Cicada Resorts, Kabini

After about six hours of tiring ride from Bangalore, we landed in this paradise. A little drizzle, coconut grooves, mountain bikes, tiled cottages, overlooking the Kabini riverside, chirping birds, cozy hammocks, gentle wafting breeze.. What could I ask for more? Enveloped in the lazy comfort of nature, I discovered the pleasure of doing nothing.

Somehow strangely, it made me nostalgic of my quaint little town Rajahmundry that overlooks the serene Godavari. For sometime, I tried to convince myself I am not living my dream.

I guess its been a long time since my mind and soul are this quiet.. Coming here made me realize how desperately I needed this break. 🙂 I basked in the sheer pleasure of relaxing by the riverside and indulging in the simple activities. What I loved the most? Let me count..

Cycling by the riverside

Its been a long time since I last cycled in the woods. Biking along the uneven roads, doing the balancing act, rushing uphill and enjoying the pull of the downward ride, rush of adrenaline, and the enveloping calmth afterward.. Is that a cyclist’s high?

Lazing in the Hammock

Away from civilization, and yet so near to all the modern comforts. That’s the blend of experience that you get in resorts located in pristine locations. I must have spent some quality hours on this hammock by the riverside, in the soothing symphony of the birds.

Jeep Safari by the Nagarhole National Park

Jungle Safari by the river side, along the sides of Kabini River is a refreshing journey in the wilderness, especially in the wilderness. We spotted herds of agile deers sprinting over the grasslands, and some wild elephants too. At the end of the trip, we did stop at a place where domesticated elephants are groomed. What struck me was the huge difference in their body language. A wild elephant looks spirited and in ease with the life and self, whilst the domesticated elephant looks much more resigned with life in spirit and action. That’s a serious thought to ponder there, for somehow, I had a feeling that these animals would anyday trade a risky life of freedom in wilderness where they had to fight for survival every moment, to a sheltered and secured life of bondage. Now I wonder, why do we act different and pretend that we are insanely wise, trading our life’s longings and dreams to conventional wisdom? Somehow, spotting those wood spirits soothed my soul like nothing could, especially on a lovely morning.

A Place That Spells Peace..

And lives upto it too. No blaring horns, no loud music, all you can find is the sound of silence and your own heart beat. I loved being there for a weekend, and could only bring back those beautiful memories of paradise.

Antargange Trek..

Pure Exhiliaration is the word of the day. Thanks for the insistence of a sweet pal, which made me head for this trek instead of watching ‘Dasavatharam’ or indulging in window shopping.

This is the first time that I tried ‘Bangalore Mountaineering Club’ and I must say that I am pleasantly surprised by the experience. We boarded the bus at 8 AM at K.R. Puram busstop and I was surprised to see 50 plus people in the bus, given the short notice. I guess the quality of the companionship in the group made all the difference to this trekking experience.

The trip started with around 90 minutes of bus journey from Bangalore to reach Kolar. We caught up with the breakfast at ShanthiSagar in Kolar which is around 3 km from the ‘Antargange’ location. We reached the place in no time and there was a pack of stairs leading up to the temple. We were welcomed by loads of monkeys, and the pleasant sunny breeze warmed us for the trek ahead.

We reached the Antargange temple after a little climb of stairs, and I already had doubts forming in my mind, if the trek actually is over before it even began. The temple is filled with serene silence and the group is abuzz with action for the impending climb. Making the temple as our base camp, we started the trek with Janak playing the lead trekker and Neeraj trailing to support the cozy climbers.

The path is paved with sand, rock, thorns and the sun, in his blazing glory, wasn’t playing the good Samaritan. Yet, undaunted, many were climbing ahead, one step at a time, in a quiet determination to discover the terrain. I really marvelled at the energy of the crowd in climbing and cave exploring in the region. By noon, we reached the peak of a mountain(if I can call it that) and were ready to go for cave exploration after a relaxed lunch on the peak of a mountain by the side of a small brook filled with chilled water. Cold feet takes a different meaning when you get to rest by dipping feet in chilled water on the top of a mountain in sooting breeze after a hectic trek uphill.

The beauty of mingling with a group in an organized trek, is the sheer experience of encountering different people with different choices and interests. There would be some exploring the untrodden path, some who would take time around to smell the roses and savour the scenary around, while some who run ahead in childlike enthusiam of scaling the peak ahead only to discover that there is no dearth of rocks. Everyone discovering his or her own private definition of solitude and enjoyment amidst wilderness and sun.

If the climb uphill through the rocks in no definite path was a journey on its own, filled with a different thrill of navigating through the boulders that challenge your endurance, the cave exploration post lunch unleashed the childlike exuberance of discovering the unknown. Armed with a naive faith that the dark holds no terror, we all went through the natural caves, to discover our own recess for solitude amidst the mammoth rocks that are resting since centuries. Those rocks filled with small crevices are loaded with umpteen challenges. Often, finding a way ahead in the maze of boulders becomes daunting as the chances of hitting a dead end means reinventing the wheel once again. The wild flowers with their gentle fragrance, and the natural caves with their cold soothing embrace did offer some sanctury against the sultry weather. We did learn some gymnastics, prodding ourselves though the closely nested rocks to reach no definite destination in an easy pace.

The view from the top is breath taking! Enveloped by sand, rock, sky and sun, the town of Kolar looks serene and calm. All I could feel was numbing contentment. With so many people sharing the joy of experience, the thought that lingered in that moment was, ‘who said its lonely at the top?’. 🙂 I was in for a treat while getting down. We discovered a small well with pristine sweet water and I relived the fantasy of a village gal by drawing water from the well and enjoying its sweet taste in primitive fashion. With loads of memories and sated satisfaction, we headed for Bangalore playing Antakshari enroute with the new found pals. We sealed off the day with a quiet dinner at Malgudi and bid our farewell. I had my much needed break, and I confess this, even though the after effects of the trek still remain in my hoarse throat and aching muscles.

Water Lilies – My First Experience of Theatre

Many a times, our life is filled with chance encounters with engaging strangers who leave lasting impressions or thought provoking reflections as they touch our lives in accident. Ever wondered what binds those conversations together? What compels us to connect to those strangers from diverse backgrounds and worlds and what propels us to spill our deep experiences of life which we seldom share with those with whom we spend our life with?

The play ‘Water Lilies’ is filled with a set of random sparkling conversations between people from diverse backgrounds who meet in random at public places.. Staged as a trilogy of three short plays: Fawn Lilies, Water Lilies and Black Lilies, this play explores the strange tranquility that envelops us as we strike kinship with the world around us. In these short plays, a man and a woman from diverse backgrounds and radically different outlook that springs from their distinct racial origins share their world of experiences and differences only to discover a strange affinity through common values, leaving each other with a fresh set of perspectives and a new meaning behind things. What enriching reflection can happen over a harmless conversation in thirty minutes with an absolute stranger from the other part of the world? One has to watch this play to believe it.

Fawn Lilies: Set in a Park in Columbus, Ohio, a bird-watching dietitian from Vijayawada, whose boyfriend decides to give up love for war, meets a gay vagabond with a cynical feel for causes. The characterization of the female protagonist ‘Sunandha Ragunathan’ do sound like a bundle of contradictions for coming from the same place, it was a little hard for me to imagine “a bird-watching dietitian from Vijayawada”, sprouting a tattoo on her forearm and a dainty umbrella for accessory. Yet, what makes the play beautiful was the lilting quality of the conversations that shimmer with a soulful introspection. The gay wanderer shares his experiences of being a part of tree sitting movement while pondering on his vagabond nature. Trying to cope with the loss of her boy friend and childhood sweetheart, she finds comfort in taking up her boyfriend’s passion for birds, trying to hold on to those lost memories. As they spill these little details of their life and collect those life long reflections in an enticing conversation, the play ends with a poem called ‘Fawn-Lilies’ by Ashton Smith that celebrates a sense of positivity in the bloom of fawn lilies that sprang from a swamp.

Fawn-Lilies By Clark Ashton Smith

White lilies frail and cold,
With hearts of elfin gold;
Briefer than all brief things your hidden bloom,
Beneath the sombre grove –
Mournful, and dear, and fair as hapless love,
Foreknowing all the nearness of its doom.

White lilies cool and shy,
Delicously ye die,
Before the vesper dews of any morrow!
But now, on windless air,
Your perfume lies, fresh as a woman’s hair,
And faint as myrrh the dreams of noon would borrow.

White lilies cold and wan
As hands of swooming love –
As the fair throat whereon
My kisses clomb, to find her mouth’s lit flame! –
Ye die, and cannot say
Who passed beneath the April pines today;
And you alone have heard our hidden love,
And known her flow’r-soft name.

Water Lilies: Dismissing Claude Monet as a painter of pretty flowers, a Texan investment banker becomes curious about a Srilankan woman’s passion for Monet’s lilyscapes at Monet Exhibition, Houston Museum. When V.Balakrishnan as a Texan Banker subtly mocks Monnet’s landscapes, Swarnamalya as a sari-clad Srilankan woman etches a perfect picture of serene beauty and magnificent dignity, as she passionately highlights the subtle nuances of Monnet’s paintings that elevate art beyond colors and reach out to the vision of the painter. The play ends with the Banker musing on the last words of the poem by Ted Hughes, that highlights the serene tranquility of the water lilies despite of the horrors that surround their roots.

To Paint A Lily Flower By Ted Hughes

Ignorant of age as of hour—
Now paint the long-necked lily-flower

Which, deep in both worlds, can be still
As a painting, trembling hardly at all

Though the dragonfly alight,
Whatever horror nudge her root

Black Lilies: Set in Washington Dulles Airport, two days after the 9/11 tragedy, a young school teacher from Tamil Nadu, on her first foreign trip, strikes a conversation with a Serbo-Hungarian novelist, who is on his way to meet his German translator in Frankfurt. Partly amused and partly irritated by her diffidence and irrational fear about everything from thunder to travel, the novelist shares a piece of his dark stories, only to discover faith and belief in her shy and affirmative convictions. Dhritiman Chaterji embodies the nobel award novelist with beautifully packed wit, passion, and poignant reflection in fluid and carefree ease. He makes you think, laugh and ache as he recites his story and comments on her beliefs. Parteeksha, as the Tamil school teacher matches the novelist with her shy and confident delivery of her convictions and opinions which contrast sharply with the novelist’s ideology. As they share their world of differences, they collectively discover hope, joy, light and happiness that leads the discussion from darkness to light.

Gowri Ramnarayan creates magical moments of introspection by her careful choice of words and her eminent direction. She should be credited for judiciously blending poetry, verse and paintings to enhance the swaying moods of the conversations. Anil Srinivasan with his mellifluous piano performance blends wonderfully into the play, linking the stories and ephemeral thoughts together with his transient and haunting music. His dulcet tunes match the poignant thought process that runs behind those conversations and subtly elevate the moods of the protagonists.

I marveled at the competence of the cast that enlivened the theatre and made those moments eternal in my memories. The play did leave me with moments of nostalgia of all those soulful chance encounters I had with engaging people, some who stayed on to be friends for life, while some dropped in to offer life long reflections in those fleeting moments.

SmartTechie Startup City in Bangalore

This Saturday was quite eventful with the SmartTechie’s Startup City Event happening at NIMHANS Convention Centre in Bangalore. I was about to collect my notes, but a little bit of googling helped me land up at Swaroop’s notes on the event which captured the essence of the event in a remarkable fashion.

Here are those aspects of the event that I loved most. R.K.Misra is positively charging and I loved Ashish Gupta’s keen insightful address that traced the evolution of startups. His perspective of looking at India as a huge startup offered a great food for thought. The panel discussion focussed on Innovation Marketing was moderated by Dr. Y L R Moorthi – IIMB professor of marketing. Some of Moorthi’s candid remarks like

‘Marketing is too serious a stuff to leave it to Marketing professors or Marketing professionals’
‘Technology has the shelf life of a banana’

got me thinking. How true!

The Marketing Panel discussion was quite insightful as Paul Murphy, Director of Innovation, Microsoft India emphasized on the importance of Business case, on building products that customer wants, and Marketing in Promoting ideas, Bharath Chinamanthur from Amazon India Development Center and Suresh Vedula, Head – Business Mobility,from Nokia India expounded on their experiences. Sharad Sharma proved to be a great moderator in the CEO Conclave. Overall, this event surpassed my expectations!

The Fires Within..

When Was The Last Time That I Did Something For the First Time?

I attended a dance performance by Natyalakshana, called ‘The Fires Within’ which was sponsored by Bosch Cultural Events at Chowdaiah Memorial Hall this Friday. For those who were wondering about my new found interest in traditional art forms, I have to ascribe due credit to those unconventional inspirations that result from boredom.

