Front Number Plate

Haven't seen any other two wheeler having a front number plate like the RE (facing sidewards on the front mud guard).

The choices offered to the Bulleteers are plenty, starting from a basic 2 peg chrome plate to the 3 peg brass plate. You also find the Brass RE embossed plates, the one with a sticker, a flag post and variety of animal logos.

After much thought, I decided on the 3 peg Brass Plain number plate. The dilemma however was with the white background that is a mandate for the pvt vehicles. Having convinced myself that it's ok & not really an offense, did just the black number sticker.

For a little more confirmation, intentionally stopped by the cops (who were stopping two wheelers for a check) and asked them if this number was OK... Hurray! two cops, in two different locations gave a go ahead telling me to carry all the documents and they don't see any issues with the number plate.

Since then, been happily showing off what My RE has... everyone stares the second time at the number plate and many have complimented on its looks when I stop at signals.

Looks like RE is teaching me style & I'm loving it!

Crown Plate

The stock front number plate takes the place of the crown plate (just below the head lamp). Wanted to have the Brass Royal Enfield Crown Plate, found it online, ordered and as soon as it arrived, fitted!

Brass Royal Enfield Crown Plate

Now it looks appealing :)

Tapping noise on the Chain Guard

13000 kms run and it was around two months back that I noticed that the links in the chain were not straight, some links had a slight bend. The tension was tight around those bent links. As a temporary fix, applied lubricating oil and using a mallet, straightened them and it seemed to be in a straight line. However, within a week, the links were back to its bent position and I could hear the tapping noise on the chain guard. Tightening the chain would not help the situation as it was an issue with the chain links and not the slackness in the chain.

Knew it was time to replace the chain & sprocket. When I took the Bullet to the mechanic, he advised, changing only the chain and the rear sprocket should help. The front sprocket can be changed if there is too much friction.

Fitted the new chain & sprocket and the running is smooth now. It will take a few kms run for the new chain & sprocket to settle in. Just applied sufficient lubrication and the initial low frequency creaking noise has reduced. The inspection indicates that the links are all in a straight line now.

What could have caused this:
- May be the manufacturing defect in the chain itself, which I may not have noticed.
- I lubricated the chain once with the grease that I had at home. Since the chain is an open chain, the sand particles may have got settled in with the applied grease causing the damage to the chain links.

Sprocket & Chain including the mechanic fees cost 1600 INR.

This was a learning that I have to pay attention to the details and before undertaking any maintenance, I should gauge the impact (+ & -).

"A" Section Get-Together

We who were then 15 hardly realized 18 years had gone by since we passed out of School. Since Satish was in town, planned for a get-together for all those residing in Bangalore.

It was a wonderful day spent in the company of the oldies (Nanda, Satish, Arathi, Pushpa & Jaya ). Met at Oasis mall Koramangala & then for lunch to 898 Steaks & Grill.

Nanda, I, RT, Jaya, Pushpa & Satish

A memorable walk through the memory lane and this is a feeling which I feel will remain as ecstatic as it once was!

Wild Boar - a BASSY Thump

Feels like the craving for the thump shall never end, this is the 3rd exhaust and I know this won't be the last ;)

• The stock exhaust is sturdy, free flow and mellow on its beat, rode on it for an year :)
• Changed to Goldstar type exhaust in December 2012, free flow, an option to fill the glass wool, a little louder than mellow stock exhaust, and thumps only when revved up :)
• February 2013, removed the reflective indicator below the tail lamp and fitted a rubber flap, the thump is now sharp, clear beats when revving up, and not so pleasant on high speeds because the flap flies too with the wind :)  :(
• Having read the reviews on the new Wild Boar exhaust manufactured by X-Torque, wanted to give that a shot. Hence now I ride on Wild Boar, free flow, bassy thump, not too loud nor mellow, clean transition at higher speeds (more like a vroooom). I do notice in the rear mirror that folks standing behind feel the gush of wind from the WB

WILD BOAR (WB) Exhaust

With every change to the exhaust you have to tune the carburetor so that the efficiency is not compromised.

Cost of WB 2750 INR & fitting Charges with Carb upjetting 200 INR

Isolating the tightness in front wheel

During a regular washing exercise, I noticed that the front wheel was not rotating freely. There was a slight rubbing noise and the movement stopped abruptly. It was difficult to isolate the exact reason as there could have been many.

The reasons that I thought might be causing the issue:

• Speedometer Cable
• Front Disc rubbing against the shoes
• The front shaft nut tightened too much
• Bearings gone bad

Determined to resolve the incident before it turns to be a problem, followed the following steps:

Step 1: Disconnected the speedometer cable. Did not make any difference.
Step 2: Disconnected the front disc hub. Did not make any difference.
Step 3:Loosened and tightened the shaft nut. Did not make any difference.
Step 4: Hence it had to be the bearings and so it was

Since I haven't changed the bearings before, wanted to see how it is done. Asked My regular Mechanic to fetch the bearings and  he too agreed that it was the bearings. Closely observed how he changes the bearings - good learning.

