The Happenings…

Thought of writing this after getting back to Mumbai, but the memories might fade out by then. It was the night before “the day of Happenings” – a party thrown by one of the friends (Prasenjit), and that might be the 2nd time that I liked Continental food. Good food and loads of it!!!

Exit Restaurant –> Enter The Day of Happenings

On my way back, after midnight, I realized that my cell was missing. I had left the restaurant a bit early, and thus asked  another friend (Sumit) to call my flatmate (Tushar) who was still gorging on the good food and drinks. They told me that there’s no cell phone over there. It continued to ring, but no one picked up the call.  This made me quite confident that I had left it in the office while in a hurry to reach the venue for the party (not to mention it was Nokia 1112 model, which anyways is not a cause for concern). However, the day had already struck.

In the morning, the cell was switched off. Still optimistic, I reached my office, and asked the security guards if they have found any cell. As always is the case with me, it now seemed to me that I had actually lost my cell.  I called up the restaurant, but the answer was “No”. I had lost 3 Nokia basic models at college, so this didn’t come as a surprise.

Exit Search for Cell –> Enter Office Work

That day, I had to catch a flight scheduled at 8.40 pm from Mumbai International Airport to Delhi – was going back home for Diwali. I thought of directly leaving from office at 6pm (40 mins from office to airport, but you never know of Mumbai traffic and rains). Had a meeting scheduled at 4, which was supposed to be half an hour long. But, there was some delay…started at around 4.45 pm, and continued till 6pm!!! :O

At 6pm, I got back to my desk, noticed that we were having a call with our US client. She had asked me to deliver something before leaving for home, I had thought I would do it by 6, after coming early from the meeting. But, that didn’t happen. I was already a bit restless, and responding to my client’s  wishes for Diwali was a mere formality. At that time, even the wishes seemed like curses…cummon!!! I had to finish the work and mail her the document. By 6.10, I had started working on whatever was remaining of the document. It would have taken me just 10 mins. But, my team, tired after a long call, was going to cafeteria. And, thus, began another session of well wishing. Impatience, restlessness and disinterest would have shown on my face, as they soon headed to cafeteria. However, by then it was already 6.20pm. I quickly made the changes in the document, drafted a mail to be sent to the client, and then closed the document to be attached to the mail. I checked in the destination folder for the doc. But…Wait a second…did I save it!!! Oh S**t!!! I had closed it, and when a prompt window had popped, I had clicked Yes. I had hoped that while quitting from Word, it would ask to save the changes. It did, but in a hurry I had forgotten that the document had been directly opened from the Outlook Attachment, and thus would be saved in some default location. To figure this out itself, it had taken another 5 mins. When I browsed to the location of default folder, I realised that the folder didn’t exist. I was puzzled. By the way, it was already 6.30. Panicked…I realized that there was someone standing next to me. It was another colleague of mine (Neha), she was also leaving early to attend some Pooja. When she asked me to leave as I was getting a bit too late, it dawned on me that I might miss my flight. But, I couldn’t have left without completing that document, and, to add to the misery, I didn’t have  a cell to call any of my team-mates, to explain them the situation. After trying to help me for another 5 mins, Neha left. It was 6.40 and I had not been able to figure out where the document had been saved. I checked in Recent Documents, but it wasn’t there. Entry of another character (Sumit) – asked me to go back to the default location. But, the default location wasn’t showing up in the explorer window. Then, finally I had an idea…why not type the entire address in the explorer tab!!! And, aahhh…I had reached to the desired location. It was then just a matter of opening documents to see which one was the last modified. But, as we say, troubles never end. Each document was taking up ‘hajjar’ time, seemed to me like centuries, to open up. Finally, I came to the conclusion that the document had not been saved, and also that I am going to miss my flight. It was 6.50 pm. I pinged my client… left an offliner that I had not been able to complete the doc. Sumit, who was still there, asked me to hurry up and leave for the airport. I noticed that someone had kept a small wax candle at my desk, and I knew who it was…but, sadly, didn’t have time to wish any of my colleagues. It was so fast forwarded!!!

Exit office floor with Sumit—> Lift —> Ground Floor.

Went for scanning, a lady over there had kept a bag on the belt and was opening up to check what she had brought that was not permitted. I shoved against her, and jumped in front of another gentleman, who allowed me to pass, or did I just force my way!!! But, why did everyone seem to add to the delay. I pulled over the bag to my shoulder, when the security woman asked me to open up the bag for checking. She claimed that there was a Pen-Drive in my bag. The bag, being one of my firends’ and not mine, might have had a Pen Drive. But, what she had pointed out was definitely a pen. By now, even Sumit was getting restless. I searched for ‘the thing’ in the bag, and finally found it tucked to one of the pockets…showed it to the woman. But, that didn’t end there. She took it from me, and started tinkering with it…opened it up, looked at it for some time, and said “Sahaab, ye pen nahi…Pen Drive hai!!!”. I was totally taken aback, she had found something worth Rs500-600 in a mere Rs50 object. For her, may be it was a great discovery, but I didn’t have time to congratulate her. I got psyched, it was 6.50 now. “Arey, aap meri flight miss karogi kya…ye Pen hi hai, Pen Drive nahi hai!!!”. Then, seeing no reaction, shouted “Arey yaar!!! Kya kar rahe ho…kisi ko dikhao jise pata ho, agar aapko nahi pata hai to!!!” Even Sumit started shouting. I turned back to face the receptionist. To my dismay, there was no receptionist, but just 2 security guards. She went to them and gave the Pen/Pen-Drive to the one who was on call!!! See, how intelligent!!! The guard just took it, and kept talking on the phone. I had reached my limit – “Kya kar rahe ho yaar!!! Dekho ye aapko pen drive lag rahi hai!!!”. Sort of a debate ensued between the two of us – whether that particular pen could be used as pen drive or not!!!.

“Call par hoon…thoda dheere boliye”.

“Aap ko dikh nahi raha kya ki ye pen hai!!!”

“Agar itne hi intelligent hote to yahaan kyun baithte!!!”

Was taken aback by that response!!! Kya hai ye, koi saazish against me!!!

Calming a bit, “Accha dekh lo bhaiya, par dekho to jaldi…itna time lagta hai kya identify karne mein!!”

“Aap shaant rahenge…kitni der pehle aayi hai mere paas ye Pen-Drive…abhi 2 min bhi nahi hue!!!”

“Uff…to aap dekhiye na!!! Mujhe kya dekh rahe hain, Pen ko dekhiye!!!”

“Aap bole hi ja rahe hain tab se”

“Accha…aapko sun ne ke liye aankhon ki zaroorat padti hai!!!”

That taunt was enough to provoke that security guard. He would have realised that it was just a pen, but I had been a bit too impatient!!!

Continuing from my side, “Arey…aisa kariye, ise desktop ke port mein laga ke dekh lijiye…shayad lag jaaye…dekhiye na!!! dekh kyun nahi rahe hain…dekhiye!!!”

That was too loud…

“Hume nahi maloom hai…aap ko shor hi machana hai to hamare head ke paas chale jaiye”

I would have wished to go…but it was almost 7pm by then. I noted their names, and asked them to keep that fantasy “Pen-Drive” with them. I along with Sumit, hustled out of the office to catch an auto.

Exit Office – Enter Mumbai traffic and weather

When everything is going against you, why not let Mumbai weather also have some fun!! It started raining, while on my way to Mumbai airport. However, it took us a bit less than 40 mins, and I arrived at International airport just after 7.45pm. Did I miss my flight…I think the door closes 1 hr before the scheduled time!!! But then standing in a queue to enter the airport, I heard someone asking for Air India passengers to Delhi to come forward. At the check-in counter of Air India also, I was hurried ahead of others, as I was late for the flight. I was relieved to be there on time, and the first good thing actually happened to me – I did not have to wait in long queues. Haha!!! But, just remember, it was “Air India”.

Exit Mumbai –> Enter Air India

While going through the security, I was told that Air India flight is delayed and will take off at 10pm instead of 8.40pm. Enter 2 more characters – Lovneet (flatmate) and Shreyas (ex-flatmate). All of us were travelling to Delhi, and so it wasn’t much pain to wait till 9pm, when we were moved into the flight. 1hr – sitting inside the flight, a bit boring…but I was relaxed by the idea that it was at least not adventurous. At 10pm – the passengers waited for another 15 mins. It was 10.15, but there had been no announcement for take-off. It was not only me, but other passengers had grown restless and pained. Few of us started walking in the aisle, chatting with others. The air-hostess and stewards told us that we were waiting for 10 other passengers. Soon, may be after 5 mins, the air-hostess updated us that just one passenger remains to be identified. Enter another character – Ansari (soon to be my entertainment during the 2hr flight). By 10.30pm, everyone was frustrated and cursing Air India. “How can they let 100 passengers wait for just a single person.” It was then said that Ansari’s luggage has been shifted to the Cargo, but he was somewhere stranded at airport. He was travelling from Dubai, and this was a connecting flight. So, the luggage had been transferred automatically. The flight officials didn’t have any other alternative but to search for Ansari in the flight and at the airport; the other option of identifying his luggage from everyone’s checked-in luggage kept in cargo and throwing it out was the last measure. Add to that, the flight was heading for New York from Delhi. It was a security threat. Stewards and the pilot came out asking each and everyone if his/her name is Ansari. Anyone who stood up faced the question, “Are you Ansari?” Passengers began to let out their frustration as silly comments, and laughing over that. It was crazy, and I liked that. And, did I mention that I had lost my cell – What a crisis!!! I wished to let my parents know about the delay. Lovneet and Shreyas came to my rescue, but do I ever help myself!!! I didn’t remember any of the numbers, but one. Called the friend, but what a coincidence – he didn’t pick up the call!!! I waited to get a call from him…after 15 mins, when I called him again, to my relief, he picked up the call. So, at least my parents were notified.

After waiting for an hour and fifteen minutes, it was finally decided to go for the last resort, throwing out his baggage. And, then entered Ansari!!! Huh…it was totally filmy. I had only seen it in films, but then everyone, each passenger stood up in respect for Ansari, and applauded him. A single person being able to hold back the flight from taking-off, denting each one’s Diwali mood. It was 11.15 and then, none expected to reach Delhi before midnight.

