Science On Sphere (SOS) Show at National Science Museum, New Delhi

The Science On Sphere (SOS) Show at National Science Museum, New Delhi was inaugurated in June month of year 2016.

It shows various facets of earth and the solar system. It also beautifully explains what makes life possible on earth and helps sustain it.

It also provides a grim reminder that unless human beings conserve planet earth it is slowly hurtling towards extinction like what happened to Dinosaurs ages ago!

Jaipur, Ajmer and Pushkar - Some Photographs

Here are some photographs from a recent family trip to Jaipur, Ajmer and Pushkar.

These capture some of the historical monuments, tourist spots and landscape that is so very unique to this part of India.

A Spiritual Trip to Garhwal Himalayas

Garhwal Himalayas!

The mere mention of this word brings to mind images of a land of immense scenic beauty.

And of temples.

I went with some more people on a spiritual trip to Garhwal Himalayas many years back.

We started on the night of 10th April (Thursday).

After picking up all the tourists, we were on our way finally at 11.30pm.

We reached Rishikesh at 5.00am in the morning.

We did not stop at Hardwar on the way and reached Rishikesh directly.

And at Rishikesh we took bath early in the morning itself.

Ganges river there is calm and safe for bathing.

We started from Rishikesh at 10.30am on 11th April and reached Deoprayag at 1.00pm.

There we spent time in taking some snaps.

This is the place of confluence of Alaknanda (originating at Badrinath) and Bhagirathi (originating at Gangotri).

From this point onwards, the river takes the name Ganga.

It was very exciting to go down the hill there very close to the water.

From there we started for Rudraprayag at 2.30pm and reached Rudraprayag at around 6.00pm in the evening.

There we stayed at a resort (Monal) on the side of the river.

The scenery from the resort was simply breathtaking.

In the night we had bonfire with usual food and drinks.

Next morning on 12th April we went down to have bath in the river down the hill.

Bathing there in the cold and fresh water was an exhilarating experience.

We started from there at 2.00pm towards Lansdowne and on the way passed Srinagar, Pauri, Buakhal, Sapuli and Gumkhal.

And finally we reached the town of Landsdowne at 7.30pm in the night.

After looking around we managed to find a “just decent” place for staying in the night.

Next morning, on 13th April, the last day of the trip we went to Tiffin Top from where one can see the Western Himalayas.

However. that day we could not see properly due to poor visibility.

From Lansdowne we started at 10.00am and took the road via Fatehpur, Kotdwar, Bijnor, Meerut and finally reached Delhi at 6.00pm in the evening.

Reaching home always feels good.

And it felt even better as we were on a high from a hectic but a very refreshing trip!

200 Kms Drive in Delhi NCR

Few days back I drove in the NCR covering a distance of around 200 kilometers. I started from my home in the morning and was back home the same evening. This shows how big Delhi NCR region is and more importantly the excellent roads that Delhi-wallahs enjoy.

The starting point was Gurgaon and the first stop was Sector Mu, Greater Noida. The next stop was Vasundhara, Ghaziabad and the last stop was Hindon, Ghaziabad (interestingly, this drive spanned across three states - Haryana, Delhi and UP). From Hindon I came back to Gurgaon. While driving I took the following route:

