The stay in Ajmer; visiting Dargah; spending considerable time in Dargah bazar

The stay in Ajmer; spending considerable time in Dargah bazar

The food on train was heavy enough to take away any amount of enthusiasm that one can avail of while reaching a new destination. In Ajmer station a little after 4.30 pm, the lodge search had to begin in the right earnest. The cycle rickshaw driven by Saleem took me to one lodge somewhere near R K Computers where tariff was exorbitantly high. Settled for Saaniya lodge with Saleem insisting all along to take a lodge that would be comforting indeed. After meeting all formalities, the room i took was no different from the previous one taken about 20 months ago. New additions to the lodge were uptodate doors and a clean surrounding inside. Not to miss here was the peeing point just outside the lodge which any layman can delude it needs to be positioned elsewhere as there are shops selling food items nearby.

Walk towards Delhi Gate
Walking towards Delhi Gate those milling around Dargah Bazar area were fewer and farther compared to previous occasions. Took tea from Regency, mirroring a taste and craze that has been truly maintained over the years. A search for a pair of pants and shirts took me to rounds of different stores with the entire exercise lasting a little over half an hour. The fabric here is comparatively cheap with some emphasising that it won't shrink post wash. A little after eight visited Dargah amidst a qawalli session which was being played on the left side of the entrance. Previously it used to take place just opposite the entrance to sanctum sanctorum.

Returned to the lodge just before 9.30. The commotion coming from the streets the Tuesday night may have had partial justification. Wednesday morning having completed a Dargah visit, took a trip to Ajmer station. Kachoris from Platform 1 have been known for their quality and quantum. One Mahendra S, hailing from Ajmer, divulged that these stores on different platforms are on a contract and as for the tea that is exceedingly sweet it has to be as per liking of those who man the platform. If the contractor begins to belt out a tea sprinkled with mild sugar, the people running the affairs of the station may take an offence.

Tea served at stations
All along tea served at stations across the country swears by a sweet quotient that is doing no good to passengers and personnel manning the station. A mild and mild burst of sugar for tea could be tried if nothing else can be assured for passengers. Mahendra also spoke of occasions when trains which depart from these stations a demand is raised by some manning the station to get these amount of snacks from the pantry and the person running the pantry has to dutifully oblige before departure. Following this state of affairs the mindset he follows in interactions with passengers on board can be occasionally seen.

While returning to lodge, another lodgewallah insisted i take a room which i thought would be handy. In places like Ajmer, one should  pay advance for a day because if you have paid advance for two days, the chances of getting a refund is remote if you have stayed for just a day. Took another lodge with another hope for two days.Wednesday late afternoon took meals from Regency. Followed this with tea from here as well as from Mahaveer Marg. Besides visiting Dargah on Thursday and Friday, visits to Anna Sagar and cyber cafes near Dhan Mandi and Naya Bazar illustrated the occupying hours in the city. 


The stay in different lodges during free hours listed the need to get a break from the snooping hooter that has been carried on continously for the past three and a half years in the national capital. Privy to every conversation being carried in every room, there is a need to be freed from these acts that does not do any good to us and only makes our lives difficult. When you have collection of people outside home now and then who don't belong to the lane, the manufactured attempt is clearly visible. Snooping, placing a camera and shaping the agenda of others should be discouraged. Have had really trying times in the past two years, with the change in the nature of protagonist who has shown what the new powerful structure can do to you and the alarming reach they have with authorities.  As thoughts went on these issues, i wondered whether writing in Ajmer from a cyber cafe could be accomplished with ease.A search in the space of four days took me to cyber cafes from Naya Bazar to Dhan Mandi.

