Gamers are awesome. Here's why:

The average engineering hostel geek spends about 20 hours a week playing video games. That's about half the time they'll end up spending in office once they get out of college. The sad part about a gamer's life, at least in India, is the image that comes with it. All people see are spoilt kids with access to the internet, decent devices and a lot of time on their hands (seemingly.) One friend recently commented that he's always felt that letting gamers have the 'geek' tag is unfair to 'real geeks.'

We most certainly are geeks. We take calculated headshots and enter fights based on complex hitpoint and mana calculations. We learn about recoil and angles by sheer experience. We know which enemy we can take on during which stage of the game and which ones we cannot. Every second we spend in that virtual world is as real as it gets for us and we do whatever it takes to get that win. We do not *have* all that time on our hands. We make time. Games make us feel alive and help us deal with the realities of life in a better manner than whatever you muggles choose to do. 

I vividly remember one particular summer afternoon when the hostel warden had complained against the consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants by our seniors and the college authorities, including the institute's director, had decided to inspect each room. A bunch of us were camped up in a single room and were so busy playing Counter Strike 1.6 that we completely ignored the four very angry administrators in the room up until one of them decided to yell. We had no alcohol or weed in the room but what we did have on our screens was way more addictive than what they were looking for. 

While it may seem that we are too engrossed in the virtual world to amount to anything in the real world, that is not the case at all.  Gaming helps us become more tolerant and curious individuals. I'm not kidding. A person who play Counter Strike knows better than to get wild at his team mates at work over small things. Games teach us to be better team players and hence better members of the society we live in. 

Overkill? Maybe a tad bit.  Seriously though, gaming is cheaper than therapy and more therapeutic than a massage. In the words of Danil 'Dendi' Ishutin "One way to forget about pain is to do something you will be in, completely. So...computer games." Games can help you deal with some of the darkest phases of your lives and when addiction sets in, they can lead you there too. Like all good things, they're best enjoyed in moderation. 

It is amazing to note that pro-gaming is being acknowledged in India and Esports have enough of an audience to be taken seriously. Let's hope the trend continues and we catch up with the rest of the world soon. Game on! 

Bro, do you even parent?

Ok, I don't know why I named the post that. I don't know if I'm "parent material" or if I will ever be a parent. What I do know is that it is a tough, and often thankless, job. Maybe it is because I'm close to my quarter-life crisis, or maybe it is because all the girls I crushed on in school are uploading albums titled "Mah louly weddin" on Facebook, but I've begun to observe details I'd often ignore.

This morning, I saw a college-going kid sitting next to his dad, who was driving, in a sedan and eating Upma out of a box. Apart from the usual pity and ridicule I reserve for those who eat Upma, I thought about what went into that. His parents sacrificed their sleep and time to make sure he got to college on time with a full, albeit Upma-filled, stomach. I saw a mother hold her special daughter's hand while crossing a busy street. A school bag in one hand and her daughter's hand in the other. I saw a dad with two kids, one in a uniform and another in a costume, waiting for the school bus. I saw an 'Akshaya Patra' van, with meals for kids who study in government-run schools, with pictures of smiling kids on it. There is a story behind every one of these people. Every day is a struggle. The routine they've become accustomed to, was once something they never dreamt of doing.

I don't know if you try to guess the stories and feel the love that goes behind every start to every day. I know not if I do it often enough either. All I know is that I wish there are people, who look at me or know me, who realize that when I have a well-set hairdo it is probably because a lazy adult is still a kid with disheveled hair to that one woman who takes it upon herself to present what defines perfection to her to the world in a perfect manner.

We know of these little things, and we know very well that no acknowledgement is expected of us. However, it wouldn't hurt to express it every once in a while. We need not do much. Ensuring that we dine with the family irrespective of what the 'White's, 'Morgan's, or 'Lannister's  are doing. Chatting up whoever is in the kitchen while they're cooking for you. Keeping those who care about you posted about your whereabouts, or even writing an arguably-cheesy blog post about the topic once in a while can help express your gratitude; or so I'd like to believe.

Ganesha chaturthi is just round the corner. Let us learn from the Elephant-headed one who chose to circumambulate his parents when asked to go around the world. Thank you, Amma-Appa. Also, thank you Silkboard traffic for letting me have these epiphanies on a daily basis.
Jai Hind!

