2010 in retrospect

Its that time of the year again. One year comes to an end and the other begins. 
2010 has been a roller coaster of a ride.
Here is a bullet point summary -

• Got the chance of a lifetime to get involved in organizing a TED conference - read TEDxChennai
• Solved huge loads of technical obstacles and brought my product at Unniyath to a state we can try for funding now.
• Got over a lot of inhibitions and mental blocks that I dint know had existed in my mind
• Got to contribute to organizing Techmeets, a ChennaiGeeks initiative to bring the fragmented tech communities in Chennai under a common umbrella
• Realized that there is no point waiting for a better time to come to do your "favourite things". Its now or never.
• Decided to give myself a chance and agreed to get married. Yes. You read that right, stand by for the official announcement :)

So with a renewed perspective to life, I have decided to make every moment of life worth living it, for you never know when tables will turn and you will be at the end of this road called life. At the same time, I have also decided to use the magic lens called focus and go vertically deep into specific areas of exploration.  And as Sundar quotes Brian Tracy in this post - “You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new..”, its time to push the limits.

Agenda for 2011
So I have identitfied three areas of focus -
1. Work - Take my company Unniyath to higher levels, specifically financially.
2. Music - Contribute to the following upcoming albums of STD Pathasala - a) Thiruvaimozhi Nutrandhadhi b)Upadesha Ratnamaalai c)Thirukkural Keerthanais
3. Others - Learn Calligraphy, Learn to ride a geared motorcycle

Wish you all a happy eventful and purposeful 2011!
Follow your dreams, follow your passions and be awesome in whatever you do!


Watch out world, Here comes Vatsala :)

Khoj - Search

Khoj - The Unending Search - A small poem like piece in Hindi - My attempt at poetry.

Here the subject speaks about her quest for her "pillar of support", and how the quest leaves her warped in a time frame.

Here it is -

बहुत अरसों से हमने महसूस किया अपने आप को अधूरा
फिर निकल पड़े ढूंढ ने को अपना वो सहारा
एक बार हमारे नज़र में वो आ जाए, तो सोचा दिल संभलजाए
या फिर उसके एक झलक में हम आ जाएँ, मान लो उम्र हमारी ऐसे हि कट जाए
फूली  हुई अपनी साँसों में ढूँढा, खोये हुए खयालों में ढूँढा
रात की मजदूरी के लम्हों में ढूँढा, खाली सड़क के सराब में ढूँढा
वो न मिले जब तक, हम उनके लायक हो जाएँ, अपने आप में ऐसी काबिलियत ढूंढी
पर अब हम ये क्या कहें दोस्तों, वक्त हे उसे हमसे नही मिलाया
हम ढूंढते ढूंढते यहाँ रह गए, "उसके" साथ इंतज़ार का वक्त भी हाथ से निकलगया

Here is the English Transcript :-

Bahut arson se hamne mehsoos kiyaa apne aap ko adhooraa
Phir nikal pade dhoondh ne ko apnaa vo sahaaraaEk baar hamaare nazar mein vo aa jaaye, to socha dil sambhaljaaye
Yaa fir uske ek jhalak mein hum aa jaayen, maan lo umr hamari aise hi kat jaaye
Phooli hui apni saanson mein dhoondha, khoye hue khayaalon mein dhoondha
Raat ki Mazdoori ke lamhon mein dhoondha, khaali sadak ke saraab mein dhoondha
Vo na mile jab tak, hum unke laayak ho jaayen, apne aap mein aisi kaabiliyat dhoondhi
Par ab hum yeh kya kahein doston, vakt ne use humse nahi milayaa
Hum dhoondhthe dhoondhthe yahaan reh gaye, uske saath Intezaar ka vakt bhi haath se nikalgayaa

English Translation -

For a long time, I carried with me a sense of incompleteness
Then One day, I decided I will find Him, my pillar of support
If only I could set my eyes on Him once, I thought, my heart would find solace
Or If I could become visible to Him in some way, then I could spend the rest of my life being in His view.
I searched (for Him) in my anxious breath, I searched (for Him) in my lost thoughts
I searched (for Him) in the moments of hardship during late ending work nights, I searched (for Him) in the mirage of the empty road I travelled by daily
Until I find Him, wanting to make myself worthy of Him, I searched for that capability in me.
But what do I say now, Time did not bring us together,
In my quest, I stayed back here; With Him, Time also slipped out of my hands altogether.

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Image source: - http://yogaquest.wordpress.com/