Monday, June 4, 2007

Nuovo cinema Paradiso

Nuovo cinema Paradiso(1988)
There's something magical and timeless about the movies. The simple actors transform into stars in a moment.They are like fixed points in a firmament created out of the just imagination; Ageless reminders that despite the fact that our bodies deteriorate during the passage of time, in our minds we are forever young. Images projected across the distance and onto a screen like ghosts from far off memories and whole life seem to summarize and purify into some perfect, elegant essence -- We remember only the beautiful, moving and inspiring while the all other things falls away and is forgotten in the time.

Giuseppe Tornatore's glorification of the movies in CINEMA PARADISO is really a celebration of life and the limitless possibilities for the individual with determination and imagination.Ennio Morricone's unparalleled soundtrack make for exquisite, once-in-a-lifetime film-making. There are really three protagonists in this film; Salvatore, the principle character who's story is told primarily through flashbacks; father figure persona grata, Alfredo, projectionist and Salvatore's mentor; and the theater itself, Cinema Paradiso, that refuge for the weary. A place where dreams, if only for a couple hours, can be found. A place where, laughter, sadness and joy can be shared. Really a Paradise! Salvatore is fatherless and Alfredo childless. The two will form a special bond and remain virtually inseparable until Salvatore is a young man. A bond forged primarily in the projection room of the Cinema Paradiso, and fired by their mutual love for the movies. The years will be marked with tragedy, love won and lost and the realization that perhaps "life isn't like in the movies." When Salvatore finally does leave, making it big as a successful and respected filmmaker, it will take the death of Alfredo to bring him back after an absence of 30 years. A trip back in time that will inflame old wounds, but also provide an opportunity for them to heal, and after the final kiss of CINEMA PARADISO's inspirational last scene, any lover of the movies will find it almost impossible not to give into nostalgia."Cinema Paradiso" is the rarest of rare gems.


Friday, June 1, 2007

Tribute to ITBHU

In the ruins of memory the house breathes

through its mouldy surface,

touched by strangers’ looks …

Time cracks inside the ripened walls.

It tears off with fragile flakes

Swollen with history

the heart of hearts

bestows its place on silence.

INTRO


Our Institute of Technology, like all other Faculties and Departments of the Banaras Hindu University, also owes its existence to the far-sighted vision and relentless efforts of its founder Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya. During the days of freedom struggle, three engineering and technological institutions were established by Malviyaji, viz. the Banaras Engineering College (BENCO) in 1919, the College of Mining and Metallurgy (MINMET) in 1923 and the College of Technology (TECHNO). After the establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology, the three premier engineering institutions of our University viz., BENCO, MINMET and TECHNO were merged to form the Institute of Technology (IT-BHU) to provide a strong and integrated educational base. Thus our Institute came into fullfledged existence in 1971. To preserve its excellence and national character admission procedures through the Joint Entrance Examination ( IITJEE) for undergraduate courses and Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE conducted by the IITs & IISc.) for the post-graduate courses are introduced

The Department of Mechanical Engineering came into existence in 1919 under the leadership of Professor Charles A. King, the first Head of the Department and Principal of the erstwhile Banaras Engineering College (BENCO). Over the last eighty years the Department has grown four folds to become the largest department in the Institute of Technology as well as in the Banaras Hindu University.

Time before Internship -2

The saga of the time before internship continues from the previous post --

And the day when I catch train to Delhi was a busy day of my life. I had put everything in hostel common room and transferred computers to Subhash bhaiya home. I was really much in trouble without Subhash bhaiya's help. Vijay was there with me and helping me to complete all papers and formality before going to visa office. I arrived at nick of time before last train to Delhi on that day. Train to Delhi, Shivganga express was full of Biharis and I was in general compartment with them. I was struggling not to fall sleep after a tiring day with all important documents in a bag only. Train reached to Delhi in morning and I was standing alone on the railway platform at Delhi on the morning of 9th may. My brother received me there and we went to his home at North Delhi. Then, I rushed towards to visa center of German embassy in South Delhi. How fool i feel now, that I had not taken appointment before and return from their with appointment of next day.

