Today evening, my mom was watching the opening of the movie named "Me and my dream"(Naanu.. nanna kanasu), a remake of tamil movie "Abhiyum naanum". Several actors were made to read out letters to their young kids about love and care for their little daughter which is the basic theme of the movie, A dad giving all that he can to his lovely daughter. Mom (as always!) being highly emotional and sensitive was taken back to her childhood memories and those old day memories just flashed by her eyes. Mom and I, being close friends, She shared her childhood story with me.
This story is two generations older and hence may seem very unrealistic to some but happening in all our lives.
Story line starts somewhere in 1960's when mom was in her school days. She was the latest addition to grandpa's family, I mean really late coz she was completing her tenth grade when grandpa retired at the age of 58 years! Hmmm... seems like no family planning soon after independence :P Well, If it was there I wouldn't have been here to say this ;)
It was a family of 8 people; Grandpa, his mother, Grandma, two aunts and two uncles elder to mom and my mom. They all lived happily in a posh villa in the area known as Malleshwaram. Even today it is being called the same after decades of development in Bangalore. To me atleast some places like Gandhi bazaar, DVG road of Basavanagudi, MG road in central Bangalore, 8th cross of Malleshwaram, Jayanagar 4th block hangouts should remain the same even after centuries.
Is there something like lived-happily-ever-after as in fairy tales!? Nope certainly not, coz this is real life. Betrayal, deception and cunning nature of some people inside the family rips it apart into pieces and that is the exact reason why I haven't seen one of my maternal aunts till now!(Anyway, That's another long story!) Grandpa lost his own beautiful house in this gambling of others! At this time, Mom was doing her second year BSc in MES college. (Even I did my pre-university at the same college :D)
Every father's thought of crossing all her daughters to safe house (its called Marriage! here) crossed my grandpa's mind and no sooner he was into action. Dad's family had come to visit the Mom's family in Malleshwaram and like every other bollywood movie the police came with a court notice on the that same auspicious day! Grandpa somehow managed to drive off the policeman but not the situation impending in about a month. There is a saying in kannada - "Nooru sullu heLiyaadharu madhuve maadu" meaning "Do marry even if it necessitates 100 lies". God knows why they people earlier used to take so much risks! Hmmm.. Not so different in our situation where we see lots of fake love, fake assurances and fake promises. Everybody lies and many of them flirt!
Before the house was bid for sale, Marriage was successfully carried out and the last burden(!) on Grandpa's shoulder had come down. Mom said that grandpa had asked - "What is my purpose of life next? I am done with all my responsibilities", after undergoing a lot of financial and emotional turmoil in the recent years.
Then comes the most dangerous part of life called old-age where children are supposed to take care of their elders. But as the favorite inglorious quote says, "where there is a WILL only then there are family members" comes into play. Inheritance of property causes a kinda civil war between sons and no sooner did grandpa decide to move into an aashram(Old-age home) at his own willingness together with his mother. It was quite a daring task to leave the small family to join a bigger family! But with all the energy, the young spirit and his back-end support called pension, he was able to move-on. Not only did he change but he was also able bring a reform in the aashram activities. He had been to Himalayas several times with his good old friends amongst all this. He started a new wing in aashram and audited the whole of it for more than 14 years. I have been there several times when I was a small kid. I had cried and somehow managed to bring home his hand lens which was used to read newspaper by him. I now apologize for giving you a lot of trouble grandpa. Every time mom sees my elder brother in his half sleeve shirts, she is perplexed to see you standing there. No doubt everybody sees their own parents in their kids. This post is a salute to my late grandpa who has been a brave heart and yet soo kind hearted too which makes my mom often say that "He was the best papa in the world" in a childish tone :)
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Abstract dreams and subconscious mind
I am sure everyone have had some kinda dreams which makes no sense to them which they can't even recollect after getting awake but I think they have some implicit meaning behind them which we even even don't know of.
Yesterday, I had one such absurd(!) dream in which of-course, as in everybody else's dream, I was playing a lead role and as always it was highly colorful than the recent HD movies! :P
You are sure going to call me crazy after reading the whole story below :D
I don't remember where it all started. But in my dream, I was a kinda pharaoh. A bunch of other Egyptian/(or were they Roman! coz I'm not sure of the dress I imagined) guys were playing the game of cricket(!) and I was at fielding at the cover position. Not to be surprised, we were playing the game in the middle of the desert! I caught a cover drive shot diving and landed on the sand which swallowed me in as if it was quicksand. I fell into a circular concavity which led to a pathway of stairs below which inturn led into a dungeon. I saw some familiar faces been captured behind the bars and thought of rescuing them. Soon the jailer and his men attacked me to lock me in. I escaped fighting them out and saw one peculiar semi-sphere with some old odd inscriptions on it. Some resembled the shape of humans and some others were unseen unheard language writings. As I escaped and resurfaced the sand I was on the other side of the boundary line! All the fellow fielders were puzzled and asked me what had happened. I had just seen a portal to new dimension. I had traveled through space and time and broke that continuum. None believed me. No sooner everyone felt earthquake, sand storm coming. That huge semi-sphere emerged out of nowhere in the center of the pitch and storm drove us all away from the feet. Nothing to hold onto we were all in air-borne in seconds and soon I could no longer experience it turning into a nightmare, I got up.Sigh!
Human mind is really so creative. I am amazed how the brain relates our past visual experiences of books(fiction)/movies(action and thriller)/games(RPG)/dress/emotions into a nonsense dream to get the body and mind the required rest. I read articles about the understanding of sleep patterns and dreaming. I came across an interesting article which explained the REM state of sleep which does help in reprogramming the brain in offline state disconnecting us from sensory input and paralyzing the muscles of our body. The chemical locha in the brain connects a special way to reality by creating a lightning speed of perceptions metaphorically to match with whatever we choose to imagine as an environment. But I am surprised to see how I remember so much of my dream. Most of the dreams are meant to be forgotten by the time we get up but I made myself aware that I am dreaming which somehow got a connecting link between the subconscious and conscious in the cortex of the brain!
Why do I think a lot even about bizarre dream!? anyway, Good night and Sweeeeet dreams :)
Yesterday, I had one such absurd(!) dream in which of-course, as in everybody else's dream, I was playing a lead role and as always it was highly colorful than the recent HD movies! :P
You are sure going to call me crazy after reading the whole story below :D
I don't remember where it all started. But in my dream, I was a kinda pharaoh. A bunch of other Egyptian/(or were they Roman! coz I'm not sure of the dress I imagined) guys were playing the game of cricket(!) and I was at fielding at the cover position. Not to be surprised, we were playing the game in the middle of the desert! I caught a cover drive shot diving and landed on the sand which swallowed me in as if it was quicksand. I fell into a circular concavity which led to a pathway of stairs below which inturn led into a dungeon. I saw some familiar faces been captured behind the bars and thought of rescuing them. Soon the jailer and his men attacked me to lock me in. I escaped fighting them out and saw one peculiar semi-sphere with some old odd inscriptions on it. Some resembled the shape of humans and some others were unseen unheard language writings. As I escaped and resurfaced the sand I was on the other side of the boundary line! All the fellow fielders were puzzled and asked me what had happened. I had just seen a portal to new dimension. I had traveled through space and time and broke that continuum. None believed me. No sooner everyone felt earthquake, sand storm coming. That huge semi-sphere emerged out of nowhere in the center of the pitch and storm drove us all away from the feet. Nothing to hold onto we were all in air-borne in seconds and soon I could no longer experience it turning into a nightmare, I got up.Sigh!
Human mind is really so creative. I am amazed how the brain relates our past visual experiences of books(fiction)/movies(action and thriller)/games(RPG)/dress/emotions into a nonsense dream to get the body and mind the required rest. I read articles about the understanding of sleep patterns and dreaming. I came across an interesting article which explained the REM state of sleep which does help in reprogramming the brain in offline state disconnecting us from sensory input and paralyzing the muscles of our body. The chemical locha in the brain connects a special way to reality by creating a lightning speed of perceptions metaphorically to match with whatever we choose to imagine as an environment. But I am surprised to see how I remember so much of my dream. Most of the dreams are meant to be forgotten by the time we get up but I made myself aware that I am dreaming which somehow got a connecting link between the subconscious and conscious in the cortex of the brain!
Why do I think a lot even about bizarre dream!? anyway, Good night and Sweeeeet dreams :)
Sunday, November 8, 2009
I think, therefore I am single.
The title had been one of my status messages in the google talk in the recent past. Not surprisingly, I received all kinds of strange comments but the thing which interested me most was that I had a long argument over chat with one of my good friend over this "non-marital status" message :P
In India, as Chetan bhagat's latest novel says, Indian weddings are not like other love marriages around the world - Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy. Boy's famliy has to love girl. Girl's family has to love boy. Girl's family has to love boy's family. Boy's family has to love girl's family. If girl and boy still love each other(after all the turbulent-highly-emotional-melodrama between the families) then they can get married :D
The argument with my friend ignited over the assumption that I am not a strong believer of love marriages! Actually I am happy being single now. I have lots of time to spare on things which I have cool passion. Some people think I am crazy teetotaler owning a royal enfield bullet which seems to be like practicing two contrasting customs in the world. I am happy exploring the world around me. I am happy at work and looking ahead for a great career in which I am certainly making good progress. I am contented with all that I got except for knowledge. To me I am the most happiest person on this world! I love myself than any other person in this world. I have not (yet) met that someone who I can back on/whom I back on emotionally with all the care in the world.
In India, as Chetan bhagat's latest novel says, Indian weddings are not like other love marriages around the world - Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy. Boy's famliy has to love girl. Girl's family has to love boy. Girl's family has to love boy's family. Boy's family has to love girl's family. If girl and boy still love each other(after all the turbulent-highly-emotional-melodrama between the families) then they can get married :D
The argument with my friend ignited over the assumption that I am not a strong believer of love marriages! Actually I am happy being single now. I have lots of time to spare on things which I have cool passion. Some people think I am crazy teetotaler owning a royal enfield bullet which seems to be like practicing two contrasting customs in the world. I am happy exploring the world around me. I am happy at work and looking ahead for a great career in which I am certainly making good progress. I am contented with all that I got except for knowledge. To me I am the most happiest person on this world! I love myself than any other person in this world. I have not (yet) met that someone who I can back on/whom I back on emotionally with all the care in the world.
Coming to argument of love marriages v/s arranged marriage, a dozen points/questions I listed are here :)
1. Arranged marriages are like contracts and one should spend life in fulfilling it.
2. Being in love doesn't mean losing freedom.
3. Parents have come a long way from 19th century and today individuals matter rather than caste, creed, religion.
4. Love marriages give you ample time before hand in choosing the right person.
5. Can't you fall in love with your partner after marriage?
6. Is it worth taking the risk to try bonding a relationship of feelings after marriage?
7. What if love is just a kind of euphoria which blinds you from his/her real truth?
8. How much is sufficient time to know a person beforehand to fall in love with?
9. What do you see in a person to fall in love?
10. Does one really have time to find that special someone in the midst of finding a career and work-pressure?
11. Does love happen only once in lifetime!?
12. Does love/arranged really matter after a few years of any kind-of marriage? ( since I see all couples fighting over taking care of kids, doing daily chores in kitchen and even buying groceries which get rotten in refrigerator!? :P )
Actually in this debatable topic, someone had to take each side otherwise there would be nothing to chat and discuss about :P so I unfortunately took "against" and landed up in position where I couldn't put-forward my argument sometimes irritating/leg-pulling my friend and going off topic. But that was hell lot of churning out our minds.
So awaiting for comments from other readers and their typical-middle-class-Indian views on the same ;)
1. Arranged marriages are like contracts and one should spend life in fulfilling it.
2. Being in love doesn't mean losing freedom.
3. Parents have come a long way from 19th century and today individuals matter rather than caste, creed, religion.
4. Love marriages give you ample time before hand in choosing the right person.
5. Can't you fall in love with your partner after marriage?
6. Is it worth taking the risk to try bonding a relationship of feelings after marriage?
7. What if love is just a kind of euphoria which blinds you from his/her real truth?
8. How much is sufficient time to know a person beforehand to fall in love with?
9. What do you see in a person to fall in love?
10. Does one really have time to find that special someone in the midst of finding a career and work-pressure?
11. Does love happen only once in lifetime!?
12. Does love/arranged really matter after a few years of any kind-of marriage? ( since I see all couples fighting over taking care of kids, doing daily chores in kitchen and even buying groceries which get rotten in refrigerator!? :P )
Actually in this debatable topic, someone had to take each side otherwise there would be nothing to chat and discuss about :P so I unfortunately took "against" and landed up in position where I couldn't put-forward my argument sometimes irritating/leg-pulling my friend and going off topic. But that was hell lot of churning out our minds.
So awaiting for comments from other readers and their typical-middle-class-Indian views on the same ;)
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Honing my Kannada writing skills
Here is my one more attempt in writing a poem in my mother tongue.
This post is dedicated to that "Gelathi"(Friend/Alter ego) whom I have not yet met in my life till now :)
ಬಿಳಿಯ ಹಾಳೆಗೆ ಏನೆಂದು ಹೇಳಲಿ ಮನಸಿನ ತೊಳಲಾಟ.
ಲೇಖನಿಗೆನು ಗೊತ್ತು ಈ ನಿನ್ನ ಸಖನ ಪರದಾಟ.
ಭಾವನೆಗಳು ಆವಿಯಾಗುವಾ ಮುನ್ನ ಕಾವ್ಯವಾ ರಚಿಸಿದೆ,
ಆ ಮಧುರ ಕ್ಷಣಗಳ ಮೆಲುಕು ಹಾಕಿದೆ, ಮನಬಂದದ್ದು ಗೀಚಿದೆ;
ಆದರೆ ಅದರ ಸವಿ ಹಂಚಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನೀನಿಲ್ಲ, ಅದು ಈಗ ಖಾಲಿ ಹಾಳೆಗೂ ಗೊತ್ತಿದೆ.
-----------------------------------------------------------(13-10-2009 23:58 hrs)
This post is dedicated to that "Gelathi"(Friend/Alter ego) whom I have not yet met in my life till now :)
ಬಿಳಿಯ ಹಾಳೆಗೆ ಏನೆಂದು ಹೇಳಲಿ ಮನಸಿನ ತೊಳಲಾಟ.
ಲೇಖನಿಗೆನು ಗೊತ್ತು ಈ ನಿನ್ನ ಸಖನ ಪರದಾಟ.
ಭಾವನೆಗಳು ಆವಿಯಾಗುವಾ ಮುನ್ನ ಕಾವ್ಯವಾ ರಚಿಸಿದೆ,
ಆ ಮಧುರ ಕ್ಷಣಗಳ ಮೆಲುಕು ಹಾಕಿದೆ, ಮನಬಂದದ್ದು ಗೀಚಿದೆ;
ಆದರೆ ಅದರ ಸವಿ ಹಂಚಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನೀನಿಲ್ಲ, ಅದು ಈಗ ಖಾಲಿ ಹಾಳೆಗೂ ಗೊತ್ತಿದೆ.
-----------------------------------------------------------(13-10-2009 23:58 hrs)
Monday, November 2, 2009
Transitions - From a boy to man
Disclaimer : This post has no biblical/spiritual references and has nothing to do with mere physical biological developments in the changes during adolescence. Its yet-another-blurt-in-my-mind (Just my version, to be precise) about how thoughts of a boy mature in adulthood. I personally feel that it is not a "mature content" as you will come to know when you read.
Ok.. Here I go...
An innocent kid metamorphoses into a teenage boy at coeducation high school and has a lot of good friends but less of other gender. He doesn't understand what his feelings are to a person next to him. He is totally mistaken by the silly crush on her classmate as love-at-first-sight even though he does not truly know what love is! It can be just called a mere way to get attraction of opposite sex towards him as all the hormonal changes conspire to say the same. If they both get so ardently devoted to each others' puppy-love they get doomed in studies and spoil their future and end up exactly opposite to the fairy tale they often listen to, which surprisingly always ends happily-ever-after!
Some days later the boy realizes the fact that she-was-not-the-one! after having two,three or more... crushes. After all it is yet-another-testosterone-charged body. I don't blame it.
Soon he is into watching a lot of movies which create illusions of real life. Then comes the posters of actress all over the room walls/wallets. No, I don't say he is a corrupt brat! He has just another confused adolescent about his way of thinking about opposite sex. He has to be channelized to spend his energy in the right direction and major responsibility is on the head of parents, his best friends and chunk of the society around him.
Everyone around does a pretty good job in helping him overcome the distractions of his age. If not the poor chap turns pervert, addicted and what not!
He is forcefully somehow made to think ahead of time that education is the first insurance for his life and having no other choice he surrenders himself to suffer a lot of difficulties in college called course-work! but yet his eyes are roaming around the starving college campus in search of "Miss right".
He gets to meet a lot of other students who think very much alike and develops a good rapport and finds "cool" friends to hang out with. He learns a lot from their company and develops sensibility of what is good and bad in society.
By now the emotional quotient(EQ) would have attained particular stage enough to relate to and respect peers. He seems to connect to the emotional signals of the girls and connects to them in a proper way. (Somehow a girl's EQ develops a lot faster than boys maybe its the effect of earlier puberty!)
P.S. After graduating from the college he enters the industry with a formal Raymond's attire to become...... "A complete man" :P
Ok.. Here I go...
An innocent kid metamorphoses into a teenage boy at coeducation high school and has a lot of good friends but less of other gender. He doesn't understand what his feelings are to a person next to him. He is totally mistaken by the silly crush on her classmate as love-at-first-sight even though he does not truly know what love is! It can be just called a mere way to get attraction of opposite sex towards him as all the hormonal changes conspire to say the same. If they both get so ardently devoted to each others' puppy-love they get doomed in studies and spoil their future and end up exactly opposite to the fairy tale they often listen to, which surprisingly always ends happily-ever-after!
Some days later the boy realizes the fact that she-was-not-the-one! after having two,three or more... crushes. After all it is yet-another-testosterone-charged body. I don't blame it.
Soon he is into watching a lot of movies which create illusions of real life. Then comes the posters of actress all over the room walls/wallets. No, I don't say he is a corrupt brat! He has just another confused adolescent about his way of thinking about opposite sex. He has to be channelized to spend his energy in the right direction and major responsibility is on the head of parents, his best friends and chunk of the society around him.
Everyone around does a pretty good job in helping him overcome the distractions of his age. If not the poor chap turns pervert, addicted and what not!
He is forcefully somehow made to think ahead of time that education is the first insurance for his life and having no other choice he surrenders himself to suffer a lot of difficulties in college called course-work! but yet his eyes are roaming around the starving college campus in search of "Miss right".
He gets to meet a lot of other students who think very much alike and develops a good rapport and finds "cool" friends to hang out with. He learns a lot from their company and develops sensibility of what is good and bad in society.
By now the emotional quotient(EQ) would have attained particular stage enough to relate to and respect peers. He seems to connect to the emotional signals of the girls and connects to them in a proper way. (Somehow a girl's EQ develops a lot faster than boys maybe its the effect of earlier puberty!)
P.S. After graduating from the college he enters the industry with a formal Raymond's attire to become...... "A complete man" :P
Monday, October 19, 2009
Bengaluru cyclothon
I was so excited to join this rally that I registered very early, a month, before the D-day Oct 11th 2009.
Participating previously in Midnight marathon and completing a half-marathon of 21.95kms was quite a arduous running task!
I felt cycling is far more easier than running on foot or maybe its because I had enough practice commuting to office for past few days and dropping my cycle at Koramangala indoor stadium (for it to be transported to venue) riding it from my home near Hebbal, the day before the event took place.
Having reached the place a little late due to misadventures(?!) of the volvo buses arranged for us to the venue, I collected the cycle from hangar-2. Stretching the thigh and calf muscles and hydrating enough, We all started off from the same place. We were sent in batches and I noted my time of start to be 9:12am to be precise.
It was an exhilarating experience to be a part of this great event. A "young"old man(you will know the reason soon why i call him "young"),above 60 years of age was cycling a hero jet and rode past me when I had stopped to hydrolyze myself with electral after an hour of journey. To my surprise he was not wearing a BIB but had put a writing on his back which interested me and soon I chased him to find out what was on his back and captured it in my cell phone. It said - "I will never be an old man. To me old age is always 15 years older than I am."(See one of my pics) WOW! That one moment in my life,I enjoyed the spirit of life more than the fun ride of 36kms.
Sad part of the whole cyclothon was I saw fellow cyclists who were carrying broken chains and even pedals of the rented cycles(BSA Mach) which droped off!! after 15-20kms of ride.. There were not many mechanics(or were there any!?) who could get those fixed. And even more irritating was to see the condition of my cycle after transport to the venue. Damn! They had damaged a few parts Handle was not turning fully and freely.. but thanks for not doing any odd-tuning with gearbox.
Volunteers did a good job providing water for every 10-12 kms of ride. It took 1:40 mins to reach back to the base, after completing the 36Km ride. I met a couple of cycling clubs GoGreenGoCycling and Bangalore-bikers and joined them. Raghu Dixit's songs were rocking the crowd when elite race was going on. Actress Pooja gandhi, Actor Manjunath and lots of other celebrities were present in the occasion. BMX stunt biking was a nice attraction. Manipuri boys did great on extended studs of the wheel axle doing a 360 spin. I left the venue after getting refreshed with banana's and plenty of water. Pedaling again back home from BIEC to my place at Sahakarnagar was really cumbersome as I hit Nelamanga's "bad" traffic for the first time in riding cycle. Many cyclists were forced to choose the odd terrains off-road where even two-wheelers can't tread. But to be honest cycles are always faster than cars in such traffic. It was nice to see cycles participating which costed upto 91K(Trek fuel 5-5) INR :)
Hope to join weekend cycling in and around Bangalore. Catch ya guys. Later :)
Participating previously in Midnight marathon and completing a half-marathon of 21.95kms was quite a arduous running task!
I felt cycling is far more easier than running on foot or maybe its because I had enough practice commuting to office for past few days and dropping my cycle at Koramangala indoor stadium (for it to be transported to venue) riding it from my home near Hebbal, the day before the event took place.
Having reached the place a little late due to misadventures(?!) of the volvo buses arranged for us to the venue, I collected the cycle from hangar-2. Stretching the thigh and calf muscles and hydrating enough, We all started off from the same place. We were sent in batches and I noted my time of start to be 9:12am to be precise.
It was an exhilarating experience to be a part of this great event. A "young"old man(you will know the reason soon why i call him "young"),above 60 years of age was cycling a hero jet and rode past me when I had stopped to hydrolyze myself with electral after an hour of journey. To my surprise he was not wearing a BIB but had put a writing on his back which interested me and soon I chased him to find out what was on his back and captured it in my cell phone. It said - "I will never be an old man. To me old age is always 15 years older than I am."(See one of my pics) WOW! That one moment in my life,I enjoyed the spirit of life more than the fun ride of 36kms.
Sad part of the whole cyclothon was I saw fellow cyclists who were carrying broken chains and even pedals of the rented cycles(BSA Mach) which droped off!! after 15-20kms of ride.. There were not many mechanics(or were there any!?) who could get those fixed. And even more irritating was to see the condition of my cycle after transport to the venue. Damn! They had damaged a few parts Handle was not turning fully and freely.. but thanks for not doing any odd-tuning with gearbox.
Volunteers did a good job providing water for every 10-12 kms of ride. It took 1:40 mins to reach back to the base, after completing the 36Km ride. I met a couple of cycling clubs GoGreenGoCycling and Bangalore-bikers and joined them. Raghu Dixit's songs were rocking the crowd when elite race was going on. Actress Pooja gandhi, Actor Manjunath and lots of other celebrities were present in the occasion. BMX stunt biking was a nice attraction. Manipuri boys did great on extended studs of the wheel axle doing a 360 spin. I left the venue after getting refreshed with banana's and plenty of water. Pedaling again back home from BIEC to my place at Sahakarnagar was really cumbersome as I hit Nelamanga's "bad" traffic for the first time in riding cycle. Many cyclists were forced to choose the odd terrains off-road where even two-wheelers can't tread. But to be honest cycles are always faster than cars in such traffic. It was nice to see cycles participating which costed upto 91K(Trek fuel 5-5) INR :)
Hope to join weekend cycling in and around Bangalore. Catch ya guys. Later :)
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Go Goa - Unplanned trip
This is cut-copy-paste/edited(by me) version of travel diary by Sundar J dev, who accompanied me to go out for a vacation of 3 days to Goa totally unplanned!
26th September 2009, Wednesay: Karthik pinged me casually on Wednesday night at around 10 'o clock asking what had i planned for the long weekend ahead. I had thought abt backpacking solo to kerala and told him that. he had planned to go to Kanyakumari I believe. so both of us hit off instantly. first we thought Kanyakumari. Then Karthik suggestedGoa . this was more interesting and exciting and so we finally decided on Goa ! we thought we should do the entire coast, rite from North Goa all the way to Karwar- a distance of around 130 kms, on bikes. so this was what got me going- the idea of riding a bike along the coastline!
26th September 2009, Wednesay: Karthik pinged me casually on Wednesday night at around 10 'o clock asking what had i planned for the long weekend ahead. I had thought abt backpacking solo to kerala and told him that. he had planned to go to Kanyakumari I believe. so both of us hit off instantly. first we thought Kanyakumari. Then Karthik suggested
24th September 2009, Thursday: Karthik booked a room for the 2 of us at Palm groove guest house in this place called Vagator in
25th September 2009, Friday: the 7.30pm bus left Bangalore at 9.00pm :( it was a loooooooooong bus journey, with unscheduled stops in between for tyre replacement and so on, and we reached Panjim at around 12.30pm on Saturday :( :(
26th September 2009, Saturday: we had told ourselves that we are not getting into the cab or the auto to reach the guest house. but as we got down from the bus, we were forced into the cabs by the drivers there. we inquired the price after getting into the cab and the driver told us 400 bucks. we told not a penny more than 250. It didn't work out and we finally got off the cab. we then thought auto might be a good idea and asked a rickshawala there and he asked 300 bucks and we had lost our minds to actually agree to his price and get into the auto. I mean what crazy?! we were stupid enough to actually not walk into the bus stand right next to the auto stand and board a bus :( so here was our first stupid mistake(1st day in Goa) - spending 300 rupees instead of a mere 36 rupees had we traveled by the local bus :'(. Never travel in auto/taxi when you can catch a bus.
Anyway, we reached the guest house at around 2pm. we then got ourselves cleaned and had our lunch in the restaurant attached to the guest house. Then we asked the restaurant owner for a
We took our bikes and left for Vagator beach which was a short distance(1.5km) from where we stayed. the beach was calm and not crowded and stretched a pretty long distance towards the south. we walked almost till the end and found a few outsiders.. It was "interesting" :P
We then went to Calangute beach which was about 6kms from vagator. this was the most crowded of all the beaches.. actually both this and the one adjacent to it- Baga. The beach was a long one and stretched from Calangute on the south end to Baga on the north. we parked our bikes in Calangute and walked all the way till Baga along the beach (again in hope of finding what we thought baga was famous for). we did get into the water in Baga just for the fun of it. It was nice but was crowded and was always being looked over by the life guards. we then got out and started walking back to Calangute.
We then did window-shopping after bargaining with the wooden jewel box and chucking the idea of buying it and i did buy a bag. We then took our bikes and decided on going to
27th September 2009, Sunday: We got up bright and early only to find the rest of
After getting ready and having our free breakfast, we left for Dudhsagar falls on our bikes at around 9.30am. we had to travel around 75 kms from our guest house to reach the starting point of the trek. On the way, we were fined 100 bucks by the traffic police for driving without helmets x-( i mean, what rot?! so anyway, we continued on our journey from there on with the helmets on, always.
Just a few kms from the starting point of the trek, in this place called Molem, we went to a small restaurant to fill our tummies for the trek ahead. we inquired what they had on the menu and the hotel-keeper told us he could get us channa masala,rotis for veg. We settled for the same along with roti's. I must say the channa masala was indeed good! and moreover the hotel-keeper was very hospitable and kind! so we had a decent lunch at a lesser than low-budget price! After this we thought the Activa that i was using had done enough for the day and so thought no point in pushing it any more. So we left the activa in the restaurant after taking the matron’s permission. We then reached the starting point of the trek on Karthik’s bike.
