Monday, January 02, 2012

Shirdi visit.... High/ Lowlights

The family undertook the Shirdi trip last week. We missed the trip in 2010 as the train from Agra to Kopargaon was delayed by more than 24 hrs. In the scorching May Summer/ Holiday season we had no option but to return home from Delhi. So this visit was after 2 years and a lot has changed (For worse in my view!!).


Facts:-
1) Be prepared for 31/2 to 4 Hrs to stand in queue. I am told it takes as much as 6 Hrs on festive season. Ours took 3 1/2 hrs with a 45 min stoppage time for evening Aarti when nothing moved!!.... (4 to 730pm)
2) Keep edible items, snacks, biscuits, juice etc to survive this agonizing wait(Baba himself says god can't be thought in empty stomach). Nothing is available once you stand in line except for water bottles. I am told in the morning time for some duration some food items are available with a crowd of 75,000 this would vanish in a blink of an eye.
3) If you are with child /infant ( I am shocked that Parents even attempt this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)please keep enough milk, baby food items to last 4 hrs, It was pathetic to see kids screaming in hunger, parents and relatives were in such a situation that they couldn't do much.
4) Once you decide to stand in queue, it is practically impossible to retreat should you change your mind,there are no contact person etc to rescue in an emergency situation etc. Pathetic. The queue length accommodating  25,000 people can be imagined (Single file).  At no time you can contact any organisation interface to help you.
5) Mobile etc are confiscated if you take it in. So please leave it at Hotel room or lockers. It was pathetic sight to see folks taking picture and getting rapped on the knuckles.
6) Women can carry small handbags.
7) Passes/ VIP darshan too have become meaningless, even those lines are in 100s. I remember in my 2009 visit, the Rixa driver chiding me for VIP attempt, his logic is," the more you stand in Queue the more you think of god". Sound logic. This trip we seriously didn't attempt any!?.
8) Dwarkamai also there is restricted access to the sanctum Sanctorum, with every trip, I find the chance to have physical access to places where Baba lived and breathed is restricted to devotees. Be prepared for 1 Hr queue at Dwarkamai. Last time the pleasure of touching Baba's samadhi was taken away. So every year the man- divine contact is restricted.!!!
9) Security guards can be arrogant, nonsensical, and lack common sense (Of course the last trait is expected of them, else they will be our boss!!!) I saw case where a 100% Blind man was  denied entry in to main temple. So much for empathy, what can you expect from a govt controlled setup?? SHAME??
10) On the food side, try eating OLD SHARE PUNJAB restaurant located in the lane (100feet) opposite GATE 2.  
11) Travel to PUNE Airport by Road, takes 5 hrs on a normal traffic condition, anything less is impossible.The Pune Shirdi traffic is a SHAME story for how not to plan Highway layout. Authorities there, should visit, TamilNadu to see how every small town is by passed on highway!!..




12) If you are in Pune on transit for say 3 /4 hrs with no business, try Hotel Ibis near airport to meet/ spend time to relax. Good place. Food decent budget pricing!.




So In short, as I keep telling my FOREIGN friends, we do well in India, IN SPITE of our Government. It was pathetic to see the same extended to even worship god. We go there in spite all hardship!!... YES, the IDIOTIC brain will still want to visit SHIRDI in next 6 months and we will be going despite all the hardships, arrogant attitude of administration!! Such is life of an Indian, the common sense will never PREVAIL. !!!  I have told my wife in future to focus more to visit our temple in family ancestral town where even 1000 people wont visit in a year and there is a beautiful village surrounding/ river Thamirabharani to enjoy watching in full flow.


Let's see!! Will keep you updated if the next visit is done!!.... 


PS: Despite all this wife and children longed for one more darshan at Main temple (Samadhi Mandir) and I refused to join them saying it is madness!! They went ahead without me at next day morning 830am. Imagine my shock!! (I was at Prayer hall reading SAI CHATCHARITHA) that they finished darshan in 35 Min flat!!!! Hmmm Strange again are god's ways!!......

32 Years.....

On 30/12/11,Friday,Lalitha and I,traveled to my home town Karaikudi.This was for the school reunion (I passed out +2 in 1980). It was an exciting time, 6 hrs just flew. 30 classmates turned up. The introduction was exciting, some uncomfortable questions on (Mis)Deeds. I did the "Eulogy" of Departed Classmates and Teachers. 
Memento given on the occasion.
SUMMARY from Hindu Newspaper on our meet:-
The first batch of students (1978-80) of Alagappa Model Higher Secondary School, Karaikudi, met at the Alagappa University in Karaikudi on Friday after a gap of 32 years.
As many as 30 students out of 53 studied during that period were present with their parents, teachers and wards. Most of the teachers, who took classes during 1978-80, had come from different parts of the country.
The old students, along with their family members, received the teachers and presented mementoes to them.
The students donated furniture worth Rs.1.40 lakh and laboratory equipment worth Rs. 30,000 to their alma mater.
They were handed over to Headmaster S. Jeyaprakashan by Vice Chancellor S. Sudalaimuthu, the chief guest of the function.
K. Manimekalai, Registrar; Muthu Palaniappan, president, Chamber of Commerce; S. Kannappan of Lions Club; Muthu Kumar, secretary of Rotary Heritage Club, William Durairaj, former Headmaster; S. Kathirvel, former teacher; Arunachalam, Assistant Headmaster; V. Sundararaman, Kumar Muthiah and Krishnakumar spoke.
School teachers (Sitting) and Us.


