It was payday at work, today. Unlike regular employees with bank accounts in the country, interns get paid in cash. It's not under the table, but kicks ass, nonetheless. 25,000 rupees can come in many forms...all the way up to 1000 ruppee bills.
But I prefer mine in thick stacks of 100s and 50s with the bank wrappers still attached. The cashier's explaination: "that's what they had at the bank."
Awesome.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Pondicherry
This French-influenced resort-type town on the South-East coast of India was the weekend destination of myself and fifteen other interns. It was also my first time crossing state lines here (went into Tamil Nadu state). For that priviledge there was, of course, a fee. On the bright side, this trip was only seven hours each way and the roads were better once we got out of Karnataka state (apparently this is a well-known phenomenon).
Pondicherry has three sections: the French part near the water, the Indian part away from the water, and the nice sand beaches to the North and South of the city itself. The French section was pretty nice, with broad tree-lined streets, interesting stores selling books and antiques and dental services, historical-type buildings, and good restaurants. The Indian part, disappointingly, was dirty and crowded and felt much like the bad parts of Bangalore. Unfortunately, that's where our hotel was.
Arriving in the early morning, we walked across town to the water. Our plan of enjoying the beach was almost thwarted by our discovery of the beach in town consisting entirely of large rocks. As there were a few local boys braving the small waves, a number of us interns decided that it looked safe enough for a dip. The water was surprisingly warm (I'm used to California beaches - some of which require wetsuits) and refreshing. It got even better when we found the sandy beaches 8km outside the city.
After lunch (a restaurant meal in India seems to require at least an hour and a half regardless of the size of your party, complexity of the dishes, or the time until your bus departs), I walked back through the local open-air market. After some initial trepidation about the seafood section (see the pictures below), it turned out to be a whirlwind of colors, textures, smells, people shouting, others begging, and many wanting their photos taken. And while it looked pretty small from the outside, it was actually an unknown number (at least to me) of interconnected spaces connected by walkways and corridors. It probably filled two city blocks.
In the evening, and again the next morning, we made our way to the aforementioned nice beaches. Palm trees, waves crashing on the sand, and brightly colored fishing boats rounded out the weekend. I swam and tried my hand at body-surfing (the waves weren't big enough), laid out with a book on the shore (Borges and beaches are a strange combination), and even got a little sunburnt.
Though I was expecting more, I still enjoyed the weekend. Before heading back to Bangalore, we visited the locally famous Sri Aurobindo ashram. There was an elaborate floral arrangement and nice gardens where people came to meditate. Peaceful and interesting to see, but it was a little odd to have that plopped down right in the middle of the town - not to mention around the corner from an elephant temple. It really drove home the unlikely combinations that seem to make up Pondicherry.
Pondicherry has three sections: the French part near the water, the Indian part away from the water, and the nice sand beaches to the North and South of the city itself. The French section was pretty nice, with broad tree-lined streets, interesting stores selling books and antiques and dental services, historical-type buildings, and good restaurants. The Indian part, disappointingly, was dirty and crowded and felt much like the bad parts of Bangalore. Unfortunately, that's where our hotel was.
Arriving in the early morning, we walked across town to the water. Our plan of enjoying the beach was almost thwarted by our discovery of the beach in town consisting entirely of large rocks. As there were a few local boys braving the small waves, a number of us interns decided that it looked safe enough for a dip. The water was surprisingly warm (I'm used to California beaches - some of which require wetsuits) and refreshing. It got even better when we found the sandy beaches 8km outside the city.
After lunch (a restaurant meal in India seems to require at least an hour and a half regardless of the size of your party, complexity of the dishes, or the time until your bus departs), I walked back through the local open-air market. After some initial trepidation about the seafood section (see the pictures below), it turned out to be a whirlwind of colors, textures, smells, people shouting, others begging, and many wanting their photos taken. And while it looked pretty small from the outside, it was actually an unknown number (at least to me) of interconnected spaces connected by walkways and corridors. It probably filled two city blocks.
In the evening, and again the next morning, we made our way to the aforementioned nice beaches. Palm trees, waves crashing on the sand, and brightly colored fishing boats rounded out the weekend. I swam and tried my hand at body-surfing (the waves weren't big enough), laid out with a book on the shore (Borges and beaches are a strange combination), and even got a little sunburnt.
Though I was expecting more, I still enjoyed the weekend. Before heading back to Bangalore, we visited the locally famous Sri Aurobindo ashram. There was an elaborate floral arrangement and nice gardens where people came to meditate. Peaceful and interesting to see, but it was a little odd to have that plopped down right in the middle of the town - not to mention around the corner from an elephant temple. It really drove home the unlikely combinations that seem to make up Pondicherry.
On The Bay of Bengal
The beaches were largely empty - I guess because it's not the high tourist season. These long and skinny fishing boats are painted with bright colors and slogans. It takes about four people to get one into or out of the water.
In Town
In the middle of the shopping section of town. The traffic wasn't as bad as Bangalore, but the streets felt more crowded.
Chilies
The omnipresent pepper. One spice seller tried to convince me that his weren't the spicy kind...I wasn't going to risk it.
Marigolds
Huge piles of marigolds, some all yellow, others all orange. These were sold by weight or combined with other flowers into garlands.
Seafood Sale
They sell just about everything at this market. Including the day's seafood catch. By the afternoon when we were visiting, though, it was a bit past its prime.
Electioneering
These rickshaws retrofitted with loudspeakers were all over the city playing recorded messages regarding the upcoming election. Many had posters of [someone who was presumably] the candidate stuck to their backs.
Ghandi Statue
There seems to be at least one in every town (and Ghandi's image is on every denomination of rupee bill). This one felt a little different - maybe it's the French influence in the city.
Elephant and Temple
Another elephant. This one was giving blessings as well, but it was much bigger than the last one I saw. One young boy was terrified of the elephant, but his father carried him up for a blessing anyway.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Exploring the Ruins
Last weekend I took my first journey beyond Bangalore. 20 of us interns chartered a bus (with a driver and assistant driver!) and drove ten hours North-ish to the towns of Hampi and Badami to see the ruined cities and abandoned temples there.
We left in the wee hours on Saturday, expecting to sleep on the way. Unfortunately, the conditions on the Indian roads had other plans for us, including a pothole bounce so violent that I experienced free-fall. Arriving mid-morning (apparently the roads aren't well marked, even in the local language), we hired a guide and set off on an all day trek.
What we saw was well worth the ride out. The weather was nice - a little warm with just a few clouds in the sky. The first city, Hampi, looked a little like Pompei...if the Pompeians had worshiped a god with an elephant's trunk rather than a lightning bolt. Skeletons of temples and shrines littered the landscape. Apparently, during the height of the local king's power, a new temple was errected for each victory in battle.
The largest in the first area, Virupaksha, was still active, so we removed our shoes and went inside to see what it was all about. In addition to people praying and holymen daubing red paint on foreheads, there were monkeys. Quite a few monkeys, in fact. All eager to get the bannanas that some interns had purchased outside. But better than that was the elephant. It would happily eat bannanas, too, but if you put a ruppee coin in its trunk it would (after giving the coin to its handler) place its trunk on your head in blessing. I was blessed by the elephant. Twice.
To reach the next site, we rode down the river in primitive boats called coracles. With rocky hills and ancient stone temples rising along the banks, it was an Indiana Jones moment. The second temple site, Vitthala, had intricate carvings above the gates, on the columns, walls, pretty much anywhere stone was exposed. Some parts were crumbling, so I hope the 100 rupee entrance fee goes towards preservation. In one of the buildings, the columns were constructed to actually be musical. So striking them with your palm produces a tuned sound. Some had a sound like drums, others more like bells, and one set was even reminiscent of plucked violin strings. A security guard is posted to prevent people from hitting the columns (they're fragile since invading armies burned the temple a few hundred years ago), but for twenty rupees, he wandered off while our guide put on a concert.
The next day we visited the town of Badami, where a king in the 16th century had built four temples into the sheer rock cliffs surrounding a small lake. Two were dedicated to Vishnu, one to Shiva, while the fourth was a Jain temple - another religion somewhat similar to Buddhism that developed in India. The statues carved into the walls and ceilings of the temple-caves were awe-inspiring.
We left in the wee hours on Saturday, expecting to sleep on the way. Unfortunately, the conditions on the Indian roads had other plans for us, including a pothole bounce so violent that I experienced free-fall. Arriving mid-morning (apparently the roads aren't well marked, even in the local language), we hired a guide and set off on an all day trek.
What we saw was well worth the ride out. The weather was nice - a little warm with just a few clouds in the sky. The first city, Hampi, looked a little like Pompei...if the Pompeians had worshiped a god with an elephant's trunk rather than a lightning bolt. Skeletons of temples and shrines littered the landscape. Apparently, during the height of the local king's power, a new temple was errected for each victory in battle.
The largest in the first area, Virupaksha, was still active, so we removed our shoes and went inside to see what it was all about. In addition to people praying and holymen daubing red paint on foreheads, there were monkeys. Quite a few monkeys, in fact. All eager to get the bannanas that some interns had purchased outside. But better than that was the elephant. It would happily eat bannanas, too, but if you put a ruppee coin in its trunk it would (after giving the coin to its handler) place its trunk on your head in blessing. I was blessed by the elephant. Twice.
To reach the next site, we rode down the river in primitive boats called coracles. With rocky hills and ancient stone temples rising along the banks, it was an Indiana Jones moment. The second temple site, Vitthala, had intricate carvings above the gates, on the columns, walls, pretty much anywhere stone was exposed. Some parts were crumbling, so I hope the 100 rupee entrance fee goes towards preservation. In one of the buildings, the columns were constructed to actually be musical. So striking them with your palm produces a tuned sound. Some had a sound like drums, others more like bells, and one set was even reminiscent of plucked violin strings. A security guard is posted to prevent people from hitting the columns (they're fragile since invading armies burned the temple a few hundred years ago), but for twenty rupees, he wandered off while our guide put on a concert.
The next day we visited the town of Badami, where a king in the 16th century had built four temples into the sheer rock cliffs surrounding a small lake. Two were dedicated to Vishnu, one to Shiva, while the fourth was a Jain temple - another religion somewhat similar to Buddhism that developed in India. The statues carved into the walls and ceilings of the temple-caves were awe-inspiring.
Virupaksha Temple
A main temple in Hampi. It's still functioning despite being surrounded by ruins. The rocky hills rise all around.
Coracle Ride
The river in Hampi is usually clear, but this day it ran red with the blood of a thousand ... well, it was acutally mud from the surrounding hills that's iron-rich. We rode about a kilometer downstream in these saucer-shaped boats. Each had a driver with a single oar to power and guide us.
Stone Chariot
Pulled by a team of elephants, no less! This is in the courtyard of the Vitthala Temple. The wheels came up almost to my shoulders.
Vitthala Temple
A centerpiece of the temple complex, this building housed music and dance celebrations. In fact, the thin columns are tuned so that striking them softly with your palm makes a sound amazingly like a drum, violin string, or bells. Our guide played a few songs on them.
You can see (and hear) the musical columns in the video below.
You can see (and hear) the musical columns in the video below.
Arches
The Lotus Mahal in Hampi has a blend of Hindu, Dravidian, and Muslim architecture. This building was the Queen's bath.
Elephant Carvings
The intricate carvings of elephants and dancers completely cover this ruin of a victory monument in Hampi.
Carved into the Cliff
There are three more temples carved into the cliff higher up, to the left of this one. They are about thirty feet deep , but have incredible carvings in the walls, pillars, and ceilings.
Temple Carving of Shiva
Carved into the wall of a temple cave in Badami, this Shiva has 18 arms, 9 on each side. These can depict all of the 81 arm positions (2 arms at a time) in classical South Indian dance. This carving is about six feet high.
Water Temple
Many years ago, according to our guide, the hills were dense with medicinal herbs so the rains that down the hillside and collected in the lake would cure many diseases. Lepers came from the surrounding area to bathe here. In more modern times, however, the plants and trees have mostly been cut down and the green color of the lake is due to algae and pollution.
Monday, June 19, 2006
In and Around the City
I had a chance to explore a little more of Bangalore city with a few other interns on my first weekend in town. It feels like a small town that was suddenly stuffed with about three times as many people as it was comfortable with. Which is unsurprising, becuase that's pretty much what happened in the last decade. There is a nice park called Lalbagh Gardens which reminded me of Golden Gate Park (no buffalo, though). There are a few main shopping and restaurant streets concentrated in the center of the city and three new western-style malls have sprung up. The prices vary greatly depending on the type of store. It's a little disconcerting to see an Adidas or Kenneth Cole store next to one selling Bollywood DVDs and soundtracks.
The weather held for us during the days, though it's been raining briefly in the evenings. In fact, as I write this, there's some tremendous thunder outside.
Went to my first Indian discotech last week. I didn't care much for the music (loud house) or light effects (epileptics beware), and the bartender ripped us off on the price of drinks because we were obviously foreigners (apparently it's a common practice). For as conservative as the culture can seem, from the outfits and behavior at this place it was clear that the younger set has another side. Don't I sound old and crotchety ("We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways...").
But I am working, too. And now that my jetlag has worn off, it's a bit tougher to get up and into the office at 8:00. I'd post pictures, but it's mostly a cubicle farm. The projects going on around me are interesting: text and data mining, data quality, business intelligence, web services frameworks... My work is so research-based that it feels sorta like being back in school. But with longer lunch breaks. And less skepticism for buzzwords.
The weather held for us during the days, though it's been raining briefly in the evenings. In fact, as I write this, there's some tremendous thunder outside.
Went to my first Indian discotech last week. I didn't care much for the music (loud house) or light effects (epileptics beware), and the bartender ripped us off on the price of drinks because we were obviously foreigners (apparently it's a common practice). For as conservative as the culture can seem, from the outfits and behavior at this place it was clear that the younger set has another side. Don't I sound old and crotchety ("We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways...").
But I am working, too. And now that my jetlag has worn off, it's a bit tougher to get up and into the office at 8:00. I'd post pictures, but it's mostly a cubicle farm. The projects going on around me are interesting: text and data mining, data quality, business intelligence, web services frameworks... My work is so research-based that it feels sorta like being back in school. But with longer lunch breaks. And less skepticism for buzzwords.
Outside Electronics City
On a walk outside of the Infosys campus, a few of us wound up passing through this small village of semipermanent buildings and dirt roads. The contrast with the glittering high-tech compounds less than 1km away is seriously a shock. The people looked at us like we were from another planet. One actually spoke enough English to ask what country we were from. Oddly enough, there were more barbershops per capita than I've ever seen.
Lalbagh Gardens Tableau
It was a beautiful day in the park. Families (and tourists) were strolling around the grounds, including the pavillion in the foreground and the glass horticulture house in the background.
Ambassador
Just inside the entrace to Lalbagh Gardens park. The "Ambassador" cars in the foreground are popular taxi vehicles. They are actually recently manufactured; it's just the design that's from 1960.
Little Temple
The roof of a small temple in the park. There are statues of a different Hindu God on each side.
Me and the Maharaja
The statue is of one of the Maharajas of the area. If only I was on horseback with a sword.
A Little Creepy
Nobody could explain why there was a statue garden dedicated to the Seven Dwarves in the main Bangalore park. I'm not sure I want to know. Anyway, Snow White is actually behind that big planter/clock.
Brigade Road
One of the big shopping roads in downtown Bangalore, this one has major brand clothing and electronics stores in addition to local craft and clothes stores. The billboards give it that "cosmopolitan" flavor...or so people say.
Traffic
Typical traffic situation on one of the main roads in Bangalore. There are three or four motorcycles across, then three or four cars, and a rickshaw for good measure. Somehow they seem to avoid hitting one another. Driving in Bangalore (and India, from what I hear) is most definitely an art. I'm very glad I'm not the one doing it. The only mitigating factor to the traffic is that it doesn't get going fast enough to do serious damage.
Sound Horn
All the trucks have this written on the tailgate. Drivers around here honk at any available opportunity. They honk to warn pedestrians to get out of the way (but don't slow down), when they pass a truck (even if there's another truck next to it), when another car is trying to occupy the same spot in the road (often speeding up to block them)...
Hosur Road
The highway from Bangalore city to the Infosys campus at a very low traffic time. Yes, that's an autorickshaw in the foreground.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Greetings from Bangalore
For over a week, now, I've been living and working at Infosys Technologies in Bangalore. It feels like much longer.
On the list of good things about being here, we've got food. As a big fan of food, and Indian food in particular, I was hopeful about the culinary aspects of this experience. And indeed, the food I've had has been delicious and inexpensive. There is such a variety of ingredients and flavors in dishes from all over the country. And the international food (I've had Chinese, French, Thai, and TGIFridays) is readily available on campus and in the city.
Next on the list is the work. I'm working with in the research department with the information management group. It's small, four or five employees and one other intern, but they're all bright and interesting and we've had some engaging conversations. I'll be working on sythesizing a practical definition of the concept of information management and developing a framework for applying it to an organization.
Following that, has to be the Infosys compound. As you might be able to gather from the photos below, it's a pretty campus (reminds me of Southern California - and not just because it feels a little fake). In addition to modern offices, there are numerous restaurants, coffee stands, two health clubs and a basketball court, a swimming pool, pool tables, a book store...and a few hundred bicycles to get around - you just hop on one outside your office and leave it for someone else outside your destination. The guesthouse where we interns stay is like a three-star hotel, which helps eases the pain of working 8-5 halfway around the world.
And the people have been great. The other interns are friendly and social - groups eat together, watch World Cup matches, and plan weekend excursions. They're international, but many have studied in the US. The folks coordinating the internship program have been very helpful in getting us settled, resolving problems, and explaining the more opaque aspects of Indian culture. And the people I've met on campus and in the City have been incredibly friendly and eager to help strangers (i.e. me). From restaurant recommendations to directions to helping me pick out good traditional South Indian music.
But the people also top the list of difficult things about being here. They don't seem to feel a sense of urgency about...well...anything (except maybe driving). Trying to get something done by a beaurocracy or fix an error in a restaurant bill or get a straight answer to all but the simplest questions can be maddeningly frustrating.
And on a more sentimental note, I get a little homesick. Even with Internet Radio and TGIFridays (no, I've only eaten there once), everything is different here. A little or a lot, depending on how adventurous I'm feeling.
Stay tuned for the next installment...
On the list of good things about being here, we've got food. As a big fan of food, and Indian food in particular, I was hopeful about the culinary aspects of this experience. And indeed, the food I've had has been delicious and inexpensive. There is such a variety of ingredients and flavors in dishes from all over the country. And the international food (I've had Chinese, French, Thai, and TGIFridays) is readily available on campus and in the city.
Next on the list is the work. I'm working with in the research department with the information management group. It's small, four or five employees and one other intern, but they're all bright and interesting and we've had some engaging conversations. I'll be working on sythesizing a practical definition of the concept of information management and developing a framework for applying it to an organization.
Following that, has to be the Infosys compound. As you might be able to gather from the photos below, it's a pretty campus (reminds me of Southern California - and not just because it feels a little fake). In addition to modern offices, there are numerous restaurants, coffee stands, two health clubs and a basketball court, a swimming pool, pool tables, a book store...and a few hundred bicycles to get around - you just hop on one outside your office and leave it for someone else outside your destination. The guesthouse where we interns stay is like a three-star hotel, which helps eases the pain of working 8-5 halfway around the world.
And the people have been great. The other interns are friendly and social - groups eat together, watch World Cup matches, and plan weekend excursions. They're international, but many have studied in the US. The folks coordinating the internship program have been very helpful in getting us settled, resolving problems, and explaining the more opaque aspects of Indian culture. And the people I've met on campus and in the City have been incredibly friendly and eager to help strangers (i.e. me). From restaurant recommendations to directions to helping me pick out good traditional South Indian music.
But the people also top the list of difficult things about being here. They don't seem to feel a sense of urgency about...well...anything (except maybe driving). Trying to get something done by a beaurocracy or fix an error in a restaurant bill or get a straight answer to all but the simplest questions can be maddeningly frustrating.
And on a more sentimental note, I get a little homesick. Even with Internet Radio and TGIFridays (no, I've only eaten there once), everything is different here. A little or a lot, depending on how adventurous I'm feeling.
Stay tuned for the next installment...
The Pyramid
It is, in fact, a four story glass pyramid. Supposedly modeled after the Louvre, there are two floors of offices in this showpiece. To clean the outside, a pair of custodians actually rappel down from the top with buckets and wipers!
Fountain at the Fish Pond
This rather large koi pond towards the center of the campus is surrounded by the main administrative buildings. In addition to a fountain, it sports a bridge and two paddle boats.
Guesthouse and Greenery
I'm staying in this employee housing and guest hostel. Quite a few planted areas around the campus, though they all have signs requesting we "avoid walking on the grass."
The Edge of the Campus
The Infosys campus runs alongside the main highway, just across which is a mismatched collection of colorful permanent and semi-permanent buildings. All of this is about 45 minutes outside the main city of Bangalore.
Obelisks and Offices
A nice spot in between a few office buildings. Despite a shortage of office space, the buildings are rarely above four stories and there are plenty of open spots like this.
The Progeon Building
One of the newest buildings on the Infosys campus, this one houses the BPO wing called Progeon. It evokes...mixed reactions from employees (and interns).
Sunset Across the Campus
Buildings on campus are fairly spread out with streets and lawns between them. This was taken around 6pm.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
My Outsourced Internship
I depart in the wee hours tonight for Bangalore, India for a summer internship with Infosys Technologies. I don't know quite what to expect, but it will be interesting. I hope to post photos and writings about it here in the coming weeks. Come back often and leave me your comments.
-Brad
-Brad
Yellow
Bright Southern California afternoon sun lit up these golden flowers. I was shooting haphazardly near the ground and got this result. the angle of the stalks seems to enhance the flowers' reach for the sun. And the contrast with the rich blue sky is striking.
Lone Lifeguard Loft
Usually the overcast makes for poor photos, but in this case, it creates a strong mood. The lifeguard tower looks so lonesome on the empty beach. In San Francisco, I like the beach when it's cloudy, but it doesn't seem right in San Diego. The large sandy space in the right-foreground adds to the emptiness.
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