Ghazal on Promises: वादा

This ghazal is about the promises we make in relationships and how those transform over a period of time. Does it resonate with you?

We often make promises fueled by emotions. This ghazal on promises is inspired by this thought! The promises, to self and others. Our intent is to showcase commitment. As it often does, with time, the memory of intent and the promise wears down. We tend to forget why we made the promise and what was the promise. This ghazal captures the essence of such promises that we make in relationships and how those transform over a period of time. Does it resonate with you?

Here it goes, a ghazal on promises: वादा

सात जन्मों तक साथ देने का किया था वादा
आजकल वो वादा उन्हें याद दिलाना पड़ता है

–

प्यार करना ही काफी नहीं कहते हैं वो
तोहफे दे कर प्यार जताना भी पड़ता है

–

गर हम रूठ भी जाएं उनसे कभी
हम ही को उन्हें मनाना पड़ता है

–

वो हैं हमारी ज़िन्दगी में खुशनसीबी है हमारी
हर रोज़ खुद को उनके लायक बनाना पड़ता है

–

कितना भी उड़ ले परिंदा खुले आसमान में
घर लौट कर तो उसे भी आना पड़ता है

–

यूँ तो रुतबा ऊंचा है ज़माने में हमारा
उनके आगे मगर रुतबे को भुलाना पड़ता है

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समंदर, a beach poetry

Beach is my love beach and समंदर, a beach poetry is for all of us who love to be on the beach and yearn for it.

Beach is my love and समंदर, a beach poetry is a reflection of why I love the beach. Ironically, I penned this at home, hundreds of miles away from the beach but this tells me why I love the beach and what I long for. When I recited the draft of this to Guddu (my partner in crime), she too loved it and I am glad these words below lend themselves to aptly describe our shared love for beaches.

Recently, I published another poetry ‘That Perfect Spot on the Beach’, on the same theme which I fortunately penned while reveling in pristine beauty and calm of an amazing white sand blue water beach in Thailand.

I hope this piece helps you re-live some of the moments you have spent on the beach. Would love to hear why you love the beach.

Here is goes, a beach poetry: समंदर

मुझे रेत पर बैठ समंदर
के किनारे वक़्त बिताना अच्छा लगता है

–

बहते पानी की शांत आवाज़
में खामोश बैठना अच्छा लगता है

–

बिखरी पड़ी छोटी बड़ी सीप
को यूँ ही बटोरना अच्छा लगता है

–

तपती धूप में चलती तेज़ हवा
का अपने चेहरे पर बिखरना अच्छा लगता है

–

नारियल से लदे ऊँचे पेड़ों
का धीरे से लहराना अच्छा लगता है

–

बहुत दूर खुले नीले आसमान
में लहरों का सिमटना अच्छा लगता है

–

ख्यालों में डूबे बेपरवाह पैरों
के निशान पीछे छोड़ जाना अच्छा लगता है

–

सच कहो क्या तुम्हें भी समंदर
के किनारे वक़्त बीतने अच्छा लगता है?

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इक तरफ़ा इश्क़: Hindi Wordplay, a lover’s anguish

A lover’s anguish, whether his beloved cares about his life or death is captured in the lines of this hindi wordplay ‘इक तरफ़ा इश्क़’

This hindi wordplay ‘इक तरफ़ा इश्क़’ is a part of the series of poems which are based on the theme ‘One sided Love’. My earlier poem in this series, ‘इंतज़ार, longing for the beloved’ received a lot of love from many readers. While the earlier poem was about the lover’s yearning for his beloved, this piece brings out the lover’s anguish. He ruminates the fact that he doesn’t know what his beloved feels about him. And yet declares his intention that his love is eternal and not bound the perils of time!

