Saturday, March 30, 2013

My Own Maharaj



When I was a child maybe was not aware of intricacies of Indian society. The entire world was presented to us in form of text books. Experiences at school and around were typical for a middle class non metropolitan (that time Pune at least in core Peth areas was non metropolitan. Incidentally school where I went used to admit people who shared same values and had same background maybe with one or two exceptions.  Real understanding of society came in very late when i went to IIT in 90s.  Also habit of reading helped understand further. With the profession, travel and internet came in realities of global context completing the experience.  So I can say pre 90s time slab for me was other era. One very important thing that has changed in both eras is a conscious attempt made by voices or forces around to hijack the plain unbridled respect, awe, reverence, worship I had for the great wise king Shivaji Maharaj. Not that these efforts of these people have resulted in diluting the same emotion I have for Maharaj in fact the respect has grown comparing today’s leaders. I can guess that many people with background like mine may have similar experience. When I say background I do not want to refer my caste or group this based on region, geography or religion. I just want to refer to people who grew up like me focussing on education to help us grow into international professions, aspired to take up global challenges be it in job or knowledge based entrepreneurship.  Today is Shivajayanti (by Indian Calendar and I had been thinking on these points for long.
Let me start explaining the unbridled reverence, worship, awe, respect I have for Maharaj (I prefer to call HIM like that). Maharaj created a kingdom challenging tyrannical alien rulers who had single handed religious and heinous agenda. His life is filled will continuous struggle and fight with these tyrants. He won every single moment against enemies and created unblemished record based on valour, wisdom, justice, truth and harmony for his subjects. He created example for pan Indian natives to respect own culture, religion and self esteem. He created a kingdom based on loyalty, self respect, self rule and self expression amidst a chaos reigning for centuries.  He stood for equality, respect for women and educated, native farmers and artisans. He created system which stood ground in those hardships. He had vision. The incidences like escape from Agra and panhala, total defeat and annihilation of evil invaders like Afzalkhan, shahistekhan, and many more... show his tact, daring and very intelligent statesmanship and hold over ground realities. Thinking global and acting local: a lesson for even today’s businesses. The long term vision is exemplified by the fact that moment he realized that Mirza Raje campaign was something most sinister threat for Hindavi swaraj that he decided to have treaty of Purandar to deflect direct suffering for subjects.  Going by facts for all the size of army and campaign, Mirza raje was not even able to conquer one fort of Purandar (thanks to bravery of unnamed occupants led by Murarbaji ). On the other hand he took on Afzalkhans and shahistekhans when they had captured much more territory than Mirza Raje. He created loyal supporters like Tanaji, Bajiprabhu, Shiva Kashid, Madari Mehtar, Hiroji, and many more who had believed in his just mission of creating self rule. He had many followers even in Muslims proving his broad vision. He respected enemies and was beyond any parochial outlook. He understood threats of British and other colonists who were mere traders then. No other so called emperors of India (even though they themselves came from central Asia) found these traders as threats. Of course what can you expect from another outside occupier?  Maharaj understood importance of Sea and Mountains for strategic defence. Attacks like 26/11 or 93 bombings would never have happed if his vigilant navy was guarding us today. We don’t learn from History. But what can we do as these is hidden agenda to manipulate history. For those growing up on Raja Shivchatrapati by B M Purandare, it’s something beyond words to express worship we had as a child and we now have as grownups for Maharaj.
Then let me tell you what i earlier meant when i feel my emotions are being hijacked
1.       Drawing Maharaj on caste line: This is the most disrespect we can do to once in a century leaders like Maharaj of for that matter visionaries and legends  like Tilak, Agarkar, Shahu maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Maharshi Karve, Dr Babasaheb  Ambedkar, Savarkar.  These people are so great and it’s very imperative for mere mortals like us to respect them beyond caste, religion, boundaries, and states. These are world leaders and definitely need Pan Indian respect. But today’s leaders based on narrow and selfish interest brand these leaders based on their castes and hidden agenda. I feel some people are making intentional attempt to let people like us realize that we are not needed in worshipping HIM.
