Today marks the end of my journey at MindTree and brings back memories of the days gone by. Though officially its been a little more than 3yrs of my association with the organization but deep in my heart I know, its a relationship that will stay with me for my life. The lessons learnt, the friends made and the memories acquired will give me the strength to face challenges ahead. Though it feels like I have lived a lifetime in the organization, my heart still whispers…”this is not the end…”

“…A Difficult Goodbye but it’s Time for me to FLY… ”

Here are few of the tons of memories I will treasure all my life!

Campus Selection by MindTree in May'07

1st day at MindTree

Unofficial Graduation Ceremony

All those cups of Tea & Coffee

My first on-screen debut

House Decoration - Kashmir

Campus Rockers with their Ride

After winning the Osmosis Dance Competition

Osmosis Trophy

Ready to Perform at Vibes'09

Some real BIG Sack Race

Shh! Campus Training in progress

Campus Minds Batch Oct-2008

1st Christmas - No all those gifts are not for me!

Education Drive - We used to teach English to these kids!

First strike-out from my wish list

Fun Times

Anchoring for Campus Assimilation - March'09

Green drive - Lets plant Trees

As a Co-PAL for House of Action

Rains at MindTree - Heavenly

Celebrating Ethnic Day at MindTree

My first Team - Burger King

This isn't my usual work

Organizer at P&G Premier League

Joy of Giving at P&G

Joy of Giving at P&G

Good Times

With Saswata - the dude

Amit & Karthik

Shrishail & Karthik

With P&G Team

With P&G Team

With P&G Team

The photos here are just a few of the many moments I am taking along with me. As they say, “Pitchar abhi baaki hai mere dost…”… I am sure this story has a long way to go with a very different ending.

13th Oct'2008 - 25th Nov'2011

“Humka Sirf Toehse Pyaar Hai…!!!”

Naaraz kyun ho Jaaneman?
Hum boore(old) par dil abhi bhi jawaan hai.
Pyaar tohka itna kare ki…
Haazir kadmo par hamar naahi, tu ziski bole uski jaan hai!!

Ek tu hi hamar pyaar hai,
Baaki sab toh mulli, fali aur jawaar hai.
Tori figure ka deewana saara Bihar hai,
Humka bus toehse pyaar hai….

Tu jab tambaku chabae hai,
Humka lage bholi bhali gae hai.
Jab bidi ka dhua urae hai,
Aisa lage thandi mai garmi dilae hai!

Yeh toh jaanta even Chaggu halwai hai,
Humka pasand naahi doodh malai hai…
Bus rabri ke liye ye dil bimar hai,
Ari pagli, humka bus toehse pyaar hai…

Kehte hue sukun milta hai ki, “U r mine!”,
Tu kahe agar toh lagai de aur 10 bacho ki line!
Ihh baat toh hamar bhaisaniya bhi jaanat rahi,
Tore bager hamar sukun, karar….kachu naahi…

Gulabi gaal tere, aur mastani chal hai…
Tu zindagi mai nahi toh jaise khet mai akaal hai.
Kursi, paisa, power sab bekaar hai…
Frrrankly, humka sirf aur sirf toehse pyaar hai….!!!

————————

– Originally Posted on walkingthroughlife.sulekha.com on 3rd Dec 2007

- Featured on Lalu’s Blog

– All rights reserved © Piyush Agarwal | agarwal.piyu@gmail.com

So before I get too random and you conclude that I am drunk let me tell you what I have realized. “Life should never get too comfortable, too predictable and too happy. When things go your way, they happen the way you meant them to be, they should stop before you reach a point where only they matter. If you do reach that level, time for you to break out!! If you don’t break out, sooner or later life will screw you.”

Since childhood we are taught to always respect what others want & keep others in our life in mind when we make decisions & always do what makes us happy!! But we are too much interested in the bowl of ice-cream kept in front of us to give it a little thought. We just nod our heads and do what seems our birth right(i am talking about the ice-cream), never thinking even once what we are being taught with those treats are so-so contradicting and should have those small *(star)s above them which says conditions apply!

As we grow we don’t realize how particularly easily priorities change. Those things taught get all jumbled up and we remember among them only the ones we want to remember. If we do remember all, we prioritize them most of the time without even realizing. What I want to say is that slowly without realization, one’s own happiness takes the top slot. My career, my money, my life, my future is all that starts to take precedence over all the other things. It sounds like one whining selfish kid, doesn’t it? But yes that’s what we become without realizing. This happens at every age for everybody.

So now taking this scenario, where all that matters is US we try to achieve things that will make us happy. Good job, great house, awesome social circle and a amazing wife/hus/gf/bf! Overall a life one wanted. If we are lucky enough, we slowly carve our way to it. Get appreciated at work, evenings are spent happy, have a busy life which makes us feel content. At the end of the day, we tell ourselves, “Cheers to me! This is what I deserve.”

Slowly it becomes a part of our life and everything works like clockwork. We get comfortable in our lives and care less of everything else that does not fit in. Good friends become old friends, old friends become people-i-knew. Life feels awesome and worth living. Anything that does not match to our wishlist, cease to matter. And if something that was not part of it does come up and can’t be avoided, we feel dragged and forced. In the slow but steady process we build up a bubble around us and we become the frog from that well we have read about several times.

Living a peaceful and happy life inside the bubble, we forget that there are things/people that should matter and are not part of the bubble. We miss out on several happy moments of bonding and love. And one day when the clock is broken and nothing is the way it was, the cruel picture comes in front of us. A world we have lost touch to. A world believed to be our own at one point. Also we realize that the life we lived was happy but have missed the charm/unpredictiveness/excitement that is actually part of Life.

I am not saying that life should be painful and one should not get what one desires. What I am saying is: the excitement of experiencing something new, the hope of achieving something bigger, the confidence of able to take the step forward should never drain out. Slowly when life gets too comfy…all this and a lot more does eventually drain out. And finally when its too late, only then we realize that we do not have a destiny, there nothing significant enough we have achieved and nothing lasts forever.

So its always easier to try out things, get involved in new beginings, take risks(calculated) when life’s good. Never let life get too comfortable because there is a high chance then that you will end up with nothing in the end. Do things you used to do…don’t let time play a factor. Watch that movie, check out that new restaurant, catch up with an old buddy…it’s all gonna be good. And incase you would like to revamp your life completely, take the charge and try it out. Who knows maybe that will click better…

I don’t exactly know how much of this post makes sense right now but try doing the unpredictable YOU thing. The result may not be great but the experience will help you a long way ahead! Break-out from the bubble and make sure you burst before its takes you in completely…

And in case you are thinking that what I am saying applies to people who are happy with their lives then well NO… Its for all and lemme tell you life may be good but we may not be happy, coz we always crave for more. In case you are thinking that you are not happy with your life, you just need to try things differently. Try something new…

This post was something that I did not predict I will write, don’t care about the result but I sure am happy! Time to treat myself with an icecream…

“So where should we party tonight?”, Brad asked sending out a puff of cigarette smoke.

Sam gave him a look of disgust and said, “Party? For what? For killing the innocent and laughing at the helpless…”

“Whoa! Whoa! Sammy, chill. This is not the first time we did this. We are contract killers and this is our damn business. And remember business involves no emotions, specially ours! So cool down…and enjoy another success.”

“Success? That women was not in the contract then why her? She was pregnant damn it…”, saying this he shivered and a tear rolled down his cheek, “…and I did not even think twice before pumping that bullet in her.”

“We could not afford to leave an eyewitness back. And anyways, it was her fate man!”, Brad said coolly letting out another puff.

“Then why was her fate destined through my hands? I can’t bear the pain Brad. I want you to…”, he hesitated.

At this Brad threw away the cigarette and shouted at Sam, “Want me to do what? Bring that women back to life… or run back and check if the bullet was feeling sorry for her as u r! Tell me what should I do?”

“I want you to set me free! This job is getting on ma nerves…”, Sam pleaded, “I can’t live like this any longer.”

“Well, ya won’t have to then!”, saying this Brad pulled out the shiny black automatic pistol and placed it on the table in front of Sam, “Go ahead and set ya self free! Here’s ya freedom.”

Sam could not believe Brad, “Brad, isn’t there any other way?”

“You know it; there is no going back once you are into this business. You think over this and make ya decision. Though I would like ya to forget all this and lead life the usual way…partner!”, saying this Brad stepped outside the room and lighted another cigarette.

The businessman in Brad knew that it required a lot of courage in killing oneself compared to when killing others. And Sam according to him did not fit the bill. Brad let out another puff of smoke…when the bullet sound ripped the ever-lingering silence. Brad ran back into the room and there was Sam lying dead in a pool of deep red blood. Brad was on his knees and full of tears. He knew business had no place for emotions but the businessman in him had fled away and instead the ever lost mortal soul of his came alive. After all, it was his brother’s corpse in front of his eye and the reason for all this was he himself. Brad was surrounded by an unbearable pain and death phrased a new meaning for him – from freedom to loss! It took another bullet and a trigger-pull to put a complete end to all of this!!

– Originally Posted on walkingthroughlife.sulekha.com on 14th Jan 2007

– All rights reserved © Piyush Agarwal agarwal.piyu@gmail.com

Author’s Note

This story was a result of small challenge of writing a “Flash Fiction” which is why the so many twists. The motive behind the story was to show that Death has several meanings depending on where you stand and it has the power to transform those strong  weaker and vise-versa.

Btw, I do agree the brother angle seems pretty filmy but I guess that was just the ‘mind-flash’ at the time and a little bit of me.

Well if you are shaking your head in disagreement, then you missed something. I know an eclipse happens every year and its not like you have missed a life-time opportunity. But still think of it in this way, supporting such a thinking process how many eclipses you must have missed in your lifetime.. The simple thing is one should always try and enjoy whatever happens around…

Solar Eclipse - Demo Pic

Btw…I am loading you with so much of philosophy only because I witnessed the Solar Eclipse this time…and now that I have witnessed it, I will simply ignore the umpteen number of times I have missed it. But that only because its me.. (I should stop before someone hits me!)

The eclipse looked amazing. The sun was partially covered when I witnessed it but I could see the ring forming. It looked so divine and all of a sudden my imagination took me through several movies where they show an eclipse…I imagined myself standing in the deserts of Egypt…in a different era and the Eclipse will open doors to many a hidden secrets! But it din take me long to come back to reality thanks to the only UV glasses being shared among everyone at my Office! They wanted the glasses….

Having lost the chance to go ahead with my imagination I walked away. Well that wasn’t the only reason - my stomach was grumbling, telling me…”Dude, it’s lunch time. Better fill me up or I can torture you with my super fumes(gas)!” I couldn’t ignore that threat and headed to my regular luncheon. The cafeteria was surprisingly quite peaceful and not at all crowded. It did not strike me before I took my food and gulped in some of it, that it’s an old ritual that one should not eat during a Solar Eclipse! But that din make me stop eating….c’mon don’t make faces! Yes, I am a foodie..

I do not understand why is it that one shouldn’t eat anything while an eclipse is in progress! People online on various social networks like Twitter, Facebook seem to be wondering the same thing without actually been able to pin-point the reason. Surprising, that we follow a ritual just because its being followed for years. I did find some answers related to how the UV rays are harmful and damage food but they din convince me. Come on…its not like the food will prepared after the eclipse or the food will let go the harmful rays they have absorbed later on…

So the question that comes is why we follow something when we are not aware of the reason? I have nothing against our culture…I am just curious! Also, I don’t like anything coming between me and foood.

So do you have a convincing explanation??

Clooney says we carry a lot of weight in our backpacks…house, office, cars, property, etc….so many materialistic things which slows us down and doesn’t let us enjoy the luxuries life can provide. Even worse when we replace these materialistic things with relationships. The backpack gets way heavier…parents, siblings, wife, children, relatives, friends…all in one BackPack makes our life a back-breaking experience!! We should let all this go and live life at our terms. Feel light…live light!

As Clooney gets proved how wrong this theory is in terms of people, relationships and life, how he is just another man scared of responsibilities, I realized the “backpack” theory isn’t that wrong afterall.. Its all about what you fill your backpack with…

Stepping away from Clooney, the movie and whatever they wanted to say…here’s my version of the backpack theory..

You have a backpack…now fill this backpack with moments that have caused pain in your life. Fill it up with those people, relationships, memories that have become past and only remind you how wrong things went. Fill it up with all the mins, hours, days lost in crying over it. Time went in asking yourself Why me? Why did this happen? Why didn’t it last? Was it even worth me? Fill it up with the people who have hurt you, broken your trust and taken you for granted. The hours of wait which tended to reap nothing… The tears that never stopped flowing…

Take everyone is your life who matter or did mater at one point of time. Now sort out all the good and bad memories knit with them…(don’t be surprised if you can think of more bad ones!) Take the stack of bad memories, quite a pile huh!?, and shove them in that backpack!! Add those love letters of forgotten love, the lonesome collar, the empty chair, bit by bit everything that reminds you of the pain…to the backpack!!

Once done, you will be surprised of how much more the backpack can still hold…now try carrying it around… Don’t you feel a lot heavier, unable to move! This is all you have been carrying around in your head but never realized the weight. I say, throw this backpack away. You deserve a happier life, a chance to enjoy it in all ways. Give yourself the hope that you are great the way you are and deserve to be happy. Smile at the life and see it smile back.

We miss so many beautiful things around us worrying about the inevitable, cribbing over what’s done and mourning over all lost. I am not saying your loss doesn’t matter but what is important is to feel the pain, acknowledge it but not live it. Live only the life you have received as a gift which seems long but reminds you everyday that its getting shorter! Relish it as long as it lasts…

Once you get all the things and more I mentioned above out of your head and simply dump it in the backpack, trust me you will feel welcomed! What do you think?

P.S. – Send the backpack to the Trash can today. May not be easy but you won’t regret. Do not carry it around!

P.P.S. – “Up in the Air” is a good watch and is not just about the Backpack theory. Watching George Clooney play the role of a person who fires employees company to company is…ummm just go watch it.

8.28pm , gleamed the digital clock at my desk. Something was not right. No, it wasn’t the time. This was something that did not happen everyday and I was hoping that everything was fine. The same question kept popping up again and again in my mind, “Why hasn’t dad called today?”

It was not that I enjoyed his calls (which came on a daily basis and that too when I am busy). But then when am I not busy! My business was soaring high and I did not have a minute to spare for anything else. Came office early in the morning and was up working till late. Prachi, my wife, worked as a teacher in a prestigious institution and was out most of the day. Back at home, we had a servant looking after my Dad’s needs.

It was not that I did not Love him. I had taken care of all his requirements. Since his retirement and mom’s death, I have always tried to keep him happy. And I guess I was successful in doing so. Attending his meaning less calls was also a part of the mission. I wanted him to feel that he was important. Wanted him to feel? I mean he is important. I did love him. But it was just his calls, sometimes even thrice a day that irritated me.

His conversation usually started off with “Hi son! What are you doing?” and then was followed by simple household problems like the geyser is not working or the fence needs a new coat of paint. Sometimes, he even discussed sports! India’s current performance in cricket, Sania’s power-swing and how he scored a goal today playing football with kids in the park. I patiently listened to all this and tried to enjoy what he was saying.

But today was something different. He had not called in even once. Oh! Don’t know why am I thinking so much over this matter. Maybe dad did not have anything interesting to discuss today, which is surprising though.

I thought instead of worrying over this it would be better if I checked my daily mail. I entered my login id and password. Just then the phone rang. I leapt towards it, praying that it would be dad’s call. Sticking the receiver to my ears, I waited to hear that familiar voice and then it came, “Hi son! What are you doing?”

“Nothing dad, same as usual”, I said, letting out a sigh of of relief. Afterall I did love him. “You calling in so late dad?” I went on.

“I was waiting for your call, son.”

Oh! Yes, I could have done that, but why would I!? Anyways, I said, ”Sorry, was busy dad!”

“Hmmm…I understand.”

“So how was your day? I hope that television got repaired.”

“Yes, the mechanic came and fixed it. Day was fine, its just that I wanted…”

I felt relieved that he was fine but I was not ready for his daily complaints. So I interrupted, “Now what do you want dad?” I started getting irritated. His list of problems would be put forward again, I thought.

“….I wanted it to be better”, said my dad.

I did not get what he did mean and said, “ok dad…take care, I will get back to my work now.”

“Yes…yes. Work is important…..”saying this he hung up.

His voice lacked the daily enthusiasm, I felt. But forget it, he is fine and that’s what matters. I went back to checking my e-mails. My inbox had the daily stuff. Quotations, advertisements, discount coupons, a reminder….a reminder!? I opened it and an overpowering sense of guilt enveloped me. The body of the mail had just one line, ‘Its your dad’s birthday!’

I forgot his birthday? How could I? Now I understood why he sounded dull or rather sad and didn’t call up until this moment. All day long he was waiting for my call! And I claim to be a very loving and caring son.

Dad had never missed any of my birthdays. Even to this day, he has gift ready for me on the occasion. It’s such a shame, that I forgot such an important day. He calls in everyday but I never realized that all he wants to do is spend some time with his so-very-busy son. Recently, work became my top priority and I forgot everything. Not just my dad, even my wife, my responsibilities towards them. Did I really love my family? Did I get my priorities right? Was I neglecting my family?

I should call him, I thought. But how!? I did not have the courage to talk to him. But I will have to…. I dialed the number and waited for him to take the call.

“Hello…” came his voice.

“It’s me, dad.”

“What happened son?” he said sounding confused.

I hesitated. How should I say?

“Son…?”

“I am so sorry dad. Happy Birthday I just can’t seem to think, how I could forget something this imp…”

“Shut up. Thank you. I was waiting…” he started crying.

I was in tears too. “I am really sorry dad.”

“So what’s there for my birthday gift?”

I smiled and said, “It’s me dad…you got back your son!”

– Originally Posted on walkingthroughlife.sulekha.com on 3rd Jan 2007

– Published in the May, 07 issue of DNA’s “Me” magazine

– All rights reserved © Piyush Agarwal agarwal.piyu@gmail.com

In short, you must have guessed something about me..

I Am Lazzzzyy….like doing things at my own pace and hate planning!! Also in my conversation I use “…” a lot which does not mean that I do not have clarity of thoughts…but I am used to taking pauses…at the right places..!!

Well…for the time being, by-the-time I get myself into the blog posting mode here, if you are interested in knowing about tech stuff the non-techie way, head to my other blog www.ewebbuddy.com

See you around…and if you can encourage(read as bully) me to get started here…do post a comment! Love meeting new people…so strangers are welcome too.