On giving, selfishly.

This is an issue that has irked me for a while now. Every single time there is a mishap in the country, we outrage, the media digs up a million similar incidents and reports it, the politicians point fingers in a manner so blatant that it would shame the average Indian fielder and the guilty go unpunished while the wronged ones' tears are ignored.
We never get to the fucking root cause of any problem! We are happy to scrape it superficially and then yell on TV or type in ALL CAPS on Twitter.

The recent mid-day meal deaths have left me rattled. It is unfortunate that a bunch of parents who would normally employ their kids in their farms believed that the substandard education provided in a government school would be worth their kids' time because they would be fed well. What happened is not because of the negligence in a few schools or the jugaad attitude that is now synonymous with us Indians. There is a bigger problem.

We don't know how to give. Well, at least not wholeheartedly. We live in a society which says it is ok and maybe even commendable that you choose to feed your domestic help leftovers from last night's dinner. "At least they are getting breakfast. Jyoti Aunty's house they don't give her coffee also."
We are a society that does not flinch when people "donate" their old clothes to people affected by natural calamities.  " You don't use those old sneakers na? Grip is gone fully no? Next time that Gurkha comes...give it to him and don't give him twenty rupees also. Give ten ok?"

The saddest part is not that we are ok with this kind of an attitude. It is that we actually feel we are being "selfless" or "charitable."
Well, fuck you. That is not what being selfless means. If you truly are selfless, give what you would use; not something you have no use for. Do not mix garbage disposal and charity.

Do you think you are being selfless? Allow me to let you in on a little secret. Every single act of yours is selfish. You are giving your domestic help idlies hoping that she has incentive to stay or the energy to scrub the floors better. You are giving the Gurkha shoes so that he does not sleep in while the roads are slippery. If you are a special asshole, you probably "donated" your shoes to get two extra "salaam Saab"s. You may say that those two rupees you give a physically challenged old lady at the traffic signal has no ulterior, selfish motive. The lady smiles or thanks you, she moves away from your window; subconsciously, you are feeling good about yourself after parting with something that can't buy you a decent chocolate these days. That is selfish too.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying being selfish is a bad thing; in fact, personally, I think there is no greater virtue than selfishness. Those of you who have read a few older posts or know me well enough personally, probably know that I subscribe to the karma theory. Therefore, I feel that I am accruing more karma points by giving the sweeper a new pair of Hawaii chappals that cost me a little over hundred bucks instead of a battered pair of Nike crosstrainers. I request my mom to throw away last night's rice and make some extra pongal for the maid. A hot meal that is fresh and nutritious gives me more karma points than a stale bowl of rice that weighs thrice as much as a plate of pongal.

The next time you are about to give someone less fortunate than you something, please pause for a while and think; are you indulging in garbage disposal or are you genuinely helping them?  If we thought of that, we would not read about soya curry being prepared in pesticide tanks.

Earn the right to outrage

Tomorrow, my state (Karnataka) goes into election mode. I just got back home after 4 years of college up north and this will be the first time I'm casting my vote. I have spent a major portion of my time ever since I attained adulthood, online. A major portion of this time has been spent criticising the government while observing and commenting on the daily ongoings of the nation, state and my city . Tomorrow, all of this changes. Tomorrow, I cast my vote and I choose my representative. I cannot recklessly point fingers without feeling guilt, should the candidate/party I vote for come to power. Tomorrow, I grow up.

I have always blamed those older than me for not being prudent enough to choose the right representatives. I frowned upon those who said they refrain from voting because their vote does not matter; today, I feel pity for them and some anger too.

I know not of a single person in this beautiful nation who does not wish to pass a comment on the headlines. Be it in my gym or saloon or in the bus or at office, people like to discuss politics. These people are strangers, friends , family ... On Monday, when I am on the way to office if I find an adult talking about anything other than the IPL or Bollywood , I will walk up to them and ask them if they voted. If they reply in the negative, I will politely inform them that they have no right to comment upon something they did not help build.

India may not be the perfect democracy, heck it may not be a decent one either , but that is partly because people like you and me, people who can read, write, think and analyse , fail to take an hour off our "busy" Sunday schedules to cast a vote.

