Corbett National Park and Nainital

15th Feb 2007, Room No. 14, Old Hostel, IIFT:

Plans are being finalized for the Jim Corbett trip. Due to the sudden addition of the occupants of rooms 13 and 14, the possibility of so many people getting accommodation inside the park rapidly declined.

16th Feb 2007, 12.30 p.m., outside acad block, IIFT:

Two Qualises are waiting and we happily load our luggage and set off, music blaring loudly. After Ghaziabad, the excitement tones down, as people take their turns sleeping.

6.30. p.m. : Authentic Punjabi pre-dinner meal at a famous dhabha.
8.30 p.m. : Saurabh’s brother swapped for Harry in the girls' qualis. Antyakshari is on and Harry brings entertainment to the party with his “mein samudar mein”, sung in his peculiar style.
9.30 p.m. : Ramnagar reached.
10.00 p.m. : We reach Jim Corbett Park. Home-like-food for dinner at the forest bungalow.

17th Feb 2007, Forest Bungalow, Jim Corbett Park:

4.30 a.m. : Wake up, get ready.
5.30 a.m. : The man who promised passes the previous night is untraceable .
7.00 a.m. : Search abandoned, other plans made.
7.30 a.m. : Short walk with Deepa.
8.30 a.m. : Off to the temple in the middle of the river .
9.00 a.m. : Encounter with the lunatic sporting a gun, with a friend's giggles augumenting the danger element of this adventure.
9.30 a.m. : On our way to Corbett falls .
10.00 a.m.: Thick vegetation, rainforest ambience, I walk faster than the group, only to be slowed by the loud shouts of a large group near the falls. As the vegetation clears, I see PC clicking a snap of CP. Wow, the noisy group is none other than Placecom + PC.
1.00 p.m. : Videos for the UP election campaign are being shot. Quick lunch and then we’re off to the safari on the gypsies. The other IIFT group is already there, donning caps and goggles.
Till 5.30 p.m. : We spot Cheetal, Barking deer, Porcupine and dung of a wild tusker. Spend some time on the watch tower and return to the bungalow.
6.00 p.m. : Both the drivers missing. Hunt on.
7.00 p.m. : Both appear drunk and we try to guess who is more sober of the two. Off to Nainital

17th Feb 2007, Enroute Nainital:

7.30 p.m. : Safer route closed due to snowfall. We risk taking the steeper route.
8.00 p.m. : The other qualis pulls off the road suddenly. Reason – overheating. The same repeats four or five times in quick succession.
8.45 p.m. : The climb almost finished, millions of starts in the sky, patches of snow on either sides of the road.
11.00 p.m. : Bitter cold although the hotel room is paneled in wood.

18th Feb 2007, Lawn facing the Lake, Hotel Rose Star, Nainital:

7.00 a.m. : Short walk, hot chocolate and John Grisham’s The Summons.
10.00 a.m. : On the rope car, photo sessions at snow point
12.30 p.m. : Pedal Boating, dockie paddles hard and smokes harder.
2.00 p.m. : Placecom spotted again, Sumit hosts lunch at the fabulous boat club of Nainital.
5.30 p.m. : Candles bought, off to Delhi.

Adventure on the Highway

18th Feb 2007, National Highway No. 7, 70 km from Hirdhwani:

8.00 p.m. : Driver suspected of taking a few swigs while we stopped somewhere.
8.30 p.m. : Very rash driving, insistence on listening to Jagjit Singh’s Ghazals at the loudest possible volume.
9.20 p.m. : Driver expresses his desire to meet his children in the village as well as his dead parents.
9.25 p.m. : Anshu takes the wheel by force. Driver goes on rambling, Anshu shuts him up and shall be called ‘Hero on the Highway’ in the later days.
10.30 p.m. : We stop at the dhabha to grab a bite. I almost doze off.
10.50 p.m. : Driver missing along with his bag.
11.00 p.m. : Search futile. Anshu decides to drive all the way to Delhi. Entertains/scares us with stories of the notorious dacoits of Uttar Pradesh..
1.00 a.m. : Near Ghaziabad. Flat tyre on the other qualis. Too sleepy by now, can hardly understand what is happening.
4.00 a.m. : Anshu finally parks the car in the campus.

