Finally I stopped moaning over the loss of my 80 GB portable hard-disk. Now that I have brought whole of my laptop in the cyber cafe for scanning its bottom ( lenovo demands it for some warranty verification ) I have the pleasure to post the post which was due by 15 days. Please assume that the date of posting is 22nd May, 08.
I have started my training as a summer intern at L&T Infotech, Mumbai for the completion of Practice School I Program offered by BITS - Pilani. The training will last till 15th July starting from 22nd May.
The weather at Mumbai in summer is the same as what one ever expects - terribly humid, dangerously sweaty and a bit hot. Speaking direct, the weather suks. I am staying in Powai as a paying guest in a 1BHK flat. The system of paying guests staying in a flat has amazed and amused me a lot. Basically, the guests don't pay for a room, but they pay for their respective 'beds'. The guests can be of any origin, can be believers of any religion, may speak any language. Such a house can be all-guys or all-girls place. To earn a bed, they have to approach an owner of a flat through an agent who earns his/her commission from you. The residents of the three/four roomed place enjoy lunch in their corporate companies and prefer to have a 'Daba' delivered by one of the famous dabewalas in Mumbai. People staying in the flat have to be always ready to accept a new partner if any of the bed is lying unoccupied. These guys have their own ambitions, their savings in banks and salary accounts. Their families are somewhere away in different parts of the country. Since these guys have their nightly sleep by paying monthly rent, their work-places are quite near and they usually don't have to go through the tedious physical exercises in the local trains. Most of them are of helping nature towards the strangers who accompany them in their rooms. Their rooms are sort of Dharmashalas which have accomodated people who aspired to be greats, seen their inhabitants prospering and failing, witnessed emotions and outbursts, champions and runaway losers. These homes have seen fights to earn a livelihood and willingness to rise out of masses.
The true spirit of co-operation and helpfulness lies here. I have been to Mumbai numerous times and every time this city has left a unique lasting impression on my mind in some respect or other. These experiences vary from the enjoyment in the water parks to standing like a statue in a screwed position at Dadar station for hours during the heavy July rains in 2006. The expertise with which people literally keep hanging in the doors of local trains to the amazing grit shown by old people to climb in the same overflooded local trains, the haste shown by working women to the lazy non-working crowd, riches at Malabar hills and Hiranandani to the slums in Borivali, unity which can face natural calamities showering down to the streetly gang-wars; Mumbai has seen it all, has it all. My observations may be very obvious for a Mumbaikar. But I believe as you might also.. India lives in Mumbai. India shines in Mumbai. India also shows its dark side in Mumbai.
So I am now the partner of five guys who are at least six years older than me and are working in different companies in different fields. Seems that inviting the protests of relatives by not statying with them has presented me a great opportunity to learn adjustment. For the first time, I am truly on my own in a not so homely place. And I see hordes of opportunities ready to get exploited. With a newfound direction, things can be done, results can be achieved, but how much can be in 50 days is the question. Exciting time's ahead.
Update on 7th June:
The rains started two days ago. In the mean time, I have had a head on with my targets and PS 1 at L&T Infotech is going good. All of us ps mates have gained a lot of knowledge about Indian IT industry in the first 13 days, something which I find relevant with my long term career goals. Last weekend was a busy one with yours truly going to Pune with Sathe, and getting caught by a rail authority for we were on a secret mission and were caught "crossing" the platform without a ticket for the ticket-counter was on the other side of the platform and were relieved only after paying a whopping 150 INR which added to the authority's personal unauthorized income. Doesn't make much sense, ain't it? The whole proceedings did not make any sense to me and Sathe at least.
Pune was great to stay at with all the guys at one place. COEP hostels are great, way better than hostels at BITS. It feels great when you see your friends have maintained the homely culture at their places. Meeting someone whom you missed so much has never been better.
Exciting time continues.
I have started my training as a summer intern at L&T Infotech, Mumbai for the completion of Practice School I Program offered by BITS - Pilani. The training will last till 15th July starting from 22nd May.
The weather at Mumbai in summer is the same as what one ever expects - terribly humid, dangerously sweaty and a bit hot. Speaking direct, the weather suks. I am staying in Powai as a paying guest in a 1BHK flat. The system of paying guests staying in a flat has amazed and amused me a lot. Basically, the guests don't pay for a room, but they pay for their respective 'beds'. The guests can be of any origin, can be believers of any religion, may speak any language. Such a house can be all-guys or all-girls place. To earn a bed, they have to approach an owner of a flat through an agent who earns his/her commission from you. The residents of the three/four roomed place enjoy lunch in their corporate companies and prefer to have a 'Daba' delivered by one of the famous dabewalas in Mumbai. People staying in the flat have to be always ready to accept a new partner if any of the bed is lying unoccupied. These guys have their own ambitions, their savings in banks and salary accounts. Their families are somewhere away in different parts of the country. Since these guys have their nightly sleep by paying monthly rent, their work-places are quite near and they usually don't have to go through the tedious physical exercises in the local trains. Most of them are of helping nature towards the strangers who accompany them in their rooms. Their rooms are sort of Dharmashalas which have accomodated people who aspired to be greats, seen their inhabitants prospering and failing, witnessed emotions and outbursts, champions and runaway losers. These homes have seen fights to earn a livelihood and willingness to rise out of masses.
The true spirit of co-operation and helpfulness lies here. I have been to Mumbai numerous times and every time this city has left a unique lasting impression on my mind in some respect or other. These experiences vary from the enjoyment in the water parks to standing like a statue in a screwed position at Dadar station for hours during the heavy July rains in 2006. The expertise with which people literally keep hanging in the doors of local trains to the amazing grit shown by old people to climb in the same overflooded local trains, the haste shown by working women to the lazy non-working crowd, riches at Malabar hills and Hiranandani to the slums in Borivali, unity which can face natural calamities showering down to the streetly gang-wars; Mumbai has seen it all, has it all. My observations may be very obvious for a Mumbaikar. But I believe as you might also.. India lives in Mumbai. India shines in Mumbai. India also shows its dark side in Mumbai.
So I am now the partner of five guys who are at least six years older than me and are working in different companies in different fields. Seems that inviting the protests of relatives by not statying with them has presented me a great opportunity to learn adjustment. For the first time, I am truly on my own in a not so homely place. And I see hordes of opportunities ready to get exploited. With a newfound direction, things can be done, results can be achieved, but how much can be in 50 days is the question. Exciting time's ahead.
Update on 7th June:
The rains started two days ago. In the mean time, I have had a head on with my targets and PS 1 at L&T Infotech is going good. All of us ps mates have gained a lot of knowledge about Indian IT industry in the first 13 days, something which I find relevant with my long term career goals. Last weekend was a busy one with yours truly going to Pune with Sathe, and getting caught by a rail authority for we were on a secret mission and were caught "crossing" the platform without a ticket for the ticket-counter was on the other side of the platform and were relieved only after paying a whopping 150 INR which added to the authority's personal unauthorized income. Doesn't make much sense, ain't it? The whole proceedings did not make any sense to me and Sathe at least.
Pune was great to stay at with all the guys at one place. COEP hostels are great, way better than hostels at BITS. It feels great when you see your friends have maintained the homely culture at their places. Meeting someone whom you missed so much has never been better.
Exciting time continues.
