Monday, 19 November 2007

ILP 21st Oct - Part 3

TCS ILP

From August end till October beginning I was enjoying at home with all the pleasures and roaming here and there. During that period I went to Mumbai for my medicals and got the offer letter. My joining date came as 21st October and my ILP centre is Trivandrum which is to the deep south of India. Also I got sad that I will not be staying at the TCS hostel and they have given us a Hotel but in the end I thank God I was not in Hostel as we enjoyed very much in the hotel. Well I started my journey to Trivandrum on 18th night and I am supposed to reach there by 20th afternoon, a forty two hour journey. I was accompanied by my college friend and because of that long journey, we booked the tickets in AC three tier and it was a good decision as when we reached Trivandrum, we were not very much tired by the journey. It was the 6th day of my Ramadan month and I had to miss my 2 days of fasting because of the journey. The journey was okay and when we enter Kerala, it was heaven and there I came to know that why it is called so. Everywhere I can see water and coconut trees and it looked awesome. I haven’t seen such vast natural beauty in my life and I was just stuck on the window to enjoy each and every sight around us. We reached Trivandrum on 20th by 7 PM as normal the train was late by 3-4 hours. At the station we asked about our hotel ‘Lal Tourist Home’ and one porter told me that it’s nearby and he will take us to the hotel. We both agreed as we don’t have to try our mind to search on our own and also it was evening and we were feeling hungry. It was really close, just a 5 minutes walk from the station and when we came I went in to reception and gave my identity. The person gave me the room keys and it was 302. My friend got the accommodation in hostel but it was too late for him to go so I told him to stay the night and leave tomorrow. When I climbed the stairs I can already see many new faces with a different looks, but I kept quite and got in my room. When I entered I came to know the condition of the hotel. I remember the first person I talked with in the hotel was Chandan staying opposite to my room. He was from Kolkata and there was not much difficulty in identifying because of his accent. Me and my friend got fresh and went downstairs to look for a hotel to eat something. It was already 10 and I need to prepare for tomorrow to keep all the documents and prepare for my fasting. Finally the day 21st October arrived and it’s a completely new world where we can call ourselves as IT professionals working for the Asia’s number one company. It was proud feeling to be associated with Tata’s and to all my relatives I told about my company they just knew Tata's and that was a great feeling. It was just like college with classes going on and attendance all the time and the two best thing I remember the first day was the TCS and Tata’s video and a small activity that our batch did to represent our name. We called ourselves as Phoenix - The Conquers. I was much tensed the first day as I forgot to get the photocopies of the documents that is required and to my next was sitting Arjun, very handsome and smart with a nice accent. We had handshake and a small talk and to his right sitting his room partner Vicki, tall and very intelligent by his looks and actually he was. Forgot to tell you, we got cab in the morning to pick up from hotel to the training centre. It was journey of 20 minutes which we all enjoyed during the course of our time.
The first day went okay and I was still a bit reluctant to talk with people as I first try to see and analyze a person and then if I can see any similarity with my attitude I go ahead with that. I am a good listener and try to differentiate people by listening to them rather than poking myself onto anything. By the end of the first week I am used to many people especially with Chandan and Arjun. On Saturday night most of us gathered to the common TV room and we talked on general things and about everyone in brief. Also some sang songs and jokes and that was the first time I sang any song infront of crowd. I am not a good singer but whenever I get a chance I first sing ‘purani jeans aur guitar…’ song as I like that very much. I need to mention some people that had an influence on me and whenever I will discuss my ILP those names has to come, but that I will put during the course of my story. The first character I would like to mention is my room mate ‘Chachu’. We call him by that name and he was the best topic for us to discuss at all times. When he came, he looked very simple, a bit intelligent compared to me and arguable. By the time we left to our destination his whole personality got transformed and all credit goes to one of our batch mate Sid. He was good but very pakau type person which argues on everything and that’s the thing I don’t like in any person. Because of him I had never been in my room. I just sleep in my room and after coming from office I used to be there in someone’s room or TV room and chat about the day’s event. Well much to tell about him, but I need to cover some more and important people.
The first trip that we went together as a batch was to Kovalam beach. It was truly the cleanest beach I have ever seen. Actually before that I haven’t seen any beach. It was really an awesome sight and we all enjoyed in water for hours. During that time I already had a good exchange of words with few that later became by very dear friends. After that we had dinner in the nearby hotel that was perfectly organized like a beach side hotel with lobsters and prawns on grill and a nice aroma around. The next week we planned to visit Allappey. It’s famous for its backwaters and we had a steamer ride with our entire batch and we played antakshiri. By the time we had formed our group that consists of Arjun, Neelam, Trupti, Sonal, Nitin and Kriti. From there we went to a place called ponmudi to see the waterfall. It was a nice 2-3 km tracking and I love to enjoy adventure like this. Then on the return I guess we went to another beach called Varkala. It was not as nice as Kovalam, but it was dangerous and steep as compared to Kovalam. We don’t have a good memory of Varkala beach as two of our friends Rahul and Sunil got in trouble. When we went to the beach, Rahul just went in like a superman and he didn’t realize that he went far ahead of the shore and also he didn’t know swimming. There Sunil saw him struggling to keep in water and he went in to save him. Sunil is a short guy and slim built and he was unable to drag Rahul but also unable to maintain balance of himself. Finally the life guards saw them and they finally pulled both out of water. The worst thing about all this is that most of us didn’t know what happened and were enjoying the water and playing together. Both of them were seriously ill and vomited and only Nitin and one more guy was with them. We completed one month on that day and in the night we had a celebration. We got cake and asked Sunil and Rahul to cut as Sunil was the hero for that day. After that Nitin put this argument of what happened on the beach and some people along with me accepted our fault, but few of them just argued. The thing that Nitin told and I liked the most is ‘If in place of Sunil or Rahul, there was a girl then all people would have left everything and gather to make her comfortable’ and that’s the fact. This really hurt me and I realized myself as being so selfish. When all this happened I went along with Nitin and Sunil in there room (Nitin and Sunil were room mates) and burst into cry and said sorry to Sunil. From there I was very comfortable to Nitin and Sunil and Nitin being the fun filler in our group. I used to be there in room 210 because of my roomie and that was the room of Trupti and Sonal. I made Sonal as my sister. She is very sweet and innocent and she missed her home very much and I tried to be with her and I am thankful for her as she cared more that I did for her. Initially Trupti was very shy and don’t talk much with others, but by the end I came to know she just open her cards to one she likes. People during my ILP involved me with her as we used to go together to office and be together in class and canteen. It was good and new for me as I had never felt independent and actually there were no distinction between guys and girls as we all representing one despite belonging to all parts of the country.
The next and the major trip that we planned are for Munnar, a hill station that is famous for its natural beauty of course but in addition to its tea gardens that belong to Tata’s. We left on Friday night and it was an over night journey and we reached Munnar next day morning. We need to go on top of the hill and we just halted and had breakfast and then went along. That ride to the top of the Munnar was awesome as it’s just brilliant. Everywhere you saw is a perfect example of natural beauty and I guess nature has given the best from its collection not to Munnar but to entire Kerala. We all were really lucky to get the training there as apart from office there were lots of things that we planned during weekday and executes during weekend. By that time Arjun and I became very good friends or atleast among guys he was my best friend and I remember we used to drink tea outside our hotel after office. The best thing about Arjun is that he will feel you comfortable and make you rise among others and that’s the quality that impressed me as you won’t find this in many. To put in hindi ‘who apne dosto ko khud se badkar samajhta hai aur unke liye kuch bhi karne ke liye tayyar rehta hai whatever be the reason’. A much to write about him and his favours that he did on me, but that truly deserves a separate story and will write soon. Munnar trip was really great and we all enjoyed like anything as we also thought that its close for all of us to depart to our base branch and so that’s the time we can collectively enjoy and share our happiness with others. We had a bad time during that trip also specially for us as Arjun got hurt and that pain was with him for a long long time and I was with him during the hospital visit and I am thankful that he chooses me for this as I love to do anything for my friends, the least includes to listen them.
A week before our completion of ILP, we all planned to go Rameshwaram, but the shock of getting apart in few days and also most of them didn’t get the desired location opted for. There was a bit of sadness within the batch and that’s the time when it’s confirmed who are all will be going to be with you in touch. Well previously I planned to go to Rameshwaram, but then I cancelled because of two reasons. First I didn’t have money and secondly I was not feeling good. Arjun’s injury didn’t allow him to go and because of me Trupti and Neelam dropped there idea. Sonal, Nitin and Kriti went along with the trip and it was exciting and I regret to miss that and also a chance to enjoy along with all. We were there in the hotel that weekend and didn’t do much but that night myself, Arjun, Trupti and Neelam had a nice chat and we shared our experiences. I really didn’t remember what we talked but that was really nice and was in a peaceful environment. Next day Trupti and Neelam slept till noon and there I came to know how lazy these girls are. So the weekend went nicely and we all four enjoyed and had good fun. Just to divert the topic, we had given pet names to all and used to call by that only. I was called as ‘Bhalu’ and the name was given by Kriti to which I call her ‘Chutki’ because of her height and she looks like a kid. Sonal was called as ‘Sonu’ and she is my ILP sister. Neelam had many names, but some call her as ‘CEO’ and some ‘Neelu’. Her room partner ‘Megha’ was called by me as ‘Gurumata’ as she being always ready to give advices. Istiyaq another very nice, intelligent and cool person was called ‘Papa’. This name was given by chutki as she calls Gurumata as ‘mummy’. This is because they both took good care of her in trips. Nitin was called ‘sadel’ and this sweet name was given by ‘Trupti’ whom myself and Nitin calls her ‘Prabhadevi’ as she lives in that place in Mumbai. For others also we had given names and it was real fun and nobody ever mind on that. We had a gang of guys consisting of 8-10 boys and they are the one that gave names to all. The leader of that group you can was Vikas, short heighted but ultimate fun loving person. We all used to call him as ‘Bhai’ (Hindi version of Don). Its being a lot of fun and our batch I can say was the most cheerful among all during that ILP and among all other batches. All are good and that makes the entire batch lively all the time. During that time we celebrated Birthdays of couple of people and it was fun. We had disco party and we all danced like anything, no shy, and no worries what others will think, just dance from your heart. Also that whole last week we all boys get together on the passage in the night and sang songs for hours until we are exhausted. Those nights won’t come back in life now and to remember that makes you feel glad to have lived a life like that.
Finally the day arrived when we all had to leave for our respective base branch. Initially when we came we haven’t thought that we will miss many in future and that you can cry for someone whom you don’t know 41 days back. I say that’s the magic of TCS and the ILP it conducts. It gives you a last opportunity to make friends that will be there for you forever. You might also get a friend that will commit to be with you forever as I believe that ‘Your life partner may or may not prove to be your best friend, but your best friend will always prove to be your best life partner’. It was very emotional day, and it started quite early. Some of them went to Kovalam beach for the last time early morning. I also thought to join them, but I promised my roomie chachu (Rajeev) to drop him to the station. When I came back and started packing my things, Arjun came and he burst into tears. I controlled my emotions and asked him the same. He was very emotional and respect and care for any relationship, and that was the time when you know that you are about to loose contacts to many that you care for. I didn’t had time to go to my native and come back to join in Chennai and also I need to look for a house as it’s a big challenge and Chennai was a new place for me. By 10-11 all were started showing there emotions and it was difficult to make all comfortable. I tried to be patient and hold on my emotions. I see off Neelam and her group from hotel. I wanted to go along with them to the station, but I need to go with Trupti to drop her to the Airport as she was alone. There I also got hold of Arjun and couple of others and I then finally said Good Bye and went back to Hotel. I was feeling very sad as the hotel that looked so lively a couple of days before now looked deserted. Well the only people left by afternoon were I, Chutki, Nitin, sonu and Vicki. Sonu and Vicki were needed to leave the next day to Mumbai as they didn’t get the flight tickets for the same day. Myself, Nitin and Chutki were leaving in the evening to Bangalore and from there I and Nitin had to go to Chennai. Vicki was supposed to join us in Chennai after 2 days. We basically went to Bangalore to assist Chutki and also to meet the people went to Bangalore the last time. That’s the ILP for me in brief. I haven’t captured each and every moment as I can’t express them in words the joy and fun we had during those 41 days. I haven’t talked about our classes and the things we studied as I don’t want to disclose my performance J ha ha ha.In the end I wish all a very best of luck in life. Its 3 years now and already most of them have made there mark and achieved what they want in life. I just want each of us to be successful and respect of what we got and will get in life. There are many times when you will get a chance to complain in life, but if you take that as a blessing then definitely you will get the best next time. So this story is for all. I know I have missed many people in my batch and others, so apologies for that. Take Care and All the Best…

2 comments:

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