Buddha Mil Gaya

I was on my Wild West trip to Udaipur and other cities nearby. Ultimately I was so stuck with the scenery I saw in Udaipur, I didn’t feel like seeing any other city in Rajasthan. After a day of visits to city palace, Lake Palace, there was something I was missing. I didn’t mind traveling alone, infact it was great. Udaipur is full of lakes,

On our way to Mount Abu, we saw the setting of a famous song in QSQT; I wished my dear friend was around to experience the feeling alongside me.

But none could match the beauty of Gurshikar, the highest point of Mount Abu, which I was about to see in some time.

The walk we took was like a walk in the clouds, literally it was. I was accompanied by Raj and Nitin, whom I got to know from Raj. Both are from Udaipur and surprisingly, it was Raj’s first outing to Mount Abu as well.

We reached Mount Abu, at around 10:30 in the morning.

This was the entrance to Mount Abu.

Getting soaked in the clouds was something new to us, and it was hard to dissemble our feelings on experiencing such a thing.

After spending few hours at the peak, we decided to go to another place called Achalgarah. Legend has it; it was the place once Pandavas stayed during their exile.

I was not feeling well, since I am scared of heights. But I did ring the bell at the highest point of Mount Abu. Later, because of my condition, I was hesitant to visit the temple. But inside me, I felt, let me go. It might get better.

We were letting off our footwear, just when a boy held me and told me, “Saab, Guide chahiye”. I was not interested and then he told me- “Saab, sirf das rupaiya”. I got a mixed feeling, "ok, It is just 10 bucks", I wondered.

Still I was not convinced as to what made me to hire him.

After our initial visit to the Shiva temple, we started our climb to the next place, the Jain temple.

Camera wasn’t allowed inside the Jain temple.

Next stop was a kilometer climb till we reached the peak of Achalgarah. It is a proclivity in me to know about a person whoever he or she may be. I make that extra effort in knowing them.

Name: Suraj, 12 years of age studying in 6^th grade at a school which is about 8 kilometers from his house. He was our guide.

I was asking him about how he goes about his daily life-“I go to school early in the morning, I return by noon and then I start earning by being a guide. My father earns through selling dolls and my mom makes them. My brother also studies in the same class even though he is 4 years elder to me”, he smartly replied.

Interesting, I said to myself.

He later shifted his thoughts towards the reality of life. He was telling, “To be good in life, its like climbing”, we did realize, since it was getting tough as we went up step by step. Déjà vu.

He looked a normal kid, who is 3 ft tall, carried an umbrella and more importantly the right words in order to keep the tourists like us in a jolly mood even when it was little tough physically to climb. He had a torn pair of hawai chappals, but had a good grip even though he experienced the occasional slip. His shayris were assuaging to our ears.

“Saab, life has its own fun; it isn’t easy but certainly not a difficult one”, he murmured

We reached finally after a 25 min climb, we were thirsty.

Flash, he gave us a bottle of water and said drink it, it’s pure. It was indeed, the most delightful drink I ever gulped in my life and I did wash my face with it. I was rejuvenated. I had symptoms of throwing up previously, it went away. I am not joking.

He asked me- “Saab, are u from England?” I told him, why son, am I not speaking good Hindi? He replied back-“I am confused, as to how come an English guy speaking such good Hindi”.

I told him, I am a South Indian and I come from Bangalore. I wasn’t surprised either when he raised his eyebrows when he heard the word “Bangalore”.

So there you are some people still don’t have an idea about Bangalore.

Later he started telling about people’s nature. How it resembled the animal food chain. There are predators who feed on innocent, lucky people are those, who escape the slaughter of these predators. Only time decides how lucky they are. But we must not feel bad for the innocent ones because it is a pleasure to lead a life, however short it maybe.

Well, we had a puzzled look. Enigma, well I heard it in history lessons in World War II chapters, this was nothing short of it.