And how glad I was that my whim took me there. How I thanked my friends for their exotic and audacious suggestion to take me there! The show was a beautiful symphony of music, dance and art, where flying feet gave voice to age old legends. The legendary poems represented are selected verses from Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Gitanjali’, Bharathiyar’s ‘Dikku Theriyada Katil’ and a few selection of Mirza Ghalib’s poetry in Kathak. I loved the ‘Dikku Theriyada Katil’ and Ghalib’s poetry representation, where I felt that the dancers delivered a magnificent justice to the poems.

Shama and Sanjay’s ‘Dikku Theriyada Katil’ and Hari and Chandana’s ‘Mirza Ghalib piece’ had a delicate balance of perfection and expression and they held me in rapture through out. The dance drama that followed, called Tagore’s ‘Tasher Desh’ was a little bit disappointing, but the blame rests with my expectations which reached the sky by the end of the first two performances. If I have to define the experience, words would surely fail me as I am running short of superlatives. I could never realize that poetry could be so brilliantly enticing and soul wrenching. I was swaying in a world, so out of myself and the feeling is liberating. I believe that the credit of those beautiful moments goes to those on back stage as well. A special mention for Usha Venkateshwaran, the director of Natyalakshana who choreographed and produced the dances. Simone for the wonderful sway of lights and Sri Gurumurthy and Ustad Faizal Khan for their mellifluous music.

This event did make me reflect on my opinions towards conventional art forms. For to achieve perfection in blending, a music so divine, a dance that lent life to poetry and expressions that tugged heart, it must either have been Divine’s grace or years’ practice. It did teach me a thing or two about the immense beauty that’s submerged in Indian tradition and art. Like a welcome summer rain, my heart kissed the joy and danced along enticed in the magical world of dance, music and poetry. A worthy life long memory that’s for me for keeps.

Here are the translations in English for the Ghalib’s poetry that’s recited in the Event.

“O God Thy blessings on the soul
Whose name just came to my lips.
And as I willed that it be sung,
My speech rained kisses on my tongue.

These images drawn by Thee to make
Thine grand image, this world
Stand there like supplicants bowed in prayer:
Their burden they can’t bear.

The Fire in me, it rages high,
Though I be bound in chains.
The chain rings bounce,for they are light
Like hair all curled by flame

No simile matches her playfulness
And her quick-silver, passionate ways,
For, lighting lacks, by far, her play
And her temper is hotter than a blaze.

It is the nature of love, no doubt:
A kind of freak fire, which
You cannot start just when you wish,
Nor can you put it out.

A fire is raging in my heart
On this lonely night
My own shadow doth run from me
A smoke from fire takes flight.

It is ages since my beloved’s feet
Did cross this poor threshold.
So let her, with her twinkling cups,
Light up my dark abode.

My bustling crowd of desires
Each took my breath away!
Though I could quench many, many of them,
Yet millions remain un-slaked.

An Eventful Trip To Hyderabad..

Well, the reason for the over-the-long-weekend Hyderabad trip is basically nothing, apart from the fact that I ran out of creative ideas to kill three days at a stretch in Bangalore. This trip was a sheer product of dread at ruining a nice holiday with the idiot box and some insipid novels (the bibliophile in me is suffering from acute dearth of intellectual stamina).

I spent my time with friends, discovering what has changed in them and what hasn’t changed in Hyderabad, apologizing at times rather earnestly on why I couldn’t make it to their weddings/ engagements, handling over belated wedding presents, checking out remote areas like Bala Nagar and Suchitra, meeting a couple of online pals for the very first time, watching a couple of movies for IMAX and City Planet sake, taking a long walk at General Bazaar during a light drizzle, driving around the city on one good old engineering times lady bike of my pal wearing a helmet, and in free time hogging Paradise Biryanies and Irani Chaies.

There are some uninvited realizations and lessons too. I realized that I lost a piece of the gullible me when I couldn’t trust an autowalah on face value. Especially when my suspicion proved right. I realized that I needed to be more assertive, when someone asked me to pay a price for companionship. I realized that people change and especially when you meet pals after a gap of some years my mental image of them won’t fit with what they currently are. And, I could shed some biases and prejudices that I nursed of Hyderabad, for I realized that at heart I do like the larger than life attitude of the city.

This short trip to Hyderabad proved out to be quite eventful. Indeed.

Ladies Day out…

Mmm.. that was fun with my colleagues at Accenture at the Royal Orchid Doddi’s Resort in Bangalore this Saturday. They say that the journey gets most exciting when we don’t know where we are heading. I could easily relate to this during this ladies day out. We are all just a bunch of 80 gals from different projects joined together for an all day party. We played some interesting team games during the first half which included filling the pitcher, passing the hoolaloop, and making a human machine. It was interesting to watch to see the evolution of team dynamics along the event, and ofcourse being a part of the game. 😉

It was amazing fun to make pals with colleagues whom I have never met before. Fun to be absolutely careless and carefree after a tiring week with a bunch of strangers! We have played, pooled, sang and danced all day and shared some perfect moments with one another. Its not about the resort, or the facilities but more about the experience. Met some amazing people and made a couple of pals too.. After all, why should guys have all the fun? 🙂

Happy Ganesha Chaturdhi..

This is a very special festival in both family and cultural aspects as never a year rolled by when I haven’t prayed Ganesha in this occasion. Ganesha is one of my favorite Gods, as he is so much malleable to creativity. He get the first prayers as he is the one who guides opportunities by eradicating the obstacles. (So as the mythology goes).

This is an old forward, yet it was so current in my memory that I hunted it down to share it with you all.

I celebrated this year with my family friends and as I was enjoying the puja it struck me how much these rituals create the bonding of being together with the family. Whenever this festival arrives and wraps me in a humdrum of activity, I cant help but take a trip down the memory lane.. Reliving all those days of hectic shopping for the idol and flowers, Troubling Mamma for new books, Drawing Om on the book covers, Setting up the Mandapa, Dressing up in new clothes, The humdrum in the kitchen, Chanting of the sloka, Ardent avoiding of the moon and so on.. All those moments flash live they are still alive and are happening now.

Sometimes somethings sound plain stupid to the naked eye, yet they have a lot of depth behind it. The entire personification of God and treating him with flowers, dressing him up, and offering food in a particular process may sound tiring and ridiculous, yet I love the effect of peace it creates in the mind, the feeling of unity in entire family helping each other in getting things done, and the visits of the relatives and friends and the community bonding.. Sometimes I feel as if there is a meaning behind everything and everything has a meaning.. It may be hazy to figure it out in an instance yet, it doesn’t stop me from believing.

