Bangalore Ultra '07 (Dec 16th 2007)

"Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible" - Doug Larson

'Are u sure? 78 kms?".......... "Oh my god! U are some guy eh!"......... "Do u still think u can do it?"....... "Remember Sudhir, u are well short of training for this"........ "Its ok..... Its doable. But, be sensible".......... "Hey! No way! Its impossible".......... "Why are u doing this to urself?"........ "Wow man...... All the best"........ "wtf maga! U serious?"......... "Good good! Keep urself hydrated and full of electrolyte".......... "There's a limit to which u should stretch ur limits"........ "I never thought this fellow will grow up to run crazy distances".......... "Sudhir, i know its ur dream and all, but if u ask me, i think u should do 52"........... "Good! I have company now"......... "Are u still sure u r doing 78 and not 52?"........ "He is MAD"........ "Might be the distance, but doing it in time.....?"

Everytime someone said 'are u still sure?', i was getting more surer than before...... I had to do this! I knew i was mentally prepared for it....... Physically, although fit, short of training........

"I do not suffer from insanity..... I enjoy it"

The course: A to and fro distance of 13 km making a lap, amidst a picturesque trail in Hessarghatta (A place on bangalore outskirts). Ppl ran different multiples of 13 km, starting from 26. But most runners fell into three categories: 26k/52k/78k. I was doing 78. It was to be completed in 12 hrs

6 am: We started bang on time........ I started out too fast..... "The brighter the flame, the shorter it lasts"....... tried my best at slowing down...... Finished first lap much earlier than i decided to (1h 40 min)......

If the cloudy weather would stay, i could probably hope to keep close to this pace throughout......But the pictures wont turn out as great if its cloudy (very selfish of me, i know) ........ Second lap - Bang on target (1h 50m) ..........

Had been running juggling between different gangs of runners...... Then alone for a while, listening to music, clicking pictures ...... The clouds were clearing, the sun shone gently....... From halfway on the third lap, ran along with Manoj and later Lingu too........ Plugged out the music and chattered with manoj all the way (and we were together till almost the end)..... The sun was up now and cloud cover was almost completely lost...... so target lap times got revised....... Third lap done bang on time (2 hrs)......

Started 4th lap in good shape, but the uneasines was creeping up the legs, even though ever so slightly..... The temperatures rising now, and the sun at its peak, stealing away the gallons of gatorade that went in...... Mild cramps showed up, but managed it with ease, thanks to the medical assistance and also my friendship with cramps since childhood....... Finished 4th lap surprisingly on time(2h) (for which i got called 'the god who gave me half an hour' for showing Manoj that his math was screwed).......

Started 5th lap worrying how hard this one's going to be....... fatigue now evident on our legs...... mild cramps popping up a little more frequently....... The temperatures were still high...... Struggled a bit....... we declared all flat roads to be uphill as well, and walked them...... Finished 5th lap much behind schedule (2h 20 m).........

Sixth lap..... 2h 10 min left for race deadline....... The temperatures were getting to more tolerable levels..... But, we were close to thinking we should stop at 65..... but we dint express our thoughts to each other...... we went a considerable distance into it.... then there was no turning back...... "The finish will be tight........Have to see if we can actually make it atleast less than half an hour after deadline"......... "No way! I want to do it in time!"...... Manoj was not upto pushing too much on hmself... after all, he had to ride us home on his bike......... And also our philosophies abt finishes differed.... To him, "U have to finish ur run in good shape. U should be able to party the next night"...... Well, i had to go to a party the same night in fact, but yet to me. "If u r not totally useless just beyond the finish line, u havent pushed urself hard enough"...... I know most regular runners would rather agree with manoj than me.... But yes, i am weird and stubborn at many things, including the fact that i was even running this distance........

I decided my legs were fresh as new...... My legs dint agree however...... But went some distance....... Then at the aid-station, there was a goddess, named Leisl (hope i've spelt it right), who coaxed my legs to listen to me, by that amazing massage she did for the calves......... The legs were happy at last.... reached the halfway point along with manoj with 1 hr left for deadline...... Still at the edge of doability, but still its hoping too much....... "I am going to try doing it at least"......

Doc Rajat, the insanest of us all, just caught up with us as we reached the aid station at halfway point....... Well, he was two laps ahead of us :) He was attempting 104 km....... I decided that I had to part with Manoj and speed ahead if i had to live up to my dreams...... And my legs were upto it...... Reached the divine-Leisl aid-station again for the last time for the day....... She did her magic again....... From there on pushed hard and strong, the legs didnt yell back at me, was running the ups as well now..... I still spared time to click the sunset....... I reach the '2 km left' mark with ~10 mins left........ "Boy! This is gonna be tough. I have managed this speed only during initial parts of short runs. But anyway, still try!".......1km mark with 4 min left......... Ran hard and fast, but still kept it in control so that i dont lose the fizz soon....... I look at my watch again...... 2 min left!!!!! Run! Run! Run!!!!........ I ran with even more gusto....... I could see the crowd at the finish line now...... The fizz was dying out fast...... Loud applause and cheers from everyone......... Fully pumped up, gave a really hard sprint....... so hard, i could feel that my legs were independent beings, running on their own in full pace......... crossed the finish line..... dropped flat on the grass, staring blurry-eyed at the moon seen through the red tinged clouds...... I finished in 11h 59 min.

I lived up to my dreams......... Was happy........ The sky lit up w glorious patterns...... I saw manoj comin in a few mins later......... I was proud that i am part of the cream who can run 78 km
....... I was still soaking it in for a looooong time.......

Partied that night as planned...... But with a lot of pampering from my lab friends (including the birthday boy!)...... woke up the next day with my upper half fully hyperactive, and my lower half still almost dead........ But satisfied......

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Acknowledgements: (In random order)
- All those who both encouraged me and discouraged me to do this....... Couldnt have done it without either
- RFL - 1) for it being such an amazing club..... and 2) for flawless organisation of the best footrace on earth!
- The aid station volunteers and the health crew from manipal, who stayed there for the whole day, counting mad people - without whom i couldnt have dared to push my limits
- Leisl - for doing the magic u did to my legs on the last lap
- Manoj - for pacing me and giving me company for a loooooooong time. Also for the bike ride on his AMAZING bike
- My running mommy, Sabine - for being my mommy in every nice respect apart from the piles of tips n facts
- folks at home - for stayin sane through my insanity.
- Madhu - The guru of us all, whose vision this race was. And also for preventing me from doing some crazy stuff preparing for the ultra
- My labmates - who pampered me after i got to the party
- To KAA - For organising a marathon on the same day, and to screw it up.... making me even more proud of belonging to the smarter crowd.
- To the almighty Flying Sphagetti Monster, for ensuring that the visiting Prof to the lab didnt turn up on Monday!

BangaloreUltra rocks!!

Current mood: excited abt multiple things
Currently listening to: Higher - Creed

My first ever full marathon

..... And what an amazing place to do it...... The river by the side almost throughout the run..... It was an amazing run...... Although it would have been better if i wouldnt have been the last to finish.... But hey, i finished!!! ......

Event: Kaveri Trail Marathon, November 2007

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A huge thanks to RFL for the whole thing.... And special thanks to the support team for stayin up for the whole long period i was running.

Current mood: Recovering from tiredness
Currently listening to: Speed of sound - Coldplay

Biking to Manchinbele and Savandurga (10th Nov 2007)

For ppl who know me, i know u must half be thinking that bike here means bicycle, but instead it is a motorbike this time (which i dint drive either...The only thing i actually know to drive is the former version of the bike) .... And yea, din't climb Savandurga either...... Hmmmm, u must be thinking that there is a catch somewhere..... Well, u'll soon discover......

The gang: Me, Srik, Goo, Vinay, Arun

Long time since all of us met.... A road trip to celebrate this rare occasion!...... Also, Srik was showing us at savandurga, the route we will be taking on our hard trek weeks later. (Trust me, if srik says its hard and sends a mail saying 'be physically and mentally fit for it', it means much more than that)..... Thinking abt this trek would send shivers up my spine..... But when i looked at the peak this time, there were two things runnin in my mind..... 1. Wow! It still looks as inviting as the first time.... 2. Wait till i tame u!.....

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And going at breathtaking speeds amidst greenery (which i have no pics of, cos i was so involved enjoyin it). Its definitely different from the thrills of either speeding or enjoying the greenery at a slow pace. (Btw, this was in between manchinbele and savandurga, for those who want to enjoy it too.)

Current mood: tired
Currently listening to: Fragile - Sting

Running in the rain again

........ only, this time some stuff was different

1. It was dark
2. It wasnt pouring as it was last time.... only a steady heavy drizzle
3. I had company (Kiru running and Ann cycling along. Or else i probably wouldnt have ventured to run in the dark)

Did it in pretty decent time for running in water (~4 km in 27 mins). And also happy that my injuries seem to have healed.

Its so much fun when running in the rain, especially with company (and splashing water at the others, as u run). Kiru was gasping for breath in laughter.

Again, we were the subject of astonishment and envy to ppl in the cozy comforts of cars.

Thank u kiru and ann. (And sorry for all the water i splashed into ur mouth!)

Current mood: Blank
Currently listening to: Tere Bin - Atif

Old traditions in new avataars

I remember those days when i was a kid, when neighbors used to share sweets on occasions..... Usually some home made delicacies, that they send in some plates (wrapped in newspapers sometimes) or tiffin boxes........ Then there is this custom that u shouldnt return the vessel empty. So you fill it with some goodies from your side, while u return it......

Well, some of the aunties of the house still follow these, but wat im talking about is the gen-Y of today who follow this tradition in a different way. Somebody asks u some stuff on ur comp (music, pictures, software etc.). U give it to him in ur USB pendrive...... He returns u the pendrive with some goodies he has (more music, movies etc.).....

Well, i think both the old and new traditions are applicable only to places like india :)

And some ppl forget to return the pen drives until reminded (just like some neighbors accidentally forget all abt ur vessel, and is mixed up with their own vessels)

Current mood: blank
Currently listening to: slow train coming - Bob Dylan

RFL ONV run

I ran my first official RFL run. The location was Hessarghatta this time, which will be the racetrack for the Bangalore ultramarathon as well. The route was very picturesque. I have missed out on taking pictures in one of the best portions of the race track - the woods - where i was so focussed on running (or limping on my sore-kneed second lap) that i forgot that i am a shutterbug.

ONV (Our Native Village) was the host for the RFL run, and will be for the ultra as well. Special mention has to be made of the 'completely natural' aspect of everything at ONV.

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Current mood: Worried that my sore knee is still sore
Currently listening to: Sonne-Rammstein

Coffee with Aki

........ mmmmmMMMMM..... the aroma..... ...... "Perfect! as always!"...... ...... "Some more coffee powder aki"........,............. "Perfect! As always!"

Some versions of coffee have a special something in them..... Somethin the Cafe Coffee Days and Baristas cant offer..... Its an essence that even coffee made by ur mom or lover lacks. (which is definitely great in their own league, but i feel this one is different). Its not the love that goes into aki's coffee, its the total selfless care that she offers everyone, that is so well-expressed in the coffee.....

Thanks for the AMAZING coffee, aki

Current mood: Happy (its not too often these days that im happy)
Currently listening to: Better than you- Metallica

Running in the rain......

The first ever bangalore ultramarathon(80 km run) is on Dec 16th.... Started practisin a few days back...... Started slowly increasing the distance im running day by day....... But today was different....... It was drizzlin strongly when i started....... Soon my spectacles got completely crowded by the enormous number of raindrops that were pushing each other to stay on it....... Realized i was better off without the glasses..... Soon, the mighty drizzle turned into a downpour, as has been the case in bangalore for quite a few days...... I continue running further, enjoying the rain hittin my face...... sipping the few drops hiitin my mouth...... I wanted to face the elements raw...... Here i was, running at my normal pace, as if there were no rain at all.......

I felt proud...... I feel good abt not going to dance classes (salsa, waltz, tango etc. which i had enrolled to earlier) and doing running instead...... I can get lost in running..... and especially with perks like raindrops darting at ur face...... Salsa cant give me all this! Especially since i am and will be single, at least for a long while...... I stop regretting my decision of quitting learning dance..... It was fun dancing, but not involving enough...... Why the hell am i thinking so much abt it? Enjoy the rain, dumbo!......

