A Collection of OBSERVATIONS   

written over the years    

Rocking in the 21st century
“Looking around, it was strange to see a smokeless rock campus. So different from Woodstock! Most of the kids wore faded blue jeans, T-shirts & tennis shoes very much like in the stormy 60s. But what really stood out & made them look like an entirely new generation was the cleanliness of their attire... &, of course, their choice of brand labels.”
-Dec 2001

Ah, freedom!
“A pair of blue jeans, a can of cola & a guitar
These are the tri-cult-symbols of a land in the West
That gave Freedom its best description
... & powerfully crossed over into the East.”
-Sep 2001

The nature of laws
“Laws did not begin with the advent of civilization. Nor did it begin with the advent of man. In fact, laws did not even begin with the advent of the first society. Laws began with the advent of nature.

“And the laws of nature were not designed for individuals.

“Every law of nature is a complex manifestation of one great law—the law of survival.

“Someone once asked me, 'So, are the laws of nature just?' And I said, 'Taken in its totality—Yes'.

“The law of survival constitutes two opposing forces; one is driven by the constant urge to destroy and create, and the other, to preserve.”
-Apr 4, 2001

On the impact and responsibility of society on/towards the individual
“If an individual commits cold-blooded murder, society should be hanged.”
-Mar 19, 2001

The art of convenience
“When survival is at stake, grand ethics go flushing down the lavatory with ease.”
-Feb 26, 2001

What belongs to whom? Since when? And… until when?
“It takes a massive calamity for people to realize, at least for the time-being, that nothing belongs to anyone... and that everything belongs to everyone.
 
“The possession of a property for a span of time, however lengthy, does NOT substantiate one's eternal claim over it.

“NOTHING BELONGS TO ANYONE.”
-Feb 7, 2001

Loopholes in a bloated balloon
When life begins to get too bliss, there's always enough laws to make a mockery of order.”
-Jan 25, 2001

What’s your real intention?
“You don't need a machine gun to shoot down a bird.”
-Jan 20, 2001

The force that breaks things apart
“I used to love separating fighters, strangers mostly; perhaps, the most favorite of all my hobbies, writing and speaking included.”
Update: I relinquished this expensive hobby of mine the moment I stepped into Mumbai :)
-Jan 1, 2001

Free to imagine
“I have a right to create a giant panda who stays by the seaside, eats grass and does funny things on the beach.

“It isn’t my fault if his English isn’t very good; I don't get time to teach him. And anyway, he speaks excellent Spanish.

“If someone doesn’t quite approve of his behavior, they have a right to not watch his clever antics.

“They also have a right to invent their own character, and teach him whatever tricks they want to. I won't complain.”
-Dec 29, 2000

The joker in the pack
“Today, I played cards with my little nieces and nephews. And lost. As punishment, they made me repeat, 'I will not brainwash anyone anymore'”.
-Dec 29, 2000

Destined to be famous
“You cannot kill a dead man who is condemned to one day wake up and run to the reverberations of a raving coliseum.”
-Dec 15, 2000

Progress or degeneration?
“The displacement of a magnitude of people from their centuries old ancestral home can NOT be a justification for blocking progress.

“But it would be a dangerous crime to destroy the flora and fauna of a place to build cities and highways and dams if it is at the cost of an un-substitutable ecological imbalance… or the elimination of even one single species. No species has a fundamental right to eliminate another. Furthermore, it would be utter madness to do so”.
-Dec 13, 2000

On diplomacy and the importance of not going for the kill
“In a friendly match, it is very correct to deliberately not win against the host side when the hosts' face is at stake. In such a situation—and especially if the host is the weaker side—a draw could mean a win for both sides, whereas, a win for the visiting side could mean a loss for both sides”.
-Dec 12, 2000

Are you mad?
“When you are young, you are full of mad ideas. This world was built on 'mad' ideas... by 'mad' people... who believed in their 'mad' dreams.”
-Dec 7, 2000

The priceless value of values
“Is anything in life so important for one to give up one's ethics?”
-Dec 5, 2000

Creative control
“In show biz, unlike in the divine arts, it is most often the producer who adds the final touches.”
-Dec 2, 2000

For the atom and the universe are one, or, the secret of how I make my predictions
“When I was young, I spent sleepless nights, wondering what was beyond the boundaries of space and time.  Nobody either knew then or cared to tell me that the answer was within the simplest atom.

“Yes, the cosmos is a very ordered place; every small cycle is a reflection of a bigger cycle as well as of cycles smaller than it and yet to come. If you wish to make good predictions, you must understand these patterns very well”.
-Nov 30, 2000

The eternal wheel of the cosmic flow
“Every point is the center of the universe.”
-Nov 24, 2000

The evolution of revolutionaries
“Rebels, when they burn out, most often grow up to be rulers.

“Or, fall on their knees and look back.