• On old Jaipur-Delhi Highway from Sector 23 Gurgaon crossing till Kapashera Crossing
• On the road from Kapashera Crossing till NH8 (Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway) under the last flyover before the Toll Plaza at Delhi-Haryana border (also known as KM24 Toll Plaza)
• On NH8 till the exit on Outer Ring Road that goes towards Vasant Vihar
• On Outer Ring Road till under the RTR Flyover
• On the road going left from under the RTR Flyover till Inner Ring Road that passes through South Campus
• On Inner Ring Road going towards left and then taking a big U-turn to come back towards Moti Bagh
• On Inner Ring Road till the start of the DND Expressway a little beyond the Ashram flyover
• On DND Expressway till the second left turn which exits on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway that goes towards Greater Noida
• On Noida-Greater Noida Expressway for another 25-30 Kms till the point where the Yamuna Expressway starts from where taking the road on the right side would take one towards Pari Chowk
• On the road till Pari Chowk and then taking a right turn towards the Golf Course and then taking a left turn along the Gold Course
• On the road next to Golf Course till the next crossing where taking a right turn would take one towards Sector Mu
• On the road towards Sector Mu that passes through a village and finally reaching Sector Mu. From Sector Mu I returned to the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway having a brief stopover on the way at someone's house. 
• On Noida-Greater Noida Expressway till Noida Mor on NH24, passing Mayur Vihar on the way
• On NH24 till the left turn a little beyond the Gazipur flyover (the straight road goes towards Hapur and Moradabad). This road goes towards Hardwar and Dehradun
• On the road towards Hardwar and Dehradun till the last intersection a little before Mohan Nagar flyover. This takes one inside Vasundhara area. At Vasundhara I had a stopover at someone's house. After that I came back to the same intersection and took a right turn into the same road.
• On the road towards Hardwar and Dehradun till the intersection beyond the Mohan Nagar flyover. One needs to be careful as the road going towards Hindon is not easy to locate since it is at an angle. The road going towards right goes towards Meerut Bypass and Ghaziabad City.
• On the road towards Hindon till the place I had to go. At Hindon I had a stopover at someone's house after which I started back for Gurgaon taking the same road going towards Mohan Nagar flyover.
• On the road passing through Mohan Nagar flyover till the crossing a little before Gazipur flyover where one has to take a right turn to go towards Delhi.
• On the road passing through Gazipur flyover till the point where it meets Inner Ring Road a little away from the Sarai Kale Khan flyover.
• On Inner Ring Road till the point where the Barapullah flyover starts
• On Barapullah flyover till the exit at INA market and then taking a left turn takes to meet the Inner Ring Road at the AIIMS flyover
• On the Inner Ring Road taking the clover leaf that take one towards Dhaula Kuan and going till little beyond the Bhikaji Cama flyover where the left turn takes on towards Sector 1, R. K. Puram.
• On the road towards R. K. Puram, going straight till the Munirka flyover where taking a right turn and then an immediate left turn takes on towards Vasant Kunj
• On the road towards Vasant Kunj till the Masoodpur flyover where taking a right turn takes one towards Mahipalpur
• On the road towards Mahipalpur that passes Vasant Kunj on the way till one reaches NH8 (Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway) under the Mahipalpur flyover where taking a left turn takes one towards Gurgaon
• On NH8 till the last flyover before the Toll Plaza at Delhi-Haryana border (also known as KM24 Toll Plaza) where taking a left and then a right takes one towards Kapashera Crossing. This road passes the Mangal Mahadev on the left (a landmark that is hard to miss).
• On the road towards Kapashera Crossing where taking a left turn at Kapashera Crossing takes one to Sector 22, Gurgaon passing Kapashera on the way.
• And finally reaching the starting point in Gurgaon

One keyword that gets repeated many times in the route described above is "flyover" that shows why Delhi is truly the city of  flyovers.

Hill Stations in India

A hill station is supposed to be a town or a city amidst the hills that is frequented by tourists who want to be close to the nature and enjoy a salubrious climate away from the hustle and bustle of maddening city crowds and rush.

List of Some Hill Stations in India

I suppose it is an interesting exercise to try to list down the various hill stations in India. So here goes the list of some hill stations in India:

• Kullu-Manali (Himanchal Pradesh)
• Shimla (Himanchal Pradesh)
• Shillong (Meghalaya)
• Mussoorrie (Uttarakhand)
• Nainital (Uttarakhand)
• Ranikhet (Uttarakhand)
• Agumbe (Karnataka)
• Munnar (Kerala)
• Khandala (Maharashtra)
• Lonavala (Maharashtra) 
• Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra) 
• Mount Abu (Rajasthan)
• Darjeeling (West Bengal)

Preserving the Hill Stations

On a sad note it must be said that in the recent years due to increase in the population and general improvement in the income levels of the populace the later part (away from the hustle and bustle of maddening city crowds and rush) has probably ceased to be a reason why people visit hill stations.

Airports In India and Outside India

I suppose it is quite interesting an exercise to try to compile the list of cities whose airport one has visited. So here goes the list of airports in India and outside India that I have either taken off from or landed at:

In India

• New Delhi (Delhi)
• Mumbai (Maharashtra)
• Calcutta/Kolkata (West Bengal)
• Bangalore/Bengaluru (Karnataka)
• Madras/Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
• Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh)
• Pune (Maharashtra)
• Dabolim (Goa)
• Nagpur (Maharashtra)

Outside India

• London (United Kingdom)
• Frankfurt (Germany)
• Chicago (Illinois, United States)
• Rochester (Minnesota, United States)
• New Orleans (Louisiana, United States)
• Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, Unites States)
• Atlanta (Georgia, United States)
• New York (United States)
• Amsterdam (Holland)
• Salt Lake City (Utah, United States)

IITF 2011 at Pragati Maidan Delhi

My family accompanied me to IITF 2011 as has been the case almost every year. IITF 2011 was an altogether different experience for me as for the first time I was able to fully understand the layout of the various halls and pavilions in Pragati Maidan. However, as is usual the communication regarding how to reach the fair venue and from where to purchase the tickets left a lot to be desired.

Buying the Ticket

Based on newspaper notifications what I could gather was that the tickets were available only at Delhi Metro stations and at selected gates in Pragati Maidan. First we went to INA Market Metro Station and came to know that the tickets for the day had all been sold - very surprising since it was around 10am in the morning.

After that we went to the Race Course Metro Station on one side of the circular roundabout only to be told that only those who board the metro at that side of the station can purchase tickets. Others need to go to the station on the other side of the circular roundabout. Negotiating the traffic in the circular roundabout was highly inconvenient and unsafe as well. Anyways finally we managed to get the tickets from the other side.