Ansari. He looked totally lost even after boarding the flight. Searching for his seat, he came next to me, and I realized that the window-seat next to me was vacant. What a great day for me!!! The celebrity was to accompany me for the journey. I could feel many eyes staring at me, and him. Note that the day had still not ended. Even after Ansari had boarded the flight, we had to wait for another half an hour due to some weather problems or technical difficulties, I am not sure. The flight finally took-off at 11.40pm, with a total delay of 3hrs wrt the scheduled time of 8.40pm. As we headed towards Delhi, an announcement was made, “Air India ke sabhi yaatriyon ko Diwali ki hardik shubhkamnayein. Aapki Diwali mangalmay ho” – how ironic!!!

Back to Ansari – minor troubles followed – he was unable to adjust his hand bag in the space above, so I was asked to take out my bag and keep under my seat so that he just gets seated. Being an International flight, there were screens in front of us, and his wasn’t working!!! He kept asking me about the functionality, and at times, even suggesting that I was not aware of the functions. When given a choice of Veg and Non-Veg Chicken for dinner, this was his question – “Mutton hai kya?? Chicken nahi…”

Air-hostess was quick to reply, “Aap 2 ghante der se to aaye hi hain…shopping kar ke nahi aaye kya?? Thodi aur der mein aate shopping karke to hum aapke liye mutton bhi banva dete!!!”

Exit Airport –> Bye Bye to the Day

Haha!!! Could sense the pain within everyone even after reaching Delhi. But, the day had passed, and my parents were there at 2am to pick me up at the airport. Celebrating Diwali now – just love it, awesome Diwali, crackers and lights!!! Bye bye the day of Happenings..;)

Campus to Corporate?? No way…

Don’t we all miss home at times?? There is an urge within us all the time to get back home. Even I do, but which one?? It puzzles me, confuses me. Is it my home in Noida that’s calling me, or my Institute, or is it the company that I joined 4 months back? Everyday I come back to my flat (another home ), I miss the floor, the work desk…and what not.

Each phase of life brings upon new challenges and in the beginning of each one, there is a sort of reluctance to enter the new world. We would wish to stay in our comfort zone.  But, whenever I look forward to have such a change, I have always faced disappointment. May be it’s the way I perceive each of my life journeys. There’s nothing distinctly dissimilar among the different worlds that I had entered at one or the other stage.

There’s a Campus to Corporate Induction program, to ensure smooth transition into the Corporate World. At that time, I truly believed that I should get ready to be more formal, more sincere etc. May be these were the inhibitions till now that kept me from writing a similar post. Over the time, in a period of just 4 months, I feel I am back to my campus. There’s no change from the world I come from. But I am not disappointed, it’s so great to be a part of family.

It’s hard to believe the underlying fact, that there are so many awesome people at the same place at the same time in this new world. To say the least, it’s like my campus revisited. Even at campus, I am sure that most of us loved the hostel life, not to take away the academic life which was part and parcel of the campus life. However, being at this home, even work seems pleasure and fun. Whether be it our team of 4, or the gang of 14 new joinees, or my manager, or my US clients – they’re just freakingly awesome. How would you react to this – you stay in the office late to finish up some work, and the next day you get a mail from US – “What the heck, Prateek!!! Please go home”. Haha…it’s so lovely, so caring. Till now, it was just my parents who would be worried about all this…and that’s why I am loving it, it’s nothing to do with the work, but with smiles that I see on most of the faces, the pleasing noise of chit-chatting that I hear passing by any desk. It never used to be like this in our campus, to be more specific, during the class hours. But, over here, this is something I am experiencing while at work. There are no issues whatsoever, except when I had to bring up something during the admin meeting .

When emotions ooze out of me like this, I write a post because even after sharing the same with all of my colleagues, it’s still too much to digest for me. I am not missing my home, my campus…I just remember them. How can I feel that I have left them behind, because it’s the same here. Every day is a sort of rememberance to my days of past. It’s like living the past again, which I believe each one of us wish to relive. Every night when I am on my way home, there is a smile on my face, an expression of satisfaction and happiness, my ears vibrate to the music that, may be, is coming from within me. May be this won’t last forever, may be it’s just at the beginning, may be it’s the same as my Institute and my hostel, Saras, where for an year I felt that everyone can love everyone. But, soon it dawned upon me that not anyone can like everyone. I hope that at this new place, it continues forever. Only difference that I see is, in Insti we had the same faces for 5 years, but at company we see a new face each day !!!

I have not moved into a different world. Somehow it feels that I am never supposed to undergo any transition. It’s just that the other world, which seems so different from another world, undergoes a transition when I enter it. It is just the same as the previous one. Where is the need of a program for me to adapt to it. The world has adapted itself according to me. I just woke up in the morning, and poured in my thoughts onto this blog. When I write, even the breakfast is waiting for me…it seems to me that everyone is waiting for me, trying to make me feel the same as I have never felt before…there’s just a smile on my face, a glow in my eyes…it’s just a reflection that the new world is not corporate any more. It has transformed into my campus, my home, my world. It doesn’t matter to me if I need to pull out night outs to have the same, obviously I realize that I need to work a bit – I am getting paid to stay at home . And as I got carried away by my emotions, I feel a bit of my energy did drain out…so preparing to recharge myself, getting ready to go to office…oops, i think home…whatever, i think it’s just the same. Corporate, it’s not!!! Love You!!! Awesome!!!

