EID Murabak

Muslims across the country ended their Ramadan fast on Wednesday and began the festivities to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr. Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, and the celebrations mark the conclusion of the twenty nine or thirty days of dawn-to-sunset fasting duration.

People dressed in their best offered special namaz at mosques.

The President, the Vice President and the Prime Minister greeted the people on the occasion.

"On the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, it is my immense pleasure in offering Eid Mubarak to all our people in India and abroad," President Pratibha Patil said in a message.

"May this festival strengthen mutual goodwill and inspire each one of us to follow the path of love, friendship and harmony," she said.

In his message, Vice President Hamid Ansari said "I offer my heartiest greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the joyous occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr which marks the culmination of the holy month of Ramzan."

In his greetings Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said "the festival of Eid highlights the spirit of sacrifice and the joy of sharing. The celebrations marking the end of the Ramzan fasting foster peace and harmony and reflect the true spirit of our composite culture."

Congress President Sonia Gandhi also conveyed her good wishes to the people.

Current Location: C/539 Koelnagar Rourkela
Health Status: Healthy

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Inner Peace

Didnt know Rourkela has such nice beautiful pond, this pond is located near my house. Went pass it two times, the first time was during evening, in the evening, we cant see this beautiful pond as it's totally in darkness and it looks abit scary, when I come to think there's crocodile inside, silly me.

But the second time when I pass by this pond, I was like: "Oh my" why would I think there's crocodiles inside?

Crap~

It's so beautiful isn't it? the calmness from the still water, and the greenery all around it, it's a nice place to jog by in the morning. And most importantly, I can felt inner peace even by looking at the photo.

Today is monday, I been to India for 5 days since, and I'm totally settled down, it's time to start work. First I will work on my education research. Maybe I could get from two side perspective with the engineers oh sorry i mean pre-engineers because they haven't graduate and the pre-B-Commerce.

Current Location: C/539 Koelnagar Rourkela

Health Status: Healthy

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Stars gazing in Progress

Remove the street lights, refrain from turning on the torch light, silence took over the street, and as you look up the skies, you see small shining bright stars glaring down at you. It's not what you can see in Singapore, at least down my street what I see up on the skies was the satallies.

The environment is not dark, you can still feel your way as you walk, guess the brightness from the stars guided the way.

you know, looking up the skies and seeing the stars there, you have this moment of happiness, i can stare at them whole night and not feel sick of it. The calmness I gotten from the stars just make my mind to work. Thinking things I would never have come out with, thinking of ideas or ways to communicate like never before, guess that's the power of the stars.

In India, you can see them everywhere and the most beautiful time to look up the skies is when the power is cut, you will have a different way of viewing them.

Current Location: C/539 Koelnagar Rourkela

Health Status: Healthy

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Power cut in Rourkela

I guess not everyone in Singapore has this experience or I can say this experience a few times in a day? Which is power cut. Power cut in Rourkela is very often especially during summer, during summer power cut will be purposely make for a few hours or power is being cut off because of overheated generator, or many other reasons.

So there's a joke that says: Rourkela is the best romantic places because people eat candle light dinner every day.

Putting friends and meeting brothers aside, the happiest moment in rourkela will be when the power is back, especially in the big room now, power cut means it's complete dark for me and with me, me, and me, it's abit scary yaar?

This afternoon, there's a powercut, when in the afternoon, it's fine because light are still outside, when it's cut during the night, imagine it, i mean if i'm in the hostel, it's fine because friends are there and the space are small, the place i'm staying now is big, spacious and alone so not a pleasant experience.

I don't get powercut in Singapore, but when I come to India, it's the power cut that I enjoy most, because it makes me not take things for granted, and it's the power cut that touches my heart.

Imagine in Singapore when we have the lights and electricity and yet we can't do well in our studies, but in India, people have to study for exams in candle light and they have no complains at all and not to say, they strive well in their studies, it's this passion that we have to learn from the Indians, never complain for the sake of complaining and never say you cant do it until the last moment when you get your results, even you fail you can say, you try your best.

Current Location: C/539 KoelNagar Rourkela

Health Status: Healthy and Strong

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First night in Rourkela

What you see here is my room, half of the room, it's too big to take the whole room, my room is located at level 1 with a front office when i come in, a meeting/rest room at the right side of the gate, a office infront of my room, and here is my room, all the way in. The room is a size of a small classroom with only a bed inside. And of course with all the curtains, but when I switch off the light, it will be in totally darkness and with the space around me, it's a little scary.

First night in the room was not good for me, because the floor was dirty, unclean and you know how I like it to be clean, so I use a rag clothes and start cleaning walking areas, and reluctantly I went to bath. After bathing, i feel refresh, i set up my computer and started playing movie (Step up 3), and reluctantly i went to switch off the light.

No matter how reluctant I am, I still have to stay in this environment for 2 weeks, so I told myself I got to get use to this room, so i slept with my lap top re-playing Step up 3 for 7-8 times with the lights off.

My first night just went past like that.

Current Location: C/539 Koelnagar Rourkela

Health Status: Healthy but Sleepy

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Journey to Rourkela

Still remember this bridge? This bridge is actually build by the british when they are here and when they left, it's still there.

I passby this bridge yesterday, it's a must to passby this bridge when we are going to take the train to Rourkela. The train station is at the other side of the bridge.

It took me RS 200 to take the taxi to the station.

The train starts at 1350pm, i left my friend's house at 11.30pm and reach the train station at 1pm because of the jam here and there. So when I reach the station abt 1 and a half hour, and when I reach the station, i start to find stall to buy water, because it's a must for me when I board the train, but here comes the problem, I don't have any small notes, all I have is RS500 or RS1000 so this gave me a hard time in finding a stall that have change as one bottle of mineral is RS12. So i took around 15 mins finding a stall to change money, and finally I found it.