Reaching IITF Parking - Sunheri Pullah near Dayal Singh College

Again based on newspaper notifications I came to know that car parking facility was available at Sunheri Pullah near Dayal Singh College (at stone's throw distance from CGO Complex). The arrow marking was all confusing. And it appeared to me that the parking site as mentioned in the newspaper was actually not  the one where I finally parked my car which I think was actually the DTC bus parking. In fact I am still not sure where Sunheri Pullah actually is?

My father told me that there used to be an open area near CGO complex which apparently got converted into Sunheri Pullah during the preparations for CWG 2010. Reaching Sunheri Pullah is quite simple. If one is coming on Lodhi Road from Safdarjung Tomb side, one needs to take a right turn immediately after Dayal Singh College. And if one is coming on Lodhi Road from Nizamuddin side, one needs to take a left turn immediately before Dayal Singh College

Reaching IITF Venue - Pragati Maidan

Well after all the hard work to purchase the tickets and to reach the parking venue I got some relief when I came to know that free shuttle buses were available right from inside the DTC bus parking to Gate 2 of Pragati Maidan. However to add salt to the wound I found that the trade fair tickets were being sold in the bus itself. It seems this came in the newspapers but was not as widely publicized.

Visiting the Pavilions 

We sat in the bus and after 15 minutes or so it started for the onward journey to Pragati Maidan Gate 2. After getting down there and going through security checks we were finally in. This time we decided to give a miss to the state pavilions other than of two states - Uttarakhand and Jharkhand.

Right when one enters Gate 2 one would come across Hall 6 so we started from there. After that we went to Hall 1 and then after some refreshment walked across to Hall 18 on one side of the fair venue. From there we walked in almost a linear fashion and came back to Hall 7 (passing through 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, etc.).

And of course we did purchase some stuff from the trade fair. The best part is one gets to see so many things. For kids it's a great learning experience watching the replicas and models of dams, mines, power generation plants, etc. And yes one can also watch the Dog Show performed by the Canine Warriors of Indian Army. An amazingly entertaining show to say the least!

Back to Pavilion

After a full day well spent we came out and took the return bus from Pragati Maidan to the Sunheri Pullah car parking! And as is said all is well that ends well we felt in the end it was an experience truly worth it.

P.S.: It was good to note that for crowd management and security the organizers have made some excellent arrangements like after a certain time no tickets are sold, after a certain time entry is not allowed and also at the entry point there are scanners like the ones at airports.

Baba Prakash Puri Mandir in Gurgaon

If one were to imagine a temple as not just a place of worship but a place to relax and clam down one's mental faculties then the Baba Prakash Puri Mandir in Gurgaon is probably a temple one must definitely visit.

The best part is the peace, tranquility and closeness to nature that one can experience in this temple. Baba Prakash Puri Mandir also serves as an "Ashram".

Reaching Baba Prakash Puri Mandir

This temple is located off the Chauma Road in the Rajendra Park area of Gurgaon.

This area is close to the New Palam Vihar area on one side of the Delhi Gurgaon railway line opposite to the Palam Vihar area.

There is a village with the name Alwardi Sarai close to this temple.

Some Quick Facts about Baba Prakash Puri Mandir

The Baba Prakash Puri Mandir being an "Ashram" as well is also a staying place for Sadhus and one can find many of them inside the Mandir complex at any time.

The Mandir is lush green with many trees (Neem, etc.). There are many birds as well (Peacocks, Parrots, etc.).

Not only that, there is ample parking space both within the main temple area and outside the imposing temple gate.

Major Attraction - the Ancient Shiva Temple

A major attraction is a Shiva temple which is supposed to have been there since the time of Pandavas.

For those of you who have some idea about Gurgaon's history will probably know that Gurgaon was called as "Guru Gram" earlier and is the place in the Hindu epic Mahabharata where Guru Dronocharya's ashram was situated.

The Pandavas and Kauravas were trained by Guru Dronocharya in "Guru Gram", or the Gurgaon of today.

Special Prasad

The devotees who come here offer all kinds of eatables in the name of God and Baba Prakash Puri Ji.

One interesting fact about this temple is that tea (apparently prepared using the milk from cows that are reared in the temple complex) is offered to the devotees as prasad.

Some Photographs of Baba Prakash Puri Ashram in Gurugram (earlier Gurgaon)

2 day Trip to Jaipur in Apr 2011

Jaipur is around 250 kms from Delhi/Gurgaon and is well-suited for those staying in NCR region for a weekend trip. I planned a 2-day visit to Jaipur with my family over a long weekend (Friday off in addition to Saturday and Sunday being off as usual). I thought it will be a good plan to start on Friday morning, see around some places in Jaipur, stay there on Friday night, see around some more places on Saturday, start from Jaipur by Saturday late in the afternoon to come back by the night and take rest on Sunday to get over the travel exhaustion.

