Experiences from my times at IIT Guwahati, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad (Bharat), Tsinghua University, Beijing (China), International Centre for Theoretical Physics (Italy), University of Barcelona (Spain), Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh (India).
I spent few months in Harish-Chandra as a post doctoral fellow. Here are few pieces of experience.
1. PIJULI SEBA
The two trees are small enough to be climbed for me and are full of ripe pijuli (gauva) just outside the dinning hall. When I look at them, their eyes seem inviting me,”Come dear, take me and enjoy as you use to do ”. The busy budding scientists nor their hardened supervisors, nor the hitech kids of them take, even look at those, at least interestingly. In the initial days, when I was thinking whether to pluck or not because none seems taking them. For quite a few days I manage to suppress my wish of taking them in spite of strong pursuasion from the other side. After all I am new to this place and someone may feel odd if I take these green fruits while none seem caring for it! In a twilit ('tandralokita') evening, when none was around, I broke my patience and gave a climb to the tree quickly exactly like in dalibagudi and plucked a few to full my two shirt and two paint pockets and jumped from the branchall in a few seconds. The sound of my jump attracted the attention of a girl whom I unconsciously started to respect for her gesture and ettique. She was at a distance in slight dark waiting her friend and I am caught. What to do! Hence, I acted as if I have not seen her and slowly left the scene. After that, in broad day light I started serving the tree and these days a good number of peoples joined me. Then onwards, the tree had been served by plucking at least half a dozen daily after and sometimes before meals.
2. BIHANGA BANDHU: TINOTI UPALAKHYA
A. I have been worrying why the HRI administration is not interfering when the garden contractor is planting too many krushnachuda, radhachuda, unknown to me flower trees that dies in two or three years, and not planting great, grand and green trees like banyan (Bara), Pipal(Osta), Neem in good numbers. Day before yesterday, at least my worry diluted. Very near to my window, a parrot was eating the fruits of these sothought useless trees cheerfully. From such a short distance neither my eye nor heart enjoyed the bird before. Amazingly green ! There are different green coloured feathers in the same bird. Bright red curved beak, red necklace around the neck, long whitish green tail, innocent eyes, singing sweet song, sitting in one leg and holding the fruit by another leg at the top of the tree, she (that must be a she) was uncovering the dry black fruit of radhachuda (probably) in a splendid way. Unlike other quick moving birds, they were walking very silently and confidently on the branches till they reach the extreme and cut the twig holding the brownblack dry hard fruit. Then calmly cut through the hard case to find the seed to eat. Soon I explored few tens of her community sitting nearby feasting the fruits. Had they come near me, I would have kid (gela kariba ku mana heu thila) them. From that day, we say good morning to each other daily.
B. Once while I was wandering in the jungle here, I saw a small bird flying from one branch to the other and something very long white was hanging behind it. Probably, it is a polythene piece unfortunately stuck to her leg making her trouble ! Pained me. Reminded me the splendind bird swiming at Sangam whom while I was once feeding mudhi noticed in such difficulty. I prayed god to bring that bird near me so that I can give a try in releasing her from the trap. By some wicked human or by some means, the two legs of the bird were trapped together by a white thread of a cement bag. The bird was swiming but with insurmountable suffering. It became dark and I left the place and the suffering friend. For few days, that haunted me. All those forgotten pain again sieged my mind without any delay. But now this bird is on the tree...what can be done. While watching this tyranny of almighty, my mind observed a enlighting truth! The long declared truth flashes me that nothing is good or bad, annoying or pleasing by its own. It is the condition of viewer'smind that decides almost completely the goodness or badness in the occurrence. Further, an ever changing mind is poorly
equipped to determine. The long white thing is in fact the tail of that small bird which I was seeing for the first time in life. The tail was atleast 8 to 10 times longer and whiter than the body. Such peculiar the birds living here !
