tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77323142012-03-01T08:40:47.704+05:30    <i>Games, the mind plays... Songs, the heart says!</i>Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.comBlogger661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-29325616623553167612012-02-28T23:45:00.003+05:302012-02-29T00:29:04.653+05:30

10:00 P.M. He lived alone, yet he crawled ever so silently into the room, as if he was up to something wrong. He stood still for a moment, throwing empty glances on everything around. Then he walked into the bath and shut the door behind him. 10:15 P.M. The bathroom door creaked open. His hand thrust out of the gap and threw the bottle of pills on to the bed. The door slam shut again. 10:50

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-11984835997124194032012-02-22T21:45:00.002+05:302012-02-22T21:48:34.219+05:30

There was once a king who fought and lost six successive battles. After the last loss, he ran away in shame and hid in a cave. Famished and desperate, he pondered on his next step, when his eyes fell on a spider crawling haplessly nearby. The spider looked stout, fat from the easy pickings of insect larvae on the floor, yet it struggled to build a web to the roof. He wondered what it

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-22202173124198475792012-02-19T02:11:00.003+05:302012-02-19T09:44:04.958+05:30

I would often come to the bridge, especially after they built the new one upstream, as this was now used only by the herders and their grazing bovines. Also, the stream was particularly rough underneath so I loved to sink the noises of my head into the gush of foaming water. The sun was descending over the horizon and within all perceivable reaches of my memory, this was the most pleasant

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-32920949570455797192012-02-12T22:39:00.000+05:302012-02-18T19:22:57.689+05:30

All the books that he could lay his hands upon and all his 'google search', couldn't show him another story like his - nowhere else was there a son, who had wilfully led his mother astray; but he still didn't feel any bit ashamed for it. "Its all a part of life, and I am merely a catalyst" would be his usual excuse but he could not escape blaming himself too. Nevertheless! there was blame,

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-64517746505053006202012-02-05T01:01:00.001+05:302012-02-18T19:22:49.802+05:30

The old man had woken up early but he didn't get out his bed yet. He smelt the air and decided to pretend to be asleep. He had always suspected his wife and son to be up to something and they were in the kitchen now, talking in subdued tones again, so he closed his eyes, opened his ears strainingly wide and tried to listen.. "Son, you should not... old people are like small children... being

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-74235527047919113032012-01-28T04:00:00.003+05:302012-01-28T04:01:20.637+05:30

She wore gems and crystals,She used gold to show off her style,I wish She had realized thatAll I wanted Her to wear.. was a smile. A smile is the most widely, easily as well as cheaply available jewelry that one can wear. Its available on the spot, on the go, drive-through, however you prefer it to be delivered. And what's more - Nature has already custom designed it to suit your face,

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-18586944555984147962012-01-22T16:08:00.004+05:302012-02-18T19:23:06.330+05:30

"He was hot! The most eligible bachelor of my college. When we  both joined the same office, I was the happiest girl on earth. I could make some excuse and talk to him everyday. In a few days, he seemed to be attracted to me too. I was a single mother but he never really seemed uncomfortable with it. Why not? I too accepted him inspite of all his countless affairs and break-ups..." "Then one

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-47308395917942074262012-01-17T17:56:00.002+05:302012-01-19T11:47:38.370+05:30

[While traveling in the bus] The Dad: I have seen really bad days. Gone without food, no money to pay for school. We had a very underprivileged childhood. I will never let my children face any of it. The Friend: Yes! thats what makes us responsible men, when we fend for our wife and children. The Dad: Not just fend, I even sacrifice all my comforts so my children can enjoy a comfortable

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-6750946694623206192012-01-15T23:05:00.001+05:302012-01-16T14:36:11.667+05:30

What if humans were blessed with such long lives that it 'nearly looked' eternal? What if we didn't have a short lifetime (of just 60-100 years) to worry about? How different would our attitudes be if death was never on our minds? These were the 'side-effects' of reading the history of Jainism, where it is claimed that each of the early thirthankaras lived for thousands of years at a

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-43974147366358011792012-01-10T23:12:00.001+05:302012-01-16T16:29:05.923+05:30

