Few days back…when we all turned orkutters….Iti made a community which represented our gang…It was called “Friends and their Dog :) ‘. The dog definitely has to be Prudy. The highlight of the community or our gang was the endless trip plans both outdoor and indoor we made in college. We made plans, lived them, dreamt them, did all the planning…. But then some last moment thing and the plan always used to get cancelled. But the cancellations could not stop us from making even more plans…. Our whole 4 years of engineering just passed by making plans…this does not mean we did not have fun…u ask anyone in college…they will say “ I bet they had just FUN, PURE FUN.”
So our unstopping optimism…led to yet another plan. This time the plan is to go to no other place than GOA ;).
GOA known as “Pearl of the Orient” and “Tourist Paradise” has magnificent scenic beauty and architectural splendors of its churches and temples. It’s my all time favorite. GOA is just not about beaches and the sea…its rich culture and its unique history…touches the soul…
Going to GOA will be anyone’s dream come true, but its not GOA we are looking forward to…all of us are looking forward to meeting each other like CRAZY…I can now relate to the old story where a couple of friends get separated for some time...go separate ways in life…and decide to meet after some years…Wait nothing like that happened to any of us…. but the excitement of meeting each other after 2 long year is just the same…
We all have been in regular touch…. but sometimes when I look back…. And see my life in these two years... I can feel that I missed something…. And that is ALL OF U.
I missed moti’s sophisticated talks, witty’ s stupidity, shane’s humor, Sid’s crazyness…its an endless list….
Guys I know u will also feel the same.
When I think about April 19th (that’s the D-Day when we all are meeting) ….I can hear the voices already…
Witty hugging me…. saying…”Regu…I missed u…I love u…. U have turned so thin…”
Sid…looking and me and smiling…”Rajni ji kaise ho aap? “
Moti…. hugging really really tite…and saying “Reg humne tum sab ko kitna miss kiya :) “…rite moti…
Prudy…. can’t rite anythg about us….yaar hamara rishta allow nahin karta….rite….
He he…
Can’t wait to meet all of u…. just dreaming GOA every now and then…almost breathing on it. It’s the time to make up for the lost 2 years…. it’s the last time to have fun...before we actually go our separate ways…before some of us marry…. before some of us go abroad for studying…
We have to re-define crazyness and masti…
Listening to Bon Jovi…I’ll be thr fo u…rite now…. getting a little nostalgic…
I’ll be thr for u…These 5 words I say to u….
I’ll be thr for u….
Words can say what love can do… I’ll be thr for u…
Love u all….Lets Rock!!!!

Those Wonderful 4 years continued…

I first day to college..

Before college, I had always studied in a girl’s school.
My sister was really apprehensive. She always had this thing in her mind…that any guy can make me a fool ( which was not true )…and I don’t have the sense to pick the rite kinda of friends when it comes to boys…Though my great friend circle now has eradicated all her fears. Before I came to college she sat with me and gave me a lot of tips…that if a guy talks like this…then he is a good guy…else a bad guy and what not.…we laugh now when we talk about those days….


So, having all those notions in my mind…I entered my class First year-IT..
The first friend that I made my Shantanu Rastogi (nicknamed Shane..) .I still tease him coz he doesn’t spell my name correct…it has to be some distorted form of Rajni.
When I first talked to him, he seemed to me a guy interested in studies, had manners to talk to girls and was helpful (I was constantly referring to my checklist :) ).

Our first MASSBUNK…Diwali bunk. We all decided to go to our homes together. Then I met Gaurav…a chubby fat guy…he asked me … u tell me how many girls from your hostel will be going so that we will get the tickets….that moment I thought…I am talking to shane…y is this guy interfering …he is trying to act smart (didi’s checklist again :) ) …he is not a gud guy….
Little did I know…that I have made a friend for the lifetime… :)

By then Iti had also joined college ( She joined a little late) . The day she entered the IT class…Love at first site…pahela pahela pyaar hai…pehli pheli baar hai….
Shane’s life changed…and I being shane’s newly made friend…had to help him… Later I came to know that Gaurav also liked Iti a lot…par dost ke liye kurbani dedi…he he

I introduced Iti to Shane and Gaurav…Then I realized with them stays another guy named Siddhartha, very quite…does not speak, just observes…Later they all said ki agar mein chup hoti toh hi koi bolta na… :) .Witty one of our friends in hostel…a stupid and an emotional sweetheart just loved him….she used to say Sid is so smart…he he…It was funny…

So our gang was almost formed…Iti, Shane, Gaurav, Sid and myself. Prudy, Richa joined later…Then Sachin also became the part of the family …..

