The sun is my major source of energy. I have always wondered why I feel sluggish and depressed when it gets dark, and happier and energetic during the day. Today, I found the answer.. it is Melatonin. I came across the below:

“Lack of exposure to sunlight is responsible for the secretion of the hormone melatonin, which could trigger a dispirited mood & a lethargic condition. Melatonin is only produced in the dark. It lowers the body temperature and makes you feel sluggish.”

Now I know why the sun brightens up my day! I love sunny days

With her feet firmly on the Indian soil, Sona reaches for the sky

An engineering degree from Government College of Engineering, Bhubaneswar. An MBA degree from Symbiosis , Pune. A plum job as brand manager in Marico. “What else do you want?”, asked Life. “More”, answered Sona Mohapatra.

The decision to leave a salaried job (and a fat salary it was) wasn’t epoch making – for Sona, who has been singing since her childhood, always saw herself on stage. In fact, she
started singing professionally one year into her job at Marico. After juggling her career and her passion for some years – a Tanpura and Tabla were constant companions, even on official tours – she reached a stage where it was no longer enough to sing an odd song or jingle. “I wanted to spend much more time pursuing my singing – I wanted to learn, go places, travel. The idea of the album was shaping up and I wanted to fully work on this. That’s when I decided to quit“, says Sona.

And she made a bloody good job of her next assignment. Sona’s earthy style blends with predominantly western music to produce songs that sound mod yet have their feet firmly on Indian soil; most importantly, the album is entertaining. This follows Sona’s beliefs as an artist – to explore her roots better, adapt it to her style, and take that to the rest of the world. “I think I can be part of that set of people who can define contemporary Indian sound outside of just film music“, says Sona.

And her album does exactly that. While Bolo Na is about stretched relationships, Abhi Nahin Aana gives voice to a shy young lover. While Aaja Ve sounds completely urban, Sapne takes you to small town Orissa. And not in one song does Sona’s voice seem out of place.

Engineering, MBA, the hectic job, and finally her debut album – Sona carries her karna hai toh karna hai attitude everywhere. Thus, her journey might’ve been long but, “that makes me the person I am. I don’t think I could have it any other way.”

Reference :

http://www.jammag.com/music/show_music.php?music_id=205

Lyrics :

Bolo Na Kya Hua
Hum Ko Ye Kya Huya
Hui Aisi Baat Kya
Bolo Bolo Na

Tum Ne Mana Bura
Meri Kisi Baat Ka
Maine Kuch Hai Kaha..Bolo Bolo Na

Tune Bhi ,Maine Bhi Badla Kyun Raasta

Bolo Bolo… Hai Baat Kya……
Bolo Na Bolo Na
Hum Dono Mein Hai Baat Kya
Bolo Na Bolo Na

Yu Tuttne Ki, Sab Chhuttne Ki
Wajah Hi Nahi Thi Bachi.
Hum Dono Mein Kaisi Bhi Chup Ki
Jagah Hi Nahi Thi Bachi…

Phir Main Chup Kyun Hui
Fir Tu chup Kyun Hua
Aaisa Kuch Kyun Hua
Bolo, Bolo Na..

Choti Si Baat Ne, Roka Hai Rasta
Hai Hai Hai Baat Kya.. Bolo Bolo Na
Tune Bhi ,Maine Bhi Badla Kyun Raasta

Bolo Bolo … Hai Baat Kya……..

Ek Dusre Ko Sab Kehne Ki
Chahat Ko Kya Ho Gya
Batein Hawa Me Udane Ki Apni
Himmat Ko Kya Ho Gya..

Wo Himmat Kya Hui
Wo Chahat Kya Hui
Wo Fitrat Kya Hui
Bolo, Bolo Na..

Kaisi Bhi,Baat Ko, Dil Pe Kyun Le Liya
Hai Hai Hai Baat Kya.. Bolo Bolo Na
Tune Bhi ,Maine Bhi Badla Kyun Raasta

Hey Hey Hey Hey… Hai Baat Kya……

Bolo Na Bolo Na

Thanks to anujroy and http://www.indianguitartabs.com for the guitar chords :

———Am
socho na kya hua
————G——-
humko ye kya hua
———–F
hui aisi baat kya
———-E
bolo bolo na..