When I flew…!!!

I was flying without wings…no, it was not a dream. Since watching Inception, I have been particularly inclined to focus on my sub-conscious, thus making it a part of my conscious mind. It has been long since I had registered something significant in my mind (that’s why no posts for a long time), but it’s always my sub-conscious that brings out some thoughts that when thought upon feels so significant.

I had reached Nariman Point one and a half hour before the start of the play, and was waiting for my other friends. There was a slight drizzle with strong winds; and I hate the fact that being in Mumbai, one always need to carry an umbrella (as if it matters, you still get wet!!!). It had been more than a month that I had been feeling Mumbai to be less than ordinary due to its roads, rains and what not. ‘Mumbai’ – people taking shelter under sheds, lowering down the cover at the sides of an auto even at the sight of a droplet, crossing the road hesitantly so as to not have their share of water from a puddle.

But, it seemed so different that day. I was walking on the footpath, trying to hold up my umbrella against the strong winds, when I saw a crowd in front. It seemed they were enjoying the rain….how long it had been since I saw someone enjoying it!! It was just one and a half month but it seemed to be more than a year…in Mumbai, the mind had panicked at the very sound of a water drop falling on the ground. I hurried past the footpath, still struggling against the winds and rain with my ‘umbrella shield’…crossed the road, climbed the steps to stand at the top, where I had seen others enjoying. There lay in front of me, the vast Arabian Sea and the Mumbai sky-line. No one over there was holding an umbrella, or if I may say, had lowered their umbrellas, like me at that very moment, to enjoy that beauty…to feel the strength within. At times, things happen so often or become monotonous that we get too tired and frustrated, and forget to enjoy something that we would have enjoyed the most. We develop a wall around us, a fear for everyday surrounds us, and inhibits us from baring our souls and live the moment.

The striking contrast (between every day and the day) that I noticed for the first time in Mumbai was not just the beauty, but the people’s attitude. May be they were just having fun; but I just stood up, with my chin held high, umbrella lowered down as to challenge the winds. They forced their way against me, but I was no more hiding behind a shield. They brushed against my cheek, slithered through my hair, but the wilder they grew, more satisfied I was at my heart (or mind???).  It seemed as if I was ready to face any challenge…face the sea, face the winds…to fly, jump off the path and fly over the sea. I walked towards an opening, bringing myself closer to the sea. Gradually, my steps became lighter and lighter; and before I could grasp the situation, I was flying…flying without the wings, effortlessly. In front of me, the crows flapped their wings, but I had already taken a lead. It was hard for them to resist against the winds, few even cowered and flew back. They struggled harder and harder, their wings seemed to tear apart, but my moments were swifter. It seemed as if I had tamed the wind, the force of nature. Even the eagle couldn’t match me, the wind has forced it to take shelter behind the branches of a tree. I felt like the Lord of the Sky, entering into an unknown, undiscovered realm.

Something struck me then, I don’t know when…it seemed like a thought. I looked at my watch, I had been flying for more than an hour, and it was time to head back to ground…and turn my head away from that place and back to the same feared world. But, then I knew that if I ever wished to fly, it won’t be tough. I already knew the  place to take-off from. When I turned away, got down to the road, I remembered a song – “Zindagi ka safar, hai ye kaisa safar! Koi samjha nahi, koi jaana nahi…”.

I won’t try harder to link this to the concept of Inception…but, in reality, sometimes your sub-conscious forces through your conscious, trying to make you feel the way you wish. And once you enter that world, you realize what I realized when I flew…!!!

PS: A Passing Phase

PS: My  previous post – Rise or Fall?

“3 weeks into our internship – as for me there was little to do, but even that little work had kept my hopes high – of a promising future. My co-intern, on the other side, dreaded the future – busy mentors, little or no work, spending 8 hours in front of a screen, feeling the body weight for just short intervals (which were even fewer).”

We realized that it was just A Passing Phase.

Now it’s more than 2 months – As for me, I did achieve success in some of the small things that I was doing and now, moving forward to an important part of my project.

It’s like Somdev Dewarman – succeeding in various minor tournaments, getting a shot at one of the Majors, and now, analyzing where it went wrong. (No offense meant)

As for my co-intern, Ugri (for those who didn’t figure it out till now!!), he seems more like Del Potro – working hard to succeed at all the Majors, and recently, partly fulfilling his aim by winning one of the Majors. So, congrats Ugri.

Stepped into each other’s shoes now

Cheers to our intern!!!

RISE OR FALL?

Rise higher or Fall deeper – is it a decision by our state of mind or by our rational mind?

