Quikr goes Bangalore!

Quikr has shifted its Headquarters from Mumbai to Bangalore. And that's welcome news for all Bangaloreans. Who wouldn't want India's largest classified company stationed in their home city?

All this reminds me of an old story! 

An old friend of mine wanted to buy a Yashica Camera. Actually, he wanted to surprise his father by gifting him the same camera that he had misplaced long ago. He waited for ten good years after he lost his dad's camera on a school trip. And guess where did he find the same camera? Yes, Quikr! :)

So we ran hither and thither in search of an old digital camera but it was not to be found anywhere. Surprisingly, during his stay in Chandigarh he came across Quikr and within two days he had the same old camera in his hands.

Quikr is that fast! So, as far as recommending Quikr is concerned, I will always say Yes. No middlemen, no fake promises, its all about two people interested in one thing, dealing one on one with each other. 

Image: The24Club

If I were relocating to Bangalore, I would certainly use Bangalore Quikr to my advantage. Having India's largest classified company at my disposal would be great. And now with their headquarters stationed in Bangalore, as a techie, I would prefer if they give me a job as well :D

Who wouldn't want to work for a great start-up like Quikr!

If I think about things I would need, If I were relocating to Bangalore, here goes my list.

1. A Bean Bag - What's life without a bean bag?

2. A Motorcycle - Moving around in Bangalore without your own vehicle is real pain. And buying a new one and then waiting to get all the clearance is even more pain. I'd rather buy an old one with a Bangalore number. So, Quikr is my best bet.

3. A Bed - I would like to sleep in Bangalore and surely that means buying a bed. Getting a fully furbished flat in Bangalore sounds nice but it also makes a huge dent in your pocket. There are techies moving in and out of Bangalore and they keep selling their stuff on Quikr. Finding a bed on Quikr is never a problem.

5. A Bride  Well, if luck works this way, why not give it a try! I have heard good stories of people finding their life partners through Quikr. Hopefully, Bangalore Quikr will bring some luck for me too :) 

Relocating to a new city is always a problem. You not only need new stuff but also need to know your way around the city. In that way, Quikr doesn't come across as an online trading platform only, but also helps you meet real people with real experiences. 

A Word About Quikr

4.2 million listings and 150 million replies. That's what Quikr means to India. A place where real people meet with real people in the virtual world and transactions happen in the real world. Quikr operations are spread over more than 900 cities across the country. So if you have anything to sell or buy, which isn't available anywhere else, Go Quikr!

Pangna Mahamaya - Homecoming of the Goddess!

The mountains of Himachal Pradesh have many traditions and most of them involve dancing, singing, and drinking. If you ever happen to witness the homecoming festival of a local deity, which means entry of the deity into the temple after it has come back from its visit to another deity, you will be enthralled by the joyous atmosphere.

The following video is the homecoming ceremony of the Pangna Mahamaya Goddess in the hills of Pangna, a small village located some 150 kilometer from the state capital of Shimla.

Not Just Charity, Safety too Begins at Home | #NSDF

I will start with two incidences, which show how funny and painfully ignorant our traffic sense is.

Why are you wearing a seat belt? That's not mandatory in the hills. You know, if a vehicle rolls down a gorge, how would a person unbelt himself and come out? 

This is a common misconception in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, a small mountainous state where I come from.  It is believed that a vehicle rolling down a gorge, which happens frequently because of poor roads, will even give a chance to a person to move or jump out of the vehicle.

Therefore, wearing seat belt is stupid. 

Are bhai, Punjab Police has told this to people living in cities. Those who live in a city  need not wear a helmet because it becomes difficult to ride through narrow lanes with a helmet on. Peeche dekhne me problem hoti hai. 

 Heard of rear view mirrors, anybody? 

Then there is the classic case of high-beamers. It doesn't matter to them if their vehicle is parked, or cruising through a well lit city highway. They love it to flash. In Chandigarh, after the city police started strictly imposing the rules and fining the high beamers, the number of high flashers came down like anything.

It's not that people are ignorant. They do know. It's just that they do not care!

Those who belong the era of late 1990s must remember the TV commercial with coconuts about importance of wearing helmets while riding a two-wheeler. The ad went something like "Marzi hai aapki, aakhir sar hai aapka" (Its your choice because after all the head too belongs to you).

Haven't you seen young kids zooming past you at absurd speeds while their helmets hangs from their elbows. Because it is believed that wearing a helmet on your head will reduce your chances of pataoing a girl. After all, womenfolk in India identify their soul-mates this way only.

It can't be scientifically argued that by what percentage, the chances of finding your soul-mate are increased by not wearing  a helmet.