Soon, it started raining, he said “follow me”, and he took us to a small stone cave where space was enough for four of us to cover.

This is the cave and it was ready so that we could sit in and take shelter.

Later Suraj took us to another cave which was very dark and he told a sanyasi does his meditation inside it. Well, we didn’t want to go fully inside.

Now few people know the fact that, I have a problem with heights. I am shit scared of heights. Just when I was realizing, something needs to be done for this boy, the whole fear went and I was looking down and never before I felt like this. I was walking as though, there isn’t any fear. Even on slippery roads, I was confident I would be reaching Bangalore and write an article on him. Thanks to him, I am writing now.

By now we were convinced as to why we were here.

While returning back, he slipped and for a moment we thought, oh god, but he is a God’s gift, nothing can stop him from reaching greater heights than the peak of Achalgarah.

He showed us his hut from the top and we hoped, this kid continues to enlighten many people in the future.

Five minutes, we were down.

It took us 25 min to climb and just 5 min to come back.

He explained-“There are short cuts and long roads in life, to learn something which is good, we must never hesitate to take the longer route. He asked, whether we were satisfied by taking the longer route or shorter route?”.

We didn’t answer that question but on personal terms we did answer it and kept it to ourselves.

Little Buddha, I called him, and destined that we were to get enlightened.

As his name tells, Suraj, his face resembled the brightness of sun and his eyes, never seen such powerful eyes.

At the top of Mount Abu, and behind me are the clouds not fog.

the clouds which covered us!!!

We didn’t want him to give money because they are poachers one being his elder brother.

We wanted to give him a nice pair of slippers so that he never slips again and continues to do the good work.

We didn’t find a shop when we got down, and already his brother started approaching us and told us to give him the money since Suraj was a kid.

We gave a 50 rupee note and told Suraj to buy himself a pair of nice chappals.

We told him that we trust him and he promised us he won’t misuse the money.

As soon as he got the money, his brother came running and tried to snatch it from him.

Suraj gave him a slap, and we just groaned at his brother, he was off running to save himself from further humiliation.

All 3 of us, looked at him for one last time, he gave a smile.

If I was still wondering as to why I chose him to be the guide, I would be a fool. Luckily I didn’t ask that question.

Off we went, and that’s it. It was 2 hours with him and 120 minutes of enlightenment.

I have heard Buddha and his guiding ways, well this time around I saw, in fact we all 3 sensed it.

My trip was worthwhile and for me I got a sense about how beautiful my life can become.

It was the attitude and he certainly did show me a broader sense of being alive and being purposeful in what I do.

Hope in India, we nurture such kids. I am not worried about him, as he is strong enough to take care of himself.

If I get a chance, I want to go back and meet Suraj; I hope talking to him many would have got their questions answered.

When I am low, I know where I would get my questions answered.

Koi Mil Gaya, Maloom nahin, Buddha zaroor mila .

A hunk/ hulk who found his Ferrari

I was being profligate when I missed many opportunities to realize a lot of things in me which could have made a difference. For not achieving what I could have, my feelings were astringent. I did realize my faults within me, when I felt bad once taking pleasure in noticing faults in others.

Me being very low after missing opportunities, I always used to turn to people around me because nothing from my inner voice was acceptable. It’s almost like stone walling it.

By the way this turned out to be another mistake. I always got an answer from others perspective. Very few situations provided me the exact facts. My mom was one who made me accept the bitter medicine and advised to be pragmatic than looking out for the perfect solution, which isn’t there according to me.

One of the things I was able to achieve was me not becoming more and more credulous about things I go through. Unless I was convinced totally, I would have never agreed on a personal front but more importantly started acquiring the art of appreciating others in the way they went about life and their thoughts.

The demeanour quotient in me seemed increasing and slowly I was listening more than talking. I found a new friend who was very shy but powerful when I went to him with any of my problems.

He always had one vision and was absolute recalcitrant in the decisions he took. He never forced me to believe his thoughts but he was always right. I used to have quibbles with him over certain things but more I was arguing the more I was getting convinced that I was wrong.

It’s my fortune to say, to have found a friend in him. But he keeps telling me even he is grateful to me to have accepted him. He keeps telling me I found him in a broken down position and fixed him. But the truth is he fixed me. And I guess in a way, we fixed each other too.

He is my only friend who is available anytime and never asks anything in return. Instead he just keeps telling me, as long as I fulfill what is good for our friendship, he doesn’t want anything else.

“All my life I had been looking for something and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself”

To me, he answered all my questions and my alacrity to know more about my life and life around me in general.

True to Samuel Johnson words, almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess, and to gain applause which he cannot keep. I was no different and I guess I am still no different.

I don't want to do things, which would attenuate my confidence at the end of it, Even though it means sacrificing temporary pleasures.

My friend is so shy that he never opens up to others except me. I was slowly becoming the representative of his thoughts. Slowly I was embellishing his every thought and it was visible to my friends circle. I could see a change in me and my friends whom I am with since childhood also felt the change.

I remember Shirley MacLaine quoting –

I think of life itself now as a wonderful play that I've written for myself, and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part.

To be honest my friend had a great role in scripting a play for my life and the greatest quality I think I had was to trust him and I just did what he said. Sometimes I am so stupid that I don’t even think as to what is the impact it’s having on others. But I never felt acerbic while doing things in my life. However bitter moments do arise, but it’s the way you get out of it and still retain our friendship.

One thing is sure and certain; he is never going to make compromises hence he can be inimical critic. But a friend nevertheless.

One of the things I did was to express myself which was the only way of me introducing my friend to others.

Now, I never feel bad of showing my feelings, my pristine feelings or I don’t apologize for having showed also. Somewhere I feel when I apologize for my burst of pristine feelings, I apologize for the truth which is as good as losing my friend.

But I do apologize to people who are not close to me, since it’s bad on my part to expect them knowing me and accepting my behaviour.

To me, no one is greater than this friend because he never lets me separate from good friends and people that I have. All he does in a while, shows me who really are my pals and who aren’t.

If my creator wanted me to be otherwise than me, he would have created me otherwise.

And to end it all, Fanny Brice repeatedly kept telling-

“Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you?”

Rocky's stronger, he definitely is!!!

How does it feel, when you are thrown out when you least wanted to??

I needed to figure it out as to what to be done next…

It s a lonely walk for a guy like me. I know my strengths and also my weakness. At least I am in the process of knowing more about it.

There will be people along the way helping you out, but you wouldn’t be taking help unless convinced, Convinced within ourselves.

Somewhere when I was walking, I did realize one of the most important lessons of my life, if I needed to be successful in what I want to do in life.

I didn’t or still don’t know a sure fire formula for success, but I got to know a sure fire formula for failure; trying to please everybody all the time.

The day I was convinced to learn this lesson, I felt a much happier person than what I was. It is not my fault for things which are not under my control and all I can do is hope for the best. That’s all.

People always call it luck when things go our way, rather than looking at things which were done, in a more sensible way than others.

Well, luck, it must be there, only when intent is there….

I do things wherein I keep asking myself: “Why do I want to do this? Is it just ego, is it going to be embarrassing?”

But like my idols say or my conscious ‘That’s what I am’. I have to be myself and be willing to stand in front of people and do what I believe in, because I am going to regret it if I didn’t.

Not doing what I want to do is worse than doing it, even if it is difficult and painful.

But the question of skills and talent comes into picture. Do we have it in us to do what we want to??

But we need to understand the message which is universal: What we lose in one part of our life, we can sometimes gain in another.

So what we lose in SKILL, we can make up for in WILL.

All we need is sheer determination.

I always get the feeling….

I can’t do it.

I can’t achieve what I want.

