their campus, I was all too excited. The registration was free and running inside IISc was going to be one heck of a route as it would be encompassing the entire green campus that IISc was famous for. I would also be traversing through some of the memorable building where in I had spent 6 months of weekends few years back (I had taken up a course on Image Processing there). So it felt like going back home after many years. The building where we used to have our classes, the hotel, the place where we used to have our samosas brought back fond memories. Felt nostalgic to be back!

The run by itself was great. Took me about 45min to cover the 10K. And this was after I had jogged from my home to IISc covering a distance of about 10K in 50 min. I took about an hour to come back home. So overall ran about 30Km and the best part was at the end of it, I didn’t feel tired at all. Maybe it was because of the two breaks I had before and after the actual race. The race was very well organized and despite the registration being free each of us got a free T-shirt (better than many of the corporate T Shirts we get). The route was very scenic with canopy of trees all through. There was hardly few seconds in the entire route where we were exposed to direct sunlight. I knew that the IISc campus was huge and it was green inside but I had never imagined it to be this huge (there was hardly any repetition in the 10K route) or for that matter that lush green. It was definitely one of the best places to be for a Sunday morning run. And I just hope this race will be the beginning of my preparation for my Athens Marathon.

My snap at the start of the run..:D

For those of you who haven't been able to spot me, i am in 7th Row, 6th Column..Just behind the lady in pink T-Shirt..:D

Thanks!

2010-04-13T10:31:00.000+08:00

Heartfelt thanks to all for the overwhelming response and support to my Athens post. I am truly touched and honored. From people who wished me to people who actually made contributions to the sponsorship I am truly grateful. Special thanks to the two people who contributed 100 Euros and 80 Euros each as sponsorship amount. The amount represents much more than just money to me. It’s a kind of encouragement that makes the entire experience even more memorable.

The idea is to get some sponsorships from the corporates too – hope to start from the company that I work for and then maybe move on to Sports apparel manufacturers or Mobile service providers. Or maybe even write articles in magazines about our experiences, in exchange for sponsorships. Any help in terms of ideas or contacts from any of you guys would be appreciated. Hopefully, this experience of getting sponsorships would be as good as the Athens marathon itself (I have no doubts about how good the marathon would be..:)). Will keep you all updated on my progress!!

Simply Fly!

2010-04-09T10:49:00.001+08:00

Have you ever wondered how entrepreneurs succeed and make money? Have you wondered how one can start a business from practically nothing? Have you ever wondered how your actions (past or present) will help you someway or the other in the long run? Well, for some of these answers I recommend reading Captain Gopinath’s autobiography “Simply Fly”. Nope, I don’t have the habit of writing book reviews and so will not dwell too much into the details of the book. But believe me when I say it is one truly amazing story.

I am a sucker of good autobiography books but this one takes the cake! It’s not because he is better than most but it’s just that he hails from a very familiar background - with a middle class background from Karnataka he went on to do amazing things. He made such a big impact to the aviation industry that he is considered as the father of the low-cost airline industry in India.

I had always wondered how he made millions from nothing. But I never knew how he got there nor did I know what he had to do to get there. When you read the book you will realize it was never a walk in the park. But his perseverance and his ability to keep trying various things has taken him where he is now. My respect to him has increased manifold after reading his life story.

Hailing from a remote village near Hassan he became an army captain. Fought in the Liberation of Bangadesh war and was later posted on the Sino-India border as a ‘watchman’. After all the spiritual enlightenment he could get there, he took early retirement from Army because he got bored with it! This was not before he extensively traveled across India and also went on a backpacking trip to USA on a meager $500. At the age of 27 he suddenly felt the urge of becoming a farmer and invested heavily on farming. He had to take a huge loan and a much bigger risk to start this venture. The breadth of his experience in these activities, his learning and his achievements is simply astounding.

If one has the notion that one has crossed the age of taking risks or one is too old to try new things, then just throw that notion away. He demonstrates how foolhardy it will be to think like that. All one needs is to have the will and desire to achieve success and wok hard towards it! From farming he goes on and tries his hand at garage/motor workshop business, dealerships, hotel business, agriculture consultancy and even politics before plunging into the aviation industry. One must hear from the horses’ mouth to get an idea of what he learnt, the risks he took and the success and failures that followed. Half the book tells you the story of how Deccan Aviation (the charter company) was born and how it gave rise to the more famous/publicized Air Deccan (LCC – Low Cost Carrier).