But the chances of getting your head squeezed like a coconut surely increase by not wearing a helmet.  

These three incidents show that we do have bad, rather pathetic traffic sense but that is not beyond amends. Chandigarh is the best example of imposing traffic rules and making people fall in line.

To make India a better traffic sensitive place, we need the following three rules, to begin with;

a) Administration does their part, fining people is far better than giving posthumous compensation
b) People need to remember that helmet-coconut story, a head gone once can  never be retrieved.
c) Parents need to work harder with their kids. A lost life, that too of your kid, is probably the most painful experience of human life.
d) Safe driving as well as parking practices are the need of the hour. With out cities shrinking by the day, haphazard parking not only create traffic problems but it also leads to fatal accidents.

Traffic condition in India will improve only through Public participation because its the public that has to begin making sense. Safety Begins With Me by Nissan is One such initiative that must be talked about.

Nissan Safety Driving Forum brings on-board experts from public and expert space to talk about and share the ideas and benefits of Safe Driving Practices.  The campaign has already moved into its third year and every year a couple of new cities are covered under this program. 

An ideal way of raising awareness through public participation. 

Kali Ghaghari - Multiple Renditions

Remember we talked about a video by Laman Band. An old classical Himachali song rejuvenated by these guys.

I was looking for other variants of this song since Laman's video got out. Surprisingly, there are quite a few songs that have been reshaped and remoulded by different Himachali artists. And each one of those songs is different than the other one.

Have a look at them yourself.

India Rising - The Power of Voice to Clean India

India is rising. 

Historical evidence suggests that India needed a leader to free itself from the claws of its detractors. But not any-more! The times have changed and for good they have changed.

With the advent of technology, we don't need a leader to muster our courage. Technology has made authorities accountable for their actions. All it takes a 'responsible' citizen with Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or a blog to raise his/her voice.

Earlier, people used to talk in a hush-hush manner. These days people talk shout because technology enables them to do shout openly and seek their rights. And rightly so. Its not 1760 and we are not the snake charmers anymore.

We have been hearing a lot about 'Mission Clean India' these days.

Imagine our country free from dirt, filth, 'paan ki peek', and 'roadside -pee~ers'. Sounds impossible?

In the early 19th Century, a foreigner visiting America described it as 'filthy, bordering on the beastly'. 

The entire nation stood up against the demon of filthiness and all it took a determined lot of citizens to make USA what it is today. Today USA is one of the foremost nations that has made public cleanliness as its motto. 

If America can do this, India too can. And why restrict ourselves to just eradicating filth and garbage from our streets? If India can throw the mighty Britishers out, we sure can throw away corruption and unaccountability from our country.

And the magic of social media enabled with the weapons like Right To Information have made inroads into the 'sarkari departments' that otherwise lived under the impression of not being servants but the owners of this nation.

Moreover, the youth of this nation is no more a passive participant in the activities of National Interest. There are Social Activists, NGO's, and independent 'anonymous' groups cleaning our streets, protesting against corruption in colleges, and empowering kids against the evil of Eve Teasing.

Our streets are unclean? The Youth of this Nation has picked the broom
Our women are being harassed and molested? The youth of this nation has picked fight against the lawmakers and politicians.
Our officers are corrupt? The Youth of this nation is naming and shaming them in the public.

Dependency on the government has come down substantially and people are building their own future. People have learned to speak for themselves and technology has a great deal to do with this.

In short,  #AbMontuBolega! And who is Montu?

It's you! It's me. It's your friend, your relative, your distant cousin, and everybody in his friend circle.  

#AbMontuBolega is a campaign started by Strepsils to raise awareness among the Indians to stand up for what is right and just. The campaign brings stories from across the nation of common Indians standing up against the injustice and wrong.

You may follow the campaign on-line by following Strepsils India on Facebook 

Keep track of the campaign at twitter by following Strepsils India.

And I would like to say again what I have said already.

India is rising!

Laman, The Band - Reviving Old Himachali Folk Songs

Laman is a song-form that developed in the highlands of Himachal Pradesh ago. A group of three youngsters have given a new shape and outlook to this song-form by re-composing the old classical folk songs of Himachal Pradesh.

According to the Facebook Fan Page of the Band: The name laman is taken from the folk song form laaman which originated in himachal pradesh.This melodious song was  developed in the beautiful kullu valley but latter became an important part and blended with the diverse culture of whole himachal pradesh. This song form is highly romantic in nature and symbolizes the emotion of love. This is the reason that band has been named laman which is synonymous of love. Laman believes that folk melodies have immense power to keep people rooted to their basic inherent nature which is love and compassion.

The Band has come up with a new music video 'Kaali Ghaghari' that has become quite popular within three days of its release. Prior to that, 'Bhole Baba' was their melodious number that has already garnered more than 36000 views on YouTube.

However, the new song Kaali Gghaghari is a soul stirring number that has resurrected this old classical Himachali Song. Thie song features Renu Bhatia and she has done wonders with her eyes. 

Have a look yourself!

Arijit Singh Unplugged - Infinite Loop

Although Mohit Chauhan, the Pahadi boy is my favorite and I hate to admit that Arijit Singh has replaced him to an extent in the Hindi Film Industry.

I think Arijit Singh has a better voice than Chauhan Sahab' and that's why I have been listening to his songs on a loop for quite some time.

A treat for just not your ears but to your soul as well.

Traveling to the Mud Volcanoes of Pakistan with SkyScanner

Where would you like to travel to if you get an all expense paid trip someday?

I have been asked this question quite a many times and every time my answer was Pakistan. I got a chance to visit Pakistan in 2012 and since then I always wanted to go back to that country. My last trip was self sponsored but this time, thanks to SkyScanner, I have got an opportunity to travel to the far-off lands of Pakistan without hurting my pocket.

Why Pakistan?

I’d say why not Paksitan? Because Pakistan is not what we see in the movies or TV channels. Because Pakistan is another colorful country like ours. Because Pakistan must be visited at least once by all the Indians. That way we will understand our neighbor in a much better way. My perception about Pakistan changed entirely after my first visit. And also Pakistan has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. And not to mention the grandest of all, five of the fourteen Eight Thousanders belong to Pakistan.

So without wasting any time on thinking about location, my SkyScanner journey would mean traveling to Karachi, Pakistan. And then off to the remote tribal lands of Balochistan where one gets to witness the divine confluence of Hindu & Muslim faiths. Followers of both the religions revere the Hinglaj Temple of Balochistan and that’s where I am going with SkyScanner.

The Other Side of India: Wagha Border, 2012

Although I wanted to travel more and spend less but because mode of entry/exit to Pakistan have to be same, and these are harsh summer times, so I have decided not to go by bus or train but take the aerial route. Flying to Pakistan via Sharjah and deliberately choosing a long wait flight so that I get to see the best of Sharjah. An evening walk in Sharjah, sounds fun, doesn’t it.

Al Noor Mosque,. Sharjah | Image: Dubai Chronicle

Now comes the fun part, treating myself with the luxurious stay at Karachi Marriott. If I saw the best of rural Pakistan in my last trip, I would see the best of luxurious Pakistan in the SkyScanner Trip for sure. A relaxing day while I stroll around the National Museum of Pakistan and Mazar –e-Quiad. Visiting old friends would also be on the agenda. And of-course, Karachi beaches.

If Indo-Pak rivalry is known across the world, so is the Indo-Pakistan hospitality. Every time I said I came from India, people refused to charge me anything. From auto guys to adventure clubs, they refused to take any money from me.

A walk across Pakistan bazaars is a heartwarming experience always. Stories of cricket, movies, songs, and pre-independence era always make you emotional.

Visiting Hinglaj – The Land of Mud Volcanoes

Mud Volcano, Hinglaj | Image: Bashir Osman Photgraphy

Now comes the adventure part, traveling to the remote lands of Baluchistan. Some 300 kilometers from the mainland of Karachi lies one of the most important pilgrimage sites of both Hindus and Muslims. While Indians call it ‘Hinglaj Mata’, the Pakistani’s call it ‘Nani Ka Haj’.

Close by lies one of the largest active mud volcanoes of the world, the Chandrakup Volcano. The sand dunes rising against the backdrop of Makran Mountain Ranges takes you back to the Spiti Himalayas. The land is barren and the mud volcano looks like a rising guardian protecting the pilgrims from the evils of the deserts. And if time and money permits, there are 18 more mud volcanoes in the region.

Then head back to Karachi, spend another blissful day at the Marriott. 

My Travel Itinerary 

Day1: Karachi - Sharjah - Karachi - Stay

Day2: Karachi - Hinglaj Drive - Stay At Inn

Day3: Trip to Mud Volcano

Day4: Hinglaj to Karachi

Day5: Return to India 

My Expenses

Initial Budget – 100,000

Air Fare (Return) – INR 40,630

Hotel Stay Marriott – Two Days – INR 20,000

Sharjah Travel Spree – INR 10,000

Food and Shopping – INR 10,000

Hinglaj Yatra Registration – INR 5,000

Taxi Fare – Karachi to Karachi – (approximate INR 20 per km for 327km) – INR 7540

Total = INR 93170/-

Meanwhile, I am still left with 8,000 in my kitty.

Karachi Sweets? Anybody! J

This post is a part of Skyscanner travel wizard activity at BlogAdda.com

The CarConnect Experience and Drive to Spiti

I came across Car Connect when I was surfing for feature comparison between Maruti and Chevrolet, as both of them had launched new hatchbacks (case in point Sail and Celerio). I browsed through the website and realized that the site was effortlessly smooth and also it did have a feature where users can not only share their car reviews but also drive experiences.

I also shared my Spiti Drive experience that we did in 2010. The road trip reminded of the marvelous views and amazing memories of the trip. Let me share an experience from that road trip here.

The journey started in July and we were told by a traveller friend that removed all our doubts regarding a Maruti 800 making across the Rohtang Pass (13000 feet) into the Lahaul Valley.

He said to us, “The machine doesn't matter. What matters is the courage of the person behind the wheel." At 21, you don't think much about the practical aspects and such one liners often pump up the adrenaline, and precisely that's what happened in our case too.

We ended up with a stranded Maruti 800 in the middle of the snow desert. But that we will talk about sometime later.

So we were talking about the features of Car Connect. The website sends you customized comparison sheets directly to your mailbox and that's what makes it a unique website. Also for the passionate ones, there is a special tab that talks about car news and new gadgets, which in my opinion is a good feature to keep the readers interested.

The user can submit as many drive stories or car reviews as he wants. There is no cap. Sharing your experiences and reading about the adventures of like minded people is a blissful experience. And then there is always the option of finding your name on the home page of the CarConnect.

Isn't that cool?

Currently, Car Connect allows only Facebook Login, which I think they must be working on. Because assuming all the users have an FB account, although not having a Facebook account in the current times is equivalent to blasphemy, but still it wouldn't hurt to have a normal login, along with other social logins like Twitter and Google Login.

I hope the Car Connect team has already taken notice of the same. Another interesting feature is keeping the User Community active by giving them badges and sharing top posts on the home page.

Who wouldn't want his/her name shared on a prestigious website like Car Connect?

The leaderboard feature along with find friends is another unique feature that helps the user to find people with similar interests.

Car Connect is all set to be the Carbook of the Internet World! :)

Arnab's Qtiyapa - Bollywood Style

The Viral fever has time and again produced satirical gems that take on the current socio-political situation of our country. This Arnab's Qtiyapa video is an absolute gem. What happens in Arnab's Circus every night at TimesNow is described in Bollywood Style.

A must watch!

You may follow The Viral fever on You Tube. 

Jack Nicholson Oscar Speech - As Good As It Gets

There are three Hollywood actors who have always inspired me; Jack, Bob De Niro, and Di Caprio. I was just browsing through You Tube and came across this award winning speech by Jack Nicholson for his role in As Good As It Gets.

Sharing the joy with you!

Redefining India: The Power of Social Media

The Youth of India is tech savvy. College going students and even school students know how to make the best use of Social Media, or at least that's what they think. Bypassing security protocols over a college network, online promotions, gossiping, networking, they know all about it.

However Social Media is much more than that. Just sample this.

On the same lines as Delhi Traffic Police on Facebook, similar initiative was taken by our District Police head in Himachal. Surprisingly, in Himachal with comparatively less internet reach, the Facebook Page started by District Police became popular overnight. The youth was the main propagating medium of this page. They saw any law-and-order problem on the road or at any public place, they made it a habit to take a picture and the rest was the job of the District Police. Our Police with limited manpower got its social cops and the youth was actively participating in the change. That's how Social Media helps.

It makes you a part of the system. It helps you add pace to the system. It helps to voice your opinion. And that's why the Youth must vote because that's when they can ask questions and seek answers responsibly.

Edited They said AAP is just Social Media hype and Social Media doesn't vote. It was a challenge to the Youth of India blaming them of not taking part in the greatest event of a democracy. And now we all know what happened. AAP simply defied the conventional rules of politics. A debutant defeated a three times CM. That is the power of the youth. That is the power of Social Media. And nobody knows it better than the defeated candidates in Delhi. 

Community Participation in Policing | The Power of Social Media 

Now the best thing about Social Media is that it spreads like fire in the jungle. Another Facebook Page was started in Shimla. The Youth of our state got a way to participate and express themselves.

One of the major reasons why our youth hesitates in voting is the lethargy of the system. It works very slow. And this laziness often becomes the excuse to not do anything. Social Media works fast, nearly at the speed of the light. And with these fancy Social Media apps around, it becomes even easier to learn and spread the word.