And then I keep telling this to myself…

I have worked hard and I am still working hard to achieve what I always dreamt of.

Yeah I been out there walkin’ around, thinkin’. I mean, who am I kiddin’? I am not even in the league of successful people.

I do get inspired and this is something I always wanted to hear when I was down and morose.

This is the inspiration….

“Yeah, that doesn’t matter. Cause I was nobody before. But my mind is not ready to accept the fact that I am nobody….”

But it is true…. I realized it…

I was thinking, it really doesn’t matter if I lose this fight in my life.

It really doesn’t matter if anything happens to me, because all I want to do is go the distance on the path I have chosen.

Very few have traveled or say gone the distance and have been successful. And if I can go that distance and you see if I am still standing at the end of it…. All I would say is

I’m gonna know for the first time in my life, see, I wasn’t just another bum from the neighborhood.

So what are my chances of succeeding??

Look, Einstein flunked out of school, twice.

Beethoven was deaf and Helen Keller was blind.

I think, I have got a good chance. At least I can give it a shot, my best shot.

Well, I guess this was in me, but I never discovered until I bumped into a character called

Rocky Balboa, my idol who’s gonna be there inspiring me whenever I need motivation the most.

As a child, I was fascinated by the boxing aspect of the movie…. Later in my life, I did realize the manner in which we both went about things in a very similar way, in the movie though.

As I watched the movie “Rocky” more and more, I just discovered a lot of things which inspired me to achieve what I wanted.

Anyone who has anger in them in one way or another or any regrets in their lives, like I certainly did, will empathize with the character.

It just gave me an inspiration to get myself out of these stuffy feelings of regret and sadness.

Rocky’s definitely gonna be stronger. At least with me though!!! And I hope it does help others as well.

Well, a must see, according to me.

Rocky(1976)

Life is beautiful!!!But What is beautiful???

Life is beautiful, but what is beautiful???

Is it, delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration?

Or many words like, aesthetic, attractive, better-looking, bonny, exquisite, fair, fine, gorgeous, graceful, handsome, lovely, pretty, picturesque, pleasant, pleasing, ravishing, resplendent, scenic, sightly, splendid, stunning, pulchritudinous … ok I am running short of words…

In any case, for things or people to appear beautiful, all of us use one of these words for our definition of the word beautiful.

In any case, beautiful things are meant to be relative, if not, there would be a certain degree of monotony in everyone’s life.

Its good to be different most of the times and sometimes it can be little boring.

And fair enough, the other way around.

Again it’s the difference in opinions which comes and generally creates contradictory feelings among everyone.

What I see, what I feel, appeals me or it need not appeal me, I call it beautiful or say not so beautiful, it is entirely my choice.

I don’t have to wait for people to compliment my thoughts to appreciate things which are beautiful to me.

Although it’s great to share similar feelings, but sometimes I don’t mind being a stranger in a No Man’s Land.

It doesn’t matter.

What I like, I like….. it

What people like, they like…. it

There will be similarities without which it is little tough to connect with people.

There are people whom I have met who like things because others like it too, there are people who like it simply because others don’t like it and there are people who like things because they like it……

I have seen things in my life which are beautiful and not so beautiful….

Well, it doesn’t matter, because not so beautiful things can appeal to some, at least one person in this world would enjoy that.

It’s a harsh statement but not far from reality.

So far, with my experience of existence on this earth, there would be lot of things that appealed me and continues to appeal me.

So it’s quite natural to express things which appeal to me….

Its lot different when I ask my friends, they have some things in common but there is a degree of propensity for their choices.

So this leaves us in a quite eccentric world…..

I like to aver to things which are “for my eyes only”…. Although it will be interesting to see from other “golden eyes”, but I better stick to myself and enjoy what I see and how I feel about things I see….. I do appreciate, if things look beautiful from other’s point of view.

Now for me Life is beautiful, and for the rest, let them think as to what is beautiful???