These rituals are just not about religious beliefs, they are about uniting everyone under simple purpose and activity, and sharing common memories through procedures and protocols. How much I love them!

A Cruise to Heaven..

Yesterday is one such day which would be tucked in my memory lane forever under contentment! It always happens with me when am surrounded by plush rustic beauty, luscious greenery, serene waters, cool breeze and slight drizzle.. Top it off with the company of loved ones, life felt never so better! Hmm.. Didn’t realize I typed this much without any details! God, Am Verbose for sure! I took a one day boat ride to Papi Kondalu from Rajahmundry along with my family and friends. Its a trip that’s long pending, and guess anticipation made it sweeter.

We booked Punnami travels for a packaged tour which promises pickup from Rajahmundry and boat ride from Pattuseema to Papikondalu and back. The itinerary included Posamma Temple, Devipatnam, Perantalapalli, and Papikondalu. The travels car picked us from home at around 6:30 AM and we headed to Pattuseema on road. Weather is exceptionally pleasant and the chilled breeze and the cozy riverside drive set the tone of the day. We reached the Pattuseema coast by 8:00 AM. There are around 4 boats which are awaiting for passengers by the shores and are scheduled to start by 9:00 AM. Well, an hour is just perfect for a short visit to the Pattisam Island which houses a Shiva and Venkateswara Temple. We boarded a small ferry boat which runs from the shore to island and did the darshana.

We boarded the Nandini boat for the Papikondalu visit. The boat has an A.C. fitted lower deck with wooden interiors. Its quite comfortable with cusioned chairs, a huge bed, a small podium, a canteen and can comfortably accommodate 40 people. The upper deck has an open terrace covered by a metal roof and can seat 20 people. The boat has to cruise its way through around three districts to reach Ppikondalu. After a sumptuous breakfast at boat, me and my sister rushed to the tip of the boat after coaxing the driver. Slowly, my family members joined us surreptitiously. We were mesmerized by the soothing comfort of the chilled breeze, numbed by the shimmery sand dunes, engrossed in the silent rhythm of the Godavari and the serene sanctity of the mountains. And now am at loss for those nice sounding expressions which can mimic the serene sanctity that enveloped me there! We touched upon a village called Tadivada (end of East Godavari District), Seenivaka (End of West Godavari District), and entered Khammam district to head to Perantalapalli to visit a small waterfall and the famous Shiva temple out there. There are a lot of tribals women trying to sell us beautiful bamboo flowers and minature bamboo houses. We bought some and then headed to the temple. This temple is little different in the terms of rules that they observe. One has to observe absolute silence in the temple and there is no official Puja in the Mandir. Its just God, You and Yourself.. That had a calming and soothing experience on me.

The whole route is blessed by lots of temples, local Gods and Godesses and we chanced upon an ancient temple where this popular song called ‘Na Gontu Sruti lona, Na Gunde Layalona’ from JanakiRamudu movie is picturized. That place is even more lovely in reality. Well, the local faith is that there is a golden temple thats underground to that actual temple on top and is visible to the Sadhus in their meditation. Also, the Pujari vehemently endorsed that there is a underground route to Kasi from the temple. Well, now no debates are encouraged on the veracity of this beliefs. The bottom line is that I loved that place, trip and am hoping to visit it again! 🙂

Revisiting Childhood!

My entire weekend can be termed under one phrase: “Sheer Bliss”! I spent the best part of my weekend at Kuppa Metta Kandriga, which is located at the Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu border, almost 14 kilometers away from a small village called Nagari. This trip is a impromptu one, and I went in as a willing companion to my mother who wanted to visit her childhood friends and relatives located over there.

We caught a bus (#201) at CMBT in Chennai to go to Nagari which is some 2 hours journey and then boarded an auto arranged by my uncle to go to his Farm House. Thankfully, there is a decent cement road laid to connect those remote areas.. My childhood impressions prepared me for horse carts and I am delighted to trade it for an Auto rickshaw. I still remember those insensitive days when the cart driver used pepper powder on the eyes of the horse to make it carry heavy load in 1990s. 😦 Already, there is nostalgia setting in my mind and I longed for an escape into the simplistic life of the villages!

Well, how to you feel if you land up in an isolated place where you see greenery everywhere and there isn’t a single man made concrete building around for miles? I got more than I bargained for. I got joy, contentment, elation, solitude and peace! This farmhouse is set in sugarcane plantations and is filled with sunlight, fresh air and space. Their house is surrounded by lavish opulence of dangling beauties like jasmines, cosmos, frangipanis, periwinkles and firecrackers (kanakambaram) basking in glorious sunshine only to be competed by those Mango, Coconut, Guava and Pomegranate trees offering ripe temptations.. I had innocent elation at discovering the livestock. There were cattle, and pet dogs. I had a dewy-eyed pleasure in feeding cattle, taking calves for walk, and playing with dogs.

The beauty of the place is enhanced by the sounds of silence: rustling of the trees, buzzing of the leaves, soft cooing of the birds and the faint tinging of the bells. I wandered like a spoilt child, discovering delight everywhere, uncared for the hot sun.. I just loved those ornate cement floors, archaic concrete bath tubs, that gushing pump set by the old well, and that black and white television at their home.. I loved the night even more. Ensconced in natural air conditioning, admiring the star-lit skies and the shimmering glow worms, all I could think of is ‘Contentment’. It kind of transported me back into childhood and I was fourteen again!

Playing the Intrepid Explorer!

I had a whirlwind Delhi trip this weekend to attend the 2nd International IPTV Conference organized by Bharat Exhibitions. IPTV is an area of interest in my lab’s work and I wanted to check out the key players in this arena. My interest in this conference is propelled also by the fact that I have never seen Delhi in all its glory.

I reached Delhi on Friday Night at 10 PM. I took a prepaid taxi and he dropped me off at the TCS guest house which is located in Connaught Place. And I was drop dead on the bed, the moment I checked in my room! 🙂

I got up fresh like a morning daisy and got out of the guest house by 8:15 AM. I am supposed to report at Le Meridian Hotel for the conference at 9:00 AM and I have no clue as to how close/ far is it from the guest house. I walked around and caught an auto. He asked me 20 bucks for the Hotel. I was so pleasantly surprised! Guess paying exorbitant auto fares for minor distances in Chennai can do that for you! One thing that impressed me in Delhi in first glance is the public infrastructure. The city is beautifully laden with huge roads which are flanked by big trees on either sides. Well structured roads, great infrastructure, fresh air and greenery..All these made me wonder if I am in an Indian Metro?! Having time at my disposal, I took a lazy walk around the hotel, appreciating the sunny warmth and the shimmery roads and made it to the venue in time.

