"The Chaos"

There is chaos beating through thoughts,
There is chaos in winds across,
A maddening rush in whispered words,
I know it is a careless bickering.

A mindful deed,
A careful word,
A responsible thought,
And the bickering stops.

A vanquished desire,
A banished wish,
A solitude owned,
What Thee demand?
For now,
It is me and my Chaos!

"Entwining"

A twisted tale,
A mixed-up thought,
An imagery of forgotten wishes,
And I sip in my favorite coffee?

The entwining of climbers to its tree,
Brings alive my entwining with a familiar hand.
Twisted and turned are facts and dreams,
Yet, revival of a restless soul!

I had woven tapestries,
Collected each thread of togetherness,
Sewed into permanence;
Alas! its grandeur lost.

Strange trance I fall into,
And happiness envelopes me
Amidst unwanted choices!

'Golmaal'--Fishy things! & Education

India is a land of wonders! A movie gets sued by an association that I never knew existed and it appears among major headlines. Where has education taken our people? An era of no-tolerance again? Why can't a movie be enjoyed in its spirit? I am talking about Golmaal 3 whose filmmakers are sued by The Indian Stammering Association (TISA), stating that it mocks at the people with stammering disability. Now, it doesn't make sense to me. I have a brother who stammers and can't even speak 5 words without stammering. We don't tag him as a handicap or disabled. He plays, he eats, he reads, he runs, he smiles, he makes sense when he talks and he is living. How can such beautiful people be mocked at or called disabled? Shreyas' character, Laxman in the movie, is incomplete without stammers. You have to follow an order when you make a sequel and that is all being done. Why is the suing done after the movie release? How is it just to demand the deletion of stammering scenes?

On the other hand, I may be told, by the TISA, that it feels bad when we are laughed at. I might as well agree to it. The remedy is not suing some filmmaker. The remedy of the mockery is to prove that people who stammer are ordinary people. Why do you give others a chance to laugh at you? You make yourselves emotionally and psychologically suppressed and people take undue advantage. It never matters what people think of you. What matters is how you stand by what you say, do or believe in.

The other case or major headline is the collapse of a building in Delhi where 61 are killed and 80 are injured. It calls for some awakening of people. The honorable CM, Sheila Dikshit, has mentioned about illegal construction and negligence. I respect that. My point of view on the matter would be that a big 'Golmaal' exists. Education for some is a means for corruption and nothing proves it better that this building collapse or the footbridge collapse just before CWG. People take degrees and make some high level mistakes! The common men, who want to live a common life with family, are the ones who suffer most. The hyped statement from every political, judicial or official source would be, 'The wrong doing will be brought to light and proper action taken against those involved'. I haven't quoted anyone but this is imprinted in my memory for as long as I remember. We, the people of India, are not in need of statements anymore. We need action against corruption and anti-law deeds. We should pledge not to help the wrong-doers too by giving in to intolerable and unreasonable demands.

The whole point of this piece boils down to the fact that if we have education then our actions should prove that. Fictional entertainment cannot be brought to resemble life. Also, education and literacy are two arguably different things. Education is when one can think rationally and one's deeds become a path for self-improvement and social benefit. Literacy is just when one can read and write, not necessarily an improvement in the mindset. Are we educated? Think about it!

"The Scent"

An absurd thought,

A wild craze,

A spirit of the stallion,

What is it that you expect my heart?

Numerous and countless times,

You caused me worry,

This time what is it you want of me?

There was a time when the Scent lured me,

It covered me with a spell,

I loitered blind with obnoxious eyes onlooking,

Yet safe!

I could not let go,

Yes I let it linger on me,

How intoxicating its touch!

No more than a night it lasts;

Like sheets overturned in the morn,

Replacing a memory,

Its effect shifts replacing my companionship.

"Never look back"

Time and again,

I confront myself,

I imagine what it could have been

That is not.

I console, it is what is meant to be,

Then why my heart fumes at me?

I look back and understand,

I left behind some things-

Some little laughs,

Some untold wishes,

Few boring chats,

And a few mistakes.

Time never rests,

Nor do we,

Then why look back?

March ahead,

For life's a war,

Between Desires and Truths.

So best is keep things at rest,

And never look back.

"Chocolate & Me"

I say, "I like fruits and nuts in you",

He says, "Taste me just as I am",

I retort, "You are bitter",

He explains, "You get sweeter after I melt in your mouth".