19th February 2007, IIFT, New Delhi:

The owner comes and takes his car away, with promises of taking the driver to task incase he is found. I discover I left a few cassettes in the car. Life resumes in the normal mode with two hour breakfasts, three hour lunches and four hour dinners. (Includes time spent in making calls to collect people).

A sample weekend in February – The party month

I get the wake up call at 7.30 a.m., but am almost ready by then. A few decent souls will sit in the CRM class shortly, while half of the bunking community is already out of campus and the other half sleeping cozily underneath their razaayis.

It is a beautiful day and the sky is partially overcast. Perfect weather when you have to spend many hours outdoors. Chenchu wants breakfast, but we finally decide some biscuits will do. Some haggling with autowallas and we are off to Daryaganj. Loads of books lie there on the platforms, waiting to be picked up. Book lovers, with their bags slung across the backs like us throng the streets, even as the books are being unloaded. We walk to and fro till the end of the street and soon our bag is heavy and books are almost spilling off. It starts to drizzle lightly, so we get into an auto for CP.

Chenchu’s treat had long been due and we go to Embassy restaurant – bad ambience and high prices. We study the menu, enquire if they have Italian and getting the assured ‘no’ as the answer, leave the place. By the now the Sun is out, making the the Connaught Place corridors sparkle. We roam around in the afternoon breeze for a while and then enter Grand Coffee Palace, with authentic English ambience and excellent menu.

Presently we head for South Ex, to get IIFT T-shirts, spending more than an hour at the Mc Donald’s, waiting for a certain Mr. Mehta to arrive. Its pure fun of course, after he arrives, with Mehtaji taking care of the shop in the absence of the shopkeeper and driving us away because we were blocking the customers from shopping. Then we go to ‘Ghost Rider’, an average movie, but a welcome change after a series of mushy romantic comedies. Dinner appointment with a long forgotten senior and I am back on the campus, putting my name on all the books I bought.

సిరివెన్నెల కలం నించి జాలువారిన ఆణిముత్యం.....

జగమంత కుటుంబం నాది యేకాకి జీవితం నాది
సంసార సాగరం నాదే సన్యాసం శూన్యం నావే
జగమంత కుటుంబం నాది యేకాకి జీవితం నాది

కవినై కవితనై భార్యనై భర్తనై
మల్లెల దారిలో మంచు ఎడారిలో
పన్నీటి జయగీతాల కన్నీటి జలపాతాల
నాతో నేను అనుగమిస్తు నాతో నేనే రమిస్తూ
ఒంటరినై అనవరతం కంటున్నాను నిరంతరం
కలల్ని కథల్ని మాటల్ని పాటల్నిరంగుల్నీ
రంగవల్లులనీ కావ్య కన్యల్ని ఆడ పిల్లలని

జగమంత కుటుంబం నాది యేకాకి జీవితం నాది

మింటికి కంటిని నేనై
కంటను మంటను నేనై
మంటల మాటున వెన్నెల నేనై
వెన్నెల కూతల మంటను నేనై
రవినై శశినై దివమై నిశినై
నాతో నేనే సహగమిస్తూ నాతో నేనే రమిస్తూ
వంటరినై ప్రతినిమిషం కంటున్నాను నిరంతరం
కిరణాల్ని కిరణాల హరిణాల్ని హరిణాల చరణాల్ని చరణాల చలనాన
కనరాని గమ్యాల కాలాన్ని ఇంద్ర జాలాన్ని