I recollect an older blog post of mine, as im writing this...... The crux of it is still relevant now..... But i prefer a re-rendition accurate to my current situation:

A new horizon appeared, much after i was lost thinking abt the old....
It came so close, that i kissed it.....
I was swept by it.......
I found my reason to run......
I found a direction to run......
But it fell quicker than it rose.......
One quick hit...... and im limping again........
I came close to stopping......

But, i pick up speed and run again......
I run...... Not because i love to......
I run...... because i chose to......
To stop...... im no longer scared to, but i chose not to.....

I run..... reasons unknown....
I run..... reasons i dont wanna know......
I run..... in all directions......
I run..... to reach nowhere.......

The mind no longer seeks the horizon......
Its fast asleep..... Thinking of nothing..... Thinking of no one.....

I run..... seeking no end

I finish my first 2 kms in 12 mins, my average timing on other normal days........... Am happy n proud..... I head back on the same route to NCBS...... The rain darts at me with even more fervour...... the road now has turned into a river....... I enjoy splashing and running through it....... Cars slow down looking at me......... some are curious........... some jealous........ I am enjoying it..... But running in the water is so much slower...... I dont care abt timings now..... Just enjoy dammit!...... second 2 km takes 15 mins...... pretty ok considering running against the current of water!

I run....... only to run

Current mood: Hungry!
Cuurently listening to: Good bye - James blunt

Muthathi to Sangama : A walk with nature (9th sep 07)

Wanted to do something for the weekend..... Srik had sent an invitation for a trek..... Couldnt squeeze in both sat and sun for it...... Labmates and some friends pressed to go on a trek..... Since one of em, was an absolute amateur, decided to do a simple walk down the jeep track from Muthathi to Sangama....... a nice 20 km stroll along the bank of river cauvery.......

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All surprisingly met relatively on time at ksrtc bus stand........ Bus to Kanakpura....... Kanakpura to Halagur.... Halagur to Muthathi......... Walk from Muthathi........ No sight of Manasa's beloved elephant(s) against her hopes......... walked a bit...... stopped at a spot where the water was shallow and under the shade of trees....... chilled there for a long time......... scared the shit outta manasa by sending some eels at her under water(er... those were my legs)........ realised we chilled out for too long...... would compensate for lost time by sacrificing some nice spots planned for later....... the girls had curfew, so had to reach home before late......

walked along enjoying the forest scents........... and views of the hills...... the rich blue of the sky and the pure white clouds which seemed so near........ Me happy clickin away at everything...... the rest started playing some song-humming n guessing-which-song game, on the move....... i stayed out of it as i wasnt suited for such stuff....... i started thinkin as usual...... Why am i doing this?...... I know i wanted to do srik's trek badly, and i could've somehow squeezed the 2 days required for it....... Moreover srik needed the trek too...... We had lunch after passing Galibore at around 2:30.....

Why? Why am i doing this walk instead of the grueling one srik has in store...... I decide on what to do, thinking subconsciously rather than consciously (as per srik's suggestions)...... But i needed to analyze why my subconsciousness chose to do this..... I realize probably, i wanted to do something, being in the lead..... I wanted to prove to myself that i can lead at least somethin all by myself..... take responsibilities...... All these - things i've never done....... Ahhh! cute looking cloud with another cloud behind it....... Hmmm, but why do i need to take lead and be responsible?..... I can easily choose not to be a leader...... i am a researcher...... all i need to worry abt is my science and my life.... why lead anything?......... Then back to the good ol question....... why life or science?........ Hey, those clouds rising behind the hills looks awesome........ Meanwhile, the others are playing some word game...... i decide to join in instead of pondering abt vainly chasing these questions

A long stretch of walking and photography later..... we were gettin close to sangama...... a little fight with Manasa........ continue walking angrily........ Reached sangama by 5:30 pm...... half an hr late than wat was supposed to be our worst case scenario...... The ksrtc bus was only at 6:30..... was surprised that there were no private buses either...... had to wait, staring at all the ppl there gettin drunk and making ruckus(es)...... I realize, the girls wont reach home by curfew time......... I realize i suck as a leader...... Decide that i wont ever lead as i did not live up to my own expectations...... I dint take the most scenic route, in order to save time and yet couldnt get everyone back in time......

Long ride back home...... curfew girls reach home around 10 pm. two hrs above max-deadline...... face music...... But, they later say they enjoyed the trip and would like to do somethin again....... am glad

Current mood: all enthu abt doing the 80k ultramarathon
Currently listening to: Something in the way - Nirvana

My nerd score!

When i was killin time on the net, i came across this site that tells u whether u r a nerd, based on ur (honest) answering of a list of questions. According to them, here's my score, stats and type:





Ok, im not a semi-geek after all. I am a higher order geek than i thought i was! (Or so they make me believe)

Current mood: Thinkin of trekkin somewhere, but most likely cant go
Currently listening to: Vermillion Pt.2 - Slipknot

ncbs (and dbs) entrance exams

I see from StatCounter that there are few ppl coming to my blog, with 'ncbs' as a search string. I presume its all in the entrance exam preparation fever. I do not want them to go back disappointed. Also, i have also been receiving orkut scraps and emails from my juniors and other ppl asking abt the entrances. So, i thought it would be nice to write a post on it and direct everyone here. I am writing this in a FAQ style (more or less because i can directly flick from some of my mails ;)

Note: All these have been written based on my (and my co-interview-mates') experience of the Integrated PhD selection of the 2006 batch (there could have been changes since then). I faced all the rounds, but did not clear the final round interview. I am currently a Junior Research Fellow at NCBS in Prof. VijayRaghavan's lab, working on developmental neuroscience. Exact project: "Organisation and asssembly of the neuronal network required for walking in Drosophila". Sorry if that sounds neither like greek nor latin

Does ncbs have scope for anything apart from biology? (modified version of the question ppl usually ask me: "I thought u r a physics guy. How come u r in a biology place?") ncbs is a bio institute alright, but biology these days has become interdisciplinary (like almost every other subject). There are interesting fields like Biophysics which need math, computation, physics (of course, the name has it) etc. And stuff like cancer research, cell signalling mechanisms, biological nanotechnology etc require chemistry, biotech and physics knowledge. Neuroscience requires physics and computation. Synthetic systems biology requires biotech, and cell biology knowledge. Population genetics and ecology require biotech, genetics, computation, old style botany-zoology and so on.
So, to put it short...... ncbs is looking for all kinds of ppl from different backgrounds - mathematics, theoretical physics, experimental physicis, biotech, botany, zoology, engineering, computers, chemistry, pharmacy etc. For ppl interested in wildlife conservation, there is a separate entrance for MSc in wildlife. It is an amazing course with field trips to amazing forests throughout India. Almost all students of the last batch won awards in international conferences last year)

What are the different stages in the selection process?
1. Entrance test (usually on the first or second sunday of dec)
2. Write-up submission (jan-feb)
3. First round interview(may-june)
4. Final round interview(usually within 1 or 2 days after first round interview)
Note:Until the final interview, the stages are common for both NCBS and DBS, TIFR. The final interview is held such that the DBS and NCBS interviews dont clash. So u can attempt two institutes in one go.

Entrance test: The test paper has four parts carrying 20 marks: 1)General math/aptitude 2)Physics 3)Chemistry 4)Biology. You do not need to be good at ALL the fields. U can easily clear it even if u r rorrible at one field, average at another and reasonably good in other two. (For eg. I was good in general math and Phy, not so good in bio, and horrible in chemistry (i answered only 1 out of 15 questions in chem).
Each part has 10 one mark questions and 5 two-mark questions. All are objective type questions with negative marking(-1/2 and -1 respectively.) (Obviously, the two mark ones are more tricky and hard)

Write-up round: Once u clear the entrance, u will recieve a letter and form from ncbs, which u'll have to fill and send back in about a month or two. Apart from boring details like ur score in exams and other similar crap, there is a section which asks you why u want to join ncbs. This part bears quite some weightage in ur selection. So write it wisely. Dont try to show off too much. Be modest, keep it simple. Dont use too much complicated jargon.
The most important bit they ask u to do is to write a short essay within 300-400 words abt any unanswered question or research topic of ur choice, in biology (It can be stuff thats not done in ncbs too. Or even a whacky field u invent on the spot). U have to describe the question, give some background, and state ur approach to solve it. It can be quite hard to tuck everything in 400 words. Also cite references to strengthen ur points if applicable. Note that u don need to get down to excruciating details. Keep it simple, neat and elegant. Remember that this bit is what carries most importance in this round.
Along with this you will have to get 2 recommendation letters. (General hint: If u have a choice between a renowned person who will give u a below-average reco and a not-renowned person(say, a good lecturer) who's known u for a long while, and will give u a good reco, go for the second option)

First round interview: In the first round interview, students are divided into different batches, who will face different interview panels (probably at random). Each interview panel has three interviewer, usually from different backgrounds. During the interview, they first ask u what is the area which u r comfortable with. This could be Physics, biotech, engg, math.... anything. Make sure that u r really strong in the field that u mention (even if it is not ur favorite). They'll bombard u with questions, and try screwin u up in ur own field of choice. The interviewers will be helpful whenever u r stuck somewhere. Its not whether u answer it that counts, its how u answer it...... ur approach. For anything and everything, keep using the board... write down formulae, draw diagrams to explain, even if they dont prompt u to..... And they'll ask u stuff related to ur write-up, to test ur knowledge in that field. So, it is best if the idea is entirely urs. They can easily figure it out if u r fakin it or if u've flicked it from someone. The results are usually announced on the same day as the interview

Final round interview: You will face a 15 member panel now. This is pretty unnerving initially. With different ppl firing different questions from all sides. Make sure that u say that u dont know something, when u are not strong in that particular field. (I screwed up royallly on this aspect. I said, i was ok with genetics and tried attempting a genetics question thrown at me. I had no clue wat to do. I screwed up). And make sure u keep pushing the questions towards wat u r reallly strong at.

How hard are the entrance and interviews?
I felt the entrance to be simple, moderatrely easy and pretty interesting. There were some simple looking tricky ones, some simple straight forward ones and some difficult looking moderate ones.
The first round was fairly easy for me. So was the final one. But dont get stuck in a field which u r not comfy with. Make sure u r perfect in the field u state to be ur strength.(I also screwed up some phy questions, which i shud've answered).

What should i read to prepare for the exam?
Nothing. Last moment preparation does almost no good in such exams. Just strengthen ur basics in whatever u already know. Its ur overall smartness that will help u clear all rounds, more than just plain knowledge.

What are the different topics people are doing research on at ncbs?
Check out the ncbs website's page on it: http://www.ncbs.res.in/researchncbs/groups.htm

As ppl ask me more, i'll add more here too. And if you have any queries, please drop it in the comments page. I'll answer them as and when i can

Suggestions from others (Thanks to Umesh Mohan): In chemistry, strengthen ur reaction kinetics basics

Cycling to MakaliDurga (29th Jul 2007)

Route: Yelahanka - Rajankunte - Dodballapur - Makalidurga (and the same way back)

After the Nandi cycling expedition, the cycle had been its dilapidated self for a coupla months without attention, partly due to a similar condition of my pockets. But now, I definitely wanted to cycle somewhere on the weekend.... Lots of work pending at lab(NCBS)..... Just freed from the practical exams of my correspondence MSc course...... Theory exams on Aug 10th......Also, still unable to get out of the fact that I’ve been ditched when I was feeling so much for her (still don’t know why she still lingers in my mind)...... After a little confusion of where to go, I decide to go to this place called MakaliDurga (also mis-spelt as maklidurga, thanks to the non-phonetic English), around 15 kms from Dodballapur, which in turn is around 35 kms from my lab (near Yelahanka, Bangalore).... A net distance of around 50 ± 5 km which means a 100 ± 10 km to and fro distance..... Reviews from some blogs (like The Nomad) made me firmly decide on going there..... I then remember that Neha and Ashesh had once ventured to go there. They did reach there, but had to hitch a ride on a lorry on the way back, as they were out of energy and time.... Ahhh, thinking of Neha… the fun time we used to have in the lab.... Of the ever smiling and enthusiastic face no matter how tired she was.... She is the only girl I know who has such stamina to go on long distance cycle treks..... Well, she’s half way across the globe now, barely in touch with sporadic mails, thanks to both of our busy lives.... I somehow feel like dedicating this cycle trip and this post to her, as a mark of honor and memory....

My companions on the journey

Friday evening, after getting cycle repaired (costed me 800 damn bucks due to my negligence), I started packing up

- food (chocolates biscuits and 2.4 litres of bottled mango juice)
- 2.6 litres water
- 2 litres water+2 packets electral (to keep my electrolytes balanced)
- a bicycle pump
- spare tubes (in case of a puncture)
- some wall-tubes and blow-nuts (in case some pranksters flick em off, when parked somewhere and left alone for a long while)
- Relispray (for cramps which I always get very quick, partly because of Marfans syndrome I guess)
- and other basic first aid medication.......


Route all checked up on wikimapia.... Sleep early in the lab itself.... Wake up at 4:30...... Leave NCBS at around 5:30..... I take a short cut to the dodballapur highway.... I keep cycling for around half an hour..... the road thins down to a single lane.... Not too many lorries around.... I reach a bifurcation...... hmmmm, I saw no bifurcation on the map..... eerie..... I see a board that says take right to Sambhram Institute of Technology..... Hey! That should be to the left of dodballapur Road!.... I ask someone.... I realize I’ve gone a long way in the wrong direction..... I have to cycle almost all the way back to yelahanka to get to dodballapur road!.... 6:30 and back to square one..... At last I confirm that im on the right track..... A long butt-wrenching ride later I reach Dodballapur railway station.... Had some amazing onion Bajjis and lemon rice there....

The hills from a distance (If u notice carefully, there are two hills- one behind the other

....Started off again to makali....The road was either bad or under repairs most of the distance right from almost close to Bangalore..... Gave my butt a hard time, especially with its torn seat cover.... Little kids of the villages that I went by were amazed to see a geared cycle with shock absorbers.... Quite a few even asked me to change gears and show them..... some wanted me take photos of them..... by and by, reached Makalidurga railway station around 12 -12:15. Then, a serious butt-whacking ride down the road-in-between-potholes later, reached the deviation to go to the hill....

View from Makalidurga railway station

A ~120 degree panorama of the hills as seen from the highway . The hill to the right is Makalidurga(The stitching hasnt comeout that good as the clouds moved and light conditions changed in the component photos)

Parked cycle at the temple at the base of the hill…… tried ascending based on what I heard from locals there….. went a little distance up….. found a shady spot…… slept until 1:45…. Woke up…. Tried different ways of going up…. Realized that I wont be able to go up and be back in time….. I spot a lake from half way up the hill…… decide to go there…. I descend, take my cycle and head to the lake…… the road is terrrrrrrrible...... I go quite some distance and decide that its better to head back home as it was already 3:00.... Uphill on the terrible road was out of the question, especially with trucks trying to bully u out of the road..... Push it along quite a distance...

The lake and hills beyond when on makalidurga(not on top of it though)

The view from the valley betweeen the two hills

The sun has always been hidden under the clouds so far, except a few peeps now and then…. I feel that there is some mysterious power trying to help me….. Well! What the crap!, this is the rainy season! It is SUPPOSED to be this way…. I shut my fanciful poetic mind and go ahead….. A coupla light drizzles on the way remind me of the ‘SUPPOSED to be this way’ part…. I cycle along enjoying the drizzle….

As i go, the mind gets some room to have its own thoughts. It starts humming a Creed song and connects to my life -
"Who's got my back now?
When all we have left is deceptive
So disconnected
what is the truth now?"
-Who's got my back - Creed

Cycled faster.... concentrated on the road more until totally tired.... stopped for rehydration ... continued to cycle and push intermittently until better roads from maklidurga railway station onwards..... 4:30..... Then started cycling again..... Butt achin realllll hard, and some cramps too..... In between, I meet people who are curious and who ask me where im from, where im going, why am I doing this, blah blah blah..... I give some lame replies which are quite interesting to them….. I wouldn’t be able to convey my thoughts to them.... In their minds, im some guy with amazing grit and determination and big goals and all.... But I know why I’m doing it.... I’m trying to hide away from reality..... I’m tryin to be so involved in something that I forget my immediate surroundings… my work pressure, my academic pressure, my heartbreaks, most of all – the purposelessness of life..... Im somehow coaxing myself to live..... Im trying to be in a total blur that I can no longer think….Do some freaky thing when ur mind haunts you..... Its a weird kinda meditation - to be unable to concentrate on things that bother u

“Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night.” — Leo Aikman

….. I reach Dodballapur railway station at around 5:30….. Stop for some coffee…. Start off again….. Some ppl who’ve already seen me there in the morning, ask me the usual where, what, why and all. Then as I talk more ppl gather around curious about this Bangalorean (long haired guy wearing shorts, is enough clue for them to guess that im bangalorean)…. Then there’s a huge crowd surrounding me…. One guy gets me some bananas….. And they all want a pic taken with me….. Gawd! I feel like a celebrity….. Many good wishes later, Im off again, on the long road back to Bangalore....

Fanfare..... (Im holding the bananas they gifted me)

I realize, I’ve totally lost around an hour due to the fanfare so far….. Time is running..... n I need to beat the sun home….. But I know I cant….. Anyway, it gets dark before soon….. I don’t prefer to cycle on the highway at night, especially due to my vision problems….. however, I was just behind a JCB, wich went about cycle-speed. It guarded me against the glare of the hi-beam lamps of incoming vehicles…… Followed it until it stopped somewhere before reaching Bangalore…. Then had to push the cycle a considerable distance before reaching the lab…. Relaxed a while and headed home.... This trip somehow appealed more to me than the nandi trip… probably because of the fanfare..... but most likely due to the destination being nicer…… But, my body wasn’t aching as bad as I expected..... One night’s sleep.... Wake up unable to lift arms and legs....... Satisfied!.... back to sleep!

I realize that the song continues and gives some hope
"Who's got my back now?
When all we have left is deceptive
So disconnected
what is the truth now?

(what is the truth?)

There's still time
All that has been devastated
Can be recreated
Realize
We pick up the broken pieces
Of our lives
Giving ourselves to each other..ourselves to each other
To rest our head on"
Who's got my back - Creed

Current mood: Pressure slightly reduced from wat it was before cycling
Currently listening to: Dekha hai aise bhi - Lucky Ali (Lucky ali songs are perfectly suited for the vagabond moods)

Phit! Count

PhitCount is the term i've given to the number of mosquitoes u've electrocuted. Its a kind of count of some kinda karma points i reckon. The amount of good u have done to the human race. Well, by using the mosquito electrocutor (the shocking-coil powered tennis raquet thats been very popular these days), you kill a mosquito instead of plainly driving it away or blinding its senses so that it doesnt bite u (thats how most mosquito repellants work). This way, you are preventing not only it from biting u, but also its children, grandchildren and so on. In a more polished way of saying, you are affecting a chain propogation step, which means a slight input, will create a large output(in this case- absence of mosquitoes).