Facebook, Twitter, WeChat are some of the most popular Social Media apps these days. You want to share images, or audio files, or video files; all can be done merely at one click. Our politicians fear Social Media because anybody can talk to anybody on the Social Media. You can't hide or suppress the truth here. Everybody is equal here. You don't need permission to tweet to the Prime Minister of India. And if you are mishandled by the high and mighty, you can always share the links or images by using Social Media Apps, say WeChat.

Create a group, and spread the news. It's that simple. No permissions, no approvals, no nothing. That's Democracy!

And we have seen of late how Social Media helps. The Delhi Rape case, the Anna Movement, the advent of the Aam Aadmi Party, and the list is just swelling with each passing day. Two of the major National Parties have hired Social Media agencies to reach out to the Youth of India.

Gone are the days of fake promises and nonsensical caste based politics. The Youth of India has found its voice in Social Media. They discuss things, they think about their future, and above all they know why voting is important for them. The recent high voter turn-out in the Delhi election (post 5 P.M.) is a positive outcome of these discussions and social media effect.

The Social Media is here to stay and the Youth of India knows this.

Here are few things that must be done to ensure a healthy voter turn-out in the upcoming Loksabha Elections

1. Discuss: There is a popular saying of the modern times, "Baat karne se hi baat banti hai". The Youth must realize the importance of healthy discussions because its 'our' future we are talking about.

2. Share Share the news of good or bad governance with your friends in your group chats. Sharing means more people will get to know about the good or bad deeds of a particular party. Political Parties these days are brand conscious, they can't afford to anger the Youth of this country. If a bad deed catches attention of the Youth, the party will have to take corrective measures.

3. Set the Agenda Social Media is not about gossips and sharing anymore. It sets the agenda for the Main Stream Media. What is being discussed in the Social Media is often picked by the print and TV Media because that's what the Youth of this country wants to talk about.

We have been often told that Social Media doesn't matter because those who use it do not vote. The times are changing now. The Youth of India is no more indifferent. It knows what matters and what does not.

With all these social media apps around, hopefully the 2014 Loksabha elections will set a new precedent in the history of Independent India. The democracy will get redefined next year.

By the people, For the People. The Youth no more indifferent. 

This post is a part of #VoteforIndia Campaign by Indiblogger in participation with WeChat

Old Delhi Motorcycles - A Short Movie

Those who ride a Bullet (Royal Enfield) will love this short film.

Those who do not ride a bullet will first love this documentary and then they will fall in love with the Bullet.

Directed and conceptualized by the brilliant artists at Colorblind Productions.

Feel the Thrill!

Supermen of Malegaon

Story of a bunch of dreamers from a smalltown.

I would like to quote just one line from this movie.

"Main apne peeche mudke jaane ke saare raaste khud hi blast karta aaya hun. Ab sirf aage hi jaana hai"

This movie is a must watch for everyone who dreams and wants to accomplish something in his/her life. Smalltown or a Metropolitan city. Doesn't Matter. All that matters is dreaming and conviction. 

That Day After Everyday - A Short Film by Anurag Kashyap

That Day after Everyday is a short film directed by Anurag Kashyap and his team. This is a brilliant take on the burning issue of rapes and women molestation going around in our country.

A must watch.

Let's Fly Kualalumpur - Air Asia Travel Fair

K.L or Bangkok.?

Wikipedia says that both are the most populous cities of their respective nations. And If I am to believe my traveler friend, he claims that the population in these nations doesn't mean crowd or chaos or mind-numbing noise. For a traveler, this massive population means vibrant colors of life, obviously from a traveler's point of view.

The most difficult thing for a traveler to do is to make a choice. To choose between two exotic locations to travel to! To make one destination your choice and burying the other one into a safe corner of the heart. However, the choices must be made and that's the way of life.

If I were to make a choice between Bangkok and Kualalumpur , I would certainly choose Kualalumpur. Because it is a perfect blend of a changing world we live in. Ancient temples and historical trails that take us back in time. At the same time, the city of K.L. is blessed with some modern age engineering and tourism marvels that force you to visit this city time and again.

If I were to visit the city of K.L. I would certainly include the following attractions in my Must Visit list

  

The little vibrant Indian community of Brickfields (The Little India) that will make any Indian proud of the diversity of our great nation. India in Malaysia, minus the madness and chaos that sometimes gets on your nerves when you are in the actual India. Imagine, how cool is that!

