THE TRAFFIC!

Traffic that ends never,

Smoke that rises up in the air.

Watches that commuters keep a watch on,

Songs that keep playing on and on.

Oh must this wait end soon,

Very soon.. Really soon.

THE BUBBLE

Let’s prick the bubble,
That once made you smile.
The smile was beautiful,
Oh it was incredible!

Let’s prick the bubble,
That once made you cry.
Ocean of tears,
Tears of fury.

Let’s prick the bubble,
Because you must.
Don’t be scared,
Don’t hesitate.

Let’s prick the bubble,
For it was temporary.
Bitter and sweet memories,
It did carry.

Let’s prick the bubble,
It’s meant to go away.
Only your true self must remain,
And you, all the way!

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

Intellectual property rights - an extremely comprehensive term and a conflict in itself. Looking at the history of this concept, WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) became an agency in 1974, but its roots go back to 1883 when the need for international protection of intellectual property prompted the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and to 1886 with the Bern Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Some critics of intellectual property, such as those in the “free culture movement”, characterize it as intellectual protectionism, intellectual monopoly or government-granted monopoly, and argue the public interest is harmed by protectionist legislation such as copyright extension, software patents and business method patents. So when a person A says “It’s my idea and therefore I should protect it.” On the contrary, a person B says “It’s your idea and let the world use it. We live in a sociable world after all!”

Both the ideas are contradictory in nature and leave a layman only baffled. Under intellectual property law, owners are granted certain exclusive rights to a variety of intangible assets, such as musical, literary, and artistic works; discoveries and inventions; and words, phrases, symbols, and designs. Common types of intellectual property include copyrights, trademarks, patents, industrial design rights and trade secrets in some jurisdictions. It is natural that a person who has written a novel by putting years of hard work into it would not want it to be illegally distributed among masses. This is precisely the reason why that person will get his work “copyrighted”.

Here is another scenario which talks about “patents” on anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs to fight AIDS. Out of humanity, anyone would say that every AIDS patient deserves humanitarian care and medicinal treatment, irrespective of where s/he is from or the laws of his/her Country. The patents on ARVs limit the freedom to manufacture these life-saving drugs and also hike the cost of treatment, thereby barring most patients from obtaining such treatment. It is natural to say that patents should be removed on such drugs.

This never-ending debate continues. Sounds like a vicious circle, doesn’t it? Just like the two sides of a coin, “intellectual property rights” presents to us both the humane and inhumane nature of mankind. There is no “right” or “wrong”. It depends on how we look at it. Here’s a thought that I am going to leave you with.

Where there is an invention, there is a possibility of better living. How- is the question!

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property

http://wapedia.mobi/en/Criticism_of_intellectual_property

http://debatewise.org/debates/999-all-patents-should-be-removed-on-anti-retroviral-drugs-to-fight-aids#point_5081_headline

(Footnote: I am working in the field of Intellectual Property Rights for the past (almost) one year and interestingly, it both appeals and not appeals to me! I had written this article for my company's newsletter and have tried to bring about both the positive and negative aspects of IPR!)

THE FEAR

You thought you are a free bird.

You thought you can perch on any tree you want.

But little did you know not every tree welcomes visitors.

The tree owners were perilous,

Blood thirsty eyes and pointed claws.

You shivered, you shuddered, you let out a shriek.

You reconsider your idea of perching on any tree.

UP AND DOWN

Yes I think I know what I may do.
So paint the town red and the sky blue?

Surely not so, the artist in me spoke.
Splattering colors is not a joke.

The world looks like a canvas to me.
With dreams and spirit set free.

Red Cherry, Yellow Pumpkin,Green Grass, Blue Sea.
Oh Look! How pretty they be.

Ordinary men and women, or extraordinary bat and ball.
Painting puts life in all.

(Footnote : Now read it in a reverse order - start with the bottom-most line and end with the top-most line. Its a poem nevertheless. An ambigram poem is what I call it.)

AND IT CONTINUES...

Julia : Zen philosophy is brilliant. I am in love with it. Just so you know, the whole point of Zen practice is to become fully aware, here and now. Meditation is one of the ways to attain that state.

