It was a strategic or a technical fault, but it bought my way back home...

I was visiting the Andaman in December 2014, with parents, and had booked a both way economy combo flight from SpiceJet. SG 104, and SG 105, were the scheduled to and fro flights on 12th and 17th, respectively. Incidentally, SpiceJet had run into a fuel crisis during this period resulting a lot of rescheduling and cancellations. In spite of agitations, we decided to pursue the trip plan as these two flights were still plying on schedule. But just like it turns out, the return flight was cancelled, on 16th, a day before departure, and when we were already in Port Blair.

I rushed to Port Blair airport, early on 17th morning, to find out people waiting for rescheduling for cancelled flights the day before. Till that point, SpiceJet was assuring rescheduling of booked departures, but soon they announced their inability to provide alternate means. Sensing trouble, with great help from SB, 3 seats were booked in Jet Airways, with a price almost double. Only a few seats were left, and soon fares soared up to 5-6 times the usual.

At the time of boarding Jet Airways, another shock was awaiting. The Jet Airways flight booked was actually a rescheduled one, in place of another cancelled the day before. Accordingly, no further booking was to be performed, it was planned to carry only rescheduled passengers of Jet Airways. Due to a technical glitch, the booking window to this flight was open for a limited time to online booking sites like Yatra, MakeMyTrip, etc., and some 10-12 passengers, including us, availed this window.

The rescheduled flight was already full and could not accommodate us. However, acknowledging their fault, Jet Airways transferred the booking to another of their regular flights on the same day. I don't know how they managed these 10-12 seats in midst of this rush, but what I know that, a strategic or software glitch bought my way back home the same day, which was otherwise impossible from a place like Port Blair.

The fine balance between modularity and complexity...

Today I learnt something, that some common friends of ours had once commented that the code I did were lengthy, and compared to that what few others did were crisp and short. Really made me think whether it is time for a round of self evaluation. Do I need to start modifying my style of coding? Is the pattern I follow is leading to others' trouble?

Four years in industry had taught me the fine balance between short code and readable code. Or in the similar perspective, modularity and complexity are two features of any code, one of which can be improved at the cost of other. And there has been visible difference in the approach followed in academics and industry. The typical coding questions students face during campus interviews consists of tricky, confusing, shortened, implicit codes. Whereas, once in industry, the approach is to get into codes which are longer, detailed, sequential, modular, and explicitly self explaining. Such approach increases maintainability of code, and makes it easy for a developer to take one another's place when in need.

Then why in campus placements, organizations evaluate applicants based on their skills in complex codes, while, in fact, there is a dearth of neat coder in the industry?

the sadness nurturer...

Cycling past the suburbs of Durgapur, mostly during the nights, has currently been the new passion. Trekking is costly, and is being heavy on my pockets since I have left job. Secondly, the last two trips, one to north Sikkim and the other to Corbett, has more been of a tour than trek. And worse, I am no longer being that hard inclined to join such long outings; wherever I be, I keep on constantly, and dearly, missing someone. Hence, cycling.

Durgapur has been a planned township, and ouside boundaries, it is just farms and barren lands. Distinct similarity with Pune, a city in Sahyadri, remarkable for it's uninhabited plateaus, streams and lakes beyond the limits. A 15 minute ride from NIT would take me to the bounding roads of Durgapur, beyond which the horizon pleases one's sight. There are hardly street lights, the few residences nearby are probably without power, and a silent moonlit picturesque nature engulfs my mind with an uncanny pleasure. Thinking aloud, how would it be to get a small house, and a large garden, in such suburbs, provided it still remains grossly disconnected, entertained by the single infrequent bus from station probaly once in an hour. Communication is not leading to progress, but destruction, that is what I feel.

Thought of penning this post past midnight, while thinking where my mind is leading me. I am becoming more and more socially introvert, indifferent to common necessities. The resident emptiness is my pleasure, that is what someone feels about me. Might be. Presence of someone can be a healer, otherwise it might be high time to pay a visit to a psychiatrist.

An unusual morning, and a reminiscence of a wild life...

3rd May. Durgapur.
DSP Hostel. Room 13.

