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Wednesday 24 March 2010

Discovering Elements!

Its been 10 whole days since I last posted anything on my blog! A welcome break considering the pace at which I was posting in the last 2 months. Nevertheless, the break provided me with time to think about my next post(which is this one). I also imagined working on a few topics- Many things have happened in these 10 days. There was the Regatta- which I think was not as good as the last two. Two of my very good friends got exceptional achievements- Prachi got the Best Outgoing Oarsperson Award, while Siddhi keeps showing that sky is her lower limit- an admit from Stanford one day, and the Best Outgoing Sportsperson at the college on the next. Then there is this subtle metamorphosis in the nature around. All of a sudden there is a sudden bloom of flowers of vivid eye catching colours all around. So certainly there was plenty to think. I did think on these subjects, and just as I was going to write on one, an oddball stuck out. You see, its such events, which really gets you into the laughing mode.

Well, as a CoEPian, we are used to fantastic accomplishments and discoveries on a daily basis. Many new things are discovered by the students everyday.This time it was one of our brilliant professors who has made an astonishing discovery. Certainly, CoEP Materials Science and Chemistry department, if ever such existed, would have been proud, and would certainly have sent the IUPAC scrambling for cover . Why? Simple-  We have discovered an astonishing new element. Although current studies are theoretical, all evidences point to the actual existence of this unique element. If ever synthesized, this element would be the heaviest and the densest in the world. The proof? A rectangular block of this element measuring 35mm x 35mm x 2.5 mm measured an astonishing 20 kg! this makes its density 6.53x10^6 g/cc. Possibly only a white dwarf, a  neutron star and a black hole will outweigh this newest element. 

Logic defines that this element is highly hazardous, and has to be operated with a utmost safety of robotic arm. It is extremely brittle and exhibits all properties of glass. On slightest heating, it shreds into a thousand pieces and sends its shards hurtling everywhere. So, human interaction is to be kept to a minimum. To do this job, the Department of Mechanical Engineering was contacted, and some of us students, doing a secret training course in the department were given the job of designing two suction cups whose contact force is 65 kg(?) this gives a net upward acceleration of 110g- which will make the system break the Mach speeds in a few yards!!  i have till not not heard of anything in existance which is able to sustain this much force! but with the superb and highly insightful guidance of our honourable faculty, anyway, design it we did, and from standard formulae, we got astonishing results- the diameter of individual suction cup is nearly twice the dimensions of the given slab! god knows how we will be able to lift it!

Till now, we have not been able to determine the atomic number nor the atomic mass of this fascinating element. Whatever calculations we are doing are coming to a dead end. All we can conclude is that it is 3 million times more dense than the densest material available- Osmium. I am wondering if a tonne of this substance will generate enough gravitational pull to attract and suck its inventor into it- and if possible annihilate him.If it should, then I shall personally create the required amount of substance, even though it puts my neck at a risk!

There were several nominees that were considered while naming this element- Kutroniyum, Jadonium, Poloamintwiththeholonium, assonium, and many more. But after much debate and controversy, it has been decided that the element will be named after a visionary in CoEP Mechanical. A man whose genius surpasses that of one and all. A man who played a key role in its invention. Yes- you have guessed it right, we have named it Ohonium!! (Anant calls it O!Holium whereas Rao calls it O'Holium)

Saturday 13 March 2010

Kedar...

In todays action packed, hustling and bustling, and a fast paced world, it seems that maintaining regular contact has been a bit difficult, especially with those who have moved out of town. I know all the potential difficulties in maintaining a continuous contact- in both ways- by being away, and having friends go away. And then one day arises when you suddenly get a phonecall saying... "Chinmay kuthe ahes... Me punyat aloy". It brings immense relief to hear the voice- especially if its the voice of the best friend you have ever had.
I got such a call daybefore yesterday, when Kedar(Kedhaar as he now calls himself, ill stick to the original spelling) called me up. I was thrilled that he was back, although only for 3 days. Finally i had the chance to meet him. The last time i had talked with kedar was probably in my December vaccations when i was planning a trip to mumbai-almost 3 months back! Shocking, considering, that we have been friends from day one in school...(our friendship streches back to almost 17 years!) well after a mixup, where we were originally scheduled to meet yesterday,we finally made a definite plan to meet today at Kedars place.
On my way to Kedars place, my mind was flooded with a whole load of memories from good old days.I distinctly remember his expression when i dropped out of nowhere at his house on my holidays(when I was in UK). I was keeping my visit to India a secret at the time.As soon as I landed, the first thing i did was go to Kedars place. He was least expecting me to turn up.. He was talking on the phone, when i tapped him on the shoulder... the phone literally dropped out of his hand! Also the long and eternally fresh memories of the things we did in school, the jugaad we did when we were prefects surfaced. The innumerable hours we spent doing timepass under the pretex of doing homework, the stupid bets of how long we could stand in the cold storage, all the letters describing the 'kaarname' of our friends, when I was in London that he had written, all came back as if things of yesterday.
Once at Kedars place, we greeted each other in customary sarcasm like kay re jadya! I sat there for about 3 hours- well sat for two hours and roamed about the city for one. Kedar was making paav bhaji, and i gladly accepted his invitation to have lunch! After Kedar finished cutting his vegetables, we went out to buy paav. Well, we roamed around for quite some time..Alsom we stopped by at this incredible Sugarcane juice place which serves 9 varieties of sugarcane juice! Back home we went after that, and had the extremely delicious PavBhaji that Smita Mavshi had made. We didnt talk much- neither on the past, nor the present, nor on the mundane daytoday life. Actually we were sitting silently for most of the time. Its rather ironic, that in moments like these, without uttering a word, you have the best conversation you could ever have.
It really felt good to meet Kedar after so many days- well, anyway, it always does. Just goes to prove that somethings money cant buy, and some relations go beyond the extraordinary- good friends and an everlasting friendship..
(Kedar Tomato Kaptoy!!haha!)

