tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14131880103457894112024-03-18T15:54:05.939+05:3080 Feet Road : News Bytes From Crazy Media AnalystsWe think crazy and you can bet, it works! We offer you a range of news on anything under the sun and mind you, we see and think beyond the ordinary!!!RockStahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09647266304022684368noreply@blogger.comBlogger367125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-59939277277057687562012-04-16T20:33:00.003+05:302012-04-16T20:59:11.861+05:30One Day on Earth Grand Film screening at Delhi Public School SiliguriAfter a really long hibernation, am back to blogging. I hope my friends will be eager to know as to what am up to. Its a long time (more than a year) that I have come back from Bhutan and am presently teaching here in North Bengal, Siliguri at Delhi Public School (DPS) for the past nine months that am in India. But, still the lingering fragrance of the Himalayas have not stopped casting a spell over me that is very tempting and perhaps as an after thought of my great work in my last school in Bhutan, Druk School (where I had shot a small documentary on Waste Management in this hilly country and uploaded the same on 10th October 2010, a date that will remain a legacy forever as on the same day movie makers from all walks of life in almost every country of the world came together and uploaded their short films on Nature and Natural Resources to be projected into a film, directed by one and only Kyle Ruddick.<br /><br />I am proud to be a part of this great movement to save Mother Earth and also a co-contributor. I wont write more on this but let you browse through these websites to have look and feel for this incredible journey that we all had. Here are the links:<br /><br />1. Help Document The World's Story - http://www.onedayonearth.org/<br /><br />2. You can see my video during the 2010 issue here: http://www.onedayonearth.org/profile/ArunavaDas?xg_source=profiles_memberList and <br /><br /><br />Also proud to announce that my school, DPS Siliguri now figures in the list of confirmed venues for screening of the movie on April 22, 2012, this Earth Day. Do see: http://www.onedayonearth.org/screening See - <b>India - Siliguri<br /><br />Waiting for your comments.......!!!!!<br /></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-72806224620423134892012-03-03T05:37:00.000+05:302012-03-03T05:48:44.650+05:30The Himalayan Expedition – Part 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-IN">This is the final part of the series about The Journey, Visit to an Old Friend, The Climb,
Temple of the Snakes, A Folk Song, the Fire, and the Ganges</span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Baagh-er Baacha,
Baagh-er Baacha” (Tiger's cub, tiger's cub)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I woke up to the
cry of Mr. Brahma, followed by a sudden halt of the jeep, on our way from
Pantwari to Mussoorie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Arjun was quick
to respond. “Usko le chale kya?” <“Shall we take him?”>, referring to the
tiger’s cub. He opened the back door and was about to get down from the jeep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mr. Brahma
stopped him. “Ruk! Uski maa saath mein ho sakti hai. Jeep se hi dekhte hain.”
<stop. be="" from="" his="" inside="" jeep.="" let’s="" look="" might="" mom="" near="" the="" too.=""> <o:p></o:p></stop.></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Apparently, Mr.
Brahma saw a tiger’s cub trying to cross the road, and which he later claimed,
ran away near the bushes, seeking the vehicle’s light. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was still
trying to get over my weariness and sleep and understand what was happening.
Recollecting the conversation that just happened, I asked, “Kidhar?”
<where?><o:p></o:p></where?></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Udhar, jaadiyon
ke paas.” Mr. Brahma replied, pointing his finger near some bushes, in front of
the vehicle. The headlights of the vehicle were kept on, but the engine was
switched off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I scanned the
bushes with my eyes and tried hard to get a glimpse of the striped beast, our
national animal, which is now on the brink of extinction; but could see nothing.
The vision was blurry. Then I realised, I had put my spectacles on the neck of my
jacket. After wearing my spectacles, I continued my scanning. This time, in the
nearby bushes also. But soon gave
up, with the thought that the dark night or the tiger mom might have hid the
cub from my prying eyes; or that Mr. Brahma was bluffing, just to wake us all
up from the sleep, as apart from Mr. Brahma, on the wheels, none of us saw the
cub. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyways, I soon
made up my mind that Mr. Brahma might have seen the cub, and the cub, after
seeing the moving bright lights, got afraid and ran to the bushes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And being an
optimist, made up the mental calculation that; Ya, due to all my environmentalist
friends, few politicians and movie stars, and lot of public awareness, a new
cub was born (maybe few months ago); and also with the undeniable efforts of
the mama & papa tiger, who despite the hardship and cruelty of few humans
who kill them for their skin, are positive enough to bring up a child and
continue doing their duty to keep the generation and the species alive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After the baby
tiger incident, there was a new found energy in all of us, and we chatted and
discussed about the tiger, the climb to the summit and life at IIM in general
with Mr. Brahma. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mr. Brahma and
Arjun shared their stories of all the adventures and hiking that they have done
together and the joy and enjoyment they have received from Mother Nature in
return. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We reached
Mussoorie at around mid-night, went to our hotel, had our dinner and retired to
bed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next day, with an
aching body, I woke up for a session on “Suggestions for Improvement of Tourism
in Mussoorie”. As management students, we have to give suggestions to the India
Hikes team and the hotel administration on how they can work on improving tourism
in Mussoorie. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The teams
comprised of the climbing team to Nag-tibba. Our team gave the suggestions of
waste segregation, rain water harvesting and recycling of water, creating eco-tourism
hotspots and developing green buildings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Post this; we
went for another team-building exercise near some hill in Mussoorie, which has
Tibetan flags <apologies. can’t="" name="" of="" place="" recall="" that="" the="">. <o:p></o:p></apologies.></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>THE FIRE</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once we reached
the place, we were assigned various tasks, where we have to use our common
sense, presence of mind, survival skills, and help each other in completing the
task. Here again, the team comprised of the climbers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first task
was to prepare tea for the team. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well although it
may sound simple to those, who know how to prepare tea, but it is actually
easier said than done, in the jungle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Protocol we
followed to prepare the tea:</span></div>
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</div>
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Time allocated:
45 minutes</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Teams are
assigned different colours.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once inside the
jungle, search for the coloured ribbon in trees, branches, rocks, etc.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Direction for
next location will be either above or below the ribbon. Identify the direction
accurately (we got confused with Left and Straight, twice!). Fifth location is
the destination.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once in the spot,
search for the tea preparation materials, hidden somewhere. This was the tricky
part. We took about 20-25 minutes searching for it. I found it later, hidden
under the stones, covered in dry grass. The grass gave the clue.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once with the
packet, light the fire, and prepare the tea. But with only 6 matchsticks,
chances of mistakes are minimal.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But thanks to
numerous hours of Discovery Channel and NatGeo at the Idiot Box, we could light
the fire with minimal efforts, using the dried leaves and grasses first.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another issue we
faced was how much to prepare. So we poured almost the whole bottle of water
(kept some to extinguish the fire) and negotiated within ourselves on the
amount of milk, tea leaves and sugar we should put to make a decently tasty tea.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After much effort, we prepared the tea and
presented it to the India Hikes team for inspection.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While creating
the fire, I did a bit of introspection on how fire has changed the course of
human history. From cave man to the modern man, fire or energy had always played
an important part in shaping our future. Agriculture (sunlight), Industrialisation
(coal), Transportation and Aviation (coal and oil) and electricity are few of
the marvels possible only due to energy in its various forms. This
introspection, further builds up my confidence on the use of renewable energy
sources as a driving force for sustainable development of human society. Any energy
which is sustainable and non-polluting will definitely stand the test of time
and emerge as a winner. Best example would be wind and solar. From drying
cloths, sailing ships, drawing waters from the wells, to generating
electricity, wind and solar energy has come a long way. And I bet, will be
go-on-and-on-and-on…</span></div>
<div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After doing few
more team building activities, we came back to the hotel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For our last
night at Mussoorie, we (Alok, Divya, Inaka, Indu, Jaitun, Keerthi, Puspa, Syrop
and me) did some shopping and went for dinner at Kalsang Friends Corner, for
some hot momos and noodles. As a souvenir to the tasty food of Kalsang, Jaitun
drew an ambigram. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>THE GANGES </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The last day of
the Himalayan Expedition was spent by going to Shivpuri from Mussoorie. It took
us about over 2 hours to reach Shivpuri, from where started our white water
rafting in the Ganges. The Ganges water was cold and soothing. From Shivpuri,
our destination Rishikesh was 16 kms with about 5 rapids, including one Grade 4
rapid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We formed our own
group and boarded one raft. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our raft guard
was friendly and gave us few basic safety instructions and life jackets. After practicing
paddling the raft, we started our journey. In our raft, we had Bijay, Harita,
Indu, Jaipal, Montu, Puspa, Tony, one other guy and me. For most of us, except
Jaipal and Tony, it was our first time, including our instructor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnvOACKCGUOgRb-pc2t4icMGGeyEo59f6zgmVO0Z6vQvX1ovoHYtWXc-JnRmvZLe1hJslwUC9IDSkWiyJsmH7y6hNeLrycwxVt2lrhPV40ac9qNLSP7y7FFhMSPzb6s45hih1mQMS3Chj/s1600/Rafting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnvOACKCGUOgRb-pc2t4icMGGeyEo59f6zgmVO0Z6vQvX1ovoHYtWXc-JnRmvZLe1hJslwUC9IDSkWiyJsmH7y6hNeLrycwxVt2lrhPV40ac9qNLSP7y7FFhMSPzb6s45hih1mQMS3Chj/s400/Rafting.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">River-rafting – After reaching Rishikesh (Oct. 21, 2011), with my batch mates from IIM Indore</span></i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">So it was
necessary to pray “Jai Ganga Maiya” before starting our journey, which we
hailed religiously. There were about 9 other rafts, all with IIM Indore
participants, accompanied us. So we were bit optimistic about the ride as well.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">In the Grade 4
rapid, few rafts toppled, tossing most of the crew members, while we rescued one
batch-mate from one of the toppled rafts.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our instructor
informed us that now the water is smooth, and we can dive in the river. I was
the first to jump in the laps of Ganga Maiya, as I was really excited and
enjoying the whole rafting experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After few
minutes, we reached the area where we can do a cliff jump. I took the