You know what we do? Us middle-class educated folks. We over analyse. We think we're geniuses who know exactly how numbers work and that one vote does not matter. Good morning dear, it does ! Every single vote counts. The system may be rotten. There may be proxy votes and voting cards in the names of people who passed away ages ago. Know this, by not voting you are increasing the value of that fake, illegitimate vote . You are making
those crooks get away with their schemes. You are making that paid vote's value higher than your diligent, 9-5 working neighbour's vote count less.

So please, I request you, nay, beg of you to take a few minutes off your schedule to choose the person you can point fingers at and question for the next five years . This is what makes India a democracy. We outrage, we curse, we weep and we argue, but at the end of the day we are, all of us, Indians. There are several citizens who travel tens of thousands of metres to cast their vote ; all I'm asking of you urban folks is to move your posh asses to the nearest polling booth and click on a button, any button that seems like a logical choice to you.

P.S : If you are one of those pessimists who refuses to vote because you think it really makes no difference, I have a small suggestion for you. Vote for the independent candidate who campaigned the least in your locality. Your vote might just save him/her the deposit money and a great deal of embarrassment .

Jai Hind !

Kaveri- The lifeblood

To be called "regional" and "selfish" is not something anyone wants. Yet, every single time the issue of sharing the Kaveri's water is brought up, I have to explain my stand on the issue to those close to me, and not, (usually in the virtual world) and it inevitably begins with Karnataka being labeled a villain. The most common response the residents of Karnataka get is, "learn to share."
My dear compatriots, one can't learn something one already knows. Karnataka contributes 53% of water to the Kaveri river basin and gets 37% in return. Tamil Nadu contributes 32% and gets 37% in return. Kerala contributes 14% and gets 4% in return. I do not wish to bore you with numbers, however I felt these were necessary.

Moving on, I wish to state that I am not against the sharing of water. No sane person (heck even an insane nationalist ) will have issues with that. Water is a national resource and must be shared. Shared how? shared judiciously. I refuse to remain a mute spectator when a mute PM who sits in Delhi and knows not what the ground scenario is, orders around one state to release a fixed amount of water on a daily basis. To this, your comeback will be that the honourable Supreme Court's judgement spells out similar terms. True, but we do live in a democracy and people do protest against Supreme Court rulings here.

Don't get me wrong; I am not siding with any politician or any political party here. They're all doing this to gain some sort of political momentum and the game of votebank politics is a dirty one. I am writing this as a common man, who is angry with the representatives of his state in the Central government for valuing their own seats more than the plight of the people they represent. I am angry with the state government for not doing enough to ensure that such a judgement of this nature was never passed in the first place. I am angry with every little scumbag who is trying to gain political clout using a real cause. *Takes a deep breath*

I am angry with the neighboring state's CM who was born in Melukote, which is in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district in Karnataka and was brought up in my very own city, Bangalore. (To those who don't know, she was once a cottonian, yes.)
I know for a fact that she is feared and respected by many in Tamil Nadu, but I guess she still feels the need to convince them that she has no soft spot for the state she was born in. I am also angry with the citizens of Bangalore for not taking up this cause as their own, earlier. We have as much to lose as the farmers do, perhaps more. I had no idea I was this angry, I swear. *Sips water*

I have had the privilege of travelling to most of the places on the Kaveri basin. I say traveled, what I mean is that my father served in these places and I have actually interacted with the people there. A visit to Thalakaveri will convince you of the sacred status of mother Kaveri. Thousands of farmers from both TN and Karnataka flock there and pray to her. The Kaveri is such an important part of lives in both states.

It is unfair for us to say we will not share it with them, just as it is unfair of them to expect us to release a fixed amount irrespective of the situation here. Be it in the ancient scriptures or in Airplanes .... one has to use one's own oxygen mask to survive first and then, help those around them.

Let us not fight over this matter. Please do not judge us for wanting to have a fair deal. It hurts to be called regional, and it hurts to be asked to learn to share. We are not monsters who want to see our very own neighbors struggle (that, we turn into during the IPL alone).