You can take an Indian out of India but not India out of an Indian. Howsoever cliched it may sound, that's the way we Indians are designed. No matter how much we criticize out country in our country, when we are outside it, we always look to meet Madrasis' or Bangalis' or Pahadis' because that's what makes our trips memorable.

And that's why the Little India in K.L is a must visit. 

Little India, BrickFields | Wikipedia Image

The beautiful lime caves of the Batu Village overlooking the serene Batu River. And wouldn't it be awesome to meet the Lord Murugun in Malaysia? Blessing you before you step inside the caves.  I bet it would be!

The blue lights sparkling through the openings of the ancient lime caves would certainly give a feel of an Arabian adventurer risking his life to find a treasure trove.

Batu Caves | Wikipedia Image

A visit to the mysterious world of Islamic artists at the Modernist National Mosque taking you back in time rejuvenating your faith in religion as a unifying force and not a divisive one.

The Lake Gardens of Perdana. The Bukit Bintang. The Bird Gardens. An engineering marvel of 452 meters, lasting 88 storeys high; the Petronas Twin Towers.  The list is just endless. And they rightly say about the city of Kuala Lumpur; One visit is not enough.

And last but not the least, a visit to Kuala Lumpur is not complete if you don't taste the food here. The delicious sea food that brings foodies from across the world to K.L. Cheap electronics is another attraction ;)

The mind-boggling delicacies of the streets of KualaLumpur can always take care of your jet-lag and physical exhaustion. For instance, Nasi Lemak. Or maybe the Chettinad Banana Leaf recipe, or probably tasting the flavors of Nepal in Malaysia. And not to forget the seafood of K.L. You name it and they will serve it.

In case you are not fond of history, or walking, or roaming around in the streets, you can simply step inside any restaurant in K.L. and eat as much as you can. That's another specialty of Kuala Lumpur.

So what are you waiting for? 

And then there is the World's Best Online Travel Fair to help you out with getting cheap flights to land in the beautiful city of K.L. Statistics reveal that a huge number of Indians like to visit K.L., they are just sending you there with less burden on your pocket.

My Delhi Manifesto: Fix the Broken Windows

Chandigarh is the city beautiful of India, and rightly so. This city never ceases to amaze us because of its near-perfect planning, thanks to the genius of Le Corbusier. As a child I used to wonder what makes the city of Chandigarh different from its close neighbours like Mohali, Ambala, or Ludhiana, and Jullundhar.

No doubt planning of the city is one big factor but there is something more than planning to the calm and beauty of Chandigarh. But you look around, no traffic hassles, no encroachments, no black-marketing, and Chandigarh looks like a no-nonsense city. 

Is this just planning? For a country like India, just planning wouldn't suffice. It is implementation of the laws that makes Chandigarh a good and love-able city.

For instance, take the case of the Police Traffic Management. The Mohali, or Ambala, or Chandigarh Police recruit the same fellows. They have the same grade-pay yet we can see the difference between the traffic management of these cities.

Same people, different modus-operandi. 

While in Chandigarh you can't even think about driving a two-wheeler without a helmet. At the same time, driving a two-wheeler with helmet in other cities is considered old-fashioned, cops included. 

Same goes true for seat belts, over-speeding, and every other nuisance which looks like a Cancer grown beyond cure in other cities adjacent to Chandigarh.  So it can't be just planning. It is more about implementation. 

It's more about nipping the evil in the bud. 

It's more about fixing the Broken Windows to avoid theft. Fixing the Broken Windows will require us to challenge our comfort zone but that would save our time and energy.

That's what Delhi Manifesto must look like. Fix the Broken Windows first. Nip the Evil in the bud. If a young lad is driving without helmet or indulges in drunken driving, call his parents. Get him involved in traffic management. Set the record straight.

If an auto-guy is overcharging his passengers or misbehaving with them, make it mandatory for him to take the passenger for free.

If a chemist is selling fake drugs, cancel his license. This will end the problem of fake suppliers as well as fake sellers.

This will certainly mean employing manpower and resource allocation but that is far better than fighting your own people in the Ramlila Maidan. And certainly much better than getting your daughter raped and kids killed in mid-day meal programmes.  

And there has got to be stricter rules for public as well. With freedom come responsibilities and if someone is shying away from his/her responsibility, he is actually committing a sin.

Sadly and truly, we the Indians understand the language of constant monitoring and fear. Install CCTV’s, send challans to home and we will start behaving responsibly instantaneously.

If I were to add value to the Delhi Manifesto, I would include the following policy to be implemented strictly.

