"मैं शायर तो नहीं " 01012019---.09112018.................................................................................................................49

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An excellent poem by Gulzar ..will touch your heart .... if you are humane inside?

ऐ उम्र! कुछ कहा मैंने,
पर शायद तूने सुना नहीँ..
तू छीन सकती है बचपन मेरा,
पर बचपना नहीं..!!


हर बात का कोई जवाब नही होता
हर इश्क का नाम खराब नही होता...
यु तो झूम लेते है नशेमें पीनेवाले भी
मगर हर नशे का नाम शराब नही होता...

खामोश चेहरे पर हजारों पहरे होते है
हंसती आखों में भी जख्म गहरे होते है
जिनसे अक्सर रुठ जाते है हम,असल
में उनसे ही गहरे रिश्ते हमारे होते है.


किसी ने खुदा से इक दुआ मांगी,

दुआ में अपनी ही मौत मांग ली ,
खुदा ने हैरान हो के पुछा , मौत तो तुझे दे दु मगर,
उसे क्या दूंगा जिसने दुआ मांगी.है .तेरी जिंदगी की.


हर इंन्सान का दिल बुरा नही होता
हर एक इन्सान भी बुरा नही होता
बुझ जाते है दीये कभी तेल की कमी से.भी ...
हर बार कुसुर हवा का नही होता !!!
- गुलजार🌾


हर रोज की तरह "दिन की रौशनी " उमीदों में गुजर गई
बेशुमार रातें भी बोझिल " आँखों की खुमारी "में खो गई
जिस घर को अपना समझा ,मेरे नाम की विरासत भी न थी
फिर क्यों सारी उम्र मेरी उस घर को सजाने में निकल गई ?


यह मेरा शरीर ही एक नाशवान घर था जिसकी मल्कियत भी मेरी नहीं थी

यह जो शख्स यूँ बेफिक्र मुस्करा रहा है ,

जरूर किसी दर्द ने इसे पाला होगा ,

अपनी मंजिल पे खुद के बल पर पहुंचा है तो ,

जरूर पाऊँ में उसके एक छाला होगा।


संघर्ष बिना, इंसान कभी चमक नहीं सकता ये तो हकीकत है ,

दिया जलेगा तभी तो उजाला होगा

शौक़ है तो जी लेना मायूसी में फिर कभी ,

पूरी उम्र रोने को अभी बाकी है ,

अपनी हंसी को होटों से यूँ बुझने न देना ,

यही तो इक नियामत है जिसे ,

छीनने को दुनिया तुम्हारे पीछे पड़ी है


अँधेरा मिला है , तो रौशनी भी मिलेगी ,
गम मिला है। ..... तो ख़ुशी भी मिलेगी
रहता नहीं है एक ही मौसम हमेशा

आंसू गर मिलें हैं तो हंसी भी मिलेगी

खफा नहीं हूँ तुझसे " ए-गमे जिंदगी"
थोड़ा यकींन तो कर मेरी सचाई पे
जरा ,दिल लगा बैठा हूँ इन उदासियों से.
रोज रोज मिल रही मायूसियों से। ...


किस्मत का हर फुल कभी खिलता ही नही
हर कदम साथ कोई कभी चलता ही नही....!
ये तो दस्तुर है सेहर-ए-मोहब्बत का
जिसे ज्यादा चाहो वो कभी मिलता ही नही....!!


जो चाहा कभी पाया नहीं,
जो पाया कभी सोचा नहीं,

जो सोचा कभी मिला नहीं,
जो मिला ,रास आया नहीं,

जो खोया वो याद आता है पर
जो पाया संभाला जाता नहीं ,

अजीब सी पहेली है ज़िन्दगी
जिसको कोई सुलझा पाता नहीं...

जीवन में कभी समझौता करना पड़े ,
तो कोई बड़ी बात नहीं है,क्योंकि,

झुकता वही है जिसमें जान होती है,
अकड़ तो मुरदे की पहचान होती है।

ज़िन्दगी जीने के दो ही तरीके होते है!
जो पसंद है उसे हासिल करना सीख लो.!
या जो हासिल है उसे पसंद करना सीख लो.!
समझ लो जीना इस दुनिया में आसान नहीं होता;

और बिना संघर्ष कोई महान नहीं होता.!

