From a town to a city ..... A journey of a student

Night outs have become a habit in IIM Bangalore for last two weeks. As most of the classes in this semester are only after lunch break, almost everyday I go to sleep at around 4:30 / 5 am. And this has helped me to visualize that every campus has its own lifestyle. And thus IIM Bangalore is far far different than IIT Kharagpur.

The thing I like the most in IIMB is the weather. Believe me, it's awesome. After living 22 years in the sweaty Bengal, the last month at Bangalore was indescribable. It was amazing to get 22*C temperature on 30th May when the whole country is burning. And you really have to get something to wrap you while sleeping at dawn. For a lazy guy like me, it's really tempting. The second thing I should appreciate about this place is its campus. The campus is not so big, but the architecture of the academic blocks is awesome. And being a past civil engineer, this stone architecture of the campus attracts me a lot. The hostel, the gardens, the playground, the buildings and the road, everything is well maintained here. So, in terms of staying, IIM Bangalore is perfect.

But what I miss here at IIM Bangalore is life. I don't know what is about to come, but this one month stay is not so attractive to me. Kharagpur, even being 100km away from the main city, has its charm, what IIM Bangalore lacks. We used to hear in our first year @KGP that when all world go to sleep, IIT KGP wakes up. And that is actually true. You shall find the hangouts crowded all the day. And even at 5am if you feel hungry, Cheddi (uncle) will be there to serve you with his lots of variety: Tinku, Delta, Mohile etc. Forget about variety, even you do not get fried maggi in IIMB. Lets do not talk much about costs also. And, I don't know what happens on exam weeks, but at a normal night, perhaps you can count with your single hand the number of people awake. People can ask that they have classes from 8am, how can they stay awake till late night. But you know what, we also had classes in IIT, and that too from 7:30am. Still we used to live our life, night-life.

One more thing I do not find here is the depth of culture. May be because of its huge student community, IIT KGP has a very enriched culture that IIM lacks. “Arambh” is one of the important occasions here, but believe me, the performance was not of the level of a normal undergraduate college in any city. There was too much show off, but in deep it was too empty. Guys with no basic knowledge about dramatics and acting were doing mimes. I really discourage this type of show offs in cultural activities. I am really waiting for “UNMAD”, the main cultural festival of IIMB. Hope I'll get to see or shall make myself involved to produce some better performance at that time. Actually the student life at IIMB is so busy and competitive that you do not get time to fulfill your cultural appetite. And with such a low variety of profiles, where 90% of students come from engineering background, it is pretty much obvious that the cultural output will not be up to the mark, which is the case for IIMB. I do not have played much in my college life, so really can't compare between the two institutions in terms of sports and games. But I appreciate the infrastructure provided for sports, which is far better than IIT KGP.

Obviously, four long years in Kharagpur may make me biased towards IIT. May be only after my five years stay in Bangalore, I shall be able to comment rightly about this institution. But at the deep of my heart, I still feel, Kharagpur was much more lively than this prestigious management institute of the Silicon City of India.

Looking back for a while

In 2005, when I joined my engg college, I had no idea about internet. Yahoo gave me the opportunity to peep into this vast world by providing me a little space to store my e-mails which were very rare to me at that time. Slowly I came to know about yahoo messenger, rediff, hi5 etc in a few months. I can very well remember, my very first friend in internet world was Hina Dixit, a senior from some other engg college, who is in contact with me till now.

Google and Orkut came much later, only in my second year. Even then I did not have my own comp, and had to borrow timeslots from others to use their computer. But still, internet was a huge attraction for me. Blogging, chatting and orkuting were a daily habit for me. Fortunately that changed my life also. And today wherever I am, it is only because of a very rare magical moment that came into my life some 3 years and 9 months back. And gtalk and orkut had become a part of my life till then.

Time passed, as I left my college, joined a job, quit the job, got admission in a graduate school, but gtalk and orkut are still indispensible to me. But, now a day, a few other websites is attracting me a lot. Facebook with its huge store of games and applications has made me fully concentrated towards it. Initially I was a bit biased towards Orkut as I have lots of memories with it. But really Orkut is no competition for FB. And truly speaking, I am addicted with Mafiawars. During my late night studies, like today, when I fell fatigue and try to refresh my mind, I click on the most visited website shown in Chrome, and it is FB. And a few minutes browsing give me enough entertainment to get the energy to go back to my work.

Thus, as the time passed and as I grew up for last 5 years since 2005, my tastes and habits of internet usage changed. Time has shown me the path of making myself contemporary. But still I miss YM badly. I miss the red background of YM, and the erotic sound of the “Buzz”. I miss the yellow one and the sound of the breeze. I miss those old and great emotions, laughing and jumping and crying and kissing all the time. Really, whatever change comes in the modern social networking habits, I still love and will love those sweet old days of YM of about three years back.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Modirar mithey gandho mise chilo rater akashe,
Swimming pool er nil joler pase aagun jaliyechilo keu keu,
Modhyo rater nidrahin asokto chokhe
mridu mondo bataser choya
enke diye jachilo
na cherna kono ondho akorshoner alpona.
Noro narir matal payer dolay
mete uthechilo dance floor
chena ganer tale tale.
Mete uthechilo oora
Odhbhut kono ek mottotay
Akash jure awaj uthechilo sei ratey,
“Happy New Year”

Aamio chilam.
Sei nil rater ahohane sara diye
kothao hoyto aamio khuje nichilam
obhinondon aar ushnota.
Tai ses rate jokhon ghum ghum chokhe ghore firechilam
mon ta jeno urchilo furfur kore,
naki ghore ferar dak sunchilam bar bar.
Aamio chilam sei mottoay,
Sokoler sathe.

Ghore ferar pothey
Hotat e garir kach theke chokh porlo rastay
Sekhaneo jolche aagun
10 degree tapmatrar asambhab sit katate
khor kuto kagoj er joro kore aagun lagiyeche keu
Aar ses rater nibhu nibhu aagun er pase suye aache se
Ke oo? Kea ache suye?
Ghum chokh mele dekhlam
Rastar dhare kukre suye thaka loktar porone
khali ekta half pant
Urdhango sompurno nogno.
Kalo pither ulongo artonad e
na pawar nirmom hahakar!
Kintu ki odhbhut shanti oi ghumonto du chokhe!!
Ki odhbhut byathao!!

Egiye gelo gari,
Miliye gelo drisho ta janlar kach theke….

Aamio chilam sekhane,
Bhalobasar sei ratey,
Amio giola miliyechilam sokoler sathe,
“Happy New Year”

Dilemma

I was in class IV, I guess, when, for the first time I was asked about what I want to be in my life. It was an English class and our teacher gave us to write an essay on it. I remember well, I wanted to be a bus driver. I was a blind fan of the driver of my school bus who used to drive it in narrow lanes of my town in a very high speed. I never knew that there are functions of accelerator and brakes also. But the rotating action of steering used to make me so excited that I never let my friends to sit in the first seat in the driver’s cabin.

I was a good business planner from my childhood. I cannot remember the exact age, may be in class VII or VIII, when I made a business plan of stationary products, mainly exercise books. I calculated all the pre-functioning expenditures, labour wages, maintenance charges and transportation charges etc, though I never knew the technical terms at that age. And after all these, I found that I can make a good profit of Rs. 1 lakh every month (obviously before any tax …. had no idea about taxes at that time). Alas! The idea did not turned out to be good later.

After my 10^th board exams results I stopped thinking. I was sailing with the waves and never knew what I should do. I studied in the best school in West Bengal. I cracked entrance exams of prestigious engineering institutes. And I found myself celebrated by lots of people around me, my friends, their parents, some girls etc. I enjoyed it, for the first time in my life; I enjoyed every bit of the praises I used to get at that time. And I stopped studying. I started to hate my subject, my institution, its professionalism. I became passionate about dramatics and elocution; I loved NSS Camps, sleepless nights with friends, late night canteens and lots of other things that a studious and careerist guy should avoid. In the mean time I felt in love also. And in these waves of dreams and passions, unknowingly, I got my coveted degree of B.Tech in a subject that I do not know even a little bit. And then I got a job also. I left my home dreaming to be responsible by doing a job and making a career for me.

But really, even after externally being very successful in my life, I do not know what I really want. I am not sure whether I want to be an engineer or a manager or something else. I am not sure what actually I am looking for in my life. I feel jealous for those children I see in this tribal area of Chattisgarh, where I work. They play all day long, they learn from the nature. They know which tree gives sweet fruits, which stream has good water. They learn how to grow foods in a rocky land and where to sale them. Their parents earn a very few money, they eat, drink, sleep and sing. Poverty, malnutrition, lack of education and medical facilities are their problems. But they really do not care much about those things. They are living happily and will live in their own society and culture. They know what they want. I, even being a graduate engineer from one of the best engineering colleges of India, does not know why I am doing this, and what do I really want.

Do you know what you want in life?

Jamaica Farewell

I used to lead a hostel life from class XI. But this is for the first time when I have to go outside WB. RKM was a bong dominated institute, as it is situated at the heart of the state. And I never felt a little bit of inconvenience there in RKM. IIT is a national institute, with lots of people from outside Bengal. And many of the residents of the kharagpur town are also non-Bong. But still, here, with my cultural background and with the help of my friends, I had made a Bong-barrier around me, and used to reign there. But for the first time I have to leave my den. So I am really feeling a bit nervous, probably, for the first time ( or second, or third ... )in my life. And so, even before going, I have started thinking to come back to my sweet Kolkata, a very near and dear friend of mine. The flooding yellow lights, the narrow streets, Nandan, South City, Navina Cinema, Big Bazar, the beautiful parks, the harsh traffic, the tremendous bus journeys in over-packed buses, the nonstop slangs towards the poor driver, the stink of fellow passengers, the humidity, the long power-cuts, the water logging, the dresses hanging on the roof of my home, the retired hand-pump standing straight at one corner, the open window just beside my bed giving a great view of the full moon night -- everything have started attracting me and binding me tighter with all their emotions and fragrances. Well, I shall miss you a lot, my dear Kolkata, my dear's Kolkata. Back in Hyderbad, I shall certainly write you and for you. And will be back as soon as possible to my city.

Treasure Hunt

fuldani ta bhangche abar
ekta ekta kore tukro khose porche
rongin asles chere
choriye porche mejher ekhane sekane
hariye jache khub taratari
aami pran pone atkachi tader khose pora
hatre hatre khujchi
hariye jawa ses smriti gulo
kothin theke kothinotoro hoche lorai
fuldani ta bachate hobe j....

fuldani ta bhagche abar
jemon bhengechilo onek din aage
bhanga tukro gulo nijer hatey
tule niye ek ek kore lagiyechilam
notun kore fuldani bananor jonno
jekhane bochorer prothom golap thakbe sajano.
sei jora laganor khelay
samanno osabdhanotay
bar bar hariye felechi
ek ekta tukro, choto, boro, majhari.
tobu jora laganor khela thameni.

aj pagoler moto hatranor majhe
fuldanitar arto chitkar
kaney bidche bar bar

amake partei hobe
khuje bar kortei hobe
hariye jawa rongin smriti guloke
diner ses e pouchotei hobe
"treasure hunt" er ses level e.
amake parte hobei !!

A tribute to me friends, my love and my family

The last year of my hostel life has just begun. And I am away from home for five years and one year also in the way. Then again a separation, separation from my dear fellows, separation from this cool college life and separation from the sanctum sanctorum i.e, IIT KHARAGPUR, my dream that came true. A lot of things have been showered over me in these last few years. I got a great group of pals in my college (+2 level) i.e, Ramakrishna Mission Residential College, Narendrapur and also here in IIT Kharagpur; I got lots of sweet memories to masticate in future; got lots of shocks and strains that made my experienced in the sense of my life and also got a great BRANDNAME that will make me or atleast help me to be successful in every step of my life.

To remind about my friends I cannot but mention first about Dhiman. I met him in RKMRC, Narendrapur and was together for only two years but I can proudly say that he is my best friend and will be ever after. Dipankar, Sriparno, Debnath, Rameez, Sonal, Debmalya, Hui, Bhola, Aritra, Santanu, Abhishek, Arijit, Dhrubo and many more unmentioned friends have enriched my life with their heartful love and support that helped me to be here in IIT today. These two years in Narendrapur were perhaps the one of the best period of my student life and I can hardly explain how fun was it to be there, in GB Hall. The roof, the sleepless nights in the common room, the endless card-playing in study halls, the shameless class bunking and nevertheless the great song written by us: “Probhato Kale”…it is too hard to forget any bit of these moments. Thank u guys, and miss u a lot.

The next year, the first year in IIT Kharagpur, was something for which I longed for so many days. It was full of pressure of studies and expectations from my family members and many many other things which I cared for a damn. I passed the whole year doing just nothing good for my career wasting time in some worthless dramatics and cultural activities, worthless for this competitive world, but for me they were life. The late night rehearsals of dramatics in BTDS ( Bengali Technology Dramatic Society ) and inter hall competitions and the sleepless nights under the open sky around the fire at a village far away from Kharagpur, I love to go back to those days every night in my dreams. Really, I don’t know how this unwanted distance came between me and others, but still I miss you all….Suman, Sourav, Iman, Rahul, Subhasis, Gourab, Sougata, Boba-Hati, Baba, Animesh, Pyne, Ratnaadeep ,Sayari and all of you. Hope to be together again.

The second year was the most happening period of these four years in IIT Kharagpur like almost all other guys in this institution. I was shifted to Nehru Hall from our first year hostel and it was the first time I felt a bit uneasy due to that gruesome tales of “RAGGING”. But luckily or unluckily I managed to avoid them all and became a bit involved with myself. Still dramatics never stopped neither the night-outs nor the class-bunking. I have to face my professors a number of time for giving explanations for my regular absence in the class and thanks to my dramatic nature, every time I found a nice story to tell. Let the stories be secrets. But all these resulted in poor marks and bad grades. Meanwhile I found a brand new pal in this year, Gourab Bhattacharya, a six feet tall thin guy with a curtain of smokes around him and with a heart full of love, affection, dedication and many others “-tion” that characterizes this guy and make him different than any other in the world. He is still my room-mate and hope we will be together ever after. In the summer break after first year I was broke up with my ex-girl friend and was a bit depressed and found this girl from nowhere to come forward to support me. She was also in some mental depression and we both came close solving each other problems. So close that we did not know when we started to love each other. And it was 17^th September, 2006, we officially became committed. It was a heavenly time for me to chat with her till late night, to wake up early in the morning to meet her in Kolkata as soon as possible, to roam together, to sing together and to love each other and this heavenly time period is continuing till now even after one year and ten months of our relationship and even today we are the same very romantic and crazy about each other as much as we was two years back. Arpita Ghatak, my love, my life and the best gift I have ever got in my life. Thank you God for giving me such a precious present that I might not deserve at all.

One more year passed away. The memorable summer break passed away when my love came to KGP to do her internship and we stayed together for a month ( obviously in our respective halls ) and loved each other so much and enjoyed a demo of our married life. It was full of fights and romance, adventure and care and thousands of sweet memories that will keep me green all my life. It was really painful to both of us when this happening summer break came to an end and we missed each other so much. And again one year passed with gifting me lots of memories and hard times and sweet moments leaving me here today with a new group of fellows…Abhishek da( small and big :P ), Rahul da, Chandan, Vamshi, Sonal da, Surupa di and many more.

But still, after this long five years of hostel life, I miss my family badly. I miss my parents, their affection, my elder sister, her gifts, foods cooked by my mom and lots of silly but valuable things that I hardly got in these five years. Obviously in these years I have enriched my career in an extra-ordinary way and almost became a man who can live in this world of struggle, taking all the responsibilities in his own shoulder, obviously I have grown up physically and mentally and academically, but you will never know, even today, there lies a small child in my heart who misses his family being so far from it for so many days and I think this little child of the heart never dies. The underlying attraction of blood never dies; the search of the roots never dies. And even today I belong to them and always pray for their blessings and affections and will long for it forever. Love u MA, BABAI, DIDIBHAI, MAMON and all my friends and thank u all to help me to be what I am today. Miss u guys a lot.

Swagato Chatterjee.
23rd July, 2008