opportunity to experience it but got bit nervous as I looked at the water below
from the edge of the cliff… My heart was pounding and legs were shaky… I was in
a state of mental blankness… Couldn’t decide on whether to move forward or give
up the whole idea of jumping in the river water which was icy cold. Gaining bit
of courage and lot of faith, I shouted “Jai Ganga Maiya” and took the plunge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: This article appeared in the <a href="http://expressions.icareindia.co.in/Expressions%20February%202012.pdf" target="_blank">February 2012</a> issue of <a href="http://expressions.icareindia.co.in/" target="_blank">Expressions</a> eZine, published online by iCare India.</span></i></div>
<br /></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039803634433358236noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-52734072685630330762012-02-06T04:13:00.002+05:302012-02-06T04:19:07.415+05:30The Himalayan Expedition – Part 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the third part
of a series about The Journey, Visit to an Old Friend, The Climb, Temple of the
Snakes, A Folk Song, the Fire, and the Ganges</span></i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3ZJqoT3LdYvGodqrXcdw137-4DiDEY_e6C15hdwyLlCrWy7v6bN6AWNeFcpFeag59tM9s8wUaXP-Bh7X7uFOMvvRXA3d_kwg0R811GFOGgW0vmDqzf6d3vrqFfC27Attvh90ekhKb53K/s1600/DSC00223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3ZJqoT3LdYvGodqrXcdw137-4DiDEY_e6C15hdwyLlCrWy7v6bN6AWNeFcpFeag59tM9s8wUaXP-Bh7X7uFOMvvRXA3d_kwg0R811GFOGgW0vmDqzf6d3vrqFfC27Attvh90ekhKb53K/s640/DSC00223.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dated: October 19, 2011</span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Participants of IIM Indore at the Nag Tibba summit (~10000 feet above
sea level)</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I’ve said earlier, the most difficult part of mountaineering or trekking is descending, and more so is keeping it clean of plastics and other non-biodegradable wastes. Most of the ‘so-called’ disposable plates that we used while in Nag-tibba were collected and taken down to the valley on the back of mules by the local hikers, who accompanied us. The small plastic wrappers of the energy bars and candies that we were eating found a dump-yard in my new leather waist bag.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started our descent at around 4pm. Since most of us were
too tired or sore to carry our own luggage, we paid a small fee to a local guide
to carry our luggage. Normally a mule is used for carrying luggage but since it
was getting dark and most of the mules were required in the base camp, the
gentle man agreed to it. Mr. O N Brahma (no relation), our guide and consultant
of India Hikes, told us that he would join us later. So Amit, Alok, Divya,
Puspa, Panda and I started our descent without any guide. We were able to
manage fine, with steep descent and intuitive trails, when we met our luggage
carrier. In a typical Pahari accent, he informed us that we were descending by
one of the most difficult routes and that the easier route is through the sides
of the mountain. Since we were already on our way down, we thought of
continuing with the trail. While we were deciding on our next route of trails,
our luggage carrier ‘vanished’ in front of our eyes, as he hurried down the
mountain range (since he was familiar with the terrain).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shortly after that we heard a voice from behind. It was Mr.
Brahma. That was a relief, as we were kind of lost on which route to take. So
was Amit. We could hear Amit’s voice though. Later we ‘discovered’ Amit enjoying
the cold water of the mountain, from a villager’s stream. We took a few minutes
of rest near the stream and then continued our descent. Meanwhile, it was getting
dark and we had only 2 torches and another 6-7 kms of descent left. The remaining
light of that day, Oct. 19, 2011, was used to climb down goat trails and a dangerously
steep trail. The trails were so narrow (just enough space to place a single
foot) and dangerous, that one wrong step and we would have fallen down into the
valley in no time, all crushed to our deaths of course! So we were coming down
very carefully under the leadership and guidance of Mr. Brahma. As darkness
fell, we switched on our two torches. One was in front and the other one with
the last person, as we were walking in a line. That downhill trek was in itself
an adrenalin rush which we did by singing songs and joking and laughing (more so
to overcome our fear). As we reached further below, Mr. Brahma told us that we
need to stay close to each-other and not to panic or shout if we hear weird noises
of the night; which in a way, informed us that we needed to pass a jungle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a long moment (so it seems), there was silence. I guess
we were undecided on who should make the first sound, the jungle or us. This
silence was soon broken when Mr. Brahma started humming a tune from an old
Bollywood movie, a Kishore classic. He had an excellent voice: we were informed
by Panda that Mr. Brahma had also sung for a few rock bands in Kolkata. Now the
worry of the weird noises of the jungle was gone and overpowered with the
desire to sing or hum along with our rock singer. Somewhere behind some animals
was screeching, some birds were crying but we were busy in our pursuit of
bettering our vocals with the singer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After we crossed the jungle, it took us another hour to reach
Pantwari. Arjun, our driver, and Mr. Brahma’s company for most of his expeditions,
was waiting for us. Like a hungry pack of wolves we had our snacks and loads of
tea in Pantwari, before we started our ride back to Mussoorie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A FOLK SONG<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Brahma took to the wheels at around 8 pm, as we insisted
him to accompany and drive us back to Mussoorie. After about 5 minutes into the
drive, the singing session started again, but as none us of had much energy left,
after walking about 13 kms and descending over 5000 feet, we resorted to Arjun’s
music system in the vehicle, which had a mix of Hindi and Garhwali songs. One
Garhwali song in particular caught my attention. Although I heard the language for
the first time, I realised I understood the lyrics of the song quite well. The
song may not be a folk per-se, but the originality of the song cannot be denied
by history itself. The song is “Na Kata Taun Dalyun” sung by Nar endra Singh
Negi. The mean ing of the song is “don’t cut the trees, friends, don’t cut the
trees”. And how history cannot deny that the modern Chipko movement was started
by the brave women of Garhwal, and I suppose this particular song is a tribute
to these brave women.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After about half an hour of music, when we were all about to
go to sleep, Mr. Brahma suddenly shouted in Bengali “Oye Saala, Baagher Baacha,
Baagh-er Baacha” <tiger’s cub,="" cub="" tiger’s=""> and our vehicle came to a stand-still
with a screech.<o:p></o:p></tiger’s></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Song: “Na Kata Taun Dalyun” by Narendra Singh Negi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-4hCp1ynRk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-4hCp1ynRk</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">(to be continued…)</span><br />
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<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: This article appeared in the January 2012 issue of <a href="http://expressions.icareindia.co.in/">Expressions</a> eZine, published online by iCare India.</i></div>
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039803634433358236noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-57002909039447974492011-12-22T22:29:00.000+05:302011-12-22T22:29:24.656+05:30The Himalayan Expedition - Chapter 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This is the second part of a 3 part series about The Journey, Visit to an Old Friend, The Climb, Temple of the Snakes, A Folk Song, the Fire, and the Ganges<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></i></div>
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“KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!”<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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As I knocked on the door of Mr. Ruskin Bond’s house, I was greeted by a voice, followed by a familiar face. Even those who’ve never met him know he’s a gentleman and a very humble person. I guess the child in him is still alive and kicking. We chatted for about 15 minutes, where we discussed our mutual interest in books, bits of Hindu mythology (e.g. the meaning of my name), etc. I also complimented him on his collection of books. Time seemed to fly past and when I looked at my watch and it was already 6 pm. With a heavy heart, I bid farewell to him, and wished him good health. He wished me good luck on my endeavours to go beyond the ‘gunas’ (you might want to Google the term ‘Gunatita’).<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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As I reached my hotel, my friends we all getting ready to go out for dinner at the famous ‘Lovely Omelette Centre’ in Mussoorie. I joined them, and we headed out to eat the cheese omelettes. Post dinner, I made a few last-minute food purchases for the trek the next day. One of the things that I purchased was “Yak Cheese”, a tasteless, hard and solidified cheese made of Yak milk. From my previous experience, I had found Yak cheese to be a very useful food during trekking, as it gives tremendous energy. After the purchase, I went back to the hotel where we had another briefing about the trek and were reassigned a new group. My team consisted of team leader Narendra, Amit Bhil, Synrop, Prateek, Chanakya, Manmit, Prabhu and myself.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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THE CLIMB<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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As per the course requirement, we were supposed to climb a hill. The locals call it Nag Tibba, which is one of the highest peaks in the lesser Himalayan range, standing at about 10,000 feet.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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We started for Pantwari from Mussoorie (about 60 kms) at 9 am, three hours late from our scheduled departure. Luckily I got to board the trekker and not the bus. I was accompanied by Kim, Divya, Pushpa, Indu, Keerthi and Prabhu. We completed the journey, replete with a winding ride and scenic beauty all around us, in about two and a half hours. Once we reached the base, i.e. Pantwari, we were told to be with our newly assigned group mates. After we had had our breakfast of oat meal, eggs and tea, we were given instructions for the climb. A packet lunch was handed over to us. There were 6 groups in total, and we were the last group (Team 6) to start the climb with a difference of 25-30 minutes between each group. The instructor, Mr. O M Brahma (no relationship with the writer), told us that the team that reaches the summit first will win.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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We started our climb at around 12:40 pm. From our base, the Nag Tibba point is about 9 kms, with goat tails and less travelled roads. We were told to follow our instincts if we got lost, but needed to maintain a distance of 30-50 meters between groups. We might cross a group, but could never leave any team-mates behind.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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The first 100 meters was an up and down slope, but I got bit exhausted while walking the trail. We left Team-5 behind in the first 100 meters. Due to this initial triumph, we missed the narrow trek on our left and instead took a right. We travelled the vehicle trailed road for about 1 km, when we meet the Team 4, consisting Tony, George and others. We thought that we were on track, but while interacting with the villagers, came to know that we came the wrong way. So we travelled back again while Team 4 took another route, and searched the narrow trek that we were supposed to take.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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From that point, the climb was steep and getting difficult. With boulders and rocks in the trek route, I was finding it difficult to get a grip, but somehow managed to do just fine. My backpack was heavy as I was carrying loads of food and water. Thankfully, my team leader swapped his bag which was lighter with mine. Post that, I got a bit of enthusiasm and inspiration to climb and not let my team mates down.