Roger : Yes yes. Truly interesting (clears throat). Hey tell me something, is mediation also the reason for the healthy glow on your skin? (chuckles)

Julia : Xerif has spoken! Oh I am so blessed. Thanks so much for the kind words (rolls eyes).

Roger : Whatever that means. So what’s for dinner?

Julia : Vegetables!

Roger : Usually, we eat fish on Tuesdays. Don’t we?

Julia : There is no fish in the freezer. So, can’t help it.

Roger : Sure. And why do you have to get all grouchy suddenly?

Julia : Reason would be..umm..yes here - For the umpteenth time, you were sarcastic!

Roger : Queer. I just asked a plain question. Is meditation doing well to your skin!

Julia : Predominantly that meant “Why exactly are you wasting time on meditation?”

Roger : Oh! I so did not realize that. Anyway, let’s eat something. I am famished!

Julia : No! Not unless you apologize to me!

Roger : Me? Apologize? For what?

Julia : Like I said before, I dint like your behaviour. How about saying sorry for that?

Roger : Karma can be a real bit*h (murmurs). Sorry Ma’am!

Julia : Jesus! You just don’t stop making fun. Do you? Go away!

Roger : I shall go away. Most certainly. But can we not eat something before that?

Julia : Heights! Forget it! Why am I even spoiling my temperament and health for a trivial issue like this! Let me just calm down. I guess I am being irritable for no reason. There is after all fish in the freezer. Let me cook it for you.

Roger : Gracias! Finally, you accept your mistake! You are such a doll. Love you girl!

Julia : “Finally, you accept your mistake?” What?

Roger : Exactly! It’s alright. It’s fine.

Julia : Do you not hear the disbelief in my tone? Mistake? Me? Are you kidding me? I was just being good to you. I don’t like to pick fights. But okay. Looks like someone wants to extend the argument. Go on Roger! Pour your heart out. The “doll” is listening!

Roger : Crap! There you start again. I will watch TV! Yes! Woo hooo!!

Julia : Bah! Why do I even talk! I am not talking! There, I said it. I am not talking to you anymore.

Roger : Amen!

(Footnote : Do you notice some pattern? ;) Its not the tone of the conversation, but has got something to do with the way the dialogs have been written :))

THE WAIT

The day slips away,

As the night waits patiently at the bay.

You know there is no other way,

How you wish you had one more day.

A MAGICAL WORLD

Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful Princess named Isabella in a far away land called Tinker Land. She was loved by everyone in the kingdom because of her free spirit and cheerfulness. She used to visit even the remotest corner of the village in her carriage, talk to the commoners and play with their kids. She would wake up early in the morning, go out in the garden, sing songs and dance with the birds and the animals.

But one day, out of curiosity, she went to see the forbidden piece of land near the village which her parents had warned her not to go to. A witch used to guard that place and seeing Isabella, she got infuriated and cursed her, “For your insolent behavior, you will remain grounded in this land for ever unless your true love rescues you”. With those words, the witch vanished in thin air.

‘Sara. Sweetie. You should sleep now. It’s way past your bedtime. We’ll continue the story tomorrow’, the mother said.

‘But Mom, I wanna know if Isabella found her true love’, Sara insisted. Her eyes were wide open, still in a trance as if.

‘I’m sure she did, honey. Sleep now. Good night’, said the mother and kissed Sara on her forehead.

Sara smiled to herself. She liked good endings. In this case, she believed what her mother told was true. She went off to sleep. That night, she dreamt of being a princess wearing a pink gown and flaunting it to the maids and the servants. She saw herself lying all day long on lush meadows, dancing in the woods without any care in the world, dipping her feet in the sun-soaked river water and so on. She saw someone galloping in a black horse. Her heart pounded. She knew it was him.

Sara was 3 years old then. Her mother, as promised, did complete the story the next day and Princess Isabella did find her true love after going through a lot of hardships.

