Happy New Year, 2016.

2015 went by fast. I know this is an incredibly cliched thing to say but I am not lying.
I entered 2015 without any great expectations. How could I? This is the year I entered class 12. "The year" to set upon the path to my career. Of all the things, I chose to be a doctor which is a popularly sought after course which means-
Tough Competition.
So, naturally the preparations, which had started from class 11 itself, picked up pace. Life became centred around studying and exams. This, they say, is the year to be selfish in terms of your studies.
So, ofcourse I never expected the year to be as good as it turned out to be!
It wasn't the best, no. 2013 still wears that crown. All the same it has been a welcome change from 2014 which downright sucked.
I've spent great times with my family and my best friends from Loyola, all of whom mean the world to me. But all of that happened last year as well. What made this year better is the time I've spent in my current school, Sai International. (I dont even go there anymore. Classes are over. No more school for me. I didn't even realise.)
Last year, although I was on good terms with everyone and had friends at Sai, I never really felt like I've got a real friend. That changed this year. I'm sure I have made a few friends I'll keep in touch with no matter what. I've had some great times. We've made some memories and Unwind was like a cherry on the cake. That is the closest I came to actually liking the school.
My fears of having the worst year of my life were disproved. So, thank you, 2015 for being kind although you really aren't ending well. (31st December sucked)
2016, I really need a new 'favourite year' and you've got to be one hell of a year to replace 2013. I really hope that happens because I wouldnt mind having an amazing year after two average years.
Happy New Year everyone, I hope you'll all have a great year ahead. :)

Unwind 2015

If there is one day that Sai International School is the place to be, it is Unwind day.
The school transforms into a carnival ground and enjoyment is the sole purpose of the day. Food, friends and a lot of fun.
The dances and the insane cheering comprised the greater part of my day. I spent the day reuniting with my friend who I haven't been able to talk to for two weeks now.
The atmosphere was absolutely wonderful.
The event ended with amazing fireworks and release of sky lanterns. It was a breath taking moment. At that moment, all students were united.
It was a day packed with great moments and wonderful memories. :)

One man.
One man who wished to wipe an entire race off the face of the Earth.
6 years.
6 years of sorrow, suffering, torture and despair.
6 years of FEAR.
6 million lives.
6 million innocent lives lost in the most destructive war ever.
I think it is pretty clear that I am talking about the Second World War and the Holocaust.
No, I will not bring up a debate now. I believe everyone agrees that it is a dark period of human civilisation.
As it so happens, I watched Schindler's List today. It is the story of a man, Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party who saved the lives of 1200 Jews during the Holocaust. He lost all his fortune in doing so but it earned him the good will of so many people. I realise that 1200 is a very insignificant number in comparison to the number of lives lost in the World War II. However, imagine the courage this man must have had to protect these people from one of the most cruel regimes of all time.
Oskar Schindler's story made me cry. At the same time, Oskar Schindler's story is a small glimmer of hope. It gives us the hope that humanity remains even in the cruelest of times.
However, the sorrow of the Jews is scarring. I have always held the opinion that the Holocaust is one of the most cruel events in history. I have read about the torture inflicted on the people and have tried to learn as much as possible about the war. However, watching this in a movie has left a profound effect on me. The fear, the terror, the agony, the desperation is something we should pray we'll never have to experience. They were driven to a point where they could go to any length to just survive. The trauma is something we will never understand and we should hope we'll never have to.
The World Wars, in my opinion, were wars with no victors. The humiliation and extermination of millions is inhumane and as the most evolved and intelligent species on the earth, we should ideally not commit such heinous acts. There needs to be a better world with no danger of war.

"Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts open."

Let it be so.

