Abandoned Bridges

By C.S.Walter

The story ‘Abandoned Bridges’ portrays the painful experiences of a few scholars researching for PhD in the reputed Limnology and Oceanography Research Department of University of Ananthapuri, in their chaotic expedition in the research campus in the e¬ orts of obtaining a PhD, the highest University degree. It also exemplifies how research scholars, capable of joining hands together as a bridge on the road towards the development of the Nation, are abandoned by the existing blemished system in the research and development area of higher education. It illustrates how ‘noble’ scientists exploit the young generation for their own career development and thrust aside them after use. It takes the readers along the research labs to show how research guides exploit their scholars by pilfering their research findings, how blackmail scholars to quench their sexual desire and if resist how take vengeance to spoil their career. It also satirically portraits the mannerisms and tricks of incompetent guides and the activities of crooked research scholars. Wesley, the central character takes the readers along with him to share his experiences till he becomes one among the Abandoned Bridges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Notion Press
• Release date: Jun 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9789383808168

Book preview

Abandoned Bridges

C. S. Walter

Notion Press

5 Muthu Kalathy Street, Triplicane,

Chennai - 600 005

First Published by Notion Press 2014

Copyright © C. S. Walter 2014

All Right Reserved.

ISBN: 978-93-83808-16-8

This book has been published in good faith that the work of the author is original. All efforts have been taken to make the material error-free. However, the author and the publisher disclaim the responsibility.

No part of this book may be used, reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Dedicated to all Abandoned Bridges

Thanks

It again proves that behind all success of a man, there will always be a woman. Thanks to Sandhya, my wife for constantly encouraging and supporting me in completion of this story, especially her appreciable involvement in every phase of this book including critical review of the storyline, typing, proof reading and designing. Special gratitude is to Er. Vibhu Kumar for making a critical review of the manuscript. Moreover, I thank The Almighty for all his blessings to bring this work to this stage.

C. S. Walter

Character formation

Contents

Title

Copyright

Dedication

Thanks

Character formation

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 1

The clock tower

It is everybody’s ambition

He unrolled the paper and glanced at the ornamentally printed letters, ‘University of Ananthapuri’; ‘The Senate of the University of Ananthapuri hereby makes known that Wesley Johns has been admitted to the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy’. He looked at the clock tower of the prestigious university, stood with a pride that it was watching the growth of the city for decades.

Dust blanketed the black statue of the great poet, showered with bird droppings it stood colossally in the same place, where three roads meet in front of the university gate, untransformed and unnoticed as was in the beginning, though the outlook of the university had changed drastically. The orphaned statue of the great poet standing outside the university wakes up in the dawn due to the noisy cry of crows and sleeps late when their rage and annoying cry subsides atop his head. Behind the statue, the clock tower of the university stood straight, depicting an endearing gesture.

Just after M.Sc., Wesley Johns sadly dropped the hope of joining the M. Phil course, since his family could not afford him to continue for higher studies for one more year, the boy next to his rank became lucky enough to occupy Wesley’s room. He reached back home with a lot of zeal but did not find any manner to bypass his predicament. Not too late as BSRB notified for a competitive examination for the post of probationary officers, he concentrated on preparing for it and joined Sheshadri’s Academy for coaching. He dreamed of himself as a bank officer, having status in the society.

The training pattern of the academy was unimaginably substandard. The class started at 2.30 p.m. One old student of the academy, who failed to qualify for the IAS main examination in his last chance too, taught English grammar at the start of the class, though the knowledge of the English language was only to qualify in such competitive examinations and not for ranking. Even the clerk who was in charge of collecting the fee was also an old student who failed to get through any competitive examination, including Public Service Commission tests for clerical posts who now crossed the age limit for any job. Mr. Sheshadri, who was the guru and founder of the institution reached there at 4.00 p.m., and for about 15 to 20 minutes taught addition and subtraction as a schoolmaster, teaching his primary school students.

