What's with a name?

So while M is busy figuring out ways to change her last name, destiny had this in store for me!!It so happened that, while I was getting married, my colleagues at work had other plans. They decided to change my name.....removed my name plate...and instead scribbled "my name" + "M's last name" , with a piece of pen, in the name plate slot.

While I was away on a recent holiday, my super dilligent office staff assumed that I seriously wanted a name change and this was my way of suggesting the same. Without any confirmation from me or anyone in my team, they decided to go ahead and present me a brand new name plate!!

This goof-up, however, has provided me an excellent souvenier towards the end of a highly memorable stint at my present company. This is one memoriblia which will always stay with me, and bring a smile to my face whenever I see it.

Maa Tujhe Salaam....

It is 12:07 am IST (Indian Standard Time) and a friend pings me on IM…..”Maa Tujhe Salaam”. Today is 15th August 2008- 61st year of India’s independence.

This is the first Independence Day of my life when I am not in the country…and I guess this is the reason I am posting a blog on the occasion and suddenly this day feels more special than ever.

I am in Singapore for some time to meet my wife. This is my first day here…and guess what? This experience has already started helping me understand myself better- philosophy huh! Well for the starters, Singapore is a beautiful country. Very well organized, excellent transportation system, clean roads, well mannered people, and a system in place for almost everything. But, don’t know why, all this felt very robotic to me. Suddenly a thought popped up in my mind…Where’s the chaos?

WTF! I have always hated the traffic in Bangalore, the rowdiness of the Auto waalas in Chennai, the “show-off’s” in Delhi, and the chaos of Mumbai. And here I am, in a country sans all this, and I am already missing the madness back home. The noise, the interest of complete strangers in your daily affairs, the honking on the roads, people doing general bakchodi (useless talk?) etc etc etc.

So I have come to the conclusion that without the daily dose of hoch-poch in my life, I can never be completely in bliss.

At this point in time, I really feel like humming a song from the movie Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani….a song which is a personal favourite and whose lyrics I really believe in.

Hum logon ko samajh sako to samjho dilbar jaani

Jitna bhi tum samjhoge utni hogi hairaani

Apni chhatri tumko dedein kabhi jo barse paani
Kabhi naye packet mein bechein tumko cheez puraani
Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani….

Thode anari hain thode khiladi

Ruk rukke chalti hai apni gaadi

Humein pyaar chahiye

Aur kuch paise bhi

Hum aise bhi hain

Hum hain vaise bhi

Hum logon ko samajh sako to samjho dilbar jaani

Ulti seedhi jaisi bhi hai apni yehi kahaani

Thodi hummein khushiyaan bhi hain

Thodi hai nadaani

Thodi hum mein sachchaai hai

Thodi beimaani

Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani….

Aankhon mein kuchh aansoo hain kuchh sapne hain

Aansoo aur sapne donon hi apne hain

Dil dukha hai lekin... toota to nahin hai

Umeed ka daaman... choota to nahin hai

Hum logon ko samajh sako to samjho dilbar jaani

Thodi majboori hai lekin thodi hai manmaani

Thodi tu tu main main hai aur thodi kheecha taani

Hum mein kaafi baatein hain jo lagti hain deewani

Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani….