Which state voted most? its Sikkim

Do you know this?? (An excerept from Yesterdays Economic times)

Sikkim this time has registered heavy polling at 82.07%, outstripping many areas in the country. The increase is 3% more than the votes polled in both the segments last time in Parliament and Assembly in 2004. This is because of the fact that for the first time ever eight political parties, including four national parties namely Congress, BJP, CPIM and NCP, fielded their candidates in many constituencies, creating huge interest amongst the voters to participate in the election process.

The women of Sikkim played a significant role, thronging around the polling stations to exercise their franchise. Forty per cent votes were cast by the youth amongst whom a good many voted for the first time and many for the second time. In four constituencies, women voters dominated in numbers, while in six other constituencies, the difference in ratio between men and women was very marginal.

In the last general elections, only 3 women candidates were in the fray, whereas this time that number increased to 15. It is assumed that elections this time in Sikkim saw cross-voting which was never seen earlier. It is observed that choice of the candidate by the voters led them to vote according to their preference, where the party was not of utmost importance. In many constituencies, people preferred one candidate for the Assembly and the other for the Lok Sabha. For the first time, the incumbency factor has emerged here.

According to joint chief electoral officer C.P. Dhakal, the vote tally of four districts reached late because of additional time given for polling which continued till 9 pm in certain booths, causing a 16-hour delay in getting the final tally. The CEO’s office at Gangtok received the complete tally report of four districts only on Friday afternoon. The poll was completed on April 30 and all the EVMs reached the strongroom heavily guarded.

The final tally of polling is estimated at 82.07% which is 3% more than 2004 election (79.08%). The remotest as well as high altitude areas in North district polled 85.14%, West 82.74%, South 83.27% and East 79.87%.

Only one voter!

Excerpts from Friday's edition of The Hindu...

Election Commission on Thursday created history by deploying its men and machinery just to collect one vote, that too in the polling station set up in the Gir forest of Gujarat, sanctuary for the Asiatic lion.

The lone voter — Guru Bharatdasji Darshandasji Maharaj (58) — a priest in the local Shiva temple and resident of Banej within the forest, where the polling station was set up, cast his vote at 10.30 a.m. after duly showing his Elector Photo Identity Card. Interestingly, the polling personnel were moved to the place on Wednesday evening itself and after he exercised his franchise, they could not wind up.

As per the election rules, they had to wait till 5 p.m., the closing time, to see whether there was any “challenge vote.” Banej comes under the Una Assembly segment of the Junagadh Lok Sabha constituency.

Shoewalas - get ready for a sale

Its happening in India, first it was @ PC by a journalist from Punjab, then an angry BJP worker on Advani, now college student on our prime minister. It is moment of shame when voters had opportunity to cast their vote and make the right choice for their constituencies... few went to voting booths in karnataka.

To show you the stats on what i am talking about, here is the voting percentages of all the 17 constituencies of karnataka...

Bangalore South which houses many educated bangaloreans witnessed one of the low turn around. Again, rural bangalore votes more % than the so called urban bangalore.

Guess what, jaago re and many other initiatives in print and visual media, motivational talk by NGO and govt representatives did not make them vote,

What punishment should be given to these non voters?
Lets ask shoewalas for a sale and hurl one piece at a time on these non voters. what u say, huh?

Voting Experiences

Its been three times I cast my vote in an Indian election. Each time I had new experiences with the voting process.

Attempt 1:-

At the age of 19, I voted first. It was for the assembly elections for Lalgudi constituency. On the way to polling booth in thalakudi, we were distributed coupon denoting our name and file number by the local party cadres. I think it was from party A. The voting process was simple after that..On the way back, we wanted to share our happiness and thank the person who distributed us coupon.

அண்ணா வோட் போட்டுடேன்
ஃப்ர்ஸ்ட் டைமா ?
ஆமாமணா
சரி எந்த தெரு தம்பி ?
ராயர்த்தோப்பு , கோவில் பக்கதுல
இன்னொரு தபா வோட் போடரியா ? இளங்கோ ஊர்ல இல்ல


Hmm! Me and badri blinked…

they may be Microsoft certified fake vote specialists. We voted for the first time. Also we were not sure if Elango was in town or not. We silently turned down the request and walked with head high again! We cast our first vote

Attempt 2:-

it was for the parliamentary constituency. Again the duo of myself and badri went to polling booth. As usual collected the coupon and made sure the same person is not distributing. We stood in the line. One of our neighborhood friend came and stood behind us in the line. He started talking to both of us on worldly things..

