Life sometimes appears to be a random set of arbit events, things just seem to be happen without any purpose or significance but then one fine day everything converges to one single point. And then we wonder whether everything was well planned in advance and there was no other way things could have been.
I ll not be preaching philosophy but narrating an experience of 3 little musketeer's(Kumar, Uma amd Myself) armed with a Laptop instead of musket on 4/7.
It was in the month of March, that the pb sir gave us a project for NLP course, which we had no clue that it would get selected for NLP-AI contest organized by IIIT, Hyderabad. There were several reasons why We were skeptic about the success of our project at IIIT. But you get a cheery in the dessert when you expect it the least.
When the results came we were happy and excited. Certainly not b'coz our work was appreciated or something. But the success in the contest meant a free tour of Hyderabad. But happiness did not last long, and we got a mail saying that the contest/presentation was planned to be held in Mumbai in CDAC. In another two days we get another mail that the staying arrangements have been made in Hostel-2(IITB). What the heck, I mean, for god sake, India is such a big country and it could have been any other place, any other IIT. Huh. We were disappointed. But every dark cloud has a silver Line. With MTP submission dates approaching I guess it was best for us to have the event in Bombay itself. We had thought this was just a coincidence but we didn't have a faintest idea about what was being hold up for us in the days to come.
As a kid my teacher told me "Hope for the Best, And Prepare for the Worst". But as I stand today with all the little experience I have gathered over the years I can certainly say, Doesn't matter how much you prepare, you will not have slightest clue of how worst some things can get. Since last three days we were preparing for the contest presentation/demo, ppl must have seen us playing(Setting up) two laptops in lab. Every possible thing that could go wrong did go wrong.
By 2.00am 4th morning we went to bed confident enough that we had prepared for the worst and nothing can go wrong. We has installed every software which we may possibly need, eclipse, java 1.4 , java 1.5, font and took smallest bit of data we had. As a backup we had everything on USB drive as well.
4th July: Independence Day[USA]
Time : 6.30 ..
Got out of bed. Came out looked out at the sky. Their were dark clouds but could see no silver lining. Thought of going back to bed. Slept for another 15 min. could not sleep. While brushing teeth meet Narshimaham with a news paper, [SIGN-1] The headline said something about flood in mumbai, he showed me the news, I said who cares. These stupid rain can't stop us. Managed to get a Rick at sharp 7.30 and we (I and Kumar) were on the way to H-11 to pick Uma. It was raining heavily.
Rickshawala: Kahan ja rahen ho.
Me : Juhu
Rickshawala: Bhaisab, Bambai mat jau, Din bure chale rahen hain [SIGN-2]
Uma came with us along with a precious companion, Laptop. Covered in 2-3 polythene. So it was 4 of who started off, on the most adventurous journey of at least my life time.
Time : 7.40 ..
All of us were at bus stop in front of main gate, It was raining heavily we looked at each other. And started laughing. The look said it all, I guess the sixth sense was telling each on of us, "You ll be having most memorable day!". No Bus to Santa Cruz till 8.15. Uma, the Boss. Yes she was our guide and boss all along the journey, no one questioned her decision. So Uma decided we go to Andheri and then pick up a rick to Juhu. We quickly found a bus, and were relieved to be in dry space, that was the only moment I felt everything would be fine and easy. we got down in Andheri. It was still raining heavily and roads were empty.
There were just ppl walking all over. With great difficulty we manged to get a Rick. In Rick Uma said that her Dad had told to drop the idea of going, as rains may get bad [SIGN-3].
Time : 8.30
Place: Somewhere between Andheri and Juhu.
We started getting first glimpse of Water Clogging, it was around a feet or so. The words of consolation from Uma was, its happens every year. We felt better. Rain continued to pour continuously and we started avoiding to think how things would be in the evening if the rain continues the same way. In Juhu as expected we were lost, asked few ppl on the road and rickshawala gave fairly decent tour of Juhu which included Amitabh's Banglow.
Time : 9.30
Place : Juhu
Finally we were at Juhu. Roads abandoned. Traffic Nil. Rains Heavy . We WET. We had 2 options. Pack or bags and go home. Or be courageous and get to the place where we were suppose to be present by this time.We choose the second option, we ask the colony guard for the address, he showed us some way [Still wondering it was Right or wrong]. But in 5 min , there were these 3 musketeers(In FORMALs) charged with a laptop, in a middle of a road where there was water till the knees and steadily rising. We looked at each other at the second time. And we burst out laughing. And I don;t know what you guys are thinking as you are reading this. But trust me we had hell lot of fun. I can't describe, we were laughing and giggling and playing in the water. Life never seemed better. Guess what we would have done next. We called up PB sir and told him we are lost and asked him to tell us how to get to the place. The suggested to search for a place called "copper chimney." A hotel which was 25 min walking distance. Easier way to get there was through the a knee height water or tougher way was where water had clogged upto height of hips.
Time 10.30
Place : still at juhu.
We meet a richshawala sitting in very funny position on front sit and had a very funny ascent.
Us: Copper chimney jana hain.
Rickshawala: Haan Jao, yahan se left lo of side jao.
Us: Aap chaloge kya
Rickshawala: Wahin pe main rahat hoon. Kambar tak paani hain. Issleya yahan aay hoon.
We look at each other and decide lets go back to andheri.
Us: Bahiya Andheri chalo.
Rickshawala: Main kahin nahin jaunga. Mein aaise hien bhetunga. Main Himalaya chala jaunga par Andheri nahin jaunga.
Us: [Giggling]
Rickshawala: Main yahan bet kat public ko dhekunga.
Time 11.00
Place: Juhu Depo.
Managed to get a bus to Andheri. We were wet in patches,cracking fart jokes and doing stupid things.
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Me: We must sometimes listen to elders.
Uma: But how to know when to listen and when not listen.
[Applause]
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Me: Hey, Sit is wet. I am not sitting on it .
US : =))
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Kumar : This day is certainly going on my Blog.
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Kumar : Does IIT has a Helipad?
Me: No, Why.
Kumar : No, If we get a chopper to rescue us where the chopper would land in IITB.
Me : I think we ll use the playground
Uma : Yes Kumar. Call Chopper.
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Man, life is wonderful until you don;t loose your sense of humor in worst situation. Until you can find a reason to laugh don't worry, you ll not loose your nerves.
The situation in Andheri was bad. Bus was moving with 5 KMHr and the cars were submerged in water. Buses were moving with great difficulty.
By 12.00 we were at Andheri. We thought of going to Uma's house. We enquired for bus. and realized in WEST all bus services was stopped. We meet one of Uma's neighbour, who told ground floor in the Uma's building is under Water. So there were we 3 of us, on Andheri Station, having only one option to come back to IIT.
For a minute we thought, What if Bus service towards IIT is closed. Uma went to get some biscuits, I suggested her to take enough for 2-3 days[ Just in worst case ;)]. East side was bit dry. Dry in the sense there was no water clogging. And we thought that the adventure was suppose to end. But Not Yet. Not Yet.
The first bus came was A/C bus and we decided to go with it. There was big rush at the door and it was raining heavily by the time we got in, we were literarily shivering. Can you imagine having a cold water bath and sitting in a A/C room. Try it out its fun.
July 4: Independence Day
Time : 1.30.
We were back at IIT.
A most wonderful day came to an end. I don;t remember when was the last time I had so much of fun. Right now when I am sitting in dry warm OSL
and recall the incidents, it seems like it happenend in a blink. Just like dream. I don;t know, I myself suprised that, we had put so much efforts for the event, but I am not feeling even a bit of sadness for the event not being materlized. Thats something I never expected, I would feel. But whatever it is, this would go into my memories ...
