In a world of myriad problems, we create barriers around us to hide from them.People are dying in the want of basic necessities yet we are busy building barriers to deny our eyes from seeing them.60 years have rolled by,GDP has touched unbelievable heights,rich are becoming richer and there are more than 10 Indians among the 100 richest in the world.We see their lives and spend the rest of ours, in a vain pursuit of becoming 1 of them.Do we ever care about feeding a morsel to the people we meet everyday,sleeping on the foot path?We don't.
We blame the government,the authorities and the leaders.Ironically,there isnt much that we can do except for exhorting the people in power.Isn' it?
If that is the irony of your life then you are not strong enough to lead India out of the current mess.Stay within the boundaries of your own miserable barriers and count your wishes before eventually surrendering yourself to death.
But those with nerves of iron and will to move mountains will storm the portals of power and change the face of governance.
Just few questions to the intellectual junta - Will the poor remain thus forever?How will she compete with you when she doesn't get to even eat twice a day?How will she buy books that will fetch her the merit to come at par with you?How will she ever dare to break the fetters of casteism?And how will she stand up when the burden of religion,under which even the high and mighty wither,is put mercilessly on her tiny shoulders?
If you have answers to above,please step forward and join us in the final quest of freedom.60 years of Independent India has only aggravated the problem.Population is nearing perilious numbers.We have to act now.
Millions of eyes are staring into the darkness everyday.Dont you feel they deserve to see the light of tomorrow?
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Fiesta in Bihar
As Manzar's Bolero picked up pace, the final vestige of camp Simalbari slowly dissolved into the horizon.With mixed emotions,I turned around to find people snaking their way into the airport lounge.Bagdogra airport is surely one of the strictest airport in the world!!
A tedious security check in (including an exhaustive full body frisk) leaves little room for doubt and as one emerges out of the security counter a stamp proclaiming "totally harmless" is writ all over his face.Same for me.
The lounge is over packed with people and as I am typing these words, few queer glances are properly reflected on the screen.Don't you people blog?
Every time I come to Bagdogra, the memories of my first day at camp GP-27 resurrect in my mind.
It all started from this place.
The date on calender read 5 January 2009.Time::2 'o clock.
After alighting the Jet Airliner I meekly enquired Banerjee Sir about the next destination.
"We now have to catch a rickety bus to Kishanganj and travel for another hour",a grin smeared on his face.Frankly speaking,after being airborne,the thought of travelling in a rustic village transport played a perfect damp squib.With a heavy heart I followed him out of the airport and as we reached the exit a swank SUV made a dash out of nowhere and stopped in front of us.
"Hop in",Banerjee Sir smirked.The same grin dancing on his face again.
Two hours journey:that separates Bagdogra from Kishanganj.
As we meandered through the villages of Bengal and Bihar I was awed by the simplicity of the rural life.An array of tea estates on either side of the road,brewed in the mood of nostalgia as I drifted into the world of dreams.The vehicle cruised through the wind like a wild horse and before my tryst with the surreal world could end,we were at the GP-27 camp.
An uneasy feeling gripped me,as I scrambled to get my luggages to my alloted quarter.Next,I met the party chief of our unit-Mr. D Mitra.
A brief chat ensued and an hour went by and I could elicit just few responses from him with most of our talks ending in monosyllables.Disciplined?Reticent?Many such impressions crowded my mind and I felt the uneasy feeling return to me.Before I could take leave,a figure drapped in a lungi stormed into the room.He started in Assamese and as his words hit my ear drum my heart sensed the purity of the person's mind.I was relieved to hear my mother tongue and to find a friend amongst a pool of strangers.Friendship was an instant relation and Razzaque Sir and I both left for our rooms.
The first night was unique.First time I slept under a roof of my own labour.
The next morning I met more people at the camp and pretty soon I was introduced to all members of our unit.My day began with the repair of a Macha blaster system.In the afternoon Hazarika Sir and I thoroughly analysed geophones whilst learning the basic functions and components of the field electronics.In the evening I sat in the instrument with Razzaque Sir where he explained the process of data acquisition in ONGC.
As days progressed I learnt more about my work and much about the field operations.After a week's time Sarvind bhaiya arrived.En route to the field we discussed on social issues.Since then every discussion of ours involves tremendous dynamism.Talking about a range of topics, varying from mysticism to theory of symmetry, but finally converging to realistic approaches towards human lives.Marx,Ambedkar,Vivekananda,Politics all come together in the pursuit of the ultimate - FREEDOM. The details of all such talks will be put up real soon.I fervently invite you readers, to take the pain of discussing with me further on such issues.I plan to talk more about them in my next posts.Keep track of this space for more.
Coming back to the camp.We at GP-27 camp are dedicated to the service of the nation.We strive continuously in the pursuit of OIL reseves to enrich the motherland of the most precious recource of human race.
But the targets we set for ouselves were collosal and the resources paltry.We employed the Sercel's UL408 seismograph and analog geophones for data acquisition.FDUs,LAUXs and LAULs being the rest of the ground electronics.For the first few months we had cables just enough to lay a spread for three salvos.Then the intermittent problems of cables,groups and the blaster machas and not to forget the frequent VHF sets' communication failure.Today when I look back to the day we started,an incredible feeling runs down my body.Completing the targets set out for 2 years in 1 year's time was beating the impossible.Had it not been for Razzaque Sir and Banerjee Sir's vision and our collective effort the result would have been entirely different.It was their persistence and efficient plan that did the unthinkable.But for few occassional jolts the targets would have been completed many days in advance.Let bygones be bygones and let us all bask in the glory of the mammoth standards we have set for ourselves.
Today was my last day at the camp.When Manzar turned the ignition key,emotions buried under the heap of busy schedule suddenly hit my chest.I turned to catch the last glimpse of the place where I started my first job.Being on your own is a wonderful feeling.This is where I learnt it and the experiences gathered here will remain an indellible part of my memories.May be there are more adventures to come and more lessons to learn but till they happen,GP-27 Camp Simalbari will be the most prolific experience of my 24 year old psyche.
A tedious security check in (including an exhaustive full body frisk) leaves little room for doubt and as one emerges out of the security counter a stamp proclaiming "totally harmless" is writ all over his face.Same for me.
The lounge is over packed with people and as I am typing these words, few queer glances are properly reflected on the screen.Don't you people blog?
Every time I come to Bagdogra, the memories of my first day at camp GP-27 resurrect in my mind.
It all started from this place.
The date on calender read 5 January 2009.Time::2 'o clock.
After alighting the Jet Airliner I meekly enquired Banerjee Sir about the next destination.
"We now have to catch a rickety bus to Kishanganj and travel for another hour",a grin smeared on his face.Frankly speaking,after being airborne,the thought of travelling in a rustic village transport played a perfect damp squib.With a heavy heart I followed him out of the airport and as we reached the exit a swank SUV made a dash out of nowhere and stopped in front of us.
"Hop in",Banerjee Sir smirked.The same grin dancing on his face again.
Two hours journey:that separates Bagdogra from Kishanganj.
As we meandered through the villages of Bengal and Bihar I was awed by the simplicity of the rural life.An array of tea estates on either side of the road,brewed in the mood of nostalgia as I drifted into the world of dreams.The vehicle cruised through the wind like a wild horse and before my tryst with the surreal world could end,we were at the GP-27 camp.
An uneasy feeling gripped me,as I scrambled to get my luggages to my alloted quarter.Next,I met the party chief of our unit-Mr. D Mitra.
A brief chat ensued and an hour went by and I could elicit just few responses from him with most of our talks ending in monosyllables.Disciplined?Reticent?Many such impressions crowded my mind and I felt the uneasy feeling return to me.Before I could take leave,a figure drapped in a lungi stormed into the room.He started in Assamese and as his words hit my ear drum my heart sensed the purity of the person's mind.I was relieved to hear my mother tongue and to find a friend amongst a pool of strangers.Friendship was an instant relation and Razzaque Sir and I both left for our rooms.
The first night was unique.First time I slept under a roof of my own labour.
The next morning I met more people at the camp and pretty soon I was introduced to all members of our unit.My day began with the repair of a Macha blaster system.In the afternoon Hazarika Sir and I thoroughly analysed geophones whilst learning the basic functions and components of the field electronics.In the evening I sat in the instrument with Razzaque Sir where he explained the process of data acquisition in ONGC.
As days progressed I learnt more about my work and much about the field operations.After a week's time Sarvind bhaiya arrived.En route to the field we discussed on social issues.Since then every discussion of ours involves tremendous dynamism.Talking about a range of topics, varying from mysticism to theory of symmetry, but finally converging to realistic approaches towards human lives.Marx,Ambedkar,Vivekananda,Politics all come together in the pursuit of the ultimate - FREEDOM. The details of all such talks will be put up real soon.I fervently invite you readers, to take the pain of discussing with me further on such issues.I plan to talk more about them in my next posts.Keep track of this space for more.
Coming back to the camp.We at GP-27 camp are dedicated to the service of the nation.We strive continuously in the pursuit of OIL reseves to enrich the motherland of the most precious recource of human race.
But the targets we set for ouselves were collosal and the resources paltry.We employed the Sercel's UL408 seismograph and analog geophones for data acquisition.FDUs,LAUXs and LAULs being the rest of the ground electronics.For the first few months we had cables just enough to lay a spread for three salvos.Then the intermittent problems of cables,groups and the blaster machas and not to forget the frequent VHF sets' communication failure.Today when I look back to the day we started,an incredible feeling runs down my body.Completing the targets set out for 2 years in 1 year's time was beating the impossible.Had it not been for Razzaque Sir and Banerjee Sir's vision and our collective effort the result would have been entirely different.It was their persistence and efficient plan that did the unthinkable.But for few occassional jolts the targets would have been completed many days in advance.Let bygones be bygones and let us all bask in the glory of the mammoth standards we have set for ourselves.
Today was my last day at the camp.When Manzar turned the ignition key,emotions buried under the heap of busy schedule suddenly hit my chest.I turned to catch the last glimpse of the place where I started my first job.Being on your own is a wonderful feeling.This is where I learnt it and the experiences gathered here will remain an indellible part of my memories.May be there are more adventures to come and more lessons to learn but till they happen,GP-27 Camp Simalbari will be the most prolific experience of my 24 year old psyche.
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