There are basically three sets of people who are willing to go on a fast.
First those who are determined to go on a fast as they are fast and furious to shed weight and look tight and slim. The second set is of those who are determined to go on a fast but haven't made up their mind on the issue on which they should go on a fast. And the third lot comprises of those who are willing to go on a fast given a clear cut deadline could be given to them as for how many hours they would be required to skip meals and sleep to be elaborately followed by meals and weep.
Away from these fast and furious are an entire tribe who would never go on a fast and if possible demolish the platform of those who ever make an attempt to go any fast.And it is this tribe that is developing by the day and yet invisible that the authorities are on the look out for and hope to set their sights on. This tribe's strong distaste to fast is simple: "It is my tummy and my body. Why should i skip meals and sleep which i am duty bound to have and the right that is constitutionally endowed on me."
As per this tribe's wish list, we can't have this number of floating and fixed population go on a fast and yet see them maintain a semblance of order.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Wait for the bus
The wait for the bus for has been excruciatingly painful and this reminds me of the necessity to essay the essence of the crowd that collected there. Well, half made up of peaceful souls destined to travel to their peaceful destinations and the rest comprising those who had collected there to have more than a glimpse. They spoke, observed and failed to vanish till the very last hour. The tab they were supposed to maintain actually led them to maintain an existence of over two hours which they could have easily used in improving their vocabulary and if not that then at least in increasing their acquaintances.
The bus never came for Catherene and despite maintaining a two-hour vigil it failed to keep its promise. Well, more than half had disappeared in the intervening period and i had lost the intensity to verify whether any of the incoming bus was headed towards the direction i intended to travel. Well, this quagmire of sorts was not the least and sole piece of resistance to my travel plans this day; the other day, exactly 24 hrs to be precise, i failed to secure a seat in the bus. The bus was not brimming to its capacity but the way commuters had positioned themselves no seats could be declared as vacant. Seats are hard to come by observation by me led a middle-aged man blast: "you can't expect to even stand." Perhaps he wanted to go further but stopped at that and was just waiting for a retort.
"You seem to be in a foul mood." Twice delivered, i had probably conveyed the message and the man who seemed to be in his 50s was waiting for the opportune moment. Five minutes later he promptly got into the seat vacated by a lady, knowing fully well that i was standing next to it. Promptness from his part was enough for me to believe that rules are not meant to be obeyed in the heat and dust of a city life. The commute lasted for over an hour and in which i had managed a seat at the fag end after someone had vomited and expressed his desire to dump his travel plans.
The bus ride that day had hit me hard as prior to this i had mango shake, something enough to create discomfort in the tummy. The tummy's nature of demands have led me to have paani puri and sev puri something that has been resented on a few occasions. By grace of the Lord, things have quietened down whenever something not proportionate to my tummy structure has been taken in - and one needs to exercise caution especially on foods that look tempting but are equally stomach-resenting.
The bus never came for Catherene and despite maintaining a two-hour vigil it failed to keep its promise. Well, more than half had disappeared in the intervening period and i had lost the intensity to verify whether any of the incoming bus was headed towards the direction i intended to travel. Well, this quagmire of sorts was not the least and sole piece of resistance to my travel plans this day; the other day, exactly 24 hrs to be precise, i failed to secure a seat in the bus. The bus was not brimming to its capacity but the way commuters had positioned themselves no seats could be declared as vacant. Seats are hard to come by observation by me led a middle-aged man blast: "you can't expect to even stand." Perhaps he wanted to go further but stopped at that and was just waiting for a retort.
"You seem to be in a foul mood." Twice delivered, i had probably conveyed the message and the man who seemed to be in his 50s was waiting for the opportune moment. Five minutes later he promptly got into the seat vacated by a lady, knowing fully well that i was standing next to it. Promptness from his part was enough for me to believe that rules are not meant to be obeyed in the heat and dust of a city life. The commute lasted for over an hour and in which i had managed a seat at the fag end after someone had vomited and expressed his desire to dump his travel plans.
The bus ride that day had hit me hard as prior to this i had mango shake, something enough to create discomfort in the tummy. The tummy's nature of demands have led me to have paani puri and sev puri something that has been resented on a few occasions. By grace of the Lord, things have quietened down whenever something not proportionate to my tummy structure has been taken in - and one needs to exercise caution especially on foods that look tempting but are equally stomach-resenting.
Friday, May 27, 2011
2G to Other G: Irresistibly difficult and the NoG in the making by Puneet Rajhans
2G to Other G: Irresistibly difficult and the NoG in the making
The first page of newspapers, which have irresistible piece of news on 75 per cent of their publication dates, has an irresistible offer as it is splashed with an ad of iphone 4 with 3G. The ad appearing on a Friday which is by no means a dry day has lent itself to the task of catching public imagination by irresistible length and breadth.
The ad promises that this piece of instrument has amazing offers ignoring which one stands to lose Rs 24,000 (not a penny more or penny less).Let's now concentrate on the amazing-cum-appalling offer from this instrument of notoriety - well all mobile handsets have unqualified support for taking in their stride that growing recognition - and how irresistibly it has woken us up to the fact that the last on this machine that aims to keep distance apart irresistibly difficult has not been heard.
Phones, landline and mobile or landline-turned-mobile or mobile-turned-landline are an irresistible way to reach out to those who don't want to be accessed or stay connected. The landline Vs cell debate being enduring, what is at the heart is which one has the propensity to propagate the entire propaganda stuff in entirety. After all the phone conversations were never meant to be of a serious nature, beginning and ending on loose talk appropriately aligned with the so-called loose men, women and other characters who are bandied around in the manufactured-cum-malfunctioning devices. At least with the landlines the breathing space could be secured the moment you could not sight them or when the lines were down and out for magical months. The moment the cell came the aura of invincibility and invisibility began to disappear. The flaunt float these instruments served perhaps showed the divide the society was logically geared towards and irresistibly caught in a knot.
In the early 90s, the size of a cell instrument almost akin to the size of landlines showed the prowess of the inheritor-cum-investigator as he could carry on himself for the exact number of waking hours with the beep equally strong to wake him up in the dead of night or in the middle of his performing sight.
One was enough in a public space to ride home the message : The longer the duration of a conversation and the larger the number of calls made and received, the more astounding was the character holding on to awesome wealth. As size began to shrink and came to the lowest possible shape, the character who was astounding by any standards, began to keep one, two and three cells with the rest being carried by his associates. Alarming was the rise of associates and equally alarming were the cell connections one cruised with.
Cell conversations were on anything irresistibly tempting the mankind had known. Be it the new rubber in town and the rudderless existence that one could wipe out thanks to them to the toilet seat that were sprinkled with gems, the need to talk and slog were evident. THe points of arrival and departure were clinically recorded and so were the points of appearance and disappearance. These instruments have cruised you to a point of uncertainty and make you wonder why no cell talk was engaged in the hour gone by. If a cell conversation doesn't happen for an hour here or there, it tempts you (the ones born with enduring cell certificates) to think of whether you have lost the latitude to live or not in command of the developing situation.
The other day while taking the train for KPGN from the Capital, there were a bunch of guys who found it quite disheartening that there were no charging points in the coach. The charging points that could entirely charge their train life of close to 24 hours was something whose deprivation led them to speak to none on their cell and to their compatriots only on issues on which they would have normally spoken on a cell. And if that is not enough. There was another bank guy on another train, having alarmed me with his observation that the train travelling is something he resists or the bank for which he works makes him resist. But what he could not resist was the temptation to speak for long hours on his cell with the character of the discussion on recruitment and assimilation. Perhaps the urge to recruit was strong and equally strong was the urge to tap the right potential. The cell conversation went on and taking a cue some reached out to their devices of convenience to be followed by annihilation.
