But we still have them. Everybody has bribed somebody. And in most cases bribing is an option we choose.
Thats why, most people will never go there. Nobody wants to admit they like to be greedy, sometimes.
Why not a Honesty Bureau!
Sunday, 22 March 2015
Friday, 20 March 2015
Everybody wants a view!
The problem with a view is that only ones at the periphery get it, the rest can only peep.
Take a moment and think. Why not become the view.
Monday, 9 September 2013
Kashmir
After much insistence, I relented. It was her childhood dream to go there! Years of bad press and having been there 24 years ago were reasons enough for me not wanting to go again.
Train rides are always comforting. You can catch up with your sleep, read a book, play cards and the sense of space is all worth it. And the refurbished bogies Rajdhani (running since 1972) were really cool.
We reached Delhi early in the morning and few into Srinagar by the afternoon where, Abdul Hamid was waiting for us with his Toyota Innova in which he took us around for the entire duration of the trip.
From the airport, we directly went to Gulmarg which took almost 3 hours. Gulmarg is set at a high altitude of about 12,000ft and gives the impression of barricaded hill station. The next day we took the gondola ride right up to the second level which takes us to Mt Afrawat where, we could touch some snow. The gondola ride costs Rs1000 per person for the second level and is worth it. The gondola (cable car) rides above pine trees, streams, herds of sheep, trekkers, Gujjar hutments etc. There are skis available but the minuscule snow makes it unfit at this time of the year to attempt any skiing.
After the gondola we had lunch on the way back at the first level. The menu cards at the restaurants looks the same as they would have been 30-40 years ago.
Gulmarg is dominated by a huge golf course, which can't be missed but few seem to really try it. It has a wonderful putting ground with 9 holes and it kept us busy for more than 3 hours! The golf club evokes an old world charm with listings of winners from 1901. Not surprisingly, most of the winners before 1947 were English.
The weather at Gulmarg is magical. Not so cold to freeze but enough to want you to cosy up.
Gulmarg is the closest we came to the line of control, the arbitrary India-Pakistan border. Our guide told us it was 50kms away but on Google Earth, it shows as 14kms.
From Gulmarg we headed to Srinagar which was very warm and a put off. For the next two days we stayed at a houseboat on the Dal lake. Houseboats are stationary accommodations on the banks of the Dal lake well equipped with rooms, toilets, televisions, kitchens etc. Mornings are not to be missed on houseboats as you see small boats pass by breaking the calm along with the occasional kingfisher taking a dip.
The next day we took a day-trip to Sonamarg. There isn't any snow at this time of the year. My last trip was in April and could distinctly remember the heaps of snow we played with. This time we went to zero point which also passes through Zojilla pass and paid homage to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives at the Kargil encounter. The winding highways and high altitude from Sonamarg to zero point is testament to hardships that has to be endured to secure borders.
The road to Sonamarg reaches out to Ladakh and takes about 2 days to reach Leh which is about 500kms from Srinagar but
After Sonamarg we went to Pehalgam which is close to Sonamarg but one has to travel through a different route to reach there. On route, we did some rafting. Low stream flow meant it was an easy ride although chilly waters did offer some discomfort.
On the way to Pehalgam, we stopped at the Awantipore temple. Its currently in ruins, but its tall walls speak of a past grandeur. Our guide, a pouty sikh gentleman mentioned it was built by a Hindu king from Orissa 700 years ago!
Pehalgam is truly awesome. The valley is surrounded by pine trees and cloudy skies making a perfect hide and seek with the distant sun. We stayed at Pehalgam hotel which offers the best views of the place and also has serves the best food in all of Kashmir. It may a bit too much but still not way off. We spent the day just relaxing and playing cards. The next day we ventured into the mountains on horseback which was a highlight of the trip. The horse trips stop at various points on the way and offers amazing views of the valley. We also stopped at a Gujjar home on the way which was a mud hut and off course had no electricity and TV but still seemed complete. I had my first experience at zorbing at the mini Switzerland. Zorbing is an outlandish experience which more fun watching than doing. One has to enter an inflated ball and get tied on to the inner surface and the ball is then pushed with one person holding on the ball acting as a brake. It lasts only a few seconds but I felt more pain for the guy doing this as a job. I was curious enough to ask him how much he made. He made Rs9K for the tedious task of pushing the ball down and rolling it up (empty) again.