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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There was lack of water in the hills, so we drank whatever we carried, and after that we filled up from the village well. The villagers were kind enough to let us use their well and help us with directions. The well water was very sweet and rich in minerals. After drinking it, a new wave of energy swept within our team, and we went gung-ho to master the summit. We climbed quite fast in order to leave behind few more teams. At a short distance, after taking very little rest, we saw another team going just ahead of us. While we tried to move ahead of them, we saw that all the other teams were just ahead of us, along with few of the trekkers from India Hikes team. The trekkers (locals) told us to take some rest and have our packet lunch, and that our basecamp for tonight is just half to an hour climb ahead. Two more teams were yet to reach the site where we were having lunch. The final league of the climb was very competitive as all the teams had to start at the same time, and the winning team needed to have all its members in the basecamp. With hard work and heightened spirit, our team climbed the very steep hill and about an hour later, became the first team to reach the basecamp, with all the members. We celebrated the moment vociferously.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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Later Mr. Brahma joined us with the rest of the teams, and after resting for a while, briefed us and showed us how to build a tent. We built our tent, but because of the slope, couldn’t get a proper location.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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Post those activities, and a few photographs later of the setting sun, we sat down for our bon-fire and reflection session. After the dinner, we retired in our tents with weary and tired bodies. The weather was very cold and I wore about 3 layers of clothes to protect myself.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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TEMPLE OF THE SNAKES<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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After waking up at around 7 am, and having a quick breakfast, we started for our trek to the <i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Nag Tibba</i> temple and the summit. Nag (Snake) Tibba is an ancient temple and the villagers come there to pray to the <i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Nag devta</i> (God) for protecting their harvest and cattle. From the base camp, it is only 3 kms, but a steep climb.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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I was the last to start the trek for Nag Tibba along with Mr. Brahma and Divya. Mr. Brahma taught us few breathing techniques to be used for high-altitude trekking, and told us to climb at our own pace, enjoying the scenery around. Due to the fast climb the previous day, my right knee was paining severely, so I had to take a branch as a support. With slow paces, we reach the Nag Tibba temple at around 10 am. After visiting the temple and seeking blessings from the Nag devta, we continued our trek to the top of the summit. Pushpa, Amit, Alok, Jaitun and Panda joined us for the final climb. The most enthusiastic among us was Amit, who in a playful way, was selling tickets in his imaginary vehicle to transport us to the summit. Limping for most of the last climb, I, along with my other friends, reached the summit at around 12 pm. After spending some time in the summit, clicking few photographs, Alok showed me the tip of a distant mountain covered in ice. The whole panoramic view was beyond what words can describe.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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After about an hour in the summit, we started our descent back to the basecamp. Climbing down the hill is more difficult than climbing up, and I learnt it with an injured right leg. While coming down, Amit declared that he had lost his mobile’s SIM and that we would have to revisit the temple again. After some 15 minutes of searching near the temple, Amit finally found his SIM near the temple.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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At around 3 pm, we reached the basecamp, only to realise that most of our friends had already started the descent, and another group of friends, who started the climb early morning for the basecamp, were about to reach. After having a light lunch, we started our descent.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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(to be continued…)<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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<i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Note: This article appeared in the December 2011 issue of <a href="http://expressions.icareindia.co.in/" style="color: #442f18; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Expressions</a> eZine, published online by iCare India.</i></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039803634433358236noreply@blogger.com7Nag Tibba, Uttarakhand30.5863889 78.151111130.4770344 77.9931826 30.695743399999998 78.309039599999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-62772621607863433422011-12-22T22:28:00.000+05:302011-12-22T22:28:06.557+05:30The Himalayan Expedition - Chapter 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This is the first part of a 3 part series about The Journey, Visit to an Old Friend, The Climb, Temple of the Snakes, A Folk Song, the Fire, and the Ganges.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></i></div>
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As per our academic requirements (a 4-credit course), we were supposed to go for some kind of leadership and team building activities: essentially an excursion. So it was decided by our PGP office that we go to Mussoorie, a hill station in the state of Uttarakhand. About 100 participants from our institute were assigned to go to this place.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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I was particularly excited about going to Mussoorie because until then, the farthest that I have been in the Northern part of India was till the North Campus of Delhi University, that too some 11 years ago. Having spent most of my life in the Northeast and Southern India, I was excited that I will be going farther and viewing the Himalaya, up close and personal. Also, the mountains have some magical power that be- witches me whenever I see them. I always feel the urge to climb that and take a view from the top of that mountain, maybe because I was born in the hilly state of Manipur. And the hope that I will be seeing lot of mountains and hills in Uttarakhand further increased my excitement to go there.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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THE JOURNEY<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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So we formed a team of 10 people (all friends) and booked our ticket in the Indore-Dehradun Express, a direct train. Our team comprised Nitin (our group leader), Ashwin, Divya, George, Inaka, Kim, Pritom, Synrop, Tony and me. We were lucky to get the tickets, as it is a bi-weekly train, and rush during the peak season is relatively high. We boarded the train on the afternoon of Oct. 15, 2011 in the AC Tier-II compartment. Most of our fellow passengers were travelling till Haridwar, to take the holy dip and perform other religious activities in that city. The train pantry, for obvious reasons, served us vegetarian food during the entire course of our journey. After we settled in our berths, Tony took out the UNO cards (UNO is a coloured card game wherein the player’s objective is to lose the cards in his/her hand. The one, who loses the cards first, wins). For the most of our journey we were eating, playing UNO, chatting, sleeping and again playing UNO. It was during one such game that we realised that we’d be reaching our destination soon.</div>
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From Dehradun, Mussoorie is an hour’s drive, yet we reached the city at around 10 pm after having reached Doon at 7pm. We had our dinner of Momos and Chowmein in the town and walked towards our hotel, Mussoorie International. The hotel is located in the Mall area in Mussoorie. Our briefing for the Expedition was supposed to start after lunch the next day. So we retired to bed at around 4 am, after settling down. Since I was excited about my trip, I could hardly sleep and woke up at 7am. I thought of taking an early morning stroll near the hotel, but saw the terrace and climbed there instead. From the terrace, during the clear sky of early morn, I could see the tip of some Himalayan mountain covered in snow. This was the first snow sighting for me. I was thrilled. I started a conversation with a fellow watcher who happened to be Mr. Srinath, the consultant from India Hikes, who would be our trainer for the whole expedition. (It is worth in- forming my avid reader that India Hikes organised the expedition for our institute.) The 5 day programme (Oct. 17-21) included trekking to an altitude of ~10000 feet, team building exercise and water rafting at Rishikesh. I got to know about the details of our expedition from Mr. Srinath.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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Post my conversation, I met Pritom and Alok. All three of us sat down for another game of UNO till the breakfast was served. Post breakfast and after freshening up, Synrop and I went to see the town. We went to the Aquarium in Mussoorie, which despite being small, holds some exotic varieties of marine life. There was a fish in which the name of Allah was naturally inscribed, another having the symbol Aum or Om. After that we went for shop- ping. Then we came back to the hotel for lunch. After the lunch, Ms. Sandhya, one of the Co-founder of India Hikes, along with Mr. Srinath, briefed us about the whole expedition and re-distributed all 100 of us into different teams. We were told to come up with business problems that we have identified for Mussoorie by 8pm. After the briefing I went to catch up with some sleep. Barely about an hour later, I woke up, and with some hesitation, dialled a number. The number was of someone whose name would be familiar to all, especially book lovers.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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VISIT TO AN OLD FRIEND<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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While coming back from the morning shopping spree with Synrop, I saw a book stall, Cambridge Book Depot; that showcased the latest collections of Ruskin Bond’s book. I purchased Mr. Bond’s first and the latest book, namely The Room on the Roof and Secrets. Looking at my enthusiasm for Mr. Bond’s book, the store owner started a conversation with me. On my enquiry about getting Mr Bond’s autograph, he told me to come on a Saturday. I told him that I won’t be staying that long, but need Mr. Bond’s autograph, he gave me his residence phone number and asked me to call him in the evening. After taking my afternoon nap, I dialled his number at around 5 pm and asked for an appointment, so that I can get his autograph in my newly purchased books. Mr. Bond told me to come before 6 pm, as he will be going out for dinner after that. I hurried myself to get ready, when Ashwin came to know about my little trip to Mr. Bond’s house. Ashwin was also excited to go along with me, but due to some work, couldn’t come. Instead he went with me to the book store and purchased a copy of The Room on the Roof, and handed it over to me, to be autographed by Mr. Bond.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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I took a taxi from the taxi- stand, near the market and asked the driver to take me to Ivy Cottage, the dwelling place of the author. After about a 15-minute drive, the driver stopped the car, and told me that we had reached Ivy Cottage. My heart started pounding, when I realised that I have reached my destination, and very soon I would be meeting the Sahitya Akademi and Padma Shri awardee English author. With small steps, I climbed the stairs of Ivy Cottage. Led Zeppelin’s song, <i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Stairway to Heaven</i>, was playing in my head, when I reached the door. Being nervous, I searched for the calling bell, only to realise that it is not there, or maybe I couldn’t see it. Then I thought for a few seconds on what to do, whether to knock the door or call out. I decided to knock the door. But then again, my mind was playing tricks on me. My mind was questioning me, how much to knock, how loud to knock, how many times to knock, etc. etc. I shut my mind out, before it could play the song <i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Knocking on Heaven’s Door</i>, and gently knocked thrice.<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p></div>
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(to be continued…)<o:p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></o:p><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Note: This article appeared in the November 2011 issue of <a href="http://expressions.icareindia.co.in/" style="color: #442f18; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Expressions</a> eZine, published online by iCare India.</i></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039803634433358236noreply@blogger.com1The Mall Rd, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India30.458958193920978 78.07202339172363330.452114193920977 78.062152891723628 30.465802193920979 78.081893891723638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-9933851749284804012011-11-14T13:14:00.001+05:302011-11-14T13:14:18.249+05:30The Day MyWorld Stopped Moving<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">My heart was in my throat. The world around me was swirling at the speed of light, threatening to spiral down crashing on to my head. The voices around me were blurring into a distance. My hands were trembling, desperately trying to fumble through things, bags, tables, looking, searching. As fear and helplessness clouded vision and judgement, it sunk in.<br />
<br />
My phone was lost. <br />
<br />
Last night was a close brush with disaster. Due to nobody's fault and and intention, my phone went missing.<br />
<br />
For those who know me more than the casual hi-byes would understand and identify with the severity of this ground breaking event. A phone is not just an instrument to make or receive calls. To me, it is the be all of life. I find my way through the daily mundane chaos i call my existence, only with the able support of this magical device that is nothing short of a life support.<br />
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Picture a patient on a hospital bed with a the nurse attending on him accidentally stamping his oxygen stream? Now picture me without my phone. Potato, Pateto.<br />
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So there I was, fear gushing trough my veins, every cell in my head crying out for some life.<br />
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<br />
Not ten minutes back, the mood was different. Had been part of and witnessed an amazing entertaining performance. The high of having experienced pure magic on stage is inexplicable. The thrill and joy at having seen a team come together so amazingly to create spellbinding imagery is one that doesn't wear off easily. From that high, the fall was all the more cruel, as I found that the one companion I trusted the most in this bad wild world, was away from me, and out of reach.<br />
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It is strange how the mind races ahead of time, trying to picture the bleakest of scenarios in times when it should be rationalizing options and means to solve the crisis at hand. All i could think of was a dark dark space, with screams of pain shattering my ear drums. Or was it the loud thud of my heart pounding with fear? I wanted to see what time it was, and I didnt have my phone. I wanted to call home and cry out loud, and my phone wasn't at hand. I wanted to broadcast my angst to those faceless hundreds peeping onto my "wall", and I didn't have my phone. My life, as i knew, had come to a stand still.<br />
<br />
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Fifteen scariest moments of my life after, the phone was located. A sigh of relief, a heavy axe lifted off my neck, the stab through my heart healed. My mind was suddenly recognizing faces, sounds were registering on my ear all of a sudden. I saw smiles, reassuring me that all was well with the world. My senses felt light, My body relaxed, a small wry smile threatened to break on to my face.<br />
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<br />
I slept close to my phone last night. It is incidents like these that make you value relationships even more. And yesterday i realized how deep was my bond with my hand held genie.Never again, my companion, never again would this happen, i solemnly resolved, as sleep took over, bringing to end a horrific spooky night.</div>ABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10731333377097058792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-36745816866894458692011-11-09T16:36:00.001+05:302011-11-09T16:40:02.661+05:30What is your greatest fear?<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today I asked this question to my friends, and below were the replies: </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of going blank</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of the word 'FEAR' itself</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of being different from others</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of being emotional</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of darkness</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of feeling insecure</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of losing my skin complexion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of death</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of drowning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of my inability to quit smoking</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of being unable to care for myself</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of seeing owls</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of the unknown within me</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of being hurt by loved ones</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of silence</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of being fat/ugly</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of losing my loved ones</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of a thought about falling from mountains or helicopters</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Being a loser</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of staying alone</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of getting married</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Scared of heights</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of being alone without family and friends</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of my possessive nature </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of loving a man, I would love a dog without any fear, because dogs won’t breakup, neither will they wake up one day and tell, “I don’t love you anymore…”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of air suffocating me</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Fear of the unexpected</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Recently read one blog post titled, “<a href="http://zenhabits.net/five-helpful-attitudes-for-dealing-with-your-fears/">Five Great Ways to Conquer YourFears</a>” on <i>Zenhabits.net</i>. In this blog post the author says, “Whatever your fears may be, you can either let those fears form boundaries beyond which you can’t move or grow, or you can face them head-on and allow them to become opportunities to move into new places in your life. The choice is truly yours. “</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Actually this strategy works, first you find out what are your fears, and then you convert those fears into your strengths. Till now, I have conquered few of my fears using this strategy. Try it today people, who knows it might work for you too, or you may find your own way of dealing with your fears while trying this method! However, talk to yourself about your fears; do not feel that you are a weak person if you have some kind of fear. It is very much human to have fears, but slowly we have to learn to stretch ourselves...going beyond our fears, isn’t it?</span></div>Shilpa Nangalihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098056057135389651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-19250196397256747232011-10-19T16:13:00.001+05:302011-10-19T16:13:20.552+05:30When Luck Shined On MEDISCLAIMER: The following is a fictionalized account of a gory dark day of my life. Sarcasm and Laughter is expected, but beware, you could be the next Lucky one.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Some days, luck just decides to shine bright and sunny on you.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It’s like you woke up on the best side of the bed, with a silver spoon in your smelly mouth, and a proverbial horse shoe hanging down my neck.<br />
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So what do you do when such a day decides to grace you with its benign presence?<br />
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<br />
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Just wait for the darned day to get over; praying the damage done is least.<br />
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Last week had one such marvelous day when I had the ultimate stroke of luck ever.<br />
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<br />
<br />
So the day started on a bright note. I wasn’t sleepy, woke up on time for my gym appointment. Got ready and out of the house in time. No traffic even at 6:00 AM (the first sign of something about to go wrong, I never saw what was in store) it was the perfect start to a seemingly perfect day.<br />
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I reach the gym on time, ably surpassing the strong primal urge to stop over that the idly shop for a plate of hot pongal. Only to find that my trainer is hurt, and hence no workout. Disaster One.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Heartbroken (yeah I do like the gym, contrary to what my figure suggests) I started back home. That was when the sky decided to burst open in a flash rain that oddly seemed to follow and drench only the area around me. Drenched to the last cell in my body, I trudged my way back home.<br />
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<br />
<br />
I choose to gloss over the mishaps while I got ready post that for office and take you to the ride to work now. So off I am on my ride to work, when the rain gods decide to fertilize the earth with some water all over again. Drenched for the second time, and late already by half an hour, I get back home, change, and resume my by now ill-fated journey. Disaster Two.<br />
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<br />
<br />
I reach work, escaping a traffic police confrontation by hair’s breadth. Take my laptop out for security check. The moment I place it before the all-knowing eyes of the bar code reader, it sets of a loud shriek and dies. That’s it. Last heard, they are still negotiating with a new vendor for a replacement. Disaster Three.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Embarrassed beyond redemption, I walk up the stairs (yes the lift had gone off too, I suspect on purpose, fearing its own life) and reach my work desk. Laptop on table, system boots, facebook login, and Bam! The laptop blanks out. Disaster Four.<br />
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<br />
<br />
I chug along running after the IT team and sundry other teams I was supposed to be meeting on the day, and it already is way past lunch time. A quick bite it is, and nothing is left for sale in the canteen (did I forget? My lunch box, which I cooked in the morning, was left behind at home). I set my eyes on the vending machine, little knowing that this would lead to the Disaster of the century,,,<br />
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<br />
<br />
I chose to have a fruit cake and a juice from the vending machine. I put in a ten rupees note. The machine vomits it out.<br />
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I put the note in again. The machine gives me a Rs.5 pack of boost and the change.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Undeterred I put another ten rupees note into the machine. This time I choose a pack of biscuits. The vending machine accepts it, and the coil in the corresponding rack moves. Moves. Moves. Moves,,,<br />
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<br />
<br />
Till the biscuit pack hangs in the air, neither in the coil, nor in the collection bin below, but actually in the air.<br />
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I take pride in my research and scientific background. Applying it in times of crisis though is not my forte, I realized this day.<br />
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The scientist in me decides to put in another note, order the same biscuit, so that two packets together fall down this time. The coil moves, moves, moves,,,, till the second pack too hangs mid air along with the first one.<br />
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Frustrated, I try manhandling the vending machine, hoping what science could not achieve, would be accomplished by raw brute force.<br />