What I thought would happen if this incident was not resolved at the earliest:

- The bearings would have gone even bad, may be damaging the shaft on longer run

- Noise would have increased further
- Drop in mileage since the load transfer was not smooth

Issue resolved by changing the bearings and now I'm a happy camper! Cost of new bearings 260 INR

Head Light Peak

The stock RE Classic 350 headlight peak is plain, made of stainless steel. Had nothing to complain about the looks, but it can be made better to suit your style.

There are a lot of choices available in the market:

• Peak with RE embossed in chrome
• Peak in Brass
• Peak with RE embossed in Brass
• Peak with the RE Gun
• Peak with engraved RE & Gun

I chose the Chrome Peak with RE embossed. Cost me 225 INR buying it online. Got it fixed through My Mechanic free of cost. No modification (holes) to the peak required.

Handle Bar Change

The stock handle bar for the RE Classic 350 is no doubt good with which I did a 12000kms, some being long distance stretches covering 150kms. There was slight discomfort riding in the traffic within the city. You have to sit close to the tank and extend your arms to be able to maneuver. With continuous clutch and front brake applications, the elbow and wrist took all the pressure.

Having researched on what type of a handle bar causes less pressure on the elbow and wrists, decided on the RD350 type handle bar. The fitting is easy with no new cables to buy. Just the accelerator cable has to be moved from right to the left underneath the petrol tank.

The feel is really comfortable, you can sit back straight and with a slight bend that the handle bar naturally provides, you find the maneuvering much smoother.In terms of the looks, I feel the Bullet looks more majestic with the wider handle (but not too wide).

The cost of the RD350 type handle bar is 350 INR and the installation is easy. So if anyone else riding the RE Classic 350 is feeling that discomfort in the arms, this is the handle bar you need!

Front Wheel Dismantling & Assembly

If for any reasons like a puncture or for service you have to remove the front wheel, you can follow the steps below:

Dismantling:

1. Unscrew the speedometer cable from the hub
2. Sit in front of the tire so that your hands can reach both the ends of the fork
3. Use a 16 end spanner to hold the left side shaft
4. While still holding the 16 end spanner on the left, use a 24 end spanner on the right side to loosen the nut
5. Remove the nut along with the washer from the right side and keep it aside
6. Use a mallet or the handle of the hammer to gently tap the shaft from the right to the left
7. As the shaft moves away from the right fork, hold the spacer and keep it aside
8. As the shaft moves away from the left fork, hold the spacer along with the speedometer hub and keep it aside
9. Pull away the shaft completely and keep it aside
10. Now gently roll the wheel outside of the front mudguard

Assembly:

1. Move the wheel gently back into the front mudguard while taking care to align the disc to the groove on the disc shoes
2. Lift the wheel or push the fork down to align the shaft
3. Place the spacer and the speedometer hub in position on the left side and gently push the shaft into the wheel
4. Place the spacer on the right side and gently slide the shaft into the right fork
5. Place the washer and then hand screw the nut
6. Screw the speedometer cable into position on the hub by adjusting the angle of the hub
7. Use a 16 end spanner to hold the left side shaft
8. While still holding the 16 end spanner on the left, use a 24 end spanner on the right side to tighten the nut
9. The nut should be hand tight with the slightest jerk
10. Rotate the wheel to feel the free movement, check the speedometer and ensure there is no screeching noise

NOTE:

• Clean the shaft, the spacers and the inside of the bearings with a clean cloth
• Apply a thin film of grease on the parts cleaned before you begin the assembly
• After dismantling the front wheel, do not hold the front disc brake as it may jam the disc shoe

What happened to the email Forwards ?

A quite day at work and having completed all the scheduled tasks on the table, landed in the world of email forwards that I had saved. Upright surprised with the number of mail forwards that I had received during 2004-2006. The following years 2007-2010 saw a gradual decrease and today the 14th day of October 2013, My mailbox has zero mail forwards.

Relating this to the recent end of telegram and the last decade where I haven't received a single inland letter or a post card (nor have I sent any). Communication infact is a constant shift, what was the only means yesterday will be overtaken by a superior means today and tomorrow shall witness another and the motion just doesn't stop.

The journey I have witnessed thus far is the shift from post cards to emails to orkut to messengers to twitter to facebook to whatsapp. For all those who have preserved the post cards, it's a history worth reliving and for the present generation who start with the world wide web, it would still be a history when they look back at communication after another decade or so.

Every walk and field of Life is screaming out one big word "CHANGE" and it is unwise to hold onto things forever. The apprehension and the fear of Change dies slowly with time. Wise make a fortune by embracing Change and fools left behind to regret what had to have been done.

Another learning that brings a smile with every click of the mouse.

Road Circus - have you witnessed?

Act 1, the most common: Neck bent to one of the sides. Initially I thought it must be a disability of some form and even prayed to heal them quickly. It was only after witnessing hundreds of such jokers did I realize that it was the cellphone trick. Should I blame it on the poverty that people cannot afford a hands free (these days all cell phones come with a FREE hands free) or the urgency that everyone thinks he is on the way to the hospital or a funeral that he cannot stop his vehicle and speak? What ever be the case, it is funny and the next time you witness one, laugh it out. 

