The last time...

A long time since I updated anything here, and this post wont do justice to the short interlude between the two 'eras' of my college life.

There are a lot of experiences that all of us go through, and never have a chance to experience again. Yes, the list goes on... childhood, friends, the first time you went to a new school, the first time you went out with friends for a weekend trip, the first time you you came to college, the first time you spent a night out with friends... All of these and more will always be cherished and probably never forgotten.

But then there are other experiences. When you know you can only have it one last time. And you cant really plan it out. Like the ones I'm gonna talk about in this post...

It all probably started on 25 July 2008.

I finished My internship at IISc, and left for home by bus, bang in the middle of the bangalore blasts. The bus was delayed by more than an hour and as is typical of lady luck, it started pouring as I (and the other passengers of the ill-fated bus) desperately waited for it to arrive at the KSRTC bus stand.
After boarding, a general discussion swept us all inside the bus about the bomb blasts and the traffic situation.
And we soon discovered it ourselves, when our bus was checked twice for bomb suspects in front of hyderabad house!.
I can distinctly remember a gentleman too fat for anyone of his stature on an adjacent seat, praying over and over again. There was this young business-professional lookalike in a 3-piece suit sitting behind the fat-ass, who was always on the phone; and every now and then when the connection snapped, he would begin to panic. What added to this truly unique atmosphere were 2 kids on the last seat who couldn't stop howling and screaming all the while, and all the cajoling that their moms could offer seemed insufficient.

And as it played out, we were watching Live on the news about the discovery of 2 more bombs in other areas of bangalore within the last half hour. Our bus was enclosed with surrounding traffic by the police and separated from the maddening crowd for fear of a live bomb.
Thrilling - You say? Gross understatement.
But it was all over by midnight, and we were out of bangalore for good!

"Finally Going home!" I thought. But somewhere at the back of my mind it echoed "For the last time". It was the last time I was going to Kochi, calling it my home. In another 2 months, our family would shift to Delhi which would be our new home.

So the next 5 days (yes, thats how long my summer vacation lasted) was fun. Back at home with family. Kochi, the green, cool and beautiful place (with lots of rain and insects though).
It was fun driving along the foreshore road facing the backwaters at Katari Bagh, into the golf course and around the place in the morning. Its probably the last experience I will have, of living at 04-Katari Bagh.

And then, I had to return to college for my last semester on campus, with just 4 months of college life left.
After the course registrations and placement worries drift into the past, I still have to figure out how to spend the last 3 months of college life I have left.

Hypocrisy as a way of life

Yes, thats true. Hypocrisy has come to become a part of our lives whether we like it or not. Hell, we might as well like it, considering the kind of hypocrites we've become.

First, its the sena against valentines day. Then its the BJP against the cheerleaders in IPL (although the very same members of the party prolly enjoy the item numbers on bollywood). The double talk by ppl like mayawati and the enforcement of 'standards' by the mumbai police. As gowry puts it,

"Ur Free to piss on the streets, but not kiss"

Its everywhere around us. Those who deny it are the worst of the hypocrites.

And it doesnt end there. Even at BITS, with the self proclaimed aim of nurturing its students enabling their self development to the fullest, the treatment actually is akin to that of a prison cell. With specific time (4 hours each day on a weekday) where students are allowed out of campus, and a lockdown of hostels at 11! The ban on birthday parties in hostels by the chief warden and the clear and distinct expression of dislike at any activity that indulges the students in any kind of pleasure. But ofcourse, as they always claim, they dont mean to harm the students, neither do they intend to keep us from doing what we like. They 'want' us to be 'happy'. And they're doing whatever they are, coz its good for us! Welcome to the age of hypocrisy.

But looking at the bright side of things, it brings out the rebellious and brave front within us. An irony of sorts, but yes, the reality. The last day of waves and all the people who were a part of it and witnessed it will agree.


