Mango People
-The common man amongst us
By
Ami Shah
Table of Contents
1. Preface
2. List of Characters
3. Why one should read
4. Engrossing stories
5. Dedication
6. Acknowledgements
Preface
Till when will we run in this rat race of out doing each other everyday and go with the saying” Survival of the fittest” in this competitive world.
Today man is in the most confused state of mind he could ever be in ages. The quest or the hunger to explore the unknown is growing like a wild fire in the jungle. Once he came to know as to how things work on the planet earth, he now has the urge to find the mechanisms of the stars, galaxies, moon and the sun. Oh God! This seems endless. He wants to know what’s happening deep under the sea and high above the sky where there’s no life.
Ask me one quality that fascinates me in our fellow buddies, thriving in this world at this day and time is they are really resolute, gritty and single-minded. If they once make up their minds that they want to achieve something in life, they just don’t see anything other than the goal like a football player in the field driven by aspiration.
We all see dreams, but how many of us demonstrate the audacity to pursue it and make the impossible possible in one lifetime. Think of days in your life that made you feel like a winner. The number will be on your fingertips.
I make New Year resolution on January 1st, of every year but forget it in a week or two. I give up on my exercise regime almost every second day. My mother keeps scolding me for I keep my things at the wrong places and make my otherwise beautiful house, a superb mess. It’s all easier said than done. I start my day with prayers and positive approach but halfway, by the time its evening, I land up feeling like a loser if something does not work my way.
But there are people amongst us, whom we know as the brand ambassadors of our very own “aam janta” whom I call as the Mango people.
They are common yet unique in their own way. They struggle with the tests life takes and pass the exams with flying colors. They are the most favorite child of the Gods and undergo a couple of horrendous days, months and perhaps years but they don’t give up. They fight, rebel and know how to make things work their own way.
In my book I have made an attempt to make you feel and draw closer to the emotions of ten such species. They are someone with whom we can identify ourselves, who are just like us in every way, instead our very own replica. The real life heroes and their stories even more exciting than our reel life super-hit movies. We all have this person hidden in us; the only thing is we need to find him. The day we are successful in identifying that person hiding somewhere deep in us, all the fears will be conquered and victory will be ours.
List of Characters
1. Indian Burger
2. Kinder Garden
3. Gym Instructor
4. Invest Right!
5. Vanshika - The NutritioniGrocery Store Owner
6. Zenith Building & Constructions. Ltd
7. An electronics engineer
8. Beauties and a Geek
9. Life starts at 42
Why one should care to read
Every day when we step out of her homes, going to our offices, traveling in trains, taking a walk by the sea-side, almost everywhere we see so many faces and meet so many new people. Each person, so different and beautiful in his own way. The Almighty has created every individual and send us on this planet to achieve a goal and meet our destiny traveling on different paths yet the mission is the same - to find the winner in us. We have become so blind-folded and single minded that somewhere in the course of time we just forget to believe that we are all special in our own ways.
The characters in these stories are someone we know and have met or observed at some point of time in our lives. Its about the journey of people we know in our everyday lives and take a sneak peek in their lives and what made them heroes from zeroes. It’s the roadmap they took to reach from rags to their destination called riches .There’s a connection you will find with every story as it’s all about us – the mango people
As the saying goes, “Common sense is not very common”
Mango people is all about the real life stories of the common man and his daily struggle with life, his trials and tribulations, his strong desire to survive and fight against all odds and make his own destiny. Sometimes experiencing the emotions of a story may result in moments of grief .But at the same time reading these stories may be really entertaining. And as per my knowledge there are three kinds of people in this world. One who learn from their own mistakes, the ones who learn from others experience and the ones who never learn at all .
Sit over a round table conference during the lunch times in your office and our discussions will vary from talking about who’s going around with whom in the tinsel town, sports columns, page 3 news, recession hitting the markets , which company is doing good, why is so and so stock rising at such an speed, the alarming global warming and I can go on and on.
We as people want to know about our surroundings, our geography, what’s happening in the world around us. Needless to say , we have that curiosity and that’s the reason we get up everyday morning and rush to have one look at the headlines, grab the remote and watch news channels, read news papers, surf numerous blogs , sites etc .
Well why do we do all this? Because that’s the way we are made. We like to know about each other, which actress if following which diet and what contracts are the top IT companies getting. Because we are driven by curiosity. We like to know more about each other, share our talks over the coffee table and to answer a basic question “ Hey boy, what’s cooking?
The stories in this book are an attempt to not only enthrall the readers but also send a moral message and let them learn from the experiences of the mango people.
We define democracy as a form of Government – of the people, for the people and by the people .And why do we cal it as the best form of Government? Reason we all know, its driven by the common man. Drawing the analogy, the characters in the book also resemble a picture of the people who are somewhere a mirror image of us.
The book comes out as an illustration of various emotions and mixed feelings which appear and disappear in our minds, the lessons life teaches us every day, nurtures us via numerous experiences we encounter in our day-to-day lives.
Indian Burger
Welcome to “MADHAV’S SNACK CORNER”---I have a small shop, maybe even lesser than your kitchen and I am into fast food business. I am famous for making Indian burgers, we commonly know as “the hot and spicy vadapav” that may tempt your taste buds and put all your diet plans in vein.
It all started on a small 4 wheeler open lorry where I single-handedly made mouth-watering vadapavs. I was new to this magical city called “Aamchi Mumbai. My village had no opportunities for me as that year, there were no rains and then one day the head of our Zilla, whom we call the sarpanch or the mukhiya, suggested me that “Madhav , you are so young and have a big family to support. Their future relies on you .Why don’t you move to some other village or city in search of employment”. I had heard a lot about Mumbai and finally made up my mind, packed my bags and took the next train to this city.