జగమంత కుటుంబం నాది యేకాకి జీవితం నాది

గాలి పల్లకీలోన తరలి నా పాట పాప ఊరేగి వెడలె
గొంతు వాకిలిని మూసి మరలి తను మూగబోయి
నా గుండె మిగిలె
నా హృదయమే నా లోగిలి నా హృదయమే నా పాటకి తల్లి
నా హృదయమే నాకు ఆలి నా హృదయములో ఇది సినీవాలి

జగమంత కుటుంబం నాది యేకాకి జీవితం నాది
చలనాన కనరాని గమ్యాల కాలాన్ని ఇంద్ర జాలాన్ని
జగమంత కుటుంబం నాది యేకాకి జీవితం నాది

This song inspired a film. Rather, a film is created for this song.
It is the last song at http://www.dishant.com/album/Chakram.html

Poetry is felt before it is understood.

Kanakambarala Kanakarao and his family

chevilo mandaaram undi kaani eeyane kanakambarala kanakarao. ee kinda unna ammayi meeda manasu paddadu, dream girl song kooda paadukunnadu. picchi choopulu choosthondi kada ani picchi anukovaddu. telivi kastha thakkuvanthe.

చెవిలో మందారం ఉంది కానీ ఈయన పేరే కనకాంబరాల కనకారవు. ఈ కింద ఉన్న అమ్మాయి మీద మనసు పడ్ద్డాడు. dream girl song కూడా పాడుకున్నాడు. పిచ్చి చూపులు చూస్తోంది కదా అని పిచ్చి అనుకోవద్దు. కొంచెం తెలివి తక్కువ అంతే.

kaani cinemallo laage pedda valla valana ee kinda unna ammayi tho pellayipoyindi.

కానీ సినిమాల్లో లాగానే పెద్ద వాళ్ళ వల్ల ఈ కింద ఉన్న మందారం అనే అమ్మాయి తో పెళ్ళి అయిపోయింది.

ee kinda unna vaade valla buddodu.

వీడే వాళ్ళ బుడ్డోడు.

peru inkaa pettaledhu.

పేరు ఇంకా పెట్టలేదు.

ee kanakambarala kanakarao real life character evaro meeru kanipettagaligithe Rs.116/- cash prize from my side.

real life lo కనకాంబరాల కనకారవు ఎవరో కనిపెట్టగలిగిన వాళ్ళకి నా తరఫున నూట పదహార్లు బహుమానం.

A weekend at Espoo

`

Because of my usual habit of happily ignoring alarms and because yesterday the cell was conveniently in the silent mode, I was still warmly tucked into the bed when I started getting calls. Ouch, I missed an appointment and along with it breakfast at a cute sea-side restaurant. I asked my friend to drive over to my place, got ready and prepared breakfast with all my efficiency. Its scrambled eggs and toast for him and left overs from the previous day for me. The project discussion took really long after the breakfast and so I asked my friends to leave for the city centre without waiting for me. Our Finnish friend Sussi had agreed to drive us to Espoo earlier.

`

Fortunately for me Sussi also got late and my friend was kind enough to drive me to the city centre and I could join my friends in time. The drive to the Espoo was beautiful and we stopped by the Mecca of Finland, the Nokia global headquarters. They have a huge campus by the sea side and a helipad even. Then we drove by the luxurious '5-million-each' houses with a view to the sea. We slowly crossed the city limits of Espoo and in no time off into the beautiful country side and woods.

`

Sussi parked her car around a corner and we started walking into the woods, uphill - there was a small creek running along the path, gurgling with fresh water. Quite reminiscient of that particular forest adventure in January 2005, only that there is no heat and sweat this time. So we walked, and Lo! there a quiet lake at the end of the trail. There is a small wooden cottage even, with a fire place and smoke in the chimney. Very much like a fairy tale setting.

`

After that, we had custard cake at a typical cosy cottage restaurant. As its Christmas time, it looked even warmer and festive. Then we went to Sussi's small cute home with its little garden and spent a few hours chatting. The drive back home on well illuminated highways was also worth an experience. As a perfect end to a perfect day, we watched 'Love Actually' at night before dozing off.

