Antakshari the great challenge!!!

If you are 'Mu Sigmaite' at heart, blood and music... Then it's time to pull up your socks and get ready for the biggest and most challenging musical war ever! Get ready to fight for your team... Get ready to play Antakshari - the great challenge!

The organizing team had started preparing for the event one week in advance and they ensured to maintain enthusiasm amongst the participants. As the event was first of its own type being conducted in the company it got a whopping response and there were 13 teams which registered for the event. It was a competition within and across BUs, between the Business unit heads and the Admin team, between the young blood of Mu-Sigma and the old age people, between amateurs and professionals.

Finally On the D day:-

The bells were ringing; the stage was set, there was music in the air as it was the time for the last but not the least event in the ESTATE BUILDING office of Mu Sigma. The organizing team was ready with the different rounds, rules and questions and so were the participants and audience. It was a full house…

First round: Normal Antakshari

The game began with Sarah and Abantika singing the first songs to kick off the first round. The first round was kept simple and it was normal Antakshari round, where the singer had to sing two or more complete lines of a hindi song. Then the next team will use any one word of the current song to sing a different song. With the lights of Harish and Sriram the first round was a great one and the mood was set, there were so much of excitement on the floor that the judges had to step in to control the emotions of all the bathroom singersJ.

Second round: 2 min fun
After somehow “so called” successfully completing round one it was time for the second one. This one was NOT a cake walk for many teams. In this round the teams had to sing songs for a particular couple or an actor or a director depending on the chit which they selected. Now it was time for real fun. Teams were given 2 minutes to sing as many songs as they could for that pair, but no one thought that 2 minutes would be too long for the teams to sing and also for the audience to bear with them.
One team was asked to sing songs of DevAnand and they started singing “Tu Cheez badi hai mast mast”, on top of that other team members were generally singing songs as they had 2 min time, irrespective of the fact if the songs are right or wrong.
There was no doubt that everyone was enjoying the event and so were the audience. Many a times anchors had to ask the audience to maintain silence as no one was able to follow whatever the team members were singing.

Before we could proceed for the next round we had to announce the results of the first two rounds and based on which we eliminated 5 teams. And the results came to a surprise to all of us when we saw that one team among the final 8 was of the Business Unit heads.

Third and Final round: Audio Visual Round
All the final 8 teams were very close to each other and now it was the time for some serious competition. The first part of this round was Audio round where an instrumental was played for every team and the team had to recognize that particular song. The songs which were selected were good dance numbers and the teams didn’t find it very difficult to recognize most of them. The second part of this round was a bit tricky where for every team a movie clip was played and the teams had to figure out the song which comes in before or after that clip in the movie. This round the clips were from movies like DDLJ, Dil Chatha hai, kashmir ki kali and also from Padosan. The round was again a great hit and it was the time for final scores.

We all were taken by a surprise when we saw that there was tie between 3 teams for the second spot. None of us thought that the competition would be so close. The organizers had to come up with a tiebreaker round.

The event was a great success and each and everyone who participated in the event enjoyed it. After a very long time there was again loud music which was played on 10th floor and also there was fun in the environment. As soon as the organizing team went back to their cubicles their mailbox was filled with emails from the employees that they would like to have many more events of such sort. Before I put down my pen let me take you back to our final round The Tiebreaker.

Final Round: The TIEBREAKER
In this round there was a song which was played in reverse and the teams had to figure out which song it was. It was a buzzer round and the team that figures out the song first will be judged as winner.

After a lot of fun filled and extremely close competition we finally figured our three winning teams and each team was given gift vouchers of Crossword.

Team outing

Most of the times on Fridays we all plan out for weekend, for night party, for going to native place and many of us plan how to take rest over the weekend. But last Friday was a bit special, and why should it not be after 2 months of long planning and rescheduling the event three times. People were already given prior information and things were planned well in advance. It was time for Abbott and Pfizer team to go out for their Quarterly team outing. The venue for the same was decided as:- FANTASY GOLF RESORT

Departure was scheduled at around 1.30 PM and fortunately everyone was ready, excited and “Fantasizing” the event. After some add-drop which generally happens in our CALL PLANS the head count was 24 and unfortunately the bus had a capacity to accommodate only 22 J, but somehow we all adjusted and the driver pressed the accelerator. For our journey some hot McD burgers were arranged for all of us with some “Boiling” coke and beer at room temperature (35 degrees C). Slowly and steadily having some normal talks and stopping at couple of places for ice (imagine why?) we proceeded towards our final destination. It was around 2.30 PM when the bus was at the gate of FANTASY GOLF RESORT and some chilled watermelon juice was available to quench our thirsts as we entered. Rohit and Sourav got hold of a bat and a ball and went to their childhood days and same was the case with Elakkiya and Neha who got hold of badminton rackets and shuttle cork.

After some half an hour of gappe we all assembled at volley ball court where all of us got sentimental (more on the mental side) and played such a pathetic game which changed the definition of it. It was not long when the people on my side which was trailing by a big difference got agitated and started sledging. Because of some great effort by Sourav and Ramesh and excellent effort by Rohit (who was on our side) we let our opponents win 3 games in a row to boost up their morale and it was a white wash for Raghu’s team J. Within no time everyone eyed cricket pitch and wanted to test their hands on the same.

Team captains Elakkiya and Neha were asked to select the teams from group of highly talented, inform, hard working cricketers. The ground was set and it was like looking more or less like LAGAAN’s second half where we realized that people don’t even know the rules of the game. Elakkiya won the toss and elected to bat. We saw some great, professional, high class batting performance by Selva who took his team to a score of 150 runs in 10 overs and made the chase even more difficult by bowling two excellent overs. After the end of one innings we were served TEA and good ONION PAKODA’s. From Neha’s team the chase began and a good fight was given by Charchit, Nakul, Rohit, Ramesh and Srikant but still the goal was far out of reach and we declared Selva as MoM (Man of the match). During the match we saw some great fielding efforts by Mohit and Kushal, who dropped 3 catches each. And also some good umpiring by Anandbabu who once said the ball is a No-ball and signaled for wide ball J

After a tiring game of cricket Photographer Indro went ahead and took some snaps which I think he will sell to Google. People were relaxing and suddenly someone planned for Musical Chairs. The enthu level in the team was so much that without wasting a second everyone from Ananya to Suriya was ready. The game was good and it lasted for around half an hour, Rohit won the event. But by that time everyone was really tired. In the meantime Salim and Rishabh were enjoying Vat69 on the rocks at the pool side bar. Our eyes again got wide open when we saw Ice Box in Selva’s hand and it was the bell for the most entertaining part of the day. Yes this time chilled beer and some good Scotch Whiskey was waiting for us.

One after the other we made our pegs and everyone was really having a good time. Soon some excellent peanut masala arrived and then people opened their own heart cans J . The talks began and we focused on each and everyone including our own scotchJ. The count started from 1,2,3,4… and after that all of us lost the count. Many secrets were revealed and we got the mystery behind Champ, S@#$h*l, S!@#l@, S@#t&, M#$%@L$.. And many more. People praised each other, raised toasts for others, talked about their past and discussed about their future. Committed people wanted to come back to live single life and who are still single wanted to have the “assumed” fun of committed life. Married people were against what people like me, Rohit, Raghu and others said and on the contrary we didn’t let anyone open their mouth. Then the topic started who is wrong in a fight at home - male or female, Ami and Vikram came in form and then the discussion took a serious turn when people started talking about personal, professional, and neighbor’s life. Finally we concluded our subject by agreeing on 'nothing can be concluded' as usual. Its a well known inference, but still its fun arriving at the same result by observing, analyzing, discussing same experiments, different experimenters, who suffer at different degrees experimenting differently with the unexperimetable, right?

Last but not the least we were served some really nice dinner and desserts. The food throughout the day was really nice and the hospitality of the staff was also appreciated. The whole planning done by Selva and Raghu deserved a round of applause and we all with our belly’s full boarded the bus. On our return journey we sang some lines from movie Anamika and the song Pyar hummne kis mod pe le aaya.

All said and done, all talks over, all beer cans empty, all of us no doubt really had great fun and will wait for the many more such outings to follow (desires never endJ). Three cheers to Abbott and Pfizer – HIP HIP HURRAY

pursuit for happiness

It takes time to know what you really want to do in life. When you are in school all you know of the future is to get into an IIT and life sure must be a sunny day from thereon. Until then all you worry of are the problems in the books, problems of life don’t appear until later. So once you are inside the IIT and have earned the security of a secure job you begin to think beyond.

New dreams shape themselves in the form of a white collared job, moving around with a laptop, a 20k cell phone, a car. I wonder how many of us really dream about the professional future. Well I guess being young we know the truth of life, the happiness comes from little things. We dare not burden ourselves with the big dreams of heading a multinational company, being a millionaire. So we welcome what life offers us.

Then we get into the job. For parents, the dreams have been realized. Upon us, a strange truth descends. Life doesn’t turn out to be a cakewalk. As I brooded more upon the subject of happiness and meaning of life, I realized that our worth is nothing more than a 2BHK flat, and may be a car. Here’s how:

The annual income of middle class engineer in a big city is around 7-8 lakhs per annum, averaging for entire life. And in the same city a good, decent, and affordable 2 bedrooms hall kitchen flat costs around 50 lakhs. People begin earning from age of 25. Till 55 or 60 serving 30 years on an average. A 2BHK flat if booked, including interest will amount to 65-70 lacks. So one needs to save 3 lacks per annum to pay the installments. Early years are fine but by the time you are thirty, you are married and have a child. By thirty five another.

The wife spends a fortune on shopping and makeup shopping. Out of his 50k salary after he spends 25k on the monthly installments of the flat, he is left with 25k from which he needs to cater for his family of four. Nutrition needs for infants now a day wonderfully surpasses that of an adult. Besides when the children are no more infant he is burdened with the schooling costs. Later on coaching, summer courses and finally a bike and the petrol, this sure isn’t going to cheapen up.