Wednesday, November 09, 2011

PICTURE WORTH 1000 WORDS

LONG LIVE INDIA... SAD STATE Wonder anywhere else in the world is this TRUE????

Monday, October 10, 2011

Thursday, October 06, 2011

Condolences


Steve Jobs was a visionary who changed the World through Technology. Will be missed for ever. Rest in Peace.

I can sense how the world felt when JFK passed away, the feeling is same after 48 Years.
 
As a Apple IPAD/IPHONE/ IPOD user over the past 5 years I have personally changed as a PERSON. The IPOD helps & motivates me to walk 150 Minutes a day (Rain or shine) listening to audio books/ podcasts. When Son Scored a perfect GPA of 10.0 in his school exam and when i gifted him the IPHONE the glee/ satisfaction in his face is still fresh though happened 16 Months back. This week will be the First Anniversary of my IPAD which has given me access to read 100s of ebooks / Apps which is unimaginable. (My book collection exceeds around 200, Yes wife shouts for all the easy $ gone on credit card Itunes...).

When I saw Steve's Stanford video,  it helped me to let go anger, revenge, condescending attitude for people whom I dislike as well as being less judgemental of people (For worse!!). Also it dawned on me to thank god for helping me to wake up every day.


My Condolence email below sent to Apple.

rememberingsteve@apple.com"
cc
dateThu, Oct 6, 2011 at 7:35 AM
subjectCondolences
mailed-bygmail.com
hide details 7:35 AM (5 hours ago)

Steve will be remembered for his vision to make people life better thro technological innovation.

Also, his thoughts on living every day as last day of life gives perspective to put vengeance,hatred, procrastination away.. That is big take for me.

Apple will always be guided by his spirit.

His physical presence will be missed by all more so by his family. May god give courage to them to bear this loss.

Regards
Karthik

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Ireland Visit

It was one of the rare trips where I have returned home feeling humbled, 17 years of travel such trips are far and few.....
Ireland was a magic touch.. People warm and friendly... Land blessed Green... Milk flows for free.... and I understand the self condescending nature JF Kennedy had came from. Jokes like why Mafia cant make it to Ireland because they would be out of their depth is common,or when a grumpy German would laugh, When some body says the Irish work harder then Germans..... Such conversations are rare!!!.....

Yes I had tweeted, there is lot of anger on economic aspects blaming Corporates (more so to the west) as those who sold their Soul to the DEVIL. (Some take away for me!!!!).

Yes, the economic depression has left it's mark.... Credit card acceptance big challenge... AMEX Impossible....

Great trip.. Some of snaps attached.

Yes, the USA leg helped me to catch up with a good friend, If god does miracles on people.. his case is one..... Glad I could meet him...
Take it easy and take care.... Live Consciously.
Karthik.
30000 Euro Grizzly Bear

Dunmore Port Promised the Irish Lady at Heathrow Hotel who did my beard trim for free I would visit.

Gaelic Name for Waterford.


Magher who fought British in 3 continents from Waterford, Gandhi did in 2.

Reginald Tower and Magher statue in front of Tower Hotel

People couldnt beleive that somebody wont drink beer in Waterford.... Got to explain !!!!





Will we ever get such Signs for parking in INDIA??????

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Streets of Malleswaram, Govt. Interactions......

Hot Hot vegetable slices dipped in chickpea batter and fried. (Pakora, Bajji)

3 person team working on the process.

Street book shop on footpath at Mallleswaram (Second hand books).

GANGAMMA TEMPLE.
Saturday evening for me and my wife is the time to go around temple and do a bit of shopping in Malleswaram (5 to 730) Usually Saturday dinner is buy out/ take away from Hotels. So this week was no exception. We visit the Saibaba temple on Sampigae road and Mallikarjuna swamy temple and Gangamma Temple and then do the shopping before packing dinner.

While I avoid road side stall food/ eatables at any cost (Not a  good experience 25 years back in College hostel days at Coimbatore), the Pakora shop near Saibaba temple ( next to shantisagar hotel) is rarest odd exception I have made myself. They make hot, crisp stuff and hygiene is pretty decent.

The streets of Malleswaram are madly crowded for a Saturday evening, the bookshops(Photo above), the vegetable/ fruit vendor, etc... you name it, u will have a vendor for it........

Switching topic, I had done my Passport renewal as well as the UID (The 35Bn$ ambitious project by the GOVT of India, I am one of the skeptics for this project). The passport process took 7 Hrs due to various screening and finding every reason to push me out. The impression I got from my experience, the whole system is designed to work against common man; you need to be street smart to work a way out and calls for lot of argument. I just pity the common man who undergo this torture..... The UID process for the family was arranged by the bank where we have our account, the process took 25 min for the four of us. The waiting time was 2 hrs, the process is slow, there is time lag in web cam etc, the process involves finger printing, IRIS scan etc. It is a challenging task considering the size of people to be covered (1100 Million people)...

I came across DAN PINK's office hour Podcast (once a month dial in) caught up with 3 past podcast. Value for time spent. Also stumbled up on the ENDING THE GRIND Podcast on getting out of daily life routine to think a bit different.

Until next week, take it easy and take care and Live Consciously.
Karthik.