The Seagull – Anton Chekov

Seagull – Anton Chekov The Seagull is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov.

The Seagull is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramatizes the romantic and artistic conflicts between four characters: the famous middlebrow story writer Boris Trigorin, the ingenue Nina, the fading actress Irina Arkadina, and her son the symbolist playwright Konstantin Tréplev. Following is the famous monologue from the play by – Nina, actress, who plays a character which describes how life/earth/world will be after thousand years!

NINA: Men and lions, eagles and partridges, antlered deer, geese, spiders, the silent fishes dwelling in the water, star-fish and tiny creatures invisible to the eye--these and every form of life, ay, every form of life, have ended their melancholy round and become extinct. . . . Thousands of centuries have passed since this earth bore any living being on its bosom. All in vain does yon pale moon light her lamp. No longer do the cranes wake and cry in the meadows; the hum of the cockchafers is silent in the linden groves. All is cold, cold, cold. Empty, empty, empty. Terrible, terrible, terrible. [A pause]

The bodies of living beings have vanished into dust; the Eternal Matter has converted them into stones, into water, into clouds; and all their spirits are merged in one. I am that spirit, the universal spirit of the world. In me is the spirit of Alexander the Great, of Caesar, of Shakespeare, of Napoleon, and the meanest of the leeches. In me the consciousness of men is merged with the instinct of animals; I remember everything, everything, everything, and in myself relive each individual life. I am alone. Once in a hundred years I open my lips to speak, and my voice echoes sadly in this emptiness and no one hears. . . . You too, pale fires, you hear me not. . . .

The corruption of the marsh engenders you towards morning, and you wander till the dawn, but without thought, without will, without throb of life. Fearing lest life should arise in you, the father of Eternal Matter, the Devil, effects in you, as in stones and water, a perpetual mutation of atoms; you change unceasingly. In all the universe spirit alone remains constant and unchanging. [A pause] Like a captive flung into a deep empty well, I know not where I am nor what awaits me. One thing only is revealed to me, that in the cruel and stubborn struggle with the Devil, the principle of material forces, it is fated that I shall be victorious; and thereafter, spirit and matter are to merge together in exquisite harmony and the reign of Universal Will is to begin. But that cannot be till, little by little, after a long, long series of centuries, the moon, the shining dog-star and the earth are turned to dust. . . . Till then there shall be horror and desolation. . . .

Behold, my mighty antagonist, the Devil, approaches. I see his awful, blood-red eyes . . . One thing only is not hidden from me: in my fierce and obstinate battle with Satan, the source of the forces of matter, I am destined to be victorious in the end. Matter and spirit will then be one at last in glorious harmony, and the reign of freedom will begin on earth. But this can only come to pass by slow degrees, when after countless eons the moon and earth and shining Sirius himself shall fall to dust. Until that hour, oh, horror! horror! horror! Satan, my mighty foe, advances; I see his dread and lurid eyes.

Six Blind Men & the Elephant - By John Godfrey Saxe

You see to believe. We believe what we see. Others believe what they see. There comes the conflict. When conflict arises we have 2 options. We can choose to continue the conflict or to problem solve.

In this poem 6 blind men encounter an elephant and listen for how they perceive an elephant looks like.

Six Blind Men & the Elephant - By John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887), John Godfrey is an American poet, who is well-known for his poem six blind men and the elephant.

It was six men of Indostan

To learning much inclined,

Who went to see the Elephant

(Though all of them were blind),

That each by observation

Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,

And happening to fall

Against his broad and sturdy side,

At once began to bawl:

"God bless me!

but the Elephant Is very like a wall!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk Cried,

"Ho! what have we here,

So very round and smooth and sharp?

To me 'tis mighty clear

This wonder of an Elephant

Is very like a spear!"

The Third approached the animal,

And happening to take

The squirming trunk within his hands,

Thus boldly up he spoke:

"I see," quoth he,

"the Elephant Is very like a snake!"

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,

And felt about the knee:

"What most this wondrous beast is like

Is mighty plain," quoth he;

"'Tis clear enough the Elephant

Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,

Said: "E'en the blindest man Can

tell what this resembles most;

Deny the fact who can,

This marvel of an Elephant

Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun

About the beast to grope,

Than,seizing on the swinging tail

That fell within his scope.

