Engineering.. काही आठवणी..

२००१ चा सप्टेम्बर महिना... पुण्यात माझ पहिलं पाऊल पडलं ते विश्रांतवाडीत, नाव फारच विचित्र वाटल, पण नंतर 'हड पसर', 'स्वारगेट' अशी नाव ऐकल्यावर हे नॉर्मल वाटल, असो!!... दादानी सांगितलेला पत्ता मी ऑटोवाल्याला दिला, पण त्यांनी मला एका भलत्याच सोसायटी च्या गेट वर सोडून धूम ठोकली.. मी ऑटोतून उतरलो तेव्हा 'दोन मोठ्या suitcase आणि भली मोठी गादी घेऊन' माझा अवतार फारच वाईट होता, आईनी सुद्धा एवढी मोठी गादी पाठवली, की जणू पुण्यात गाद्यांचा दुष्काळच आहे, सकाळचे जेमतेम 9 वाजले होते.. सोसायटीच्या गेटवरचा वॉचमन मला असा ताडत होता जसं सामान मी कुठून चोरूनचं आणलय... मी त्याला गादीमध्ये बॉम्ब नाही याची खात्री पटवून दिली आणि गादी गेटजवळ ठेवून दादाशोध सुरु केला... त्या काळी mobile हा प्रकार आमच्याकडे नसल्याने माझी बरीच वाट लागली , कुठेच दादाचा पत्ता लागत नसल्याने मी शेवटी धाडस करून, 'दार उघड' असलेल्या एका flat मध्ये शिरलो आणि त्यांना दादाला फोन लावून मागितला, त्यांचा रुपात मला देवच भेटला... पहिल्याच अनुभवातून पुणे काही सोपे नाही याची थोडी जाणीव झाली, पुढे भाड्याने flat घेतला आणि आमचा engineering कॉलेजचा पहिला दिवस उगवला, कॉलेज बाहेरून दिसायला छान होत, कारण अजून आतल्या राक्षसी प्रवृत्तींची मला कल्पना नव्हती, कॉलेज मध्ये सगळे इंग्रजी बोलत असल्याने मी जरा बिचकून होतो, सिनेमात 'फक्त' पाहिलेल्या इंग्रजी शिव्या इथे 'मुली' सर्रास देत होत्या... घाबरतचं मी आपली कोपर्यातली जागा पकडली आणि engineering नावाच्या ट्रेन मध्ये बसलो. नवीन ओळखी झाल्या, कळलं की दुरून दुरून मुलं शिकायला आलीत, तो हिंदी डायलॉग आठवला "मौत भी कीस कीस को कहा कहा से खीच के लाती हैं"... lectures, practicals, submissions, M1,Mechanics असे जीवघेणे शब्द कानी पडायला लागले. ह्या सगळ्यात आमचं बसायचं, झोपायचं, जेवायचं आणि नाईट मारायचं ठिकाण म्हणजे आमच प्रिय हॉस्टेल... माझ्या सारख्या हॉस्टेल वर पडिक असलेल्यांना parasite म्हणतात हेही नवीन कळलं, आमच्यासारख्यांची कुठलीही एक रूम नसते, सगळ हॉस्टेल आमचंच समजून कुठेही झोपायचो... lecture bunk करून दुपारी झोपणे संद्याकाळी उठून बन मस्का अन दूध, रात्री कोणाच्या तरी रूम वर मैफिल, पूर्ण हॉस्टेलला ऐकू येईल अशा आवाजात गाणे, आणि मग अभ्यास करत झोपी जाणे, सकाळी पुन्हा आंघोळ करायला स्वच्छ बाथरूम शोध... हॉस्टेलची आणखीन एक खासियत म्हणजे इथला डब्बा, त्या डब्याच्या वरणात रोज नवीन प्रकारच्या झाडांची पानं दिसायची, आमच्यातला एखादा जो महाग डबा बोलवायचा, त्याच्या डब्यातही सगळे जण 'फक्त taste करायला म्हणून' तोंड मारायची आणि ते पोर उपाशी राहायचं... आमचा प्रवास मस्त सुरु झाला होता, सगळेच तसे मित्र होते पण तरी कॉलेज मध्ये, local आणि हॉस्टेलाईट असे दोन नकळत group पडले होते, आणि त्यातल्या त्यात आमचा group म्हणजे professors च्या डोळ्यात सदा खटकणारा... आमचा एकदम झकास group झाला होता, तसं पूर्ण होस्टेलच ओळखायच पण तरी आमचा एक १५ जणांचा group खास होता... प्रत्येक क्लास मध्ये आमच्या पैकी कोणीच पहिल्या ३ बेंचेस वर नव्हत बसत, आमची engineering पूर्ण होई पर्यंत कोणत्याही professor नी आम्हाला ओळखू सुद्धा नये हीच इच्छा असायची, पण तरी आमचं सुख त्यांना कधीच बघवलं नाही. आमच्यातला प्रत्येक जण आपलं डोक engg subjects पेक्षा आपापल्या आवडीच्या क्षेत्रात वापरण्यात फार इच्छुक होतं. असाच माझा एक मित्र रवी, याला का कुणास ठाऊक पण इंग्लिश dictionary च वेड होत, ग्राफिक्स पासून electrical पर्यंत प्रत्येक lecture ला हा पठ्ठ्या लास्ट बेंच वर बसून vocab practice करायचा, एक दिवस विनाकारण याच्या जीवावर उठून ग्राफिक्स च्या lecture