2yrs at Dresser..

It has been two years since I started working for Dresser Inc. I can safely say that, these two years have been more educative and more interactive in terms of understanding the industrial and engineering process than my college days.

Two years back, I was demoralized and was low on confidence after having not been picked in two of interviews. This was the only opportunity I had and competition was pretty intense. But, I was favored against the other eight competitors and believe me, felt pretty happy to be chosen by a reputed company as well was petrified to step into corporate world. It is my first job and first jobs are always informative and instructional. Learning curve for me was smooth and simple. My colleagues were very much patient in making me understand things better. They explained me each and every bit of the process we follow here.

I still remember my first day; I was given all the company catalogues and asked to go through them to understand the products of the company. I wasn’t comfortable right from the beginning of the day. It was too early to be at work at that time (I used to get up around 10AM) and reading was the one habit that I had given up long back and in my cubicle AC was running cold and it was quite all around, so what would you do… take a nap. It became a Herculean task to be there awake and alert through out the day. It took me couple of weeks to get adjusted to the timings and that was the first and best lesson.

Apart from getting up in the morning and remaining awake during the work, I learned so many things; I mean things related to engineering. During these two years many things were changed. Few people left the company, and few were let go. Every time, someone left the company, I was terrified to continue at work, but it’s just the way of life, no matter what, the show must go on. Every time I learned something new I ended up thinking where I was when these were discussed or told.

Anyway, I am very much happy with my work and the way I developed the rapport with my colleagues and I hope they also feel the same. After two yrs of experience, I feel confident and I am all ready to take new challenges and hope to have a smooth and shining career ahead.

Shootout at Lokhandwala

Last weekend, I watched SOAL at Houston. It was a pitiable idea of one of my friends and the movie was pathetic. The hype and the publicity lured him and forced us to watch the imbecilic acts of all the actors.

The director’s idea making a movie based real incident was applaud able. But, to make such a movie one needs to forget the commercial side of the movie. One needs to do lot of research on what happened before and during and after the incident. That was the biggest drawback of the movie. The director totally failed in refraining from bollywood masala. The goons were better at dance than at donnish acts. Songs were always interrupting the movie plot and screenplay was wretched. The artists of the movie were not at all doing justice to the characters they were playing. Especially it was a burden to see Vivek Oberoi trying to act as bhai (he tried to repeat his Chandu role from Company). For the God sake, somebody request Sunil Shetty to stop acting. To see him on the big screen with his usual dorky act was intimidating, menacing. Abhishek’s role can be done by anybody. He was there in the movie just for a phone call, pity on him.

On the whole the movie was one big disaster. The director’s idea of showing the main leads as one man show was indigestible. I am sure, in the real incident nothing would have happened the way he showed in the movie. After all police surrounded the building with ammunition and the goons were killed in the encounter, not by exchange of the punches on face. Anyway, one last advice, don’t watch the movie.

VENA Contracta

It’s amazing to learn that small changes could bring the big differences. I am talking about science, in other words engineering and one would know it better through experience only.

I have been working on a project related to pressure relief valves which requires an approval from National Board, and should be in compliance with the ASME standards and codes. The National board approval is possible only if we could achieve a certain amount discharge of the medium obeying all other operational requirements. We could able to follow all operational requirements but achieving required discharge resulted in futile effort. Everyday, we tried with new spring and new set pressure values but the result was same. No matter how many changes we made in springs, the results always backfired at us. Then we started digging into our basics and I believe, that was the best step of the whole project.

In our valve, we have a nozzle which supposed to have an angular step on the pathway of medium. But unfortunately the step, which was supposed to be a smooth transition, was a sharp step (like a chamfer), causing an obstacle in the flow path. This obstacle may seem to be a tiny one, but the theory behind the low discharge was outstanding. This small step caused the flow to form 'vena contracta'.

At the 'vena contracta' pressure drop occurs. Even though it gains some pressure after passing through the vena contracta, it would always be less then the initial pressure. Even though the valve opens at the rated set pressure (as per the spring force), the drop in pressure causes the valve to close very early which would eliminate the option of reaching the full capacity at required/predefined pressure value. Hence, the low discharge. The slight inaccuracy in transition (dimension of the transition 0.025”) resulted in deficient discharges (almost 200 lb/hr less), isn’t it amazing??? I am not quite sure if this was the main cause for the low discharge, but I can say that it was one of the definite reasons for the failure.

Even though, we all read about the vena contracta, but we would understand its affect only when we face this kind of problem. In fact, not only this, but all the theories.
(Picture taken from Spirax-Sarco Ltd)

Karwaan Guzar Gaya..

The very first time I listened to this song, I felt like, I was the person the song was implied on. “Karwaan guzar gaya...” is probably one of the best songs ever written in Hindi poetry. Md.Rafi gave life to the song by his unarguably and lovable voice. Gopal Das Neeraj, the poet, is among the best known poets in Hindi literature. The song depicts the predicament of a lonely person who was deserted by his loved ones. He used figurative language and tried to describe the plight of a deserted man with different metaphors like shredding of leaves in fall, destruction of calm by storm etc. The primary lyric of the song “Karwaan gujar gaya, gubaar dekhte rahe” is the essence of the song, which conveys the message of the entire song. It means “Gone is caravan - seek my eyes in vain, All I see is dust - dust full of cloudy train”, implying the message that things are moving away in front of my eyes, and all I could do is see and face the consequences.

Probably this is the best way to explain the pain a person undergoes who is betrayed by the loved ones. He portrayed all the pain and agony into these beautiful words to give a feel of what the person is going through. The poet has strike the perfect and commendable balance in the way he used the Hindi and Urdu.

Everybody goes through the kind of phase described in the song at least once in a lifetime. The phase where you realize it is too late to embrace your aspiration, where you look helplessly at your dreams that are shattered by the time and fate, and you realize that all that time you were there standing haplessly and watching hopelessly at the debacle of time. This entire trauma is encapsulated in one song. Each word, each line has its own significance, has its own inner depth of feelings and leaves its own impact on the listener. This song is perfect example for a ‘Pleasant Hell’.

Here is the song..

Swapn jhare phool se,meet chubhhe shool se,
lut gaye shringaar sabhii baag ke babool se ;
aur hum khhade-khhade bahaar dekhte rahe
kaarwaan guzar gayaa, gubaar dekhte rahe !

Neend bhi khulii na thii ki haay dhoop dhhal gayii,

paav jab talak uthein ki zindagii phisal gayii,

paatpaat jhhar gaye ki shaakhh-shaakhh jal gayii,

chaah to nikal sakii na, par umar nikal gayii,

geet ashk ban gaye,chhand ho dafan gaye,

saath ke sabhi diye dhhuaa-dhhuaa pehan gaye,

aur hum jhhuke-jhhuke,mod par ruke-ruke,

umr ke chadhhaav ka utaar dekhte rahe

kaarwaan guzar gayaa, gubaar dekhte rahe !

Kya shabaab tha ki phool-phool pyaar kar uthhaa,

kya suroop thha ki dekhh aayinaa sihar uthha,

is taraf zameen aur aasmaan udhar uthha

thhaam kar jigar uthha ki jo milaa nazar uthha,

ek din magar yahaan,aisii kuchh hawaan chalii,

lut gayii kalii-kalii ki ghhut gayii galii-galii,aur hum lute-lute,

waqt se pite-pite,saans ki sharaab ka khumaar dekhte rahe

kaarwaan guzar gaya, gubaar dekhte rahe !

Haath the mile ki zulf chaand ki sanwaar doon,

honthh the khule ki har bahaar ko pukaar doon,

dard tha diyaa gayaa ki har dukhii ko pyaar doon,

aur saans yun ki swarg bhoomi par utaar doon,

ho sakaa na kuch magar,shaam ban gayi sahar,

vah uthi lahar ki deh gaye kile bikhar-bikhar,

aur hum dare-dare,neer nayan mein bhare,

odhkar kafan, pade mazaar dekhte rahe

kaarwaan guzar gaya, gubaar dekhte rahe !

Maang bhar chali ki ek, jab nayi-nayi kiran,

dhholke dhumak uthhii, thhumak uthhe charan-charan,

shor mach gaya ki lo chalii dulhan, chalii dulhan,

gaanv sab umad padaa, behak uthe nayan-nayan,

par tabhii zehar bharii,gaaz ek beh girii,

punchh gayaa sindhoor taar-taar hui choonri,

aur hum ajaan se, door ke makaan se,

paalkii liye hue kahaar dekhte rahe

kaarwaan guzar gaya, gubaar dekhte rahe !

Meanings:
Kaawaan : Caravan
Gubaar : Dirt, Dust
Ashk : Tears
Dafan : Buried
Sehar : Magic
Sahar : Dawn, Morning
Kafan : Cloth to cover the corps, Shroud
Mazaar : Mausoleum, shrine, Tomb

(By my Friend and me)

ఏకాకి...

జగమంత కుటుంబం నాది

ఏకాకి జీవితం నాది

సంసార సాగరం నాదె

సన్యాసం సూన్యం నావే

జగమంత కుటుంబం నాది

ఏకాకి జీవితం నాది

కవినై కవితనై భార్యనై భర్తనై

కవినై కవితనై భార్యనై భర్తనై

మల్లెల దారిలో మంచు ఎడారిలో

మల్లెల దారిలో మంచు ఎడారిలో

పన్నీటి జయగీతాలొ కన్నీటి జలపాతాల

నాతో నేను అనుగమిస్తు నాతో నేనె రమిస్తూ

ఒంటరినై అనవరతం కంటున్నాను నిరంతరం

కలల్ని కధల్ని మాటల్ని పాటల్నిరంగుల్నీ

రంగవల్లులనీ కావ్య కన్యల్ని ఆడ పిల్లలని !!జగమంత కుటుంబం !

మింటికి కంటిని నేనైకంటను మంటను నేనై

మింటికి కంటిని నేనై కంటను మంటను నేనై

మంటల మాటున వెన్నెల నేనై

వెన్నెల కూతల మంటను నేనై

రవినై శశినై దివమై నిషినై

నాతో నేను సహగమిస్తూ నాతో నేనే రమిస్తూ

ఒంటరినై ప్రతినిమిషం కంటున్నాను నిరంతరం

కిరణాల్ని కిరణాల హరిణాల్ని హరిణాల చరణాల్ని చరణాల

చలనాన కనరాని గమ్యాల కాలాన్ని ఇంద్ర జాలాన్ని !!జగమంత కుటుంబం !

గాలి పల్లకీలోన తరలి నా పాట పాప ఊరేగి వెడలె

గొంతు వాకిలిని మూసి మరలి తను మూగబోయి నా గుండె మిగిలె

నా హృదయమే నా లోగిలి

నా హృదయమే నా పాటకి తల్లి

నా హృదయమే నాకు ఆలి

నా హృదయములో ఇది సినీవాలి

!!జగమంత కుటుంబం !!

సిరివెన్నెల కలం నుంచి జాలువారిని మరో ఆణిముత్యం. సినిమాకు సంబంధించినంత వరకు, పాట సందర్భానుసారంగానే ఉంది. కాని ఈ పాట ప్రతి మనిషి జీవితానికి అద్దంపట్టేలా ఉంది. ప్రతి మనిషి తన జీవితంలో ఇలాంటి సమస్యను లేదా సందర్భాన్ని ఎదుర్కొంటాడు. ఒంటరితనం నేర్పే పాఠాలకు పరీక్షలు ఉండవు. ఆ ఒంటరితనం అనే ఓడను ఈ జీవనసాగరంలో, తోడు అనే తీరం వైపు నడిపించడమే మనిషి లక్ష్యం. కాని తీరం చేరిన దూరం కాని ఒంటరితనం చాలా మందిని వేధిస్తూనే ఉంతుంది. ఈ పాటలో వివరించింది ఇదే సమస్యను. అసలు ఈ ఒంటరితనం మనసుకా, మనిషికా? మనిషి ఒంటరితనం మనసు ఒంటరితనం అవుతుంది కాని, మనసు ఒంటరితనం మనిషి ఒంటరితనం కాకపొవచ్చు. మనిషికి దొరికిన తోడు మనసుకు తోడు కాకపొవచ్చు. ఇలా బాధపడే వాళ్ళు కోకొల్లలు. కాని ప్రస్తుత స్థితిగతులు అంత సమయాన్ని కేటాయించనివ్వవు.

సాహిత్యానికి సంబంధించినంత వరకు పాటలో ప్రతి వాక్యానికి కవి సరైన న్యాయం చేసారు. "వెన్నెల కూతల మంటను నేనై", వెన్నెల మనకు చల్లదనాన్ని ప్రసాదిస్తుంది కాని కవి ఇక్కడ చెప్పాలనుకొన్నది, ఆ వెన్నెల రాత్రులలో, ఒంటరితనంలో తోడు కోసం తను పడ్డ తపన, ఆ దయనీయ స్థితిలో తను పడ్డ బాధను "మంటగ" వివరించాడు. గమనించదగ్గ విషయం ఎంటంటే రెండు వ్యతిరేక పదాలతో ఒక కొత్త అర్థాన్ని ఇవ్వడం. ఇలాంటి పదాలను Englishలో 'Oxymorons'అంటారు(తెలుగులో ఎమంటారో నాకు తెలియదు). ఇలాంటివే తెలుగులో కొన్ని "పగలే వెన్నెల", "హిమజ్వాల". కవి చివరి చరణంలో వాదిన ఒక పదం "సినీవాలి" , దీనికి అర్థం అమవాస్య చంద్రరేఖ. అమావాస్య చంద్రరేఖ ఉంటుందా, ఎమో నాకు తెలియదు. అమవాస్య చంద్రరేఖ ఆశావాదానికి ప్రతిరూపంగా కవి వాడాడు.

