By the end of August 2009 spending few weeks on so called ITP(read-as-bench), I was quite frustrated for not doing anything; and the High Performance, Delivered jingle is still sounding very high in the mind. Being an ASE where quite few self proclaimed Sr ASE's advise adds to the jitters, everyone suddenly became so much knowledgeable when they are discussing the slowdown in IT jobs while playing the bubble wala excel based game; though I was that time quite naive to get the true meaning of that. Then suddenly one afternoon I got a call from Chennai and being a travel enthusiast + hobby as exploring new places I said “YES” to the project. Though that point of time I had limited options left but fate had something else in stores.
Then on next Monday morning I was in my guest house in Adyar, an up class locality in Chennai. However it is the only places I have heard the name before as there was one A2B outlet in BTM layout petrol bunk where I had taken lunch before. So the acronym A2B stand for Adyar Anand Bhawan – a sweets shops chain quite famous even now. Don't ask me why it is not AAB intead of A2B. I don't know yar. Initial few days are super tough both in terms of settling down and remembering the places names which you hardly pronounce in one go, like for example the CDC-1 office was located in Sholinganallur (pronounced as sho – ling – anna – llur) and add to this unfair life became even unfairer in my next stay at Chennai when the office has been shifted to CDC -2 which is at Perungalathur(pe-run-gala-thur); quite funny to pronounce now but believe me that time it was quite quite tough.
----------- #T4-Madness -----------
Then after that finding a house to live that also with north Indian people and good food. Come on, you can’t be so much demanding in places like Chennai. But no, few good works of my past life get me a very very decent flat in Thiruvanmiyur(Tiru – van – miyur) with fully furnished which includes a big glass top dining table which we used to put aloo aur pyaj, north Indian cook(though he was Odiya, but make him north indian for a while) and most important thing -- A DIRECT SEA FACING SIDE ROOMS, approx distance 200 mtrs, It gives me truly WOW wala feeling. But this was just starting, Flat T4 is slowly became single point stop for all the fun activities. All thanks to our very gentle landlord, which we later came to know that he was a top lawyer of Chennai Every Friday we used to have party with all our roommates and intensity had grown over the time. Starting with Marco-polo Zingaro, Bullet, Golden Eagle, MAX 10000 and many other various local brands. Kuch naam toh bhul bhi gaya hun ab. We tested all along with other regular and standard ones. But the ultimate king was Vorion 6000 - which later become our all time favorite. Even today also I missed it very much J, For making the combination better there was option like Al-Reaf ka grilled chicken for non-veg and gobi + pyaj pakoda for veg. From some T4 parties, we made video which cant be said social (password-protect-ke-sath-locked-hain HDD main) but believe me when I sometimes see it, all memories comes like a flash before my eyes. Some grand farewell and onsite jane ki parties which was just like adding cherry on the cake. Some Bikes-n-Barrels and Geoffrey ki parties where everyone is getting high at the end. Murugan idli's and Punjaabi Kulfi at Besant nagar beach. EA for shopping n only place where you can see some nice north Indian girls.
But then apart from everything else I also have to daily go to office and had given some work to finish which I truly HATED to the core. Why? No not now, because, that leads to another monster debate: Testers Vs Developers(That also on niche skills, abe pagal hai kya kuch din main toh ab HSB milne lagega). But let’s not deviate from main topic, I will bring on that later. Things are getting tougher for me by passing every single day. In summary, Next 8-9 months was full of very high depression(work wise wala only yar not on personnel side). After middle of all this, from next release they decided to move me on some different module on Mainframes. Seems the worst is not yet over. That new work is even more boring than what I was doing previously. For all this tenure, I didn't even know exactly what my work contributes to my clients. This happens when you are least interested in certain things. Then the toll had been raised and becomes unbearable for me then one evening I went to my lead desk and told him that lets go for one on one meeting and I can’t take this any more. Please release me from this project. Then so much more drama added to this like client approvals, manager ka drama n all that. One fine evening I received a email in my inbox – Vimal Kishore lock roll on information - Transferred to Gurgaon !!
------------ DLF, Ph - 3, #Gurgaon -----------
Aug 14 is the exact date when I was there at Nizamuddin Railway Station, Delhi waiting for my friend who is coming from Gurgaon to receive me. Many thanks to him, dost log isi din ke lia hote hain. Then he takes me to his flat where I spent my initial time of Gurgaon with him. Later in few weeks I have realized that coming to Gurgaon in not so wise decision, I had taken. For me, It was like every steps I have taken is another mistaken – famous lyrics from Numb – Linkin Park song J. Of late, I understood the fight for the project was toughest in Gurgaon and it’s still even now. Adding to the pain, finding a place to sit in swanky DLF Cyber City DDC - 1 building is another fight. Luckily managed a seat but again with no work. Here daily activity includes bird watching the beautiful girls in the cyber city campus after lunch and discussion ranges from why the Ericsson waali girls are hotter than Oracle waali girls(both companies have offices in same building), watched almost every movie which released in next 4-5 months which includes even Kareena and Arjun Rampal starrer “We are Family” as well. Forgive me for that. IIFCO chauk ke aage wale DT cimema ke regular costomer ban gaye the yar. Evening time pe sec -14 OM Sweets ke kachuries aur dhoklas. Plus couldn't forgot that onsite wala project interview call which lasts for more than 1.5 hrs for third round – the client one; before he rejected me for reasons unknown to me. Abe bacche ki jaan lega kya. But no work had its own advantages as later with old college friends got a chance to visit – Dalhausie and there we stay in Army Base Camp and enjoyed the facilities(read as imported liquor) very well. All thanks to my good friend as his brother is officer and posted there. But again all this without work made me super dull slowly and finally one day I decided to leave this.
Then one fine Friday evening when I was sitting with friends in MGF Metropolitan Mall enjoying my chhole - bhature; got a project call from Chennai. After some blah – blah on project description the last few words were: its development project from scratch – Few golden words which rarely had its true meaning in this support and maintenance clad IT world. Having a very limited option left; I have said – YES but on condition that it will be PSR(Project Specific Re-locations) as one another project from Bombay is also in process to lock me. Choices are not tough as I had already chosen Chennai over Bombay -- again for my fear to live in later. Moreover another lucrative part is PSR makes me entitled for huge sum at that point of time. But wisely I decided not to spent a single penny in transit. So being it cab, air ticket, service apartment everything is booked by; as they called it; with valid WBS element only...lol. So when I landed on Chennai Int’l Airport next to exit gate a chauffeur is waiting with placard with my name written over there - Vimal Kishore, Accenture. It was really nice feeling J
----------- #Chennai, Re-Repeat ----------
After reaching to the service apt I decided to go to office to meet with the team there. Once I reach to the project bay, suddenly a girl came out and say – lagta hai kahin dekha hai aapko ??? . Yes, I used to be work here some months ago, I said shyly. That was the first encounter I remember and later she became one of the best friends. Initial few months were very quick but limited to going out for the lunch and tea breaks as a team. Later another best thing happened there was; that we have found an extended family. It was serendipity. A very nice, warm and caring people where we truly felt at home wala feeling. Slowly it become a weekend adda for us, we go there, spent our weekends, give and take advises and got the taste of mouthwatering home cooked food every time, without fail. Endless discussions till late nights accompanied by rounds of tea J. It slowly became home away from home for us. The birthday celebration where I got some chance to show my cooking talent as well and it has been well appreciated. Lucky me. Met another friend whom I like for his intense and very calculative knowledge about almost everything. Keeping more knowledgeable people around makes your life simpler J. Though for some project deadlines that year I decided to go home for only for Chhath(annual festival where we worship SUN,celebrated mainly in Bihar and eastern UP) and not on Diwali. Usually I take both in one stretch as both have only 6 days gap. But surprisingly that turns out to be one of the most remembered Diwali celebrations out home till date. Even today sometimes when I flip the photos on my laptop, it filled me with nostalgia. Needless to say the bonding get cemented over time we all became kind of the true extended family. Few another memories has been added from some random movie shows and zoo outings. But as the good time always flies fast and moreover I had came to Chennai for the fixed tenure. Reality is nobody, who is not from Tamilnadu wants to live in Chennai forever. Though this time it was more personnel but still decisions had been taken one year back. So once it is over, I decided not to go back to Gurgaon again for obvious reasons. Now the next destination was – Bangalore. Yes again. I left Chennai to come back to Bangalore. For the next 20 months I had spent to Bang – 6 before it was came to my mind that time has been flying too fast and if I didn't act accordingly things may lose it sheen.
PS: There may be plenty of mistakes in this blog but I didn't get the fair amount of time for edit and formatting and to be honest it’s hard to re-read your heart again. Ye apne aap hi aata hai jab aap flow main hote ho.
Working on third and last thread of this story. Will post it very soon !!!
