Musings of a Half-Engineer....

Another year has gone by. Summer vacations have come to a long awaited end; this time it was more purpose than leisure (securing an internship in these times of recession has been a daunting task indeed).....and yet again I am baffled by how fast we've moved on. It seems only a few months back that we stepped into RJB as "facchas", with the sole aspiration of making it to the top rung amongst the pool of "like-headed" souls. It was much different back then - the innocence (people would rather call it dumbness), sincerity and a steadfast resolve to perform to the best of our ability; now all has been reduced to mere blankness and uncertainty.

I still recall a vivid picture of the day I stepped into the insti - waiting expectantly to meet my roommate, thinking of how I'd deal with a clumsy, spoilt brat if need be (fortunately Abhas was way mature). It was amazing to ponder upon how the 4-year long stay at IITR would fare. With the varying "degrees of freedom" we have been subjected to in our endeavour to pursue the ultimate goal - graduating as engineers (how many actually care to?), one can't still be so sure as to what comes next. The scales keep tilting and might scare the mickey out of you just when all seems perfect, but things also happen the other way round - when all hope is lost, one might be awed at getting something way better than expected in the first place.

There has become a phenomenal change in the mannerisms of each individual compared to the day one first entered the realms of IITR Main Building. I remember the first morning when everybody was up early enough to reach the lecture hall 10 minutes before the professor set foot into the classroom. Now, bunking and proxying are the first thoughts of the day. There are "zombies" who, deprived of slumber due to nocturnal ventures, attend lectures only because they find the teacher's voice quite hypnotic or because the furniture feels cozier than the wooden structures in their gloomy rooms (which are often camouflaged by an assortment of what-nots and so difficult to be visible to the human eye beneath all the rubble).

Gathering the two-year experience so far, it seems there is one thing that keeps us motivated in our quest for the precious piece of parchment only the tenacious are destined to achieve. Recreation through increasingly ingenious propositions and hilarious pranks takes our mind off from insignificant worldly pursuits and instills a new energy to start all over again. And the fact that we won't get such fun opportunities after passing out compells us to enjoy as much as we can. That is the jargon. To put the same in simpler words, "it's only play and little work that makes Jack an 8-pointer", and not many would dare to sacrifice their identity for entering into the distinct class of bespectacled, dreamy, dreaded 9-pointers.

Now that we enter into the third year, I can only assume times are going to be even more taxing and much less fun than the blast we had all during first year - chapos(free treats) at the canteen almost everyday, pranks which had the victim's heart in his mouth, funny professors and the exceedingly hilarious Meta skit. But we thrive on hope, that still better and merrier times await us in the near (and distant) future. Whatever we do, wherever we drift away after the convocation ceremony (after passing out, obviously), I am pretty certain we'll cherish forever awesome memories of these four precious years at IITR for our entire lifetime.

Whitewater rafting at Rishikesh....Riding the turbulent rapids of the Ganges.

It was Wednesday eve; breezy, soothing atmosphere and a slight drizzle - the perfect weather one gets to hangout and relax. We had just had our second midsems over a few hours back, after a taxing time, and were going through a "group discussion" concerning "how to spend the coming weekend". One bloke suggested going places, another suggested having a "Meta Premier League" again (remember the last time? wrapped up after a few matches !). And after an hour of "bakar" including wayward propositions but none of them worthy enough to result in a common consensus, I finally departed to peace in my room to enjoy the one thing I had been the most deprived of during the past few days - sleep.

The next day, when I was still wondering how I'd spend the weekend while almost everybody else departed either home or to some other fun place, Mahajan conceived this great idea to go for river rafting on the Ganges at Rishikesh. And so it was decided. All necessary arrangements made, the weather forecast taken into notice. We were going on an adventure trip the next morning - the best I've had until now.

The nine of us set off for Rishikesh at the stipulated time. The scene at the spot(Shivpuri) was a serene, enthralling one. After the usual "nautanki" and "hulladbaaji", we finally paid heed to the words of the instructor who would be guiding us through the entire journey (he tried to, but failed miserably !). Only two amongst us knew swimming, but the rest couldn't rely on them to save our lives if we fell into the river (or so we thought), hence we listened carefully when he elaborated necessary precautions to be taken. (Besides, we had all the protective gear, so we never really cared). After the briefing, we set sail to face the mysteries of the sacred river beckoning us to explore its waters. "Gujju" was appointed the group commander, being the only one to accomplish this feat before (nobody ever listened to him though). The guide Mr.Deepak and his associate Mr.Dev had to strive hard to steer the raft in the right direction - clear of the rocks and boulders that could put a lame end to the expedition, while we were carrying out "logical" experiments with the rows only to take it wayward.

The journey began on quiet waters, and as we progressed further, we came across seven "rapids" - sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. The first one gave us the jitters, and we were unaware of the fact that there were still more taunting "4th degree" ones capable of giving us the shudders and the heebie-jeebies. I was the most bewildered by the names given to these natural formations in the Ganga river - "Golf course"and "Roller coaster" which were the most stupendous, plus "double trouble", "Marine drive", "T-off" and "Daniel's dip". For a moment, I wondered whether this was my homeland and if it was, whether India had yet to gain independence from the British marauders.

All the way, we kept receiving commands like "Forward !", "Right back left forward !", "High side !"and "Stop !" but it took a while to realize what they meant (anyways, why should we follow orders by anybody else when we can screw things up ourselves). Each time a rapid overlooked our path, two people squatted on the edge in the front, drinking up half the water gushing into their faces while the others rowed with all their might to pull out of the turbulence. At times it seemed the waves wanted a hitch on the raft too, intentionally forming crevices when we least expected them.

On reaching still water finally, we made the most of it by diving out of the raft to swim until we all were frozen by the chill while the "guides" took the least pity on our helplessness (why didn't they tell us we couldn't get back on our own), and jumping from a cliff into the water about 80 feet deep (any takers for doing so without a lifejacket?) before resuming the voyage. After the 3 hours, 14 kilometres stretch was over and we had just enough vitality to walk to "Chotiwala" for lunch - fully drenched in water, some rest was all we needed. And what better option than to lie in the sunshine in the sands along the riverside. A walk back to the agent's office was the last stage of this wonderful excursion that was my first outing for "adventure sports".

I hope many more such trips await me in the near future, because I kinda liked the thrills that are associated.

Global Financial Recession impacting the Midsems?!!

It's finally over.....but the hangover still persists in the form of indolance to do anything (which is considered) fruitful.....

The Midsems have concluded after a tough ordeal which kept most of us toiling day-and-night (read "all night") to reconcile with the fact that only people who possess a "good-enough" CGPA (does anybody have the faintest idea what that actually means? I get variable opinions each soul I seek an enlightening answer from) can make it to a decent organization at the end of the 8th semester while the rest will have to be allayed with a job at "Career Point" or "Resonance" or "COER" doing the same thing as a few years back (or was it centuries ago?...because that is out of fashion now, rather a lame pastime) - gorging volumes of concepts and mugging up more than an ordinary human being is capacitated to, what lead us here in the first place - the difference being this they would not be doing for themselves because they won't be entitled to take the prestigious JEE another time.

Four years well spent devising funny stories about each and every professor in the campus, assigning them "suitable" nicknames, bringing out our best abilities in anime - and voila! You step into the latter's shoes when you know that the back benchers are never really interested in the weird theories and pestering mathematics you blabber about; they're busy carefully observing your slightest nuances which can be mimicked on "Bhawan Day" in front of an audience from the entire insti with yourself gracing the occasion as "chief guest". What an honour!

This situation was an alien one until the previous year, and stems from the recent financial recession that has affected not only "raddiwalas", "Thomso - 09", businessmen, corporates and governments alike, but also final year students in search of propective employers. This wariness has been bestowed upon us second yearites by our seniors who have witnessed the consequences of the global slowdown in the form of companies not willing to recruit. As I come to know about the interviews for the selection process, a not-so-major firm was made fun of when students haughtily stated to the interviewer - "We never wanted to be part of your workforce but have come for the sole purpose of gaining some experience for tackling interview questions". Now the same firm has been requested "humbly" to return to the premises.

What if the situation continues for a few more years? Heeding the fact that companies today are more interested in your CGPA rather than your instumental role in organizing "Thomso" as coordinator or even convenor, as secy of various student societies or as a 4-time inter-IIT player - our peers have taken up study more seriously than ever before.

The number of doubts fielded by professors who earlier used to have the front benchers sleeping in their class, has increased exponentially. The library and reading room get occupied to their full capacity a week before the midsems. Everybody seems to be giving some importance to the midsems, subsequently increasing the woes of "Ghissus" who earlier had no challenges from any other quarters. And to further add to this pandemonium, the department has tightened the noose around our necks by means of attendance backs and substituting a "dassi" for an "atthi".

It would be in our best interests if this turmoil in financial systems around the world is brought to a halt immediately. The longer it persists, the longer it will take for us to return to our "normal" way of living at IITR.

PS : Mr. Obama, are you listening?

Will Technology push Mankind back to the Primitive times?

Since time immemorial, when Homo Sapiens first evolved from the apes, mankind has been constantly treading the path of progress - scientifically and technologically (I won't say economically, going by the state of [monetary] affairs in my hostel and the recession in recent times). It all began with the Almighty's noble gesture in the prehistoric era, helping man to heed his brain and better sense over chaos and utter nonsense.

However, of late, there has been a thought lingering in my mind, maybe the consequence of days of inactivity that's driving me nuts - "How and when did technology start to evolve, and what would happen if it continues to be refined and moderated at such a rapid rate to suit our whims and fancies ?"

I start reasoning from the following perspective, which some of you might consider funny or rubbish, and some might appreciate my ability to wander to mental domains so remote and preternatural. A glutton might eat and devour everything that meets his eye, but there will be a point when his ponch will not be able to accomodate any more food and a reversible process will throw out all the balance trash.

Same is the case with Technology. Whatever means we may employ to enjoy comfort by making our work easier with the help of increasingly sophisticated machines, there will arrive a point of saturation whereafter nothing more can be accomplished, no progress made. Mankind will be reduced to a race of languid, idle creatures - plump due to "inertia" and total dependence on moving masses of metal, robots and androids (recall the animation movie "Wall E" ? - that will give you a better idea of what I'm blabbering about).

At some stage of time, humankind will finally come to terms with the fact that its their tumefied physique that is the reason for not finding suitable partners of the opposite sex to go on a date with, and they'll vow to start moving their limbs to exercise and shed some useless extra weight.....Ultimately, men and machines will be at loggerheads (while the ladies rush to the existing spas and beauty parlours), and you know who will finally emerge triumphant because of one possession that the machines would lack - presence of mind. [Man ! My story is going to sell !]

And then, after all the robots have been diminished to a pile of metallic junk, and humans begin to handle all their tasks by themselves, the journey to earlier times would commence - when regular mechanical engagements kept people slim, hale and hearty; when there were no clanky machines to disturb their peace of mind. Once again the steam engine will be built, and then fire ignited from rocks. Neanderthal man will spring back to life - the difference being he would have been evolved from modern man and not from the apes. This all may take place during the 3rd millenium AD or so, but it will all be the same as in primitive times.

Thus, while time might have advanced in reality, it would virtually have spun backwards..... I suppose this much is enough for my first theory. Thank you for staying with me till the end and enduring the bizzareness of this weird proposition, but I hope you would have enjoyed it all the same.

PS : I'm waiting for the award ladies and gentlemen ! - whatever it may be...

THE BEGINNING......

It all starts as a race against time.......a competition between two looneys - me and my mumbling, grumbling but nevertheless dear friend - as to who would be the first one to post first on his blog. It gives me immense satisfaction to announce that I have finally emerged as the worthy winner, and I vow that henceforth I will always strive my best to get the better of him whenever I am challenged in this fashion.

Things would be keeping me busy for a few days.......But I'll resume posting as soon as I get time.