"I see," quoth he,

"the Elephant Is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Indostan

Disputed loud and long,

Each in his own opinion

Exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right,

And all were in the wrong!

Moral:

So often in theological wars,

The disputants, I wean,

Rail on in utter ignorance

Of what each other mean,

And prate about an Elephant

Not one of them has seen.

The poem is about people mis-interpreting what’s really going on and vexing about it and jumping into the wrong conclusions. Each blind man was totally convinced that he had made the true discovery and argued his case valiantly. Each felt that he was telling the truth and the others were telling the lie. Can you tell- who was telling truth and who was telling the lie?

The poem illustrates the range of truths and fallacies. One's subjective experience can be true, but such experience is inherently limited by its failure to account for other truths or a totality of truth. The poem throws an insight into the relativism, opaqueness or overwhelming nature of truth. It shows the behavior of the experts in fields where there is a deficit or isolation of information, the need for communication, and respect for different perception.

Each one of us knows only a part. Each one of us perceives the conflict in totally different ways as per our background, experience, training, personality. We might perceive only a portion of truth. To find out the whole truth we must put all the parts together. Success lies in unity and appreciating diversity.

Just Lather, That's All Hernando Téllez

Just Lather, That's All Hernando Téllez Translated by Donald A. Yates Tellez, a Columbian journalist and writer, world known for his Spanish short story - “espuma y nada más” (Just Lather That’s All). The story depicts civil wars and dictatorship in Columbia. I was influenced by this story, since I too hail from sensitive communal area. It’s about an inner conflict of a barber who is shaving the captain of a military unit which has tracked, imprisoned and killed some of his comrades. The barber vacillates between thoughts of slitting the captain's throat with his razor and giving him the expert shave. The question is does he kill his enemy who is at the edge of his razor. He said nothing when he entered. I was passing the best of my razors back and forth on a strop. When I recognized him I started to tremble. He didn't notice. Hoping to conceal my emotion, I continued sharpening the razor. He took off the bullet-studded belt that his gun holster dangled from. He hung it up on a wall hook and placed his military cap over it. Then he turned to me, loosening the knot of his tie, and said, "It's hot as hell. Give me a shave." He sat in the chair. I estimated - a four-day beard. The four days taken up in search of our troops. Carefully, I began to prepare the soap. Immediately the foam began to rise. "The other boys in the group should have this much beard, too." I continued stirring the lather. "But we did all right, you know. We got the main ones. We brought back some dead, and we've got some others still alive. But pretty soon they'll all be dead." "How many did you catch?" I asked. "Fourteen. We had to go pretty deep into the woods to find them. But we'll get. Not one of them comes out of this alive, not one." He leaned back on the chair. I still had to put the sheet on him. No doubt about it, I was upset. I took a sheet out of a drawer and knotted it around his neck. He wouldn't stop talking. He probably thought I was in sympathy with his party. "The town must have learned a lesson from what we did the other day". "Yes," I replied. "That was a fine show, eh?" "Very good," I answered, turning back for the brush. The man closed his eyes and sat waiting for the cool caress of the soap. I had never had him so close to me. The day he ordered the whole town to file into the patio of the school to see the four rebels hanging there, I came face to face with him for an instant. But the sight of the mutilated bodies kept me from noticing the face of the man who had directed it all, the face I was now about to take into my hands. His name was Torres. Captain Torres. A man of imagination, because who else would have thought of hanging the naked rebels and then holding target practice on certain parts of their bodies? I began to apply the first layer of soap. With