3 weeks into our internship – as for me there was little to do, but even that little work had kept my hopes high – of a promising future. My co-intern, on the other side, dreaded the future – busy mentors, little or no work, spending 8 hours in front of a screen, feeling the body weight for just short intervals (which were even fewer). We had limited us to monologues with the screen; dialogues spread out sparsely over the 8 hours, so that they don’t become monotonous and seem worse than a monologue, taking away from us the only source of entertainment available to us.

Our heads turned to face each other; it was time for a break!! We walked out of our cubicles to have chocolate. The vending machine poured a cup of chocolate for each of us, and then we stood silently looking at the vast space in front of us, above us, and of course, below us. Our hands were taking the support of the railings that was 3 floors above the ground. We waited for the other to speak, and then suddenly I burst out – a conversation prevailed-

I - “ Won’t it be nice to jump over the railing into the air…..”

My friend interrupted, but continued with what I had said-

Co-intern – “To fall into the depths below, to keep falling, as if there was nothing below us – not here, not 3 floors below, never. Just an endless fall.”

I waited for him to complete – not to please him, but to absorb his apperception of what lay ahead. I wondered – that was not what I had intended! What he spoke begun with what I had said, but didn’t end that way.

I – “Why not to rise higher and higher, to have wings – to reach the zenith!! Why do you want to fall? What’s wrong with going higher above?

I rested to let him speak.

Co-intern – “It requires effort”.

The conversation ended. His answer was simple and justified. I had never thought of that answer. Another conversation triggered, but now with my mind –

I – “Isn’t it related to our lives! That mere conversation of about a minute or two had made me think of something. Was the conversation an analogy to our lives!”

My Mind – “Yes, it was. When we see a promising future, don’t we try harder to reach there, to do it honestly, and to put in our best efforts, because that has brought us so far, that’s what we believe in. But, if we fail once, if we see no future ahead of us, don’t we fear putting in the efforts, isn’t our faith shaken!!”

I – “What has changed – we, or our mind, or the opportunities that present before us?

My Mind – “No, none of these; it’s just a change in frame of mind, which makes us do some honest mistakes, to stoop lower and lower, only because that seems easier. We keep falling to rise higher.”

I – “But, isn’t that an anomaly? We try to believe that there is no ground below, that there is no limit to our fall.”

My Mind – “May be that’s true!!”

I – “Then what’s the difference between the low and the high, when both reach infinity. If I consider myself rising facing downwards, won’t it be the same.

My Mind – “Yes, it would be the same; you have justified your falling.

But, there is a fallacy. We want to rise higher with our head held high and up, not facing down. If we are happy to see others who are below us, isn’t it a hollow happiness!! It’s the same as if we are walking a path full of roses, to look behind and see the roses we have crushed on our way, and not the roses that lay ahead. How can we feel happy about that!”

I knew the answer then -

We know what’s that we want. Our mind knows. But, what curtails it is our frame of mind.

So, think once before you leap into the air – “Is it a Rise or a Fall”!

The Journey to the End

Two of us just kept standing there, staring at the clear space in front of us. We were expecting a train soon. The sky was as clear as it could have been, light blue with wide white patches here and there. There were noises, people and then, the train. As the two of us entered the train, the noises became clearer, and we realized then, that our talks were not restricted to just two of us, but involved many more who were to accompany us through this journey.

With great power, the train huffed and puffed and finally moved ahead towards its destination. By that time, we all had settled – of the 16 berths, 8 were occupied by us, and it was the same for the entire train. With the final and official convocation to follow the next day, this was expected. During all this hustle, I couldn’t help myself, and I don’t know why, to give a quick look at the time and the sky. It was around 7 pm and there was no hint of darkness in the sky, still the same evening sky.

I had a glimpse of the following day. We sat in a group of 5, as more than that would have wrecked havoc on the other passengers. With 3 of them, now employed, spitting out the stories of their new environment, I was sure to know what awaited me next day. The chit-chat continued, and it never seemed as if it had gone on for so long, but when we finally decided to turn off the lights and our minds, it was 12.30 am. The day of Convocation had begun. In midst of all the conversations, I didn’t even notice the sky turning so dark. It was now totally dark, the trees even darker. As we had continued playing with our memories, Nature had continued Her work as an artist, painting gradually the canvas dark with colors. I was to sleep at the side lower berth, but I felt a bit restless. For a while, I kept looking out of the window, at the enormous, endless play of Nature. It was all black and it grew darker, as my eyes unknowingly faltered and shut its doors.

