Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Thank you for Smoking


I used to regularly smoke 4-5 times in a day. I hated it a lot and wanted to quit. Destiny willed it too but by some other ways. I have been very punctual in all areas since my school days. My punctuality increases whenever it came to smoking. I had never squeezed answer out of my mind that smoking in the public area can impact society specially children.
Last winter, in January I was enjoying the cold weather with Chai and Pakora in my balcony. My sight got stuck on a little boy in my opposite flat. He was standing in his balcony and looking down on the commuters. He was all alone in there from past 15-20 minutes. His parents were busy watching the television. I guessed.
I was surprised to see him imitating all gestures and expressions of smoking a cigarette that too with style. He suspended a blue jacket on his small back with a little hold by his left hand. His right hand’s index and middle fingers were carrying an imaginary cigarette which goes till his mouth. He takes a puff, makes his lips round, looks upward and blows the smoke in the air. I could easily see the smoke from his mouth but in the form of mist. He did it 10-12 times.
I really wanted him to look at me so that I could tell him ‘’it is bad’. He did it and instantly stopped smoking rather stopped imitating. He dropped his imaginary cigarette. I looked into his eyes and saw the guilt. I avoided the guilt and asked politely.
“What’s your name”?
“Nikk….haaay”. He said.
“Sorry little boy. Louder please”. I requested.
“Nikshay”.
To make him comfortable I said “Nice name”.
“What’s your age”?
“Eight”. He said
I felt pity over him. He is so much impressed with smoking at such a small age.
“My God”. I beseeched.
“Which standard”
First. He said.
I imitated the impression of smoking too in front of him and screamed as loudly as I could. “It is bad”.
I knew however that these three words are not enough to make him realize that how bad smoking is?
So I decided to visit his house and meet his parents.

Next day, Monday evening, I shaved off well and pen down all the ill effects of smoking into my mind and stepped out of my flat. I felt like quit smoking consultant as heading towards his flat. I rang the bell. A lady in formal attire, wearing French twist opened the door and asked me “yes” in a shocked manner. It seemed she just came home from office.
I introduced myself and expressed my curiosities to meet Nikshay’s parents.
“I am his mother”. She said. She escorted me to the living room and went inside to call Nikshay’s father. I was desperately waiting for his father to meet.
“Hi Sushant. How are you”? His father came out asked in husky voice.
Six feet tall man, wearing French cut came out in bathrobe with cigarette in one hand, a liter and a pack of cigarettes on the other hand, appeared in front me. I understood the role model of Nikshay.
“I am good”. I said.
Nikshay’s parents sat in front of me on the black bulky couch. They looked surprised at my surprised visit at their home. I nicely told them the whole story. It took 15 minutes and 3 cigarettes for his dad to listen the story. He looked like a chain smoker.
His father smiled, stubbed out his last cigarette and my concerns too into the ashtray. I tried a lot to make him realize it could lead his son to a chain smoker or a regular smoker. I tried to convince him by the quote I believe in “A son is the reflection of his father” but all in vain. Imitating smoking was just an act for him. It was the start for Nikshay for me. His father was not at all ready to listen to me. It was okay and did not matter for him. I have done my work and came out of their flat like a defeated soldier. I prayed to God for taking care of Nikshay.

I was walking towards my flat. It takes 5 minutes from their flat to mine. I realized one thing which I could not in last 5 years. My child can do the same. My smoking habits can be inherited into my child. This very thought was strong enough to make me quit smoking and I did it.


Sushant Verma
P.S. The name in this story is not real and has been changed.

