Yearly Archives: 2021

Lessons from an auto rickshaw ride

Lessons from an auto rickshaw ride are not what you expect. You climb in, hold on, and hope for the best. But if you pay attention to the driver — the navigation, the instincts, the trust — there is a lot to learn.

Have you ever felt that helpless frustration of being taken for a ride?

If not, then maybe you have not experienced an auto-rickshaw (Tuk Tuk) ride in India. For some, an ‘auto’ ride is like a death wish on three wheels. While, for some others, it is one of the essential conveniences to beat traffic and time. But irrespective of the side you belong to, it is customary and fashionable to complain about the rude auto-rickshaw drivers and rough rides that follow.

I have realised that there is more to this ride than just the rough side. If we manage to hang in there through the potholes, sharp turns, tampered fare meter, et-all, this ride can actually teach us some important life lessons.

Lesson 1: Every Problem has a solution

Now and then, in life, we feel overwhelmed by a challenge that seems impossible. An auto-rickshaw  faces this situation every day on jam-packed roads with hardly any space to maneuver. And yet, they find a way to move forward. How do they do this?

They don’t look at what’s in front but what’s ahead. They find the gaps while most of us only see a vehicle blocking our path.

“Focus on the solution and not the problem, even if the solution is not too glamorous or popular”

Lesson 2: Unknown angel is better than the known devil. 

 When faced with overwhelming problems (heavy traffic), the ‘auto’ almost always goes into roads less travelled. Sometimes even into streets with no road. It may seem reckless and risky. But think about it. A known devil (the main road with traffic) is a devil. There is not much you can do about it. Whereas, there is always chance that the new route could be an angel. A 50% chance of success is better than a certain failure, is it not? It is the hope for an angel rather than the fear of the devil that helps navigates the traffic.

“A gamble is always better than the status quo. Our problems result from our fear of failure and the resulting inaction.”

Lesson 3: Take that first step

 An important and fascinating lesson I have learned through an auto ride is how a solution emerges once we desire to solve the problem. The trick is to take that first step, however small it may seem. Have you noticed how an auto-rickshaw manages to pass through the narrowest of gaps that were not even wide enough for the front wheel to pass through, to start with? They never wait for the complete solution to emerge but work with what is available lets the answer evolve. Course corrections are part of the norm. True pioneers of the agile methodology, I suppose.

“If you want to move a mountain, you begin by carrying small stones – Confucius”

Lesson 4: Self Belief

It is easy to believe that for a vehicle on three wheels and a high centre of gravity to stay on the road without tipping over, it must be a miracle at play and not just engineering logic. But miracles don’t happen every day. Do they? The supreme self-belief of the driver in his driving skills, his confidence about his vehicle’s capability, and the knowledge of the road is what makes this miracle happen every day. Essential traits for success. Aren’t they?

Lesson 5: Success is not a popularity contest

These drivers are not the most popular ones on the road, and they don’t care about winning hearts either. If you have a time-crunched passenger on board and stand-still traffic to cut through, then being Mr Nice will not work.  So do not bother preaching them road rules, the auto-rickshaw would have zipped past long back.

Experience life through the ride

An auto-rickshaw ride is not just an experience of a lifetime, as some westerners think. You actually experience life through the ride. Complain if you must, about the nerve-wracking, back-breaking ride next time you get into one of these three-wheeled marvels. But, try to sit back and enjoy the adventure while it lasts. You may pick up few amazing lessons for life too.

“Life never takes us for a ride. It only takes us on a ride. Therefore, it is up to us to enjoy the distinction and, more importantly, enjoy the ride while it lasts.”

Auto rickshaw on a city street during sunset with traffic and city lights.

By |2026-05-24T05:53:55+00:0002/11/2021|While the paint was drying|0 Comments
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The Mask of Sorrow

I have a dream, declared an ambitious heart.

If you can dream it, then I can achieve it challenged the cunning brain.

Aim bigger and go for more, egged the greedy mind.  

We are born to rule roared the ego.

The earth belongs to us

Our superior intelligence has undoubtedly given us the edge over the other species. But, naturally, this advantage has also given us the belief that the earth belongs only to us. Our world domination might still be a work in progress but this juggernaut has been gaining momentum. But, the fun part is, we even managed to get rid of the unnecessary nuisance of guilt and remorse along the way. So, we don’t regret our actions. Life was never this beautiful and comfortable. Who cares if animals don’t share this sentiment? The Earth itself might feel abused. Do we care? Of course not? After all, We are born to rule this planet, and rule we shall.