The whole day went in the conference. I am impressed by the wide range of representation it had from the key players in the industry. There are almost 24 speakers on the panel and the event went in four sessions. The topics under discussion dealt with the strategic issues, market opportunities, challenges, service provider’s perspective for IPTV Rollout and also examined in detail, the best practices in the IPTV industry. It was quite an eventful conference and I learnt a great deal about the major players in the industry. The echoing thoughts concentrated on the need for content aggregators and the concerns ranged on the evolving nature of the business model.

I was exhausted by the power packed day which got over by 6:30 PM. I headed over to Janpath Market by walk, as its quite near to the Hotel. I was struck by the bright hues of the garments and the flashy embroidery designs. I ended up buying a couple of wall hangings, blouses and pillow covers. Feeling energetic, I took an auto to explore India Gate. Its a beautiful sight to watch in the night! Built as a war memorial to commemorate the sacrifices of the soldiers, it stands proudly like a huge archway in middle of a cross road. It became a decent family outing space in the current times, as I found many families, and groups enjoying an idle conversation and the serene greenery. Awed by the experience, I reached my accommodation and retired for the day.

The next day is an engaging experience though! I left the guest house and reached Raj Ghat. Its the final resting place for our father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. I went into the Raj Ghat remembering his words, and those few verses of him that I read from his autobiography, “My Experiments With Truth”. He lived his life in pursuit of Truth and Nonviolence. While removing my shoes to walk up to his place, I remembered what he stood for: the power of action, conviction, patience and love. Lighted by an eternal flame and surrounded by expansive greenery, his soul rests in peace, survived by the ideals he has implanted in innumerable people. Touched by the place, I stayed there in daze for sometime in my mind’s mind numbing company.

Later, I headed to Karol Bagh for some lazy shopping. The exploration ended there, as I roamed around the wide streets, enjoying the little discovery and the light conversation, blissfully unaware of my shopping expenses! and I cant sign off with out a single mention for the Delhi’s climate! The mercury ranged around 42 degrees and with a dry climate, I could feel the heat burning me under my skin!

This trip taught me to be aware of my prejudices as well. Before taking the trip, I was very conscious about the remarks I heard about about Delhi. That people are rude, traffic is unkind, safety concerns for a single lady at night and what not? Talking to the people on the roads, I found that the people are very kind to the strangers. They answered queries patiently, with a ready smile! That actually made my trip a pleasant one, I guess!

P.S: The title of this post is a direct excerpt from a friend’s SMS. And trust me, I fell in love with it!

Pookalam Competition..

As a part of the Onum celebrations @ TCS Tidel Park, we participated in Pookalam competition and managed to win second! Well, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed making the floral carpet just for the pure exhilaration of working together as a team. The interesting part is that most of the team who created the carpet are non mallos with an absolute zero experience. I guess that made it most interesting! Since noone was aware of the proper process, we experimented a lot. Some of our guys browsed a lot of websites to arrive at some good choices of floral carpets. A couple of our creative designers worked on to arrive at the perfect concept for our design. One bought chalk powder and made a huge symmetric circle with a cone and thread! Some one added the sand base, while some worked on to arrange the flowers.. Guess that was the first time when I saw most of the teammates by sharp 7 AM in office. Working with flowers, fixing the sand, letting the mind stray to get some creative combinations was an awesome experience. Hey, all was worthwhile for the enjoyment and energy it generated within team. Another instance of ‘Together Everyone Achieves More’.

Here is a snapshot of our pookalam design. One side shows an elephant head, just reverse it to find a man riding a boat! Guess its the idea which won more than the execution! 🙂

My Short Trip to Mumbai and A Deluge of Memories!

So finally I made it.. I have been longing to make a trip to the Amchi Mumbai, just to meet my friends out there.. A warm touch, a cozy chat, a quiet dinner and a good companionship.. I almost jumped at a training session organized by TCS. Well, the session proved worth the visit too. Well, that’s my first flight experience too. The whole world seems so serene and small from top. Awesome sight! I reached there on Sunday Afternoon, planning to catch up with lots of friends in that short span of 6 hours. It turned out to be better than what I have expected. I felt great catching up with pals and their stories of Mumbai and Work.

Coming to the business of the visit, I went to Mumbai for training on creative brainstorming and innovation techniques. At least, that’s what I thought at the first. I ended up being in a train the trainer session for an organizational effectiveness initiative of TCS called Propel which helps in creating a change platform. Sounds complex, right? It is.

The training was conducted by Tao Knoware Pvt Ltd. When the first 2 days of training concentrated on making people more human and resolving value dilemmas in organizations, the rest 2 focused on enhancing productivity by addressing specific issues at the organizational level. The training session was an awesome learning experience as I could relate those issues in the current organizational context. The whole training is focused on organizational culture as for TCS, “means are more important than the ends.” I met with so many sharp minds who are mature and sensitive. I guess that enhances the appeal of these sessions.

Unfortunately I was hit by viral fever so I was kind of a passive participant there. Added to that, our training was organized at Hotel Retreat at Madh Island, a real godforsaken place! Actually it’s a perfect place for honeymooners and definitely not for corporate conferences.

Its time to get back to Chennai again! Hoping to catch the morning flight, I landed up at 8:00 AM on Saturday only to realize that the flight is booked by mistake at 8:00 PM. Now, the feeling was of pure jubilation! So, I got enough time to catch up with my buddies after all! I asked my friend to pick me up at airport and landed up at her flat again! It’s so long since I had a quiet chat with my dear college friend. She is getting married this December and is trying to train herself to be a traditional lady! 😉 Her life got changed from jeans to suits, and I just loved watching her taking charge of her life! Glad that I could spend some time with the “to be married” gang!

Thanks to my friend’s sweet roomie’s suggestion, I met up with my ILP gang TCS colleagues in Mumbai. Life was back to projects, bosses, and profiles again! It was glad to see them back after one year! Lots of catching up and so little time! All good things come to an end finally and so does this trip…

My Trip to MGM!

After hearing a lot about MGM since long, I ventured out for MGM with my buddies on a sunny Saturday! MGM has all the amenities to qualify for a amusement park equipped with roller coaster and several other rides. The star of the show is “Ranger” ride though! Ranger takes you through a 360 degree spin and leaves your head rocking n rolling! Rest all other rides are sober and cool with a balance of slow rides for the family entertainment. MGM is fun for whole day and is ideal for family! I prefer Queensland though!

