Entering into Sixth semester with lots of doubts!

Hi ppl, the long wait is over. The college is back in action and so is its jolly time. The funny times return but with loads of doubt. Every even semester starts off well as its very easy to begin the conversation with "Happy new year" (though v know that 2009 is not gonna be blaring different) and it is always followed by a routine question "How did the holidays go?" (though v r least bothered about the reply). And this semester is no different here but now another question is present at the back of the mind "Recession".

Every semester I set myself some goals and aspire something special. This semester is no different in that sense but I am gonna take it more seriously now as lots are at stake. This semester is the climax and I strongly feel the most strenuous and ardous semester in B.Tech. I say this because only now U take more attention at the basics for the placements, prepare for higher studies and GRE while trying to maintain good score at the academics as well. I didnt add the culturals part here because I am no way related to that. I find myself atavistic in my attitude towards culturals in my department. Having had a shocker of a semster last time, I have lots to prove to myself that I belong to the so-called 'toppers'.

However high u aim or aspire, U r remembered for what U HAVE ACHIEVED IN REAL WORLD! Isn't it? Many people in our college are rated by their placements rather than their GPA. Infact v take unreasonable pleasure when person with higher GPA is not placed. In the past, ppl talk abt choosing companies but now beseeching companies to come for placements is gonna be a hell of a job with the 'bearish' recession in the mind.

Though its unwise to speculate things and brood over matters which are well beyond one's control, the doubts still linger on and show their ugly heads time and again. SO the GAME BEGINS!!

2008- eventful year!!

Hi ppl, Happy New Year!! I am wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2009!! After all health is what everyone needs. 2008 has been an eventful and kind year to me. It stands out with several bright moments and teaching me lots of lessons.

I am sure 2008 would have started with many false resolutions for me too (I am sure I am not alone here!!I might have company here). Diving deep into my memory, I recollect many of the sweet moments and some bitter pills swallowed! I had a nice time with Swaminathan (my dept mate) with whom I underwent implant training at my hometown. With my very close friend Venki joining us in the winter break after III semester, we enjoyed our heart out playing cricket with my school friends. Relieved after scoring a decent grade in a terrorizing subject in third semester and wonderful time spent with my friends still fresh im my mind, I stepped into 2008 with lots of dream. Most of the fourth semester passed away under the redoubtable faculties terrorizing me in all possible ways. I still remember their first class warning us of their record of 'gift'ing arrears to most of the students and that was enough to let butterflies flutter in our stomachs. Somehow I managed to pass their subjects. I tried my hand in robotics for PSG Techfest 'Kriya' during IV semester which was a big flop. I learnt a lesson that never assume anything. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best! However I managed to take part in a DSP workshop and advanced to the final round in many technical events. It helped me to know where I stand. But I missed my department symposium PROBE. More than that the most important feature I missed is the rare sight of my department girls in saree:P Later part of IV semester was full of doubts and tested my decision-making capacity. The best thing is to keep things simple but its the toughest thing! Feeling that I have taken the right decision on the summer project, I welcomed my summer vacation.

With the project still not confirmed, I wanted a company which would sweep me off any worries regarding that! I found that perfect company with my lovely cousin Dinesh. I have always a special corner in my heart for my lovely, affable and good-humoured Dinesh. We enjoy each other's company and I laugh for even the worst PJs leaving many wonder why I laugh so much. But thats my relation with him. 2008 remains fresh in my memory for the evergreen trip to Munnar with my family. The first part of my vacation is the best of all time for the lovely time with my school friends playing cricket and Munnar trip. At the end of this trip, I made the important move to Singapore to do my project at NUS. This project would have been impossible but for my Chitappa Ramakrishnan who takes great pain and interest in my studies ( though with lots of scoldings which pisses me off sometimes). With no experience and no background I can only dream of this opportunity and Prof. Anantharaman helped me a lot to get this project. I felt very bad to do a project on recommendation but the ultimate goal pulled me in. I had a great time in Singapore in my Chitappa's home under my lovable and kind-hearted Chitti who impresses everyone with her unbounded kindness and hospitality. She is amazing and unparalleled in showering love and affection. I respect her right next to my parents. I did a project on a topic which was too difficult for a B.Tech student to start with but I was committed to it. I finished the work with the help of my friend Swami who stayed with me there. My cousins toured Singapore that time and I had a great time with them as well though by bunking three days. Because of that I had to work more towards the end to cope with Swami. It was during this trip, I first earned money on my own by volunteering for an experiment. Though I turned into a guinea pig for just $5, it was nice to see the money earned by my work only. 2008 is special in that manner.

Having said that, I troubled my chitappa a lot during my stay there. To point out a few, I lost my cousin's sim card and disobeyed his orders while picking up my cousins from airport (tried to save precious bucks for my cousins) by keeping my chiti to wait after a long journey. Though I felt sorry for my actions, I had a sort of misunderstanding with my chitappa then. Its very easy to feel sorry for all the doings but its tough to set things up. I have always felt bad for that and then learnt a lesson of doing every work on my own and not to depend on anyone.

V semester marked the sports trip to Kanpur representing my college cricket team. In otherwise a forgettable semester for having too many theoretical subjects much to my disliking, I remember this year for a remarkable and note-worthy Diwali celebrations at Bangalore with my uncle and aunt there. I had a great time there and happy that I opened up a lot then. Arti, my cousin, is too brilliant for her age and am sure that she ll do wonders in her life. I had a lovely time in pulling her legs. All credits must go to my raju mama and Bhooma manni for presenting us a never-so-different Diwali! They made a deep impression in my heart and I felt more close to them. But the semester ended on a disastrous note with an exam with questions too theoretical and I knew its gonna be a forgettable one at that instant. With my winter break moving in a reckless pace, I feel invigorated to face more challenges in 2009.

Movie on Mumbai Terror Attack??!!

Well!! I am first of all against the notion that Mumbai Terror attack being compared with US 9/11. Indians are always different from US or any people in the world!!We are more emotional and warm-hearted than any foreign people! We will not conspire any assassination plot of Dawood (one of the many), while many countries like Iraq, Iran, Israel are doing for centuries or coup against our enemies or take strong actions against our detractors because We are sons of Gandhiji!! But we are so used to grave-digging among ourselves that we many times use the term "shrewdness" or "tactician" for such acts.

Well..I dont want to get into that now!! But what I find more shocking is the news that filmmaker B.Subhash planning to make a movie on Mumbai terror attack with SRK (to play Major Unnikrishnan's role), John Abraham and Mithun Chakraborty. Being an Indian, I saw it coming because I know our 'patriotic' Bollywood people!! Aha!! What a beautiful scene it will be where SRK in Major Unni's boots singing a duet with a heroine!! Well, one should not comment on a film which is yet to officially announced and isnt down to sets but I cant stop myself here. Come on its a very sensitive issue!!U cant watch our people die in the film with popcorns in your hand!!It depends on how the director handles the subject and it may be good if he showcases it in the positive note which I am very doubtful of!! Hows that when the police is unsure of the actual proceedings inside the hotels, can a director, who was in no way in action at the spot, portray the real emotions of the Commandos and people who sacrificed their life??

I can see two things behind the idea now- one is Mumbai attack being hyped by the media and the other being the commercial attitude of the Bollywood people!! I am saying the Mumbai attack is much hyped because it wasnt the first terror attack in 2008. We witnessed serial bomb blasts in many cities like Bangalore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad but just because two star hotels and some foreigners were attacked in Mumbai we cannot just overlook the innocent lives lost at other attacks!!

Then comes the commercialisation. Think of this situation- a film of a selfish director with commercial heroes like SRK or Hrithik or John Abraham on a sensitive issue like this turns out to be a disaster and still worser escalating the tensions between India and Pakistan but making money on the graveyard of the people!! Mark my words-their careers are finished and their days will be numbered.

Thiugh some films may improve the relationship and tackle the sensitive subjects in a positive manner, I feel this attack is not for the films. We have already seen enough of it and lets be more sensible and realise that the film is not the right platform for this subject. It can backfire like the infamous RamGopal Verma's Sholay remake!! Think twice before proceeding on the plan further.

Cricket at its best again!!

Whew!!At last its Test cricket back at its inimitable top. India registering a remarkable run-chase at Chennai chasing 386 runs and today South Africa scaling even more incredible peak of chasing 414 against Australia at Perth. What else u can ask for?? Competitive cricket on a sportive track with all the four results possible till the 2nd session on the final day of a Test match is the best possible medicine to the ailing Test cricket today. Though T20 cricket has found huge support from the crowd, Test Cricket is the Ultimate test of character and temperament!!Happy that V have good cricket to supplement it.

Later part of 2008 has been phenomenal for the run-chases. Two of the top run-chases have recorded in the last ten days. While India's greatest run chase ,kicked off by a blinder of an innings frm Sehwag and backed up well by the middle order with Sachin playing as anchor and mentor to the young guns on a dustbowl with ball venomously bouncing and turning, marked how important it is to maintain the intensity in every session, the first Test match between SA n Aus down under at Perth proved how thrilling cricket can be with the momentum shifting from one team to another for four days and finally shifting towards the better side (South Africa) at the last day of a cracker of a test match. Australia's invincibilty is a past now and their No.1 status is just a reminiscence of their dominance earlier. Their aura is very much on the decline. This is a good sign as it opens up the platform even more wider.

'The Wall' is back and resurrected. Its always a delight to watch elegance and skill on the cricket field without which the pitch ll be nothing but a mere 22-yard turf. But its even more painful to see a craftsman finding it difficult to survive. Test match is a cruel game. One time U score 600 in a series in ur prime but things change suddenly where U struggle to go past 600 in a calender year. But then Class is permanent! Skills never vanish overnight. Thats the beauty of Test cricket. Only talent stands the test of time. There is no flash in the pan kinda stuff.

But it was hard to see Test Cricket finding it hard to pull in crowds of late. It was a painful sight to see an almost empty stadium greeting the apex of all Test records-Sachin overtaking Lara's tally of runs to become the highest run-getter in Tests-at Mohali while its even more painful when Indians did a winning rally waving at the concrete floors. Thanks to T20 and ODI, Test cricket is finding it very difficult to draw crowd to the grounds. Already tainted as a slow game and results coming out after a long time, Test cricket is finding demons in the form of slow over-rate and poor audience at the stadium. We can talk of improving the facilities and amenities at the grounds but only good cricket played at the right pace and spirit can sustain the interests of the fast-paced people. Thats what we are witnessing today!!!How better can it get!! Lets hope they mark the rebirth of Test Cricket.

Accident zone!!

I am posting this one right after helping people who met with an accident near my home. Let me narrate u the exact picture of my town n then tell u what happened!!Neyveli has huge student population for its size. In my previous post('Neyveli-my sweet home place') I had mentioned that there is no traffic by any means but every rule has an exception (except the above rule). U know the student density around 8.15 to 8.45 am every morning near my home. My home is at one of the corners of this busy junction.

Right from my school days, I have seen many accidents caused due to reckless driving of the van drivers and auto-rickshaw drivers. I have to mention this!! Auto-rickshaw drivers think that they pilot airplane. Stupid bastards!! They are responsible for the safety of the school kids, man!! This isn't a joke by any yardstick!! I have seen them going berserk as if they are gonna miss a flight! At least once in two weeks (nowadays more frequently), I ll hear screeching sounds of sudden break (if very unfortunate, then screams of my school-going friends agonizing in pain).

My mother, being a doctor, has attended first aid and treatment to many people then. I have once seen my mother literally plucking out a finger of a lady who cut her finger in one such incident. I shivered then as I was only studying third standard then. Oh My God!!Such incidents ll make even the rock solid men faint. Many times I have asked my father to complain to Township Administration to put speed breakers at this junction to prevent such accidents. However despite my father's complaints and other people' complaints, nothing has been done (God knows Y?)

Given this picture, I think you would have guessed the topic by now. Yes!!U r right!! I witnessed an accident where an auto was toppled upside down after having a hit at the side by a van!! I heard loud screams when I was scanning the newspaper then. The scream showed that it was something serious. My father and myself rushed to the spot!!Oh My God!!Small girls are crying like anything. They were frightened to the core!! My father was the first one to help then as we were the guys first there. He set the auto upright and freed the girls who had their legs crushed below the auto. I calmed them down but by that time, big crowd assembled around (as usual). At first, it took sometime to settle down and act accordingly. As it was a peak-time, we cleared the traffic for others to carry on with their work. A small girl was shivering like anything!!My eyes welled then after seeing an innocent looking sister crying out of sheer fear. I couldn't do much after that as seniors took control over the situation. This is Half-Yearly exam time. Some of the girls were too rattled that I doubt whether they can write their next exam(leave this test..its gone..they have to write it later) Parents rushed to the spot more frightened than their wards.

Only after seeing this incident first hand, I can sense and feel for the terror and mayhem that the victims and hostages of Taj hotel and other targets during the recent Mumbai carnage! Now I can understand y Mumbaikars feel insecure and vulnerable!! My heart goes to those people!!Its different when u read those incidents on paper or visually. But I salute every hotel staff who dared his/her life to save the guests and my Indians there!!It takes enormous guts and care to help even in that precarious situation. They could have easily escaped as they know more about the hotel onstruction but that sets the extraordinary people from cowards!! I have goosebumps now by merely imagining such an act. I wish to be in one such situation where I can make my life count by saving many others!!

How every morning breaks in my college?

"Good morning" is the contradiction of terms for many late-risers. Isn't it? People wake you up when you are in the climax of a 'hot' and happening 'masala' dream (lemme end it here..better:P) and wish you knowing that you are irritated. In city life, its more obvious na?

I remember my amma asking me to pray and see my palms as the first sight in the morning. Nowadays I use palms for muffling vehicle horns outside. I cant blame it as I ll also be a part of that soon.

I have read in my Tamil classes that kings wake up to good music every morning. Well, My cellphone wakes me in college!! I ensure that the ring volume is maximum so that even if I fail to get up(to know my sleeping talents, refer my previous post), my room-mates wake up!!Symbiosis;) However I am still in pursuit of the guy who added the "SNOOZE" option in it!! That foils all my plans:( Hoping a tension-free morning everytime I go to sleep the previous night, I get a real time jerk after seeing the time when I get up. Its enough to give you a heart-attack if U have class at 8.30 am.

Any person will try his best to get ready in time. But college is there to break the rules. Isn't it? Knowing that I am running short of time, I scan newspaper as if hot news ll become cold if left unattended. Well, habits die hard. Then the great confusion!!Whether to take bath or not?? Billion-dollar question..In fact v r trained for emergency situation right from the hostel I should say. If U take bath, then U ll be late to the class because I am yet to break my fast. But then every morning gives me a spark while taking bath only(Aristotle style) on "How to escape when the prof asks the reason for being late!!" However I prefer to go to class late rather than sitting awkwardly in class without taking bath. This explains my late-comings to class often.

However only thing I cant understand is this fact: How is that whenever I am on time to class, the lecturer comes late and my bad luck should say that when I am five minutes late, the prof is bang on time!! But again one consolation and the motivating factor, U can always resume your sleep in the class.

Though I dont advocate such a bad regular every morning, I enjoy this as I know its only possible during college days. Then Y waste the days??However I enjoy every morning and thank God for the eventful morning sessions because they show that I am alive!!Well that itself is a mystery right? Freeah vidu freeay vidu..Valkaiku illa Guarentee!!

Karthigai Thirunaal

First of all I wish Tamilians all over the world "இனிய தீப திருநாள் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்" :)

Karthigai Deepam is a festival of Lights celebrated in the Tamil month Kaarthigai(matches with December in English Calender). It is celebrated on the full moon day of Kaarthigai coinciding with the Krithigai star. It is regarded as the Lord Shiva in the form of Fire. Lord Muruga took the form of six babies in a lake called "Saravana Poigai". On this day, all his six forms were united by Parvathi(his mother) and this way, he had six faces. Special poojas are performed to Lord Muruga.

People celebrate Karthigai by lighting many oil-lamps(agal-vilakugal) in front of the house and decorating the house with beautiful Rangolis("kolam"). The sight of lamps in the lampblack dark night is breathtaking. Some people celebrate by lighting crackers and bright lightworks. I remember that I reserved some of the crackers and flowerpots just for this occasion.

The mythological background of the Deepam explains many points like the absence of Lord Brahma in Shivan Temple and interdiction of 'Thazhambu' in Shivan worship. Lord Shiva, in an attempt to end the duel between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu for the supremacy, appeared as a flame of light. He asked Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to search for His head and feet to test their powers. Lord Vishnu took the form of Varahar and dug into earth but his effort was abortive and futile. He accepted His inability and surrendered to Lord Shiva. On the other hand, Lord Brahma took the form of Swan and ventured to look for the head. Here comes the twist. Our Lord Brahma, chancing upon a piece of `thazhambu`, a flower learnt from it that it had been floating down for thirty thousand years from Lord Shiva`s head. He seized upon this and claimed to Lord Shiva that he had seen the other`s top. Lord Shiva ,obviously irritated at the falsehood, punished Lord Brahma immediately by not allowing any shrine for Him and forbidding Thazhambu forever during His worship. Impressive storyline rite? Well, God punishes those people on the spot but whiles away His time in punishing terrorists. I cant get the irony.

I personally feel the Deepam as the source of inspiration for the villages surrounding Thiruvannamalai. High flame ensures light for the locality during winter when the sunset is very early. Many people say light must wash away the ignorance, poverty and selfishness. But all those are our own perceptives rite? Nowadays, people commercialize the event. Usually Mahadeepam is lighted in Tiruvannamalai Hills. It is so famous and people rush in from all over the world. However I am hurt at seeing Live coverages by more than four channels and people blabbering in the name of commentary. Full commercialisation.

Not to mention we have good food to eat then. Sweets, payasam and vadai make my day. Thats more impressive than the lightworks.:D