This is a moving menace that has wrapped up society in a state of least comfortable wonders and the more nuanced would be the technology more it would have space-cum-passion to wreck-cum-twist your lives as long as you will it.
Perhaps from PoliticalG to 2G to 3G to iphone 4 with 3G, the last on this is yet to come. And That would probably be NoG. This NoG would be entirely different from NoC. This NoG would essentially entail desisting from taking any calls on cell, however tempting the offer from cell operators may be. Like instead of cell users paying to cell operators, the cell operators would be adding to your cash kitty the longer you speak for every call made or received from your instrument. This accretion in the cash would be to your bank account and if the cell operator defaults on more than two occasions, a sum of undefined cash would be deposited to your bank account for undefined period. That actually would be the most brazen irresistible offer from cell operators-cum-technology hooters. And given the churning that we have experienced from PoliticalG to 3G, rounding with Anna HazareG, this irresistible offer can't be irresistibly kept away for long. And from that day the papers for unlimited publication dates would be irresistibly swamped with irresistible ads from front to back with the news section disappearing for irresistible period.
The first page of newspapers, which have irresistible piece of news on 75 per cent of their publication dates, has an irresistible offer as it is splashed with an ad of iphone 4 with 3G. The ad appearing on a Friday which is by no means a dry day has lent itself to the task of catching public imagination by irresistible length and breadth.
The ad promises that this piece of instrument has amazing offers ignoring which one stands to lose Rs 24,000 (not a penny more or penny less).Let's now concentrate on the amazing-cum-appalling offer from this instrument of notoriety - well all mobile handsets have unqualified support for taking in their stride that growing recognition - and how irresistibly it has woken us up to the fact that the last on this machine that aims to keep distance apart irresistibly difficult has not been heard.
Phones, landline and mobile or landline-turned-mobile or mobile-turned-landline are an irresistible way to reach out to those who don't want to be accessed or stay connected. The landline Vs cell debate being enduring, what is at the heart is which one has the propensity to propagate the entire propaganda stuff in entirety. After all the phone conversations were never meant to be of a serious nature, beginning and ending on loose talk appropriately aligned with the so-called loose men, women and other characters who are bandied around in the manufactured-cum-malfunctioning devices. At least with the landlines the breathing space could be secured the moment you could not sight them or when the lines were down and out for magical months. The moment the cell came the aura of invincibility and invisibility began to disappear. The flaunt float these instruments served perhaps showed the divide the society was logically geared towards and irresistibly caught in a knot.
In the early 90s, the size of a cell instrument almost akin to the size of landlines showed the prowess of the inheritor-cum-investigator as he could carry on himself for the exact number of waking hours with the beep equally strong to wake him up in the dead of night or in the middle of his performing sight.
One was enough in a public space to ride home the message : The longer the duration of a conversation and the larger the number of calls made and received, the more astounding was the character holding on to awesome wealth. As size began to shrink and came to the lowest possible shape, the character who was astounding by any standards, began to keep one, two and three cells with the rest being carried by his associates. Alarming was the rise of associates and equally alarming were the cell connections one cruised with.
Cell conversations were on anything irresistibly tempting the mankind had known. Be it the new rubber in town and the rudderless existence that one could wipe out thanks to them to the toilet seat that were sprinkled with gems, the need to talk and slog were evident. THe points of arrival and departure were clinically recorded and so were the points of appearance and disappearance. These instruments have cruised you to a point of uncertainty and make you wonder why no cell talk was engaged in the hour gone by. If a cell conversation doesn't happen for an hour here or there, it tempts you (the ones born with enduring cell certificates) to think of whether you have lost the latitude to live or not in command of the developing situation.
The other day while taking the train for KPGN from the Capital, there were a bunch of guys who found it quite disheartening that there were no charging points in the coach. The charging points that could entirely charge their train life of close to 24 hours was something whose deprivation led them to speak to none on their cell and to their compatriots only on issues on which they would have normally spoken on a cell. And if that is not enough. There was another bank guy on another train, having alarmed me with his observation that the train travelling is something he resists or the bank for which he works makes him resist. But what he could not resist was the temptation to speak for long hours on his cell with the character of the discussion on recruitment and assimilation. Perhaps the urge to recruit was strong and equally strong was the urge to tap the right potential. The cell conversation went on and taking a cue some reached out to their devices of convenience to be followed by annihilation.
This is a moving menace that has wrapped up society in a state of least comfortable wonders and the more nuanced would be the technology more it would have space-cum-passion to wreck-cum-twist your lives as long as you will it.
Perhaps from PoliticalG to 2G to 3G to iphone 4 with 3G, the last on this is yet to come. And That would probably be NoG. This NoG would be entirely different from NoC. This NoG would essentially entail desisting from taking any calls on cell, however tempting the offer from cell operators may be. Like instead of cell users paying to cell operators, the cell operators would be adding to your cash kitty the longer you speak for every call made or received from your instrument. This accretion in the cash would be to your bank account and if the cell operator defaults on more than two occasions, a sum of undefined cash would be deposited to your bank account for undefined period. That actually would be the most brazen irresistible offer from cell operators-cum-technology hooters. And given the churning that we have experienced from PoliticalG to 3G, rounding with Anna HazareG, this irresistible offer can't be irresistibly kept away for long. And from that day the papers for unlimited publication dates would be irresistibly swamped with irresistible ads from front to back with the news section disappearing for irresistible period.
Irresistibly difficult
The first page of newspapers, which have irresistible piece of news on 75 per cent of their publication date, has an irresistible offer as it is splashed with an ad of iphone 4 with 3G. The ad promises that this piece of instrument has amazing offers ignoring which one stands to lose Rs 24,000 (not a penny more or penny less).Let's now concentrate on the amazing-cum-appalling offer from this instrument of notoriety - well all mobile handsets have unqualified support for taking in their stride that growing recognition - and how irresistibly it has woken us up that the last on this machine that aims to keep distance apart irresistibly difficult has not been heard.
Why Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses appeal to you by Puneet Rajhans
Why MSRTC buses appeal to you
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses have been ferrying passengers for long. Meant for the common man, the distances they have covered and commuters they have ferried are worth taking note of. In the heat and dust of the State they have performed with a sense of certainty and dignity. Certainty for the fact that commuters have reached their destinations on time and dignity on account of the dignified nature of the driver-conductor duo, with the co-passengers equally sombre and dignified.
As i took the MSRTC bus from A'gar to Mumbai, the halts were few and no dislocation to any body parts. In the heat of May Summer, nothing prevented me from boarding this one as i knew that i would be in the city in the nick of time before lodgewallahs shut their doors. As against this, the private buswallahs drive at will and the destination is reached when half of the city is on a sleeping mode. The fare at Rs 267, the commute took less than five-and-a-half hours. The first halt happened to be at Nashik, where those bound for places apart from Mumbai got down with little accretion to the earnings of the bus as fewer got in. In the Green View hotel, the stoppage was for half an hour for meals to be tried and add necessary fluids to your body. There are few injured cows which can be sighted and it would do a world of good to you if you could take care of their feeding habits. Perhaps if some medico going through this area could attend to the injured cows would be the best thing to happen.
Post Green View halt, the bus moves at breakneck speed and here you need to compliment the driver for saving the lives of two bikers who appeared from nowhere to almost have a head on collision with the bus. The driver was alert and thus the tragedy was averted. As the machine entered the city the hullabaloo was quite evident with most in a frenzy pace to reach their destination. You glide within the city, thanks to a host of flyovers that have come up and from Thane to your final destination it takes barely 40 minutes.
Though the accommodation has been an issue for commoners like us for long, it is not something that has erupted now. In the 90s as well, the accommodation issue continued to fuel the desire to stay for a minimum time and latch on to any mode of transport moving out of city. This time when i had to deboard the train at Dadar, the first point of search was for a bus. Failing at that i enquired about other trains and here i discovered the possibility of boarding was next to nil. Seeing no easy exit and the thought of staying for another night at a lodge looking nightmarish, it took me to vile parle route where the commute by bus wasn't lengthy but surely troublesome given the luggage i was carrying. Some even resented my idea of carrying luggage when there is not enough space for passengers.
At vile parle east as i deboarded the commotion of those getting in and out led some passengers to lose their their sleepers and to collect them they made hasty exit from the bus. Only at the airport i realised that the agent had charged a hefty fee and this i could have easily avoided had i taken the ticket from the counter. The air conditioning inside is more than effective and perhaps they can save on power consumption by making it work at a required level.
As for the city i got down next and the accommodation hassles i faced till 3 in the morning i was prepared for given the unplanned exit i had to make from the train and settle for a ticket that was beyond my imagination. Perhaps some day i would be able to settle my accommodation hassles if i search for simple and reasonable accommodation for a day or two in Mumbai. Perhaps staying in lees than 500 accommodation (common bathroom)has its side effects as the person at the counter reminds you time and again that the check out time is 12 noon. It is his greed on the directions of his owners that is making him send such reminders because had someone taken accommodation upwards 1000 Rs, he would have been given a grace period of 2 to 3 hours. The grace that you least expect from lodgewallahs and yet dignified is your exit given the magical touch the city flows with.
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses have been ferrying passengers for long. Meant for the common man, the distances they have covered and commuters they have ferried are worth taking note of. In the heat and dust of the State they have performed with a sense of certainty and dignity. Certainty for the fact that commuters have reached their destinations on time and dignity on account of the dignified nature of the driver-conductor duo, with the co-passengers equally sombre and dignified.
As i took the MSRTC bus from A'gar to Mumbai, the halts were few and no dislocation to any body parts. In the heat of May Summer, nothing prevented me from boarding this one as i knew that i would be in the city in the nick of time before lodgewallahs shut their doors. As against this, the private buswallahs drive at will and the destination is reached when half of the city is on a sleeping mode. The fare at Rs 267, the commute took less than five-and-a-half hours. The first halt happened to be at Nashik, where those bound for places apart from Mumbai got down with little accretion to the earnings of the bus as fewer got in. In the Green View hotel, the stoppage was for half an hour for meals to be tried and add necessary fluids to your body. There are few injured cows which can be sighted and it would do a world of good to you if you could take care of their feeding habits. Perhaps if some medico going through this area could attend to the injured cows would be the best thing to happen.
Post Green View halt, the bus moves at breakneck speed and here you need to compliment the driver for saving the lives of two bikers who appeared from nowhere to almost have a head on collision with the bus. The driver was alert and thus the tragedy was averted. As the machine entered the city the hullabaloo was quite evident with most in a frenzy pace to reach their destination. You glide within the city, thanks to a host of flyovers that have come up and from Thane to your final destination it takes barely 40 minutes.
Though the accommodation has been an issue for commoners like us for long, it is not something that has erupted now. In the 90s as well, the accommodation issue continued to fuel the desire to stay for a minimum time and latch on to any mode of transport moving out of city. This time when i had to deboard the train at Dadar, the first point of search was for a bus. Failing at that i enquired about other trains and here i discovered the possibility of boarding was next to nil. Seeing no easy exit and the thought of staying for another night at a lodge looking nightmarish, it took me to vile parle route where the commute by bus wasn't lengthy but surely troublesome given the luggage i was carrying. Some even resented my idea of carrying luggage when there is not enough space for passengers.
At vile parle east as i deboarded the commotion of those getting in and out led some passengers to lose their their sleepers and to collect them they made hasty exit from the bus. Only at the airport i realised that the agent had charged a hefty fee and this i could have easily avoided had i taken the ticket from the counter. The air conditioning inside is more than effective and perhaps they can save on power consumption by making it work at a required level.
As for the city i got down next and the accommodation hassles i faced till 3 in the morning i was prepared for given the unplanned exit i had to make from the train and settle for a ticket that was beyond my imagination. Perhaps some day i would be able to settle my accommodation hassles if i search for simple and reasonable accommodation for a day or two in Mumbai. Perhaps staying in lees than 500 accommodation (common bathroom)has its side effects as the person at the counter reminds you time and again that the check out time is 12 noon. It is his greed on the directions of his owners that is making him send such reminders because had someone taken accommodation upwards 1000 Rs, he would have been given a grace period of 2 to 3 hours. The grace that you least expect from lodgewallahs and yet dignified is your exit given the magical touch the city flows with.
Anna Hazare playing to the Gallery?
Anna Hazare playing to the Gallery?
The draft has to be practical and deliverable
One won't dispute the campaign he launched to seek a constructive effort to get the corruption monster out of the way, but the route he chose may not be appealing for some. In the National Capital, some days ago, he was on fast-unto-death to get the govt of the day accede to the Lokpal demand. The campaign in the heat and dust of Jantar Mantar was also witness to hurling of filthy abuse at the establishment, including politicos and bureaucrats. The show may have ended with his mission partially accomplished but he has set a precedent where fast-unto-death intimidatory threat could be employed by a host of vested groups.
Enamoured by the support from cross section of people in the Capital and in later areas, there is a potent possibility of this very cross section going out of hand. Just scan the proceedings of the National Capital stir, and one would find out that the followers tried to generalise everything by stating the following: "Most politicos/public servants are corrupt and are the worst offenders if their record is to be studied." The abuse for public servants was quite disgusting and it showed the level to which the campaign can go stray. Though Hazare won't approve of this conduct but there would be elements not known to him who would try to take recourse to such outburst.
The man is playing to the gallery and this is nowhere more evident than in Gujarat where on Thursday he lampooned the entire process of transition in the state as a sham and was unequivocal to state that lawlessness and corruption reigns supreme. Just in one visit he was able to read the pulse of the state and to give him inputs was someone whose political affiliation is well known. Hazare should make an attempt to visit the Hindi Heartland and see for himself the transition underway instead of dismissing the Gujarat Model as illustrative of nothing. One can have differences with the administration for the lapses that galored in the wake of riots and the mayhem that erupted but to dismiss the entire exercise of the past 10 years as bunkum is miles away from reality. If in the past 10 years there has been no change in this state adjoining Maharashtra, then what would explain the quantum of change in the Hindi belt?
The proposed Lokpal can't be solution to all the ills and if one seeks admission to college or school, the Lokpal can't provide ready made solution to such issues. Something that one Minister stated but was made to shut up by Hazare. From where Hazare got the renewed belief that the Govt of the day would have fallen had his stir continued for some more days in the Capital. It is not a totalitarian system that we are faced with; in fact the system is slow to respond to the demands. The Lokpal would be there to check graft including in the high and mighty places and not to derail the functioning of the system. The Parliamentary democracy hasn't withered the gains that came from freedom(this free flow of ideas that came from Hazare's stable was most dangerous precedent); it has given a voice to a majority who are at will to bring a change during elections. If Lokpal gets sweeping powers which overrides Parliament then nothing can be more destructive than this. The draft of the Lokpal should be such that frivolous complaints against public servants are not entertained and those allegations backed with substance need to be pursued. If the proposed Lokpal has the mandate to intrude and invade just on the basis of mere allegation, then it would be hellbal. With no checks and balances, the Lokpal would result in the opposite where the decision-making exercise would come to a halt as any govt servant would desist from taking decisions fearing filing of frivolous complaints which would not only undermine his authority to rule but engage his resources in fighting such allegations.
One never checked those who gathered at Hazare's long meetings in the Capital and other places. Those from the rooftops who shouted, screamed and talked nonsensical can't be the actual guardians of society; they were bunch of guys out to play to the gallery and amuse the crowd. Hazare has to watch out for such forces. Sanity has to be maintained and restraint exercised. Engaging in loose talk would be detrimental to the exercise of Lokpal. God forbid if the govt of the day and Lokpal members fail to reach a consensus, then Hazare and his followers would hit the street - and this street stir could well go out of hand if restraint is not exercised. Hazare needs to concentrate on a draft that is logical practical and deliverable. Just playing to the gallery won't do and undermining the institution of Parliament would be fatal as this could well lead to an initiation of a civil war. Well, in the past 60 years, one can't dismiss India's Story as one of entirely no gains and progress; the difference can well be that full potential hasn't been realised.
The draft has to be practical and deliverable
One won't dispute the campaign he launched to seek a constructive effort to get the corruption monster out of the way, but the route he chose may not be appealing for some. In the National Capital, some days ago, he was on fast-unto-death to get the govt of the day accede to the Lokpal demand. The campaign in the heat and dust of Jantar Mantar was also witness to hurling of filthy abuse at the establishment, including politicos and bureaucrats. The show may have ended with his mission partially accomplished but he has set a precedent where fast-unto-death intimidatory threat could be employed by a host of vested groups.
Enamoured by the support from cross section of people in the Capital and in later areas, there is a potent possibility of this very cross section going out of hand. Just scan the proceedings of the National Capital stir, and one would find out that the followers tried to generalise everything by stating the following: "Most politicos/public servants are corrupt and are the worst offenders if their record is to be studied." The abuse for public servants was quite disgusting and it showed the level to which the campaign can go stray. Though Hazare won't approve of this conduct but there would be elements not known to him who would try to take recourse to such outburst.
The man is playing to the gallery and this is nowhere more evident than in Gujarat where on Thursday he lampooned the entire process of transition in the state as a sham and was unequivocal to state that lawlessness and corruption reigns supreme. Just in one visit he was able to read the pulse of the state and to give him inputs was someone whose political affiliation is well known. Hazare should make an attempt to visit the Hindi Heartland and see for himself the transition underway instead of dismissing the Gujarat Model as illustrative of nothing. One can have differences with the administration for the lapses that galored in the wake of riots and the mayhem that erupted but to dismiss the entire exercise of the past 10 years as bunkum is miles away from reality. If in the past 10 years there has been no change in this state adjoining Maharashtra, then what would explain the quantum of change in the Hindi belt?
The proposed Lokpal can't be solution to all the ills and if one seeks admission to college or school, the Lokpal can't provide ready made solution to such issues. Something that one Minister stated but was made to shut up by Hazare. From where Hazare got the renewed belief that the Govt of the day would have fallen had his stir continued for some more days in the Capital. It is not a totalitarian system that we are faced with; in fact the system is slow to respond to the demands. The Lokpal would be there to check graft including in the high and mighty places and not to derail the functioning of the system. The Parliamentary democracy hasn't withered the gains that came from freedom(this free flow of ideas that came from Hazare's stable was most dangerous precedent); it has given a voice to a majority who are at will to bring a change during elections. If Lokpal gets sweeping powers which overrides Parliament then nothing can be more destructive than this. The draft of the Lokpal should be such that frivolous complaints against public servants are not entertained and those allegations backed with substance need to be pursued. If the proposed Lokpal has the mandate to intrude and invade just on the basis of mere allegation, then it would be hellbal. With no checks and balances, the Lokpal would result in the opposite where the decision-making exercise would come to a halt as any govt servant would desist from taking decisions fearing filing of frivolous complaints which would not only undermine his authority to rule but engage his resources in fighting such allegations.
One never checked those who gathered at Hazare's long meetings in the Capital and other places. Those from the rooftops who shouted, screamed and talked nonsensical can't be the actual guardians of society; they were bunch of guys out to play to the gallery and amuse the crowd. Hazare has to watch out for such forces. Sanity has to be maintained and restraint exercised. Engaging in loose talk would be detrimental to the exercise of Lokpal. God forbid if the govt of the day and Lokpal members fail to reach a consensus, then Hazare and his followers would hit the street - and this street stir could well go out of hand if restraint is not exercised. Hazare needs to concentrate on a draft that is logical practical and deliverable. Just playing to the gallery won't do and undermining the institution of Parliament would be fatal as this could well lead to an initiation of a civil war. Well, in the past 60 years, one can't dismiss India's Story as one of entirely no gains and progress; the difference can well be that full potential hasn't been realised.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Why Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses appeal to you by Puneet Rajhans
Why MSRTC buses appeal to you
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses have been ferrying passengers for long. Meant for the common man, the distances they have covered and commuters they have ferried are worth taking note of. In the heat and dust of the State they have performed with a sense of certainty and dignity. Certainty for the fact that commuters have reached their destinations on time and dignity on account of the dignified nature of the driver-conductor duo, with the co-passengers equally sombre and dignified.
As i took the MSRTC bus from A'gar to Mumbai, the halts were few and no dislocation to any body parts. In the heat of May Summer, nothing prevented me from boarding this one as i knew that i would be in the city in the nick of time before lodgewallahs shut their doors. As against this, the private buswallahs drive at will and the destination is reached when half of the city is on a sleeping mode. The fare at Rs 267, the commute took less than five-and-a-half hours. The first halt happened to be at Nashik, where those bound for places apart from Mumbai got down with little accretion to the earnings of the bus as fewer got in. In the Green View hotel, the stoppage was for half an hour for meals to be tried and add necessary fluids to your body. There are few injured cows which can be sighted and it would do a world of good to you if you could take care of their feeding habits. Perhaps if some medico going through this area could attend to the injured cows would be the best thing to happen.
Post Green View halt, the bus moves at breakneck speed and here you need to compliment the driver for saving the lives of two bikers who appeared from nowhere to almost have a head on collision with the bus. The driver was alert and thus the tragedy was averted. As the machine entered the city the hullabaloo was quite evident with most in a frenzy pace to reach their destination. You glide within the city, thanks to a host of flyovers that have come up and from Thane to your final destination it takes barely 40 minutes.
Though the accommodation has been an issue for commoners like us for long, it is not something that has erupted now. In the 90s as well, the accommodation issue continued to fuel the desire to stay for a minimum time and latch on to any mode of transport moving out of city. This time when i had to deboard the train at Dadar, the first point of search was for a bus. Failing at that i enquired about other trains and here i discovered the possibility of boarding was next to nil. Seeing no easy exit and the thought of staying for another night at a lodge looking nightmarish, it took me to vile parle route where the commute by bus wasn't lengthy but surely troublesome given the luggage i was carrying. Some even resented my idea of carrying luggage when there is not enough space for passengers.
At vile parle east as i deboarded the commotion of those getting in and out led some passengers to lose their their sleepers and to collect them they made hasty exit from the bus. Only at the airport i realised that the agent had charged a hefty fee and this i could have easily avoided had i taken the ticket from the counter. The air conditioning inside is more than effective and perhaps they can save on power consumption by making it work at a required level.
As for the city i got down next and the accommodation hassles i faced till 3 in the morning i was prepared for given the unplanned exit i had to make from the train and settle for a ticket that was beyond my imagination. Perhaps some day i would be able to settle my accommodation hassles if i search for simple and reasonable accommodation for a day or two in Mumbai. Perhaps staying in lees than 500 accommodation (common bathroom)has its side effects as the person at the counter reminds you time and again that the check out time is 12 noon. It is his greed on the directions of his owners that is making him send such reminders because had someone taken accommodation upwards 1000 Rs, he would have been given a grace period of 2 to 3 hours. The grace that you least expect from lodgewallahs and yet dignified is your exit given the magical touch the city flows with.
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses have been ferrying passengers for long. Meant for the common man, the distances they have covered and commuters they have ferried are worth taking note of. In the heat and dust of the State they have performed with a sense of certainty and dignity. Certainty for the fact that commuters have reached their destinations on time and dignity on account of the dignified nature of the driver-conductor duo, with the co-passengers equally sombre and dignified.
As i took the MSRTC bus from A'gar to Mumbai, the halts were few and no dislocation to any body parts. In the heat of May Summer, nothing prevented me from boarding this one as i knew that i would be in the city in the nick of time before lodgewallahs shut their doors. As against this, the private buswallahs drive at will and the destination is reached when half of the city is on a sleeping mode. The fare at Rs 267, the commute took less than five-and-a-half hours. The first halt happened to be at Nashik, where those bound for places apart from Mumbai got down with little accretion to the earnings of the bus as fewer got in. In the Green View hotel, the stoppage was for half an hour for meals to be tried and add necessary fluids to your body. There are few injured cows which can be sighted and it would do a world of good to you if you could take care of their feeding habits. Perhaps if some medico going through this area could attend to the injured cows would be the best thing to happen.
Post Green View halt, the bus moves at breakneck speed and here you need to compliment the driver for saving the lives of two bikers who appeared from nowhere to almost have a head on collision with the bus. The driver was alert and thus the tragedy was averted. As the machine entered the city the hullabaloo was quite evident with most in a frenzy pace to reach their destination. You glide within the city, thanks to a host of flyovers that have come up and from Thane to your final destination it takes barely 40 minutes.
Though the accommodation has been an issue for commoners like us for long, it is not something that has erupted now. In the 90s as well, the accommodation issue continued to fuel the desire to stay for a minimum time and latch on to any mode of transport moving out of city. This time when i had to deboard the train at Dadar, the first point of search was for a bus. Failing at that i enquired about other trains and here i discovered the possibility of boarding was next to nil. Seeing no easy exit and the thought of staying for another night at a lodge looking nightmarish, it took me to vile parle route where the commute by bus wasn't lengthy but surely troublesome given the luggage i was carrying. Some even resented my idea of carrying luggage when there is not enough space for passengers.
At vile parle east as i deboarded the commotion of those getting in and out led some passengers to lose their their sleepers and to collect them they made hasty exit from the bus. Only at the airport i realised that the agent had charged a hefty fee and this i could have easily avoided had i taken the ticket from the counter. The air conditioning inside is more than effective and perhaps they can save on power consumption by making it work at a required level.
As for the city i got down next and the accommodation hassles i faced till 3 in the morning i was prepared for given the unplanned exit i had to make from the train and settle for a ticket that was beyond my imagination. Perhaps some day i would be able to settle my accommodation hassles if i search for simple and reasonable accommodation for a day or two in Mumbai. Perhaps staying in lees than 500 accommodation (common bathroom)has its side effects as the person at the counter reminds you time and again that the check out time is 12 noon. It is his greed on the directions of his owners that is making him send such reminders because had someone taken accommodation upwards 1000 Rs, he would have been given a grace period of 2 to 3 hours. The grace that you least expect from lodgewallahs and yet dignified is your exit given the magical touch the city flows with.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Cautious about them
THere are TTEs who have been exemplary in their conduct and we need to respect them. And there are those who are on the look out to fleece the passengers and we need to be cautious about them. After all the wide gulf in the society gives these men in this profession or other profession armed with the expertise to turn resources black into white agenda so as to bring discordant notes in the lives of others.
THE SUPREMACY OF TTEs/TCs of Railways And The Big Drain On Your Resources
The supremacy of TTEs/TCs and the big drain on your resources
This was the most unexpected event in my life. Having taken a tatkal ticket, which read 6 waiting, i was confident that when the final list comes, the waiting would be confirmed. Against this hope lay the ulterior motives of the guys who prepare the chart, favouring their near and dear ones. I was left with a waiting 3 on my tatkal ticket and yet floating with the hope that the TTE would offer me a seat as adjustments for one person could be made with a status of w/l 3 (waiting list 3). The TTE for Kanniyakumari Express 16381 on May 22, 2011, AC 2 coach (from CST, Mumbai to Kanniyakumari) appeared on the scene when barely three minutes were left for the train to leave. I told him about my tatkal status and requested him to get me a seat as i had some urgency to my assignment. He was unmoved and appeared to belong to a timid club where no amount of gentle persuasion works. From his appearance and those who have dealt with this man would agree that something else works for this Kanniyakumari Express AC 2 coach TTE.
When the train started moving, he was seated on seat number 13 and looking at the chart and repeatedly mocking at my persuasive efforts. I again approached him pleading my case for a seat as my tatkal ticket was just w/l 3(waiting list 3). He seemed to be in the company of three to four occupants and one could make out that most of them either had a general ticket or waiting to get down at Pune and were his buddies. My persuasion this time led his buddies to chip in and observe that i should not have boarded the train with the TTE equally aghast at my attempt to carry on with my journey when w/l is 3. Haven't passengers travelled in coaches when they have had wait listed tickets? One can understand that in Rajdhanis and Shatabdis, the boarding for wait listed passengers is not allowed but how can you stop someone from boarding and if someone has boarded ask him to deboard when waiting list is 3.
Some even expressed apprehensions that refund on my ticket would be nil and i should deboard. Seeing all my persuasive skills come to a naught, i decided to deboard at Dadar. What a haughty character this TTE was and how with ease he could have secured me a seat had he made some efforts. But mocking and despising my presence in the coach was his profound obsession. In that very coach there were at least a family that had few seats on waiting status and yet they decided to stick with the train. From where they got this streak of confidence is not known but i was not prepared to go that extra length of pleasing him if ever he wanted. Probably the ones he was in company of were those who were travelling with a general ticket.
This TTE on AC 2 coach of Kanniyakumari Express on May 22, 2011 has continued unhindered in his conduct and the railway officials have let such monsters grow. Such TTEs are a blot on the railway set-up and there are quite a handful of them. What makes such TTEs prosper is the requisite transaction that takes place between the passenger and such TTEs and this leads them to offer seats to those who may not be even having genuine ticket. THe flying squad/vigilance staff have faulted in not checking the growth of such TTEs. Herein the vigilance staff should conduct surprise checks on such TTEs and make necessary efforts to contain their designs. For commoners like us, it becomes mandatory to apprise others that such TTEs only prosper at the back of support of passengers indulging in requisite transaction with them but also the members from their fraternity. Where is the need to keep them in good humour when you have paid for the tatkal ticket and the waiting list is just 3. THeir(TTEs) fiefdom is large and expanding and be it 1 seat or 10 there are millions of passengers who would go by the rule book than oblige them.
When i deboarded the train at Dadar, it took me more than 45 minutes running from one end to another to know about my refund. Finally the enquiry counter got me a refund only after i had already gone to the floor where reservations are done (running here and there) and seeing no response on my query returned to the ground floor. The counter serves as enquiry-cum-reservation/refund counter and the maddening rush can leave anyone in a state of illness.
Just few days ago on Karnataka Express a family of 14 boarded the sleeper class coach from Agra. They all had waiting ticket and the co-passengers made necessary adjustments to offer them seats for a train ride that went beyond 30 hours . The TTE never told them to deboard and at one level one of the wait listed passengers even told the TTE on his face that he takes money to offer a seat. But after a small argument things cooled down. And here i was telling the co-passenger who had made the allegations that he should restrain himself as this TTE was quite understanding. And here there was one TTE of AC 2 coach of Kanniyakumari Express (from CST Mumbai to Kanniyakumari, May 22, 2011))who was not prepared to secure just one seat as his looks conveyed the picture of astonishment as someone had boarded against his will. The boarding that i did against his will, and the template of transactions that he indulges in, are the impressions that one carries of this century old railways where the overwhelming need is to settle this debate of TTEs overwhelming powers. His overwhelming powers led me to deboard and the resultant scenario was quite unimaginable. This deboarding led to a big drain on my hard earned resources and to a search for a lodge that was equally painful. Had TTE made efforts to get me a seat in AC 3 (quite possible given the floating passengers the train carries), i would have been spared from spending so much on another ticket and the painful exercise of looking for an accommodation where most lodgewallahs shut the doors on my face. THings have to improve as these lodgewallahs can't have a free run for long. Here again the crying need for moolah by lodgewallahs shows the strains in society. After all the society has a wide gulf between those who have unaccounted wealth and splurge on activities unknown to humanity and those with little resources but with supreme faith.
The night i spent in Mumbai and the nonsensical nature of the occupant of the adjacent room of a lodge having name of a city of South at least gave me the belief that i should never spend the night and should skip the city the moment the night sets in. The city has everything going for it except for the accommodation that one seeks. I am not saying nights are bad. The issue is who could well be the occupant of the next room having common iron bars in the middle. The city is great and only one thing to check out for is the lodge you take and make sure there are no trouble-makers. Hard to say but there would be lodges where sanity prevails and genuineness reigns.
This was the most unexpected event in my life. Having taken a tatkal ticket, which read 6 waiting, i was confident that when the final list comes, the waiting would be confirmed. Against this hope lay the ulterior motives of the guys who prepare the chart, favouring their near and dear ones. I was left with a waiting 3 on my tatkal ticket and yet floating with the hope that the TTE would offer me a seat as adjustments for one person could be made with a status of w/l 3 (waiting list 3). The TTE for Kanniyakumari Express 16381 on May 22, 2011, AC 2 coach (from CST, Mumbai to Kanniyakumari) appeared on the scene when barely three minutes were left for the train to leave. I told him about my tatkal status and requested him to get me a seat as i had some urgency to my assignment. He was unmoved and appeared to belong to a timid club where no amount of gentle persuasion works. From his appearance and those who have dealt with this man would agree that something else works for this Kanniyakumari Express AC 2 coach TTE.
When the train started moving, he was seated on seat number 13 and looking at the chart and repeatedly mocking at my persuasive efforts. I again approached him pleading my case for a seat as my tatkal ticket was just w/l 3(waiting list 3). He seemed to be in the company of three to four occupants and one could make out that most of them either had a general ticket or waiting to get down at Pune and were his buddies. My persuasion this time led his buddies to chip in and observe that i should not have boarded the train with the TTE equally aghast at my attempt to carry on with my journey when w/l is 3. Haven't passengers travelled in coaches when they have had wait listed tickets? One can understand that in Rajdhanis and Shatabdis, the boarding for wait listed passengers is not allowed but how can you stop someone from boarding and if someone has boarded ask him to deboard when waiting list is 3.
Some even expressed apprehensions that refund on my ticket would be nil and i should deboard. Seeing all my persuasive skills come to a naught, i decided to deboard at Dadar. What a haughty character this TTE was and how with ease he could have secured me a seat had he made some efforts. But mocking and despising my presence in the coach was his profound obsession. In that very coach there were at least a family that had few seats on waiting status and yet they decided to stick with the train. From where they got this streak of confidence is not known but i was not prepared to go that extra length of pleasing him if ever he wanted. Probably the ones he was in company of were those who were travelling with a general ticket.
This TTE on AC 2 coach of Kanniyakumari Express on May 22, 2011 has continued unhindered in his conduct and the railway officials have let such monsters grow. Such TTEs are a blot on the railway set-up and there are quite a handful of them. What makes such TTEs prosper is the requisite transaction that takes place between the passenger and such TTEs and this leads them to offer seats to those who may not be even having genuine ticket. THe flying squad/vigilance staff have faulted in not checking the growth of such TTEs. Herein the vigilance staff should conduct surprise checks on such TTEs and make necessary efforts to contain their designs. For commoners like us, it becomes mandatory to apprise others that such TTEs only prosper at the back of support of passengers indulging in requisite transaction with them but also the members from their fraternity. Where is the need to keep them in good humour when you have paid for the tatkal ticket and the waiting list is just 3. THeir(TTEs) fiefdom is large and expanding and be it 1 seat or 10 there are millions of passengers who would go by the rule book than oblige them.
When i deboarded the train at Dadar, it took me more than 45 minutes running from one end to another to know about my refund. Finally the enquiry counter got me a refund only after i had already gone to the floor where reservations are done (running here and there) and seeing no response on my query returned to the ground floor. The counter serves as enquiry-cum-reservation/refund counter and the maddening rush can leave anyone in a state of illness.
Just few days ago on Karnataka Express a family of 14 boarded the sleeper class coach from Agra. They all had waiting ticket and the co-passengers made necessary adjustments to offer them seats for a train ride that went beyond 30 hours . The TTE never told them to deboard and at one level one of the wait listed passengers even told the TTE on his face that he takes money to offer a seat. But after a small argument things cooled down. And here i was telling the co-passenger who had made the allegations that he should restrain himself as this TTE was quite understanding. And here there was one TTE of AC 2 coach of Kanniyakumari Express (from CST Mumbai to Kanniyakumari, May 22, 2011))who was not prepared to secure just one seat as his looks conveyed the picture of astonishment as someone had boarded against his will. The boarding that i did against his will, and the template of transactions that he indulges in, are the impressions that one carries of this century old railways where the overwhelming need is to settle this debate of TTEs overwhelming powers. His overwhelming powers led me to deboard and the resultant scenario was quite unimaginable. This deboarding led to a big drain on my hard earned resources and to a search for a lodge that was equally painful. Had TTE made efforts to get me a seat in AC 3 (quite possible given the floating passengers the train carries), i would have been spared from spending so much on another ticket and the painful exercise of looking for an accommodation where most lodgewallahs shut the doors on my face. THings have to improve as these lodgewallahs can't have a free run for long. Here again the crying need for moolah by lodgewallahs shows the strains in society. After all the society has a wide gulf between those who have unaccounted wealth and splurge on activities unknown to humanity and those with little resources but with supreme faith.
The night i spent in Mumbai and the nonsensical nature of the occupant of the adjacent room of a lodge having name of a city of South at least gave me the belief that i should never spend the night and should skip the city the moment the night sets in. The city has everything going for it except for the accommodation that one seeks. I am not saying nights are bad. The issue is who could well be the occupant of the next room having common iron bars in the middle. The city is great and only one thing to check out for is the lodge you take and make sure there are no trouble-makers. Hard to say but there would be lodges where sanity prevails and genuineness reigns.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Grace of Lord Govinda and Horlicks in Tirumala by Puneet Rajhans
Grace of Lord Govinda and Horlicks in Tirumala
The camp opposite the pilgrim quarters built in 1936 serve you sturdy horlicks that can keep you going for long. Post meals at free meals hall (free meals are the next best thing after the much-aspired date-cum-day with the Lord) one intends to have Horlicks and in good quantity. As you have Horlicks, you come across a plaque that reads that Pilgrim Quarters were built in 1936 by the architects of Bombay and Madras. Both cities have already been renamed and perhaps the group that built the quarters may still be in existence in twin cities with a new name and logo. Next to the pilgrim quarters are a spate of ATMs and the cloak room where you park your luggage if accommodation is difficult to come by. Opposite to the cloak room is the Vaikuntam Q 1 where the entry is for the privileged ones.
For the date with Lord Govinda, the best route is to get the Sudarshan Token failing which one should try the walk-to-the-hills route. It ensures a free darshan as well as accommodation. This time the stay wasn't for long as accommodation was a nagging worry that kept me close to my Sudarshan Token schedule.
How this accommodation issue would be sorted out is difficult to make out at this stage. Perhaps the people in TTD would at some stage let people take cottages/rooms if one has produced relevant identity papers and convinced them that they have been visiting Tirumala for nearly two decades.
Tirumala is the place to reside and even if accommodation does not happen any time soon that won't deter the Govinda devotees from meeting the Lord. Lord Govinda makes you hit the daily grind with a renewed energy and the essence of the oneness with the Lord is the gratitude you want to express for the grace showered by Lord Govinda.
This time as i was in A'gar having the meals at Prasadalaya the aroma of ghee that is widely associated with Tirumala was experienced here, giving another strong reminder that the Lord i love and the Lord that showers blessings on us is in the vicinity and in our very own heart. Everything in the City i proceeded towards later in the evening was great except my stay. The best option was to leave the accommodation early. Hadn't stayed for even 12 hours as the hotel accommodation could be as nasty as it could get.
The camp opposite the pilgrim quarters built in 1936 serve you sturdy horlicks that can keep you going for long. Post meals at free meals hall (free meals are the next best thing after the much-aspired date-cum-day with the Lord) one intends to have Horlicks and in good quantity. As you have Horlicks, you come across a plaque that reads that Pilgrim Quarters were built in 1936 by the architects of Bombay and Madras. Both cities have already been renamed and perhaps the group that built the quarters may still be in existence in twin cities with a new name and logo. Next to the pilgrim quarters are a spate of ATMs and the cloak room where you park your luggage if accommodation is difficult to come by. Opposite to the cloak room is the Vaikuntam Q 1 where the entry is for the privileged ones.
For the date with Lord Govinda, the best route is to get the Sudarshan Token failing which one should try the walk-to-the-hills route. It ensures a free darshan as well as accommodation. This time the stay wasn't for long as accommodation was a nagging worry that kept me close to my Sudarshan Token schedule.
How this accommodation issue would be sorted out is difficult to make out at this stage. Perhaps the people in TTD would at some stage let people take cottages/rooms if one has produced relevant identity papers and convinced them that they have been visiting Tirumala for nearly two decades.
Tirumala is the place to reside and even if accommodation does not happen any time soon that won't deter the Govinda devotees from meeting the Lord. Lord Govinda makes you hit the daily grind with a renewed energy and the essence of the oneness with the Lord is the gratitude you want to express for the grace showered by Lord Govinda.
This time as i was in A'gar having the meals at Prasadalaya the aroma of ghee that is widely associated with Tirumala was experienced here, giving another strong reminder that the Lord i love and the Lord that showers blessings on us is in the vicinity and in our very own heart. Everything in the City i proceeded towards later in the evening was great except my stay. The best option was to leave the accommodation early. Hadn't stayed for even 12 hours as the hotel accommodation could be as nasty as it could get.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Durontos of Railways
As Duronto left the Capital of the South, some in the train secured sms wishing them well for their long journey. The journey that would have taken close to 36 hrs and for some more than that to their final destination which went beyond the National Capital. The access to the paper suggested that the previous day was a scorcher and most stayed indoors. The residents had begun to live with this - and not moving out appeared to be the most appropriate response.
The Duronto was halting and gaining speed at close intervals and made me believe that Vijaywada may not be bang on target. As Vijaywada was in the vicinity the thoughts on meals looked to be justified and complete. Post meals, two Tamil boys posted themselves next to the place where meal boys were putting the meals on tray and discussed threadbare the meals they had and how limited it was. From the Tamil they spoke and what i could make out was on the rice quantity and how inappropriate it was to their tummy's demands. Their tummy that had no fill since morning as they left home when half of the city was on bed. The tamil boys, barely 10, could not help from elaborating that they looked forward to a complete snack failing which they would be forced to skip the night meals. Fast-unto-death wasn't the idea up their sleeves and what they intended to do was to lodge a formal protest. Protest, formal or informal, i could not keep a tab on, and this story of simmering discontent from the boys of South had a premature greying.
As i didn't leave my seat for the next six hours, the response to snacks served in the evening could not be ascertained.
As Duronto was making technical halts, no one dare get inside and no one dare venture out for long was the assumption that one carried with. Similar faces with similar demands, i noticed another gentleman hailing from the South repeatedly talking about travelling enticements (lollipops)being sent by travelling companies and how it looked not to be hurting their budget estimates. I, for one, wasn't keen and completed the day by hitting the bed early as the tummy could not afford to have any extra fill.
The next morning the family hailing from KKRI spoke about their 10-day-long sojourn in the North and how the hills of the South was an old chapter. Still the boss in the family was apprehensive about the package tour they had taken, knowing fully well that all commitments are not kept in entirety. THe first hurdle seem to be the taxi that was supposed to pick them up and with the train having reached the destination it was nowhere in sight. The plight, they were hopeful to get out of sooner than later. I wished them well and moved ahead.
As far as Duronto is concerned, it is something good to happen to the Indian Railways. First the waste in the the form of tea bags, milk/sugar pouch doesn't happen here as in the case of Rajdhanis/Shatabdis. As the train begins its journey, the tea is served much after the breakfast and that too in eco-friendly cups. One is comfortable with the meals in the afternoon and snacks in the evening and that is enough for one to skip the dinner. A suggestion for passengers and they need to bear this in mind: "If one's tummy is not demanding and is full, then one should avoid taking meals as they leave more than 50 per cent of food served go waste. PLease desist from doing this." Perhaps those looking for mini meals should be served instantly instead of letting them waste the entire food.
As for Duronto, the toilets need to be kept clean (if asking for squeaky cleanliness is too much) as the morning period sees most of them overflowing with the waste that the passengers leave. With taps running dry, the waste fails to get cleared. THere were enough people making rounds of the toilet time and again; some saddled with excessive hope and making rounds of the same toilet three times in a space of 30 minutes. Perhaps the sight of the human waste was too overwhelming for them.
Hope the water in the coaches are enough to not let this sight happen again. Some believe that there is a deliberate attempt to derail the Durontos. Never let this happen as it is the best mode to do Metro-hopping.
The Duronto was halting and gaining speed at close intervals and made me believe that Vijaywada may not be bang on target. As Vijaywada was in the vicinity the thoughts on meals looked to be justified and complete. Post meals, two Tamil boys posted themselves next to the place where meal boys were putting the meals on tray and discussed threadbare the meals they had and how limited it was. From the Tamil they spoke and what i could make out was on the rice quantity and how inappropriate it was to their tummy's demands. Their tummy that had no fill since morning as they left home when half of the city was on bed. The tamil boys, barely 10, could not help from elaborating that they looked forward to a complete snack failing which they would be forced to skip the night meals. Fast-unto-death wasn't the idea up their sleeves and what they intended to do was to lodge a formal protest. Protest, formal or informal, i could not keep a tab on, and this story of simmering discontent from the boys of South had a premature greying.
As i didn't leave my seat for the next six hours, the response to snacks served in the evening could not be ascertained.
As Duronto was making technical halts, no one dare get inside and no one dare venture out for long was the assumption that one carried with. Similar faces with similar demands, i noticed another gentleman hailing from the South repeatedly talking about travelling enticements (lollipops)being sent by travelling companies and how it looked not to be hurting their budget estimates. I, for one, wasn't keen and completed the day by hitting the bed early as the tummy could not afford to have any extra fill.
The next morning the family hailing from KKRI spoke about their 10-day-long sojourn in the North and how the hills of the South was an old chapter. Still the boss in the family was apprehensive about the package tour they had taken, knowing fully well that all commitments are not kept in entirety. THe first hurdle seem to be the taxi that was supposed to pick them up and with the train having reached the destination it was nowhere in sight. The plight, they were hopeful to get out of sooner than later. I wished them well and moved ahead.
As far as Duronto is concerned, it is something good to happen to the Indian Railways. First the waste in the the form of tea bags, milk/sugar pouch doesn't happen here as in the case of Rajdhanis/Shatabdis. As the train begins its journey, the tea is served much after the breakfast and that too in eco-friendly cups. One is comfortable with the meals in the afternoon and snacks in the evening and that is enough for one to skip the dinner. A suggestion for passengers and they need to bear this in mind: "If one's tummy is not demanding and is full, then one should avoid taking meals as they leave more than 50 per cent of food served go waste. PLease desist from doing this." Perhaps those looking for mini meals should be served instantly instead of letting them waste the entire food.
As for Duronto, the toilets need to be kept clean (if asking for squeaky cleanliness is too much) as the morning period sees most of them overflowing with the waste that the passengers leave. With taps running dry, the waste fails to get cleared. THere were enough people making rounds of the toilet time and again; some saddled with excessive hope and making rounds of the same toilet three times in a space of 30 minutes. Perhaps the sight of the human waste was too overwhelming for them.
Hope the water in the coaches are enough to not let this sight happen again. Some believe that there is a deliberate attempt to derail the Durontos. Never let this happen as it is the best mode to do Metro-hopping.
THe chartered accountant (munim) who ruined lives of others
THe chartered accountant (munim) who ruined lives of others
On the back of uncounted black money, this munim (chartered accountant) has ruined the lives of those who are on the margins of society. Perhaps the wealth and overflowing cash reserves he has leads him to a path where which ever accommodation i seek in different cities he hurls abuse and lets loose reign of terror.
For common man, who has just the blessings of the Lord, this munim is out to create mayhem in their lives ably supported by those whom he has purchased lock stock and barrel. Hurling abuse by the security guard whom he precisely kept on night duty hours in 2008, 09, and months of 10 where the security guard employed by him hurled abuse and noted that he has been kept to keep a watch on the boy whom they want to nip in the bud.
His domestic servant, name Ram, and the agenda he carries is unimaginable. This chartered accountant is of the opinion that with the overflowing cash reserves he can let his agenda rule has been an exception in the society. For five years he ruled and dismantled the rules of nature, ably supported by servant Ram. Domestic Help Ram has been abusive and getting in and out of others establishment at will. He tells the delivery boys delivering goods at other homes to open the gate of the place where the boy resides and shouts and scream. For five years, the shameless and illegitimate CA ruled, first supported by henchmen brougth from Western UP and since 2009 the domestic servant Ram who has done all that to destroy the fabric of peaceful existence. Servant Ram screams shouts and hurls abuse ably supported by those tenants who take pride that their agenda is being fulfilled appropriately.
Shame to the relatives who carried the agenda of the chartered accountant and made uncounted number of pleas/requests/threats that the CA agenda has to be fulfilled come what may. Shame to these relations who began their mandate by providing a driver Sanjay who for full three years acted at behest of the CA and did all that to destroy lives of other. For the past five years no one spoke in the neighbourhood/community perhaps realising the cash reserves the CA has and the power he wields are enormous.
Perhaps the CA can't afford to do this with anyone else in the society knowing fully well that no one would have the strength to withstand his torture for five years.
Had the illegitimate CA been having income by appropriate means and hard earned way he would have not dared to spend this on destroying the lives of other. The illegitimate CA and illegitimate sons and domestic helps would carry on their agenda of stalking tapping intruding and taming others as the cash reserves are in plenty and water lady (whom he supplies water in big quantity) is giving the support he deserves.
Salute the Chatered Accountant and his henchmen and do a namaskar to his wealth as this very wealth gives him the power to hurl threats/abuse and make others strive for a peaceful exit.
On the back of uncounted black money, this munim (chartered accountant) has ruined the lives of those who are on the margins of society. Perhaps the wealth and overflowing cash reserves he has leads him to a path where which ever accommodation i seek in different cities he hurls abuse and lets loose reign of terror.
For common man, who has just the blessings of the Lord, this munim is out to create mayhem in their lives ably supported by those whom he has purchased lock stock and barrel. Hurling abuse by the security guard whom he precisely kept on night duty hours in 2008, 09, and months of 10 where the security guard employed by him hurled abuse and noted that he has been kept to keep a watch on the boy whom they want to nip in the bud.
His domestic servant, name Ram, and the agenda he carries is unimaginable. This chartered accountant is of the opinion that with the overflowing cash reserves he can let his agenda rule has been an exception in the society. For five years he ruled and dismantled the rules of nature, ably supported by servant Ram. Domestic Help Ram has been abusive and getting in and out of others establishment at will. He tells the delivery boys delivering goods at other homes to open the gate of the place where the boy resides and shouts and scream. For five years, the shameless and illegitimate CA ruled, first supported by henchmen brougth from Western UP and since 2009 the domestic servant Ram who has done all that to destroy the fabric of peaceful existence. Servant Ram screams shouts and hurls abuse ably supported by those tenants who take pride that their agenda is being fulfilled appropriately.
Shame to the relatives who carried the agenda of the chartered accountant and made uncounted number of pleas/requests/threats that the CA agenda has to be fulfilled come what may. Shame to these relations who began their mandate by providing a driver Sanjay who for full three years acted at behest of the CA and did all that to destroy lives of other. For the past five years no one spoke in the neighbourhood/community perhaps realising the cash reserves the CA has and the power he wields are enormous.
Perhaps the CA can't afford to do this with anyone else in the society knowing fully well that no one would have the strength to withstand his torture for five years.
Had the illegitimate CA been having income by appropriate means and hard earned way he would have not dared to spend this on destroying the lives of other. The illegitimate CA and illegitimate sons and domestic helps would carry on their agenda of stalking tapping intruding and taming others as the cash reserves are in plenty and water lady (whom he supplies water in big quantity) is giving the support he deserves.
Salute the Chatered Accountant and his henchmen and do a namaskar to his wealth as this very wealth gives him the power to hurl threats/abuse and make others strive for a peaceful exit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)