जिंदगी सिखाती तो है बहुत ;हर पल में
कभी हंसाती है तो कभी रुलाती भी है;
जो हर हाल मेंखुश रहना जानते हैं; यारो

उनके आगे ही सर झुकाती है।यह जिंदगी


चेहरे की हंसी से सबके गम चुराओ; तो जाने
बहुत कुछ बोलो पर सब छुपा जाओ तो जाने,

तुम्हारी ख़ुशी सब को भा जाये यह जरूरी नहीं

खुद रूठ कर भी सबको मना लो ;तो जाने


राज़ यही है जिंदगी का बस जीते चले जाओ।
"गुजरी जिंदगी को पलट कर न देखो तो जाने
तकदीर मे जो लिखा है , वह तुम्हें मिलके रहेगा।,


गर मिलने में देर है तो उसकी फर्याद न कर...

देरी की वजह को पहचान सको. तो ही जाने
जो होगा वो होकर रहेगा,तु कल की फिकर मे
आज अपनी हंसी बरकरार रख सके , तो जाने ..

जिंदगी में रोना हंसना लगा रहता है
दोस्तों ,हंस मरते हुये भी गाता है ,
मयूर नाचते हुये भी रोने लगता है....


ये जिंदगी का फंडा है बड़ा ही अजीब
दुखो वाली रात जरा भी नींद नही आती,
और खुशी वाली रात कोई सोने नहीं देता ?


जो तेरे कर्मो का फल है वह मिल रहा है
उस ईश्वर का दिया कभी अल्प नहीं होता;
जो हर बार टूट जाये वो संकल्प नहीं होता;

मन की हार को लक्ष्य से दूर ही रखना;
क्योंकि जीत का कोई विकल्प नहीं होता।


"सांस और साथ"जिंदगी में टूट ही जाते हैं
एक के टूटने से तो इंसान मर ही जाता है;
दूसरा टूटने से जीने को भी तरस जाता है ।

🌿
जीवन का सबसे बड़ा तुम्हारा कसूर '
किसी की आँख में आंसू आपकी वजह से होना।

औरजीवन की सबसे बड़ी उपलब्धि -
किसी की आँख में आंसू आपके लिए होना।


जिंदगी जीना आसान नहीं होता;
बिना संघर्ष कोई महान नहीं होता;

जब तक न पड़े चोट हथोड़े की ;
पत्थर से भी कभी भगवान नहीं बनता

जरुरत के मुताबिक जिंदगी जीना सीखो -
ख्वाहिशों के आधीन हो कर नहीं।

जरुरत तो फकीरों की भी पूरी हो जाती है;
ख्वाहिशें बादशाहों की भी अधूरी रह जाती है।

जिंदगी में गर मांगना ही पड़े तो। ……
अपने परवरदिगार से मांगो;

जो सब को देता है गर वो दे दे

तो उसकी रहमत समझना ,
न कुछ भी मिले तो किस्मत;समझना


दुनिया से हरगिज़ मत माँगना;दोस्तों
गर दे देंगे तो एहसान करेंगे, न दे तो शर्मिंदगी

समझना कौन देगा तुमेह , जीवन भर का सहारा।
लोग तो जनाज़े में भी कंधे बदलते रहते हैं।


कभी भी 'कामयाबी' को दिमाग में और
'नकामी' को दिल में जगह न दे देना
कामयाबी से दिमाग अकड़ जायेगा
नाकामी में दिल पूरा ही , डूब जायेगा ।


पानी में प्रतिबिम्ब होने से , तस्वीर कहाँ बनती है,
ख्वाबों के जाल बुनने से तकदीर भी कहाँ बनती है,?
किसी रिश्ते को निभाना तो सच्चे दिल से निभाना ,
ये जिंदगी बेशकीमती है सिर्फ एक बार मिलती है!