Reaching Jaipur

So off we went on one of the Friday in Apr 2011. We started in our car in the morning from Gurgaon and headed towards Jaipur on the NH8. I expected to reach there well before lunch time but due to huge traffic jam in Manesar (which I believe is the usual thing there) and the construction work going on the entire stretch of NH8 (road widening was under way) we reached Jaipur well after lunch time. Besides, I found NH8 clogged with lots of heavy vehicles (trucks, trailers, container carriers) Overall, the drive wasn't that enjoyable. 

The Hawa Mahal - from Outside

After reaching there we headed straight for the famous Hawa Mahal. On the way I stopped my car to ask someone the direction "can you please tell me how to reach Hawa Mahal?". The gentleman raised his hand and gave the response smilingly "it's right there". Lo and behold our car was on the road opposite to Hawa Mahal! We planned to come back to see it next day and went ahead in search for a place to stay in the night.

The Amber Fort

While searching for a decent place to stay in night we enquired in various hotels and lodges but couldn't make up our mind and in the process reached all the way till Jal Mahal. We did not intend to stop there bur rather were attracted towards the signboard for Amber Fort (Amber is pronounced as Amer, b is supposed to be silent).

At the spur of the moment we decided to visit Amber fort. I drove up on to the hill where Amber fort is situated. One can take the car right till the main gate of Amber fort where ample parking space is also available. If one has never done hill driving or slope driving then one must avoid driving all the way up.

The Jal Mahal, Hotel for Night Stay and Night Outing

After seeing Amber fort we started back towards Jaipur city to find a place to stay in the night. While on the way back I stopped the car at Jal Mahal and we spent some time there. Finally, and since it was getting dark we resumed our search for a place to stay. After checking out in many places we managed to book place for staying in a decent hotel.

After rest again we headed towards the main city (the Pink city). The idea was to see the city in night time and do some shopping as well. Due to parking problem we did not feel like shopping and after a long drive back and forth in Pink city we started back for the hotel room. On the way we had dinner as well.

Inside the Hawa Mahal and City Palace

The next morning after breakfast we went back to Hawa Mahal. It took 1 hour to complete sightseeing of Hawa Mahal and then we went to the City Palace. Seeing City Place took another 1 hour. Thereafter we came back to the Hawa Mahal road and had some Kulfi and Lemon Soda (they make is real good in Jaipur).

The Jantar Mantar

It was now time to see the famous Jantar Mantar of Jaipur which is much bigger than the one in Delhi. It was interesting to find out that even back then Indian astronomy was so advanced. It was afternoon and we thought of returning to main city for shopping before starting back for home. While I waited my family spent time buying some Jaipur special stuff like Rajasthani Saree, Puppets, etc.

The Nahargarh Fort

Shopping time over we thought of starting back for Delhi/Gurgaon. But as we reached close to the road that connects the Delhi road, we decided that it would be better to visit the other two famous forts in Jaipur - Nahargarh and Jaigarh.

The drive is in the same direction as Amber Fort but after climbing up the hill a little bit one has to take the road going towards left. I drove all the way till Nahargarh fort first. There is ample parking space there. The view of Jaipur city from this fort is simply breathtaking.

The Jaigarh Fort

After Nahargarh we started back and on the way took the road going towards Jaigarh fort. The best thing I liked is that one can drive the car into the fort itself and take the car to a very high point on the fort. There is ample parking space otherwise in Jaigarh fort but at the high point the parking is limited. The high point has the biggest canon of the world at that time. The canon is really huge!

An interesting fact I came to know of was about the treasure of Jai Singh which was supposed to have been hidden under a water tank there. I also came to know that during 1975-76 this fort was searched for the treasure.

Returning from Jaipur

It was evening time now and we thought that we should start back immediately. And so we started back. The journey was not that enjoyable again. And since it became dark after some time the roads became difficult to navigate. The traffic was heavier than what I has found a day before - lots of heavy vehicles, etc. It took 5-6 hours to hit Manesar where again there was a traffic jam. And finally we reached home later than we had planned, all tired and exhausted. The sweet memories of Jaipur were still fresh though. It was a memorable experience.

Visit to Surajkund Crafts Mela, Faridabad in Feb 2011

I visited the Surajkund Crafts Mela earlier this month. Surajkund Crafts Mela is organized every year in the Surajkund area of Faridabad. This fair has become quite popular owing to the richness and diversity of things on display. This is a must see for those who wish to learn about the traditional arts and craft work in India.

At the Surajkund Crafts Mela

In the fair I was able to see stalls from all the states of India showcasing the richness of our cultural heritage. There were many stalls which were manned by award winners.

The terrain where this fair is organized is another unique feature of the whole event. The place is not a plain ground but has uneven, rocky formations. Going up and down with the uneven terrain has its own charm which I found to be a totally different experience.

For the food lovers there is a food court which offers a variety of delicacies from all corners of India. In fact, I tasted jalebis (a sweet item) which were of a different type than the usual jalebis, they were much thicker.