This wordplay also has a reference to Mirza-Sahiba, a popular and controversial story of love. While Mirza and Sahiba were eloping, they were being chased by Sahiba’s brothers. After gaining some distance, Mirza and Sahiba decided to take some rest. While they were resting, Sahiba saw her brothers closing in on them and fearing for their lives, decided to unarm Mirza by breaking his arrows. Mirza was a valiant man and was unbeatable with his arrows in tact. Sahiba hoped that her brothers would not resort to violence but they ended up killing Mirza. Consequently, there and then, Sahiba decided to take her own life. In the folklore, Sahiba is often criticized for her actions and this love story is a bitter sweet ambivalent story of love and betrayal.

The lover’s anguish, of not even knowing if his beloved even cares about his life or death is captured in the lines of this hindi wordplay ‘इक तरफ़ा इश्क़’:

English Rendition:

This long dark night refuses to pass, and I can’t survive any night when I don’t think about you

I stare at the roof and think about you, imagining myself in your life gives me solace

even clouds can’t be around with the sky all the time, I feel content if you think about me once

one sided love means a certain heart-break, my friends call you Sahiba of my life

they mock me, and ask me how long will I wait for you, love that is bound by time is not love I retort,

the days of my life that pass by without you by my side, I don’t consider those as a part of my life anyway,

however, I am not lucky enough like Mirza, I don’t even know if you care about my life and death.

Interested in reading more wordplay?

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इंतज़ार: Hindi Poem, longing for beloved

This hindi poem ‘इंतज़ार’ portrays a lover’s longing for their beloved and the hope of becoming one with them!

This hindi poem ‘इंतज़ार’ portrays a lover’s longing for their beloved and the hope of becoming one with them. Love manifests itself in many forms, some consider endless waiting for their beloved as true love while for others, it is about spending every living moment of their life with their beloved. Dying together is considered and celebrated as a symbol of pure love in many folklore stories.

The one sided love which is the inspiration for this hindi poem is a symbol of selfless love sans expectations. It also reminds me of a dialogue from one of my favorite romantic hindi movies Namaste London which is originally in punjabi but says something to the effect that, ‘I have recognized what true love is, when you stop the desire to become one with your lover’ (Ishq di mere mitra pachaan ki, mit jaye jadon zidd apnan di).

This emotion is captured in the lines of this hindi poem ‘इंतज़ार’:

English Rendition:

At least once, express your love for me and give me the gift of your time, however little.

I have waited years for your answer, yes or no doesn’t matter to me, give me the gift of acknowledgement

don’t ask me what I think about you, that’s my secret treasure

the world mocks me when they see you with someone else,

to wait for you is now my obsession, for this life I have, and for many others!

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Planning a Trip to Thailand? Useful Tips for your Travel Plan

A free flowing account of my solo trip to Thailand with useful tips for anyone who is planning their trip to Thailand.

‘Thailand is one of the most beautiful countries in South-East Asia’, I had heard this quite a few times from my friend Manisha. Coming from someone who has been travelling solo across the world for the last 6-7 years, you’ve got to take notice (Read about Manisha’s intriguing story and her travel escapades here). She encouraged me to take a trip to Thailand while I was evaluating options between Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Thailand. In retrospect, I feel thankful to her and happy about my choice of destination.

Thailand is indeed a country worth spending plenty of time. During my 9-day vacation which I believe is not enough, I had quite a few good experiences and some learning. In this blog, I will share some useful tips which can help you be better prepared for your trip to Thailand, a unique country!  

My Trip to Thailand: Itinerary

  • Day 1 & 2: Bangkok (Started from base in the wee hours and landed in Bangkok on afternoon of Day
  • Day 3: Krabi, Ao Nang beach (early morning flight from Bangkok)
  • Day 4: Ko Phi-Phi Island
  • Day 5 & 6: Phuket (late night flight from Phuket to Bangkok)
  • Day 7 & 8: Pattaya (Bangkok to Pattaya early morning bus)
  • Day 9: Return Flight, back to base.

