Back to Future … VI (Software Company)

Hiya requested me several times to visit her office and said that it will be an honor for her. I was bit reluctant but could not deny her. I was ready at 6:00 AM in the morning because the scheduled time for their office bus to reach the stop near my home was 6:15 AM. Old age has made me wake up early because sleep hours have reduced with age. People going to office at 6:15 AM was surprising for me. Hiya was ready for office too. We both walked till the bus stop and I asked Hiya on the way, “Are you sure it will be fine?”. She said, “Baba, you don’t worry. All are waiting for you. You must see where your beloved daughter is working and what is the ambience. Anyway, you were a software engineer so why you are hesitating.”. We reached the stop and in couple of minutes a solar powered bus arrived at the bus stop. I had no problem getting into the bus as it was senior citizen friendly but still Hiya and her colleagues held my hand and guided me till I sat in a seat. I said ‘Hello!!’ to all and they said ‘Namaste!!’ in return. I asked one of her colleagues, “How you guys get up so early and go to office? Don’t you feel sleepy.”. He smiled and said, “Early morning is the right time to concentrate and best results come out early in the morning.”. I thought, “Yes, my mother used to say that. But I never followed”.

We reached the office premises little before 6:30 AM. A big building covered by trees from all sides. Straw roof like we used to see in villages earlier. Solar panels above it covering one side of the roof. It looked like a Vedic village. I walked along with Hiya. Near the main entrance there was a shoe stand. All including Hiya, removed their foot wears. It was utterly nonsense and idiotic activity in my view. “Why they are removing their foot wears?”, I thought. I asked Hiya, “Is it necessary for all to remove their foot wears?” with displeasure. “Yes baba but don’t worry”. She made me sit on a chair. It was difficult for me to bend, so she helped me remove my shoes. Then at the entrance, everybody had to put their wrist in a clutch and then their palm on a plate. I thought this is a new mechanism for access control. Hiya guided me to do the same. Then we all entered inside the office. After few introductions with some of her colleagues,one gentleman came and did Pranam to me and offered me a drink. It was a juice. Pranam in a software company was awkward for me but  out of all these awkward experiences this one was nothing. I thought, “Don’t they have a vending machine where I can choose what drink I want”. But anyways, I took that and blessed the gentleman. Juice was bitter and yucky but had to drink as Hiya was watching me.

Inside the office there were various halls. Each one for a particular department of a particular product. It looked like a thoroughly disciplined school. No noise and all over the wall you have various signs. Most common sign was “OM’. I asked Hiya, “What are these signs for?”. “These to help concentrate and focus on the task on hand, we come here and concentrate on these signs when we feel distracted.” Hiya replied. “Funny” I thought, “I would have gone to 5th floor and watched some peppy number on TV to relax. I would not have preferred watching a symbol like a dumb” but did not say anything.

Hiya took me to her department. I was shocked to see that there were no cubicles. Like poor primary school all the employees are sitting on ground. They have a mat for everybody. There were computers kept on a low height wooden desks. I repented for not following Hiya’s career growth very closely. She is working in such a poor company which can not even provide proper tables and chairs. One gentleman came and did Pranam to me and introduced himself as Sambit. Hiya, added to that saying , “Sriman Sambit is our Guru”. I thought, “Guru??”. Sambit brought one chair and kept it next to his asana (Mat). They all sat in their mats in Padmasana and started reciting Mantra’s. Only one Mantra I could recognize, that is Shanti Mantra. Rest all were bouncers for me. I just kept quiet. Then Sambit said, “Friends, We have one veteran who had worked in software industry and that too in healthcare domain in early 21st century. We are fortunate to have him in our office and please ensure he feels comfortable here”. I was scared thinking, they should not ask me to give speech. I am so confused that I can not tell my name properly. Fortunately they did not do anything like that except Praanam to me. Sambit requested Hiya to take me for a round to show the office premises. She obliged and took me out. I saw all other departments, they looked very similar to Hiya’s department. It was like a village. Although there were no air conditioners but it was cool due to trees all around, straw roofs and big wide open windows. All employees in the office looked very happy and there was a glow in they face. Nobody was tired or stressed unlike our times. Everybody walking with their heads down and no chit-chat. Finally we reached the cafeteria. They had a full-fledged kitchen. We washed our hand and sat. Then one gentleman came with a plate of meal and a glass of water. He kept it in front of me. He asked me, “Sir, How was the juice?”. I said “Good” and thought, “What is good about that Juice. They should have offered me some soda drink or coffee. Not a bitter juice!!”. He said, “We prepared that juice specifically for you.”. I was not sure what he was talking about. I asked, “So, you prepare the juice for the day based on your guest’s choice? How did you know my choice?” and thought, “My choice will never be such a yucky juice”. He said, “Sir, when you came inside office, you had put your wrist in that clutch. From that we could read your Naadi. Based on your Naadi reading, we understood what kind of food and drink will be suitable for you today. We prepared accordingly and served you. This meal is also prepared based on that. I am sure this will help you to gain more energy and vigor so that we can learn a lot from seniors like you.”  I was dumb founded. Software for Ayurveda!!!.