As others, Wesley also understood that he may not get through any competitive examination through this kind of coaching, he obtained the company of a fellow student Balaji, and started preparing intensively for the examinations, sitting near to the police ground. However, most of the time, he could not generate the fee for the competitive examinations, which forced him to skip several opportunities. To satisfy the need of the stomach during the day, Wesley ate two or three Dosas from the pushcart thattukada (temporary wayside eatery on wheels, which offers food at cheapest cost) behind the Thycaud Government College, and drank free of cost tap water to fill the rest of the space.

In order to find a few bucks to satisfy his stomach, he approached another coaching centre, Institute for Advanced Coaching at the heart of the city and submitted curriculum vita expressing his wish to join as a faculty for competitive examinations in his subject. As advised by the reception staff, Wesley met him after a week, but his reply was dissatisfactory and rudely told him not to enter there for that purpose anymore.

One of his old classmates, who did his master’s degree from the world-famous Limnology and Oceanography Research Department of University of Ananthapuri advised Wesley to go for a Ph.D. keeping the preparation for competitive examinations parallel, and advised to choose Dr. Swapnakrishnan as a research guide, who was a young, enthusiastic, active scientist of Limnology and Oceanography Research Department.

His rate of heartbeat increased when Wesley stepped into the Research Department for the first time. He knocked the door of Dr. Swapnakrishnan. He thrilled when entering the room; he dreamed of his dry life sprouting. Dr. Swapnakrishnan sitting behind the table, on which heavy books and loose papers were carelessly spread around, was preparing lecture notes in bits of papers. Different shapes of glassware, research equipment and bottles of chemicals were scattered over on the ramparts at his front and left side. At the front, a vacuum pump was working with loud unpleasant noise, connected to a rotary evaporator; for Wesley, it was sweet music to his ears.

Good morning sir, I am Wesley Johns.

Yes, yes, come in; your friend has spoken about you.

Sir, I think, an important experiment is going on?

Oh, yes, yes.

His uncombed long curly hair fell over his forehead; untrimmed facial hair camouflaged deep chickenpox scars. Wesley experienced the presence of a million souls of great scientists in him. He sensed an incomparable delight. ‘One day, I will become a world-renowned scientist following the footsteps of this great scientist’.

In the first meeting, Dr. Swapnakrishnan agreed to guide Wesley. Wesley expressed his desire to research on an Ecology topic that had relevance and practical application in the society.

It is everybody’s ambition, he answered. But, I shall get you a topic on Polychaetes.

Wesley had no other way than accepting his proposal. He asked Wesley to collect references from the library on Polychaetes from the next day onwards. Within the next six months, there would be a doctoral committee in which his registration for Ph.D would be done.

Since then, the routine of Wesley had changed. At ten o’clock he reached the Research Department and in the afternoons attended the coaching class. When he started collecting references from the Research Department library, he noticed another fifteen candidates collecting references similarly in different fields who were also waiting to enroll for Ph.D. in the next session. There were two senior scholars already working under Swapnakrishnan for PhD, Miss Shyni Wilson Jacob and Mr. Sunny Panthrospy. Another candidate, Mr. Gilbert Satyanesan was also waiting to enroll under Swapnakrishnan along with Wesley.

Sixteen candidates registered in the next doctoral committee. With this, total research students in the Research Department became one hundred and twenty four, including the research scholars who were doing PhD for the last fifteen years, who were of the age group ranging from thirty five to forty and were respectfully referred as super seniors. They regularly came to the Research Department on time, occupied seats, spreading huge data sheets on the table, which looked similar to the manuscripts stored in archeological museums, trying to assimilate innumerable numbers written in rows and columns of the different shape of tables, getting confused and becoming mad. With a long sigh, they folded up all the sheets, locked them in the drawer and left the Research Department either for a movie or to booze themselves in the city bar.

Another group working was Research Associates (RAs) who had doctorates and continued with the postdoctoral fellowship programme, since they failed to get into any job before the age bar. Some of them continued in the department even after the completion of the fellowship tenure. One may easily go inside the chamber of the Head of the Research Department for any job, but not to a research associate. They never liked to speak to junior research scholars. They were always seen either scrubbing the stains of old glassware, or scratching reprints of foreign authored research papers with pencil while dreaming to become such a scientist. They always presumed that their status was higher than that of the Head of Department since he had completed his Ph.D in six years under the supervision of the Godfather but the RAs took twelve years to submit their research thesis under the same guide. That may be the reason, as believed by the other research scholars, even the Head of the Department was afraid of these RAs.