Mask of Sorrow

Where is your mask?

We were all set for another high octane ride this year with an air of invincibility and conviction of our destiny to reach the imagined future. But, unfortunately, the pride of our past success and the race towards the imagined future made us lose sight of the present. Sadly, we failed to notice that nature was secretly scheming to put us in place. We even ignored the clues that nature was trying to give us. But, more importantly, we failed to listen to a chilling question that nature was asking us, ‘Where is your mask’?

Natures equal and opposite reaction

Why would we pay heed? After all, we are invincible, and we fear nothing. Do we? Since the beginning of this year, that ominous question of where your mask kept ringing in the air. But most countries were busy squabbling over who created this menace rather than acting swiftly.    We even challenged the social distancing measures and got too close for comfort with each other.

Life is all about the trade-off. And as Newton would say, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Progress and Development give us comfort but also the side effects in equal measure.  But the rapid increase in human avarice sadly matched the advancement in technology. The result was a powerful backlash that we couldn’t handle. We might be able to destroy nature but we can’t beat the laws of nature. Can we?

Screeching halt

Alas, the juggernaut has come to a screeching halt. It has brought the invincible humans to their knees. We could achieve anything that we could imagine, and we could destroy anything that we see. But nature played it smartly and unfairly by unfurling an invisible enemy. In just a matter of 2 months, we are shown our place in the pecking order. We are scared, locked down, and socially distanced. The inefficiencies of some of the most influential leaders are exposed. Nations are clueless. Ambitions have given way to mere survival. We finally listened to nature and picked up our masks.

Mask of Sorrow

The Mask of sorrow

We forced ourselves to put a mask around our ego, desire, arrogance, and cockiness. So much so, we are desperately trying to cover our fears and uncertainties behind the mask. Yet, behind this small piece of cover, we learn the power of humility and the truth of who we are. This pandemic has uncovered a simple, peaceful world that we long forgot. It reveals what a sad, insignificant, and fragile species we are. An invisible enemy mortifies the invincible humanity.

Under this three-layered piece of cloth, we silently utter some long-forgotten prayers to save us from this misery. The mask is not just a cover to protect us. It is a cover that reveals the truth – a sad, bitter one that we are not as indestructible as we thought we were.

Will we learn?

Has nature completed its humiliation? The mask might help many humans survive this threat. But will it save humanity? Will we learn from the truth we are discovering about ourselves behind these masks?

Or will nature force us to wear this mask of sorrow again?

By |2026-05-01T03:19:01+00:0022/09/2021|Accidental Philosophy|0 Comments
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Does light defy or define darkness?

Ever since God said, ‘Let there be light’, we worship it as a saviour. Light is a symbol of truth -a glimmer of hope. But, on the other hand, darkness is the evil that is feared. So, unless you are a Dracula, it is best removed or avoided.

Does light defy or define darkness?

“Every search for a hero must begin with something which every hero requires, a villain”.

Interesting words of Hollywood wisdom by Dr. Vladimir Nekhorvich. If you are wondering, he develops the deadly Chimera virus and its cure in Mission Impossible II. Think about it. What is the point of a hero when there is no villain to defeat? Or, what is the purpose of light if there is no darkness?

The misery and fear caused by COVID 19 qualify it as pure evil and darkness. The quintessential villain. But, thank God to movie wisdom, we know that where there is a villain, there will emerge a hero. Usually, a forgotten one. So this pandemic is as good a reason as any for a hero to appear.

So who is that hero?

Who is the real hero

Is it the lockdown? Or travel restrictions? Of course, these efforts helped for a while until we decided that they did not.

So, is Vaccination the chosen One? We will know the truth in the long run. But, who has the patience to wait? Anyway, with so many nay Sayers around, we cannot call it the Chosen One yet. For now, we can call it an excellent sidekick to the hero, at best.

Self-Discipline

The real hero is our self-discipline – Mask, social distancing, hygiene and many other small but essential aspects that keep us safe. Habits that make us humans. Good practices that we long forgot and proudly branded ‘New Normal’ when we remembered them.

We ignored self-discipline and let the pandemic determine how we lived. Unfortunately, it took a powerful villain to unearth a strength that we forgot. We allowed the adversity to define the our responsibility. 

We searched for the match stick after dark. But will we at least keep the flame on longer? Will we let discipline live with us, or are we already forgetting the hero again?

Let there be light

God said, Let there be light. He must have said that for a reason. Light is supposed to define and defy darkness. Whereas, we are letting darkness dictate what the light should do. The villain has become the need for a hero to appear. No wonder, the light is relegated fighting a lost battle of defying darkness.

Let us not lose it again. Let us not ignore our hero. Let us not lose those disciplines. Are these the new normal?  Shouldn’t they should simply be the norms.

By |2026-03-25T02:10:44+00:0020/09/2021|While the paint was drying|0 Comments
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Can you hear me now?

In these days of work from home and online meetings, Can you hear me now ? has become an integral part of our lives. Do you remember going through a 10-minute call without this coming up?

Somehow, this Can you hear me now, question silences unwanted noises? The inaudible and garbled voice from the other side suddenly becomes loud and clear. Be it a lousy home Wi-Fi network, a bad Bluetooth hands-free, or even a screaming kid in the background – These words seem to fix everything. Do you recall responding negatively to this question ever? Can you hear me now probably is the loudest and clearest sounding part of most online conversations?

Can you hear me now

Can you hear me now

Placebo Effect of Can you hear me now.

Can you hear me now is not just an apologetic enquiry but a much bigger mind game. It is not about fixing issues but about the placebo effect of these words that makes all the difference. It is your way of showing that you care to the person who cannot hear your voice. Can you hear me now shows that you listened to the complaint. And more often than not, that is all it takes to solve an issue.

Do not feel bad when your voice is not heard. Do not feel apologetic about it. Instead, feel proud because you have the elixir that can solve the problem. All you have to do is to ask confidently,

Can you hear me?

By |2026-04-30T06:14:08+00:0009/09/2021|Accidental Philosophy|0 Comments
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Melting Hope

Global warming is blamed for everything. But who should be blamed for this.

We evolved rapidly, riding on our distinction.
and pushed the rest to the edge of extinction

We made the blue planet spin toward a scary red future
Our price for playing God and messing with Mother Nature.

We boiled the oceans, without fire
refusing to curb our apathy and cold-hearted desire

We wonder why the tides rise higher and winds lash faster
even as we blame each other for every disaster

Will we slow down and pay heed?
Or has greed become our overbearing need?

Can green cool this hot crucible?
Or is it too late and the damage irreversible?

Will we do it differently if we start over again
Will we give this earth a better bargain?

“How dare you?” roars Mother Nature for taking her down this slope
She can’t bear another pain, a melting hope

Polar bears on rocky shore with large iceberg and floating ice in the background.

By |2026-05-01T07:36:50+00:0030/07/2021|No Rhyme or Reason|0 Comments
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Are you a Lion or Lamb? What are the versions of ourselves

Are we this, or are we that? Are we not many versions of ourselves at different times? Why can’t we be the best version of ourselves instead?

The fun is out of my comfort zone

Now and then, we come across a piece of creation and wonder if we had what it takes to do that. In my case, an interesting painting by Marcel Witte, a world-class artist who paints realistic animals, caught my eyes and kindled that deep desire to try. My initial apprehension was the patience required to bring out all those details. After all, you can learn techniques through YouTube videos but not patience.

But then, fun is all about playing out of your comfort zone. Is it not?

I had to resist the temptation of rushing through for nearly 40 hours. But thanks to the relentless push from a friend, I completed this work. Finally, I stepped back from the canvas to admire the finished painting—my own Lion and Lamb.

Lion or Lamb

Lion or Lamb

When you stay focused on a particular subject that long, subconsciously, you start forming doubts and theories. Is it a good painting or a sad painting? Should I make the Lion carry a cub instead of the poor Lamb? But then, I was not sure if the Lions moved their cubs. I know lionesses do. Should the LambLamb be scared? Do lambs have an expressive face to show fear or happiness? In cartoons, maybe.

Then came the clichéd doubt in my head. Am I the Lion or the Lamb? Who would I rather be?

A lion is Powerful and Majestic for sure. That is cool, especially if you play a leadership role. But, the beast is undoubtedly Ferocious and Feared. Not too cool, but that is not going to hurt your position as a leader. A mighty Lion grabs what he wants and when he wants it. Modern management gurus will dig this Alpha predator characteristic and set you as the benchmark for Leadership.

A lamb, on the other hand, is cute at best. It brings about a smile when you look at their clumsiness. But then they are lunch or dinner for just about every beast with claws or fangs or even a knife and fork. So I certainly would not like to be the vulnerable one.
But then I am not a lion either, as much as I envy most of its power.