Saturday 6 March 2010

पृथ्वीचे प्रेमगीत

For some reasons which I wont disclose, I was in an extremely bad mood yesterday night and today morning. Infact, when I woke up this morning, I was so irate, that i was finding it difficult to concentrate on any one thing that I had planned to do. Normally, I bottle up my emotions, but this time, a volcano of thoughts was pouring out of my mind. I made a decision to calm myself down.

One of the methods in which I do this is by music. But then, I was not in the mood to listen to any music. So the next best option- read Kusumagraj! I consider myself really fortunate that my parents have always encouraged me to read marathi poetry. And I, now, appreciate it more than ever. It provides you with a different dimension- you actually think, you divert your energies to the poem, and then the subtle metaphors catch you, making you forget all your troubles.

Today, I read about 8 poems by Kusumagraj. Many of them, I have already posted. This one though, really hit me today like an arrow. Its a rather unusual concept in that its a poem on the love of Earth for the Sun. I wont disclose anything, as one must appreciate the poem in the way he/she sees it. So without any much further talk, I present the poem, called "पृथ्वीचे प्रेमगीत"

 पृथ्वीचे प्रेमगीत

युगामगुनी चालली रे युगे ही
करावी किती भास्करा वंचना
किती काळ कक्षेत धावू तुझ्या मी
कितीदा करू प्रीतिची याचना!

नव्हाळीतले ना उमाळे, उसासे
न ती आग अंगात आता उरे
विझुनी आता यौवानाच्या मशाली
उरी राहिले काजळी कोपरे!

परी अंतरी प्रीतिची ज्योत जागे
अविश्रांत राहिले अन जागती.
न जाणे न नेणे कुठे चालले मी
कळे तू पुढे आणि मी मागुती!

दिमाखात तारे नटोनी थटोनी
शिरी टाकिती दिव्य उल्का-फुले
परी तुझ्या मूर्तिवाचून देवा
मला वाटते विश्व अंधारले!

तुवा सांडलेले कुठे अंतराळात
वाचुनिया दिव्य तेजःकण
मला मोहण्यास बघे हा सुधांशू
तपाचार स्वीकारुनी दारूण

पिसारा प्रेमाचा उभारून दारी
पहाटे उभा शुक्र हा प्रेमळ
करी याचना प्रीतिची लाजुनी लाल-
होऊनिया लाजरा मंगळ!

निराशेत सन्यस्त होऊन बैसे
ऋषींच्या कुळी उत्तरेला ध्रुव
पिसाटापरी केस पिंजारुनी हा
करी धुमकेतू काढे आर्जव!

परी भव्य ते तेज पाहून पुजून
घेऊ गळ्याशी कसे काजवे!
नको क्षुद्र शृंगार तो दुर्बळांचा
तुझी दूरता त्याहुनी साहवे!

तळी जगणारा निखारा उफाळून
येतो कधी आर्जवाने वर
शहारून येते अंग, तुझ्या
स्मृतीने सुरे अन सले अंतर!

गमे की तुझ्या रुद्र रुपात जावे
मिळोनी गळा घालुनिया गळा
तुझ्या लाल ओठातली आग प्यावी
मिठीने तुझ्या तीव्र व्हाव्या कळा!

अमर्याद मित्रा, तुझी थोरवी अन
मला ज्ञात मी एक धूलीकण
अलंकारण्याला परी पाय तुझे
धुळीचेच आहे मला भूषण!

kusumagraj