Har Ek Friend Zarrori hota hai yarrr...!!!

 “A friend is someone who lets you have the total freedom to be yourelf”-Jim Morrison

Have you observed the Airtel ad “Har Ek Friend zarrori hota hai..??”   and the new Vodafone  Facebook ad ?? My Facebook notifications are full of these videos shared by many friends. The video has  frequently appeared on my updates. I have been thinking whether friendship is limited to glossy ads and ‘feel good factor’, or romanticizing an emotion, or hyped  movies, or social networking sites, or does it go beyond consumerism?
Who is a friend? Remember Shahrukh’s statement in Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai: pyar dosti hai… Love is friendship…. ?
In school we were taught in the “colloquial expression” segment of English classes that “A friend in need, is a friend indeed” and “fair weather friends” . When we were asked to write an essay on this subject,  all of us wrote how a friend is one who stands by you in your times of trouble and supports you during all tough situations. However, as we start growing up the significance of a friend starts changing and friendships become  our major experimental steps in the lab of life and experience. It doesn’t remain limited to ‘need’ and give and take, but expands to mean much more.
A few days ago I was discussing with someone regarding friendship and love and whether after falling in love, could you still remain good friends — of course you can remain good friends after being in a relationship. But seriously doubt whether you can remain good friends after a breakup . Breakups are usually taken as ego hurters, and remaining friends ‘inspite’ of everything is a little tough.  They say “friendship often ends in love, but love in friendship never”.
However, times are changing and friendships are governed by professional needs. We tend to stumble across the same set of people again and again. In that case, past is past tense and we  transit from the mode of love to friendships.
As I was watching these ads,  I was thinking about my own set of friends, people from school days, college years, where we meet as strangers, fight, but leave a place as friends. I have re-met many of my school friends and college friends on social networking sites, and it has been an absolute delight. However, there is a change that I am observing — a change in emotions, a change in response. Some friends who were distant and indifferent become completely warm, while certain friends who were supposed to be the closest become distant and cold.

From whatever I have learnt in life, categorizing friends is one of the toughest things . However, if someone asked me to categorize my friends, here would be a rough division:
1. The constants: These are friends who have been with you for years. They have seen you through the highs and lows of life. They know without your telling them that there is something right or something wrong in your life. They are the ones you don’t talk to everyday, you might have blamed them for things, but they  come to you the moment you give a call.
2. The Surprises: These are friends who come as surprise packages. You never knew they existed so seriously, so deeply for you. They might be just round the corner, they just take charge when they see you in trouble — a little filmy and a little romantic, but they do exist, quitely observing  your moves, but being there for you and with you.
3. The Fun Bunch: You haven’t thought a single weekend without them. They are the ones who watch the most pathetic love stories with you in the theatre, eat grub on the streets with you, enjoy watching you ask for more golgappas and share the money in restaurants to the last penny.
4.The Critiques: The least noted but the most significant category. They come as friends but they back-stab you, they speak against you in front of others  and in front of yourself — they might be people you trusted, but they used your weakness to climb their own ladder. However, they are the ones who ignite the competitor in you. They are the ones whose words make you work harder on yourself and make you tougher in the battle.
Friends and friendships are a gift. Over the past years, I have been learning a lot about friendships and relationships. In fact, rediscovering friendships. I keep telling that “be grounded, people are your only achievements — if you have people, you will be able to achieve any success of life.  People actually fulfill us, they are indispensable for us to live and survive through phases.”

Before I end, another small fragment from memory regarding  friends of Postgrad days. In case any one of us was upset or angry, we sang these lines:

Yaaron dosti badi hi haseen hai
Yeh na ho to kya phir
Bolo yeh zindagi hai

Koi to ho raazdaar
Begaraj tera ho yaar
Koi to ho raazdaar
Teri har ke buraai pe daante woh dost
Gam ki ho dhoop to saaya bane tera woh dost

Naache bhi woh teri khushi main
aree Yaaron dosti badi hi haseen hai

Happiness is infectious na? Sadness is also contagious. When we are happy, the world seems to reflect our happiness and especially friends celebrate with us, but if we are sad we are mostly alone, and even if there is a single friend with us, we should consider ourselves fortunate. Friends wait for a single call — you just have to reach out with an open heart and they will be there to hold your hands and stand for you. If you ask me, actually yes “har ek friend zaroori hota hai” . But, yes you have to earn your life long friends….

P.S. : This post is dedicated to all my friends over the past many years.  Whether I met you last month or last year, or in childhood, wherever, you all are… I miss you and cherish each  friendship.