Improving the Surajkund Crafts Mela

Overall it was a good experience. However, I don't think it's worth a second visit. The other dampener is the traffic and parking arrangement which is nowhere like that for the Trade Fair organized every year in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. In fact, I had to spend more than an hour in the traffic jam on the main road in front of the fair venue.

Visit to NDA Khadakwasla

Sometime during the middle of this year (around May'10) I got a chance to visit the cradle of Indian Armed Forces, the National Defense Academy at Khadakwasla, Pune. This is the place where the future Army Generals, Air Chief Marshals and Navy Admirals undergo training and mentoring.

Getting into NDA

Getting admitted into NDA is a tough task as other than possessing mental aptitude and passing stringent physical fitness requirements, having the right kind of psychological and behavioral attitude (which is also known as OLQ - Officer Like Qualities) is a must.

The NDA Experience

NDA admits cadets, as they are generally called, right after senior secondary schooling. The years immediately after this stage in any student's life serve as the foundation for whole life. Training and mentoring the selected candidates in their formative years inculcates right values, alignment, bonding with fellow officers in making, pride in one's profession and above all the sense of duty towards one's motherland.

Integrated Training for Army, Air Force and Navy

Having cadets from all the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces - Army, Air Force and Navy - getting trained together is another distinctive feature of the training program at NDA. The key advantage this provides is an integrated approach to national defense program. All wars these days are necessarily a joint operation of the three wings of the Armed Forces. The combined training I am sure helps greatly in facilitating smooth operations by Indian Armed Forces in any war or war-like situations.

The NDA Campus

While I was there, I had a look at some parts of the NDA campus. It's big, well-maintained and amazingly stunning. I also saw the tanks from an enemy nation India has defeated many times in the past. Interestingly but befittingly, the turrets of the enemy battle tanks were pointing down, towards the ground!

The Sudan Bhawan

I saw the Sudan Bhawan which is named so to honor the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers in the Sudan theater during the East African Campaign. It was inaugurated by the then Ambassador of Sudan to India. Very interestingly and appropriately the word Sudan means supreme sacrifice. "Sudan" is a Hindi word also which literally speaking, means 'Good Charity' ( Su = Good, Dan = Charity). Sudan in this context means "Supreme Sacrifice". Those who pass out from NDA are taught to lay down their lives in the service and security of the nation - that's what supreme sacrifice means.

The NDA Feeling - Post the Visit

The time spent there was quality time. I came to learn about many things related to India's defense traditions and history. After coming out from there I felt a renewed sense of pride at being born in this great country - India.

Visit to Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary

Do you know who an Ornithologist is? Have you ever heard about Dr. Salim Ali? Maybe no... but I am sure you know about birds. The above three - Ornithologist, Dr. Salim Ali and birds are inter-connected. And if you are interested in knowing how they are connected you must visit a bird sanctuary.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

While the above questions have been there in my mind since many years and I have always longed to visit the world-famous Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (near Agra), I haven't been able to do so till date.

Instead, in the process of exploring the options for weekend travel around Delhi, I came to know about the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary (I guess that was couple of years ago). Since then I have been thinking about visiting this place... and finally over one of the weekends, I managed to do that. I drove to Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary and managed to spend some time there.

Reaching Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary

The Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary (it's actually a National Park now), is near Gurgaon in the NCR region. For reaching Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary from Delhi, one needs to reach Gurgaon first. One of the ways to reach there is to pass through Sector 4 in Gurgaon and then take the road going towards right (don't take the road going towards left which goes to Sector 9) and cross over the railway tracks.

Follow this road through a place called Dhankot and take right on the main road. Continue on the main road towards Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary. The road going towards Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary is in good condition and quite wide. The drive is quite pleasant. The distance from Sector-4 Gurgaon to this place is around 15-20 kms. 

Going Around at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary

There's ample parking space in the Sanctuary. The entire area at the entrance and inside of the Sanctuary is very well maintained. There's a guest house also, in case you intend to stay there overnight.

I took a walk in the Sanctuary and spotted many kinds of birds - Crane, Duck, etc. (I saw many more but am no Ornithologist to know their names!). The best thing is that there's a 4-story Watch Tower there. I climbed all the way up and had a panoramic view of the entire area. In fact, in addition to many types of birds, I could spot some Deers and "Neelgai" as well. From the Watch Tower, I also saw the "Jheel" (water body) in the Sanctuary.

Overall Impression of Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary

Overall, a great visit. I am planning o go back and spend some more time there... maybe spend a night there. I guess it'll be a different experience to be there in the night... listening to chirping of birds (not sure whether birds chirp in night or they sleep like us human beings) and the noise of jungle in the night!

Combined Business and Pleasure Trip in Delhi

Around Feb'10 this year I got an opportunity to have a combined business and pleasure trip in Delhi. This was a local trip so I went by my car. I took my family along so that they could also enjoy themselves.