Sara is 23 years old now. She is young and pretty and admired by all. She has a friendly demeanor, makes her presence felt when she is in a group and is an absolute happy-go-lucky person. She had done a course in advertising and was currently working in some ad firm. She found her job extremely stereotypical. Despite the pay being good, she despised it because she was never given a chance to express her ideas as it should be. She was sharing her apartment with two other girls whom she was not very fond of.

She recently broke up with her boy friend. They dated for almost a year. “It’s just not gonna happen”, told the guy before calling it off. She did feel bad for some time but she always knew that he was not the one and that the relationship was never meant to last. So she just let it be. She went for retail therapy for the next three days and then she was back to normalcy.

One fine day, she decided not to go for work at all. She stayed back home and waited for her flat-mates to leave for work. After they left, she opened this box which she used to call “my magical world”. It contained all the books, gifts and letters which she had received from her friends and family in the past 23 years! She first came across this book her school friend had gifted her when they were 10 years old. Then she found an anklet which her friend Vicky had given her when she was leaving for college. Flowers, bracelets, hair clips, cards and letters followed. Then she found this really old and tattered book called “my magical world”. She held it in her hands for some time. It was the same fairytale which her mother used to read to her before going to sleep. The book had lot of colorful pictures seeing which she kind of recollected the story - it was about a princess… Princess Isabella. She then remembered how she always wanted to be like her and have a life like hers. So she figured out the inspiration for her box’s name. She smiled to herself.

She was extremely excited on discovering the book. She started reading it. “Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful Princess named Isabella in a far away land called Tinker Land. She was loved by everyone in the kingdom because of her free spirit and cheerfulness . . . With those words, the witch vanished in thin air”. She turned to the next page only to find that that’s the last page in that book. She found it uncanny. She now vividly remembered her mother telling her the complete story – how the Princess waited in that forbidden land for 5 long years and how several men tried to set her free but all in vain. Finally, a Prince who was passing by that place saw Isabella in despair. He looked into her eyes and felt some sort of a connection. Isabella felt so too. He held her hands and kissed her. The spell was broken. The Prince was her true love.

Sara was amused by her mother’s white lie. She closed her eyes. She loved fairytales. They were unreal, she knew it but they always made her feel good. She had always wanted to lead a cheerful and colorful life like the ones described in the fairytales. She had also always wanted to meet her true love. She never had an image of the person in mind. But she had wanted someone like… ‘Aladdin’ for his sense of his determination and caring nature, ‘Shrek’ for his peaceful and loving character and ‘Peter Pan’ for his mischievous and courageous outlook.

She woke up from a long sleep. It was late in the evening already. Her flat-mates were not yet back. Stuff from her box was strewn all over the place. She got up and looked outside the window. The breeze was pleasant and the starry sky looked pretty. She suddenly saw a shooting star. She quickly closed her eyes and made a wish.

THE CLOSURE

Ruth longed for a closure. She was an ordinary person after all and human relationships had ever baffled her. This too shall pass, she thought to herself. The fact that this was going to end was eating her up from inside. She was feeling suffocated. She looked up at the seamless sky. It knew her just so well. It had witnessed all the priceless moments of her life. And today, she looked up at it with both despair and hope.

She had not slept the previous night and had cried her heart out. No one had heard her. She had not wanted anyone to hear her. A decision had to be made but she did not have the courage to do so. She was scared that it would all end and she would be left alone amidst strangers; strangers whom she had always hesitated to trust. She hated this feeling. She walked on the road with millions of thoughts running inside her mind. Just when she needed an answer, the clouds roared, as if responding to her grievance.

It started raining heavily. Ruth kept walking in the rain, crying profusely. After a little while, she stopped for a second to feel the raindrops fall on her face and smell the petrichor. She felt good. It was at that moment that she found herself connected to the present world. She had gotten so entangled in her thoughts that she did not notice the instances of nature - her constant support and pillars of strength. Rains gave her the answer; to let the emotions flow for only after that, stability could be restored. It rained for a bit. She saw the rain drops harshly falling on the ground and mildly seeping through the cracks in the earth. She smiled. She saw the moon peeping from behind the dark clouds. It was smiling at her with the same warmth and belongingness as it always had.