It started off on the usual note. Events galored and everyone had fun. Ofcourse we as an educated institute denied the display of blatant hooliganism during shows like fashp. But thats just the tip of the iceberg. More than 3/4th of the campus probably wouldnt know what actlly went on during those 3 days at the J. Or in the parking lot. Neither do they know about the quarrel on the maingate that led to the police arrival.
But what everyone does know, is that the wonderful performance by Junkyard groove on our own open air stage, was interrupted by the arrival of the police van with its interminable echoing of the siren amid growing silence. And soonafter everyone was dispersed back to the hostels within 5 minutes. And that is when DC came in to feed on the rumours. Within half an hour of the incident atleast 10 different stories, all claiming credibility, were floated and discussed on mainchat freely as though they were matter-of-fact.
I do join everyone in condemning the way the night ended. Everyone seemed to be looking for a scapegoat to dump the blame on. Of course, what could you expect? But that is the kind of end that the festival had. Waves '08. The only way one could be oblivious to it, is by attaining Nirvana; the state of statelessness that the cultural festival claimed to be all about.

And the ripples that it started off are felt even today... But nevertheless, the day was entertaining in the least expected manner. And denying that I enjoy entertainment would be hypocritical.
I'm just happy Quark didnt end up in a mess like this.

Yes, even I'm Hypocritical at times. And I dont admit it.

A passing thought...

I sit back here in my hostel on a hot Saturday morning (did I say morning...guess its closer noon than morning..damn, time flies), one of those days you dont know how you are going to spend but you end up spending it eventually anyway; and of course at the end of a sunday you'll end up wondering
"how d hell did da weekend just fly by?"
No. The weekend din fly by. You went right through it wondering how to spend it; and realize that rather than spend the time, the time just spent you.

I know, those of you who know me will be surprised at the my renewed concern for time...but thats what this summer internship at CEERI has taught me above all. Imagine when the freedom of doing what-you-want when-you-want is suddenly snapped! you've got to adapt, adapt to the monotonic routine that is imposed upon you. And then enjoy every bit of time that you take off this routine and spend to your liking. It makes me realize the importance of the ignorance and bliss back at college.

So, here i am on a hot, rather burning hot morning an sayin to myself: whatya doin here? not that Im so busy in my summer internship, colloquially known as PS in the BITS dictionary, but again, the BITS dictionary is only for fags...thats what the IITians say..an we tell'em "you're d fags". Its funny...it reminds me of the time I went trekkin to the Pindari Glacier...we were split into "ropes" (basically teams) lead by our rope leaders who were the pro-hikers...and we used to yell to the others that we're gonna win the best-rope-award an the others just yelled back "you're the fags and fags ne'er win!"...and all the time we kept cursing ourselves for having come for this trek at all; but looking back today I can definitely say that I still cherish those 3 weeks and would do anything to get back there...among those friends, cursing the cold and warming the tent, watching the sky and admiring the dawn, cursing the water for bein so cold, and yet enjoying every bit of the experience..now unforgettable.

So! I say to myself: Whatya doin? I just finished watching a wonderful movie called "The Perfect Storm". Its wonderful not because of a Superb storyline, or excellent effects etc...Its wonderfull because its been done with great devotion. It tells you that if you really want to do something and you give it everything you've got, you'll come up with a creation that no1 will ever forget to cherish.

So I ask myself again, Whatya doin? Im Graduating. Completing 4 years of blissful (did I say that? yes I did!) existence at BITS. Its like the legions in the Roman Army, getting ready to fight, to unleash ourselves into the battlefield...yes thats right...we're like the soldiers..in the infantry...ripening our skills at training centers that we call college. We prepare to enter the battlefield that we call the world. each one will go his own way..some will be the infantry, some will be the archers, some will operate siege weaponry while others will nurse the injured; Some will lead legions, while others shall perish. Some shall expand their empire while others will surrender, some will make a mark while others shall be forgotten in anonymity. Its funny how things correlate when u compare them.

So here I am, asking myself: what am I doin? nothin much, just writin a blog entry and am nearly done with it.
What abt you?
Whatya doin?