10\05\2007 was an important date for me. I submitted all the document and got a date for visa interview on 15th may. I have postponed my flight from 15 to 18th now. I have now got strong emotions inside me that I cannot go back empty handed after getting this close. I was really afraid about what sort of questions will be asked in the embassy? But it was all over in 10 min in morning. The glaring sun in New Delhi looks cool to me and I was scheduled to get my visa on 17th evening from vfs only. It was like a dream come true.

But there was a still twist in the story. On the next day a call came from German embassy. It ordered me to come either with my own or parents bank statement. I was a lucky guy to have passbook with me that was lastly updated on march. I again visited to embassy on 17th morning and submitted the bank statement. The lady there was beautiful though not cooperating like first day. It was ok to me. I got my passport with visa stamped on it on 17th evening. My plane was next morning at 6 am Indian timing (bhai logon plane late ho gaya sahi mein indian timing ka prabawh bahut hai).

I have not met my parents since January. My parents came to see off me. I was a lucky man in my family as the first one going out of the country. My sister was doing training at TELCO, Lucknow at that time. She was missing me and I too was missing her. I was surely missing my friends and especially Vijay...

At last, Kuwait airways plane take off....
BYE BYE INDIA:

Time Before Internship-1

Internship in foreign country is really a shocking thing for a guy with 6.27 CGPA till 4th semester and 2 fakkas in 5th semester. Hence, the result awaits. Funny it appears but it is true. I am saying that there are much better candidates than me, not counting GMAT's in our branch.

It was really hard time to think over my internship in January. I have done my previous summer industrial training at the Modinagar Paper Mill. I could not even think about getting any good internship offer. I was first thinking in making my career in the field of Oil sector so want to pursue internship in that only. Later, I dropped that idea and work in the field of composite. Me and Vijay got a project from Prof. V.K. Srivastava after 2 month long exotic run/ interview/ interaction in previous semester. I was lucky and working on my project. Then, I applied many places for internship but fruitless. I met my foreign mentor in a conference in New Delhi but he was not offering money to us. Now, I took a bold decision and asked my mentor Prof. that can i get a training in N.A.L. Bangalore or V.S.S.C. Trivandrum ? He gazed us for a second and replied that he will try from his contacts. But one day there comes a mail to me that my foreign mentor in Germany has ready to pay me and my friend Vijay 300 euro per month for internship. We agreed and try to get this opportunity in our own way.

I have already taken my training seat at S.N.T.I. Jamshedpur and Vijay has taken in Tata Motors Pune. So here comes a hectic schedule of our making of passport. I have applied for our passport on 23 Jan. without knowing if we ever can use it in this lifetime. It is really long tale of us to go to Lucknow, applying for passport and then open our resources so that our passport can be in our hands on time. Then, I really face Indian bureaucracy first time (Vijay is already more experienced in these matters than me). I don't give a damn that these people should be hanged dead or burnt alive for not doing their work at time. I had gone to Lucknow several times before the end of my 6th semester and already has a short attendance due to my participation in conference blended with the habit of rising late in the morning.

Passport of Vijay has arrived on 30th march with a mistake of his date of birth. He don't want to make it correct but me and others insisted that he should do this and I consider it as most blunderous suggestion given by me. Due to delay in the correction of date of birth in his passport, Vijay can't come with me here in Germany and I will regret this whole life and remember some persons behind the scene. My passport has arrived on 28 April not due to Indian bureaucracy mercy but due to pressure of some one. F###ing Bureaucracy.......

Now my exams were over and I was running out of time as my training period extends from 15 may and we were waiting for passport of Vijay. He waited and tried but all in vain. He took a decision that I must go alone. It was so hard for me that my best pal is leaving behind due to those crooked and lazy bureaucrats and some other person also...

Finally, I leave Varanasi to Delhi alone....