Nothing as in...

I am nothing

Nothing as in.. nothing

I look back and feel proud of what I have done

I look ahead and wonder what is it that I have done

I do know what I am doing

I do not know why I am doing

At times I question the purpose of existence

And then I blindly trust my sixth sense

I wish to pause and live this moment

Knowing the truth that nothing's permanent

But I cannot keep on celebrating forever

I have worked hard, and need to work harder

Because I am nothing

Nothing as in.. nothing

Photo by Arjun Suri Photography

Things would not be how they are today

There would be new doors to open everyday

If I demand I might or might not get it

But if I deserve I will surely get it

I do not know what lies ahead

I do know that one day I'd be dead

But that doesn't stop me changing for the better

For I have got nothing to lose except my character

The road ahead is unknown, and that's the best part

For life is lived less like science, and more like art

Thank god I'm nothing

Nothing as in.. nothing

The dead end for Bhramcharya, now its..

"Karmanye Vadhikaraste, ma phaleshu kada chana." - Bhagwat Gita

Photo by Arjun Suri Photography

Growing up in an Arya Samaji family and studying in a DAV School, I was firmly into Vedic material. Once I read about the 4 ashrams - Bhramcharya, Grihasta, Vanprastha, and Sanyasa; that were more or less to be followed for 25 years each. So I made up my mind to be a Bhramchari till 25, and I was convinced that I'd be honest about it, that is not thinking about getting married at all. So I never fantasized about the kind of stuff that my friends did at that age. And thus, quite naturally, I never got into a physical or emotional relationship with a girl. I did not see the sense to have fun with a girl only to leave her later saying I wasn't ready for marriage, it would not have been right to do that. I would not even talk about matters related to my own marriage anywhere, when prompted I would feign ignorance on the subject.

When I turned 25, my initial reaction was of immense joy, for completing the time period for Bhramcharya and obeying it appropriately. Girish Khosla uncle, who heads Arya Pratinidhi Sabha in USA, called to wish on my Birthday and I told him that I was no longer a Bhramchari (he is a devoted Vanprasthi working actively for Arya Samaj). He teased me saying now my age was to enter Grihasta.

Few days later I told myself - no, I should not do this. Professionally there was still some distance to travel in my career, and I did not have enough understanding of relationships; that is what works out plus what doesn't. I had very less knowledge of how a girl's thinking is different from a guy's, due to reason told in preceding paragraphs. And there was one major aspect I did not know what to do about.

“One should performed karma for the benefit of humanity 

with an unbiased approach because bias gives birth to evil, 

which creates thousands of obstacles in our path. ” 

The Rig Veda 

Since I was not too sure about such stuff, how could I say 'yes' or 'no' to a girl?

Well aware of the reach of my network, it was obvious that I'd be referred by someone or the other. If I merely saw my own image in that girl and said 'yes' to her, then afterwards her life would be ruined when differences would start cropping up. If things didn't work out, then I'd say 'no' and by doing so, wouldn't I be doing a major disservice to her? I mean, she's someone leading a life of her own, struggling everyday to make a unique identity of her own, thinking about serving her parents in the best possible manner despite knowing she would have to leave them some day, and maintaining a happy face amid the mental and physical problems she must be undergoing. What right did I have to enter her life just so that one day I would end up hurting her? I had no answers on that.

I thought of something. I started writing anti-marriage stuff on social networking sites and also discussing it with people around me. So that they wouldn't refer anyone to me assuming I was out of all this. I started convincing myself on the same, so that I meant what I was saying. The effect was visible for thankfully what I was fearing didn't happen. But it was beginning to have a toll on me, because my mind was having negative thoughts about what I was witnessing everyday. I got convinced to such an extent that there was no one on this planet whom I admired when I looked from a certain perspective. I would not even talk about my views on any girl anywhere. I really wished that all my female colleagues got married, thereafter lived a happy life, and I would do whatever best I could do for them, as a payback to what I felt was right. I would reach out to selected girls during appropriate times because I had respect for their qualities as a human and my intentions were pristine.

But ultimately, what one runs away from, that does catch up one day.  Not too long back I asked myself, till when would I keep on running away from it all? Beyond a point it would end up hurting much more than benefiting, so instead of stopping then, why not stop this now itself?

And then it did happen. I had to take a call on whether to stand up or not. Initially I chose to delay that, thinking I was not ready yet, giving appropriate justification for my actions. I got myself hurt because I did not wish to do something averse to anyone. I needed some more time for myself.