Did u watch yesterday’s match?

Yes,

Its very hot these days, isn’t it?

Yes..

..

..

..

(as we approached close to the entrance of the polling booth, he started campaigning…)

You are all young, you should use your vote for better cause, you know how we are suffering becz of selecting the party B, you should always vote for party A. if they come to power, it will be good for everyone in state, for our caste…

Hmm! I & Badri decided from the beginning to vote for the MLA who laid road in our area. It is time to payback and it was against the campaign of our neighborhood friend…

Attempt 3:-

This time, it was only10 mins affair in the polling booth. No major events. every one had voter id card, it was EVM, thanks to the karnataka election commission website, we knew our file number and part number..

Looking forward for next opportunity to vote.. how will that election be?

ஆபீஸ் மழை (office rain)

Its raining in bangalore for the past 2 days. big relief from the summer temperature. For years, i was wondering why it rains between 7-9 AM in the morning or 4-8 PM in the evening. It either forces you to stay back home or stay back in office :-)

Recently i coined this word ஆபீஸ் மழை (office rain) to call pattern of rain...

Jaago re #3 - The end

Finally last saturday i got my voter id done.. hurrraaayy!! Now i can vote for South Bangalore and contribute to my choice of leader for my area :-)

The End

ஆத்தா நான் பாஸ் ஆயிட்டேன்

ஆயிட்டேன்.... ஆயிட்டேன்... ஆயிட்டேன்

Finally i located my name in the voters list. i am one step away from owning new voter id card in Republic of India...

technology a(e)ffects

its recession days... people have more time to fwd emails :-)
sharing one interesting email fwds... effect of cloud computing

jaago re #2

Date:- Friday, 20th March 09 (2 weeks after my Form 6, submission)

I called up their information center yesterday morning,

me:- Madam, 7th march, Form 6 kodithini. osa list name bandhitha..
Govt Rep:- Gottigere la indha list bandhithu.. phone alli haelakagala sir. nera banbidi...
my smarter nervous system become active.. decided to visit the voter facilitation office yesterday evening itself to avoid crowd over the weekend. in the evening i left office early in this regard..
After i showed the govt representative my acknowledgment copy. they searched the full list twice.. believe me, two persons scanned the entire list and told me that my name is not in the list. Thanks to visiting them on a weekday.... Fully disappointed me,
Govt Rep:- List alli name illa sir, Gottigere Panchayat lindha next list barathae, 10 days amaela banni..
me:- osa list baratha madam?
Govt Rep:- Ovudhu
me:- Gottigere Panchayat contact details idhiya...
she asked her neighbor and then this request went to their boss...

Govt Rep Boss:- Enayuthu sir..
me:- Sir, march 7th, osa form 6 kottidhini... (i repeated my story once agian) GRB:- Panchayat office alli Putta patta swami irudhara, avaradha list iruthae.. EPIC number thogabanni..

the case was almost dead there. i know i am going to have more fun the next day...

i waited for my bro to submit his form... with some new thoughts, i went back inside...
me:- madam, osa Form 6 thiruga accept maduthira?
GR:- illa sir, neevu panchayat office alli mathudu bidi.. innondhu form 6 kodbeda...

may be i also thought at the back of mind, somehow it will happen...

on the way back, i noticed panchayat office in gottigere was open due to recent property tax collection. decided to try my luck...i went there directly...

me:- sir, march 7th, voter form 6... (repeatuu) Panchayat
Rep:- (after listening to the full story) sir, pakathalli revenue office idhae, alli putapattaswami iruthurae, avurae in charge, 10-1PM irutharae, mathudubidi...

i was fully convinced, there was no neighboring building apart from hanuman temple... with full of doubts i walked out of the panchayat office... in the darkness, i located it, it was a small buiding behind the temple, something like guest house for hanuman temple...

decided to visit that office today morning...

Today, Saturday, 21st march 09,
10.45 AM, i went to the panchayat office (Oops Hanuman temple guest house).. it was locked. its small building, i wasnt sure if it was occupied by any one, ie. i was wondering it it can be an office for some purpose.. i stood there for a while. temple poojari was very busy with devotees...

me:- Sir Putta patta swami idhara? Poojari: Anjanayae swami idhar.. P.P.Swami election kelsa madutharae, avaru thumba busy.