———-Am
tumne mana bura
————-G
meri kis baat ka
————–F
mene kuch hai kaha
————-E
bolo bolo na…

C———–G————F—————–E
tune bhi, mene bhi, badla kyu, rasta

F—–G—————–F slide the first chord change (F->G)
bolo, bolo, hai baat, kya
———G
bolo na..
—–Am
bolo na…

Poornam – A Promise

I remember a song that I was taught in School. It goes like this:

I am a Promise

I am a Possibility

I am a Promise

With the capital P

I am a great big bundle of Potentiality …..

And that is what Poornam makes me feel today.

Poornam is a vast sea of opportunities. Whether it is technical or managerial or extra-curricular, everyone is received with arms wide open.

I cannot forget the day I played the guitar and sang along with it on stage in Poornam. I had been in Poornam for just 2 weeks then. My very limited knowledge on how to play the guitar, and my far from perfect voice was welcomed by an audience that was ready to accept anything that came their way. Where else would I get such an opportunity ?

Well, that is just one instance. Be it writing articles, co-ordinating events,managing people, delivering talks, etc .. these are not opportunities that come your way always. No where else will you find people after you, pushing you to come out with your ideas or make use of your talents.

Poornam – A Possession

Ask not what Poornam gives you

Ask what you can give Poornam

Coz what Poornam gives you

Is not what every other company can give you.

In todays world of nuclear families, Poornam gives us a taste of being a part of a joint family or rather a family with a lot of siblings. The little birthday parties & celebrations we have are times of fun and joy. The ‘home away from home feeling’ that Poornam provides is amazing. When I hear incidents of greed , pride , jealousy , harassment in other companies , I know how blessed I am to be here. It is difficult for me to imagine that sort of a situation in Poornam. Every time a person leaves Poornam, it’s like a member of the family leaving us, and when new kids join, it is like a new member coming into our family.There is always an excitement about it.

Recently, I had a friend tell me that even long after leaving Poornam and working in different places, there is this attachment that he has felt for Poornam that he has not felt for any other company. Once you have worked in Poornam, no matter where you go, sweet memories of Poornam will always be within you. Poornam is not just a company; It is a dream, a vision, a culture. And that is what is special here.

Poornam – A Passion

One great quality I find in Poornam is the helpfulness of people. When I joined, it amazed me how seniors willingly helped each other and the newbies; How they lowered their thinking to that of a newbie, patiently explained things to them and encouraged them, like a father to a child. This knowledge sharing attitude of Poornam is brilliant. Today this attitude though existent, is less prevalent than it was earlier. This is maybe due to the large increase in the number of employees. I wish this culture is not lost later on.

An ideal Poornamite is one who eats Poornam, drinks Poornam and lives Poornam. One who does anything for you, no matter when you ask. For that, a person should have that passion and energy within him/her. I laud our recruitment team for this matter. They see to it that they recruit people who are not just technically strong and efficient, but also who have the right character and attitude. Those who are capable of passing on these values to the forth coming batches.

Amar, Sangeetha and Kishore – The three candles shining strong that have enkindled the candles around them. They have developed the Poornam culture; A culture not known before in Kerala or maybe even in India. And the seniors, both those who are here now and those who have left us, have propagated this culture to their younger batches. Magnanimous I should say ! Where else would you find people addressing each other by their first names irrespective of age, experience etc. Though it is difficult to accept this at first, later on, you realize that this makes everyone feel on one common platform of mutual respect and appreciation. It is a culture that the outer world does not understand or digest, and only those experiencing it know the magnitude of its splendour.

Poornam – A Power

Another thing that is amazing about our leaders is that they are never satisfied with what they have. They always strive to improve, to grow and to evolve. And each time they achieve a dream, that gives way to 10 other new dreams. Their dreams and aspirations know no limit and that’s how success is attained. The moment you feel ‘aah we have reached where we should and now we’ll relax’ , there starts your downfall. There is no limit to knowledge and to improvement. When you realize that, there will be nothing that can stop you.

As Poornam scales new heights and ventures into new dimensions, I hope and pray that these good aspects that everyone loves Poornam for, remain forever. Let many more candles shine and let these candles keep spreading their light around the world.

My most favourite prayer … Beautiful in its simplicity and strong in its message. My greatest challenge in life

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not seek so much
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

– St. Francis of Assisi (1181–1226)

This is one question that many of you have …

To answer this in a sentence …. That’s what my dear brother calls me

What ???? What on earth is that ???