I am Mumbai...

            

     Few days ago I saw “I AM MUMBAI” video played all over my Facebook Account. I wondered why people were revisiting a decade old song. I clicked on the video expecting a song which is picturized  on Javed Jaffry. Instead what hit me was the stark reality of living in this city.

    A writer standing at Flora fountain Mumbai  yells, almost seeking attention, “They burnt my books, They Burnt my Words. But they will never able to silence my Voice”. There is intense pain in his eyes but nobody seems to really care. There is indifference, some curiosity, but general nonchalance.

    An Agitated mother screams at skywalk with utter frustration,“ Jo dudh hamare ghar mein aata hai, us mein gutter ka paani mila hota hai.” People turn to locate the source of this angered voice but again nobody seems to care. But the engagement stops right there.

   A few Children from slums of Mumbai hold of the microphone and protest, “Hamara bistar yeh table se bhi chhota hai. Humko hafte mein do baar hi kuch khane to milta hai.” People merely look up from what they are doing, maybe get a little discomfited. But no outrage nothing.

   And then my favorite. A young working class professional yells into the microphone, blocking a politician’s vehicle, “This city is my home. Yeh mere baap ka ghar hain. Samjhe aap! And I will not have your political posts dirty the walls of my home.” But they lunged for him and went after him while people watched with utter nonchalance. Or was it helplessness?

   I sense the helplesness in that mother.My heart goes out to those street urchins.And i can totally empathaize with the anger in that younge professional.But I think on most days,disgust surpass anger.Maybe,anger is pass.Maybe,It's just another futile emotion.

   I care little about the brand associated with video.I haven't picked up a copy of mumbai mirror in years and don't intended to now.But i think i will watch this video often,if only to get disgusted and lull myself out of my lifestyle.

And at the end of every yell there are three words “I AM MUMBAI”.

          Yes , I am Mumbai. And Proud to be a MUMBAIKAR…!!!!!!!!

I think It’s time to pass the Baton

               Finally, India’s dream-run comes to a tragic end. By the time I finish writing this article, India would have already fallen off its throne in the ICC Test Cricket Ladder. Not that its a big deal. After all, Wins and losses are part of the game and India has lost its second series in the past nine under Dhoni’s captaincy which is phenomenal. What disturbing though is the manner of defeat and the margin of defeat.

             The Day India fell, Rahul Dravid was 38yrs old, Sachin Tendulkar was 39yrs old, and VVS Laxman was 36yrs old. I am sure that everybody realizes the fact, including themselves, that they are closer to The Bigining of the end of it and I am sure that they will know better than most of us when is the right time to hang their boots. Still we, as a part of cricket crazy nation full of self-proclaimed experts of the game, are here to discuss just that.

                                                    

As they say, Form is Temporary, Class is permanent.

Dravid proved it in past few Test matches by hitting Four hundreds. The fact that he still averaged 43+ during his so called Lean patch between 2007-2010 (which happened to be Sachin’s Golden Patch) spells his greatness. Many batsmen would take 43 as their carreer average. The fact that Sachin after a slight slump between 2002-2006(which happened to be Dravid’s Golden Patch) produced his best cricket in the next 3yrs at an age of 34 spells his greatness. Our very own Laxman never had a golden patch nor had a lean patch in such a long career, his consistency, spells his greatness. Right now Dravid is on song while Sachin and Laxman are struggling, but I am sure that its just a matter of time before they come to their own and start scoring loads of runs again.

                   So as I said, Form/Runs would never be a problem for these stalwarts. But does that mean that they should keep playing until they start suffering from Osteoporosis? What would have become of Rahul, Sachin and Laxman had their seniors not made way for them? We surely don’t want a 30 something Sharma, raina, Yuvraj, Kohli or even some unknown talent in Ranji circuit to struggle for a spot in the Test Team. We would want them to own their spot in Batting line-up by the time they turn 30. We would want a settled Batting line-up. How is that going to happen unless these batting greats hang their boots?