The minimum requirement for doing research in the Department is a table and chair for a research scholar at least to sit. All the sixteen newly registered research scholars roamed in the campus comprising eight acres of vast land and a few cracked buildings, which were the relics of an international marine aquarium, covered under the darkness of bushes and weeds. All the new research scholars entered the Head’s chamber with the request to arrange a room for them to sit. He was shocked by their request and became nervous.

How can I bring seats for all you people? After a small pause he continued,

Only thing I can do is move from my seat and anyone of you may sit here and in due course, I shall make some other arrangements for the rest.

Though, it was humorous, he said, it was a fact. The remnants of the old aquarium accommodated nearly one hundred research scholars, which was ten times higher than its carrying capacity. No senior scholar dared to entertain or even look at the face of newcomers because they were aware, if done so, newcomers stick on their seat as parasites.

Dr. Thyagarajan, the Head, had a nature similar to Karnan, a famous character in the Mahabharata, who gave off even his ‘Kavacham’ and ‘Kundalam’, which were his life guards gifted by his father the solar deity ‘Surya’ by birth. If any research scholar asked for a recommendation letter, Dr. Thyagarajan gave them signed blank letter heads allowing them to type any content they wished from the market.

He summoned the assistant Professor Dr. Chandranariyan, who was the Head in charge during the absence of Dr. Thyagarajan. Dr. Chandranariyan, a bulky man of four and a half feet high was a sycophant. Since his teeth were too large to accommodate in his small mouth; incisors and canines always remained outside the lips below an occasionally dyed thick gray mustache, providing an impression that he was smiling at the passerby. If reciprocated, he struggled hard to cover his teeth and stared at him as if he had done a grave sin. During the fight to drag big teeth in, saliva slipped down along the corners of the lips; he sucked in the oozed saliva with a ‘shhhh’ sound. He cleared off the wetness on his cheeks with hands and wiped them on his pants.

Chandroo … Professor called him in short. Some great grandfathers and grandmothers are sitting here hugging their chairs in the pretext of research since the last fifteen years. Ask them to leave the Research Department immediately, whose expiry dates of RA ship are over, and make necessary arrangements to give their seats to these newcomers.

The main block of the Research Department was known as ‘Nalukettu’ because of its architectural design, consisting of four blocks of buildings combined from four sides to form a square complex with an open cortile at the middle, the ‘ankanam’ having a veranda all around. An oval-shaped aquarium pond was situated in the ankanam with a jet fountain at the middle. The rusted, partially broken iron fountain pipe protruded upwards as a spike. The free cortile space and the fountain were covered with weeds and grasses and in that weeded jungle, garbage, used sanitary pads, plastic bags, broken glassware and concrete blocks were scattered around in heaps, giving an impression of a Municipal Corporation garbage disposal site.

The administrative office and office of the Head of the Research Department were on the right hand side of the main entrance on the eastern side; the library was on the western side. The library ended at a small sliding exit gate at the right side. The library was kept closed for a long time after two snakes were located under a bookshelf. Though, it was a concrete block, it was leaking from the centre of the hall. Even after the rainy season, the leakage continued since the stagnant water on the terrace continued to drain down till the next rain. When a maintenance request was lodged, there was a ‘divine voice’ from the top of the university that there was no sufficient fund, which had already been used to fix air conditioners in the VC’s bungalow and create gardens in the front. After the divine voice, the disciples also recited the same chant ‘there is no fund.’ The ladies’ toilet was facing the entrance of the library, and girls always hesitated to enter the toilet because of shyness of going inside, cutting the vision of the persons sitting in the library. If badly in need of it, they entered in like burglars after confirming that no one was watching them from the library. The new librarian, who took over the charge recently, closed one half of the door permanently by keeping a shelf behind the door to block the direct view of the toilet from the library.

Is a book more precious than one’s own life? If suppose, a snake is hiding in a shelf behind books …. Unthinkable. If someone requires a reference book, he picks up a long stick out of a bunch of sticks kept aside the entrance. First, he beats on the shelf several times and pushes the books with the stick and waits for a moment to listen for any sound from inside. After confirming no movement or no sound behind the shelf, he pulls the book down using the stick and holds it with the other hand. After successfully catching the book, glancing at the people around with a victorious smile, he looks on the book fearfully because the villain may hide in any part under the torn wrapper or along the folds of the book.

Ragini, a research scholar of Ammalu Amma, required to refer an old thesis of one of the senior Professors of the Research Department Dr. Sayed Quireshi, which comprised one thousand four hundred and fifty two pages. That thesis was the Bible, Bhagavat Geeta and Quran for the disciples of this great guru. One who worked on limnology had to refer this thesis and then quote his results in the discussion part; if not, his thesis would not be signed or if it reached any one of his senior disciples for evaluation, it would be rejected quoting a quantum of comments. Ragini tried to catch the thesis with her left hand while pulling it down with a stick. But due to the heaviness it slipped from her hand, tore apart into two pieces and fell on the dirty waterlogged floor. Don’t know whose luck it was, the great guru was then on temporary leave and was at the country of dates where he was engaged in developing aqua culture ponds among the date palms in the desert. If this incident had come to the notice of her guide, her rigorous imprisonment in this Research Department would have been augmented for a few more years. She shockingly picked up the pieces of the thesis as if picking up a fallen child. She wiped its wetness and dirt with her Churidar top, and fearfully examined the extent of damage occurred. Pages of the huge book turned over her trembling fingers. The librarian said, Don’t worry, it is an old thesis. I shall send it for binding. But that did not pacify her; fearfully she went out of the library hall panting.

Professor Chandranariyan did not find a solution to solve the issue. The newcomers spent two hours every day in the library, the rest of the time was spent at the canteen, they roamed around the corridors of the Research Department and left the campus before two o’clock. The very valuable researching of the newcomers was confined with the reference books within the four walls of dark dusty library, and resulted in emerging new love affairs. New love partners helped each other to collect references from the library, engaged in chats and exchanged warmth of love at unnoticed dark corners and behind bookshelves; they made tours to other institutions in and outside the state to please their lust in the pretext of collecting references for research. A few of those who were unable to manage partners desperately swallowed saliva and became moral supporters or watch-dogs of the loving couples, and the rest satisfied themselves in spreading gossip.

Chapter 2

Specimen collection

The floor was scattered with broken glass pieces

of liquor bottles, tattered ladies undergarments,

bloodstains, used condoms and other vomit inducing

dirty stuff, which were the remnants of

the sadistic enforcement on prostitutes

Dr. Swapnakrishnan asked Wesley to accompany him for a specimen collection to Rameswaram, the paradise of marine organisms. The shallow coast among small islands was blessed with coral reefs and varieties of colourful invertebrate marine organisms. Clown fishes foraged on the violet-coloured heads of the coral branches so it seemed that they were kissing them. Gilbert Satyanesan, who enrolled for PhD along with Wesley, got a topic of research on identification of bioactive compounds of Sponges. Dr. Swapnakrishnan was in search of a variety of marine algae and invertebrate animals for extraction of bioactive compounds, and Gilbert was to collect sponges. Wesley’s role was none other than to help them.

Early in the morning, they left for the beach, had breakfast from a vegetarian restaurant near the Rameswaram temple, and walked towards the shallow sea. All were exhausted when they reached the guest house with four troughs full of marine organisms. Before continuing the work of cleaning and fixing the organisms, Wesley wanted to have a shower. When water poured down, he experienced a burning sensation on his back and shoulder, the skin was totally burned because of sun radiation and the colour fully turned to brownish red. The collection on the next day was not comfortable because of a horrendous body ache and a burning sensation on the back. They snorkeled below the 2.74 km long Pamban bridge built over the sea connecting Pamban and the island of Rameswaram. The panoramic view of the bridge on the background of the blue calm sea gave coolness to their burning sensation, though they knew they would have to suffer the same again.