Once again i repeated my sad story with poojari.. he pointed me to one advertisement put up there regarding electoral voters list preparation. i told him, engae kannada arthagalla sir.

He then took me to the door near sanctum, i was hoping for prasad atleast thilak which he was applying to all devotees, he rather showed me photo of hanuman pasted on the door... and then told me, here is his mobile number, and asked me to contact PPS directly.

i called PPS, happy to reach him in the first dial itself. looked like he was in his home.. wanted to ask him, sir you should be at your office to help people get their voters card.. but i m an incumbent looking for voter id card in karnataka soil. explained him the story one more time (repeatuu).. to my sadness, poojari had started his audio system... it was full of sound, that the temple guest house was bombarded with some high frequency sound waves.. i now know why our PPS was away from his office... i courteaously told him, that sorrounding is full of sound, i will call him again.. i came back home.. called him back only to hear the bad news. it seems sir has rejected my application becz i gave Feb month Telephone bill, if u remember one of the criteria laid by these folks and i thought i bypassed it in my smarter way by giving my katha xerox along with it. Damn it!! he suggested me to apply again... before i came to my senses, i realized my Form 6 copy was with my bro and i need to take print out again.. it was 11.20 PM. i had 40 minutes to go there and stand in queue...

I landed in B.Sankari taluk office.. as expected it was 5 times longer queue than friday evening's queue. didnt know where the tail of the line was... stood somewhere in a 3D plane... some funny conversations...

Govt Rep:- yavu area
Applicant#1:- hmm
Govt Rep:- yavu area
Applicant #1:- i do not undersand kannada...
Govt Rep:- which area?
Applicant#1:- kanakapura road
Govt Rep:- left side or right side?
Applicant#1.. hmm!! (he probably did not hear the question properly due to noise around or he did not understand the question)
Govt Rep:- I am asking u.. which side of kanakpura road.. left side or right side? Applicant #1:- right side.
GR:- How many applications?
Applicant #1:- 3 in total

then GR said something with which the applicant became angry.. he said talk polietly to applicants.. you are not doing any service.. just doing your duties.. i know u guys are working hard.. but treat others descently... he roared and left the queue..

By this time door for the facilitation center is closed for new comers.. i was still in the queue...

GR:- Yaavu area.. Applicant #2:- Begur sir..
GR:- Bommanhalli Voter facilitation center ogu baeku..

GR:- Ondhae line alli barelli...
there was atleast 5 quueue pointed to him...

Finally i reached him.. he never asked me why i was in line for the third time.. he quickly accepted my form and gave me its acknowledgement...

as i started back, i had less hope.. but this time, i will track my application. With hanuman's wishes and his guest house office rep (aka PPSwami) support, i am hoping to conclude my ordeal of getting my voter id done...

சிங்கார சென்னை

This weekend i had been to Chennai on a personal trip... ore mokkai trip... A trip filled with power cut, reality show tv programs and lots of Sleep miles (if at all such an item exists)..

TN continues to face power short shortages. On Saturday, power was off for almost 6 hours in my uncle's house. TN goes to poll coming May, i hope it is one of the deciding factors for this year elections for this state, if not, its high time people who vote in this state decide the most disturbing basic feature in their daily life. The govt provides tv, gas cylinder n all.. where is the power at home? No signs of big election already in Chennai. people still survive with serials and reality shows. at least in my uncle's home locality. I always wonder who watches those dance reality shows... i knew few door numbers now!!!

it was my first trip to city Chennai in last 2 years. The city infrastructure is growing day by day along with its growing population. After Delhi, i believe it is one of the well planned city with respect to transportation. huge straight roads, lots of new bridges, well planned bus / train services, i saw bus running between T.Nagar to Chengalpattu :-). it will be difficult quiz question to know where Chennai city border ends.. do you know??

Thanks to my bro, i had carried எங்கே பிராமணன் with me and it was good break from regular fictions. Although it is perfect recommended sleeping pill, it can dose you off easily... if not this book, i would have been crucified with TV programs...

They have opened new counter of Ratna cafe in Central. tried the usual combo of 2 idly with extra sambhar. பாவம் மௌலி, ராத்திரி 2 மணி வரை பேசிண்டு வந்தோம் ரயில்ல, நான் நிறையா, அவன் கம்மியா :-)

இப்படியாக என்னுடைய மொக்கை பதிவை நிறைவு செய்கிறேன்

jaago re!

It was my third awakening after 2 failed attempts to get my voter id done in Bangalore.

Believe me, its too high-fi with all the information available in web.

http://www.jaagore.com/ - With support from Tata Tea, volunteers across have setup India setup this portal to share the Voter ID registration process, share election related news. Its so unique and helpful, after my registration, they gave send me my Form - 6 application, to be registered with Election Commission of my Bangalore constituency. They have been sending constant reminders for me to enroll.

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/indexw.asp - Official portal of Karnataka CEO. It provides each month the latest updated Voter information. Some portion of it is in Kannada, but its search will do the purpose.

Back to my story, i believe if we want to create our India, exercising right to vote is must. For that, entry ticket is voter id card :-). i wanted to solve this conundrum for sure by myself. Despite providing my application through local panchayat from our apartment in the past, my name was not their in the latest list.

They were distributing voter id cards to those who haven't collected from the Govt in the neighbouring Law college. There was feeble queue for this. Here is quick gist of my conversation with the person in charge for this.

I:- Sir, Voter ID card bandhilla
Govt Rep:- Sir, list idhae, nodi...

He gave me some printouts containing the list of names recently added/modified. It was segregated based on some regional divisions (they call id part number).

I:- Sir, Nandi Park part number yavudhu..
GR:- Gothilla.. Adhae full list..

Phew! i stood their for a second expecting better answer from him. He said, next :-( i went through all his part number list, each part number contained 10 sheets of voter data. I was clueless. back to him again,

I:- Sir, list alli name illa. Oasa application kotidhini.. List alli name bandhilla.
GR:- Gothilla sir.
I:- Oasa application elli kodu baekku
GR:- Bansankari Taluk Office
I:- Saturday work aagathaa taluk aapice.
GR:- Yes, sir, Monday rajaa

By the time i left Law college, there was sizable queue to collect their voter ids. Happy me, another puzzle to solve the crystal maze. This time in Bansankari.

On reaching, i enquired few auto fellows to know the direction to Taluk Office. One friend while i was leaving Law college, told me its near to Bansankari temple.

I:- Sir, Bansankari Taluk office elli..
Auto driver1:- Gothilla Sir... Mundhae hogi kaelbidi..

I:- Bhayya, Bansankari Taluk office elli...
Auto Driver2:- Haan! yavu area

by the time a passer by in the road asked me what i want, he showed me neighboring building as the taluk office... Go straight inside... He said and continued his walk... May be it was hot, Auto drivers were waiting for customers for a while... they have not changed in these years when you ask for direction...

Finally... reached the right place.. little queue again... Reached the desk of the person collecting form... He verified my list of applications and said..
GR:- sir, 2008 phone bill copy baekku... 6 months older bill.
I:- sir, nan manae gottigere alli idhae, ogi barubaeka ondhu arai agathae... dhaya maadi..
GR:- Illa sir, agalla... next :-(


it was almost 12 noon... i was thinking about my bad luck... did think about the freshness of the address proof i carried. Read what jaagore rule book said.. it never mentioned about 6 months old address proof... then i did another smarter think of carrying copy of my house katha certificate. with a hope of trying again, i approached same Govt representative..

Sir.. Nanthra Katha xerox idhae.. nodi..
He gave the application list to his boss...
GR:- Sir, osa address proof, katha kotidharu...

GR Boss scanned my application fully and then gave it to the girl who was listing in a register to include my application form also... She added to her list and gave me an acknowledgement and asked me to contact the office after 15 days...

Happy me!! they say Never stop trying... as i walked out the office, Govt representative was asking everyone to leave as it was closing time... Lucky me...

I need to call them in 15 days to know my application status. with these success, i know if it was bad news, i will make another attempt..... Why sleep again... i am already awakened!!

Kalabandhar inside us...

Is there a kala bandhar within us? are we failing to see it? It might be apt for the director to chose monkey to represent some of those people problem, which simply requires introspection and some kind of self act to correct them, rather than looking for a systematic solution. I am happy that Rakesh used it through the maniac, and later Abhisheik mentions it to revolting Hindus and angry Muslims during that scene... For some reason, it strikes the artists around Abhishiek and even some of the audiences themselves that, is there a real bandhar within us.?? Kala Bandhar or another form of Bandhar?