Ehmm ehmm … Did I just read your thoughts ? And now … Here is the story of its evolution:

It was a slow process (the naming) , and it (the name) took about 10 years to reach its present form …

Smallachu (my brother .. nope that’s not his name … that’s what i call him), was playing with me .. teasing me … not in a harsh way though .. He playfully teasing me .. and I was enjoying it …

And then , he started playing with my name … He put it around … and started with something like thoooniieeee ….. That lasted for a few weeks … He called me thooonieeeee and would put forward the name to everyone else … But it somehow stuck just with him and no one else .. So, this was a thing between him and me .. and that was something special to me .

After a few weeks it evolved … to soooniiiieeee and booooniieeeeee and stuff like that ….

That lasted for a while …. it was not just soonieee or boonieeee …. It became .. soooonnieee-booonieee and then soonii-boooni … and then sooni-booon

Years later , when smallachu came back home for holidays (he was doing his B-Tech then) .. he made it more stylish … and introduced an ‘L’ to it … and the name evolved again … it became … slooniblooon

Much later, it achieved its present form, which is now : “sloon da bloon “..

So guys .. that’s what sloon da bloon is all about .. Got that clear ?

Have you heard of the Orion ??? It is a constellation .. It is also called The Hunter

I remember when I first studied about the different constellations in school … I was quite inquisitive .. and that night I set out to explore the sky …

I studied the constellations one by one .. and went on exploring the sky … but couldn’t find any of them … I didn’t lose hope .. I went on exploring the diamonds in the sky with my tiny eyes ….

Suddenly I found something remarkable !!! …. 3 stars in a row …. that was the belt of the hunter !!!

Wow .. I had found the Orion .. I was so excited … and ran up to my mother… “Mummy mummy .. I have spotted the Orion” … I dragged her up to the terrace and showed her … She smiled at me … An encouraging one … I was so proud .. and I felt as if I had made a discovery…

I read there were different seasons for viewing constellations and tried to console myself that that was why I could not spot any other constellation that day …

As each day passed by I would again … search for the constellations .. but I would only find my dear Orion blinking at me … That made me happy …

Whatever season it was .. I would find the faithful Orion unlike the other constellations that needed seasons/regions to pop out …

Well yes .. it would be hard to spot him on a cloudy day .. but that is not his fault . It’s because those dirty clouds cover him up

I don’t like referring to him as the Hunter … that’s harsh … and reminds me of a fierce man .. ready to attack .. The Orion … is suitable .. that gives me the picture of those beautiful blinking diamonds in the sky..

Every time I look at the sky in the night .. The first thing I look for is the Orion … To this day … I haven’t forgotten him … And you know what .. Now I don’t remember any other constellation that I studied in school :-p heeeheeeheeehe

For your information , this is what the Orion looks like on a clear night sky : (P. S. You won’t see those lines joining the stars .. heehhehehee )

Are you wondering why it is called the hunter ? Check this out …

What you spot easily is the dress of the hunter .. If you are trying to identify the Orion, the first thing you should try to spot is the belt .. the 3 stars in a row .. It’s easy .. try it out ..

Finally .. I have a blog …

If you are thinking that I was desperate for one, you are wrong

Many people have asked me why I don’t have a blog .. and I have always laughed it away..

So why didn’t I have a blog all this while ??

Hmmm …. A blog is an online diary …. Something that you share with the world…. And I am not comfortable with that… I’m quite a private person ..

Though I have too many thoughts running through my mind.. I find it difficult to pen them down … I guess my thoughts are too fast for my mind or maybe… I just don’t have the patience…

Blogging is always an option … It is not a must .. & that made the blogger in me even lazier..

Another reason is that .. I tend to be quite harsh at times … Topics that pass through my mind may be controversial .. This may offend someone .. and that is just not my intention … These are just mere thoughts that pass through my little head at some point of time ..

So , why do I have a blog now ?

Life is a journey … You see a lot , hear a lot, find a lot , lose a lot , gain a lot ……….

I noticed recently that a lot of thoughts pass through my mind … I ponder over many topics .. but most of these just pass away .. I forget them soon …

Many thoughts are asleep within me .. Many, if I could share might help someone someday in some way … I want to be of some benefit to someone even after my time is over…

I am a quiet person when I am emotional, and when it comes to the real thoughts that are within me I find writing much easier than talking (that is if I have the patience to) … So I decided to have a blog of my own.

As I explore this journey of life, I sincerely hope that I would not happen to jot down something here that is of offence to anyone .. In case it happens, I request you to disregard these as thoughts of a feeble mind