The stay in Ajmer with thoughts on tapping at home 

For how long snooping can continue

For how long snooping can continue. You dread to think of going to a bathroom late in the night or early morning. And if you have spent considerable time in the bathroom at around three or four in the morning, the reaction from the man coming from A 1 275 is not explainable. The man on the first floor coupled with the man on A 1 275, both hailing from L & O Department, tend to resort to unbelievable behaviour. All rooms are tapped, snooping is rampant; the normal lives that we prefer to live is not there. If snooping is taken away from all bathrooms and living rooms, camera is taken away from drawing room, at least a semblance of normalcy can be maintained.   Bathroom-watching is their goal, the night or early morning foray to bathroom, they want to watch and preserve.

Where is the need for snooping

Where is the need for snooping; and what for what reason you want to snoop. Taking a lodge in other cities, placing a man adjacent or to a room above where i have taken a room, the need for snooping can never be justified. Once you take a room in other cities, for the first few minutes you won't feel their presence but in the following hour there is a tell tale sign of they resorting to unfathomable behaviour. For these department people, who can come handy for them is vendors of different scale, attendants (parking and train),shopwallahs, hotelwallahs (who are obliged to them). Why would a commoner oblige them. He or she has other things to do.
In the city of Ajmer while taking a bath in the first lodge, filthiest of abuse coming in plenty made possible by plain clothes man taking a room on top or adjacent or the same behaviour being resorted to while taking the second lodge, looked to be alarming. In the second lodge, everything looked ok as i stepped into the room. Barely ten minutes later, filthiest abuse audible due to a window which had no shutters, the rationale might be construction work is underway in nearby area. Now look when i used to step out of room and return after few minutes to the room, for the first first few minutes no abuse would flow and in the following ten minutes, the same pattern would be followed as long as they were aware i was in the room. So changed the room to other side of road, which at least saved me from this pattern. One can easily differentiate the spitting act which comes in the normal course and the one which is manufactured.  This act has become all india phenomenon with much effort looking to be manufactured.
THe third lodge, which i never wanted to take, because i had written on a Friday the people are better off without them, had a nasty commotion pattern the entire night. I should not have taken the third lodge. THis act of snooping and tailing and resorting to abuse pattern is all manufactured by you. Because abuse once in a while is understandable and one can differentiate between abuse on the spur of moment and the one which is manufactured. So who all going to oblige these people. Vendors, hotelwallahs, shopwallahs, not all, only those who have to oblige them, attendants, who have been given clear cut instructions to fashion a behaviour (everything can't be spelt here on the behaviour) which they can do it with alarming success.
Only Dargah looked to be wonderful and some restaurants in Ajmer.

 Private drivers and private caretakers can also oblige them if they feel the need, otherwise why would a commoner oblige them. Snooping and camera recording of the home they do it to get every precise detail of what has been said and once they come to know the issues that irritate us, they would play that role with alarming success. Snooping and camera recording they can't do in other houses, so they have resorted to this conduct here.  For how long snooping would continue, bathroom watching continue, these plain clothes men decide when to step in the bathroom, when to watch tv (all are snooped). Even laptop when it was functional at one point it was tapped. This behaviour is highly unjustified. Snooping in the house and camera-taking has to stop. Can you afford to do this in other houses and with authority

The ride to Ajmer; the need for current reservation counters in Delhi Cantt Station

The ride to Ajmer


On a Tuesday morning decided to leave for Ajmer. The auto ride from home to Delhi Cantt. Station took almost 40 minutes. The decision to not purchase ticket the previous days was to ensure the ride remained smooth and safe. Enquiry on the train headed towards Ajmer revealed one likely to come after 9.30.  In the Delhi Cantt. station there are no current reservation counters. Trains which originate from Sarai Rohilla, the next stop being Delhi Cantt, there can be an arrangement to get current reservation tickets from Delhi Cantt station. At least leave 15 to 20 seats in each train- or more than that if possible- for current reservation in Delhi Cantt station for those which originate from Sarai Rohilla or the next stop at Delhi Cantt. It has been over seven to eight years for broad gauge to have been introduced but still current reservation counters continue to elude stations like Delhi Cantt. 

