Being part of India’s T20 World Cup open bus parade will remain an unforgettable, tiring, and once-in-a-lifetime experience. I joined the enthusiastic crowd, got super lucky to form a hand chain, and walked alongside the bus, close enough to touch it. That was a surreal experience amidst chaos and chants everywhere.

Throughout the parade, I kept thanking each player I got a glimpse of, and many acknowledged me as they could literally hear me due to my closeness to the bus. I kept calling for Virat, and SKY on the bus replied, saying he was on the other side. Although I didn’t get to catch Virat’s eye right then, it was thrilling to be acknowledged. Rohit Sharma also acknowledged my thank-you gestures with a thank you.

As the parade continued, Bumrah, Arshdeep, Kuldeep, Jaiswal, Pant, Siraj, Jadeja, Axar, and Pandya waved towards the side I was on, adding to the excitement. I kept staring at all of them while holding hand chains with crowds pushing from one side and police from the other.

I got a constant glimpse of Dravid the coach, and I thanked him a lot. Also, Jay Shah acknowledged me when I kept screaming for Virat, replying with a smile, “aayega,” which was quite funny.

When Virat finally appeared on the side I was on, his presence was electrifying, even though I couldn’t catch his eye. I kept staring and screaming his name, and he was just two hand lengths away from me. Maybe next time, a one-on-one chat with Virat will happen with no cameras around. He’s the reason I’m smiling amidst my life challenges.

The climax was when Rohit and Virat lifted the trophy right above my head—a truly “wow” moment.

The wait was long, about three hours before the parade started, plus another hour during the parade, leaving me and every fan exhausted and fatigued. But the continuous one-hour glimpse of the team made it all worthwhile. By the end, I was worn out but elated, having been part of such a monumental celebration.

Fans, please do take care and rest as it was one hell of an experience for all of us too. Take care.

At the end, it goes without saying that the police had the most tiring job, managing such an unmanageable crowd; they even got their lathis out a few times. With my closeness to them, I made sure to thank them and make them smile as much as I could. Kudos and heartfelt thanks to the police and all volunteers. Take care.

#INDvENG #T20WorldCup #Champions #ViratKohli #RohitSharma #JaspritBumrah #ArshdeepSingh #YashasviJaiswal #HardikPandya #SKY #CricketCelebration #BleedBlue #ProudMoment #TeamIndia #CricketFans #OpenBusParade #CricketLife

As a software company, we often face lower expenses compared to other industries, which results in higher tax liabilities. Paying significant taxes can be challenging, especially after working hard to navigate through competition, economic challenges, and recessions. However, this proposal is not about tax reduction but about leveraging our expertise for the benefit of the nation.

Proposal Outline:

1. Government Software Requirements Portal:

• Establish a centralized government portal where various government departments can post their software and modernization requirements. This could include the development of new software, upgrading existing systems, or building new websites across any sector.

2. Submission of Proposals:

• Software companies can submit proposals in response to the posted requirements. These proposals would detail the project scope, timeline, and cost.

3. Project Credits:

• Upon successful completion of a government project, the software company would earn a credit equivalent to the project cost. These credits could then be used to offset future tax liabilities.

4. Tax Credit Utilization:

• Instead of paying a portion of our taxes in cash, companies would use the earned credits. This system ensures that our expertise is directly contributing to the development of national infrastructure while providing financial relief through tax credits.

Benefits:

• Win-Win Situation:
  • The government receives high-quality software and IT services without immediate budgetary constraints.
  • Software companies gain valuable projects and can offset their tax liabilities.

• Nation Development:
  • This initiative helps Indian firms contribute directly to national development, fostering a stronger, more tech-savvy government infrastructure.

• Economic Stimulus:
  • Encourages continuous investment in technological advancements and modernization of public services.

We believe this tax credit system could be a significant step towards aligning the interests of private enterprises with national development goals, creating a synergistic relationship that benefits both the government and the software industry.

Ack: Atit Shah! (Received this forward, This is not a comprehensive draft but throws many apt points. Read and follow the ones you think are rational.)

Paryushan… A festival of 8 days which is one of the greatest festivals in Jainism!

Unfortunately, this festival has been reduced to food by today’s generation … What to eat ..What not to eat .. what should be eaten and how many fasts can be done!!

However, food is only a part and a path to achieve the actual focus of Paryushan!

So what is the focus of Paryushan? Why is Paryushan called the greatest of festivals and why is it so important?

The answer is in a two-pronged approach and like 2 sides of a coin both are equally important and cannot exist independently without the other

The first is

1. Disconnect to connect.
We observe in todays generation that they are constantly on their smartphones and disconnected from the real world .. conversations have been reduced to emojis, lol and # … Relationships have become virtual, temporary and based on wants rather than meaningful long lasting ones

But perhaps the most important relationship, The one with your soul has been completely forgotten so much so that we aren’t even aware that we are the soul and not the body. For us our outward appearance and comforts have become the daily driving factor of our lives … What did you eat today? Which movie did you see? Have you seen that new dress? In all this drama The soul is simply lost and forgotten or relegated to 5 mins of superficial prayer at a temple because everyone in the house seems to be doing it.