2.       Dividing society by his name
Some people are creating needless controversies to divide the society already so divided on caste lines. Certain saints and historical characters are purposefully deleted from history and mention. I don’t care if these characters played role in history as believed and historical research is something which should be left to academics. But what I request is not to divide society creating needless controversies. Maharaj spent his life uniting society (Maratha Tituka Melavava). Aren’t we doing disrespect to his legacy?
3.       Undermining very important aspects of his life, teachings and legacy
a)      Creating false notions about insiders/outsiders and diluting main cause and philosophy his life story is based on.
Now i see secular media, politicians and thought leaders deflecting most important teachings like respect of self, religion, culture and self governance. They just see Maharaj as someone who created justice based kingdom out of subjects. The whole life of Maharaj is based on fighting evil outside tyrants. Please note these existing tyrannical rulers were not people of land but outsiders who had an agenda to rule. They were not any other ordinary ‘unjust’ rulers from native dynasties or local dacoits or misguided villains. Yes and he was secular in true sense as he had many followers from other religion and castes as well. He was champion of creating that self respect and belief needed to carte self rule, justice and benevolent, socially developmental regime.
b)      Highlighting only few  greatness points out of complete 360% projection of his greatness
These days as you see any article describing his greatness revolves around only some points of his greatness. These days’ historical facts like defeat of Afzalkhan or Shahistekhan are no more highlighted.  His vision and valour defeating enemies is not highlighted as it was highlighted when I was child. Only the points like how his kingdom was secular or how he was king of farmers, how he created efficient systems as rulers are the only topics discussed publically. Yes he was a great king, he was king of farmers and he created very deep and detailed governance system. His love for farmers and subjects is incomparable in history. And we used to know these points of HIS greatness even when we were child. And its good that these points are highlighted but his main teachings are diluted while doing that for some obvious ‘secular’ agenda.  But I am not sure our next generation know nuances of all epic battles like that of Purandar, Javali, Panhala, surat will be known with details like what we used to do. That’s why i love the song from film Me shivajiraje bhosale boltoy on battle of pratapgad.
4.       Continuing  with erstwhile prejudices
The leaders in Maharashtra after Tilak in congress mainstream (Please note that Savarkar was never in congress mainstream), have history of genuflecting towards high command.  Right from Nehru, the so called Pan Indian leaders and ill informed and uninterested public outside Maharashtra continue to have jaundiced outlook towards life and legacy of Maharaj. We have seen in past all and sundry and so called ‘mass leaders’ quoting on Maharaj wrongly then apologizing when issues backfired. Even today our leaders fail to highlight Pan Indian cause of Maharaj outside Maharashtra.  Maharaj had pan Indian impact of undermining unjust outside dynasties and which resulted in modern India based on his vision (though in between there was British rule which took up vacuum created by Maharaj’s successful challenge to so called Pan Indian outside dynasties). He did not have time span in life to spread his pan Indian vision (except few kingdoms) to the other parts of India or maybe successive Maharashtrian rulers failed to take on from where he had left resulting in British rule.  Sambhaji raje was an exception wherein he took on four strong enemies and kept them at bay for 8 years with sheer vision and tact. Sadly he was a victim of treachery.  It’s very high time that our leaders of today end these pan Indian prejudices.
Now who are these forces /voices who try to hijack my own emotions for Maharaj from me?  I do not want to pin point neither have any interest in doing so as there are some public faces subscribing to this process or there may be very obvious hidden bigwigs behind these forces.  No idea.  
And I might be wrong as well that anyone apart from me feels like above. But one thing is sure that personality like HIM will not be born again. That’s why he was gugpurush (man of the era), yugkarta (creator of an era).  And these great people are born once in millennium...
Salute to my own Maharaj.......