Some may argues, cut the crap... its only a movie, abhisheik bachan is an artist, the character in the movie who carries the mirror through out the movie is a maniac already.. it is not practical and there are valid reasons for the situation around us and the cause and effect...

Another argument could be yes, we can make that difference by identifying the kala bandhar with in us on larger world issues like terrorism, climate change (how many accept and follow green movement) or taking a stand on palestinian/iraq/afganisthan/tibet/srilankan people cause... it is not valid for smaller topics or issues. are we failing to see with in us on other general topics...

i am only saying the bandhar is google searched and found not for grave and serious issues or issues in which we are in receiving end. it exists every time. we either ignore it or fail to see it.

If i look back in years, i remember many instances in which i reflected different emotions just as situation expected...

Some Happier moments...

1. Welcoming Balaji and Priya manni into our family through the twin marriages in our home.
2. Welcoming Vaishanavi my niece the day after diwali.. For a long time that day, i was thinking how to create a sound proof hospital for her to sleep OK?
3. Recently i and Vaishnavi came to our home in a BMTC bus... entire bus heard her voice from the last seat.. she made new friends... every one reflected her mood in them...

Some Not so happy moments...

missing relations.. call it death or their freedom from this careless\unfriendly world..

1. i am missing Karthikeyan Sir, 18 years he had been to Palani on new year day... 19th year end it half way... i should have gone along with him on that day as he wanted me to accompany him for that day's temple visit...
   
2. i am missing my Grand mother even today.... after her second heart attack, she survived more than 12 years in her life with perfect living all by herself, taking care of children, grand children, managing things within her small earnings of her husband's pension. People who know her, know what i am talking about, this reflection is certainly seen in others as a mirror.
   
3. I am missing Praveen's Father Subramanian... He breathed his last in my own hands... it is difficult\different feeling in you when someone dies beside you...
   

See, by now its obvious for people to say that yes, you also reflected same emotions what situation presented.... Its not about happier or sad occasions or those social / political situations that requires right response from us... all situations carries a mask of our face (aka bandhars) and it resides inside us... the day we accept this, identify the mask in us... we can bend our response to the situations in any ways we want...

Do you know what color is your current mask?

Naan Kadavul by Bala

Another splendid screen play from master director Bala... A movie which was in waiting for a while... intense, comical and comes with lot of human emotions as usual from Bala.... Just wondering how Bala can repeat his mastery film after film...  Arya is good...  

It was first day today, still i saw sections of movie already cut (may be to avoid too much violence)... worth watching in theater (without kids)

-Raghu

Visits to Hampi n Badami

I m back from Hampi.. i will be writing about this trip as well.. to give you glimpse of whats coming up... some images for your attention...

Next visit

Guess what, still i havent finished writing about my vacation, i am visiting Hampi this weekend. Nagesh is here in town and wants to visit places in Karnataka. 

the trips are not stopping...

-Raghu

TheChristian?

Every one know about "The Hindu" and its style of writing. i am taken by surprise by today's news on Magh Mela. The news paper mentions about the feud and not mentions about the action by christian missionaries... may be for them it is right act by christian missionaries... 

Small acts like this when mentioned in the front page, can lead to bigger news and create misunderstandings. Modern day media should either avoid and participate proactively and pass the right message... 

http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/19/stories/2009011957040100.htm

Looking at this, it makes me feel, should we even rename this daily from "The Hindu" to "The Christian"?

Father Movies in Tamil

We know about those mother/sister sentiment movies in Tamil, the two recent movies has introduced new concept of story narration around father. 

I am referring to Soorya Starrer Vaaranam Aayiram by Goutham Menon and Prakash Raj home production Abhiyum Naanum by Radha Mohan.

I have seen them both. 

Vaaranam Aayiram is a good movie but i guess has too much content in its screen play. May be Gowtham started with something and ended with another. Personally i feel he has touch of Manirathnam in screenplays related to romance. This one also doesn't fail on this part. it is worth watching it in theater once...

Abhiyum Naanum is recent movie around father subject. It is better than Vaaranam Aayiram in its subject scope and plot, but will go down among audience as another silent Radha Mohan movie. Remember Azhagiya Theeye! I am sure every lovable father and their daughters will enjoy this movie. 

these movies have opened up section of under screened subjects in tamil film industry. Pls welcome such innovation by watching these in theaters!