The book gives a very deep insight to the life of a first generation entrepreneur and it is Simply Amazing! A must read for anyone and everyone who can appreciate grit and valor, risk, disappointments and rewards - especially for all the future entrepreneurs out there!

A wild Leopard sends shivers through my spines!

2010-04-07T02:45:00.004+08:00

Visitors who flock to India’s tiger reserves have only one question on their minds: "Will we spot a Tiger?" The meager number of Tigers, leopards and panthers left in India makes sure that most leave disappointed. Never mind the herds of elephants, deer and other ungulates that crowd the verdant forest floor, only if one of the big cats was sighted is the trip deemed a success because they have so become few and far between.

Having been on 3 such trips to wildlife reserves before, my expectations was rock bottom. I hardly cared. I had convinced myself that there was nothing special about watching one of the big cats in the wild. But I couldn’t have been more wrong.

We (friends from office – Mani, Srini, Ramdu and Ranga) landed at Pollachi (TamilNadu) on Thursday midnight. This was one trip in which we had no reservations anywhere and to be honest we didn’t even have a plan! The only thing we wanted to do was get into the Tiger reserve and spend some time either at Topslip (Tamilnadu) or at Parambikulam (Kerala). Thankfully we got a decent room and we hit the bed straightaway. By Friday afternoon after a lot of negotiations and influence we got permission to stay at Parambikulam. They didn’t allow our Scorpio inside and hence had to use their transport. The idea was to spend a day there and then decide on our next plan.

After a heavy lunch we relaxed in the forest cottage for sometime and then left on a safari to the forests. We went to the Parambikulam dam and had a bamboo boat ride where we spotted wild elephants. After this we witnessed a tribal dance (I don’t wasn’t to talk about this!). By the time we headed back to our cottages it was almost 7.30PM. The forest was pitch dark, but it seemed like it was the most active then. For the first half of our journey nothing major happened. We flashed our torchlight in all directions, but to no avail. The maximum one would see were bright shiny eyes with none of us having any clues as to what that animal was.

But just few minutes before we reached our camp, everything seemed to happen at once. Suddenly we saw a flurry of activity. We spotted a wide range of animals from bison, wild boars to herds of deer. Even some sambars crossed our track. But none of these incidents came anything close to what we were about to witness next.

Just couples of seconds after all these animals were seen, someone exclaimed that there was a leopard in the bushes. It took me few seconds to get the direction right and then I saw it! It was one of those amazing moments in your life that will be etched in your memory forever. Even now when I think of it, shivers run through my spine. The leopard was hardly 10 feet away and it was standing majestically and was staring right back at us. There is something about a wild cat, with its tail held high, that can never come when we see them in cages or in tamed conditions. This one had an aura around it as if it was the master and we were its subjects. The vibes are just too much to bear even for someone who was sitting inside the comfort of a vehicle. The driver used a flashlight to focus on the animal and we were able to watch it for a few seconds. I tried capturing the moment with my camera but everything came black.

In the thick forests of southern India, leopard sightings are rare. They are extremely shy animals who run away from everything other than their prey. So spotting a leopard, especially the ones lasting more than a few moments are rarer still. After sometime we could only see two shining eyes and that was the end of the most glorious moments of our trip.

Only when we reached our cottages (less than a minute away from the leopard!) did I realize how tantalizingly close the leopard was. In a matter of seconds it could have easily come over to where I was. The thought made me feel extremely happy to have witnessed such an animal in its true environment but also made me sad that the future generations may not even have this small opportunity.

After a thankful night in the cottage we went trekking the next day morning to the forests. After the previous nights experience we had some expectations. But a three hour trek didn’t yield anything and we headed back to our cottage.

We were back to Pollachi by afternoon and with nothing much to do we headed to Ooty. Reached there by evening and the weather was splendid. It was so cold that we had to use rajai/blankets in the night! That’s summer at Ooty for you!! The next day I and Srini got up at 5.30 and went for a hike for about 2 hours. It was a satisfying walk considering the amount of food we had the previous night..:)

We left Ooty around 9.30 and were back in Bangalore by 6. We made several stops in between enjoying the journey on the way. Sadly we didn’t spot any major wild animals both at Mudumalai and Bandipur. The only major incident was the sighting of a rouge elephant (if an elephant is not part of a heard then mostly it’s a rogue elephant and it’s considered to be dangerous) next to the road at Bandipur. A maniac/drunkard actually stopped right in front of it and was taking snaps. He was making loud noises and the elephant was visibly irritated. It was disgusting to see such irresponsible people. The elephant took two steps back, shook its head vigorously and made a trumpet noise!! It should have charged him and beaten him up. Would have served him right!!

Anyway, the entire trip was a satisfying experience with spotting the leopard being the highlight of the trip. The group was great, the humor was awesome and all the narration of exciting stories of Kenneth Anderson from my friends (I should make it a point to read his books) was the icing on the cake.

Some of the snaps from the trip can be found here...

Athens Beckons!

2010-03-15T02:04:00.007+08:00

I would be lying if I say I ‘always’ wanted to run the Athens Marathon (Greece), because until a few months back I didn’t even know it existed.

But the fact is, once I heard about it I knew I wanted to be there (Thanks to my friend Srini, who brought it to my notice). It’s going to be the mother of all marathons and I am sure running in Athens will be an experience of a lifetime! (I know..I know..I had said the same thing about my Europe backpacking trip). But, there are lots of things in this world which can be an ‘experience of a lifetime’.

A Marathon for me is not just a sport. It’s a test. It’s a way I can consistently prove to myself that I have the will power to take on everything in this world. Believe me when I say it’s not just about stamina and fitness, especially for someone who doesn’t train for it. It’s a major test of resilience and a huge factor in running marathons is the ‘will’ to finish it. I am really passionate about it!

If we look at all the major Olympic events, the Marathon Race stands out because it was born by a real historic and heroic event. The Athens Marathon itself has a lot of history to it. The history dates back to 2500 years. This year they will be celebrating the 2500^th anniversary of the “Battle of Marathon”. The battle was fought between the invading Persians and the Greeks (490BC). The Greeks sought the help of the Spartans by sending a foot soldier (Pheidippides) to Sparta. He ran 240 km (150 miles) in two days but was told they will not be able to help due to some superstitious reason (Remember the movie ‘300’? :)). He then ran back to convey the bad news. He again ran 42.195 Km (that’s how the ‘Full Marathon’ got its distance), from the battlefield near the town of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia, when the Battle of Marathon was won with the word "Νενικήκαμεν" (Nenikékamen, 'We have won') and collapsed and died on the spot because of exhaustion. Apparently the Greeks would have burnt their city if they hadn’t won within the deadline and hence it was necessary for Pheidippides to run back and convey the good news (Otherwise they would have assumed they had lost and burnt the city).

There goes the story of the origin of ‘Marathon’, though don’t ask me why they didn’t send multiple soldiers or soldiers on horse back etc. I don’t want to add speculation to the story…:)

Anyway coming back to my participation, I am glad to say I already have company for this race. My friends Srini (a marathon freak who introduced me to Athens Marathon and also booked on my behalf) and Karthik (another marathon freak..;) from US who booked after hearing from me) will be there. It will be a great experience for sure. The course is challenging and notoriously hilly. The entire race is through historic sites of the historic country. And the finish is in the beautiful Olympic Stadium, the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games. The event is scheduled to be held on Oct 31^st 2010 and we have enough time to plan. Thankfully Athens/Greece was one place I hadn’t visited on my last European trip and hopefully we will be able to cover one more country.

Finally I will leave you guys with these words, which I found on the net (Sorry, no source as I don’t remember where I had found this)…

“For the first ten miles, a marathon runner runs on his training. For the second ten, he survives on his stamina. For the last six, his body metabolizes his very sinews: it’s an onslaught of pain but he runs on his spirit. That’s what courage is…that’s what makes a champion.”

PS: If you are inspired by this post and want to donate some money or even provide me with sponsorship money please drop in a comment/mail. I will be wearing your name on my jersey so that you can become a part of this historic moment. A better deal can be negotiated and am open to suggestions.

Chirpy Tweety

2010-03-11T17:04:00.002+08:00

All along it longed for its ‘freedom’, caught in a cage,
Craving to be free and the desire to consistently script a new page,
All along it felt itself caught in a maze,
Unable to explore and free itself from this phase.

Chirpy tweety, had nothing but its ambition,

A dream driven by desire and the spirit to make it happen,

But the cage was sturdy and strong,

Making its attempts seem all wasted and wrong.

Chirpy tweety remained bubbly,

Making attempts in full earnest and plucky,

The nights were short and the days lengthy,

Setting placeholders and sacrificing many.

With a sense of urgency and ardor,

It started tweeting less and biting more,

But destiny had different plans each time,

Punishing it, as if its efforts were a crime.

Strange are the ways of life,

One doesn’t know when one crashes or flies,

And for Chirpy Tweety, as the days go by,

It will be a question of ‘when’ it can truly fly.