I woke up on the alarm sounding at 6.30am. A telephonic onshore interview, with an organization which I don't even know the name, is scheduled at 7. It's bright outside as usual, with few light patches of clouds. I got fresh, attended the call for around 20 minutes, had breakfast, and started waiting idly for the next round of call, which they had informed will be there within an hour.

I was lying on my bed, fidgeting with my mobile, specially rerunning through some text conversations with B from the day before. That was the last thing I remember before I dozed off.

I woke up, to find the room dark, the alignment of the room a bit changed, with beds added, and one of the friends in room talking in mobile. I checked the time, its 4pm. Why is it so dark? It shouldn't be, in spite of the curtains. Now I understand, its overcast outside. But why didn't anyone call me in the noon? Specially B? Where is my mobile? Found it, but the screen is difficult to see without glasses, and those are the things I never find when in need. The last call should be to B only. Redialed, but the call is not getting through.

I woke up, to find the room dark, power off, and the others asleep in place. It 9.30am. It is overcast outside. Now I understand, the last time I woke up in my dreams. But I am startled with the fact that I found the cloudy weather in my dreams, which later I found in reality too. And the weather was not like this when I went to sleep. Dream is a superimposition of our desires and memories, that is what I feel. How could I see something in my dreams which had not yet happened? I'm confused, and thought of noting it down in writing.

Now, the second part of the blog, grossly unrelated with the first part. The weather reminded me of one of the trips, in Pune, almost 3years back. An outing was planned, as usual to Mulshi, and as usual the organizers were Konal and Suparna, with their Safari. We three there were to join, but in the morning the call came from the landlord to obtain the notary NOC in person. This was an urgent requirement for the rent agreement, which we couldn't neglect. So we dropped off from the trip.

The weather was exactly like today. Light drizzle and pleasant weather. The official work was complete by 9. That is when we decided to rejoin the trip, on bike. A regular breakfast of vada pav and slice, and we were on the trip, rushing fast to track the Safari. As it happens in Pune, the rain became harsher, and the clouds became darker, as we drove past hinjewadi across the hills. The deserted road, fields and forests on both side, and just riding ignoring the rain-lash, till we find the safari.

We reached Mulshi, both teams together, around 11. Let me list down the minimal lunch that was in the car. Around 40 vada pav. 5kg small but ripe mangoes in a jar. Few packets of chips. Rum and cigarettes. Ingredients for preparing tea, with a mini stove. Parked the vehicles, carried everything beside the lake, guarded the food under the two umbrellas which we had, at the bottom of a tree. And to mention, a kitten was there too with us, in a basket. And the day started. Do what you feel, eat whenever you feel. Swimming in Mulshi, in the rain, in spite of the warning of presence of reptiles in the lake, was our regular activity. Fishing rod was there, and flour mounds as bait, and we got around 9 small fishes. Again let them free, except two, which were dead, and were kept for the kitten. The rain drained the flour soon, and the bread with us was not good for bait. Eating mangoes involved another task, planting the seed in a proper location. Swimming again. Hitting stones in water. Just lying down and letting the rain drizzle on face. Exploring the jungle. Trying to make a fire, for tea, under the rain and the wind, was hard. The day just went by, without any track of time. The falling daylight was the indication of return.

The morning made me miss those wild outings of the wild 3 years.

the exam festival...

Two exams gone, of the second semester at NIT DGP. Today is a day off before the next exam. I don't know why, but the words of one of the most influencing teachers is repeating in my mind since today morning, which makes me drop my studies and start this post.

Ujjwal Banerjee, the reputed bengali teacher in south Kolkata, was the first professional teacher, whose classes I joined in standard 9, and continued till the higher secondary. One weekly class of two hours, in large batches of 40-50 students, in a small room in Gariahat. The students were mostly from english medium schools, and mostly belonging middle and upper class families. These two factors contributed to the important characteristics of the class. The classes were a place of gossip, romance, leisure, and time-pass, that is, of anything but studying a so called boring subject like bengali.

This was so, until one month before the exams. Sir was practical enough not to spend his own and our time uselessly on long lectures and delivering notes. The two hours consisted some grammar practice, an overview on some text, prose or poem, and the rest time belonged to us only. His absence in the room was utilized quite heavenly by the students. Photocopies of lengthy notes were available from a commissioned xerox shop, upon producing a signed paper-slip from Sir, which was again available on providing the monthly remuneration. Systematic enough, and it sounds hardcore professional, but that was the thing practical enough to do with these students, most of them having hardly any respect to the subject or study.