Things

I like things as they are. Well, except school. When anyone asks me the question "How is life?", all I say in reply is "Chaluchi" which is oriya for "It is going on". It isn't like I am sticking to the general pattern of conversations. It is the truth.
One word to describe my life is 'boring'. Not that I don't have friends but with higher secondary school things changed drastically. Moreover, I happen to be a person who hates getting bored more than anything else. However, I also happen to be a person who gets bored and never does anything to change that. Off late, everything in my life has been constant. The same people, same places, same books and the same things to do. I recently finished reading Papertowns by John Green. In the book, Q says that he likes routine. He says that he does get bored but he likes it. I really could not see sense in that when I read it. But on second thought I see what it means. I HATE boredom, but it is the one thing that is constant in my life. New things rarely happen to me.
On the face of it, I seem to be a very ideal person, a person who accepts routine. And that is true, I never really try to change anything. At the same time, I hate monotony. 'I want to live an extraordinary life' much like Augustus Waters (John Green references are sort of coming to me) however, I do not fear oblivion. I want to do great things yes, but there is no compulsion of being remembered. Being remembered has its price. I want the ones who love me to remember me. The memory of me will leave the world when they do. The world is welcome to remember me if it likes. I want to make a difference, travel the world and do all the things I love. It is altogether an unrealistic dream and a wise wizard said that 'It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live'. Hence, the monotony. I realise that the things I want to do are within my reach if I excel in the career path I have chosen. So, to get to live this amazing life I have to give up a few more months of 'extraordinary'.
I see around me all kinds of people. I see the 'goody two shoes' and the rebels. I see people who stick to routine and the people who lie at home everyday and have a new experience. I see people who have never tasted even a drop of alcohol and people who get drunk every single day. I am not as proper as I seem. I do not judge people based on habits. It isn't like I wont do any of these things ever, but I am willing to wait a little.
The thing is that here I am with my concerns about my parents, my friends and my studies and then there are people who have huge allowances, race cars, bunk school and get drunk. While they're off being 'teenagers', I sit with my books. The contrast is crystal clear. Maybe some day, sometime, things will be different but at the moment, I like them as they are.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan

First up, I am not a Salman fan. I am far from it to be frank. People usually associate this to the fact that I am a die hard Shah Rukh fan. That is a LIE. I really liked Salman Khan before all his movies turned out to have the same elements based in different settings. This movie though, is beautiful.
As an Indian, my opinion about friendship with Pakistan is conflicted. I really wish for cordial political ties between the nations and also for relations between the citizens to be as they would be between any two people coming from different nationalities. On the other hand, I hold a very different opinion when it comes to military and cricket. However, this movie just shows that fundamentally, Indians and Pakistanis are quite alike and I am not talking about the political scenario here. I am referring to the people. We are both strongly influenced by our culture, we grow up learning to dislike the other, cricket is our religion, we share the mountains and the desert, we have similar houses and lanes and villages and pretty much everything. The only real difference lies in the side of the border our grand parents and great grand parents chose in 1947.
Shahida, a 5 year old Pakistani girl who is deprived of speech, gets seperated from her mother in India while returning home from Delhi. Her family, absolutely distraught, hopes that maybe someone in Hindustan would turn out to be a godsend and help their daughter. Enter, Pawan aka Bajrangi. What follows is a beautiful journey. A journey that changed Pawan and Chand Nawab, their friend in Pakistan, that awoke two nations and made them realise that hatred will destroy them some day. But love is powerful. So powerful that an Indian vowed to safely take a Pakistani girl to her parents with great risk to his own life.
If you aren't even a little touched after seeing this movie, you're not human.
The acting ofcourse, was fantastic. A+ to each and everyone of them. Salman Khan with his transitions from grave to funny and back to grave was incredibly convincing. It was refreshing to see him portray an exceptionally ordinary man with the highest moral principles ever possible. He really is an angel in disguise. He gets you to believe that there really are people in this world who are as selfless and determined as Pawan. Kareena Kapoor may not have a lot of screen time but that in no way makes her unimportant. Usually in movies like these, a love interest seems absolutely unecessary. But this was not like that. She plays the role of a strong girl who stands up for what she believes is right. Nawazuddin Siddiqui has always been fantastic in whatever role he plays. This was no exception. He plays Chand Nawab, a Pakistani journalist struggling to get his reports aired on news channels. He has a huge impact on you. He can stimulate emotions within the audience effortlessly. And saving the best for the last, Harshaali Malhotra who plays Shahida. I cannot even begin to comprehend how a six year old can bring such a difficult role to life so flawlessly. And everytime you look at her, your heart will melt.
What with the worsening India-Pakistan relations, it is heart warming to see such a beautiful rendition of unity between the nations. This movie conveys multiple messages. It really is something to think about.