Hiya asked ,’” So, Baba, How did you like my office?”. I said, “Trust me I found it is some stone age office. Why do you need to recite Mantra’s before doing software development?  Why you need to remove your shoes before coming to office? Why you have to sit on a mat not a chair which is ergonomically appropriate? You must be crazy working here. Leave this job. I have friends in Boston who will give you a better job there”. Hiya smiled and said, “Baba, Don’t you feel so much positive vibration here? This is not an office but a Gnyana Mandir (Knowledge Temple). We develop software products for humanity. So, before developing software for betterment of mankind’s health, we have to keep ourselves healthy. So we sit in Padmasana and do our work. There is no ergonomically perfect chair developed to give the benefits and comfort that Padmasana can give. So, for that, we have to sit on ground. This also helps us remaining grounded, so that we do not develop emotions like ego, jealously and many other negative emotions. So, in order to sit on floor, we have to keep the floor and premises extremely clean. For that reason, we leave our foot wears outside the premises and clean our foot.

It requires lots of concentration and focus to develop software which you must be knowing. Reciting Mantra’s help us streamline our thought and keep it clean for better use. The sound effects of Mantra’s are magical, they help us developing positive emotion.

Reading the Naadi at the entrance helps the Guru know what are the most common negative emotions in their employees mind and based on that he decides which all Mantra’s to recite on that day. You must have heard a low volume music playing throughout the building. This is also decided based on the Naadi reading results. The lighting of the interiors also change based on that.

And this software is very popular across the world. We developed this software and I was part that software development team. Don’t you feel proud of me“

I was somewhat convinced but still another question bothered me, “Yes, certainly I am proud of you, but what about your growth? What will be your next designation?”. She said, “Baba, There are no designations in this organization. All teams have one Guru and others are sishya’s. We never need any promotion. We respect each other by their knowledge and Guru’s order is final. I am not doing this job for money or designation although I get more than enough money to lead a comfortable life.  Guru is a person who has achieved Rishi title in specific subject. So, if I do my work better, my organization may consider to send me to the university to study more and achieve Guru title. There is an industry, University, government tie”. I said, “Yes I know!”.

“So, what are you working on now?” I asked. She said, “Our project is for home care. We are developing a software which can sense the health condition of all the family members by sensing their body temperature, room temperature and vibrations in the house. This way software will be able to guide people on various aspects like clothing, food, sleep timing and entertainment need etc. This is like the enhanced version of the Naadi reader but this is mostly for domestic use. and senses temperature and vibration. This is refers Vaastu sastra”

“That is interesting. But how are you surviving this bland food and tasteless juice everyday. I would have preferred coke for drink and Paneer Chatpata and Tandoori roti for lunch.”. She laughed and said, “That is the reason, you have so many ailments. You have to develop taste for everything. I find these tasty as they are healthy.”.

“Yes, my beautiful Hiya, I wish you all health and success. may god bless you.” I said and then one gentleman came to inform me that bus to go home will leave in few minutes. I thanked all and left her office.

While coming back home I was thinking, I can tolerate all but ‘No promotion’, where will I get motivation. This young generation has reached old age even before reaching adulthood. Anyway, I have no say.

Namaste!!!

– Stray Dog