Enduring faith

Bangalore, August 29, 2001:

It's been an uneventful two months. BTF has been going along just fine... with no major goof ups from my side.

So there I was all complacent and content, and I thought to myself, why not seal this run of luck with a visit to the Lord of the Seven Hills.

Being the conscientious sort, I decided to do my spiritual seeking on the weekend. I reached Tirupati at about 4 am, raring to so and discovered that my appointment with the almighty was only at 10 pm.

Dotcom CEOs and God are equally busy these days, it seems.

Well, they also serve who only stand and wait.

That's when I realized that Indian Stretchable Time stretches all the way to heaven.

I waited and waited along with crores of others, all waiting for divine blessing to rain down on us in a cool, serene spray of enlightenment.

We were rained upon alright, but with blows, pushes and shoves as the sweating line of Humanity inched its way to divinity.

After what seemed like an eternity, I found myself in the sanctum sanctorum face to face with The One I had spent 24 sleepless hours waiting for.

Strangely, I found myself thinking of Ravi, our sales manager, describing some of his clients. "You spend hours waiting for the boss to see you," he had said, I knew then what he felt.

"Darshan" over, I walked out of the temple clutching two ladoos (these are strictly rationed) and a new respect for some of my colleagues.

Working for BTF or waiting for God... whatever.

I know I need a lot of patience.