WHAT’S IN A NAME?

One of the most popular characters ever to dawn the Indian television screen “JASSI’ had once remarked that “How strange it is that the one name by which we will be known all our lives is actually not chosen by us but given to us?”

The writers by making such a statement had meant to give the viewers an insight into this complicated character, it can be inferred that she was extremely BORING but at the same thing looked beyond the fundamental meanings of things thus making her interesting at the same time. But this writer choose to ignore both of the above points (partly because I was not a follower of that show) and instead zeroed in the debate as to whether a person’s name single handedly defines his existence and differentiates him from others or is it just a form of nomenclature and nothing more.

Not able to make much headway into these two contradicting statements I decided to venture into more familiar territory, my own name.
Yes my name, for those who don’t know it its’ BIDU PRAKASH DAS.

Now I agree it isn’t a regular name so it might qualify as a strange one also.
Many times during the beginning of our semester when the teacher reads out the roll list invariably when my name shows up they all will-pause for a second, take a deeper look, raise their eyebrow and then pronounce it, but never correctly. Bidu gets twisted to beedu,bedo or even bibhu…talk about tongue twisters.
Even some of my closest friends find my name funny and manipulate in according to their own terms to suit their requirements (read tease me to death).
Introduction to a total stranger also lands me in a spot purely because of my name…
”What was your name again…Bikram, Bijay?”
I reply in vain “Bidu”
“What did you say…b-ee-du…ok”
Sometimes it really gets on my nerve, correcting people each and every time they pronounce your name is laborious to say the least and it is also embarrassing, so when I realize I can’t win I just let it be and swallow the bitter pill.

So it sometimes makes me complain “Mom dad couldn’t you think of a better name?”
My mom being as cunning as she is promptly replies” anything for my son’s happiness. Let us go to the court tomorrow itself an file an affidavit to change your name to whatever you want.”
Being cornered and out of moves I accept my defeat and reply, “Fine no need for that I will live with it.”I tell you my Mom….

READ ON...the next post is a continuation of this one.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

But once you think of it, it’s not that bad to live with such a name. Like it or hate it one thing you cant do is ignore my name. It may not sound that good but it surely is unique.
So when you shout out aloud my name in a crowd be rest assured that only I head will turn around in respond (provided off course I am there) but that may not be the case for other so called ‘beautiful names’.

Also I don’t have to add strange prefixes or postfixes to my name to get registered into any happening web service.(e-mail, messengers etc). For others it may have to be ajay123 or 123vijay but for me a simple Bidu does the trick. No hiccups here.

But I must say, I truly appreciated the value of my name once I typed in the words bidu prakash das (within double quotes) into google search engines.
I returned zero hits.
Yes you read it right zero hits.

Hear I am using the most powerful search engine in the world, the same engine which is at par with the printing press or steam engine as great inventions which have affected and changed the way we live our everyday lives, that one invention which gave two non political, non military Stanford graduates the power to revolutionize the world bowing down in front of my NAME. All my friends’ name returned some hit or the other but not mine. It lost my name won.
The thing that I could make out from this discovery was that I have a barren land, which no one has discovered till date. It is mine for the taking. If I think straight and work hard I can carve a niche for myself which will be totally my own. So thank you mom and dad for giving me this name and allowing me to truly make a unique ‘name’ for myself.

So in my conclusion I think I have realized that irrespective of one’s birth name each one should strive for a name beyond alphabets and one made on the foundation of accomplishment and recognition…. so STRIVE ON

AGONY AND ECSTACY

This is a two-piece continuation of the same post, which I did deliberately to exhibit the sharp contrasts of emotions, which I am trying to portray…so please read the next one also.

AGONY…….???

Who kehte hai na…jo hota hai ache ke liye hota hai……
Galat kehte hai…


Agony----What is it?
Only a person whose heart has been ripped can truly say what exactly agony is. I, like most of us have been in agony at some point of my existence. So if you ask me I would say -To be in a state where you loose FAITH and start doubting your EXISTANCE is equivalent to being in AGONY.

In the words of the patriarch of the Indian film fraternity Mr. Bachchan himself ‘umeed’ is what makes the world go round and makes us hang on a little bit longer. Now what can be so gruesome that forces us to loose FAITH? Now that’s how cruel agony can be. Also man may loose everything in life but one thing in life but he can always boast about one thing, his LIFE his EXISTANCE, the one thing that makes us the most superior being in the face of the 3rd rock from the sun. But the cruel hands of AGONY snatch away without a trickle of remorse our this sense of security and force us to concede the pleasures of being alive.