Reaching Netaji Subhash Place in Pitampura

I had a business meeting in the afternoon for which I started around 10:00am. I had to go to the Netaji Subhash Place in Pitampura. This is an upcoming commercial hub in West Delhi, which is opposite to the Pitampura Dilli Haat and the Netaji Subhash Place Station of Delhi Metro.

We reached there half an hour before the scheduled time and had a walk of the entire area. After that I went for my business appointment and while I attended to it my family waited for me in a park outside the North Square Mall. This Mall also houses the Fun Cinemas (incidentally, the cinema hall was showing "My Name is Khan" starring the Delhi-boy who made it big in Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan)

Pitampura Dilli Haat

After I was through with my business meeting, I joined my family. We walked across the road and visited the Pitampura Dilli Haat (I found it to be bigger and better-designed than the original Dilli Haat opposite INA Market.) The famous landmark in this area, the Pitampura TV Tower, is just behind the Dilli Haat - we could see it so clearly when we reached the rear section of the Dilli Haat.

Fun Ride on Delhi Metro - to Rithala Station

On the spur of the moment, we decided to take a metro ride. The Delhi Metro has one of the lines running through this area. We walked across to the Netaji Subhash Place Station and boarded the "now so very famous" Delhi Metro. We went till Rithala which is the last station on the Rohini side. This line of Delhi Metro runs from Dilshad Garden till Rithala. On the way we passed Kohat Enclave, Pitampura, Rohini East and Rohini West. The ride by Delhi Metro is a superb experience - its fast, comfortable and safe as compared to the Blue Line buses or even one's own vehicle. The view of Delhi from the running train is simply amazing. Delhi is really so big and beautiful!

Fun Ride on Delhi Metro - Back to Netaji Subhash Place Station

Afer reaching Rithala, we took another Metro to come back to Netaji Subhash Place Station. After exiting from the station, we had a glass of Mausambi Juice, a slice of Paneer Hot Dog and a slice of Veg Sandwich each. It was so tasty and fulfilling. And finally, we walked back to the place where I had parked my car. I took the Ring Road again (I had used it to come to Netaji Subhash Place) and passed through the many Flyovers on the way in a jiffy.

Back from Netaji Subhash Place

The time spent at Netaji Subhash Place in Pitampura and the drive to and back was truly a wholesome fun and enjoyment for me and my family.

Delayed Train Journey

A few days before Holi in 2009, around Feb'09, I traveled by train (our own Indian Railways) from Pune to Delhi. I had this travel on the Indian Railways after a gap of many years.

Stations on the Way from Pune to Delhi

The train was supposed to start on Friday at 2pm and reach Delhi by 4pm the next day. Instead it started from Pune at 8pm (6 hours delay at start!) and reached Delhi on Sunday at 1am in the morning - total delay of 8 hours.

While on its way to Delhi the train passed through many stations. Here's a list of some of the stations I remember - Bhusawal, Khandwa, Itarasi, Bhopal, Jhansi (Rani Laxmibai), Gwalior, Agra (the Taj Mahal).

Some Observations on Trains, India and Indians

I traveled by train after a gap of 3 years and it was pure fun leaving apart the delay. Here are few observations I have made based on my train travels since my childhood:

• The journey by train is a good way to see the countryside. It also makes you realize the size of our country. Those of us who live in metros and cities can get a glimpse of the countryside.
• The differences in eating habits across the country also become evident from what is available at different stations. For example, in Maharashtra, you would get Vada-pav at the railway stations but when you move Northwards (towards Madhya Padesh and beyond), you would get Samosa instead.
• Hindi, Bollywood, Cricket, Railways, Indian Politics and History are few of those binding threads in the country. Most of the people who have traveled by train across the country on more than few occasions would pick up some understanding of the above five areas. Having passionate and energetic conversations with fellow passengers is a national pastime while traveling by trains and knowing the above five areas helps in making train journey 'conversational'.
• Though on roads we are not so accommodating but on trains we are quite flexible. Most of the passengers are okay with exchanging their seats especially if it concerns old passengers. If you have the 'Middle Berth', you can expect your fellow passengers to voluntarily help you in unhooking the latch from the 'Upper Berth', raising the seat of the 'Middle Berth' and hooking the latch down on to the 'Middle Berth' to hold it in position.

Some Thoughts on Indian Railways

And here are few thoughts on improving the Indian Railways system:

• One key area of improvement is related to cleanness and comfort of the bogies, seats, wash basins and toilets. A lot can be done in this respect. 
• The eatables and other goods sold on the platforms of the railway stations are a perfect example of "Transient Economy". As the sellers and hawkers know that they are dealing with one-time customers, the price, quality and quantity leaves a lot to be desired. Through the actions of railway authorities and IRCTC, the overall price, quality and quantity is still under some control but a lot more is possible.
• It may be a good idea to allow the branded food chains to start mini-outlets in railway stations. I know some of the stations do have such joints - like I have seen the Comesum restaurant in both Pune and Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi) stations.

