My Passport Ordeal

Having a passport is something which comes quite naturally to most of us. We either got it when we were in college or just before joining our job or in the worst case, 2 or 3 months after starting with our first job. Passport has become something as important as your degree certificate or say your DOB certificate. Most of the companies today ask for a passport before they let you in.
It's been two years for me since i joined my very first job here in Hexaware and I still dont have a passport. I know its unbelievable so don't open your mouth any wider. I applied for my passport in Delhi while leaving for Chennai in July'2005. The I joined my new job and since there were no immediate plans of any overseas journey I didnt bother how things are going on the Passport front. Then suddenly when friends and acquaintances started going onsite, it dawned upon me to enquire about my passport. I sent my file no to Delhi and came to know that the file has been closed there. So I decided to lodge a fresh application in Chennai. Here is how things have taken shape till now

Jul'05: My first passport Application filed in Delhi

Nov'06: Fresh Application filed in Chennai

Dec'06: I met the passport officer at the police station who took Rs200 and promised to do the verification and send back the file ASAP

Jan'06: I again met the passport officer who still had my file with him and refused to recognize me. I again gave him Rs300, showed all my original docs and got my verification done.

Jan'06: Status of the passport changed "Please meet the PRO on any working day between 10 and 1230 AM"

Jan'06: Met the PRO who asked one of the Chennai addresses to be verified. "Fill up the PP form and submit it. We'll refer your application again"

Feb'06: Met the passport officer yet again, who again failed to recognize me. He verified the second address and again took Rs300.

Mar'06: File sent to Delhi for the verification of the permanent address. Things were done and another Rs500 were fed to the passport Dept.

Today: The status of the passport is the same as it was 2 months back <"Please meet the PRO on any working day between 10 and 1230 AM">.

Finally I'm planning to go to the Passport office tomorrow and check for the status. You might be thinking why didn't i do that till now. The reason is, even for a simple enquiry, you have to stand for at least 1 and a half hour in the queue & that too in the scorching sun. Lets see what is the next objection they have on my file and how much time and money it'll take to resolve that. I have opportunities of Onsite travel but what I dont have is a passport.

If anyone of you can help me in any way my File Ref no is A060695 / 06

Current Status
Total Money Spent : Rs 1300

Total Time Elapsed : 5 months

Keep visiting this place for latest updates. :)

The BIG choice

A time comes in our life when we need to decide on something BIG. Where we have two options to choose from, whose degree of temptation is inversely proportional to the degree of benefit they can bring to you. And most of us just do the utterly predictable, go after the more luring one. There can be many reasons for us to act this way. Firstly, we might be naive enough not to see the real good thing. Secondly, we choose one over the other cauz the former is giving instantaneous rewards or just because the first is a much easier way to walk on. But the future is always uncertain. You never know where that choice of yours can lead you to. Honestly speaking, as everyone of us has realized at some point in our lives, we are nothing but the choices we make. I chose to write a blog at this point of time, thats why I'm letting people know whats going on in my mind. You chose to read it, so you wasted 5 precious minutes of your life on this useless thing.

I, like everyone else, am confronted with a lot of choices daily. But as self loathing as it can get, i never embark upon the correct ones. Knowing whats wrong and what right or rather what'll make me happy and what'll sadden me, i seldom choose the correct path. I have in a way found happiness and solace in self contempt. I have found peace with the feeling of not doing anything. Even after knowing that the path I'm walking on wont lead me anywhere, I'm happily toddling on it. Maybe one day I'll die with my dreams buried in my heart. Only because i didn't have enough courage and will to pursue them.

Who is this strange fellow?

A strange thing happened with me today at lunch. I finished my food and went to the wash room to get my hands cleaned. As i was using the wash basin, I saw my face in the mirror, which I normally do. But something was different this time. I noticed someone very familiar and very strange & unknown at the same time. I wasn't able to figure out what exactly i felt at that time.

Have you ever seen yourself closely enough? All of us stand in front of the mirror daily for at least 10 minutes or so . But how many of us have really observed ourselves closely? If you happen to do so some day, maybe you too will experience this weird feeling. It seems as though we are seeing someone whom we don't exactly know. When I saw myself there in the mirror, I thought that if I hadn't been me, how would I have judged this person whom I'm seeing right now? Then suddenly i had a feeling of self confidence and elation ... "Yes, this is how I look ... I'm not that bad after all !! " Believe me, stare at yourself for about 5 minutes in the mirror and see how weird and strange things cross your mind. Things which you normally wont think about, things which maybe, will force you to think.
Believe me ... we dont exactly know ourselves!!!