Its a day I shall never forget. Every minute of it is still as fresh as the dew that fell that morning. It was a day I felt closest to God; a day when a sharp witness of destiny trampled the fiery dance of death. Just like any other day, I had woken up on the brink of sunrise and was climbing to our terrace for my usual rounds of surya-namasakar (venerations to the most fiery one). As I passed

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-60490997153608231382011-12-19T00:09:00.001+05:302011-12-19T00:29:38.736+05:30

Very many centuries ago, a dazed hairy being, half-human half-animal, may have wandered out of his shack, into the forest, towards the dying rays of the setting sun. He wouldn't venture too far from the fire that kept him warm yet in that short walk he would make a discovery, which would connect him to another dazed half-human half-animal, who would blog about him on this day. The straying

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-85203612955648662092011-12-07T22:40:00.000+05:302011-12-07T22:48:51.549+05:30

She is one woman I can never forget. I want to tell you her story - and through that - think of her with all my heart. Of all the ladies in my life, Of all the members of my family, she stands out in a special way.. I have known her for a long, long time. Her heart had a warmth that never failed to comfort me whenever I slept with her. After long and tiring days, through depressing times,

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-79274153812971582212011-12-06T06:52:00.001+05:302011-12-06T19:54:31.319+05:30

Guruji: That's what Happiness is meant, In living the present moment... How is it possible master? How can I not think of my past? The years that I have lived has taught me so many lessons. Shouldn't I use that knowledge to be cautious in my present day? I have good memories that I like to cherish and it makes me feel good. How can I just let it go? Guruji: Why fetter yourself with wounds

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-90465870683449921012011-11-26T22:14:00.000+05:302012-02-18T19:23:16.812+05:30

They were a family that lived and dreamed like most Indians. An entire life spent in the filthy bylanes of a morally-degrading metropolis had made somewhat bounty hunters out of them. They chased dreams like crazy, ran after all openings wherever they saw even a glimmer of light. The air in the city was very heavy, yet they managed to build and rebuild their castles in it. Life in the city is

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-72183444910929653792011-11-23T21:21:00.001+05:302011-11-23T22:31:54.078+05:30

Dad: Its late buddy. You should go to your room now. Me and mom have to get up early isn't it? Kid : I am sorry daddy. But can you please answer one last question for me? I promise I will sleep after that. Dad: Sure buddy. what is it? Kid: What is the Big Bang dad? My teacher says that all life came out of it? How is it possible? Dad: Oh! Big questions troubling this little brain huh

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-32253609306543947412011-11-20T10:30:00.001+05:302011-11-24T17:41:45.244+05:30

A note of Thanks to Ben's team for the honor Its a priviledge that Ben's team have liked my blog and have featured it in the recommendation section of their blog - Ben Gunn's Blog. Ben's posts are widely read and I have found philosophical gems hidden in many of them. Invite others to take a peek too... .

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-13299829050364905832011-11-17T22:48:00.001+05:302011-12-03T18:11:51.406+05:30

Nearly 2 decades ago.. On a chilly winter evening of Bangalore, in a bus not so crowded, through clean and wide streets packed with moderate and silent traffic, along roads covered with canopy of trees slightly wet under the winter fog, a young mother travels with her two kids. They get down near Cubbon Park and as they walk in, the kids, both the older one and the younger one, are jumping

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-17700094719924216772011-11-10T22:30:00.001+05:302011-12-03T21:53:11.885+05:30

Heard this song while switching channels, and felt it did resound quite deep. 'Retweeting' it here :).. I'll be what I am, A solitary man, A solitary man. I've had it to here - being where love's a small word, A part time thing, a paper ring. I know it's been done Havin' one girl who loves you, Right or wrong, Weak or strong. ....I'll be what I am, A solitary man, A solitary man. "

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-36695170286878092672011-11-06T14:20:00.000+05:302011-11-06T14:20:35.798+05:30

I was generally fishing in the attic today and found some 'stuff' my parents had put up there. They are actually items that, I think, all middle-class families put aside for reuse or giving away to charity - old clothes we wore as kids, slightly broken plastic items, toys we played decades ago, notebooks that were not fully used up, a dozen pens with ink still left in them, a broken TV remote

