In Two Minds On Going to South India

In Two Minds On Going to South India

As we are in two minds on whether to proceed to South India or not the probability of availing black tea in West Chitrai Street in Madurai is something to ponder and not flee. Black tea is all we would travel for in a nation not necessarily caught in a brawl. From Jubilee bus station the said bus would we be able to avail that would take us to Srisailam is not known. We still remember the last time when we were in Jubilee Bus Station in South India in 2018, the plush bus with its conductor reaching out to those who wished to travel to Srisailam. We had a flight booked for Delhi and as a result we could not travel to Srisailam.

As papers after papers in the National Capital of Delhi concentrate on uptick in GST collections which may hit a record high in the month of January, this January has been chilling cold with weather releasing all sound and fury and roar.

The indecisiveness on our part to hit a new destination stems from air fare touching a moderate high and travel in train coach of two tier being sum and substance of being bore. In February the cold wave may lessen a bit we hope and weather is perfect enough for us to record the travel feat. As we were all prepared to visit Nizamuddin railway station and roundabout the chill in weather kept us away from pursuing our dream without engaging in any bout. There is not much to write home about in a nation where people don't glout.

There is widespread unemployment across country and economy is in a tailspin and is running short of being in a state of zing. It would take days turning to months for economy to recoup the losses the record GST collections is something to cheer and know exactly who are our bosses.

I take this opportunity to extend good wishes to Ms Lorna and Ms Grace of Wales in United Kingdom. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend good wishes to staff members of Al Jazeera News Channel, CNN News Channel, NDTV News Channel, NHK News Channel, DD Podhigai, Manorama News Channel, SVBC Channel beamed from Tirumala, HT, TOI newspapers and other media conglomerates who have been doing noble service. Best wishes to tennis players Ms Gauff, Ms Naomi Osaka, Ms Serena Williams, Ms Venus Williams, Ms Steffi Graf and their family members. Best Wishes to Tata Group and its staff members across world.

Kudos to NYT staff members. The Bolton Bushfire would be hard to douse and it can leave the affected Prez with a lot of grouse. Nothing is heard of late on North Korea and its leadership which wants to pin down the West and rip. How is Berlin dealing with migrant issue is hard to guess and hope it has enough green shoots in the economy to bring a turnaround. Hope everything is well and New Zealand as a nation state is sitting pretty. Hope Asia and the Pacific gets dividend for the good work done. Hope peace prevails in the Middle East. 

Issues that come to the forefront while going outside Delhi

Issues that come to the forefront while going outside Delhi

Whenever we make plans to travel outside Delhi city there aren't enough occasions when we can get witty. Whether to hop on to a flight journey or take train itinerary the seat availability and the fare comes to the fore with unfolding fears that roar. The ride to a station or airport is sum and substance of no rocking boat and if the fare is steep and not steady we can't deliberate this with our buddy. As we pack bags and leave our residence with limited cash the prevailing thought is on a ride that won't bite. In this biting cold and smitten by leaderless polls, the flight journey comes with frisking and security check in with food outlets dispensing items that are haughty and at times can be naughty.

Food items come for a huge sum even when we have abhorred the idea of having rum. The restaurants/outlets across airports in India are pricey as far as food items are concerned and there is no authority that could derail their charges as if they are charging for rum which every passing season shows a price jump. As flight reaches its destination post weather turbulence from places as varied as Chicago to Chikmanglur the residents of these places turned as travellers have interaction that is limited with those who are labelled as flight crew. The train ride comes minus frisking and minus security check in and days are not far when it would host players like Michael Bevan. As train ride lasts minutes turning to hours to days the South India ride comes with a food that is occasionally less palatable and minus cake.

Opinion Poll Survey That Looks Fake

As one news channel is holding fort and declaring from its ramparts the findings of opinion poll survey on who is the most promising leader and which party is to get majority, it is all bunkum and enough sums have exchanged hands with those who are cheering with their pants. This news channel hobnobs with powers that be and looks somewhat fake and depraved are the leaders who have been declared prompt and prominent holding the cake. The nation is facing leadership issue as there is no leader small or tall who could guide us and the rampant disorientation and unforgiving abusive slang that unfolds in the Hindi Heartland shows the leaders are walking minus their pants. The leader is a shivering ladder who has a constituency to cater and this news channel needs to pull up its socks and present programmes/news that look real and this opinion poll survey looks to be a fixed match engineered by no independent batch.

CAA And Those Piloting It Are Pursuing A Wrong Agenda

In our country which is facing leadership crisis and CAA which comes with biting surprises the sooner the CAA is nipped in the bud there would be enough support that could be labelled as glut. As we reach our destination by train or plane, there is enough sighting of rain. The search for a room that would bloom is a tireless effort as it signals rut. As we zero in on a room with a view, the stay is for a limited duration with a tariff that looks timid and at the same time sensation. As we stay and write our thoughts on whom we met and whom we came across outside Delhi and in Delhi, there is occasional ranting of abuse necessarily mirroring who could be our boss throwing light on cops grouse espousing top political leader's cause.

As we spend hours turning to days outside the city of Delhi the prayer on our lips that rendezvous with a new destination should be an adventure that should be yearly. We find enormous unemployment across Hindi Heartland and no leader of any stature has been able to fix this economy rupture. As we are amidst a slowdown in our economy and across world the leader's policies in our country could at best be described as claptrap with no rap. The Public Sector Banks in our country and their uninspired staff is a source of concern as we hope no other PSU folds with broken bolts. The printing kiosks are dysfunctional at some of these bank branches and despite repeated reminders that these machines are not able to read barcode the customers still prefer to align with these bank branches and cast their vote.

As news comes in of outbreak of coronavirus in China we hope it is contained and China looks as promising zone with ambitious aim. This virus has to stop and its spread has to be contained and sooner efforts are made the better it would be. Our prayers are with China in this time of distress.

I would like to extend my good wishes to Ms Haru Mutasa, Ms Catherine Soi, Ms Ivonne Ndege, Ms Folly, Ms Ibrahim, Ms Ghosh, Ms Dareen, Mr Everton Fox, Mr D Jordan of Al Jazeera News Channel. Al Jazeera News Channel has been doing wonders and hats off to their endeavours. NDTV News Channels too have been reporting unbiased news and kudos to their staff members.

I would also like to extend good wishes to Ms Maggie Lake. I would also like to extend good wishes to Ms E Burnett, Ms Kinkade, Ms Sasha, Ms Amanda Davies, Ms Kristie Lu Stout, Ms Amampour, Ms Becky Anderson, Ms Hala Gorani, Ms Natalie Allen, Mr George Howell, Mr Cooper, Mr Wolf, Mr Anderson, Mr Nick Robertson, Mr Richard Quest of CNN, Ms Maha Siddiqui, Ms Marya Shakeel of News 18 News Channel, Mr Jim Clancy and staff members of New York Times.

I would like to extend good wishes to Mr Pope Francis. I would also like to extend good wishes to Mr Barack Obama, Ms Michelle Obama, their daughters Malia Aan, Sasha and all my Muslim friends from across the world including those in the Hindi Film Industry.

Restore Kashi Vishwanath Live Darshan Soon

Restore Kashi Vishwanath Live Darshan Soon

Extending good wishes

Extending good wishes

As we take this opportunity to extend good wishes to Ms Maggie Lake, the cold weather across North India is something we despise. This cold wave is meant to unfurl a format for which no one would show any grace.

Best wishes to Mr Elton John, Mr Stevie Wonder, Mr Phil Collins, Mr Lionel Richie, Mr Tom Cruise and all those who have been entertaining us for decades. Best wishes to Indian athletes Hima Das, Duttee Chand, CNN News Channel staff members, Al Jazeera, NDTV, DD Podhigai and Manorama News staff members. Best wishes to those residing in North East India.

Conversations centred around Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamama Anna Prasada Centre in Tirumala with those coming from Mumbai and Puducherry

Conversations with those coming from Mumbai and Puducherry

Conversations centred around Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamama Anna Prasada Centre in Tirumala which provided prasadam comprising rice, sambhar, rasam, chutney and butter milk. Hygienic standards are maintained and one is fond of Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamama Anna Prasada Centre for the services rendered.

As conversations with those coming from Mumbai and Puducherry lasted a little over half an hour, some were of the view that walking from Alipiri Gate to Tirumala was the best source of inspiration as it inspired many running into millions who undertook this trek each year. This walk sprinkled with emotions running high to be with the Lord and environed by pleasant beats was amidst scores of outlets dispensing out food items and cool drinks. This walk and the challenge to the same could be negotiated in three hours if there were no halts. Halts at different intervals were mandatory as it gave you the breathing space to a route which was largely steep in format. Not to be outdone and not to be outmanoeuvred this walk from Alipiri Gate i relished the most and have been bold enough to put it in my blog where i had least intention to boast.

Hats off to staff of Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamama Anna Prasada Centre

Walking from Alipiri Gate to Tirumala, the darshan could be taken next day and that grace period should be provided for those in the darshan fray. One gets exhausted by the time one reaches Tirumala and there should be a grace period of one day for one to have an opportunity to have a fleeting glimpse of Lord Venkateswara. As thoughts bordered on hope and aspirations the locales that we have visited in South India too came up for discussion. Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamam Prasada Centre has caught our fancy for long as it provides breakfast, lunch and dinner to those who after darshan want to partake Prasadam which has been prepared with due diligence. Hats off to staff of Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamama Anna Prasada Centre for keeping surroundings clean and preparing prasadam with utmost attention and thereby they could beam.

