KERALA DIARIES: Hitchhiking

One of the more interesting activities I do while I am in kerala is hitchhiking. I only do this for short distance say from the town to my village etc. This saves money and unnecessary time wasted waiting for a bus and autos here are swindling in their rates. so here are few rules and conditions to enjoy this.

Rule 1: only ask for hitchhike from a 2 wheeler.

This is because in the off the chance the person offering the ride has nefarious purpose, he cant do much while he is riding the bike and the intended victim is sitting behind him and can do more damage or harm to him than vice versa. So in such cases the danger is to the driver. This is of course not an invitation to you all to do something to the poor soul who gave you a ride. Besides this advantage, a bike is something you can also disembark easier from than car in case of trouble (easy to do if you have practice ). Also riding pillion on a bike allows you to enjoy the scenery more.

Another added advantage is also the fact that since the driver is facing forward and you are behind him, there is less possibility of intrusive conversations taking place. (since most people need to see each other while having conversations)
Also in the event of the driver just leading you off in the wrong way and at a high speed, you can easily from behind him, reach and apply the brakes. He can’t do much since he is concentrating on the driving.

So only ask for a lift from a 2 wheeler

Rule 2: know your path somewhat

This is simply because when somebody stops and ask where you wanna go, you should not pass off the impression that you have no idea of the route and the location. A sound knowledge besides preventing scorn would also discourage any potential kidnappers.

Rule 3: always have a back up plan

This usually involve the presence of a normal transport bus that may be plying on the way or an auto. But admittedly, I myself have hitchhiked a lot of time where neither of this were available.

Condition 1: be ready to walk in case no rides
This is the basic premise. You may not get a ride and you should be ready to walk out the few kilometers you were hoping to get a ride. So its best to carry along something to drink and music.

Condition 2: only do it when you have time.
If you don’t, you are desperate and you make mistakes and end up taking the wrong ride with the wrong person.

Condition 3: be ready to do tandem hitchhikes’
You may not get the lift all the way, so you may have to take one half way and another rest of the way. It may even take 3 lifts. I say all the more fun.


So with these rules and conditions in mind, I wish you all happy hitchhiking.

KERALA DIARIES: On my way to Cochin

Early morning I got up and decided to go to Cochin to get some work done. During the bus ride to Cochin, one passenger in the bus started making an issue about the price of the ticket.

His argument was that the ticket was overpriced by ‘2’ rupees and the justification offered by the bus conductor that the price was more since it was limited stop fast passenger bus doesn’t hold. Now I am not sure about the strength or validity of his argument or the bus conductors, but I believe once you made your point no need to repeat it. But this passenger was constantly grumbling about the ‘injustice’ by the ‘money squeezing’ bus devils against common folks. The fact that his constant badgering of the bus people was irritating other common folks around him doesn’t seem to bother him. Rather I think their so called ‘apathy’ was infuriating him.

Another thing I never get about these constant whiners – if he doesn’t like the service of the bus why does he choose to continue traveling in the bus. He can always disembark and take a much non greedy bus folks. I guess he felt it was his solemn duty to grumble in face of such ‘injustice’.

I guess there was some benefit of his whining. The conductor decided to give him back his all so precious 2 rupees. But at this point the rupees had become a symbol of oppression, because he didn’t stop even after then. He just continued to grumble and even more fervently in my opinion.

In the end it was one of the common folk fellow passenger who got bugged and told him to shut up. But oh my!! That fellow became a conspirator to the bus folks. This made our fellow passenger bugged and no uncertain terms made it clear that fellow ought to shut up or else.

I couldn’t of course catch the or else part as my stop arrived. But the entire experience reinforced one of my many observations – never a dull moment in public transportation.

KERALA DAIRIES: The need to chat!!

It has been two weeks since i am back in Kerala - My home state.

Most of the time i spend cooped up in my own house, happily involved in doing stuff that requires minimum interaction with people.

But when i do have interactions, there are times with it is taxing, embarrassing, irritating etc. Though once in a while there can be situations when it is amusing.

Couple of days ago,I was returning from a trip into town and i decided to have the bike of mine washed at a service station.

As it was being serviced, i had to wait.

The owner of the establishment meantime decided to strike up a conversation with me.

In that half an hour of waiting he basically coaxed out of me, where is my village, where i worked, how long i worked there.

Once he learned i was in mumbai, he commented on his few years in mumbai and how a fast life it is over there.