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After about fifteen minutes of vigorous wrestling with the machine, amidst the piercing gaze of most of the office (there were tickets being sold for the spectacle: Man Vs Machine, the ultimate battle), there is a loud thud, followed by a red liquid flowing down the machine.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Did it die? Did the machine bleed? I let go of it, like I accidentally killed a girlfriend. The thud alarmed the now awake housekeeping service man. On closer inspection, it was revealed, much to my ignominy, that I had dropped in a bottle of strawberry squash and the biscuits were still hanging on the coil. Disaster Complete.<br />
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<br />
<br />
So by the end of the day, I was one laptop less, bereft of lunch, a suspected machinophile in official records, with my photo id and fingerprints being stored in the local criminal records.<br />
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<br />
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So like I said, some days, luck just decides to shine bright and sunny on you. This was one such day.ABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10731333377097058792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-79216358162966186922011-08-18T03:19:00.000+05:302011-08-18T03:19:19.731+05:30Going Nuclear* and sealing our fate to Doomsday!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>* here nuclear energy generally refers to nuclear energy derived from fission mode, unless specified.</i></span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my last article (A Letter to my Friends, Expression - June 2011), I told you how energy is the making or breaking point of any civilisation. A civilisation’s survival key lays in the type of energy its people use in their day-to-day activities. Cleaner the energy we use, healthier our civilisation would be in the longer run.</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But then, few of us presume that going nuclear to meet the energy need of a developing economy is the next best thing. But we must also realise that going nuclear is a very dangerous proposition. It’s like giving a child a grenade and telling him to play with it safely. There are good chances that the kid will blow himself up. I am not trying to be a sadist, but a realist.</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The recent nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan is just one example of how we don’t have the power to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">control such events in the future. If one of the most developed nations in the world was incapable of avoiding the disaster, will we be capable of handling such things? I know there are arguments against this thought process as well. And they (the pro-nuclear think tank) ridicule it by saying that it’s just one such incident, and there was “Nature” against them (read due to Tsunami and Earthquake). My counter argument to it would be - learn from others. It’s better than learning from one’s own mistake.</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of you might be aware about the half-life concept. Uranium’s half-life is about 6-7 human generations! That’s a long time! So if a disaster happens today (God forbid), the after-effects of it will remain for these many generations to come.</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Apart from a nuclear disaster (which might be highly unlikely), other key factors need considerations. The amount of money required to set-up a nuclear reactor (fission mode) can be somewhere between $3-10 billion and might take up to 10 years to build. This makes the overnight cost of nuclear power plants to be about $4,000/kWe. This amount of tax-payer’s money will be used to make a harmful and dangerous energy creating power plant. There are other external costs too, like the cost of security of the power plant, cost of raw materials, transportation costs, etc.</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The figure for the exhaustion of the Uranium reserves of the world is 2050. So, a nuclear reactor, built with so much of public money will run dry post 2050. Then what happens to the power plants? There will be a no-habitation zone within a radius of 30 kms of the power plant, where no human will be allowed to settle, chiefly because of pollution and possible radiation. Also, the nuclear waste cannot be disposed of properly, so either the Earth will be dug up to bury the nuclear waste containers or the waste will simply find shelter in the seas and oceans. And if these containers leak, the whole ocean will get contaminated, and pose a threat to the marine ecosystem.</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s not all. Threat from global terrorism will cause the cost of security for these power plants to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">increase, and due to recent nuclear disasters, cost of construction of nuclear power plants will increase </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(due to newer safety norms). And a country like India cannot take its chances with nuclear energy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">based power plants, when half of its population is hungry.</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another argument against nuclear energy would be that it will still not solve the grid connectivity </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">problem that Indian villages are facing. There are about 10000 villages in India which don’t have any </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">grid connection to supply them electricity. The solution for them would be a decentralised source of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">energy; micro-grids, or better still, if every village or household could manufacture its own electricity. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Electricity has become a commodity, as everyone requires it. The demand and supply gap for electricity </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is growing, and to keep up with the pace of growth that India is undergoing, it needs the energy. The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">world is moving towards cleaner sources of energy, and India too should do the same. Renewable energy was the “in thing” 1000 years ago, it still is, and will continue to be so even in the future.</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With clean sources of energy fuelling our economic growth, the growth will be sustainable. And with a sustainable economic growth, quality of live will improve and be long term. The most important thing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to do today is support, promote and use cleaner sources of energy – for us, our children and their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">children.</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div lang="en-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Note: Nuclear energy (fusion mode) is something to look forward to, but it will be another 15-20years </span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">before we see improvement in the technologies used to control it today.</span></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 25px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This article was published in the July 2011 edition of Expressions, a monthly eZine published by iCare India.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> </span></span></span></i></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Link: </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #442f18; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://expressions.icareindia.co.in/" style="color: #442f18; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://expressions.icareindia.co.in</a></span></span></span></i></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039803634433358236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-32637885023275482012011-08-01T13:05:00.002+05:302011-08-01T13:06:08.976+05:30Released At Lord's<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9L7gU89TnbIoZPB_mfr-ofCJXObM13oyHc2ca5lLaUAGv8DdybAc1iHKKcpTxKaBwrnc3FtWCNqgeKqnaEe462K3AZGs4abpTN94-q7MoE6yoJq38g38SlsA7FQi7IuDMBsPo08hyA4Q/s1600/Sree+Singham.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 313px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9L7gU89TnbIoZPB_mfr-ofCJXObM13oyHc2ca5lLaUAGv8DdybAc1iHKKcpTxKaBwrnc3FtWCNqgeKqnaEe462K3AZGs4abpTN94-q7MoE6yoJq38g38SlsA7FQi7IuDMBsPo08hyA4Q/s400/Sree+Singham.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635788045526109346" border="0" /></a>'A' Cornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652420159990827289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-4235201826153810662011-07-20T14:08:00.001+05:302011-07-20T14:09:02.574+05:30A Letter to my Friends...<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN">I wish to share, via this article, my passion with you, a passion that got highlighted by chance while reading a course book-a book that helped shape my today. The book was on Environmental Microbiology, prescribed when I was pursuing M.Sc. in Microbiology in Bangalore.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN">It’s been some years now since I last read that book, but I feel that the thought process that came over me while reading the book and the subsequent teachings that came my way through hard-work and experience helped me in becoming what I am right now, and I hope that my experience helps you in working on your passion and in following your dreams, whatever they may be.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN">I will not disclose here the name or author of the book because of two primary reasons. One, that I have honestly forgotten the name of the book and secondly, I think I should not be specifying the importance of one book (because I am biased towards it) over many other good books that you readers like to read or will read in the near future, books that might shape you and help you become what you are capable of, that is, doing many great deeds.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN">While reading a topic from that book on ecology and environmental impact of projects that we humans constantly undertake, I realized that whatever we do directly or indirect-ly affects the environment in many ways. As I am from the north-eastern part of India, I have seen nature up close and in its true “painted” form. I have wonderful childhood memories of-lying under a tree, looking at the clear blue sky and the fluffy clouds passing by; Siberian cranes near my school field, parrots flying, butterflies of vivid patterns buzzing around and the beautiful stroke of greenery all around me. I remember mystic mountains and evergreen trees and places where there was no electricity, but still boasted of a beautiful and happy life. Even now as I write about it, a sense of calmness runs through me besides the nostalgia of the days gone by, of a life so close to mother Earth.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN">I was missing those things in Bangalore, which is on the other hand, a busy, cosmopolitan city, the perfect example of globalization and India’s supremacy in Information Technology.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN">Let’s get back to the book now. As I was reading it, I realised that the progression of mankind started after the creation of fire. The early cavemen sealed the very fate of humanity by learning the ability to control it and use it wilfully. Fire is nothing but a form of energy. During that age, fire made nomadic cavemen live together and protected them from wild animals. It taught them as to how they could overcome their fears (due to darkness). They could cook their food for the first time, enabling better digestion and healthier food (as the heat destroyed several microorganisms). Later, thermal energy (obtained by burning coal) was the chief sustainer of the industrial revolution. In short, Energy has been the making or breaking point of human civilisations, after water and food. Inside the human body, energy plays a vital role in our day to day activities. Energy also creates balance in the environment, as is evident from the study of food chains and food webs. All energy that is taken from the environment must be given back to it. Consumption should equal replenishment.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN">Today, most of the world’s energy needs are met by coal and oil. These sources of energy are nothing but small packets of carbon-based resources, buried under-ground for millions of years, extracted today by man to fuel his activities. These resources that exist naturally are being burnt to produce carbon molecules in the air instead. So, a form of energy given to us by nature is being instead replenished with a nature-killer, nicknamed carbon dioxide. Consequence: climatic change.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN">Climatic change is a natural process; it has been taking place since even before man walked the Earth and will continue even after we become extinct from this planet. But what we humans are presently doing is speeding up the process by burning fossil fuels (like coal and oil) and damaging the natural ecosystem. By polluting the environment we tend to believe that as a civilisation we have modernised and advanced, but the fact remains that every civilisation that exploited its naturally occurring re-sources in the name of development has perished. So if we also do not consider environment-friendly sources of energy to be the stepping stones for our advancement and development, we too might perish, not only as a civilisation, but as a living being.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-IN">There is nothing civil about a civilisation that runs by polluting its environment.</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="EN-IN">This article that I wrote, was published in the June 2011 edition of Expressions, a monthly eZine published by iCare India.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-IN">Link: </span><a href="http://expressions.icareindia.co.in/"><span lang="EN-IN">http://expressions.icareindia.co.in/</span></a></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039803634433358236noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-60342139680088027832011-07-08T14:01:00.001+05:302011-07-08T14:01:05.539+05:30Morality vs GreedIt is easy to miss the point when watching a tv debate on a news channel. More often than not, it is a few old hags settling personal scores on national television. Something similar happened this week. I was watching Barkha Dutt hold Dayanidhi Maran to a media trial on her show in the name of analyzing news. <br />
