Thanks to Viky. I realised that ToI was not always wrong. Here is an update:
There is a Refresh Bangalore project going on, where ToI is requesting readers to contribute their dream for Bangalore. The article above, also quoted by Viky and the ones Shastri wrote about, are a reflection of the author’s dream for Bangalore in 2025.
PS: Viky is also a Mysorean! Yay!
Quoting an article in the Times of India on 9th August 2006:
Vayu Express, the bullet train between Bengaluru and Mysooru, has been speeded up. This means that the travel time between these two cities will now be reduced by 5 minutes. This is a major step forward for India’s only bullet train.
Introduced last August at a speed of 300 kph, it enabled you to reach the
City of Palaces from the state capital in 28 minutes…
I never had a high opinion about this newspaper. This is yet another instance of the depth to which journalism at ToI has plummetted.
Thank God I live in Chennai and subscribe to The Hindu at home. Every now and then to assure myself that I am reading the best possible newspaper I pick up the newly-launched Deccan Chronicle. [Hyderabad's #1 English Daily Newspaper a few years back. Now I don't know]
What I also don’t know is whether to believe this or not. ToI on Mysore again:
It was the first city in the country to go Wi-Fi, now it is all set to be the first to put electric buses on its roads.
…Electric buses (also known as trolley-buses) are vehicles that are powered by electricity from two overhead wires. These buses draw power using two trolley poles (like the electric trains) and run on pneumatic tyres…
God save ToI!
The perfect friend.. Since 1988.
No that’s not the year when Sutejas was born. That was the year when we met. And we have been friends ever since.
18 years we have known each other. And I must say he’s the ideal friend, ideal son, ideal brother and ideal boyfriend. Am sure whichever girl accepts his proposal will also get the privilege of being with the ideal husband.
A mature guy with a stable head on his shoulders. His knees are moody though! Has a good circle of friends and is very dedicated to them. Will do anything for them.
Both of us share a common love towards our first love Mysore. He can read and understand the vedas and our ancient scriptures owing to his knowledge of out language sanskrit. A great believer in Hinduism and India. I share the same thoughts with him.
Has the guts to say “No” when he wants to. Peaceful and stable. Fun-loving and emotionally mature. I am proud to have a friend like him. His parents call me as their “mane huduga”. And I love them too!
Meeting the one who made us complete!
First day at college. A huge crowd had gathered in front of the notice board. The crowd was mostly us, first years! I don’t exactly remember if anyone looked particularly tense or what, but we were making one hell of a noise! It was already 9AM and the classes were supposed to start at 9AM. And I was atleast twenty people away from the notice board. Some bright idiot had placed the board on the floor in such a way that it rested on the wall and the floor. So, everyone was bending down to see the board. Studiously if I ever wanted to do anything; all I could do was an instant survey (technically called a snap poll!) of the various brands of college bags in Mysore!
When I went to the time-table I realised people were first supposed to find out into which section they were put into. And then according to your section you need to look at the next board for the time-table. I was told Engineering was hardwork. Now I understood why. We complicated the most simple of things just like that!
By the time I figured out my co-ordinates it was 9.45AM. I was supposed to go to some room no. 207 or something. The class that was going on was Engineering Mechanics by KCM (koLi Manja!). I had no idea which floor that damned room was in. The officials at the office were least bothered about me. Who else do I ask? Seniors? duh…!!
207 was the first room at the end of the staircase on the first floor. As soon as I arrived outside the classroom, I heard some heavily accented english and a few complex equations. As I approached the classroom I could see a group of people standing behind the classroom from the corner of my right eye. Sensing that they must also have lost the race in reading the time-table I approached them.
One guy with big eyes and big ears was beaming from one end of his prominent ear to the other. I casually walked up to him. And when I walk casually, the swagger can be worse than Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s!
This big eyes and ears guy asked me, “E Section aa?” [Do you beloong to the E Section?]
I said, “Hun, haudu. Neenu?” [Yeah. E section. What about you?]
He answered panning his hands across all the present people, “Hun. Naavellaru E Section ee!” [Yeah. All of us belong to "E" Section]
I tried putting on the mask of the sincere student and asked him, ” Horagade nintiddre enu use? Banni olagade bidakke permission kelana.” [What's the use of standing outside? Let's go and request to be permitted inside.]
The entire group was now looking at me with a what-an-extrasmart-guy question in their eyes! The grin which was ever-present turned into a guffaw! I knew I had asked the wrong question!
Pointing to a sweet-looking guy with a cute smile, big-eyes n ears said, “Avanu iddannalla? Avanu hoda olagade ‘excuse me’ anbittu. Sakkat aagi byiskondu banda horagade” [Do you see that guy? He went inside the class saying 'excuse me'. He got scolded (by the professor) and turned him out.]
I gave the cute-smile-guy a sheepish smile and shut myself up for the rest of the time I spent with that gang. But since shutting up was never easy, I carried on a harmless discussion about CET Ranks, branches, counseling, colleges, origin, localite and non-localite, etc etc with big-ears. I understood that the entire gang of guys had done their Pre-University course together and hence they knew each other very well.
At 10Am, KCM walked out. We walked in. I found Sam sitting alone on the third bench. I walked upto him straight and occupied the place next to him. Now, there was place enough for one more only. Yeah, we were and still are fat! I spoke to Sam and explained why I didn’t attend the class. Hey! Wait a minute! The first class of my engineering course and I had bunked!! Wow! I was so proud of myself! Sam was rather disconnected with my idea of pride! Ha! Never mind! Great brains were never understood during their time!
Just then walked in the last occupant of the bench. He was dark, wide (but not fat, and that was then, now he is fat!) and wore spectacles. Sam waved to him and gestured to come and grace us with his esteemed presence. [The effect of composing wedding invites!] K walked in with all his style with a bright smile on his face.
As soon as Sam said, “Hi”. I heard K’s reply “Hi!” and almost fainted! It was as if he was saying hi to someone zipping on a motorcycle with a walkman in his ears across the Manantody Road [The road overlooking the college]!! Man, was he loud?!
Sam said, “K meet adi. Ade nanna jagadalli KSS Hostel ge baro avanu idda nodu. Ivane avanu! ” [K meet Adi. He was the one who was supposed to come in my place to KSS Hostel] Oh! so they were hostelmates!
K shouted and at the same time extended his right hand, “Oh hauda. Nice meeting you ma. Enu ninna full hesaru?” [Oh, is it? Nice meeting you ma. What's your full name?]
I shook his hand and said, “Aditya. Aditya Nataraja” [I always say that in the 'Bond. James Bond' style!]
I repeated K’s full name which was Krishnaprasad and asked him if I could call him “KP”. He shouted in reply, but I understood that he had agreed!
KP and Sam were hostelmates during first year at the KSS Hostel. After which, KP separated out of the hostel and stayed with his uncle and aunt at Chikkahardanahalli 2nd stage, Sriramapura. [He always insisted on telling his full address to anyone who asked him, "Where do you stay?"] It is an area right behind the Ashokapuram Railway Station. KP used to have a cycle (Canon Barrel Blue colour) on which he would frequent me and Shastri wherever we stayed. Though he used to sweat profusely after the Tour De France kind of journeys, his inspiration never went down even for a while. As someone has said, “Success is 99% perspiration, 1% inspiration” [Or was it the other way round?!]
KP graduated from NIE (Mechanical Engineering) in 2001. He has been with the corporate world ever since. He has worked with companies like Festo & ESMA (Abu Dhabi). Presently works in Webex as a Sales Manager handling Bangalore region.
KP, Sam, Sha and I formed a relationship. If I call it “Friendship” it sounds too flimsy. But I realise that I cannot give this any name. And I believe that if you have a relationship that you cannot confine to the boundary of a name, then it’s a relationship of the highest order. And that’s what the four of us share. We are proud of what we have with us. And intend to keep it with us forever.
The four of us have given each other strength during trying times. We have given ourselves direction when we were lost. We gave each other a mouthful when we began flying too high. We can say “Very Good” and “Very Bad” with the same intensity and be sure that it will be received with the same intensity. Yeah sometimes we end up breaking our bones, but then if you got the point, then that’s it! Whatever we are today is because of what we were during those years from 1997 to 2001. We know it and live by it!
I was sitting in my hostel room and matching dreams with reality watching the beautiful network of cobwebs woven by the extra-active spiders on the roof. Then walked in NS. We started speaking on some topic, and both of us felt claustrophobic.
What else do you expect?
It was a 10′ x 13′ room with walls that were last painted when the Wodeyars were ruling Mysore. The walls, probably, were built much before that. It is said that Tipu Sultan supervised the construction! Four of us were supposed to live in that monument of a room. Till I came in, my roomie was the only one to have been staying there. And he was what we called, “Doctorate in Engineering”. It was his fifth year at engineering! Anyway, more about him later.
NS and I stepped out of the room into the corridor. The corridor of this monument overlooked the road to our college. Manantody road. The hostel was just off the road. Nobody would even notice the hostel unless someone they knew stayed in the hostel. From the outside it looked like a neglected Government project of lined up houses for the slum-dwellers. Not that it was a palace from inside, but still!!
NS said, “Ninge bere yaava hostel siglillva?” [Didn't you find any other hostel?]
I answered, “Sikktu. KSS hostel nalli sikkittu. But alli nange munche inda 6 jana iro room kottru. Nanu hogididdre 7th man aagtidde!” [Yeah, I was offered accommodation in a room where 6 people were already staying as the 7th man!]
NS said, “Sari bidu. Olledu aytu. Illige bandyalla” [Good in a way. You ended up here.]
I said, “Haudu” [Yeah]
NS asked, “Estu ittu ninna CET rank?” [What was your CET rank?]
I said, “2930, nindu?” [2930, what was yours?]
NS said, “1068″ [It was around that number! I don't remember properly!]
I exclaimed, “Enu?! NIE Mech enakke togonde?” [What?! And you landed up in NIE Mech?]
NS said, “Hun. Nange mech ee bekittu. NIE gintha na Mech bekaadre. E&C, CS ella madakke ista illa nange. Adanna elladru kalibahudu” [Yeah. I wanted Mech only. And NIE is the best in Mech. I didn't want to take up E&C and CS]
I said, “Nandu ade idea iddiddu. But NIE mech sikkidu punya ne anko” [Even I belong to the same school of thought. But getting NIE Mech was a matter of pure luck!]
NS said, “Illa. Hangenu illa kano. Ninna rank ge general aagi sigutte NIE Mech. Olle rank ee nindu. [Nothing like luck. You had a good rank. You got the seat you deserved]
I said, “Nanganthu counseling time nalli full tension. Bari onde seat ulidittu nanu togonda mele” [I was very tense during my counseling. After my chance, only one seat was left]
NS said, “Nanu togondaaga, ade second seat. Naanu first inda second seat togonde. Neenu last inda second seat togondidya! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” [I picked the second seat from the top and you picked the second seat from the bottom! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!]
I joined in the laughter.
By the time we ended laughing we had settled ourselves comfortably on the bench under the Neem tree within the hostel compound. The weather during November in Mysore is just amazing. The birds migrating from Ranganathittu to their winter capitals. The “V” shape that they formed against the backdrop of the clear blue sky gave me a metaphor to think about. V stood for victory and the sky for the amount of potential we had to achieve the victory. Also, at times it gave me the feeling that our playground is like the sky. Unbounded & limitless but you will encounter clouds as you come down on your value system if you are blinded by that “V” for Victory.
Mysore gave me unlimited metaphors to life with its easy-going nature. The town would be called sleepy by those who had lived in the so-called big (and hence considered as better) cities. If you were not materialistic in nature, then Mysore is a place you would have loved during those times!
On the bench, I couldn’t resist sharing these metaphors with NS. Instantly he agreed! He started sharing how much he loved Mysore. And I was agreeing to each and everything he had to say. It was like he would say something and I would build on it. And later, we would build on it. We enjoyed the conversation immensely.
It was like we were finding our wavelength. And it was being so easy. We felt like we were destined to meet each other this way at this time. Also, both of us were feeling homesick. It was the first time we were away from home. I remember both of us taking an oath that we would stay together throughout engineering. We had struck an emotional bond!
NS is what he signs at his office. Called “Harsha” by family and “Shastri” by friends. Narasimha Shastri and I went on to endure the hostel during the first year. Later on, we moved into a room at Kuvempunagar during the second year. And stayed as PGs at Jayanagar during our pre-final and final years.
Shastri graduated from NIE (Mechanical Engineering) in 2001. Got through Mico Bosch on campus and stayed with them till 2002. Secured an MS in CFD from NUS, Singapore and flew back to India. Has been working for GE JFWTC, Bangalore, as a scientist ever since. He insists on being called a technologist. Has his own blog too.