Need for current reservation counters at Delhi Cantt Station

During the train ride that lasts during the day, in trains like Sarai Rohilla-Bandra Terminus, there are a large number of vacant seats which passengers don't come to know.  A status of the same displayed at Delhi Cantt station would come handy. Similarly there would be other trains involving day journey passing through delhi cantt, a current status on seat availability would be helpful and issuing the same given the availability. 

The Sarai Rohilla- Bandra Terminus train left Delhi Cantt at 9.42am followed by Bijwasan coming at 9.50 (much improved and somewhat clean surroundings from the past), Gurgaon coming at 10, Pataudi Road at 10.25, Rewari at 10.45 and Khaithal at 11.25. Hills after Khaithal may have bauxite deposits or deposits of such nature, this any layman can make a guess.


Water tank at Alwar

The first freight train goes past us at 11.30, Parisal station coming at 11.32, with the guard holding a green flag on left hand. Between 11.38 and 11.40, Alwar comes. The water tank at Alwar 58240 litre (P F 1) looks old and truncated. A little later spot a guard wearing half sleeve sweater. Bandikui comes at 12.30, the area between Bandikui and Dausa essay a tale of innocence. Dausa comes at 1.05, Bhandana at 1.12 where women at work can be spotted. Few metres away is an old guard, thin and simple. Banskho at 1.20, the noticeable features, first, S K College, second, people playing cards under a tent. Gandhinagar Jaipur  station comes at 1.40 and Jaipur a little before two. There is a train on another platform headed towards Udaipur, which leaves15 minutes before our train. 
Hironda comes at 2.55( here the guard looking to be content), Phulera coming at 3pm. Finally Ajmer comes between 4.25 and 4.35, the delay on account of the train being held up after Kishangarh as Ajmer Shatabdi and another train have to go on opposite direction.


Meeting Babuddin, headed towards Surat

Having boarded C 4 coach, the mid 20s man with a beard laid bare the graft episode that he and his acquaintances had encountered over the years. The beard man revealed that despite vacant seats, i would have to shell out extra than the amount shown on the receipt. When the TTE came, the beard man, the conversation with whom was of immense pleasure, was told to move to C 6 , seat number 62, i being told to pay the amount as the one shown on the receipt. Intro as a journo, perhaps to that extent some proprietary had been maintained. That is why i have been insisting on current reservation counters at Delhi Cantt station which would help me and the likes of beard man to get the advantage of a reservation for day journey. Perhaps the beard man may come across incidents where graft won't be hampering the right cause. Getting seat number 44, Babuddin, the business guy seated next to me with expertise in getting vegetables from Surat to Delhi was a picture of consolation. From November to February when it is exceedingly cold in North India, Babuddin and others get vegetables in a truck weighing 1000kgs every day. For the next six months they get lemon from Andhra. Babuddin has had a smooth run, with the truck taking exactly 24 hours to reach DElhi from Surat.There were others who spoke about Malad in Mumbai and a man from Algeria.The Algerian guy had headphone tied constantly conveying he was at ease with himself.



Trim meals on wheels


Apart from Veg cutlet with bread, coming for rs 40or 50, the meals on wheels is fairly expensive. The rice they serve is huge in quantity and the entire rice, vegetable, roti spread costs 100 rs. They should trim the content and accordingly revise down the price as having the entire content in one go can be troublesome. As a result some passengers tend to leave it. Trim the content rather getting the food wasted. With the train having reached Ajmer, the rickshaw ride to Nulla Bazar and accommodation in Saannia Guest House was the next thing on mind.
Basically there are three prominent gates in Ajmer, Madar Gate, Kotwali Gate and Delhi Gate. Most promising looks to be Madar Gate. This time i was able to meet Syed Naseer Hussain Chishty of Subhan Manzil, Pannigran Chowk, Ajmer. He has been helpful in the past. I met him on the fourth day of my stay. As for Regency near Delhi Gate, the food on different occasions was a treat. Same was with the tea.

Madar Gate looks promising, not diluting the import of Delhi Gate.

Nursery admissions and how things can be corrected

Nursery admissions and how things can be corrected


Nursery admissions and those looking forward to a solution have been going through challenging times. A flawless system in place would be asking for the moon but one with fewer aberrations can still be expected to be  in place. It has been over four decades when nursery admissions began to adrift substantially pushed by the fact those seeking admissions and those having seats were bind by a tie of uncertainty.   Those who had the authority to give admissions had the least idea of a population explosion coupled with those seeking admissions coming from far away areas. Even as China began to make its intention known on a final and punishing intervention in 1962, the roots to an aberration of sorts in nursery admissions had begun to be laid.
It isn't an exaggeration that 1962 and thereafter laid the first step to fiddle with nursery admissions even though the public schools and their character were fewer and least known. By late 60s and early 70s, those who had no idea of what to do with their surplus land and bounty income, were seized of the issue of turning their land bank to school tank, what better way to do it than open their doors to nursery ranks.

Period of 70s
The period of 70s summed up their never care spirit and all they had to do was procure the requisite licence and get the nursery admission essence. During that time the need for donation in the name of seeking development of the structure was handed out to parents with the latter sparing a little from their income. Those days whatever was handed out was acceptable and that made nursery admissions accessible. The management running the nursery schools had already developed a mindset for a quota of their own along with their set of preferences whom to give and whom to reject. Between middle of 70s and early 80s, the character of those running the nursery schools became abundantly clear with nursery to standard 12th, the abiding intake they had to get. A population explosion and those migrating to big cities in search of jobs and later seeking school admissions gave plenty of options for public schoolwallahs to charge where they deem fit and change the rules for those who did not come with necessary kit.

It was freedom all the way to knighthood with no checks and balances. You have the quota devised by you and you would decide the near and which neighbour would get the admission success. Here as well, the initiation to school  regime would entail a set of conditions that may not be desirable by many parents. So when large number of parents found that nursery admission itself had become a challenge what to talk of higher education, the pressure encircling them looked to be a 24x7 happening. In  search of schools that would oblige them, the parents began the search for high-paying jobs and this set a vicious circle from which few could freed.  Since the realisation had dawned that only a school certificate from a public school can mirror the chances of further success, the parents were willing to shell out anything and everything. Those not in transferable jobs believed once nursery admission had been secured, the following  standards(classes) and admissions to the same would follow automatically and they would have to least bother on all these issues for a considerable time. That set the ball for school management to set their agenda with no hiccups. Since parents are willing to pay and teachers with a willingness to have their say, the management roped in teachers on their board with the confidence they would vote.

Gate for grunt and greed
Well in the initial phase, teachers were content with the pay they were getting, and in order to retain them some schools began to pay them more with the hope they won't disapprove of running of affairs in the school.This set the gate for grunt and greed. Later the demand for better pay began to come from teachers and they were paid handsomely, with the knowledge that these teachers themselves were product of public schools and during the time of admissions and later to various standards their parents too had to pay a substantial sum. So why not recover the amount spent on them by their parents by seeking a higher pay. As for teachers who were least bothered about salary and with the mission to give education to kids, they too got influenced by their colleagues clout to seek more. More and never miss became the reigning theme.