This is an instance of a taxing conversation. I did not want to talk. I was happy watching wash the bike.

But the amusing instance comes next.

Post the washing, i took the bike and headed to fill it up with petrol.

Situation is , i was having a slight diffculty in balancing a bottle of coke i was having while riding the bike, so when i coasted to a stop at the pump, the coke bottle fell down. the lady at the pump with a laugh handed it back to me.

As i was struggling to open the fuel cap with the key, the lady attending started telling a story of a drunk customer who too seemed to have a difficulty opening his cap.

She went on to comment on how scared she was and how she is scared of drunks and mad people.

All this while i was under the assumption, she was talking to her fellow employees but when i looked up , i realized she was talking with me.

I couldn't understand ,if in that nano second of returning back my bottle we had made some connection and she felt the need to tell me her phobias of drunk and mentally ill people.

As i drove away from the pump i realized, it wasn't a connection. she was just using the story to get me to open fast the damn cap i was struggling with and that i was acting like a drunk.

Coming to think of it, she might have probably thought, the bottle of coke was actually booze.

(a trick used by booze loving expatriates in gulf countries)

Needless to say , i have decided to use such encounters to see the amusing side of peoples need to interact

CARE FREE

I am now at a point in my life,

were everything would lead to strife.

I have to now choose,

if i ever want to be loose.

I am so scared of the decision,

never free of the tension.

I want to be free,

to live life carefree.

FAREWELL LETTER

Some of you I know very well, while some we have only had minor interactions.

But whatever the duration, what ever the interactions,
Through sight or sound, I will always treasure it.

If you ask me why, it is simply because…

I used those moments to learn, I used those moments to teach!
Hopefully we are both wiser now!

I used those moments to understand you more, I used those moments to open myself more!
Hopefully we are not an enigma to each other any more!

I used those moments to help, I used those moments to ask for help!
Hopefully we are both grateful for the assistance!

I used those moments to argue, I used those moments to fight!
Hopefully we both aren’t bitter anymore!

I used those moments to joke, I used those moments to tease!
Hopefully we both had a good laugh!

I used those moments to reflect, I used those moments to impress!
Hopefull we are both much enlightened!

One thing for sure these moments are what I would treasure
in my life as a mahindrite!!

old stuff - Chronicle of mumbai part 4

update 6:

have been done and over with mah shop floor training....yay!!
also with the change i have been given a new job profile related with HR...i grasped the oppurtunity and now me in worli!!
yup mah new job profile takes me to worli...
but these ppl still wud only provide me accomadation in kandivli
so guess now i have to travel in the rush and commute...
initially when i thought of this i was rather apprehensive!! but being an early riser..i kinda avoid the worst of the crowds in the morning.......
either that or i am more adaptable in nature than i thought of!!
another good thing outta of this chage...better office enviroment...no school kids kind uniforms and i can have all sat offs!!...also i get a laptop!!
muwahahah!!
but i am losing a lot of dough on food and travel...
no more free food like in the plant!!this can be worked round...
but i get free coffee an time i want from the coffee vending machine!! also after wrk if i aint tired..( rather doutful thing) i can go for some things in town

old stuff- Chronicle of Mumbai part 3

Update 4:

yesterday i decided i need to satisfy mah need for something artsy
so i went to nariman point and watched the movie "shoot em up".
boy did that suck...it was so ridiculously stupid and crappy that it was funny!!

but then i went to the NCPA and check out a play!!
i saw the play one small day by anish trivedi!!
it was good!!...cost only 150 rs!!

update 5:

what i did today was abuse mah legs so much right now they under deep care!!
i walked from bandra ..taj lands end..till off link road!
then i walked from atria mall to mahalaksmi station..going all around the race track there and ending up at the station
and then i walked....from church gate staion to ncpa and back to churchgate staion in a diff more complicated route..!!

why was at taj?
to sheck this seminar conducted by NUS university.....i came to find out i can only be eligible for that college in 2009!

why in atraia?
just to check that mall out...saw a rollsroyce and was happy...played a few arcade games...but overall..i wud still say inorbit is better!!



i shall check out infinity mall next!!
i believe i can see the entire mumbai by walking by end of this year!!

Old Stuff - Chronicle of Mumbai part 2

update 2:
i have decided to adopt inorbit as mah second home..i am so comfortable with that place....it remind me of the mall near mah home!!
mah next destinatio to try out is the hard rock cafe....
also ppl keep telling me about bandstand...wud somebody care to explain whats great about that!!?

update 3:

went to bandra today folks!!went to this beautiful hang out place with a mumbaikar colleague...

real good place known as mocha!!spent hrs sucking on a pipe!!!

then decide to walk upto bandstand and cehck it oout!!!cool enuf place......the taj building is huge....i bet the flats facing the promanade wud cost a plenty

though thru the entire walk i was wondering why they called it the lands end!!

in the end i am glad at least they didnt call it "Taj - sea begins"

yes the place was expensive....but it is a fun place to hang out and the ambience was cool and the music was what i liked...!!

Old Stuff - Chronicles of Mumbai

update 1:
today as it was founders day...i decided to sleep a long while...!!but around 11.00 couple of us guys and gals from wrk decided to go visit the "gateway to india"!!
and thus i had today mah first ride in the metros...!!it is great i agree...that is on a day like to day when u do avoid the rush!!well the guy mumbai local told me..so i was indeed avoiding a rush..but i thought so otherwise..!!....i belive i am yet to experience the real rush!!
anyway the good side is that i now know how to get to bandra..and it aint that difficult!!we got down and church gate and decided to walk all the way till gateway....not a good idea with a bad leg...
half way thru we popped into hat seemed like a nice enuf place giving sizzlers.....
the prices...blowed us away...and we ordered something for name sake and got out as fast as we cud!!.........
but do belive we were still in college wala spending mentality!!...have to shift to earning guy type!
but that said..i must find some source of cheap good non veg dinner place to have food on normal days...cos spending 100 bucks a day on dinner aint economical!!
anyway...after reaching gate way of india..we proceeded to elephanta caves...on a rather wet boat trip!!
It..was mainly unmentionable trip...cos me really aint that big history or sculpture buff to enjoy it to the maximum.....but had good time with teh others....at least i at last found a map to buy of mumbai there!!return trip was cool...cos the boat ride was windy with the sun just setting....!!....relaxing and invigotrating at the same time..!!
must say the plan of only taxis from bandra and south is rather clever and really seems to make traffic ordered!....trip back n metro less crowded....ok!!
but then the auto ride from kandivili station to this necafe...was ...lets say...eye opening!!
the auto driver seemed to been upsurped by one of the passenger who drove it half the way....and was in amood to wanna pick a fight with all other auto drivers......
i was thus exposed to a diff driving skill!!... the no of times we had near misses was lost to me!!...

i will never understand why anyone wud wanna drive a car here ..in these metros..!!
i mean what use is having all that horse power in ur hands and u can only drive at max of 20 at hort inetrevals...start stop...start stop!!
at least i got to learn some marathi..bad wrds...at least thats what i thought it was!!

OLD STUFF - CHRONICLE IN NASIK

this a set of my intial observation when i ventured first time from south india to west india.
Update 1:
at last i have set foot in maharashtra...in this place called nasik.....
well first observation....much cooler climate...!!so i wont sweat like i do in kerala!!
second observation.....i shud control my outflow of english and its speed!! otherwise they dont get u!!.
...thankfully one of mah comrades were fluent in hindi!!...i asked a man about an internet cafe...and he was like....kya?
they have lodged me in this three star hotel.
..that is nice...they got cable...also cool
they got laundry too...cool
the prices are atrocious...not so cool
almost free food....coolall veg...not so cool!
so now i just have to get to wrk and see how things are...and if the stmosphere is great!!
i also have t find a way across this hindi block!!

update 2:
ok update on the chronicles..
the day started ok..until they told me abut the taxes...
i find it rather depressing that the more i earn the mor ei have to give as taxes....
but wait they have an escape...investments...
besides the " force it down ur throat" provident fund...u got the public provident fund..
the licthe fixed ddepositsw..mutual funds!mediclaim...etc...
so that i can reduce mah income to an amount for which i dont have to pay tax...which thru rough calcualtion means i will have 8000rs a monthh....
and here i thought i was going to get 18000/-
and to add to insult...i have uniforms and tomorrow i have to wear a stupid white t-shirt..(not that bad)and next a black...which have racing checks colars and sleeve ends!!
but at least in the end i have a nice hotel room to go to!!!!
no wait.....one which i share a double bed with another guy!!

Update 3:

todays update!!
i learned to day that this entire week ...senior executives will come and tak about their particular dept to us!!this is ok...
but i was really bumped to hear that i wud most probably be stuck in manufacturing dept in kandivili!!....u can't exactly communicate with a machine.