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

End Season (discounted) analysis


At the start of season we knew assignments would be easy as we had home conditions compared to 11 and 11-12 where we had 8 tests in eng and Aus. We suffered 0-8 loss. Thanks to almighty when we had transition phase then.  We had young players who were raw and untested and fitness levels where anti athletics like me could have beaten established players.
Indian international cricket calendar has come to an end for 12-13 season. It started with India vs NZ in India followed by ICCt20 in srilanka, India vs England 4 tests in India  followed by T20s and ODIs, antinational pakis playing ODIs and t20s which i boycotted as to protest (as if it mattered) and finally Ind  vs. Aus  4 test series.  So what are the signs based on this season
1.       Dhoni changed his laid back attitude in tests and he was able to shed some heavy weights in test and ODIs (eg VVS, RD in test and Gambhir and Viru in limited overs cricket).
2.       Emergence of new kids on the blocks: Pujara, Vijay, Dhavan, Jadeja, and re-emergence of Kohli, Ashwin, Dhoni and Ozha. These people showed their merit by means of consistent performances and positive intent. Though would have loved Rahane to produce innings of significance in final test as well Jadeja showing more skills with bat. That’s most positive of this season than results as they forebode good outcome. Now only question how this young brigade will cope in SA , AUS and ENG?
3.       Indian bowling esp fast bowling had one answer ie. Bhuvanesh kumar who can be used with desired results in SA, Aus and Eng provided he remains fit. Ishant sharma can be potent force as he has exhibited in those climes. Fitness of Varun, Yadav, and rest remain mystery though thanks to BCCI whims and fancies on their fitness of fast bowlers including zaheer khan. That’s is main thing to be focussed for SA13
4.       Nothing and no one is indispensable including the Master blaster as he is in need to perform as to justify why is not retiring. Though many of my friends would find this meaning sacrilege but already I have documented what HE means to me but as all good things come to an end so be HE and preferably not as risk of team interest.
So while i don’t know implication of yet another jail escape for England in NZ thanks to 10 th wicket and Monty, i assume that India end up as No1 ODI team (confirmed) and no2 (or 3 in worst case) Test team for this season it’s a good start for next season which comprises of Champions trophy in Eng , ODI home series against Aus,  4 test series in SA, 3 test series in NZ. (not counting IPL and CTT20).
Wishing young India brigade all the  best in hostile conditions and wishing HIM to prevail upon non entities and critics who don’t count at all as compared to HIS stature .  It’s time for midsummer night dreams and commercial space for something as inconsequential like IPL but morons like us still will enjoy as compared to shit produced by major popular channels in fiction and news media(as biased as they are clamouring for unproven but convicted celebrity terrorist . Lage raho ‘bhai’ and i mean cricket brethren.....

Monday, March 18, 2013

Another Day in Office


Indian monsoons these days are not like what they used to be fifteen years back. In fact life is not what like it used to be fifteen years back. World two decades ago seemed like a different world, a different planet, experienced by a different human being whose name I still carry on my visiting card as Director of company launched ten years ago by that same human being. That human being also had the same name as written on name plate on new pent house I bought last year, and on registration of my new car which was launched last week by the Car company which itself was launched in India fifteen years back during new liberal era ushered upon in India by now Prime Minister who was Finance Minister then.


I had read in morning paper that Monsoons were receding and some rains were predicted. Day started brightly as usual. It was sunny as I completed reading daily papers with my cursory glances, dropped everyone to their respective occupations in family and reached office.

Day at office was hectic as usual. It started with daily  overseas calls, meetings to plan the work , planning the meetings, monitoring projects,  few interviews to replace employees on notice, employee communication, client communication to explain the most hot issue of change management, supervising the draft  proposal for prospective work from existing client, checking on facebook as to who is doing what, commenting on business political topics, envying those on vacations, knowing who ate which cuisine last night, getting mobile calls from banks and insurance companies who wanted to sell me something which I do not need, celebrating birthday of a young employee joined recently, completing pending client status reports, rejecting offer from friends to 'sit out' somewhere to enjoy the Wednesday evening owing to call late in the night, had managed to take out few minutes while having lunch to speak with spouse while reading economic times.