his eyes closed, he continued. "Without any effort I could go straight to sleep," he said, "but there's plenty to do this afternoon." I stopped the lathering and asked with a feigned lack of interest: "A firing squad?" "Something like that, but a little slower." My hands started trembling again. I would have preferred that he hadn't come. It was likely that many of our faction had seen him enter. And an enemy under one's roof imposes certain conditions. I would be obliged to shave that beard like any other one, carefully, gently, like that of any customer. Yes, I was secretly a rebel, but I was also a diligent barber, and proud of my profession. I took the razor and began the job. Bit by bit the skin emerged. The man, who had kept his eyes closed, opened them now, removed one of his hands from under the sheet, felt the spot on his face where the soap had been cleared off, and said, "Come to the school today at six o'clock." "The same thing as the other day?" I asked horrified. "It could be better," he replied. "What do you plan to do?" "I don't know yet. But we'll amuse ourselves." Once more he leaned back and closed his eyes. I approached him with the razor poised. "Do you plan to punish them all?" I ventured timidly. "All." In the mirror I looked toward the street. Then I glanced at the clock: two-twenty in the afternoon. The razor continued. A curly beard. One of the tiny pores could be opened up and issue forth its pearl of blood. A good barber such as I prides himself on never allowing this to happen to a client. And this was a first-class client. Torres did not know that I was his enemy. It was a secret shared by very few, precisely so that I could inform the rebels of what Torres was doing in the town and of what he was planning each time he undertook a rebel-hunting excursion. So it was going to be very difficult to explain that I had him right in my hands and let him go peacefully—alive and shaved. How easy it would be to kill him….. Damn him for coming, because I'm a revolutionary and not a murderer. How easy it would be to kill him….. And he deserves it. Does he? No! What the devil! No one deserves to have someone else make the sacrifice of becoming a murderer. What do you gain by it? Nothing. Others come along and still others, and the first ones kill the second ones and they the next ones and it goes on like this until everything is a sea of blood. I could cut this throat just so, zip! zip! I wouldn't give him time to complain and since he has his eyes closed he wouldn't see the glistening knife blade or my glistening eyes. But I'm trembling like a real murderer. Out of his neck a gush of blood would spout onto the sheet, on the chair, on my hands, on the floor. I would have to close the door. And the blood would keep inching along the floor, warm, ineradicable, uncontainable, until it reached the street, like a little scarlet stream. I'm sure that one solid stroke, one deep incision, would prevent any pain. He wouldn't suffer. But what would I do with the body? Where would I hide it? I would have to flee, leaving all I have behind, and take refuge far away, far, far away. But they would follow until they found me. "Captain Torres' murderer. He slit his throat while he was shaving him - a coward." On the other side. "The avenger of us all. A name to remember. He was the town barber. No one knew he was defending our cause." And what of all this? Murderer or hero? My destiny depends on the edge of this blade. I can turn my hand a bit more, press a little harder on the razor, and sink it in. The skin would give way like silk, like rubber, like the strop. There is nothing more tender than human skin and the blood is always there, ready to pour. A blade like this doesn't fail. It is my best. But I don't want to be a murderer, no sir. You came to me for a shave. And I perform my work honorably.... I don't want blood on my hands. Just lather, that's all. You are an executioner and I am only a barber. Each person has his own place in the scheme of things. That's right. His own place. The man sat up and looked into the mirror. He rubbed his hands over his skin and felt it fresh, like new. Paying me he said "Thanks”. He headed towards the door. In the doorway he paused for a moment, and turning to me he said: "They told me that you'd kill me. I came to find out. But killing isn't easy. You can take my word for it."

Elegant Elbrus !

It all started with a white lie. Innumerable questions are unanswerable, like I am trekking, what do you do? It was my dream to travel around 7 continents of the world. Africa was what I was aiming for – the year 2013. Somehow the Kilimanjaro didn’t work out and the summit to Elbrus, highest mountain in Europe and Russia caught my attention. So signed up for the same. There was a slight chill in the heart when I realized that Elbrus had highest mortality rate and also -35* weather. However, the decision was intact. Prepared by running 5k every day and climbing the staircase and also building up a positive mindset. Started buying the stuff for the trek, skipoles, down jacket, balaclava, gaiters….just one after the other and finally my 80 liters backpack. The days were nearing for the trek. Had no courage to tell parents that I am going to climb the highest mountain in Europe and Russia. So, just mentioned that it’s a trip to Russia. They asked how many people are going, when it was answered with 12, they were fine. Then came the newspaper interview and snow-world. Finally an interview in TV-9. I knew that my parents might watch it. However, took a risk and finally didn’t get any question session from home so was fine assuming my parents are fine. I was relieved since I already informed my brother about this venture and I knew he would take care of the situation in the worst case. Got into Moscow flight, a long journey, slept most of the time and then we landed in Moscow. After some wait, we got into Mineralyne Vody flight. We reached MV by 2 pm. From there we had to travel 4 hours on road. We met Sergey Baranov (our ‘handsome’ guide) there. Then we headed towards Terskol, wherein we had to start our Elbrus journey. The on road journey was super awesome. We were briefed about our next-day trip and we had to check out our trekking gears (down jacket, fleece, gloves etc) with guide, so that we know what to rent the next day. Next day morning had breakfast and started towards rental shop. We got our snow boots (heavy boots) and we decided to take the rest of the items on the way back. Day-1 – Acclimatization trek to Mt.Cheget: We had to go in ski-lifts till one-point and then start our trek. It was the first day-trial with snow boot. It was like carrying 3kg weight on your feet. Not too easy as it looked like. Was feeling tired, but liked the climb. We reached the summit and on the way back- we had to walk in soft snow. Though it looked like fun, it was little hectic too, for a first timer to walk in snow. However, managed to come down and get into a restaurant. We had our lunch there, a nearby place and walked through the Terskol market and came back to the rental place. Got all our rentals – Snow-goggles, ice-axe, crampons, harness, mittens, etc. That night after dinner, we were briefed about the next-day plan, wherein we were supposed to travel 15 minutes, then ski-lift (gandolas) and then a hike for 6 hours. A long day. Night before sleeping kind of segregated our back-packs (for the hike and Russian tour). Day 2- to Huts - Morning after breakfast, started to ski-lift. Got into the cable cars and went up to – 3550 mtrs. We had to wait there for 6 hours due to snow. The entire road was filled with snow and the vehicle which had to carry our back-packs couldn’t move. So, we were sitting and playing anthakshari after our photo sessions. Preety and I got our share of pics with the snow-bike, all posing and modeling. It was fun watching few Russians singing “Jimi Jimi Jimi, aaja aaja aaja” whenever they spotted some Indians around. Then we started walking for some-time to reach our huts. We reached the hut and then relaxed for some-time, had our dinner. Next day plan was briefed. Day 3- Acclimatization hike till 4600mtrs – We started our day, though we were supposed to start early, we were little behind time. Sergey used to tease us for our time-sense. We started our walk, a long walk with snow-boots. Today, I was little more comfortable with the boots, though they were heavy, they were of great support. We reached till 4500 mtrs and it started snowing. Hence we couldn’t go further, we started climbing down. Chris came to my help while climbing down. We reached the hut and then took rest. Day 4- Resting and Ice-Axe Lesson Day – We started little late and went to a nearby place (half-an hour walk). Started on our crampons. All that was fun and play in the snow. Sliding down, ice-axe self-arrest, walking with crampons….etc. We came back to the hut and had lunch. We were briefed about the next day – Summit hike. Asked to rest. I couldn’t somehow sleep either during the day or in the night. I knew it’s going to tax on me the next day. But was all excited so couldn’t sleep a wink. Kept my back-pack ready for the next day. Day 5- Summit Day: Got up by 3 am (can say didn’t sleep at all). Got ready. We started towards snow-cat by 5 am. Got down and started hiking. As soon as we got down, I lost my mitten; it just blew away in the wind. Vladimir tried to catch it, however, he couldn’t. By the time, he took out another pair of mittens and I tried to wear it, the group already moved away from me. However, we started walking. It was quite tiring. But still started walking. Used to get all the thoughts in my mind and the biggest thought was how to reach the group. Used to walk from flag to flag. But that gap, I wasn’t able to cover up. Then came Alex, Vladimir moved ahead. Alex started walking saying, this is how you walk, step by step. Kind of started following Alex. Then I reached the first settle down point. I kept my bag down there. And started climbing up (the tough patch). All this while I could see the group, ahead of me. Again slowly started walking and this Alex moved ahead, another Alex came in. Then we started talking in our broken language along with the walk. Tried telling Alex, no matter what he has to take me there to the summit or else I might even kill him (now while writing this, I sit back and laugh), but I actually did say that. I don’t know what Alex understood, he laughed. Then again we started walking. We reached another resting point. I saw Sergey coming showing thumbs up. I didn’t get what he was trying to say. Alex told me that, if you can’t make in another 20 minutes, they are coming down. I started almost like running, didn’t put my foot down or take a step, just started walking without stop. Alex started saying “very good very good”. Even then, I felt like laughing. I ate one snicker bar and continued my walk again. In between Alex taking my pics here and there used to boost me. He said, we are almost there, once you cross this point, you can see the summit. We crossed that point, therein I saw the rest of the team walking on their way to the summit. I saw Satya waiting there. I reached Satya, I was tired but had enough strength to walk up till there. When I saw the summit point, I knew I will be there, come what may. We started walking. Then Sergey came and told me “you’ve just 5 minutes”. I don’t know from where the hidden energy popped up, I tried to rush and of course, finally with Sergey and Satya I was on the top. Wow, what a majestic view, feeling, moment……It was all worth. Coming down wasn’t an easy task. We were roped down and then started walking. Finally made it to the snow-cat with all the difficulties. And got back to the hut. Hakim was with arms wide open was welcoming us. It was like back home. Hugged everyone….felt so happy….! That night had the best sleep of my life (the first night after 5 days, wherein I didn’t even get up in between for loo break). Strange body and mind. Day-6 – Back to Base - After the happiest night, we got back down. Carrying my 20kg backpack was awesome. But, still it was a good experience. Came down to Alamat, had lunch and then we went to give back the rentals. It was a beautiful evening, just loitering around in the backyard, neighboring shops, a small sneak peek to Terskol market in search of souvenirs etc. to be cntd....

You Can/You Will/ You Must

How many of you have heard of Mount Everest? Anyone been there? Anyone been to Everest Base Camp? Supreme mountain-walk on earth! Majestic silhouette of Mt. Everest! 5565 meters above sea level! Minus 10 temperature! Hundreds of trekkers from across the globe, India, Germany, US, UK, Italy, Poland, Holand, Africa, smiley faces saying “Namaste”, you and your thoughts. That’s Everest Base Camp (EBC) Trekking, 4th top most & toughest destination in the world”. Dear Toastmasters and guests good evening. I was thrilled, when I heard about EBC and decided to venture. But, I never walked more than 5 mins in my life. Mind recalled, whenever the clouds of pain and sadness loomed, tears came till the eyelashes and this lonely heart got scared, tell your heart -YOU CAN, YOU WILL AND YOU MUST. My fitness regime started, run, walk, and climb. 3 months, I could run 10 kms, climb 15 floors and reduced from 67 to 57. Then comes family - my granny asks – trekking? What is trekking? We go up and? Reach the peak and then come down. Then Trek Nandi Hills -why EBC? The best answer for that is – escape. Our adventure started with flying to world’s most dangerous airport; I told pilot “our life is in your hand”. After spectacular flight and safe landing, with 3 porters and guide we started EBC endeavor. Traveling changes your perception. You start caring for the issues larger than you. Sight of five footer carrying godrej cupboard on his back, makes you realize life is unfair. Bollywood heroes carrying heroines doesn’t count. In that altitude, every step you take, every move you make, you get dead tired due to less oxygen. People carry gas cylinder, tables, generator and cots from 2000 ft to 18000 ft. You cognize that world is both very large and very small. You develop pristine respect for pain and suffering, seeing two-thirds of humanity struggling to get one meal a day. 15 days in mysterious world, as days passed, I was exhausted, reduced appetite, frozen water in the washroom, ice-breaking to get water; challenging but fun! Gloves, monkey cap, woolen wears, 3 socks, 1 pull over, high altitude jacket, in spite of 7 layers; cold was extreme. That evening, an old couple was approaching our guesthouse. They looked cheerful and lovely. By nature, we are curious about age. I was shocked to hear Kasahara couple was just 79. Here, we get prepared by 30 for arthritis. Fitness is ones state of mind. One day we saw 3-acre plain ground; thousands of pebbles set one upon another. I assumed, must be prayer stones and about to set pebbles seeking salary-hike. Our guide said those are memoirs of deceased trekkers of Everest and EBC. It was scary, I stood in silence, I stood in sadness, I stood frozen, I stood in disbelief thinking of the men, women and children who lost their life, chasing their dreams. Life was “tasteless”, without spice! 15 days, same bread omlete/lentil rice, boiled egg & hot water. Mind was humming– “Is this the feeling, I need to walk with”. Is it worth? Yes, when you stand proudly in front of elegant EBC. After EBC, final climb was waiting. That day, I had headache. Severe headache results in retreat, no further walk. I didn’t want to give up I told myself - YOU CAN, YOU WILL AND YOU MUST. Morning, with slight headache, we started summiting; many were falling sick and waning. Each step was giant leap, hard, painful and strenuous. Peak looked too steep to walk, I thought of retreating. I saw another old couple at 60s walking with 2 kids. Man was carrying baby in backpack and lady with a 4 year old girl, who was crying. We assumed girl is tired. Our guide offered to carry her. That small girl says – I am crying because “we are late for the sunrise, I am not tired”. Wow, my headache vanished. I told myself YOU TOO CAN, YOU WILL AND YOU MUST and started hiking. In the next one hour, I was on the peak, first among group to reach the summit. Most magnificent mountain panorama I have seen in my life: 15 days – in a land where life is simple; people are gentle, culture is wonderful; paths are steep, terrains are tough and the air is thin! I felt, as if I am on the top of the world; I really was. I feel the same way as I stand in front of you. Never did I imagine I will walk that classic path of EBC, when I heard about it the first time. Never did I imagine, I will give Project 10 before this august audience when I joined toastmasters last April. It gave me courage, confidence, and an opportunity. A dream accomplished. All I had was “YOU CAN, YOU WILL AND YOU MUST”! Do the impossible, travel the untraveled, ravel the unraveled, perceive the world. Spend a noon on lakeside, an evening on streets of green pasture. Hike adjacent trail. Ascend nearby mountain. Get heart broken by the "killing fields" of history. Sway in stream. These memories shape your life; they're eternal. Dear all, will you close your eyes for a moment? Imagine - blue sky, celestial morning, divine river, enthralling clouds, frozen glaciers, gentle breeze, humble porters, jingles of yak, Soothing buddhist chants, swaying alpines, splendid sunrays on pearl white mountain, marvelous apple farms, snowy shower, nature at its glory. Open your eyes. Would you want to walk that glorious path? All you need is - YOU CAN, YOU WILL AND YOU MUST.