Ruth took her decision. Sometimes, letting things be, is the best one could do. She closed her eyes and went to sleep. Finally. She knew she had gotten her closure.

HE AND SHE

He and She are walking together,
Soothing breeze feeling their faces.
He and She are lost in their thoughts,
Cool moonlight illuminating their pathways.

He and She look at each other,
They don’t have anything to lose.
He and She twitch their noses,
It still feels they have everything to lose.

He and She have lot of beautiful memories,
Sweet tea and sweet nothings.
He and She love to love,
For the immense happiness it brings.

He and She are walking hand in hand,
They dislike the word ‘last’.
He and She smile at each other,
How they wish the moment could forever last!

SUNDAY MORNING, A FRIEND AND HUMBLE BANGALORE

My sleep was broken at an ungodly hour this Sunday morning, 0600 hours to be precise. The city was still sleeping at that time, waiting for the rooster to crow the alarm bell. I lolled on the bed for few more minutes and like a determined soldier going for a war, I resigned the pillow and blanket and headed to the bathroom. To me, the pot has always been the ideal place to introspect and do serious thinking. So I took a good ten minutes to figure out which course of direction my life is taking. Realizing it’s going to take some more time than a paltry ten minutes, I rose from my thinking pot, cleaned myself and went to brush my teeth and perform other morning jazz.

I got ready for my morning jog. Now unlike other days, this morning I had planned to go with my friend to Lalbagh garden, one of Bangalore’s famous botanical gardens cum jogging parks. I took the BMTC bus because finding an auto at 0700 hours was not easy. I was traveling by a city bus after a long time. I realized how becoming a salaried person has spoilt me to the extent that the bus journeys I used to enjoy earlier have become a thing of the past and autos have taken the place of the unassuming city buses. I got off at the stop, which was the “East gate”. Just so you know, owing to its large span and structure, Lalbagh garden has got four gates, namely North, South, East and West.

My friend was waiting for me outside the East gate. He was wearing a green t shirt and a rugged pair of jeans. His foggy eyes and disheveled hair only spoke about the difficulty with which he must have managed to get up this morning. I should not have made this plan, I thought to myself. My friend is not a jogging person. Well neither am I but I made it appear to him that I am one. Without further ado, we both started to walk and continued to do so for an hour. We kept talking and laughing and admiring the beauty of the morning. The faint light of the sun, the freshness of the leaves, the chirping of the birds, the shrill sound made by the squirrels… they all were just lovely. We sat for sometime on one of the stone benches. His green t shirt was blending well with the tone of the surrounding. We had never spoken so much before. I was getting to know him and him me.

We then, in accord with our plan, went to Koshy’s for breakfast. We took an auto and oh boy! What a ride it was! Bangalore was looking so much different with the masquerade of traffic jam removed. The long desolated roads were deprived of the usual hustle-bustle and people were commuting at their own sweet pace. Cubbon Road and MG Road which were otherwise ever crowded looked pretty in the Sunday morning sun. The few remaining trees, large stretch of roads and other objects which were unnoticed earlier, clearly stood out in the placid morning.

We reached Koshy’s in about fifteen minutes. Koshy’s is one of the oldest and finest restaurants in Bangalore and has a traditional, old-fashioned touch to it. High ceiling fans, wooden tables and sturdy chairs… nothing swanky about the place at all. It’s the ambience and the food that to this date attracts people of all age groups. We ordered our “english breakfast”, me eating the most of it. I couldn’t blame my friend for he ate like a bird. I however have put on weight but there was no chance that I could have missed eating the scrumptious bacon omlette, fried sausage and bread butter toast.

After a much delightful breakfast, we went to India Coffee House to have our morning dose of caffeine. We walked from St. Mark’s Road to Church Street. The streets were all deserted. Shops were still not opened. It was amusing to see how the old buildings built decades ago have wonderfully stood the march of time. We reached India Coffee House which is again a portrait of old Bangalore. The place, the stewards dressed in their customary uniforms and the coffee can’t help but make you smile each time you go there.