“Some rebels never die; they only grow old... and wise.”
-Nov 11, 2000

Endless versions
“What is the Truth?”
-Nov 7, 2000

Such is fame
“When you are young and famous, they mob you and try to tear off your clothes. When you grow old, they rise silently, and give you a standing ovation.”
-Nov 6, 2000

Scars on the soul
“If you dirty your palms with grease, you may find it hard to wash your hands off the stains that remain.”
-Nov 3, 2000

Highly subjective
“My son is a very determined person; yours is so stubborn!”
-Oct 26, 2000

A variety of popular gifts
“The most popular gifts I have come across:

the 'Mr & Mrs X gave us a present worth around Rs. 250 for our wedding so we ought to give them something that's worth around that much' gift,

the 'Your presence with acceptable status present' gift,

the 'Let’s see what he's brought for me from the U.S.' gift,

the 'He's only worth so much' gift,

the 'We're living off their fortune, so let's buy them a few 25 paisa lollipops every once in a while, to keep them happy' gift,

the 'What is in it for me?' gift,

the 'Treat the workers nicely and they'll do a better job' gift,

the 'Give something to that damned beggar and send him off' gift,

the 'I'll do anything for you if you don’t tell' gift,

the 'Don't mess around with me; happy nightmares to you' gift,

the 'I like his place very much, so I'll send him a horse' gift,

the 'He's just returning a favor' gift,

the 'I'm the one who put him there' gift,

and the 'We're giving you $2 million in aid, so shut up and vote for us' gift.”
-Oct 24, 2000

Remembering beautiful scraps of youth
“Kids will fight; in fact, they must. All (male) kid-fights are mostly harmless and mostly healthy and are a part of the growing process. I can personally vouch for that.”
-Oct 20, 2000

To be a messenger of peace, you must first master the art of war
“I am proud to say that I have never in all my post-school life ever struck another person—even though I myself have been throttled and bloodied around more than once... albeit, in the process of trying (always successfully) to save someone else's neck.”
-Oct 20, 2000

Price to pay
“If you declare war, you must not complain when the carpet bombs begin to fall.”
-Oct 19, 2000

Now you know why creative failures become critics
“Negative criticism is a piss boy's job. Anybody can do it; it’s as simple as passing the piss bucket around.

“Try doing a professional job all by yourself—starting from getting your fingers dirty all the way up to adding the finishing touches; if you can manage to go the full length without compromising on quality, without compromising on your own initial expectations... and without breaking down, through all the agonies up to the final triumph, chances are that you'll never again in all your life want to criticize someone else's.”
-Oct 8, 2000

Scoring high marks does not make you educated
“Learn from the trees. Learn from the beasts. Learn through experience. Learn through your senses. Learn from the learned. Don't be ashamed to even learn from a little child. In fact, learn as much as you can from children; they will not hold back facts, and they know the most.”
-Oct 8, 2000

Asking for trouble
“An act of aggression is a declaration of war.”
-Oct 7, 2000

The unbridled folk
“Creativity and Discipline are not exactly the best of friends; but yes, they sometimes do get along very well.”
-Oct 4, 2000

What is success, after all?
“If wealth is the measurement of success, that woman who chews pan on the pavement and sells salted gooseberries 15 paisa for two is more successful than Mahatma Gandhi.”
-Sep 30, 2000

Playing with chance
“A good gambler is one who knows exactly when to stop.

“When the bears come charging downhill, throw down your belongings, and do some yoga.

“When the bulls come charging uphill, grab one by its horns and ride him on.

“Life is full of ups and downs; if you don't get thrown off and trampled every once in a while, what the heck, you're missing all the fun.”
-Aug 19, 2000

Someone of significance
“You know you are Someone when people start bitching about you at important dinners... or, rob your ideas.”
-Aug 19, 2000

Lessons of life
“Business is trial by error. If you've never scorched your fingers, chances are that you're not moving; conservation is stagnation. Gamblers do not always fall; they sometimes even soar.

“Always learn. From others’ experience. And your own.

“Resources are the backbone. Keep back-ups. And one day they will save you.

“When your boat springs a leak, plug it till the very end. You could still reach the golden shores. But if it’s gonna sink for sure, don't go down with it. Grab whatever you have left, and swim for your very life.

“Whatever you do next, don't panic. Wherever there is an ocean, there will always be something floating on its surface.

“A ship is bound to pass by. If they can’t find you, go ahead and find them.

“At the end of the day when you've eaten your last biscuit and drunk the last drop of water, the only thing that will separate you from the chaff drowning with the dusk will be your perseverance to withstand the long night with a brave smile, holding on to your ethics and keeping control over your sense... with one mad, daring hope—to see the first rays of a rising sun.”
-Aug 10, 2000

Be careful of the past
“You can smile with history if you wish, and she'll even come to dance with you. But, dig her in her rotten ribs, and she'll wake up to destroy you.”
-Jul 5, 2000

Like a house with no pillars
“A door with rusty hinges is doomed to give way.”
-Jun 13, 2000

Patience, for success
“An empire built on classic foundations may take eons to scrape the sky; but it will stand firm to face the test of time.”
-Jan 4, 2000

Movers and shakers
“Rebels Make the world; Diplomats Rule it.”
-Oct 24, 1999

Street-smart techniques
“Aces are useless unless you know how to use them.

“Always keep your eyes fixed on the ball, and know exactly which side of the court it’s edging on. The card-sharper is watching your every move.

“Then, of course—NEVER ever unroll your sleeves... even when the sun is hot. After all, it can still get even hotter! And what's worse, if the weather suddenly turns chill, you'll be left holding damp cards.

Sometimes, if you're good and lucky, you'll maybe catch more than a single bird with an ace; but don't push your luck too much over the edge, or you could end up killing nothing at all.

“Observe your opponent's observations. Most importantly: know yourself.”
-Date Unknown

Everything changes
“Time kills everything in its path... and yes, even old values.

“NOTHING IS FOREVER.”
-Date Unknown