Just Do It !

Will you smile, if I asked you to? Great! Dear Toastmaster and guests, good evening. "Spring has past, summer has gone and winter is here. And the song that I meant to sing remains unsung. I spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument." – Words of a man whose heart was filled with remorse over a life half-lived. Rather than humming his reverie song, he spent his days shelving and waiting until things were just right. She was my classmate and neighbor. We walked, talked, jumped, studied, played, danced, bounced and bullied each other, everything together- just like two peas in a pod. How can I forget those days –getting caught while trying to pluck mangoes like monkeys from neighbor’s backyard, our great scheme to smoke cigarette and trespass teachers garden? It was all forgiven in the name of naughty child’s playful triumph. Our friendship, a red red rose ended up like summer’s dark dry leave. When she slapped another friend of mine – I pinched her- she pinched back. Gloomy end of a blooming friendship. We stopped talking, playing; for fifth standard girl, it was week’s cry to handle her friend’s total silence, avoidance and arrogance. During school farewell, I thought of making peace with her. Mind said – even she could do that. So didn’t do it. After fifth, we changed school. Still we were neighbors, every day I would look forward to my mother for the news – oh your friend came today to say hello. My wait didn’t end. I thought, she would be invited to my home sometimes, then, I will brag about my teachers, friends and school to her. She never came. Every day, our eyes met but face turned like strangers. Year passed by thus. We stepped on to high school. We still weren’t out of our hatred, loathing and disgust. A Wednesday afternoon, my English teacher was reading William Blake’s The Poison tree “I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow” I was angry with my friend, I didn’t tell my wrath and it did grow beyond repair. That day I decided to approach her and befriend again. I thought that weekend would be a good day. That night, I was thinking – about the possible explanations to give for delay, with which she would be fine and be my friend again. Next afternoon I hear that – that girl with beautiful eyes, my dearest friend, died due to drowning in the sea. I was dejected, distraught, and devastated. I still am left with grief, a tormenting truth haunting my life, I didn’t smile, when I could, I didn’t forgive/ forget, while I could, I didn’t talk, while I should have; I didn’t meet, while I could have. I wedged in between my procrastination, ego, laid back like rip van winkle, in my own lazy slumber. I kept on postponing, deferring, waiting for a good day to start. It was fleeting shadow on a cloudy day. Time waits for none. Time bygone is gone by. I don't know who coined these phrases, but they must have been depressive and gloomy. We are like ostrich, trying to hide our head in the sand hoping the problems to fade! The less one has to do, the less time one finds to do it, an eternal truth. You may delay but time will not. The best way to get something done is to begin. Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week. Tomorrow is when idlers work, fools reform and pessimists hope. Tomorrow is the only day that appeals lazy man. A year from now you may wish you had started today. Edward Young says, ‘At thirty, man suspects himself a fool; knows it at forty, and reforms his plan; at fifty chides his infamous delay, pushes his prudent purpose to resolve; in all the nobility of thought, resolves, and re-resolves, then dies the same’. Value, snatch, grasp, and enjoy every moment. No idleness, laziness and procrastination. Be happy, not because everything is good, But because you can always find good side of everything. Always, replace your "I can do this later", with just do it! As you walk out of the door, if you miss someone, will you call them? Want to meet up, will you invite them? Want to be understood, will you explain? You got questions, will you ask them? Don’t like something, will you say it; like something will you state it, dream something, will you work upon it. We just have one life, which is short and sweet; keep it simple; smile- smile while you still have teeth.

Pleasure of Paragliding Paradise

20 kgs weight on your back. Standing 200 mtrs above the ground on the edge of hilltop. All watching you. Heart beats like rapid train. Radio asks – “ready?” “Free flight check had done, Suchithra ready to take off”. Fighting with the aggressive tempest to open your glide and gush through gale, instructor on the radio shouts – Run, Run, Run….. you are off the cliff with glide and within no time, you are flying in the high sky. Dear Toastmasters and guests, that’s pleasure of paragliding paradise, To fly in the high sky, gaze stars, view clouds, float like an eagle is human dream. Flying inspired civilization from inception. Sighting the sunrise and sunset from a calm seat in the air, braced by the buoyant twilight or morning dew, with perchance an eagle or hawk joining you off your wing tip charms you, then paragliding is for you. It’s subtle, serene, not muscle and adrenaline. It requires physical, mental alertness and vigilance than fitness. A successful paraglider listens well and thinks clearly. Trivial mistake could be fatal. I once, was inspired by people flying from hilltop and slowly landing in the bank of a lake. Watching them dancing and swinging in the air, mind said “even I’d like to try it”. After few search, I learnt, India has excellent paragliding termini. Kamshet near Pune is one termini, where you take-off from the hilltop and land in gorgeous greenery. Deciding to accomplish my reverie of flying, reached Pune. First day, the video sessions on paragliding, briefing on DOs and DON’Ts, followed with ground-handling and bunny hops sessions, where you take-off from a slope, slowly slithering through the pasture. Since the land of flight is not smooth and air might wary, wearing good ankle support shoes is must. Though my friend took off in jiffy, mine take off was difficult. Wind pushed me backward and I had to restart the flying process. Paraglider gear has 20 Kg backpack, wing, harness, helmet and reserve parachute, costs nearly US$3,500. It’s a non-motorized, foot-launched inflatable wing. The pilot drives the glide without any engine and supporting mechanisms from the cliff or hill-top. The pilot sits in a comfortable harness suspended by kevlar lines from the canopy and steers the paraglider with two controls. ONE can fly soaring upwards on currents of air. There is no free-falling or jumping off of cliffs. The launches and landings are slow, gentle, quiet and Serene Experience. Paragliders often stay aloft for hours, climb to cloud base, and may go Cross-Country. Tandem flights, flying with a pilot are for those who want to taste the nerve-racking flying sensation with veteran pilot. Started in the 70s in France, by the mountaineers who were experimenting descending in relaxed and fun way. Paragliding is global sport, like climbing, rafting, trekking, mountain biking. After 3 days course, on the final day, we started from the hilltop. Just unpack the wing, clip harness, helmet, inflate the wing overhead by letting the breeze into it, and then turn and RUN, the earth drops away and the sky is yours. View everything from up there! The worst situation in the sky is clash of two paragliders. I was petrified, when I was about to sprint another paraglider, but followed the instructions warily and both are alive. As you glide through the air, it’s a magnificent and exciting experience. You’ll fly over the mountains relishing beauty and silence. It entails audacity, bravery and control, ABC formula. While descending, slowly you have to run till you are stable and steady. If you dream to be a flying bird, you too can try to float in the high blue sky. Paragliding is the most affordable forms of flight, perfect for those who can’t buy a plane and fancy flying. “For once you have savored flight; you will stride the earth, with your eyes turned skyward; for there you have been, and there you long to return”.