Act 2, single handed four wheel drive: The cellphone trick does not limit itself to the two wheelers, with gold studded hands, neck and even the frame of the sunglasses being gold, it baffles me that even the high end car owners cannot afford a blue tooth or a hands free for their cellphones. May be they are really on an important call (damn), jokers turn the steering like they are driving on an empty football field. I don't want to mention the real circus that happens when they try this trick on the gradients. May GOD bless them!

Act 3, wheely: Acts of heroism isn't the fault of the youth. Thanks to the bollywood in a lot of ways for imbibing the sense of heroism in the minds of youth with very poor or no statutory warnings for all the crazy stunts shown on the big screen. Is it only the bollywood to be blamed? Poor upbringing of the kids (some families don't even have a count of how many kids have been produced) and buying them stuff, the value of which is unknown to the kids is another driver of this road circus. Blame it on the government for not encouraging this sport through an established academy (something the Modi government may look into). This category learns only with accidents (hope they don't survive considering the risk posed at others).

Act 4, Erythrophobia or Erytophobia or Ereuthophobia: Wondering what the heck is this? This is the fear of red lights. Symptoms of this phobia are honking when the signal light is red, increased honking hoping the red light would listen to the honk and turn green, moving the vehicle across the zebra crossing and idle accelerating. When you talk to these jokers, they simply smile or burst out at you telling that the road belongs to his family (road may belong to your family, does the signal light too?) 

Act 5, high beemers: High beams are just higher-powered/brighter headlights, so they are used when it is dark out, but only when no other vehicles are either in front of you going the same direction or coming from the other direction in the other lane. Usually high beams are used on highways where there are no street lamps, during the late hours of the night when there is little traffic. Also, if it is foggy out, high beams won't help visibility - that's what fog lights are for. Using high beams in fog will make visibility worse.These jokers can never understand the result of their trick (because they are opposite to you)

Act 6, the honkers: Unnecessary & continuous honking is a sign of fear and low confidence while driving. Having said what I just said, not at all surprised by the number of the sightfull blind that I meet on the road everyday. They see that the road is blocked ahead yet honk with all their might (may be they were taught in school that honking clears traffic jams and turns the red signal green). They just can't see that there is a baby sleeping on the two wheeler ahead, an old citizen in the adjacent vehicle and most hilarious, they honk at the buffaloes too. I sincerely pray that these joker's ears be blown off and again Modi government to ban horns on vehicles.

Act 7, need for speed: Seems to me that they were born on the race track. Reckless driving endangering the lives of others is the great circus act here. May GOD end their lap sooner!

A lot of other silly tricks are not worth mentioning like staring at the girl on the bike, looking at the rear view mirror like you know the person behind, stretching at the signals on their vehicles, loud music (not sure if they are deaf at an young age? they don't look like that though) and unsure if they have to go left or right. Did I forget to mention that there is no entry fee for this circus - anytime, anywhere!

Highlights of My observation:

• Educated class or the so called corporates are the best jokers
• Poverty is the root cause why people get into road circus
• Everyone can become a hero if you watched that bike stunt twice on the screen
• Everyone is in a hurry (you'll never know the reason nor do they)
• Money and Muscle rule
• Jokers don't really care what the society thinks of them

Those that took the pain of reading this blog, take the pain of not being called a joker on the road, pass on the right behavior to the next generation and to who ever you care.

a reason to the end

7th Aug'13: The day would have been like any other had it not been for the muscle catch on the lower back when Amma was about to sleep. Blame it on the cot which was high

8th Aug'13: Amma could not bear the pain and She was taken to Berunda clinic where She was given a muscle relaxant injection and pain killer pills

9th and 10th Aug'13: The pain just did not reduce, Amma found it very difficult to walk, sit or sleep. She is able to walk with the support of the walker

11th Aug'13: Amma experienced pain in the right shoulder which was severe. The pain in the lower back has just not reduced

12th Aug'13: On consulting the physician we had visited on 8th Aug, he changed the pain killers. The pain in the right shoulder and lower back just did not reduce. It has been four days since She has slept. Anna is doing the massage everyday.

13th Aug'13: Took Amma to Jayanagar Orthopedic Center. The X-ray reports showed no signs of injury to the lower back or the right shoulder. She was given Inac injection to reduce the pain.

14th Aug'13: At 0600 hrs, Amma found it very difficult to breathe. Blisters started forming on the right arm and they bursted with clear fluid oozing out. She was given nebulization by our neighbour untill the ambulance arrived. The saturation has dropped and Her blood pressure was dropping. On reaching Apollo Hospital Bannerghatta Road at 0900 hrs, She was tired and was in a state of shock. Doctors confirmed that the blood was infected, She is in a critical state and had to be admitted to ICU. Due to non-availability of ICU ward there, She was shifted in the ambulance to the Jayanagar branch. She was still on nebulizer with the blisters forming and bursting. The doctors in the emergency informed me that Amma is in a critical condition, the internal organs have gone into shock and if the renal function does not reinstate, She will experience multiple organ failure. Amma was quickly shifted to ICU where the treatment began. In the evening, a minor surgery was done on the right arm to clear the clot which prevented the blood flow from the wrist to the finger tips. When the doctors called me for the consent to place Her on ventilator, Amma was awake but now unable to speak because of the oxygen mask. I assured Amma that the right shoulder is now fixed and She would be back to normal very soon. I asked Amma to be brave and told Her that She is in a shock since morning, She needs to focus on deep breathing and everything will be fine. She nodded Her head neutrally. The duty doctor mentioned that the kidney is not functioning as expected and is still in a state of shock.

15th Aug'13: At 0900 hrs when i saw Amma, She was in deep sleep because of the anesthesia that was administered to place Her on the ventilator. Her right arm was still in the sling. Her left arm had turned bluish black in color and when i felt it, it was cold. Amma did not respond when i touched Her forehead and pressed Her hands. The doctor mentioned that Her blood pressure is not stabilizing and the kidney output is very low. At 1130 hrs, Anna came and both of us went to visit Amma. Amma had a cardiac arrest and all attempts to reinstate failed. Amma left at 1220 hrs. She looked like She was in a deep sleep and we could not wake Her up.

1630 hrs, Amma visited Her home. Hundreds thronged the place to pay their respects. 1730 hrs Amma left Home and 1900 hrs Her mortal remains turned to ashes.

17th Aug'13: Ashes made one with the river Kaveri at Paschimavahani, Srirangapatna

ಅಮ್ಮ

" ನನ್ನ ಅಮ್ಮ "

ನವಮಾಸ ನಿನ್ನ ಒಡಲೊಳಗೆ ನನ್ನ ಹೊತ್ತು
ಭುವಿಗೆ ಸ್ವಾಗತಿಸಿದ ಅಮ್ಮನಿಗೆ ನಮೋ ನಮಃ
ನಾನು ನಾನಾಗಲು ಪ್ರೇರೇಪಿಸಿದ ತಾಯಿಯೇ ನಮೋ ನಮಃ

ಅಕ್ಷರ ಮಾಲೆಯ ಅಕ್ಕರದಿ ಕಲಿಸಿ
ನೀತಿ ಪಾಟಗಳ ಸನ್ಮಾರ್ಗದಲಿ ನಡೆಸಿದ
ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಗುರುವೇ  ನಮೋ ನಮಃ

ನನ್ನ ಆಟ ಪಾಟಗಳಲಿ ಹರುಷವ ಕಂಡು
ನನ್ನ ನೋವನ್ನು ನಿನ್ನ ನೋವೆಂದು ನೊಂದು
ಉಸಿರಿಗೆ ಉಸಿರಾದ ಉಸಿರೇ ನಮೋ ನಮಃ

ರಸದೂಟವ ನನಗೆಂದು ಉಣ ಬಡಿಸಿ
ಅದರ ಸವಿಯಲ್ಲೇ ತಂಗಳನ್ನವ ಉಂಡು
ಪೋಷಿಸಿದ ಅನ್ನಪೂರ್ಣಳೆ ನಮೋ ನಮಃ

ಸಂಸಾರ ನಾವೆಯ ನಗುವಿಂದಲೇ ಸಾಗಿಸಿ
ಸೂರಾದೆ ನೀ ಕಷ್ಟಗಳ ಮಳೆ ಸುರಿಯೆ
ನನ್ನ ದೈನಂದಿನ ಶಕ್ತಿಯೇ ನಮೋ ನಮಃ

ಕಾರಣವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಕಾರಣವಾದ
ನಗುತಲಿ ಅಳುವುದ ಸಾರಿ ಹೋದ
ನನ್ನ ಜೀವನದಿಯೇ ನಮೋ ನಮಃ

ಆ ದಿನದ ನನ್ನ ಅಳು ನಿನ್ನ ನಗು
ಈ ದಿನದ ನಿನ್ನ ನಗು ನನ್ನ ಅಳು
ಆ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮನಿಗೇ ಒಗಟು ಹೇಳಿದ ಸುಚರಿತಳೇ ನಮೋ ನಮಃ

ವಿದಾಯ ಹೇಳಿ ನಾ ದೂರವಾಗಲಾರೆ
ಕಣ್ಣೀರಿಟ್ಟು ನಿನ್ನ ನಾ ಹೋಗಿ ಬಾ ಎಂದ್ದೆನ್ನಲಾರೆ
ಮರಣವೇ ಸತ್ಯವಾದರೆ ಆ ಮರಣದ ಮೇಲಾಣೆ
ಮತ್ತೆ ಹುಟ್ಟಿ ಬರುವೆ ನಾ ನಿನ್ನ ಕಂದನಾಗಿ

ಜನ್ಮವಿತ್ತ ಅಮ್ಮನಿಗೆ ನಿನ್ನ ಮಗ ವಿಶ್ವನಾಥನ ಅಶ್ರು ತರ್ಪಣ

The Feared Maintenance of the Bullet

It's my experience and how I do it...

