R.I.P. Jimmy

I had planned to write a blog on my experience in Kerala and had almost given it a shape while sitting at the airport lounge waiting for departure, however unfortunately it didn't find it's final lines and here I am sitting writing on a totally different context.

There are times when you just take living beings for granted and more often than not its these living beings that make you feel secured.

There are times when you just over look some living beings when they look at you with twinkle of desire in their eyes.

There are times when unspoken words translated into actions, still don't get the desired reaction from you.

Today as I sit to write this, I have lost my canine back home in Kerala with whom I really didn't spend a worthy time to feel I should miss him as he left abode after almost 10 years of company. But as soon as the news reached me, it wasn't the shock but a hollowness that scared me. It was because of him that there was a sense of security in the house. There was a feeling of someone out there who was guarding you irrespective of the time or weather. Someone who always welcomed you with a friendly bark each time you returned home, what I called as the welcome bark.

All this would be missed.

R.I.P. Jimmy!

3 weeks in Gods Own Country.

So it has been a while since I have posted something on my BLOG. It has been 20 days since I have landed in Gods Own Country. The experience so far has been like a fresh new day, new with each instance. So what experiences am I talking about here?

1) Practice the language before you reach a new place. Learn a few important words. And even after you have done then learn to see people laughing at you for your pronunciations! And just in case you haven't learnt any words then invoke the blessings from The Gods of Dumb Charades. I've been doing just that.

2) "When in Rome Be Like The Romans Are" So it's time for lungi /mundu. The natives still wouldn't accept you completely obviously because you are out of place. Confidence matters but with the fear of what would go faster, the Mundu or your IZZZAT, tell me where is the scope to have confidence and walk!

3) Learn to cook and eat. Unfortunately I am in a land of non vegetarian food lovers and me being an eggetarian struggle to find some good food. Funnier is when you DARE to EAT some North Indian dish and then spend time in the loo. :P It isn't as funny as one might feel on reading. I was MIGHTY PLEASED when I visited a 4 Star with an ambience which could give some of our Mumbai restaurants a run for their money. MULTI CUISINE RESTAURANT, they declared on their Tariff Card and I promised the Manager I would come back soon. The next time I visited the area I made it a point to visit the MULTI CUISINE RESTAURANT. "Paneer Kitne Din se nahin khaaya." my heart shouted!

Waiter: "Sir would you like to have some dish in Paneer for the main course?"

WTF???????????????

Me: "Ah well yeah. Get me a dish of Paneer Butter Masala along with a dish of Appam."

I waited patiently with a wish to have Paneer after 3 weeks! *Slurp*

The wait was't worth, the Paneer Butter Masala completely drowned my desire to come back to this MULTI CUISINE RESTAURANT. So from there I head to my meeting. All of a sudden there is some "hul-chal"

KAHAN?

Stomach dear had an immediate Mood Change due to the food at the MULTI CUISINE RESTAURANT. :( The rest? The lesser said the better!

4) Get ready for an overdose of the local actors on television. Movies, TV Advertisements, Hoardings, you will see them everywhere. If that wasn't less you would see them in the most funniest of poses and clothes!

5) Be ready to meet some visitors who might give you creeps. They are in plenty here. Thankfully the one's that I am scared of, haven't REALLY made their presence felt.

Is it all that bad?

1) The Peace here cannot be bought by any amount of urbanisation. All that we miss in a city like Mumbai is some peace which is in abundance here. :D A day full of working from home and then a walk with an elder to the local temple, the knowledge that you get while talking to them, the fields that you pass by, the local houses from where the kids come out running to see a person whom they haven't seen previously and all the customs and traditions which we as city dwellers can never experience. They still, also, use the traditional methods of cooking with the dried up wood what we call as the "Choolaah"

2) The smile and the warmth of the people whom you might not know and yet they would stand and explain to you, how they are related and then their favourite statements "How would you remember us? The last you had seen was when you were 6 years old!" What memory!!!!!! :-o

3) The weather during evening times is absolutely awesome! I have been experiencing breeze which we "could probably" experience only during Winters in city.