Heroes!

2010-03-07T15:49:00.000+08:00

The concept of a sport riding on an individual seems very strange, but it does happen. Not that the sport ceases to exist if the individual retires, but then there will be a dent or a void which will take some years and some new individuals to fill. And sadly, a generation of fans idolizing on that single individual would no longer have the same interest in that sport.

I saw this happening to me when Michael Schumacher retired in 2006. I was an ardent fan of F1 and Michael, and never missed a race. But after he retired I hardly watched couple of races. Somehow the track never seemed the same without him. The max I would do, is follow the sport through newspaper and websites. Many people I talked to reflected the same feeling.

I fear my love for cricket would die the same death. I have idolized and admired Sachin Tendulkar for more than a decade now. Not only for his antics on the cricket field but also the way has he handled himself off it. I don’t see any sportsman who carries a billion expectations and has such huge popularity and fan following, not making any errors off the field. He has been an inspiration and a role-model like no other. He deserves to be called “the greatest sportsperson the world has ever seen” for the sole reason that he has handled himself beautifully despite everything. I dread the moment he calls it a day and I dread having to switch on the TV and watch another opener instead of Sachin. But again life goes on and cricket will search for another hero. But the generation who has followed Sachin would feel an emptiness which will be difficult to fill. Already I don’t watch cricket when he is not playing and many times I stop watching when he gets out, and I can only imagine how it will be when he retires for good.

These were heroes of the sport who have made the sport famous across the globe, and without whom the sport will take a beating. It might take another lifetime to find such heroes and during that time the administrators can only pray for mitigating the impact.

PS: This post was inspired by the return of Michael Schumacher to F1 and I am already looking forward to the first F1 race of the season at Bahrain on March 14^th. A lot of rules have changed, the car is different and it may take him another year to bring the car and the team up to speed to the Ferrari’s and McLaren’s. I don’t think he can win the championship, but who cares? :) I know he will give one heck of a fight!

Gym, Guitar and beyond…

2010-03-05T02:45:00.003+08:00

Yep! Gym days are back…After a hiatus of almost 5 months I have hit the gym again. Earlier it was so easy to go to gym (I used to go between 3-4 in the afternoon @office), but now after my office got shifted it’s become a pain. So after convincing myself I needed the exercise and after finding jogging these days to be highly boring, I have joined a gym near to my place where I spend an hour and a half in the evening after office.
The Result -: Last few days has been amazing. The feeling that comes with running on the treadmill and doing weights has no parallels.

The gym I currently go to is so much better than my office gym in terms of the equipment. But in terms of the diversity of people both are equally and highly varied. For me, it has become a habit to study the people who visit these places. I mean here you can find so many specimens within the homo-sapiens species that you never get bored. It’s just plain amusing. Maybe more on each of these specimens in some other post…

A thing that’s common between all of them is the way they look at the mirrors after every 2 minutes of workout. Their expectations are always never met and you can see the disappointment on their faces but there is determination to reach there, even though it might take a lifetime for most of them. One annoying thing that I observe is the way they adjust their dress and ‘other-things’ in front of the mirror. In an earlier gym it was even worse as the mirror was a one-way mirror. One of those things that would behave like a mirror from inside but people outside could peek into the room and see exactly what you are upto. Maybe the idea was to motivate the ‘outsiders’ to join, but it really was more like entertainment to them. I don’t know from where people get these ideas. The current gym is even better. It has been designed in such a way that people from the road can see what is happening inside even though its on the second floor. Further people in the opposite buildings, have balcony seats - I am sure they would have stopped going to multiplexes and enjoy the activities that happen here, with a popcorn and Pepsi, sitting on their comfortable bean-bags.

On another front, I have removed my Guitar from the closet. I hope to spend few hours every week to get back to hitting the right chords and notes. Let’s see how many days I will need to relearn the basics. It will be a battle of my patience verses its reluctance to play the way I want it to play!!

FireFlies!

2010-03-01T17:06:00.002+08:00

I came to know about Fireflies through my office colleagues and it was a breathtaking experience. It was something that I had never experienced before. I have not attended many orchestras or musical events but this one I am sure takes the cake.

Imagine a big banyan tree and a stage setup at the bottom of it. Add rows of stones in a semi-circular fashion around the tree. Fill it with loads of enthusiastic people. Add high quality music to it from various musicians and bands of all varieties from classical, fusion, Jazz,, Kabir, Kerala folk to hip-hop. Imagine this for the whole of the night. And that’s my friends is “Fireflies” for you.