Monday, December 7, 2009

A Place Called Home


It was Sunday morning!!!! The absence of electricity and breakfast made me little frustrated but this remains for 3 hours long and compelled me to ask God “Why this is happening to me?”…. and as we all know He replies silently. And He did. I opened the newspaper and saw my article got published which I mailed TOI last month for the Times Life’s column “Soul Curry”. I was surprised to see it. I felt very happy. I informed my parents and friends though uncountable SMSes and Phone calls. And I feel it’s good to post it on the blog too.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Khanabadosh (from London dreams)

Hi all

The song “Khanabadosh” (from London dreams) is on my lips since 3-4 days. That’s the only song which I am listening now-a-days nearly 50-70 times in a day....
The lyrics are so amazingly true that I keep singing it all the time, even in office too, like a “Manta” (One of my cubical mates complained too...

Anyways the words, which express the truth of our (may be many of us) lives, are like “Khwab na sage, Zindagi thage, phir jaane kyun, ummed jaye”……I am trying to explain it here a little…

Dreams (Khawab) which we dream of are not true, not real... They never get fulfilled……
And Life (Zindagi) does not take care of our plans it sucks (thage) all the time……
Even then we never give up dreaming of …
And always keep faith that something good will happen to us……

You can compare your life with these factual words...
I guess I explained in good fashion … but the flip side of these words is still pending…..and it is “we dream of good things but God has best things in store of us”.....

But if u have another good explanation please share with me

Friday, June 5, 2009

My friend's Non-Fantastic Four

Hi friends and Readers, one of my colleagues (now friend too), Michael Mukharjee (an Indian) is pissed off from his college and he wrote something and shared with me. I think its wroth sharing with you too. Just go through it.
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My Ex, Summers, Smoking and My College are the most distasteful icons into my hatred black box. I hate my Ex because she wasn’t good on bed so now she resides into my hatred black box. I hate summers because I hate perspiring, please mind, not sweating (only pigs sweat men perspire), this resides into my hatred black box too. I hate smoking because it infects my throat and makes my lips zipped for next 2-3 days (but I love cigarettes until I inhale), this is another one in my hatred black box. College I added this recently into my hatred black box because it‘s eating my pocket even now when it’s been more than two years since I left the college.
It ate my dad’s pocket for continuously four years and now it’s eating mine. The equation goes something like this, four years of studies and six years of fees, but mind you guys, the second half of the equation may get changed, it could be 10-20 years or even more depending on the college’s Supreme Court. Sorry, I forgot to tell you that there are two supreme courts India. One is for India which everybody knows and other is only known by my college I call this “Virtual Supreme Court” (VSC).
I do not know the exact figure but I joined at 35k p.a. when I was in freshman. In second year of my college I paid 40k. This 40k raised much hue and cry among my arduous batch mates but VSC arduously locked their lips and hands. The same episode I have seen in third year, statistics got little changed 40k turned into 50k and hue and cry turned into strikes and complaints. But all in vain reason the VSC of the college.

In graduation year same episode was repeated but with some different scenes. College, My College, ate 55k from my dad’s pocket instead of 50k. But I got a job, good friends and an engineering degree into my pocket. This was the same story with everybody which did not turn strikes into revolutions.

Anyways, it’s been two years, job going fine, life is good. Last week I decided to ask for the caution money from the college, which was 18k for me (5k+10K+3K). I stepped into college, my college; I met with my teachers and my juniors after two years. I felt nostalgic and I said “I wanna join college again”, that was very pleasant moment for me. I felt same as I feel after two bottles of beer. But the accounts department made the next moment very unpleasant when I asked for the caution money. They said “The fee has been increased to 60k and we have adjusted the caution money with that increment”. I said “I wanna join college again, but not this, for sure”.

I came home empty handed but with some rues and regrets. I asked myself “why the hell I have joined this college” and now I am in search of the person who suggested me this college, six years back. I wanna kill him.
That’s the only reason my college resides in my hatred black box now.
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So Guys, please respond I’ll pass on your support and sympathy to my friend Michael.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Green Signal tests your Patience


Do you immediately start honking horn when the traffic signal turns green?

If ‘YES’ for above one. It reflects your high degree of impatience.