Just like countless others, I too had come to this city to fulfill my dreams and earn money for my family. The moment I got down from the train, I was awestruck. I had never ever in my life seen so many people at the same place and same time .It was truly mesmerizing After all I was the first person in the history of our village to come out and seek a job and that too in a city like Mumbai. I was experiencing mixed emotions, a little bit of apprehension and some happiness too. I don’t know why but something made me smile.
My friends always told me that this place is a Mayanagari (a magical place) and once anybody comes here, just can’t imagine of going to some other place. As I got out of the railway station dressed in black pajamas and khaki shirt, sweat dripping from my forehead onto my eyes carrying suitcase on my head and two carry bags in my hand, I was observing the crowd, their attires, guys and girls walking as if competing in a Olympic race. I moved here and there and then walked up to a simple guy, dark –skinned sitting on a couch and asked him as to where I can get a room to stay and luckily he was in need of a person who could share his one room, so that he too had to pay a lesser rent. He took me along with him. We took a red colored bus, it was jam- packed and then we got down after 4 stops and Madhur and I crossed so many by-lanes and roads full of cars which I had never seen before. It was in so many shapes and sizes and I thought to myself, “Why do our bullock carts are just in one shape, size and color?”
We finally reached the room; Madhur made me feel at home. First thing I did was taking out a frame from my bag and placing it on a table. It was Lord Hanuman’s frame. After some light snacks Madhur started telling me stories of this city, and its fast paced life. He then asked me “What you have come here for?” I replied in a shrill voice, “Hamne to suna tha ki yahan pe har aadmi roti, kapda aur makaan ke liye aata hai”. Madhur started smiling listening to my answer. I told him that you sound like a teacher or an interviewer to me. You ask good questions. He told me that in Mumbai, it’s the money that speaks, boss .So just think about earning it. Rest all will follow. While Madhur was saying all this, “I don’t know when I fell asleep as I was tired sitting in the train for two days.”
I spend almost a week just being in my room, and getting myself acquainted with the city and its surroundings. It was all new for me, there was a bathroom inside our room itself, water supply was for twenty four hours from the tap, the cooking stove was also grey and shining. There was an fan which had 3 blades and it gave us cooling air. I could understand that Madhur must be earning really well. He’s got so many luxurious facilities in his room.
When Madhur, my roommate returned home from his work, he asked me,” Madhav, have you planned or thought about what are you going to do, how will find a job?”. I replied that as I had studied only till fourth grade and that too in Marathi medium, so I can’t find any job in a good company here. We discussed my problem until the wee hours of morning and could not come to any conclusion. I was a little worried and whenever I am tensed I just start chanting the mantras of Hanuman chalisa, “Jay hanuman gyan gun sagar, jay kapis tihu lok ujagar, Ram dut atulit bal dhama, anjani putra, pawan sut naama.” Somehow chanting these lines made me feel better and lifted my spirits.
I was finding no solutions to my grievances and walking on an unknown path I stopped by and just sat down on the sand by the shore . Gazing at the sea, I was feeling blank lost deep in my thoughts , trying to understand what the future has yet to unfold. I sat there for almost six hours trying to find my answers. I had to do something to achieve my dream.
It was the next day when I was walking in the nearby lane I saw a man making vadapavs on a lorry. Looking at him, it struck me that I had always been a great cook. I always tried new recipes when my mother went to the farms and she just loved what I made. Finally, I succeeded in finding the answers to my questions. I planned everything and when Madhur heard of my idea, he too found it really good to get started with.
My day started before sunrise making all the preparations for the day like going to the market to buy potatoes at a cheaper rate and bargaining with the vendors for petty things like coriander and onions and then getting fresh loaves of bread as even a small fault found by my customers might hamper my newly found business. After buying all the required ingredients I had to make sure that I handle all this stuff properly while traveling in the Mumbai train which is fully packed with almost little or no air to breathe. Sometimes, I felt like carrying an oxygen cylinder along with me. This was the way my day started.
For me there were no holidays or vacations. Once back in my tiny half cemented floor and roof I, washed, boiled and cooked the potatoes, cut the coriander and onions, peeled the garlic and made the necessary arrangements for the evening and then had a bath to look clean and tidy, did my prayers and asked God to give me the capability to be a great cook and offer the best quality food to my customers and then with a positive attitude left home.
I used to be very punctual and start my work dot at 4 pm and set up my lorry and all the materials and keep the bread, butter etc ready. As the clocked ticked 5, there was a big beeline of college going girls and boys, housewives accompanied by kids and so many individuals at my corner. There were screams I could hear, ”Give me 2 butter vadapavs and someone had a peculiar taste and guided me as to don’t put chutney and sauce and some asked for more butter and there were those girlies telling “Bhaiya ,no butter please, we are really conscious about our weight . I only nodded my head in affirmation as my replies .It was the peak hour of the day for me and I had to really concentrate and be all ears to my customers. It was not easy .There were days when I felt sick standing all days on my toes from 4pm in the evening to 11pm in the night .But giving excuses was not an option may it be hot summers, lightning rains, as it was my only source of bread and butter. I soon started sending money orders at the 1st of every month to my family members and communicated to them via letters.
By the time sunsets, the aroma of my Indian burger filled the place and I used to see some new faces, some really tired ones just wanting to grab something hot and spicy really fast, while some teenagers had become regular’s .They chatted standing in groups beside my lorry everyday while enjoying the relishing vadapavs. My piggy bank was growing and so was my hard work. My hand and mind had to work at such a high speed keeping every order in mind and giving them the money change and parceling the orders.
Slowly I even ventured into exploring more and started offering dosas of all types, sada dosa, Chinese dosa, Mysore masala, butter sada and so on. As by now, the people in the nearby locality new me really well, it was all mouth publicity that did the trick for me. I now had a big menu card designed and my lorry now carried a name plate “Madhav’s Snack corner”. I got a lot of praises, for my menu cards reflected different varieties and that too at an affordable price.