Memories

Back in class 4, I got a new cycle. It was my first 'proper' bicycle. No side-wheels, there was a basket and a carrier.
I was still a new resident in my apartment. I had no friends and so my cycle became my companion in the evenings. I would ride everyday. I learnt to ride fast and then progressed to riding by using only one hand. Eventually, I could manouver the cycle with both my hands off the handle.
The cycle is a part of my childhood.
The cycle went through long periods of being locked up in the garage as I grew up. However, I still loved riding it.
I had had it for five years when one fine evening, the security guard told me that he could not see my cycle in the cycle stand.
Stolen.
I was heart broken but nothing was to be done. Being in class nine, my cycling had almost ceased. So, we never got a new one.
At times I would talk about my cycle and feel nostalgic. However, I never rode after that day.
Until today.
I rode my teacher's son's bike. First of all,  I am still great at it. My sense of control, my speed. Everything.
But secondly, it brought back to me all those amazing times that were buried deep in the corners of my mind.
The rush, the excitement, the happiness. I did not want to stop. It felt as though everything was perfect. Not a care in the world.
All from a humble bicycle. Who knew that an axle and a pair of wheels could mean so much to a person?

Down to the wire

Okay a little background. KKR were playing KXIP. A win would take KKR right to the top of the points table. As a fan I knew how very crucial this game. As far as KXIP were concerned, after a string of of disappointments, a win was inconsequential for them. However, there is no greater joy than taking others down with you. And KXIP set out to do that with 183 runs on the board.
The chase was a typical KKR innings. The openers Gambhir and Uthappa were out long before they were due and then Pathan and Russel set out to reconsolidate the innings. Well, whatever they did put us into a comfortable position. However, KKR never like to win it straight. So, with 25 required off 19 balls, Russel lost his wicket. That brought Piyush Chawla out to  accompany Johan Botha.
This is where I am going to be a little more descriptive. It looked like the game would slip out of KKR's hands. And that notion was only supported by Botha's run out. There were no more batsmen in the line. How did they get here? And so comes in Brad Hogg. Fortunately though, Chawla manages to hit a few boundaries. Ah, what a blessing. 13 needed off 12. The next over goes with no excitement. Only singles were taken. The situation was tense. 7 needed of 5 balls. Unfortunately, Hogg gets run out. 7 off 4. Everyone is on the edge of their seat. Chawla was on strike. He could bring it home for KKR with one shot. And man, he hit a six! The entire dug out cheered, I managed to heave a sigh of relief. But the drama never ends so easily for KKR. 1 needed off 3. Anureet Singh bowls a wide. 'Let it go!' was my first response. But hey, this is KKR. Chawla tries to hit it for a boundary to finish in style. The ball touches the glove and the rest was textbook. A simple catch to the wicketkeeper. 1 needed off 2 balls. It could go either way. I was on the verge of tears. Sunil Narine came in. He had had a great day with the ball. There was no need of such brilliance here. All they needed was a simple shot and a single run.
The possibility of a super over terrified me. KKR would be at a disadvantage, they aren't the kind of team that fires off in a single over.
The field was set. George Bailey maintained his usual calmness. Narine's face gave nothing away. Yet, lakhs of spectators across the nation watched with bated breath. The bowler released the ball. Narine, fortunately, got some bat on it. And there began the run. Run out would not help, KXIP needed only one wicket to get KKR all out. And well I began to jump, yelling 'RUN RUN RUN!'
And well they completed it. Yes! They won the game!
The span between the bat hitting the ball and the completion of the run was definitely not more than 10 seconds. But with the adrenalin pumping, it seemed to be an age. At that time, 29 yards was equivalent to a lightyear. Yeah, I might have exaggerated a little. Just a little.
And well once they completed the run, the 'RUN RUN RUN!' turned into 'YES YES YES'. I jumped all over the room, gave my mom and dad a high five and sat down on the floor. My heart was still racing. My dear cardiologist dad checked my pulse and declared it to be nearly 130. Doctors, I tell you.
Well, really though, if KKR keep playing every game down to the wire, I might just develop a heart condition.

In Retrospect..

Don't worry I am not going to be all philosophic. So, a few days back I was going through my old posts and I came across one titled 'Pressure Pressure' which I had written back in 8th. In that post I have complained about how much I have to study, how tired I get and how I am unable to cope.
Wait. In class 8?
Lets just take a moment to register that.
Today I would give up anything to go back to 8th.
Just a few hours ago, in a moment of nostalgia, I was thinking of the time when I was in class 5. I actually had this thing called 'playtime' in my, for the want of a better word, schedule.
Even back then I found studying for 2 hours hard. 2 hours!
Well, only goes to show how very dumb I was.
The point however, is that at 16 I realise that no matter how I complain now, 3 years from today will be a lot more difficult (especially with the whole medical college plan :P) I don't know what this is, pessimism or realism. But I do know one thing, it will be better.

