I know I am not Barack Obama that people will scurry around to read my blog. Nor do I find any sort of satisfaction in presenting this blog which is not a generalized matter like my earlier blogs. Its only that I want to preserve this piece of memory so that it doesn’t get buried in the sands of time. If not for anyone, its just for me so that I don’t forget that memorable day. But having said that I must say that this blog is for all those students who were part of that day with me. I am doing B.Sc Biotechnology from R.D national College in Bandra. As per the new system of gradings the Mumbai University has made two compulsory industrial visits every year for degree college students. This blog is about first of those visits to India’s largest plant tissue culture company- KF Bioplants. What prompted me to write this blog was that this wasn’t like any other tour to any place. This tour opened ourselves to the world of reality. It also also acted as a bond maker between all of us who were almost new to each other.
The said company is situated in Hadapsar, Pune. It was planned that the bus would leave at sharp 6:15 in the morning. But like every other tour it was bound to leave late and it surely did. After it was made sure that all the students had arrived, the bus left for Pune at sharp 7 in the morning. I don’t know about the others but I had no clue whatsoever about the whole nature of the visit. I sat back in ease as I was fasting and it was not advisable for me to do a lot of shouting and enjoyment. I watched in bored fashion as the bus grunted past all those busy bylanes of Mumbai in a disrespectful fashion. I was feeling crappy because my friends and I were separated. But the surprise was about to come just now. In about 45 minutes we had cleared Mumbai and were speeding across the Vashi creek. What followed were jaw dropping scenes of nature at its full flamboyance. The same look which you get when you travel along the Konkan routes during the monsoon period.
Mahendra had brought a camera which was a 12.1 MP Canon Powershot. He was busy clicking pictures of everyone in the bus. Come to talk about it, the bus had by now divided itself into various camps. One group along with Mukul were playing Uno while some were indulging in Antakshari. Some of my friends were busy talking to Vijendra Sir.(Describing him would take a different blog altogether!). The other three members of the faculty were busy talking among themselves. After about one and half an hour into the journey,I saw a sign board which read- GHAT STARTS HERE. The bus which was proceeding at the speed of 65 km/ph suddenly slowed down to a mere 30 km/ph. We could see mountains ahead with clouds covering their heads like the crown of the glorious king. Small bursts of waterfalls could be seen almost everywhere. Suddenly there were flashes of camera lights everywhere. Everyone were jutting their heads out to get a view of the green world not associated to Mumbai. Even the all experienced faculties were looking in awe and amusement. Many tunnels, speeding vehicles passed by for the rest of the journey.
We reached the place at about a quarter to 12 in the afternoon. After dividing us into two groups, we were led to behind the factory were we saw a initiation room. The women working inside were wearing sterile outfits as described by the officer in charge. They working like trained robots oblivious to the fact that we were watching them with the gravest attention.
While the second group went in, we engaged ourselves in clicking some photographs of some really beautiful flowers, mainly gerbera. With the help of Mahendra’s super powerful camera we clicked some really beautiful pictures. Then it was time to visit the second leg of the company which was 3 kms away and which consisted of seven, monstrous green houses. We were taken into one of the green houses. I was dumbfounded as I was visiting a green house for the first time even though I had learnt about it a lot. There were tons and tons of cultured plants lined about in a tabular fashion. I went berserk and was clicking every damn thing that came in front of the camera. There were many different types and colours of gerbera flower and other orchids. I even got a chance to click photos of Vijendra Sir along with the orchids on his request.
Having done that we all proceded for lunch. As I and some of my friends were fasting we indulged in prayers during that time. Then it was time to bid adieu to Pune as we all jogged onto our bus like an army. The return journey was especially fun as the tyre of our beloved bus punctured and caused a delay of another hour. We were at Khandala at that time and simply enjoyed the climate there. Everyone got a chance to bond with the faculty and also among each others. I spend most of the return journey talking with my new found friend, Saylee who was smarter than I thought. She asked me a lot of questions about botany, vegetation of Pune and geology. At times I didn’t have answers to most of her questions.
The faculty members especially the H.O.D Vibha Ma’m confessed that she liked our group and that it was very enthusiastic.
By the time we reached the outskirts of Mumbai, it was sunset and time to break our fast. Our other friends also got along with us and shared their food items with us.
There was a sinking feeling as we were nearing the end of the journey. Majority of us got out at the Bandra railway station bidding goodbye to our friends. It was a mind blowing experience. I reached home by 9:30 but I longed for another trip but I knew it won’t come sooner.
Three days after the trip, we were in our botany lab learning the preparation of wine. That’s when our H.O.D announced the second tour which would happen in the ending days of December. And this time it was going to be even bigger. We are going on a six day tour to Jaipur, Bharatpur and Ranthambore!!!!! Damn excited!!! And I am really longing for it…………