कौन किस से जान कर ,कभी दूर होता है,
शायद वोह खुद हालातों से मजबूर होता है,
हम तो बस इतना समझते है ,इस दुनिया के मंजर को
यहाँ हर रिश्ता "मोती"और हर दोस्त "कोहिनूर" होता है।

ज़िंदगी किताबों मे नही होती, ज़िंदगी ख्वाबों में नही होती
कांटे भी सहने पडते हैं सबको, ज़िंदगी गुलाबों में नही होती

सरेआम खिलती है ज़िंदगी, ज़िंदगी नकाबों में नही होती
मयकदों में भटकने वालों, ज़िंदगी शराबों में नही होती


ज़िंदगी को बेहिसाब रहने दे, ज़िंदगी हिसाबों में नही होती
ज़िंदगी को ज़िंदगी में ही ढूंढ, ज़िंदगी खिताबों में नही होती

ज़िंदगी तो खुद इक सवाल है, ज़िंदगी जवाबों में नही होती
खुली बिखरी पडी है हर जगह, ज़िंदगी नकाबों में नही होती ...



एक आदमी स्कूटर पर बैठ कर
पिक्चर हाल के सामने सरदार से पूछ बैठा :-
आदमी :- भाईसाहब , स्कूटर स्टैंड कहाँ है ?
सरदार :- भाईसाब , पहले आप अपना नाम बताइये ?
आदमी :- रमेश !

सरदार :- आपके माता पिता क्या करते हैं ?
आदमी :- क्यों ? वैसे भाईसाब मैं , लेट
हो जाऊंगा और पिक्चर शुरू हो जाएगी !
सरदार :- तो जल्दी बताओ ??
आदमी :- मेरी माँ , एक डॉक्टर हैं और मेरे
पिता जी इंजीनियर हैं ! अब बता दीजिये ?
सरदार :- आपके नाम कोई जमीन जायजाद है ?
आदमी :- हाँ , गांव में एक खेत मेरे नाम है ? प्लीज़ भाईसाब
अब बता दीजिये स्कूटर का स्टैंड कहाँ है ?
सरदार :- आखिरी सवाल , तुम पढ़े लिखे हो ?
आदमी :- जी हाँ ! मैं, MBA कर रहा हूँ ! अब बताइये जल्दी से !
सरदार :- भाईसाब , देखिये आपकी पारिवारिक पृष्ठभूमि इतनी अच्छी है ,
आपके माता पिता दोनों उच्च शिक्षित हैं , आप खुद भी इतने पढ़े लिखे हैं ,
पर मुझे अफ़सोस है कि आप इतनी सी बात नहीं जानते कि....
स्कूटर का स्टैंड उसके नीचे लगा होता है ,.....

तेरी बेरुखी को भी, रुतबा दिया हमने

प्यार का हर फ़र्ज़ भी अदा किया हमने


मत सोच की हम भूल गए हैं तुझको

आज भी खुद से पहले, तुझे याद किया हमने


अँधेरा मिला है , तो रौशनी भी मिलेगी ,
गम मिला है। ..... तो ख़ुशी भी मिलेगी

रहता नहीं है एक ही मौसम हमेशा

आंसू गर मिलें हैं तो हंसी भी मिलेगी


A very rich man took his son to a village to show what poverty is all about IN THIS COUNTRY :
After the trip, he asked his son about poverty...

The son replied THINKING :
We have 1 dog ........... ...... They had 4...
We have a small pool....🚿...They have a long river...

We've lamps..... they've stars...
We've a small piece of land.......They've large fields......
We buy food..... They grow their & eat fresh.......🍠🍍🍐🌽🍌

They have friends to play..........We don't have friends, we have to play with Computers PS.....

They have happiness.😀 We have only money......💸💶

Their fathers have time for their children.....👪 Our father doesn't have.......⏰

The boy's dad was speechless.....🙊

Then the boy said ''thanks dad for showing me how poor we are?

Life is all about how we see, interpret & accept things..!


💯 ✅
खफा नहीं हूँ तुझसे " ए-जिंदगी"
थोड़ा यकींन तो कर मेरी सचाई पे जरा ,

दिल लगा बैठा हूँ इन उदासियों से






शराब भी क्या क्या कहानियां बनवा देती है ,
पति जब पी कर आते है तो कोई न कोई बहाना भी खरीद कर ले आतें हैं , यह शराबी कभी सुधरेंगे नहीं , देख लो

सोमवार की रात :-
पत्नी : आज तुम दारु पीके आये हो ! क्यों ?

पति :-: अरे आज न ऑफिस मे फॉरेन क्लाइंट्स के साथ मीटिंग थी तो पीनी पड़ी

मंगलवार की रात;-

पत्नी : आज तुम फिर दारु पीके आये हो ! क्यों ?

पति : अरे आज मेरे एक फ्रेंड की इंगेजमेंट थी तो उसने पार्टी दी थी इसलिए

बुधवार:- रात

पत्नी : आज भी तुम फिर पीके आये हो ?.

पति : अरे आज एक फ्रेंड का ब्रेकअप हो गया था तो ..वो बहुत उदास था तो उसका मूड फ्रेश करने के लिए साथ देना पड़ा ..

बृहस्पतिवार :- Night:

पत्नी :- आज फिर से ..अब किसका ब्रेकअप हो गया ?

पति : ब्रेकअप नहीं ...आज ऑफिस मैं वर्क लोड बहुत था ...बहुत टेंशन थी ....इसलिए

फ्राइडे : Night:

पत्नी : आज क्यों ?

पति : अरे जिस फ्रेंड की इंगेजमेंट थी न ट्यूसडे को , आज उसकी शादी थी ...तो ख़ुशी के मौके पे तो पीनी ही पड़ती है ....समझ गयी न

शनिवार : Night:

पत्नी : हम्म्म ..अब ?

पति : आज पुराने स्कूल फ्रेंड्स मिल गए थे बोले ३१ दिसंबर है नया साल मनाते हैं , तो वो डिस्को ले गए और ज़बरदस्ती पिला दी ..मैंने बहुत मना भी किया पर माने ही नहीं ..

रविवार : Night:

पत्नी (गुस्से से ): यह रोज रोज का क्या नाटक है ,अब आज क्या हो गया है बताओ ?.

पति : भागवान इतना काम पूरे सप्ताह करने के बाद इतना शरीर थक जाता है , टूटने लगता है ,दिल करता है न की कुछ हो जाए ?आज मेरा मूड था तो मरता क्या न करता


**************************************************




...A lovely poem from Gulzar...


कुछ हँस के

बोल दिया करो,

कुछ हँस के

टाल दिया करो,

यूँ तो बहुत

परेशानियां है

तुमको भी

मुझको भी,

मगर कुछ फैंसले

वक्त पे डाल दिया करो,

न जाने कल कोई

हंसाने वाला मिले न मिले..

इसलिये आज ही

हसरत निकाल लिया करो !!

समझौता

करना सीखिए..

क्योंकि थोड़ा सा

झुक जाना

किसी रिश्ते को

हमेशा के लिए

तोड़ देने से

बहुत बेहतर है ।।।

किसी के साथ

हँसते-हँसते

उतने ही हक से

रूठना भी आना चाहिए !

अपनो की आँख का

पानी धीरे से

पोंछना आना चाहिए !

रिश्तेदारी और

दोस्ती में

कैसा मान अपमान ?

बस अपनों के

दिल मे रहना

आना चाहिए...!

- गुलज़ार😊




हमारी तो फितरत ही कुछ ऐसी है कि


हम तो रोते हैं उस हवा के झोंके को भी ,

जिसका कसूर सिर्फ इतना ही था

की वोह छूकर हमे निकल गया।इक जब्र है अब एहसास ए वफ़ा ,

यह दिल में बसाना ठीक नहीं ,

अब साज़े दिल ,दिल अफ़सुर्दा पर

इस गीत को गाना ठीक नहीं .


तुम भूल चुके यह सब बेहतर है ,

तुम छोड़ चले यह और भी अच्छा .

ख्वाबों में मगर मजबूरों के ,

यह आना जाना भी ठीक नहीं .


कह दो के नहीं हम मिल सकते।

कह दो के कोई मजबूरी है .

लेकिन यह लबों तक ला ला कर

बातों को छुपाना ठीक नहीं .


ऐय शोक इ जुनुओ अब बाज भी आ,

कुछ मान भी ले तु मेरा कहा .

जो जान के भी अनजान बने ,

जो जान के भी अनजान बने ,

गम उसको सुनाना ठीक नहीं

AMERICA IS NOT A PARADIZE ANY MORE, -25022016 .................................................................................................51

America is no longer a dream destination of the world 

"LIFE BEGINS HERE AGAIN " 
 MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

A year after the USA Return It has been a year in India since I returned from the USA, This blog post is to share the experience about how it feels to be back to your place after getting used to the US way of living or rather its a post on how I see India after returning.

Every Indian living abroad must have come across these lines 'You can go out of India, but you cannot take India out of you'. very true lines indeed. All the times I was in the US there was never a day something or the other did not remind me of my place and my people back home.

Well to be honest the same is the thing when you come back from the US to India. One just cannot take the US out of the mind; the reason is not being emotional. 

The reason is more of the difference in the way things are managed in India and the US. There is never a day I don't compare the way things were in the US after looking at the conditions in India, be it traffic management, garbage, food, anything, and everything, and I think I will never be able to stop these comparisons in my mind, as now I have seen that world. Intentionally or unintentionally I followed and observed many details of the US way of life that are now imprinted in my mind.

There are many positive points of India that make it a great country to live in (on the condition you are earning well). Towns and cities are alive till 11 PM at night, and local food joints, restaurants, grocery stores, and medical stores all are easily accessible till midnight as opposed to the US where it gets too gloomy after 8PM unless you are standing at some exceptional places like Times Square.

Health Service is very cheap and easily accessible, you don't have to make an appointment just for some minor cough or cold. The US is terrible in terms of general healthcare, you got to have a primary physician, book an appointment beforehand and sometimes they give a date after a week or even a month. 

Of course, there are urgent care and Emergency facility available but they charge way too much. There are many other things that are positive about India, be it many people to talk to, cheap food, cheap services, and others.

India is following the US in many terms, be it Shopping malls, Food Joints like (McDonald's, Subway, Pizza Hut, and Domino), Four lane Highways, Retail Shopping chains, Multiplexes, and many such things. India is doing great in adapting to the US culture in terms of development. There is hardly any day when I don't say "Oh, this is the same they do it there and now they are trying to replicate the same here".

But there is something about us Indians that will never stop us from being a developed nation like the US. Yes, I know that we have our cultural values and that every Indian attitude makes us different. But there are some basic things that really really need to change. Spitting on roads, breaking signals, not following rules, and giving bribes are the things that are very

common for us and knowingly or unknowingly these are now a way of life for us, People now are proudly able to accept that these basic flaws only make us true Indians. and as everyone says "India me to sab chalta hai".

It sometimes hurt to see the way things are going here, but we have to accept reality. It's a long road ahead in terms of changing the nation, changing the government alone will not help. 

I believe that the mentality of people needs to change, there is no benefit of the government creating four lanes when all people do is drive recklessly in the middle of the lane honking all the time and spitting tobacco all the way. There is no point in pointing the finger at the government all the time when the problem is deep within us.

Sometimes it's frustrating to see things around, and I clearly don't know and see how things will change, But I have not lost hope of seeing India taking the positives from the Americans and I will try to do my part in doing that.

I was born and brought up, grew up in India, and went to the US at 44. Spent 2 or so years there (including one-year working). Moved back to New Delhi India, India in 1994, and have been coming and going here ever since.)

(Clarification: This post is intended to just be context-fact findings and expectation-setting for someone who is already planning on returning to India. If you're happy in the US and are not interested in returning, I am happy for you - this post is not an attempt to change your mind (as some people see
m to have misinterpreted))

A lot of how you feel depends upon your attitude. Some things are going to be as bad as you remember them when you left them here, some things are going to be worse than you remember, and some things are going to be surprisingly better. The right attitude is to focus on what is good and try to ignore the bad. Some people fail miserably at this and move back to the US after about a year. Others succeed in this, and love being here.

Here are the things you might notice, conveniently categorized: AND compared

General life: IN INDIA as usual:_Yes, it is dirty and dusty. People litter and spit and urinate in public. It was always like this, so you shouldn't let it bother you. If this is going to irritate you, or your perceived standard towards cleanliness has changed dramatically then better don't come back. Yes, there is a hell of corruption in every public government dealing. 

But if you're going to be doing a job (as opposed to doing your own business), you will not be exposed to much of it. Most vendors and service providers are unreliable or some even fly by night operators unmindful of any law of the land, thanks to poor governance in every sphere of Indian life. They won't come on time. 

They will not deliver on time. Quality will be lacking. Some will disappear without warning you. This continues to bother me, even after 10 years here. However, note that consumer-oriented business works far more efficiently now than it used to 10-15 years ago. When I first landed in New Delhi India in 1992, 

I had nothing other than a passport. No friends, no family, no address proof, no ration card. No place to stay, no vehicle. I managed to get a rental apartment, a ration card, a landline phone, a mobile phone, 2 "gas" cylinders, a computer, 2 internet connections, a car, and all household appliances, and start a full-time home office in 2 weeks. 

I would not have thought that it was possible to get this done in India so fast. See footnoteGetting domestic help is ridiculously cheap, so expect to have a person to do the dishes, someone else to do the cleaning and the laundry, and a cook, and a driver. In the last ten years, I've probably done dishes, or the laundry less than 5 times. 

My wife and I cook only when we're in the mood for cooking, otherwise, we don't have to. I know that some people are thinking: "I like doing all the chores. There is a satisfaction in being self-sufficient." But the fact is that I have not seen anybody hold on to such a resolve in the face of easily available domestic help. (Note: Driving is an exception.

 People who like to drive often will make do without a driver. I like to drive, so did not use a driver for a longest time. But these days, if I need to go somewhere that's more than 20 minutes away, I take the driver along, so I can get some work done along the way.)

Cost and Standard of Living: In general, you will be comfortably well off in India. Your Indian salary will be much lower than your US salary in dollar terms but will be pretty good in terms of purchasing power parity. 

Some things will seem very expensive relative to your salary, and other things ridiculously cheap expect to be shocked by real estate prices. Houses/Flats (aka "condos") in the better localities (i.e. the kinds of places NRIs like to live in) can be more expensive than houses in the US (of course, if you're not from the Bay Area). 

A major chunk of your salary will go towards the EMI for your home loan.iPads, laptops, and the latest flat-screen TVs will seem a little expensive for you. The prices in India are just a little higher than US prices, (and many people buy in the US), but your salary will be lower. Food, eating out, domestic help, and in general everything else will be much cheaper

Infrastructure: Roads/Traffic/Electricity/Water is an area that I view with a bit of a concern. Depending on where exactly you're living one or more of these might be an irritant already, and the problem is likely to get horsepower cuts are a problem in some cities (mostly during the daytime). 

This is not an issue for employees of large companies, because of generator backups, but it has begun hurting smaller companies. Sometimes, you end up losing a few hours of work on one day of the week because the load-shedding extended farther than your UPS and laptop batteries could last. 

While water is theoretically a problem, most of you are likely to live in apartment complexes that buy water by the tanker to make up for any shortages, so you're unlikely to notice this much. Traffic and commute times are becoming problems for some people in some cities - but then people who've lived in the US would not be strangers to long commutes and rush hour traffic jams. 

Phone coverage and internet bandwidth are not really a problem. While the average "home" broadband network might not be as fast as what you're used to in the US, and there are sporadic reliability issues, quality, and speed are available at a cost if you really want them. And I'm willing to bet that mobile network coverage is better than what AT&T has in the US.