In some years, I was a single point of contact for snacks. If someone had a party they just called me on my cell and I delivered the order for free and my idea of starting a free home delivery was an instant hit. Whenever my cell rang, the only sentence I heard was “Madhav please parcel some dosas and vadapavs really quick as we have guests waiting” .So not only was I famous with the nearby local residents but even their family friends and guests.
As years passed and money started flowing in I brought two tables and 15 chairs, a bigger and better lorry and my food joint transformed into a mini hotel. It so happened that anyone even passing by the roadside and not even belonging to that locality stopped by and had some snacks at my joint. My dosa and vadapav business was now flourishing and I hired two men to help me with the work and I started even selling grill sandwiches.
I had learnt so much in these years as I observed hundreds of people everyday that I mastered the art of face-reading. Just one look at the person’s face and I knew that who was in a bad mood and has had a fight at his place and who has his exams approaching by and I saw to it that I serve them the snack very nicely with all the garnishing and trimmings , that they left the place with a smile. Some of the customers had been coming to me for so long that seeing them from a far distance I kept their order ready.
Today I sell fresh juices, grilled sandwiches, vadapav, frankies. I own four outlets in Mumbai and my monthly income is more than Rs.300000/-. Now I stay in an apartment with my family. My siblings study in an English medium school and my wife takes care of my parents and the house-hold responsibilities. Even though the whole world loves the food prepared by me, I love the food cooked by my wife and when I return home after a wearing day’s work, we have our supper together. Today I manage to take time out to go for small vacations and take rest on the days I feel unwell.
Going down the memory lane, the pictures of how I spent my days back in the village flashes in front of eyes. I hailed from a joint family of 7 members, my father was a farmer, younger sister and brother went to a school 3 kilometers away from our village. There were no facilities back in our village, almost 75 people made up for the population of our rural township. There was no electricity, no means of transport. The number of educated people in our village was just 5. No one had ever left our rural township and thought of making a career by shifting to some urban vicinity. Ladies of the house went to the field along with me and all of us earned daily wages of Rs.30 per day. It was strenuous labor work .If anybody in the village fell ill and needed a doctor then, the young lads came together, make a swing –like structure out of four bamboo sticks and took the man to the hospital walking 10 kilometers on a stretch. We never knew what cemented roads looked like. We had one well which supplied water for 8 months and had no water supplies in our houses made of mud and clay.
Today when I am reminded of all this memories, it just makes me feel that “Difficulties in your life do not come to destroy you; instead they help you realize your hidden potential. Show difficulties that you are difficult”.
Someone has rightly said that “ The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach “ but in my case the saying goes a little different “ The way to everyone’s heart right from the kids to the oldies is through their stomach ” hehe…
Kinder Garden
Everyone calls me happy go lucky and a care-free girl. I love my lifestyle. Get up in the morning, dress well in new attires everyday, go to college in my car , bunk lectures, hangout with friends, watch movies, come back home in evenings, relish dishes cooked for me and go to bed.
My cell-phone rang and the front screen showed Tina calling- , “Hey Ritchie-Rich, Are you ready? We are waiting for you in the college canteen .Well Ritchie –Rich was the nickname my friends had given me .The reason why they chose to give me the name of this famous cartoon character, was just because he could almost get anything and everything in this world. He could live life on his own terms and fulfill all his wishes and so was the case with me. My parents loved me dearly and I was the apple of their eye. My wish was their command .Being the only daughter of my parents all their love and adoration was showered on me. I was thoroughly pampered and got complete attention. They treated me like a true Princess.
Things had come to me really easy in life. I completed my graduation in Arts and then a big change happened. I was married. It was an arrange marriage. Instead I would not being wrong to say that it was a love cum arrange. I met him at my friend’s birthday party and there on his sturdy built and broad shoulders made me feel cozy and the sight of him brought a twinkle in my eyes and we started meeting and hanging out and then I told about my love for him and needless to say my parents supported me. My husband was an Engineer by profession and earned an salary that gave us bread and butter .I was born and brought up in an environment where neither did I ever step in kitchen or did any kind of work . I had servants awaiting my orders and got everything on a silver plate.
But the story was different at my in-laws house. Here, we had different telephone connections in every room in the house; we had three different telephone bills, one for each room. My husband and I had to pay our share. I was always used to chit-chatting for long hours on the phone and when the bill came, it was a whopping rupees 7000/- . My mother-in-law gave a stern look and I was embarrassed as the rest two bills were just rupees. 200/-.
I went into my room and just started crying. This was the very first time after being married that I was missing my mother. I just stared my PC, opened my mailbox and wrote her this mail.
I Miss you Mom
I yearn to feel your love
The feeling of being yours
I miss the love and attention
I miss you Mom
Days passed by and years flied
When I grew up so tall
I never realized
At times of my sadness
Lonely am I left
Weeping all by myself
Nor your lap to keep my head
You are so nearby, but still far away
I wonder why God complicates things
We are just human beings
Every daughter loves her Mom
And so do I
Only hitch is expressing this feeling is not in my hand
We tread a different path
And lead a different life
One thing I pray to God
Please make my Mom smile
For I really love you Mom
And Miss you very much.
I pressed the send button and within minutes I received a reply to my email. “I love you to my girl”. I was so happy. My mind was now at peace.
I decided to earn to match up to the expenses of my lifestyle and also support my husband as he was doing a job as well doing a part time MBA. I thought that if I earn well it will reduce the burden on him and I too will be occupied and not waste my time chit-chatting and watching movies.
I discussed the situation and how should I go about it with my father-in-law. He was very happy on hearing my thoughts. He instantaneously told me ,” I have an brilliant idea for you girl,” and I said tell me fast ,” Well we have a garage on the ground floor of our apartment which is lying empty and you can use that place to start your kinder garden .”
There was pin drop silence for a few minutes, because the garage was really in a mess. I could puke out just thinking of the smell emanating from that place as it had not been cleaned for years. My father-in-law said,” It’s just an idea, its perfectly ok if you don’t like it. I was blank and didn’t know what to reply. I did not think about this idea for a week or more and struggled to think of something else.