About them more to come….

Those wonderful 4 years….

Those wonderful 4 years….

This was the beginning of my college life…I was really really excited….This was the first time I was leaving home…I was looking forward to the so called ‘HOSTEL LIFE’…was excited and a little skeptical about being independent and being on my own…and was apprehensive about meeting new people and above all RAGGING….

That was my first day in college..I came to the hostel with my Badepapa and my Sister…
I still remember that I was wearing a black floral printed bright top…and was feeling that I am looking really cool….eeksss…. did I wear that??? Later, we used it as a dusting cloth…he he)

I entered the hostel being an eye-candy to most of my seniors. They must be thinking...1st day in college…wearing jeans… with parents… let them go ...phir dekhte hai... I know this coz from the next year onwards I saw all my juniors as fresh pastures…he he

I had to take a room. First years were given a 4 sitter. I was looking around in the hostel register for a name as Itisha Jain…coz I met this female in the counseling and I somehow felt, that we guys may pull off together. When I asked Kantha Sir (our hostel care-taker) about her…he instead told said…I can give you a room with Atashi Jain…I said NOO… J No offences Atashi…you would have felt the same I am sure.. . Later he informed me that I’ll be sharing my room with Richa pertaining to my wishes (when did I wish so??? :0 )

Richa and I, we went to the same school in Kanpur. We studied together for 12 years, did our JEE preparations together, and entered JSS together. But we were never friends. I always used to think of her as a sophisticated lady who is always throwing tantrums. But destiny bought us together again for 4 LONG years. I wanted to change my room, but Aunty(richa’s mom) was there, and did want to hurt her. I had nothing against her but I had my own belief.
I believed to be good roommates u should either be
- Very good friends, then you can go to any extent to make things work.
- Completely strangers, with them comes complete acceptance, coz we start to know them.

Richa and I did not belong to either of the categories. I didn’t want to spoil the existing relationship we shared, because I never wanted to come out of my stupid pre-conceived notions about the human being that she never was.

I reconciled to the fact that one of my roomie is Richa. 2 more to come..
Shweta..i slim, lean, confident girl. My badepapa liked her a lot instantly…he still asks me tumhari us friend ka kya naam hai …wo saawali, sunder ladhki…I say Shweta..
She came to the our room 305, selected the cot which was the farthest from all…selected an almirah close to her bed…put her stuff in…locked it and left…said she’ll come the next day before the college starts….
In the meantime Richa and I were trying to be sweet to her; we realized that she has already left.
We looked at each other and said,’ Madam toh chali gayi, room saaf karne ke liye hume chod gayi.., Chalo bhaiya kaam pe lago..nahin toh malakin kal pagaar nahin milegi…’. Prudy(Shweta’s nickname) we cursed you so much that day ...kya batae…

1 more to come…
Vandana Gupta, she was a simple girl…from kanpur itself…who was very sincere and had to prepare for JEE. She left the room in not more than a week..coz she felt that we were very different from her..and she could not study…
We were actually happy that we were 3. Then came our 4th room-mate…Itisha Jain…she joined late…Prudy did not like her coming…because she felt 3 were already enough..and we were by that time already a little pally….But frankly, I was happy when I came to know that she is our 4th roomie…She had a frd in hostel who warned her….that these people are weird..and one girl has left the room coz they almost tortured her….but little did she know that her weirdness matched us .. :)

These are the people who are I love…and I can’t imagine my life without them…
I had no clue then, that they will be what they are now ….
I can write pages and pages about them...this is just day one…he he
Lots n lots more to come….
The good and the bad part is that they don’t blog, otherwise u would have heard weird stuff from them as well….thank God...they don’t…he he

Its Diwali!!!!

Its Diwali …The festival of colors …fun and frolic time, and what I am doing…sitting in my stupid PG and thinking ‘Wish I could also go home.’