We now had an option of either trekking or riding on bike for another 14 kms to reach the falls. we decided to try our own bike :D but we used the wrong road, the one along the railway track and it was just not motor able :( and so we had to give up the idea :( we then parked the bike adjacent to the railway track inside a bush and started walking. it was around 1.30 when we started. we walked and walked and walked for almost 2 full hours and no sight of the falls yet . We were misguided by almost all of them at beginning of the trek that it might take us around an hour on foot! but actually the falls is a good 14 kms into the western ghats! we encountered numerous small streams and waterfalls all along the trek route :) Imagine just 2 ppl in the middle of mountains and no sight of anyone else around. I was loving it! After walking for around 8 kms we reached this railway station called Sonalium. not a railway station as such, but just a signal room with a station master (for a crossing is present for Vasco trains). It is not accessible by any other means other than by train! i was seriously wondering what was the purpose of this station! At this station, we met this Navy family, or rather a group of 2 families. Karthik inquired with them about how far the falls was from there, for which we were told that it was a good 6-7 kms further up along the track route and could easily take another hour to reach on foot.. Off went our enthusiasm in a whisker :( it was 3.30pm already i think. and the idea of trekking another 1 hr was not very convincing, but at the same time very hard to accept too :( this Navy family also suggested that we cud indeed go there and supposedly there is another railway signal room rite next to the falls(Dudhsagar station) where we could spend the night and return in the morning! sounded very exciting! had we not got our bikes, i'm sure we would have happily done that. But stupid bikes prevented us from doing it x-( nevertheless, the trek was a unique one for me and different from the others i have done! so we decided it was better we return back :( now happened the most exciting part of the whole trek- hitching a ride back on a goods train!!!! I must tell you I was excited to the peak :D I mean, how many times do u get an opportunity to travel on a goods train?! It was one of those rare experiences! We got onto the last vehicle in the goods train along with the Navy family.. The Guard was a real nice person! all along the track, when we trekked, we noticed milestone plates marked something like 43/500 and 43/400 and so on. we were not able to figure out what the numbers meant. I asked the gaurd this and he clarified our doubts! you read it as 43kms 500 mts or 43.5kms and 43.4 kms respectively :) and yeah i forgot to mention- it rained while we rode back on the goods train :D and we were more than happy to get drenched! I always thought we could get to see such things only in Hindi movies!?! So finally we got down at the Colem railway station, thanked the guard for the ride (one of those ride-of-our-lives for the both of us!) and the Navy family for advising us and also for giving us biscuits and potato bonda(:D), and then we walked a small distance to the place where we had parked our bike. we then rode back to the restaurant to pick up my bike and started towards our guest house at around 6.10pm
We now had to cover 75 kms along NH-17 (the one that connects
28th September 2009, Monday: We got up as per our schedule and got ready and checked-out of our guest house after thanking the matron there for all the nice facilities at the guest house. And btw, I would recommend this place to anybody heading to
On reaching panjim, we thought we should go to Dona Paulo view point. This place was the one we “least” liked of all the places in
We then got back to Panjim and returned the bike and collected our bags from the shop where we rented our bikes. We then went to this restaurant near the bus stand for snacks. Had masala pav and coffee; bill - 96 bucks! We then reached the bus stand at around 5.10pm and our bus was to leave at 6.15pm. So we had a lot of time which we spent sitting on the side wall adjacent to the road and opposite the bus stand, watching all the girls there! It was here that i spotted this really pretty girl. She was with this guy x-( here started our story-making session where the main character was this pretty girl, the guy with her- we called him kuruda (as he was wearing those dark glasses at 5.40pm in the evening!), then there was this another person whom we had met on the day we landed in Goa and who was responsible for us spending 300 bucks on auto- we called him chombu (u know why J) and then there was this aunty character who was the pretty girl's acquaintance from god-knows-where and her father and mother(i think), who were ajja ajji in our story! This story had so many twists that we were back to square one in figuring out how kuruda was related to our heroine. The sequence of events suggested that he was her boyfriend :( but then there were a few things that made us think that he cud be her brother as well ;) we were too good in this! and the best part was when we realised that this girl's seat was rite next ours in the bus! I was more than happy to let Karthik take the window seat this time :D anyways, she looked very pretty and that was the point and that was what made our return journey rather interesting! We reached bangalore the next day at around 10.00am, rather early and much against my expectations, and thus came the end of our “unplanned” Goa trip! A very memorable trip it was!
3 cheers to Karthik for this! Maga, u rock, seriously
Photos @ http://picasaweb.google.com/karthikhb/GoGoaUnplannedTrip?feat=directlink#
Sunday, September 6, 2009
My hands at kannada writings!
Having spent valuable quality time to pen down my thoughts and expressions in English, most of which are published at http://karthikhb.wordpress.com/ , I tried to write something in my mother tongue, Kannada, which I would like to share it here. Kudos to google transliterate in blogger which enables to write in all south Indian languages!
I am an amateur writer, so please bare with my kap(v)ithva... :P
Here comes my few ramblings..
ರಾತ್ರಿಯ ಕಗ್ಗತಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ, ಬಾನಿನಂಗಳದ ಚಂದ್ರಮ ಬಂದು ಕುಹಕ ಮಾಡಿಹನು;
ನಿನ್ನ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಅಂಧಕಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನಂತೆ ನೀನು ಒಂಟಿ ಒಬ್ಬೊಂಟಿ ಎಂದು,
ಆಗಸದ ಉಯ್ಯಾಲೆಯಲಿ ಅನುದಿನವೂ ತೇಲಿಬರುವ ನನ್ನಂತೆ ನೀನೂ ದಿನಗೂಲಿಯೆಂದು,
ನನ್ನ ಚುಕ್ಕಿ ಗೆಳೆಯರಂತೆ ನಿನ್ನವರು ಒಂದು ಘಳಿಗೆಗೆ ಮಿನುಗಿ ಹೋದಾರು ಎಂದು!
-------------------------------------------------------(08/08/2009 00:48 hrs)
Another one that I recently wrote...
ಅಂದಿನಾ ನೆನಪುಗಳು ಇಂದಿಗೂ ಕಾಡಿವೆ,
ಕವನಸಂಕಲನದಲ್ಲಡಗಿದ ನವಿಲುಗರಿಯ ಕಂಡು.
ಒಲ್ಲೇ ಎಂದರೂ ಎಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲೂ ಕಾಣುತಿದೆ,
ಮನದಲ್ಲಿನ ನಿನ್ನ ಚಿತ್ರ ನಯನದಾ ಪರದೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಬಂದು.
ರಂಗೇರಿದೆ ಮನವು ನೆನಪಿನಾ ಗುಂಗಿನಲಿ,
ಬಿಸಿಲು ಮಳೆಗಳಾ ಮಿಲನ - ಕಾಮನಬಿಲ್ಲಿನಂತೆ.
ಹಸಿವು ತೀರದು ಆ ಮಧುರ ಕ್ಷಣಗಳ ಸವಿಯಲು,
ನೆನಪು ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಹಸಿ - ಮನವು ಬಲಿತಂತೆ.
ಜೀವನದಾ ಆಟದಲಿ ಮುಳುಗಿಹೋಗಿರುವೆ
ಆಡುತ ಎಂದೂ ಮುಗಿಯದ ಹಾವುಏಣಿ.
ಆದರೂ ಅಡಿಗಡಿಗೆ ಮನದ ದಡಕೆ ಬರುವುದು
ನಿನ್ನ ಮಧುರ ನೆನಪುಗಳ ಹಾಯಿದೋಣಿ.
ಹಾಳಾಗಿ ಮತ್ತೆ ತೇಲಿ ಬಂದಿದೆ ಗಾಳಿಪಟದಂತೆ
ಸೂತ್ರ ಕಿತ್ತುಹೋಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಬಣ್ಣಗಳು ಮಾಸಿಲ್ಲವಿಂದೂ.
ಬಾಲಂಗೋಚಿಯಂತಿರುವಾ ಈ ಸಣ್ಣ ಬದುಕಿನಲಿ
ಅದು ಹೇಗೆ ತಾನೆ ಮರೆಯಲಿ ನಿನ್ನ ಎಂದೆಂದೂ?
----------------------------------------------------------(03-09-2009, 00:36 hrs)
I am an amateur writer, so please bare with my kap(v)ithva... :P
Here comes my few ramblings..
ರಾತ್ರಿಯ ಕಗ್ಗತಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ, ಬಾನಿನಂಗಳದ ಚಂದ್ರಮ ಬಂದು ಕುಹಕ ಮಾಡಿಹನು;
ನಿನ್ನ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಅಂಧಕಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನಂತೆ ನೀನು ಒಂಟಿ ಒಬ್ಬೊಂಟಿ ಎಂದು,
ಆಗಸದ ಉಯ್ಯಾಲೆಯಲಿ ಅನುದಿನವೂ ತೇಲಿಬರುವ ನನ್ನಂತೆ ನೀನೂ ದಿನಗೂಲಿಯೆಂದು,
ನನ್ನ ಚುಕ್ಕಿ ಗೆಳೆಯರಂತೆ ನಿನ್ನವರು ಒಂದು ಘಳಿಗೆಗೆ ಮಿನುಗಿ ಹೋದಾರು ಎಂದು!
-------------------------------------------------------(08/08/2009 00:48 hrs)
Another one that I recently wrote...
ಅಂದಿನಾ ನೆನಪುಗಳು ಇಂದಿಗೂ ಕಾಡಿವೆ,
ಕವನಸಂಕಲನದಲ್ಲಡಗಿದ ನವಿಲುಗರಿಯ ಕಂಡು.
ಒಲ್ಲೇ ಎಂದರೂ ಎಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲೂ ಕಾಣುತಿದೆ,
ಮನದಲ್ಲಿನ ನಿನ್ನ ಚಿತ್ರ ನಯನದಾ ಪರದೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಬಂದು.
ರಂಗೇರಿದೆ ಮನವು ನೆನಪಿನಾ ಗುಂಗಿನಲಿ,
ಬಿಸಿಲು ಮಳೆಗಳಾ ಮಿಲನ - ಕಾಮನಬಿಲ್ಲಿನಂತೆ.
ಹಸಿವು ತೀರದು ಆ ಮಧುರ ಕ್ಷಣಗಳ ಸವಿಯಲು,
ನೆನಪು ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಹಸಿ - ಮನವು ಬಲಿತಂತೆ.
ಜೀವನದಾ ಆಟದಲಿ ಮುಳುಗಿಹೋಗಿರುವೆ
ಆಡುತ ಎಂದೂ ಮುಗಿಯದ ಹಾವುಏಣಿ.
ಆದರೂ ಅಡಿಗಡಿಗೆ ಮನದ ದಡಕೆ ಬರುವುದು
ನಿನ್ನ ಮಧುರ ನೆನಪುಗಳ ಹಾಯಿದೋಣಿ.
ಹಾಳಾಗಿ ಮತ್ತೆ ತೇಲಿ ಬಂದಿದೆ ಗಾಳಿಪಟದಂತೆ
ಸೂತ್ರ ಕಿತ್ತುಹೋಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಬಣ್ಣಗಳು ಮಾಸಿಲ್ಲವಿಂದೂ.
ಬಾಲಂಗೋಚಿಯಂತಿರುವಾ ಈ ಸಣ್ಣ ಬದುಕಿನಲಿ
ಅದು ಹೇಗೆ ತಾನೆ ಮರೆಯಲಿ ನಿನ್ನ ಎಂದೆಂದೂ?
----------------------------------------------------------(03-09-2009, 00:36 hrs)
Monday, August 24, 2009
Gurubhyo namah!
Lots of people have touched my life without whom I wouldn't be in exactly in the same position as now I am in this society. I call all of them as gurus because they have taught me how to have a living.
To start with as one of the Sanskrit sloka says "Maathrubyo namah, Pitrubhyo namah, Archaryebhyo namah", parents are the first gurus who have taught us how to behave and respect others. Some qualities come from genes and some are cultivated in us when we are young which of-course don't remember now.
The third and most important of all the "gurus" is the acharya, or the teacher. A teacher is a person who comes in many forms. Most of us having not studied in "gurukul" system of study we never have opportunity to see the guru-shishya(teacher-student) relationship. Having studied in convents where medium of instructions were in English no wonder we even ever heard of gurukul way of earning knowledge.
But, in-spite of saying the above I have seen few teachers in my schooling days who really inspire students to get motivated to do things on their own. I would like to dedicate this post to all those Archaryas.
First of all I would like to credit my primary school teacher, Mrs. Mythili, who taught me basics of math without which I wouldn't be good at quantitative aptitude and not even close to studying computer science.
Secondly, I am grateful to my language teachers(English and Kannada) at high school who developed my interest in books and literature without which my grammar would be so bad that you couldn't have even made out what I have written in this post. (First of all I would have not dared to write any :P)
Thirdly, the credit goes to lots of books which provided me knowledge, taught me different words and there usage increasing my vocabulary day-by-day.
Fourth, My favorite lecturers of all time... Awesome foursome.. Mr. Gururaj sir, Mr. Divakar Bhat, Mr. M N Laxman, Mr. Sheshachalam (Who took majors PCMB, in order) Who made me burn the night oil and churn out my best in the entrance exams for Engineering without which I wouldn't have secured ranking of 176 in Karnataka, Common entrance test.
I appreciate the friendly lecturers at graduation who exactly knew our brilliant capability to perform in tests and allowed us to be free during class hours.. helping us to prepare for CAT, GATE and other entrance exams for Masters. One of whom I remember the most is Mrs. Padmashri madam, who stressed the importance of practical learning and application than theoretical study for the sake of exams.
I would like to remember external guide at HP internship, Mr. Shyam, for providing me with a fair project for university and an insight to the industry.
But the learning doesn't stop after coming out of University courses! We are all "learners for life". Coming to the industry self-learning and sharing of knowledge was the need. Interacting with the senior most guys and getting to know what exactly we are in need of is been really challenging till-date because information is so cluttered among lots of people I find but no proper way it is put to communicate to a "new fish"! Knowledge is the motive to survive too in this industry for quite a long time till you get out-dated or technology is super upgraded! I thank all my colleagues and team leads for sharing valuable information and making my work easier, faster and me smarter ;)
I have great regards to my flute teacher for whatever minute drop of knowledge that I have in the ocean of Swaras!
Of-late I got to know a lot of things about my bullet due to my mechanic, Mr. Nandan, a skilled worker and well educated about the classic machine who even showed me machine drawings of fork suspension and explained why diesel engines are not good in bikes for the Madras IITian, who visited the workshop when I was getting my bike serviced. I am amazed at his dedication!
There are always other kinds of gurus whom you don't recognize as you take them for granted when it comes to learning from them. They are called "friends" :)
I wouldn't like to mention names here as it wouldn't be possible to mention them all in the post. But each of the wonderful kinship have a nice story behind them. It is like you explore yourself being in the company of others who think exactly alike as you do! Not surprising many of us have friends more of our age-group and that makes us feel secure and share our deepest feelings and inner thoughts which we wouldn't even share with some of our family members. We try to find qualities like trust, affection being close to someone as we always seek out for that someone who gives some nice company to fight against boredom, protection like elder brother, the care of a mother, being as respectable as a father, as kiddish as always torturing younger sibling (though we enjoy it within).
There are lots to learn even from you partner in a relationship about love, commitment and also from your kids who will have more IQ than what you had at their age!!!
Thanks for all those who have influenced my life in a positive way and I wish to see lot more gurus in life.
The fear(of vastness to learn), vinaya(Not being boastful) and bhakti(respect for guru's knowledge) are the most desirable qualities of a student no matter what he learns from his teacher.
Let me get back to learning! ;)
Adios!
To start with as one of the Sanskrit sloka says "Maathrubyo namah, Pitrubhyo namah, Archaryebhyo namah", parents are the first gurus who have taught us how to behave and respect others. Some qualities come from genes and some are cultivated in us when we are young which of-course don't remember now.
The third and most important of all the "gurus" is the acharya, or the teacher. A teacher is a person who comes in many forms. Most of us having not studied in "gurukul" system of study we never have opportunity to see the guru-shishya(teacher-student) relationship. Having studied in convents where medium of instructions were in English no wonder we even ever heard of gurukul way of earning knowledge.
But, in-spite of saying the above I have seen few teachers in my schooling days who really inspire students to get motivated to do things on their own. I would like to dedicate this post to all those Archaryas.
First of all I would like to credit my primary school teacher, Mrs. Mythili, who taught me basics of math without which I wouldn't be good at quantitative aptitude and not even close to studying computer science.
Secondly, I am grateful to my language teachers(English and Kannada) at high school who developed my interest in books and literature without which my grammar would be so bad that you couldn't have even made out what I have written in this post. (First of all I would have not dared to write any :P)
Thirdly, the credit goes to lots of books which provided me knowledge, taught me different words and there usage increasing my vocabulary day-by-day.
Fourth, My favorite lecturers of all time... Awesome foursome.. Mr. Gururaj sir, Mr. Divakar Bhat, Mr. M N Laxman, Mr. Sheshachalam (Who took majors PCMB, in order) Who made me burn the night oil and churn out my best in the entrance exams for Engineering without which I wouldn't have secured ranking of 176 in Karnataka, Common entrance test.
I appreciate the friendly lecturers at graduation who exactly knew our brilliant capability to perform in tests and allowed us to be free during class hours.. helping us to prepare for CAT, GATE and other entrance exams for Masters. One of whom I remember the most is Mrs. Padmashri madam, who stressed the importance of practical learning and application than theoretical study for the sake of exams.
I would like to remember external guide at HP internship, Mr. Shyam, for providing me with a fair project for university and an insight to the industry.
But the learning doesn't stop after coming out of University courses! We are all "learners for life". Coming to the industry self-learning and sharing of knowledge was the need. Interacting with the senior most guys and getting to know what exactly we are in need of is been really challenging till-date because information is so cluttered among lots of people I find but no proper way it is put to communicate to a "new fish"! Knowledge is the motive to survive too in this industry for quite a long time till you get out-dated or technology is super upgraded! I thank all my colleagues and team leads for sharing valuable information and making my work easier, faster and me smarter ;)
I have great regards to my flute teacher for whatever minute drop of knowledge that I have in the ocean of Swaras!
Of-late I got to know a lot of things about my bullet due to my mechanic, Mr. Nandan, a skilled worker and well educated about the classic machine who even showed me machine drawings of fork suspension and explained why diesel engines are not good in bikes for the Madras IITian, who visited the workshop when I was getting my bike serviced. I am amazed at his dedication!
There are always other kinds of gurus whom you don't recognize as you take them for granted when it comes to learning from them. They are called "friends" :)
I wouldn't like to mention names here as it wouldn't be possible to mention them all in the post. But each of the wonderful kinship have a nice story behind them. It is like you explore yourself being in the company of others who think exactly alike as you do! Not surprising many of us have friends more of our age-group and that makes us feel secure and share our deepest feelings and inner thoughts which we wouldn't even share with some of our family members. We try to find qualities like trust, affection being close to someone as we always seek out for that someone who gives some nice company to fight against boredom, protection like elder brother, the care of a mother, being as respectable as a father, as kiddish as always torturing younger sibling (though we enjoy it within).
There are lots to learn even from you partner in a relationship about love, commitment and also from your kids who will have more IQ than what you had at their age!!!
Thanks for all those who have influenced my life in a positive way and I wish to see lot more gurus in life.
The fear(of vastness to learn), vinaya(Not being boastful) and bhakti(respect for guru's knowledge) are the most desirable qualities of a student no matter what he learns from his teacher.
Let me get back to learning! ;)
Adios!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Freedom ride
Sunday - 16th August 2009, One more memorable day in my life.
I didn't know what to name this post, but since my "independent" ride was soon next after independence day I aptly named it so.
I was having one more of a lazy weekend (as usual)... sleeping, sleeping and more sleeping, stuck to my couch, wrapped up in bed, not sure of sunrise or sunset! maybe even the clock had doubts in displaying AM/PM! with awesome drizzling weather outside..this Saturday.
Few of our college friends tried to meet-up for lunch on Sunday noon but in vain. :( So nothing much fun this weekend, I thought and again pillow was my "best friend" till 10.30am on Sunday morning.
Mom called me up to get up and wash my face to come out of just-now-got-up look, for her elder brother had come home to bless her with arishina/kumkum (A custom which is usually observed, similar to Raksha bhandhan in North, I suppose) for the Gowri festival, Next Sunday. How sweet of him to come to our place, I thought.. and so sooner did the thought of me going to my cousin sister's place crossed my mind and that is when I decided to goto Mysore!!! It was already 11am on Sunday morning. Me, not yet having a bath or breakfast, realizing my thought was far from reality but I always am game for making probable things possible :)
Having no commitments/meetings, I had all the time in the world to get ready for 100 mile journey from Bangalore. I got it all arranged in quick time. Had a quick-short bath and light breakfast and bidding a tata :) to my parents I started my bike after a long time. My companion, bullet doesn't give up on me in crisis like this.. It started smooth as if I had "buttered" the inside of the engine the day before! Off I leave to Mysore at 12:15pm packing an extra set of clothes and fueling up in a nearby service station off the Mysore road.
I drove slowly for about 20-30 kms for getting the engine hotter. It was around 2pm when I reached kamat(not a Kha-Mat :P) restaurant, 11 Kms behind Maddur. Jowar roti meals with Brinjal curry(they call it ennegai) is too good a feast when you are really really hungry. I called up my mom to say that I was having lunch at Maddur and mom couldn't believe her ears as she had heard my words as a foolish thought and wouldn't do such a thing in reality to drive away so far!
I disturbed my mechanic a couple of times to guide me to tighten brake nuts(The splashing of rain water to rear brakes lessen the effect of drum brakes) and to check the need for topping up of engine-oil, dust in carb-valve. His solutions worked out well.
It was 3pm already but I enjoyed the ride and scenic beauty around as it was drizzling for few moments and bright sunshine the next. There was no need to rip my bike and go fast as I had already plans to come back next morning. Slow and steady, I dodged some bad part of Mysore road on the way and soon I reached the "royal" city of palaces.
Mysore is not the same as before when me and our family used to live there a decade back. It is stretching outwards just like Bangalore with coming up of ring roads and bypass roads. Those were the days where every road had a -puram attached to it! now replaced by large blocks of vast sites called colony.
It was not difficult in finding way to my uncle's place as I had already known the landmarks. I surprised everyone by my untimely visit and It was nice to see everyone at home. It was a almost a year since I had been to their place. I had loads of fun at uncle's place that evening. We played pagade (desi version of dice game - ludo) which I used to play with my late Grandma during school-days. It brought back a lot of memories. Aunt prepared nice onion bajji.. too good for the chilling weather :) Great to know that little sister's education is going well. Nice to know her ambitions of completing BBM with CS and taking up further MBA in Bangalore university. Youngest sibling sister of all in our family is in her 10th grade and kudos to see that she has joined Bharathanatyam senior in dancing classes. I spent a lot of time looking out for myself in uncle's marriage album and had hearty laugh at "young myself" :D
I went back to childhood looking at the cute barbie doll sisters treasured in their photo-album. Sad, that I dont have my own photos when I was a little kid. I seemed like more of Kamsa rather than Krishna when they used to get me fancy dressed for a photo shootout :P
It was late and heavy lashing rains outside with a bit power cuts in between, we could not go out for strolling around famous Mysore palace. Also I had to leave early next morning back to Bangalore. So I was forced to sleep at 11pm to get up early at 4:30am. Its been ages since I slept so early.. I am quite nocturnal type who usually does not go sleep without seeing 1:00am on clock. But due to the tiredness of treacherous journey biking for hours made me sleep like a baby. I do get sleep anyplace,anywhere in this world, even on a stone bench, when I want to rest ;)
Over-cautious of missing my work on Monday, I got up before the alarm. Ready at 5am, I left back to Bangalore and drove all the 140+kms at one strech without a break! till I reached home. This was my longest non-stop journey. Poor engine had to bare all the torture but I accelerated "with care" :).. I didn't care about my back pain and I couldn't stop anywhere because there was torrential rains from the beginning till the end of this journey and I was half drenched!! Not even Niagara falls come close to seeing of such a beautiful rainfall!
I reached back home at 8:15am and had hot shower to ease my cold numb fingers. But my mind was still numb in memories enjoying a memorable day gone by. I had enjoyed each and every single moment, A real bliss!
I didn't know what to name this post, but since my "independent" ride was soon next after independence day I aptly named it so.
I was having one more of a lazy weekend (as usual)... sleeping, sleeping and more sleeping, stuck to my couch, wrapped up in bed, not sure of sunrise or sunset! maybe even the clock had doubts in displaying AM/PM! with awesome drizzling weather outside..this Saturday.
Few of our college friends tried to meet-up for lunch on Sunday noon but in vain. :( So nothing much fun this weekend, I thought and again pillow was my "best friend" till 10.30am on Sunday morning.
Mom called me up to get up and wash my face to come out of just-now-got-up look, for her elder brother had come home to bless her with arishina/kumkum (A custom which is usually observed, similar to Raksha bhandhan in North, I suppose) for the Gowri festival, Next Sunday. How sweet of him to come to our place, I thought.. and so sooner did the thought of me going to my cousin sister's place crossed my mind and that is when I decided to goto Mysore!!! It was already 11am on Sunday morning. Me, not yet having a bath or breakfast, realizing my thought was far from reality but I always am game for making probable things possible :)
Having no commitments/meetings, I had all the time in the world to get ready for 100 mile journey from Bangalore. I got it all arranged in quick time. Had a quick-short bath and light breakfast and bidding a tata :) to my parents I started my bike after a long time. My companion, bullet doesn't give up on me in crisis like this.. It started smooth as if I had "buttered" the inside of the engine the day before! Off I leave to Mysore at 12:15pm packing an extra set of clothes and fueling up in a nearby service station off the Mysore road.
I drove slowly for about 20-30 kms for getting the engine hotter. It was around 2pm when I reached kamat(not a Kha-Mat :P) restaurant, 11 Kms behind Maddur. Jowar roti meals with Brinjal curry(they call it ennegai) is too good a feast when you are really really hungry. I called up my mom to say that I was having lunch at Maddur and mom couldn't believe her ears as she had heard my words as a foolish thought and wouldn't do such a thing in reality to drive away so far!
I disturbed my mechanic a couple of times to guide me to tighten brake nuts(The splashing of rain water to rear brakes lessen the effect of drum brakes) and to check the need for topping up of engine-oil, dust in carb-valve. His solutions worked out well.
It was 3pm already but I enjoyed the ride and scenic beauty around as it was drizzling for few moments and bright sunshine the next. There was no need to rip my bike and go fast as I had already plans to come back next morning. Slow and steady, I dodged some bad part of Mysore road on the way and soon I reached the "royal" city of palaces.
Mysore is not the same as before when me and our family used to live there a decade back. It is stretching outwards just like Bangalore with coming up of ring roads and bypass roads. Those were the days where every road had a -puram attached to it! now replaced by large blocks of vast sites called colony.
It was not difficult in finding way to my uncle's place as I had already known the landmarks. I surprised everyone by my untimely visit and It was nice to see everyone at home. It was a almost a year since I had been to their place. I had loads of fun at uncle's place that evening. We played pagade (desi version of dice game - ludo) which I used to play with my late Grandma during school-days. It brought back a lot of memories. Aunt prepared nice onion bajji.. too good for the chilling weather :) Great to know that little sister's education is going well. Nice to know her ambitions of completing BBM with CS and taking up further MBA in Bangalore university. Youngest sibling sister of all in our family is in her 10th grade and kudos to see that she has joined Bharathanatyam senior in dancing classes. I spent a lot of time looking out for myself in uncle's marriage album and had hearty laugh at "young myself" :D
I went back to childhood looking at the cute barbie doll sisters treasured in their photo-album. Sad, that I dont have my own photos when I was a little kid. I seemed like more of Kamsa rather than Krishna when they used to get me fancy dressed for a photo shootout :P
It was late and heavy lashing rains outside with a bit power cuts in between, we could not go out for strolling around famous Mysore palace. Also I had to leave early next morning back to Bangalore. So I was forced to sleep at 11pm to get up early at 4:30am. Its been ages since I slept so early.. I am quite nocturnal type who usually does not go sleep without seeing 1:00am on clock. But due to the tiredness of treacherous journey biking for hours made me sleep like a baby. I do get sleep anyplace,anywhere in this world, even on a stone bench, when I want to rest ;)
Over-cautious of missing my work on Monday, I got up before the alarm. Ready at 5am, I left back to Bangalore and drove all the 140+kms at one strech without a break! till I reached home. This was my longest non-stop journey. Poor engine had to bare all the torture but I accelerated "with care" :).. I didn't care about my back pain and I couldn't stop anywhere because there was torrential rains from the beginning till the end of this journey and I was half drenched!! Not even Niagara falls come close to seeing of such a beautiful rainfall!
I reached back home at 8:15am and had hot shower to ease my cold numb fingers. But my mind was still numb in memories enjoying a memorable day gone by. I had enjoyed each and every single moment, A real bliss!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
The Monsoon ride
We, THE bulleteers scaled a new milestone few weeks back, riding through the everlasting rain and hairpin bends of the western ghats. The treacherous journey was worth the pain.
It was a beautiful friday morning(3rd of july)..an extended weekend "spirit" had already arouse- all set for long distance driving to Ooty(Ootacamund),TN.
It all started with Arvin, Visakh, Jai, Sunil and others organized by crossworks/travel-life with sponsors like Red Bull and Wranglers.
After preparing a list of to-do items like RC book update, Fitness certificate, Insurance, money, fueling up for the ride, the actual ride! then finally comes the last thing on my list(after the ride) a travelogue about the memorable journey. I have been updating and saving this as draft all these writings during weekends as i didn't have time to complete and post it. You know how worth is a weekend for an adventurous Software engineer like me ;)
Anyway, coming back to the thumping and roaring of engines on the state/national highways.. I should say this was my first long bike trip on my first bike which i had driven less than what 900 odd kms that we covered in those three days. Just a month after buying and riding in city conditions, it's a daring task to climb the ooty hill but with guidance of 20+ other bulleteers it was a good experience. It wasn't a drag of any kind but we enjoyed the ride.
Day 1, We met first in the country club resort on Mysore road,(Next to Raja-rajeshwari dental college, kumbalgod) to munch the breakfast, idli-vada-sambar and sandwich. After fueling ourselves with heavy breakfast we got our bike's tuned for long journey. Our mechanic Mubarak (AKA Mumtaz :P), got our bikes ready for long road ahead. Tighting of break nuts, adjusting of carburetor timing.. we reached Maddur cafe coffee day for our introduction session, then we set to our next destination - Gods own country. True to its name. I have been there 4 times now and trust me, Its the most beautiful place in south India i have seen.
Leaving the tread-marks on the Mysore road we passed through the hump-ty dump-ty roads of Gundlupet where our bikes fork oil(for suspension) got warmed up. Landing in the MC resorts of Bandipur we had our lunch and set out to Panamaram, Wayanad for our home stay called ente veedu (meaning "Our house" in Malayalam). We bikers lost time in fixing up of our bikes and cleaning up of rain water logged fuel tanks(Yup! it rained as hell all three days long) and we had to drive all drenched in rain as we touched the borders of Kerala. Following only the boards available but no one else to ask in midnight we somehow reached the place and thanks to the good roads of Kerala. The best roads ofcourse promotes tourism there than anything else. The worst roads can be found in TN and in Karnataka roads are okie but not at all places though..
Finally reaching the place we found our dorms and rooms very comfortable but some continued merry in fueling themselves up with hot beverages. Of course you know I am non drinker, non smoker and Veggie, So i didn't afford any of the "so-called luxuries"! But a lot of caffeine in Red Bull energy drink had its own side effects in going to sleep. I advice not to drink more than 2-3 red bulls per day or you are gonna stay awake even on bed for more than 48 hours, Losing your brain cells instead of liver cells :P
Day 2, was a really round about way of going to Ooty from Kerala. We missed our route-maps and end-up 120 kms away from ooty after riding for severals hours which was actually more than what we had to cover if we started that properly in correct directions. But it is a part and parcel of every motorcycle diary to get lost in country roads and enjoy the serene beauty around or else where is the adventure without getting lost!? We visited a friend of Visakh whom we foLLowed all the way in Manjeri and Chungam..macha.. Chungam Chungam.. :P ( like I repeat.. repeat repeat.. Funny the way he reapeated every place while answering the phone call) Sorry dude for posting it here.. but you made our day of grand leg pulling!
It was 8pm already and 100+ kms of night driving ahead very few retreated but courage, adventure and challenge took over the fears and we hit the roads non-stop till we reached Ooty hill. It was damn cold and misty all the way up the hill. We couldn't see past each other in the heavy precipitation around. Snake-like taillights ahead on the curvy roads was so good to see.. equidistant from each other we followed each other up the hill to reach our place. As planned we couldn't goto Avalanche, in Ooty as we lost time on the way.
Day 3, Getting up late and relieved of the body pains after refreshing bath, We made our way into Holiday Inn @ Ooty, and occupied the whole of car parking lot! I suppose, We scared away a bunch of people who were having breakfast when we came drenched to the luxurious hotel. Food was awesome and we billed around 7000 for a breakfast! We had made it temporary residence in the morning hanging our rain coats and riding jackets around and helmets everywhere.. :P After a photo-shootout in the parking lot we buzzed again riding down the 36 numbered hair pin bends of the ooty hill to reach Madhumalai forest range, a continuation of Bandipur forests in TN. It seemed like we brought rains along with us all the way back to Mysore, as we could see blue-black clouds on our back heavily loaded with water which showed us no mercy even after getting out of the Ooty! We saw elephants with their cubs, Fox, Lots of deers, wild boar on our way back in the morning which is very rare to see even if we go for night safari! Hitting the Mysore road SH-17 again.. It was pretty pathetic to see youngsters trying hard to race our constant speed Enfields which were going past 100 kmph all the way back till we reached Maddur coffee day again for a break. We cheered the other bulleteers we found on the way enjoying the ride more. At last bidding farewell to all those who accompanied three days, i reached back home at 00:00 hours on monday morning.
I slept on my couch with the thumping still ringing in my ears asking me the question "where next?" I wish to do cross country biking for 20-25 days - K2K ride (Kashmir 2 Kanyakumari), I dream to cover the highest motor-able roads in the world on the way from Himachal Pradesh - Leh-Ladakh, some fine day.. I wish I stay true to my childhood dreams, I wish the biker in me still prevails "for years to come in near future" in spite of escalating fuel price/nagging Girl Friend/Fiancée/Wife ;)
Aloha!
It was a beautiful friday morning(3rd of july)..an extended weekend "spirit" had already arouse- all set for long distance driving to Ooty(Ootacamund),TN.
It all started with Arvin, Visakh, Jai, Sunil and others organized by crossworks/travel-life with sponsors like Red Bull and Wranglers.
After preparing a list of to-do items like RC book update, Fitness certificate, Insurance, money, fueling up for the ride, the actual ride! then finally comes the last thing on my list(after the ride) a travelogue about the memorable journey. I have been updating and saving this as draft all these writings during weekends as i didn't have time to complete and post it. You know how worth is a weekend for an adventurous Software engineer like me ;)
Anyway, coming back to the thumping and roaring of engines on the state/national highways.. I should say this was my first long bike trip on my first bike which i had driven less than what 900 odd kms that we covered in those three days. Just a month after buying and riding in city conditions, it's a daring task to climb the ooty hill but with guidance of 20+ other bulleteers it was a good experience. It wasn't a drag of any kind but we enjoyed the ride.
Day 1, We met first in the country club resort on Mysore road,(Next to Raja-rajeshwari dental college, kumbalgod) to munch the breakfast, idli-vada-sambar and sandwich. After fueling ourselves with heavy breakfast we got our bike's tuned for long journey. Our mechanic Mubarak (AKA Mumtaz :P), got our bikes ready for long road ahead. Tighting of break nuts, adjusting of carburetor timing.. we reached Maddur cafe coffee day for our introduction session, then we set to our next destination - Gods own country. True to its name. I have been there 4 times now and trust me, Its the most beautiful place in south India i have seen.
Leaving the tread-marks on the Mysore road we passed through the hump-ty dump-ty roads of Gundlupet where our bikes fork oil(for suspension) got warmed up. Landing in the MC resorts of Bandipur we had our lunch and set out to Panamaram, Wayanad for our home stay called ente veedu (meaning "Our house" in Malayalam). We bikers lost time in fixing up of our bikes and cleaning up of rain water logged fuel tanks(Yup! it rained as hell all three days long) and we had to drive all drenched in rain as we touched the borders of Kerala. Following only the boards available but no one else to ask in midnight we somehow reached the place and thanks to the good roads of Kerala. The best roads ofcourse promotes tourism there than anything else. The worst roads can be found in TN and in Karnataka roads are okie but not at all places though..
Finally reaching the place we found our dorms and rooms very comfortable but some continued merry in fueling themselves up with hot beverages. Of course you know I am non drinker, non smoker and Veggie, So i didn't afford any of the "so-called luxuries"! But a lot of caffeine in Red Bull energy drink had its own side effects in going to sleep. I advice not to drink more than 2-3 red bulls per day or you are gonna stay awake even on bed for more than 48 hours, Losing your brain cells instead of liver cells :P
Day 2, was a really round about way of going to Ooty from Kerala. We missed our route-maps and end-up 120 kms away from ooty after riding for severals hours which was actually more than what we had to cover if we started that properly in correct directions. But it is a part and parcel of every motorcycle diary to get lost in country roads and enjoy the serene beauty around or else where is the adventure without getting lost!? We visited a friend of Visakh whom we foLLowed all the way in Manjeri and Chungam..macha.. Chungam Chungam.. :P ( like I repeat.. repeat repeat.. Funny the way he reapeated every place while answering the phone call) Sorry dude for posting it here.. but you made our day of grand leg pulling!
It was 8pm already and 100+ kms of night driving ahead very few retreated but courage, adventure and challenge took over the fears and we hit the roads non-stop till we reached Ooty hill. It was damn cold and misty all the way up the hill. We couldn't see past each other in the heavy precipitation around. Snake-like taillights ahead on the curvy roads was so good to see.. equidistant from each other we followed each other up the hill to reach our place. As planned we couldn't goto Avalanche, in Ooty as we lost time on the way.
Day 3, Getting up late and relieved of the body pains after refreshing bath, We made our way into Holiday Inn @ Ooty, and occupied the whole of car parking lot! I suppose, We scared away a bunch of people who were having breakfast when we came drenched to the luxurious hotel. Food was awesome and we billed around 7000 for a breakfast! We had made it temporary residence in the morning hanging our rain coats and riding jackets around and helmets everywhere.. :P After a photo-shootout in the parking lot we buzzed again riding down the 36 numbered hair pin bends of the ooty hill to reach Madhumalai forest range, a continuation of Bandipur forests in TN. It seemed like we brought rains along with us all the way back to Mysore, as we could see blue-black clouds on our back heavily loaded with water which showed us no mercy even after getting out of the Ooty! We saw elephants with their cubs, Fox, Lots of deers, wild boar on our way back in the morning which is very rare to see even if we go for night safari! Hitting the Mysore road SH-17 again.. It was pretty pathetic to see youngsters trying hard to race our constant speed Enfields which were going past 100 kmph all the way back till we reached Maddur coffee day again for a break. We cheered the other bulleteers we found on the way enjoying the ride more. At last bidding farewell to all those who accompanied three days, i reached back home at 00:00 hours on monday morning.
I slept on my couch with the thumping still ringing in my ears asking me the question "where next?" I wish to do cross country biking for 20-25 days - K2K ride (Kashmir 2 Kanyakumari), I dream to cover the highest motor-able roads in the world on the way from Himachal Pradesh - Leh-Ladakh, some fine day.. I wish I stay true to my childhood dreams, I wish the biker in me still prevails "for years to come in near future" in spite of escalating fuel price/nagging Girl Friend/Fiancée/Wife ;)
Aloha!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Riding gears and safety tips for driving
The helmet is such a protective armor which has helped me to survive till this day to write this blog post about safety and riding gears.
I am a kind of person not riding above 80km/hr, who obeys all traffic rules and regulations no matter how long/hard it takes but in some conditions where the adrenaline rush makes you loose your temper you got to be very careful. So better take precaution than cure/even more disastrous! since life itself cannot be given warranty these days.
I have had bad experiences in riding brothers bike, pulsar 150cc, Well, Its not about the bike that i am talking, but it is all about the Bangalore traffic population increasing day-by-day and "Yamdhoot"-like Leyland lorries(no offense if i used any Trade Mark name here) on the ring road and reckless driving in inter-town roads and lack of streetlights within the so called well planned layouts!
This happened to me somewhere 8 months back soon after I joined Freescale CPG (Can now be called a bad omen coz of its closure :P). Fortunalety, the mishap took place right in front of north-side hospital close to my house. There were 2 guys on the bike plus a kid of around 10 years of age who had probably come to hospital and the rider was searching for a place in parking lot stopping in the middle of the road! looking left and right he suddenly barges into an empty slot with a right turn and there i was following right behind him without knowing what he was upto as he had not put any indicators. Bang goes the collision, not with a loud explosion but i skid off to my right after overtaking him with quite a large distance about 10-15ft to rip off my right shoulder's skin and knee and ankle, but not a scratch on my face/head - without the helmet I wouldn't have survived! I suddenly got up barged to the driver scolding him without even looking at my profusely bleeding injuries. I removed my helmet to see the dent on it and thanked god for establishing the hospital right next to the scene. As i went inside the nurse got panic and called for help! and asked me if i had filed FIR since they refused to treat me as this is an accident case! WTH!(Doc's suck more blood than what i was bleeding out). I said its ok i haven't informed any police.. just do the first aid and give me a shot of Diclofenac, anti swelling painkiller. The tantra T-shirt(you can imagine how thin it will be) which had a huge patch of about 10 cms through which the red-flesh of my right shoulders were visible and the shirt soiled and stuck to my bloody(not to be read in adjectival form :P) arms.
The point of using so many adjectives and adverbs in my last statement is not to exagerrate the accident but to make you all aware of how important is safety while drving. Well, Coming back to the point now ( after a long-long story of mine ;) ), Use of good protective riding gears saves your life, after all you don't love anyone more than yourself, do you!?
Today, I went to cramster sales-outlet and having heard of the DSG, textile and other "brands" famous for the motorcycle riding gears and bought myself the protective gears necessary for my bike trips / driving on and off roads. Even though it exceeded my budget (crossing +1000 bucks) I went for it as it is now affordable as a software engineer but not when i was a student. After all its a matter of safety and thus I compromised it for money.
Of-course foremost thing a biker must have is a helmet. I own a Studds helmet, flame blue in colour which I had bought while having the bike. It costed me Rs.1200/-(All prices in INR as on June 2009. Best place to buy JC road bangalore) A full helmet with ventilator at the base, available in many sizes. The name says it all for the safety.
Then comes the other parts of the body prone for injuries during mishap - elbows, knees and shoulders. Pain is unbearable when bone has an impact during injury leave alone fractures. Trust me if you have never had one! So next thing you need to go is for a proper riding jacket with armor for elbows/shoulders/back. I bought a cramster pulse(blue),same as the one below. Costed me Rs.5200/- But its worth the deal. Loaded with all that you can ask for. Has optional zipper to attach riding pants, with removable themolite lining for warmth and fully rainproof suitable for all Indian weather.
Next comes the palms/fingers/knuckles on which you directly land if you fall off the bike. Having a pair of riding gloves really helps to take away all the scrubbing of the rough fall. I bought the below TRG1 riding gloves though it crossed my budget. It cost me a whooping Rs.2100/-!!
Riding pants are optional, if you can afford them.
Oh! How could I ever forget the pair of all-terrain Woodland shoes with above all!
If you are loooking out for safety gears, I recommend the below link. Its @ cunningham road, Bangalore. more details @ http://www.cramster.in/ridinggear.php
There are a couple of other leather jacket stores in commercial street, you can visit them too.
Now that I am fully loaded, let me burn all NH's of India with my bikes tread-marks :D
Adios then :)
I am a kind of person not riding above 80km/hr, who obeys all traffic rules and regulations no matter how long/hard it takes but in some conditions where the adrenaline rush makes you loose your temper you got to be very careful. So better take precaution than cure/even more disastrous! since life itself cannot be given warranty these days.
I have had bad experiences in riding brothers bike, pulsar 150cc, Well, Its not about the bike that i am talking, but it is all about the Bangalore traffic population increasing day-by-day and "Yamdhoot"-like Leyland lorries(no offense if i used any Trade Mark name here) on the ring road and reckless driving in inter-town roads and lack of streetlights within the so called well planned layouts!
This happened to me somewhere 8 months back soon after I joined Freescale CPG (Can now be called a bad omen coz of its closure :P). Fortunalety, the mishap took place right in front of north-side hospital close to my house. There were 2 guys on the bike plus a kid of around 10 years of age who had probably come to hospital and the rider was searching for a place in parking lot stopping in the middle of the road! looking left and right he suddenly barges into an empty slot with a right turn and there i was following right behind him without knowing what he was upto as he had not put any indicators. Bang goes the collision, not with a loud explosion but i skid off to my right after overtaking him with quite a large distance about 10-15ft to rip off my right shoulder's skin and knee and ankle, but not a scratch on my face/head - without the helmet I wouldn't have survived! I suddenly got up barged to the driver scolding him without even looking at my profusely bleeding injuries. I removed my helmet to see the dent on it and thanked god for establishing the hospital right next to the scene. As i went inside the nurse got panic and called for help! and asked me if i had filed FIR since they refused to treat me as this is an accident case! WTH!(Doc's suck more blood than what i was bleeding out). I said its ok i haven't informed any police.. just do the first aid and give me a shot of Diclofenac, anti swelling painkiller. The tantra T-shirt(you can imagine how thin it will be) which had a huge patch of about 10 cms through which the red-flesh of my right shoulders were visible and the shirt soiled and stuck to my bloody(not to be read in adjectival form :P) arms.
The point of using so many adjectives and adverbs in my last statement is not to exagerrate the accident but to make you all aware of how important is safety while drving. Well, Coming back to the point now ( after a long-long story of mine ;) ), Use of good protective riding gears saves your life, after all you don't love anyone more than yourself, do you!?
Today, I went to cramster sales-outlet and having heard of the DSG, textile and other "brands" famous for the motorcycle riding gears and bought myself the protective gears necessary for my bike trips / driving on and off roads. Even though it exceeded my budget (crossing +1000 bucks) I went for it as it is now affordable as a software engineer but not when i was a student. After all its a matter of safety and thus I compromised it for money.
Of-course foremost thing a biker must have is a helmet. I own a Studds helmet, flame blue in colour which I had bought while having the bike. It costed me Rs.1200/-(All prices in INR as on June 2009. Best place to buy JC road bangalore) A full helmet with ventilator at the base, available in many sizes. The name says it all for the safety.
Then comes the other parts of the body prone for injuries during mishap - elbows, knees and shoulders. Pain is unbearable when bone has an impact during injury leave alone fractures. Trust me if you have never had one! So next thing you need to go is for a proper riding jacket with armor for elbows/shoulders/back. I bought a cramster pulse(blue),same as the one below. Costed me Rs.5200/- But its worth the deal. Loaded with all that you can ask for. Has optional zipper to attach riding pants, with removable themolite lining for warmth and fully rainproof suitable for all Indian weather.
Next comes the palms/fingers/knuckles on which you directly land if you fall off the bike. Having a pair of riding gloves really helps to take away all the scrubbing of the rough fall. I bought the below TRG1 riding gloves though it crossed my budget. It cost me a whooping Rs.2100/-!!
Riding pants are optional, if you can afford them.Oh! How could I ever forget the pair of all-terrain Woodland shoes with above all!
If you are loooking out for safety gears, I recommend the below link. Its @ cunningham road, Bangalore. more details @ http://www.cramster.in/ridinggear.php
There are a couple of other leather jacket stores in commercial street, you can visit them too.
Now that I am fully loaded, let me burn all NH's of India with my bikes tread-marks :D
Adios then :)
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Coming up - Ooty road trip on Enfield bullet!
Its been 2 months since I posted something new (exciting!) things happening in my life. But rather I should say I had no time during weekends over the last month as I have bought a 1983 Royal Enfield Bullet and have been on a spin of late.
I want to now living my dreams and enjoy my bacherlor-hood :)
The hunt for the "vintage"( still not old enough to call it so?) was awesome. It was one of my childhood dreams to buy this macho-machine!Having driven cousin's enfield thunderbird for a couple of days made my decision of buying more easier 'n stronger. Passionate about the power and performance, I searched for the ONE and got a bullet 350cc Std for pretty decent Rs. 42K(with registration). I should rather say it i'm lucky coz the engine is in mint condition and the reason for it is that gives an awesome mileage of around 35kmpl in my driving, for its torque-to-weight ratio!
I had seen nearly 5 bullets before buying this, and one out of them was too good (1972 model, Heavy Crank england Engine) but was a bit more costlier (around 50K, negotiable upto 47K. If anyone is willing to buy I shall still call him up to see if he still owns it. It is really a good one, and i can vouch for it!)
The minute problems exist which i can say are "cosmetic" without troubling the heart beat(thump of engine), like my bike's speedometer has turned down from past few days, the stand spring has turned loose and drops if i overspeed than normal at bumps.
I need to get it overhauled on monday for the long treacherous ghat section rides to Ooty on July 3-4-5 (http://www.crossworks.in/bulleteer/), organised by crossworks and travellife. Yes is it aptly named as "monsoon ride" :)
Their motto being "Biking is living, Everything else is just waiting"
Watch-out for this space, More to come after the next week expedition.
Adios :)
I want to now living my dreams and enjoy my bacherlor-hood :)
The hunt for the "vintage"( still not old enough to call it so?) was awesome. It was one of my childhood dreams to buy this macho-machine!Having driven cousin's enfield thunderbird for a couple of days made my decision of buying more easier 'n stronger. Passionate about the power and performance, I searched for the ONE and got a bullet 350cc Std for pretty decent Rs. 42K(with registration). I should rather say it i'm lucky coz the engine is in mint condition and the reason for it is that gives an awesome mileage of around 35kmpl in my driving, for its torque-to-weight ratio!
I had seen nearly 5 bullets before buying this, and one out of them was too good (1972 model, Heavy Crank england Engine) but was a bit more costlier (around 50K, negotiable upto 47K. If anyone is willing to buy I shall still call him up to see if he still owns it. It is really a good one, and i can vouch for it!)
The minute problems exist which i can say are "cosmetic" without troubling the heart beat(thump of engine), like my bike's speedometer has turned down from past few days, the stand spring has turned loose and drops if i overspeed than normal at bumps.
I need to get it overhauled on monday for the long treacherous ghat section rides to Ooty on July 3-4-5 (http://www.crossworks.in/bulleteer/), organised by crossworks and travellife. Yes is it aptly named as "monsoon ride" :)
Their motto being "Biking is living, Everything else is just waiting"
Watch-out for this space, More to come after the next week expedition.
Adios :)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
yipee! I'm back :)
I read my last post myself and I really saw how unbalanced I was! Lots of concerns were shown and questions were asked by my well wishers and my dearest friends and now I think Its time to patch-up :P my loose talk.Seriously, I lost my mind for quite sometime as I had bad arguments at home this sunday by which I felt that I was overpowered by monstrous brutal ruthless rules just to hinder my freedom.
I was hugely wrong in saying that I had not made friends as I saw the caring reactions from dear ones soon after posting my last eccentric post.
In the about me section I had said - A "balanced strong mind" in an athletic body. When one of my friend asked if this really suited you? I pondered a lot! to know my ignorance.
Thanks for all those who lent their ears to me and helped me come out of the situation.
Never in my life again I want to be so depressed and I am really sorry for the ones I hurt during the course of time. Hope you understand me.
ssssorry soooory sorrrry sorryyyyy ;)
I promise to be always Laughing and smiling :) yipee! I'm back!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Fmylife!
People nowadays are so busy that they don't have time not even just to think of themselves.
You can call me selfish or the guy who has no work to do or gone nuts! But I always ask myself questions like - Why am I like this? What is wrong with me? How do I spend the rest of my life the best way that I can?
To be frank, I feel lonely most of the time and I am! Even though I stay together with my family, the word together is merely physical because I sense there is no mentally a good healthy bondage in my family even though I participate in this institution. I shouldn't be the one complaining/revealing about all my personal stuff but I feel this as the perfect outlet for my emotions and I don't even know how rudely I am jotting it down or how many of them I am hurting in writing this! I have been crying a lot within me that nobody notices. It hasn't turned so worst as any suicidal instinct or anything but I do feel a lot insecure even at home. Where else do I find comfort? Don't ask me to meet a psychiatrist as I have been thorough this my entire life till now, me being only closest friend of myself. I resolved into all kinds of music, books, movies-illusions of real life and what not but its all temporary diversion to feel I'm still alive. Everyone needs someone to share your feelings with, to fight with, to love, to care, to feel happy for, to be happy with.
I know that the relations that come through the blood cannot be chosen! But neither have I made really close friends whom I can share the feelings that even I don't trust telling it to my parents.
I DO WANT to live my life happily as possible and have always been in the pursuit of that happyness (with a 'y'). I have practiced and learnt to live lonely life which I know is not a socially good way of being a human being but I have been fighting to overcome it ever since I find a little bit of freedom in my way.
I don't know why even at the age of 22 I still am treated as a 13 yr old adolescent! by my parents. To be precise, I am not allowed to take decisions on my own when they are parents around! Why all the nose poking with my life even after I have started to earn my living? Why parenting when we can take care of ourselves? Always trying to force what they couldn't achieve in their life. Not letting me be somebody different. I hate them when they don't trust me. Won't they ever know that I never gonna let them down. All that I expect them is to wish me that my dreams of life never take me out or turn bad and leave me to achieve it. I feel this whole world is mine to fulfill my dreams whatever they are.
I don't know why I have become such a nerd, a geek now but as a kid I was rather forced to take up studies so seriously that I barely remember participating or rather was never allowed to participate in any extra-curricular-activities that I was so much interested in. I regret for all the things I lost in my childhood just to be a product called "yet-another-software-engineer". There are so many ways of earning a living in this world and I have realized it after seeing the industry for about an year sustaining the heat of financial crisis around. Why is that my career was chosen when I was a kid? I want peace in my life rather than running behind money.
Given a choice, I don't want to be what I am right now. I am pretty sure most of them don't want too! as everyone feels grass is always green on the other side.
I don't know many youngsters are suffering similar plight! but so is my F**ked up life! (I had never ever used the F word even with ** in my blog till now)
You can call me selfish or the guy who has no work to do or gone nuts! But I always ask myself questions like - Why am I like this? What is wrong with me? How do I spend the rest of my life the best way that I can?
To be frank, I feel lonely most of the time and I am! Even though I stay together with my family, the word together is merely physical because I sense there is no mentally a good healthy bondage in my family even though I participate in this institution. I shouldn't be the one complaining/revealing about all my personal stuff but I feel this as the perfect outlet for my emotions and I don't even know how rudely I am jotting it down or how many of them I am hurting in writing this! I have been crying a lot within me that nobody notices. It hasn't turned so worst as any suicidal instinct or anything but I do feel a lot insecure even at home. Where else do I find comfort? Don't ask me to meet a psychiatrist as I have been thorough this my entire life till now, me being only closest friend of myself. I resolved into all kinds of music, books, movies-illusions of real life and what not but its all temporary diversion to feel I'm still alive. Everyone needs someone to share your feelings with, to fight with, to love, to care, to feel happy for, to be happy with.
I know that the relations that come through the blood cannot be chosen! But neither have I made really close friends whom I can share the feelings that even I don't trust telling it to my parents.
I DO WANT to live my life happily as possible and have always been in the pursuit of that happyness (with a 'y'). I have practiced and learnt to live lonely life which I know is not a socially good way of being a human being but I have been fighting to overcome it ever since I find a little bit of freedom in my way.
I don't know why even at the age of 22 I still am treated as a 13 yr old adolescent! by my parents. To be precise, I am not allowed to take decisions on my own when they are parents around! Why all the nose poking with my life even after I have started to earn my living? Why parenting when we can take care of ourselves? Always trying to force what they couldn't achieve in their life. Not letting me be somebody different. I hate them when they don't trust me. Won't they ever know that I never gonna let them down. All that I expect them is to wish me that my dreams of life never take me out or turn bad and leave me to achieve it. I feel this whole world is mine to fulfill my dreams whatever they are.
I don't know why I have become such a nerd, a geek now but as a kid I was rather forced to take up studies so seriously that I barely remember participating or rather was never allowed to participate in any extra-curricular-activities that I was so much interested in. I regret for all the things I lost in my childhood just to be a product called "yet-another-software-engineer". There are so many ways of earning a living in this world and I have realized it after seeing the industry for about an year sustaining the heat of financial crisis around. Why is that my career was chosen when I was a kid? I want peace in my life rather than running behind money.
Given a choice, I don't want to be what I am right now. I am pretty sure most of them don't want too! as everyone feels grass is always green on the other side.
I don't know many youngsters are suffering similar plight! but so is my F**ked up life! (I had never ever used the F word even with ** in my blog till now)
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Seriously! Where are we heading to?
There are certain important things that the current financial situation has made me think of, seriously!
We are all listening to the words like financial crisis, liquidity , recession very often these days and we all only fear of one thing - "How bad can it affect me!?" A few posts back, I had quoted that only "talented literates" can survive this doom, but my next question was - "What about the rest of them?"
I say the problem is all because of "Engineer population explosion"! Didn't get it quite right?
Let me explain - 3 decades back there were 5-8 engineering colleges per state and now there are more than 200-300 colleges! Churning out on an avg 50000 engineers per year which turns out to be a excess of engineers "on bench" and many even unemployed.
A middle-class family like ours will think of making a fortune in "creating" a software/electronics/mechanical brand product called engineer rather than letting himself to make a living in other low earning professions. Rather, the damn politics in this country and unhealthy reservations in all competitive exams force us to choose and be a part of the IT world of MNC's as they are free from all these.
Forced by the US markets and baseless future trends, the "new born engineer" is forced to work in so damn good projects like developing smart-phones which use symbian/android! Vlsi Chips with integrated HDTV-out, Bluetooth, wifi, FM, camera and what not all on the same chipset! Quad/Octa/Decahexa/ (nonsense) cores for gaming consoles!, All touch interface screen innovations!, Chipsets for showing the numerical display of odometer, speedometer and fuel gauge! He is fascinated by the work/project he involves and he is happy till he gets paid with all the perks ;)
Previously it was necessity which was the driving cause but now its changed to -"Laziness is the mother of all invention". People need gadgets to do everything for them. No doubt it makes life easy but there needs to be a limit for this Idiocracy. Have you ever thought of the number of brands and models of cell-phones in the market now? It will exceed the number of people in the world in few years or it may have already exceeded! We must be having enough number of host PC's and Laptops in this world to exceed the IP address range itself. Do you even use all the features that your cell phone provides atleast once in your lifetime? but yet the market sees a future! how and why?
Instead we need to innovate on something useful to humanity, like cost-effective solar energy trapping systems using mosfets and inverters, Effective farming with current technology, Fuel saving alternatives in cooking and travel, superconductors at room temperatures and levitation, LED lights for street lamps and torches, Eco-friendly houses, Recycling of waste water, Rainwater harvesting. Its time to go back to the basics, food-clothing-shelter-water.
I have started doing my part by commuting to office via cycling regularly. There is rainwater harvesting scheme, We have implemented at our house which partially works. I cook most of the times using microwave to save energy as it is efficient than heating up vessel unnecessarily. I preach only after testing feasibility and lots of practice :) Its the little things that makes life great!
In my opinion, the market is just driving people crazy.. and the already crazy people promote it even more!
Was there really a market for small cars in letting the tata nano out? How many middle-class families are going to invest on a car at this time of crisis? I am sure its going into the hands of Richie rich kid's and politician teen-kid's as a toy! Adding more to the traffic and pollution, the situation will worsen soon.
People need to understand that there are other professions too to choose a career and stop working on becoming yet another branded product themselves!
I read this somewhere - "If you throw a stone at the streets of Bangalore, It is sure either to hit a dog or an engineer!"
So wanna be yet another one who gets hurt? ;)
We are all listening to the words like financial crisis, liquidity , recession very often these days and we all only fear of one thing - "How bad can it affect me!?" A few posts back, I had quoted that only "talented literates" can survive this doom, but my next question was - "What about the rest of them?"
I say the problem is all because of "Engineer population explosion"! Didn't get it quite right?
Let me explain - 3 decades back there were 5-8 engineering colleges per state and now there are more than 200-300 colleges! Churning out on an avg 50000 engineers per year which turns out to be a excess of engineers "on bench" and many even unemployed.
A middle-class family like ours will think of making a fortune in "creating" a software/electronics/mechanical brand product called engineer rather than letting himself to make a living in other low earning professions. Rather, the damn politics in this country and unhealthy reservations in all competitive exams force us to choose and be a part of the IT world of MNC's as they are free from all these.
Forced by the US markets and baseless future trends, the "new born engineer" is forced to work in so damn good projects like developing smart-phones which use symbian/android! Vlsi Chips with integrated HDTV-out, Bluetooth, wifi, FM, camera and what not all on the same chipset! Quad/Octa/Decahexa/ (nonsense) cores for gaming consoles!, All touch interface screen innovations!, Chipsets for showing the numerical display of odometer, speedometer and fuel gauge! He is fascinated by the work/project he involves and he is happy till he gets paid with all the perks ;)
Previously it was necessity which was the driving cause but now its changed to -"Laziness is the mother of all invention". People need gadgets to do everything for them. No doubt it makes life easy but there needs to be a limit for this Idiocracy. Have you ever thought of the number of brands and models of cell-phones in the market now? It will exceed the number of people in the world in few years or it may have already exceeded! We must be having enough number of host PC's and Laptops in this world to exceed the IP address range itself. Do you even use all the features that your cell phone provides atleast once in your lifetime? but yet the market sees a future! how and why?
Instead we need to innovate on something useful to humanity, like cost-effective solar energy trapping systems using mosfets and inverters, Effective farming with current technology, Fuel saving alternatives in cooking and travel, superconductors at room temperatures and levitation, LED lights for street lamps and torches, Eco-friendly houses, Recycling of waste water, Rainwater harvesting. Its time to go back to the basics, food-clothing-shelter-water.
I have started doing my part by commuting to office via cycling regularly. There is rainwater harvesting scheme, We have implemented at our house which partially works. I cook most of the times using microwave to save energy as it is efficient than heating up vessel unnecessarily. I preach only after testing feasibility and lots of practice :) Its the little things that makes life great!
In my opinion, the market is just driving people crazy.. and the already crazy people promote it even more!
Was there really a market for small cars in letting the tata nano out? How many middle-class families are going to invest on a car at this time of crisis? I am sure its going into the hands of Richie rich kid's and politician teen-kid's as a toy! Adding more to the traffic and pollution, the situation will worsen soon.
People need to understand that there are other professions too to choose a career and stop working on becoming yet another branded product themselves!
I read this somewhere - "If you throw a stone at the streets of Bangalore, It is sure either to hit a dog or an engineer!"
So wanna be yet another one who gets hurt? ;)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Operation Manyatha
I always say - "People should have at-least one craze for keeping themselves alive, not as in breathing-air-alive but something like happy-contented-motivated-energetic-alive" :)
Okay, here I go. On evening of this good Friday, I had this crazy idea to commute daily by cycling to office which is at Manyatha embassy tech park and that's the reason why I choose this deluxe title of the post!
To test the feasibility of the above and start this Operation as a successful one, I took the test ride starting from home straight to the office on Saturday evening at 4:00 pm. The cycle was in good shape even after my 80+ kms of pedal-a-thlon :P, a few months back. Inflating of the tires was all that the "food" that it needed this time.
Ears plugged with the I-pod touch speakers which was buzzing the top 25 songs played on it, I traveled in the hot sun which was shining so mercilessly even after mid-noon! As my heart raced (but below the limits :P) It pumped more blood to my brain and amplified my thoughts after a few kms of cycling! I looked back and asked myself..The very 1st question on your mind too by now ;)
What am I going to achieve by commuting on a Saturday evening, just to the gates of office and coming back for about 15 kms of round trip travel without a drop of water with me?
I don't know the reason - What! Why!, But I enjoyed giving a mocking smile at the petrol bunks in my OWN cycle(The first thing I bought from my salary!) where I usually get my bro's bike or my dad's car refueled.
I spread the awareness to use fuel free alternatives and it was like a solo-campaign to save the world from air pollution and depleting natural resources :'( Hope everyone implements it sooner before the D-day arrives.
Having said about pollution, I regret to say that I have found so many plastic bottles, covers and sachets thrown all around the beautiful mountain terrains while trekking.
I learnt from one of our guides during Kerala trip, a few years back, who himself picked up all plastic to put it in nearby dustbin while trekking. No doubt about the literacy rate there.
This reminds me of the quote - "We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children."
Coming back to the cycling, I took the service roads to escape the yamadhooth-like Leyland trucks and for safer journey. They was lot of rush and parking problem that people were facing near Lumbini gardens at Nagawara as it is a new place for holiday outing within the city limits. Dodging all the traffic I came to my office and It is more farther than I expected. Total round trip to-n-fro home costed about 15 kms of pedaling. It took a total of 45 mins and I was back at home by 4:45pm. It was pretty fast indeed!
I will make it a exercise/habit to take this seriously and continue my good deed :D Hope I will keep myself fit till next weekend to say whether "Operation Manyatha" was a success or failure ;)
Cheers,
Karthik Bharadwaj H
Okay, here I go. On evening of this good Friday, I had this crazy idea to commute daily by cycling to office which is at Manyatha embassy tech park and that's the reason why I choose this deluxe title of the post!
To test the feasibility of the above and start this Operation as a successful one, I took the test ride starting from home straight to the office on Saturday evening at 4:00 pm. The cycle was in good shape even after my 80+ kms of pedal-a-thlon :P, a few months back. Inflating of the tires was all that the "food" that it needed this time.
Ears plugged with the I-pod touch speakers which was buzzing the top 25 songs played on it, I traveled in the hot sun which was shining so mercilessly even after mid-noon! As my heart raced (but below the limits :P) It pumped more blood to my brain and amplified my thoughts after a few kms of cycling! I looked back and asked myself..The very 1st question on your mind too by now ;)
What am I going to achieve by commuting on a Saturday evening, just to the gates of office and coming back for about 15 kms of round trip travel without a drop of water with me?
I don't know the reason - What! Why!, But I enjoyed giving a mocking smile at the petrol bunks in my OWN cycle(The first thing I bought from my salary!) where I usually get my bro's bike or my dad's car refueled.
I spread the awareness to use fuel free alternatives and it was like a solo-campaign to save the world from air pollution and depleting natural resources :'( Hope everyone implements it sooner before the D-day arrives.
Having said about pollution, I regret to say that I have found so many plastic bottles, covers and sachets thrown all around the beautiful mountain terrains while trekking.
I learnt from one of our guides during Kerala trip, a few years back, who himself picked up all plastic to put it in nearby dustbin while trekking. No doubt about the literacy rate there.
This reminds me of the quote - "We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children."
Coming back to the cycling, I took the service roads to escape the yamadhooth-like Leyland trucks and for safer journey. They was lot of rush and parking problem that people were facing near Lumbini gardens at Nagawara as it is a new place for holiday outing within the city limits. Dodging all the traffic I came to my office and It is more farther than I expected. Total round trip to-n-fro home costed about 15 kms of pedaling. It took a total of 45 mins and I was back at home by 4:45pm. It was pretty fast indeed!
I will make it a exercise/habit to take this seriously and continue my good deed :D Hope I will keep myself fit till next weekend to say whether "Operation Manyatha" was a success or failure ;)
Cheers,
Karthik Bharadwaj H
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Its hard to become a literate! but not impossible.
"The Illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn"
-Alvin Toffler
I read this quote some time back and I still can't get it off my head as it made me really think a lot.
In this ever-new technological era, it seems to be so true. It is only the knowledge/innovation that keeps the people/industry moving ahead.
As a Software Engineer, I was wondering how does it apply to me! and without any surprise I realized that it impacts me, a very big time. In this time of recession with all the job cuts, only the really "talented literates" can survive in an industry.
The next question that I raised to myself was.. Am I one of them? I'm not productive yet at the new Co and I am very much in probation. I need to redeem myself that I am worthy for the given position. Of-course they saw something within me when they took the interviews and So its all up-to me to prove my ability.
Ramp-up in new technology domain, I feel like a child learning how to relate things to his previous experiences and coming to an understanding, though it may be wrong from its perception! (You can't teach a child about hotness of a flame until he himself experiences it!) Learning very new thing is something easier compared to unlearning deformed concepts in your mind. Really it is hard to unlearn something you strongly believe in and change it. All our learning is based on some rules. We create a map/network of ideas starting from accepted facts/axioms. Unknowingly this network becomes so huge that our brain cells gets so much wired-up and the rewiring takes its own toll!
Knowing half is more dangerous than knowing nothing. This is exactly what the current universities has done to many pathetic students. All the special thanks to my curricular books at university which taught me nothing practical about current technology! All the syllabus books start with organization of PC, 8085, then x86! learn basics of C, partial knowledge of system software and that's it.. I ended up in such a great position that I was no special to a graduate who passed out 10 years back!