The exam season was a festival, sudden spurge of students, sudden copying of notes and class practice, sudden seriousness, and again calm after the exam. Sir regularly criticized the academic system and his own dissatisfaction on being a part of this system, under masked words which I guess more than 90% of the class failed to understand. He announced the onset of the exam festival, jokingly, comparing it with the Durga Puja, but I understand the bitterness with which he did it.

Bengali grammar was something these students memorized by examples, not by rules. Lengthy answers were memorized as is, line by line, without understanding anything on the topic. That was how the academic system looked at that point of time. And the system is same here, at NIT DGP, as I see almost 10 years down the line, in spite of the huge difference of level. From secondary to post-graduation, the academic system looks hopeless as always. Useless lectures, without any application of knowledge, question papers without any intelligent problems, and the universal exam rule of omit, commit and vomit.

No wonder that industries are finding a dearth of professionals these days, and the students are finding a dearth of industries.

An advice in waste...

27 March 2013.

Travelling to Delhi with four other friends, and conversation started with two other co-passengers too. As it happens with young men, discussions started revolving on love life, while mutually teasing ourselves. And as some of us were busy on mobile, supposedly with someone of opposite sex, girlfriend or not, medical analysis on mental stability of each of us in rotation also became a topic. And I was also visibly obsessed with my mobile.

All of the above is just an introduction, to a statement, made by one of those co-passengers as a suggestion to me while parting, which I thought of making a note of.

"Never give your heart to anyone, it'll give you nothing but suffering."

Sigh.

I don't know why I don't understand this. But what I know, is that, probably I will keep on failing to understand this, and keep on doing just the opposite, till the day ends.

Pity. Feeling sorry for myself.

my Durgapur chronicles...

This post is the first of it's kind in this blog. It relates to several chain of incidents, hardly in direct relation to the actual objective with which one joins a PG course in NIT. Life is being gifted with new surprises, almost every other day, in and around the campus. Sometimes good, sometimes bitter, but really these are creating a bunch of memories, which will be wonderful to look back to at some point of time in future.

The post would remain incomplete without mentioning the characters, but better to prefer anonymity for present. The first couple of months went by without any incidents worth mentioning in this context. Those were the days of first acquaintance, which became closer when all were involved in organizing cultural programs involving the teachers and students on 5th September. But by the time of the first mid-semester assessment, a cluster of six was prominent in the class of twenty-three. A group trip to the nearby kumar mangalam park added lots of memories, the videos being quite an asset. And after the October vacations were over, the core of four was even more prominent. Myself, and three others. Consider them as B, K and S for anonymity. And probably that is the point everything, that I intend to mention specially in this post, started.

This was the point my liking for B took a turn towards emotional attachment. I love her, she knows it, though probably the feeling is not mutual(?). And there is again some such chemistry going on between the other two(?). Nevertheless, this made the bonding in the core stronger. Probably we four became one of the widely discussed topic in the student as well as faculty circle. It was funny, and to certain extent saddening and irritating too, that, every other person, other than we four, considered us as two couples. It is not their fault, anyway, anyone would make that guess from the way we four are together, in class, in library, in front of the ladies' hostel, and the frequent cycle rides in and around. The yummy fuch-cream at the front gate made several afternoons of our stay dearly memorable. And majority of the long never ending chitchats involved B, K and S making wild guesses on my relationships with the faculty members.

A misconception started growing among others from this point, that I am the sole driving unit of all the studies in the group. Even some faculties were under this impression. True, I help B in her project. But it is also true that I help others, outside this core four, during off hours, with lab, assignments, and related things. Still this misconception led to the point of us two being called by a junior faculty for cheating in the mid semester exams.

Also, this was the time when B was the most suffering among the four, with her promising project under a not-so-promising guide, and her troubling health. The yucky mess food, and the gloomy room K and B shared, which was again an unofficial arrangement, added to the discomfort. Two back to back incidents one day, S getting almost mowed down by a running bus, a cycle gone waste in the accident, and still we all travelling to an adjoining town the same day. The 1st semester went by, again the core and crust getting prominence during the exam, with both the faculties and students. A day post exam, B and myself were adding up marks for our own semester answer sheets, and several comments from one particular faculty made the day find a mention here. Another late night in December, we four having dinner at roadside within the campus, since the mess at both hostels are closed. And suddenly getting chased by a senior faculty from some other department, with his crazy objection was that one can't have food at the roadside in the teacher's residential premises. Sharing food, from the girls' hostel for me and S, and sometimes the reverse too, was wonderful.

The second semester started, my birthday being a day worth mentioning, described in details in one previous blog. One night, just parking cycles in front of the girls' hostel for long hours got us in trouble with the security staff. The wonderful lunch at the girls' hostel, shared between the four of us, on the occasion of saraswati puja, and entering an otherwise restricted zone, was memorable. The return trip was also there from the girls. But trouble was not far. B and K got late one night to return back in hostel, got caught by the warden, and spending too many upset hours, thinking on the compromise they would have to make if their unofficial staying arrangement revealed. Luckily the incident was resolved the next day without much trouble. This was on the night of 13th Feb. This day was also memorable for me for another reason, this was the first time in my life I spent on a valentines card.

B was again down in health, adding to the trouble were some rebukes from a faculty, she being upset and making quite a scene in the class. Within a few days, K and S got quite a reprimand, from two don't-know-who person, for being close together in front of a tea-stall within the campus. Another common day, my guide calling for my attention to mention something, and B pulling at my t-shirt at the same time, and two other faculties watching the scene wide mouthed. But such actions probably had little impact here, by the number of times we were noticed as a pairs in and around the campus. The evidence came from the friendly question from another faculty, 'Is this the first time?' And my sad reply, 'not my first, and also not what you think'.

I was out for 5days on a trip to Corbett, in the end of March. As it happens, I missed a special weekend class, unintentionally, and K and S missed it too, intentionally. To my utter dislike, B had to attend the class alone. The event, however, did not end here, it continued like a butterfly effect well into the next week, and I missed a total of 3 sessions in total, contrary to my plan of missing only one. My return from Corbett was remarkable, B, K and S coming to station, to the platform, to receive me as I disembarked.

Few unrelated points to mention here. By this time I had thrice been to movies in Durgapur, but never with any intention of actually watching the movie. And in two cases, I was out before spending 20% of time inside the hall. The food stalls in front of main gate had been our recent destinations, as we were taking care to avoid chatting in the department as well as in front of the hostel. The bengali end year shopping was done by all of us, this being the least satisfactory for B.

The second semester exams were lurking by, and like engineering students true to their heart, we were nowhere near studies. Study plans are easy to make, but sticking to them is surely a tough job. Firefighting is not new to me, and my stakes are low too. But that is not the case with B, S and K. B was quite upset on missed deadlines in study plans, and again I was the one who wasted an entire day, both her and mine, on some useless pending assignments. A humid day, bad food, uncomfortable seating, and wasting effort, while others are just relaxing and waiting for the fruits, is truly irritating. Also, few misunderstandings grew between me and B, and the next day also went by, mostly on phone calls, without any visible progress in studies. The exams started, with sleepless nights for B and K before the first exam, not for study, but due to their crazy roommates. Strangely, there had been a close similarity in how B faced the first exam in both the semesters.

Also, summer days were approaching. Shortage of water was common, resulting in night rushes inside campus to fetch drinking water from department or the girls' hostel. Frequent power cuts added to the problems in hostel. The life in college was slow, with only a few project guides willing to stay back in the department and  utilize the free time. Results were out, with an overall improvement, but not at par with individual expectations. The results were followed by a long journey to S' home on account of his niece's first rice ceremony. The day was memorable, mostly from all of us teasing K all the way through with her relations with S and her first experience with the future in laws. K reminded us that she will never forgive any of us for making that day so memorable for her. We missed the train where we had reserved tickets on the return journey, and had to avail a passenger train. B and K had a tough time during this period staying alone in the second floor of their hostel, mostly because their staying period did not match with each other. Finally they shifted to a room in the ground floor, accompanied with new experiences with new roommates. B had an accident at home, with cuts in wrists and legs from a broken glass table. What added to the discomfort were useless journeys between her home and Durgapur due to her unmindful project guide.


P.S.  a note, and disclaimer, to myself (the first reader), and other readers:

The post is unfinished. This is where everything stands right now. I might add things consecutively in future, in that case this note will be removed. Or I might keep this post as is. Will decide on that later.

A lot is missing in this post. Trying to recollect incidents that are worth mentioning. Will add more if time and mood permits, and so does the people involved.

All incidents are true, but opinions are purely personal. Never intended to hurt anyone.

The worst birthday so far? Or it will turn out to be the best? The suspense continues...

Prologue:

“It is noon, and several incidents happening from yesterday. Petty issues, but affecting me profoundly, don't know why, or do I know, but afraid to confess? How will it end?” 

27^th Evening.

It was just another heavy day. Classes, as well as project work going on full swing. Got out early from project, to enjoy with, and give a treat to, a bunch of close circle of friends here in NIT. None available; none picking up calls. After ringing several of them several times, I was enriched by the knowledge that the girls are sleeping, and the boys were out somewhere. Some hush-hush planning going on for my birthday celebration, I guessed, but by night I was convinced it was not. In any case, the evening was gloomy, and I kept cycling randomly for long hours. So was the night in spite of the cake and birthday bumps and all. Loud party music with drinks had never been to my liking ever.

28^th Morning.

In class. Out came a whole bunch of books. 4 in total. The titles significantly chosen from keeping my life in NIT, my untoward association with several incidents, and several pranks we still continue, in view. But it was to me as more of a shock than surprise. Stunned. And somehow a sad feeling from the harmless lies the day before took over me. The feeling propagated to friends as well. And the eating out plans at lunch gone spoilt. And I am the one to blame.

28^th Noon.

“It is noon, and several incidents happening from yesterday. Petty issues, but affecting me profoundly, don't know why, or do I know, but afraid to confess? How will it end?”

28^th Night.

Lots of phone calls; lots of sms transferred. And we were out for the evening snacks and dinner. This was the first time I was to try some proper restaurant in Dgp. All we were to before this were dhabas or small food joints, other than the KFC. This is when we all came to know that there is hardly any place serving buffet, and also we came to know that all restaurants hold a NIT student’s discount. The first place we tried, the ambiance commendable, but the kebabs precisely not so. A bit of roaming around, and to another place for dinner. Now, the food was fine, but servings were late, and we were almost shouting to waiters since we have to return to hostel within 10. The last 10 minutes to the limit saw 3cycles racing frantically towards the campus on a chilly night.

Conclusion.

Of all the twenty-six 28^th January I came across so far, if I filter out the ones I spent away from home, this was the most eventful one till date.

P.S.

A lot is intentionally missing in this post. Will add if time and mood permits, and so does the people involved.

All incidents are true, but opinions are purely personal. Never intended to hurt anyone.

I started writing this in my mobile on 28^th noon itself, and had no intention of completing or publishing the post; if not there was this request and motivation from someone very special.

View on Life - 6 months after joining NIT

Returning to academics after 4 years in industry has made me feel one thing which my other college-mates fail to get a taste of - the leisure. Study in Indian academic system is a rat race of marks in above 90% of cases, and NIT is no exception to this. But one hard truth, industry is a tougher race. In college you strive for marks, in industry you strive for a more basic requirement, to survive and keep earning your own bread. On making a backward move, you get a chance to slow down, to enjoy life once again, having less to think about the consequences, as you are already accustomed to the deadlier race outside.

Going to the personal experiences, it is wonderful to get another closely knit group of friends, which is usually not possible in the industry. However, the latter comment is on a general tone, I was lucky to get close, caring friends in TCS also, but that is not so for everyone. The flavor of residential college is another wonderful experience, which I felt earlier in Trivandrum. Spending long off-hours at the department, coffee shop, dhabas, or in front of the ladies' hostel, chatting and teasing people around, and having less to care about the actual objective of being in NIT, is surely rejuvenating. There are so many problems, in hostel, in projects, in life, but after being nicknamed the key-maker in industry, these are hardly a challenge in here.