We were about 8 of us in our group and we landed there (it’s about 30KM from Bangalore) more than an hour earlier. We were the first ones to reach there but we did this because my friends knew from last year’s experience that early bird gets the best seats. We also made a pit stop at Metro for all the groceries that we will need for the night.:) By 5.30PM we were all set for the event. It started with “Bramhasthra” – a new fusion band which performed to cheer up the crowd. And the performances went uphill from there. From Esperanto, Shabnam Virmani to Qawali, everything was a treat to watch and listen.

This was my first experience in an event like this and I am sure for the sheer ambience and the variety of music I will never forget it. By 8PM the whole place was brimming with people and the crowd was having a gala time. There were approximately 4000 people in that small place but thanks to our location we were pretty well seated for the night. There was free flow of unmentionable items (:)) among the crowd and it was tough to get up and even go to the rest room.

In one place and in one sitting I had never experienced such various kinds of music. There was fusion, classical, Jazz, Kabir chants, Hindustani, Qawali, Kerala folk music, Hip-hop and even our very own huli-vesha. The entire night passed in an instant and in no time it was 7 in the morning and the time had come to take leave. Words just cannot explain the ambience and the experience. One has to really witness it to appreciate it.

All I can is I will be there next year!!

The snaps are thanks to my friend Anand...

Some pics of the event can be found here...

My name is Dilip and …

2010-02-27T06:21:00.000+08:00

There she was sitting right in front of me,
Under the shade of a banyan tree.
The frequent glances, to catch a glimpse of my face,
Made the world around me lose its place.
One step forward, was all that mattered?
An unknown, that had to be answered.

An Assassin called Pain!

2010-02-14T01:10:00.002+08:00

Recently I had been to a dentist to get my wisdom tooth extracted. Apparently my wisdom (tooth) was all crooked and was causing me hell lot of pain. My surgeon said the only way I can survive is to get it extracted along with a part of the bone and gums. It was one of the most horrible experiences and made me wonder whether the surgeon and the dentist had some hidden agenda against my worldly wisdom. With a hacksaw blade, a hammer and a sickle he extracted my tooth and removed quite a bit of my bone and jaw to make sure the wisdom never grows back. My wisdom had to endure a battle of survival but unfortunately in this case the brawn won against the wisdom.

But the ordeal did not end there. In the melee the surgeon made sure my lower jaw was dislocated and that’s when all hell broke loose. After the initial couple of weeks the mother of all pains started and I did not know what was causing all the pain. I was under the impression that the worst of it was over and all my tooth needed was some care and medicines. But after a couple of sleepless nights I found out about this new dislocation problem. The pain was so excruciating that all through the night I could neither sit nor stand. And this was after three strong pain-killers. The pain-killer was like sending US troops to Afghanistan to tackle the elusive Osama...

I have always wondered why people commit suicide. What makes them so desperate that they would want to end their life? Interestingly, this recent experience of mine gave me some first-hand insight to this phenomenon. I mean the pain was so severe and after two sleepless nights I was asking aloud as to why I have to suffer so much - with the usual “why ‘me’?” question. I had nothing to do the entire night but pray, shout and whimper. And since the status quo didn’t change it looked like my praying had no affect…or maybe even the Almighty couldn’t fight the pain. It made me wonder if I am finding it this difficult to tackle the pain caused by a jaw dislocation how could someone tolerate more ‘non-physical’ pain?!?

I mean after couple of days of heat treatment and stronger medicines I can try to continue my joyful life but that may not be the case for so many others who are suffering from more of a mental trauma? There are solutions to those too but that would require more time and patience and of-course much more effort…Just made me feel more sympathetic to people suffering from these kinds of ailments. All I can say is that the next time I read a headline or hear the news about someone committing suicide I will be extra careful not to just dismiss the case as one of those nut cases who can’t handle their lives. I will remember that it would just take a couple of sleepless nights and the feeling that the pain will never subside for someone to take the drastic measure of ending their life…It would have been another beautiful day the next day but people would have to endure another dreadful night to see that next day...

The Climb ..::!!

2010-01-25T03:21:00.000+08:00

So many things to post, so many things to tell and so many things to share...But just to break the shackles and just to come back to the blogosphere and yet not get into nitty-gritty, here is a beautiful song that somehow encompasses a lot of my feelings right now...

A beautiful song, beautiful lyrics, beautiful video and of course the singer!!!!..;)

Check her out in the actual video here! ;-)