C. Peacocks and peahens have been so closed to me to demand a description. They welcomed the moonsoon with dance and song in their way . But the matter I am going to present is different. The day before last Ekadashi, it was a moonlit night. Before dinner, I was sitting on the lone chair near the foundation stone of HRI. Grass carpet under the foot, clear silver moon-light canopy over head, a grand banyan tree infront dancing in modest wind, neem trees around romancing with moonsoon wind. Jackels, saliapatani and other unknowntome small animals passing at a distance in the fainted street lights. Suddenly, the jackels in the deep jungle started to shout. I was
just trying to find a meaning to these and carefully listening if there is a rythm in this socalled irritating music of nature. Soon, another member of the community living in the same jungle but at other cluster (village to say) responded. According to my translation of the response, it was “What happened dear? Should we sing our favourite song? Or what do you mean?”. Not getting a ready answer, the same fellow vented his assumptions into effective convictions and said, “ ok let us start, anyway we have not sing together for a long”. Within seconds, the two voice are joined by many from distant corners of the jungle and the music became a blunder to my ear. To my surprise, a peacok or a peahen, my little knowledge about those birds could not recognise exactly, also joined the chorus. What a wonderful reaction of the queen to the uncivilised fellows of the society ! Within minutes, the queen community also joined the chorus from different parts of the kingdom (HRI jungle). Who knows, these sweet creatures are not the enlighted souls enjoying the fruit of their past austerities.
Aji etiki thau. Puni ara tharaku.
At ICTP-I: In other words ICTP
In fact this is an institute standing to the aspiration of the whole humanity. I mean this is a joint venture by the United Nations (milita jatisangha), the International Atomic Energy Commission and the Govt of Italy nurturing the needs of scientists from developing countries (where there is no money to spend for building infrastructure for research). These countries includes almost all countries from Africa-we see only africans all around here- and more than 150 countries of our world. Note that around 192 member countries are in UN.
Another great thing about it, is that it is founded by Abdus Salam- born in undivided India now in Pakistan. He was awarded nobel prize in physics sometime around 1955. And he decided to build this just to ensure that what had happened to him should not happen to any other. He faced tremendous difficulty for doing research-no book, no journals, no computer, no one to talk to etc... but with only infallible zeal to uncover the mystery of the nature and her workings. Probably that is why he could manage to excel and excel to the top. He wanted every person in the world wishing to pursue scientific excellence should be provided with ALL facilities. That was his dream and the unitary goal of his later life. And ICTP is the fulfillment of that nobility and today it is the most loved (if not most desired) destination of the scientific community (for Physics, Math and Allied subjects) all over the world including developed countries.
This is how our country thinks and has been acting and continues to act through her innumerable souls.
Now the head of mathematics section here is an Indian (Ramadas Ramakrishnan) and one of the former Director of this organisation (ICTP) is Prof R. Narasimhan (he is also a padmashri awardee). I do have an odia physicist (Kamal Lochan panigrahi from IIT KGP) sitting nearby.
Adriatic sea is a part of the Mediterranean sea that separates Africa from Europe (see map). From ICTP building you can throw a stone that can fall in the Adriatic water. This institute in on a hill full of forest -trees, birds, small animals etc. Serenity all around--pin drop silence everywhere. Now it' s full of flowers-tiny to tremendous ones.
Very much conducive to contemplate and do research.
There exists a prayer room here. I find many asana (on which one sits while doing prayer) with Macca Masjid picture which probably indicates that most scientists visiting this place and with stronger religious affinity are muslims. And while (trying to ) meditate sitting on them, I find to my amazement muslim brothers doing their prayer at a distance quarter meter to me. Great experience of unity of religions.
At ICTP-II: Thank You Pakistan:
A bit outspoken, spontaneously helping and friendship inducing, this young man has befriended me in these fifteen days. I found him with a group gathered around him that includes a young woman from Pune and a scientist from Dehradun, a lady scientist from Iran and another lady from Egypt. They will go for evening walk on the bank of adorable Adriatic sea, they will usually go for lunch and dinner, and marketing to the city (Trieste is 30 minutes by bus from here) together. I am the new entrant to this rare group scientists/professors. Rare because though people talk, smile, and even help, but rarely they are able to afford to match with others' time to do less important things (like going for lunch together etc) together. The most and the only important thing here probably is to explore/invent ideas-do research like any other research institute.
