Life 2 Waters Of Kerala part : unos

So this is one of those 'epidose' stories. It starts with a look at an s7 civil Btech sylabus which states that inorder for us to be awarded a degree we are to complete a project work related to some topic that comes under our branch of engineering. Civil engineering being a comparitively stagnant field which moves with a speed of a turtle trying to race along with mud bikes in a pro-biker mud circuit, while other Computer science and electronics compatriots set up websites, chat rooms, instant messengers and Mexx work on rockets or reverse gears for handicapped Kinetic honda users, and we are stuck with either some 'menaketta' design or utterly devastatigly boring road surveys/parking studies/volume studies. So the search for redemption from this boring mediocrity led us to Natpac, who sent us packing to Varkala, to the once operational TS Canal.

Now this is where the first episode takes place, which rests firmly on the shoulders of thorough running around which all the faculty members unfailingly entrust us with before we can actually start any project/seminar. So with a pretty looking and impressive persmission letter from the HOD in our pockets we went behind a Tata indica along dirt roads bumping along in our M800. The first sight of the work area came as a shock even though we had expected the same sight ;huts made from tin sheets and even worse shanties, with half naked kids running along on rough cuts made on cliffhangar kind of shear falls into the dirtiest waters I have seen in a while.

We stepped into the realm of a professional field civil engineer over a cocunut palm stump bridge laid over the stinking stagnant water. On paper the process is simple. Go to study area. Get water in an empty coke bottle. Come back. But this is where our branch of engineering studies kicks the other branches in the butt. We got to climb down slippery, crumbling, narrow ridges, down to the water level, see a dog attacking a cow which was thretening to retreat to a clearing where Mag was standing and pushing her over into the water which the natpac scientist swore had medicinal properties (he even urged me to take a dip in the waters). Santhi was finding it hardest among us, with the exception of the bujji scientist dude from CESS, who was slipping everywhere and dripping with sweat even after the slightest climb. The locals were encouraging us on with vulgar jokes and by staring intently at the three girls in my project group (I think santhi took most of the attention). Chala was her own self all the time, giving very little problems, fitting right into the LACAL settings.

By 4 the sample collection was over and we thought it was absolutely necessary from the point of view of our project that we go and reconnoitre the Varkala beach and survey the abuntant resources of bikini clad foreign women lying prostrate on the beach soaking up the sun( the water was great too, but I was too busy with the many crucial things that would affect my project to notice that). After about 45 minutes walking about the beach we decided we've had enough and set out back to the car (again the bikini women). We were already looking forward to the next visit to site when we would be all alone to take the samples with a local MUNGAL expert ( Rs 175/- per day) professional, who would help us get the water from the top, middle and bottom of the channel.

I will be back with the next epidose as soon as it happens.


how jedi are you? :: by lawrie malen