Paryushan is a festival which tells you to truly disconnect from all outwardly distractions to connect to your self to connect to who you really are. Do we know who we are or are we now defined by Our Rolexs Guccis and Armanis?

Notice there are 2 words .. DISCONNECT and Connect .. you absolutely need to disconnect from your current form of thinking and distractions to truly connect to your soul. It needs a radical shift in thought.

And so all the types of tapas (there are 12 to be exact) and vyakhans are designed to do just that … Help you on the path of disconnecting and dive deep within to an unexplained unexplored world so amazing that it has has the power to not only shake your current misguided foundation which is a just an illusion but to cement another foundation so strong that you will be unshakable by anyone all at the same time.

Infact the very word Upvas does not mean to go hungry but real or literal meaning is to abstain from ALL DISTRACTIONS which hinder you from going within. A form of self control if you will.

It is ABSOLUTELY NOT OK to fast and watch television or just sleep and laze around because then it completely negates the purpose of the fast. A Fast if done correctly may not be the cause but it definitely is the catalyst and the first step to going within.

So again I will iterate here that Upvas/other forms of Tapa is a catalayst to help you disconnect from the outside world and go within which is the real focus of Paryushan is to initiate a process which will ultimately let you know yourself and then be at peace with yourself.

The second and more important focus of Paryushan is summed up by this statement

2. We are so desperate to be understood that we forget to be understanding.

This statement works on the Givers gain philosophy and if you are truly understanding and sensitive to each and everyone around you; you will be understood. You must give what you want to recieve! Sounds easy right? Well it’s definitely easier said than done… However the beauty of Jainism is that it takes this philosophy multiple steps ahead and asks you to be understanding and sensitive to each every living being or every soul you encounter and not just humans.

To make it easy I recommend starting at the core … Your family and colleagues you interact with everyday and then slowly widening that circle. Try and be understanding to a handful of people for 8 days atleast .. be patient with them, try not to get angry and then slowly widen the time frame and your net when ultimately your at peace with the whole world all the time! A Jain tirthankar is at peace with every single soul every single second.

Again this philosophy is not only to be practiced for these 8 days but rather every moment of your conscious state ..However for all of us who don’t implement it all the time or have frequent lapses Paryushan is the time to kickstart it with new renewed fervour.

So what about forgiveness then? Where does that feature in all of this as it is preached by all our sadhus? What is Pratikraman and why is it so important (much more important than fasting alone)

When self realisation dawns you will know that your not the perfect being and there are many actions by us which causes hurt and harm to other souls. So the next logical step after being understanding is to set things right for all the wrong we have done.

As it is said a good apology has 3 parts to it …

I accept what I have done wrong
I am sorry for what i have done
How can I set things right.

Once we accept that we are wrong and take suitable corrective action only then can we be at peace with the other soul.

A Pratikraman if understood is the most amazing tool given to us by the tirthankars and is designed in such a way so as so make you remember all the wrong things you have done and ask for forgiveness. It can be summed up in 2 words Micchami Dukkadam!

However it is in no way to be understood that it’s ok to continue doing wrong and then doing a Pratikraman or simply saying Micchami Dukkadam to amend those things because the Pratikraman covers only the first 2 parts of the apology. You still have to goto the concerened person and make things right and more importantly try not to repeat the same mistake.
It would be completely moot to say Micchami Dukkadam to a friend when you haven’t been talking to your cousin for the last 10 months.

Lastly think of Paryushan just like a marathon, which is held annually but you train for it every single day and with each marathon you try and up your game… 8 Kms 21kms and 42kms.
Similarly create personal specific goals for each Paryushan, (i will not hurt X amount of people, I will try to disconnect atleast for 20
Minutes a day, I will understand and learn more about Jainism, I will do atleast 1 type of fast atleast once a month) practice some of it every day and progress further every single year. Make these the 8 days of reckoning till you are the best human you have ever encountered in your own eyes because your conscience never lies to you, even if you may!

Jai Jinendra!

P.S : So a few of you might ask why no vegetables for these 8’days … Well the simple answer to that is that it’s scientifically proven that certain foods creates certain reactions in the body and mind which are suitable for different tasks. Ideally one should fast so it detoxes the body but spiritually and more importantly it detoxes your mind of all negative emotions. A must to lead a healthy lifestyle. This is also been proven by science and is recommended once a month. If you can’t completely abstain from food then the diet given in Paryushan is the most optimal for the same detoxification process which helps you in your dive into the infinte wisdom stored within.