A girl in white dress

I and my friend were walking on the street then we saw her, we didn’t notice her before on that street. We would have roamed that street thousand times before, however that was the first time we had observed her.

She was at the first floor, standing on the balcony, looking somewhere. She was wearing white dress; her hair was loosen and floating in the air. It was like an angle standing there. We had stopped for a moment on road and staring at her.

Then, all of sudden, she went inside and disappeared. We looked at the building, there was a sign board, and it was written as “Kumari Ashram” (I didn’t mention the exact name). We understood it was new, and probably recently they moved in that building. Perhaps that angel belongs to that “Ashram”. We were very curious to know about her, decided to go inside and enquiry what that “Ashram” is actually, and what that girl was doing there.

We went inside, and there was a big hall. Since not much scope for sunlight inside, it was dark. However they have dim lights all over the hall and those were trying to fill the hall with some light. We saw a big framed photo on the wall. It was an old man photo, sitting in a yoga pose. We felt it was very pleasant inside. We were trying to locate that girl.

Then an old woman came; she looks gentle and friendly. We introduced our self as engineering students. We asked what that “Ashram” is and what they do there? She started explaining about that “Ashram” as non-profitable organization, helps poor people and gives training on meditation. It totally runs on people donations. Meanwhile we were trying to figure-out the girl exact location in that building. Once her explanation was over, we apprehend that they will give a week course, which is useful to students to overcome fears and stress, also they explain the secrets of life??? And it was free of charge. We asked who was going to give that course; she said that would be any person in that “Ashram”. We asked what time it starts as we have to go to college in day times. She said it starts at 5:00AM and ends at 7:00AM. We felt very uncomfortable as one of the difficult tasks to us was getting up in early morning. We had promised reluctantly that we would come next day and left the place.

We initially ignored it because of the timings, but after couple of days our curiosity on her made us to present exactly at 5.00AM. First day, they asked us to sit on the hall and do the meditation. We were about to close the eyes, but, they said we should not close our eyes!!! , instead they had spotted a bright “Dot” on the wall, told us to concentrate on it and do the meditation. I was surprised, what? What kind of meditation it is??? Anyhow, we sat calmly. It was very difficult to sit without talking, and just looking at the dot. After half an hour, they took us to the balcony and showed a place to sit, in fact we actually noticed that girl earlier in the same place. However, so far we didn’t see her there, we were wondering where she had been.

Some other woman approached us with a book. It looks like she was holding a syllabus book. She was enquiring about our life style, and asked few other questions. We answered all. She explained how that organization was formed, who was the founder etc. She showed us the book and said she was going to teach us from that book during these seven days.

First lesson, she told where we (all human beings) indeed originated and where we all go back after our death. We never felt so bored as like that day before, we silently sustaining that misery.

Next day, we were in dilemma whether to go or not, but we strongly determined to know about her at any cost, and decided to bear all those things. It was also like an adventure to us, helps us to overcome the boredom in our routine life.

In next day, no difference at all, sitting on same place for half an hour and staring at the dot and doing meditation, and after that listening all no (common) sense lessons.

We were patiently waiting for the day, and then at last it came; the girl whom we want to meet desperately came to give that day lesson. She was very beautiful and charming, wearing same white dress. On the other hand, she was very simple, not wearing any ornaments, even ear-rings. So far, we understood that, whoever working in that organization won’t get married, they are like nuns, devoted their life to god. We felt pity on her. If she was not in that organization, she would have been doing engineering or medicine. We were not able to digest the fact that such a beautiful girl wasting her life in there.

She was explaining that day lesson. Though it was philosophical, there was no logic and sense in that lesson, we silently listening. Once lesson was over, we started enquiring her past, she is from Bangalore. She is very happy to be part of that organization and spend rest of her life in it. We tried to convince her that, it was not a good life for girl like her to live. But, she felt uncomfortable to take those advices.

Next day she came with same smile and pleasant face to teach the lesson. We again tried to convince her, telling how the life in engineering college, and how students will enjoy the chemistry between boys and girls etc. For a moment, she appeared interested, but in reverse she was trying to convince us that her life was better than ours. She told “whoever born to the earth shall return to earth”, so we should not spoil our life with anger, agony, selfishness, greedy or attractions, instead we should spread love and help others.

After hearing that, our thought was “Oh! God what a crap???” We used to have a debate about it daily for some time.

We don’t know, maybe we were attracted to her, or we were pity on her, due to some reason, we were bearing all those philosophical lessons. We didn’t want to leave her in that place. We were thinking as if we were doing a rescue mission and rescuing her from that place.

Days were going, it was our final lesson in the course. We were confident that, she was very much convinced with our advice, and she might like one of us and change her life.