Tickets dispensed from Srinivasam Complex in Tirupati each day should be more 

As for Srinivisam complex in Tirupati where they dish out 300 rs ticket, effort should be made to increase the number of tickets dispensed each day so that those devotees who have not take online ticket can have the benefit of taking ticket from here. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my good wishes to Tirumala and its residents and hope the presiding deity keeps blessing the followers for trillion of centuries.

As for the occasional rain in the cities of South India including Bengaluru and Chennai the droplets made the places cool where the residents could duly drool. Here a special mention be made for Arun Stores and Mr Arun of Gandhi Nagar near Kempegowda Bus stand in Bengaluru and i would remain ever grateful to him. Having visited Rest House Road in Bengaluru some years ago when i found most residents cheerful and their face could glow. I was of the opinion that people in the South were more cultured and with wings to fly as their aspirational index was not dry. I for one would vouch for South and its various locales that had enough inspirational tales. We also dwelt on my recent visit to Varanasi and how from Buddhist monks from Hubbali in Karnataka to Osaka Guy in Japan the deliberations were frank and with no sighting of any felid. The share ride in a car from Varanasi Airport to place adjacent to Godowlia with a person from Hyderabad more interested in knowing the places from where he could get the delicacies delivered as the city and its proponents he almost revered.

In September 2018 when i was in Tirumala i joined the general queue on all the occasions as the token that was supposed to be given for walking from Alipiri Gate to Tirumala could not be dispensed as some important person was visiting the place. The Lord is for all and despite pushing and shoving the fleeting glimpse is enough to keep you satiated for months to come.

As for Guruvayur and its precincts the shower more than occasional in nature keeps you miles away from being in a state of tense. We hope for peace in the Middle East and India.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my good wishes to those pursuing M.B.B.S. and hope they come out with flying colours. I would also like to extend warm greetings to Mr Lionel Richie, Mr Phil Collins, Mr Tom Cruise and people in South India. I would also like to extend good wishes to staff members of CNN and Al Jazeera News Channels.

Leaving Varanasi, Reaching Delhi

Leaving Varanasi, Reaching Delhi

Having reached Varanasi Airport in an auto which was mentored by Mr Babloo it was time to look at the food/snacks on offer at different eating outlets with no hint of hullabaloo. The snacks on offer in Varanasi Airport were highly priced given the international tourists that arrived round the year and were wise. None of the snacks on offer were below Rs 220/Rs 250 and this could hit the domestic tourist hard who with a limited budget desisted the idea of taking to airport a car. The interaction with Hyderabad Guy Mr Vamshi while stressing on the need to keep Amravati the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh lost no opportunity to list South India channels i watched including ETV Andhra Pradesh and ETV Telugu with favourite colour round the year being blue. There were abusive slang all across North India and we agreed the people in the South were more cultured. The amount of verbal abuse i came across in the city of Varanasi showed the leader was a diehard abuser who was delighted at the thought of posting abuse and with a repeated attendance. Even in the neighbourhood the abuse you come across is much to do with khakhiwallahs frustration.

Post frisking as i took a seat and completed my interaction with Buddhist Monks, Rev. Eruwewe Gunasoma, Rev. Sewangala Chandima, from Sri Lanka, to Ms Lorana and Ms Grace from United Kingdom's Wales to whom i stressed on the need to explore South India if and when they happen to visit India again a nation which was witness to winter rain. I would like to take this opportunity to extend Warm Greetings to tennis players Naomi Osaka of Japan, Serena Williams, Venus Williams of US, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and their daughters, CNN's Ms Amanda Davies and Ms Kristie Lu Stout their family members, CNN Correspondents, Al Jazeera's Ms Folly, Ms Ibrahim, Ms Ghosh and their family members.

Flipping Through Vistara Inflight Magazine

As i boarded Vistara flight to Delhi i began to flip through inflight magazine Vistara. Vistara Airlines has at its disposal 41 aircrafts flying to 34 destinations in India and abroad and the past five years had been no less sensational. There was a story on Mumbai's fish market, Waking up to Mumbai. From a noisy fish auction to street  vendors discover an unexpected side of Mumbai as it awakens and gets ready to face the day. Lively auctions for city's favourite fish Bombil.

Another story on carbon emissions in one chart: China's share 27.2 per cent, India's share 6.7 per cent, US's share 14.6 per cent.