Nostalgia and Some Good Things

Time permitting, I would love to travel by train more than by flights. Also, I am looking forward to somehow manage to travel by the Duronto Express (Delhi-Pune). My mother had traveled by it two months back and it seems a travel by Duronto is definitely a "highly recommended" experience on the Indian Railways.

MG Road Phenomenon in India

I have traveled to many cities in India, and in the process I have come to know about the MG Road phenomenon. Whether you go to Delhi or Bangalore or Pune, there's always one road which is named as MG Road. And I think this is true for many of the other major cities in India.

The MG Road is generally one of the famous road in that city and visitors should be able to locate it easily. This road is also generally in a widely visited, well-to-do locality or area of the city.

Delhi

In Delhi, the 'Inner Ring Road' is actually the MG Road. Of course, in the recent years MG Road has come to mean 'Mehrauli-Gurgaon' Road.

Bengaluru (Bangalore)

In Bengaluru (Bangalore), MG Road is probably the heart of the city. MG Road and Brigade Road in the city of Bangalore are widely known as hot-spots for youngsters.

Pune

In Pune, there's an MG Road in the Camp area. And again, it's quite famous though not like the MG Road in Bangalore

Kolkata (Calcutta)

In Kolkata (Calcutta), the MG Road connects Howrah Railway Station to Sealdah Railway Station. It passes through the famous Burra Bazaar area.

Other Cities

I have heard about MG Roads in other cities also - Chennai (Madras), Secunderabad (Hyderabad) and Guwahati.

Tribute to MG

I think I must also add that MG in MG Road refers to "Mahatama Gandhi", the father of our nation. He was truly one person who deserves to be respected and remembered in all possible ways and the MG Road phenomenon is, in some sense, a tribute to him!

Religious Spots in India

I have been very fortunate to have got opportunities to visit some of the famous religious places across the length and breadth of India. Here's a list of some of the places which I remember visiting since my childhood.

List of Some Major Temples and Temple Cities

I don't think this list is going to be complete the first time I attempt to create it. So I may have to extend this post several times in the future.

• Maa Vaishno Devi Shrine (near Katra, Jammu & Kashmir) - This is one of the most revered goddesses in North India. The most famous city near to this shrine is Jammu. Incidentally, Jammu has many temples including the famous Raghunath Temple.
• Kamakhya Temple (in Guwahati, Assam)
• Tirumala Temple (near Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh) - This temple regarded as one of the richest (or is it the richest!) religious shrine in the whole world
• Maa Sheetla Devi (in Gurgaon, Harayana) - Gurgaon is supposed to be the place where Guru Dronocharya (Mahabharat) mentored the Pandavas.
• Akshardham Temple (in Delhi)
• Dakshineshwar Temple (in Kolkata, West Bengal) - This temple is devoted to Maa Kaali

Exploring South India - in God's Own Country Kerala

Several years ago, I visited a couple of places in Kerala with some friends.

That time I was in Bangalore and was always on the lookout to travel to different parts of Southern India.

In these so many years, Bangalore has now become Bengaluru!

Kerala is one of the many states in the southern part of India.

Others being - Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka.

Kerala is also know as God's Own Country due to its natural beauty and greenery.

Reaching Kerala - Chalakudi, the First Stop

We took a private travels bus to a place in Kerala called Chalakudi.

We started from Bangalore in the evening and reached Chalakudi next morning.

At Chalakudi, we had our breakfast consisting of typical Kerala food.

Though it's been more than 5 years I still remember eating Appam! 

There is a water fall also in this place which we visited.

Munnar - Tea Garden and Hill Station

From Chalakudi, if I remember correctly, we traveled to a place called Munnar.

Munnar is regarded as one of the best hill-stations in Kerala.

Or is it the whole of Southern India, I am not very sure. 

As we reached Munnar late in the evening, we couldn't find any decent budget place to stay.

We managed to be the "paying guest" of someone who was working in the Tea Estates of Munnar.

There are many Tea Gardens in Munnar which makes Munnar a place worth visiting.

The Western Ghats and greenery add immensely to the beauty of Munnar.

Kottayam and Alappuzha (Alleppey) - Backwaters

From Munnar, I remember starting for Kottayam the next morning.

We passed through many places on the way and reached Kottayam in the evening where we took a night halt.

The next day, we took a back water boat ride from Kottayam till Alappuzha (Alleppey).

The back water boat ride took around 5-6 hours with halt at a place where we ate Lobsters and another place where we had our lunch.

While traveling by the boat, I requested the boat pilot if I could also steer the boat for some time.

He did agree and I took command for some time!

Ernakulam (Cochin) and Kozhikode (Calicut)

After reaching Alappuzha (Alleppey), we started out immediately for Ernakulam (Cochin).

We came to know about the Naval set-up in Cochin and also the Fort Cochin but couldn't go to see either of them.

We traveled further on and if I remember correctly, we took a night halt either at Thrissur or at Kozhikode (Calicut).

The next day morning we went to see the beach near NIT Calicut.

