In Pondicherry

The teacher was taking attendance. The teacher called out roll no 40. The student shouted Present!

“Last couples of weeks were good; I was involved in a lot of traveling from Chennai to good old Bangalore back to Chennai. Bangalore weather was fine, I loved it and most of all loved the reason why I had been there – for my cousin’s marriage (and obviously to meet a couple of my friends). The marriage was a nice moment for the couple but for me a nice opportunity to meet my lost cousins. We planned a trek to Nandi hills the next day. I must say that was more than welcome, for people in Bangalore who love traveling and most importantly sick of coffee days and malls this is a place you can visit (There are many such places though – that’s why good old Bangalore).

To spice it up further I moved to Pondicherry from Chennai (literally from Bangalore) on work and then during the weekends travel back to Chennai. I was going to Pondicherry (lucky enough that I avoided Kerala and more lucky it was plural – I had a team now) for 6 months on official duty.

As expected, we had set up a home at Pondicherry (The Indian French town) - we set up a house at Kakayan Thope (Does it sound enough French? I hope it does, but it’s not). This place is quiet remote to the city centre but believe me it’s an awesome place to be staying in. The company that I got for staying in this place is just next to perfect. And thanks to broker Shahul Hameed – next time you are in Pondicherry you just have to contact this guy for anything you desire.

Talking on all this I trivial things I almost forgot the point. This weekend when I was in Chennai attending PAN IIT. I had got an opportunity to listen a few lectures on India, Terrorism. The lectures by Stephen Cohen and Amartya Sen were most inspiring and more importantly who can forget the night before. Also the networking was great. I was proud about my institute hosting the meet, the feeling of not visiting the institute for quite a long time had paid off; it was better feeling this time when I went to the institute. And one more moment of satisfaction was when I came to know that all my friends in the institute had got placed – they did the right thing – not to panic. Congrats guys! Now my future visit should be not until Saarang – but let’s see. The next PAN IIT is going to be in Chicago during October; so all my app friends make sure you make it there. You will definitely come back and comment! “

This is not funny

You barely finished understanding my last post is when the terror strikes again. Mumbai…The brutality that these people displayed is simply atrocious. I would describe it as a class and mass attack. Attacking *******hotels (7star hotel) as well as crowd filled railway stations, did you imagine! Whom did they want to target? Class or mass? Look, the terrorists are also confused people here! I hate computer games, but after looking at this act, I certainly believe that these people who invented those games are better people, atleast they give us a chance to attack, they just don’t attack us by making us unharmed. Give us weapons too and we will show what it means to attack! (trivia: The institute after the LAN, has produced fabulous quake players)

Back home, it was raining cats and dogs and life was tough here as well, I would have been equally tough for the dirty people as well to attack here (that’s why Mumbai I guess). Anyway, Life is slowly getting to normalcy as it stopped draining, raining.

Shocked with, all these happening, with a fit of rage and more emotion, it’s time for us to realize that Indian government needs a fundamental change, and the public needs to change their attitude towards the government as well.

What (to do) now?

Hello everyone,

Excuse me for my long hiatus; it’s been over 15 and couple more days I logged into blogosphere. I was busy, for wrong reasons; I was at the office making a proposal, a proposal inviting bidders for a project that I was totally not aware of. Believe me I had to do all these fancy stuff - copy, paste, edit, re-edit, Shuffle, check, read, review, and format, add a template and make the document look like a proposal. Is this Consulting I wondered for a moment! Documenting this work made me feel, all the projects are one and the same. (This ain’t be true)

Looking back from where I come I started, I stopped, Yes trivandrum job was the one that gave me a flavor of consulting, it taught me how to handle these clients. I thought I have made a impression there. Anyways, the documentation being the core essence of my work, I must not speak foul about it. Seriously! This long documentation had consumed most of my time. (Tip: order Microsoft 2007 for all the fellow documenters there). The work was completed on Saturday and I had thought I have time to relax and a Sunday to enjoy, but something was waiting to be answered, yes, it was the entrance exam that these IIM’s conduct every year, saying, xxxx seats to be filled in y colleges; zzzz PG courses, but only one exam. (No, they don’t advertise so cheaply, but sometimes looking at the questions they set, makes you feel, that in future such advertisement is possible). CAT 2007 was a absolute chaos for me, CAT 2008 was expected to be utter chaos, but it failed to be. I did it fairly well – atleast on par with my friends – no better than the last time; so, let me hope!