For example, the man heading the mathematics group here for last few years. He asked me on the cafeteria few days back whether I can pay him a visit at his office. I was very happy. Because, since the very day (7 years ago ) I came to know about ICTP, the idea and the man behind it, I was in love with it. A scientist par excellence and a patriot deeply concerned about the less fortunates in the developing world, Abdus Salam was unique. Gradually I started to seek to be a part of ICTP and tried, but failed thrice in the past to visit it-travel money could not be arranged twice and the third time when every other thing including money was ready I had to leave Tsinghua to join IIT Bhubaneswar . Those days, I use to visit ICTP websites looking for people from our country associated with it and found to my excitement a former director and this man Ramkrishna Ranmadas. It was a great respect and love that was automatic for this person. And he wants me to see him in his office. When I inquired with our group members what may be the reason for Ramdas calling me, someone told me, may be some official purpose. But the scientist assigned to me was Stefano Luzzattp-not Ramdas. When I revealed that his way of asking (he was tending to smile) seem to be something un-official, the indian woman got surprised and said: to notice his smile you have to try hard. she was probably trying to prove that Ramdas hardly smiles. I was not surprised as to my believe serious scientists does not smile easily. I went and we spent few minutes in his office with a very friendly and personal conversation-he had just wanted to say me a hai as I am from india-Prof Ramdas revealed. What slightly shocked me is that he is leaving the place to join Chennai Mathematical Institute next year. Anyway, I was very happy that he talked to me many things ranging over our country and mathematics. But when we met today at lunch I had to be satisfied by a short hai only.
Now, let us be back with the earlier mentioned young man. He is from Pakistan; my first personal encounter with a Pakistani. As a child, every odd, bad, fearful and negative looking person was a pakistani for us. As a youngman and a student of Indian freedom Struggle, Jinha and hence the idea of Pakistan was a betrayal for me. It tend to negate the very idea of Bharat. As a world viewer, Islam is a self negating religion . But this young man is capable of diluting my views. He is Mohammad Sajid Quershi from Islamabad.
I live in Room No-24 in the Guest house named after Galileo Gallili (Galileo's full name). I use to guess the time in the morning by looking at the sun shine reflected at ships floating over Adriatic, through my window. I have not brought watch and our indian plug does not work here, to charge my mobile phone. Hence this is the easiest way to know the time-though approximately. Dusk comes here at 9.30 PM and I have not ever encounter the dawn. In the way to office each morning,. I meet a tree on the roadside-healthy, beautiful and lush. What is worth mentioning is its small fruits, yellowish red with long dempha. By size these are 1/50th of an apple. I once saw a black squirrel jumping from branch to the other on this tree-that was the first italian wild animal I met. Not knowing the name of those fruits and whether they are eatable or not, I was simply attracted and drawn to them strongly. So strongly that one day even I tasted slightly at the end of my tongue and it was sour-sweet mixed taste. Somehow I concluded by my self that those nice fruits are not eatable. A day after, Sajid bhaiya asked me to join them for the evening walk. Seeing me taking time for a decision he lured me, as he usually does, that he will make me eat two typical italian fruits on the way to walk. He was not ready to accept my not joining them. I accompanied them. The first thing he offered me is that fruit in that same tree in front of Galileo guest house. He revealed to my surprise that the fruit is none other than the Cherry. Then onwards I hardly fail to pick few cherry while passing by the tree.
Thank you Pakistan.
At ICTP-III: Continuing Rendezvous with Cherry:
It was during yesterday's working hour when I realised for the first time that there is another cherry tree near (nearer to the earlier one) to the Enrico Fermi building that houses one of the associates' office hall including my sitting place.
Another nice thing about ICTP is that the buildings are named after timeless italian thinkers. For example the main building is named after leonardo Da Vinci.