We stayed at the Pahalgam Hotel. Easily among the best hotels I have ever stayed. Awesome food, great views, impeccable rooms and brilliant service. All of this make me sure that I'm gonna go again.
Getting out of Kashmir is much more harder than getting in. You fell the pain of leaving back the beautiful mountain, the clear waters, the green grass and the lovely weather. The check-in process takes long at Srinagar and you are screened 4 times! One benefit of going in offseason was than I could to a last minute change of tickets and still pay just 25% more than the original fare booked months in advance.
Some general observations:
Hostility: India has some serious problems with its neighbours. Such a utter waste of resources towards securing borders. Holding on to territory, people and a way of life.
Security: There is military presence all around especially on the highways moving around with guns above homes, around fields. One can't help but be in awe to these brave men securing the porous borders. Security comes with a price.
Movies: Unlike the rest of India, there is no bollywood presence in Kashmir. Strange, for an industry which made Kashmir so famous has had to shut shop.
Food: Restaurants are strictly classified along the lines of Veg and Non-Veg. Veg restaurants serve standard Indian stuff and very predictable menus. But Lhasa Restaurant in Srinagar does have some exciting stuff and is a welcome change from the dal rotis elsewhere.
Roads: All the roads we went through were well paved and free of potholes. However, on several occasions you share the roads with herdsmen also called as Bakarwals who travel from Jammu all the way to Northernmost fringes of Kashmir travelling for months together. You can't miss the lone dog with a pack. According to our driver, they give the dogs more respect than they would give to their sons! Also, they love begging despite owning herds worth several hundred thousand rupees.
Beauty: There is beauty everywhere in Kashmir. From the apple orchards, to the tall mountains. The lakes, trees, the air, and the cleanliness all evoke a sense of charm which has attracted travellers from time and beyond.
Women: Kashmiri women look as beautiful as Katrina Kaif. A lot of them are cover their hair, some even their faces and you won't find them working except at the checking counters at the airports.
Fitness: At the outset people in Kashmir seem to be very fit. You hardly find fat people or people with spectacles. But mental fitness seems to be fragile. Road-rage seemed common and you come through a sense of awareness that calm has been imposed.
Living in a time warp. In almost everything that you encounter, you tend to get a feel that this place has always been this way. Gone back in time, more conservative, more closed and less willing to experiment or less willing to open a new page.
One has to go visit Kashmir to understand India. Each one will take something different, you may want to compare how different these people look and feel compared to you and yet they are one of you.
Train rides are always comforting. You can catch up with your sleep, read a book, play cards and the sense of space is all worth it. And the refurbished bogies Rajdhani (running since 1972) were really cool.
We reached Delhi early in the morning and few into Srinagar by the afternoon where, Abdul Hamid was waiting for us with his Toyota Innova in which he took us around for the entire duration of the trip.
From the airport, we directly went to Gulmarg which took almost 3 hours. Gulmarg is set at a high altitude of about 12,000ft and gives the impression of barricaded hill station. The next day we took the gondola ride right up to the second level which takes us to Mt Afrawat where, we could touch some snow. The gondola ride costs Rs1000 per person for the second level and is worth it. The gondola (cable car) rides above pine trees, streams, herds of sheep, trekkers, Gujjar hutments etc. There are skis available but the minuscule snow makes it unfit at this time of the year to attempt any skiing.
After the gondola we had lunch on the way back at the first level. The menu cards at the restaurants looks the same as they would have been 30-40 years ago.
Gulmarg is dominated by a huge golf course, which can't be missed but few seem to really try it. It has a wonderful putting ground with 9 holes and it kept us busy for more than 3 hours! The golf club evokes an old world charm with listings of winners from 1901. Not surprisingly, most of the winners before 1947 were English.
The weather at Gulmarg is magical. Not so cold to freeze but enough to want you to cosy up.
Gulmarg is the closest we came to the line of control, the arbitrary India-Pakistan border. Our guide told us it was 50kms away but on Google Earth, it shows as 14kms.
From Gulmarg we headed to Srinagar which was very warm and a put off. For the next two days we stayed at a houseboat on the Dal lake. Houseboats are stationary accommodations on the banks of the Dal lake well equipped with rooms, toilets, televisions, kitchens etc. Mornings are not to be missed on houseboats as you see small boats pass by breaking the calm along with the occasional kingfisher taking a dip.
The next day we took a day-trip to Sonamarg. There isn't any snow at this time of the year. My last trip was in April and could distinctly remember the heaps of snow we played with. This time we went to zero point which also passes through Zojilla pass and paid homage to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives at the Kargil encounter. The winding highways and high altitude from Sonamarg to zero point is testament to hardships that has to be endured to secure borders.
The road to Sonamarg reaches out to Ladakh and takes about 2 days to reach Leh which is about 500kms from Srinagar but
After Sonamarg we went to Pehalgam which is close to Sonamarg but one has to travel through a different route to reach there. On route, we did some rafting. Low stream flow meant it was an easy ride although chilly waters did offer some discomfort.
On the way to Pehalgam, we stopped at the Awantipore temple. Its currently in ruins, but its tall walls speak of a past grandeur. Our guide, a pouty sikh gentleman mentioned it was built by a Hindu king from Orissa 700 years ago!
Pehalgam is truly awesome. The valley is surrounded by pine trees and cloudy skies making a perfect hide and seek with the distant sun. We stayed at Pehalgam hotel which offers the best views of the place and also has serves the best food in all of Kashmir. It may a bit too much but still not way off. We spent the day just relaxing and playing cards. The next day we ventured into the mountains on horseback which was a highlight of the trip. The horse trips stop at various points on the way and offers amazing views of the valley. We also stopped at a Gujjar home on the way which was a mud hut and off course had no electricity and TV but still seemed complete. I had my first experience at zorbing at the mini Switzerland. Zorbing is an outlandish experience which more fun watching than doing. One has to enter an inflated ball and get tied on to the inner surface and the ball is then pushed with one person holding on the ball acting as a brake. It lasts only a few seconds but I felt more pain for the guy doing this as a job. I was curious enough to ask him how much he made. He made Rs9K for the tedious task of pushing the ball down and rolling it up (empty) again.
We stayed at the Pahalgam Hotel. Easily among the best hotels I have ever stayed. Awesome food, great views, impeccable rooms and brilliant service. All of this make me sure that I'm gonna go again.
Getting out of Kashmir is much more harder than getting in. You fell the pain of leaving back the beautiful mountain, the clear waters, the green grass and the lovely weather. The check-in process takes long at Srinagar and you are screened 4 times! One benefit of going in offseason was than I could to a last minute change of tickets and still pay just 25% more than the original fare booked months in advance.
Some general observations:
Hostility: India has some serious problems with its neighbours. Such a utter waste of resources towards securing borders. Holding on to territory, people and a way of life.
Security: There is military presence all around especially on the highways moving around with guns above homes, around fields. One can't help but be in awe to these brave men securing the porous borders. Security comes with a price.
Movies: Unlike the rest of India, there is no bollywood presence in Kashmir. Strange, for an industry which made Kashmir so famous has had to shut shop.
Food: Restaurants are strictly classified along the lines of Veg and Non-Veg. Veg restaurants serve standard Indian stuff and very predictable menus. But Lhasa Restaurant in Srinagar does have some exciting stuff and is a welcome change from the dal rotis elsewhere.
Roads: All the roads we went through were well paved and free of potholes. However, on several occasions you share the roads with herdsmen also called as Bakarwals who travel from Jammu all the way to Northernmost fringes of Kashmir travelling for months together. You can't miss the lone dog with a pack. According to our driver, they give the dogs more respect than they would give to their sons! Also, they love begging despite owning herds worth several hundred thousand rupees.
Beauty: There is beauty everywhere in Kashmir. From the apple orchards, to the tall mountains. The lakes, trees, the air, and the cleanliness all evoke a sense of charm which has attracted travellers from time and beyond.
Women: Kashmiri women look as beautiful as Katrina Kaif. A lot of them are cover their hair, some even their faces and you won't find them working except at the checking counters at the airports.
Fitness: At the outset people in Kashmir seem to be very fit. You hardly find fat people or people with spectacles. But mental fitness seems to be fragile. Road-rage seemed common and you come through a sense of awareness that calm has been imposed.
Living in a time warp. In almost everything that you encounter, you tend to get a feel that this place has always been this way. Gone back in time, more conservative, more closed and less willing to experiment or less willing to open a new page.
One has to go visit Kashmir to understand India. Each one will take something different, you may want to compare how different these people look and feel compared to you and yet they are one of you.
Monday, 3 June 2013
My journey through loosing 19KGs
I started with 90.7 kgs
Today am 72.4Kgs
Time: 12 months
Target 68Kgs
I went to a dietician.
Foods to aviod:
1. Fruits except apple
2. Rice
3. Potatoes
4. Sugar
5. White bread
6. Fast food
7. Juices and colas
8. Pav bhaji
You are home
Do that 1 day and repeat
Add:
30 minutes of walking
Check weight again after a week
Happy to add that after consistent effort. Weight now down below 70KGs. Well, there is some truth to the old say, hard work pays.
Today am 72.4Kgs
Time: 12 months
Target 68Kgs
I went to a dietician.
Foods to aviod:
1. Fruits except apple
2. Rice
3. Potatoes
4. Sugar
5. White bread
6. Fast food
7. Juices and colas
8. Pav bhaji
You are home
Do that 1 day and repeat
Add:
30 minutes of walking
Check weight again after a week
Happy to add that after consistent effort. Weight now down below 70KGs. Well, there is some truth to the old say, hard work pays.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Vegan options
The concept of being vegan is kind of alien here, but i do keep wondering about the poor cows.
Vegan shake at cafe coffee day is good option, it also takes care to your guilt.
Sofit - Soya Milk -Natural
Its another low fat, low cost vegan option. Costs Rs20/- for 200ml.
Vegan shake at cafe coffee day is good option, it also takes care to your guilt.
Sofit - Soya Milk -Natural
Its another low fat, low cost vegan option. Costs Rs20/- for 200ml.
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Ajanta Ellora, Maharashtra
April 2012
1000 KMs over 4 days through
Maharashtra
Mumbai to Devlali 180Km
Devlali to Ajanta caves 300Km
Ajanta to Aurangabad 100Km
Aurangabad to Ellora caves 50Km
Ellora caves to Devlali 200Km
Devlali to Mumbai 180Km
I drove my Honda Jazz which gave a pretty good mileage of
13-14km/l. Interestingly we did not see any other Jazz on the whole journey!The
roads for more than 95% of the time were just fabulous and more in particularly
in the i) Shahpur - Nasik and ii) Malegaon - Dhule stretches were awesome and
you could easily drive at 120-140kmph but you at had to shell out Rs80 and
Rs100 as toll!
Most of the other roads were state highways where 100kmph
was the maximum speed you could touch and in large stretches were just about
enough for 2 cars to squeeze through. But they offered a real glimpse of the
simple rural life. There was no toll on these roads and many times we were
lonely on these roads. We passed by
caravans of bullock carts carrying usually sugarcane and also women and
children. A few times we just had the setting sun and a vast expanse of clear
landscape with nothing
but small brown coloured mountains and short trees, something so simple yet
rare to find in the concrete filled Mumbai.
It took us 5 1/2 hours of continuous driving barring a
lunch break at a garden restaurant (Rs220) to reach Ajanta caves. We reached
just in time at 4:15 to see the main caves which close at 5:30.
On this long journey we paid the highest toll for an
effortless ride through a mountain pass. We passed through onion fields and
even bought a 10KG sack for Rs50. A 20KG sack was available for Rs70! All of
this was because we were unaware that the price of onions in Mumbai had fallen
from Rs40 to Rs16/KG.
On this route we also passed through fields growing cotton and trucks laden
with the white and wooly stuff.
Ajanta:
At Ajanta parking cost Rs45 and it costs Rs20 for the 4Km
bus ride and Rs25 for the entrance to the caves which are maintained by the
Archeological Survey of India (ASI). The caves (26 in all) are majestic and
speak richly about the grandeur of the historic traditions of India.
The caretaker for each cave also serves a guide, though not
so great but enough for the time we had.
The paintings are quite elaborate, though quite worn out at
some places, they depict the life and times of Gautama Buddha.
More than the elaborate caves it is the nature of
excavation and the sheer labour in the harsh terrain is a real wonder. You
will also spot the langoor and its massive tail jumping all around!
It took us 2-1/2 hours to reach Aurangabad. We stayed at
the Lemon Tree (Rs5400/night). Had buffet dinner (Rs600/head) and a nice long
sleep.
We left for Ellora at 2 and the first thing we had to do
was to full our tank which was completely drained. Interestingly 2 BPCL pumps
we came across
had no stock. Also the city pumps appeared to be more than busy with the biker
and auto-rickshaws in queue who generally don't fill more than Rs50-100bucks of
fuel. We ended up shelling out Rs2500 for a tank-full.
We reached Ellora by 330 after lunch at a garden restaurant
(Rs560) we overestimated our appetite by a huge margin!
On the way to Ellora, you can't miss the Daulatabad Fort
standing lonely atop a small hillock and the tomb of Aurangzeb, which we gave
miss.
Ellora:
After paying for parking Rs20 and entrance of Rs20 we
headed straight to the Jaina group of caves numbered 30-34.
The guard at cave 32 for Rs100 was more than happy to show us around the caves.
The Jaina group of caves were the youngest and were carved
out of solid rock. A lot of the statues were worn out and broken and hence not
to be worshipped according to Jain tradition. A large number of statues were of
Lord Mahavir, Parshvanath and surprisingly Bahubali. A few ceilings still had
remains of paintings which once adorned the walls.
Cave 29 and 16 devoted to Shiva are simply stunning. The
grandeur and and might of the Rashtrakuta kings is displayed in full glory.The
gigantic size and scale of the Kailas temple, the largest monolithic rock
structure in the world is breath-taking and was built by generations over 200
years!
We also visited a Jain Gurukul at Ellora and the
Parshvanath temple in the premises and were happy to donate Rs2000 for a
breakfast for 200 students studying there.
The journey from Ellora to Nasik had some of the
breath-taking views of the beautiful setting sun and the dry parched brown
landscape. The first stretch of the journey was slow as the roads were narrow
and overtaking was also time consuming.
However, our final leg was a narrow escape. We took the NH3 which allowed us to
hit 120KMPh smoothly even at night. But just as the toll road ended (Rs40)
several incomplete patches for a new toll road meant a lot of confusion and
created a huge traffic jam and required a good deal of manoeuvring and Jugaad
to get around. For a moment it reminded of a massive jam i'd read about in
China that took 2 days to clear. We abandoned our plans to have dinner at Taj
Nasik and settled for Swad - Veg Restaurant at Nasik Road (Rs190) to be home at
Lamb Rd. Devlali, by 10.15.
We had breakfast at Health Care Centre (HCC) at Lamb road
(Rs197). We had rose water, bael juice, amla shot, veg sandwich, potato stuff
sandwich, bread-butter and moong chaat. HCC has been in operation ever since
I've known Deolali and serves the best fruit juices and sandwiches in the area
and has an exotic variety. The journey back home which started at 11.45 was
over at 2.20. All thanks to the toll roads which have cut the journey time by
more than an hour.
All through our journey we had google maps by our side
giving directions and also giving choices of routes to choose from.
Relaxo
Glancing through the FY12 annual report:
>>>Started in 1976 now India's largest footwear company based on units produced
>>>7 plants, 10 brands, 8000+ emps
>>>149 exclusive outlets, 25 more in FY13
>>>92.46mn pairs sold, 11% ebitda margin - Rs952.6mn
>>>To start a new unit this year
>>>There are just 2,552 shareholders!
>>>1.2mn shares of Rs5 paid up.
======
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