4) The sanctity of the holy places would have to be seen to be believed. The precision with which people follow each of these practices shows the power of beliefs! At many of the temples, including the local one,that I have visited the people still don't cross the path if they see the priest coming. The temples still haven't been commercialised. I have been completely bowled over by a group of 3 kids who used to come ever evening, until their schools started, to recite Bhajans. I doubt if this could be ever seen in the city.

5) Everything over here is so planned and organised in their own little way. We as city dwellers never get time from our usual schedule to have lunch on time, to have tea on time or probably to reach home for dinner on time. But here day in- day out,their schedules never go wrong. Breakfast is sharp at 7 (not for me though), another tea session by 11, followed by lunch at 1pm, Snacks at 4 and finally dinner by 10 pm. They plan for their day-to-day activity in advance. Like for eg. cut the wood and store well in advance before rains for cooking purposes. And to add to it they live a HAPPY (content) LIFE. Makes me wonder, what is it that I am searching for in life?

Each day that gets me a new experience, good or bad, has only reinforced my decision of having taken up a rural internship for my Summers.

Change

"Three veg and one non-veg Chicago Hot Dogs." we ordered as we decided to stuff ourselves before boarding the plane on 6th of February 2010 for a one night two day trip to Kerala to attend a marriage. An electronics Engineer, a Mechanical Engineer, one failed Engineer and a Finance Fanatic were all excited to attend the wedding of one of their close friends' sister. "Yuck!" exclaimed the Finance guy as he took the first bite of his hot dog. The taste had really not impressed him. Instantly he moved to the next outlet serving ice cream to rectify the bad taste left behind by the hot dog.

As we moved towards the security check it was so different than what it was last year when I had travelled in an airplane.  The security had increased multi fold. The 26/11 attacks had brought the impetuous once again on the security and whatever possible loopholes existed were minimized. The change however was too much to be neglected which actually made me feel more scared. It meant that there were more efforts being made by the extremists to push their point by harming the innocent. I tried to appease myself by putting forth the thought that more security means lesser possibility of anything bad happening but somewhere in my heart it said that if these guys are putting so much efforts it also means that other side wouldn't fall shy of trying something more. I wasn't able to adapt to change even though it was for my own good.

As the flight descended the scenic beauty of Gods Own Country mesmerized me. I was happy to be in my mother state (I call Maharashtra my home state as I was born here). The thought did cross my mind to bow down and kiss the land but felt it would be too much for my friends who as it is feel my actions are nothing less than "A Nautanki". Once again I resisted change.

The journey was told to us would be a short one, however to our surprise it took us an hour to reach Le Meridien Kochi. Hungry as a famine hit person, we headed straight to the restaurant. Thankfully the Buffet was still on. The hotel was running on 100% occupancy owing to the marriage. As we settled with our lunch word arrived that, the 4 of us had to share a room. At the first place I was a bit skeptical but realized that this time I have to try out how it is to adjust and adapt to the changed circumstances. What caught my attention was that we had to cross the backwaters on a boat to reach our tower.

The change which I had to adapt wasn't too difficult. The beds even though were small it wasn't small enough for two. ☺ It would have been LUXURY for one and IT WAS COMFORTABLE for two!  Spring beds are never too late for any age and soon enough we were testing its durability. Thankfully it adapted to the change in the weight it had to carry. Finally we gave up and decided to rest out backs. Phew! We got ready for the evening where in another new tradition awaited.

Sangeet which is a never heard tradition in South of India, especially in Kerala was nothing short of a full on Concert! Sivamani performed and the crowd only wanted more. "Jugalbandi" between a 'Percussionist', a 'Violinist', a 'Chenda' artist and a 'Thavil' player was an icing on the cake which actually got the audience to their feet.  The audience had accepted the change in tradition. We slipped into the night with bated breath thinking what would happen the next day.

