Indore diary [4] : Paanch rupye ki fati hui note...

What first comes in your mind, whenever you hear “Indore”. Honestly when I first thought seriously about indore, I thought what is reason of name “Indore”. I found through Wikipedia that this is due to Indrashwer temple. Sand of time polish name from Indrapur to Indur and finally to indore.

At the end of my first journey through van in Indore, I gave 10 rupees note and van driver return me 5 rupees note. But when I saw the bad condition of that note, I immediately complain to driver but he gave little attention towards me. “Are bhiya, chal jayega”, after this words he accelerated van and I was watching five rupees note in little storm of dust. I thought he was mad person who wants to get rid of that note, it’s better to forget such people.

For Indori people: a rare fresh five rupee note

But next day same incident happen with me, but this time my friend was also with me. When I was about to complain, he pulled my arm and say “are yar indore me chalta hai”. I briefly look at five rupee note and reply, “really”. Whether it’s a van, auto rickshaw or any restaurant, everywhere any type of five rupee is acceptable irrespective of condition of that note. Now when anyone refuses defective note of five rupee, I immediately remember Indore. Strange but true, a torn note of five rupees reminds me of Indore.

In Indore, breakfast means poha and/or jalebi. In almost every street, one can easily find Poha shop. Just like Tom with jerry, if there is Poha, there must be ‘Sev’. In Indore, people can see Tom without jerry, but there is no possibility of Poha without Sev unless one doesn’t want to take breakfast. During the whole year when I was in Indore, I ate Poha, Poha and only Poha in breakfast. (There are very-very few exceptions) Now when I eat Poha sometime it reminds me of Poha city.

A view of sarafa market at night

Until the day I visit sarafa, I never thought Indori people are so crazy about food. Sarafa in Indore is less known for jewellery than food. During day time jewellery shop are open and in evening up to midnight jewellery shops get closed and place is full of street vendors selling different type of delicious food. If you are in Indore and your friends say that ,”Let’s go Sarafa”, this means for exploring food only and nothing to do with gold or silver. Sometime I think, may be some crazy foodies ask for food at jewellery shop during day time. An unimaginable thing for other cities. Chappan bhog near palasiya is another place in Indore for food explorers. Chapppan bhog is market having shops of many types of foods.

India invented zero and every Indian has proud of it. But everybody talks about zero who cares about one(ek). Only a true Indori understand the value of one(ek), for him/her everything is either “ek number” or “nothing”. My friends in Indore usually tell “ek number” whenever something good they hear or see. I often thought that when will they say two(do), three(teen) or something else. But they never got ahead of one(ek). Sometime I think, One(1) might be invented in Indore.

So next time when you will in Indore, don’t forget to visit Sarafa and Chppan Bhog. Don’t forget to collect your defective five rupees notes to spend at Indore….

Indore is ‘ek number’.

Flowing like water..

I was watching air at the home, thinking about nothing. Door knocked and I opened the door. My two friends, Adi and Sonu came inside. After exchanging few words, they wanted to play carom. I had to agree on their demands. We started to play carom. I was playing just to give them company. All was well for five minutes during those moments they were playing seriously. But after that, they were playing as their wish. They were putting ‘goti’ anywhere on the board, applied full force on ‘striker’ which causes the ‘goti’ fall outside, stop ‘goti’ through finger and so many like this. Initially I got angry on them although didn’t say anything to them. After few such moments, I observe that they were more enjoying the game. I also joined them after feeling their happiness. Before such moments, we were like ice bounded by some rules of god. But now we were flowing like water. Just like flowing water, nothing restricts us. We made our own way.

Although rules define boundaries, but due to them, we can concentrate on a thing. In cricket, if a ball goes outside of boundary line, then there will be four runs. This rule of cricket helps to judge different batsman and a batsman will concentrate to hit ball so that ball will reach beyond boundary line. Rules help us to determine our behavior at different places. 

But when, day and night, we follow rules. Then sometime we feel that rules are bound our thinking and actions or make a virtual box beyond which we never think. When I break the rules and do whatever i want, it feels like I am on the driver seat of my car on an empty road. By break rules, just like my friends did, I feel happiness. If somebody breaking a rule again and again then that person will not feel happiness every time. Because breaking a rule itself, become a rule. As happiness is a feeling and can be felt in any situation. For some people break a rule may not be source of happiness. But for the people like me and my friends, this is always a fun. During my school time, I often open my Tiffin box during teacher taught us and eat food. At that moments I didn’t even look inside Tiffin, use my hands to find something edible. It didn’t matter what was inside Tiffin, but that was most tasty food of the world. A rule in every school defines the timings for lunch. But whenever I broke that rule so felt immense pleasure. Although it doesn’t mean that I didn’t attend classes during my school time seriously but I also enjoyed that moments. I bunk very few lectures during my college time, but whenever I bunked lecture, I felt a thrill in my body, ”oh, what will happen if teacher saw us?”.Memorable chat during that bunk moments were one reason of tears in my eyes on the last day of college. I accept sometime I didn’t follow time table (a rule to define proper timings of a lecture) but that were the moments I never forget.

Mind is like sun and thoughts are like sunlight. Sunlight cannot burn piece of paper unless a proper lens is used to concentrate power on paper. Everyone has capability to achieve success but only few can achieve them. Why? Because successful people can concentrate their thoughts on a particular thing they want to achieve. Rules and regulation are like lens through which we can concentrate sunlight of thought on particular area of life. Rules are important and essential part of everyone’s life, whether anyone want to achieve success or fun.

On roads of a city...

Few days ago, I visited my friend’s city where he lives with his family. Although, now days in most of cities, the conditions of roads are quite well but due to municipal board of same party for past four consecutive times, the situation is worse here. Almost every road was decorated by pits. When I saw a road with very less pits, I felt as I saw an Indian widow after watching so many Indian married ladies. On a few roads, small amount of asphalt was left which gives the feeling, there must be a road there, and people in delusion passing by road. Asphalt of roads thawed by heat of corruption got accumulated in bank accounts. While rainwater accumulated on road.

Well, somehow I reached at my friend’s house. After formal conversation, I told him my opinion about roads of his city. He replied with no sign of any emotion but smiling in between words, “pratik, there are already so many troubles in life and you are talking about roads. There is old friendship between road and pits in my city like the friendship between us.”

At five o’clock in the evening, we left home to go market. We were going through scooter. I was driving scooter. I was continuously facing pits on road. I was trying my best to save scooter from pits but I felt that pits move themselves to come in my way. Although I was trying but almost all my endeavors got fail. I asked to my friend,” How can people of this city drive on this road daily? “

My friend asked,” What are you watching on road?”

I immediately answer,” Pits, lots of pits.”

My friend told, “While we people drive, never watches a pit instead look for road between two pits. That’s how we go through these mazes, everyday.”

After a small countable pause, he said,” If you want to keep moving in your life, than instead of thinking of problem(pits), always think of solution(little road between pits).”

I remain silent, thinking that probably he will consider himself a good philosopher.

Meanwhile civil war between me and army of pits was continuing.  Remaining vehicles went ahead of our scooter like in Olympic race group of foreign athletes are going ahead of Indian athlete. Suddenly a car which was moving ahead of our scooter applied break. I took benefit of opportunity and I drove scooter parallel to car which was not possible before due to rough driving and speed of car. While watching towards driving seat of car, I asked to driver, “Why did you apply sudden break in your car?” He replied with raising his eyebrows and some anger, “Did I ever promise you for this, then why are you asking?” I didn’t prefer to take conversation further. My friend said,” Why are you doing useless argument with him? India got independence on 1947, everybody is free now.”

After few hundred meters there was crossroads, there I saw under the shadow of tree, two traffic police constables were seated on stool, one was reading newspaper and another constable was talking on mobile. As we were going further, the road was getting narrow. I understood that we are entering into old part of city. After few distance, we need to take left turn. While I was driving scooter towards left, suddenly an auto rickshaw appeared before scooter. I applied breaks immediately and saw towards driver of auto rickshaw in perplexity. My heartbeat went high like the bank balance of road contractor after getting a road contract. But he was looking like he is sitting at photograph studio in front of camera and photographer is about take his picture. As I was watching towards him, he drove his rickshaw. I was watching him in side mirror of scooter.

Then my friend saw a famous restaurant. We went there and order two ‘samosa’. I was still in rickshaw moments. I asked to my friend,” Didn’t that auto rickshaw driver can blow horn?” I corrected my question, “Didn’t that auto rickshaw have horn?” My friend answer, “Probably not, but he must have confidence, that’s why he can drive in narrow streets so fast.” My friend was smiling. I was disappointed and surprised by his attitude. I asked him sincerely and in posture of being angry, “You were not like this, during college you complaint for anything happen in class to principal” My friendly replied with smile, “That was to impress girls in class.” After small pause, looking in my eyes he said, “Now, to whom I complaint?”

Indore diary [3]- H.T.D.

After one month of sitting together in a classroom, faces which were looking like stranger now become familiar. But still thread of friendship was no so much thick. There was Teachers day after few days. I could smell the plan of function to be organized in the air. After one day I found the source of smell (fragrance), when I saw some people were talking about function of teacher’s day. I also joined them. Later other people joined us. I took responsibility of schedule preparation and matters related to anchoring. I and Rinkesh, thought about light games for teachers to be played on that day. Everybody take its own responsibility, but actually we worked together in one team. There was just logical distribution of work but physically everybody contribute in everything.

Friendship start with interactions may be in form of talk, sharing a light moment, a smile, sharing together something and so on, list is long. When we do something together with people, during the between those moments you better know those people. Sometime we may not notice. But something in us stores the data about different people. Data about different people in mind decides relationship with different people. Let’s have a experiment, just think about any of your friend, how many things you know about him/her? Before you became friends, did you know anything about him/her? The things that you know about your friend are the data you store in your mind since you are friend with him/her. There are only two types of people in the world- known and unknown friend.

 Nobody can’t say that he/she become my friend on that day and time. Plant of friendship grows with sunlight of time but with fertilizer of interactions it grows fast. This is true with your enemies too. During the preparation of Teacher’s day function, we had those moments. Knowingly or unknowingly, we store the data about each other. That was the starting of friendship between us. Whether it was decoration of computer lab by all of us or disagreement on issue between two people and other people rescue them from each other. Whether clap together and cheer after every song sung by a teacher or small debate over the planning of function. But there was two activities that I `superlike`--Teacher’s day invitation card and preparation of play at Rinkesh’s room.

Invitation card was nicely crafted and beautiful, looking like piece of art. Many people work very hard for preparation of invitation card although unfortunately I was not part of that team. When first time, I saw complete invitation card, for a moment I can’t believe that it was made by people around me. Most of teachers were more interested in, How the card was crafted?. Vasanti mam and Aparna mam were more interested than other teachers. I notice that every teacher had a smile on face when they hold invitation card. That smile was biggest appreciation for the hard work behind invitation card.

Walt Disney said “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Same was true with play. We had a wish to do a play on teacher’s day but there was no script. But we gather just few hours before and script was written on paper of mind with pen of so many mouths. Everybody wants to apply his creative (?) mind. Everybody enjoyed those 3-4 hours. Idea of starting facebook group came into my mind during those moments. After so much mess, script was ready.

Finally at the day of function, everybody performs well. Play was great success. Teachers liked arrangements of function. For them our hard work was their felicitation. That day was over with tea and snacks in the evening, but there was friendship started between us and it won’t over…

Here are the two videos of those days, enjoy:

Indore diary [2]- A day at School of Electronics

I never knew I will post this pic here

In lazy mornings, I was generally first to appear in the class although sometime found Alekh is already there. After put my ‘luggage’ on table, first task was to switch on projector and computer and then to check mail. Meanwhile people with their luggage on back willingly or unwillingly drag their body into classroom. As the time steps towards 9.30 AM, I open slide of embedded system in another window. But I keep continue my task of surfing net. Sometime Alekh replaces me, sometime someone other. But one thing was sure that there must be someone with elbow on dais, struggling with keyboard and mouse, surfing internet usually check mail. Some people were standing outside; some were sitting on chair and some restless souls were going out and in from classroom, looking for chance to surf internet. Suddenly all people rush to their seats which indicates that teacher is about to come in class. I always like to seat in front row. Because whenever I sat on back benches, I have to see so many heads which start the storm of thoughts in my mind. But later after one semester I realize that sitting on back benches is wonderful way to enjoy with friends as sitting on first bench for one semester didn’t make me ‘Einstein’. Then it’s better to enjoy. During lecture, some people were more interested in water bottle.(I was one of them) When a lecture over, people rush to water cooler with their water bottles. Some people never bought their own bottle. (This time also I was one of them) But I always filled water bottle selflessly. Sometime I felt, all bottles in class were of mine. As the time passes I started to calculate how much time is remaining for lunch. When clock shows 01.00 PM, I took deep breath. Now it’s time for lunch.

I always want to have lunch like I had during those days. Not because of quality or variety of food, but because we all sat together for lunch. Menu of lunch was always surprise for us until all people open their Tiffin. I usually enjoyed so many varieties of food, whether it’s all time tasty homemade food or self made food of some Tiffin. Winter season brought together ES, MCT and SIT in garden of department under sunlight. In summer and rainy season, usually people took lunch in their respective classrooms. But if you were still hungry after lunch in your classroom, you could join other people in their classroom. Run fast may be they have completed their lunch. (This time you are wrong, I was not one of them who did that) After lunch it’s time to go canteen to take tea, cold drink, butter milk and samosa for people like me. After lunch, it’s again time for lecture/ lab. Some people like to attend lab or keenly wait for lab so that they can download ‘something’ from internet. They even didn't know about what they want to download. (This time I won’t say anything whether I was one of them or not) As time proceeds, evening spread his wings, now it’s time to leave department. People start to go for home or second home like birds go to their nest in the evening. But some birds were still there; take their steps towards canteen. Those birds like to take tea in evening together.

I always like to spend my evenings like those evening with dear friends with tea in one hand and words in mouth. Day ends until there is tea in cup.

So many things still remain to mention and some things cannot be expressed in words.

Miss those days...

Indore diary [1]- First few days

I was searching for a college where I can take admission for pursuing M Tech. Through a website I came to know about School of Electronics, DAVV Indore. I was not sure about whether I will take admission there or not, but I applied there. But as the date of counseling(7 july 2011) came near as I was getting sure about that I have to take admission there because I didn’t have another good option. Finally I left home for Indore. I spent my night at hostel of DAVV inside the campus at the room of my friend. Next day, I was praying that I would get admission in embedded system branch, unfortunately I got admission in Mobile computing. I realized that life has some limits. But still I was happy.

My first train journey from Udaipur to Indore

At the day of counseling, first time I met Punit. When I first saw him I never thought that he will be my roommate for next one year. There was formal conversation between us.I went home. After few days, I left shelter of my home in search of new shelter at Indore. For 15 days, I stayed at another friend’s place. When I got fail to admission in hostel, I decided to rent a room with Punit

Abhay sir’s battle ground

First lecture delivered by Abhay sir. I still remember his words: “Whatever I will teach in class, will be my syllabus”. He taught DSP. I never attended lectures so attentive except those lectures of DSP. For first few days I attended MCT classes as after that I luckily got admission in embedded system. At MCT class, first time I met to Rinkesh, Lokesh, Priyanka, Ashish and so many other people. I was very happy after got admission in embedded system. I even accept non-stipend seat of embedded system and left stipend seat of mobile computing technology. I was so excited to attend lectures of Rajkamal sir. I even attended two lectures of Rajkamal sir before I secure admission in embedded system. Thanks to satish for support me during those moments. How can I forget slides having dark blue background? The moment I first time entered in classroom after secure my admission in embedded system, I was feeling as I am entering unknown sacred place. I still remember the faces of Alekh, Priyank, Pradeep, Khushbu and Kavita, to whom i saw when i was entering classroom. Obviously I didn’t know their names at that moment but I store their faces in my mind.  Later I tag them.