I woke up suddenly completely dazed, not knowing why. Even in that unconscious frame of mind, my eyes had tried to look at the sky and the scene that laid in front of me. Amazed and spell-bounded, my eyes as well as my mind opened up; I knew the Nature was playing tricks. The splendor of that magnificent piece of art – how could it go unnoticed! The space in front of me was pitch black, and still the trees seemed to be even darker. The sky was jeweled with stars; it was as if a black satin cloth has been studded with diamonds. As I looked at the scenic panorama, a cool breeze brushed gently against my face – how soft a touch, how pleasant! I looked at the watch, I had been asleep for just over 2 hours – it was 2.30 am. I felt a sudden urge to wake up my friend, to make him a part of this visual treat, but then I decided otherwise. I sat back on my seat, paying even more attention. And the attention brought a flood of thoughts in my mind. It had been long since I had seen such a clear and soothing view, probably in my childhood days. I tried to fondle with my memories to find a reason for that – why would the night seem to be the One, although it should be just a one. Various reasons crossed my mind – may be this is due to the Pollution in the cities!!! Clear skies are a rare sight now. Or may be it won’t have seemed so unusual if I had traveled more in Sleeper Class of the train; it had been a long time since I had traveled in non-AC. The train of thoughts was now even faster; as the train outside gradually came to a halt. I noted the name of the station – Kavali, arrived at around 3 am on 31^st July, 2009. I had no idea why, but I wished to remember each and everything related to that time. I don’t know if it was the place, the time or something else which made the night unforgettable. But, it was surely the night of shining stars, sparkling high up in the sky…And soon my friends will be walking the same path, rising above the rest of the world – that was soon to come. It seemed to me that the night was a tribute to them, the Convocation Day could not have been on any other day, this was the Day….ohhh, how could I let my mind think so much when the time was to just relax and enjoy. The train moved, although as soon as it came across plain lands with trees all around, it seemed that it had stopped – as if it was a dream, as if the time had stopped. Only the sound of the steel wheels rolling on the rails and occasional passes of small, clear ponds were proof of any movement. The water bodies were the only glowing spot in the entire dark background; moonlight reflected from the surface of the water – that silvery shine, with wind blowing over the surface to form ripples. I raised my head to look for the source of that light; the stars covered the entire sky, twinkling as if enjoying within themselves…And in front of my eyes a star stood out from the others – the Pole Star, the brightest of all.

As I was having a silent conversation with the force of Nature, I got a call from HER!!! What a change of situation…a minute back I was wondering at the utter brilliance of what laid ahead, and now, staring at the hole through which I can see the train moving over the ground. However, to make up for that Nature’s mistake, I came out of the restroom and moved towards the door and unlatched it, to feel that sudden, cold gust of wind. And, there it was again, lying in front of my eyes, the greatest painting I had ever seen. With each of Her masterstrokes, the colors went darker and darker. Often, we relate “dark” and “cold” with evil, but at that moment I realized how wrong we had been. The dark and cold brought to me the brighter and warmer memories of my friends, feelings I somehow related to the night. It was better to sleep then, but I had an urge to wake up till the sun rises – to watch the ultimate beauty and the end of the night. However, I also wished to be in full spirits during the day, with my friends. I had been up for 2 hours – it was 4.30 am. Finally, I decided to let my mind decide. I walked in, lied down on my berth, still staring at that great piece of art, and I never knew when my mind made its decision and my eyes closed.

Again, my eyes fluttered, although to see more light and warmth surrounding me. It was 6.30 am and a new canvas had already been set and the Nature has started Her play with colors. A new day had begun, a new start, a fresh life. The canvas was almost white, with a tinge of yellow and gold mixed with it, to mark the sunrise. I had slept for just 4 hours the previous night, and had no intentions to sleep any more – I had watched the end, the end seemed so beautiful; I could never miss the beginning.

At 6.30 pm that day, I was sitting next to unknown faces in a fully enclosed air-conditioned hall with a capacity of about 2000 people and completely filled. Due to lack of sleep the previous night, I had now been shivering for the last 2 and half hours – that was when the ceremony had started. The environment then was nowhere similar to what I had felt the last night, but the feeling was the same – that of divine pleasure, as I watched all the passing out students totaling to about 900, including my friends, stand up and take that final pledge. The pledge marked the end of a part of their lives; they were now to begin a new chapter. To be successful is a dream, and no one can understand it better than those who were standing in front of me. They have chosen their paths, it’s now just a matter of walking that path and they would shine as before, over the world – the stars, to whom I am so close. As they threw up their capes, I realized that in a day, in a single journey, I had met two endings – of the stars that are far away, and of those stars that are within my hands’ reach.

I had made a journey to the end or rather ends. However, I can never tell which one I liked more – Nature’s or Man’s. That has always been a point of debate and it surely is.

‘GIGAIM’ rocks!!!

Although I would have hated to write a post like this, but after being almost cut off from the world for about one week, I really think www.gigaim.com rocks; and I more than love to write about it.

One week and no work, and lots of time to get bored, browsing through arbit stuff, access being denied to gmail, yahoo, or for that sake many other entertaining sites – that’s how I define first week of my internship at GE, Hyderabad.

But, then I had Ugri (co-intern, college friend) on my side; and thanks to him, he finally broke off the shackles which were keeping us in a sort of solitary (not actually solitary, but ‘dual’itary) confinement, in the 2nd week itself!!! Even I had tried to access the outer world through various proxy sites, but to my disappointment, all in waste.

With just one week over, I now know that I can connect to anyone out there, whenever ‘I wish’. To all those surviving behind the walls, ‘GIGAIM’ is the answer to your calls.

Cheers to gigaim!!!

PS: Also, it gave me some stuff to ‘pen’ down in my blog. An added advantage!!! 

When ‘THE’ Present Eclipsed the Past, Enshrined the Present and Etched into the Future!!!

On Sunday ‘Greatness’ was redefined. The phenomenon was born approximatley 27 years ago, however the initial, albeit insignificant vestiges of any marked grandeur were only seen in 1987. Within few years, the tennis world was to spectacle a legend in making. The world then was fortunate enough to watch him learn, and the world now is awed by his simple presence there, a legend’s presence.

The final battle, on Sunday, ensued for four hours and 16 minutes with a scoreline of  5-7 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 16-14, a 78 game epic. The final set alone lasted for going on for over an hour and half, the longest set in the history of Wimbledon. The match established Roger Federer’s supremacy not only in the current arena, but in the history of tennis; Federer regained the top spot as well. All the questions were answered- Had Roger Federer sealed his place in sporting history? Was he the greatest ever to lift a tennis racket? Had he transcended the likes of bygone greats like Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, and Pete Sampras?

With back to back victories in the 2 Grand Slams ( in French Open before Wimbeldon), Federer became one of the very few to win all four majors and surpass Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slams. There is, perhaps, very little that can make an all-time grand slam record more special. And to that, Roger Federer owes Andy Roddick, the man who took runner’s up trophy third time in a row.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to this moment of glory, of reckoning. But, soon enough (next day ), I captured all that had happened, through various sources and would like to post some of those memorable quotes and happenings:

Just after the match-

Chants of “Roddick, Roddick” rang through the arena, as the crowd came to terms with the epic match it had just been witness to.

“I’m one of the lucky few that gets cheered for so thank you, I appreciate that,” said the ever-gracious American, quickly overcoming what was clearly a heart-wrenching loss for him. “I want to say congratulations to Roger: well done, he deserves it.”

“If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same,” reads a sign above the entrance to Center Court.

At the post-match conference-

Roddick, after the defeat -

For once a roomful of journalists were lost for words. There was nothing they wanted to ask Andy Roddick because every question felt too ghoulish. What did we need to know? Andy Roddick had played the greatest game of his life and had still lost.

Did you lose to the world’s greatest tennis player ever? “Yeah.”

“He just makes it real tough. You know, he was having trouble picking up my serve today for the first time ever. He just stayed the course. You didn’t even get a sense that he was even really frustrated by it. He gets a lot of credit for a lot of things, but not a lot of the time is how many matches he kind of digs deep and toughs out. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for that because it looks easy to him a lot of the times. But he definitely stuck in there today.”

And here’s the Greatest-Ever himself, Federer -

“I used to get nervous when a friend would come and watch me play as a kid, and then it was my parents, and then it was legends. Today anybody can come and watch me play, I don’t get nervous anymore. But with Pete it was a bit special. When he walked in and I saw him for the first time, I did get more nervous actually. I said hello to him too, which is unusual. But I thought, I don’t want to be rude!”-  Federer grinned.

“I’m happy at least that I became No. 1 in the world by winning the tournament, not just by him not playing at all, or me playing decent or someone else playing decent and getting to No. 1. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be. You win big matches, big tournaments – that’s how you get back to it.” – Federer on Nadal’s absence.

“My career has had a lot of ups and downs but Mirka has always been there. I’m unbelievably grateful to her. She had to stop playing because she had such pain in her foot, but she went really quickly from being a player to my girlfriend and my helper, and it was never a problem for her. I’m really lucky.” – Federer for Mirka, his wife.

Tennis legends on Federer’s greatness –

“should just watch his feet, just watch Roger and not the ball, and you’d see how great a player he is to pull off some of the shots. ” – Australian great Rod Laver, to anyone who is unsure of Federer’s greatness.

And finally, Sampras –

“He’s a great guy, he’s humble, which I like. He’s sort of effortless, he doesn’t seem like he’s working that hard out there. He plays at that level so easily, he serves big, he’s got a great forehand, his backhand’s solid, he’s got everything and he’s got the belief. The critics say (Rod) Laver, and (Rafa) Nadal beat him a few times in majors, but he’s won all the majors, he’s going to win a few more here, so in my book he is. “

The win, on Sunday, apotheosized Federer.

The Pensieve

This was few days back, rather few weeks ago – I stood in front of the ATM, trying to gather my thoughts, unable to find what I was searching for. A crunching noise from within the ATM made a similar rumbling noise within my mind, as if all thoughts were shuffling together to find their right place. The receipt popped out, to show me 1793. The number confirmed that the last transaction had been successful and the memories that I had been juggling till now, to evade that silent force, finally formed a pattern.

There was no running away now, I knew that my tenure as a Soc-Sec was over. It was now best for me to recollect whatever I can and cherish and enjoy till that fades out. At that instant, I unbarred the doors of my mind to let all the thoughts flow out. The flow was less than expected; during this one year, somehow few of the memories had slipped out into nowhere and now they were lost forever.  Still there was lot to catch hold of – saw an year younger, slightly anxious Oval adressing Freshies for the 1st time alongwith Arun(Bhadwa), Lit-Sec –> hidden in a crowd of jubilant freshies, after a great start to Saras’ Lit-Soc journey with 1st position in Queen of Sheeba, a proud Oval –> saw all the shades of Oval, while coloring my life once again with those fond memories –>uff, that’s a concerned Oval at Fine Arts–> angry Oval at Diwali  –> now disappointed for Choreo–> I think I am happy now, twin victory at Drams and SFM –>ecstatic –>almost tearful at the Freestyle Solo Dance for the freshi wins…………—>acting as a lunatic at Holi –> AHA!!!. Finally, the most memorable event – when actually the entire hostel worked as a team to seal the 1st place for Saras - Treasure Hunt, enjoying the bums now…all of us now gathering together to rejoice that moment, yelling aloud just one name…SARAS…SARAS…that’s what binds us together. I see everyone from 1st years to final years - no one knows when Saras won the trophy before, but now everyone will know, because it’s now…it’s over…we have won!!! Thanks to Bhadwa, freshies, seniors (won’t mention all names) – they achieved it, worked hard for it. It’s done and over…Hurrah!!!

Alas!!!It’s all over now. How good it was to re-live those moments in parts, to feel them again. I wish I  had a Pensieve (remember Harry Potter?).

“I use the Pensieve. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one’s mind, pours them into the basin, and examines them at one’s leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links, you understand, when they are in this form.“

If there would have been a Pensieve….

Welcome to the Hard Truth!!!

Don’t you feel stifled in your environment?? If you are happy in your life and content with what’s going around you, then leave now.

What’s that they say, “For Ignorance is Bliss”. I say - It’s Dangerous.

Is it because you have adapted yourself to the environment?? Isn’t that the best way to survive?? Isn’t it better to be like that – but better for whom?? For you or for the Society?? I don’t think that either you or the Society need to just survive, it’s your LIFE – you need to LIVE it!!!

“Throughout the world…we use the word ‘politics’ to describe the process so well: ‘Poli’ in Latin meaning ‘many’ and ‘tics’ meaning ‘bloodsucking creatures’. Don’t you think that we are among these ‘tics’??Yes, WE are!!! And I learnt this harsh reality after entering IIT. There are many things that I have learnt at IIT the hard way ( ), as these were theoretical (all the courses). However, one thing that, I am damn sure, will always remain in my mind as I see it everytime, I feel it everywhere, it’s there always and that is – Regionalism, Politics. Before entering into IIT or for that matter for anyone entering any of the institutes, we sense a feeling of pain and of being cheated, swelling within us, a surge of anger against the people governing the country – ‘POLI-TIC-IANS’. The feeling is justified.

We do feel the same even after coming here – Is the feeling justified now?? One would say, “Why not!! We have become more responsible.” I ask, “Responsible for what??” During institute elections or even elections within the hostel, we see regionalism at its peak. If a Northie wins, it would have been due to Northie majority; and if a Southie (from A.P) wins, it would have been otherwise. Here credentials matter, but only if you are facing a neutral person, who are in minority. Favoritism being shown based on region, is that what we were appealing for to our dear ‘Politicians’. If not, then why are we becoming like them!!! Politics leads to regionalism, and Regionalism, in turn, leads to Regional Politics. It has become a vicious circle – a loop, without a beginning or an end. We are tying a knot, a noose around our necks, strangling ourselves, which will eventually suffocate us to death. We are preparing a Doomsday for ourselves. It may be tough to untie the noose, without a beginning or an end, but I ask, “Why are we looking for its ends, for its causes, for its consequences, when we know it’s infinite?? We can never reach its ends.”

But there has to be some solution. How can we otherwise bring a change in the Indian politics?? Why do you think are politicians not justified in showing favoritism, bringing quota in all the fields, when we are justified in doing the same for some petty, mere posts in our institute itself?? If in your mind an answer pops up, “They are justified”, then I assume – we have lost the battle against corruption, against regionalism, against communalism and against all those evils that we are preaching ourselves. We are being damn bloody hypocrites!!!

As Gandhiji said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. Till we wage a battle within ourselves, against us; we can be sure that we won’t be able to win a battle with this government, against those corrupt officials. This is the only solution – to cut the knot in between, where we are standing, to destroy the entire structure – anyways a better structure may be built later easily.

I would like to quote Nandita Das, “Lot of times, or may be always, we try to identify ourselves with something for which we have not at all contributed. We feel proud for something that we have not done – we feel proud for being a Sikh, Hindu, Muslim etc. Ponder for sometime and tell me – What have you done to be one of these. Aren’t there better things to be proud of, where you may have contributed!! ” This idea/ notion is so common – to be proud of your birthplace, family background – so explicit, so much revealed; but yet so hidden. Why? Because we are afraid of losing our identity, why do we need to sweat out our body for something, when we already have a readymade substitute for it!!!

We crib over National politics, when majority of us ‘Don’t Even Vote’. Why don’t we raise a voice against the internal politics, the game being played at a much lower level? Remember, we do ‘Vote For This’!!! How is the statement then justified, “Your vote counts”?? Is it just for the sake of counting?? Why is our vote not changing the political scene within our local boundaries??

Think over this. A song from movie “Rann” truly depicts the state of affairs in India, however it asks “Vidhata(God) to save India”. I beg to differ – it’s us or no one else.