Citadel of East and Pujo

Citadel of East and Pujo

Citadel of East has a lot going in its favour and the flavour of Pujo embraces those who are its adherents and even those showing a faint inclination to fall in line howsoever long it may take. The stay in the Citadel of East may have mirrored the limited aspirations of city folks but it equally mirrored the aspirational quotient of those who get lost in the haze of the city round the year and get an equal chance to join the bandwagon at this point of time. The turnout in College Square and M.Ali Park and the structured movement of the swelling crowd illustrated the strong undercurrents of adaptability. Visits on more than one occasion to these centres showed the rich fabric the city is endowed with and the rich heritage it basks under.

Recalling the immersion procession and the chants it reverberates with, there is a strong longing to have this association year after year.

The long nights spent in the middle of the city amidst chants of Goddess followed with immersion of the idol was a truly moving experience in the Citadel of East. Had been waiting for loading of the idol in the vehicle that was supposed to depart at 5 in the evening from Ram Krishna Raj Krishna Kali Temple in Central. Since ten past four in the afternoon the wait started and when the idol procession finally hit the city roads it was well past seven and it took a little over three hours to reach the Prasanna Kumar Ghat. It was 11.30 and the search was for a public transport that could take me back to Central.

With no meals outlet open, the walk from Metro Station in Esplanade to Central was taxing and the number of hours walked on Thursday (Dussehra) could be a record one. From where i got the thrust to engage in activities round the day could be traced to the positioning next to the lorry carrying idol since half past 7. Thoughts did cross my mind at Burra Bazar that i should call it quits but something kept me glued to the last step. And by grace of the Goddess i was there till the last moment. What a day it was and how beautifully it wrapped up with thoughts on similar festivity slated for next year.

Again thoughts on those whom i came across and intend to come in the coming period.
Best wishes to Shree Krishna Mistaan Bhandar for the kachori and tea served; best wishes to Lakhanlal (on occasions the meal may have led to a minor upset); best wishes to all those tea vendors for serving the tea i desired; best wishes to all residents of the city for the sweat they undergo given the river that flows.

It is a city that flaunts its happiness index by sweating by a proportion that has few parallels in the country; and it is a city that has record footfalls in the face of adversities.

Kolkata Coasting wasn't that difficult except for bed bugs and scarcity of hugs. From the different residents and other lesser known towers whom i came across day and every hour, the Kolkata Stay provided me warmth and a new hope to sway.
Coming across a stay of a considerable period the stint provided me a glue of unwavering future.

Ranting from a taxi

Ranting from a Taxi

AS i spot a man speaking to himself at Lothian Road in the National Capital, this expertise developed over the years can't be the preserve of a few. Competition has been coming thick and fast for those who speak and soak in that experience. The man on Lothian Road was speaking about his ills and the ills plaguing the nation. Illogical wasn't his act and illfounded were not his apprehensions that game changers can't alone be moolah bringers.

The man on Lothian Road spoke and this reminded me of "Zindabad" Rant from a taxi that went past Chittaranjan Avenue Court the other day. The Indian Oil employees appeared puzzled and so were others and we were in entire agreement that his freedom from a long distance train journey confronted by interlocutors of unbelievable scale made him rant and relish. It was the freedom he was relishing and sitting next to the window seat in the taxi made him less amenable to interlocutors pressure.

When Kolkata was my home and the residents gave me hope and foam

When Kolkata was my home and the residents gave me hope and foam

Kolkata

THe ride from Somnath to Ahmedabad

The ride from Somnath to Ahmedabad

Perhaps this piece should have been written earlier but given the F1 gloss - which ultimately led to spectators glued to the seats and failing to flee- and the successful Kolkata toss, the story could not not be penned and the the smooth ride from Somnath to Ahmedabad could not be showcased as a unifying trend. The stay in Somnath may not have stretched to one week or more but whatever little time i spent there it reminded me of places like Dilsukh centre - for the tea i took quite often- and the man on the first floor of the shopping arena who was kind enough to hand me the newspaper coming from the House of Femina. The tea inside the shopping arena was equally strong; the aberration being the shop remaining closed for some hours during which i failed to display my frown. THe bhelpuris - known in Kolkata circle as Jhalmuris- were tried quite often from shops on ground floor; one run by brother-sister duo and the other run by a middle aged man looking for a durable duo.

The close-to-a-week placement in Somnath i have tried in the past and probably that gives me the strength to withstand the horrifying national capital blast. AS i bid goodbye to Somnath, with the hope to come here again for another spiritual shot, the stay was grand and only thing missing was net band. The honey to keep cold at bay i tried and the mosquito-fighting apparatus i put on a functioning mode showed the longing i had for this place with all-pervasive peace tone.

As i left Somnath and later Veraval, the sighting of hoardings and havelis was my dose of survival. The number of educational institutions and lodges that one comes across length and breadth of the country are phenomenal and there are no dearth of hoardings advertising them. When i left Veraval to head towards Junagadh on the way to Ahmedabad some weeks ago, the first sighting was of Noble Group of Institutions- Making your dreams come true is our responsibility. Swamped with an integrated technical educational campus, the hoarding next to the Veraval bus stand has nothing novel about it except the attempt to catch as many eyeballs as possible. Possibly the wait at the bus stop made me engineer efforts to get a glimpse of such and other hoardings and as i inched towards Junagadh i had a sizeable sighting of the same.

In Keshod is the Shakti Centre offering tea at prices within your range and it has a refreshing flavour that easily recharges you after a bout of long distance travel. Similarly in Junagadh opposite the bus stand is Shri Ram Guest House (AC and Non AC rooms) and therein is another tea centre serving the cuppa with a mandate that keeps you glued to action in and outside the bus for a fairly good time. It was in Junagadh that the staff of the bus was replaced by a young fleet and it was a ride towards the State Capital with fewer interruptions. It was in Junagadh and places further away that one could sight hoardings of Saputara Monsoon Festival , held between July and August. It is almost two months since that fest ended and it evolved with themes on fun, romance, adventure and discovery. Saputara being part of the annual calendar, the themes would have a new trajectory year after year would be the belief of those who sighted with alacrity. Almost on the outer limit of Junagadh is Sakharbaug Zoological Park and so is the Mahanagar Seva Sadan. At Jetpur the bus stops adjacent to a pic of Sai in blue outfit. And that turns the thought on Ahmednagar in and out visit.

The bus having left Jetpur, the signboard ahead showed Porbandar 112 kms away and one which most of the residents of the State have tried once in their lifetime sway.

The next halt is Gondal, with a hoarding of Gondal Sunflower Preschool . THe tag line of this school reads" We build those who build the nation." Perhaps the tag line is ok except for the fact that there are too many claimants to claim that they are builders to the nation.

The route followed from Veraval included Keshod, Junagadh, Jetpur, Virpur, Gondal , Rajkot before reaching Ahmedabad. On the way sighting is possible of GSRTC buses going towards Modhera, Vishwamitri, Gir, Saurashtra, Dwarka, Somnath, Kutch, Junagadh, Una and Shentuche. It was close to 5 in the evening and the stoppage time at Rajkot bus stand was more than required to keep a long lasting grin .

As the bus moved out of Rajkot bus stand, there are different shops with signboards like World Class Plumbing done here , Himalayan Refrigeration System. Further ahead is Business Centre- House of electronics and appliances. There are a large number of passengers boarding the bus at Rajkot. But are there enough seats to get them aboard?. As i try to figure out there is one gentleman who gets in and out of the bus at every little or big halt the bus goes in for to make it a ride to be sought . Probably he has learnt the art of detachment to be followed by attachment given the thinking he is encircled with that there are surplus time with all those on board and most prefer to stay from home beat.

Except for his transgressions, the bus ride from Veraval to Ahmedabad was a uniting one as it unified my belief that no matter how big the distance may be, it is preferable to take roadways bus for the common touch it showers us and the commonality that binds all of us.

The car chalaks who are haughty and come heavy on you courtesy the new class

THe Grand Prix where most would agree to disagree

As the Formula One Grand Prix India gets underway under the amazing scanner of those interested and those willing to get interested and yet to have expressed the intent of interest , this Grand Prix would be an event where most would agree to disagree. The event, slated to last three days, with Oct 30th the final day of race, the skyrocketing price tag for Grand Stand is in entire conformity with the skyrocketing prices prevalent outside showing much of our decision-making disability. Suggestions have come forward that prix prices have to be revised, resulting in some stands different from grand and where few would play a prank are coming in the price tag of Rs 15,000 and if possible less if the negotiating skills are best. Well, tickets that would spell automatic entry to the F1 circuit, and in effect to a circle of admirers and foes are still there in plenty to be lapped up and the story doing the rounds is that it is already a sold out event; something the organisers are bent on spreading given the lavish spread that they want to ensure it coming.

Organisers and those intended/interested to join the organisational firmament and yet not been zeroed in given their physical appearance not appealing have been told to try their luck elsewhere. All those with moisturiser laden faces and gym declared aces would be taken to act as escort and give the much-needed security wart. Well, reports on lowdown of this Prix which has fewer prefix other than Grand fix is all about how one positions and functions during the three-day traction.

No one dare to call it a rarity of rare events because once this Prixwith Grand Zigs is complete more in such series would happen given the private enterprise attempt to get in discourse of flaunt weapon. Perhaps the heat the government departments are facing and with little sign of spilling to the corporate basin, the event would have never come at a more appropriate time to show the corporates might and the govt. in a sizeable tight. Perhaps the 270-km/hour zoom onRajpath in the beginning of this month and those in attendance to keep the crowd at bay showed the entire disconnect with India and those in black outfit and displaying moisturiser laden output were a big farce with no mammoth task. Looking to be downright supervisors who had more than their share of senior advisers.

Once the F1 circuit begins to host the Prix and Pace, there would be nothing stopping this F1 race. Already the clamour is from doctors, dentists, engineers and software bears that they want to be associated - as you have stewards on aircrafts- and this clamour is nothing but an attempt to upgrade their grammar. Because more firangi class would be there who would be carrying thesaurus and other wares. Once this F1 event has been declared a success of unimaginable proportion, the chorus would grow that cricket stadiums across country be converted to the F 1 circuit given Cricket India's punctuality to remain functional when they play inside and become dysfunctional when they report for daily wages outside (Across Seven Seas).

Lot of turbulence is expected post F1 boast as the airstrips in and around the country would be seen as potential circuit.

Can't write because this netwallah is in a hurry to fix some deal.