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-88369073369783727692011-11-05T00:30:00.000+05:302011-11-06T12:50:02.771+05:30

"“Give me something I can believe in.” This is what I was told by a good friend, with the kind of expression that you cannot turn away from. A sombre look. Since then, I have seen this sombre look again and again. I have seen it in the eyes of the few people gathered in Detroit, drinking whiskey at 2 p.m., standing between abandoned houses. In the silence of the empty streets of what was once

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-21959945262224033402011-11-01T12:24:00.003+05:302011-11-01T12:44:03.496+05:30

"When I told my students to learn everything by heart, I actually wanted them to put their heart in whatever they do and experience it as far as possible, and never meant that they should blindly memorize it." - A Teacher Life is lived by experience. Elders often say, there is no substitute for experience. Experience is the fine line that separates Life from Living. In this age, where

Vicky Dada (Vikas)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11218319937302778995noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-63419375450052804962011-10-26T21:36:00.001+05:302011-10-26T21:50:01.527+05:30

Its an occasion of colour, lights and celebration that will adorn every inch of this holy land. The same land that is tormented by bursts of gunfire at its borders and of bombs in its heartland, will celebrate unity and diversity under the same bursts now. For a few hours, the sound of crackers will drown every dissident noise that threatens the harmony and stability of this county. Happy

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-19707466785181147712011-10-23T23:11:00.001+05:302011-10-23T23:19:51.738+05:30

I still drive a bike, though most my friends have graduated onto 'Light Motor Vehicles' of various classes. I like the bike for its youthful ride, though I am far from being called a youth or a biker, and all the more for its advantage to zip through Bangalore's slow moving traffic.  Nevertheless, the world (that I know of) seems endlessly crazy over cars.. for the status it brings? for  the

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-8543750735547484282011-10-18T00:44:00.000+05:302012-02-18T19:23:29.537+05:30

"There is many a bliss in knowledge, but there is a strange happiness in ignorance too.. " - Anonymous Rajamma lived in the forest, with her son. She was frail and weak as any octagenarian of her village, yet she diligently went about her chores with same vigour every single day. Twice a week, she would even go around her shanty and do some repairs - slap an extra layer of dung on the cracks

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-55069403588421965112011-10-09T21:15:00.000+05:302012-02-18T19:22:40.116+05:30

It was the last ball and he was on strike. It was his chance to hit the winning shot. He was not trained for this but he had dreamt of it so many times that he knew exactly what to do. It was a climax that his buddies would kill for, and he, of all, had got the chance. His seniors would be so jealous of him. They always spoke of this very moment and the greatness that lay beyond it. He stood

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-32646778283570531742011-09-27T19:55:00.000+05:302011-10-13T20:28:47.801+05:30

This post won the First Prize at the Green-O-Con(test) [Week-4] jointly held by: Ek Titli, Rustic Art and Ginger Chai Contest Details are at Link1/Link2 The Winning Announcement is at Link1/Link2 It was during a trek to the Western Ghats, I had felt, "There are more shades of green here than my Adobe Photoshop can ever create". At that moment, amidst the light green rays of sun

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-17210483716955307632011-09-27T00:27:00.003+05:302011-09-27T00:27:31.206+05:30

Kinky thoughts from a bonky mind driven wonky watching a hanky-panky world and its monkey businesses.. First it was Jack, then it was Jill, and then the pail on a hill so brown, Up and down, up and down, They just keep going up and down. The Stock Exchange, Our Cricket Team, Rakhi Sawant's top, Miss Sherawat's gown, Up and down, up and down, They just keep going up and down. American Dreams,

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-87444314850219600942011-09-18T13:18:00.000+05:302011-09-18T13:34:03.037+05:30

Yesterday night, I slept in a quasi-miserable state. A cramping rumbling in my tummy, a sprain in my left shoulder, numbed heels, slight headache, light fever and a kind of strange shivering inside my body. Even on days with a some activity, I get pretty famished by end of the day. I didn't know when I dozed off to sleep but the last thing I remember was worrying about how to start the next

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-80628426590235390352011-09-08T08:51:00.000+05:302012-02-18T19:22:22.289+05:30