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While the panel was deliberating if Maran should resign from the ministerial post in light of the 2G scam allegations (or otherwise), a curious point came out, which none seem to have found worth discussing. Should a public figure not remit office when faced with charges of misconduct of any nature? Is holding a post more important, almost the sole aim, of public life?<br />
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Two sitting cabinet ministers accused in the 2G scam, and both refrain to resign till push came to shove in an exemplary display of how our politicians cling to power come what may. There are two facets to this dilemma. <br />
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The Indian law sees every accused as innocent until proven guilty. So until a verdict is delivered, an accused is free under the law to continue with life, in every manner that does not affect the case’s outcome. Fair and just, as always. However, where does this leave moral propriety and ethics?<br />
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Imagine a bank cashier being accused of swindling depositor’s money. Do we let him continue his job at the teller counter till the case drags on in a court? Do we retain faith in the cashier’s neutrality and honesty while an allegation of theft is being thrown at him? Is the cashier not suspended only to be reinstated pending investigation and clearing his name?<br />
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So then how different is a politician? Ideally, the Prime Minister should suspend his minister, only to be brought back into the cabinet post clearing of his name. When this doesn’t happen, as is always the case with the current disposition at New Delhi, isn’t it the moral duty of the minister in question to resign? <br />
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What happens instead is, that a Prime Minister sits in silence, as ministers trade counter allegations of sabotaging their political careers, lunging on to their ministerial berths for dear life. We today have a polity comprising of power hungry morally bereft individuals who see nothing beyond the kursi and its strappings. Is an allegation enough to erase a lifetime of public service? Is a ministerial berth the only end for a politician? When did our leaders stop being public servants and start aspiring to be rulers?<br />
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Domnik Strauss Kahn resigned the moment allegations of sexual impropriety were raised against him. The charges dropped, he might not get back his post of IMF chief, but he has retained a moral high ground- the only thing that should ideally hold a public figure in good stead in his life. Can we expect this from an immeasurable amoral political class back home ever?ABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10731333377097058792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-8242134123839851652011-05-18T10:41:00.005+05:302011-05-18T11:11:53.855+05:30Al Qaeda Top Management JigThe world renowned charitable organization is on the look out for its top brass. Hurry! Send in your resumes to osamadead&lovin’it@abbottabad.co.pk<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">Unlimited perks and benefits include:</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">- 7 or more spouses; a lifetime opportunity for legal unlimited sex with multiple partners.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">- Ultimate power as the world is your playground and incredible projects of various dimensions ranging form twin towers to triplets to quadruplets.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">- In addition, you get to know what, when and where the world leaders are conspiring and how to stay one step ahead of the competition.</span><br /></div><br />The Egyptian humanitarian Saif al-Adel reportedly has taken over as an interim operational leader of Al Qaeda until the charitable trust appoints Osama Bin Laden’s permanent successor. The visionary leader has announced that there is a huge potential that remains untapped within the trust and the immediate strategy is to find a suitable candidate to ensure its smooth workflow. T<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_9EZqJaekfESC3gD0FpJLoKUv5qMRQRCo8NA679Ljc69Pw-8GZvxQeGXzIdIWgCKTAEuDwzT6EGuJ6cmkHTMOjT6h8nF2_UUMNfDD2B4jz2e286shIqIOUtWrBUU88dWgdmkj9yIe_Y/s1600/al+qaeda.bmp"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_9EZqJaekfESC3gD0FpJLoKUv5qMRQRCo8NA679Ljc69Pw-8GZvxQeGXzIdIWgCKTAEuDwzT6EGuJ6cmkHTMOjT6h8nF2_UUMNfDD2B4jz2e286shIqIOUtWrBUU88dWgdmkj9yIe_Y/s400/al+qaeda.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607926650693548258" border="0" /></a>he selection process includes a written test, group discussion, a personal & a panel interview along with a rigorous physical endurance test.<br /><br />The written tests include general aptitude test and psychoanalytical tests to analyze your potential and strategies that benefit the organization in the long run. Exclusive reports of the leaked topics of discussion brought to you in collaboration with Julian Assange and ‘A’ Corner include:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">• What next? Pentagon or Hexagon!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">• Who is a more prettier victim – Kate or Pipa Middleton!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">• It rhymes - Obama slayed Osama!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">• Are the Chinese governmental initiatives more user friendly than that of Pakistan?</span><br /></div><br />The physical endurance test will be similar to that of Ironman Triathlon, also includes scaling of Mt. Everest and fun suicide bombing. Those who escape without a scratch will be grilled by a panel of hardcore Guantanamo Bay escapees. The panel interview will be topped up with a personal interview with Saif al-Adel and a posthumous Osama Bin Laden.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">P.S. Wishing you the very best! Go for it; unleash the smiling assassin in you.</span>'A' Cornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652420159990827289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-5060225794446297762011-05-04T12:22:00.000+05:302011-05-04T12:23:27.496+05:30It Happens Only In India!Jahan Stadium mein Leakage,<br />Footbridge mein Breakage,<br />Ho CM ke Chopper Gaayab,<br />It Happens Only In India!'A' Cornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652420159990827289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-35593023432542202011-04-15T10:54:00.000+05:302011-04-15T10:54:29.049+05:30Yatra Naryastu Pujyante, Ramante Tatra Devata,,,Being a woman was never easy. The perils just get quadrupled if you are in Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai,for that matter, anywhere in India. A truth that most of us Indian's seem to have gotten used to of late.<br />
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Last few weeks have seen back to back cases of young girls being raped, mauled, shoved off a running train or left locked in a house without food or water for months together. As a nosy media brings these images to us in a 24/7 tamaasha, the news seems to have numbed us out of our ability to empathize, react or protest. <br />
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Crime against women is not a recent phenomenon. This sorry state of our female populace is an age old bane of our society. There are laws against such crimes. There also is woefully less usage of these laws. However, apart from ineffective archaic laws, there is another very appalling and sinister conspiracy that nurtures these crimes. The Conspiracy of Silence.<br />
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A female college student gets killed in broad daylight by a jilted lover. A few hundred people watch the murder. And keep quite. <br />
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A sportswomen is thrown off a jam packed general compartment of a train by a mob. She loses her leg and with it a career and a future. The people in the train keep mum and move on. <br />
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Not so many years ago, a bartender is shot in the head for refusing a drink. The hundreds partying out there at the bar refuse to speak out. <br />
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Silence, it would seem, is a an art we have perfected effortlessly.<br />
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Contrast this with a rape attempt at a Denver airport in the U.S. two days ago. The people at the airport raise an alarm, outdo the rapist, call the police and the medics and save a girl's life and dignity. <br />
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What is it that makes us Indians morph into silent spectators in the face of injustice and crime? Are we a citizenry bereft of any human emotion and conscience?<br />
Where is the famed "melodrama" and "bhaichaara" that we as a nation pride on? Why this Silence? Why is it so difficult for us to speak out and act against crime?<br />
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It is not enough to have a police escort on all our trains. It is not enough to have a male protector with every female Indian all through the day. No stringent law will be able to stem this moral rot unless there is a shift in the mentality that fuels this behavior. <br />
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Our silence condones crime. Our apathy is their power source. Our indifference is the curtain these criminals hide behind, each time they ruin a woman's life. <br />
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Where women are worshiped, reside the gods,said our wise men. By that measure, India today is bereft of any godliness, a swamp or evil and its minions.ABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10731333377097058792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-24490254536143348682011-04-11T14:03:00.001+05:302011-04-11T14:04:50.725+05:30Jantar Mantar Our Tahir Square?!Last week India saw something unprecedented in more ways than one . A 72 year old man rode a TV-induced media frenzy to shake an already beleaguered government into a pretence of an action. A hunger strike, straight out of Gandhi's book, a set of demands as revolutionary as Bhagat Singh's and the power of social media, together they added a new twist to the India story. Is this a harbinger of fortune or an aberration? Or worse still, is this a continuation of the same old ennui in a more sinister guise?<br />
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It indeed is a change. A perceptible change from the usual apathy general public shows to what the government does. For the first time, there was palpable support and anger amongst the majority, especially the youth. It was not a handful of NGOs and few good old men doing the slogan shouting this time. They were there no doubt, but with them were a lot of others from the sections of society that were believed to have given up on the nation and its system.<br />
