The Mechie Classic!!!!

According to me, This one photograph is an all time classic which you rarely get to see. If observed carefully there are a variety of emotions that can be observed. Till date this is the best still shot I have been in.
Ok. Now the reason behind such excitement and joy which you can undoubtedly see.
This was clicked just after we, the Mechanical, 2004 batch of Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, had come out after giving the LAST exam of our college life ( ya most of us were pretty sure that we wont get Reappears)
The last year was a bliss for everyone of us!! No classes, full day cuts, sitting in canteen and chatting full day long.. this is how our final year passed. After coming to college in the morning it was the canteen where all had to give their attendance rather than the class. Everybody had landed up with jobs and with futures secured, it was time to live Life to the fullest.
People often feel sorry for the Mechies, reason being no girls in the class. But let me clarify here that of all the deptts, it is the mechies who are the leaders in having fun. Why? Because it is fun of a different kind in an all Boys class. They bond more strongly in absence of ‘distractions’. These ‘distractions’ are inversely proportional to the Number of Bunks.
Ya the theorem is far fetched but it is true. Now if there are girls in the class and one damsel refuses for a cut, then there would be 10 guys who would also sit, just in order to impress her or be with her or just to look at her. Now if each of these 10 guys pursue even 1 of their friends to stay, that makes the number to 20.. sorry 21..( the damsel is also there). And it is observed widely that beautiful girls hunt in pairs. That means the probability of a beauty being a friend of another beauty is more than 0.9.
And if by chance, the other one also attracts an equal number of more “hunters”, the number goes up to 32 and the mass cut can take a back seat then. So Can all the pioneers of the Mass Cut Movement.
I guess, I am diverting from the main topic.
So coming back – the main purpose I am writing this – the photograph. So what do u see in it.

The first thing that one notices is the true happiness. If you carefully look at the faces of each person u will see that the smile is true. It is coming from directly ‘Dil Se’. The photographer in this case didn’t had to say the customary “Cheese”. In fact we had to say “ Jaldi Kheench”. Reason being, everybody was climbing on top of each other to be captured. Proof: See how cruely maini is pushing Train just to get in the pic. And I tell you facing that type of force is no mean feat and some one like Chunnu would have crumbled under the pressure. (pple i have mentioned are in the photo.. their identification is given at the end)

Ok now you can’t see the bond between all of us but can’t you feel it. No!!! then just look at the pic again and think yourself right there between the ‘winged’ hands and screaming together in 1 voice. Ya now u feel it!!!

Some how it also captures our freedom. Freedom from the blood sucking exams, which were like a burden for 4 years but which in some way brought us all together. Asking doubts from each other, Copying notes, coming to library together and after a hard study session going for the paranthas at PEC market or Rajma Chawal at Canteen. I remember laughing uncontrollably along with Train and Makhan before the automotive exam making fun of the old indicator mechanisms which were not in use any more. Exams were not so bad after all.

The freedom also signifies the independence we were set to gain soon. New jobs, new lives, no dependence on parents for cash. We were finally entering the big bad world and it made us confident bunch of guys. This confidence, u again cannot see but feel.

Whenever I feel down in my life., I take a look at this photo. Instantly, I feel invigiorated, fresh and a smile automatically comes to my face. The zeal and enthusiasm oozing out of this extra ordinary photo is really infective. It infects me whenever I see it. Hope it does to u as well, no matter you are there or not!!!

Vital Stats
Location: PEC Campus (Outside Electronics Deptt)
Date: Don’t remember exactly but around 1st week of May, 2004 (will update soon)
Camera used: Tanny’s Big Camera – one with the focus shocus and all
Man behind the camera : the owner, Tanny
Men in front of the camera:
(sitting, from L to R): Chunnu, Chugh

(Standing from L to R): Aniket, Thakur(one who is barely visible), Makhan, Me!!!, Sardar, Popat(behind Sardar), Vikash, Vimal (behind vikash), Bhediya, Trainn (its because of his grand pose that this photo is classy), Maini (pushing Trainn)

(In Air from L to R): Lamboo( soon to be married) , Nikhlesh

There are some more arms, hands, helmets.. sorry for not recognizing u guys!!!

1 Choti si Love Story

I got up dreamily in the morning and looked at the figure, wrapped up in a Silky velvety light quilt, sleeping besides me. I could not help but go back through memory lanes, nostalgically remembering our relationship. How it had started and how the love that had grown all these years and which had led to we being here sleeping together.
It had all started when we were in school. We met and instantly liked each other. Gradually we realized that we were made for each other and there were so many things we had in common – our likes and dislikes matched like anything. Those were the formative years of our life but I knew that our relationship was that of ‘forever’ types. We came close to each other, sharing everything from studies to our deep secrets, dreaming together for the years to come and often contemplating what future had in store for us.
Destiny was not to play any villain between us. We got admission in same college. And in the independence of college life, away from the constraints of school life, our love blossomed. We started spending a huge chunk of the time together – hanging out in different parts of the city, going for long walks on lake – practically doing everything together except sleeping of course.
The time flew by and we were living a dream. We got more mature and started knowing each other more thoroughly.
Soon the mobile technology hit the Indian market. And it was a boom for us as well. After getting mobiles, we got some discounted connections where in we got our calls to each other free. It was the end of rest everything in life. Now either we were together physically or else through satellite.
Luck had something more in store for us. We got placed together in the same company. Oh! It was the happiest moment of my life. Overjoyed, we hugged each other and made merry that evening!
Soon we were to be away from the constraint of living separately. Now we were together and we could even live together. All excited, we left for our jobs and found a house, where we could spend our lives under 1 roof.
And now here we were - schoolmates, college mates, job mates and now bed mates!!!
The figure moved and the sleepy face, with eyes half open stared at me and said, “ kya dekh raha hai saaale!! chal ja ke naha.. nahi to late ho jayenge”. And I thought, “What great friends rompy and I have been over the years!!!!”

What Were You Thinking???????

Following Dreams??

Someone asked me – “Are U living your dream?” “Why, Yes”, I answered. "I work in one of the best companies, plush office, earning a modest salary if not much."
“Is this what u dreamt of?”, he asks. “Are You happy with the way u live, with the work u do. Do u go home a satisfied person. Do you want to do this for rest of your life. Does your work creates interest in you. Does your heart approve of you coming everyday and doing it?” he further explores.
These invoking statements make me travel deep under – somewhere to the depths of my heart and force my mind to churn and think about my life.
Traveling through these depths I realize that I am nowhere near to the dreams I had during my childhood or as a teenager. And may be the failure to realize my dreams at those stages lead me not to dream during adulthood. I just followed the herd, like many of us, doing what others do, in an attempt to reduce the force acting on me due to the pressure called peer pressure.
And what am I doing now – desperately trying hard to fight off the same force being exerted on me. I guess its high time some dreams are formed and a path, on which these dreams can be realized, starts taking shape. After All as the Alchemist says: “Its all about following your dreams!!”

Trip to Hemgiri Waterfalls (15 Aug'05)

It was a cloudy day and we had just attended our ex-PL’s marriage party. Some of my ex-Project mates had come from different cities to which they have now been transferred. Before their departure back into the routines of the daily grind, we were having lunch together and reliving the old days. In came Bharath, our senior in the project but who had become more of a friend rather than a boss! He was to go with his friends to some waterfalls around 80 km from Mysore but his friends left without him. The first thought that came to my mind “How mean friends. How could have they not taken him along”. What he told after that, forced my perceptions to take a 180 degree turn. It was his mistake. What do u do with a friend who sleeps lazily till 10.30, despite being reminded many times. Nevertheless, he was interested in going there. He asked if any one else was interested. I thought, “It was three day holiday – A rare one u get in a private company. I was to go to Goa (it got cancelled due to rains) and we have been rotting away sitting at home for past two and a half days. It was time to have some fun”
I agreed. He was also happy for getting some company. We left immediately.
The Hemgiri waterfalls were around 80 km and we had a bike. The sky was thick with clouds, lovely breeze was blowing and here I was sitting on a bike after many months – it felt great!!!

Soon after we had got out of mysore. It started raining. Bharath asked, “Is it fine to move on in rain.” Fine??? It was out of the world. I was reminded of my college days. It is not everyday that the weather is so pleasant in chandigarh and during the good old days, whenever clouds covered the sky and there was a possibility of a rain – it was time for a gedi around the city,specially lake, behind Lolly’s LML, Rompy’s CBZ or in my car!!!
And here I was - under the rain, on a bike, feeling free like a bird.
Soon the road got rough as we entered some rural parts of Karnataka. Following the muddy, bumpy roads we carried on. The sugarcane fields sidelined the road and it was reminiscent of our own Punjab’s “Ganne de khet” . And I could smell the sweet fragrance of Jaggery which as Bharath later told were made at many places along that highway only. We decided to stop and taste them on our way back.
The scenery had now changed. Far away from the rushes of the city (though mysore is not that crowded city), under the open sky and greenery all around. We stopped at one place to have some tea. I was given the responsibility of driving after that. I was a bit apprehensive initially as I was on the drivers seat of a bike after nearly a year - But soon got accustomed.
We reached Hemgiri falls after around 1. 5 hours of ‘biking’. And the view I saw there left me spell bound. It was not a natural waterfall but the water was falling from the top of a man made wall. This wall traveled for a long stretch making the whole scene a treat to watch. Bharath’s friends were already there and were having a great time.
We crossed the river and reached the rocks near the waterfalls. The water falling looked more beautiful from here. After changing into bare essentials we jumped into the cold waters. Everyone was playing around and having fun out there.
Soon the swimmers of the group decided to go down to deeper waters and cross over to near the top of the fall. I tried to test the waters but they were too deep for me. Instead, we went near the water fall and infact into it.
Standing below the water falling from such a height was an experience in itself. At that moment, I realized how much force water can exert on you. The force was so much that Bharath advised, not to bring my head in contact with the water. But gradually as my confidence of facing the wrath of the water increased, I put my head against its fury. I must say it was one of the most overwhelming experiences I had in my Life.
Soon, tired of the tussle, we headed back.
While going to such an excursion, one tends to be full of zeal, enthusiasm and bubbling with energy. And while returning, much of that initial energy is spent and what is left is a weak, tired but a satisfactory smile. Satisfaction of having experienced something new, something different, something which will be there with us for the rest of our lives. It was the same feeling that I experienced.