                     I wonder, if Rahul, Sachin and Laxman have ever sat together and had a chat on their own future, the team’s future? What exactly is going inside their mind? They, in particular Sachin(including World Cup), have achieved all the success they could have, own all the records a Cricket Batsman could possibly have. But what is still keeping them going?
                      What exactly is Sachin thinking? Is he eying the 2013 WorldChampionship? Is he looking to become the only player to play 200 Tests? Is it the lure to stay at the top of the run-ladder as long as Rahul, Ponting and Kallis are still playing by maintaining a safe lead until they retire? Is it a move to keep Brand Sachin alive, coz the endorsements are flowing only as long as he is playing?
                      What exactly is Dravid thinking? Is he thinking that Test cricket is My Arena and I’m not going anywhere as long as Sachin is not leaving?
                      What exactly is Laxman thinking? Is he waiting for Dravid to retire so that he could get to bat at the coveted No. 3 position, a position he loves so much but can never get his hand to it because India boasts of arguably the best No. 3 batsman ever? Is he just scared that considering the stature and reputation of Rahul and Sachin, he might be made the scapegoat of the so-called ‘Phasing Out’ process?
                    Now whatever I have said above is what a cynical mind would say, and I would be heart-broken if any of it comes out to be true. I have no idea what exactly is going through the beautiful minds of  these Cricketing Greats. But one thing I’m sure of is that there is definitely something in there. They are just not letting us in. They are not letting us have a sneak peek into their mind. But they definitely cant be as blank at the age of 38 as they claim to be. Sure they love their game. Sure they want to serve the team. But they cant be saying the truth when they say that they have learned to enjoy the game and are not thinking too far ahead, that right now all they think about is the next test. This is easier said than done, especially at this stage of the career.
                     Rahul, Sachin and Laxman(including Ganguly and Kumble) have been the main protagonists of the Legend of Indian Test Cricket. They picked up the Ruins, saw a Dream with a Vision, built a Dream Castle out of the ruins, lived in that Castle, and finally the Castle has fallen.
                    Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman have taken the Indian Test Cricket to its pinnacle, but they cant play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Neville Longbottom forever. They have to hand over the baton to the next generation and assume the roles of Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black and Severus Snape themselves.
                    Having said that, I’m sure that like all of us, the three stalwarts too realize that they cant keep playing for another couple of years and then retire in quick succession. We cannot afford four completely inexperienced batsmen in the team at the same time. They must realize that there has to be a ‘Phase-out’ process. And assuming at least 1-2yrs gap between the retirements of 2 giants, it means that even if the process starts tomorrow itself, it would still mean that at least one of the three would go on to play till the age of 41-42yrs. Do we really want that? In any case, we don’t have a choice.
                     So the question arises, When to start the Process? The answer is right now, may be at the end of the current series. The next obvious question is a bit tricky one. Who Should Go First? Opinions might differ from person to person but lets try to figure it out logically.
As I already said, form would never be a problem with these Greats. So we have to consider some other factors.
                     Laxman has age on his side. He is younger and debuted after the other two. So he obviously deserves to skip the first leg of Phasing out.

 

 

Me..?? No Way..!!! You came first.You go first

 
                       That leaves us with Rahul and Sachin and I’ll discuss them together. Though right now, Dravid looks in better touch than Sachin, but as I said earlier, I won’t look much into the form factor. There is not much to separate between them as far as age is concerned too. But then there are some other factors. The fact being that Sachin has been playing for 22+ yrs, while Dravid has just played 15yrs, the fact that Dravid has been the Test hero of India and has always been tagged as a test specialist(Though he was a Great ODI player too).
                        No one can deny the fact that Dravid has been the main protagonist for India as far as Tests are concerned and nobody can deny the fact that Sachin, though a great player of both forms of the game, is still a better ODI player than a Test Player.
                       Then there is another fact that Dravid has announced that he is going to focus solely on Test Cricket from now on, which he was forced to do for the last 4 years anyways, which tells us that he has decided to stay for a while. On the other hand Sachin has an option of playing both ODIs and Tests. So all of the above factors stack in favor of Dravid and against Sachin. Yes, I know Sachin loves the game and he wants to enjoy the game. But for all the love of the game, Sachin can keep enjoying ODI cricket while letting test cricket go.
                      Its not enough for a senior to be ready to pass on the baton. Its also necessary for the younger lot to show courage, conviction, hunger and talent to grab the baton, coz as it stands, even Sourav Ganguly(who was probably the weakest link among the 4 greats as far as the tests are concerned) remains largely unreplaced even after 3yrs. No youngster has been able to make that no.6 position his own. Its tough to imagine who can come up with the will to fill in those Giant shoes of Sachin, Dravid and Laxman.
                        And not just that, even the selectors have to show the Vision. More competitive pitches should be prepared for Ranji circuit, Period. And they should stop inducting players from IPL and ODIs straight into tests and should rather focus on Ranji circuit for Test Induction.
Lets just hope that better sense prevails amongst all the involved parties and that the coming generation can take the Indian Cricket to the same heights that these three Maestros took it to.