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Yet, Jan Lokpal Bill movement was not India's Tahir square. To hell with what the media is telling us.<br />
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For starters, people in Egypt went beyond the show of support on facebook and twitter. They stopped their routine to squat till the government budged. We,well most of us, on the contrary, were quite smug and proud of "supporting" Anna with a share here and a like there. Egypt came to a grinding halt as the people demanded a change in the way their nation was run. Agreed, we aren't under a dictatorship, but the corruption we are facing today is no less a danger. Will India stop going around its business till the government cleans up its act?Did the past few weeks rid us of the general apathy we seem to have for the state of the nation? Definitely not. Is the fast and a promise of a bill/law against corruption enough to stem this cancer?<br />
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Egypt rose tall, not behind an individual, but as a single entity. It was the entire citizenry that was fed up and chose to do something about it. Back home, on the other hand, we seem quite content with rallying behind a leader. At times, to the point of getting happy that one crusader is cleaning up the dirt for us while we get back to movies cricket IPL and other such "national" exigencies. Someone else is on a fast for us, just like our moms used to be when we were kids, so say a thank you on Fb post and move on!<br />
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On the other side of the spectrum are fringe drifters forever in search of a hook that would get them into the political space. Anna is their messiah, usurping his intention is their mission. Idolize him, he is the answer to all our ills. Appreciating Anna and his guts is one thing, putting him on a pedestal and making him one more in the long list of "celebs" we adore is another! A week into the protest and it already is a trivialized piece of page3 filler, on the highroad to ebcoming a politically motivated stunt.<br />
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Most importantly though, at Tahir square, people were hungry for democracy. While we here were rallying behind a proposed vigilante bill that subsumes and undermines the principles of democracy. We are seeking to replace a demon with another, least bothered about what consequences it can have on us as a citizenry.<br />
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Jantar Mantar, Anna Hazare and Jan Lokpal Bill, all have been a mere exaggerated tokenism. Not much has come out of any "notifications" by the government earlier. What would come out of this one now? My guess is as good as yours! Will this stop corruption? No. Not even in the slightest. <br />
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What this hunger strike has shown us, even if for a brief time, is that we still have the power to demand what is justly ours without bloodshed. I am an eternal optimist when it comes to India and her story. Hopefully, this new twist would lead us to a better tomorrow.ABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10731333377097058792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-6090749417656687672011-03-08T18:59:00.000+05:302011-03-08T18:59:25.933+05:30Happy Birthday!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6FsqAdY_W7KZvTUJP2tcmYjlzftYkLEQ9uAVFd8br3VPR13Nbw_iLtemd74ewQv76hCR44QtuYTkJJJxBJBv0tj8tPGH_ghFNYf6uHo71OY_bwdMtHbZlKhJfRlOM638_KZfsRw0Fr0/s1600/80+Feet+2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6FsqAdY_W7KZvTUJP2tcmYjlzftYkLEQ9uAVFd8br3VPR13Nbw_iLtemd74ewQv76hCR44QtuYTkJJJxBJBv0tj8tPGH_ghFNYf6uHo71OY_bwdMtHbZlKhJfRlOM638_KZfsRw0Fr0/s1600/80+Feet+2.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many thanks to Kiran for creating this image</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Someone said "Life is one big road with lot of signs". 80 Feet Road was born out of a very great necessity: Freedom. 80 Feet Road was our road for freedom. Many have joined us on this road expressing their thoughts and views.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Yesterday, on March 7, 80 Feet Road turned 3. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Here's wishing our blog a very Happy Birthday and hoping that it continues to serve as a platform to express one's thoughts and views with freedom.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div>RockStahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09647266304022684368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-77602927166507011572011-03-01T13:50:00.002+05:302011-03-01T13:54:06.037+05:30It's all in the 'Family'..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTYEU2S_NTNaOB21sVyUh1s7Gbi263Atv9rxfW1ap6CEuz5I_4Cetcb4WS8Wf0CZAjam95VklUePv_iCJQp4M2SqjHflO7ak8UOYovxlOTBLhZlspGydBysyi635-rPpAX9J5X5idtIA/s1600/K+Roach.bmp"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTYEU2S_NTNaOB21sVyUh1s7Gbi263Atv9rxfW1ap6CEuz5I_4Cetcb4WS8Wf0CZAjam95VklUePv_iCJQp4M2SqjHflO7ak8UOYovxlOTBLhZlspGydBysyi635-rPpAX9J5X5idtIA/s400/K+Roach.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579024202058296210" border="0" /></a>'A' Cornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652420159990827289noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-30077613869026162852011-02-15T15:38:00.001+05:302011-02-15T15:38:03.680+05:30Raw versus Processed!One day I was thinking about people with whom I can be just myself, no matter what I think, what I feel, what I love to do and what I dislike...these people accept me as I am and love me so much for being just ME.<br />
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While I was thinking about such people in my life, I felt there are two kinds of thoughts raw and processed. Raw thoughts are those which are escaped from the processing in our brain...it is what we feel, it is spontaneous and when you have people in your life with whom you can share such thoughts without any fear, without any shame, without weighing those thoughts, without being worried of consequences...it is a real blessing!<br />
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And, next there are processed thoughts - think before you speak type - which are weighed much in our brain, before expressed, thinking if it is right or wrong to express this, and if yes, in what way it should be expressed, what words should be used...how can I communicate it right, all these things.<br />
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I do not mean that we can be rude with those with whom we share raw thoughts/emotions...it is just that we are spontaneous with them, sharing trust with each other that neither of us have any intention to hurt, and we share with honesty...what ever we feel...naturally...and this can happen only with a complete acceptance of a person. Moreover, in case of people with whom you share raw emotions or thoughts and just be yourself, there will be love at first place, which is more important than anything!<br />
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Be yourself, no matter what you are...if you go on losing your individuality, then you will have to replace yourself with someone else created by others for you! Never let that disaster happen to you at any point of time in your life!Shilpa Nangalihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098056057135389651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-1888199555900385152011-01-07T13:35:00.001+05:302011-01-07T13:36:00.076+05:30Be careful before you split your tablets!<div class="MsoNormal">Here is a small note for those who take tablets splitting them. Even I used to do it often being lazy to search for tablets of dosage that I wanted. However, now I have changed this habit of mine, since there are a range of options available for those tablets.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many researchers warn that splitting tablets into two or more parts is potentially dangerous (since tablet parts are often unequal in size) and could lead to people taking the wrong dose. Specifically, with regard to pills that have a narrow margin between a therapeutic and a toxic dose, it is more dangerous. A study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing has revealed that 31 percent of split tablets deviated from the recommended dose by at least 15 percent and sometimes by more than 25 percent. The study suggested that the pharmaceutical firms should produce a range of options, including smaller or bigger dose tablets.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If suppose the dosage prescribed for you is not available in the market, then I feel it is better to talk to your doctor about it once, and confirm if it is fine to split tablets to take recommended dose. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Take care, and be healthy!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Source: <a href="http://www.sify.com/news/splitting-pills-in-half-is-dangerous-news-health-lbhj4fecfed.html">Sify.com</a></div>Shilpa Nangalihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16098056057135389651noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-73843263179124193412011-01-04T12:34:00.000+05:302011-01-04T12:34:28.308+05:30the bus ride....Commuting is not exactly my forte. never has been. especially not a commute by public transport daily for an hour and a half two ways. And espcecially not for work ;)<br />
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But then this shift from 80 ft rd to the new office has added an entirely new dimension, an entirely new factor to life. Commute is the new buzz word. Bus is the new mantra. Travel is the latest in thing. <br />
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Aversion to change is not something ingrained in me. By all standards, I am fairly adaptable and mutable to change, well , not like an e.coli, yet not as stubborn as the dinosaur. Plus, i had somehow romanticized the idea of traveling in the bus. <br />
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the bright red bus, with AC spewing cool air on to me, whilst i sit back on the semi rigid plastic chairs looking thru the glass, onto the city go by its daily chores. AAh the optimism of an uninitiated mind!<br />
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A week into the dream, and its not just soured, but turned into a terrible nightmare. <br />
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Buses aren't all red ;) all don't have Ac. The ones that have, don't always use them. There definitely has been not a single day when i "sat" as much as for a second, leave alone the whole ride. And the city is pretty much inside the bus. Nothing else can explain the crowd inside every single bus. Add to that frustratingly somber and sullen looking, foul mouthed conductors, early morning ready to wipe off any little optimism one wud have for the day ahead. <br />
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Like the Tormentors and the Death Eaters from Azkabaan, the bus ride sucks out life form me, evey day as i start another gruelling rush to work and back home. <br />
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Still I do look forward to the ride, die hard romantic that I am. <br />
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The bus ride still is a window to immense possibilities. People have fallen in love in a bus, people have found new friends in a bus, people have struck deals in a bus, people have broken up shaky ties in a bus. <br />
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I aim to do more too, I plan to regain my dream of a bus ride from the clutches of a ruthless inorganic mass of crowd commuting with me daily. I am determined to not bow down to the rigors of a machanical lifestyle, I intend to stop and pause, ponder and wonder, find my way and sometimes wander, as i ride the bus to work each day.ABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10731333377097058792noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-90281903878334813992011-01-01T14:18:00.000+05:302011-01-01T14:18:38.018+05:30Happy New Year<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0GCZ84cyqZo/TR7pTOEXAJI/AAAAAAAAAl4/oMqd-SggkPQ/s1600/Memories.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0GCZ84cyqZo/TR7pTOEXAJI/AAAAAAAAAl4/oMqd-SggkPQ/s320/Memories.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here’s a collage (a very big thanks to Kiran) of some of the cherished and happy moments at our old office on 80 feet road.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It’s been nearly 3 years since we, 4 crazy media analysts, came up with this blog “80 Feet Road”; blogging right next to the actual 80 feet road. Now this blog has tons of contributors’ blogging on a wide array of topics. This blog has remained and will be a symbol for freedom of speech. People say that we have a right to “freedom of speech”; after all, it is enshrined in our constitution as one of the fundamental rights. However, one will truly understand the difficulties that need to be overcome only when he/she decides to exercise that ‘right’. Some of us found out that the hard way, encountering corporate red tape and the necessity to remain completely neutral, when blogging on a company blog. Necessity is the mother of invention and “80 Feet Road” was born. It was like setting a caged bird free. We could blog with complete freedom. We were our own ‘Masters’. It was this freedom to blog that attracted our people to write on our blog.<br />