Best season for a trip to Thailand

Oct to April is considered a good time to visit Thailand. However, I went there in July. It’s a rainy season and considered as an off season for a Thailand vacation. You will have to be prepared for change in plans due to interference by rain gods, but it also means that you get better value for money and choice in accommodation. More importantly, it’s relatively less crowded! However, I felt there were just too many people there for an off season. Don’t blame me for a ludicrous desire to have a beautiful beach, all for myself.    

Things to Do in Thailand

It’s hard to put a list around things to do in Thailand as no such list can ever be complete or comprehensive. I read articles and watched videos with such lists. However, during my travel, I missed a quite few of those, deliberately omitted a few others and yet had a great time.  

First Tip: Treat the below list and others as reference only and try to curate your own plan.  

My top experiences in Thailand

In Bangkok, I really enjoyed my visit to the Benchakitti park. It’s a beautiful place with a lot of greenery and a huge lake. Surprisingly, monitor lizards freely roam around the park, which I found unique about this place.

Refer here for a curated list of 5 things to do in Bangkok.

In Phuket, I had an extremely thrilling and memorable experience at the shooting range. Holding a real firearm and firing is scary and adrenaline pumping at the same time. In India, it’s hard to find this adventure sport in open location. There is a variety of weapons to choose from, including an automatic rifle, let that sink in! For 1000-1200 BHT, it’s a tad expensive but worth it.

In Pattaya, shopping in Pattaya central and food trail in Indian restaurants was fun. There are about 50-60 Indian restaurants in the vicinity of Pattaya beach i.e., on the beach road and the road parallel to it. The place reminds you of Delhi! And of course, a visit to Pattaya sans a visit to a Russian club is like a bagel without cheese spread, incomplete! 

Pristine beaches

At Phi-Phi Island, I took a long tail boat tour, and I floated in the middle of the sea for the first time, and that too at a gorgeous location (near Viking Caves). There was no beach close by, just the unending large swathe of emerald colored water and tall limestone mountains. With a life jacket of-course as yours truly can’t swim to save his life.

In Krabi, Railay West Beach and Phra Nang Cave Beach are mesmerizing. The cafes at the Railay West beach are vibrant and fun. I should have spent more time at these beaches, but I reminded myself that when you are left craving for more, it’s a sign of time spent well.

There is more to Thailand than the commercial blitz it’s known for. I spent my time in the south of the country and 9 days was not enough. North of Thailand is also a great place to explore. Quite a few of travelers I met had a visit of north part of island in their itinerary.  

Useful tips for planning a trip to Thailand

Food
  1. For vegetarians, finding food is a challenge, especially if you consider non-Indian cuisine. While I found limited options in Bangkok, Pattaya was beaming with options in Indian food.
  1. Fruits, coconut water and Thai desserts are a must try. Here is place I recommend if you are in Bangkok
  1. I carried a box full of dry fruits which I could munch going around. I would recommend doing that.
Local Travel Within Thailand
  1. Be prepared to walk a lot, it’s best to explore the city and islands walking around. I walked around 60-65 Km in 9 days. My smartwatch celebrated an early Diwali and I shed around 3 Kgs!
  2. Use public transport, it’s super clean and inexpensive. I used it within Bangkok, for transfers between Bangkok and Pattaya and for travel to airport from Phuket main island.
  3. Bike Rentals in Pattaya come at risk of penalty. I was stopped in Phuket and the police reluctantly acknowledged validity of Indian driving license. While in Pattaya, it’s not accepted, and you are required to have an international driving permit.
Card Payments in Thailand
  1. Unlike India, Cash is the King in Thailand! I had a travel card, from Niyo, which turned out be more nuisance than convenience (separate story). Everywhere I paid with card, 3% extra was charged as shopkeepers are reluctant to accept cards.
Luggage & Shopping
  1. Tiger Balm and Ya dom inhalers are the best buys in Thailand. These are very effective and worth trying.
  2. You will find a lot of options to buy inexpensive clothing like first copy of branded t-shirts, printed party shirts, shorts etc. Of course, plenty of shopping options in women clothing, especially traditional prints. Avoid carrying too many clothes from base location.
  3. Don’t carry talcum powder or liquid above 100 ml in your hand baggage, I had to trash a deo and talcum powder.
Popular places you can avoid in Thailand
  1. In my view, it’s ok to avoid Ao Nang (Krabi) and Patong beach (Phuket). For spending leisure time, I highly recommend Railay beach (Krabi) and Karon beach (Phuket) as alternate options.