Day Two was welcomed with a fantastic and heavy breakfast. Good Morning easily transforms into Great Morning if the breakfast is good. Happy Hearts, the four of us moved towards the Convention Centre to witness the Wedding Ceremony. As we discussed about the marriage traditions across our country we realized that slowly and steadily the hall was getting empty. Even before we knew the depleting number was because the marriage ritual was kept short and sweet.  The rush had now moved to the lunch area. The noisy crowd was now substituted with some good light music being played by the live orchestra. Suddenly the crowd in the hall, which should have been lining up to wish the newlywed, was lined up to eat food. In native style it was typical "Naadan (pronounced as naa-done) Food" served on the Banana Leaf. Another change from the usual style that we see in Mumbai ☺ but a pleasant one as well.Happy Hearts once again, we left the dining area and seated ourselves at the entrance. It was 'Bidayi' time.

Emotions were running high. The Bride was being led to the car by her father and her brother followed by her mother. The scene ran in my head when I had first seen her as a child, running around the house. She was notorious as a kid and pampered. Her wish was her father's command and yet she wasn't a spoilt kid. Everything came to me in a flash of a second and disappeared in another flash. Suddenly the reality was right there in front of me. The little kid was now a grown up woman who was being led to a new life. Her perfect smile was now replaced by tears running down her cheeks. She stood in front of the car and hugged her father. Her mother cried but remained strong. She looked around for her best friend and called her near but she couldn't gather the courage. She managed to move a few steps further and stopped. The bride sensing that she was running against time took her steps towards her friend. She hugged her and hugged her tight! She cried! I cried!

My thoughts at this time moved to the new life that she would be starting to live. A changed life, surrounded by new people, new relationships, new traditions & Customs. And pretty soon she is going to accept this change. Soon she would be the lady of the house and no more the kid who used to run around the house in a playful mood. She would be changing to a completely new life.

As my senses began to understand the gravity of this change that the bride would accept, I thought about all the changes that I accepted on my journey to Kerala and said to myself that nothing that we do, could match up to the change that women adapt and adjust to on getting married. I thought, once,twice, before accepting or rejecting change and thought about it a bit too much at times. That moment opened my eyes, hopefully for the rest of my life.

Happy Heart, now Heavy, moved to the hotel room to prepare for return journey. As we boarded the bus the back-benchers (the four of us) decided to keep the window open in the AC bus. The wind brushed past me, thankfully the typical smell with it had not changed! :)


Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

Obituary

Its the first time that I sit and write an obituary. Its the first time that I should write an obituary.

The loss itself is so big that I can never put it in words. Its a void which can (i guess) filled by none. I still remember the first time I saw you and immediately at that moment I said to myself,"this is it. what I have been searching for, I have finally found" It wasn't easy but still decided to take up the challenge and woo you & ultimately the day did come when I could hold you in my hands!

Acceptance and appreciation, were not in shortage when you were around. I looked at the world in a different colour through you. You shaded me at times when it was unbearable. Silently, being with you boosted my confidence. There were innumerable times when you protected me from prospective injuries and I failed a couple of times when I had to. But trust me when I say, when you were hurt, so were I.

This time too I failed. Failed, miserably! I didn't have my attention on you and the moment came which could have been avioided, but if only for my forgetfulness. I cannot say I left you behind or you left, both of them mean the same pain, which can never be erased.

I will miss you my darling!

Polaroid Sunglasses (February 2008- January 2010)

What goes around, INDEED comes around!

Many asked why I had not updated my blog as yet, well this one is for them!

College started a week after the New Year and the first day was supposed to be a good one, all because it had only one lecture! According to seniors feedbacks the prof was witty and had sharp one liners. However the taxing part for me was, is and would be, is that there are a handful of subject related to finance! Gosh I should go to "Raaz Pichle Janam Ka" to try and understand why this phobia with numbers! Anyways had that in mind since last few days, duh, not to go to "Raaz...." but the fact that there are so many subjects of Finance in this semester. It has been running constantly in my mind. However, one of the Finance lecture has been made optional for the Marketing guys and vice versa. So today, Saturday, gives me a chance to come home by 4/4:30 because of the optional lecture Finance lecture.

