Just write

When you want to write, you should just write. Sometimes the best of ideas invade your brain when you are not thinking – just writing. It is essential to give vent to those feelings which are nameless and have stayed bottled up in your heart for months. You don’t know what to do with them and yet cannot dispose them off. Why? Is it because they or the people whose entry in your life accumulated those feelings still refuse to leave your heart even though they are no longer in your life? That’s tricky. I came across a wonderful quote this morning. It said- ‘One morning I woke up and decided that I don’t want to feel like this anymore, ever again. So I changed it.’ Simple, candid and deep. 

Writing is great to get rid of those 'don't want to feel like this anymore' kind of thoughts. It is so easy and comforting to write to myself because I don’t have to worry about people reading and commenting about how good or bad the write-up it is. Nobody is judging you then nor discussing if the flow of events in the article is correct or the content structure is consistent. That freedom means the world to a writer! In fact, these moments of madness or carefree writing help the structured or more serious writing to develop in your mind - the kind that can be refined and shared with a larger audience. When uploading content to a blog also- edits become important even though I think – this one should be posted as is.

So, writing to myself is the best part of writing! It just lets me be me and stay happy, smiling at the notepad at my desk or the empty word document on my laptop screen. Total bliss. 
Write more, think less while random writing. Give in to your writing urges. Just write – not for others, not to make money, not to be famous, nor for any other reason. Write so that you feel like writing more. Every written word does not need to be published. Write so that you fall in love with the writer in you all over again. Write because you love writing more than anything in this world. Write because you need to spoil that wicked little brain of yours every now and then. Love yourself. Write uninhibited. 

Loving Your City

A city says a lot about its people.  To a great extent, the environment we inhabit shapes our personality.  A city can make a person a hero, a romantic, an artist, a martyr, a rebel etc.  Just like our upbringing defines us, the city we reside in contributes in multiple ways to nurture and nourish our individuality. When we move to a new city, we embrace the culture, the society and a new set of people. Settling in a new place has its own teething problems. But some places attract you instantly and before you realize you are in love with the place. It may be due to the people you meet, the weather, a new college, job or house, or simply the character of the city. The chemistry we share with a city we love can only be felt.

Of the few places I have been fortunate enough to explore and spend some time in, there are some places I can never get enough of.  Every visit seems incomplete and there is always a reason or an excuse to go back.

My top five in random order are as follows:

Kolkata (Calcutta), India

This is my city and I belong here. Though I prefer the name Calcutta to Kolkata, that doesn’t make the city any less lovable.  The city gave me more than I ever expected –A loving liberal family, friends for life, education to cherish, a beautiful childhood, adorable pets, a treasured adolescence, and more.  My love for books, music, and cricket started from Kolkata. Whether as a student of history, an animal lover, a foodie, or an employee – Kolkata has encouraged me to grow, learn, appreciate, and endure. Despite the bad traffic, poor roads, dismal government and other shortcomings, Calcutta will always be home.  There is much more to the city than I can ever attempt to summarize in a paragraph. Someday, I will write at length on Calcutta.

Mumbai (Bombay), India

The effervescence and energy of Mumbai attract me more than anything else. Bombay exudes this get-up-and-go spirit that makes you want to love life all over again no matter how tough your challenges are. The best part of this cosmopolitan city is the sea. The sea and I share a great rapport, which keeps both of us happy! I enjoy the vastness of the sea the most during the rains. On the flip side, Mumbai has bad traffic, bad traffic, and bad traffic. But I am lucky to have my workplace near home J. I have good friends here and I started actively contributing to my blog after moving to this city. Mumbai has given me a new taste of independence coupled with an increased sense of responsibility. This is the city that makes me believe in dreams and miracles.

Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India

I don’t know of anyone who has visited Manali and not fallen in love with the city! This picturesque hill station in Himachal Pradesh, India is among the most sought-after tourist destinations in India. I have been to Manali twice and each experience was novel. Perhaps that is the magic of the city – you find newness each time you meet the city. The breathtaking landscape – the pristine beauty of snow-capped mountains, lush-green dense forests and crystal clear water of the Beas River –Manali can make a writer or photographer out of any ordinary mortal. If you are artistically inclined, this is the place to be. Unfortunately, only residents of the hill states can buy property here. This hill station always welcomes me with open arms.

Sydney, Australia

I have been to Sydney, Australia just once – three years back, thanks to the organization I work with. The experience was fabulous. It is a city that gives you more than you can imagine. The weather is amazing and the dynamic nature of the city mesmerizes you. For me, it was as if the city was daring me to perform better, to pursue my dreams, to stay positive and to stay fit. The happiness among the people there is infectious. A clean, green city with the bountiful sea – Sydney gives an out-of-the-world feeling to any first timer. For a lover of cricket, Sydney had an added attraction – the Sydney Cricket Ground. I have to go back to the city and explore it in its totality again.

Pune, Maharashtra, India

Pune is second home.  The weather here is romantic and comforting. I have been staying in Pune for a few days now and I feel that in several ways, Pune is like Calcutta- the simplicity in people, their love for arts and culture, the zest for education et al. I can sense an inexplicable spiritual power in this city. I feel at home every time I visit Pune.  It is a busy city and almost everyone here owns a two-wheeler, just like Chandigarh. But Pune has a character of its own. Even amid the hustle-bustle of city life, you will manage to find your quaint corner here. I like spending time reading or writing in this beautiful city. The adjoining areas in the outskirts of the city add to the beauty of Pune (Lonavla, Khandala, Sinhgad, Khadakvasla, Lavassa and more).