Ready to Pack your bags for a Trip to Thailand?

I hope this post gives you a different perspective of Thailand and encourages you to curate your own experience. I would love to hear what you experienced or plan to do in your trip to Thailand. You can connect with me for any additional tips on local travel, flights, accommodation etc. Happy Thailand-trotting, Cheers!    

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Book Review Working Backwards, Inside Amazon

Book Review of Working Backwards, Inside Amazon

Amazon is an entity which is not just an organization but an institution which has cemented itself as a household name across the planet. Like Google is a synonym for search, Amazon is a synonym for shopping, and much more. That’s what this book is about. A detailed view into How Amazon transformed itself from a book selling website into an institution which is now a conglomerate with diversified and successful lines of business.    

Authors: Colin Bryar and Bill Carr

Why should you read Working Backwards, Inside Amazon?

Curious to know how Amazon built some of its world class products like Kindle, Amazon Web Services, Prime and Prime video? How they set a vision for these products, stumbled, and fell behind but eventually came out on top? This book showcases the strength of enduring practices that enable Amazon to achieve incredible milestones. You will get to learn about these amazing ways of working. Some of these practices are quite unique and you can be rely on and adapt those to suit your context, at a personal or professional level:  

  • undoubtedly, the company’s DNA coded into 14 leadership principles,
  • starting with Customer Obsession and focus on creating differential value for them,
  • frameworks like Bar Raiser, 6-page narratives (No PowerPoint) and PR/FAQ
  • defining and tracking input metrics instead of output metrics
  • single threaded leadership in order to drive accountability and execution  

Content Summary

Overall, the 240 pages of content is structured into 10 brief chapters. Authors, Colin and Bill, who were top executives at Amazon, give a insider view of this organization from its initial days to the period of growth. What I found most compelling is the PR FAQ approach. It is a simple yet powerful tool that helps to create a solid vision of the outcome even before getting started. I like that this is closely aligned to the principle of ‘Begin with the end in mind’ from my favorite book, 7 habits of highly effective people.  

PR/FAQ is about articulating a press release for a proposed product/service as if it has been launched already. Now, in a press release, you are highlighting its value and differentiated appeal for customers. FAQs are addendums which cover simple yet carefully chosen questions that address the key aspects for customers. For e.g. things that a customer would want to know – say quality, price, materials etc.

I tried to apply this technique to some of my ideas and it really helped to create massive clarity! In addition, Amazon’s focus on hiring top talent through a rigorous process, called Bar Raiser is discussed in detail. A chapter each is dedicated to covering the other principles highlighted above.  

Recommendation

The text is easy to read and comprehend and font size is conducive to reading. Examples are straightforward and real as they present opportunities to learn. Writing style is quite direct yet engaging. The authors deliberately create a reverence and awe around Jeff Bezos which is quite understandable. I would recommend this book as a must read for anyone who wants to tickle their brain with some new and easy to implement ideas. Amazon is a bold organization, the stories in this book make that very evident. An organization that loves to take risks and minces no words about their expectations from the employees. Work hard, work long and work backwards! Happy Reading, Cheers!

Buy this book on Amazon here

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For more book reviews of interesting top sellers, check out this section here.

Top Things To Do in Bangkok

A curated list of non sexy but excellent to do things in Bangkok which will add to your experience of visiting this city.