Education Awareness: There is a difference between education and being literate. What we need today is education. The entire country, Delhi included. Educate the young ones, the teenagers; make them responsible for what they do. Bring accountability into the picture. If a young kid is educated, he will understand that nationality doesn't mean Pakistan bashing only but it also means no honking on the streets, keeping the cities and streets cleaning, and a lot more.

This is My Delhi Manifesto in association with BlogAdda.com

Before the Continental Drift - A Journey Back in Time

Planet Earth, Mother Earth as we call is a treasure. The more you see of it, the less you know about it. And the treasure an adventurer seeks is not monetary. The desire to know the external, which ultimately leads to the discovery of the self, is what drives a true adventurist.

The oceans have been dissected. Columbus did it. The mountains have been conquered embraced. Tenzing and Hilary did it. Offroading - Jungles, Swamps, Wild Streams. A quest to find a link between two far-off lands. And that’s what a Tata Safari Storme is designed to do. This Offroading Beast is what makes these exploratory journeys awe inspiring.

The mission is simple. Go Find Yourself. Like the mountain Gods’ do. Mountains Gods - The good old shepherds in the Himalayas. They find a way, always. Atop the sky reaching mountain passes and at never-seen-before lands, they always find a way. Why? Because they consider themselves a part of the Mother Nature. Inseparable.

What should a new ride feel like? The sandy dunes of Kutch? The vast barren fields of Ladakh? Or the unheard roads of Pangi Kishtwar[cue: Sach Pass and Beyond] What about a combination of all three? A long sandy road that suddenly turns into a Ladakh like miracle, which then turns into a forgotten land of Pir Panjal Himalayas.

Road Less Traveled?

What about a journey that takes you back to the time when this earth we live on was unified. Prior to the Continental Drift. Back in time.

You might say that humanely such a place is not possible. Who is talking about humans here? An adventurer is a Spirit, Storme is a Machine God, and Planet Nature is the Creator. Creator is not bound by any rule.

So be it. The game is on. A road never seen before. A story never heard before. The Continental Drift.

Submerged in the Oceans

A journey back to time when probably the Himalayas were surrounded by Oceans, Oceans by deserts, deserts by grazing grounds. And in between meeting new people, new cultures. So much to learn from, so much to see.

Snow Bound Desert

A new culture, which is often called primitive. What if that myth is broken? What if they were not living in the caves? What if they could actually speak to animals and plants alike? There is no bound to imagination. 

There is no bound to the miracles thrown at us by the Mother Nature.

The Colors Of Nature - Magical Mother Nature

The journey would be difficult. Every new journey is difficult. But it’s only these difficulties that make a journey memorable. In retrospect, without difficulties, road-blocks, obstructions, even a journey to the heavens will sound boring.

Like walking across a 4700 meter (15420 feet) after surviving flashfloods was a problem when it happened, now it sounds nothing less than an achievement.

Driving with a worn-out car to the treacherous Spiti Valley and leaving the car behind was a pain when it happened, now it all sounds like fun.

Like riding to the Pangi Valley was a nightmare, but now all it brings back is smiles and happiness.

And that's how you meet new cultures, new people. By facing difficulties only, something valuable is achieved. 

Travel, as they say dispels our illusions and that’s what a journey like this would certainly do. A journey like this happens once and that’s what it must do, dispel all your illusions. 

Mittal Patel - Empowering Indian Villages, Strengthening the Idea of India

"A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on - John F. Kennedy"

I watched TEDx talks given by Mittal Patel, Shree Bose, and Arunachalam Muruganantham and all these were inspirational and motivating, to say the least. However, I chose to write about Mittal Patel's cause.

Why?
Because she is a woman working in the villages and myself being from a village, I know how hard it is for a woman to change mindsets.

"The Wildlife Protection Act protected snakes but what happened to snake-charmers? Nobody knows!", says Mittal Patel in one of her TEDx talks. She took up the task of empowering poor villagers in a distant corner of otherwise affluent Gujarat. And she fought her battle real well.

Mittal Patel at a TEDx Event

She helped nomadic and de-notified tribes of Gujarat to get recognition from the Government. It took her quite some time to do so but she never gave up. In between she fought against two of the deadliest enemies of the idea of India; bureaucracy and caste-system. She bridged the gap which was actually duty of the government. She is a journalist by profession and she did what a journalist is supposed to do; never give up until justice is served.

She even rescued village girls from the clutches of prostitution, which they believed was the only thing they could do.

I can easily relate to her story because in Himachal too nomadic tribes and naive villagers are often taken for a ride by the cunning politicians and bureaucrats. Even nomadic tribes living in the remotest regions of Himachal Himalayas are not given Schedule Tribe status. In the name of constructing roads, they are shown global warming and deforestation warnings. It doesn't matter if they walk 20 kilometers just to reach the nearest school.