To those who are protesting, let it be in a peaceful manner. Never advocate anything violent, and most importantly... This is not war. This is not a battle between Kannadigas and Tamilians. Most certainly not the Tamilians who live in our own city. They are as Bangalorean as you and I, and are an integral part of our city's culture. I only pray that the protests remain peaceful and that a consensus can be reached, soon.

Jai Karnataka ! Jai hind !

P.S : If I have not bored you to death already, I urge you to read this article  and this blogpost as well.

My nation and my generation.

Blog posts written after a huge gap are like those awkward situations when you meet a friend after half a decade; you know you have a lot to discuss, but you just don't know where to begin. The last time I wrote something here: I was fresh out of college,my state had a different CM, Team Anna was still a team, Sushil Kumar Shinde was yet to figure out that he loved the taste of his foot more than anything else, and India was still in her 65th year of independence.

I am aware of the fact that few who were around in 1947 will read this.I know not if they would approve of the manner in which we "celebrate" our Independence Day, but who are "we?" The word "youth" has been misused in such a shabby manner that people my age are careful not to refer to themselves as "youth." 

The word is now used either as a synonym for hooligans or as an excuse for politicians to sneak their children into their rotten world.

It pains me to no end to see a word that denotes something so powerful and full of potential, put to shame.

We may not be the generation that got India her independence, we may not have taken over the reins of this great nation yet, but to those who are of the opinion that to "today's youth," the 15th of August is just another  

holiday, I beg of you to not write us off.

One quality India has retained over the years is the concept of a close-knit family. Most of today's "youth," grew up listening to either first-hand or second-hand accounts of what happened on that glorious day. Our text books had chapters on our freedom struggle. The greats aren't forgotten. Anyone who has ever formed a club or society has immense respect for the iron man of India.Every single time one struggles to draft a leave note, one can understand the effort that must have gone into drafting the constitution. I hear you scoffing; there lies the problem. Stereotypes exist, and this is one that has gone on for too long.

You say my generation doesn't care; I say it gives a fuck ! Our language, our style, and our methodologies may be different; but I assure you, you have taught us well. We may be a bunch of swearing, low-jeans-wearing punks whose headphones are always blaring. It may look like we are texting or tweeting while you discuss serious matters, but we're listening; we really are, and at the back of our heads, below the mohawks and afros,the wheels are in motion.

It may seem like I am talking to the generations before ours, but I am writing this for my generation too. A generation that seems to have accepted that it is exactly what it is labeled as. I urge you, nay, beg of you to rise to the occasion and do your bit for this epic nation.

P.S: Most of you make amends a.k.a resolutions on the 1st day of January, every year. Some of you do so on your birthdays. I choose my nation's birthday to do so and I wish to start by donating contributing a small portion of my already small first salary towards the future of my nation.

I chose to do so by supporting Ahambhumika . I have followed their wonderful work closely on twitter and am convinced that my money will be put to good use. They are an NGO striving to assist the Education of Children and Illiterate Adults and Self-Reliance and Gynecological Health and Hygiene of Rural Women.

In the words of Subrat Goswami : " We intend to start computer literacy

in a village namely MAHABADIA.distt.Bhopal for the underpriviledged
girl children.They are 30 in number.They attend our infomal literacy
centre namely MAHAK(Fragrance),where they are taught Hindi,English and
Mathematics.Out of 30 girl children 13 girl children attend school
regularly while others remain in their house taking care of their
siblings.The parents of these girl children work as daily wage
labourer in brick kilns,stone quarries and construction sites.They are
least interested to edcuate their children; specifically girl
children.After a lot of persuading we have been able to convince
them to leave their girl children to attend our literacy centre ( for
two hours daily except Monday ) to have at least basic edcuation.
We intend to start computer literacy for these girl children.And for
this we require around Rs.30K.The fund will be utilized to purchase  a
system and few basic books on computer literacy. The system purchased
with the fund raised will also be utilized to show the girl children
inspiring clippings  / documentaries/pictures.We will aslo share the
photographs
with the donors once the computer literacy is started in the said

village"

Subrat has also sent me pictures of the children benefiting from this initiative, and is willing to share them with anyone who is interested in helping out.(You can mail them on ahambhumika@gmail.com) No amount is small, and every rupee helps a child secure a better future. I urge you, especially my batchmates who've just started earning. We are in this position today because we had people willing to pay for the finest education available. Others aren't fortunate enough, but have a right to it. As responsible adults, who are citizens of this nation, it is our duty to try, at the very least, to give our kids a better India than the one we were born in.

