Happy New Year!

Come last week of December and a sensation and a tingling in my mind and body starts to develop. I don’t remember from when the craze and the wait of the New Year day or exactly the evening before have started to reside in me. I guess it all started with the new year celebration at the colony club where my colony members used to visit and the festive mood of all the people has polarized my mind to feel it every time at this time of the year.

New Year can be categorized as an event or festival which is religion, region and country neutral. The whole world celebrates it.

Some occurrences which I hope would be happening with you too, I want to share here:

1. Even after 31st December, I tend to mention the year as the previous one. This accident carries on till mid of January and sometimes February.

2. Since my birthday falls in the first month, so it adds one to my age. I have observed that guys below 18 will always try to present their age in forward sense. If you ask them their age they will reply either adding one or add the word - plus. Guys after 18 till rest of their life will try to reduce it to almost to the limits or hide it.

3. Its always winter in India on 31st December and the climate will always be dry, cold and not rainy. I have never observed it as a rainy day. So this is one global festival celebrated in India which has a predictable whether. I remember it has rained on the Diwali day and sometimes the temperature will be too low and sometimes warm on Holi.

4. Companies have now started to complete all tax related activities by the end of January. So after New Year it is like a constant background task running in the mind to recollect and collect all bills, investment papers, house rent slips etc. I feel this activity is no less than a festival where all the citizens of India blessed enough to belong to one of the taxable slabs of the IT table come as a huge joint family for a common cause.

5. New Year brings a flurry of resolution making activities among family members, friends and colleagues. This is due to the fact the New Year gives a promise of a new beginning in life and encourages to turn a new chapter in one's life. I have already made mine, what about you dear?!. You might have observed that these resolutions often are not fulfilled but we always again tend to make resolutions the next year. Truly, if we are able to follow the resolutions we make on the New Year, I will not be surprised, we can achieve great things.

6. I have a habit of looking out for Panchang of the next year in the month of November only. Not that I have dearth of wall hangings at my home. But a strange force drags me towards it to find out which day my birthday is falling on or which days are the holidays like Republic day, Independence Day. On which days are the major festivals like Holi, Durga puja, Diwali. During my school days I would be ecstatic if the holidays were on Friday or Monday and would be disappointed if they fell on a Sunday.

The same is true today too!! Earlier I had a nice hobby of finding out what all special about the present date. But it could only be possible if you own a Panchang and not the simple and plain looking Georgian calendar with beautiful sceneries or sexy models (grin). During pursuing this habit I came to know that each and every day has a particular event or is celebrated as a day dedicated to a purpose.

7. I like the winter season more than any other. Now don't reason me that it is because I was born in winter. I find it cosy and convenient. If you wear the adequate and required insulation, you can perform any activity with ease. While in summer even if you wear the minimum or are even naked, you can not avoid the heat. You are required to be confined to the air conditioned area or the area facilitated by cool air waves emitted from the air-cooler to feel comfortable.

And since the New Year lies in this season, we can enjoy non stop, what say!! Party!

At the end of this blog entry I would like to wish you a great and enjoyable year 2010 ahead. Enjoy the New Year eve fully and don't forget your New Year resolutions.

A LOVE-ly train journey

Cheerful and busy married couples with cute-smile babies, just married couples, to be married couples, just couples (more than friends types) and budding love couples all around me. Where in the name of God am I, do you ask? It is the B1 compartment, AC 3-tier of Train number 2809 Howrah mail middle berth number 21.

Date: 17th December 2009.

Nature of journey: A visit to my hometown, the power and mineral capital of Chhattisgarh, yes you are correct, Korba.

Ah, the heart aches when you feel the love in the air especially when the compartment is AC one and the air the super charged with love, care and super show of affection.

