Tea - A "Carpe-Diem" potion

I can’t start my day without it. If I do, I am mostly grumpy and irritable and it’s best to avoid me then. Rarely do I refuse an offer to have it. I can entertain it in the middle of summer afternoons and as well as at midnights. And what I am going to claim now is debatable, but if it was not for tea, probably I would have been single even now. I guess it was a common affinity for tea and “adda” that created countless hours of idle conversations which I suppose is the best way to become familiar with someone, familiar enough to want to get married to that person. Tea is something I am very fond of and this is not a secret among my friends. What is unknown though is the intensity of my indulgence towards tea and the importance it wields in my life. As bachelors, friends often talk about the qualities they hope to see in their future spouse and some of the expectations they have. And it may sound incredible, but I had a criterion that she should be able to get up before me and keep the morning tea ready. Well, God had other plans. He has an amazing sense of humor.


Making tea is an art which needs to be mastered. It needs relentless practice and dedication. And should always be done with lots of laaaaav. If made in an offhand fashion, the aura associated with the whole ceremony of having tea is compromised. It’s not just the sipping part which consummates the tea-drinking experience but also the events leading to it and the subsequent arrangements that are planned for future. No tea drinking session is complete without a promise of the next one. And I know that I am not an isolated case of Tea aficionados. You should check out an essay entitled “A nice cup of tea” by one of my favorite authors, George Orwell. http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/essays/nicecupoftea.htm . There are hardliners who have given statements like “If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty” and “Tea is liquid wisdom”. My favorite is “The first sip of tea is the always the best... you cringe as it burns the back of your throat, knowing you just had the hottest carpe-diem portion - Terri Guillemets”. Seriously, Carpe-Diem (Seize the Day) is writ large on the first cup of tea. Like a magic potion.


The influence of Tea transcends common households and individuals like us. It can be traced to Boston Tea Party movement in 1773 as well as in the efforts of British rulers to have huge plantations in India and Ceylon replacing food crops which brought the irk of the natives. Of late, the Tea Party movement endorsed by likes of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin has captured the attention of millions of Americans. At least, there is something which we agree upon, even if it is “just” a cup of tea. Well, that is an ample testimony to the clout Tea holds in our life.

I would like to conclude by saying that Tea is also used by many as a test of character. I have known a lot of people over a cup of tea and formed opinion about them based on their treatment of the subtleties associated with a cup of tea. And I am not alone in this practice. In words of a former first lady of USA, “A woman is like a tea bag, you cannot tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water - Nancy Reagan”

So long,
Anand

Saraswati Puja at Columbus

A myriad of thoughts cross my mind when I sit back and think about the last three Saraswati Pujas at The Ohio State University (OSU). What started as a trickle is now a very elegantly flowing stream. Accolades to a handful of students who started this nice tradition. Reminds me of an Urdu shayari, which I dedicate to them,

Main akela hi chala tha, jaani-be manzil ki taraf.
Log aate gaye aur karwa banta gaya.

The first one, February 2008 Puja came as a whiff of warm breeze in the cold of the winter. I have only a second hand account of details that went in the preparations of the first version. But considering the large number of Bengalis that were involved, I can only imagine how tumultuous it would have been. I was invited to the event by a very beautiful girl with whom I fell in love with as time went by. And with whom I am going to spend the rest of my life. I have to say, there is something about Vasant Panchami that lends an amorous disposition in the air which is irresistible at times.

Of the many memories from 2008, a few remain crystal clear. Girls in beautiful sarees and salwaar-kameez. The Puja place at 1451-F and the sea of fruits and Prasadams around the Goddess. A roomful of friends. Hushed silence during Puja. The cacophony afterwards. And a nice beam of winter sun cascading through the window and creating a surreal aura that made the environment so memorable. The “core committee” had also organized a simple lunch at 1550-A. Khichdee and Aalu Choka. May be there was "paapod" and “dohi” as some would pronounce.

A few more observations, of personal nature, could not escape the notice of some of us who are more keen students of chemistry between two individuals about to fall in love or about to get the disappointment of their life. Some relationships were being endorsed (sic), others were being conceived, some in inception stage while some were being nipped in the bud. In words of Walter Scott "Oh, what a tangled web we weave". These sensitive matters are better left half insinuated, for the truth is very acerbic sometimes and often stranger than fiction. (Don’t go by my guileless looks. I am BAD if I choose to be.)

Fast forward to 2009. I was not in the decision making body but did a hell lot of cooking. Desire for proximity to “close” friend(s) can make you do wonders. I am sure you know what I mean. It was another successful Puja. Lots of exotic cooking and more people. Puja was again at 1451-F but I think food was served at 1466-E. My mango lassi was a big hit. With growing size, practical obstacles (read human ego) had to come in play. The person, who single-handedly guided and made khichdi for everyone the previous year, suddenly got very busy with research. And this year, (he/she/it) got so busy that (he/she/it) had no time to read innocuous emails and wanted to be taken out of email list. You don’t expect this from 40 years olds. It’s funny what people can do to get some attention. Vanity rules, man. I am sure the girls in particular will agree. Satya bachan, kuon?