As the day turned into evening outside, had no clue that clouds had gathered and a clear day turned out into balmy windy and dark evening. I normally have no time to check outside weather but today I had managed to take a glimpse of outside from the glass exterior of my 5th floor office while fetching coffee from the machine which is at other end of my cabin. There are days when I don’t have a single trip outside my cabin loaded with work and meetings. But today felt like having coffee which was very rare on such kind of day.  Thus as days turn into nights, monsoon to autumn, winters to summers, miss out on this daily theatrical show offered by nature. That's what is about life; we miss out many things going for kill, going for something intangible. Of course there are moments of weekends; holidays where you can speak to yourself and detach yourself from happenings around but such moments are very rare these days. These 3G networks don't allow you that as well now days. Even on vacations, you need to check mails, fb, gtalk whatever....

As the clouds roared, I was worried about employees who will man the BPO for the night. Honestly I am not worried about them but about the fact that on such evenings someone or other feels like reporting sick or has some family emergencies.  My poor Ops manager has his own set of problems. I feel for him on such days. Terror is unending as depicted in a beautiful Lata song. Fifteen years back such evening would have resulted in calling group of friends and venture out for a long drive to get drenched, have onion pakodas and chill out. Now I bother about traffic jams, water logging, and power and network outage. I checkout if my family reached home on time which they have.  By the time my night shift staff got settled I decided to go home. It was Eight PM.  I sent my final email, closed my laptop and then again after some discussions finally entered into elevator.


As I enter the elevator, I am approached by Ops manager that six of employees on one major acct have not come and they have month end to finish. Though we have backups but not for six employees on single project. I ask him to call each of them and request them to come when rain subsides. I transmit client pressure to Ops manager. I go back to my cabin lecture him on how client has raised queries last month on some missing line items and how I had to convince him. I don’t want to do that again on first US working day of next month.  Meanwhile I see workload on other client account and nominate those with fewer loads to this job. My head starts wheeling and banging. Ops manager comes in saying 2 people have complied and will reach office soon. I instruct him further on some process contingencies and certain report to be sent on priority and rest to be done upon completion. My headache is accompanied by some stomach butterfly feeling which I attributed to tea I had at six PM. I mailed my US account manager about the plan and then talked to the same guy. Now I am going crazy, I have a vomiting sensation, my head is banging, and I need to leave.

I just mechanically rushed to the elevator and by the time I reach down as I could smell rain and heard its noise. I felt calm.  The head ache was gone, so were the stomach ailments. I entered into my car in the basement by quarter to Nine with fifteen more minutes to go for old songs to start on FM stations. These days I don’t like anything that’s contemporary be it music, movies or anything. Some people call it mid life crisis.

It’s raining heavily by now. Road has a stream gushing from up hill. I tread my vehicle knowing that with the clearance my vehicle has; there should not be any problem. I splash water onto few poor pedestrians who had bad time holding on to their umbrellas. What on earth made these people venture out in rains that too without vehicle? How insensitive you can be looking at world from your eyes. Fifteen years back maybe I would have been at receiving end of the splash and still enjoy it. There is one small lane branching off the main road to take a short cut to reach bypass highway which is my daily route while returning. This lane has some buildings with residents but is kind of deserted and badly lit even on normal days but today it was pitch dark and totally deserted. I put on upper light. Viper is at maximum. Suddenly I see a man dressed in white shirt and tie with a brief case in hand asking for a lift. He was middle aged and looked corporate types.  Normally these days you don’t dare give anyone lift. I have heard about many crime and mugging incidences. I wonder what to do. Should I zoom pass him and leave him to his fate or help him? I slow down. His dress, look and feel helped me feel secure as he sounded a mid level executive of some reputed company. Maybe he got stuck because of his bad luck. The stranger also reminded me of my diseased maternal uncle who used to dress similarly and was of similar age when he used to come to our place till fifteen years back. Those memories flashed and made me press on brake pedal and stop around twenty meters ahead of him. He came near the car and spoke to me in proper English

" Sorry for bothering you, but I was supposed to be picked up by my company vehicle which has broken down and have to reach station to catch night train back to Solapur"

"Can you please drop me to the bus station from where I can catch bus to the railway station?

 Bus station he mentioned is on my way, I nodded.

“Sorry I am wet. Do you have any newspaper so that I wont make your passenger seat wet?"

I think I have few in my dickey. So I said him that they are in the dickey.

