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!

What to write?

I woke up with a fear today, maybe because of the second show hangover or maybe the number 1814400 has driven me crazy(do not know how many zeroes I will have to still add in the future). Yeah, the fear was what would I do today at the work place?

Well, whatever be it, I set out to the office thinking of what to write. I always believed blogs must not be like those stupid television serials that I end up seeing every time I go back home. (Anyways, who is bothered about what you write?)

And yeah, what to write? No thoughts? Yesterday I was reading a book. It had said; “Just consider how terrible the day of your death will be, others will go on talking and you will not be able to argue back”. Well still no thoughts on what to write? Should I write about my college days –those seven stones played in the rain, those moonlight dinners on the college roof top, 4-wing masti, jalsa-club, tech friends, my work at lab (NO! stupid thing to do), the hostel nite show, etcetera? Tshaa… Some other time!

Well, as I kept pondering on what to write, I had to realize it (The fear!) was driving me crazy. To eliminate the fear I thought I would talk to new people and know about them more (If they are free, then, I would be happy - the resonance theory). Unfortunately, soon I realized my limitation to initiate discussion (look, lack of professionalism- still not a consultant) and I end up thinking again – what should I write?

Entering the office about what to write, I was still thinking? Realizing I had nothing interesting to talk, no funny incidents to quote, nothing profound to preach, and mainly owing to my disability to initiate (corporate) discussion, I wondered one thing, why are those stupid television serials running a marathon, it never ends you see…Well, its because people keep thinking of what to write, what to show to the audience and come up and don’t get good ideas. Yeah, probably true! (Who Cares?). Just wait a second; this implies that every second person in my gtalk list is as free as I am. Yeah, probably true! I find out its actually true, this relieves me of my fear! I am back in my comfort zone-hail resonance theory!

(Yet to be) A Consultant

Thanks to the dilemma I possesed, thanks to the wavering thoughts, big thanks to my academic excellence and thanks to my enthusiasm too, that made me land at this place. Yes, this is Chennai. No, I am not talking about making into IIT. I am taking about my next life, after IIT.

Due to some reason or the other I had to start off (I would love to use end up) with a company as a consultant. (Don’t ask me what that means!!!) . I was called at kolkata to attend the training, and believe me it was fun. People with similar thoughts, similar confusions came together, some I knew, some I had to know and some I wanted to know.

The Kolkata trip was infusing with a disappointment about what our jobs would be but I enjoyed that feeling (everyone was like me, no clue about what is next; Psycho you can call me), It was about feeling bad who would depart first from the “city of joy”. I was sitting comfortably high for them to pull me down. But, dear, they named me first, in a moment of shock and hope (The job profile was better) I flew to Chennai.

Nothing has changed for me in Chennai, same old traffic, same old taxi hassles, and same old inclement weather (How foolish of me to expect a change in a matter of months). The office: “If kolkata office was like a BMW car, this office was like Tata Nano”; no coffee vending machine at your disposal and no canteen, “Life sucks!” I thought.

But soon the hope was there…things were about to change, I was supposed to be deported to Andaman on official work – yeah I can call it a jolly trip (for a person who has put up with Chennai any trip is a better one). The profile was exciting – traveling job for a consultant – ideal way to know things! Wow I was excited.

But the excitement was put on hold for god knows how long; It’s just been three months I am idle (Big deal!), yes 504 idle hours at the office, yes 1814400 seconds. (Forget the units, the number is huge). It’s time to go and demand for work I guess, anyways its with this mixed feelings of hope and frustration I start blogging!