Elephants of Guruvayoor and Tirumala Arijit Sevas ticket

Elephants of Guruvayoor and Tirumala
Arijit Sevas ticket

In Tirumala, the elephants seem to be in good shape but are wavering and tired by the time they retire for the day.  Perhaps a less rigorous  schedule would see them in their elements  and give them more opportunities to perform sevas in honour of the reigning  lord.    Against this the elephants of Guruvayoor are in the best frame of mind and health, perhaps to do with their young and energetic flow and a shorter schedule.

Are we to believe that the ticker that shows Thomala seva and Archana seva tickets are there for the commoners given the mass cancellation of late. The old system where the commoners had more probability to get Arijit seva tickets as the discretionary quotas were few and not robust. Nowadays the discretionary quotas take the bulk of Arijit seva tickets and the commoners are left with no hope.

It is the greed that has spawned a debate and dissension in different set-ups.


why is the greed making a comeback and how the greed quotient gets a new lease of life given the demands from your family members

The days spent in Ahmednagar and Nashik

The days spent in Ahmednagar and Nashik

Some Months of this year were instrumental in serving a good duration outside the National Capital. The exit from the National Capital was prompted by factors beyond my control and the stay outside mirrored the hardships one has to put up with while staying in areas that have spiritual quotient but commercial considerations do override them to define their set-up.
The exit was definite and the the train i boarded took a circuitous route to reach Ahmednagar. On a different occasion the direct train proved handy enough to see me reach A'nagar before evening had set in. In the months of February and March, there were four different lodges i had put in with different set of demands coming from lodgewallahs.

Ae we to believe that mayhem dealt by big moolah would be overlooked by those who have incurred the same? THe mayhem that colony securty guard private servant and private citizen dealt has been unbearable.

From the stable of Mujhe Samaj Aaye

When you board a metro you come across different sets of people; some in sleep mode given the nights they spent in getting a grasp on a language that has evaporated from the corridors of power and evolved in the theatres of shower.
As i boarded the metro this time round, the inexplicable stand of a privat security guard who just got the elevator moving as i covered more than half the distance to get to the metro. The elevator was stranded and as soon as this privae security guard spotted me getting down. he showed reflex action and told me that he would ease my movement. Instead of doing that he did the opposite. Quite opposite to that the elevator started moving in the reverse side and i had to climb again to come down. Had he been human he couldd have waited till i got down and then brought the stranded elevator to life. He was more interested in getting me in trouble. Some private security guards like this one are a nuisance for the metro system.
And this lessened my attempt to write and observe.

The ride from Somnath was the best part of Gujarat stint apart from the stay

Those residing in empires of distress and from where they chalk out their strategy to unleash mayhem are the most despicable lot.

Those residing in empires of distress and from where they chalk out their strategy to unleash mayhem are the most despicable lot.
Their money power gives the confidence to uproot others lives - and their agenda is to make others accede to their demands or face brutality.
It is their money power that is leading them to stray and strike at others.

The ride from Dwarka (Jamnagar)

The ride from Dwarka (Jamnagar)

As i left Dwarka having spotted two different entrances to the Dwarka temple town, and scores of other hotels, meals centres adjacent to hoardings, the city ride bus was the one i took to reach Porbandar. The driver and conductor appeared to be gentle souls out to complete the ride in the smoothest fashion known to commuters. Having secured the window seat, the ride was comforting as the road was free from any diversions and dissensions of potholed nature. Having gone past the ticket dispensing schedule (the reasonable city ride fare is the enticing factor), the conductor got hooked to a cell, the lasting duration illustrating the simmering discontent he was facing at home. Apart from the speakable uninterrupted conductor, the other noteworthy speaking element was the man seated next to me speaking on a range of issues to a different range of people, all boiling down to his necessity to take this city ride and the intended direction it would fetch him. In between calls or when the calls got disconnected he just kept to himself on the number of calls he would commit himself to during this ride. I, for one,glued to the outside view, more electrifying and enriching than the calls made from those seated inside, discovered these calls of urgency made by them were meant to update others on their movement.

When the city ride stopped at Sri Mool Dwarka Teerth Dham, the conductor stooped to a new conversation low and parked himself adjacent to the Jai Traders & Hardware Shop and screamed and shivered over the contents that were being deliberated. The conversation lasting the duration the city ride showed its inability to move and once it started moving, the conductor moved inside with the cell guitar in the silent mode. But already having taken a cue from conductor it was the turn of the driver to cell-speak and make the other side freeze.
The next halt happened to be Arshad, the stopping time well beyond one would have desired. Post confabulations with elements not visible to naked eye the driver-conductor duo appeared to take he bus to its logical destination. Having taken a shot at another cup of tea, it is mandatory given the long rides you are committed to and the bouts of upheaval the body is subjected to, i was confident of making it to the final destination well before midnight had set in.