Ignorance of Law

On a bright sunny day, he wanted to share an “obscene” sms with friends. By mistake it went to one of the High Court judge’s daughter. In India for rape, imprisonment is 7 years, for sending an obscene text, its 5 years as per Section 66A of the IT act. He had no intention …..For few crimes, intention is unnecessary, he wasn’t aware that it’s a crime. “Ignorance of law is not an excuse; ignorance of judge is not a privilege”. Dear toastmasters and guests, good evening. Womb to tomb, laws canon us. We can’t learn every law. But, let us understand few important laws touching our life like traffic, property, marriage, contract, banking laws etc. While buying property, get the title search done, give Newspaper publication. Get the agreement drafted by lawyer. Avoid copy-paste typists and agents. Don’t evade registration. Unregistered document is peril. Notarization is not registration. The Stamp Act and Registration Act mandate going to the sub-registrar’s office and registering the document. My friend bought a property from her uncle. To save some money, she avoided legal opinion and registration. Later, she realized that her uncle wasn’t the owner and property is under litigation. Since 5 years she’s running to the court and still unsure about court’s decision. She spent 15 lakhs in the court for 30 lakhs property. There are 48972 cases on Karnataka because of unregistered document. The Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 states cheque bouncing is an offense punishable with imprisonment. Please re-issue the cheque on such intimation. Issue the notice within 30 days of cheque bouncing and pay the money within 15 days of notice. Kingfisher Airlines is charged for cheque bouncing, since they have issued cheque without bank balance. Where there is a will, there are 500 relatives. Don't want to give your self-acquired property to your wife and kids? Make a will and register it! In the absence of will, the property devolves as per the Hindu Succession Act 1956, equally among mother, spouse and children. One cannot make will regarding ancestral property, however, one can create a will for his share in the property. As per Marriage Laws (Amendment) Act, 1976, even an illegitimate child and children born out of live in are entitled for father’s property and maintenance. Ladies, whatever money, jewelry given to a bride in marriage by her parents and in-laws are her property, called as Streedhan, as per Hindu Marriage Act. Gold costs, be smart! A divorced Muslim woman can’t claim maintenance from husband, unless she and her husband made an affidavit as per Section 125 of CRPC 1973. Will any clever man do that? Law says her parents, children or relatives are liable for her maintenance. If everything fails, she gets nominal maintenance from Indian Wakf Board. Non-Muslim girls marrying Muslim men should know their legal rights on conversion and marriage under Muslim law. Muslim men can legally have 4 wives. Hardly 0.2% of Muslims have more than 1 wife. Wife is the knife of my life. Muslim men can divorce by triple pronouncements of Talaq. Women married under Muslim law, have no maintenance rights, unless they marry under the Special Marriage Act. Take assistance from lawyers, while giving police complaints, since it’s an important piece of evidence. Live example of Tejpal and Talwar case. You client breached your contract and owes money, file case within three years, before it’s barred by limitation Act 1963. Understand arbitration clause in the contract, which restricts one from approaching the court. Arbitration dodges court, but remember - bribing an Arbitrator is way easier than bribing all the judges in different courts. Pre - marital physical relationship is legal, if the girl is above 16. The Madras High Court says couples who have premarital physical relationship to be considered ‘married’. Good news is, law recognizes live-in, bad news is women in live-in can seek relief under domestic violence law. In India, pissing in public is fine, but kissing attracts fine. IPC Section 294 penalizes public display of affection with 3 months imprisonment. However, regular kiss, goodbye hug is fine. Courts compete in speed with IRCTC. Case winning does not guarantee relief. Executing the order with police help is vital. Amicable settlement of family matters, out of court compromise is sage. Preserve records, retain accounts; take photographs, videos note down key points, with precise dates and times. Study law regarding your region and religion, specifically marriage and property laws. Erin Brockovich or Harvey Specter is just filmy not real. Remember 99% of the lawyers give the rest a bad name.