the Scavenger of Accenture

I was like this vulture during mid-last year in that sprawling inner space of Accenture, Mumbai. One bad year had passed since I graduated from IHM then.
A calm saturday afternoon of June. Never knew I would meet Vivek, Rohit, Shetty (Sushil), Neha and Chinchu (Leena), & Clifton some day. A few of those regular interview rounds that happen just for the heck of it before they absorb a guy to this tribe - the BPO workforce.
Just before leaving for this interview Hogan had suggested to carry two different resumes - one stating the 7 months of useless slogging-4-peanuts experience I gained in a 5 Star hotel, the other stating I'm a fresher. In any case, if these HR guys were to ask for the experience certificate, and all those crappy paper works , I wouldnt be having any as I was an "absconded" case in my previous organization. So just to get that job, would show another copy - that "fresher" thing. I made it because and only because of this. Thus Accenture embraced me. Thanks Hogan!! (I'd introduce him later).
ok! for those who don't know what the training sessions usually are for people who get on the floor for voice processes (the so called "call centre jobs"), here it is. First it all starts with grooming the person with the tid-bits of the culture, the people, their food, thought flow and finally the most gruesome thing - their native accents in English; then followed by the technical aspect of the process on which one would be working on. A few tests here and there, one final voice and knowledge test. That's it! - and off you hit the floor like Columbia hit Texas after an engine failure. So after selection, I had to start with this batch of guys - all new faces - for Voice and Accent. It's here I happened to meet Vivek, an Iyer truly dedicated to rock music as a Brahmin is to his daily chants; Rohit - this car crazy guy. Both of 'em from the same college.....I.T grads. Truly at the wrong place, isn't it? And Neha (Paatu as we address her pyaar se) , this Biotech grad; Leena, our chinchu who's this another Science product - both from Indore but got their placements in Mumbai. Then comes Cliffy! - the Clifton, hails from goa, a lot into backhands whether that's carrom or table tennes (tt) and Sushil this Shetty fella - a hunk of a hotelier father.
I don't want to detail about these guys' stay, their lifestyle and all that. But yes, it cannot be denied that we really gelled. Had those usual caf chats, carrom teams, cake cutting ceremonies, difference of opinions. Learnt some TT skills from Vivek. Two and a half months of pure fun. Accenture dayz!!!
It's been more than a year that we've left that place. I'd go on about this in a chronological order in the next post. However let me tell you - twas my second absconding case ha ha!
Leena's settled. Yeah! another way to say "happily married". Stays in Pune, but have had never a glimpse of her since she tied herself with this sacrament last November. Sushil's busy with things to leave the country for his post graduate studies. Vivek's happy- go -lucky, still thinking about his furthering after clearing his final year's KT. Rohit's done with his C-dac and now I dont know what he has running. Cliffy has returned to goa. Neha had a breakup with this dep. manager guy with whom ran a brief affair - as strong as that eggplant that withstood a tornado.
We met this June before Clif was about to leave for Goa. Last saturday, after this one unexpected call from Vivek, we (just Neha, Vivek n me met, others due to reasons couldnt). Had long conversations, enjoyed the uselessly expensive food at KFC. Vivek and I consoled her, offered some wisdom on how to stay smart with those "momma's boy" s n "Dadda's beta" s. We promised that we'd meet at Prudentials where Neha presently works, for interviews this monday. We gave her "taang, we ditched, niether went. She cursed. We'd meet again though, soon ... Just reminiscing the days when i behaved like a Scavenger in the Accenture caf: running behind these guys' sandwiches *laughs wholeheartedly*

Death ... out of my reach

Maut, tu ek kavita hai - Death, you are a poem, exclaimed Dr. Bhaskar while reading a few excerpts from his award winning piece of literature. It's been thirty six years since then. This work was penned in memory of Anand, Bhaskar's dear friend who died of a certain illness at a vibrant period of his youth. All this, well conceptualized by the reknowned Bollywood Director Hrishikesh Mukherjee in one of my all time favourite Hindi movie Anand.
This movie still can fetch packed audiences if put up in theatres even today (I hope so, considering the many of my father's age who'd make a sizeable audience). I was however just hooked to these unforgettable words. I would say Scientists, many a times, sound less boring than Poets as they come up with short and simple definitions than those nerve-wrecking verses. Poems are written on subjects which cannot be given a standard definition. Hence these so called poets colour it with their own words, their own imagination. People like me keep reading them without questioning a single word. And therefore I'd say these words uttered by Bhaskar is apt by all means. When you love someone and there comes a time you've lost him or her, there's this melancholy lingering in you but on a long term there is only this inquisition pinching you within "what's death, where's (s)he now?, if not body what's the form like..". On the other hand it's a profitable business for some Rudaalis, a group of women who're hired to cry, before a person's final rites take place(now I suppose they rarely make it into this profession except for some old helpless ladies from parts of Northwest India), and those coffin makers who are universally present.
Then there is something like transmigration wherein it is believed that a dead person's soul interacts with dear ones through some one else's body. There are researchers who spend half of time reading and writing on Life and Death. Instant fame this topic gives, you see (me winks!) There are artists who give up their art on losing a sweetheart, another breed sharpen their artistic skills to portray the pain, the unending love for the departed soul. Such contradictory effects on living beings! It doesnt end here .... procrastination has now gripped me. I have some office chores pending before I leave home. But here's a candid one about Death - it's simply out of my reaches - for coming up with a convincing talk about.