It was a good morning when I woke up …but it did not remain same after going to office…

I logged on to my system and saw the status message of one of my friend

‘One day to go’. I was so very jealous of him…Since morning my mailbox was full of my friend mails wishing a very happy Diwali and stating their unavailability on Diwali coz they are going home.

But is Diwali actually happy?

Not for me. Coz there will be no preparations as every year…coz there will be no fun…coz I was not at home. I was cursing my software engineer’s job more than ever.


Then I resolved …no more cribbing about not going home…I have at least Bhaiya, Mona and Iti here with me…I will make Diwali special for myself and for them as well…

The preparations:

We all met on MG ROAD for Diwali shopping, I day prior to Diwali i.e. on choti Diwali. I wanted to continue the trend of wearing something new, so finally landed up buying a Kurta for myself. We even got 2 silver coins which Babaji always used to get on Diwali…I miss him so much....I am sure he will be happy to see that we following his footsteps...though we should have brought it on Dhanteras, but better late than never….


It’s Diwali Morning!!!!! The morning was as beautiful as ever with the added flavor of crackers. In South India there is the culture of bursting crackers early in the morning…One of my South Indian friend told me that on Diwali day…as soon as they get up…without even brushing they burst crackers….  :)


I was getting the feel of Diwali…Mona(my sis), Itisha(my frd) and myself…we started the preparations…We planned to prepare the same delicacies as are made at home…




This is all we made…Halwa, Poori, Bhindi ki subzi, aalo ki subzi, raita…Though it was no match to what MOM prepares…but still it was delicious…


It was the Lakshmi Poojan time. This Pooja is performed to seek the divine blessings from the Goddess of Wealth, we actually need her blessings.. he he. We did all the pooja preparations….lighted the whole house with diya’s and candles….But none of us remembered the Aarti fully..oops wht to do…no worries…we downloaded a Aarti from the net…and during the pooja….lipsang it….my God…it was actually funny….




Still, we had the excuse…that we did all the preparations with a pure heart..so God will surely understand…he he
Have a look at our Pooja preparations…


Then came the best time…the time to burst crackers….
We all rushed downstairs…the whole society was gathered and it was spectacular.

This was an occasion for both the young and the old. One could see the rocket going high in the air and opening into an umbrella of bright emeralds…showering their beauty on us. The small children holding the sparkling sticks…firing the fire wheel…which dances on the floor….the noisy bombs in the background…

Every year…the dark night of Diwali…is filled with the crackers of varied colors and sounds…and makes the ambience breathtaking…


This is the festival of Diwali, the festival of lights, the festival which celebrates the victory of Good over Evil…The festival which spreads it brightness and warmth in our hearts…the festival of meeting our loved ones…and telling them that we love them…the festival of endless joys…





WISH U ALL A VERY HAPPY DIWALI!!!!!!












 

Landmark contd...

From now onwards ‘we’ refers to my friend Iti (Itisha) and me.

Our forum dates were 29th, 30th Sep and 1st Oct. On 28th Sep we went to foodbazaar and got a lot of snacks and stuff to eat. Everyday the session was supposed to be from 9 a.m. till midnight. We had plans to make a lot of stuff (pooris, subzi, sandwiches and what not) in the morning. We were very excited, more for the food than the forum :). We were sure than if not anyone else our mom's will be really proud of us.

Our forum leader was Praveen Puri. A handsome man in his 40's, to some up in a line, a total theeth delhi Punjabi.

He told us,
- First day u'll hate me,
- Second day u'll feel that u can bear with me,
- And third day u'll fall in love with me.

I am not sure about the first and second day, but I know one thing that, that I just love him now. His words have changed my life. I still keep on hearing them…(my little voice.. :) )

For everyone who is wondering..what Landmark is all about…

Landmark is not about any kind of spiritual activity, nor any kind of meditation, neither any kind of exercises. It is not about any kind of dictation as in..what to do and what not to do in life.
It does not have any personal touch, which is no one-one conversation with the forum leader.
It is not about putting forth your problems and getting the solutions.
Landmark believes in teaching the technology which provides you with all the solutions throughout your life. Hence, a permanent solution.