My friend and I were having a gala time, no doubt. We walked down the Brigade Road and talked about movies, marriage and family. It was an amazing feeling to just stroll and share views on various topics under the sun. We came across St.Patrick’s Church off Brigade Road where we both instinctively decided to go to. Sunday mass had just gotten over and people were coming out of the church. We made a late entry, not that we planned to and sat quietly inside the church for sometime. The serenity of the church was having an effect on us, a strangely good one. We left the place and then again started walking.

After close to four hours of walking and talking and sharing thoughts, we decided to go home. We took an auto and gave auto wala the direction where to go. While seated in the auto, I recapped all the events that had taken place since morning. I discovered a new Bangalore, a beautiful place whose charm still continues to impress me. I also discovered a wonderful friend who talks like a matured adult but behaves like a kid. All in all, it was a brilliant Sunday morning, a morning whose memories will be cherished for times to come and for reasons manifold.

SUMMER NIGHTS

“Ha ha… you must be kidding me! Really? Did you not even remotely like anyone in the past four years?” Tania did not feel very happy about the tone of the question. Boy friends can be inquisitive but why do they have to ridicule their girl friends! She maintained her composure and said “I’m afraid no, Raj. Some things just don’t happen the way you want them to. What’s the big deal anyway?” Tania looked away. Raj held her hand and said in an assuring tone “You don’t have to feel bad. I like pulling your leg. I have known you for more than a year now and I know what annoys you the most. Stupid girl. Nonsense.” Raj smiled and gave her a tight bear hug.

Stupid girl. Nonsense. Someone else used to call her that. A bus friend that she had made long ago. Arvind. Tania went back to her hostel and tried to sleep but could not. Where is he now? She remembered that phone call one night. The last thing he said was “I’m quitting my job. I have other dreams to pursue.” She did not hear from him after that.

Tania kept tossing and turning. She just could not sleep. Oh the wretched summer nights!

Summer nights used to be brilliant few years ago. Drinking coffee, long walks on the endless streets and the inconsequential talks. Tania remembered how talking to Arvind on various topics like books, movies, sex and destiny, seemed such a normal affair. And then one day, they both talked about how their life partners would be like. ‘Dangling conversation’ that it was. They knew they liked each other.

The train of thoughts was broken by the phone ring. Tania took the call. “Hey Raj! Why up so late?” “Just a reminder. Get my class notes tomorrow. My friends are calling me. Will talk to you later. Love you. Good night.” Raj hung up the phone.

Tania got up from her bed and looked outside the window. The moon was yet again shining in its full glory. The trees were dancing to the tune of the mellow breeze.

That night was beautiful too. The night when Tania and Arvind were being stupid. Or may be not. She dint know. He dint know either. Some inhibitions, some convictions and some beliefs were holding them back. They eventually let those overpower their feelings. Stupid. They walked hand in hand, looked at the moon and sighed. She called it destiny and he laughed it off. They went their separate ways.

Tania forced herself to sleep. She had a lecture to attend at 8 in the morning. MBA was indeed hectic. Arvind was never fond of MBA. Before sleeping, she put Raj’s class notes in her bag. She closed her eyes as the summer night outside kept teasing her with the memories.

ONE FINE DAY

I look around. It’s still dark outside. I can happily catch up on some sleep. Oh last night was good. Nice music, juicy meat and lot of eye-candies! Bliss! And boy! Some attention I got yesterday. People just couldn’t get enough of me. I know I m sounding all pompous now, but come on! Who does not like to be the center of attention?! It’s but natural. Say, all the celebrities who put on so much of make up for some 2 hour show! Such limelight stealers I tell you. Little do they understand that it’s nice if kept subtle and natural.

I think I should just get up. Stretching arms and then just lolling in the bed feels so nice. Have a long day ahead! Sigh. Ok I should just shake off the slumber and get my ass moving! Time for morning walk! Yippie! I simply love it. The way the cool breeze touches the face is so reinvigorating. There will be leaves and flowers lying on the streets and the moment I walk over them, they will make this crunching sound. Oh so nice! I am completely a nature person. No two ways about it. I also like observing people. There will be people walking with their dogs or just walking by themselves. I wonder what they all would be thinking about while they walk.