Lesson was over, and then at last she said a word, which we never had imagined that it would come from her mouth. She said “With today lesson, your course is over, so did you understand whatever we told so far BROTHER???” She stressed the word “Brother” when she was telling.

Brother… Brother… Brother… that word was echoing in our brain for some time. We were muttering, so, lastly we are brothers to her. At least if she would accepts us as friends, that would be fine, but brothers… no way. We shook our head noting as we understood everything. She asked to come again, if we had any doubts. We thanked her, and vanished from that place.

We never went to that place again as we don’t want such a beautiful girl calling us as “Brother”, in between she appeared few places and asked us to come again to do “Dot” meditation, but we didn’t.

Whenever we remember this incident, we laugh like anything.

Motorbike

It was one of my dreams to ride a motorbike. Maybe it sounds silly to many, few might laugh at me, but that was truly my dream. I learned cycle easily in my child hood. However, I didn’t enjoy the real pleasure in motorbike riding until after my marriage.

When I was doing intermediate no one in my college had motorbike. Few used to come by walk to college and others come by cycle. Even I used to go by walk. One of my friend started learning scooter at his house. His father had a scooter, so it was an advantage for him to experiment on it. Like him few other friends also started learning it using their father’s scooter or motorbike. Since my father didn’t have either scooter or bike, I was not that much fortunate like others. I was skeptical about asking my friends to teach motorbike on their father’s vehicle. Soon my friends have gained confidence in riding a motorbike. They started using it outside. I was seeing them silently thinking when I would ride like them. I got dreams like riding a motorbike on a black long road, having a girl on back seat and accelerating super fast like a jet. One day, I dared and asked my friend to teach me. He was in a good mood, asked me to sit on his father’s Bajaj Chetak, and explained the basics about scooter like where the break will be and how to use it etc. That was my first lesson. After his lesson, he asked me to start it, and asked to release the clutch slowly. I started it, but due to tension I released the clutch instantly. The scooter gave big jerk, and I was not able to handle it, so left it on the floor. It felt on the floor making big noise. My friend’s father came from house because of the sound. One of the side mirrors got broken, so he got angry and yelled on my friend.

My first lesson ended like that. With this incident, my belief that I can ride a motorbike dropped drastically. I stopped asking my friends again, rather satisfied riding it in my dream.

During engineering, I bought a city-bike for my daily commutation. City-bike was nothing but the trendy cycle in that year, which has better looks than normal Hero cycle. Nevertheless, I got an opportunity to learn motorbike again during that time. One of my friends offered me to teach it. He had a Yamaha bike which was a dream motorbike for many young stars during that time. I went to the open ground to learn along with him. He asked me to ride, I always had a problem in releasing the clutch, after several trails somehow I managed to sync clutch with acceleration. I drove for some time, then all of sudden when I was making turn, it got unbalanced, and I felt on the ground along with the bike. My right leg stuck in between silencer and ground. My friend came and lifted the bike. By the time damage had happened, silencer burned my leg.

After that incident, I never asked one more time any of my friends in college. Some kind of complex developed in me like I can’t ride motorbike in my life again.

I finished my engineer and got a job. In my room, almost all roommates had motorbikes. Multiple times they tried to teach me, but all were vain. I was using company bus for office and BMTC buses for weekend trips. Whenever I sat on my friend’s motorbike on the back seat, I felt ashamed that I didn’t know how to ride it. One solace was few of my friends were also like me, afraid to ride a motorbike.

It passed like that almost 4 years. Many times I tried and failed. My biggest problem was synchronizing clutch with acceleration, was not able to do it properly. Slowly I realized that it was too late to learn bike, supposed to happen when I was doing engineering, so stopped my trails. I knew riding gear less scooter. I drove many times. But, it won’t give same thrill as like riding a motorbike.

I got married. It was imperative that I must have some vehicle after marriage for commutation. I thought of buying a Honda activa, which was a decent scooter without gears. Soon I quit that idea and started learning car driving. I took all lessons and got a license. After learning car driving, I did understand the mechanism about automobiles and few things about clutch, gears and acceleration. The basic mechanism is similar in the motorbikes and cars. I got some confidence and developed hope that maybe I can restart my trails of learning motorbike.