Until one Sunday afternoon, my father-in-law took me to the garage and it was spick and span, sparkling with fragrance and I could not believe my eyes. He actually was working on cleaning the garage and making it look clean and children friendly. He said, “Here’s your chance, take this opportunity and get started”. I was speechless seeing all the efforts he had taken for me and also at the same time I was filled with enthusiasm. I didn’t want my father in-laws endeavor to go in vain. I too got charged up and started getting up early in the morning at 6.00 am , prepared the breakfast, lunch and finished the house-hold chores by 11.00 am .Then right from 12.00 pm to 6.oo pm I started working towards making the garage look like a beautiful kinder garden. I painted the walls myself with Mickey Mouse and Donald duck cartoons, brought story books, toys and placed a board outside the garage which was now my kinder garden as “Little Angels”.
I never realized that I became so busy with the kids and how my days flied teaching them, playing with them. I, at times felt that it wasn’t me who was teaching the kids, instead they who taught me simple rules of life. They made me smile and laugh by their cute facial expressions, and witty replies.
The kids obeyed and respected me. I felt a sense of belonging as when they came to the class, they wished me in a sing a song manner, “Gooood Mooorrrniiiing Teeeeacher”. And while leaving the class they would stand in a proper queue and would say, “Bye-bye miss, thank you miss.” My whole day went hearing things like, “May I come in teacher”,” May I go to the washroom”. It felt as if they would not even move a finger without my permission. But some kids were damn naughty too.
During recess there were times when they would come up to me and ask me to taste their biscuits and brought roses and flowers and cards on the teacher’s day. I too was really attached to them.
Most importantly I had now started my own business, which would in turn make me independent. Along with nursery and playmate, parents started requesting me to even start the senior and the junior kg section i.e. the pre-primary. Everything in my life started shaping up for the better. I had a nice rapport with my in-laws and they too respected and helped me a lot. We were now a happy family. My husband too supported me a lot and always kept on complimenting and praising me for my hard work.
Years down the line I now have a full-fledged school running, Also my husband is now even working in a big MNC firm and is always understanding towards my needs as he saw me give in my heart and soul for this kinder garden.
Today not only me, even my father and mother-in law help me run the “Little Angels High School” which has ten branches and encourage me at every step. Today I am not only earning but have brought up the standards of living for my whole family. Not only my in laws but even my parents are happy to see me really successful in life. Not to forget, my telephone bills now are Rs.400/ as I understand the importance of both time as well as money.
Today I remember the poem which My Mom and Dad had a written a poem for me on my 15th birthday
HAPPY JOURNEY
Someone there’s by your side yet not beside
Someone’s there beside yet not by your side
Pretty weird is this riddle
The more I try to solve, harder it becomes
At every point in my life
When I feel that this is life
It once more tosses the coin
And makes me see the other side
When you stand at the dead end and everything seems to fail
That’s when the story starts with a twist in the tale
It’s when you feel that this is the end
Life says, “No, dear it’s just the beginning not the end”
Doesn’t this life seem to be too long at times?
But when you have someone by your side
The one who says, “don’t worry, things are going to be all right
Whose company makes you feel fine
With whom you can spend some time
Who lifts your spirits and makes you smile
At such times a question arises in your mind
Is the clock running like a train?
Or is the time flying like a plane?
Life’s surely like a rail
You need to keep pace with this train
Time keeps on moving with this rail
It’s time to reach your destination
The journey now comes to an end
Your eyes now filled with memories
Of those sweet little moments
Which life gave you while traveling in this train.
I read these lines and tears started flowing down my cheeks remembering the times I spent with my Maa and Paa. They were the best parents in the world. Today I feel so blessed that I got the love of two great families and whatever position I have achieved in my life is only because of their trust in me. We all know that “Behind every successful man there’s a woman and today I realize that “Behind every successful woman there’s a loving and co-operative family. “ What say?
Gym Instructor
1…2…3… 4…Come on, you can do it, man, one last try and finally he kept the weights down. Ten minutes of cycling and then we are done for the day. Hi, I am a fitness trainer in a gym named “Let’s achieve the Mission Impossible”. Quite a funny name, isn’t it?
I was never interested in studies, the very reason my parents were unhappy and discontented with me. Well as, on the other hand I loved sports like cricket and football. Right since childhood I was too conscious about my health. I used to be disciplined when it came to my exercise and getting up early and running for miles. I used to concentrate on what food I consumed and how will it benefit me. I had won several medals in annual sports competition held in school where I participated in 8000 meters running race, long jump, javelin throw, etc.
When I went in college I took a part-time job of gym instructor. I liked it at the start as it gave me my pocket money and I could also tone up my muscles in the gym .Otherwise I never had 20,000 rupees to enroll myself in a gymnasium and work on my muscles and biceps . So here was the chance, I utilized it to the maximum.
My clientele liked the way I taught them exercises, gave them their routines like alternate day cardio and weight training and it showed results on them. There were instanced at times that just made me laugh like hell. There were guys who came to the gym, chatted with every person, hardly walk for five minutes on the treadmill and then would come and tell me that I am coming to the gym everyday regularly since months but there’s no difference. I didn’t know what to tell him.
The girls were so freaky at times that they would just overdo so much and finally faint as they would come on an empty stomach and then exercise and as a result their crash diets ending up in a big crash.
While there were some genuine people who were disciplined in their life-style and showed a lot of commitment. Needless to say they could feel the results. At times there were ladies who would be so depressed with their extra kilos that they would really break down in tears. I assured them that just be regular and follow my instructions. And you will look fine in just six months .It made them feel good.
Within a period of one year all my clients looked more fit and merry. My boss was happy too as more people started enrolling in our gym. There were youngsters and teens who just worshipped me like an idol as they wanted their muscular curves and strong and broad shoulders to impress and woo the girls back in their college. There were clients who asked me to give trainings to their friends who had a very busy schedule and so I started to train people at their homes with the help of stretching bands and mats.
In the whole picture I turned from a part-time instructor to a full time trainer. Along with the right exercises I also gave them the right diet and so you can call me even a consultant now. As my experience grew, and I had some money, I took a six month’s course in professional gym instructor in the city’s leading gym. I loved my profession and had decided to make it big in this career
My monthly income from the gym was rupees 15000, and every client whom I trained personally in the gym paid me Rs.5000/- a month and I had at least 25 -30 people falling in this category. From all the money I was earning I brought a car for myself and my gym timings were from morning 8 am-11am and evening 7pm-9pm.
Once I was done with my job at the gym I returned home at 12 pm ,had my lunch , I went for personal trainings at home for all the busy entrepreneurs, film actors, who paid me rupees 15000/- a month as they had targets to lose 10 pounds or so and I made them achieve it with ease. At times if I trained actors while on outdoor shoot I too had to move along with them and once I was done with their trainings, I would spend rest of the time in meeting more people and do marketing and self-promotion, thereby generating more business.
Everything was going the way I wanted until one night on my way home I met with an accident and hurt my back badly. I was advised a bed rest for 3 months. I was very upset as I had so many plans and would even lose my clients. But I just could not help. I was tired lying all day unable to move as even a slight jerk might aggravate the pain. I was feeling really dull and just there was a knock at my room’s door. I said, Come in. It was my school friend who came to see me. We chatted from afternoon till evening, played video-game and I was as happy as I was bored being alone in my room. I was smiling but he knew that there was something wrong and he asked, “ what’s bothering you, just tell me, may be I am able to solve your problem,” I told him, “ That my dream was to poem my own gym and fitness club and be the best trainer in the city . But now this accident has ruined all my plans. I don’t know that how will I be able to get back to my work routine.
He took out his personal diary which he carried along with him since our school days. I never knew what he wrote in it. He opened up a page and narrated me some lines.
One Day
Fly like a bird
Set yourself free
Feel the breeze
One day you will feel the ease
Difficulties will make you dry
How much ever you try
You neither cry nor lie
One day you will reach the sky
Problems knocking at the door in a beeline
Making you feel like sipping some wine
Moonlit lanes in the winter
Gives you bitter and frosty shiver
You neither shake nor quiver
One day you will be the winner
Dewdrops wait for the right time
Clock too ticks twice at the same time
Jingles are sung in a rhyme
One day you will see the smile
Break the barriers
Cross the bridges
Overcome your fears
One day you will see the magic
When you want it the most
You will lose it at any cost
Cook some meals, enjoy the supper
It’s time you have your dinner
Get up and find your goal
One day you will achieve the dream
Show the world
Don’t hold yourself
Get out of the cocoon
Break the shell
We are with you
Don’t feel alone
One day we will admire you
Work hard to make things fine
One day you will see the sunshine.
I was feeling every line of it through my veins. It just boosted my self-confidence which I had completely lost and at a point of time I felt as if career has gone deep down in the dumps . But these lines did the magic.
The next morning I got up from the bed and started doing yoga and light stretching exercises. Just went and stood in front of the mirror and said loudly, “I am good. I have the talent and the ability. I am the best in my
profession. And I am unique in my own way.” The words filled me with positive energy and within a month I was back in shape , full of energy and enthusiasm.
I am glad that I ventured into a profession which is now a blooming business and to a certain extent I am even thankful to my critics, who nagged, and taunted me that,” You can’t make it big this way and you are making a big mistake.”
Today after seven years in this field I run my own gyms in the city with world-class facilities, trainers, physiotherapists, machines, spas, and my routine is still the same. I have my own websites and blogs where I advise and guide people about the exercises they should include in their regime, write articles in the fitness column of the newspapers, and encourage everyone to look fit. I achieved what I wanted and kept the promise I made to myself .My definition of happiness in now complete and this is that one day which made me smile and live my dream.
My dream of a Mercedes
Iron and steel, an industry pioneered years ago by Mr. JRD TATA always fascinated me. I was in the final year of my bachelor’s degree of Commerce when I fell in love with the steel industry.
Oops I forgot to tell you my name, I am Hitesh Sanghvi. One more reason that had drawn me close to this business was my father, Mr.Kishore Sanghvi. He was born and brought up in Bhuj in Gujarat and one fine day came to this place called Mumbai, a city of dreams to kick start his career. At start he sat for days at a tea-stall to do his business and make and establish contacts in the market. When I thought of plunging in this business he just introduced me to a friend of his, Mr.Dhiren Shah, a well-known personality in the steel market. Mr.Dhiren taught me the ABC’s of this industry and I was hell-bent in making it big in this sector that I didn’t even appear for my final year exams and left college mid-way. But it didn’t bother me anyway. As I was on the right path to make my Dreams come true.
I was 22 years of age then and one fine day I had the appalling misfortune of meeting death. Some mobsters and hooligans kidnapped me and took me in an under constructed building, put the revolver in my mouth and at the gunpoint, asked me for ransom money. They called my father and asked for
5,00,000/- rupees which they call “paanch peti” in their slang language, which was then a big amount. My father broke this news to my family and my Mother and sister were all in tears. My father contacted Mr. Dhiren, a good friend of his and as he knew some top-notch inspectors in Mumbai, they came to my rescue and I was finally out of these thugs hands. I felt like I am gifted life once more. It was upon the police interrogation, the truth was revealed and I came to know that the mobsters had mistaken me for someone else. I had the day of my life.
Slowly and steadily I too started doing business in my way. Made a few trips to Kerala, and the coconut lagoons, not for sight seeing but for business. I made many contacts there and with one guy called Tambi, I distinctly remember him because of his typical accent and dressing style. The way we had to communicate on phone was in half English, half Hindi, like “Please understand, I want the coil delivery today..Tum samajta nahi ho...”In some deals I lost money , and there were a lot set-backs at the start but I didn’t give up, instead I only grew with every experience.
By now I had created a brand name for myself in the market. One fine day I had the fortune to work with a leading Steels Limited company in Mumbai. My life now revolved around my office, cell phones all the time. But all the hard and smart work paid off. I bought in an 2 bhk flat, and an Hyundai Accent and in an year I got 3 awards for the Best youngest Entrepreneur and Indira Gandhi award and today I am 38 years old and live in a lavish apartment and an innova & Mercedes standing for me and now my daily works routine demands me to be in Pune in the afternoon for meetings and some days in Malaysia and so on…the trips are never-ending…
Today 10 years down the line I start my day at 7.30 am, have a breakfast, leave for office and am back home at 7 pm and head to the gym and run on the treadmill for an hour, have a chat with my family and watch some TV shows…Life has been good with me always. When was in my good old teenage years , my mother other always told me that you always behaved like a King , and I always told her as a kid that one day I will make you sit in the Mercedes. Today I am making her live my dream and that is what completes my definition of happiness. So think like a visionary, have a far-sighted approach, take a bird’s eye view,
There’s a famous saying which is really applicable to corporate world i.e. think out the box or in simpler words
“Think zara hatke”
Invest Right!
The only thing on this earth I was passionate about was stocks and land. I lived in a chawl where in there were 30 rooms adjacent to each other almost like a train bogey having 30 compartments. I lived in compartment number 17, almost in the middle of the group and it was the same fashion in the lane opposite to us. Basically I belonged to a low income group but knew that this phase of my life is just like a cloud with a silver lining and it was a temporary phase. I worked in a company manufacturing gold and diamond ornaments. My only focus was how to earn right, spend right and invest right. Whatever money I earned as a part of salary, I invested in stocks and mutual funds, as I knew that today the stock index in 6000 but in years to come it is going to reach the sky and the speed with which the index will rise will be rocket high. I was a trader, the one who buys and sell stocks on a daily basis and also a long-term investor who just buys some stocks and keeps it for years waiting for it to reach its expected price.
Apart from this whatever profits I churned out from the stock markets I bought property in well known areas urban areas and also in rural areas I bought farms. And I had rented all my property .Whatever rent I earned from fields and from the people living in my flats, I invested in gold. Almost every quarter I took my wife to a jewelry store and asked her to buy the jewellery of her choice. She used to be so excited and thrilled to buy gold necklaces for herself , as that was what made her the happiest . And seeing the smile on her face I was even more content.
Apart from all this we all invest in public provident funds and I had a Life Insurance policy on me the highest and then on my wife and kids in that order . Because if tomorrow something go wrong with the child ,I am not going to use any money coming from the family but on the other hand, if something happens to me then my family will not only be at an emotional loss but also the financial loss.
Today I am the financial advisor to many and would like to tell you that the stock index today is 16000 and you may already know the gold and silver prices. I, Shyam Kapoor, now reside in a sea facing bungalow with my family and I no more work in the gold and diamond shop as I have my own chain of jewellery stores.
Vanshika- The Nutritionist
I look so good but the only problem is my weight. How do I knock off these extra kilos and look as beautiful as other girls my age. Why can’t I flirt into the normal size rather than the XXL range? “Vanshika, you have to do something” I told to myself looking in the mirror.
I repeated this every single day and would forget about it in the evening. I used to do strict diets, enroll myself in weight loss programs, starve at times and then binge on food as if I had not eaten for ages. There were days when I will feel disheartened, dejected and down in the dumps , experience mood swing, and then ending up giving into eating more and more comfort foods due to nervousness and apprehension. I dreaded going for shopping with my friends and to family parties as everyone would comment on my weight .I wanted to scream and yell ,that for God’s sake I don’t want to hear this again , I am tired of hearing it all through the years . I started living in my own cocoon until I gathered the strength one day. I decided to be my own doctor.
I brought a diary, started experimenting with various fruits, foods and noted down its effects on me. I almost prepared an excel sheet with columns like days, exercises, weight lost in grams, weight gained in pounds and it almost became like a game. I started trying a combination of diets and exercises like walking, climbing stairs, weight training, doing yoga, and noted the effects of every grain and sprout had on me. It took me 20 months to come to a conclusion and at the end I was lean and slim in a healthy way. I the process I discovered that I in spite of not even studying in the field of nutrition had actually made myself a guinea pig and experimented everything and had learnt things practically.
I set up a clinic where I worked as a consulting nutritionist and dietician. People thronged at my clinic from different cities in the world and I rose to fame right away. I am now famous in the filed of nutrition and a consultant at ten reputed hospitals in the city. In the whole process, I have launched my own nutrition and dietetics course and also have written a book for hundreds of people in the masses who are suffering like me and struggle to shed off those extra kilos in spite of putting their heart and soul.
Today I not only hang-out with my friends ,instead I am the first one to arrive at the family get-togethers and host parties myself. I also plan for the menus served at buffet dinners and lunch wherein the food is cooked reading the recipes from my book called “Recipes to achieve the Mission Impossible”.
Grocery store-owner
The receiver rings..tring tring..” Yes Madam, how can we help you.”
Madam: I need 5 kg rice, 2 packs of Amul butter and two Cadburys. Please deliver the items in 20 minutes.
Milind:” Madam, please tell me your address”. Don’t worry; we will deliver you items before 20 minutes.
Hi, I am Milind, the grocery store owner and you can even call me a one man army, the reason I am saying this is almost every alternate day someone or the other in the staff goes on a leave. I sell all the miscellaneous items needed in your kitchen, grains, wafers, chilly powders, maggi etc and also some items needed in your day to day life like table tennis balls, book covers, shampoos, etc.
Maintaining and running a shop was not an easy job, keeping a count of each and every minute item, updating items which were in shortage, delivering the orders to customers and keeping a track on the profits, giving salary to the support staff and keeping the shop clean otherwise it will be soon be a place full of rats partying on my grains.
I send brochures to every household about the things available at my shop and even planned and gave some good discount schemes which attracted the housewives and they ordered in bulk. Also they were relaxed because once they call; the things ordered would reach them in 15 minutes flat. In the course of time I bought two more adjacent shops, renovated the area and it looked like a beautiful retail store. Also I now started running the shop 24/7 so it was the only shop which was available for people all day and night. While I was making money in this business my friend in Dubai called me and struck a conversation. We chatted for an hour and then he was talking about how the stores work in Dubai. Also I was really interested and after the call ended I thought o buying shops there. With the help of my friend, I got the rates negotiated I bought 15 shops in a row. It was a great deal for me. And I was really happy as well as anxious as I had to manage a lot more. With the revenues I earned from those newly brought shops I opened a pharmacy outlet out here as my son by now had completed his Masters in Pharmacy and I had hands to assist me. We both, father and son, slowly establish our pharmacy outlet in areas there were no shops of its kind. It not only brought relief to the local residents and hospitals but gave us business too. I now have 20 grocery stores and 7 pharmacists’ outlets.
In so many years of my life I have worked real hard and put in all my blood and sweat in standing where I am now.
“Milind Pharmacists & grocery stores” is now a well-known name in every household.
Zenith Building & Constructions. Ltd
It all started way back in 1990’s. I had a meeting with a friend as it a log time since we met each other last time.
He was a renowned businessman ad had a family of five brothers including him. He was tensed and tired of the daily fights that happened at his place. He wanted to move out of that house and shift somewhere else. I had a good flat in mind and suggested him to check out the place. He went there and immediately gave the token for the flat. It came at a reasonable price, and balconies offered a breath taking view. I was a duplex flat along with the terrace. He was so impressed that he asked me to do a side business of showing people houses which would fit their pockets and they will feel satisfied too. I didn’t know when and how I became an estate agent. Dealing with the real estate for months I came across a property and thought of showing it to my client called Goenka builders. But on a second thought, I said, why can’t I buy it for my own good. I brought the land and finished all the legal formalities.
I went back home really happy and told the news to my family , “ My mother asked me, “Son ,have you thought what will you do with this land” . I said “I may sell it to some building constructions company at a higher price and make a profit”.
My mother then asked,” Since how many years are you into this estate agent business”. I showed my five fingers.” Then why can’t you make your own building on that land and open your construction company as you now have that real experience and on the basis of your ground work, it’s high time .” you started doing something of your own”.
That night I could neither fall asleep nor even wink my eyes even once. My mother thoughts were indeed so true and she surely had immense visualization power. Next day morning I thanked my mother for showing me the right path, and I now had a dream to make something nobody had ever seen. I gathered all the architects, artisans, masons, carpenters, plumbers, machineries, necessary man-power and spent days on my construction site keeping an eye on every detail and working with vigilance. I knew it, that once this building is up, it has to be the best and people should just gaze at my buildings as if it’s a piece of artwork by a painter. Months passed, seasons flied, finally the day came when it was all ready. I inaugurated the buildings and had a ribbon cutting ceremony done by my mother, the lady because of which, it was possible. Bookings started and all the flats of my 40 storey building were sold in the first six months. After that, there was no looking back. I not only became the best building and Constructions Company in the city but also designed some of the best works in country’s abroad. When I now think of the day I brought a piece of land for the first time and had it not been for my mother giving me the idea, I would still be the same old estate agent and not an entrepreneur. Thank you Mom……
An Electronics Engineer
Every parent has a dream that my child studies well, gets an excellent job, has a good salary and a secure future. In spite of being brought up in conditions not so well,I studied sitting under the street lights and electric poles, scored well in school, got admission in a reputed college, took up science like most diligent children do and then went on to do a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and then did masters in the same field and became an electronics engineer. As I graduated from the best institution, I didn’t have a trouble finding the job.
I was quite pleased and joined the company making electronic machineries. I was a part of a research project wherein I was asked to work on CCR’s i.e. constant current regulators; it’s used on airports for runway lights as these lights work on current supply rather than voltage supply. Runway lights are used so that the pilot comes to know where to land the plane. My project was working and it was a success. But I wanted to do something of my own. I quit the job and decided to do something myself.
I manufactured CCR’s myself and started my own factory on the outskirts of Mumbai. It was difficult at the start as the company I quit was also the bidder for the contracts I was bidding. The competition was hard-hitting. But I learned to be patient and take every defeat in my stride. Slowly things started to brighten up and everything started falling into place.
I brought up a whole unit, hired engineers, trained them myself and also started focusing on marketing my machineries. I left no stone unturned to get orders from all over India and worked on a stretch for continuous weeks and days to incorporate the client needs and complaints. Made changes in the machines, opened up an office at my home itself and appointed a secretary to take all the calls and supervise the contract papers. I had to make sure that my machineries are 100% fault or bug free because, its dysfunction may result in a big commotion and a huge loss.
I never realized how years passed by and I have grown older.. It took me so many years to build a rapport with my clients, win their trust, keep the business going in times of recession hitting our markets. I almost made an half-century. It was not easy. You can now call me a well-settled man. I. A man who is 16 years old with 34 years of experience. I now travel to different states of India to enjoy holidays and vacations with my families and the visit to the airports, just to have a check whether the machinery is working fine or not. I now take pleasure in sweet little joys Life offers me. It was just last month that I took my family for a holiday to North-east of India. It was a week long holiday and I had to only spend one day at the Imphal airport for the maintenance job of the machines and the rest days we enjoyed exploring the city.