It’s getting late. Where’s Suzanne? She is supposed to be at the gate by now. I hate it when I have to wait for people. When I can wake up on time, why can’t she! Ah there she is, walking down the stairs, lazily. I decide that I won’t talk to her. She looks at me dreamily, gives me a hug, pats my back, and cuddles me. Ya right! And I should forget about the long wait eh? No way. I am not reciprocating. We anyway go for a walk. I notice that she is quieter than usual. Probably she did not sleep well or is worried about something. To think of, she was weirdly silent even in the party last night. She generally tells me everything. Whether she listens to my opinion or not is a different story. But today is different. I don’t like her this way. So, ahem… I swallow my ego and touch her hand gently. I think she liked it because she is smiling at me now. Yay! She likes me, I am sure. But being a strong believer of subtlety, I kept it subtle. Just a touch is good enough.

I come back home and eat breakfast. Suzanne had told me that her mother wanted to see me. I wonder why. I personally don’t like her. She is one snooty old hag. Oops! Pardon my French. So after a while she comes, sees me and then just leaves. I m like ‘whatever’! I don’t go out and decide to sleep again. I hear some startling sound and that wakes me up from my peaceful sleep. I look around. It seemed like its noon. Just then I notice someone wearing a black coat and a black hat trying to pry the house door open. He has a knife in his hand. He seems like a burglar. What the hell? Why noon but? I put a stop to my thoughts, run towards him and then deftly jump on him. He loses his balance, falls on the floor and hastily runs towards the gate. He manages to escape. Damn!

Suzanne comes running from her neighbour’s place and I am, for some reason excited on seeing her. She looks disturbed though. She sees the knife on the floor and a black hat lying on the floor. She nods her head in understanding. I think she understands what has just happened. Smart girl that she is. She lets me enter the house, makes a few phone calls and disappears into the kitchen. In the meantime, I am just looking at the wonderful wall paintings. Has she painted those, I wonder. Things are placed in an organized manner. I am impressed. Also it’s so much warmer and cozier inside. Just then, Suzanne comes with a bowl of milk, keeps it on the floor and smiles at me. I know that’s my prize. I gleefully start licking it. After that, she lets me sleep on her lap and strokes me gently. And I think to myself ‘every dog has its day’.

WEEKENDAAAA!!

Oh sweet weekend,
How I was vexed of the long wait..
And now as you stand at the door step with your arms wide open,
I cant help but smile on seeing you, Oh sweet weekend!

BEING "HAPPY HIGH"

After much procrastination, the Electronic City elevated expressway got to see the light of the day on Jan 22, 2010. For those of you don’t know, it’s a 9-km long flyover, the longest in Bangalore and the second largest in the entire country. It’s mainly constructed to reduce the traffic congestion on the ever busy Hosur Road.

Now like the other commuters, I was hoping to travel by the flyover soon. And after one hopelessly long day at work, our bus driver had a little surprise in store for all of us. We were to take the flyover! My joy knew no bound. As the bus started moving over the flyover, I looked around. People were as amused as I was. The smile on my face kept increasing by an inch with every passing kilometer. When we were somewhere in the middle of the expressway, I could see the top of the buildings whose only entrance gates I had seen previously. People and vehicles manoeuvering below now looked like toys straight out of the toy world. This may seem like an exaggeration and you may even feel that this is my first time on a flyover, but let me tell you that it is not so. I’m gonna get a little carried away here, so bear with me. You see, I have always believed that there is a child in our heart. That whole ten minute ride over the flyover that day was brilliant because it was not just me smiling but everyone on the bus (as much as I could see that is) was smiling along with me. This innocent glee was dripping from everyone’s face. There were excitement, thrill and twinkling eyes around; just like a kid who has been taken to a flyover or a roller coaster ride for the first time.

I have been in a state of “happy high” before but this was different. I was happy. And I was high, literally and figuratively. I loved it, nevertheless.