The way out is to clip the wings of the management as they have had enough freedom on land, nursery list and lease. The management has to devise a platform where instead of paying handsome dividends to a handful, say 30 to 40 teachers, should recruit a large number of teachers and pay little and not lunatic sum by the logic of they being part time teachers. So a large number of teachers with a salary not bordering on fanaticism should be tried. Management should itself think of spreading the sheet of payment to a large force and on a nominal sum as that would open doors for many and also prod them to live a life not on a large sum and large salary. Once management realises that it has been able to contain its expenses, including doing away with redeveloping the building when there is no need for the same, the long tail of expenses can be checked. Same principle should be applied in seeking a large number of kids for admission with not a notorious list of do's and don'ts. Keep it simple for parents.
As for Kendriya Vidyalayas, if they could raise two to three extra rooms in their premises or convert the rooms meant for music classes, dramatic classes  for nursery teaching, a way out could be found for kids who don't get admissions in other schools. Kendriya Vidyalayas have to open doors for nursery admissions and once semblance of normalcy is restored with clipping wings of public schools and opening the teaching playground for many, the child destined to become adult won't clamour for astronomical pay and astonishing job. Beginning has to be made from nursery admissions as that would spearhead a clean law and order.  

What they are going to gain from snooping. Home is meant for living.

What they are going to gain from snooping. House is meant for living.

For how many years you can get your house under snooping ambit. For whom we intend to help. Ask any commoner, the general refrain would be to keep a safe distance away from authorities. They are instrumental in laying a snooping line through A 1 / 275 house and are privy to all the conversation and the movement that takes place in our house. They set the target for the tenants in our house, with the number of times the vegetable vendor, fruit vendor who enter is beyond comprehension. They decide when delivery boys are to be sent to the two floors and all round the day this commotion takes place. They have made life difficult for us, with their reach to every room. For two years they tried to rob us of peace and perseverance through raising of a big structure next to us. The mayhem they unleashed for two years in the garb of raising this structure made us wonder why we let them snoop on us . They occupying space in A 1 / 275 house and on first floor gives a fair advantage to them to create mayhem. During the entire day, the delivery boys in the name of giving products to the two tenants enter the house bang the gates and this commotion continues for over 12 hours. The A 1/ 275 cop man and the cop man on first floor are on look out for opportunities to find out where the occupants of the house are and accordingly set the mayhem agenda.

One can understand there were some disturbing elements in the lane in the past; these cop men want to sent out this message that they have the power to create a new set of disturbance every other day. Every day they would begin afresh and create a stir. Bathroom-watching from first floor and getting the maid to report to them or their man is their firm goal. If in the morning or evening there is a set of abuse flowing or making life difficult for us through  banging of gates and other conduct you can well understand it is not the public that is doing it but an agenda set by them. And they have tried to replicate this success in other cities with a vow that life is like this and we need to adjust
Who works for them can easily be classified as vegetable vendor, fruit vendor, other vendors, safai karamcharis, shop or hotel karamcharis or parking attendants. Otherwise why would a commoner listen to their diktat and act accordingly.  If you come across a conduct that is unspeakable or considered to be beyond comprehension, you can well understand who is doing this.If you have not argued with anyone, never raised voice while speaking to outsiders, then if commotion happens, you can well understand the forces behind it.  

Snooping in every room and bathroom shows their reach and we want to be away from them. The driver and typist, if we make observation about them, these authorities do the first thing is to report to them and then they create a stir here and a stir there. The first thing to do is to remove all snooping instruments from the house and better have a new set of tenants who don't take orders from these authorities. Most important thing is to how get a simple tenant who is freed from their control even if that means paying very little. A simple tenant who would live in peace and harmony and not let the premise use to disturb and snoop on us would be desirable.Second never take an auto set by them as it can too lead to problems. Home is where we wish to live and live in peace. A desirable set of tenant is a necessity. Not a tenant who is hitting the floor in whichever room you are sleeping is desired. Further the delivery boys and their movement should be halted. Where is the need to keep a tenant who makes life difficult for us. From A 1/ 275 house to first floor tenant, the place has come handy for them and they decide when to raise mayhem. Collection of people outside the house and creating commotion was a thing of the past. If we ever make observation about them, all hell breaks loose. If you ever wish to listen to what the commoner thinks, snoop other homes, you would get a fair idea. They are privy to issues that can irritate us and act accordingly to show their prowess.
Paying extra for the auto or the train ticket, we are prepared for that than letting them to showcase that they made available auto for us or got the train ticket.Since they are doing this much, they have to snoop and create disturbance. Please we don't need you, we are better staying away from you. It is much better to keep ourselves away from them. Where is the need for them to listen to conversation that we undertake in our homes and accordingly raise mayhem.

