Math-Cab : It Happens only in Kolkata

Think of revising your maths in a Cab? Well, it happens only in Kolkata, as far as I have experienced.

People say that the best time to solve mathematical problems come in the calmness of the night or at dawn. In Kolkata, the fun comes hand-in hand with commotion and traffic snarl. Improvised and superlatively imposed by the Transport Ministry, Government of West Bengal, this November, a passenger has to multiply the displayed fare on the cab meter by 2.4 and then add Re. 1 to pay to the driver, who has meticulously made it a point to stop when the meter reads 17 or 19 or with digits that end with 3, 7 or 9. And then when you are in a hurry or get frustrated, you always have the option to round it up and pay the driver to the nearest higher multiple of 10!! Business optimized and achieved! The poor gets some black money and you lose some white. This, to add on, you avoid the cab and run for the bus, where the conductor is ever waiting to show you a Chi Square Chart, that you seldom understand and charge you more!

And then, it beats my imagination, as to why the digital meter donot display the actual fare and calculate it based on whatever equations they have. After all, it is digitized and no more manual. Previously too, you used to double and add Rs 2 to pay off! But, here, you are in a pit with 2.4 factor eating up your wallet/purse!

BODMAS (if pronounced in Bengali, means a crook), but in mathematics, well I better not explain! Or else I shall have to lose some elite readers of my blog!

Since fare hike, this is the third time I boarded the Taxi tonight. Coming back from a friend's place, my colleague Nandana and myself were on our way home, when I asked her that does she know about the new rule? On explaining, it as to "Double the meter reading and then add 20% of the reading and then  add Re 1 to arrive to your ride price!" Given her spontaneity, she murmured; "Tell me how to divide or bracket any thing?" I said, "No" and then on my way back home, after dropping her, I thought that this can be a good article to place, as to how we are sharpening our brain and keeping our neurons alive!

I have no issue with the hiked fare, but better put it correctly on the board! How do you expect to multiply 77 with 2.4 and then add 1, to pay up, when your cab driver has a new customer to the airport and you have to run back home as nature was calling!!! Legally it comes to Rs. 185.80p, which means I had to pay Rs. 186/- only. But with all these burdens on, horns blaring and stomach paining, I paid the driver Rs. 190/- to attend to my emergency! If it happens to me, it can happen to you!

So, its my request to the Transport Ministry to issue special programmed meters that can display the fare, fairly! We are good in maths and some economics, just that we can never be Aryabhatta or Chanakya by revising it in a Cab!!!

Courtesy: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/India_-_Kolkata_taxi_-_3771.jpg

Raindrops...

It was over cast. The white shine of the clouds, slowly turned grey. Bright webs flickered through them, announcing the arrival of monsoon. The blade of grass swayed in the wind, that picked up speed and chilled the surrounding. A blanket of dust that once covered the tyres and the pavement, jumped upon it's head. "This is annoying!" thought the blade. "I don't like this monsoon kiss. Can't it come neat and clean?"

Blade, it stands still in it's place. It wins over the scorching heat, the pressing feet, but still it stands up tall to wave a high in the blowing wind. Sometimes, the neighborhood Tommy, would come wagging it's tail, pick up his right leg and bath it in a warm Jacuzzi. Scented, the blade awaits monsoon.

Still it gets angry with the unwanted kiss of the dust that the monsoon announces, before her arrival. May be it's an unexplained expression of love. Humans get weird on this part. Buying balloons, cards, chocolates and sometimes throw some stinky wet balloons around it,  frequently at dawn break! The blade always wondered about that stink, but with time, the scorching sun would fade away those thoughts, making it's vein run water so as to survive. Night falls, blade sleeps.

This year though, the monsoon has taken quite a long time to arrive. It had been waiting for it's kiss. The rain drop upon itself, smearing it's torso to bring back life and love! But what's this. A herd of cattle is on it's way. Will it never meet it's eternal love in the clouds. Will it never meet those sparkling beads of life, falling from the heavens. They come on nearer, while the lightning strikes far away! "Please come to me, I am waiting", prayed the blade. Its sound faded amidst the hoof beats! The clouds seem to play along with the heard, forgetting the long waiting tiny friend under their hoof!

It's ear torn, half head eaten, the blade waves on... Let the raindrop quench it's thirst for one last time;

.... there was a Moo, a bite and a crunch.

It started raining.

Legitimate Thoughts

It comes across your mind, when you have other legitimate chores left for you to complete. How I hate them like many of you. Can't they come when I am idle or sitting with our empty caps on! Crap, they are... Crap they go!

How does your day unfold with backlogs in your mind? Still I would love to win all over them with smile. But, sometimes, it seems lodestone over your lips. They scream out for your pity state, thinking nothing else, but being a bimbo!

A short post. Let it go down your mind as a potion of bitter idle life, where nothing seems to move. And this happens when people become very close and you feel they are far away!

Sunshine at Midnight.

Not a celestial awe. Not even a magical movie; but its magic, I call Magic of Life!

Warmth and Enjoyment. Something that the modern nucleated society is lacking day in and day out. Even the couples see each other at dawn, thanks to the immense work schedule, I fondly remember the days that came and went away, swiping it's magical wand across the canvas of my life and also of my friends, my colleagues and really good group!

This post was long due. Thanks to the Molecular and Human Genetics of CSIR-IICB's joining party, this post was bound to be penned down in my blog. A short story of few days that culminated into our lives with immense happiness, missing each and every drop of the wine that we still would like to taste, when ever possible. Not to mention, it brought pain into the ears and sleep of the neighborhood!

Anirban Da and Madhuparna Di, your fond memories still lurks when ever I cross the terminus near Harisabha ground at Jadavpur area. That rented flat did buy us some good time. Tuned in with music from the smooth ticks of the fingers of Subhadeep and Anirban Da.... to the food and the drinks, those home grown parties are the best and I shall cherish always. There were some chores which was always left over by us, but the party waves kept on calling us with warmth.

Five times, if I remember it correctly, was the gathering within a span of six months... from November 2011 to May 2012. The party men kept on adding, but there are people who always savored saying; Cheers!!!

Anirban Da, Madhuparna Di, Udayan Da, Jayanta Da, Surjya, Subhadeep, Nandana and myself were regulars, bringing the Sun up to shine from midnight to dawn. Yes, sometimes Debmita joined in and so did Sandip Da, Nilanjana Di, Bille and Belda...but whatever the party, when ever the party, the reason was open hearted laughter, song and smoke!

Many people reading this post might think us a bunch of hooligans, but believe me, it were these momentous gatherings that kept us going in our research work from the next day! Hats off!

This post was long due.. but the roads at Harisabha will still remain and so will our desire.... The hosts are away in US, but I guess we all will meet again and again...to rejuvinate our memories, music and most importantly the parodies.... and... awesomesala!!!! A toast to the milestones, left behind and new mile stones to come!!!

Time may fly by,

But-

Memories are mine.

Let's hope the bottle is new,

But-

with the Old Wine!!!

-Somnath Paul, 16.08.2012.

Babu Moshai....

Zindegi aur maut upar wale ki hath mein hain Jahapana,

Usse na toh Aap badal sakte hain....

Na toh Main....

Hum sab toh rang manch ki katputliya hain;

Jinki dore upar wale ki ungliyo mein bandhe huye hain...

Kab,

Kaun,

Kaise uthe ga...

Yeh koi nehi bata sakta hain...

Hah...Ha...Ha..Ha...

The famous climax of Anand (1971), a master piece by Rishikesh Mukherjee within the history of Indian Cinemas.

For those alien to the Devnagri, here is what it means:

Life and death is in the hands of the Lord Almighty, No one can do any thing about that. No can chenge it nor mend it. We all, are the mere puppets in the stage of life, who are being directed upon by the One above. Who, when and how will be called up, no one knows... (Just smile all the way).

Rajesh Khanna (1942-2012), was one of the charming actors of Indian cinemas. In the era which was coming out of the shadows of great actors like Raj Kapoor, Rajesh Ji made his own mark. An era, dominated by the sons of Bengali, Rajesh Khanna adopted the style and created a new stardom in the era of 1970-80.

In my faint memory, the first movie that I watched of this great charming performer was Ghar Ghar ki Kahani. It was a retake by Rishikesh Mukherjee of his earlier bengali version, where late Rabi Ghosh played the role what Rajesh Khanna did later with his charming smile. Its a laugh all over, a satire to the then depleting joint families of India. I loved it. But, what made their imprints in my memory were Anand, Swarg, Hathi Mera Sathi and Aradhana.

To a childish mind, Anand always bore the character of Rajesh Ji, impersonated within me, which to some extent I follow till date. Hide your pain and be loud with laughter with friends. It taught me that pain is your own, which you will enjoy the way it should be. To express that to others would degrade it's quality, as others will enjoy it the way it shouldn't. Instead, happiness is something that should be shared and leave pain to yourself and to your better half!

For this taught and character infused in me by the performance of this great man, the smile....

I salute you Sir....

Immortality... Attained!