Recreation: As far as shopping is concerned, (almost) everything is available here. Electronic goods are maybe a little more expensive than in the US, but there is nothing that is difficult to get. If you're in a metro or even Pune, there are now lots of international cuisines. Of course, not as much as in the US, but certainly much more than was available 5 or 10 years ago. Italian, Korean, Japanese, Mediterranean, French, and Thai are all available in Pune, for example. McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Subway, and California Pizza Kitchen, are all here too. 

And the Indian food here is far better than the Indian food in the US:-)Multiplexes have mushroomed, and have improved the movie-going experience, but they still remain a little more crowded than I'd like. Many "western" activities are now available here. Bowling, Paintball, Pool, Hard-Rock Cafe, and Microbreweries, are all available. Quality is lower than ideal, and there are only one or two of each per city.

Kids: Schools are getting better. There are now lots of options available. The old-style, regimented convent schools continue to go strong, but in addition, now there are lots of newer schools that are willing to experiment with teaching methods. So there are lots of choices (but be prepared to spend a little).

Lots of options for co-curricular and extracurricular activities. All kinds of classes are available at reasonable rates. If you have teenage kids, remember that social mores and standards of what is acceptable and permissible behavior is changing rapidly. So if you're coming back to India because "my kids will grow up in a more conservative culture", you're in for a surprise. Don't say I did not warn you. Dealing with teenagers doesn't become any easier just because you're in India.

Career: If you are a techie in the IT industry, and if you want to be an individual contributor, then you will certainly not get as good work here as you would in the US. There are some companies doing interesting stuff, but as your seniority increases, your options decrease. Since most of the customers are in the US, there is definitely a glass ceiling. 

If you're a manager, then India is a great place to be. The number of people and projects to manage to keep increasing, and the challenges interesting and varied. This is an exciting place to be. If you are the entrepreneur type, then India is like the Wild West. Very challenging, with a high chance of failure, but very exciting. For non-IT folks, I don't know the answer. Sorry.

Personal life: As with shifting to any new place, expect to find yourself suddenly friendless and lonely for the first few years. It takes time to make good friends."Involvement" of family, and extended family in your life will be higher than you expected. To anyone who has spent 5+ years in the US, this will seem like an intrusion of privacy. This will bother you, (especially the wife, if you're a couple). 

The US is a nice safe distance away from the in-laws. Coming back to India removes that layer of protection. This can be the biggest change in lifestyle. Takes at least 2/3 years to get used to.

Opinion: Overall, I find that life here is more varied and more interesting. I found life in the US to be too cut-n-dried, too regimented - all cities are similar (compared to how different Indian cities are). Most interactions follow set patterns. (Maybe it simply boils down to the fact that I grew up here, and hence I'll be most comfortable with this way of life.) In any case, I'm very happy with the decision of moving here.

If you have any questions about something I did not cover, please leave a comment and I can update my answer.

Footnote [1]:
This is a little anecdote to give an idea of how India works efficiently in some areas. On my second day in Pune, I went to a random shop down the street looking to buy a mobile phone (instrument + service). The shop owner told me that I need of proof-of-residence, which I obviously did not have. He did not want to let go of a customer for such a minor reason, so he started exploring options:

Do you have parents who live here?
No.
Do you have any other relatives, an uncle perhaps?
No, but my mother-in-law's brother does live here.
Ok, will he be willing to give an affidavit to the effect that he knows you and vouches for you?
Yes, he will but neither I nor he has the time or the expertise to get an affidavit.
No, Sir, don't worry. My man will get the affidavit ready, will go to your uncle's home, get his signature and finish the paperwork.


So, I bought the phone instrument right away. I called up the uncle-in-law and told him to expect a guy to show up with an affidavit to sign, and I left. By that evening, all of this had been taken care of, and my mobile phone service had started.s a salaried employee while usually doing interesting work. 

You can expect to earn between 1/3 and 1/2 your US salary as an employee if you're really good at what you do (the Purchasing Power Parity was still 1:5 last I checked, so that's a win). If you start your own business, well, the sky's the limit. We've hit a million-dollar run rate in just over two years - PPP adjusted that's like going from 0 to 5 million in the US. And this without a single paisa of external investment.