Exploring India #8 - Trip to Jaiselmer

dhak! dhak! this was a wake up call by the cleaner boy of our bus around 6 PM. After a day full of travel, good food at Green Park, an hours play of card games, we slept, slept to the core without realizing that Barmer had arrived. It was me who got down to enquire, by the time the bus was empty!! told myself, not all wouldn't have got down for tea!! ;-) woke up Badri and Balaji, who were asking the wake up call question, " where are we?"

The night journey was comfortable despite heavy rains with 2-3 pit stops in the high way, journey was quite comfortable on the highway. Barmer is the biggest city on the high way towards Jaiselmer. we did not get direct bus from Ghandhidham. As soon as we landed in the bus station, rain picked up pace again, we ran for shelter. first inside the railway station and then took an auto to official bus stand. We bought tickets to Jaiselmer and got into one of the stoned buses (i do not know how to describe such a bus, there was water all over the place becz of leaks, holes in the windows and on the top of bus).  the travel was colder. for the first time all our winter clothes are out from the back pack, still it wasn't enough!! with few stops, the bus finally reached Jaiselmer around 10.30 AM...

Thanks to www.wikitravel.org website, we had booked a room in artist hotel. People from that hotel received us in the bus stand, took an auto to the hotel, had tea and were preparing ourselves for a fun filled day in the desert city...

Exploring India #7 - Kutch & Gujarat

As i left Ghandhidham, i carried pleasant thoughts on the visit to this region.

Gujarat is an industrially advanced state.  It is my personal opinion, i have seen many christian institutions in the remotest areas. In Gujarat, there are temples right upto the border. They serve free food for several people every day!! So far we have heard different views on the secular situation inside Gujarat. As i spoke to our cab driver Yukob, in Ahmadabad, he was saying that things are are not secular there. he had some strong opinion on Modi as a secularist. 

The road infrastructure is fantastic through out the kutch region. There are industries right up to the border with Pakistan. It was starting period for Sankrati Sales. In Ahmadabad i noticed several designs of kite, thread for flying kite prepared in the rood. Today is Sankranti, i am sure folks would have had fun this week on their annual kite festival...

The kutch region has grown massively from the last known devastating earth quake. it is thinly populated as well. Forts were damaged, some of the poorest construction were also damaged. You can see the remains of it even now. 

Their people use small jeep, share autos for their local transport. They are seeing money in every sand, brick, water in that region...

In Kavda, SETU was involved in educating students, teachers and localities on computers and its related technology, there are medical sessions every month, evening sessions for teachers, villagers, they also help people to fill all government forms online. As i spoke to Sameer, he was saying SETU's difficultly in requesting people to send their children for school. It gave me rememberance of SWADES.

I will come back to Kutch to see these places once again... 

We were heading to Barmer in Rajasthan. 

Exploring India #6 - Kutch

Our day 2 plan was to go to Narayan Sarovar which is close 200 Kms from Bhadreshwar. It was also our last day in Kutch with our bus being at 8.30. Technically we should see places and be back at around 6 to finish packing, dinner... 

Well we were prepared... started around 8 AM, finished our breakfast, then started for Bhadreshwar. This time we took different route via Mandwi (small town bith picturesque beach) and travelled via barren highway. On the way we saw industrial some of the industrial advancement in Gujarat. We also saw many of those colored lorries... now i know from where they come from..

Narayana Sarovar has a temple for Lord Vishnu. Like those south Indian temples, they had an inner praharam with all avatars of Lord Krishna. Our driver Ali Suggested to finish our lunch with temple prasadam itself as there are no good restaurants on the way. Then we went to Koteswar. A shiva temple on the shores of Gujarat Arabian sea. The sea was very different compared to Bay of Bengal shores. it was silent, had a pale white boundary, i felt as if the boundary was 100 m away unlike in chennai beaches where we feel the boundary is infinite on the sea side. After flurry of photo sessions, we decided to leave to Mandwi. Mandwi beach is like our besant nagar beach. but more silent than ours. It is good place for an evening walk with kids. i had ice gola there, colorful one, it reminds me about my school days...