And then I thought, opportunity knocks only once. I had to grab it with both hands, and followed a certain voice. Because of that voice..

“Sometimes people are beautiful.

Not in looks.

Not in what they say.

Just in what they are.” 

― Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger

I started thinking about the girl's happiness, that is how would things be if I and she became we.

• Would she get along with my mother?
• Would my financial condition suit her needs?
• Would she get adjusted with my relatives and the people we meet often?
• Would her existing family members feel they made the right decision by matching her with me?
• Would she feel warmth in the presence of my father, the way she feels in her biological father?
• If career is vital for her then would it get better if she arrives over here?
• And very importantly, is there an assurance that she would not find some place better for her requirements if I end up saying 'no'?

My own need for her comes last. Greater priority is for the long term happiness of that girl.

In every marriage there is always a compromise among concerned individuals. Something has to be given in, and something gets taken out. Ultimately it is less about caring for oneself, and more about caring for others. Saying 'no' to a girl can actually be the biggest care for her, if deep down one feels it'd be the best decision for her, irregardless of what one feels about her at that specific moment. A 'yes' requires several of aspects to be considered in the affirmative, it is better not to commit if any crucial aspect does not work out. But this doesn't mean one starts finding out the minutest of faults in every aspect, because as we all know ideals do not exist.

Those who understand would relate to the following lines - True Friendship means being there for each other for life, irrespective of where life takes them. It means to stand firmly in the toughest of times. It means a gift from the one above that justifies being born on earth. It means taking hard decisions for oneself if it benefits someone else. It means giving your best and leaving the rest to almighty.

Truth be told we guys are what we are because of girls. They bring happiness in our lives, like the warmth provided by a mother, the care of a sister, adulation from a true friend who considers you a gift, and real support from the one who makes you her world. Any guy unsure of his own existence must look at himself from the eyes of a girl, he would realize how beautiful the world is, which he was probably unaware of.

"Almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." - Steve Jobs 

There comes a stage when one realizes that marriage is a phase of life, problems do not end, what starts is the confidence to follow one's dreams. Steve Jobs was down and out when he got married, post that he started getting his due. Bill Gates was a bonafide geek till he got married, later on he started pursuing his actual interests. They must have had their own share of heartbreaks, but as they matured they realized what worked for them, they learnt from their experiences. The world is a better place because of them, and it wouldn't have been so if they didn't have their respective soul partners in their lives.

I firmly believe that with this approach of mine, I am not going to hurt anyone, rather it would actually do good, I would be thinking about what is it that makes someone happy thus sending out positive vibrations. I would be thinking about the fact that two beautiful humans make the best relation if they are compatible with each other. I would be diligently following an unwritten rule that certain stuff has to be kept as true as possible. I would be thinking about the fact that there are a lot of ways to make a relation really pretty. I cannot say what destiny holds, I do know that something tells me to do this. And it's the best action I've taken in quite some time.

"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something." - Steve Jobs

The future of Samsung

Last week, the Chairman of Samsung gave a speech in which he uttered some path-breaking stuff for his company. But did he really mean what he was saying? Let me spill the beans and disclose the hidden meaning behind his verses.

Lee used his annual New Year's speech to urge the company to "get rid of business models and strategies from five, ten years ago and hardware-focused ways."

He's going to fire senior people and hire junior ones. Obviously at lesser salary thus saving costs.

To achieve that, he wants the company's massive research and development centers to "work around the clock, non-stop."

Those who don't get fired, would have to work extra hours without being paid a single penny extra.

Lee's speech comes just a day after Samsung's market cap dropped by over $6 billion amid analyst forecasts that company profit growth will fall to under 10 percent this financial quarter. Samsung's profits have grown spectacularly in recent years, and although the company is still outperforming its peers, investors worry that its continued expansion is being stifled by stiff competition and a lack of innovation.

This is specifically printed so that employees know their company is in trouble so they shouldn't expect any increments and be glad if their jobs are safe.

It's unclear if this new focus on software will yield similar results or genuine innovation, but investors will be hoping for the latter option.

The newer strategies aren't going to work. But because investors would keep pumping money, the ones at the top would make a moolah without caring that things are going down, since they are presumably less concerned about improving the world and more about getting a fat paycheck.

Candolim, India. Photo by Arjun Suri Photography

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed are my own and not of my organization's. I have nothing personal against Samsung or anyone associated with the company. This post is meant to be a sarcasm, which I sincerely feel you'd have inferred by now.

CREDITS

News excerpts in italics courtesy The Verge.

Green Fancy Line by saramarie on Clker.

First image of Samsung Chairman via iPhone in Canada, second image via The Guardian.

Thank you Arjun KR for sharing the Samsung article which prompted me to write this post.

My prayer to God on India's IT Industry

Prayer - START

Dear god, 

I would be happy if, all these big offices of Tech MNC's in India would shut shops, the ones that are surviving almost entirely by outsourcing Maintenance projects and making employees work hard without giving adequate incentives compared to their western counterparts. I'd love to see all those huge buildings getting empty, real estate prices falling down drastically and traffic on roads naturally decreasing. And when I say it, I mean it.

I've been a good boy last year (innocent until proven guilty). So for this year, please please please, kindly grant this one wish of mine.

Prayer - STOP

Commentary - START

Man selling Peanuts, Gachak, Rewriyan, etc. in Jalandhar. Respect for his genuineness.

Dear reader, I do not wish anyone to lose their bread and butter. This wish of mine is something that'd benefit India much more than doing harm. Here's why.

1. Moral high. We are getting outsourced work because our labour costs are significantly cheaper and our English is better than rival countries with similar rates. Tomorrow if the Chinese improve their English then they'd do the same work, maybe at even lesser costs. Then gradually all our work would start getting shifted over there and several of those huge IT offices in cities like Hyderabad, Gurgaon, etc. would be empty. Knowing the Chinese they must have started working on their English skills secretly, and it might not be long before they kick us out. Already economy of some countries have been negatively affected as China has started doing the kind of outsourced manufacturing work that they were undertaking but for lesser costs.

Those under impression that we are hard workers and such a scenario would never take place, should ask a question to themselves. With the same skill set, knowledge and experience; would many of us be having our jobs if we were based in USA or Europe? If the answer is no, then that's admitting that there is lesser respect for our resumes and more for the fact that we work in good English for lesser salary.

Quickly people realize the ground reality, better it'd be for realizing that their life can be more profound.

I am not against foreign companies setting up bases in India (I admire Nestle, whatever they make in any country they sell locally without exporting, so unlike others they neither save costs nor increase profit margins). I am not against working in foreign companies, what I am against is them opening offices in India just to save costs, not having real respect for our USP, and projecting as if they are doing some kind of huge favour by providing jobs to our countrymen.

2. Realize your true calling. After seeing the lull in IT sector, people would begin turning to other professions, the way it happened in certain Medical streams. How I wish some people decide that they've saved decent money for a lifetime and start teaching in village schools. It doesn't hurt to have experienced humans teaching the poor so that they also receive education as per latest trends.

3. A new Silicon Valley. The general perception of USA's Silicon Valley is that brilliant products come out of it. But our IT Hubs are known more for outsourcing and less for innovative products.

When talented people would be without a job, quite a few would make a switch to other domains. I believe that the more passionate ones would get involved with product firms, because that would be the best way out. They would work to defeat their global competitors with quality. More success stories would give rise to greater number of entrepreneurs. Whatever be the key to success, the key to failure is to stop innovation.

In the 50's American Automobile industry was at the top, with companies like Ford and General Motors ruling the roost. Japanese were rebuilding themselves after the devastation caused in World War II. They worked really hard to improve upon their processes, learn what customers really wanted, and were ever ready to reinvent. Today Japanese car industry is ahead of USA's, in fact my next car may or may not be Japanese but surely it won't be American.

One of the most popular restaurants in Jalandhar, Head Quarter's. There's also Cafe Coffee Day, India's most popular retail coffee chain.

4. Look, I wish Indian Rupee gets stronger versus US Dollar, I want my country's economy to get better. But if that happens, then would we continue getting outsourced kind of work in India because of lesser wages? No chance - that work would get shifted to countries with weaker economies or who can get work done at dirt cheap rates. India's economy would become better if we made products that were sold all over the world, thereby increasing exports. There are countries with currencies stronger than US Dollar and so can be Indian Rupee, if they can do it then so can we. I wonder if a significant ratio of jobs in those countries are like what ours are.

5. Entrepreneur-friendly government policies. Some of my acquaintances wish to start their own company. But they aren't doing so, because they feel their respective governments aren't friendly for business. If they spent lesser time dealing with stuff that tests their patience and more time innovating then their deliverable's would definitely improve.

Note - I am not affiliated to any political party.

Airtel showroom in Jalandhar. The brand has stood tall despite influx of foreign telecom vendors and has expanded outside India as well.

6. Better education system. During the IT boom phase, lot of Engineering colleges opened up, on pretext that there were few companies arriving for recruitment in "trucks", and our education naturally became quantitative instead of qualitative. Some colleges even started promising "200% placement" citing every student would get 2 jobs at least. There was even a time when I saw reputed colleges having 4th year students teaching their juniors due to reason that there weren't enough graduate teachers, for right after college they were getting placed in outsourcing based IT maintenance jobs. The ideology of such Engineering colleges was to  train students to learn things on their own and deliver under pressure, you may call it serendipity for this is what they ended up doing in their jobs as well.

But a cash cow can be milked only till a point of time. I'd be more happy seeing such colleges shut shops and students doing what they really want to (during the boom period I saw parents forcing their kids to take Engineering for they felt it would provide more returns in lesser time). The kind of stuff being taught in such colleges, I feel it is actually better to self-study free courses from the Internet and start one's own company with available resources. Also, more number of micro startups in smaller cities would reduce burden on bigger ones, and thus development of certain states would be all-around instead of prime cities.

I genuinely admire a guy called Varun Shoor, without a college degree he started his own company called Kayako that built the World's leading Helpdesk software. From a small town called Jalandhar that did not have the facilities of metro cities or Silicon Valley. If a small town Indian teenager can do it, then there would be more. They need to step out of their comfort zone and even if they don't start their own firm they need to realize the plus points of working with local startups that could suit them more than established ones in terms of career growth and learning opportunities.

7. It might actually be a bitter medicine for my fellow countrymen. Without jobs, the really passionate ones would try doing something to survive. Some of them would join product firms, some would start their own companies. Thus more products in IT would begin churning out of India.

I know our people work really hard, that too overwork at times. But hard work isn't enough, happy work is also important. Young Software Engineers have died while in office, several have stress and health issues, most would rather choose to switch fields but they have a family to feed. The state of India's IT Industry is such that if people had to choose between doing this kind of work all their lives, versus getting a big amount of money so that they won't have to work again, then almost all would choose the latter. Whatever the future might hold for me I'd still be learning new things and making use of them in some way or the other, I am optimistic that way.

CONCLUSION

Ho kya raha hai humare desh mein? Humaari koi izzat hi nahi hai, kyunki hum saste mein kaam karte hain Angrezi mein, voh bhi agar kal China wale aa gaye to hum gaye kaam se. Log products banaana chahte hain but na hi education system unhe sikhaata hai, aur na hi government utni sahayta karti hai. Magar kal ko sir par aa padhi to achcha hi hoga, log apne aap karna shuru karenge. Kuch log dusre kaam karenge, jo log sach mein passionate hain veh dil se products banayenge. Aur ant mein jo bhi hoga, achcha hi hoga.

Commentary - STOP

Prayer - START

Bhagwaan ji, meri ichcha to poori kar hi dena. Magar usse pehle dhyaan rakhna ki main sahi salamat rahoon, auron ke saath jo bhi ho magar mujhe kuch na ho. Roz aapka naam leta hoon, achche samay mein bhi yaad karta hoon, aapke naam ka durupyog nahi karta hoon. Ab itna to mere liye kar hi dijiye na, please... :)

Prayer - STOP

Reader's Viewpoint - START :).

Ahead of everyone. Photo by Arjun Suri Photography

Chacha Chaudhary, Indian comics and connection

“Main book shop par khada hoon, kuch chahiye aapko? (I am standing at the book shop, do you need anything?)” asked my dad on phone, calling from New Delhi Railway Station, about to board his train in few minutes.

“Ho sake to ek Chacha Chaudhary ki comic le aana, bachpan mein aap mere liye bahut saari lekar aate the, kai saal ho gaye, koi si bhi le aaiyega (If possible please bring one Chacha Chaudhary comic, when I was a kid you used to bring lots for me, several years have passed, kindly bring any one of them)” was my reply, getting emotional remembering the times.

My first memory of self-reading a book happens to be Chacha Chaudhary comics. I was quite fascinated by the colourful images on them and the accompanying text laced with wit and victory. Whatever be one’s age, every human likes to laugh, and apart from my family members and the angel-like Asha Talwar madam in school; Chacha Chaudhary comics kept me happy. They were easier to read than books prescribed in school, and offered generous doses of laughter.

My parents tell me I was able to read complex Hindi words such as अंत्रिक्ष at an early age because of those comics and I would spend more time reading them than prescribed school books. I believe that the comics, conceptualized by Pran ji and published by Diamond Comics, were done in such a way that it was hard to put them down. They emphasized morals, values, and solving problems around us while laughing. It was in Chacha Chaudhary comics that I first read about Computers, even though I hadn't seen them in real life.

Today I am a Computer Engineer. I am a staunch believer of ethics and solving problems around us without taking life seriously. In hindsight maybe the seeds of that were grown during my childhood.

It’s not that I read Chacha Chaudhary comics throughout my life. I assumed there's an age after which one should stop reading comic books. So after giving them up, I progressed through an education system where I had to cram up stuff just because I’d get good grades and make it to college (no school book touched me emotionally, and what helped me sail were some really great teachers). In college I studied so that I would get a job that would help me earn money, and again no prescribed text book had an emotional impact on me. When in job I went through a lot of external reference material to increase my knowledge, but again there was no emotional connect.

And thus I started to wonder if there really was an age to stop reading comics.

Few months ago, I discovered a web-comic on Facebook called Garbage Bin. Created by Mohd. Faisal, they made me revisit my childhood days and appreciate the wonderful time given to me by my family, teachers, and class mates. After many years I experienced emotional connect. I appreciate Faisal for doing a tremendous job, and I know I am not the only one complimenting him.

Comic by Garbage Bin

It was due to Garbage Bin that I thought of having another go at Chacha Chaudhary comics, and thus when I got the opportunity to avail one, I jumped at it (also there was an emotional reason involving father-son childhood memories). Going through it, while I did go into a time wrap, even recollecting nearly all the strips having read before, my mind was having thoughts that many things now would not be possible in real life, and the content while nostalgic did appear somewhat unrelatable for my age. But there was something very peculiar that struck me.

I wondered if our education system could learn something from comics. The enjoyment in reading good comics is much more than reading about stuff such as electrons that we cannot see but have to visualize. Almost all of our prescribed text books in professional courses do not emphasize importance of human values but comic books like Chacha Chaudhary do. I learned more about Indian History by reading Amar Chitra Katha instead of the books prescribed in school, and there must be many more who learn quickly by reading comics over text books. They are easy to read but the process of creating comics wouldn't be smooth, and I feel all great cartoonists deserve respect.

 

Via Burning Bright

Irony of our society is that if I have a kind hearted cartoonist friend who makes comics, works incredibly hard at it, does a tremendous job and I appreciate his work; he might not get the kind of respect that another friend of mine would get who is earning tones of money thanks to his educational qualifications, his hard work be praised but I wonder how happy he really is with his life (you might be able to relate to this).

This makes me appreciate Jaspal Bhatti ji's family for letting him leave his financially secure Government job so that he could realize his true calling as a humorist starting with drawing cartoons for newspapers. I wonder if he would have become India’s top most satirist had he not drawn cartoons.

Via The Tribune

I leave you with few memorable things I remember from Chacha Chaudhary comics.

1. Chacha Chaudhary’s brain worked faster than a Computer. His real name was Chotu Chaudhary and before getting married was a topmost boxer.

2. He had an identical twin brother named Chajju Chaudhary.

3. The mere thought of Sabu makes me think of volcanoes getting erupted on Jupiter whenever he got angry.

4. Chacha Chaudhary’s ace nemeses were Dhamaka Singh and Gobar Singh. Their physical prowess never won against Chacha Chaudhary's analytic powers.

5. Sabu’s ace nemesis was Raka who got introduced in 100^th edition of the series and subsequently he was repeated in every 100^th edition except maybe the 700^th one and his character was terminated in 800^th one (unless another comic came up that revived him but am sure they wouldn't have let him continue forever).

6. Chacha Chaudhary's sidekick in first few series was a vertically challenged sidekick named Tingu Master and in later ones a faithful dog called Rocket who was adopted from the streets.

7. Chacha Chaudhary was perhaps the only comic character that Indian families would ask their kids to model themselves on when they grew up.

Photo of Sidak Singh by Arjun Suri Photography

(All images by Diamond Comics except wherever specified. To know more about Pran ji, creator of Chacha Chaudhary, kindly refer the following links - here, here and here.)

The most beautiful human on earth

Let me tell you about a certain someone

And in the process have some poetic fun

Who's that human, I'd reveal later

Don't be surprised, you know him/her

His/Her mornings start with a blessing

Wishing for something hopefully interesting

S/he dresses up and grabs a quick bite

Reassures that everything's all right

Sets out of home in a hurry

To ensure a life full of merry

Reaches the destination where s/he had to

Starts enacting daily chores s/he's destined to

In that sense s/he's not really unique

But, hold on, let this poem complete

Photo by Arjun Suri Photography

Every child is a bag full of promise

An enigma whose divinity we notice

The child grows up, and what happens then

We look at him/her and start doing comparison

On the basis of figure, skin, facial features

House, car, job profile, salary structure

Every adult was once a child full of innocence

Someone we considered a mark of brilliance

The soul of adult remains unchanged

The purity in them remain unchanged

It is only our viewpoint that changes

And self-belief that slowly diminishes

You, yes you, are truly awesome

You are still an image of the one above

Being priceless is your true net worth

You are the most beautiful human on earth

Photo by Arjun Suri Photography

Why I am not a successful human

If, like me, you also do not consider yourself as successful, then read on.

What makes me call myself as not successful? Simple. Go make a list of people that you consider as successful. Do I feature on the list? I confidently assume not. So I am not successful.

These are the reasons I have been a consistent non-achiever.

1. Nazar Suraksha Kavach.

I return home from a tiring day at work (it’s not easy pretending to be busy for 12 hours so many days a week) and to relax myself I turn on the TV. All I see on Entertainment channels are ads of Nazar Suraksha Kavach (wondering what’s that then click here) giving me various reasons to go for it and save myself from all the troubles. That is no matter how well educated and spiritually enlightened I am there is no escaping the wrath of a ‘buri nazar’ from people around me.

The intellectually challenged that I am for giving preference to logical thinking over these tried and trusted mechanisms (click here), I do not succumb to wearing a Nazar Suraksha Kavach on my body.

2. Unfair and lovely.

If I share my views on a religion I do not practice, I’d get a barrage of lawsuits thrown at me.
If I raise incidents of corruption being practiced somewhere, I'd receive life threats.
If I question certain people over their decisions, the lives of people close to me would come under a scanner.
So this means there is definitely something undoable in these actions.

Every year we get a barrage of new advertisements on TV depicting that your talent or degree or persona or diligence won’t fetch you as many rewards as having a fair skin would. Going by their consistent coverage on our Television it means there’s definitely something divine about them.

It’s my shortsightedness that I do not make use of these products for I consider god gifted features as the prettiest.

Image Source - Lowe and Partners

3. Don’t follow any Successful Guru.

There are so many Successful Guru’s out there dolling out mantras for success. Mantras as in
“Recite these words from this book and you’d attain success in life”.
“Follow this procedure and there would be no evil influence on you”.
“My purpose is to help you, so keep following my sermons and you’d remain on the right track”.

Instead of believing in them I believe in philosophies such as all humans are equally divine, relying too much on someone else’s words restricts your own thinking abilities, and no one can solve your problems other than you yourself.
So instead of ‘Babaji ki kripa’ I receive a ‘Babaji ka thullu’.

Image Source - Comedy Nights With Kapil

4. Don’t follow the herd.

I do not have a role model that I follow blindly. Because I firmly believe that every human has his / her own destiny and following someone else means we let go of what is destined for us.

I see people who implement life steps based on what others have done. If you consider someone as successful and they've been doing this, then thank you for further validating my prophecy.

So you see, my priority is to follow my natural instincts rather than follow someone else’s. I successfully let go all of it.

5. Chain emails.

I still get emails from people stating that bad luck would reach me if I did not forward it to 20 people within the next 24 hours. In all such instances I end up applying principles of Computer Science that offer no explanation as to how could 0’s and 1’s have such divine powers, and hence I end up hitting the Delete button. Beautifully disastrous steps.

But if you are unlike me and do believe in those chain mails then here goes.
Forward this article to 3 people in the next 16 minutes, otherwise a lot of calamities would occur on you.
If you are a medical student then you would not get married unless your studies are completed.
If you are a Software professional then you would get to work on a legacy project with nearly zero documentation.
If you are an arts graduate then your love interest would publicly address you as ‘bhaiya’ / ’behen’.
If you are from a business family then your folks would make you post graduate before you can start working.
If none of the above then the winning lottery ticket would be the one that you did not buy.
Which lottery ticket? Well, why ask when you aren't going to win it anyway?

Photo by Arjun Suri Photography