Trip to Kapshi Village

Last semester we went for a Village trip to place called Kapshi.

Kapshi is situated in the Satara district of Maharashtra. Due to some of sustainability projects accomplished there, its been rated as Model village of India.

The impression of being a role model and proximity to IIT Bombay were some of factors which influenced us to visit this village. By the way, a lot can be learned from any village across length and breath of country . We hired two buses from iitb and were all set for destination.

For way upstream journey, I grabbed a seat next to professor and of-course window seat :)

We were quite lucky to have an Alumni from IITb with us ~ a iitian, than a degree from MIT and job in silicon valley.

This was my 1st trip more south of India than Mumbai. Pune-Mumbai highway is really superb. I wonder how they constructed that long tunnels. We had breakfast at some place between pune-mumbai. After travelling for around 6 hours, we reached Kapshi by 1 in noon.

At first, villagers were looking as if some Aleins have landed from top. Marathi is the medium of tongue in villages and most of us were just slaves of English and our Hindi. Some villagers were comfortable with Hindi. As India is so diverse a place .. language barrier will always exit.

Village was clean. I had a different default feeling in my brain, but things were exactly opposite. I do realized that living in cities how much as we depended on villages. We .. Mumbaikars enjoys at the cost of these villages. How complex is life being in metros and how simple and sweat its there in villages.

We decided to have our lunch in the shades of an old big tree. To get more feel of place, we decided to grab a place near buffalo's rest place. Village was remote with not even any mobile network and urban luxuries. I was afraid if something went wrong, it may distrupt the entire Trip. Something did happened. We got over lunch spoiled. Nothing was more surprising than this. Anyway, I was unanswerable to many. All we had, was a first aid box if some one went ill. Else we can enjoy Emle and dozen other arbit fruits and seeds across the village. Emle ka buta, berika ped !

Vaibhav, one of villagers guided us at Kapshi. He told of stories that has flown the life of villages over years. Stories of flood ! Stories of drought ! Stories of pain ! Stories of joy !

Villagers are quite friendly people. I wonder still such a level of humanity exists. We learned how villagers constructed dams and other stuff without any government help. How they are taking a step ahead for becoming sustainable on there own.

Perhaps, I can't recall many of things right now. Being 180 degree away on this lovely planet, still the memories of kapshi flashes every now and than in my mind.

The village was also linked much with Art of Living !. Perhaps, I don't have very much faith on this foundation, neither I do have any harsh feelings too. I am bit unclear for the role of Art of Living in development of village. I don't wanna comment any more on it now.

It was quite sunny day. Hot Sun ! Empty stomach's ! .. Well how can I explain reactions?

Villagers arranged for our dinner. At last around 9 pm, the simple and sweat dishes which are used on everyday basis was served to us. At least for me, it was very different from normal stuff we have in hostels. Frankly, I even could not eat much. Well I am quite odd. Really, food was good and many enjoyed the same.

After we filled our stomach, the villagers organised a satsang programme. Most of us were damn tired. Satsang was a means of brings people together and connecting with villagers and their culture. To manage a big sleeping place of 100 was quite difficult. Every villager volunteered to arrange night stay of 2-3 students. This way the bond of love and affection was strengthened. I wonder how many mumbaikars will volunteer to help some poor villager if he wishes for a Mumbai Trip.

The sky was clear as near been in metro's. I was much out of energy and vomited. It was damn cold at night. To add some fun - there is a Apple Story behind the scene ! If some one want to know ..he/she can ping me

I don't wanna write that ... it was one of some stupid things I ever did in life .. perhaps there are a lot here in Canada too. Do you know how it feels like to eat a apple from a girl's stolen/misplaced bag !!

Next day !!!!!!

Breakfast and stories from village people. This time we went miles in the fields of India. We were told that Art of Living was responsible for prosperity of this village. Well, I see things in different lights. Anyway, I am not much social person. It was nice to see no signs of caste system. Perhaps 1-2 day trip is much less to know the inside stories. I am a straight forward person and is not satisfied with what seems fulfilling to most others.

Trip was Okay. But I wonder what finally the purpose behind was. We did nothing great in village. Perhaps we would have happily stayed in college for the weekend, enjoyed a couple of movies or circled Powai Lake. At Kapshi, we were just some burden on village people. It would have been quite difficult for an average villager to afford our dinner, breakfast and night accommodation. All we did in return was a lump-sum contribution of around ~ 10k. I wonder how much of that amount will actually result in changing life of an ordinary villager.

I don't feel this is only expected out of people publicly labeled "Best Brains of the country”. Hundred people put together can't do anything worth for a village in 2 days!

Well many questions pops up my mind.

May be there was no other choice. But what else better could have we done ... I don't have an answer... may be donated a computer for village or what around a washing machine or music player!

I would appreciate if someone can tell me what all I should do, if i am been to a village again. I can't go farming. Even if I start, I will only end up causing chaos in some fields. Learning Indian culture, lifestyle.. blah blah always counts.... but just these can't convenience me.

On our journey back, I discussed these unanswered questions to one of my friend. All I heard were low sounds. That friend perhaps even got conditioned to never visit a village again. That got reflected in final feedback. Writes "We saw a lot and learnt a lot. But I still don't understand what I am going to do with this knowledge. For most of us this was just a joy trip. It is not like we are even going to go back and help either Kapshi or any other village to develop further. I feel that instead of spending so much money in going so far away and then doing nothing, it would be better if we did something to help people in or near Mumbai. There are many slums within Mumbai. The money could be better spent by helping these people. Also,if we do have to go far away, then instead of taking so many students,it would be better to take a few and use the remaining money to make some solid contribution to the village."

I am out of words now.

There were many plus points for visit too.

Abhi ke liye itna hi .... will write more in tym to come !

June of 2010

Journey of Miles ... continues !

the maze of moments

You Gotta Be Here !

June1

· Evening with a Canadian family

· Played piano for 1st time in life! - But All I hear are low sounds

· Listened to experience of a Canadian Soldier who

had been to Afghanistan

June2

· Nothing much

June5

· Walked 16km in the shades of lynn Valley -

I walk to the horizon, And there I find another

June6

· Hiked Grouse Mountain - Highest point in Vancouver !

· How it feels through clouds !

June12

· Lukha Saturday

June13

· Went Jug Island. - The shells upon the warm sands

How I run to the other side of island !

June14

· Attended 19 presentations in 10hrs.
Well presentations were good but I couldn't keep myself awake.

June15

· Presentation Workshop

It was really good one

June16

· Industrial Tour to airG – a mobile social networking company

· Networking Workshop

June17

· Networking Reception

June18

· Visited EA Games {Electronic Arts}
What a Company!Even has space for employee’s dogs to roam about.Barber and football court too!

Slept in 1hr Presentation

· New Shoes - Most costly ever purchased!

June19

· This Weekend @ Whistler [ it’s situated 2 hours north of Vancouver ]

· Missed Bungee

· Missed Peak2Peak

June20

· @ Whistler

· Ziplining at 80km/hr - Longest Zip Trek in Canada

· Miles in the sky - Gondola Ride, a breathtaking, 4.4-kilometre journey.

Longest unsupported span, Highest of its kind above the valley floor, the longest continuous lift system on the globe

· Over the roads of NFS most wanted.

June22

· Slept for entire day

· Evening @ Punjabi Market

June26

· Triggered fire alarm of entire building at 5 am. :)

Do you know who it feels to wake up every one on a lazy Saturday morning?

· Miles towards Tofino [it's about 7 hrs from Vancouver ]

· Ferry Joy Ride - In motion on the ocean

· Miles on roads below sea level - I took the turn and turned to

· Camping near beach on a rainy night

· Barbecue

June27

@ Tofino

· Cox and Long Beach

· Pacific Ocean [ West coast of Canada, I guess you can't go more west in Canada than this ]

· Car Journey touching 200km/hr speed !

· Ferry Ride

· Back to Vancouver

June28

· Purchased iphone 3G 16GB! I wonder if I would ever purchase such a piece of technological marvel again.

June29

· Realized that will have to work hard.

June30

· Booked Tickets and Tickets

Hope that irctc.in will be peaceful one day

Amidst of all that some feeling haunts me every now and than.

How far you are from home ?

I go there I'll lose my way

Tofino - Miles near Pacific !

June 26 -27

Travelling during weekends has became a routinous job this summer. We were blessed with very good GSA's [Globalink Student Associates]. This time Deepansh and Harshul planned a trip to Tofino. Tofino is situated on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada.

As par schedule we were to left by 5 am and reach ferry station on cars rented. I waked by 4 am - probably the 1st in our group of students interning at UBC. I was expected normal things that morning. As usual I decided to get my bread ready over flying pan. But unfortunately, brought my unit of building to music on a weekend to as early as 5 am. Fire Alarm here are too sensitive and I am bit unsensitive, so smoke of my half an hour unattended bread on flame triggered fire alarm.

Anyways, after around 45 min drive in car we reached ferry station. Technology I must say is so awesome here. You can carry your entire car inside ferry. Ferry carried me to land I have never seen.

Although there are many memories associated with this trip ... but I will particularly like to mention a few now.

My friends still tease of saying"yeh ATM se keval Pepsi, Cok hi nikalta hai"

Also Harshul's nbd and rush at 200 km/hr to catch the last ferry. (That was such an addrenaline rush)

Hopefully I will complete this post sometime later..

Farthest from Home !

Journey of Miles !