When I was busy doing all these things, there was a separate mob that were busy making headlines for the wrong reasons, yes the Ambedkar law college incident is what I am referring to. People were busy experimenting with iron rods, sharp pointed tools; they were demonstrating the use of this along with some momentum on human body. This event was very well shot by the media and was applauded by Chennai police; for now they in person know the result of this experiment. This makes me dwell into the past – would I been alive now? Had the police had done a similar thing on the great holi-day at the Elloits beach – IITians remember?

Trivandrum diaries - I

Waiting outside the Trivandrum airport, now, I am looking around to see how big Trivandrum is for me to spend five hours out. The weather is nice today, not too sunny, not too dull, just the right weather to go out. This has been my second visit to the city in a week time; last time around I was given an accommodation as I had to put up for a couple of days. Things, this time, are different. I had to book my return flight to Chennai at 8.30pm the same day. What about the couple of next hours? What am I going to do? Thinking so, I set out venturing into the city, outside of the airport gates.

I had send a little of Trivandrum last time, but this time I had to get access to internet fast and also enjoy kerala. Thus, thinking I set out walking, till I found this internet center right in front of the airport, and guess what! A beach (shankumugham) is near this place, and a few good restaurants overlooking the sea. So I am off to the beach for my lunch and then directly to the meeting.

Voila!!! (Is) this (is) life (?)

Life in (this) Metro!

“Life has a surprise locked in for every one of us.” Chennai is one such surprise for me!

Not long ago, during the insti days, I used to wonder why people (the insti junta) cursed this place. I used to think they talk as if they have landed from America, but as I moved on with my college life, I understood the eternal truth behind people’s swearing – well, Chennai has many beaches, It has decent pubs and discos, It has good theaters – (mostly showing tam films though), nice malls, and multiplexes, Asia’s first ever flyover on the mount road and cool coffee day shops to hang out; But the only problem is: the crowd is missing. Yes I am referring to the dearth of youthful crowd at this place; Runaway couples wanting privacy dot these beaches, Pubs and discos I must admit is no short of youth, but it is mostly more of stags (Yeah ! Guy, Guy’s and Guys) and occasionally a couple of 100 eyes staring at one! Talking of theaters multiplexes and malls, Chennai I believe has built these structures just to show off that it worth the metro status.

Chennai has some nice heritage to boast about – As I already said Asia’s first flyover – Anna flyover, It has a historical significance as well, On two sides of the circle roundabout below the centre of the flyover are two identical statues of a man controlling a horse placed there to commemorate the banning of kudurai pandhayam (yeah! horse racing).Chennai roads are wider (Mount road is a 3 lane road! No, it’s not a metro show off!) And longer (yeah! this city is big). Naturally, you might jump into conclusion that the city traffic is neat! Dudes, Potholes are potholes, be it on the mount road or on Wall Street, same holds for the traffic. The second worst thing in this traffic is to the traffic signal, jumping a signal is not a bad idea if you are getting late – but do not try this at this place, the traffic police will definitely not let you flee. (I can write a long summary on them, if anyone is interested).

As I said “Life has a surprise locked in for every one of us”, I must say Chennai was not at all devoid of what all I said. I found this surprising; the very Khader Nawaz Khan Road in-front of the office is filled with youthfulcenters, Mochas coffee shop, Pick and move, Some Italian restaurant(I am yet to go here L), Fruit shop on Gream’s Road, Galloping gooseberries, and many more. Talking of malls, thank god that there are no malls on this road, there are umpteen number of showrooms which are worth visiting, these place makes you feel wear good clothes. These have been my daily hangout spot until the thought of something productive came into my mind – British library is a nice place to be in, it has a huge database of books and magazines waiting to be read (Stag entry is allowed? I forgot to enquire today; I will let you know soon). Entertainment is not any short here, “satyam cinemas” is at stone throw distance from this place. Check in the office – short time later sneak away to British library, lunch at one of the places mentioned above, wash it with a juice at the fruit shop( one interesting thing about this shop is this: http://www.fruitshopongreamsroad.in. Yes, it has a website!) And walking through the KNK road check in again in the office, wait till 6 and sneak out to mochas, finish the day with a movie. This is no short of enjoyment!

Humming the new Taxi Taxi song (listen to this - if you claim you are a chennaiaite) I walk back home usually at 6, accepting this surprise that life has given me. Chennai is no more the same. One thing eludes me though, (Work! Yes correct, there is another thing too) night life. Yeah, Chennai-metro da machha - night life “eppudi euurikum”. (How is the night life here?) I would still want to believe that I am staying in Chennai not in NewYork, at least Mumbai. Good night folks - go to bed!