The phenomenal month

A blog's been long overdue now, with so much happening so fast in the past month. The 40 or so days that have elapsed since my last crappy post have been no less than a roller-coaster ride to say the least.

Flashback to 20th Feb, 2007: The day of leaving to Bangalore for Google's guest lecture. A fully paid trip with little to do but enjoy, now that is something you don't expect to get on a platter, but this was exactly what happened. The trip began with a painful, tiring and jolting roadtrip to Delhi (my first experience of traveling on the notorious NH-58). I puked enroute, and got a good measure of why the highway is not a favourite among roadies. Then, eating the most expensive sandwich of my life at the IGI airport, we somersaulted our way to my first ever flight. It was an exhilarating experience to state the least, watching the plane take off, the sumptuous food, and of course, the pretty air hostesses!

The one and a half day spent in Bangalore were awesome too! Staying in Museum Inn, an exorbitantly expensive but justifiably comfortable hotel, I had great fun using (infact devouring) the hotel accessories. It was a pity that we were not allowed to consume items from the mini bar or else I would've swept the room clean of all edibles and potables.

We made an early morning trip to the famous ISKCON temple at the outskirts of the city. It was a purgatory & enchanting experience. The famous "aarti" swept us off our feet (literally) & had us jumping up & down in delirium. The biggest surprise (& also the most pleasant one) was the interaction we had with one of the priests ( a young graduate from IISc, Banagalore). He acted as our guide, acting out of a sense of brotherhood for fellow engineers (more than half the management running the ISKCON comes from IITs and other engineering colleges). I was fascinated by how such young men chuck lucrative job offers to live a life of sacrifice in the service of God and mankind. The "not so sumptuous" prasad left a bland taste in my mouth, specially when I had to carry around a pepper cake for half an hour since I couldn't eat it and ISKCON policies did not permit wastage of food. But the end was wonderful with a complimentary gift of the "Bhagvad Gita" being offered to us, as well as the chance to click some snaps.

The rest of the day was spent in roaming the malls and market in the city's hub - MG Road & Brigade Road and then attending the actual lecture, which infact was our very purpose (academically) in coming to Bangalore. The lecture, quite contrary to expectations, turned out to be quite enlightening, and I sincerely wish I could have stayed awake for a greater part of it. Getting an autograph from and a photograph with Vint Cerf, the man who gave the lecture and the VP of the company that owns this site, was the best I could have asked for. Plus the additional task of distributing posters of one of the events in Cognizance was also successfully discharged.

The day ended with a bang, with me going to a pub for the first time. Purple Haze, the most expensive hub in Bangalore, became the venue for my first (and also second) tequila shot. It was a never before experience. Also, getting to meet Super after such a long time, was something I cherished.

It was painful to leave the next day, but the delicious smorgasbord on offer at breakfast mitigated the agony. It was the kind of food you see only in Hollywood flicks and never hope to lay your hands on. Getting group photos clicked as we left the hotel and the hurry and scurry at the airport rounded up our stay in Bangalore. The return flight was not as much fun as the first one, but that was par expectation. On our way back to Roorkee from Delhi, the journey was sweaty, though less painful, despite all the heat, tyre punctures and expensive pav-bhaajis.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience. Thank you Google for providing us this free holiday!

Flashback to 7th to 16th March, 2007: Aha! The most awaited event for quite some years finally arrived and it truly lived up to all expectation. Bro's marriage was not only a fantabulous and unforgettable experience in terms of the fun quotient but also a never before opportunity to work for a family event (in a responsible position) and interact with so many relatives after such a long time. The prelude was exciting with the fun becoming most prominent with bro's arrival. The trip to Bathinda ( sis-in-law's hometown) via Delhi was enjoyable. The marriage on 12th March was a splendid affair too though the tight schedule almost 60 hours without sleep, with strenuous physical work involved for almost entire duration. I had fun shaking a leg, though I'm yet to see the "quality" of my dance on screen. Only then will I make any further comments.

If the Kasganj-Bathinda journey was a flat fun trip, the Bathinda-Kasganj was a strange assortment with me sleeping through the entire journey upto Delhi and almost the entire journey till Kasganj. Though I fell ill during the latter half, I also enjoyed the "antakshari" played during it, and being one of the better performers.

The reception on 14th March was the best part. It was the physically most taxing day of my life ever, and also one of the mentally most gratifying. Running around arranging the facilities, dancing like anything with sis-in-law and then the rest of the family & relatives (the best part by far, and the most fun i ever had with my family), and eating up the leftovers of the grand feast along with the workers was a magical experience. At the end of the day, I could have slept standing on both feet.

The following two days saw the euphoria subsiding and my health worsening. However, the entire marriage ceremony was one hell of a rocking fest!!!

Flashback to 17th to 21st March, 2007: The lowest days of the month. Back to Roorkee and forced to give a Mock CAT test the very next day (in which I did surprisingly well, but not good enough), my health got worse and worse. At one point of time, I contemplated resigning from all future assignments. The ill health coupled with depression and the sudden transition from a festival atmosphere to the harsh realities of life, was too much for the body and mind to take. I had to skip one double quiz of OS and got screwed in the next. However, IITR hospital proved to be the panacea for the second time out of the two chances I have taken with it. Medicines worked, health improved, but left its mark on the mind and the future grade sheets!

Flashback to 22nd to 25th March, 2007: COGNIZANCE '07 arrived! It was to be the culmination of the efforts of more than 4 months (the longest and most I have put into anything since Class XII Boards!!!). And if the success and gratification quotient is anything to go by, then my efforts were well worth the toil. It was a tremendous learning experience to manage a large team, to face tense situations, to resolve crises, and to ensure that quality as well as quantity are served in equal measure. All events, barring a few exceptions, were a huge success, owing to the stupendous efforts of the entire team.

I had never before seen such a dedicated and determined team and it was a chest-broadening (from hindi) to lead such a motivated group upfront. I got to know many new people but more importantly, I saw a new face of some of the earlier acquaintances. And the post-event celebrations served as a perfect icing on the cake.

Another great sub-experience in Cognizance was the victorious leap through Convergence, arguably the best event of Cognizance '07. It was great fun to be a part of this brilliantly crafted event and win some hefty prizes in the fray.



With the end of this phenomenal month, a sense of closure has dawned on me. It is now time to relax, but only a little, because one small battle and some huge wars are now lined upfront and it is now high time for me to start burnishing my sword and steel my armor to face the challenges ahead. May God help me with the upcoming TS, or else, I am, for all practical purposes, screwed.

In the midst of this rocking month, India shamed itself in the Cricket WC 2007, much to my disappointment. This might serve as a coup de grace for my already diminishing interest in the sport. Lets hope otherwise! I am now rooting for the 'unlucky' "chokers" South Africa to turn the tables on the kangaroos and take the gold trophy home. Lets see if my hopes are materialized.

The month was a phenomenon, an unforgettable experience. I don't know if the congregation of so many events in such a short span of time will occur in the future (and wreak havoc with academics, as it did this time round), but all said and done, this was a momentous month and I hope it is an augury of things for the future. Amen!