It was late for our night bus, we reached our lodge around 7 PM, finished packing,  it was time to say good bye to Bhadreswar and our friends there... Partha suggested us to have dinner at Green Park in Ghandhi Dham... had dinner boarded the bus towards Barmer in Rajasthan. it was a sleeper class bus. we had prior arrangements for playing cards during the journey. with our back pack already full, it nicely formed pillow kind of arrangement... 

I left ghandhi dham with a feeling that i saw places which i havent seen in the past, not even something similar... i started having the feeling could have stayed for more time in Gujarat. well i consoled myself with a hope that since Partha is around, i need to disturb in 2009 and hence another trip....

Kutch blog to be concluded...

Margazhi Raagam - The concert, the movie

Guess what, this Sunday, we had been to carnatic movie at Fun Cinemas. It was mouli who was asking for a show as it was slated to be shown only for 3 days by using the ongoing HDFC offer on fun cinemas tickets. i guess they were kind enough to extend, but the offer is not valid for Bangalore Fun Cinemas as the ticket prices are always on the higher side on weekends. I personally had mixed opinion about the movie, finally decided to go this Sunday.

Yes, we saw Margazhi Raagam today, which is carnatic movie performed by Bombay Jayshree and TM Krishna, picturization by PC Sriram and direction by Jayendran Panchapakesan. It is an unique experience for carnatic music lovers for this music season, well thought concept and first of its kind....

In the theater it was mostly thaathas/paatis or uncle/aunty's who were enjoying raagaas... with renga around, we all had extra fun of fakely knowing the raagam/thaalam names apart from enjoying the music from the singers and he himself...

In my opinion, although theater experience is good, you can buy a DVD copy of the same as the money you spent on it is less... 

If you want to know more, here is the official link http://www.margazhiraagam.com/index.html

Exploring India #5 - Kutch

Since we arrived early in the morning, it was decided to take an hours break before to start site seeing... after colder night journey, everyone knew how strictly these time lines will be kept... The accommodation we got inside the temple was way beyond our expectations in bhadreshwar. It was decent accommodation for 3 people to stay and it costs just Rs 120 per day :-)

it was 9.30 AM when we finally left our accommodation.

We met people at SETU Information center, the NGO Partha is associated with. There we Bharat bhai. He is like an elder brother for the folks out there. He helped us in finalizing our 2 days plan, routes, places to see. He also invited us for dinner at SETU with them. For me thanks would be small word to say to the friends we met in SETU, particularly Bharath Bhai, Ali, Vinod, Partha. I decided in my mind to buy some goodies in Bangalore and give it to them through partha during his Pongal visit to Bangalore. 

OK. Our first day plan is to see Rann of Kutch, India Bridge and other places on the way. We took break in the highway of Bhuj for breakfast. Then an another break in Bhuj for Badri's lunch.  Finally it was just past noon we left Bhuj to Kavda. Khavda is a village in Kutch and is located very near to the India Pak border. From Kavda onwards you can see Rann. For some of you who dont know what is Rann, it is basically the sediments of sea from the past. Now there is no water. they all have been converted to salt kind of desert. It is pleasure to see real white salty sand. if you are a photo freak, you will enjoy this place. 

In Kavda, we went to the first site seeing spot in the top of the hill. What i noticed in Kavda, is what i saw every where in Gujarat. The more interior you go, the more number of temples (Jain, Vishnu, Shiva temples). In the view point i am talking here, we saw a shiva temple. It was just before our visit, Rann festival got over. Rann festival occurs every year to introduce tourists about various places in kutch region, to introduce business men about different business prospects and to introduce art/folk/food of kutch region to various people. We also saw the artificial helipad created for CM Modi on the way to the view point.

Our next stop was India Bridge. On the way we passed the junction which leads to the last village in western India "Kuran". Crossing more deeper Rann on both sides we reached the border. It was a physical line a bridge between India and Pakistan. India bridge as it is called, is constructed between the salt sea sediments. Photography was not allowed in that area, Otherwise we would have shown everyone one of the the best viewable places in Gujarat and in India.

With a quick chat with the jawan on guard, he was telling us, that there is similar bridge on the Pak side called Pakistan Bridge. He said few trusted locals are allowed in that area who come to deliver food/milk and other items. Other than that, tourist who know locals there or people from military visit that area. He was also mentioning without local support, it wouldnt be possible to reach that area..... 