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Over the years, we learnt a lot about blogging. Though it looks very simple, it is not. We decided to opt for custom templates for the blogger platform and therein started our learning process. Editing the CSS templates to our needs; learning about the various java script widgets that could be used in our templates and tweaking them according to our preferences; creating a header image in Photoshop; creating custom signatures; learning about and experimenting with various hosting options for our scripts and image files; and finally, the big daddy of them all - Search Engine Optimization.<br />
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A very big shout out here for Kiran K. who, with all the workload that a full time graphics designer has to deal with, has steadfastly endured our various requests for tweaking the templates, creating header images for us, edit some of the images that we have put up in our posts and so on… Thank You.<br />
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Guru Bhai, the heart and soul of this blog, is responsible for most of the editing with regard to the widgets and templates that we have used over the years. Without his expertise, we wouldn’t have come this far. Thank You.<br />
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Guna Bhai was always ready with inputs and without his unwavering support and motivation; this venture would not have started in the first place. He has championed various causes, right from social to green causes on our blog and we are the ever more richer, both in terms of knowledge and soul. Thank You.<br />
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Arunava Das, whom I fondly address as Dassappa, has been an engine that drove our little group of activists – GreenHorns. His posts on Bhutan have brought the exotic flavor to our blog. His posts are always a delightful read. Thank You and please post more frequently!<br />
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Shilpa, “The Quintessential Phoenix” has been blogging like a phoenix. One thing was certain, when she blogged – it rained blog posts. :) Her range of topics brings out the entire gamut of feelings in the person reading them. Blogging from the heart, we are honored to have her write on our blog. Thank You.<br />
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‘A’ Corner, a.k.a. “the management swamiji” has had us in splits with his tongue in cheek satire and has been a welcome relief in our gang of bloggers, bringing in the rare touch of humor to our blog. A very big THANK YOU and please post more frequently!<br />
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Rakesh S. a.k.a “the spiritual swamiji” has been kind enough to share his thoughts and views, which inevitably led to debates and discussions. Miss the debates Swamiji and a huge Thank You.<br />
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And lastly, a very BIG “Thank You” to all our 80 Feet Road bloggers, without them this blog would not have been – what it is now. And special mention to Verghese Sir and Pravda, for being the beacon light that will always guide us, Thank You.<br />
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Our office has shifted to Hosur road. We are now no longer beside the 80 feet road, from which the blog has acquired its name. But this blog will go on. As long as the World Wide Web exists, so will our 80 Feet Road blog. That is a promise.<br />
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Enjoy! and here’s whishing you all a Happy New Year.RockStahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09647266304022684368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-27921818396750455662010-11-25T21:45:00.000+05:302010-11-25T21:45:15.699+05:30Holiday Blues!!!Finally, four days of bliss. Months of hectic media monitoring had left me craving for some personal time, time to introspect, time to indulge myself… you get the point.<br />
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First off, I would like to congratulate my friend Kiran K on getting married. Kiran has been with 80 Feet Road since its birth, helping us with the template coding and designing header images. On behalf of the 80 Feet Road bloggers, I wish you a happy and a prosperous married life.<br />
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Oprah giving away cars to the audience had grabbed a lot of eyeballs everywhere, making it one of the hot topics to discuss at the water-cooler gatherings. Pamela Anderson’s entry into Big Boss was the most popular.<br />
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Thanks to a very learned friend of mine, whose scholarly knowledge in almost all disciplines leaves us spellbound; I’ve been and continue to be treated to classic movies of different genres. As a result, I have now a huge collection of movies lined up to be seen this long weekend. Thank you KB!<br />
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Moving on to my favorite topic – Corruption. Not any more! Looks like it has become the favorite topic of an entire nation, instead. At least, that’s how the newspapers and the news channels making it look like. Reams of print and airtime are being allotted to the spectrum scam while closer home, it’s the CM’s largesse in allotting land to his family members hogging the headlines.<br />
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Now, I am not against the newspapers and the news channels making a big hue and cry, after all the government should be held accountable for its wrongdoings, right? But the point here is what does it accomplish? Committees will be set up to investigate these allegations and after a decade or so they come up with their findings, by which time, the perpetrators would have moved away from the limelight (or better - dead), nobody would be interested. Someone else would have taken their place; someone who having learnt from their predecessors mistakes would be more careful to not to get caught.<br />
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What does all of this accomplish? Does it kill corruption? Will it go away?<br />
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NO!!!<br />
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Let us be smart and go after the small fish. I mean the small ones. Kill the small ones and the big ones will cease to exist. Makes sense right?<br />
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Charity begins at home. But unfortunately, it has lost out big time to Corruption. Yes, these days we are most likely to indulge in corruption rather than charity. The delivery man, who brings in the gas cylinder when the one at the home runs out, demands 20 to 40 rupees extra on the bill. It is extortion. Refuse at your own peril. The next time your cylinder runs out, you will have to run from pillar to post to get the replacement on time. The garbage man demands anything between 10-20 rupees at the end of every week. If you refuse, then don’t be surprised to see your garbage lying un-collected at your doorstep. So, you learn the hard way. When the electricity conks off in your area, better be prepared to pay the repairmen something when they are done or learn to do it the hard way. The same goes for the sewage repair, water leakage, and the list goes on.<br />
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Do you think anyone would be interested in charity after being forced to pay thorough the nose. I am not talking about taxes here!<br />
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Let us begin at our homes. Let the media highlight our problems. Let the authorities take action against these perps. Once these problems are taken care of, lets move on to something that’s a little bigger. Let us take baby steps in fighting corruption. However, we need to dig in because it will be a long, hard and a dirty fight. These greedy bastards are not going to change (give in) that easily.<br />
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Enjoy the long weekend. Happy Thanksgiving!RockStahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09647266304022684368noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-35910753168926162972010-10-27T15:40:00.002+05:302010-10-27T15:43:18.615+05:30U.S. Tourism Dept.'s bainchild to tap into the Dalit market of South Dakota !<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ulyD449C1FXxdA6jtPjDGPBqXHhwb6PiB8WOjzGlo8Y2RHckd0402vP0LQiT9vlmPBTKbuw0YMqPdjBIAEqTFMv1iEGvCMNshBB5Qsy1OX_aGZDXZKmj_tKGRNH1RTVd7U1-ze6s9gI/s1600/Maya+Dreams.bmp"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ulyD449C1FXxdA6jtPjDGPBqXHhwb6PiB8WOjzGlo8Y2RHckd0402vP0LQiT9vlmPBTKbuw0YMqPdjBIAEqTFMv1iEGvCMNshBB5Qsy1OX_aGZDXZKmj_tKGRNH1RTVd7U1-ze6s9gI/s400/Maya+Dreams.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532666730810737842" border="0" /></a>'A' Cornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05652420159990827289noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413188010345789411.post-30367930425875904252010-10-24T21:34:00.002+05:302010-10-24T21:34:28.393+05:30Through The Looking GlassScourging through news items is what we media analysts do for a living. And in the process of looking through scores of links online, a seasoned news hound would definitely smell out news of his/her interest, simultaneously making a fairly accurate measure of the region/nation's media preferences.<br />
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Being one such mortal addicted to news and information in all shapes sizes and bytes, I am guilty as charged to the above crime. My ingression doesn't end with this though, for a daily exposure to publishing giants from the three worlds we are divided into, forces my yet un-dumbed-down mind to draw parallels,and worry over the consequences. <br />
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A cursory look at the media in the U.S. and India, would lead one to conclude that either could switch nationalities and the world still be the beautiful chaotic mess it is today. But look not too far under the gloss glam and front page gimmickry,and one would find the difference. The difference of assuredness at being a superpower, and the contrasting ignorance bordering on arrogance that our Indian media specializes in. <br />
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Why, i always wondered, that a nation like Ghana, be bothered with body scanners in New Jersey, or why Nepal's national daily splash Obama's Af-Pak policy on its front pages, with a thorough analysis inside. Of what interest would tumult in Latin American states be, for PlusNews of an already ailing Pakistan? And, more importantly, why Indian dailies have increasingly relegated international coverage to a single page flooded by classifieds adds, unless of course its our troublesome neighbours or their dragon friend? Africa, Middle East, Latin America, East Asia, the ASEAN,SAARC, regions that have traditionally been and will always be of India's strategic interest, scarcely find a mention in our public discourse. Compare this to how Britain and Washington hog the limelight, and it is clear something is wrong with our media's worldview. <br />
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Day in and day out, we are fed a concocted mixture of planted news, views and "analysis" with the preordained conclusion of us having "arrived" globally. In this maddening avalanche of self-glorification, we have lost a sense of purpose, a sense of direction as a society. In a never ending drumming of jingoistic cacophony, the media seems to have forgotten that a superpower can only stand tall on the support of an informed citizenry. In this blinding haze of proclaiming our importance, we seem to have falsified the truth that to grow in stature, we need a constant dialogue with the rest of the world. <br />
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We need a media that can bring the world to our door steps daily, that can break up world issues shedding light on how these would affect us, for we can not dream of a greater role in the legion of nations, unless we know how their world revolves. <br />
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News has always meant to be a looking glass for us to peep into the world. What we chose to look at reflects upon our standing as a people. It defines our intent, and our worldview. If being on the top is what we intend to do, shrinking our worldview is definitely not gonna help our intent!ABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10731333377097058792noreply@blogger.com4