This Year

I completed a year in my new school yesterday. Notice how I still say 'new school'. Well here I am to rant.
A year ago I joined Sai International School to embark upon a new journey, class 11 and 12. This is the 'most crucial' phase of my education. It decides my entire career.
Apparently.
I must say, even now, for me my school is Loyola. It is something I am never getting over. That however, does not mean that this year has not taught me anything.
First of all, this was probably the biggest change I had to face as yet.
Loyola for me is my childhood, my best memory, my love and my home. It is the best thing that happened to me. To have it all torn away from me hurt a lot. And I am incredibly proud of how I have adjusted to this life.
I learnt that life is not as rosy as you'd like. At times you'll be in a place you don't like. However, it doesn't mean you can't find nice people. Oh yeah, I learnt to make new friends.
More importantly though I realised how very important my old friends and my parents are for me. They are the most special people in my life.
I learnt another valuable lesson. Back in Loyola, I could safely assume that most of my batchmates, all my teachers and some of my juniors and seniors knew me. I was on good terms with almost everybody. I was active and participated in everything. Now however, I am always buried in my books. My sole concern is my studies and my sleep. I belong to an 'uncool' section full of people who only study hard. (I don't find it uncool, btw). Ninety percent of my batchmates have no clue who I am. To be honest though, I don't give a damn. I have learnt that you could go from being somebody to being nobody and really, it does not matter.
I would like to say I have matured a little. I certainly have become a little more practical. I care a good deal lot about my studies. Also, I can now stay up late. :P
Who could believe a change of school could change me so much. But the question I still ask myself is, is it all for the better?

Freedom, a Joke?

By writing here today I am utilizing my Fundamental right, one the six freedoms provided to me under the Indian Constitution, freedom of speech and expression. I am sure we all agree that every single individual has the right to put forward his views on any issue as along as he does not offend or provoke any section of society.
Looks like all this is a joke for the TRAI.
Imagine having to pay extra for every website you access? Imagine being forced to make use of only one website in its category because none of the other similar websites are loading? Imagine what would happen if all the messenger apps would charge you for every message you send. Come April 24th and that is how the face of the internet will be for all Indian residents.
TRAI has formulated this regulation and will be implementing it on April 24th.
Just for a moment imagine if all the stuff I just said comes true. Ugh!
Dont we have the right to access any website or application we want with all working at the same efficiency? How pathetic is it that telecom operators complain of loss revenue due to these over the top apps? Moreover, charging extra for the usage of these apps to compensate for the loss incurred by the telecos and ISPs? My, oh my! Where have we got to and where are we headed?
Most importantly though I urge you to visit this website and send the mail to TRAI immediately.
The internet influences our lives more than we can imagine. It is our forum, it is where we develop our opinions, where we entertain ourselves, where we educate ourselves, where we connect and reconnect with people we love. It is our basic right. We wont give it up.

Byomkesh Bakshi: Detective

Where do I begin?
Set in the 1940s Calcutta during the World War 2 in British India, this movie is nothing short of brilliance. First of all, the feel of that time. Curfews, trams and the 'bangali babus' was perfect. And the plot? Baby, this plot keeps you engaged from the very first frame of the movie.
Byomkesh Bakshi, a private detective, took up the job of looking for a young man's missing father. Little did he know though, that this will take him deep into the scandals of politicians and mafia of Calcutta all alike. But hey, sinister plots and twists and turns? Perfect detective movie, people.
And the acting, man weren't they brilliant! And I wont tell you too much about how they were perfect in their roles because that will give the story away.
So a definite yes to this movie. Watch it and I promise you, you'll get your money's worth.

Theory of Everything

Do not be under the impression that I am reviewing this movie. It is beyond perfection. I just watched the movie and I feel particularly expressive. I am sorry I am full of thoughts at the moment.
Well, Stephen Hawking is my idol. I am a proud owner of his books. Moreover, who does not respect him for overcoming his disability?
At times like these, I realise how very insignificant my problems are. All I have to deal with is a few tiring hours and a little less fun. But does that come close? The answer is too damn obvious.
We always look to chase our dreams, to do what we're passionate about. But have you dreamt as bad as this man?
You'd expect me to cry watching this movie. But this time, I surprised myself. My eyes didnt tear up even slightly. All I could feel was a sense of empowerment and motivation.
Rare occasions like these remind me why people choose to pursue science. Because science is everything. It lies within us. And the study of the skies, the stars. We are made of them. We literally are all stardust. Can there BE anything more fascinating?
So people, dont worry about reaching for the stars. You already are one. ;)
Just go out there and do your thing.

Bye Bye, World Cup

And that is that. Australia win what was a one sided final. It certainly was an anticlimax to the incredible World Cup 2015. But hey, a win is a win. And this is their fifth World Cup title. It is almost unfair. Ah well, I am just jealous.
And wasn't it a phenomenal World Cup. Like a festival. The tension on the mornings of India's matches. The sadness of having to miss the game because of school. That sense of unity when teachers would blatantly break rules to check match updates. Infact, my teachers watched the live match in the staff room. Another teacher actually called an ex-student during class to find out the score. Moreover, on the day of the semi-final, a huge screen was set up at school and the entire school watched the game! What do I say? We are crazy.
Yes, there is a lot more cricket to come. IPL is just around the corner. However, nothing at all is in the league of the World Cup. And yes, next time, we will take it back.

The Day Has Arrived

Six o clock in the morning and here I am trying to get my studies done. Why, you ask? World Cup final baby!

Its time

Its time for us.. Well actually for New Zealand and Australia. I simply had to get the World Cup theme song in. Listen to it btw, Bob's Beat.
Coming back to the point, around 12 hours and 30 minutes for the final. Two amazing teams and hopefully a close contest ahead. One great thing about not having your team in the finals is that you can look forward to a nail-biter without worrying about the consequences.
Who do I support? Frankly, New Zealand have played brilliantly. They've won all their matches. Moreover, this is their first shot at the Cup and it would be great to have a new champion. A few years ago, one wouldn't have considered New Zealand as a potential World Cup winner but weird stuff happens.
Australia. Where do I even begin? They aren't exactly World Cup virgins. To be honest, they're far from it. Of the 10 World Cups so far, they've won 4. Infact, they won 3 consecutively. A fifth title would be awesome. And they'd literally be taking the World Cup back from India. Now that just makes '#WeWontGiveItBack' even more obsolete. ( </3 )
I still do wish India was in the Final but you cant have everything in life. I guess 2019 will be our year. (fingers crossed). I wonder what 2019 will be like, though.
Anyway, coming back to reality, we seem to have a cracker of a game coming and answering the question of who I support, I guess Australia because they are my second favorite but I really wont mind watching New Zealand win. Will miss the World Cup too.

Disney, the magic lasts forever.

Admit it. You love Disney. Okay, maybe not now but at some point in your life. I mean wouldn't you happily watch Mickey Mouse or Winnie the Pooh or maybe a classic Disney movie like The Lion King if given the opportunity?
I would. Infact, I do. I might be younger than many people in this world but I do qualify as an young adult but no matter what, love for Disney lives on.
You see, somethings are a constant reminder of our childhood. The sheer excitement before the movie starts and that iconic castle appears with the star going behind it. That in itself gives me goosebumps.
And aren't the movies great? With every watch, we learn something new.
The most beautiful thing though, is that I have grown up watching older movies like The Lion King, Finding Nemo, Beauty and the Beast, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White and the Seven Dwarf and even today as a 16 year old, I would watch movies like Tangled or Frozen (read: <3) over countless others.
The thing is, somethings are perennial, they live on and our love for it only grows by the day. That is what Disney is for me.

So today was the much awaited semi-final between India and Australia. Sadly, India lost. And what did I do? Denial and crying were just a part of it. It took me hours to accept the defeat and actually get some closure. Crazy, huh? You bet. 

In my country, being cricket crazy is a pretty normal thing. Yet somehow, it is too hard for people to accept the fact that a girl can be a fan. A genuine admirer of the game. And today, when my uncle heard of my reaction to the defeat, he said that it was heart warming to see the passion I have for the game. The gist of everything he said was that I am breaking a stereotype here. And that got me thinking. We are the ones who've created this divide in the first place. Of course, certain choices of males and females do vary and they are intrinsic. What I don't get though is why is it so hard to accept that a girl can be an avid cricket follower or a guy can cook? We say people are breaking the stereotype. What we fail to realise is that we created it in the first place. I am not trying to give a sermon on sexist ideologies or feminism here. Neither is this about equality of any sort. This was just a simple thought that came to my mind.