We took some snaps on the other side, pit stopped at the kavda junction for a quick tea session and headed back home. On the way we bought mewa sweets. We reached Bhuj, i bought dresses for my sister and niece. Then we left to bhadreshwar for dinner with our SETU friends. Vinod in photo, prepared for us delicious phulkas and spicy subzi... power went off for a while, it was candle light dinner with rain.....

When dinner was over, it was almost midnight... i decided to stay with Partha for that night, Badri and Balaji headed to the place of our stay only to find out, even the street dogs went to sleep... it was colder, rainy day that night... after few energetic shouting, they decided to go back to SETU and stay there... i stayed with partha that night, we spoke until 2PM.... didnt realize time already reached next day and i should take rest before to start another joyful trip... this time it was for the place Koteswar... 

To Continue...

Exploring India #4 - Food we ate in Gujarat

Since i require more time to write in detail about Gujarat trip, i am going to write about meal we had in Gujarat.

It was/is a pleasure to visit Gujarati Hotel in Singarathope and eat (if you can call it like that) few chapatis with Aloo fry, Curd fry, papad. Being in the land of this type of food, most of our meal was with Phulka and subzi. 

Day 1 - Ahmadabad. In Aksardham we had Poori-Bhaaji, Dahi poori. In the night we ate Phulka Subzi.

Day 2 - Bhuj. Our breakfast was Pafda-Gilaebi. Traditional Gujarati or rather Kutch breakfast. it is fried in oil, but u will not see a stint of oil in that. On seeing it only badri decided not to eat anything there. Viduvoma naanga!! A snap taken outside the breakfast shop.

Badri and Balaji went for traditional Gujarati Thaali. They claim that, they had their best meal of their trip in Bhuj. It was in Hotel Neelam. Thanks to our driver Ali who took us there. 

On the way back, we bought Mewa Sweets for dinner. Do you remember Mewa Kulfi Ice cream in Sreeraj Lassi shop? it is the same sweet which is famous in Bhuj.

For dinner, Partha's colleague Vinod who is a good cook, cooked for us Phulka and some delicious spicy subzi. 

Day 3 - 

We were told that jain temple where we stayed has a prasadam stall and breakfast is good there. I asked the person issuing tokens, what are the options available for breakfast, he just looked at me, rather i should say he answered me with his look. It is a temple restaurant, where menu was fixed. Menu was Poha, some papad like dish, tea for Rs 15 /-. 

Day 3 we visited Narayan Sarovar which is around 200 Kms from Bhadreshwar. On the way there is no decent place to eat. Again, another prasadam stall.. this time free food. Roti, Dhaal, Chawal. 

We end our starving day (:-) survived with only prasadam) with a good restaurant in Ghandhi Dham. It is called Green Park. They served Idly, Dosa, Sambhar. Guess how much was our bill?

We saw different variants of bisleri like water during this trip. one such sample photo i added to this blog entry...

Will continue on kutch tomorrow....

Exploring India #3 - Kutch

Thanks to our cold protection preparations, we witnesses glimpse of the northern cold climate in that night journey. it was colder, coldest pherrrrrrrr

Welcome Partha, He is wearing grey shirt in the right image.You can say this entire was originally conceived becz i wanted to meet Partha and see Kutch. The travel spots got expanded just like that:-).  

He works for co-operative NGO in Bhadreshwar. Without his help, and his friends in SETU, it would have been impossible to see the kutch region so comfortably, it is treat to see those places in Gujarat.  

We stayed in a accommodation inside a jain temple premises. It was Rs 120 for a days stay and u cannot imagine how neat and clean it was. You may ask what else you expect inside a jain temple :-). we took some rest and met his friends and started to explore the unseen western borders of India. We stayed in Kutch for 2 days before to leave for Rajasthan. 

Mainly we visited 2 western borders of India. 

Kavda - Located about 150Kms from Bhadreshwar after Bhuj, you can see the last village inside India, see India Bridge which is almost the last land you can go by road and see the Rann of Kutch.

Next day we visited Narayan Sarovar. the closest sea point with Pak border. We saw temples located till the last Indian land.

Due to the on going Indo-Pak tensions, these areas were restrictive and was tensed. In Bhuj we saw some Mig practices in the sky, may be preperation for something from the air force. 

In the coming series, i will write more about our journeys to these 2 places...

Stay tuned.