As for Dream Destinations 2020 they were listed as
- Patagonia, Argentina
- Galway, Ireland
- Essaouira, Morocco
- Sevengeti, Africa
- Kyoto, Japan

Festivals to tick off your bucket
- Theyyam, Kerala
- The Colour Run, US
- Snowbombing, Austria
- Fringe Festival, Scotland
- Krampusnacht, Austria

Quirky Cafes for your caffeine fix
- Nekobiyaka, Japan
- The Laundromt Cafe, Denmark
- H. K. Giger Bar, Scotland
- Zapangi, South Korea
- Cereal Cafe , UK

Vistara Special flashback with picture of JRD Tata was good.

Another story on take the roads less travelled in 2020
- Transformative Travel. A journey involving life-altering experiences and the individual returns as      transformed person
- Culinary travel
- Buddymoon travel
- Travel for culture and heritage
- Ancestry travel

Story on Hampi. From 1420 the first European to set foot to 16th century when Hampi was the second largest city in the world.

Going behind the camera. Locales used for movie shoot
- Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii US
- Skopelos, Greece
- Namib Desert, Namibia
- Petra, Jordan
- Various Locations New Zealand
- London, UK
- Angkor Wat, Cambodia for Lara Croft Tomb Raider Featuring Ms Angelina Jolie
- Puducherry, India for Life of PI

17,000 ft Foundation. Reaching New Heights 17,000 ft Foundation is introducing Voluntourism which combines tourism and volunteers thus committed to social cause.
Once through with inflight magazine i deboarded the aircraft only to collect baggage and return home. The best thing about Varanasi is Lord Kashi Vishwanath Temple and having visited that one should vacate the place as early as possible.

Sightings in Varanasi

Sightings in Varanasi

- The Pen Co
   Exclusive Pen Shop
- Tara Boutique
- Beauty Saree Selection
- Novelty Centre
- Suvidha Saree camp
- Tarang Saree
- Lucknow Chikan Ghar
- Rail Aarakshan Kendra
- Jalan Sarees
- OYO
- Roop Matching Ghar
- Maruti Suit Ghar
- Gupta and bros
- Ladli Suit House
- Tripti Hotel Lodge
- Hotel Ganges
- Laxmi Ladies point
- Laxmi Saree Ghar
 -Sahu Tea Co
- Monga Restaurant
- Dulhan Saree Ghar
- Zee Collection
- Sambhavi
- Sajni Saree Camp
- Bombay Sarees
- Munna Kangan
- New Collection
- Travel Agent money exchange
- The Varanasi Silk House
- S.N Ghosh and Sons
- Pushpa Sarees
- Banaras lodge
- Durga and co
- Durga brothers tailors
- Anarkali Suit Ghar
- Prabha Sarees
- Mangalam
- Shi Ganga Garment
- Kamla Medical Hall
- Here Meet Kan
- Hemandas and brothers
- Kesari readymade hosiery
- Hotel Lara India
- Tata Textiles
- Shri Ganpati Sarees
- New Neelkamal Saree Centre
- Utsav Family Shop
- Today's collection
- Roopali Sarees
- Hotel Samman
- New Generation
- Shree Gandhi Ashram
- Family Top Fashion
- Kerala Panchakarm Ayurveda Centre
- Balaji Fashion
- Govind Vastralaya
- Bombay Shoe Mart
- Palace Hotel veg meal
- Dawat restaurant
- Shiv Thandai
- Hotel Ganges Grand
- Kanhaiyalal Sharaf Jewellers
- Akshay Bhojanalaya
- Hotel Deva Inn
- Anokha Barber
- Sadhana Garments
- Neelam Sarees
- Vimal Sarees
- Kwality Wall's Rajshree
- Vikas Tailors
- Vidyut Upkendra Godowlia, Varanasi
- Kashi Chaat Bhandar
- Lucknow Chikan House
- Kuber Paan Bhandar
- Orient electric
- Harasundari Dharamashala
- C.V. Mart
- Mahadeve tours and travels
- ST. Thomas Church
- Tirupati Dosa Corner
- Tiffin centre
- Sandeep Coffee Shop
- Sale point toys and gifts
- Vijay Watch Centre
- The Kitchen Family restaurant
- Chaturvedi Paying Guest House
- Chaturvedi medical stores
- Central Academy
- Chaturvedi glass and plywood centre
- Saffron hotel and restaurant
- Khedanlal and sons
- OYO Hotel Pragya International
- Shyam medical stores
- Surya Residency
- Kashi Gomti Samyut Gramin Bank
- Baba Chatwale
- Jigar readymade
- Aashi collection
- Meet Mr Taufiq Ahmed banana vendor
- Shree Kashi Guest House.  Meet Mr Aashish, Mr Jitendar Yadav