The most frequent question raised by non-bulleteers, How is the Bullet Maintenance?

The answer is simple, it is a machine and you better know the basics of Maintenance (I'm not advising on being a mechanic). Having followed a few self set rules, I have been consistently riding my Bullet with an in city mileage of 39-41 Km/Lt since June 2nd 2011.

Rules to follow for improved efficiency (saves time & money) of any motor vehicle:

• First 500kms has to be at the perfect speed 50-70km/hr. This ensures the micronic grooves on the cylinder and the piston are set for lifetime.
• Sufficient lubrication is the key for all the parts that create friction, including the side and center stand.
• Check for any slackness in the chain and fix it immediately.
• As far as possible, fuel in the same petrol bunk. This avoids the uneven mixtures that may cause uneven burning in the cycle.
• Do not kick/self start by raising the accelerator, it does no good.
• Keep the Air Filter clean.
• Maintain the prescribed air pressure in the Tyre.
• Steady riding with the beats in sync.
• Change engine oil at regular intervals.
• The machine will give you symptoms before it fails, keep your ears tuned and listen to your bullet.
• Clean your Bullet everyday, this gives an opportunity for you to feel the difference if there are any, check on any loose parts, notice leakages and damages.

Lastly, "A Stitch in Time Saves Nine" is the golden rule!

ಹೊಸಾರಂಭ

ಎಂದೂ ಮರೆಯದ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಕಥೆ ! ಆ ದೇವರೇ ನನಗಾಗಿ ಭುವಿಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಮಳೆಗರೆದ  ನನ್ನ ಮುದ್ದಿನ ಚೆಲುವೆಯ ವಲವ ಕಥೆ. ಆ ಮುದ್ದು ಮೊಗವನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದ ಮೊದಲ ಕ್ಷಣದಿಂದ ಹೃದಯದ ಬಡಿತವೇ ಮೆಲುವಾಗಿ, ಒಂದೊಂದು ಭಡಿತವು ಒಂದೊಂದು ಹೊಸ ಜೀವವಾಗಿ, ಹೊಸ ಹುರುಪನ್ನು ಹಾಸ್ಸಿಟ್ಟು, ಮುಂಬರುವ ಕ್ಷಣಗಳ ಹಾತರದಿ ಎದುರು ನೋಡುವ ಈ ಜೀವನದ ಕನಸೇ ಮಧುರ. 

ಅವಳ ತುಂಟು ನಗೆ, ಚೀರಾಟ, ಅಳು, ಅಳಿಲಿನಂತೆ ಚೆಂಚಲವಾದ ಅವಳ ಭಾವ ಭಂಗಿ, ಒಂದು ನಿಮಿಷದಿ ಹತ್ತಾರು ಹೊಸ ಮುಖಗಳ ತೋರುವ ಅವಳೇ ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರಪಂಚ. ಬಾ ನನನ್ನು ತಬ್ಬಿಕೋ ಎಂದು ಕಣ್ಣಲೇ ಹೇಳುವ ಅವಳ ಪರಿ, ಪ್ರಪಂಚದ ಅರಿವೇ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ ನನ್ನ ಭುಜದ ಮೇಲೆ ತಲೆಯನಿಟ್ಟು ಹಾಯಾಗಿ ಮಲಗಿ, ಎದ್ದ ಕೂಡಲೇ ಬಾಚಿ ತಬ್ಬಿಕೊಂಡು, ಮುತ್ತಿಟು ನಗಿಸುವ ನನ್ನ ಒಲವಿರಲು, ಇದೆ ನನ್ನ ಸ್ವರ್ಗ!!!

No kidney trip to Mysore

Sridhar & Naveen

Much awaited get together with my closest buddies from school. Naveen has been working in Mysore and we couldn't think of a better place to revive the histories than in the historic city of Mysore. Set off on a long drive in Sridhar's swift from Bangalore. A quick shower and we were all set to update the biographies. A pleasant evening with delicious food and the memory flow that seemed endless.

Little did any of us expect what were to unravel the next morning when we entered the diagnostic center where Naveen was working. Naveen first did the scanning of my kidneys, spleen and stomach and mentioned "all is well". All happy with my scan results, it was Sridhar's turn and when Naveen started moving the scanning probe to the left then to the right and started repeating the movements, the air was tense. There was a sense of panic on our faces - the right kidney could not be seen. After serious checkup Naveen finally found Sridhar's right kidney.

There was a moment when the Doctor had to declare "RIGHT KIDNEY MISSING". We burst out laughing and this sure is a memory to recall whenever I need a good laugh!.

With the Best Buddies - Sridhar & Naveen

Had to end the evening with cheer and it was the great Krishnaraja Sagar Dam that entertained us with it's might and the mesmerizing light & music fountain show.