If we have taken a bus or auto not arranged by them, things look much better. Accommodation points where they have fewer presence, things look ok. 

Visiting Mandir Marg; Saturday was historic in more ways than one

Saturday was historic in more ways than one

On A Saturday when the Sun was out in full strength, venturing out was not a tale of sulk and remain tense. First from Home visited IIT Park, the stay was short with water continuously flowing from a tap. THe water tank has been subjected to rupture of sorts driven to a state where no one cares how much water flows and despite one watching from a quarter close. After exiting IIT Park, it was time to take a bus towards Hauz Khas Metro station which is one of national capital hailed creations. Veg fried rice from a chinese hut, a parked-and-to-be-patted meal vehicle was refreshing enough to reenergise. Quantum that you get for half plate is humongous, setting you to delve in a  sense of humour considering the crowd around to be petite and bright.Post veg fried rice, time was ripe to take juice as it would give you yet to be discovered clues. THe ATM inside the metro station had gone abrupt, one can step out to collect cash from a nearby market which is yet to entail shops that engage in washbasin and tub.

From here headed towards Mandir Marg, the metro ride split between one to Connaught place and another to R K Ashram Marg. From R K A Marg, one can either walk to Peshwa Road near Mandir Marg or take battery operated rickshaw. REaching in the vicinity of Mandir Marg, the coffee option can do wonders which one can try from a shop which only the owner knows the way to enter. Taking coffee at a bus stand from where buses go towards Shivaji Stadium, the time spent and spotting if any nearby tents, the meeting with Zakir Hussein College lad was one where he had no intention to carry a bat. Headed towards his college, the lad, Uma Shankar, had read the situation well when he decided to pursue Pol Science (H) which is 300-year-old and has different corners. As stated by him, the present structure from where the college is functioning is over 100 years and those enrolled in different courses have year round  smile and  cheers.


Intention was to not try cyber cafe from Gole market and the occupants of the place suggested there is one and only internet cafe to chase. Took a bus to C Place metro station, finding the stairs being mopped. Here the need is to carry out stringent checks to the functioning appliances and structures; you can see concrete slab withering away at various places, particularly on stairs. More important is to keep the present system up and running; snags reported in metro running leading to clubbing of trains have to be sorted out. THere is no need to rush with ongoing construction assignments as someone has suggested. More important is to preserve the existing infrastructure.

Taking metro from central delhi, reached INA in no time. Took a bus from here towards Kotla where the cyber i visited and stayed for long had no power to engage in a game of ping pong. After a long wait left to go to other side of South Extension with a hunch there would be a cafe nearby. Finally located one where the history of sites one visits and how effective is the way to get back to them was being enumerated. It is only plain clotheswallahs who would seek, otherwise why would a gentleman  get into this dirty habit of raising a stir here and a stir there.
Came out of cafe to proceed towards a bus stand which is quite close. The bus was 544 which while halting at the stop had occupants getting down who had cricket bats with them. Some who chose to stay inside too had bats and there were some who were hooked to a cell with no sporting of a hat. It was a Saturday when the capital chase had not turned grey, those with their back had an objective to act; those with cell had an interesting session to tell.
A Saturday which revealed there are five Sikkim Bhawans in the national capital; more need to bring on board  with a staff a mix of local and those coming from these places as that would lead to a  discourse that is soft .

Is snooping appropriate

In Nagar pushing the public here and there, those in govt uniform should refrain from chal hut ( get lost) remarks. In Govt uniform, you are meant to preserve the sanctity of the place and not be unruly with the public. Making announcements about cell and other possessions is all ok, make announcement as well about how to be noble in your conduct. Not indulge in temperamental behaviour for no fault of public. Near the platform try to hand over responsibility to those who are not agitative in conduct, here if you create disturbance and also engage in other not desirable conducts you are affecting the sanctity of place.

Meeting students from northeast

Meeting students from northeast

There have been occasions when i have come across students from northeast. Meeting Brahmanand, hailing from Guwahati, the opportunity came during meals in Law faculty in the North Campus. If i stand corrected Brahmanand happened to pursue English (H) not Pol Science (H) as mentioned earlier. Brahmanand has taken a room on rent with a success to take out time towards debating society. Brahmanand had taken the contact number with a promise to get back on the challenges faced by northeast students in the national capital. While taking a bus commute came across another student hailing from Manipur, pursuing Life Sciences in Hansraj College of Delhi University. He stays with his family in Malkaganj, with a room taken on rent. THere was another student hailing from Manipur, she pursuing an undergraduate course in South Campus. While most of the students stay in a locality where rents are not steep, having managed to get accustomed to the water and power potential to come in and check out.

Speaking to them, we get to know a lot about northeast as delhi alone is not INdia. THe power and procrastinating culture that pervades here with abuse flowing in tandem, same success being replicated in other territories shows the quantum of support for those with a free and unchecked tongue.
All looking to be manufactured attempt. perhaps the breather comes in a cyber cafe or a spiritual centre where people tend to be rationale.

As northeast students tend to visit far away territories in pursuit of higher education and job, the challenges they come across and changes they have to adopt brings them face to face with unwanted elements and we should salute them for their 24x7 likely-to-adjust enterprise.

Students from northeast have a fair advantage as far as meals are concerned. THere are vans which during the day serve as eating joints and the night is used to take rest and they dish out a fare in the national capital that is the best. 

Meals from University Plaza; setting a debate on northeast

Meals from University Plaza; setting a debate on northeast


Visiting Delhi University North Campus the other day, the ride was defined by a score of attempts to reach Ambedkar Nagar Terminal. Inability to do so, the stage was set to take a bus ride to Lodhi Road and from there towards North Campus. The metro ride from a  station in the vicinity of Lodhi Road showed the manageable template we are lucky to secure during certain occasions. Here the toilet maintained inside the metro station near Lodhi Road is clean and has been redone given two weeks earlier the restoration work was on. Delhi Metro need not stick to schedule; more important is to get the strong foundation and maintain the same. Taking another metro from interchange station at  connaught place, the ride to University of Delhi from Lodhi Road was little under an hour.  

Heading to University Plaza for meals from an IRCTC run canteen, the rickshaw i took and the man riding the same essayed a picture of content riding on the back of mixed expectations. With rs 50 meals coupon, stressing small quantum of rice, the entire tray content was a cruise towards complete consolation. Coming across Brahmanand, the student from a college in the North Campus, the recent happenings in the national capital formed part of discourse. With clean shaven and clean set of achievements, Brahmanand divulged the revulsions that had set among disabled groups over the cane charge that a disabled had been subjected to.

A group of disabled people had been staging a protest in central delhi against some sections of disabilities bill the govt intended to bring about, and the protest being broken by a lathicharge leading to an unfortunate incident. One Arjuna Awardee with a partial eyesight lost all of it in the lathicharge exposing the hazards of taking part in a demonstration and the emanating repercussions. Well lathicharge was something they should not be exposed to, Brahmanand hailing from Guwahati stressed on, speaking as well on the discrimination and the level of discourse the people from the northeast are subjected to in the national capital. Well not the entire national capital you could blame for the hostile attitude but there were certain sections that were true to raise the flag of discrimination. Sensitising the entire gamut on giving space to the disabled was one among different objectives Brahmanand wanted to proceed towards. Part of the debating society or something like that i could make out, the student left with a suggestion to create more amenable atmosphere for the people from far away territories like northeast. With a partial eyesight, Brahmanand has been pursuing Pol Sci (H) probably in the second year and with a clean set of commitments.

The food is good in the law faculty canteen; the tea that they serve to students is immersed in sugar affection. And surprise of all surprises the students gathered there don't clamour to get a tea with mild sugar intake. As i left against a sighting of immaculately maintained Jawahar Vatika, the campus and the surroundings is just devoid of a coastline which some universities in some parts of the world are eager to showcase. Vishwavidalaya Marg too has seen churning of sorts; the silver lining being it is some affordable space away from the traffic tribulation.

When the Sun was out in full strength

When the Sun was out in full strength

On another day when the Sun was out in full strength the stay in the park was of a smaller duration with a desire to visit Lajpat Nagar and do a story from the same. Taking 615 from Park bus stand, the Africa Avenue stoppage from where the link bus could be accessed was what i was looking at. Getting into 624, the conductor confirmed that the bus was in no way headed towards L Nagar, i getting down near Scindia villa. A vendor selling wallets could be spotted, sporting a smile a testament to his confidence to do a brisk business in winters.   From here i walked all the way to a bus stand near S N Depot. Hoping the Yashwant Place complex would get me the requisite cyber cafe, i got down at a stop nearby.

There are two cyber cafes in the complex. Both seem to have run out of inspiration and ammunition. From 11.30 am it was almost four in the evening and the search for cyber cafes was taking me nowhere.  Sighting 610 going towards Wazirpur Depot, i took this one hoping the cafe near mandir marg would come handy and the dividends would be equally handsome. By the time i reached the destination it was inching towards five with a fair confidence that a story could still be done. A wait for a bus at a stand opposite a church and school looked more enticing than engaging in a session of walking. After a considerable wait the bus came sighting among passengers those who have had no hesitation to spell their name. INside the bus a rethink on cafe and content led me to settle for a metro ride back home.

It was a day when the Sun looked to be promising. A day when the promise to do a story hampered by some erratic decisions and movements in buses that were not headed  towards cyber tents. A day that was physically tiring and equally challenging to your mental faculties.    But these could be overlooked as the Sun had been beaming at its best.

Visiting IIT Park; Waiting for 615

Visiting IIT Park; Waiting for 615

In the past fortnight have had the opportunity to visit IIT Park more than once. Accomplished on the back of a bus service, the visits have seen evolution of individuals with a clear intent to bat and bowl with a realignment of some who can play cards not necessarily in a hall. On a particular tuesday, the stay in the park adjoining a flyover was over three hours with enough time left to get pitch dark. It was a day when expletives thrown by boys making a bold attempt to get to a  high school were bodily lifting suggesting all these attempts are manufactured and liberating. A spell of liberating expletives we get to hear now and then from forces who all are manufactured and definitely men. Three hours inside the park, thoughts went on the lush green the landscape looked in the past and probably in two to three years that invincibility would be restored. The park has fewer attendance these days; some could be spotted energetically dedicated to shed weight. Some make mental notes; some look at their smartphone to spot the invincible quotes.

Coming out of park, the wait at IIT Park hostel bus stand provided the opportunity to look at the alarming traffic and those making it. The wait was for 615. As noted by a woman with a Class 9th son, the depletion in bus service was to do with the lunchtime. Spotting during the wait period were vehicles of different variants; some with rolled up windows and some with no attempt to even do that. In between autowallahs and scooterists were vehicles big in size, big enough to take in one fuel drum at one go. Some while driving could be seen speaking on a cell unmindful of what hazardous template they were setting in. As 615 came, inside were people with an intent to visit Central Delhi with a realisation there were enough seats for them. Making an enquiry to a student on whether he was in school or college, the rapt attention he was giving to a girl's take on giving respect to their teachers mirrored the intrusion that he least desired. A welcome break was handed by a student from JNU, the district Kalahandi in Orissa and a full fledged station that had come up were quite a revelation.