table and a train journey

Well this post is about a couple of things .

First of all.......the contents of a normal looking computer table at IIT. The contents discovered, are actually the two things which keep an IITian running.......the sacred mixture of punchamrathum and holy incense sticks believed to give their user divine powers of comprehension, memorizing etc, See Yourself

This is a normal looking average IITian table ....study table or a computer table.....

The contents of the first drawer are

The contents of the second drawer are

and NO, the sacred kalasa....it is one irrespective of its shape....is not the same in two pics ....they are different kalasas...belonging to a particular vahana of a sacred deity, whose exploits every IITian only dreams about...

and yes

Champu wanted me to put this one up.......his cool new revolutionary way of wearing cool looking specs and related accessories....which will soon become the latest fashion craze in the town....or pore..................a refill nib....inserted into the side of spec (hope u can see it on the left side)

Yesterday, when Kommu and I went to egmore, on a visit to Connemara Public Library...we saw a boy giving red rose to his girlfriend....and given the rarity of this event inside insti something struck my head and I asked Kommu ....

S: What could be the sociological significance of that rose?? I mean What is it that the red rose conveys and why does it become so romantic to give a rose?

K: Because, society has added the meaning of ............ what do you say.........that if you give a red rose it would mean that you are seriously interested in the relation .

S: So does that mean, if society would have added the same meaning to say, a small dibiya of Cherry Blossom or say a tube of Dabur Lal Dant Manzan....then would couples have exchanged the above two items every time they meet?

K: Nahi yaar, a red rose is scented, its color is eye-catching......it adds to the moment ...it contributes to the atmosphere by making it more amorous.....and above all it expresses that the partner cares ....think of the fight put up to bring the right kind of rose!

S: Dude even the smell of cherry blossom is good......color of dant manzan is also eye-catching.....and buying them is a bigger fight......both of them are costlier then a red rose, at least ......the variety that was exchanged. And even from a utilitarian and a free market perspective ....a packet of dabur lal dant manjan would have been much sane choice......think of the employment generated for powder waalahs, the container manufacturer, the paint maker, the cardboard box maker etc etc.....maximum benefit for maximum people....their love could have sustained so many livelihoods ....

K: That is OK....but it is tradition....and when this must have started.....most probably there was no cherry blossom or dant manzan around....only valuable thing might have been that red rose....and since then this custom has struck.....

S: No, that fellow could have still given neem ka jhaad, cactus flower, or a heavy nariyal.....but why a useless red rose only???

The question was left unanswered as the other being, being more sane....proceeded to observe other people around (read new chicks who just entrained) ...while the author is still occupied with the question...