Of Swines, Humankind and the World going haywire...

I suppose one of the better reasons there are gazillions of living species is to make sure that Darwin's ground for the Theory of Evolution holds some basic merit, and that consequent to natural competition, even after annihilation of the weakest taxon, there are enough families left to inhabit this tiny speck in the vastness of the universe we call Earth. If on the contrary there were a limited few, survival of the fittest would mean one face staring at another familiar(rather similar) face and wondering if the former could at all find different anatomies anywhere else within the cosmos and get some respite from the latter's lividity.

It seems the day might arrive sooner than one would expect. Now, with the advent of Swine flu, there has been revealed what was concealed for several millenia - survival has assumed an altogether new meaning. Influenza symptoms have become the most dreaded of all human fears, when just a few months ago nobody cared if a stranger as much as sneezed on your face. The name itself incites fright. People are fleeing from the more adversely affected regions for the sake of their own well being, praying not to encounter a "running nose" on the way. Travelling to places is a dangerous proposition keeping in mind how easily the flu is communicable. This global pandemic is a sardonic mockery of human advances in medicine - at an age when baneful diseases like cancer have been vanquished by human intellect.

But where do hogs hog into the limelight? To say the least, they are the very harbingers of the virus strain that has bamboozled medical experts worldwide. It seems weird that such silent, innocuous and self-involved creatures could possess a trait so unique and distinct that can affect a race millionfold in population and incomparably superior in capability. Sadly, this distinctive attribute is enough to wreak havoc in an otherwise ignorant mortal soul.

As a measure against the spread of this pandemic, mass gatherings have been prohibited within the IITR campus (to many a person's dismay). And this memorandum has been issued at a time when things looked like life was returning back to usual. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Perhaps it would take more than a few weeks to regain the lost grandeur. Atleast, everything should fall back in place by the time some of us get the long-awaited opportunity to visit Europe or America next year.

PS:

6 fresh cases have been reported in the insti as per reports being circulated..... and i thought there couldn't be a safer place than Roorkee !

Opportunities will come and go....Until "The One" stops by !

"Ye kya hai?! Dhang ke formals pehenne hain....t-shirt nahi chalega....aur pata hai uske baad GD bhi hai?" - were words of wisdom uttered by the Great Pink Saint as I was about to leave for the pre-placement talk by the first giant company that has so far visited the campus with the object of capturing the best (in what terms is still uncertain...) of the lot for its summer internship programme next year. "Kya fark padta hai?" - was Rangeela's straightforward reply as he joined me on my way to STEP for the all-important presentation to be made by senior corporate executives to give us a first-hand view of what is expected of student interns in general, and IITians in particular, in order to make it to one of Forbes' top 50 conglomerates.

The place was teeming with dreamy souls and hyper-tensed "ghissus" all of whom were fancying their chances as the worthy suitor for the Princess of Wonderland's hand. Some looked like they had no idea they hadn't come to watch a football match while others looked set for their first real test of character. We climbed up the flight of stairs leading to the seminar hall even as the harried "placement" team of 4th-yearites (I wonder if all of them will be placed eventually) checked our identity just in case someone from COER had ideas of infiltrating into the session and somehow influencing the company to recruit from their campus instead of ours. A few enthusiasts were turned back from the door because they had forgotten to bring along their I-cards, but their determination never wavered and they decided to witness the drama from the backstage (yes, the whole thing later assumed a melodramatic form!).

Finally, after much waiting and debate over whether one of the representatives was a little out of the league of "normal" human beings, the guy who supposedly was an alumni of this totally awesome institution started conversing in a very business-like manner - the first sign that he was here only to talk shop and that these people weren't so credulous to impress upon. We went through presentations and audio-visuals that were 'refined' to suit the standards of the IITR junta, but failed to make an impact anyway. The questions that followed never seemed to cease - there was one which was met with much disdain from the corporate fraternity present; the poor inquisitor (an ambitious 4th yearite) might have to part with much more than his identification when the authorities come to know about the incident.

The final selections have been done - only 2 from the insti were fortunate enough to secure a place after staying up all night to prove their merit by exhibition of composure when all you care about is a soft bed and nobody to interrupt your snores. I first felt sad not to have been lucky enough to figure among the few names at the top of the list. But maybe, there is something waiting for me - something better than anything I've ever expected to achieve. Perhaps, by missing out on such opportunities, I am only inching closer towards that ultimate nirvana.

PS:

As I was pondering on where my destiny would take me, I suddenly stumbled upon this wonderful quote:

"I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy."

It seems The Almighty really is keeping me motivated; He sure has plans.....