My Visit to Shankar Netralaya!

Well, its time to pay visit to the Sankara Netralaya in Chennai, one of the most renowned eye hospitals of India. I was always little lazy to venture for LASIK, willing to make do with spectacles to correct my shortsight. The hospital is really process oriented, and yes one needs to dedicate atleast half a day with an appointment to complete the check up and I went there consecutively for three days to confirm whether my eyes are suitable for LASIK or not!

Getting an appointment at Sankara Netralaya is itself a task. In case you are wondering, you can get an appointment through Telephone, Internet or in person. If you want to get the same day appointment, well dress up and join the queue at morning 5.30 AM to collect a token against cancellation for the appointment. And, do remember that Sundays are strictly for emergencies. Also, a patient can only take a single attendant/friend/family member along with him. Looking at the crowd waiting at the main block, I can only understand the reason behind the same.

After taking the same day appointment, I reported at the reception desk at 8:15 AM and commenced on a long wait for the secretary to call me for the 8:30 AM appointment. Well, finally she took mercy on me and I get to meet the optometrist by 11:00 AM and the doctor by 12:00 PM only to hear that I need to go to the specialist for which I need to take another appointment! Lol!!! I was completely unaware of what’s happening with me and what are they trying to test apart from the haziness due to the dilation of eyes!

Gamely, I requested for the specialist appointment and luckily got it for the very next day again at 8:00 AM! So again my long wait commences for the specialist! Well, this time, I went through a battery of corneal thickness check and other check up (I lost the sequence) and finally get to meet the doctor. What I liked most is the nonmercenary approach and the safety first attitude of the doctor. He didn’t really advice me to head for LASIK. So, a little lately I decided that being lazy is the best and I cant take this waiting for cosmetic purpose.

Sankara Netralaya offers the best of eye care for sure. Yet, they can concentrate more on the communication to the patient so that he may not feel lost in the process. I am really impressed by the crowd management and the organization. Being an impatient self, my only complaint is the long waiting hours! Sure knock the door of Shankar Netralaya for the best of eye care for complicated issues and expert opinion but you can make do with your family doctor for minor ailments!

Tata Business Excellence Model

Tata Business Excellence Model, or TBEM as its known in the short form, is a wonderful framework to enhance the quest for excellence in the Tata Group. I was fortunate enough to attend a three day session on this excellence model to observe the intricacies of this model. It was quite a learning experience and it made me realize the need for the alignment of goals, guidance of the vision. mission and objectives, and effective communication to create the focus on the results for the on going survival of the organization. After all, what is business if it works only for profit without delighting its stakeholders in the process?

Together Everyone Achieves More!

Well, that just sums up our programme team at TCS! Imagine a bunch of young guys with passion, enthusiasm, drive, innocence and take-charge attitude and throw in fun and party, thats the way the work goes!

All this jubiliation is because I am just back from a team outing for Thekkedy and Munnar for three days. Can’t even recount how the visit went. It was just too good!

Periyar tiger Reserve, Thekkady, is an example of nature’s splendour, with great scenic charm, and rich bio diversity. We took the one and half hour boat ride along the periyar lake which takes you through the secrets of the forest. We could spot plenty of elephants, wild boars, deers and birds. Here is a glimpse into the scenic beauty.

We went cycling the town in the evening and reached our hotel exhausted! And the next day its time for Munnar. We boarded the tempo by 6AM and managed to reach Munnar by 12 PM after having fun all the way. But the raid in tempo is quite a challenge as the roads are quite sinuous. It can make your stomach do funny things!

Munnar is a fabulous place though! It may be sunny alright, but reach a shade and you will feel cool again. A natural A.C.! Here is the Munnar info for the tourist! http://www.munnar.com/tourist.htm

We visited Rajmala and could sneak a peak at loads of Nilgiri Tahrs. Half the world’s population of the rare mountain goat or tahr which is fast becoming extinct, is now found here. Later we left for Echo Point and screamed at the top of our lungs! This scenic place gets its name from the natural echo phenomenon here. For those interested in boating, a ride in speed boat at the Mattupetty lake and dam is just the thing. The boat drivers are quite cooperative and can give a thrilling experience.

Devikulam lake and the tea gardens are the added attraction! We managed to get permission from Tata Tea for the Devikulam lake as their private road connects to the lake. Leeches gaves us quite a scare, yet we had quite fun at the private lake, consuming the idyllic surroundings! This trip gave us the much needed break and everyone is brought back from dead and all excited to get to work after the fun filled adventure!

Rowing to my Delight!

This weekend was an absolute fun for me as I had a gala time visiting Mahabalipuram. I chanced to spend some time at Muttukadu lake. I’m with a friend and together we hired a row boat to add to the fun. The experience was worth the half an hour waiting we did at the lake front. I have never boarded a row boat before and it was quite an enchanting experience to observe the sinuous waves and the serene atmosphere. I begged the rower for a role reversal. He readily agreed, willing to share his work with us. So here we go, rowing our way in delight under the ample guidance of our bemused rower. I never realized that rowing requires so much of observation and strength. I had quite a lot of fun and sealed the day with a sumptuous dinner at Copper Chimney!

My trip to Hyderabad

Albeit short, this trip to Hyderabad was a delightful one. I spent a day there watching a fabulous Telugu movie called Style. This movie is based on a bunch of guys who were dedicated to Freestyle dance. A couple a good songs, sensible performance by Lawrence and a great deal of fabulous dance made it quite an enjoyable show. I chanced to have a glance at the new IMAX and the Prasad multiplex and took a long drive to the Necklace road. All these brought back the memories of the nostalgic university life back. I went to my old Osmania Ladies Hostel, catching up with the old times. Nothing has changed much, apart from the colour of the walls. (Got a recent white wash!). The same old Bawarchi restaurant and the same RTC X roads flanked by theatres on either sides, at times it’s nice to live the old times again, though for a short time. Nothing changes much apart from the soul within!

My Convocation!

I went to Pune on this 21st of Jan. 22nd Jan was our batch convocation at IMDR. The moment Chennai Express reached Pune, every grueling moments of the 23 hour journey was forgotten and I was giggling like an idiot! I never know that I was suffering from such heavy dose of nostalgia! The train journey was quiet enjoyable, thanks to my batch mate who gave me a good company. I went to my old flat at Mini Apartments on Bhandarkar Road. Everything seemed so normal…

I met an old friend there. He became sick without proper food and a lot of tension in life. Well, he is working in sales in the financial sector and guess there lies the reason for his unbalanced life. Financial sector frightens me with a strenuous work life. I just wonder about those poor souls who are facing the heat! I spent the evening with another friend over dinner catching up with the old times. Nothing changed infact!

On Sunday Morning, I had a great time running to the railway station for booking my return tickets.. That was quiet a long walk which rejuvenated my old memories. Infact, I went for walking for about 4 km a day throughout my stay in Pune.  I went for the convocation dressed in the Maroon Sari, a tradition of IMDR. I was feeling curiously strange as the convocation discussion was a little off the track. Surprisingly, I was a little tensed! Ultimately I was called on the podium as I stood first in Lady Students of our batch. I won a cash prize called “Late Shri. S.G.Barve free studentship.” Well, I felt strange that they decided to have a prize for a ladies topper and that ended up to be me of all probabilities! I was happy that the most creative award of the batch went to Reema Sahay. Who else? I can never forget the beauty and simplicity of her poems.

After the convocation, I had a grand lunch with my Mentee. There is a thing called Mentorship in IMDR where one senior takes the charge of one junior in the process of begadofying and guiding. That’s quite a fruitful relationship as it creates the pegs and relationships across the batches. After that hearty lunch, I went to my relatives place. I love their daughter, who is just 6 years old. She is too sweet and pleasant. Infact, I extended my trip in order to spend decent time with her.

My Observations

One thing that echoed common among a lot of my batch mates is disillusionment, as their expectations are no match to the kind of profiles in which they all ended up. I could sense the dilemma and the turmoil. Life has become a struggle in work life with the emerging challenges. The desire to keep the dreams alive is dwindling and life is rolling in pursuit of mundane tasks. Sad, yet true. I felt little lonely in the campus, guess that’s because of the lack of the comfort factor. A lot of things changed, isn’t it? That’s all about my convocation..

My First Collage!

Today I submitted my first collage for the TCS library week competition and I’m quite satiated. The feeling of participation can do wonders, isn’t it? This week is kind of dull for me and I was wondering how on to spend it. This collage competition came as a blessing in disguise. What got me engaged is the thought process and concentration which goes in making a collage. I even participated in crossword and matchup (albeit with a great deal of help from pals and google!). Well, it sure leaves a feel good sensation.

Apart from the Collage, I also participated in Crossword, Matchup and Book Review. I ended up winning a prize in Crossword by fluke!

My home trip!

I finally managed to reach home for Diwali and had a gala time at home. Yet, I can’t resist myself from posting the way I reached home. I couldn’t make the journey on 28th as all the trains in Chennai Central towards Andhra Pradesh got cancelled. To much of my chagrin, the situation continued for days. Finally Coromandal express got started on 30th and I was happy to get a berth and became an innocent victim of the diverted train route. God! The train took 30 hours to reach my home town(actual time is 10 hours). Good thing is that I got to see the whole of Rayalaseema: the Kadapa, Anantapuram, Karnool, Prakasam districts. It was quite a tiresome journey and an interesting one too. One can actually observe the resilience, patience and tenacity of the people. I finally reached home and my only regret is that I lost around 3 days due to the journey.

I did plenty of shopping at home and even accompanied Dad a couple of times for the morning walk. Being at Home gives me a sluggish sense of happiness. Khana, Peena and Sona. Did nothing apart from that. I took two days to get back to the working life!

I left the cell at home as I wanted to buy a new one in Chennai. Andhra Pradesh is cheaper when it comes to buying of cells. I did quite a lot of research and finally I found that there is not a single cell which has an ideal brain and beauty combo. I stayed cell-less for a couple of days deciding which one to buy. Interesting part is that during those days I felt strange happiness and freedom. I got so used to mobile that I felt that something is missing. Talk about Techno-Addiction!

P.S. Finally I ended up buying Samsung’s SGH-X620 on 14th Nov. Though its not from Nokia, this mobile covers the basic functions like FM(very much needed in Chennai), Cam and voice recording. Looks quite handy too. Yes it fits the bill!

A trip to Mamallapuram..

Yesterday we went to Mamallapuram, also known as Mahabalipuram from Chennai was a trip based on just a whim and was planned on the spot. The climate added to the temptation too. The soft breeze and the cool winds beckoned us for a long drive. It took us an hour to reach Mamallapuram from Adyar Chennai and I would say that the drive was fabulous. The road connecting Mamallapuram and Chennai is parallel to the sea coast.. U can imagine the luxury of watching the sea breeze soothe your mood while driving! It was wonderful. After reaching Mamallapuram, the rain started pouring down, challenging our expectations of the sightseeing. Yet, we could cover the beach, the Shore temple and the Pancha Radhas. I have seen some of the marvelous carvings on the black rock and the stone carvings are beyond any praise. We stopped at E.C.R. Dhabha to have a quick lunch. The landscaping of the restaurant was simply superb with seating overlooking a miniature pond complete with swans! The food was a downer though. Finally, after getting deluged both by the experience and by the rain, we came back looking like drowned rats! Quite an experience indeed! Hope it stays tucked away in the memory lane forever..

Chennai IMDR Alumni Meet..

Yesterday we had an IMDRite get together at Dhaba Express in Cenotoph Road of Chennai. Thanks to Juniors and thanks to Placement preparations, I could see a lot of IMDRites. It was a small gathering of around 15 people. There were a few who were about 5 to 10 years seniors to us. I really liked their commitment to come after this many years.

The gathering brought back quite a lot of memories.. Sitting under the Bodhi tree, fighting for the computers, gossiping with friends, arguments with Doc, the serene quadrangle and the feeling of Bhupi’s presence. Every moment seems the Best. I am pretty impressed by the feeling of unity among the alumni. Really, its very important to have a sense of identity and IMDR has a unique culture of itself. IMDR makes one simple and down to earth. It made me more introspective and observant. Down the memory lane, I know that IMDR has made a big impact in my life.

For a moment, I wished to be at IMDR.. To silently walk around the campus, to see Bhupi from far (I am a little hesitant to talk to him,as always), to sit on the stairs and to listen to the humming of the birds. It really made me nostalgic. I know its not possible, yet, its great to have good memories, longings and a sense of belongingness. When I was at IMDR, I never thought of the feeling of being an alumni. The corporate life is quite a shift from the sensitive culture of IMDR. Yet, I need to come out of the shadow someday.. To realize myself and to be myself.

Why Robert Frost comes to mind always? May be his poem is very exquisite. It sums up my feelings..

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Hi from Chennai!!

Its been quite a long time since I last keyed in my musings. I am quite occupied these days and the time I spend on myself is dwindling these days. yet, I am grateful to TCS, I got time to breathe! When I hear the stories and working hours of my peers, I feel as if I got a lot to thank for!

Regarding Kaam, I joined Innova Lab in Tidel Park,Chennai. My profile deals with Concept Marketing of quite a lot of innovative stuff. Its just my kind of role and I’m loving it every moment. Chennai is quite hot, only that I am not exposed to it in the plush A.C. office of the TCS out here. I have seen the other Karapakkam and Sholinganallur offices, and I liked the Sholinganallur office better. It got a lot of open area and can keep one quite engaged, especially when one got no work!

Chennai Disco(Discovery of Chennai):

I have checked out a few theatres in Chennai: Satyam, Casino. I was told that Satyam is one of those Hip multiplexes of Chennai, but it turned out to be a complete downer for me. I have seen better ones in Pune. Added to that, the movie I watched there, “My Wife’s Murder” , was PATHETIC at its best. I really don’t understand the purpose of making that movie. I went to the Spencer Plaza and I felt it was too crowded and disorganized. The service lanes and the mount road make me feel as if there is a lot more to explore. Chennai is a real big city!

Coming to the best part, The best thing I saw in chennai is British Library located on Mount Road. The ambiance and the building was fantastic! I loved the time I spent there. A great hangout for book lovers. I went to the Paris Corner, the old Chennai style of Market and then to Marina Beach. I always get enticed by beaches and the sea. The inviting waves and the soothing breeze makes me heady and contented. I feel that the persistence of waves to reach the shore is the perfect illustration of Never Say Die attitude. Its an awe-inspiring sight! Guess that sums up my Chennai Disco. Hope I get more time to explore this great culturally rich Metro!

A trip to Ponmudi..

Today we went to Ponmudi, which is a hill station nearby Trivandrum. The weather was extremely pleasant and the scenic beauty, soul touching. It was some two hour bus ride from Trivandrum. Throughout the way we, the Ganesh hotel gang of TCS, sang songs and had loads of fun. Actually we were trying to make the most of the last few days left in Trivandrum. The surroundings are green and filled with coconut trees and tea gardens. Added to that, the place is covered in mist and I had tough time differentiating the mist from clouds. I tried the Kerala special boiled rice for lunch. Its supposed to be very healthy, yet its very different from the normal cooked rice which I am used to in Andhra Pradesh. What can I say about the place? Its an ideal destination if you are looking for greenery, pleasant climate, and some solitude, as it fills your soul with love, you feel reconnected with the nature. To top off the day, we calmed ourselves over the nearby waterfalls. Its kind of difficult to explain where lies the magic. May be the pristine surrounding of the Ponmudi did the trick. In the end, its a lovely experience and my heart wanted more and more.

The Initial Leisure Period…

I am currently in Trivandrum undergoing the Initial Learning Programme (ILP) for the TCS employees. The training is for 32 days and Kerala is a lovely place to stay for that duration. The state of art training facilities they have at TCS are just fabulous. I am especially enjoying the life skills and Foreign Language classes. Ich lerne Deutsch these days! At times,It feels as if I am back to school and I have all the time to learn. I am enjoying the leisure and the serene surroundings. The backwaters of Kerala, the pristine surroundings, the beaches and the weather are so pleasant, they fill one with beauty and love. On the flip side, the city is too quiet and it closes by 9. So much of change from Pune where there is good deal of freedom. Still, I kind of enjoy my stay and the Initial Leisure Period here.

A trip to Kanya Kumari..

Thanks to TCS training programme in Trivandrum, I got to see the Kanya Kumari. We boarded the bus at 3 AM to catch the sunrise but as the weather is so gloomy, we missed it. The journey was quite eventful and the experience is beyond description. We went to see the Vivekananda Rock for which one has to board the steamer boat. There is Vivekananda Rock and just beneath it was a Dhyan Mandir where people can meditate if they wish. I sat inside the Dhyan Mandir and could feel the positive vibrations. Its was the best time which I ever had with myself. The mix of the light chanting, natural ventilation and the sea weather made me feel quite heady. There is also a Thiruvalluvar statue, a great Tamil poet, where a short summary of each of his 133 chapters were inscribed. I was quite delighted to read each of them, one of the best poetic expressions I have ever read. To top off the day, we relaxed at the Thipparappu Waterfalls. The scenic beauty was fabulous. It was one of the most beautiful days of my life.

A trip to Tirupati!

I can call my trip to Tirupati as a part pilgrimage activity. My family decided to pay respects to the richest God of India(World, maybe)Lord Venkateshwara. We wanted to climb the seven hills by walk and learned few lessons on the way. For the first, its not easy to climb 3750 steps at one go and if you believe that you can do it fine, its over confidence! The second is never carry your footwear along, as after sometime, very likely that you want to pack it in bag or throw it overhill. Never carry any luggage and that includes your water bottles as there are enough to replenish you on the way. And the last and final is that even if you start the walk saying O God, its likely that you will end up saying Oh! God! so be prepared.

On a serious note, it took four hours to climb the stairs and four hours for the Darshan as we have already taken slots for the Darshan a month ahead. The Darshan was rushed, but I could catch a glimpse of the Lord. It was a pleasant trip indeed: I could test my stamina!

Last day at IMDR as a student..

Don’t even know what to write. Its one of those days when my mind blanks out and heart feels heavy. There are still a few classmates around in the insti. Today seems like a normal day but I know its not the same. Today is my last day in IMDR as a student and I know that I can never get back to these days again. A phase of my life is ending and I am in a transition period caught in between the aching sweetness of college and the lure of the glorious future.

When I think of the days of IMDR, all I have is memories to fall back to. The days of Hip Hip Hurrays, those playful taunts, running for printouts, those naps in classes, that Time Pass in cases and those group arguments.. All and almost everything will make me miss IMDR more. I will miss all the IMDRites, those familiar faces who are friendly and trustworthy, those steps in quadrangle which seem inviting to spend hours together with pals and lots of Gappa, the Bodhi tree which is the platform for all the gyan sessions.. But then, once an IMDRite, always an IMDRite and memories never die. The feeling of belongingness I have with the IMDR community will always stay afresh in my heart. Life goes on collecting memories and memoirs.. What say?