“That’s fine I will take them out” he said. I opened the dickey as he goes behind the vehicle. He comes back with an old paper and a plastic cricket bat which my daughter had left during some outdoor picnic.  

That flashed the sentiment of longing for my daughter. Whenever I think of her, there is a feeling which can only be described by something warm, welcome, caring.  It is the same feeling which I used to get when I was a child. It is the same feeling when I saw my parents returning late by few hours when they had kept me with some relative promising that they will return in half an hour. 

 Zooming back to present I thought why on earth this man pulled out plastic bat from dickey.

“You have a kid, he must be missing his bat at home so I thought I could remind you of a small bat in dickey as I am sure it must have been lying there for months if not years”, said he.

 I remember our trip to Mulshi in June. It seems like yesterday and three months had passed and so had monsoons.

I said “Oh thanks maybe my daughter is missing her bat. Will take it home for sure today”

He settled inside and we started the journey

We reach the bypass highway and join the speedy vehicles rushing past. Rain grew stronger

Stranger said “I am Ashish Kulkarni from Solapur.”  Name sound familiar but I knew of at least 500 odd Kulkarnis in Maharashtra and US. This is a kind of name you will find anywhere and any search on facebook or linkedin will generate at least 500 results.

He asks my name, am hesitant, I comply. Asks me about my native village, occupation

I tersely tell him software nowadays you don’t trust strangers, Software is a vast spectrum from 5k earning trainees earning five thousand to VPs earning three crores and above.

“What kind of  Software?  I know computers but my education stopped when windows was just about to arrive. I had taken a course in NIIT for 3 months but learnt nothing but to open lotus   sheet on pc XT. IT was late 97. After that I did not have any opportunity”

I remembered those days when IT was new. Days of y2k, dot coms etc. That was time we jumped into IT, now we talk about clouds, Android, IOS. Lot has happened in fifteen years

Looking at the bat asked me how old is my daughter. I told her age.

Putting down the bat, he said calmly “I came to your house when you were twelve years old.”

I am shocked

“You mean to say you know me. You must be joking”

How the hell he remembered my face after twenty six yrs and after having added at least 60-70 kgs on me in those twenty six years.

Now he tells my school name, my love for cricket, my peculiar habit of mixing rice, chapati and dal to make it faster to eat so I can run out to play

We suddenly are slowed by a bottleneck on highway, bus station is 5 minutes away but traffic will take me 15 minutes for sure and I am with someone I don’t know but who knows me very well.

So I ask him do you know my father or anyone from our family. I was searching for all kulkarnis in my memory. And another clue was solapur.

Yes he said: I know your maternal uncle Kiran Deshpande: kiranmama. Then it struck me that the uniform was from the same company where kiranmama used to work

Kiranmama was someone special.  I was someone nondescript in my family who had no aim but to play cricket on street and watch on television. I never used to score more than 65%. But somehow Kiranmama had special attention for me. He used to tell my family that I had great potential be it studies or whatever I do.  He was my favorite. I used to remember evenings he used to take me out to gardens whenever he came to Pune. We ate snacks forbidden at house. We used to go to his place in vacation. Those used to be best days. As he said, I did well in Xth but surprise came in XII and IIT when I scored big and made good career. His prophecy was correct. As I went to IIT, I used to write letters to him. Yes those days I used to write letters. As I joined my first job after IIT, we partied in real sense as he welcomed me to adulthood. It was so macho to get drunk….

And one fine morning in late 97, I was visiting Pune on a weekend, we all woke up on call in about the accident which happened earlier night and all of us attend his funeral in Solapur then. Kiranmama and one of his colleagues were bumped off by a truck while returning from office.


Suddenly traffic speeds up, I am back to present which is tense.


I asked him “Do you still work Kiranmama‘s office?”


“I don’t”


But then realized that the company was closed in mid naughties, I remember someone from Kiranmama’s family telling me that in 2005.


I wanted to ask him then why is he wearing that company dress.


“Kiran was a good man” He goes on. “I was very close to him. He got me in the company using his good books with the then company GM. We used to work hard when we were bachelors and spend weekends together. Then we got married had children but we has a strong bond”.


“And let me tell you, you were his favorite nephew. He was so proud when you stood in state merit list and got into IIT. He would have been proud seeing your status today”


But then he said “Kiran missed out on seeing his son doing so good in life as you. That should be his only regret after living a good but short life.”


He turns to me and asks “Hope you are doing fine. Do you have any regrets in life?”



Normally I get sick of such philosophical talk. I ignored


After a small pause, he put on his spects. Turned towards me and said in a very deep voice

 “ Let me tell you why I am here. I am here for message, Today is your last day in office, I mean last day in life as well. 


I braked car to halt as cars behind started honking.


Was it a practical joke?  I could see the bus station 500 meters away. Was that a joke gone wrong or he wanted to be philosophical or was he insane.


Then suddenly I recall my trip in 97, on that night when Kiranmama had died, someone else was critically injured and later succumbed to injuries. I could remember face of small girl who was daughter of Kiranmamas’ colleague and her mom. I suddenly remember name on ICU ward : Kiran Deshpande and Ashish Kulkarni…….


The world started turning around for me. No this can be happening.  This guy is playing some jokes.


I went back to 97. I remembered his face in local papers next day in obituary column. And lightening stuck me. What if he is a ghost and if he is so then am I going to die?


Now his old uniform, his interrupted computer education, everything he said fell in place in time sense of things.


I do not want to die. I have responsibility to my family. I have to play with my daughter. I want to see her grow. I want to see myself retiring nicely. How would my daughter cry when she knew that? What will my wife do? How will my parents take this? 


Office and related matters which mattered most till five minutes back, seemed to be last worry. In fact it never stuck then what will happen to my client, employees? But strangely I stuck me that how my CA will manage wealth so my family will not suffer. What if someone frauds??  . So ultimately it was again about family.  Many thoughts just flashed in few seconds. Whole images about past memories mostly good ones zoomed.  So life is about good memories.



I look at man, he had know it all smile and some serenity.

He said “Son my message has been delivered. Look even we have reached the bus stand “.I never realized that I was driving blindly for last few moments. I halted the car. He simply walked off into crowd of umbrellas near the bus station.


I am dazed, I am sweating, again my headache starts to roll off, and I feel like vomiting,


And there is a big knock on the car door and there was a huge guy in black overcoat asking me to open my door. Was it Mr death? I pass off


I open my eyes,  I am in my cabin, There was crowd outside my cabin, The guy with black rain coat was watch man who was trying to break lock of my cabin. My cell phone had 18 missed calls from wife, parents, office ops manager, office boy.


Later I came to know that I was unconscious in my room all the while.No one realized but my wife upon not knowing my where about called everyone and someone realized that I was in the cabin not responding to anything even after knocking for 5 minutes and thus had called watchman to break open the door locked from inside

Immediately they rushed me to hospital, my BP had shot up 200-140, I missed a stroke narrowly. It could have been anything even paralysis if I was not so lucky.

Month after that I am again in office but still cannot forget face of late Ashish Kulkarni. I have learnt lesson hard way that family matters most. Maybe I was given a warning, a new perspective,   from someone Iike Kiranmama from the other world who loved me so much.

I have taken this seriously and promise to do what I missed.  I will not get hyper on office matters, I will plan my legacy, I will spend more time with daughter and family, I will focus on health. And I will treat every day in office as just another day of fine journey which we call as life.

Just to complete the narrative and very small fact which came upon me few days later. I remembered that on the morning of that fateful day, I happened to accidentally gaze upon the 15th death anniversary photo published by Late Ashish Kulkarni’s daughter who is now an IT employee of reputed company after being recruited from one of the top engineering campuses in country. Kiranmama’s son also has gone abroad for higher studies.  I imagine how Kiranmama would have enjoyed US visits and success of his son. Wish life is not as unfair as it was to him.

But then this is life. You have to treat it just as another day in office and you will agree that offices are not fair to everyone. Point is what you make out of this extra day in office……

Note: The characters and events depicted are fictitious and any resemblance to anyone living or dead is coincidental. Though issues are real, human and universal…..