Shastri tied the knot this year in February to a very cute, sweet and strong-willed girl who goes by the name “Shrivalli”. Shrivalli is an M.Sc graduate from Karnataka University and was with I.I.Sc as a Research Associate. She also has a paper published to her credit while at I.I.Sc. A girl with a clear determination to do her Ph.D in Glass Transition, Shrivalli and Shastri are colleagues at GE JFWTC presently! And it was all arranged!
Same place. SJM Samudaya Bhavana. Second round of counseling. Counseling in this part of the country meant seat-selection. Second round meant that if there were any students who chose medical seats and dropped their engineering seats or vice-versa [very rare phenomenon – this vice-versa!] they get a chance to review their choice and pick a better seat if available.
We bump into S and his father again. S was more candid this time.
I said, “Hi”
S replied, “Hi”
I asked, “So elligadru shift maado idea idya ninge? Athava NIE Mech khushi na?” [Are you planning to shift anywhere else? Or are you happy with NIE-Mech?]
S answered, “Nammappa helta iddare E&C togo antha. BMS nalli ide. Aadre nange ista illa. Nanu Mysore ge barbeku antha iddini”[My father is asking me to take up E&C that is available in BMS. But I don’t want to. I want to come to Mysore only]
I asked, ”GMR quota nalli BMS E&C sikkta idya?!” [Is BMS E&C available under GMR quota?!]
S, “Hun ide” [Yeah]
S asked me, noticing my fixed look on the electronic display board, “Neenu enadru change goskara nodta idya?” [Are you looking to shift out?]
I answered, “NIE Mech nalli 5 seat mikkide. Inna 100 jana counseling aagbeku. Adenadru iddre nanu baro thanka, nanu adanne togoteeni. Illa andre JCE – IP ne saaku nange” [The board is showing that there are 5 seats left in NIE Mech. There are 100 people to go. If there is a seat remaining till my chance then I will shift in there. Otherwise, I am happy with whatever I have]
“So nanna jote ne barthiya?” [So, you will be joining me?]
“Nodana. Luck hengidyo gottillvalla!” [Let’s see. You never know when luck deserts you!]
As we finished the conversation, S moved towards the counseling table. And since we were 34 ranks away, I had no idea what happened to him. Whether he chose BMS E&C or stayed with his selection.
When it was my chance, there were exactly 3 seats left in NIE Mech. And surprisingly I ended up at the same smiling guy’s table!
I just shouted, “NIE Mech” on reaching the table lest anybody grabbed my seat!
He comforted me by saying, “Neevu seat togoLo tanka bere yaarigu access iralla sir. KutkoLi”. [Till you choose your seat, others cannot choose from the seat matrix sir. Please be seated.]
That’s when I realized my father was still standing!
So I cooled down. Did I really? I don’t think so. I didn’t believe that smiling guy. This time the smile wasn’t there. But it still haunted me!
“NIE Mech”, I repeated showing my receipt of fees paid for SJCE IP.
“Good choice Sir” he said looking at my father.
My father was also happy. One of our relatives was a lecturer in this college and several of our acquaintances had studied in this prestigious institution. This confirmation from the smiling guy only strengthened our belief in the choice that we had made.
The look on my face was of absolute relief! To be among the last ones in this race is really a pressure cooker situation. And somewhere while doing my homework for engineering colleges in Karnataka, I had told my aunt, “Nange yako anista ide that I will get into NIE, Mechanical antha”. [My sixth sense tells me that I will get into NIE Mechanical!] And that was a good six months before today!
Before we could get up and leave, the smiling guy said, ”Neevu first round nalli SJCE IP select maDidaagle ankonDe nimmge ee round nalli NIE Mech sigutte antha. Sikktu. Congrats sir!” [When you selected SJCE IP in the first round itself I guessed that you will get NIE Mech in the second round. Congratulations for getting it Sir!]
And that was the reason for his smile! “Thanks” we replied. And came to the foyer again.
S was there with his father. I approached them with a wide grin on my face. I had this victorious feeling that I had earned my seat in the General Merit Category!
I walked upto them and said, “Nange NIE Mech sikktu” [I got NIE Mech!]
S’s father, “Congratulations kanappa! Neenu ivanu ottige irabahudu hangaadre!” [Congratulations my son! You and my son can be together!]
I couldn’t resist the temptation of asking, “BMS E&C togollilva?” [Didn’t you pick BMS E&C?]
S, “Illa, Togollilla” [No, I didn’t take it.]
I asked without any sign of remorse in my voice, “Nijavagilu open aagi itta BMS E&C?” [Was BMS E&C really available?]
S, “Hun, ittu”
If you haven’t changed your option in the second round, you wouldn’t be loitering around in the foyer. So, what were they upto here? And as usual, I asked them the same.
“Illi enu madta idya hangaadre?” [Then what are you doing here?]
I had no sophistication about myself then. And never did I attempt to get better!
“Nanu general merit ge shift aagbitte. NIE Mech ee aadre” [I shifted from Rural quota to General merit keeping NIE Mech constant]
“Sari bidu. Olledu. NIE nalle sigana hangaadre. Bye” [Ok then. Let’s meet at NIE]
“Bye”
The next step in the procedure was that: You need to go to the concerned college, submit the receipt and get your seat confirmed. Also, if necessary make your booking for the college hostel in case you are a non-localite and needed accommodation.
My father and I went to Mysore by bus. Though we preferred a train journey, we didn’t want to risk missing the working hours of NIE. We wanted to finish the formalities and return the next day to Hyderabad.
We are at NIE Mysore. And guess whom we meet there? Yes! Brilliant answer! S and his father again! This time S and I took the lead in completing the formalities. As it involved just going to the office and submitting our documents and saying “Hi” “Hello” to them and coming. Also, additionally by then S & I had realized that we needed accommodation. So, we had to approach the Manager of the Hostel too.
By then S had told me that he was a very influential person. He knew the secretary of NIE Management committee who was in fact in-charge of assigning hostel accommodation. The clerk at the office told us that we needed to talk to the secretary itself. And also added a footnote of information saying, “As far as I know, hostel accommodation is not available”. And that’s when S told me about his high-level contacts.
We came out of the office and by then our fathers were having a conversation. My father was telling S’s father, “Sankethi hostel antha yavdo idyalla, alli try madtivi. Nodana sigutta antha.” [There is a hostel called Sankethi hostel, we’ll try our luck there]
S’s father, “Sari sir hangaadre. Bandillvanthe secretary sahibru. Avaranna bheTi aagi horadteevi” [Okay Sir. The secretary has not yet come. We will meet him and then make our move] and he continued, “Aditya, all the best mari. Namma hudugannu nodko chennagi. Ibbaru ottige iri. Guide maadappa namma huduganna swalpa” [Aditya, all the best to you son. Take care of my son also. Both of you be together. Please guide my son also]
I answered, “Uncle, naanenu guide madodu. Nange enu gottilla. Ibbaru ottige anthu irthivi uncle. Hogbittu barteevi. Bye S” [Uncle, What do I know to guide him? But we shall be together for sure. We will take your leave. Bye S.]
S answered, “Bye”, with a smile on his face.
The fathers shook hands and the sons exchanged smiles bidding farewell to each other.
Little did we know that this farewell was going to be the beginning of a friendship that would blossom into one of the best ever relationships. S (Sameer alias Sam) and I stayed (almost!) & studied together at Mysore. As if to prove uncle (Sam’s father) right, we stayed together during engineering and even much after.
Sam graduated from NIE (Mechanical Engineering) in 2001. Worked with I.I.Sc. for two years as a research associate. Topped in GATE 2003 (Vulgar percentile he got: 99 point something! I almost disowned him after his results!). He is presently pursuing M.Tech in Aerospace structures from IIT Bombay.
Having secured a rank of 2930, I was well poised for a seat in NIE. I could choose from Mech/ EEE/ IP or Civil. My dodappa [father’s elder brother!] had told me that EEE involved lot of head-breaking studies and that Civil was not a branch with great opportunities. The infrastructure boom was not even on the horizon then. So that only left Mech and IP as the two branches for me to pick from. But there was one problem – you won’t be able to get into Software Industry from these branches. Of course, the boom went on to surprise us!
It was the first round of counseling. My father had come with me. We were sitting on seats which were in a 2 + 2 fashion like in a hitech bus. One student and his escort on each pair of seats. It was my father & me on one pair and next to me was S’s father & S on the adjacent pair of seats. This was the arrangement:
S’s father: “Enappa ninna hesaru?” [What’s your name?]
Me: “Aditya, Sir”
(S’s position: Looking away from the conversation)
S’s father: “Localite aa neenu?” [Are you a localite of Karnataka?]
Me: “Hun Sir” [Yes Sir]
(S’s position: Looking away from the conversation)
My father and I talk to each other in telugu. Hence the question. But since I was talking to so many other people around in Kannada, he started the conversation with me in Kannada. And I love Kannada!
S’s father: “Elli college odiddu?” [Which college did you study in?]
Me: “Hyderabad nalli”
(S’s position: Looking away from the conversation)
S’s father: “Hyderabad nalli odiddre localite henge aagtiya?” [How can you be a localite if you did your college in Hyderabad?]
Me: “Nanu seven years Karnataka nalli odiddini. Plus ondu public exam kooda bardiddini. 4th to 10th standard. Hangaagi nanu localite! [I have studied in Karnataka for seven years and also written a public exam. So, as per rules am a localite of Karnataka]
(S’s position: Looking away from the conversation)
S’s father: “Estu ninna rank?” [What is your rank?]
Me: “2930”
(S’s position: Looking at me with great interest and anxiety as if I was going to tell a secret that would expose his position! After my answer, he was back to his ‘looking away’ position.)
S’s father: “Enu togolona antha idya?” [What are you planning to choose?]
Me: “Branch yavdadru parvagilla, Mysore beku aste nange!” [Whatever the branch be, I want to go to Mysore!]
(S’s position: Looking away from the conversation)
S’s father: “Adeno CS togondre, E&C togondre ella bright future ide antharallappa?! [They say that if you choose CS or E&C branches you will have a bright future, is it true?]
Me: Adella gottilla nange. Yaava branch togondru opportunities naave create madkobeku allva?! So yaava branch togondre enu heli?! [I cannot comment on that. Whichever branch you choose you need to create opportunities. So, how does it make a difference which branch you choose?]
(S’s position: Looking away from the conversation)
S was actually looking at the Electronic board displaying the rank numbers being called for counseling. It had reached 2890. His rank was 2896. So he was tense. They went off after sometime, and I turned my attention back to the big electronic display board.
The person with 2929 rank was choosing a seat. The seat availability board read:
GMU quota (GMU: General Merit Urban)
NIE, Mysore
Mech – 00
EEE – 04
IP – 23
Civil – 27
Then we walked upto the foyer (fees-paying counter in fact) of the CET cell. I was happy that I had got my Mysore seat. My father had no problems since I had what I wanted. But that smile was haunting me. What did he mean? Why was that smile necessary?
Near the foyer we bumped into S and his father again. I asked him what he had picked.
He said, “NIE – Mechanical”
I said, “Congratulations!”
I started thinking. As long as I remembered there was no seat available in GMU quota. So immediately without any hesitation, I asked him how it was possible?
And just turned (as rudely as possible) and walked away from the scene. I hated reservations right from the beginning of my education.
(I used to always wonder why I should pay Rs.450/- as fees where some other people could get away by paying only Re. 1! I had a friend during my schooldays. He belonged to the SC/ST category. He was also the son of the District Commissioner of Mysore. He could bloody well pay the entire fees. But he would pay only Re. 1/-. With due regards to his father, I think he could have risen to that level by making use of the benefits arising out of the reservation policy itself. Which very well means that the policy has achieved its objective and can be withdrawn henceforth. But then what are we mulling today? 49.5% reservation in IITs and IIMs?Reservation for SC/ST in private sector?! I support Lok Paritran!)
1997-2001 was the period when this hostel was our hang-out. Mornings would dawn at 10AM because the mess would close for breakfast by then! Then if college forced something important enough into our time-table then we would vaguely stroll in there and be back by lunch time so that our afternoon siesta didn’t get affected.Then started the actual day with a long two to three hour session of cricket. Technical, non-technical, sankethi, non-sankethi, etc what not! We had our own political boundaries! And lived religiously played fanatically by them! Then after the cricket and the sledging and a wash, the TT table would be the next place to attack!
After the sports-time would be a walk down to Anusha Bakery in pursuit of our indigenously designed snacks. Bun-Samosa by Sammu was a stunning recipe I tell you! Though largely inspired by Vada-pav, this item had its own fan following! Recommended combination: Bun-Samosa with Limejuice.
Generally, there would be some evening outing on the agenda. If nothing, then definitely a walk till Ballal circle for the sumptuous chat items on the roadside! Well, we didn’t have as many bikes as there might be now! The walk in the serene roads of Jayanagar and Krishnamurthypuram is worth a million dollars. I am sure all of you in Bangalore will give me an unconditional vote on this topic! Trees on both sides of the road, topics varying from philosophy to pornography and sports to spirituality and technical to take-anything, we grew from graduates to professionals ready to take on the corporate world.
Dinner at the mess. We always had a sad word for the “Bhatru”. But still had nowhere to go! After dinner started the movie shows. Each computer worth its salt would run a movie and depending on your ability to stay up throughout the night, you could watch as many as you wanted. But the movie shows wouldn’t begin before the customary visit to “Corner” for the night-coffee! Anyways before you knew you would be asleep in some room or the other watching some movie or the other. So, the first thing that you do in the morning at the hostel is: Get-up and go to your room!
On April 23rd 2006, Sunday, at Ramee Guestline Hotel, Bangalore, those days were relived. 2001, 2003, 2004 & 2005 were the batches represented. 2001 batch won the High Enthusiasm Award by turning up in large numbers. As anyone would expect, the day went of in sports, food and sports!
On April 23rd 2006, Sunday, at , Bangalore, those days were relived. 2001, 2003, 2004 & 2005 were the batches represented. 2001 batch won the by turning up in large numbers. As anyone would expect, the day went of in sports, food and sports!Shastri, KP and I accorded Narendra’s red-colour well-formatted mail more seriousness than it deserved. We added the usual KSS Hostel FoS of 1hr to every timeline mentioned and arrived in front of the resort at 11AM. Here are a few excerpts of the conversation we had with the organizers.
At 10.00AM (We were at Koramangala)
Adi: Hello
Nari: Hello
Adi: Ello idya?
Nari: Lo Sheshadripuram serakke innondu 5 mins agatte. Vishnu manege hogta iddivi.
At 11.00AM (Outside the resort)
Adi: Hello
Vishnu’s phone (His sister/mother I guess): Hello
Adi: Vishnu iddana?
V: Snana madta iddane (!!)
Adi: Idu resort bagge confirmation bekittu
V: Neevu Narendra na? Vishnu helidda Narendra phone madtane antha. Adakke phone ettakke helidda.
[Please note: It’s 1 hr since my conversation with Nari, and he hasn’t reached Vishnu’s house which was apparently 5 mins away. Yarappa Manager ivaga?!]
Adi: Illa nanna hesaru Aditya antha. Vishnu snana aadmele phone madakke heli.
V: Sari helthini.
Adi: Thanks.
V: Ok. Bye.
Adi: Bye.
Finally Lodde and his little cousin Amit arrived. Amit studying in his 9th standard resembled Lodde a bit. So, we thought Lodde has got his najayaaz aulaad along!
Energized by the fact that somebody finally came, we went into the tennis court and started with the first sport for the day: Tennis. KP developed special styles of serves where in you hit the ball out of the resort by imitating Roger Federer. Federer would have been amazed by the shots Lodde was playing. Lodde was hitting the ball into the stands directly. You know like the ones they play after winning the match?! I was the only one serving properly!
As we progressed into the game, we were joined by Siddartha (2005), Sireesha (2005), Ananda (2005), Ashwatha (2001), Ravishankar (2004), Vishnudatta (2001) & Narendra (2003). Tennis was getting very western for us. One ball, two rackets was not enough for all of us.
While people strolled onto the life-size chess board, Ashwatha used his intelligence and got stumps, bat and ball for a game of KSS’s favourite sport: Cricket.
We settled into two teams of 6 each and started a 10-over 2-innings test match. Lodde and I captaining the two sides. Lodde won the toss and elected to bat. His decision was supported by some good display by his team. At the end of the 8th over they were 39-4.
Ragundandan and Ramaprasad (2001) came in at this time. So, as is the hostel’s custom – none should miss a game – Raghu joined the batting team and Rama joined us strengthening the bowling. Finally Lodde’s team ended the innings at 42 of the allotted 10 overs. (Special mention must be made of Raghu here. As he came into bat, he asked for an explanation of the rules. A detailed speech was given to him by both: his side players and the opposition side. This held up play for approximately 5 mins in the hot sun at 12.30PM. The very next ball Raghu launched it into an area which was designated as “OUT” area. But he managed to stand his ground and said “Trials kanrappa”!)
My team fell like ninepins with me scoring a royal duck. We managed to get to double figures because of a couple of welcome boundaries by Siddartha. We folded up at 17. Lodde’s team had the option of enforcing a follow-on. But they didn’t. After a hectic session of fielding they went back to bat. We restricted them to a paltry 21 runs with some ferocious bowling by KP and team.
Set a target of 46 runs, it was a foregone conclusion that unless we produced a miracle we were never in contention for the title. Our openers – Ashwatha and Rama set a superb platform by scoring 12-1 off 2 overs. A mini collapse meant that we reached 19-3 (3 overs) with Siddartha and I batting. We held fort with some sensible batting. And steadied the boat to an extent.
We came to a stage where we needed 10 runs off 4 overs. It was 2 runs required off 2 overs. Vishnudatta came on to bowl. He bowled a slow full toss which Siddartha did a “Well-left” only to find the ball land on his leg stump from around his legs! We had only one wicket in hand, 2 runs to go and ten balls to go. KP was not in the best of forms. Psychologically he had attained the “Navella uncle galu aagbittiddivamma state”. So he was like the Mohd. Kaif of our side. Retained so that he can hit form at the right time!
KP takes strike. Vishnu with the ball. Instantly the memories of our cricket tournament at the hostel came running back to me. Anyways, concentration was the key to winning this title. So, back to Resort grounds. Vishnu bowls one down the leg side to reduce the burden on KP’s woeful form! The next ball KP plays it down the leg side and that was it we had won! Yay!
It was 1.45PM and all of us were damn hungry. So, immediately made a dash to the Dining room. During the course of the lunch it was announced that Vishnu was getting married in November and Mine was in June! Raghunandan announced referral bonus to anyone who referred an Iyengari girl to him. (Overheard: Bonus is subject to the girl staying with him for more than 6 months!)
We also saw famous playback singers Srinivas, Sujatha and Karthik. They were having dinner with us in the same resort. But we were more interested in the starters, rumali rotis and the chat items! After quite an elaborate lunch, we were all ready for the next course. That was Swimming pool for some, Badminton for some and TT for the rest.
After a really exhausting day but nevertheless exciting and exhilarating, Shastri, KP and I had to leave as I had a bus to catch the same day back to Hyderabad. So, at 4.00PM reluctantly as ever we pulled our exhausted limbs to the parking lot but not before exchanging our contact numbers.
Throughout the drive back home, it was the same feeling as having played an evening of cricket at KSS Hostel Jayanagar and going to Anand Bakery. I sincerely hope that such meets are conducted often. Kudos to Narendra for having thought of this. Heartfelt thanks to Vishnu for getting the right resort at the right price. Really wonderful time I had and am sure everyone vouches for it! And thanks to all those 15 people who made it! Next time, let’s make it bigger and better! Jai Hind!
Photos taken by Narendra and Shastri (On Narendra’s Nikon D70) have been uploaded on flickr. You can click on the “badge” hosted on the right side of this blog below “My Profile” to take you through a visual tour of the event described in words above! Thanks Nari!
An article from ToI quotes Mysore going completely wi-fi:
This ‘dream’ became a reality due to three entrepreneurs.The story goes that three men — Shankar Prasad, Srikanth V Rao and G Saravanan — having worked for some of the most well-known software companies, decided to help Mysoreans connect better. They started a company called WiFiyNet with their own investment.
The initiative was clickstarted in August 2004 by putting up the first access point (also known as hot spot) in Jayalakshmipuram, an upmarket area in Mysore.
Today, the city has three access points. And with this 2.4 GHz (frequency of transmission) Wi-Fi connectivity, Mysore became a true hot spot.
“By paying Rs 750 a month, irrespective of the kind of data download, internet is available round the clock. Currently, we provide 128-kbps speeds. Our technology is 54-mbps-enabled; hence, we can even take it to the extent of providing IP television,” says Prasad.
This is Mysore for you. There was a t-shirt that was made by one of the hostels in Mysore which had the caption, “We handle both tradition and technology” with the picture of a brahmin holding a computer with one hand and a mangalaarthi plate in the other! I thought this fitted perfectly to Mysore as a whole.
Mysore, considered to be sleepy, has taken a giant step towards technology. There are very few cities even in the developed country – USA which are connected wirelessly. It reminds many people of the way Bangalore looked 20 years back. I just hope it doesn’t become another Bangalore!
We need to thank people like: Shankar, Srikanth and Saravanan who have made this possible. This is the way individuals can make a difference to the country. Thanks to you from a Mysorean!
Tomorrow: Blogging daily