If you ask me what landmark is about??? I guess I will also be unable to answer the question. But I know one thing that Landmark changed my life, and the transformation was not just for me..it happened to almost all the 400 people attending the forum.

What I thought of TRANSFORMATION was..

My face will start glowing..
When people will meet me they will say ‘WOW’…
All my fears will be gone..
I will be the master (female) of the universe..
There will be a halo on my head…and wherever I will go ..people will think here comes the best person of the galaxy…

But…nothing like that happened. But what I experienced was something much more than that…I experienced peace…eternal peace…I felt like somehow I should hold on to this moment…not let it pass…I felt scared…similar to a small kid when left alone…because what I saw then was a new world…and I was like a small kid…in the world of endless possibilities…seeing everything and anything possible for me….It was THE MOMENT.

But still I was not sure whether I had transformed, because it did not match my definition of transformation. Now I think, how foolish of me..

I know that I have transformed. This doesn’t mean that I will not have breakdowns or failures in my life. I will surely have all of them, but now I will govern my life, I will not be governed by life and circumstances.

I have now created a possibility that I will enroll all the people in my life into Landmark forum. Simply because, I want them to experience this amazing thing which I do every moment…and which they will always carry forward in their life.

Possibility of anything and everything

LANDMARK EDUCATION FORUM has given me the possibility of doing everything and anything in my life. I feel like a fresh canvas ready to be painted will all the colors that I had always always wanted.

I would want to run each one of you with this amazing 3 days and 1 evening experience.

And let me tell all of you… this experience is not just about these 3 days..from now on…it will be my life.

Some history behind joining Landmark…..

Pawan, a hyper but a great genuine guy in office attended this forum.
He came to me and said, ‘Rajni, this forum is amazing…its too gud…i want you to join this forum. U cant imagine what it has in store for u’.

What I could see was ‘ This guy has always been so hyper and this Landmark forum of his has made him more hyper…I don’t want become like him.’
He almost seemed MAD to me now. So my next short time mission was, how to get him off my back?
I gave him some 100 different excuses and finally saved my life.

But I guess I was destined to join Landmark forum and all my excuses had to end one day.

Then one day my friend Itisha received a call from one of my colleague inviting her and myself for the introductory session of Landmark forum.
She told her ‘I had a re-birth after attending the forum, and I want both of you to experience the same’.

We both were no doubt touched by what she had said and could not say no to her.

Finally the day came. We had to attend the introductory evening session of LANDMARK EDUCATION FORUM.

I was skeptical about a lot of things. I used to think
That people who have problems in their lives join these kinda forums. I don’t have any.
My life is absolutely great, and yes to be true, if I have some tiny-miny cockroachy (borrowed from landmark) problems then I have the potential to solve them on my own. I don’t need any help of some external institutions to solve them.

In Landmark Forum I was touched by 2 things.
- The warmth in the people. The ambience… it was too gud …and I knew that it was not artificial..
- The kind of sharing that was involved. To be true I was crying ( haha).

It touched my heart.

Many people, who had attended the program, went up and spoke on the dice.
They shared their problems and how Landmark helped them.

I did not see anything for myself. Because according to me I had no problems.

They said they are serving humanity. I thought serving humanity after taking 5200 bucks...thts cool isn’t it…

After all their(my colleagues) continuous pestering I registered. I knew my money is gone.
But then I was open to what I that they had to say. Baniya hoon…how can I let my money go waste..he he

From here on, my journey with landmark started. Now I know that Landmark is the best thing that has happened to me in years. It is absolutely amazing.

I feel for the first time I have made an investment on myself, which will give me results throughout my life.
Now I can see what my friends and colleagues had seen for me, when they invited me.

What landmark gave me? To be continued….

Take my breath away!!!

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”

I came across this quote yesterday...
Such a simple statement, but it is like a reflection of our lives.

Reading this statement, I asked myself ' how many such moments do I have in my life ?'

I could hardly think.. around 7-8 such moments.
In 23 full years ..just a merger 7-8 incidents ...isn’t it a shame...

Then i realized that life is also not about waiting for these moments to happen..
It is about making each moment a memorable one..

Leaving all of you today with this note....

Take my breath away...........
Take my breath away..........