Sridhar was puzzled with the names of the street - Gyana Marga, Satya Marga, Ahimsa Marga and so on...

Thanks guys for being there through thick and thin times of my life and you guys are a treasure I'm proud to announce to the world.

Cheers!

A Birthday Gift to Skanda

Time flies and everyone stands testimony to the fact, there's no denying of the years past which leaves behind wonderful memories in it's trail... With numerous things that money can buy as presents, I wanted to freeze the memories till date, leaving opportunity to add more with the wings of Life. It was decided that Skanda shall have a wall of memories!

My Lovely Nephew, the Fighter - SKANDA!

Having sorted all the photographs, analyzing if they covered every aspect, 26 frames were framed with 65 photographs in it. Though a few frames were not as specified by me to the photo frames person, it still looked good.

"The Collage"

Kiran & I spent more than an hour, arranging them on the floor - we wanted the Best possible collage. With skillful measurements, they were then nailed to the wall. Am sure this would be a highlight as soon as someone visits Skanda's Home.

ಪಿಂಟಿಗೆ ಜೈ !

" Life takes priority - lesson witnessed "

Half asleep on a beautiful sunny morning in the mid of March 2013, I walked into the balcony and was surprised to see two feathered visitors flying in & out of my neighbors balcony. Though I sensed anxiety & a rush in their movements, wasn't sure of what they were hurrying for?

Red Whiskered Bulbul

On closer observation, I saw a nest being built at the corner of a pillar on the branch of a show plant. Did not want to disturb them in any way and I slid away, being happy that in the midst of the concrete jungle, life is adapting.

I stood stunned the next day morning, the nest was completed! A complex woven nest with dried hay. I noticed one of them sitting in the nest while the other was busy fetching food. This continued for a few more days. It was their chirping that brought a smile to the whole neighborhood.

Along with the pleasant chirping there was a new sound in the air. Two tiny feathered balls were out of the nest on the balcony floor :) when I walked in. The moment was tense with the parents trying to get them to safety. Finally they were able to hide in the bush and as if strictly warned not to make any noise nor move, they stood there and I could even see them sleeping on the tiny branch of the bush.

While one kept watch, the other would get food for the little ones. A few days passed this way and one morning they were gone, leaving behind a beautiful memory and a lesson to learn.

After much research I found the name of this bird and what they feed on.

When life has to find a way, it will, against all the forces and you won't find fear in the face of life, for life in itself is fearless!  

They were running short of time and had to find a place to build a nest and lay the eggs. Against all odds they chose a pillar and a plant in a pot to build the nest. Though they were vulnerable, little did they care about their own safety. As soon as the offspring were out of the nest, their prime focus was to get them to safety, risking their own. Why would you live in a small house when life has given you wings to venture to the wild!

Obsession to Life - the call center (Part II)

The foundation: As mentioned in Part I, Steven Bunyan was the leading light. I was eagerly waiting for the first break of the first day of process training. He was a keen listener and understanding the gravity of my situation, with a smile he says "chill out, it's easy". I volunteered to stay back post training and I was practicing on the simulations. Within two weeks I had memorized the screen shots of windows 95 to 2000 & XP. I read extensively on howstuffswork.com to understand what is ethernet, modem, firewall, router and a whole lot of technical terms discussed in the training. My confidence level slowly but steadily rose with the hot seat role plays.

The first call: The beep windows tech though familiar makes you conscious that it's live and there is no room for error. I was confident and thanks to all the practice sessions - I MADE IT, a first time fix on the call. The unparallelled thirst to excel made every call interesting and thus began the great journey - life on the phone!

The climb: 

 

Perseverance with unmatched dedication creates a vision. From being trained, I was a buddy to the new hires in the team, I started conducting crew briefs, participated in technical discussions, became a training assistant and I had in six months forgotten that vishwanath2k4@aol.com was my first email address. Self baffled that I was conducting back to back process trainings - it was giant leap.

It's essential to be irrationally brutal to the dreams to make it come true. I was the succession plan of my superiors. Fortune favors the brave who with their undaunted discipline pave the way & build structures of steel. 

You are as good as your number is: Life is not about survival but of performance. At various stages, the call center throws open different challenges and the reward always goes to the supreme creed of men. A million methodologies fail when you are dealing with the minds & hearts of people. Self-righteous lead their teams to glory while the faint hearted heed to the miseries of the minds and  dwell in the glories of the past.

Treasured Success & Material gain: Every promotion was a celebration and heavens cheer when you break your own records. I carry the experience of handling 40,000 odd calls and managing hundreds of consultants, tens of team leaders and chasing service levels & metrics.

My Sister's wedding was extravagant, a property in Mysore, an apartment in Bangalore, a 29" Samsung television, a Sony Bravia LED, home appliances, furniture, domestic and international vacation with my family, my own wedding and a prized possession - My Royal Enfield!

Sincere heartfelt gratitude to my team mates, my coaches, senior coaches and managers for recognizing the hidden leader in me and providing an opportunity to deliver world class customer service. 