Discovery No.453

`

I have fallen into the habit of going for long walks in the afternoon, while its still bright (I should rather say while it is still not dark, as I live only in darkness and semi-darkness these days in Helsinki). After aimlessly roaming around for one and half hour or so, I reach home after its dark. During one of these walks, I made one of my discoveries, which are neither useful nor informative for anyone, but are important as the discoverer in this case is very important.

`

It doesn't get dark easily after the sunset in the plains. In this regard, Helsinki is like Delhi, where the evening stretches on and on, long after the sun has set. Today I could often catch a glimpse of the bright blue sky behind the dark clouds, some 30 minutes after the official sun set time. In the mountains, however, it gets dark very fast. Moments after the Sun sinks below the horizon, darkness appears from nowhere, enveloping everything in its thick shroud.

Driving Test

A thought provoking question

`

`

I have become rather fond of a class called strategic management, quite uncharacteristic of me. Impressed and inspired by the professor, the discussions and my brilliant classmates, I spent the last four sundays, trying hard to stick to the deadlines and at the same time, submit good assignments. One has to, when the professor is capable of remembering what exactly you wrote and pointing out discrepancies in the next class. A discussion based approach is followed and as more than half the enrolled students dropped out, five each after every assignment is announced, everyone in the small bunch of the students does their own share of ACP (Arbitrary Class Participation), including me.

`

In the last class, we watched a video on Enron and its downfall and were discussing the case and ethics in business in general. It very naturally flowed towards the assumptions of a 'self interest maximizing, rational, economic man' and the way theories based on this assumption influence organizations. At this point, a Mexican in the class made an observation, "In the East, especially in India, where most of the people follow a religion called Hinduism (he looked at me for assurance that the name is right), due to the influence of this philopshy, the country is against capitalism and people are not after money." The professor turned to me then , "So Sudheera, what do you think of it? Does the high economic growth have any implications? Lets hear your comments on your homeland."

`

Economic growth and cultural implications -hmm - I told the class about how the previous generations were satisfied with a steady income and a reasonably a good life and how our generation is highly ambitious, is more competitive and agressive, that things are surely changing and then switched to my usual rhetoric about how free weekends are a luxury for us. Here, Susanna (exchange student to IIFT in 2004) tried her best to assist me in describing the horrors of life at IIFT. We made it sound gruesome I guess, because half the class were gasping aloud; the professor was upset and ended up saying its all traumatic.

`

The episode ends here but it triggered off a bee hive of thoughts. Who are this race called Indians? How exactly did the philosphy affect our being? Is it working in contrast to the economic growth? Are things really changing fast or is it the usual, normal change that occurs with the passage of time? Are many of these assumptions about Hinduism true? At least being after the money part, no. My words mocked at me when I once said Indians don't like to flaunt wealth. Just remember the last wedding that you attended.

`

On reflection, although we are not a spiritual race as we are portrayed to be, we aren't too materialistic either. The population and economic growth meant more competition and longer working hours, compensated with increasing real wages and high spending power. The pie has increased and so has the clamour to grab a share of the pie. But we are certainly not 'Americanized' - family ties (read nuclear) are emerging stronger as the times get tougher; more people are concerned about purpose in life. I think we do not have a hedonistic approach to life - yes, some of us still feel guilty of splurging. Globalization and economic growth did have an impact on our way of life, but they did not change us completely. More often than not, we live in dichotomy.

`

While this means we are torn about the choices we make, it also means that there are cultural traits that remained unchanged. Probably it is all about being a flexible and dynamic culture, shedding some aspects, retaining some and assimilating others. The recursive and discursive theories are simultaneously at work in India. We survived many transformations, let alone changes, all the while retaining that distinctive character. A high economic growth for a few years would be just another one of those. A glitch or at most a trend in a cycle that goes on - Afterall, 4000 years is not a short time.

Finland - Land of Thousand Lakes

Finland - the land of thousand lakes, vikings, snow, reindeer and Santa Claus. Open Cafes, bicycle lanes, colourful market squares, plush lawns, yellow maple leaves all over, seagulls at the port, fat pigeons, crows and a host of myriad birds. Churches, Public sculptures, blue christmas trees at Kamppi, squirrels and cute babies in coats twice their size. Long summer days and equally long winter nights. Snow all round the year and polar nights sans sunrise for days together in Lapland.

`

The peculiar weather, westerly winds, occasional fog together with the mild sun create a mystical aura about Helsinki. It probably has to do with being situated at 60 degrees N latitute. The lighting is intensive and delightful here. Whenever the Sun decides to peep out from the cloud cover, he creates wonderful patterns in the sky, drawing all attention to himself. At times as mild as the moon even at noon, yet at times dazzling even if his weak rays try in vain to pierce the freezing blanket of air. The conifer trees and the leafless temperate trees add to this aura, creating a beauty that is almost divine.

`

Santa Village at Rovaniemi

Santa's Office

Lapland is even more wonerful, with wilderness every where, towards every direction. One of the last havens of untouched nature, it draws humans and wildlife alike into its magical fold. It was my first experience of sub zero temperatures - it was -12 on the morning we arrived there. Frozen dew on the tundra shrubbery, frozen lakes, frozen coke on the fence with icicles, frozen slabs of ice on the road on which I was trying to mild-skate with my new Goretex shoes. The wind is chilling yet the sun shines brightly.

Reindeer

Santa's Cabin in the fell at Rovaniemi

No wonder the official Santa Claus resides here, together with his elf helpers and Mrs. Santa Claus, who runs the ginger-bread bakery. In this land of ice and reindeer, there is real magic and it is hard not to believe in fairies and leprechauns. Why, one of them might be hiding behind this shrub, in that burrow over there........

Helsinki - The Nordic Haven

`

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This Scandinavian capital is one of the most pretty, clean and quiet towns. Did I say capital? and town?? Helsinki is hardly a city and retains the small town characteristics in most parts. The city is rather flat, with the only sky scraper measuring twelve floors - not much, by European standards. This building also houses a coffee place on its top most floor, which offers excellent hot chocolate as well as excellent views of Helsinki by the night, studded with jewels of light.

`

Do you find any pollution, grafitti, garbage, traffic jams, beggars here? Fat chance. May be an empty wine bottle or two on a weekend night. The city is extremely clean and rule abiding. At the prime hour, in the city centre, one cannot hear a single car horn nor a police whistle. Ten pedestrians on one side of the road, fifteen on the other, not a single car in sight - still everyone waits for the light to turn green before crossing the road. This doesn't happen in Paris or even Stockholm, and Amsterdam is ofcourse chaos, with trams, buses, cars and pedestrians crisscrossing each other.

`

Even the police are hardly seen on the streets. Where is the need, when domestic violence is the most feared crime? Finnish jails are famous for their comforts and opportunities to earn, famous to the point that the Russian immigrants commit petty crimes just to get into them. And don't be surprised if you bump into a convict on a saturday night, for they have vacations in the jails. This now a matter of political debate, along with the major debate on whether the fines for people travelling without tickets are high enough. Quite surprising for people who grew up with the Kashmir issue.

`

They have a very efficient public transport system - maps, ticket machines and notices everywhere. A single card enables one to take bus, metro, tram and an occasional ferry to the nearby islands. The night buses ply till 4.30 on weekends and the first metro starts again at 5.30, which means one is never stranded. The malls are all connected to the metro stations, rather built in the same complex so that no one has to step out in the freezing cold. Same with bus stations - they are in the same complex often, on different floors. And a train at 1.51 pm arrives at 1.51, not even at 1.50 or 1.52. This reminds of me the train on a German border town, which was just seven minutes late, but caused all sorts of apology notices go up.