Following were the incidents which surrounded me, enough to make one cry in pain arising out of love pangs:

Case number 1:

Mrs. Wife and her family, taking super care of the whole lot. Her baby is making all sort of amazing cute noises and all attention grabbing activities including the horrible wail and she being the mother, the God's greatest gift as people say and it is true according to me, is making sure to leave not a chance to take full care of the baby. It is 1:30 pm, lunch time, so the Mrs. Wife single handedly takes out a well assorted and packaged packet. You see the mystery unfold, as one by one various number of pickles and chutneys, a huge can filled with delicious looking paranthas and wow a oily paneer curry. Mouth watering mmm.. Then she takes out plates and bowls. It seems that the she has brought whole kitchen with her. You must have heard of "Palace on wheels". I feel here "Kitchen and dining hall on wheels" will be apt. She carefully places each variety on the plates, beautifully arranging them. In between, she loving reminds her husband to go and wash his hands and asks whether he will have the egg now or in the dinner. The husband ignores the question and walks to the water basin on the other end of the compartment. Then starts the super lunch. During all this time, don't imagine me looking at the food like a hungry dog! I was pretending to transfix my eyes onto the newly brought "2 States" by Chetan from the Nagpur wheelers page number 121 all this time. At regular interwals like the Server's poll and round robin algorithm she queries each and every member of her clan regarding the reducing number of paranthas or oily patch of paneer curry in the plate and on successful response refills them, all the while carrying the cutesy baby. Ah , how great is she! Standing salute to this great woman. My eyes almost moist seeing her multitasking abilities and her great serve (not the tennis one, I hope she might be knowing that too).

Case number 2:

At some station (one cannot properly observe thought those sun screened and dirty windows of the AC compartments) one just-married couple boarded our compartment. Hey, how do I know that they are just married? Was I invited to their marriage? Or did I, to steal a free meal, crash their wedding? At least do I know them? -- Cool it. Let me answer, Mr. / Ms Reader. One can easily know by the insecure glances of Mr. new-husband which he throws around to check potential male hazards and by the super-duper care he shows for her new-wife and his soul mate for all the things ranging from the luggage (he carried all the heavy ones), the berth, her comfort, on arrival of ice-cream/ Soft drink vendor he jumps and asks her if anything she needs. Coming to the new-wife, she will converse in a very loving and honey embedded way with him. Occasionally touching his arm!

After they are comfortable enough, they start making others uncomfortable. How? Do not ask me. You should understand, (in low voice) they are just married as I already mentioned above. Oh just listen to their talk. "Honey, next time we will do that, go there.. blah blah" (giggle). "Honey, did you see that .... blah blah" (more giggle). "Hey you naughty... blah blah" (a loving slap on the husband's arm). You observe the super glued eyes they have on each other. They hold each other's hand in theirs. They are two bodies one soul. Standing salute to this great pair. I wish them all the best for their married life. My eyes almost moist seeing their never dying love towards each other. (Let's see after a few years, ha ha ha)

Case number 3:

Entered the train at Raipur station, the political capital of Chhattisgarh state (in case the ignorant reader is unaware of the Chhattisgarh state let leave Raipur). Entered our sleepy compartment 2 young, full of energy lovey-dovey boy-girl pair. They occupied the place in front where I sat of all the places. God what is happening today?? What's special about them? As soon as they sat, they engaged themselves in a animated chat which I guess they paused when they have seen the train arriving. Some things about girl's cousins and friends. Some friend is getting married. Today is somebody's birthday. Some guy is not picking up the phone. Some vague talk about some cousin's behavior. At first I thought, they sure will be related to each other. Then the mystery was resolved when a call broke the continuous chat they were having and the girl told the caller that "yaaaaauuuu, thanks for the wishes, yaauuu this is to be Mrs. -[Name not disclosed], to be Mr. -[Name not disclosed] is also here, talk to him also naaaaa". Then the to-be also has a a very nice and polite chat with whoever it was on the phone. (I fear if was some x-boyfriend or a boy who had hidden, not expressed love for this girl, his day would have been a bad one). After the call the girl, out of the blue takes out her laptop from her purse/bag and opens it to show some pictures of some marriage and her birthday party. Then they both start to fight over which video song to play next (all the romantic ones). After some time the boy loses interest in her laptop and starts to chat again. By this time my brain has completely ignored their talk and voices and I immerse myself into the love story of Chetan and his wife (2 states). Standing salute to this great pair. I wish them all the best for their upcoming married life. My eyes almost moist seeing their compatibility and their commitment.

Thus ended my love charged and playful care and affection filled journey when I got down at Champa and was overjoyed to see Papa waiting for me eagerly. I touched his feet and thanked God for this safe journey and good health of my parents.

My college life...

I wake up at 5 am sometimes 5:15 out of laziness and then perform all those essential morning activities and get ready of the grueling and meaningful task of a studying professional and that is me.

I leave home by 5:50 am for the 6:04 am MMTS train and perform a brisk walk listening to my favorite songs on my W270 and overtaking all those morning walk enthusiasts and casual occasional morning walkers with ease and reach my destination, the great great Chandanagar MMTS train station terminal of Hyderabad. I love overtaking people on my way while walking and I love my station. Muaaah!!!

I am the first and the last person in the ticket queue because it is 6 in the morning dude, wake up!! Then putting the paper ticket in the back right pocket and the left change in the back left pocket I start the playback of my W270 which I politely pause while entering the station entry. Then I take my favorite and almost reserved seating place on the platform. Then enters the train in the station just like a chief guest in a function but with a difference, right on time. And after boarding it successfully I, while listening to songs, complete the Hausaufgaben as they call home work in German. I enjoy the Lingampally to Hyderabad MMTS journey because it is safe, cozy, comfortable and refreshing. I like trains than other means of transport because this is me, ok. After reaching Lakdi-ka-pul, again a compulsive brisk walk overtaking the slow paced and lethargic people on my way to the most coveted Lakdi-ka-pul bus station where Hyderabad’s almost every bus pays a visit to.

My bus’s number is 113 Y or 113 I/M. This bus is one of a kind not because it is some Hydrogen cell run or high technology enabled vehicle with Wi-Fi but because it gets so many happy sighs on its arrival at the bus stand. All the anxious and knowledge hungry students wait for this divine and super bus of ours 113.

Next stop is the serene and lush Indira Park and in front of it is our College VIOL, Vivekananda Institute of languages, situated in the premises of Ramakrishna Math, the hub of spiritual enlightenment and awareness.

Before entering college a quick bite for the upcoming brain storming and brain churning session. Ahha, boiling hot ginger tea with Britannia cream crackers at 7 am under the trees and a mesmerizing view of a group of pigeons and people feeding them and in the backdrop of dark green trees, heath conscious citizens of Hyderabad of all age groups routinely following their personalized exercise regime. I just love this sight. It is so soothing. One by one my classmates join me in this lovely ambience. Greeting and niceties are exchanged in German and oh no it’s almost 7:28. Run friends run, only 2 minutes till the entry seals. Running we enter the 3 level of check and security, ID & prayer book check, dress code check and the metal detector check. After this we climb up the ladders to the prayer hall in the second floor where students are already lined up and waiting for the proceedings to begin. Sharply at 7:29 reverend Swamiji, the director of our college enter the hall and exactly at 7:30 start the prayer. After the prayers are said, a nice and inspiring speech by him ends the morning gathering. We inch towards the classroom in the first floor. I switch off the tube lights on the staircase since now the sunshine illuminates it (energy saved).

Reaching the class room we exchange greeting with our classmates. Usually the talk will be about the homework or the slowly day by day nearing class test or the seminar. Then the teacher arrives, we stand up, say the appropriate thing and sit back. Then starts the lessons, exercises, work books, tests, vocabulary, grammar- entirely a different world of german language. We enjoy the lesson and learn it. At the end we get adequate home work. Bell rings at 9:30 am sharp. Time for the girls to go. Why you say, don’t the ever-restless-boys want to escape? Wait my dear, that bell is 2 minutes after this. Poor boys!!

I usually take the back seat on the Motorrad (motor bike in English) of my friend who drops me at the coveted Lakdi-ka-pul bus station. Missing regularly the 9:38 am MMTS train reminds me that there are still some things in India which runs punctually.

Down faced I have now started to travel back in buses. But whenever I get a chance, I travel by the beloved MMTS.

Change in gears, no no, not of the buses but of the worlds. Back to office, boy! Suddenly the college life, all the fun and frolic,all the classmates and college girls! disappear and MINDSPACE appears in front my eyes. Back to Titus where I, a employee of VDSI, Verizon Data Services India Private Limited and a member of esteemed team SSP Ordering services spend the next 9 hours of my day contributing and having nice snacks.

Thank you God for giving such a nice life to me.