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3, Verse 25: As those who know not act with attachment to the action, he who knows should act without attachment, having for his motive to hold together the peoples.

Thanks & Love you All !!!

Obsession to Life - the call center (Part I)

This is a post dedicated to the random rattling thoughts of rapture, sorrow, sarcasm and pride.

My devotion to the throttle of a hundred wheels had to come to an end - though abrupt and unthoughtful of what the future beheld, I had to negotiate the hard curves ahead with an empty mind and a courageous will. I set my foot back in Bangalore from Hubli on June 9th 2004.

What at the moment appeared doubtful had a clue to the magnificent realities to unfold. Armed with the courage over my communication, unaware, apprehensive and without a vision I stepped into the call center on June 11th 2004.

My computer skills: I did true justice to the word backbenchers in school when computer science was taught. Computer lab was my first preview to the games and it did not go beyond that. Thanks to my friends whose codes and signs helped me secure a pass class. I still fear, would they have detained me if I failed in computer science at school ? answer unknown.

Conscious of the choice that I made, computer science was not a part of my syllabus in college. Not that I fared to the brightest in what I had chosen, I was at peace with what was avoided. World Wide Web scraped through me when I was in my vocational training and I vaguely remember a hotmail account which must be lying in the depths of a black hole.

Day 1 of process training: Ever heard of Englishmen referring to Greek & Latin? For those that know, you must know the horrifying experience I would have gone through for eight long hours. A million thanks to the true first Guru Steven Bunyan who engraved in me "It's Possible".

Call Center is the secret of my unwavering health: I do shifts unheard of my Father's generation, 0230, 0300, 0330 and in all additions of 30 minutes. I can sleep anytime in the twenty four hour window. My food habits are the source of inexhaustible energy because I can feed on anything at any interval. The pantry coffee vending machines are the greatest health secrets hidden for centuries & I am glad it's finally revealed. Once in a month pot luck in the team helps me gain those nutrients that I either missed at home or which the vending machines failed to provide. I can use a little help of nicotine and alcohol to cleanse the inner system, though, extra would do no harm. The unscheduled sleep hours keep the brain cells at it's efficient best. A couple of months with the drought of vitamin D actually makes the skin look healthy and fresh. Dark circles dread the very thought of attack an a Call Center employee. My team is a family and every occasion is celebrated with the ceremonial cake cutting and the traditional dishes & sweets that the religion has to offer, hence, my sweet tooth always remains sweet. I don't sweat yet I don't put on weight - this is indeed a miracle in the modern world where people spend thousands of rupees to sweat and control their weight.

Tension free mind: Though not a socially acceptable behavior, I rarely intentionally avoid the family occasions because I don't get a guaranteed off on the sabbath. I am grateful that I get two days off and the day of the week really doesn't matter. My interaction with the family, society and relatives are limited and thus I escape the undue gossips that has great potential to create disturbing thoughts in your mind. My parents are happy to see me home after shift, sometimes, they only see me sleeping and when I wake up it's My Father who serves the bed coffee - what a king like life!
While at work you enjoy the blissful companionship of team mates and the daily score cards keeps your mind ever alert without a vent for other thoughts to creep in. Shall I say, I may live longer due to the fact that I carry a tension free mind? in all likelihood, I shall run for ten decades and will not compromise for a day less.

My fashion statement: Having worn the uniform since 1997, it was the tragic transition to the world of fashion. I distinctly remember the stitched formals which was always tucked and matched with hand polished shoes during the initial days in a call center. It doesn't take long for you to realize, reorder & rearrange your closet. From the pressed formals I moved to jeans and tees which over a period of time made me brand conscious. Am I proud of being brand conscious? yes, perception is what people see and as a recent Facebook status mentioned "you looks nice crying in an Audi than on a bicycle". I wore my first jean post June 11th 2004, the matter that I hold high, it was with my own earning. My parents were the silent spectators of the change and one day when I walked in with a woodland shoes, My Father asked me the price. It was 2300/- INR. He was thrilled on my achievement and complimented me for buying a shoes worth 2300/-. His pride was "My son is wearing the shoes worth the cost that I ran the family for two months". I felt it was his achievement and all I could say was - Love you Dad. I keep a tab on the latest trend & my team is a knowledge house on fashion. They are upfront in their comments to make you look smart - who wouldn't want to look smart?