Top things to do in Bangkok is the first in the series of posts I will write about my travel to this beautiful country. I took a solo trip to Thailand in the month of July and spent a week exploring various destinations in the south of the country. I visited Bangkok, Krabi, Phi Phi, Phuket and Pattaya and had many great experiences. There are so many things to do in Bangkok however I have curated a list of, rather non sexy but excellent things to do which will add to your experience of visiting this city. I would strongly recommend the below 5 experiences as things to do in Bangkok.

1) Travel in BTS (Bangkok Mass Transit System) and Buses

It’s both amazing and rare to experience a public transport system in its full glory. Public transport in Bangkok, including BTS is a worthwhile experience. When I landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport, I used BTS to reach my destination. It’s easy to access, extremely affordable, quick and super convenient. 3 lines and around 60 stations, it connects to most parts of the city.

AC Buses in Bangkok city and for inter-city travel are excellent. I chose AC bus instead of a van ride and it was a good decision. The buses have a toilet at the back which makes it convenient, especially for folks travelling with children.

2) Visit Benchakitti Park

For a city popular for bustling crowd, neon lit bars, party scenes with loud music, there is a place where everything slows down for good. At Benchakitti Park, you can sit by the large lake, and soak in the stunning views of wide blue sky and tall glass buildings. Amidst the soothing greenery, you can take a walk with family or jog around. If you are lucky, you will spot a monitor lizard or two. I could capture one of those walking around the park. It’s place where you can spend a few quiet and peaceful hours.

3) Eat at Cabbages and Condoms and Cheng Sim Ee

Within 10 mins of walking distance from Benchakitti park, there is a unique theme based restaurant named Cabbages and Condoms. Based on the idea of promoting safe sex, this restaurant is aesthetically beautiful and you will find whacky and creative uses of condoms in a variety of ways. Lamps, figurines, wall décor and even flowers on the table were made using condoms. Now that’s unusual, isn’t it? Along with the bill, they offer free condoms instead of a mint!

Beyond the theme and décor, there a variety of options on the menu and food tastes good which is a cherry on the top of this experience.

Read google review for Cabbages and Condoms here

Cheng Sim Ee

This is an amazing dessert place where you can customize your bowl of dessert by choosing from an elaborate menu of 50 options. ‘Cheng Sim’ means comfortable or at ease. I definitely felt at easy while I relished my dish and was left craving for more. For 50 BHT, it’s definitely value for money and an experience which stayed with me. This place started as a cart and has now grown into a popular spot for sweet lovers. Here’s a link to their website: http://www.chengsimeibkk.com/

You can read the google review of this place here

4) Visit Wat or Temples in Bangkok

The Wats or temples in Bangkok are extremely beautiful, quiet and serene places. The cleanliness, symmetry in structure, bright colors and the overall grace is exquisite. There are several options to choose from. I visited Loha Prasat (Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan) and meditated in the hall where a large buddha statue rests. It was an experience to cherish! Temple of Emerald Buddha is another great option which is located inside Grand Palace and comes with an entry ticket of 500 BHT.

5) Grab Bike Ride

Even though Tuk-Tuks in India are aplenty, I had heard a lot about the tuk-tuk rides in Bangkok and was curious to try that. However, after I tried a grab bike ride once, I wasn’t going back to tuk-tuk. Fancy and cool looking 150cc Yamaha and Honda’s almost fly on the smooth roads of Bangkok. Bikers were running at around 80kmph which is 3-4x of average speed in Bangalore. The cool breeze in the evening made this experience absolutely enjoyable. Of course, it is also the most cost effective option to go around the city in a quick and efficient manner.

So these are the top things to do in Bangkok for me and I would strongly recommend that you do all of these while you are in this beautiful city! Happy travelling!

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Hindi Wordplay भीड़ में अकेला

Hindi Wordplay भीड़ में अकेला is about those moments when you feel lonely in a crowd, and yet deeply connected with yourself.

This Hindi Wordplay भीड़ में अकेला is about that feeling of sudden loneliness, that dawns upon us even though we are surrounded by a crowd. At an event I attended recently, my brain stole a few moments and I was lost in the avalanche of my thoughts and felt alone, and yet completely at peace. Anything that was happening around me stopped to matter. While everything slowed down a bit, I was able to see myself standing there in the crowd.

Honestly, I crave for some of these moments where I am fully one with who I am and not really worried about the past, future or the present. This feeling of disconnectedness is once in a while and really powerful. In these rare moments, I feel the power to choose between what really matters and what is just noise.

Have you experienced such moments? Felt lonely in a crowd, and yet deeply connected with yourself.

Hope some lines in this Hindi Wordplay find resonance with you.

Did you like this Hindi Wordplay? You can explore the Wordplay section of this site to read more poetry in Hindi and English.

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भईया, Poem to celebrate my brother’s birthday

This poem celebrates one of the biggest gifts in life.Having an elder brother is a blessing, and I am grateful for this blessing in my life.

भईया is a poem I penned down for my brother’s birthday to tell him how much he means to me and all of us in our family. He is a wonderful father to a beautiful 8 year old girl Freya, who is a beautiful soul and of course the best kid on the planet.

One of the biggest gifts in life is to have a sibling with whom you can absolutely be yourself all the time. Having an elder brother is a blessing, and I am grateful for this blessing in my life. As my brother, Prady, celebrates his birthday this year, I reminisce about my childhood and the happy moments spent with my brother.

Bhaiya, you are a gem and I wish you a very Happy Birthday. Stay awesome!

A few lines below, for you.

भईया

मेरा हाथ पकड़ कर चलना सिखाया
छोटा भाई है मेरा कह कर दोस्तों से मिलवाया

–

बचपन में तो बड़ा सताया
मुझे कूड़े से है उठाया कह कर चिढ़ाया

–

मुझे क्रिकेट खेलना तूने सिखाया
साइकल पर बिठा कर बड़ा घुमाया

–

बड़ा हुआ तो समझ ये आया
बड़े भाई जैसा प्यार कोई कर ना पाया

–

मेरी गलतियों को मम्मी पापा से छुपाया
ठोकर खाने से कयी दफा बचाया

–

अपनी मेहनत का पैसा मुझ पर लुटाया
मेरे गुस्से को नादानी कह कर भुलाया

–

मेरे हर दुख को अपना दुख बनाया
लेकिन अपना दर्द कभी नहीं दिखाया

–

फ्रेया को चाचू कहना सिखाया
उसे वर्ल्ड का बेस्ट बचा बनाया

–

भईया तूने मुझे ऐसे अपनाया
तपति धूप में जैसे पेड़ की छाया

–

क्या तोहफा दूँ तुझे ये समझ ना पाया
शब्दों में कह दिया जो दिल में आया

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खुद से दोस्ती: Hindi Poem about Self-Love

This hindi poem ‘खुद से दोस्ती’ reminds us to be-friend our self and indulge in self-love!

This hindi poem ‘खुद से दोस्ती’ draws its inspiration from self-love, which I believe is the scarcest form of love going around. More and more people take less and less time to get comfortable with self. Our mind these days is constantly triggered by the content we consume and we have become so habitual that now it’s difficult for us to sit idle 5 minutes without any content stimulation. Our attention span is getting shorter and our comfort with self and silence is waning rapidly.

This hindi poem emphasizes that whether we like it or not, we will need to spend a lot of time with ourselves, hence it’s better to be-friend our self and learn to indulge in self-love. Here it goes:

English Rendition:

Befriend thyself o wanderer, you will need to spend a lot of time with yourself

after all, everyone around is busy with their struggle to decode life, learn to accept that

sometimes, friends end up hurting us, so we try to hide our shortcomings from even our friends

life these days, is uncertain, and we are bound to lose our loved ones on this journey

although we travel the world, yet, in the end, we come back home to ourselves

Befriend thyself o wanderer, you will need to spend a lot of time with yourself

Interested in reading more wordplay?

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