`

A city of extremely reserved and private people, it is a bit difficult in the beginning to cope with the silence in public places, but it is addictive over days. People are very helpful and some of the 'unforgettable' incidents include an elderly man accompanying us till our destination, explaining the historic importance of monuments and public sculptures; Another is when the tram driver did not know which stop is the nearest to the street of Indian Embassy and stopped the tram to search the maps, ask the passengers and finally verified it on the wire less. Where else in the world does anyone find a combination such as this?

This hilarious article is written by a Dutchman who spent two years in
Bangalore , India, as a visiting expert.

____________ _________ _________ _____

Driving in Bangalore/ India.
For the benefit of every Tom, Dick and Harry visiting India and daring to drive on Indian roads, I am offering a few hints for survival. They are applicable to every place in India except Bihar,here life outside a vehicle is only marginally safer.


Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of karma where you do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company. The hints are as follows: Do we drive on the left or right of the road? The answer is "both". Basically you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go to the right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next available gap, as in chess. Just trust your instincts, ascertain the direction, and proceed. Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional fatality. Most drivers don't drive, but just aim their vehicles in the generally intended direction.

Don't you get discouraged or underestimate yourself except for a belief in reincarnation; the drivers are not in any better position.

Don't stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the back.

Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when traffic is moving slowly or has come to a dead stop because some minister is in town. Still some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not talk ill of the dead.

Blowing your horn is not a sign of protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment, frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts),or just mobilize a dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar.

Keep informative books in the glove compartment. You may read them during traffic jams, while awaiting the chief minister's motorcade, or waiting for the rainwater to recede when over ground traffic meets underground drainage.

Occasionally you might see what looks like a UFO with blinking colored lights and weird sounds emanating from within. This is an illuminated bus, full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, often meeting with success.

Auto Rickshaw (Baby Taxi): The result of a collision between a rickshaw and an automobile, this three-wheeled vehicle works on an external combustion engine that runs on a mixture of kerosene oil and creosote. This triangular vehicle carries iron rods, gas cylinders or passengers three times its weight and dimension, at an unspecified fare. After careful geometric calculations, children are folded and packed into these auto rickshaws until some children in the periphery are not in contact with the vehicle at all. Then their school bags are pushed into the microscopic gaps all round so those minor collisions with other vehicles on the road cause no
permanent damage. Of course, the peripheral children are charged half the fare and also learn Newton's laws of motion enroute to school.

Auto-rickshaw drivers follow the road rules depicted in the film Ben Hur, and are licensed to irritate.

Mopeds: The moped looks like an oil tin on wheels and makes noise like an electric shaver. It runs 30 miles on a teaspoon of petrol and travels at break-bottom speed. As the sides of the road are too rough for a ride, the moped drivers tend to drive in the middle of the road; they would rather drive under heavier vehicles instead of around them and are often "mopped" off the tarmac.

LeaningTower of Passes: Most bus passengers are given free passes and during rush hours, there is absolute mayhem. There are passengers hanging off other passengers, who in turn hang off the railings and the overloaded bus leans dangerously, defying laws of gravity but obeying laws of surface tension. As drivers get paid for overload (so many Rupees per kg of passenger), no questions are ever asked. Steer clear of these buses by a width of three passengers.

One-way Street: These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest in their otherwise drab lives.

Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In metaphysical terms, it means that you cannot proceed in two directions at once. So drive as you like, in reverse throughout, if you are the fussy type. Least I sound hypercritical, I must add a positive point also.

Rash and fast driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a "speed breaker"; two for each house. This mound, incidentally, covers the water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left untarred for easy identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover the pipe for year-end accounting.

Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience for those with the mental make up of Genghis Khan. In a way, it is like playing Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the drivers is loaded. What looks like premature dawn on the horizon turns out to be a truck attempting a speed record. On encountering it, just pull partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon passes.

Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders. Do not blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck is the driver, and with the peg of illicit arrack (alcohol) he has had at the last stop, his total cerebral functions add up to little more than a naught. Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licensed to kill. Often you may
encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet above the ground.

This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching you with a single light on, usually the left one. It could be the right one, but never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously.