Bored....

I was feeling very bored today......not much to do, feeling somewhat low and quite edgy....i am counting the no. of days before i go back to bangalore for diwali!

So, was randomly searching the net....came across a chap called 'Edgar Allen Poe", yeah...the same chap who had written most of the poems which used to be there in our high school text books. Just started reading about him....was a very unhappy man, full of sorrow and melancholy.

Here's about him:

'Drug addict, alcoholic, suicidal, and insane; none of these are the words that come to mind when you think of great minds of our time. However, one poet fits all of these categories. The author of hailed literary works such as "The Raven," and the short story, "The Fall of the House of Usher," Edgar Allan Poe had many mental and personal problems throughout his life. His poems reflect his emotions toward the events of his life. For example, his feelings of isolation from family and peers appear in the poem "Alone," and many of his poems, such as "To Helen," and "Annabel Lee," are about the women he loved. One poem stands out, as a tribute to the melancholy that accompanied him throughout his days; the poem "A Dream" speaks of lost love, forgotten happiness, hope, and a cruel awakening to the real world. Poe’s writing exemplifies his brilliant imagination through metaphors that describe his life.

Edgar Allan Poe made many contributions to the world of literature and poetry. The academy of American poets says, "Poe's work as an editor, a poet, and a critic had a profound impact on American and international literature" (http://www.poets.org/poets/). He was the first true writer of thriller and horror stories, with tales such as "The Cask of Amontillado." His clever mind dramatically altered detective stories, he took the writing of short stories from a mere profession to an art, and he was a brilliant poet. His fame was known through America, England, and France, with renowned works such as "The Raven," "The Bells," "The Purloined Letter," and countless others. Though a troubled individual, Poe’s effect on literature and poetry was mind-blowing. It is impossible to read a poem or story written by Edgar Allan Poe without being terrified, feeling great remorse for the characters, and noticing the breathtaking power with which Poe wields his words'.

Here's one of his works:

How often we forget all time, when lone
Admiring Nature's universal throne;
Her woods- her wilds- her mountains- the intense
Reply of HERS to OUR intelligence!

Yeah.....just a stanza from one of his poems, donno if it makes sense;) though!

Mumbai sucks man.....just waiting to get back to bangalore!!!!!..........Happy Diwali to u all!!

Ciao till next time...Harsha

Some photos of BT-Acumen with Harsha

Harsha Bhogle during the Quiz

Achoring the debates

Well, some snaps from the debate......it was a nice experience being face to face with Harsha Bhogle, who was anchoring the debate and quizzes.


Ciao till next time...Harsha

BT-Acumen debates

With life leading towards outwardly monotonous and singular pointlessness, was looking at some reprieve from daily routine(yah....i know u wold'nt have understood), BT-Acumen happened. Me and Vidyashankar(he's one dude u would want in a debate...) got selected to represent debate from our college...nice experience going to SPJIMR for two days because of this.. ;)

One thing that constantly bugs me(everyone else.....also) is the distance that seperates NITIE and rest of Mumbai......yeah, we talk about NITIE being the only place in Mumbai not connected with the local trains. Yeah, its really a pain to travel without the locals...

Yeah, comin back to the debate itself, the initial rounds were pretty commonplace...with not many institutes showing good talent. The later rounds were tough though. The sad part is we lost in the semifinals to SP (i think marginally, though... tats how one would feel like!!). The gud part is the gift vouchers for 5k tat came along......

Ciao till next time...Harsha

Mumbai- the 'Beauty' and the 'Beast'

As I was telling you all in some of my previous posts, Mastishk this time was a huge...huge hit. The website garnered more than 35,000 hits and over 4,200 registrations......that too in a matter of 12 days!! I have been pretty busy with the site in general.....So, if u ppl have missed the fun, have a look at the site- http://mastishk.nitie.net/.

Other than that.....have been travelling around Mumbai for last 2 weeks, and am really charmed at the 'Old-beauty' of the city.....but aghast at some of the 'New-beastlies' mushrooming up now.

Well, had gone down to South Mumbai.......am still floored by the architectural wonder called the 'Victoria Terminus(now, Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus)'. So I am generally quoting the history and background of profound architectural structures, and places of general interest.....in the following paragraphs.....

"Modeled on the lines of the St Pancras Station in London, Victoria Terminus is undoubtedly the Raj's piece de resistance, Complete with carved stone friezes, stained glass windows and flying buttresses. It is Gothic architecture at its best, an awesome edifice that most citizens view with deep pride. At the top of the central dome stands the triumphant figure of Progress. The station was christened to commemorate Victoria Jubilee Day in 1887 when India's first steam engine puffed out to neighboring Thane, about 45 kms away. Today it has been rechristened Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus after the Maratha warrior. And the old steam engines have been replaced by electric ones. But to the 2.5 million commuters who push past its massive portals everyday, this is still VT, the pulse of a throbbing city".

The sea which stretches along Mumbai is a wonderful sight in itself. Though most beeches are thronged by people....yup, lotsa people, people everywhere;) , its still lovely to spend an evening on the beech.

"Over two thousand years ago, Mumbai was an archipelago of seven islands, inhabited by the kolis. These tribal fisherfolk still live here in tightly knit communities that the passing centuries have scarcely touched. The best place to see them is in the 600-year-old Worli Fishing Village that stands on a sliver of land jutting into the sea. Plunge into one of its winding gullies and you will instantly be assailed by the smell of drying fish, and colourful koli women, their dark skins offset by chunky tribal jewellery. At the end of the village is a small Portuguese fort with remnants of an old armoury, soldiers' barracks and thick ramparts. Before the Raj, when Portugal ruled Mumbai, this was a strategic vantage point to counter attacks from the sea".

Tats, enough for the day i suppose......will get back to reading the book- "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson.......pretty interesting book, this one.

So, ciao till next time....Harsha