A Lesson...

This wasn't really a professional racing track. We were street racing. Street racing requires more skill, and is actually very dangerous. You not only have to think up of the race, but also of the traffic around you. It was quite late in the night, but still one could see some traffic.

3...
I heard. I was determined, I was focused, and I knew my goal. 

2...
My eyes were looking at the infiniteness ahead, and I was waiting for the green light.

1...
I knew the moment has arrived, and I have to show the best of my skills. "It's show time", that's all I said to myself.

Go...
The moment I heard it, a spark plunged into my whole body, and almost instantly, I geared my bike, pulled the throttle. Next moment, I could see myself zooming towards my destination, and so were 11 other with me. All of us, wanting to reach the end before anyone else could. This was a race, a race of skills, a race for respect and a race for your space. Everyone, zooming ahead, to achieve that feat. Only one winner, and eleven other would go disappointed. 

But this was not what I was thinking. All I had in my mind, was to be the fastest, beat everyone behind and achieve that feat, which no other would achieve that day. My full concentration was on my bike and the road. I noticed, as the speed-o-meter needle was getting higher, more people were getting behind me. 

I remember I was now at the 8th position. Just 7 more ahead me, and then I would have the respect of every other biker with me. I knew I could do this. I knew I had to do this. I looked down, and was at 95 kmph. But I knew this wasn't enough. I looked up again, and I saw a turn coming up. I knew this was a chance. Turns are taken up as a chance, a chance to beat your opponent. The more skillfully you take up a turn, the more chances you have to beat the opponent. I gave my best. And then I saw myself at the 5th position. 

Then, I was on the straight stretch, a good 4.6 Km straight stretch. It was a two lane road. We were back again, with the full throttle, everyone for the big achievement. Just then, I realised that me and my opponent ahead were narrowing up as I was speeding up. I went on to the other lane, pushed my bike to it's limits, and the next thing I knew, I was on the 4th place. 3 more to go. I had the same confidence, and I knew I could do this.

The next moment I realised, that I was getting ahead of another opponent. That was easy. That got me to the 3rd place. With just 2 more to go. It was this point, that my confidence grew up. I'd rather say, I was now in over-confidence. I started to take this race lightly as I was nearly convinced, that the winner for this race is definate, ME! I saw the other two coming close, this only made my thought more stronger. "I have won the race", that was my thought. I was now confident of the consequences. 

Like before, I went to the other lane to over-take the opponent. But the next thing that happened wasn't like before. I was blinded with the light ahead. It didn't took it long for me to realize that there was a huge truck just right infront of me! 

The very next thing I saw...

It was then I realized, Over-confidence is bad, even in game!

PS: This post is for "Castrol Power 1 Blogging Contest" on Indiblogger.

PPS: This post in no way encourage bikers for street racing. The author, should in no way be held responsible for any such consequences. 

Image source: http://www.thethingaboutmachines.com/

Probably the most unique first biking experience...

Fine day, with good smooth roads. Lightly wet due to the monsoons, and the green trees all around the road. What a fine day. And to add more to it, the beast, Yeah, that's my ride. This was my first time with the bike. There couldn't have been a better time to ride your first one. It was all over me. My mind, my heart and my soul. There was excitement all over me. I was never more thrilled than this time. What a day it was.

So, with me being extra thrilled, and the key's in hand, the next step was obvious. I sat on my ride. Sitting had never been more comfortable than this. I had never felt like this before. It was a different but nice feeling. Sitting there, I was feeling good, with finally a thing whose controls were in my hand. It was what I was. It represented me. It was as if I had got a new organ. Such a great feeling it was. 

I couldn't have waited more. And banged the key and started the bike. And then I felt as if it was heaven. The sound of the engine was music to my years, music that I had never felt before, and it was very gripping and attracting me. There was a rush of adrenaline through my body. It felt as if it was a dream. I wanted to do everything in a rush, but at the same time at a slow pace so that I could enjoy every moment of it. It was the best feeling I've ever had. 

And then after feeling every bit of it, watching every single mechanical part of it, which was a soothing experience for my eyes, I finally decided to do the actual stuff. And then finally I sat back again. Swinged the throttle, to feel the 'music' again, pushed it into the gear, and then I realised the moment have come. Oh, That was the most unique way I have ever felt. And then I finally...

TRIN TRIN TRIN TRIN TRIN TRIN..........

Mom: Wake up, It's 7 o'clock, you got to go school... WAKE UP!!!
Me: WHAT? Was this a dream? Oh, I so want to sleep again.... Awww.....

This is how I had my first bike experience. Though, in my dreams, but I do believe that it'll be same or better when it actually happens. 

Note: This post is for 'The Castrol Power 1 Blogging Contest' on Indiblogger. 

Image Source: http://sarwedisirait.files.wordpress.com

Lingo Kid, Willpower & A Budding Plant...

I go through the newspapers these days. All I find is new scams, another death related news in West Bengal, Lokpal bill, political statements, Bollywood break-ups. And if not this, news of a new entry in Big Boss.

But in all these times, what made me feel happy was this story...

Meet Ravi, he is in later teenage, and sells peacock feather fan, or "Indian air-conditioner" as he says, outside Hanging Garden, Mumbai. All of his family members are street sellers, doing their independent business. As he says, he and his grandmother has a separate business. His grandmother makes the peacock fans and he sells them. 

Okay, so you might think what's so special about this kid? Millions of people in India have the same story, but makes him stand out is the fact that he can sell you stuff in about a dozen languages including Hindi, English, Dutch, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and more. And no, he did not attended a multilingual school. All he did was to learn from the different tourist that used to come to visit the Hanging Gardens. He talked to them, improved himself until he was finally able to sell his stuff in those languages.

What made him come in to limelight? The credit goes to sufiwindsurfing's YouTube channel. He first visited India and saw him. Being impressed, He video shoot him and then decided to upload it on YouTube. The video soon became a viral. Few years later, He visits India again and luckily finds the same guy again. He again video shoots him, takes his interview and uploads on YouTube. 

Ravi says people come to him asking is he the same person. He truly has become a celebrity and has many different videos of his on YouTube.

Here, I will show you all the three videos.

This is the first video that was shoot, when he was quite young.

The second video is when Ravi has grown up

And the third video is a interview of his.

What really makes me happy is not the fact that there's a street seller boy in India who can speak a dozen language, but the way he learned those language. That's the finest example of true determination. Usually people in similar situation's get dis-heartened and lose confidence, but what this boy did is truely commendable. This boy has truely inspired me, and I am sure it will inspire others too.

Another incident took place with me last month. I just came out of my coaching institute, and was discussing things with one of my friend, Puneet, when suddenly someone peeped into us and asked a weird question.

Man: Ye english sikhate hai? (Do they teach english?)

Puneet: Aapko english seekhni hai? (Do you want to learn english?)

Man: Haan, Kam aayegi kafi, naukri mein. (Yes, It will be of great help for my job)

Punnet: Toh, aap kaha tak padhe ho? (Till what level have you studied?)

Man: Mein zyada nahi padh paya tha.... Till 9th.. (I couldn't study much, till 9th grade)

Puneet: Kyon, Chod kyon di? (Why did you left? )

Man: Father expire kar gaye the, toh ghar mein main akela tha. (My father died, and I was the alone working men)

Man: Mein abhi kam karta tha... Lifestyle store mein (I used to work in the Lifestyle store recently)

Man: Phir maine chod diya (Then, I left)

Puneet: Kyon, kafi accha tha... (Why? It was quite good.. )

Man: Nahi, paise kam milte the (No, Pay was not good)

Puneet: Kitna milta tha? (How much do you used to get?)

Man: ₹5000 

Puneet: Hmm...

Man: Aaj kal mein yeh private business karta houn (These days I do a private business)

Points out to his bag, I could see common item...

Man: Toh english aa jayegi toh sahi ho jayega (It would be great if I could learn English)

Me: Koi badi jagah se mat karna (Don't do it from a big place)

Puneet: Haan, woh aapse paise le lenge, aur padha denge, aapko samajh aye na aye, woh nahi dekhte (They will take money from you, teach you... They won't care if you understand or not)

Man: Hmm... Kitne paise lete hai? (How much do they take?)

Punnet: Hame idea nahi hai.. Par ₹2000-5000 (We are not sure but around ₹2000-5000)

Me: Agar koi alag se padha raha ho, toh waha chale jao (If anyone is teaching you seperatly, then go there)

Man: Kaun hoga? (But who?)

Me: Hote hai bahut log.. Koi jaan pehchan ka ho (There are many.. Someone you might know)

Puneet: Baki yeh institues toh bekar hai (But these institutes are useless)

Me: Ya woh kitab aati hai, woh le lo (Or you can take a book?)

Man: Aap se baat karli toh pata chal gaya... thank you.. (After talking to you, I came to know... Thank you)

He walks a few steps and comes again...

Man: Aur agar computer sikhu toh? (And If I learn computers first?)

Me: Uske liye toh english chahiye. (For that you need english)

Me: Pehle english hogi, fir computer (First english, then computer)

Man: Okay.. Thank you...

What really made me feel good in the above two instances is the fact that they all had wanted to learn and fight from their situation instead of sitting back and regretting on their situation. That is the finest example of will power. I am sure someday that man will surely learn english and be well settles, because he has will power, an ambition to do. What I really hope is such people should be encouraged and should become an inspiration for others. 

May god bless all!