Finally, I have to mention Goa for all its charm and spontaneity. Though it doesn’t qualify as a city, the Indian state of Goa is like a mega-city. This is one place where I feel totally at peace with the surroundings. You can relax, play, work, chat, write, click pictures – or do nothing and still enjoy Goa. I have been to Goa several times and I wish to keep it that way- at least once a year. Again, the sea in Goa is the main attraction. Sometimes the sea is ruthless and wild; in some beaches it comes forth as calm and peaceful. In few others, the sea is playful. It is very difficult to leave the seashore and go back to your home or hotel while staying in Goa. The scenic beauty captivates you and there is a sense of fulfillment. The spirit and character of Goa has not changed over the years. Perhaps that’s what makes the state so special.

It's all about priorities!

More often than not, I have seen that the most successful and happy people are the ones who have got their priorities right. After all, life is all about priorities. Setting your goals, prioritising them, aligning them with activities and evaluating the results to see what you have achieved - that kind of sums it up.

Yes, there are those unplanned times when everything goes for a toss and dealing with the circumstance becomes your top priority. For instance, dealing with a sudden loss- death of a loved one, sudden health issues, natural calamity, robbery, infidelity, breach of trust and so on. Coping with the loss, accepting it and springing back to normal takes enormous strength and is time consuming. But it has to be done - nonetheless.

Coming back to planned priorities - I believe each one of us can lead a healthy, happy and successful life by setting our priorities right. Making a decision always makes life peaceful. Setting priorities help in the decision making process too. So when you have a goal and some other peripheral springs up, your top priority irons out your indecisiveness and enables you to make a just decision. For me at least, setting priorities help me decide better.

Sometimes when we are at the crossroads and suddenly have too many things on our plate - we tend to get swayed by the most attractive item on the platter. We look at it as an attractive opportunity and grab it without much thought. However a little later, we realize that in our sudden zest to conquer something we never wanted to, we have neglected the dream that we have cherished for years. We don't even realize when this 'back up' or 'stop-gap' became our life and when we lost track of our 'top priority'. When realization dawns on us, there is resentment and regret. Sometimes, it becomes too late to restart work on the goal we had set for ourself 'once upon a time'. Under these circumstances people tend to get into a depression.

So - the rule is quiet simple. If you have a dream- dont lose sight of it. In my latest favorite book #Manuscript Found in Accra, Paulo Coelho sums it up beautifully. He says, when you are running towards your dream, it is also running towards you and is equally excited to meet you. So, if you love your dream, keep running. If you stop, it will stop coming towards you too. In The Alchemist, there was a further elaboration of this thought. It said, when you really want something, you get signs that show you the path towards it. We call these omens. However, if you keep neglecting them or postponing them thinking you will do them later - after a while they stop appearing. The signs vanish and suddenly you realize after y-e-a-r-s

that you never found the time to do what you always wanted to do. That's because you never had the time to set your priorities.

If love and family is your top priority - ensure you have the time and the intent to do all that you have always wanted to do for a loved one. The most important thing here being- spending time with them and loving them.

If a particular career option is on your priority list - make it happen. Don't subdue it and force it to subjugate under a backup career. Sometimes, taking a RISK is the best decision to make.

It is always good to have a second career option in mind. But sometimes it is dangerous too. Why

dangerous? Because it has a tremendous pull - a pull that can take you away from your top priority. Don't let it happen. If it helps, write down your priorities somewhere. Everyday, just look at them once. It will help you stay focused. It is helping me :)

Good luck to everyone who has a dream and a priority plan to make it happen.

Write, write, write!

Blogging was never planned!

I enjoy writing and was always comfortable jotting down thoughts in a diary or bits on pieces of paper. Earlier this year when I went home to Kolkata, I was looking through my old diaries, albums etc and smiling to myself. I thought-- God, I really wrote all this and so much of it? Some poems made me laugh (they were silly!) and some write-ups were decent-ish :p. But if I was to write them today, would they be different? Perhaps not.. if I was jotting them down on paper. For one, scribbling to myself helped me write in a certain flow--uninterrupted, happy and peaceful.

Writing a blog perhaps helps one plan their write-ups better (not that I planned to write this one though). Before publishing, am sure everyone reads their draft one more time--thinking about the audience reading it. Even if nobody reads, we still revise the draft once! Writing on paper gives you more independence--you can write anything and everything because you are writing to yourself.

Nevertheless, I enjoy writing on my blog these days. When I joined blogspot, I had a dormant account for over a year. After I 'published' my first post, I thought a few times, 'should I just delete it?'. And there was a funny feeling--publishing my own work! I always related 'publishing' to well...publishing. Then I don't know when, I got used to writing on the web.

However, I still write on paper. I love notebooks--the ones with handmade paper or the ones with decorative covers. I once had a notebook with a Jaipur print cover. It was beautiful and I loved writing in it. Even today, I like collecting beautiful and ethnic looking notebooks and diaries. They have a nice fragrance in them too, just like old books. I just love the old book smell.

In the end, its all about writing after all! We look for experimenting with different media when it comes to penning our thoughts. Whether one writes on a banana leaf, on the sand, on rocks, on walls, on paper, or over the net- writing is a friend who always stands by your side--in happiness, in sorrow, in pain, and in celebrations!

Cheers to writing and writer friends!