We were told that India resides in its villages. It does even today. Just that we all have turned a blind eye towards our villages. Let me tell you a story in this regard.

Pong Dam Kids returning from School

Pong Dam was built in the year 1974. It generates 360 MW of energy which lights up millions of houses in the state of Punjab. Those living in the wetland region were given compensation money and land as well. Money always lives a short life but land outlives every other material possession. However, the then government played smart and awarded these Himalayan natives a piece of land in Yamunanagar (Rajasthan). 

Imagine, someone from the foothills of the Himalayas settling down in a furnace called YamunaNagar!

Those people obviously refused to leave. The power plant became functional. Millions of households were lighted in Punjab. And a village of 27 families was pushed into darkness. They continued to live in their village, which was soon surrounded by the largest man made lake of India. Decades have passed since then, the Pong Dam has generated tremendous amounts of energy; lighting lives across the country. 

Yet, 27 families live in the darkness, just a couple of miles away from the Pong Dam. They have no roads and boating isn't a fashionable hobby there; it's a necessity to get in and out of the village. 

And above all, they have no voice. They live in the darkness, even today. 

I think we need Mittal Patel in each and every village of India. And these stories need to be told because positivity too is sometimes contagious. You never know when someone might stand up for a cause and marks the beginning of a new tradition. What Mittal Patel did in Gujarat needs to be done in every village of our country. If we want the Idea of India to be implemented well, we need to empower our villages. Just what Mittal Patel did.

I have known TEDx talkers (Jodie Underhill & Akram Feroze) and I also volunteered for the TEDx Dharamshala event in the past. I know how it feels to be in the presence of the 'doers' who unlike most of us believe in the art of converting speech into actions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is my entry for Indiblogger with Franklin Templeton Investments that partnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012. 

Anndata - A Token of Love for Beloved Mess Workers

The Challenge: Fundraiser for Mess Workers at my Engineering Institute

Nobody likes the mess food while studying in the college. However, it’s only after you leave your college you realize the importance of mess food. Yellow Dal is a Universal Truth across the country, no matter which college you are studying in. Be it Engineering, MBA, or Medicine, you will rarely find someone praising the mess food.

However, once you have left your college, mess food always reminds you of your good old days. But did you ever think about those who cooked your food?

Let me tell you a story.

“It was the farewell party of our seniors. Everybody was thanking their professors, friends, and lab technicians. Then we saw one of our seniors on the stage asking everyone to pay attention. He was standing with two mess workers. We all thought they were there to help with some work to be done. However, the senior on the stage started his ‘Thanks Note’ by honoring those two mess workers. They had been serving the Institute since its inception. They were the unsung heroes of our institute.

After a couple of month’s soul-searching, we realized (a group of three friends) that these mess workers were not entitled to any post retirement benefits. Although we were living in 2004 yet their salaries were still stuck in the 1980s. An old mess worker died and his little kid had to drop out of the school. Just the other day, he had asked my friend to give him a CD of new songs for his son. We couldn’t do anything. A life was lost, that too of someone who had fed us for four long years.

We decided to take up this challenge and formulated a plan to facilitate a centralized funding scheme for them. Simple mathematics it was. 20 rupees from every student, 1200 students in the institute meant INR 288, 000 per annum.

Mathematics is simple; making things work when Sarkari Babus are involved is difficult. Old school guys love sticking to conventional stuff. They asked us to go to the Board Of Governors, get the proposal approved from them, and then they would think about it.

But we didn’t have to work hard. Some of our Professors understood the problem these mess workers were facing. After a round of discussions and heated arguments with our babus, we were able to incorporate the new rule in Institution’s Constitution. The practice of contributing INR 20 for Mess Worker Welfare Fund started from the very next semester.

In Indian context, the one who feeds you is called ‘Anndaata’ and is considered an incarnation of God. We felt great after we got the job done. It was a real challenge that we faced because helping those who fed was not a heroic job we did but it was our duty. 

It’s been 5 long years since this happened and even today we feel proud that we did something for those who remain Unsung Heroes of our society.

I blogged about this incident in September'09 (Ignore Poor Writing Style)

Relishing the Challenge: It was an amazing experience writing for the AIA and Relish the Challenge Campaigns well conducted by Creativeland Asia. I am grateful that I was given a chance to be a part of both these campaigns. I would like to thank Cinthol and CLA both for giving me this opportunity. And special thanks to Rahul for being extremely supportive throughout the campaign(s).

This post is my eighth entry for Cinthol’s Relishing the Challenge Campaign.