కవి చెప్పాలనుకొన్న భావం మనం అర్థం చేసుకొన్న భావం ఒకటే కాకపోవచ్చు. ఒక కవిత్వం కవి చూసే కోణంలో పాఠకుడు ఆలోచించకపోవచ్చు, అంతమాత్రాన పాఠకుడి అలోచనలు తప్పు కానవసరం లేదు, ఒకవేళ పాఠకుడి ఆలోచనలు అర్థవంతమైతే..

గొడుగు

నీ ఙ్ఞాపకాల నిలయం ఈ గొడుగు

మండుటెండలొ చల్లని నీ తోడులో

వేసిన ప్రతి అడుగుకి

సాక్ష్యం ఈ గొడుగు

హోరు గాలికి ఊరుకొనక పోరు పెడుతున్న

నీ కురులను సవరించిన ఆ ఘడియకు

సాక్ష్యం ఈ గొడుగు

జడివానలో తడినుంచి తపననుంచి

దూరం కోసం తనువు పడ్డ వేదనకు

సాక్ష్యం ఈ గొడుగు

ఇప్పుడు నన్ను

నిజం చెప్పమని నిలదీసి మూలుగుతుంది

మూలన చేరిన ఈ గొడుగు...

ఎమని చెప్పను

ఎల చెప్పను!!

ఙ్ఞాపకాల బాధలో..

ఙ్ఞాపకాల భయంతో...

తన వెనకే నక్కి కూర్చున్నాను అని తెలియక..

నిన్నటి బాసలే మళ్ళీ మళ్ళీ గుర్తుచేస్తుంది ఈ గొడుగు.

Neele Gagan...

This is one of the beautiful songs penned by Sahir Ludhianwi. He expressed the beauty of the earth beautifully using minimal words. The song was shot on Raj Kumar and Nanda. The song elucidates the way nature gets satisfied in her daily actions. He illustrates the beauty in each every errand of nature.

He... neele gagan ke tale, dharti ka pyaar pale -2
Aise hi jag mein, aati hain subahein, aise hi shaam dhhale...
He... neele gagan ke tale, dharti ka pyaar pale

Every line makes me feel happy to be part of nature (I don’t know if I am standing on the right side).

“Shabnam ke moti, phoolon pe bikhre, dono ki aas phale ...
He... neele gagan ke tale, dharti ka pyaar pale…”
(Formation of the dew on the leaves of the tree fulfills the desire of both leaf and dew.)

“Balkhaati belen, masti mein khelen, pedon se mil ke gale...
He... neele gagan ke tale, dharti ka pyaar pale…”
(The fluttering jasmine sambac play enthusiastically by twirling around the tree.)

“Nadiya ka paani, dariya se mil ke, saagar ki aur chale ...
He... neele gagan ke tale, dharti ka pyaar pale…..”
(The river water coalesces with the stream to reach the sea, there by following the very decree of nature. )

This song makes the world around us look beautiful. Now a day we really have to rely on songs like this to make nature look naturally beautiful, as many things in nature are already on the verge of thinning. I doubt if our next generation could able to see the resplendent nature. To make everybody aware of disaster and appreciate the beauty of the environment, every year on April 22nd, we celebrate Earth Day.

It doesn’t matter if we can’t contribute anything to nature as long as we don’t cause the downfall of nature. Be eco-friendly.

(I shall add the song on music player soon..)

Frog and Cream

Today, my colleague and I were having a discussion on the failure part of our project. We have been running the test since Mar 1st week, but still couldn’t quiet make it to the final cut. I was kind of tired of working on the same thing everyday and at the end of the day getting off with nothing to cheer on. I was just about giving up on the test, this morning, right then my colleague enlightened a small story on hope.

One day, two frogs were enjoying the day in the barn when they accidentally fell into the bucket of cream. The bucket was deep and frogs couldn’t get out. The two frogs kept swimming around and every once in a while tried climb out of the bucket. But all the efforts were proved to be futile. Right then, one of the frogs gave up the efforts and kept drowning deep into the cream, where as the other one kept swimming to keep himself up from drowning. Finally the pessimistic frog gave up and drowned completely. The other frog was sad at the loss of his friend but never lost the hope of bouncing back and kept swimming around. He kept swimming and swimming and finally cream turned into butter and the frog simple climbed out.

This story tells us even if you stumble at the beginning and even if people around you try to pull you down, never give up the hope, and never relinquish putting your efforts to rise up. You may fall down couple of times, but that’s not the destiny you have chosen, that might be the end of the story, certainly not the way you intended to.
As someone said, “Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.”
(I am still working on my project..)