If at all there is a god for humans, who looks for wat good i've done to humans, i hope She (i bet God is a sexy bitch as much as It could be the Flying Spaghetti Monster) will read my blog (why? God must be having an ultrabroadband connection for all i know) and send me to heaven for the amount of good i've done.

So, from now on, i'm going to keep a count of how many mosquitoes i've electrocuted, and update the number on the sidebar. (For ppl who havent already guessed, the 'phit' of the phitCount refers to the scary and sweet sound of electrocution)

Current Mood: excited (not for killin mosquitoes)
Currently listening to: Destination anywhere - Bon Jovi

Good ol' times

Ahhh. those days...... when all that mattered to me was Physics and myself..... Completely drowned in it..... Not speakin to anyone much (except other fellow geeks of course)..... to the point that the rest of college actually 'feared' talking to me..... I looked like a dork and wasnt bothered abt it..... Then in the third year of my bachelors degree, i decided i would socialize...... i looked less like a dork.... i started talking to more people... people other than geeks...... the others liked talking to me too...... i began liking someone...... sometime later, someone else started liking me..... neither of them clicked..... my mind, although it loved physics.... there was something hot n happenin in this new kind of world.... I had one crush after another.... Just crushes... not love.... until pretty recently that is..... but even love betrayed me..... got dumped in a way, i never thought i would be dumped..... anyway, i've gotten over the ditching..... All i long for is those good ol' times..... where all that matters is Physics, me and my experiments.....

However, the geek federation has split and are scattered. Its more or less a lone walk down the 'path less trodden'..... which reminds me of a recent meetup with Aditya. Amidst all the gibberish that he usually gibbers, he told "I choose to take no path. Its definitely not trodden".... thats some kind of 0/0 kinda indeterminate kinda argument, but it definitely makes some wierd sense! I'm still thinking of deeper meanings to it. (I know he dint mean it any deeper than 'grilled' canteens and the other crap he said. But, there's something interesting in this statement).....

Ahhh.... those good ol' times spent w aditya...... The times we spent at the planetarium..... fighting over every little difference we find between our solutions to problems..... The number of bets we placed over those problems(which he won almost every time)..... The time we worked together on the Rijke effect...... learning something new everyday........ The eureka moments of the 'uphill cone' and 'uphill ball'..............

Im not in too bad a state now to do anything.... its just that i'm doing nothing that i can be proud of.... the way i used to be once upon a time..... The whole year of 2006 went in vain..... Although, i got my first ever paper published (although 6th author) during this time.... i coant see a huge difference in what wisdom i have..... I oughta make 2007 different..... Forget all the mere mortal desires of Love, glory and entertainment..... I had more joy, during those good ol' days..... I prefer being a happy nerd than a sad stud.

Current mood: nostalgic yet pumped up to do something, but indecisive of wat to do
Currently listening to: Astronomy - Metallica

Template changed.

I had to change the template of the blog to the newer blogger version, in order to make my life a little easier. I couldnt make haloscan comments link to the old p[osts of the new blog properly. So, i've decided to chuck haloscan. Sorrry for sacrificing all those valuable comments.

On all wierd things

Richard Feynman was a GENIUS. He understood both - Quantum Mechanics AND girls.

I can understand neither! :(

And i've given up hope to learn. Atleast the latter.

Current mood: blank
Currently listening to: Comfortably numb - Pink Floyd

On Life, the Universe and Everything

..... Life sucks.... the Universe is annoyingly unknown and large.... and Everything is crap....

Hold on..... the universe is unknown and large..... Hmmm....

But, what if all that i percieve is just a stupid dream of some giant almighty cosmic dreamer? (Or a tiny powerles bloody useless good-for-nothing shitty cosmic dreamer either)... Or the saga of the noodly appendages of the Flying Spaghetti Monster? Or something that our thoughts were designed not to comprehend?

WTF(What the fisherman)..... If its a dream, I am still a part, pointless, but yeah, still a part. So, hangin in there until the bubble bursts..... But, there seems to be some disgusting sense of uselessness, which tells me to end it all. Go ahead! Burst the bubble urself! Why wait for it like most others do. Am a bit too curious to find out what happens when the bubble bursts.....

But, then if i do that, I'll becomne wat i despise - A ditcher, ditching whoever has cared for me in this dream. I may not care a damn.... But, im not selfish either..... I'll hang in there until there's no one who needs me to hang in there. (Except for my bro of course, cos he is a useless wierdo psycho like me, sharing similar thoughts about everything)..... Yet, im still curious abt the bursting.....

Hmmmmmmmmm....... it seems inviting....... But hey wait! Im not a ditcher! But does all this even matter anymore after the bubble bursts? Why wait? .... hmmmmmm......

Current mood: Tissue paper drying up. But still shredded
Currently listening to: Naked - Bon jovi

Tissue paper revisited

Tissue paper is wet with its own tears.

Current mood: Shredded, soggy, but still white. (But does it even matter that it is white?)
Currently listening to: Fluff - Black Sabbath

Tissue paper

Suffocated.... Apparent gush of air, but mere hallucination...... Then choked to death!

Its amazing wat emotions some species of tissue paper can have, inspite of its sole use being to wipe off tears n dust, and then happily be thrown away.

However, there were nice times too, when the fragile tissue paper was handled with care. But now, all that care has turned useless in the tiny bits that its torn into.

Current mood: Shredded tissue paper
Currently litening to: To live is to die - Metallica

Sangama-Galibore-Muthathi trek (Jun 16-17 2007)

This trek was through some easy hills n valleys and some portion along the banks of river cauvery. It suited more of a romantic outing than a trek (we could have done it harder by doing some more hills). We did not follow the usual travellers' route (as usual!). We also camped at night in the jungle on a hill (Photos not taken during the 'interesting' night). The most beautiful part of the trek was the view from the riverbanks: hills flanking the river all the way through.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Print Christmas Coloring Pages.

