Trouble in Eden !

There was once a magical land named Eden where the Demi-gods lived, where dreams came true, it was a place where wishes came true and for little efforts, rewards were huge. The Demi-Gods were kind and admitted the mortals freely and for devotion, mortals were rewarded with gold, plush houses.

The mortals from earth could come visit Eden and live for a few years, earn huge fortunes and go back to their land much wealthier and influential. The Demi-Gods just wanted the mortals to make statues and to glorify them.

As the story of the mortal artisans making the trips to Eden became more and more well known, the mortals realized this was an easy ticket to ride. Several schools to train and deploy artisans began to spring up. Other trades began to be ignored, the sole motive of mortals was securing a gateway to Eden.

Like all good things, the good times at Eden also had to come to an end. By the curse of the sages, Eden was struck by a series of natural calamities like quakes and storms. Suddenly the demi gods no longer had the luxury of entertaining the mortals.  Suddenly the demi-gods wanted the mortals out, they began to see the mortals as parasites feeding on their great society.

The mortals were concerned, and once the gateways to Eden began to close, politics and opportunism began to take over, it was no longer easy for people to reach Eden. The journey to the promised land of Eden has just become a nightmare, with thousands and thousands of mortal artisans waiting for their turn to enter Eden, life just got tougher.

As you might have guess, this story was a thinly veiled reference of the Indian IT services industry and the situation in the Western World. India was fortunate to have an army of English speaking programmers who could take on the Y2K problem. Any one who was lucky enough or smart enough to catch the IT wave became quite successful, however the same cannot be said for the young engineering graduate passing out of college today as circumstances have become much more challenging.

First Love

Bittu was very excited today because she was going to come home today. He always hated his mom's music classes for years. But for past few weeks his mind had changed.
He never believed in love or cheesier concepts of love at first sight, but he was having second thoughts now. There was something about her which drew him so explicitly.

He was never uncomfortable with attention before. Girls had always found him cute and loved to pull his cheeks. He totally hated that but he was ready to make an exception
for her. Although he was so excited with the new feelings but he was bit confused. Life had become fuzzy in the last few weeks, it became the waits between the times she would
come in for her singing classes.

Man, she had the voice and the eyes of an angel. He worried if she knew how he felt, also if she felt the same way. Somehow he wanted a way to know how. One thing he knew asking
her out straight away would be too risky, play it cool. Next time, she came over he asked her, he greeted her, She replied “Hi Bittu how are you ?”, hmmm Sona you err...want to watch a movie.
“Sure only if you will you buy me popcorn?. but only Caramel ok". Man that was easy, Bittu thought with a sigh of relief.
His feelings were not hidden from his parents, especially his Mom.Mom asked what “Bittu challa (loads) feelings for Sona aah ?”. Bittu blushed taken in partly by surprise mostly by shock.
But slowly he admitted “yes I love her. Mom should I tell her?” Mom said “ No Beta let me talk to her, waise aren't you too young for this?”.
Next time Sona came for classes, Bittu was hiding in his room peeking with anxiety and excitement what will she said. But Mom knows best. She asked “Sona will you marry my Bittu?”
Ouch, very subtle Mom so very subtle, there goes any chance of even looking at her face to face forget giving this relationship a chance. Sona blushed for a second, she said
“why not Aunty, Bittu is so cute”. Wow that was easy. Days went by, as we spent time together life seemed perfect. But one day everything came crashing down....

Sona's mother came over one day. She came with sweets and greeted Mom. “Charulatha, Sona's marriage is fixed, boy is MBA and works with the IT industy and works in Gurgaon.Ladka is very nice”.
Mom said, “ great news Saritha, good good so Sona will relocate then.” Bittu felt he got hit by lighting. The feelings and dreams which felt so real came crumbling down.

That devilish girl, she led me on for so long. Why? My parents instead of raging and taking my side, are congrating that girl and her family. Is this what love stands for? Why was I such a fool?
Even though, the bitter pill of betrayal was hard to take, his undying love for Sona was even more hurtful. Why could he not forget her, why does she still seem the angel he fell for.

Sure she was older than him, She 23 years old and him all of 4 years.

Love still hurts doesnt it. Yes Bittu will learn to love again, but that first flush of emotions will always remain special. First Love indeed :-)

PS: Loosely based on a true story

The Enemy Within

The Warriors of Amesopotia

The warriors of Amesopotia were the most feared in the medieval world, they were known far and wide for their valor and the can do attitude. They had won several wars for their king and were willing to lay down their lives for the empire. The conquests made the king avaricious and he ensured more and more of the young lads in the kingdom were recruited to become warriors. Since the plunder ensured there was enough gold in the treasury, to train and pay salaries for these fine warriors.

One winter, he led the army to an improbable mission to defeat the kingdom of Nardua which was considered a tough nation to beat in ordinary circumstances itself, the winter could have posed a greater risk which was ignored by the advisors and generals. There were optimistic scenarios plotted, songs of glory were sung and a wild frenzy which ensured blinded all people of any rational reasoning.

So the army marched in, the biggest enemies was the environment itself, with food reserves running out , the king doubted if the army could make it to the end of the winter. Some bumbling accountants calculated mere 40% of the standing army could defeat the Narduan forces. The king ordered the execution of the remaining Amespotian warriors for the greater good of the kingdom. The rest waited for the winter to end. The king was expecting the war to end soon. It did but not in his favour. He was routed, his warriors scattered, defeated and most of them retreated.

War is not an arithmetic, people have memories, they carry scars for life. In time of optitism, generals end up raising large armies without looking at the costs involved. In a time of glory, the advisors ignore obvious signs of decay and ruin, and make outrageous plans. Unfortunately when things go wrong, the heads roll not at the top but of the foot soldiers. The decisions which the few make impact a vast majority and when the time comes for the army to perform, it is morale of the soldier on the ground which matters !

Does the above story ring a bell in today's world. Whatever be the odds and the adversity at hand, it is enemy within who undermines the organization.

In this recession hit era, most companies are under the impression that cost cutting and layoffs are the only choices to solve problems, although I agree that it is difficult to come to a quicker solution but there are better strategies in the areas of recruitment, utilization of employees and targeting new markets/segments to overcome economic difficulties. But blind cost cutting is not the answer although it is a very tempting tool which shows immediate results. The test of a organization is not how it treats its employees in the good times but it handles the work force in tougher times.  The recession will end one day, and so will the credit crunch, but the hit on the employee pysche cannot be restored magically over night. 

When the only tool you have is a hammer, then you tend to see every problem as a nail – Abraham Maslow