Earlu musings!!

There comes a moment …or lets say moments than realize something about oneself.
Some moments tell u what you have the skill to do.
Some tell you what your weakness is. Recently I had a moment that told me something about myself. it told me I am rather narcissistic in nature.

I was alarmed at first. but then, maybe I was justifying, I realized to some extent every body is. To every one things happening around them has some relation to themselves. Is it true, I don’t know. But I admit I feel that a lot more than others.

Dictionary definition for this word is one who loves oneself, even sexually.
I do not like myself sexually. But I do love my life. I enjoy every moment I spend living it….the goods and the bads. The life altering and the mundane.

Why do I love it?
My main reason is that you have only one to enjoy. So do enjoy the maximum of it.
Of the course the pundits of after life and rebirth would say ther is more life later on.
I think that is bullshit.
Maybe because I am an atheist I feel so….you figure it out.

So instead of veering off the topic …let me come to the point. The moments that u spend your life aint all worth remembering. Only some you will. But to make sure you don’t miss out, we all should learn to enjoy or rather truthfully experience each and every moment of our life. Then only is the PURPOSE of life fulfilled!.


Purpose of life.

This is a term used by many for their own need to explain some means.
So do I use it, with out shame or chagrin!
What would I define purpose of life?
To have a sinless, humane life?
Well no….cause what most things that come under stereo typical definition of sins aint so according to me.
So to make matters clear , in my opinion the purpose of life is to live it ,enjoying it with the single direction aiming at once happiness.
As simple as that!!

STAR SIGNS AND THEIR ACCURACY!!

Recently I have been feeding my weird urge to read as many stuff on my zodiac sign.
I have continuously pouring over different sites which includes Linda good man stuff.
I have to admit, they are some what accurate in how they describe me.

Of course now I wonder is that just wishful thinking about how I want to be. I wonder if what ever I read is something that I wish or think I am and all these description is subconsciously twisted by my brain to appease me. If that’s the case, then whoever wrote this are the best at the business of suggestive writing.

But on the other hand, there are many things about the universe that isn’t known to us. Astrology in the end talks about the effect of different stars and constellations effect on human beings. We all are continuously being bombarded by rays from all these cosmos inhabitants. More comforting is the fact not any astrologers (professionally respected) tries to claim that zodiac signs have any connection to a supernatural being. It is a supposed science. So there is some validity in it. In fact I seem to agree with most of the description about my sign.

So what does all this mean to me?

I have found it all a bit comforting and giving clarity to what I am about and what I probably am. It gave base to some nagging suspicions I have about myself and confirmed some others.

Is this ok to do?

As some friends suggested you end up stereotyping yourself to situations and instinctly dealing with them.

So I guess I have to react to situations instinctively but immediately see if the description holds true then.

Let’s see what the stars make me do!!

The Cycle Trip

It was in the monsoon season 2005 and i was in my 3rd year of mechanical engineering. i studied in NITC ,an esteemed college, which has a lot of extra curricular clubs. One of these was the ADVENTURE CLUB. My good friend, who was the head of this club, organized a cycle trip from our college to a waterfall spot around 25 kms away.

There were 6 of us. 5 guys, 1 gal. The route was a scenic passing through small towns in rural Kerala. The flipside of riding through this scenic, rural atmosphere is that we get the amused, astonished and curious stares of the local inhabitants. I don’t think they have observed that many young people riding on bicycles with a backpack wearing t-shirts and three fourths. Needless to say, we were a sight for them too.

Around half way into our trip, one of our friends cycle got a puncture. Our initial rudimentary attempts at fixing it on the spot were very unsuccessful. i shall admit at this point my feelings for my good friend who organized the trip wasn't that good. Me and another of the adventurist decided to take the damn wheel and walked back to the nearest town where we hoped we might find someone who knew better how to patch a tire than us.
Of course once in the town, the sight of two long haired, unkempt youths wearing t-shirts, bermuda and carrying a tire along with them invited a lot of smart ass comments.

One such was “I think they fell off a plane"

The trip wasn’t that fruitful. The next step was that we had to bring the entire cycle back to the town. We went back, got our entire group together and started back. Of course we all were pushing our cycles.

Then it started to rain. The thing about rains in Kerala is they don't drizzle, they just don’t fall lightly. They pour. They pour so hard; you are wet to your undergarments’ in a minute.
There we can’t hope that we find a shelter and it will get over fast. It rains continuously for hours.
So now here we were 5 guys and 1 gal wet and walking. Shoes sloshing, specs fogged, feeling really cold. It was miserable at that point. But when now i think about it was fun.

So we walked in the rain all the way back, again inviting even more smarty comments about idiotic wet kids. We fixed the cycle and went all the way back to our college in this rain.

It was miserable then, but fun when you think about it now.

Of course a week later my good friend did the trip completely with out interruptions. i decided not to join.

Because it was raining!

Arrested Flight

Tick Tock Tick Tock.
Time is moving slowly

Tick Tock Tick Tock.
Time is sailing further away

Tick… I am Bored
Tock…. I am still bored.

Birds, weather, landing gear crappy..who know?
But for some reason… my flight at ‘Tick’,
Doesn’t even come for ‘Tock’

Tick… I open my book
Tock….I don’t wanna read it.

Tick…. A plane lands.
Tock…..Not my flight.

Tick…… I look at my watch
Tock……Only a minute gone


I can’t count ticks and tocks in 40 minutes
But I realize there are 2400 of them.

Tick … I see a pretty girl
Tock…..I see her beefy boy friend

Tick…. I order coffee.
Tock…..I order another.

Tick ….. I get an SMS
Tock……I get another bloody one.

The time kept ticking away
Till all seemed rather surreal.


Then the fight landed!

I HELPED!

Most of us have really pumped up opinions of ourselves. We have images and notions in our end about how we would act in face of certain situations. We imagine ourselves fighting off a mugger, intimidating an eve teaser, saving some one from a fire or some other danger. I dream and have notions of myself about such stuff. I assume most of us do. Most of us pass our lives never getting an opportunity to test it out. But a recent experience made me wonder. Is it that we don’t get chances or that we do but we fail to meet the expectations of our notions or worse we decide to not recognize such opportunity due to the inconvenience it causes us. I fear it is the last.

I believe people do the latter cos they are sure if they do recognize they will end up proving their notions wrong. So rather than face such truths, people rather act as if particular situations don’t meet their specifics. They console themselves that a particular situation can be ignored as it doesn’t rate the magnanimity of their time. Maybe I am being too harsh but the harshness is needed cos that is what probably will jolt people out of their false reality.

The incident which resulted in such reflection was simple. I was passing by the road to go to the laundry, where upon I cam across this female sprawled on the road. This road wasn’t deserted. For those who are familiar with the area, it was directly in front of a restaurant near lokandwala circle in kandivili. People are not gathering around her. They stand at what they believe safe distance and observe her. People like me pass by, see her, make a wide arc around her avoiding what I believe was some aura she was emitting. To summarize what was happening, it was walk, stare, avoid, stare some more and walk away.

Sadly to say, this is what I did initially, I saw her, walked by her, stopped and stared and walked away. All this while I was convincing myself like all the others who passed by with excuses. “It is the police or municipalities job”, “probably a drunk”, “some one must have called the police already”, “maybe she is dead already, shouldn’t get involved”. Telling myself these seemingly valid excuses, I continued down to the laundry. But due to a nagging conscience, I tried to pass the buck. I told the laundry guy that there is some woman sprawled on the road, she might need help. He took this news as I expected him to and answered as I expected “it is the municipalities’ job”. Then my mind started negating all excuses. If it’s the municipalities’ job, how do they know some is sprawled? How do I know for sure it is a drunk and if she is ok? How can I be so sure that some one might have called?

All these thoughts was churning on my return trip. I saw that the lady was still lying there. Then I decided to do something, I found the police emergency no and called it. Gave the description of situation and where she can be found. I waited in the general area until the police van came. They attended to her. I decided I should approach the cops and identify myself as the caller. They took down and my name and address. I wondered what the need of that is. There was a worry it would trouble me. But the biggest kicker of all in this situation was that the female was indeed drunk. My battle with my conscience was for some drunk.

But in the end I was happy. Even though late in reacting I did stand for something of what my notion of myself demanded. Of course I should have reacted faster and immediately. I am still ashamed that I had to convince myself into acting. But I least I am glad I acted.

I now wonder did the others who passed lost the same battle, or consoled themselves in the way I initially did or didn’t even bother to face such a battle and pushed it out of their minds

I ask those were not present there, what would you have done?