मध्ये त्याच्या वही मध्ये आमचे सर डोकावले आणि त्याची पूजा करायला त्याला समोर घेऊन गेले, पुढचे १५ मिनिट सरांनी त्याला तू या जगात येऊन किती मोठी चूक केली ते मराठीत मनसोक्त पटवून दिलं, इतक सगळ बोलून याच्या चेहर्यावरची रेघ सुद्धा बदलत नाही हे पाहिल्यावर ते आणखीन भडकले आणि त्याच्या जवळ जाऊन ओरडायला लागले, हे सगळ अंगावर येत आहे हे पाहून आमचा रवी हळूच म्हणाला, "सर i dont understand Marathi", पूर्ण क्लास पोट धरून पोटातच हसला... पोरांची डोकी सुद्धा अजब होती, कोणी हातात दिवसभर पुस्तकं घेऊन फिरायची पण result आला की "गम" मे हातात बाटली, तर कुणी पुस्तक हातात न घेता first क्लास घ्यायचे, आमच्या group मध्ये जवळपास सगळेच ४० च्या race मध्ये लागले असत, बास ४० मिळाले की देव पावला, ४१ आले तर first क्लास चा आनंद, आणि चुकून ५० च्या वर आले तर university top केल्यासारखे छाती ठोकून आम्ही फिरायचो. आमची branch जरी इलेक्ट्रोनिक्स असली तरी कोणालाही त्याच्या practical मध्ये उत्साह नसायचा, कुठल्या वायर मध्ये इतका current असेल आणि इतक voltage असेल म्हटलं की आमच्या तोंडावर बारा वाजायचे, एकदा आमच्यातल्या एकाला, सरांनी कुठलस circuit दिलं आणि म्हणाले क्लास ला explain कर, ते कारट म्हणतं, "सर पेहले तो याहासे बिजली बहेगी, फिर वो यु यु होके याहासे जायेगी"; आमच्या सरांनी डोक्याला हात मारला.. आमच्या हिरोनी current आणि voltage असा भेदभाव न करता, सरळसोट बिजली म्हटलं, आणि मग त्याच्यावर बिजली पडली. हॉस्टेल मध्ये संध्याकाळी मस्त वातावरण होऊन जायचं, थंड हवा, नुकतीच झोपेतून उठलेली पाखर रूम्स मधून बाहेर यायची, मग कोणी निवांत कट्ट्यावर बसून गप्पा करत, कोणी चहा प्यायला निघत, कोणी आपल्या डमबेल्स काढून व्यायाम करत, तर कोणी आमच्या श्याम्या सारख फोनला चिकटून तिच्याशी बोलण्यात अगदी रंगून जात, संध्याकाळ अजून एका गोष्टीची आठवण करून देते, ते म्हणजे सिनेमे, हॉस्टेल ला दर तीन महिन्यात एक तरी सिनेमामुळे वेड लागायचं, मग तो 'तेरे नाम' असो वा 'देवदास', RHTDM किंवा स्वदेस, देवदास नंतर तर जणू प्रत्येक गोष्ट चुन्निबाबूच्या भाषेत होत होती, द से दर्द, द से दुनिया, द से दोस्ती भी होती हैं रे आणि मग मोठ्ठा हशा... होस्टेल असो किंवा आमचा flat, परीक्षेच्या आधी सगळेच तहान भूक विसरून अभ्यास करायचे, रात्रीचे दिवस आणि दिवसाची रात्र व्हायची, मग ते exam आणि oral चे दिवस आणि मग यायचा नको असलेला result चा दिवस, आम्ही सगळे result च्या आदल्या दिवशी रात्रभर जगायचो, जणू उद्या मरण आहे अश्या भावनेनी, हव ते खायचं, हवा तो सिनेमा आणून बघायचा, ती रात्र म्हणजे जणू वादळापूर्वीची शांतता असायची, जसा जसा result चा तो वेळ किंवा काळ जवळ यायचा आम्ही एकमेकांना आधार देत "मेरा रंग दे बसंती चोला" गाण म्हणत result रूम कडे जायचो, आणि मग हळू हळू आमच्या त्या semister ची पापं उघड्यावर यायची. पण ते दुख किंवा सुख खूप वेळ टिकणार नसायचं, कारण तिथे कुणाला कधीही दुखी राहू न देणारे "मित्र" होते.. हळू हळू दिवस जात गेले engineering झेपायला लागल म्हणा किंवा पास व्हायची कला आम्हाला अवगत झाली म्हणा, पण हो हो नाही नाही म्हणता म्हणता आम्ही engineer झालो, खूप यातना झाल्या, बाकी universities सारख भरभरून percentage नाही आल, पण या काही वर्षांनी खुप काही दिलं, सगळ्यात महत्वाच म्हणजे चांगले मित्र, आणि कुठल्याही परिस्थितीत लढायची ताकत. कुठलीही गोष्ट आम्हाला आयती नाही मिळाली, इथे प्रत्येक गोष्ट आम्ही कमावलेली आहे आणि त्याचाच आम्हाला अभिमान आहे. ह्या सगळ्या आठवणी वाचून मनात हसणाऱ्या तुम्हा सगळ्यांसाठीचं होता हा लेख. विसर पाडू नये म्हणून माझ्या काही लिहून ठेवलेल्या आठवणी.. Engineering च्या.. . रोहण गावंडे

Mumbai with 'Me'

It was my one small trip to Mumbai, no time to wander around or have bhel at choupati, but still I tried to peep in every commuters mind and tried to read his Mumbai…

In my small expedition, I learnt that Mumbai is all about people, running but disciplined people, who have their schedules fixed from 5.30AM to 10.30PM, they have plan for everything, their enjoyments too. After studying their life, you really feel that, you are living much relaxed life, but I have not seen a single Mumbaikar complaining about that. We all have heard it at least once that “Mumbai fulfills everyone’s dream”, but we see after getting down on the station that, it makes everyone run a lot for their dreams.

The best and the most exiting peculiarity of Mumbai is its distinct Local train, which epitomizes the complete life cycle of Mumbai. Every neophyte landing to this ‘roller coaster’ city gets his first life time experience, when he is thrown out of the train on the wrong station. All credit goes to this local train for explicably teaching the ‘Live and Let Live culture’ of Mumbai, the loading and unloading of the local at station is the perfect example of it.

Mumbai has its mark in everything, from the ditto looking old buildings to the huge skyscrapers, from the local train commuter to the BMW owners; everyone has their own identity and they are happy with that. Although as a visitor you think, this city does not have time to notice you, spend some time here and you will come to know, it does welcome you. Mumbaikar’s are truly helping, you get this experience often when you ask for the address to somewhere, though I got a lot of new birds who innocently admit, “I am also new here”. One more good thing which I would explicitly mention is about the ‘autowallas’ of Mumbai, they never charged me more, taking advantage of me being new here, I often have altercation in Pune for this.

While coming back to Pune, looking out of the window of Shivneri, I was really feeling that there is still a lot to explore here, I am grateful to all, to the Police kaka showing me the way on Dadar station, to the friends for feeding me really nice food, to the locals for getting me to the destination with all the bones in place. It is really a dream city which shows you every color of life. See you soon.

Love you Mumbai…
Rohan…

WE 3

I always used to think, when I was in 12th class that Swapnil was the most intelligent among three of us, and indeed he was!!!

We were three different characters; but the best buddies, Swapnil, Rahul and I (Rohan). Each one of us was excellent in different arenas: Swapnil in Science, Rahul in maths and I used to be good in languages, though Swapnil’s English fluency was the reason; our parents gave lengthy and frequent sermons on ‘how to be …’ All three of us had our own unique criteria of evaluating girls and had a pact that we would not hit on each other’s choice, though Rahul was the one who never revealed his type. We had our own different world where sometimes we used be very serious and sometimes we used to give our exams on cricket ground or at Rahul’s place, having a delicious breakfast. I had always thought that Swapnil would get the best job and the most promising future as he was simply best, but destiny had something else in its mind.

After completing our schooling, we were ready to fly towards our dreams of becoming Engineers, a.k.a mission to hell and back. As expected, Swapnil had the highest marks among us and got admission in one of the reputed engineering colleges in Pune. As always, I was dragging myself and got admission in one of the numerous unknown colleges in Pune. Our third counterpart Rahul stayed back in hometown for his engineering. This was the first time we were not together and were missing all the golden days. The fun vaporized the moment we landed up in the new life– crazy schedules, weird teachers and insane people around! All were finding it difficult to be the part of new life; especially Swapnil and I were really feeling like we were in a wrong boat. Somehow we started off with our own endeavors, and with our own problems.

Suddenly In the beginning of the first year, when we had just started with our studies, I was taken aback by the news of Swapnil going back home and cancelling his admission in Pune. I was deeply worried for him and wanted to know the reason for his step. When Rahul and I went to Swapnil’s home, we were shocked after seeing his condition. He was suffering with a neurological problem in which he was losing control of his mind and body. He used to lose consciousness and wouldn’t remember anything when he regained consciousness.

When we met Swapnil, we tried to make him remember all the fun we used to have, all the parties he gave after coming first, all the cycle rides for the tuitions, the girls we used to hit on, but that could not change the single expression on his face. His condition used to paralyze our minds and make us helpless. Swapnil’s downfall started from here – he barely scrapped through engineering in Hometown. It is hard to comprehend the pain he would have felt when he was rejected in various interviews – a bright guy now struggling to make a living. To make matter worse, the intensity of his attack grew by leaps and bounds. This was the stage whereas his spirit was losing a battle against life. Meanwhile Rahul got a good opportunity and got shifted in US and I started working in an IT company in Pune. We both were in constant touch with Swapnil and used to motivate him. Whenever I met him Pune I found him depressed for the things those were out of his control. I had nothing but supporting shoulder and inspirational words for him, but that was too not enough sometimes.

One day mom called me in the morning and told with a shivering voice, Swapnil committed suicide; I broke down!

What I could not figure out was; what was his mistake? He deserved much better life; he was far more intelligent than both of us. Is this really what we call a Destiny, if it is, then who wrote this? All my questions still remain unanswered and I choke up each time I think of Swapnil. Today we 3 from the three different parts of the world, are still in contact through our hearts, and we still believe that Swapnil was, Swapnil is and Swapnil will be the best among us. We love you sopya..
Rohan..

“IT” that’s what they say it is...

Sitting on the comfortable chair in one of the gizmo edifice of an IT industry, where looking out of your cubicle, you can just see the useless (useful for clients) heads of the labors, spending day and night for their daily pizzas and burgers. Here most of the people (I know) think, “is this really what they want to do in life?”, but the next minute they get a ping from their manager or TL regarding the task update and then they try to recollect, “where am I?”.. This is a common story of all of us but still we are “surviving”, rather I should correct it to “growing”, how? This question possesses the same gravity as that of question on Indian economy, how is it growing? Well I am a very small particle to ask this mammoth question to the busy IT industry.

Getting in more details if you want to learn about the life of software professionals (read it; even if you are not interested); it’s as simple as a blank book in which there lays different codes for not working. Starting with the normal schedule, we get up very early in the morning i.e. 9 AM; because our tummy needs that much time to slowly digest the ‘Tandory Chicken’ and Soft (really) drinks of last night. Ohh I must not forget those few spoilsports (Like meJ) who think they can avoid this beautiful tummy by getting up early and doing some jogging and exercise. Ok so after the beautiful sleep we get up and go to the office, yes guys you are right I deliberately avoided saying, we have a bath and all, because that’s optional and depends on the circumstances. In office we do lot of gmailing, facebooking and tea drinking, apart from this we attend meetings, trainings. And yes we do the work too.

In the IT world you should always be able to elaborate the simple things complicatedly, if you can do that you really have a good future here. Here you will find people working day and night without looking at Saturday and Sundays and also the people who come to office at 11.30AM and are right there outside the premises waiting for the bus at 6PM. This is the one weird

Industry, where two people in the same position with same experience can differ drastically in salaries (very badJ).

But still it is fun to be here, to be part of long calls and important(J) meetings, savoring the never affordable food in client parties.. playing foosball and TT in every ‘two’ hour break after working for 1 hour.. enjoying the weekend in sleeping for three days (yes I have included Friday tooJ).. working hard outside the office in bench period.. banging head due to always changing requirements.. and never ending clients expectations..

So this was the small story of every(many of them!!) IT geek, who purchase a 2000 Rs provogue shirt because his girlfriend likes it and borrow 5000 from the friend before the month end.. and that’s how the life of IT professional goes on which ends up with one onsite opportunity one flat in Pune and life insurance.. so friends IT(Imaginarily Towering) that’s what they say it is.. J

Rohan..