I always get irritated by irate drivers when they instantly honk horn as the signal turns to green. They do not even let me take a millisecond to accelerate my car. Either they want me to hit the leading car or fly over the traffic. I just stare them by my big eyes; after all they leave me with no option.

Everybody hates waiting; everybody wants to cross traffic signal sooner; nobody likes to stick in the traffic. Honking horn can never lessen the traffic. Traffic will be cleared only when it finds its way. Leading vehicle will give you pass when it will get too. So what is the use of honking horn?

It solves no purpose rather increases one’s annoyance, your impatience and of course noise pollution.....

So next time when you get stuck in traffic think once, not twice, before honking horn.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

My New Year Resolution



Adieus to 2008, a year full terrorism, full of recession, full of cricket trophies (Thanks to Dhoni) , full of experiments (LHC & Chandrayaan), and Full of Democracy (election of Barack Obama).

As last second of 2008 is approaching I am getting busier & busier telling my friends my New Year Resolution which is “Be more health conscious”. Every day when I switch on my laptop it shows me the wallpaper which invariably reminds me those four words.

I realized, during my knee surgery, the importance of good health. I have come across the most painful days of my life and now I know what pain is? I am just a step away from being the happiest. ‘Cause a wise man has said “what else can be added to the happiness of a man who is in good health, out of debt and has a clear conscience.” I do not keep credit cards so out of debt; sorry to the credit card brokers, I have a clear conscience; at least my friends know this. The rest is health on which I am working pretty harder.

But why I am so selfish? Why there is nothing in my mind about the society? Yesterday I met with my friend’s younger sister, aged around 12 years. She asked about my New Year resolution and I asked for her. And she said “Increasing awareness on world peace”. Her words have enough gravity and utmost importance. I said “God bless you. May Jesus fulfill your resolution.” What else I could say after that eye opening answer from a 12 years old girl.

In fact now I am sincerely thinking for her resolution, and mine too. May Jesus fulfill our resolutions? A warm welcome to New Year. May this Year bring Lots of Peace, Happiness and Prosperity in the world.



Happy New Year !!!!!
Cheers !!!!

Monday, December 29, 2008

{Thoughts which I like }

"How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes, frozen dinners, and instant cameras teach patience to its young?" -Paul Sweeney

"You can sometimes count every orange on a tree but never all the trees in a single orange." -A.K. Ramanujan

War will never cease until babies begin to come into the world with larger cerebrums and smaller adrenal glands. -H.L. Mencken, writer, editor, and critic (1880-1956)

"All kids are gifted; some just open their packages earlier than others." -Michael Carr

"What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?" – Adam Smith, economist (1723-1790)

"Life is a flowing river of happiness - its upto you to carry a spoon or a bucket "

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Front page of my book


Few months back, before my knee surgery, i went to a book shop and bought a book naming "anything for you ma'am". I paid for the book and asked for the bookmark and got one with a decent and nicely written quote by Marianne Moore "Anybody can write a book 'cause everybody has a story to tell."
This quote highly impressed me and i started writing. I sat infront of my Laptop to press keys to shape them in the form of a book but a question cropped up my mind, what should i write, and luckily in few minutes i got the answer "what else i can write onther than a love story at the age of 24."
The few lines are.....
Hospital gown white colored, full sleeved and till my knees was swaddled around me like a diamond ring wrapped with a tag “Love you darling” but it is not an engagement party of two lovers. Rather a meeting of software professional and a knee specialist.
An anesthesiologist, two stretcher bearers and three junior doctors with stethoscope shining on their neck like a diamond necklace on newly married girl. They all were in scrubs agglomerated me with urbane looks same as bees on honey but it’s not the bee’s knees at least for me. For them it is just a daily custom, their 8 hours job in which they are confident and perfectionist. I could easily relate their job to mine 12 hours, coding in JAVA and C++, but confidence and perfection were missing in mine even after clearing some certifications.
But any bug in their coding on ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament) can confirm my appointment with Jesus.....

