The ROOM

Very recently I had read this book called 'five point someone' by chetan bhagat. The book had created quite a flutter when it was released and I actually thot it would an ultimate murder mystery plot or an un-imaginable sci-fi based book but it turned out to be neither. It was a book on 'What not to do at IIT'. Its about three friends who spend time at IIT Delhi, their life at IIT. While I was reading through the only thing I could relate about the book to my life was this place called 'ROOM'. Yes, the ROOM in Koti. Though its a small place, there are lots of pleasent moments bound with this place. A place, to write about which this space wouldn't be sufficient.



So whts this ROOM, where is it and whts so special about it??? (to the new comers...)

ROOM, as I would describe, is a two roomed space on the 2nd floor of an congestedly constructed apartment in the most centrally located place in the city, Koti. And actually one should be asking whts not special with it. Each one of our lives was tied to this place for four years and each one of us would agree that indeed this place is place is special. How, Lets find out!!!


Firstly, the occupants of the ROOM :Manoj, Seenu, Yaser.

But the list doesnt end here. Harish anna, Ashish, Rakesh, Mandala, Police (as rajesh is fondly called), Keerthi, Praveen ( the hero of our class), Sreeram (motu), Pradeep, Vijay, Bhupal, Chandu..and last but never the least, me. Among the others who visited would come the entire class, from Nishanth, sridhar to vamshi etc. So, this entry is decicated to all the roomies of the ROOM.


Four years this room has seen each of grow into new beings altogether. It has seen us sit and laugh, fall and cry, cheer and joy, share and tear, make and break and what not. Moments of joy, sorrow, glee and gloom all of them are associate with this small space.


We started of in year one of engg life where I first visited this place to get my bus pass stamped. ( I guess every body remembers wht connection the room had with the bus pass stamp) and the hero of our class, praveen,introduced me to this place. And then the skit reharsals in 2-1. All of us had gathered for the dress reharsals actually. Imagine almost 10-12 poeple in tht place with the music on and Rakesh, the director and Chandu, the Co-Director ( from whn on he was called Codi or KODI..hehehe) calling the shots. It was not just the skit, whtevr the event be from fresher's party to tour planning's to cricket matches to party plannings to everything one could think of, the outset for all of them was the ROOM. It should start at the room and very much to the expectations it should end at the ROOM too. Whatever the events would be, the discussions and planning would start at this conference ROOM with the planning panel sitting seriously on the bed (ha yes...) and finally all the occasions would end with the day long or actually days long analysis sessions the participants of which would be varying from 2-4-10. And all this analysis was actually just timepass talk with each of having got nothing to do ( we actually had exams and labs to read for..but who cares coz we had our own style of exam preparation).



Exams were a hell to anyone but not for us ( a bit exaggeration i know) but yes we had our own style of preparation. Teamwork actually. Each one would read a unit and explin the others and by the morning next day the syllabus would be done atleast once for everyone. And the sessionals were the most intriguing one's. None of us would start preparation, until the FINAL word came from the ROOM as to what would need to prepared for.... the secret of success..i guess everybody knows...;). And when there are exams there nightouts- tea breaks. we used to roam on the roads of hyd without caring about the time of the day. Be it 12 or 2 or 4, if we were sleepy, take one of the bikes ...( courtesy:harish anna, ashish, or manoj) and vrooom to the Imbliban bus stand for 'chai'. And only then even think of watever. If NY is the city that never sleeps, the room that never sleeps is our ROOM. The lights wouldnt go out at alll. There were days when everybody used to doze off reading but still the door would be open with the lights still burning.



If thats how the nights were spent, the days were spent in an equally amazing fashion. No one used to get up till 8 and still get ready by 9 to reach college by 10 or 10.30. Me and yaser once fought on some petty issue. I think it was about the pillow in the ROOM. We always used to fight for it. And we actually fell on the bathroom door and it broke. And from then on, Ms. Mallika Sherawat's half nude poster hangs on the door to cover up the broken cleavage on the door.

We used eat breakfast at a 'bandi' in the market area. It used to be good. And lunch used to be a conglomeration. 6-8 people in the ROOM. One used to get the curries and the rest used to laze around complaining and cursing the guy who had gone to ge the curries for the delay. We used to eat as if it was days since we had eaten. We were actually as lazy to even pick-up our own plates. Two or even sometimes three used to eat in a single plate.

One thing to mention here, I dont know how many of our class girls can cook. But, Manoj is an awesome cook. He used to cook for all of us while we either used to laze around or sleep. Movies(dont ask what..;) used to keep running in the background and each one used to doze off later not knowing where to sleep. There was a day when we had just returned from the exam in the hot sun. There was only one source of cool air (one cooler) in the room and we were actually around 10 ppl. Each of slept in the same room and on top of each other. 4 ppl on the bed and 6 on the floor. Hahaha...that was something which is astonishing coz never one would have thought it was possible.

Evenings would be time for fun ( again). It would start off with a plate of pani-puri in the market area or mirchi-bajji. Then pulling each other's leg while strolling back to the ROOM, we used to have a lot of fun. Back in the ROOM, it would be time for another movie or time to wait for someone to arrive so that the analysis on some event of the day to start.


Tht was how a typical day in the ROOM would be. It could be a combination of any of these happenings or something altogether completely new. We lived, studied, slept, danced, dreamed, shared. It was a place where each of us found ourselves. Seenu to this day keeps reiterating the fact that the 'ROOM has taught me how to live'.


In a sense he is right. I spent more than half my engg life in the ROOM( this is one reason why seenu would call me the or actually everbody a parasite. 'Maa room meeda padi dochuku tinanaru raa'). I knew each situtation these people faced and how they came out of it. I too learnt how to live along. I used to eat lunch, most times dinner and often breakfast at the ROOM. It was almost like I had a second house in Koti. My mom was always upset whn I used to call her up to tell her i wouldnt be coming home that night.


I'll always miss this place. The times when we used to sit to wile away time. The times we spent here discussing various issues, various ideas. The times of mini-projects and major project. The times of rainy days when we flushed out water that had flooded the room. The times of celebrating b'day's and kicking everybody along with the b'day boy.( Poor Motu used to end up getting b'day bumps for every b'day). The times of sharing sorrows. The times of celebrating success. The times of preparing for the campus interviews or the TOEFL or GRE. All these times would stay alive to remind each one of the golden days of our lives!!!!


This was my experience and thoughts on our ROOM. I want all your comments please. Write in your thoughts, all things you would want to share and things which I may have missed out.

" Having wealth without compassion is similar to a golden flower without fragrance.." - Sudha Murthy

A packed conference hall in the Hyd DC. It was the ESTEEM awards ceremony, one of the numerous events that infy organizes to recognize and reward the talent of its employees. That seemed to be the obvious reason for the packed room. But, there was something bigger. It was the presence of one of the most elegant of human beings at the event. It was Ms.Sudha. Or should I be saying Mrs. Murthy. I'm not sure about the others, but I was part of the crowd only to listen to the 20 min talk of her's.


One might feel calling her 'one of the most elegant of human beings' as blowing her stature out of proportions, but this lady definitely deserves to called so. I guess most us even might agree to this. And reading further you would realise why she is one. ( I'm not trying to write a testimonial for Sudha madam but I'm writing this because her speech was as splendid as she has always been.)

It was a Video Conference with all the DC's connecting for the event. Though a VC, people were still searching for places and with none vacant they had decided to use the steps in the hall as seats.
After a speech by the head of the ES team, Sudha Madam was invited to the podium. The untill then restless crowd had suddenly fallen silent. Everybody settled down suddeny to sit and watch. And for the next 20-25 mins everybody just watched.


A simple lady, in her late 50's but with the vigor of a girl in 20's still very strong in ideas and clear in thoughts, walked upto the mike. She's been a teacher. She's been a mentor. She's been a programmer. She's been an advisor. She's been a mother. She'e been a lover. She's been a visionary. And she's been the source of life to innumerable souls. And here she was, talking again to inspire, teaching from the pages of her experience with life.


She Began,'Thanks to all the infoscions for your continuing contribution for the profits of the company. Its your effort that pays dividends to all of the share holders and to us, the Infy Foundation. Thanks to you all.'

Teacher. Anybody would always listen to his/her school teacher talk. She would be the only one in life I guess who could still command you and ask you lots of questions. And Sudha madam was a teacher. And she was commanding. Commanding respect for all her words and deeds.


She started narrating a short story of one of her school student's. It goes like this.

' I once gave a short lecture in one of my classes. I said, what ever you learn is going to give you your life. Tomorrow in life whatever you may become, dont forget to be compassionate to the people around you. Sri Krishna said in Geeta, One has to learn to give and give as much as he can. You being compassionate can give life to somebody. Always remember, having wealth without compassion is similar to a golden flower without fragrance.

After the class one of my students came to me asked me,' Ma'am, I dont agree with what you say. This is a competitive world and if I need to survie here, I need killer instincts more than compassion. You might say help others your stomach is full and you dont need to bother. But, there are people in this world who have responsibilities to fullfill. For all of them being compassionate means neglecting their responsibilities.' He argued with me that day and I remembered him.

Years later, he called me sometime back and asked me if he could meet me. I said come down for coffee. And we met in my house. I had been talking all my life. This time I wante to listen. I wanted my student to talk. So, I asked him 'What happened?'. 'You were right ma'am.' He started. ' All my life I spent time building relations which would give me something. Relations out of which I could earn something. I built relations only when I saw an advantage in it for me. I've grown. I've acheived what I wanted to. I'm a big man now. I've all the money I wanted. But, I'm missing something in life. I'm not happy today.' I asked him why. 'I built my relations for my advantages. And the same way is my daughter now. She talks to me only when she needs my help on something. My wife has no time to spend with me as she's the same. I'm not happy at all. Ma'am what do I do?'. All the boys here pls remember that you are the head of the family when you aer married. You are the role model for your kids. They dont follow anybody but you. So be careful about your actions.

I asked him if he had ever been to sudan or somalia. He replied, ' Yes , for a business visit. Its not a place for business.'

'These are people who cant eat twice a day and what do you think they'll do business with.
You have to be compassionate to people around you.'


She went on,'To me progress of the nation doesn't mean having 10 $3 billion companies. Its about the children here getting to eat 2 meals a day. Its about them getting proper primary education. Thats possible when each of us contributes to the society without expecting anything in return. Thats when actually my country will progress.
Thanks for bearing with me.'


The hall resounded with applause for the next minute. It was an immensly touching speech. A person who is spending her life for the well-being of the society, wanted contribution to the cause from all of us, in terms of time we spend, in terms of terms of deeds we do and in terms of compassion towards the people around us.


I guess this would definitely summarize why she would be called the epitome of elegance.
A truely remarkable personality. Hats off to you ma'am!!!!


--
Ms. Sudha is the Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, which is a service organization for the underprivileged in our society. She is the wife of Mr. Narayana Murthy, Founder of Infosys.

Note: I have tried to recreate her speech as closely as possible. Forgive me for any mistakes.

Nature in its best dress....!!!!

Far from the busy office and hectic work schedule, spending time with your family and friends is something everybody longs for. And when you find time to spend it at a holy place, the peaceful environ is all the more appealing. So was, my trip to shiridi.

A highway leading out of the city. A fast moving vehicle and some good music. I was in sitting idle in the front seat watching the lush green grass moist with the early morning shower. It was almost 4 in the evening, but it looked like it was 7. With a strong breeze blowing across my face, I was recollecting some lighter moments of my life and listening to some good songs.

The sumo started to slowed down on the twisty ghat roads, the road to triambakeshwar (120KM for shiridi).

The scenic beauty of the path enthralled each one of us. The road from Nasik to Triambakeshwar (a distance of 30 km) is generally through a hilly region. With rock structures all along the route its really beautiful. And, to add to this it started to drizzle very slightly. It was almost like somebody had decided to give you the taste of 'what beauty really is' and yes it was for a moment that I felt that 'did I ever know what beauty was?'. Marvelous. Amazing.

The rain drops started getting bigger. As we sped across the hills, the combination of the lush green grass-the beautiful rain-the hills through which started water falls, was mesmerising. I felt even the time I spend in capturing the beauty would be a waste of time. The waterfalls were small but a treat to watch.

The road swirled through the hills and it was pouring now. I was just sitting still capturing as many views of the nature around as possible. We had reached the Sri Shiva temple. One of the 12 jyotirlinga's, its one of the most important Shiva temple as it is situated at the birth place of the river godavari. The temple, as any of them in India, was a complete rock structure. If the carvings on the temple speak about the religious traditions of our country, the temple as such is a standing example of excellent artwork and immense dedication to the cultural values by the then emperors.

As the rain slowed down, we went in to the temple for darsanam. The lord Shiva here appears as three linga's, one instance each of lord Vishnu, lord Brahma and himself. We would have to look into a mirror to watch the image of lord Shiva as the actual linga rests in pit-shaped linga than the normal shiva linga one would see. A replica of the same linga is placed right outside the sanctum sanctorum. And as one walks back to the gate of the for exit, one turn around to seek the god's blessing again, and that is it. Nobody would actually walkway from there without feeling something disturbing deep within them. The picture perfect backdrop of the temple ties you down. Still drizzling, the rain added a perfect shade of beauty to the nature and it was absolutely awesome!!!

I walked out of the temple feeling guilty of not doing enough to satisfy mother nature when she's actually trying so hard to keep you happy. I didn't want to do so. I came out of the temple and to my surprise found a Rolls Royce parked right in front of the temple. Some VVIP must have walked in I thought. As I moved farther away I started to set my cam mobile to capture the glimpse of the nature and people around me started with their mobiles too. But all of them were interested in the Rolls parked there rather than the beauty which was all around them. 'What a silly comparison' I thought and smiled to my self while I strolled back to the sumo.

Some moments in life remain special. This would be one of the most special moments in life because I've felt the nature as close to me as never before.

Thanks god!!!!

These are some of the moments which I have captured.....