As I got into home today, there was a bit of an excitement to sit with my laptop and the newly installed Wi-Fi at home. However with a few project presentations coming up in the week ahead I wasn't too sure if this was a welcome back home feeling! Besides the fact that I also have 3 lectures tomorrow right from 8:30 in the morning to 6:30 in the evening and of the 3, two are Finance. Mom's handmade sumptuous lunch was too heavy and the hunger only complimented to it. So off went into my stomach, Pulav and Raita and before it would have been difficult for me to get up and walk by myself, I decided to get up from the dining table.

Coming back to my room after a hard days work is indeed one of the best part and so is the bathroom! :D I relaxed on my bed and picked up the little Lenovo and settled to check my mails. I fell asleep and I didn't just realise when!

All that I remember from the dreams is that I was enjoying them and didn't want to wake myself! However the 3 lectures and more over the 2 Finance lectures in it didnt make that feeling the most desired and I got up to realise it was 6:41! WTF! I am late to college and the lecture which I dread the most starts in 2 hours and how would I reach college now? I wondered how come mom missed out on waking me and that terrible feeling only got worse! So I picked up my phone and called mom and (like every other woman) she answered the call only by the second last ring! "Amma I have college, why didn't you wake me!"

Amma : Oh you got college ah? (with a hint of sarcasm)

I was worried now, is it that me being an MBA student at MET, all a part of the DREAM itself? Huh? I just shook myself and in the meanwhile I heard a laughing voice open & enter my room. It was mom and I really couldn't understand why she felt like laughing at a situation which demanded actions immediately and she repeated the same question, "Oh you got college ah?" (with that typical mallu accent)to which I replied with a hint of irritation, "How many ever times you ask me this question my answer wouldn't change." She still couldn't control her laughter and now this was REALLY irritating me!I rolled up the curtains and that sadness which you see around in the morning hours as the sun comes out, was all around, outside my window! My mom slowly controlled her laughter and told me, "Idiot its 6:45 in the evening and you seemed to have got into a real deep sleep!" I have no words to describe how I felt but it instantly took me to a day which must be easily 13 years back if not more when my younger brother Vineet got up in a similar fashion and I actually increased his tension by nodding in agreement and said that he was late for school and the poor fellow started brushing his teeth at 6:45 in the evening! It was the same feeling which he had got 13 years back which I had today!

Indeed, what goes around comes around!

Gladiators in College!

An interest flowed in, off lately, regarding the blog and everyone wanted to know who the nick names were. I wouldn't know that, neither would I name, or else how would the "guessing" factor remain?

As days passed since the first time I stepped in PG I've been trying hard, not to allow my lazy past to set its foot into my education life, once again. Alas, I see the signs of it already with self delayed projects and assignments. If other colleges give pressure situation to their students, I wouldn't want to be left behind and so the self induced pressure."Whatever" said my life, to my so called rationale thought!

So to keep up the good work of self induced pressure, I watched a movie last night. GLADIATORS! Yeah so many years after its release and having broken quiet a few of the Box Office records, I finally managed to watch it.

I knew that it's a motivational movie and I was completely geared up to watch and get inspired for the coming week filled with projects and presentations. Dhan Ta Dhan! The movie starts and the main protagonist is walking down the sidelines of the war field and inspecting his troops when I suddenly hear a word, "huzur" Aying! Is my mind doing instant translation of the English words? Ok maybe I just need to relax. "Huzur" again it said. I adjusted the volume, even though it was at the maximum (lowered it first and then increased it again :p ) "Shakti aur..." Now this one was too real to be my imagination, so I FF (Fast Forward re duh!) the movie and to my sweetly inspired mood I found that I would be watching the "Hindi" version of Gladiator! Thankfully they were still called Gladiators throughout the movie. :-)

The movie was still inspiring I felt and especially the scene in which players played as a team against their enemy on Chariots in their first game of death! The way they protected the team and consequently self was the perfect example of what team work is, and then striking the enemy when the right moment comes. This is the perfect recipe of success! The movie got over and I wouldn't want to sit and do any review about it, because I liked everything in it. So, I sat down to give a thought if I see GLADIATORS in any of my classmates? A class filled with people who have just passed or would have at the maximum a year back, could it have GLADIATORS? A term which still stands to valour, truthfulness and ability to perform, is that there in the kids around me?

My first thought was to analyse the groups in the class. My next thought was to understand each of them. So the ones whom I didn't know were out of the fray and so the filteration provided me with a group who have it in them to become Gladiators. Or is it? The Gang of Dudes!

Mr,Fumble the perfect team man, who is ready to do anything for his team. Someone who is exuberant and who is charged up always. I wonder at times, where does he get this bundle of energy? Loud and lavish with his emotions he is always truthful. Infact his pranks are contagious!

The next in line is Mr.Hand of God! Extremely calm and composed, he is. Rarely have I seen him talking unless required! He chooses his words and emotions for the right moment but at the same time never fails to live the moment. Fantastically gifted, Mr.HOG, I feel is the silent backbone of the group. His silence is his strength as it helps the group for some well needed opinion at times, unnerving. I think its got to do with his love for music and arts!

Now its time for Mr.Humpty! Towering personality, that's what comes first in my mind when I think about him. Soft spoken most of the times but when the moment comes he can really stick to a point, with an authoritarian voice. The best part about him is that he asks Questions and even though all his Questions might not be on target but that doesn't shy him away from asking them again! That indeed is a quality which few posses, to question and get an answer. They say Good Questions make Good Answers and Mr.Humpty surely is on his way!

While everyone in the group is silent and questioning and ennergetic there's one who seems to be always lost, Mr.Tumble. He keeps tumbling with his thoughts but believe you me, is creatively sharp! Infact his doped looks forces you to mistake his abilities and so did I! Whenever he opens his mouth, he is a laugh riot, knowingly or unknowingly! But, undoubtedly, his best point is that he doesn't stop doing, what he cannot, just because he cannot do it!

That brings me to the final Gladiator, Mr. Showman! He is always there, everywhere! That makes him sound like a Superman but I shall keep that one for a future day. Mr. Showman, is good in Networking and at the sametime is lovable! He has the knack of pulling around people (guys & girls alike) when required. He loves taking initiatives in activities where the geeky type wouldn't want to and he puts his best into it, always! Full of expressions, he never fails to emote his feelings to just anyone! Mr.Showman lives each day as it comes and always loves being there and doing that!

Together, they form a nice group (Touchwood) but have to realise their true potential as yet. I did see them collecting study material once before a test and that was indeed nice as together they are a formidable force. Their strength is their Unity. Their strength is their belief in each other. Their strength is in their truthfulness to one another. Their strength is in their desire to do things together. Their strength is, to bring together everyone in the class. Their strength is in enjoying each moment without fail, it's as if their motto! Their strength is their infectious attitude! Their strengths will continue to keep flowing in with time, INSHALLAH!

Kudos guys! Keep rocking GANG OF DUDES!!

Phir se wahi hasssiiii!!!!!!!!! :D

"Nikhil yaar, pak raha hain aaj kal college aane ko! No one seems to be interested in college these days!" Little did I realise that just minutes after I said that to my friend (who is also known as "C.I.D. ka Daya" )I would walk into the lecture of my life, atleast MBA life.

Presentations were always known to be stress creators, especially 15 minutes before the actual. But in M.E.T. we dare to bust that MYTH! Yeah hell! Come on! Presentations could really be fun if its the way done in my class, all fun and really no one interested to listen, unless it's a certain Mr.Bond!

The class ventured into a "paper fight" as the professor sat in the front row to grade the presentation. Paper Fight after long (oops does that make me sound too old)made the class go berserk to say the least! The obvious aim of the perpetrators was Mr. Fumble, but once he left it was Mr.Champion. For a while it was also Mr.Charming who was targeted but he immediately with "chance pe dance" move, took a seat right behind the professor!!!

Back to the masti, what was surprising was this charge was being led by a lady! I have never seen that sight in my life, a lady leading the charge to do masti in a classroom! Usually ladies/ girls are supposed to be coy and "superficially" respectful to the professors, but here is a lady who was leading as fearlessly as similar to, probably, Rani Lakshmibai on the battle field. And battle field it was, the way it looked towards the end of the lecture.

It was raining paper missiles left, right, up & down for Mr. Champion who occasionally opened the book to shield himself. He looked like a street thief who was being mauled by the passerby's! So what does Mr.Champion do to save his reputation, especially in front of ahhmmmm....., he gets up and picks an empty mineral water bottle! huh? Dude! Are you in your right senses was the question each of the perpetrators asked, as they immediately stopped showering him with the paper. Mr. Champion was stunned and you could see it through his bespectacled eyes, as he sat down. That moment , that very moment as he sat down he was immediately showered with missiles once again! Yes once again!! That spontaneity of the perpetrators can never be matched! That very moment gave birth to another something, my laughter, which I wouldn't have had in a while. This time it was the same as the one, I remember, I had during engineering. It was difficult to control, to keep the sound low and even more difficult to stop. It was HEARTY!

The day, mentioned here, can be matched only to an engineering lecture which I can never forget in my life and "yours truly" was "THE PERPETRATOR" then! In one of the drawing lectures, the seniormost professors at K. J. Somaiya was teaching us, as the attendance (the love of my life for which I attended lecs in Somaiya, if I did) sheet was moving around the classroom. I happily put my name in the sheet for the first time,which others were signing for the 5th time! (But I do have the record of not missing my name on even a single sheet!) As the sheet completed its duties and responsibilities it was happily kept on the first bench by a studious geek, under his PENCIL BOX! I asked for it, on the pretext of checking my attendance. The girl ahead, gave me a stare which was self explanatory, "Dude, are you really serious?" it said. Nevertheless she realised it was better to pass me the sheet as that would keep me occupied in the otherwise not so enterprising lecture. As I scrolled through the sheet I don't know how and why that "keeda", as they say, just wouldn't let me sit idle! I picked up the pen and immediately added another name to the sheet; "Digen Verma" If people remember, this was an Ad by Frooti in which they created this fictional character "Digen Verma" and started shouting,"Digen Verma ko bhi Frooti pasand hain!" to create the wave! Yes, it was that Digen Verma whom I had got into my classroom and the laughter in the class and mine too is something which I can still not forget! It was the same yesterday as well and I have no doubts when I say this, that it's "one of the memorable laughter's".

All thanks to my classmates!

Phir se Wahi Hasssiiii!!!!!

Back to the Game!

So its college life and what a way to live. Every alternate day it’s the game of Cricket which brings together around 12 bright young minds to play on the college grounds under the sweltering heat! What gain would it have, nobody knows and nobody cares as long as we play and enjoy!

It’s amazing to see how much power the game has in getting the guys on to the field and a certain girl on to the sidelines. Feel bad sometimes that we cannot take her in the game even as a “Kachha Limbu”.

It’s also heartening to see some of the guys playing to impress on their passing (girl) classmates. His friends wouldn’t want to be left behind and join in to appreciate the so called shot, even if the poor guy is fielding. After all that's what friends are for, "pehle maar ne ka, phir marva ne ka!" :))

The game also managed to pull a certain group of three who generally don’t mix in with the class and what a player one of them is! His shots clear the ground by miles! Immense power and timing something on the lines of an "in form Dhoni". Sweet timing and immense power which gets maximum results most of the times! It also produces the sweet sound when it comes right from the middle of the bat.

The game also pulled in the topper of the class. The sad soul is called by that name ever since he scored above others in a certain class test. He has almost vowed never to repeat that performance of his but he just cant get his vow right! Infact I guess coming to play was a blessing in disguise for him, as he could remove the mask of studiousness from his face with some princely shots and an excellent catch! His shorts are perfect cricketing ones, unlike most of the others. The problem with him is that he underestimates himself a lot and should do things, he fears, more frequently to get rid of them. His passion is his strength, if only he believes in it as much as I do in his ability.

The game is played in utmost spirit of sportsmanship and is played to enjoy equally. There was a point during todays match when the bowler himself declared a ball as wide, this inspite his team mates protesting. Camaraderie is at its best when some wickets fall, like a certain pair of guys jump in the air and give hi-fives! It’s serious fun like they say.

Fumble and tumble are the entertainers! Fumble a certain able-well-built guy is a weak player. So weak that the guys sometimes jokingly act to have selected the girl ahead of him! Tumble on the other hand, tumbles all over the place whenever he manages to connect the ball to the bat, like the way he keeps tumbling with his thoughts! They are nothing short of the entertainment which cheerleaders provide to T20, not in the sense of their sensual appeal but purely in terms of their entertainment. Infact in todays match they were sorely missed. Nevertheless both the matches played today went down till the last ball. It was the exceptional efforts of the batsman in the first match and the bowler in the second which won their respective teams.

The game has a charm which can never leave a true Indian, irrespective of their age. That’s the reason I went ahead to play it even though I had never ventured on to a cricket ground ever since I was 14 years old!

If I look at it from the perspective of a management student, there are still a lot of loopholes in the whole way the team plays. Encouragement from team mates isn’t consistent. It helps a lot to hear your team mates clap for you and the whole team shouting your name in support. There is an adrenaline rush which comes and helps you to make a productive contribution. But nevertheless they still are a great company to be with, the Cricketing group!

Sadly the studies are going to take prominence over this game and the whole fun of playing it. I am sure, when I pass out this would be one of those memories which I would treasure FOREVER and EVER!

Another week in the B-School.

Body gave up last evening in its fight against traveling to college and the ever fluctuating weather. Lying on the bed, listening to music since morning, the one thing that I feel good about is that thoughts haven't stopped trickling onto my BlackBerry. (Wow! I'm learning IBA - In Blog Advertising :P)

The last one week has been a good time observing classmates and trying to understand their behaviour towards each other.

Camouflaged or how real? Slowly and steadily the gossips, likes and dislikes are coming out. The frustrations are being thrown out in the open. People who looked from one side as level headed and extremely knowledgeable turned out to be very self-centred. Would it mean that the countdown to groupism have begun? I wouldn't know (maybe I'm avoiding truth) and hope not.

In all this there are two classmates who really caught my attention. Both from outside Maharashtra. Both too casual. Both crowd pullers. Both athletic. Both with lots of enthusiasm and energy. But one is more on the calmer side and the other a bit too impulsive.

The calmer guy is more like a visiting faculty and does things with a certain amount of confidence. He also has a knack of becoming teachers pet. Somehow he manages to create a niche for himself in every ones mind.

The impulsive fellow is very regular to the class. Always participating in the right ways. He has confidence which can take him places and is very promising in terms of capabilities.

So would that mean that the rest of them don't really come under that bracket of "would-be-great" people. Definitely not! And I'd be the last one to judge someone like that but these two are people who leave their marks whenever they go somewhere, besides they dare to take the walks which others would be a bit reluctant to take initiative about. Like the calmer guy is a hit among seniors and the peer group alike. While the impulsive has gone ahead and become a part of the debating society. Two things which define a person in college are; how well you can interact with your seniors and how well you could debate with them to put your points. Both help to shape your thought processes. These two have ventured into each of these territories individually but still I would rate them as the most promising in the class because to be successful you need not be a part of everything around. It is all about playing to your strengths and not letting your weaknesses out, which I see in both of them.

I have hit off with a few people around me and I enjoy their company as well. Besides there's this group of dudes who are also a great company, a group which keeps the class lively. Infact the Group of Dudes and the Group of the Impulsive guy had lunch together, yesterday and it was indeed a nice sight seeing so many people bonding together! Makes me feel proud of the place I am. :-) There have been certain surprises too,like a really sweet but quiet looking girl making an excellent, confident and clear voice pitch during her I.T. for Management Presentation. But yeah she has got a long way to go.

The one sad part is that there's no representation in our class from the North East. I would really have been happy to see them, especially since they are music freaks. It would have been a perfect setting of a Mini-India. That's one thing that I would be looking forward to, interacting with people from different parts of India. The course has to open up minds for things which are not referred in the syllabus of Mumbai University.

But I'm sure looking & interacting with specifically these two classmates atleast for the next two years I would be able to open my mind and learn more about North Indias two most powerful places; Jammu & Delhi.

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