NAGPUR HEAT AND MADNESS

One of the most idiotic things i have ever done. I put the alarm at 5: 40 PM instead of AM. Thanks to the driver of Mega cab, which I had luckily booked previous night, for calling up at 5 38 to inform that he was there. I got up with lightening speed and did everything AFAP to leave from home for catching the flight at 7:00 am. Luckily everything went perfect and I reached Nagpur. We were put in the SUN N SAND Nagpur. Even thinking about the execution of the document in this transaction made me sweat. It was supposed to be signed by 34 parties. Just imagine 34 people signing on each page of the documents. There  were six documents in all. But anyways what has to be done, it has to be done. By the way, its the biggest land deal i have done so far and I am gaining some valuable experience.

DAY 1-APRIL 22,10

We were taken to the office of the parties which were selling their property. Oh ! forgot to mention that the temperature.It was 47 degrees. Majority of the documents were finalised but the vendors being individual, they were damn hard to deal and negotiate with. And till afternoon only we could freeze the documents. However, the figure 33 made life difficult for us, as there were supposed to be 33 receipts having different details and moreover the mega signing session also had to take place. I havent told you guys about my migraine. If I stay hungry for long (usually in the afternoon) my head starts aching. And it had to happen. When it rains, it pours. One kind gentlemen offered me crocin and it was really helpful in vanishing my pain. And then after lunch we formatted and printed the documents as we did not have the luxury of stenos that we have in our office. And then as we entered the room, I saw 33 faces eagerly waiting for us. All were very nice and accomodating people and  did not throw tantrums of any sort. However the mega signing session was sucessful, but still their were some pages left. We started preparing receipts at 8 pm and went on till 10 and then did the reamiong papers and it was 11 by then. I was agin damn hungary. Dad called. Everyone at home wanted to talk and I was very irritable. I told dad I will talk to everyone tomorrow morning and sat in our car to leave back for hotel. While going back, I dont know why I felt choked and wanted to cry. But I did not. May be its my eyes. They want me to cry as they have dried up. I am using artificial tears for them. But I guess I really need to cry. As soon as i reached back, I was too tired for thinking about dealing with my thoughts and emotion and crashed on bed. As I tell everyone, the best part of being employed is that you are still in your early years and are being trained. Infact you are being paid for getting trained. How wonderful is that. Furthermore, work keeps you buisy and away from the complexities, pains and sorrows of your life atleast for few hours in a day. It could be harmful as well if you become a recluse.

DAY- 2

Since we had hedged our risk of delay, we were quite relaxed in the morning and i spent half n hour under the shower. The drivers did not know the way to the registrar`s office. As clock moved, it got hotter and my eyes were itching as well. We all hijacked a nearby restaurant and started the process of finishing up the mega signing event. Finally we did it. Then we had wait in the registrar`s office till our clients were assured that they had bought the land. Huge deal it was. And at the end, the Vendors were rich, our clients got the land and we got nothing. Ofcourse fee would be charged and our work would be praised but still. Anyways i should say that coz i know i am not at all greedy. Actually i do not know what to do if i get so much money. I want so many things, i want to travel everywhere and I get confused. And amidst such confusion, I realise everything is temporal and i am becoming abstemious.

Nagpur Chalo....Nagpur Chalo......Nagpooooooooorrrr !!!

Remember this Nagpur episode performed by Ahsan Kureshi in Laughter Challenge ???? I feel like saying the same. I am heading for Nagpur tomorrow for closing of a transaction ! May god bless us. Its 45 degrees there and sitting in the 24 * 7 AC office has made me helpless against that kind of heat. And then after coming back, I have to pack up for Delhi for my second visit to the supreme court. Mr. Salve is stuck in London due to that Volcanic Ash thing and I have no clue what are we going to do in our matter. But something will be done ! I hope for the best. Pray for me and dear readers (if at all there are any) have a fabulous day.

Identity

I am sitting in office and having a normal day so far. Just signed in to put something here which i just realised. On my first day at NLIU and in the very first class, I intoduced myself as "Gaurav Gopal from Bhopal" and since then till final year people used to tease me with that or rather it was like my identity. Now I am no more in NLIU or in Bhopal. While dealing/calling up/following up on phone calls, I just realized that I have become Gaurav Gopal from Wadia Ghandy & Co.

ALL IS WELL !!!

जीवन में एक सितारा था


माना वह बेहद प्यारा था

वह डूब गया तो डूब गया

अंबर के आंगन को देखो

कितने इसके तारे टूटे

कितने इसके प्यारे छूटे

जो छूट गए फ़िर कहाँ मिले

पर बोलो टूटे तारों पर

कब अंबर शोक मनाता है

जो बीत गई सो बात गई



जीवन में वह था एक कुसुम

थे उस पर नित्य निछावर तुम

वह सूख गया तो सूख गया

मधुबन की छाती को देखो

सूखी कितनी इसकी कलियाँ

मुरझाईं कितनी वल्लरियाँ

जो मुरझाईं फ़िर कहाँ खिलीं

पर बोलो सूखे फूलों पर

कब मधुबन शोर मचाता है

जो बीत गई सो बात गई



जीवन में मधु का प्याला था

तुमने तन मन दे डाला था

वह टूट गया तो टूट गया

मदिरालय का आंगन देखो

कितने प्याले हिल जाते हैं

गिर मिट्टी में मिल जाते हैं

जो गिरते हैं कब उठते हैं

पर बोलो टूटे प्यालों पर

कब मदिरालय पछताता है

जो बीत गई सो बात गई



मृदु मिट्टी के बने हुए हैं

मधु घट फूटा ही करते हैं

लघु जीवन ले कर आए हैं

प्याले टूटा ही करते हैं

फ़िर भी मदिरालय के अन्दर

मधु के घट हैं,मधु प्याले हैं

जो मादकता के मारे हैं

वे मधु लूटा ही करते हैं

वह कच्चा पीने वाला है

जिसकी ममता घट प्यालों पर

जो सच्चे मधु से जला हुआ

कब रोता है चिल्लाता है

जो बीत गई सो बात गई



— हरिवंशराय बच्चन

 
This is one of the most inspirational poems that I have read till date. And the effect is that whenever I am low or if things are not well, a positive thought among those 999 negative thoughts appears saying that Chhod naa yaar...ho gaya. Tu kya kar sakta hai. Jo hona tha woh ho gaya. This is the underlying thought of this poem. What a masterpiece.
 
I have an additional point to make. Life always goes on. And definitely nothing can stop this. Even when something very precious or someone extremely dear and special slips/goes away. Life does not stop. It has to go on. However the meaning, the emotions, thoughts everything changes. In a way it is redefined. Life is life, you have to live and it will remain wonderful and beautiful. However it would have been much more meaningful, wonderful and beautiful if you (that thing/person) were there with me. I am helpless. I wish.
 
We, the human beings,  only havedivided our lives in to years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds. And we have become slaves of this classification of our life. No doubt it organises our lives. Like school 12 years, then college 3-5 years, duration of a lecture 1 hr, exams 3 hrs, etc. But it makes the fun and pleasures we derive very limited. Some phases of our lives are such that we want to live forever. Somethings in our lifes are such that we want to do forever. Some relationships/persons are such that you want to be with/have them forever. But due to the web created by us only everything comes with limited life. It seems that everything has an expiry date including our lives. And till the time we start loving something/someone and life becomes colourful, there starts decolourisation. I am a hardcore pessimist, but at times it appears to me as if there are more sorrows in life than happiness. But then these sorrows only determine the measure of your pleasure you get from good times. This is just a thought which passed through my mind.
 
I got my eye check up done. I was seriously worried about it. But I am happy that my vision is 6/6 and everything is fine. Only a bit of dryness in my eyes as some pores are blocked. My vision got blurred for 4 hours after they put some drops (technically known as dialation) for doing routine check up.
 
And i think i should sleep now. A lot of work has piled up as I have been unfocussed and lazy for past few days. I must finish everything by this weekend. I promise you and to myself that I will try my best. May liverpool and rajasthan royals both do well next season.  Things arent going the right way but surprisingly the 13th day of both march and april were good for me.
 
I am dozing off now. Life would be so much meaningful, wonderful and beautiful if you were there with me. I am helpless. I wish.

United we stand !!!

Surprises, Dreams and Conspiracies

When I was in fourth year of law, I once had a thought that I would never be able to visit the Supreme Court of India. Reasons were very obvious since I had started interning in corporate law firms. As a law student I had a strong desire to visit the place where the top guns exist. It was my like my dream which I thought was never going to be fulfilled once I was recruited by a law firm in Mumbai. But such is unpredictability of life. It is true that when you honestly believe and know what you want, the whole world conspires for you to achieve it. Trust me. In on of the writ petitions pertaining to certain premises in Mumbai, an SLP was filed in the apex court. All this happened when I attempted a visit to Bhopal give a surprise (a happy and pleasant surprise). But I realized that happiness or pleasantness of a surprise is never determined or judged by you. It is always determined by the person you are going to surprise. And your doings, your behavior and the person inside you is reflected in such determination. Good lesson indeed and no complaints or grievances whatsoever.

Anyways hopping back to the topic, I got instructions to go to Delhi on March 29, 2010 for attending the listed mentioning (a technical term which you may ask me) of the SLP. And I got further excited when I was told that we were going to retain Mr. Harish Salve for the matter. I made the travel arrangements and decided to stay with friends at Lajpat Nagar as I did not want our poor client to shell out extra money for my stay in a five star hotel. A lawyer needs to have qualities of empathy and sympathy towards his clients. Taken aback, plundered and absorbed by complex sentiments, I landed in Mumbai at mignight and spent next few hours in finishing up the pending work that I had kept way below in my order of priorities and preferences. (Trust me, by default everyone has got this order of priority in their sub-conscious mind). Then I had to wake up early next day early to pack up for delhi. I was desperately waiting for Shrawan as he was supposed to carry my formal black shoes which I had given to him for keeping as I did not have space in my office bag (which was my suitcase). To add further to my miseries, Shrawan told me that he forgot to bring my shoes. No complaints either. You dig your own grave at times I thought and without wasting even one second cribbing about it, I started looking for my old shoes which I had bought during my third year of law. I found them. They had turned brown due to dirt. I started cleaning them and out of guilty poor Shrawan offered me help which I refused to take as I was sulking. While cleaning them, I realized they were badly torn. I told myself, let it be. May be you deserve it. And I wore them and started off my journey. Reached office, forced myself to be intense and focused, collected necessary papers and sent out all important emails and left for the airport. While I was waiting in the lounge, I saw a familiar looking old lady which I thought was my friends’ Nani. I was told that she was in Hong Kong and that’s why I wantedto confirm. Suddenly without realizing that I was barred and disqualified to call her, I dialed the number but instantly realized the next moment and hence cut the call. And I spent the rest of the time wondering if she was her only.

The two hours of my journey were spent in reading papers and preparation to brief my Salve. However after landing in Delhi, I was told that conference was to happen in court only then next day so I was free in the evening. Yadav and cobra picked me up from the port. Yadav bunked his office and Cobra took the day off. And we were driving in roads of Delhi. Reminded me of my old college days when I used to be in Delhi for internships. I really like Bombay. But I love Delhi as much. My parents and my friends are my assets. Nothing much matters to me more than relationships (of course if doesn’t mean I am not sincere and dedicated towards my profession). We had some goodtime at Pebble Street at NFC and had shawarma as well. Then we went to tillu-amar-sameer’s place in Lajpat where we chatted, did all bakchodi and LOLchodi (a new word made by me) and played Lajpat Football Cup in their PS-2. And then went to sleep. This makes me realize that I haven’t slept properly since quite sometime now. I don’t realize when I fall asleep late at night and end up waking up at random hours like 5 am, 6:30 am, etc. Anyways all this isn’t the highlight of this post.

Next day I woke up and got ready in black and whites for my maiden visit to the SCI. Yadav was my guide to the Supre Court. He was making fun of me as to him I looked like a baby bird who is dazed and confused after coming out of its nest to a new world outside. Supreme Court was really like a new world to me. I wore my band and gown, got a pass made and very proudly entered the premises of the SCI with my torn and air conditioned shoes. When I saw the Tricolour over the dome of the CJI`s courtroom, hair over my arms stood up. (I have a similar feeling whenever I sing or hear our national anthem.). I checked the list and our matter was to be placed before CJI at 2:00 pm. I went for the tour of the SCI and outside cafeteria, I found a huge gathering. I was told that a female junior advocate had bashed up a male advocate who was following/teasing/harassing her by calls and msgs since one year. And this was a second such incident in a month. I wondered whether I was really in the Supreme Court or all this happened only because it was the Supreme Court???? But anyways it happened. Then I had vada-sambhar in the canteen. Just imagine, how bad I can be with taste at times. Then I met a few alumni in the SCI premises. It good to see all of them. Then I was called in the consultation room to brief my Harish Salve. And to my surprise I saw the Appellant (we were for one of the respondents) standing outside Mr. Salve’s chamber. It was funny that both the sides were about the brief the same counsel. I whispered and told our advocate on record that it was the appellant. Later it was confirmed that Mr. Salve was going to take our brief only as we had approached him days before the other side. And Mr. Appellant panicked. I saw him running here and there, yelling at his lawyers and talking continuously on phone. In the meantime, Mr. Salve had his lunch and called us in his chamber. I and our delhi advocates, three of us entered the room and there was he. The face and voice as I had imagined. And I sat right opposite facing him. Our delhi advocates started to brief and I took over. Sometimes I wonder how simple everything is for these senior advocates. He patiently listed to us and then told us what he was going to do. We did not question his knowledge, experience and credibility. And in about 10-15 minutes, the conference was over. And I rushed towards the CJIs courtroom. And after making so much efforts in the mad crowd of lawyers, I was able to be in such a position that I could listen to what he and judges were saying. He got a favourable order for us. He is expensive. But then he is the best counsel as well. It was very well put up by Sarvesh sir that for such fees, you are not only getting the best counsel, then other side is not getting the best counsel. Next date is April 19, 2010. I hope I get to go again. We have developed this case very well and it will be good to see the good outcome. At 3 pm (in the skin burning heat) I went back to Lajpat Nagar where Cobra was waiting for me. I had to meet our advocates in def col. So we went and after the meeting, me and cobra went for a drink. Cobra had a tandoori duck while I had a mushroom dish. And we were discussing life……Soon it was time and I prepared to leave for airport. Yadav, sandy and cobra dropped me back. The flight took extra long hours due to severe congestion in Mumbai airport. And I reached back home in the mig-night. That’s how yet another dream of mine got fulfilled.. One must see many dreams. And should keep on fulfilling them one after the other. Life is uncertain. It keeps on pulling out new rabbits out of its hat everytime. But if you honestly believe and know what you want, the whole world will really conspire for you.