Summers of 2010

Well Canadians call it summer, but it is no lesser than winter for an Indian.
Although I have not done much in these 4 weeks, but unknowingly have gathered some unforgettable experience in this life. I am here at Vancouver this Summer. If you wanna know more of this place, must watch the short clip below.

31 Days of May !

1. Zipped cloths, shoes, food items like never before. Well I ended up with luggage more than my weight.

2. Longest day of my life - 36 hours !
From Powai to CSIA through the roads of Mumbai
From CSIA to Frankfurt through the lands I have never been
From Frankfurt to Vancouver through the shades of Eyjafjallajökull

What a day to take to !

What a way !!

What a way to make it through !

What a day !!

3. Jetlag at St Andrews [my 1st place of residence in Canada]

4. 1st Day of Internship
- Professor was much smarter than his pic on website.
- Lunch with Lab people and Professor :) but Sushi Restaurant had only grass and other herbs to fill stomach of vegetarian people :(

5. Shifted to Marine Drive Residency [new accommodation in Canada]
- No Microwave
- Well, this place is no lesser than Marine Drive in Mumbai. Right out of window is Pacific. Somethings I can't even explain.
- Went Downtown for grocery.

6. Well, started cooking stuff.

7. Weekend Wait

Weekend 1
8. Its Saturday: Holiday
- Purchased a microwave.
- Went to Stanley Park, Walked for miles.

9. Sunday
- Went to Science World.
- Ultimate Wave Tahiti at Omnimax Theater.
- Free Strawberry at McDonald :)

10-14: Paper reading - Boring stuff.

11. Wreck Beach
- Illegal fire at beach :)

Weekend 2
15. Mitacs Workshop at Sandman Hotel
- Fruits and Fruits for Lunch and Breakfast.
- Waitress refused to even serve rice :( [Rice was even non-veg]

16. Mitacs Workshop
- Team Brooked UBC students record of making Turbine :) Childplay !
- Iron Man-2 at Scotia Bank Theater. Movie in a theater after years.

17. Mitacs Opening Ceremony
- Dinner at Sage Bistro !

18-21. Lyf goes on

22. Purchased 1 TB Hard drive :)

23. Sunday: Went no where
- cycled the campus on a bike

24. Victoria Day:
- Again chilled at home on a holiday

25-27. Did some stupid simulations in lab.

28. Microwave Fired: Yay ! I did something after long
- Grocery from Store around 2 hrs public transit and 20 min walk. Have seen no Canadian buy stuff like this. As I am Indian so, every penny matters.

Weekend 4:
29. Canoeing at Jericho Beach
- Sailed in an inlet of pacific.
- Rain and damn cold water.

30. Unlucky Sunday: Stanley Park Aquarium
- Missed 4-D show {main attraction of Aquarium} because of technical failure there.
- Missed UBC Bharat Meet at Spanish Bay because of information lag :(
- Felt Damn cold for first time in Canada although the climate was quite not that worst.

31. Its Today
- Music for New Television {got cable to make TV useful}

Tym flies as pendulum swings.

Duniya Kuch Toh Bolegi !

Way untitled

oh oh, o o o oh,
oh oh, o o o oh,
everyday i want to fly,
stay by my side,
everyday i want to dream,
stay by my side,
eeeevery morning i wish i could just play,
wish the mornings would just stay....
oh oh, o o o oh....
everyday i want to fly,
stay by my sid ...

Wants such a friend!

Finally to Sameer Hill

This is a short account of my visit to sameer hill....
my laziness kept me away from this awesome place since two years in IIT ....but finally because of a week's shut down due to swine flu syndrome in mumbai....we finally decided to spare a few hours for sameer hill.

Sameer Hill is the Hill on North west side of IIT Campus and it keeps IIT Bombay protected from the Leopards and other illegal elements to enter in to the campus. It is a picnic spot for us, if you wanna to be chiled just climb up to sameer hill, if you wanna see a beautifull sunrise just climb up Sameer Hill, you can see the Entire Campus, you can see Powai Lake, you can see the beauty of Vihar Lake, you can see the Mumbai Harbar, and if you have good eyes you can see Vashi Bridge and aeroplanes@airport and bandra worli sea link .....
"Zara hans ke, zara bach ke, ye hai mumbai meri jaan"

well i guess it would be quite boring ..browsing all pics ..so in order to reduce burden at your head i have created a movie ...it will take you through all in just 50 sec ...and if you are really interested plz feel free to ask for album link....
comments are welcomed .....

Although the time spent in IIT Bombay is only 2 years nw ....
But this little span of time was full of learning .... Full of pleasure ......Full of knowledge .....
Be it the Lectures .... full of questions of stupidity .... where the length of questions use to be much much longer than the answers
or the the funny lab work, the realtime experience of experiments ......

Cheers-
Gaurav