As we grow here and what we'll become...

The day I cooked up Bakartheory, I promised my substance that I'll blossom a post at least twice a week on it's tender stems. Time has passed and my substance questions me. For past two months, my blog had been marooned unscathed and there had been no more than 3 posts added to it, counting very generously, the fortnight before that. You know, I'll fool my self if I say I couldn't find time, but I'll still say that because I've become such a bustard sluggard, such bustard sluggard that can never find even a hint of spare time in the routine he lives. Living the IIT culture is like living very lavishly. Sometimes I feel bad, we live a life an average Indian can't even think of living but bills in enough taxes to make sure that crap like us get off well from this place to serve the nation. This issues touches onto something different and I'll write about this somewhere else in spacetime. Right now, I'll just like to focus on the IIT culture and how is it molding us, so much so that I can't even face my substance as after a long time, I breath yet again in blogosphere.

I can't put the entire blame on the life I'm living in my hostel, but stewing it with my personality and aspirations, to a large extent I can. First time I landed here, I never knew we were expected to have so much fun. I expected to do a lot of ghissing. That notion soon changed. I realized, that the best way a person can survive, or better say live life king size in IIT was, to allocate minimal time to academics and devote rest of the share to a world lot of activities, which will nurture his personality to the fullest. But yes, there was a minimum time to be dedicated to studies. Until you are in possession of a celebrated brain or you are a knucklehead, that minimum time in IIT means, attending enough lectures to save an attendance back, submitting all tutes and pracs on time ( or at least, not so late to land you in trouble), and learn enough stuff (and that won't take more than a day or two) so as to atleast sense what the question paper is about. Rest the system can take on it. You can gracefully expect something decent out of your results if you have managed that minimum quanta of time. As we say here, it takes a lot of effort to fail in IIT. But what if someone actually puts in all that effort and starts doing the things by too daring means.

I'm part of a group called Watch-Out, a group that brings about a student news magazine twice every semester. Being in the group, I have talked to a lot of seniors over various issues as we keep conducting surveys and interviews among students every time we bring out a mag. While talking to them you get to learn a lot about this place and some other things too. This can provides you with a lot of insight. But you see, It's not difficult to sense a level of frustration that has taken toll over them. I have seen this with lot of seniors, this thinking of theirs to get out of this place as soon as possible. They've had their share of fun here, but not everyone seems very cheerful with the life they live now. Of course, they radiate nth degrees of coolness which can't let anyone go uninspired. But they do admit themselves, that they've been disappointed in some way or the other. I'm not saying everyone is frustrated, but many are and amount of that vary over a large range. I had been chewing over this aspect for a long time and had been wondering how can this so colorful life let down anyone. Yes, I'm new and the life we have just subscribed to, seems very glamorous. But with time, everything change. I pondered over it long enough to realize that one day, we too may grow bored out of the life we live. And I see, entropy already increasing in the direction I think.

Last month had been a rugged road on the venture of time. Chaos finally taking charge of me as my life sinked in the ocean of turmoil. It was never earlier than 4 in the morning that I banished to the bed. And whenever that happened, you'll find myself with my peers in most inadequate postures. Naturally, I never piled out on time to attend the lectures. I must have missed over half of them. I got a few proxies, and rest were all marked absent. The other classes that I attended, I was found absconding seeking salvation in the shades of Alpahar and Khosla. My TS marks are nothing my parents could boast of and my academic life is on it's way of decimation. Leave the academic life apart, I never cared about it much. But a little problem with a nut and a screw can bring an entire bridge down. My oblivious self on the part of academics has affected every other work that I've doing. Once I know I can ignore academics, I know I can ignore any other stuff as well. I'm not playing squash anymore, neither I'm doing anything for Cogni, and nothing great for the cells I'm committed to. When I came here, education was never high on my list, but I intended to do a lot other activities. And when I see myself horsing around my own pursuits, It's all natural but to fret. And thats here that I can conclude.

We all expect things in life, and when we don't get them (including women, of course), we sulk and we erupt within. I have seen people here, who have been left disappointed in lot of ways. Academics has disappointed almost everyone here. There is a limit, at least in theory, to which anyone can engage in inventing and harnessing crap (Bakchodi). After that, everyone can feel the dormancy creeping into the talents they have. Some people come here with lots of expectations of the academic environment they will get, like my roomie. He is kind of really interested in Higher Physics and he's rare and lucky to get the branch of his choice. But the reality concealing this place is far away from anyone's anticipation. I'm happy to see him resorting to other interests, but many people who are dedicated downright to studies, are disappointed the most. First year can serve you well, with a new air and everything exciting and colorful, but as you grow here and find your best not being exploited, it's your gusto that channelize into dismay later.

What I want to settle with in this post is, that life in IIT is not the way people think it is, and I have realized it now. Personally, it may never disappoint me because academics was never in my 'I want to do good in this thing' list. IITs have lot to offer for those who seek for other activities. But from the point of view of academics, it hardly serves it's purpose. It's not a place for academic excellence. Maybe for excellence in field of entrepreneurship and management, but not for academic excellence. Academics is deprived of genuine interest. The frivolity is so much, that in most of the lectures everybody, every student sleep. It's an unchallenged tradition. Even I sleep along with everyone else, when I'm not supposed to sleep. But I still sleep, and in moments when I wake to change in positions, sometimes I think that we are being taught by the best in the country, some of the most prized men. And then we are sleeping not paying a damn to what the profs are muttering. Are we fooling ourselves or the system, or sometimes I think, maybe even this country. And then discerning the depth of thought I had penetrated into, I raise the eyebrows up, smiling over myself for the thoughts I just had, I decide better to submit again to slumber god. If that's the way things are supposed to happen, I'm no maverick to foster a new cognizance.

And yaa, our tech-fest is on it's way !! At least I can promise my substance to add a post to the count when those three glorious days come.

Coffee in the mountains...

This is the story of coffee in the mountains. It starts not so far away and not so long ago. In the shivering cold of the concluding year, the NCC camp left most of them hankering for adventure, and it was in those days that they decided for the expedition. They were six friends : Tanay, RV, Gigs, Jayant, Babe and Dang. They were back from their places after spending a much awaited break-out from the insti life and now the starvation for adventure was getting furious. Confused they were till the hindmost moment, but in the end, they all agreed to set out their foot for the mountains in the first light of the weekends. So that's how they started the new year. Early in the weekend morning, after a sip of tea, they sat down in a buggy that was supposed to escort them to Dehradun, a very prominent city in the Himalayan foothills. And it was there that the story of coffee begins.

But before going any further, you'll need to know this,...something about these fellows. Starting with RV, he is an awesome and cool isolated system who hates to share anything with anybody ( except for the possible exception of his would to be GF...as he confesses). His obsession for his N-93 is quiet very apparent, but what's not is, is his secret impulsion to search for a wi-fi in whatever building he enters. Tanay, is a very expressive person. Loads of stories and for all occasions are always ready with him, which are supplied by a very special newspaper delivered only to his house. He also enacts the stories, in an action replay sort of manner. Gigs and babe keep on fighting, most of the useful time, always contradicting each other when babe tries to prove Haddus are universally assholes. Babe would keep running from one end of the mussorie to other, finding the right angle to snap up the same mountains thousand times. He'll take all the slangs thrown at him by the group for this reason, with a teethful smile. On these occasions, Gigs would be having shopping nightmares or be very worried or would be searching a Vodka shop. And Dang, inspite of being in Musoorie, would keep talking about the heavens in Dalhousie and the beauty thats shrouding it. He'll sometimes find himself in very awkward positions in photos. He'll remain very suspicious if his friends are planning out for a meal in a South Indian Cafe. And in all this mesh of traits, jayant will try for a dose of Welcome (the pathetic movie) again. He'll never spare any oppurtunity for pulling a (or two) leg, and he is a pro at this. But there's another issue. He'll believe it's night if he's asked to belive it in noon. He believes in pretty much all the things that are told to him, so much so, even AJs. ( AJ AJ marke **** to hila ).

And now since you have an idea of the people you'll read about in this post, they begin their journey. After making it to Dehradun, all engaged themselves in useless bit of shopping , like Gigs bought a pair of Addidas shoes (ironically, original) which would be vomited on during the quite eventful retreat. After the shopping, they all hanged-out in Barrista. This was the time, the old memories drenched the gang. Those good old times, a cup of coffee with the friends, hot coffee, sometimes cold, and all that leisure and all that talks that went along with it. Wonderful times, once again were wandering right in present. After those blessed moments, they headed for the mountains.

It took them sometime to find a lodging, but eventually they settled for one among the decent lot. Ensuing the contentedness of finding an abode and after capturing some glorious posses on the micro-film, they again launched themselves on the roads of Mussorie. This time round, they ended up in a games parlour. They played games worth about 300 bucks, and telling you, that a lot of money for ten minutes of rapture. All the childhood swaying away in front of their eyes. Anyways, highly content, they took a dinner in Dominos, a very average meal, as Dang described. He frequently argued with babe and Gigs, convincing the superiority of Pizza hut over Dominos. The poor ambiance and service, which all agreed on, forced them to leave early and fall back once again in barista, for a hot fudge treat. And there, they enjoyed, sang songs, talked all the crap their minds could formulate, tried some strings on guitar and Played the truth-only version of truth and dare. Nice time, to sum it up. Coffee shops, were becoming their favorite hangouts. But the cold outside and the night overhead, was something they enjoyed too. A stroll back the hotel, lavished upon them the shining gold in the twilight. Yes, Dehradun with all it's street lights on, sparkled like shimmering gold, as they viewed the city from scenic spots of Mussorie. Babe, who was transfixed by the view, made a lot of desperate attempts to take the beauty down in his camera. He was spellbounded by the views, resolved to gape every moment at the gold spread. He was determined, but after quite some insistence from the gang, he toggled his plans for a night-out in artic balcony. They all made themselves cozy in the warm quilts to start-up with the Bakar, which lasted more than 2 hours, and I'm excluding Ice Age 2, the movie they all saw together for an hour or so. Like all the bakar sessions, this one started too with random insanity, but ended with all intellectual discussions. They talked about live-in relationships, university culture in IIT R, the future of the country, entrepreneurship. Whatever, they talked, they all enjoyed every moment of it.
This part of the trip, Dang gave it 10 out of 10.


The next day started with the ropeway junket, which led to the higher extension of the hill-station, where they saw mountains covered with snow. Dang convinced the gang, they'll find loads such in Dalhousie. They retired from the place on a 20 minutes walking journey, full of scenic beauty, and the descent allowed loads of oppurtunities for photography. Babe ran all the height up and then down to reclaim his forgotten bag. All settled, the group decided for some shopping, a decent meal ( Not south Indian, as Dang sighed ) and another Hang-out in CCD. Another cup of coffee, and an hour of relieved Bakar that they all engaged in. Soon, they packed up for the departure, bidding the final good-bye to the mountains they had such a nice time in. The retreat, though, was the bad part of the journey. There was Loads of vomiting and a Big Gigs crying, and Dang was not feeling perfectly healthy. Jayant was on the verge vomiting too ( Don't think of CHOCOLOATES !! ), but somehow the journey ended finally. The rest of whatever followed was quite uneventful.

One of the most talked about stories in the journey was an IIT in mountains. IIT Mussorie, for example, sounded a hell beautiful, and IIT Dehradun would be so cool, giving all that city-like feel. But the group wondered, if any other IIT, even a one in mountains, could be as good and as cool as IIT Roorkee. After all, this was the place where they all met, and where the gang was formed. This was the place where they all belonged and where they all were walking finaly, inspired, somewhat tired and a world lot excited, as their delightful trek drifted to finality.

If you like reading this post, you'll also like to read NCC Camp( fire)