9-1-1

“Hello Dindoshi police station..”

“Hello, I am ranjith calling from powai”

“Ok. What can I do for you?”

“Sir, some of my friends went to Karnala fort, near Panvel and now they are not able to find a way to get out of there, they are totally lost in the jungle. Can you help “

“Hello. We are somewhat away from the location that you told. This is Dindoshi police station, you are in Powai and they are lost in Panvel, and the either Powai or Panvel is not under our area, so I can’t help. You try to call 100 and register the complaint there”

“Sir, I have already tried on 100 but no one is picking up the phone, as I am not having any nearby police station number and this is the only number I have. So if you can’t help them please get me any nearby police station number so that I can call them and ask for help.”

“I don’t have any phone number of other police stations”

“Sir, please try to understand the situation, sir any contact number for nearby……”

Before I finish it was disconnected in the other end. I was making the call to police station in a Sunday eve to ask help for rescue my friends who were totally lost mid in the jungle while their weekend trekking trip. But who was supposed to help me was not even ready to hear complete from me.

I resumed searching contact number of any other police station nearby, meanwhile I got a helpline number of Mumbai police. I dialed the same…

‘Welcome to Mumbai police helpline, you are not selected the language yet. Please enter 1 for Marathi, 2 for Hindi and 3 for English ‘

When I pressed 3, it resumed…

‘Press 1 for information on road map, 2 to inform us about traffic jam, press 3 to inform us about an accident……’

Oh... itz Mumbai traffic police, I won’t get a help from them, they will already be buzy with solving the traffic jams in and around the city on this buzy Sunday eve…

I disconnected the phone and returned to the internet explorer on my laptop screen. Finally got a contact number for panvel station I dialed it...

“Hello, Taloja police station”

“Hello Sir, myself ranjith, calling from Powai. Some of my friends who went for a trekking near Karnala fort has lost their way and right now in mid of the jungle. Can you help them to get out of there “

“Ok, how come you know that they are lost their way?”

“Sir, they called me and asked to pass information to any nearby police station as they haven’t any contact numbers of nearby stations. Their Mobile phones are working and I can provide you the numbers so that you people can contact them directly and locate them. Or can I give your number to them? “

“Actually I am not able to locate the place what you said, we are already away from the Panvel section. Still we will try our best to help them, you give this number to them and meanwhile we will also try to contact them. And I will provide you some contact numbers of police stations nearby panvel. You gave those numbers also to them”

“Sir these are my friends contact numbers. Please do something to help them”

“Sure. We will do the needful and tell your friends that don’t panic and we are coming”

“Ok sir, thank you very much”

“Welcome”

I was totally impressesed by the way he spoke and handled the situation. He was also in the same situation as the Dindoshi police was. He was also away from the location and can’t even understand where the Karnala fort and all is. Still has an attitude to help. This was very much needed if you are a public servant who is supposed to help the public.

Later I called my friends and gave the contact numbers of nearby police stations. Surprisingly, he said that, the person from Taloja Police station already contacted them and they are on the way….. !

PS: within 3 hours, the police was able to find the trekking group and returned them to Panvel…

the silver screen

Every Friday, I am having an interesting job to finish in my To-Do list. Checking out for the new Malayalam movie releases in the town especially in the multiplexes, So that I can plan for it in the weekend. Because of either less number of Hindi and English movie releases or more Malayalam movies coming out, every weekend I have a new movie to watch.

I was thinking of the scenario 20 yrs back. When I was on 1^st or 2^nd standard. My parents took me to the theatre for a movie. It was “vaishali” the bharathan flick which was running on packed houses at that time. But I was not able to finish the movie, because in the first scene itself I started crying out loudly on seeing a snake in the screen. My mom took me out of the cinema hall and later to home. After that while going for movies I was asked to give a promise that I won’t cry or abandon the movie in the middle. So when a horror scene comes I will just close my eyes and place my fingers on ears to plug out myself from the scene.

It took another 8 Years to change the scenario. Up to that my watching movies were limited to the ones coming on Doordarsan on Sunday evenings. While I was in 8^th standard, I and one of my friends planned to go for a movie. After long time I was back to cinema hall. I can count it as the “first movie” that I saw from a cinema hall. A memorable one.

Later the history repeated, in my +2 days, I joined for entrance coaching in a remote location, where my classes are on morning sessions only. So every Sunday we headed to the nearby cinema halls to watch movies. As it was away from home no one can trace me. The freedom of invisibility…

The scene was quite different in college days. I never missed a released Malayalam Movie. either we watch them in the releasing week from the A class theater or if its not sustaining that much time there, catch from the nearby C class theater in the next week. We were not dared to walk for even 8-10 Km to reach hostel after 2^nd show. In the time of movie award nominations in news papers we usually count the number of movies in last year that we “missed“. The number never gone above 10 out of 50 or 60 movies released in a year.

I still remember the first movie from a multiplex. It was “Zinda” from, PVR, New Delhi, and followed by “Rang De Basanti” from the same while our B.Tech project days. Even though while in UD we depend on the pre-dvd rip, net and DC++ downloads of new movies, I never missed the cinema hall experience. Frequently we go out for the Malayalam and Hindi movies in the nearby single screen. After 20 years, even today also I really got excited on going for a movie and at the same level, worry that whether I will get a ticket in the rush…

PS : So Movie for this week, “Palerimanikyam, oru pathira kolapaathakathinte katha”, starring Mammootti, Directed by Ranjith on 5^th Dec, 20.00 IST, Big Cinemas in R city mall. Ghatkoper….. Would you like to join me …??

Inspiration

"Very often i must wait weeks and weeks for what you call 'inspiration' " by richard nordguist

I do believe in these words. But i waited not even weeks, but for months and haven’t found any yet to write an article in this blog…but still waiting for something to change the scene….

mumbai local.....

Train journeys are truly interesting ones. Being a non residential keralite, I made a number of such journeys on my way to Mumbai and back home. Journey in local trains is of another class. Fully packed vessels running 24 X 7, Real heartbeat of Mumbai. Being in a location where all the three major suburban routes meet, I prefer to travel via train. It’s also because of its easiness, less time consumption and wide route coverage.

In one such hurry travel; I and Sreekanth boarded the train from Matunga station which is just 10 mins away by walk from our hostel. We were heading to Mumbai central in order to attend a program. As there is no direct train, we need to have a switching from central railway to western railway in Dadar station. Actually we were running out of time. So as we reached Dadar station we ran towards the western suburban network platforms for the next connection train. But before a train in our platform, one for the same direction arrived in the next. Without a second thought both of us ran towards it by crossing the tracks and managed to get in some fraction of seconds. As it was on the same direction that we need to go, we haven’t checked the sign boards and all. After some time the train started moving, but in the opposite direction.. ! sree asked the fellow passenger about it and came to know that it was a Dadar ending local and now on its way back to the starting point, Virar. We jumped out of the train and got a safe landing in the platform. “Whatz next? “, I asked sree. “Next local” he replied. We moved to next platform, this time we used FOB to reach there.

While we were to next platform, the ticket checker asked us for our tickets. As we gave our tickets, he told us to stop. “This ticket is not valid in this platform” he said. We were amazed. I asked “why? We just took this ticket from Matunga and it’s clearly written via DADAR in it”. He was not at all ready to accept what we say and told us that only DADAR – VIRAR or VIRAR- DADAR ticket is valid in this platform and nothing else. Pay fine of Rs. 500 towards entry with invalid tickets, he added. We really got shocked. First, we were having tickets with us still he is stressing on the point Invalid ticket. Second, we were not having more than Rs 100 with us. We pretended not to give fine and told that being new to the city we don’t know about the system and more to that we are students and can’t bear this amount. He was not ready to leave us and took us to his office to meet his boss sitting there. We repeated the same story. After long conversation and clarification of our position, he gave us a “student’s concession” i.e. Reduced rate of RS 250. I told him that we are not having cash and can’t pay the fine at any cost. Sree gave his purse to the officer and asked him to take whatever he needs from it keeping in mind that only Rs 80 is left in it and we need to reach Mumbai central and back to hostel. Seems ticket checker was not convinced with sree’s dialogue. He started checking our pockets and finally found nothing. He was nothing left to claim, so turned us and said “Being students and new to the city this time I am leaving you people”. Don’t ever roam around Mumbai with an empty purse like this, he added…!

seasons change... do we ?

In recent times I started the habit of reading blogs by some well known bloggers. Most of the pages I found were a reflexion of the weeping hearts in the memories of their homeland. Yes, it was true for me too in all respects. In the struggle for existence race, I am also weeping inside about my home land. For some persons in my generation, itz the greatest sorrow that facing. Because most of us are in the new path opened up by the IT giants who were working outside kerala in 24 X 7 shifts. For most of us the environment is limited up to the next cubicle. Yes, the world is reducing to a small global village, surprisingly our thoughts and mind also reducing to the small cubicle that we are in, friendship is limited to the scraps in the orkut profile or the sms thatz being forwarded or maximum to the G Talk buddies.

Now it seems like a fairy tale to me, the childhood memories. The rains that we drenched, the muddy village roads that we used as our playgrounds, the big banyan tree that we used to gather in the evenings, the morning rush to collect flowers for the “pookkalam” during onam days, the “pooram” - the temple festival - that we loved to attend, the golden memories that might never come again…

The weekends that I used to spend with my grandfather and grandmother were awesome. The scenic beauty of the village house and surroundings attracted me a lot. They were the less explored villages by the modern amenities and extravaganzas till date. The river flowing nearby was crystal clear even in the monsoons, directly carrying the beauty of the forest that it hails from. The temple nearby the river and its surroundings remains as the unforgettable memories. The coldest mornings in the winter, the sunny days we like to have tender coconut in the midday, the monsoon rainy evenings I enjoyed. It was true that whenever I was living in my homeland I was not at all aware of the value of the surroundings I am having and how lucky I am. Now living in this concrete forest, running along with the city in the never ending race towards time, the purely artificial relationships that I am experiencing here, the abrupt monsoon that I see here, the crowded streets that I see every evening, make me think of the homeland.
Now changes are visible everywhere, and it is drastic. The festivals are changed to the celebration of television channels. The “Block Buster Films” are consuming most part of our festival days. Media has taken complete control of your routine life. I remember those days, were the morning radio programs worked as clock in the morning rush. They were coinciding with the daily routine. But now the program timings make you to finish work before it commences. The seasonal changes and traditions are now marketed by the multinationals. Recently in the month of “karkkidakam” where people refreshes themselves with the traditional medicinal plant and extracts. I happened to hear my friend asking his mother about the instant medicinal kit that available in the market under the label karkkidakam special. Yes, everything comes under the label instant and ready to mix. Life is changing….

Even though I am laughing outside, the life in the city I enjoy, the original “me” inside is weeping. But for my generation these are enjoyable as some childhood memories. For the coming generations they are more likely to be a fairy tale, which they never experienced… may be the one they never regret about….

dasvidaniya

Yesterday I saw the movie “Dasvidaniya” – a hindi flick starring Vinay phatak- which deals with a man and his ten last wishes. After watching the movie I was curious to write down some wishes that I am having. After writing, I felt it will be funny to share with you people. So thought of posting it here...

1. To have a full day ride over Mumbai in BEST bus.

2. A ride on a BMW.

3. Own a Mac Book from APPLE (even if it’s a Mac Book Air, I don’t mind J )

4. Meet the Music Maestro A.R.Rahman (at least attend a live concert of him)

5. Visit all places in India with an SLR Cam and an iPod in the kit.

6. Have a hot cappuccino from CCD (Café Coffee Day) on a rainy evening.

7. Travel Mumbai – Kerala route on bike…

8. Chase the Monsoon as Alexander Frater did…

9. Post an article on this blog on every weekend. ( J ).

10. 10^th wish is quite secret, I don’t want to reveal it here…()

life goes on as it never ends....

it was 2 months back i added a post here. after that i was not able to make anew thread to write till now. i dont know what happend. either the lack of ideas or the busy schedules in office -which is consuming much of my day- is keeping me away from this page. to become standstill and back on the track it takes time. so i dont know when i can fill this page with a new post here. but i made some new posts in my photo blog in between. but that too in a hibernation stage now. nyways hoping for the best..... i will be back soon.....

Itz raining.....

Yes, monsoon season is back. After the hottest summer where mercury touching 40°C mark, where election heat waves clashed with the IPL 2 celebrations. It is a rebirth to all. But for me still the heat is on, the thesis and project presentation. But still rain directly falls over all this. Washing out all the tensions. Accompanying cool wind makes mind cool.

Each monsoon brings lot of memories to foreground. The childhood days when I used to play in muddy rainy water and getting fully drenched. The first day in school with my mom. When she left me in the class, tears broke out from my eyes. I started crying loudly, but in the sound of the rain outside, it drowned. The view of the big mountains that I enjoyed from the classroom window which eventually becomes invisible due to heavy wave of rains. While sitting in front seat of a bus, writing name on the front glass when it gets fully covered with water droplets. Making paper boats and sail them on the flowing water. Etc etc

When I grow up the love towards rain also grown. I loved to sit in the verandah with a cup of hot coffee in hand watching the falling rain, enjoying the music of it. When the water droplets fall on face, when the blowing wind pierce the body with it coldness, awesome experience… on night, falling in sleep by listening to the rain outside. In the middle of night waking up on the sound of thunderstorms. All added to the beauty of rain.

The rain I saw in Thodupuzha while my B.Tech days was too different. The stormy, violent rain that continuously pour for hours and hours without any break. This was entirely opposite to the calm ones I felt before. But still I enjoyed it. In hostels premises we used to play box cricket even in the rains. Riding bike in the rains was a different experience. The view of rain that we enjoyed from the balcony of second floor of our college building was awesome. The unforgettable sceneries captured by my eye and stored in mind.

Each rainy season is a new experience. In last monsoon season I was in Mumbai. Where rain is a nightmare for most of the mumbaikar. The never sleeping metro takes a break while monsoon. The monsoon and floods stops all modes of transportation and makes thousands homeless. Here another face of rain is seen. In Mumbai watching rain from a high vantage point like from the 5^th floor of the hostel gives another great visual. Taking a Mumbai darsan ride in a city bus by taking a window seat is also marvelous. The trekking trip to outskirts of Mumbai in rainy season adds extra enjoyable face of rain. Trekking in sahydris in rainy season is a must try if u r in Mumbai. On way back home, konkan route adds a lot to the beauty of rain.

It was in last year I got the book “chasing the monsoon”, actually It was a gift to me from my friend. An awesome travelogue that talks about different faces of rain in different regions. From the calm and quite rain of kerala to the breathtaking monsoon of kolkatha. From the violent monsoon of goa and Mumbai to the round the year pouring rain of mozintram and chirapunji. the book revelas the monsoon map of india that make you to chase the monsoon while it flies from regions to regions

Wherever it is, rain adds newer and newer levels of beauty. Each monsoon is entirely new. While I was writing this it was raining outside. The first rain of this season. I wish it would be a best monsoon season ever……

on hibernation..

on hibernaion... will be back soon ......

Tsunami......

We were the first batch of +2 system as the government detached pre-degree courses from colleges and added to schools in new name +2. So after 10^th we were still on schools. Two more years in school left with us prior to the college entry.

In engineering college, there was a new system waiting for me. The attendance system. In schools there is no chance of class bunks. But you can bunk classes in colleges on a condition that 75% attendance to be maintaned to register for the semester exams. So on getting new freedom, I started roaming in campus without attending classes. After 6 or 7 months of 1^st year classes, in February our physics professor asked me “are you new admission?? I haven’t seen you in this class before “. That was me. As everyone expected I got my first warning for attendance shortage on first year itself. Our teachers haven’t given much attention to the problem in first year and allowed all to write examz, a smooth escape for me. They might have thought that students will be regular by second year.

But people like me will never change. The same scenario (attendance shortage) happened with me in the third semester too. But by adding tour days and some technical event days as present, I managed to get 75% - the critical limit. A narrow escape in second time too. By fourth semester we applied our mathematical and statistical skills on attaining a pass mark in attendance. Only 30 students were there in our batch. So proxy’s are not at all possible. Above that the teachers know each and every person separately. So you have to be there in the class. On continuous observations I found that some lecturers have a habit of taking attendance before starting lecture and some after lectures. Those who take post lecture attendances I entered classes too late, means 20 or 30 minutes after commencing the lecture. For those who take pre lecture attendances I made an entry along with the lecturer itself. After 30 minutes as planned, someone from outside will call me out by saying some reasons to the lecturer. So whoever be lecturer, without loosing any attendance I bunked the classes.

But the system was getting tougher. Our principal found a new way to stop class bunks. Apart from each hour attendances taken by lecturers, another marking will be taken by the office staff. The office attendance will be counted for exams. Once in morning and evening sessions the peon will come to note the absentees. There is no specific time for him to come. If he comes in the first hour, I have an option to bunk the remaining two hours. If he hasn’t come till second hour it needs to wait till third hour so that I will get counted. So the new system was named as “Tsunami”- as it comes unannounced and gave catastrophic effects on us. A solution to this problem was terrifically needed. Thus from the calamity affected students a solution derived. We made settings with the “regular” students to pass message to the people outside about the arrival of tsunami. Thus for the first time in the history of “mobile communication”, mobile phones were used for tsunami alerts. Missed calls were sufficient for us to run towards our classrooms. The impact of tsunami alerts worked well. I continued bunking classes and haven’t got any problem of attendance shortage after third semester.

PS : last month one of the professors in our M.Tech department asked me.. “Why you are starting your works in first year itself?? You have one more year left naa”

Once in a life time offer…..

“ Hey, are you using passport for a domestic travel… that too in train?“. My fellow passenger asked me while my journey to Kerala in last November. Actually I booked my ticket through irctc – a website that offers railway ticket booking. It asked my identity proof details. I gave my passport, as thatz the only thing with me at that time. I need to keep the identity proof with me while the journey. This made my fellow passenger to make a comment like that. I replied him with a smile. Actually I was thinking of the passport that I am having. How it has reached me.

While I was in the last semester of B.Tech, The postal department conducted a “passport mela” in our college. Many of us decided to apply for one. But we were having some problem. As we were staying in the hostel, it needs our hostel address to be filled in the temporary address column. And our home address in the permanent address column, given in the second page. As going for our project works, we will not be available for police verification. if I give the hostel address, along with a verification in my home the police will come to my hostels too which was unacceptable for me at any cost. But the postal department is not ready to accept the form without our hostel address filled. So an end to the controversial thoughts running in my mind, I decided to fill the temporary address column.

Two weeks later I got a call from my college saying that I was asked to come to the police station with my certificates. Actually after two days I was leaving for my project to Delhi. So the time left with me is very less. I called my friends and asked whether they got any call or not. Even many of them too filled the temporary address column with their hostel address. But except one all others told me that they haven’t got any call. The one was my classmate. And many of them added that being our applications are sent via college identity, the police verification will be done only as namesake and that too merely verification of college records. So there is no chance of calling someone to a police station or something like that. That increased my heartbeats. What may be the reason for my special call to the station. I started rewinding the incidents that happened in the college days but found none which may develop to a police issue. So what may be the problem ???. At last I decided to go.

The very next day I went to the station. My friend was also with me. We took all our documents - starting from birth certificate - with us. That was the first time we were to a police station. By 10.30 in the morning, we reached there. Except two constables and one guard at the gate, the police station was empty. We headed to a constable and told him our full “curriculum vitae”. He asked us to wait till inspector comes. I was thinking that for a simple work of checking our certificates why an inspector is needed? Or apart from checking our certificates is there anything left?? Any red mark in our service book? A number of questions were flashing in my mind.

After half an hour the most awaited person came. We were totally frustrated. We don’t know whatz going to happen. He called us to his cabin and asked to show the certificates. My friend gave his certificates first. He took one big file from the cupboard, and started searching in it for the application. Finally he took one and placed on the table. It was my friend’s. He took the SSLC certificate, ration card and checked the permanent address written in them. They were different. Ration card was having old house address and SSLC and the application has the new home address. Inspector asked him to give a certificate from village office and submit to him as early as possible. Finally he turned to me and asked for my certificates. He again took the big file and searched for my application form. He returned with one and started checking that with my certificates. After some time he asked me to spell my name. I said “R – A – N – J – I – T –H “. He showed me the application that he is having. In the name column it was written “R – E – N – J – I – T – H “…Yes it was not mine… it was some one else’s. And it was having a problem with mismatch in date of birth in application and SSLC… Actually I was expecting a problem in the address column as like my friend’s. But as it is sent via college, they haven’t given importance to that temporary address column. Mine was already sent with the label “all clear”. Neither the person from police station nor the college clerk gave attention to the spelling on my name. Thus a wrong call came to my home. The simple mistake made by them made me frightened for more than 24 hrs and forced me to enter a police station.

PS: After one month I got my passport via post. Surprisingly it’s having my temporary address - college hostel address - written in the place of permanent address…..

a race against mumbai local...

It was in mids of 2006. After "successfully" completing B.Tech and lot of struggles, I managed to get a job in Mumbai, the city which is better known as city of hopes. My job was in a firm near bhayender, in the western suburban network which is known for its crowded trains round the clock.

Two of my classmates were also with me in the same firm. As like every fresh engineer’s, our job was also a boring one. 12 hr shift were consuming major part of our day to day life. We hate Monday mornings and loved Sundays. On a vibrant sunday one of us came with a plan of mumbai darsan. We were new to city and haven’t made a trip to it yet. So all welcomed the !dea and joined him. After visiting gate way of india, elephanta caves and marine drive we were returning to our flat in bhayender. In order to reduce the impact of crowd, we took a fast local to andheri from churchgate. Actually that was the first time we people traveling in a suburban local. As we boarded from the starting point it was easy to get in and to get a seat. Around 9PM we reached andheri station. The situation in platform was worst enough to terrify us. A big crowd was there in platform waiting for the train. And for added advantage, all arriving trains were fully packed. So novice people like us were having least chance of getting in. But we decided to give a try and found one less populated area in the far front end of the platform. We moved towards that and waited for a train to come.

Being it’s a peak time trains were running at an interval of 3 mins. Finally an end to waiting a fully packed vessel came. In an instance I found a moderately packed cabin to get in. I called my friends and run towards it. After getting in we found that it was first class compartment in which fare is 10 times that of the second class. And chances of finding a TTE are very high. Thinking of our empty pockets it would be too risky to stay there. We alighted from there and ran towards the second class tibba. For the worst reasons I ran towards the front end of the train and the rest two in the opposite direction. I thought that my friends will get in at any case and being my ticket was also with them, at any cost I should board the same train. As any mumbaikar I too fought against co passengers to get in. before I made an entry, the train started moving. I was having one hand jammed in the crowd inside the train. Apart from boarding the train, no option left with me. I ran along with the train to get in. but all my calculations went wrong. The train was achieving speed in a drastic manner, and the platform ahead me is about end. In that instance one fellow passenger gave me a helping hand and he just lifted me towards the train. I don’t know what exactly happened at that time. After a moment I realized that i am inside the train. People around me were looking at me as I am an alien. Many of them were scolding me in a rude language. It was simply a return back to life. I can’t even think what will happen if that man hasn’t helped me. But in the crowd I failed to find him. I would like to call it as god’s hand which saved me. After that incident, a number of times I traveled in Mumbai local, but even now I am afraid of boarding a crowded local…

PS: later I came to know that my friends were still in platform. They failed to get in and gave up the plan. Much later they came in a local starting from andheri…..

and me too in the world of blogging.......

"If u can stay calm while everyone else is going mad... 

u probably haven’t completely understood the situation” 

this was true up to an extent in my case too... 

because I was not having any !dea how one can start a blog of his own. 

Finally google helped me in finding a way to start one, 

and I too jumped in to the world of blogs.

 I don't know how I can survive here or even how to maintain this page filled... 

but hope it can be done....

and will be right back here soon with a new post ........