All in a Winter Vacation's Work

1. 100 push-ups a day comprising of 50 in the morning and 50 in the evening. 50 was again broken into 27+15+8 where + means a gap of 2 mins. The Ghajini trailers had their effect.
   
2. It seems strangely satisfying to dedicate every vacation to at least one thing and this time it was spirituality. After a study of the Bhagwad Gita through the looking glass of Paramahansa Yogananda, I can humbly say that till date, I haven't encountered any piece of literature which can even dream of matching the quality and style of the author's writing. Besides, almost all of my philosophical doubts have been removed in the first volume itself, which is spread across 570 pages. The second volume is scheduled for the next vacation.
3. Every ear I could get my mouth close to, I shouted loudly about a trip to Goa from Bangalore via road. Essentially, it meant a long drive amidst the best of nature to the most sought after place in the country with a halt at a beautiful farm house. Thanks to the ban on beach parties in the state, the trip was cancelled and I came to know about it a day after booking a flight to Bangalore. So the Dil Chahta Hai song ended up in aamdani athanni kharcha rupaiya when Kingfisher charged 750 bugs for rescheduling.
4. As I reached Patna, the whole city was under construction, with dust and elephantine concrete blocks covering the whole city and flyovers in the making where only dust is flying over. The pristine air of IIT campus has made my lungs so delicate that the place where I was born and have been sucking air for so many years was appearing a bit high on the number of suspended particulate matter. With a hope of getting some fresh air at home, my nostrils got protection from handkerchief on the way. Lo! The whole house is being renovated, with walls being painted, a few rooms being recreated & marbleized and the top floor reconstructed. Given the fact that the shreeganesh of the house had started when I was born and it is exactly as old as me, I asked pa no questions to avoid any surgery on me as well (pa is a doctor!).
5. I cooked two chapatis which were almost round and 80% puffed. They were so delicious that my mouth still gets wet on thinking about them.
6. The amount of street-charity got increased from all the coins in my wallet to a 10-rupee note. It all began with the stipend from internship from which 3K went to Bihar Flood Relief Funds and I plan to continue spending around 10% of the cash I earn in charity. The best part in doing this is that people around me find the initial barrier broken and lend their helping hands too.
7. The answer to a question was found. On one hand, the Bihari khoon was boiling to become an IAS and on the other was the corporate lure. As far as interest is concerned, both of them ignite huge passion to make a difference. Based on the impact I can create in the society through both the paths, the decision has been taken. There were interesting observations on the way, though. The amount of respect an IAS has is way more than one can get through the corporate sector. Though a Narayana Murthy can say otherwise. The cash pool of B-world is ready to provide a recession salary to a conFUSED bijli mistry like me which is more than that of the seniormost civil servants. Though the babus having a life under the table would have a different story in their black briefcase. One of the people I consulted showed me statistics that people of Bihar form the majority of IAS officers and went on to show published statistics that Kayasthas (I can't believe people still belive in caste system) form the majority of Bihari babus. Hence, he says, I have a really good chance. During any conversation, there are arguments which give you an instant impulse to counter them. And then there are those you don't even feel like farting on them. Anyway, perhaps the most inspiring babu is T N Sheshan and anyone who has seen or heard him is not going to meet a more powerful personality in her/his life. It is because of people like him who have completely changed the organization they laid their hands on that the system of civil services has its dignity and charm. No wonder it's so difficult to choose between Narayana Murthy and (Al)Sheshan to help determine the course the river of one's life takes. Those who helped me take this decision, I owe you. All those who predicted that the Bihari khoon will definitely go for IAS, sorry to disappoint you. But none of you knew that I was from Bihar until I told you and even now the claims of knowing the great Bihari dream don't seem to be too reliable.