He has been a friend in dreams,

He has been my partner in mischief,

He has been my delight,

Yet, I don't crave for him!

He makes me smile when I am naughty,

He reminds me of times I had been happy,

He stares at me,

With a darker complexion,

And says, "I am angry".

Then happens a miracle,

I hold my sweet Chocolate,

A perfect wrap of my fingers around,

I take off the covers,

I take my maiden bite.

I close my eyes,

I feel it melt,

And I knew I had been a fool,

Never to break the ice!

My dear Chocolate,

You are better than lover's dream.

Marketing is scintillating!

"What is Marketing?"; "How does it work?". These two are the most common questions arising in the minds of MBA students, general public and even some business professionals. Everyone understands what Finance relates to or HRM relates to but when it comes to marketing only a few 'would be' tycoons and companies can make a demarcation. I am an MBA, specialized in Marketing, so I take this privilege of writing this piece with a combination of my experience at work and my perception. 

I would describe Marketing as the art of presenting your product with the utmost delicate garnishing so that your prospective buyer is taken aback and gets curious to know more. Thereafter, it is the expertise in getting the ingredients correct and giving the buyer an unforgettable experience. If I may draw a parallel, the experience should be at par with 'devouring a black forest with light chocolate chips and hot chocolate sauce over it'! No marketing activity can be successful until you can address the need of the mass and definitely exceed it.

What is it that goes into making a good marketer? A degree? Or conceptualization? Considering today's corporate world it takes both. You need a professional degree so that your resume gets you an interview. The sustenance of your job is what matters. It involves your ability to visualize an idea, conceptualize and finally present. The foremost responsibility of any marketer, is to love the idea or his product. Unless there is love and attraction for your work/product it might get messy. The next is the complete knowledge about your product, all the necessary know-hows, otherwise you can end up in deep soup. I have ended up making a fool out of myself and messing up things only because I did not have complete knowledge about what I was marketing. Then the knowledge about the target market. Gosh this can be dangerous!. It may so happen that your product caters to the need of the youth but after initial marketing and launch you get only middle aged males as your buyers. Wait a second! Here is where coherence of needs, advertisement or promotion and launch comes into play. Thus, research and consumer surveys play such a significant role. You need to get your ground work done and build a strong foundation.

Selling and Marketing are two different things. Marketing is the art of making a service or product salable. Selling is the art of convincing your prospective buyer to invest in it, that is, pay for it. Marketing is carried on to sell a product. It is like Salsa. If the partners don't have the perfect balance and grip, it Fails. When you roll in Salsa, your partner needs to have his grip so you can be fearless in letting loose. 

I sometimes think of Marketing as a sensuous lady. You just need to touch the right chords and she will dance to your tune. 

"I Feel"

I feel a quiver,
I feel a breeze;
I feel a touch,
I feel a grief.

I know I am sane,
Yet I feel insane;
I sleep at night,
Yet insomniac.

Rendering me motionless,
A wave passes by;
I hold onto two hands tight,
And gaze into the light.

You come by,
Saving me from insanity,
The touch of your hands,
Speaking in a million ways,
Your eyes,
Resting my heaving heart.
I owe you this my smile!

"A Lovebite talks to me!"

A wonderful small dark patch,
Look alike of a bruise,
A closer look
And I knew it was indeed a Lovebite!
It flaunted its depth,
It flaunted the care,
It talked of its being,

"I was not caused by harm,

I wasn't meant to be there hanging,

Staring into your eyes.

I am there to reveal you,

I am there to conceal little wishes,

I am there to mesmerize you,

I am there to love you!"

A little more was said,

A little more was understood.

I turned on my side,

I kissed it light,

And it smiled.

I heard some chirping,

Warmth I felt,

I sat upright,

Only to realize,

I was dreaming throughout the night...!

"A Conspiracy"

In my porch is an armchair,

I sit and sip my Black Coffee without Sugar,

Tasteless yet lively.

I hear the evening birds heading home,

I hear the trees humming a lullaby,

I smell a sandy fragrance.

I am restless with the setting sun,

My thoughts are not coherent,

The cacophony of the evening,

Settling my nerves with stagnant blood.

Is this a joyous moment?

Or is this Thy magnitude?

Unveil, unleash and bare,

A Conspiracy of sweetness you withhold.