Exile

Memories of an Unforgettable trip!
My three months in Infosys Bhubhneshwar

Here at Infosys, you wait and wait for an onsite and when you do get
the green signal from your PM, it's a 'dream' come true….but what if
the reverse happens? Suppose, if the PM intimates you to go
'offsite'?? (Offsite is a new term coined for short-term transfer to
BBSR)

A similar thunder shook us- the "Three Brave Infoscions", when one
bright sunny morning, our PM asked us to pack our bags and move to
BBSR for three months. Like all our projects deadlines, we had one too
– a week to get mentally prepared and socially equipped for this
exile.

Even Lord Ram was given more time to prepare!!!!

My PM did make some assumptions as most of us do- that we three were
the most capable (or may be the most suitable scapegoats) in the team
to move to BBSR and finally we took up the challenge to venture into
this forbidden land.

Being from West India (Gujarat), it was an opportunity for me to
explore Eastern parts of India, where I would have never gone
otherwise. A final yes (Did we have any other option?) to our PM, a
travel request on 'Payana' and we were on our marks and set to go.

Days before our departure, we received inputs from our previously
exiled colleagues whose experiences regarding food, climate, people,
and city making us question our decision. There was no turning back
and finally D-Day came when we boarded the train with "good lucks",
"blessings" and "prayers". 36 hours, 50 stations and 3 states
(Maharastra, AP, and Orissa) later we finally arrived.

Murphy's Law says "If something can go wrong… it will go wrong"
As if to prove it, the unexpected events started unfolding from the
very first hour – The Payana-requested Infy cab was nowhere to be
seen, the hired cab cost us 150 bucks instead of the normal 70
(Infosys Brand Name Premium!) and this was not enough- the left wheel
of our cab got punctured on our way to the campus, leaving us stranded
in the middle of nowhere.

And on behold, the campus finally could be seen, doted by buildings of
weirdest shapes– Igloos and Ships. The only good thing was the
guesthouse room- when a feeling of Deja Vu hit us - the fancy
bathroom, hot water shower, air conditioned bedroom, fully carpeted
floor, television with cable and remote control, room service –
everything my rented little flat in Pune lacked.

Another warm welcome was awaiting us…

What is considered the 'worst' start for an event according to Indian
mythology??

Solar eclipse….yes very first visual from the window of my room in ECC
was of solar eclipse. The moon covering the beautiful sun, creating
darkness on earth prophesizing our forthcoming time here was going to
be doomed!!

After successfully passing our 'Agni Pariksha' of eating in the food
court (which was not that bad after all!) we met our teammates and so
began our BBSR days……….

Slowly, we discovered the simple pleasures of small town life -
watching movies in theatres with old classical structures and shady
interiors at a price our grandfathers paid (Rs20 a ticket and Rs25 in
black if you desire!) and hopped around in the only mall –Big Bazaar.
On weekends we ventured to places around Bhubaneswar which was great
fun and an experience to remember.

We went to Nandankanan national sanctuary (which has the maximum number of white tigers in world),Konark, the famous sun temple followed by Jagannath temple at Puri.
Sun-rise by the beach, the sky filled with beautiful hues of yellow,
red and orange at Puri was a sight to behold. Our next stop was Chilka
Lake, on trail to India's biggest sweet water lake and world's biggest
natural abode to 'queens' of ocean- the Dolphin.

We hired a fishing ferry-boat with single Honda engine, no life jacket or SOS system on it and started our two hour journey to 'sea-mouth' island- the last
island of Indian Territory and the only island having sweet water of
Chilka on one side and salt water of Bay of Bengal on the other.


As we landed on 'sea-mouth' island we were captivated by the beauty
and virginity of it. Not a single artificial man-made material on
island; all the huts and shelters were made from natural resources.
After a photo shoot, beach bath and getting lucky in finding real
'pearls', we started back. Our adventures continued every weekend, as
we explored Dhauli, Lingaraj Temple, and Udaigiri-Khandagiri.

Our three –month term was drawing closer, and we were suffering bouts
of home sickness. Tired of traveling, we began enjoying the ECC
facilities - playing squash, gymnasium workouts, swimming and salsa
classes- the small pleasures we couldn't indulge because of our busy
schedules in Pune.

Infoscions are expected to perform beyond expectations, and so proved
one of us who took a daring decision of settling in BBSR while two of
us returned. Our PM was not so off the mark in his assumptions! The
'RISK" of going to BBSR had turned out to be an 'OPPORTUNITY'- it had
been fruitful!

So the next time your PM says "Bhubhaneswar?" Do think again!