After being aware of the devastating ill effects of agony lets us imagine the cause. It can be as small as a heartbreak (small to others and obviously not to the person who undergoes the pain) or massive like the devil ringing the Death Bell of a near and dear one. It hurts more when your state is neither caused by you or is controlled by you. You feel SATAN hand picked you to lent his frustration out…you ask again and again..why me God…why me??? You feel no end to your misery…you don’t realize the reason you came to the world. To feel helpless and hopeless as if destiny had walked right up your door, slapped you in your face and made you realize how insignificant and worthless you and your very existence actually is. It does not matter how you end up in such a state but not if but when you do, its’ is a torture which even the most sadistic minds would dare not experiment with.

And then you bow down to your knees and say to yourself…life is a BITCH….

AGONY AND ECSTACY

ECSTASY…???


Jubilance, joy, happiness, pleasure when we ‘think’ we are undergoing such great emotions what exactly are we….I say we are ecstatic…in a state of ecstasy .

My critics will argue that ecstasy is a synonym of the words I have used above, but I feel it rightly describes our mindset in a way, which is exactly opposite to AGONY…a state of much happiness as compared to a state of despair.

Ecstasy what is it???
Again a state of mind. A felling, which gives you the impression that you are on top of the world. A truly marvelous combination of joy and self belief which makes you feel that impossible is nothing, no goal is too high to achieve and no path is too difficult to transverse. You can now stare at destiny, right into its eyes and say ‘I am the master of my own destiny’.

Such ecstasy can be caused by absolutely everything and anything. It can be the result of a once in a lifetime achievement or it can be the effect of one’s wild imagination, which may carry no practical implications whatsoever. Irrespective of its cause it has very sweeping effect across one’s mindset. It is very mysterious but a single event of ecstasy can cause a chain of reactions, which may very well be the defining moment in that person’s life.

And what a feeling that is? A combination of a sense of achievement coupled with the satisfaction of you being able to make a difference. You regain your lost hope feel you stand out and are accounted for in this world. It makes you realize how beautiful life is and how much there is to it. IT again makes you go down to your knees and murmur to yourself…

Who kehte hai na…jo hota hai ache ke liye hota hai……
Saht kehte hai…


Whatever inference can be drawn from this writing is upon the reader to discover all I want to say is that both AGONY and ECSTACY are state of the minds.
So think straight and win the mind game called LIFE

WHAT A GIRL!

Yes this blog in an opinion blog, a take on life but I have to pause for a moment and pay tribute to the most lovable person I have ever meet. Yes you guessed it; she is a girl, my girl. What can I say to u about her? She is just perfect. I never thought I would meet such a wonderful person who will fill my life with love, warmth and would inspire me to live life the only way it should be lived-BIG.I have known her for such a long time that I can't remember doing anything else before knowing her. She walked into my life and since then she has taken control, loving me and inspiring me each and every moment. Like a guarding angel this truly magnificent creation of the Almighty has been with me through thick as well as thin. I know not what I would have been if not for her.Now that I am away most of the time I miss her lots and I am sure that she yearns for me even more but having realized that it is for the greater good both of us have swallowed the bitter pill. But whenever I return I find her love grown many folds. She embraces me with all her strength making me realize how fortunate I am to have this girl in my life.Sacrifice is another word synonymous with her name. She has the ability to kill all her most precious dreams without even a word coming out of her just for the sake of others and especially me. I have asked her numerous times to mend her ways and for a change put herself first but habits don’t change easily. To be honest I don’t want her do change a tat bit. She is the epitome of love, care and the best part is that she is ALL MINE.So there you have it my description of the most beautiful girl in the entire wide world. I would love to write at lengths about her but no matter how hard I try I can never do justice to her-MY MOTHER.
THE MOTHER LOVES HER CHILD MOST DIVINELY NOT WHEN SHE SURROUNDS HIM WITH COMFORT AND ANTICIPATES HS WANTS, BUT WHEN SHE RESOLUTELY HOLDS HIM TO HIS HIGHEST STANDARDS AND IS CONTENT WITH NOTHING LESS THEN HIS BEST
I LOVE YOU MOM!
HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY.