mysterytryst

What do you think v/s What do you feel ?

2012-02-07T12:33:00.012-07:00

"kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khayal aata hai"

"dil ka khel dimaag se khelo"

A Bollywood person would surely be familiar with these phrases. But if not and for others- loosely translated in English they read:

"sometimes a thought comes to my heart"

"play heart games with the mind "

What comes to the mind on the first glance of these phrases?

These seemingly ordinary and poetic phrases appear to be quite normal, but are infact quite deep- and now that i think of it - the reason for all the psychology, psychiatry industry and research.

Looking closer the two seem to be opposites of each other.

First, the song claims that a 'thought is coming to my heart' . Medical folks will be totally against this because science dictates that the brain thinks and perceives. But on the other hand, the second one suggests playing games affecting the heart with the mind. Can one really isolate and decide consciously what to do in such matters ?

Recently i read a book, Blink, which delves into the subconscious and analyzes the seemingly behind the scenes decisions we make in split seconds without us being consciously aware of why we chose to do/think in a particular fashion at the time. Im not into reading such types of books- self help, personal growth, management etc- mainly because i think (or should i say feel ?!?) they explain the same point again and again in a round about fashion. I found the same to be true with this book as well, although it couldnt be called self help or personal growth, it certainly did stress the same point with numerous examples. It was an interesting read though- exposing to the minutest detail what goes on in our subconscious in the split seconds we have to make decisions. Blink also got to the fore the notions of stereotypes, psychology and what one explicitly says one thinks v/s what one subconsciously believes. The difference was apparent even when one does not have mere split seconds to decide - but in a more relaxed leisurely setting as well.

It is these grey areas of our decisions where our subconscious mind has more effect than our conscious thinking mind. Is this where hunches and feeling may seem to take precedence ?

In daily conversations too this can be seen, people often ask; when talking about some issues or a discussion in a company group meeting for example, 'what do you think about xyz' ? on some particularly touchy issues it may be 'what do you feel we should do' ? Could one try to draw a line in sand and separate our responses to these two questions? Would your answers to the above be the same ? all the time ?

So, what do you do-- do you think? or do you feel ? :P

Food Theory

2011-07-11T19:43:00.013-06:00

Shreekhand fresh from the cows, butter straight from the dairy, puran-poli and puri-bhajji steaming from the kitchens, fishfry or mutton masala cooked with care (read pain), fresh idli and dosa- fermented just right overnight, sarson da saag, aromatic biryanis cooked with authentic spices and formulae or the seemingly crude vada-pav and cutting -chai

pasta and lasanga with detailed concoctions of spices and sauces, the aroma of stew and chicken noodle soup, tossed vegetables in the blend of soy and chili....

slurp...

each dish painfully made with tender loving care, toiling hours in the kitchen, tasting and re-tasting to make sure its all just right... but at the end, the joy to relish... special occasions special food, good times good food, people and food, food and people...

So, having a heavily watering mouth, i meander back to the topic i have at hand..... i heard somewhere recently (pretty sure it was a movie, but cant remember which one, and so the garb of somewhe

re :\) ... that people or communities (or countries) who have an 'intimate relation' with food are typically those that have been through the tough times of drought and famine and poverty or slavery and colonization :P

.... for it is he who has lost and found knows what it truly means....

Having been born and brought-up in such a country myself (like a gazillion others here and elsewhere) (i think the long list of dishes at the top gives it away, hopefully) i cant help but ponder over, or perhaps dig deeper into; this with a thumping heart and an invisible smile...

Holiday !

2011-01-15T17:25:00.007-07:00

I was in LA

on a holiday

amidst a welcoming company

time quite just slipped away.

reliving the good ole history

the years gone bye seem only yesterday...

a tryst with the city

without much of a mystery

a walk around Hollywood

and the day was all good...

gazing at the stars on the ground

and up in the sky- at the observatory

basking in sunshine on the beach

made me realize with a stride each

how much missed the openness was

that was until just over a year

so commonplace

the plush streets at Beverly

mouth watering clearly

PCH at its scenic beauty

downtown la for its staggering majesty

theres a word of caution

of oppression in the street

each one on the guard

keeping friendly greetings at bay...

quite foreign for a small towner each day

soaking in the year-end

amongst a sea of revelers

Universal merriment

laughter and screams

after what seems like ages

and to top it all

'home' made delicacies

and jolly company

concluded my tryst

with the city of angels?

StarShucks !

2010-09-09T20:05:00.004-06:00

As i just sit by

using the free Wi-Fi

i happen to stumble

on a random rumble ( :P)

Starbucks

is bringing a high to billion lucks

The aroma of dark brewed beans

surely a connoisseur knows what this means

a whiff of chocolate in the air

here there every where

as coffee's largest chain

cozy and comfy thro hail, snow and rain

a nook in every US city

its a pity

i dont get royalty

for such publicity

but whom am i to complain?

it let me survive on exquisite coffee

and free net in bargain !

Comment OK Please !!

2010-06-09T10:49:00.014-06:00

Okay, now if you haven't figured out from where the title comes...there you go. Actually...to be quite frank it came as a real revelation, a surprise for me too....

Anyways....now that you are done pondering and exclaiming over those three simple looking words...let me draw your attention to the topic i have at hand....

In the times of fb statuses, twitter updates and Buzz....blogging seems to be a thing of the past. Now, im still a newbie in the field of blogging and so will not take the been-there-done-that tone and dole out lamenting comments on the state of affairs. But really, with one being able to post thoughts, statuses, snippets, videos et al. in just a few clicks; in a matter of seconds- and be able to connect with a known/reliable audience, is surely more enticing than typing out figments of ones philosophy, thoughts on life etc into the world wide web and then also take efforts in drawing traffic to the blog.

Another aspect that sets apart the 2 forms of connecting is the feedback and comment system. Traditionally bloggers stay connected and get feedback and reader opinions through the comments for each blog or a new post on the readers own blog. While on the other hand inline comments, immediate notifications to all previous participants keeps the discussion alive and engrossing. Even though tools such as GoogleReader, RSS feeds and syndicates have simplified the blog discussion and made the updates much easier to follow for the reader by bringing the blog quite literally into the inbox, it doesnt quite much match up to the elegance of fb/ twitter and the lot.

But..hold on all you Twitter and fb buffs.....theres always a second side to everything...Blogging does have an edge and thats reach and readership. fb/twitter/buzz updates could be followed, discussed by only a bunch of people, though personally known to the 'poster'. A blog on the other hand is your very own personal space in the web, open to one and all(although a privacy protected registered readers blog exists as well). So a blogger stands to get readership and /or opinions from any prying eyes that care to wander over his page.This also enables one to engage in publicity strategies such as linking to other sites, signing up with traffic monitors and controllers like FeedJit, Digg, StumbleUpon etc, that inculcates a healthy entrepreneurial nature. ( Oh Gosh this sounds straight out of some B-school)

PS: So moral of the story: Comment OK Please ! ;)

Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown ? or does it?

2010-06-04T04:24:00.008-06:00

'Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown'.

This is an age old adage that has been shown true time and again. In day to day activities too one might have subconsciously attested and or demonstrated this. Whether its the class monitor in school or the chairman/head of some local body or the President of a nation, each one wears their own symbolic crown and carry its burden. Now the term burden is relativistic. One may 'enjoy' all the perks/powers that indeed come with the crown and not display or hint at any of the associated burden. This case could imply two things. That the bearer is highly efficient and has dispensed off all his duties well or he is a smart little person who turns tables on all burdensome events and avoids facing them. Or on the other hand one may get literally /figuratively burdened down by the crown. This, in my opinion shows up immediately, and i feel is dangerous for all parties involved, however a very fast self correcting mechanism exists that definitely results in replacement of the bearer.

Now..now... there have been centuries worth of stories, real life incidents and personal memoirs on this topic. However my intention, dear reader , is to draw your attention to the Uneasy Head that doesn't wear the crown.

So having startled you,hopefully, and woken you up, not hopefully, from the monotonous rant above i present to you the uneasy, restless, burdened and troubled head of the uncrowned head.

To those; who wonder what i mean by head that doesn't wear the crown...i speak not of the vast majority, the public... but of each individual each human. There comes a time in every ones life when each moment is like a wait...a wait to being crowned. Crowned is not necessarily a public position...but i feel at an individual level signifies the personal goals or targets set both short term and long term. The uneasiness before a courtroom trial, restlessness for getting your first job, burden of the future, and troubled times before a crucial event happen to one and all. These manifest themselves in different ways such as changing sleep and food patterns, restlessness in day to day activities, loss of patience and lack of interest. The mind plays games....and the brain joins in too....and what happens next is what people call philosophy and/or psychology and/or emotional intelligence.

A cynic might say...uneasiness with or without the crown...so screw the crown! Yes, that too is a philosophy found in abundance on the banks of the Ganges and the tops of the Himalayas. But for the other vast majority... its part and parcel of routine life. Being in a similar state myself ...im sort of restless now...and need to do something else....

Enough is too much !

2010-03-04T22:52:00.007-07:00

Enough is.....well .... Enough !

6....really, i counted, 6 out of 10 posts on the page (prior to this being posted) were poems. Isnt that like too much of crappyness and vaguery?

Even though i am pretty pleased that posts such as this one and this have garnered the maximum eyeballs and comments ( both have surpassed 4 comments which was the previous high), i feel that its time to move on to the more traditional or conventional from of blogging and post out figments of my imagination or images of life such as the ones on this classic site that have really inspired me.

Having decided to stay away from that form of writing for a while, ill now have to get used to the long form of writing entire sentences.

Well this one being the first ill try and keep it short, but motivation for this comes from the last post and the number of comments it got.

So here is an observation (well you may call it stating the obvious too ) ....that people like to read about and similarly hear about themselves or people whom they know...

Well well well....what could this be due to i wonder..... whether its good news, bad news or just some comic relief... people love to keep discussion about others alive and kicking...............

suddenly having not much patience to brood on this topic...or actually type things out...im off.....

By Public Demand...

2010-01-24T22:14:00.008-07:00

tis a tale

born in lab gone stale,

a pleasant mix

a group of six...

let us begin

with whom no one's akin

the CRO,

character white as snow.

Always a 'song' in his mind

kindness and innocence combined...

then comes a fella

with control stellar

the uncanny style is

a hit with liz

and a cheek that he cant hide

righteousness personified

next in line

dances as on cloud nine,

frankness and a smile

he'el go with you the extra mile

and had he not told

tis tale would not unfold

then comes poor Imsong

who just got dragged along

and didnt have a clue

of what he helped us brew

later is a silence

tall as a fence.

folks say family

he just smiles coyly

and were it not for coffee

tis tale no one could tell yee...

last but not at all the least

comes a garlic naan feast

he only said jha

and laughed haha..

rebellious to the core

but never will he bore...

And now that the tales told

its for yee to unfold.....

for only the moon bluest

could collect all of the RAPIST

(Dedicated to Randy, Andy,Paul,Ian,Sam and Tom only ! )

TP

2010-01-15T12:32:00.004-07:00

Fortune favors the brave,
gambling leads one to the grave
and if ur wondering what im on about
be sure without a doubt
i have nothing more to rave

other than a silly limerick
that has done its little trick
to have spent you some time
while here i am trying words for rhyme

random chat...

2010-01-09T15:25:00.003-07:00

Heres an interesting chat i had:

12:44 PM Frnd: somewhere in the tides of time ..... ?

12:45 PM lives ur love away in isolation

desolate at being alone ?

or somewhere in the tides of time .....

12:46 PM was ur innocence lost
...corrugated by the vagaries of the earthly ?

me: comes a chance for such a rhyme...

The Window

2009-11-28T13:06:00.004-07:00

Sitting at my desk,

i gaze at the changes

both within and beyond

my window...

Beginning this summer...

lush green and inviting

sunshine streaming in

passing on, leaves drop by

counting down to what seems to yet another winter

colours change from green to orange

at great pace

and now to the fag end

its barren and weary...

reminding me of a lost glory

but 'we' all will emerge

bright and invigorated

to fight on the lull of the winter

and look forward to more sunshine

thereafter....

Wave

2009-11-19T22:25:00.003-07:00

Recently and finally after a much hyped up wait i managed to get on to the Wave. Its pretty nice.

The things that now we can do with it. Totally convenient and an amazing tool for real time collaboration.... especially for students and teams.

Any how one thing that is a bit weird is that messages dont 'go' on an Enter aLa GTalk. A very time consuming click precedes this process. Agreed that the messages are visible as is...but still an enter at the end is sort of ingrained....

What say?

Weather Wonders

2009-11-15T01:15:00.006-07:00

with the changing seasons, its become regular to check the weather updates and watch out for rain or snow showers and sub zero temperatures.

On a pleasant day this is what it looks like here

5°C | °F

Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: E at 3 mph
Humidity: 100%

Sun

17°C | 3°C

Mon

8°C | -1°C

Tue

9°C | -3°C

Wed

11°C | -1°C

Today however i happened to glance at the weather in Mumbai and to my surprise this is what i get..

Colors of Fall

2009-10-05T19:53:00.004-06:00

the pleasant weather

fall's here

the chilly weather

makes me shiver

visiting stone bridge

cascadilla falls

brightly alit

the colors of fall

the leaves glow

in natures splendid show

bidding their time

for the future in store

Experience...night time

2009-09-25T00:45:00.005-06:00

Its a chilly ( well chilly by mumbai standards but now i say pleasant ( dont think im 'converted' as yet )) 2:45am after yet another hectic Thursday. Relaxing in the living, wrapping up on late night ice-cream and getting down to thinking whats to be done for lab and assignments next week, while listening to 'yeh kahan aa gaye hum..' then suddenly like out of now where there was a sort of desperate knocking on the door. Startled, all of us ( roommates and me) opened up to see our downstairs roommate in a strange sort of situation.

He had just come across a man ( say Mr X) in desperate need of help lying just on the main street. After some hazy conversation he figured out that the man was headed to our (and his) very own apartment. With each one to his own sort of thing here we really hadnt met the downstairs guy previously and so he too assumed that Mr X might be our roommate....hmmm....

Well then we went down stairs and had a look. A couple of juniors returning home were there too. After trying to elicit a response as to Mr X's identity and whereabouts we gave up and decided to call CUPD. It was hardly 2 minutes that the glowing lights flashed through our otherwise dark and silent street.

It was then, in the proceedings that followed that i got a glimpse of what i had only heard and read about. The polite yet stern questioning by the officer. The 'individual freedom' policy in effect and followed to the core was what really took over me. Respect for human life, liberty and professional public service was indeed remarkable.

Well....well....some ...or rather many may say that i want to compare the situation to things back in India. I do to some extent. Its not that the police system in india despises people or doesnt take personal ordinary cases seriously. its only that there are so many tons of such cases that its humanly impossible to follow each and every point section and subsection of all possible type of charters. On the face of it...one might say that in the time the officer questioned X regarding the preceding events or his present state...a pandu would have just given him some whacks with the 'danda' or sprayed some water to get him back on track. But nevertheless, things happened as they always happen here. an ambulance was called for.

Once again i delve in the distinguishing feature of such emergency public services. The ambulance was accompanied by or rather preceded by a fire engine, that completely bathed our porch with glittering red-blue light. It was now that peeping and craning from windows started. Well having not much time....i think what i implied has come through and the comparison is some what clear.

Then after the Docs arrived, identified X,strapped him on the stretcher, loaded him that they finally said the gracious greeting ( that im now almost used to here) and returned

We too headed back upstairs with my head quite clear.

999999 !

2009-09-09T21:10:00.003-06:00

Today is 09/09/09, both for Countries with all sorts of date formats.

I went out for dinner tonight to this awesome place called 9's at around 9:09pm....well we had planned to reach there at 9 but there being a flurry of "activity" in the evening we got a bit delayed...luckily !

So its Dinner at 9's at 9:09 on 09/09/09. ( To state it agin in one sentence for people like me)

bye

Those Days

2009-09-05T22:37:00.006-06:00

Woh 249 ka wait

251 ke dhakke

reaching late...

back bench ko garam karke

lectures mein pictionary......

the familiar scenery.

break mein catching practice...

vrindavan mein lunch,

assignments ka crunch

the hustle of the canteen...

shetty's ke lolly

space mein all's jolly.

dsp lab ke tennis matches,

vlsi lab mein behata paseena

cp pracs ke printout

god knows what im on about...

passing through semester

the vivas tester

the exams pester.

those were the Days

But see how destiny plays

everyone their own ways

looking for a raise

and sunshine days.

On the Move

2009-08-24T17:12:00.003-06:00

As my transition (or pre orientation as its known here) draws to an end....the course work begins and with that begins long hours in the lab....reading nights and lots of interactions.
This place is really beautiful...its like living in the 19th century with technology of the 21st century....magnificent architecturally awe inspiring sprawling buildings with lush green lawns and gushing streams....gives this place a real blissful feeling.
As i settle into my new environs...days are flying by....

Attn: Change in Command Centre ! :) :(

2009-08-10T12:12:00.003-06:00

My temporary absence from here is due to my ongoing preprations of travel abroad. Im really very pained to leave the comfort of my good old chair...the one that has really stood strong under me and bore all my....well you know what...

But from now on i assure you dear reader(s) (hoping there are some in the plural) that ull be hearing or actually reading from me quite soon....from the Big Apple.

Till then, join me in bidding adieu to...everything.

On a High

2009-07-24T23:13:00.009-06:00

As the days begin to count down

with every passing minute

im getting high

with a silent sigh.

But im not the only one.

there are a number

sighing over days to remember

creeping in their minds

like an overgrown ivy.

But bliemy! look

who too is on a high;

raging and swelling

on shores and dwelling;

the swollen seas

much like our overflown memories...

As the waves come crashing by

flooding us with old memory,

The high tide of the Century

symbolic of the time

for us to tide- into the new country!

The Devils Alternative

2009-07-18T00:05:00.010-06:00

Recently i went through 'The Devils Alternative' all over Again. And even now the book had the ability to take my breath away. The way the author presents the history behind the characters or even large organisations and leads to the present events and makes the characters take Futuristic decisions is really enchanting. One thing i loved about the plot is the way it unfalteringly opens up providing us a peek into the uppermost echelons of global power. I still get the same feeling...the significance of the title hitting me.

Being really busy these past days...this much should be enough for here....for now.

BWSL Anyone ?

2009-07-02T23:54:00.008-06:00

Bandra to Worli in under 7 mins ? The long awaited wish has finally been fulfilled.

In the unfortunate case that you dont know what im talking about (in that case you should definitely pay attention) this is the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (or whatever name it would be called) that has changed the skyline of Mumbai.

After a long wait, watching it grow inch by inch, it finally opened to the public on 1st July 2009 at 7:00AM. I had the chance to "experience it" along with my aunt,grandad, bro and mom at around 7:30 the same morning. Being in the Festive First Five Free days the toll of Rs50 was not applicable to us or the hundreds others present.

It was indeed a real pleasure travelling on it, soaking in the 'early morning air' and the breathtaking skyline that is Mumbai. Moving through the cable-stayed way really invoked a magistic feeling that will surely last me a lifetime. The Link was more like a tourist hotspot with All eagerly craning out of the ( usually shut) windows to capture figments of their memory. This is what made the Experience Extra 'Especial'. For a change the "oh! do i know you?" or the "oh! do you exist?" Mumbaikars were smilling across windows, gesturing and exchanging the shared extacy.

In the car beside us was "a-live" radio reporter whom i quote " there are Generations of Mumbaikars travelling with me". After smiling pleasantly at her- to our great surprise she sprang out of her car to catch a few bytes out of my grandad. Apart from radio the television crew were there too...but now in hindsight i feel that it was the mood of the mumbaikar and the feeling in his heart/mind that was to be captured rather than the large queues of cars at the ports of entry or exit.

Now what remains to be seen is what the mood is after 5 days ( or probably a month). Is it still friendly people enjoying the engineering landmark or is it 'business' as usual with 'cars' rather than peeople rushing to work or returning from yet another day.

Koyna Kommentary

2009-06-27T06:18:00.018-06:00

This is June 16 to 18 2009.

I had the opportunity of visiting the first 'Indian' dam to be built post independence and the largest in Maharashtra. The Koyna dam (actually the surroundings of it). Situated in the lush green Sahayadri range in western ghats, this dam is actually a collection of 4 mini dams. The large backwater apart from mainly providing hydroelectric power, irrigation and potable drinking water has made the surrounding forestation evergreen. The koyna dam appears very small as compared to others in the himalayas but still its unique engineering vision has made it really very special. Its 4 phases have ensured year round supply of water and electricity; even in the harsh month of May.

On reaching the hill-top overlooking the dam -site we saw just the first phase,this is the oldest and is a conventional hydro-electric power dam. But as always there always "more than what meets the eye" .All the remaing 3 phases are actually underground with water diverted to the turbines via tunnels cutting over 4km through the mountain range. The expanse of the mountain and the idea implemented left us spell bound, literally. The planning and excecution of this task is an engineering masterpiece with perfect management of the human needs and the geological and ecological balance.

We also got an insight into a technique called 'lake tapping' used in the third phase. Here the backwater (level which is the highest of all in summer) is diverted up the slope through a tunnel 80 meter in diameter. The water level pressure itself is used as a pump. So, a deep trench is dug underneth the expected trench. The expected trench (used to divert the water) is then exploded, with the water pressure pushing the debris down into the deerper dug trench; therby completing the water path to the turbine.

There is also a safety feature built into the entire system. By means of two surge wells over 800 meters deep, the backwater is allowed to swell in flood situations without overflowing from the dam. The enegry of this water is also harnessed to generate electricity. Standing on the cliff of the mountain with greenery sprawling all over, along with the gentle humming of the underground turbine was an amazing experience.

So now after trying to provide you the technical details, i must inform

you that 'permission' (read influence) is required to actually visit the dam site, the hydro-electric stations and the underground power stations. Having no such luck...we setteld for a virtual tour of the engineering marvel at Koyna provided by Nishigandha Vad; screened daily at the popular Nehru Udyan just flanking the main dam. Another point of note is that due to security arrangements( by way of jammers) no cellphones are of any use here. This i feel is a blessing in disguise, for giving us two days of completed respite.

We realy enjoyed our stay at koynanagar amidst the lush greenery, the local village folk and a total lack of any 'visitors'. Telling people that Koyna is a good place to vist, i find them stumped.

Hope you are too. :)

Happy Travelling !

Hope

2009-06-22T06:25:00.008-06:00

After having said stuff in the last post i just couldnt stop myself from entering the Innovators of Tomorrow contest. People may Call this "Double Standards" -it may be to a certain extent but for me the 2 Lenovos were enough of a bait.

So heres my entry...lets see if it passes muster...

"Bionic Plant: With Global warming threatening all ice caps and polar glaciers there is a need to use up all the excess green house gases, like carbon di-oxide, to prevent global warming. The bionic plant would be a Silicon/photonic plant that will use the chemical properties of the material to produce oxygen from carbon di-oxide just like natural plants do by the process of photosynthesis. Modified versions of photosensitive Si would act like the Chlorophyll which is activated by light. Pressure transducers would control the valves of the stomata to let in carbondioxide and give out oxygen. The function of water and minerals would be done by Electrons/photons in the bionic plant. Using chemical nature green house gasses will be used up. Also this plant can survive severe polar winds and colds and hence global warming will reduce in the absense of natural plants that do not survive here....thereby saving the planet"

Some intel on Intel

2009-06-14T07:17:00.014-06:00

Recently i was asked a troubling, highly debatable question which has far reaching effects for the general global economy. Heres the arguement :

"Intel is on a hire freeze in the US. Intel is not offering full time jobs, large reduction in internships and may be backed out of several campuses in the US.

All of a sudden, there are several brand new Intel advertisements on TV here in India. While watching a cricket match between overs there is an Intel advertisement. Intel is on a major advertising and marketing spree here in India. Infact, Intel has launched an open contest here in India. The Intel advertisements for the contest are there on the internet, bus stand posters, newspapers.....they are everywhere. Along with the Times of India, Intel has launched a competition called "Innovators of Tomorrow" in India. The grand prize is a trip for two to California. They are also giving out laptops on a weekly basis.

Any explanation to this? "Whats missing out here?

My response:

Strange are the ways of capitalism.

Actually as i see it there isnt any thing puzzling in this case.

As a truly 'profit oriented' global capitalist company/organisation Intel isnt doing anything strange. If we take the case of another company like GM then its filed for bankruptcy in the us but its india division is still going strong. Same case (though not to the same extent) is with intel also. Maximizing profits is the sole aim even though its at the cost of Nationalism or ethics.

Moreover the Times-Intel Innovators of Tomorrow contest is really exciting...but a closer look at the terms and conditionss shows that this is like attracting 'free' talent. In these times with budget cuts and downsizing innovators are certainly bound by lesser R&D budgets....so through a contest like this they are getting ideas out of 'bright' people which they are at a liberty to study/implement/sell in the future when things get back on track (hopefully)

PS: though this writing of mine seems Very critical of the state of affairs i like to point out clearly that i have no personal ill feelings against any company mentioned herein. Infact i have written this based on what i read through papers, articles etc and does not in any way convey my own sentiments.

What do you feel?

A Lakshadweep Adventure

2009-06-12T06:45:00.015-06:00

Having nothing (much) to do...im sifting through 'old' photos...and i happend to lay my hands on these...our School trip to the Lakshadweep !

This was in...Nov. 2001...my first and last School Trip. The destination was exciting and caught the imagination of every 1 around. Add to that the availability of NVfood ( esp. sea food) on a school trip; which has been very traditionally V.

Now without rambling on about the things leading up to the trip...i start with the first days- a long train journey to Cochin, Kerala. This was a our base for the first 2 days...where in we managed to see much of this sleepy little city. We visited the Jewish Synagogue, the Chineese Fishing nets,the sea side avenue, the first Church in S.India and the huge local shopping complex.

Then came the part we were looking forward to the most...the sea journey from Cochin to Laksadweep aboard 'The Tipu Sultan'. The ship was magnificent and befitted the name...Huge decks and a very comfy lounge and dining area. We were shown our acco places which was an array of V small rooms ( i doubt thats what they call it on a ship) with 4 bunks deep in the hull of the ship and surprisingly quite close to the kitchen. Depositing our luggage there we came face to face with the strong coconutty fumes emanating form the kitchens. Never being used to such oils they left most a bit heady and nausseated. But the excitement of exploring our environs took over and hardly any1 felt anything. Withen no time it was time for lunch. And I witnessed an amazing array of tantalising, mouth watering dishes...which soonproved to be a prelude to the days to follow !

Gorging on Heaps and heaps of fried fish (esp. Tuna), classic curries and soothing desserts really left us feeling like the Tipu Sultan. Being heavily satiated, majority of the gang went for a nap. This turned out to be the biggest mistake they could ever make. Barely a few hours later the ones awake, me included (though i find it strange now), saw sights straight out of NatGeo or Discovery. Tens of Dolphins leaping out of the waters; not on TV but live, left us leaping with excitement. Most of the remaining day was then spent hoping for more dolphins to create the magical spectalce again. In this wait apart from the standard gossip a nice discussion came up...here many realised what our destination was really named: 'Lakshadweep' or 'Lakshwadeep' ? In hindsight it seems so obivious but believe me it was not so then. :)

Then that night was the one which has literally been burned into everyones memories...forever. A fire broke out onboard. Our guides and teachers collecting the dispersed crowd amidst billowing smoke and flurry of movement and nervous cries is still scary. Finally All assembled on the top deck and within two hours things were ok...Since the rooms were still out of bounds, that night was spent on the bare floor of the lounge...with the organisers comming up with mind diverting games and dances.

Next morning we awoke to find our ship moving at snail speed. One of the propellers had been damaged the previous night. If the speed incereased the entire ship would topple over about the faster propeller..With this slow speed we were informed that Lakshadweep would still take 5 whole days. However another cruiser( Bharat Seema) was on its way to take the people aboard the Tipu Sultan to their destination. Till the cruiser intercepted us (in 8 hours ) we were allowed to visit the Androth Island, the closest of the cluster to the main coast. It was really calm, peacful, friendly and ...

Afterwards we finally reached our destination-

The Agathi Island Beach Resort. This was extremely a splendid place in the lap of nature...truly idyllic. Once we crossed over the

periphery of the lagoon....the water was crystal clear and an amazing colour of blue. The entire expance of the lagoon was like one big natural swimming pool. We were greeted to cool 'narial-paani' after which we lugged our luggage into the cottages assigned to us...and to our utter dismay found that the doors were cut in half-horizontally. The open door policy did not stop here. As a tradition of the islands each person is extremely trusted and practically cant run away (hide) anywhere...hence the people here dint lock the cottage or house doors. We too graciously accepted this and left our belongings 'under the open sky'. The lunch and dinner that day and over our entire stay there was a real feast with the Tuna ruling.

Next morning we went snorkelling...and believe me no amount of praise can give you the actual thrill and enriching experience as actually doing it yourself ! The vibrant colours, the thriving sea-life, the extraordinary corals...oh the list is never ending! I also happened to celebrate my 14th birthday on the Lakshadweep. This is one BDay i will never forget ! Over the next 2 days we moved about the island which was hardly 3 Km long and 0.5 Km wide. Visiting the local school (children travel by the local school boats) seing the small airport (yes) very small meant only for the ATRs and seeing the sun rise and set on our left and right was indeed memorable. Though each one was hoping and wishing for another chance for snorkelling the sudden sea storm (which are quite common here and happen unanounced) dashed our chances.

After a real once in a life time experience we finally left Lakshadweep with a Laksha worth of memories. Our return journey to Mangalore by ship went of very smoothly. And then we returned to mumbai by train completing our 10 day trip.

Rewind of The Days

2009-05-31T10:49:00.008-06:00

As im writing this post...im seriously getting a hell lot of furious flashbacks of the years gone by.

It seems only yesterday that on 26/7 2005 (yes that day) i enrolled at SPIT... and now as its the day to leave i really cant imagine how days are going to be like.

But the strange irony of the things is that in the last semester there was no time to think about the momentous stage in our lifes that we were on ....and now....it really hasnt sunk in that those days are really over....

Some times i say the days are 'finally' over...all the fabled submissions, vivas, PLs and semester examinations are done with...But are they really? 'finally' ?

Looking back i realise that these- like the zillion others in this microcosm of things- have passed their lifetime; giving the owners opportunities and freedom in the guise of being bound to a really periodic monotonous schedule.

Is it this that makes 'finally' really very unnecessary?

While i further ponder over the philosopical nature of these days and the (un)importance of using the word 'finally' .... i look at the suvenir from SPIT ( yes a green coloured mug inscribed with Sardar Patel Inst of Tech, The Class of 2009) resting rock solid on my mantlepiece.

I would like to share with you a wierd alternate/additional tagline that struck me in the 'Rewind of The Days'

" A cup full of spit"

(As usual the pun and the yucky feeling it generates is totally unintended)

This and That

2009-02-02T09:28:00.004-07:00

Its been a long time(again !),and lots of things have fluttered by.

and here i am learning skyeye...

Since the last meet,

ive had a great treat.

the trip to Kerala

with the spicy fish Masala.

all the "Loha"

and the HaHa

coupled with 'fish at 2',

reminds me of the famous kovalam Loo;

more than the local Zoo..

i wonder what the thing would be

without the MiB.

the serious lack of jokes,

would kill us-poor young blokes,

and the loo would undoubtedly be,

an uneventful place to be [:)]

Rustic Retreat To The Rat Race...

caught us like a ball of pace,

And then came The hope

to the new world gone broke...

With the oaths' mistake,

and the retake...

the eager world gazes at the Man

Yes, that He Can.

The rides by bus and boating

with all the gloating,

finally lead me to the 'toeing'-

Down Under,

where the Master's spill-over...

shocked the world over,

and now can i say, the story is Over ?

yet another one....

2008-11-11T06:58:00.001-07:00

another turbulent stream has been crossed.....and now the Wait begins......

Saw 'tomorrow' for a tuesday, on a tuesday !!

2008-10-14T11:49:00.004-06:00

In the midst of 'a' Extremly hectic and 'rushy' week i went to see "A Wednesday", and i am very happy that i did. (Im marvelling at how all my posts come when i watch somethin...)

Though its almost a month since the release of this film, it still has around 2-3 shows daily at many screens here. And this speaks volumes about the succes and/or the connect the story has with the Mumbaikars, especially considering the days of the "global crisis" and the "finiancial meltdown", "burning huge holes in the pockes of" not only the national treasuries but also the 'stupid common man' (Oh! what 'cliched jargon'......oh gosh another cliche......OHNO whats

happening?) ..................listening to and reading such news every day; these words have become "embedded" (OOPS another cliche for Electronics Engineers !!) in our day to day phrases, and flow out almost instantaneously; subconsiously.

Loosing track of what i initially started out with, i once more return to a wednesday. With strong performances by 1 and all (yes... even the news reporter, reminded me some what of the Grand Stand host... :P), the marvelous twist in the tail, this provides a very practical, a bit radical, approach to crush terrorism. The stupid common man, taking time out of his daily routines, has suggested stopping terrorism arising from attempts rescuing former terrorists by "thoko"fying them once caught....... not at all a new solution, but yes A wednesday made it compelling.....

My bro...(yes he was with me again !) said that THIS film should have been named 'HELLO' and not some other one, simply because the entire plot revolves around a telephone conversation....

Hmmm.......different people different ideas........different here even goes to the extent that there might be people taking inspiration from the 'phoney connections' plan to try and hack the telecom networks......

(im now remembring my pct topic of movies as a "2-WAY mirror of society")...................

.................................and if i continue any further ill be entangling so many social issues in a single post itself that......................................................................

.........ill be violating a very famous B-concept : K.I.S.S. (Keep It Short, Stupid!!)...........AAH.....

this is like the famous G.M. (Green Machine) concept in the famous M.S.D. class in college.......

BYE !!!

Rock a by baby........

2008-09-14T08:11:00.008-06:00

After really hectic weeks i finally got some time out, and watched the highly acclaimed ROCK ON !!......i normaly am not into evaluating movies publicly but its the situation that i was in that prompted me to type out here.

13/9/2008 , 8:00 was the show; and my bro and i reached there at 815 thinking that we had missed the beginning....and i really hate it( no paisa vasool u know)...however having stepped in--to our much delight-- the promo of 'Karzz' had just got over (pun unintended) .......and we setteled down to enjoy the rocking time.
Almost instantly we got a call from home sounding a word of caution -about the serial bomb-blasts RoCkInG Delhi. It was basically like- take care and come back as soon as possible but the bottom line was ull shouldnt have gone today......leaving the worry and all aside; one thing i cant get right is what exactly are we, in specific, and the public in general supposed to do in a situation like that?? The 'national capital' rocking away and the tremors of terror shaking up mumbai.....
I feel that pondering and debating such issues and situations is important ; the main thing is to carry on with life and ROCK ON !!

Even though i am a self admitted zilch at music and not at all pedantic about rOcK music particularly, i must say (i am saying infact) that its struck some chord somewhere....i enjoyed the racy music and the classy performances; of especially Adi and KD....
More praise for the film are to be kept for some other time..... Until then....

NaNa...na....na..na.nana....na..na........
(hope to have got the beat right)

An Ode to "The Shops"

2008-08-23T05:02:00.004-06:00

Last week i went to shop
and now that i stop-
and think, i wonder how it waz.
And hence this ode
to the fare on linking road.

Where; along the crowded street,
jostle many a thousand feet-
getting the trendiest of their wares.
The variety of the goods
catches even the reluctant's mood,
and with everyone in the groove;
its very difficult even to move.

Loaded till ones heart's content
begins the time worth every cent-
cauz its no use later to repent
on the prices spent;
Fickel as the stock market.
Both drive a hard bargain,
but in the end it has to be everybody's gain.

after loads of haggling
You cant avoid smirking,
But the keen eye catches-
even the shopkeeper smirking.
This takes me dear
to the point i think u'll fear.....

If both are happy with the deal,
How much were the articles actually worth?
my mind still beats,
asking- are they all cheats??