Vernier caliper

“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, How I wonder what you are?” - is the first instance of life when he started wondering about something. Yes, he was in STD IV of “Devi Vilasam L.P.S”, when teacher gifted him with the first English text book. Actually only 2 text books were issued per division and he was one of them to get it. One of the first rhymes (by the way he recently learned this word “rhyme” recently) in the book is about this little star. There used to an exam at the end of year, where you just need to sing about the little star that I am talking about and keep wondering what it is.

“How I wonder?” is the phrase - then onwards start wondering on various aspects of life. The nine year old boy is now 16 and he is currently in “Corona Lab” run by the fame C.V. Rajan the master of physics in Kollam district, Kerala. There are 2 souls in Kollam district, who eat, speak, breath, smell physics; Rajan sir and Mohan sir. Out of both Rajan sir was famous for his drink and teach (like drink and drive) methodology of new era’ Gurukul. Knowledge per say; he is the wikipedia of physics. No one can forget the way he uses his figures for explaining 3 dimensions. If you are an ex. Student you will remember the scene in front of you now. If you do his physics problems in the class, you are through the physics@kerala CET.

Back to the 16 year old holding 20cm long iron instrument and wondering what is that? He has no clue what is to be done using the instrument. Eventullay he could figure out it is used to measure length. That is a relief; at least to know “what is the use”. The lab assistant arrived with cap of the bottle (the cap read “Premium Scotch whiskey”), he claimed we can use the Caliper to measure the diameter of the cap. The boy started wondering again why you need this tool to measure radius of the cap. Why can we just use a scale or a tape to measure it?. He was asked to take multiple reading, and then average it out. Do standard deviation, median, mean and so on and so on. Repeat the same again for the inner diameter of the Scotch whisky bottle. At the end of practical session or rather first year of pre-degree (11th) the question was still in the mind “Vernier Caliper, I still wonder what is your actual use is”? Technical definition of a Vernier is “The Vernier, dial, and digital calipers give a direct reading of the distance measured to high accuracy” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliper).

As we all know, time is the only thing that goes even if you do not push it. John Heffernan says “time is tissue” in one of his movies. Like a fast-forwarded scenes in movie, time has moved so fast. Over the years he has gone through various phases of life. He had come across enormous number of experiences in the life. … Various countries, cultures, languages, arts, news, rains, animals, birds, women, trees, lights, hopes, dreams, books, periodic tables, hells, smokes, blogs, kites, jacks, words, metals, .. To all these his soul kept on asking his doubt about the Vernier (“what is the actual use”) and all could answer only the information that he already knew.

Year 2010, Bangalore, India (Lat. 12o 58” N, Long. 77 o 38” E), House number 302 Rohan Vasantha Apartments Aug11th, Kitchen night. 32 year old man wearing just a lungi and 3 year old boy sitting next to each other near to a table. The 3 year old looks like a photo copy of the man except the complexion. Yes, the boy is now “the man” having 3 year old kid. They are busy in cutting the veggies for the next day. This is the routine task they have everyday evening to prepare the veggies for the next morning cooking. The mother superior is the one approves results eventually. They both were doing fine on the task since the day one. Recently there were some discrepancies happening on the thickness of the results. Each of the pieces is not even in size in majority of the case. The boys were applying various techniques to correct it. It has become part of their prayer, how to get the damn thing in same thickness. Be it ladies finger or bitter guard, it has to be of same thickness as per mother superior…They were keep on investigating, praying, trying to get it corrected over the weeks.. Finally on 11th Aug suddenly there was brain wave touched the shores of the hypothalamus and said “dear here is the answer to your un-answered question; Yes it is Vernier Caliper”…. Jesus Christ …The man felt himself like Archimedes. He wanted to run all along Bangalore streets half naked. Finally the man realized the real use of Vernier. It’s a gift from the heaven for the man-kind…

Moral of the story:-- it is big time that Kerala University has not updated their syllabus of physics. I believe a lot of physics professors must have got this enlightenment while at the cutting table and still they haven’t moved their colt mind to put it as part of text book to explain various uses of Vernier.