He stood confused, face buried in sweaty hands, overcome with grief, anger and a vague relief. His heart felt heavy and light at the same time. A bead of sweat trickled down his lips. It was salty yet in it was the sweetness of washing down a mental burden. He was not crying, yet he choked on a great guilt for he had exactly wished for this to happen. Though it was 8 hours back, he vividly

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-14601009299303149732011-09-04T23:45:00.000+05:302011-09-05T00:34:11.902+05:30

Dear Grandpa, When I was born, they say you were too old and weak to see or hear me and I was too young to recognize you. Our lives overlapped just a few months and by the time I grew up to start remembering things, you were already a sweet memory for everyone. Now, when I reach the threshold of 30 long years in my life, I wonder how the same milestone would have been for these three

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-50820325814020169352011-08-25T22:59:00.006+05:302011-08-26T11:31:04.730+05:30

It was one of the busiest traffic signals in the city and I stood in a corner, watching it. I was just following orders - they said it was the best way to keep my year old nephew quiet and occupied. For the next 30 mins or so, both uncle and nephew watched the same scenes, but with totally different attitudes.  I watched over the junction with disdain - my respect for human nicety dropping every

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-68977039745906652112011-08-15T23:01:00.121+05:302011-08-21T21:22:56.752+05:30

Read a bunch of articles related to Independence... all appraisals bearing similar shades of cautious optimism inter-mixed with lamenting reproach. One applauded a robust economy weathering the storms of global recession and moving on to consistently produce armies of young billionaires, another lauded the achievement in literary and other arts which makes us academically among the most

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-58762468766919263842011-07-27T21:37:00.000+05:302011-07-27T21:37:26.812+05:30

Thanks to mobile phones - you are always connected! The world is a small place now! There is always music in the air - its either a shrill ring tone or an item song playing on someone's mobile loudspeaker. There is always a festive atmosphere - of people greeting their friends on mobile phones and exchanging loud greetings. A young lady sitting next to me was even koochie-kooing on the phone and

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-45544421024077384912011-05-04T00:16:00.006+05:302011-05-04T21:41:57.221+05:30

In our lives, its normal for a person to have many Fathers. This is neither a blasphemous statement nor an insult to our mothers. It’s not even a perspective on relationships. Its like this – for a puppet to make various range of actions, it needs to have many strings tied to its various parts; just one string does not help much. Analogously, our growth as human beings is powered by inspiration

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-69527615532824587172011-04-05T22:56:00.001+05:302011-04-05T23:13:55.021+05:30

So many analogies for relationships, "Its like quick sand, once you get in, you keep getting sucked in", "its like a spider's web - the more you struggle to come out, the more you get stuck" and so on. I never really thought I would contemplate on relationships someday, but my own experiences forced me to. I have always wanted to see life in one single dimension - the self. That was the only

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-37540390607940015172011-03-31T00:47:00.001+05:302011-03-31T22:39:30.715+05:30

Much hyped match, they compared it to a war, all eyes of the nation focusing on it, a million hearts beating as one, every small victory is cheered vociferously and finally... WE WON! Cricket is one game that unites all Indians. People from different walks of life were there to celebrate in unison. Joy rained down all corners. There will be parties all night. People will be on the streets -

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-1063639953208733782011-03-16T22:19:00.002+05:302011-03-31T22:43:12.567+05:30

 "Carrom Ramvanu, Juice Pivanu, Majja ni Life.. " - Munnabhai, M.B.B.S Humor is the spice of life, Happiness its essence. All our efforts in life are like streams which eventually run towards the ocean of Happiness at the bottom of which, lies pearls of joy hidden in oysters of pleasure-filled moments - moments of togetherness, moments of success. But then, we see incidents today that

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-44600036334209872962011-03-08T00:14:00.002+05:302011-03-31T22:49:57.361+05:30

Alien Kid : Wow! the ship is so awesome. Old Alien : Don't jump around too much, let it grow into you. And avoid the outskirts.. there no gravity out there.Alien Kid : Hey! Isn't that the blue berry you told me about? Where the funny creatures live right?Old Alien : Yeah! don't peep so hard out of the window. Come inside and look at my screen here... (after a pause and some excited noises from