Goodbye Rahul Dravid

Unparalleled in humility and a class apart,

The gentleman's game is his chosen form of art,

Rarely did he cause any tumult or uproar,  

Every stroke he played , made the dil maang more.

The epitome of Edison's definition of genius,

footwork that could only be described as ingenious,

That subtle smile and coy demeanor,

A simple life and an untarnished career  , (i dare thee to find one cleaner.)

Contributions went unnoticed, credit was left due ,

yet,not once did we see his face display a shade of (red) hue,

Never one to claim glory or hog the limelight,

Always played with his heart and fought his own silent fight.

Many a post shall be dedicated to you today, my humble sonnet is but one,

Watching you play , my dear sir, has been immense fun .

Piece of (my) mind on peace of mind

Every morning , after my customary prayer (especially when I’m home), I like to analyse the reason behind my actions. When I’m being frank with myself of course, the primary reason that comes to mind is that it makes my mom happy, that’s probably why I stood with folded hands and chanted shlokas whose meaning I was blissfully ignorant of (read ages 1 to 4)….as I grew up..I learnt more shlokas(hymns/chants) …learnt their meaning, the mythology behind most of them and praying has a whole new meaning today. This is where my train of thought ends on a normal day , but on certain mornings (we’ve all had them), you wake up feeling uber-philanthropic, today was one of those days. I decided to go a couple of steps further and reconstruct mankind’s journey in the path of prayer. (Disclaimer : I firmly believe that god blesses us equally but in different ways, some can write , some can dance whilst some can sing. Bluntly put , future passages may indicate an inclination of mine towards intellectual superiority of a subset of our species, bear with me) Curious creatures that they were, our ancestors were certainly intrigued by the collossal treasure-trove of magic that is mother nature , and what they couldn’t fathom was attributed to stronger and higher forces, probably resulted in nature-worship . Now all was well , but just like every house has a loo or two , society is incomplete without a couple of morons , and these ancient morons probably questioned the existence of a higher power or acted like jerks and started asking for a pic of the “force”, thereby resulting in the intelectually superior ones giving the higher power a form or in my religion’s case 3 crore forms . The point is , religion was just a way of praying , different paths formulated to suit different dumbasses and how hard or easy it was to convince them. Today , the definition of religion has changed radically , and I don’t need to go into details , still , I’m glad we have religions , because honestly , praying before a deity is easier than meditating upon one’s self and finding the answers to questions that have been haunting humans for millenia ….or is it??….ever been to tirupathi or vaishnodevi or any of the jyothir lingas ??… ever been to velankani or (purely assuming) golden temple or the jamma masjid?… when I asked my parents as to why we visit temples , the first answer I got was , for peace of mind …now … while that might be true in the case of a ganesha temple inside my colony ..I ask you..how ?…how does one find peace when sweaty people are yelling and pushing you around , cops are ready to lathi-charge you and you wait in a long queue or climb several flights of stairs …to what end …to see a well-decked idol whose 7 megapixel picture adorns my dad’s PC desktop …seems illogical …but divine grace has a way of showing you things ….that three second rendezvous with the idol (most of us close our eyes during those precious moments too) signifies that which is divine…knowledge,atman…call it what you will…and the struggle..including the chaotic path which leads to the inner sanctum signifies life itself…or any goal for that matter…peace of mind is not achieved by just closing one’s eyes and meditating…not in today’s world…only by going through all the ordeals and over all the hurdles that life hurls at you …while retaining the pieces of one’s mind can we achieve peace of mind…so next time you think of throwing a tantrum or questioning the motive behind visting a place of worship…think not of whether you are a religious person or not…religion is but a means to spiritiuality … faith and prayers are two very powerful tools…not because god will listen to them and answer…but because ..as you pray ..you’re listening to yourself and giving yourself hope which eventually manifests itself as strength…If even one of you reads this and starts to pray or if I renew your faith in prayer , then MY prayers have been answered . Jai hind !