Early observations of the afterglow of GRB 000301c

We report multiband observations of the optical transient associated with G RB 000301c carried out 2000 March 2-4 using the 2.34 m Vainu Bappu Telescop e at Kavalur, India. When combined with other reported data, the initial de cline in the R-band magnitude with, the time since the burst is fitted with a slope of log (t - t(0)), the time since the burst is fitted with a slope of alpha (1) = -0.70 +/- 0.07, which steepens after about 6.0 days to a sl ope of alpha (2) = -2.44 +/- 0.29. This change in slope does not occur smoo thly, but there is an indication for a bimodal distribution. The available measurements of the evolution of (B-R) color do not show any discernible ev olution in the first 12 days.