He gets a hike that closely compromises with the inflation, and the middle age engineer wonders, where the hell is the money gone. He is still paying the installments for that 2BHK flat, when the children are married and gone.

So young guys and girls this is a strange truth that shall one day become a painful reality. Isn’t it better to plan for the professional life you are headed to? If you get involved with the basic necessities of life and look for the basic happiness, you will end up with nothing but a 2 BHK flat. Being content now doesn’t seems so right to me. Not when one day I shall have a family I am responsible for.

May be I am wrong, but in the country I am living in, being a dreamer. I look upon myself a misfit.

What a trip

A prank, a game, a lab report, we are trained to plan and execute to perfection within a minute , but planning and executing a TIRUPATI trip in a minute? ya, it happened with me and my wonderful friend ghoda on 16th feb night 2007.

Me, ghoda and dheela were coming back from mess, bellies full, discussing some important issues about life (which is what we do mostly in life, discussing life) and making plans to go to highluk later that night. Met MOMO with a bag going opposite way(a mandak seniour who is never expected to carry a bag). Out of curiosity ghoda inquired with wonder in his eyes 'LAB?'. He replied 'TIRUPATI'. We wished him happy journey and moved on.

Moved hardly fifty meters and ghoda stopped (we thought he is bulbing on some fundamental issue of life, maybe like 'am I on the right road to hostel') but instead of asking directions he blurted “ ABE APAN BHI CHALTE HAI ???“ I could see he was serious so I agreed too, dheela made some lame excuse regarding BTP work, and coulnd't be snared (three baldies are better than two). Called MOMO immediately on cellphone and requested them (he was with khinchi, his fellow mate) to wait for us at GC.

Ran to our hostel, packed bags in two minutes, bid goodbye to friends hurriedly and after recharging the cellphone joined them two within half an hour. Elated by the God's calling (which it was in many senses as you will see).Did an auto and were at CNBT bus stand by 10 pm, got bus to tirupati which was leaving in 5 minutes. I felt an urge to relieve myself, so went ahead to the lavatory. When I got back bus wasnt there. Thought I must have come out of the wrong door, was about to turn back to the toilet when heard ghoda calling my name. He appeared in a few seconds from nowhere, pointed to me the bus and we ran to it which had started running too.

Me and ghoda took the seat by the entry (I say entry, because there was no door), conductors seat that is, except that this one was double seated. Well, we started talking of our past 3 and a half years and that was a good flashback of my stay at IITM, but it was getting cold, the crosswind and draught of cooool air coming through the doorway made us more and more comfortable physically, so had to work hard mentally to stay awake, hence unconsciouly and gradually, our issues shifted to a more philosophical and very strange suhject of GILRS PSYCHOLOGY. Being short of our personal experiences with girls (Single, in case of ghoda) , we mostly did case studies on the true tragedies we were aware of. Well, we reached tirupati around 2.30 in morning, we concluded our subject by agreeing on 'nothing can be concluded'. Its the well known inference, but still its fun arriving at the same result by observing, analysing, dicussing same experiments, different experimenters, who suffer at differnet degrees experimenting differently with the unexperimetable, right?

Well it was shivratri. So disciples were busy with Lord Shiva and Balaji were quite free that day(very less rush that is). So we got tokens for morning 10 AM. Kept our belongings in a locker, went on to donate our hair by around six thirty. Had to take a token for the hair cutting, went inside an opening with hair cutting illustration on its door, and soon after many twists and turns, we found ourselves into a hall with a hundred barbers. It was like a big big barber plaza. We located our barber(they are numbered). The barbers were proffessional, finshed off what I grew over years within two minutes. We laughed at each other, took bath there itself, dressed and got out, shining, to face the world.

Had our breakfast with MOMO and Khinchi at 7.30am. after having heavy breakfast we joined the queue, one of the lengthiest in India, I am sure, at times. In queue we walked normally , we ran when got a chance to overtake, we slept on benches of waiting room when stagnant, we jumped over them when gates opened, ran again, walked again, pushed, pulled, got sandwiched, but kept moving with a good pace. Failed to decipher inscriptions on the wall and when nothing else just enjoyed patting each others heads, all this time we kept enchanting 'VENKATESHA VENKATESHA GOVINDA' in every few seconds. As we came nearer to the GOD, our enthusiasm peaked. And then finally we were in front of LORD VENTESHWARA “ THE ONE AND ONLY TIRUPATI BALAJI “, cant write down our feelings except that we felt at peace we had never experienced before.

Well by twelve we were free, had some food, bought caps :), boarded the bus, slept all the way back, too exhausted to talk. Did auto, institute bus and were back in our rooms by 5:30 in evening. Being out of the room for just twenty hours, not many had observed our absence, and thus a few fellows were amazed at looking our shaved heads.

Well, for us though not a grand adventure, it is a beautiful reminder of “whenever there is a will and faith in GOD, there is a way “ , will always remember this TIRUPATI trip as it might be years from now that I will again go that beautiful place, blessed by mother nature, on the top of a hill, surrounded by seven other hills from all sides, to the GOD.