The creator of Monalisa-the most famous and mysterious and parodied art piece of the world, the creator of Last Super- the most reproduced religious painting of all times, Leonardo was not just a painter. He is a poly math: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer. The most diversified talent the world has ever given birth to, he was the first to conceptualize a helicopter, a tank and a calculator in fifteenth century. A fully operational helicopter has only been possible after 400 years in 19th centuary, a tank in 1916 by British army and the calculator much later. It is said that he uses to paint in left hand while writing poems in the right hand.
The guest house I live, is named after Galileo-the harbinger of scientific revolution and the first to challenge the orthodox church with scientific proofs. Of course he has much to suffer for that like Socrates-he had to die while under house arrest. A timeless combination of uncovering the truth and declaring it boldly against all odds.
The newly discovered cherry tree was situated in a place that is difficult to access. On the other side of a steel fence and at the top of an artificially made sloped landscape such that if you are not very careful you will find yourself at least 30 feet down. Anyway, its location was not at all a hindrance to think of giving a service to the tree. It seems like the tree calling every passer by to give a service to her by plucking a couple of cherries. Though plucking cherry in broad day light is not very unusual, doing it from a tree oddly located is bound to draw attention of others. Thus I postponed the matter till the dusk. Yesterday we were returning from Adriatico guesthouse (located at a distance of 25 minutes walk) after dinner at about 9 PM. It was still not dark(already mentioned earlier that night falls at 10 PM!). We were three including a newly arrived Junior associate from ISM Dhanbad and a scientist from a CSIR lab of Dehradun. When we became near to that Cherry tree, I proposed to have a treat of cherry. The person from ISM expressed unwillingness and the other kept silent. We arrived at the place and sat on a chair-table beneath the tree. You will find several such sitting places inside the densely spread trees overlooking the endless Adriatico. Who knows how many novel and remarkable ideas have arisen from the minds sitting on those chairs since 1964 -the inception of ICTP!
Anyway we managed to reach the tree and pluck and eat cherries. It was not possible to verify the cleanliness of the cherries. Rather it was useless to take that into consideration. That reminded me an episode of my student life at IIT Guwahati. Mess food use to be horrible. And meat/fish/egg only twice or thrice a week and that was eagerly awaited by us. We use to be a bit excited on the day of non veg items. The pieces of fish/meat were not unlimited and restricted to two or three. If you have already brought the dish from the counter and starting to eat. If somehow, a piece of meat/fish slips from the hand and falls on the table which is dirty enough, one will of course not mind in taking the piece back to his plate. More elementarily, do we, as child, afford to leave a chocolate that falls from our hand mistakenly on the earth. Of course not. Hence I became wiser and did not mind whether cherries are clean or anything of similar considerations and had a good treat of not less than 50 cherries. In the darkness of the evening, they were just felt by hand and then use to reach mouth without any unnecessary halt. The only halts were of course when I was giving some cherries to my fellow accomplice. Before sometime of going to bed in the night, I felt some tendency of vomiting like experience. Something itching at the rear end of the tongue, at the throat. That feeling continued for sometime but at that time I could not relate the feeling with just concluded cherry treat. I slept.
Today I was going from my office to the guest house to have some MUDHHI as afternoon breakfast. A well covered lady, possibly from some islamic country was also walking by my side. She was inducing a kind of respectfulness from with in the Burkha and I felt that induction. I surpassed her and felt her behind me while passing by the earlier cherry tree--the character of last episode. I saw a cherry ripe enough to be black like Jamu koli and near enough to my head. I just extended my long hand and picked it with ease without my foot stopping. But could not eat it with the same ease as she was just few feet behind me. I thought I should have some decency (of not eating anything anytime) at least before someone who looks like deserving respect. Thus I looked at the cherry more carefully than usual and found to my surprise an unnatural hole on it. A little more care revealed me that, with in that hole an insect with a pin pointed nose. That is possibly by which the insect eat. While sucking the juice from the cherry, probably for more than enough time, it has forgotten to live. It had died and buried inside the cherry-near its center. It were probably few insects like these which entered my stomach last evening and their pin-pointed mouth or body was causing that awkward feeling. After 20 hours I felt like indispensably vomiting. I had forgotten something very essential last evening while eating cherries like the insect had forgotten its life. But I was not dead, possibly to take a lesson.