Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Mookambika Temple

Mookambika temple is one of the finest templest of south India, situated nearly 128km from Mangalore. It is believed to be one of 7temples created by Parashurama and the place was visited by AdiShankaracharya long ago.

One of the best things about this temple is its calmness and divinity of the place. The sculptures on the temple walls are extensive and radiates a divine glow.

I felt blessed and filled with joy after visiting the temple last weekend with my parents and sister.
I was really awe-struck with the fine tradition of temples in our culture and is looking forward to visit other fine temples.

for more infos: http://www.indiantemplesportal.com/karnataka/devi-mookambika-temple.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mookambika

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

One Year in Infosys

I joined Infy last Feb 20th in the batch of Feb06LC1 trainees. Now today we finished 1 full year at infy. The year was quite eventful - training of 4 months, my posting in E&R, taking a couple of classes, being batch owner,bit of project work,.. it was great experience.

Now let me surf the highs and lows of the tide that kept me moving for the past 1 year..

To begin with, I never imagined I'll be joining Infosys though I got the offer letter dated Aug 2004 (that was before start of my final year in college), because I had already decided to join Ingersoll-Rand (it's a mech mnc). As being an Electrical Engineer passed out of a prestigious college of NIT Calicut, I decided my career would suite 'core' rather than 'software'. That's how I joined IR Wadco plant near Delhi.

Infy send a mail asking me to join in Dec though my original joining date was Aug23, '05. I never responded. As my work progressed in Wadco, I began to realise that my profile was more of managing workers to keep then engaged and assembling panels for machines. It was far different to my expectations, where I was dreaming of designing cutting edge technologies in electrical and electronics. I decided to take a call - join infy now ? I chanced on a mail sent to infy requesting to send me a joining date. I was very happy, (bit nervous too about resigning from Wadco) after I got the mail to join Infy Mysore for training on Feb20,'06.

I landed on mysore on Sunday evening, Feb19 from Bangalore after getting my relieving letter from IngersollRand and to think, I was jobless at that point of time. I guess its the same experience for all freshers joining infy - the registration desk outside maingate, sumo drop till reception, first time in golf cart till hostel room, and then a jump inside the room for the awestruck scenary of the infy campus through the window of full fledged ac room!

The next 31/2 months were unforgettable - i believe its the same with all the trainees joining infy, the bicycle ride in the morning, boring (for me) classes till noon, food at FC3, a bit of sleep at my room, back to labs for assignments, hurrying thru assignments, most of the times not being able to complete, preparing for module tests, nidhi (sitting next to me) who was expert in old question papers, vishwesh and few others who were cool, used to make fun of me at the online module test because i'll be the one who screams "It's Come..", final Compre, waiting for results in trainee portal, waiting for postings, heena who was our pm in post project (she also bagged best trainee), few others waiting for compre and orals like the brave sayuri, few who left the batch in between like harshad, vishal (he used to say "manju, I'm proud of u" without any reason), good bye days when everybody left one after other to pune (sameer, swapnil, heena, ankit,..) to mangalore (sajitha, swathi), to Trivandrum (vivek, aswathi,romul,.) to bangalore (saikat, vishwesh, sonia,..) and mohali, chennai, hyderabad infy dcs.

I feel myself lucky to join E&R (Education & Research) wing here in mysore infy. Within next few months, it was a wonderful experience.. myself in a single cabin with my name on the door, laptop for my use, taking sessions (to think that i was sitting on the other side few weeks ago), being batch owner, attending to trainees (i had a case of girl trainee crying to me in my cabin!), announcing results, arranging batch party, being asked for signature on the book presented to best trainee, being gifted with presents from trainees, going for project evaluations and the joy of being an educator here in this great GEC (global education center)..

Finally the day came - Feb20 which completes my one full year in infy campus here in mysore.. I came to office early and send wishing mail to all.. then it was a soup of congratulating mails ..

Saturday, February 17, 2007

a bit nostalgic - "Mile sur mera tuhara..."

Let's go back to the times when doordarshan was the only channel. "Mile Sur Mera Thumhaara... tho Suur Bane Hamhaara.." was one unique video by prasar bharathi, which showed the unity among diversity of our great country India. Watching this video would sure touch some nostalgia into our minds ..

Here is the Lyrics :

"Mile sur mera tumharaa, to sur bane hamaraa....
Sur kee nadhiyaan har disha se behke saagar mein milee...
Baadalon ka roop lekar barsen halke halke...
Mile sur mera tumharaa.. toh... sur bane hamaara..
Mile sur mera tumhara...

Chaain taraj tahin nyay taraj
Ek but baniye saayen taraj

Tera sur mile mere sur de naal
Milke bane ek nava surtaal

Mile sur mera tumharaa....
To sur bane hamaara..

Mohnja sur tohi desa pyara mile jadein
Geet ashaanjo madhur tarano bane tadein

Sur ka dariya bahte saagar me mile
Badlaan da roop leike barasan hole hole

Isaindhal namm iruvarin suramum namadhakum..
Dhisai veru aanalum aariser aarugal
Mugilai mazaiyai pozivadu pol isai
...Namm isssaiiii....

Thik thakida thathikakidA....thaka thimi thaka junu

Nanna dhwanige ninna dhwaniya,
Seridante namma dhwaniya..

Naa swaramu nee swaramu sangammamai,
Mana swaram ga avatarinchey

Ente swaravum ningalude swaravum
Otthu chernnu nammude swaramai....

Tomaar shoor moder shoor srishti korook oikyashoor...
Tomaar shoor moder shoor srishti korook oikyashoor...

Srishti hok oikyatan

Toma mora swarer milan srishti kare chalbochatano

Male sur jo taro maro, bane aapno sur niralo

Majhya tumchya julta tara madhur suranchya barasti dhara

Sur ki nadiya har disha se behke saagar mein mile...
Baadlo ka roop leke barse halke halke..
Oh...Mile sur mera tumhara tho....sur bane hamara...

Mile Sur mera tumhara
To sur bane hamara tho sur bane hamara
To sur bane hamara"

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Valentine's Day Cake was Delicious


We celebrated valentine's day in a small way by having a big heart shaped valentine's day cake at our tea area, which was decorated with balloons, ribbons and heart shaped cuttings. Many of us in E&R, including seniors were all playing with balloons for some time before cutting the cake which was ofcourse creamy and delicious.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Really 'Blood' Diamond


This movie thriller made my nerve cells in my brain vibrate each other violently! Such was the impact of Edward Zwick directed, Leonardo DiCaprio starred action packed film set in an African country of Sierra Leone where the diamonds are smuggled for illegal exports.
The film tells us the story of Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), whose village is torn apart by revlutionaries and captured to work in diamond mines from where he tries to escape and meets Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) in prison, who was caught smuggling diamonds. Danny wants Solomon to find a hidden diamond and in turn promises to find his lost family.
I liked the role of DiCaprio very much in this movie for his wonderful performance. Both DiCaprio and Djimon are nominated for actor and supporting actor Oscar Awards.

Nothing goes on a bandh day

We were forced to stay indoors yesterday as all parts of Mysore logged off in protest against Cauvery water distribution orders. Infosys had earlier declared holiday for yesterday and so the day was a complete rest devoid of any work.
Thanks to Aunty, I was able to have food even when none of the hotels opened. I was just wondering how the tourists in mysore managed to eat food yesterday.

Friday, February 2, 2007

Surprisingly First !

My friend Vishaal and myself came up with this peice of cartoon to participate in a competition in 'Perspective 2007' held in his MBA college. Surprisingly, this was selected first !