In three words I am “Living Life King-Size. “
Beauties and a Geek
We are a group of three, Elisa, Leslie, and Andy. We met for the very first time at the high school and first look at each other, we could never even think of becoming friends. But by the quirk of fate we became the best buddies for life. It so happened that we had an algebra class the next day and the professor was going to take a test. Andy was the most brilliant and scholarly boys in the class but he was a big bore. Almost no one in the school interacted with him. But today I was a bunch of nerves as I didn’t know the ABC of the chapter, whose test was going to be conducted tomorrow. My face had started turning pale and all my make-up was withering away.
I shook my head down on the bench and broke into tears. Andy walked up to me and asked, “What’s the matter?”. I ignored him at the start but eventually told him my problem .He helped with the lesson and I could pass the test the next day. I loved dancing and Andy loved studying. There were two rock bands in our school and Elisa was a part of the rock band. She played hard rock and transcending music. Shw was the most gorgeous looking girls in the class and almost every guy vied for her attention and every girl envied her looks as ahe was simply elegant and dazzling.
I do not know what happened but for some reason she ended up in a fight with her band members and was left alone. She had the performance the next day. I was a good dancer and Andy could write good lyrics. We, three became a team and went on to perform in the show the next day and guess what? ..We lost it… but it was fun.
This was how the story of our friendship started. We all belonged to poor families and so could understand each others emotions really well. Once the high school was over we all decided to start something together rather than spending all our lives in doing some mind-numbing and arduous job. Andy gave almost 20 ideas but Elisa and me didn’t like any. Finally, we thought of opening up an institute for music & dance. I knew salsa, jive, and Elisa knew guitar and piano and Andy had all the minds we girls lacked. We performed like troupes in an open air bus and advertised our institute. We rented an apartment and named our institute with our initials as “LEA Dance and Music Academy
”.
Years down the line, I taught dance forms to almost 900 students and Elisa taught them music .We charged RS 1000/- per month per person. Andy was our HR, financial advisor and the marketing guy. We started courses in different genres of dance and music and our business flourished and most importantly we were together. We got the opportunity to do what we liked and give our families what we as kids could not get… Knowing Andy and Elisa was the best thing ever happened to me…
Life starts at 42
World's going mad with "TANS". Wondering what am I talking about? Let me give you a hint.Every second day when I read the newspaper with a cup of tea in my hand and once I am done scanning the headlines and flip I turn to the most awaited section- all the hot news of the tinsel town.
I immediately turn to HTCAFE or the BOMBAY TIMES more known as the page 3 news .The next thought that enters my head is that is there a spelling mistake???? Oh yes its "TANS" playing a role. Still didn't get what I want to say....
It’s
"TAROT/NUMEROLOGY/ASTROLOGY/SIGNATURE ANALYSIS" akin TANS.
I read my horoscope everyday and if it says the days going to be great, my face lights up with a smile and if it says its going to be a awful day, I just move forward to the next page.
I now think whether should I spell my name as MINU....MEENU..MINOO....All of us at some point of time in our lives surely fall prey to this "TANS" and what signature should I have to avoid all the negativities...???/Should my name ended with the last letter pointing upwards and there should not be dots to mark the end of signature.
Nevertheless, Life's fun is hidden in it's surprises and the whole essence of it lies in what the future has to unfold!!!!!!!
I am a 42 year old lady and a home-maker by profession. Consider it a talent or a God’s gift but I am an expert at reading horoscopes. And one day I thought of actually taking up a course in astrology and I scored 90 % .Believe me astrology is far more tougher than your complex theories in math and science..
As I always saw the horoscopes of my relatives, friends, friend’s friend and my neighbors and people living in society, and all my cousins asked as to which stone to wear and which day is good and then I had horoscopes of girls and guys getting married and their parents having never-ending questions. I decided to take this up as a serious profession and I needed no advertising a I was well-known because I did it for free for years. People now believed me as all my earlier predictions were true. When I earned enough in some years from my hobby turned into a profession I opened up a restaurant as it was my dream since college days.
My clients visited my restaurants and loved the simplicity of the place which offered candle-light dinners and soft music playing by. I never felt this confident before. All my life I had spent in bringing up my kids and handling my married life, doing the daily household chores. Today, I felt like the very first time I lived for myself. Also I had done a course in fashion designing, So nearby my restaurant I opened up my boutique and sold antique designer wears. Girls and ladies liked it so much that right from screening their horoscopes, to arranging their wedding gowns and organizing their engagement parties at my restaurant, I had become a wedding planner and I recently even launched my marriage bureau website- where one can find their ideal match .I never knew that within a span of ten years I will come such a long way .Today I not only go to bed every night not only in high spirits, but also contended that I started something all by myself and came out as a winner.
Acknowledgements
No matter how big or small our achievements, we always need someone to go back to and share our joys and sorrows, support and encourage us.
Today I take pride in mentioning the names of my friends without whose support, confidence and trust they showed in me , I would not have come so long. I thank Mr. Dipen Ambalia ,for always guiding me and making me believe in my knack for writing , Swanand Kulkarni for being a source of inspiration, Maxim, Shreya , Vrushali ,Brendon, Krishnendu , Rajiv ,Minal, Bala, Gunwant, Chittaranjan Kotian, Sweta Jalan , NandiYogesh, Sumeet , Madhumita, Soumya, Lakshmi, Mradul, Alex , Vivek, Niraj , Rakshit, Mayank , Bhavesh Mehta , Asmita, Ashwin , Tammana, Yograj, Surendra , Sangeeta, Viral ,Prashant, Munjal ,Pratik, Keyur, Rishit, Sagar, Radhika , Manisha , Gayatri , Jigesh , all of my buddies
Dedication
I would like to dedicate this book to my grandfather- Late. Mr . Kishore Sanghvi. Today whatever I am is because of the love and support of my family.
My grandpa just made me feel like a Princess. He was the best grandfather in the world . I really miss you and I am sure wherever you are , you are always there for me.
I would like to dedicate this book to my family members which includes all my brothers and sisters , my uncles and aunts, my grandma and my parents.
