Crusader
Mind over Matter
Sunday, August 16, 2015
तलाश
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Childhood
Sunday, November 13, 2011
My voyage
Those sweaty, sleepy and long days,
Changing uniforms as bugle plays.
Stretching ourselves to limits untold,
Muscle mutiny waiting to unfold.
And every time we grumbled,
We were “briefly” told;
“My dear trainees, Don’t think this is bad,
Worse awaits : the field is cruel, taxing n sad.
Academy is heaven,
Field waits like a demon.
Just run on Sundays for a few miles,
Field “perhaps” is far more hostile.
For field we prepare, to make u brave n bold.”
Finally, we are ready to embark, on this journey unknown,
My values as anchor, my destiny to be mould.
Responsibility beckons, hierarchy may stifle,
Situations will unfold, to test my mettle.
My actions scrutinised and verdicts will be passed,
By those up, down and side.
At times even flogging may come my way,
For stemming the evil tide.
Times when trigger will be heavier,
Than in any of the firing sessions.
And million thoughts torment my head,
Before my pen delivers its’ impression.
Compromises, pressures, dilemmas,
I’ve heard a lot of your tales.
It is time to sail my ship,
Into stormy seas to prevail.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The training saga
Sailing through the breeze.
Rafting over waves,
Diving into streams.
Slept in dungaree amidst woods,
Admiring nature’s raw beauty.
Reality knocked assaulting my dreams,
It was time for sentry duty.
Through dragging “debriefings”,
We nursed our pains.
Cursing the schedule,
Alas! No gains!
They say it makes one fit and firm,
And thus, we endured grill of drill.
Perfected the art of a nap anytime,
Welcome Volini, adieu sleeping pill!
As it sped from trot to canter,
Our heartbeats raced like F1 cars.
With each passing riding class,
We said our prayers and thanked the stars.
Marched miles in pouring rain,
Dragging my body and switching off brain.
I cared for my rifle and my squad mate,
We cribbed, complained
Laughed and shared the fate.
That is my treasure, my true lifelong gain
Bring the forces of nature,
I have buried my fear.
The chisel has worked fine,
My mind is my spear.
The fountain was within me,
I dived and drank.
I dared the limits,
And the limits shrank.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The moment...
We all read about chasing our dreams and working hard to achieve them.and then there are school of thoughts which strongly advocate the belief(the positive thought)theory. They say about believing with strong conviction in things u want,and the forces of the universe will conspire to make them happen for u.
They talk of golden moments , pathbreaking events and memorable historical dates. Some come with pomp and fanfare while others sweep u off ur feet with their unannounced arrival.They become all the more crucial when thay fulfil ur dreams.When hope is fading at a quick pace,conviction is waning,depondency looms large, ur losing out on things u believed in and the chance to realise that desirable elusive dream is final. It had drained me mentally and emotionally and the conflict within had been brimming at pinnacle for long.and then u reach a stage,where ur efforts reach a saturation,and the only hope is a miracle,a blessing from Him..and u realize how feeble is human being...
11/05/2011 (around 3pm) will remain such date for me. I can safely call it “the happiest day of my life”so far. often such events mark such dramatic shift of conditions that they become milestones – pre-05/11 and post-05/11.
Its been one week today since the result came out. I still don’t know if its actually sunk in. I have been receiving numerous phone calls and messages,friends and relatives telling me how proud they r of my achievement and how happy they are for me. But i think i have only been going through the motions. Its not easy to absorb that something which was so dearly coveted and which always seemed to move away ,something which had driven me and mom to tears by its elusiveness, something which had been so near, yet so far, something which i could safely vouch has been “a childhood dream” has actually materialized beautifully one fine moment in your life. Its the moment which becomes the landmark and seem to absorb years of yearning, desperation, perseverance and prayers. It is such moments which define your life. I don’t know if it was natural. Whether the magnanimity of the event overpowers the emotions. I have graduated from sweet shock and numbness to an incredulous acceptance of what my senses have been directing. I think i must pen it down for years down the line, when i grow old and want to look back at one of the defining moments of my life.
The tension surrounding the UPSC result declaration had been building up for past one week. However,I had no expectations for it to arrive this humid Wednesday afternoon. Thursdays have been the anointed days as per norm. Gobbling up the lunch, I reached my room to gather the maximum of the precious moments of rest in the lunch break. I set up the precautionary alarm(lest i fall asleep) for 1540 without realizing that something excitingly alarming was coming my way before that.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
We,The Champions!!
(How often have I missed blogging out my thoughts on moments of emotional high ? Moments when there is so much to say in its pristine best,but which soon passes by into memory lanes. Tonite is different.)
TONITE WE HAVE BEEN CROWNED THE WORLD CHAMPIONS.
And in a nation where cricket is a religion,world champions matters in only that context.
Yes, its been a long wait. and for many young indians like me,who have grown up eating,sleeping and drinking cricket,its a first in lifetime occasion of watching our men lift the coveted trophy.
It is truly historic.
We have grown up watching the picture of Kapil Dev lifting the trophy in 1983 and few videos from lords that make us wonder about the nature of game in bygone era.It is not the way we have grown up seeing cricket in its marketable version!
Cup after cup,we hoped but ended up with disappointment.
Not this time around.
Loaded with expectations(as always),playing on home turf (advantage or pressure?)and a talented bunch of committed cricketers - the stakes were high again!!
This may be the age of overdose of cricket with number of tours and cups,the 20-20 world cup and the IPL,but at the end of the day,its the conventional one day formats world cup that counts.The game itself may be limited to 14 odd nations on the globe and we may have won the cup of the latest T20 avatar,but the world cup has its own charm and aura!.It is tough to describe the feeling of inching closer to victory and then clinching it with elan..probably it hasn't yet sunk in!!
Yes,I wanted the team to clinch it but would admit having my share of apprehensions.I was having my share of ideas that something might go wrong and spoil our party.The worth of the Srilankans in the subcontinental game can never be discounted too.But down deep in heart,like every other indian,I was hoping that we do it this time.
And like every one else,I wanted it for Sachin Tendulkar -- the person who has carried billions of expectations for decades every time he walks into the field,the person whose passion for the game has gifted him with consistency to script all record books,the person whose modesty and down to earth simplicity makes him an affable icon -- was playing in his sixth and last world cup. It is this trophy that had eluded him. Whether I wanted Indian team to win for him or for the nation is immaterial as he very much symbolises the Indian cricket itself.As a perfect script,I was expecting him to score his 100th international ton and win it for india at Wankhede. He fumbled (reminding us that he is a human being after all). My hopes sank (direct proportionality has been the trademark). But like a winning "team",others rose to the occasion to recreate history.Different members have performed at different occasions in the tournament,making it a truly team effort.
Dhoni and his "men in blue" are the champions of our generation,of a game(the format and style)we have grown up : watching,discussing endlessly,nibbling in the backyards,innovating upon - from foil made balls cricket with lunch boxes to cosco ball cricket on lanes,roads and basket ball courts,strategising moves,critcizing selections,being experts on every field-bowling change and loving every moment of it as a passion.
(watched it on giant screen in audi,loved the emotions at the end,those smiles esp. sachin's(a little biased me!)with the cup,called up bro.after win to share the excitement for the game has been a strong part of our growing up together memory...more on that soon!!)