It has hurt, nevertheless I shall speak about it: Empty vessels make more noise has been proved over & over again and yet people want to showcase their egoistic talent. The questions/statements below are true to the best of my memory and you can share more based on your experience with the lesser mortals (add sarcasm to all):

• Oh! you work in a call center? It's time you clean the wax out of your ear. How much more clearer can I be when I have told you the name of the company
  
• Oh! your son works in call center? Please, my son works in a call center & not for some terrorist organization
• He works in some call center... I appreciate your interest in introducing me
  
• Always night shift eh? Does it bother you and please I'm not asking for your advise on which shift I should do
  
• You people dress fancily... Are you jealous that you cannot fit into those outfits or you must be feeling desperately low about your own self
  
• How can I send my engineer son to your call center? He has been jobless hatching eggs for the last two years repenting on how you wanted him to be an engineer and today he is unable to crack the interview of a call center. My best wishes when he attends the interview in NASA
  
• Everybody (hinting at the female employees) smokes & drinks right? Yes indeed, I only wish you were in the law passing committee to ban call center employees from smoking & drinking. And I, unlike you, don't want to talk about your children
  
• You always keep talking right? I pardon your ignorance, we are paid for the service delivered over the phone
  
• You should be earning 5-6 thousand right? Now, that's none of your business nor am I crying over my salary to you. How I wish a generous person like you was our vice-president
  
• All weekends party eh? Not again, IT'S MY LIFE and I know my bank balance better
  
• Whenever I come you are sleeping... please change your visiting hours
  
• I don't know what time to call you because of your shifts... Dear uncle/aunty, on a cell phone there is a feature called SMS & I will be happy to teach you how to text
  
• You hug & greet each other right? How many cultures are you familiar with? Be glad that in our culture we don't spit at each others face for greeting
  
• Everybody has boy friends and girl friends... apart from your daughter I just have a couple more at work depending on their weekly off's

My untold replies are curt and it will always be with a tinge of tyranny. My parents have been questioned on what I do in a call center, why I am in a call center and on my future in a call center. Some went the extra mile of mentioning that I will not get a girl because I work in a call center. Gracefully my Parents have smiled at the comments, for they know, their son is not doing any anti-social work, he is working crazy shifts, hardly a meal a day at home, he is on the run for his cab, calls in to inform about his over-time and he is happy and keeps them happy.

A family re-born: First comes the team which is your family. We share most of the sorrow which we dare not do in our society. We know each other like the back of our hands. We are there to support each other, you are never alone. Yes, we quarrel, gossip and fight - that's what we are trained to do in Team. We compete, struggle and toil to be the best team without the anticipation of any reward. We don't ask permission to dig into another tiffin box nor do we expect an invitation for a house warming - WE are there as long as we are there.

This post is written with my experience of 8 years in a Call Center and Part II shall be on the professional front & how it compliments the personal.

A Trailer of 9 days - Sankranti 2013

After my Sister's wedding the festival Sankranti had lost it's charm, but, not again!

Since my in-laws did not have any festivals this year due to the demise of Vidya's Grandmother, she was home for 9 days and the 9 days gave a trailer of what to expect when she finally comes home after the completion of 5 months in Her Mother's place.

Jan12th 2013 - Jan 21st 2013: Kiran & Ramya escorted the Princess home on Jan12th and what you read on from now is a treasury of joy, fun and laughter.

She likes the oil massage before the shower but doesn't find the shower that interesting and cries, sort of pleading no no no - I don't want to take bath. Immediately after the bath she is wrapped in a white cloth and off She goes to sleep. Wakes up with a smile irrespective of who She sees first. She likes the make-up and dressing and as soon as the nappy is wet She cries - clean to the core.

On the day of the Festival She wore a silk dress and at that moment all the elders had become kids - fighting over who will hold the bundle of joy - My Princess!
She was quiet when we took Her to Vijaya aunty, Nirmala aunty, Vani and Deepu's house for the tradition of Sankranti. I wanted Her to get accustomed to the meaningless horns of vehicles in Bangalore and She did well without any crying.

Evening was the traditional aarti done by Ramya and Amma for Skanda and the Baby.

Amma calls her Ammuchi, Anna calls her Totakka, Ramya calls her Bangari, Kiran calls her Subbi, Skanda calls her Putti, Vidya calls her Chinnu and I call her Punchirabbit and She likes all of it responding with her naughty smile and crazy sounds.

She loves the oil massage in the evening, after which She is all the more active. She wants to play when all of us want to sleep. She likes sucking her fingers and She has a combination of the left and the right hand fingers - when She doesn't get the combination correct, She cries at Her own self.

9 days passed like a 3 minute trailer and we shall eagerly wait for Her return.

A sweet Blessing - My Baby Angel

In Her sweet smile I float on clouds, Her cries louder than thunder and She is Bliss when She is asleep. The wait for Her arrival seemed never ending and the moment was tense when She arrived on 20th October 2012 at 0847 Hrs. At that moment I was on cloud nine and in trance as well. Vidya and I were blessed with what we wanted the most - an Angel to be amidst us in our beautiful life.

9 months 9 days, 1st Day & 1st hug

A cute angel with sparkling eyes and a sweet smile. She is now two and a half months and I already have hundred of pages to be written on her naughty notorious activities. She has various cry signals for the different needs and it took Vidya some time to observe and understand. She loves to be in my arms and what more of life shall I ask when GOD has blessed you with the precious gift. She mesmerizes everyone with Her cute lovely outfits and the sounds derived from the depths of Her heart.

Time flies in Her presence and all worries disappear. She is Heaven on earth, She is the light of my eyes, air of my breath and the beat of my heart... She is my Daughter and I am proud !!!