It took almost one year to get a room for the newcomers to sit in the Research Department. Meanwhile, another batch of research scholars joined. After heavy persuasion, three RAs, whose tenure of research had been over for a long while were forced to leave the Research Department with instant effect, and the newcomers were squeezed in the available space. It was a guest house when the aquarium was in operation. Eight girls were put into a small bedroom, and the dining hall adjacent to the kitchen was given to six boys. Unlike the seniors, they were kind enough to entertain the fresh batch and they stuck to their seniors’ seats like parasites. As to prove the theory of magnetism that opposite poles attract, the boys always penetrated into the adjacent room of the girls and engaged in sweet chats with them and sometimes vice versa. If any external disturbing force, such as a research guide, approached the guest house as it was visible from all directions, someone raised the alarm and everyone occupied their respective seats, pretending to be referring to research papers seriously or starting to turn the knobs of mutilated microscopes.

Though Wesley got a space in the dining hall to sit, no real research started. During the doctoral committee, his guide changed his proposed research topic to seasonal variation of marine plankton from research on Polichaetes. Dr. Swapnakrishnan asked him to filter plankton from the coast of Cape Comorin. When Wesley raised a doubt of the advancement of his research programme, to his desperation Dr. Swapnakrishnan simply said, Do what I say.

It was a holiday when Wesley went to the Research Department to try to identify the plankton he had already collected. He got the permission to use the microscope of a super senior, Mr. Johnny Mathew, who sat in a temporary shed along the left side of the main gate. He turned the knob of the microscope to focus the specimen kept on the slide. The images that appeared never resembled any organism given in the reference books and identification keys. Not much later, he opened another specimen bottle and heard the shrieking voice.

Wesley sir, come immediately, come immediately; there … It was the security guard on duty, who was a bulky man. He couldn’t breathe properly.

There … four people are doing unwanted things with a woman

Where?

In the building behind the new unused aquarium building

The aquarium was shutdown indefinitely due to ill-maintenance. After a long wait, a new building was constructed partially, later it was found that the design did not suit an aquarium and was left abandoned for several years. The staff quarter behind the building was very close to the northern boundary of the campus. The antisocial elements broke off the boundary wall, broke open the doors of the building and made it suitable to engage in prostitution. Gradually, drunkards along with antisocial elements jointly broke off the window panes and toilet accessories, stole all the removable items such as fans, lights, cupboards and other furniture, etc. Broken glass pieces of liquor bottles, tattered ladies undergarments, bloodstains, used condoms and other vomit inducing dirty stuff, which were the remnants of the sadistic enforcement on prostitutes, were scattered on the floor. Nowadays, no one dares to walk towards that place.

Don’t go there and call police immediately, Wesley said in fear.

When a police flying squad reached there, the team vanished after finishing their venture.

Chapter 3

Ragging

On the door of the darkroom of the lab mostly

a board hangs, ‘Weight taking; do not open the door’.

It is a sign that a senior research gentleman or a

research guide is inside along with a junior research girl,

taking weight, and they go on ‘taking weight’for hours together.

Do not disturb them.

Wesley went to Tamil Nadu Fisheries College to get help in identification of his plankton samples from Dr. Paramasivam who was proclaimed as an expert in Planktonology, after getting confirmation from him. At the first sight, he told Wesley, Today I am busy. Come tomorrow.

The next day when Wesley met Dr. Paramasivam, he summoned a junior lecturer Mr. Kuppusami, who was his former student, and instructed him to help Wesley to identify his specimens. In turn, Kuppusami instructed Wesley to meet him at 4.30 p.m. pretending that he was busier than his boss.

Wesley spent the whole day in the library and collected references pertaining to his research work. He took a few journals to the reprographic assistant. In the first instance, he shouted at Wesley, Today I have a lot of work. I can’t make Xerox.

Sir, I am coming from Trivandrum to take some reference.

It is none of my businesses to hear all this bullshit. Didn’t I tell you that I can’t do it? His voice reverberated in the hall.

It was nearing half past four when he left the library and entered the room of Kuppusami. He