One incident which became the conversation of the year stands out. It is the ultimate story of human frustaapaa. A certain gentleman (lets call him Mr X or Mr F-X, where F denotes frust) showed up at Puja place three hours before the event and started throwing impertinent glances at the very feminine inmates of the house. Other “mature” male members had left the girls at the mercy of a stranger. Forgive my incompetence in coming up with a better phrase for the imprudence shown by that very ungentlemanly gentleman. But the only one which keeps coming to me is “If eyes could x-ray scan?" Boy, I can only wonder what the scene there would have been. Months later, a girl very innocently asked me “Anand- Ek baat poochoon? Kya Mr F-X ladki ke liye bahut despo hai?” I cannot help cracking up badly even now, thinking about that incident. Bechara. Badnaam ho gaya hai. Mithun da ne ek movie banayee thee – Muzrim. Uska ek gaana yaad aa gaya. “Muzrim naa kehna, mujhe logon. Muzrim to saara Zamana hai. Jo pakda gaya wo chor hai ( read despo hai) , jo bach gaya wo khidali hai”. Ha ha ha. If only I was free to divulge about other despos in campus, far worse than Mr F-X.

Finally, after two years as guest and grass-root worker, in 2010 I was given the privilege of being in the “core committee”, perhaps as an oversight, may be as a diversity candidate. Only time will reveal it. The event is being hijacked by Bengalis. But they are doing a good job. In retrospect, being part of “polit-buro” ( as articulated by a budding member) was a bad idea. It gave me financial trauma when the audit was done. Not to talk of the “immense” emotional and physical trauma during the course of planning and execution [ ref needed ;-) ]. But I enjoyed it. And felt like I was continuing the legacy which may become OSU folklore in the years to come. This one was a huge one. And kudos to all the people involved. Salaam. Salute to your enthusiasm and desire to rise above personal egos/bickerings/faux-pas/jealousy/stubbornness/lethargy and make it happen in such an awesome way. Will dedicate a separate blog for the 2010 version. I will have lots of words of praise for the “show”. And of course, I will criticize a few things. And make some recommendations so that ye Prampara jari rahei. Patta nahin kuon, suddenly abhi Mohabbatein ka Amitabh yaad gaya? Ab Amitabh yaad aaya to Shahruk kehan se door hoga,

“M m m m Maaf kijiyega Sir, jehan se main dhek reha hoon, ….”

So long, Anand

Research and how it has shaped our life.

How many times have you looked around you and wondered how much science and technology has changed the life around you? It has become such a clichéd question and doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Imagine your life without mobile phones, aero planes, electricity and internet and things fall in perspective. Really, they do. Don’t they?

Every time I make my trip to India, almost 16 hours of flying time from US, I never fail to appreciate the great piece of innovation that Wright brothers gave us. And it would be so naïve to thank just the two of them. When the captain is making the announcements, have you taken note of the outside temperature? Mere thought of a - 40 oC temperature just inches outside my seat makes me go paranoid with all kind of scary thoughts. I guess you have gone through a similar feeling and have silently, maybe subconsciously, thanked the scientists and engineers who have made flying possible for you. What a piece of work an aero plane is?

One question I often ask people is “Which technology do you think has changed life the most in your time?” Without doubt, for our times, I think it’s the wireless technology. It would be an understatement if I said that I am fascinated by the change wireless technology has brought to our life. From the time (1877) when Edison uttered the word “Mary had a little lamb” in his mouth piece to the time when Neil Armstrong’s “A giant leap for mankind” (1969) from moon, it has been one hell of a ride for the communication science and technology. Communication technology made tremendous strides during this period but it was only in our generation that it became affordable to the masses. There was a paradigm shift in the efforts made by the business class to bring the technologies available in labs and universities to our households and to our finger tips. And it’s working.

In my opinion, the hallmark of a good technology is the impact it has on our quality of life. And the hallmark of a great business idea is to make this available to us at affordable prices. This brings me to the next question. What technology would that be? What is the technology-business liaison, if successful, is going have the highest impact on our livesto be the future? I am a great admirer of the way research has changed our life and probably that is the reason I am in research. However, sometimes we get so engrossed in our research that we lose the bigger picture and this is when nihilism sets in. As a trained engineer and an individual who calls himself a researcher, a question that keeps popping up in my mind is " What are the next life and lifestyle changing technologies that are going to change the way this world of ours operate? " We all know that this can not be answered in few lines. So, please wait for my next post on this. I can assure you that I have given it a lot of thought and we may agree on what I have to say. If not feel free to comment. As a preemptive measure, you can also make suggestions if you like ;-)

So long,

Anand Srivastava.