So boarded the train at 1330pm and the train leave the station at 1350pm.

The journey took me 6 hours before i touch down on Rourkela.

Current Location: Rajesh's house @ C/539 KoelNagar Rourkela

Health Status: Healthy and Strong

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Flying off to Kolkata

The day I step foot on to the plane once again, back to home? I must say, yea, back to home, but for work this time with Internship 2011 in Orissa state.

24 Aug, the day I flew off from Singapore with the blessing of my friends and family and teacher in Terminal 2.

Despite the busy schedule, they took their time off to send me in the airport, I appreciate that. Met with my classmate at around 5pm in the airport, had our Brunch (Breakfast+Lunch) at Fish and Co, after which my maa came with my god-father follow by Terence (Overall In charge for Overseas Internship) and Willey Tang (Supervisor for my Internship in India).

I would like to thank my maa for giving me the chance to explore India despite you know, me always going overseas and not spending quality time with her, I know she will understand it.

I would like to thank my friends that came to send me off, classmate like Lim Han, Benjamin Wee, priscilla, thanks for coming down, and sure, I'm starting to miss you guys, it's always the case, when we spend time with each other we tend to take each other for granted, only till when we are apart, then we feel the importance of cherish.

I would like to thank Terence Choo, for his tolerance in me, especially this India Internship is the first time in his life, so it's kind of hectic with lots of procedure, nevertheless, we make it happen don't we? I will promise to make it the best ever internship in ICT.

I would like to thank Willey tang my supervisor for always giving me tender loving comments and suggestion to make my internship a better one.

Thank you all.

Current Location: C/539 Koelnagar Rourkela

Health Status: Healthy and Strong

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Hindi Movies

It's been a year since I have started to learn Hindi, I must say, I improve abit in terms of understanding, I may not fully understand but still I understand bits and pieces. And I must say Hindi movie is my favourite and I really don't mind catching it in the movie theater.

This was taken on my latest trip to Rourkela for a two weeks holiday, I was going to catch 'Double Dhalmaal' with two friends however, the place was so full and we are reluctant to buy black ticket, so we drop the idea of watching the movie.

You must be asking, did I watch the movie Double Dhalmaal? Yea, I did watch that movie and it's funny too, something like Golmaal, but abit different in another sense.

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Girls' Hall Day

I still remember the trip I went on Feburary, I was invited to the Girls' hall day. Hall day means the b'day of the hostel. I think no one from Singapore has ever enter the girls' hall right? I'm the first one! I felt so honored!

The moment I went in, everyone was saying 'Hi' to me, and goodness, I don't even know them, but they know me! It's like there's a saying:

Do you know your country's prime minister?

Ans: Yes

Do your country's prime minister know you?

Ans: No

My situation is totally like the Prime Minister, everyone knows him but he doesn't know everyone.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed myself by the great party, especially the dance: 'Dabanng'

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My Families in India

Second time back in India, I must say I miss this country, actually I must say I miss my country, I have treated this country as my own. It's a big decision to come back again, to visit this flavor country.

First virgin trip, from planning which airline to take, which place to stay, which place to visit, what train to take, where to meet, all this were plan by me. I must say it's very tedious planning and everything makes me so worried from Visa to booking of air ticket to booking of train ticket, i know planning is useless when come to India however, I still wish to plan, without planning I feel that I'm handicap in someway.

From choosing which airline and comparing the price was a tedious job but still I manage to do it with saving of $200 i flown to India, Kolkata alone.

Arranging someone to pick me up in Kolkata, I have Nikhil's friend, Saket to pick me up in Kolkata, it feels weird because it's the first time I met him, but you know sometimes, you need to make the initiative so people will be approachable towards you, so I make the initiative to stay with him in his house and I manage to make friends with all the people he stay with. And we became family.

Like in NITRKL, I too have my family there, like Ankur Bhai, Keshav Bada bhai, Rahul Bhai, Pradeep Bhai, Abdullah Bhai, I really miss all of you. I wonder when will we meet again?

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Sun Temple @ Bhubaneswar

It's the first trip that let me get in touch with such good people and slowly we became brothers. This was another trip to bhubaneswar, capital city of Orissa State and I must say we enjoy ourself with the food, the language, the culture and the 100 over years heritage site like the Sun temple we went.

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India Immersion Programme 2010

21 August 2011, I still have 4 more days to go before my departure off to India for my Internship, time do flies fast. I still remember during Sep 2010, I came with a group of 24 students to India for India Immersion Programme and from that day onward I have fall in love with this full flavor country. I admit that I was a little worried, worried about how things will go when I go, but my heart tells me everything will be fine, so I step on the journey to India.

That day, when we arrive in India Kolkata airport, we were so hungry due to the timing of the flight, I still remember that Rajesh gave us a treat in a mall, pizza hut. We were all so fascinated by the price, this is all our first time to India and having food in the mall is our first in touch with India. Pizza hut may be familiar with us but the food choice is so different from Singapore, but to me, it's better than Singapore.

If memories never fail me, our train ride to Rourkela was during midnight so we actually stand around the train station for a few hours waiting for our train and I must say, i felt so unsafe, so insecurity because there was so many beggers around, everyone is looking at us as foreigners and may rob us, that's how I felt during that time and I must say, the train ride is so tiring at least for me, usual train ride takes 6 hours but for some reasons, our train ride took 10 hours which was not a good experience for us, for me at least.

Let's hope that the train ride for my coming trip will reach on time.

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