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-33975504760878043302011-03-04T00:00:00.005+05:302011-10-27T21:29:12.094+05:30

As a toddler, he had drowned in the bathtub. When the mother found him, he was half unconscious and water had seemingly filled his lungs. The neighbors thought he was a 'gone case' but a miracle happened.. frantic back-rubs had coughed him back to life.. When he was nearly ten, he had got lost in the crowd. The family had been on an outing and he had slipped out of his mother's grip. They 

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-82170892825546364412011-03-01T00:24:00.001+05:302011-03-31T22:53:08.267+05:30

Change cometh.. from corners unknown, horizons unseen,from areas grey, from pastures green.. Change cometh.. with pain, with bliss, with gain, with loss,with love, with luck, with pitch and toss.. Change cometh..from wandering mind, from struggling heart,or from a wish to do it again from start. Change cometh.. to bring a climb or to affect a fall..to scrub, to scratch, to cleanse it all, Change

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-64080243331523759722011-02-12T22:48:00.003+05:302011-03-31T22:53:23.404+05:30

You never judge a book by its cover, but in the first place many a book would have been picked purely on the basis of its outward appearence. Walk into any big book shop and you find a myriad collage of countless books. If your mind is already set on a particular book then you head straight for it and pick it up (irrespective of how its cover is designed) but if you are a window shopper who is

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-31369799310261746992011-02-08T23:45:00.001+05:302011-03-31T22:53:34.476+05:30

"Scratch any super-hero and you will find a monster lurking inside".. Its a world full of dualities. For every entity, there will be an equal and opposite one that completes its existence and hence fulfills Mother Nature's strive to maintain balance. Bliss and Gloom constantly take us on roller-coaster rides. Every human emotion has shades of both the positive and the negative. For all the beauty

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-9629660051263513592010-12-26T23:53:00.002+05:302011-03-31T22:56:44.289+05:30

"When hell gets full, the dead will walk the Earth!" read this gruesome website that my friend regularly visited. I always wondered how and when he got addicted to that kind of gore, because this was the same guy who let go of a plump medical college offer as he could not stand blood. His nature was like the sand dunes - you couldn't guess what shape it would take next. Then one day, he suddenly

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-91778614815375623472010-12-09T00:20:00.008+05:302011-03-31T22:56:57.095+05:30

It was the oldest standing house in our neighborhood. Wind and rain had slapped its facade for ages. Vines had scrambled on its yellow walls every season and fallen off in the next, only to leave muddy trails which looked like splattered grey mass from our brains. Its small courtyard lay conquered in crabgrass and parthenium. Its rusted iron gate had long retired from securing the house. With

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-74732756633052391882010-11-21T00:58:00.001+05:302011-03-31T22:58:32.979+05:30

It began as a distant voice outside my window - on a relaxed Sunday morning, while I lay on my back, half-asleep, half-watching the interplay of sun beams on my wall, feeling the surreptitiously drifting in morning breeze and wishing that my room was somewhere in the hills right now. Initially, the uttering was muffled. As it got less vague, i think it went something like..  "Life.. is just a

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-31629979350195494202010-11-15T01:19:00.003+05:302011-03-31T22:58:52.045+05:30

Nobody knew his antecedents. Gossip made him smell like a drifter; like he had a family which he left behind and now lives anonymously. Apparently when asked he would give wayward and inconsistent details. Some felt he was trying to hide his past while some said he was having a bout of Alzheimer's. He visited the coffee joint almost daily and precisely took the corner table overlooking the busy

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-50953352105583307162010-11-05T00:20:00.003+05:302011-03-31T22:59:08.572+05:30

With the excuse of an evening walk, I hovered around the nonchalant coffee shop again today, using the aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans as bribe to convince myself that a-Cappuccino-a-day does not qualify for caffeine addiction. Just when I was looking for a stronger reason to walk into the cafe, I noticed this new poster stuck to their glass wall facing the street. I couldn't read much from

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-18502483985812602532010-10-24T23:41:00.002+05:302011-03-31T22:59:20.808+05:30