Before the final moments of this city ride came to an end, the conductor had spoken on the definite limits he could stretch himself to in life and having seen the world - this is what he wanted to underscore to his home people time and again - he was at pains to come to terms with reality when the home front still seem to be obfuscating. Once in Porbandar, the conversations on cell had come to a still and more of this enduring nature were with those who were inside for the long trail.

As i left Dwarka i came across Charmi Restaurant, Dwarka Residency Hotel, Hotel Meera, Yash Dinning Hall and Vandina Hotel.
The first gate to Dwarka entrance has the following arch:
" Dedicated to Srila Prabhupada".
The second gate has the following arch:
"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare"
"Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare"
Adjacent to the second gate is Hotel Toran Gujarat Tourism. Opposite to that is Radhika Dinning Hall.

On the way one hoarding said it : "we build those who built the nation"
The other one is on mattress and the comfort it can release is a hoarding which i come across more often than anticipated. Probably the sleepless schedule confronting the majority has led to erection of such announcements at every nook and corner.

As for the Porbandar bus depot, the platform number 4 had these destinations earmarked: Jatwa, Veraval and Junagadh. Well the different platforms and different destinations showed the accessibility from this bus depot and the collection during night showed the desire of those who wanted to travel late given the schedule they had to stick to.

Love you Lord Somnath

Can the National Capital Ever Be At PEACE?

Spare the national capital from protests

Can the National Capital ever come to terms with a bonhomie where protests/agitations are next to nil and this form of transgression like hulla bol are confined to the outskirts. The National Capital is boiling and yet the groups don't care to give it a semblance of order. These protests like hulla bol are sheer wastage of time and resources and only gives lumpen elements to vent their frustration which they are unable to do so at their homes or in places where they ever worked.
Who are the political activists who form the long chain of agitators and what they intend to do by reneging on their promise to remain peaceful and sober? If ever any group has to agitate, the best course is to take out a rally from the outskirts to the heart of the city and then disperse soon after reading their range of demands and handing over the memorandum. These pitched battles being fought and the so-called political activists throwing caution to the wind is going to evaporate the level of support from even those who intend to support you. Bringing down the barricades and agitation turning violent also gives room to the authorities to go brutal. The best course is to take out a peaceful rally from the outskirts to one nodal point of the National Capital and disperse soon after.
The National Capital has already sewn up in a series of dislocation/discomfort. The muggy weather followed by 40 per cent deficit in rainfall this monsoon and the untamed movement of personal transport shows the repair the city needs. The National Capital is boiling and by letting the activists go untamed, they would follow this act of ruthlessness even at their homes. The political class may have an agenda on hand but this is no way to go about things. Why not let these political activists channel their thoughts and energy to something constructive; never mind if credit does not come to you but you know that something cheerful has flowed from your stable and this would stand you in good stead in future. One political group need not wait for the other to show compassion; the one good move with no expectations on returns would be a bounty harvest.

The people are on a short fuse; the dividends they look forward to is unimaginable; the smiles are scanty and the abuse in plenty. The liberalised set-up wasn't meant to see dissensions of this nature and by shifting the heat from the National Capital the world won't come crashing down. Let the National Capital get its share of sobriety it deserves. As for the other class, by sheer logic of money power some want to spearhead their fiefdom. The National Capital has lost its innocence. Those residing in empires of distress, from where they chalk out their strategy to create mayhem are the most despicable lot.
For once, let the National Capital be at peace; let it breathe the air of accommodation and let it bring convergence of views that are sober and simple. Let the radiance of wealth be checked. This National Capital is a place of distasteful contrast. If during the day the agitation involving thousands hit the streets, the nights to be followed by early morning tide sees a voluminous block splurge on food and association that would be brutal and criminal. This National Capital has a double face with a double agenda. Let sobriety return; let passion run low and if ever one wants to agitate do it peacefully and don't try to disrupt those who are out to lead a peaceful life.
Can the National Capital try to learn from other centres of sobriety in the country? The greed spawned the thrust of dislocation; and the stimulus package from the political groups to their activists only dislocates the attempt to think right.

The best five days of Dwarka (Jamnagar)

The best five days of Dwarka (Jamnagar)

Having reached Dwarka in the middle of night, the best course was to retire for the day post meals and look forward to an elaborate stay in the temple town. Innundated with the overwhelming need to be with the Reigning Lord Dwarkadish, the elaborate tryst began the next day. Getting the much-desired opportunity after three years the Reigning Lord's compassion let me to revel in the simplicity of the town and its inhabitants. Up in the morning, the town is well prepared and seemingly plausible for the anticipated rush - and no commotion whatsoever showed the peace it has been with itself for ages. Mornings and evenings reserved for the Lord, the intervening period saw me converge at different points; one being the sakh market (vegetable market) that saw convergence of people and views. Adjacent to this were a slew of public sector banks and equally comforting were the positioning of provision stores. The tea to be tried at the Raj centre or those carryong in different carts are quite energetic. As for the meals one has to scout around and hope to have a fill that could be sumptuous and summing the mood.

Two days later Nageshwar on the agenda and post Lord Dwarkadish visit, i stood next to a road from where the plausible transport could be sighted. The wait wasn't enduring as i hopped on to an auto intending to go towards Nageshwar. The Adwent Cinema on the way reminded me of Naqab i had seen in 2007. Seated on the back seat were three upcoming priests and i comfortable on the front. The young boys who were ordained to be priests were not in the thick of any discussion probably propelled by the songs that their mobiles were beaming. Withing half an hour we reached our intended destination and post Nageshwar visit , i opted for chakda rickshaw as no other mode of transport could be sighted that would take me to Mithapur. That brought fresh memories of the Chakdas i boarded while doing an assignment on Gir Sasan in May 2005. The first half an hour ride was bumpy given the potholes that had tarred and tarnished the road and post this level of discomfort the commute was a consolation. Once at Mithapur, the mode of transport again had to be reverted back to the shared auto.
With jetty being my intended target, the auto discovered its moments of movement after the requisite passengers had been arranged and in half an hour i was in jetty to board the vessel for Bet Dwarka. The canteen run by the Gujarat Maritime Board helps you to recharge thanks to the strong tea they serve.

Once inside the vessel, the boys who were manning it wanted to ensure no visible space should go unoccupied and here the authorities were lukewarm to any suggestion of the vessel getting overloaded. Once the vessel began to move some of those on board opened their umbrellas and some reached out to their cells to update others about their movement. After deboarding the vessel, the 10-minute walk was all it took to reach where Lord Bet Dwarka resides and getting a glimpse more than once was enough to cheer me up. It was inching towards 1 in the afternoon and the concern was to get the return ride which began only after the boys manning the vessel were assured that all visible spaces had been occupied and no extra load could be entertained. The return ride took more time, probably compounded by the load more than it could bear. Here there was no security whatsoever on either side to ensure that no overloading was done - and this made most observe that this had been continuing unhindered for a good time.
Back to jetty, the slew of tea cups was all i could lay my hands to keep myself in motion. The search for transport that would enable me to reach Dwarka led me to try two different modes; one maxi cab which had to abandoned as requisite passengers could not be traced and this followed by the bus going towards Rajkot.
Beyond Tuesday lay other commitments peppered with the prasadam i had at Swaminarayan temple courtesy Ratna bhai from Rajkot ( about four years ago it was the Jamnagar Seth who had organised the elaborate prasadam in the same Swaminarayan Temple after flag-hoisting in temple) and the search for other accommodation if ever i intend to visit again. During one such visit to Balaji Bhawan Yatrik Niwas, i came across a family which showed its desire for an ac accommodation failing which they would try other place. Perhaps the tourists coming here were not acclimatised to have a shorter stay with no ac around and to look for comfort was demeaning.
It was Thursday when i left Dwarka to head towards Porbandar. It was six in the evening and the concern graduated to sublime level when no transport could be sighted. Again with the active intervention of others the city ride bus came and i was on my way to the next destination.
The churn the temple town may not have witnessed, thanks to the constant fixation of being calm and not cagey. Being the abode of Lord Dwarkadish, the serenity is palpable and the pulse of the town quite true to its potential. Skirmishes are next to nil, and the active interface with those from different strata shows the depth of emotions they are flowing with and the honest template they work against.
Swelling with pride or sore with returns may tax some but in entirety most are at peace and the peaceful trajectory they want to endow those who visit them occasionally. Though the Okha port was something i lost out this time, i hope to catch on the next visit.

Some of the places that i tried and came across
- Raj Centre for tea. The tea comes for Rs 5 and is strong and enduring.
- Adwent Cinema (show timings 12:45, 3:30, 6:30 and 9:45)
- On the Devi Bhawan Road is the Sri Sri Rukmini Dwar
akadesh Mandir, Sreeram Investments (trying to offer solutions on investment riddle)
- On the other side is Bangad Bhawan ( dormitory option can be tried here)
- Teen batti chowk happens to be epicentre of activities and emotions and nothing best illustrates the pulse of the town than this one.
- tea and milk carried on innumerable carts by vendors are also worth trying if established shops have down their shutters during afternoon.

Love you Jai Dwarkadish

Having boarded a vessel

The State i was in and the compassion that people showed. This state in the western belt has a lot of things going for it. And the interface and by God's grace the best law and order shows we can be regular visitors if resources and time permit.
God willing, the next visit won't be far.

Those residing in empires of distress and from where they chalk out their strategy to unleash mayhem are the most despicable lot.

Those residing in empires of distress and from where they chalk out their strategy to unleash mayhem are the most despicable lot.
It is their money power that is leading them to stray and strike at others.

Can one ever get sleep in the National Capital?

Can one ever get sleep in the National Capital?

Sleep is hard to come in the National Capital. Attempt to get the requisite one would be difficult given the times we are in. But still, skipping tv-watching and taking early meals may turn the tide. Conversations should be minimal and thoughts of stepping out of National Capital should be tried.
Some really dread at the thought of returning to the National Capital where greed and waste of water is rampant. Where abuse flow in plenty and those with big money taqat rain blows on others.

Having boarded a vessel

Having boarded a vessel which i had to vacate as the solitary condition put by the people running them before one boarded , the vessel boarding and deboarding was reminiscent of the load extra and fulfilling that each mode of transport desires failing which the wait is long and enduring. Some modes of transport in the faint hope of getting the requisite numbers begin their journey only to discover that requisite load hasn't come resulting in dropping of the passengers much before the desired destination. As i left the vessel with a vow to try them again as it enabled me to reach the destination and come back, the first thing i tried at the maritime board canteen was to gulp down four cups of tea to keep my pledge to return to the place of my stay in time to get the meals. The onward journey began in a maxi cab, which had to be abandoned midway as the failure to get the requisite passengers forced the driver to do a rethink and resuggest the abandoned passengers whom he had abandoned at will to try a bus parked nearby and supposed to go to the place of our choice. The bus after making a pledge to wait that long where the requiite numbers could be arranged began to let the passengers board it and once it started, the stops were minimum and milk shakes and food none.
As it halted at one point, i came across a shop with a hoarding STD,ISD & Interpret. What Interpret suggested was actually internet but had taken the all-pervasive form ofInterpret. Here those using their net would be interpreting at some point or the other. THe mails they receive or intend to receive would be interpreted by them in the same way as the mails sent by them which they would like to interpret as to how it would be interpreted by those who are recepients. The interpretation would be equally true for the number of visits they have made to net cafe and the number of times it has solicited them the answers to the questions that they have failed to discover at home or in office which they occasionally visit to interpet the signs their competitive peers throw.Interpretation for them is an all-weather exercise given the bonds they intermittently struck and failing to wriggle out.

As i try to stay clear of this interpretation hoarding, i discover one passenger having boarded has followed this up with the act of sleep. With sunglasses on, he goes for elaborate sleep as elaborate meals have just been completed. With this act of sleep my interpretation is that the passenger wants to free himself of the bonds he built and chased since childhood. Now the time has come to free himself of all such bonds and get himself tiled by an aura of freedom that sleep and only sleep can ensure.

For him the bonding with visible and invisible forces has led him to chase sleep in places where his acquaintances - and those with whom he is supposed to get acquainted in the near future - are next to nil. The home and office doesn't give him the sleep he desires and the bus commute would surely do. It has been more than an hour since he got into sleep mode and no awakening (change in status) whatsoever from those who got themselves seated and unseated next to him comes .
I, for one, won't try to reinterpret where his sleep would lead him to as my destination is round the corner. But there are phenomenal numbers to suggest that sleep would be tried in all visible and invisible places when the requisite one doesn't come due to requsite portfolio that one fails to procure.

As for other occupants of the bus, some have boarded with their vehicle helmets on and some with safety helmet post work completion at the chemicals factory. And seeing the man go for sleep uniterrupted, they too have tried to enact the same asking those seated next to them to wear these very helmets as once they sleep the erratic behaviour enables them to give left right and centre to the people they desire to give but fail to do so eventually leading to injuries to those who are not on their radar.