Defeat

Defeats are difficult to digest. Some more than the others. And sometimes none of the stress busters help. Sometimes it takes a while to even realize that the defeat is real and you are not going to wake up from it. Your subconscious tries to tell you that it's just a bad dream. And that the dawn is coming. But when you do realize it and have to face the world around you, that is when you need to be at your strongest.

You should not care about what people would say. Only you know what it takes to win and only you know that you did all that was possible. In these desperate times, you get to know people who actually belong to you. Who actually care.

Make peace with the defeat as soon as possible. This time is not for grief but for introspection. To regroup and to fill in for the lacunae. There is this feeling inside you which tells you that you can do this. You should not let this very feeling wither away. Rather amplify it. Feed on it.  Let it drive you.  And it will take you places.

And I know it's a big cliche but it's equally true, there is always next time. This wasn't the last strike.

Believe

I am fascinated by red dresses. When ever I see a girl in a red dress, I get kinda lost. The reason being, it's part of the perfect date which I envisage. I would drive up to her place to pick her up. She would be waiting. She would then come out of her house sensing my presence.I would then get out of the car and open the door for her.She would be wearing that red dress and I would be dressed in Black. With the red tie of course. It would be sometime in the spring with the lovely breeze playing with her hair. We would then go to our favorite place with dim lights & with her playlist on. It would be just the two of us. And of course the red wine.

I would then look into her eyes and would let the eyes do the talking. She would then sense the moment. We both had been waiting for this moment. For long, really long. She would smile with tears coming off her eyes. I will take out the ring. And get down on my knees. The moment would then become real.

That's pretty much it. But sometime even the smallest of things become huge in the sense that you get caught up in other things which need to dealt with first and you just loose track of these small things which you have always wanted. And out of the blue someday it occurs to you that for that other bigger thing you seemed to have kept too much on hold.  The stack of these small things might reach unprecedented height one day. And might even collapse.

But you need to believe in yourself and that you made the right choice and all these things are going to come true one day. You need to be strong, patient and positive. You need to believe. Come what may.

Days of our lives

Time is so dynamic, unbiased and unprejudiced.
It's this flow that keeps us going.
It's these possibilities that keeps us moving.
For everyone, there are days,
some good, some bad and some ugly.

But some of them, stand out,
you want to relive them,
again, and then yet again.
These are the days when we are happy,
and there are no pretensions.
These are the days when we want time to freeze,
the moments to stand still,
so that we can hold on to them, a little longer.
These are the days when we feel, life is beautiful!
These are the days which stay forever.
These are 'the days' of our lives.

Although, irony breaks in here as well,
we often are saddened, even in these good times,
at the thought of vulnerability, at the risk of loosing them.
Such cowards we are, sometimes.
Live the moment, to the fullest.
So that if ever we loose them,
these memories would keep us going,
the memories of 'those days' of our lives.

Bayern, Bhutia and Indian Football

I remember it was back in December that I had heard about Bayern Munich coming to India for a friendly. And somehow completely lost track of it like other Hindu readers. And was a little shocked to read that the match was today. Holy cow, would I get the tickets now. Ephemeral sadness, only to realize that this was India, where Cricket is the religion.

But the scenes at the Nehru Stadium scared the hell out of me. The last time I saw these many people with Indian flags was the agitation for Lokpal. The queue was so long that for a moment I thought I stand no chance. But then this group of people, standing just next to me, had an extra ticket and I pounced on the opportunity. That was good luck and those were pretty good seats as well. Thanks stranger.

Even from outside the stadium, I could feel the electric atmosphere being generated by the rare Indian football fans. And when I got inside, to see the 65,000 capacity Nehru stadium almost full, was a nice surprise. But probably the Indian sports administration did not see this coming at all. All the seats on the upper tiers were covered with a thick layer of dust. Looks like post-commonwealth games, no one gives a damn. It was really pissing to see the wonderful stadium in this disgusting condition. But the fans seemed too excited at the prospect of witnessing mesmerizing Robben and Ribery,

The game started. And I bet everyone was aware of the vast difference in the levels of both the teams. And we were just happy cheering the moment Indian team got the ball or we went into their half etc. To be frank, these were very rare moments. At least in the first half. They scored 4 in the first half mostly from open play and the one from Schweinsteiger was mind-blasting. But kinda got the ball in the second half and created a couple of chances which was nice. And the moment when Bhutia was called off, every one in the stadium stood up and bowed to the man who is the face of Indian football. Respect. It felt kinda nice not to let them score in the second half. Something of a achievement we can say. Moreover, defensively we did pretty well restricting a world class team to just four. And our goal keeper surely deserves an applause.

Overall, a step ahead for Indian football I would say. More clubs need to be contacted and invited to play in India. The football fans seems to be multiplying like anything. It was great to see a near houseful football match when even cricket matches these days are unable to attract crowds. Big names like Bayern are surely a crowd puller and next in line should be none other than the most followed club in India. Manchester United. The only way to catapult Indian football to higher levels is to use such established brands to sensitize the Indian crowd.

P.S. The only thing bothering me was the empty seat next to me. 

Inception and UPA II

Somewhere in the dark corners of the capital, a cabinet meeting was scheduled off the record with media totally unaware of Government's secret project.All the cabinet ministers were dressed up in black and their faces covered with their hoods, except that of the PM, because you know... The agenda was two-fold. How to deal with Anna and Mayawati ?

Suddenly the discomforting silence was broken by the PM.'I have an idea. On my recent tour to America, I met Nolan who taught me something about inception. We can use this rare skill to plant ideas in our rival's mind that would ultimately benefit us.'

KS : I have heard of that. But what if this idea is not actually yours and has been planted by them in your mind. And how do we know that this is not a dream.

PM : Even I had this doubt when I became the PM for the first time. But Madam told me there was a reason why I was chosen. Our kind, have different type of brain. Something much more complex and cannot be incepted by the opposition.

KS: Oh, Nice! What is the plan then?

PM : We will plant the idea that Lokpal can be too dangerous in Anna's brain and to break up Uttar Pradesh in Mayawati's brain!

All  cabinet minister(in chorus) : Singh is King !!
PM raises his hand in response to the applause.

KS: But I am not sure if Mayawati has a brain.

PM : I know. Odds are against us but we don't have a choice.Ok. PC, you deal with Anna and KS you go to Maya.
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PC goes to Anna's fast venue where he is asleep. He enters his dream disguised as Swami Agnivesh.

AH : What do you seek SA?

SA: I seek a path to fight the corrupt.

AH : I offer you the path of ombudsman.

SA: He will not become a hero, you also know it deep down, don't you?

AH : Yes, but he's the hero India deserves, not the one it needs right now. So we'll flaunt him because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.

SA : We need a hero with a face and not some vigilante.

AH: What do you mean ?

SA : You are making him more than just a man. You are devoting him to an ideal. And if they can't stop you, it will become something else entirely. Lokpal, Mr. Hazare.

AH : Corruption is killing people SA, what would you have me do?

SA: Endure. Take it back. They will hate you for it. But you have already lived your life. You can take it. You can be an outcast.Only you can make this choice, the right choice.

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KS goes to Mayawati's place. He tries to enter her dream as her party promoter but finds out soon that  dream levels are not possible and the only possibility is the limbo. He finds her there siting alone and contemplating of forming a party to fight election.

M : I think there are enough dalits like me who can ensure enough votes.

PP : Right, but they seem to be restricted to a certain part of the state. Only if others weren't in this state.

M : People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can't do that as Mayawati, as a woman. I'm flesh and blood I can be ignored. I can be destroyed but as a symbol, as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting. I need a symbol.

PP: What kind of symbol?

M: Some thing really big and terrifying.

PP: We can use your face.

M: No. Not an identity, we need a symbol.... Elephant !

PP : But won't people pity more if we chose a symbol like ...I don't know... a pig.

M: It's not what we are beneath; but it's what we do that defines us.

PP: Inspiring. But we need to break the state, so that we isolate our vote banks.

M: Yes, someday , we will.

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In days to come, Anna takes back his fast and Mayawati decides to break the state four ways. The cabinet rejoices the success. PM only smiles though. He still is not convinced that all this is reality and he actually became a PM. He throws his totem on the table waiting for it to stop. But the totem shows no signs of stopping. He look at Madam. She smiles.