Wait till it completes and pray for me that i get enough time to pen down

Special friends with outstanding dreams.


This click has been taken when i was in final year of my engineering. There are many but one whcih describes me and my group the best is this one. We all have some dreams and one which constantly knocks our mind is shown in this pic. we all are on our way.
Let's see where we will land ???

Who is responsible for India’s 9/11?

I returned to my newly rented flat from one of my friend’s cocktail party on 26th night of Nov 08 at around 11:30. Inserted the keys into the door and pushed it. The couch in front of me increased my level of desire to get relaxed. I put my shoes off and grabbed the remote the way python does to its meal. I put the television on to watch some appealing and captivating songs to get fresh. But the breaking news “India’s 9/11” at every news channel cured my hangover to its best. I instantly pulled my cell phone from my pocket and called my friend in Mumbai. I was waiting for the network to get connected but in vain. After trying for uncountable number of times I eventually heard the voice “Hello” after two hours.
” Hey Vibhor , are you okay ?” I asked.
“Yes, but two of my colleagues are minor injured in the firing when we came out of the Taj hotel after client meeting.” He retorted.
“Ohh Holy crap, how are they now?”
“They are in hospital and will be fine in couple of days.”
“Thank God.” I said.
He helped the victims there when there was no police, when there was no ambulance, when there were no fire brigade men and when there was no system. “Thank God” was the last sentence which I said in the conversation. But I thought why did I say? And within few seconds I got the answer, because my friends are okay. Behaving like an ordinary man I slept with the couples of feelings that it would be okay by tomorrow and it’s now the part of our system. Next morning I woke up late and tried to get updated on the last night’s terrorist activity. The situation had gone worst they hijacked the whole Taj hotel and put the dent on our system and on Mumbai. But again like a common man I went to office and started working as usual. The whole office was busy in talking about the last night’s terrorist activity. The whole day India’s 9/11 was the hot topic to discuss. The cab driver, guards, shopkeepers and everybody around me had only one thing in mind India’s 9/11. Today after 2 weeks I am as normal as this incident never happened. Not even me in fact everybody around me. Now even news channels have other stuffs too to telecast.
My mind always gets paused when I question myself “What can I do?” Last night I watched the movie “Rang De Basanti” again just to listen the famous dialogue, which I admire a lot. “Zindagi jine ke kewal do hi tareeke hote hain pehla jo ho raha hai use chupchap sehte raho ya phir jimmedari uthao use badalene ki (there are only two ways to live firstly bear what all is happening around you or take responsibility to change the system.)” But this dialogue seemed abyss last night and could not satisfy me. The reason was the question which was constantly shrinking my mind. Why should I take the responsibility? I am the ordinary man and I elected the extraordinary men for same.
As being the perfect citizen I cast my vote, I pay income tax, I pay phone, water and electricity bills, I pay sales tax, I pay CESS, I pay VAT and of course all kind of hidden taxes which I do not know. I look after my family. I do my 10 hours job properly and I like that. I do what I am supposed to do as being the perfect citizen. Even then I live in terror. A question invariably comes into my mind. Where do I lack as being the perfect citizen? I elected the government to take the responsibility, I elected the government to crash the terror from our hearts and I elected the government not to let this happen again. It’s their job and they should do it properly as bees build their hives. After every terrorist activity they tend to normal rather, in a refined manner, they tend to ignorant. “Being normal is good but being ignorant is not.” And that’s what they are doing.
Terrorist can kill us but they can’t kill the spirit of my friend and government can ignore us but they can’t ignore the spirit of my friend who helped those who were injured, those who were trapped in the Taj and those who were directly or indirectly hurt by Terrorism. I highly appreciate my friend and all those who helped the needers at the cost of their lives when the terrorism was at its peak.
Waite, Terry says-------- “The terrible thing about terrorism is that ultimately it destroys those who practice it. Slowly but surely, as they try to extinguish life in others, the light within them dies.”