I think that time it was called as REC - Regional Engineering College earlier and not NIT - National Institute of Technology. 

Tellicherry (Thalassery), Kannur, Kasargod

From Calicut, we traveled northwards passing through places like Tellicherry (Thalassery), Kannur and Kasargod.

I remember we took a walk on the beach at Tellicherry.

I also remeber meeting a gentleman from that area who in fact took us on short-drive in his own car and also took us to his house for a while.

He was such a nice gentleman that he dropped us at the bus station as well!

Back to Bangalore via Mangalore

Finally, after being in the travel mode for 4 days, we reached Mangalore.

Mangalor is a beautiful coastal town in Karnataka.

We boarded a bus back for Bangalore in the evening and were back in Bangalore the next morning.

Touch and Go Trip to Chandigarh

Towards the end of November 2009 I had gone to Chandigarh to attend a close acquaintance's wedding. As my family was accompanying me I thought it will be better to drive down from Gurgaon to Chandigarh in my own car.

Touch and Go Trip

I started from Gurgaon around noon time and reached Chandigarh late in the evening along with the Groom ('Dulha') and others accompanying him ('Baraatis'). After attending the wedding ceremony in Chandigarh for a couple of hours, I started back from there around mid-night and reached Gurgaon next day, early in the morning.

On the whole, my touch and go trip to Chandigarh was a great experience - I drove for around 600 Kms within a day which also included driving during night-time. The pleasure of attending a close acquaintance's wedding is always there!

Reaching Chandigarh

The distance from Gurgaon to Chandigarh is around 280-290 Kms and the drive time is around 6-8 hours. For going to Chandigarh from Gurgaon/Delhi, one has to take NH1 till Ambala (NH1 connects New Delhi to Wagah, a town near Indo-Pak border in Punjab), then NH22 till start of Chandigarh (NH22 connects Ambala to Khab, a small-town near Indo-China Border in Himanchal Pradesh), and finally NH21 to reach inside Chandigarh (NH21 connects Chandigarh to Manali).

Entering NH1 (Grand Trunk Road)

While going to Chandigarh I took the following route to hit NH1 (Grand Trunk Road):

• Gurgaon
• Najafgarh (through Bajghera Road)
• Kanjhiwala
• Bawana
• Narela
• Hit NH1 at Kondli (Sonipat)

Exiting NH1 (Grand Trunk Road)

And while returning I took the following route to exit from NH1 and reach Gurgaon:

• Exit NH1 near Rohini
• Janakpuri
• Uttam Nagar
• Dwarka Mor
• Najafgarh
• Bijwasan
• Gurgaon

On the Way to Chandigarh

The road to Chandigarh is in excellent condition. It is very safe for driving as the left-side and right-side vehicles are separated by a divider. While going from Gurgaon/Delhi to Chandigarh, one passes the following well-known places on the way in the sequence given below:

• Gurgaon/Delhi (Starting point)
• Sonipat
• Panipat (Battle of Panipat)
• Karnal
• Kurukshetra (Mahabharata)
• Ambala (Cantonement)
• Chandigarh (Ending point)

Chandigarh City

Chandigarh is a well-planned city. All the roads I drove on were wide, well-maintained and well-lit with proper and functioning traffic signal systems. There were many trees lining the roads on both sides.

Visit to IITF 2009 at Pragati Maidan

Last year I took my family to the Trade Fair (IITF 2009) at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi (26th year of the Trade Fair). As is customary, this fair is organized for 2 weeks - starting from 14th Nov (celebrated in India as Children's Day to mark the Birth Anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru) and running till 27th.

Reaching IITF Venue - Pragati Maidan

Pragati Maidan is situated at an excellent location - it's at a walking distance from many well-known places in Delhi like the India Gate, ITO, Delhi Zoo, Purana Qila (Old Fort) and Supreme Court of India.

Visiting the Pavilions

Since I had been to the various State Pavilions during my last few visits to the Trade Fair, I decided to give most of them a miss this time. I went only to two State Pavilions - Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh. Thereafter I went to the Pavilion showcasing traditional handicrafts, decorative and eatable items like Pickles, Honey, Mouth Fresheners, Chips, etc.

Then, I went to the International Pavilion where there were Stalls from various Countries like Thailand, China, Afghanistan, Iran, etc. After that I went to the Pavilion displaying and selling Processed Foods like Pickles, Jams, Tea, Fruit Drinks and Goods and Gadgets like Microwave Utensils, Cutters, etc.

Overall Impression of IITF 2009

The visit to the Trade Fair was truly an entertaining and informative experience like it has always been in the past.

Visit to a Resort at Karla Near Lonavala in Maharashtra

I visited a Resort at Karla couple of times in 2009-10. This resort is owned and managed by MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation).

It's a nice place with an excellent restaurant and attractions like Camel ride, boat ride, etc. There is ample parking space too.

It is approximately 2 kms off on the old Mumbai Pune Highway at around 60 kms from Pune. It is, in fact, very near the Lonavala city.