One

By now, the painting progressed significantly and reached a point that I had to take that decision of cub or a lamb in Lion’s mouth.

Just then, I remembered a fundamental principle of painting realism. Paint what you see and not what you think should be. The original masterpiece had a lamb in Lion’s mouth, and so will my Lion too.

For the remainder of the painting, I did not worry about the cause or logic. I did not care if the Lion was hungry or if the Lamb was scared. It did not matter to me if the Lion protected the Lamb or took it to the dinner table. I became an earnest trier, an artist who wanted to get better, a hobbyist who wanted to have fun, a humble student who was not worried about failing and many more at different stages of the painting process. All that mattered was the fun of putting paint-dipped brush to canvas and saw those images shaping up. I was many versions of the one person that mattered.

After all, the Lion and Lamb is a metaphor for the ultimate sacrifice (Lamb) of God and his resurrection to life (Lion). Many versions that ultimately represent the ONE

The best way to be is to become the best version of ourselves

My Lion and Lamb painting might be a humble imitation of the original masterpiece. But, alas, this painting might not be exhibition worthy or good enough to be sold. And it does not matter. After all, what matters is that this painting will keep reminding me that we do not have to be a mighty lion or vulnerable Lamb.

The painting reminds me that we do not have to bother about the game but be the best player while the game is on. It does not matter if we understand the play as long as we act the part we chose to perfection. It tells me that let us not worry about the war but battle hard as a true warriors as long as we are standing.

We do not have to be something or someone but be many versions of ourselves constantly trying to get better.

Because the best way to be is to become the best version of ourselves.

By |2026-03-26T02:09:16+00:0030/07/2021|While the paint was drying|0 Comments
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The Big Picture

Are small details the enemy of the big picture? Or do these small details form the big picture?

The good part is, no one will admit to not seeing one for the fear of being brandished as not too smart. After all, it is the realm of visionary leadership trait. Details are often relegated to the poor foot soldiers to deal with. After all, Leadership is all about showing the Big Picture is it not? Besides, if we just focus on the small details, we will never get the big picture. That is a good excuse to avoid details and paint your version of the big story. Do you agree?

Creating my own magical world

Having done a few canvas paintings over the past 3 years, I wanted to transition to the larger versions. Or in other words, I wanted to paint a big picture. A very big one at that. The fun part of painting on canvas is that you create your magical world and live in it.  Maybe not forever but at least as long as you are painting it. It’s a different matter that I have never figured out why these paintings always looked better in my head than on the canvas I have painted in.   Well, that is a challenge for another day.

Acrylic on Wall

The Big Picture and Bigger Challenge

Armed with paints, brushes a blank wall, and more importantly the permission to paint the wall, I was all set. I even had a reference photo so that took care of the problem of my ‘creative- challenged’ mind. And, before I knew it,  I was staring at the huge blank wall in front of me – A proverbial blank canvas that I could paint my world in. I felt like God.

But then there was this small question that posed a big challenge. Where do I start? The harsh reality of the magnitude of the task ahead erased every hazy detail of the image I had in mind. (Ok, in the laptop screen).  Did I say, I felt like God? An overwhelmed clueless God, I must admit.

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius

But don’t little things matter? Don’t these small details make big things happen? I  decided to tackle the challenge by focusing on the details and started painting one little detail at a time. One tiny brushstroke at a time. I chose to ignore the big picture and looked at everything close-up.  I was no longer trying to create a Master Piece but focused on the smallest of details. Slowly but steadily from the blank emptiness of the wall emerged a serene forest.  25 hours later when I stepped back from the wall, there it was, my version of the big picture. Click here for the video to see the details up close.

Not everyone is a gifted visionary. Ordinary mortals like my self, may not be able to paint a big story that inspires the world. But that does not mean, we cannot get there. We simply have to take a different route. We can reach that big picture, with one tiny brushstroke at a time. Layer after layer, detail after detail, element after element we can build our picture up without feeling overwhelmed at not seeing the big picture.
Big Pic Collage
Close Up Pictures of the painting to show details

Small details are not the enemy of the big picture.

In fact, they are not mutually exclusive traits of leadership too. So do not bother about figuring out if you are a big picture person or the details person. You can be both. You need to be both. There is no shame in paying attention to details.

We can be that foot soldier who takes care of the details that help emerge the big picture. One tiny detail at a time creates a large forest. Nature has been doing it successfully for billions of years. So why can’t we?

By |2026-03-25T02:08:19+00:0030/07/2021|While the paint was drying|0 Comments
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