One of my colleagues came forward to teach me. That time I learned seriously, able to balance it. However, I scared to ride it on busy roads. My colleague told me that will come gradually. I thought I can’t wait until I became proficient in riding it, also afraid I may end up in big accidents. I decided to buy Honda activa. Along with few of my friends went to Honda show room to enquiry about the price and other details. That time I saw it. It was a Honda Unicorn, black model motorbike, proudly standing in the middle of the showroom. It was shining like a star, the silver coated 3D Wing mark Emblem was sparkling like a diamond. I was not able to turn my head for a moment, staring at it. I thought, at least in the next birth, I will try to ride it. We got the details about the Activa and came out of the shop. My friends felt uncomfortable about my decision. One of my friends said, “See! Honda Active is not at all suitable vehicle to you. Look at the bike unicorn. That is a perfect match to you. You better buy it”. I reacted quickly and said, “See the size of that bike man, can I balance it. Forget it”. But they convinced me like I rather buy at least Hero Honda splendor, which is small in size easy to control. After hearing all their advices, I dropped the plan of buying Honda activa.

Days are passing; I started reading reviews to figure out which motorbike to buy. Despite of many advices in Internet, from my friends, my mind was stick to Unicorn. I was not able to sleep few days properly. I struggled to get confidence that I can ride it, and thought let it take time to gain expertise in riding on traffic.

I took a daring decision, not looked back, went to show room and booked the Unicorn. Few days later, I got a call from the dealer that bike was ready to pick up. With the help of my colleague, I put unicorn in my parking lot. The bike weighs around 150Kgs; I strove even to park it properly in the parking lot which was a bit high from the ground.

My colleague helped me until I get some familiarity riding on it. During this process, I escaped several major accidents. Indeed, I end up on few minor accidents.

Days are passing, first few days I used it only in weekends. Gradually I used it to commute to the office. Within a month, I got some proficient in riding it.

One fine day evening, I asked my wife to come on my motorbike for a pleasure ride. Until that day, she was afraid to come because of my inexperience in riding bikes. It was an awesome weather, both sunny and cold, Jayanagar wide roads, almost whole street covered with tress, chill wind was blowing through my face, my wife was sitting back holding me tight, there was no engine noise from bike and I was riding Unicorn. That time I experienced true pleasure in riding a motorbike, I was flying as how Leonard Dicaprio and Kate Winslet had experienced on titanic ship. That movement I thought my dream became true. Later then, we traveled so many places on bike. Even my kid likes motorbike riding. However, she happily sleeps after some time.

Thus, if anybody still not experienced riding a motorbike go and try it once. I’m telling with my own experience you never regret it and lot better than a car. Another thing is, how small or silly your desire is, never give up and never think that it is too late. After all, fulfilling those small desires gives lifelong unforgettable memories to you.

Luck 2

Days were going as usual. Regularly, I was hearing the news like known people and friends were getting selected in different companies like Infosys, TCS, etc. Also success stories in group emails. It was torture and anguish waiting to see when I would get placed in the software company.

My roommate and co lecturer got placed in TCS. After he had joined in TCS, I was not able to work at that place. Thus, I changed my lecture post from that college to some other college, which was located in my native place. After changing it, I got a new improved pay.

Even in a new college, I continued hunting for a software job. One day I got an email from L&T InfoTech asking me to appear the written test in Chennai. I went to Chennai and attended the written test. After few days, I got an email from L&T again saying I cleared the written exam, asked me to attend the interview. I went to Chennai again and gave an interview. I became so proficient in giving interviews, so it went without any trouble. However, I know about my luck, not had much hope of the outcome. Few days passed, another mail from the same company saying I cleared the interview, and need to attend the final round, which was a group discussion. I had the experience attending group discussion in the IAF entrance test, so with that faith I attended the group discussion.

Few more days past, one more email from the same company. I was scared to open that email. My hands were quivering before opening it. I opened it, and It had given like; I cleared the GD, asked me to attend a discussion with VP of that company, and followed by HR round. I was extremely pleased after seeing it. HR round was not hard to pass, I stretched up to that level means, almost got that job, those were my thoughts.

I reached the company. There were a total of 50 candidates shortlisted. They had asked us to sit in a room. I was the first guy in the row. After some time, the VP of L&T InfoTech came and sat on his seat. He introduced himself and said they would send all shortlisted candidates to Bombay for training. Everyone watching him with glazing eyes. He asked us to introduce our self one by one. He started with me first. It was all of a sudden, I took some time to react. I mutter about myself. It was not loud enough, so he asked again. Then I repeated in loud. He waited until everyone finishes then he left the room saying all the best.

A few hours later, a woman came out and said they selected 25 candidates out of 50 based on the discussion with VP. They had put the shortlisted candidates' list on the wall. They had asked non selected guys to leave the place. It was a jolt to everyone, we expected all 50 candidates were selected. I saw the list searching for my name. MY NAME WAS NOT LISTED. I searched again, and again. But, it was vain. Tears are about to come out. I controlled myself, tried to keep a smile on my face. It was the hardest time to congratulate others with a smiley face and keeping agony inside. I left the office.

While walking on the road, I remembered how I woke up in the early morning to catch the train to reach Chennai for these tests. Recalling all those things was terribly distressing. That was one of the worst days of my life.

It took few days for me to come out of it. Then, it was as usual like Ghazni Mohammed again started hunting and assessing my luck.

One problem in attempting the top company’s exams was a delay in the next attempts. Almost all top companies do not accept the application again within 6 months' time if a person fails to make the entrance test. I came to know through one of my friends that they maintain the database of all our names, so if we send an email with a different name then we might get the call. I changed a letter in my surname, and I applied to all leading companies again. In fact, whatever surname I mentioned earlier was wrong. As per my 10th class certificate, the changed surname was correct.

I got the first call from Infosys. That time I almost digested all Shakuntala Devi puzzles. I appeared for the exam. It was again my poor luck that they had asked all puzzles from some other book. It was a disaster to me, was not able to solve even 5 puzzles within the given time. I did not wait for the result, already knew what it would be.

Next, I got an email from Wipro. Many people were called for that exam. After seeing all those people at the center, I comprehend how tough the competition would be, and I figured out this exam is also like trail and hit kind of. The exam started, a totally 3 sections in the exam paper. 

We need to score 50% from each of the sections to pass the written test. The first section was Technical; it was condemned easy for me. I answered all and did the same way in the next aptitude section. Then the final section was Vocabulary, which was so hard. There were a total of 30 questions in that section, only 10 to 15% of questions I know the answer all remaining 80 to 90% words are bizarre to me. Then I did the probability. To get 50% pass marks in this section, I need to provide the correct answer to 15 questions. I already answered 5 questions correctly. Out of 5 answers, 3 answers were option B. I verified aptitude and technical questions. Those also for most of the questions the correct answer was in option B. Therefore, there was a high probability that most of the answers would be in option B. Based on that speculation and probability, I marked the remaining 10 questions answer as option B.

The exam was over. I crossed my fingers and knew about my luck. Anything could happen. After some time, they had attached the results on the wall. I did not want to carry so much hope and then disappoint later. I went to the place calmly where the result paper had attached and searched for my name. MY NAME WAS LISTED. Which means my probability was correct. I told myself that this was just a written exam. I had a history of returning back from the final round, so I did not pay much faith.

I went inside of that building for the interview. They had asked me to complete a form. I surprised that they were so many people who got shortlisted in that exam. I got a doubt, whether that was a true test or some kind of fake. They took the filled form and asked me to wait until they call for an interview. I saw the organizers were facing many hurdles managing those interviews. It looks like; they did not expect that much crowd. I almost waited for 3 hours for my interview. A man called me and took me with him. He asked me to go inside a room. I saw there were many parallel interviews they were conducting. They were running out of time, so they were rushing the interviews. I entered the room, the interviewer was sitting inside and he looks fatigued. He might have taken so many interviews by that time. I saw the Shakuntala Devi book kept on his table. He first gave me few puzzles. I was a bit surprised, I expected he would ask some technical questions. He might have thought that I would take some time to solve those puzzles, so meanwhile he was filling the forms with earlier interview results. Those puzzles were so familiar to me. I did practice them multiple times for the Infosys exam. I took very little time to solve them, after completing told to that guy. He was in a hurry to fill those forms, lazily cross-checked my results and noted as those were correct. Since he was fatigue and utterly exhausted, he forgot whether he asked any technical questions. He asked the same thing, I quietly shook my head as yes. He told, “Ok! You are good to go”.

That was the simplest interview I never faced before. I was wondering again, whether it was real or something else was going on. A few hours later, they announced the results. I cleared the interview. It was almost a night, so they had asked people to come the next day for the HR round.

I was never lucky like that day before. Everything went so smoothly without much of my hard work. However, still, the HR round has remained. I went to my classmate's room in Chennai and stayed that night. They had given me some encouragement saying, HR round was not that difficult and easy to clear.

The next day I went to the Wipro office to appear for HR. I sat so silently in the waiting room and prepared myself. That homework certainly helped me during the HR round. Whatever I thought to speak in those minutes, the same thing I told HR. The HR facial expression was subtle, not easy to assess whether I cleared the round or not by looking at him.

I went back to my home town.

Few weeks passed. One day, I saw an email from Wipro. IT WAS MY OFFER LETTER. There was no limit to my delight at that time. Almost 1 year of my struggle to get a software job came to an end!!

Thus, luck is “a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person”. Until the day that I appeared the Wipro interview and test, my circumstances and events brought me ill, that was bad luck. However, that day, those combination factors bought me good. I called it was Good Luck.