Now having learnt everything the hard way, I refer to standards, specifications and Google/Wiki out latest information and that's the only way to get knowledge of current technology.
"Be flexible in process of being cognitive"
-Alvin Toffler
I read this quote some time back and I still can't get it off my head as it made me really think a lot.
In this ever-new technological era, it seems to be so true. It is only the knowledge/innovation that keeps the people/industry moving ahead.
As a Software Engineer, I was wondering how does it apply to me! and without any surprise I realized that it impacts me, a very big time. In this time of recession with all the job cuts, only the really "talented literates" can survive in an industry.
The next question that I raised to myself was.. Am I one of them? I'm not productive yet at the new Co and I am very much in probation. I need to redeem myself that I am worthy for the given position. Of-course they saw something within me when they took the interviews and So its all up-to me to prove my ability.
Ramp-up in new technology domain, I feel like a child learning how to relate things to his previous experiences and coming to an understanding, though it may be wrong from its perception! (You can't teach a child about hotness of a flame until he himself experiences it!) Learning very new thing is something easier compared to unlearning deformed concepts in your mind. Really it is hard to unlearn something you strongly believe in and change it. All our learning is based on some rules. We create a map/network of ideas starting from accepted facts/axioms. Unknowingly this network becomes so huge that our brain cells gets so much wired-up and the rewiring takes its own toll!
Knowing half is more dangerous than knowing nothing. This is exactly what the current universities has done to many pathetic students. All the special thanks to my curricular books at university which taught me nothing practical about current technology! All the syllabus books start with organization of PC, 8085, then x86! learn basics of C, partial knowledge of system software and that's it.. I ended up in such a great position that I was no special to a graduate who passed out 10 years back!
Now having learnt everything the hard way, I refer to standards, specifications and Google/Wiki out latest information and that's the only way to get knowledge of current technology.
"Be flexible in process of being cognitive"
Saturday, April 4, 2009
"Coming back to life"(pink floyd) after "winds of change"(scorpions)
Its a long time since I blurted something "gibberish" here. So here I'm back with some more updates/changes in my motion picture called life ;)
After reviewing a few of my previous posts, I don't know why I chose to write about "love is in the air" thingy of Mr.X. Maybe it was an effect of V-day around the corner :P
Many of my posts have surprisingly turned out to be travelogues for wonderful journey that are indeed memorable! It gives me great pleasure in reading them to live those beautiful days again and cherish them for a short while.
I had put a long break to blogging and me writing chikka-chota-small words that rhyme :) .. so called poetry! because there was lot of disturbing phases that I had to undergo over last two months. By disturbing, I mean there were lots of changes in life and the Inertia within me took a toll! But this recession has turned to be somewhat good for me. I changed my job (or rather forced to since I feared my old Co. was closing down!) and surprisingly to my luck/hard-work, I found a great opportunity to work for Alcatel-Lucent. I am happy with my new work and time saved in my commute(just 5-6 kms) to my office now.
Many advised me to take up higher studies and I didn't yield my brain for their detergent-less washing. :P Maybe I will regret this for not taking their experienced suggestions as they too have trodden the same path in which I am heading in the career, But I think I wont. I want myself to be cause for all right or wrong decisions that I take in my life and face its consequences. Wow! The last statement made me think of Kareena's dialogue in movie "Jab we met", while talking to Shahid on top of their house while escaping.. :)
Coming back to reality after movie flashback, Well.. Its was just 3 days I had spent at new Co, I needed a break last weekend and set out to another expedition.. one of my my favorites! Yeah you guessed it right - trekking again! during Ugadi. This time It was to Kodachadri hills with college gang. A splendid sunset view from the top indeed. We were sailing over the clouds just like in an aeroplane!
I was not the usual me during the trip.. The "aftermath" of changing the job and getting adjusted to the new environment had a long lasting effect even during the trip for sometime till I tried hard to overcome it. Sorry guys for my moody behavior during last weekend. I hope you understand me.
You can Google out for wonderful travel blogs about Kodachadri - trekking path that we chose was one of the hardest ones about 14-16kms starting from Nitturu near kollur-small Marakutaka bus stop - Hidhlumane Falls(7 stepped falls) - Kodachadri. You can call "Sitaram Jogi" for accommodation @ 9242281932, 9480130939 for booking rooms food etc., There are jeeps available which can only tread the worst paths all the way uphill if you reach Kollur. Around 20kms from kodachadri for 1500 bucks! Not at all worth.. as you enjoy beautiful nature more on foot than the hump-ty dumpty roads. Also beware, you wont find much network coverage at the top except for very few service providers.
Don't worry, I'm not going to share full trek experience here.. as posting it over and over again leads to indigestion for the whole of blogosphere. :P
After breaking the sweat out of my forehead for a day or two, I am back at the mundane work breaking my head over the new domain. But I like networking. It is nice to learn something new and contribute to the technology/product in which you are more interested in. Nothing more I will reveal, its all confidential stuff.. hush hush ;)
After swallowing the "Red pill" in switching(again a networking terminology, you know why!) of job, I miss my friends at Freescale a lot. It was a wonderful time that I had. Its was all fun and frolic with less work ;) We were one hell of a boisterous crowd! Hope we continue meeting at our hangouts/trips during weekends.
Signing off now.
Cheers,
Karthik Bharadwaj H
After reviewing a few of my previous posts, I don't know why I chose to write about "love is in the air" thingy of Mr.X. Maybe it was an effect of V-day around the corner :P
Many of my posts have surprisingly turned out to be travelogues for wonderful journey that are indeed memorable! It gives me great pleasure in reading them to live those beautiful days again and cherish them for a short while.
I had put a long break to blogging and me writing chikka-chota-small words that rhyme :) .. so called poetry! because there was lot of disturbing phases that I had to undergo over last two months. By disturbing, I mean there were lots of changes in life and the Inertia within me took a toll! But this recession has turned to be somewhat good for me. I changed my job (or rather forced to since I feared my old Co. was closing down!) and surprisingly to my luck/hard-work, I found a great opportunity to work for Alcatel-Lucent. I am happy with my new work and time saved in my commute(just 5-6 kms) to my office now.
Many advised me to take up higher studies and I didn't yield my brain for their detergent-less washing. :P Maybe I will regret this for not taking their experienced suggestions as they too have trodden the same path in which I am heading in the career, But I think I wont. I want myself to be cause for all right or wrong decisions that I take in my life and face its consequences. Wow! The last statement made me think of Kareena's dialogue in movie "Jab we met", while talking to Shahid on top of their house while escaping.. :)
Coming back to reality after movie flashback, Well.. Its was just 3 days I had spent at new Co, I needed a break last weekend and set out to another expedition.. one of my my favorites! Yeah you guessed it right - trekking again! during Ugadi. This time It was to Kodachadri hills with college gang. A splendid sunset view from the top indeed. We were sailing over the clouds just like in an aeroplane!
I was not the usual me during the trip.. The "aftermath" of changing the job and getting adjusted to the new environment had a long lasting effect even during the trip for sometime till I tried hard to overcome it. Sorry guys for my moody behavior during last weekend. I hope you understand me.You can Google out for wonderful travel blogs about Kodachadri - trekking path that we chose was one of the hardest ones about 14-16kms starting from Nitturu near kollur-small Marakutaka bus stop - Hidhlumane Falls(7 stepped falls) - Kodachadri. You can call "Sitaram Jogi" for accommodation @ 9242281932, 9480130939 for booking rooms food etc., There are jeeps available which can only tread the worst paths all the way uphill if you reach Kollur. Around 20kms from kodachadri for 1500 bucks! Not at all worth.. as you enjoy beautiful nature more on foot than the hump-ty dumpty roads. Also beware, you wont find much network coverage at the top except for very few service providers.
Don't worry, I'm not going to share full trek experience here.. as posting it over and over again leads to indigestion for the whole of blogosphere. :P
After breaking the sweat out of my forehead for a day or two, I am back at the mundane work breaking my head over the new domain. But I like networking. It is nice to learn something new and contribute to the technology/product in which you are more interested in. Nothing more I will reveal, its all confidential stuff.. hush hush ;)
After swallowing the "Red pill" in switching(again a networking terminology, you know why!) of job, I miss my friends at Freescale a lot. It was a wonderful time that I had. Its was all fun and frolic with less work ;) We were one hell of a boisterous crowd! Hope we continue meeting at our hangouts/trips during weekends.
Signing off now.
Cheers,
Karthik Bharadwaj H
Monday, February 2, 2009
One Nite at the Customer Site
No, this is not a sequel of the Chetan Bhagat's novel :D
Let me not even mention the customer site name(of-course you can guess it).
At on-site place, the work is a lot more different than what it actually is @ my office. By different, I mean a lot more hectic with lots more work pressure. But I feel that work is made more fun when people around talk to you comfortably closer and expose some personal feelings of home/family even at work.
This happened to me one day(actually very late evening). One of my colleague(Let me call him, Mr.X) and myself had to wait for the daily release build to do basic sanity and also check the all different fixes called CR's integrated into it and make sure there are no regressions.. If you don't get the "bad long phrase" that I used just now, feel free to replace it with "testing" ;) Since the developers were busy with fixing issues all day long and integrators always take all the time in the evening to put all corrected CR's into the single build, we poor chaps had to wait for our turn till night! sob sob.. ;( However, I still call it "insanity" testing rather than sanity tests :P
Since I came to customer site later that afternoon, It was not boring yet, even if I was staying a little longer. Thanks to managers who look into that we are scheduled properly.
Moreover, It was a Saturday evening and I received a message from our Team lead which said "Thanks for coming on weekend" and soon I realized that he too had taken off for the day, leaving Mr.X and myself to attend to the further needy. You may not know how horrible the next day(Sunday) might be when you stay late evening during a weekend! Am I again supposed to say "pissed off"!? :P
But Mr.X, was so different in his attitude! as he had seen so many of such weekends before.. He was so positive that I couldn't believe my eyes!
First of all, Let me introduce Mr.X. This guy is an adorable family man who loves his wife sooo..much that he sacrifices everything for her(lucky her)! A very open, honest and helping guy.
We had been out for dinner that night (around 9:30pm for the build was yet to come) and I asked a few personal family questions(in general) which he didn't even hesitate to answer! Even after 5-6 years of marriage he is still so young - like a "teenage lover"- at heart. With my eyebrows raised, I asked how he could spend time with his wife in "ruined weekends"(like the one I was suffering now) even after staying so late at Saturday night? To which he replied that he would go out on Sundays with her getting up early in the morning as it's the only way he could be with her for more time. Man! Didn't I say he is choo-chweet :)
This lovely incident doesn't end here. Soon after we headed back to our workstations we received the patched binaries and testing was soon carried out and it was all over earlier than he expected. But, time was ticking very fast for only me. It was already 1:00am, the next morning! He had expected not less than 3:00am to reach home. He was so happy that it was all done and all set to leave, he noticed a bouquet of flowers in nearby cubicle and smoothly drew a Red rose from it and said He would surprise her wife today by going early! (I was dumbstruck with his lovely thought)
Even on the way back in the company cab to his place, we had little chat. He welcomed me home in that odd hours too.. for which I said of-course I will, but some-other time. Getting down from the cab at around 1:30am, he ran down the lane to reach his home with the red rose in his hand and a big smile on his face.
For that fleeting moment in my life I really felt that, Love was in the air for sure :)
Let me not even mention the customer site name(of-course you can guess it).
At on-site place, the work is a lot more different than what it actually is @ my office. By different, I mean a lot more hectic with lots more work pressure. But I feel that work is made more fun when people around talk to you comfortably closer and expose some personal feelings of home/family even at work.
This happened to me one day(actually very late evening). One of my colleague(Let me call him, Mr.X) and myself had to wait for the daily release build to do basic sanity and also check the all different fixes called CR's integrated into it and make sure there are no regressions.. If you don't get the "bad long phrase" that I used just now, feel free to replace it with "testing" ;) Since the developers were busy with fixing issues all day long and integrators always take all the time in the evening to put all corrected CR's into the single build, we poor chaps had to wait for our turn till night! sob sob.. ;( However, I still call it "insanity" testing rather than sanity tests :P
Since I came to customer site later that afternoon, It was not boring yet, even if I was staying a little longer. Thanks to managers who look into that we are scheduled properly.
Moreover, It was a Saturday evening and I received a message from our Team lead which said "Thanks for coming on weekend" and soon I realized that he too had taken off for the day, leaving Mr.X and myself to attend to the further needy. You may not know how horrible the next day(Sunday) might be when you stay late evening during a weekend! Am I again supposed to say "pissed off"!? :P
But Mr.X, was so different in his attitude! as he had seen so many of such weekends before.. He was so positive that I couldn't believe my eyes!
First of all, Let me introduce Mr.X. This guy is an adorable family man who loves his wife sooo..much that he sacrifices everything for her(lucky her)! A very open, honest and helping guy.
We had been out for dinner that night (around 9:30pm for the build was yet to come) and I asked a few personal family questions(in general) which he didn't even hesitate to answer! Even after 5-6 years of marriage he is still so young - like a "teenage lover"- at heart. With my eyebrows raised, I asked how he could spend time with his wife in "ruined weekends"(like the one I was suffering now) even after staying so late at Saturday night? To which he replied that he would go out on Sundays with her getting up early in the morning as it's the only way he could be with her for more time. Man! Didn't I say he is choo-chweet :)
This lovely incident doesn't end here. Soon after we headed back to our workstations we received the patched binaries and testing was soon carried out and it was all over earlier than he expected. But, time was ticking very fast for only me. It was already 1:00am, the next morning! He had expected not less than 3:00am to reach home. He was so happy that it was all done and all set to leave, he noticed a bouquet of flowers in nearby cubicle and smoothly drew a Red rose from it and said He would surprise her wife today by going early! (I was dumbstruck with his lovely thought)
Even on the way back in the company cab to his place, we had little chat. He welcomed me home in that odd hours too.. for which I said of-course I will, but some-other time. Getting down from the cab at around 1:30am, he ran down the lane to reach his home with the red rose in his hand and a big smile on his face.
For that fleeting moment in my life I really felt that, Love was in the air for sure :)
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