It was my first time at the coffee joint around the corner. Decided to try it alone as I needed a lonely moment. Funnily, more than the menu I got interested in the couple next table. I managed to order a weird kind of coffee, but couldn't manage to decipher the nature of this couple. They held hands like lovers, but looked at each other like good friends. Their gestures made them look like

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-91051122150440292802010-05-23T23:17:00.020+05:302011-03-31T22:59:37.295+05:30

  with due credit to the true owner of this image copyright Whenever I travel the train alone, I prefer the upper berth. Maybe to catch a bird's eye view of my compartmentalized world below or may be to just stay aloof in mine own lonely world. Every train journey, though,  is still a mixed bag of experiences for me as it mirrors our lives in the noisy camaraderie of a bustling crowd.

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-46197821842005381562010-05-09T22:20:00.001+05:302011-11-13T19:47:21.305+05:30

2009 will be remembered by lot of us as the year when market economics brought the world down to its knees. In a scientific sense, it was the subprime mortgage crisis that started it all.. but in a more common sense, it was corporate greed that booby trapped multitudes of common people into pompous dreams.The middle class, made vulnerable given their herd mentality, was always an easy target to

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-51851226423259055302010-04-25T16:22:00.011+05:302011-03-31T23:00:57.687+05:30

with due credit to the true owner of this image copyright Life, they saw, is sometimes like a jigsaw puzzle. For one, none of us has the big picture that one needs to effectively put the pieces together. But is it really that straight-forward? Do the pieces really pertain to one single image or alternately does one really get hold of all the pieces needed to complete his 'one' image of life?

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-47774250299962354232010-01-31T23:56:00.003+05:302011-03-31T23:02:41.579+05:30

Have thought so much about trekking and hiking, the least I could do was... Biking! Have this gorgeous cruiser thats so well taken care of - it must be itching to go on that long drive.. cruising through our 'nayi naveli' National Highways, out of the bustle and cacophony of city roads, to a treat (I know this is weird) of treaded rubber scrubbing over molten tar. Sadly I didn't have that MP3

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-63680070300942690132009-12-03T23:45:00.005+05:302011-03-31T23:02:58.842+05:30

I see "4" everywhere. I see it on everyone's 'four'head - its at the 'four'front of all my thoughts. All  four quarters of the day in all four corners of my mind there is just one aim - how do I bring 'four'th the "4" to the fore!! This is really just a very casual light-hearted post. I would type this as I think along and probably would not visit back to correct or refine. It was just one of

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-27279187833782245922009-12-02T01:55:00.010+05:302011-03-31T23:03:18.565+05:30

"Yaar! I have told you two thousand twelve times by now not to dwell on those doomsday prophecies.""Yah but just think.. there is still some time left and its so strange that I can't even think of two thousand and twelve fun things to do by then.." Its a mixed bag. Even without any prediction its quite obvious to common sense that our society is heading towards some kind of disaster. Our holy

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-64931521294517867242009-09-21T23:03:00.007+05:302011-03-31T23:04:19.237+05:30

Call it the erstwhile capital of the British empire, Call it a bustling and bristling metro, Call it a foodie's paradise, Call it a grand megalopolis - nothing summarizes it better than simply calling it 'Calcutta'! The very place that we decided 'on-the-spur' to visit on behalf of our third anniversary on the independence day weekend. It is no tourist hot-spot; before this trip it was just

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-47376847492541684432009-09-20T11:27:00.004+05:302011-03-31T23:04:35.644+05:30

"... the search for lost things is hindered by routine habits and that is why it is so difficult to find them." - One hundred years of solitude (so-called classic by Gabriel Marquez) This book came into my purview as part of my 'Bucket List'. I have been interested in Mr. Marquez's writing ever since I bumped into him in the list of Literature Nobel Laureates. They told me this was his best

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-54987795576166600262009-09-07T21:13:00.002+05:302011-03-31T23:07:21.932+05:30

I can say that my interest in reading - and more precisely reading history and biographies - started with this book. This was the first book that I picked from my client's corporate library when I flew to Portland, Maine in Sep, 2004. I was not interested in the usual business, administration, finance, retail domain, stores operations books and this one stood out. The plain look on Sam's face (

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-73689496043652269782009-09-06T15:49:00.002+05:302011-03-31T23:07:38.361+05:30

First of all - this is not a book review. Its just a small vent of thoughts before I get on to the more serious book that I had abandoned in between. Given the mystery storyline, I obviously cannot delve into the story per se. Its certainly a mean thing to leak crucial details and spoil the fun for rest of the readers. Being an aspiring author myself, I always have two resolutions. Always

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-24707155171551710992009-09-05T22:31:00.002+05:302011-03-31T23:07:50.217+05:30

When I started reading, what struck me at once was the style of narration. It is quite contrary to what I had normally read upto then. Phrases like "He thinks he is big and all", "He thinks he is good or something"... reminds me of our school lingo; except that there was no "Simp-simply", "me-me-only", "go man, I will not show" or "go ya" in the book. I felt Salinger could have been the harbinger

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-66187699428396220142009-09-05T00:06:00.002+05:302011-03-31T23:08:04.679+05:30

The sky never comes crashing down. Though some feel the human race would not see the end of this century it is never too late to start (or restart!) something new. Life will go on irrespective of whether it is routine or innovative. Not everyone is ready to fly their kite when the winds of change blow. Monotony is not passe - the sun performs the same rise-burn-set routine everyday and yet is

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-31243209402139838702008-05-18T08:47:00.005+05:302011-03-31T23:08:21.137+05:30

I dont have an answer to this question. But I also dont have an answer to why Aishaat Abu Aishaat, the mother of two children, opted to blow herself up at an Israeli checkpoint and leave her toddlers at the mercy of fate. I fail to understand why Mohammed Atta, a professional degree holder from Cairo University and masters graduate from Hamburg with the highest credits, volunteered to use planes

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-32784147942289036792008-05-15T09:55:00.004+05:302011-03-31T23:08:40.149+05:30

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.." ...and I did not think much neither do I remember which one I took, but I know that has made a lot of difference. "Just imagine what Columbus would have discovered if America had not got in the way!" The Columbus analogy draws a very subtle picture of potential and accomplishment. Even if the whole world lauds one's achievement, it could be far disparate

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-1148443217614444152006-05-24T09:18:00.003+05:302011-03-31T23:09:03.809+05:30

I read an interview of peace activist cum lawyer from - Shirin Ebadi. Nobel Laureates (and some of theirs unrecognized peers) are the apostles of their era. They are the milestones that define the turning points in every epoch – the twists that redefine the course of mankind’s destiny. One of her responses caught my eye, "... There is a verse in Quran - God swears by time. Anything you gain in

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-1146722149052623262006-05-04T11:07:00.004+05:302011-03-31T23:09:18.548+05:30

It ends when the plane hits the ground. Very aptly, they did not show anything further. Neither reactions nor repercussions. Like its tagline says, "four planes were hijacked on the morning of September 11th. Three of them reached their intended target. This is the story of the fourth.." It is a real challenge to depict the events of Sept.11 without scratching a wound or two. The topic is so

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-1146547592715425862006-05-02T10:55:00.003+05:302011-03-31T23:09:31.360+05:30

".. I would have died of sickness or injury. I knew time would consume me otherwise. I tried to take my own life sometimes. Vainfully though. Then a thought dawned on me.. like a warm blanket. I knew I had to live - for no reason or hope. I just had to continue breathing..."while Chuck Noland (played by Tom Hanks in Castaway) spilled the above beans I could not help but contemplate. Life takes us

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7732314.post-1146546959535333332006-04-30T09:58:00.000+05:302012-02-18T09:55:09.534+05:30

As yet another sun dawns to yet another chilly morning in Portland, Maine, I look around with half opened eyes. One thing reminds me that it is a Sunday morning. This is the only day when my roomie plays Kal Ho Na Ho songs as the clock strikes one.As Akhtar sahib's golden words percolate the consciousness... ".. Aaaj ek aasnu aur peelo... Aaaj ek zindagi aur jeelo... kya pata.. ".. I makes my

Vicky Dada (Vikas)noreply@blogger.com0