That said, capital is scarce and difficult to raise and is largely cornered by businesses that have fixed assets. Software companies especially find it very tough to get a loan - we've been exploring this for a while at C42 Engineering with no luck. Angels are scarce and there are two seed funds, IIRC. Nobody invests in you unless you're already profitable.

Basically, India has both the upsides and down-sides of an immature market. Lots of opportunities are difficult to tap due to problems in the ecosystem like scarce capital, government corruption, awful infrastructure, black money, and so on. 

But this is improving steadily, and businesses that are ready for the Indian market in two to three years stand to do exceedingly well. It's a little like the railroad and newspaper businesses in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Also, it's worth noting the amount of money coming into India seems to be insane. I'm in Bangalore, where five years ago a BMW or Mercedes was a big deal and you never saw Jags and Porches - we have 110% import duties, so these cars cost more than twice what they would elsewhere (the basic Jaguar X

LEGAL -- TANGLES IN INDIA .................................................................................................................................52

"LIFE BEGINS HERE AGAIN "


SOMETHING SERIOUS IS HAPPENING IN INDIAN SOCIAL FABRIC

In this very charged atmosphere, it may be useful to keep in mind what a Bench of Hon’ble Supreme Court (Justices Doraiswamy Raju, Arijit Pasayat) in the celebrated case of ‘Nazir Khan and others vs the State Of Delhi’ in its judgment delivered on 22 August 2003 [reported in 2003(8) SCC 461] had to say on sedition.

“124A. Sedition —Whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.

Explanation 1— The expression "disaffection" includes disloyalty and all feelings of enmity.

Explanation 2— Comments expressing disapprobation of the measures of the Government with a view to obtaining their alteration by lawful means, without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section.

Explanation 3 — Comments expressing disapprobation of the administrative or other action of the Government without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section.”

After quoting Section 124A IPC (reproduced above), the Hon’ble Judges proceeded to opine as under: -

“Section 124A deals with 'Sedition'. Sedition is a crime against society nearly allied to that of treason, and it frequently precedes treason by a short interval. Sedition in itself is a comprehensive term, and it embraces all those practices, whether by word, deed, or writing, which are calculated to disturb the tranquillity of the State and lead ignorant persons to endeavour to subvert the Government and laws of the country. The objects of sedition generally are to induce discontent and insurrection, and stir up opposition to the Government, and bring the administration of justice into contempt, and the very tendency of sedition is to incite the people to insurrection and rebellion. "Sedition has been described as disloyalty in action, and the law considers as sedition all those practices which have for their object to excite discontent or dissatisfaction, to create a public disturbance, or to lead to civil war; to bring into hatred or contempt the Sovereign or the Government, the laws or constitutions of the realm, and generally all endeavours to promote public disorder.”


IN THE RECENT CASE OF JNU SEDITION CHARGES AGAINST KANAHYA
It is now for Hon’ble Courts to decide on conduct or lack thereof in relation to recent events

EASY LIFE health Tips >>>>>>>>>...............................................................................................................................53

                EASY LIFE HEALTH TIPS 

BENEFITS OF TOMATOES

Benefits Of Tomato:
RICH in VITAMIN C, A, D, K calcium, iron,
phosphorus, Potassium,
Calories (20), manganese, copper, folate.
1- Lycopene content in TOMATO -- is a vital anti-oxidant that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation as well as other kinds of health complications and diseases.

2- Prevents from HEART diseases and High
Cholesterol LEVELS

3- Cancers such as prostate cancer, cervical
cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, and cancers of the stomach, mouth, pharynx, and oesophagus have all been proven to be staved off by high levels of Lycopene.

4- Improves skin texture and colour.

5- Good blood purifier

6- Prevents congestion of Liver and dissolving
Gallstones

7- Acts as an antiseptic for infections

8- Reduces PANCREATIC CANCERS

9- Reduces BLOOD CLOTS

10- Maintains Bone health

11- Good source of riboflavin, which has been
shown to be helpful for reducing the frequency of MIGRAINE attacks in those who suffer from them

12- Good intake of chromium, a mineral of which
tomatoes are a good source, has been shown to help diabetic patients keep their blood sugar levels under control.