Also, we had great fun discussing physics and mathematics throughout the journey. And especially the new technique by srikanth called 'reductio contradictum' i.e. The proof of the conjecture is "contradict me".

Credits: Some of the excellent pictures here were taken by srik.

Current mood: Feeling nice about a fresh surge of dopamine levels
Currently listening to: One - Metallica

Dopamine 2

Two souls waiting to be one,
But trapped in bodies staying far across.
In yestermonths, days of fun,
Now, its recollections are the only solace.

Events flow by... days fly,
In trying to find an alternative joy

Suffocated with want,
The world seems a continuous blur
Thirsty for love,
In this halllucianted stir

Events flow by... days fly,
Still longing for the same days to live by.....

Current mood: Clueless about life
Currently listening to: Sultans of swing - Dire Straits

Freakend getaway - Nandi (Apr 21 2007)

Workload low...... weekend approaching....... Some freak neurons in my head start firing....... I plan to go cycling to Nandi hills (from hometown Bangalore)....... A colleague says she wansa come too..... Route all checked on wikimapia, including pitstops on the way......

Everything packed...... 10 30 pm..... Just about to catch some sleep in the lab ..... People talk colleague out of it, scaring her with facts.... "Do you know how far it is? Its 50 kms from here? 100 kims to and fro! In one day, by cycle?!"..... I get pissed.... She is still in half mind to come..... But I finally call the trek off.... Or so the others thought....

Next day, 5 am, I start off from NCBS alone, with only 2.8 litres of water, and 1 litre of Gatorade, as fluids. I knew I'd need more, but planned to get them on the way.... It was still dark.... Apart from a few trucks that zoomed across, the six lane road was completely empty.... The air damp with yesternite's rains...... I tread slowly, due to lack of light and pools of water on the road at some places..... I go on cycling for an hour like this.... dawn breaks.... the clouds at the eastern horizon get a red tinge.


I cycle a bit further..... I get cramps in my leg..... I halt for a break..... Used a cramp relieving spray,,,,, Im contemplating whether i can do it..... "If i get cramps this early on the trek, I am defintely not going to make it"....... I do a routine check on all my belongings..... I figure I've lost my wallet...... I begin to feel that things arent goiung well.... Half mind, or rather 3/4th mind of heading back......

Talk to myself..... "C'mon boy, don chicken out! Its all still do-able.... Nothing has happened that will prevent u from finishing the trek (I had some spare cash distributed elsewhere, apart from my wallet). Go ahead! At least to Devanhalli (which is around halfway) and then decide..... I go ahead....... Amazing road.....


I cycle ahead..... I reach Devanahalli with full spirit..... Milestone reads 'Nandi 22 km'...... "When i've come this far, why not all the way?".... Little bouts of stopping for buying fluid food (bottled mango juice a.k.a maaza), water and also air for the tyres....... Long and tiring period of cycling, when the summer sun is roasting me..... At last the foot of the hill..... 8 kms to the top, through the winding roads.... Cant pedal uphill, pushing the cycle instead...... The heat is tiring..... no cloud cover at all.... Reach the top around 12 noon..... Im tired, yet happy about myself....... I overhear some ppl talking about 'the guy who came here by cycle'...... I feel proud too!


Girlfriend calls...... blasts me for half an hour for doing this..... 12:30....... I scan around the hillscape..... The view didnt live upto my expectations...... Some rest and 1 litre of mango juice(my lunch) later, i head to take my cycle...... Someone has let the air out of my rear tyre..... The pride felt a while ago is now lost, as i see the bigger scheme..... Someone offers to fill air for a price of Rs.10.... I have twenty bucks with me..... I have no choice however........ I buy the expensive hill air for my tyres.......

The descent delayed due to the incident, I head down at good speed....... Amazing hairpin bends....... Finally some cloud cover as well..... Enjoying the air hitting my face...... Plonk!....... Scrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeech........ My cycle is skidding down the slope..... hairpin a little ahead..... I see metal under the tyre rubbinng on the road....... Still struggliong to slow down...... "Has my tyre come off? And is that metal underneath, the wheel rim?"...... "Will i have to push the cycle all the way back?"...... I somehow manage to stop without falling after around a 30m skid.... I see that my mudguard is the metal that's under my tyre.... But how did the mudguard get under my tyre?..... Probably, the mudgard fell off, onto the ground, however still connected at the sides, then dragged by the tyre up, and rammed in the region where the breakes and stuff are..... I try pulling the mudguard out..... Stuck hard... Not coming out.....

Contrary to Melchizedek in The Alchemist, I feel "If u really want to do something with full determination, the whole world conspires against u achieving it"

All i need is a spanner to loosen the nuts holding the mudguard and ease it out...... "why the !#$@ dint i get my toolkit?"....... I try stoppin vehicles goin by....... Most dont bother to notice (After all why would anyone wanna be bothered on a picnic)...... A few stopped, but either dint have their toolkit, or dint have the right spanner..... I lose time..... I lose hope...... "I cant even drag it in this state!"...... I still try nudging the mudguard out....... Slow progress....... I've given up on tryin to stop vehicles...... Anyway, i use my brains instead of my muscles, and make slow progress..... Meanwhile, a coupla guys stop over and offer help..... They have the spanner i need.... they help me out....... Mudguard removed and chucked..... back brakes non-functional..... I thank them, and all of us are back on our own ways........... Amazing hairpins......... at last the foot of the hill.......

The guys who helped me out, triumphantly holdin the mudguard

A tiresome and uneventful, yet semi-scenic journey upto devanhalli......... I discover that the air in my rear tyre is very low, but not dangerously low........ I decide that i can manage it till the end....... I go ahead..... Empty my 10 remaining bucks on tea at multiple points on the way..... Now have absolutely zero cash on me...... I still cycle ahead.... cycling gets harder and harder.... I feel a repeated bump when im cycling..... I stop.... i see that the air has gone real low, and theres a wheelbend...... Around 20 kms more to go......... I push it on the level roads and the ups..... cycling on the downs....... At last reach the lab at 8pm with a badly disfigured rear wheel........ toatally exhausted....... but extremely happy.....

Moral of the story: The most expensive way to get to Nandi from bangalore is by cycle. Well, i spent around Rs.500 (excluding wat i lost w my wallet) for food, electrolytes, water and repairs.

On a more serious note: "If u really want to do something with full determination, the whole world conspires against u achieving it". But, if you are still determined enough, you can still achieve it!

Current mood: Bugged by reality
Currently listening to: It's not over - Daughtry

Yedakumari rail trek (27th and 28th Apr 2007)

Also pronounced/misspelt as yedukumeri, edukumeri etc.

A beautiful rail route through the western ghats in karnataka. An interesting beginer's trek

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CAUTION: For the novice trekker.... There are trains running in this route now, as evident from the pics here. Be careful at the bridges when th trains are comin. And you will need permission from the forest dept to go downhill from edakumeri. The rules are gretting stricter after a few recent incidents

Thadiyandamol again (29 & 30 Dec 2006)

Looking at the pics taken during the trek i went to Thadiandamol with ncbs friends, Srikanth and Goo thought we could go on a more hardcore trek through the jungle laden route to scale Thadiyandamol. Also, we stayed on top of the hill overnight, for a chilling experience. We got down the next day and went to Irpu falls (which is more than 50 kms away), for a refreshing power bath.




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Being able to go behind the waterfall was a unique experience. And even more so, was when standing right below it. The force of the water is such that, u will feel that there are many people pounding you. Unfortunately, i could not take photos that captured these experiences. All i could do is a take a pic of it in all its glory.

BR Hills (Aug 4 2005)

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This was a trip a bunch of us went out moer than a year back. It was just a one day trip. But it was packed with fun.

Thadiandamol trek (26 Nov 2006)

Ok. At last, i am not too late on this one. This was a really fun trek. There was no hard climbin or anythin to do. Just walk till the top. But, it wasw a long walk uphill, tiring us out completely. But, as usual, it was worth it all, as we reached the top. I missed out on many possible nice pics, as i had run out of batteries. But still, there are enough pics to represent most of the portions of the trek. The only parts greatly missed out, is the patch of forest we walked through, and cloud patches we walked out as we walked downhill.


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There are other blogs givin directions to go up, so i dint bother to put it up here

Savandurga Trek (June 4 2006)

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Again, sorry for a very late update of my trek. This was the trek i went along with a bunch of my friends back in June. We climbed Savandurga, through the unrthodox route going through the greener parts, which is a harder climb than the usual route taken by tourists. Overall, it was a really exhausting and fun trek.

Hessarghatta cycling trek (March 31 2006)

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A regrettably very late update on the cycling trek to Hessarghatta. But better late than never.

Click on the play button to view the slideshow. Descriptions are given at the bottom, and also if u move ur mouse over the photo

Hey! Howdit start?

Caution: This poem is understandable only by ppl who know abt the incidents mentioned. (Else it may sound like total Gibberish... which is the intention by the way. But u can still get a hint about some gross stuff)


Oh! It all started with late night walks
Greeted with a purpose by street dogs' barks

From treats for 'same-pinch'es on similar shirts
To the fireworks at night with transformer bursts

With sweet golconda wine and talks on the lawn
And sweeter whispers and gestures until dawn

Of blabbering in sleep
About emotions so deep
It might have all been just a dream
Or so at first sight, it might seem

By the pool on artificial-moon-ed nights
Were the loveliest ever mosquito bites

Of exciting stuff on boat rides when everyone's away
Of the late evening at the garden that went our way

It all still seems too good to be happening for real
If its all just a dream, waking up will be a huge ordeal



P.S:
Btw, what is 'it'?
Its all a matter of rising dopaminergic levels in the head.


The poem is dedicated to the cause of the dopamine surge.


P.P.S:

Correction: To make it more precise, its an increase in dopamine and norepinephrine levels and a drop in seretonin levels

Current mood : elated
Currently listening to : Higher - Creed

Japanese way-too-nice-ness

I had been to Japan recently for a few days to attend a conference. This was my first trip abroad. One of my labmates told me that Japan is a weird place. Weird in the sense that the cities are densely populated, yet so clean, and the people are very nice to you.

Although I had this back in mind, I was still amazed and dazzled when I reached Kobe, Japan.

We(myself and my colleague Kirti) were standing blinking in a railway station there, not knowing how and where to get tickets. Just then, a young man notices that we are new to the place, and offers to help. In his broken english(The Japanese are bad at english), he shows us how to take tickets from the kiosks. And how to use the tickets to get in, and then goes back to wherever he was heading. And all this, when we dint even ask him to help us..... someone going so much out of the way to help you..... I dont know whether we would do so much to friends either.

On the same day, when we were trying to figure out the way to our hotel, we asked a passerby how to get to the entrance of the hotel (The hotel was big and visible, but we dint know how to get to the reception). All we asked was 'where' is the main entrance, and the guy actually escorted us till the reception..... Cmon, gimme a break! Dont embarass us by helping so much

The Kobe Portopia hotel, where we stayed

After several other encounters with 'WayTooNice' ppl, here's about the most disgustingly way-tooooo-helpful guy. We were plannin to do some sightseeing around Kobe. We had to take a cable-car to reach the top of some hill there. Wading through various maps, we arrived roughly at the spot where the cable-car station was. But, we dint know the exact location, or how to get there through the maze of bridges and buildings around. We did the mistake of asking some apparently busy guy, walking briskly towards someplace he was hurrying to. The guy dint know how to get to the station. But yet, he looked around and searched for directions, and dropped us till, and only after that did he head back through the maze of bridges, to wherever he was originally headed to.... This was the last straw.... we decided we will not ask any japanese person for any help...... They are way-too nice.... They go waaaaaaaaaay too out of the way to help you. We do not have the right to disturb their busy lives.

And yet, as it had to be, we couldnt help but ask more way-too-nice ppl for help, as we morons managed to get lost and stuck up pretty often.

Oops, amidst all this general nice ppl stuff, I forgot to acknowledge Yoko Toyama. It was hugely, by her help that my presentation at the conference went well. People liked it a lot and recommended others to visit my poster. I even got a potential collaborator. All thanks to timely help from Yoko.

Current mood : Busy trying to do many things, but actually ending up doing nothing
Currently listening to : Whats this life for - Creed

Thekkadi and Munnar College trip (Sept 6-10 2005)

Its been a year and half since the trip. Looking back at these pics, has made me nostalgic. This, plus some coaxing by a friend, ultimately let these photos to come online, inspite of my laziness!


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Current mood: Sleepy and overworked
Currently listening to: One - Metallica